Sunday Morning for Sunday 5 August 2012
8:12 Insight: Convention Centres – Overkill or Asset?
Negotiations are on-going between the government and Sky City over a proposed international convention centre in Auckland. At the same time, the Auditor General’s office is conducting an inquiry into the expression of interest process. As discussions and investigations continue, Philippa Tolley looks at the competition in Australia and asks whether there is still a market for a 3000-plus capacity centre in NZ, and what is needed to make it work.
8:40 Brad Argent – Family History
It’s the NZ Society of Genealogists' Family History Month and Brad Argent, Content Director for Ancestry.com.au talks to Chris about the importance of family history in finding a sense of place; and genealogy as a way to personalise and democratise history: He says it's about people and stories, rather than places and dates.
9:06 Mediawatch
Mediawatch looks at who was calling the shots in the coverage of the plan to remake the centre of Christchurch – and why one outlet's under fire for failing to play by the rules. We’ll hear what happened when the PM turned DJ on the radio again; and how one man’s big bucks and small sums from citizens are paying for new journalism in Australia.
Produced and presented by Colin Peacock and Jeremy Rose.
9:40 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, MPs’ reluctance to commit over the gay marriage bill.
9.45 Tony Smith – Olympics Veteran
Fairfax NZ reporter Tony Smith is in London covering his fourth Olympic Games. He talks to Chris about how these games stack up compared with others, controversy surround the opening ceremony, and how the NZ team is handling the pressure.
10:06 Ideas: Reframing Economics
The concept of “economic man” – a hypothetical rational person with complete knowledge who acts entirely out of self-interest – is one of the foundations of conventional economic thinking. Ideas talks to two thinkers, from two very different disciplines, who take issue with not only the notion of economic man but many of the assumptions of conventional economics: William Cavanaugh, a professor of theology at DePaul University in Chicago and the author of Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire; and Morris Altman, a professor of economics at Victoria University and the author of Behavioral Economics for Dummies (John Wiley and Son).
Presented by Chris Laidlaw
Produced by Jeremy Rose
10.55 Today’s Track
On Today’s Track we’re featuring veteran rocker Patti Smith. Smith’s 2012 album Banga has been described by critics as her best work for 20 years. This week we play Amerigo, which Smith describes as “as overture, contemplating the exploits of the navigator Amerigo Vespucci, from whom America got its name”. Smith says she imagined Vespucci coming to the New World “with great expectation that they would covert the natives, only to find himself utterly transformed by the purity of the land the people”.
11.05 New Flags Flying – Kiribati and Tuvalu
Between 1960 and 1990, strong winds of political change swept across Pacific countries. Broadcaster Ian Johnstone has captured this change in a series of interviews with Pacific leaders which he presents with his co-editor Michael Powles in a series called New Flags Flying. Sunday Morning features highlights from the series during 2012. This week Ian, Michael and Chris discuss Kiribati and Tuvalu with special guest, former Prime Minister and Governor General of Tuvalu, Sir Tomasi Puapua.
The full interviews with the Pacific leaders can be heard on Radio New Zealand International.
11.40 Musical Journeys
Chris Laidlaw invites listeners to have a say on this musical journey around the world. We’re still in London this week and with the Olympics under way, listener Chris Lane suggested a track to fit an Olympic mood – Ian Dury and the Blockheads with Reasons to be Cheerful. Every country at the Olympics is looking for winners – we play David Bowie's 1977 hit, Heros, followed by Spandau Ballet with Gold. Finally, a suggestion from East End-born listener Alan Samuels for an evocative London song, West End Girls by The Pet Shop Boys. Should we stay in London or the UK for another week – or move on? Send your suggestions for our musical journey in a song to sunday@radionz.co.nz
11.55 Feedback
What the listeners have to say on today’s programme.