Sunday Morning for Sunday 14 April 2013
8:12 Insight: Debating Charter Schools
Insight considers the arguments for and against the controversial charter schools.
Written and presented by John Gerritsen.
Produced by Philippa Tolley.
8:40 Tim Bale – Thatcher’s Life and Legacy
Professor Tim Bale holds the Chair in Politics at Queen Mary University of London and was formerly a lecturer at Victoria University. His books include ‘The Conservative Party: From Thatcher to Cameron’ and ‘The Conservatives Since 1945.’ He talks to Chris about the premiership of Margaret Thatcher, what she left behind, and responses to her passing.
9:06 Mediawatch
Mediawatch looks back on a huge week of leaks in the news: The GSCB, the EQC, and the naming of thousands of people all over the world using offshore tax havens. The internet and digital technology make it easier than ever to leak huge amounts of information – but is that always good for the media, and for society? Mediawatch also looks at a confusing front page story about 'offender-friendly justice', and some recent front page adverts which sent out mixed messages.
Produced and presented by Colin Peacock and Jeremy Rose.
9.40 Albert Ruesga – Post-Disaster Funding in New Orleans
Dr Albert Ruesga is president & CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. He talks to Chris about the culture of giving in the US, and the outpouring of citizen activism and citizen advocacy after Hurricane Katrina.
He was in New Zealand this week to speak at the Philanthropy New Zealand conference.
10:06 Ideas: Bee-pocalypse Now?
The honeybee is under threat around the world. Beekeepers in the United States are losing close to a third of their hives to Colony Collapse Disorder and things aren’t looking much better in Europe. CCD hasn’t arrived in New Zealand yet but the varroa mite has shown just how vulnerable our main pollinator is to deadly foreign threats. Ideas talks to: Beekeeper Frank Lindsay; National Bee Association CEO Daniel Paul; scientists Dr Mark Goodwin and Dr Alastair Robertson; and North Canterbury farmer Ross Little – one of those behind Federated Farmers’ Trees for Bees campaign.
Produced by Jeremy Rose.
10.55 Today’s Track
Eric Clapton, who’s 67, has just released his 20th studio album. It’s called Old Sock (Polydor) and includes appearances by JJ Cale, Taj Mahal and Paul McCartney. Today’s track is called Angel. It’s written by JJ Cale – and is very like the early Dire Straits sound, which was influenced by Cale.
11.05 Down the List
Where does the real power in New Zealand lie? That’s right, with a bunch of bureaucrats, underlings, officials, and lowly-ranked list MPs that you and I have never heard of. Whether it’s in sport, politics, commerce, education or the arts, the only way to find out what’s really going on in this country is by going ... Down the List. Written by Dave Armstrong and produced by Radio New Zealand’s Drama department. Today, the GCSB affair is running out of control with accusations of illegal spying explained away as misinterpretation of the law. The solution? Change the law.
11.12 Richard Hil – Academic Anger
Richard Hil has written about pressure on universities to make money and the effect that has on academics and teaching. He talks to Chris about the long-running industrial strife at Sydney University; the casualisation of the workforce at universities throughout Australia, which he calls an outrageous exploitation of labour; and the need for academic staff to stand up for their colleagues.
Whackademia: An Insider's Account of the Troubled University, by Richard Hil, is published by NewSouth Publishing.
11.40 Wayne Brittenden’s Counterpoint
Wayne Brittenden has been Radio New Zealand’s correspondent in several capital cities over the years. Each week he gives fresh insights into a wide variety of topics of national and international concern, followed by Chris Laidlaw’s discussion of the issue with guests. Earlier this month the UN General Assembly again called for the global abolition of capital punishment. Last Wednesday, Amnesty International released its annual report on the death penalty, which offers little optimism for abolitionists. Wayne explores some interesting new aspects to the death penalty, and Chris follows up with Dr Rick Halperin, Professor of Human Rights at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.
