Kiwi Yarns

This week I'm joined by two-time Olympic gold medallist, and Black Ferns Sevens superstar Michaela Blyde. I can confirm both gold medals including the fresh one from Paris are present for this interview! A fascinating look into life as an elite athlete at the Paris Olympics, and at the same time an incredibly wholesome chat with a beautiful young woman from Taranaki. Learn more about your ad choic...

Today’s guest is New Zealand Paralympian number 156 - gold medal-winning Wheel Black, Jai Waite. Jai is also an internationally recognised and award-winning documentary maker. His latest is Wheel Blacks: Bodies on the Line - out this week - and it follows the Wheel Blacks as they battled to rise above declining resources to try and qualify for the 2024 Paris Paralympics. Jai became paralysed from...

Today’s guest is often described as a serial entrepreneur and innovator. Cecilia Robinson is the founder and co-CEO of Tend Health. She dropped out of university to start her first business, then went on to build the hugely successful My Food Bag. She is a champion of women, a mother of three children and and is passionate about sharing her wisdom and supporting women in business - which you know...

Here's a podcast I'm wrapping my earholes around! On Easter Monday 2021, police were called to the home of a successful professional couple in the affluent Auckland suburb of Remuera. They found the body of Pauline Hanna. In his emergency call, her husband, Philip Polkinghorne, said she killed herself. Sixteen months later he was charged with her murder. As this podcast is released, he's currently...

Today’s guest is the former Prime Minister, Sir John Key. The money trader-turned-politician-turned-board chair with a real passion for golf served as New Zealand’s 38th Prime Minister from 2008 until 2016. Sir John’s famously been called a “rich prick” a “smiling assassin” and even “bland”. We discuss all of those names, why he's comfortable with his wealth, the most important lessons his mother...

What's better than Chris Parker, or Tom Sainsbury? Chris Parker AND Tom Sainsbury in the same room together on the same podcast. Both have come on Kiwi Yarns individually, but they've achieved so much since then and are doing so many wonderful things that I thought we ought to sit them down together for a glorious catch up. And they're such great mates! We decided their next venture should absolut...

Josie Pagani works in aid, politics, trade and media and has recently become the chief executive of ChildFund New Zealand. She's a well-respected, international and political commentator and her mahi has taken her all over the world. From rubbing shoulders with world leaders, to nearly ending up in a KGB jail in Russia as a teenager, Josie shares some amazing stories, and offers some much needed i...

Brodie's been unwell this week (winter!) so in her absence, we're re-upping an oldie but a goodie ahead of the Paris Olympics later this month. Enjoy this episode from the archive with kiwi champion rower Emma Twigg and her amazing story about how it all went right on the day. === Olympic rowing champion Emma Twigg personifies a never-give-up attitude and we all were witness to that when she won G...

Today’s guest is actress and presenter Shavaughn Ruakere. There are many reasons Kiwis love Shavaughn - whether it’s the nostalgia of What Now, the heartbreak of her beloved character Roimata being taken from us so tragically on Shortland Street (I'm still not ok about it), her stunning dancing on Dancing with the Stars, or calling out the Fboys on Fboy Island - she's lit up our screens for nearly...

Today’s guest is award-winning journalist Mark Crysell. I tell you one thing about award-winning journalists like Mark Crysell is they have GREAT stories to share. Like travelling to North Korea, working as Europe Correspondent for TVNZ and fighting for the little guy on Fair Go. Mark is a wonderful storyteller, and puts a lot of it down to his love for adventure, connecting with people and being...

Today’s guest is Ineke Meredith, a remarkable woman who spent a good chunk of her childhood in Samoa but left to follow her dreams, winning a a scholarship to study medicine in Aotearoa. Now, she's living in Paris as a surgeon with her husband, can see the Eiffel Tower from her apartment and rides her Vespa around the city of love. Ineke also runs a business called Fur Love, a doggo skin and body...

Today’s guest is a man by the name of Dario Nustrini, who's just published a book called Nothing Significant to Report: The Misadventures of a Kiwi Soldier. I thought it would be great to compare Army notes with him! Dario joined after high school, where he describes himself as a young man who had been on a steady diet of spliffs, Speights and the occasional sandwich, weighing about as much as an...

