Nine To Noon for Thursday 3 September 2020

 

 

09:05   Covid poverty for hundreds of Auckland's Pasifika 

Covid-induced hardship in Auckland's Pasifika community is causing children to drop out of school and tertiary education to support their families. Outreach workers say there's been an alarming growth in poverty following retrenchment through the first and second lockdown. Tevita Funaki from the Fono, which is the country's largest Pacific health service, says there's an unprecedented demand for services, and Debbie Sorensen, chief executive of Pasifika Futures and Pasifika Medical Association is gravely concerned by the level of need and distress.

09:25 Quarries not ready for 'shovel-ready'

The quarrying sector is warning of the potential for cost blow outs on shovel-ready projects, as demand for aggregates and sand soars and because of poor planning. All the major parties have pledged huge increases in infrastructure spend as a key policy to address Covid-19's economic impact, but the national quarry organisation says not enough is being done to identify and plan available rock resource. It's citing the massive over spend on Transmission Gully as an example of what can happen when authorities don't plan in advance for the mega requirements of projects on that scale. Wayne Scott is chief executive of the Aggregate and Quarry Association.

09:40 Air NZ's Chief Finance Officer resigns

Air New Zealand chief commercial and customer officer Cam Wallace has resigned. The airline says his role will not immediately be replaced, and the company's chief executive, Greg Foran, will take over his responsibilities. Kathryn Ryan speaks with aviation correspondent Irene King.

09:45 Two NZers on board missing livestock carrier

Two New Zealanders are believed to be on board a live cattle export ship which has gone missing in the East China Sea. The vessel - the Gulf Livestock 1 - was reportedly transporting 5800 cows from Napier to a port in Tangshan, China. Japan's press agency is reporting that the cargo ship carrying dozens of crew members, including two from New Zealand, has issued a distress signal in the middle of a typhoon. RNZ rural reporter Maja Burry with the latest.

09:45 UK mulls how to pay for Covid, schools open, BBC makes a Proms U-turn

UK correspondent Matt Dathan joins Kathryn to talk about relations with Russia hitting a new low, as Germany says it has proof Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was poisoned with Novichok - just as former spy Sergei Skripal was in Salisbury in 2018. There's speculation taxes may be raised to pay the £380 billion cost of Covid, schools are opening for the first time in 6 months and the BBC will play the the Proms' biggest hits after all.

10:05 The truth about headaches

Durham University neuroscientist Professor Amanda Ellison talks to Kathryn about her new book on headaches. From migranes and tension headaches to sinus pain and "ice cream" headaches, Splitting explains the science, and what headaches reveal about the brain and overall health.

10:35 Book review - The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah

John King reviews The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah, published by HarperCollins.

10:45 The Reading

A Hard Up NZ Ltd, part 4, by Susy Pointon, read by Aaron Alexander.

11:05 Are cyber attacks on the rise, tech does well despite Covid, can VR save tourism?

Technology commentator Sarah Putt looks at the cyber attacks on the NZX and other companies - should NZ brace for more? Big tech companies are hitting all time highs, even in the middle of a pandemic. And could a virtual version of New Zealand be a substitute for those who can't make it to our shores?

11:25 Bullying, advice for parents

New research on the prevalence of bullying, and tips not just to help parents prevent it but to help them cope with it . Dr Cara Swit, from the University of Canterbury's School of Health Sciences, is one of a few researchers in New Zealand focusing on how we can react if a child is a bully, or is being bullied.  Dr Swit is spending time with parents and teachers as part of a new three-year longitudinal study, gathering evidence on how young children's behaviour impacts on their health and wellbeing. Dr Swit tells Kathryn Ryan her work has been sparked by some worrying trends she has observed both in the classroom and pre-school.

11:45 Patrick Gower: On Lockdown, I Hate Suzie, Rialto honours women filmmakers

TV Review with Tamar Munch looks at Patrick Gower: On Lockdown, a documentary by the Newshub journalist into some of the effects Covid-19 has had on New Zealanders. She'll also review new dark comedy series I Hate Suzie, and preview what's on offer during Rialto Channel's "Women Filmmakers Honouring Women's Stories" through September.