Nine To Noon for Tuesday 13 August 2024

 

09:05 Wellington Girls' College closes another quake prone building

Wellington Girls College, one of capital's largest inner city schools, is closed today and tomorrow as it figures out options after learning one of its only remaining teaching blocks is earthquake prone. The Ministry of Education has known about this potential issue since 2020 but had not advised told the school or the Council. Once the school discovered the risk, it sought an independent Detailed Sesmic Assessment which found that one part of the block was just 15 per cent of the National Building Standard. The Ministry says it's safe to use until strengthening can begin in October, but the school board says it's not willing to take that risk. Most of the other remaining teaching blocks at Wellington Girls' College, which has over 1300 students, are earthquake prone and not in use - and the entire field is covered with pre-fab classrooms. The Education Ministry abruptly evacuated staff from its own headquarters in Wellington in 2022 when it was found to be earthquake prone. Sam Fowler, the Ministry's Head of Property joins Paddy Gower, along with Wellington Girls' College Principal Julia Davidson.

09:20 Border patrol: Drug traffickers increasingly using 'trusted insiders'

A new report suggests that criminal syndicates are successfully infiltrating Customs,  as well as border staff, such as baggage handlers. The strategic border threat assessment report, made public under the Official Information Act, shows the risk of  so-called 'trusted insiders' is growing,  as organised criminal gangs expand within New Zealand. Just last week three men were arrested after allegedly importing and distributing nearly 180kg of methamphetamine through a Mexican crime syndicate operating out of central Auckland. Customs say they're up against it. Paddy Gower speaks with Bruce Berry, New Zealand Customs Service manager of intelligence.

09:35 The mission to get ngutukākā flourishing in the East Coast wild

Graeme Atkins is on a mission to protect endangered plants on the North Island's East Coast, in particular the beautiful, bright red ngutukākā - or kakabeak - of which only 100 plants survive in the wild. He is a former DOC ranger on the East Coast, who founded Tairāwhiti Ngutukākā - a community organisation dedicated to growing ngutukākā from seed and protecting them from pests and predators. Now, he's putting on the inaugural Tairāwhiti Ngutukākā Festival next month, in and around Ruatoria, Tolaga Bay and the far east coast. He tells Paddy Gower his vision is to see the East Coast flourishing with the sight of ngutukākā in the wild once again.

09:45 US correspondent Ron Elving

Ron talks to Paddy about the 2024 Presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and their running mates, and how they're being received. Also NPR has fact checked former President Trump's recent hour long news conference and found 162 inaccuracies.

 Ron Elving is a Senior Editor and Correspondent, Washington Desk for NPR news 

10:05 Lauren Fuge on the human need to explore

Science writer Lauren Fuge's new book is a call to action on climate change. She says the Anthropocene - the epoch of human beings on earth - is hurtling towards an ecological deadline. And people need to face up to not just cutting out fossil fuels - but we also must address colonial violence, corporate greed and worker oppression. Her book Voyagers: Our journey into the Anthropocene looks not only at her own travels - but of some of the most famous travellers like Tupaia and Cook - as it seeks to answer why we explore, and how that fits with an unsafe future. Lauren is doing her PhD looking at creative forms of climate communication.

10:35 Book review: Mourning a Breast by Xi Xi translated by Jennifer Feeley 

Melanie O'Loughlin of Lamplight Books in Auckland reviews Mourning a Breast by Xi Xi translated by Jennifer Feeley published by Giramondo Publishing

10:45 Around the motu: David Hill in North Canterbury 

The Hurunui District Council plans to open restored Soldiers' Block at Queen Mary Historic Reserve at Hanmer Springs. There's confusion over respite care services in some rural communities. North Canterbury's three councils are joining forces to offer a 3 waters plan, and  Waimakariri Mayor speaks out on "ludicrous conspiracy theories".

David Hill is a Local Democracy Reporter with North Canterbury News, based in Rangiora.

11:05 Business commentator Dileepa Fonseka

Dileepa looks at what is going on in the energy market including what  high prices are doing to the manufacturing sector. Also the science system restructure with Sir Peter Gluckman leading two reviews into science and tertiary education. And the impact of rising construction costs.

11:25 Writing for bi-cultural children 

Feana Tu'akoi' is an author who began writing junior fiction so her own children could see themselves reflected in books. Her kids are now adults - but they were the only motivation she needed to write children's books for bicultural Fānaú. Her latest title Lopini the Legend, tells the story of a Tongan-Palagi boy who is a perfectionist and not used to dealing with failure. Lopini feels like he has failed when his kapa haka leadership role is given to another student who is Māori and fluent in te reo. So there are many themes to discuss.

11:45 Sports chat with Marc Hinton

Stuff senior sports writer Marc Hinton assesses New Zealand’s effort at the Paris Olympics, 10 golds, 20 medals in total and talks about the standout Kiwi performances. Also in rugby, the Scott Robertson era has hit its first snag with the All Blacks going down to Argentina.