RNZ: Saturday Morning

With high rates of youth unemployment and ongoing global uncertainty over oil prices, the country is braced for what is likely to be a challenging Budget later this month.

What's the worst career advice you've ever received? 

One of Ireland's best loved writers, Roddy Doyle is in NZ for the Auckland Writer's Festival. He pops into the studio to speak with Susie ahead of his first appearance this afternoon. From his breakthrough novel The Commitments, which was adapted into a major film, to his Booker Prize-winning Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, Roddy brings working class Ireland to life. Last year he crossed over from Booker Prize winner to Chair of the Booker Prize Judges. His latest book is Life Without Children.

Five years ago San Diego-based housewife Jen Sherman changed her family of four's diet completely. She swapped ultra processed foods for health benefits, which include more energy and weight loss, a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and other serious health conditions in the long-term. Jen stocked up on fish, meat, cheese and fruit and started making graphs and keeping spreadsheets to chart progress and money spent. She writes about her progress on Substack and talks to Susie about the power of individual choice to make a difference.

Kate Bowler wants us to stop trying to be happy. She's a Duke University professor, bestselling author and host of one of America's most loved podcasts on grief, faith, and meaning. After being diagnosed with stage four cancer at just 35 years old, Kate began questioning the cultural obsession with positivity, success and the idea that everything happens for a reason. Her new book Joyful Anyway explores a different possibility - that joy isn't something we achieve once life is perfect but something that can exist alongside grief, uncertainty and disappointment. She speaks with Mihingarangi about how we can all find joy.

It's day two of the WSL (World Surf League) in Raglan and someone who knows the Manu Bay swells very well is multi-national title holding surfer Daniel Kereopa. Daniel has dedicated his life to pushing the limits, riding all types of waves in a variety of ways. He's mana whenua and along with his partner Renee, Daniel runs DK Surf School in Raglan. He talks to Mihingarangi about why the WSL is so important to their tightknit community.

The push for a ban on social media for under-16s has been paused despite both National and Labour supporting it. Several other countries are moving to restrict young people's access to social media, following Australia's lead. Meanwhile, new research shows children who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to develop depression and anxiety as teenagers. Dr Chen Shen from Imperial College's School of Public Health manages this large-scale Study of Cognition in Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP) and joins Susie Ferguson from London.

Cult expert Dr Christine Marie found herself in the unique position of becoming an FBI informant and taking down a cult leader - somewhat by accident. Alongside her filmmaker husband, they documented the process in the Netflix mini-series Trust Me: The False Prophet. But long before the documentary, Christine was herself a survivor of cult-based human trafficking. She talks to Mihingarangi Forbes about how that experience went on to shape her groundbreaking research into victim-blaming, public shame and media trauma.

Considered one of the most influential voices in contemporary literature, Rebecca Kuang's latest novel draws on her lived experience.  

New family drama Caterpillar explores the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship. It's the feature film debut of star Anais Shand.

Citizens of the World Choir includes refugees from around 30 different countries and showcases the power of music to unify and create positive change.

Scientists are now forecasting hazards on timescales from decades ahead to literally minutes before impact. But how accurate can those forecasts really be and how do you prepare for events that are inherently uncertain?

Could you survive 804 days in an Iranian prison? Australian academic Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert did after being detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard while trying to leave Tehran. Now she's warning that state hostage-taking - often called "hostage diplomacy" - is on the rise and says governments need to take a much tougher, more coordinated response.

Award-winning play Playfight explores the difference between rough sex and sexual assault - inspired by the Grace Millane case.

Why do some people think it's okay to talk and eat loudly during a movie? Or to call out during a performance? 

Dame Valerie Adams is a five-time Olympian, mother of two and ambassador for the annual Jammies for June campaign, giving a voice to those who need it most.

Sam Wild is a passionate hunter, award-winning spear fisherman and underwater cameraman who says everyone should be brave when it comes to wild food!

Award-winning journalist Eugene Bingham tells two stories - Te Pahi's story and his own! Te Pahi is the extraordinary true tale of the first influential Maori leader to cross the Tasman. Te Tai Tokerau rangatira Te Pahi's curiosity about the Pakeha world forged alliances, saved lives and ultimately cost him his own. Eugene is one of Aotearoa's most respected investigative journalists and an internationally acclaimed podcaster. He's an athlete too! Eugene has completed dozens of marathons and ultra-marathons. Nowadays, though, he's more likely to be at the start line of a 5km parkrun. Since 2021, he's been learning te reo Maori, mostly at Te Wananga o Aotearoa, with the goal of re-introducing the language to his whanau. His book is The Chief and the Empire and he talks to Susie about why stories like this are so important today.

Could you survive on a desert island? Award-winning writer Francesca de Tores did just that - except it was by choice, doing research for her new book, Cast Away. She put herself in the shoes of marooned Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk (the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe) who was abandoned by his own shipmates on a remote, uninhabited island with only wild goats and cats for company. Cast Away asks the question - who are you when everything is stripped away? Francesca tells Susie what the experience taught her about herself.

What is it about history's wicked women that is so riveting? Why should difficult and different instantly mean dangerous? Irish-Indian poet Nikita Gill is taking back the fairy tales, Greek and Hindu myths, challenging our ingrained fear of the 'difficult' woman as hard and callous, not nurturing or maternal. Instead she's giving them a shift of perspective to bring some of literature's most maligned or underwritten female characters out of the shadows. She talks to Mihingarangi about how powerful women would be if we only protected and helped each other and why "softness" in women is often another way of men telling them to be quiet. Nikita has nearly 850,000 Instagram followers worldwide for her work and has written seven poetry collections and two novels. Her latest book is Hekate which she'll discuss at the Auckland Writer's Festival.

Australian single mum Catie Gett explains how to feed your family well on an ever-stretching budget.

In just a matter of weeks stalking will officially be a crime in New Zealand. Roughly one in five women and one in fifteen men are victims. 

Médecins Sans Frontières' Head of Programmes is calling on the New Zealand government to do more to protect the international rule of law. 

James Hayes is on the cutting edge of medical technology innovation but he doesn't describe himself as a tech expert. Instead he says he's an educator at heart and so he makes some of his company's software 'open source', meaning it is free for anyone in the world to use. The Christchurch based former physics teacher speaks to Mihingarangi Forbes about how he's helped thousands of midwives through virtual reality and how his latest project will give hospitals another option to use instead of CT scans.

Following the success of his Netflix series, Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd tackles more tough subjects.

Why are broad beans traditionally planted on Anzac Day? And how can you make your own compost full of beneficial microorganisms? 

Despite missing the top of his beak, Bruce the kea is the alpha male at Christchurch's Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Professor Ximena Nelson explains how Bruce's innovative behaviour has challenged their perceptions of what's possible.  

You'll know him as Dr Chris Warner from Shortland Street, but actor Michael Galvin is also an award-winning playwright. His latest, War Hero, is inspired by the 1939 autobiography of Archibald Baxter, a conscientious objector during World War I.

The astonishing story of twin sisters born in rural China - one grows up with her family, the other is snatched away, caught up in the machinery of the state's one-child policy.

Journalist and author Jimmy Thomson believes there is one group of soldiers who have been overlooked: the combat engineers or ‘sappers'. It was their job to clear the way for others to follow and Thomson says that makes them the first ANZACs.

Geoff Stear was a young medic in the British Army when he was sent to the Falkland Islands as part of a military clean-up operation. It would leave him with lifelong PTSD. A dog named Charlie helped him get his life back.

Our favourite book worm, Kate de Goldi, is back with the latest books she can't put down. 

Whether you're unleashing your inner-self or alter ego, dressing up is life-long fun for many of us! 

Do you wish you could perform better under pressure? Sports psychologist Ant Williams says mental resilience can be learned and applied to our everyday lives.

It's that time of year when many of us head in for a flu shot but what about the shingles vaccine?

Communities today often feel more polarised than united. Philosopher Peter Boghossian is teaching students how to navigate differences of opinion.

From the Boxing Day tsunami to devastating earthquakes, TVNZ's first Asia Correspondent Charlotte Glennie has covered some of the biggest stories. 

Josh Silver gave up his career as an actor to become a mental health nurse. He also spends some of his time writing critically acclaimed Young Adult fiction.

He's considered one of Ireland's greatest living novelists - and he's planning to step into comedy.

Shipping companies have gone into emergency meetings following news from Iran saying the Strait of Hormuz will be open during the ceasefire in Lebanon.

How to reset your money mindset and find financial freedom. The founders of Hi Money help women build a healthier relationship with money. 

What if I told you, you can fall asleep in Sicily and wake up in the centre of Rome? That's the reality of sleeper trains, something travel writer Monisha Rajesh is obsessed with.