Podcasts about life and society

Many of us yearn to have more balance in our lives, to tune in and be guided by our energy levels. For Dr Jessica Gerbic it's been her career's work as a clinical psychologist she's helped hundreds of people tune in to their mauri - how it ebbs and flows and she's identified 12 stages of mauri she uses to guide her patients through to better, more balanced, brighter lives.

Sex therapist Jo Robertson looks at how the internet's revolutionised sex, relationships and consent for generations of younger people.

You know that random ingredient you bought for one recipe, used once, and then banished to the back of the pantry forever? Well, chef and food waste advocate Del Holland is back with ideas on how to use it up.

Sarah O'Neil 'Growing Vegetables: A Simple Guide for New Zealand Gardeners', is a week by week look at what to grow, when, and how.   

Kmart has been ordered to pay a Christchurch couple just over 15 thousand dollars to cover costs incurred by removing asbestos-contaminated play sand from their home. In November last year, Kmart issued a recall notice for some coloured play sand products after testing found asbestos - prompting many family homes, daycares and schools to undergo intense cleaning processes. Gemma Rasmussen - from Consumer NZ believes it's the first Disputes Tribunal ruling about recalled children's sand. One of the successful complainants, Elle Chrisp, spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

How do you know which moisturiser to use on dry skin?

Maya Higa has taken her love of animals and online content - combining them to create a digital wildlife sanctuary.

Gardening is proven to be good for the mind, body, and environment. But can it be good for your wallet too?

For the first time in its history the winner of New Zealand Bartender of the Year has been awarded to a woman. Melanie Walker is known for her tinctures and syrups.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Russell Landcare Trust is a community group working to restore the Russell Peninsula and help native species thrive. Martin Ough Dealy is a volunteer in predator control at the Trust - and the oldest at the age of 92. Martin joins Jesse Mulligan.

Jesse chats to green thumb guru Lynda Hallinan about all things gardening.

This is our home for your tales of the unexpected. We're talking ghosts, premonitions, the spooky, and the unexplainable. If you have a story to tell then get in touch on 2101 or Jesse@rnz.co.nz Today we're joined by Kerene in Wellington.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Zachary Perez's funny & honest guide helps soon-to-be and new dads navigate the whirlwind of early fatherhood.

Wallace Chapman and Perlina Lau star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Feeling lonely, stressed, unmotivated or anxious about the future? You're not alone. These are ordinary human experiences, but psychologist Dr. Clay Routledge says we're increasingly treating them as symptoms of illness. He's Vice President of the Archbridge Institute, Director of the Human Flourishing and a leading researcher on the science of nostalgia as a way to build resilience. But he believes our culture is moving in the opposite direction. In a recent essay for the New York Times he argues that by medicalizing everyday struggles, we're undermining our ability to cope with life's inevitable ups and downs. Instead of viewing discomfort as something to be eliminated, he says it can be the very thing that helps our mental health in the long run. Dr. Clay Routledge chatted to Jesse.

Every fortnight we like to solve some of the world's problems.. today Stuff writer Verity Johnson is with Perlina .. and she's turning her attention to why New Zealanders are known for being hard to make friends with.

Freddie Bennett is the founder of EPIC Families Live, an event taking place in Tauranga this weekend to support parents of children with ADHD. He chats to Perlina about what he's learnt from being a parent of a child with ADHD and what other parents should know.

We think this conversation could resonate with many of you .. because our next guest is keen to explain why hiring staff over the age of 50 is a good thing. Ian Fraser is the founder of Seniors at work, a job site for older people who are looking for work opportunities. We get lots of your messages saying ageism is alive and well in 2026, so are keen to hear what can be done to combat it.

Wallace Chapman and Perlina Lau star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Time now to dive into topics that might not make the news but could be filling up your group chats. Joining Jesse in the Auckland studio is Kate Rodger, Culture 101's Perlina Lau and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson. Today they'll discuss smart glasses, Ariana Grande, Tupac murder case and the celebrities asking for donations towards their wedding day.

