Nine To Noon for Wednesday 29 January 2020

 

09.05 Building up: recruiting more women into construction

The push to attract more women into construction jobs is ramping up. With the sector suffering a serious skill shortage and its biggest recruitment period approaching, advocates say more needs to be done to encourage young people, especially women, into the building trade.  A three-year project, jointly commissioned by the Ministry for Women and Ako Aotearoa - which supports training in the tertiary sector - aims to increase the participation and success of women in construction and engineering related trades.  Recent industry-lead research shows only 3% of workers in the industry are female and that only 17 percent of male employers employ women tradies. Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation Chief Executive Warwick Quinn says male employers need to have a complete change of mind-set. Also joining, Anna Winskill-Moore, a building apprentice with Dunedin-based construction company Osborn Brothers and a winner at  last year's National Association of Women in Construction Excellence Awards.

09:30 Report says 'no' to raising retirement age

In a relief to those of us who don't want to work past the age of 65, a review that looked into into upping the age for super has found it'd do more harm than good, and is affordable for decades to come. That's despite previous reviews recommending increasing the eligibility age. Instead the interim retirement commissioner, Peter Cordtz favours changing Kiwi Saver and controversially, considering removing the owner-occupier requirement for those who withdraw savings to buy their first home.

09:45 Australians urged to 'reconsider' travel to China

Australia correspondent Chris Niesche reports on the country's response to coronavirus, including official information this morning that citizens should "reconsider" the need to travel to China. Australia has five cases of coronavirus, and its thought hundreds of Australians could be in China for new year celebrations. Chris will also talk about how a gossip columnist to donate $50,000 to the bush fire effort, after registering the business name of her firm.

10:05 American Dirt author Jeanine Cummins - border crisis

The research for author, Jeanine Cummins' latest book took to her to borderland towns in Mexico, where thousands of people seeking a new life in America gather to try to enter the US. American Dirt is about a mother and son crossing the US-Mexico border and speaks to the dreams of migrants, as well as the horrific hardships they face on hope filled journeys to an imagined promised land. It explores the trauma of separation and also the desperate situations experienced by scores of Central Americans hoping to cross the border into the US.

10:35 Book review - Best of 2019

Louise O'Brien with her favourite books from 2019: The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox (Victoria University Press), To Calais, in Ordinary Time by James Meek (Allen and Unwin) and Big Sky by Kate Atkinson (Doubleday).

10:45 The Reading

On An Island With Consequences Dire by Kelly Ana Morey, adapted by Owen Scott read by Michelle Amas . Part 3 of 5. (Broadcast only, no online reproduction)

11:05 Music with Yadana Saw

RNZ music journalist Yadana Saw discusses new singles from Thundercat and Yumi Zouma who have new albums on the way. And we look at some of the big heritage acts that are landing on our shores next week (Elton John and Queen)
 

 

11:20 Govt details infrastructure spend

The Prime Minister has revealed a half-billion-dollar spend-up on roads, to come out of the $12 billion Infrastructure Fund. Kathryn talks with RNZ's Political Editor Jane Patterson.

11:25 Kiwi lighthouses inspiring new generation

A trio of richly illustrated books for young history buffs has been a labour of love for photographer and lighthouse enthusiast Grant Sheehan. 'Ivan and the lighthouse', 'Lucy goes to the lighthouse', and 'Oliver goes to Stephens Island lighthouse' are based on some of the real life stories of historic lighthouse keepers and their families, and aimed at 5-7 year olds.

11:45 Yes, your kids are turning your hair grey

Science commentator Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to look at experiments in mice which has shown stress does result in grey fur, leading researchers to believe they've figured out how. University of Sydney researchers have used human stem cells to make pain-killing neurons that provide lasting relief in mice -without side effects - in a single treatment. And no, it's not snakeflu... a quick update on a recently published paper that suggests the new coronavirus may have come from snakes.

Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles is the head of Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland.