The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton shares her tips and tricks for getting around Disneyland - and unpacks the changes to their iconic rides and FastPass system.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, broadcaster and journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton and partner at Freebairn and Hehir Lawyers, Liam Hehir, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more! 

In light of Winston Peters' 'defamatory' comments, it seems like the coalition Government is having more and more internal clashes. A political podcast asked a group of National, NZ First and ACT MPs if the coalition will last- what do we think?

Green MP Julie Anne Genter has been accused of more aggressive outbursts off the back of her confrontation in Parliament- what can the Green Party do about this? Is this another Golriz Ghahraman situation waiting to happen? 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all have our moments where stress and anxiety are too much to bear - so how can we stop ourselves from feeling overwhelmed?

Anxiety has been found to weaken your stress coping abilities, and 'task paralysis' can add to anxieties.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains how to get around the extra stresses of day-to-day life.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parsnips in a soup with curry oil 

Cook time: 35 minutes 

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Serves: 6-12 

1 kg parsnips, peeled and chopped 

3 white onions, peeled and chopped 

10 cloves garlic 

3 tbsp sunflower oil 

1 cup white wine 

1.5 ltr vegetable stock 

2 cups cream 

salt 

Curry oil  

1 tbsp coriander seeds 

1 tbsp cummin seeds 

2 tbsp garam masala 

1 tsp turmeric 

1/2 cup sunflower oil 

1 tsp salt 

Start by heat a large deep based pot over a medium heat. 

Add in the oil and then the onions and garlic, slowly cook them out but be careful, not to allow it the stick and start to colour up. The end result wants to be a white creamy soup not brown. 

Once soft, add the parsnips and continue to sauté for another minute before adding the wine. Once the wine is reduced add the stock and season with salt. 

Cook out for 30 minutes before testing. 

To make up curry oil, start by making a basic curry powder. Toast of the coriander seeds, cumin seeds until fragrant. Place into the pestle and mortar and crush. Add in the garam masala and turmeric. Bingo, you have just made a basic curry powder!! Place the curry powder into a pot with the oil and salt, bring to the simmer. Turn off and allow to cool before passing through a chux cloth.

Don't push it through, just allow it to drip. Blitz the soup and add in the cream, check the seasoning. 

Serve in bowls with a drizzle of oil.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we like our beer cold but our sake warm?

This was the question posed by two scientists who were out drinking together. Their results have just been published in the journal Matter.

The researchers measured the contact angle of different solutions that had varying concentrations of water and ethanol - which is the most common form of drinking alcohol.

This gave them insights into how molecules within the solution were interacting with each other.

At low alcohol concentrations like those found in beer, they found that at room temperature ethanol forms more pyramid-shaped structures around the water molecules.

Pyramid structures lead to a taste profile that is perceived as less alcoholic and so warm beer tastes like it has less alcohol in it.

When they reduced the temperature in the 5 percent ethanol (beer equivalent) solution from room temperature to 5C the ethanol transformed from a pyramid shape to a long chain-like structure.

These structures lead to a more of an alcohol taste on our tongue which is why professional tasters often report a stronger ethanol-like taste in beer after it has been in the fridge.

With ethanol being characterised by a bitter, slightly sweet taste, being able to taste it in beer is a desirable thing which explains why cold beer tastes better than warm beer.

From the study, the researchers suggest the perfect pint should be consumed at 5C, which luckily is about the temperature of your fridge.

So why do we like sake warm? Well, as the level of alcohol in a solution is increased, the ethanol naturally starts to arrange itself end-to-end in a chain structure giving high alcohol containing drinks like sake its potent alcohol taste at room temperature without you needing to cool it down. It is this chain-like structure that gives alcohol its burning sensation and ethanol taste that drinkers seem to like when consuming alcoholic beverages.

Not only can this research help us to serve up our favourite drinks at the perfect temperature but it could also help the alcoholic drinks industry to produce lower alcohol-containing drinks that still taste great when served at the correct temperature.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld managed to dominate the headlines ahead of the release of his newest Netflix project.

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story was overshadowed by Seinfeld's statements about the state of comedy, where he took pot-shots at the 'extreme left'.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explains why a cast of comedians and big acting names couldn't help this film.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian sailor Lisa Blair has undertaken plenty of adventures - and gone on to break records and inspire a documentary.

In 2022, Lisa became the fastest person to sail around Antarctica solo, non-stop and unassisted, something only achieved by two other sailors. 

Her first attempt at that feat went on to inspire the new documentary 'Ice Maiden'.

She says she examined the perceived risks of the journey - but her skills helped her achieve her goal.

"Something like sailing solo round Antarctica seemed super risky - and when you watch the film, you'll see it was super risky in some elements - but if you've got the right skills and experience to back up those conditions and the right type of boat for the project, then you really can go on and achieve anything."

ICE MAIDEN at the Doc Edge Festival is playing in Christchurch (19-30 June), Auckland (3-14 July), Wellington (3-14 July) and then nationwide via the virtual cinema (15-31 July). More info atdocedge.nz

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New reports suggest filmgoers are less interested in sex scenes than ever.

Data shows there has been a 40 percent drop in sexual content in major Hollywood movies than there was at the start of the millennium.

Founder of Intimacy Co-ordinators Aotearoa Tandi Wright says societal changes have led to audiences reconsidering intimate scenes in films. 

"The conversations that followed #MeToo, which was from 2017 onwards, I think, led to a broader kind of examination of the intimate content - and how that was being made."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi indie band The Beths have enjoyed plenty of success and international acclaim.

Their 2022 hit Watching The Credits got a shout-out from Barack Obama as part of his summer playlist, and they've made their Coachella debut last month.

Lead singer Liz Stokes says they played to a full tent - with lines outside their performance.

"There's definitely a pressure, the place that a festival like Coachella holds in pop culture is interesting. It's big in your brain, the whole day just revolves around getting there."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not all agree with the cancellation of this year's New Zealand Fashion Week.

Event organisers pulled the pin after financial pressures on the industry and made it a bi-annual event, starting from next year.

Fashion PR agency Showroom 22 director Murray Bevan says he feels a midway point could've been reached.

"When the chips are down, sometimes you double down on how hard you pushed to pull out of those troughs. And Fashion Week is a massive branding and marketing exercise for designers, so it's a shame that it's gone completely." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A nightmare run for the Green Party as further accusations come out about Julie Anne Genter.

The MP's now being accused of grabbing Wellington business owner Nicola Cranfield, during a heated exchange.

It's the latest of several alleged altercations that have come to light involving Genter, after her outburst in Parliament on Wednesday night.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says Genter technically wouldn't lose her job because she's an electorate MP.

"I reckon if there's enough pressure and enough stories come out - there could be some conversations she might be having behind the scenes. However, we don't know that that's the case yet." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's pleas for the Government to hit the brakes on education overhauls, amid concerns changes are being implemented without sector consultation.

It follows commitments to crack down on cell phone bans, attendance and implement a structured literacy approach by 2025.

New Zealand Principals' Federation President Leanne Otene says it's importance to pace these changes for the benefit of educators. 

"This will be placing immense pressure on teachers - and this is the first of the six priorities. If we're going to see them all rolling out continuously with mandates starting in 2025, we're going to have an overwhelmed workforce."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, there’s a dog-fight brewing in Auckland - literally - and it got me thinking.

Now I know this is potentially a controversial question - especially coming from someone who’s only had cats as an adult - but should you really have a dog in the city if you don’t have time to walk it yourself?

Recently, a dog died after being mauled by other dogs that were being walked in a pack by a dog walker, and there are worries the growing dog-walking business is attracting people without the knowledge or experience to safely walk a pack of dogs.

There’s concern it’s going to put the whole dog-walking business at risk; and it’s a growing business it seems.

It wouldn’t hurt to have some rules and regulations around ‘best practice’ for pack- walking dogs, for both dog and human safety. As expert animal behaviourist Mark Vette said in the NZ Herald this week, “pack mentality was 'dangerous' when not handled by skilled professionals”. Vette suggests “the number of dogs walked by one person be capped at 10 per person to ensure they have control over the pack at all times”.

But why do a growing number of people need someone to walk their dog for them?

I know there are good, legitimate reasons why people may need someone else to walk their dog - they physically can’t walk their dogs, they may be too elderly, they might have a barking dog that when left alone at home annoys the neighbours. In that latter case, I imagine your neighbours are very happy you are paying someone to walk your dog.

