95bFM: The Wire

This week on the Monday Wire...

For our weekly catch up with Te Pāti Māori’s Takutai Kemp, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to her about the NZ First Leader, Winston Peter’s anti-DEI members bill, the Infrastructure Investment Summit, and the recent changes regarding Whānau Ora.

For our weekly catch up, Producer Evie spoke to the ACT Party’s Simon Court about one of the key school lunch programme providers going into liquidation, NZ First's anti-DEI members bill and the ACT Party’s critique of University of Auckland TeTiriti Course.

Joel spoke to the National Secretary for the Public Services Association, Fleur Fitzsimons, about Winston Peter’s anti-DEI members bill, and how this will affect the public sector.

Joel also spoke to the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation New Zealand, Shaun Robinson, about the government’s removal of RSE guidelines in schools without implementing a clear alternative.

And Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins us in studio today to discuss ‘Mobility’ and the power that brings to the individual - and the requirement of an economy to support it.

Whakarongo mai!

Global Innovator, Matt Hart, joins News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, and Producer Evie in studio to discuss ‘mobility’ and the power that brings to the individual - and the requirement of an economy to support it.

As previously discussed, New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, has proposed a new member’s bill to be placed in the ballot, aiming to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, targets in the public sector.

This bill would amend the Public Service Act, which Peters, and NZ First, voted for when in a coalition government with the Labour Party in 2020.

DEI refers to frameworks that aim to equitably represent certain individuals and communities not represented as much as other demographics in the country.

The reception for this bill varies between the parties. Senior National MP, Chris Bishop, says if the bill were to be pulled out of the ballot, that the party would consider the bill, as they believe in “meritocracy,” however, would want a “public service that is reflective of modern New Zealand”.

Opposition Leader from the Labour Party, Chris Hipkins, says he would want a public sector that represents all New Zealanders.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the National Secretary of the Public Service Association, Fleur Fitzsimons, about Peter’s members bill, and how she believes this will impact the public sector.

They started off by asking how DEI targets work regarding the public sector.

The government has recently removed Relationships and Sexuality Education, or RSE, guidelines in schools without implementing a clear alternative.

The RSE guidelines were changed in 2020, to better support, and include updates to the the 2007 curriculum for primary and secondary school students, on topics such as the prominence of social media, bullying and cyber-bullying, and consent, in an age-appropriate manner.

With the removal of the 2020 guidelines, many educators are wondering how they adequately cover the topics covered in RSE.

As well as this, concerns have been raised about whether a move like this will impact the mental health of students, especially from minority communities, such as the LGBTQIA+ community.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation New Zealand, Shaun Robinson, about the removal of RSE guidelines without the government clearly indicating to an alternative, and the organisations concerns regarding these developments.

They started off by asking him what RSE is.

Recently, the Trump Administration has cut 90% of funding to USAID; the largest international aid organisation.

This move has received wide condemnation regarding what this will mean for those reliant on the support provided through the initiative.

At the same time, in his opinion piece on Newsroom, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Ritesh Shah, analyses the current international aid structure with the substantial funding cuts to USAID, and calls for international aid agencies to redirect what he says are their vested interests

News and Editorial Director, Joel, started off by asking him should other prominent aid agencies, including the New Zealand Agency for International Development, reevaluate how foreign aid is delivered.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni about Labour’s caucus reshuffle and the Taxpayers Union-Curia poll.

For International Desk, they spoke to University of Waikato Senior Lecturer Garritt Van Dyk and Yale Daily News’ Andre Fa’aoso about the emerging protest movements against the Trump administration in the United States.

For City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke to Councillor Julie Fairey about the rise in homelessness in Tamaki, as well as Auckland Council’s recent announcement of an AI digital assistant for customer service support.

The United States is seeing a surge in backlash to the Trump administration's policies, particularly those focused on undermining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion domestically and the administration’s foreign policy position on Palestine.

Wire Host Caeden spoke to University of Waikato Senior Lecturer in history Garritt Van Dyk about the history of boycotts and the resurgence of this protest tactic against Trump.

They then spoke to Andre Fa’aoso from the Yale Daily News for his perspective from the ground on these growing opposition movements, particularly the impact of these movements within Universities.

Labour has announced a caucus reshuffle, giving the Auckland portfolio to Deputy Leader Carmel Sepuloni.

The party has outlined its intention to focus on winning Auckland back in 2026 after a blue wave swept the city in the 2023 election, unseating several Labour MPs in what were thought to be safe seats.

A recent Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll has put Labour up 2.8 points and would mean the centre-right bloc would not be able to form government.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Deputy Leader and new Auckland spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni about these topics.

For their weekly catch up with the Green Party, Oto spoke to Ricardo Menendez March about Health Minister Simeon Brown’s major overhaul to New Zealand’s public healthcare system, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s favorability falling below Labour Leader Chris Hipkins in the latest Taxpayers’ union Curia poll and The Greens petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations.

He spoke to Dr Sarah Kapeli, A lecturer in the school of psychology at the University of Auckland, about a study she and a team of researchers did on the wellbeing of students from minority communities at the University of Auckland.

And he speak to Dr Kerryn Galokale, a PHD Graduate in Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, about the prevalence of Sorcery Related Violence in the Solomon Islands.

Today, Sasha spoke with Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies at the University of Auckland about the United States potential decision of leaving the United Nations and the implications this may have for global order.

And, to kick off Green Desk for 2025, Producer Leilani speaks to Paul Geraets, New Zealand’s most prolific rammed earth designer and builder, about the benefits and history of these sustainable houses, as well as his related upcoming event for EcoFest 2025 - a month-long celebration of our unique environment and sustainable living across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland!

Throughout many Pacific island nations, the belief in sorcery and black magic as the cause of disease, death and other forms of misfortune is a major contributor to violence amongst a number of families and communities.

Despite outreach from community leaders, church groups and government officials, many say that sorcery-related violent incidents are increasing in bopth rural and urban areas in countries such as Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, with many of the victims being women.

Oto spoke to Post-Doctoral Fellow in Pacific Studies Dr Kerryn Sogha Galokale, who is from the Solomon Islands, about the prevalence of sorcery related violence in the west pacific, it’s impacts and what community groups are doing to address it.