RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan

Jesse Mulligan is joined by The Panel host Wallace Chapman and producer José Barbosa to preview this evening's marlarky.

It's time to talk money matters with Mary Holm and today we're going to focus on an issue many New Zealanders are grappling with are you a financial failure if you don't own a home? A recent survey of New Zealanders: (By One Choice) shows half who don't currently own a home are not even somewhat confident home ownership will be achievable for them. But does that matter?

Today for the letter "G" we're heading into the great outdoors and taking a closer look at our Great Walks 

Culture 101's Perlina Lau and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson join Jesse.

We're starting a new segment today called 'You're the Judge' where we present both sides of an issue and you, our audience, decide who is right.

Christchurch indie band There's A Tuesday just returned from a 10-day residency in Seoul and bandmates Nat Hutton and Minnie Robberts tell us more. 

We've celebrated the achievements of several young Kiwis this week, but how about a scholarship to one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world? 

Back in June we interview a Bluff local about the town's daunting search for a new town crier.

Retail crime is back in the news which got us wondering if crime in New Zealand is getting more brazen - and if so, how can we stop it?

Time for Our Changing World, and we're catching up with Claire Concannon, who has been looking into the different energy sources New Zealand, and what this might look like in the future.

Kedgeree is an Anglo-Indian classic, though traditionally served for brunch, it makes a brilliant one pan dinner. Lentils make this version a little different, the addition of lentils makes my kedgeree richer and more texturally satisfying. Crispy fried shallots or onions to top it before serving adds fantastic crunch. Full recipe is here

Pat Barrett shares tales from his South American adventure. In May 1982 three young kiwi travellers set out to explore South America on their own terms with no other knowledge of this wild and mysterious continent than that gleaned from the travel 'bible' of the day - The South American Handbook. Unbeknownst to them, their adventure began in a time that has now been lost to the annals of travel history: a world with no internet and no instant communication.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know Taylor Swift has got engaged to American football player Travis Kelce. Now, RNZ might not seem the place for talk of Taytay .. but she is an undeniable cultural force, news of her engagement hit the headlines the world over .. her two-year-long Eras tour was the most lucrative tour in music history, raking in 2 billion dollars. So what is about her that makes her such a global sensation? Rachel Knight is a Swiftie of some 15 years and chats to Jesse.

This Saturday, High Street in Christchurch will transform into a barbeque lover's idea of heaven. The 'Fire on High' food festival brings the city's best chefs together for a day of top-shelf street food, all cooking over fire on custom-build barbeques. Rod Thomson and Josh Hunter from Food by Fire are two of the organisers behind it. Rod is the company director and Josh is their executive chef.

The International Biology Olympiad is one of the most prestigious science competitions for pre-university students in the world. This year it was held in July in Quezon City in the Philippines, and four Kiwi students went along to represent New Zealand. Astonishingly, all four returned as medallists, including Oren Dabbach who won silver, ranking him 73rd globally. Oren joins Jesse.

On farm harvest refers to the practice of killing animals on the same land on which they were raised. Only a few farms in New Zealand are certified to do this however practitioners say it is in the best interests of both the animals and the consumer. Deborah Pead has built a career in public relations but for almost 25 years she has also been developing a family farm business with her husband in Kaipara, just north of Auckland. Named Danbri Farm, after their children, today they run it with their son-in-law James Birch.

The first rule of Bite Club is that you don't really want to join. Dave Pearson started Bite Club about 12 years ago after surviving an attack by a three-metre-long bull shark off the coast of New South Wales. He found himself isolated and misunderstood. People make jokes and accused him of being cruel to sharks. So, he started the Bite Club for people who have lived through attacks by apex predators including crocodiles and lions. There are more than 500 members of Bite Club, including some Kiwis. Pearson reflects on what it takes to relearn to trust the ocean and each other.

Convicted triple murderer Erin Patterson is back in front of the court, and the cameras, for her sentencing trial, which is also a chance for victims to read their impact statements. Friend of the show Brad Foster is keeping an eye on developments for us. He chats to Jesse about this and other issues hitting headlines across the Tasman.

There's a theme in today's book recommendations all of them are non-fiction and all of them are written by women, but our critic says that shouldn't stop young, not so young, women and men reading them. Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School's Catherine Ross is with Jesse. Today's books: For Ages 11+ Normal Women (Young Readers Edition) By Philippa Gregory For Ages 13+ The Ancient Guide to Modern Life by Natalie Haynes A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern For Ages 14+ Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wyn-Williams

Panels Executive Producer Jose Barbosa is with Jesse to share a couple of his favourite podcasts both of which have a supernatural or paranormal vibe to them. Uncanny : BBC Audio Uncanny - Season Four Sasquash Chronicles: (49) Sasquatch Chronicles Episodes - YouTube

This Friday is Daffodil Day, the Cancer Society's annual appeal for donations, and this year the Chief Executive says Daffodil Day feels more urgent than ever. One in three New Zealanders will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and of course, the disease doesn't just affect them, it extends to family, friends, and anyone close to them. Leading the campaign this year is Mandy Evans.

The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind with this next story. For more than two years the Otago Harbour Port to Port ferry has advertised an option for passengers to "add a sheep" to their ticket. It was added to the website in jest, but on Saturday, a joke became reality. Port to Port ferry operator Rachel McGregor chats to Jesse.

The story today of homeowners who say they have been dupped by a Wellington based construction company has highlighted the potential fishhooks for those needing building work done. So what should homeowners be mindful of when getting building and construction work done? John Tookey is Professor of Construction Management at AUT and talks to Jesse.

