Summer Times for Friday 14 January 2022

9:10 Cook Island travel bubble reopens

The Cook Islands travel bubble has officially opened this morning. The first flight left Auckland Airport at 8:45am this morning with more than 200 passengers onboard to Rarotonga. It comes 5 months after travel was halted due to the Delta outbreak in August. It's an exciting time for keen travellers but it can also be quite confusing. Joining us to share some tips on how to do it safely is Victoria Courtney who is the General Manager Product at Flight Centre.

 

9.20 Treasured cigarette lighter spends 28 years lost in Fox Glacier 

We're starting the show with another incredible lost and found tale from a listener. It's about a cigarette lighter that went missing in 1967. Owner of the lighter, Jonathan Pascoe, joins Jesse to share his story.

 

9.30 Watch out for wallabies, Aotearoa's silent pest 

Wallabies are becoming a growing concern across Aotearoa and holiday makers are being called on to keep an eye out. Biosecurity New Zealand's director of readiness and response, John Walsh warns if wallaby populations are left unchecked they could cover a third of the country over the next 50 years.

9.40 Kitten season keeping SPCA staff busy this Summer

While many around the country clocked out of work in late December, the SPCA headed into their busiest time of the year. Laura Millar is the Support Services Manager at SPCA’s Māngere Centre in Auckland and her role is to coordinate the foster network, which is a huge part of kitten season.

 

9.50 Aramoho Toy Museum in Whanganui 

Dan Hurley is the proud owner of the Aramoho Toy Museum in Whanganui - which is home to 100,000 toys. He has operated the museum for more than 20 years, yet it has remained a secret to all but a handful of curious locals and out-of-towners.

 

10.05 The oral history of Lesa v Attorney-General of New Zealand

An upcoming project will record the voice and story of Falema'I Lesa who, shortly after the Dawns Raids of the 70s, famously appealed her visa overstay conviction to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The case had a significant impact on our immigration law, particularly for Samoans in New Zealand. Samoan film director Jade Jackson has been awarded an Oral History grant from the Ministry for Culture & Heritage to capture Lesa's story, in her own words, and joins Jesse to talk about her hopes for the project.

 

10.15 Analysis: Chris Wood signs with Newcastle United

Worldwatch's Max Towle joins Jesse to chat about Premier League club Newcastle United signing New Zealand striker Chris Wood from relegation rivals Burnley on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

10.30 Reviving NZ’s lost political summer camp tradition

Next week a group of young New Zealanders will be gathering for their annual 3-day summer festival. But if you're picturing DJs and a mosh pit... you'd be wrong. Paralympian and twice gold medallist Mary Fisher helps organise Ōtaki Summer Camp, and joins Jesse to talk about their annual gathering.

 

10.40 92-year-old's love for the surf still going strong 

Christchurch local Nancy Meherne will be turning 93 this year.

The former school teacher is a keen gardener and classical music enthusiast, and she's often spotted down at Scarborough beach, heading out into the surf with her surfboard.

She talks to Jesse about her love of the ocean and shares her secrets to catching the best waves.

Nancy was recently the subject in a short film by Anna Frances Pearson, who wrote about Nancy's story in The Guardian.

You can watch the short film below.

 

11.05 Bookmarks with Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan

This Summer we're travelling around the country and speaking with mayors as a part of our 'Bookmarks' segment. Today's guest is Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan. Prior to being a Mayor most of his life was spent in the shearing sheds but he joins us this morning to share more about his personal life.

 

11.35 Best of 2021: Sarah Ferguson on her first novel and becoming a grandmother

Rummaging around in her family tree, the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson discovered a great-great-aunt who shares her name, red hair and connections to the royal family - Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott.

Lady Margaret's parents were friends of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert but her story had been lost to time.

The Duchess took inspiration from her story for her first novel Her Heart for a Compass.

She speaks to Jesse Mulligan about being a new grandmother, romance and the inspiration for her first novel, Her Heart for a Compass.