For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about New Zealand First’s proposed Bathrooms Bill. For City Counselling Caeden speaks to Shane Henderson about continued flood recovery and new public transport funding in council’s Long Term Plan. They speak to Dr Lida Ayoubi and Dr Andrew Geddis about the Karen Chhour/Waitangi Tribunal case. And they speak to Dr Neal Curtis about the origins of the term ‘woke’. Jasmine speaks with Chief Executive of...

This week is Hospice Awareness Week in Aotearoa, a campaign aimed at opening the conversation around Hospice care and services. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Wayne Naylor, Chief Executive of Hospice New Zealand, also known as Te Kahu Pairuri o Aotearoa, about Hospice Care, breaking the stigma, and how to support their kaupapa.   To learn more and support Hospice New Zealand, head to https://www.hospice.org.nz/

For their regular catch-up, host Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menéndez March about: The recent cross-party inquiry into climate adaptation, The Roads of Regional Significance Project and boosts to our defence budget.  He also spoke to Dr Ritesh Shah from the University of Auckland about an Open Letter to the UoA foundation calling for the university to divest from companies involved in arms sales and human rights violations. Producer Rachel spoke to Senior lecturer of Critical...

It’s almost been a month since protests began at Columbia University in New York, where students established a Gaza Solidarity encampment to demand that the university divest from companies associated with the State of Israel.  With similar protests subsequently springing up at campuses across the globe, calling for universities to divest from Israel, the issue of ethical and responsible investment has become widely discussed in academic institutions across the globe.  In the wake of the...

Last Thursday, parliament agreed on a motion to establish a cross-party inquiry on how Aotearoa can better adapt to more frequent and severe weather events, continuing from an inquiry launched by former Green Party co-Leader James Shaw under the previous labour government.  For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to Green Party MP Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the party’s thoughts on the launch of the inquiry.  They also had a chat about the Roads of Regional Significance project, as well as...

Iranian hip hop artist Toomaj Salehi has recently been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic regime on charges of ‘corruption on earth’ for his songs criticising the regime. He is one of the many Iranian political prisoners who have been sentenced to death for speaking out against the regime. News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Aida Oryantal, from Voice of Iranians about the ongoing fight for democracy in Iran.

For Dear Science this week, Professor Allan Blackman chatted to us about Beethoven’s deafness, the first ever vaccination, and researchers mapping a small part of the human brain.  Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about nursing shortages in light of rallies last week and how the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora could affect the health sector.  He also spoke to New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels about these health issues from a frontline...

On May 13th, the Education Hub - a non-profit organisation that connects teachers with education research - released a report on neurodivergent children in schools and early childhood centres.  Gathering testimonies from 2,400 people, the report found that 15-20 percent of the population is neurodivergent, meaning they have conditions including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and anxiety. Although the school system is supposedly inclusive, the Education Hub says schools and early childhood centres...

As a part of the coalition government’s cost saving measures, there are 325 proposed job cuts at the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). ACC says client-facing teams will not be affected, although, roles in the areas of prevention of sexual violence, road safety and workplace safety are on the chopping block.  The job cuts equate to a proposed 9 percent reduction of ACC’s total workforce. Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Public Service Association Assistant Secretary, Fleur...

On 9 May the New Zealand Nurses organisation held a national day of action 2024, with rallies across the country calling for increased public health funding. While the government has introduced measures to increase the number of nurses in Aotearoa, staffing shortages are still frequent in wards across the country.  Additionally, there are worries that the recently scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora could impact the already struggling sector, taking focus away from those who need health support most...

On May 9th the New Zealand Nurses organisation held a national day of action 2024, with rallies across the country calling for increased public health funding. While the government has introduced measures to increase the number of nurses in Aotearoa, staffing shortages are still frequent in wards across the country.  Additionally, there are worries that the recently scrapped Te Aka Whai Ora could impact the already struggling sector, taking focus away from those who need health support most...

Halal Kiwi, an app that helps people find halal foods and products in New Zealand, has been called anti-Semitic by the ACT Party for creating a pro-Palestine boycott list. News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Halal Kiwi founder, Mohammed Soliman, about ACT’s claim. She started off the interview by asking Soliman about the intention behind their initiative to help Halal Kiwi users boycott pro-Israel and pro-Zionist businesses.

