The Panel

A plan to re-enter Pike River Mine is expected to be announced today. International technical advisors have been meeting in Greymouth to figure out a plan. We ask the panelists if they're pleased or not with going back in the mine. Midwives have marched through Wellington today to deliver a pay equity petition to parliament. It calls for the Ministry of Health to support funding for the profession, as it struggles to keep up with demand, with midwives leaving their jobs for better pay. The College of Midwives says some midwives in rural New Zealand are paid as little as $7.23 an hour. We ask the panelists what they think. The discussion continues around the methamphetamine crisis, following yesterday's news that high school students were given a pamphlet entitled "10 ways to keep well if using meth". Dr Chris Wilkins of the SHORE research centre in Auckland, who has researched the impact of P in New Zealand, joins the discussion. We ask him about the situation and if this pamphlet is a part of harm prevention or a how-to guide. New Caledonia will vote on whether to remain part of France at the end of this year. Denise Fisher, Visiting Fellow at ANU's Centre for European Studies, tells us why New Caledonia is such a strategic country in the Pacific and what kind of impact it would have if the country chose to become independent.

Your feedback, and a preview of the guests and topics on The Panel. Story of the day we revisit yesterday's discussion about emails and also discuss the acronym IMHO.

We find the answers to any queries you can think up. Today a question from Jennifer about Prince William and his heirs, a query from Justine about pirates and a question about RNZ reception.

The panelists discuss an opinion piece about how people talk to their digital assistants - Siri, Alexa and the like. The author says how rude or polite people are to these electronic assistants says a lot about them, particularly as these devices often have the name and voice of a woman. Is this sexism or simply the death of politeness? What the Panelists Cas Carter and Steve McCabe want to talk about. A private fireworks display stumped Aucklanders last night, with many wondering what the cause of celebration was. The panelists debate whether it's fair for wealthy individuals or groups to let off such a display in the middle of the city, on a weekday no less. We dive back into the discussion about the shortage of tradies around the country. Yesterday HOBANZ CEO Roger Levie told us the lack of construction workers is a big hurdle for Phil Twyford to deliver the affordable homes that have been promised. Today Roger comes back to address you question and comments about increasing the number of tradespeople. New evidence suggests there may be an easy and cheap remedy for chronic inflammatory conditions. A daily does of baking soda in water could reduce inflammation in autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis. Rhematologist and Associate Professor at Otago University, Andrew Harrison tell us how effect this could be.

Celebrity cook Annabel Langbein is in hotwater over a Mother's Day competition in the NZ Women's Weekly.

A construction company has been ordered to pay millions to fix a rotting secondary school in Auckland.

What the Panelists Jock Anderson and Mai Chen want to talk about.

Another futurist has predicted what common things will be extinct, including carparks, itunes and credit cards.

There are now advertisements in Auckland asking the public what they want to spend the new regional fuel tax on.

A new report says 40 per cent of degrees will soon be obsolete. Traditional degrees could disappear within a decade the report has found.