95bFM: The Wire

Earlier this week, Councillor Julie Fairey moved a resolution to investigate Auckland Council's involvement with companies that are complicit in Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territory.  And this week, Auckland Council launched an AI virtual assistant to report issues such as graffiti, roaming dogs, and noise complaints. For City Counselling, Wire Host Caeden spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about both of these topics.

For City Counselling this week, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about Council voting to investigate Council ties to companies involved in illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land and Auckland Council's new AI assistant tool.  And they spoke to Sue Coutts, Director of External Affairs at Zero Waste Aotearoa, about a proposal to export New Zealand waste to Fiji for incineration.    For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Producer Pranuja spoke to Shanan Halbert about the latest developments in the Iran conflict, rising fuel pressures linked to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, and the government's response to recent cyclone events here in Aotearoa.  She spoke with Professor Treasa Dunworth from the University of Auckland about recent comments from US President Donald Trump and what these developments could mean from a legal perspective. And she spoke with Associate Professor Jennifer Frost from the University of Auckland about the US military draft and how it connects to broader concerns around power and militarisation.

This week on the Wednesday Wire... For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, co-host Theo spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the recently signed City Deal between Auckland Council and the central government. He also spoke to Associate Professor Alexandra Andhov on the implications of government adoption of AI  And co-host Toby spoke to Auckland University's Chris Ogden about the election results in Hungary and the future of right-wing authoritarianism.

Over the weekend, Hungary held its 2026 general election, which saw the largest voter turnout in Hungary's history as a democratic state. The electrified populace delivered a landslide victory for the relatively new ‘Respect and Freedom party,' securing them a two-thirds majority in parliament.  Incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has lost power after 16 years. For some younger voters, he is the only Prime Minister they can remember. Orbán has been a controversial figure throughout his long political career. To some, he is a power-hungry authoritarian who has stood in the way of European unity. To his supporters— which include US president Donald Trump—he is precisely the kind of strongman that a country like Hungary needs. Producer Toby spoke to Chris Ogden, professor of global studies at Auckland University, about what Orbán's defeat means for the future of global authoritarianism.

The use of AI across industries and governments is increasing at a rapid rate. However, recent gaffs involving improper AI usage in government agencies have continued to raise concerns about these tools' shortcomings, and how well regulated they are. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the government has provided advice on how agencies should go about using AI, but has stopped short of regulating this technology itself. This week, experts will be gathering at the University of Auckland for the Law, Technology, and Government Conference, which will discuss government use and regulation of AI, amongst other issues. This morning, producer Theo was joined by Professor Alexandra Andhov, an organiser and speaker at the conference, to discuss Aotearoa New Zealand's approach to AI and government.

This week, on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin speaks with us about Male Contraceptives, osteoarthritis, and Kākāpō breeding For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Alex spoke with Ryan Hamilton about the Auckland City deal between the Council and the Government, and Cyclone Vaianu. For Green World today, Producer Liam spoke to Troy Baisden, Co-president of the New Zealand Association of Scientists and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, about the Ministry for the Environment's recent Our Freshwater 2026 report on the state of Aotearoa's freshwater systems, and causes for concern as well as opportunities for change.  Host Alex also spoke with Teaching Fellow in the International Office at the University of Otago, Dr Balazs Kigilics, about Viktor Orban's defeat inm the Hungarian elections, and what it means for the country after 16 years.

On Sunday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán suffered an election defeat, heralding the end of his 16-year regime that has seen his government come under fire for a variety of claims regarding the illiberal and anti-democratic nature of his leadership. WIth the Tizsa party, led by Péter Magyar winning 138 seats to Orbán's Fidesz's 55, the election signals a rejection of Orbán's platform, which has seen both an authoritarian domestic approach, and Hungary often working in opposition to the EU, in favour of Russia. Host Alex spoke with a Teaching Fellow for the International Office at the University of Otago, Dr Balazs Kiglics, about the election, and what Magyar's victory might mean for Hungary both domestically and internationally.  

