Afternoons

Our guy on the ground in Australia is Brad Foster and each week he joins Jesse to share what's happening across the Tasman. This week Brad discusses the latest in the Erin Patterson case, heightened police presence in Sydney a year on from the Bondi terror attacks.

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We love celebrating success here on Afternoons, so we're thrilled to be talking to our next guest. Last month, Skye Duncan was named on the TIME100 Next 2026 list, recognising the world's most influential rising stars. Skye and her team at the Global Designing Cities Initiative are on a mission to make our streets safer for everyone. Their Global Street Design Guide has now been translated into nine languages and endorsed by more than 130 cities, regions and organisations around the world. Skye Duncan joins Jesse from New York.

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This year marks half a century of the sport of orienteering in Wellington. To celebrate, volunteer group Orienteering Wellington is hosting a birthday party later this month - an orienteering event where anyone can take place. Lachlan McKenzie joined Orienteering Wellington about 10 years ago and currently serve as secretary. He chats to Jesse.

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A new research paper has identified strengths and vulnerabilities across every transport mode, whether road, rail or sea, it seems all our networks are fragile. The paper has been produced by engineering and professional services consulting firm WSP and the Helen Clark Foundation, and it is calling for a rethink on how we approach transport networks and what alternatives exist should they fail. Kali Mercier is WSP Fellow and Deputy Director Helen Clark Foundation and author of Rethinking Regional Connectivity and she joins Jesse in our Wellington studio.

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Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.

Jesse chats to passionate conservationist Nicola Toki about a critter she thinks deserves a moment in the spotlight. This week it's native gecko mites (Geckobia species). While many mites are temporary visitors, Geckobia scale mites are lifelong, permanent residents. They spend every single stage of their life cycle-eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adults-clinging tightly directly onto the skin of a gecko. They are living proof of deep evolutionary history in Aotearoa, having branched alongside our ancient native geckos millions of years before human arrival.

Mitre 10's Stan Scott is with Jesse and is very happy to answer any questions you've got about small or large building projects you've got on the go!

Shared Kitchen's Julie Biuso is with Jesse to share her latest recipe. Spoiler alert = Scrumptious! Maybe it's the tomatoes, the colours, or the bright, fresh flavours. Whatever it is, the crunchy, juicy, sweet tang with a creamy ball of burrata, or with baby spongy balls of mozzarella, is extraordinary. And there is something undeniably summery or festive about it. Just make it. Link to the recipe is HERE!

Afternoons film critic Kate Rodger is with Jesse in the Auckland studio to talk to us about what's on at the movies. This week Kate reviews Prime Time and Pressure (both on in cinemas)

As regular listeners will know just before 2pm each Friday we like to get our spook on ...we call it Freaky Friday... and it's when we dive into the unexplained .. the unusual .. and the downright odd! If you have a strange story we'd love to hear from you, text 2101 or email [email protected] Today Jesse is speaking with Susan, an archaeologist whose story takes us to the Middle East in the 1980s.