Nine To Noon for Tuesday 4 February 2025

09:05 Mines rescue service funding dwindles despite growth promise

As the Government plans to expand mining projects, the service set up to respond when things go wrong is in dire need of funding. The Mines Rescue Service was established following the 1926 Dobson Mine Disaster with a user-pays levy system introduced to fund it following Pike River. But since then things have changed - its remit has broadened, and its revenue stream has dried up. The Service is the only organisation in the country with the ability to respond to incidents with the need for specialist breathing capability - for example responding to emergencies where long duration breathing apparatus is required which neither Fire and Emergency or Police have access to. These emergency supports are expected of the Service more and more - but it receives no funding for it. Last week the Government confirmed its mining strategy and released its updated critical minerals list. The board chair of the Service, Joe Edwards, says while some fresh revenue may come from new or expanded mining operations it won't be enough. This years' costs are approximately double the amoutn expected from levies. Joe Edwards speaks to Kathryn Ryan. 

09:25 Fungi as a means to curb meth addiction

A Gisborne marae is hosting a clinical study on the use of magic mushrooms as a means to treat methamphetamine addiction. Twelve people have, over the last month, now gone through the first phase of the trial at Rangiwaho Marae, south of Gisborne. They have been given doses of psilocybin extracted from the mushrooms imported from Canada. It is a collaboration including the marae, Rua Bioscience as well as several research and health organisations. The first cohort of 12 people are all healthy and do not have addiction problems - and will serve as a means to prove the therapy can be safe before testing it further. Jody Toroa is a trustee at Rangiwaho Marae and she talks to Kathryn about the organisation's interest and involvement in the trial. Dr Suresh Muthukumaraswamy from Auckland University is overseeing the trials. 

09:35 Can AI tech help prevent drownings?

The Selwyn Aquatic Centre in Rolleston is rolling out AI technology it says will help prevent drownings. By June it will have a network of 27 cameras which will scan swimmer activity for signs of swimmers in difficulty. James Richmond, Head of Sport and Recreation, says the tech won't replace lifeguards, but will help them.

09:45 USA correspondent Ron Elving

US President Trump has given Mexico some leeway on moves to put tariffs on the country - but they are still coming for Canada and China. The US Government foreign aid agency is under threat along with diversity initiatives. And this week's Super Bowl is in the Bayou as the Kansas City Chiefs aim to win their third title in a row. 

Ron Elving is a Senior Editor and Correspondent, Washington Desk for NPR news.

10:05 Lotta Dann: why I ditched dieting

Wellington author Lotta Dann is known to many for sharing her experience of quitting alcohol through her blog and books, and the Living Sober website she helped create with more than 50,000 members. After giving up alcohol she began to gain weight, came across an American diet guru online, and began to think she had an eating addiction. What followed was two years of extreme dieting - cutting out entire food groups and obsessively weighing portions. The weight fell off her, but no one knew what a toll it was taking. She began yo-yoing between so-called "good" and "bad" food, feeling ashamed and a failure every time she strayed from the strict regime. Lotta Dann's new book, Mrs D is Not on a Diet plots her journey through extreme dieting, looks at the billion dollar skinny industry, and shares how she's ditched the food rules and is on a path to peace with her body.

10:35 Book review: Three of the best from 2024

Phil Vine reviews three of his favourite books from last year: Happiness Falls by Angie Kim, published by Faber, The City and Its Uncertain Walls by Haruki Murakami, published by Harvill Secker, and Until August by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, published by Viking

10:45 Around the motu: Mike Tweed in Whanganui

Mike updates Kathryn on the latest in Whanganui including the iwi-council partnership, controversy over a taxiway, and a second freedom camping site has been shut.

Mike Tweed is a Multimedia Journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. 

11:05 Business commentator Rebecca Stevenson 

Business commentator Rebecca Stevenson discusses how one NZ firm anticipated President Trump's tariffs and their repercussions worldwide. Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, with its manufacturing in Mexico, works to mitigate the tariffs. Rebecca also discusses the drawn out appointment of a board chair for Fletcher Building, and market watchers like asset sales as a means for local and central government to raise money to fund infrastructure work. 

Rebecca Stevenson is a senior markets journalist at BusinessDesk

11:30 Tenancy law changes: What renters and landlords need to know

Some big changes to tenancy law came into force just before Christmas. The Residential Tenancies Act was passed in December, bringing in so-called "pet bonds" - that will let landlords charge slightly more in bond if a tenant has a pet. It also re-introduces 90-day notice 'no clause' terminations for periodic tenancies, as well as clarifying that landlords can prohibit smoking inside their rental. Andrew Hubbard is deputy chief executive of the Citizens Advice Bureau, which has compiled a resource website called Aratohu on behalf of the Tenant Advocates Network - a national group of organisations involved in tenant advocacy. He breaks down some of the core changes.

11:45 Sports-chat with Marc Hinton

Ann McKenna - a dual international for New Zealand in hockey and cricket - is remembered. Not only was she a player representing New Zealand in two sports, she also coached NZ teams in both codes. Dame Lisa Carrington is hinting she is going to take on the 2028 Olympics, while Chris Wood keeps on scoring and the Super Rugby season is about to kick off.