Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

1) Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: the long-awaited and much-anticipated fantasy series based on JRR Tolkein’s books (and filmed in New Zealand) finally arrives on Amazon Prime. 2) The Bear: A chef returns to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop, but ends up juggling the realities of small business ownership, strong-willed staff and strained family relationships (Disney+). 3) The Suspect: Clinical psychologist Joe O’Loughlin appears to have the perfect life, but when he's drawn into a murder investigation, Joe's flawless existence starts to unravel (TVNZ+). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I dunno’ if you’ve noticed but there’s a lot of outrage in the World right now. Sure, there’s plenty of good reason for much of it. There are plenty of good reasons to despair. The economy is bad. The climate is changing. The pandemic has left us sick and exhausted. It’s winter. All of us are feeling spent. As someone who spends a good chunk of his day professionally doom-scrolling, I can’t help but notice that uncertain times often bring out the worst in people. We don’t trust each other. We’re intolerant. Our political discourse is nasty and tribal. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so surprised, so delighted over the last few weeks to find a reprieve from the gloom and funk. Throughout this winter of discontent, I’ve been astonished at just how much joy I’ve found… in a TV show. To be honest, I’m embarrassed about the whole thing. Embarrassed for a few reasons. First of all, I’m embarrassed it’s taken me so long to watch this TV show, given it’s already aired several seasons, has won all sorts of awards, and has been recommended to me a million times over by all and sundry. And honestly, I feel a little embarrassed to admit that a popular comedy, made by Hollywood mega-studios for the broadest possible audience, could tickle me quite as much as it has. The show is Ted Lasso. It’s on Apple TV+. If you haven’t seen it, the premise is pretty simple: An American football coach moves from Kansas to London, from coaching college football to coaching an English Premier League football club. This, despite the fact he has no experience coaching football and doesn’t understand the sport’s history, culture, or rules. It’s a comedy that pokes fun at the differences between Britain and the U.S. It pokes fun at football culture in both countries. It pokes fun at class divisions and celebrity culture. But really, it isn’t a show about football. Most of the Premier League in-jokes fly right over my girlfriend’s head but she’s still more enthralled by the story than I am. It isn’t a show about sport. It’s a show about one man, whose infectious, charming, unwavering decency and irrepressible optimism slowly turns a profoundly cynical World, one person at a time. I can’t imagine the writers ever pitched it that way. It wouldn’t have won over any network executives to say, ‘We just want to make a show about a nice guy who treats people incredibly well.’ That wouldn’t fly. And honestly, if you told me that was the premise of Ted Lasso, I would probably never have got around to watching it. But I’ve found Ted Lasso refreshing. It does what all good art does. It sits with me. It lifts me. I still think about it, days after I last watched an episode. I can see ‘Ted Lasso’ becoming a verb. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Can you ‘Ted Lasso’ a person or a situation? Sure you can. I’m sure, all over the World, there have been little moments of decency or acts of kindness inspired by Ted Lasso. Imagine if instead of sniping and bickering, we all took a page from Ted’s book, once in a while. WWTLD? What Would Ted Lasso Do? This will sound crazy. And I’m only admitting it because I feel it’s what the main protagonist would do. In a way, the best episodes of Ted Lasso have affected me, quite profoundly. Ted Lasso’s character exists to make a fictional World a better place. And though you can write it off as a silly TV show, I reckon Ted Lasso might be making the real World just bit better, too.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film reviewer Francesca Rudkin talks to Jack about new films Lancaster and New Zealand film, Muru.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne joins Jack Tame to talk about some great news he heard this week. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne talks to Jack about the death of Jimmy Nolan, the leader of the "unruly tourists" who died in England yesterday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cellphone signal from the sky Elon Musk’s SpaceX and US mobile carrier T-Mobile are partnering to be able to offer cellphone coverage in more places than ever before. New satellites with improved antennas will allow current cellphones to be able to connect to send and receive text messages - then later calls and browse the internet. No ground cellphone towers or special adapters required as they’re using the same 5G frequencies already built into your phone. Man banned from Google after taking pictures of his naked son The images were scanned as part of Google’s efforts to combat images of child sexual abuse. But he wasn’t commuting a crime, in fact the opposite. He was taking pictures, as requested by a nurse, of his son’s swollen penis so the doctor could diagnose the cause ahead of a video consultation. The police agreed no crime had been committed but google disagreed and said it broke their terms and conditions. So he lost his emails, contacts, photos and even his phone number as Google also provided his cell service. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014 adrenaline junkie Brad Smeele was a world champion wake boarder at the top of his game. He had the career, success, the woman and a lakeside home in Florida. In July that year, it all came crashing down when a fall while attempting a difficult trick left Brad quadriplegic. The next few years were anything but easy for Brad, he has now opened up about that journey and the peace he has made with his new life. His memoir is called Owning It: The Ride That Changed My Life. Brad Smeele joined Jack Tame to share his story. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We waste A LOT of bread in this country – over 15 tonnes per year, at a cost of over $62m! There’s no knead! This recipe is a great use for it and it barely matters how stale it is as it ends up soaking up the cheesy, egg mixture. Serves 4-6 6-8 thick (2cm) slices stale bread 2-3 tbsps soft butter 200g ham, bacon or chorizo – diced 6 eggs ½ cup cream ½ cup milk 1 cup grated cheese 1 tsp dried mustard 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves ½ tsp sea salt + decent grind black pepper 2 tbsps finely chopped parsley ½ tsp chilli flakes Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease a large loaf tin. Butter each piece of bread and arrange in the loaf tin or other oven proof dish. Tuck ham, bacon or chorizo between slices. In a bowl whisk eggs, cream, milk, ½ cup grated cheese, mustards and fresh thyme. Add salt and pepper. Pour mixture over bread. Top with remaining grated cheese, parsley and chilli flakes. Stand for 20 minutes to allow bread to soak up the egg mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes until top is golden and middle is cooked. Serve big warm spoonfuls for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Note: You could use torn chunks of bread if it’s baguette, sourdough or even croissant. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Bryan Betty talks to Jack Tame about long Covid, what we know and how to treat it. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes has been reading Do No Harm by Robert Pobi and Rogues by Patrick Radden Keefe. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel correspondent Mike Yardley gives Jack advice for the perfect spring break away in Rotorua. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Relationship expert Steven Dromgool joins Jack to talk about how to use money well in relationships. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Music reviewer Estelle Clifford has been listening to Bret McKenzie's newly released album, Songs without Jokes. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before I get the common questions about “need food for Monarchs” and… “What do the admiral butterflies need for their caterpillars?”, I thought I’d put the warning out now: Monarchs are coming out of “hibernation” – in fact I have already seen quite a few mating, so… it’s all on! Swan plants (bit boring in my opinion!) can be sown right now – Kings Seeds and other seed merchants have these popular plants in stock; Moths and Butterfly trust also stocks a heap of different seeds for Monarchs; Germination is good at warmer temps: 21 degrees is recommended. Fabulous Asclepias species with colourful flowers are also suitable host plants – more my gig! Whatever you sow: aim for heaps of plants and keep some of them in large pots as “spares” for when famine breaks out. Potted plants (covered with fine netting) are out-of-bounds for ovipositing female butterflies; they are also – later in the season – a movable object to confuse the GPS systems of marauding wasps! Good horticultural practice makes the plants grow bushy and dense, creating heaps of foliar food: pinch out the terminal buds from the tallest growing tips, which allows lower dormant buds to develop more bushy appearance Admiral Butterflies love nettles to lay their eggs on; if you have a safe space you can try the native Ongaonga stinging nettle; just be careful they are ferocious (Hence their name Urtica ferox) Red admirals are keen on that tree nettle (ferox) but will also feed on perennial nettle (dioica) Yellow admirals tend to go for the smaller nettle species as food for the caterpillars. I have both admirals in abundance, her in the Halswell Quarry; The reds seem to overwinter here too. Red admiral (left) – Yellow admiral (right) For our blues, sow some Trifolium, Medicago or Lotus species, and for coppers and boulder coppers: plant the appropriate species of Muehlenbeckia. Details can be found of the Moths and Butterflies Trust website: https://nzbutterfly.info/ LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bad Sisters: An Irish comedy-drama starring Sharon Hogan about the lives of the Garvey sisters, who are bound together by the premature death of their parents and a promise to always protect one another (Apple+). Welcome to Wrexham: A docuseries that follows the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, one of Wales’ oldest football clubs, by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney (Disney+). Neighbours: Everybody needs good Neighbours, but after nearly 40 years on our screens, the final episode of the Australian soap screens this Friday with several fan favourites returning to Ramsay Street for one last visit (Friday, 7.30pm, TVNZ1) LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Biden cancelled student debt. Not all of it. $10,000 in federal loans per person for people who earn less than $125,000 a year. Call it an exercise in fairness or a cynical political play… either way, it won’t be happening here. And nor should it. This might surprise you - it’s certainly a different position to the one I held when I racked up my own student loan, constantly comparing my own tertiary fees to those of my parents’ generation – but I don’t think university should be free and I don’t think we should cancel student loan debt. For the individual, a university education is an investment. Although it’s by no means true for everyone, you are still likelier to earn more money if you have a university education than if you don’t. You might rightly argue that an educated population benefits more than the individual. Society is the winner. And you’re right. But the government already massively subsidises tertiary education. As expensive as it is, it would be unfair to those who’ve chosen different professional paths – especially workers in blue collar jobs – if we expected them to fully fund the education of people who will likely soon earn more than them. For the most part, New Zealand strikes a good balance. Our student loan scheme gives most people access to education whilst not burdening them with interest. By international standards, the scheme is generous. I have friends who borrowed the maximum weekly living costs for the years they were at university, fastidiously tucking away all of it away in savings accounts, who eventually used that student loan money as an interest-free deposit on a house. There aren’t many loan schemes that will allow you to do that! I say this as someone who paid off his loan, himself. I know I’m very fortunate, but so often this debate is defined by individual anecdotes. Fifteen years ago, I owed 25 or 30 grand. Fortunately, my education led me directly to a profession in which I earned enough money to live with dignity, even as I paid off my debt. That might not have been the case if I hadn’t done a degree. But my own experience taught me we can do a much better job of helping young people understand the ramifications of debt. I think too many people go to university too young. They default to studying something they aren’t very interested in only to wake up a few years later with tens-of-thousands of dollars owing. I think we can do a much better job of advocating for vocational training and careers in the trades. For the right person at the right time, tertiary education is fantastic. But even with a relatively generous student loan scheme, it can still be a debt trap. If we’re to change anything about university fees, I’d suggest bolder initiatives to address professional shortages in our society. Back in the 1980s, my parents only chose to settle in New Zealand because trainee teachers here received a stipend, and in Australia they didn’t. I’m broadly supportive of further subsidising fees or reducing debt for selected qualifications, if it means we directly bolster a chronically understaffed public workforce. Nursing? Mental health? Sure. Accounting and Public Relations? No thanks. One last point: Instead of cancelling student debt, we should be doing a much better job of addressing the immediate living concerns of university students, many of whom are among the poorest people in our society. We are already heavily subsidising their studies – as we should – so why do we accept that so many students are eking out life after housing costs on $50 or $100 a week? Poverty is not a right of passage. I think there’s a good argument student allowances and living costs should be increased. University shouldn’t be free for everyone. We shouldn’t cancel all student loan debt. But students also shouldn’t be living in poverty. Instead of following Joe Biden’s move, we’d be much better to address students’ immediate concerns, so if our young people do choose university, they have the best chance to succeed in their studies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film reviewer Francesca Rudkin talks to Jack about new release films Beast and Farewell, Mr Haffman. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford has been listening to Stan Walkers newly released album, All In.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book reviewer Catherine Raynes talks to Jack about her latest reads, One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke and Portrait of and Unknown Woman by Daniel Silva.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainability expert Kate Hall shares her tips on how to use the most 'clean' energy and busts myths about how electricity works. You can find more information on her blog. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House of the Dragon: The long-awaited prequel to Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war that took place about 300 years before events portrayed in Game of Thrones (Neon, from 22 August) The Undeclared War: A geopolitical thriller set in a post-pandemic Britain in the run up to a general election, as a team of analysts buried in the heart of GCHQ secretly work to ward off a cyberattack on the country's electoral system (TVNZ+). Magpie Murders: Lesley Manville stars in this British murder mystery about a book editor who gets drawn into a web of intrigue and murder when she receives Alan Conway's unfinished manuscript of an Atticus Pünd mystery (TVNZ+). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Being Dutch has a few advantages: getting free plants is important! My mum was known for taking cuttings all over Europe when the Kleinpaste Family was on Holiday in their foldable campervan/tent. We returned to the Netherlands with heaps of propagation material in the car – there was barely room for us, kids, to sit on the back seat! Mum was the gardener and she took cuttings – constantly experimenting. This time of the year (before deciduous shrubs and trees start to roll out the leaves for next season) is a good time for taking hardwood and semi-hardwood cuttings. Your archetypal stem cuttings (or shoot cuttings) are planted in some nice mixture of potting mix, pumice/sand which becomes a well-drained habitat for the roots to form; There are many books and articles that can tell you and show you how to do that, but what strikes me as a minor miracle is the way plants literally change the function of their cells to create rootlets! Plants are made of myriads of cells – each has a distinct function in the plant: Executing photosynthesis, transporting fluids, transporting gases, turning into flowers, becoming fruits, or seeds… some become roots, others become shoots; Of course, a nice flat cluster of adjoining cells is known by gardeners as a LEAF . But when you put a stem cutting into the mix, the cells suddenly create areas where they form roots Yet a root cutting has cells that form brand-new shoots And leaf cuttings (think Begonias, African Violets and Cacti!) have to produce ROOTS and STEMS! So, all these cells can literally change their jobs and adapt to the new function, by simply creating new shapes. Taking cuttings and the success there-of depends enormously on what species you are trying to propagate, so: experiment! Take some hardwood cuttings and some semi-hardwood cuttings in one batch Some species will work best with softwood cuttings – others are best propagated by Layering. Rooting Hormones are often helpful (they come in softwood – medium hardwood – hardwood). There is evidence that Home-made “WillowWater” hormones are not as useful as some people think (A story for another day, I expect) Generalistics: Take cuttings from HEALTHY Plants Cuttings from young plants tend to root quicker DORMANT hardwood cuttings best taken after autumn and before spring-warmth Cuttings from FLOWERING twigs are often really HARD to strike; so: no flowering wood!! Keep cuttings in a tunnelhouse/glasshouse or… create a miniature cloche with a plastic bag Don’t over-water the cuttings – just a little moisture is enough! Leave some Leaves on the top of the cutting; trim the leaves from the bottom of the cutting Difficult plants to propagate often need some “bottom heat” (25 degrees C) And keep experimenting!!! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In times like these it is tempting to take a conservative approach to growing wealth, however that usually means you aren't keeping up with inflation. Enable Me founder Hannah McQueen joins Jack to talk about how to get comfortable taking risks, when you are naturally risk-averse. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have an Apple device, you'll want to install the latest update Apple has released an emergency update to its suite of platforms - mac, iPad and iPhone - to fix a critical security issue which could allow a hacker into your device through your web browser. Worse - Apple says these vulnerabilities have been used. It's very technical, but simply, through accessing a website the hacker could effectively get deep access to your device, and control apps as if you were doing the activity. Known in the industry as a "zero-day" as the exploit is known and in the wild - so they have zero days to fix it. Apple has released patches available for download now, and also an update specifically for the Safari browser. Just search for "set a timer for 5 minutes" and it automatically starts counting down. It was removed because it had an "issue" but it's back -- and you may not have ever known it existed! You can also ask Google to "flip a coin" or "roll a dice".. or "do a barrel roll". LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One year ago, this week, the Taliban swept into Kabul and took control of the Afghanistan capital. Former Tampa refugee Abbas Nazari, joins Jack Tame to discuss what the last year in Afghanistan has been like under Taliban rule. Abbas was 7 years when his family escaped the Taliban and Afghanistan in 2001. They were on board a small fishing boat with 400 other asylum seekers when it began to sink. They were saved by a cargo ship – The Tampa. As you may recall the ship was turned away from Australia before settling in New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nici Wickes joins Jack with an iron rich recipe ahead of World Iron Awareness Week, next week. MAKES 8-12 small sausage rolls 2 quality sausages – beef, pork or lamb 200g mince – beef or lamb 1 cup shredded spinach ½ cup drained canned lentils ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs (use GF if going that way) 2 tbsp milk 1 spring onion, sliced thinly 1 tsp salt 2 tsp fresh chopped herbs – rosemary, parsley, thyme, oregano Decent pinch chilli flakes Splash of olive oil 2-3 sheets flaky pastry (or 3-4 GF tortilla or wraps for GF sausage rolls) 1 small egg, lightly beaten Sesame seeds for sprinkling 1. Heat oven to 180 C fan bake. Line a tray with baking paper. 2. Squeeze sausage meat from casings into a bowl. Mix in mince, spinach, lentils, breadcrumbs, milk, spring onions, salt, herbs, chilli flakes and oil until well combined. Your hands are the best tools for this. 3. Roll and shape the filling into 3-4 log shapes and position to fit in the centre of each pastry sheet (or warmed tortilla/wrap). Roll up tightly, brushing a little egg on the seam to help it seal. Cut each log into 3-4 pieces and place on the tray, seam side down. Brush each with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 4. Bake for 30-40 minutes until lovely and golden and filling is cooked. 5. Serve with tomato sauce, of course.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Film reviewer Francesca Rudkin has been watching documentary Gloriavale and new Emma Thompson film Good Luck to you Leo Grande. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne joins Jack Tame to discuss the issues surrounding a shortage of people putting their name forward in the local elections. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’ve sold my home. It’s happening. I’m leaving my 16th floor apartment for a place that will require much more maintenance. No more locking-and-leaving. No more stunning sunrises. No more Keith Jarrett on the stereo, sitting in an armchair and watching the World revolve below me. No more Maungawhau. No more Hauturu. No more monitoring the motorway traffic in real time. No more whipping downstairs to the K Road cafes for a pastry and a flat white. I’m embarrassed to say it’ll be the first time in my life when I’m responsible for mowing a lawn. I feel a mix of emotions. My apartment is the first and only home I’ve ever owned. At every stage when my housing has changed, I’ve felt a rush of sentimentalism. Each shift has marked a different peg in my life, far more meaningful than supposedly significant birthdays. Leaving home for my first shared flat. Leaving shared New Zealand flats for my first New York studio. Leaving New York, coming home, and buying for the first time. Leaving my apartment for something bigger, something without huge windows and a 16th floor balcony. Something child-friendly. I remember when I bought my place, the then Prime Minister John Key was asked for his advice to young people struggling to buy property. Get an apartment, he said! Low maintenance. Cheaper. Close to lots of amenities. He didn’t need to convince me. I’ve always felt at least part of our housing crisis has been caused by a cultural reluctance to embrace high-density living. We associated all apartments with slummy 35-square-metre, tiny-windowed boxes. For many years, it was hard to find warm, bright, higher-end apartments with amenities. My place has a great gym, a big pool, storage lockers, and a billiards room. The walk from the lobby to K Road’s rich variety of cafes and restaurants takes approximately 35 seconds. Apartments might have suited first-home buyers. I can confirm they don’t necessarily make great investments. I almost certainly overpaid when I first bought my place – I didn’t know the market well enough. You live and you learn, right? But I sold my home at a fair price. CV. After agent fees and everything else, I’ll basically end up with what I paid for it. You could drive yourself mad by playing the what-if-I’d-bought-a-decaying-bungalow-instead game, and knowing my luck, the apartment market will probably double in the next six months. It’s the land value that has wildly appreciated over the last few years. But honestly, I didn’t buy my place intending to make money. I bought it as a home. And in serving that purpose, it’s been perfect. I’m a big believer that high-density suits people at different stages of life. As well as young professionals, a lot of the people in my building are older. They’ve downsized. They’ve had kids and houses with backyards and gutters to clear. They’ve done that. But now they’ve reached a stage of life where they value lower maintenance living. They enjoy the communal aspect of living in an apartment building. They love the light and the views and being able to walk everywhere. I feel sad to be leaving the 16th floor. It’s been a wonderful home. I’ll start packing my moving boxes over the next few weeks. And as I look and leave for the final time, it’ll make me happy to know that in 25 or 30 years… there’s a good chance I’ll be back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing up, there was bound to be a Barry Crump book peeking out of the bookshelves of Kiwi families or in your local school’s English curriculum. Crump sold millions of his semi-autographical novels and was a stalwart of New Zealand writing. But he was also a difficult person with a complicated home life – a father to six boys from four different mothers. For the first time, the brothers have all gone on record together to tell the story of their dad in their book Sons of a Good Keen Man, which has just been released. One of the brothers Martin Crump Joined Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame to discuss the book. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Don’t make me say it. Don’t make me say it. A week is a long time in... I’ll start with Gaurav Sharma. I don’t think we know enough about what has been alleged to have certainty as who is the bully and who is being bullied, but I’m stunned this dispute has been allowed to fester to the point Sharma decided to speak out. Seeing a sitting Labour MP accuse the party-of-kindness of bullying is a remarkable turn. I was not surprised to read Gaurav Sharma’s lengthy post on Facebook, last night. Even as the Prime Minister was addressing the issue, unnamed ‘Labour sources’ were commenting to media and slagging him off. Such kindness! And despite the compassionate veneer, the Prime Minister’s statement still carefully insinuated that everything Sharma was complaining about is actually his fault. Maybe it is! We don’t know. And maybe she felt she simply had to defend her party. But I think a public comment that was truly dedicated to Sharma’s wellbeing would not have included this line: "Starting out as a new MP can be challenging and one of the toughest parts is navigating the new environment but also the role you must play as an MP managing others.” See what I mean? Those words subtly insinuated that Sharma is the problem and that he’s ill-equipped to be an MP. From his perspective, it was a provocative thing to say. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it, but I wasn’t at all surprised to see him react. Almost everything that can be said of the Sam Uffindell scandal has already been said. Obviously he was a lout and a bully as a teenager. He traumatised people. He benefitted from the comforts, trappings, and multiple opportunities afforded by money and privilege. Nonetheless, I don’t think the best response is to mercilessly destroy his entire life. Christopher Luxon’s handled it pretty well. We’ll wait and see what the investigation from Maria Dew Q.C turns up. But for all the attention on what Uffindell did and didn’t do, who in the party knew what and when they knew it, for how long someone deserves to be punished for their past mistakes, and whether his apology was cynical or genuine, I do think there is once central question in this whole fiasco that should be top of the list: Why was Sam Uffindell selected in the first place? It’s no secret that Tauranga is a safe National seat. Theoretically, National could have put up a slab of butter in a trenchcoat and comfortably won the by-election. Jacinda Ardern didn’t even bother turning up to campaign for Labour’s candidate. National didn’t need a talented campaigner. They could have picked anyone. They chose Sam Uffindell. Uffindell disclosed to them that he’d been expelled from high school and the reason why. It was inevitable his history would hit the news at some point. The panel knew that recent candidate selections had ended in disaster and there would be a especially keen focus on their choice for Tauranga. And yet, they still chose Sam Uffindell. When the news broke, I immediately pictured that photo of National’s four Tauranga candidates, standing on the beach and grinning like a centre-right barbershop quartet. Why didn’t National’s selection panel just pick one of the other Sam Uffindells? Maybe bullying, assault, and an explusion is worthy of forgiveness. But why would the panel take the risk? What was it about Uffindell that was so special and so unique, that the upside of having him in caucus this term was greater than the downside of a potential scandal? Given National’s long list of badly-behaved men, and given their policy positions on law and order and personal responsibility, I can’t understand why the panel would pick any candidate that wasn’t 100% sqeaky clean. The selection panel let down the party leaders. They let down the National caucus. You can argue they let down the victims of his bullying by putting them in a position where they felt compelled to speak out and re-live their experiences, and actually they let down Sam Uffindell himself. Regardless of whether he lasts – and I expect he will choose not to stand in next year’s election – this will have been a hideous week for him, his family, and the people he bullied. And for what? National’s new party President says the selection process requires confidentiality but that the process could clearly be improved. You don’t say. But Uffindell’s scandal wasn’t just messy. It was unnecessary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Raynes has been reading The Prey by Tony Park and The Missing Cryptoqueen by Jamie Bartlett. She joined Jack Tame to share her thoughts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monkey Pox has been declared a Global Emergency by WHO - Dr Bryan Betty gives us the lowdown. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Way out west, Perth is enjoying its moment in the sun. The city’s mojo is positively seductive, with a fizzy sweep of fresh temptations and grand triumphs of urban regeneration, redefining the urban platter. First impressions count and one of the best ways to find your feet is to join one of Oh Hey WA’s irrepressible walking tours. Under the command of the equally irrepressible Adie Chapman, who has been operating these tours for nine years, a walkabout with Adie and her vivacious troupe of guides is a sure-fire way to get a dynamic sense of the city’s spunk and sparkle. www.ohheywa.com.au My enthralling 90 minute walking tour traversed a variety of themes, from riveting street art and storied architecture to exciting new public spaces and hidden laneways laden with libations. The enhanced presence of indigenous street art is most conspicuous and Adie led me to one of the most uplifting specimens, the spectacular rainbow serpent, slithering along the walls of a laneway. Other shining lights of urban laneway regeneration include the trail-blazing Wolf Lane (with its wondrously large murals), Brookfield Place behind St. George’s Terrace, bursting with swish culinary offerings, and the hidden gem of Howard Lane. After ripping up the asphalt, the lane’s original cobblestones were delightfully rediscovered. It’s also where you can enjoy the ultimate example of a signage-free saloon, Helvetica Bar, housed in a small brick storehouse, brimming with character and whiskies. The locals love it because they offer a bottle-keep service, whereby you can resume your intake from the same bottle on return visits to the bar. Then there’s old-school Perth that has been strikingly repurposed. Beneath the soaring archways of the majestic State Buildings, new life courses through the venerable cluster of heritage buildings in Cathedral Square. Reinvigorated as a compelling hub of retail and hospitality, the three interconnected properties sat empty for 20 years, before being reborn as COMO The Treasury and its alluring slate of hospo destinations like Petition, Long Chim and Wildflower. Best coffee in Perth? Paying homage to the building’s previous life as a post office, you can’t beat a brew to go from Telegram Coffee. Strolling down the retail artery of Hay Street Mall, Adie pointed out to me a clutch of heritage buildings, like the sublime wrought-iron blockbuster of the Savoy Hotel, awaiting regeneration. Then there’s the kitschy novelty of the London Court shopping arcade. Built for gold miner and financier Claude de Bernales, London Court was designed as an extravagant salute to Tudor England, modelled on London’s Liberty department store. makes for an atmospheric shopping arcade, connecting with Hay St Mall. At the Mall entrance, admire the clock face which is a replica of the “Great Clock” in Rouen, France. The clock chimes every quarter hour, unleashing four knights to circle the window. Meanwhile, at the St. Georges Terrace end of the arcade, the clock face is a replica of “Big Ben”, and St. George does battle with a dragon. Barflies rejoice. Over the past decade, liquor licensing changes have spawned a profusion of small bars, setting up trade and re-energising dishevelled alleys. Chic cocktail spots, cosy boltholes and speakeasy bars bubble away in their tucked away hidey-holes. Adie ushered me to Alfred’s Pizzeria, a New York gangster-style pizza bar, tucked away in a Barrack St basement, this six year old establishment has a strong and playful escapist streak – and the pizza is divine. You can order it by the slice. The drinks list is tailored to pizza consumption, with an extensive craft beer, wine, gin, whisky and rum list. Stake out Globe Bar, which has re-energised the original landmark hotel, now featuring a vertical garden, heritage brick wall, timber floorboards and supreme mural work. It’s a trendy spot for casual bites and drinks, with 25 beers on tap. In Queen Street, I loved The Flour Factory, fusing together a New York Deli with a Spanish Bodega cocktail bar across three levels of a former 100-year old flour mill. With over 150 types of gin on offer, if you’re feeling indecisive, just spin the gin wheel to place your order. The Perth City Link project has reconnected the CBD with the bohemian hotbed of Northbridge for the first time in a century in recent years. Severed by the swath of railway lines leading to Perth Station, the inner-city neighbourhood has been readmitted into the city centre’s clutch by sinking the railway tracks and undergrounding the bus station, reclaiming over four hectares of high quality public spaces, including the enticingly designed, art-filled meeting place of Yagan Square. Northbridge has long been a popular playground for night owls, home to many of Perth’s best nightclubs and ethnic eateries. The hospo scene is constantly resetting the table, but some of the local stars in the line-up include Joe’s Juice Joint. Off the laneway and down the stairs, this rock ‘n roll den b

Sustainability expert Kate Hall shares her tips for how to second hand shop and donate clothes more sustainability. You can read more on her blog. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is quite extraordinary, how often I come across gardeners that are complaining about having a very wet garden. In many cases they are dealing with a residual “wetland”!!! In our history, land owners and farmers simply hated these wet lands and they went to extreme efforts to drain the living daylights out of them… As luck would have it, I have just read a brand-new book about New Zealand’s WETLANDS: Life in the Shallows, by Karen Denyer and Monica Peters. This book does not just describe the many facets of wetland research and the people that do the hard mahi, out there in those shallow waters, it also covers the history of wetland habitats in Aotearoa. The coolest thing is the Mātauranga associated with wetlands. My goodness these habitats were important to Maori for soooo many years. Wetlands have always been recognised as the nurseries for Kai Moana and the sources of food in both fresh water and sea water and everything in between. The most awful statistic in the book is that we have just 10% of all our wetlands left. The rest has been “tidied up” by land owners who have always considered wetlands to be a pain in the proverbial and a messy, wet, unproductive form of land. Homo sapiens have always wanted a clean, regular, tidy and orderly piece of land; Have you noticed how Nature is always “messy”? So if you have a piece of land, or a garden that has nice wet patches, what can you do to turn that into a classy habitat for native wetland organisms; my immediate thoughts are “plant some wetland plants” I contacted Karen Denyer to find out if there are some common sense plants that would make a good cover for wetlands; I mentioned the usual features: flax, Ti Kouka, Kahikatea, red tussock and Carex species, with mahoe, Manuka, swamp coprosma etc on the somewhat drier patches… Without hesitation I got a severe telling off from Karen (which I expected): “If you put this sort of thing on the radio, we’ll end up with McDonalds wetlands all over the place”; Oh how I loved that description!!! Every wetland is different: North differs from South and East from West Soil types are other important factors that determine how a wetland looks and operates River/Stream origin or salt/Brackish water. Acid or alkaline. Lowlands or alpine wetlands Wet and deep (Aquatic), Lake edge (Emergent), Swamp or Fen (Saturated), Marsh or swamp edge, occasionally flooding (Moist), rarely flooding (Dry). Each of these conditions has its own suite of suitable plants Information on which plant to use in which region: Your regional Council, Local City Councils, DOC offices, and the local Botanical Society are all good sources of local information. And then there’s another fabulous wetland book: Wetland restoration: a Handbook for New Zealand Freshwater Systems Wetlands are extremely important for our Planet… and certainly for Aotearoa. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Industry: a new season of the British drama about a group of young graduates who venture into in the cut-throat finance world during the recession following the 2008 financial crisis (Neon). The Resort: A married couple's relationship is tested on an anniversary trip to a tropical paradise that unexpectedly pulls them into a strange unsolved mystery from 15 years earlier (TVNZ+). Woodstock 99: a docuseries about the anniversary Woodstock concert on 1997, which rather than peace and light, involved four days of rage and riots (Netflix) LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon's spending spree continues - now purchasing iRobot. They've spent $1.3 billion (in cash) to purchase the company who makes the Roomba vacuum cleaner. The company will be folded into the Amazon devices group. When the markets are down from historic highs, even paying a 22% premium means you are still kind of getting a bargain. Analysts say they've purchased the Roomba for 'context' - they want to know as much about us, and our homes as possible. It's valuable data. Your vaccum cleaner knows the layout of your house, when it changes, and using its front-facing object-detecting camera what the furniture items are. Did you just buy a crib, well, your vacuum cleaner might know that. You may be waiting longer for the next version of iPadOS iOS and iPadOS typically launch at the same time in September, but Bloomberg is reporting this year the iPadOS version may be delayed. They'll still launch the iOS version in September, but are having troubles getting the new Stage Manager feature right. That will allow you to have clusters of applications, more like a Mac or PC desktop interface. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant are names I’m sure you recognise but it’s Chelsea Lane’s name you should remember. The Kiwi went from being a physio in New Zealand, to working with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, to becoming Vice President of the Atlanta Hawks franchise. Chelsea even made history in her role as head of performance at the Golden State Warriors – becoming the first woman to hold the position in the NBA’s history. She’s since made the move back home and has been snapped up by Basketball New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bistro chicken with mushroom, bacon & tarragon cream sauce A bistro is, in its original Parisian form, a small restaurant, serving moderately priced and uncomplicated meals in an unflashy setting. The food that’s served is typically French home-style cooking, slow-cooked food that is comforting and not extravagant. Simple creamy deliciousness, this chicken dish never fails to have me in raptures. Serves 2 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 whole chicken legs 1 onion, finely diced 2 rashers streaky bacon, diced Handful of button mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons dried tarragon 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard ¼ cup white wine (optional) ½ cup vegetable or chicken stock ½ cup creme fraiche ½ teaspoon sea salt + grind of black pepper Heat oil in a medium pan and fry the chicken pieces until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan. Fry the onions and bacon for 5-7 minutes, until the onions have softened and the bacon has given up its fat. Add in the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes then pop the chicken back into the pan. Add the tarragon, mustard and wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in stock, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche and seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes until it’s lovely and creamy. Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper. Serve with roasted or mashed potatoes, pasta or rice and a simple green salad. Nici’s tip: Sour cream will work in place of creme fraiche. Use bone in thighs or drums if you can’t find the whole leg. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francesca Rudkin has been watching Bullet Train and The Many Saints of Newark. Rudkin said the movie Bullet Train is driven by Brad Pitt's performance. She said it's an interesting film because there's no narrative or plot; "it's big, dumb fun". The Many Saints of Newark has been released on Neon and is divided into two parts. Rudkin says if you're a fan of the TV drama The Sopranos, you should check this out. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Milne was moved this week reading about the Topp Twins and the brave pictures of them having their cancer treatment. So much so, he has the idea: putting Lynda and Jools' "Untouchable Girls" back at No 1 on the charts. Milne said it seems the perfect song for the moment. "Wouldn't it be magnificent, just to help them through this terrible time in their lives, if their greatest hit just re-emerged as the top song." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sprint. Lunge. Sweat. It was entirely predictable, of course. Guy Heveldt nailed it on 1News last night. Every time it rolls round, he said, we always insist we don’t like the Commonwealth Games. ‘They’re a relic! They’re outdated! Who wants to see us whip Rwanda in the Badminton, anyway?’ But then, in the midst of a tough winter, with Covid knocking us about and all sorts of economic pressures, all it takes is a few medals in a few off-Broadway sports and we’re right onboard with the Commonwealth Games. They’re like a chilled-out Olympics where we win more. What’s not to love?! But of all the Commonwealth sports, there’s one in particular I’ve loved watching this week. Sprint. Lunge. Sweat. It does what a great individual sport should do. First of all, it’s mostly rational. It’s simple. It’s the kind of sport that kids could invent in the playground. You can explain the fundamental rules in about 25 seconds and if you haven’t seen a match since the last Commonwealth Games, no drama! You’ll pick it up in no time. Sprint. Lunge. Sweat. Secondly, it blends raw athleticism and short twitch power with endurance, and technical skills. You can’t just be fast. You’ve gotta’ be able to last. You can’t just have endurance. You’ve gotta’ be super quick. You can’t just be fit, you’ve gotta’ have incredible hand-eye coordination, creativity, and flair. Sprint. Lunge. Sweat. Finally, it’s a sport that attracts players from a diverse range of countries. If you consider the top five players in the World Rankings, for each of the men’s and women’s games, there are players from Egypt, the U.S, England, Peru, and New Zealand. Five continents. Sprint. Lunge. Sweat. It just seems so obvious to me. And sure, maybe it’s because I’m a weekend battler with secret athletic ambitions. But I reckon there’s something in it for everyone. Forget surfing and E-Sports, squash needs to be at the Olympics! Think about it. A glass court only costs a couple of hundred grand so it’s a lot cheaper than a velodrome. And it’s so versatile. In Egypt each year, they set up courts in front of the great Pyramid of Giza. You could do that anywhere. Imagine watching Olympic squash on Copacabana Beach or next to Shibuya Crossing. What a spectacle! LISTEN ABOVE Sprint. Lunge. Sweat. For me, the highlight of these Commonwealth Games was seeing Paul Coll vanquish his demons of four years ago. The Greymouth whiz sprinted. He lunged. He sweated. He gasped. He yelled. He smeared his greasy palm down the back wall to try and get a better grip on his racquet. He trailed. He led. He dived. He sprinted. He lunged. He sweated. He endured. And ultimately, he triumphed. Knowing that unlike athletes in many other sports, the squash players won’t have the opportunity to compete at an Olympics, made New Zealand’s squash success that much more special. The Commonwealth Games don’t matter, you reckon? No one told Paul Coll.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estelle Clifford gives her review of Kiwi legend Tami Neilson's new album, KINGMAKER. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House of Fortune – Jessie Burton The House of Fortune is a glorious, sweeping story of fate and ambition, secrets and dreams, and one young woman’s determination to rule her own destiny. Armored – Mark Greaney Joshua Duffy is a Close Protection Agent—a professional bodyguard—and he’s one of the world’s elite operatives. That is, he was until his last mission in Lebanon. Against all odds, Josh got his primary out alive, but the cost was high. Josh lost his lower left leg. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s fair to say Big Little Lies became one of the most talked about TV shows of 2017 and the woman behind it all just happens to live across the ditch. Australian author Liane Moriarty has gone on to sell more than 20 million copies of her books worldwide. Her latest, Apples Never Fall, is bringing her to New Zealand as part of writers' festivals in Auckland and Christchurch. Liane chats to Jack Tame on her success to date and what it's like learning Nicole Kidman's a fan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hannah McQueen from enable.me chats to Jack Tame about whether the criticism of the Reserve Bank this week is fair. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Candy: Jessica Biel and Melanie Lynskey star in this crime drama about a 1980s Texan housewife and mother who did everything right - until she is accused of murdering her neighbour (Disney+). Surface: An American drama. After suffering a traumatic head injury that leaves her with serious memory loss issues, Sophia embarks on a quest to piece her life back together. However, she realises that the people who are helping her may not have her best interests in mind (Apple TV+). The Secrets She Keeps: a second season of the Australian psychological thriller about two women from different walks of life who both have explosive secrets in common (TVNZ+). LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have established plants, make sure the beds are weed-free. It allows the asparagus roots to benefit from all the nutrients that are in the soil. In July, you cut off the old fern stalks and lay them flat on the asparagus bed – it makes a good cover. Next job is to hunt for some good sheep manure. I have plenty in the Halswell Quarry. I lay it out in a heap and go over it with the lawn mower to break it all up into fine bits of sheep poo, which will be worked into the top layers of the soil. (not too deep, as you may damage the asparagus roots) Next a nice layer of Agricultural Lime (not dolomite lime) to slightly raise the ph. If needed, a layer of good compost over the top (or some rotted sea-weed). You’re now getting the picture that asparagus likes a lot of organic matter and not much competition. When the plants start throwing up asparagus “spears” some regular liquid fertiliser (seafood soup/seaweed tea) keeps the plant producing till Christmas. If you want to COMMENCE growing asparagus, NOW is the time to start the project. Choose a variety; they’re in shops now: Jersey Giant: produces large spears; the flavour is sweet when the tips are small. Mary Washington: a popular early-season asparagus, widely grown throughout the country. Sweet Purple: a neat-looking dark red or purple variety with a sweet taste when young. Generally, only available as seed from catalogues. Prepare Choose a position in full sun. Create a nice, well-draining bed – at least 40 cm deep. The better the soil, the better your plants will grow. Cultivate the soil to a spade depth (or more) and add heaps of organic matter like compost or sheep’s poo and dags, ground up. Leave to settle for a month or so prior to planting. Plant when it’s not too warm in the day (morning or evening or cloudy, dull day) Mature crowns are available as dormant plants over winter, they are a much quicker option than growing asparagus from seed. If planting quite a few crowns dig trenches in the soil to plant in. Plant crowns with their roots facing down 15cm deep and 30cm apart. Rows should be spaced at least 50cm apart. Cover with good soil. Shoots will appear as the soil warms in spring. Don’t harvest any spears in the first year or two, to allow the plants to spread out and perfectly establish themselves; believe me: your patience will be rewarded with many, many years of good crops! Keep the soil moist but not wet as asparagus crowns will rot in waterlogged conditions. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In celebration of toasted sandwiches and the recent announcement of the 2022 Great Toastie Takeover winner - Rotorua’s Okere Falls Store and Craft Beer Garden (Okere Falls Store and Craft Beer Garden) ‘Get Smoked, Pickled + Toasted’ creation – I’m going sweet with my toastie. My BHC - Banana, hazelnut & cinnamon/chocolate toastie 2 slices brioche, buttered 1 small banana, sliced 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, crushed Pinch of cinnamon 2 squares chocolate dark chocolate, grated or chopped – optional Heat pan to medium. Lay one piece of brioche in the pan, buttered side down. Top with banana slices, hazelnuts and cinnamon. Grate over chocolate. Top with second slice of brioche, buttered side up. Cook until golden brown then flip. Resist pressing down on the brioche – we want it to stay light and fluffy - and cook until golden. Slice and eat! LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.