95bFM: The Wire

Recently, Science and Technology Minister, Shane Reti, announced New Zealand’s first-ever artificial intelligence, or AI, strategy.

With this, Aotearoa becomes the last country in the OECD to establish guidelines around the use of AI.

Despite the establishment of this strategy, which is aimed at enticing the private sector to incorporate and invest in AI, there are concerns that the strategy does not introduce any new legislation to regulate AI, rather using already existing legislation, and fails to address ethical concerns.

News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Dr Collin Bjork — a senior Communications lecturer at Massey University, about this strategy document, and how much of an impact this strategy will have on the private sector to be better engaged with AI usage.

They also spoke to AI and technology governor, Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, about how te ao Māori is engaged with this strategy, and whether more needs to be done.

As the climate and sustainability crisis continue to worsen every year and governments and corporations refuse to act, the question must be asked, do we need to rethink our entire society?

From consumerism, to transport, to the means of energy production itself, everything is using more energy than can be sustained at current levels.

The discuss what's next for the future of sustainable human civilization producer Samantha sat spoke to University of Auckland Professor of Geology Phil Shane.

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 party’s annual rally that happened yesterday, and the choice of US author, James Lindsay, as a keynote speaker, as well as the recent public hearings into the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the government’s Covid-19 response.

Following up with their chat with MP Simon Court, Joel spoke to the Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition’s Anne Campbell, about James Lindsay, and his controversial views.

Joel spoke to Dr Collin Bjork — a senior Communications lecturer at Massey University, about the government’s recently released AI strategy. 

And Joel spoke to AI and technology governor, Dr Karaitiana Taiuru, about how the government’s AI strategy coexists with te ao Māori.

Producer Samantha spoke to University of Auckland Geology Professor, Phil James, about the sustainbility issues with modern society in the global north.

Whakarongo mai!

This week’s second phase of the national covid-19 inquiry has seen public hearings from the community and experts talking about the wider impacts of mandates and lockdowns during the pandemic.

As health experts are urging the government to anticipate and better prepare for a future pandemic, and people in all sectors across New Zealand still work through the ongoing effects of Covid-19, this inquiry needs to inform critical decision making and processes for the central government. 

Speaking more about the inquiry and the general effects of Covid-19, I spoke with public health expert Sir Collin Tukuitonga about his research findings and the importance of pandemic preparedness, as well as Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois about the need to support businesses and hospitality in New Zealand

Public hearings as part of phase two of the Royal Commission into COVID-19 took place in Auckland this week.

The second phase of the inquiry has a stronger focus on lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and the impact of the Covid-19 response on business and the economy.

And yesterday, an independent reference group set up by the Ministry of Environment shared their recommendations for climate adaptation legislation.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Arena Williams about both of these topics.

United States President Donald Trump’s mega-spending bill passed its final vote in the House of Representatives and is now set to become law.

Despite its controversy and universal opposition from the Democrats, the bill has been supported by the vast majority of Republicans.

For International Desk, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Associate Professor of Political Science at Boise State University, Charlie Hunt, about the bill and Republican support.

For our weekly catch-up with the Labour Party, Wire Host Caeden spoke to Arena Williams about Phase Two of the Covid-19 inquiry and advisory group recommendations on climate adaptation legislation.

For International Desk, they spoke to Charles Hunt from Boise State University about United States President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill”. 

For this week’s City Counselling, Producer Sara spoke with Councillor Shane Henderson about Mayor Wayne Brown’s recent council body reforms, as well as concerns around homelessness in the CBD this Winter

Regarding Phase Two of the Covid-19 Inquiry, she spoke with both Restaurant Association Chief Executive Marisa Bidois, and public health expert Sir Collin Tukuitonga

At a recent summit in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed a number of options for New Caledonia’s potential statehood, following island-wide unrest last year over voting reforms that led to 14 deaths.

One of the options proposed by Macron involved granting New Caledonia “associated statehood” status, where the island would be largely self-governing while still being linked to the French state.

Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke with Gordon Nanau, co-head of Maori and Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, about Macron’s proposal to grant New Caledonia associated state status, and what this would mean for the Island’s indigenous Kanak population who have largely been seeking independence from France.

The Southerner was a passenger express train in the South Island running between Christchurch and Invercargill from 1970 to 2002.

The train was eventually closed due a decline in passenger numbers and subsidies, although it was briefly revived in May this year for four days as part of a tourist experience.

Recently, a group of campaigners from Save our Trains launched a petition calling on the government to restore the Southerner train route as a more accessible form of travel for South Islanders.

Wednesday Wire Host Oto spoke with Dave Macpherson from Save Our Train - Southern, to discuss his petition and why the Southerner should be restored.

Dementia, or mate wareware is a devastating and life changing condition that affects 70,000 New Zealanders today. 

There have been calls to support rural Māori communities with members who have the condition, as Māori are more likely to experience mate wareware than other groups in the country.

A kaupapa has been launched by the University of Auckland’s Dr Makarena Dudley and Sir Richard Faull to better provide rural Māori communities with better education, guidance, and support.

On Monday, Producer Samantha spoke to Dudley, who is the Deputy Director Māori at the Centre of Brain Research Te Huinga Hinengaro, about the research, and what support is needed for these communities.