Nine To Noon

Cuties, Ratched and Shrill

September 23, 2020 23:48 - 10 minutes - 9.7 MB

Film and TV reviewer Sarah McMullan joins Kathryn to discuss the controversy over Netflix film Cuties, Netflix series Ratched, about a nurse running a psychiatric hospital and Neon series Shrill, about a woman seeking to change her life without changing her body.

Covid-19 and schools: where to from here?

September 23, 2020 23:26 - 21 minutes - 29.7 MB

Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Mohamed Alansari with what the learnings about learning at home during lockdown have been to date.

Telcos told to simplify plans, Samsung's $3500 folding phone

September 23, 2020 23:06 - 17 minutes - 16 MB

Find your mobile bill ridiculously complicated? Technology commentator Bill Bennett joins Kathryn to talk about how that should end, now the Commerce Commission is pressuring mobile phone companies for more transparent billing. And Samsung has a $3500 folding phone - is it worth it, and is this a taste of the future?

Book review - Summerwater by Sarah Moss

September 23, 2020 22:37 - 5 minutes - 4.64 MB

Jessie Bray Sharpin reviews Summerwater by Sarah Moss, published by Macmillan.

Protecting Rangitāhua

September 23, 2020 22:10 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MB

Ngāti Kuri's Sheridan Waitai and Auckland Museum's head of natural science Dr Tom Trnski are co-leading a 5 year collaborative research programme focused on Rangitāhua / Kermadec Islands. Rangitāhua, lies halfway between mainland Aotearoa and Tonga, and has been scientifically identified as one of only four pristine marine ecosystems on Earth. Tom and Sheridan join Kathryn to discuss how they plan to honour its oceans and ecosystems for years to come.

Covid's return, trans-rights and anti-lockdown celebrities

September 23, 2020 21:52 - 7 minutes - 6.65 MB

UK correspondent Hugo Gye joins Kathryn to talk the new rules introduced to pubs, restaurants and sporting events as the daily case number rises above 6000. There's warnings new customs checks will cause gridlock at Britain's ports, with lorry drivers needing a special permit to enter the county of Kent. A proposal to make it easier for transgender people to change their gender legally without getting a medical diagnosis has been rejected after a backlash from some feminists. And a surpr...

Built to last? Consumers frustrated at hard to fix appliances

September 23, 2020 21:37 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MB

A new study finds the vast majority of consumers want to get broken electrical appliances fixed, but are frustrated by how difficult and pricey it is to do. According to research conducted by Consumer NZ as part of their #BuiltToLast campaign, 98 per cent of respondents thought they should be able to get their washing machines and dishwashers fixed. Most said appliance repairs cost too much and that manufacturers and retailers should be responsible for recycling dead appliances. Kathryn ...

Painful wait: Covid exacerbates delays in elective surgery

September 23, 2020 21:08 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MB

Orthopaedic surgeons are concerned about the backlog of people waiting in pain for surgery after Covid forced cancellations earlier in the year. The Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons say 10-thousand patients had surgery cancelled during level 4 lockdown, and the catch up is still happening in a system that was already stretched. The Association's president Dr Peter Robertson joins Kathryn to discuss what he thinks could help prevent delays in elective surgery into the future.

Covid super-spreader events, Martian houses and IgNobels

September 22, 2020 23:51 - 7 minutes - 6.96 MB

Science commentator Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to talk about the latest Covid studies, including one into super-spreading events. Researchers have figured out how houses could be made on Mars from a common biological substance called chitin. And it's IgNobel time - Siouxsie looks at some of her favourites.

Stories from our back roads

September 22, 2020 23:27 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MB

If you're looking for new ways to explore New Zealand while confined to home in this Covid-era, then Ray Stone has written the books for you. He's got two new guides out, called Stories from our Back Roads that's he's split into two - one for the North Island and one for the South. As the title suggests, these are the guides to less-traveled roads, and includes helpful information about road conditions and suitability for particular vehicles. The books are also peppered with the historic...

Book review - Bug Week by Airini Beautrais

September 22, 2020 22:38 - 5 minutes - 5.36 MB

Harry Ricketts reviews Bug Week by Airini Beautrais, published by Victoria University Press.

The Lonely Century Noreena Hertz

September 22, 2020 22:07 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MB

In a world where robots are replacing people and you can rent a friend, economist and author Noreena Hertz talks to Kathryn Ryan about loneliness. She has been named as "one of the world's leading thinkers" by The Observer, and by Vogue as "one of the world's most inspiring women". Her new book is the Lonely Century - Coming Together in a World That's Pulling Apart. From isolated people working from home to elderly people in Japan apparently choosing prison over living alone, Noreena Her...

Australia: Border angst, Budget looms and new energy plan

September 22, 2020 21:52 - 7 minutes - 7.25 MB

Australia correspondent Bernard Keane joins Kathryn to talk about continuing angst over state border closures, even as Victoria heads toward single-digit case numbers. It's only two weeks to the much-delayed Budget, so there's lots of debate over whether to stimulate demand by bringing forward tax cuts or target support for lower income earners. And the government released its new energy plan, which looks very much like its old plan.

The fate of recession-era school-leavers

September 22, 2020 21:34 - 17 minutes - 16 MB

With New Zealand officially in recession will school-leavers lose-out while universities benefit? Longitudinal research from the UK suggests recession-era school-leavers face life-long difficulties finding and keeping a job; and have lower earning potential. Kathryn Ryan speaks with Nick Hillman, director of the UK's Higher Education Policy Institute. Nick says when young people struggle to find work, universities can expect an increase in domestic students, while graduates may decide to...

New project - jobs for ex prisoners and improved water quality

September 22, 2020 21:07 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MB

A new charitable trust is hoping a collaboration with Corrections will result in a win-win: jobs for soon-to-be-released inmates and improved quality in the regions waterways. The Ko Waitangi Te Awa Charitable Trust is working with the Northland Regional Correctional Facility at Ngawha on the project. Inmates are growing seedlings in a nursery inside the wire, and for only the second time today eight inmates will plant trees along the Waitangi River at Pahia, as part of a prisoner work p...

Wahine Toa Hunting - Women with more than deer in their sights

September 21, 2020 23:30 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MB

Pania Tepaiho Marsh started out with a simple mission: teach women how to hunt, so they could fill their fridges for their families.

Book review - Just Like You by Nick Hornby

September 21, 2020 22:40 - 3 minutes - 2.82 MB

Louise O'Brien reviews Just Like You by Nick Hornby, published by Penguin Random House.

A memoir of teenage years in a 70s hippy commune

September 21, 2020 22:08 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MB

Sydney based writer and film-maker Miro Bilborough has written a memoir about her time as a teenager living in a tiny hippie community in the outer reaches of the Marlborough Sounds in the 1970s.

US 'Megafires' larger, faster, hotter, more destructive

September 21, 2020 21:35 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MB

Michael Kodas, author of 'Megafire: The Race to Extinguish a Deadly Epidemic of Flame', talks to Kathryn Ryan about "megafires" as unprecedented blazes wreak havoc across the western United States.

Auckland Harbour Bridge's long term viability

September 21, 2020 21:08 - 25 minutes - 23.7 MB

Engineers are warning that while fixing Auckland Harbour's 61-year old bridge may be relatively quick it's time to start thinking about its long term viability.

Gin production on Great Barrier Island

September 20, 2020 23:30 - 13 minutes - 12.8 MB

Until last October, Andi Ross and her family lived in Auckland and holidayed on Great Barrier Island, until the lure of island living proved too great. Since moving to Great Barrier, Andi has set up the Island Gin distillery there and produced an award-winning gin.

Book Review - The Rise of the Remarkables: Brasswitch and Bot

September 20, 2020 22:40 - 6 minutes - 6.12 MB

Mary Fawcett, SchrÃ¶dinger's Books reviews The Rise of the Remarkables: Brasswitch and Bot by Gareth Ward. Published by Walker Books.

Crossing the Lines: Gay Kiwi soldiers in World War II

September 20, 2020 22:08 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MB

A new book shines a light on a previously untold history, that of homosexual New Zealand soldiers serving during World War II. Brent Coutts' book, called Crossing the Lines, focuses predominantly on the lives of Harold Robinson, Ralph Dyer and Douglas Morison - three men who served together and formed a troupe of female impersonators.

Middle East correspondent, Sebastian Usher

September 20, 2020 21:50 - 7 minutes - 7.14 MB

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have signed agreements fully normalising their relations with Israel at the White House, what's happening in Lebanon a month on from the catastrophic Beirut port explosion, and a showdown with the US administration and Iran.

Young Adult List - Judge John Walker

September 20, 2020 21:40 - 15 minutes - 14 MB

A special court aiming to break a cycle for young adult offenders, who could be sentenced to a life-time of crime because of their neuro-disabilities will offer a separate sitting for offenders aged 18-25.

Elliot Stables tenants' impasse with landlord over Covid rent

September 20, 2020 21:08 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

A group of central Auckland businesses in a dispute with their landlord over rent payments, say they risk losing everything if an arrangement can't be found. The group is mainly made up of eateries at Elliot Stables, many of whom have been served Property Law Act notices - or PLAs - requiring them to pay arrears or face action by the landlord, Icon Group.

