Nine To Noon for Thursday 17 March 2022

 

 

09:05 Disaster relief charity on Ukraine border

An estimated three million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine into neighbouring countries, including over 1.8 million into Poland. The international disaster relief charity Shelterbox has been on the ground in Poland since early March. Lynn Freeman speaks with Martin Strutton from Shelterbox in Krakow in South East Poland.

09:15  Protecting farm animals from heat stress

Animal welfare campaigner Angus Robson is frustrated at what he says is a lack of progress made by the Ministry of Primary Industries to push requirements for shade and shelter into law, to prevent farm animals from suffering heat stress. The Ministry's code of welfare for dairy cattle stipulates farmers "need to have in place management plans to provide shelter and/or shade". But there's no legal requirement for farmers to provide shade or shelter and MPI was contacted 21 times during the summer with heat-related animal welfare concerns.  MPI's Director of Compliance Services Gary Orr joins Lynn Freeman, along with Angus Robson.

09:30 NZ scientist piecing together Tonga's volcanic eruption.     

 

Volcanologist Shane Cronin is the first overseas scientist allowed into Tonga to investigate January's powerful undersea volcanic eruption and tsunami which caused massive disruption and damage. Water supply and agriculture were affected in the fallout from the eruption and the explosions of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai could be heard as far away as New Zealand and Alaska. It is now known to be the largest volcanic explosion ever recorded - double that of the next largest, Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines more than 30 years ago. Professor of Volcanology at the University of Auckland, Shane Cronin has examined ash from the explosion, video footage and aerial images. His working theory is that the side of the volcano collapsed, vastly expanding the already explosive interactions between magma and water. Professor Cronin is now in Tonga to investigate further.

 

09:45 UK: Homes-for-Ukrainians scheme, PM seeks Saudi oil, Rockin' Rod's potholes

UK correspondent Matthew Parris joins Lynn to talk about the overwhelming response to the new homes-for Ukrainian-refugees scheme, the squatters who moved into a Russian oligarch's mansion, Boris Johnson's visit to Saudi Arabia in search of more oil, hope for Nazanin Zahari Ratcliffe in Iran, Rod Stewart's DIY pothole fix and no more doughnuts or suits as an inflation measure.

10:05 Comparonomics: Why your life is better than you think

If  you were to compare your life to the French King Louis XVI you might think that there was, in fact, no comparison. He had riches, servants, palaces - including the one at Versailles. Lynn's guest is economist and inventor Grant Ryan, who has a theory designed to make you rethink that. He calls it Comparonomics. Louis XVI was - before his appointment with the guillotine - unbelievably rich - but still lived in a drafty old palace, in unsanitary conditions with horrifically bad healthcare. This is Grant's point. He wonders why, when we are among the richest one percent of people that have ever lived, we don't FEEL like we're doing that well. He hopes his Comparonomic tool can help people change their perceptions of progress and their place in the world.

10:35 Book review: Strangers I Know by Claudia Durastanti

Cynthia Morahan reviews Strangers I Know by Claudia Durastanti (translated from the original Italian by Elizabeth Harris) published by Text Publishing

10:45 The Reading

Part four of Airini Beautrais's Bug Week, read by Alex Greig.

11:05 Broadband: The end of the (copper) line

Technology commentator Peter Griffin joins Lynn to talk about moves by Chorus to start switching off the last copper line connections, with most households now on fibre where it's available. What does it mean for those that aren't?

11:25 What language skills do new entrants need?

Speech and Language Therapist Christian Wright talks with Lynn Freeman about the language skills new entrants need to have a successful start to school.

11:45 Film & TV: WeCrashed, Turning Red, Our Flag Means Death

Chris Schulz joins Lynn to look at WeCrashed (Apple+), another truth-inspired downfall drama starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway that details how WeWork, which was one of the world's most valuable start-ups...until it wasn't. He'll also talk about the Kiwi-peppered comedy Our Flag Means Death (Sky/Neon) and one for the kids: Turning Red (Disney+).

Music played in this show

Title: Love and Hate
Artist: Michael Kiwanuka 
Time: 10:35am

Title: History Repeats
Artist: Brittany Howard
Time: 11.27am

Title: Sway
Artist: Bic Runga
Time: 11.32am