Across The Ditch: Cyclone Looms + Kody Nielson Kisses a Cop Gun + NZ Cricket’s Winning Ways

ACROSS THE DITCH: Peter Godfrey of Australia radio’s FiveAA.com.au joins Selwyn Manning of EveningReport.nz to deliver Across the Ditch. This week Peter and Selwyn discuss: CYCLONE SEASON + KODY NIELSON’S LANEWAY ANTICS + NZ BEATING AUSTRALIA IN THE ODI CRICKET! CYCLONE SEASON: There’s another big cyclone forming in the Pacific north of New Zealand, getting its energy from the warm waters around Vanuatu. WeatherWatch.co.nz is saying the burgeoning cyclone is on track to clobber New Zealand. It certainly feels like cyclone season in Auckland and Northland at the moment, it’s humid, sticky, and the sea and air temperatures are warm, just what a cyclone needs to sustain its power as it moves southward toward the country. ADELAIDE’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL CONTROVERSY: Controversy at Adelaide’s Laneway Festival with former Mint Chick’s performer Kody Nielson kissing a cop’s gun. Kody Nielson was the powerhouse behind The Mint Chicks, which has won big at the NZ Music Awards in 2007 and 2009. The band broke up in 2010, since then he’s had a few incarnations, most recently performing solo under his Silicon handle. His stage performances have always been controversial, like when the Mint Chicks played the Big Day Out festival way back in 2005, Kody revved up a chainsaw on stage and tore up one of the sponsor banners. That wasn’t unusual for the Mint Chicks. Wikipedia.org records the onstage antics as including: Kody and his brother Ruban Nielson have been known to climb P.A. stacks, hang from lighting rigs, destroy guitars, engage in self-harm and even attack the stage with a chainsaw. All in the name of stage rock theatre. Sounds like Kody saw an opportunity for controversy. His message, questioning why there were so many weapons (carried by Police) at the festival, was likely a mix of his politics and controversial flare. NEW ZEALAND CRICKET’S WINNING WAYS: The rise and rise of the winning Kiwi Blackcaps Cricket team. It’s the big news here with another BIG WIN for New Zealand over Australia in the Chappell-Hadley one-day-international series. And it was always going to be controversial! But now… is NZ good enough to beat you guys seriously… in a Cricket Test series? We will soon find out… The first of the two test series begin on Friday at Wellington’s Basin Reserve. The second will be held in Christchurch at the Hagley Oval on February 20… Across the Ditch is broadcast live on Australia radio FiveAA.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz.]]>