The Panel

Join Wallace for New Zealand's most explosive 30 minutes of politics. He is joined by panellists Andrea Vance, Chris Carter and Corin Dann. Tonight on The Whip we look at the continuing saga of Christopher Luxon's leadership of the National Party, he's survived another challenge, but can the party reconstruct itself leading into the election? Then, the Whip looks at the latest polls and what they say about where the vote will go. Wallace and the panellists also discuss Chris Hipkin's ruling out of NZ First as a governing partner and, apparently, not ruling out Opportunity. Then, Stuart Nash says he thought Chris Findayson was a friend, Findlayson says that's not the case? How do you work out who is actually a friend in politics?

An extra half hour of The Panel with Wallace Chapman, where to begin, he's joined by Nights host Emile Donovan. Then: linguist Rory O'Sullivan joins Wallace to discuss the phenomena of 'semantic bleaching' - where words or phrases are used in a completely different or 'wrong' way to what you're used to or grew up with.

In part two, we are off to Wellington where people are digesting different water bills as management comes under the new outfit, Tiaki Wai. But while a heftier price tag was expected, it's the change to billing periods that is proving a nasty surprise for some. Wellingtonian James Nokise joins the panel to describe the contents of his water bill. Then, four thousand students roam the halls of Auckland's Rangitoto College. it's the nation's largest school. The panel asks principal Greg thornton what's it like working in a school with the population of Raglan.

First up, former Labour leader Phil Goff and the panel discuss the fallout from the three-and-a-half-hour National party caucus meeting that saw Christopher Luxon emerge with his job still intact. Then, The Press has reported on the story of an ED nurse with twenty years of experience at Christchurch Hospital has called it quits, after reaching breaking point with patients regularly being seen in corridors. Anne Daniels is the president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, and an ED nurse at Dunedin Hospital. She describes what's happening in the country's emergency departments.

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.

An extra half hour of The Panel with Wallace Chapman, where to begin, he's joined by Nights host Emile Donovan. Then: award winning fashion writer Emma Gleason returns with a look at puffer jackets. Hate them or love them, they're here to stay.

In part two, Waitomo District Mayor John Robertson joins the panel to explain why they don't want a super city after amalgamation talks have been going on up and down the country. Instead, he wants a King Country Council. Then, Charles Reynolds has spent 26 years building a model replica of the HMB Endeavour - Captain James Cook's famous vessel. He built all the tiny rigging, the tiny planks and the tiny nails. How did he do it? Charles explains to the panel his obsession.

First up, Christopher Luxon has called for an 'urgent in-person" caucus meeting to stamp out speculation about his leadership. The Prime Minister went to social media to announce the stare down saying media reports about the potential end of his role as leader of the National Party were distractions that need to be "resolved quickly". The panel talks to Dr Michael Swanson from Otago University about what this may mean for National's election campaign. Then, a new group says a creeping acceleration toward privatisation should be resisted. Public futures Aotearoa is a coalition of unions, community groups and researchers and they support keeping assets and services under public ownership and control. The panel and Public Futures Aotearoa researcher and spokesperson Edward Miller discuss the issue.

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.

An extra half hour of The Panel with Wallace Chapman, where to begin, he's joined by Nights host Emile Donovan. Then: the topic of feces can conjure a mix of disgust and hilarity in people, but new research suggests that it's evolution may have helped fuel the Cambrian explosion - and could be the reason that we're here today. Flinders University Palaebiology researcher Russell Bicknell explains.