Saturday Morning for Saturday 22 February 2025

7.11 Nanaia Mahuta: The three Chinese warships

Australian and New Zealand military assets including our HSS Te Kaha naval  frigate are closely monitoring three Chinese warships off the coast of Australia.

The vessels have now travelled as far south as Sydney in what Defence Minister Judith Collins described as an unusual and significant move.

For some analysis on just how significant those three Chinese warships are, and to put it all into context, Mihi speaks to former Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta.

 

7.20 Philip Crowther in Kyiv

Overnight there were signs the relationship between the US and Ukraine could be thawing slightly as the US envoy to Ukraine called President Volodymyr Zelensky a "courageous leader".

The envoy Keith Kellog has some patching up to do after a war of words erupted this week between the US and Ukraine.

Earlier US President Donald Trump held talks on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine - but excluded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from those talks.

President Trump also falsely accused Zelensky of being a dictator - and seemed to, also falsely, suggest it was Ukraine that started the war. 

On the ground in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv is AP International affliliate correspondent Philip Crowther.

 

7.32 The inquiry into Manurewa Marae

"A massive wake up call" or  "A hatchet job" ?

Those are just a couple of the different reactions given to Sir Brian Roche's much-anticipated report into the collection of census and covid-19 vaccination data at Manurewa Marae.

He found that a number of agencies failed to properly protect people's information. 

The inquiry started last year when allegations were made the data collected was being used to target Māori voters.

Lara Greaves is an associate professor of politics and Victoria University and a Senior Research Fellow in statistics and Auckland University.

 

7.42 The nationwide survey for Motor Neurone Disease

A series of walks to raise awareness about Motor Neurone Disease are happening across the country from 10am this morning.

Motor Neurone Disease, known as MND, is an incurable condition that robs people of their ability to move, speak, and eventually, breathe.

Every week, three people are diagnosed with it and two people die.

Dr Natalie Gauld is a pharmacist, researcher, and advocate who was diagnosed with MND in 2022. 

She's leading a groundbreaking nationwide survey, backed by the Health Research Council, to improve the lives of people diagnosed with the disease.

 

7.53 Cycling for the Smear your Mea campaign

Just outside of Hawera this morning there's a team of cyclists getting ready for one of the last legs of an 800km ride from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland to New Plymouth where they are hoping to be in time for the Te Matatini pōwhiri at 10am on Monday.

It is all in aid of the Smear your Mea campaign which encourages women to have cervical smears and men to get their prostates checked. 

One of the lead riders is Dr Ururoa Flavell speaks to Susie Ferguson.

 

8.10 Are cleanliness products body shaming?

There have never been more products or trends to help with our hygiene — but are they all necessary?

Michelle Spear is a Professor of Anatomy at the University of Bristol. She believes there's increased pressure for people to be fresh and clean because of marketing campaigns, not actual science.

In the era of body positivity, she says this is an additional form of body shaming.

Michelle tells Susie this has created a flurry of viral trends — like vaginal steaming and ball sprays – that disrupt the body's natural regulating processes. 

8.35 Te Hira Paenga: Matatini judge 

For some, the relationship between Christianity and Māori atua (gods) is very complex.

But Te Hira Paenga sees the two as complementary. 

Te Hira Paenga was the first PhD candidate to do a doctorate in Theology at the University of Otago in te reo Māori. He even defended his phD completely in te reo, in front of about 100 people.

His PhD was a deep dive into how the very first interactions between Christian missionaries, and how those relationships were captured and incorporated into kapa haka.

He's also a judge at this year's Matatini — the national kapa haka championships. 

9.06 Dr. Paul Meighan-Chiblow: Colonialingualism

UNESCO predicts the global community will lose as many as 3,000 indigenous languages by the end of the century. 

When a dominant language such as English, French or Spanish usurps the indigenous language, it also imposes economic and social power — as well as violent rhetoric and behaviour — resulting in a less equitable and multicultural social culture.  

So says Scottish Gael sociolinguist Dr. Paul Meighan-Chiblow who's on his own Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic) journey as an adult learner.  

Paul’s coined the term 'Colonialingualism' to describe the ways indigenous languages disappear and the way they are cynically commodified for tourism through linguistic imperialism.

9.35 Melissa Hogenboom: the hidden digital workload impacting mums

If you're a mum drowning in admin tasks you're not alone. 

