Nine To Noon for Tuesday 7 November 2023

09:05 Rugby concussion study : who is getting injured and how?

The largest ever study of the impact of collisions on the heads of players sheds new light on who is getting injured and how. The New Zealand-based study used smart mouthguard technology to measure G forces in 328 male players from under 12s to top grade community rugby. It found that 94 percent of the G-forces experienced by players were lower than those measured on people jumping on trampolines. Most of the incidences where higher G-forces were experienced were the result of poor tackle or rucking technique. The study was a joint project between World Rugby, Prevent Biometrics, New Zealand Rugby (NZR), Otago Rugby and the University of Otago. Kathryn speaks with Otago University Associate Professor in Biomechanics, Dr Melanie Bussey.

09:15 Napier school brings in hard cellphone ban

A Napier school is introducing a hard ban on cellphones, including at lunchtimes, in the hopes students will begin to appreciate time away from their devices. National has indicated it wants to remove phones from classrooms, citing declining achievement rates - and some schools are beginning to pick up the idea. A fortnight ago, Napier Girls' High School went all-in. Students must switch their phones off by 8:40am, and leave them in their bags until the final bell rings. This includes between classes and at intervals. Teachers donning police hats patrol the grounds at lunch time, with buckets at the ready for rule-breakers... a bid to make light of what they accept is a tough transition for some students. Napier Girls' principal Dawn Ackroyd says it was very popular move with teachers and parents, but students are still warming up to the idea.

09:25 Growing crisis for older renters: What is the retirement sector doing to help?    

Yesterday we spoke about the growing number of New Zealanders who are renting in older age. The Retirement Commission says 40 percent of retirees will be renting by mid century; other researchers say the figure will top 50 percent even sooner. Against this backdrop, the retirement sector is increasingly getting out of providing rental accommodation, in favour of the 'licence to occupy' model. We had a huge response to this story and are pleased to pick it up again today with John Collyns, the Executive Director of the Retirement Villages Association.

09:35 How South Island company Spout is tackling milk bottle waste

South-Island based company Spout is helping to reduce the amount of plastic milk bottles by offering a milk-in-keg service to big milk consumers. It found a natural client base in restaurants and cafes - but now has a number of bigger companies on board with lots of employees who guzzle through the milk in the work kitchen. The kegs are reused after cleaning, and the company says its 'farm to flat white' model is zero waste and supports local farmers. One of the company's co-founders, Nick Jackson, joins Kathryn to explain how it works and plans for expansion.

09:45 USA correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben

Danielle Kurtzleben is in Washington, where Democrats are split about the United States' policy over Israel. And the party is also raising alarms over political group No Labels. It's been around for more than a decade, with the purpose of fostering cooperation between parties - and is now saying it plans to run someone for president.

Danielle Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR's Washington Desk

10:05 Alpine plant expert Jim Jermyn 

Jim Jermyn is a world-renowned expert in alpine plants and is the former head gardener of the Branklyn Garden in Perth. Jim is in the country as the New Zealand Alpine Garden Society's Steve Newall Memorial Travelling Speaker and will be giving talks to groups around the country. As well as running the Branklyn Garden, Jim is also known for his plant hunting in and nursery expertise and he's the author of two books on growing alpine plants. He's retired now - but still volunteering at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh - one of the leading botanic gardens in the world.

10:35 Book review: Good Material by Dolly Alderton 

Holly Walker reviews Good Material by Dolly Alderton published by Penguin Random House NZ    

10:45 Around the motu: Georgina Campbell in Wellington

Legal action has been launched over the $1.25 billion Transmission Gully motorway. The builder of the road is taking Waka Kotahi to court in relation to incomplete work. A pool, skatepark upgrades and the Wellington City Council's airport shares are on the chopping block in a proposal to cut costs. And police have now issued an arrest warrant for missing Ōtaki kayaker, Michaela Leger is  facing drug-related charges.
 
Georgina Campbell is NZ Herald's Wellington issues reporter

11:05 New children's book aims to help avoid mass whale strandings

In February 2021 a human chain of 150 volunteers held hands and slowly waded into the sea. Their aim was to stop what remained of a pod of long-finned pilot whales from re-stranding themselves at Farewell Spit at the top of the South Island. Their efforts that day were rewarded, with 38 of the 49 that had become stranded guided back out into the ocean. The day has been marked in a new book called Stranded, written by Linda Jane Keegan and illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. It tells the story from the point of view of one of the stranded whales, and includes useful panels of information about whales and how to help them in a stranding. Linda and Isobel talk to Kathryn about the motivation for the book.

11:30 Business commentator Victoria Young

BusinessDesk investigations editor, Victoria Young looks at the country's worst carbon emitters of the NZX50, with Fonterra topping the list. And revelations Supie founder Sarah Balle first approached PwC for help more than six months before her online grocer startup went under.

11:45 Sports chat with Marc Hinton

Marc is freshly landed from the Rugby World Cup, and talks to Kathryn about his impressions and access to the All Blacks throughout the tournament. And, the 'race that stops the nation' across the ditch is not far away - Marc has everything you need to know ahead of the Melbourne Cup.