Time for our weekly travel feature, Heading Off, where we share your travel tales. If you have a story that's worth telling, we'd love to hear from you. 2101 on text or Jesse@rnz.co.nz via email. Today we're heading to Uganik. It's small, mountainous, mostly uninhabited, island of the South Coast of Alaska. Our guide - Michael Phillips - spent 4 months living there as a commercial fisherman.

They say nothing is guaranteed in life except death and taxes ... as a society we're quite good at talking about taxes .. but our next guest says we've got some work to do when it comes to chats about death. Dying Matters Week is coming up from 7th to the 13th of September, and its purpose is to encourage people around Aotearoa to talk more openly about death and grief. Louise Duffy is the creator of Dying Well, a website full of practical resources for people thinking about their own end-of-life wishes, or for helping parents, family, and friends.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

After three days, Ohakune residents have been told their water will be gradually restored but it's not yet confirmed safe to drink. The Ruapehu District Council has put out an update that said a boil water notice remains in place. Residents are also being asked to conserve water as the reservoir recharges. It had fallen to 12 percent on Saturday. Remi Butler, manager of The Peaks Motor Inn spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Every Tuesday we put a dilemma to you and get your thoughts on how to resolve it. This week we're discussing new parents and whether their desire to keep visitors away for the first eight weeks is okay. Your reckons welcome on 2101 or of course, email on afternoons@rnz.co.nz. [picture id="4JV2TCW_curated_lifestyle_eIVef2sFlwg_unsplash_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

Earlier today Auckland's SYNTHONY festival announced some of its line up for the 2027 March event. The idea for Synthony came about in July 2015, it's focus is blending dance anthems with a full orchestra. It started in New Zealand but has since become an event held all over the world. L.A.B was one of the names announced this morning .. Jesse speaks to lead singer Joel Shadbolt. [picture id="4JTY71H_downloadgram_org_480792400_18361544143126343_1687950622225889692_n_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

A new season of the RNZ podcast Thrift starts today .. and host Katy Gosset is looking at how to start a fund for emergencies .. like Mary Holm told us on Thursday, this is something we might all need! [picture id="4JK9QIV_Thrift_Episode_1_season_8_thumbnail_png" crop="16x10" layout="full"]

There's the work you can see around the house and then there's the work that lives in someone's head. Remembering the school forms, booking the appointments, noticing what's running out, planning the weekend, anticipating what everyone will need next. We've heard women describe this invisible workload for years, because they're usually the ones carrying it. Zach Watson offers the male perspective. He calls himself a "recovering man-child." He challenges men to stop thinking of household responsibility as something they simply help with. With 1.4 million followers on social media, plus workshops and coaching, he's trying to change the way men understand what it means to carry their share of family life.

Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Checkpoint producer Johnny Sutherland speaks to Melissa Chan-Green about the 52nd annual Dog Derby at Coronet Peak.

A retirement village custom built just for you and your friends is surely not possible, or is it? Three friends from Hamilton have decided to do just that. They all needed to downsize but didn't love the idea of traditional retirement living, so combined two houses into one. The house is designed to they can be near each other and still have their own spacer. Sue O'Brien is one of the trio living in the home and spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Maori are among the hardest hit after New Zealand's unemployment rate climbed to its highest level in more than a decade, with an unemployment rate almost double that of the national figure. Matt Roskruge, Associate Dean Maori and Professor in Economics and Finance at the Massey University Business School spoke to John Campbell.

The cold snap gripping the country is set to intensify tonight - with MetService warning of double-digit negative temperatures in parts of the south. The icy conditions are already straining the power grid - and prompting welfare agencies to step up support for vulnerable people. Otago Southland reporter Katie Todd has the story.

Budget-conscious travellers will need to think twice before rolling their carry-on case to the airport - from next year. From February next year, Jetstar customers will have to pay to use the overhead lockeer, with prices starting at $23, depending on availability. Consumer NZ Chief Executive Jon Duffy spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

A Kiwi apprentice is set to appear on the world stage in a competition showcasing trade skills. The WorldSkills competition in Shanghai tests the world's best in a range of skills from banking to cyber security and retail sales. 22 year old Campbell Brown from Papamoa will be competing to be crowned the world's best refrigeration and air conditioning specialist. Campbell Brown spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Each year, the Henley Passport Index reveals a ranking of the strongest passports across the globe - but what does that actually mean?

A gasfitting expert says changes are needed to prevent unsafe installations, after a 12-year-old Otago boy died from carbon monoxide poisoning in the shower at his family's Haast bach. Almost eight years after Jesse Samuel's death, an inquest is being held in Queenstown to examine what can be done to stop something similar happening again. Otago Southland reporter Katie Todd has more.

That's right every Monday afternoon Jesse likes to get his groove on and take you inside a club somewhere in the country. 

Shoplifting is as old as shops themselves, but the problem seems to be becoming more costly and more confrontational. Retail crime is estimated to cost $2.6 billion a year, and retailers are reporting rising levels of violence against staff and customers. Retail NZ is calling for stronger powers to deal with shoplifters while Parliament is advancing legislation that would introduce stronger trespass laws, higher penalties and new powers aimed at curbing retail crime. Dr. Read Hayes has spent more than two decades studying shoplifting. A criminologist at the University of Florida and Executive Director of the Loss Prevention Research Council, he leads a unique "living lab" where researchers observe how offenders think, what motivates them and which strategies actually reduce theft.

As many new parents know, it's very easy to become obsessed with sleep.

New research has revealed a surprising chapter in the history of one of our most iconic plants, the harakeke, or flax.

It's time for Freaky Friday, your home for the spooky and the unexplained. We've had UFO sightings, ghostly encounters, eerie coincidences. If you've got a spooky story to share ... we'd love to hear from you - email afternoons@rnz.co.nz or text 2101. Today Jesse is joined by Anne.

Nathan Villars is Campus Principal of ACG Sunderland in Auckland and he is keen to discuss whether we are doing right by our children. He believes struggling isn't a sign of failure, and sometimes we need to let our kids fail in order to grow. Nathan chats to Jesse.

Afternoons Group Chat is when we discuss the topics that might not make the news bulletins but could be in your WhatsApp groups. With Jesse is National Content Director Ali Ventura, Afternoons critic Kate Rodger and Culture 101's Perlina Lau. Today they are looking at Amanda Knox's new foray into standup comedy, the Australian netball team uniform for Commonwealth Games and the new doll that comes with a baby in a realistic amniotic sac.

Wanted posters have sprung up around Christchurch for a feline explorer named Chase. But unlike your traditional 'wanted' poster, this one is to tell people that it is ok for Chase to roam. His owner Nick White set up the Facebook Page 'Has Anybody Seen Chase?' which now attracts daily updates with paparazzi-like shots of the celebrity cat on his latest exploits. Chase's owner Nick spoke to Melissa Chan-Green. 

New Zealand and Scotland have a similar population size, but while our youth prison population hovers around 130 to 160, Scotland's is currently zero. It's an incredible feat given Glasgow was dubbed the murder capital of Europe by the WHO. It's all thanks to the country's Violence Reduction Unit, which flipped the script and targeted youth crime by treating it as a public health issue. As a result homicides, attempted murders and serious assaults plummeted and stayed low. Mihi Forbes asked the head of the unit, Jimmy Paul how they did it.

A funeral in New Zealand can cost between $8,000-15,000, and it keeps getting more expensive. So, can death be done with dignity, without debt, and with out a funeral director? When do you need a coffin and when don't you? What are the pros and cons of cremation versus burial? These are some of the questions addressed by funeral reformer Fergus Wheeler, one of a network of volunteers from the Far North to Invercargill, presenting a series of workshops.