Podcasts about Otago

Among everyday vehicles, nearly half are overdue for either their Warrant of Fitness (WOF) or their registration, according to a vehicle management app. Bonnet, an app that links to NZTA data crunched the numbers for 21,500 vehicles, privately owned and fleet operated. The Bonnet data shows in Northland, 66% of warrants are overdue, in Auckland around 16% have expired, but it's just 8% in Otago. AA's principal policy advisor, Terry Collins spoke to Lisa Owen.

Vitamin C cream is popular with skin-care devotees promising to help slow signs of aging, prevent sun damage, and improve the appearance of wrinkles & dark spots But it might be time to ditch the expensive creams. That's because researchers at the University of Otago's Christchurch Facility of Medicine have discovered that eating vitamin C is best way to get your Vitamin C hit. Lead author, University of Otago Professor Margreet Vissers joins Jesse. (Full transparency, the study was funded by a University of Otago research grant and Zespri International, who had no influence over study design protocols, results analysis or study publication.)

With the country set to miss its Smokefree 2025 target, the government is exploring legalising oral nicotine pouches. Professor Janet Hoek is co-director at ASPIRE Aotearoa, a University of Otago research centre, and spoke to Corin Dann.

Black Caps spinner Ish Sodhi is celebrating his first 'first-class century' after defeating Otago in Dunedin. Sodhi made an unbeaten 108 as Canterbury racked up 501 for 7, on day two of their Plunket Shield match. Ish Sodhi joined Jason Pine to review his achievement, and discuss what it means to him and the team. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk with physiologist Elliot Jenkins about how passive heat acclimation boosts VO2 max, hemoglobin mass, and cardiac function in trained runners without adding mechanical training load. Practical protocols, safety tips, and open research questions round out a clear, actionable guide to using heat wisely.• Elliot's path from Otago to a PhD in the UK• Why passive heat instead of exercising in heat• Hematology: plasma volume expansion • Cardiac changes: larger end-diastolic volume and stroke volume• VO2 max and speed gains in trained runners• Practical protocol: time, temperature, frequency, hydration• Safety: dizziness, slow exits, supervision, low blood pressure• Dose-response unknowns and hot-climate athletes• Heat vs cold and contrast for recovery and adaptation• Where to find Elliot's paper and social links (see below).Follow Elliott Jenkins on X @E_J_Jenkins His paper is published here: https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP289874

From heat watches to rain warnings - the South Island is bearing the brunt of some particularly changeable Spring weather. 

Health New Zealand says shifting appointments out of hospitals and into communities could spare Otago residents about 40-thousand road trips a year. It's unveiled some ideas for overhauling health services in Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes, after vowing in July to tackle long-standing inequities. As Katie Todd reports, the pitch had a mixed reaction in Wanaka.

