Podcasts about Cook Strait

Residents in the Wellington suburb of Miramar are disturbed after sewage exploded out of their toilets. Work being done by Wellington Water contractors apparently caused the sewage to back up. It comes after a major failure at the nearby Moa Point water treatment plant earlier this month which has discharged millions of litres of raw sewage into the Cook Strait every day. Kaya Selby reports.

In Wellington, failure at the Moa Point wastewater treatment plant has led to millions of liters of wastewater being sent into the Cook Strait.  The incident has shed light on what scientific experts have been saying for years — that water infrastructure in New Zealand is out of date and incapable of handling the growing effect of climate challenges without deeper investment. The Salvation Army released their State of the Nation report which has found an increase in issues across the justice system, child welfare, and poverty contributing to declining social equality in Aotearoa. As well, NZ First leader Winston Peters is campaigning on a referendum on Māori seats in New Zealand. Wire Host Sara spoke to National MP Ryan Hamilton about all of these topics, starting with Moa Point. 

The Bondi gunman has appeared on a video link for the first time in a Sydney court. Naveed Akram is being held in custody at Goulburn supermax prison and his lawyer says he's doing as well as can be expected.15 people were killed and dozens more were injured during the shooting in mid-December which took place while a Jewish event was being held at Bondi Beach.The Federal Treasury is considering changes to Australia's tobacco excise, after previously rejecting the idea that cutting the cost of cigarettes would solve the problem of the illegal tobacco trade.Experts are pushing for a freeze to the excise, which has grown by 60 per cent since 2020 and is due to rise again next month.They say the tax's effectiveness is waning and that freezing it will allow the government to catch up to the illegal market. A state of emergency is in place for a large area north of Wellington in New Zealand due to wild weather, with tens of thousands of people without electricity across the country's North Island.Authorities say 20 vehicles are stuck in a mud slide in Taihape, and that mass evacuations are underway. Air New Zealand has cancelled flights in and out of Wellington and Napier because of strong winds, and Cook Strait ferries, which sail between the North and South Islands, are not running today.Preparations are now underway, as the weather makes its way to the South Island.

Labour's getting flak, especially in Auckland, for their capital gains tax. Rightly so. But National's approach, as is usually the case with centre-right parties, is user-pays. It's a way to get revenue without appearing to tax-grab your starving constituents. Yesterday it was whacking a new tax on our power bills in order to make them cheaper - we hope. Last week they scrapped the full driver licence test but then NZTA came out and said they may need increase fees for the first test and other bits to make up costs. We'll pay tolls to get the roads we want. We're about to get hit with congestions charging. International tourists pay the tourists' tax. Domestic tourists pay to use DOC huts and, more recently, carparks at peak places. Wellington will probably soon get a targeted special rate for pumping their number twos into the Cook Strait. Now, so long as this stuff is ring-fenced, I prefer things are charged this way because if you don't want to use a toll road, use a taxed one. User pays make more sense and is fairer to those who use, and more importantly, those who don't use a particular good or service. But at some point, your household budget is hit with so many fees and charges that you have to stop and ask how long it can continue. It's death by a thousand cuts. And then you ask, can't the government cut wasteful spending elsewhere to cover some of this stuff or give me some back in tax? In case you needed examples of that, this week, Shane Jones' half-billion slush funds would be a good place to start, I would've thought.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All eyes are on the government's response to the Moa Point sewage plant meltdown. Wellington Water's chief executive is warning the public the capital's south coast could be off limits for months. Meanwhile the city's mayor wants a ministerial inquiry. Crews have spent the weekend trying to clean up the wastewater plant and get to the damage after it was shut after being flooded by raw sewage. In the meantime, millions of litres of untreated sewage have been spilling out into the Cook Strait since early Wednesday. Nick James reports.

It's been an idea floated for nearly 100 years - shifting the Picton ferry terminal to Clifford Bay for a faster Cook Strait crossing but so far, the Government has dismissed the proposal. Mary Argue reports.

