1.12 First Song:

 

1:17 Consumer on ticket refunds for postponed and cancelled events 

The start of the America's Cup regatta, Round the Bays, a cricket test, the lantern festival, and Auckland Pride events are just some of those that had to be delayed or cancelled when Auckland returned to Alert Level 3 on Sunday.

With the rest of the country at Level 2, many people will have tickets to concerts and other events that won't be going ahead.  Head of Consumer NZ, Jon Duffy talks to Jesse about what people can do about refunds for these events. 

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Photo: creative commons

1.20 Massive rivers in the sky account for NZ's costliest floods 

Researchers have discovered giant atmospheric rivers in the sky have been behind the costliest floods in New Zealand. 

The carry more water than the Amazon and Nile rivers, are up to 2000 kilometres long and can be found up to five weeks before they make landfall. 

One of the researchers looking at this phenomenon in the Southern Hemisphere, Kim Reid, explains to Jesse what this all means for flood prone parts of the country. 

Cows escaping flood waters on Waihue Road in Dargaville.

Photo: Supplied / Robert du Preez

1:27 Less emotion more hard data to drive economic policy

An Otago University senior economics lecturer believes there is too much emotion driving key economic policy decisions from the government. 

Dr Dennis Wesselbaum explains to Jesse that policy makers are largely not qualified in economics with one senior team member holding a PhD in geography. 

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Photo: pixabay

1:35 All of government response OIA makes for strange reading 

Stuff senior politcal reporter Thomas Coughlan says he has revealed what he says are some of the most interesting OIA's he's ever read.

The OIAs are about the Government's 'worst-case scenario' Covid response, and they are detailed in a Stuff article which you can find a link to on our website. Thomas talks to Jesse about the strangest OIA he's had to read in his career. 

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Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

1:45 Great album: Something Beginning with C 

 

2:10 Music Critic: Simon Sweetman 

Today Simon reviews "Fo Sho" by Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, from the new album "I Told You So" and "Alphabet Street" by Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon. It's from their new duo record, "Noon". 
 

2:25 NZ Screen History: It's in the Bag

This week for New Zealand Screen History we take a look back at the hugely popular quiz show It's in the Bag which screened from 1973 to 1979. 

It was dreamed up by broadcaster Selwyn Toogood and began its life as a radio show, which he campaigned to bring to television.

In each episode of this roving quiz show, members from the audience answered questions to get the chance to choose either a cash prize or a mystery bag. 

Heather Crofksey, formerly known as Heather Eggleton, was the original co-host of the show and has fond memories of her two seasons on it.

3:15 Solving the World's Problems with Steve Wyn-Harris 

Today Steve talks about vaccines, the primary industry's export sector and cancelled rural events due to alert level changes around the country. 

Steve Wyn-Harris with his wife Jane and when at home, sons Jason, Hugh and Matt on their Hawkes Bay farm

Steve Wyn-Harris with his wife Jane and when at home, sons Jason, Hugh and Matt on their Hawkes Bay farm Photo: www.marlowcoopworths.co.nz

3:25 The history of an ‘upside-down country

There are many traditions, events and customs in New Zealand that seem ‘upside-down’. Why do we have winter meals at Christmas time and celebrate spring festivals in autumn? 

Our regular historian, Grant Morris says this only makes sense when we examine our history.  It also helps us to explore the nature of Pakeha NZ culture and raises questions about how robust that culture is in 2021

Christmas dinner in New Zealand circa 1920

Christmas dinner in New Zealand circa 1920 Photo: Leslie Adkin/Te Papa

3:35 Spoken Feature BBC Witness History 

Witness History goes on an adventure to the very deepest, darkest place on planet earth - 11km down at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, to the Mariana Trench. Rebecca Kesby speaks to Don Walsh, who was one of the two-man crew that first went to the very bottom of sea in 1960 in a specially designed sub called the Trieste.

3:45 The Panel with Sue Kedgley and Chris Finlayson