Nine To Noon for Friday 4 July 2025

09:05 Calls for financial complaints organisations to merge

Consumer advocates are pushing for financial complaints organisations to come under one entity, as a way to make it easier for the public to pursue complaints. Currently, the Banking Ombudsman, the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman, Financial Services Complaints Limited, and Fairway Dispute Resolution Service all deliver dispute resolution services, for various parts of the financial services sector. All banks, lenders, insurers and other financial service providers must belong to one of the schemes. But budget mentors want them to be rolled into a single agency, something that has already happened in Australia and the UK. Now, with parliament reviewing the legislation governing financial service providers, FinCap, the umbrella group for financial mentoring services says the time is right to reform the system. Kathryn speaks to FinCaps Senior Policy Advisor Jake Lilley. 

09:20 To be or not to be gluten free - the blood test that could change lives

Go to any food store, cafe or restaurant these days and you should find gluten free options. Gluten is a protein which is found in grains like rye and wheat but it doesn't agree with everyone. In fact it's estimated that up to 100,000 New Zealanders could have coeliac disease - and that many of them may not know it. Testing for the condition is unpleasant for patients because it involves eating gluten - which makes them feel sick - putting a lot of people off. But a gastroenterology study at Australia's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, has led to a new discovery. Associate Professor Jason Tye-Din talks to Kathryn Ryan about a simple blood test under development and what it could mean for sufferers. 

9:30 Fossils and feathers - a visiting US palaeontologist 

US palaeontologist Julia Clarke grew up wanting to be like the intrepid explorer, Indiana Jones. But instead of pursuing lost treasures, she's studied the evolution of birds and dinosaurs. She has led fossil finding expeditions all over the world including Rēkohu, the Chatham Islands and Antarctica's Vega Island. The fossils she's discovered contain clues to what birds in the age of the dinosaur sounded like and their feathers. Julia Clarke, a professor at  the University of Texas at Austin, joins Kathryn to talk about her work on how modern birds evolved.

09:45 Pacific correspondent  Koroi Hawkins

RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins discusses a meeting between the French President Emmanuel Macron and  a strong delegation from New Caledonia, Fiji says its willing to provide 5000 personnel to the Australian Defence Force and an expert warns a Tonga cybersecurity attack a wake-up call for Pacific.

10:05 The refugee who defied the odds in Syria to be a dancer

It's hard to imagine a more unlikely place for a ballet dancer to thrive than a Palestinian refugee camp. Through the Syrian civil war, threatened by terrorists and against the wishes of a father who said he'd break his legs to stop him from dancing. But against those heavily-stacked odds Ahmad Joudeh has indeed, managed to thrive. In 2014 he made it to the semi-finals of the Arab version of So You Think You Can Dance, which led to a documentary about his life, and in time an invitation to the Netherlands, where he would dance in the Dutch National Ballet. He's now an independent artist, a UNHCR ambassador and has written a memoir of his life called Dance or Die.  His life, career and journey to the Netherlands - where he is now a citizen - is the subject of a new film screening as part of the DocEdge Festival, called The Dancer. 

10:20 Kiwi company launches power-saving panel 

A New Zealand startup is selling smart panels it says will help households save on their power bill by more than $1000 a year. Basis is a company started by Danny Purcell and electrician Julyan Collett. Once installed homeowners get insight over how they're using electricity, the ability to automate appliances and advanced electrical safety features. Upon launch the pair have some 7500 panels on order. 

10:35 Book review: We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

Eden Denyer from Unity Books Wellington reviews We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin, published by Atria Books

10:45 Around the motu: Peter de Graaf in Northland

Two brothers have been sentenced over a Whangārei petrol station murder, there's been heartbreak as a waterfront landmark was destroyed, NZ’s best café is not where you expect, and kapa haka novices take to the stage for Matariki.

Peter de Graaf is a RNZ Northland reporter based in Kerikeri.

11:05 Music reviewer Jeremy Taylor of SlowBoat Records

 Jeremy discusses a  bunch of all new releases from Wet Leg, Turnstile and Haim

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

The All Blacks name their starting team for the first test of the year against France, with some interesting inclusions. The latest from Wimbeldon, and the football world is shaken by the sudden death of Liverpool and Portugal attacker Diogo Jota. 

11:45 The week that was with  Michele  A'Court and Donna Brookbank

Michele and Donna lament the end of jaffa sweets  and the awkward and inadvisable places people use their phones.