Saturday Morning with Jack Tame

Dame Lynley Dodd is a staple of Kiwi childhoods. The beloved children's author is best known for her Hairy Maclary series, the first of which was released over 40 years ago. She's sold millions of books worldwide, and just this week she was honoured at the New Zealander of the Year Awards. Dodd was granted the Legacy Award for fostering a love of literature in generations of children. While she admits it sounds a bit silly, Dodd admits to feeling slightly guilty at the level of acclaim and the legacy she's built. “Well I obviously, I think, been spending all these years thoroughly enjoying myself producing these books,” she told Jack Tame. “It sounds a bit, you know, I've been indulging myself, and I have, doing these things, but no, it's been great fun.” Dodd's love of wordplay and language stems back to her childhood, as her parents were, in her words, much into words, and there was an “awful lot of fun” with language in her home. “Both my parents were fond of books, and also fond of fun, and so, you know, obviously there were serious times as well, but there was a lot of fun with words,” she explained. “My father and I used to make up games, make up sort of imaginary animals and all sorts of silly things and have nonsense conversations about them.” The language used in her home was also a contrast to the things she was given to read at school, which were “incredibly old-fashioned". “There were, you know, millions of gnomes and fairies and bits and pieces, and it was talking down kind of language,” Dodd told Tame. “And I got a bit bored by those books, and it was only much later on, when I met books like Dr Suess', I suddenly realised you could be mad with language and have a fantastic time.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our parents are some of our biggest influences. It was Kevin Milne's birthday last week, and also the anniversary of his father's death, and it got him thinking about the influence fathers have on their sons. This is compounded by the release of Louis Theroux's Manosphere documentary, which reinforced to him the importance of a positive male influence in a child's life. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gorillaz have returned with their ninth studio album. The Mountain was recorded across a range of locations, primarily India and London, and draws heavily from the Indian classical instrumentation, pairing it with the group's eclectic electronic and pop influences. It features performances in multiple different languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish, and Yoruba, with themes of death, grief, and the afterlife threading through the album. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts on the release. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Look What You Made Me Do by John Lanchester What if the year's most talked about TV show was all about your marriage? Kate, thirty years into her marriage, has a seemingly idyllic metropolitan, North London life. Phoebe, a young screenwriter, is the creator of the year's hit TV show, Cheating. When Kate's world takes a darker turn, she thinks she sees details and intimacies in the show that only she and her husband Jack could possibly have known. But who has betrayed who? Who gets to tell whose story? A black comedy of resentment and entitlement, Look What You Made Me Do is the story of two very different women from two very different generations, heading toward a battle only one of them can win. A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Steadman Western Australia, 1958. A truck rumbles along a lonely outback road. A moment's inattention, and in a few muddled seconds the lives of the MacBride family are shattered. Instead of leaving them to heal, fate comes back for them in a twist of consequences that will cause one of them to lose their life, and another to sacrifice theirs for the sake of an innocent child. Set in the expanse of a vast and flat landscape, where the weather is a capricious god and a million-acre sheep station is barely a dot on the map, A Far-flung Life explores the hearts of a handful of isolated souls and the secrets they shield in order to survive. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The weather could not have been a more idyllic. I was basking in the brilliance of Lake Taupō aboard the glorious replica steamboat, Ernest Kemp, as were several dozen guests from all over the world. Cruising the great lake for over 40 years, this gorgeous little vessel that accommodates 50 guests, began life in Kerikeri, named in honour of the last member of the Kemp family to live at Kemp House. A massive and damaging flood in the Kerikeri Inlet in 1981 prompted the sale of this shallow draught vessel, and Ernest Kemp began a new life feeling the lake's freshwater on its hull, a year later.: "For a complete change of pace, I was itching to rock some of Taupō's much-vaunted mountain bike trails. And they won't disappoint." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kiwis are struggling with their health and wellbeing in the workplace. Umbrella Wellbeing has released its annual report into the state of workplace health and wellbeing, which surveyed over 11,000 people across 33 workplaces over the last two years. It found: More than half the workplaces surveyed struggle to support staff wellbeing and mental health About 25% of workers were experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress – the main things affecting this were a mixture of personal and work factors including: Not getting enough sleep Their workplace not prioritising mental wellbeing Not getting enough leisure time Poor diet Bullying or harassment at work 12% of people's productivity at work was explained by a mix of personal and work factors including Not getting enough physical activity during the day High workload Not being clear about their role at work Poor sleep Overall, this shows a picture of how people's personal health and features of the work environment combine together to impact people's wellbeing and their job performance. A couple of examples from the past few years that highlight this relationship: A tragic case from 2016 investigated a tractor driver who had an accident while driving in the early hours of the morning, leading to his death. It was revealed that fatigue was the key contributing factor in this case, given that