Nine To Noon

Book review - Best of 2020

January 26, 2021 21:37 - 6 minutes - 5.62 MB

Bronwyn Wylie-Gibb of University Book Shop, Dunedin, with her three favourite books of last year.

Mark Hanger: bat caves and prehistoric forests

January 26, 2021 21:09 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MB

Kathryn speaks with President of Forest and Bird Mark Hanger who has been leading small group nature tours around New Zealand and Australia for over thirty years, mainly for overseas tourists. Today Mark is designing and organising fund-raising tours for Forest and Bird so New Zealanders can discover our own back yard, including prehistoric forests, bat caves and marine reserves.

Travel bubble bursts, Google trouble, extradition battle over

January 26, 2021 20:48 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MB

Australia correspondent Chris Niesche joins Kathryn for the latest on how Australia's temporarily pulled the pin on quarantine-free travel for New Zealanders, the escalation of tension between Google and the Australian government over plans to make the tech giant pay for news and a long-running battle to extradite a former teacher accused of sexual assault from Israel finally sees her return to Australia.

How to spot a rip

January 26, 2021 20:31 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MB

Every year in New Zealand there are about 700 rescues related to rip currents and about five people die in these incidents every year. So what is a rip and how do you identify one? We ask the University of Canterbury's Dr Seb Pitman who recently published new research on water-safety education.

Back to school, but are there enough teachers?

January 26, 2021 20:08 - 18 minutes - 17 MB

The school year begins with some primary and secondary schools struggling to fill teacher vacancies. This is despite the latest information from the Ministry of Education suggesting there will be enough primary teachers to meet demand through to 2023, but acknowledging ongoing staffing issues for secondary schools. So what is the reality?. We crunch the numbers with Auckland Primary Principals Association President, Stephen Lethbridge and SPANZ President Deidre Shea.

What does it mean to be a modern Kiwi man?

January 25, 2021 22:30 - 16 minutes - 15.6 MB

A new podcast is tackling the weighty issue of what it means to be a man in New Zealand in 2021. The six-part series talks to a number of men from diverse backgrounds about masculinity, and the issues, challenges and expectations facing the modern Kiwi male. The podcast's hosts, Glenn McConnell from Stuff and Bird of Paradise Productions' John Daniell, join Kathryn to talk about what they found in talking to men from around the country.

State of NZ economy, one last reprieve for Tiwai Point

January 25, 2021 22:13 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MB

Business commentator Rod Oram joins Kathryn to look at the state of the New Zealand economy heading into 2021 and how this year will be a critical point for the country's transition into a low carbon, wealth-generating, sustainable economy. And New Zealand will keep producing aluminium until the end of 2024 thanks to the deal reached between Rio Tinto and the government.

Book review - Best of 2020 - New Zealand books

January 25, 2021 22:06 - 7 minutes - 6.97 MB

Hannah August shares her favourite reads from 2020, three New Zealand books: Sprigs by Brannavan Gnanalingam (Lawrence & Gibson, $35), Rat King Landlord by Murdoch Stephens (Lawrence & Gibson, $20), Fake Baby by Amy McDaid (Penguin Books, $36).

Why we need sleep

January 25, 2021 21:13 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MB

Sleep researcher and UCLA Evolutionary Biology Professor Van Savage on the importance of sleeping well.

Wellington CBD burst water pipe update

January 25, 2021 21:06 - 7 minutes - 6.79 MB

Water restrictions remain in place in Central Wellington this morning following a waste water pipe bursting yesterday. The pipe burst at the intersection of Victoria and Mercer Streets. Those roads are now closed, and no traffic will be able to turn onto Harris street from Jervois Quay. Residents and businesses in the area are asked to keep their water usage to a minimum. Kathryn talks with Wellington Water Chief Executive,Colin Crampton.

Bikes in Schools: best thing ever

January 25, 2021 20:32 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MB

Mass bike-riding is the best thing that's ever happened to Titahi Bay School, says its principal Kerry Delaney. Thanks to the national initiative Bikes in Schools, more than 1,300 students from six primary schools in Titahi Bay and East Porirua can now ride a bike.

