Nine To Noon

Mona Jeffries, epidemiologist who led primary care guidance for long COVID. Larissa Hockey, long COVID advocate and patient pushing for diagnosis and supports. Renee Dingwall, former councillor with severe personal long COVID experience. They discuss lived hardship, gaps in clinical pathways and monitoring, the need for coordinated care and disability recognition, and the strain on families and services.

Susan Edmunds, RNZ money correspondent who explains markets and KiwiSaver, breaks down why stock markets stayed calmer than early warnings suggested. She highlights which sectors may gain from the conflict, investors’ KiwiSaver behaviour, and how fuel-driven inflation could shape rates. Short, clear takes on market winners, ethics in defence investing, and timing risks.

Adam Malone, Australian circus performer and burlesque artist known for trapeze, hoop tricks and cabaret work. He talks about La Ronde’s nonstop high-energy circus cabaret, his hybrid trapeze-and-burlesque act performed in heels, and the rare Washington trapeze technique. He explains blending camp, masculinity and drag influences, the Spiegel tent’s vintage vibe, and the physical demands of touring and training.

Piers Fuller, editor of the Wairarapa Times-Age and local reporter in Masterton, talks local campaigns and community projects. He covers the push to restore direct flights and the $17m Hood Aerodrome upgrade. He outlines a campaign for a local dialysis unit and the paper’s planned investigations. He celebrates hosting the Golden Shears and volunteers reviving the miniature railway.

Melanie O'Loughlin, bookseller and reviewer at Lamplight Books in Auckland, discusses A Far-Flung Life by M. L. Stedman. She paints the Western Australian Outback as a vivid setting. She outlines a 1950s crash and its fallout. She teases a fateful night that reshapes lives. She highlights station life, community dynamics, and memorable supporting characters.

Dr Marta Ribot, AUT senior lecturer and marine researcher specialising in seabed mapping and human impacts, discusses mapping that reveals anchor scars lasting decades. She talks about how anchoring can damage seafloor habitats similar to trawling. Mapping shows scars spreading beyond designated anchoring zones. Practical steps and management goals to let damaged areas recover are explored.

Emmanuel Sonubi, a British stand-up comic and Live at the Apollo headliner, turned a literal near-death into a comedy show. He recounts collapsing onstage, a shocking heart-failure diagnosis, and the scare of a possible transplant. He also talks about how past jobs shaped his voice, using humour to diffuse conflict, and reshaping life and material after surviving.

Bernard Keane, Australia correspondent and political commentator at Crikey, unpacks the Iran women’s football story and how media framing shaped it. He explores why players may have returned to Iran, including family pressure and regime influence. He also discusses how coverage missed the players’ agency and the emotional complexity behind their choices.

John Archer, a long-serving Far North electrician, talks about having three vehicles and decades of irreplaceable tools stolen. He recounts how the theft happened and why bespoke, gifted tools made the loss so painful. He shares the personal and family impact. He also describes a community fundraising drive that raised about $4,000–$4,500 to help him recover.

George Keir, president of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand and classic car enthusiast, talks about his 1946 MGTC and the week-long Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring. He describes period dress versus Nelson heat. He outlines the 30-year eligibility rule, the wide range of marques from Rolls-Royce to early Toyotas, veteran pre-1919 cars, convoy drives like Lewis Pass, and roadside school visits.