Nine To Noon

If you've ever thought about a return to the netball court, but worry about spraining an ankle or not being fit enough - walking netball could be for you. Also known as "low impact netball" - it's the same game, 7 aside, but players cannot run or jump. Netball Wellington has been running a weekly league for a couple of years now at the ASB stadium, and Kathryn speaks with Community Director Sue Geale and Wellington grandmother Robbie Herbison who's been playing for two years.

There's been a breakthrough in the way antenatal steroids are used to help preterm babies develop their lungs in the womb. A new study suggests using lower steroid doses will improve babies' lung development and have fewer side effects for them and their mothers. Among the researchers is expat Professor Matthew Kemp, who's the Acting Chief Scientific Director of the Women & Infants Research Foundation, and Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the National University of Singapore. Matt speaks with Kathryn about his work as a scientist who works with doctors and nurses to improve the health of preterm and extreme preterm babies.

Five months out from a deadline to centralise, concern the new single-entity mega polytec won't get over the line without massive staff cuts. Te Pukenga - the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology - is due to be up and running by the first of January - bringing together all our polytechnics, institutes of technology and Industry Training Organisations. But it's facing a deficit of up to $110 million, $53.5 million more than budgeted. Former Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker, is calling it "a national disgrace". He thinks funding has been wasted on bureaucracy and says Te Pukenga's board is "just not up to the task." Kathryn is also joined by Merran Davis, a former deputy chief executive of Te Pukenga, who supports the new model, but agrees it is being poorly executed. Ms Davis is calling on the Minister to appoint a Commissioner to oversee it.

Film and TV correspondent Tamar Munch is along to review When the Cows Come Home (NZIFF), The Quiet Girl (cinemas) and a new local children's series Te Pamu Kumara (Maori+), the first drama for kids told completely in te reo Maori.

Mother-daughter duo Robyn and Molly Fausett have collaborated on writing a guide to raising teenagers, their book is called The Kids Will Be All Right. Robyn is a nurse and educator and is a programme writer for health and wellbeing in school education. The book covers off a range of subjects including body image, cyber safety, sexuality, puberty and having respectful relationships. Her daughter Molly brings a youth voice and perspective to it.

Tech commentator Paul Matthew looks at Big Tech's attempt to tackle a new foe: the humble leap second. Why are they trying to dump it, why does it frequently cause chaos and really, does a second here or there really matter? And Apple recently announced a new Lockdown Mode, a super secure mode for those who might be subject to state or other attack or surveillance. Who needs to turn it on?

David Hill reviews Vienna Behind the Facade by Jennifer Haworth, published by Quentin Wilson Publishing.

Jessica Hansell, best known by her rap nickname Coco Solid, is one of Aotearoa's most impressive artists. She's a writer, poet, musician, multimedia artist, creator of cult Maori cartoon Aroha Bridge, and has multiple screenwriting credits. Her latest project is a work of autobiographical fiction called How to Loiter in a Turf War, following three friends navigating relationships, racial tensions and rampant property development in their home of Tamaki Makaurau. Auckland's gentrification takes centre stage in the novel, a subject of personal pain for the author, who describes the transformation of the suburbs where her whanau lived for years, as like having her "world rewritten in front of her". Coco Solid will be appearing at the Auckland Writers' Festival next month.

UK correspondent Matthew Parris joins Kathryn with an update on the leadership contest between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, a dramatic debate between the pair that was interrupted by the fainting of TV presenter Kate McCann and the driver escaping the scene of a car crash who made a bad decision to enter an emu enclosure.

International hackers are increasingly turning their attention to hospitals and manufacturers of medical devices, attacks that not only cost them ransom money, but also jeopardise patient privacy and even surgical procedures. While technological breakthroughs in medicine has revolutionised the way patients are diagnosed and treated, the proliferation of medical devivces connected to hospital networks offer cyberattackers new opportunities to access healthcare organisations IT systems. While deeply concerning for patients and staff, the consequences of malware and ransomware attacks on hospitals can also be fatal. Justine Bone, a New Zealander based in the US, is at the forefront of medical cybersecurity. She's the CEO of a private company called MedSec based in Florida. It offers hospitals a way to manage the security of every medical device they own.