Matt Heath & Tyler Adams Afternoons

Sir Ian Taylor joined Simon Barnett and James Daniels to talk about RAT test kits and the truth of working with the government.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Anthony Jordan is the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre’s clinical director and one of our leading immunologists.  As we enter the Omicron phase he offered us more advice on how we can prepare including the various masks that at available. He joined Simon Barnett and James Daniels to answer listeners questions about COVID-19.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

A Waikato couple's fairytale wedding was pulled together in just a few hours following yesterday's announcement that New Zealand was headed back into the red traffic light setting. With just a few hours' of warning, Waikato couple Stef and Danyon Cuneen were married last night. Vows were written on the back of real estate leaflets, a hairdresser was summoned from her hangover, and a dress was proc...

Matthew Hunt's mother says she couldn't have asked for a better son. Eli Epiha has been sentenced to life in prison, with a non-parole period of 27 years for fatally shooting Hunt last June in Auckland's Massey. In July, a jury was convinced he tried to kill two officers that day -- finding him guilty of attempting to murder Hunt's partner, David Goldfinch. Matthew's mother, Diane, told the High C...

Will Jordan has been one of the most talked about rugby players in 2021, with his natural flair and x-factor making him an international superstar.   A product of Christchurch Boy’s High School, he was a member of the 2017 New Zealand Under 20 side that went on to win the World Championship. His eye-catching form in the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup season saw him help Tasman to their first ever premiership t...

Consumer NZ is adding new criteria to its product rating scores. Lifetime performance scores will include reliability and repairability. This is the biggest change to the consumer watchdog's rating in 50 years. Many modern appliances worked well when they were new, but some of them were not built to last according to Consumer NZ product test manager Paul Smith. He joined Simon Barnett & James Dani...

Wellington Business Editor Hamish Rutherford joined Simon Barnett and James Daniels to discuss BusinessNZ's decision to withdraw from the Government’s Fair Pay Agreements scheme. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gareth Abdinor is an Employment Lawyer and Partner with Malley & Co solicitors. He regularly joins Simon Barnett and James Daniels to answer all listeners' employment related questions. Today, he answered questions about surveillance in the workplace, vaccine mandates and termination after a workplace injury - among other things. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns over the use of the Glyphosate were back in the news last night. An Official Information Act request made by 1News revealed transport agency Waka Kotahi planned cutbacks to the controversial weedkiller's use along public roads. Simon Barnett and James Daniels spoke with leading agricultural academic Dr Jacqueline Rowarth. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Luxon has long been hailed as a potential future leader, including by the likes of National's former Prime Minister John Key.   Previously known for leading Air New Zealand as its Chief Executive for six years, he rose quickly through the National Party ranks to become the party’s new leader this week.   The new National Leader was Simon Barnett and James Daniels' guest for this week's...

Dr Riley Elliott is one of this country’s most renowned Shark scientists.   Known as Shark Man, he’s back on our screens with a new show called Shark Academy, where he and his crack team of instructors put 8 rookies though a series of tests to find the next master of apex predators. It’s streaming now on ThreeNow.   Dr Elliott joined Simon Barnett and James Daniels to chat about the show and take...

Niki Bezzant is an award-winning wellbeing writer, speaker, commentator, editor of Thrive magazine and Health editor for Woman magazine. She’s made a successful career from her passion for food, health, nutrition, and wellbeing. Every second Wednesday Niki takes your questions and calls on everything nutrition, food, and health. This week we had some great questions on getting rid of a pot belly,...

Christopher Luxon has formally been elected National Party leader and Nicola Willis elected as deputy. His election was confirmed in a statement at 3.30pm. "It is a tremendous privilege to lead our great party, and I thank my colleagues for the confidence they have placed in me," Luxon said. He said Willis would "do an incredible job and we will be a formidable team". Barry Soper joined Simon Barn...

