Nine To Noon for Monday 11 April 2022

 

 

09:05 Petition to prevent foreign-owned carbon sink replacing East Coast farmland

A petition is gathering pace to prevent a swathe of treasured East Coast agricultural farmland being converted to overseas-owned pine forestry. Almost 6,686 signatures have been gathered from a target of 7,500.  The petition was set up by  farmer and provincial president of Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa region Toby Williams.  Mr Williams is intent on saving some six-thousand hectares at Huiarua and Matanui stations. Toby tells Kathryn he's determined this fine agricultural land doesn't become a carbon sink-hole. The purchase of these stations is currently before the Overseas Investment Office.

09:30 Will closure of scallop fishery reverse the decline?

Will the recent closure of scallop fisheries in Northland, most of Coromandel and the Hauraki Gulf be enough for the shell fish populations to recover? In the past nine years, scallop biomass in the Coromandel fishery, which includes the Hauraki Gulf,  has declined by 77-percent, while biomass in the Northland fishery has fallen 63 percent over 14 years. From April 1, the Fisheries Minister David Parker closed almost all the scallop fisheries in Coromandel and Northland, while two areas around Hauturu/Little Barrier Island and near the Colville Channel will remain open.His decision has angered some critics who believe it doesn't go far enough and taking scallops from those two areas should also be banned. Kathryn speaks with Dr James Williams, a NIWA fishery scientist who led a survey of scallop beds in the Hauraki Gulf last year,  and whose findings were part of the advice to the Minister.

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney - Is France and Europe in for a massive far-right shock?

In what's turned out to be a tight, nail-biting French presidential election, the gap has closed between the far-right and incumbent President Macron in the race for the Elysee Palace. After the first round of voting, exit polls put Macron on 28.1% and far-right leader Marine Le Pen on 23.3%. It'll be a fierce fight in the second round in two weeks' time, on April 24. Seamus reports from Paris.

10:05 Australia - the lucky country's strengths and challenges

Academic, writer, journalist and editor Julianne Schultz's book  The Idea of Australia takes looks at what her country represents. She asks some critical questions including : What defines the soul of the nation? Is it an egalitarian, generous, outward-looking country? Or is Australia a nation that has retreated into silence and denial about the past and become selfish, greedy, and insular? Julianne Schultz is an emeritus professor of media and culture from Queensland's Griffith University , and the publisher and founding editor of the Griffith Review.

10:35 Book review: Harbouring by Jenny Pattrick

Ralph McAllister reviews Harbouring by Jenny Pattrick, pubished by Penguin

10:45 The Reading

We begin a twelve part reading of Linda Olsson's novel 'Let me Sing you Gentle Songs'. 

11:05 Political commentators Mills & Morten

The changing politics of Covid, has the tide moved against incumbents after initially rewarding them. Stephen, Brigitte and Kathryn also discuss whether it is possible politically for the Government to do anything meaningful on climate change. 

Stephen Mills is an executive director at Talbot Mills research limited which is the polling firm used by Labour. He is a former political adviser to two Labour governments.

Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks & Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government. 

11:30 Sweet treats with Schoc Chocolates

As we head into Easter, what better time to talk chocolate? Murray Langham founded Schoc Chocolates in Greytown back in 2002. He and his team have one of the best jobs in the world, making all sorts of handmade chocolates using sustainably sourced cacao beans and  - where possible - locally sourced organic flavourings. They've won multiple awards over the years - the most recent of which is a Chocolate Lover's Choice award at last year's New Zealand Chocolate Awards. Murray is also a chocolate therapist...he joins Kathryn to explain.

11:45 Urban issues - upgrading and adapting the built environment

Bill discusses ‘hybrid architecture’: innovative ways of adapting buildings and sites.

Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.

Music played in this show

Track: White Mustang
Artist: Cat Power 
Time played: 9:30am 

Track: Take Five 
Artist: Dave Brubeck and Carmen McCrae
Time played: 11:35am