Nine To Noon for Monday 14 October 2024

09:05 Summer electricity demand up, Transpower concerned about next winter

Energy researchers say rising demand for electricity in summer will have repercussions on lake levels come the next winter. Transpower says while risks of an electricity supply shortage this year have eased, next winter's forecast is concerning. It has signalled to the energy sector to focus on fuel storage - including across hydro storage - to manage the risk of shortages come winter 2025. This winter, a lack of gas and wind led to the lakes being drawn down quicker and a surge in spot prices. That closed some industrial plants, while others halted or reduced production. Mark Todoroff is an energy demand forecaster at TESLA Forecasting / Yes Energy. He says he is seeing a steady increase in summer power demand from heat pumps being used for cooling, and the increase in electric vehicles. Dr Kimberley O'Sullivan is an energy hardship expert in the Department of Public Health at Otago University. She has just finished a research project assessing New Zealanders' summer energy use - with further evidence of the increase in heat pump use for cooling.

09:25  Public not sold on sending money overseas for climate mitigation

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts has admitted there is no way to meet New Zealand's commitments under the Paris Agreement without buying overseas help. But a new paper out this morning by Motu Research says securing public support for sending funding offshore for climate mitigation projects remains a critical barrier to New Zealand meeting its 2030 climate goals. There's growing evidence New Zealand will need offshore mitigation such as funding projects overseas that reduce gross emissions, to offset the failure to do so here. Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says there have been some `high level' discussions with three countries,  on possible projects overseas. However, it is not clear whether there is coalition partner support for any such move. Catherine Leining, policy fellow at Motu Research, and a carbon market expert, talks to Kathryn about what their paper has found on attitudes towards offshore mitigation. 

09:45 Africa correspondent Debora Patta

Debora takes us inside the 'hustle kingdom'. She has been working on an undercover assignment into Ghanaian scammers - where Ghanaian men posing as women lure Americans and other elderly people from Australia and NZ into romance scams. They pretend to fall in love once they've hooked their targets  then they rob them playing on their emotions.

10:05 Aussie comedian Felicity Ward on breaking The Office's glass ceiling

Felicity Ward has stepped into the high heels of Hannah Howard - the boss of the latest incarnation of The Office. The hit TV show has had an Australian remake and sees a woman at helm of Sydney-based box company Flinley Craddick. The British version of show, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, first aired in 2001. Four years later Steve Carell took over at the helm of the US version - which ran for nine seasons. This new version is very Australasian in flavour, with a number of Kiwis in the cast including Josh Thompson and Edith Poor. Jackie Van Beek is also one of the main writers.  Felicity is no stranger to comedy  - as well as appearing on a number of Aussie TV shows she's also a seasoned stand-up comedian. But will Hannah Howard be the very disappointment of a boss that fans will be hoping for? Felicity tells Kathryn - hell, yes!

10:35 Electric car lobby group takes Minister's decision to court

An electric car lobby group is taking Transport Minister Simeon Brown to court over his decision to lower tailpipe CO2 emissions for car imports. The Better New Zealand Trust said it was unreasonable of Brown to direct his transport officials to consult only four motoring groups - all of which were against the standards - before making a decision. The trust said if EV suppliers had been consulted, they would have countered claims from the rest of the industry that there were not enough low-emissions vehicles available to meet the standards. The group has asked the High Court to quash Brown's amendments to the clean car regulations. RNZ has approached the minister for comment, but he has previously said the previous standards made cars more expensive. Kathryn speaks with Better New Zealand Trust spokesperson Kathryn Trounson.

10:40 Book review: Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal 

Lisa Finucane reviews Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal published by Chatto and Windus

10:45 Around the motu: Simon Wilson in Auckland

Simon looks at the big issues concerning Auckland, including the election for board of the community trust that owns most of Vector Energy and has recently paid out $350 to each customer. The government wants to put new marine protection areas in the Hauraki Gulf while still allowing some fishing to take place. Dog attacks have spiked by 80 per cent over the past year and the new fast-track list of projects includes plans to extend Ports of Auckland's Bledisloe and Fergusson wharves.

11:05 Political commentators  Gareth Hughes and Fletcher Tabuteau

Gareth, Fletcher and Kathryn talk about the Manawanui sinking, the upcoming CHOGM meeting and NZ First's annual conference. Also, the Prime Minister  Christopher Luxon's bilateral meeting with India's leader Narendra Modi, which has resulted in an official invite to New Delhi but little indication of progress toward a promised free trade deal. 

Gareth Hughes is the Director of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa,  is a former Green MP, and is no longer a member of any political party.

Fletcher Tabuteau is a former NZ First MP from 2014 to 2020, former deputy leader of the party, and former Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and the then minister for regional development Shane Jones. He now works for lobbying and communications firm Capital Government Relations.

11:30 Twisted Citrus: an orange orchard and fruit subscription service in Gisborne

 Bron and Sandy Kemp are the owners of Gisborne-based Twisted Citrus. What started as an kiwifruit and orange orchard in 2003 has since grown into a website offering fruit subscriptions and an array of other homegrown goods. Their business took a hit when the road network was wiped from Cyclone Gabrielle, but were lucky that the orange orchard went largely undamaged. The pair join Kathryn.

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kennedy is on a National Geographic expedition called "Roots of the Pacific", a voyage from Honiara in the Solomons to Auckland via Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Norfolk Island. He talks about what he's seeing and learning on the way.

Music played in this show

Lene Marlin

Sitting Down Here

Broadcast time: 10:57