he had worked almost 200 hours in the fortnight before his death, including a 17-hour workday the day that he died. In Australia, a police officer suffered from PTSD after witnessing some traumatic incidents. The stress associated with this led to an increase in stomach acid secretion which led to development of a gastrointestinal disease and later the development of cancer. Sadly, some of the policeman's coping personal coping strategies including drinking and smoking made the situation worse. So what can be done? It's a partnership between individuals and their workplaces. Things like sleep and diet are largely in the control of individuals, but given these things impact on people's productivity at work, workplaces might want to consider how they could support people in these areas, e.g., making sure healthy food is available rather than lots of junk food, supporting people to get their sleep patterns checked for things like sleep apnoea. Workplaces are directly responsible for some of the other factors like workload and bullying in the workplace, so they need to address these to both protect the health and wellbeing of their people and make sure they are getting maximum productivity from their workforce. In the past many workplaces have split off workplace and personal health risks, treating them as separate. Our results and the couple of examples I've given show how important it is to think about how these two factors combine together and the need to look at workplace health from a holistic point of view. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 21 March 2026, beloved children's author and creator of Hairy Maclary, Dame Lynley Dodd joins Jack to discuss being honoured with the Legacy Award at the New Zealander of the Year awards and the lasting impact of her work. Jack considers when secret identities should be kept secret. Kevin Milne reflects on the influence of fathers on their sons after watching the latest documentary from Louis Theroux, Inside the Manosphere. Two Hollywood heart throbs lead Francesca Rudkin's film picks. Plus, Ruud Kleinpaste chats getting your bulbs ready. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seeing as it's getting towards autumn, a number of bulbs need planting in the garden - I'll pick on a few of them. Tulip Fabulous early spring colour – remember the historical stuff with the Dutch making heaps of money out of often virus-ridden “varieties” (early 1600-s AD) – around Fl 3000.00 per bulb while the average yearly wage of a skilled craftsman was around Fl 300.00. The bubble burst in 1637 AD. These days they are a bit cheaper and more reliable. They grow well in the South Island with very cool winters – up north they need winter chilling (taking out of soil and put in fridge for 8 weeks). In mild climates it pays to plant later in the year, say May/June. But in the South Island, planting the bulbs can start in a few weeks; order them now! Some great bulb outlets: Bulbs direct, Garden Post, NZBulbs, Fiesta Bulbs, and Hadstock Farm in Springston. Work the soil to 20 cm deep in sunny to semi-shade position (generally bulbs prefer well-drained soils). Plant 15 cm spaced and 15 cm deep. In warmer climates, plant them a bit deeper (20 cm deep). A bit of mulch over the planting site will keep weeds down. Bulb fertiliser is recommended and after flowering some blood and bone will feed the green leaves. Do NOT cut those green leaves after flowering: they gather sunlight (photosynthesis) for re-stocking the food reserves inside the bulbs underground. Narcissus Daffodils Prep the soil to 40 cm or so – daffodil roots go way down! Plant them 10 cm deep and space 10 cm apart in well-drained soils (perhaps under deciduous trees). Hagley Park is a great example. Planting them in full sun is okay too. Mass planting works really well, and bulbs come up year after year and they'll multiply. Apart from the Far North, the whole of New Zealand can grow them. Leucojum Leucojum is also known as “snowflake”, and in the Netherlands it's known as the “Zomer Klokje” (summer clock). This wonderful plant has a special place in my heart: we used to have this rare and endangered native species in the wetlands where I used to roam as a nature nerd in the Netherlands. There are many different varieties now, flowering in spring, and planting is best done in early April. Must get some more! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mission Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2024, Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, RRP from $25.00 The wine: A classic Hawkes Bay red blend with the power of Cabernet framing the softness of Merlot. Flavours of blackberry and tobacco, Doris plum, Kalamata olive, and dried herb, with some smoky wood muscle. Dry, lots of texture from tannins and acidity framing a core of dark berries and plum. It's fresh, it's new, and ready to drink today or lay down for another 1-2 years. The Food: A wine for casseroles or leaner meats, excellent for lamb lollypops or a home-made shepherd's pie. This style of wine has the power to stand up to a medium-rare steak as well as the softness for sweeter red meats such as lamb or venison. The season: 2024 has proven to be an excellent year for red wines from Hawke's Bay, and frankly from throughout NZ. Lots of dry warm days when it was needed and a cooling diurnal shift in the evenings. Releasing the wines now demonstrates the power and concentration of such wines that need more time in cellar, the wine producer's cellar before release. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Government wants to be the ones who control AI regulation In a new policy document, the White House lays out seven key objectives for the singular US approach to AI. In summary, the framework places significant responsibility on parents for issues like child safety and lays out relatively soft, nonbinding expectations for platform accountability. They say centralizing the policy will remove "unnecessary barriers to innovation" and allow AI policy to reflect national security and foreign policy. Like we've seen with social media platforms, the framework also tries to prevent any state laws that make the AI developers responsible for their users' actions. When it comes to copyright, the framework leans on 'fair use'. Amazon might get back in the phone game Reuter's is reporting a project known internally as “Transformer” is looking to create a phone. The idea – you've got Alexa at home, so what about taking Alexa with you everywhere? No word on if this would run on Android, or if they'd develop their own operating system. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scarpetta With skilled hands and an unnerving eye, Dr. Kay Scarpetta tries to unmask a serial killer and prove that her career-making case from 28 years earlier isn't also her undoing (Prime Video). Crackhead Drug-addicted party-animal Frankie has blown it all up - her inheritance, her relationships, and most recently, her sister's house. It's time to go to rehab (ThreeNow). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is something about a burger that is so cheering. There's pork, crispy kale, and apple in this burger that has it all going on – flavour, texture and heartiness! Makes 2 burgers Ingredients 300g ground pork or mince (I use a food processor to break down decent pork chops) ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs 4 tbsps. milk 1 small onion finely chopped or grated 2 tbsps. fresh herbs, chopped finely (sage, parsley, rosemary, or thyme) 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Oil for frying 2-3 stems of kale, stem removed 1 granny smith, cut into match sticks or very thin rounds Slices of beetroot 2 burger buns 2 tbsps. mayonnaise 4 tsps. chill jam or similar Method Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes. Mix pork, breadcrumbs, onion, herbs, mustard, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Massage with your hands, slapping it around a bit (this activates the proteins which helps to keep the patty together), until combined. Divide the mixture in half and roll each into a ball. Flatten to discs a bit larger than your burger buns. Chill for 15 minutes. Heat oven to 170C. Massage the kale with some oil and place on a tray. Bake for 15 minutes until crispy. Sprinkle with salt. To cook the patties, fry in a pan on medium heat until well browned and cooked through. Remove and keep warm. Wipe pan clean. Swipe split buns with mayonnaise and place cut side down in the pan. Cook until browned and heated through. Assemble your burgers with mayonnaise, pork patty, chilli jam, beetroot, apple and kale. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Project Hail Mary Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory slowly returns, he soon discovers he must solve the riddle behind a mysterious substance that's causing the sun to die out. As details of the mission unravel, he calls on his scientific training and sheer ingenuity -- but he may not have to do it alone. Pillion Colin, a timid man, meets Ray, a confident biker gang leader, who initiates him into a submissive relationship, challenging Colin's mundane existence and prompting personal growth through their unconventional dynamic. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the age of the individual. The self. Generation me me me me me. An age in which each of us is encouraged by a heady mix of technological trends and cultural pressures to think of ourselves as unique and special. To treat ourselves as a brand. And in a world with every person/brand competing with everyone else, fame and celebrity is often used as a measure of status. It's as though Banksy saw it coming. When he – and just for the sake of this morning, let's assume he's a he – first started making his subversive street art in the 1990s, he decided to make it anonymously. I can't say for sure why he made that decision. Given he was graffitiing public places, I suppose the original decision might have been made for the obvious legal reason – to try and avoid the Police. But as he has grown into one of the biggest artists on the planet, with works selling for tens of millions of dollars, at some point Banksy chose something much greater. In eschewing the fame and individual recognition, he was pulling a middle finger at one of the defining phenomena of the modern age. It's not often you'll hear me whinging about a piece of investigative journalism, but Reuters published an exhaustive investigation this week, which many believe has proved Banksy's identity once and for all. And maybe it does. But though it was certainly a huge journalistic effort, on this occasion I just don't want to know the truth. It's not that I'm not a tiny bit curious. I love his work! It's probably not very cool to say that now. Banksy's not exactly subtle, and when it comes to mainstream appeal, he's probably even giving Ed Sheeran a run for his money. But he's funny. He's clever. He's political. And whether stencilling kissing coppers or a rioter hurling a bunch of flowers instead of a Molotov cocktail, he inverts our world. He's anarchic. Much of Banksy's work questions authority and oppression. Much of it pokes fun at powerful people and institutions. But among his many works, some of the very best question all of us and what we value. When I lived in New York, Banksy set up a little street stall down the road from my apartment and spent a few hours selling his works. Almost everyone assumed they were fakes, and it was only once he published a video revealing the ruse, that thousands of visitors to the Guggenheim Museum realised they'd missed an opportunity to buy artworks worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for less than hundred bucks. In one of those great moments of national pride, a woman from Taranaki realised they were legit and ended up buying two. Perhaps an even better-known example of Banksy challenging what we value was his work ‘Love is in the Bin', the incredible work that having sold for a million pounds at a glitzy Sotheby's bash, promptly shredded before the audience of stunned auction-goers. So who's the real Banksy? If you really want to know, it doesn't take much to bring up the Reuters investigation. But unless Banksy's revealed to be Elvis, Serena Williams, or King Charles himself, I for one would honestly prefer not to know. What's more interesting? A 52-year-old bloke from Bristol, or arguably the best-known living artist on the planet walking among us, unrecognised, unbothered, unharrassed, unphotographed, with a stencil and a spray can in his backpack, looking for his next wall? We fetishise celebrity. We idolise fame. Choosing to stay anonymous is maybe Banksy's greatest work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Established more than 40 years ago, the Exponents are Kiwi rock legends. They're part of New Zealand's sonic landscape – a guaranteed play at the pub, a party, or a summer barbeque. The band initially parted ways in 1999, but have periodically reunited in the years since and will be doing the same for this year's Synthony Festival. Frontman Jordan Luck told Jack Tame they're very excited about this one – they only do a handful of shows as the Exponents these days, so he's really looking forward to it. "It's going to be an amazing event.