RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan

Did you know we have nine mistletoes native to New Zealand? Meet Peraxilla tetrapetala, the endemic red mistletoe! They are especially slow growing and rely on birds such as tui and bellbirds for pollination and seed dispersal. The flowers have an explosive bud opening mechanism triggered by birds when they try to get to the nectar inside. Unlike its overseas cousins, this mistletoe is endangered due to possum browsing, habitat decline and low bird numbers and should not be collected!

Weekend stuff with Lynda Hallinan

Manager of Auckland Council's Kitchen Project Connie Clarkson joins me now with a divine sounding dish. The recipe is here

Our critic Dom Corry shares his picks from the latest crop of new releases. Avatar: Fire and Ash, released in theaters this week. The Housemaid, which is in theaters Christmas Day.

On Monday we spoke with the director of 'The Age Of Disclosure' about his new documentary on UFO's .. which are now officially known as UAP's or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. Loads of you got in touch with your own theories, and stories. Including Peter Hassall, he's the author of 'The NZ Files' - a history of UFO sightings in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The irony of course is that despite it being the season when people come together to break bread and party, it's also an increasingly stressful time for many. And what do you do when you're stressed? You call Chris Parker. Chris is withe Jesse to share his Christmas survival guide.

Could human tears be the key to diagnosing Parkinson's disease? Well, that's what some New Zealander researchers are trying to find out. Parkinson's disease affects more than 12,000 New Zealanders and is the fastest-growing chronic neurological disorder in the world. New Zealander researchers are leading a world-first study looking at tears and the role they might play in early diagnosis of Parkinson's. Dr Victor Dieriks Senior Research Fellow at University of Auckland and the lead researcher for this study.

It's been a huge week in New Zealand sport - but not so much for action on the field. This morning news broke of the resignation of New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenick, which comes less than 24 hours after Netball New Zealand announced CEO Jennie Wyllie has quit. RNZ sports reporter Dana Johannsen has been across it all and joins Jesse in the studio to discuss.

Time to talk money matters now, personal financial whizz Mary Holm is with Jesse and today she's looking at mortgages and whether it is better to pay them down or invest.

It's time for A-Z of Aotearoa, where we take you through a subject that plays a huge role in New Zealand life. We're working our way down the Alphabet from A for Aviation to Z. This week we officially cross the halfway point with the 14th letter of the alphabet - N We considered Nuclear Free, The Nikau Pine, and the NZX, but we landed on N for Northland or Te Reo Maori Te Tai Tokerau. Home to just over 200,000 of us, or 16 people per square kilometer, as well as places like Ninety Mile Beach, Kai Iwi Lakes, Bay of Islands, and our tallest tree Tane Mahuta. Sometimes referred to as the Birthplace of the nation, its history stretches all the way back to the 13th century. Ralph Johnson and Peter De Graaf chat to Jesse.

It's time to talk about the topics clogging up your group chats, the conversations offering respite from Christmas chaos. It's our last chat of 2025 so we've got the whole gang together, Culture 101's Perlina Lau, film critic Kate Rodger and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson. Today they talk about: the BBC versus President Donald Trump, voice messages and highlights of 2025.

The country's first on-site 3D-printed home has been built in South Auckland's Waiuku While a small number of 3D-printed concrete houses have already been built in New Zealand, this is the first one to be constructed entirely on-site. The four-bedroom house was built layer by layer using a computer-controlled concrete pour. The result is being billed as an energy-efficient, durable home constructed in a fraction of the time and with minimal waste. Amcrete director and experienced Master Builder Kirill Ilin talks to Jesse.

As diagnoses of autism and ADHD rise, more people are thinking about how their homes can better support neurodivergent needs The aim of neurodivergent-friendly design is to help reduce stress and improve mood and focus. Eddie Page is an Australian architect and co-founder of firm Maxwell & Page. He speaks to Jesse.

A huge study has been underway to find prime locations for underwater turbines, which are powered by the tides - something known as Tidal Stream Energy. As it turns out, the Cook Strait might be the perfect place, and researchers estimate that Aotearoa could produce up to 93 percent of the electricity it currently using methods like underwater turbines. To give us his reaction, Craig Stevens, Professor of Physics at the University of Auckland chats to Jesse.

Today marks an important anniversary in New Zealand's aviation history. 75 years ago today, the ribbon was cut on Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand's first international airport. President of the Aviation Historical Society of New Zealand Reverand Dr Richard Waugh joins Jesse for a bit of a history lesson.

Our Changing World's Claire Concannon joins Jesse to share some exciting news about the Kakapo Files.

Bear Grylls has done some really hard things; fighting off a boa constrictor in a flooded ravine, drinking liquid from elephant dung in the dry Savannah, climbing Mount Everest. But the world-famous adventurer, survival expert, and former British Special Forces soldier says the hardest thing he's ever done is writing a book about the life of Jesus. He takes the Bible's story of Jesus and, without altering the facts, reimagines it as a modern thriller. It's written in the first person from the perspectives of five people who knew Christ best. The book is called, The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account, Bear Grylls

Kelly Gibney joins me to chat all things food and share a recipe. You can find the recipe here

Music 101 producer Tony Stamp suggests some songs to listen to: Sharon Jones: How Do You Let a Good Man Down Gnonnas Pedro and his Dadjes Band: Feso Jaiye

Time for heading off, our weekly travel segment, where you share your adventures and offer any tips or tricks to wannabe travellers. Today we're off to the home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee with RNZ newsreader and producer Angie Skerett.

Samoan comedy legend Tofiga Fepulea'i has been named the New Zealand Comedy Trust's prestigious Topp Prize recipient for 2025 Tofiga has been entertaining audiences for over 20 years. He first rose to stardom as one half of The Laughing Samoans before going on to tour solo both here and overseas, delighting audiences with tales from his old-school Samoan upbringing and life as a Pacific Islander in New Zealand. He joins Jesse.

The concept of 'Last One Standing' or 'Backyard Ultra' events is simple but some might say, brutal. Participants run a 6.71km loop once an hour starting on the hour and they must complete the loop within an hour. This goes on hour after hour, day after day, until one runner is left standing. The West Coast is the latest region to host a 'Backyard Ultra' event, organiser Maggi Forsyth joins Jesse.

This is the last week of work for many of you, which might mean your attention turns to a summer camping trip. We are very fortunate to have 325 Department of Conservation campsites around the country and lots of them are about to experience their busy season. Manaia Armstrong is a DoC ranger in Mimiwhangata, Northland, part of his job is to look after the Waikahoa Bay Camping site. He joins Jesse to share tips and tricks to make camping better, and easier, for all.

Currently the Department of Conservation gives out permission after a process that includes filling out paper forms and supplying maps with trapping areas marked. In comparison, hunting permits can be obtained by completing an online form on the DoC website, and approval is almost automatic. After criticism from hunters, the permits to trap feral cats could be replaced by a similar online system. Victor Tindale, a hunter trying to tackle feral cats first-hand chats to Jesse. A link to RNZ journalist Farah Hancock's investigative series Feral is here.

This week Katy Gosset looks at the property market, and meets two friends who have pooled resources in order to make owning a home a reality.

The Danes have hygge, a cultural inclination to try to make things cosy. In Finland, they have a very different cultural trait called sisu, a quiet, inner strength drawn from surviving hardship. Dr. Elisabet Lahti has spent years studying this Finnish concept, and in 2018 she put it to the test, running 2,400 kilometers across New Zealand to research sisu and promote nonviolence. She's the founder of the Sisu Lab and says anyone from any country can learn to have courage in the face of adversity.

As vigils for victims are held and more information about the alleged gunmen of the Bondi Beach attacks is revealed, Sydney residents are still reeling from the event. Brad Foster joins Jesse to offer a local perspective.

The Critter of the Week merchandise that some of you lovely people have purchased has raised more than four thousand dollars for conservation charities. So we asked you to send us an email with why your community organisation should get some of the funding .. we've had lots of lovely messages, including one from an organisation called Haehaeata Natural Heritage Trust.

The Panel producer Tessa Guest is with Jesse to chat about what podcasts she's enjoying and is keen to share with us. Tape Notes, hosted by John Kennedy Deep Water, hosted by Lydia Gard

An 81-year-old Gisborne great grandmother has joined the DJ line-up for this years' Rhythm & Vines festival Molly Pardoe aka DJ SuperGran will debut with a ten minute set.

