The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Newstalk ZB political correspondent Barry Soper joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss the big political news of the week. 

Paul Henry debuts his political career, the new ferries receive names, NZ First's convention makes headlines, and the Green Party calls for union membership as default setting for new employees.

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In a quick transition Andy Burnham will be walking into 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister just over four weeks after winning a by-election. 

UK correspondent Edna Brady told Francesca Rudkin the public are uncertain about the former Mayor of Manchester.

"I think people are a bit shocked because, in all honesty, they don't really know very much about him, what he stands for, and what he's going to do."

But, Brady expects he will be a 'breath of fresh air'.

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In the 21st century grind culture with technology blurring the lines of work life balance, it can be seen as necessary to work overtime and give up sleep to succeed.

But, naturopath Erin O'Hara says studies show overworking and under-sleeping can actually reduce productivity. 

"There was even a Harvard study done that studied people who were sleep deprived and only sleeping 3 hours a night, which is very, very low, and they had the same performance level as someone with a blood alcohol level concentration of the same as what the the driving limit is here in New Zealand," she told Francesca Rudkin.

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In 2014, falconer and author Helen MacDonald wrote a book about overcoming the sudden loss of her father, respected photojournalist Alasdair MacDonald by training a goshawk.

The book has been turned into a film starring Claire Foy (The Crown), who MacDonald believes did a fantastic job in the role. 

"It's an incredible performance. She really does just haunt me, and there are times when I was watching it for the first time that I'd see her come on screen and I would think that's me," she told Francesca Rudkin. 

H is for Hawk is scheduled to be released in cinemas across New Zealand on July 30.

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Former All Black Taine Rendall entered the world of politics in April, announcing he would be joining NZ First.

NZ First is set to officially launch its election campaign today at the party's annual convention, as they are buoyed by good polling.

But Randell says he is already 'jaded' just four months in. 

"I was ready for it, but it is a bit of a shock, you know, there are some late nights and there is a lot more work than I thought in some aspects," he told Francesca Rudkin. 

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With Paul Henry standing for ACT, one thing is guaranteed: people will pay attention. Love him or loathe him, Henry knows how to command an audience, and in modern politics that's no small advantage. 

New Zealanders likes to think we vote on policy, and we should, but personality has always mattered. John Key's easy-going style, Jacinda Ardern's empathy, and Winston Peters' theatre are contrasting examples of how politicians communicate being just as important as what they say. 

I was fortunate enough to sit on TVNZ’s Breakfast TV couch with Paul Henry a couple of times a week for a few years, and saw his strengths up close. He's articulate, quick-thinking, intelligent, confident, fun and fearless in front of a microphone. Those are valuable political skills. 

As we’ve seen in the short space of time since he announced his intention to stand as a list candidate for ACT, Henry attracts the kind of media coverage ACT can’t buy, brings fresh attention to the party, and will probably reach voters who wouldn't normally tune into politics. If he made it into Cabinet his communication skills could make him a persuasive minister. 

But there's a risk. This is the man who told me I was the size of a whale live on TV when I was pregnant. Twice.   

Big personalities can suck the oxygen out of a campaign. David Seymour has spent years carefully building ACT into a significant political force based on consistent messaging and disciplined policy. If every interview becomes about Paul Henry rather than ACT the party, it risks becoming a personality show instead of a political movement. That's a difficult balance for any leader to manage.  

Henry will also be a tough character to reign in. It’s a little like dealing with an adolescent - Seymour will need to set some strong boundaries.  

If he manages this, then Henry will probably help ACT more than he will hurt it. If Henry accepts that Seymour is the leader and not the supporting act, the two could successfully complement each other - Seymour providing the policy depth, Henry bringing the attention. 

As for Labour, National and the other parties, they'd be wise not to focus on Paul Henry. Taking personal shots only feeds the publicity machine - and they’re unlikely to come out on top. Henry has spent decades handling criticism and often thrives on confrontation. If they do need to respond to the Henry machine, the smarter move will be to challenge his policies, question his experience, and let voters decide whether media success automatically translates into political ability. 

Ultimately, celebrity may get you elected, but it won't keep you there. New Zealanders enjoy a colourful character, but we also expect substance. Paul Henry will 100% make this general election campaign more entertaining. Whether he can convert attention into effective public service is still up in the air.

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American soul singer Macy Gray's been releasing successful albums and topping charts since 1999 - beginning with the release of the hit 'I Try'.

27 years later she's sold over 25 million albums, she’s got a Grammy, she’s got Brit awards, she's released 10 albums and she’s still going with another due later this year. 

She's also set to bring her six-date tour to New Zealand later this year. 

"It's had to describe music, it's a little bit of an experiment for me...I'm doing everything that I really, really want to do, saying the things I really want to say, so it's more of a pure project than my ones in the past, and it's been a big learning experience for me." 

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Hollywood actress Jennifer Garner's made a name for herself in iconic roles like Alias, 30 Going on 30, Daredevil and Juno, and she's attached herself to a new, star-studded Hayu project.

Five Star Weekend is based on the Elin Hilderbrand novel, and also stars Chloë Sevigny, Regina Hall, D’Arcy Carden and Gemma Chan as a group of friends brought together by a grieving food influencer.

Garner says the 'complexities and layers' of female friendship are hard to find on screen, but this project has more depth than it appears.

"It just so happens that we have this great source material from Elin Hilderbrand, this beautiful book that surprises you on every turn. You think - oh, it's a beach read, and then you read it and you just go - there's a reason this is an all-time best-seller." 

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The Nowhere Boy by Anne Cleary. This book won the Allen and Unwin fiction award, which is a hugely contested New Zealand fiction prize. A Dad takes his 3 year old boy to the beach and leaves him in the car while he unloads fishing gear to a site some distance away - and when he returns to the car, his son is gone. He’s been found by a woman who has suffered the loss of children and can’t believe her luck - that there’s a young, seemingly abandoned boy who she can take home and into whom she can pour all her love. But of course the situation is not that straight forward, which she soon discovers as the search for him grows ever more intense.

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell. Jane Trevally is newly divorced and one night agrees to go home with a man she’s only just met - but she gets a bad feeling in his house and runs away. Years later, she finds herself on the trail of a missing girl, and traces that girl back to the same house in which she found herself 25 years ago - a place with a dark atmosphere and sinister secrets. As she investigates what might have happened, she realises that, if she hadn’t left that place, it could have been her. 

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