Nine To Noon

09:05 A 400-strong group of scientists and engineers raise concerns over Fast-track Approvals bill 

Scientists and engineers warn of greater flood risks should the government's Fast Track Approvals bill proceed as it stands. The Rivers Group - comprising 400 engineers, scientists, hydrologists and other river specialists - said the  sole focus on project delivery could lead to increased development in flood prone areas. It said recent severe weather events, such as the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, served to highlight the issue of approval in at-risk locations. The group said there are several examples of new developments - some still under construction - which had been categorised 'unsafe for habitation' after those events. The Insurance Council plans to raise similar concerns in submissions to the Environment Committee, which is considering the legislation. Rivers Group chair and Niwa hydrodynamics scientist Richard Measures speaks to Kathryn. 

09:20 Orthodontists warning over dentists fitting braces

The Association of Orthodontists says a recent Health and Disability Commission report highlights what can go wrong when general dentists undertake orthodontal treatment. The HDC has found a dentist breached the rights of a 12 year old patient, when they fitted braces, then aligners - and three years after the treatment was completed, the patient required jaw surgery and more braces. The Commission received 132 complaints about dental services in the 2022/23 year, 21 of which related to young patients. In the recently released ruling, the HDC says the dentist failed to refer the teen to a specialist at the outset, and undertook treatment he was not trained, or sufficiently experienced, to provide. Kathyrn speaks with Dr David Wescott, Vice President of the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists.

09:35 Wellington Phoenix set to play home semi with a sellout crowd

The equation is simple for the Wellington Phoenix this weekend. Win the game and they will be through to their first ever A-League Grand Final. And they'll probably get a sellout crowd behind them with just 7,000 tickets remaining as of Tuesday afternoon. The team have had their best ever regular season - finishing second. The Phoenix drew 0-0 last weekend away to Melbourne Victory in the first leg of the semi-finals. This Saturday night they will turn out in front of a roaring home crowd hoping to cheer them to victory. Giancarlo Italiano - manager of the Phoenix - speaks to Kathryn from the club's training facilities in Upper Hutt. 

09:45 Australia correspondent Annika Smethurst

Annika joins Kathryn to discuss the detail in the federal Budget, which was revealed yesterday. She'll also look at the curious case of the red-bellied black snake dubbed 'Fluffy' that's taken up residence in a Newcastle woman's car and has eluded four expert snake catchers.

Annika Smethurst is political editor at The Age

10:05 Annie Jacobsen's minute by minute account of nuclear war

For many the prospect of nuclear armageddon subsided with the end of the Cold War, as the world's stockpile of warheads was diminished. But Annie Jacobsen's new book challenges any sense of complacency over the possibility of a modern nuclear war. She is an investigative journalist and author, whose book The Pentagon's Brain: An Uncensored History of DARPA, America's Top Secret Military Research Agency made her a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize. In Nuclear War: A Scenario she lays out, first in seconds, then minutes, what it would happen if North Korea launched a nuclear missile at the United States. It's a sobering - yet fascinating -  read about where technology has led us - and the vulnerabilities we're all exposed to.

10:30 The New Zealander heading Wayve AI

New Zealander Alex Kendall is chief executive and co-founder of Wayve AI. It's a UK company that has just received the backing of $1.7 billion to develop its AI technology for self-driving cars. The company is negotiating with major car makers to use the technology. Investors include Japanese venture capital company Softbank but also Microsoft and NVIDIA - two of the biggest tech companies in the world. The Wayve technology uses cameras and sensors to monitor the road environment and react when needed. It's been tested on UK roads since 2018.

10:35 Book review: Earth by John Boyne

Elisabeth Easther reviews Earth by John Boyne published by Penguin Random House    

10:45 Around the motu: Kirsty Pickett in Te Anau

The Fiordland Business Association has come up with a novel solution to the region's worker accommodation shortage that, if adopted, could see as many as 30 temporary homes built and ready for use before the next summer season. Forest and Bird and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation have agreed to a temporary pause in their legal stoush to investigate ways to manage the wapiti herd in a way that meets both organisations' interests. And the marine pest Unadaria appears to have been successfully eradicated from Chalky Inlet - the first incursion in Fiordland to be declared Undaria-free since it was first discovered in the region in 2010.

Kirsty Pickett co owner of the Southland App is based in Te Anau, covering Southland and Fiordland.

11:05 Music with Charlotte Ryan

For New Zealand Music Month, Charlotte plays some new local music as well as a track from 70s folk-inspired LA artist Jessica Pratt.

Charlotte is host of RNZ's Music 101 show.

11:20 Navigating new relationships

Auckland based sex therapist Jo Robertson looks at the dating landscape, particularly after a break-up or divorce. Jo says at least 40 percent of new marriages include someone who has been divorced. She talks about what is worth considering when you are dipping your toes back in the dating pool.

11:45 Science: Ludwig's hair lead, what makes the aurora colours?

Science correspondent Allan Blackman joins Kathryn to talk about the new research conducted on samples of composer Ludwig van Beethoven's hair, clipped from his head from fans as he lay dying. It's found a staggering amount of lead and other toxins in his body - could wine be to blame? And amid aurora-fever, what causes the different colours that feed into the incredible light display?

Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.