Nights for Tuesday 4 February 2025

8:15 Pacific Waves

A daily current affairs programme that delves deeper into the major stories of the week, through a Pacific lens, and shines a light on issues affecting Pacific people wherever they are in the world. Hosted by Susana Suisuiki.

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8:30 Final flyover for Airforce Hercules brings back memories of first flight

Earlier today three Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130H Hercules rumbled in the sky over the South Island and lower North Island as they made their way to Woodbourne air force base near Blenheim on their final official flights.

During their service the Air Force's Hercules flew to pretty much every corner of the globe, clocking up more than 155,000 accident-free flying hours and nearly 100,000 landings at home and around the world.

It's a plane very familiar to Former Royal New Zealand Air Force Wing Commander Gordon Ragg who as a young Flight Lieutenant landed Hercules NZ7003 at Whenuapai after a long delivery flight from the United States in1965.

He speaks to Mark Leishman.

8:45 The Reading: Civilisation - Twenty Places on the Edge of the World

Today's reading comes from Civilisation - Twenty Places on the Edge of the World by Steve Braunias which was the winner of the General Non Fiction category in the 2013 NZ Post Book Awards. In today's reading Steve heads over the hill and embraces that unlikely jewel Wainuiomata.

9:07 Nights Quiz

Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Mark Leishman as he dons his quizmaster hat.

If you get an answer right, you move on to the next question. If you get it wrong, your time in the chair is up, and the next caller will be put through. The person with the most correct answers at the end of the run goes in the draw for a weekly prize.

The quiz is themed - find out more about tonight's theme on Nights' Facebook page.

9:25 Tech with Finn Hogan

We're joined again by Nights' resident tech correspondent, Finn Hogan, who's taking a look at the continuing impact of DeepSeek on the AI market, what impact the AI boom is having on robotics and the Beatles Grammy win with the help of AI.

9:35 Shower Thoughts: What happens to lost luggage?

Have you ever been standing in the shower, when suddenly, the noise in your brain clears and, in its place, appears the perfect thought?

That's a Shower Thought. Each Tuesday, here on Nights we're aiming to answer those unshakable questions lurking in the back of your mind.

Tonight, Irene King, chief executive at Auckland's Ardmore Flying School, will help us answer the question of what happens to lost luggage.

10:17 New poll places Labour slightly ahead of National

A new poll out today puts the coalition government below the number of seats needed to govern.

The Talbot Mills poll, published this morning in The Post, has the Labour Party pulling ahead of the National Party for the first time in two years - 34% over 33%, respectively.

New Zealand First is also hovering around the 5% threshold required to enter parliament, down to 5.2%.

Mark Leishman speaks to associate professor of politics at Victoria University of Wellington Lara Greaves.

10:30 Dunedin takes a cheeky approach to new marketing campaign

Are you a burnt-out professional in Auckland, a Wellingtonian tired of spending half your salary on rent, or maybe sick of the crowds in Queenstown?

According to a new marketing campaign run by Enterprise Dunedin the answer is simple: just move to the Edinburgh of the South.

While they cause a bit of a stir and get people talking, do these city marketing campaigns actually work?

Mark Leishman is joined by Professor of Marketing at the University of Canterbury Ekant Veer.

10:45 Born to Adapt: Giving people with disabilities the opportunity to run wild

Just over ten years ago Matthew Byrson's life changed in an instant when he was pulled into a piece of machinery on his family's farm.

Matthew lost his leg that day and has learnt to live life with a prosthetic but it hasn't stopped him from pushing himself physically on the running trails.

As well as working for Peke Waihanga Artificial Limb Service, Matthew is the organiser of an adaptive trail running event being held in Rotorua this weekend.

He speaks to Mark Leishman about his motivation to get the event up and running.

11:07 Worlds of Music

Trevor Reekie hosts a weekly music programme celebrating an eclectic mix of 'world' music, fusion and folk roots.