Nine To Noon

09:05 Health workers fear police withdrawal from some mental health calls as deadline looms

It's only two weeks until phase one of a planned police withdrawal from most mental health-related calls takes effect and health workers fear what the changes mean for an already stretched workforce and for their own safety. Police announced the plan earlier this year and laid out a clear phased approach to the withdrawal. It came after years of both the police and health sector agreeing police were not the best agency to deal with all mental health patients and the resourcing required of police was becoming unsustainable. The first phase of the plan comes into effect in early November and involves police not staying with patients once they have been transported to a hospital emergency department, a higher threshold more generally for police transport requests and a higher threshold required for police attendance at mental health facilities. New Zealand Nurses Organisation mental health sector chair Helen Garrick, who works as a mental health nurse says a plan is now being worked through with Health New Zealand, but has massive fears for how the workforce will cope and has concerns for her colleagues' safety. Kathryn also speaks to Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey.

 

09:05 Repairs yet to begin three years after a fire destroyed the Bromley Wastewater Treatment Plant

It's been three years since a fire destroyed part of the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment plant, and while a significant milestone was reached last week, residents are looking down the line of three more years of fixes. The fire destroyed two trickling filters which resulted in a nauseating stench for months. Bromley residents endured headaches and sleepless nights, feeling suffocated by the smell. An independent review carried out last year found the council was "too slow" to recognise that the smell was a major issue, resulting in a formal apology. An $85 million insurance settlement reached last week means repairs can finally begin, but the council is still in the design phase. Kathryn speaks to long-time Bromley resident Vickie Walker and Linwood Ward councillor Yani Johanson.

09:35 Nature Baby turns 25 and unwraps plans for recycling its babywear

Nature Baby is now a fully grown 'nature adult' - as the infant clothes maker celebrates 25 years in the business. The family-owned company has built its business making baby clothes, wraps and bedding out of natural fibres like cotton and merino. It's launching a new initiative to improve the circularity of its products - customers can return their child's worn clothes to Nature Baby for a store credit, and those clothes will either get sold secondhand at a lower price, donated to families in need or recycled locally. One half of Nature Baby's founders is Jacob Faull - he owns the business with wife Georgia and joins me now to explain.

09:45 USA correspondent Ron Elving

Ron discusses Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's choice to lean into vulgar language and sex jokes. Is it a closing strategy, or evidence of something awry? Also, Polls remain deadlocked both nationally and in decisive swing state in the lead up to next month's US election.
 

Ron Elving is a Senior Editor and Correspondent, Washington Desk for NPR news.

10:05 Kiwi sports legend Honey Hireme-Smiler's remarkable life and career

 Honey Hireme-Smiler's sporting prowess is undeniable. She was one of New Zealand's first professional women's rugby players, playing for the Black Ferns and the IRB Women's Sevens Circuit.  But she was comfortable across the rugby codes - playing in four league World Cups - including captaining the Kiwi Ferns to victory at the inaugural Nines World Cup in 2019. That's where she begins her newly-released memoir, Honey: My Story of Love, Loss and Victory, written with sports journalist Suzanne McFadden. She went into that competition having just lost her mother to cancer. Honey was New Zealand's women's Rugby League Player of the Year three times, and has been honoured with a New Zealand Order of Merit. She's also a commentator for both codes at Sky Sport, and has also worked with young people and those with disabilities. She joins Kathryn to talk about a tumultuous start in life and why the time was right to detail what she's gone through.

10:35 Book review: My Animals, and Other Animals by Bill Bailey 

Lynn Freeman reviews My Animals, and Other Animals by Bill Bailey published by Hachette

10:45 Around the motu: Georgina Campbell in Wellington

Georgina discusses the Wellington City Council's fiasco last week, with the Government threatening to intervene over the decision not to sell airport shares. The Mayor Tory Whanau says budget cuts will target new infrastructure and community building projects. Also, CentrePort says it's not a 24/7 emergency first responder for ferry breakdowns
 

NZ Herald Wellington issues reporter Georgina Campbell.

11:05 Business commentator Dileepa Fonseka

Dileepa and Kathryn talk about the Anti-Money laundering law shake-up, with Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee saying she wants to make the legislation less onerous. He'll also cover the changes to water laws, and mark the passing of former Fonterra Chief Executive Theo Spierings who has died after a short illness.

Dileepa Fonseka is a Senior Correspondent with BusinessDesk

11:20 How pets see the world

Dr Kat Littlewood, a veterinary specialist and Massey University lecturer in animal welfare talks with Kathryn about ‘animal senses’, and how dogs and cats 'see' with their noses. She says humans need to remember this when interacting with animals.

11:45 Sports-chat with Sam Ackerman

Sport in Aotearoa is on an absolute high - after an astonishing few days on results for New Zealanders. Sam takes stock to see if this really is New Zealand's greatest ever sporting weekend - on the back of the White Ferns, Black Caps, Silver Ferns, Team NZ and more.