Podcast appearances and mentions of lynn freeman

Lynn Freeman reviews The Bookshop Detectives 2: Tea and Cake and Death by Gareth Ward and Louise Ward published by Penguin Random House NZ

Lynn Freeman reviews A Bird in the Bush: From Fledgling to Flight by Marnie Anstis published by Boots Books.

Lynn Freeman reviews Shelter from the Storm by Shaun Barnett, Rob Brown and Geoff Spearpoint published by Potton & Burton

Lynn Freeman reviews My Animals, and Other Animals by Bill Bailey published by Hachette

Lynn Freeman reviews At The Grand Glacier Hotel by Laurence Fearnley published by Penguin Random House NZ.

Lynn Freeman reviews Dear Colin, Dear Ron: the selected letters of Colin McCahon and Ron O'Reilly by Peter Simpson published by Te Papa Press

Lynn Freeman reviews Bird Child and Other Stories by Patricia Grace published by Penguin Random House NZ

Lynn Freeman reviews Day by Michael Cunningham published by 4th Estate.

For one last time with her podcast picks on nights, here's Lynn Freeman. She's put together a bumper list for her final review of the year.

Lynn Freeman joins Mark Leishman to review the pick of the podcasts. This week she's sharing her pick of science podcasts. Featuring: Ologies, The Naked Scientists, Inside Science & NASAs Curious Universe.

Podcast fan and former RNZ presenter Lynn Freeman joins Nights with her podcast suggestions.

We discuss episodes from four podcasts, including award-winning investigative podcast Bed of Lies presented by Carla McGoogan, and Spirituality, which delves into new-age cults. There's a look at The Climate Change Deniers Podcast, while our reviewer Lynn Freeman delves into an episode of James Acaster and Ed Gamble's Off Menu podcast which has Florence Pugh as a guest.

Lynn Freeman reviews The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride published by Hachette

Lynn Freeman reviews Far North by David White with Angus Gillies published by Upstart Press

Nights podcast reviewer Lynn Freeman is back to chat to us about what she's been listening to. Tonight she is taking a look at history podcasts.

Podcast correspondent Lynn Freeman joins Nights with a selection of her favourite podcasts.

Podcast fan and former RNZ presenter Lynn Freeman joins Nights with a selection of top podcast suggestions.

Lynn Freeman reviews Fungi of Aotearoa by Liv Sisson, published by Penguin Random House NZ

Lynn Freeman reviews The Deck by Fiona Farrell, published by Penguin Random House NZ.

Lynn Freeman reviews three of her favourite books from last year: A Runner's Guide to Rakiura by Jessica Howland Kany, published by Quentin Wilson; Barefoot by R.V. Bayley, published by Eden Street Press and The Art of Copying Art by Penelope Jackson, published by Palgrave Macmillan

Visual effects art director, Dylan Coburn has drawn storyboards for some of the biggest recent New Zealand projects - Rings of Power, Cowboy Bebop - even Dame Valerie Adams More Than Gold... It's an important job - not just artistically, but also budget-wise. A good storyboard can save literally millions of dollars on a shoot. But Dylan's latest project uses his drawing skills for something entirely different - to help young readers to learn how to count. Boingo and the Golden Balloon sees a young rabbit chasing his favourite object in the world through a forest, with all kinds of critters giving him directions along the way. Lynn Freeman talks with Dylan about his career switch. Boingo and the Golden Balloon by Dylan Coburn is published by Action Junior Limited.

The often heartbreaking story of the extended family of three Jewish Second World War refugees who found a new home in Aotearoa is told in a new poetry collection, We came from Hamburg. Retired judge Vivienne Ullrich became fascinated by her husband's family tree, which suddenly expanded when they received an email from relatives living in America. There was the ongoing mystery of Erna who abandoned her three daughters and disappeared in 1920. Meanwhile Wally, her son Eric and eventually her daughter Liesl came to New Zealand from England, to join Wally's second husband Walter. Vivienne's husband Philip, is the late Liesel's son. Lynn Freeman talks to Vivienne about her exotic in-laws. We came from Hamburg by Vivienne Ullrich is published by the Cuba Press.

Writer Susy Pointon is determined to capture the many stories of Northland's rugged and mysterious Hokianga, her adopted home. Since moving there 18 years ago, she's talked to locals to record their memories on tape and in writing. The first two books in her Hokianga series were fictionalised short stories based on actual people and events. Number three however, Ferry Stories of the Hokianga: Nga korero o Hokianga mai I te waka, is more of a hybrid, with locals contributing their own stories which sit alongside Susy's fiction. Lynn Freeman asks Susy for some highlights.

Lynn Freeman writes: "This is the last Standing Room Only as I'm leaving to work with Forest & Bird. While I've hosted this programme for more than 21 years, I started at RNZ way, way back, in the era of typewriters and teletexting our copy to Wellington from the Dunedin 4ZB studios - now sadly bulldozed and long gone. "But I was a very excited 19 year old intern when I rocked up, so early that I had to sit on the steps of the building for ages waiting for reception to open. "The first person I met when I was escorted to the newsroom was delighted that she was no longer the cub reporter...a familiar name and my dear friend Catriona MacLeod..."

Even a three-volume autobiography doesn't come close to telling the full story of poet Lauris Edmond OBE. So her daughter and literary executor, Frances Edmond, is filling in the gaps in a biography called Always Going Home. This includes assessing in depth the death of another of Lauris's daughters, Rachel, left emotionally damaged by a childhood assault, and its impact on the whanau. Lauris didn't publish her first poetry collection until she was 51. Ten more followed, plus the autobiography, a novel, dramas written for radio and theatre and her work as an editor. She was 75 when she died in 2000. Frances published Night Burns with a White Fire: The Essential Lauris Edmond with co-editor Sue Fitchett in 2017 - but, as she tells Lynn Freeman, Always Going Home is very much the personal story of a mother and daughter, both writers with strong personalities. Frances Edmond's Always Going Home is published by Otago University Press.

The fashion industry is notoriously wasteful - for instance, cheap clothing that lasts months rather than years before ending up in landfills. But an expat now based in the US is leading by example, buying up unwanted garments made from quality fabrics and materials. She then unpicks and reworks them into high fashion clothes for the catwalk. Esther Lofely and her husband Robert Catalusci work together on her label, ELC. For well over a decade she worked for the Royal New Zealand Ballet company, and was Head Draper when she left in 2019 to work overseas before settling in Virginia. Lynn Freeman asks Esther why she become interested in creating garments from clothing destined for the tip.

Since Standing Room Only started some of the biggest changes we've seen in attitudes towards art and artists has happened in Otautahi Christchurch. How much artists contributed to the city's emotional recovery from the earthquakes through projects like Gap Filler, but also how many individual people created and shared their work. Before the quakes, Neil Dawson's monumental sculpture The Challice in the Square was initially criticised, but within days of its unveiling it became an impromptu shrine for the New York victims of 9/11. Back in 1998, the SCAPE Public Art started commissioning large outdoor works by international and Kiwi sculptors and artists. Some stayed but most of them were temporary. Some attracted criticism but they certainly got people talking. As SCAPE reaches its quarter century, its founder and Executive Director Deborah McCormick is standing down in March next year. Deborah's last SCAPE will see her tick off one of her long held ambitions - to secure a permanent sculpture for Christchurch by Auckland-based artist Dr Brett Graham. Lynn Freeman talks with Deborah and Brett, first asking Deborah to take us back to the lightbulb moment that led to SCAPE public art event.

Seven years after escaping a family tragedy in her home town, Jac Morgan reluctantly returns to search for her missing sister, Charlie. But twenty years earlier, another teenage girl went missing in Everly. Paige Gilmore disappeared during the town's annual Gilmore Hotel Open Day, and the anniversary is not far away. As Jac looks for clues to lead her to Charlie, the two cases start to blur. This is the premise for In Her Blood, the latest crime novel by Ngaio Marsh Award shortlisted author, Nikki Crutchley. Lynn Freeman asks Nikki whether the characters - and the town of Everly - are based on real life. In Her Blood by Nikki Crutchley is published by HarperCollins.

At 11 she released an album, at 18 she set up a charitable foundation, and now at 21 Tayla Alexander is a lyric soprano. Before that, she's about to perform in a short comique opera in Brisbane. It's part of the Lisa Gasteen National Opera Programme for emerging professional singers from New Zealand and Australia. On top of all that, this year she's been studying for an honours degree at the University of Auckland before going overseas for her Masters in music. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2022 Lexus Song Quest. Like her mentor Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Tayla tells Lynn Freeman, she's a "crossover artist", singing a wide range of genres - opera, classical, pop and music theatre.

