95bFM: The Wire

From Dec 27 to Jan 18, all train lines across Tāmaki will be shutting down for summer maintenance, a closure which is expected to be the last of its kind ahead of the opening of the City Rail Link.  The current measles outbreak in Tāmaki is being continually monitored, with exposure sites being updated daily on info.health.nz. The public are encouraged to track whether they've been in possible contact with the virus, and get up to date on any vaccinations to limit possibilities of transmission.  Auckland Council are supporting arts initiatives across the summer months, with Music in the Park kicking off in early January, and Movies in the Park following in February.  Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about these topics, and also asked for comment following the attack by two gunmen at Bondi Beach earlier this week.

On this week's 'Best of the Wire' Special: For Max's final Wire 

Yesterday, the latest six-monthly survey of housing support providers under the National Homelessness Data Project, or NHDP,  showed that homelessness in Auckland has more than doubled in the year to September. The report also found that 14 of the 21 agencies interviewed reported an increase in homelessness. As well as this, Australia's ban on social media for children under 16 has taken effect. And according to an interim report into social media harm, a social media ban for children in New Zealand is worth exploring further. And last week the Government announced the replacement of the Resource Management Act, or RMA. The coalition said its replacement will slash red tape and supercharge growth. For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the Government's new RMA reforms and a potential social media ban in New Zealand. But first they discussed the latest report on Auckland homelessness.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman chats with us about how a journal has retracted a study on a weed killer, how it's easier to identify a cat by its purr rather than meow, and how time is faster on Mars. Landing 20 December, Forces of Flight, MOTAT's newest Aviation Hall exhibition - Discover the forces that take you sky-high! Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow!

The Parliament's Workforce and Education Committee has released an interim report on an inquiry into the harm young New Zealanders face online. The government has recently announced an overhaul of the Resource Management Act and introduced two new bills in its place, the Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill.  For our weekly catch-up with the National Party, Producer Vihan spoke to MP Carl Bates, who is also the Deputy Chairperson of the Workforce and Education Committee, about the new findings of the interim report, the new Natural Environment Bill, and the Fast Track Approval Amendments Bill.

The government has announced the overhaul of the Resource Management Act (RMA), which will be replaced by two different bills, the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill. The RMA is set to be fully replaced by 2029. The RMA, which has been in effect for 34 years, is polarising across the political spectrum. In announcing the reforms, RMA Reform Minister, Chris Bishop, says that “pretty much everything” will be quicker and less costly under the new regime. For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about this overhaul of the RMA. They also discussed The Education and Workforce Committee's interim report on the harms young people experience online, with a majority recommending a ban on social media for under-16-year-olds. But first, they discussed the overhaul of the RMA.

On Sunday, “Block the Ban” held a protest against the government's decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria. The United Nations' committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination has released a report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights. And last week, the government rejected the recommended methane emissions targets. This is despite officials warning against the government doing so, stating that lowering methane emissions targets could increase New Zealand's contribution to global warming.  For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.

On May 26 next year, Aotearoa's anti-stalking legislation comes into effect, but criminalisation is not the only action needed to support those experiencing stalking. Earlier this week Auckland Women's Centre released a guide of referral for victims of stalking that includes advice on reporting to police and accessing support services.  Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Leonie Morris, Project Lead for ‘Aotearoa Free From Stalking', on the advocacy pathways needed to best address the issue of stalking ahead of the legislation implementation next year.

With 2025 coming to a close, it's a turning point for health promotion strategies around nicotine and tobacco use in Aotearoa. The Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 initiative launched in 2010, and sought to focus on addressing inequities for Māori. The parameters for success for Smokefree Aotearoa aimed for a reduction to less than 5% of NZers that smoke, across all population groups, by the end of the fifteen year period. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Professor Chris Bullen, Co-Chair of the Smokefree Expert Advisory Committee, about the changes in smoking culture that have occurred across the campaign, and what is next for addressing inequities in tobacco use and relevant health outcomes going forward.

Safety measures on public transport are of growing concern this week following the fatal and unprovoked attack that took place on route 76 in East Tāmkaki on Monday night. Earlier this week there were also multiple critical incidents that occurred simultaneously across Auckland's West Coast beaches and waterways, seeing an unusually high deployment of emergency services and surf lifesavers for this early in the summer. Swedish home and furniture retailer Ikea opened in Sylvia Park a week ago today, drawing huge excitement for many. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Councillor Shane Henderson about these topics.

We might think of statehood as a fairly recent, post- World War Two phenomenon, but the creation of states actually goes back to 5000 years ago.  And instead of money, it was the taxation of grains that contributed to the creation of the first states.  Producer Vihan spoke to the University of Auckland's Professor of Psychology Quentin Atkinson on how the first states and their elites came to be.

The government is pausing the new prescriptions of Puberty Blockers to gender diverse and transgender young people from the 19th of December onwards, following a similar move by the UK after the results of the NHS's Cass Review.  Wire Producer Flo spoke to activist Lauren Craig about the effects of the legislation, her petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers” against the changes and the wider political motivation for the policy. If you'd like to sign this petition, you can find it here

A new study from the University of Auckland has indicated a higher risk of violence and discrimination for queer people on public transport, especially for non-binary and transgender people or those with multiple marginalised identities.  Kirsten Tilleman, PhD researcher at Waimata Taupapa Rau University of Auckland conducted the study and is working with Auckland Transport to address the issue. To further explain the results of the study and to describe the implementation of possible solutions, Wire producer Flo spoke with Kirsten Tilleman.

This week on the Wednesday Wire: For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez March about what the Green Party has taken away from Scrutiny Week, the recent reports criticising the Government's decision-making in regards to climate change, and the United Nations report warning that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights in New Zealand. For this weeks Get Action! Producer Flo spoke with Activist Lauren Craig, creator of OurChangeAction Petition “Reverse the decision to deny transgender and takatāpui young people access to puberty blockers”. Flo also spoke with Kirsten Tilleman, a University of Auckland PhD researcher, about her study on discrimination and violence towards LGBTQIA+ individuals on public transport.  And Producer Vihan spoke with the University of Auckland's Professor of Psychology Quentin Atkinson, to discuss the formation of states.

Last week was scrutiny week, where Parliament focuses entirely on holding government agencies and ministers to account, to check-in on how well the Government is performing. Many of the questions surrounding scrutiny week have been focused on climate change, with many recent reports highlighting the Government's questionable decision-making.. The biggest headline was that the coalition had chosen to reject all three of the climate change commission's recommendations to strengthen New Zealand's emissions targets. Along with this, the United Nations released a new report, where they've warned that New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Māori rights and entrenching disparities for the indigenous population. In the 14-page report, the UN expressed concerns over multiple government policies affecting Maori, including the disestablishment of the Maori Health Authority, cuts to public funding for Maori services, and minimising the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. For our weekly catchup with the Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the report released by the United Nations, but first they discussed Scrutiny Week and the Government's recent climate change decisions.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health released its HIV Monitoring Report to mark World AIDS Day. The report tracks New Zealand's goals towards the country's National HIV Action Plan 2023-2030. News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Peter Saxton, an Associate Professor in Social, the School fo Population Health and HIV researcher at the University of Auckland, about the report, and where the country is at in combating HIV transmissions.

From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species. The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well. Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week's conference, and what to expect.

Recently, the government has announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs. As well as this, Health Minister, Simeon Brown, has called for the decentralisation of Health New Zealand, with the expectation that the entity focuses on deliveries closer to the front-line, additionally expecting a plan to do so by the end of the year. For our weekly catch up with the National Party, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to MP Stuart Smith about these topics, starting with the regional council.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chats with us about food waste and strategies for limiting food waste and E.coli being used to create rainbow dye. Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow! Christmas Lights at MOTAT - experience Auckland's most magical Christmas lights - heritage trams, festive music, Santa visits, and thousands of sparkling lights Tickets at motat.nz 

A new study by the University of Auckland has shown rising levels of burnout within the Pacific community. The research is the first large-scale study to examine burnout within New Zealand-born Pasifika adults between the age of 18 to 65.  The study found that 90 per cent of the adults experienced burnout, with almost 50 per cent experiencing burnout repeatedly.  Producer Vihan spoke to University of Auckland Doctoral Candidate Asetoa Sam Pilisi about his study on burnout within New Zealand-born Pacific communities. 

