Sunday Morning for Sunday 21 April 2019

 

7:11 Matt Heimer: Why Jacinda Ardern was No 2 in Fortune's World's Greatest Leaders List 

She has only been in the top job for a shade over 18 months, but New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has certainly made her mark as a leader, with the iconic American multinational business magazine Fortune naming her No 2 in its list of the Top 50 World's Greatest Leaders. The list is a who's who of some of the world's most iconic figures, though Ardern is one of the few politicians who made the grade. In fact, she is the only elected official in the entire top 10. Matt Heimer is Features Editor at Fortune Magazine and one of the head writers of the publication's sixth annual Top 50 World's Greatest Leaders list. He joins the show to discuss how New Zealand's PM ended up coming second only to Bill and Melinda Gates. 

7:16 The Good Ancestors podcast: The search for a political solution to climate change 

In the final episode of the Good Ancestors podcast, Noelle McCarthy speaks to student activist Raven Maeder and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about school strikes in New Zealand and the search for a political solution to climate change.You can subscribe to the full series of Good Ancestors on iTunes.  

7.32 The House

A weekly digest of the events in Parliament with Daniela Maoate-Cox and Phil Smith.

7.45 Calling Home: Don Payne in Estonia 

This week our Calling Home guest is living in Estonia. Don Payne's made his new home in the capital, Tallinn where he's working at an international school. He and his partner, Aniva, are both originally from Invercargill where they met at high school. Their two year working holiday they embarked on in 1987 has turned into a career for them and led to them living all over the world. Don speaks to Noelle about what life is like in the small former soviet nation which is also known as 'The Silicon Valley of Europe' thanks to the advanced technology the government has invested in as well as encouraging start ups and entrepreneurs. 

8:10 Insight: Will China and America go to war? (BBC World)

What is the likelihood of clash between the US and China? In recent times, President Trump has engaged in combative rhetoric over trade, while China has fast been modernising and upgrading its military. BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Jonathan Marcus considers whether Washington and Beijing can deal with the tensions, or whether the growing economic, strategic and technological rivalry between the two nations will inevitably end in conflict.

8.38 Elaine Castillo: America is Not the Heart

Talented young author Elaine Castillo is coming to New Zealand for the Auckland Writer's Festival next month. She's a Filipina-American writer whose debut novel, America is Not the Heart, was received with widespread critical acclaim. The book explores the intricacies of Filipino-American society through one woman's life story. It begins with her tortured origins in the Philippines and then moves to her new life in California. Parts of the book are based in Milpitas, California where Elaine grew up. She talks to Noelle about shining a light on a number of social issues in the book.  

9:06 Mediawatch

Produced and presented by Colin Peacock and Jeremy Rose.

9:37 Toby Morris: Drawing talk and the power of the pen

Talented Side Eye illustrator and author Toby Morris has another project he's launched this month, a web series called Two Sketches. Hard on the heels of his work in response to the Christchurch terror attack being syndicated by the BBC and the Nib, he talks to Noelle about the impact cartoons can have on people and why they connect on an emotional level. He's also pleased that far from being a dying career choice cartoonists have embraced social media and are using the platforms to respond quickly to social and political issues. Toby's new series features himself and another illustrator talking and drawing. It's oddly relaxing.  It's been released on the Spinoff site and runs until October. 

 

10:06 Ben Elton: Back on the road for laughs 

Comedian, screenwriter and bestselling author, Ben Elton's back with another satirical work in the form of his book, Identity Crisis. This book's set in modern times with the lead character, an old school detective, Mick Matlock, trying to solve a number of murders. The cases draw him into a web of sex, politics, reality TV and a kaleidoscope of opposing identity groups. Nothing and no one is off limits in the novel. Ben Elton speaks to Noelle about the difficulties in creating satire in modern times when reality is so absurd it's almost already a parody. He also talks about why he's been inspired to go back to stand up comedy tours. 

10.35 Lawrence Arabia: The Singles Club project on tour for loyal members 

James Milne AKA Lawrence Arabia used a kick-starter project to produce a song each month for a year. He says the method of drip feeding the music out after getting the funding from loyal Singles Club members helped him to stop procrastinating and endlessly trying to perfect his work  as he did not want to let his club down. It was a risky strategy that paid off. He had 368 backers pledge NZ$ 23,710 to realise the project. That's been followed up by the Singles Club album which has just been released. Each song on the album was written, recorded and released at the end of each month last year after money had been sent to him. He speaks to Noelle about the unorthodox method of making music and some of the famous people he got to help him along the way. You can find out his tour details here.