Under the Lens

Your feedback, your questions and what’s coming next.Season one sparked more conversation than we expected. In this episode your three co-hosts Amanda, Peter, and Nick work through the feedback, comments, and questions that came in after season one, covering weeds, kauri dieback, and genetic modification. The GM debate generated the most heat, and what came out of it was bigger than the technology itself, a conversation about ownership, oversight, food security, and food sovereignty, brought into sharp focus by COVID and a recent fuel crisis. We also celebrate a remarkable community effort, a 14,000 tree kauri refuge being established at Taieri Beach as a seed bank while science works toward a solution for kauri dieback. The episode closes with a preview of season two, which turns the lens on the biosecurity system itself.Follow us:YouTubeInstagramLinkedInChapters: 00:00 Welcome Back00:26 Season One Feedback01:32 Weeds Episode Praise02:19 Hay Fever and Pine Trees05:26 The GM Debate Reactions06:51 Can We Go There08:06 GM Hype vs Reality09:55 Food, GM and Imports15:06 Fuel Crisis and Food Security16:31 A Tool, Not a Category18:55 Ownership and Sovereignty20:52 A Food Security Wake Up Call22:10 GMO Power and Oversight22:52 Hybrid Seeds Explained24:04 The Canterbury Seed Economy25:02 Capitalism and Our Food System26:16 Beetroot and Identity28:09 A Kauri Refuge Forest32:20 Weed Funding and Biocontrol36:31 Agapanthus and Prevention37:19 Season Two Tease39:07 Thanks and Sign Off Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Genetic modification has shaped public debate in Aotearoa New Zealand for more than 25 years, influencing how we think about risk, responsibility and the future of our environment. This episode unpacks what genes and DNA actually are, how gene editing and genetic modification work, and why these tools have become so central to conversations about pests, diseases and climate change.Our hosts revisit the early 2000s Royal Commission on Genetic Modification, the surge of public concern that followed, and how the science has advanced in the decades since. They explore the differences between gene editing, transgenesis and synthetic biology, the benefits and limitations of each, and the global momentum that is pushing these technologies forward. The kōrero also explains how forensics, medicine, agriculture and pest control already rely on genetic tools, often in ways most people never see.We also look at the ethical, cultural and regulatory questions that guide how Aotearoa New Zealand uses these technologies, including who takes the risk, who benefits and how Māori and communities are involved in decision making. The episode highlights both the promise of genetic tools and the responsibilities that come with them as the country enters a pivotal moment in shaping its future with the Gene Technology Bill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The PSA outbreak changed the trajectory of Aotearoa New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry and revealed just how tightly our “three bios” are linked. In this episode, we revisit one of the country’s most significant biological events to unpack how biosecurity, biodiversity, and bioprotection collide in real time.Using PSA as our lens, we trace the story from the first signs of incursion through to industry-wide impact, rapid scientific response, community collaboration, and the innovations that helped growers rebuild. Along the way, the team also touches on recent hornet scares and what they reveal about how quickly biological threats can escalate.This episode shows that the three bios are not policy terms, but interconnected systems that shape the health of our landscapes, the resilience of our industries, and the futures of the communities that depend on them.Revisiting PSA is not just looking back at a crisis. It is understanding a blueprint for how Aotearoa New Zealand can learn, adapt, and strengthen resilience as new threats emerge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.