Nine To Noon for Friday 14 February 2020

 

 

09:05 The big dry - lack of rain starts to bite

Parched land, water shortages, fire bans and dry pastures are affecting several parts of the country experiencing drought like conditions - and there's no immediate end in sight. A fire ban is in place for much of the North Island, with the upper North experiencing severe drought conditions and parts of Waikato have not seen any significant rain since December. NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll and Northland Federated Farmers Meat and Wool Chair Roger Ludbrook  discuss the implications of the extended dry spell with Kathryn.

09:20 Israel Adesanya: sportsman of the year

Kathryn talks with newly crowned sportsman of the year Israel Adesanya. The mixed martial arts world champion was given the honor at the Halberg Awards in Auckland last night where he delivered a powerful acceptance speech - calling out tall poppy culture and saying it's about time that combat sports are recognised alongside traditional codes like rugby and netball. Israel Adesanya  took up martial arts as a teenager after leaving Rotorua Boys High School, and has been training with Auckland coach Eugene Bareman for a decade.

09:20 Protecting wetlands on private property

Private land-owners are being urged to protect freshwater wetlands in their own back yard.  Just over 90 percent of New Zealand's original wetlands have been lost, and a series of satellite images taken around the country by Forest and Bird show 13 percent of that total were damaged or destroyed between 2001 and 2015.  Forest and Bird and the National Wetland Trust want to make sure the message gets across: that it's important to save what's left, half of which is on private land, at risk of being cleared or drained.  Kathryn speaks with Forest and Bird's Chief Conservation Advisor Kevin Hackwell and Wairapa farmer Aidan Bichan, who has formally protected and restored a few wetland sites - including on his own dairy farm near Featherston.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koro Vaka'uta 

Koro reports that the Northern Marianas is crippled by the economic consequences of coronoavirus prevention.

10:05 An Orchestra of Minorities' Chigozie Obioma

Nigeria's Chigozie Obioma is the first author in Booker Prize history to be nominated for their first and second book. The second, 'An Orchestra of Minorities'  demonstrates an act of masterful storytelling in that it stands out for its unique narrative style, its strong imagery as well as heavy themes of racism, migration, colonisation and class.

Chigozie Obioma is assistant professor of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  In 2015, he was named one of "100 Global Thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine.

He is appearing in Wellington at two events at the New Zealand Festival of the Arts.

10:35 Book review - The Janes by Louisa Luna

Holly Walker reviews The Janes: An Alice Vega Novel by Louisa Luna, published by Text.

10:45 The Reading

Car Love in Kaikai' by Raewyn Alexander, read by Miriama McDowell  (limited webrights)

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​ - The Schizophonics

One of the most thrilling live bands working today, San Diego garage rock trio The Schizophonics is descending on Aotearoa next week for an extensive tour. We hear two songs from their second album People In The Sky today, alongside tracks from NZ/ Detroit hip hop project The Leonard Simpson Duo and San Francisco soul legend, Sly Stone. 

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johannsen - Halberg Awards 

Dana Johannsen looks at the standouts from last night's Halberg Awards, also the issue of player welfare and overloading concerns in Super Rugby.

11:45 The week that was

Comedians Pinky Agnew and Elisabeth Easther with a wrap of the funny headlines.

Music played in this show

Artist:   Stevie Wonder
Song: Higher Ground
Time: 10:30

Artist:   Finn Johanssen
Song: Love Bomb
Time: 10:40