Nine To Noon for Friday 11 October 2024

09:05 Farmers call on Kiwibank to enter the rural lending market

Farmers are calling for Kiwibank to enter the rural lending market to boost competition and improve loan options. This was one of Federated Farmers' key asks in its submission to the inquiry into banking competition last month. The group says farmers have been disproportionately affected by interest rates in recent years and should have loans made more accessible. But Kiwibank is hesitant, with four local and one international bank already participating in the market. Richard McIntyre is the commerce and competition spokesperson for Federated Farmers.
 

09:20 Not enough new mums getting treatment for birth injuries

It is two years since ACC began funding treatment for birth injuries - but one expert says not nearly enough mothers are getting the help they need. ACC covers injuries caused during labour and birth which can cause urinary and fecal incontinence, organ prolapse,  as well as perineal, vaginal and labial tears. Last year, there were just under 57 thousand live births. But in the two years since ACC began covering birth injuries, just under 14 thousand claims have been lodged. Wellington pelvic health physiotherapist Liz Childs says many birthing parents and health professionals are unaware they can access help. But she says there are also financial barriers, as the treatment is not fully funded by ACC, and private physios have to charge a surcharge. She says waiting lists for treatment in public hospitals are very long and that many smaller provincial towns do not have specialist physiotherapy for birth injuries. Liz Childs recommends this free guide for information about bladder and bowel control in pregnancy and after childbirth.  

9:30 Booksellers band together to endure strained economic times

Book sellers are banding together to get through the enduring economic downturn. Industry body Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand is forming a buying group to negotiate better deals with publishing houses. It comes as stores gear up for national bookshop day tomorrow - a two-pronged event to celebrate the shops roles as community hubs, and to encourage Christmas and summer spending. Renee Rowland is the manager of industry body Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand, based in Timaru.

09:45 Asia correspondent Ed White

There are big changes emerging from China as Xi Jinping's administration looks to stimulate the economy after years of slowing growth. Meanwhile renewable energy is booming, with two thirds of the world's solar and wind under construction being built in China, and Chinese companies are making unprecedented investments in green technologies beyond the country's borders. And in India's far north,  the restive region of Jammu and Kashmir has held its first election in about a decade.

Ed White is a correspondent with the Financial Times based in Shanghai

10:05 The curious writing desk that sparked a graphic novel about a family's history

Even as a four year old, Di Morris felt drawn to the writing desk at her great-aunt Marjorie's house. It wasn't just any desk - it was a red lacquered cabinet from Meiji-era Japan, with embossed gilt painted panels of Japanese scenes. It was stuffed full of letters, postcards and photos - which later piqued Di's curiosity about her family's history. She was particularly interested in Elsie Balfour, a young woman who grew up on a farm near Pleasant Point in South Canterbury but graduated in 1902 as a doctor from Edinburgh University. Elsie's life and that of her sister Margaret have been explored in Di's new book, The Writing Desk. It's in graphic novel form - all drawn by Di herself - in a labour of family love that took some 13 months.

10:35 Book review: The Time Traveller's Guide to Hamilton Gardens by Peter Sergel 

Gail Pittaway reviews The Time Traveller's Guide to Hamilton Gardens by Peter Sergel published by Phantom House Books

10:45 Around the motu: Logan Savory in Southland

Southland Tribune editor Logan Savory talks about the disappointment in the region over Air New Zealand ending its Invercargill to Wellington direct flights, just as Invercargill Airport's terminal gets a new name. Southland farmers are struggling after dreadful spring weather. And there's angst over some parts of Southland Otago not joining a regional protest on cutbacks to Dunedin's new hospital.

11:05 New music with Jeremy Taylor

A reissue of a lost classic from 1999 by Liverpool's Shack, Lady Gaga brings the showtunes, plus some sweet lover's rock.

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johanssen

The 37th America's Cup match gets underway this weekend, with defenders Team New Zealand taking on Ineos Brittania in the best-of-13 series. The build-up to the final seems to have lacked the hype and media coverage of previous events. Has this been the most underwhelming build-up to an America's Cup match in memory? After three defeats in a row, the Black Ferns are preparing for a massive test against France in the WXV competition in Canada this weekend; and Wimbledon is breaking with tradition and replacing line judges with electronic line-calling technology - is this a good step forward for tennis, or remove some of the drama?

11:45 The week that was with Irene Pink and Pinky Agnew

Irene and Pinky bring us some of the funnier stories of the past week, including the controversy over a device used to deter seagulls from a beachfront house in Sumner, which one Christchurch beach-goer says sounds "like a masonry drill".