Nine To Noon for Monday 16 June 2025

09:05 Decision time for councils on water 

Councils are running out of time to decide the future model of their water services, which need tens of billions of dollars of investment over the coming decades. Rates are to set to rise steeply in some places to meet the cost. But the new model is also to enable more long-term borrowing by new entities that are to be established. By September 3, councils must opt for and outline a financially sustainable model of how their drinking, waste and stormwater services will be delivered. Of the 66 councils, 45 have chosen to combine, with 18 councils keeping their water serices in house and three are going alone with council-controlled organisations. Nick Davis is a public policy expert and partner at Martin Jenkins and he speaks to Kathryn about the movements of councils all around the country. Kathryn also speaks to Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate and Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen about the decisions their councils are making. 

09:30 Update on Iran-Israel conflict

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has updated its advice over Israel saying New Zealanders there should consider leaving when it is safe to do so. A spokesperson says MFAT has also raised the travel advice for Israel to 'do not travel'. The spokesperson says while the advice is for all New Zealanders to leave, continued airspace closures and flight cancellations may mean this is not possible for a number of days. The strikes between  Israel and Iran have continued and Iran has confirmed that several senior military leaders have been killed. The BBC's Sebastian Usher is in Jerusalem.

09:35  Phone use in gyms 

A large gym chain, Les Mills, is reminding it's clients in its regular newsletter about rules over using phones in the gym. It follows the case of a parliamentary press secretary secretly recording sex workers and taking close ups of women's bodies at the gym. But how easy is it for gyms to try to control phone use ? Gehan Gunasekara is an Associate Professor at Auckland University specialising in  privacy law.

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

EU voices fears about "radioactive release" in Israel-Iran conflict, coordinated protests in southern EU states begin against "overtourism", Macron visits Greenland in show of unity against Trump threats, and Austria to tighten gun laws after deadly school shooting.

Seamus Kearney reports from Lyon. 

10:05 The stars behind new Matariki roadrip movie KŌKĀ 

A new film about a Māori elder and a troubled young woman who bond during a Matariki road trip is about to hit cinemas. KŌKĀ - meaning 'mother' - is a feature film from Kath Akuhata-Brown. It stars Hinetu Dell as Hamo, a kindly kuia trying to make her way back to her home on the East Cape. She crosses paths with Jo, played by Darneen Christian, as an exuberant delinquent who keeps finding herself in trouble with the law. The visually stunning film is half in English and half Māori - using the original dialect of Ngāti Porou. Director Kath Akuhata-Brown and Hinetu Dell join Kathryn ahead of the film's release on June 19.

10:35 Book review: Without Fear or Favour: A Life in Law by Sir Kenneth Keith 

Dean Bedford reviews Without Fear or Favour: A Life in Law by Sir Kenneth Keith published by Te Herenga Waka University Press

10:45 Around the motu: Tim Brown in Christchurch

Yanfei Bao's killer has been sentenced to at least 17 years in jail, a mental health patient has been sentenced to life in jail over the murder of Frances Phelps, the Christchurch community have had their say on the council's new alcohol policy draft, the large diesel spill at Christchurch Men's prison was caused by the hatch of a fuel tank being left open, and the Crusaders are hosting the Chiefs for the Super Rugby Pacific final this weekend.

Tim Brown is a RNZ Christchurch reporter.

11:05 Political commentators Tim Hurdle and Neale Jones

Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of public affairs firm Capital. He is currently providing PR support for Andrew Little's Campaign for Mayor of Wellington, on a voluntary basis.

Tim Hurdle is a former National senior adviser, consultant and director of several companies. He is currently the Campaign Director for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown. 

11:30 Discovering the superpower of cranberries - on the West Coast

New Zealand is known for growing lots of things but cranberries aren't one of them. Imagine then, being the owners and operators of the country's only commercial cranberry farm. Artist Kate Buckley & farmer Kevin MacGregor bought the property after meeting in Ireland and settling in Westland. Together they grow, sort and process the berries ensuring a year round local supply of what has been described as a 'superfood'. They explain to Kathryn how a native North American berry came to be thriving on New Zealand's west coast. 

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

This morning is devoted to the endangered kokako, which have maintained a population in Hunua Ranges Regional Park, on the eastern edge of Auckland. Kennedy discusses why they have managed to hold on in that location, when they have disappeared from most other forests in the North Island. Kennedy says The story of kokako in Hunua is a story of the triumph of passionate bird-loving volunteers, who have successfully seen kokako numbers rise from a single breeding pair in 1994 to more than 200 pairs today.