Nine To Noon

09:05 Health and safety bill missed opportunity, experts say 

Experts warn changes to health and safety laws will not make workers safer, nor will they shift the dial on the country's dire death and injury statistics. A promise to reform health and safety law and regulations formed part of National's coalition agreement with Act, and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden introduced the Health and Safety at Work Amendment Bill to parliament this week. It passed its first reading on Thursday night. Dave Tilton is the founder of Parallaxx - a road safety and traffic management company. He says the changes will stymie innovation in risk reduction - with measures reduced to simplified 'tick-box' exercises that may not capture risk. Mike Cosman has almost 50 years’ experience in occupational safety and health and risk management in New Zealand and internationally. He was chair of the NZ Institute of Safety Management Board for 9 years, and runs the health and safety consultancy firm CosmanParkes. Dave and Mike discuss the Bill with Kathryn Ryan. 

09:25 Exiting a SME with success 

What are the keys to successfully exiting a business ownership? And for those considering buying a small business, what do they need to know? Most businesses in New Zealand are small and medium enterprises, and of those more than half are considered to have older owners. As of February last year Stats NZ reported 74 per cent of SMEs were sole traders - with no paid employees. Kathryn talks succession planning with Aro Advisors' Dave Saunders about what SME owners and prospective buyers are telling him. And Mike Warmington from Platform 1, talks about how to find the right person to take a business over.

09:45 Asia correspondent Elizabeth Beattie

A principal is dead after a school shooting in Thailand, Indonesia plans to send 8000 troops to Gaza, the Philippines Supreme Court rules same-sex coupes can co-own property together, China and Lithuanian relationship hits a bumpy patch over Taiwan, and a Tokyo bar that provides free drinks and counsels people who want to quit their jobs.

10:05 Thai cave rescuer on death-defying dive in Aotearoa-shot documentary 

Dr Richard Harris rose to fame after he was involved in the rescue of 12 young footballers and their coach from a Thai cave in 2018. The Australian anesthetist helped with the delicate balance of sedating the boys so they could be extracted from where they were trapped inside the cave system. Now retired, Richard, fellow Thai cave rescuer Craig Challen, and their team are the subject of a documentary following them on a death-defying cave dive here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Deeper - from  director Jennifer Peedom - is now screening on Netflix. The divers have been 2-hundred and 45 metres inside Kahurangi National Park's Pearse Resurgence, adapting technology to use hydrogen as a breathing gas and overcoming significant and life-threatening physical challenges. Richard told me he hadn't been prepared for the global response after the Thai rescue

10:30 Wellington hosts Asia Pacific amateur golf event 

The Royal Wellington Golf Club is hosting the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific tournament. The winner earns invitations to three major championships, and thousands of visitors are expected through. Lesley Wong is the Royal Wellington Club captain.

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

Holly Walker reviews three of her favourite books from last year: The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Sarah Krasnostein,and Chloe Hooper, published by Text Publishing, In Defence of Leisure by Akshi Singh, published by Penguin Books,and Surplus Women by Michelle Duff, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press.

10:45 Around the motu: Robin Martin in Taranaki

Robin talks about the recent LNG and seabed mining decisions that have a huge impact on the Taranaki region. And there's been Swiss wrestling in Kaponga. 

11:05 Campground evacuated, heavy rain warnings 

A Hawke's Bay campground is being evacuated due to the risk of a landslide, and Tairawhiti civil defence is warning people to prepare for a weekend of heavy rain. People at the Clifton Motor Camp were told yesterday to leave with rain forecast from later today. Most of the North Island from Manawatu to Northland is under a heavy rain watch today. RNZ journalist Lauren Crimp joins Kathryn with the latest information.

11:05 Music reviewer Jeremy Taylor

Slowboat Record's Jeremy Taylor is here with his music picks for the week.

11:25 Friday funnies: Donna Brookbanks and Pinky Agnew  

Comedians Pinky Agnew and Donna Brookbanks with a lighter take on some recent stories.

11:45 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Sam Ackerman talks Super Rugby, Winter Olympics and the T20 World Cup.