Afternoons

It's time for Mayoral minutes, 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 Western Bay of Plenty in the North Island - where you'll find Waihi Beach, Katikati, and Te Puke and from where Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer joins Emile.

Space it seems, is no longer the final frontier, in fact it's rapidly becoming an adventure holiday option for billionaires. As we saw with Space X's IPO launch, people are very interested in the idea of setting up a base on Mars and even what asteroid mining could look like. But how does that actually all work? In a place where the laws here on earth don't apply - is space just finders' keepers,...

A new short documentary, Stoat's Last Stand, tells the story of Waiheke Island's ambitious community-led effort to eradicate stoats from the island. Seven years into the project - the group is seeing incredible success with native species returning - and their mahi is attracting attention from conservation groups around New Zealand and the world. Aaron Cluka was inspired to tell their story after...

Following the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's resignation last night, the UK is set to get its seventh Prime Minister in ten years. Seven different leaders in a decade reflects one of the country's most politically turbulent periods in modern history. As one BBC commentator said, if you go back 40 years it would be unthinkable to have such a high turnover of Prime Ministers in such a short t...

Ralph Jackman thought he'd seen plenty during a career that took him from the war in Bosnia to the world of elite sport. But nothing quite prepared him for his first day as a teacher at Melbourne's Parkville Youth Detention Centre, when a student threatened to kill him. Teaching the boys inside gave Jackman an education of his own. He came to see young offenders not as headlines or statistics, but...

Let's talk about what's good to watch on the smaller screen now - actor Michelle Langstone is with Emile to share what she's been watching. Tip Toe - TVNZ+ Tea with Judi Dench - Neon [picture id="4JMS88I_tip_toe_webp" crop="16x10" layout="full"] 

It's time for our weekly Expert Feature, where we get an expert in their field to answer all your questions. Today we're talking about drug smuggling in New Zealand, and the people who police it. Despite our remote location, New Zealand remains a surprisingly attractive market for organised crime groups, with customs officers regularly intercepting everything from methamphetamine and cocaine to ca...

It's time to head across the Tasman to discuss some of the stories hitting the headlines with our correspondent Brad Foster [picture id="4JN17VV_AFP__20260614__2281485310__v1__HighRes__AustraliaVTurkiyeGroupDFifaWorldCup2026_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Joining Emile to share her thoughts on the game so far and what we can expect from the next half is Former Football Fern and current Head of Girls Academy at Auckland's Western Springs Football Club, Katie Rood.

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. [picture id="4JO9WD2_Jesse_and_Wallace_Silly_jfif" crop="16x10" layout="full"] 

Would it surprise you to learn that New Zealand's workplace fatality rates are way higher than other developed countries? And by way higher - we mean twice the rate of Australia and five times that of the UK. That's according to the annual ACC injury report that came out in the last few days. To discuss why and what could be done to change our death and injury rates, Emile is joined by Chris Peace...

During last week's 'scrutiny week' - where the Government opens its books to review department spending and performance - the spotlight fell on NZ defence spending and capability. At the select committee for foreign affairs, defence and trade, it was revealed that our army's land combat capability has fallen to 45%. The picture's not that much better at sea, where we're sitting at 57% of our 'wate...

We're going to keep you right across the All Whites game against Egypt which is happening as I speak, so don't have any worries about missing out. But we're starting the show talking about the Conservation Amendment Bill. This passed it's first reading at Parliament last month, and is currently out for submissions from the public. But there seems to be a lot of confusion about exactly what this Bi...

Wallace Chapman and Emile Donovan 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.

Nicola Toki and Emile discuss this week's critter of the week, which this week is the frilled shark. The frilled shark is classified as At Risk - Naturally Uncommon in Aotearoa New Zealand. It's a deep-sea specialist that turns up only occasionally in trawl bycatch, but its fossil ancestors once swam in shallow seas around the Chathams 66 million years ago. Instead of a swim bladder, the frilled s...

Winter is here and with it often means the arrival of mould - but don't despair, cause help is here, in the form of Rachael Quin from The Housekeeper.

The RNZ podcast Country Life celebrates all things rural, speaking to the New Zealanders who live and work in some of the most beautiful parts of our country. You can hear these stories on RNZ National every Friday night at 7pm, and Saturday morning at 7am and of course wherever you get your podcasts. Here to tell us what's on their show this week is producer Anisha Satya.

Martin Bosley joins Emile to share this recipe. You can replace the prunes with fresh dates if you wish, just make sure both have been pitted before using them. You will need a pie dish with a removable base about 20cm in diameter. Recipe below! Prune and Mascarpone Tart with Port Syrup Serves 12 600g Prunes or dates, pitted 100g Raw sugar 750ml Port 500g Sweet Pastry - store-bought is fine 60g Ca...

Afternoons film critic Dominic Corry is with Emile to share what's on at the cinema (all of which are new in theatres this week): The Death of Robin Hood Glenrothan Toy Story 5

It's time for Freaky Friday, the home for all your spooky and unexplainable stories. We've had UFO sightings, ghostly encounters, eerie coincidences. If you've got a spooky story we'd love to hear from you - email afternoons@rnz.co.nz or text 2101. Today we're speaking with Jenny

For most Aucklanders, the natural disaster fear that's front of mind is a tsunami or volcano awakening...but actually it's earthquakes that should top those worries. That's because recently, a faultline close to Auckland was found to be more active than previously thought .. and could in fact, create a magnitude 6.8 earthquake if it ruptured. Here to discuss this and other earthquake related disco...

A quickly spreading, destructive exotic seaweed was found off the coast of Whangarei for the first time this month. It's the latest battle in a war that's been going on since caulerpa was first found in New Zealand waters five years ago. Here to find out how that fight is going is Barb, a trustee for Northland's Conquer Caulerpa. [picture id="4K8NFA7_20250420_134153_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"...

Another popular Auckland music venue is closing - struggling to continue in the current economic downturn Despite sold out shows - 'Neck of the Woods' on Auckland's iconic Karangahape Road ...will close its doors next week after 11 years It's the latest blow for Auckland's music scene, independent record store Flying Out, just off Karangahape Road, has also announced its shutting up shop. Director...

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.

A chance for a balanced discussion about the week that was. Jesse is joined by Tim Batt, Dane Giraud and Dr Lara Greaves. This week they look at Matthew Hooton's appointment at The Post, if politicians have the right to humiliate critics in their Facebook comments, whether the media loves TOP so much they are over-covering them and is there too much "cultural correctness" at New Zealand events? [p...