Nine To Noon

Bruce Cotterill and Paul Muir are a couple of Auckland blokes trying to help other blokes by raising awareness of -- and money for -- for mental health and prostate cancer. The friends are the brains behind Bike for Blokes, a charity they set up last year as they cycled the length of the country, raising nearly $220,000. Both men have had close friends and family members affected by prostate cancer and poor mental health, and worry about men not looking after or even talking about their health and as a result often getting a late diagnosis. In a few weeks, they're doing it again- taking extra riders with them, and jointly aiming to raise $400,000.

US correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben joins Kathryn to talk about the ongoing negotiations into raise the debt ceiling after US government debt hit its limit of US$31.4 trillion last week. Meanwhile the long fight over the speakership and debt ceiling crisis have caused some in the Republican party to question whether its lost its way. And Utah has passed a law prohibiting certain gender-affirming treatments for transgender minors. Danielle Kurtzleben is a political correspondent assigned to NPR's Washington Desk

The government's fuel subsidy comes to an end today, and there are warnings the cost of some goods could rise. Transport companies are estimating everyday goods could rise, with one source in the meat industry suggesting it could be by 4 to 5 percent, as the cost of freight increases. In April last year, the government introduced a Transport Support Package in response to a growing global energy crisis. The relief package included a 25 cents a litre cut to Fuel Excise Duty, and a 36 percent discount for Road User Charges. Half price fares on public transport will still continue until 31 March 2023. Kathryn speaks with Countdown's director of New Zealand supply chains, Arjern Ramnarayan and Chris Carr, the director of transporting company Carr and Haslam.

As of Monday afternoon, almost 400 Auckland properties have been red or yellow stickered. Senior associate at law firm Tompkins Wake, Morgan Brady tells Kathryn Ryan home owners should take a lot of photos and not to attempt any repairs until they've spoken to their insurer.

Aucklanders are bracing for more rain later today. In West Auckland, the hilly, bush-clad suburb of Titirangi is one of the hardest hit. Days of heavy rain has brought down slips, leaving some homes teetering on hillsides and tearing huge chunks out of roads. Thousands of residents are without water, and while water tankers have been brought in, there are many who live too far off the road to lug water in. Paul Bell and his wife Claire live in Otitori Bay Road in Titirangi - on Friday night 50 metres of bank in front of their home disappeared. Their second baby in due in 3 weeks and they're unsure whether they can move home. Kathryn also speaks with local MP for New Lynn, Deborah Russell.

Dr Karamia Müller discusses the issues facing Pacific people and their housing and the relationship to infrastructure, gentrification, housing supply and multigenerational housing. Dr Karamia Müller is a lecturer of architecture specialising in Pacific space concepts and architecture at the University of Auckland School of Architecture and Planning and she is a Co-Director of MAPIHI: Maori and Pacific Housing Research Centre.

Flooding update from the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Northland.

Political commentators Brigitte Morten and Gareth Hughes join Kathryn to talk about the local and central government response to flooding in Auckland and other parts of the North Island. And as new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins cuts his teeth on his first crisis, we also talk about how the transition of power from Jacinda Ardern has gone. Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks & Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government. Gareth Hughes is a former Green MP and now works for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa.

Peter has been guaging what locals think of the billion dollar Australian development, Lakeview and whether it belongs in Queenstown. Also the picturesque town is often is often referred to as a "Resort" by people and media from elsewhere in NZ, but many residents don't see it that way amid a belief that the the local economy must diversify away from tourism to other types of business. And worker accomodation in Queenstown and Wanaka remains in serious short supply.

Paul Diamond reviews three of his favourite books from last year A Fire in the Belly of Hineamaru: A Collection of Narratives about Te Tai Tokerau Tupuna by Melinda Webber and Te Kapua O'Connor, published by AUP; Te Motunui Epa by Rachel Buchanan, published by BWB and Better the Blood by Michael Bennett, published by Simon and Schuster