Rnz: Afternoons With Jesse Mulligan

Back in June we interview a Bluff local about the town's daunting search for a new town crier.

Retail crime is back in the news which got us wondering if crime in New Zealand is getting more brazen - and if so, how can we stop it?

Time for Our Changing World, and we're catching up with Claire Concannon, who has been looking into the different energy sources New Zealand, and what this might look like in the future.

Kedgeree is an Anglo-Indian classic, though traditionally served for brunch, it makes a brilliant one pan dinner. Lentils make this version a little different, the addition of lentils makes my kedgeree richer and more texturally satisfying. Crispy fried shallots or onions to top it before serving adds fantastic crunch. Full recipe is here

Pat Barrett shares tales from his South American adventure. In May 1982 three young kiwi travellers set out to explore South America on their own terms with no other knowledge of this wild and mysterious continent than that gleaned from the travel 'bible' of the day - The South American Handbook. Unbeknownst to them, their adventure began in a time that has now been lost to the annals of travel history: a world with no internet and no instant communication.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know Taylor Swift has got engaged to American football player Travis Kelce. Now, RNZ might not seem the place for talk of Taytay .. but she is an undeniable cultural force, news of her engagement hit the headlines the world over .. her two-year-long Eras tour was the most lucrative tour in music history, raking in 2 billion dollars. So what is about her that makes her such a global sensation? Rachel Knight is a Swiftie of some 15 years and chats to Jesse.

This Saturday, High Street in Christchurch will transform into a barbeque lover's idea of heaven. The 'Fire on High' food festival brings the city's best chefs together for a day of top-shelf street food, all cooking over fire on custom-build barbeques. Rod Thomson and Josh Hunter from Food by Fire are two of the organisers behind it. Rod is the company director and Josh is their executive chef.

On farm harvest refers to the practice of killing animals on the same land on which they were raised. Only a few farms in New Zealand are certified to do this however practitioners say it is in the best interests of both the animals and the consumer. Deborah Pead has built a career in public relations but for almost 25 years she has also been developing a family farm business with her husband in Kaipara, just north of Auckland. Named Danbri Farm, after their children, today they run it with their son-in-law James Birch.

The International Biology Olympiad is one of the most prestigious science competitions for pre-university students in the world. This year it was held in July in Quezon City in the Philippines, and four Kiwi students went along to represent New Zealand. Astonishingly, all four returned as medallists, including Oren Dabbach who won silver, ranking him 73rd globally. Oren joins Jesse.

The first rule of Bite Club is that you don't really want to join. Dave Pearson started Bite Club about 12 years ago after surviving an attack by a three-metre-long bull shark off the coast of New South Wales. He found himself isolated and misunderstood. People make jokes and accused him of being cruel to sharks. So, he started the Bite Club for people who have lived through attacks by apex predators including crocodiles and lions. There are more than 500 members of Bite Club, including some Kiwis. Pearson reflects on what it takes to relearn to trust the ocean and each other.

Convicted triple murderer Erin Patterson is back in front of the court, and the cameras, for her sentencing trial, which is also a chance for victims to read their impact statements. Friend of the show Brad Foster is keeping an eye on developments for us. He chats to Jesse about this and other issues hitting headlines across the Tasman.

There's a theme in today's book recommendations all of them are non-fiction and all of them are written by women, but our critic says that shouldn't stop young, not so young, women and men reading them. Director of Library at Auckland Grammar School's Catherine Ross is with Jesse. Today's books: For Ages 11+ Normal Women (Young Readers Edition) By Philippa Gregory For Ages 13+ The Ancient Guide to Modern Life by Natalie Haynes A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern For Ages 14+ Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wyn-Williams

Panels Executive Producer Jose Barbosa is with Jesse to share a couple of his favourite podcasts both of which have a supernatural or paranormal vibe to them. Uncanny : BBC Audio Uncanny - Season Four Sasquash Chronicles: (49) Sasquatch Chronicles Episodes - YouTube

This Friday is Daffodil Day, the Cancer Society's annual appeal for donations, and this year the Chief Executive says Daffodil Day feels more urgent than ever. One in three New Zealanders will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and of course, the disease doesn't just affect them, it extends to family, friends, and anyone close to them. Leading the campaign this year is Mandy Evans.

The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind with this next story. For more than two years the Otago Harbour Port to Port ferry has advertised an option for passengers to "add a sheep" to their ticket. It was added to the website in jest, but on Saturday, a joke became reality. Port to Port ferry operator Rachel McGregor chats to Jesse.

The story today of homeowners who say they have been dupped by a Wellington based construction company has highlighted the potential fishhooks for those needing building work done. So what should homeowners be mindful of when getting building and construction work done? John Tookey is Professor of Construction Management at AUT and talks to Jesse.

Human despair today is driven less by economic hardship and more by the breakdown of strong, healthy communities that begin with strong healthy neighborhoods. This is the view from street level from Chris Arnade. 15 years ago, he walked away from Wall Street, and now he spends his time taking buses and walking in cities around the world. He's currently in Australia. He sends dispatches from his travels for his Substack, Chris Arnade Walks the World. He says if we improve neighborhoods, we can improve the world.

We thought it was time for a deep dive into our dairy industry The dairy industry has been dominating headlines recently. 

As regular listeners will know, we like a cold call here on Afternoons, a chance to add a little suspense to the day.

Claire Chitham is with Jesse to talk about her viewing recommendations: Smoke - Apple + Hostage - Netflix