Afternoons for Thursday 2 June 2022

1:20 Effectiveness of sugary drinks tax backed by new study

Well if there was any doubt left on the impact of a tax on sugary drinks sales, a new study has settled it once and for all.

Commissioned by the World Health Organisation, an extensive review of policies from around the world who have enacted taxes on the sweet stuff found they're linked to a 15 percent drop in sales on average.

More than 45 countries have taxed sugary drinks, but New Zealand is not one of them. Anna speaks to Dr Rob Beaglehole about what he hopes will happen next.

1:30 Wairoa Māori Film Festival starting

The longest running Māori Film Festival is getting underway in Wairoa tonight.

Anna speaks to Leo Koziol, the festival director and founder about not just the Wairoa event, but others he's involved with all over the world.

1:40 The Great Kiwi Bookathon kicks off for June

It's that time of year again for the Great Kiwi Bookathon....

For the month of June, the bookathon will challenge tamariki to read or listen to as many books as they can.

Kids and their whanau can register online and raise funds for Blind Low Vision NZ's support services, including a fully accessible library.

Anna speaks to Sam Smith, who's a comedian and podcaster presenter at Blind Low Vision New Zealand and a children's book author.

1:45 Great album: John Mellencamp's Strictly A One-Eyed Jack

Today's link three winner will receive a vinyl copy of John Mellencamp's 25th studio album, Strictly A One-Eyed Jack, which was written and produced by Mellencamp himself. It also features a three collaborations with Bruce Springsteen.

2:10 Music Critic: Colin Morris

Today Colin Morris talks about new music from Dana Gillispie and has a look behind the scenes at the Simon and Garfarkunkel track, Wednesday Morning 3am.

2:30 Why are so many corrections staff being stood down and investigated

Today, due to circumstances beyond our control we have no NZ Sporting history. Instead Anna's looking at recent spike in cases of corrections staff being stood down and investigated.

She talks to Fraud and Corruption specialist Sam Labone about "bent screws" and what part inmates play in that.

2.50 The world reacts to the Johnny Depp/Amber Heard defamation verdict

At 7am New Zealand time the jury deliberating in the Amber Heard/Johnny Depp defamation trial delivered a verdict in favour of the actor. It did also find that Mr Depp had by way of a comment from his lawyer defamed Ms Heard.

We speak to Worldwatch Editor Perlina Lau about the reaction to that verdict today.

3:10 Link 3

3:15 Your Money with Mary Holm 

Today Mary Holm talks about the worries listeners have about their kiwisaver accounts right now.

3:35 Spoken Feature BBC Witness

In March this year (2022) a law was passed in the United States making lynching a federal crime - nearly 120 years after the first attempts to introduce legislation. The pioneering African-American journalist Ida B Wells first campaigned for the change in the 1890s after realising the horror of lynching taking place across the country. Laura Jones speaks to her great-granddaughter Michelle Duster.

3:45 The Panel with Georgie Stylianou and Raybon Kan