Afternoons for Tuesday 20 May 2025

1.15 Who has the best water in the land?

Next week, judges will be lining up, glasses in front of them, tastebuds at the ready to rate the nation's best tap water. 

Municipal water suppliers from across the country have submitted their finest drop to be judged at the annual water-tasting competition - being held in Nelson.

Joshua McIndoe, Chair, Water Industry Operations Group of New Zealand.

1.25 Popular restaurant ditches fish over bottom trawling concerns 

A Christchurch restaurant has decided to stop serving most fish from its menu.

Gatherings have made the move, over concerns about the impacts of bottom trawling on our ocean environment.

Gatherings owner Alex Davies spoke to Jesse.

1.35 Top kiwi auctioneer beats out Aussie rivals

It's been a clean sweep for kiwi in a trans-Tasman battle to be the top auctioneer.

The Australasian Auctioneering Championships were held in Adelaide last week, with two New Zealanders taking out the top honours.

Tama Emery from Harcourts New Age Realty won the first Novice competition, and Mark McGoldrick from Harcourts Monarch Real Estate, won the Senior Division.

Mark McGoldrick spoke to Jesse.

1:45 Tech Tuesday

Daniel Watson, managing director for Vertech.co.nz joined Jesse to share his tips on dealing with sextortion emails, alterative search engines for greater privacy and the latest on Rocket Lab's Neutron Rocket testing.

2:10 Book Critic

Catherine Robertson joined Jesse to chat about some books that she's been really looking forward to reading.

Wonderland by Tracy Farr (The Cuba Press) 
Returning To My Father's Kitchen by Monica Macansantos (Curbstone Books) 
Carved in Blood by Michael Bennett (Simon and Schuster) 

2:20 What's happening over the ditch?

Brad Foster joins Jesse to discuss NSW Police's blitz on domestic violence offenders and the ultramarathon runner who completed a 35-day record-breaking run from Perth to Sydney.  Plus, he provides an update on flooding on the NSW mid north coast.

2.30 Music Feature

From Poi E to Pure Heroine, the Aotearoa Music Charts have been tracking our music scene and letting us know what's hot and what's not for 50 years. 

The charts are produced by Recorded Music NZ, and to celebrate the milestone they've compiled a list of 50 iconic Kiwi music moments. 

Paul Kennedy joined Jesse. 

E Ipo by Prince Tui Teka

Drive by Bic Runga

Pacifier by Shihad

Stuck Here For Days by The Datsuns

Ribs by Lorde

3:10 Feature interview: The Power of Parting: Finding Peace and Freedom Through Family Estrangement

As children, Eamon Dolan and his siblings were regularly beaten and subjected to emotional abuse by their mother.   As an adult, Dolan tried to maintain ties with his mum, but she remained a destructive presence. So, 12 years ago, he cut ties and never spoke to his mother again for the rest of her life. Dolan is now the Vice President & Executive Editor at Simon & Schuster publishing. He's helped bring some of the most important literary voices to the page. Now he's using his own voice to challenge the idea that family is always sacred and that forgiveness and reconciliation are the only ways forward.   His new book is called The Power of Parting: Finding Peace and Freedom Through Family Estrangement.

Jesse spoke to Eamon Dolan.

3:35 BBC Witness History

The story of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison's rivalry in the development of electric power. They were put forward as nominees for the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915.

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Sam Hollis preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.