Fire risk in drought affected Northland & Far North

January 25, 2021 20:08 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MB

Fire and Emergency says fire danger in Northland and the Far North is at a high level with many areas continuing to dry out and long range forecasts suggesting only minimal relief on the horizon.

Bill McKay: Back to work blues

January 24, 2021 22:50 - 8 minutes - 7.58 MB

Do you have wistful thoughts of getting out of the big-city rat race, living and working remotely from the beach or a small town? Bill joins Kathryn to talk about some things to consider. Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Kaipara kick: coffee kombucha

January 24, 2021 22:36 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MB

Kombucha master René Archner (of Rene's Kombucha) is revving up the local beverage industry. The former chef has teamed up with Auckland roasting company The Coffee Lab to make a coffee-kombucha hybrid.

Political Commentators Jones & Sherson

January 24, 2021 22:07 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MB

A new year in politics with pressure ramping up to roll out Covid vaccinations. Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of Capital Government Relations. Trish Sherson is from corporate affairs firm Sherson Willis, and a former ACT press secretary.

Paul Diamond's best books of 2020

January 24, 2021 21:36 - 8 minutes - 7.48 MB

Paul Diamond with his three top reads from 2020: He Pukapuka TÄtaku i NgÄ Mahi a Te Rauparaha Nui / A Record of the Life of the Great Te Rauparaha by Ross Calman (Auckland University Press, $59.99) A Vocabulary by Bruce Connew (Vapour Momenta Books, $95) Crossing the Lines: The story of three homosexual New Zealand soldiers in WWII by Brent Coutts (Otago University Press, $49.95)

Understanding albatross

January 24, 2021 21:06 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MB

Dr David Thompson has spent years studying the habits of New Zealand species of albatross in order to try and keep the iconic seabirds out of danger from becoming bycatch of commercial fishing boats. He is a seabird ecologist with the National Insitute of Water and Atmospheric Research and has spent months on remote sub Antarctic islands fitting and retrieving tracking devices on albatross to gain a better understanding of where they fly, forage and feed.

Anger over EU vaccine rollout, anti-Putin protests gather pace

January 24, 2021 20:49 - 9 minutes - 8.88 MB

Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney joins Kathryn to look at Europe's reaction to the inauguration of Joe Biden, the growing anger and threats of legal action over delays to the Covid-19 vaccines and the largest demonstrations in a decades against the rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

How Twitter took QAnon from America to the world

January 24, 2021 20:36 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MB

Donald Trump may have gone, but could his legacy live on in the form of conspiracy theories that have spilled beyond America's border? An analysis of tweets rooted in the US-originated QAnon theory in the lead up to the US election last year looked at how it spread to Europe, where it merged with EU nationalism, anti-semitism and coronavirus denial.

Covid vaccine: will we get it in time?

January 24, 2021 20:08 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MB

What needs to be taken into account so New Zealanders can receive the vaccine in time, and who should be prioritised for it? Recruitment and training for Covid 19 vaccinators is due to start next month, with 3,000 extra volunteer vaccinators being called for.

A Gannety Christmas

December 23, 2020 22:30 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MB

Tony Morris from Gannet Safaris will spend the Christmas morning with the Cape Kidnappers gannets taking a group to the colony to have breakfast there.

Haere Ra 2020

December 23, 2020 22:07 - 39 minutes - 36.6 MB

Te Radar, Irene Pink, Kennedy Warne and Sam Ackerman bid farewell to 2020 accompanied by Christmas songs from Wellington chamber choir, Nota Bene.The choir sing Ding-dong merrily on high.

Ethique's Brianne West and her bold plastic-free goals

December 23, 2020 21:07 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

Brianne West started her plastic-free beauty bar business, Ethique, in her kitchen in Christchurch eight years ago while studying chemistry at university. Her idea was simple but brilliant - why use shampoo and liquid soap in plastic bottles, when we can add the water ourselves in the bathroom? Ethique's range of solid shampoo, conditioner, soap and other beauty bars now sell in over 2500 retailers in 16 countries, and she estimates the company has saved over nine million plastic bottles...