But if you don’t have time to walk your dog in the morning or evening and a member of the family isn’t around much during the day, then maybe having a dog is not a good idea.

I understand we now outsource a lot. We order meal kits, hire people to mow our lawns, do the garden, clean homes and maintain the pool, so why shouldn’t we pay someone to walk the dog?

I have one pretty good reason not to. And it’s that everyone I know with a dog will tell you that their dog just wants to spend time with them. They want companionship and undivided attention.

A romp with some mates around the neighbourhood, up a west coast beach or in a woodland sounds great - but mostly, like younger kids, they really just want you.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Return to Bloodby Michael Bennett: sequel to Better the Blood from a couple of years ago, featuring Hana Westerman who in the first book was a detective in Auckland, but she’s moved now to a small town looking for a fresh start. A skeleton is found in the sand dunes near her house – the bones of a young Maori woman who’s been missing for five years, and Hana has a connection to the case. Twenty years ago, a friend of hers was found buried in the exact same spot but the man who did that is in prison. She goes looking for answers – initially through her former husband who is himself a Detective Inspector – but when she’s cut out of the investigation she realises she will have to go it alone. Great local resonance – the landscape and the language, and Hana is a terrific character.

The Everything War by Dana Mattioli. This is the story of Amazon – how it’s become a household name, beloved by consumers around the world who’ve benefited from the company’s focus on Customer Obsession. Behind the scenes though, this benign mantra masks a relentless attack on anyone and anything which stands in their way, using their size, leverage and access to data across many industries to choke competition. It’s a fascinating - and alarming - account of a company which has never paid its fair share, while sometimes using ethically questionable and even illegal tactics to bulldoze their way to global supremacy.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourists may think twice before visiting Venice, with a new entrance fee set to be put in place.

The tax will be levied on tourists who come to the Italian city for just a day.

BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton says this move has been met with scepticism from residents and critics alike.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, Front Page host Chelsea Daniels and producer and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week - and more!

Is health the best area to be making cuts in? Is there a difference between making cuts, and making cuts to bring an organisation back to budget? Are we concerned that this will have an impact on hospital care for patients?

New research shows more people than ever are retiring at 67, up from 61 two decades ago. Does this mean we need to raise the superannuation age? 

The Wiggles have released dance remixes of their greatest hits- do we see this catching on?

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of hype around 'free-from' diets - but will they do people more harm than good?

There's been an uptick in people avoiding certain ingredients for dietary reasons, including gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara unpacks this trend - and examines the drawbacks.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand International Comedy Festival begins this week - and one Kiwi comic is set to make a return to the stage.

Actress, writer and Billy T nominee Alice Snedden has been making waves overseas, having written and directed international hit series Starstruckwith Rose Matafeo.

She says it's been difficult returning to the world of stand-up after four and a half years.

"You have an expectation of how good you'll be at it - and then you have to measure up against the reality. It's like if I hadn't exercised for four and a half years and then I'm like - now I'll go run a marathon."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chorizo paella with green chili and coriander:

Cook time: 45 minutes

Prep time: 5 minutes

Serves: 6

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 white onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

2 chorizo sausage, sliced

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups long grain rice

3 cups vegetable stock

2 tsp tomato puree

1/2 tsp salt good crack of pepper

12 cooked prawns

1 green chili (cayenne or similar)

1/2 cup fresh coriander

1 lemon, cut into 6

Start by pre-heat your oven to 180*c

Place a deep EngelElzen pan or deep cast iron pan onto a element and start by sautéing the onion and garlic in the sunflower oil until soft. Add in the chorizo and continue to sauté. Once the chorizo starts to colour up slightly, add the rice.

Reduce the heat and sauté the rice for a couple of minutes before you add in the red wine. Reduce the wine fully before adding in the vegetable stock, tomato puree and season with salt and pepper.

Place a skillet pan or lid onto the pan and fire it into the oven for 35 minutes.

After this time, remove and check the rice is just cooked through. If it is, scatter over the prawn and place back into the oven without a lid for a further 10 minutes.

After this time, remove and top with sliced green chili, coriander and lemon wedges.

Serve.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I am not a robot.

It’s a common box that you have to tick on many websites as you log in - which apparently proves that you are a human, and not a robot.

Many people however, seem to be more robot than human as they struggle to get the correct answers - which in some cases could mean the difference between getting tickets to a sell-out show or not.

Captchas (an acronym for 'Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart') are puzzles designed to safeguard websites from spamming bots attacking networks and websites.

The captchas can be as simple as checking an 'I am not a robot' box or more difficult such as deciphering artistically drawn letters or numbers, or sometimes seemingly impossible like identifying images in a grid that contain a stoplight.

The bad news for those of us who already struggle to solve the current captchas, is that they are about to get a lot harder.

Since captchas were launched in the year 2000, bots have become much smarter, meaning that now it's the humans that need to keep up.

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine recently found that bots could consistently answer the captchas that showed distorted text with almost 100 percent accuracy.

With the advancement of artificial intelligence powered image recognition - bots can now also identify images including stoplights, bridges and the other common images that captchas ask humans to find.

Ironically, while humans still struggle with these image tests trying to decide if the tiny corner of a stoplight, or bridge within a square is enough to be selected or not, the bots have learned exactly how much is needed to pass through the system.

So what do we have to look forward to?

To try and outsmart the robots again, captchas are moving to puzzles that ask humans to solve puzzles that will seem to make no sense. As robots and AI struggle with nonsensical problems it is hoped that presenting puzzles that don’t look like real life could give humans the advantage again.

New puzzles might show you a picture of a wild animal that is dressed in human-like clothing including a vest and jacket. Rather than be in the forest, the animal might be floating around with some watermelons. The captcha request could be to click on the animal’s bowtie. Hopefully easy for a human, but perhaps more difficult for a robot with so many parts of the image being out of context.

Other puzzles might ask you to identify two objects in a photograph that are the same shape, or to click on the non-aquatic animal in a photo containing lots of different sea creatures.

So if you are just learning how to be more human than a robot in a test, get ready to redefine your humanness once again.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comedy, action and romance come together in The Fall Guy - now playing in theatres.

Starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, the film explores the world of stunts and movie-making it between romantic drama and brewing conspiracies.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall examines whether or not this film is worth a watch. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Irish author Marian Keyes is back with her 16th book - My Favourite Mistake.

She's already sold 35 million books over the course of her career, and even has a Netflix adaptation in the pipeline.

Keyes says she felt inspired to write about relationships, friendships romances and community during a turbulent time in the world.

"I've subsequently discovered that people are craving love stories. Because what we read goes through phases - I still read a lot of crime because everything gets sorted out in a crime novel. And the same with love stories, things get fixed."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi kids will return to school tomorrow - but the cellphones won't be part of the experience.

The Government's ban on phones in schools kicks in from term two, meaning students won't be able to use them during the day, including lunch time and breaks.

NZ Secondary Principals' Council chair Kate Gainsford says schools across the country already have measures in place - but these changes will make it easier to stop distractions.

"Parents have really appreciated the support, because they're often having the same kind of conversations in their own family home about the harmful effects and about limiting screentime, so having the adults working together is helpful."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has pulled no punches in his first Cabinet reshuffle during his tenure.

Media Minister Melissa Lee and Disabilities Minister Penny Simmonds have both been dropped from their portfolios, after a string of controversies surrounding them.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says Luxon has acted on the number one rule in politics to remove all distractions.

But he says he has a bit more sympathy for Lee, where the Government was hamstrung on what they could do amid the media's woes.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was amazing to see so many people out commemorating ANZAC Day at Dawn Services and parades around the country this week.

We may move chronologically further away from the horrors of World War I, but it’s heart-warming to see so many people continue to honour the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women at any point in history, and currently.

Our Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister was in Turkey and delivered a moving tribute at the dawn ceremony in Gallipoli, which was quickly identified as having a few passages that closely resembled the sentiments of a famous speech by a former US President. Abraham Lincoln, no less!

The minister’s speech went from being praised to being questioned. Was it inspiring or embarrassing?

The answer is, both. It was a good speech. It fitted the occasion. It followed the structure you’d expect, commemorating the lives of those lost in war, and reflecting on how that sacrifice can guide us today.

