Nine To Noon

Harry Ricketts reviews Just Like That: Kevin Ireland New Poems by Kevin Ireland, published by Quentin Wilson Publishing.

Shaun Barnett is an outdoors author, editor and photographer who began tramping as a teenager in the mountains of Hawke's Bay - and has tramped the length and breadth of the country since. He's co-authored multiple award-winning books, among them: Classic Tramping in New Zealand, Shelter from the Storm: The story of New Zealand's backcountry huts and Tramping, A New Zealand History. For his latest work, however, it's the words of others he's brought to the fore. Across the Pass: A Collection of New Zealand Tramping Writing features the work of a range of Kiwi writers - from Sir Edmund Hillary and adventurer Graeme Dingle to peace activist Elsie Locke and poet Sam Hunt. Shaun joins Susie, along with Wellington writer and tramping enthusiast Kathy Ombler, who shares her own tale of a cold night, lost on Tongariro with a group of school children.

Ed reflects on what has been a big week for China and climate politics and although Xi Jinping was missing from COP26, a surprise agreement with the US has been reached. Also there appears no end in sight for China's 'zero-Covid' strategy, with Delta slowly spreading, causing a return to lockdowns. Ed White is a correspondent with the Financial Times.

A family of winemakers in Marlborough are building an equine solution to the tricky problem of sustainably working the land. The Weaver family has run Churton Wines for decades and over the last 15 years have been working hard to make their wine organic and biodynamic. The latest step in that process is training two massive Clydesdale horses to take over from tractors and machines between the vines. It's a bit of a slow process and they're currently fundraising to help train the two horses. Susie talks to Sam Weaver who has spent his working life on the winery and Emma Rossingol who has relocated form Bordeaux in France to train the Clydesdales!

A major new report on the threat of exotic plants is warning that if left to their own devices, they will transform our ecosystems beyond recognition. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is now calling for the Government to lift its game in protecting native ecosystems from the thousands of exotic plants spreading across Aotearoa. Since colonisation, more than 25,000 plant species have been introduced to New Zealand, with over 1,800 of these now surviving in the wild without human help. It's being described as a "silent invasion" by species like wild ginger, banana passionfruit, old man's beard, climbing asparagus and russell lupins. The commissioner, Simon Upton tell Susie how national leadership is needed to coordinate a response, and better monitoring and surveillance systems are required.

Film and TV reviewer Chris Schulz joins Susie to talk about the new season of Dexter (Neon) - after eight years and what's considered by many to be one of the worst endings of all time, can it deliver? Insecure and Curb Your Enthusiasm have returned for their fifth and 11th seasons respectively, and Finch (Apple+) is a new apocalyptic movie starring Tom Hanks and a robot.

With a little under two weeks until NCEA exams kick off, you might have an anxious teenager in the house. Of course, Covid has thrown a curveball into this year's preparations - particularly for students in the upper North Island. Covid's also meant that many children in Auckland and Northland may be approaching the end of their primary, intermediate or high schooling without the normal farewells. So how can parents help their kids get ready for exams, or help their child cope with big changes to their learning career, without the support they'd usually get from their school community? Sheridan Eketone is a family coach with The Parenting Place, based in Auckland. She has four children, two of whom are preparing NCEA - and approaching it quite differently.

Technology commentator Bill Bennett joins Susie for a look at how My Vaccine Pass will work, whether humans will really be able to control super-intelligent AI and plans by Auckland-based submarine cable operator Hawaiki for a new 22,000km cable linking South-East Asia, Australia and the US with a connection to the South Island.

Ralph McAllister reviews Treasure and Dirt by Chris Hammer published by Allen and Unwin.

Lea Ypi grew up in one of the most isolated countries on earth. Albania was Europe's last outpost of communism; nearly impossible to visit, and even more difficult to leave. It was a place of queuing and scarcity, and of political executions and secret police.... But to Lea it was home. Her new book Free: Coming of Age at the End of History is a memoir about growing up in the last days of the last Stalinist outpost. She uncovers the trauma of discovering the truth about her family, her country, and her two favourite uncles; Albanian leader Enver Hoxha and Joseph Stalin. Susie speaks with Lea Ypi, who is now a professor in political theory at the London School of Economics and an adjunct associate professor in philosophy at the Australian National University.