A wrap of the day's big stories

News bulletin recorded at 9PMRNZ által

Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman and panellists Anna Dean and Alan McElroy discuss a new survey showing renter despair in Queenstown and parent volunteers in junior sports. Also, we open up the Friday mailbag and respond to your feedback from the past week.

Nights' resident screen critic Dan Slevin is reviewing the debut for writer-director Lauren Taylor The Moon is Upside Down, Home, a real estate and design show with a difference, and all three seasons of Star Trek: Picard.

ComicFest is being held at the National Library of New Zealand on Saturday, with a range of events on offer for the comic- and cartoon-mad on its 10th anniversary.

ABC Wantok Program for 3 May 2024.

Hymns from the 12th century to the 20th this week, including Jesu, the very thought of thee (based on a poem by Bernard of Clairvaux) and NZ hymn writer Colin Gibson’s He came singing love.

On the rural outskirts of Taupō a young couple have started a mushroom venture far removed from their previous life in Auckland. Maggie Tweedie took a trip to a small block of land amid the green hills of Wairakei to meet Benson Thomas and Hattie MacLennan.

In 1973 Alan Wilkes was out with his Labrador Zara and comrades at the opening of the duck shooting season. This story from the Spectrum archives was recorded on Kohangatera, a network of lagoons along the Palliser Bay coast.

West Otago farmer, Adrian McIntyre, says the late grain harvest down his way means there are plenty of ducks around for the opening of the duck shooting season. The first weekend is a bit like Christmas, he says

Many drought-declared areas have now had some rain, but farms still have very low pasture covers going into winter. There's been superb weather for the gold kiwifruit harvest in Bay of Plenty which only has a couple of weeks to go and the Hayward variety is underway. Lamb prices remain depressed making some question the future of the sector.…

The latest news from Melanesia.

News bulletin recorded at 7PMRNZ által

This week Country Life meets a young couple who left their city life to set up a mushroom farm and heads to the maimai with a hunter at daybreak at the start of the duck shooting season half a century ago.

The latest RNZ Pacific news and sport.

Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman and panellists Anna Dean and Alan McElroy discuss a new survey showing renter despair in Queenstown and parent volunteers in junior sports. Also, we open up the Friday mailbag and respond to your feedback from the past week.

In Focus on Politics, RNZ's deputy political editor Craig McCulloch whips through a whirlwind week at Parliament.

Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman and panellists Anna Dean and Alan McElroy discuss the increase in need for ADHD medication and the first week of the national phone ban in schools.

Tonight on The Panel, Wallace Chapman and panellists Anna Dean and Alan McElroy discuss the increase in need for ADHD medication and the first week of the national phone ban in schools.

Asia correspondent Per Elinder Liljas speaks to Lisa Owen about southern China bracing for disaster amid torrential rain, a heatwave affecting multiple countries and the battle for AI ramping up between tech bosses in Southeast Asia.

A Northland business owner says it was horrible to see yet another slip on the Brynderwyn hills, just weeks before the road was due to re-open. Luka Forman reports.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters appears undeterred by legal threats, doubling down on his criticism of former Australian senator, Bob Carr. Political Editor Jo Moir reports.

Sports reporter Jonty Dine speaks to Lisa Owen about the big weekend of Super Rugby Pacific.

A Wellington florist who claims she was bullied by MP Julie Anne Genter says the Green should be sacked, because tax payers can do better for their bucks. Four Seasons Florist Laura Newcombe speaks to Lisa Owen.

The police minister says its not realistic to expect a crime free nirvana over night but he remains confident the government's tough on offending policies will deliver over time. Police Minister Mark Mitchell speaks to Lisa Owen.

All the top stories and other headlines from the day

The clock is ticking on Fullers' monopoly for the Waiheke ferry service with the Government set to enable newcomers Island Direct to become part of the gold card scheme from the 1st of July. Louise Ternouth reports.

Regions across the country are awash with camo as hunters flock to the best spots for the opening of duck shooting season this weekend. Sally Murphy reports.

RNZ sports journalist Jamie Wall speaks to Lisa Owen about the All Blacks potentially competing in Qatar in 2026.

Thousands of injured children are struggling to recover after amputations without proper medical equipment and adequate pain relief, according to Save the Children. Its spokesperson Sacha Myers speaks to Lisa Owen.

Canada correspondent Ashleigh Stewart speaks to Lisa Owen about British Columbia rolling back drug decriminalisation, Ontario curbing phone use in schools and the solar eclipse having a lasting effect on some sun-gazers.

The cost of a weekend burial in South Waikato could be about to skyrocket - by 354% in some cases. Libby Kirkby-McLeod reports. CEO of the Funeral Directors Association, Gillian Boyes speaks to Lisa Owen.

Today on the Pre-Panel, Wallace Chapman previews tonight's show and producer Sam Hollis joins to discuss an op-ed exploring the surprising hobbies trending amongst zoomers.

Today on the Pre-Panel, Wallace Chapman previews tonight's show and producer Sam Hollis joins to discuss an op-ed exploring the surprising hobbies trending amongst zoomers.

This week's critter, the great giant scale, (Coelostomidia zealandica) is a native specie of scale bug. Females have pink wingless bodies and look like they have terrible dandruff, with a dusting of white waxy powder all over them.

Builder Stan Scott is along today to help give out tips and advice on any projects at home people might be undertaking.

Charlotte Ryan, host of Music 101 here on RNZ each Saturday afternoon from 1pm talks about what's happening on the music scene over the weekend, what's coming up on her show tomorrow and because Friday is new music day - she'll pick us a track to play.

Jesse Mulligan, host of the daily Afternoons programme on RNZ, talks to our athletes, administrators and journalists about major moments in New Zealand sport.

The cooler weather doesn't mean the end of salads, just that it's time to have some warm salad recipes ready to go.

The latest RNZ Pacific news and sport.

Today Sam reviews the Amy Winehouse film Back to Black and local film 'The Moon is Upside Down'.

Our weekly segment where we ask listeners to share their strange and spooky stories.

Ever fancied driving a bubble car or NZ's only Amphicar? Well these rare motoring gems among others are going under the hammer this weekend. Webb's Auction Head of Collectors' Cars Caolan McAleer talks to Jesse.

Despite how common blended families are, step mothers still often get portrayed in a negative light. Here to change some of that narrative is Gina Bartlett, with her new children's book.

Craigmore Sustainables manages more than 25,000 hectares of farming, forestry, and horticultural properties.

The latest RNZ Pacific news and sport.

Victoria University's students' association is relieved their concerns about a planned freedom of speech event have been taken on board, with the university making changes to the format of the event. Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association president Marcail Parkinson spoke to Charlotte Cook.…

Consumer NZ says it's fantastic a bill aiming to modernise insurance law has passed its first reading in parliament. Consumer NZ investigative team leader Rebecca Styles spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Farmers are preparing to cull crop-eating ducks from their farms.