Afternoons

It's time for Mayoral minutes .. our weekly 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. Today we're heading to the Buller District from where Mayor Chris Russell joins Jesse.

It's currently half time at the SoFi stadium in Los Angeles where the All Whites are taking on Iran. Joining Jesse in the Auckland studio is one of RNZ's biggest football fans .. producer Malorie Carey .. she's there to chat about how the game is going.

'Wellness is coming' That's the message printed on a piece of A4 paper taped to an upstairs window of a shuttered Auckland pub. Edinburgh Castle sits on Symonds Street in central Auckland .. it's been there for 160 years, and it's fair to say has a somewhat checkered history. But its future could be brighter with Kiwi music legend Neil Finn buying the place, with plans to set up an inner city well...

Is there anything better than a good hamburger? Or anything more disappointing than a bad one? Here to share some tips on making the best burger you can, we're joined by George Motz, an American TV host who has been called 'the foremost authority on hamburgers" by the New York Times. George Motz will be in New Zealand in August where he's a judge at the Wellington On a Plate Festival.

Bottom trawling is back in the news as Parliament's currently considering an overhaul of our fishing rules. Around 70% of our fish is harvested via bottom trawling, but the technique is considered controversial because of the damage it does to the sea floor. Critics argue the Fisheries Amendment bill weakens environmental protections, but Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones says those cr...

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

International trade used to be a subject reserved for farmers and exporters. Most of us rarely thought about it as long as the cars kept coming and the shelves were stocked at the supermarket. The system seemed to work. But recent years have shown how quickly tariffs, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions can affect prices, jobs, KiwiSaver balances and economic security. Dr Chad Bown,...

Afternoons TV Critic Claire Chitham reviews what's good on the smaller screen. This week she looks at: Rivals - Season 2 - Disney+ Under Salt Marsh - TVNZ+

Our Australia correspondent Brad Foster joins Jesse to share the latest on the shark attack that took place over the weekend at Sydney's Coogee Beach.

This Sunday, the 21st of June, is the shortest day of 2026. And this year, Eat New Zealand is encouraging Kiwis to mark it with what they're calling "The Shortest Meal" The challenge - which on the face of it sounds simple -is to eat one meal made entirely from New Zealand grown ingredients. Eat NZ Chief Executive Angela Clifford joins Jesse to tell us more about it.

Nauru the world's smallest republic - is located in the Pacific, just over four thousand kilometres northeast of Auckland - and it could soon have a new name. Last month the island's Parliament unanimously backed a name change proposal and soon locals will get a chance to have their say in a national referendum. Here to tell us more about it is Steven Ratuva, the Pro-Vice Chancellor Pacific and Di...

Here on Afternoons we're all about celebrating people doing great things. And our next guest fits that bill brilliantly. A Hawkes Bay man is using his 3D printer to manufacture colourful custom wheelchairs to get kids with mobility issues moving. It gets better - he's paying for the whole thing himself. Louwrens Burger chats to Jesse.

We're going to start the show talking about milk .. more specifically gene edited milk .. and whether you would be happy buying, and drinking it. over recent years scientists have been exploring whether gene editing can deliver dairy cattle better able to cope with warmer temperatures while producing fewer methane emissions. Which all might sound great in the lab - but will shoppers want it? Here...

Every Friday Nicola Toki and Jesse chat about a Critter of the Week. A creature that needs some attention! This week they turn their attention to the orange coral fungus. Coral fungi are also known as clarvarioid fungi - and really do look like coral.

Stan Scott is with Jesse to chat about building a deck - the do's and don't's, the materials and the regulations.

Friday means food here on Afternoons. This week Olivia Galletly, aka The Hungry Cook, joins Jesse to share her recipe for spiced chicken and rice.

Afternoons film critic Kate Rodger is with Jesse to talk about Disclosure Day and The Christophers (both in cinemas now).

It's time for Freaky Friday - your home for spooky tales. If you've had an interaction with a ghost, witnessed some unexplained lights in the sky, experienced a premonition or something soo freaky we don't even have a word for it, send us a text on 2101 or email us at Jesse@rnz.co.nz Today we're joined by Jo.

The trailer for a new survival thriller starring Brad Pitt has just dropped, and it looks good. Possibly because it was filmed entirely in the South Island. That got us thinking about what goes into bringing a large international film production here, and what the Kiwi economy and tourism industries get out of it. Joining Jesse is New Zealand Film Commission's Head of International Attraction and...

Do you think children should be sorted into classes based on academic ability? A recent study from the UK says streaming is beneficial - but with some big caveats. Proponents say it's great for pushing the kids in high classes, but objectors say it means kids in the lower levels don't get the chance to reach their potential. Joining us to talk through the pros and cons is University of Canterbury'...

We have more than 20 video streaming platforms available to us in New Zealand .. and honestly we think it can be hard to keep up witht them all. HBO Max launches in New Zealand next week, so we thought it would be a good time to find out what streaming platform has what, which offers the best bang for you buck .. and why on earth there are so many different places to watch telly! To help Jesse is...

There's been a lot of talk recently about young men and their wellbeing, largely thanks to controversial influencers like Andrew Tate, who pushes messages of masculinity, saying that women belong in the home, can't drive, and are a man's property. You might have heard of online trends like 'looksmaxxing' and "red pill blue pill' all very much aimed at males. In New Zealand a local charity is doing...

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Our weekly segment where we discuss the big issues of the week. This week Jesse is joined by Tim Batt, Dane Giraud and Dr Lara Greaves.

Let's talk about your money now personal finance expert Mary Holm is with Jesse to discuss whether KiwiSaver is leaving people behind.