95bFM: The Wire

This week on the Monday Wire...

For our weekly catch-up with the ACT Party, Wire host Castor spoke to MP Simon Court about the ACT party’s stance on a new modern slavery bill and the prison population reaching an all time high.

On the prison population and Te Pāti Māori’s new policy of prison abolition, they spoke to academic and activist Dr Emmy Rākete.

And they spoke to the University of Auckland’s Hyesop Shin about the challenges involved with introducing congestion charging.

Producer Alex spoke to Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, Treasa Dunworth, about New Zealand’s refusal to join the ‘Board of Peace,’ and what it means for our recognition of Palestinian Self-Determination.

He also spoke to Senior Research Fellow in General Practice and Primary care in the school of population health at the University of Auckland, Dr Samantha Marsh, about the new trial over Social Media Companies’ liability for adverse health affects of social media, and how it reflects and mirrors the decades of fighting against tobacco companies.

Last week, Christopher Luxon declined to join the ‘Board of Peace’ being championed by Donald Trump on behalf of New Zealand. The Board is supposedly aimed to restore and maintain stability, particularly looking at Gaza, which would involve this board working together to form a transitionary power structure in the region.

However, this board is facing a great deal of criticism; for starters, some see it as a way for Donald Trump to enforce structures that he sees as beneficial for himself. Importantly, also, there is a concern over the absence of any Palestinian voice from a board that claims to want to move the region forward, undermining their self-determination.

Monday Wire Producer Alex spoke to Professor of Law at the University of Auckland, Treasa Dunworth, about this rejection and the invite, and what it means for Palestinian self-determination and New Zealand’s stance.

The prison population reaching an all time high has come as a result of this government’s “tough on crime” policies, which they say are making New Zealand safer. 

In contrast, Te Pāti Māori last week announced a policy of prison abolition leading up to this year’s election. They say prisons do not work in Aotearoa, especially for Māori, who are consistently overrepresented.

To discuss how our prison population got so high, and how Te Pāti Māori’s plan could work in practice, Wire host Castor spoke to academic and activist Dr. Emmy Rākete. 

This past week, Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters posted on X, formerly Twitter, about the United States’ departure from the World Health Organisation. Peters criticised the WHO, calling them a “bunch of unelected globalist bureaucrats” who “are not accountable or responsible with worldwide taxpayers money”. 

Peters then questioned whether New Zealand taxpayer money is being well spent on our WHO membership.

News Director Castor spoke to the University of Otago’s Professor Nick Wilson about what the WHO does and why New Zealand’s membership is important. Wilson has previously done contract work for the WHO around polio eradication. They began by asking about what the WHO is and what it spends money on.

Many movements have been motivated by the climate crisis to take action to attempt to effect change. Extinction Rebellion is one such group. It says it aims to apply non-violent civil disobedience to push for action. 

In the wake of the floods last week, they released a strongly worded statement placing culpability for the disaster upon both major political parties for their lack of action.

Te Huia, the railway linking Waikato and Tāmaki Makaurau, is coming to the end of its five-year trial.

Despite a rocky start in 2021, Te Huia has proved popular with its riders with the Waikato Council waiting to hear back from Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport on a proposed extension for another year of funding.

With the future of the inter-regional railway line uncertain, producer Theo spoke with Lindsey Horne, spokesperson and committee member of the transport advocacy group 'The Future is Rail' about Te Huia, regional railways, and the future of rail in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

This week on the Wednesday Wire...

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party, Wire host Manny spoke with MP Ricardo Menéndez March about the fatal slip in Tauranga, Luxon's refusal to rule out joining Trumps board of peace, and the New Zealand Defence Forces incorporation of drones.

Producer Flo spoke to Dr John Battersby, senior fellow for the center for defence and security studies at Massey University about current global security, the practical absence of an international rule based order and implications of US foreign policy on New Zealand.

Then Manny spoke to the Coordinator of Extinction Rebellion Tāmaki Makaurau, Carol Cowan, on their demands for government action on climate change.

Finally, producer Theo spoke with Lindsey Horne, spokesperson and committee member for the transport advocacy group The Future is Rail, about regional rail in Aotearoa and the future of Te Huia.

Current US foreign policy under the Trump administration has significantly broken with long-term partnerships and traditional structures of the so-called international rules based order. With the US being at odds with its long-term strategic partners Canada and Europe, the future of NATO as well as security in the pacific have become contentious issues. Trump’s actions have revealed contradictions within the previous dominant functioning of International Relations with his administration’s foreign policy radically utilising the power position asserted and given to the US on the world stage.

Flo spoke to Dr John Battersby, senior fellow for the center for defence and security studies at Massey University about current global security, the practical absence of an international rule based order and implications of US foreign policy on New Zealand.

The government had announced meat would be inspected by officers employed by meat companies rather than independent inspectors, as is the current model. The PSA's National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says companies will be able to cut corners in terms of inspection and bow to company pressures. 

She also says the privatisation can impact New Zealand's reputation as a meat exporter as well. 

This week on the Tuesday Wire...

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Dr Cushla McGoverin chatted with us about bacteria using a corkscrew technique, the financial costs of period pain, and hygiene in Pompeii’s baths. 

For Green World, Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke with Dr Kevin Trenberth about what drives the extreme weather conditions experienced in New Zealand, as well as University of Auckland lecturer Sasha Maher about the kind of political response necessary.

For our weekly catchup with the National Party, producer Vihan spoke to National MP Ryan Hamlilton about last week’s landslide in Mount Maunganui and the government’s response to climate change. 

Vihan also spoke to the PSA’S National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons about the privatisation of meat inspection and it's potential impacts on one of New Zealand’s key exports.