Kathryn Ryan
Operation Feather: planning for 'The Queue'
The queue for mourners to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth II was one of the biggest in history, with 250,000 people waiting up to 24 hours, in a queue 16km long. A team of experts had been… Audio
Flood prone communities identified: what does this mean for insurance cover?
More heavy rain is hitting the West Coast this morning putting residents on alert. The Coast is among 12 regions identified in a government report where some communities are at the most risk of… Audio
Science: Fun-seeking bees, nose-picking primates, death-telling smartphones
Science commentator Dr Siouxsie Wiles joins Kathryn to talk about new research that has found bumblebees will play with tiny wooden balls - despite there being no reason to do so. The aye-aye, a… Audio
Population stagnation and the impact on globalisation
A number of countries around the world are experiencing population decline, or depopulation. Japan, for example saw a population loss of 644,000 in 2020 and 2021, and it's population is expected to… Audio
Unemployment stays near record low
Unemployment has remained unchanged at 3.3 percent in the three months ended September. Average wages have risen strongly, growing 2.6 per cent in the three months ending on September 30. What does… Audio
Music with Dave Wilson: Songs about work
Music commentator Dave Wilson joins Kathryn to look at the fascinating relationship between work and music. Creating, singing, and playing music are all forms of labour. Audiences pay for tickets to… Audio
Book review: Pipi and Pou and the Raging Mountain & Pipi and Pou and the River Monster, written by Tim Tipene
Joanna Ludbrook from Chicken and Frog bookstore in Featherston reviews Pipi and Pou and the Raging Mountain and Pipi and Pou and the River Monster, written by Tim Tipene and illustrated by Isobel Te… Audio
From big tech to big supermarkets: why monopolies have a vice-like grip
Whether it's big tech, big pharma or big supermarkets , Sally Hubbard argues monopolies have a vise-like grip on our lives. She is an antitrust expert and Director of Enforcement Strategy at the US… Audio
Australia: New Covid wave, trial aborted, costs rise, $5 King
Australia correspondent Karen Middleton joins Kathryn to talk about how Covid infection rates have shot up in Victoria raising concerns about a new wave. The man accused of raping a Parliamentary… Audio
Report finds most flood-prone areas are the least prepared
Some of the country's most disadvantaged regions have been identified in a government report as being at the most risk of flooding. Not only are they are most risk - the report says they are also… Audio
How free is speech on university campuses?
A new study suggests a significant number of undergraduate students are uncomfortable sharing their views in class on certain topics - such as gender, politics, religion and sexual orientation. Almost… Audio
Sports commentator Sam Ackerman
Sam Ackerman talks about the real question left unanswered by the scheduling blunder for the Black Ferns and All Blacks, a landmark week in Secondary Schools rugby and what can rain on the Black Caps… Audio
New music with Jeremy Taylor
A wonderful compilation of black music from 60s Britain, the new pop smash from Taylor Swift, and a 20th anniversary for the Libertines debut. Audio
Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North by Rachel Joyce
Catriona Ferguson reviews Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North by Rachel Joyce, published by Penguin Audio
Grace Tame: Australian of the Year
Grace Tame was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her advocacy work for survivors of sexual assault. And she's now told her story -- in her own words -- in a memoir called The Ninth Life of a… Audio
Asia correspondent Ed White
There's been high drama in Beijing at the conclusion of the Chinese Communist party five-yearly party congress. Asia correspondent Ed White talks to Kathryn about how any hopes of reconciliation… Audio
Short Story winners revealed
Our Short Story competition judges, writers Harry Ricketts and Rebecca Reilly, announced the five winners of the 2022 Nine to Noon Short Story competition. Audio
Massive growth in vape retailers fuelling youth epidemic
Anti-smoking groups are sounding the alarm at the growing number of vape shops in the country, with 300 new stores opening up since February alone. Kathryn speaks to Letitia Harding, chief executive… Audio
Suicide amongst Doctors
There's growing concern for the mental health and wellbeing of doctors and medical specialists navigating a stressed health sector. In an editorial published in the NZ Medical Journal today, burnout… Audio
Screentime: The White Lotus, The Watcher, The Stranger
Film and TV reviewer Chris Schulz joins Kathryn to talk about the second season of The White Lotus (Neon), new Netflix series The Watcher - which is based on a creepy true story, and The Stranger… Audio