RNZ: Ideas

Martin Phillipps of The Chills is one of our leading songwriters and a pioneer of what became known as the 'Dunedin Sound' - the sound that helped the Flying Nun label build an international reputation. As part of the Ideas series of influential New Zealanders speaking about the people who have shaped their outlook on the world, Martin talks to Richard about the artists and others who have inspired him.

To focus attention on what he called "one of the central moral issues of our time", prolific Australian author Thomas Keneally last year edited and contributed to A Country Too Far - Writings on Asylum Seekers. It's a collection of works by 27 Australian writers (and one New Zealander, Stephanie Johnson). Many of Keneally's novels deal with the upheaval of war, poverty and emigration - including the experience of his own Irish ancestors. He won worldwide acclaim and the Man Booker Prize for Schindler's Ark, which was later made into a Hollywood blockbuster, Schindler's List. Thomas Keneally is in New Zealand in March for the New Zealand Festival Writers Week.

Chris is joined by three guests to review 2013 and take a look at what's on the horizon for next year. They are: Wellingtonian of the Year Suzanne Snively, a community and business leader who is director of several organisations, including the Health Research Council, Transparency International and the New Zealand Opera; regular Sunday Morning political commentator Dr Jon Johansson, who is a senior lecturer in politics at Victoria University; and Paul Diamond (Ngati Haua, Te Rarawa, and Nga-puhi) writer, journalist, historian and broadcaster, who currently holds the position of Curator, Ma-ori, at the Turnbull Library.

A few weeks back we heard from three of the country's youngest politicians, and this week we're speaking to three young people who are no less passionate about bringing about change through political actions but have chosen to do so in quite different ways. Finlay talks to Unite Union regional organiser Heleyni Pratley, who is also a member of Fightback; Jordan Williams, executive director of the Taxpayers' Union; and Paul Young, Solutions and Strategy Researcher for Generation Zero. Produced by Jeremy Rose.

In this Ideas hour we look at the pressure on our rivers. The big issue is water quality - the impact of urban wastewater and agricultural runoff on waterways.

In the latest of our occasional series where prominent New Zealanders talk about the individuals, writers and thinkers who have shaped their outlook on the world, Chris Laidlaw talks to cartoonist and writer Tom Scott.

This week in Ideas we explore three of the big issues facing women in sport - media coverage, money and management. We talk with Sarah Leberman about sport's place in society; we ask former Dominion Post sports editor Bryce Johns whether the media are giving fair coverage to women; Steve Jackson from Otago University talks commercialisation and pay parity; and we discuss governance and leadership with ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 chief Therese Walsh.

The notion of leadership and its effects on our social climate, and specifically an the elite level in our national sport. Guests include former All Black captains Sir Brian Lochore and Graham Mourie, former Black Ferns captain Dr Farah Palmer, and player turned commentator Ken Laban.

This week on Ideas we speak to three of the youngest successful candidates in last month's local body elections: Twenty-year-old Jack McDonald who is the grandson of poets James K Baxter and Jacqui Sturm, and the new chair of the Paekakariki Community Board; Rotorua District Councillor Tania Tapsell, 21, who is the great-niece of former Speaker of the House, Peter Tapsell; and the country's youngest local body politician, 18-year-old Latham Martin.

In the latest of our occasional Lived Philosophies series we take a look at the Baha'i religion.

Self-described arts odd-job man Hamish Keith talks about the individuals, writers and thinkers who have influenced him. A former chair of the New Zealand Arts Council, author, curator, television scriptwriter and columnist, Hamish Keith has lived and breathed art since first meeting Colin McCahon as a 14-year-old. From the Ideas collection: Influential Kiwis talk about their Influences  

In Ideas, we address the issue of lowering the blood alcohol content limit for driving. Chris talks to Palmerston North MP Iain Lees-Galloway about his Land Transport (Safer Alcohol Limits for Driving) Amendment Bill; Auckland court reporter Edward Gay investigates how recidivist drink drivers are dealt with and guest producer Zoe Ferguson asks sociologist Dr Kellie McNeill if changing the law will change our behaviours and attitudes to alcohol.

This week Ideas looks at the future of publishing in New Zealand.

Ideas takes a look at how New Zealand presents itself to the world and asks, has the time come for a re-think of our brand? Historian Richard Wolfe talks to Jeremy Rose about New Zealand's earliest efforts to promote itself to the world; and Chris Laidlaw talks to Massey University professor of Marketing Malcolm Wright, and branding expert Joe Pope.

Ideas dedicates this hour to the unfolding tragedy in Syria and attempts to give some context to this complex conflict: Professor William Harris - the author of four books on the Middle East - talks about the history and politics of Syria; freelance journalist Glen Johnson reflects on his recent visits into rebel controlled in the north of the country; and Wellington resident, and Aleppo native, musican Michel Alkhouri tells us about life in pre-civil war Syria.