The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Episod

• 
  Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent on former Labour Speaker Trevor Mallard appearing on the campaign trail with Hipkins 26.09.2026 4min

  Both major parties are kicking off their campaigns today in Auckland, with Labour and National hitting the trail to reach out to voters. Labour made an appearance at the Ōtara markets on Saturday - and a familiar face from the Ardern era made an appearance alongside Hipkins. Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper said the emergence of former Labour Speaker Trevor Mallard could remind voters of the previous Government, and the party should try keep their distance. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Kieran McAnulty: Labour campaign chair speaks ahead of the party's campaign launch 26.09.2026 7min

  The election race has gotten into full swing, with both parties set to hold their campaign launches today. Labour's event in South Auckland is set to take place this afternoon, and it's likely some new policies will be unveiled ahead of the election. Labour's campaign chair Kieran McAnulty says Chris Luxon is out of touch with the average New Zealander, and they'll be calling out the Government's broken promises. "We're gonna be targeting the fact that unemployment is up and that homelessness is at the highest level it's ever been and that for 70 percent of New Zealanders last year, their wages did not keep up with the cost of living. So take your pick." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Simeon Brown: National campaign chair on the campaign season officially getting under way 26.09.2026 7min

  The election race is officially under way, and National has revealed how they plan to address the opposition's policies. Both National and Labour are holding campaign launches today, with plenty of new announcements set to be made. National campaign chair Simeon Brown says voters should know the left-bloc wants to tax, borrow and spend more. "We cannot have a capital gains tax, a wealth tax, an inheritance tax, a land tax on top of your rates - these are the issues at stake as the work we've done, but also the risk that there is with a Labour-Greens-Te Pati Māori-Opportunity Government."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Francesca Rudkin: Will the upcoming debates be useful for voters? 26.09.2026 3min

  The school holidays are upon us again, the clocks changed for daylight saving this morning, and this week saw the final sitting of the House before the election. You know what that means - stump speeches are being refined, hustings are well under way as the debate comes out of the House and into the public arena. Let the entertainment - or as one Newstalk ZB listener called it this week, the nonsense - begin.  It actually feels like we’ve been in campaign mode since politicians returned to work after the new year, but from this weekend the campaign starts in earnest. Parliament will be formally dissolved on Thursday, but essentially - we’re all go from now.   And that means it’s time for my favourite part of any general election - the televised debates. The first of a variety of debates is on Tuesday and they’ll roll through until November 5th on all the main news outlets. The main attraction are the Leader’s Debates between Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins, of which there are three.  But are these debates useful? They can be. If the moderators and journalists can push past the rehearsed lines, there is a slim chance we’ll learn something new. If they can keep the participants from talking over each other, and keep deflection to a minimum, we’ll get the opportunity to see how participants handle difficult questions and pressure.   Accomplishing this is a lot harder than it looks.  The trouble is that modern political debates can become an elaborate game of verbal dodgeball. You ask a question about the cost of living, and suddenly you’re hearing about the other party’s tax policy. Ask about health, and somehow we’re discussing the economy. Ask about an awkward policy, and the answer is a sentence beginning, “Well, the reality is”…or “As I have indicated…” There is a name for this – it’s called “block and bridge”, and Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins use this technique extensively. There is a very simple reason for it. Most voters do not delve deeply into the detail of a policy announcement, they don’t scrutinise the complex fiscal mechanics behind a promise. They make decisions based on slogans, media headlines and interpret them through their own beliefs and loyalties. This is why the constant repetition of key messages is vital to a successful election campaign.  It’s also why, even though I still get excited about a televised leaders debate, I always feel a bit flat afterwards as commentators judge it like a boxing fight, and ultimately name a debate winner based on who was the most Prime Minister like. It all comes down to performance – or ‘studio presence’ - rather than substance. With neither party or leader heading into this election with safe, promising poll results the pressure is on to convince voters they’re the person to lead the next Government. Let’s hope this pressure creates some unpredictability under the hot studio lights - that’s why most of us watch after all.  Ultimately though, while a televised debate may help some undecided voters choose how they’ll cast their vote, I doubt they will change many other minds. At this point, Chris and Christopher are very familiar to most of us and what we think is locked in. Maybe one of the keys to getting our attention is surfacing others in the party who we haven’t already prejudged.  So, let the campaigning begin. From now on every announcement will be carefully timed, every photograph will be carefully chosen, every slogan will be tested, and every awkward question will be met with a rehearsed answer to a completely different question.  Hopefully, somewhere along the way someone will answer these simple questions - what exactly will they do, how much will it cost, who pays, and what difference will it make to my life? Fingers crossed.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Dame Silvia Cartwright: former NZ Governor-General on her new memoir 'That Woman' 20.09.2026 16min

  Dame Silvia Cartwright has been a trailblazer for women in the fields of law and justice, and she's detailed her life story in a new memoir. She was one of two women studying law at Otago University in the 1960s, and went on to become New Zealand's first female High Court judge and the second woman to hold the role of Governor-General at a time when the sector was overly male.  She's been on an extraordinary professional journey, which she's detailed in her new memoir That Woman. "I do remember reading, or at least glancing at a book about Roman law when I was about 14 - but I think it was a process of elimination. In those days , if a woman studied at university, the options were fairly limited to teaching, nursing, or - being Dunedin - medicine." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Keala Settle: singer and actress on her upcoming performance in Sunset Boulevard at Wellington Town Hall 20.09.2026 15min

  Actress and singer Keala Settle was launched into international stardom thanks to her role in The Greatest Showman as the bearded lady, Lettie Lutz. She sang the film's biggest hit This Is Me, which won a Golden Globe and got an Oscar nomination - and it ensured the Tony-nominated actress became a household name. Keala Settle spent a lot of time in New Zealand visiting family as she grew up, and she's set to return to our shores for the WITCH musical theatre premiere of Sunset Boulevard at the Wellington Town Hall. "I'm just excited to go back - and then just forgot that there's this actual job that I had to do. So it could be overwhelming, if I let it be. But I'm just trying to keep my wits about me as much as I can and lean on everyone that's around me."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Whitcoulls Recommends: The Pirate Queen and Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel 20.09.2026 3min

  The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon. Fiction, based on the real life of Grace O’Malley who lived in the 16th century and gained renown as a fiercely independent woman and a fearless pirate who controlled an army of men, key maritime routes and trade in the west of Ireland. Suffering English rule, she bowed to no one and her story is extraordinary. This is by the author of The Frozen River which is one of my favourite books in recent years.  Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley. Readers of Agatha Christie will be familiar with Miss Marple, her village living amateur detective about whom many books were written. Lucy Foley has now produced a new Miss Marple story, authorized by the Christie estate - in which Miss Marple finds herself in a flash hotel high in the Alps where murders occur and of course her sleuthing skills come to the fore. It’s a real homage to the original author, and fans of her work - but also readers discovering them for the first time - will find much to enjoy.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Megan Singleton: BloggerAtLarge.com writer and travel correspondent on how to make the most of Aitutaki, Cook Islands 20.09.2026 3min

  Travel expert Megan Singleton recently went to the Cook Islands and she's revealed how to make the most of one small island - described as 'heaven on Earth'.  The tiny island of Aitutaki is about 220km north of Rarotonga, and easily accessible on a short flight from the region. Megan says you'd need three or four days on the island to see all that it has to offer - and outlined her recommendations. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  The Sunday Panel: Will National's supermarket policy announcement lose votes? 20.09.2026 9min

  This week on the Sunday Panel, Partner at Freebairn and Hehir lawyers Liam Hehir and journalist, TV producer and commentator Irene Gardiner joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! National has proposed to, if elected, break up Foodstuffs in a bid to bring down food prices for Kiwi consumers. Has National made a mistake with this policy?  Does this completely go against the party's values of ambition and hard work and success? Do they also need to take a look at banks or petrol companies?  Labour's Chris Hipkins recently claimed smaller parties shouldn't be able to veto National and Labour working together amid calls for more bipartisanship for key issues like the NZ-India trade deal or the teen social media ban. Do we think Hipkins has a point here? Would the benefit of the two major parties agreeing and working together outweigh any negative? Wahs fever is on the rise - how excited are we for tonight's big game? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Full Show Podcast: 20 September 2026 20.09.2026 1j 57min

  Listen to the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 20 September. Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Erin O'Hara: naturopath and wellness expert on how to perfect a seasonal reset ahead of spring 20.09.2026 5min

  September marks a big period of change, as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer. It's the perfect time to shake off the winter blues and get outdoors, especially with daylight saving due to kick in next weekend. Naturopath and wellness expert Erin O'Hara explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Mike van de Elzen: Fired broccolini with grated ginger, parsley and parmesan 20.09.2026 4min

  Fired broccolini with grated ginger, parsley and parmesan Cook time: 10 minutes  Prep time: 10 minutes  Serves: 4 1 pkt broccolini Flaky sea-salt   2 knobs ginger 1 cup flat leaf parsley 1 cup finely grated parmesan  4 tbsp olive oil Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and plunge in the broccolini. Cook until just under. This will take 2 minutes. Remove and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking.   Drain once cold and place the cauliflower into a large bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt.  Char-grill over embers or on a hot BBQ. Place back into a clean bowl. Peel the ginger and grate finely with a mircoplane and add to the broccolini. Chop the parsley and add into the broccolini and finish with the Parmesan, olive oil and extra seasoning. Season and toss.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Dr Michelle Dickinson: Nanotechnologist on whether blue water would stop you flushing the toilet 20.09.2026 4min

  As New Zealand heads towards what could be a drier-than-usual summer, here's an unusual way we might save water - stop flushing the toilet quite so often.  The old water-saving advice goes: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow.”  The problem is that many of us find an unflushed toilet really unpleasant.  Now researchers at the University of Surrey have investigated a surprisingly simple solution - a pellet that dissolves in the toilet, turns the water blue and masks the smell after you wee.  Their results found that the biggest barrier to flushing less might not actually be habit, it might be worrying about what other people think. In the study the researchers recruited 20 adults and gave each a dispenser containing 70 Wizso pellets.  For one week, participants used the pellets at home as part of their normal bathroom routines.  Drop one into the toilet and it dissolves, colouring the water blue and releasing a fragrance designed to mask odour. The idea is that after urinating, you leave the toilet unflushed without the usual yellow appearance or smell. At the end of the week, researchers interviewed each person for 40 minutes, asking when they flushed, when they didn't, and how they felt about leaving the toilet unflushed. Overall, participants found the pellets easy to use. The blue colour was surprisingly important. People associated it with bleach and toilet cleaning products, making an unflushed toilet appear cleaner. People living alone were generally comfortable not flushing. Many were also happy doing it around partners and family. However, when guests arrived, the flushing returned. People worried that visitors might see an unflushed toilet and think they were unhygienic. Female participants identified that seeing menstrual blood often prompted an automatic flush regardless of their intention to save water. The researchers suggest that social expectations may actually be a bigger barrier to flushing less than the habit of flushing itself. New Zealand is currently experiencing a strong El Niño, which is expected to influence our weather through the coming summer, bringing unusually dry weather. That doesn't mean we're definitely heading into a drought, but it does make the humble toilet an interesting place to look for savings.  A toilet flush uses betwee 4–13 litres of drinking-quality water, so at several flushes a day, that's a surprisingly large amount of treated water being used simply to carry away urine.  The study highlights something fascinating about environmental behaviour.  Sometimes getting people to conserve resources isn't about convincing them to care more.  It's about understanding, what actually stops them from changing their behaviour and designing around it. In this case, apparently one of those barriers is not wanting your dinner guests to think you forgot to flush.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Steve Newall: entertainment correspondent on the state of Ed Sheeran's tour after openers pull out 19.09.2026 5min

  The show is set to go on - as Ed Sheeran looks to take the stage without any opening acts as his tour continues. He's set to play at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field later today, in his first show since Macklemore was dropped over his pro-Palestinian remarks onstage, and his other openers quit in protest. Entertainment correspondent Steve Newall says ticket prices have fallen significantly since this development, with tonight's tickets dropping as low as $32 USD. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Ethan Vickery: Kai Co founder and operations director on National's bid to break up Foodstuffs 19.09.2026 7min

  The supermarket competition debate continues on, with National indicating they'll make changes if re-elected. The party's proposing to increase competition by splitting Pak'nSave from New World and Four Square - as long as the Commerce Commission agrees. Kai Co founder and operations director Ethan Vickery says it's hard to tell how this proposed change will impact Kiwi consumers. "It's really complicated, but I think you have to look at it and be like - why is New World's everyday prices more expensive than Pak'nSave's? Why is Four Square's everyday prices more expensive than New World's? And yet, they all buy from the same DC and they're all part of the same co-op."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Azaria Howell: Newstalk ZB political reporter on the Government rushing some new bills under urgency 19.09.2026 4min

  Parliament unanimously passed a new law reforming building rules, with thousands of buildings no longer considered earthquake-prone under this change. Building and Construction Minister Simon Watts said this change would save building owners and the New Zealand economy $8.2 billion.  Newstalk ZB political reporter unpacked the changes further - and revealed why we could be in for some interesting weeks in Parliament. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Dan Schnur: US political analyst explains what new Greenland security deal means for Donald Trump 19.09.2026 5min

