Nine To Noon

09:05 Balancing between land for food and land for housing 

The government is proposing changes that would allow homes to be built on land categorised as suitable for some types of food production or grazing. National campaigned on removing areas designated as Land Use Capability 3 ,  from the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Land, to enable more dwellings to be built to ease the housing crisis. The Minister for Resource Management Act Reform, Chris  Bishop said on his Facebook page the proposal would make it easier for people to use their own land. The restrictions were introduced by the Labour government,  to protect food producing areas from being used for residential building. Concerns have been raised that any change could impact regional food security, but others say it lifts unnecessary restrictions. One option being suggested, as part of the proposed change, is to retain protection in a handful of key horticultural growing areas . like Pukekohe and Horowhenua,  by designating them "Special Agricultural Areas". Public consultation closes in about a fortnight. Pierre Roudier is President of the Society of Soil Scientists Sam Chidgey is a planning and environmental lawyer at Tavendale and Partners', based in Christchurch

09:20 Potential gamechanger for prostate cancer diagnosis

When it comes to cancer, prostate is the second biggest killer of men in New Zealand - and the number of cases is on the rise. Diagnosis can be invasive and painful - not to mention the additional stress of waiting for biopsy results from a stretched pathology service. However a team of researchers from the Te Whai Ao Dodd-Walls Centre have developed a potential gamechanger in the detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer. Led by Dr Claude Aguergaray from the University of Auckland, their laser diagnostic tool is ready for its first clinical trials. Dr Aguergaray talks to Kathryn Ryan about how it could reduce the number of biopsies and improve surgical outcomes, saving money - and lives.   

09:40 'Mad buggers': Ice Swimming Champs start in 5 degree lake

The annual Ice Swimming Championships are underway at St Bathans in Central Otago. Ice swimming is swimming in water temperatures below 5 degrees - unassisted with a silicone cap, pair of goggles, and standard swimming suit.  Competitors in the one mile swim are in the water now. Kathryn speaks with Event Director Sue Sherwen from St Bathans.

09:45 UK: Macron meets the King, Britain's financial nightmare, Wimbledon heatwave

UK correspondent Hugo Gye talks about the pomp and ceremony of the French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit, where he used a speech to push for a more aggressive distancing of Europe from the US. A new report by the Office for Budget Responsibility finds the outlook dire for British finances, forecasting national debt to grow to 270 percent of GDP by the 2070s if nothing is changed. And Wimbledon is drawing to an end, but not before temperatures are set to hit the 30s again.

Hugo Gye is Political Editor of The i Paper

10:05 The Kiwi who tried to stop the Titan OceanGate disaster

On 18 June 2023, five people died aboard a submersible which was en route to the wreck of the Titanic - 3,800 metres beneath the waves in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Titan submersible, operated by the American tourism company OceanGate, imploded 90 minutes into the journey - killing all passengers. Our next guest is New Zealander Rob McCallum, who himself runs expeditions to remote places through his company EYOS Expeditions. Five years prior to the disaster, Rob raised concerns with OceanGate about the risks of the vessel's carbon fibre and titanium construction. In March 2018, he emailed OceanGate founder Stockton Rush to warn him about the dangers of their submersible and that he was risking lives. Stockton Rush died in the implosion along with four others. Rob McCallum speaks to Kathryn Ryan.

10:30 The Big Sleepout is back after a five-year pause in an effort to raise funds for homelessness

After a pause for five years the Big Sleepout - an event aimed at raising awareness and funds to tackle homelessness - is back. Tonight, leaders from the business and community sector will be spending a night sleeping rough to highlight the cause and get a first hand understanding of homeless. The event is run by Lifewise, an Auckland based social development organisation, and is being reinvigorated as the number of homeless people on the city's downtown streets is on the rise. This year, Auckland Council, working with service providers, counted 653 people sleeping rough in the city, up from 498 noted in the census in 2018. Similar increases in homelessness have been reported from other parts of the country. Lifewise chair Pam Elgar joins Kathryn to discuss why Lifewise is bringing back the Big Sleepout. 

10:35 Book review: Parallel Lines by Edward St Aubyn

Jane Westaway reviews Parallel Lines by Edward St Aubyn published by Jonathan Cape

10:45 Around the motu: Alisha Evans in Tauranga

Alisha discusses a notorious crash site, a pensioner's move from caravan into new housing and Tauranga Council hiking cremation and burial fees. 

11:05 Tech: AI strategy released, Grok's antisemitism, tech loans

Technology journalist Peter Griffin looks at what's in the newly-released AI Strategy - written with the help of AI. Some criticisms of the strategy include whether it's included guardrails to ensure AI doesn't go rogue. That's exactly what happened to X's AI chatbot Grok after it started using antisemitic tropes in its responses, prompting X to promise the model would be improved. And BNZ has launched a tailored home loan product for technology entrepreneurs.

Peter Griffin is a Wellington-based science and technology journalist.

11:25 Parenting: turning experiences into lessons

Sara Segar discusses how parents help turn experiences into learning for their children. She runs the Experiential Learning Depot in Minnesota. She developed a range of resources for teachers and families, when she realised there was a desire for hands-on, authentic learning at home and in the classroom, but no material to help.

11:45 Screentime: 28 Years Later, Smoke, Outrageous Fortune turns 20

Film and television reviewer Tamar Munch looks at zombie film 28 Years Later, new TV series Smoke (AppleTV+) starring Taron Edgerton as a fire investigator hunting a serial arsonist. And Kiwi classic Outrageous Fortune turns 20 this year.