Nine To Noon for Thursday 8 June 2023

 

 

09:05 Decision-day for the Council on passing the city's budget

It's crunch time for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown as he attempts to get his final budget signed off by city Councillors. The main sticking point is the sale of the Council's $2.2 billion worth of shares in Auckland Airport. The council has a $375m dollar Budget hole and Mayor Brown maintains privatising the airport shares is the only way to keep household rates rises to 6.7 per cent (in line with inflation) and to avoid cuts to social services and the arts. However it's not clear whether he has the numbers to get his budget passed. One of those firmly behind the Mayor is Howick Ward Councillor Maurice Williamson, who joins Kathryn to talk about the process today and Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor Angela Dalton who's against the airport share sale.

09:30 Wellington academics bring immune boosting vaccine discovery to market

An immune boosting vaccine substance developed by two Wellington academics is now being commercialised. Victoria University Associate Professors Mattie Timmer and Bridget Stocker made the initial discovery five years ago, and have been developing the ingredient, known as an adjuvant. Adjuvants are added to some vaccines to improve their efficacy and reduce side-effects. Now, along with Victoria University's commercialisation office - Wellington UniVentures, the academics have licensed some of their adjuvants to a US biotech company that will see them used in human clinical trials across a wide range of diseases. They're also preparing to spin-out a new company that will produce adjuvants and sell them onto companies that make vaccines for animals.

09:45 UK: Rare royal court appearance, dam politics, Rishi in Washington

UK correspondent Matt Dathan joins Kathryn to discuss Prince Harry becoming the first royal in more than 130 years to give evidence in court this week. He's there over claims of phone hacking by the Daily Mirror, but he struggled through his evidence. Another story dominating news in Britain is the explosion of a strategically important dam in southern Ukraine, Rishi Sunak's visit to the White House and trouble in the world of golf. 

Matt Dathan is Home Affairs Editor at The Times

10:05  HAGS - Victoria Smith: why middle age women are invisible

British writer Victoria Smith's new book HAGS, the Demonisation of Middle Age Women focuses on a generation of women, whom she says are vilified by society.  Past "the three Fs" (fertility, femininity, and f***ability) and now invisible, she argues. The concept of an older woman as a shrew or a witch, has a long history and representations in popular culture. What is different for the Gen X middle age woman, Victoria Smith tells Kathryn Ryan is that younger women are among the critics. Victoria Smith is a regular contributor to the Critic, writing on women's issues, parenting and mental health. Her work has also appeared in the New Statesman.

10:35 Book review: Under the Weather by James Renwick

David Hill reviews Under the Weather by James Renwick, published by HarperCollins Publishers NZ

10:45 Around the motu: Georgina Campbell in Wellington 

A memorial service will be held in Wellington for the Loafers Lodge residents who died in last month's fire and Georgina has details about what the money raised by the mayoral relief fund is going towards. Meanwhile a man appeared in court this week on five counts of murder related to the fatal fire. Also Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has had a tough week and she has commented that criticism of her meeting attendance is gendered. And seven city councillors have lost confidence in the Let's Get Wellington Moving.

Georgina Campbell is the NZ Herald's Wellington issues reporter

11:05 Tech: Countering China's critical tech, Infratil buys One NZ and Apple's Vision Pro

Technology journalist Peter Griffin is along to talk about how China has gained the edge in key technologies and how a central part of the AUKUS pact between Australia, the UK and US looks at how to counter that. Peter will talk about what those critical technologies are, and argue the case that New Zealand would benefit from joining the non-nuclear part of AUKUS. He'll also discuss Infratil's move to buy up a remaining stake in One New Zealand - formerly Vodafone and give his take on Apple's new Vision Pro headset.

Peter Griffin is a Wellington-based science and technology journalist.

11:25 Parenting: staying calm, collected and connected

Angela Pedersen is the founder of Oh Baby, pregnancy and parenting magazine and the mother of three teenagers. She says in the face of challenging behaviour, ensuring children have clearly set boundaries in their early years can pay dividends for parenting adolescents.

 

11:45 Screentime: Deadloch, Couples Therapy, Platonic

Film and TV reviewer Chris Schulz joins Kathryn to talk about Deadloch (Prime Video), an Australian comedy thriller starring New Zealand's own Madeleine Sami, who was interviewed on Nine to Noon two weeks ago. He'll also look at the New Zealand debut of its own version of Couples Therapy (ThreeNow) and Platonic starring Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne.

Music played in this show

Track: Fake Classic Trees
Artist: Radio Head
Time played: 10:45