Nine To Noon for Wednesday 24 August 2022

 

09:05 More supermarket reform - wholesale operations to be opened to rivals

The country's two main supermarket chains Countdown and Foodstuffs could soon be forced to open their wholesale operations to smaller rivals. The government is expected to make an announcement later today. It would be the latest tranche of reforms following an investigation by the Commerce Commission into the supermarket sector.  The Commission made a number of recommendations, and since then, the Government has already announced plans to introduce a code of conduct and a Grocery Commissioner who will have the ability to fine supermarkets who breach it.  It has also recommended ending anti-competitive land wars between the big players. Kathryn speaks with the Food and Grocery Council CEO, Katherine Rich, and Sarah Balle,  founder of Supie, an online grocery store.

 

09:20 Inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret appointments

An independent inquiry is to be held in Australia into the secret ministerial roles adopted by former prime minister Scott Morrison. Mr Morrison appointed himself to five senior government portfolios -- including health; finance; treasury and home affairs; and industry, science and resources -- between 2020 and 2021, mostly without the knowledge of the ministers who held each role. Australia's solicitor general has concluded that the appointments were valid and lawful, but violated the principles of responsible government. Mr Morrison's successor, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, announced the inquiry yesterday saying Mr Morrison's actions undermined democracy. George William is a Professor of Law at the University of New South Wales, specialising in constitutional law - he's with me now from Sydney.

09:30 Leading biofuels scientist backs mandate

A leading biofuels scientist is backing the government's plan to require the use of biofuels in petrol and diesel from next April. All fuel will be legally required to contain a percentage of biofuel, made from renewable sources such as used vegetable oils or animal fats. Some environmental advocates have labelled the plan "greenwashing", saying New Zealand cannot possibly source enough of the right kind of waste to make the amount of biofuel that will be required to meet the mandate,  and that importing biofuel will be damaging to the global environment. Dr Paul Bennett is chair of the International Energy Agency for Bioenergy and Portfolio Leader for Integrated Bioenergy with Scion Research. He says New Zealand has considerable science expertise in biofuels and  researchers have made a number of advancements in liquid biofuels and bioenergy.

09:45 Australia: Secret Ministries inquiry, Farnham voice, scrum objection

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagging a formal inquiry into his predecessor's five secret ministerial portfolios. Yesterday advice from the Solicitor-General was released, saying while it was lawful it contravened the convention of responsible government. She'll also talk about singer John Farnham's surgery for cancer, some Wallabies' objections to the suggestion scrums should have a 60-second time limit and a Canberra judge dismissed a "too busy" excuse from tennis star Nick Kyrgios in seeking to delay an appearance over an assault charge.

10:05  Mindfulness for chronic pain - Kiwi awarded OBE

Vidyamala Burch is a UK-based New Zealander whose mindfulness programme for chronic pain and other illnesses has just earned her an OBE. Through her own experience of extreme pain which began in her teens, she eventually developed the programme which is now recognised by the NHS and has reached over 100,000 people. She is an honorary membership from The British Pain Society, the author of three books and co-founder of Breathworks, an organisation which teaches her mindfulness-based approach to pain, illness and stress.

10:35 Book review - The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid

Louise O'Brien reviews The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid, published by Penguin Random House

10:45 The Reading

Another short story by Pip Adam from her collection Everything We Hoped For, winner of the Best First Book award in the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2011. Vanessa Rhodes reads A Bad Start.    
 

11:05 Music with Charlotte Ryan

Music 101 host Charlotte Ryan pays tribute to the talent of singer Margaret Urlich, who passed away from cancer at the age of 57. 

11:20 The history of New Zealand's foreign service

 It's gone by many names and structures over the years: Department of External Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs... and now MFAT. The origin and evolution of the agency responsible for this country's international relations has been captured in a new book: New Zealand's Foreign Service: A History. It looks at the early years - with the role World War II played in its creation in 1943 and the key players who shaped it, to the way it responded to strategic events - like Britain strengthening ties with Europe, the breakdown of ANZUS and the war on terror. It also considers the internal changes to the organisation over the years - from one dominated by Pakeha men to one that was much more inclusive. Dr Ian McGibbon wrote the early chapters and has edited the book. He joins Kathryn to explain how the organisation has played a vital role in New Zealand's history.

11:45 Science: Pesticides and bee brains, low-gravity droplets

Science commentator Laurie Winkless joins Kathryn to look at how commonly-used pesticides can impair honeybees' ability to navigate. Researchers gave wild-caught honeybees sugar - while others got pesticide-contaminated sugar and then made them walk in front of video screens to think they were off-course. She'll also look at why astronauts at the international space station have been helping researchers work out how liquids interact with solids - without gravity getting in the way.

 Laurie Winkless is a physicist and science writer.