09:05 Huge clean-up begins in Otago and Christchurch

The state of emergency across much of Otago is about to be lifted  - but the clean-up has just begun. Families who were evacuated on Saturday from flooded properties south of Dunedin, mostly in the Henley and Taieri areas, are facing several more nights out of their homes as they wait for the floodwaters to recede. Meanwhile in Christchurch, after 2 months of rain fell in 2 days, the state of emergency remains in place, and the city is battling with water contamination caused by the flooding. Dunedin city Councillor Mike Lord has been dairy farming on the southern end of the Taieri plains for about 30 years.

09:15 Retailers say competition laws block charge on plastic bags

Mayors from Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin are pushing for a levy on single use plastic bags.

Mayors from Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin are pushing for a levy on single use plastic bags. Photo: 123RF

The retail industry says it wants to introduce a levy on single-use plastic bags, but would be accused of price fixing by the Commerce Commission and an exemption would be too costly and lengthy. The government has rejected a proposal from local councils and the retail industry for a levy on plastic bags to reduce the more than 1.6 billion used by New Zealanders every year. Kathryn talks with Retail NZ's Greg Harford, and Wellington City Councillor Iona Pannett.

09:25 How to remember

brain-memory

brain-memory Photo: wikicommons

Tips on training your brain and improving your memory, with UCLA Professor on Ageing, Dr Gary Small. He is the director of the UCLA Longevity Centre.

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

Mass protests in Poland after the Senate approves judicial reforms, provoking a crisis with the European Union, new US sanctions are agreed against Russia, plus a German teenage girl is confirmed as a captured ISIL fighter in Iraq.

10:05 Dental pioneer Sir John Walsh

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Photo: Photograph from the Evening Star, 29 July 1950, published courtesy of the Otago Daily Times

Kathryn Ryan talks to retired dentist Harvey Brown, about his biography of the dental pioneer Sir John Walsh. As Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at Otago for 25 years until 1971, Sir John changed the education and practice of dentists, and was a leader in the development of the modern high-speed dental drill. He was also an advocate of adding fluoride to drinking water and introducing a sugar tax way back  in the 1950s.

10:35 Book review: Here and Gone by Hayley Beck

Reviewed by Ralph McAllister, published by Penguin Random House.

10:45 The Reading

11:05 Political commentators Stephen Mills & Matthew Hooton

Will the benefit fraud confession by the Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei prove to be a pivotal moment in the election campaign ? TOP unveils its UBI for youth, Labour's budget announcement, National's housing boost, and lacklustre political hoardings.

11:30 The $100 grocery challenge

Katherine Lynch says even she was surprised at how well she could feed her family of two adults and two young children on a $100 dollar budget. She's come up with 62 single servings - which cost her $1.62 each in ingredients. Her ideas for saving money while still putting good food on the table has taken off with more than 180,000 views of the original post she put on her "Busy Happy Kids" Facebook page.

11:45 Urbanist Bill McKay​

There are an increasing number of terrace houses and apartments in our cities. Bill McKay continues to discuss what to look for in design when renting or buying, especially when buying off the plans.