Nine to Noon this week on New Zealand National

Nine to Noon episode archive

Scheduled interviews and reviews

Monday 15 December 9-10am - Should the chickenpox vaccine be free for every New Zealand child? - Former Principal and education official Bali Haq's controversial ideas for improving the education system. - Europe correspondent Seamus Kearney. 10-11am - Big Year interview: Joan Withers, chair of Mighty River Power - a corporate high-flyer who began her working life as a bank teller. - Book Review: "Revival", by Stephen King, reviewed by Lisa Finucane. - Reading: "Touchstones: a memoir", written by James McNeish and read by Ian Johnstone (Part 6 of 7).      11-12pm - Politics from the right and the left with Matthew Hooton and Mike Williams. - Wyn Daniell from the Harbourside Macadamias orchard in Katikati has recipes using macadamia nuts. - Urbanist Tommy Honey on the pleasures and perils of online shopping.

Tuesday 16 December 9-10am - News and current events. - 2014 news in review: Syrian activist and refugee Mohammad al Abdallah on the Syria conflict and Islamic State. - US correspondent Jack Hitt 10-11am - Big Year interview: New Zealand artist Simon Denny who's taking the international art scene by storm, and will represent New Zealand at the Venice Biennale next year. - Book Review: "Gallipoli: A Guide to New Zealand Battlefield and Memorials", by Ian McGibbon, reviewed by Harry Broad. - Reading: "Touchstones: a memoir", written by James McNeish and read by Ian Johnstone (Part 7 of 7).          11-12pm - Business commentator Rod Oram. - How teachers can learn to use and communicate about technology in the classroom, with Frances Valintine from The Mind Lab at Unitech. - Media commentator Gavin Ellis.

New Zealand artist Simon Denny is taking the international art scene by storm. He's only in his early 30s but has already had shows in the US and Europe. His exhibition, The Personal Effects of Kim Dotcom, takes up all three floors of the Adam Art Gallery and in it he recreates the entire inventory of items confiscated by police during the raid on Dotcom's mansion in January 2012.

Wednesday 17 December 9-10am - News and current events. - 2014 news in review: race in America. - Australia correspondent Karen Middleton. 10-11am - Big Year interview: Marine salvage master Nick Sloane, who worked on the Costa Concordia and the Rena. - Book Review: "Wolf in White Van", the debut novel by indie rocker John Darnielle of The Moutain Goats, reviewed by Charlotte Graham. - Reading: "An Alternative", a short story written by Mark Chamberlain and told by Phil Vaughan.      11-12pm - Marty Duda plays the music of his artist of the week. - Legal commentator Dean Knight on the privy council. - Arts with Courtney Johnston.

Thursday 18 December 9-10am - News and current events. - 2014 news in review: United Nations agency discusses the rebuild of Gaza. - UK correspondent Kate Adie. 10-11am - Big Year interview: The head of Lanzatech, Sean Simpson, on the New Zealand-founded company's gains in creating a low carbon aviation fuel, using waste from the steel industry - Book Review: "Seven Letters from Paris", by Samantha Verant, reviewed by Gail Pittaway. - Reading: "When Christmas Comes Early", a short story written by Sue Emms.       11-12pm - New technology commentator Sarah Putt. - Parenting commentator Scott Duncan from AUT's Human Potential Centre gives parenting tips for the summer holidays. - TV reviewer Lara Strongman.

Friday 19 December 9-10am - News and current events. - 2014 news in review: the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and the downing of flight MH17. - Asia correspondent Jamil Anderlini. 10-11am - Big Year interview: Nicky Hager, author of Dirty Politics. - Book Review: Unity Books - Reading:  "Arboreal Angst: A Christmas Crisis", a short story written by Lindsay Wood.        11-12pm - New music with Jeremy Taylor from Slow Boat Records. - Sport with Brendan Telfer. - Comedians Te Radar and Michele A'Court poke fun at the news of the week.

The Reading: Touchstones by James McNeish An account by James McNeish of the people in his life who shaped his perspective: “a gallery of people – rebels, outsiders, romantics, enlightened misfits and illiterates – who have touched me in life.” The New Zealand McNeish portrays is fiercely prejudiced and stuck in the past. It’s a place he tried his hardest to escape. When he leaves his job and travels to Europe, he finds himself in the last days of a golden age for writers and artists. Told by Ian Johnstone