Nine To Noon for Monday 15 April 2024

09:05 Bill seeks to put more onus on insurers for information disclosure

What to disclose to an insurer has long been a mire for consumers, but a new bill seeks to put more onus on insurers. Duncan Webb's Insurance Contracts member's bill was drawn from the ballot last month. It would put more of the onus of finding information about policyholders on insurers rather than the status quo. For years the insurance ombudsman has fielded complaints from people who'd been paying for the likes of health or income insurance and when they came to claim were declined because the company said they had failed to disclose information a "prudent insurer" ought to know. This is the legal test and the ombudsman years ago signalled it ought to change with more of an onus being placed on insurers. Labour MP Duncan Webb and Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens speak to Kathryn about the need for changes to insurance contracts.

9:30: The app helping orchardists manage individual trees

Fruitminder is a software agri-business that allows orchardists to precisely manage each tree. Sebastian Chapman is founder and CEO. He tells Kathryn the app enables users to create GPS-mapped digital twins of their orchards. The technology works in a similar way to smart ear tags used on cattle, and gives business owners all the data they need about their trees - such as growing conditions, treatments, sprays and fertilisers. Sebastian Chapman has been a dairy and crop farmer, and says rather than inspecting every tree manually - Fruitminder takes the guess work out of it. He'll be speaking at E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit in Manawatu in June.

09:45 Middle East correspondent Sebastian Usher

Iran has launched a large-scale drone and missile attack at Israel, in retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria. Israel has promised a "significant response", and Iran has countered by promising a "reciprocal response" if they do.

Middle East correspondent Sebastian Usher has just returned from Jerusalem.

10:05 Lesieli Oliver on her drive to help Māori and Pasifika students thrive in education

Amid the talk about the best ways to improve school attendance, Lesieli Oliver has been quietly getting on with the job. She's the co-founder of Lālanga, an organisation that seeks to help Māori and Pasifika students engage and thrive at school. The latest attendance figures out last week, showed for the last quarter of last year regular attendance has improved, but still remains well below pre pandemic figures. Lālanga's approach is to practically support and encourage schools, and to create excitement about school among students. It sets schools up with a weekly classroom box that delivers daily content, activities and individual workbooks to students, as well as lesson plans and support for teachers on a topic of their choosing. She joins Kathryn to explain her philosophy, and how her own experiences as a young Tongan migrant has helped shape her passion to empower others.

10:35 Book review: Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan 

Melanie O'Loughlin from Lamplight Books reviews Caledonian Road by Andrew O'Hagan published by Faber

10:45 Around the motu: Peter de Graaf in Northland

The Hundertwasser Art Centre is running out money. Like elsewhere in the country, Northland’s four councils are setting their budgets for the next few years -  and looking at double digit rates rises, apart from the Northland Regional Council. An Iwi-led drought relief scheme is changing lives, one water tank at a time and Mangonui has lost its last bank.

RNZ Northland reporter Peter de Graaf based in Kerikeri  

11:05 Political commentators Neale Jones and Tim Hurdle

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is joining calls for de-escalation between Israel and Iran as the conflict escalates. Finance Minister Nicola Willis appears to be attempting to shift scrutiny of public sector cuts, by questioning whether too many people are employed in senior management positions. And Greens co-leader James Shaw is trying to push through his members' bill as his retirement nears.

Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of public affairs firm Capital.

Tim Hurdle is a former National senior adviser, was the National Party Campaign Director in 2020. He is a director of several companies, including Museum Street Strategies, a public affairs firm.

11:30 A taste of Brazil in a corner of north Auckland

A cafe in a little corner of north Auckland is serving up a taste of Brazil from a rather unusual spot. The Brazilian Cafe started out as the Centre Court Cafe and is located in the Albany Tennis Park. It's run by Patricia Dalcuque and specialises in dishes from all corners of Brazil. It's open for breakfast and lunch everyday except Sunday... and its coxinha landed a spot on the coveted 100 Iconic Auckland eats list this year.

11:45 Off the beaten track with Kennedy Warne

Kennedy Warne has paid a visit to the Kiwi Coast Project - 250,000 hectares of coastal Northland under sustained predator control by no fewer than 227 volunteer groups, with the aim of making Northland safe for kiwi again.

 

Music played in this show

Track: What's Up 
Artist: 4 Non Blondes
Time played: 10:35am

Track: Get the Party Started
Artist: Pink
Time played: 10:40am