The Kiwi and the Emu

Episode 16: today we talk to Aine Kelly-Costello who is currently living in Norway with her parents. She left New Zealand to study in Sweden and was living there until April of this year. We will hear her impressions of living in Europe during this time and the challenges that posed. We also hear about the challenges of being a blind student studying abroad. Most of the podcasts in this series sta...

In episode 15 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we travel to Tasmania to speak with Emma Bennison, an accomplished Musician and current CEO of Blind Citizens Australia, (BCA). Emma talks about her personal journey through the lockdowns in Australia and having elderly family in Queensland, now two closed borders away from her back in Tasmania where she lives with her husband and sons. Emma discusses her rol...

In episode 14 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we talk to Lauren Hayes in Melbourne and Neal Jarvis in Wellington who are in a relationship and are separated by the closed border between our two countries. They discuss how the lockdowns occurred simultaneously in both New Zealand and Australia and how the deaper level 4 in New Zealand affected Neil. They were kind enough to talk about their emotions as th...

In episode 13 we visit the Auckland home of Martine Abel-Williamson and her husband Gary Williamson. Martine runs her own business as an Access Advisor and has been involved with Blindness advocacy through both Blind Citizens New Zealand and the World Blind Union. Gary works for Blind and Low vision NZ as part of the contact centre and he loves his sport. Their guide dogs also make a brief appeara...

In Episode 12 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we visit the middle of the North Island of New Zealand  and see how Toni Sharp from Sharp Kitchens is getting on. Toni is also a very accomplished Toastmaster. Toni also talks about some of her adventures while in Stage 4 Lockdown walking around town with her guide dog Patsy. Most of the podcasts in this series starts with the formal interview with our g...

In Episode 11 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we talk to Lauren Henley in Newcastle NSW but who actually lives in Melbourne Victoria and is staying with her family during the COVID-19 situation but still works on line for a Melbourne based organisation. Lauren is also a director of Blind Citizens Australia, (BCA). Lauren shares with us how quickly she needed to get out of Melbourne and back to Newcastle...

In Episode 10 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we stay in Melbourne Victoria and see how Martin Stewart is getting on with his advocacy work with BCA, how he is personally handling the COVID-19 situation and discuss the ways Government have communicated its message to the public. Most of the podcasts in this series starts with the formal interview with our guest and ends with the lighter moments where our...

In Episode 9 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we go to Melbourne Victoria and see how Jordie Howell is going with her music, choir, teaching and mobility since the COVID-19 restrictions came in. Jordie sings at Christ Church South Yarra and she discusses how different Easter was in 2020 due to the local restrictions in Victoria. She also shares with us her experiences of attending church services online a...

In Episode 8 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we go to Queensland’s  Sunshine Coast and see how Chrystal Alexandroff is getting on with her 16 year old son who is returning to school. She talks about her going shopping with her support workers and how the lockdowns affected that and how her son is learning to drive and sitting his piano exams. We find out about some of the lighter moments that happen...

In Episode 7 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we go to a little place just out side of Melbourne and chat to Ali Pearce. Ali is a Kiwi-Ausssie (Kwaussie) and has family on both sides of the ditch. She also works at Dining in the Dark and has another job with a culture group. We find out about some of the lighter moments that are happening to Ali and she talks about how she contacts her family on line wile...

In Episode 6 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we go to Auckland New Zealand and see how Karen and Murray Peat are getting on parenting and working during the COVID-19 lockdown. Today we hear from blind parents Murray and Karen Plimmer about caring for their 17 month old daughter Emily and trying to work during the lock down. We hear what challenges this posed for them. We find out about some of the lighte...

In Episode 5 of the Kiwi and the Emu, we go to Western Australia and see how Nicki Muir and Arthur Pirika are getting on with the regional restrictions placed on West Australians. Not only does the larges state in the Commonwealth of Australia have its border closed to the rest of the country, at one stage during the Coronavirus crisis that state was divided into 9 regions. Nicki talks about not b...

In episode 4 of the Kiwi and the Emu, Taron Taylor from Melbourne discusses her Tourette Syndrome, Autism, Blindness and how the COVID-19 shutdowns have affected her ability to access support workers and go shopping. Taron is a huge Harry Potter fan. Carolyn from Auckland and Elise from Melbourne interview guests on how the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns across Australia and New Ze...

In Episode 3, we talk to Sina Tanoi from Auckland. Sina works in administration at Auckland City Hospital and also works in the Hospitality sector at Dans le Noir Auckland. We will find out what life was like working at the Hospital during lockdown. How Sina kept in contact with family and friends and how her faith in God gave her strength during this time.

A new Blindness related podcast - The Kiwi and the Emu. Carolyn from Auckland and Elise from Melbourne interview guests on how the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns across Australia and New Zealand are affecting people who are blind or have low vision. In Episode 2, Darren Bone in rural Victoria talks about his work in a pizza shop and how the COVID-19 lockdowns have affected him and...

In Episode 1, Carolyn Peat from Auckland and Elise Lonsdale from Melbourne interview Pauline Melham who is the Manager of Disability Support Services at a Christchurch tertiary institution. Pauline talks about her life before the Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand and how her life has been affected during the lockdown. She also tells us how her and her husband are dealing with the changes as New Zea...