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Last week, the Professional Firefighters Union went on strike from 12-1pm on Friday, calling for better pay and conditions for firefighters across New Zealand.

This week, we will see a ‘megastrike’ of nurses and teachers which is predicted to potentially be the largest labour action in forty years.

Among their agenda items are Palestine, NCEA changes, AI marking and the curriculum.

Finally, a petition with 20,000 signatures was delivered to Parliament relating to an amendment which will see tightened eligibility for Maaori groups to receive customary title under the Marine and Coastal Area act.

Wire Host Sara spoke with National MP Carl Bates about all of these topics, starting with the firefighter union strike

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman talks about Alfred Nobel, stalagmites, and a high resolution telescope accomplishment.

Thanks to MOTAT, the museum inspiring the innovators of tomorrow.

Nate is up in the studio for Loose Reads this week! Today on the show, he has a kōrero with Rosetta and Milly about The City Changes Its Face by Eimear McBride. Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to Timeout Bookstore!

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 the government's changes to methane targets and this week’s upcoming multi-sector strikes, which is expected to have 100,000 workers walk off the job.

Producer Alex spoke to Principal Scientist at Earth Sciences NZ Dr Nick Cradock-Henry about the Governments new National Adaption Framework for Climate Change, and what it means for policy and what holes remain.

Thursday Wire Host Caeden spoke to Dr Kevin E Trenberth, climate scientist and honorary academic at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Science, about the most pressing climate change-driven threats and the role of New Zealand in enacting solutions.

And Alex spoke to Associate Professor of History at the University of Auckland, Jennifer Frost, about the No Kings protests in the United States over the weekend, and what they mean politically for the country and the Trump Administration.

Whakarongo mai!

Last week, the Government released their first ‘National Adaptation Framework’ for adapting to Climate Change.

The announcement highlights the risks those in Aotearoa face regarding climate related disasters and harms, such as floods or storms as climate change gets worse. This comes alongside a focus on ensuring that Aotearoa’s economy is able to withstand, handle, and grow in the face of these risks.

While this is a positive step, there remain concerns around how adaptation fits in, whether this plan covers all bases, and what still needs to be done.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Principal Scientist at Earth Sciences New Zealand, Dr Cradock-Henry, about the framework, its strengths, and its drawbacks.

In a recent article for Newsroom, University of Auckland climate scientist Dr Kevin E Trenberth wrote about the continued ‘existential threat’ of climate change.

He outlines the key issues of climate change, including droughts, intense rains and flooding risks and tropical storms. All leading to food and water shortages.

In the article, he also called net-zero a “pipe dream”, given the shortfalls of the Paris Agreement and other climate accords 

Thursday Wire Host Caeden spoke to Trenberth, who is a Distinguished Scholar at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research, USA, and an honorary academic at the Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, about his article, including the most urgent climate change-driven threats and what role New Zealand has to play in enacting solutions.

They started by asking what about the current moment inspired him to write his article.

It's time for our weekly catch up with Agnese from eighthirty coffee roasters! Today she chats with Rosetta and Milly about all things coffee farms, and the beginning of the journey of a coffee bean. She also gives us the inside scoop on our bean of the week - Wilder Garcia from Peru! Text in throughout the week for you chance to win a bag, or use the discount code 95bFM for 10% off your order. Whakarongo mai nei!

Thanks to eighthirty coffee roasters!

Your bosom selectas today are none other than Aneeka, Kris, and Rob from Plato's Retreat! Catch more of their brilliant selections every Saturday, 4-7pm. Whakarongo mai nei!

The government has recently reduced biogenic methane emission targets to 14-24% by 2050, changing the reductions passed in 2019 under the Zero Carbon Act of cuts between 24-47% below 2017 levels by 2050.

These changes have faced criticisms from the Opposition and climate activists, and scientists. Green Party co-leader, Chlöe Swarbrick, says “This methane denial betrays farmers who are on the front line of climate-driven extreme weather events that threaten global food production and rural livelihoods”.

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party’s Simon Court, New and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host Joel spoke to Court about the target changes.

They also discussed this week’s multi-sector strike action, which will be attended by workers from various sectors, such as the medical and education sector.

Public Service Minister Judith Collins, regarding teachers striking, called the strike action “unfair and unwarranted,” and said that the union, the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association’s (PPTA’s) primary agenda was to discuss Palestine with Education Minister Erica Stanford. However, PPTA President, Chris Abercrombie, disputed this, saying Palestine was one of several topics the union had wanted to discuss with the Minister, including AI in education and changes to NCEA.

They discussed this, but first, we discussed the government’s changes to methane targets.

Arini phones in to bring us a bit of mātauranga to start our week, with Te Whakataukī o Tēnei Wiki! Whakarongo mai nei!

He manawa Tītī // The heart of a muttonbird