The 95bfm Thursday Wire with Hamish Fletcher 11/03/2010

Coming up on the show:

12:15 - Phil Twyford, Labour Party Spokesperson on Auckland Issues

Some of you may have heard the interview I did last week with Minister of Local Government Rodney Hide. We talk about the balance of power between the Auckland Super Council and local community boards. I found some of his comments suprising, especially his contention that local boards can make by-laws. According to Labour MP Phil Twyford, Hide was in damage control and a good deal of his comments in the interview were pure spin. So at 12:15, I'll be playing Twyford's reply, as well as his comments on Council Controlled Organisations and ward boundaries. All in all, Twyford paints a grim future for Auckland if the 'Supercity' is laid out according to the Government's current plan.

12:30 - Chris Carter, Labour Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs

The biggest issue currently occupying the minds of many environmentalists is whaling. It's also on the mind of the Government and Sir Geoffrey Palmer, who is the New Zealand representative to the International Whaling Commision. Currently, the IWC is trying to work out a way to curb the whaling programs of countries such as Japan and Iceland and New Zealand has helped draft a whaling proposal which would allow a limited amount of commercial whaling, seek to control scientific whaling and would work to reduce the total number taken out of sea over the coming years. However, Labour's foreign affairs spokesperson Chris Carter says New Zealand role in the compromise is appaling and in protest of such, he has started an online petition calling for the Government to outright condemn whaling. He joins me at 12:30 to discuss the the petition in more detail.

13:00 - Ben Howe, founder and owner of Arch Hill Recordings

The last day of summer was a fitting way to celebrate the 10th birthday of local label, Arch Hill Recordings. A line up including Superette, Surf City, and members of Bird Nest Roys played to a sun-soaked audience comprised of parents with toddlers, youths, and even members of indie-rock heroes Pavement. Yesterday, I caught up with the founder of Arch Hill Recordings, Ben Howe, who went over the history of Arch Hill and predicted what might be in store for the label over the coming years.

13:30 Dear Science with Peter Griffin from the Science Media Centre

Dear Science is a weekly feature on the Thursday Wire where Peter Griffin from the Science Media Centre takes you through the recent highlights in science and technology from New Zealand and around the world. This week we'll look at how social network stalking is going to become even easier, given that both Facebook and Twitter are enabling features that allow users to plot their location at any given time. Peter will also explain new DNA breakthroughs in the study of Moa egg shells which may see scientists discover more about the extinct giant bird. As well as this Peter will recount Richard Dawkins' lecture in Wellington last night.

13:40 Papercuts - Thanks to MagNation

Papercuts is your weekly magazine review, filling you in on the best publications in the business. This week Pennie Papercuts reviews 'Underscore' which claims to be 'attuned to a simple rhythm; quality of life'. If you want to have a sneak peek of what it looks like visit www.underscoremagazine.com

ENDS

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