Nine To Noon for Friday 5 June 2020

 

 

09:05 Struggling business doubts rent arbitration scheme will help

The owner of a struggling Auckland inner city backpackers says he doubts government funded arbitration will resolve the impasse over rent with his commercial landlord. The scheme hammered out between Labour and New Zealand First is for businesses with fewer than 20 workers affected by Covid-19 - and their landlords - who cannot reach agreement on rent costs. Michael Le Roy-Dyson owns a 100 bed backpackers in downtown Auckland, but currently has only 10 guests. He says his income is 10 per cent of what it normally is, but he's tied into a five year lease at $360 thousand a year, backed by a personal guarantee, and a landlord threatening legal action. He's behind a petition to draw attention to the situation of commercial tenants facing a similar plight.

09:15 Freshwater reforms and the challenges ahead

Faced with new freshwater regulations and a looming recession councils and  farmers are warning that the changes will be challenging and costly. The Action for Healthy Waterways package, announced last week, outlined standards around clean swimming spots, set controls for farming practices, and introduced mandatory and enforceable farm environment plans. It also included a new bottom line for nitrogen toxicity, but controversially the exact measure has  been put off for a further 12 months until after the election.

Kathryn Ryan is joined by Federated  Farmers water and environment spokesperson Chris Allen, Richard McDowell, Chief Scientist, Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, who sat on the Freshwater Leaders Group committee and Waikato Regional Council chief executive and regional sector freshwater advisory group co-chair Vaughan Payne.

09:35 CreaTech sector aims to attract business to NZ

"We're open for business" is the message the New Zealand creative production sector is trying to sell around the world. A new campaign, backed by the government through agencies like New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Callaghan Innovation and Chorus, is hoping to attract and connect international entertainment companies to New Zealand creative businesses for their live action, digital, location or in-studio needs. Sam Witters is the head of AMO group, which is running the campaign.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koro Vaka'uta  

The Niue Premier Sir Toke Tufukia Talagi, loses his bid for a fifth term as a new face of local politics emerges, Fiji's main Opposition Party is suspended for two months following a split in ranks and there's pressure on New Zealand and Australia to include the Pacific in so-called 'travel-bubble'.

10:05 Underwater trailblazer. Top seahorse expert Amanda Vincent

Throughout the course of her career marine biologist Dr. Amanda Vincent has studied seahorse in 38 countries and co-authored a definitive taxonomy that helps distinguish between the 40 or so species. The professor at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at The University of British Columbia is also the director and co-founder of Project Seahorse, an international organization committed to conservation and sustainable use of the world's coastal marine ecosystems. She is the 2020 winner of the Indianapolis Prize, the world's leading award for animal conservation. The biennial prize recognizes and rewards conservationists who have achieved major victories in advancing the sustainability of animal species.

10:35 Book review - Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

Louise Ward of Wardini Books reviews Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk, published by Penguin Books NZ.

Set during the Great American Depression of the 1930s, Ellie and her family are forced to leave their comfortable home for Echo Mountain. What follows is a tale of tragedy, courage, finding your true self, confronting injustice - and doing the right thing.

10:45 The Reading

Cotton Eyed Joe by Susy Pointon read by Michele Amas Part 4 (final)    Limited web rights 

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

Grant plays music from The Roulettes new EP, Rocket To You, and gems from Philadelphia experimental pop artist ARTHUR and the mighty Prince.

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johannsen

Nimble navigation of the alert level changes is ahead for various sporting codes, with Super Rugby ready to adapt and welcome back crowds, but is Netball NZ in the same position?. 

11:45 The week that was

Our comedians Te Radar and Brynley Stent with the keepsake cannabis donation to a New Plymouth op shop and ugg boot foot injuries are on the rise.