Last week, two new propositions for job cuts in the Ministry of Justice and Te Puni Kōkiri were announced, which would get rid of a combined FIFTY THREE jobs. A large portion of the proposed jobs that would be slashed were roles that help advise Māori and Crown relations, raising worries that the government won't be reaching its treaty obligations. The entire inquiry team that deals with Waitangi tribunal inquiries at the Ministry of Justice would be let go, and the cuts at Te Puni Kōkiri would mean 21 percent of the workforce will have been lost under this government. To discuss these job cuts and their impact on Māori, producer Thomas spoke to Te Kaihautū Māori for the PSA, Jack McDonald.

Last week, E tū union released a survey it took of its members in the journalism sector. The results found a concerning lack of stability and sustainability in the industry, with many journalists struggling. Issues outlined in the report included more than half rating their employers' implementation of AI as bad or unethical, increasing pressure to cover multiple roles as fewer journalists are hired and pay quickly falling behind comparable professions. To discuss the survey and potential crisis of journalism New Zealand faces, producer Thomas spoke to E tū director Mat Danaher. 

Auckland Council and the government have recently announced plans to cooperate with a new Auckland City Deal. The deal concerns collaborations between council and central government over the next few decades, across issues such as Eden Park's ownership and operation or investigations into a potential bed levy.  Part of the plan and part of Auckland Council's recent disputes with government has been housing planning. In February of this year, the minimum housing cap for Auckland was lowered from 2 million to 1.6 million, and was lowered again in March to 1.4 million.  The drop came alongside complaints from many residents of central suburbs such as Ponsonby, Mt Eden, and Epsom, who say intensification would hurt the character of their neighbourhoods. On the other side of the debate are those who say that intensification is necessary to ensure housing remains affordable, especially close to the CBD.  To discuss the debate and what the City Deal has for Auckland, News Director Castor spoke to Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, Dr. Elham Bahmanteymouri.

This week on the Wednesday Wire... For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Host Manny speaks to MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the letter they sent to the National Party detailing the measures they'd give their votes to to support Kiwis and conserve fuel during the Iran Supply Crisis. Producer Theo speaks to Leonie Morris, from Te Wāhi Wāhine o Tāmaki Makaurau - the Auckland Women's centre - on their petition to bring back Te Tiriti-based, inclusive relationships and Sexuality education in schools. Producer Toby speaks to theology expert Andrew Shepherd about religious rhetoric and Trump's war with Iran. Then Host Manny speaks to Danielle LeGallais, co-founder of Sunday Blessings, about the day of action in opposition to the government's proposed move on orders.

The government's planned expansion of police powers to allow them to charge people for sleeping in public and begging has generated a lot of community criticism accusing the government of targeting homeless people who they are not offering alternatives to rough sleeping. To protest these moves and show support for our street whanau Community groups across Aotearoa are organising a national day of action this Sunday to protest against the move-on orders proposed by the government. To discuss the move-on orders and the day of action, Host Manny spoke to co-founder of Sunday Blessings Danielle LeGallais.

The crisis growing at the pump is ramping up in seriousness as the conflict in Iran continues to escalate.  This week saw US President Donald Trump make further threats to destroy Iran's energy infrastructure that is yet to be bombed and - in turn - Iran continues to target the Gulf states and block the Strait of Hormuz, preventing any exports from this critically global hub This blockade is preventing over a third of the world's nitrogen fertilisers and a fifth of the global supply of oil and liquefied natural gas from leaving the region, while both sides' bombing campaigns are causing widespread destruction to infrastructure, which means we may not see a return of some oil and gas fields for years to come.  In Aotearoa, the costs of fuel have seen steep rises, soon to be spread across the economy as everyone's back pocket is hit, and attention is now being turned to fuel reserves with fears that we may see imports decline. To face the moment, the Green Party has put together a collection of proposals which they have sent in an official letter to the National Party and between the two parties, they'd have enough votes to pass. For our weekly catch-up with the Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez  March, Host Manny dug into this letter, the Greens proposals, and why they are reaching out to the Nats.

