Nine To Noon for Monday 21 December 2020

 

09:05 NZ at risk of losing skilled labour if family separations continue

There are concerns New Zealand will lose skilled migrant labour if employees aren't able to bring their families into the country as planned. The pandemic closed borders in March, with restrictions on who could enter if they weren't New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Some exemptions have been made, including for film and America's Cup crew and their families. That's irked migrants, whose families can't join them. Their employers worry skilled employees will leave if the situation doesn't change. Kathryn talks to Marius Weyers, who hasn't seen his youngest child since she was 2 months old,  IntoNZ immigration consultant Katy Armstrong and Palace Software part-owner Mandy Welch, whose employee's family had all the paperwork to live and work here - but had flights booked four days after the border shut.
 

09:30 Tourism boom on Stewart Island

International visitors have had to stay away this year, but domestic travellers has been going to Stewart Island in droves.  Accommodation is booked up, food outlets are flat out and more flights are constantly being put on to cope with holiday makers. Kathryn talks to  Bill Moffatt from Stewart Island Flights, Helen Cave from South Sea Hotel and Ulva Goodwillie who runs Ulva's Guided Walks - they are all flat tack.

 

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

Covid dashes Christmas plans for millions of people across Europe and is a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU now out of reach?

10:05  Raelene Castle returns home to get kiwis moving

Raelene Castle was the first woman Chief Executive of the Australian rugby league club the Canterbury Bulldogs and the first woman CEO of Rugby Australia. Both jobs were a baptism of fire, with multiple high profile and controversial issues thrown at her. Most notably the sacking of Wallabies star Israel Folau, with a settlement speculated to be in the millions, over social media posts Rugby Australia deemed offensive to the LGBTQI community. 

Now she is back in New Zealand as the first female Chief Executive of Sport New Zealand . It, and its subsidiary High Performance Sport New Zealand, have faced growing criticism and tension over athlete welfare in several sporting codes. Raelene talks with Kathryn about her varied career and what motivates her to take on her latest role.

10:35 Book review - Christmas book shopping 

Bookshops are always heaving in the week running up to Christmas, but the delays in stock arriving this year have added another layer to the book buying dilemma. Former bookseller Robert Kelly joins Kathryn with some advice for last minute book buying in the festive frenzy. 

10:45 The Reading

Africa and Tauranga by Sarah Boddy, read by Michael Whalley.

11:05 Political commentators Mills & Morten

A look back on the political landscape and a look forward and also a busy few days in politics including the Simpson/Roche review and three billion dollars in new spending. 

Stephen Mills is the executive director of UMR Research , which is the polling firm used by Labour.  He is former political adviser to two Labour governments.

Brigitte Morten is a senior consultant with public and commercial law firm Franks & Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government. 

 

11:30 Last minute Christmas dinner: Julie and Ilaria Biuso

Author of sixteen award-winning cookbooks, Julie Biuso, with her daughter Ilaria have put together Shared Kitchen, named after their recipe sharing site.  Julie and Ilaria share a recipe for a butterflied leg of lamb which can be cooked on the barbecue, an exotic eggplant and date salad to go with the lamb and a last minute Christmas Porter cake.  Plus ten top tips for cooking the perfect turkey.

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kennedy joins the show from  Kororareka (Russell)  in the Bay of Islands where he has deep family connections, going back to his grandfather's boatbuilding and swordfishing years there. He looks at the history and conflict of the areas. He also talks to Kathryn about summer holiday conservation volunteer opportunities, including a project called Wild Heart spearheaded by landscape architect and wilderness advocate Mick Abbott.