95bFM: The Wire

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Shanan Halbert about former Prime Minister Helen Clark’s comments on Israel obstructing aid to Gaza, the recent Taxpayers Union-Curia poll and changes to electorate boundaries and names for the next election. 

For International Desk, they spoke to Assistant Professor in Journalism at Mount Royal University, Gabriela Perdomo Páez, about Israel’s targeted attacks on Palestinian journalists.

For City Counselling this week, Producer Sanat spoke with Councillor Julie Fairey about the CRL and building infrastructure in Auckland.

He also talked to Dental For All campaigner Hana about their new national roadshow.

And he had a conversation with Dr Gabriell McDonald from the University of Otago about the new GP funding formula and how it neglects ethnicity data.

Last week, several politicians including the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Auckland attended Auckland's City Rail Link test run. As the project nears completion, the CRL team is busy running tests to ensure this new upgraded rail system is ready for use on the day it launches on an unspecified date in 2026.

Several political leaders were invited to a test last week where they went through the three new stations that are a part of New Zealand’s first underground rail system. 

This comes at a time where Central Government is becoming increasingly stand-off ish with Local Governments across the country with rhetoric aimed at focusing councils on “Roads, Rubbish and Rates” 

This has come to a head with a recent move to introduce a rates cap which threatens to put a hard ceiling on what Local Councils can spend on in their communities. 

The CRL has been under construction for nearly a decade and costs more than $5.5 billion dollars with the project going over budget and over schedule on multiple occasions, drawing criticism from those who believe we are spending too much money on ineffective infrastructure projects. 

Producer Sanat talked to Councilor Julie Fairey today about the value that CRL will give to the city and why we have such a hard time nationally building ambitious infrastructure projects.

For our weekly catchup w/ the Green Party Oto spoke with MP Ricardo Menendez-March about the government's plan to consider recognising a Palestinian state, The Green's petition to restore Te Reo names of Wellington electorates and the most recent taxpayers union-curia poll.

In the lead up to the US Presidential elections, one of Donald Trump’s key campaign promises was to broker a truce between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours, dubbing himself the “President of Peace.”

Almost 7 months into Trump’s presidency and more than 3 years since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, the war has only continued to escalate and no peace or ceasefire deals have been achieved yet.

However, hopes for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine have been reignited for some following the announcement of Talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that will take place this Friday.

Albeit, there have also been concerns surrounding those same talks, noting that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other EU leaders haven’t been invited, with Russia insisting on holding on to it’s territorial gains as part of ceasefire conditions. 

Oto spoke to Stephen Hoadely, a retired Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Auckland, about the upcoming talks between Trump and Putin to negotiate a ceasefire in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Last Sunday, Israeli Defence Forces fired an airstrike on a media tent outside the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza city.

The Israeli airstrike killed 7 of Al-Jazeera’s Gaza correspondents, who were: Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, Momen Aliwa, Mohammed al-Khalidi.

This airstrike would bring the total number of journalists in Gaza killed by Israel to 238.

E tū union’s National Journalist Committee recently put out a statement condemning the killing of those Al Jazeera journalists, and called for urgent international action to ensure journalists are protected.

Oto spoke to Tom Hunt, a delegate from E Tu union’s national delegate’s committee about the killing of 7 Al Jazeera journalists by Israel in Gaza and the E Tu’s stance on the issue

Many questions have come up in recent weeks due to the government’s proposal to ditch the NCEA curriculum by 2030. Most people are wondering what the future of education will look like in Aotearoa, given that NCEA has been used throughout most of New Zealand since the start of the millennium.

Professor John Morgan is the head of the School of Critical Studies in Education at the University of Auckland. Morgan published an article earlier this week to look at what caused NCEA to be introduced in the first place and what the larger context of this new educational reform is.

Producer Max spoke to Morgan to discuss how recent global events have impacted education and what the future of schools might look like in Aotearoa.

A report commissioned by Kia Manawanui Trust has found that there are deep flaws in the healthcare system when it comes to heart health and disease.

Wire Host Sara spoke to Letitia Harding about this report and how the government should respond.

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman talks to us about a novel way to administer vaccines, subtle light in our brains, and Schrödinger’s birthday.

Thanks Allan for joining us, thank you MOTAT, and thank you science!

For Dear Science this week, our expert, Professor Allan Blackman talks about a novel way to administer vaccines, subtle light in our brains, and Schrödinger’s birthday

For our weekly catchup with the National Party, Wire Host Sara spoke to MP Carl Bates about the latest Treasury Long Term Inisghts report & the government’s plan for a new road user charges system

Producer Faith spoke to Professor Chris Bullen from the University of Auckland’s public health faculty about regulations on smoking and vaping on hospital grounds, and whether the current restrictions are effective enough.

Rotorua Hospital has elicited concerns and outrage over people smoking and vaping in what’s meant to be their “smokefree” entrances. Hospital staff, patients, their visiting relatives, and public health experts think that those in charge of implementing the rules need to come down harder on smokers. 

Experts such as Professor Chris Bullen believe the smokefree regulations need to be reformed, and have questioned their effectiveness. Producer Faith spoke to Chris about his concerns, and how the issue of nicotine consumption on hospital grounds needs to be addressed.