National's short-term package of tax cuts

September 17, 2020 23:06 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MB

National's promising a short-term package of tax cuts - worth more than four and half billion dollars - to kick start the economy. The changes would be made by significant increases to income tax thresholds, but would only be in place for 16 months, from December this year until March 2022. It is among a range of economic plans outlined by the party this morning. Our political editor Jane Patterson has been at the announcement.

Book review - Real Life by Brandon Taylor

September 17, 2020 22:43 - 3 minutes - 3.56 MB

Melanie O'Loughlin of Unity Books reviews Real Life by Brandon Taylor, published by Daunt Books. This mid-western campus novel gives us a fresh view of student life as Wallace, a gay, black, PhD biochemistry student in a predominantly white town is pushed out of his protective shell. Over drinks, 'dinner things’ and lab time he is forced to consider what kind of a life is for him. Long-listed for the 2020 Booker Prize, this is a tender and fresh account of American life.

Language and finding home. Xiaolu Guo: A Lover's Discourse

September 17, 2020 22:07 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MB

Award-winning Chinese-born British author, filmmaker and Booker Prize judge Xiaolu Guo tells Kathryn Ryan about her new book A Lover's Discourse. A 'documentary novel' about love, language, and the meaning of home, A Lover's Discourse is set in Brexit Britain, told through fragments of conversations between two un-named lovers. It's a tale of the challenges of learning a new language and living in a new culture. Xiaolu largely taught herself English and self translated when she began wri...

4 Paws Marathon: a race for dogs, and their owners

September 17, 2020 21:45 - 8 minutes - 7.56 MB

The 4 Paws Marathon takes place in Christchurch on Sunday, where runners and their athletic dogs will race to the finishing line together. Kathryn speaks with organiser and owner of three dogs, sport and exercise doctor John Molloy.

Green light for methane-busting livestock feed from NZ seaweed

September 17, 2020 21:28 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MB

An aquaculture start-up says it is accelerating plans to commercially cultivate New Zealand seaweed for methane-busting livestock feed. CH4 Global was founded by a group of local tech and bioscience entrepreneurs developing the feed product made from Asparagopsis armata - a native red seaweed which grows in New Zealand and South Australian waters. Trials have shown the seaweed feed can reduce methane produced by cows by up to 90 percent. CH4 Global President and Chief Executive Dr Steve ...

Fonterra back in black

September 17, 2020 21:08 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MB

In a big turnaround from last year's loss of $605 million Fonterra has announced a full year profit of $659 million. Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says 2019/20 was a good year for the Co-op, with profit up, debt down, and a strong milk price. The dairy cooperative has confirmed the final milk payout to farmers for the season just ended at 7 dollars 14 a kilo of milk solids, in line with its forecast, with a further dividend of 5 cents a share. The profit excluding the gains from asset sales...

The Third Day, Horndog, The Social Dilemma

September 16, 2020 23:49 - 9 minutes - 8.47 MB

Film and TV reviewer Chris Schulz joins Kathryn to look at HBO's new blockbuster The Third Day, with Jude Law and Naomie Harris - strange goings-on on the island of Osea. He'll also look at Rose Matefeo's Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning show Horndog and The Social Dilemma - Netflix's documentary about the detriment of social media.

When children can't say 'R' and 'Th' sounds

September 16, 2020 23:28 - 20 minutes - 27.9 MB

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks about two speech sound errors commonly heard in children's speech that can persist through adolescence and into adulthood - the R and Th sounds.

Facebook's Zhang memo, AI's fake election news

September 16, 2020 23:15 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MB

Technology commentator Mark Pesce joins Kathryn to talk about the memo released by former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang that blows the whistle on the extent to which the tech giant ignored global political manipulation. A powerful new AI system known as GPT-3, which is able to generate surprisingly real text - but what does that mean for the integrity of news? There's a warning Russian state hackers are targeting the Trump and Biden election campaigns and there's frustration for t...

Economy officially in recession

September 16, 2020 23:06 - 8 minutes - 7.65 MB

The country is officially in recession for the first time in a decade. Official numbers show gross domestic product -- the broad measure of growth -- fell a seasonally adjusted 12.2 percent in the three months ended June. RNZ Business editor Gyles Beckford says it's the biggest fall on record.

Book review - Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

September 16, 2020 22:42 - 4 minutes - 4.38 MB

Kiran Dass of Time Out Bookstore reviews Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan.

Luke Harding - Putin, poison and plotting

September 16, 2020 22:07 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MB

Luke Harding is an award winning Guardian journalist whose latest book shines a light again on the role of the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin - from the poisonings of Segei and Julia Skripal in Salisbury to the Russian involvement in the 2016 US Presidential Election. A former Guardian Moscow correspondent, Luke Harding argues that President Putin - a former KGB agent himself - has merged organised crime, spycraft and government into a single entity with the aim of sowing chaos and divisio...