2020 - The Year in Review (Part 2)

December 23, 2020 20:45 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MB

Andrew Holden, Trish Sherson, Neale Jones, Siouxsie Wiles and Rod Oram continue their look back on a tumultuous year.

Donation will help NZ children to see

December 23, 2020 20:35 - 7 minutes - 6.46 MB

We have an update on a story Nine to Noon featured six months ago about the impact of undiagnosed sight issues in primary school children.

The ultimate lockdown project: a solar powered Egyptian felucca

December 23, 2020 20:27 - 10 minutes - 9.52 MB

Like many people, Australian woman, Tuesday Browell used her unexpected time in Covid-19 isolation to complete a new project. But unlike those who tried their hand at baking, or practising yoga, she landed on something bigger and completed it. Tuesday built a solar powered sailing boat out of plywood, inspired by an Egyptian felucca. She talks to Kathryn from her farm in northern Victoria close to the banks of the Murray River.

2020 - The Year in Review (Part 1)

December 23, 2020 20:07 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MB

Andrew Holden, Trish Sherson, Neale Jones, Siouxsie Wiles and Rod Oram look back on a tumultuous year.

Best of The Arts with Nina Tonga

December 22, 2020 22:50 - 9 minutes - 8.34 MB

Curator of Contemporary Art at Te Papa Nina Tonga reflects on the relaunch of Urban Dream Brokerage in Poneke, Wellington. Also her highlights from this month and of 2020, including the second volume of ATE - Journal of MÄori Art; Toi Tu Toi Ora at Auckland Art Gallery and Chiharu Shiota - The Web of Time at Te Papa.

Book review - The Best of Me: Ultimate Short Story Collection

December 22, 2020 22:06 - 2 minutes - 2.76 MB

Jenna Todd of Time Out Bookstore reviews The Best of Me: Ultimate Short Story Collection by David Sedaris. This book is published by Little, Brown Book Group.

Greg Foran on Air New Zealand's annus horribilis

December 22, 2020 21:06 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MB

The prospect of "travel bubbles" with Australia and the Cook Islands by April next year is a welcome shot in the arm for the Covid-hit aviation industry. It's been a rough year for airlines, including Air New Zealand, which was forced to slash international routes, park up its planes and lay off thousands of staff when the borders were closed in March. Its chief executive, Greg Foran, had only just got his feet under the desk when the pandemic took off. He'd left his job heading up retai...

Australia correspondent: Karen Middleton

December 22, 2020 20:50 - 9 minutes - 9.02 MB

Karen joins Kathryn to discuss the NSW Covid19 outbreak, a strange deal with the Vatican and a pandemic shadowed Christmas across Australia.

UK Black Lives Matter Movement 'heroes'

December 22, 2020 20:23 - 22 minutes - 20.9 MB

When Jamaine Facey and Patrick Hutchinson and two friends attended a Black Lives Matter protest in London in June, hadn't intended to get involved in any skirmishes. But that's what happened when they worked together to save a far right protestor from further injury. Their heroic actions culminating in an iconic viral photograph of the man they helped being carried to safety over Patrick's shoulder. Since then there have been newspaper front pages, TV interviews, a chat to civil rights a...

Massive water reforms draw closer

December 22, 2020 20:08 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MB

The government is pushing forward with massive reforms to water infrastructure which will see three to five specialised water entities taking over control and responsibility for drinking and waste water from 67 local authorities. Cabinet signed off on the reform programme last week. All 67 local authorities have signed a memorandum of understanding with central government, in return for stimulus funding to participate in good faith in the process. Councils would have to opt out of the re...

OK Boomer! New Zealand in the Swinging Sixties

December 21, 2020 22:30 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MB

It was the time of pixie cuts, miniskirts, Beatles fanaticism, marching bands and men on the moon. The Swinging Sixties turned 60 this year - and Ian Chapman has marked it with a book jam-packed with photos, essays and funny personal experiences of the decade. Ian is an author, musician and lecturer at Otago University, and his love of pop culture led him to seek out contributors from all walks of Kiwi life for the book - which is perhaps provocatively called 'Ok Boomer'. Yes, the now in...

