1988, and in an occasional series in which politicians looked homewards, Sir Robert Muldoon, the Honourable Member for Tamaki, looked over the great sprawl of Auckland. Elsewhere, Bruce Ansley wrote about merchant banker Michael Fay, and his ambition to win the America's Cup.
The Listener, April 2 1988
“The battle for carparking and the decline of the public transport service is killing retailing in the central city,” wrote Muldoon, “and the suburban shopping mall has long since become, for thousands of housewives, the most enjoyable experience of the day.”
Meanwhile, Bruce Ansley was about to see Michael Fay’s huge, new yacht. “Today, a few weeks before the boat’s launching, it is to be shown to the yachting press. They are mainly from Auckland, but a few have come from Australia, and they are being assembled in a warehouse across the road. It is painted white and is furnished, mysteriously, with gymnasium equipment. Do the young boatbuilders, after a hard day’s fibre-glassing, nip over here and sharpen a muscle or two on the bench press?”
Upfront in the magazine, Graham Ford noted that arts programme Kaleidoscope, “after many years languishing on Friday night when everyone was out”, was moving to Sunday nights, just after the mid-evening news and the “British” drama. The first programme in the new timeslot looked at artist Paul Hartigan, who created the neon spaghetti that decorated the DeBrett’s pub on Wellington’s Lambton Quay. There was also a new series of Fourth Estate, presented by Brian Priestley. It was screening at 9.30pm on Friday. Yes, really.