Nine To Noon for Tuesday 18 November 2025

09:05 Warnings from psychiatrists and clinical psychologists over workforce  

Psychiatrists and Clinical Psychologists warn their workforces are depleting to the point there won’t be enough experienced professionals to provide supervision for those in training.  Figures released to Nine to Noon by Health New Zealand under the Official Information Act, show that at the end of June 2025 there were 116.1 full time equivalent vacancies for psychiatrists in the public health system - this is up from 93.5 at the end of June last year. Vacancies for full time clinical psychologists were 85.9 full time equivalents, up from 72.4 last year. The Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey, says since coming into office, the frontline Health New Zealand mental health workforce has grown by almost 10%, including more training positions for both psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.Dr Hiran Thabrew is a Child Psychiatrist and Pediatrician at Starship Children's Hospital, a researcher at Auckland University and the chair of the Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists for this country. Also Christchurch Clinical Psychologist and executive member of the College of Clinical Psychologists, Leigh Anderson.

09:20 Dunedin building company raises houses in flood prone suburb

A Dunedin building company is lifting houses in a flood prone suburb by as much as a metre to prevent future inundation. Two major reports for the Dunedin City Council have concluded that half of all South Dunedin buildings are at risk of rainfall flooding. Southern Repiling is receiving an increasing number of requests from South Dunedin homeowners wanting to lift their houses above the flood risk - with one house on Baker St being raised 90 centimetres. Director Dwayne Hubac has been repiling homes for 18 years and speaks with Kathryn Ryan. 

09:35 Demand for kiwi avoidance training for dogs soars 

A kiwi avoidance programme for dogs now has more trainers than ever, as demand rises ahead of summer. The avoidance programme runs in locations across the North Island, including Northland, Coromandel, Waikato and Taranaki. The programme was initially designed for working and hunting dogs who may encounter kiwi. But is increasingly being sought by owners of pet and companion dogs - who may be being taken for walks in bush areas, and where kiwi are starting to populate on city fringes where they previously were not being encountered. Trainers however are warning dog owners that avoidance training does not give dogs a free pass in the bush. Dog specialist Emma Craig from Save The Kiwi joins Kathryn to discuss.

09:45 USA correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben

The US shutdown is over, and the House is back working again with Democrats releasing Epstein emails that President Trump "knew about the girls" and was the "dog who hasn't barked". In the deal to reopen the Government, there was additional money for SNAP (food stamps), but Democrats did not get the health subsidies they wanted, while President Trump cuts tariffs on coffee, fruits and vegetables. 

Danielle Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR's Washington Desk

10:05 The battle in Afghanistan that created, then later destroyed,  an Australian national hero.

The battle at Shah Wali Kot is regarded as the most significant in Australia’s twenty-year engagement in Afghanistan. Much has been written about the conflict, but now a senior Australian journalist has published the first detailed account of the offensive. The battle involved special forces troops and commandoes and 100 Taliban fighters were killed, but no Australian troops died. 41 Australian soldiers lost their lives during the whole time they were deployed in Afghanistan. It was also the conflict that lead to a Victoria Cross for  Corporal Ben Roberts Smith, who went from a being a lauded, to a destroyed, national hero. He lost a  defamation case he'd brought against media outlets who alleged he was guilty of illegal killings, or complicity in killings, during his time in Afghanistan - in events separate to the battle at Shah Wali Kot.  Aaron Patrick is the chief writer at the daily digital newspaper, The Nightly, and he was previously deputy editor of the Australian Financial Review. His book - `The Last Battle - our greatest victory in our longest war'  - has just been published.

10:30 Dawn Aerospace CEO Stefan Powell wins Prime Minister's space prize 

At a ceremony in Wellington last night, Stefan Powell received the Prime Minister’s Space Prize for Professional Excellence. Stefan is the co-founder and CEO of Dawn Aerospace - which makes propulsion technologies and launch systems for space vehicles. Earlier this year, the company has signed a $28-million NZD agreement to supply an aircraft to the US state of Oklahoma. Dawn Aerospace's sustainable propulsion systems have been used on 40 satellites orbiting earth. Stefan speaks to Kathryn Ryan. 

10:35 Book review: The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee

Gail Pittaway reviews The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper Lee, published by Penguin Random House.

10:45 Around the motu: Michael Tweed in Whanganui

Michael covers strong visitor numbers at the renovated Sarjeant Gallery,  investors wanted to build a new hotel in Whanganui's CBD, a new pirate ship with an interesting past for Ohakune's playground and the three bridges run signals the start of summer.

11:05 Business commentator Dan Brunskill 

The housing market has stabilised, but a well-stocked rental market is pushing down rents. Dan talks about the inevitability of more taxes to pay for an increasing amount of public needs. And the banks have been told to publish transaction account profits.

11:20 The Collector: Auckland Museum's longest serving curator

Sitting atop Pukekawa Hill in the city's Domain, the Auckland War Memorial Museum is one of Tāmaki Makaurau's most iconic landmarks.The striking neo-classical building with its large colonnades is a far cry from the museum's previous premises , overseen by its longest serving curator, Thomas Cheeseman. Mr Cheeseman, who held the position for 50 years, is credited with helping to shape the museum into the world class institution it is today but his name is largely unknown outside academic circles.  A new book aims to change that. Co-written by Andrew McKay and Richard Wolfe, The Collector is a biography of a man they also describe as a 'colonial scholar, scientist ... and gentleman.'

11:45 All Blacks, and Silver Ferns lose to England

The All Blacks’ loss to England has sparked questions about what went wrong, whether Scott Robertson is the right coach heading toward the next World Cup. The Black Caps continue their strong run against the West Indies amid injury doubts. The Silver Ferns have won one and lost one against England on their Northern Tour, with the decider on Thursday. Olympic triathlete Hayden Wilde faces fresh controversy, and Joseph Parker’s cocaine test result adds another twist to a busy week in New Zealand sport.