Nine To Noon for Monday 9 February 2026

09:05 Calls to levy services as a way to keep financial mentor sector viable 

Financial mentors are calling for financial services to be levied, as a way to help fund the budget advisory sector. FinCap has made the proposal in its submission to the Finance and Expenditure Committee, in response to this year's Budget Policy Statement. More than half of the services which provide financial mentoring advice and support no longer receive Government funding. There were 44 that lost funding in the latest funding round. Advisory services are increasingly relying on their own staff to take pay cuts, or forgo a paycheck altogether, in order to continue operating. David Baines is the chief executive of Kingdom Resources in Christchurch and is on the board of FinCap and Jake Lilley is policy advisor at FinCap.

09:35 Marking 80 years since the return Māori Battalion from WW2

It's 80 years since the surviving members of the Maori Battalion returned after fighting in World War Two - the only New Zealand fighting group to return to home together. A special event has just been held at Takapūwāhia Marae in Porirua to mark the welcome extended by Ngati Toa to iwi members. NZ Remembrance Army's Simon Strombom talks to Kathryn about this significant event.

The archival material used in this interview is licensed under Creative Commons 

Weekly Review No. 232 (1946) - Return of the Māori Battalion was filmed by the National Film Unit and is held by Archives NZ

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney 

Tensions rise in Europe over social media regulations, Winter Olympics in Italy marred by clashes and suspected sabotage, storm-hit Portugal votes in presidential runoff, and man arrested after attempted assassination of a top Russian general.

Seamus Kearney reports from Lyon. 

10:05 Civic hacker Audrey Tang

The internet is about the same age as Audrey Tang, and with it the Tawiwanese civic hacker would rise from leading a protest against Taiwan's government, to becoming the country's first digital affairs minister. Late last year she was given the Right Livelihood Award - considered the 'alternate Nobel Prize' - for advancing the social use of digital technology to empower citizens and renew democracy. Audrey speaks to Kathryn about using digital tools to get more citizen engagement - like a text campaign to hundreds of thousands of residents to crowdsource new legislation. 

10:35 Book review: Three of the best from 2025

Phil Vine reviews three of his favourite books from last year: What We Can Know by Ian McEwan, published by Penguin Random House, Super-Frog Saves Tokyo by Haruki Murakami, published by Penguin Random House, Murderland by Caroline Fraser, published by Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand.

10:45 Around the motu: Auckland news with RNZ reporter Amy Williams

Amy talks about the homeowners still trying to resolve the future of their properties after the floods three years ago, public transport fares on the rise, Papatoetoe's by-election after allegations of fraud, the International Convention Centre officially opening this week and the big summer events coming, Sail GP and Many World champs.

11:05 Political commentators Brigitte Morten and Dale Husband

Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government, a National Party member and currently volunteering for the party's deputy leader, Nicola Willis.

Dale Husband is a long time broadcaster and Radio Waatea presenter hosting a Maori focused current affairs programme.

11:30 The couple who turned around a twice liquidated West Coast brewery 

On the West Coast, a couple have turned around the fortunes of a brewery which has been liquidated twice in the past decade. At Shortjaw Brewing in Westport, customers can enjoy award winning beers and food made with all local ingredients. Luke Robertson and partner Emma Bemrose shifted from Melbourne in 2021 after becoming disillusioned with the frantic pace of life. . Since moving, they have worked on improving the 30-year-old equipment and supporting community initiatives - and have won awards along the way. West Coaster Luke Robertson speaks to Kathryn Ryan. 

11:45 Off the beaten track in Aoraki Mount Cook with Sally Jones

Department of Conservation Aoraki Operations Manager Sally Jones tells us about her patch, including the new bridge at Hooker Track, what a typical day in the park looks like, and which sights and walks she recommends.