Nine To Noon for Thursday 23 March 2023

 

 

09:05  Napier-Gisborne shipping route should be first of many more: Shipping Fedn

The Shipping Federation says a new coastal shipping route between Napier and Gisborne should be the first of many more. The Government's announced a $3m dollar subsidy last week to allow the Rangitata to cover the route for the next three months.  It is estimated to take up to 200 trucks off the road each week - a trip which used to be three hours but now takes six,  due to damage to the road between Napier and Wairoa. Last year, Waka Kotahi got a one-off $30m to support coastal shipping. But John Harbord, Executive Director of the New Zealand Shipping Federation, says much more is needed. He speaks to Kathryn along with Rail and Maritime Transport Union Spokesperson Todd Valster.

09:30 Auckland CAB fights to keep essential funding

Submissions are rolling in against a proposal to cut funding to Auckland's Citizens Advice Bureau. Auckland Council is currently consulting on a plan to cut the organisation's $2 million in annual funding, as part of a wider effort to curb education and community spending. Advocates for the mostly voluntary-run service say the loss of funding would sound the death knell for the service and the city's 32 offices would likely be forced to shut by Christmas. Last year, Auckland's 880 volunteers helped 163,000 people; providing support and informing clients of their rights across a range of everyday issues, including immigration, housing and tenancy problems, benefit entitlements, employment disputes, and relationship issues. The Auckland Council has a budget deficit of $295 million for the 2023-2024 financial year and is looking to cut $20 million of regional services, such as community and education programmes. Kathryn talks to Kate Anderson, general manager of the Central Auckland CABs, about their fight to maintain funding. 

09:45 UK: Boris Johnson grilled over Partygate, Rwanda plans revealed

Kathryn is joined by UK correspondent Matt Dathan to talk about former PM Boris Johnson explaining his position on Partygate at a heated select committee hearing overnight, telling MPs that 'unsocially distanced farewell gatherings' were allowed at work during the height of Covid. Matt has travelled this week with Home Secretary Suella Braverman as she revealed details of the £120m scheme to deport illegal migrants to Rwanda.

Matt Dathan is Home Affairs Editor at The Times

10:05 Anthony Joseph: Unconditional love for an absent dad

British-Trinidadian award-winning poet, novelist, lecturer and much admired musician, Anthony Joseph won this year's T.S. Eliot Prize for his collection of poetry called "Sonnets for Albert",  based on his experience of growing up with a charismatic but absent father, praised as "a luminous collection which celebrates humanity in all its contradictions." Anthony has released eight critically acclaimed albums and has been described as 'the leader of the black avant-garde in Britain'.  Anthony Joseph is appearing at the Auckland Writer's Festival on Saturday May 20th from 8.30pm at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre at the Aotea Centre.   

10:35 Book review: A Small Town in Ukraine by Bernard Wasserstein

Quentin Johnson reviews A Small Town in Ukraine by Bernard Wasserstein, published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu: Mike Tweed in Whanganui

There's some course shrinkage at UCOL Te Pukenga Whanganui this year, controversy over plans to set up a water bottling plant in  the city continues, an annual musical fundraiser for child cancer has been a big success and a Texan Doctor is filling a long vacant GP position in Waimarino, Ruapehu district.

Mike Tweed is a Multimedia Journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle 

11:05 Technology: Facebook hacks, TikTok ban, Twitter scraps 2FA

Technology correspondent Bill Bennett joins Kathryn to talk about the difficulties people face in recovering their social media accounts - particularly Facebook - if they've been subject to a hack or a hijack. Two dozen Facebook employees and contractors have been sacked for their role in this - does the business have any hope of improving when another 10,000 jobs are being cut? Bill will also unravel the TikTok ban for parliamentary devices and why Twitter is scrapping 2FA or two-factor authentication.

 

11:25 Parenting : how to talk to children and teens about sex and pornography

Auckland based sex therapist and porn researcher Jo Robertson has advice about what to say to children, at what age and how often. She is the Research and Training Lead for The Light Project, a charitable trust researching media influences on youth sexual culture and how to have positive conversations about it. 

 

11:45 Screentime: Red, White and Brass, Boston Strangler, Lucky Hank

Film and TV correspondent James Croot joins Kathryn to look at local movie Red, White and Brass (cinemas), about a Tongan church group that formed a marching band to get into a World Cup rugby match. He'll also look at a new film starring Keira Knightly, Boston Strangler (Disney+)and Lucky Hank (TVNZ) about an under-fire English professor at a US college. 

James Croot is Stuff's National Entertainment Editor.

Music played in this show

Track: Echo Arms
Artist: Mr Twin Sister
Time Played: 09:43