Afternoons

1:10 Take a lichen at this

The 2025 City Nature Challenge begins in just under three weeks

It's an international competition in which participating cities compete to submit the most photos of their wildlife, across a 4-day window.

Last year Ōtautahi, Christchurch was our top performer, finishing 26th with 20,310 photos. 

But the rankings don't account for population size. LA is only a few places higher, so we're doing pretty well.

To find out more we're joined by lichenologist Marley Ford. He and his partner Kelly made a short documentary about last year's challenge. 

1:25 97-year-old yogi shares her secrets to staying fit later in life

Three times a week Maureen Maclean gets in her car and drives to her local yoga studio.  There's nothing particularly unusual about that, except that in a few days Maureen will be turning 97 years old.  Maureen shares her secrets to staying active later in life.

1:35 Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei offers free universal health insurance 

An Auckland hapū is trying to reframe how health can be managed by becoming the first hapū to offer free universal health insurance for its members.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is partnering with the insurer N-I-B to provide cover for surgery, hospital visits, GP visits, mental health services and dental treatments to up to a certain value for each of its seven thousand members.

The scheme opens up private healthcare to whānau who wouldn't otherwise be able to access it... a move more people are making as the public system faces unprecedented pressure.

Joining Jesse is Tom Irvine who's the tumu whakarae, or chief executive, of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

1:45 Freaky Friday

Today's Freaky Friday is from listener Mary in Pukekohe.

2:10 Film Review: Minecraft, A Working Man and Val Kilmer 

Kate Rodger reviews the latest video game adaption Minecraft, Jason Statham's now film A Working Man and a tribute to the late Val Kilmer. 

2:20 NZ Live: Reb Fountain

It's that time we look forward to every Friday afternoon, NZ Live. Today sees the return of one of our favourites, Reb Fountain. 

She's just released her 6th album and 3rd with Flying Nun Records, How Love Bends. 

To celebrate she's heading out on tour. She'll be making 11 stops over the next month. 

3:08 Food: Leek and Spinach Tofu Quiche

Amber Bremner has a new cookbook out called Simply Veg and she's agreed to share this recipe with us. It's not traditional quiche and doesn't taste like egg. Get the recipe here.  

3:16 Music 101: Kara Rickard

Kara Rickard talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend on Music 101, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

 

3:25 Weekend Stuff: Gardening Lynda Hallinan answers all your questions about planting, gardening, mulching and more!

3:35 Critter of the Week: Takapō ground wētā

This week’s critter is an endangered wētā that only lives in the silty river margins of the Mackenzie Basin. The small, cute and elusive Takapō ground wētā, Hemiandrus ‘furoviarius’, digs itself a burrow to lay its eggs in and tough out the extreme heat and cold of the Basin.

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Tessa Guest preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.