Nine To Noon for Wednesday 28 May 2025

09:05 Private company to process building consents

The country's first private business accredited to issue building consents is being officially registered today  - promising to process building consents in just 10 days. But what projects will it work on, and what consumer protections are in place if things go wrong? Building Consent Approvals today gets its registration from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The company expects to begin processing consents in June and it says its focus will be on the big developers, with single-storey houses. Councils currently issue building consents, and do so when they are reasonably confident the proposed work will meet the requirements of the Building Code. Just three of 67 councils were meeting a 20-day statutory time frame expected of them, according to an Auditor-General report last year. The new company's chair Tony Sewell, who's had a 50-year career in the building industry, says the new authority has secured full civil liability for their consenting practice. 

09:20 When might the planned 24/7 health service eventuate?    

The new, planned,  24/7 telehealth service giving people access to online GP appointments, is due to be launched in the next month or so. Health New Zealand has confirmed it will involve multiple providers. But details are scant apart from a document setting out that a pilot started at the end of April. There are also plans for some sort of shared digital health record to be up and running  to give telehealth doctors access to patient's medical details. At the same time, the contract for the free Healthline advice service is coming up for renewal. To discuss what progress is being made and how much further will healthcare will move on-line Kathryn is joined by  The Chair of the head of the Digital Health Association, Tony Wai and the Chair of General Practitioners Aotearoa, Dr Buzz Burrell.

09:45 Domestic jets are returning to Hamilton airport after 25 years

Air New Zealand is to operate a 171-seat Airbus service between Hamilton-Christchurch from 18 September. It will be a 5-day-a-week service -  and has been widely welcomed in the region, which has not had such flights for 25 years. Mark Morgan is chief executive of the Waikato Regional Airport.

09:50 Australia correspondent Bernard Keane, the  political editor for Crikey.com

Bernard Keane discusses the Australian government and a new offshore gas project, the on-going stoush between the Liberals and its coalition partner, National, over climate change policy.

10:05 NASA senior scientist Dr Nicky Fox

NASA's Dr Nicky Fox was just 9 months old when Neil Armstrong first walked on the moon. In England, Nicky's father is said to have propped her up in front of the TV to watch those famous first steps while giving her a running commentary as the event unfolded. It was the start of a life-long interest in science and space. Dr. Nicky Fox joined NASA in 2018 as the director of the Heliophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and is now the associate administrator for NASA's SMD. Prior to August 2018, Dr. Fox worked at the Applied Physics Lab at the Johns Hopkins University. She has authored numerous scientific articles and papers, in addition to delivering science presentations worldwide.

10.25 The young grower winning awards for his Cauliflower and Cabbage

Jack Haddon, 22, has won the Pukekohe 2025 Young Grower regional title. The awards are for commercial fruit and vegetable growers from across the regions, up to the age of 30. Farm and operations manager Jack joined agriculture outfit Balle Brothers aged 17 and he now manages 200 hectares of cauliflower and cabbage. He beat three other contestants to win the award and will now compete in the national awards in Christchurch in September. Jack Haddon speaks to Kathryn. 

10:35 Book review: The Buried City by Gabriel Zuchtriegel 

Paul Diamond reviews The Buried City by Gabriel Zuchtriegel published by Hachette 

10:45 Around the motu: James Pocock in Gisborne

Gisborne doctors are on a second 24-hour strike this month for funding and worker rights, it will be up to six months until repairs on one of Gisborne’s ‘most challenging’ roads are done, and submissions to oppose ‘encroachment’ of Napier into East Coast electorate are under proposal.

James Pocock is the Gisborne Herald Editor. 

11:05 Music With Ian Chapman  -The recorder: evocations of simplicity and purity.

As is the case for innumerable people in the western world and beyond, most Kiwis will have encountered the humble recorder while at primary school or even earlier. A relatively simple instrument to master at a most basic level, its centuries-old history as a serious Baroque and Renaissance instrument did not equip it well for Twentieth Century  music. Considered almost a toy/novelty instrument on a par with the ukelele or kazoo – it nevertheless has made its pure, evocative presence felt. Ian Chapman revisits rock/pop songs in which, above all odds, the recorder managed to shine.

11:20 "I'm retired and I don't know what to do with myself" 

Clinical Psychologist Karen Nimmo discusses the transition to retirement from working - why do some retirees thrive, and others languish? And what are the impacts on relationships?

11:45 Personal Finance with Liz Koh

Liz discusses the changes the impact the Budget has had on retirement planning.                                                    

This discussion is of a general nature, and does not constitute financial advice.