Amid global boycott movements in support of Palestine amid Israel's ongoing war on Gaza which has killed more than 34,000 people News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to Alternative Jewish Voices Co-Founder, Dr Marilyn Garson, about the conflation of Judaism and Zionism and how this has come up in boycotting movements.

For our regular interview with the ACT Party, News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court, about the government continuing the Ka Ora Ka Ako, Healthy School Lunches Programme, power shortages across the country, his comments on boycotting pro-Israel and Zionist businesses, and NZ First introducing a bill that would ban transgender people from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity. She also spoke to Halal Kiwi founder, Mohammed Soliman, about the...

Brain Tumour Support NZ is a charitable trust established in 2019 to promote awareness for brain tumour diagnoses in New Zealand. During their "Make May Better" month, Brain Tumour Support NZ has launched the “No Going Back” fundraising platform where participants can embark on fundraising challenges to support brain tumour patients and their families. Producer Ezra spoke to Chief Executive at Brain Tumour Support NZ, Sarah Verran, about their newly launched campaigns, the importance of...

Last week, the government announced the Ka Ora Ka Ako, Health School Lunches Programme, would receive $478 million dollars in funding in the government’s upcoming annual Budget, to keep the programme running for the next two years, but at a lower cost. We also saw Transpower, Aotearoa's national grid operator, warning of possible insufficient power generation to meet households' demand on Friday. News and Editorial Director, Jessica Hopkins, spoke to MP Simon Court about this as well as...

The 2024 Auckland Writers Festival is kicking off next week, offering 200 events exploring literature, arts and culture and bringing together creatives from both Aotearoa and across the globe. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Festival Co-Curator Michael Bennett about this year’s programme, discussing incorporation of Te Reo and Te Ao Māori, alongside the importance of intergenerational relationships in this creative space.  To learn more about programme events, head to www.writersfestival.co.nz

This week is Rape Awareness Week in Aotearoa, a kaupapa that seeks to start conversations and facilitate social change for sexual violence prevention in Aotearoa. This year’s initiatives, led by Whāngarei Rape Crisis and HELP Auckland’s Dear Em Programme, focus on the theme ‘A Community of Consent’. Producer Jasmine Gray spoke to Dear Em Acting Programme Lead, Imogen Stone, on the importance of this movement for Aotearoa, and how to get involved.

For our weekly catch-up with Deputy Labour Leader Carmel Sepuloni Caeden asks about Celebrity Treasure Island and the potential end of election day voter enrolment. They also speak with Councillor Lotu Fuli about the latest Auckland port announcement and if Auckland Council will call for a ceasefire in Gaza. And they speak with Victoria University’s Dr Lara Greaves about the proposal from the Government to end election day voter enrolment. Jasmine speaks to Co-curator of the Auckland...

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has announced the government is considering removing election day voter enrolment.  A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission told 95bFM background information on what election day voter enrolment is including that: Election day enrolment was introduced for the 2020 General Election, so there have been two elections when it’s been in place. It means people can enrol or update their details, and then vote, on election day. Before 2020, people needed to...

On April 17th 2024, amidst widespread international focus on Israel’s military operation in the Gaza strip, pro-Palestinian students at Columbia University in New York pitched tents on their campus's southern lawn, forming an encampment to protest against the university’s financial ties with companies associated with the state of Israel. Despite a brutal crackdown on the protesting students, Columbia’s Palestinian Solidarity Encampment inspired the creation of 155 similar protest...

Earlier this week, the government announced a plan to invest $1.9 Billion dollars into corrections facilities across Aotearoa, which would be used to recruit and train staff, provide rehabilitation for inmates on remand, and the expansion of 810 new beds at Waikeria prison, which had previously been damaged during a prison riot in 2020.  For their weekly chat, Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez March to discuss the party’s take on the corrections investment. We also talked...

This week, Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party’s Katie Nimon about last week’s education announcement and the newly proposed “structured literacy” policy. Structured learning focuses on a skill building process, particularly effective for those who struggle with reading or have dyslexia.  The two spoke about the National government’s broader education focus, the structured literacy policy, and the recently implemented school cellphone ban. 

In 2022, the Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Act amended the Human Rights Act 1993 to make conversion practices unlawful in Aotearoa New Zealand.  A new study, ‘Conversion practices in Aotearoa New Zealand: Developing a holistic response to spiritual abuse’, highlights support needed for people wanting to escape conversion practices in faith-based settings.  Led by Director of Kaitiaki Research and Evaluation and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University, Doctor Michael...