Nine To Noon for Tuesday 22 August 2023

 

 

09:05 Education becoming political football: researcher

An education researcher says teaching is becoming a political football, as the election draws nearer. Labour says if it wins, teachers will be required by law to use government-approved approaches for teaching reading, writing and maths. It says these subjects are already compulsory - but the way in which they're taught varies between schools. National says Labour has just pinched its "teach the basics, brilliantly" policy, which mandates primary and intermediate children to spend an hour per day on reading, writing and maths, and be tested on these twice a year. National also intends to ban cellphones in schools and Labour will introduce compulsory Financial Literacy. Meanwhile, school attendance has been falling since 2015, as has New Zealand's performance in international education rankings. Kathryn speaks with Dr Nina Hood, an education researcher and the the founder of the Education Hub.

09:15 Marlborough floods a year on; new report suggests human behavior a major cause

It's been a year since torrential rain caused devastating flooding in the Marlborough District resulting in a very scarred landscape, and disrupted lives and livelihoods. The August 2022 weather event followed one in July the previous year  - which combined caused 8000 landslides. Marlborough District Council environmental scientist Matt Oliver says the extensive damage is not all weather related and human behavior has been a major contributing factor to instability in the area -  including the clearing of native trees. This was born out in recent research by GNS, commissioned by the Council. There are still hundreds of people affected by both weather events living day to day on incredibly damaged land. The Council is consulting ratepayers over a proposed plan for fixing the broken Sounds transport network that will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Kathryn speaks with Council soil scientist Matt Oliver and Keneperu Sound farmer Emma Hopkinson.

09:30 The rise of driverless cars: Are they safe?

Driverless cars are no longer the thing of sci-fi movies, with California significantly expanding their use - and facing harsh criticism in the process. The state of California has passed a ruling which allows taxi companies 'Cruise' and 'Waymo' to offer autonomous rides, 24/7. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised Tesla robotaxis by the end of 2024, and Uber and Lyft are also considering how they break into the market. Autonomous vehicles did not exist when the Land transport Act was introduced in 1998, however regulations work under the assumption that when a vehicle is in operation, it has a driver. If vehicles with higher levels of automation, from three to five, were to operate here, the regulatory framework would no longer be fit for purpose. Silicon Valley veteran and artificial intelligence expert Jerry Kaplan speaks with Kathryn Ryan.

09:45 USA correspondent Ron Elving

US correspondent Ron Elving gives the latest on tropical storm Hilary as it moves towards Nevada, after slamming California with flash floods. Also, a look at this week's Fox News political debate, which has one glaring republican absence. Donald Trump says he does not need to show up, as everyone knows his record. And why the debate could be a make or break for Florida governor Ron DeSantis.

Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News.

10:05 Pacific Mother: Can indigenous knowledge build better maternity care systems?

Fresh from winning Best Feature at the Doc Edge Film Festival, the documentary 'Pacific Mother' is set to be released in cinemas on August 24th. The documentary follows the journey of freediver Sachiko Fukumoto after she and her husband, New Zealand freediving champion William Trubridge, had to fight for the birth they wanted.
What started as a personal birthing story turned into an international journey connecting women all around the Pacific, (Hawai'i, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, and Aotearoa New Zealand). Kathryn is joined by Sachiko Fukumoto and the film's director, Kathy McCrae.

10:35 Book review: SAGA by Hannah Mettner 

 Harry Ricketts reviews SAGA by Hannah Mettner published by Te Herenga Waka University Press   

10:45 Around the motu: Jimmy Ellingham in Palmerston North

RNZ Palmerston North-based producer Jimmy Ellingham has just returned from Hawke's Bay, where he caught up with people impacted from Cyclone Gabrielle, six months on. And back in Palmerston North, a new centre for disabled children - Little Stars - has opened its doors. Also, flared tensions between the Mongrel Mob and Black Power, two weeks on from a gang shooting. Finally, former Black Fern Selica Winiata played her 100th game for Manawatu on Saturday.

11:05 Business commentator Dileepa Fonseka

Dileepa joins Kathryn to talk about the New Zealand supply chain strategy report that was released on Friday to little fanfare. He'll talk about what was in the report, but also what it left out - for example, promises around Auckland's Port. A large NZ business delegation has been sent to India amid calls from both countries to strengthen the relationship, and what's happening with Government funding for transport?

Dileepa Fonseka is senior correspondent for BusinessDesk

11:30 The fly fisher's mecca: How Tongariro became NZ's greatest trout river

Author Grant Henderson has plunged into the rich history of the Tongariro River and how it came to be one of the finest rainbow trout rivers in New Zealand - and quite possibly the world! He's explored how brown and rainbow trout came to be introduced to the river, the early anglers, the development of fishery and the river's growing international reputation over the 20th century. It hasn't been all smooth sailing; the introduced trout decimated native fish stocks, there were arguments over its name, disputes over angling etiquette and fear over the impact of the Tongariro hydroelectric scheme. Grant joins Kathryn to talk about what he found exploring over 100 years of the river's history in 'Fishing the Tongariro'.

11:45 Sports-chat with RNZ's Joe Porter

Why is former All Black's coach Steve Hansen helping the Wallabies, what should we expect from the All Black's final World Cup warm-up this weekend against the Springboks and how have our athletes fared in the World Athletics Champs - and what does that mean for their Paris Olympics build-up?