Nine To Noon for Friday 27 May 2022

 

09:05 Legal case against government over protection of marine animals

A legal case is being brought against the government for failing to use laws that would protect thousands of marine animals. The landmark legal proceedings have been filed today by the Environmental Law Initiative - a non-profit which aims to ensure the effective protection of natural resources. The respondents in the case are the Minister of Conservation, the Attorney General, and the Directors General of the Department of Conservation and Ministry for Primary Industries. The Environmental Law Initiative alleges that some aspects of the government's management of protected species may be unlawful, including the way reporting on bycatch is conducted,  and the way some offences connected to bycatch are investigated and prosecuted. A 2019 report by the Ministry for the Environment found found 22% of all assessed marine mammals, 90% of all seabirds and 80% of shore birds are threatened or at risk of extinction.  Kathryn speaks with Ingrid O'Sullivan, Environmental Law Initiative's Senior Policy Advisor for Oceans and Coasts.

09:20 China's dramatic expansion plans in the Pacific

Leaked documents have revealed Beijing is proposing a region-wide deal with 10 countries, covering police training, biometrics like fingerprints, new trade arrangements and scholarships. The New Zealand government is being criticised for letting its relationships with Pacific islands drift, as China tries to boost its influence in the region. In a letter to 21 Pacific leaders, the president of the Federated States of Micronesia David Panuelo said the Common Development Vision  threatens "to bring a new Cold War era at best and a World War at worst". Reports of China's latest proposal for the Pacific come just days after the United States formed an economic alliance of a dozen Asia-Pacific nations, aimed at countering Beijing's dominance in the region. China's foreign minister Wang Yi is in the Solomon Islands, where he is expected to sign a security pact. Global interdisciplinary scholar Steven Ratuva is the Director of the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury. He says the geopolitical gaming already started, with Australia's new Foreign Minister, Penny Wong already in the Pacific  to push back. Professor Ratuva says New Zealand and the US need to do the same. 

09:30 Driving lessons at school: saves lives

Driving advocates are calling for driving lessons to be taught in all high schools to help save lives and keep young people out of prison. $86.5 million has been provided in the Budget to fund driving lessons and tests for 64,000 Kiwis. The funds have been welcomed by driver education advocates, but they say we need to be more proactive.  Kathryn speaks with Driving Change Network's national co-ordinator Wendy Robertson, who wants driver training to start in school to help students achieve full licences faster. Meanwhile analysis of the Bay of Plenty and rural Waikato-based Blue Light Youth Driver Programme estimates the dollar value to society of young people being able to drive properly is $10m,contributing to the expansion of employment opportunities and earning potential, while driving legally also helps keep young people out of court.  Over 30% of under 25s who end up in prison enter the justice system via driving offences.  Blue Light's Youth Driver Navigator Programme's National Coordinator Ken Harema also joins.

09:45 Asia correspondent Elizabeth Beattie

Elizabeth talks to Kathryn about China's latest foray into the Pacific. And in Pakistan, there are reports of clashes in after ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party have pushed on with protests plans, despite officials banning the demonstration. And on the heels of the US President's first Asia trip, North Korea has fired a series of ballistic missiles. Joe Biden had agreed, during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, to deploy more U.S. support to South Korea to deter North Korea's weapons testing.

Elizabeth Beattie is a journalist at Thomson Reuters, based in Tokyo
 

10:05 Conquering New Zealand's 24 tallest peaks in 31 days

Only a handful of mountaineers have climbed all 24 of New Zealand's 3000m plus peaks.  Kiwi mountaineer Alastair McDowell and partner Hamish Fleming are the only ones to have done it in under a month and in a single push. It's a feat that usually takes a lifetime. Alastair will be speaking at the Mountain Film Festival in Wanaka, Queenstown and online running between June 24 and July 2.    

10:35 Book review: Larry and Viv by Graeme Lay    

Ralph McAllister reviews Larry and Viv by Graeme Lay, published by Renaissance Publishing

10:45 The Reading

Danielle Cormack with part five of Mansfield, by C K Stead.

11:05 New music with Jeremy Taylor

Side project The Smile delivers one of the strongest sets from the Radiohead camp in years, intriguing sounds from Haitian folk star Leyla McCalla, plus local sounds for NZ Music Month from Asta Rangu and Al Park.

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Sam is hot under the collar over the 'heated debate’ between a controversial now ex-Warrior and the team owner. Also, we look into the abrupt end of one of New Zealand’s top cricketing careers, the Blues bold Super Rugby move and E sports on its way to the Commonwealth Games.
 

11:45 The week that was with

Comedians Te Radar and Gemma Gracewood bring a few laughs