Nine To Noon for Friday 9 June 2023

 

09:05 Auckland council korero on budget sign off continues 

Auckland councillors head into a second day of debate in their efforts to finalise Mayor Wayne Brown's budget, The proposed share sale of airport shares is expected to dominate proceedings and several amendments have been tabled in a bid to break the impasse. his includes looking at alternatives to the contentious selling off of the city's airport shares. During a a nine hour meeting yesterday, the Mayor backed down on selling all 18 percent of the council's Auckland Airport shares - settling now for just eight percent..This scenario would achieve savings of $28 million next year. Mr Brown has proposed a general rates increase of 7.7 percent for residential households, which is one percent higher than the previous figure. Simon Wilson is a Senior Writer NZ Herald based in Auckland and he is keeping watch on proceedings.

09:20 Air rage: Airlines see red over Auckland Airport fees and expansion plans

Airlines are pushing back on Auckland Airport’s plans to raise landing charges from July, to help fund its multi-billion dollar renovation plans. That plan includes integrating the domestic and international terminals, a new baggage system, and airfield expansion. Passenger charges for both domestic and international jets will double during the next five years, starting next month.Rivals Qantas - which owns Jetstar - and Air New Zealand, quickly united in a warning that the charges would need to be passed onto travellers, and this could "close the door" on tourism. Cath O'Brien is the CEO of the Board of Airline Representatives - or BARNZ. Also Auckland Airport Chief Executive Carrie Hurihanganui.

09:35 The Big Kid rebuilding his life with LEGO

Daniel Mulholland a master-builder, only his bricks come in bright colours and are made of hard plastic.  Dan tells Kathryn his relationship with LEGO is a bit more intense than the average person.  He's a medic: from the age of seventeen with the NZ Army, and then as a paramedic.  During his career he's witnessed a lot of trauma.  Following a diagnosis of PTSD and depression he's rebuilt his life, with the help LEGO, and a community of fellow Big Kids, which he helped to establish.  Now he's the subject of a sweet film Big Kids premiering in the DOC Edge Film festival tonight.

09:45 Asia correspondent Ed White

As the death toll from a three train collision in Odisha, India, Ed talks to Kathryn about the reprisals and political fallout from the tragedy. Also, reports this week have suggested that the head of the CIA made a secret visit to China in May in an urgent bid to get relations between the two superpowers back onto a more stable footing. And in South Korea Seoul residents were told to evacuate the city in a false alarm after a failed North Korea satellite launch.

Ed White is a correspondent with the Financial Times.

10:05 Michael Spector: The promise of the biotechnology revolution 

Science writer Michael Spector isn't alone in thinking the Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in dramatic and lasting change across the world - he just thinks most of us have overlooked what could be the greatest scientific development in the history of humanity. In his new audiobook Higher Animals: Vaccines, Synthetic Biology, and the Future of Life, he explores how mRNA vaccines have transformed the scientific landscape and helped spark a biotechnology revolution. He also believes we have only just scratched the surface of what the technology is capable of.  He talks to Kathryn about the many ways the technology is going to change the way we live and how we need to safeguard against it's potential misuse.

10:35 Book review: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley

Roger Christensen of Unity Books Auckland reviews Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley, published by Oneworld Publications

10:45 Around the motu : Diane McCarthy in Whakatane

Kawerau District Council is under fire from its community who are fed up with paru or muddy water coming from their taps. The town that once boasted it had some of the best drinking water in the country has been dissatisfied with the water since the council started chlorinating the system in 2019 to comply with new national standards. Diane also talks to Kathryn about submissions for the Eastern Bay of Plenty local alcohol policy and a quirky story about people making music with the aid of tractor noise.

 

Eastern Bay of Plenty Local Democracy Reporter Diane McCarthy is with the Whakatane Beacon 

11:05 New music with Grant Smithies

Wellington indie singer/ songwriter Lontalius (Eddie Johnston) releases his fourth album this week, and it’s a luxuriously sad delight. We’ll hear two songs from that today, followed by an early track from Northampton’s Bigga Bush and a dancefloor classic from Grace Jones, who just turned 75.

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johannsen

At last there’s peace in our times for golf - but who is the real winner in the proposed merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf? Dana  has the details on the extraordinary development, and casts her eye over the Silver Ferns line-up for next month’s Netball World Cup.

Dana Johannsen is Stuff's National Correspondent specialising in sport. 

11:45 The week that was with

Comedians Michele A'Court and Irene Pink with the Friday funnies, including smiling lessons in Japan for people who became so used to wearing face marks during the pandemic, they're being taught how to grin again. .