Man who murdered backpacker Grace Millane can now be named

December 21, 2020 22:08 - 8 minutes - 8.05 MB

The man who murdered British backpacker Grace Millane can now be named. 28-year-old Jesse Shane Kempson was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years for the murder of Ms Millane, who was 21, and from Essex in the UK. RNZ Reporter Sarah Robson has been following the case.

Book review - The Cousins by Karen McManus

December 21, 2020 21:41 - 2 minutes - 2.46 MB

Harry Broad reviews The Cousins by Karen McManus, published by Penguin Random House.

Benee and her Mum

December 21, 2020 21:10 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MB

From her home in Auckland Stella Bennett, better known as musician Benee has been able to grow her pop career despite this year's disruptive pandemic. The 20 year old singer/songwriter was meant to be touring and promoting her debut album Hey U X, but Covid forced a rethink on that. She talks to Kathryn about a year which has included a huge haul of awards and accolades, including the Aotearoa Music Awards single of the year for Supalonely. Benee's Mum, Tania Anderson is now her PA as he...

Poorer countries will miss out on Covid vaccines: Oxfam

December 21, 2020 20:32 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MB

As the rollout of Covid vaccines continues at pace, there are concerns low-income countries will miss out as wealthier ones snap up supplies. Last week New Zealand announced it had secured access to 15 million vaccine courses, ensuring every New Zealander could be protected from Covid-19. But data calculated for the People's Vaccine Alliance, a grouping of organisations including Amnesty International and Oxfam, found nine out of ten people in 70 low-to-middle income countries will miss ...

Electricity Authority rules on dam spilling complaint

December 21, 2020 20:08 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MB

The electricity regulator has found that water spilled out of South Island dams in 2019 caused an unfair situation for consumers for power prices. But its not allocating blame to any one generator. The Electricity Authority has found that there was an "undesirable trading situation" from the 3rd of December to the 27th of December 2019 and that "water was wasted when it could have been used". A complaint was taken to the Electricity authority by a group of seven smaller electricity retai...

Last minute Christmas dinner: Julie and Ilaria Biuso

December 20, 2020 22:39 - 11 minutes - 10.2 MB

Author of sixteen award-winning cookbooks, Julie Biuso, with her daughter Ilaria have put together Shared Kitchen, named after their recipe sharing site. Julie and Ilaria share a recipe for a butterflied leg of lamb which can be cooked on the barbecue, an exotic eggplant and date salad to go with the lamb and a last minute Christmas Porter cake. Plus ten top tips for cooking the perfect turkey.

Book review - Christmas book shopping

December 20, 2020 21:41 - 5 minutes - 5.12 MB

Bookshops are always heaving in the week running up to Christmas, but the delays in stock arriving this year have added another layer to the book buying dilemma. Former bookseller Robert Kelly joins Kathryn with some advice for last minute book buying in the festive frenzy.

Raelene Castle returns home to get kiwis moving

December 20, 2020 21:07 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MB

Raelene Castle is a top sports administrator with a string of firsts to her name. She was the first woman Chief Executive of the Australian rugby league club the Canterbury Bulldogs and the first woman CEO of Rugby Australia. Now she is back in New Zealand as the first female Chief Executive of Sport New Zealand - the body charged with improving physical activity and sport, as well as improving high performance sport. She talks with Kathryn about her varied career and what motivates her ...

Tourism boom on Stewart Island

December 20, 2020 20:38 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MB

International visitors have had to stay away this year, but domestic travellers has been going to Stewart Island in droves. Accommodation is booked up, food outlets are flat out and more flights are constantly being put on to cope with holiday makers. Kathryn talks to Bill Moffatt from Stewart Island Flights, Helen Cave from South Sea Hotel and Ulva Goodwillie who runs Ulva's Guided Walks - they are all flat tack.

NZ at risk of losing skilled labour due to family separations

December 20, 2020 20:08 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MB

There are concerns New Zealand will lose skilled migrant labour if employees aren't able to bring their families into the country as planned. The pandemic closed borders in March, with restrictions on who could enter if they weren't New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Some exemptions have been made, including for film and America's Cup crew and their families. That's irked migrants, whose families can't join them. Their employers worry skilled employees will leave if the situati...

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