Regardless of whether the passages would have benefited from referencing Lincoln or quoting him directly and attributing them to the rightful author - and so avoiding the embarrassing taint of plagiarism - the importance of the message itself shouldn’t be lost in this little controversy.

Let’s be honest, unless you have a robust knowledge of political speeches throughout history you’re not going to have recognised the references, and even now, when we understand the origins, it doesn’t change the meaning and purpose of the speech the minister gave.

There are plenty of more embarrassing situations when politicians have been caught using other people’s words.

After being re-elected as a UK Labour MP, Kate Osamor’s speech to her constituency was borrowed from one of Barack Obama’s post-victory speeches in Chicago. The changes were minor – she removed “American” and replaced it with “Edmonton”, her constituency.

American politicians have borrowed from the UK as well. In 1987, Joe Biden copied several passages from a speech by former UK Labour Leader Neil Kinnock without attribution. It ended his campaign for president, and Kellyanne Conway was all too happy to bring up again in the 2020 election campaign. Kinnock came out in support of Joe, so that backfired.

Some plagiarism has you scratching your head, such as in 2016 when Melania Trump was accused of plagiarising a speech by Michelle Obama. How anyone thought that was a good idea, I just don’t know.

And then we have our own Prime Minister, taking things to his own unique level, by referencing himself at his Waitangi Day speech earlier this year. Turns out, some people are so good they only need to quote themselves.

Hope you had a good ANZAC Day. Let’s keep focused on what’s important. We will remember them.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WARNING: This interview mentions suicide and may be distressing.

Reports of online 'sextortion' are on the rise, according to experts.

Recently, police have issued a warning claiming reports of online child exploitation have quadrupled in the last five years. 

Bloomberg investigative journalist Olivia Carville says the FBI has labelled this issue a 'hidden pandemic' for users.

"This crime has exploded in recent years- as the New Zealand police have pointed out as well. It's not just happening in New Zealand and America, this is a global issue."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broadcaster and Podcaster Brodie Kane joins Director at Capital and political commentator Ben Thomas on The Panel.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ava DuVernay is a critically acclaimed, Hollywood film-maker who's not afraid to push the boundaries. 

She's behind films such as Oscar nominated Selma, and documentary 13th. 

Her latest film has been labelled rebellious and radical - based on the book Caste by Pulitzer Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson, the film is called Origin.

Ava joined Francesca to discuss her newest film. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Studies show about a third of people wake throughout the night, with various reasons for sleep disruptions. 

Erin O'Hara is a naturopath and joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss ways to get better sleep.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bacon and Egg Pie 

Cook time: 40 minutes 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

1 packet of flaky puff pastry, 5 sheets 

10 fresh eggs 

150g streaky bacon, cut into 1 cm dice 

½ white onion 

1 stick of rosemary (optional) 

½ tsp flaky sea salt and cracked pepper 

2 T sesame seeds 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees 

Take a heavy 26cm EngelElzen cast-iron or similar pan and lightly spray the inside with cooking spray. 

Crack one egg into a small bowl and lightly beat with a fork. 

Start by laying one sheet of flaky pastry on side of the pan then another 1/3 of the way around, brushing with eggwash where the pasty touches. Then the third sheet to cover the remaining pan. The whole inside of the pan should now be covered. 

Spread the bacon out across the bottom, the crack in the remaining eggs. Sprinkle across the sliced white onion, seasalt and a good crack of pepper. 

Lay the remaining 2 sheets of pastry across the top, again using egg wash to bind the 2 sheets. Fold over the outside edge and roll to seal. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and leaves of the rosemary. 

Heat the pan on the stove top for 4 minutes before placing into the oven on a lower rack. 

Cook for 40 minutes or until golden brown. 

Serve the next morning with some spicy tomato jam. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists off the coast of south-east Alaska used an underwater speaker to play a recording of a humpback whale greeting call. 

A humpback whale broke away from its group and approached the vessel, in which is thought to be the first time humans and whales have communicated with each other in the humpback language. 

Nanogirl Dr Michelle Dickinson discussed this and more with Francesca Rudkin.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Newall from flicks.co.nz joined Francesca to chat nominations for the Aotearoa Music Awards, as well as Zendaya's new film Challengers. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last weekend in the aftermath of the Bondi Mall stabbings, we saw a prime example of how badly wrong the internet can go. 

For 14 hours, Sydney student Ben Cohen was widely named and wrongly identified as the killer - and it spread like wildfire internationally.

By Sunday morning, his name had made its way into the mainstream media - with Australia's 7News misidentifying Ben as the attacker. 

Barrister Chris Patterson joined Francesca to discuss how this happened. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1944, Phyllis 'Pippa' Latour parachuted into Nazi occupied Normandy as an undercover agent. 

Had she been discovered, she would have been shot instantly - however Pippa made it out. In fact, she was one of the last female special operations agents to get out of France Alive. 

After the war, Pippa ended up here in New Zealand, but never told a soul, not even her husband or children, about her mission during the war. 

Before she died last year, she told her fill story to Jude Dobson.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has had a busy week in Southeast Asia. 

ZB Political Editor Jason Walls discussed with Francesca Rudkin what came out of this trip, as well as further AUKUS Pillar 2 talks. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m not sure the government thought through the timing of this week’s release of guidelines around kids’ illness and school attendance. 

Half way through the school holidays, I can assure Associate Education Minister David Seymour that after another week most parents will be happily marching their children off to school, snotty nose or not. 

Which isn’t to say we don’t love our children. They’re the most important things in our lives, we’d do anything for them, and we love spending time with them.  

But let’s be honest, we prefer it when they’re at school for a number of reasons. It’s where they need to be to get an education. We also want them out of the house. We like routine. The juggle of childcare and looking after sick children for two working parents is a nightmare if you can't work from home. And finally, those who parented through lockdowns understand the academic, social and health impacts on our children when they aren’t in school regularly.  

So while the coalition government’s intentions are good and we want kids in school as much as possible, acting like a nanny state and telling us how to parent isn’t the way to do it. 

We’ve moved on since Covid’s restrictions and most parents are making sensible decisions about when they should or shouldn’t send their kids to school. A decision that 's best for their own child, and the rest of the classroom. For the most part I think parents do their best to get that balance right.  

I understand this is part of the Minister’s plan to lift school attendance rates and make the stats look better with short-term illness or medical reasons the biggest cause of justified absences.  

Don’t forget a child only needs to be away from school for a week a term to be categories as not regularly attending. That’s a high bar.   

But let’s not focus too much on short term illness. We know children and teens can catch up after a few days off battling a cold. Longer term medical reasons are more of a concern.  

Talk to the amazing team at the Northern Health School, who help children carry on with their education when they’re assessed as too medically unwell to attend school. They’ll tell you their students used to be mostly being treated for cancer or recovering from an operation. Now, they’re overwhelmed with children dealing with serious mental health issues. 

I can say from experience that the work they do is vital to getting students back into school without having fallen behind academically. They are some of the unsung heroes of our education system.  

So instead of patronising parents about colds and snotty noses, I’d like to see the government focus on addressing a much more important issue, how do they better support the educational needs of children dealing with much more serious life challenges that keeps them out of school for longer periods of time. And if they haven't already, I'd suggest they start by having a chat with those making a difference in this area daily. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Friday, Mike McRoberts announced his news presenting journey would come to an end. 

The final 6pm NewsHub bulletin on July 5th will also be Mike's last... after a 40 year career in the media, half of which was spent in the prime-time news slot.

Mike McRoberts joined Francesca Rudkin to discuss his decision to step away. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Borrowed Hillsby Scott Preston. Set amidst the foot and mouth scare in Cumbria in 2001, this is the story of two men, William and Steve, who have neighbouring sheep farms and are forced to destroy all their stock. They attempt to hide the remnants of one of their flocks from the authorities, and then when Williamfalls in with a criminal shyster, Steve is roped into their plans to travel south to rustle a pedigree flock from a faraway farm to give them something to go on with. William’s new friend brings chaos and destruction close to home. Whilst this is set against a somewhat brutal background. the author’s craft lifts it to another level entirely. 

A Calamity of Soulsby David Baldacci. In southern Virginia in 1968, a black man and his wife are charged with the murder of an elderly white couple. Jack Lee takes on their case and is joined by a young black lawyer who’s a crusader for justice and civil rights. Everything is stacked against them and the relentless march towards Death Row for their defendants looks inevitable. This took David Baldacci ten years to write and is his most deeply personal story yet – and even for those of us who have read a lot of legal thrillers set in similar circumstances, the degree to which racism was entrenched in the State at that time is truly shocking and makes for a highly charged novel. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're about to embark on a first cruise or you're carrying out a post-Covid bucket list adventure, there's plenty you should be aware of before you set sail.

BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton recommends returning to the ship on time during planned excursions, and taking advantage of the dining room- among more travel tips.

Read more of Megan's advice for what not to do on cruises here.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Coast's Lorna Riley and senior PR consultant at One Plus One Communications, Damien Venuto, joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week- and more! 

There's growing concern locally produced Kiwi content could be facing more difficulties. On top of the Newshub and TVNZ cuts, there's fears TV shows like Shortland Street could be scrapped. Should we do more to save Kiwi content? 

World Athletics recently confirmed it plans to offer gold medallists a cash prize in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Is this the right decision?

Rage rooms- would you pay to go somewhere to work out your anger?

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dietary fibre supplements are enjoying a resurgence in the world of wellness.

Research shows fibre has plenty of benefits- it helps with regulating bowel movements and gut health, weight management and blood sugar regulation.

Naturopath and wellness expert explains the benefits of fibre, and other ways we can get it besides supplements.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beer battered fish with creamy tartare sauce

Cook time: 5 minutes

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

4 sides white fish like, gurnard, snapper, or similar

2 bottles beer

1 cup flour

salt

oil for frying

Creamy Tartare

2 egg yolks

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

300ml grapeseed oil

3 Tbsp crème fraiche

2 Tbsp chopped capers

2 Tbsp chopped gherkins

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

juice and zest of 1 lemon

salt

freshly ground black pepper

Start by making the the tartare.

Place egg yolks, vinegar and mustard in a food processor and blitz to combine. With the motor running, gradually add the oil until the mayonnaise is thick and smooth. Now add all of the other ingredients and stir to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the beer into a bowl and sift over the flour and whisk in until a smooth thin batter forms. Season with salt.

Heat enough oil in a pot to 180*c, you can test a small drop of batter to check temperature. It should float to the surface and not colour up too quickly.

One by one run the fish through the batter and then slowly lower into the hot oil. Moving the fish round until fully submerged. This will stop the fish from quickly dropping to the bottom of the pot and sticking.

Once golden keep hot in an oven until all the fish is finished.

Serve alongside the tartare and some greens.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are feeling angry, you might be tempted to vent, but science has a much better, evidence based solution for you.

Research published this week in the journal Scientific Reports involved scientists asking 100 volunteers to write an opinion piece about important social issues such as whether smoking in public should be banned. They were told that their writing would be evaluated and feedback would be provided to them.

The volunteers spent time writing their pieces, and no matter how good they were, every volunteer received insulting and negative feedback about their work and were scored low on intelligence, interest, friendliness, logic and rationality.

They also received insulting feedback that included statements like 'I cannot believe that an educated person would think like this'.

Immediately after receiving the insulting feedback, all of the volunteers showed an increase in their subjective rating of anger.

The volunteers were then given a piece of paper and asked to write down their immediate thoughts and feelings about the situation.

One group was asked to either throw away the piece of paper or to place it in a paper shredder and watch it be shredded. A second group was told to keep the paper either in a clear plastic box or a clear folder on their desk.

The results showed that the volunteers who kept their paper thoughts stayed angry, however the volunteers who threw away or who shredded their written thoughts returned to their initial calm state very quickly.

The researchers themselves were surprised at how effective destroying or disposing the paper was in immediately reducing feelings of anger, and seem to have found a cheap and easy way to help people to feel calm.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three's new local psychological thriller series is set to follow two best friends- and a surrogacy pact that falls through.

Set in a post-quake Kaikōura, the series explores the town's recovery following the disaster, as the friendship between the leads turns toxic.

Series creator Sarah-Kate Lynch and lead actress Morgana O’Reilly say the earthquake provided a solid backdrop for the series, as it impacted people differently.

"For some people, the earthquake wasn't the end of anything, it was the beginning of things. If you were working on the roads, for example, your business might have done better. But if you had a little motel, you might have done worse."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of cinema's biggest names are expected to go head to head at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

Paul Schrader, David Cronenberg and Francis Ford Coppola have films ready to go for the May event, with the latter's $120 million Megalopolis attracting plenty of pre-festival buzz.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explains what film fans can look forward to ahead of the festival.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters has been busy over the last few days.

Peters even got to catch the eclipse in New York, on the last leg of his diplomatic journey through the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

ZB political editor Jason Walls says Peters has also pushed New Zealand a step closer to joining up with the AUKUS agreement.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Susan Devoy seems to have done it all.

She's been a four-time world squash number-one champion, former Race Relations Commissioner, chairwoman of The Halberg Trust- and even a contestant on Celebrity Treasure Island.

She says her original vision for the book was a 'tell-all, name-and-shame' look-back at everyone who'd gotten under her skin- and it turned out quite different.

"It's easy to write about your failings and the things you're not good at and your negative aspects- it's very hard to talk about your success and your achievements in a book."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1954, Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulmewere convicted of one of the most infamous and high-profile murders in the history of New Zealand.

The brutal beating of Honora Rieper made headlines all over the world, and got more exposure in the 1990s following the release of Sir Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures.

Seventy years on, the brother of one of the teen murderesses, Jonathan Hulme, appeared on Anna Leask's A Moment In Crimeto discuss the aftermath of the case.

Podcast host and senior journalist Anna Leask says Jonathan Hulme wanted to tell the world what his sister was really like- as our collective understanding of mental health has evolved over the years.

"After she died, he just had this growing compulsion to speak out and let people know what she was really like, what her life as really like, he just wanted people to have a better understanding of her."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's growing concern that the cuts across TVNZ and Newshub won't be the last for locally produced content.

As the nation's biggest broadcasting companies struggle with falling advertising revenue, the fate of Kiwi favourites such as Shortland Street remains uncertain.

NZ Screen Producers’ Guild President Irene Gardiner says local content plays an important role in keeping audiences together.

"It's our identity, it's our humour, it's what we are - and I think local content, both the more serious news and current affairs kind and the more entertaining kind, is very important."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Forensic teams in Sydney have begun a scene examination into yesterday's fatal stabbing at a shopping mall.

Six people - five women and one man - were killed and eight injured by a knife-wielding assailant, who was shot dead by a police officer on site.

Australian correspondent Sam Emery says several other people have been hospitalised following the attack.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So World Athletics made an announcement this week that will no doubt send ripples throughout other global sporting organisations - and give ammunition to those who claim the Olympics aren’t worth the bother anymore - by announcing they would pay track and field gold medallists at the Paris Olympics $50,000 (USD).

Understandably, the first question asked was if this move violated the Olympic spirit? This is, after all, the first time in the 128 years of the modern Olympics that athletes will receive prize money for topping the podium.

Now, once upon a time when sport was truly amateur, I may have agreed prize money was not in the Olympic spirit. But in 2024, when many professional sports people perform at the Olympics - think golf, tennis and basketball - I’m more inclined to say, why not? Why shouldn’t the athletes take a share of the revenue the International Olympic Committee (IOC) distributes to World Athletics?

Track and field is a massive drawcard. Surely those who provide the entertainment should benefit from it?

They‘re not being paid to train for four years, so nothing changes in the lead up to the Olympics. While it’s no doubt nice to get, I doubt it will be the overwhelming motivation for athletes. I’m making an assumption here - I’m no Olympian - but the work and sacrifice it takes to compete against the best at the Olympics is likely enough in itself for most.

If you asked New Zealand track and field athletes if they do it for money I’m guessing the answer would be no. If they were about the money they’d do better to get other jobs; one’s with a salary.

The IOC was blindsided by the announcement and quick to issue a statement reminding us it’s up to each sport’s governing body to decide how to spend their share of Olympic revenue. Apparently, up to 90 percent of all the IOC’s income is redistributed to help athletes and the development of sport. If World Athletics believe they can support their sport and rewards gold medallists, good on them.

Many gold medallists are already renumerated for their performances – by either their country, their Olympic and Paralympic Committees, or sponsorships. The US Olympic Committee paid gold, silver and bronze medallists between $37,500 (USD) and $15,000 (USD) at the last games. Some countries offer more. Hong Kong offered roughly $638,000 (USD). Here in NZ, High Performance NZ hands out $60,000 to gold medallists, which is pretty good, and you may also get to help flog some lamb. Some countries offer nothing.

