Nine To Noon for Wednesday 23 February 2022

 

09:05 Crossroads: What to do with Dunedin's one-way street system

The new hospital being built on the former site of Dunedin's Cadbury factory has resurrected the thorny issue of what to do with the city's one-way street system. The new hospital site is currently sandwiched between two parts of State Highway 1 - one going north, the other going south. Last November Waka Kotahi's board endorsed a plan that would retain the one-way system - albeit with some changes. However a month later the city council - by a slim majority - backed an alternative programme that would turn the streets two-way. Waka Kotahi says discussions are ongoing, and Transport Minister Michael Wood will likely hear both proposals when he visits the city in April. Kathryn hears from  two Dunedin City Councillors, Jules Radich and Jim O'Malley, with their views on what should happen.

09:30 Pilots warn of fatigue

Fatigue among pilots, air traffic control and other aviation workers could lead to an aviation disaster - according to a leading union.The Airline Pilots Assocation or NZALPA - which represents which represents more than 2,600 New Zealand pilots, all air traffic controllers and the majority of flight service operators,  says fatigue in the sector is a serious issue. It says the Civil Aviation Bill, currently going through parliament, does nothing to address the problem.  NZALPA president Captain Andrew Ridling explains to Kathryn Ryan.

09:45 Australia: Borders reopen, AGL takeover, China flashpoint

Australia commentator Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about the reopening of Australia's borders after 704 days, who are the first arrivals likely to be? Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is determined to persist with a bid to takeover energy giant AGL and retire some of Australia's key coal plants early, and there's a new flashpoint in the soured relations between Australia and China - this time literally - following an incident in which Chinese military ship aimed a military-grade laser at an Australian Air Force aircraft.

10:05 In Amber's Wake: Christine Leunens' new novel set in tumultuous 80s NZ

The last time Christine Leunens joined Nine to Noon it was from LA, just hours ahead of the Oscars, where Taika Waititi would win Best Adapted Screenplay for JoJo Rabbit. It was adapted, of course, from Christine's book Caging Skies. In the two years since then, she's been busy researching a particularly tumultuous time in New Zealand's history - the 1980s and the impact the Springbok Tour, nuclear testing in the Pacific and bombing of the Rainbow Warrior had at the time. The result is a new novel, In Amber's Wake, a love story set in Auckland, Cambridge and Antarctica, which is already destined for the silver screen, with help from Thelma and Louise producer Mimi Polk Gitlin.

10:35 Book review: 30 Queer Lives by Matt McEvoy

Paul Diamond reviews 30 Queer Lives by Matt McEvoy, published by Massey University Press   

10:45 The Reading

Stuart Devenie reads part three of Live Bodies, adapted from the novel by Maurice Gee.

11:05 Music with Jess Fu

Music reviewer Jess Fu joins Kathryn to talk about indy record label Sunreturn's 10 track sampler that's out next month and play the first track from it: I Love My Friends by K M T P. She'll also profile Vietnam, a post punk, new wave 4-piece band from Wainuiomata and Beverly Glenn-Copeland, a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia who put out 2 folk-rock albums in the 70s, but had his most influence with a release in 1986. 

11:30 The basics of planting a plant gardening

Landscape designer and gardener Xanthe White provides some tricks and tips relating to planting, pruning and harvesting.

 

11:45 Science with Siouxsie Wiles

Science commentator Dr Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to talk about why a booster shot is important in this omicron outbreak, and the differences between the BA.1 and BA.2 strains of omicron.

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

 

Music played in this show

Track: Pressure to Party
Artist: Julia Jacklin 
Broadcast time: 09:47

 

Track: Small Talk 
Artist: Courtney Barnett
Broadcast time: 10:32

 

Track: Free Mind 
Artist: Tash Sultana 
Broadcast time: 10:45