Sam is back after a week off to get ya weekend off to a good start. Today's show featured new music from Leaping Tiger, Wiki and David Bowie. Sam also pays tribute to Dr. Lonnie Smith who passed away last week. 

Today Sam chats about We're Here - a very moving reality TV series featuring some of the favourite queens of RuPaul's Drag Race travelling across small-town America. Whakarongo mai! 

Friday with some live tunes from Adam Tukiri thanks to Parrotdog!

All thankd to The Beer Spot!

Another semi-in-person Friday Wire with Noah in studio and Ilena at home.

Noah speaks to Christopher Luxon about lockdowns; Associate Professor James Ussher about rapid antigen testing; and the Children's Commissioner and NZEI about potential vaccine mandates for teachers.

Ilena speaks to Peter Fergusson from Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand about the government's approach to cancers, and Councillor Shane Henderson about lockdowns and natural disasters.

Noah Ferguson-Dudding caught up with National MP Christopher Luxon for their weekly chat. They discussed the latest regulations around lockdowns in Auckland, alternative avenues the government could be exploring to deal with Covid-19, and where he sees the country going with the pandemic.

The government has approved a pilot test for rapid antigen testing, a faster but less reliable way of testing for Covid-19. Noah Ferguson-Dudding spoke to Associate Profesor and Immunologist James Ussher about why antigen testing has not been used before, but why it may be useful in a world where we have to live with Covid.

The Children's Commissioner, Andrew Becroft, is calling for a mandate for teachers to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Becroft says children must be protected given they are not vaccinated themselves, and it will help prevent children from passing Covid onto their families. Noah Ferguson-Dudding spoke to the Commissioner about the potential mandate and what it would entail.

Noah also spoke to National Secretary of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Paul Goulter, about how teachers feel about a mandate, and why he feels it may not currently be necessary.

Neighbourhood Watch reports on Dominic Perottett becoming the new premier of New South Wales after Gladys Berejiklian resigned after an anti-corruption investigation.

Neighbourhood Watch reports on Dominic Perottett becoming the new premier of New South Wales after Gladys Berejiklian resigned after an anti-corruption investigation.