The Government's being urged to reverse a decision to scrap the contract for the Cook Strait's emergency tug. Transport Minister Chris Bishop last year confirmed the 'MMA Vision' would leave service in February, saying its cost outweighs the risk, and it hasn't been required in most major incidents. But the Maritime Union's secretary Carl Findlay says with new Interislander ferries still three years away, removing the tug could be gambling with lives. He told Andrew Dickens for peace of mind and the security of our coast, we really need this vessel. Findlay says it's proven itself time and time again, and Bishop could have a very serious situation on his hands if the funding isn't reinstated. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

For me, one of the best things to come out of yesterday's announcement about the Cook Strait ferries has nothing to do with the ferries themselves. There's still a bit of smoke and mirrors about the numbers and what it's going to end up costing. Because what it still comes down to is that the Government poured $671 million down the drain when the Finance Minister pulled the plug on funding for the old ferry project. Which some —Nicola Willis included— thought was too Flash Harry with too many bells and whistles. They were, generally, the bells and whistles for the portside infrastructure. That's where the concerns about the cost blow-outs came from. And that's the side of it that could still blow out. Nevertheless, Rail Minister Winston Peters says it's still a better deal. Even though it's going to mean we get smaller ships, lower spec portside facilities, years later than planned. Nevertheless, I really like what he's saying about the Government getting the experts in to provide advice and guidance from the get-go. And I want to see a lot more of this from the current government and future governments. Because one thing that's always got me about politicians is how they can end up in government and find themselves in Cabinet and be put in charge of things they have absolutely no clue about. And politicians being politicians, full of ego and bluster, they plod along faking it and hoping they make it – without asking people who actually know stuff for help. We saw this with the last government when Jacinda Ardern invited senior business leaders to give their input into the COVID response planning, but they were left feeling ignored. I remember people like former Air NZ boss Rob Fyfe talking about it and how frustrating it was. But if this ferry project is back on track because the Government has actually asked people who know what they're on about for advice and guidance and has actually listened, then that has to be a good thing. And I think politicians need to get out of the way more often and let experts have more of a say on big infrastructure projects, if it means things being done more efficiently and without the kind of cost blowouts that now seem to be par for the course. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rail Minister Winston Peters said the budget for the new Cook Strait ferry project is less than half the cost of the previous Government's ill-fated mega ferry plan, even though the new ferries cost a bit more.The total project cost will be under 2 billion dollars. In making the big announcement in Wellington, he lost no opportunity to stick the boot into the iReX plan, which was scuppered by Finance Minister Nicola Willis in 2023.

The Rail Minister has lifted the lid on how the government plans to save cash on the new Cook Strait ferries. Nick James reports.

Minister for Rail Winston Peters believes the binned iRex ferry plan would have meant major infrastructure issues that are no longer a worry. He's announced the two new Interislander ferries are expected to come in on time and under budget, for less than $2 billion. Peters told Mike Hosking Tasmania is struggling with two new ferries and no infrastructure and he doesn't want to see the same problems here. He said he got a really hard-nosed, tough, experienced team to sort out the ferry plan, and they've done a marvellous job. “In less than 11 months they have put together a solution at all ends.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Peters says logic has prevailed, as he confirms our new Cook Strait ferries are coming in under $2 billion dollars. The new Interislander vessels are expected to arrive in 2029 under budget. The Rail Minister claims it's saved the taxpayer more than $2 billion on the canned mega-ferries project. Peters says he's confident the Government's done the right thing. "This is common sense we're applying here, there are contingencies in our plan as well. And to cover off any concerns you've got...we've got together a hard-nosed team." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, broadcaster Mark Sainsbury and Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government has moved to pause prescription on puberty blockers - what do we make of this? Winston Peters is celebrating how much money he's saving the country with our new Cook Strait ferries. Do we see the costs blowing out on this one? The Breakers are being criticised for deciding not to wear a rainbow flag on their jersey for the NBL's Pride Round. What do we make of the backlash? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Politics Thursday this week Nick Mills was joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National's Ōtaki MP Tim Costley. They discussed the new Cook Strait ferry designs, and price tag and got heated over the end to puberty blockers for young people experiencing gender dysphoria. Costley and Andersen talked about the other political issues of the week including the rising prison numbers and our police culture. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ferry Holdings' Chairman says he's more confident in the new Cook Strait ferry plans than the ditched iRex project. The Government's officially signed a fixed-price contract with a Chinese shipbuilder for two new rail-enabled ferries. It's now securing teams to build the required infrastructure at Picton and Wellington ports. Winston Peters claims the total cost will come in under two billion dollars and will be delivered on time in 2029. Ferry Holdings Chair Chris Mackenzie told Ryan Bridge the iRex project would have required a lot more work to be done on the ports. He says the new plans don't need much to be moved as it's re-using as much as possible from existing infrastructure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rail Minister Winston Peters yesterday confirmed we are to get two new rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries. The Government's signed a fixed-price contract with a Chinese shipbuilder and is securing teams to build port infrastructure in Picton and Wellington. Rail Minister Winston Peters claims the total cost will come in under $2 billion and delivered on time in 2029. Ferry Holdings' Chris McKenzie told Kerre Woodham that while it's not the Sydney Opera House and the Taj Mahal, the port infrastructure they're creating is more than fit for purpose. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ferry Holdings Ltd Chairperson Chris Mackenzie joined Nick Mills to discuss the new ferry designs and cost, revealed yesterday by Winston Peters. They talked about the changes, the process to get to this decision and the future of the Cook Strait ferries and wharf. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So the latest plan to fix central Wellington traffic has been released for consultation, and it's a monster. There's a couple of tunnels. A new one at the Terrace end of the motorway and another new tunnel through Mount Victoria. Land and houses will be taken out of the town belt at Mount Victoria and parkland at the Terrace There will be a major redesign of the Basin Reserve roundabout and a bridge near the airport. And the price tag? 3 billion dollars. Ironically the same sort of cost for two ports and two ferries to cross Cook Strait, that was thought to be wildly expensive at the time. So the immediate reaction is that this plan is wildly expensive. Which it is. Wildly expensive and totally predictable. The Rongotai Airport was opened in 1959 and from day one it was dependent on the Mount Vic tunnel, which opened in 1931. It should have been expanded then. It's Wellington's Auckland Harbour Bridge moment - a piece of insufficient infrastructure that only got worse. You could argue the same thing about the Terrace tunnel that was built ending abruptly in tiny urban streets designed before the rise of the automobile. Meanwhile some of Mount Vic's funky houses are going to be destroyed, and that gets right up the inner-city residents noses - the ones who don't have to drive far at all. So consultation is open now and I'm expecting it to be rancorous. But it's the bed Wellington chose to lie in when building an inner city airport and not making the hard calls earlier. And that also means strife for the good people of Khandallah who are complaining about the plane noise over their suburb after the flight paths changed in 2022. They'd rather the flights went over Newlands, who love the flight path change. As soon as you put your airport at Rongotai this was bound to happen. So you can't really complain about the bill you've inherited from your forebears who lacked foresight. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textBorn in Ireland, Gráinne Moss discovered her love for open water early, completing the English Channel swim in 1987. Now based in New Zealand, she's a mother of four, a respected CEO, and an endurance swimmer on a mission to swim in as many of the world's oceans as she can.Gráinne is the only swimmer known to have had a shark encounter while crossing the Cook Strait, a story she tells with trademark humour and humility. Passionate about cold-water swimming and Dover Channel traditions, she continues to push her limits in some of the planet's most challenging waters.Gráinne now holds three Triple Crowns of Open Water Swimming, including both the Irish and New Zealand Triple Crowns — fitting honours for a swimmer who bridges two nations and a lifetime of adventure.Tough Lady. 

Send us a textThis episode of Clever Dicks dives into the story of a man whose journey has taken him from the dance floors of Russia to the deep, cold waters of New Zealand.Ivan Polyntcev is one of those rare people who embodies both grace and grit, always with a smiling face. A former dancer in Russia in his youth, he made the bold move to New Zealand and found a whole new rhythm — in the ocean. Since then, he's become a dedicated open-water swimmer, taking on some of Aotearoa's most challenging swims, including the mighty Cook Strait, Lake Taupō, and even a gruelling 24-hour solo pool swim.When he's not chasing his own goals, Ivan is in the water or on the boat helping other swimmers conquer their marathon dreams — offering the same encouragement and calm determination that have carried him through his own adventures.Recently married and with an ever-growing bucket list of swims ahead, Ivan's story is one of reinvention, resilience, and the power of passion — whether it's on stage or in the sea.Cool dude. 

Health officials working on contact tracing measles patients have now identified patient zero on the Cook Strait ferry crossing. 

Experts says New Zealand is in the danger zone for a measles outbreak, but it could be prevented if more people get vaccinated. It comes after Health NZ identified a possible super spreader event on board a Cook Strait ferry during the school holidays. Felix Walton reports.

New Zealanders are being warned to make sure they're immunised against measles if they're travelling off shore with active outbreaks in a number of countries and a rising number of cases here. Four local measles cases have been connected to the Bluebridge ferry sailing from Picton to Wellington on October the third. Health authorities have contacted about 350 passengers from the sailing to give them health advice. Cases have been identified in Northland, Auckland, Manawatu and Nelson. Health New Zealand public health medicine specialist Dr Matthew Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

In part two, it's to Wairarapa and an update for the weather event there. Then, marine safety experts are warning the government's new Cook Strait ferries will be too big to safely cross the current route to Picton. And finally, the first cohort of a new 'earn as you learn' programme for manufacturing jobs is about to graduate.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Thomas Scrimgeour joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger passed away - what memories do we have of him? It's been revealed the new Cook Strait ferries will be built by a Chinese company which US analysts have warned have very strong ties to the Chinese military. Should that worry us? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Concerns have been raised over the Government's new choice for a ferry-builder. Guangzhou Shipyard International will build and deliver two new Cook Strait ferries by 2029. It's a state-owned company that also builds Chinese warships, but Foreign Minister Peters says the military links and espionage concerns aren't a worry. Canterbury University professor and China expert Anne-Marie Brady says this a confusing signal delivered by Peters. "He's very concerned about the strategic infrastructure and also the harmful aspects of our relationship with China. So it's odd that they have chosen a military shipyard, which is what the Guangzhou Shipyard International is." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several fast-track listed projects have hit stumbling blocks as the Government seeks a list of businesses that can transition off natural gas. Oli also discusses which company might have received the new Cook Strait ferries contract and the moves for a new terminal at Clifford Bay.

Smooth sailing so far for Ferry Holdings, as a preferred supplier of two new Cook Strait vessels is selected. Rail Minister Winston Peters has announced a fixed price has been agreed for two 200-metre-long ferries with road and rail decks, and room for 1500 passengers each. Ferry Holdings Limited Chair Chris Mackenzie says final negotiations have started - and contracts will be signed by the end of the year. He told Mike Hosking a letter of intent was signed with the shipyard and now technical discussions have begun before contracts can be signed. The name of the shipyard will be released when the contracts are signed. Mackenzie told Hosking 60 shipyards were in the mix to begin with, and it had shipyards in four countries, that's now come down to one. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Those in charge of buying our new Interislander ferries are confident a good deal has been reached. The yet-to-be-named preferred supplier has signed a letter of intent, and agreed with Ferry Holdings on a fixed price. Chair Chris Mckenzie says they're now at the technical negotiation stage. "We now negotiate what's inside that boat - arrangements even down to what sort of sinks we have in the kitchens - and then a final contract will be signed before the end of the year." The 200-metre long ferries will have road and rail decks, and room for 1500 passengers each. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mystery still surrounds a mayday call that sparked a massive search operation in Cook Strait. Wellington Harbour Master Grant Nalder spoke to Corin Dann.

As the teachers head back to school, like all the other strikes, nothing got achieved. It never does. For a strike to work you need to scare people, you need to bring a place to a standstill. Cook Strait ferries and the bus and train services were unavailable for weeks on end at a time. That's what works. But those days are gone, thank the good Lord. These days it's a day here, a day there. Yes, we get you are not happy. Yes, you might deserve a better deal. But your day off with your one minute of placard waving on the TV news that isn't watched the way it used to be anyway, doesn't really shift the dial. I think also the country has changed in the past few decades. Although unionism had a bit of a spike under six years of Labour, the Employment Contracts Act of the early 90's largely broke the unions for good. Not literally, but when people got a choice, they chose to back themselves. I wish those who are unionists could see the freedom and potential of non-union opportunity. Not all jobs can be individualised, but most can, and teaching is one of them. We all know good teachers, great teachers, and ordinary teachers, the same way we know good waiters, and restaurants, and doctors, and accountants, and retail outlets. In a nation of small businesses, it tells us we back ourselves. We revel in the idea that we, and our skills and determination, can make a decent living. The fact the rote response to merit-based pay for teachers goes something like "how would you judge on exam results?" shows how little they understand their individuality and ability to make a difference. It's like that Radio NZ report last week where most of them thought they were in a sunset industry, when in fact the exact opposite is true. It's Stockholm Syndrome. Your captors, the unions, have told you this is the only way. It isn't and never has been. I have argued this for years and have got nowhere, but that doesn't make it a bad argument. What I know, like hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders know, is that being your own boss and your own person is a winning formula, if you want to win. I know, like hundreds of thousands of other New Zealanders, that I love my job and my lot. I don't see the same fizz from teachers. Why do you reckon that is? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interislander's Aratere ferry has cruised to the other side of the Cook Strait for the last time. The ship is now retired after its final trip from Picton to Wellington this morning. Nick James reports.

The Finance Minister is defending the Government's move to scrap the Cook Strait mega-ferries - and claimed costs would have blown out on the original project. The Hyundai dockyard contracted to build the boats has received a total $222 million for the canned project, which includes a net $144 million final settlement. $300 million had been provisioned. Nicola Willis says the plans were not progressing well - and they were tied up in all sorts of additional complications. "There was a very reasonable reality that the port side of the infrastructure would not have been built in time for the ferries to have arrived, and that, therefore, they wouldn't have been able to be used." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 26 years plying Cook Strait, the Aratere will be retired after its final sailing from Picton today.

The Interislander ferry "Aratere" is making its last round trip across the Cook Strait this morning, after nearly 30 years in service. Nick James looks back at its history.

The government has forked out over $144 milliion dollars in a final payment for breaking the contract with the Korean shipbuilders that were signed-up to make the Cook Strait ferry replacements. That brings the total costs for the scrapped iReX Cook Strait ferry project to $671 million according to Kiwi Rail. Minister for Rail, Winston Peters spoke to Lisa Owen.

The team purchasing the newly public-owned Cook Strait ferries says the process can't be compared to private contractors. Kiwirail's new ferries aren't expected to be in service until Christmas 2029. Ferry Holdings Chair, Chris Mackenzie, says part of the issue is the Government is buying new ferries - not second-hand. He also told Heather du Plessis-Allan they fulfil different needs, with the Government providing a year-round service, which the private sector can't afford. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bluebridge's new ferry arrived in Wellington this morning, drawing in the crowds at Oriental Bay. The Livia is from Denmark - and it can hold more than 400 passengers, with a 10 percent increase in vehicle capacity. Strait NZ CEO Shane McMahon says the vessel will come into service at the end of the month - and it's an 'exciting' development. "We've invested well over $200 million in the new fleet over the last three years, and we're doing that because obviously, we want to be able to supply safe, reliable services." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The company overseeing the new infrastructure and ferries for Cook Strait is confident it can deliver by 2029. Winston Peters has announced agreements to build and modernise ports in Wellington and Picton for the arrival of new Interislander ferries. Ferry Holdings Chair Chris Mackenzie says there will be robust discussions between KiwiRail, Ferry Holdings, and ports on delivering the project. He's feeling positive, despite New Zealand's track record with infrastructure. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More details about infrastructure in Wellington and Picton in Government plans for new Cook Strait ferries. CentrePort, Port Marlborough, and KiwiRail have agreed a plan to re-use and strengthen the Wellington wharf servicing Interislander's Aratere - and to re-use terminals both sides of the Strait. Minister for Rail Winston Peters says the Government won't consider privatisation - and he's just looking to make sure Kiwis stay informed. "We're not about to make the same mistake a second time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourism operators aren't sure whether they'll welcome smooth sailing or face choppy waters once the Interislander service loses one of its ferries. The Aratere retires in August, reducing the Cook Strait fleet to two until the expected arrival of new ones in 2029. KiwiRail operates the service and is confident the remaining ferries can handle the demand. Tess Brunton reports.

