Nine To Noon for Tuesday 4 March 2025

09:05 Too many dementia patients in secure facilities without legal authority

The Chief Ombudsman is concerned that people are being put in secure aged care facilities without the proper legal authority, and wants a centralised register to be established so that facilities know who holds Enduring Power of Attorney for whom. Peter Boshier has just released a report on his inspections and visits to 148 secure residential aged care facilities around the country from 2021 to 2024. He says in the vast majority of facilities visited, at least one resident didn't have a legal basis for being placed in secure care, and at a small number of facilities, almost half of the residents didn't have the proper paperwork. The report also raises concerns about the way residents are restrained, saying psychogeriatric residents are at increased risk of being subjected to excessive restrictions or restraint. Peter Boshier joins Kathryn to discuss the report, ahead of his retirement as Chief Ombudsman at the end of the month, after 10 years.

09:25 How promising companies get capital 

Are our most promising companies and startups getting the investment they need to grow? There is an evolving ecosystem of venture capital, angel investors, and government initiatives for local companies to navigate to secure finance needed to scale innovative ideas. Success stories include virtual farm fencing company Halter - now selling its product in the American market - after securing $85 million in capital from a combination of funds here and overseas. RocketLab - often cited as a New Zealand startup success story - raised $270 million over multiple funding rounds and is now a world leader in rocket launch services. Funders say the challenge for promising startups in New Zealand is to get the right investor at the right moment and to scale well in a competitive global market. Venture capitalist Mahesh Muralidhar is chief executive of Phase One Ventures, an early-stage investor. Mahesh had a key early involvement in the $50 billion dollar Australian graphic design platform, Canva. Robbie Paul is chief executive of Icehouse Ventures - one of this country's leading venture capital firms, with investments in many of New Zealand's most successful startup companies including Halter and RocketLab.

09:45 US correspondent Ron Elving 

Republicans are getting into line behind President Trump and blaming Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for antagonising his American counterpart. Planned 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico and Canada are supposed to begin in the next day, and the President has also talked about upping tariffs on the European Union. 

10:05 The architects with a DIY approach to building communities

31 years after founding the Newtown Festival,  Anna Kemble-Welch and Martin Hanley are stepping back. Nearly 80,000 people attended the event on Sunday. The annual celebration of community, creativity and diversity plays host to over a thousand performers, hundreds of stall holders and plenty of free, family friendly activities. Over the years they've featured some top talent including Bret McKenzie, Bic Runga, Ladi-6, Che-Fu, King Kapisi, Don McGlashan, Karen O'Leary and The Beths. The architect-designer couple first moved to Newtown in the 1980s when they bought a derelict villa as it was all they could afford.  

10:35 Book review: Toitū Te Whenua by Lauren Keenan 

Paul Diamond reviews Toitū Te Whenua by Lauren Keenan published by Penguin Random House NZ

10:30  Auckland AI leather grading company, Mindhive Global, partners with world's largest processor.

Mindhive Global, an Auckland based AI company, is partnering with the world's largest leather processor to modernise one of the world's oldest     industries. The company uses AI in an element of the leather making process, which has depended on human eyes checking for defects for thousands of years. Mindhive Global's AI-vision assesses leather quality as cow hides roll through machinery, using technology first developed here in 2011 at a deer leather    processing plant. Mindhive's CEO James Bayly joins Kathryn to talk about his tech and what this deal might mean for his company. 
 

10:45 Around the motu: Peter de Graaf in Northland

The 'world's worst marine pest' continues its spread, the government has responded with a $6 million boost in funding, it has been a shocking month for shootings in Whangārei, a dolphin has jumped into a boat, and the world's biggest surfcasting competition kicked off on Tuesday.

 Peter de Graaf is RNZ's Northland reporter based in Kerikeri

11:05 Business with Dan Brunskill 

Treasury's chief economist gives a house price prediction, while a relatively unknown Canadian billionaire is taking a larger stake in NZ Herald's listed owner NZME. Dan also discusses Trump's crypto plays and how Wellingtonians ended up paying three times what other regions are paying for water repairs. 

11:25 Wellington Water debacle: councillor theatens legal action

There is growing anger in Wellington over revelations the capital's ratepayers have been paying nearly three times more for water repairs than in other parts of the country. A Wellington city councillor is threatening legal action against the Wellington Water- the Council Controlled organisation. Two reports released yesterday found structural problems, poor value for money from contractors, and an incident of alleged theft at the agency. An urgent meeting of council leaders has been held this morning. RNZ reporter Nick James with the latest.

11:30 Spike Milligan's Badjelly the Witch gets a modern-day Kiwi makeover

For over 50 years it was a staple for Kiwi kids - be it in book, radio play or theatre form: Spike Milligan's Bad Jelly the Witch. Originally a short handwritten story for his kids, it was printed in 1973 and made into an audio version. It was phenomenally popular here - in fact it was the most-licensed New Zealand play and believed to have over one hundred productions throughout the country. But it's set to get a new generation of young fans thanks to Mukpuddy animation studio who have picked up the rights and have turned it into a 13-part series with British star Miriam Margolyes as Bad Jelly. Ryan Cooper is one of the co-founders of Mukpuddy, he's the co-director of the new series (streaming now on TVNZ+) and also the author of a new book, Badjelly, that's just been released. He joins Kathryn to talk about how the book and series came about and the perennial popularity of this deliciously pernicious witch.

11:45 Sports correspondent Marc Hinton 

The Warriors struggle as rugby league has a Las Vegas sabbatical. The Blues beat the Hurricanes in another thriller in Super Rugby Pacific, so are the defending champs back? In cricket, the Black Caps are in the Champions Cup semi final and Dame Lydia Ko wins another LPGA championship as a tale of sporting redemption for Australian Ryan Peake at the NZ Open in Queenstown.