Nine To Noon for Friday 19 June 2020

 

 

09:05 Cruise industry pleads for kiwi-only voyages to be allowed

The cruise industry is pleading with the government not to extend the ban on cruise ships and allow the industry to start up again with kiwi-only voyages. In April, the government suspended all cruise ship visits until the end of June. Kevin O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Cruise Association, says the industry has lost tens of millions in that time, and if cruise visits do not begin til next summer, the losses could be in the order of $280 million. He says there's an appetite for some smaller cruise ships to start up again, for New Zealand passengers only, adding in Australian passengers if and when the Trans Tasman bubble gets going.

09:15 Filipino journalist Maria Ressa. 'This is a moment of reckoning'

Maria Ressa says she is 'the cautionary tale' after being found guilty of a spurious cyber libel charge against her and a former researcher at her news website, Rappler, earlier this week. To many people the award-winning  journalist, harsh critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, and former Time Person of the Year has become a symbol of the fight for media freedom in her country. Her lawyer, Amal Clooney, has labelled Monday's verdict as 'an affront to the rule of law, a stark warning to the press, and a blow to democracy in the Philippines.' Maria Ressa talks to Lynn Freeman about what she is willing to sacrifice for truth and democracy in her homeland.

09:30 Claims rubbish from Westland landfill washing up 200 kms away

Beach clean-up volunteer Des Watson tells Lynn Freeman he believes rubbish that exploded from the landfill near Fox Glacier last March is washing up 200 kms north at Westport.  Des has spent the week filling up eight sackfulls of rubbish - mainly plastic and polystyrene - at Nine Mile Beach at Cape Foulwind near Westport, waste he says is typical of the type volunteers like him were picking up and around Okarito last autumn.  Meanwhile Westland District mayor Bruce Smith says he's sceptical that rubbish comes from the tip.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koro Vaka'uta  

The suspension of a leading figure at the University of the South Pacific leads to protests and arrests. There's a 
new Premier in Niue, and the Cooks Prime Minister Henry Puna is standing down.

10:05 Anthony Byrt - The Mirror Steamed Over

Award-winning Kiwi writer on contemporary art, Anthony Byrt tells Lynn Freeman about his new book The Mirror Steamed Over, which explores ideas of shifting personal and sexual  identity and a key moment in cultural history, when individualism started to shape the contemporary art world.  It's a study of three Kiwi maverick outsiders and friends who met at the Royal College of Art, and who contributed to the transformation of Britain's contemporary art scene.  The main focus in Anthony's book is Kiwi graphic designer Barrie Bates, who would become Billy Apple in 1962, and who cut his teeth in Auckland where he redesigned the Farmers' logo before leaving for London and New York where he made friends and collaborated with pop art icons David Hockney and Andy Wharhol.

10:35 Book review - Royals by Emma Forrest

Sonja de Friez reviews Royals by Emma Forrest, published by Bloomsbury.

10:45 The Reading

In the final story of our Vincent O'Sullivan feature week, Frame told by Madeline McNamara.

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

Grant Smithies blows the dust off "And Don't The Kids Just Love It", the classic 1981 debut album classic from influential London post-punk band, Television Personalities. We'll also hear gems from Auckland "medieval futurist" synth-builder Pat Kraus and Ohio funk band, Zapp. 

 

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Last week it was rugby, this week netball returns. Sam talks to Lynn about the significance of having the ANZ championship back under way and what should be expected. 

11:45 The week that was 

Our comedians Te Radar and Michele A'Court with a wrap of stories to make you smile.