The Weekend for Saturday 31 December 2016

8:13 AM.New Zealand's golden girl is now a Dame - and she says she feels like a child in a candy shop. With the announcement of the New Year's Honours list, Shotputter Dame Valerie Adams can now share her top… Read more Audio

8:24 AM.The human brain is fascinating - and perplexing - and with an aging population more of us are likely to develop life changing conditions like Huntington's, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Motor Neuron… Read more Video, Audio

8:46 AM.News Director at the Hauraki Herald Julie Kaio tells us what's been happening in her patch. Read more Audio

9:07 AM.They have runnerbeans growing up the side of a police station in Canterbury, and if you pick them you won't get arrested. They're there - like many of the fruit and vegies growing in Geraldine - for… Read more Audio, Gallery

9:25 AM.The Law Commission turned 30 last year. It's responsible for reviewing and developing this country's law, and to make it as understandable and accessible as possible.

It's not a large organisation… Read more Audio

Thomas Voyce is sonic artist in residence at Toi Poneke Arts Centre in Wellington. On the 13th, the sound artist, studio boffin, and musician begins an exhibition of his work called… Read more Audio

10:26 AM.Children with wistful eyes and empty pockets used to hang around a kayak rental boatshed in Eastbourne in Wellington. Now, thanks to a new project called Everyone's Adventure, there's a very good… Read more Audio

10:43 AM.There'll be slipping, slopping and slapping on hats around the country at the moment, that's a safety slogan that's lasted over decades. But these days we know even this isn't it enough to protect us… Read more Audio

11:06 AM.Shaun D Wilson travels around Japan, from Tokyo to Sapporo in the north and back again - all via rail. In Tokyo, after struggling to find his hostel, Shaun visits Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, a… Read more Audio, Gallery

11:38 AM.Leftovers are part and parcel of this time of year, the big Christmas dinner and New Year party food. The amount of food we waste as a nation, let alone the planet, is mind-boggling. We can start by… Read more Audio

11:45 AM.Luke Bird is used to singing national anthems in massive stadia across the world. Now down the line from The Weekend's little Auckland booth he's talking about his life, his favourite and least… Read more Audio