Nine To Noon for Monday 29 May 2023

09:05 The fight to get ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome classified as a disability

Campaigners who want ME/CFS (formerly Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) to be re-classified as a disability say they're frustrated by a lack of progress, even as there's growing evidence of a cross-over with long Covid. Evolving studies by Emeritus Professor Warren Tait show the molecular signatures of ME/CFS and long Covid are "incredibly similar". Former Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero has identified that, for many people, long COVID meets the accepted criteria of a disability and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention defines ME/CFS as a "disabling and complex illness" involving ongoing overwhelming fatigue and issues with sleep, thinking and concentrating that's more often than not triggered by viral illness. Last year the Associated New Zealand ME Society submitted a 6400-strong petition  to Parliament calling for ME/CFS to be reclassified from a chronic illness to a disability, to help people access benefits and services.  But since then, ANZMES president, Fiona Charlton says they've been in a holding pattern. Fiona talks with Kathryn, along with Tom Harris, a Christchurch-based musician who has experienced chronic fatigue twice - once for seven years, starting in his late teens and an 18-month relapse during the pandemic, and Emeritus Professor Warren Tait, who with his team at the University of Otago's Department of Biochemistry have been examining the similarities in the molecular patterns of long- Covid and ME/CFS patients.

09:30    Rural recovery in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne from cyclone devastation 

 

Since the weather event, multi-sector rural coordination groups have let the Government know what they expect in terms of a blueprint for recovery aimed at helping farmers, growers and families work through the monumental challenges left in cyclone's wake. The government announced a $6 billion National Resilience Plan, and a $100m flood infrastructure fund as part of this year's Budget - but that needs to be stretched across a huge North Island geographical spread. So three and a half months on - how are things shaping up on the ground ? We check back in with Tairawhiti-based Sandra Matthews, who is  national board chair of Rural Women and on the Beef and Lamb NZ farmer council. Also joining the conversation is Di Roadley, who farms in the Ruakituri Valley inland north of Wairoa, she is also Hawkes Bay regional councillor, and retired farmer Bel Gunson from Rural Support Trust Hawkes Bay.

09:45 Europe: Erdogan claims victory, Kosovo rebute, Ukraine targets Iran

Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney joins Kathryn to look at the success of Turkey's president Erdogan in the second presidential run-off held overnight New Zealand time. What will it mean for relations with the West, where he's accused of an increasingly authoritarian rule? US and EU allies have issued a rare rebuke of Kosovo, following a flare-up of tension there. And Ukraine has announced measures against Iran and its alleged supply of weapons to Moscow. 

10:05 Madeleine Sami's rough-as-guts new role

She's graced our screens for years, now actor Madeleine Sami is back as a rough-as-guts Aussie detective.  She stars in Deadloch as Eddie Redcliffe, a Darwin detective brought in to help by-the-book local senior sergeant Dulcie Collins - played by Australian actress Kate Box - investigate the murder of a local man found on a beach in the small Tasmanian town of Deadloch. The black comedy crime series launches next month on Prime Video.  Madeleine is, of course, a well-known and accomplished Kiwi actor - she's appeared in films including Sione's Wedding one and two, Eagle Versus Shark, What We Do in the Shadows, The Breaker Upperers and Come to Daddy with Elijah Wood.  Her TV credits include My Life is Murder, The Bad Seed, Outrageous Fortune and Top of the Lake and she's about to star in Double Parked on Three later in June. She joins Kathryn to talk about how this production turns the crime genre on its head.

10:35 Book review: August Blue by Deborah Levy

Kiran Dass reviews August Blue by Deborah Levy, published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu : David Williams in Christchurch

There's yet another poor survey result from Christchurch residents. The Christchurch City Council now has a 43% satisfaction rating, up 1 percentage point on last year. In 2007 the figure was 79%, in 2019 it was 62%. David says that's on top of a terrible staff survey, with morale "very low", with many taking aim at the city council's leadership team. Continuing with the disatisfaction theme, David will talk about the fed-up residents in the city's east who've put up with an horrendous stench after the fire of the city's wastewater treatment plant in 2021. Less prominent, , is the stench of compost from the organics processing plant, council-owned Living Earth. composting facility smell has to be reined in.

David Williams is a South Island reporter for Newsroom

11:05 Political commentators Gareth Hughes & Tim Hurdle

Political commentators Gareth Hughes and Tim Hurdle join Kathryn to talk about the latest poll which has the Greens taking a major hit and National and Act able to govern alone. They'll also talk about National's tax plan, U-turn on housing and stance on using AI in campaign advertising, as well as the major take outs from Labour's Congress at the weekend  - its announcement it'll keep the super age at 65 and permanent support for an apprenticeship scheme.

Gareth Hughes is a former Green MP and now works for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa.  He is no longer a member of any political party.

Tim Hurdle is a former National senior adviser, was the National Party Campaign Director in 2020. He is a director of several companies, including Museum Street Strategies, a public affairs firm.

11:30 Chef Alesha Bilbrough-Collins on food for thought

Alesha Bilbrough-Collins is a chef with 25 years in the industry who's worked with the likes of Gordon Ramsey and Yotem Ottolenghi.  After 10 years of running a restaurant in Christchurch, she and her husband John moved their company BearLions Foods to Upper Moutere in the Tasman. Her Food for Thought book is packed full of recipes that reflect her 'real food' philosophies - celebrating fresh, seasonal ingredients.

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

This week, Kennedy Warne takes in a visit to Broome and the Kimberley coast of Western Australia, and evidence of the Aboriginal renaissance in Australia.