Afternoons

This week's critter of the week is the waka leafhopper. As the name would suggest, these tiny leafhoppers look like miniature waka. They measure under 1cm and are light brown in colour. Endemic to Aotearoa, they live in wetlands and salt marshes in close association with their host plants which are wire rush and oioi (jointed rush). Their unique appearance allows them to blend into their surroundings and avoid notice from predators.

Time for our weekend stuff segment, like the name suggests, we get expert advice on what we might do in the weekend. Today we've got the brilliant Rachael Quin from The Housekeeper to share some cleaning tips. Do send in any questions you might have - 2101 or [email protected]

Friday means a chance to talk food, this week Martin Bosley from Yellow Brick Road is shares his pork chop recipe.

Afternoon Critic Dominic Corry is with Jesse to share what he's been watching: I Swear (in theatres next week) Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (in theatres this week) War Machine (on Netflix)

It's time for Freaky Friday, your home for spooky stories and eerie coincidences. If you have an experience to share, please get in touch on 2101 or email at [email protected] and one of my producers might give you a call Today we're speaking to William.

It's time for Freaky Friday, your home for spooky stories and eerie coincidences. If you have an experience to share, please get in touch on 2101 or email at [email protected] and one of my producers might give you a call Today we're speaking to William.

Christchurch based Jessica Urlich is a Sunday Times best-selling author, who is rapidly making a name for herself internationally. Her latest, the poetry collection 'They Bloom Because of You' is described as testament to the power of mothering. This week she was given a big boost by someone very famous; we find out what it means to her!

Mahera Maihi won the local hero title at the New Zealander of the Year awards this year. And for good reason, Mahera is the founder of Ma Te Huruhuru - an organisation focused on combating youth homelessness. She talks to Jesse.

Earlier this week, Kate Hawley was honoured with the Oscar for Best Costume Design for her work in Frankenstein. She chats to Jesse about the win, the ceremony and rubbing shoulders with Hollywood royalty.

Last Thursday we celebrated The University of Auckland's Clocktower turning 100 by chatting to William Hamill from the University. After that conversation we got an email which said: "With regard to your interview about the Auckland University clock I'd like to advise a correction to what your guest said. He said the Art Gallery clock was made overseas, but it was made in Wellington NZ by the firm of W. Littlejohn & Son on. I've been maintaining this clock for the last 35 years." That was from a man called Michael Cryns. We wanted to know more, so we got him on the phone to chat.

Money matters are front and centre for many of you as the effects of the war in Iran are felt here. It can be nervous times watching investments and KiwiSaver balances wobble. But that's not the only reason you should be across your KiwiSaver. Changes are coming from April 1st, Mary Holm is with us to discuss what they are and how you can make the most of them.

Time for sporting history, our chance to look back at some of the big moments in sport and celebrate some of the New Zealanders who have changed the game. Shiray Kaka is a Black Ferns Sevens superstar who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, as well as bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She also knows about resilience having faced three painful ACL injuries, but she shows off her sense of humour even in the most trying times, which could be why she has one of the largest social media pages of any rugby player in the sport.

Every fortnight Professor Kirsty Ross from Massey University's School of Psychology joins me to help with those tricky predicaments we sometimes find ourselves in. Do let us know if there are any topics you would like Kirsty to cover at [email protected] Today we're talking about managing adult sibling relationships; navigating narcissists and when do you stop paying for your kids?

Aiutaki in the Cook Islands is home to about two thousand people, with around 40 thousand tourists visiting annually. It is also home to a lot of rubbish, which, according to our next guest, wasn't being dealt with properly. So he came up with a way to help. Garth Falconer joins Mark to explain how.

The Rural Games over the weekend saw fencing competitions, the NZ gumboot throwing championship, and our very own International Champ of tree climbing Steph Dryfhout. Last year Steph had a golden run across the international circuit, finishing as the Woman's World Champion in Christchurch - the first time the 50-year-old international event had ever been held in New Zealand. Steph joins Mark for a chat.

It's not a stretch to say we have a problem with roaming dogs, especially in Auckland and Northland, where three out of the four recent fatal dog attacks took place. Lots of people have been calling for change and now it looks like the Government is taking action. It has combined forces with the SPCA to invest nearly 1.2 million dollars into programmes to desex roaming dogs. But does that go far enough? To discuss, Mark is joined by SPCA Scientific Officer Dr Alison Vaughan.

We're going to start today's show talking about petrol .. because as our next guest told Morning Report, all bets are off over NZ petrol prices after Iran's gas fields were struck overnight. So how can you make sure you get the most out of a tank of petrol? AA fuel spokesperson and former general manager of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Terry Collins shares some tips and tricks.

Conan O'Brien may have just hosted the Oscars, but the award for best sidekick in a reality checking role belongs to his longtime assistant turned podcast co-host, Sona Movsesian. She never hesitates to remind him that even if he is a comedy legend, he's still the guy who has to ask her where his phone is. On Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, Movsesian brings her trademark mix of curiosity, impatience, and unfiltered honesty often cutting through Conan's antics. Now she's channeling that same sharp humor into motherhood. In a new book out later this year, she writes about raising twin boys and realizing that parenting may be even more chaotic than working for Conan.

Wednesday means Easy Eats, a meal that is full of flavour but doesn't take hours to prepare, Kelly Gibney is away, but we're thrilled to have Shared Kitchens' Julie Biuso here to share a recipe. Click here for the recipe

Time for Heading Off our chance to share in your travel adventures without leaving the house. If you have been somewhere interesting, whether somewhere in New Zealand or overseas and you'd like to chat to Jesse about it on the radio please do get in touch You can text on 2101 or email me at [email protected] Today we're speaking to Kate who recently went to the Chatham Islands.

Host of Our Changing World Claire Concannon joins Jesse to talk about the North Island brown Kiwi.

A $3 billion data centre in Southland is being touted a game changer - delivering the most significant upgrade to New Zealand's digital infrastructure in a generation. Datagrid has received resource consent for a 78,000 square-metre data centre, which will be built in Makarewa, north of Invercargill. The development is descibed as an "AI factory", a data centre built to serve AI technology. So what are the implications for something of this size, and should we believe the hype around it? David Williams is Newsroom's South Island editor - and has been following this development for years - he joins Jesse to discuss.

'Tears On The Field' is a new locally produced documentary that hit's cinemas tomorrow. Set in Taranaki it follows the story of women's grass roots rugby. Two of the film's stars, rugby players Kate Thomson & Mereana Anderson, chat to Jesse.

The NZ transport agency Waka Kotahi has started public consultation over a new road in Northland, and already some of you are fuming. The proposed new stretch of motorway is between Warkworth and Te Hana, it'll be the first section of the Northland Corridor and is considered a Road of National Significance. And to make it happen - it might need to be a toll road. Currently there are three toll roads in New Zealand, the Northern Gateway Toll Road north of Auckland, and in Tauranga the Eastern Link Toll Road and the Takitimu Drive Toll Road. To explain what roads qualify for tolls and how the price is decided, Jesse is joined by NZTA National Manager of System Design Jess Andrew.

Food prices are up, petrol prices are up and bills, well for most of us, they're up too. It feels like this cost of living crisis isn't going anywhere fast, so we thought it would be a good chance to get some tips and tricks on where you can save money. To help with that Jesse is joined by independent financial journalist and host of the 'Making Cents' podcast Frances Cook.

Amanda Knox did not go looking to spend two years diving into the case of Lucy Letby. She says Lucy Letby found her. Letby is the British neonatal nurse convicted for the murders of 7 babies and attempted murder of seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Knox was convicted of the murder of her roommate in Italy and spent years in prison before the Italian Supreme court threw out the verdict. Since then, she's worked to explain how narrative about a suspect can shape public opinion and even how the police investigate crimes. Knox takes on the case of the woman branded the UK's worst serial killer in a podcast that doesn't try to determine guilt or innocence, but looks instead at how evidence is interpreted, how narratives harden, and why questioning assumptions can be essential to pursuing justice. The podcast is called Doubt: The Case of Lucy Letby.

Each week we ask for your help with an irk, a tricky situation or a problem. It's called You're the Judge. This week we're discussing whether a freelancer should continue with a planned gig even if he thinks he could have covid. Text 2101 or email [email protected] with your reckons and we might even call you!

Our tech expert Tim Batt joins Jesse to talk about Polymarket and prediction markets and the new MacBook Neo.

Robbie Williams has set the record for the most number one albums for a solo artist in the UK, the most BRIT Awards, and the biggest solo show in British history. How did he do it? That's what music industry commentator Marty Jones joins Jesse to explain.

Afternoons book critic Judge Bill Hastings joins Jesse to share what he's been reading: Liza Minelli, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! (Hodder and Stoughton, 2026) Naomi Arnold, North Bound (Harper Collins, 2025)

It's time for Mayoral minutes, our new segment where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing, how they're working to solve them, and what makes their community special. This week we're heading to the Clutha District from where Mayor Jock Martin joins Jesse.

King Country Rugby Referees are celebrating a century of whistleblowing. Yes, for one hundred years, committed referees have been strapping on their boots to support rugby across their small towns. King Country rugby referee Kieran Smith chats to Jess

When times are tight financially, every outgoing cost gets examined and for many of you that includes insurance payments. In February, it was revealed that the Government's going to do a review into insurance - that's after Treasury said that home insurance premiums had grown at three times the rate of the consumer price index since 2011 and been a 40 percent rise in the past two years. That's a lot of money spent hoping the worst doesn't happen. Here to talk insurance is Consumer NZ's expert on the topic, Rebecca Styles

Last week we spoke to clothing brand Kowtow about turning their clothes into organic biochar. That prompted many of you to ask about the science behind the process and any carbon cost, so we thought we'd find out! Matt Welton is fast becoming the go to person for all things biochar, he talks to Jesse.

Once touted as a future icon of Auckland's cityscape, the Seascape Tower may now be New Zealand's first "ghost tower". Construction on the 187-metre, $300 million dollar luxury skyscraper halted in August 2024, and the owner and developer Shundi Customs has gone into receivership. So for now, the tower stands incomplete, with no future date set for completion. So what happens now? Does the tower stay there empty forever? New Zealand Herald property editor Anne Gibson has been following the developments since 2024, and she joins Jesse.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins is seeking legal advice after his ex wife posted some explosive allegations about him on social media. The claims - which do not relate to any alleged criminal conduct - are currently unsubstantiated and Hipkins has vehemently denied them. But it got us thinking about how a politician's private life can spill over into their public one. With Jesse to discuss this is political commentator Bryce Edwards.

The problem with artificial intelligence in education comes down to two problems. Somehow, educators need to encourage using AI creatively while discouraging taking lazy shortcuts. This is what Clay Shirky thinks, and he's the vice provost for A.I. and technology in education at New York University. The shortcuts that really concern Shirky aren't just using ChatGPT to write term papers, or cheat on an exam. He sees students skipping the struggle that comes with navigating emotional situations and relationships. Young people lean on ChatGPT for conversation starters and break up texts and writing letters to apologize for cheating with ChatGPT. Shirky sees too may students using AI to skip out on the messy work of becoming an adult.

Actor and Afternoons TV critic Michelle Langstone joins Jesse to review: Valdimir - Netflix Scarpetta - Prime Video

Each Monday we invite an expert in their field to answer all your questions - today we're looking at concussion. Every year in New Zealand there are around 36 thousand cases of concussion -which is a mild traumatic brain injury that affects brain function. And it's not just rugby players suffering. Professor Alice Theadom is a professor of brain health and co-director of the Brain Health Research Institute at AUT, she joins Jesse. If you have a question for her, do text us 2101 or email [email protected]

Every week Jesse joins a club and finds out what makes them tick! If you're a member of a club that you would like me to join for a day, please text 2101 on text of [email protected] via email. Today Helen Flockton joins us.

Brad Foster joins us from Sydney to give us the latest update on what's hitting the headlines across the Tasman.

Since coming to NZ from a small town in Punjab about 20 years ago, Rajni Kumar learnt to navigate both land and language, transforming her property into a thriving business - thanks to her green thumb. Here's Kadambari Raghukumar with the Here Now podcast.

A Wairarapa man's love for the art of chocolate has won his brand 14 medals at an international competition. Johnty Tatham from Lucid Chocolatier scooped the medals at the Academy of Chocolate Awards. It's been a real journey for the bean-to-chocolate maker who started off in the kitchen of his family farm. Johnty is with Jesse.

A high court case against Minister for Climate Change Simon Watts kicked off today The case is brought by Lawyers for Climate Action & The Environmental Law Initiative. They're arguing that the government broke the law when it scrapped - or changed - hundreds of climate change policies in the wake of the 2023 election They claim there wasn't proper consultation, and the new plans rely too heavily on offsets rather than reducing emissions. Jesse is joined by University of Canterbury professor and Director of The Sustainability, Citizenship and Civic Imagination Research group, Bronwyn Hayward.

We're starting the show talking about petrol because right now Finance Minister Nicola Willis is holding a press conference to discuss the latest petrol stocks and what the Government will do should this pain at the pump continue. Petrol price monitoring app Gaspy says the average price of 91 petrol is now above $3 and has risen 20 percent since the start of the month. We get reaction to Nicola Willis words from Bernard Hickey, author of the Substack column 'The Kaka'.

The only bear in New Zealand lives at Wellington Zoo. Her name is Sasa and she's not a panda, brown, or polar bear, but the smallest of the eight bear species: a Sun Bear.

Let's talk about gardening now, our green thumbed guru Lynda Hallinan is with me to share some seasonal tips and tricks.

Let's talk food now because Connie Clarkson, the manager of Auckland Council's The Kitchen Project is with me, with a great sounding duck breast recipe.

Afternoons film critic Kate Rodger joins Jesse to review Ryan Gosling's latest offering Project Hail Mary and to preview the Oscars.

One of our favourite comedians Chris Parker has just announced his latest tour, "Take a Good Hard Look at Me" Jesse gets the inside word about what to expect.