Today’s guest is Lil O'Brien - who has written books about coming out, and being childless. Lil has bared her soul in the most remarkable and vulnerable way. Her first book, Not That I'd Kiss A Girl, is an incredibly moving "coming out" memoir, about her navigating her sexuality during her years at Otago University. Now she and two other amazing women have released Other Hood: Essays on being chil...

Today’s guest is Chloe Swarbrick - a return guest to Kiwi Yarns. Last time we spoke it was just prior to the 2020 election and man, things have changed since then! Chloe is now the co-leader of the Green Party, she's extremely vocal in opposition, and is grappling with what's been a tumultuous year for the party. For someone who never intended pursuing a career in politics and allegedly described...

Today’s guest is Matt Heath. Now, Matt Heath is genuinely one of my favourite straight white guys. I think he’s also someone who I would never call just Matt, he’s Matt Heath. And while we usually drink, watch the Warriors and talk a mixture of serious and non-serious stuff - it’s been pretty cool to look back at all the things he’s achieved in his wildly hectic yet brilliant career. His latest ac...

Today’s guest is one of the country’s greatest tennis players, Marcus Daniell. He’s back on the court for his final year before retiring, after two frustrating years out with knee injuries. Marcus is creating a legacy that will last beyond his playing days, and will reach far more than just the tennis court. This year, he’s donating 50 percent of his prize money to charity - part of his mahi as fo...

Today’s guest is one of the country’s best surfers, Paige Hareb. The proud professional athlete from mighty Taranaki and the beautiful Oakura Beach, Paige has had a hugely epic career since she became the first woman from New Zealand to qualify for the Championship Tour. She’s been monumental in the growth of female surfers here which we love! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

Today’s guests are Olympic silver medal rowing mums, Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis. The two have come together to race in the double sculls and have their sights set on gold in Paris. What’s really cool, is Lucy and Brooke are not only world class professional athletes, they’re world class professional new mums - showing the remarkable strength and toughness women have returning to this level of...

Today’s guest is Man Can Cook - a man, who coincidently, can cook ridiculously delicious food. He does this with his Pug, Fraser. Daniel Rankin’s cooking videos draw you in because he’s always dressed up or Fraser the pug is always dressed up and there’s food being cooked, and Fraser is so well-behaved but it’s hectic and brilliant and I just had to chat to him. You can follow him on Instagram and...

Today’s guest is the Co-Founder and General Manager of Voices of Hope, Genevieve Mora. Genevieve is a remarkable young woman who spends a massive chunk of her life, her time, and her energy sharing her story because Voices of Hope believes in the power of sharing your lived experience to create positive change. She is an author, and co-created an app called 'Love your Kite' which aims to support p...

Today’s guest is part of a very very small group of women here in Aotearoa. Chelsea Roper - aka SheBuildsBro is a graphic designer turned carpenter - and makes up part of the 2.6 percent of tradies who are women.  She got into a trade after she and her partner packed up and left Auckland for Queenstown, and she wanted to be able to help build their own home! She uses her platform to encourage and...

Today’s guest is someone at the helm of a brilliant student organisation we all know and love! The amazing mahi of the Student Volunteer Army has turned it into a nationally-recognised crisis response team, ever since thousands of students mobilised following the Christchurch Earthquakes. Emily Byrne is the chief executive - and is with me this week. Her passion for helping others is pretty inspir...

Today’s guest is Campbell Johnstone. He is the first openly gay All Black - after making the decision to come out on national television last year. Since then, Campbell has become an amazing advocate for inclusion and diversity in sport. And, the title "first openly gay All Black" is one he's happy to sit with if it helps create change.  It's also wedding year for Campbell and his fiancé Ben - fin...

Today’s guest is in my opinion - one of the coolest local body politicians you will find. And yes I said cool and politician in the same sentence! Richard Hills has been on Auckland Council since 2016 - he became the youngest person on council and lord knows we need more young people in local government! You can actually hear the passion in his voice - he is genuinely in the job to make the city a...

Today’s guest is a man who knows a thing or two about putting a world class event on. Karl Budge is the man who made the ASB Classic a massive success, and an award-winning event, luring in massive names like Serena and Venus Williams. How he got them to come is absolutely fascinating! Karl played a huge role in the success of the amazing Sail GP event in Ōtautahi last year - and has worked on a n...