On this episode we sit down with Mike and Steff from North Actionsports in New Zealand, diving into the rise of parawinging and their game-changing Ranger parawing. From a daring Cook Strait crossing to decades of kiteboarding roots with pioneer Peter Lynn, they share how the Ranger was born for downwind foiling with safety and ease in mind. This episode uncovers the passion and innovation driving North's foiling revolution.In this episode, you'll discover:Origin Story: A 2022 Cook Strait foil sparked a single-skin wing for self-rescue, inspired by Mike's kiteboarding past.Ranger's Design: Easy to use, durable, and powerful (2.2m to 5.2m), perfect for beginners to advanced downwinders.Key Features: D-Rib tech for less drag, a depower tab for strong winds, and a harness line for upwind ease.Safety Backpack: Stores multiple wings, straps on for offshore trips, and doubles as a safety device.Material Choice: Ripstop nylon with a strong coating for longevity in harsh conditions.Downwind Edge: Grunt to get on foil without paddling, plus board and foil tips.Community Drive: A passion project with North's team, fueled by New Zealand's wild swells.Check out the Ranger at https://northactionsports.com. Join the foiling community and ride the next wave!

A $1.4 billion upgrade could be on the way for Transpower's Cook Strait electricity cable. The 610 kilometre link is a transmission system connecting the North and South islands, installed in 1991. The existing cables are likely to reach their end of life in the late 2030s. Energy Resources Aotearoa CEO John Carnegie told Mike Hosking the Commerce Commission will need to review that. He says they'll need to ensure the numbers are robust and the programme executable. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pressure is expected to come on the resilience of a reduced Cook Strait ferry fleet after KiwiRail announced it will retire the Aratere this year. KiwiRail chief customer and growth officer Adele Wilson spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

More than a year after work came to an abrupt halt when the government cancelled the previous mega ferries contract - Picton residents are pleased to hear there will be two new Cook Strait ferries, but they aren't convinced that they'll be any cheaper. It's also still not clear what exactly the infrastructure work in Picton will involve, or when it will get underway again. Samantha Gee visited the port side town.

