Nine To Noon for Monday 13 October 2025

09:05 Cold meals, rationed toiletries and no showers: aged care homes in crisis 

Aged care workers report not having enough time to help residents with basic concerns like dressing wounds, and going to the toilet. According to a new report that surveyed nurses and healthcare assistants working in the sector chronic understaffing and system failures have made aged care homes unsafe. The report - organised by the nurses union - says the aged residential care sector is in crisis. Nearly half of the nurses spoken to say that on almost every shift they don't have time to dress residents' wounds, or help those who need to go to the toilet. Rest homes are reported to be rationing toilet pads, and wound dressings are being cut in half to save money. The report draws on in-depth interviews with 80 aged care nurses and healthcare assistants around the country. Kathryn speaks to the report's lead author Nathalie Jaques and Bridget Richards from the Nurses Organisation.

09:20 The latest from Gaza

The ceasefire in Gaza  appears to have held over the weekend, but the next 12 hours are crucial in finding a lasting peace in the region. Israel said it expects all 20 surviving hostages to be released in one batch on Monday morning - there is a deadline of midday local time, that's 10pm New Zealand time The ceasefire agreement provides for Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return. But there were last-minute negotiations regarding the exact list of detainees to be freed. There is also the question of security in Gaza during the exchange. Health officials in Gaza   raised the death toll over the weekend to 67,800. Thomas Helm is the Jerusalem correspondent for The National news - an Abu Dhabi based newspaper - and is in Ramallah in the West Bank.

09:30 How soon might Aucklanders get greater access to the waterfront?

Work is underway on the Port of Auckland's two biggest wharves, but how long before the city's public get to enjoy more of the waterfront? Further development on the Bledisloe and Fergusson wharves was approved under fast track legislation. During the year, Aucklanders told the Council what they want from this special central space, but a huge amount more work is needed before any change is given the go ahead. As part of the council's vision for the port's future, two wharves are being released from commercial  use back to the council, Marsden and Captain Cook, but how quickly can development  get underway and what can people expect to see in the area?  Fiona Knox has lead the regeneration of Tāmaki Makaurau's  waterfront projects for Auckland Council for more than 15 years and  joins us from the Auckland studio.

09:45 Germany correspondent Thomas Sparrow

Angela Merkel blasted by Baltics, Poland for suggesting they share blame for Russia's Ukraine invasion, Germany's car industry in crisis, and Germany nixes fast track naturalisation.

10:05 Pike River director: "They never stopped fighting"

On the afternoon of 19 November 2010, an explosion ripped through the remote Pike River mine on the West Coast, where 29 men were working. Five days later - there was a second blast and confirmation all 29 men were killed, devastating the close knit community. The disaster was one of the country's worst industrial disasters. A subsequent royal commission of inquiry found a litany of failings within the mine compounded by the failure of government regulatory authorities to effectively inspect the mine and act to remedy the problems. Anna Osborne, whose husband Milton died and Sonya Rockhouse whose son Ben died, became the voices for many of the families, fighting for accountability. Now, 15 years on, a film about the disaster- focussing on the two women -  is to have its red carpet premiere at Greymouth's Regent Theatre. Directed by Rob Sarkies and starring Melanie Lynsky as Anna Osborne and Robyn Malcolm as Sonya Rockhouse. Kathryn speaks with Rob Sarkies about why he feels now is the time for this film.

10:30 Skunk saved from sands

The oldest New Zealand-built locomotive, Skunk, long believed lost to the sands of time, has resurfaced at the South Mole in Whanganui. At the beginning of last month a digger operator working on a project to reinstate the mole hit something solid, and investigated further. SteamRail Whanganui were soon called in and upon futher digging it became clear a locomotive engine was buried in the sand. Using old papers the team at SteamRail Whanganui confirmed it was Skunk, built in 1875 and lost for 75 years. Hamish Coull is a member on the SteamRail Whangnui committee - he was part of the recovery team.     

10:35 Book review: Chris Knox: Not Given Lightly by Craig Robertson

Kiran Dass reviews Chris Knox: Not Given Lightly by Craig Robertson, published by Auckland University Press.

10:45 Around the motu: Simon Wilson in Auckland 

Simon covers the Local Government election results, including what appears to be the background to  Wayne Brown's big win, the new make-up of the Auckland Council and celebrities finding success on local boards.

Simon Wilson is a Senior Writer NZ Herald 

11:05 Political commentators Lianne Dalziel and Tim Hurdle

Tim Hurdle was an adviser in previous National governments. He works in strategic communication and advisory, and is currently campaign director for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.

Lianne Dalziel is a life member of the Labour Party and a former MP and Cabinet Minister. She ran as an independent for Christchurch's mayoralty in 2013 and was the city's mayor for three terms. She writes a regular column for Newsroom.co.nz.

11:30 New Zealand's best wild foods, and how to find them 

Flowers, fungi, seaweed and rabbits. All bountiful products in New Zealand, and all out there to hunt, harvest, and cook up. That's what photographer and author Sophie Merkens has done - on a wild food road trip around the country. She's documented the best harvesting and cooking tips in her book Eat Wild: A Foraging Journey Across Aotearoa. Alongside some of the characters along the way - the chefs, the divers, and the hunters - who love the wild delicacies often bountiful in the New Zealand outdoors, but hard to find on supermarket shelves.

11:45 Urban Issues with Bill McKay

Bill discusses the planned changes for legislation affecting earthquake-prone buildings. 

Bill McKay is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland.