Nine To Noon

09:05 Primary sector wants training pipeline secured

Primary sector leaders say food and fibre generates 81 per cent of the country's exports, but the work-based training that the workforce depends on is at risk. Chief executives across farming, forestry, horticulture and seafood have signed a workforce strategy they're calling on the Government to back. They're worried that reform of vocational education after the breakup of Te Pukenga,  aimed at achieving higher enrolments for individual polytechs, has left work-based learning in limbo. And that it is likely to lose funding in the next few years. Currently trainees work fulltime on a dairy farm, or in a forest block, while at the same time completing papers towards a qualification. They say there is a risk regional polytechs will cherry-pick the most profitable courses, undermining access to essential training in their sectors. They're calling on the government to recognise the economic value of those jobs - and to secure access to training through funding, a national network of provision, and the development industry-specific qualifications and the development industry specific qualifications. The Minister for Vocational Education says the Government's goal is to make sure strategically important courses are kept, despite their cost, and has earmarked some of a $20 million fund towards them. Elizabeth Heeg is chief executive of the Forest Owners Association and Kate Scott is chief executive of Horticulture NZ. 

09:20 Call for urgent action over "rural connectivity crisis"  

Federated Farmers is demanding urgent action from both mobile companies and the government over often unreliable rural connectivity. A Fed Farmers annual connectivity survey found that for many, mobile coverage is still patchy and unreliable - both on-farm and on provincial highways. A third of the 600 farmers surveyed said their coverage had actually got worse. According to the survey, mobile coverage currently averages only 57% of farmland - a figure unchanged since 2022. Fed Farmers says while more farmers are connected to 4G and 5G, dropouts remain widespread, causing major issues for everyday operations and also safety. The survey also highlights worries over the removal of copper landlines, with the vast majority of those due to be disconnected said to have still have not found a replacement option. Kathryn speaks to Mark Hooper,Federated Farmers telecommunications spokesperson and Craig Young  the head of the  telecommunications users group, TUANZ.

09:30 Wellington literary journal on world stage

A literary journal founded in Wellington two years ago has been named one of five international winners of a US literary magazine incubator prize. Folly is an annual anthology of collectable art, commentary and essays, short stories and poetry. I The magazine won a silver medal at this years'  Indie publishing awards in the USA. The third issue of Folly is to be launched at the Frankfurt Book Fair next month.  ts founder, Emily Broadmore tells Kathryn what the incubator prize will mean.

09:45 Pacific correspondent Koroi Hawkins

Koroi discuss calls for action over climate change from Pacific leaders at the UN, presidential elections in Bougainville, tensions as New Caledonia markers 172 years since being colonised by France and Manu Samoa vying to qualify for Rugby World Cup

RNZ Pacific Editor Koroi Hawkins 

10:05 From cop to crime fiction: Rob Rattenbury 

Robert Rattenbury says he grew up on the "wrong side of the tracks". It was the 1960s and his was a working class, Catholic family in the Hutt Valley suburb of Naenae. He and his siblings spent time in state care, and he says his life could have taken a very different route. Rob left school at 17 and join the Police Cadets - beginning a 23 year policing career, in Lower Hutt and Whanganui. Writing was always a passion, and so when Rob left the force, he began working on his first book -  a collection of police-related stories, called So You Want To Be A Cop? That book led to a regular column in the Whanganui Chronicle which ran for many years. Another non fiction book followed, on the various New Zealand police services, A Battered Proud Badge. Now, Rob's turned to fiction, telling the human side of policing in his crime story about a jewellery shop robbery - it's called Heist in the Hutt. 

10:35 Book review: Dead Ends by Laura Borrowdale

Holly Walker reviews Dead Ends by Laura Borrowdale, published by Tender Press.

10:45 Around the motu: Alisha Evans based in Tauranga

Act MP Cameron Luxton accuses council of promoting Māori wards, unique marine research facility for Tauranga and the Auditor General  brings an end to investigations into Tauranga City Council’s spending.

Local Democracy reporter Alisha Evans based in Tauranga with SunLive 

11:05 Music reviewer Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor of Slow Boat records plays recent releases and reissues, featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor, Buckingham Nicks, and Spinal Tap.

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johanssen

Dana on the crucial Eden Park test for the All Blacks, the Beldisloe Cup match tomorrow, the Black Ferns and the final matches in the Rugby World Cup and the New Zealand A League football player convicted for betting corruption.

11:45 The week that was with Te Radar and Michele A'Court

 Our comedians Te Radar and Michele A'Court bring some levity the end of the week

They discuss the new anti-social rules being brought in for rural England - shouting and stroking ponies is now out. The New York traffic jams thwarting politicians, in town for the UN, getting to where they want to go and the Ohio nun celebrating her 105th birthday with a round of golf.