Nine To Noon for Friday 19 May 2023

 

09:05 No frills, bread and butter: Grant Robertson on Budget 2023

The bread and butter, no frills budget which will see spending of nearly $11.5 billion more of taxpayers' money over four years;   $1.9b from the climate response fund, $6b for the National Resilience Plan, including to address the newly released Infrastructure Action Plan. Families with young children get extended childcare and free public transport, prescription charges have been scrapped, funding for 500 more nurses and more money will be poured into the country's flood battered infrastructure.  Treasury meanwhile now says a recession may not happen, with an expectation of modest growth over the coming year, with inflation coming down, albiet slower due to the cyclone rebuild. Finance Minister Grant Robertson says he's struck the balance between providing relief from the sharp cost-of-living rise,  without worsening inflation.

09:35 The demise of Jenny Craig: what does this say about diet culture in NZ?

After 40 years diet and weight-loss company Jenny Craig looks set to close its doors after going into voluntary administration earlier this week. The administrators say they will try to keep the company open, but its collapse here, in Australia and the United States has been touted as a sign that diet culture has shifted.  It had also faced competition from meal-kit delivery services like My Food Bag and Hello Fresh.  Launched in Australia in 1983, the company used celebrities and athletes like Spice Girl Mel B and even late Barry Humphries and his alter ego Dame Edna Everage to become a multi-million dollar company. So what does its trouble say about diet culture in New Zealand as the idea of weight and body positivity change? Kathryn talks with Angela Barnett, writer, body positivity campaigner and educator.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koroi Hawkins

RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins discusses the suspension of all MPs of the FijiFirst opposition party, and the US and India Pacific Summit in Port Moresby which is going ahead without the US President Joe Biden - who has cancelled.

10:05 Two Kashmiri chefs, chaat, weeds and a wedding feast

Acclaimed Kashmiri chef Prateek Sadhu is in the capital serving up street food from home.  He's collaborating with Chaat Street's owner, Kashmiri chef Vaibhav Vishen for Wellington on a Plate event Chaat Street. Chaat is the name given to savoury snacks from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Kashmir; it comes from a Hindi word for "lick", as in licking fingers while you eat. We're talking tangy, sweet, crispy and crunchy food. Prateek and Vaibhav are serving up delicious Kashmiri dishes with ingredients foraged under the pines in Karori.  What are weeds to Wellingtonians are delicious herbs in Kashmir.  Prateek is passionate about gathering native ingredients to use in his cheffing.  The Chaat Street event also features a pop-up Kashmiri wedding feast, served in a dining room ordained with traditional artwork and crockery. Prateek and Vaibhav join Kathryn to talk about the tasty weekend ahead

10:35 Book review: Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill

Quentin Johnson reviews Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill, published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu : Jonathan Leask in Ashburton

Jonathan Leask from the Ashburton Guardian on the latest detail on three waters reform being welcomed; and a new carpark is dividing councillors and the community.

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

African music is a deep well that never runs dry, the original source from which so much other great music has flowed, from funk, soul and jazz to reggae, blues and rock’n’roll. We’ll hear a couple of classics today from Ghana’s Ebo Taylor and Nigeria’s Peter King, followed by raucous Auckland punk from Guardian Singles and some “sunburnt indie psychedelic folk” from Tom Lark.

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Sam discusses the controversy over Manu Vatuvei  - should a convicted drug dealer get a job with the Warriors? Where will the 2025 Rugby League World Cup be held, now that France is out of the picture. Also the remarkable motorcross champion Courtney Duncan and NBA prodigy Victor Wembanyama .

11:45 What is hotel buffet etiquette?

What is the etiquette at a hotel buffet? Is it ok to stock up for later ? Te Radar and Elizabeth discuss.