Sunday Morning for Sunday 3 December 2017

7.11 Michael Flynn developments 

Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI ... about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the US during the US election campaign. Flynn's decision to plead guilty about those conversations marked a significant new phase in the investigation by Robert Mueller, and a potentially treacherous development for Trump and his closest aides. Feature Story's Nina-Maria Potts reports from Washington. 

7.18 Whooping cough warning

On Friday the Ministry of Health announced that there was a national outbreak of whooping cough. More than 1300 cases of the disease have been reported since the beginning of the year. It's warning parents of young babies to be especially vigilant over Christmas and New Year when families get together, increasing the chance of passing on the disease, especially as adults may have whooping cough but not even know it. Dr Nikki Turner,  director of the Immunisation Advisory Centre, explains. 

7.25 Sheldon Nunes: C-Prize finalist with FallCast

On Friday night Callaghan Innovation held the final of its "C-Prize" technology competition.There were 10 teams of finalists, and one of those was young software developers Sheldon Nunes and Nick Mertens. Their Quoralis team didn't win the big prize, but their FallCast is working on a wearable technology that aims to predict and identify a person, such as an older person, at risk of falling. 22-year-old Sheldon Nunes explains. 

7.30 The House

This week in the debating chamber the Opposition pushed the boundaries in question time and tested the Speaker. 

7.46 Naida Glavish: kia ora groundbreaker

Back in 1984, Naida Glavish was the toll operator who greeted incoming callers with two words, "kia ora" going against the grain. She says the general public didn't mind but her managers did. She reflects on Don Brash's comments about there being too much te reo on RNZ. And she has a message for Guyon Espiner. 
RNZ's te reo greetings

7.55 Dogs and thunder

There's been a week of thunderstorms with around 40,000 lightning strikes - 11,000 on Tuesday alone. 
Animal control workers had to return many dog to their anxious owners after they bolted. Social media was flooded with people looking for their pets too. John Payne from Hastings District Council gives some tips on how to calm your dogs.

8:10 Insight:  Kauri dieback - can these noble trees be protected?

In 2014 the government allocated $25m for research into the disease that's killing kauri, and programmes to stop its spread. But scientists say crucial research has not been funded; kauri dieback's more than doubled in the Waitakere Ranges, and iwi are calling for track closures under the Biosecurity Act, to save the remaining rakau rangatira. RNZ's Northland reporter Lois Williams, investigates for Insight.

8.38 Philip Bagshaw: why doctors need to speak out

A paper published in the New Zealand Medical Journal on December 1 "Physician advocacy in Western medicine: a 21st century challenge" asks whether "physician advocacy" should be an obligatory component of medical professionalism. The paper, written by long-time health advocate Professor Philip Bagshaw and Canterbury University Associate Professor Pauline Barnett doesn't answer the question, but does say it's an issue the public should discuss. Philip Bagshaw, founder of the Canterbury Charity Hospital, says the country is stuck in an austerity model for health and it’s about time doctors spoke out about it moving to an investment model.

9:06 Mediawatch: Te reo radio

The fallout from a controversial column complaining about too much te reo on the radio. Also: the risks of reporting the Philippines’ bloody ‘war on drugs’. Produced and presented by Colin Peacock

9.37 What now for Zimbabwe: former cabinet minister David Coltart

Zimbabweans are still celebrating the fact that the 37-year reign of Robert Mugabe, leader of the ruling Zanu PF party, is over. But in a crippled economy there is a daunting task ahead. Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in last week as the country's new president and pledged to serve "all citizens, regardless of colour, creed, religion, tribe or political affiliation' and indicated he plans to reverse Mr Mugabe's disastrous policies. Human rights lawyer David Coltart is a founding member of opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, was an MP from 2000 to 2008 and a cabinet minister from 2009 to 2013. He says he feels optimistic about the change, despite Emmerson Mnangagwa having been  part of the Mugabe regime.

10:04 Gideon Levy: showing a mirror to Israel

For decades, renowned Israeli journalist Gideon Levy has been writing opinion pieces for the country's longest-running newspaper Haaretz. He has covered the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza for the past 25 years and doesn't hold back on his opinions. That's won him admirers, but also detractors including some who claim he should be tried for treason. Gideon Levy has just given the Edward Said Memorial Lecture in Australia, and is in New Zealand to give a talk "The first 50 years: Israeli Society and The Occupation".
His talk is on December 3, Mount Eden War Memorial Hall, Auckland, at 3pm.

10:38 Lucie Boshier: fashion designer turns goddess

In 2006 Auckland fashion designer Lucie Boshier was the next big thing in fashion. Her colourful dresses were floaty and flirty, luxury designs and at age 24, she opened her eponymous fashion store in Auckland's Newmarket. She was talented, outspoken, controversial, free with the sex talk and at one point ran a misguided ad campaign that caused angst. Two years later her shop had closed and she later headed to New York, where she has lived ever since. Lucie McQuilkan, her real name, now teaches little girls to get in touch with their inner goddess and embrace their femininity. Her popular Mischievous Goddess business teaches mindfulness and imaginative play through goddess classes and parties in Brooklyn, New York.

 

11.04 The Lost: Francesca Martin

Fran Martin popped out to a petrol station in Hamilton in 2005, bought cigarettes and wasn’t seen again. Her father, Bob, has been looking for her since. He’s spent his savings and much of his pension on the search.
Produced and presented by Paloma Migone.

 

11:39 Peter Gilderdale: Christmas cards and national pride

Researcher Peter Gilderdale says Christmas cards established themselves in the 1860s and didn't become really popular until the end of the 1870s. He’s a senior lecturer in Communication Design at AUT and has written a research paper looking at Xmas card trends in the late 19th century and has discovered how a growing sense of nationalism changed New Zealand Christmas card designs.