Crowds of people walk the Tongariro Crossing

Crowds of people walk the Tongariro Crossing Photo: Melanie McGrath 2015

09:05 Privatising the Great Walks? 

Four of New Zealand's tourism leaders have jointly released a report to the government, that moots the possibility of privatising the Great Walks. The controversial suggestion is one of a raft of proposals contained in the Tourism Infrastructure Study.

Kathryn Ryan talks to Grant Webster CEO of Tourism Holdings Ltd. /Chair of Industry Aotearoa, Dave Hammond a former Thames Coromandel chief executive and now tourism consultant, and the Federated Mountain Club's Robin Mc Neil who also works for Venture Southland and the New Zealand walking access commission.

09:20 EV hybrid car share for Wellington

Mevo

Mevo Photo: Supplied

The country's first electric hybrid car sharing service is launching in Wellington today. Kathryn Ryan talks with Mevo's co-founder and CEO Erik Zy der velt about changing attitudes towards car ownership.

09:45 Brussels correspondent Elena Casas

Elena Casas reports in on a bombing in Turkey, a new Prime Minister in Italy and ongoing fears for Europe's banking sector

Ian Narev - CBA

Ian Narev - CBA Photo: supplied

10:05 Banking boss Ian Narev

Kathryn Ryan talks with Ian Narev, the New Zealander at the helm of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, who reflects on an interesting year in the banking business.

10:35 Book review - "I'll Take You There" by Wally Lamb

Reviewed by Ralph McAllister, published by Penguin Random House NZ.

10:45 The Reading

Shingle Beach:1: Bullrush by Carl Nixon, read by Hadleigh Walker.

11:05 Political commentators Matthew Hooton and Stephen Mills

Matthew & Stephen with their take on the new National party team of Bill English and Paula Bennett.

1:30 Festive foodie gifts

Kathryn Ryan talks to Belinda MacDonald about some foodie gifts you can make for Christmas.
Belinda is a qualified food technology teacher and spends a bit of time foraging for seasonal ingredients with healing elements. Her book My Green Kitchen has a raft of nourishing and healthy recipes. She will run through recipes for Matcha Chocolate Truffles, Black Garlic Shortbread and Pine Needle Vinegar.

 

A driverless bus on the road in Fort Washington, Maryland.

11:45 Urbanist Tommy Honey

Tommy asks whether buses are the future of city transport ?

Meet the High-Tech Buses of Tomorrow, CityLab

Rethinking the Bus Shelter, CityLab

The Myth That Everyone Naturally Prefers Trains to Buses, CityLab

Cincinnati Has a Streetcar Problem, CityLab

Dust Settles on China's Forsaken Straddling Bus, CityLab