New Zealand Listener Issue 16 2018

Clare Curran’s pet project, an expensive stand-alone television channel, RNZ+, is now in real doubt. As a new social media-style status update, Minister of Broadcasting Clare Curran could hardly have a better moniker than “Minister Interrupted”. The debacle last week over her meeting with Radio New Zealand executive Carol Hirschfeld has made it less likely that Curran will get her way over the public broadcaster’s future development. And that may be a good thing. Curran has survived what many would consider sackworthy bungling, but her cafe meeting with Hirschfeld – who resigned after lying about the meeting to her boss – revealed the furious politicking over the future of public broadcasting. Seldom has a state company been seen more clearly to be at odds with its minister. RNZ is a national treasure and deserves…

I write to endorse and support the Editorial on cycle helmets (March 31). Two years ago, I was cycling on the open road when I was hit from behind by a car. Had I not been wearing a cycle helmet, I would have been killed or at the very least ended up in a wheelchair. As it was, I received a moderate to severe head injury, from which it has taken two long years to recover. For my family, there have been some anxious times. Would my personality have changed? Would my memory, which was absent initially, return? Would I stop endlessly repeating myself? With six months off normal work and much therapy, help and support, I am lucky enough to have almost recovered. Thanks to my helmet my injuries were (mostly)…

FINALISTS Jacinda Ardern: “Dib, dib, dib. I promise to do my best, even with my eyes closed!” – David Field, Rotorua Ardern: “Oh-oh, my halo seems to breaking up!” – Sue Quinlivan, Darfield Ardern: “I spy with my little eye something beginning with …” – Hans Zindel, Palmerston North Ardern: “Yes, it is like a crown of thorns, but prettier, I think …” – Alice Tartt, Westmere, Auckland Ardern: “My labour party will be in June and you are all invited.” – Tim Cross, Nelson Ardern: “The flower power has gone to my head.” – Kath Jones, Waikanae Arder: “Be sure to wear some hair in your flowers.” – Rex McGregor, Auckland Ardern: “Give me S, give me P, give me Y, what have we got – Psy.” – P Kelly, Palmerston North…

“Trying to get through Ōtaki on a public holiday is right up there with Frodo trying to get to Mordor.” – Fairfax reporter Jo Moir “God put me on this Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind that I will never die.” – Calvin and Hobbes cartoonist Bill Watterson “If you doubt your power, you give power to your doubts.” – fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg “The busiest person at the White House is whoever has to update the office contact list.” – the Late Show’s Stephen Colbert “I haven’t seen this many Australians crying on TV since Scott and Charlene got married.” – Jane Merrick in the Independent “Kotahi te hoe, ka ū te waka ki uta – paddling in unison, the waka will reach land.”…

He will be speaking about … migratory birds that travel from their breeding grounds in the Arctic … to New Zealand each year to a meeting organised by Marlborough Forest & Bird … Wednesday Sun, 15/11/17 It’s been said the climate-change ship has left the dock, but lots of people are still debating whether boats can float. National Farming Review, October 2017 An intoxicated Bay man caught drink-driving told police he was on his way to check why there was such a large police presence in the area. Bay of Plenty Times, 31/10/17 From swamp to furtile ground Manawatu Standard, 26/2/2018 … we had groups of parents arriving with morning tea and putting magazines in the staff toilets – amazing, kind gestures. Emails of support saying “keep going” … Bay Harbour, 20/9/17 LIFE IN NEW ZEALAND: Entries must describe New…

1. Who wrote the influential short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge? □ O Henry □ Edgar Allan Poe □ Ambrose Bierce □ Dorothy Parker 2. Who performed the theme song for the Bond film Skyfall? □ Madonna □ Adele □ Sam Smith □ Jack White 3. The benthic zone is a region located where? □ Outer space □ Underwater 4. True or false? There is a growing flat-Earth movement in the US. □ True □ False 5. Where is the ruined Mayan city of Chichen Itza, a Unesco World Heritage Site? □ Mexico □ Guatemala □ Honduras □ Belize 6. Which TV drama was centred on the company Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce? □ The Good Wife □ Mad Men □ Boston Legal □ Ally McBeal 7. In ancient times, what was applying “a hair of the dog that bit you” thought to cure? □ Ringworm □ Tuberculosis □ Rabies □ Campylobacter 8. Popular in Hawaiian cuisine, what does the…