Nine To Noon for Monday 7 October 2024

09:05 Education Ministry stripped of responsibility for school property

Education Minister Erica Stanford has taken responsibility for school property away from the Ministry of Education after an inquiry found it cumbersome, slow to respond to roll growth and lacking in transparency around funding. A new entity is to be established to plan, fund and deliver what schools need. A "Functional Chief Executive" , with expertise in delivering infrastructure,  will be appointed for a two year term, to have responsibility for all operational aspects of school property. Ms Stanford commissioned the inquiry, led by former National Party Minister Murray McCully, after a multiple complaints from schools over the Ministry's school property function. She tells Kathryn Ryan how she plans to fix the situation.

09:20 Dargaville community patrols: 'We can't wait for the police to save us"

Eighteen new police in Northland won't provide any immediate relief to a crime wave in the town of Dargaville, locals say. The Minister of Police visited Dargaville on Friday evening to announce the plan for new recruits. It follows publicity over an upsurge in ramraids, burglaries and anti-social behaviour in recent months, which has pushed residents to take matters into their own hands, forming a community patrol. The group had been calling for more volunteers. Northern Wairoa Community Patrol spokesperson Anita Evans says the group was formed, partly, to deter people from taking a more vigilante approach. Kaipara District Council Dargaville Ward councillor Ash Nayyar backs the scheme, particularly as current wait times for police attendance can be hours or more.

09:30 What would it take to make ecocide an international crime?

Three of New Zealand's Pacific neighbours have asked the International Criminal Court to consider 'ecocide' an international crime. Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa made a formal submission to the world's highest court last month, that would put the worst environmental destruction by humans, on a par with genocide and crimes against humanity. It follows a push in recent years to make ecocide a globally punishable offence and moves by some countries  - particularly in Europe - to include it in their own statutes. So what kind of destruction would 'ecocide' apply to? And what's the process the ICC has to follow? Kathryn speaks with Jojo Mehta, co-founder and CEO of Stop Ecocide International.

09:45 Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney

Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney talks to Kathryn about the European Union's response to Israel's incursion into Lebanon. And the use of high-tech drones in the Ukraine war.

10:05  From Ngāruawāhia to the world stage:  Jazz legend Mike Nock

Mike Nock is one of New Zealand's greatest jazz musicians. He's played around the world with some of the biggest names  -  Miles Davis, Yusef Lateef, Art Blakey, Johnny O'Keefe, Dionne Warwick, and Michael Brecker. He has more than 40 albums to his name, and over a hundred on which he's featured as a player. Born in Christchurch, he grew up in Ngāruawāhia , where the radio featured large. After seven decades at the top of his game, Mike Nock is to be inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Wellington tomorrow. He told Kathryn the honour is even more special coming from his country.

10:35 Book review: Rapture by Emily Maguire

Ash Davida Jane reviews Rapture by Emily Maguire, published by Allen and Unwin

10:45 Around the motu: John Freer covering the Coromandel Peninsula

John has been looking through the recent Census Data which shows the Coromandel Peninsula has the oldest population in the country, with 34 percent of residents being aged over 65. This raises questions about managing services for older people.

11:05 Political commentators Sue Moroney and Brigitte Morten

Political commentators Sue Moroney and Brigitte Morten join Kathryn with to discuss the major political events of the last week, including the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui, the government's list of fast track projects, and questions surrounding the independent advice Casey Costello received on heated tobacco products. Sue Moroney is a former MP with the Labour Party and now chief executive of Community Law Centres Aotearoa Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government, a National Party member and currently volunteering for the party's deputy leader, Nicola Willis.

11:30 Wellington region's thriving food co-op helps customers bypass supermarkets

A Wellington fruit and vege co-op is using its buying power to bypass supermarkets in a bid to get better deals for both consumers and suppliers. Hauora Kai - a collaboration between Te Whatu Ora, and the not-for-profit group Wesley Community Action -  has been operating since 2014.  It supplies about 1400 produce packs a week, containing three to four varieties of fruit, and three to four varieties of vegetables for $15.   But it's soon to expand its offerings to mince meat for its customers in Porirua.  Makerita Makapelu is the manager at Wesley Community Action and speaks with Kathryn Ryan.

11:45 Urban Issues with Bill McKay

Why do we have lawns? Bill McKay explains how they started and why they've stayed. 

Bill McKay is a senior lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.