Podcasts about Jack Tame

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Tim Wilson from the Maxim Institute joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! What did we think of the Tākuta Ferris video? What does this mean for Labour's political future? New information about the Phillips hideout suggests they've had help until very recently according to police who are now trying to track down accomplices. What do we make of this? It's been revealed Luxon and Albanese's helicopter mountain trip cost $44,000. Are we upset with this? Would we pay $4,000 for an iPhone? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 1News political editor Maiki Sherman, former Reserve Bank chair Arthur Grimes, former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer, and Housing Minister Chris Bishop.

Ed McKnight has been working in personal finance for a fair few years and although he typically tries to be encouraging when giving advice, he does have some more brutal truths to tell. He joined Jack Tame to offer up the three brutally honest pieces of money advice that most Kiwis will need to hear. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After an extensive career in Hollywood and beyond as the star of blockbusters like The Hobbit and TV series like BBC's Spooks, Richard Armitage has pivoted. He's turned his hand to the written word, releasing his first novel ‘Geneva' in 2023, his second novel, ‘The Cut' released just this month. The story is inspired by a conversation he had in a cemetery, and the novel is unique in that it's designed to be an audiobook before a physical text. Writing for performance is slightly different to writing for reading, Armitage explained to Jack Tame. “The way I work on it is to visualise it as a piece of cinema or television, and then I write it down in a sort of visceral way.” “It's slightly more pared back,” he said. “And I'm kind of leaning into atmosphere.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you're young you can't imagine a point in your life when you're living with physical limitations. I mean, sure, maybe you're not as strong as you'd like to be. Maybe you're not quite as quick and fit as some of your mates. But for me at least, the thought of a relatively straightforward physical action being too difficult or too painful never even crossed my mind. You take health and dexterity, mobility, and general limberness for granted. I remember Dad getting home from his football games when I was kid. He'd limp through the front door, strap ice packs to both of knees, and splay himself out on the couch, still in his grubby kit. When you're a kid, you can see your dad's in pain, but you never pause to wonder if that might happen to you, one day, too. A couple of years ago I couldn't get past a sharp pain in my left hip. I thought I'd pulled a muscle, and I went to the physio for the first time in my life. But a series of scans moved me quickly up food chain. Physio-sports doctor-surgeon. One of the specialists said I had the hip of someone in their sixties, and it was probably only a matter of time before I'd have to get a new one. In the meantime, the best advice they could give me was don't do stuff that hurts. Truthfully, I've found that harder than it sounds. Although I haven't played a single game of squash in at least a couple of years, a weekly game of very average social football has been the most consistent social activity in my life. You know what they say about men and how they have to be doing stuff together? Well, guilty as charged. I don't want to just sit around and talk about stuff, I want to be kicking a ball! I'm convinced there's something about physically competing, albeit in a lowly social league, that does an awful lot of good for the top few inches. What it doesn't do is much good for my hip. I turn like a waning container ship at the best of times, but the short-twitch reactions required in midfield have not been aided by my swiftly decaying cartilage. I picture it, rotting away like a paper bag in a puddle. Halfway through last year I started proactively taking painkillers before games. Sometimes I struggle to walk normally for days afterwards. I know this isn't good. I know I shouldn't play. I know, rationally, that constantly agitating and inflaming the same injury is going to cause more problems down the track. And if sometime in the future I can't tramp or ride my bike, I'd be furious with myself. But quitting football has felt like a threshold. I've never had an injury that didn't improve. I've never not been able to play something. Then last week, I faced a reckoning. I visited a primary school, and the kids encouraged me to sit with them on the mat and pose for a photo. You know how these things go... Crossing your legs and sitting on the mat is the kind of thing you give zero notice to. Until one day you can't do it. It was agony. I folded myself down as best I could and yet in the photo, I don't even get halfway to the ground. My butt's on the ground but my knees are up at nipple height. I look like a capital X. When I finished at the school there was a text waiting. Who's in for football next season? Most of the guys quickly replied, ‘Yep, keen.' When you're young most of us don't imagine a point in life living with physical limitations. We didn't ask when Dad started wincing when he reached for his shoelaces. We didn't question why Grandma shuffles. And then one day it begins. You have to start saying no. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now seeing as I am a 60 year old white guy, some will consider my comments inherently racist, but I am allowed my opinion just as you are allowed yours. Opinions are like bums - we all have one, so why fight it? Firstly, the coming out of the Māori Queen. One thing is for sure, Māori do this customary and ceremonial stuff well. The attendees are seeing history, a young Queen about to take leadership. But I'm always amazed at the one year silence thing. Sure you're getting the lay of the land and forming your ideas for your reign and paying respect to your predecessor, but come on. It seems to me that the year's silence gives the courtiers more power over affairs of state. When the cats away the mice will play. Now to the Tamaki Makaurau by-election. I couldn't believe how many voters got the City Council Elections and the by-election to be a Member of Parliament confused. One person on telly wondered if Oriini Kaipara was running for Mayor. And you wonder why we get strange governments and councils. The candidates also ran chaotic campaigns. Oriini Kaipara had a shocker. Claiming her party, who have not been in government since 2017, had repealed laws. No they did not - back then they were support partners and so not able to repeal laws. Then she had to grab her phone to check policy while Jack Tame looked on quizzically. Then she said her Labour opponent should be Prime Minister of New Zealand, which must have raised the eyebrows of Rawiri and Debbie. I understand Oriini's appeal. She's young and smart. She was a respected journalist, and she has the Māori Party sartorial style. Fine alternative statement clothes - they always looked like they've been styled by Zambesi. But it's not what you look like or seem, it's what you say. She seems underdone and would get better with more time. Then there's Peeni Henare. A product of Māori's hierarchical society where a lot of weight is given to your family, your whakapapa, and your journey. He's always been mentioned as a future Prime Minister. It seems like it's owed and not to be earned. If he loses this one it's over, because you can't be a Prime Minister if you couldn't win a Māori electorate. Twice. He also had a shocker going against the gang patch law having to be corrected by Chippy. Also I didn't need to see him working out with David Letele, I want to know what he thinks, not how he sweats You know I don't think I could vote for either if I could. But I can't. I'm not allowed to. And that seems to be how the electorate feel with indications of a terrible turnout this weekend. And that's a bad thing. If you respect the treaty, if you've chosen to be on a Māori roll, then you owe your people to use that privilege, or right if you prefer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from The Taxpayers' Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Yesterday's big Amazon announcement turned out to be a big pile of nothings, according to new reports. Does this mean we need to be more careful when overseas companies come in making big promises? Voter turnout in the Tāmaki Makaurau byelection is abysmal so far, with just 3700 of the almost 44,000 eligible voters casting their vote. What do we make of this? Nearly 60,000 people have signed a petition to get NZ-born neo-Nazi Thomas Sewell deported back to NZ. Is he their problem or ours? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lynda La Plante is the queen of crime fiction. She has 50 novels to her name and is the creator of hit TV shows like Prime Suspect, Widows, and Above Suspicion. Her works place compelling and determined women centre stage – Anna Travis, Jane Tennison, and Lorraine Page just a few of them. La Plante's latest novel introduces a new lead detective, CSI Jessica Russell, as she brings together a team of scientists and experts to deal with a complicated and brutal crime. She joined Jack Tame to discuss the inspiration behind 'The Scene of the Crime' and its focus on forensics. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Oriini Kaipara, Peeni Henare, and Teanau Tuiono

The fourth studio album from Auckland-based band The Beths, ‘Straight Line Was A Lie' explores some deeply personal topics within the band's classic indie-rock sound. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the band's introspective album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's the government, international organisations, higher education, or the media, one of the defining dynamics of the social media age is the deteriorating trust in public institutions. It's extraordinary, really. At a time when humans are on the whole wealthier, healthier, and more dominant than at any other time in our species' history, we're more distrustful of the institutions that are supposed to serve us. Saturday Mornings is usually a monetary policy-free zone, and I promise to mostly keep it that way for now. But it was pretty remarkable at the close of play last night to see an announcement from the Finance Minister about the Chair of the Reserve Bank. Neil Quigley had resigned, effective immediately, following further revelations about his handling of former Governor Adrian Orr's departure. Nicola Willis confirmed to Newstalk ZB that if Quigley hadn't offered his resignation, she'd have asked for it. I don't expect everyone to follow all of the Reserve Bank dramas. But the long and short of it is that former Governor Adrian Orr got in a dispute with the government over the bank's funding. It turned into a showdown of sorts, the Reserve Bank Board raised concerns with him about his conduct (some of which he disputed), and after taking leave for a few days he ultimately resigned. But instead of being absolutely transparent about the dispute and what had actually happened, the RBNZ Chair Neil Quigley told media that Orr had resigned for “personal reasons”. If this was just some rando then no harm no foul. But Adrian Orr was the Governor of the Reserve Bank, one of the most powerful public servants in the country. His pen stroke and the decisions of his Monetary Policy Committee could be the difference between thousands or hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs or homes. Like many journalists, I didn't buy the “personal reasons” explanation and felt we all deserved to know more detail about what had actually happened. Ater all, this wasn't a private company. The Reserve Bank serves us. After Neil Quigley's explanation, and after the Reserve Bank declined for Adrian Orr to be interviewed, I even went to the extreme length of sending him a letter at his home asking him to front. It's something I'd almost never do, but the public deserved an explanation. And it's taken until now and a ruling from the ombudsman for us to get the full story. I think there are lessons in this for all of us who work in jobs that purport to serve the public. In my role, I think about trust a lot. And look, I know this is very different to the Reserve Bank, much lower stakes, but I had the chance to reflect on my own work this week, and tried to lean into the spirit of introspection and openness. I was on a podcast, re_covering, in which Newstalk ZB's Frank Ritchie asks journalists to reflect on a story they covered. I didn't choose one which I'd absolutely nailed. Instead, I reflected on my five years as TVNZ's US Correspondent, and on my surprise at the first election of Donald Trump. As I said on re_covering, the fact so many of us were so shocked by the result (including Trump!) shows I and the rest of the news media covering that election had done a massively insufficient job of reflecting the scale of the anger and dissatisfaction with the status quo in the US. That election changed the world. Ultimately, I hope reflecting on my surprise will make me more sceptical of conventional wisdom, and better at my job today. Humans are fallible. We all make mistakes. But the Reserve Bank episode demonstrates the best thing a public institution can do to protect its reputation is not try and protect its reputation. Just admit when you got things wrong. Admit things that make you look bad. Learn lessons the hard way. Convince the public you have nothing to hide by showing us you have nothing to hide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breaking News: Reserve Bank Chairperson Neil Quigley calls it quits, effective immediately.Hobson's Pledge have stolen another wāhine Māori's image and quoted them unfairly to continue their rampage against Māori Wards.Jack Tame, host of Q+A is a great journalist and friend of the show (if you didn't know!) so let's show him some appreciation!=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

Tonight on The Huddle, lawyer and political commentator Liam Hehir and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The Government announced some new changes designed to get overseas retailers fast-tracked in a bid to boost competition in the grocery sector. Do we think these changes will make a difference? Do we need to axe the Ministry for Women? With the gender pay gap dropping, what else could it really do? Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement today - what do we make of Chris Luxon encouraging them to have the wedding here? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Australia National University senior lecturer Dr Anas Iqtait, Whena Owen following up on access to Cape Palliser, Victoria University's Dr Andrew Lensen, Bagrie Economics chief economist Cameron Bagrie, and 1News' Te Aniwa Hurihanganui.

Growing your own vegetables is one way to stay sustainable in the kitchen, but it's not the only way to keep your food habits sustainable. It's not just about the garden, there are simple kitchen swaps that reduce waste and packaging, and Kate Hall joined Jack Tame to run through a few of them, including: DIY basics: making your own yoghurt, bread, or soda water (less packaging, fewer additives). Preserving and fermenting (e.g. sauerkraut, kombucha) is cheap, healthy, and reduces food waste. Planning meals to avoid throwing out food. Focus on the “use what you have” mindset. Buying in bulk and refilling pantry staples. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The third album from Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, ‘A Matter of Time' represents a shift towards vulnerability and emotional expressiveness. Her two earlier albums were heavily influenced by the ‘Great American Songbook', filled with her now iconic blend of jazz, classical, and pop influences. ‘A Matter of Time' is a look inwards, Laufey's interest in seeing how she could draw out the “most flawed parts of [herself] and look at them directly in the mirror”. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A true New Zealand music legend, Don McGlashan has written some of our most-loved tunes. From ‘Anchor Me' in his time with the Mutton Birds, through to his incredible work as a solo artist and his compositions for film and television. In 2023 McGlashan went on a very special tour around New Zealand, and off the back he's released his first solo live album – ‘Take It To The Bridge'. Although he's been part of the making of a dozen or more studio albums, McGlashan confessed to Jack Tame that he was never really interested in live albums. “It sort of surprised me, that in the middle of this tour,” “I suddenly felt this would be great, this is really special – I should be, we should be recording everything.