Nine To Noon for Monday 14 June 2021

 

 

09:05 'A perfect storm': Major backlog in employment disputes waiting to be heard by ERA

Employment lawyers say a 'perfect storm' of factors have caused a massive backlog in cases waiting to be heard by the Employment Relations Authority, putting strain on employers and employees awaiting decisions. The Employment Relations Authority helps to solve employment disputes if the issue cannot be resolved through mediation. But Covid-related employment issues, disruption to investigations caused by last year's lockdowns, and increasingly complex cases have jammed up the dispute resolution system. In the South Island, 60 cases are still awaiting allocation, while in the top half of the North Island, around 130 cases are awaiting allocation. That's a 27 percent increase in the first six months of 2021 when compared to the same time in 2019. Kathryn speaks with Anthony Drake, an employment lawyer and the vice president of the Employment Law Institute and Nathan Santesso, the director of The Worker's Advocate.

09:20  International space agreement takes off 

New Zealand has become the latest signatory to an international space agreement, but has made clear its particular concern is about ensuring the sustainability of space mining. The Artemis Accords are a set of principles to guide space cooperation, and will support NASA's plans to return humans to the moon by 2024 and to launch a historic mission to Mars. The government says as one of only a few countries with space launch capability, New Zealand must take the responsibilities of kaitiakitanga of the space environment seriously, and ensure that minerals taken from the moon or elsewhere in space are used sustainably. Dr Peter Crabtree, the head of the New Zealand Space Agency speaks with Kathryn. 

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

The G7 has wrapped-up in the UK with key points including -  vaccines, climate change. ongoing Brexit gripes and a tribute to German Chancellor, Angela Merkel who has attended her last G7.

And Covid delayed Euro 2020 finally kicks off - Seamus is in Zagreb where Croatia supporters gathered.

10:05 Author Suzanne McCourt on her husband's escape from Poland

Australian author Suzanne McCourt, found inspiration for her latest novel from a diary sent to her husband in the post. It had come from his Uncle Kazimierz in Poland, and contained the details of his father and uncle and the life they led under occupation - Russian and German - through the most devastating wars of the 20th century. Suzanne's husband Stan escaped post-war Poland and set out to Australia by sea.  He helped to translate his uncle's diary, and it's helped form the basis of Suzanne's book The Tulip Tree. Suzanne's first novel The Lost Child was long-listed for the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2015 and her novella The Last Taboo: A Love Story shared first prize in the Griffith Review in 2016 - raising some difficult subject matter. She tells Kathryn about that, and her passion for dogs that seen her pen a number of gift books about old dogs, and help introduce the Story Dogs Literacy Programme into Victorian primary schools.

10:35 Book review: Should We Stay Or Should We Go by Lionel Shriver

David Hill reviews Should We Stay Or Should We Go by Lionel Shriver, published by Harper Collins

10:45 The Reading

The Years Before My Death, episode 10. Written and read by David McPhail.

11:05 Political commentators Jones & Morten

Kathryn, Neale and Brigitte discuss the Government's electric vehicle rebate scheme which will be funded through levies on high emission new cars and imports. Also the Immigration Minister's visa extension for 10.000 foreign workers.

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.

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 Cooking duck with Jenny Garing

Duck shooting season is underway in various parts of the country - so we're looking at the many ways to serve the game bird. Jenny Garing Is a food writer, loves opportunities to teach culinary skills and she also creates exotic spice blends for her Ground Gourmet Essentials range. She is presenting a Blenheim community cooking course later this month - the focus will be  'Cooking All Things Duck', including striving for the perfect duck fat roast potato. 

11:45 Abbeyfield: how heath and housing can go hand in hand

Bill joins Kathryn to look at at Abbeyfield, a housing initiative that offers independent living for older people in the company of others, by a largely volunteer community provider. Residents pay reasonable food and board, with none of the complications of retirement villages. Should more investment go into similar community endeavours?

Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.