PODCAST · society
Afternoons
by RNZ
Jesse Mulligan presents an upbeat mix of the curious and the compelling, ranging from the stories of the day to the great questions of our time.
Episodes
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The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
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Screen Legend: The one and only Kim Novak!
To call Kim Novak a Hollywood legend seems inadequate. She was one of the biggest stars of the 1950's, working with so many of the greats; Jimmy Stewart, Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder. Then, at the height of her fame, she walked away from the spotlight.
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TV Critic: East of Eden
Actor and Afternoons critic Claire Chitham reviews East of Eden (Netflix). [picture id="4KDLCJL_Oamaru_Netflix_Photos_27_Actor_Christopher_Abbott_jpg" crop="16x10" layout="full"]
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Expert Feature: Antiques, collectables and vintage items
Every Monday we get an expert in their field onto the show to answer all your questions. Today we're talking about antiques, vintage items and collectables. Hamish Walsh owns Walsh Antiques - he's been involved in the antiques business as a collector, auctioneer, appraiser and dealer for over 35...
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Jesse Goes Clubbing
This is our regular feature where Jesse checks out one of the many amazing clubs around the country, we call it Jesse Goes Clubbing. We have been invited to some amazing clubs and it has been so lovely talking to passionate New Zealanders about something they're really into. If you have a club or...
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OZ Update: What's happening in Australia?
Every Monday Jesse chats to Brad Foster about what's hitting the headlines in Australia. This week he's talking about the new Western Sydney International Airport that's opening on Sunday, some high profile court cases and sport!
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Explainer: What are the US midterms and why should we care?
The US midterm elections are coming up on November 3rd. They are seen as a key part of the American political process - a chance for voters to pick their local congressional representatives, senators and governors. But also, it's a telling report card for the government of the day, as the results...
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How can you be sure gluten free food is actually gluten free?
About one percent of New Zealanders have coeliac disease, which causes a range of issues from debilitating gut problems to fatigue. Coeliac disease occurs when exposure to gluten triggers an immune response. Gluten-free food has become much more common on menus and supermarket shelves, but for...
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Why aren't our children playing outside anymore?
We're starting today's show looking at child's play... because new research from AUT suggests that outdoor play is something parents now have to organise, supervise and in some cases pay for! Their data shows that only one in five children in Tamaki Makaurau regularly climb trees and the number...
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The Pre-Panel : Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
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Critter of the Week: Northern Striped Gecko
Nicola Toki and Jesse discuss the northern striped gecko (Toropuku inexpectatus): a stripey, night-shift specialist found on the Coromandel Peninsula. With its long, grippy tail and secretive forest habits, this rare reptile is so elusive it was discovered only in 1997 and did not get its own...
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Weekend Stuff: How to make the most of transitional spaces
Design expert Sylvia Sandford is with Jesse and she's keen to talk us through transitional spaces like entries, hallways, staircases and back porches.
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What's on Country Life this weekend?
Country Life is the RNZ show that puts the spotlight on rural New Zealand and shares the stories from rural New Zealanders. It's on air tonight at 7pm and again tomorrow morning at 7am .. and of course always on rnz.co.nz Country Life's Anisha Satya is with Jesse to share what's on the show.
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Food: Kingfish Crudo, Yuzu Fennel & Kombu Dressing
Tom Newfield from Christchurch bistro Earl joins Jesse to share a recipe. This week he has whipped up Kingfish Crudo, Yuzu Fennel & Kombu Dressing.
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Film Review: Klara and the Sun and Tenzing
Film Critic Kate Rodger is with Jesse in the Auckland studio to share what she's been watching. This week she's reviewing - Klara and the Sun (in cinemas now) and Tenzing (in cinemas now and on Apple TV).
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Freaky Friday
It's time for Freaky Friday! Every week we delve into the mysterious and the unexplained. If you've got a Freaky Friday story you'd like to share - text us on 2101 or email me at [email protected] Today we're joined by John in Greenlane in Auckland.
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Why older New Zealanders are stressed about housing
A new report on healthy ageing has found that for many older New Zealanders stress around housing costs is a huge issue. And interestingly, not just for the homeowners who still have a mortgage to pay off. The report is called 'For the Long Run', and Denise Cosgrove joins Jesse to talk through…
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What's going on with the reduction of spotted shags?
