Nine To Noon for Thursday 16 October 2025

09:05  "A man of integrity" : Tā Tipene O'Regan reflects on Jim Bolger

Tributes are flowing for the former Prime Minister Jim Bolger, who has died aged 90. He led the National Party for 11 years and served as Prime Minister for seven - including leading the first coalition government under MMP. He was a farming industry leader before being elected as an MP in 1972, becoming National Party leader in 1986, and Prime Minister in 1990. As Prime Minister, Mr Bolger played a significant role in reshaping Crown-Maori relations,  signing the first Treaty settlements with Waikato Tainui and Ngāi Tahu. Tā Tipene O'Regan negotiated the historic Ngāi Tahu settlement which was signed in in 1998.

09:20 How good gut bugs could help you sleep 

New research suggests that gut and mouth microbiome can influence sleep. Humans have trillions of  bacteria, viruses and fungi that make up the body's microbiota. Dr Kin Yuen is sleep specialist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. She says there has been a predominant theory that having sleep disorders is disruptive to our microbiomes. But new evidence suggests it is a relationship that could go in both directions: healthy, diverse microbiome could help us fall asleep and stay asleep.

09:30 New Zealand's longest-running arts and literary journal marks its 250th issue

New Zealand's longest-running arts and literary journal is celebrating its milestone 250th issue. Landfall was founded in 1947 as a periodical dedicated to New Zealand poetry, fiction, essays, art, criticism and reviews and has been in continuous publication ever since. More than 2500 contributors have appeared in its pages, together producing almost 9000 pieces of work.To mark the occasion the journal also has a New name Landfall Tauraka. Kathryn speaks to the editor, Lynley Edmeades. 

09:45 UK correspondent Natasha Clark

Natasha discusses the latest news from the United Kingdom, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer promising to publish evidence in a China spy case; Chancellor Rachel Reeves admitting tax rises and spending cuts may feature in the upcoming budget; news that migrants will need A-Level standard English to be allowed into the country; and also that robotaxis are set to be introduced on the streets of London next year. 

Natasha Clark is political editor at LBC London.

10:05 Sandy and Robin Toy: caring for Kahurangi

On the eastern edge of the Kahurangi National Park lies the Flora Stream area. It's rugged country, clad in beech forest, beneath the marble peaks of Mt Arthur range, and dissected by clear streams. And over the past 25 years, a small community conservation group has been working to restore native fauna to the 10 thousand hectare area. Friends of Flora began when roroa or great spotted kiwi, whio / blue duck and the giant snail - powelliaphanta were non existant. Groups of volunteers have been trapping, monitoring and translocating - and slowly but surely, bird song and wildlife diversity has returned to the area. Sandy and Robin Toy are members of Friends of Flora - they've written a book about Friends of Flora with images by another volunteer Reudi Mosimann.

10:30 Waitomo flooding update

All state highways in the Waitomo district remain closed, with several houses cut off by floodwaters, but those are beginning to recede. Waitomo mayor John Robertson says up to 7 houses have been flooded and he expects once floodwaters do fully recede that there to be millions in damage to farms, particularly to fencing. He says some properties between the Waitomo Caves and Marokopa, and in Awakino, are likely still cut off due to roads being closed.  Alex Bell is a general manager of the Waitomo District Council. Updates are available at the council's website. 

10:35 Book review : The Last Living Cannibal by Airana Ngarewa

Louise Ward of Wardini Books reviews The Last Living Cannibal by Airana Ngarewa, published by Moa Press.

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

11:05 Richard Griffin remembers Jim Bolger 

Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger has died aged 90. He led the National Party for 11 years and served as Prime Minister for seven - including leading the first coalition government under MMP. Richard Griffin was Radio New Zealand's political editor before going on to be Jim Bolger's press secretary. Speaking to Nine to Noon, he describes Jim Bolger as a great friend. 
 

11:15 Tech: Why no data back-up is risky + what AI 'workslop' does in the workplace

Tech commentator Mark Pesce joins Kathryn to discuss how the South Korean government learned the hard way why back-ups to digital data are a good idea, following a fire at a major data centre that erased work files saved by some 750,000 civil servants. AI is increasingly being used in the workplace, but it's also generating sloppy work that then has to be cleaned up by colleagues. And chatbots that butter you up can also make you worse at conflict resolution.

Mark Pesce is a futurist, writer, educator and broadcaster. 

11:25 Parenting: when toddlers aren't talking yet

Speech and Language Therapist Christian Wright talks to Kathryn about what typical language development in pre-schoolers looks like, when parents should be concerned, and what they can do to help.

11:45 Screentime: The Woman in Cabin 10, A House of Dynamite, Eleanor the Great

Film and TV reviewer James Croot looks at The Woman in Cabin 10 (Netflix), starring Keira Knightly as a Guardian journalist who believes a murder's been committed on a billionaire's yacht. A House of Dynamite (cinemas, Netflix), is an apocalyptic thriller that follows the minutes' build-up to a nuclear strike through the eyes of different players. And Eleanor the Great is an American drama directed by Scarlett Johansson and starring 95-year-old June Squibb.

James Croot is film and television reviewer for Stuff