09:05 Polytechs plan for 2019, but future far from certain

Exterior signage at the Manukau Institute of Technology

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

A plan to avert the collapse of the polytechnic sector in New Zealand has been delivered to the Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins. New Zealand's Institutes of technology and polytechnics are already struggling under financial strain and a financial model they say is not fit for purpose. What does the sector need from the roadmap and how quickly does it need to be implemented? Joining Kathryn to discuss are 3 IPT leaders: Gus Gilmore from Manukau Institute of Technology, Phil Ker from Otago Polytechnic and Chris Collins from the Eastern Institute of Technology.

09:20 Tuia: 250. Re-framing first contact

Tupaia's Endeavour

Tupaia's Endeavour Photo: supplied by Lala Rolls

Next year marks the anniversary of the arrival of the first face to face meeting between tangata whenua and European sailors. The Te Hā Sestercennial Trust is preparing for a year of commemoration titled Tuia 250. It's a commemoration of Pacific voyagers who made their way to Aotearoa, and the European sailors who arrived in October 1769. Historians Dame Anne Salmond and Dr Wayne Ngata talk to Kathryn about re-framing the conversation around first contact to include narratives from many different cultures.

09:45 Cameroon election & Congolese Nobel Peace Prize winner

US First Lady Melania Trump shakes hands with Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, the chieftan of the regional Fante tribe (R), at the Emintsimadze palace in Cape Coast, Ghana.

US First Lady Melania Trump shakes hands with Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, the chieftan of the regional Fante tribe (R), at the Emintsimadze palace in Cape Coast, Ghana. Photo: AFP

Africa Correspondent, Debora Patta elaborates on Melania Trump;s first solo tour of Africa, Cameroon's election and ongoing tension there, and Congolese Doctor Dr Denis Mukwege is a joint recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for his incredible work with women who were victims of rape used as a weapon of war

10:05 Johannes Moser: from chamber to death-metal cello

No caption

Photo: supplied

German Canadian virtuoso cellist Johannes Moser has performed with the world's leading orchestras, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics and Chicago and London Symphonies. He's touring New Zealand currently with the NZSO and is also doing a series of recitals. As well as the traditional classical cello, Johannes Moser plays the electric cello, and tells Kathryn Ryan, he quite likes to play death-metal.

10:35  Book review - The Helpline by Katherine Collette

Laura Caygill reviews The Helpline by Katherine Collette, which is published by Text Publishing.

"A quirky novel from new Australian author Katherine Collette. Germaine is a mathematician who starts working on the the council’s senior citizens helpline when she is fired from her job at an insurance company. What Germaine lacks in social skills she makes up for in love for sudoku, and when a fallen sudoku champion appears in disguise as a local businessman at war with the senior citizens centre you know things are about to get interesting. A novel for fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.

10:45 The Reading

Singing Home the Whale by Mandy Hager read by Simon Leary and  Alex Greig (Part 6 of 14)

11:05 Politics with Mills and Morten

Political commentators Stephen Mills and Brigitte Morten discuss Simon Bridges handling of the Jami-Lee Ross situation with Kathryn, and also look at MMP changes.

Jami-Lee Ross, MP for Botany

Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller

Stephen Mills is the executive director of UMR Research and former political adviser to two Labour governments.  Brigitte Morten is a Senior Consultant for Silvereye and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government.

11.30 Deer milk pud? Don't mind if I doe.

Deer milk crème brûlée

Deer milk crème brûlée Photo: NZ Food Awards

New Zealand's pioneering deer milk industry has been going from strength to strength this year, picking up a host of accolades. Currently only available at restaurants in Auckland and Wellington, deer milk  has a unique composition of fat and protein that's mainly used in luxury desserts. It is the result of three years of trials undertaken by Pamu, the brand for Landcorp Farming, and their partners Sharon McIntyre and her husband Peter in this endeavour. Kathryn Ryan talks to Southland deer, sheep and beef farmer, Sharon McIntyre.

11:45 Scrabble, black sand & rope climbing

With the school holidays in full swing, Kennedy Warne has some new words for Scrabble lovers, also a visit to the black sands of Auckland's West Coast to Whites Beach. And is free climbing unnecessarily risky? Here's a link to the new movie "Free Solo"