A lot of roles could be facing the axe as the Government looks to scrap regional councils. The Government's proposing replacing them with boards made up of Mayors in a particular region. The proposal aims to reduce duplication and put downward pressure on rates. Boards would be required to put plans in place around re-organising services and infrastructure, which will be checked over and ticked off for financial sustainability. Otago Regional Council Chair Hilary Calvert told Ryan Bridge says they employ a lot of staff. She says they have around 368 roles, which is twice as many as there were six years ago. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Regional councils are being abolished – or are they? Thomas Coughan writing in the Herald makes a very good point, it's not the councils that are being abolished, it's the council laws. Under the Government's proposal, which was announced yesterday, regional councils would have their governance replaced by Combined Territories Boards, a group made up of a region's mayors, which would govern regional councils instead. The Government wants these new CTBs to decide the future of local government in their regions over a period of two years. They'll look at whether to share services across councils, form shared council-owned companies, whether there's a case to amalgamate into larger unitary authorities, as Auckland has. The government will have the final say after that two years. If they don't like what the mayors come up with, the Local Government Minister will provide a top-down blueprint for how the board will look and what its purview will be. Right now, there are 11 regional councils in this country, alongside 12 city councils, 54 district councils, and six unitary authorities. The unitary authorities act like a local council and regional council combined. If you have a regional council in your area, it's responsible for the land, water, and air resources, flood control, environmental monitoring, and public transport, things like that. And councillors are voted in by you and me to make decisions on behalf of ratepayers. Not that we care. Nobody seems to care particularly if you look at the voter turnout as Minister for RMA Reform Chris Bishop told Mike Hosking this morning. “Well, I think no one cares partly because they can't understand it, right? So you vote for your regional councillor, then they elect a chair. I mean, how many people out there listening could actually name the regional council chairs who don't live in Auckland? I don't think anyone, not that many people be able to name a regional councillor. And then of course you've got all the confusion, right? “So in Wellington where I'm from, for example, the regional council runs the buses, but the Wellington City Council basically works out where you can actually put a bus stop, for example, and they do all the road closures and things like that. So there's enormous levels of complexity and complication that people just don't understand. And people say, well, hang on a minute, why am I voting for all these people? I don't understand who most of them are. I don't know who they are. And so there's enormous duplication in the system. So I think that partly explains why voter turnout rates are so low.” He makes a good point. Chris Bishop argues that the changes will reduce the cost of doing business and lower the amount we pay in rates, or at least keep a downward pressure on rates, by removing layers of duplication and bureaucracy. And you would have to say, surely, rates would come down if you're not paying the salaries of hundreds of people per region, their vehicles, the fuel required to power the vehicles, the office space they rent. There's 300-odd in Otago, more than 500 full-time staff in the Bay of Plenty, in the regional council alone. What do these people actually do? And I'd really love to know, how is it that you make life better for the people in your region? As Otago Regional Council chair Hilary Calvert told Ryan Bridge this morning, staff at the Otago Regional Council have doubled in six years. Has life improved for Otago residents by 100% in the last six years? I would very, very much doubt it. You could look at regional councils as like a modern version of the Ministry of Works - a make-work scheme for people in regions. Is that a good enough reason to keep them? Obviously, you're going to have people retained by the Combined Territories Boards. You're not going to see the wholesale sacking of hundreds of people across the region, but it will be streamlined. I mean, it has to be. You cannot tell me that having 500 full-time staff in Bay of Plenty for the regional council can be justified and nor can the number of councillors. People don't care. They don't understand it. It's a whole other level of bureaucracy. It needs to be streamlined. Maybe you think that the increase in your rates, making a make-work scheme for councillors and staff in a regional council is a worthwhile proposition. It's a money-go-round. You pay to have an inflated regional council. And the money comes back to you if you're a retailer because they will spend. To me, it just seems completely and utterly redundant and unproductive, and the sooner it's streamlined into a territorial board, into a streamlined service, the better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand farms and food producers appear to be outpacing other countries when it comes to reducing food waste. A report commissioned by the Ministry of Environment reveals more than 1.2 million tonnes of food is wasted or thrown away here every year. The total proportion of food wasted is between 5 and 10 percent - considerably lower than the global estimate of 30 to 40 percent. University of Otago nutrition professor and report author Sheila Skeaff says household food waste is still as high as most other countries, but producers are ahead. "We produce a lot of food and we're pretty good at making sure that we make the best use of that, particularly on farms and in processing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand farms and food producers appear to be outpacing other countries when it comes to reducing food waste. A report commissioned by the Ministry of Environment reveals more than 1.2 million tonnes of food is wasted or thrown away here every year. The total proportion of food wasted is between 5 and 10 percent - considerably lower than the global estimate of 30 to 40 percent. University of Otago nutrition professor and report author Sheila Skeaff says household food waste is still as high as most other countries, but producers are ahead. "We produce a lot of food and we're pretty good at making sure that we make the best use of that, particularly on farms and in processing." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 25th of November 2025, The Government's announced a new building rule designed to protect homeowners from cowboy builders. A study from Otago uni says Kiwis toss out 1.2 million tonnes of food a year, Love Food Hate Waste Programme Manager, Sophie Wolland shares how we can improve food waste. The Government's revealed the first seven groups to get funding from its $50-million social investment fund, Ngāti Awa Social and Health Services Trust CEO tells Ryan how the money will be spent. Plus, Australia Correspondent Lesley Yeomans has the latest on Cocaine, valued at around 170 million dollars has been seized off the coast of Western Australia and the search ramps up for missing 4 yr old Gus Lamont in South Australia Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A dubious honour for New Zealand this week. The country received the 'Dirty Ashtray' award at a WHO tobacco control conference, and that followed the news that we've fallen from second to 53rd in the global tobacco industry interference index. That's on top of news that the tobacco black market in Australia is doing a raging trade right now. All of this has had us thinking about smoking rates, reputation, vaping and the black market here in New Zealand. Professor Janet Hoek is co-director at ASPIRE Aotearoa, a University of Otago research centre, she joins Jesse.

The time is right for New Zealand to join the rest of the world with a privately-backed, franchise Twenty20 league. That's the message from Don Mackinnon, the man standing at the front of the group looking to achieve just that. Some 22 years on from cricket introducing the shortest format, T20 has become the vehicle in which the sport is growing around the world. And, as is the case with sports like football and basketball, strong club-based franchise competitions have proven to be the main driver of that. Led by the Indian Premier League, established in 2008, the franchise game has slowly but surely expanded to all corners of the cricket-playing world. First to India, then England, Australia, Pakistan, the West Indies, South Africa and so on. Even non-cricketing strongholds such as the US, Canada and even Nepal have franchise domestic leagues. The only exception to that is New Zealand. Since the inception of T20 cricket, New Zealand has maintained a domestic competition made up of the six major associations – Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago – known as the Super Smash. However, the lack of any franchise-style model has left the Super Smash outdated. Instead of operating as NZ Cricket's (NZC) main driver of revenue, the Super Smash instead operates as a breeding ground for local talent, allowing Kiwi players to develop and step into the Black Caps and White Ferns respectively. And while that might be beneficial for New Zealand's national sides, the Super Smash being left off Sky's new cricket broadcast deal from the start of next summer shows the model, as it stands, is broken. But, led by Mackinnon, a consortium that includes former Black Caps captain Stephen Fleming and NZ Cricket Players' Association boss Heath Mills wants to take New Zealand into the franchise world. The proposed “NZ20″ would involve teams created by the major associations being sold to private owners, and establish a league to be played at the height of the Kiwi summer in January, as early as the start of 2027. It would also provide parity to what has been shown to work around the world. While the format is still to be finalised, the NZ20 would theoretically be a Kiwi-based league providing New Zealand's players the opportunity to play a franchise competition at home. As and when a format is decided, and agreed to by NZ Cricket, the major associations and the players' association, the NZ20 would revolutionise the sport in Aotearoa. Speaking to Weekend Sport with Jason Pine, Mackinnon – the chairman of the NZ20 Establishing Committee – explained that while similar attempts to implement a franchise league in New Zealand haven't materialised, the state of the sport in 2025 has changed that equation. “If we go back a decade, I was on the board of NZ Cricket,” he said. “We looked at setting up a franchise league back in 2013-14. “At the time we didn't think it was viable. But as one highly respected figure put to me, there's never been more money in the international game of cricket at the moment. “So many people around the world are excited by it and investing in it, but New Zealand is not part of that. “I just think the time is right to tweak that model and create something in our domestic league that fans are excited by. The money is there, the interest is there. The timing is perfect.” Naturally, with this kind of expansion, falsehoods have materialised. For a start, Mackinnon dismisses any notion the NZ20 is a “rebel league”, as suggested when first reported. Mackinnon concedes “it would be crazy to do this without the support of NZC”. Earlier this year, the NZ20 Establishing Committee presented the concept to NZC. In turn, two members of the NZC board are also part of the Establishing Committee, at a time when the governing body assesses multiple options as to how to revolutionise the shortest format here. Mackinnon also points out that what the NZ20 intends to do isn't new. Cricketing nations across the globe have implemented the same models, where privately-backed franchises co-exist with national boards to allow T20 to operate as the centrepiece of the domestic season. Those models have provided the blueprint for the NZ20 Establishing Committee to take on board. “What we're looking to do here is not novel,” Mackinnon said. “In actual fact, it's done all around the world. “The better question might be ‘why aren't we?' The South African league, for example, has gone from loss-making to extraordinarily successful. The Caribbean league has done exactly the same. “The Caribbean league is probably the model we've mostly looked at as replicating, in part. It's a relatively small economy, a relatively small talent pool. And yet it is reinvigorating the game in the Caribbean. “Will it be here in 30 years' time? I don't know. But the model is certainly doing great things for the game at the moment. There is absolutely no reason why we can't do it here.” What's more, there is also evidence of Mackinnon's suggestion of franchises having stakes controlled by the major associations, while selling ownership to investors. For example, England's “The Hundred” competition initially involved its franchises being co-owned by the English county cricket sides. However, when put to tender earlier in 2025, hundreds of millions of pounds were raised for the counties to use as they saw fit, including investing in the grassroots. The biggest potential worry for the NZ20 – if successful – is the window in which it would operate. If Mackinnon's suggestion of January eventuates, the NZ20 would clash with Australia's Big Bash League, South Africa's SA20 and the UAE's ILT20. The SA20 and ILT20 are both owned by Indian private equity, while the Big Bash League is almost certain to follow a similar path in seeking outside investment. Naturally, then, that would leave the NZ20 competing for talent, be it local or international. For Mackinnon, though, the priority is ensuring the competition is primarily an outlet for New Zealanders. “We're really conscious of that,” he said. “The first thing is we want to make sure our very best players are playing in it. “Heath [Mills] has been talking a lot to the Daryl Mitchells of this world, the Kane Williamsons – our best players. They are incredibly excited about this as a concept. “First and foremost, you're going to have a young kid playing for Otago, bowling to Finn Allen for example. That's got to be good for the game in New Zealand. “There's an awful lot of really good white ball cricketers playing around the world, not all of them can play in South Africa and Australia. “I have no doubt that there would be the opportunity to supplement squads. They would still be very good, exciting players that would put bums on seats.” However, the NZ20 isn't the only option on the table for NZC. The national body is also undertaking a review, led by Deloitte, to determine which direction it should move in. While a similar, privately-backed franchise model is also on the table – separate from the NZ20 – the biggest potential rival would be for the NZC to seek having at least one side join Australia's Big Bash. While that would mean New Zealand and Australia joining forces – as seen with the Warriors in the NRL, the Breakers in the NBL and Auckland FC and the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League – it would also mean NZC has less influence on how the team could be run. Regardless, Mackinnon, said that while the NZ20 Establishing Committee believes it has the best way forward, it ultimately wants to see what's best for the sport – even if it means NZC moves in another direction. “I'll be the first to applaud NZ Cricket for looking at all of their options, they're doing the right thing,” he said. “If they say that's better for cricket in New Zealand, we will live with that and I will wish that project every success. “It seems to me a competition that's played throughout New Zealand, ideally at holiday venues at the peak of summer, with some of our best players playing, some great international players is better for fans, it's better for players, it's better for our regions, and personally I think it's better for our Black Cap and White Ferns development programmes. “But that's just our opinion. I fully accept that NZ Cricket are looking at all their options – as they should.” LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently on the show we've been talking a bit about Genetic Modification, and the Gene Technology bill currently in front of Parliament. So far, we've mostly focused on food. The pros, cons and issues with labelling. You can listen to all of those via the afternoons page on the RNZ website. Today we're looking at another application of the technology - helping us meet our predator free 2050 goal. To that end, Professor Peter Dearden is leading a research project at the university of Otago to create genetically modified wasps. He talks to Jesse.

