Nine To Noon for Wednesday 1 February 2023

 

09:05 More heavy rain hits Auckland: Civil Defence Director Roger Ball

Forecast heavy rain has inundated Auckland before dawn this morning, causing further flooding in areas badly hit on Friday. Kathryn speaks to the Director of Civil Defence and Emergency Management Roger Ball about the situation in Auckland and also the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty, which are still under heavy rain warnings.

09:20 West Auckland hit hard by floods again

The heavy rain overnight in Auckland has put further stress on those out in western suburbs who were struggling to clean up after Friday's floods. Kathryn speaks to Waitakere Councillor Shane Henderson about what he's seen around his ward this morning. 

09:20 Auckland Airport recovering from flooding

Auckland Airport was extensively flooded in Friday's deluge leaving passengers stranded both in the terminal and around the world. Chief Executive Carrie Hurihanganui gives Kathryn an update.

9:30 Flood damaged crops: costs and contamination

There are warnings fresh vegetables could be pricey, contaminated and poor quality following flood-damage.  Green leafy vegetables, onions, garlic and pumpkins have been ruined in the Auckland floods.  Piles of onions have been washed onto the roads.  Kathryn speaks with Pukekohe Vegetable Growers' Association President Kirit Makan and United Fresh NZ technical advisory group's Anne Marie Arts.

09:45 Australia: Mining giant 'sorry' for missing radioactive capsule

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about the hunt for a missing radioactive capsule from a Rio Tinto mine in the Pilbara that's about the size of a pea. Racial tensions are running high in Alice Springs over the rocketing rates of violent crime, with locals warning the place is about to explode. A gay rights protest is planned for Thursday outside the Cathedral where the late Cardinal George Pell is due to be buried and Australia has a new domestic low-cost airline...called Bonza.

10:05 Anti-aging drugs' role in preventing heart disease

Dr Douglas Seals is a professor of integrative physiology who's studied the biological and lifestyle factors that can cause cardiovascular aging and the interventions that can improve it. He's based at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is director of the Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory. He was in New Zealand at the end of last year due to his involvement in studies into MitoQ - a molecule created by researchers at Otago University that's a powerful antioxidant. In one study lead by his lab, the drug reversed the aging of blood vessels in older adults by the equivalent of 15 - 20 years in the space of six weeks. He talks to Kathryn about that and the best ways to stave off heart disease.

10:35 Book review: Quentin's Classics: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell

Quentin Johnson reviews two of his favourite classics: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell, both published by Penguin

10:45 Around the motu: Alisha Evans in Tauranga

We check in on the western Bay of Plenty after the heavy rain that's been soaking the upper North Island - which roads have been badly effected, what's happening with the freight train that derailed? Tauranga City Dog Pound is no longer allowing owners to visit dogs if they are awaiting prosecution and Tauranga Council commissioned a survey into how residents feel about their council - what were the results?

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

11:05 Music with Dave Wilson

Music commentator Dave Wilson gets in the mood for Waitangi Day and looks at indigenous musical activism.

Dave Wilson is musician, composer, and ethnomusicologist, a senior lecturer at the New Zealand School of Music at Victoria University of Wellington

11:20 How to choose the best breed of cat for your household

It's kitten season, so if you're thinking about getting a cat - now is a good time as animal shelters are full of them. But what cat is going to suit your household? How much do cats cost to run? How often do they need to see a vet? Dr Kat Littlewood is a Lecturer in Animal Welfare at the School of Veterinary Science at Massey University - and a cat lover. She'll answer your cat-related questions - text 2101 or ninetonoon@rnz.co.nz

11:45 Personal finance: How to cope with rising mortgage rates

As interest rates continue an upwards march and home values drop, many people may be finding it difficult to service their mortgage. David Boyle joins Kathryn to talk about what homeowners can do to help protect themselves. Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?

David Boyle from Mint Asset Management, formerly with the Commission for Financial Capability.