Listen to The Country online: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

One lucky listener is off to Chicago. Photo / Sawyer Bengtson / Unsplash

Today on The Country, Jamie Mackay announces the winner of a $10k trip for two to Chicago, then learns more about Chinese New Year’s effect on tourism, before ending up in Central Otago to talk about how drought is affecting Marlborough.

On with the show:

Cameron Bagrie:

Independent economist comments on the legacy (or otherwise) of Grant Robertson, who’s leaving politics to be the Vice Chancellor of Otago University. We also look at exchange and interest rates, the housing market, and the state of the world economy.

Leila McDougall:

This West Victorian farmer is the producer, writer and lead actor in the upcoming Australian drama “Just A Farmer”. The film portrays the impact of suicide on a rural Australian family, shedding light on critical mental health issues in farming communities. It also celebrates the resilience of farmers’ wives and community support amongst heartbreak, set in the captivating backdrop of rural Victoria.

Janine Mallon and Jenny Newman:

Courtesy of our travel partners, Zest4Travel, we announce the winner of the $10k trip for two to Chicago.

Hunter McGregor:

Our Shanghai-based correspondent looks at the aftermath of the Chinese New Year and some of the domestic tourism and spending numbers associated with it.

Blair Blizzard McClean:

We find our viticulture guy in Central Otago where he talks about the Marlborough drought. We also discuss irrigation fears and the beginning of the grape harvest.

Listen below: