Nine To Noon for Tuesday 30 July 2024

 

09:05 Associate Defence Minister on state of military housing

Some military families say the state of the homes provided by the Defence Force is horrendous - with black mould and damp conditions causing illness. A group of them has launched a new campaign calling for an independent review into Defence Force housing and accommodation. Mission Homefront says not only are some military houses substandard, but maintenance is poor and some families struggling financially. By law Defence Force personnel are prohibited from speaking publicly. Erin Speedy, who lives in Waiouru with her soldier partner, is fronting the campaign - she says some of the worst examples include a family who had no toilet for two months, while another had no heating for three months. Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk tells Kathryn he's seen the poor living conditions first hand.

09:20 Survey finds young people seeing more unwanted and harmful content online

Young people have told the chief censor they are seeing unwanted and harmful content around body image online. And they say algorithms are making positive and reliable information harder to get. The Classification Office and Netsafe commissioned research with young New Zealanders aged from 14 to 17 about their experiences with online content and body image. Netsafe's chief executive Brent Carey and chief censor Caroline Flora join Kathryn.

09:35 Caring for the carers with dementia on the rise

How families and friends can support people in their network caring for loved ones living with dementia. Beth McDougall is Bupa's national Dementia Care Specialist. She says dementia numbers are forecast to rise from 70,000 in 2020, to   170,000 by 2050, so it's a situation that is going to become familiar to many more New Zealand families. The Health Select Committee is carrying out an inquiry into aged care, looking  into current and future capacity and support for early onset neurological disorders. Beth McDougall says a key issue is how grown children can support their parents showing signs of dementia.

09:45 USA correspondent Ron Elving

There's much talk in Washington DC about who is in the running for the Vice President contender and who Kamala Harris will pick. Ron looks back at JD Vance's week in the spotlight after former President Donald Trump named his as his running mate. And he looks ahead to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this month.

Ron Elving is Senior Editor and Correspondent on the Washington Desk for NPR News.

10:05 Marimari: New film details one woman's fight against PNG sorcery

Sorcery and witchcraft sound like phrases from a bygone era. But to people in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, they are accusations that carry the threat of violence - and for too many - the experience of it. Paul Wolframm is a Kiwi filmmaker who's lived and worked in PNG, immersing himself in the community and learning the language and customs. His latest work is a documentary which focuses on the work of human rights defender Evelyn Kunda. Evelyn travels the highlands, trying to help victims of sanguma - or sorcery violence. She's experienced it herself, yet continues to risk danger to help feed, resettle and protect those driven from their villages. Paul's film Marimari - meaning compassion - looks at sanguma and how Evelyn fights for those accused of it. It's playing as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival. 

10:35 Book review: The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville 

David Hill reviews The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu: David Williams in Christchurch

Environment Canterbury chair Peter Scott has resumed his role after an independent investigation in his farming practices. Also David talks to Kathryn about the scrapping of some school building projects and there are more culture wars against cycleways by the Christchurch Mayor.

David Williams is Newsroom's Te Waipounamu South Island Correspondent

 

11:05 Business commentator Victoria Young

The Overseas Investment Office is investigating whether embattled BX Foods has breached conditions on one of its consents. The inquiry came after the Chinese-owned North Otago meat company confirmed it was looking at cutting staff numbers. As Vector moves to complete its exit from the gas business, chief executive Simon Mackenzie says one answer to the supply shortage is remotivating operators to get more out of existing fields, given their recent challenges. And a group taking Z Energy to court over allegedly misleading the public over its environmental credentials will have to provide more evidence of its claims

BusinessDesk Editor Victoria Young.

 

11:30 Bookshop detectives: Gareth and Louise Ward

Louise Ward of independent bookshop Wardini Books will be familiar to Nine to Noon listeners from her regular book reviews. She joins Kathryn along with husband Gareth, as the couple have just released a murder mystery. It's apt, as they're both ex police officers who run a bookshop. They talk to Kathryn about the fun they had writing The Bookshop Detective: Dead Girl Gone - which has just hit the bookshelves today. Gareth and Louise will also be appearing as part of WORD Christchurch Festival on 28 August.

 

11:45 Sports-chat with Sam Ackerman

Sam has been surveying all the action at the Olympics and how New Zealand athletes are performing.