On Sunday, the government announced a targeted funding plan for mental health services specifically for Rainbow young people.The $4 million package will be spread over four years, with $3.2 million funding the expansion of mental wellbeing services for young Rainbow New Zealanders and the remaining $800,000 topping up the existing Rainbow Wellbeing Legacy Fund. 

News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston speaks to Frances Arns, the Executive Director of Rainbow Youth, about the funding allocation. They also discuss the Green Party petition to ban conversion therapy. 

Ana Scotney, aka Kōtiro dials in from Pōneke for a chat with Rach about her debut record, High​-​Def Multinational. Ana talks about how this concept piece came to be, and what it means to her. 

On the Tuesday Wire today Jemima Huston speaks to Frances Arns, the Executive Director of Rainbow Youth, about the government’s new mental health funding for Rainbow young people. They also touch on the Green Party’s petition to ban conversion therapy in Aotearoa. 

Noah Ferguson-Dudding talks to Raise the Bar founder Chloe Ann-King about the importance of employers and the government taking responsibility for workers during the third lockdown.

Jemima looks into the call for constitutional transformation and the work of Matike Mai Aotearoa, the Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation. She interviews Professor Margaret Mutu (Ngāti Kahu, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Whātua) about what constitutional transformation is and how it can be achieved in Aotearoa. 

Noah wraps up the show with an interview with the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, Shaun Robinson, about the importance of increasing funding to mental health, and the potential long-term impacts of the pandemic.

Samantha Chan is part of the Augmented Human Lab Group, at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute at the University of Auckland, and is part of the research into ‘enabling’ human-computer interfaces as natural extensions of our body, mind and behaviour. Samantha chats to Rach about what this is exactly, and how it works.

Zoë dials in to share some virtual theatre you y'all to check out during these strange times. There's a bunch of videos for you to check our on the London International Festival of Mime website or you can check out plenty of the Auckland Pride Festival virtual events, like Same Same But Black.

The Mayor dials in as Auckland settles into the third lockdown, he's catching up with Rachel about what Alert Level Three looks like, as well as, the latest water blockage in Central Auckland and the Government's RMA announcements.

Today on your bFM Breakfast: Rach and Tess have been cooking up a storm and are ready to share their delectable treats; Second Guessing brings us some creamed rice; the Mayor talks us through the Alert Level changes in Auckland; Ana, aka Kōtiro, dials in to catch up with Rach about her new EP; Zoë fills us in on some epic virtual theatre; Short Player features David Adison's 'David Addison'; and Samantha from the University of Auckland talks us through ‘enabling’ human-computer interfaces as natural extensions of our body,

Former US President Donald Trump has made history by becoming the first president to be impeached twice. He has also made history by having his trial take place after he has left office. What is the constitutionality of Trump’s second impeachment trial? What is the future of impeachment as a political tool as a result of this trial? Doug Becker speaks with Frank Bowman III and Eric M. Freedman.

For more stories like this head to www.thebigq.org 

While we're still in some strange times, Justine is here to help you through all your employment woes. From queries about vaccines to wage subsidies in Level Three, we're here to help.

Auckland is in Level 3, the rest of Aotearoa is in Level 2 and the News Team is working remotely again! News and Editorial Director Jemima Huston hosts the Monday Wire while Zoë Larsen Cumming, Jessica Hopkins and Aneeka Moheed produce the show from the safety of their homes. 

Zoë speaks to Green Party co-leader James Shaw about the Covid-19 alert level changes, honouring Te Tiriti, prioritising Aotearoa’s Rainbow Community this parliamentary term and the crucial global climate talks in December.

Aneeka brings us an international report on the go ahead for the controversial Leeds-Bradford Airport expansion in the United Kingdom. 

Zoë talks to academic General Practitioner and Associate Professor Nikki Turner on the UK variant and what it means for our response to Covid-19 this time around. Turner is also the Director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre at the University of Auckland.

Jess wraps the show up with an interview with Dr Melinda Webber (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) about the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity programme and what this could mean for Māori communities.