The ongoing war between the U.S.-Israeli coalition and Iran is a battle between three nations of three different faiths—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Religious rhetoric and imagery have been deployed on all sides in order to arouse public support, with the Republican administration in the U.S. making some less-than-subtle appeals to its evangelical Christian voter-base.  However, opinion polls show that the war continues to be unpopular in the United States, and while many evangelicals continue to support Trump, the administration's attempt to frame the conflict as a holy war has been a cause of confusion and annoyance for other sections of the American public. To help us understand the complex relationship between war, faith, and American politics, producer Toby spoke to Dr. Andrew Shepherd, senior lecturer in theology at the University of Otago.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin speaks with us about scientists using humour, sea slug colours, and wound healing imaging. For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Host Alex spoke with Ryan Hamilton about the rise in fuel prices, what we can expect from the Government in terms of support, and how that fits into the cost of living crisis. Alex also spoke with the Head of Brand and Communications, Samantha Perry, about the MOTAT STEM fair, why its important, and what it means in the wider context of MOTAT's goals And Producer Flo spoke to Richard Jackson, Leading Thinker Chair in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago about the war in Iran, chances for peace and the long term effects on regional stability and the international community.

The war between the US-Israeli coalition and Iran has entered it's fourth week with an immediate end to the conflict remaining out of sight. The war has caused casualties throughout the Middle East and has significantly affected the global economy with fuel prices soaring worldwide.  Flo spoke with Professor Richard Jackson, Leading Thinker Chair in Peace and Conflict Studies and Co-Director of Te Ao O Rongomaraeroa - The National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago about chances for peace, the widespread effects on the region and the meaning of the conflict for the international rules based order.  

This weekend, MOTAT is hosting its STEM Fair. All weekend, hands-on activities and demonstrations will be running in order to provide both education and play to the Innovators of Tomorrow.  Last week, Tuesday Wire Host Alex and News Director Castor headed to MOTAT to speak with Head of Brand and Communications at the Museum, Samantha Perry, about the STEM fair, and how it fits into MOTAT's wider ethos.  

This week on the Monday Wire...  For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about increasing fuel prices, public transport, and the scrapped clean car discount.  They also spoke to Professor Alistair Woodward from the University of Auckland about air pollution, how to address it, and also touched on the clean car discount.  Producer Thomas spoke to Forest and Bird National Conservation Advocate Bianca Ranson about the proposed Fisheries Act amendment bill and the risk it poses to our oceans. And he talked to University of Auckland Senior Research Fellow Dr Kelly Garton about New Zealand's increasing junk food imports and the detrimental health effects this could have on the country .

Last week also saw a study released around air pollution in Aotearoa, which found that Auckland faced significant air pollution risks. Traffic is the leading cause, with congestion and big vehicles as the largest causes. Over 700 people die annually from air pollution from traffic in Auckland, more than any other part of the country.  As the fuel crisis gets worse, some are seeing it as an opportunity to improve our country by becoming less reliant on petrol and cutting out unnecessary large vehicles from our big cities. To discuss air pollution and the potential opportunities within the fuel crisis, News Director Castor spoke to the University of Auckland's Professor Alistair Woodward.

Research has recently been released which found between 1990 and 2023 Ultra Processed Foods share in New Zealand's total food and drink imports has increased from 9 to 22 percent. This has raised concerns, as diets high in ultra processed foods carry an increased risk of multiple serious health conditions and can be environmentally damaging due to their high usage of plastic packaging, and water and energy in production. With the country in the midst of a cost of living crisis and people becoming increasingly reliant on these cheap, convenient, but unhealthy food options, the extent of this problem could continue to grow. To discuss the research and its findings, producer Thomas talked to the report's lead author Dr Kelly Garton.

