Afternoons for Wednesday 30 April 2025

Help Riku at the Archery World Cup in Shanghai!

Last month Jesse talked with Riku van Tonder. Riku is an archery champion, competing to a high level in tournaments around the world.

After emigrating from South Africa to New Zealand he struggled with his mental health. Dealing with that wasn't easy, but he told Jesse that archery helped him keep the black thoughts at bay.

He and the Silver Arrows team are due to fly out this Saturday to compete in the Hyundai Archery World Cup in Shanghai.

But, sadly, we were told this morning that all of Riku's archery gear had been stolen. 

This is precisely tuned equipment and the loss of it has been devastating for him and the team. 

The teams have asked for any help in recovering the gear, donations of archery equipment and they have a givealittle page set up to help lessen this massive setback.  

1:10 The New Zealand writer in a groundbreaking new TV show

Earlier this week we received an email from a listener Craig Dowling.

He told us that he'd been selected - out of hundreds - to compete in a reality TV show.

1:20 The special relationship between bees and tomatoes

Bumble bees are the only insects that can pollinate tomatoes. 

Professor Jenny Jandt from Otago Uni's zoology department has just completed a study looking at how we can help the bumble bees thrive and by doing so make sure our toms grow big and strong. 

1:35 Eastwoodhill's new curator, Menno Kluiters

Our national arboretum near Gisborne encompasses over 131 hectares planted in exotic and native trees, shrubs and climber plantings. 

Eastwoodhill is regarded as the largest and most comprehensive collection of Northern Hemisphere trees south of the equator. Now it's entering an exciting new phase, with the appointment of a new curator.

Internationally respected arborist Menno Kluiters, will take on the role next month.

1:45 Heading Off: Samoa

We've talked about travelling solo, planning a nudist adventure, and even going to Mars.

Today we're keeping it a bit more local... Well at least more so than Mars... 

2.12 Music Critic: Hemi Hemingway's new single

Rachel Ashby reviews and plays the new single from Wellington based artist Hemi Hemmingway, (To Be) Without You. 

2:20 Easy Eats: Stir-fried Quinoa with Broccoli and Fried Eggs

Kelly Gibney turns quinoa into something akin to fried rice in a lovely use of this seed which has a pleasant, gentle pop to its texture. Get the recipe here. 

2:30 Bookmarks with Chris Hipkins 

It's time for Bookmarks where we invite interesting New Zealanders onto the show to discuss their cultural interests

Today Jesse is joined in the Auckland studio by Labour leader Chris Hipkins. 

3:10 Feature interview: how Meta and X will eat themselves 

This is how huge tech platforms like Google and Meta roll; first, they're good to their users; then they abuse them to make things better for business customers, then they exploit their business customers to squeeze out every last bit of value for themselves. Then, they die.

That's how author, activist and journalist Cory Doctorow sees tech's slow-motion collapse. He's in New Zealand to meet readers and talk about his latest book about Silicon Valley's big bet on AI called Picks and Shovels.

3:35 Stories from Our Changing World

Coming up on Our Changing World, Claire Concannon joins a research expedition in Fiordland studying its iconic black corals. 

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Sam Hollis preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.