Nine To Noon for Tuesday 24 October 2023

09:05 Shared home ownership programme ends, what next?

Kāinga Ora shut its shared home ownership programme at the end of September, just six weeks after expanding it. The first home partner programme helps buyers who do not have enough of a deposit by paying for up to a maximum of 25 percent of the purchase price of the house or $200,000 - whichever is lower. Applicants needed to have at least a 5 percent deposit. Kāinga Ora had six weeks earlier expanded the programme from solely new build properties to include existing houses as well. Kāinga Ora declined to be interviewed on the topic - stating that the current political landscape made it inappropriate for it to be speaking on government policy. But a spokesperson said the change to include existing homes led to a 450 per cent increase in the number of applications it had received, leading to the scheme being fully subscribed. Stuart Wills has been a mortgage broker for some 25 years and operates Mortgage Managers out of Auckland. He also set up a popular Facebook page - Kiwi First Home Buyers Group - to promote discussion among buyers. He's in the Auckland studio.

The Tāmaki regeneration programme is another shared home ownership programme of note in New Zealand. Its chief executive Shelley Katae appeared on Nine to Noon earlier this year.     

09:20 New Waiheke Island ferry service set to sail

Waiheke Islanders will soon have a new option for getting across to the city. Susie finds out more from Island Direct's David Todd - including how the service plans to offer lower fares than its competitor, Fullers.

09:40 Taking menopause awareness up a notch: campaigner Sarah Connor

Menopause and the impacts of it have not really been part of mainstream conversation - until recently. Around 7 in 10 women experience moderate to severe symptoms due to fluctuating hormones, which can impact physical and mental health for years.  As yet, no publicly funded awareness campaign exists. So Wellingtonian Sarah Connor decided to do it off her own bat. She suffered terrible menopause symptoms a few years ago and it took her months to find the right information, support, and solutions. She then founded the grassroots movement Menopause Over Martinis* and has since facilitated conversations about menopause all over New Zealand, in her community and on social media. Now Sarah, and Wellington brand strategist and creative Helen Milner,  have teamed up and created six outdoor ads on 40 screens in 26 shopping centres around the country and on e-bike lock and charge stations in 10 towns and cities. They've also got menopause questions included in pub quizzes.

09:45 USA correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben

 US correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben joins Susie to discuss the paralysis over appointing a new House Speaker is into a third week. Nine Republicans are vying for the job - but what is the delay doing to the credibility of the party and the ability of the House to go about its business?

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

10:05 The Air Force Museum 'keeper of photographs' who cares for more than one million images

For the past 29 years, Matthew O'Sullivan has been working to fill in the gaps of New Zealand's military history. He's the official 'keeper of photographs' at the Air Force Museum in Christchurch, which is home to an archive containing more than one million snapshots - documenting both the Air force and Defence Force over the years. Some images date back to World War II, and a handful of negatives even go right back to the 1920s. As well as conserving the collection, Matthew often gets requests from the public hoping to track down images of long-lost relatives, or from far-away towns who want to memorialise our country's role in the war. Matthew O'Sullivan speaks with Susie Ferguson.

10:35 Book review: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 

Lynn Freeman reviews The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride published by Hachette

10:45 Around the motu: Todd Niall in Auckland

Todd Niall is in Auckland, where big questions lie ahead for the supercity following the election result. Under National, it looks likely light rail will get the axe, additional Waitematā Harbour crossings are at least on the backburner, and the tap could turn off on the regional fuel tax, which funds some of Auckland's existing projects.

Todd Niall is a senior Auckland affairs journalist for Stuff.

11:05 Political Commentators Neale Jones and Tim Hurdle 

Neale and Tim join Susie to look at the post-election waiting game, as coalition talks continue. So far the only confirmed ministerial position is Nicola Willis in finance - but who else is likely to get a seat at the Cabinet table? Which policies of the former government are gone-burger and what will a Labour opposition look like?

Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of public affairs firm Capital.

Tim Hurdle is a former National senior adviser, was the National Party Campaign Director in 2020. He is a director of several companies, including Museum Street Strategies, a public affairs firm.

11:30 Business commentator Victoria Young

Victoria joins Susie to look at why Tauranga insolvency practitioner David Thomas has been censured by the profession's watchdog and why it's been an important case. There's new details about the New Zealand assets of Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov and why is Auckland Council spending $5m on ads about rubbish?

BusinessDesk investigations editor, Victoria Young

11:45 Sports-chat with Sam Ackerman

Sam reflects on a bumper weekend of sport. After all the ups and downs the All Blacks are in the Rugby World Cup finals, the Black Ferns have suffered a loss and so have the Black Caps.