Nine To Noon for Friday 19 September 2025

09:05 Health workforce regulation changes progressing after earlier concerns over increased political control              

The Health Minister is pushing ahead with changes to the health workforce after consultation that sparked worries in the health sector, including over greater political influence at the expense of clinical independence. Simeon Brown said the changes will modernise the process and remove what he called ‘outdated and bureaucratic red tape’. The  planned amendments to legislation will allow overseas trained health professionals to be registered more quickly, and make regulators more accountable. But the Medical Council, which sets standards of clinical and cultural competence, says the real problem is the retention of doctors. The council has expressed concerns the changes could see increasing political control. Kathryn speaks to the Chair of the Medical Council, Dr Rachelle Love, who is a Christchurch head and neck surgeon.

09:20 New ADHD medication soon available 

An estimated 65,000 New Zealanders are prescribed medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - or ADHD.
Pharmac is planning to fund a new brand of ADHD medication from the first of December, and is currently consulting on the change.If approved, a generic equivalent to the commonly prescribed Concerta brand will be available. The move is supported by the advocacy group ADHD New Zealand, and comes amid ongoing global supply issues for ADHD medication, and in anticipation of new regulations which from February next year will allow more health professionals - including GPs and nurse practitioners - to prescribe ADHD medicines. Kathryn speaks with Pharmac's Chief Medical Officer Dr David Hughes and Sarah Hogan, who is on the board of ADHD New Zealand. 

09:30 Smart glasses, fruit growth measuring & an autonomous cricket bowling machine 

A 19 year old product design student has won an award for creating a pair of smart glasses which provide protection for people affected by photosensitive epilepsy. Canterbury University student Mark Campbell has won this year's National James Dyson Award for his glasses - called Lensare. Zené Krige from Massey University is a runner up, with her fruit measuring device.  Also runners up Canterbury students Aarush Bhagwat and Toby Samuel Dean with their portable, autonomous cricket bowling machine. 

09:45 Asia: turmoil in Nepal, flooding in Philippines and an AI political leader in Japan 

Elizabeth Beattie talks about recent political turmoil in Nepal, flooding in Philippines and a political party in Japan have said they will appoint an AI leader after its current leader preformed poorly in recent elections.

10:05  Lead, arsenic and serial killers: Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Fraser

Pulitzer Prize winning writer Caroline Fraser grew up near Seattle in the 1970s in the shadow of Ted Bundy - the most notorious serial murderer of women in American history. But he wasn't the only one in the Pacific Northwest.  There was the Green River Killer, the I-5 Killer, the Night Stalker, the Hillside Strangler and Charles Manson. In her new book, Murderland, Caroline Fraser considers whether the region's industrial pollution played a part in creating some of America's most infamous murderers.

10:35 Book review: Ruth by Kate Riley

Martene McCaffrey of Unity Books Auckland reviews Ruth by Kate Riley, published by Penguin Random House.

10:45 Around the motu:  Ellen Curnow on the West Coast

Ellen reports on the local government elections and four mayoral candidates, plus struggles to have an air service to Westport.

Ellen Curnow at Westport News reporter  - based in Westport

11:05 New music with Grant Smithies 

After a break of six years, British singer/ producer Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) has released his fifth studio album Essex Honey. We’ll hear two key tracks from that today, followed by some rowdy guitar  from Christchurch trio The Tiny Dangers and a reissued cult classic from Nigeria’s Rick Asikpo.

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

The Black Ferns face their biggest test yet in their attempt to defend their Rugby World Cup title in a semi final against Canada on Saturday morning. There's a big Ranfurly Shield match this weekend as two South Island giants fight for control of the old log. Sam also reviews the World Athletics Championships in Japan.

11:45 The week that was

Comedians Te Radar and Pinky discuss a worm charming championship, restaurants catering for people wanting to eat less thanks to drugs like Wegovy, and the Christchurch mum who broke the running-barefoot-on-lego record.