So why not share the profits with those who reach the top, as long as the sport in general is also being supported?

While there is a list of criticisms about the Olympics, such as how they manage drug cheats, which sports are added or removed, and whether triathletes should have to swim in dodgy waters - I just can’t wait for the games to begin on the 26th July.

It’s almost impossible not to get drawn into the drama that will unfold over the roughly 16 Olympic days. We’ll get to share the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, heart-warming underdog stories and heart-breaking missed opportunities.

It will give us a wonderful distraction in the heart of winter.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day One by Abigail Dean. Set in the Lake District of England, this is about a school shooting and its aftermath. A local school is putting on an annual performance by the older kids, designed to make the four year olds who will start school in the autumn feel comfortable and keen to begin their education – but it all goes horribly wrong, and the way it plays out afterwards is a real sign of the times. A young man with connections to the town becomes convinced that it never happened, while the daughter of one of the teachers killed in the tragedy has a version of events that seems at odds with some of the evidence. It’s a sobering premise which I think is probably drawn from recent world events such as the Sandy Hook massacre in the States, after which a denier called Alex Jones claimed it was all made up and peddled gross misinformation. 

Run for Your Life by Sue Williams. Nick Stride is an Englishman who moved to Russia in 1998 to work on the construction of a new British Embassy in Moscow, and then later on a palatial new home for one of Putin’s sidekicks, a guy named Shuvalov. He fell afoul of them and he and his family (wife, two kids) increasingly feared for their lives and moved half way around the world to Australia where they went completely off the grid, staying on illegally after their visas expired and spending years in the remote Kimberley which must be one of the most inhospitable places on earth. They eventually decided to hand themselves in but the callous indifference of the Australian immigration authorities made reintegration to mainstream society extremely difficult. Nick and his children ended up here in New Zealand where I believe they still live, and feel it’s the right time to tell their incredible story. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Port of Oakland authority have launched a plan to change their "Metropolitan Oakland International Airport" to "San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport".

Despite speculation, this change isn't to end decades of mix-ups with Auckland Airport, as the locations were once famously mixed up by an unfortunate traveller in 1985.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton says this name change is actually for marketing reasons- the inclusion of 'San Francisco' will hopefully being more travellers in.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, ZB Wellington Mornings host Nick Mills and partner at Freebairn and Hehir, Liam Hehir,joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week- and more!

An opinion piece from Jason Walls claimed the Prime Minister, his Ministers and every other MP in parliament is underpaid. Do we agree with this claim? Do politicians deserve more money? 

Prime Minister Chris Luxon has been on the receiving end of some backlash amid claims he's running New Zealand like a business. His list of 36 action points came with a lot of business jargon- can we look past that? What does his business background mean for his leadership skills? 

Are children's birthday parties out of control? A new article says middle class parents spend anywhere between NZ$629 and NZ$2098 – or far more – on their child’s special day. Is this getting ridiculous? 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research shows gut health is critical to one's overall health- so how can we spot the warning signs of an unhealthy gut?

Bloating, constipation, or painful digestion are the obvious symptoms, but an unhealthy gut can lead to obesity, mental health challenges, food sensitivities, skin problems and energy loss, among other conditions.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara outlines the steps you can take to spot an unhealthy gut- and reduce the impact of harmful symptoms.

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian author Liam Pieper's has his work all over bookstores across the Tasman- but they've typically never featured his name.

Pieper's been behind several bestselling celebrity memoirs, but as a ghost-writerhis name doesn’t appear on the cover and he gets absolutely no public credit for the book’s success. 

His new novel dissecting Australian celebrity culture and the fear of getting 'cancelled' bucks this trend.

"I've drawn on the mechanics of ghost-writing and what it's like to sit with a celebrity - usually someone who's pretty famous, certainly much more famous than me - and plum their mind and insecurities and doubts and hopes and dreams and try and make a story out of that."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rosti with poached eggs and creamed spinach 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Prep time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 6 

5 large potatoes 

100gm butter, melted 

3 Tbsp sunflower oil 

Good amount of salt freshly ground black pepper 

300gm black pudding, grilled or fried (optional) 

6 eggs, poached 

Creamed spinach: 

1 Tbsp sunflower oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

1 bag spinach 

1/2 cup white wine 

1 cup cream 

1 tbsp dijion mustard (optional) 

salt 

Preheat oven to 180*C. 

Peel the potatoes, place into a pot and cover with cold water with a good pinch of salt. 

Bring to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes. Check by pressing a knife into the potato, they should still hard in the centre (firm enough to grate). 

Drain and cool the potatoes. Once cool, grate the potatoes and combine with the melted butter, salt and pepper. 

Heat the sunflower oil in a large cast iron or non stick frying pan. Start by pressing in the potato mix. Ensure the bottom of the rosti is kept moving to avoid burning. Once all the potato has been pressed into the pan, cook on a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Drizzle the remaining oil around the edge of the rosti and allow it to flow down to the bottom. Place the pan into the oven. and bake for 30 minutes. 

After this time, remove the pan and flip the rosti out onto a board to segment into wedges to serve, Serve with poached eggs, black pudding and creamed spinach. 

For the creamed spinach: 

Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add the chopped onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add the white wine and reduce slightly. Pour in the cream, return to the boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drop the spinach in, bring it back to the boil, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exciting news this week, as a nuclear fusion reactor in South Korea breaks all records by running an experiment at 100 million degrees C for 48 seconds.

Just for context, that’s around 7x hotter than the centre of the sun. 

Nuclear fusion is the process of heating and forcing tiny particles particles together under high pressure and high temperature to make a heavier particle - which releases energy. It is the same process by which stars burn and results in the generation of huge amounts of energy without producing greenhouse gases or long-term radioactive waste. 

Scientists have been trying to harness this power because - in theory, if the process is done efficiently, the amount of energy released will be way more than the amount of energy put in and voila the world will have a new way of producing renewable energy for the planet and its ever-increasing need for electricity. 

The experiment involves the superheating of plasma and trapping it inside a donut-shaped reactor surrounded by powerful magnetic fields. 

The plasma cooking part is easy - however containing the super hot result in a way that doesn’t melt the container the experiment is held in is a whole different challenge. Scientists have also not yet been able to carry out the experiment in a way that creates more energy than has been put in, and it is likely to take at least a decade if not decades before nuclear fusion is seen as a feasible way to produce sustainable energy for the planet. 

There has been huge interest and investment in nuclear fusion recently, especially as newer technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain require growing amounts of energy. Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT creator OpenAI has personally invested hundreds of millions of dollars into fusion research - and science always moves faster when investors support them with cash. 

The future of fusion may still be a long way off, but that future could potentially be led by Kiwis with Wellington based OpenStar Technologies being one of the companies working to develop a nuclear fusion reactor. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The filmmaker behind indie hit 'Ex Machina' is offering viewers a look into a war-torn America ahead of a contentious election season. 

Director Alex Garland's 'Civil War' depicts a war-torn futuristic version of America, where states are at war with themselves.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall examines this contemporary thriller- and unpacks the idea that this could be a warning for the months ahead.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enormous frustration among aid agencies six months into the war on Gaza.

More than 30,000 Palestinian people, including 13,000 children, have been killed since the war began.

Save the Children's Joseph Kay says aid agencies still face heavy restrictions from Israel.

He says the numerous deaths of aid workers, including seven World Central Kitchen staff this week, has taken a toll.

"This terrible tragedy does highlight that nowhere is safe in Gaza."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been almost 20 years since former newsreader Judy Bailey read her last bulletin- and she's been taking part in several causes and campaigns since.

The former 'Mother of the Nation' has recently been busy helping people to embrace aging through her new book Evolving: Finding Health and Happiness As We Age.

Judy Bailey says reaching an older age can be an 'uncomfortable' experience if you let it happen- so it's important to prepare and plan.

"When you turn 65, people tend to treat you as though you might be a bit vulnerable and frail and a bit doddery, maybe. We tend to be be the target of either retirement village ads or ads for incontinence pads... and we have at least three good decades ahead of us."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of ZB's leading policitcal commentators has claimed the Prime Minister, his Ministers and every other MP in parliament is underpaid.

Jason Walls outlined this concept in a premium opinion piece for ZB Plus, after The Business Herald's Executive Pay Survey revealed CEOs had received an average pay of just under $2.3 million.

