Nine To Noon

David Burkett, chair of arable farming at Federated Farmers, speaks on how contracts and input costs shape farm choices. Stefan Vogel, Rabobank research GM, explains fertiliser's link to Middle East gas and fuel-driven market ripples. They discuss urea dependence, substitutes and supply chokepoints, plus how farmers are adjusting rotations and fertiliser use in response.

Mike Newton, director of Gaspy and expert in crowdsourced fuel-price data and transport tech. He describes a tenfold surge in app signups and how community-driven price reporting and correction work. The chat covers urban vs rural usage patterns, handling reporting errors, and past spikes tied to policy and media.

Matthew Bradbury, Associate Professor and author of Water City, explores regional urban structure and the idea of a Golden Triangle linking Auckland, Tauranga and Hamilton. He compares this layout to the Dutch Randstad and discusses logistics-driven growth, commuter links, and the Hauraki Plains as a central green heart. The conversation maps how separate cities might function as one polycentric system.

Diana Donka, community coordinator who runs workshops and volunteer coordination. Jizzy (Jessie) Green, co-founder who started a backyard seedling and skills-sharing project in 2020. They discuss how a lockdown seed-donation idea grew into monthly seed swaps, a rent-free shed hub, inclusive support for vulnerable and new gardeners, workshops on nature-friendly gardening, and a how-to manual for other communities.

Dale Husband, long-time broadcaster and political analyst, and Ben Thomas, former National press secretary turned public affairs director, unpack global crises and NZ politics. They discuss whether international shocks can reset a struggling PM. They analyze petrol prices, budget pressures, communication strategies, energy transition politics, rising beneficiary numbers, and the Royal Commission's political fallout.

Torika Tokalau, a Stuff Local Democracy reporter in Auckland, gives on-the-ground updates about local life. She covers fuel container shortages and panic buying, scrutiny of petrol pricing, a CBD shisha lounge facing licensing questions, a new rock‑pool collection ban on North Auckland shores, and a Pukekohe animal adoption centre celebrating its first year.

Mary Fawcett, bookseller and concise reviewer at Schrödinger's Books, discusses A Tiny Book of 100 Big Things in Aotearoa. She explains what counts as a big thing and how the book's pocket format, photos, GPS coordinates and map make it a practical travel companion. Conversation covers cultural and economic roles of these roadside attractions, global comparisons and fun use cases for road trips and gifts.

Alain Bertaud, urban planner and NYU researcher who wrote Order Without Design, shares ideas from five decades shaping cities worldwide. He talks about cities as labour markets, the link between transport and housing affordability, trade-offs between densification and greenfield growth, and how planning and financing shape what gets built.

Thomas Sparrow, RNZ correspondent in Berlin covering European affairs. He discusses Germany releasing oil reserves and measures to curb petrol price rises. He talks about Europe overtaking other regions as the largest weapons importer and plans for defence independence. He recounts the dramatic evacuation and safe defusal of a WWII bomb in Dresden and the wider legacy of unexploded ordnance.

Greg Wallace, CEO of Master Plumbers, speaks as an industry representative on plumbing standards and lead risks. He discusses trans-Tasman standards, gaps in verification and labelling, and which products pose the highest lead risk. He warns about online and imported tapware, legal liability for installers, and the need for compulsory third-party verification to make the lead-free transition workable.