There are calls for a general election in the UK, where a third prime minister could be put in place in under two months. Following what's been described by the Opposition Labour Party as a "revolving door of chaos", out-going Liz Truss (who claims the dubious record of completing Britain's shortest term as Prime Minister, just 45 days in Number 10) resigned in the early hours of our morning. A new Conservative leader is likely to be in place by this time next week. They need to get the backing of 100 MPs by Monday to enter the race. Pundits are tipping Liz Truss's close contender Rishi Sunak to take over, and Conservative MPs have already openly pledged their support for him. There's also speculation Boris Johnson might tip his hat at it, again. It's reported he's getting similar backing from Tory colleagues. Lynn Freeman is joined by Hugo Gye, Deputy Political Editor of The iPaper, based in the House of Commons press gallery.

A new plain language bill now before parliament aims to do away with jargon laden documents and make official government documents more accessible and understandable. However, there is little detail on how plain language will be defined and how the law would be implemented. Opposition parties say the law will create more bureaucracy and establish language police. University of Waikato Linguistics lecturer, Dr Andreea Calude and law lecturer Sam Campbell talk to Lynn Freeman about what needs to happen for the bill to meet its aims.

What are consumer interests and rights in the age of big tech? And can our laws keeping up with swift change? Joshua Fairfield is a professor at the Washington and Lee University School of Law in the US, and the author of "Runaway Technology: Can Law keep up?" He says we can and must craft laws to protect consumer interests in the age of big tech. He talks to Lynn Freeman about online consumer contracts, laws for online communities, and data and privacy protection. Professor Fairfieid is currently in Wellington as a guest of Victoria University.

Shavez Cheema is the founder of rainforest conservation group 1Stop Borneo Wildlife, where he supervises scientific and sustainable tourism projects. Shavez started his conservation journey in 2011, with an academic background in anthropology and tourism. His main passion is saving wildlife. He loves frogs, has helped save elephants in plantations, trained former poachers to be nature guides, persuaded fisherman to turn dolphin guide and lead pangolin rescue missions so holiday makers can appreciate them as much as he does. And he has planted corridors of fig trees to make this all work. Shavez has a new book coming out called A Field Guide to Tawau Hills Park, which, as he tells Lynn Freeman, speaks to the huge biodiversity Borneo boasts.

Lynn Freeman speaks with Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, and Former Westpac chief economist, Dominick Stephens for analysis.

Journalist Mike White is also a life-long dog lover. A new book, Dogs in Early New Zealand Photographs has put together some of New Zealand's earliest dog photographs, with an introduction written by Mike White. The photos take us back to the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with a range of photos from carefully staged studio portraits, to more relaxed photos taken on the family farm. Lynn Freeman speaks to Mike about the enduring love we have for our dogs, and taking their picture.

Kiwi technology that can warn of an earthquake is going global. EQC and Massey University scientists have tested low cost early warning sensors, which gives notice of a quake. The project has made significant steps from a vision to hard data, and has successfully developed algorithms that can drive an early warning system.The findings were published recently in Informatics, a leading Swiss open access journal on information and communication technologies, in an article titled "Saving Precious Seconds", and have also gained interest from scientists all over the world who have jumped on board to share their information. Infact, as lead scientist Raj Prasanna tells Lynn Freeman, the Kiwi project has unexpectedly created an amazing new global community of excellence.

A volunteer firefighter who made a complaint of sexual harassment against a senior officer has been stood down for two years waiting for the case to be resolved, while the respondent involved has continued in the brigade. Jane (not her real name) lodged her complaint with the Behavior and Conduct Office within FENZ in 2020. It is one of 58 unresolved complaints of sexual harassment and bullying reported to Fire and Emergency in the last three years - around a third of all complaints. The BCO was established in wake of the damning 2019 Judge Coral Shaw report, which found bullying and harassment was rife at all levels and across all regions within FENZ. An independent review last year found that while the BCO is well resourced and has support from senior leaders, unresolved historic complaints damage its perception among fire fighters. Jane says after what she's been through, she has little faith in the BCO and she doesn't believe anything has changed within the culture at FENZ since the Shaw report. She speaks with Lynn Freeman, along with the Secretary of the Professional Firefighters Union, Wattie Watson. FENZ Deputy Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley responds.

Lynn Freeman speaks with Professor Sir David Skegg, chair of the Covid 19 Public Health Advisory Group, about the pathway forward for the country. The government announced yesterday that vaccine passes and scanning will be scrapped with worker mandates lifted in some sectors. The traffic light system will stay in place, but gathering limits are rising for indoor settings and lifted completely for outdoor events.

Evacuations have taken place in the middle of the night and Tolaga Bay Civil Defence expects some residents to remain cut off for four days or more, as a result of this week's flooding. A helicopter has been up this morning identifying damage to roads and infrastructure. Almost half a metre of rain has fallen in two days.The Hikuwai River north of Gisborne peaked at higher than 12 metres - coming within a hundred millimetres or so of going over its banks and causing massive damage. RNZ reporter Andrew Mcrae speaks to Lynn Freeman with the latest.

