Kiwi Yarns
Welcome to Kiwi Yarns - those yarns you have where you sit down, put the kettle on, pour a whiskey or crack open a beer I honestly don‘t mind. Anyway! We‘re sitting down and we’re yarning to some great New Zealanders, their back stories, their front stories, even stories where they went sideways, we will go there. It’s a place where we celebrate the great people of this glorious nation.
Episodes
EJ Barnes is the proud daughter of Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes.
In this fascinating episode, she reflects on growing up in a family where music always came first - joining her first band with her siblings at just six years old.
And what was it really like having Jimmy Barnes as your dad during the wild years of the ’80s and ’90s?
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Russel Norman left politics when he stepped down as Green Party co-leader ten years ago - but he still has plenty of skin in the game.
In this wide-ranging discussion covering democracy, neoliberalism, the political spectrum, climate change and billionaires, we explore the state of the world - and what Russel believes must happen if the planet is to survive.
The introverted kid from Brisbane, who now leads Greenpeace Aotearoa, ne...
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Six60 have been soundtracking Kiwi summers since ages ago - and they’ve got the accolades to prove it.
The lads have spent a staggering 586 weeks on the New Zealand Singles Chart and a massive 1,232 weeks on the Albums Chart.
In this episode, Chris Mac - the wildly talented, theatrical bassist - shares how five very different musicians (and personalities) have become one of the most successful bands in Aotearoa’s history.
There ...
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June 22, 2025 • 89 mins
This week’s guest is a little bit special. Actually - she’s very special.
My mum swam the Cook Strait at 40, has completed multiple marathons and Ironman events, and now, as she nears 70, she’s preparing for yet another epic physical challenge. And she did it all while raising my brother and me.
In this episode, the lines blur a bit over who’s interviewing whom, as we chat about our endurance achievements, mental toughness, futur...
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Theo Dāvid is currently deep in rehearsals for Auckland Theatre Company’s Romeo and Juliet - and even if you’re not a Shakespeare geek, he shares some beautiful insights into why this 400-year-old writer and his works are still so relevant today.
A proud Samoan who grew up in South Auckland, Theo now lives in Mission Bay (his mates give him plenty of stick for that) with his beautiful partner and their two young boys. But the plac...
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Tanita Garnett is 22 years old and has already beaten cancer twice. She picked up a rugby ball at 14, and by 16, she’d made the Tasman Mako training squad.
Now recovering from a tough ACL injury, Tanita opens up about the physical and mental challenges of rehab - and what keeps her going.
She’s also a qualified joiner, choosing a trade to support herself while chasing her rugby dreams.
Tanita is a remarkable young woman. Her sto...
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Today’s guest is Dr Libby Weaver - a thirteen-time bestselling author and internationally acclaimed nutritional biochemist.
For years, Dr Libby has dedicated herself to empowering people to take control of their health through education and practical insights.
Her current focus is on raising awareness about iron - one of the most overlooked yet essential aspects of wellbeing.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to b...
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Aotearoa’s sprint queen, Zoe Hobbs, is the first - and so far the only - New Zealand woman to run the 100 metres in under 11 seconds, clocking a personal best of 10.96 s. She was also the first Kiwi in nearly 100 years - man or woman - to reach an Olympic 100 m semi‑final, finishing 14th overall and edging ever closer to a global podium.
In this episode, she lifts the lid on elite sprinting, sharing the science, mindset, body mech...
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Joe Daymond is a comedian, writer, director and content creator, currently touring Australia with his latest show, Hope I Made You Proud. It’s a journey through his career - from living in his car, to cleaning caravans in the middle of the night, to performing on stages around the world.
I last caught up with Joe - a proud Fijian Māori from Wainuiomata - over Zoom in 2021, and let’s just say, putting us both in a studio for a prop...
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Bailley Unahi suffered a spinal cord injury at just 19 years old while studying at Otago University. She was at a flat on Castle Street when the balcony collapsed at the start of a Six60 gig in 2016.
It was a life-changing moment - one that Bailley not only faced head-on, but turned into a positive. She shares how grateful she is for everything that has happened since.
