Nine To Noon for Monday 7 December 2020

 

09:05  Sea level rise: insurance and retreat - Climate Change Minister James Shaw

Recent research from Victoria University of Wellington has revealed thousands of coastal homes could face huge hikes in insurance premiums, or an inability to get insurance at all, within fifteen years.  The report from the Government-funded Deep South Challenge has assessed the risk for around ten thousand homes in one-in-100-year coastal flood zones, in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.  Across the country around 450-thousand homes are situated within a kilometre of the coast, and are likely to experience a combination of sea level rise and and storm surges. Earlier this year Chair of the recent RMA review panel Tony Randerson QC recommended a new Managed Retreat and Climate Change Adaptation Act, to provide a legal framework, and funding to help managed retreat from areas affected by climate change. 

09:25 Let's get physical: Kiwis' exercise habits on dangerous decline

A leading public health academic says successive governments have failed to prioritise physical activity, and New Zealanders' health and wellbeing continues to decline. The World Health Organisation has just updated its guidelines on physical activity recommending at least two and a half hours of "moderate to vigorous aerobic activity" for adults per week, and an hour per day for children and teens. The WHO says up to 5 million deaths worldwide could be avoided each year if people would run, walk and simply move more. Grant Schofield is Professor of Public Health and Director of the Human Potential Centre at Auckland University of Technology. He says New Zealand has gone from being one of the most active nations in the developed world, to one of worst.

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

There's only a few days left to strike the Brexit deal, rioting in Paris grows over a controversial new security law, and the ultra-right Hungarian government is hit by a sex scandal.

10:05 The evolution of animal consciousness

Scuba-diving philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith talks about his latest book, Metazoa: Animal life and the birth of the mind. He travels deep below the ocean's surface to explore the fundamental links between the evolution of consciousness and the evolution of animals. He is the author of five books, including the award winning  'Other Minds' in which he explored the intelligence of octopus.

10:35 Book review - Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi

Phil Vine reviews Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi, published by Penguin Random House.

10:45 The Reading

Someone to Watch Over Me by Linda Olsson read by Denise O'Connell.

11:05 Political commentators Jones & Sherson

Neale and Trish look at the Government's expression of concern about China's promotion of a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan child's throat. The statement has prompted China's Foreign Ministry to query what the incident had to do with New Zealand. Also the Maori Party leaders' speeches, and the Prime Minister's declaration of a climate change emergency and committing to going carbon neutral by 2025, 

Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of Capital Government Relations.

Trish Sherson is from corporate affairs firm Sherson Willis, and a former ACT press secretary. 

 

11:30 Okiwi Passion - Great Barrier Island's food bowl

It is shaping up to be a busy summer for Caity and Gerald Endt run the Okiwi Passion gardening operation.They grow a huge range of fruit and vegetables enjoyed by locals all year round and snapped up by an influx of holidaymakers over the festive season.
 

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kennedy reflects on his recent three-day walk in Whirinaki Forest, on the edge of Te Urewera, including its history, natural history and in general the solace of forests.

Music played in this show

Artist: Rufus Wainwright
Track: Grey Gardens
Time played: 11:35