Nights for Wednesday 15 October 2025

8:10 The new Mayor ​in favour of rates rises

Of the eighteen councils that oversaw double-digit rates rises in election year, fourteen have new mayors, suggesting councils raise rates at their peril. 

However, Whakatane's new mayor is not against rates rises and that a higher quality of life is worth paying for.

Mayor-elect Nandor Tanczos joins Emile Donovan.

 

8:25 The House

Tonight on our Parliament show Louis Collins pops in to a select committee room to hear a submission on the Public Service Amendment Bill from the Clerk of the House.

8:30 Big news from New Zealand's coolest sport

The New Zealand Men's curling team has qualified to compete at the final Winter Olympics qualifying event in Canada later this year, meaning they could be in with a shot for the big games in February 2026.

The team has just returned from a great success in Scotland last week.

Now, New Zealand has not been seen to curl at an Olympic Games since 2006! When current team skipper, Anton Hood, was just six years old.

He joins Emile Donovan.

8:35 Midweek Mediawatch

Colin Peacock joins Emile Donovan to debrief the week in media news.

Tonight, Sean Plunket and The Platform versus the Broadcasting Standards Authority, how the media covered the Gaza ceasefire and some concerning news at Metro magazine. 

9:05 Nights Riddle

Emile Donovan dons his riddle master robe. Listen in from 8:00pm for a series of riddle clues sprinkled throughout the programme. 

First person to text in the correct answer wins a coveted Nights mug. Text 2101.

9:15 New books mark 25 years of official and renegade art from A Low Hum

Three special books presenting 25 years of official and renegade art from New Zealand indie music champion, A Low Hum, are coming out into the world.

National and global tours have run Kiwi artists under the banner of A Low Hum, as well as the famous and enigmatic festival, Camp A Low Hum -- a festival with NO line-up, but gorgeous posters.

The man behind the magic is Ian Jorgensen, and he joins Emile Donovan.
 

9:25 Explainer: The world of gemstones

How much do we really know about gemstones?

For example, how are they formed and why are they different colours? Why don't we have diamonds in New Zealand?

Ben Kennedy is a Professor at the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Canterbury

9:45 Pacific Waves

A daily current affairs programme that delves deeper into the major stories of the week, through a Pacific lens, and shines a light on issues affecting Pacific people wherever they are in the world. Hosted by Susana Suisuiki.

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10:17 The Detail

Tonight - changes announced by animal welfare minister Andrew Hoggard turn out not to be what they appeared on the label. 

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10:45 The Reading

Our reading takes us back to the early 1900's when an Auckland lawyer purchased a yacht saying he planned to sail solo around the world.  

One year has passed since his departure and in the absence of any word of his whereabouts, the general feeling among the Auckland populace is that he is dead.

John O'Leary reads part three of 'Dove on the Waters' by Maurice Shadbolt,

11:07 'Not for Broadcast'

In 'Not for Broadcast' Nick Bollinger tells the story of New Zealand's of censored songs.

Who banned which records, and why? 

In the second part of this series, he goes back to the 1950s and looks at how a morals panic influenced the songs that were played - and not played - on the radio.

11:30 Musical Chairs with Sandy Edmonds                            

During the New Zealand's burgeoning pop scene of the 60s the sensational Sandy Edmonds was one of its brightest stars.

Then without explanation or warning she was gone, leaving behind one of the decade's most celebrated pop songs, 'Daylight Saving Time'

In 2005 Trevor Reekie spoke to Sandy Edmonds - aka Rosalie Edmondson - about the swinging 60's, where fashion and pop collided and 'The Sound of Sandy'.