Short Story Club.

On Thursday we will discuss the poem, Us by Fardowsa Mohamed - you can read it here

1:10 First song

1:15 Stoush in Mt Eden over bus stops

There have been many discussions around public transport in the country's biggest city, as traffic congestion continues to get worse.

But some of the solutions to make the buses better have not been welcomed by local communities. 

Businesses of Mt Eden Village are angry at Auckland Transport's plan to extend bus stops in the area.  

With more, we talk to chairman of the Mt Eden Business Association, Steven Roper. 

Mt Eden Village

Mt Eden Village Photo: Facebook / Mt Eden Village

1:25 MC Tali on her first novel

Kiwi rapper and musician, MC Tali has worked with some of the biggest names in drum and bass in the UK, and her 2004 track Lyric on my Lip reached number 39 on the UK single charts.

Tali, real name Natalia Sheppard is back in Auckland now, and has turned her hand to another art form - writing her first novel The Little White House which has been picked up by UK publisher, Pegasus.

Tali, aka Natalia Sheppard

Tali, aka Natalia Sheppard Photo: supplied

1:35 Is the Trans-Tasman romance dead? 

Aussies and kiwis. We're cobbers, mates, brothers-in-arms and friendly rivals on the rugby field.

But lately you can just tell by the look in their eye that something's changed.

They're taking a hardline on New Zealand-born prisoners and sending them here, they wanted to start charging New Zealand tertiary students outrageous fees, and they don't want to give an old mate a helping hand in the form of social welfare.

Professor Kate Hunter is an historian and the director if the Stout Research Centre at Victoria University, she tells us why the relationship has soured. 

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Photo: 123rf

1:40 Great album: Queen: A Night at the Opera

2:10 Television Critic Melenie Parkes

Melenie reviews Dark (Netflix), Hotel Coolgardie (Amazon Prime) and The Week The Landlords Moved In (TVNZ 1)

2:20 Girls surf squad

School holidays are creeping up once again and parents will be thinking how to entertain their kids. 

If you're in Gisborne though there's an option for young girls aged 8-12 - a surf squad. 

But the programme by surf school Walking on Water has more than just board work on offer.

Director of the school, Liz Alder tells us why surfing's a great way to inspire young girls. 

Walking on Water surf school staff

Walking on Water surf school staff Photo: Supplied

2:30 Expert feature: The humble cabbage tree/ tī kōuka

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Photo: flickr - Jade Montagu

Did you know that the trunk of the cabbage tree is so fire-resistant that early European settlers used it to make chimneys. The dried leaves also made excellent kindling. And the settlers also brewed beer from the root.

Dr Philip Simpson is a Takaka-based botanist and the author of several books including Dancing Leaves, which is about cabbage trees.

3:10 The dictionary of slang

The most comprehensive slang dictionary ever created has  are more than 776 terms for madness, 247 for fat, 279 for ugly and more than 1700 for sex. 

But there is not one slang word for love.

The man who has spent decades creating the slang dictionary  says there is a reason for that. Slang gives our  dark side a  voice according to Jonathon Green, the world's foremost expert on slang.

He explains why he thinks the language of the street is the most human language of all.

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Photo: Flickr

3:35 Voices

3:45 The Pre-Panel Story of the Day and One Quick Question

4:05 The Panel with Finlay MacDonald and Lisa Scott