Nine To Noon

09:05 Northland businesses pitch growth plan to Ministers

Northland business leaders say the region's economy can grow six-fold by 2050, boosting incomes and the wider economy. They last night pitched to government ministers, outlining what the region needs to grow to a $60-billion economy by 2050. An NZIER report commissioned by the Northland Corporate Group - which includes big players like Northport, Northpower and Top Energy, as well as Ngapuhi,  says that's indicative of sustained underinvestment in infrastructure as well as a skills shortage, and poor education outcomes. Kathryn speaks with Northland group co-chair by Rosie Mercer, chief executive of Marsden Maritime Holdings, and Andrew McLeod - chief executive of lines company and contractor Northpower.

09:20 Cabinet papers reveal 550 polytech courses and 900 jobs gone

Newly released cabinet documents reveal the extent of cuts in the Polytech sector: 550 courses abolished and 900 full time jobs gone. Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds is overseeing huge change in the sector, including the dismantling of Te Pukenga, with the future of four polytechs in Northland, Taranaki, Wellington and Westcoast still in doubt. The cabinet paper shows for the first time how many jobs and courses have gone already.  TEU National Secretary Sandra Grey speaks with Kathryn.

09:35  Northland charity refits catamaran to make accessible 

A charity in Northland has bought a 16 metre catamaran which it is refitting to make it fully accessible for people with disabilities. The Access to Adventure Trust hopes to take up to one thousand people a year with disabilities, chronic health conditions and mental health challenges to get out on the sea. Trust chair Tony Pearce says getting out boating and fishing is virtually impossible for many people, and brings huge benefits. 

09:45 UK: Migrant hotel protests, Palestine tension, doctors' strikes

UK correspondent Matt Dathan says there's been growing tensions over migrant hotels, with protests sparked by the arrest of an Ethiopian migrant for an attack on a schoolgirl. There's disagreement within Cabinet over whether to recognise Palestine as more reports emerge of people starving to death in Gaza. Resident doctors are set to strike for five days this week, after the doctors' union accused the Government of failing to make an offer that reflected the challenges felt by medics. And England's women's team have made the final of football's European Championships.

Matt Dathan is Home Affairs Editor at The Times

10:05 Welby Ings: Kids are being labelled 'dumb' when they're not

When Welby Ings was 14 he was so desperate to avoid school he'd lather his face in the sap from a euphorbia plant and wait for the blisters to emerge. It got him out of school for a while - but eventually his experience of being told he was dumb and stuck in the 'naughty class' became too much - eventually he was booted out of high school. It's an unlikely start for someone who's ended up as an art and design professor at AUT, an author, film director and the recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Tertiary Teaching Excellence. And it's the point Welby makes in his new book Invisible Intelligence: too many children are being described as 'behind' or labelled as 'problem kids' when they're not. He looks at how we measure intelligence and children's educational progress   - and why that often ends up marginalising children. Welby argues that we need to appreciate the other ways kids can demonstrate their intelligence - through creativity, humour or non-linear thinking.

10:30 UN court says countries can be liable to emissions

The UN's highest court has found countries can be held legally responsible for their greenhouse gas emissions. The landmark ruling by the International Court of Justice paves the way for countries to sue each other. It's a major - but non-binding - opinion, which had been keenly awaited by Pacific Island nations. It began as an action by a group of Pacific university students, frustrated at a lack of action over the climate crisis. Their idea was backed by the government of Vanuatu, which convinced the UN General Assembly to seek the court's advisory opinion on what countries' obligations are under international law. RNZ's climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson has been gathering reaction to the decision. 

10:35 Book review: The Far Side of the Moon by Jana Wendt

Lynn Freeman reviews The Far Side of the Moon by Jana Wendt, published by Text Publishing.

10:45 Around the motu: Piers Fuller in Wairarapa

There are high hopes for a revival of Wairarapa's historic agricultural training facility with negotiations under way between the Crown and potential buyers. There's a resolution in sight for the struggling Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, with a major creditor to be paid this week.

Editor of the Wairarapa Times-Age, Piers Fuller, based in Masterton  

11:05 Tech: Microsoft security flaw, record NZ losses from cyber crime

Cybersecurity expert Tony Grasso joins Kathryn to talk about Microsoft's recent Zero Day security flaw - who was affected and how has the company responded?  The latest report into the cost of cybercrime has found the second-highest quarterly financial losses ever, at a cost of $7.8m. But that's just what's been reported. Tony also looks at how South Africa's digital transformation is making it a target for sophisticated cyber criminals and why Latin American organisations are facing an average of 2,700 attacks a month - almost 40% higher than the global average.

Tony Grasso is Principal Consultant at cybersecurity firm TitaniumDefence. He worked at GCHQ in the UK and is a former Intelligence Officer in New Zealand.

11:25 Kids and smartphones - tips for parents

Owning a smartphone before age 13 is associated with poorer mind health and wellbeing in early adulthood, according to a global study of more than 100,000 young people. The study was published earlier this week in the peer-reviewed Journal of Human Development and Capabilities,  and found that 18- to 24-year-olds who had received their first smartphone at age 12 or younger were more likely to report suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, poorer emotional regulation, and low self-worth. OECD data in 2018 showed that New Zealand youth used digital devices 42 hours per week on average, compared to 35 hours globally, and studies have shown that children's screen use has increased since then. So how can parents and caregivers manage screen time? Kathryn speaks with Jackie Riach,  psychologist and country lead for Triple P New Zealand which provides parenting programmes nationwide.

11:45 Screentime: What's on offer at this year's International Film Festival?

Film and TV reviewer Tom Augustine joins Kathryn to talk about some of the less well-known - but no less interesting - offerings at this year's New Zealand International Film Festival.

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.