Nine To Noon for Thursday 3 July 2025

09:05 Weather warnings across many parts of the country

Residents and businesses at the top if the South Island are holding their breaths as the already sodden regions face an orange heavy rain warning. Tasman, Nelson and parts of Marlborough - which are all still under states of emergency -  have had alerts over possible further flooding and slips as rain continues throughout the day.The areas are still cleaning up from last weekend's deluge that caused widespread flood damage. Other parts of the country are also under orange warnings over heavy rain including Taranaki maunga, northern Taihape and  Tongariro National Park and Bay of Plenty west of Opotiki. RNZ's Tess Brunton has been out and about since daylight and joins Kathryn  from Wakefield near the Wai-iti River.

09:20 Local Government embracing AI to cut costs

A council in the Hutt Valley is using artificial intelligence to cut LIM wait times, inform residents during emergencies and cut staff workloads. The Hutt City Council says it has begun a project that will see AI collating all of the various parts of information needed to make a LIM in minutes before being reviewed by staff. It usually takes staff as long as 10 working days. The council has also been shortlisted for an international award for a chatbot residents will be able to ask questions of during an emergency. It will have up-to-date information relevant to the street the user lives on and be able to speak in different languages. But the Lower Hutt council is not alone in its use of AI, according Mike Manson who is chief executive of the Association of Local Government Information Management. He says councils up and down the country are using the technology for things like parking fines, writing minutes and financial reports and in a fire warning system. He says councils can make significant cost savings, and improve services. 

09:30 Women's homelessness less visible than men's

Homeless women are less visible than men and often have children, an advocacy group says. And it is calling for more targeted support for women, who often have children with them. The Coalition to End Women's Homelessness cites the latest Stats NZ housing report on housing in New Zealand, as evidence that homeless women are in much less visible situations than men. The organisation's director Victoria Crockford tells Kathryn about the types of situations women find themsleves in when homeless and why that changes the type of support needed. 

09:45 UK: Chancellor's tears in Parliament, last-minute Welfare Bill change

UK correspondent Natasha Clark joins Kathryn to talk about the unusual scenes in Parliament, with the Chancellor Rachel Reeves shedding tears as the PM refused to say whether she'd remain in her job till the next election. It followed concessions made to the government's controversial Welfare Bill, which passed  - but only after it was watered down to appease Labour rebels. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has appeared before the Covid inquiry, and could more charges be laid against nurse Lucy Letby?

Natasha Clark is political editor for LBC London.

10:05 Linus O'Brien and his dad Richard on the strange journey to create The Rocky Horror Show

It was the little musical that ended up with cult following. When the Rocky Horror Show opened in London in 1973, it bucked the trend of big-budget and technical productions like Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair. It was the brainchild of Richard O'Brien, the UK-born New Zealand-raised creative who wrote the stage show and played the character of Riff Raff. The show became a hit, and Richard wrote the screenplay when it was turned into the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Rocky's transition from musical to movie, to 4am screenings with audience dress up and participation, has been captured by Richard's son Linus. It features interviews with key members of the production team and original cast, including Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick. It's called Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror and is screening as part of the DocEdge film festival. Linus and Richard join Kathryn to talk about the show's enduring legacy.

10:35 Book review: Slowing the Sun by Nadine Hura 

Elizabeth Heritage reviews Slowing the Sun by Nadine Hura published by Bridget Williams Books

10:45 Around the motu: Jonathan Leask in Ashburton

Selwyn's mayor has hit back at criticism around rates increases, does Selwyn have the lowest rates in Canterbury? And the council will be fencing a playground due to fears of children drowning.

11:05 Tech: What AI is doing to our brains + how not to become an AI ghost

Technology commentator Mark Pesce looks at what studies are discovering about our brains as we use AI - and it probably won't surprise you. Could pre-2022 human-produced information become more valuable than other data because it hasn't been touched by AI? And what happens when someone takes everything you've ever written or posted and re-animated you as an 'AI ghost'? Mark explains how it happened to a friend of his.
Mark Pesce is a futurist, writer, educator and broadcaster. 

11:25 Parenting: How to look after your children's teeth and encourage healthy dental habits 

The costs - and pain - associated with poor oral health care has become a huge burden on families and the health system, so how can parents get it right for their kids, and encourage good dental habits that last into their later years? Basic dental care is free in New Zealand for children from birth until they turn 18. But there are thousands of children currrently on on waiting lists for dental treatment, - we're talking serious surgeries which require them to go under general anaesthetic, with sugar consumption a significant contributor along with a lack of dental clinic visits. Oral health promotions manager at the New Zealand Dental Association is Anishma Ram. The NZDA has more information on dental care for children here.  

11:45 Screentime: Jurassic World: Rebirth, F1: The movie, The Sender

Film and TV reviewer Tom Augustine looks at the latest Jurassic World offering - the seventh installment in the franchise - which is out in cinemas now. Brad Pitt stars in F1: The Movie about a racing driver who returns after a 30-year absence to save his former teammate's underdog team from collapse. He'll also review The Sender, which is a new TV mini-series on TikTok that follows a group of Kiwi students receiving mysterious messages.

Film and television reviewer, Tom Augustine, who is a Tāmaki based filmmaker and critic