Nine To Noon for Friday 20 October 2023

 

09:05 Tensions high in Franz Josef over river management

Tensions are high in Franz Josef as submissions open on a proposal over what to do about the river that runs through the town and is increasingly becoming a flood risk. Stopbanks built to hold back the Waiho River are no longer thought to be enough when it's in flood, but there's not enough funding - even with central Government support - to upgrade them to a point to protect the town. The West Coast township and tourism operators are mostly on the north bank - and the south is mostly made up of farms. The West Coast Regional Council has put two options on the table. The first is to do nothing - although the report warns there's a high chance the river will burst on the south side anyway, risking loss of life, livestock and property. The second option - and the one recommended in the report - is to take down the southern stop banks where the farms are located and buy out the properties on that side of the river, which would inevitably flood. West Coast councillor Peter Haddock speaks with Kathryn Ryan.

09:20 Black Ferns kick off new international WXV tournament

It's a big weekend for rugby fans - there is, of course, a World Cup semi-final involving the All Blacks on Saturday morning. But there's another international involving New Zealand's top rugby team on Saturday night in Wellington. The Black Ferns will meet France in the opening test of the new WXV tournament. It'll be the first time the teams have faced each other since the Black Ferns edged France out of last year's Rugby World Cup semi-final by one point. Kathryn is joined by Sally Horrox, Chief of Women's Rugby at World Rugby, on how the tournament will work and what she hopes it'll do for the women's game.

For those wanting tickets, click here. 

09:30 Small towns with big histories

What do Ongaonga, Pūponga, Whangaroa, Whangamōmona and Tuatapere have in common? They're all small towns with big histories. Peter Janssen and Elizabeth Anderson have been on an epic journey to document the stories of our historic towns. Their new book is High Hopes and Big Dreams: 165 New Zealand small towns in their twilight. Some have vanished completely while others have now found a new purpose and are on the up. Peter joins Kathryn with some of his favourite stories.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koroi Hawkins

RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins discusses the Fiji Prime Minister's bid to have the Pacific Ocean declared an 'ocean of peace'. Sitiveni Rabuka is hoping the creation of a conflict-free peace zone can be discussed at the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting next month. And Koroi also has the latest on the Marshall Islands' renewed compact of free association with the United States.

10:05 Robert Peckham on how fear has driven modern civilisation

Fear is what keeps us alive but how has it shaped the world around us today? Whether it's fear of God, of illness or of a government Robert Peckham says the fears we have today are rooted in past events. His new book Fear: An Alternative History of the World looks at the role fear has played across major events in history from the Black Death in the 14th century to the French Revolution and the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Robert Peckham is a historian of epidemics and pandemics and was professor of history at the University of Hong Kong at the time China tightened its control over the city-state in 2019. He is also the founder of Open Cube - an organisation that promotes the arts, science and technology for health. He's also been a visiting scholar at New York University and held fellowships at Cambridge and Oxford.

10:35 Book review: Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll 

Laura Caygill reviews Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll published by Macmillan; 'A gripping novel of two women whose lives were forever altered by the violent acts of a serial killer'. 

10:45 Around the motu: Tess Brunton in Dunedin

Tess Brunton is in Dunedin, looking at the controversial Lake Onslow hydro-power scheme which is set to be cut. National has made it a priority to stop the scheme in Central Otago, which was recently estimated to come with a price tag of almost $16 billion - four times more than original projections. And an update on the cryptosporidium outbreak in Queenstown.

11:05 Music reviewer Grant Smithies​

Teenage songwriters Bob & Gene recorded just a handful of extraordinary soul tunes in Bob’s family basement in the late 60s, then it took 40 years for their only album to be released. Music reviewer Grant Smithies takes us through two key songs from that today, followed by some raucous racket from Oamaru’s Cuticles and a crucial cut from UK dub trio Creation Rebel, who’ve just released their first album in 40 years. 

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman

Most of New Zealand’s highest profile ball sport teams are in action this week - Sam Ackerman runs the rule over them for us.

11:45 The week that was with Te Radar and Michele A'Court

Kathryn wraps up the week that was with comedians Te Radar and Michele A'Court.