Nine To Noon for Friday 12 December 2014
09:05 Calls to listen to families of mental health patients who ask for help
Byron Armstrong killed his friend because he thought he was a demon, and was found not guilty by reason of insanity, but there were plenty of warning signs the family told mental health services about. Counties-Manukau DHB has apologised for not listening to them. What can families do to get help for a loved one who is unwell? We hear from the lawyer for the Armstrong family, Ron Mansfield, and Dr. David Codyre, a psychiatrist and clinical lead mental lead for East Tamaki Healthcare, a network of clinics providing team-based primary care services to populations in high-needs areas of Auckland.
09:20 Education Ministry announcement of flagship communities of schools
The government's flagship communities of schools - today the Ministry of Education will name the 90 schools which will make up the first 11 collaborative hubs. From next term, these communities of primary and secondary schools will work together, with senior principals and teachers taking leadership and mentoring roles across schools, and being paid more for those roles. Two schools opting into the policy next year are John Paul College in Rotorua and St Mary's primary school in Tauranga. Their principals are Patrick Walsh from John Paul College - a former President of the Principals' Association; and Ben Fuller from St Mary's Primary.
09:30 The 21st century way to meet neighbours?
We hear from Casey Eden, the co-founder and manager director of Neighbourly, the online social network aiming to bring neighbours together to connect with their local communities. 60 000 people in 14 hundred different suburbs around the country have signed up to neighbourly.co.nz. The website aims to bring people from a neighbourhood together - whether it's to locate a lost pet, share an event or discuss local crime. 700 community organisations are also involved, including the fire service, councils, local boards and business associations. Is this a 21st century way to meet neighbours, or potentially another way to give away personal information online?
09:45 Pacific correspondent Mike Field
10:05 Doctor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Sam Prince
Sam Prince is the founder of the Zambrero chain of Mexican restaurants where every burrito or bowl sold, buys a meal for the hungry in developing countries. So far, more than 3.4 million meals have been delivered across 65 countries through the restaurant's distribution partner Stop Hunger Now. Four Zambrero restaurants have just opened in this country – three in Auckland and one in Wellington. Profits from Zambrero help to fund other organisations and initiatives founded by Dr Prince such as One Disease at a Time which aims to eliminate disease.
Its first focus has been scabies in indigenous Australian communities – already there's been an 86 percent reduction. He's also behind a charitable foundation, E-magine, which has built schools in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Far North Queensland.
10:35 John McIntyre reviews new children's books
John McIntyre reviews books designed for parents to read, and especially to reconnect with their children.
Listen to the Moon by Michael Morpurgo. Published by HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0-00-733964-8
Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen. Published by Orion, ISBN 978-1-78062-225-5
Dunger by Joy Cowley. Published by Gecko Press, ISBN 9781- 87757946-2
10:45 The Reading: 'Touchstones' by James McNeish
A memoir that is at once a self-portrait, a hymn to a vanishing New Zealand and a record of his meetings with people who influence his life and help make him the writer he becomes. All are larger than life. Some of them, like the author's mysterious Maori aunt, are good enough to bottle (5 of 15, RNZ)
11:05 Grant Smithies reviews new music
11:30 Sports commentator Brendan Telfer
11:45 The week that was with comedians Te Radar and Pinky Agnew