Nine To Noon for Friday 7 March 2025

09:05 Porirua Mayor slams calls to sack Wellington Water chair

The Wellington region's scrapping mayors are lining up their positions ahead of a critical meeting over the co-owned Wellington Water entity on Monday. Yesterday Wellington City's mayor and a majority of councillors called for the chair of the regional water entity, Nick Leggett to be removed from the role. Upper Hutt's Mayor made the same call earlier in the week. This morning Porirua Mayor Anita Baker has described Wellington City Council's proposal as a kangaroo court. The uproar follows two report summaries released this week that found Wellington Water's maintenance spend on contractors was far higher than other regions, and there was poor financial oversight. One report suggested a spend on contractors 30 per cent higher than comparable regions. In the letter to the Wellington Water Committee - which the region's mayors all sit on - Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says the concerns highlighted in the two reports were not new, and had been raised in an earlier report. Further, if the committee does not remove Nick Leggett as chair, then he, Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty, and another board member responsible for audit and risk, should front her council with answers. Porirua mayor Anita Baker says the proposed `kangaroo court' is a disgrace. 

09:20 As quantum computing leaps forward - how ready is New Zealand for the risks that come with it?

As the push to develop quantum computing continues, what are the potential risks to New Zealand and is the country prepared to face them? Last week Amazon became the third tech giant in recent months to unveil a prototype quantum computing chip. Quantum computing would harness quantum mechanics to perform calculations at unprecedented speeds. But as a "disruptive technology" it could also threaten existing encryption methods. Dr Nicole Girvan has 25 years' experience in the IT industry and recently completed her doctoral research on cybersecurity and quantum computing technology. She talks to Kathryn about what quantum computing advances could mean for New Zealand.

09:35 Rural games underway in Palmerston North 

Tree climbing, speed fencing, axe throwing and a chainsaw sculpture exhibition. Some 40,000 people are expected to flock to The Square in Palmerston North, for the 10th Rural Games, underway today. Participants in the 3-day event include shearing legend Sir David Fagan, world champion tree climber Steph Dryfhout, and the world champ timbersports competitor Jack Jordan. Kathryn catches up with founder Steve Hollander and Timbersports champion Jack Jordan.

10:05 Sam Smith: the dentist turned writer and comedian

Writer, comedian and former dentist, Sam Smith, has just released The Blizzard of Blobs, the second in his graphic children's series Miles and Jones published by Hachette. Sam had to pivot into comedy and writing after a diagnosis with multiple sclerosis. He talks to Kathryn about why he wanted to create graphic novels, what it's like to be the comedian responsible for warming up an audience ahead of the main show and his work as an ambassador in Auckland for MS New Zealand. 

10:30 High Performance Sport NZ  helps create a global partnership to boost female athlete's health.

High Performance Sport New Zealand is one of four national sporting bodies that have joined together to help create a global partnership to  focus on female athlete's health. The Global Alliance for Female Athletes will involve health experts and sports scientists from New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom joining forces. The aim is to help female athletes overcome prevalent health issues to reach their full sporting potential. Kathryn Ryan is joined by Dr Helen Fulcher a specialist medical practitioner with  Higher Sport NZ, focusing on on female medical health.

10:40  Book review: All Better Now by Neal Shusterman 

Eden Denyer from Unity Books Wellington reviews All Better Now by Neal Shusterman published by Walker Books

10:45 Around the motu: Lee Scanlon in Westport

Lee discusses the latest news in Westport including controversy over the filling of various roles held by the late Frank Dooley, Westport's recreational game fishing boom, and Main Street has had a revival.

Lee Scanlon is Westport News' Chief Reporter.

11:05 New music with Grant Smithies

Newcastle synth-pop duo Marina Zispin (Bianca Scout and Martyn Reid) release their debut album Now You See Me (Now You Don't) today. We'll hear two tracks from that this morning, followed by some bracing rockabilly punk from Tokyo's Guitar Wolf and a classic from Roy Ayers, who has just died, aged 84.

11:30 Sports commentator Sam Ackerman 

The Black Caps are in another major cricket final, can they go one further? The questionable treatment of the Fijian Drua squad in Super Rugby Pacific after their recent trip to New Zealand has raised issues around how different teams are accommodated. And should the America's Cup return to these shores? 

11:45 The week that was with Te Radar and Michele A'Court

Comedians Michele A'Court and Te Radar chat about what to do when a dolphin lands in your boat, plans to ban Belgians from drinking live fish and the record winning vegetable orchestra of Vienna.