He says Luxon and his Ministers have to face more public scrutiny and media attention- and have more people reporting to them in comparison.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More public sector roles face the chopping block, following recent announcements.

The Ministry of Health is the latest to propose slashing jobs in order to meet the Government's cost-cutting targets- of an average of 6.5 percent.

Former United Future leader Peter Dunne says there needs to be a purpose for restructuring the sector beyond cutting jobs.

"It's pretty easy to say- let's just cut numbers. But you've got to have a purpose for doing so other than saving money."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I rolled my eyes on Friday as New Zealand youth became the latest punching bag of politicians getting some air time.

School was ditched for another Climate Strike around the country, that not only called for action on climate change, but also featured calls for Māori rights and a free Palestine.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour said it was 'unacceptable' for students to protest during school hours and they should be marked absent by schools.

He’s right on both accounts. Ideally our children would be in school, and they will be marked as absent - unjustified absent even. Not that that means much.

But here’s why I don’t like using youth as political point scoring:

We want our youth to be curious, and engaged with the world. We want them to have their own opinions, a vision for the future, and hope. But when they express this we seem to get miffed. We talk about the need for civics to be taught in school - but when young people taking an interest in Government policy and global events we demean them.

Just because they have views that may be different to other generations doesn’t make them any less valid. Listening to other people’s points of view and understanding their perspective is as important in a civil society as knowing how to voice your own views. We are not teaching youth this by gaslighting them.

Sure, there are teenagers who aren’t really engaged with the issues who likely took the day off school to attend, but that’s only a problem if they aren’t attending school regularly - and that’s where our focus should be.

If your kid does attend school most of the time and just went along to check it out - clock it up as a valuable life experience. They’re not ram-raiding a dairy for vapes in a stolen car. Or swanning around on an international family holiday in term time. There are lots of reasons why teenagers aren’t in school. Is this reason so bad?

And remember, as annoying as the disruption is for teachers when teenagers don’t turn up to school, it’s actually not hard to catch up on a day’s work. As one of my children (who didn’t attend the protest said), the Minister for Education keeps telling us the curriculum is poked. That’s not much of an incentive to go to school.

Many claim a student-led climate protest is a waste of time, and won’t achieve anything. The same could be said about various other protests we’ve seen over the last 4 years - but what I would say to politicians who dismiss these protesters as just kids who should be at school, do so at their own peril. Many of those expressing their concerns at this Government’s climate policies, or lack of them, will be voting in a couple of years, and becoming young leaders in their own right.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Ward's latest ventures have taken her in a different - and unexpected - direction.

She's gone from Hollywood actress and Vogue cover model to becoming a farming expert in rural Australia, alongside her husband Bryan Brown.

After her farm was taken out by the devastating 2019/2020 Australian bushfires, Ward decided to change her focus towards regenerative farming- a journey she's documented in her film Rachel's Farm.

She says the transition to regenerative farming was a long journey, but creating the documentary taught her a lot.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, journalist Wilhelmina Shrimpton and editor and commentator, Jo McCarroll joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week- and more!

Another year, another debate about the state of Easter trading hours. Is it time to move past shutting the shops during the holiday? Do we need clearer rules this weekend? Do workers need the guaranteed time off? 

 Have we got our heads in the sand about AI? The International Monetary Fund has released a survey that revealed AI will impact nearly half of all jobs around the world. Experts here warn we should start preparing for a future where humans are no longer necessary. Should we start preparing for a different world?

We're a quarter of the way through 2024- how are we getting on with our New Year's Resolutions.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After this weekend's inevitable binge on chocolate and carbs, many will want to get back on the 'straight and narrow' after Easter.

The annual excuse to indulge in sugar can spark a lot of guilt by the end of the holiday, and one expert recommends balancing out the intake.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says exercise and moderation are helpful steps to take to cancel out the harm of over-indulging.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Van de Elzen: Getting smoky flavour into food

Hot Smoking  

- Food is smoked inside the same unit as a fire source.

- In the Engel fire, you can move the fire basket closer or further away from the food being smoked, controlling the temperature.

-Making a hot smoker can be as easy as finding a steel cabinet with shelves, drilling a number of holes into the bottom and top. Then creating a small fire in the bottom of the cabinet and closing the box.  Or using your gas stove and a heavy steel tray. 

- Always brine your meats first and ensure you have a certain amount of ventilation in the top of the box to allow moisture out. 

Cold smoking 

-Food is smoked in an adjoining unit to the fire source.

-Here at the school we use a UFO - a small metal cylinder filled with wood chips, connected on one side to a fish pump and the other, an adjoining chamber. 

- The product you are smoking must be as dry as possible and ideally cut or broken up into pieces, creating more edges for the smoke to stick to. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Darwin confidently stated that male mammals were mostly bigger than females, and this view has been held for over 150 years.

New research out this week in the journal Nature Communications,however, finds that Darwin's statement isn’t true and there is actually no difference in size between most male and female mammals.

In the study, the researchers compared the body masses of 429 wild animal species. They found that in many species including lemurs, golden moles, horses and zebras, the size of both sexes is the same.

Contrary to popular opinion, males were typically larger than females in only 28 percent of the mammal species studied.

Now there were some species that had significantly larger males in the cohort, including the elephant seal in which the males typically weigh in at three times the size of females.

However, to counter that the study also found that female peninsula tube-nosed bats were typically 40 percent larger than the males.

So why do so many of us believe that males are bigger?

Well part of it is to do with Darwin, but part of it is to do with what we are surrounded by locally and on TV.

Many familiar mammals, including pets like cats and dogs as well as livestock like sheep and cows have males that are larger than females. We also tend to watch wildlife documentaries that focus on charismatic species like primates and carnivores which also have larger males as they have great fight and dominance scenes in them. Typically, the male of the species is heavier when the males are required to fight to acquire a female mate.

Bias in the scientific literature has played a part in the misconception that males are normally bigger with most of the research being carried out by male scientists. One of the first studies that countered their view was in 1977 by female scientist Katherine Ralls, but her research was drowned out by all of the male dominated opposing studies.

The science-backed truth is that in the majority of mammal species, monogamy is the trend and males don’t need to fight for access to females. When this is the case, the females are typically larger which helps them to produce and carry more offspring.

It’s also a great lesson in how even scientific evidence can be shaped by our own pre-existing beliefs and why it's important to increase diversity in the science sector.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Euphoria and Anyone But You breakout star Sydney Sweeney has stepped into the world of producing in her latest project.

Immaculate, a psychological horror starring Sweeney herself, is based off a decade-old script she discovered- and brought back to life as a co-producer.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explains if the result if worth checking out.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Call is about Detective Sergeant Honey Chalmers who, after surviving a brutal attack goes back to her small home town to care for her mother. In the course of her work she’s become too close to an informant who’s linked to a gang made up of 501 returnees from Australia, and she’s pretty sure the informant, Kloe, is now in trouble. Honey’s private life is complicated and when Kloe turns up in the small town, events converge. This is a terrific thriller, based in our own backyard and I hope will be the first in a series. 

The Trading Game : A Confession by Gary Stevenson. Gary grew up in poverty in east London . The one thing he had going for him was his intelligence – he’s a maths whizz and put that to good use to win a place at the London School of Economics where he discovered that rich people think that poor people are stupid – something he then used to his advantage. He got a job at Citibank where he started to make really stupid money and discovered that enough is never enough. He worked incessant hours and had no other life, losing friends along the way - eventually having a breakdown after which he got his life back together. He now campaigns against inequality, having come to realise that while the money was good it can be at the expense of his soul. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BloggerAtLarge's Megan Singleton returns with a list of 'crazy and bizarre' travel facts for the weekend.

Between the rule that you can't photograph the Sistene Chapel ceiling and the impact cabin pressure has on your tastebuds, there's not shortage of unique travel facts to drop into conversation.

Listen to Megan's other unexpected travel facts here.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Sunday Panel, Chelsea Daniels from the Front Page podcast and NZ Herald Senior Writer Simon Wilson joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week- and more!

Following Princess Kate's shocking cancer diagnosis announcement, do the trolls and speculators need to take a proper look at themselves? What have we come to as a people when our first reaction is extreme theories and to poke fun at doctored photos? 

The Herald's Liam Dann has asked in an opinion piece if the Government needs to put their promised tax cuts on hold until the country can afford them. Do we agree with this?

Have hot cross buns gone too far? Do we really need one with cheese and onions mixed in?

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Princess Kate's announcement that she's undergoing cancer treatment confused and shocked people all over the world. 

There has been a notable increase in cancer in young adults, with people aged 18-49 being impacted more than usual.

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explains further.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have ever had a teenager in your home, you know that they have their own unique teenage aroma. New research out this week was able to confirm that teenagers typically smell of goats, cheese and urine- and there is a chemical reason why.

Published in the journal Communications Chemistry,the researchers sewed cotton wool pads into the armpit area of pyjamas to collect the sweat from 36 volunteers who wore them overnight. 18 of the volunteers were infants aged 3 and under and 18 of the volunteers were teenagers aged 14-18.

The extracted sweat was then analysed using both a gas chromatography-olfactometry device for chemical analysis as well as professions human smellers.

The infants had their own unique smell which was described as smelling like violets and due to a higher level of the ketone α-isomethylionone.

They found that chemically two steroids 5α-androst-16-en-3-one and 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol were only present in the teenage sweat. These steroids are reported to have a smell that is similar to sweat, urine, musk and sandalwood.

The teenagers also had elevated levels of six different carboxylic acids which smell of goat, cheese, capsicim and wax according to the professional smellers.

The change in the smell of teenagers is due to the onset of activity of sweat and sebum glands combined with hair growth, and microbes on the skin.

Sebum is an oily substance that helps to protect your skin and these glands become very active around puberty.

While the study didn’t come up with a conclusion as to why the smell of teenagers changes, previous research into stickleback fish found that related sticklebacks dislike each other's smell once they reach sexual maturity which might help them to avoid inbreeding.

Whatever the reason – the likelihood is that your teenager stinks and there isn’t much anyone can do about it.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1989action movie Road House, remembered by audiences as a classic guilty pleasure, has been remade.

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and boxer Conor McGregor, in his acting debut, the film promises to give audiences a fresh take on familiar cheesy 80s charm.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall explains the film further.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The insular Greymouth community of Gloriavale has kept Kiwis enthralled as testimonies keep emerging.

A new TVNZ documentary, Escaping Utopia, promises to unveil the stories of people who've left the community- and the struggles they've endured.

Co-director Justin Pemberton says Gloriavale is going through a transitionary period following the death of their former leader.

"The community is now imploding, it's going through some sort of- either regeneration or collapse, and we don't really know which yet, it's very much a live story. I think that's why we felt so compelled to need to go and visit."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwi actress Rachel House has built up quite a screen presence, having appeared in many local and big-budget international films.

She's also a dedicated acting coach and she's been a passionate advocate behind getting Disney films translated into Te Reo.

And now, she's making her way into the world of directing through her new film The Mountain, arriving in theatres this week.

Rachel says her experience as an actress prepared her for directing her first full feature film.

"I think more film directors should do theatre, and I think more film directors should do acting as well, because you learn how to break down the beats, you learn how to really dissect a script and you learn how to give performers direction." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A chain of well-known Swedish pharmacies made headlines by introducing age restrictions for certain skincare products.

Social media has led to an explosion of under-13s using skincare loaded up with ingredients including retinol, AHAs and peptides, and there's concern surrounding the impact on young skin.

Dermatologist Dr Juber Hafiji says these products have their benefits, but there's risk of swelling, itching and flare-ups if people use them too early in life.

"The products in and of themselves have benefits for the skin in terms of anti-aging, so reducing fine lines, pigmentation, improving skin texture and the quality of the skin- but it's all in the timing."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A chance to hit the refresh button, and lay down Labour's values now in Opposition.

Party Leader Chris Hipkins is giving his verdict on the State of the Nation this afternoon.

Senior Political Reporter Sophie Trigger says it's Hipkins' first major speech as Opposition leader, and it's an opportunity for a reset five months on from election defeat.

She says he's speaking to party faithful in South Auckland, considered traditional Labour heartland- and he's expected to draw on party values of old, and outline what Labour stands for in 2024.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Telecommunications giant and internet service provider Spark is set to introduce more firewalls, filters, barriers and protections to protect Kiwi users.

From April, Spark will be the first New Zealand-based provider to join the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in order to reduce exposure to malware, scams and sexual abuse material.

Make Sense co-founder Jo Robertson says Spark will go from blocking a few hundred URLs to blocking at least 6,000 objectionable links per day. 

"What they're doing is- they're essentially removing so much more child sexual abuse material from their platform than other internet providers."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been 24 hours since the Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis was revealed to the world via social media.

Kate Middleton announced yesterday she's receiving preventative chemotherapy, following weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts.

Daily Mirror royal editor and Pod Save the King host Russell Myers says Kate's 'emotional' and 'personal' statement has generated sympathy from all over the world.

"Regardless of your opinion of the royal family- we've been poring over the intrigue, the scandal, the in-fighting of them over recent years. But as people in the palace have said to me very recently, they're humans too."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hunter by Tana French. Sequel to her earlier book, The Searcher though can easily be read on its own. Cal is a retired Chicago detective who’s moved to a small Irish village looking for a quiet life. He befriends Trey, a young girl who’s long lost Dad suddenly turns up with a get rich scheme for the locals which he desperately needs them to fall for. He reckons though without his daughter who has ideas of her own and some big motives for revenge which she is meticulously planning. This is a very fine novel from a writer at the top of her game.

The Long and Winding Road by Lesley Pearse, She’s known for her novels – she’s written more than 30 – all of which have strong female lead characters who have challenges to be overcome and she’s beloved by millions of readers. This new one though is nonfiction – it’s her memoir, and reading it it’s very easy to see where she gets both her ideas and her empathy from. She’s really lived a life – spent time in an orphanage as a child before going to live with her father and stepmother; scrounged for survival doing a number of dead end jobs; gave up a child at the age of nineteen; was at the heart of the swinging 60’s in London and eventually published her first book at the age of 48. Anyone who loves her novels will also love this – it reads just like they do.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel expert and BloggerAtLarge writer Megan Singleton has been seeing the sights across the ditch in Perth.

Megan's been taking in the sights of the city and touring the Swan River- as well as checking out the coffee and indigenous food available.

Read more about Megan's recommendations for visiting Perthhere.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, political commentator and Director at Capital, Ben Thomas, and TV producer and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the week- and more!

Where can the Green Party go from here? They've had a bad year so far, between a change in leadership, Golriz's arrest and Darleen Tama's alleged role in an exploitation scandal. Does the party need a reset? How damaging could this all be?  

More rumours swirling around Kate Middleton's absence- is the public owed an explanation? Will Kate's disappearance be that damaging? Is the public and media reaction over the top?

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New data has confirmed New Zealand is getting fatter every year, with obesity stats reaching new heights.

Excess weight is problematic for numerous health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and chronic disease- which impacts our taxpayer-funded health system,

Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara says the rise in sedentary jobs and the cheaper cost of process food has driven these stats up- and education is key to reducing weight woes.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Potatoes with wilted greens and anchovy cream:

Cook time: 20 minutes

Prep time: 30 minutes

Serves: 6

1 kg little farm potatoes, washed

10 cloves garlic

300 ml milk

6 anchovy fillets

2 tsp Dijion mustard

2 tbsp cider vinegar

150 ml olive oil

200 gm winter greens like kale, swiss chard, spinach and wild rocket

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Salt

Place the potatoes into a pot and cover well with cold water, season with salt and bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just undercooked. Approx 12-15 minutes. Turn the water off and allow the potatoes to sit in the water for 5 minutes before draining.

For the dressing, place the milk into a small pot along with the garlic and anchovy fillets. Bring to a simmer and cook until the garlic is soft (around 10 minutes) turn off and pour mix into a blender and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Add in the dijion mustard and cider vinegar.

Carefully turn the blender on and blitz, slowly add in the oil and check the seasoning.

To serve, heat a cast iron pan until hot. Place the winter greens into the pan along with a tbsp of water and a pinch of salt. Sauté quickly until the leaves just start to wilt.

Mix through the potatoes and drizzle over the dressing.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most women, menopause is a natural phase of life and part of biological ageing. While the symptoms that go with it may be challenging, this week new science research finds that the benefits of menopause probably outweigh the hot flashes and weight gain.

