Sunday Morning for Sunday 28 February 2021

7:10 Covid-19 update with Professor Gary McLean 

Joining us again is New Zealander Dr Gary McLean, professor in molecular immunology at London Metropolitan University and an international authority on coronaviruses. Professor McLean will be looking at how the vaccine roll-outs are going overseas, in what seems like a race between them and the variants of the virus.

7.32 The House

Parliament is still very new and has two brand new female assistant speakers. The House considers whether they are treated similarly to new teachers at a raucus boys' school. That's in The House - our report from Parliament.

7:45 Michael Barnett on the economic impact of Auckland's lockdown  

Last night the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Auckland will be returning to Alert Level 3 lockdown for at least the next week, following another Covid-19 community case. Auckland Business Chamber Chief Executive Michael Barnett joins the show to look at the likely economic implications for the City of Sails.  

8:12 Professor Michael Baker on our return to lockdown 

Auckland moved back into Alert Level 3 lockdown at 6am this morning -- with the rest of the country being moved to level 2 -- after a new Covid-19 case was detected in the community. Joining us again is Michael Baker, the public health physician from the University of Otago, Wellington, to answer your Covid-19 questions and ours.  

8:41 The Weekend Panel with Jane Clifton and Richard Harman 

On the Weekend Panel today are the NZ Listener political writer Jane Clifton and the man behind the Politik website online, Richard Harman. They'll be discussing the Papatoetoe Covid-19 cluster, the government's Covid management, the Maori wards amendment bill and some of the problems Wellington finds itself currently facing.

9:06 Mediawatch

Mediawatch looks at the tricky task of marking a major milestone in Christchurch - the tenth anniversary of the deadly earthquake. Also: a quarantined campaigner who raised red flags, a decency dilemma for the media - and Facebook's face-off with the Australian government continues

9:40 Auckland mayor Phil Goff on the shift in alert levels 

Aucklanders let out a collective gasp last night when news broke that the city would be going back into Alert Level 3 lockdown after it was announced that a new community case of Covid-19 -- a 21-year-old man who should have been in isolation -- was detected. Auckland mayor Phil Goff joins the show with his reaction. 

9:50am Should South Auckland be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations? 

South Auckland remains the Covid-19 centre of attention after multiple new hotspots were announced in the wake of the latest case that was detected in the community. Auckland councillor Efeso Collins joins the show to discuss the impact on the local community and whether South Auckland should be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccinations. 

10:04 How to be a (very stable) genius 

Craig Wright is professor emeritus of music at Yale University and author of The Hidden Habits of Genius: Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit - Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness. He joins the show to discuss his new book and his journey around the world and trawling the archives to unearth the hidden lessons from history's most brilliant people. 

10:45 Study: People are not as financially responsible as they think

Are you a saver or a spender? According to new research out of the University of Notre Dame, people think they are more financially responsible than they actually are. Indeed, even when people consistently send their money superfluously, they still believe that they manage their money in a responsible fashion. One of the co-authors of a new paper on the subject published in the Journal of Marketing is Dr Daniel Gregg from the University of New England in Australia. 

11:05 Tim Finn: 'Tupaia had a different way of seeing the universe' 

He's best known for his work with Split Enz, the Finn Brothers and also a solo artist, but in recent years Tim Finn has turned his considerable talents to opera. His latest work, Ihitai 'Avei'a - Star Navigator, which was composed by Finn with Tahitian monologues by Célestine Hitiura Vaite, tells the story of the incredible star navigator Tupaia and his time on board James Cook's Endeavour. The production will open the New Zealand Opera's 2021 season next month. Tim and Célestine join the show to discuss the collaboration and Tupaia's legacy.  

11:26 Why it's never too late to learn something new 

Yes, it's true that our ability to pick up new skills declines with age, but harnessing a specific type of mindset - effectively holding on to a beginner's mind - can help you learn new tricks and skills effectively as an adult. Best-selling author Tom Vanderbilt joins the show to discuss his new book, Beginners: The Curious Power of Lifelong Learning.