Nine To Noon for Thursday 23 June 2022

 

 

09:05 New pig welfare code facing stiff opposition

New Zealand's pig farming sector says a new draft welfare code for pigs could spell the end of the country's pork industry. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee has drafted a new code, following a High Court ruling in November 2020 that deemed farrowing crates unlawful. It's proposing a range of changes to the way pigs are cared for, including increased space allowances, restrictions on farrowing crates and an increased weaning age. But New Zealand's pig farming body NZ Pork says the new code could lead to the deaths of 60,000 piglets every year and would require almost every indoor and outdoor pig farm in the country to be partly or totally re-built. Lynn speaks with Dr Gwyneth Verkerk, the chair of the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and Brent Kleiss, chief executive of NZ Pork.

09:30 Runaway Technology: Can law keep up?

What are consumer interests and rights in the age of big tech? And can our laws keeping up with swift change?Joshua Fairfield is a professor at the Washington and Lee University School of Law in the US,  and the author of "Runaway Technology: Can Law keep up?" He says we can and must craft laws to protect consumer interests in the age of big tech. He talks to Lynn Freeman about online consumer contracts, laws for online communities, and data and privacy protection. Professor Fairfieid is currently in Wellington as a guest of Victoria University and will give a guest lecture today.

09:45 UK: Rail strike, food bills up £380, by-elections and bird tag mystery

UK correspondent Matthew Parris joins Lynn to talk about the massive disruption to millions of passengers across Britain due to rail strikes, as negotiations overnight fail to stop more planned action tomorrow. Shoppers face a £380 increase in their annual grocery bills, according new research - a lot higher than what was forecast. Two by-elections taking place today could provide another blow to Boris Johnson's authority, the summer solstice and the mystery over a bird tag that was taken to some puzzling locations.

10:05 Angels of Sinjar: Hanna Polak on documenting the horror of Isis

Of all the barbaric acts committed by Isis, the genocide of the Yezidi people stunned the world. In August 2014 Isis carried out an attack in the Sinjar area of northern Iraq, home to the Yezidis. Men and boys who refused to convert to Islam were killed and dumped in mass graves. Thousands of women and girls were forced to become sexual slaves and many remain captive. Polish director, cinematographer and producer Hanna Polak's new documentary follows one woman's fight to be reunited with her five sisters, who were abducted, raped and sold into slavery. It's not Hanna's first foray into telling the stories of those fighting on the fringes - her documentary The Children of Leningradsky about Moscow's streetkids - was nominated for an Oscar and two Emmys. Angels of Sinjar is screening now as part of the DocEdge festival. 

10:35 Book review: Explore the Cemeteries of Westland and Buller by John Stewart

Owner and manager of Take Note Hokitika bookstore, Robyn Cuff reviews Explore the Cemeteries of Westland and Buller by John Stewart, plus others from their specialist rare West Coast books collection.

10:45 The Reading

 The New Ships, episode three. Written by Kate Duignan.

11:05 Tech: What now for Kim Dotcom? Microsoft gets tough on AI, tech in tough times

Technology correspondent Peter Griffin joins Lynn to look at where the decision by two former Megaupload partners to plead guilty to a raft of charges leaves the third - Kim Dotcom. He'll also talk about the legacy of this long-running saga in the piracy war, and the changes the entertainment industry has made to fight against copyright infringement. Microsoft has backed away from using problematic facial recognition technology used to detect people's emotions, and what advice are tech companies getting about the economic rough times ahead?

11:25 How Covid has changed teaching: new research

Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research Mohamed Alansari with some new research out today, highlighting how most secondary school teachers have changed something about the way they teach because of Covid-19.

11:45 Film & TV: Cha Cha Real Smooth, This is Going to Hurt, Chloe

Film and TV correspondent James Croot joins Lynn to look at Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) - a Sundance Award-winning film about a young man who works as a Bar Mitzvah party host, who strikes up a friendship with a mother and her autistic daughter. He'll also look at BBC drama series This is Going to Hurt (TVNZ), Amazon's Chloe and the second season of Only Murders in the Building.

Music played in this show

Track: Cold Little Heart
Artist: Michael Kiwanuka
Time Played: 10:35am 

Track: When Doves Cry 
Artist: Prince
Time Played: 11:45am