Nine To Noon for Wednesday 18 September 2024

 

09:05 Carers reflect on six months since shock disability support cuts 

It's been six months since shock cuts to what disabled people and their carers could purchase came into effect and those affected say there hasn't been a day of peace since. In a flurry to protect its budget Whaikaha limited what people could use their disability and carer support budgets for, dropping the news without notice on March the 18th. Carer Support, Individualised Funding, Choices in Community Living, Enhanced Individualised Funding, Enabling Good Lives personal budgets were all affected. Changes were also made to Whaikaha's Equipment Modification Services. But it wasn't just that - numerous other changes have impacted the disabled community - things such the ending of  public transport subsidies, the reinstatement of  fees for prescription medication, there's also decisions that will have long-term impact such as cutting the funding for the 15-year long Growing Up in New Zealand project - research that tracked 6000 children which specifically looked at the impact of disability on poverty rates. Kathryn speaks with Awhi Nga Matua director Emily Writes and kaitiaki Katy Thomas. 

09:30 Retired astronaut on the situation of former colleagues stuck at the ISS

Astronaut Sunita Williams will celebrate her birthday tomorrow - but in a location she might not have expected just three months ago. She's one half of a pair - Butch Wilmore is the other - shot into space aboard a Boeing Starliner for an eight day mission in June, that didn't go as planned. Its thrusters malfunctioned upon docking with the International Space Station and the decision was made to leave the pair there until they could safely return. That'll be until Boeing's rival Space X, can give them a ride home in a Dragon spacecraft in February next year. So how damaging has this been for Boeing? And what will Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams do with their extra time in space? Someone who knows them - and what life is like aboard the space station for extended periods of time -  is retired astronaut Michael Fossum, who's spent nearly 200 days in space himself.

09:45 Australia: Housing bill fight, MP's Nazi defamation fight, big kangaroo bill

Australia correspondent Annika Smethurst looks at Labor's battle to get its shared equity Help to Buy Bill through the Senate, a defamation trial underway in Victoria between two Liberal MPs that involves a text referring to Nazis, the Kiwi artist who got $2m for a kangaroo sculpture that still isn't finished and has now blown out to $22m and Elon Musk's hitting back at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Annika Smethurst is political editor at The Age

10:05 How two regional Kiwi chicks (their words) have gone global

Lucy Blakiston founded a bite sized news brand and online phenomenon - Shit You Should Care About, or SYSCA. Described as a mix of news, pop culture and fandom, there is a a website, and an Instagram and TikTok presence. The Instagram account alone has three and a half million followers. Lucy's latest venture is a book Make it Make Sense which she has co authored with writer Bel Hawkins - who is also contributor to SYSCA.

10:35 Book review: Frankie by Graham Norton

Jane Westaway reviews Frankie by Graham Norton published by Hachette

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

DarkSky International has approved international dark sky sanctuary status for the Kaikōura district. And David has an update on the restoration of an historic Hanmer Springs building, despite a budget blowout.

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

11:05 Music with Yadana Saw

Music correspondent Yadana Saw joins Nine to Noon to look at how waiata anthems have gone from strength to strength, with a bunch of new releases across the month. One particular track that's perfect for Te Wiki o te reo Māori comes from Welly-based artist MĀ. She'll also share a track from Recitals to mark 25 years since Champion Runner was released and one from Kruder and Dorfmeister.

11:25 Training puppies and interpreting dog behaviour 

Former animal services officer Betty Hall with great advice on understanding dogs, training puppies and getting canine harmony in the home.

11:45 Personal finance: Why retirees don't need to worry about interest rates

Money expert Liz Koh joins Kathryn to look at the way the effect of interest rate changes is often focused on those with mortgages. But what about those without? Liz looks at how the ups and downs of interest rate cycles can make interest income uncertain for retirees.

Liz Koh is a money expert who specialises in retirement planning. The advice given here is general and does not constitute specific advice to any person.