The government has recently announced some major reforms to how regional councils operate, with regional councillors proposed to be replaced by boards made up of city and regional mayors, and potentially even Crown-appointed representatives, called combined territories boards, or CTBs. The ‘shake-up' of regional councils has left concerns that the move would water down environmental regulations at a local level, reduce Māori and iwi voices in decision making, and would result in central government overreaching into local politics. As well as this, Parliament's Justice Committee has recommended passing the Electoral Amendment Bill, albeit with some amendments For our weekly catch up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about both of these topics, starting with the changes to regional councils.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Host, Joel, spoke to MP Simon Court about the shake-up to regional councils, and the Justice Committee recommending the Electoral Amendment Bill pass. Producer Alex spoke with Research Fellow at the department of primary healthcare and rural health at the Dunedin School of Medicine, Dr Geoffrey Noller, about the roll out of roadside drug testing for substances such as Marijuana beginning in wellington, and what it means for road safety and legal Marijuana users. And Alex spoke with Professor in pediatric endocrinology at the Liggins Insititute at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, about the governments ban on puberty blockers, and what it means for the mental health of young trans people. Whakarongo mai!

Starting in December, the government is banning new prescriptions of puberty blockers to adolescents.  However, concerns have been raised about the effect this ban will have on the mental health of these individuals – research suggests that the medication reduces mental health distress in transgender youth, a community that is already vulnerable. Banning the drug may have adverse affects in this same vein. Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Professor in Pediatric Endocrinology at the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland, Paul Hofman, about the ban, and what it means for the mental health of our transgender and gender dysphoric youth.

Bay of Plenty Reggae festival One Love have announced their 2026 cancellation earlier this week, citing the ongoing cost of living crisis and unforeseen behind-the-scenes developments as the reason why. Speculation around the cancellation continues to tie the festival's legacy to its previous promoter and founder, Pato Alvarez, following his sex offending conviction in 2023. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to musician and sound engineer Lora Thomson, about what the cancellation of the festival indicates for Aotearoa's live music scene, and the accessibility of venues and touring circuits for musicians in Aotearoa.

The Government has proposed to abolish regional councils, with city and district councils taking over these duties instead. Labour Party MP Duncan Webb has introduced a member's bill to repeal the Regulatory Standards Act. And the Reserve Bank has cut the official cash rate, bringing it to its lowest level in three years in an effort to support economic renewal. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these issues.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about the results of the Ipsos survey, the removal of the requirement for school boards to give effect to the Treaty, the petition for a social media ban for under 16s, and the government banning puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria.  For International Desk, they spoke to Vira Paky, Youth Engagement Co-ordinator at Save the Children New Zealand, about her experience on the ground at COP30 in Brazil. Producer Jasmine talked to Councillor Julie Fairey about Plan Change 120 and Tāmaki hosting the World Indigenous Peoples' Conference on Education this week. And she talked to Deputy Secretary of Worker's First Union Anita Rosentreter about four New Zealanders that have won a four-year legal battle against Uber.

The supreme court has made a final ruling on the four-year long court battle between four Kiwi Uber drivers and the Uber corporation. The case signals a huge win for acknowledging employment rights for drivers, amidst the exploitative pitfalls of contractor classifications. The result coincides with the current Employment Relations Bill that has passed its first reading, a piece of legislation that would only allow selected workers access to the Court or Authority to seek declaration of their employment status and secure any minimum rights. The bill was drafted in part, by Uber. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Anita Rosentreter, Deputy Secretary of Workers First Union, who supported the worker's case, about what this means for Aotearoa's employment law and protecting the rights of our workers.

Producer Jasmine Gray speaks to Councillor Julie Fairey about the folllowing for this week's edition of City Counselling: Auckland Council has unveiled their long-term housing development proposition in the form of Plan Change 120, which is now open for public submissions until December 19. Key focuses include intensifying housing density in high-infrastructure areas. And this week Ngāti Whatua Ōrākei welcomed the world's largest indigenous education conference to Tāmaki Makaurau, bringing over 3,800 visitors. Accompanying the conference is Te Ao Pūtahi, a free public festival showcasing indigenous artistry, that is happening in Aotea Square until 7pm tonight. 