Thanks to Murilo, Alexandra, and Joel for their suggestions this week! The bird sounds in this episode come from xeno-canto, a great resource for lots of animal sounds! A cactus wren [picture by Mike & Chris - Cactus WrenUploaded by snowmanradio, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15876953]: The sultan tit [photo by By Dibyendu Ash - CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72070998]: A female scarlet tanager [photo by Félix Uribe, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81340425]. The male is red with black wings: The Northern cardinal: The yellow grosbeak [photo by Arjan Haverkamp - originally posted to Flickr as 2008-08-23-15h00m37.IMG_4747l, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9596644]: The purple martin isn't actually purple [photo by JJ Cadiz, Cajay - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4255626]: The dusky thrush [photo by Jerry Gunner from Lincoln, UK Uploaded by snowmanradio, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20762838]: The European rose chafer, not a bird [photo by I, Chrumps, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2521547]: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. This week we're going to learn about a lot of little birds that deserve more attention, because they're cute and interesting. Thanks to Murilo, Alexandra, and Joel for their little bird suggestions! All the birds we'll talk about today are called passerines, because they belong to the order Passeriformes. They're also sometimes referred to as perching birds or songbirds, even though not all passerines sing. Passerines are common throughout the world, with more than 6,500 species identified. I've seen about 150 of those species, so clearly I need to work harder as a birdwatcher. Passerines are referred to as perching birds because of their feet. A passerine bird has three toes that point forward and another toe pointing backwards, which allows it to wrap its toes securely around a twig or branch to sit. Its legs are also adapted so that the toes automatically curl up tight when the leg is bent. That's why a sleeping bird doesn't fall off its branch. Let's start with one of Murilo's suggestions, the wren. Wrens are birds in the family Troglodytidae, and are usually very small with a short tail, a pointy bill that turns slightly downward at the tip, and brown plumage. It mainly eats insects and larvae that it finds in nooks and crannies of trees, and many species will investigate dark places like hollow logs, the openings to caves, or your apartment if you leave the back door open on a warm day. Many sing beautiful songs and have very loud voices for such little bitty birds. Most wrens are native to the Americas, including the canyon wren that's native to western North America in desert areas. It's cinnamon-brown with a white throat and an especially long bill, which it uses to find insects in rock crevices. It lives in canyons and has a more flattened skull than other wrens, which means it can get its head into crevices without hurting itself. No one has ever seen a canyon wren drink water, and scientists think it probably gets all the water it needs from the insects it eats. Where do the insects get the water they need? That's an episode for another day. This is what a canyon wren sounds like: [bird sound] Not every bird that's called a wren is actually in the family Troglodytidae. Some just resemble wrens, like an unusual bird that Murilo brought to my attention. It's called Lyall's wren but it's actually in the family Acanthisittidae, and it was once widespread throughout New Zealand. By the time it was scientifically identified and described in 1894, it was restricted to a single island in Cook Strait. Lyall's wren was flightless,

The Labour Party is using all the nautical puns you can imagine to criticise the government's interisland ferry plans, saying it has sunk hundreds of millions of dollars at the bottom of the Cook Strait. Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere spoke to Corin Dann.

The Minister for Rail, Winston Peters, is expected to make an announcement on Monday about the replacements for KiwiRail's aging fleet of Cook Strait ferries. Marlborough Chamber of Commerce executive officer Kylie Cornelius spoke to Corin Dann.

Towards the end of the March 3, 1975 issue of Sports Illustrated a reader wrote in on the exploits of a little known swimmer who had appeared in two issues of SI the previous month. The woman wrote, "Thank you for a beautifully written piece on an incredible woman. Lynne Cox. How refreshing it is to read a story written by a man (Sam Moses) about a woman that does not go on about the color of her hair or how she looked in her bathing suit." What was noticeable is that Miss Cox was wearing a bathing suit, but not a wetsuit... despite the obvious need for one as she was a long distance swimmer who sometimes swam in temps that were below freezing. When Lynne was 14, she and three other teammates swam the 31 miles it takes to cross the Catalina Island Channel... and that the beginning of a life like no other. She would go on to swim the English Channel, as well as a mile in 26 degree water in Antartica. Yes, you read that correctly... she swam for a mile in just bathing suit in below freezing temps. But her most famous swim was in 1987 when she crossed the Bering Strait... it took her over 2 hours to go from Little Diomede in Alaska to Big Diomede in the USSR in waters that were 38 degrees. She was trying to raise attention to how close the two Superpowers were in proximity and to help bring an end to the Cold War. President's Reagan and Gorbachev both toasted her on her amazing accomplishment. Cox is now 68 years old, and tells us how Russian doctors were prepared to help her immediately once she came ashore in the Soviet Union and how cardiac arrest was a real possibility. How the people of the islands were actually families who hadn't been able to communicate with each other in almost 50 years and began to rejoice and sing once she brought them together! She recalls a swim where she thought a shark might be in the water, but instead it was a pod of dolphins guiding her across the Cook Strait in New Zealand. She tells amazing stories because she has amazing stories to tell... and she does it on this weeks Past Our Prime podcast. You won't believe it unless you hear it. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices