Nine To Noon for Friday 27 October 2023

 

09:05 'History in the making': Facebook whistleblower on new lawsuits

This week attorneys general across the United States launched a broadside against social media giant Meta, over harm caused to children and young people.  A total of 41 states have launched multiple lawsuits alleging Meta - the owner of Facebook and Instagram - has knowingly used features on its platforms that are detrimental to youth mental health. The biggest lawsuit, joined by 33 states, says Meta  "harnessed power and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. It alleges the company's motive is profit and it's repeatedly misled the public over the dangers. The flurry of lawsuits comes two years after leaked internal research revealed Meta was aware of the impact it was having - particularly the toxic effect of Instagram on teenage girls. The leaker was Frances Haugen and she joins Kathryn to discuss the lawsuits' implications.

09:30 Auckland Hospital E.D staff condemn "unsafe work environment"

More than 150 frontline staff at Auckland Hospital's emergency department have signed a complaint to management saying chronic staff shortages are exposing them to unacceptable risk.

The complaint has been signed by doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants and lodged under the Health and Safety at Work Act, warning hospital bosses that  "safe staffing levels" are being "consistently breached".

They say the ratio of nurses to patients should be no more than one to four but this is consistently breached, putting both staff and patients at risk.

Nico Woodward is a nurse in Auckland Hospital's emergency department, a NZ nurses organisation delegate, and one of the signatories to the complaint. He speaks to the pressures inside E.D alongside Anne Daniels, president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and also an emergency department nurse.

09:45 Asia correspondent John Ruwitch

South China Sea tensions are rising with Chinese vessels ramming Philippine boats near a Manila-controlled shoal that John says Beijing want to get its hands on. This as China's top foreign policy official goes to Washington and the country's Defense Minister, Li Shangfu is formally ousted. John is NPR's China Affairs Correspondent.

10:05 TALA: Bringing flavours of Samoa to Auckland's fine dining scene

The Samoan word 'tala' translates to 'story', or 'tale'. And for Henry Onesemo, new Auckland fine-dining jaunt TALA is a chance to tell his own tales of Samoa, through familiar ingredients presented with a fresh twist. He and wife Debby Onesemo are opening the restaurant next Friday.  Hospitality is not the first career for either of them - after leaving Samoa at 17, Henry joined the US military and then worked as a dancer for Disney. Debby used to be a lawyer. But a move to New Zealand, landed them both in the hospo scene, and after a trip back to Samoa, Henry began to rediscover the flavours which sparked memories of childhood.

10:35 Book review: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donaghue

Demi Cox of Unity Books Auckland reviews The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donaghue published by Little Brown

10:45 Around the motu: Samantha Gee in Nelson

Samantha Gee discusses wastewater woes in Nelson - the Tasman District Council issued warnings against collecting shellfish or whitebait from the coastal area around the Motueka River last month, after problems with the filtration membranes were detected at its treatment plant. Now the council says this has been happening since they were first installed as part of an eight million upgrade to the plant in 2014. They had been able to address it by acid-washing or back washing the filters but come September, that was no longer working. And, more than a year on from the August flooding across the top of the South Island, some residents still remain in limbo.

11:05 New music with Jeremy Taylor

A reissue of Tricky's crucial debut album, the first new Stones original music in 18 years, and a fine solo debut from Ebony Lamb.

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johnannsen

Dana talks to Kathryn about how the All Blacks went into the Rugby World Cup with a complete absence of public expectation and now they're in the final. Is coach, Ian Foster about to pull off the ultimate redemption story?
 

11:45 The week that was

Comedians Donna Brookbanks and Elisabeth Easther bring a few laughs