Saturday Morning for Saturday 27 September 2025

7:08 Remembering Sir Tumu Te Heuheu

The small settlement of Waihi on the southern shores of Lake Taupō is awash with mourners as hundreds are bused into Tapeka Marae to pay their respects to the eighth paramount chief of Tuwharetoa, Sir Tumu Te Heuheu who passed away on Tuesday aged 84 years.

In 1997 he took the reigns from his father Sir Hepi Te Heuheu Tukino the seventh.

Ta Tumu is a descendant of Horonuku Te Heuheu Tukino the 4th who in 1887 gifted the mountains of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe to New Zealand for the creation of Tongariro National Park.

Former Māori Issues Correspondent for RNZ, Chris Wikaira speaks to Mihingarangi Forbes.  

7:17 Economic wrap with Shamubeel Eaqub

A big week for the economy with the appointment of a new Reserve Bank Govenor, a softening New Zealand dollar and worse than expected GDP figures. The economy shrunk 0.9 percent in the June quarter with declines in manufacturing and construction.

The government announced initiatives around construction and infra-structure but will they be enough?

Simplicity Chief Economist Shamubeel Eaqub and author of Generation Rent, joins Mihingarangi for a wrap of the week. 

7:23 Latest from the U.S

Foreign minister Winston Peters is expected to give New Zealand's decision on whether to recognise a Palestinian state later this morning in a speech at the United Nations.

It comes on the heels of a tumultuous week in the US, following President Trump's comments to the UN and on autism, the memorial to Charlie Kirk and the indictment of former FBI director James Comey.

US correspondent Mitch McCann joins Susie live with the latest from New York.

7:35 Pre-term baby research saves lives

Pre-term birth remains the leading cause of death for children under five and has a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of many who survive.

Specialist care isn't equally available across the country so the Carosika Community of Practice was set up to help close that gap but its funding has now run out. 

Professor Katie Groom, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist at Auckland City Hospital talks to Susie about the need for more support so Carosika can continue its work saving babies across Aotearoa.

7:43 Could autonomous vehicles work in our transport system?

Most crashes on New Zealand roads are caused by human error so could removing the driver from the equation make our roads safer?

The novelty factor may be fading - with Tesla self-driving cars already on the road - but driverless vehicles are still unfamiliar to most of us.

Dr Prakash Ranjitkar, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and a member of the University of Auckland Transportation Research Centre, is leading research into the potential impact of autonomous vehicles on New Zealand's transport system.

He talks to Mihingarangi about navigating the challenges ahead. 

7:51 Black Ferns playing for pride

Sport fans are spoiled for choice this weekend with the Silver Ferns, All Blacks and Black Ferns all in action again.

The ABs will be looking to redeem themselves after their heaviest ever defeat to the Springboks - and hold onto their Eden Park winning record - against a Wallabies team that currently lead the Rugby Championship.  

Also looking for redemption - the Black Ferns - who'll be fighting it out for 3rd place at the Women's Rugby World Cup ahead of the final between the hosts England and Canada. 

RNZ Sports Reporter Lucy Thomson joins Susie from London.

8:12 Dr Lucy O'Hagan: A GP's story

The life of a general practitioner can be a stressful one. It's well known that New Zealand is in the middle of a GP shortage with thousands of people booking virtual consultations due to lengthy wait times or because they can't see a GP at all as clinics close their books to new patients.

Working in the midst of this is Dr Lucy O'Hagan - a Pākehā GP currently serving a predominately Māori and Pasifika community.

A doctor for over 35 years, Lucy has written a book about her time as a GP called Everything But the Medicine. The title is telling because for Lucy, so much of what it means to be a good GP stems from the patient/doctor relationship.

Lucy talks to Mihingarangi Forbes about dealing with burnout, what she has learned from Te Ao Māori and the importance of having hope.

8:36 Richard Osman: The mind behind The Thursday Murder Club

If you like your cup of tea with a side of murder, chances are, you're a fan of The Thursday Murder Club. 

It's the record-breaking, best-selling book series following four characters in a retirement village who investigate unsolved murders. It's also recently been adapted into a Netflix movie starring the likes of Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. 

The man behind the beloved series is Richard Osman, author, producer and television presenter. 

Richard talks to Susie Ferguson about why he thinks it's become such a global phenomenon and what to expect from the fifth and latest book, The Impossible Fortune, released on September 25.

9:07 Tim Lenton: How to Fix the Climate Crisis  

Dr Timothy Lenton is a leading expert on climate change and earth system science at the University of Exeter. 

Back in the 1990s, he started studying tipping points - those critical thresholds where small changes can lead to massive transformations - making him one of the first scientists in the world to study this form of planetary risk.

Known for his pioneering work in this space, he's now presented his research in the book Positive Tipping Points: How to Fix the Climate Crisis.

Dr Lenton speaks with Susie about how he sees the way forward - and why there is still hope. 

9:32 Dr Hinemoa Elder on finding the surface 

Child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Hinemoa Elder, has returned with Ara: A Māori Guidebook of the Mind.  

Ara is a quest guided by Hinengaro, Māori goddess of the mind, offering comfort for those trying to deal with the chaos of life.  

She's the best-selling author of Aroha, Wawata, Waitohu and E Moko Dear Moko. 

Dr Elder joins Mihi to explain how we can push through - and find the surface.   

9:50 Book reviewer: Kate de Goldi

Kate de Goldi is a novelist, children's writer, Arts Foundation Laureate and the Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador.

This week she joins Susie to discuss The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman and A Truce That Is Not Peace by Miriam Toews.

10:06 Chloe Dalton: Hare raising!

What happens when a UK foreign policy adviser, more used to living out of a suitcase in Kabul or Baghdad, discovers an abandoned newborn hare during the quiet of lockdown? 

Chloe Dalton was faced with the dilemma of whether to rescue the leveret, no bigger than the size of her palm, or to leave nature to take its course. 

She took a leap into an extraordinary relationship with the wild animal and has written a memoir called Raising Hare, which was on the Women's Prize shortlist this year. 

Chloe talks to Susie about how the most inspiring experiences often arise when we least expect them. 

10:33 Identifying skin cancer - in seconds!

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand and our rate of melanoma - the most serious type of skin cancer - is the highest in the world, with about 70% of cases diagnosed in people over 50.

Dr Michel Nieuwoudt is both a research scientist at Auckland University and an entrepreneur. As co-founder of Luminoma, she is a finalist in this year's KiwiNet Awards for her work on developing a commercially viable diagnostic tool that can identify skin cancers within seconds.  

Also working on the project is Dr Paul Jarrett, Clinical Head of Dermatology at Middlemore Hospital and former President of the New Zealand Dermatological Society. 

They speak to Mihi about what people should look out for and the difference this tool could make to early detection and treatment.    

11:06 Playing Favourites with Nadia Lim

Celebrity chef, clinical dietitian, bestselling author and farmer, Nadia Lim, joins us for Playing Favourites.

She shares the highs and lows of rural life, some tasty recipes and the tracks that have underlined it all.

Her new cookbook Nadia's Farm Kitchen is set for release on October 3rd. 

Music played in this show

10:30 'We're Going to Be Friends' - The White Stripes

Nadia Lims Playing Favourites

'Dreams (remastered)' - Fleetwood Mac

'Walking on a Dream' - Empire of the Sun

'Flying in the Face of Love' - Neil Finn

'In The Rain' - Fraser Ross

'Delirium' - Ladyhawke