Nine To Noon for Thursday 15 June 2023

 

 

 

09:05 Teachers' strike: students caught in an adult dispute

Anger is mounting among parents of high school students missing out due to on-going teacher strikes.  The Government and the Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA) have been in negotiations for almost a year.  While primary school teachers have reached a settlement, secondary teachers rejected the latest Ministry of Education collective agreement offer.  Two year levels each day are being rostered home, across four days of the week.  A parent petition to the Ministry of Education and the PPTA went on line on Monday pleading to stop the rostered days off.  Kathryn is joined by Ngaire White, whose 16 year old daughter was sprung a mock maths exam with less than a day's notice because of impending strike action, and Hamilton-based parent of two Jono Skipwith who launched the petition. Also, senior education lecturer at the University of Waikato, Dr Katrina McChesney who, while sympathising with parents and students, thinks the action is necessary to forestall further teacher shortages.

09:30 Hikuwai bridge reopens but East Coast locals still fear being cut-off

Four months after Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread damage to infrastructure around the North Island, a crucial link on the East Coast's State Highway 35 has been reconnected today with the opening of the Hikuwai Bailey Bridge. The bridge connects Gisborne and Tolaga Bay with the rest of the East Coast, including Tokumaru Bay, Ruatoria and the East Cape. It's a major step in Tairawhiti's recovery after the cyclone, but stretches of the state highway are still vulnerable, and residents fear they're just another big storm away from being cut off yet again. Some people have had to change doctors and other health care from Gisborne to Whakatane as roads have become too unreliable. Kathryn speaks with Jaclyn Hankin, Waka Kotahi NZTA's regional manager of maintenance and operations for the Central North Island and Mahanga Maru, a Ruatoria local and owner of Air Ruatoria. 

09:45 UK: Nottingham attacks, Boris, byelections and Partygate

UK correspondent Harriet Line joins Kathryn for the latest on the attacks in Nottingham that left three people dead. Boris Johnson has quit Parliament, now he awaits the verdict from a Parliamentary inquiry into Covid parties during lockdown. His resignation also prompted others to quit - although there is some doubt about whether Johnson ally Nadine Dorries has actually done so.

10:05 Ben Lott: an inspiring recovery from brain injury

In 2018, Ben Lott was competing in the GODZone adventure challenge when he fell, suffering a life changing brain injury. Within weeks, he'd lost his speech, his job, his partner and some of his friends. Someone who didn't leave his side was fellow racer, Scott Worthington. As Ben faced an arduous recovery, Scott encouraged him to set goals to get back into nature. After tramps, kayaking trips and bike rides, the pair their sights on a slightly bigger challenge; the Yukon 1000, the world's longest canoe race. Capturing that journey was journalist Mike White, who accompanied the pair on their trip to Canada. It's now the subject of a short film - Finding Ben, screening at the Mountain Film and Book Festival. 

10:35 Book review: Great Stories of New Zealand Conservation by Alan Froggatt

Shaun Barnett reviews Great Stories of New Zealand Conservation by Alan Froggatt, published by Upstart Press
 

10:45 Around the Motu: Mike Tweed in Whanganui

The Whanganui and Ruapehu public remain up in arms about high petrol prices in their districts, significantly higher than Rangitikei – so why are locals having to pay through the nozzle? Mike also talks to Kathryn about what’s happening on the Castlecliff coastline, and why a popular Whanganui swimming sport is now in a sorry state. Also community stalwart Eddie Tofa’s latest charity fundraiser. Eddie runs the River City Boxing Gym and is the boss of the Whanganui Boxing Association.

 Mike Tweed is a Multimedia Journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle 

11:05 Tech: Europe adopts new AI rules, NZ Govt agency bans use

Technology correspondent Paul Matthews looks at new rules adopted overnight by the EU around AI use in an effort to manage the privacy risk while adopting the technology. What do the new rules say? And in New Zealand, MBIE, became the first government ministry to ban ChatGPT use by staff last week. Paul will also look at new Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino and what her appointment might mean for the troubled platform. Also: Romance scams, investment scams, text scams and more as a big rise in digital scams - online and via text - hits New Zealand. What should you look out for?

11:25 Parenting: How to help 'late talkers'

Most babies say their first word sometime between 12 and 18 months of age. But for some young children, language takes a bit longer. Kathryn talks with speech and language therapist Christian Wright about developing the communication skills of late talkers -  children who by 18 months are using less than 20 spoken words.  He'll answer your questions - email them to ninetonoon@rnz.co.nz or text us on 2101.

11:45 Screentime: Homebound 3.0, The Full Monty, Based on a True Story

Film and TV reviewer James Croot joins Kathryn to talk about Kiwi comedy Homebound 3.0 (Three), a new series from Disney that catches us up on The Full Monty boys 25 years on, Based on a True Story (TNVZ), for all the true crime podcast fans still waiting for season three of Only Murders in the Building to land and You Hurt My Feelings (cinemas), which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

James Croot is Stuff's Stuff to Watch editor