Last week, Minister for oceans and fisheries, Shane Jones, introduced the Fisheries Act amendment bill to parliament. The bill proposes sweeping changes to the current Fisheries Act including scrapping minimum size limits for the majority of fish species, and introducing penalties for whistleblowers leaking on-board camera footage.  The bill also ignores thousands of submissions calling for positive environmental changes to the act, such as a ban on bottom trawling. The act's defenders say the limited market for juvenile fish will financially punish commercial fishers for catching them, and claim the act can unlock commercial fishing's economic potential. Critics, however, have accused Shane Jones of giving into commercial lobbyists and selling out New Zealand's enviroment for short term economic gain. To discuss the changes made in the act and their potential impact on Aotearoa's oceans producer Thomas talked to Forest and Bird National Conservation Advocate, Bianca Ranson.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about rising fuel costs, the government's proposed pay rise for some primary teachers, and the Lawyers for Climate Action case against the government for dropping climate policies. They also spoke to Dr Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, on rising fuel costs, New Zealand's dependency on petrol, and alternative ways of thinking about transport.  For City Counselling this week, News Director Castor spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about fuel insecurity and transport and energy alternatives in Auckland.  Producer Pranuja spoke to Professor Nirmal Nair from the Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering at the University of Auckland on making the switch to Electric Vehicles. She also spoke with Dr Murat Ungor from the Department of Economics at the University of Otago on how New Zealand can deal with the price at the pump.

Petrol prices have risen at least 20% since the start of the month, with the price of 91 Petrol now above $3. The government has offered pay rises to primary teachers on individual employment agreements, undermining their current negotiations with the New Zealand Educational Institute. And Lawyers for Climate Action and the Environmental Law Initiative are jointly taking a court case against the government for their dismantling of climate policies immediately after they were elected. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.

20% of the world's oil supply has been shut off over the past week due to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Petrol prices have reached $3 NZD a litre, with some stations running out of fuel due to demand.  New Zealand imports all of our petrol, diesel, and jet fuel, making us especially vulnerable to global oil crises.  We are particularly dependent on oil for transport, with electricity accounting for just 0.5% of domestic transport energy.  Wire Host Caeden spoke to  Dr Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland and an expert in transportation and infrastructure, about how New Zealand can move away from car dependency and our reliance on foreign oil imports. 

With the strait of Hormuz currently under an Iranian blockade, twenty percent of the world's daily oil traffic now sits immobilised behind a wall of sea mines. Two and a half weeks into America's war with Iran, people across the globe are feeling the effects of the conflict in the form of spiking fuel prices. With petrol prices in New Zealand surging past three dollars per litre, the government is considering its options. Producer Toby spoke to Auckland University emeritus professor and energy economics expert Basil Sharp about the lessons we've learned (or perhaps failed to learn) from our response to the oil crisis of 1979, and what we could do now to improve our energy security in New Zealand.

Community groups across Aotearoa are organising a National Day of Action to protest against the move-on orders proposed by the government. The Day of Action will be on Sunday, 29th of March, criticising the targeting of people who are already struggling on the streets. The proposed changes would see police officers empowered to force homeless people to relocate, for behaviours such as begging or seeking to inhabit a space. Multiple groups have opposed the changes, claiming they punish people unfairly for something largely outside of their control.  To discuss the move-on orders and the day of action, Wire host Alex spoke to founder of Kick Back, Aaron Hendry. 

This week, Lawyers for Climate Action New Zealand took the Climate Change Minister Simon Watts to Wellington's High Court on the government's lack of consultation in dismantling dozens of climate policies shortly after the last election.  Also under scrutiny, is the government's over-reliance on offsetting climate emissions through planting pine trees. Internationally, similar court cases have pressured governments like that of the Netherlands and United Kingdom to revisit their own climate change policies. Next week, leaders in the field of climate litigation will gather in Tāmaki Makaurau to discuss these developments and more, with an eye to the changes occurring internationally. To understand this arena of the climate crisis, I spoke to Associate Professor of Law, and Chair for the upcoming Climate Litigation Conference, Vernon Rive.

