Nine To Noon for Monday 10 June 2024

09:05 Should EV owners get smarter?

Electric vehicle charging poses a serious threat to the energy system if users charge at the wrong time, lines companies say. Most EV owners - more than 4 out of 5 - have so far preferred to use 3-pin chargers or a wall box monitor, according to Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority data. Neither of those options are set up for two-way communication with the grid and they charge as soon as you plug in. That means lines companies struggle to manage demand and they are warning they'll need to spend more than is required to accommodate it. Smart chargers can talk to the grid, target charging away from peak times and cost in the range of $1,000 to $2,000. EECA says its modelling shows widespread smart charger use could save the country $4 billion by 2050 by taking stress out of the grid. The United Kingdom has put in rules enforcing smart charger use, so should New Zealand follow suit? Marcos Pelenur, chief executive of EECA, joins Kathryn to discuss the smart chargers.

09:25 Pharmacy targeted for pseudoephedrine

It took just three days from pseudoephedrine to be back on his pharmacy's shelves for owner John Burt to be burgled. And the burglar was only interested in taking that product from his Unichem pharmacy in Motueka during the smash and grab two weeks ago. The return of the popular cold and flu drug as an over-the-counter medicine was championed by the Act Party at last year's election and secured as part of the coalition agreement. The product was made prescription-only back in 2011 as part of efforts to curb its use in methamphetamine production. But with its reintroduction, there's no national monitoring of who's buying it. That, say some pharmacists, is a missed opportunity. Pharmacist John Burt speaks to Kathryn.

9:35 NZ leads the world in asthma management

New Zealand is leading the world in asthma management due to the nationwide uptake of a 2-in-1 inhaler regime. Historically asthma has been treated by prescribing separate reliever and preventer inhalers, but the results of a recent study released by the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand show the combination 2-in-1 inhaler has significantly reduced the number of asthma related hospital admissions in Aotearoa over the last four years. Professor Richard Beasley is the Director of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand and is also the asthma programme lead.

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

French President Emmanuel Macron has called a snap election, following the performance of the far-right National Rally in the European elections. The security of EU leaders is again under the spotlight after an assault against the Danish Prime Minister in the street. And the wife of British TV presenter Michael Mosley has paid tribute to her husband after his death on a Greek island, saying it's devastating to have lost a "wonderful, kind, brilliant husband".

10:05 New Zealand actress Lydia Peckham's Hollywood debut

New Zealand actress Lydia Peckham has recently made her Hollywood debut, in the latest instalment of the Planet of the Apes franchise. She landed the role of a young chimpanzee named Soona, in 20th Century Studios' Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - thanks to an audition tape involving a camera bungy-tied to a tree. The film is set many years after the previous movies in the franchise, with the apes having established themselves as the dominant species on earth. All of the apes in the sci-fi blockbuster were played by real actors, filmed mostly on location in Australia, before special effects were added on top. It took a stint of intensive training in 'ape school' for Ms Peckham to master the role; learning to think and move like Soona, and portray emotions through movement rather than speech.

10:35 Book review: You Like It Darker by Stephen King 

Emma Hislop reviews You Like It Darker by Stephen King published by Hachette

10:45 Around the motu: Simon Wilson in Auckland

The imminent closure of Queen Street’s landmark department store, Smith & Caughey, Simon discusses the issues which have led to this. Also the Save Queen St group is trying to stop the developer of inner city renewal project, Commercial Bay, from doing it again next door.  And a there was a large turnout for the March for Nature in town on Saturday.

 Simon Wilson is a Senior Writer NZ Herald 

11:05 Political commentators Dale Husband and Tim Hurdle

Dale and Tim look at reaction to the Budget, including concern promises to fund cancer drugs haven't been met. How are Te Pati Maori leaders handling allegations about the misuse of data? And Parliament is in recess and with the Prime Minister overseas, David Seymour is acting in his place.

Dale Husband is a long time broadcaster and Radio Waatea presenter hosting a Maori focused current affairs programme.

Tim Hurdle is a former National senior adviser, was the National Party Campaign Director in 2020. He is a director of several companies, including Museum Street Strategies, a public affairs firm.

11:30 From living out of tents in Vancouver to a small-batch fermenting in Greta Valley

Olivia Johnson started her small-batch kimchi and sauerkraut business Wild Child Ferments a year ago. But it was about 10 years ago where she first came across fermented foods while living out of tents on a vineyard in Vancouver. She now makes her ferments living on a farm with her husband and toddler in Greta Valley, in North Canterbury. She now has eight different sauerkrauts and two kimchis - including a combination jar, the 'krauchi'. She usually plies her wares at the Amberley Farmers Market as well as a couple of retail stores in Canterbury. Earlier this year Olivia was named Emerging Business Champion at the 2024 Outstanding Food Producer Awards.

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kennedy is on a ship steaming towards the Kimberley Coast of Australia from Darwin. He joins Kathryn to talk about what is in store during the expedition, and to share some experiences from a couple of days in Perth, including seeing an Aboriginal dance performance at the Western Australian Museum.