Nine To Noon for Wednesday 2 August 2023

09:05  Universities have more managers and admin staff than academics: report

A new report finds New Zealand universities have the highest ratio of non-academics to academics amongst English-speaking countries. The report, from the think tank The New Zealand Initiative, finds there are 40 to 50 per cent more managers and administrators than teaching staff. Co-author Dr James Kierstead is a Senior Lecturer in Classics at Victoria University and a Research Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative. He says the report reflects a trend across the English speaking world. But Dr Kierstead says Victoria, Otago, Massey and AUT are all in the midst of budget cuts, so it's important to have the debate about allocation of resources. He joins Kathryn, along with Chris Whelan, Chief Executive of Universities New Zealand.

09:30 One year on: the new Ministry of Disabled People 

It's been a year since the Government established Whaikaha - the Ministry of Disabled People. It was launched at the same time that Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority took effect. The new ministry promised a commitment to delivering "bold and transformational change" for the disability community, announcing over one billion dollars of new funding for the sector. The government also promoted the ministry as an opportunity to realise "true partnership" between Government and disabled people, their whānau, carers and supporters. So one year on, has it shifted the dial for New Zealanders living with disabilities? And how is its partnership with Māori working? Kathryn speaks with Joanne Dacombe, the president of the board of the Disabled Person's Assembly and Tania Kingi, the former general manager and now researcher at Te Roopu Waiora, a kaupapa Māori organisation supporting Māori with disabilities. 

09:45 Australia: Chopper crash, alleged childcare predator, Matildas victory

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about the continuing search for four military helicopter crew presumed dead after the crash of their Taipan chopper in Queensland during military exercises. Police in Brisbane have charged a 45-year-old former childcare worker with more than 1600 charges of child sex abuse involving 91 different girls in a case described as "unfathomable". Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has delivered a defiant speech in Parliament over the findings of a royal commission into the welfare debt recovery scheme known as "robotdebt". And Australia is one happy nation after the Matilda's victory over Canada confirmed their place in the group of 16 knockout round.

Karen Middleton is chief political correspondent for The Saturday Paper.

10:05 Red Mole: A Romance explores one of NZ's lost theatre collectives

An unconventional theatre company which found short-lived fame on the streets of Wellington and New York is the subject of a new documentary currently screening at Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival. Red Mole: A Romance follows performance collective Red Mole, founded by the late Alan Brunton and Sally Rodwell in the early 1970s. Their often politically-charged shows took up all mediums from music, huge puppets and masks, and even fire eating, and performed across schools, strip clubs and opera houses. Ultimately Red Mole found solace in the underground scene, and met its end when that eventually gave way to more institutional and structured theatre. For documentary maker Annie Goldson her latest work is also a look back on own her time in New York, and her crossed paths with the troupe in the 1980s.

10:35 Book review: The Trackers by Charles Frazier 

Quentin Johnson reviews The Trackers by Charles Frazier published by HarperCollins

10:45 Around the motu : Samantha Gee in Nelson

The Nelson Hospital rebuild has been beset with delays, but last week, the Government announced $73m in funding to begin the long-awaited redevelopment. It is earmarked for design work of a new acute services building with 255 beds, a larger emergency department, as well as seismic strengthening. And Nelson and Tasman's new EBus service has been launched, with 17 new electric buses and new routes, including an express service between Nelson and Motueka and a dedicated airport bus service. 

Samantha Gee is RNZ's Nelson reporter

11:05 Music with Ian Chapman: Soul and Funk

'Music that triggers your groove thang’: This week Ian Chapman delves into soul and funk both past and present, local and international. Regardless of whether you’re hip or whether you’re square, some music has the ability to automatically trigger your body to move. It does this by mainlining into your 'groove thang' (not a medical term). Listeners be warned.  

Ian Chapman is a Senior Lecturer in Contemporary Music at Otago University.

 

 

11:20 Bringing historic NZ photographs to life

A collection of 200 stunning retouched photographs appear in the book Our Land in Colour - depicting life and culture from span1860 to 1960. The hardback pays homage to the rich and diverse history of the country and initially the photographs were shot in black and white. Colourist Brendan Graham talks about what's involved in recolouring history. The narrative of the book has been penned by historian Jock Phillips.

11:45 Personal finance: Should you have separate bank accounts?

Money expert Liz Koh looks at the issue of banking when you're a couple. One bank account or two? It used to be when a couple married they used one bank account, but that's changed as women become financially independent and combining resources is no longer the symbol of commitment in a relationship it used to be. Liz looks at the pros and cons of pooling your financial resources.

Liz Koh is a money expert specializing in retirement planning. The advice given here is general and does not constitute specific advice to any person.