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Tuesday 25 November 2025
1:10 What are regional councils actually for?
Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon
The days of regional councils could soon be over.
It's understood the Government will announce a proposal for a local government shake-up later this afternoon.
It comes after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hinted on Sunday that a major reform is coming.
Earlier this year, regional development minister and New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones told a forum there was "less and less of a justifiable purpose" for keeping regional government once the RMA reforms went through.
Which got us thinking about regional councils and their purpose .. to help explain that and what today's announcement could be, political reporter Russell Palmer joins me.
1:18 Is an A grade still impressive? We get a student's perspective
Photo: Ethan Rogacion
A new report has found a large increase in the number of university students receiving A grades.
The think-tank 'The New Zealand Initiative' has analysed grade data from New Zealand's eight universities and found a 64 percent increase in the number of students earning 'A's' in 2024 compared to 2006.
Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association Academic Vice-President Ethan Rogacion chats to Jesse.
1:20 Taking a look at artist Fred Graham's legacy
Photo: Susana Lei'ataua
New Zealand artist Fred Graham is recognised as a pioneer in the contemporary Māori art movement.
Now two exhibitions at Pātaka Art and Museum in Wellington will pay tribute to his work, after his death this year at the age of 96.
His son Brett Graham is a prominent artist in his own right and chats to Jesse about his father's legacy.
1:35 Is prison really the answer to cracking down on crime?
Photo: RNZ/Calvin Samuel
Could we do better when it comes to how we manage our prison populations?
That's what a Canterbury University political science researcher has been looking into as part of her studies into justice policy and its intergenerational impacts.
Dr Lin Mussell's work on this issue has won her an award, ahead of her publishing a book on it early next year.
1:45 Tech Tuesday with Tim Batt
Our tech guy Tim Batt shares the latest goings on in the world of technology, and today he's looking into X, formerly known as Twitter, introducing a tool to aid transparency only to then remove it when it revealed a little too much. Photo: AFP / BEATA ZAWRZEL
Plus his tech tip is that it might actually be a good idea to buy a computer or console during Black Friday sales.
2:10 Book Critic: A self-help book for brainboxes
Photo: The Academy_of_Europe
Book critic Bill Hastings reviews:
Lea Ypi, Indignity: A Life Reimagined (Allen Lane Penguin, 2025)
Daniel Kalderimis, Zest: Climbing from Depression to Philosophy (Ugly Hill Press, 2024)
Elizabeth Cox: Mr Ward's Map (Massey University Press)
2:20 Update on Oz with Brad Foster
Photo: RNZ
Brad Foster joins Jesse to talk about the latest news from Australia. Today he is talking about Meta reacting to the social media ban for under 16-year-olds; Pauline Hansen's latest stunt in Parliament and a teenager who has been charged with murdering another teen.
2:30 Music feature: We put the spotlight on Bjork
It's time for our music feature and today we're looking at Icelandic singer Bjork's second studio album 'Post' Photo: bjork
Bee Trudgeon currently writes for Audioculture Iwi Waiata and Muzic NZ. She was working for 'RipItUp' magazine back in 1995 when Post came out and interviewed Bjork for this album. Bee chats to Jesse.
3:10 Feature interview: The one and only Warren Ellis
Interesting people make interesting music. Warren Ellis is in a class of his own. He’s a composer, multi-instrumentalist and longtime creative partner of gothic rock poet laureate Nick Cave. For more than 40 years Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have challenged us with narrative-driven music that touches on love, death, and religion. Ellis is also the co-founder of Ellis Park, a sanctuary for wounded animals in Sumatra. He saves the animals, and he says, they saved him. The spirit of transformation runs through the band’s latest album, Wild God. Ellis will be back in New Zealand with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds for the first time since 2017 with The Wild God Tour as part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts. They’ll be performing two shows in Wellington at the TSB Arena February 5th and 6th. Tickets are available here
Photo: Credit_MeganCullen_NC_TBS_O2_London_Night_002_122_jpg
3:30 Spoken Feature: Thrift looks at keeping meat on the menu
Photo: Supplied
This week on Thrift, Katy Gosset investigates how we can keep meat on the menu as food bills rise.
She visits one of Christchurch's oldest butcheries where she learns how to debone a pork leg and talks cheap cuts and thrifty options.
3:45 The pre-Panel Wallace Chapman previews tonight's instalment of The Panel.
Photo: wallace chapman
