The Panel

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Denise L'Estrange-Corbet and Andie McComb. First up, New Zealanders owe an eye-watering 16 billion dollars of student loan debt. The panel hears from special counsel Dave Ananth from law firm Stace Hammond. He says he's had clients so stressed out about the debt that they'd become suicideal or had their marriages break apart. Then they talk to Otago University Associate Professor Leah Watkins who is the auhtor of a new study that shows children are exposed to the marketing of unhealthy food, alcohol and gambling 76 times every day.

Emile Donovan is joined by The Panel host Wallace Chapman and producer Lucy Walker to preview this evening's marlarky.

It's another hit of the most insightful and sharp 30 minutes in political analysis. Today Wallace is joined by journalist Annabelle Lee-Mather, former Greens MP Sue Kedgley and Maddison Burgess-Smith, commentator and Senior Consultant at Iron Duke Partners. Topics discussed on the show tonight include: Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has lamented the "boys club" environment of golbal politcs. The backlash over Labour ministers refusing to front up publicly for the Covid Royal Commission of Inquiry. Finance Minister Nicola Willis caused quite the stir this week by nabbing the Prime Minister's interview spot on the caucus run. Should we take note of the whispers of a roll? The Government's decision to remove te reo Maori from new early-reading books is, according to critics, just the latest in a run of policies seemingly targeting Maori. is it an assualt on Te Ao Maori?

An extra half hour of The Panel with Wallace Chapman, where to begin, he's joined by Nights host Emile Donovan. Then Wallace talks to Jonathan Cweoth, chair of the Soutern hertiage Trust, about plans to celebrate the centenary of the 1925 New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition Dunedin. It was massive: over three million through the doors in a country of only one million people.

In part two, another view of the controversial decision to remove all Maori words, except for characters' names, from any new books for early readers. Dr Michael Johnston, Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, says beginning readers need one language at a time. And then they hear from Outwest Youth, a West Auckland youth trust which offers learner driver lessons desperately needs a new car.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Ali Jones and Simon Pound. First up, thousands of secondary school teachers walked off the job today in a dispute over pay. The Panel talks to Paul Stevens, a teacher at Auckland's Rangitoto College and a PPTA representative. Then they hear from independant Cameron Bagrie about the Reserve Banks decision to whack 25 points off the OCR - what does it mean for mortgage holders looking to refix?

Wallace Chapman previews tonight's instalment of The Panel.

An extra half hour of The Panel with Wallace Chapman, where to begin, he's joined by Nights host Emile Donovan. Then: fashion writer and bFM Thursday Morning Glory host Emma Gleason is in the studio to talk fashion, this week she's unpacking the recent cultural appropriation controversy between Adidas and the good nation of Mexico.

In part two, a small Canterbury town is up in arms over a proposal by police that will see them lose their local bobby. And the Panel hear from the creator of an app that links people up with cheap 'rescue food'.

Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Kirsty Cameron and Stephen. First up, new data shows reading and writing levels for school children are dire. The Education minister Erica Stanford unveiled a new government strategy aimed at reversing the downward trend and imporving handwriting. And they also discuss the pros and cons for nuclear power, particularly now data centres for AI demand huge amounts of power. has nuclear power's time come?