Nine To Noon for Wednesday 5 March 2025

09:05 Ukraine back to the negotiating table

Less than 24 hours after the US decided it would pause military aid to Ukraine, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his country is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible. Mr Zelensky says last week's explosive meeting with Donald Trump was "regrettable" and Ukraine is "ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership" to negotiate a peace deal, and to sign a minerals deal. Reuters is reporting that the deal could be announced by President Trump to Congress in his address this afternoon. Luke Harding is a senior foreign correspondent with The Guardian, and author of 'Invasion: Russia's bloody war and Ukraine's fight for survival'. He speaks to Kathryn from Kyiv.

 09:20  Trade Wars - What is the impact for NZ?    

The tit for tat tariff exchanges are heating up with Donald Trump responding to Canada's latest trade threats on social media. Speaking after the US  imposed 25% taxes on Canada and Mexican goods overnight, Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, condemned what he called "a dumb trade war." But what could all of this mean for New Zealand? Niven Winchester is a Professor of Economics at   the Auckland University of Technology who has been modelling the impact of this trade disruption for Aotearoa.

09:35 Food rescue organisations fear imminent funding end

Food rescue organisations fear thousands of tonnes of surplus food could end up in landfills if funding due to run out in June is not renewed. The Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance is the umbrella organisation for nearly 40 front line services around the country - such as Kiwi Harvest, Kaibosh as well as smaller programmes. The New Zealand Food Network distributes donations of bulk surplus food throughout the country through dozens of partner orgnisations.  Between them they estimate they deliver over $100m worth of food to communities in need last year, saving food from ending up in landfill. But from the end of June, funding of $10m a year from the Ministry of Social Development will end. Iain Lees-Galloway, General Manager, Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, says if the funding isn't extended, some food rescue organisations will have to close, and many will have to scale back.

09:45 Australia: Peacekeepers for Ukraine considers, Tasmanian ferry woes

Australia correspondent Chris Niesche joins Kathryn to talk about where Australia is positioned on the issue of sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. He'll also unravel the latest developments on Tasmania's new ferries - both of which are still in Europe. And a Sydney beauty clinic's practices have resulted in a public health warning.

10:05  Cambridge University research into how physical and mental health are inseparable.

A neuroscientist at Cambridge University is challenging traditional concepts that illnesses divide into either mental or physical. Camilla Nord, who leads the Mental Health and Neuroscience Lab, says traditionally Western medicine has split healthcare between mind and body. But in her book, "The Balanced Brain - the science of mental health" by Penguin, she argues that mental and physical health are deeply intertwined; everything is both physical and psychological. Even pain in her foot  caused by an injury, she says, was  made worse as her brain became used to the feeling, monitored it and enhanced the sensation. She joins Kathryn  to talk about how re-balancing perceptions could open up more effective treatments.

10:30 Climber Riley Smith on why the sport's popularity is surging

Interest in sport climbing is certainly on the rise - it's been included in two Olympics now and is set to be a permanent inclusion from 2028. Riley Smith is someone who knows and appreciates climbing - both indoors and out: he started aged around 8 and took over as chair of the Otago section of the Alpine Club while in his last year of high school. So when it came to choosing a subject for the final project of his communication design course at Otago Polytechnic, it came to him quite easily. The result is a book called Southern Faces, which focuses on climbs around Dunedin - but goes beyond being just a guidebook. It was launched last night and goes beyond routes and grades to focus on the city's unique landscape and wildlife. Riley joins Kathryn to explain what makes climbing so addictive.

10:35 Book review: Chameleon by Robert Dessaix 

Louise O'Brien reviews Chameleon by Robert Dessaix published by Text Publishing

10:45 Around the motu: Samantha Gee in Nelson

Man accused of killing police officer Lyn Fleming pleads not guilty, Nelson Courthouse to be vacated for up to four months as urgent earthquake repairs needed, New Marlborough inland port aims to speed-up region's wine exporting, and Nelson Council spends nearly $10 million on slip-damaged home buyouts.

Samantha Gee is RNZ's Nelson reporter.

11:05 Music with Ian Chapman: The latest Dunedin Sound

Ian Chapman shines a spotlight on four exciting Otepoti Dunedin acts both new and established. Much loved local singer songwriter Kylie Price is currently establishing herself in the UK; young ex-Bayfield High School band Ivy continue their remarkable push into the nation’s consciousness, the widely revered Soaked Oats remind us of why they rank among the ‘must listen’ Kiwi acts of today, while the exciting up-and-coming pop artist Sylvie Harper wows with an exclusive preview of her latest single release.

Ian Chapman is Honorary Senior Research Fellow in Music at the University of Otago. 

11:25 Author Karen McMillan details her island-hopping adventure series for Kiwi kids

Move over Famous Five, there's another bunch of kids with their pets having amazing adventures - this time through the Pacific. The first book in author Karen McMillan's Elastic Island Adventures series was published in 2020 and she's just published number eight. The books follow Kiri, Jed, twins Emma and Ethan - kids from Auckland's Browns Bay - as they "ping" across the Pacific on a special elastic island. The stories often involve real-world issues for the children to deal with; in the latest book Plantation Island Resort, the children have to help Lepani the hermit crab conquer his fear of plastic and desire to run away from home. Karen joins Kathryn to talk about inspiration for the book series and the reaction she gets from young fans.

11:45 Personal finance: Do you really need a million dollars for a happy retirement?

Money expert David Boyle joins Kathryn to talk about what kind of funds are really needed to live a comfortable retirement. He'll talk about the process of deculmulation and the areas people should think about well before they retire.

David Boyle is the General Manager of Kiwisaver for Fisher Funds and was previously with Mint Asset Management and the Commission for Financial Capability. This discussion is of a general nature and does not constitute financial advice.