Nine To Noon for Tuesday 26 September 2023

 

09:05 Fears over diesel spill near penguin habitat

Environment Canterbury concedes an oil spill near a marine reserve is not able to be contained. The 25-metre long Austro Carina crashed into the rocks and ran aground at Canterbury's Shell Bay on the eastern side of the peninsula on Sunday night.The four crew made it to shore and had to be winched out by helicopter. It is estimated 10,000 litres of diesel and 400 litres of hydraulic fluid is on the grounded ship. Aerial observations are set to get underway to work out the extent of the situation, but weather is limiting a containment operation.  The spill is close to the Akaroa Marine Reserve and the area is home to protected species like the kororā/little blue penguin and the upokohue/Hector's dolphins among several others. Kathryn speaks with  Andy Thompson, DoC's Mahaanui operations manager and Shireen Helps owner and founder of Pōhatu Penguins, a wildlife tour company on Banks Peninsula.

09:15 Push to address poor writing outcomes in education

Dr Ian Hunter was so worried about his first year university students' poor writing skills, that he left academia and started a company to address it. That was more than a decade ago. Today, Dr Hunter is still critiquing the way the New Zealand education system fails to focus on the teaching of writing.  As discussion continues around the so-called `common practice model', to be used by all teachers in schools,  Dr Hunter argues it the model has one glaring omission - the teaching of writing.  Ian Hunter was an Associate Professor at the University of Auckland in the late 1990s, when he became concerned about the writing ability of first year students.  In 2011, he left academia to found Writer's Toolbox -  which now works with 600 schools around the world. Dr Hunter's company this month hosted an Australasian literacy summit of literacy experts also concerned at the teaching of writing in NZ.

09:30 More EVs hit the road but still just 2% of fleet

The light EV fleet has increased nine-and-a-half times in the last five years, according a report from the non profit organisation Drive Electric. But EVs still make make up just two percent of the New Zealand fleet - so what's holding that back? How does New Zealand's uptake compare with other countries? And what other electrification of transport are we seeing? Kathryn speaks with Kirsten Corson, Drive Electric Deputy Chair.

09:45 US correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben

Yet another Government shutdown is looming in the United States. It looks almost certain that Congress won't pass funding bills to keep the Government working by the deadline of September 30. At issue is a standoff between fringe Republicans and the rest of the caucus. The farthest-right Republicans want to cut spending more, add security on the southern border, and cut aid to Ukraine.

Danielle Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR's Washington Desk.

10:05 Heather Morris on her new book of sisterhood and survival

Author Heather Morris has penned a new book that focuses on the experiences of a group of Australian Army nurses who were taken prisoner by the Japanese as they tried to sail from Singapore in 1942. The group had fled from Malaya, and joined other refugees from Singapore, when their ship the Vyner Brooke  - like so many others - was bombed. Surviving the sinking was traumatic enough - but the women would spend the next three years and seven months being shuffled around internment camps on an island off Sumatra. Despite the horrors of the camp - starvation and disease - the women found a way to boost a morale: through forming a choir led by Margaret Dryburgh and set to music adapted by Norah Chambers - who'd trained at the Royal Academy of Music. Heather is also the author of the best-selling book The Tattooist of Auschwitz, which is being made into TV series starring Harvey Keitel and Melanie Lynskey. She followed that up with Cilka's Journey and Three Sisters. She talks to Kathryn about Sisters Under the Rising Sun, which is out today.

10:35 Book review: Rewi, Āta haere, kia tere

Michelle Rahurahu reviews Rewi Āta haere, kia tere by Jade Kake and Jeremy Hansen published by Massey University Press.

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

Peter de Graaf is in Northland, where Whangārei residents are trying to understand why they have the highest fuel prices in the country. It is the closest city to the fuel import terminal at Marsden Point - but, according to the Commerce Commission, it has New Zealand's most expensive petrol. Both mayor Vince Cocurullo and AA both point out that Whangārei has next to no public transport outside the city, so people have to drive long distances to access health services or jobs.

11:05 Business commentator Victoria Young

BusinessDesk investigations editor Victoria Young has been investigating how frequently major infrastructure projects go over budget. An investigative team looked into the first and final costings of 55 major projects. Of those, 39 came in over budget, 12 were on budget, and just four came in under budget. The average blowout was $58 million, and with an average initial estimate of $235 million, that equated to a 25% total blowout across the 55 projects.

11:30 Unpacking digital infidelity with sex therapist Jo Robertson

Sex therapist Jo Robertson discusses a form of betrayal which can leave people conflicted over how they should feel. Digital betrayal and infidelity can range from your partner looking at content they shouldn't online, to messaging other people.

11:45 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Sam Ackerman discusses the Eddie Jones circus, with the strange selections, accusations of trying to bail to Japan during a five-year contract, and entertaining media conferences. But despite making for a good headline, Sam argues having New Zealand’s closest rugby ally fall apart will only weaken our game here - and could have played a big part in the All Blacks' slip in standards since the last World Cup.