This week COP30, the world's main annual climate summit, has continued in the Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil. COP30 marks a new push from indigenous voices to be elevated at the summit, with the largest indigenous participation in history - an estimated 3,000 with 1,000. Tens of thousands of people also protested outside COP30 last week in the first large-scale protest at a United Nations climate summit in years. Wire Host Caeden spoke with Vira Paky, Youth Engagement Co-ordinator at Save the Children New Zealand, who is on the ground at COP.

The Ipsos New Zealand survey has shown Labour is the most trusted party for eight of the top 10 most important issues to voters. This includes issues like cost of living, healthcare, and the economy.  The Government has amended the Education and Training Act to remove the requirement for school boards to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  A petition calling for a minimum age of 16 to access social media has been handed over to Parliament.  And the Government is halting prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria, while continuing to allow them for cisgender young people. For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about all of these topics.

Recently, the controversial Regulatory Standards Bill passed its third and final reading. The bill has raised concerns amongst many for a variety of reasons, including its lack of recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the risks it poses to the environment, and what opponents say is its ‘narrow neoliberal framework'. The bill, during public submissions, received 156,000 submissions, with over 98% voicing their opposition to the proposed legislation. News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Geoffrey Bertram, a visiting scholar and retired lecturer at the Victoria University of Wellington about the bill, why it is so polarising, and what the passing of this bill means heading forward.

On Monday, The Green Party announced that a Green Government will commit to revoking any consents, or permits, handed out under the fast-track process for coal, hardrock gold, and seabed mining, if they were to be permitted under the current government.  In their announcement, the Green's were adamant that it was possible to have an economy that employs people without destroying the ecological basis for our existence. While expressing that they consider these forms of mining to be “deeply destructive” and unsustainable. Also this week, Transport Minister Chris Bishop announced new changes to the Clean Car Standard. In the new standards, importers will now be charged $15 per gram of CO2 for new imports, compared to the previous $67.50, a nearly 80% reduction. This has led to criticism from experts, who believe New Zealand will now become a dumping ground for high-emission vehicles. And last week, The Green Party also condemned the Government's decision to officially pass the Regulatory Standards Bill into law. For our Weekly Catchup with The Green Party, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke to MP Ricardo Menendez March about the new Clean Car Standard, as well as the Regulatory Standards Bill. But first, we discussed The Green's commitment to revoking any mining permits handed out under the fast-track process.

Yesterday, the United Nations Security Council voted 13-0 in favour of US President Donald Trump's resolution for lasting peace in Gaza, although Russia and China chose to abstain. The plan includes vague references to Palestinian statehood in the future, along with the deployment of an “international stabilisation force” in Gaza. Supporters of the resolution suggest it should lead to the immediate lifting of remaining opposition to the flow of aid into Gaza, and the creation of an international stabilisation force would fill the vacuum left by the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region, while allowing for the immediate measures required to feed and protect the 2.2 million Palestinians living in the region. To discuss Donald Trump's latest plan for lasting peace in Gaza, and what it means for Palestine and Hamas, Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa co-chair John Minto. 

Recently, ACT Party MP, Laura McClure, has launched a member's bill, proposing the disestablishment of the Broadcasting Standards Authority, or BSA. This member's bill follows a complaint laid to the BSA regarding Sean Plunket's online media network, The Platform. Plunket says the content of his show does not meet the requirements of the Broadcasting Act, and that the BSA had "woefully and egregiously overstepped its bounds". The BSA, however, says Plunket's show clearly meets the requirements of the Act. News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Peter Thompson, an Associate Media and Communications Professor at the Victoria University of Wellington and board member of the Better Public Media Trust, about this member's bill and what the bill is proposing.

This week on the Wednesday Wire: For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party Wednesday Wire Host Max spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about The Green Party's pledge to revoke, what they consider, the most destructive fast-track mining consents handed out by the current government, the adjustments to the Clean Car Standard, and the official passing of the Regulatory Standards Bill into law. News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Geoffrey Bertram, a visiting scholar and retired lecturer at the Victoria University of Wellington about the passing of the Regulatory Standards Bill, and what this means heading forward. Max spoke with John Minto from the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa, to discuss the UN Security Council voting 13-0 in favour of implementing US President Donald Trump's plan for a lasting peace in Gaza. And Joel spoke to Peter Thompson, an Associate Media and Communications Professor at the Victoria University of Wellington, and board member of the Better Public Media Trust, about ACT MP Laura McClure's member's bill, proposing the disestablishment of the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

