Afternoons

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.

Our chance to debate the stories that have been in the news this week. Dr Lara Greaves, Tim Batt and Dane Giraud join Jesse for a spirited discussion.

Paul Davidson KC's report into the Mt Maunganui disaster that saw six people killed, revealed known risks, repeated warnings and systemic failures by the Tauranga City Council. Lots of people have been calling for the Chief Executive to resign over the tragedy. Dr Grant Morris joins Jesse to discuss the history of chief executives' resigning .. or not .. after a disaster.

Thursday afternoons are when we solve some of the world's problems and this week Steve Wyn-Harris is turning his attention to the art of docking sheep.

We are in the middle of another season of Crimes NZ, a segment where I chat with people connected with New Zealand's most talked about crimes. The title kind of hints at this - but just a warning that this conversation deals with some serious issues ... so please take care about who's listening around you... and if you need to talk to someone - there are free, trained counsellors at Helpline. Just call or text 1737. In this episode we're looking at the case of Lauren Dickason, who in 2021 was found guilty of murder for the deaths of her daughters ... six-year-old Lianè and two-year-old twins Maya and Karla. We think it's fair to say this was a heartbreaking case that truly shocked the country. Adam Burns covered the trial for RNZ and chats to Jesse.

If you have a song and a story you'd like to share, send your suggestion to 2101 along with your phone number. Today's offering comes from Alex

Following on from yesterdays Bookmarks with Sefton Rani Jesse talks to Creative Waikato CEO Jeremy Mayall and artist Matt Sephton about the benefits of a universal basic income for artists.

After a career in wheelchair rugby that included representing New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics, Barney Koneferenisi turned his attention to another challenge: making transport safer and more accessible for disabled people. His own experiences with taxis, rideshares and public transport led him to investigate how widespread those problems were. He's now working on an app designed to connect wheelchair users with drivers who are equipped and prepared to carry them.

Overnight, a landmark trial in the US, in which 29 states accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to children, came to an end. Meta has agreed to pay up to $17 billion over 10 years and make major changes to how young people use its platforms. This includes daily time limits, overnight blocks and restrictions on notifications and visible like counts. Still, the company has not admitted to any wrongdoing. Professor Alexandra Andhov, Chair in Law and Technology at the University of Auckland, joins us to unpack what the settlement means...

The average attention span these days lasts about as long as a TikTok video. We talk a lot about constant notifications and the urge to check emails pulling away our focus, but we spend much less time talking about what to do about it. Adam Clark Estes is a senior technology correspondent at Vox and says he's just as guilty of taking a task that should require an hour and finding 55 minutes of other things to do. Our brains have become accustomed to constant stimulation, but Estes argues technology isn't entirely to blame. Even the way we take breaks can work against us. He offers some practical ways to focus again in a piece for Vox called How to Rebuild Your Broken Attention Span.