09:05 Transforming the Resource Management Act

The Government has tasked itself with overhauling the Resource Management Act - but what could a transformed RMA look like? The law is often blamed for excessive and complex delays to housing planning and development. The Government yesterday launched a "comprehensive overhaul" of the Act to better protect the environment and make it easier to build houses. With Kathryn this morning is John Tookey, a professor of construction development at AUT and Gary Taylor from the Environmental Defence Society.

Wood Home Framing Abstract At Construction Site.

Photo: 123RF, Andy Dean Photography

0930 Parents seek help to reduce children's screentime

Helping children to reduce their screentime can be as simple as remembering what you did as a child - encouraging outdoor play. In the US, there is a growing demand for screen-free parenting coaches. Parents are hiring professionals to help come into their homes to help them wean  their children from spending excessive time online staring at the screen of their tablets, phones and other devices. Here, the Ministry of Health guidelines for screen time usage is less than one hour each day for children aged 2 to 5 years. To examine some strategies for helping cut down on screentime, Gloria DeGaetano is a private coach working in the Seattle area helping families to deal with the issue.

Gloria DeGaetano

Gloria DeGaetano Photo: supplied by Gloria DeGaetano

09:45 Boris as Prime Minister: Day One

UK correspondent Matthew Parris reports on Boris Johnson's first day in the top job; his promise to deliver Brexit by Halloween and the new Cabinet ministers he's appointed.

Boris Johnson arrives as Prime Minister to Downing Street and makes his first speech. London, UK. 24/07/2019 | usage worldwide

Photo: AFP

10:05 The man who volunteered to go to Auschwitz

It's a story from World War Two that had never really been told before - one of a Polish man who volunteered to infiltrate Auschwitz and get word to the Allies about what was happening inside. The exploits of Witold Pilecki are extraordinary - not only did he manage to survive the daily horror of the death camp but he smuggled reports out of the camp, formed a one-thousand strong resistance army within it, helped execute SS officers by putting typhus-infected lice on their uniforms - and finally escaped the camp himself. All of this is documented in 'The Volunteer' - a new book by Jack Fairweather.

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Photo: Supplied

10:35 Book review - The Golden State by Lydia Kiesling

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Photo: Text Publishing

Gina Rogers reviews The Golden State by Lydia Kiesling, which is published by Text Publishing.

10:45 The Reading

Part four of Pearly Gates by Owen Marshall, read by Gavin Rutherford. 

11:05 Facial recognition: crime tool or breach of privacy?

Technology commentator Paul Matthews looks at the ethical dilemma that's come with the development of facial recognition technology - where is it useful and how accurate is it? He'll also talk to Kathryn about the use of drones in New Zealand and what the government's doing to invest and develop the industry. Finally he'll talk about the success of the Tahi, Rua, Toru Tech school programme at the CIO Awards. 

Biometric verification. Modern young man with the phone. The concept of a new technology of face recognition on polygonal grid is constructed by the points of IT security and protection

Photo: 123RF/ Oleshko Artem

11:25  Parents: Keep your cool!

A mother talking to her daughter.

A mother talking to her daughter. Photo: 123rf.com

Education consultant and parenting coach Joseph Driessen says it's understandable when parents give in to anger, frustration and even depression when dealing with difficult children. But he says over reacting, or responding by being either authoritarian or overly permissive are not the way forward. He shares his toolkit for breaking the cycle, and starting afresh in a new way.

11:45 The Great Hack, Big Little Lies season 2 and NZIFF

Film and TV reviewer Sarah McMullan looks at the new Netflix documentary on Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, The Great Hack. She'll also talk about whether the second season of Big Little Lies delivered and the current crop of TV and films raising concerns - including Euphoria and Midsommar. 

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Photo: IMDb