On the 8th of November, a wildfire tore through 3000 hectares of Tongariro National Park, before being extinguished four days later. The fire resulted in multiple walks in the region to be closed, including the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. However, as of today, many of these tracks have reopened. However, the full extent of the fire on the region's ecosystem is yet to be fully investigated. On Friday, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to George Perry, a Professor in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland, about this wildfire, and how detrimental this fire will be on the region's ecosystem, from what we are currently seeing

Last week saw the release of the Global Tobacco Interference Index. In it, Aotearoa ranked 53rd in the world - a whopping 52 places down from two years ago. This ranking two years ago was reflective of our robust anti-smoking laws - since the current coalition government has repealed them, however, that reputation has come seriously into question. These rankings now serve as a warning about the role that the tobacco industry plays in health policy, and New Zealand's failure to manage smoking and tobacco lobbying. Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Professor of Public Health at the University of Auckland, Chris Bullen, about the ranking, Tobacco influence in the government, and what it says about Smoking in New Zealand as a whole.  

Last Week, the government passed the regulatory standards bill into the regulatory standards act. Long controversial, failing to pass in its first three readings and subject to enormous opposition in submissions during the process, the law is the child of David Seymour's ACT party.   But now that this law has passed, these serious concerns are of urgency. Particularly there are loud concerns and criticisms of the primacy granted to corporate interests, in the face of te Tiriti o Waitangi and the environment. Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Greenpeace Campaigner Gen Toop about the bill passing, what it means for the environment, and what should be done in the face of this policy threat.  

A few weeks ago, Kelston Boys High School in West Auckland said they were at the front of an unsupported, attempted takeover to turn the school into a charter school. As well as this, more recently, the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport, a charter school set to be established next year, was signed with a trust that did not exist. Amendments have also been made to the Education and Training Act, removing a clause requiring school boards give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The move has seen backlash from the National Iwi Chairs Forum and a growing number of schools, who have launched a petition against the move.  Finally, the controversial Regulatory Standards Bill has passed its third reading and is now set to be implemented into law. The bill previously received 156,000 public submissions, with 98.7% of those voicing their opposition to the bill. For our weekly catch-up with ACT Party's Simon Court, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to him about these topics. They started off by asking Court about Kelston Boys High School and the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport, and how concerning these developments are for the ACT Party.

This week on the Monday Wire: For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to MP Simon Court about charter schools, changes to the Education and Training Act, removing school boards' responsibilities to adhere to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the Regulatory Standards Bill passing into law. Producer Alex spoke to Greenpeace Campaigner Gen Toop about the passing of the Regulatory Standards Bill into an Act last week, and what it means for corporate interests over the environment in Aotearoa New Zealand. Joel spoke to George Perry, a Professor in the School of Environment at the University of Auckland, about the recent Tongariro wildfires that have devastated the region. And Alex spoke to Professor in Public Health at the University of Auckland, Chris Bullen, about New Zealand dropping in the Global Tobacco Interference Index rankings, and what that means for smoking policy and health in Aotearoa. Whakarongo mai!

This week was the start of the COP30 climate talks in Belém, Brazil.  Young people from across the globe are heavily involved in climate campaigning, but many face obstacles in being able to attend COP, particularly in being involved in the actual decision-making.   Wire Host Caeden spoke to Youth Environmentalist and member of the Youth Climate Justice Project, Sumaya Mohammed, who is attending COP next week, about young people's experiences with the climate talks. They also spoke to Aoife Daly, Professor of Law at University College Cork and Lead on the Youth Climate Justice Project, about her research into youth participation at COP. 

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about the expulsions of two Te Pāti Māori MPs, concerns about police leadership, and Chris Hipkins ‘socialist' label. For International Desk, they spoke to Youth Environmentalist Sumaya Mohammed and Lead on the Youth Climate Justice Project Aoife Daly about youth participation at COP30. For City Counselling, Producer Sanat talked to Councillor Shane Henderson about a proposed ban on Homelessness in the CBD and new committee appointments inside Auckland Council. He also talked to Kiwisaver Provider Simplicity's CEO Sam Stubbs about their new infrastructure proposal called Infrakiwi.