Nine To Noon for Thursday 29 June 2023

 

 

09:05 Senior Russian General had knowledge of Wagner mutiny in advance - NYT

The New York Times is reporting a senior Russian General had prior knowledge of the attempted mutiny against Vladimir Putin by the Wagner group. It reports that US officials briefed on intelligence on the matter are trying to learn if General Sergey Surovikin, the former top Russian commander in Ukraine, helped plan last weekend's extraordinary, but short-lived mutiny led by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. The Kremlin has dismissed the report as "speculation" and insisted Russia's army and people are unified around the President. The Wagner group leader is now in exile in Belarus following a deal struck by the Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko. Kathryn speaks to Owen Matthews, a veteran Moscow correspondent who penned the book Overreach about Vladimir Putin and the origins and motivations for going to war in Ukraine. He believes the Russian President's instinct will be to launch a purge on his enemies.

09:30 Megan Woods on the myriad challenges for New Zealand's energy future

This morning Nine to Noon looks at the issue of greening up the country's energy - and the hefty price tag that comes with it. Two weeks ago on the programme Kathryn spoke with Graeme Peters, who'd just stepped down as the head of the Electricity Networks Association, which represents 27 lines companies around the country. He warned the level of investment needed to maintain the industry's infrastructure and enable a transition to a low-carbon economy would see a doubling of power bills within the next five years. A report from the Boston Consulting Group last year put the total cost of getting the country to 98 percent renewable electricity by 2030 at $42 billion. So is that feasible? Is the existing structure of the industry working well for customers? Do we need a separate Ministry of Energy help drive policy and regulatory settings? And could technological breakthroughs - like the creation of microgrids discussed on the programme yesterday with researcher Dr Jeremy Watson - help inject some self reliance for households when it comes to power generation? Kathryn is joined by Megan Woods, Minister for Energy and Resources. 

09:45 UK: Rwanda ruling due, mayoral candidate pulls out over groping claim

UK correspondent Dan Bloom joins Kathryn to look at the landmark decision that's looming on the controversial policy of sending illegal migrants to Rwanda - something the Home Office says could cost nearly £170,000 per person. London mayoral candidate and former Prime Ministerial adviser Daniel Korski has quit after allegations he groped TV producer Daisy Goodwin and mortgage lenders have agreed to a 12-month grace period before repossession proceedings start - but will that be enough to help struggling mortgage holders?

10:05 Defying gravity: skier and climber Brette Harrington

Brette Harrington is an expert skier who really can who can do it all, including slalom, slopestyle and backcountry skiing. But it's climbing where Brette really distinguishes herself; whether it's bouldering, high-grade rock climbing or ice climbing. She's considered one of the world's leading rock climbers, and has pioneered first ascents in the US, Canada and Patagonia. In 2015, Brette became the first person, male or female, to free-solo climb Chiaro di Luna in Patagonia without any equipment or protection, a feat ranked as one of the ten most legendary free solos in history. All the more extraordinary is she has continued to climb following the tragic death of her partner and fellow mountaineer Marc-André Leclerc, who died in an avalanche in 2018. She says she has found solace in the mountains, and knows he would have wanted her to keep climbing. Originally from Lake Tahoe in the US, Brette now lives in British Columbia in Canada, but speaks to Kathryn from Queenstown, where she is a keynote speaker at the Mountain Film and Book Festival.

10:35 Book review: Lioness by Emily Perkins

Kiran Dass reviews Lioness by Emily Perkins, published by Bloomsbury

10:45 Around the motu: Kirsty Pickett in Te Anau

Details of Southland's long term plan - Beyond 2025 have just been unveilled, Kirsty talks to Kathryn about what's in the significant document. She also celebrates the success of three Te Anau locals back from the World Mountain and Trail Running championships. And a review is underway into Te Anau-Manapouri airport Manapouri and there's been some vandalism on reserve land in Manapouri.

Kirsty Pickett is the co owner of the Southland App based in Te Anau, covering Southland and Fiordland.

11:05 Tech: Open AI's regulation moves, Blinkenlights cybercrimes, billionaires cage fight

Technology commentator Mark Pesce joins Kathryn to talk about how OpenAI's Sam Altman tried to water down landmark AI legislation coming out of the EU, the security researchers who worked out how to use fluctuations in lighting to decode secret passkey encryption data, the bluetooth car battery checker sold in NZ that's been found to be siphoning up users' location data to Hong Kong and China and the Elon Musk-Mark Zuckerberg planned MMA-style 'cage match'. 

11:25 Parenting: Absenteeism from school, tracking invisible students

Declining regular school attendance has been the focus of a lot of political debate here, and in term one last year only 46 percent of students reached the benchmark for regular attendance. It's also a hot topic across the Tasman where a Senate inquiry is looking into the problem in Australian schools. Michael Hawton is an Australian registered psychologist, a former school teacher and the founder of Parentshop which is a resource hub for parents, educators and child family specialists. He says school leaders report that student anxiety is a most significant concern and it is having an impact on them staying away from school.

11:45 Screentime: Indiana Jones 5, Class of '09, Inky Pinky Ponky

Film and TV reviewer Tamar Munch joins Kathryn to talk about the latest - and likely last - installment of the Indiana Jones franchise: Dial of Destiny (in cinemas). She'll also talk about new Disney drama Class of '09, which follows a group of FBI agents over the course of 30 years as they grapple with some big changes in how technology affects their roles. And Inky Pinky Ponky is a new Kiwi show on Māori Television which follows a young fakaleiti who starts another new high school and must overcome the same bullying attitudes to find a place she belongs.