Nine To Noon for Wednesday 13 December 2023

 

09:05 Jump in mortgage arrears as interest rates + cost of living bites

Higher interest rates and living costs are forcing more property owners with mortgages over $500,000 into arrears, according to new data. Kathryn talks to Centrix managing director Keith McLaughlin about the trend, and what impact it could continue to have into 2024.

09:15 Far North Mayor Moko Tepania: 'It's been a hell of a year'

Moko Tepania has been mayor of the Far North for just over a year, and in that time district's civil defence team has been activated 14 times - for ex-tropical cyclones and other weather events. There have also been bushfires on the Aupōuri Peninsula, and two two fatal dog attacks in the region in the past 18 months.  Moko Tepania is the the Far North's first Māori and youngest mayor, who has recently gained a Master of Education with first-class honours. He's also recently received a global leadership award in Belfast, Northern Ireland for his encouragement of young people into politics. He talks to Kathryn Ryan about the challenges for his community and region.

 

09:30 House in urgency: What's being rushed through?

Kathryn talks to deputy political editor Craig McCullough about the legislation being pushed through the House under urgency.

09:40 Wanaka's award-winning waterfront builds in pūteketeke protection

Over the past eight years Wanaka's waterfront has been getting an upgrade - and the results have drawn praise from an international design body. Just under two kilometres of the lakefront has been given a facelift, with a shared path, long central lawn and a promenade. Also included - a 200-metre long boardwalk was built to protect the nests of the Pūteketeke or Australian crested grebe - yes, the bird that shot to global fame thanks to the efforts of comedian John Oliver and was recently crowned Bird of the Century. The design was commissioned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council and created by New Zealand landscape architects Reset. It was recognised at the Asia-Pacific International Federation of Landscape Architects Awards. Reset Director Garth Falconer joins Kathryn.

09:45 Australia: Immigration review, Australia Day event cancelled, Qld premier quits

Australia correspondent Annika Smethurst joins Kathryn to talk about federal government moves to tighten visa processes for migrant workers and international students - part of measures it says are necessary to crack down on the "broken" migration system. She'll also talk about why Australia's High Commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, has stopped an Australia Day event in London from going ahead and who's likely to take over as Queensland's premier after Annastacia Palaszczuk's shock resignation at the weekend.

Annika Smethurst is political editor at The Age

10:05 Wild creativity: How time spent outdoors transforms our memory, imagination and logic

Here's one to keep in mind if you're heading off on a summer excursion. Environmental neuroscientists believe time in nature can transform our cognitive functions including memory, imagination and logic. David Strayer is Professor at the University of Utah, who has spent the past decade researching cognitive restoration. A recent study he was involved with found that a four-day hike increased participants' creativity by half.  Professor Strayer says humans function better in the great outdoors because our brains and bodies evolved in, and with, nature.

10:35 Book review: Doppelganger by Naomi Klein 

Carole Beu of the Women's Bookshop reviews Doppelganger by Naomi Klein published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu : Che Baker in Invercargill 

Che recaps some of the biggest stories of the year in Southland, including the controversy at the Gore District Council which erupted after it became public that Mayor Ben Bell, who also the youngest mayor in New Zealand, and the long-term Council chief executive officer Stephen Parry were not on speaking terms. Also the story of six farmers and contractors banding together to buy the local pub, the Royal Hotel at Waikaka which was facing closure. 

Che Baker is the editor of the Southland Times.
 

11:05 Music with Charlotte Ryan

Music commentator Charlotte Ryan features new music from Peter Gabriel, a brand new local artist A LOT of people are getting excited by and a very special - local - Christmas carol.   

Charlotte Ryan is host of RNZ's Music 101 show.

11:25 Website helping people with severe allergies navigate food labels

For Auckland father Aziz Shariff, getting dinner on the table can be quite the minefield. Between he, his wife, and his son's various severe allergies and intolerances, finding food that suits them all can involve hours at the supermarket and a lot of food label lingo. But he's taken that situation and used it to create something good.  Aziz has launched a website - called myWellaBee - where users can enter any combination of dietary requirements to filter out products with certain additives and ingredients. The search engine not only shows you which products are available in New Zealand - it also points you towards the retailers who stock them. Aziz Shariff and nutritionist Vicki Hamilton from myWellaBee speak with Kathryn Ryan.

11:45 Science: Modifying power of eels, wearable biosensor for fertility hormones

Science correspondent Dr Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to talk about how electric eels may genetically modify organisms in their environment (there's a neat video available here), researchers have developed a wearable biosensor that detects fertility hormones in sweat and birds in Europe have been building nests using anti-bird spikes.

Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles is the head of Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland.