Afternoons for Tuesday 17 June 2025

 

1:10 Decision looms on seabed mining 

Aotearoa will soon have a big decision to make - and on an issue where emotions run high. Governments around the world are weighing up whether to allow mining of the ocean floor for metal ores and minerals, and that includes New Zealand.  Senior Lecturer in Law at Auckland University of Technology Myra Williamson believes seabed mining could become one of the defining environmental battles of 2025. She joins Jesse to discuss the issue.

 

1:20 The popularity of indoor bowls among young New Zealanders

A Scottish curling club in Glasgow is credited for creating the first indoor bowling green in 1845. Fast forward, and the sport continues to flourish, in fact a growing number of young New Zealanders appear to be taking to the bowling green. The broad appeal of indoors bowls in this country was illustrated at the recent Indoor Bowling Nationals in Ashburton. The oldest champion was Bernard Bennett who attended his first nationals in 1955 and was a member of this year's winning Masters Triples team aged 91. The youngest champion crowned was 24-year-old Matthew Farquhar. Matthew joins Jesse.

1:35 Witi Underwater podcast

This week on Afternoons we're playing excerpts from RNZ's new podcast Witi Underwater which follows Witi Ihimaera on this full immersion te reo journey at age 80. Today we're playing Episode 2. In this episode Te Tohora, Witi and his hoa akomanga go on a class trip - where he rediscovers old connections, and finds he can't escape his most famous character, the tohora. The episodes will be released daily at 5am on all podcast platforms and on the RNZ website: rnz.co.nz/witi 

1:45 Tech Tuesday

VerTech managing director Dan Watson joins Jesse to discuss the website http://topomap.co.nz which uses interactive topographic map of New Zealand, the benefits of touch screen capable work gloves and a bill by Act Party MP Laura McClure to protect New Zealanders from modern forms of digital abuse.

2:10 Book Critic: Claire Mabey

Claire Mabey joined Jesse to celebrate Maurice Gee's legacy and share her book recommendations. 

1. The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden 

2. A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan

3.  A Dim Prognosis by Ivor Popovich

2:20 Update on Oz with Brad Foster

Our Australian correspondent brings us the latest news from across the ditch.

2:30 Music feature - 'Jagged Little Pill' with Vera Ellen

New Zealand musician Vera Ellen joined Jesse to relive Alanis Morrisette's iconic album.

3:10   Herman Pontzer on his new book - Adaptable: How Your Unique Body Really Works and Why Our Biology Unites Us.

It may seem unfair that some people can eat anything without putting on weight, get by on just a few hours sleep and age ever so gracefully.  It's just biology and the science of adaptation says Dr Herman Pontzer, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University.  Dr Pontzer invites us to embrace human diversity and focus on how and why we differ as a way to better understand how our bodies work so we can all stay healthy.  His new book is called Adaptable: How Your Unique Body Really Works and Why Our Biology Unites Us. He joins Jesse.

3:30 BBC's Witness History: Ronald Reagan's 'Tear down this wall' speech

In 1987 United States President Ronald Reagan spoke at the Berlin Wall, in his speech he called on the leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall".

3:45 The pre-Panel

Wallace Chapman and producer Tessa Guest preview tonight's instalment of The Panel.