Nine To Noon for Thursday 26 August 2021

 

 

09:05 NCEA exams pushed back, "covid credits" on the cards

Around 150 thousand NCEA and scholarship students will sit their external exams two weeks later due to the Covid lockdown. The Qualifications Authority notified schools yesterday of the changes. The deadline for subjects which involve portfolios - such as art and photography - has also been pushed out by two weeks. Nine to Noon understands an announcement on learning recognition credits, so-called "Covid Credits", could be made as early as tomorrow or early next week. Kathryn speaks with Vaughan Couillault, President of the Secondary Principals' Association.

09:20 Construction sector battling inflation, lack of staff and materials

A new report highlights major challenges for the construction sector - including inflation, a lack of skilled staff and material shortages -and that's before lockdown level 4 shut it down. The Accounting & Advisory Firm BDO's fourth annual Construction Report surveyed shareholders, directors, head contractors and sub-contractors from residential and commercial construction industries. 60 per cent of respondents were concerned about rising material costs, and the availability of important materials. Over half had issues with finding skilled staff, and labour costs. The report says the frequent and significant rises in costs faced by builders and the current fixed contract environment are likely to lead to more businesses failing, despite the fact that there is a massive housing shortage and high demand for construction. Kathryn speaks with BDO Partner and construction specialist James MacQueen about the report's emphasis on inflation pressures.

09:30  Do efforts to combat money-laundering really work?

Two financial institutions have been served with formal warnings from authorities this month for failing to comply with anti-money laundering rules - but what does that mean in effect? On Monday Sharesies was cited by the Financial Markets Authority for failing to complete identity verification for up to 7815 customers who had account balances of more than $1000​ as part of standard customer due diligence. And two weeks ago the Reserve Bank issued a formal warning to Westpac, saying its internal systems failed to detect and report almost 8000 corporate transactions to overseas recipients between July 2018 and February 2019. But there's no suggestion either organisation is involved with actual money-laundering. Dr Ron Pol is an outcomes scientist who's studied the effectiveness of AML policy and says it's a tick-box exercise with little impact on catching the crims - or preventing their crimes. 

If you'd like to find out more, Ron has two websites: TeamFactors.com (outcomes science) and EffectiveAML.org (outcomes in AML context).

09:45 Covid cases soar among the young, Afghan dual citizens struggle to leave

UK correspondent Philip Webster looks at how Covid cases among 15 - 24 year-olds are soaring in the southwest, dual citizens are reportedly struggling to get out of Afghanistan and the government has agreed to help an ex-marine bring his rescue animals and staff home.

10:05    When Nobody Was Looking: New film focuses on anti-racism fight

Alex Sutherland turned his camera on another member of his family, to document an extraordinary fight for racial justice in New Zealand. He's directed a short film called When Nobody Was Looking - words uttered by his uncle, Dr Oliver Sutherland, when he appeared before the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. As a member of the Nelson Māori Committee and the Auckland Committee on Race and Discrimination or ACORD Oliver was instrumental in the 1970s and 1980s at helping to investigate and publicise the shocking abuse of children, particularly Māori, by the state.  His book Justice and Race - Campaigns against racism and abuse in Aotearoa New Zealand was published last year and the Loading Docs collection is released today.

10:35 Book review: Steve Hansen: The Legacy by Gregor Paul

Harry Broad reviews Steve Hansen: The Legacy by Gregor Paul, published by HarperCollins NZ

10:45 The Reading

Window Seat (from Can You Tolerate This) written and read by Ashleigh Young.

11:05 Is the Metaverse the next phase of the internet (and what is it?)

Technology commentator Sarah Putt joins Kathryn to talk about how the idea of a Metaverse is now being championed by the CEOs at Facebook and Microsoft - among others - so is it the next phase of the internet or just a buzzword?

11:25 Parenting - supporting tweens and teens to healthy adulthood 

Parenting tweens and teens can be difficult territory to navigate, even more so in a pandemic when a life lived online is accentuated. Clinical psychologist Jo Lamble and Family GP Ginni Mansberg are riding out Covid restrictions in New South Wales. They have combined their years of experience working with families to write a practical parenting guide - The New Teen Age - how to support today's tweens and teens to become healthy happy adults. It is specifically designed for parents, step-parents and carers.

11:45 Film and TV: Nine Perfect Strangers, The Chair, Beckett

Film and TV reviewer Chris Schulz joins Kathryn to talk about Nicole Kidman's new series Nine Perfect Strangers (Amazon Prime), mid-life crisis comedy The Chair (Netflix) with Sandra Oh and manhunt movie Beckett (Netflix) starring John David Washington.

Music played in this show

Track: Hiwa-i-te-Rangi 
Artist: Maisey Rika 
Broadcast time: 10:35am 

Track: All Your Ships Have Sailed
Artist: Troy Kingi
Broadcast time: 10:45am