Nine To Noon

Submissions are rolling in against a proposal to cut funding to Auckland's Citizens Advice Bureau. Auckland Council is currently consulting on a plan to cut the organisation's $2 million in annual funding, as part of a wider effort to curb education and community spending. Advocates for the mostly voluntary-run service say the loss of funding would sound the death knell for the service and the city's 32 offices would likely be forced to shut by Christmas. Last year, Auckland's 880 volunteers helped 163,000 people; providing support and informing clients of their rights across a range of everyday issues, including immigration, housing and tenancy problems, benefit entitlements, employment disputes, and relationship issues. The Auckland Council has a budget deficit of $295 million for the 2023-2024 financial year and is looking to cut $20 million of regional services, such as community and education programmes. Kathryn talks to Kate Anderson, general manager of the Central Auckland CABs, about their fight to maintain funding.

The Shipping Federation says a new coastal shipping route between Napier and Gisborne should be the first of many more. The Government's announced a $3m dollar subsidy last week to allow the Rangitata to cover the route for the next three months. It is estimated to take up to 200 trucks off the road each week - a trip which used to be three hours but now takes six, due to damage to the road between Napier and Wairoa. Last year, Waka Kotahi got a one-off $30m to support coastal shipping. But John Harbord, Executive Director of the New Zealand Shipping Federation, says much more is needed. He speaks to Kathryn along with Rail and Maritime Transport Union Spokesperson Todd Valster.

Science correspondent Dr Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to talk about a new study which shows where myna birds have become established in New Zealand, compared to where they were introduced. A study out today looks at how successful researchers were in being able to make a cheesecake using a 3D printer and an online tool developed by Australian researchers helps people understand their COVID and myocarditis risks depending on how many doses of Covid vaccine they've had. Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles is the head of Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland.

It starts with a chat to a mysterious stranger at a beach bar in Mexico - and leads to a big case of mistaken identity thanks to a fedora with a faded pink feather. Kiwi Nick Davies has just released a new book, a piece of sunset noir, set in the dangerous world of Latin-American espionage. His lead character, Lou Galloway, is a failed actor who ends up having to nail the role of a lifetime - because his life depends on it. Nick has acted himself - with roles in Shortland Street and Filthy Rich - and has drawn inspiration for the book - called El Flamingo - from his own travels through Latin America.

Robin talks to Kathryn about the Ministry of Health's response to new research which accuses authorities of a long-standing campaign to silence evidence about the health impacts of dioxin emissions from the production of 2,4,5-T in New Plymouth during the 1960s. Robin also has an update on the origins of Wally the weka who turned up in Manaia in February. Weka have been regionally extinct in Taranaki since the 1930s. And New Plymouth welcomed back WOMAD at the weekend, the music event was missed during the pandemic. Afro Cuban star Cimafunk and his band were one of many artists performing.

Cynthia Morahan reviews Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose, published by Penguin Random House

Long before the misdeeds of Anna Sorokin, Bernie Madoff and the Tinder Swindler came to light, a man named Albert Rosenberg was perfecting the art of the con.

Australia correspondent Chris Niesche joins Kathryn to talk about the review into Hillsong Pentecostal Church spending, after an independent MP used parliamentary privilege to level allegations against senior church figures and their lavish spending. More than 60 AFL players have joined a class action against the league over the impact of concussion on their health and a "wall of dead fish" spanning tens of kilometres is moving along a stretch of the Darling-Baaka river - what's killed them?

Prefabricated homes are often touted as a solution for producing more homes. So what role can they have in emergencies, and more broadly, what potential does prefabrication have for the construction sector? A Huntly-based company building prefab homes has been inundated with orders for houses and smaller emergency accommodation units since the devastating storm. Kathryn speaks to Builtsmart owner Philip Leather, as well as the 'Queen of Prefab' Amy Marks, vice president of Industrialized Construction at Autodesk in the US.

The latest IPCC report warns the world is likely to have warmed by 1.5 Celcius by the time the next report is released in 2030. While climate officials warn how far off-track we are, the report concludes it's not too late to tackle climate change if swift action is taken and funding is ramped up. A summary report of thousands of pages of findings from the world's leading climate scientists, including from New Zealand, says there are "multiple, feasible and effective options" to avert climate disaster. Kathryn speaks with the Guardian's Environment Correspondent, Fiona Harvey.