09:05 Kia orana Cook Islands-NZ bubble

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Photo: 123RF


Preparations are already underway at resorts in the Cook Islands - expecting an influx of quarantine free tourists from New Zealand in less than a fortnight. Tourism operators have been holding out for much needed visitors and there's elation with the announcement of a travel bubble with New Zealand starting on May the 17th. However the opposition party is warning of the risks associated with opening the borders before the population is vaccinated. Pre-Covid, tourism contributed more than $1 million a day to the Cook Islands economy, 65 per cent of the total GDP. To discuss the travel green light to Rarotonga, Cook Islands Tourism Marketing Corporation Chief Executive Officer Halatoa Fua and Marcus Niszow, who is the CEO of the Pacific Resort Hotel Group. Also Vanessa Marsh, Chair of the Niue Tourism Board.

09:30 The world watches China's treatment of Uyghurs 

There is growing friction over China's treatment of Uyghurs, the Muslim-minority living in Xinjiang. Human rights groups say that up to a million people have been detained in what China calls "re-eduction camps" in the province and are subject to forced labour. Several countries, including the UK, United States, and Canada, have accused China of committing genocide.  China's ambassador has warned New Zealand about interfering in its internal matters, including the Uyghur question and the situation in Hong Kong. Last week the Chinese Embassy here hosted a video call for media in which it defended China's human rights record.  Meanwhile the Act Party will ask Parliament to debate a motion, declaring China's oppression of the minority an act of 'genocide'.  Dr David Brophy is senior lecturer in Modern Chinese History at the University of Sydney, who specialises in the social and political history of China's northwest, particularly the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Members of the Muslim Uighur minority hold placards as they demonstrate in front of the Chinese consulate on 30 December 2020, in Istanbul, to ask for news of their relatives and to express their concern after China announced the ratification of an extradition treaty with Turkey.

Photo: AFP

09:45 USA correspondent Susan Davis

Joe Biden's presidency has crossed the 100 day mark, and has specifically used the occasion to promote his American Families Plan. Susan also talks to Kathryn about Donald Trump's hold on the Republican Party.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 06: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the state of vaccinations in the U.S. in the State Dining Room of the White House April 6, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Photo: 2021 Getty Images

Susan Davis is a congressional correspondent for NPR and a co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast.

10:05 Artist and inventor Daan Roosegaarde and his solutions to gnarly problems

Daan Roosegaarde is a world-leading designer artist and inventor whose work tackles some of the gnarly issues facing the globe, particularly climate change. Based in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, his work has appeared in many places around the world including The Smog Free Project , the largest outdoor air purifier in a Beijing park. Another project, Windvogel, harvests energy from the sky using kites tethered by luminous strings to dynamos on the ground. One of his most recent projects is searching for a solution to the problem of space junk. Daan is a Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum, a visiting professor at several universities, was selected by Forbes and Good 100 as a creative change maker and named Artist of the Year 2016 in The Netherlands. He says designers and engineers can solve big problems, and shouldn't wait for governments as they're too slow and prone to change. He's taking part in the Boma NZ Agri Summit next month.

Daan Roosegaarde's Smog Free Tower

Daan Roosegaarde's Smog Free Tower Photo: Studio Roosegaarde

10:35 Book Review - Let's Do It: the authorised biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees

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Photo: Hachette.co.nz

Leah McFall reviews Let's Do It: the authorised biography of Victoria Wood by Jasper Rees, published by Hachette

10:45 The Reading

Trespasses, short story by David Lyndon Brown. Read by Stuart Devenie.

11:05 Business commentator Rod Oram

Rod talks tax and the significant shift in views on taxation in major jurisdictions.

hand grabbing money bag

Photo: 123RF

11:20  Organised to the end: When I Die

When a loved-one dies, grieving can be hard amid the flurry of sometimes overwhelming admin. There's a lot to do; a huge task made harder if family or friends have to make sense of your stuff. Kathryn speaks with Kathryn Perks, who has published a workbook called When I Die, A record of personal details and end of life planner.  It's a place to record personal details and last wishes, but Kathryn is clear this workbook isn't designed to replace a will. Public Trust CEO Glenys Talivai joins the conversation to clarify what is legal and what isn't when it comes to recording our final wishes.

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Photo: Kathryn Perks

11:45 Trust in news, Discovery looks to merge its businesses, changes to the Rich List

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Photo: Mediaworks/Discovery Inc

Media commentator Andrew Holden looks at how 11 media brands fared in a new study into trust in the news, Discovery is looking to merge parts of its Australasian businesses - are staff cuts on the way? And the NBR Rich List has become The List - which looks not just as wealth but what people are doing with that money.

Andrew Holden is a journalist for more than 30 years including five as Editor of The Press (in Christchurch) and four as Editor-in-Chief of The Age in Melbourne. 

Music played in this show

Title: Get Sun
Artist: Hiatus Kaiyote
Broadcast time: 9:30am 

Title: If I Got It
Artist: Aaron Frazer
Broadcast time: 10:30am

Title:  Surrender 
Artist: Birdy 
Broadcast time: 11:10am

Title:  Wander 
Artist: Kevin Morby
Broadcast time: 11:45am