One of the Hauraki Gulf's seabird populations is in serious trouble. The number of kawau tikitiki, or spotted shags, has halved over the past decade. A new study has been looking at why, Auckland Museum Senior Research Fellow Dr Matt Rayner is one of the researchers behind the study, and he is…
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How diesel price spikes are making construction more expensive
There has been a lot of talk about the rising cost of petrol and diesel ... according to newly released numbers from Stats NZ .. diesel is now 55.8% more expensive than a year ago. And while of course that means pain at the pump, the flow on effect hits some industries especially hard. Like the...
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The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
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Political Group Chat
Political Group Chat is Afternoons' space for friendly disagreement and good faith debate about the week's political news. Joining us today are comedian and political commentator Tim Batt, screenwriter and Free Speech Union member Dane Giraud, and Victoria University's political scientist Lara...
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Your Money with Mary Holm
Let's talk about your money now, personal finance whizz Mary Holm is with Jesse and she's going to share tricks and tips to get rich quickly!!! Four ways to get rich quick · Start a business · Invest heavily in a few shares with big prospects · Trade in shares, cryptocurrency etc · Borrow to…
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A-Z of Aotearoa - Season Two!
We're back for a new season of A-Z of Aotearoa and today we're heading to a beautiful part of the country - Akaroa The small seaside town on Banks Peninsula ... about one hour and twenty minutes from Christchurch.. is often referred to as "New Zealand's French town". But it is so much more than...
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Like, Share, Follow: How social media has changed how we live
We're influenced by the stories we hear and see every day without even realizing it. And the stuff we see on social media is not content that inspires us to be better people says writer and sociologist Kathryn Jezer-Morton. She says social media has gone far beyond concerns about the impact it…
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Find out why Napier's "Skink Guy" is on a mission
Our next guest loves skinks .. in fact he loves them so much he's known affectionately as Napier's local "skink guy." Joe Woolcott is the acting manager of the National Aquarium .. located on Marine Parade ... but he also takes care of the skink sanctuary you'll find just down the road. Joe is…
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The Kiwi who found himself working on Brad Pitt's film
George Snook is one of New Zealand's top young kayakers. In 2025 he was crowned the Men's Extreme Kayak World Champion after winning the Devils Race in the Czech Republic. But recently those skills on the water landed him a pretty unusual side gig - working with the stunt team on Brad Pitt's new...
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How the West Coast is luring graduates to the region
The median age on the West Coast is just over 48 years old .. that's a full decade older than the national average. So, Development West Coast decided to do something to try and keep younger locals. Five years ago it launched a scholarship scheme - up to $32,500 of value - including a guaranteed...
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The pre-Panel for Wednesday 14 October
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
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Group Chat
Group Chat on Afternoons is our chance to talk about the stories that are making the coffee queue or school pick up fly by. Jesse is joined by Kate Rodger, host of Saturday morning this week, Perlina Lau, host of Culture 101 and Afternoons Senior Producer Olivia Wilson to share what's been…
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Easy Eats: Cheeseburger Bowls
Wednesdays on Afternoons means Easy Eats - that's when Kelly Gibney joins me to share a recipe that is heavy on flavour but light on time.
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Heading Off to the Camino de Santiago
It's time for Heading Off - our weekly travel segment here on Afternoons where we share your adventures without leaving our homes. If you have a trip that you'd like to chat about, please get in touch on 2101 or email Jesse at [email protected] Today we're heading off with Candra to the…
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Stories from Our Changing World
This week host Claire Concannon joins Jesse to discuss whether GLP1-RA weight loss drugs are worth the hype.
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Have grown-ups ruined children's picture books?
Have authors of children's picture books gone too far in trying to please parents? Our next guest thinks so. LA journalist Jacob Savage recently wrote a piece, How Grown-Ups Ruined Picture Books in which he says, increasingly adults are becoming the target audience for kids' books. To discuss...
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A new giant drone built to attack wilding pines
Yesterday on the show we chatted to a Christchurch company doing exciting things in the battery world .. today we're keen to talk about another Christchurch based firm .. this one's developed an AI equipped drone. SPS Automation is behind the BFD 70. BFD stands for "Big Friendly Drone", which…
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Everything you need to know about the Rugby League World Cup
The 2026 Rugby League World Cup kicks off tomorrow evening in Sydney The first match reignites one of sports great rivalries when New Zealand takes on Australia. The Aussies are defending men's and women's champions, having won every tournament since 2008, but the Kiwis and the Kiwi Ferns look...
