Lately for Thursday 4 November 2021

 

10:17 Kiritapu Allan in thick of Tairāwhiti flooding

Rapidly rising rivers, giant trees crashing to the ground and flash flooding as the region was exposed to over a month's worth of rain in one day. These were the scenes in Gisborne today which prompted Civil Defence to declare a state of emergency at 2 o'clock this afternoon. Minister for Emergency Management Kiritapu Allan tells Karyn Hay how the situation is unfolding.

 

10:30 Removing tyres and batteries from waste stream

Used tyres and batteries are officially on the Government's hit list - and they're appealing to Kiwis to suggest ways to sustainably remove them from the waste stream. Every year, 6.5 million tyres are imported into the country but only 30 percent are exported or recycled - the rest go to landfill or are illegally dumped. In 2020, a thousand large batteries reached end of use - but by 2030 that number is estimated to be 84,000. Today the Minister for the Environment David Parker announced steps to better manage used tyres and large batteries and is inviting New Zealanders to have their say.

 

10:45 Cancer researchers' dire warning on lockdowns' effect

Every day eight women in New Zealand are told they have breast cancer, and two women die of breast cancer. Medical experts report widespread disruption of critical breast cancer research as COVID-19 lockdowns are shutting researchers out of their laboratories. This has forced them to destroy tissue samples and it's meant they can't collect new samples. Professor Andrew Shelling, head of Auckland University's Medical Genetics Research Group describes the impact lockdown has had in cancer research labs.

 

10:50 Stunning Southern Lights over the South Island

There's a big Aurora Australis to be seen tonight - if you're in the right part of the country!  Ian Griffin, the director of Otago Museum chats to Karyn Hay from Hoopers Inlet in Dunedin Harbour.