Nine To Noon

Siouxsie joins Kathryn with an update on Omicron and vaccines for children. And she'll detail research into an mRNA vaccine against HIV that is showing promise in animal studies. Associate Professor Dr Siouxsie Wiles is the head of Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at the University of Auckland.

Kathryn talks with Massey University migration expert Paul Spoonley about the decline in population of cities around the world. London's population is expected to fall by 300,000 this year, and Sydney's by up to 200,000. Stats NZ is forecasting a drop in Auckland's population also. The reason? Mobility and migration changes due to Covid 19.

Angie Cairncross reviews Murder Under Her Skin by Stephen Spotswood, published by Hachette NZ

Annika joins Kathryn to look at the reopening of state borders, with tearful scenes at airports in Queensland and confirmation Western Australia will open its border again for the first time in two years in February. Meanwhile Omicron numbers are continuing to rise in New South Wales, with particular concerns about a super-spreader event at a Newcastle nightclub where at least 150 of 680 people who attended The Argyle House nightclub on December 8 have tested positive to COVID.

The first electric ferry in the southern hemisphere is soon to hit the seas in Wellington. Ika Rere is its name - it means 'flying fish'. It will join the East by West ferry fleet, as part of the return service from Wellington to Eastbourne. East by West managing director Jeremy Ward decided to bring electric passenger ferries to New Zealand after seeing them in action in fjiords of Norway. In 2018 he set up the Wellington Electric Boat Building Company - a subsidiary of East by West - with boatbuilder Fraser Foote. Not only did the pair bring the electric ferry to Wellington, they've helped bring boat building back to the capital - 20 years after it fizzled out, and they hope to keep building electric ferries from their Lower Hutt base. On Thursday Ika Rere will be opened up to guests to look at, with sailings set to start before Christmas - and the ferry going into full service in the new year.

The Breast Cancer Foundation fears lives are being put at risk, as tens of thousands of mammograms are delayed due to Covid. Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall has confirmed a back-log of 45,000 breast cancer since lock-downs started, to this September. The Breast Cancer Foundation says this backlog is "unacceptable, alarming and needs urgent action". There are concerns other cancer screening services, including prostate, are also being affected by Covid-related delays in the health system. Kathryn speaks to the Chief Executive of The Breast Cancer Foundation Ah-Leen Rayner and Chris Jackson, an academic oncologist and former medical director of the Cancer Society.

Andrew Holden traverses the recent ratings and musical chairs in Radio, RNZ launches its youth radio channel, Tahi, and Sky TV has reported stellar results, prompting analysts to say the company is back from the brink. Does that suggest it's still in play for a takeover?

When he was 14, engineer Mark Sorensen wrote an essay about the plastic packaging problem - and how it might be fixed. Now, nearly three decades later, he and his wife Ellie Brade have created a new cleaning product that does away with plastic bottles. The Cleanery sells small sachets of powder that's added to water in a spray bottle and shaken - then ready to use. The business is one of eight companies chosen to take part in the Climate Change Accelerator programme, run by Creative HQ in Wellington and supported by Callaghan Innovation. And it's caught the attention of the founder of Lewis Road Creamery and marketing guru Peter Cullinane, who has also joined the team to help spread the word.

Keith Turner and Heather Simpson have turned up on the board of the national grid operator, Transpower. Pattrick delves into what that means. And the billion dollar government IT project you've never heard any fuss about has just been completed after 8 stressful years by the Inland Revenue Dept. He also talks about what to look for in tomorrow's half year fiscal and economic update and Budget Policy Statement.

Cynthia Morahan reviews Love Stories by Trent Dalton, published by HarperCollins. Cynthia says: This is a perfect book for people who hate small talk. It's poetic, with little definitions of love throughout.