  The US and Denmark have announced a deal, which President Donald Trump says will grant the US permanent control over Greenland’s security. The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have welcomed the deal, but say it won't compromise the region's sovereignty. It follows months of tension over Trump’s threats to take control of the Danish territory. US political analyst Dan Schnur says this is a face-saving measure for the President.  "It allows him to campaign in our mid-term elections in a few weeks, on the basis that he's achieved that promise." The agreement is expected to be signed next week, but its details have not been released. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Monty Betham: former Warrior ahead of the team's must-win finals clash against the Newcastle Knights 19.09.2026 8min

  It's do or die for the Warriors this evening, as the team gears up for their elimination round against the Knights. The must-win clash will take place at a sold-out Eden Park at 6:05 PM, and excitement is brewing among Kiwi fans. Former Warrior Monty Betham says he's feeling nervous, and he knows all eyes will be on the Kiwi side as they look to move past their last loss against the Dolphins. "I think everyone felt that sense of letdown, because the Warriors promised so much, there was so much within that match and the Dolphins came and they played really, really well... you just need to do the right things."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Francesca Rudkin: Ed Sheeran was caught between a rock and a hard place 19.09.2026 3min

  Ed Sheeran found himself between a rock and a hard place this week, with a rather uncomfortable question hanging over his US tour - can you be the nice guy who keeps politics out of your concerts while allowing someone else on your stage to talk about politics? The answer for Sheeran, after a week of intense global media pressure, having his songs removed from playing on Ireland’s biggest commercial radio station, and making a $US 2 million pledge to Palestinian causes, is a clear no.   You probably know the story - Sheeran’s support act rapper Macklemore was dropped from the remaining US dates of Sheeran’s Loop Tour after making pro-Palestinian comments during performances. According to Sheeran, several venues told the tour promoter they would pull their venues for shows if Macklemore remained on the bill. Sheeran says the promoter made the final decision, not him, despite his attempts to find a compromise. All four remaining support acts - Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Sheeran’s own backing band, Beoga pulled out in solidarity with Macklemore. Their reasoning was pretty straightforward: they didn't want to continue if a fellow artist had effectively been silenced for speaking out about Palestine.  And once again, we find ourselves having a conversation about when and how a celebrity or artist should or shouldn’t use their platform.   Sheeran has explained why he generally avoids politics.  He says his audiences include young people and children from all backgrounds, and people come to his shows for unity, joy, escapism and somewhere everyone feels welcome. He says he prefers to use his platform as a “place of safety and sanctuary”, keeping conversations open rather than turning concerts into political forums. Fair enough. And it feels very Ed Sheeran. His brand is essentially the musical equivalent of a warm cup of tea. He's familiar, friendly, inoffensive, and hugely successful. The bloke with the guitar who can bring 60,000 people together without asking them to agree on anything except that Shape of You is a lovely song. There is a big commercial value in being that guy. And that's a perfectly legitimate position to take. Artists don't have a moral obligation to turn every concert into a political rally. Celebrity doesn't automatically equal wisdom. Having 20 million Instagram followers doesn't give you a degree in Middle Eastern history. If your level of influence is disproportionate to your knowledge of the issues, then it’s best to say nothing. Sometimes a celebrity talking about a complicated issue can reduce something desperately complicated to a slogan. But nor do artists have to be politically neutral. Macklemore clearly doesn't think he should be. Neither do the artists who've now walked away from Sheeran’s tour. Famous faces should not be chastised for using their platforms to inform or  encourage awareness of the issues facing those who are less fortunate. If they want to be a political commentator beyond their day job, they should use their platform responsibly, whether that's speaking, listening, raising money, supporting a cause, or simply encouraging people to learn more.   Ultimately it’s up to the audience to determine the power of celebrity endorsement. You’d like to think their contribution would play a role in an ongoing wider conversation. Unfortunately for Ed Sheeran, some issues seem too polarised for conversations. He got the worse of both worlds. He didn’t want to be part of this but couldn’t avoid it, and once he was involved anything he did was going to be interpreted as picking a side, and for many it was going to be the wrong side.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
• 
  Whitcoulls Recommends: The Ruins and Never Say War 13.09.2026 4min

  The Ruins by Becky Docton. This is a generational story across three decades, which begins in 1937 when a mother abandons her young girl on a Devon railway station, leaving her in the care of strangers and from which point the child is forced to navigate the rest of her life. It’s a very compelling and moving story set in a period of enormous change throughout the world. Never Say War by Asne Seierstad. The author met a young mercenary from the Wagner Group who sought asylum in Norway and through him, and after subsequent travels around Russia, was able to write the very human story of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine which may not be referred to as a war but has transformed the lives of millions. From Siberia, to villages, to the cities and in homes and workplaces, this is journalism at its finest. Insightful, humane and riveting. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.