Nine To Noon for Thursday 11 November 2021

 

 

09:05 New flood risk insurance pricing "just the beginning": climate economist

A climate economist says the introduction by Tower Insurance of a new pricing model for flood risks is just the beginning. Tower is the first insurance company to offer customers a low, medium or high flood risk rating for their home. It says 90 percent of its customers will receive an average reduction in the flood risk portion of their premium of $25, and 10 percent will see an average price rise of around $50. Susie speaks with Tower Chief Executive Blair Turnbull,  and climate economist and modeller Belinda Storey whose research suggests 10 thousand homes in coastal and flood plains are at risk. She says premium hikes in high risk areas will continue.

09:30 Wool sector merger but will it deliver higher prices for farmers?

How will a major merger in the wool sector help prices and farmers out of the doldrums? Wools of New Zealand and Primary Wool Co-Operative, which have about 700 and 14-hundred grower shareholders respectively, have agreed to merge, and shareholders gave the deal the green light earlier this week. Strong wool prices have been depressed for many years now, currently selling for about $2 a kilogram, which is less than the cost of shearing for most farmers. There's also concern from many in the sector about the amount of pastoral land being converted to forestry. Susie Ferguson discusses the rationale for the merger and prospects for wool growers with Wools of NZ chairman James Parsons and Richard Young, chairman of Primary Wool Cooperative

09:45 Boris Johnson denies UK a 'corrupt' country, tells COP26 1.5C target 'in the balance'

UK correspondent Matt Dathan joins Susie with developments in the sleaze scandal engulfing the Conservative Party, even as Prime Minister Boris Johnson denies the UK is a "corrupt country". He'll also look at the Prime Minister's address to the climate summit in Glasgow, and his urging for countries to "pull out all the stops" to help the world meet its temperature target. And what's with Meghan Markle's "daddy" letter?

10:05 Growing up in Europe's last communist state: Albania

Lea Ypi grew up in one of the most isolated countries on earth. Albania was Europe's last outpost of communism; nearly impossible to visit, and even more difficult to leave. It was a place of queuing and scarcity, and of political executions and secret police.... But to Lea it was home. Her new book Free: Coming of Age at the End of History is a memoir about growing up in the last days of the last Stalinist outpost. She uncovers the trauma of discovering the truth about her family, her country, and her two favourite uncles; Albanian leader Enver Hoxha and Joseph Stalin. Susie speaks with Lea Ypi, who is now a professor in political theory at the London School of Economics and an adjunct associate professor in philosophy at the Australian National University.

10:35 Book Review: Treasure and Dirt

Ralph McAllister reviews Treasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer.    

10:45 The Reading

Dogside Story, episode four, by Patricia Grace. In the previous episode tension builds between Rua and the sisters and the village is visited by a con man Piki Chiefy from the past. 

11:05 Tech: My Vaccine Pass, out of control AI and Hawaiki South Island cable

Technology commentator Bill Bennett joins Susie for a look at how My Vaccine Pass will work, whether humans will really be able to control super-intelligent AI and plans by Auckland-based submarine cable operator Hawaiki for a new 22,000km cable linking South-East Asia, Australia and the US with a connection to the South Island.

11:25 Helping kids prepare for NCEA exams and cope with stress
 

With a little under two weeks until NCEA exams kick off, you might have an anxious teenager in the house. Of course, Covid has thrown a curveball into this year's preparations - particularly for students in the upper North Island. Covid's also meant that many children in Auckland and Northland may be approaching the end of their primary, intermediate or high schooling without the normal farewells. So how can parents help their kids get ready for exams, or help their child cope with big changes to their learning career, without the support they'd usually get from their school community? Sheridan Eketone is a family coach with The Parenting Place, based in Auckland. She has four children, two of whom are preparing NCEA -  and approaching it quite differently.

11:45 Film and TV: Dexter, Insecure, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Finch

Film and TV reviewer Chris Schulz joins Susie to talk about the new season of Dexter (Neon) - after eight years and what's considered by many to be one of the worst endings of all time, can it deliver? Insecure and Curb Your Enthusiasm have returned for their fifth and 11th seasons respectively, and Finch (Apple+) is a new apocalyptic movie starring Tom Hanks and a robot.