Nine To Noon for Tuesday 26 June 2018

 

 

09:05 Power struggles - unfair sweeteners to switch back?

Small electricity retailers say their larger competitors are unfairly offering enticements to win customers back once they've switched. Nearly half a million power customers switched suppliers last year - the highest number ever, according to Electricity Authority figures. Around 40 % had returned to their original supplier, after being offered a better deal. Electric Kiwi Chief Executive Luke Blincoe says the system is unfair and anti-competitive. Kathryn also talks with Carl Hansen, the outgoing chief executive of the Electricity Authority, which is seeking submissions on whether to amend the code governing competing for customers, and Sue Chetwin from Consumer NZ.

09:20 Claims Oil And Gas Exploration ban cost billions

The oil and gas industry group Pepanz, claims that right before government's ban on new offshore permits was introduced interest in oil and gas had begun to recover meaning that New Zealand potentially missed out on billions of lost revenue. The Labour led  government announced in early April all new oil and gas exploration offshore  would be banned in a bid to protect New Zealand from the effects of climate change. But it's claimed that documents released under the Official Information Act show the government's petroleum and minerals team was receiving more interest from oil explorers at the end of 2017 than it had seen since at least 2012 -  when the block offer process was brought in.  Cameron Madgwick is the chief executive of Pepanz.

09:45 The broadening border backlash for Trump's presidency

Washington reporter for US News and World Report Gabrielle Levy joins Kathryn to talk about the depth of feeling over the Trump administration's treatment of children of immigrants at the border and the widening backlash.

10:05 The tales of Maud Berridge - a Victorian seafarer

Author Sally Berridge stumbled across the diaries of her great grandmother, Maud, who set sail in the 1880s on epic voyages to the other side of the world. Maud traveled to Australia with her husband, Henry, a ship's captain, and wrote detailed accounts of their journeys. Using Maud's words, her great granddaughter, Sally has told the story of an unflappable wife who battled sea sickness and other hardships on board the ship, Superb. Sally joins Kathryn to tell Maud's story and her own remarkable tale of piecing together her great-grandmother's history.

10:35 NZ Books review - Charles Brasch Journals 1958-1973  

Harry Ricketts with the NZ Books review: Charles Brasch Journals 1958-1973, selected by Peter Simpson, published by Otago University Press.  New Zealand Books Pukapuka Aotearoa is NZ's only periodical dedicated to reviewing our books.

10:45 The Reading

Watch of Gryphons by Owen Marshall told by Peter Hambleton (Part 2 of 5)

11:05 Interesting AGMs and the rebuilding of Fletcher Building

Business commentator, Nikki Mandow is looking at a couple of recent interesting AGMs,  and also, Fletcher Building's plans to get back on track after almost a billion dollars of write-downs. Nikki works for BusinessDesk and Newsroom

11:30 Bowel health: practical advice to prevent dysfunction

When push comes to shove there is nothing as fundamental as a well-functioning bowel! Dr Michael Levitt is a respected Australian colorectal surgeon  who has been recognised for his work raising public awareness and understanding of colorectal cancer. He talks to Kathryn Ryan about what the baseline for bowel health should be in adults and children, and has advice for common bowel disorders and how to prevent dysfunction.

11:45 The pitfalls of politicians straying into comedy

Media commentator Gavin Ellis' take on politicians trying to be funny on radio and how that often backfires. Should Simon Bridges should have learned from John Key's experience. And, how is the NZ Herald faring in the readership and circulation stakes?

Gavin Ellis is a media commentator and former editor of the New Zealand Herald.  He can be contacted on gavin.ellis@xtra.co.nz