Nights for Thursday 27 March 2025
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The rise and fall of cargo ship travel
10:45 PM.It's disappeared post-Covid, but for more than two decades, Napier man Hamish Jamieson was the man you needed to see if you wanted hitch a ride on one of these ocean-going freighters. Read more Audio
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Should police have more powers to control protests?
10:30 PM.Retired district court judge David Harvey says the proposed laws would mean the spontaneous nature of protest would be nullified. Read more Audio
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Could a government group chat gaffe happen in New Zealand?
10:18 PM.To share how we protect our sensitive information here in New Zealand, former defence and GCSB minister Andrew Little talks to Emile Donovan. Read more Audio
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Stringing together generations of chamber musicians
9:35 PM.Four years ago, an old Presbyterian church was saved from demolition. Now, it's a home for arts and music for the whole of Auckland. Read more Audio
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The Royal Order of Adjectives with Julia de Bres
9:25 PM.In English, why do we talk about "beautiful, little, red, American cars", and not "American, red, little, beautiful cars"? Read more Audio
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What makes a good boozer: New Zealand's best gastropub
8:30 PM.Co-owned by Cam Davies and Selina Wright, The Fat Duck, in the centre of Te Anau, was crowned supreme champion at the 2025 Estrella Damm Top 50 New Zealand Gastropubs Awards held in Auckland. Read more Audio
8.10 The House
Tonight on our Parliament show - The House - Louis Collins chats with two MPs from the Parliament Bill Committee about some interesting suggestions from submitters - namely a Parliamentary Budget Office.
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.
8:30 What makes a good boozer: New Zealand's best Gastro Pub
Last night, The Fat Duck in Southland was named New Zealand's best gastropub for 2025.
Co-owned by Cam Davies and Selina Wright, The Fat Duck, in the centre of Te Anau, was crowned supreme champion at the 2025 Estrella Damm Top 50 New Zealand Gastropubs Awards held in Auckland.
The Fat Duck co-owner Cam chats to Emile Donovan.
The Fat Duck in Te Anau has been named New Zealand's best Gastro Pub. Photo: The Fat Duck
8:45 The Reading: Harbouring
Part four of Harbouring by Jenny Pattrick told by Alex Greig and Ni Dekkers-Reihana.
A historical novel set in Wellington in 1839. Huw, a Welsh immigrant and procurer of Maori land, working for Colonel Wakefield; his wife, Martha, travelling by boat to meet her husband; and a woman, Hineroa, who has become a slave to Te Rauparaha after losing her tribe in battle.
9:07 Nights Quiz
Do you know your stuff? Come on the air and be grilled by Emile Donovan 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.
9:25 The Royal Order of Adjectives with Julia de Bres
It's our monthly chat with Nights' resident sociolinguist, Dr Julia de Bres.
And tonight's topic is all about order, or rather, The Royal Order of Adjectives.
Photo: Ave Calvar
9:35 Saving historic Auckland church a labour of love
Four years ago, an old Presbyterian church on the fringe of Auckland's CBD was saved from demolition and bought by a charitable trust.
It has been a labour of love, but in 2024, Kāhui St David's reopened to the public as a community arts space.
String Together is a three-day celebration of chamber music taking place in Kāhui St David's this weekend.
It's bringing together the legendary NZ Trio with a team of young aspiring musicians, from university scholars to primary-aged children, to collaborate and workshop, culminating in a public concert this Sunday.
Paul Baragwanath, the director of Kāhui St David's speaks to Emile Donovan.
Photo: Jessica Gernat, Deep Animation
10:17 Could a government group chat gaffe happen in New Zealand?
The fallout from Donald Trump's national security team's security breach continues to grow.
The Atlantic magazine has published the full exchange of messages between senior White House officials as the US conducted strikes in Yemen earlier this month.
Editor Jeffrey Goldberg had been accidentally added to a chat on encrypted app Signal, in a major security breach.
To share how we protect our sensitive information here in New Zealand, former defence and GCSB minister Andrew Little talks to Emile Donovan.
10:30 Should limits be placed on the right protests?
Following a review into the way protests are policed, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has released a report suggesting legislation be introduced which might justify limitations on people's freedoms of expression, assembly and movement.
Retired district court judge David Harvey says the proposed laws would mean the spontaneous nature of protest would be nullified.
He speaks to Emile Donovan.
The front of the hīkoi marching over the Harbour Bridge. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
10:45 The rise and fall of cargo ship travel
Today if you want to travel to the other side of the world, your options are pretty limited.
But there was a time only a few years ago when a viable third option was available for those impervious to sea sickness.
It was possible to travel across the ocean as a passenger on a cargo ship, seeing a side of the world not usually included in tourism brochures.
Like many things post-pandemic. the industry has never recovered.
For more than two decades, Napier man Hamish Jamieson was the man you needed to see if you wanted hitch a ride on one of these ocean-going freighters.
He speaks to Emile Donovan.
cargo ship Photo: 123RF
11:07 The Mixtape
This episode of the RNZ Mix Tape features Dr. Rob Burns, an English born musician who played professionally in the UK from an early age and eventually emigrated to New Zealand where, until recently, he was an Associate Professor of Music at Otago University.