To find out more about menopause, researchers looked at five whale species that go through menopause and compared them to 27 related species to see if they could find any insights, and their findings were published this week in the journal Nature.

Menopause is rare in the animal world, and only a handful of mammals experience it, including humans, one population of chimpanzee and some whales.

It’s much more typical for female animals to stay fertile and keep producing eggs up until the end of their life – helping to increase the chance that their genes will be passed down to the next generation.

The scientist looked at whales that go through menopause including killer whales (Orcas), false killer whales, beluga whales, short-finned pilot whales and narwhals and found that when compared to related species like dolphins and sperm whales, the menopausal female whales lived for 40 years beyond their predicted lifespan.

The researchers noted that menopause occurred in social species and found that non-fertile grandmother whales took part in babysitting calves and shared food with their grandbaby whales. The grandmother whales also led their pods on long journeys to find food if it was scarce.

It seems that rather than compete with their daughters for the same resources by being pregnant at the same time, menopausal whales increase their ability to pass down more of their genes by supporting their daughters to bring up their genetic grandbaby whales. In exchange for this grandmother help, the older female is able to enjoy her postmenopausal time by living for an extra 40 years.

While this study was on whales – not humans, the social dynamics and projected lifetimes are very similar. For example, female killer whales (like humans) can breed until their 40’s but can live until their 90’s! These numbers aren’t far off what a human female goes through which could lead to a conclusion that while menopause symptoms are tough – they might be buying you an extra 40 years of life.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research shows an estimated 70 percent of people will experience impostor syndrome at least once in their lives.

It's been revealed that several big names have been impacted by this condition- including Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga and our own former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Author and expert Dr Bex Bell unpacks the nature of imposter syndrome in her new book Inner Critic to Inner Coach.

"It really struck me how prevalent the imposter syndrome is in students in an academic setting- and I knew from my own lived experience how much it sort of hammered me while I was at university as well." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The award-winning director behind Once Were Warriors, Along Came a Spider and the James Bond vehicle Die Another Day has returned to his Kiwi roots in his newest film. 

After wowing audiences at the Toronto International Film Festivallast year, The Convert gives viewers a look into a long-running blood feud between Māori tribes in the 1830's.

Flicks.co.nz editor Steve Newall says many familiar local Kiwi faces can be found starring in this film.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More bad press for the Greens, as one MP has been caught at the centre of an exploitation scandal.

Green MP Darleen Tana ha been stood down after allegations of migrant exploitation at E Cycles NZ, a business owned by her husband.

NZ Herald political reporter Adam Pearse says the party's co-leaders, Marama Davidson and Chloe Swarbrick, will want to want to make sure things are more settled among the Party going forward.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A registered psychologist believes more action needs to be taken to help neurodiverse learners in the classroom.

Next Monday marks the second-annual Neurodiversity Celebration Week- and this year, the focus is on training teachers to educate neurodiverse students.

DivergenThinking co-founder and psychologist Anton Ashcroft says he's seen the fallout from an education system that fails to support neurodiverse tamariki. 

"I think the challenge is- that when you've got a huge number of diverse children in your classroom, responding as just one teacher to those individual needs is really quite a challenge."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abraham Verghese is a renowned infectious disease doctor, a professor and vice chair at Stanford University and a recipient of America’s National Humanities Medal. 

He's also made headway as a best-selling author, having written Cutting for Stone, The Tennis Partner and The Covenant of Water-all smash hits in the literary world.

He's been confirmed as one of the big names set to appear at the 2024 Auckland Writer's Festival, and he's 'excited' to join this line-up of writers.

"I've never been, I've never been to that side of the world before, that's particularly exciting for me." 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A call to action from Consumer NZ to help get on top of false environmentally-friendly claims on our products.

It says issues of 'greenwashing' are rising, and it needs the public's help to send in examples to determine the full scope of the problem.

Almost half of Kiwis find it difficult to decipher whether a product's green claims are true.

Consumer NZ's Head of Advocacy and Research, Gemma Rasmussen, says it's easy for products to enter the market without any checks run on sustainability claims.

"It takes our investigative team hours to look at a product, go to the website, talk to the manufacturers and really try to keep up with what is going on- and I think that is part of the problem in New Zealand."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Westpac Bank says New Zealand will need to ramp up house-building prowess to keep up with increased migration.

The bank estimates 125,000 homes will need to be built within the next 5 years to meet demand amid soaring post-pandemic migration.

Westpac Senior Economist Satish Ranchhod says even if migration slows down to more average rates, the population is likely to increase by 300,000.

"Just thinking about the number of people that's going to be required to be housed- it pushes it up to those really high levels of building over the next few years."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OK. So what am I missing?

Why are we so obsessed with Princess Kate? How did we go from some simple facts - abdominal surgery, recovery and back to work after Easter - to conspiracy theories, divorce rumours, a photoshop fail with nefarious undertones. Even the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have got in on the story - by making it about themselves.

How has this become such a thing? How has this become a thing at all? If I concentrated, I think I could come up with 100 more important things. Every hour. For at least a week.

And before you blame the media; they’re not completely at fault. In this world of data and analytics, if the readers doesn’t click on a story it tends to go away. Clearly this is a story we can’t get enough of.

Look I get it. Princess Kate is a publicly funded member of the royal family. She is one of the most recognisable women in the world, a future Queen and mother of an heir to the throne of England. I understand some people feel we have a right to know details about her state of health, but that’s largely because we’re nosey and like a bit of gossip.

The norm is, and has always been, to respect the royal family’s privacy when it comes to their health, and I think it’s perfectly reasonable for the Princess to keep sensitive details about her health private. The medical advice was for the Princess to rest for 6 weeks post-surgery and return to work after Easter. So just leave the woman to it. We don’t know what the surgery was, but assuming it was not minor then all the more reason to leave her to recover in peace.

The public comparison to the way the King’s cancer diagnosis has been handled is also ridiculous. Of course the reigning King couldn’t just disappear for months without an explanation – imagine the column inches then! But he has hardly been open about his situation. All we know is he is being treated for cancer. We don’t even know what kind of cancer. So why should Princess Kate be required to tell us anything more than it was abdominal surgery? Why can’t we show her the same sympathy and courtesy being shown the King.

As for the photoshop debacle. Good god. Someone thought it would be nice if Kate posted a pic to say Happy Mother’s Day, and they made a hash at it. Yeah sure, Kensington Palace should have done a better job – they are slicker than this, but people have photoshop fails and bad days at the office all the time. Doesn’t make me trust the royals any less. Quite the opposite, it reminds us what we see on social is often manipulated – for better for worse.

Maybe I’m naïve and the scandal of the century is being covered up. But even if it was – would it impact any of our daily lives? Nah. So can we please drop this crazy health hunt and leave the woman in peace.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warm Hands of Ghostsby Katherine Arden. Set during WW1, Laura Iven is a nurse who returns from the battleground to her native Halifax, where her parents are suddenly killed by the massive explosion resulting from the collision of two ships in the harbour, one of which was carrying munitions for the war. This real event had an extraordinary and terrible impact on the town. When she receives word that her brother and only surviving family member, has been killed in the trenches, something doesn’t add up and she heads back to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving she hears whispers about ghosts moving amongst the living, and a strange inn-keeper whose wine gives the soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could this have happened to Freddie, her brother – but if so, where is he? 

 Beyond Hopeby Bariz Shah. Memoir of an Afghani man who came to New Zealand as a child refugee, grew up struggling with a sense of not belonging and ended up with the wrong crowd and a stint in Auckland prison. Once he’d served his sentence he did an engineering degree and turned his life around, becoming a pillar of the Christchurch Muslim community and receiving a Civic Award from the City Council there after the 2019 attacks. This is a story of redemption – of finding belonging, a sense of home, and a real life purpose. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air New Zealand is cracking down on travellers who abuse the limits for carry-on luggage.

The airline has noticed people are trying to get around the 7 kilogram, 118 centimetre rule- and are requiring rulebreakers to check bigger bags in.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton says she's noticed people carrying medium-sized bags that appear to violate the limits.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Sunday Panel, Coast day host Lorna Riley and Damien Venuto from One Plus One Communications joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more!

Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick has been confirmed as the new co-leader of the Green Party, replacing James Shaw. What will she bring to the role? How will she transform the Greens?

More media industry losses- TVNZ has announced they plan to cut 68 jobs one week on from Newshub's closure. What does this mean for the state of the media industry?

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.