Kiwi Yarns

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 childless, childfree and child-adjacent. This is a really important conversation, we do go deep. Just letting you know Lil shares her own story of loss, which we appreciate may be upsetting for some to hear. A range of organisations can help. For support around miscarriage and stillbirth click here

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 herself as “shy and introverted”, Chloe couldn’t be more in the thick of it if she tried. People love her, people hate her, but you cannot knock her passion.

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 achievement is a book - called A Life Less Punishing - 13 Ways To Love The Life You Got. Matt Heath says it’s a deep dive into the history, philosophy and science of not wasting our time lost in anger, loneliness, humiliation, stress, fear, boredom and all the other ways we find to not enjoy perfectly good lives.  A GLORIOUS chat.

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 founder of High Impact Athletes. A great chat with a professional sportsman who isn't afraid to tell it like it is.

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!

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 sport after having a baby. A really open an honest chat about tackling both!

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 TikTok, the vibes are fabulous. Daniel is also the owner and head coach of a gym here in Tamaki Makaurau.

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 people through their recovery from an Eating Disorder. A truly beautiful soul helping the lives of so many - Genevieve's an absolute gem!

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 educate other women to get amongst it, and is kicking down the doors and holding them open for others to come through, and we love that. Chelsea also shares her story of recently battling Endometriosis.

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 inspiring - from being a St John Badger as a kid to fostering 60 kittens over the years!

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 - find out what Campbell suggested for the wedding that's meant he's banned from organising it haha!

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 better place - it's so lovely to hear! Richard is one of the good ones, and I hope you enjoy listening to a lovely man with a brilliant heart as much as I did!

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 number of global sporting events. All this from a kid that left school at 16, because he was a 'dreamer" and his dreams didn't quite work at school. A really really insightful conversation!

Today’s guest is columnist, MC, public speaker and cabaret club vixen Verity Johnson - what an epic array of titles! Verity is an extremely talented writer whose funny, thought-provoking and relatable columns have seen her writing successfully for our biggest news organisations since she was 18 - but her first column was published in the New Zealand Herald at 16. Cabaret club vixen really pricks up my ears too so I’m keen to find out more about that. Clue: she left the media and ran away to join the male strip club! It's a great yarn!

Today’s guest is a man I feel like it’s fair to say we all know and love - Sir John Kirwan. JK had a remarkable rugby career as a World Cup winning All Black, played rugby league for the Auckland Warriors, has been a respected international coach, and of course is a major figure in Aotearoa as a mental health advocate. Being one of the first high profile New Zealanders, to talk about depression and mental health, JK plays a massive role in this space - he is remarkable to watch and learn from. He also has a wine company, is an amazing TV Presenter and Rugby commentator, and really bloody fantastic man. This podcast was EVERYTHING I needed to hear at the moment - so I best let him invoice me for one of the most valuable therapy sessions ever! Hope you get something from it too.

Today’s guest is Auckland MMA fighter Carlos Ulberg - aka “The Black Jag”. Carlos is part of the hugely successful City Kickboxing team - and it's a gym that’s described as "an old warehouse on the edge of the city" but has garnered global attention for it’s impressive array of extremely ridiculously talented UFC fighters - like Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker. He wants to be the best light heavyweight fighter in the world, and listening to him share his story of where he's come from and how he intends on doing it, is a fascinating insight into the mind of a professional athlete.

Today’s guest is a well known Kiwi entrepreneur who's life has been truly fascinating thus far - the yarns do not stop today! Many will remember Brooke Howard-Smith from the consumer affairs show Target - some may have also seen him murder me last year on the first New Zealand season of The Traitors. And there's so much more. He was an X Games medalist and professional inline skater, he got kicked out of the United States once, AND he owned the well known nightclub, The Pony Club. He's more recently been involved in some truly wonderful charity campaigns, he set up a successful talent agency, and he's got skin in the game in the Metaverse (I'll let him explain that haha).

Today’s guest is our super talented New Zealand Sail GP team strategist - Liv Mackay. Liv is also in the New Zealand team for the first ever women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona this year - so a massive year ahead! Liv is a great role model not only for younger sailors, but she isn't afraid to speak about the lack of female representation in the sport too. She spends a lot of her downtime (which she has bugger all of!) at local yacht clubs inspiring others to get involved.

Married at First is coming back to New Zealand this year, so if you’re looking for love and would like to bare your soul on national television - this could be your year! And, today’s guest will be right in the thick of helping guide the couples in a show that blew up to one of the most popular Reality TV shows in the world. John Aiken has been sitting on the couch as the relationship expert across the ditch for Married at First Sight Australia since it began and he has absolutely seen it all. And look while he’s here lets take advantage and get some solid relationship advice along the way too!

Today’s guest is one of the country’s greatest and most loved rugby players. A true gentleman of the sport, Keven Mealamu played 132 tests for the All Blacks - just two players have played more. He won the Rugby World Cup twice and made more than 150 appearances for the Blues in Super Rugby.  He is loved by those who played with him, those who played against him, and I think it's fair to say we all love him (well you definitely will after this!).