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari. In this episode, we explore how businesses can uncover hidden operational waste and turn data into a powerful asset for driving energy efficiency and maximizing ROI.Joining us is Keith La Rose, Chief Revenue Officer at CopperTree Analytics, a Canadian SaaS company that specializes in helping businesses identify and eliminate inefficiencies to optimize operations. Keith discusses how data-first strategies can empower businesses to reduce costs, create value, and achieve sustainable growth through intelligent building management.Key Highlights:Hidden Money in Business: How CopperTree detects invisible waste and flags inefficiencies using Kaizen. Case Study: How a high-rise in Los Angeles saved $150,000 in one year by optimizing operations. Turning Cost Centers to Profit Centers: How giving teams access to data can drive performance and value. Sustainability That Pays: How small businesses can save money through sustainable practices, with a case from the University of Otago. Leadership & Innovation: Key lessons from leading a high-performance culture and CopperTree's vision for the future of PropTech.Special Thanks to Our Partners:RBC: https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/dms/business/accounts/beyond-banking/index.htmlUPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWAGoogle: https://www.google.ca/A1 Global College: https://a1globalcollege.ca/ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspxFor more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Freedom Vaha'akaolo's story is one of the wildest and most emotional you'll ever hear. He is one incredibly talented rugby player who certainly didn't take the typical pathway.From the age of just 11 years old he was homeless, eating from trash cans, and learning how to survive. Years later, he was scoring tries for Otago using his speed and power which earned him a spot with the Highlanders.During that time he was involved in a cruel catfish scam almost ended it all.In this episode, Freedom opens up about:- What made a kid with two loving parent want to be homeless- What life was like on the streets as a young teenager- The impact that moving to 7 new schools had on him- His identity struggle coming from mixed heritage and the impact that had.- How he made the NZ schools camp in basically his first year of rugby- His pathway into professional rugby and the challenges involved.- How an online relationship turned into a disaster being catfished,- And how he's rebuilt himself through faith, therapy, and sport again.It's raw. It's real. It's one of the most powerful stories ever shared on What a Lad and that is no exaggeration. Let me know what you thought about it in the comments