Bailley admits she finds it hard to say no to new opportuniti...
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This week, we meet Toitū te Tiriti spokesperson and Auckland Law School academic Eru Kapa-Kingi.
Eru became the face and voice of Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, which saw more than 50,000 people descend on Parliament late last year to demonstrate the unity of Māori and Tangata Tiriti, and to oppose the Treaty Principles Bill.
It was a historic moment - one that many New Zealanders, myself included, were extremely proud of - and it marked a ch...
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Today’s guest has a job that, on the surface, many would describe as a "dream job" and say, "oh, how lucky!"
While there’s no denying that the titles “travel blogger,” “travel writer,” and “travel photographer” have a certain allure, Abigail Hannah’s backstory is truly fascinating.
Born in Aotearoa, Abigail spent most of her childhood growing up in rural India, a place that felt like home. She later returned to New Zealand alone to...
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He holds the record for the highest ever ODI score for New Zealand, and over a 13-year international career, he represented his country in 367 matches. He is also New Zealand’s all-time leading T20 run-scorer.
Yet Martin Guptill reveals that he had little say in how his international career ended - it was almost as if he was “ghosted” by New Zealand Cricket.
Now, he's taking time to process and reflect on what was a remarkable care...
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April 13, 2025 • 51 mins
Rebecca Gibney is everything I’d hoped she’d be – and more.
If I say Packed to the Rafters, Halifax f.p., The Flying Doctors, Sensing Murder – you say Rebecca Gibney.
Rebecca Gibney – and I don’t think you can refer to her by just her first name – has been a fixture in film and television for over 40 years, working across both Aotearoa and Australia.
And while she celebrated her 60th birthday last year – making it clear that her fo...
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I've known Ali Mau for 13 years. We first met when I started working as a producer on Q+A at TVNZ, and she was the host of Fair Go.
She took me under her wing, taught me how to do piece-to-cameras, and has been a mentor and dear friend ever since.
Like many others, I did not know about the abuse she had suffered as a child until I read her book.
It is confronting and brave, and by the end, it hit me in both the gut and the heart.
B...
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Samantha Hayes was just 23 when she became the presenter of Nightline - the country's youngest presenter at the time.
Since then, she has cage-dived with sharks without the main part of the cage (wild), brought the Mongrel Mob and Black Power together for an interview for the first time, and been in most Kiwis’ living rooms as co-anchor alongside Mike McRoberts on ThreeNews.
2024 was tumultuous, to say the least, for Sam. She was d...
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Today’s guest is Silver Fern number 151, Courtney Tairi.
The former netball international and award-winning broadcaster was born and raised in Sydney, but, in her own words, her whānau and blood are Kiwi. Tainui is her tribe, Waikato is her river, Maungatautari is her mountain, and her subtribe is Ngāti Korokī/Kahukura.
Courtney has just left Sky Sport after ten years, stepping out on her own as an independent wahine in media.
She ...
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March 23, 2025 • 59 mins
Today’s guest works in a space that, I’ll admit, I am not remotely close to being an expert on.
But when I heard Charlotte Hill, founder of True North, speak at a women’s event late last year, I was intrigued enough to open my mind and learn more. And what better way to do that than right here on Kiwi Yarns!
Human Design claims to provide insights into energy dynamics, decision-making, and life purpose, with the goal of helping peo...
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Mike and Joelle Legg have over a million followers on every social platform they’re on and are loved worldwide for their funny, relatable marriage content.
They met at a flat viewing 19 years ago, have two boys, and recently swapped the hustle of Tāmaki Makaurau for a quieter life in Whangamatā.
Joelle opens up about her experience with postpartum depression and the vital support Mike provided, while Mike reflects on his transition...
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Artist, illustrator, and designer Dick Frizzell is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable artists, with a ginormous back catalogue (I don’t know if you call it that in the art world) of famous works spanning pop art, stunning landscapes, commercial illustrations, and even school journals.
We explore all things art, from Dick's journey to finding his place in New Zealand’s art scene to his soon-to-be-released book, Hastings: A Boy’s...
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