Nine To Noon for Monday 5 September 2022

09:05 CAA oversimplifying drone rules - aviation experts

An aviation expert says the Civil Aviation Authority has been oversimplifying the rules around drone safely in its advertising - and it's fuelling a public backlash against drone operators. Dr Isaac Henderson is a lecturer at Massey University's aviation school and chair of UAVNZ, and is concerned at recent CAA advertising which states there are "no-fly zones" for drones. He says such terminology is misleading, and that when certain requirements are met, drones can be operated, but he says such blanket messaging ends up with the public reporting legitimate drone operators to police - and in some cases leading to threats against them. Kathryn also speaks to Colin Aitchison, operations manager for GCH UAV, a company offering aerial photography and asset inspection using drones. He says threats toward commercial operators like himself have become extremely common.

09:30 Auckland to host major robotics conference

Later this year Auckland will play host to a robotics conference of around 600 researchers, an ambitious plan hatched while the country's borders were closed, that has paid off. Some major companies have been attracted down-under for the event, which is a bid to establish New Zealand as a world-leading country in robotics. Kathryn speaks to roboticist and Auckland University senior lecturer Dr Minas Liarokapis who is organising the event, which will be one of the first times global leaders in the field will meet in person since pre-pandemic. 

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

The latest from Europe from our correspondent Seamus Kearney. Amid mounting concern in Europe about Russian gas cuts, Germany has announced a major energy relief package to tackle rising inflation and energy prices. Also, under pressure from Ukraine and European countries that border Russia, the EU has agreed to suspend a visa facilitation agreement with Moscow. 

10:05 Cliff Curtis: Te Urewera raid inspired film, Muru

Kiwi actor Cliff Curtis is a critically acclaimed Hollywood actor with a string of starring roles working with A-list directors and performers. But his heart is with the stories of Aotearoa New Zealand. The latest is Muru, a fictional action thriller whose story begins with the 2007 real-life, so-called 'anti-terror' police raids in a remote township in Te Urewera. Cliff Curtis is a co-producer, and actor in Muru and plays a community police officer caught in the middle of the unfolding events. The film also features Tame Iti, a police target for arrest in the 2007 raids, as himself. Curtis' roles in NZ made productions stretch back to the early 90's, including Desperate Remedies, Once Were Warriors and Whale Rider. 

10:35 Book review: Arms & Legs by Chloe Lane

Ray Shipley from Scorpio Books in Christchurch reviews Arms & Legs by Chloe Lane, published by Te Herenga Waka University Press   

10:45 The Reading

Episode one of Stephanie Johnson's novel  'The Writing Class', read by Alison Quigan.

11:05 Political commentators Gareth Hughes & Ben Thomas

Our political commentators discuss the government's Kiwisaver tax u-turn, the cost of living payment, Luxon ruling out a Freedoms NZ coalition, and the Greens co-leadership. 

Gareth Hughes is a former Green MP and now works for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa. 

Ben Thomas is a former National government press secretary, a columnist and a director of public affairs firm Capital.

11:30 'Vince': vegetable-based mince 

A plant-based food company from Northland is winning industry innovation awards with its new product, Vince - a plant-based vegetable mince product with 500g grams of veges in every pack. Debbie and Nigel Stowe of the company Olive & Ash, have been selling their plant-based vegetable mince product for a couple of years. The company's Vince product has most recently won top prize in the small supplier category at the 2022 Foodstarter Competition, which is affiliated with New World. Kathryn speaks to Debbie Stowe in Whangarei. 

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kathryn goes off the beaten track on Waiheke Island, gets an update about Lucky the kereru, and gives a tribute to whale expert Ramari Stewart, who has been recognised for her contributions to both mātauranga Māori and Western science with a prestigious Doctor of Science degree.

Music played in this show

Track: So Typically Now
Artist: US Girls
Time played: 9.45

Track: Break
Artist: Fazerdaze
Time played: 10.35

Track: Saturdays
Artist: Broken Bells
Time played: 11:30