Summer Times for Monday 31 December 2018

 

8:05 Dame Margaret Brimble

Distinguished Professor Margaret Brimble is now Dame Margaret  in recognition of her remarkable contribution to science, specifically to her reserch in medicinal chemistry and the development of new life saving drugs. One of her drug candidates to treat Rett  and Fragile X syndromes is currently in phase three human clinical trials. 

She is Chair of Organic Chemistry and Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland and is  Principal Investigator in the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery. Dame Margaret also  set up  New Zealand's first Good Manufacturing Practice Peptide Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing Facility.

8:20 Dr Ian Hassall 

Dr Ian Hassall has spent his entire career trying to help children. He contributed to the world's first major cot death study, oversaw the medical side of the Plunket Family Units, and established a Child Abuse Prevention Society way back in 1977

He was New Zealand's first Children's Commissioner, and has been involved with many public-sector advisory groups, as well as helping to establish the Children's phone counselling service What's Up, and serving as a Trustee for the Kids Helpline Trust until 2008.

8:30 Jennifer Ward-Lealand 

For her services to theatre, film and television, including being an outspoken and determined advocate for actors' working conditions and pay, Jennifer Ward-Lealand is now  a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:. 

This recognition comes just a month after the actor, singer, director and tutor was named the 2018 SPADA Industry Champion.Jennifer's headed Equity New Zealand since 2007, is a co-founder of The Actors' Program, and a Trust Board member of  the Actors Benevolent Fund. She's also the lead in a new feature film called Vermilion and a te reo advocate.

8:40 Ingrid Culliford

Ingrid Culliford is an internationally acclaimed flautist and music teacher who has spent a lifetime spreading the joy of music. 

Among numerous accomplishments, Ms Culliford established the Lontano Ensemble in the United Kingdom, and has played a huge part in sculpting the classical music landscape in Whanganui.

Perhaps most importantly, she's instilled an enduring love of music into hundreds of young musicians through her work teaching at high schools and tertiary institutions throughout the country and abroad.

8:50 Dr Karlo Mila 

New Zealand poet Karlo Mila is now a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the pacific community and as a poet. 

Dr Mila is currently Programme Director of the Mana Moana Experience, a leadership programme for mid-career Pacific leaders at Leadership New Zealand based on her postdoctoral research on Pacific language, culture, values, and indigenous knowledge.

8:55 Paul Spiller

Paul Spiller has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Chess, a game he is deeply passionate about. Paul has been involved in the world of New Zealand Chess for 40 years as an organiser and administrator, as well as playing the occasional game himself. 

He's been the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Zone 3.6 President since 2014 and he's the first New Zealander to hold that position. 

9:05 Tim Shadbolt 

Tim Shadbolt is the longest serving Mayor in New Zealand and an inspirational leader for both Invercargill and the Southern Region. Mr Shadbolt was first elected as Mayor of Waitemata City for six years. Then in 1993 he was elected to serve as Mayor of Invercargill City until 1995. He's now in his eighth stint as Mayor. 

The author of Bullshit and Jellybeans is now a sir! He joins us on the line from the sunny south. 

9:15 Ronald Crichton 

His 20 years coaching disabled swimmers, including superstar Paralympian Sophie Pascoe, has seen Roly Crichton named as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. The recognition of his services to Paralympic sport includes his own medal winning successes as past Paralympic Games.

He was the first disabled coach to be named the New Zealand Swim Coaches and Teachers Coach of the Year - that was in 2014. Mr Crichton has also coached  triathletes and the Canterbury Wheelchair Basketball  team.

9:20 Vaine Areora

Vaine Areora has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Cook Island community in New Zealand and services to sport. Vaine has been involved with Cook Islands community in Auckland for over fifty years and has been a stalwart volunteer for pacific sporting organisations in New Zealand for just as long. 

9:25 Diana Crossan 

One of our brand new Dames, Diana Crossan spent 10 years trying to help New Zealanders prepare for their post work years as Retirement Commissioner. Earlier in her career she was the first manager of the Equal Employment Opportunities Unit at the State Services Commission working to shape legislation on equal work opportunities for women, Māori, other ethnic groups.

She's been made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year's Honours for providing leadership in the public service, working hard to enable equal employment opportunities and retirement savings.What might not be so well known is Diana's work on charity boards including relationship and refugee services, and she was Chief Executive of Wellington Free Ambulance until last year.

9:35 Paying it forward   

Seeing first hand how the Red Cross helped war torn families in Gaza lead 19 year old Reham Harbid to sign on as a New Zealand Red Cross volunteer in New Plymouth.

Currently she's part of the region's Community Relief Team. One days Reham plans to take the skills she's learnt here back to Gaza.  

9:45 Lakeside in 2019 

Peter Newport is a former RNZ journalist, and now managing director of the online newspaper Crux, which serves the Queenstown / Wanaka areas. He sees 2019 as a year of great change in the central lakes region with a booming population and lagging infrastructure. 

10:05 Do androids dream of electric regulation? 

It can be a bit tough keeping an eye on what's going in a world of technology, especially when the jargon gets away on you. But in 2018 for the vast majority of us technology has had a huge influence on our lives, if we're aware of it or not. This won't be any different in 2019.

Technology journalist Peter Griffin gives us the rundown on what he think 2019 will bring in the world of tech. 

10:20 Tiritiri Matangi - past achievements and future ambitions

Tiritiri Matangi Island one of New Zealand's earliest and most important island wildlife sanctuaries.Lynn revisits the  220-hectare island that's a 90 minute ferry trip out of Auckland in the Hauraki Gulf.  

She joins some of the volunteers involved in important research projects, including trying to entice back to the island a bird species that abandoned it back before it was replanted and rid of predators. 

10:40 NYE playlist with DJ Sticky Fingers 

It can be a daunting time putting together a party playlist in 2018. The options are endless and tastes are diverse. The stakes are particularly high for New Year's Eve as you really have to get it right for midnight. 

We're ripping our hair out over this so we've pulled in an expert. RNZ's own Brad Warrington, aka DJ Sticky Fingers, to sort out some bangers for us. 

11:05 A daring expedition 

The Daring Shipwreck has been a captivating story in 2018. After many months of debate and research the wreck was recently removed from its watery grave.

But many lessons have been learnt along the way as we hear from Heritage New Zealand archaeologist Isaac McIvor, who was closely involved with the recovery project.

11:35 Learner gardening workshop 

The Sustainability Trust in Wellington runs workshops for people keen on the idea of gardening but unsure how to get started. Lynn joins Food is Free workshop organiser Nina Atkinson at Innermost Community Gardens in Mt Victoria.

She's also encouraging people who might not be able to establish a garden where they're living, to look out for possible sites within urban environments.

11:55 Whare Flat Music Festival 

There are festivals happening all over the country at the moment. In the Waiora Valley the Whare Flat Festival kicked off yesterday and is now in full swing. Tahu Mackenzie is an Education Officer at the Orokonui Ecosanctuary and is at the festival.