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid all the nostalgia and reunion tours of late, Kevin Milne has been battling to keep his music taste fresh. Instead of rushing to buy a ticket for Guns N' Roses or Split Enz, he picked up a ticket to Kiwi band The Beths and went along last night. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"It's been three years since I was last in Tauranga and it's so uplifting to see cranes in the sky, the glossy sheen of brand-new buildings, and the civic centre's sure-footed makeover taking shape. Fresh and inviting public spaces are continuing to unfurl across the Te Papa peninsula and waterfront. After paying my regards to the delightful Hairy Maclary and friends sculptures adorning the fabulously enticing children's playground on Tauranga's waterfront in a story book setting, I checked out The Strand Reserve and waterfront boardwalk. It has immeasurably enhanced the city centre's sense of connection with Tauranga Harbour. There's a great new sense of art-filled vitality sprouting in the city centre. A starring specimen in Red Square is the stunning public sculpture called Rauhea." Read Mike's full article. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamilton is welcoming thousands of music fans for Homegrown festival today. The festival has returned to the city it started in after almost two decades on Wellington's waterfront. More than 25 thousand people are expected at Claudelands Oval, including Chris Schulz. He joined Jack Tame from the festival to chat about this year's offering. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Better Life by Lionel Shriver Gloria Bonaventura, a divorced mother of three living with her 26-year-old son Nico in a sprawling house in Brooklyn, decides to participate in a new city programme - Big Apple, Big Heart - that would pay her to take in a migrant as a boarder. Gloria is thrilled when sweet, kind, helpful Martine arrives. But Nico is sceptical. A classic live-at-home, unemployed Gen Zer with no interest in adulthood, Nico resents the indignity of moving from his self-contained basement flat and back into his childhood bedroom. As the months go by, Martine endears herself to both Nico's sisters, while finding her way into Gloria's heart. But as Martine's disturbingly dodgy compatriots begin to show up, Nico grows only more hostile to both his mother's altruism and the 'migrant crisis' in general - though turns out to be anything but a reliable narrator himself. Rasputin by Antony Beevor When Russia's Dowager Empress was pregnant with the future Tsar, she dreamed that a peasant would one day kill her son. The idea terrified her, and for the rest of her days she ‘lived under the pressure of the prophecy'. Did the prophecy come true with the arrival at court of a mysterious, barely literate moujhik from Siberia, Grigori Rasputin? In this extraordinary portrait of an enigmatic character, Antony Beevor brings readers closer than ever before to Rasputin's scandalous life and death. Though he had no official position at court, Rasputin's hold over the Romanovs became the stuff of legend. Exaggerated accounts of political and financial corruption swirled around him, to say nothing of the stories of his debauchery with the Empress and even her daughters. The consequences of the rumor and conspiracy theories were devastating—when the February revolution broke out in 1917, hardly a sword was raised in the Tsar's defense. Through extensive use of previously unpublished reports, interviews, and interrogations, Beevor shows the truth of Rasputin's rampant lust and opportunism, victimization of poor and vulnerable women, and deep hypocrisy and corruption. Part political thriller, part gothic mystery, Rasputin is a fascinating story of human perversity. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even though everybody has to sleep, it's rare that people consider how sustainability can play a role in their bedroom. Kate Hall joined Jack Tame for a chat about a few ways you can make your sleeping environment a bit more sustainable – from the mattress to the bedding to the furniture itself. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cicadas are slowly on the wane towards the end of March. It's been a pretty Noisy March so far, typical of the regular system whereby Cicadas have a three, five, or seven year life cycle. Black field crickets (Teleogryllus commodus) are still making a heck of a noise in the late afternoon/evening, especially in the North Island and top of the South. They'll be enjoying that dodgy boy-girl party for at least another month or more! Black field crickets make their characteristic noise by rubbing their wings together (great mating calls). You won't see them often, as they hide in cracks in the soil during the day, but when the sun goes down the crickets will come to the surface to eat grasses – they can do a lot of damage to pasture and lawns, leaving bare soil around their home cracks. Control is quite hard. In the old days, farmers used wheat, soaked in Maldison, strewn over the paddock in early summer (January is the month before crickets become adults and hence, reproduce). For a lawn it might be a nice idea to pour water with a good dash of dish-washing liquid down the holes of these insects in the middle of a hot day. The crickets emerge in the noon-day sun (because the soapy water stings their eyes, I reckon) and the sun will heat the black bodies up real quick (Natue's Micro-wave oven!). Another “singer” in autumn is the Katydid (Caedicia simplex); mostly in the afternoon and early evening. It creates a rather unique noise by rubbing the edges of its stiff forewings together, like a fingernail on a comb. The noise has the quality produced by a ventriloquist – the insect “throws its voice” so you can never be sure where it is calling from. Katydids feed on garden plants, especially flowers, and they truly seem to like the roses and Dahlias that flower in autumn! They are well-camouflaged on green plants, so birds, frogs, and lizards can find it tricky to locate them. Gardeners who feel they're being “attacked” by these insects often ask if there's a way to “get them” with some insecticide… “Only when you're very good at ventriloquism” is my answer – I love them!! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 14 March 2026, Kiwi rock legend Jordan Luck joins Jack to discuss The Exponents reuniting for a special performance at Synthony. Jack champions an alternative transport option as fuel prices rise. Louis Theroux's latest Manosphere documentary is spotlighted in Screentime. Nici Wickes joins Jack live from the Wānaka A&P show. And Kevin Milne battles to keep his music fresh. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saving versus spending can be a difficult balance, especially when you don't have good habits or a plan in place. And while many struggle to save enough in the first place, are there people who take it too far in the opposite direction and save too much? Lisa Dudson joined Jack Tame to discuss saving money and how to decide the split that works best for you. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google Maps is getting a new look Google Maps is getting it's biggest update in over a decade with the launch of “Immersive Navigation”. The new view places you in a 3D space with a view of the road features, buildings and terrain around you – almost making it look like a video game. It has smart zooms and transparent buildings to give you a better look at what's coming up on your drive, including potentially tricky merges and turns, and better highlighting of things like traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. It starts in the US, and will roll out to iOS and Android devices, and CarPlay and Android Auto. A surprise reversal from Meta – Instagram chats will no longer be encrypted From May 8th, chats will no longer be encrypted. You'll have until then to download them, or I assume they'll be deleted by Meta. Meta's decision to dismantle the encryption feature comes against the backdrop of increasing concerns surrounding child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. By eliminating end-to-end encryption, the company will be able to monitor direct messages and calls on Instagram for any content relating to CSAM, grooming, or related harassment. There are lots of open questions and I'm surprised this hasn't been picked up by more outlets. What was behind the move? Are laws such as the EU's Chat Control regulation and the UK's Online Safety Act 2023 pushing them away from E2E encryption? Messenger just got E2E encryption – so what happens to that now? WhatsApp has had it for some time, and is a core feature of the product – will that also go? Could this be to do with how the services are classified under various international laws? Some odd things are happening at Meta. They are bringing Messenger back inside Facebook, effectively killing it as a standalone product and having more like the FB Messages of old. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere Louis Theroux immerses himself in the world of extreme online influencers and content creators who are redefining modern masculinity. He examines the appeal of these ideas and attitudes, and how these figures are influencing young men's values (Netflix). DTF St. Louis A love triangle between three adults experiencing middle-age malaise that leads to one of them ending up dead (Neon). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomatoes are abundant and cheap and so it's time to make the annual batch of tomato chilli jam. It is sooooo good! Makes 2-3 jars Ingredients 1kg tomatoes, roughly chopped 5 red chillies, deseeded and chopped or ¼ tsp chilli flakes 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 2 cups white sugar ½ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Squeeze of lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt Method Bring all of the ingredients to the boil and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for an hour or until the mixture thickens and becomes syrupy. Test a cooled teaspoonful for heat and ‘setting', though this jam will veer more towards runny than sticky. Add more chilli at this stage if you want it hotter and cook it for another 10 minutes or so. Spoon into warmed, sterilised jars, then seal. This will keep for at least 6 months. Nici's note: I use this on everything, in toasties, on cheese and crackers, in sandwiches, on rice, on ice cream… just joking, it won't be great on ice cream! LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

War Machine During the final stage of US Army Ranger selection, an elite team's training exercise turns into a fight for survival against an unimaginable threat. Reminders of Him After a perfect outing with her boyfriend, Kenna makes an unbearable mistake that sends her to prison for seven years. Hoping to rebuild her life after her release, she tries to reunite with her daughter, but her custodial grandparents refuse to let Kenna see her. She soon finds unexpected compassion from a local bar owner as their secret romance gives Kenna hope for a second chance. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Living in New Zealand is like sitting on the back seat of a bus. You feel cool. The view's great. But when the world goes over a speedbump, we tend to get kicked up in the air just a little bit more than everyone else. The Government says we have more than 50 days' fuel either in the country or in ships that are already enroute. That's reassuring. But as petrol prices have steadily climbed this week, I'm sure I've not been the only one wondering what agency I have in this situation. I don't know about you, but it would be really nice for our household finances to be a little less dependent on the whims and fancies of Donald Trump. Now I totally get that everyone's different and every household has different pressures and needs – I'm not gonna lecture you! But can I gently suggest that this crisis might be the perfect excuse to diversify your household transportation. One of the many reasons I hear for people not wanting to cycle is that they have kids. But in case you've not been paying attention, bike technology has come an awfully long way. Case in point: over the summer holidays I bought a Shotgun. It's a special seat which attaches to a mountain bike in the space between the rider's chest and the handlebars. It has a little harness, footrests and a bar to hold on to. And let me tell you, it is maybe the most fun you can have with a one-year-old. Yes. I ride with my one-year-old. We ride for fun through the local parks. We visit the ducks and the eels or cycle alongside the tram at MOTAT. He's right there in front of me – I can whisper in his ear as we peddle. Look, a dog! We ride for practical commuting purposes, down to the local library, down to school to get his brother, to the supermarket for some milk and a fresh crop of bananas. My son absolutely hates wearing his sunhat but the moment I pull his helmet out he starts squealing with excitement and he gladly lets me clip it underneath his slobbery chin. It's awesome. His older brother has a new bike. Well, not a new one. But a new off-Trade Me bike. He's nine and in his second-to-last year of primary school, so I'm slowly working to teach him the road rules and get him comfortable. They finally finished the contentious cycle lanes at the top of our street, which means he now has a much safer route to ride to school every morning. The Government's recent changes mean he can also legally ride on the footpath. I'm not going to pretend it's a risk-free exercise, but I ride with him and we ride carefully. And with the cycle lanes and the footpath, I figure it's a good way to build some independence and get him ready for intermediate. There's a reason that a few decades ago, so many more kids would ride to school. It's also an excellent way to avoid the traffic jam at drop-off and pick-up times outside his school gate. A couple of days a week, I take both the boys down to the local pump track and watch as the nine-year-old burns off a bit of gas. Which, speaking of, my wife and I aren't burning when we commute to work. I ride a fantastic, light, fast gravel bike. On a busy morning for Auckland traffic, I'm in the office twice as fast as I would be if I decided to drive. Nothing makes me lose my mind like sitting in traffic, so I'm in a much better headspace when I ride to work. And I'm saving $20 on parking. My wife rides an e-bike. If you haven't yet had a good hoon on one, honestly, you don't know what you're missing. For transporting a human-being from A to B, e-bikes are the most efficient powered transport every invented. By miles. Hills are a breeze. Straights are a breeze. Everything's a breeze. It's an unmitigated joy that opens up cycling to so many more people. Again, I'm not insisting cycling is perfect for everyone or every household. It's certainly not perfect for every journey. Of course not. But I am suggesting there are many of us who might be pleasantly surprised at the upsides of saddling up. I think there are probably many more of us too, who if we were honest, could probably be riding at least some of the journeys that we currently choose to drive instead. And maybe this situation is the little push you need. Whether you have an e-bike or not, cycling's obviously a lot cheaper than sitting in traffic. And trust me it's way more fun, too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barbara Dreaver is no stranger to a challenge. She's spent the past three decades shedding light on issues across the Pacific – getting locked up in Fiji, threatened in Papua New Guinea, faced natural disasters, and covered military coups and criminal activity. An international correspondent and veteran of New Zealand journalism, Dreaver's faced death threats for her tenacious pursuit of the truth. Though she normally shines the light on others' stories, Dreaver's now decided to tell her own in a new memoir ‘Be Brave'. She told Jack Tame that focusing on her own story has been really uncomfortable, but kind of cool at the same. “I'm giving people a look behind the scenes at a time when, you know, media is not really trusted,” Dreaver explained. “But I really want people to know just the sort of work and the effort and stuff that goes on behind the scenes – also a little bit of personal stuff as well.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that sunrise and dawn aren't the same thing? Kevin Milne didn't! He made this discovery rather late in life, on a recent family holiday on the East Coast. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harry Styles has released his highly anticipated fourth album. ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally' follows on from his 2022 album ‘Harry's House,' which won Album of the Year at the 65th Grammy Awards in 2023. It's a notable departure from his previous works, with heavy use of synthesisers and electronic elements – inspired, Styles says, by the music and performances of LCD Soundsystem. Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Witch Trail by Harriet Tyce Two teenage girls. One murdered classmate. And a modern-day witch trial that will divide the nation. When 18-year-old Christian Shaw is found dead in an Edinburgh park, the city reels - and the shock only deepens when police charge her best friends, Eliza Lawson and Isobel Smyth, with her murder. As social media explodes and headlines scream for justice, rumours of bullying spiral into something whispers of rituals, obsession, and a teenage pact gone wrong. Matthew Phillips, a respected heart surgeon, is reluctantly called for jury duty on the case. But as the trial unfolds - and the girls reveal a chilling defence no one saw coming - he begins to question the motives, the evidence, even his own judgement. Who's telling the truth? Who can be trusted? And what really happened to Christian Shaw? Let the Witch Trial begin . . . The Hard Line by Mark Greaney For a man who works in the shadows, a family is not just a luxury - it's a weakness. When an unknown enemy uses threats against Zack Hightower's estranged daughter to blackmail the injured operative into taking on a dangerous mission, his friend, Court Gentry, aka the Gray Man, volunteers to take Zack's place. But Court has problems of his own. He's already got an expert assassin on his trail for no apparent reason. And now his quest to protect Zack's family may drag his own family into the maelstrom. There's one lesson that Court has found undeniable: There's a reason superheroes have secret identities. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"The Bay of Plenty. Is there a more aptly named province in New Zealand? From the Kiwifruit Capital of the World to New Zealand's Avocado Capital, the region's sheer abundance of world-class fresh produce is quite exceptional. All the more reason to celebrate its plentiful produce, the enterprising growers and the stellar culinary verve coursing through the region. Introducing Flavours of Plenty, the region's headline foodie festival which roars back into life over eighteen delicious days, kicking off on April 16th. This year's bash marks its fifth outing, and the festival has fast cemented its credentials as one of New Zealand's very best festivals on the culinary calendar. Strung right across Coastal Bay of Plenty, from Waihi Beach to Whakatāne, there's a stack of lip-smacking events to sink your teeth into. On a recent visit to the region, I enjoyed a taster of the festival, which included some superb encounters with some of the region's growers." Read Mike's full article here. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a SuperAger and how do you become one? A SuperAger is someone over 80 with an excellent memory, particularly for everyday events and personal history. What we know about them: They produce twice as many young brain cells as people in their 30s and 40s New brain cells are more adaptable or plastic and can help rewire and repair the brain when needed Genetics do play a part, but so do lifestyle factors like a good diet, lowering your stress, and having good sleep patterns There are also some psychological tools you can adopt that help develop SuperAging: Developing an optimistic view of the world and people around you – if we break this down, optimistic people have the following pattern: When something bad happens, they are less likely to blame themselves and see the problem as temporary When something good happens, they are more likely to take credit for it, feel that it's partly in their control, and that good things are likely to continue It's not about pretending stress or bad things don't happen It is something you can train yourself to do – easy practical way of doing this is taking 15-20mins a week and think of your “Best Possible Self” in the future when you have achieved all your life goals and resolved all your problems. Be very specific about what this would look like and make sure to include how that would feel for you. Another way is “grace for atheists” where you spend time before the start of your evening meal deliberately bringing to mind and being thankful for several things that have occurred that day. Some days will be easier than others, but over time you can help train your brain to pay attention to these positive things. Your brain doesn't need any practice looking for negative things – it does this automatically! Regularly practising the Best Possible Self and grace for atheists exercises can help develop an optimistic mind-set, and increase your chances of being a SuperAger. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 7 March 2026, the Pacific's most experienced correspondent Barbara Dreaver joins Jack to discuss the challenges she's faced in three decades on the job, and her brand-new memoir ‘Be Brave'. Jack shares his three main observations from the conflict in Iran. Dr Bryan Betty shares why sitting too long may harm your health and Alice Taylor shares her top tips on cooking fish. Plus, Ruud Kleinpaste reveals all on kingfishers and what they eat. Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does sitting for long periods of time affect your health? Research shows that long sitting times is linked to a higher risk of early death – but why? Dr Bryan Betty joined Jack Tame to run through the research, and give a few options for reducing the risk. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple has launched a more affordable laptop and phone If you spend a lot of your day on email, browsing the web, or in docs and spreadsheets, this is the machine for you. Designed for the 'everyday' type activities, the Macbook Neo is competing with lower-end Chromebooks and Windows PCs. It does come in one the high side of that market but has a premium feel with its all-aluminium design. This is the first time Apple has used one of its phone chips in a MacBook. It is able to connect to an external display, has two USB-C ports, and a headphone jack. There are two models – one with TouchID and one without. The only drawback is that it's missing a backlit keyboard. It comes in silver, black, and two fun colours and starts at $NZ1,149. They also launched the iPhone 17e Slightly smaller than the iPhone 17, it is missing the wide-angle lens, the 'dynamic island', and 'center stage' feature which keeps you in frame on video calls. But it does have industry leading features like the satellite SOS mode, MagSafe, and 4K video. It starts at $NZ1,199 – $500 less than the 17, $1,150 less than the 17 Pro. Anthropic has been designated a Supply Chain Risk As we talked about last week, the beef with the DOD/W has turned into the designation. But it's narrower than the department was alluding to last week – it's only preventing Anthropic from working with companies specifically in their work with the Pentagon, rather than a blanket ban across all departments. Anthropic is taking this to court. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Run Conman. Criminal. Chameleon. Buckle up for a wild ride in the true story of bank robber Brenden Abbott, as he tears through Australia on a brazen spree of heists while dodging capture. Starring our very own George Mason and Robyn Malcolm (TVNZ+). Scrubs JD and Turk scrub in together for the first time in a long time: Medicine has changed; interns have changed; but their bromance has stood the test of time (Disney+). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no easier or cleaner way to cook fish at home. This works with literally every fish you can think of, from boneless fillets to squid or prawns. Serves: 2 Time: 25 minutes Ingredients For the Fish: 2 skin-on fish fillets (snapper, or any white fish) Fresh herbs (optional) Salt and black pepper Oil, for cooking For the Potato Salad: 500g potatoes, sliced 1cm thick 1 pickle, chopped 1 tbsp capers, chopped ½ small red onion, thinly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Fresh herbs like basil or parsley (optional) Method Season the fish fillets with salt 5-10 minutes before cooking. Pat them very dry with a paper towel, then rub with oil. Add fresh herbs and pepper to the flesh side if desired. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the sliced potatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes until just tender. Drain well. While the potatoes cook, make the dressing: in a bowl, combine the pickle, capers, onion, olive oil, vinegar, and herbs. Add the hot potatoes and toss gently. Set aside. Heat a cast-iron or heavy-based pan over high heat. Place the fish fillets on a sheet of baking paper, then transfer them skin-side down into the hot pan. Cook on the skin side until the fish is almost cooked through (the flesh will turn opaque from the bottom up). This usually takes 4-6 minutes depending on thickness. Flip the fish for just a few seconds on the flesh side, then remove from the pan immediately. Serve the fish alongside the warm potato salad. Tips Dry skin = crispy skin. Patting the fish completely dry before cooking is the secret to perfectly crisp skin. Use baking paper: Placing the fish on a sheet of baking paper before adding to the pan prevents sticking and makes flipping easier. Adjust timing: Cooking time depends entirely on the thickness of your fillet. A good rule is about 3-4 minutes per centimetre of thickness on the skin side. Any fish works: This method is perfect for snapper, salmon, or even squid and prawns (adjust timing accordingly). LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sirāt Luis is traveling through southern Morocco with his son, Esteban. They're searching for his daughter, who has been missing for five months, last seen at a dance festival in the desert. As the pair travel from party to party, they hear of a semi-mythical rave near the border of Mauritania. Descending into the scorched terrain as a not-so-distant global conflict encroaches, Luis and Esteban are soon drawn into a primal landscape in which they must walk a tightrope between heaven and hell. Tenor: My Name is Pati The story of Pene Pati and his brother Amitai Pati's journey from Samoa to platinum-selling success in the trio Sol3 Mio, and the world's great opera stages. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My wife is Iranian. The only reason she is in New Zealand, the only reason we're together, the only reason we're living our safe, peaceful life is her parents had the courage and good fortune to escape a terrible regime. They faced extraordinary persecution in Iran for their beliefs. They still have family back home. To say it's been an interesting week in our household would be an understatement. I have been buried in the news – even more than usual. But with all of the confusion and noise that comes in the immediacy of the conflict, there are three components I want to mention this morning which I think are underappreciated. The first is the asymmetric component. My sense —at least from the US side of things— is that Donald Trump sees this as a conventional war with conventional armies. His jets are bombing their military institutions and defences. His military is targeting their military. His submarine is torpedoing their warship. He said this morning the war will only end when Iran unconditionally surrenders. Except of course, even if Iran does decide to ‘unconditionally' surrender (which seems unlikely), that won't be it. In terms of conventional military firepower, Israel and the US are vastly better-resourced than Iran. But what Iran or its proxies can do is attack soft targets. What it can do is resource small pockets of radicalised people to inflict outsized pain and terror in the West. There are billions of Muslims, hundreds of millions of Shia who'll be watching the war. And while many may abhor the Iranian regime, I'm sure some will view this as a war on Islam. Sadly, I think if we've learnt anything this century, it's that the conflict is very likely to inspire terrorism in the West. It might not come in the next few weeks. It might not come in the next few months. But that's almost the point, you never quite know. The second is the nuclear component. If I were another country watching the events of this week, there are two ways I might look at things. I draw a direct line between Iran's nuclear program and the war and conclude that even entertaining the idea of a bomb might get me assassinated. Or I might compare the fate of Iran or Libya or Ukraine with that of North Korea and conclude the only way to guarantee and fully protect my sovereignty in a messed-up world is to get a nuclear weapon. I think it's very likely this war will lead to other countries pursuing the bomb. The third is international law. Maybe the US will try and present some evidence about Iran posing an imminent threat, but the relative futility of Iran's response so far has proved they didn't. It was telling that when he made his video address announcing the strikes, Trump didn't even bother trying to make a legal case. And yet, the same Western countries that have been wittering on about the importance of international law and the rules-based order have explicitly supported the strikes, or in the case of New Zealand, lamely refused to be drawn on their legality. I don't understand why people can't appreciate it's possible to both abhor the Iranian regime and demand the likes of the US live up to the most basic elements of international law. Imagine a scenario a few weeks or months from now where a Chinese fleet occupies a reef within the exclusive economic zone of a Pacific nation. What would we do? Bleat about international law? Lol. Sorry. I think there's every reason to think the concept of international law is basically dead. But from New Zealand's perspective... what else do we have? What other levers? If we cannot demand our friends and partners play by the rules, why on Earth should we expect anyone else to? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gambler by J P Pomare PI Vince Reid is visiting an old friend when he's offered a case he can't refuse: Why did a respected local woman open fire at a political rally, killing a promising young university graduate? It's easy money, he's told. A sure thing. Spies and Other Gods by John Wolff This spy thriller is set apart from others by being narrated by a kind of collective voice of MI5 - it's the spies watching the spies. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.