Afternoons for Thursday 13 March 2025

1:15 Looking for deals: The government's investment summit opens today

More than 100 companies & asset managers from across the globe descended on Auckland this morning. They're in town for the governments two day Infrastructure summit.

The summit aims to attract foreign investment, and launch public private partnerships. Particularly for infrastructure and construction. As well as speeches and panel sessions there will be "showcases" of projects up for grabs. Those projects that include the Northland expressway & redevelopment of Christchurch Prison. 

John Tookey - Professor of Construction Management at AUT - talks to Emile Donovan.

1:25 Digging for victory

If you haven't ever seen a digger play Connect 4 or pour a cup of tea, now's your chance. Tomorrow, the National Excavator Operator Competition will kick off in Fielding. For the first time in the competition's 31-year history, there are women in the lineup of 12 finalists. Tanya Claxton is one of the finalists. She hails from Waipukurau and qualified after winning last year's Hawkes Bay East Coast regional competition.

1:35 The Kaikōura man rebuilding the family church

If you've taken a drive past Kaikōura on State Highway One lately, you might've noticed some significant changes to a little old stone church.

Saint Oswald's is situated just north of Kekerengu and is nearing the end of a multi-year restoration process, after significant damage in the 2016 earthquake. A new roof, a working bell, and restored stained-glass windows are among the many upgrades. But there's one final push to finish the landscaping and interior repairs, and the family are fundraising to get it over the line by Christmas.

Leicester Murray is a board member of the St Oswald's Memorial Trust and is overseeing the project - which happens to be a very personal one for him. The church was built in 1927 by his great-grandparents Charles and Jessie Murray. 

1:45 Great album: One Is Always Heading Somewhere by Womb

Our feature album today is the brand-new record from New Zealand trio Womb. 

One Is Always Heading Somewhere is their third full-length album and is to be released tomorrow. Amazingly they're also playing NZ LIve tomorrow in our Auckland Studio. 

Words to describe Womb's music include: emotive, ethereal and warm. People throw around textured as well. 

This album was written and recorded between living rooms and bedrooms of various houses across the country - from the trio's hometown of Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington to their new homes of Whanganui, Whakatū, and Tāmaki Makaurau/ Auckland. 

The vinyl version of this record is our Link 3 prize today. So if you like what you hear, give Link 3 a whirl. 

2:10 Podcast Critic: Summer Album / Winter Album and Twenty Thousand Hertz

Elliot Childs has some great podcast recommendations today. He discusses the Craig Finn hosted music podcast with a twist: Summer Album / Winter Album. Then he chats about the venerable Twenty Thousand Hertz hosted by sound designer and engineer Dallas Taylor.

2:30 NZ Sporting History: Finn Butcher

In this segment we often go way back in time, but today we are focusing on somebody whose time is right here - right now. 

Finn Butcher won the gold medal in the inaugural Olympic kayak cross event at the Paris Olympic Games last year.

That moment in time - on the water last year - catapulted 'The Butcher' from small town Alexandra into the nation's consciousness. 

Then, last month, after a public vote, he was awarded the Favourite Sporting Moment award at 2025 Halberg Awards for the emotional post-race embrace he enjoyed with his father.

3:15 Your Money with Mary Holm 

Today Mary looks at Kiwisaver and answer a listener's question about the current economic climate and how one should manage their Kiwisaver. 

3:35 BBC Witness History

When the Global Positioning System, also known as GPS, was created in the late 1970s, nobody wanted it. But, today it's a different story.

3:45 The pre-Panel 

Wallace Chapman and producer Sam Hollis join Jesse in the studio to preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.