Boris faces grilling on Covid, Brexit prompts resignations

September 16, 2020 21:50 - 9 minutes - 8.4 MB

UK correspondent Harriet Line joins Kathryn to tall about the surge in Covid numbers - with almost 4000 recorded overnight. Boris Johnson has faced a grilling from MPs about the speed of the testing system, which forced opposition leader Keir Starmer to miss Questiontime. Meanwhile another top law official has quit over the legality of the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Treasury forecasts rising unemployment and slow recovery

September 16, 2020 21:24 - 26 minutes - 23.8 MB

The opening of the government's books yesterday ahead of the election painted a picture of long term debt, rising unemployment and a slow recovery. The Treasury figures predict unemployment to reach a peak of 7.8 percent in March 2022 - down from earlier forecasts of 10 percent by this month - but that the jobless rate will remain higher for longer.The figures were based on the assumption that our borders would remain closed til 2022, which the Finance Minister Grant Robertson was quick ...

Māori and Pacific pay gap in senior public sector roles

September 16, 2020 21:11 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MB

New data obtained under the Official Information Act shows senior Māori and Pasifika public and health sector workers are less likely to earn over $100-thousand dollars than their pākehā counterparts. The full extent of the ethnic pay gap is revealed in a study, published in the International Journal of Critical Indigenous Studies, aimed to identify pay disparities among senior management in the public sector. Kathryn Ryan discusses with Dr Heather Came, the Head of the Public Health Dep...

Rare successful defence of the Health and Safety Act

September 15, 2020 23:49 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MB

Garth Gallaway joins Kathryn to look at recent case brought against a property developer by Worksafe that was successfully defended. How are investigation numbers by WorkSafe tracking? And what's happening with an investigation into the tragedy at Whakaari/White Island? Garth Gallaway is a partner at Chapman Tripp in Christchurch.

Splash! Diving into a history of swimming

September 15, 2020 23:27 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MB

Kathryn takes a plunge into the history of swimming, and why humans swim, with swimmer and swim coach Howard Means, whose new book Splash celebrates ten thousand years of swimming. From our first ever recorded dip to the Olympic Games, Howard explores what it means for us to move through water, sometimes at great speed, more often to cool off, touching on changes in fashion and social attitudes along the way.

Book review - Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez

September 15, 2020 22:41 - 5 minutes - 5.32 MB

Ralph McAllister reviews Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez, published by Dialogue Books.

The NZ-born poet telling truth in Covid times

September 15, 2020 22:07 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MB

To say 2020 has been a rough year is a bit of an understatement - but a short video by a New Zealand-born poet has brought a message of hope to millions who have seen it. Tomos Roberts is also known as Tomfoolery, and his 'The Great Realisation' has had a great resonance around the world, with 60 million views since it was first posted. It's now been turned into a book, beautifully illustrated by Japanese artist Nomoco. Tom joins Kathryn from London, where he now lives, to talk about his...

Restrictions ease Victoria - not Melbourne, whales off course

September 15, 2020 21:48 - 11 minutes - 10.4 MB

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about how some restrictions are being lifted across Victoria, but not in metro centres and Melbourne. The government is under fire for its hard line on external borders, amid Ton Abbott's 10 day trip to the UK while others are refused permission to see sick and dying relatives. Humpback whales have been found in a tidal and croc-infested river in the Northern Territory when they should've been headed to Antarctica, and it's 20...

Locals call for fix to Fiordland's Hollyford Road

September 15, 2020 21:30 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MB

Locals are asking for the badly flood-damaged road into the popular Hollyford track to be opened by summer. The road has been closed since February, blocking off easy access to the track and its huts. Later this month a meeting will be held to outline the damage, and what it might cost to fix. Jules Tapper, who has previously made a living taking tours on the track, and Southland District Council's Strategic Manager Transport Hartley Hare discuss.

Zhenhua database: Why Chinese firm targeting the influential?

September 15, 2020 21:07 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MB

Zhenhua Data has collected information on 2.4 million people around the world - including 730 New Zealanders. Canberra-based cybersecurity firm Internet 2.0 received the leaked files, and Kathryn speaks to co-founder Rob Potter why the find is significant and what the data firm was hoping to achieve.

Saving a forest from kauri dieback with rongoā Māori

September 14, 2020 23:30 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MB

As the fight against kauri dieback continues, a traditional Maori healer is using indigenous medicine to help save the ancient trees.

Book review - The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

September 14, 2020 22:40 - 3 minutes - 3.34 MB

Sonja de Friez reviews The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, published by Affirm Press.

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