If the Gold Coast theme parks are a little too spendy for you right now .. and you can't face the crowds at Rainbow's End .. fear not .. an Auckland dad might have the solution for you. Bjorn Burton, has listed his designer playhouse for sale - with the standard features... a sandpit, slide, climbing ramp - but wait for it, it also has a twenty-metre roller coaster, something he designed and made himself. Bjorn chats to Jesse.

Hundreds of Papamoa residents are fighting back against a council proposal that they help pay for their own road repairs. Seven streets are set for roadworks in January, but because the streets are considered "low-volume", Tauranga City Council has opted for chipsealing, rather than asphalt. After locals voiced their opposition to that idea, the Council came back with an offer: You want asphalt, you can pay the difference. Dr Daniel van der Walt, senior lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Canterbury and Phillip Brown is the Chair of the Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers Association talk to Jesse.

It's official .. the foreign buyers ban, which has always seemed to attract commentary - both good and bad - is changing. Policy changes to the foreign buyers ban were suggested in September and on Friday, at 11pm in Parliament, those changes became permanent under the Overseas Investment Act. We noticed the new law hadn't got much media attention so we wanted to spend a few minutes working out what it means for NZ. Cotality NZ chief property economist Kelvin Davidson is with Jesse.

Here Now is an RNZ podcast hosted by Kadambari Raghukumar, it focuses on the journeys people make to New Zealand, their identities and perspectives, and how that shapes their lives here. In this week's edition, Kadambari reflects on some of Here Now's best conversations in 2025.

For years, it was easy to dismiss talk of UAPs, Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, formerly known as UFOs. But director and producer Dan Farah argues that moment is over. In his new documentary, The Age of Disclosure, he speaks with 34 high-level figures from the U.S. government, military, and intelligence world who say non-human intelligent life has already made contact, and a global race is underway to reverse engineer the technology involved. The film makes clear this isn't the age of fringe speculation anymore; it's a turning point. The Age of Disclosure is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.

Vigils are being held around the world to pay tribute to the victims of the Bondi Beach attack - who range in age from 10 to 87. 15 people were killed after two gunmen opened fire at an event to mark the start of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday. One of the alleged gunman was also killed, while the other alleged gunman is in a critical but stable condition in hospital. Australian officials are describing it as a targeted, antisemitic terror attack. Australian Darren Isenberg, a director, self-described positive influencer and a member of the Jewish community, joins Jesse.

Our telly critic Dominic Corry is here with me to share his picks: Pluribus - Apple TV Malice - Prime Video

From multivitamin gummies to creatine and collagen powders... it can feel like we're being bombarded with products that promise more energy, better sleep, and glowing skin But are these supplements actually worth taking or are they a waste of money? We've asked Dr Prabani Wood, Medical Director at The Royal NZ College of General Practitioners and Hamilton GP to break it down for us.

Marine scientists say New Zealanders want to engage with ocean issues but doing that is getting harder. Knowing what information to trust online is getting more difficult, and that's why Veronica Rotman has established NZ Ocean News. Veronica is a marine scientist and PhDcanidate at the Univeristy of Auckland; she joins Jesse to explain what NZ ocean News is and how you can access it.

There is remarkable video footage of an Australian man tackling one of the Bondi shooters you can watch it on rnz.co.nz His act of bravery is being lauded right across the world and quite rightly. People who risk their lives to help others are a special breed. Over the weekend, 10 such New Zealanders received Bravery Awards for their acts of heroism. One of them was 23-year-old Hamiltonian Hayden Paul Cornwall, he joins me now.

Australian officials are describing the deadly attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach as a targeted, antisemitic terror attack. Police say the two people behind the shooting were father and son. The father has died, the son is in critical condition in hospital. Vigils are being held around the world to pay tribute to the victims, who range in age from 10 to 87. Friend of the show Brad Foster lives in Sydney, he chats to Jesse about how locals are reacting.

Jesse and Forest and Bird's Nicola Toki discuss this week's critter of the week is the beautiful and emblematic Turbott's Weevil. These large, flightless and nocturnal weevils were likely once widespread throughout mainland New Zealand but are now confined to predator-free islands like Aorangi Poor Knights Islands. Not much is known about their biology, and their small population means they are considered 'At Risk' in the New Zealand Threat Classification system. They are also one of a handful on invertebrates listed as protected under the Wildlife Act.