Our current drug laws are harmful, according to a group of experts who want to see the Misuse of Drugs Act overhauled

A bold call from experts on drug legalisation

News & Politics

Psalm 23 The Lord's My Shepherd has been set to many different tunes. John Campbell, a 19th century Scottish merchant and amateur musician, wrote the very cheerful setting you can hear in today's programme.

Hymns on Sunday, 2 June 2024

RNZ News at 10pm, June 1

Tensions persist in New Caledonia; The scramble to find the victims of the landslip in Papua New Guinea; The New Zealand Budget comes up short for Pasifika; Some landowners in Bougainville are suing Rio Tinto over the Panguna mine, and Tonga's parliament says no to the death penalty for drug crimes.

Tagata o te Moana for 1 June 2024

All the top stories and other headlines from the day

RNZ News at 5pm, June 1

Everyone can name one teacher who left a lasting imprint but only a few can say that teacher encouraged them to follow their true path. Rodger Fox was one of those, a band leader, trombonist extraordinaire, recording artist and big picture thinker. Broadly described by those who loved him as a 'yes' man, Fox's zest for life rubbed off on many. Earlier this week the 71-year-old musician died, following a short illness, in Palmerston North. Since then, there has been an outpouring of grief for a man who opened doors for all in New Zealand's jazz music community. Rodger Fox founded his Big Band in 1971. In those five decades as band leader, he built a wide network abroad and brought hundreds of New Zealand musicians overseas to perform. Those players would go on to make connections internationally when Fox requested American jazz heavyweights like drummer Steve Gadd, saxophonist Adam Schroeder, trumpet player Jon Papenbrook and guitarist Larry Koonse to play with the big band. Rodger Fox received an honorary doctorate from Massey University and was awarded the companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to music in 2022. His musical output was prolific, among countless album releases he also had a record of original music set to the poetry of Hone Tuwhare, and collaborated with Dave Dobbyn and King Kapisi. Saxophonist Eilish Wilson met Fox at age 13, when he travelled to Nelson to run workshops for her college big band. Later, at the Southern Jam Festival, he encouraged her to audition for the NZ School of Music Jazz Programme. Fox mentored Wilson at university and in her last year of study a spot opened in the Rodger Fox Big Band. Soon Wilson was touring as baritone saxophone chair and went onto play two American tours (the Monterey Jazz Festival and the JEN Conference) and to record albums at United Studio and The Bunker Studio.

A bold call from experts on drug legalisation

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