Nine To Noon for Friday 14 July 2017

 

 

 

09:05 Polar blast causes chaos in Central North Island

At least 6,000 homes in the Central North Island are still without power, and the main roads through the region are closed, with another dumping of snow expected to cause more problems. In the Ruapehu District the roads are still very dangerous and the power situation is patchy. All of the State Highways around the volcanic plateau remain closed and there are power outages in several towns and settlements including Waiouru and Taihape. Meanwhile, half a metre of snow has fallen on Turoa ski-field over the past 24 hours and its blizzard conditions there again. Alan Proud farms in the Ohakune area and his farm is still without power. He says it's the worst storm he can remember.

09:15 Predator free plea: 'We need more than just a rallying cry'

One year on and support for Predator Free 2050 is gathering pace, but scientists are warning it's an impossible goal as the situation stands. Kathryn Ryan talks to Andrea Byrom the Director of the Biological Heritage science challenge, which is trying to find scientific solutions to deal with pests, and Victoria University's Dr Wayne Linklater, who has come up with a new lure for trapping pests, but isn't convinced the war will be ever be won. Also joining Nine to Noon is the Kaipara couple Gill and Kevin Adshead, who say bringing back Kiwi to their Mataia farm and working on community pest control projects like the Forest Bridge Trust has changed their lives forever.

If you are interested in what's happening in your community, the PFNZ Trust has mapped over 1,000 community groups and individuals throughout the country involved in predator control but the scale of this work is not clearly understood.

09:30 Betting on Wimbledon? Just listen to the grunting!

Psychologists at the University of Sussex have found that the pitch of tennis players' grunts might indicate the outcome of the match. Kathryn Ryan talks to Jordan Raine the doctoral researcher who carried out the study.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Mike Field

Amidst voting chaos, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill looks to be returning to power; a new World Heritage site is declared in French Polynesia; and where are Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonen – really?

10:05 Going loco

Twenty-three-year-old Sam Mackwell is a man with a plan. He wants to bring back the sound of steam engines to Christchurch, and with it environmentally friendly commuter rail. And while his motive might seem 'loco' he says it makes a lot of sense. He believes it would be relatively cheap to build, would use environmentally friendly fuel (wood, not coal) – not to mention the nostalgic value. He first started developing the idea six years ago and tells Kathryn Ryan he hopes to have a prototype train ready for testing in about a year. Full steam ahead!

10:35 Book review

Kiran Dass reviews The Answers by Catherine Lacey

10:45 The Reading

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

It must be cold, surely, moving from Auckland to Norway? But Ryan McPhun of The Ruby Suns has done just that, strapping together his fifth album Sprite Fountain in an old schoolhouse near Oslo, fueled by reindeer burgers and akvavit. We also hear from Wellington synth-pop maestro Disasteradio and Liverpool post-punk frowners, Echo and the Bunnymen.

11:30 Sports commentator Brendan Telfer

11:45 The Week that Was with James Nokise and Irene Pink

Music played in this show

Artists: The Chills
Song: I Love My Leather Jacket
Comp: Phillipps
Album: Kaleidoscope World
Label: Flying Nun
Broadcast Time: 10:08am

Artists: Anna Coddington
Song: Release Me
Comp: Coddington
Album: Luck/Time
Label: Loop
Broadcast Time: 10:37am

Artists: The Shins
Song: Name for you
Album: Heartworms
Broadcast Time: 11:51