Nine To Noon for Monday 9 June 2025

09:05 Reserve Bank chief economist Paul Conway on global uncertainty 

The Reserve Bank chief economist Paul Conway says New Zealand has a long-running productivity problem. In its latest Monetary Policy Statement, the Reserve Bank took a neutral position on any further cuts to the official cash rate, the benchmark for retail bank interest rates. The 'uncertainty' in economic conditions was a key theme in its messaging. Paul Conway, who has been the Reserve Bank's chief economist for three years, and a former director of research at the Productivity Commission, has long campaigned on the importance of lifting productivity as a means to higher wages and higher tax revenue. However, New Zealand's productivity growth has been languishing, averaging only 0.2 per cent in the last 10 years. Stats NZ estimated earlier this year that labour productivity, one component, fell 0.9 per cent in the year to March last year. Paul talks to Kathryn about what will be needed if the country is to turn around its productivity. 

09:20 Services of private mediators on the rise as tight labour market conditions continue

A tight labour market, tough economic conditions, and restructurings are driving a rise in the demand for the services of independent employment mediators. While the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment offers a free mediation service, sometimes lengthy wait times mean many people are taking the private option. Figures supplied by MBIE to Nine to Noon show that as of 28 May, the average wait time for an offer from Employment Services for a mediation date is 44 working days or 8.8 weeks. That compares with 30 days for in the 2023/24 year and 19 days for 2022/2023. It says requests for collective bargaining support and strike negotiations are offered immediate support.  MBIE also has an Early Resolution service that offers a rapid, informal alternative to formal mediation. Danny Gelb is an employee advocate and mediator based in Tamaki Makaurau.

09:30 Big Aussie energy retailer says sorry to customers over carbon offset claims

One of Australia's biggest energy retailers has apologised to its customers and settled a lawsuit over its carbon offset programme. Energy Australia's 'Go Neutral' programme promised customers a way to offset the emissions generated by their gas or electricity use - but the company had to admit their gas or electricity use was still sourced mainly from fossil fuels and that - quote - "offsets don't prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels" for a customer's energy use. Lobby group Parents for Climate launched legal action against the company - one of the 'big three' retailers in Australia - back in 2023. It accused the company's Go Neutral claims amounted to misleading or deceptive conduct against the country's consumer law. So could the settlement have implications for other companies making similar carbon offset claims? Kathryn is joined by Parents for Climate CEO Nic Seton. 

09:45 South America correspondent Daniel Schweimler

Colombian presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay remains in intensive care after he was shot three times - twice in the head - at a campaign event in the capital, Bogotá. There's tension in Bolivia ahead of presidential elections in August and in Panama where banana workers have been on strike for nearly two months. And prosecutors in Brazil have filed criminal charges against the man accused of murdering indigenous rights activist, Bruno Pereira, and British journalist, Dom Phillips, deep in the Amazon jungle three years ago.

10:05 Creative writer Abby Letteri on the nature of horses

Creative writer Abby Letteri has long been an admirer of horses. Watching the horses in her paddock one day, it dawned on her how much humans impacted the way they lived. So she decided to bring her two loves together - horses and writing - to explore the true nature of the animals. It became the topic of her PhD in Creative Writing which she recently received from Victoria University's International Institute of Modern Letters. Her research took her from Iceland, to the Mongolian Desert, where she studied the behaviour of free-living and wild horses.

10:30 NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson steps down after six years 

New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson has stepped down from the top job. Robinson has been chief executive since January 2020, replacing Steve Tew who had held the job since 2008. His departure comes following major changes at board level, with David Kirk taking over as the new chair. In a statement Kirk acknowledged Robinson's "great service to NZR and the sport". RNZ sports reporter Joe Porter is in the Wellington studio.

10:35 Book review: Northbound: Four seasons of solitude on Te Araroa by Naomi Arnold

Elizabeth Easther reviews Northbound: Four seasons of solitude on Te Araroa by Naomi Arnold, published by HarperCollins NZ

10:45 Around the motu: Tom Hunt in Wellington

Hutt City Council is considering adding a non-binding referendum question to this year's local election ballot, a new candidate has entered the race for the capital's next mayor, A fourth person has been charged with manslaughter in the Loafers Lodge fire, and the owners of a four-year-old beagle that bit a woman's ankle say their dog is not menacing.

Tom Hunt is a journalist with Wellington paper The Post.

11:05 Political commentators Brigitte Morten and Gareth Hughes

Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government, a National Party member and currently volunteering for the party's deputy leader, Nicola Willis.

Gareth Hughes is the Director of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa is a former Green MP and is no longer a member of any political party.

11:30 The Auckland company doing great things with food nobody else wants

Rescued Kitchen repurposes surplus food from various places, including food growers, farmers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers and food charities. Then, the food is turned into upcycled food, ingredients and recipes. One product sees unused supermarket bread back on the shelves sold as breadcrumbs. Rescued co-owner Diane Stanbra says is the company is building on the growing demand for sustainable food options. She speaks to Kathryn. 

11:45 Urban issues with Bill McKay 

Bill McKay delves into the tranche of government policy released last week that opens the door to granny flat and papakāinga developments. He also unpacks plans for Christchurch and a scaled up plan to address housing shortages.