Nine To Noon

09:05 Boeing whistleblower claims company 'putting out defective planes'

A Boeing engineer has given compelling testimony detailing his concerns about how Boeing aircraft are being put together. Sam Salehpour, an engineer with four decades of experience - including 17 with Boeing, yesterday detailed alleged manufacturing shortcuts he felt were being made and how he was shut down by the company after raising them. Boeing is already facing scrutiny after part of a new Boeing 737 Max 9 flown by Alaska Airlines broke off in January, and two deadly crashes of its 737 Max 8 planes in 2018 and 2019. Mr Salehpour told a US congressional hearing the pieces making up Boeing's Dreamliner planes weren't being put together properly and that he'd seen people literally jumping on pieces of triple-7 (777) jets to make them fit. Joining Kathryn is David Slotnick, a senior aviation business reporter at The Points Guy.

09:15 Auckland University hostel students to withhold rent over spiraling costs 

Some students at halls run by the University of Auckland will refuse to pay their fees from next month in protest at what they say are unjustifiable price hikes. The weekly cost to live in a single standard room at Waipārūrū Hall, the University's - and the country's - biggest student residence, jumped from $470 last year to $540 this year. The rent strike is being led by Students For Fair Rent, which says that 8% jump is out of whack with inflation - and beyond the means of students in fulltime study with limited time to earn additional income. Last year Nine to Noon touched on the issue of residential advisors in Auckland University Halls losing their rent reduction. Kathryn speaks to Students For Fair Rent's chair Matthew Lee and Greens co-leader and Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick.

09:30 Full immersion pre school for neurodiverse and disabled tamariki

Te Puna Reo o Manga Tangaroa in Kaikohe has been set up to prioritise children living with disabilities. The school was created by local couple Claraand Manga Aperahama-Kopa to provide quality education to tamariki of all capabilities. Clara talks to Kathryn about her young son who inspired the whanau to fund-raise and build the pre school.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koroi Hawkins

Security is beefing up across the Solomon Islands as electoral counting continues. People are urged to remain peaceful under the increased police presence. RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins is there, and joins Kathryn to explain why the election is being closely watched by some of the world's biggest powers.

10:05 Foraging safely for edible wild food

Christchurch based Peter Langlands spends as much time in the fresh air as possible, whether it be bird watching, gathering kai, recreational fishing and photography. He describes foraging for food as the ultimate integration of his outdoor interests. Peter has a degree in zoology and is is a licenced professional forager, sourcing wild produce including seaweed, for his own consumption, as well as supplying restaurants around the country. Safety is a primary concern while gathering kai. His new book, - Foraging New Zealand is a guide to more than 250 edible plants and fungi that are okay to eat.

10:35 Book review: The Apprentice Witnesser by Bren MacDibble

Roger Christensen of Unity Books Auckland reviews The Apprentice Witnesser by Bren MacDibble, published by Allen and Unwin.

10:45 Around the motu: Jonathan Leask in Ashburton

The Minister of Transport Simeon Brown is in Ashburton today to open the 18 million dollar Fairfield Freight Hub. This is expected to increase the the amount of local freight carried by rail from 6,000 containers to 20,000 containers a year. Jonathan has the latest on the controversy to install median barriers on State Highway One between Ashburton and Rakaia. And the tough economic times are taking a toll on some local hospitality businesses.

Local Democracy Reporter - Mid Canterbury Jonathan Leask from the Ashburton Guardian

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

Tomorrow is Record Store Day, an international celebration of independent record stores that takes place on the third Saturday in April each year. A huge number of one-day-only albums are released to mark the occasion, and Grant Smithies bring a few of those today with songs from Living Clipboards, Johnny Osbourne, The Normals and Sai Galaxy.

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

The Kiwis' league captain James Fisher-Harris has signed a four-year deal to join The Warriors from next season. And the All Blacks' Jordie Barrett is taking a sabbatical at Dublin club Leinster next year. The boat for team NZ's America's Cup defence in Barcelona has a name - Taihoro. And, Sam reflects on the life of NZ Motorsport legend, Sir Colin Giltrap.

11:45 The week that was with Te Radar and Donna Brookbanks

Comedians Te Radar and Donna Brookbanks look at the lighter moments of the week, including Uber's annual list of the most unusual items left in rideshare cars globally. This year it includes a live turtle, a 'fart sensor', and a WWE championship belt. And how much would you pay to smell like Eden Park? The Auckland stadium has released a fragrance which "encapsulates the lush greenery" for $170 a pop.