This week on the Monday Wire... For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News Director Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about New Zealand's response to the US/Israel/Iran conflict and about changes to how ACC payments interact with payments from the Ministry of Social Development.  They also spoke to Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies, Gregory Treadwell, about a recent incident where Media and Communications minister Paul Goldsmith contacted a TVNZ board member about 1News coverage.  And Producer Thomas spoke to Tāhono Trust member Anjum Rahmen about the recently released Select Committee report on online harm to children and its recommended solutions. He also talked to Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Planning Dr Tim Welch about Auckland's March traffic madness and how public transport might be the answer.

Two weeks ago, 1News aired a story discussing the fact that gang members in New Zealand now outnumber police officers. The story was aired the same day as the government released data showing that the number of victims of violent crime has decreased.  After the releases, Police Minister Mark Mitchell complained on Facebook that on the same day as the government announcement, 1News ran a story seemingly with a contrary argument. Later in the week, 1News aired a new story discussing the decrease in victims of violent crime.  After the first story was aired, Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith confirmed he had called the journalist to share his thoughts. He then was called by TVNZ's board chair, Andrew Barclay, where he says they discussed a range of matters, including the story. The situation has drawn criticism from some, who say it could indicate biased reporting by 1News. To discuss the situation and the importance of independent journalism to a democracy, News Director Castor spoke to Senior Lecturer in Communication Studies at Auckland University of Technology, Gregory Treadwell.

Last week, the Education and Workforce select committee released its final report on an inquiry into social media's harm on young people. The report included 12 recommendations to the government on action to take which would protect tamariki online. These recommendations included a social media ban for under 16s, establishing an independent national regulator for online safety and addressing legislative gaps to increase companies' liability for harm. Some MPs have disagreed with the report's findings however, with the ACT party calling for a patient, rather than fast changing, approach to online restrictions. To discuss the findings of the report and how the government should address online protection Producer Thomas spoke to Tāhono Trust member Anjum Rahmen.

The road congestion phenomenon known as “March Madness” which hits Auckland every year has begun, with Auckland Transport estimating travel times on Motorways will increase up to 41% this month.  The City Rail link is set to open later this year offering potential congestion relief in the future but Auckland Public Transport fares continue to increase, potentially offsetting this investment as a complete solution. To discuss the extent of March congestion issues and how they can be solved Producer Thomas talked to Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Planning from the University of Auckland Dr Tim Welch.

The New Zealand Government is currently in talks with officials from the United States (US) about a new border security agreement that would allow New Zealanders' biometric information to be handed over to the US government.  The new agreement could give the United States full automated access to New Zealand's national databases. Wire Host Caeden spoke to the chair of the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties, Thomas Beagle, about this issue.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins has stated that the United States and Israel breached international law with their bombing of Iran, especially with the strike that killed 150 people at a primary girls' school.  While former Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark says New Zealand should not provide military support for “an illegal invasion” of Iran. And the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey has published its latest results for the year leading up to October 2025. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to MP Shanan Halbert about both of these topics.

This weekend will see the West Papua Solidarity Forum hosted at the University of Auckland's Old Choral Hall. The forum looks into the struggles faced by the people of West Papua against ongoing colonialism and repression by the Indonesian government.  As part of the forum, Academy Cinema will be hosting a West Papuan film night this Saturday, highlighting the struggles faced by locals.  To discuss the context behind the struggles in West Papua and the event this weekend, News Director Castor spoke to activist and former Green MP Catherine Delahunty. You can find more information about the event here. You can find more information about the screening of West Papuan films at Academy Cinema here. 

