Nine To Noon for Thursday 21 March 2024

09:05 New nicotine product targeted at teens

As our government brings in restrictions on vapes, in Australia the vape crackdown has already seen a new product, nicotine pouches selling online and in shops. Associate professor Becky Freeman from the University of Sydney's School of Public Health says the pouches have recently emerged in Australia and they are being promoted online by influencers. She is concerned about the health and safety effects of the product. And with Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announcing a range of cabinet measures yesterday, including banning disposable vapes, and placing further restrictions on retailers - it may just be a matter of time before nicotine pouches hit New Zealand. 

09:20 Banking sector needs more competition: Comcom report

The Commerce Commission has released an interim report on its market study into personal banking services such as home loans, deposits, credit cards and overdrafts. It says there is a two tier market in which the big four Australian-owned banks have the major share, and smaller operators offer no threat to that dominance. Sam Stubbs from non profit kiwisaver provider and fund manager Simplicity has been a vocal critic of the banking sector.

09:30 Almost half of New Zealand adults don't have a will prepared

Almost half New Zealand adults don't have a will, despite having dependents and assets.  Legally, this means the court decides what should happen with those assets. Bill Holland of Tauranga’s Holland Beckett Law, tells Kathryn this can mean lengthy delays and ultimately may not result in the decision the deceased would have made. He'll answer questions texted to 2101.

09:45 UK: Tory revolt over prisons, hints of October election 

UK correspondent Matthew Parris joins Kathryn to talk about shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves' speech that was critical of the economic legacy of the previous Labour government and...a little boring. The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces a challenge from within his own party over his plans to scrap shorter sentences in order to ease overcrowding in jails and there's a hint from the chancellor Jeremy Hunt that the general election could take place in October.

09:55 Gyles Beckford: the economy is officially in a recession

It's official - the economy slipped into a recession at the end of last year. Stats NZ says gross domestic product fell 0.1 percent in the three months ended December. The economy shrank 0.3 percent in the previous quarter fulfilling the technical definition of a recession. RNZ Business Editor Gyles Beckford shared the latest update with Kathryn Ryan.

10:05 Peeping Tom: The world's 'freakiest theatre troupe'

Peeping Tom is an award-winning Belgian dance theatre company which is bringing its production Diptych to the Auckland Arts Festival this weekend. It involves two set pieces, The Missing Door and The Lost Room, which both feature the company's signature hyper-realism and unsettling scenes. The production is recommended for audiences over the age of 16. Peeping Tom was co-founded by Gabriela Carrizo and Franck Chartier - partners in life as well as work. Franck joins Kathryn to explain the psychological elements of this production and the extraordinary things his dancers do.

10:35 Book review: Remember Me: Poems to Learn by Heart from Aotearoa New Zealand Edited by Anne Kennedy 

Sonja de Friez reviews Remember Me: Poems to Learn by Heart from Aotearoa New Zealand Edited by Anne Kennedy published by Auckland University Press     

10:45 Around the motu: Robin Martin in Taranaki

The world premiere of the latest NZ feature film, The Mountain has just been held in New Plymouth. It is the directorial debut of acclaimed actor Rachel House, best known for her work in Boy, Hunt For The Wilderpeople and Whale Rider. The EPA is revisiting Trans-Tasman Resources application to mine millions of tonnes of the seabed off the coast of Taranaki. And a new report estimates the offshore wind energy sector could contribute $50 billion to GDP between now and 2050.

11.05 ComCom's personal banking study

The Commerce Commission has released an interim report on its market study into personal banking services such as home loans, deposits, credit cards and overdrafts. It says there is a two tier market in which the big four Australian-owned banks have the major share, and smaller operators offer no threat to that dominance. John Small is chair of the Commerce Commission, he joins Kathryn Ryan with the latest.

11:20 Tech: China vs US tech, carmakers share data with insurers

Technology correspondent Mark Pesce joins Kathryn to look at the tit-for-tat between China and the US that's playing out across the tech industry. As China encourages a greater uptake of local products, where does that leave companies like Apple and Tesla? He'll also look at concerns in the US that automakers are supplying insurance companies with customer data - and raising premiums or denying cover as a result.

Mark Pesce is a futurist, writer, educator and broadcaster.

11:30 Parenting: How to help your child make friends

School has been back for a few weeks now, some children will have a group of mates already, while others struggle to find friends,  particularly if they're at a new school. Life Education Trust educator Ingrid Kemp says teachers, parents and caregivers are important to help children navigate classroom and playground dynamics.

11:45 Screentime: Wicked Little Letters, The Girls on the Bus, 3 Body Problem

Film and TV reviewer James Croot joins Kathryn to talk about Wicked Little Letters (cinemas) about the true tale of a foul-mouthed letter writer in 1920s Sussex; The Girls on the Bus (Neon) follows four female political journalists on the campaign trail as they cover a scandal that threatens democracy and 3 Body Problem (Netflix) is a sci-fi adapted from Liu Cixin’s novel that sees a group of scientists trying to stave off an alien invasion.

 James Croot is Stuff's Stuff to Watch editor