Afternoons for Tuesday 22 April 2025

1:10 A pathway opened for native fish

Jesse talks to Horizons Regional Council freshwater and projects manager Logan Brown about the Ākitio rabbit weir, located along the river near Waione. 

The weir had the impact of creating an impassable barrier for fish trying to get to upstream habitats. The history of the weir has bene recorded including a 3D scan.

1:20 Rotorua's first ever accessibility policy and what it means 

Jesse talks to Rev Timothy Lee, the Committee chairman, Rotorua CCS Disability Action Access Group. 

The new Accessibility for All management policy was recently submitted to the Community and District Development Committee and it's hoped it will create a more equitable Rotorua for all its citizens

1:35 Street art renewal for Christchurch

Street art has played a major role in bringing life back to Christchurch post-Earthquakes. 

A major player has been Watch This Space. 

They are a charitable trust established almost 10 years ago that organises and maintains public art projects in Christchurch, updates their interactive map helping people explore the city, and runs tours. 

Dr Reuben Woods is the creative director of Watch this Space. 

1:45 Tech Tuesday

Dan Watson looks at new satellite text and internet services. What are your choices out there apart from Starlink? 

2:10 Book Critic

Anna Rankin reviews Murdoch Stephen’s Visas Now! And she looks at Lucinda Williams’ memoir Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You. 

2:20 Update on Oz with Brad Foster

Brad updates us on Australia's reaction to the death of the Pope. He also describes something of a horror weekend with seven people reported as drowned; an appeal in the case of a former police officer who was found guilty of the manslaughter of a 95-year-old woman and he keeps an eye on the impending election. 

2:30 Music feature: Claire Mabey analyses song lyrics

We haven't done this one since the end of 2023, but It's time to revive a bit of a classic music feature concept.

I'm joined by Author and our sometimes book critic Claire Mabey.

As well as critiquing books on this show she's also the book editor at the spinoff, and founder of literary Verve Wellington.

She joins us to analyse the lyrics in some popular songs.

3:10 Feature interview: the fight to exonerate witches  

Witches are having a moment. Beyond the hit musical Wicked, there TikTok Hashtags and millions of posts celebrating witches as icons of empowerment, mystery, and resistance. It's far from the dark history of mostly women accused of being witches all over the world.

In The US, there is a movement to exonerate people convicted of witchcraft centuries ago. Sarah Jack and Josh Hutchinson are descendants of witch hunt victims and their accusers.  Now they advocate for the exoneration of women executed in Puritan 17th Century America, beyond the infamous Salem witch trials. They're calling for justice while reminding us of what happens when we turn against those who don't fit in.

3:30 Thrift

How much do we spend on cleaning products?  And could we do it cheaper ourselves ?

Katy Gosset gets a crash course in making her own home cleaners.
 

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer José Barbosa preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.