RNZ: The Panel

Correspondent in Los Angeles Carol Ramos gives her thoughts on The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s two hour interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Panellists Niki Bezzant and Ziena Jalil discuss Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah with US correspondents Carol Ramos and Simon Hampton, Jacqueline Rowarth's call for woolen carpets, and Louise Monge-Grassi's small business Pateripillar.

Panellists Niki Bezzant and Ziena Jalil discuss International Women's Day and gender bias with Traci Houpapa, the latest Covid-19 developments with Michael Plank, and a neighbourly dispute over a fence in New Plymouth.

Robert Kelly discusses a new wave of sleep aiding products and apps.

Wellington's mayor Andy Foster has backed down on a controversial idea to sell part of the city's earthquake-prone library to help pay for the cost of upgrading it. Is cancel culture a winner as a political issue? Anecdotal evidence suggests if you didn't own a home by the age of 40 today, you never would, housing and public policy researcher Dr Kay Saville-Smith said recently.

Wellington's mayor Andy Foster has backed down on a controversial idea to sell part of the city's earthquake-prone library to help pay for the cost of upgrading it. High school principals in Auckland are calling for the Government to fund more home internet connections. There's still a ferocious debate going about whether in decking the ridging should be face down or up.

Story of the day with Caitlin Cherry and what panellists have been thinking.

Should we raise GST to 16 % for Aucklanders, in order to help pay for infrastructure? As names come in and out fashion, research shows people do have pre-conceived ideas about what a person’s name says about them. A chef says Kiwis need to keep a keen mind when they're slicing dinner with the flood of super-sharp knives given out in a supermarket promotion.

We start with our Dear Panel segment, then Panellists Tayyaba Khan and Liam Hehir share what they have been thinking.

Part 2: Those in the disablity community are planning a 'Hikoi of Hope' to Parliament this month. The Panel speaks to Dr Huhana Hickey, who is organising the protest. The former police kiosk in Cathedral Square in Christchurch is to be demolished after 30 years of service. Will supermarkets ever be able to go completely plastic-free? Our daily lives are flooded with gadgets and apps that can help us be more productive and make the most of our time - smart watches, fitness trackers, sleep...

Part 1: Another lockdown and another round of recriminations - Justin Latif reports that the very region being blamed has also been at the forefront of keeping the virus at bay. Counties Manukau District Health Board Chair Vui Mark Gosche says that is something that we should be keeping in mind and that we owe a debt of gratitude to workers in the area. Do you ever go for a walk just for the sake of it? Just a stroll around your neighbourhood with no destination in mind? An article in The...

The Government's Covid-19 messaging has been slammed as irrelevant to young people despite the latest Auckland cluster being based around a high school. The Panel speaks to Vaughn Davis, who is the owner and creative director at ad agency The Goat Farm. Panellists Nalini Baruch and David Cormack share what they have been thinking.

A South Auckland marae is calling for changes to the way drivers licenses are issued. The chair of the Te Puea Marae in South Auckland, Hurimoana Dennis, tells us why he thinks the current system isn't working. The cost of parking in Marlborough is set to jump by a third in a bid to retain free parking for the first hour. Editor of transport blog Greater Auckland, Matt Lawrie, tells us why free parking is never really free. Lunchbox shaming appears to be a growing trend - what's wrong with...

The Supercity is back in alert level 3 lockdown, prompting anger and frustration. Dr Dougal Sutherland helps us address those issues. The Reserve Bank's restrictions on home loans kick in from today. We speak to Professor Robert MacCulloch from Auckland University to discuss what impact these changes are likely to have.

Johnny Briggs, the actor who has played Mike Baldwin on Coronation Street for 30 years, has died at 85. RNZ's Simon Morris is a Coronation Street guru and joins us. Panellists Moata Tamaira and Dean Hall share what they've been thinking about.

Taxpayers are footing a large annual bill for patients who need public hospital care after private inpatient treatment, according to a new study from the University of Otago. National's housing spokesperson and Wellington-based MP Nicola Willis says the newly heritage listed Gordon Wilson flats have become a symbol of the problems the city faces. For the first time ever, the Japanese government has appointed a Minister of Loneliness in an effort to combat a rise in the country's suicide...

Political pressure is mounting on the government to prioritise vaccinating South Aucklanders against Covid-19. There is some pressure to prioritise vaccinating South Aucklanders against Covid 19. Consumer NZ is backing recommendations by the Retirement Commissioner to review the Retirement Villages Act and ensure better protection for residents. Mister Potato head is losing his "mister".

Story of the Day, and the panellists share what they've been thinking.

A spate of incidents over the last year reveal ongoing problems and infighting in councils across the country. Stuart Crosby, president of LGNZ, joins the show to discuss the issues facing local government in 2021; An architect that appeared on the show Grand Designs NZ says the show creates unnecessary drama to be the point of being fraudulent, but isn't that what we expect from reality television?; Taxpayers are footing a $11.5m annual bill for patients who need public hospital care after...

The Reserve Bank is now required to consider the impact on housing when making monetary and financial policy decisions. Shamubeel Eaqub, economist at Sense Partners, joins the show to discuss; More than 40 percent of the country's millionaires are paying lower tax rates than the lowest rate paid by ordinary earners, joining the show to explain is tax specialist Terry Baucher; Residents of a development in Auckland.