Afternoons for Wednesday 11 February 2026

 

1:10 Explainer: What could the Free Trade Agreement with India look like?

There has been a lot of noise around a possible Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and India. 

The National party is keen to get it approved, but NZ First leader Winston Peters has been very vocal in his opposition to any deal. 

Many claims have been bandied around by many politicians, but we wanted to know what's the actual agreement likely to look like? RNZ Senior Journalist Gaurav Sharma chats to Jesse.

1:20 It's a lunch box staple - but should it be?

It'll come as no surprise that not all ham is created equal. 

It's a lunch box staple, for kids and adults alike, but is it actually good for us? And what cuts are better than others?

To find out, Jesse chats to fourth generation 'Master of Meats' and deli meat specialist Wilhelm Zabern

1:30 What are the benefits to holding your kid back a year?

We're going to talk about redshirting now, which is when parents chose to delay when their child starts school, so they are at the older end of the class. 

For those of you wondering why it is called "redshirting" the name originates from American college sport, where a student athlete sits out of competition for one year to develop skills and retain eligibility, often wearing a red shirt. 

In New Zealand we don't collect data on the age children start school, but in Australia, statistics show the number of parents opting to delay has more than doubled since 2014. 

So, it is it a good idea, and what about holding kids back a year once they are actually at school? 

Parenting Place Senior coach Jenny Hale discusses with Jesse.
 

1:45 The Kākāpo Files: Find out how the team keeps track of the kākāpo

Alison Ballance has been closely following what might be the biggest kākāpō breeding season on record.

This is all possible because of some very clever technology.  Each kākāpō wears a smart transmitter, which fits like a small backpack, and sends information back to the team's computers.

But it's not all hi-tech, another database in use is the "fridge door", which is a list of the 83 female kākāpo of breeding age. As they mate, the rangers put a tick next to their name. 

In this week’s episode Alison is reporting in from Whenua Hou / Codfish Island, where she helps with the daily update of the fridge door.

Click here for the full episode. 

2.10 Heading Off to Suva!

It's time for Heading Off, our weekly travel segment, and today we're heading to Fiji. 

Holidays in Fiji could look very different depending on the kind of experience you want to have. 

Today we'll be leaving the comfort of the resorts and exploring life in Suva, the capital of Fiji. 

Jonty Crane is about to return to New Zealand after 6 months of volunteer work in Suva.

2:20 Easy Eats: Korean-inspired Bolognese

Kelly Gibney joins Jesse to share this week's Easy Eats recipe, Korean inspired Bolognese. 

Click here for the recipe

2:30 Bookmarks with Marie Dyhrberg KC

For decades Marie Dyhrberg KC has had a front row seat to the most high-profile crimes and criminals. She joins Jesse to share what she likes reading, listening to and watching when she isn't righting wrongs. 

3:10 Music Critic: Fazed on a Pony's New Album

Music critic Matthew Crawley joins Jesse to review Fazed on a Pony's album 'Swan'.

3:25 Feature Interview: Why there is nothing wrong with being obsessed

Where there’s obsession, there’s a story. There’s more to the man in Singapore who has more than 13,000 Barbie dolls, or the New York City opera singer fixated on finding public toilets in the city. Journalist David Greene is fascinated by people who cling, lovingly and stubbornly, to a mission or a fixation, whether it’s cats and hats or recipes carved into gravestones. That curiosity drives his podcast, David Greene Is Obsessed.  He also confesses to some obsessions of his own. He recently helped take over his dying hometown newspaper, determined to keep local journalism alive fearing that when local news disappears, communities grow less engaged, power goes unchecked, and political divisions get worse.

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman previews tonight's edition of The Panel.