There's been some controversy surrounding the Breakers following a recent announcement. They have come out and stated that they will not be wearing a pride sticker at the upcoming Pride Round in the NBL. Sally Shaw is a professor in sport management at the University of Otago and she joined D'Arcy to discuss. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Tina chats with Mikki Williden to explore essential nutrition strategies for women in midlife. She discusses the pitfalls of common dietary habits and the importance of balancing fat loss goals without compromising hormones or energy levels. Mikki explains what 'metabolic flexibility' means and offers tips on shifting the body to burn more fat efficiently. She dives into how much protein women need for muscle maintenance, weight loss, and metabolism optimization, detailing how to distribute protein throughout the day for best results. She also discusses the concept of 'low carb' diets and their place for women over 40, offer strategies for fueling workouts, and highlight key supplements that support hormone balance and metabolic health. She also shares her insights on nutrition myths that need to be dispelled and offers practical advice for improving overall health. Here's what you'll learn: - The most common nutrition mistakes women in midlife make and how to fix them - How to balance fat loss goals without tanking your hormones or energy - What “metabolic flexibility” really means and how to shift your body to burn more fat - How much protein women truly need for muscle, weight loss, and metabolism - How to distribute protein across the day for optimal recovery and results. - What “low carb” really means and if it has a place for women over 40 - Smart strategies to fuel workouts and recover faster - The key supplements that support hormone balance, energy, and metabolic health - The one nutrition myth she wishes every woman would let go of for good Connect with Tina Haupert: https://carrotsncake.com/ Facebook: Carrots 'N' Cake https://www.facebook.com/carrotsncake Instagram: @carrotsncake https://www.instagram.com/carrotsncake YouTube: Tina Haupert https://www.youtube.com/user/carrotsncake About Tina Haupert: Tina Haupert is the owner of Carrots ‘N' Cake as well as a Certified Nutrition Coach and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P). Tina and her team use functional testing and a personalized approach to nutrition to help women find balance within their diets while achieving their body composition goals. Connect with Mikki Williden, PhD: https://www.mikkiwilliden.com/about Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutrition/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikkiWilliden Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/ About Mikki Williden, PhD: Mikki Williden, PhD graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, and a Bachelor of Physical Education from the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. She attained her Masters in Science (Human Nutrition) with First Class Honours in 2003, focusing on the development of a childhood obesity prevention programme. As a registered nutritionist, She has been privately consulting with clients since 2006 and has worked with a vast number of people with different health and performance goals. In 2011, she obtained my PhD after completing her doctoral thesis in health and productivity in the New Zealand workforce. She hosts a twice-weekly podcast, Mikkipedia, which dives deep into the topics of nutrition, longevity, fitness, and health, and is the creator of Mondays Matter, a successful fat loss group programme that utilises evidence-based techniques to support body composition goals and has helped thousands of people. She is the Director of Nutrition for SFuels, an innovative sports nutrition company that advocates for right fuel, right time. She has worked with world-class athletes and some notable New Zealanders, helping them achieve their nutrition-related goals, including Nigel Latta (on The Sugar episode) and Simon Gault (on the documentary series Why are we Fat?). She is passionate about helping to translate science into practice to help people meet their health goals, and is a regular contributor to digital and media platforms, as well as having an active social media presence.

The Auckland Hearts are set to get their season of domestic cricket underway with the first round of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield kicking off today. They're set to take on Otago in the first of ten one day fixtures – a rematch of last year's final. Maddy Green, White Fern and member of the Auckland Hearts will be playing her 100th Hallyburton Johnstone Shield match, and caught up with D'Arcy for a chat about the competition and opening fixture. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Otago-born Hamish McKenzie co-founded subscription publishing start-up Substack and is its Chief Writing Officer. 

