Nine To Noon for Thursday 14 November 2024

09:05 IRD starts to crack down on unpaid overseas student loan debt 

The Inland Revenue department has doubled the size of its team responsible for chasing down overseas-based student loan debt and is taking more legal action in both New Zealand and Australia. Overdue student loan debt has grown to a record $2.37 billion dollars - with $2.2 billion of that owed by overseas borrowers - most of whom are based in Australia. Only 29 percent of all overseas student-loan borrowers met their repayment obligations in the past 12 months. Inland Revenue was allocated 116 million dollars in this year's Budget to bolster compliance and enforcement, with some of that ring-fenced specifically for overdue student loan debt. The rest of the funding is being used across other areas of the tax system including  cryptocurrency, trusts, the so-called hidden economy and organised crime. Andrew Stott, Marketing and Communications group manager at the IRD, discusses the department's compliance work with Susie. 

09:20 Will New Zealand's Aged Care system follow reforms in Australia?

The Australian government is putting up the price of aged care as part of what it's described as a "once in a generation" overhaul. A crisis of bed availability and financial strain prompted an inquiry which resulted in 23 recommendations that the government is now working through. As part of this, aged care will become more expensive and financial support for those living independently will be boosted. Back home, New Zealand may soon be following suit, as a government review looks at new funding models. Some towns are completely out of beds with tight financial books forcing providers to reduce their capacity. Tom Symondson is the chief executive of Australia's Aged and Community Care Providers Association. He played a pivotal role in the recent reforms and is in New Zealand to discuss the redesign of our system.

09:35 Wainuiomata High School secures rowing scholarship 

A first-year teacher with a passion for rowing has secured Wainuiomata High School this year's Aon Emerging School Scholarship Award. Gordon Milne didn't want costs to be a barrier for students keen to pick up an oar at the low-income  Lower Hutt school. The scholarship contributes $5000 each year toward an eligible school. Rowing - a notoriously intense, not to mention expensive, sport for high school students to partake in - has never been an option for those attending Wainuiomata High. Gordon has worked hard to secure grants and other funding to get the students this far. And has given hours of his personal time to make sure the students can get to their trainings and on the water. He hopes to foster a love of the sport and soon have the crew ready to compete in their first regatta.

09:45 UK: Musk vs the Labour Party, Archbishop of Canterbury quits

UK correspondent Dan Bloom joins Susie to talk about how a second Donald Trump presidency will impact the UK, particularly now he's appointed Elon Musk - who's taken aim at the Labour Party - to a high-level position. He'll look at PM Sir Keir Starmer's ambitious plans, unveiled yesterday at COP29, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 81% by 2035. And what led to the resignation of the head of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby?

10:05 Top doctor defies cancer prognosis with world-first treatment

Professor Richard Scolyer is a world recognised leader in melanoma research, named co-Australian of the Year this year, with his friend and medical oncologist Dr Georgina Long. In May last year, while in Europe attending medical conferences, he had a seizure and collapsed. Then came the devastating news he had a glioblastoma brain tumor  - which has a very low survival rate and typically involves surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy. So Richard Scolyer became a guinea pig for a world-first experimental trial of immunotherapy for melanoma patients, the side effects of which had a 60 per cent chance of killing him. Professor Scolyer has just published a book about his experience called Brainstorm.

10:35 Book review: The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami 

Phil Vine reviews The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami published by Penguin Random House  

10:45 Around the motu: Robin Martin in Taranaki

Robin discusses the reopening of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery after a $70m makeover. Roading updates in the ongoing saga that is the Mt Messenger bypass project on SH3, as well as the multi-million dollar shortfall in New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) funding that has left the New Plymouth council short. And an Ōpunake farmer says a new service at Taranaki Base Hospital has changed his life.

RNZ's Taranaki reporter, Robin Martin
 

11:05 Tech: Musk's new govt gig, report puts NZ tech sector at $17.9b

Technology correspondent Peter Griffin looks at the announcement by President-elect Trump that Elon Musk will help lead a new Department of Government Efficiency. Can Musk's experience in slashing corporate spending translate to the public sector, and what conflicts of interest will it raise? A new report out this morning details the benefits to New Zealand of the tech sector - which companies helped to drive the $1.28b increase over 2023? And Peter looks at the 45.5% share bump for Rocket Lab on the Nasdaq yesterday - what's fueling the rise?

11:25 Protecting children from harmful online content

Jo Robertson is a therapist, educator and researcher. Earlier this year, she and others presented a petition to parliament - signed by over 10,000 - calling for internet service providers to strengthen filters on all illegal sexual behaviour. This afternoon, she'll appear before a select committee to submit in person. She talks with Susie about legislation changes she wants to see. She also discusses the proposed new law in Australia, to ban social media for under 16-year-olds.

11:45 Screentime: The Penguin, Territory, Myths and Maidens

Film and TV reviewer Perlina Lau joins Susie to talk about The Penguin (Neon), starring Colin Farrell. It's set just after the events in the 2022 film The Batman and looks at the Penguin's rise to fill a power vacuum in the gangster world. Territory (Netflix) is a new Australian drama that's been described as "Succession in the Outback". And Myths and Maidens - a love letter to fafine Moana which is due to premier on Coconet TV next week.

Perlina Lau is co-host of RNZ's Culture 101 programme