A study from the University of Lancaster looks at how likely men and women are to use digital tools for completing everyday tasks, both work and family related. 

It found women are 1.6 times more likely to take on digital communication tasks than men — whether that's arranging sports activities for children, booking appointments, or update the local community WhatsApp group. 

The result of all these added extras? A ‘digital overload’ or ‘digital double burden’ which heightens the risk of burnout in women. 

BBC science journalist Melissa Hogenboom's new book Breadwinners is out later this year.

It urges readers to rethink traditional roles in our homes, workplaces and in society in response to constant societal upheaval.

Melissa speaks to Susie.

10.06 Japanese Breakfast front woman Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner is the front woman of Grammy nominated indie pop band Japanese Breakfast. Her bestselling memoir spent 60 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list.

Growing up with a Korean mother and an American father, it was after her mother's death that Michelle began to question what was left of her identity with her only link to Korean culture gone. 

Finding a creative outlet to channel the grief, Michelle formed her band Japanese Breakfast, and in 2021 released her wildly successful memoir Crying in H Mart which explores loss, identity and using food to connect to her heritage.

Michelle, who was named a TIME 100 Most Influential Person in 2022, speaks with Susie.

The new Japanese Breakfast album For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) is released on March 21st.

 

10.35 Smitha Vishveshwara on quantum physics 

Smitha Vishveshwara is a Professor of Condensed Matter Physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Her work has taken her all over the world including New Zealand for a conference, the first official event to commemorate the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.

Passionate about the arts, Professor Smitha has collaborated with theatres and circus troupes to create performances that communicate the meaning and theories behind quantum physics.

Smitha recently released Two Revolutions: Einstein's Relativity and Quantum Physics - a series of letters written between her and her father – the late physicist C.V. Vishveshwara,  

 

11.05 Miki Magasiva: Tinā

Samoan-born Miki Magasiva — brother of actors Robbie and Pua Magasiva — directed his first short film Rites of Courage in 2005.

In 2018, he co-founded company The Brown Factory, which champions Pasifika stories while his work on miniseries The Panthers won him a best director award at the 2022 New Zealand Television Awards.

Miki’s feature directorial debut Tinā follows a Samoan teacher at a private school and is released in cinemas on February 27.

Miki speaks to Susie about the film and his career.

 

11.25 Graham Leonard on landslides

On the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle, GNS Science principal scientist and friend of the show Graham Leonard joins Mihi to talk about landslides.

Landslides have caused more fatalities than any other natural hazard in New Zealand, and are the most claimed-for in terms of insurance too. 

Graham says they’re often not well understood or talked about, but they were a big part of Cyclone Gabrielle’s impacts and that they will worsen with climate change.

 

11.40 Miriam Margolyes in New Zealand

By her own admission, BAFTA award winning actress Miriam Margolyes didn’t know anything about New Zealand — despite its proximity to her home in Sydney. 

So, ahead of an upcoming film role where she plays a Kiwi nun, she packed her bags, crossed the ditch, and embarked on road-trip across the motu.

During her visit, the British-Australian octogenarian searched high and low for the soul of New Zealand by following in the footsteps of the character she’ll be playing.  

She met Ruby Tūī, Dave Letele, family members of victims of the Pike River Mine disaster, and Christchurch terror attack hero Abdul Aziz. She also visited Hobbiton, of course. 

This is documented in the two-episode series Miriam Margolyes in New Zealand – showing now on Neon, Sky Open and Sky Go. 

 

Books featured on this show

 

• Breadwinners: and other power imbalances that influence your life
• By Melissa Hogenboom
• Published by: Canongate Books
• ISBN: 9781837262243

 

• Crying in H Mart
• By Michelle Zauner
• Published by: Pan Macmillan
• ISBN: 9781529033793

 

• Two Revolutions: Einstein's Relativity and Quantum Physics
• By Smitha Vishveshwara and C. V. Vishveshwara
• Published by: Smitha Vishveshwara
• ISBN: 9780198758334

 

 

Music played in this show

Song: Kua Kotahi Rā
Artist: Corrella and L.A.B
Time played: 9:05am

Song : She Works Hard for the Money
Artist: Donna Summer
Time played: 9:35am

Song: Orlando in Love
Artist: Japaese Breakfast
Time played: 10:05am

Song: Indodana, from Tinā
Artist: Michael Barrett and Ralf Schmitt
Time played: 10.55am