Nine To Noon for Thursday 4 October 2018

 

 

09:05 Gene Editing in the Primary Industries. Ready for a revolution?  

A new report on gene editing in the Primary industries is highlighting the opportunities for the economy and the environment, if we choose to use it. In the past New Zealand has had a cautious approach to this technology, currently regarded as genetic modification under NZ law, but being too conservative, it's feared,  could close the door to important revenue streams and scientific advances. It's the third report from the Royal Society Te Apārangi's Gene Editing in Aotearoa project. Barry Scott is Chair of the Society's multidisciplinary gene editing expert panel and Professor of Molecular Genetics at Massey University.

 The Society is seeking public feedback on the paper and holding three workshops around the country this month to discuss the findings.

Hamilton | Wednesday 10 October,  9:45am - 2:30pm, The Verandah, Rotoroa Drive, Hamilton Lake

Napier | Monday 15 October  9:45am - 2:30 pm, Napier Conference Centre, Exhibition Room, 48 Marine Parade

Dunedin | Tuesday 23 October 10:00am - 2:30 pm, The Dunedin Centre, Fullwood Room, 1 Harrop St

09:20 How to Achieve Just Transition to Green Jobs

A recent Productivity Commission report has already warned the Government it will have to move fast if it is to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. So how best can the government, unions and the oil and gas sectors reduce emissions without it adversely affecting the workforce and the communities those industries support? Samantha Smith, the director of the Just Transition Center, at the International Trade Union Confederation, will join Kathryn to talk through how a "just transition" can happen.

09:30 At home with the 'cave men'

Palaeolithic archaeologist Dr Matt Pope says the caricature of crude and unintelligent prehistoric 'cave men' couldn't be more wrong.  Dr Pope's research instead points to our early ancestors living in structured homes at about the same time as starting to use complex tools and fire.

09:45 Trading blows at the Conservative Party Conference

UK Correspondent Matthew Parris has been listening to all speeches and shenanigans at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. How does it compare the Liberal Democrats and Labour conferences?

10:05 Simon Sebag Montefiore on celebrating great letters

Simon Sebag Montefiore is an award winning British historian, novelist and television host whose non-fiction works include Jerusalem: The Biography, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar and The Romanovs 1613-1918.  His most recent novel, Red Sky at Noon, was the last in a trilogy of Russian-set historical thrillers. He's just published a new non-fiction work - Written in History: Letters that Changed the World. He talks with Kathryn Ryan about what the letters reveal, and his abiding fascination with Russia.

10:35 Book review - The Vineyards of Central Otago by Viv Milsom

Harry Broad reviews The Vineyards of Central Otago by Viv Milsom. It is illustrated by Mike Wilkinson
and published by Penguin Random House NZ.

10:45 The Reading

Singing Home the Whale by Mandy Hager, read by Simon Leary and  Alex Greig. episode 4 of 15.

11:05 Facebook's horror week & connecting continents

Mark Zuckerberg has had a run of tough headlines with Instagram's founders resigning from its parent company, Facebook. Sarah Putt analyses where this and other negative stories leave the tech billionaire. She also has details about the new submarine cable linking Africa and South America plus another tech billionaire gets into print media.

11:25 School holidays challenges

School holidays are almost half way through, and some parents may be scratching their heads as to what to do. Let the kids watch as much Youtube as they want? Make them get outside and play? Or - shock horror - get them to do some jobs around the house? Teacher, author, public speaker and CEO of Spectrum Education Karen Boyes has some ideas for fun family challenges.

11:45 Reality TV bites and school holiday movies

Sarah McMullan dips her toe into the glut of local reality TV, reviewing Married at First Sight, Project Runway NZ and The Block Finale. Plus she's also been to sample to school holiday offerings: Smallfoot, House with Clocks in the Wall and Venom.

 

Music played in this show

Artist: The Smiths

Track: Please, Please, please let me get what I want

Time played: 10.58am

 

Artist: Naked and Famous

Track: Punching in a dream

Time played: 11.35

 

Artist: Jenny Morris

Track: Shiver

Time played: 11.45