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The tropical cyclone is out - what does that mean for NZ?
This morning Earth Sciences New Zealand published the 2026/27 Tropical Cyclone outlook. It predicts that the Southwest Pacific could experience at least four category 3 tropical cyclones this season. That's in addition to a number of smaller storms New Zealand is expected to see the greatest risk...
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The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
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Why rules, systems and institutions need a shake up
It's going to take a revolution to fix our biggest problems and create a sustainable future. A boring revolution says Indy Johar, an architect, Member of the Order of the British Empire and co-founder of Dark Matter Labs. He says we need to transform the systems we barely notice, but shape almost...
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You're the Judge
Tuesdays are when we play You're the Judge - you send us a dilemma, and we try to help resolve it. We love getting your reckons on what the right, or wrong, course of action is. This week the focus is on whether you should tell a friend their partner is cheating on them. Text 2101 or email...
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Podcast Critic: Your Mama's Kitchen and The Book Review
Every fortnight we like to chat podcasts with our wonderful reviewers .. and we're thrilled that RNZ's Senior Podcast Producer Justine Murray is joining us to share what she's enjoying. Justine is responsible for some of RNZ's top rating podcasts so knows a good thing when she hears it. This week...
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Book Critic: That Woman by Silvia Cartwright
Let's chat books now .. critic Bill Hastings is with Jesse to discuss what he's been reading .. which includes Dame Silvia Cartwright's memoir. That Woman: A Memoir by Silvia Cartwright (Allen & Unwin, 2026) Nigh Night Fawn by Jordy Rosenberg (Penguin, 2026)
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Mayoral Minutes with Mckenzie District Mayor Scott Aronsen
It's time for Mayoral minutes .. where we speak with a local mayor about the challenges they're facing ... how they're working to solve them... and what makes their community special Today we're heading to a stunning part of the country, the Mackenzie District, where you'll find Aoraki Mount…
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The Surrey Hotel Writers' Residency celebrates 10 years!
One of New Zealand's quirkiest literary awards is back! It's the Surrey Hotel Writers Residency Award - now in its tenth year - but this year it's a little different, writer Steve Braunias is here to explain.
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Forget empty nesters, 2026 is all about full nesters - why?
Many of you might be familiar with having an empty nest ... your children have grown up and left the family home .. but new data suggests the nest is getting harder to leave for good. Record numbers of young adult New Zealanders are moving back in with their parents. Census data suggests that...
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Three Westport teenagers cycling for their community
Three Westport teenagers set themselves a pretty ambitous challenge over the school holidays. The plan? Tackle four big New Zealand routes - the Heaphy Track, the Paparoa Track, the Old Ghost Road and the Kawatiri Coastal Trail. That's over 250 kilometres, on bikes, with lots of hills and...
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Christchurch company invented a new type of solar battery
We're going to start today's show focusing on a New Zealand company doing great things on the world stage. You might remember in 2024 here on Afternoons, we spoke to Christchurch company ArcActive about the development of a battery system for affordable home storage. At the time, it was preparing...
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The pre-Panel: Your daily dose of stuff and nonsense
Wallace Chapman and Jesse Mulligan star in the shortest show on radio, where they show they really can make something out of nothing, join them to be part of their delight, or to simply despair. Wallace will also preview what's on The Panel tonight.
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The similarities between religious beliefs and alien encounters
Humans have always looked for explanations for the things we can't understand. Across history, we've turned to religion, mythology and the supernatural to explain what seems to defy explanation. Dr Diana Walsh Pasulka is a professor of religious studies and has spent years talking to people who...
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TV Critic: War and Carrie
Afternoons critic Dominic Corry is with Jesse in the Auckland studio to share what he's been watching. This week he reviews War (Hayu) Carrie (Prime Video)
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Expert: Everything you wanted to know about cryptocurrency
It's time for our expert feature, where we invite an expert in their field on the show to answer all your questions. Today we're talking about cryptocurrency ... which seems as divisive as marmite .. some people swear by it, while others think the whole thing is a scam. It's important to note…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Afternoons have?
Afternoons currently has 271 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Afternoons about?
Jesse Mulligan presents an upbeat mix of the curious and the compelling, ranging from the stories of the day to the great questions of our time.
How often does Afternoons release new episodes?
Afternoons publishes regularly with 271 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Afternoons?
You can listen to Afternoons on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Afternoons?
Afternoons is created and hosted by RNZ.
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