Human despair today is driven less by economic hardship and more by the breakdown of strong, healthy communities that begin with strong healthy neighborhoods. This is the view from street level from Chris Arnade. 15 years ago, he walked away from Wall Street, and now he spends his time taking buses and walking in cities around the world. He's currently in Australia. He sends dispatches from his travels for his Substack, Chris Arnade Walks the World. He says if we improve neighborhoods, we can improve the world.

We thought it was time for a deep dive into our dairy industry The dairy industry has been dominating headlines recently. 

As regular listeners will know, we like a cold call here on Afternoons, a chance to add a little suspense to the day.

Claire Chitham is with Jesse to talk about her viewing recommendations: Smoke - Apple + Hostage - Netflix

An injured kiwi snacking on some tasty looking worms has become an online star. 

The Women's Rugby World Cup kicked off over the weekend and across the 32-match tournament 375,000 of the 470,000 tickets have already been sold

Auckland-based charitable trust Story Store collects second-hand children's books and distributes them to school libraries.

We don't know about you, but everywhere we look at the moment there is sickness.

It's National Poetry Day - a nationwide eruption of words, voices, and creativity - and also the day for Afternoons' Poetry Day Competition. Poet and author Tracey Slaughter set the challenge of six words and six lines. The words were windscreen, flax, sanctuary, audio, ultraviolet and return. There was an avalanche of entries, but there can only be one winner. Here is the winning poem, congratulations Lavinia! Ultraviolet sky brushes the rooftops, windscreen mirrors a face she does not recognise. Flax twists through the restless wind, audio of absence presses against her ribs. Sanctuary is the lie she repeats, return to herself is an echo she can't answer. Thanks to all the poets who entered.

Critter of the Week is our chance to put the spotlight on some of our endangered creatures. This week we're turning our attention to jaw moths, they're considered to be the most primitive living moths, dating back to a time when flowers weren't around. That's not only what makes them special - they have magnificent hair, as the photo shows! Forest and Bird Chief Executive Nic Toki chats to Emile.

Most pet owners will tell you that in an ideal world you'd spend all day with your four-legged friend, but in reality, life and work can often get in the way. Well, Australia is looking to do something about that with potential new laws that could see dog owners having to spend at least three hours with their pets every day - regardless of any other commitments. That got us thinking about the best environment for your pets; dogs, cats, chickens and hamsters. Megan Alderson from Auckland's The Strand Veterinarian is here to share her views.

It's National Poetry Day which means it is Afternoons' Poetry Day Competition ... earlier in the show we gave you six words and asked you to send us your poem, Poet and author Tracey Slaughter has been reading and assessing the entries .. and is back with me to annnounce the winners .. Oh and as well as getting your work read out on radio, winners will get the 2025 Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 'Breath" as well as an Afternoons tote bag.

Connie Clarkson is the manager of Auckland Council's The Kitchen Project and earlier this year was named as one of Aotearoa's Top 50 Women in Food and Drink. Connie pointed out to us that the world caters for couples; twin share tour packages, supermarkets bundle product and loaves of bread. Things that often seem to cut singles out. But single households are on the increase, and reportedly single portion "ready to eat" meals are one of the highest growth items on the shelf. Connie joins Emile Donovan to show that a whole chicken is not just for couples or families. Recipes are here and here

Kate Rodger chats to Emile about Naked Gun and Workmates.

Time for Freaky Friday, our weekly showcase of your spooky stories, baffling mysteries, and eerie co-incidences. If you have a Freaky Friday story to hare - 2101 on the text or afternoons@rnz.co.nz via email, please remember to include your number. Today we're joined by Leigh.

It's the 30th anniversary of the convention which celebrates all things pop culture. In a time where events and festival like these are less and less financially viable, how is it that Armageddon has kept the wheels turning for three decades? Is the world of comics, TV, anime, and gaming far less niche than we think? The founder of Armageddon Expo Bill Geradts is with Emile.

New Zealand's Dorothy Butler was an internationally recognised advocate for children's literacy and ran her first bookshop from her home while she and her husband raised their eight children. A recipient of the Margaret Mahy Award, Dorothy died at the age of 90 in 2015 but her legacy continues with The Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop, situated for the last 40 years on Jervois Road in Auckland's Ponsonby. A familiar fixture for many parents, children and schools, it has weathered the challenge of digital reading on screens, determined that as many children as possible should have the pleasure of opening a book and being drawn into its pages. Change is afoot however - at a time when bookshops - and retail in general - have been doing it tough, the current owners have decided to pass Dorothy's mantel on. The shop is up for sale. Helen Wadsworth is one of the co-owners and she joins Emile. Go here if you are keen to know more

It's National Poetry Day - a nationwide eruption of words, voices, and creativity. Regular listeners of Afternoons will know that for us it means its Afternoons' Poetry Day Competition. Here's how it works, poet and author Tracey Slaughter is here to share the six words for you to use to create a poem. The poems must include: - Windscreen - Flax - Sanctuary - Audio - Ultraviolet - Return You have until 2pm to send it to us at afternoons@rnz.co.nz or 2101 on the text machine, then after three Tracey will be back with the winner of the competition.

Fonterra has agreed to sell its consumer businesses to French multinational dairy company Lactalis - the world's largest dairy outfit. The proposed $3.8 billion sale still requires approval from Fonterra shareholders and if it goes ahead, would include Mainland, Anchor, Kapiti ice cream and milk powder brand Anlene. Forsyth Barr Senior Analyst Matt Montgomerie discusses with Emile Donovan.