Afternoons for Monday 31 March 2025

1:10 Betty finds a home after 400 days 

A dog that spent well over 400 nights in an animal shelter has finally found a loving home. 

Betty, now known as Betty-Boo, was constantly overlooked by prospective owners for being too timid.

But for one Northland couple she was the perfect fit. 

Rachael Church is one of Betty-Boo's new mums and she talks to Jesse about their new house mate and the adoption process.

1.20 Ras' incredible hole-in-one

Many golfers go their whole careers without ever hitting a hole-in-one, but 76-year-old Erasmus "Ras" Theron, a man with one arm, has done it not once, but twice.

Ras made the incredible shot from 76 meters into a super-sized hole mounted on an old trailer at the Frankton Golf Centre's driving range.

1.35 Tracking NZ's social cohesion, or lack of ... 

Based on a survey of 2600 people, the Helen Clark Foundation is about to release its first report into Aotearoa's social unity.  

Economist Shamubeel Eaqub is the co-author of the report and says Kiwis are reporting lower happiness, financial satisfaction, and trust in government. 

2:10 TV Critic: Lockerbie: A Search for Truth and The Sixth Commandment

Time to populate your small screens with some television recommendations from Linda Burgess. Today Linda looks at Colin Firth's latest, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth (TVNZ+).

She also discusses The Sixth Commandment (Neon), follows the deaths of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin in the village of Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, and the extraordinary events that unfolded in the following years.

2:20 Information Centre Cold Call

Every week Jesse literally cold calls a different information centre somewhere in Aotearoa. They don't know he's calling and he doesn't know who will answer the phone. Will it be a disaster or a lovely, fun chat? You'll have to listen to find out. 

2.30 Expert Feature: all you wanted to know about tax but were too scared to ask

Today is the end of the tax year. That also means a raft of monetary changes are coming tomorrow, including minimum wage and benefit increases. But for now, the time to record those receipts is quickly running out.

What better time then, to invite independent tax expert Geof Nightingale to the studio - he's a former partner at PwC and member of the Government's Tax Working Group.

Geof is here to discuss the system we have in New Zealand, how it came to be this way, and how it compares to the rest of the world.

He'll also answer your end-of-year tax questions, so text them in on 2101 or send an email at afternoons@rnz.co.nz 
 

3:10 Feature interview: Painters and Dockers frontman Paulie Stewart

Flamboyant Melbourne rock band Painters and Dockers owned the 80's pub scene with their punk energy and sharp political and social commentary, touring New Zealand and opening for Iggy Pop, Midnight Oil and even The Monkees          

Frontman Paulie Stewart's life is defined by rebellion, resilience, and redemption.   His brother is one of the Bailboa 5, journalists, including a Kiwi, killed in East Timor 50 years ago.  Paulie Stewart delves into his wild past, the liver transplant that saved his life and his continuing efforts to get justice for the Bailboa 5 in his memoir, All the Rage.
 

3:35 Here Now

This week on Here Now, Jamaican reggae star, Proteje talks to Kadambari Raghukumar at WOMAD Aotearoa. 
 

 

3:45 The pre-Panel