Nine To Noon

Richard Hills, Auckland councillor and planning chair, explains council limits, infrastructure risks and long-term costs. Kelvin Hyatt, Papakura community chair, raises local flood, drainage and transport worries. They focus on floodplain hazards, missing water and stormwater services, transport pressures and climate-related insurance and safety concerns.

Sam Ackerman, sports correspondent and analyst on NZ rugby sevens, cricket, motorsport and Paralympics. He recounts the Black Ferns 7s’ comeback and team culture. He breaks down the Black Caps’ T20 woes and middle‑order questions. He highlights White Ferns’ convincing win and rising batters. He also explains F1 battery and aero headaches and New Zealand’s Winter Paralympics results.

Esmeralda Lotham, a Pacific public-health researcher and PhD candidate who had a corneal transplant, recounts her journey from keratoconus diagnosis to research. She talks about late detection, recovery and how personal experience shaped her focus. She outlines screening programmes in schools and communities, barriers to preventive eye care, simple home checks and the importance of corneal donation.

Victoria Young, BusinessDesk editor who covers corporate and economic news, breaks down rising fuel costs and what they mean for Air New Zealand. She explores how hedging horizons, route and staff cuts could follow. Victoria also outlines construction collapse fallout and discusses the timing and likely succession at Fonterra.

Jesse Archer, a Lake FM presenter covering Taupo news, tourism and community life. He discusses suspended shuttle licences after hazardous-weather shuttles ran, a campaign to lure Australian cyclists to Taupo’s trails, flight schedule frustrations, the Chiefs playing in Rotorua, and local events from rapid-fire Shakespeare to trust funding concerns.

Harry Ricketts, critic and literary commentator, reviews Bill Manhire, New Zealand’s premier poet. He explores the book’s playful nod to Wordsworth, Manhire’s lyrical rhythms and formal tricks. Short readings reveal surprising images and teasing ambiguity. Wide-ranging themes from grief to Gaza keep the collection startling and varied.

Dan Turner, Australian sailor and DIY boatbuilder who built a 19-foot plywood yacht in his driveway. He talks about crafting the boat by hand and facing skeptics. He recounts surviving a brutal 70-knot storm and rounding the Cape of Storms. He reflects on family sacrifices, solo-sailing sleep strategies, and the unexpected camaraderie among competitors.

Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR political correspondent covering U.S. politics and foreign policy. She discusses efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and which allies might join, how gas and fertilizer shocks ripple through American lives, tensions between the administration and the media over coverage, and the politics and hurdles surrounding a sweeping voting bill.

Craig Young, CEO of the Telecommunications Users Association, represents telco users and fights for fair competition and pricing. He discusses the Commerce Commission's proposal to remove mobile termination fee rules. He explains how termination fees work, which smaller providers rely on them, and why removing the rule could let big networks raise costs and reduce competition.

Gerard Rushton, campaigner and head of the Meningitis Foundation who lost his daughter to meningitis, calls for wider funded meningococcal vaccination for students. He outlines current funding gaps and pushes for a Year 11 school-based program. He discusses why halls-only eligibility is unfair, highlights higher risks for Māori and Pasifika, and stresses how fast meningitis can strike.