Dr Anthony Jordan is the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre’s clinical director and one of only two Maori immunologists in Aotearoa.  His motivation working with the vaccination programme is ensuring equal access for all Māori to both the vaccine and to informed korero about why getting vaccinated is the best way to protect whanau and the community from COVID-19. He joined Simon Barnett an...

A new book examines why all governments ‘stuff up’, why policies often fail and what practical steps we might take to improve policy-making in Aotearoa New Zealand. University of Canterbury Adjunct Professors Sonia Mazey and Jeremy Richardson lift the lid on policy-making in the new collection Policy-making Under Pressure: Rethinking the policy process in Aotearoa New Zealand, published by Canterb...

All Black captain Sam Whitelock, head trainer Nic Gill and assistant coach Brad Mooar are set to ride bikes for 24 hours to raise money for Bowel Cancer Prevention. The three are taking on the challenge of peddling for 24 hours on a stationary Watt Bike while in MIQ after returning from the All Blacks Northern Tour yesterday. They're doing it for All Blacks logistics manager Kevin "Chalky" Carr, w...

The face of a Kiwi is, by and large, a natural one. Compared to other parts of the world such as Europe, China and the US, we're a down-to-earth bunch - our age lines and imperfections are all right with us. But as Botox and fillers become more commonplace, plastic surgeons and cosmetic doctors are warning that without changes to legislation, the bubble may be about to burst on our cosmetically un...

Singer-songwriter Jon Stevens is recognised as one of the most talented rock musicians to emerge from Australasia.  His solo career took off in 1980 when, at the age of 16, he topped the New Zealand charts with his first two singles. His commercial success didn’t stop there, as Jon went on to front Sydney rock band Noiseworks, who released three platinum studio albums.  Jon went on to perform in t...

Former National leader Judith Collins has left the building. She fled Parliament this afternoon... after losing a no confidence vote at the hands of her caucus. Despite this, she told media she was feeling very good. She says it's a really hard job and she's done everything she possibly can.. and wishes everyone well. In a tweet, she says she will stay on as the MP for Papakura and will contest th...

The Reserve Bank has today hiked the official cash rate by 0.25 per cent to 0.75 per cent. Last month the official cash rate was lifted from a record low 0.25 per cent. That 25-basis-point hike was the first for the RBNZ in seven years. The Monetary Policy Committee noted that "further removal of monetary policy stimulus is expected over time given the medium term outlook for inflation and employm...

Gareth Abdinor is an Employment Lawyer and Partner with Malley & Co solicitors. He regularly joins Simon Barnett and James Daniels to answer all listeners' employment related questions. Today, he answered questions about breaks at work, individual contract negotiations, enforced leave and vaccine status - among other things . LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker joined Simon Barnett & James Daniels to discuss where we are with COVID-19 after the announcement of the upcoming removal of the Auckland border. He explained that he feels there are too many holes in our approach and we need more checks and balances. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Cindy Kiro has held a myriad of prestigious roles in health, research and social services over her career including Chief Executive of the Royal Society Te Aparangi, Children’s Commissioner, Head of the School of Public Health at Massey University, and Pro-Vince Chancellor of the University of Auckland.   She was sworn in as New Zealand's Governor-General on October 21 becoming the first Maor...

Niki Bezzant is an award-winning wellbeing writer, speaker, commentator, editor of Thrive magazine and Health editor for Woman magazine. She’s made a successful career from her passion for food, health, nutrition, and wellbeing. Every second Wednesday Niki takes your questions and calls on everything nutrition, food, and health. This week we had some great questions on olive oil, calories and weig...

Dr Anthony Jordan is the Northern Region Health Coordination Centre’s clinical director and one of only two Maori immunologists in Aotearoa.  His motivation working with the vaccination programme is ensuring equal access for all Māori to both the vaccine and to informed korero about why getting vaccinated is the best way to protect whanau and the community from COVID-19. He joined Simon Barnett an...