Nine To Noon for Tuesday 21 April 2020

 

 

 

09:05  Covid-19. Getting ready for what comes next

The decision has been made to extend the national lockdown at alert level 4 until midnight next Monday. In the meantime work continues at pace to prepare for what comes next. That means maintaining strict border controls and ramping up testing and tracing. University of Otago's Dr Ayesha Verrall says when these systems work well they are as effective as many vaccines. She's the author of the independent contact tracing audit Cabinet took  into account when deciding to delay ending the lockdown. So when will she be satisfied that we are ready to exit level 4?

09:20  Carnage for some cafes, restaurants and bars

Hospitality New Zealand Chief executive Julie White says a move next week to level 3 may not be enough to save thousands of businesses facing closure. Under level 3, cafes, bars and restaurants will remain closed to the public but can offer contactless delivery services.

09:30 Shopping to resume - but not as we know it

Under alert level three, online shopping will be open for all  - not just essential - businesses. Click and collect will be permitted as long as it's done safely. But bricks and mortar shops will have to remain shut, and that's a concern for Campbell Barbour from the New Zealand Council of Retail Property, which represents some of the biggest shopping centres in the country. He's joined by Greg Harford, the CEO of Retail NZ, who says a quarter of retailers have no online purchasing capability.

09:40 Businesses hurting but support extension of L4: EMA

Kathryn talks with Brett O'Riley, Chief Executive of the Employers and Manufacturers' Association. He says businesses are hurting, but generally support the government's decision to extend Level 4 til next week.

09:50 Concern about growing migrant crisis in Queenstown 

Thousands of migrant workers in Queenstown have lost their jobs and are now stranded with no income, high rent bills and no way to return home. The Queenstown District Lakes Council, local chamber of commerce and social support groups are asking the government for help. Chamber of Commerce Chief executive Anna Mickell says a fresh wave of redundancies is about to exacerbate an already bad situation as the large hotels make plans to shut up shop for months. Kathyn also speaks with The Salvation Army's Queenstown Director of Community Ministries Lieutenant Andrew Wilson.

 

10:05 Turning Tiger King into a comic book

Graphic novelist, poet and academic Michael Frizell is researching and writing the new comic book version of Netflix's super popular true crime series 'Tiger King'. Set in the world of private zoos, it tells the tale of flamboyant zoo keeper Joe Exotic, and his rivalry with big cat rescue activist Carole Baskin. In the US it was watched by some 34.3 million viewers in the first 10 days after it was released on Netflix.

Michael Frizell is Missouri State University's director of student learning services.

10:35 Book review - What Stars are Made Of by Sarah Allen

David Hill reviews What Stars are Made Of by Sarah Allen, published by Penguin Random House.

10:45 The Reading

The Bright Side of My Condition, episode 1 by Charlotte Randall, read by Brian Sergent.

11:05 What a staged reopening of the economy will look like

Business commentator Rod Oram joins Kathryn to talk about which businesses can and can't open under alert level three, what preparation has gone into different industries' reopening and how far the government's substantial funding can stretch for businesses needing to hang on to their employees.

11:30 Covid 19 : global mobility and immigration

Covid 19 is having a massive impact on global mobility as people the world stay home. Statistics New Zealand data suggests that 2019 saw the largest net migration gain in New Zealand ever. But 2020 looks like it will be the polar opposite. What are the implications? Massey University  demographer Distinguished Professor Paul Spoonley.

11:45 Media commentator Andrew Holden - ongoing media turbulence

The Australian government has announced around $100 million in support for its media and sectors of New Zealand's media industry are hoping the NZ government follows suit. This as Stuff asks its readers to donate to its journalism, and will Google and Facebook have to pay for journalism?.

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.