Late last year, the High Court ruled against the Ministry of Social Development on one of their practices in recovering welfare payments. MSD had, for the last twenty years, required that successful ACC claimants pay back any supplementary assistance they had received while waiting for their claim to be resolved, such as through the accommodation supplement.  This approach would often mean claimants would be left with a significantly reduced payout, and even debt. Last month, the government began passing legislation that would retroactively make these practices legal, slashing any hopes of forgiving the outstanding debts that were - until recently - unlawful. The Social Security (Accident Compensation and Calculation of Weekly Income) Amendment Bill has been pushed through parliament in urgency, limiting scrutiny. However, despite a narrow timeframe to submit on the select committee, over eight hundred responses were received. Producer Theo spoke to Dr Susan St John, Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Auckland - and one of the submitters to the bill's select committee - about the consequences this legislation will have.

This week on the Wednesday Wire... For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the war in Iran and Pay equity. We then spoke to Professor Felicity Goodyear-Smith from the Department of General Practice and Primary Healthcare, about the crisis in primary care and what can be done to support GP's. And after that, we'll share with you part of a series of interviews we did with festival organisers looking to understand why so many were struggling at this current time and how the government overlooked these grassroots local event organisers.

Despite being at the backbone of our health system, primary care in Aotearoa is facing unprecedented struggles.That's according to a recent study looking at six wealthy countries healthcare systems, including New Zealand's. An Increasing shortage of GP's, with the marjority of the workforce planning to retire in the next 10 years, an ageing population of patients, along with outdated and disconnected degital systems hampering the streamline transfer of patients between health organisations is putting unprecedented strain on the system, increasing wait times, and worsining outcomes. To discuss their study and dig into their solutions I spoke to one of the study's researchers, Professor Felicity Goodyear-Smith from the Department of General Practice and Primary Healthcare.

This week on the Tuesday Wire... For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman, chats with us about the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Squeaky Rubber Shoes, and Plastic made from Milk.  For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Tuesday Wire Host Alex spoke to National MP Ryan Hamlilton about the government's shares in Air New Zealand, their Teacher Training Boosts, and the results of the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey. He also spoke with Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Otago, Nicholas Khoo, about The US and Israeli strikes on Iran, nuclear proliferation, and what it means for the existing rules based liberal order.

Over the weekend, the US and Israel launched supposedly pre-emptive strikes against Iran. Their goal was, initially, to cripple Iran's nuclear capabilities, and bring about regime change. In the days since, however, criticisms have been levied over the way that these claims have been wielded. Additionally, the western world, and the rules-based liberal order, have had to adjust further to the US' chaotic behaviour on the world stage, with countries variably either standing behind the US, or casting criticism. Tuesday Wire Host Alex spoke with Associate Professor in Politics at the University of Otago, Nicholas Khoo, about the role Nuclear Proliferation has played in these strikes, how the strikes have evolved, and how the liberal order has reacted.

This past weekend saw tensions in the Middle East rising, with Israel and the United States launching strikes on Iran yesterday, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran responded by launching strikes on Israel, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait.  The conflict follows tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which in turn followed protests across Iran earlier this year. As the situation develops, the internal and external politics of Iran are precarious, as all parties remain interested in who could take power.  To discuss how the events came about and will affect domestic politics in Iran, News Director Castor spoke to political scientist and activist, Samira Ghoreishi. Ghoreishi spoke to 95bFM in an independent capacity.

Last week, Te Hiringa Mahara the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission released a series of data summaries on the state of youth mental health in Aotearoa. One of the key findings of the study was that despite an increase in stress levels, fewer young people are accessing specialist mental health and addiction support services. To discuss the causes of the issue and how it can be addressed at multiple levels across society, News Director Castor spoke to Chief Executive of Te Hiringa Mahara, Karen Orsborn.

The government recently announced five proposals to change transport rules in Aotearoa. The proposals include changes that would see e-scooters permitted in bike lanes, and one that would allow cyclists aged twelve and below to use footpaths.  While four of the changes have been celebrated by Living Streets Aotearoa, the first, around allowing more bikes on footpaths, has been criticised. The organisation sez that this change could open a gateway to more bikes being permitted in pedestrian spaces, increasing risk especially for the elderly and the disabled.  To discuss their stance on the issue, News Director Castor spoke to president of Living Streets Aotearoa, Tim Jones.