Afternoons for Monday 25 August 2025

 

1:15 Is it just us, or is everyone sick right now?

We don't know about you, but everywhere we look at the moment there is sickness, kids off school, people off work, GPs and hospital staff run off their feet.

It certainly feels like there is way more sickness around than usual - but is there really?

Here to help answer that question is Kurt Krause, a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Otago.

1.25 How charitable trust Story Store is getting more kids reading

Auckland-based charitable trust Story Store collects second-hand children's books and distributes them to school libraries. 

The aim? To get tamariki in low-decile schools or those in schools with limited library funding enjoying the pleasure of reading books. 

The catch? The schools must need the books and they must be in excellent condition. 

Retired librarian Joannna Baynes is the Story Store library manager chats to Jesse.

1.30 The Women's Rugby World Cup has kicked off and the crowds are HUGE!

The Women's Rugby World Cup kicked off over the weekend .. and while what's happening on the field is exciting .. what's happening off the field is too.
The last time England hosted the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2010, the women played at Twickenham Stoop Stadium to a crowd of 13,000.
Fast forward 15 years, and across the 32 match tournament  375,000 of the 470,000 tickets have already been sold, that's three times the number sold at the last World Cup in New Zealand.

Suzanne McFadden knows a thing or too about the work it has taken to get those kind of numbers, she chats to Jesse.

1.35 Find out why a rescued Kiwi has become an internet sensation

An injured kiwi snacking on some tasty looking worms has become an online star. 

The female North Island brown kiwi was taken into the Whangārei Bird Recovery Centre recently after she was hit by a car. 

Robert Webb and his wife Robyn founded the Whangārei Bird Recovery Centre and have been caring for the kiwi.

Robert speaks to Jesse.

1:45 One Long Song - Nina Simone's Sinnerman

One long song is a chance for us to celebrate those songs that tip over the seven minute mark,  and today's is an absolute classic. 
The earliest recording of this song was in 1956, and it has been covered countless times since, but it was Nina Simone's version in 1965 that arguably made the biggest splash.
She used to end her sets by playing this song because, in her words, "I want to shake people up so bad that when they leave a nightclub where I've performed, I want them to be in pieces.

Hopefully this lifts you up rather than makes you fall apart, coming in at 10 minutes here is Nina Simone's Sinnerman.

2:10 Television Critic: Smoke and Hostage

Claire Chitham is with Jesse to talk about her viewing recommendations:

Smoke - Apple +

Hostage - Netflix

2:20 Jesse's Cold Call - Tūranga FM

As regular listeners will know, we like a cold call here on Afternoons, a chance to add a little suspense to the day .. will they answer .. will they be allowed to chat? Lately we've been calling iwi radio stations and have met some amazing people.

Today Jesse is going to chance his luck at Tūranga FM.

2.30 Expert Feature: Dairy Economics

We thought it was time for a deep dive into our dairy industry

The dairy industry has been dominating headlines recently .. with Fonterra selling off Anchor, Mainland and Kāpiti to French food giant Lactalis last week, and it seems everyone is talking about the skyrocketing price of butter 

To answer all your dairy industry related questions Jesse is joined by Dairy sector commentator and General Manager of Agri-Women's Development Trust, Julia Jones.

3:10 Feature interview: Building better cities builds better communities

Human despair today is driven less by economic hardship and more by the breakdown of strong, healthy communities that begin with strong healthy neighborhoods. This is the view from street level from Chris Arnade.

15 years ago, he walked away from Wall Street, and now he spends his time taking buses and walking in cities around the world. He's currently in Australia. He sends dispatches from his travels for his Substack, Chris Arnade Walks the World. He says if we improve neighborhoods, we can improve the world.   

3:35 Here Now: "No Injera, no life" - an ode to the Ethiopian staple

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman previews tonight's instalment of The Panel.