Nine To Noon for Wednesday 15 December 2021

 

09:05 Backlog of 45,000 breast screens since lockdown

The Breast Cancer Foundation fears lives are being put at risk, as tens of thousands of mammograms are delayed due to Covid. Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall has confirmed a back-log of 45,000 breast cancer since lock-downs started, to this September. The Breast Cancer Foundation says this backlog is "unacceptable, alarming and needs urgent action". There are concerns other cancer screening services, including prostate, are also being affected by Covid-related delays in the health system. Kathryn speaks to the Chief Executive of The Breast Cancer Foundation Ah-Leen Rayner and Chris Jackson, an academic oncologist and former medical director of the Cancer Society. 

09:30 Ika Rere: the electric ferry heading for Wellington's harbour

The first electric ferry in the southern hemisphere is soon to hit the seas in Wellington. Ika Rere is its name - it means 'flying fish'. It will join the East by West ferry fleet, as part of the return service from Wellington to Eastbourne.  East by West managing director Jeremy Ward decided to bring electric passenger ferries to New Zealand after seeing them in action in fiords of Norway. In 2018 he set up the Wellington Electric Boat Building Company - a subsidiary of East by West - with boatbuilder Fraser Foote. Not only did the pair bring the electric ferry to Wellington, they've helped bring boat building back to the capital - 20 years after it fizzled out, and they hope to keep building electric ferries from their Lower Hutt base. On Thursday Ika Rere will be opened up to guests to look at, with sailings set to start before Christmas - with the ferry going into full service in the new year.

09:45 Australia correspondent Annika Smethurst

Annika joins Kathryn to look at the reopening of state borders, with tearful scenes at airports in Queensland and confirmation Western Australia will open its border again for the first time in two years in February. Meanwhile Omicron numbers are continuing to rise in New South Wales, with particular concerns about a super-spreader event at a Newcastle nightclub where at least 150 of 680 people who attended The Argyle House nightclub on December 8 have tested positive to COVID.

10:05 Tweedie Waititi: Bringing Disney classics into te ao Maori

From lion to raiona,  princess to pirinihehe and ocean to moana! Kathryn meets Tweedie Waititi, film producer, writer,  director and one of the creators behind the Te Reo Māori adaptations of some of Disney's most beloved films.  Her production company Matewa Media, which she runs with film-maker Chelsea Winstanley, brought an entirely Te Reo Māori version of Moana to the big screen in 2017.

10:35 Book review: Murder Under Her Skin by Stephen Spotswood

Angie Cairncross reviews Murder Under Her Skin by Stephen Spotswood, published by Penguin RandomHouse

10:45 The Reading

Gifted, episode nine. Written by Patrick Evans.​

11:05 Music with RNZ's Charlotte Ryan

Charlotte joins Kathryn to play a new Christmas song recorded by Marlon Williams for Paul Kelly's Christmas album, along with a couple of her festive favourites.

11:20 Why big cities are getting smaller

Kathryn talks with Massey University migration expert Paul Spoonley about the decline in population of cities around the world. London's population is expected to fall by 300,000 this year, and Sydney's by up to 200,000. Stats NZ is forecasting a drop in Auckland's population also. The reason? Mobility and migration changes due to Covid 19.

11:45 Science commentator Siouxsie Wiles

Siouxsie joins Kathryn with an update on Omicron and vaccines for children. And she'll detail research into an mRNA vaccine against HIV that is showing promise in animal studies.

Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles is the head of Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland.