Nine To Noon for Tuesday 17 March 2020

 

 

09:05 Adrian Orr: what more can the central bank do?

The Finance Minister Grant Robertson will unveil a multi-billion dollar rescue plan later today, to help combat the deepening impact of the Covid-19, expected to be worse than the Global Financial Crisis. Yesterday the Reserve Bank cut the official cash rate to an all time low of zero-point-two-five percent (0.25%) and says that will remain in place for at least the next 12 months.It was a coordinated approach with central banks around the world. In the United States the benchmark Federal Reserve's target interest rate is now between zero and nought-point-two percent. What further moves can our central bank now make? Could zero or negative interest rates be on the cards? Kathryn talks with Reserve Bank Governor, Adrian Orr.

09:05 What are supermarkets doing to keep shelves stocked?

As the Covid-19 pandemic fuels panic buying around the world, what assurances can supermarkets give customers about whether they can get food and other items when they need them? Kathryn is joined by Kiri Hannifin, who's Countdown's General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Quality, Safety and Sustainability, and Foodstuff's North Island CEO Chris Quin to look at what they are doing for their customers and workers.

09:30  Auckland Council responds to land-bankers' criticism

One of the country's biggest land-bankers, Garry Robertson, says local council compliance hurdles and delays are a major headache for people like him, and developers - and must shoulder some of the blame for the housing crisis. Mr Robertson estimates the land he's purchased and sold to developers has been turned into 15 thousand sections and now house tens of thousands of people. He's been involved with some of Auckland's best known new housing areas including Milldale, Silverdale, Flat Bush, Pokeno and Tuakau. Yesterday, he told told Kathryn it can take up to 15 years from the time a land-aggregator like him buys land, to the time it sells to a developer, and these delays are helping to drive up the cost to homeowners. Auckland Councillor Chris Darby, chair of the Council's Planning Committee, responds to the criticism.

09:45 USA correspondent Ron Elving on America's shutdown

Covid-19 is shutting down much of America yet somehow leaving a substantial minority unmoved.  The intense Donald Trump supporters apparently deem it disloyal to the president to take any precautions at all. And what had been a tardy response by the White House has become another skirmish in the running war between the president and the realities around him.  

Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News.

10:05 MBS. Saudi Arabia's 'Mr Everything'

New York Times Beirut bureau chief, Ben Hubbard, has written a gripping portrait of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his mythic rise to power. Also known as MBS, the prince has been linked to the grisly killing of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, and isn't afraid to use big tech to spy on dissidents.

Ben Hubbard has been reporting out of the Middle East for 15 years and is fluent in Arabic. His book is called 'MBS: The rise to power of Mohammed bin Salman'.

10:35 Book review - Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor

John King reviews Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor, Text Publishing.

10:45 The Reading

Snapper in a Landscape  written and read by Declan O’Neill:   Episode 2 of 6 

11:05 Business commentator Rebecca Stevenson

Rebecca Stevenson joins Kathryn to talk about boomers, Covid-19 business fallout and she looks at what is considered to be an old house?

Stuff's national business editor Rebecca Stevenson.

11:30 Finding stillness in the constant Babble

Auckland Arts Festival event, Babble brings young South Auckland voices to the stage. Kathryn talks to Babble director, Scotty Cotter and performer Hunter Karaka about navigating a noisy world.

11:45 Media commentator Andrew Holden

The implications of Covid-19 for the media industry, not least what are sports reporters going to do?.  And it's the third anniversary of Newsroom, established by news veterans Tim Murphy and Mark Jennings.

Andrew Holden is a journalist for more than 30 years including five as Editor of The Press (in Christchurch) and four as Editor-in-Chief of The Age in Melbourne. 

Music played in this show

 

 

Artist: Fenella 
Song: Rotation Wells
Time: 11.22

Artist:  Ezra Furman
Song: Love You So Bad
Time: 11.43