Nine To Noon

Tens of thousands have taken part in weekend protests against the introduction of a mandatory Covid 'health pass' in France - the toughest yet to be imposed in Europe - as Italy also brings in similar measures. And countries affected by western Europe's worst deadly flooding in decades say the cleanup operation is massive and it will take weeks if not months

Questions are being asked about how well our infrastructure can weather climate change. Climate economist based at Victoria University of Wellington and managing director of Climate Sigma, Belinda Storey is Principal Investigator on the Time-to-Failure in Infrastructure under Climate Change project, which is modelling the impact of escalating extreme weather events on decisions to invest in infrastructure such as bridges, roads, dams, stop banks and airports. The work is being done under the auspices of Victoria University's Whakahura team, lead by Director of the New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute Dave Frame and Chair of Disaster Economics at Victoria University Wellington Ilan Noy, which has received 10 million dollars from MBIE to look at extreme events over the next forty years. Belinda's team has teamed up with NIWA and other modellers to calculate the "time to failure" in infrastructure, and compare it to the pay-back periods currently calculated to give the green light to major infrastructure investments.

A boom in the use of buy now, pay later products has prompted warnings of people falling into financial hardship and growing calls for the sector to be regulated. Buy now, pay later companies such as Laybuy and AfterPay allow online shoppers to buy goods on credit and pay off the balance over four payments. These types of transactions grew by almost half in the first quarter of 2021, compared to the same period last year. Nine to Noon has requested a copy of briefing document from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark, warning that these products are making the accumulation of debt easy. These products don't charge interest to the consumer, rather retailers pay the provider. Because these products don't charge interest, they don't fall under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act. Consumer groups are now calling for the buy now, pay later industry to be regulated like other money lenders. The Commerce Minister is weighing up possible regulation. Kathryn speaks with Consumer NZ's head of research is Jessica Wilson and KPMG's head of banking and finance John Kensington.

Comedians Elisabeth Easther and James Elliott with a few laughs, including how some American children are acquiring a British accent thanks to popular tv show Peppa Pig.

Sam has been casting an eye over the 211 NZ athletes across 22 sports, with 118 of them first-time Olympians. He talks to Kathryn about where the spotlight may fall and who he thinks will fare well in Tokyo.

Paul Diamond reviews Enough Horizon: The life and work of Blanche Baughan by Carol Markwell, published by Cuba Press.

A year's worth of rain in just three days in China's Henan province has caused more than 30 deaths, the evacuation of 100,000 people and widespread devastation. Elizabeth also talks to Kathryn about the ongoing Olympic Games controversies and Hong Kong's anti-doxing privacy bill.

Timaru based biotech company South Pacific Sera says that if everything goes to plan they may be able to provide vaccines for New Zealand and the Pacific.

A massive piece of machinery will soon be digging and boring a tunnel in Auckland to divert wastewater and storm water from inner city suburbs to the Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant. Watercare's Central Interceptor project involves a 15 kilometre pipe running underneath the Manukau Harbour and finishing in Grey Lynn.

As Cabinet weighs up New Zealand's quarantine-free travel arrangement with Australia, any changes to the bubble could put more pressure on the overloaded MIQ booking system. Experts are putting up their hands up to help the government improve the booking system, described as a "nightmare" by New Zealanders abroad.