Nine To Noon for Wednesday 18 June 2025

09:05 Government reveals new powers in RMA reform 

The government will take back power from local councils if their decisions are going to negatively impact economic growth, development or employment. In a speech to business leaders at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce this morning Housing and RMA reform minister Chris Bishop has announced Cabinet will insert a new regulation power into the Resource Management Act. Before a Minister can use the power they would have to investigate the provision in question, check whether its consistent with the national direction under the RMA, and engage with the council. Chris Bishop expects the power to only be necessary until the new planning system is in place, but says it’s necessary when councils use their power to stop growth. Political editor Jo Moir was at the Minister's speech this morning. 

09:15 Where to next, for the Kiwi economy

Food prices have risen at their highest rate in 18 months, and inflation is heading towards the top of the Reserve Bank's 3 per cent target. So what are the implications for the economy and hopes the Government has for growth? Stats NZ's latest food prices index was up 4.4 per cent on the last year with - meat, poultry and fish the biggest risers for the year. Butter, milk and cheese drove grocery prices - the average price for butter was up 51 per cent over the past year, with cheese up 30 per cent. Kiwibank says the outlook for growth is cloudier than ever - its economist Mary Jo Vergara explains. 

09:25 What security steps should you take before throwing out your old phone or laptop?

Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world - but it's also proving to be a boon for cyber-criminals. Data breaches can happen if old laptops or smartphones haven't been properly wiped before disposal - things like photos, emails, passwords, emails and tracking services may still be able to be accessed. In 2022 an estimated 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced, according to the World Health Organisation -  98-thousand is thought to be produced by New Zealand. So what should people - and businesses in particular - be doing before they dispose of their technology? And what's the right way to get rid of e-waste? Kathryn is joined by Wayne Angus, Country Manager for Greenbox, which specialises in hardware recycling and data security.

09:35 The 33,000-hour effort to restore Auckland's Mangemangeroa Reserve

Over 25 years, a volunteer group in East Auckland has quietly achieved something remarkable - a transformation of the Mangemangeroa Reserve from farmland into thriving native bush. Friends of Mangemangeroa have planted over 115,000 natives and restored eight hectares of coastal forest, contributing more than 33,000 volunteer hours. Friends of Mangemangeroa chair Marion Skelton says the achievement reflects what long-term, community-led environmental work can accomplish - not just for the land, but for those who give their time to it. 

09:45 Australia: Officer shot, mushroom wrap, Trump dump, talkshows canned

Australia correspondent Karen Middleton details the shooting in Tasmania of a police officer who'd gone to serve a warrant to repossess a house in the state's rural north-west. The final prosecution arguments have been delivered in the high-profile death cap mushroom trial of Erin Patterson. Anthony Albanese's much-hyped first meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 hasn't happened, after Trump's decision to leave the summit early. And two of Australia's highest-profile current affairs talk shows, The Project and Q&A, have been cancelled. 

Karen Middleton is a political correspondent based in Canberra

10:05 Dogs, cats, pigs and birds - one of Australia's leading Animal Film Trainers

Luke Hura has built a successful career in the film industry doing something that people generally advise against. working with animals. For over 40 years, Luke Hura has coaxed screen worthy performances out of pigs, birds, dogs, and even cats. His furry, fluffy and feathery charges have appeared in films such as Red Dog and television series well known to Kiwi audiences like Kath & Kim, The Flying Doctors and McLeod's Daughters. One of Australia's leading Animal Film Trainers, Luke also trains animals for the stage ... where they literally have to be one-take wonders.

10:30 Census scrapped

The Census is to be scrapped, in the biggest change to how New Zealand counts its population in more than 70 years. Since 1951, the Census has gathered demographic data on every New Zealander every five years. But today Statistics Minister Shane Reti has confirmed from 2030, the Census will be replaced with a combination of administrative data from other government agencies, and smaller annual surveys that just a proportion of people will complete. Paul Spoonley is an emeritus professor at Massey University, with expertise in demography.

10:35 Book review: The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa

Sally Battson from The Next Chapter in Wanaka reviews The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa published by Penguin Random House

10:45 Around the motu: Libby Kirkby McLeod in Hamilton

Hamilton Annual Economic Report for 2024 has just been released, Waipa is sick of feral cats and wants them added to DOC's predator free hit list, police are not giving up on pursuing drivers involved in anti-social car chaos in May, and the New Zealand Certified Builders Apprentice Challenge was recently held in Hamilton.

Libby Kirkby-McLeod is a RNZ Waikato Reporter based in Hamilton.

11:05 Music with Yadana Saw

Music correspondent Yadana Saw pays tribute to one Aotearoa's most beloved and respected music luminaries with a clutch of songs old and recent. Plus the new drop from UK's hottest rap talent Little Simz - a proud and bold statement of Britishness in its colours and sounds. And a time to observe the season of Matariki.

11:20 An expert on how to manage conflict and aggression

Conflict can happen anywhere - from the playground to the office - or an actual battlefield. How we react to high-stress situations is largely hardwired into us as humans. But can we learn how to manage it better? To identify threats, assess the risk and use techniques to de-escalate the situation. Robert Lubbe spent time working in military settings in a number of trouble spots around the world. He's taken his knowledge and used it in his practical guide called 'De-Escalation: Identifying and Managing Conflict and Aggression.' He joins Kathryn to talk about the science behind why we react as we do, and how we can safely handle aggression and conflict.

11:45 Science: Everest's xenon cheats, native forest carbon

Science correspondent Allan Blackman joins Kathryn to talk about concerns in the world of mountaineering and among the Nepalese government about a recent feat by four British climbers. They traveled from London and summited Everest in less than a week - with the help of xenon gas. How does it help at altitude? And a NIWA-led study has found New Zealand's native forests are more of a carbon sink than first thought. And for the first time, Kiwi scientists have directly observed meltwater flowing under the West Antarctic ice sheet into the ocean - why does that matter?

Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.