The Panel Plus

The Panel Plus episode on RNZ National explores a mix of nostalgic food memories, environmental policy challenges, and cultural reflections. The conversation begins with a personal story about Nick Smith, former National MP, and his 2010 electric vehicle—remarkable for its longevity and lack of maintenance, highlighting early EV limitations and resilience. This segues into a heartfelt, humorous discussion about condensed milk sandwiches, with listeners sharing vivid childhood memories of stealing cans, caramel explosions, and using condensed milk in coffee and baking. The segment becomes a warm, communal celebration of a simple, sweet taste of the past. The episode then shifts to a serious discussion on 'disaster inertia'—the recurring failure to act on lessons from natural disasters like Cyclone Gabrielle. Dr. Rob Bell from the University of Waikato explains how New Zealand, like many countries, remains trapped in reactive emergency management rather than investing in long-term resilience and land-use planning. He calls for urgent policy integration across emergency management, climate adaptation, and planning legislation to break the cycle of repeated disasters. The episode closes with listener stories and a musical reflection on albums as cohesive artistic works, including Deep Purple and Prince’s Sign of the Times.