Nine To Noon for Monday 26 August 2024

09:05 Employers voice concern about changes to Te Pukenga

Some employers are sounding alarm over the government's plans to restructure Te Pūkenga. The coalition is currently consulting on its plan to break up the National Institute of Skills and Technology, which it says has been an "abject disaster".  It plans to take the sixteen polytechnics out of Te Pūkenga, group the weak ones together, and let the strongest stand alone - and the country's six Workforce Development Councils would be replaced with Industry Training Boards.  Employers in construction and infrastructure warn that this could undo important progress in matching up training with what employers need. Kathryn speaks with Alan Pollard, Chief Executive of Civil Contractors NZ and Greg Wallace, chief executive of Master Plumbers.

09:35 Australia Post fleet sourced from NZ

What began as a start up bike design project in a Wairarapa woolshed - has now broken into the Australian market. This morning UBCO Electric Utility Bikes has announced it has secured a major contract with Australia Post to provide a fleet of zero emission bikes. UBCO is intially supplying 175 light weight, custom designed electric vehicles for postie to use. The deal has been two years in the making... UBCO's GM of Global Fleet Grant Payton explains.

09:40 Council retires key bridge cutting off part of popular cycle trail 

The Westland mayor says tourists using a popular cycle trail in the area should be tolled to help pay for key infrastructure. The West Coast town of Ross has been cut out of a popular cycle route after the Totara Rail Bridge - used by pedestrians and cyclists - had to be closed for safety. The Westland District Council has been told the bridge was no longer safe to take pedestrians or cyclists. It means those doing the West Coast Wilderness trail will either need to start or end their journey at Ruatapu as the southernmost point of the trip - cutting the former goldmining town of Ross out of the picture. Andrew Stile from Ross Beach Top 10 Holiday Park and Westland mayor Helen Lash both speak to Kathryn about the dilemma.

09:45 Europe: Germany IS attack, superyacht investigation, Ukraine incursion

Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney details the stabbing attack at a summer festival in Germany, by a suspect thought to be linked to Islamic State. Investigations are continuing into what caused the superyacht owned by a British tech entrepreneur to sink off the coast of Sicily. The Russian-born CEO of the Telegram app has reportedly been arrested at a French airport, and Seamus looks at Ukraine's bold incursion into Russia.

10:05 The former NBA player, now human rights campaigner

Enes Kanter Freedom is a former NBA player who lost his job for speaking out on human rights abuses in China and Turkey. Raised in Turkey, Freedom got a college basketball scholarship in the US and played for the Boston Celtics. He began to to use his platform to express his views on human rights abuses in his homeland under President Tayyip Erdogan,  and that led to his Turkish citizenship being revoked in 2017. He then began calling out human rights abuses in China, and criticising the NBA and companies like Nike for doing business with China. In 2021 Enes Kanter Freedom became a US citizen - and in the same year, he was traded from the Boston Celtics - then "released from playing" which he says was in retaliation for his criticisms of China. Freedom was in New Zealand last week as the guest of a Turkish community group and he met with parliamentarians and other civil society leaders.

10:35: Wellington weather update

Wellington Region Emergency Management Office is urging residents in the Greater Wellington region to work from home today if they can, due to heavy rain in the region. It is asking people to avoid all travel if possible. A northbound lane on State Highway 2 through the Hutt Valley has had to be closed due to flooding. Trains on the Kāpiti Line have been replaced by buses between Plimmerton and Waikanae due to a slip - rocks fell and hit a train between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay. There are reports of flooding in Hutt City, Featherston, Silverstream, Trentham, Porirua, Waiwhetu, Whitby, Stokes Valley and Naenae. For an update on the situation, WREMO's Regional Manager Jeremy Holmes speaks to Kathryn.

10:40 Book review: Urban Aotearoa: The Future for Our Cities edited by David Batchelor and Bill McKay 

Lynn Freeman reviews Urban Aotearoa: The Future for Our Cities edited by David Batchelor and Bill McKay published by Bridget Williams Books

10:45 Around the motu: Logan Savory in Southland

The Invercargill Airport is today celebrating five years of the Invercargill-Auckland direct passenger jet service.It's been described as a game-changer for the regiion, providing a direct line into NZ's largest city. Also, Logan details why the Southern Institute of Technology has a fight for independence, a Gore district councillor is honoured for Super Human efforts and the popular Polyfest event is on in Invercargill.

Southland Tribune editor Logan Savory

11:05 Widespread flooding north of Porirua as Wellington rain continues

There is lots of flooding in Pāuatahanui north of Porirua where rain is still falling heavily. Heavy rain in the region has caused flooding in Porirua and the Hutt Valley, with a landslip on the Kapiti line affecting train services. State Highway 58 is shut in Whitby between James Cook and Joseph Banks Drives, with workers at the scene of a slip there. RNZ's Kate Gudsell was at Pāuatahanui.

11:05 Political commentators Dale Husband & Tim Hurdle

Dale, Tim and Kathryn discuss proposed changes to the Fast Track Bill, a potential capital raise for Kiwi Bank, escalating power prices, the Treaty Principles Bill and what came out of the Local Government conference.

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 Celebrating South Canterbury kai

We're off to Timaru to check in ahead of an event that celebrates local produce and producers.
SCOFF - or the South Canterbury Outstanding Food Festival is an annual event on the fixtures calendar. This year it runs from the 12th to the 23rd of September. Economic and Tourism agency, Venture Timaru champions the food focused festival. Operations & Destination Manager Di Hay says it's a hit with foodies. And the owner of the Oxford restaurant - Mike Doran says his establishment is always keen to take part.

11:45 Furniture giant IKEA has been snooping around our homes. What did it find?

IKEA is famous for flat-pack furniture that's modern, well-designed and easy to assemble. It's also due to open a shop at Auckland's Sylvia Park next year. In preparation, they've produced an interesting report on Kiwi homes called 'Life at Home in New Zealand'. Urban Issues correspondent Bill McKay digs into what it contains.

Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.