The Wire with Sara

Ilena spoke to Councillor Pippa Coom for an update on Auckland Council’s Covid-19 response as we look forward to another two weeks of lockdown. We also discussed the flooding that happened earlier this week in parts of Auckland due to a period of intense rain and storms, and how emergency services responded to those affected under level 4 restrictions. She also mentioned resources available on the Council website for those looking to stay healthy physically and mentally during lockdown, as well as getting rid of Auckland library overdue fines.

Climate change is not going away anytime soon, as outlined by the recent IPCC report. The 1.5 degrees celsius warming target is to supposed to be met by 2030, which in the scale of climate change, is just around the corner. What actions can New Zealand take to meet this target? Conor speaks to University of Auckland's Professor David Noone, looking at what New Zealand can do for the future of climate change. This interview is leading on from discussions from last week with Dr. Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, which can be found here.

Would you get tested for a fatal disease that you have a fifty percent of inheriting from your parents?

It is a decision that journalist (and bFM's former news director) Lillian Hanly has to make.

The disease in question is Huntington's Disease, a genetic neurodegenerative condition that passes on from an affected parent.  The probability for their children inheriting the disease is fifty percent and it does not skip generations.

The condition affects part of the brain from working properly over time, impacting movement, behaviour, and cognition.  It will become harder to walk, talk, reason, and swallow for those who have the condition, and it is incurable.

Lillian is now facing the question in her new documentary Fifty Percent as her grandfather, the New Zealand artist Pat Hanly, and her biological mother all have the disease.

She spoke to Justin Wong.

This week on the Wednesday Wire, Zazi Hewlett and Frances Wright continue to produce remotely from home as Auckland remains in Level 4 Lockdown, with Jemima hosting the show and bringing us the news. 

The show starts off with Frances having her regular segment Dear Science with Allan Blackman. This week Frances and Allan celebrate the life of Ernest Rutherford the week after what would have been his 150th birthday; discuss why Pluto is no longer considered a planet; and talk about the discovery of the world’s northernmost island.

Frances then speaks with both Deputy Controller for Auckland Emergency Management, Rachel Kelleher, and NIWA Meteorologist, Ben Noll, about the flooding in West Auckland.

Zazi talks to the Professor of Philosophy at the University of Denver in the United States, Thomas Nail, about the benefits walking has on the brain, and whether walking while learning could actually help students.   

Finally Zazi has her regular catch-up with ACT's Brooke van Velden, this week talking about ACT refusing to have Parliament sit virtually and Butchers being closed during lockdown.