Nine To Noon for Wednesday 20 June 2018

 

09:05 Further insurance hikes looming for homes in quake zones?

Tower Insurance has defended its new risk based pricing model for home owners, saying it affects only a small number of policy holders.  The company said it was now charging more for properties in high-risk zones such as earthquake-prone Wellington. Kathryn Ryan speaks to the the Chief Executive of the Insurance Council Tim Grafton about what this development means for the industry.

09:20 Making big data work for society

The data revolution is transforming businesses but how can it work more effectively for Governments and public organisations? Why the public sector behind the private in the way that it utilises data and how can that be changed? These are questions that Professor Julia Lane from NYU Wagner is tackling in her work. She returning home to New Zealand as a guest of the University of Auckland to give a speech called, "What is the future of Social Science data?"

09:45 Pauline Hanson's party of two

Australia correspondent, Bernard Keane, has the latest One Nation drama; the Liberal Party backing of a policy to privatise the ABC and accusations of anti-China sentiment.

10:05 Mark Kurlansky: Milk!

Mark Kurlansky has been called the "master of modern microhistory". His previous books Cod, Salt, and The Big Oyster, were bestselling global food histories. His latest book, Milk! A 10,000-Year Food Fracas traces the diverse history of the white liquid from antiquity to the present.

10:35 Book review - Love and Ruin by Paula McLain

Charlotte Graham-McLay reviews Love and Ruin by Paula McLain, published by Hachette

10:45 The Reading

The Stove Rake by Denise Keay read by Tandi Wright (Part 8 of 10)

11:05 The music of Cole Porter

The songs of Cole Porter as sung by Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Eartha Kit and Ella Fitzgerald.

Graeme Downes is a musicologist and senior lecturer in the Department of Music at the University of Otago.

11:20 Bullying book shows 'freaks' have more fun

Paranormal author Steff Green talks to Kathryn Ryan about why she's turning to childrens' fiction for the first time with an anti-bullying novel about being different, Only Freaks Turn Things Into Bones, illustrated by Bree Roldan. Steff Green is known for her dark fantasy and paranormal novels for adults, and was the recipient of the 2017 Attitude Award for Artistic Achievement. She is also an occasional gothic wedding celebrant.

Steff's Kickstarter campaign goes until the end of June.

11:45 Contracts and dismissals

Employment lawyer Charles McGuinness discusses the new contracts being considered by Spark employees, and when can a worker be terminated for medial incapacity.