Nine To Noon for Tuesday 30 June 2020

 

 

09:05 Family court reforms. Delays and costs still a worry

The largest independent study undertaken to examine the 2014 Family Law reforms has found delays and legal costs to be major ongoing concerns for parents and caregivers' using the family court system. Already some of those changes are being reversed (from July 1st lawyers will be allowed, once again, to get involved with non-urgent family court disputes) but experts warn that the huge delays that have been blamed on the 2014 changes will remain unless there's an increase to legal aid. Report author and Director of the Children's Issues Centre at Otago University Nicola Taylor joins Auckland University's Mark Henaghan to discuss. The research was funded by the New Zealand Law Foundation.

09:20 Electricity watchdog upholds trading complaint against generators

An Electricity Authority investigation has found more water was spilled from hydro dams than needed for 15 days last December, which ultimately led to higher power prices for customers. The preliminary findings are the result of a complaint of undesirable trading made by a group of eight small electricity providers against Meridian and Contact Energy. The Electricity Authority later widened the probe to include Genesis Energy. The Authority has confirmed that undesirable trading occurred between the 3rd and 18th of December, but it is yet to decide what action to take. The  Authority is now investigating whether the actions were also a breach of the high standards of trading conduct code,  provisions which carry pecuniary penalties.  RNZ's Andrew McCrae is covering the story.

09.25 Calls for mandatory pelvic health checks for new mothers

A petition is gathering speed calling for new mothers to be entitled to routine pelvic health checks by a qualified pelvic health/women's health physiotherapist for pregnancy related issues and pelvic floor dysfunction. Lynn Freeman speaks with Rotorua based personal trainer Kirsty Watt, who started the petition, and pelvic health physio Liz Childs, who says the system is letting women down and setting them up for complications further down the line.

09:45 USA correspondent Susan Davis

Susan Davis talks to Lynn about the second surge of coronavirus and the response from the White House. Also the state of the presidential race and Joe Biden extending his lead over Donald Trump in the election. 

Susan Davis is a congressional correspondent for NPR and a co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast.

10:05 Plastic free July founder "I didn't set out to start a revolution'

Plastic Free July founder Rebecca Prince Ruis says she didn't set out to start a revolution when she uttered the words 'I'm going plastic free next month, who wants to join?", but that's what happened! Now the challenge is celebrating its ten year anniversary with 250 million people involved in 177 countries. Rebecca Prince Ruis has  just published a book celebrating 10 years of the challenge called, 'Plastic Free.'

You can find some New Zealand resources for the Plastic Free July  challenge here.

 

10:35 Book review - Come Again by Robert Webb

Hannah August reviews Come Again by Robert Webb, published by Allen & Unwin.

A perfect novel for a holiday with bad weather. Less perfect in other situations.

10:45 The Reading

The Writer's Festival  by Stephanie Johnson.  Part 2 of 12. 
 Read by Judith Gibson & Nigel Collins (unlimited webrights) 

11:05 Refining NZ tilts to importing, Fonterra's new chair, Aroa Biosurgery floats on the ASX

Business commentator Rod Oram looks at Refining NZ's moves to simplify its operation and do more work on its importing model. Fonterra has picked one of its current directors to be its new chair, as the co-op looks to make a significant shift in the way it pays farmer-supplier. And Auckland-based Aroa Biosurgery is seeking to raise NZ$48m on the ASX.

11:30 Dalai Lama's mantras set to music

Aucklander Junelle Kunin (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) had the idea of putting together an album infused with the Tibetan spiritual leader's mantras and chants, and her musician/producer husband, Abraham helped with the creation. The album Inner World is set for worldwide release Monday 6 July, to coincide with the Dalai Lama's 85th birthday. Recordings of the Dalai Lama speaking and chanting are woven through the music produced by Abraham, and performed by a range of artists. Here is the first track released, Compassion.

11:45 Media commentator Andrew Holden

Andrew puts the spotlight on news coverage of the quarantine issues and he also talks to Lynn about a big story out of Australia, the two year investigation into a former High Court Justice sexually harassing young associates

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.