Nine To Noon for Wednesday 23 June 2021

 

09:05 Wellington on high alert after Covid-visit

Health authorities are scrambling to work out where a Covid-positive visitor from Australia went when he and his partner visited Wellington over the weekend June 19 - 21. Four close contacts have been identified and are isolating. Kathryn is joined by University of Otago epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker to talk about the risks to Wellingtonians.

You can see the list of locations the man went to here.

09:20 Andrew Little calls for mental health 'stocktake' 

Health Minister Andrew Little joins Kathryn to talk about the pressure the government is under to roll out its record $1.9b investment in mental health, after revelations just $9m of $235m fund for mental health facilities has been allocated. Minister Little says he wants the funding to roll out faster, and has signalled a review of what's been achieved so far.

09:45 Australia correspondent Karen Middleton

Karen joins Kathryn for the latest on the so-called "Bondi cluster" of Covid cases in New South Wales, which may have spread to Wellington. She'll also look at the return as deputy Prime Minister of Barnaby Joyce, after he defeated Michael McCormack in a leadership spill.

09:52 Delta variant 'incredibly infectious' : WHO advisor & epidemiologist

The Sydney case who visited Wellington sparking the latest Covid scare here has not been confirmed as having the Delta variant of the virus, but the Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says health offiicials are assuming it is. The cluster in Sydney now numbers 21 with 10 new cases just yesterday. WHO advisor and Professor of Epidemiology at the University of New South Wales, Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, says it is incredibly infectious.

10:05 Why do some people push themselves to the limit?

Jenny Valentish was researching a book about addiction and substance abuse she noticed something curious. Some people who treated drug taking like an Olympic sport, would, upon getting sober, hurl themselves into other extreme persuits, like marathon running, boxing or body building. So she decided to find out why some people are so all-or-nothing. Her new book is a window into the experiences of people who push their boundaries to limit, including a female bare-knuckle boxer and a former crack user now addicted to ultramarathon running. Jenny's has personal experience in this sphere too - after getting sober, she took up Thai kickboxing, which soon became an obsession.

10:35 Book review: Cardboard Cowboys by Brian Conaghan

Louise Ward of Wardini Books reviews Cardboard Cowboys by Brian Conaghan, published by Bloomsbury

10:45 The Reading

Hand Me Down World, episode three. Written by Lloyd Jones.

11:05 Music with Jess Fu

Jess joins Kathryn to share a brand new track from sibling trio based in Wellington, Womb, ahead of their 4-date New Zealand tour. She'll also talk about Hildegard's project to record a track each day over eight days - we'll hear Jour 7. And Nice Girl is a Christchurch producer and DJ, Ruby Kerkhofs, who's just released a new track Way with Fantasy to her upcoming debut album. 

11:20 Sydney visitor had one dose of Covid vaccine: Minister

The Covid 19 Minister Chris Hipkins has spoken briefly to media at parliament about the Australian traveler who has texted positive for Covid 19. RNZ's Political Editor Jane Patterson.

11:20 Supporting teachers to bring play back into the classroom 

Sarah Aiono is a teacher and in-school consultant on a mission to bringing more play into the primary school classroom. She's founded Longworth Education, a company which supports teachers to incorporate more play into the school day. She says the value of play as a learning tool can be misunderstood but it's vital for children to develop their critical, creative, innovative and problem-solving skills. Kathryn speaks with Longworth Education's chief executive and co-director Sarah Aiono.

11:45 Nina Tonga: Dawn Raids in the arts

Nina joins Kathryn to talk about the role art and artists play in voicing stories about the Dawn Raids, ahead of the government's apology this week to Pasifika communities affected by them. She'll also talk about the third iteration of Māori Moving Image at Te Uru art gallery.

Nina Tonga is a curator of Contemporary Art at Te Papa.