Nine To Noon for Thursday 5 June 2025

09:05 The Health Minister Simeon Brown on his plans to fix the health system     

The state of the health service has been a constant concern for New Zealanders in recent polling in the face of continuous media reports over staff shortages, lengthy waiting times in emergency departments and an inability to get in to see a GP. The Health Minister, Simeon Brown, took over the portfolio at the start of the year and has already focused heavily on primary health with a planned 24/7 digital health service, so- called performance based funding over and above the annual capitation. He has also targeted  elective surgery waiting lists by outsourcing thousands of apparently straightforward operations to private hospitals. But both moves have sparked worries about the implications from health professionals at both the primary and hospital level. Simeon Brown joins Kathryn in the studio to discuss his plans for the health system.

09:30 From council tree to dinner table - chairbler calls for change 

A chair maker in Amberley is calling on councils around the country to make better use of public trees when they're removed. Most councils cut trees down and arborists often take the wood to be mulched or used for firewood. Chairbler David Laird says that is a waste of wood that can be from trees more than 100-years-old and that have so much history in them. He says there are examples in Australia and the United States where there are protocols for publicly owned trees so they can be turned into useful furniture for a local council or school. David wants councils to copy those ideas.

09:45 UK: Defence spending, winter fuel payment U-turn

UK correspondent Dan Bloom joins Kathryn to talk about how Britain's plan to lift defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP over the next decade is still not enough for the US. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is still locked in talks with holdout departments over funding for the next fuel years and PM Keir Starmer is set to deliver a U-turn to pensioners over their winter fuel payments.

Dan Bloom is Political Editor of Politico UK

10:05 Debut novel by Wellington author secures worldwide publishing agreement, major film deal 

When Wellington writer Jennifer Trevelyan was trying to get her debut novel published, she thought 'what would a confident person do?' So she sent it to the world's biggest literary agent. Felicity Blunt signed it up straight away, sold worldwide publishing rights and organised a major film deal with internationally acclaimed New Zealand film producers Niko Caro and Finola Dwyer. The novel, A Beautiful Family is described as a coming-of-age tale blended with mystery and suspense and is set during a typical 80s Kiwi bach holiday. The book has just had its global release, and Jennifer Trevelyan joins Kathryn Ryan.    

10:35 Book review: This Compulsion in Us by Tina Makereti 

Harry Ricketts reviews This Compulsion in Us by Tina Makereti published by Te Herenga Waka University Press

10:45 Around the motu: Ellen Curnow in Westport

Ellen updates Kathryn on Westport's Long Term Plan 2025-34 including dramas around various consultations and controversy surrounding the proposed new council offices, and the iconic Westport clocktower stopped working during a recent storm and took about a week to restart.

Ellen Curnow is a Westport News reporter covering the West Coast.

11:05 Tech: Porn site pulled amid age stoush, Auckland makes bid for tech growth

Technology commentator Peter Griffin joins Kathryn to talk about Pornhub's decision to suspend its site in France amid plans to introduce age verification, but is it really possible to get a system that works? Auckland wants to make tech and innovation central to its growth plan. Peter looks at Mayor Wayne Brown's pitch to government to base the new technology research institute in his city, while also examining what happened to Wellington's reputation as a tech hub.

Peter Griffin is a Wellington-based science and technology journalist

11:25 How pre-schoolers can misunderstand adults - and how to help

In parenting today - we've all seen a pre-schooler in full meltdown mode. Sometimes that's because they're tired or hungry - or even hangry. But it can also be because they've misunderstood what adults are saying. Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright says there are common ways the pre-schoolers can misunderstand what grown-ups are saying. He joins Kathryn to explain how parents can make it easier - for everyone.

11:45 Screentime: Conan O'Brien Must Go, The Surfer, Mountainhead, Duster, The Sender

Film and TV correspondent Tom Augustine joins Kathryn to look at New Zealand's part in Conan O'Brien Must Go, the new incarnation of horror flick Final Destination, Nicolas Cage's performance in mind-bending Aussie thriller The Surfer, tech-bro series Mountainhead and new Kiwi series The Sender.

Tom Augustine is a Tāmaki based filmmaker and critic. He writes for Rialto Channel's View Magazine and Metro Magazine. Tom is the co-programmer of the Capitol Cinema Film Club, which shows rare and underseen gems from throughout cinema history monthly