Lynn Freeman spoke with Sir Peter Gluckman, the report's co-author, Koi Tu director and former Chief Science Advisor, and Nick Hill, Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill.

A new report brings into sharp focus what needs to happen to prevent the current over a third of fifteen year olds from struggling with maths, reading and writing. Now I don't know my ABC: The perilous state of literacy in Aotearoa New Zealand is a new report from the Education Hub, a not-for-profit group aiming to bridge the gap between research and what actually goes on in education. It follows up on a set of statistics presented in a 2020 UNICEF report showing 35% of fifteen-year-old Kiwis struggle with maths, reading and writing, while the rest - 65% - have at least basic proficiency in reading and maths. To break it down further, 19% are illiterate and another 21% only have basic ability in literacy. These are devastating facts for Education Hub founder, and report lead author Nina Hood, who tells Lynn Freeman the report has attempted to understand more fully where we're at and how we got here, in order to address this literary crisis, and, though it acknowledges there is no quick fix, what needs to happen to affect positive change.

Jonathan Slaght spent five years risking life and limb in the remote forests of eastern Russia researching the largest and one of the most elusive owls on the planet. The endangered Blakiston's fish owl has a wingspan of six feet and are the easiest to find in winter, where their tracks can be spotted along the snowy river banks. Jonathan Slaght has long been enamoured by the mysterious bird and alongside a devoted team, embarked on a research mission involving blizzards, the crossing of thawing rivers and the threat of a run in with bears and tigers. Lynn Freeman spoke to Slaght about his book, A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl documenting his adventures.

At Dunedin's Scottish restaurant Bracken, there's tartan on the walls, the staff wear kilts and haggis and whisky are always on the menu. Chef David Burt tells Lynn Freeman about his passion for Scottish cuisine.

The price of oil has settled in recent days after a surge in the past couple of weeks to levels not seen since 2008. Many experts predict the price of oil could reach $240 a barrel this winter if Western countries roll out more sanctions on Russian oil exports, in response to its war on Ukraine. Here, the government has lowered the tax on fuel for three months, to mitigate the impact of rising petrol prices which saw a litre of 91 go over $3. Lynn Freeman speaks with Mukesh Sahdev, Senior Vice President at energy research firm Rystad Energy, he's also former head of Global Crude Trading Analytics for Shell.

An estimated three million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine into neighbouring countries, including over 1.8 million into Poland. The international disaster relief charity Shelterbox has been on the ground in Poland since early March. Lynn Freeman speaks with Martin Strutton from Shelterbox in Krakow in South East Poland.

Animal welfare campaigner Angus Robson is frustrated at what he says is a lack of progress made by the Ministry of Primary Industries to push requirements for shade and shelter into law, to prevent farm animals from suffering heat stress. The Ministry's code of welfare for dairy cattle stipulates farmers "need to have in place management plans to provide shelter and/or shade". But there's no legal requirement for farmers to provide shade or shelter and MPI was contacted 21 times during the summer with heat-related animal welfare concerns. MPI's Director of Compliance Services Gary Orr joins Lynn Freeman, along with Angus Robson.

January's volcanic eruption in Tonga and subsequent tsunami garnered international intrigue, but a New Zealand volcanologist is the first overseas scientist allowed into the kingdom to piece together what led to such a massive explosion. When Tonga's Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano erupted in January, explosions could be heard as far away as New Zealand and Alaska. It is now known to be the largest volcanic explosion ever recorded - double that of the next largest, Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991. Professor of Volcanology at the University of Auckland, Shane Cronin has examined ash from the explosion, video footage and aerial images. He has a working theory that the side of the volcano collapsed, vastly expanding the already explosive interactions between magma and water. Lynn Freeman speaks to Professor Cronin who is in managed isolation in Tonga.

Speech and Language Therapist Christian Wright talks with Lynn Freeman about the language skills new entrants need to have a successful start to school.

The plan is open for one year and will allow Ukrainian-born New Zealand citizens and residents to sponsor a relative and their immediate family to come to this country. But Olha Viazenko,  who has lived in Dunedin with her husband and daughter for three and a half years on a working visa, says her family won't be eligible. She says the scheme is too narrow and only affect a small number. She joins Lynn Freeman, along with Victoriya Pashorina-Nichols from the group Mahi for Ukraine.

Lynn Freeman speaks with Trust spokesperson Tony Stoddard and Chief Executive of the Wellington Cable Car company, Cesar Piotto.