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Nine To Noon for Tuesday 19 September 2023

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09:05 Stewart Island wharf impasse leaves businesses worried

The wharf and ferry at Post Office Bay, Ulva Island. The island is about 3.5km long and lies within Stewart Island's Paterson Inlet.

The wharf and ferry at Post Office Bay, Ulva Island. The island is about 3.5km long and lies within Stewart Island's Paterson Inlet. Photo: Supplied/ Andrew Rutherford CC BY-SA 4.0

Stewart Island tourism operators are reeling from a stoush over access to nearby Ulva Island bird sanctuary. Nearly 40,000 visitors went to Rakiura / Stewart Island last season, with most travelling to Ulva Island - a jewel in the Department of Conservation's crown. However, ahead of this year's season, tourist operators have been told the only wharf in Post Office Cove has reached the end of its life and is no longer safe to use. But DoC and the district council are at an impasse over its replacement - and who should pay for what. Tourism operators are frustrated and worried. Kathryn speaks with Aihe Wildlife Cruises and Water Taxi owner Furhana Ahmad, Southland District Mayor Rob Scott and DOC Operations Director southern South Island Aaron Fleming.

09:30 New Zealanders becoming more dependent on private healthcare: report

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Photo: AFP

A report out today from the senior doctors' union says New Zealanders' dependence on private healthcare is rapidly increasing. The union is in an industrial dispute with Te Whatu Ora over doctors' pay and conditions. The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists report says private hospital use has risen 38 per cent in the past decade. That means the private operators are taking on more doctors, draining the public system of staff. In addition, 140-thousand more people bought private health insurance last year. Kathryn speaks with Harriet Wild, Director of policy and research at the ASMS and Richard Whitney, President of the Private Surgical Hospitals Association.

09:45 US: The challenges facing the 2024 White House race

US correspondent Ron Elving joins Kathryn to break down some of the issues in Washington right now, as the House Speaker Kevin McCarthy fights to keep his job and quell a rebellion in his party ranks. He's initiated an impeachment inquiry for President Joe Biden - something former President Donald Trump has described as "payback". The stand-off continues over federal funding past the end of the month, and President Biden's son Hunter has been indicted on gun charges.

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

Composite image of Donald Trump and Joe Biden

Photo: AFP

10:05 Amateur fossil hunter Leigh Love

Leigh Love has found many internationally significant fossils.

Leigh Love has found many internationally significant fossils. Photo:

A fossil found in North Canterbury's Waipara is changing what scientists know about the evolution of birds. Leigh Love and his son found almost the entire 62-million-year-old Zealandian Tropicbird specimen in 2020 and 2021. It's the first one found in the Southern Hemisphere.. the species wasn't previously known to migrate here at all. It's not Leigh Love's first internationally significant find - he estimates he's found around a dozen new species, since his passion for palaeontology ignited in 2005.

10:35 Book review: The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzburg 

Photo: Daunt Books

Kiran Dass reviews The Dry Heart by Natalia Ginzburg published by Daunt Books

10:45 Around the motu: Che Baker in Southland

Ryan Godden, left, Seth Maze, Aimee Wood and Jason Maze from Maze landscapes Ltd flew from Taupo to help lay the bricks for the Southland Charity Hospital pathways.

Ryan Godden, left, Seth Maze, Aimee Wood and Jason Maze from Maze landscapes Ltd flew from Taupo to help lay the bricks for the Southland Charity Hospital pathways. Photo: Kavinda Herath

Southland Times editor Che Baker joins Kathryn to talk about the latest in the Gore District Council saga, which has seen the resignation of long-serving CEO Stephen Parry. Parry says he leaves with no regrets and mayor Ben Bell - with whom he had a high-profile spat - has "wished him well". Southland's Charity Hospital has reached a milestone and the latest Groundswell NZ protest tour leaves Invercargill on Friday bound for Auckland.

11:05 Business with Rebecca Stevenson

Online scam

Photo: 123RF

Rebecca discusses new measures from banks to protect people from scams. After much pressure from critics of its slow response to rampant scams, the industry has announced it will introduce name and account number checking, and take action to freeze mule accounts used to siphon money scammed from customers.

11:30 The difference women's suffrage has made in NZ 

Historian Dr Jock Phillips has spent a career uncovering and documenting Aotearoa New Zealand's past, and is the author of 15 books. On this day in 1893 New Zealand women won the right to vote in elections. Jock looks back on the tough path they had to get there.

Photo of Women's Suffrage tile mural outside the Auckland Art Gallery, taken in February 2011.

Photo of Women's Suffrage tile mural outside the Auckland Art Gallery, taken in February 2011. Photo: AFP / Richard Cummins

11:45 Sports chat with Joe Porter

The All Blacks performing the haka before they played Namibia at Stadium de Toulouse on 15 September in Toulouse, France.

Photo: World Rugby

Joe Porter talks NRL as 'Up the Wahs' takes over... and in a few days, Joe heads to the Rugby World Cup in France.

Music played in this show

Track: Gravity 
Artist: @Peace 
Time played: 9:45am

Track: Believe 
Artist: Cher
Time played: 10:32am

Track: I Want Your Love 
Artist: Chic
Time played: 10:34am

Track: Magic Number
Artist: De La Soul
Time played: 10:57am

Track: Beautiful Day
Artist: U2
Time played: 11:27am