Saturday Morning for Saturday 27 July 2024
8:10 UNICEF leader on protecting Pacific children as climate changes
Catherine Russell is UNICEF's first Executive Director to visit the Pacific.
Before she took over the top job at UNICEF, Catherine held senior positions in the White House under presidents Biden and Obama and was the Ambassador-at-Large for Global Womens' Issues at the US Department of State.
She now oversees UNICEF's work for children in more than 190 countries.
Catherine has been in Vanuatu and Fiji and is pitching for investment and support to protect children against the impact of climate change, violence and poverty.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in Aleppo, Syria Photo: Danielle Deeb
8:30 Olympics Opening Ceremony: Nathan Rarere
James Bond upped the ante in London, and the 2024 Olympic Games is set to introduce Parisian culture to the world in similarly ambitious and spectacular style.
For the very first time it's happening on a river, with a 6km boat ride along the Seine to welcome the world to Paris.
Some are billing it as the greatest opening ceremony in Olympic history.
RNZ's sports aficionado Nathan Rarere joins Susie from Paris with the latest as the spectacle unfolds.
The Eiffel Tower bearing the Olympics rings, lit-up ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games, in Paris on 20 July 20, 2024. Photo: AFP
8:45 Keith Wiffin: The fight continues for abuse in care survivors
Keith Wiffin Photo: Aaron Smale / @ikon_media
The release of the final report from the Abuse in Care inquiry on Wednesday was an important day for Keith Wiffin, but not the end of his 22 year fight for justice.
He was a member of the survivors' advisory group attached to the Royal Commission, and has been part of the design team that put together the independent redress proposal last year.
Despite the release of the report, Keith says he feels there's still work to be done - mainly against attitudes.
"Agencies' responses have been to resist, deny, minimise and cover up. It's been about corrupt practices and abuse of power," says Keith
Photo: RNZ / Calvin Samuel
9:05 Dr Jo Burzynska: Why books smell so good
Dr Jo Burzynska Photo: supplied
Dr Jo Burzynska has her nose in a book, literally.
The wine writer, sound artist and multisensory researcher is turning her attention to the smell of books.
She's sniffing out stories, from the scent of Shakespeare, to recreations of book smells in an age of digital reading.
Dr Burzynska is appearing at WORD festival next month.
9:35 The case for NZ to ban engineered stone
Engineered stone is a popular choice for benchtops in modern kitchens - it's cheaper and less porous than marble and more hard wearing than formica. However its production creates tiny dust particles that can cause silicosis - which damages lungs and can even be fatal.
As of this month, Australia has banned the manufacture of engineered stone due to the risks of silicosis lung disease. Is it time for New Zealand to follow suit?
Joining Susie are Australian health and safety specialist Jodi Goodall, and Wayne Scott, CEO of MinEx - which represents workers mining, quarrying and tunnelling.
Machine cutting through an engineered stone benchtop. Photo: 123rf
10:05 Melody Thomas: Talking about porn with your kids
Talking to your children about sex is challenging enough, but how do you tackle the topic of porn?
Melody Thomas, host of award-winning podcast The Good Sex Project says that while it's a tricky conversation to navigate, it's also essential.
She joins Susie to offer tips and tricks on how to communicate openly and confidently with your kids, and hopefully to avoid mutual cringe.
Melody Thomas Photo: Ebony Lamb Photography
10:35 Shilo Kino: All That We Know
Award-winning New Zealand author Shilo Kino has written a second novel - another debut of sorts.
The Pōrangi Boy won the young Adult Fiction Award at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in 2021. Now Shilo's written a novel for adults. It's set in Tāmaki Makaurau and called All That We Know.
Photo: supplied / Hachette
11:05 Tom Turcich: The man who walked the world
After the sudden death of a close friend at age 17, Tom Turcich resolved to make the most of life. He began his epic journey to circumnavigate the globe on foot. Four months into the trip he met his traveling companion, a puppy named Savannah.
The expedition ended up taking seven years, with Tom and Savannah covering more than 45,000 kilometres - walking through the world's deserts, jungles, cities, and mountains. Tom is the 10th person to have ever completed the walk around the world, and Savannah is the first dog.
Tom has written a book about his journey entitled The World Walk, which is due out in October.
Tom Turcich and his dog Savannah Photo: Tom Turcich
11:35 Claire Mabey: The Raven's Eye Runaways
Photo: Supplied by Allen & Unwin NZ
You may know Claire Mabey as the founder of the Verb Wellington Festival, perhaps as co-curator of the Aotearoa NZ Festival of the Arts writers programme, or as a book reviewer.
Now she's adding author to that CV. Claire's first book has just been published - The Raven's Eye Runaways, aimed at young teenagers is a gripping, fantasy quest set in a parallel medieval inspired world.
Claire Mabey Photo: Ebony Lamb Photography
Books featured on the show:
All That We Know
by Shilo Kino
Published by Hachette
ISBN: 9781869718237
The Raven's Eye Runaways.=
by Claire Mabey
Published by A&U Children's NZ
ISBN: 9781991006820