Nine To Noon for Wednesday 20 March 2024

 

09:05 Ministry apologises as 10,000 sign petition over disability funding changes

The Disability Issues Minister has been forced to clarify changes to funding rules that were introduced without notice on Monday and have caused widespread concern within the sector. Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, revealed changes to purchasing rules for equipment, modification supports and services on Monday.  So far 10,000 people have signed a petition against the changes, which disability and carer groups say will make it difficult for them to access electronic goods like iPads and travel outside of their community. Minister Penny Simmonds told Morning Report a short time ago that funding cuts aren't being made for travelling in the community and won't stop mileage pay. However she says the fund is as much as $65 million in the red and that now is the time to introduce "some conditions and some rules."  The Ministry of Disabled People has apologised for the way it has communicated the changes. Kathryn Ryan speaks with CEO Paula Tesoriero and Prudence Walker, Kaihautū Tika Hauātanga, Disability Rights Commissioner.

09:20 Lifelines for Northland businesses affected by Brynderwyn detours 

Crucial repairs to section of State Highway One at the Brynderwyns has again closed the vital gateway to the north. Motorists, tourists and truckies need to take diversions either to the west or east.  The region's economic development and tourism agency, Northland Inc is keen to stress that it's business as usual in the North and Far North, and it is running  promotional campaigns nationwide. And Chief Executive Paul Linton says a resilience programme has been launched recently to help businesses. Not-for-profit group, Business Mentors New Zealand CEO, Sarah Trotman says a large number of struggling Northland businesses are seeking support and advice to navigate the difficult time. The Brynderwyns closed at the end of February, but NZTA will temporarily reopen the road for Easter travel, but then it will be off-limits again for  another few weeks.

09:40 The case for geothermal heat in place of gas in greenhouses

GNS Science modeller John Burnell wants greenhouse growers to consider using low-temperature geothermal heat instead of natural gas for heat. Geothermal heat is mainly used for electricity production in New Zealand and provides about 18 percent of total generation. It's also used in industrial process heat and for water heating. But John says as gas reserves decline and the importance of covered crops rises, there's great potential in the use of low-temperature geothermal heat as a substitute to gas. More than 90 percent of tomatoes, capsicum and cucumbers are grown as covered crops in this country and we have about 310 hectares of greenhouses, mostly in the North Island. 

09:50 Australia correspondent Bernard Keane

Australia correspondent Bernard Keane looks at how conservative politicians are pushing for similar moves to those in the US over TikTok. Last week the US House of Representatives voted to pass a bill to force Chinese-owned Bytedance to sell the app or face a ban. He'll also talk about ructions within the Liberal Party over the removal from the South Australian Senate ticket of a key female candidate and there's a push to get mega donations to political parties banned.

Bernard Keane is political editor for Crikey.com

10:05 A decade fostering start-ups & entrepreneurs

Marian Johnson has spent several years helping build businesses out of the rubble following Christchurch's earthquakes as Chief Executive of the Ministry of Awesome - which fosters high growth start-ups. It started the year after the earthquake, with sessions for investors, founders, corporates and students to get together to talk about ideas. MoA has grown and grown - offering a nationwide coaching programme for founders, a series of national accelerator programmes, and Electrify Aotearoa, a conference for Kiwi women in entrepreneurship. It now works with hundreds of founders each year,  and Christchurch is one of the fastest growing start-up cities in the world. Marian Johnson is stepping back from her main role as Chief Executive after a shock cancer diagnosis. She tells Kathryn Ryan New Zealand has huge potential to become a knowledge economy - but the sector needs better co-ordination, more role-models and Kiwis need to back themselves to do big things.

10:35 Book review: Until August by Gabriel García Márquez 

Phil Vine reviews Until August by Gabriel García Márquez published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu: David Williams in Christchurch 

The final year of former Christchurch City Council Chief Executive Dawn Baxendale's turbulent reign has come at a cost. The council has released details of severance and redundancy payouts, and personal grievance settlements for last year, which totalled $918,000. That's up from $490,000 the year before. David says poor leadership has been a constant criticism and there’s been a downward spiral in staff and ratepayer satisfaction. David also looks at arts funding, with the city council's 10-year budget not including money for the Arts Centre- a half billion dollar cluster of historic buildings, most of them category one. And SailGP is back in Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, causing concern in conservation circles about threatened Hector's dolphins.

David Williams is Newsroom's Te Waipounamu South Island Correspondent

11:05 Music with Charlotte Ryan

Charlotte Ryan plays new music from Norah Jones' ninth studio album - and previews Delaney Davidson's new album out later this week. 

Charlotte Ryan is host of RNZ's Music 101.

11:20 How to argue well

Relationships therapist Jo Robertson has some tips on how to thrash things out when you disagree. She'll traverse some of the traps people fall into and the strategies to help ease tension.

 

 

11:45 Science: Ladybug's chemical warfare, handwriting brain boost

Science commentator Allan Blackman looks at how the mealybug ladybird uses carminic acid to scare off an attack from ants, and the new research that's found it "steals" it from an invasive bug that came to Spain via the Americas. How did it adopt this defence? A new study backs up the theory that handwriting is beneficial for absorbing information and why is adapting to daylight savings so hard?

Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.