Nine To Noon for Tuesday 20 December 2022

 

 

09:05 AUT redundancy plans knocked back

AUT's plans to made 170 academic staff redundant have been knocked-back by the Employment Relations Authority. It has found the University's process for issuing redundancy notices was flawed and breaches the collective agreement. The ERA has ruled that volunteers for redundancy should have been called for once specific positions were identified as surplus. If this had happened potentially affected staff should have then been given the opportunity to apply for voluntary severance. But AUT called for voluntary redundancy before individual staff knew whether their jobs would be among the 170 academic positions to disappear. Kathryn speaks with a a Senior lecturer at AUT with more than 20 years experience who is one of 170 staff made redundant

09:20 Driving over the holidays

What can drivers expect from our roads as they set out to hotspots and hideaways around the motu this holiday period? The ribbon is being cut on the brand new thirteen kilometre four-lane stretch of State Highway One from Peka Peka to Ōtaki tomorrow.  It's the second new road to open this year to smooth traffic flows north of the capital, though roadworks have slowed traffic to single lanes recently north and southbound on Transmission Gully, after the brand new chip seal road surface was pot-holed by heavy rain. Meanwhile road works on State Highway 6 between Hira and the Rai Valley have been completed ahead of schedule. Kathryn speaks with Waka Kotahi Regional Manager Mark Owen for a driver's seat view of the state of our roads as the rubber hits the road for the festive season.

09:30 The ongoing impact of the Hunga Tonga eruption 

Almost a year on from Tonga's devastating undersea volcanic eruption, volcanologist Shane Cronin asseses the impact and implications for monitoring other Pacific fault lines. The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai eruption in January generated a huge tsunami that reached the coasts of Japan and the Americas, claiming six lives, injuring 20 people  and causing damage in excess of 100 million dollars. The submarine volcano lies around 65 kilometres north of the Kingdom's main island, Tongatapu, and it was biggest atmospheric explosion recorded on Earth in more than 100 years. It is part of the active Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone and the volcanic arc associated with it extends from New Zealand to Samoa. Since the eruption University of Auckland vulcanologist  Shane Cronin has been back to Tonga, leading the local science response and identifying ongoing hazards.

09:45 USA correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben

Danielle has the latest on the January 6 House panel, which is recommending criminal referrals for former President Donald Trump.

Danielle Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR's Washington Desk
 

10:05 The little Kiwi drinks company that's making a big splash

 Karma Drinks has spent the past 12 years building a company that aims to make the most ethical soft drinks in the world. Its ingredients are ethically sourced, organic and one percent of revenue from every drink goes back to the Sierra Leone villages that grow them. In October this year Karma Drinks achieved B Corp certification  - recognition that the company has achieved the highest standards of social and environmental performance. And last month the company took top honours at the Sustainable Business Awards. Chris Morrison is Karma Drinks co-founder, director and part of the Executive Team and joins Kathryn to talk about how the company is improving the lives of others, one drink at a time.

10:30 Around the motu : Alisha Evans in Tauranga

Alisha talks to Kathryn about a controversial road trial in Mount Maunganui, Since Links Avenue was turned into a cul-de-sac by the Tauranga City Council, $4 million in fines has been racked up. Also why a Tauranga kindergarten is facing an uncertain future. 

Alisha Evans is Local Democracy reporter for the Western Bay of Plenty, based in Tauranga

10:35 Book review: The New Zealand Seashore Guide by Sally Carson and Rod Morris

David Hill reviews The New Zealand Seashore Guide by Sally Carson and Rod Morris, published by Potton & Burton

10:45 The Reading

11:05 Business commentator Pattrick Smellie

Pattrick discusses what will happen if inflation starts coming down, will equities markets rebound?. Also, how far could house prices fall?. He also looks ahead to next winter's electricity supply. He says there are signs that it will be tricky, but not for the same reasons as in the past, with the dynamics of the electricity market changing very quickly.
 

Pattrick Smellie is the editor and co-founder of BusinessDesk and has reported on the New Zealand economy and business since 1983.
 

11:30 Rhapsody for the Rock Wren

Rhapsody for a Rock Wren is a film made by Lauren Schaer.  Lauren spent fifteen days filming in Mount Aspiring National Park, gathering footage for her degree in Science Communication at the University of Otago.  Since then her film has been screened at film festivals around the world. Lauren has just made her magical 14-minute film available for the first time on youtube.  Lauren also lead Team Rock Wren to win the 2022 Bird of the Year campaign, with this rap.

11:45 Sports-chat with Sam Ackerman 

With the biggest sporting tournament in the world wrapped up in spectacular fashion, Sam looks at the wash up to an extraordinary FIFA World Cup - the legacy it leaves both on and off the field. But the beautiful game has got ugly across the Tasman, where ugly A-League protests have turned violent.

Music played in this show

Song: If You Want To Go
Artist: Brett McKenzie
Time played: 9:45