Nine To Noon for Friday 12 November 2021

 

 

09:05 Turning back a silent invasion of weeds 

A major new report on the threat of exotic plants is warning that if left to their own devices, they will transform our ecosystems beyond recognition. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is now calling for the Government to lift its game in protecting native ecosystems from the thousands of exotic plants spreading across Aotearoa. Since colonisation, more than 25,000 plant species have been introduced to New Zealand, with over 1,800 of these now surviving in the wild without human help. It's being described as a "silent invasion" by species like wild ginger, banana passionfruit, old man's beard, climbing asparagus and russell lupins. The commissioner, Simon Upton tell Susie how national leadership is needed to coordinate a response, and better monitoring and surveillance systems are required. 

09:30 Horses for courses on a Marlborough vineyard 

A family of winemakers in Marlborough are building an equine solution to the tricky problem of sustainably working the land. The Weaver family has run Churton Wines for decades and over the last 15 years have been working hard to make their wine organic and biodynamic. The latest step in that process is training two massive Clydesdale horses to take over from tractors and machines between the vines. It's a bit of a slow process and they're currently fundraising to help train the two horses. Susie talks to Sam Weaver who has spent his working life on the winery and Emma Rossingol who has relocated form Bordeaux in France to train the Clydesdales! 

09:45 Asia correspondent Ed White

Ed reflects on what has been a big week for China and climate politics and although Xi Jinping was missing from COP26, a surprise agreement with the US has been reached. Also there appears no end in sight for China's 'zero-Covid' strategy, with Delta slowly spreading, causing a return to lockdowns.

Ed White is a correspondent with the Financial Times.

10:05   Epic Kiwi tramping tales told in new book Across the Pass

Shaun Barnett is an outdoors author, editor and photographer who began tramping as a teenager in the mountains of Hawke's Bay  - and has tramped the length and breadth of the country since. He's co-authored multiple award-winning books, among them: Classic Tramping in New Zealand, Shelter from the Storm: The story of New Zealand's Backcountry Huts and Tramping, A New Zealand History. For his latest work, however, it's the words of others he's brought to the fore. Across the Pass: A Collection of New Zealand Tramping Writing features the work of a range of Kiwis - from Sir Edmund Hillary and adventurer Graeme Dingle to peace activist Elsie Locke and poet Sam Hunt. Shaun joins Susie, along with Wellington writer and tramping enthusiast Kathy Ombler, who shares her own tale of a cold night, lost on Tongariro with a group of school children.

10:35 Book review: Just Like That: Kevin Ireland New Poems by Kevin Ireland

Harry Ricketts reviews Just Like That: Kevin Ireland New Poems by Kevin Ireland, published by Quentin Wilson Publishing

10:45 The Reading

11:05 Covid in Stratford

Covid testing centres are getting set up this morning in the Taranaki town of Stratford after the discovery of six positive cases.One patient is in hospital....all six are linked to the Auckland outbreak. RNZ reporter Jimmy Ellingham is in Stratford.

11:10 New music with Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy marks the 30th anniversary of Primal Scream's seminal 'Screamadelica'

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

The Black Caps will face Australia for the Twenty20 World Cup title on Monday morning , Sam talks to Susie about what they'll need to do to win it. Plus the All Blacks step up a notch in their never-ending tour and why a victory for gender equality in Australia could mean bad news for New Zealand.

 

11:45 The week that was

Comedians Te Radar and Irene Pink with a few laughs.