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I like to try and kick things off on Saturday mornings with a bit of cheer, but I tell you what, it's hard to look beyond yet another bleak milestone in the appalling war in Gaza. Overnight, the UN-backed food security body has confirmed famine in Gaza City. It has officially reached that threshold, the first time famine has ever been declared in the Middle East. As the UN Secretary General declared, this is a man-made catastrophe. There are many, many third party countries that want to get more aid into Gaza. A shortage of food is not a problem, access is. Two years ago, immediately after the October 7th attacks, I said a few things on this show. I want to share with you again a few words from that day. “Israel has the right to exist in peace. Palestine should have the freedom of statehood. Both of those things can be true. The deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians is an appalling, utterly inexcusable act of violence. The systematic flattening of Gaza, no water, no power, no food, is an unacceptably brutal collective punishment for a huge civilian population where almost half of people are children. Both of those things can be true, too.” As the war has progressed, the scale and nature of Israel's reprisals has made it obvious to many millions of fair-minded people that a country born from the gravest atrocities last century is now also responsible for them. Figures from a leaked Israeli database this week suggest 83% of those killed in Gaza have been civilians. Of course, Israel denies genocide and war crimes. But independent verification is nigh impossible, as no journalists are allowed in and many of those on the ground have been killed in Israeli attacks. One of the many great tragedies for all of this is that it has become increasingly clear that Israel has played into Hamas' hands. Evil as the strategy might have been, Hamas wanted to spur an extreme and disproportionate response. Motivated by their own agendas and self-preservation, Israel's leaders fell for it. And now we have kids, mere minutes from the Mediterranean, with ribs sticking out of their skin, dying of malnutrition. The thing I still don't understand is how any Israeli leader thinks this will ultimately make their people safer. Maybe in the short-term Israelis can sleep easy at night, but every innocent person killed in Gaza breeds hate in five other survivors. The war in Gaza has condemned generations of Palestinians and Israelis to insecurity. I'll finish with a line I wrote and shared with you immediately after the October 7th attack, which sadly feels just as relevant today. “It's a cycle. Hate and violence is a cycle. There is no way for any party to kill and fight their way to a lasting peaceful resolution. Hamas' attack has spurred the Israeli reprisal. The reprisal will spur Palestinians into violence in the future, which in turn will spur an Israeli reprisal. Rinse the blood and repeat. Hate breeds hate breeds hate.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jordan Williams from the Taxpayers' Union and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The OCR dropped by 25 basis points to 3 percent today, with the MPC divided about the cuts. This indicates the economy is not in a good spot - where does this leave the Government? Winston Peters is offering to give public evidence at the Covid inquiry - is this a stunt? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With former finance minister Grant Robertson, 1News US correspondent Logan Church, Young Farmer of the Year Hugh Jackson, and Whena Owen on the Cape Palliser coast.

When it comes to managing stress, we often think about the big things —job loss, death of a loved one— but what about the everyday stressors? Things like buying a house, getting married, and speaking in public occur much more regularly, and can potentially have a bigger cumulative effect over time. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to discuss the long-term impact of everyday stressors and what can be done to mitigate potential harm. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One half of the iconic Kiwi musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, Bret McKenzie is back with another solo album. ‘Freak Out City' is a collection of songs he developed while performing live across NZ and the US with his eight-piece band The State Highway Wonders. The album is eclectic, filled with comedic and theatrical elements, and Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Volunteer numbers at grassroots and community sport clubs around the country are dwindling rapidly, with clubs having fewer than half the volunteers they had five years ago. It comes as the levels of referee abuse and disorderly behaviour on the sidelines rises, with volunteers facing abuse and vitriol from the public. However, there are still positives to getting involved – volunteer coach Haydn Jones joining Jack Tame for a chat about the pros of giving your time to a local team. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pixies changed the alternative rock game forever. The legendary band out of Boston, Massachusetts has been credited by the likes of Kurt Cobain for their off the wall, guitar shredding influence. And they're making their way back to our shores soon with a very special set of shows. Pixies are playing two nights each in Auckland and Wellington – one night showcasing the entirety of Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde, and the other a collection of their greatest hits. The reason behind the two shows, guitarist Joey Santiago explained to Jack Tame, is twofold. “First of all, selfishly for me, we get to stay in the same city twice,” he said. “And I get to look around and relax, you know, so that's good for us.” The other reason caters to the fans, who Santiago says will be able to experience two different shows if they choose to go to both. It's been over 30 years since the release of both Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde, but in Santiago's opinion, they got them right the first time. “Every time we make a record, I'm proud of it,” Santiago explains. “After a while, when I get home I go, god damn ... did I do everything I can? Did I give it 100%?” “And I do, but it's like, y'know, what's more than 100%?” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think we are all served best by transparency in government. Leaders should be accountable for their decisions, and they should be willing to take our questions and answer them in a public format. But it's pretty clear to me the Covid Inquiry has fallen victim to bad and even cynical design, shaped by politics rather than a sincere desire to get a full accounting of our response. It's a shame, because it threatens to undermine some of the inquiry's more useful conclusions. It is a missed opportunity. In my view, there's plenty of blame to share. I think the first phase of the Covid Inquiry, introduced by the last government, missed some critical elements in its terms of reference. Worst of all was the decision not to include vaccine efficacy. For something so fundamental to the response, and so important to some New Zealanders that they were willing to lose relationships, jobs, and livelihoods over it, I think the effectiveness of vaccines and whatever slim risk they carried, should have been included. I think it's clear that different vaccines had different impacts on different variants. You can see how this might impact our procurement decisions in future. In principle, I supported expanding the inquiry until I saw the refreshed terms of reference. If it was to be a sincere effort to consider our Covid response, the good calls and the bad, in order to move forward and better prepare for the next pandemic shock, how could you leave out the first year of the response? Sure, much of the second phase of the Inquiry might have focused on vaccines, but it also focused on lockdowns and control measures. If you really cared about our Covid response, you'd start that line of inquiry with, you know, the start of the pandemic. To exclude the period when it wasn't just Labour in government and to exclude what have proved to be the more popular components of the government's response was disingenuous and cynical. The Covid-19 response was vast and complex. It's almost impossible to unpick every decision because you have to try and separate the information we have now from the information we had at the time. The virus has cast a long shadow in New Zealand. Our response undoubtedly saved a lot of lives, but it wasn't without costs. The pandemic might have been over ages ago, but the economic and social impacts endure. One thing I'd add to the Royal Commission's conclusions is that next time we need to find a better, respectful way to hear and consider dissenting views. Media obviously plays a critical role in this. But although I think we did a reasonable job last time, I reckon next time is going to be much more difficult. Depending on the circumstances, it may not massively change government policy or the public health response. Given the conspiratorial nature of the fringiest elements, it may be an impossible task. Nevertheless, I think one of the key lessons from the Covid years is that somehow making people feel heard and respected instead of ostracised is a vital part in preventing the worst of the societal division that still afflicts us, years on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland Councillor Maurice Williamson and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Jacinda Ardern, Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson have all declined to be interviewed publicly by the Covid inquiry. Should they have fronted? Did Chlöe Swarbrick deserve to get booted out of Parliament today? Should she have apologised? What did we make of Debbie Ngarewa-Packer dropping the C-word in Parliament? The Education Minister is cutting Māori words from five-year-olds' school phonics books. Is this a bad look? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winter can feel drab and we often end up reflecting that feeling in what we wear. Layers on layers can leave you feeling like there's not a lot of room to play. So, how can you keep things feeling fun while staying warm... and sustainable? Creative connoisseur Evie Kemp joined Jack Tame for a chat about livening up your winter wear while still keeping things sustainable. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guy Sebastian is an Australasian icon with a career that's nothing short of extraordinary. From winning the first season of Australian Idol back in 2003, to carving out a place on the charts, to mentoring new talent as a coach on The Voice Australia – he's been in the spotlight for over two decades. And now he's embarking on a new chapter with the release of his tenth album ‘One Hundred Times Around The Sun'. The album has taken Sebastian nearly five years to make, a much longer period than the typical six months to two years most artists these days create them in. He told Jack Tame that in the early stages of his career, he felt pressure to create quickly. “Don't take longer than a year,” Sebastian explained. “Or you'll disappear into obscurity.” “Then there's like, the pressure of doing the right thing by the fans, y'know, you don't wanna make them wait too long.” It's a mentality that used to govern much of Sebastian's process, but one that he's managed to grow beyond. “I just got to this point where like, I don't want to release anything until I'm stoked with it,” he told Tame. “I wanna love every song. I don't want a filler on there, I want every song to be great.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Education Minister Erica Stanford, PM's Chief Science Advisor John Roche, and Vatican astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno.

Full interview: Brother Guy Consolmagno is an astronomer, meteorite expert, and heads up the Vatican Observatory. While visiting New Zealand, the Jesuit spoke to Q+A about why science and religion aren't always in conflict. Jack Tame also asks him where he stands on the Fermi Paradox — is there intelligent life beyond Earth and, if so, why haven't we found it yet?

When I first moved to New York, I spent my first year living in a railroad apartment above an Ecuadorian fruit shop on Second Avenue. It was a character-building experience. I went weeks without heating or hot water in winter, and my windows had almost no effect whatsoever in keeping out the ceaseless sound of trucks thundering past my bedroom enroute to restock the city. When I arrived they'd just start construction on the Second Ave subway, a few blocks from my home. The project was hitting a few speedbumps. Bedrock turned out to be deeper than anticipated, a worker nearly died after being stuck in waste-deep slop on site, and what was supposed to be a controlled explosion sent rocks flying all over a busy Manhattan intersection. Curiously, the Second Ave subway route was first proposed in the 1920s, which Wikipedia tells was about the same time that planners first mused over the possibility of the Morningside Deviation, a train tunnel in central Auckland. Stage One of the Second Avenue subway was a 3.2km tunnel. The Central Rail Link is 3.5km. Second Ave ended up costing more than $7 Billion. The Central Rail Link blew out however many times but at last check was $5.5 Billion. The weird thing about a big underground tunnel development is that most of us never fully appreciate the scale of the work. It's obvious I suppose, but even if you live and work in the city, while you get used to a few cones and traffic delays up above the ground, you have no real perspective about the extraordinary activities happening somewhere beneath your feet. Auckland Transport has this week released its updated transit map with the CRL stations. Apparently they've done 1600 test runs so far. They've run trains more than 5000km – Kaitaia to Bluff two-and-a-half times. They've been driving trains at 70kmph directly underneath Auckland's CBD and at no point have I felt so much of a rumble or a shudder. I reckon the vast majority of us up top have been absolutely none-the-wiser. The kid in me who briefly considered becoming an engineer (and even volunteered to spend a school holiday touring the Lyttelton Tunnel) can't help but think that's pretty cool. After riding along on a VIP tour yesterday with all the politicians and movers-and-shakers, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown was in vintage form. How was it? He was asked. “It was a ride in a train.” He said. “We don't want excitement.” Well, maybe not. But guilty as charged. Maybe it's the engineering. Maybe it's the people-watching. Maybe it's the broader sense of momentum and life, but whether it's a tube, an underground, or a subway, I love a bit of subterranean mass-transit. You know you're a nerd when you're less excited about the opening of New Zealand's first IKEA than the transport connection you'll take to get there. After years of construction, the Second Ave subway opened two weeks before I moved back home. One of the last things I did on my last few days in New York was ride a loop. Not because I had somewhere to be but because I wanted to see what all that fuss and money and effort had created, out of sight, underneath my feet. I can't wait to do the same thing here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Conor English from Silvereye communications joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The latest report into our grocery sector found the duopoly continues to be highly lucrative, and Kiwis are paying the 5th highest prices in the OECD. Are we sick of all the talk about this? Can we expect the Government to do something? The Government is set to scrap the fuel tax and replace it with road user charges for everyone. Will this change really make it fairer for all drivers? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interviews with Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, Crimson Education co-founder Jamie Beaton, Infrastructure Commission CEO Geoff Cooper, and digital infrastructure activist Julian Oliver.

The debut album from Australian musical group Folk Bitch Trio, ‘Now Would Be a Good Time' is filled with beautiful harmonies and dark wit. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album and the way the trio puts their own spin on the genre. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you better off than you were two years ago? Are you bathing in the soothing waters of the long-promised economic recovery? Is your future more secure? Is your food more affordable? Your insurance? Your rates? Is your road smoother? Are your children better educated? Is your water less polluted? Or do you think some of our most senior leaders' time and attention is better used fussing over measures like the order of words on our passports and the transfer of payWave fees from a surcharge to the main bill? The latest folly, announced by our Foreign Minister on a week in which Gaza was stricken by starvation, and the US thanked us for opening an FBI office here by increasing proposed trade tariffs, seeks to enshrine the name ‘New Zealand' in law. Ah yes, what a pressing issue. Tell you what, between that and the passport reordering, those tens or hundreds of thousands of kids who've fled to Australia are gonna be clambering over one another to get back home. Here's my view on the name of our country: call it what you want. You want to call it Aotearoa? Fine. You want to call it New Zealand? Fine. You want to combine the two? Go for it. You do you. The thing about language is it's fluid. It changes over time. There's a reason we don't all speak in Shakespearean prose. And it has nothing to do with compulsion. To those who say an increasing use of Aotearoa is some sort of affront to our collective values, I'd have thought freedom of expression is a value more worthy of protection. And for what it's worth, if New Zealand First was trying to enshrine the name ‘Aotearoa' in law, I'd have the same response. One of the justifications given for this member's bill is that using Aotearoa threatens NZ Inc., our international brand. Is there any evidence that our exporters are being compelled en-masse to send their products overseas with the name Aotearoa, instead of New Zealand? Who, pray tell, is risking that international brand value by forcing this change on the packaging of our top products? I'd suggest it's a pretty unsophisticated exporter who would voluntarily confuse their international customers. Or, you know, maybe this just isn't really a big deal. I've a real distaste for performative politics that either drum up angst about a problem that doesn't exist or do something symbolic at the expense of real action. I never cared for the trend of councils and governments declaring Climate Emergencies and patting themselves on the back, while simultaneously doing nothing new in a policy sense. There is a very simple way to see through this specific bill. Consider the timing. If the name of New Zealand is seriously so threatened, why didn't New Zealand First introduce this bill 12 months ago? Why not six years ago? Why not negotiate it into the coalition agreement when they formed a government? My instinct with this kind of move is always the same. Don't ask ‘What does this achieve?' or ‘Why is this an issue? Instead, ask ‘what are they try to distract us from?' The ‘meh' jobs report? The lame economic growth figures? The gang numbers ticking over 10,000 for the first time ever, this week? Or could it possibly be the fact that a few hours before the New Zealand (name of state) member's bill was announced, Australia and the UK achieved comparatively lower trade tariffs with the United States, while our government's top officials were apparently surprised to learn that our tariff had been increased? Actually, maybe we should call ourselves Aotearoa. Who knows? It might have confused Donald Trump just long enough to keep us at 10%. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full interview: Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga chief executive Geoff Cooper joins Jack Tame to talk about the country's infrastructure pipeline, and why the spending New Zealand puts toward infrastructure doesn't necessarily result in the most effective outcomes — especially when it comes to renewing existing infrastructure.

With winter well and truly set in, some are dreaming of clearer skies across the sea. Kevin Milne has a trip to London coming up, him and his wife deciding to pop over and visit two of their sons on their home turf. Although this is a trip to see family, there are a few interesting details that Kevin shared with Jack Tame. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man of many talents, Cliff Curtis is a Hollywood star hailing all the way from Rotorua. He's known for his metamorphosis, carving out credits in a mixture of major franchises and more personal productions, and his latest project feels like a blend of both. Curtis is starring in Jason Momoa's ‘Chief of War', which tells a tale of the turn of the 18th century, when the four kingdoms of Hawai'i were at war. He told Jack Tame he's very proud and humbled to be a part of this production. “As a storyteller in the screen industry for the last three decades at least, we've managed to tell a variation of stories from our small corner of the world,” Curtis said. “But you know, this series, when led by the likes of Jason Momoa and his co-creator Thomas Pa‘a Sibbett, they can bring scale to the narrative.” “It's a big deal for us.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, journalist Clare de Lore and Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! The UK is threatening Israel with recognising the state of Palestine if it doesn't agree to a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Is this a terrible bargaining chip - or you do what you've got to do? Australia wants to ban under-16s from using YouTube off the back of their social media ban for teenagers. Do we think this is a good idea? Netball NZ has just signed a new broadcasting deal with TVNZ - will this help netball turn its viewership around? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tour de France is reaching its final legs, with drama, gruelling climbs, and triumphant podiums all playing out across the world. Craig Geater is up close and personal with the professional cycling world, a bike mechanic with over 20 years of experience working with the Tour de France. He's worked with some of the sport's greatest riders and most successful team, and his currently the head mechanic for Australian outfit Team Jayco AlUla. Geater joined Jack Tame to break down what it's like working on something as grand as the Tour de France, his time as Lance Armstrong's personal mechanic, and the unique nature of the competition. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of Kiwis making withdrawals from their KiwiSaver due to hardship is on the rise. In the year to June, more than 50,000 were made, compared to 18,000 five years ago. Early withdrawals can have compounding effects on someone's financial future – so what other options are there? Lisa Dudson joined Jack Tame to delve into the topic and offer up some other ideas. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fifth studio album from British singer-songwriter Billie Marten, ‘Dog Eared' is an album filled with nostalgia. The title comes from the practice of dog earring books, Marten having a fondness for marking up the books she reads – underlining passages, scribbling ideas in margins, and folding corners. It tells the story of who she was as she wrote and recorded the album, each song touching on a different childhood memory. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the release. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taking care of babies can be complicated. With so many new tasks and new things you have to teach to a child, it can be tough sometimes to try something a little bit different. Since she gave birth, Kate Hall has been using Elimination Communication, otherwise known as infant potty training, and she joined Jack Tame to give an update on how that's working. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interviews with Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, educator Welby Ings, think tank researcher Max Rashbrooke, and NZ First MP Jamie Arbuckle.

In the end it was only a matter of time. It took a day or two of virality for the CEO caught cheating in the now truly infamous Coldplay kiss cam to publicly announce his departure from the company. I'm frankly surprised it took much longer for the woman caught canoodling in his arms to do the same thing. She was, after all, the Chief People Officer for the same company. On top of what I can only imagine is a personal calamity, the incident strikes me as a fairly grave professional conflict of interest. Indeed, the company that employed them both has announced that she is now gone, too. I'm not gonna pretend to be all high and mighty. Like however many hundreds of millions or billions of people around the World, I found myself titillated by the video. It's so dumb. So clumsy. Perfect fodder for a viral sensation. But in the last few days, as the stories have continued, I've also found myself thinking a bit more about what the whole thing says about us more generally. As consumers and sharers of information on the internet, loling, liking, and sharing, there is no way for us to collectively manage a degree of proportionality in a viral screw-up. They did the deed and they can suffer the consequences, you might argue. Sure, but at the same time, these people didn't commit a crime. They have been dishonest, absolutely. Unprofessional? For sure. But while I don't want to be too much of a downer, I can only imagine that right now, it feels like the price they've each paid is the complete and absolute destruction of their entire lives. And even if you do think that in this instance they deserve the consequences whatever they might be, what's to say you'll feel the same way the next time someone goes viral? There is no controlling the wildfire. And once it's shared and shared and shared again, the scale of a viral humiliation compounds faster than at any point in human history. And how about their families? Would you want to find out your husband or partner or parent was cheating? Most of us might say yes, painful as it might be, that truth in that situation is for the best. But what if it meant a fifth of the world's population found out at the same time? What if it meant every student at your kids' school knew what had happened and would bring it up for the next twenty years. Again, I'm not being miserable and saying it wasn't funny. It was funny! My point is that once a moment like this hits the internet, there is absolutely no controlling it. And there's a little sliver of this whole saga that has felt a bit Black Mirror. A few years ago, I read that amazing book, ‘So You've Been Publicly Shamed', by Jon Ronson. It had some extraordinary examples of people who'd gone viral for saying or doing really dumb, offensive things. But it also articulated something primal, something a bit ugly, a hunger in as a species to hunt as a pack, and the collective glee we take in casting someone aside and making an example of them in public. No policy, no force on Earth can stop a viral moment. It just has to burn out. There is no firebreak, no finger in the dyke. That video will have been viewed by eyeballs in every country and on every continent. But while that video said a lot about human nature, arguably its spread around the world has said just as much. Are you not entertained? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Jack Tame from ZB's Saturday Mornings and Q&A and Kiwiblog's David Farrar joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Can we confirm Nicola Willis' meeting with Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell was entirely pointless? Some advocates have blamed the Government's policies for the increase in homelessness. What do we make of this? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While we all have difficulty remembering and placing faces sometimes, some people are unable to do it altogether. Prosopagnosia, otherwise known as face-blindness, is a psychological condition that renders people unable to recognise faces – sometimes including their own. Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Jack Tame to delve into this rare condition. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new weightloss medication is now available in New Zealand – accessible on a private, nonsubsidised script. Dr Bryan Betty joined Jack Tame to discuss Wegovy – what it is, how you use it, the side effects, and why people are seeking medical treatment for their weight. What is Wegovy? A once-weekly injection for weight loss known as a ‘GP-1 agonist'. It mimics a hormone in the gut that reduces our desire to eat and controls sugar in the blood. Developed originally for diabetes but found to help with weight loss, especially at higher doses. The same drug at lower does is known as Ozempic, which is used for diabetes. Is obesity a problem in New Zealand? Why medication? Shouldn't we just eat better and move more? We do have problem in New Zealand with obesity – it's a major heath issue. Over a third population is classified as obese, and it costs the economy $2 billion a year in healthcare costs. A good diet and exercise are critically important for weight loss. However once above BMI 30, it can be very hard to lose weight despite a person's lifestyle, so medication can be a useful adjunct for some people in weight loss. How do we use it and are there side-effects? Once-weekly injection. You adjust the dose every month until you reach the maximum dose. Side effects can include nausea, bloating, loose bowel motions, burping. More serious ones can occur but are very rare: pancreas inflammation, bowel obstruction. Most people have few issues. Is there a cost and how long do you take it for? It is not funded by Pharmac and costs about $500 a month or $6000 a year. Many studies now show that when you stop, the weight can go back on. There is a shift to thinking these medications may need to be used long-term, much like a blood pressure or diabetes medication. It is safe for long term use. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Written over the course of twenty years, from 1993 to 2019, 'Strange Visions 1' details the apocalypse in a sci-fi infused, post-modern satirical manner. It's the work of underground artist, producer and engineer Quaint, part one of a project called 'Polar Extremes'. Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to give her thoughts on the album. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who else could pull off the animal transformation of one of the world's biggest rockstars but Wētā FX? Wētā is well known for its visual effects mastery, and so when Robbie Williams said “make me an ape!”, it's only natural that they were the ones for the job. The man responsible for Williams' simian visage in Better Man was Visual Effects Supervisor Luke Millar, who was nominated for an Oscar for his work. A visual effects supervisor is responsible for coordinating all the different elements that comprise the visual effects of a production – most of which is invisible in many movies. He told Jack Tame it's about balance – everyone always wants more for less, and so being creative and efficient is the name of the game. When it comes to Better Man, Millar got involved after working on the pre-visualisation work for the musical sequences before shooting began. “After seeing a couple of those sequences, I read the script, and that was me,” he said. “I was all in at that point to, to want to take on the challenge.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.