A Dunedin community group's pipedream to forge a flat trail through the hilly city to Mosgiel is closer to becoming a reality. The first stage from farmland, through an 1800s Victorian gothic railway tunnel and into native bush is nearing completion after years of mahi. Today, the trail welcomed a $2 million boost from the government to help extend the trail to the suburbs of Fairfield, Abbotsford, and Green Island. Tourism reporter Tess Brunton has more

The Black Caps' T20 series against the West Indies has concluded in Dunedin today and an Otago fast bowler was one of the stars. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

Deepfake technology seems to be flooding online spaces and as AI-generated gets more sophisticated, the challenges will grow. Dr Yuki Watanabe from the University of Otago studies interdisciplinary perspectives to examine the profound impacts of deepfake technology. She says we should be proactively shaping the future of this technology with human-centered approach. Dr Watanabe speaks to Emile Donovan. 

Last night, stargazers were treated to a spectacular show as the Southern Lights lit up the skies in the south. Thanks in part to Dr Daniel MacManus from the University of Otago, our infrastructure got through it unscathed.

Emile Donovan speaks to University of Otago consumer behaviour expert Professor Lisa McNeill.

Long Covid patients report being gaslit about their illness, and feel increasingly let down by the health system. 

McDonald's is back for a second bite in Wānaka, after its original plans for a restaurant were scuppered by super-sized opposition. The fast-food giant has picked a new site and while some locals see it as a more palatable offering, others are worried they won't get a say. Katie Todd reports. 

RWR MCDONALD chats to Craig Sisterson about his new novel THE NANCYS AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING NECKLACE, tone, child narrator in adult story, fictionalising a small town in Otago, New Zealand, living in Melbourne, teaching creative writing, Faber academy.THE NANCYS AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING NECKLACE: Meet the Nancys…Tippy Chan is eleven years old, and she lives in a small town in a very quiet part of New Zealand – the town her Uncle Pike escaped as a teenager, the moment he got a chance. Now Pike is back with his new boyfriend Devon to look after Tippy while her mum is on a Christmas cruise.Tippy can't get enough of her uncle's old Nancy Drew books. She wants to be Nancy and is desperate to solve a real mystery. So, when her teacher's body is found beside Riverstone's only traffic light, it looks like Tippy's moment has arrived. She and her minders form The Nancys, a secret detective club.But what starts as a bonding and sightseeing adventure quickly morphs into something far more dangerous. A wrongful arrest, a close call with the murderer, and an intervention from Tippy's mum all conspire against The Nancys. But regardless of their own safety, and despite the constant distraction of questionable fashion choices in the town that style forgot, The Nancys know only they can stop the killer from striking again. Whatever the cost…RWR MCDONALD (Rob) is an award-winning Kiwi author, living in Melbourne, Australia with his two daughters and one HarryCat. Author of the award-winning Nancys series, The Nancys and Nancy Business, Rob is also a creative writing tutor and host of QWS Podcast. Rob now writes picture books by day and whodunit mysteries by night — except all his characters seem to be completely out of control and pay no attention to him, or any rules.Recommend: Katherine Kovacic, Vanda Symon, JP Pomare - 17 Years Later (The Clearing & Watching You on Tv/streaming), Hayley Scrivenor Dirt Town, Lyn Yeowart The Hollow Girl.Craig Sisterson is a features writer and crime fiction expert from New Zealand who writes for newspapers and magazines in several countries. In recent years he's interviewed hundreds of crime writers and talked about the genre on national radio, top podcasts, and onstage at festivals on three continents. He's been a judge of the McIlvanney Prize and Ned Kelly Awards, and is founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards and co-founder of Rotorua Noir. He lives in London with his daughter. He is the author of  Produced by Junkyard DogCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023 & 2025CrimeFest 2023CWA Daggers 2023 & 2024 & National Crime Reading Month& Newcastle Noir 2023 and 20242024 Slaughterfest,

 What's the episode about? In this episode, hear Dr Jessica Young on assisteddying, the New Zealand End of Life Choice Bill, culturally responsive research, end of life care and decision making, and sociological approaches.Who is Jessica?Dr Jessica Young is a Senior Research Fellow at Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Auckland, and an adjunct senior lecturer in the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology.She is a sociologist specialising in death, dying andassisted dying. She completed her PhD in 2020 at the University of Otago and received a prestigious post-doctoral fellowship from the Cancer Society of New Zealand.Since the End of Life Choice Bill was introduced in NewZealand, Dr Young has been building a programme of research to investigate multiple facets of assisted dying.  She leads and contributes to several projects on assisteddying, most recently ‘Exploring the early experiences of the assisted dying service in Aotearoa', funded by the Health Research Council. Dr Young has led impactful research in end-of-life care, securing over $3 million in competitive funding.  She is the founder and co-chair of New Zealand'sAssisted Dying Research Network and was appointed by the Director-General of Health to the Support and Consultation for End of Life in NZ (SCENZ) Group (2021–2023). Her work has directly shaped national policy: 13 of her team's recommendations were adopted in the Ministry of Health's 2024 End of Life Choice Act Review.She has published over 40 peer-reviewed articles, six editorials, and three book chapters.  To ensure her research goes beyond academia, she activelyengages with media. She is passionate about improving end-of-life experiences for patients, whānau/families and health practitioners. Committed to ethical, inclusive, and culturally responsive research, she seeks to involve tangatawhenua (indigenous people of NZ), stakeholders and communities. You can find Jessica on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-young-7097a722/ The book introduced in the episode introduction is Death, Commemoration, and Cultural Meaning Past and PresentEdited by Robert Spinelli and Robyn S. Lacy. How do I cite the episode in my research and reading lists?To cite this episode, you can use thefollowing citation: Young, J. (2025) Interview on The Death Studies Podcast hosted by Michael-Fox, B. and Visser, R. Published 1 November 2025. Available at: www.thedeathstudiespodcast.com, DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.30507878 What next?Check out more episodes or find out more about the hosts! Gota question? Get in touch.

Trees are one of the root causes of power outages, it is costing customers big time and the line companies want urgent law changes to deal with the problem. About 95 percent of the outages in Southland and Otago during last week's storm were caused by trees taking out lines. In 2024 alone, lines companies spent $67 million on tree management, a cost passed on to customers. The government is planning law changes, but the lines companies dont think it's going far enough, fast enough. Electricity Networks Aotearoa Chief Executive Tracey Kai spoke to Lisa Owen.

Lloyd Smith has been competing in dog trials since the 1970s and joins Emile Donovan from his farm near Palmerston in Otago

Thousands of people are still without power in Otago and southland after the region was hammered by last weeks high winds, and it could be days before the lights are back on. Reinforcements on the way to the region with more than 200 field staff expected to be on the ground by tomorrow. But on going bad weather is making repair work challenging. Powernet chief executive Paul Blue spoke to Lisa Owen.

At just 25, University of Otago medical student Josiah Bugden has managed to balance the demands of his final year of study with a rapidly expanding side project - CourseSpy - a platform helping students make smarter decisions about their tertiary studies Born out of his frustration with the lack of clarity around course selection and degree planning, Josiah set out to build the all-in-one tool he wished he'd had as a student. Josiah Bugden joins us from Peru - where he is on his medical placement.

Welcome back to the Pick and Go Podcast! The NPC has wrapped up over the weekend, with the lads tucking into a full review. Canterbury have taken out the 2025 NPC championship over a very young Otago team, with players from both sides continuing to put their hands up for higher honors. International rugby is back, as New Zealand are set to take on Ireland in Chicago. With the teams not yet named, the fellas discuss who they would like to see getting a crack ahead of game one. As the NBA and NFL seasons have now both kicked off, the question of the week is: which All Black would make a good transition to the NFL or NBA? The fellas also touch on the other international fixtures this weekend as the Northern Tour is in full swing.

Fresh attention on rural areas reeling from last week's severe weather. Southland, Clutha and Kaikoura are still under States of Emergency - and more than 8,000 properties in Southland and Otago are still without power. The Country's Jamie Mackay explains further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly 8,000 properties in Southland and Otago remain without power this weekend - and the local lines company is warning residents it could last several days. 

On today's episode of The Agenda, Matt Heath and Finn Caddie join ACC Head G Lane to discuss a MASSIVE long weekend of sport (00:00)...WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!Including the Black Caps smashing the English in the 1st ODI (02:40), Canterbury beating Otago in the NPC Final, the incredible mascot race, and ask the question, who the hell is Larry The Lamb (09:00)?Plus, Matt Heath delves deep into the Mexican F1 (21:50) and punishes everyone with some World Series chat (31:10)! Finally, they get to your feedback in 'Yours Please' (40:30)... GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE AGENDA & BYC LIVE PODCAST HERE! Did you know that we've launched a new Facebook Group called 'The Caravan' JOIN HERE!Brought to you by Export Ultra! Follow The ACC on Instagram or Facebook or TikTok Subscribe to The Agenda Podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! iHeartRadio Apple Spotify YouTube THANKS MATE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Southland and Clutha Districts are under local states of emergency with thousands of homes and services without power and some without water too. The Minister for Emergency Management made the declaration because it could cause problems with lifeline services. Powernet has been useing helicopters to survey the extent of the damaged lines in Southland and Otago. Emergency Controller Jonathan Shaw spoke to Lisa Owen.

Transpower on outages across Southland and Otago

Today’s farmer panel pits Otago against Canterbury, just like tomorrow’s NPC final. But in the meantime, there’s the small matter of the weather to talk about.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saville joins Jack Tame to discuss the latest sports news. The NPC final, Canterbury vs Otago, who will walk away with the trophy? Jason Holland has retired as attack coach for the All Blacks, what's next for him? And the White Ferns exit the cricket world cup following a difficult run in Sri Lanka. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The University of Otago had to postpone Thursday's exams due to weather making the campus unsafe. Vice Chancellor Grant Robertson spoke to Corin Dann.

On today's episode of The Agenda, James McOnie and Finn Caddie join ACC Head G Lane to discuss the damp and depressing result of cricket in October (00:00)...WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!Then the fellas preview the NPC Final and why everyone outside of Canterbury wants Otago to win (03:20) and the truth behind All Blacks Assistant Coach Jason Holland's departure (14:30)...Plus, the White Ferns CWC campaign comes to an end (20:20) and what the hell is happening in the NBA involving dodgy poker games and illegal gambling (23:30)! Finally, they get to your feedback in 'Yours Please' (28:40)... GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE AGENDA & BYC LIVE PODCAST HERE! Did you know that we've launched a new Facebook Group called 'The Caravan' JOIN HERE!Brought to you by Export Ultra! Follow The ACC on Instagram or Facebook or TikTok Subscribe to The Agenda Podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! iHeartRadio Apple Spotify YouTube THANKS MATE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rugby's most bizarre rules explained! Top ref Ben O'Keeffe joins the ARP crew to give insight into weird and wonderful world of rugby rules, as well as life as a ref.Jip, Ben and Ross also break down the NPC semis and ask whether Otago or Canterbury will win the trophy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to the Pick and Go Podcast!The NPC semi-finals wrapped up over the weekend, with the lads giving a full review of the action. Otago got the win over Bay of Plenty, thanks in part to another outstanding individual effort from Dylan Pledger, who continues to make a strong case for higher honours. Canterbury also claimed victory over Hawke's Bay with a dominant second-half performance.Heading into the Grand Final this weekend, the lads reminisce about their favourite NPC final moments of all time.The Grand Final is here Otago vs Canterbury! Who will take out the 2025 NPC Championship as the fellas deliver a full preview. Can Otago claim their first NPC Finals victory in 27 years?

As desperate job seekers battle for work across the country, Queenstown and Wanaka are bucking the trend. Katie Todd reports.

On today's episode of The Agenda, Matt Heath joins ACC Head G Lane to discuss the latest round of the F1 and why the Export Beer Garden Tour of Texas wasn't still in Austin for the race (00:00)... WATCH THE FULL EPISODE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!Then the fellas get into the return of Steady The Ship to the Black Caps and why we are playing games in October (09:00)... Plus, they chat about the Kiwis beating Samoa (15:00), Matt nerds out on Shohei Ohtani (16:15), and Otago have made the NPC Final (25:00)! Finally, they get to your feedback in 'Yours Please' (30:15)...GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE AGENDA & BYC LIVE PODCAST HERE! Did you know that we've launched a new Facebook Group called 'The Caravan' JOIN HERE!Brought to you by Export Ultra! Follow The ACC on Instagram or Facebook or TikTok Subscribe to The Agenda Podcast now on iHeartRadio, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts! iHeartRadio Apple Spotify YouTube THANKS MATE! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tess has the latest with the Otago councillor accused of financial misconduct, court action over protecting the hoiho, and Dunedin's new mayor.

A spate of arson attacks on cell towers in Wanaka and the wider Otago region has left people angry and worried about communication outages. Katie Todd reports from Wanaka.