Podcast appearances and mentions of Ali Williams

The new yet-to-be-named privatised domestic netball league has advertised for a fulltime Commissioner. Ali Williams has posted the job ad on his LinkedIn profile, calling for candidates to 'own all aspects of building the organisation' - from player contracting and stakeholder relations, through to marketing and fan engagement. Sportstalk's D'Arcy Waldegrave explained further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now if you were to wander down to your local netball court on any given Saturday morning in winter, you would see hundreds, no matter how small the town might be, you would see hundreds, and in the biggest cities, thousands of parents and young women on the courts, on the sidelines, waiting in the queue for a park in the car park, checking to see if they're blocking a bit of your driveway as they try and desperately find a park down a side street to get to the game on time. It is our national women's game – netball's played by nearly 30,000 secondary school students and more than 60,000 juniors in New Zealand. It's the most popular participant secondary school sport for girls in New Zealand and has been for years and years and years. Moms who played netball come down to watch daughters, and sons up until secondary school, playing netball. Dads who watched the moms play netball back in the day when they were just courting are now watching daughters on the sidelines. Huge supporters. But why does that support, that love of the game, that passion for the game – because on some of those wet, cold, icy mornings, it's a lot to get up out of your warm bed and head down to the courts. All very well and good to be playing, but when you're standing shivering on the sideline, that's commitment. So why does that support, that passion and commitment not translate into being able to sustain a money-making professional league for our very, very best players? The annus horribilis of Netball New Zealand, or really, it's an anni horribiles, have been well traversed. But one of the main problems that Netball New Zealand encountered was that there just weren't enough people watching the game to support televising the league, and without high rating broadcasts, it's really hard to secure sponsorship and a long-term future for the league. Netball New Zealand will argue that viewer numbers were improving. The average live television audience for an ANZ Premiership fixture was 51,800 – a 32% increase on 2025, which means that in 2025 they were miserable numbers. But then compare that to the hundreds and thousands who watch rugby on the telly for the Super Rugby matches. The ranks of our best netballers have been gutted as Netball New Zealand worked to find a way to continue with some form of a premier competition. They just couldn't get it nailed down quickly enough, so 13 of our elite players have headed across the Tasman to play, they've been snapped up. Five are heading to the UK's Netball Superleague. If people weren't watching a competition with our very best netballers, some of the best netballers in the world, will we watch with only the up and comers? Chief executive of Netball New Zealand Jennah Wootten is confident we have the talent for a new competition. "I've been talking to a lot of former Silver Ferns and a lot of people that are deeply involved in the technical side of our sport. And I think one of the things I'm hearing from a lot of them, Mike, is yes, 18 players have signed to go offshore and we totally respect and understand why, we couldn't give them certainty early enough. But if you look at the ANZ Premiership this year, we had around 60 players in that competition. So there's actually an enormous amount that are still here. And what I'm really excited about is seeing what new talent's going to come through. You know, there'll be a whole lot of people that have been on the cusp of getting into these teams in the past. This is going to be their moment, and I reckon we're going to learn a whole lot of new names in netball that are going to be the stars of the future." Well, you hope so. And that's certainly what angel investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams are hoping, who are the backers of a private domestic competition as of next year. They know about sport, they know about business, they know how to get people along, they know how to drum up passion for a team, and hopefully they can do the same for this tournament. Mowbray and Williams will determine the competition format, the team structure and the season dates. And Jennah Wootten said having them come to the rescue gives the netball community clarity on the direction of travel after a lengthy period of uncertainty. But what is it that makes a sport watchable? There is no doubt that there are hundreds of thousands of people involved in netball in this country who take an interest. And they put their money where their mouth is, they travel, they get up on a Saturday morning, they take the kids to the practices, they travel from city to city too, if the kids get into the top leagues to watch the inter-sport competition. They play social netball. There's a lot of interest in the game that does not translate to eyes on screens. Why? I'll watch a sport I've never played and really enjoy it. Love watching the league, love watching the union, never played it. Really enjoy it. Love watching tennis. You'd argue that netball's more interesting than tennis on paper. But given a choice between watching the best tennis players in the world and the best netballers, I'd watch the tennis. I love watching sport. Give me a reason to watch and I'll watch it, but right now, is it the game? Is it just that it's more exciting to play than to watch? What is it? Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray are not fools. They're not going to have a passion project that doesn't see a return on investment, surely. They must believe they can get people behind netball. What would make you watch? Because I'm not one of them, and I'll watch just about any sport, but it just doesn't hold my interest and I don't know why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview by Ali WilliamsCRASH TEST DUMMIES have reached a particularly agreeable stage of their career. They can tour when they want, play songs that have already survived several decades of public consumption, slip some new material into the set without causing mass panic, and frontman Brad Roberts no longer feels obliged to work quite as hard as he once did. Catching up with HEAVY's Ali Williams, Roberts was happy to announce their return as well as share some memories and insight on the band's journey so far. The Canadian band are heading back to Australia in April, following a previous visit that went well enough for another run to be organised almost immediately. For Roberts, that response carries more weight than any grand discussion about longevity. People came. They enjoyed themselves. They wanted the band back. CRASH TEST DUMMIES were equally happy with the arrangement. “We had such a successful tour last time that we booked gigs almost immediately after finishing the ones that we did,” Roberts tells HEAVY. There was, however, a substantial period when touring wasn't part of the CRASH TEST DUMMIES routine at all. After stepping away from the road for some time, an invitation around 2016 unexpectedly put the machinery back into motion. Roberts remembers the moment he wanted to start touring again - mid performance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Not exactly the sort a conventional way of planning your bands next international tour , but there is something wonderfully reassuring about a musician with Roberts' history casually deciding to tour again albeit mid-performance. The performance went so well that the band found themselves asking a very simple question: why weren't they doing this anymore?Full write up and interview heavymag.com.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

A privatised competition for elite domestic netball is back on the cards for 2027, but Netball New Zealand has told Checkpoint the agreement commits to a "number of years" to gauge success. The body announced today it has signed a non-binding term sheet with Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams, the sporting and business couple who are also co-owners of Auckland FC. Netball New Zealand Chief Executive Jennah Wootten spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

New Zealand's domestic netball competition has been given a lifeline, with Netball New Zealand officially backing a proposal from Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams. Silver Fern Phoenix Karaka spoke to John Campbell.

Netball New Zealand CEO Jennah Wootton believes private investment in New Zealand's premier domestic competition will allow for grander thinking than ever before. The national body have confirmed they're set to hand investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams the licence for a new league from 2027 and beyond. While team ownership, player contracts, scheduling and broadcasting are yet to be finalised, the initial agreement has Wootton eager for next steps. "We're really excited about what today means - in signalling that privatization is the path we're going down." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's not underestimate just how bold Netball New Zealand's decision is to hand control of the ANZ Premiership to private investors. To be fair, the netball bosses have probably had little choice. The sport was heading towards ruin in this country without outside help. Eighteen of our best players have signed contracts to play in overseas competitions next year. That includes almost the entire Silver Ferns squad that went to the Commonwealth Games, with the exception of just two players, one of whom has suffered an ACL injury. No broadcaster wanted to put netball on television without Netball New Zealand covering the production costs. And in a single season, Netball New Zealand lost $3.7 million simply trying to keep the engine running. This could not continue much longer. Probably not even for another year. That's why the netball bosses have likely had no real option but to let private money take over. But the fact their backs were against the wall doesn't detract from how bold this decision is. Netball is the first of our traditional sports to truly pull the trigger on handing control to private interests. You could argue rugby went first with Super Rugby, but rugby's administrators never really ceded much control. In fact, they didn't give up any meaningful control at all. You could also argue cricket got there earlier with the T20 deal announced this year. But we don't know the full details of that arrangement, if the parties themselves even do. And that competition isn't due to start until January 2028, whereas this netball deal has to be finalised within weeks. The licence will soon be handed over to Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray. It's happening. This is the beginning of the privatisation of our traditional sports. Netball has probably been forced to move first because it's in the greatest financial trouble. But that may also prove to be its silver lining. Going first means getting the money first. And not just the money. It also means gaining the commercial expertise of successful business people such as Anna Mowbray. Don't underestimate the value of that. Here's hoping it works. Frankly, it probably couldn't have gone much worse than where it was headed. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 1 September, 2026, rich list couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams come to the rescue of domestic netball. We hear from the sport's boss about the deal. Labour MP Phil Twyford on why he says the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment boss should go. An Australian expert shows us how easy it was to get a pack of illegal cigarettes as soon as he arrived in New Zealand. And on The Huddle, Phil Goff and Maurice Williamson on whether Rod Fyfe has a point in saying it wasn't cool for Christopher Luxon to put the boot into Air New Zealand. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, Auckland councillor Maurice Williamson and former Auckland mayor Phil Goff joined in on a discussion about the issues of the day - and more! Is there a case to be made for cutting down the Government departments? Newstalk ZB's revealed Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche recommended the Government reduce the 42 agencies. Do we think this is a good idea? Former Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe says Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's rebuke of the airline was 'not cool'. This follows the airline posting a $242 million after-tax loss in the last financial year. What do we make of this? Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams have come to the rescue to save domestic netball in New Zealand. Do we like this idea? What could it all mean for the future of the sport? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview by Ali WilliamsLATEX GRENADE have heard the question before: are they punk or are they metal? Apparently, asking them to choose has achieved very little. The San Diego outfit has spent years allowing both sides of its musical personality to coexist, despite record labels once suggesting the concept of a band playing whatever the hell it wanted was unnecessarily complicated. Now, after an extended gap between substantial releases, they have returned to the studio for their second full-length album, and the time away has given them plenty to write about. Lead guitarist and vocalist, Geoff Davis sat down with HEAVY's Ali Williams to chat about their latest release “It's been a pretty biblical couple months,” Davis tells HEAVY, with the new record arriving after a period in which LATEX GRENADE largely disappeared from the release cycle. A single surfaced a few years ago, but Davis estimates it has been around five years since the band delivered an EP or album.Full write up and interview heavymag.com.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

An insistence all those involved in New Zealand's new privatised domestic netball league will show haste in finalising the important details. The national body have signed a non-binding terms sheet with investors Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams for a competition starting next year. A minimum of five teams has been agreed on - but all other details are up in the air. Netball Players Association general manager Pippa Moore joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss further. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's netball ecosystem is breathing a sigh of relief after confirmation of a privatised domestic league for next season and beyond. Rich-lister couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams are set to take the licence for the competition and its teams via an initial agreement with the sport's national body. Former Silver Fern Marg Foster told Ryan Bridge this is a really good thing, but they can't just rely on philanthropy. She says there's a lot of things they'll need to be able to get out of this deal, such as making it commercially attractive so investors can get a genuine return. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand has latched onto the lifeline offered by Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams to keep the elite domestic competition afloat in 2027. RNZ understands the national body has selected the Mowbray-Williams bid to establish a private franchise league as its preferred option to replace the ANZ Premiership, following months of uncertainty over the future of the competition. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Netball in New Zealand is expected to have a clearer future this morning. RNZ sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss about the elite domestic netball league pitched by Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray.

Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are still very much mixed opinions out there in music land when it comes to tribute bands. Hard core fanboys will state "there is only ever one ..."(insert band name here), others will be highly critical unless its a carbon copy of the original artists , and on the other side of that some will say they have a place only if the artists is now frontman for that big band in the sky, "so they better make it sound like their own not the original". Honouring the music of legendary acts such as Chris Cornell is a task that not many could say they could easily achieve or at least not to other musicians. His work moves, it unsettles, it still catches people off guard, and still exposes every vocalist who has ever confused enthusiasm with ability. So when Mark Menghi stepped into that world with KING ULTRAMEGA, he did not do it with a quick nod, a famous guest list and a hope that everybody would behave nicely in the comments section. He did it slowly, carefully, obsessively, and with enough respect to make the whole thing feel less like a project and more like a responsibility. Speaking with HEAVY's Ali Williams, Menghi explained that KING ULTRAMEGA began during the pandemic, back when musicians were stuck at home, the world was sideways, and apparently some people coped by making excellent music instead of reorganising the same cupboard twelve times and pretending it counted as personal growth.Check out the full interview: heavymag.com.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Cricket New Zealand's books have now been opened and it's ugly in there. They've lost $7.3 million. Some of it is because they've lost the sponsor for the Super Smash. Some of it may be because they had to pay out their CEO quite a significant amount of money. And some of it is because someone in cricket thought they were going to get some broadcast revenue and were expecting it and were spending like they were going to get it, but they'd already got the money a few financial years ago. So whoopsie, they overspent. And just like in the case of netball, they have a problem figuring out how to put their sport on TV, so they're simply not going to do it. 40 of the Super Smash games will not be broadcast. Only 12 days' worth of games will be. Now, obviously, some of what's happened in the last year in cricket is as a result of incompetence and/or distraction during what was a shambolic time with the CEO departing and a board member quitting on principle over what was going on with the NZ20 privatisation debate. But some of what is going on here is a theme, as I said the other day, across all three of our traditional sports. All three of them are in trouble financially in some way. Cricket hasn't got enough money to broadcast the Super Smash. Netball hasn't got enough money to even be sure that it can hold a professional domestic competition next year. And Super Rugby has just had a report commissioned the other day that found that the Super Rugby clubs are not together profitable. Now here's my question for you. Are we now at a point where each of the governing organisations needs to let go of their sport and let the private guys come in and save the thing? For rugby, I think they may have to give more power to the private owners of the Super Rugby clubs. For netball, give Ali Williams and his wealthy friends the power to run a commercial competition. For cricket, is it the privately owned NZ20 competition? It might be a goer. Privatisation might be a goer. It might actually be the only answer because this is a pattern, isn't it? Our traditional sports are no longer making enough money, are they, to pay the bills. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview by Ali WilliamsCalling a performance One Last Time sounds decisive until the band involved is Lynchmada. Bassist Daryl Russell has already watched one emphatic farewell lead to another show four months later, so he is sensibly refusing to manage anybody's expectations beyond Saturday. This could be the end. It could also become further evidence that Lynchmada are considerably better at metal than they are at remaining finished. Speaking with HEAVY's Ali Williams ahead of the band's appearance at Necrosonic, Daryl described the return with magnificent understatement as “a whole lot of a lot, and a whole lot of nothing.” This Saturday, August 22, the Gold Coast five-piece will return to Brisbane's Mansfield Tavern for Necrosonic Festival 2026, taking the HEAVY Stage at 6.15pm for an exclusive performance. After years out of regular action, the band had more to contend with than remembering where everybody stood. Rehearsals were required, muscles needed reminding and an entire back catalogue had to be physically negotiated by men now old enough to understand the consequences of poor posture.Full interview heavymag.com.auNECROSONIC tickets: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/571c76f6-8314-43fd-a6ee-cc7c67a199cfBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are busy years, and then there is whatever FALLUJAH have decided to do with 2026. When Kyle Schaefer joins HEAVY's Ali Williams from Nashville, the band are in the middle of an international schedule that has already taken them through Europe and Latin America, with Japan, the United States, Canada and Australia still sitting on the itinerary. For Schaefer, who has spent roughly five years with FALLUJAH, it is comfortably the most geographically ambitious year he has experienced with the band. Australia gets its turn in September when FALLUJAH return for ShredFest alongside OBSCURA and the rest of a lineup built squarely for people who consider excessive fretwork a perfectly reasonable form of entertainment. More importantly, this will be FALLUJAH's first Australian visit since the release of Xenotaph, giving local audiences their first chance to hear the album where it was intended to live: at substantial volume, in a room full of people. It will be the band's third trip to Australia and Schaefer's second. The distance involved means international goodwill alone does not get a band here. Flights, equipment, personnel and the routine expense of moving a touring operation across a country this large require an audience at the other end, and Schaefer is well aware that FALLUJAH have one.Full interview heavymag.com.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Let's talk netball. It's been the number one sport for women and girls in this country for more than a century. The Silver Ferns just won the gold-medal at the Commonwealth Games But we can't seem to get the domestic league firing .. which has led to very real concerns about not having a domestic competition in 2027. RNZ reported this week that a proposed netball league backed by Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams could be up and running as early as next year, after the high-profile couple put forward a new proposal to Netball New Zealand to fast-track the establishment of a privately-owned franchise competition. To discuss the state of netball and where to from here, Jesse is joined by sports journalist and founding editor of LockerRoom, Suzanne McFadden.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennah Wootton is conscious of rushing a decision which could define her tenure. She's officially started in the role as of Wednesday as the sport grapples to salvage its domestic competition. The Herald reports Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray have pitched a professional competition to bridge the gap to a fully privatised 2028 league. Wootton told Mike Hosking time is crucial as players weigh up options offshore, but they need to do their due diligence. She says it's a decision that will have impacts for years to come, so they need to make sure it's the right decision, it's responsibly made, and that it works really well for the game's future. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Netball New Zealand's new chief executive Jennah Wootten will have hit the ground running on her first official day in the job today. RNZ revealed that Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray are behind a bid to establish a new franchise netball league for 2028. Details of the bid from the couple behind the A-League Club Auckland FC are yet to be publicly revealed. In the meantime, players, coaches and officials within the sport remain in limbo about next season. That includes Southern Steel Coach Wendy Frew who spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Southern Steel Coach Wendy Frew is welcoming news of a bid from a private investor in a domestic netball league, but said decisions would have to come soon to stop players and other staff from going overseas. It's a big task then that greets the Netball New Zealand chief executive Jennah Wootten on her first day in the job. RNZ has revealed the national body is in talks with high-profile couple Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray about a proposal to establish a new privately-owned franchise league. It's one of several options the cash-strapped organisation is exploring as it battles to secure the future of the sport. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Interview by Ali Williams There are bad weeks, and then there are weeks where the rehearsal studio you spent a year building burns for 4 days, TEMPLES ON MARS guitarist and vocalist James Donaldson joined HEAVY's Ali Williams somewhat later than originally planned, although his excuse was considerably better than forgetting to check the calendar. Back in the end of June, the London building housing the band's newly completed rehearsal space and studio went up in flames, bringing 150 firefighters and 25 fire engines to the scene and taking 4 days to extinguish. Nobody was hurt, which remains the only part of that story worth celebrating, but the timing was particularly brutal given TEMPLES ON MARS had only just finished creating the space in the first place. Building their own headquarters had been a practical answer to the expensive and restrictive reality of London rehearsal rooms. After spending the better part of a year getting everything operational, the band finally had somewhere they could rehearse and record on their own terms. After having a rehearsal there on the Wednesday night, by the following Friday , they were receiving photographs of the entire building burning.Full interview heavymag.com.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsPARADISE LOST have spent close to four decades making misery sound magnificent. While countless bands have shuffled through genres, line-ups and ill-advised creative awakenings, the UK veterans have built an entire legacy from heaviness, melancholy and the endless human capacity to stare into the void and find a decent guitar melody lurking inside it. After almost a decade-long absence, Paradise Lost are finally returning to Australia. Guitarist and songwriter Gregor Mackintosh joined HEAVY's Ali Williams to discuss the band's long-awaited visit, their latest album Ascension, the record he threw away before writing it properly, and why owning an album once required commitment, patience and occasionally forcing yourself to enjoy something because the record shop refused to take it back. The Australian dates arrive at the end of a substantial journey through Japan and China, opening their Downunder at Brisbane's The Triffid on October 18 before heading to Sydney's Factory Theatre on October 19 and Melbourne's Max Watt's on October 20. Understandably, Mackintosh is eager to return, although asking him for the exact itinerary produced the kind of uncertainty normally reserved for musicians who have sensibly chosen not to examine how many airports stand between Yorkshire and Brisbane. “I don't know how my itinerary works,” he admitted.  Probably best. Nothing good comes from learning too early how long you will be sitting upright while crossing continents. Check out the full interview for more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsThere are few bands in Australia who can announce they are taking a string quartet on tour and not have the nation immediately clutching its pearls in fear of acoustic violations. You Am I, thankfully, are not most bands. When HEAVY's Ali Williams caught up with bassist Andy Kent, the news was as unexpected as it was oddly perfect: You Am I are heading into theatre territory with a string quartet in tow, giving selected songs from across their catalogue a more considered, cinematic, and potentially spine-tingling treatment. And no, before anyone starts picturing a heritage rock band gently apologising for distortion, Andy was quick to make it clear this is not about turning You Am I into something polite, sleepy, or suspiciously beige.Check out the full interview for more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsSCREAMFEEDER, the beloved Brisbane Indie Rock Trio, formed back in 1991, and in 2026 have proven to be one of this country's influential groups in the industry. They're best known for turning down major-label offers throughout the 90's as a way of maintaining their independence and ultimately having control over where and how their music was created and displayed. Their decision to do this inspired an entire generation of Australian alternative musicians by showing them that they had options and to seriously consider exercising them.Tim Steward has been doing this long enough to know when a band is repeating itself, when a room feels right, and when a stranger in her twenties accidentally delivers the funniest career review imaginable.Speaking with HEAVY's Ali Williams ahead of Screamfeeder's run of July shows, Steward was relaxed, generous and wonderfully unfazed by the fact that his band has now lived through more musical eras than most streaming services have patience for. Screamfeeder are not a band having a comeback, exactly. Comebacks are for acts that disappeared properly. Screamfeeder never really did. They just wandered through the strange machinery of time, vinyl reissues, loyal punters, new songs, old bruises, and the occasional “last ever show” that, naturally, turned out to be no such thing.“We've been around for a million years,” Steward laughed, which is not strictly true but emotionally accurate enough to pass in court.The band are currently working on new material, though Tim is the first to admit it is moving at the sort of pace that suggests creativity has its own union and refuses to be rushed on a Monday. After eight albums, the challenge is not whether Screamfeeder can still write songs. That part is handled. The problem is making sure they do not fall back into old habits simply because those habits know where the kettle is.Check out the full interview for more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsVINDICTA are heading Down Under this month and are starting a new era by becoming louder, angrier and significantly harder to ignore. Freshly formed by vocalist Grace Pasturini, formally of Dutch band Dogma, Pasturini and other former members are diving headfirst into ensuring VINDICTA hits in all the right spots, following the chaotic demise of their previous band. Chatting with HEAVY's Ali Williams, Grace assures that the band's next chapter is not a polite little adjustment or a cautious shuffle into slightly different shoes. It is a full creative shift, backed by new music, a concept album in progress, a fresh music video, a run of singles and, most importantly for Australian fans, the band's first ever trip to this side of the world. Grace made it clear that VINDICTA are moving into a sharper, more aggressive space. Their previous sound carried more melody and power metal brightness, but the new material has a nastier pulse to it. Not in a forced “look how dangerous we are” way either. More in the sense that this time they aren't going to be singing pretty ot dressing the truth up to look cute. “We're pulling a little bit away from our older sound,” she explains. “It's a bit more aggressive; it's more honest.” That honesty seems to suit her voice as much as the band's direction. While plenty of vocalists treat aggression like something they have to wrestle into place, Pasturini says this heavier delivery actually comes more naturally. The rawer edge is not just better for the songs; it is gentler on her voice. Some singers are out here fighting for their lives, trying to sound melodic, and Grace is finding relief in going harder.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsGerman death metal veterans FLESHCRAWL are entering a major new chapter with Epitome Of Carnage, their 10th studio album and the first to feature Borisz (The Savage) Sarafutgyinov handling all vocals and lyrics. In conversation with HEAVY's Ali Williams, founding drummer Bastian Herzog and Borisz spoke about the refreshed lineup, the record's old-school approach, the pressure of carrying a long-running name forward, and the small matter of trying to get the band to Australia without financially maiming everyone involved.It is a big moment for FLESHCRAWL, although neither Borisz nor Bastian seem interested in dressing it up as some grand reinvention. The feeling is more practical than theatrical. The lineup has changed, the energy has shifted, and the band have used that movement to build something that still sounds unmistakably like FLESHCRAWL. Borisz joined the band in 2021 following the passing of longtime vocalist Sven Gross, and Epitome Of Carnage marks his first album taking full control of the vocals and lyrics. That is no small handover. FLESHCRAWL have been part of the European death metal landscape since 1987, and walking into that kind of history requires more than a decent growl and a reliable calendar. For Borisz, the change in sound comes naturally from the people now in the room. “The lineup is pretty fresh,” he explained, pointing to the two newer guitar players as part of the reason this album feels different. His own voice and lyrics also helped push the material into its current shape, giving the band a new angle while keeping the core intact. Bastian sees it as a new start as well. Coming from a founding member, that carries weight. He has been there since the earliest days, long enough to make most band origin stories look like recent lunch orders. Yet there is no sense of him clinging to the past with both hands and a suspiciously labelled backup hard drive. He sounds ready for this version of FLESHCRAWL to stand on its own. The lyrical direction on Epitome Of Carnage came from a darker place, although Borisz admitted he only fully recognised the pattern once interviews for the album began. War, media doom, social decay and the world's apparent commitment to behaving like a malfunctioning meat grinder all worked their way into the songs. When asked what drove the album, his answer was refreshingly direct. ‘Being pissed off'. Fair. Death metal has never exactly demanded a vision board and has launched entire careers on less.That anger, however, has been channelled with purpose. FLESHCRAWL were clear about wanting the album to feel organic, not manufactured into something overly slick. Borisz spoke about avoiding modern production techniques such as enhanced drums, triggers and excessive studio layering. The aim was to create a record that could connect with older fans while still making sense in 2026. Bastian contributed riffs and also wrote a short instrumental piece for the album, although he was typically understated about his role. Borisz was quicker to point out that everyone contributed across the record, with no strict divisions in the writing process. The band worked as a unit, which also means everyone had the pleasure of annoying everyone else in useful ways. Check out the full interview for much more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsSpanish melodic death metal force BLOODHUNTER returns on June 12 with their new album, Sons Of The Abandoned. It has been both a long wait and a very deliberate one for the band. Four years have passed since the band's previous album, and while fans have been understandably circling the release date like metalheads around a merch table with limited sizes, BLOODHUNTER have not spent that time idling around waiting for inspiration to knock. “It's been a long wait until we finally release the album,” vocalist Diva Satanica explained to HEAVY's Ali Williams, adding that the response from fans has already been overwhelming. “We are very thankful for that.”For Diva, Sons Of The Abandoned is not simply another BLOODHUNTER record with the distortion turned up and the emotional damage left to fend for itself. This time, something shifted. The music still carries that death metal edge, but the album and its inspiration step into more exposed territory lyrically. Diva admits that previously she had hidden behind the metaphors in their lyrics, but this time the writing became more direct. “It has been different this time,” she explains. “Usually, I feel like I hide myself behind the metaphors. It's difficult when you play death metal to find this balance between speaking about things that everybody has in common, but without sounding too cheesy.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsSome bands age quietly into legacy status, then there is The Living End, who appear to have treated the passing of time as a personal dare.After decades of twisting punk, rockabilly, sharp-suited swagger and full-throttle Australian rock into something entirely their own, the band are now being welcomed into the ARIA Hall of Fame. For bass player Scott Owen, speaking with HEAVY Magazine's Ali Williams, the honour is still landing somewhere between pride, disbelief and that very Australian instinct to not make too much of the emotional bit in case someone notices.He admits the induction has made the band stop and reflect, which is no small task when you are part of a group that has spent most of its life moving at the speed of a getaway car with a double bass in the back seat. The Living End's first EP arrived in the mid-'90s, the first record followed in 1998, and Scott and Chris Cheney had already been playing together since around 1990. The mathematics, as Scott cheerfully points out, are “confronting”. Fair. Nobody asked time to come in here with a calculator and start being rude.But that long history is exactly why The Living End still matter. They were never neatly slotted into the machinery around them. In the '90s, when Triple J was a very different beast and Australian alternative music had its own wild ecosystem, The Living End were not simply alternative. They were, in Scott's words, “the alternative to the alternative” - a strange, sharp, highly flammable hybrid of rockabilly and punk that did not fit anywhere and therefore carved out its own corner by force.That identity has not softened. It has become the band's signature. Scott's double bass remains one of Australian rock's great visual and sonic weapons. It is not just an instrument in The Living End; it is part of the architecture. Alongside Chris Cheney's famously elastic guitar work and the locked-in chemistry that only comes from surviving decades of stages, buses, hotels, rehearsals, chaos and suspiciously romantic dinners together, the band still carry a sense of occasion every time they step up. Scott jokes that he and Chris have probably had more romantic dinners together than any couple in the world. Somewhere, a relationship counsellor just threw away their notebook.That chemistry also includes Andy Strachan, affectionately referred to by Scott as “the new guy”, despite having been in the band for around 20 years. Rock and roll timelines are ridiculous. A man can spend two decades behind the kit and still be treated like he has just wandered in with fresh ID and a lunchbox.Swinging back to one of the year's great live surprises: Jimmy Barnes joining The Living End onstage at the Hotel Brunswick. Scott says it was a hard secret to keep after finding out that morning, because the whole point was to blow everyone's minds without warning. Mission accomplished. When Barnesy appears unannounced at a pub gig, that is not a cameo. That is a national incident with vocals.For Ali, who had been in work mode in the media pit before realising she was casually talking to Jimmy Barnes himself, the moment became one of those live music memories that gets filed under: “This is why we leave the house.” It also reinforced something that runs right through the interview: the irreplaceable magic of real bodies, real instruments, sweaty venues and the shared lunacy of a crowd being lifted by noise.That idea sits at the heart of The Living End's current chapter. Their upcoming run carries the spirit of I Only Trust Rock N Roll, a sentiment Scott says came from the same place many of the new songs did: the strange, rattled, post-2020 world where everything suddenly felt unstable and everyone started wondering what, if anything, could still be trusted.For Scott, the answer is simple. Rock and roll still feels real. Still, for all the shifts around them, The Living End's purpose remains gloriously direct. They like to put on a show. They like leaving people wondering what the hell just happened. They like blowing the roof off the joint, whether that joint is a festival stage, a regional venue, or the kind of pub where the walls know more secrets than the patrons.Their latest album bares the same namesake as their upcoming tour - I Only Trust Rock N Roll. The album is available now on all platforms and for tickets and tour information head to www.thelivingend.com.auBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsMetal legends Andy La Rocque (King Diamond) and Nils K Rue (Pagans Mind) hooked up with HEAVY Mag's Ali Williams to chat about their new project Lex Legion and their new album. Joining La Rocque and Rue are Pete Blakk (King Diamond), Mikkey Dee (King Diamond, Scorpions, Mötorhead) and Hal Patino (King Diamond). Lex Legion's debut album is set for release on June 12, and while the band may be newly announced to the world, the machinery behind it has been grinding away for years. What began as riffs and ideas between Andy and Pete back in 2008 was left sitting in the heavy metal vault for a while, not forgotten so much as waiting for the right moment to come stomping back through the door wearing boots. That moment arrived during the pandemic, when the world had been forcibly unplugged and musicians, like the rest of us, suddenly found themselves staring at time like it was an unfamiliar household appliance. Pete started writing again, played some material for Mikkey Dee, and the wheels began turning. Mikkey heard something worth chasing, Andy was pulled back into the fold, and what had once been a half-shelved idea began growing teeth. From there, the lineup expanded with Hal Patino joining the project, before the search began for the right voice. There were names considered, big ones too, but Andy already had someone in mind. Having worked with Nils K. Rue years earlier, he knew the Pagan's Mind vocalist had the right kind of power, range and character to carry what Lex Legion were building. Mikkey agreed fairly quickly, apparently needing only to hear Nils before deciding that, yes, that was the bloke for the job. Convenient, really, when the singer turns out to be the missing piece instead of another three-month committee discussion.The result is a band that may be fresh on paper but is hardly operating on beginner settings. These are players with serious history behind them, but Lex Legion has no interest in being a nostalgia project or a backdoor continuation of King Diamond. Andy was clear that while the connection between members is obvious, the intention was never to clone the past. King Diamond is its own beast. Lex Legion, he explained, needed to be something separate. That distinction matters. The album carries the spirit of late '70s and early '80s heavy metal, the kind that still had grease under its fingernails and a pulse you could feel through the floor, but it is not trapped in a museum cabinet. Andy described the material as less complex and less progressive than some of the old King Diamond work, with more emphasis on flow, melody and straight-up heavy metal punch. In other words, it knows where it came from, but it is not standing there waving a faded flag and yelling at clouds.Lex Legion does not sound like a file-sharing experiment held together by Wi-Fi and optimism. It sounds like musicians who know each other's instincts, know when to push, and know when not to smother a song under unnecessary cleverness. The first single, Sleep Eternally, has already landed with a response that surpassed Andy's expectations, and with another single due before the album, the early signs are strong. The band is not rushing straight onto the road, though. Mikkey's commitments with Scorpions keep him busy through much of the year, so touring is more likely to become a serious discussion for next year. Importantly, Lex Legion is not being treated as a studio-only side quest. Andy made it clear that live shows are part of the plan when the timing lines up, and there are already ideas forming for a second album. Ambitious, yes. Reckless? Maybe a little. But metal has never exactly thrived on sensible office planning. As for Australia, Andy admitted he has never made it down here with King Diamond, though other members have done the trip with their respective bands. The prospect of Lex Legion eventually making their way Down Under was warmly welcomed, and judging by the appetite here for heavy metal with roots, weight and actual identity, there will be no shortage of people ready to greet them with raised horns and mildly concerning enthusiasm. Lex Legion now stand at the beginning of their own first chapter, albeit with a few veterans at the wheel and absolutely no need for learner plates. The debut album arrives June 12, Sleep Eternally is already out in the wild, and if the early reaction is anything to go by, this is not just a side project shuffling politely into the room. It is old-school heavy metal with fresh intent, built by people who know exactly what they are doing and, mercifully, are not interested in polishing all the bite out of it.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

00.00.00: Rog Sulking Over Canes Win 00.07.36: Horrible Handshakes 00.14.31: Nipple Planet 00.17.56: Struck By Lightning 00.22.39: Ali Williams 00.32.39: Does Your Name Match Your Job? 00.43.12: Mastermind Monday 00.46.58: The Bryce Is Right 00.50.04: Looking Back (Rumble History + Chris Cornell Tribute)

Mornings with Ric & Chappy - Full Show featuring Ali Williams, Steve Lancaster, Steve Harmison, a Harness weekend preview with Britt Graham, and a Racing weekend preview with Thad Taylor. Plus, Headlines, the Betcha Battle Multi, and the 5-Leg Multi. Betcha brings social betting all into one app. R18. Bet Responsibly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former All Black Ali Williams joins Ric & Chappy to preview round 13 of Super Rugby, including the Crusaders hosting the Blues in Christchurch, as well as discussing Auckland FC's semi-final against Adelaide this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

00.00.00: What Hit Your Car? 00.16.05: Knicks Hype 00.19.06: Dream House Add-Ons 00.34.01: Ali Williams 00.42.39: Heroic Dads 00.48.36: Wahs Hype 00.52.57: Ethan Blackadder 00.58.12: Compromising Positions Your Mum Found You In

Interview by Ali WilliamsClawfinger's Bård Torstensen stopped in for a chat with HEAVY Magzine's Ali Williams to fill in the gaps after their long standing hiatus on new releases. After nineteen years between albums, Clawfinger could have returned with something painfully self-important, full of mythology and creative suffering. Instead, Bård talks about it with the kind of dry honesty that makes the whole thing far more endearing. Before We All Die arrives not as some grand rock resurrection, but as the product of a band that simply figured out how to make it work in a world that had changed around them. Back when the CD market collapsed, the practical choice was to get jobs, keep playing the good gigs, and stop pretending the old model still paid the bills. That pause stretched into nearly two decades, which is a long time to leave fans hanging, but Clawfinger have enough self-awareness to see the humour in that too. One of the key points of interest is that the new record was built remotely, with files flying back and forth instead of bodies standing around a studio trying not to annoy each other. Torstensen makes it sound almost civilised. He could sit with an idea, have a coffee, eat dinner, decide a part sounded awful, sleep on it, then come back the next day and fix it without the pressure of a studio clock ticking away in the background. For a band that has been together long enough to know exactly how each other thinks, that distance sounds less like compromise and more like self-preservation with better acoustics. The result is a process that feels modern without being clinical, and flexible without losing the band's bite. The album title itself came from a manager's plea for the band to make another record “before we all die”, which is funny on its face but also lands neatly in Clawfinger territory. This has never been a band interested in dressing things up with delicate metaphors and interpretive dance. Their whole identity has long been built on staring directly at the mess and saying it plainly. Torstensen points to war, political absurdity and environmental collapse as the obvious backdrop, and in that light Before We All Die stops sounding like a throwaway joke and starts sounding like the most Clawfinger title possible. Grim, blunt, slightly hilarious, and uncomfortably on the money. There's a significant element of reassuring unglamorous quality about the way Clawfinger still operate. The band only rehearses together once or twice a year, which sounds reckless until Torstensen shrugs and points out that sometimes they just walk onstage after months apart and it still works. That kind of confidence only comes from years in the trenches, though he does admit a full new album means a little more homework than the occasional stray song. He also jokes about past drummer changes being a bit Spinal Tap, but beyond that the line-up has been largely steady since 2007, which probably helps when you are trying to restart the machine after a nineteen-year recording gap without the whole thing flying off the rails. For now, the action is centred in Europe, where summer festivals and an upcoming club run through Central Europe have the band moving with real momentum again. Torstensen sounds genuinely excited by the prospect of getting back on a bus and doing a proper tour, and even more encouraged by the fact that tickets are moving well enough for venues to be upgraded. Australia, sadly, remains on the wish list rather than the itinerary. Clawfinger have never played here, and Torstensen himself has never even visited, describing the country as “exotic” in a way that will probably make Australian readers laugh into their coffee. Still, between a new album, a receptive European market and a global fanbase that has clearly not forgotten them, there is a sense that Clawfinger are not just returning for nostalgia's sake. They sound like a band that still has something to say and, more importantly, still knows exactly how to say it without wasting everyone's time. New album out now available on all platforms. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsHot Mulligan's latest chat with HEAVY finds the band exactly where good bands tend to be after years of grinding away: confident, funny, slightly unhinged in the best way, and still refreshingly free of self-important rubbish. Speaking with Ali Williams ahead of their April return to Australia, the group as a band, have earned its growing reputation. These guys roll on in with the kind of dry humour and sideways banter that suggests Hot Mulligan are far more interested in taking the piss out of themselves than posing like tortured visionaries. Just like their music, their attitudes have pulse, and more importantly, it makes them feel like actual people rather than another touring act reciting the usual promo script. The band are heading back to Australia after a warmly received first visit in 2024, this time with bigger rooms, stronger ticket sales, and enough demand to add a second Melbourne show after the first sold out. They speak about that first Australian run with genuine fondness, describing it as a leap into the unknown that paid off far better than expected. There is a clear affection for the smaller, more intimate venues too, with Hot Mulligan admitting they thrive in rooms where the barrier between band and audience is basically nonexistent. That detail says plenty. For all the upward momentum behind them, they still seem most at home when a show feels sweaty, immediate, and a little rough around the edges. Australia, clearly, gave them exactly that, and now they're coming back for six shows as part of a schedule that barely lets them breathe before moving on to Singapore and then their first-ever tour of Japan. They explain the the band's history without wasting time trying to inflate it into some grand rock fairytale. Their beginnings were deeply DIY, gloriously unflashy, and stitched together from local bands, trial and error, and the kind of long-term persistence that most “overnight success” stories quietly leave out. They talk openly about how the band's growth was gradual at first, before a pandemic-era release gave things a serious push and shifted them into a different gear. Even then, there's no victory lap in the way they tell it. Hot Mulligan sound more amused than amazed by their own rise, which somehow makes it more impressive. They have been at this for over a decade, building audience trust the slow way, and the result is a band with real international pull that still behaves like it can't quite believe people in London, Australia, and now Japan are yelling for them to show up. Between the deadpan cracks about their past, the tongue-in-cheek nonsense about genre labels, and the general feeling that any one of them would happily derail a serious moment for a laugh, there is still a strong sense of gratitude running underneath it all. Hot Mulligan sound like a band fully aware of how lucky they are to be hauling their songs across the world, but also one that has worked hard enough to deserve every sold-out room and every passport stamp. That is really the takeaway here: not some neat genre tag or tidy career narrative, but a portrait of a band whose personality has grown right alongside its audience. They are funny without being flippant, sincere without getting sappy, and busy carving out a global path that still feels grounded in the scrappy spirit that got them moving in the first place. Go check them out and show them some lovin. Tickets, tour dates and information are available at www.ticketek.com.au as well as the bands page https://hotmulligan.band/pages/tourBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

Interview by Ali WilliamsH.E.A.T are not exactly sitting around polishing old trophies and talking about the glory days. When HEAVY's Ali Williams caught up with Jimmy Jay, the Swedish melodic rock machine was holed up in rehearsal mode, fresh off the Spanish leg of their Welcome To The Future 2026 run and already gearing up for the next round of work. In classic H.E.A.T fashion, there is no neat little pause between touring and recording. The band is heading into Hamburg to start work on the next album, with more than twenty songs already written and waiting to be narrowed down to the strongest ten or so. Jimmy made it clear this one is being approached with a more live, in-the-room mindset too, leaning back toward the kind of energy that made earlier releases hit so hard. Less stitched together in separate corners, more five blokes in a room pushing air and rattling the walls. That alone should be enough to get fans interested before a single note has even escaped into the wild. There is also something deeply satisfying about hearing a band twenty years in still sound hungry rather than merely organised. H.E.A.T hit their 20-year anniversary next year, which is long enough for most bands to either implode, become a tribute act to themselves, or start releasing albums that sound like they were assembled by committee and a legal team. Jimmy, though, spoke with the kind of grounded pride that only comes from a band that has genuinely worked for its place. He describes H.E.A.T as classic Scandinavian melodic heavy metal and hard rock, and there is no need to dress that up in fancier language than it deserves. They know what they are, they know what they do well, and they have built a loyal following by sticking a boot through the door not by politely knocking. Coming out of the Stockholm suburbs, with the broader Scandinavian legacy of hard rock and metal humming in the background, has clearly helped shape that instinct. Not in a smug, self-congratulatory way, either. More in the sense that if you grow up in a place where this music is woven into the cultural fabric, it is easier to treat it as something lived rather than borrowed. That authenticity carries through to the band's line-up story, which Jimmy recounted without turning it into some dramatic soap opera. H.E.A.T began as a six-piece, later dropped to five, and have only really had one major shake-up at the microphone. After original vocalist Kenny Leckremo left, Erik Grönwall stepped in for a decade-long run before moving on, with Kenny eventually returning and bringing things full circle. The result now is a band that feels about as close to its original DNA as it possibly can. For longtime fans, that matters. For newer ones, it explains why H.E.A.T still feel connected to their roots instead of merely trading on them. Jimmy also touched on the audience the band attracts, and it was one of the more telling parts of the chat. He reckons the crowd seems to stay roughly the same age, which is a very funny way of saying younger fans keep finding them while the old guard refuses to bugger off. That is not a bad place to be. It means the band has managed the rare trick of staying relevant without trying to act twenty years younger than they are. No desperate trend-chasing, no identity crisis, just a solid crowd of people who actually give a damn about music. Of course, for Australian fans, the immediate excitement is the upcoming run of shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney this April. It will be the band's third trip Down Under, which means they are well past the polite “great to be here” stage and into the territory of knowing what they are in for. Jimmy spoke warmly about returning, even if the small matter of a 25-hour flight sits between Stockholm and Brisbane like a punishment designed by an especially vindictive travel agent. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

This week we're re-releasing a classic episode with All Black legend Ali Williams, initially recorded in 2024.At the time of recording, Ali had recently launched Auckland FC with his wife Anna Mowbray, so we dive deep into his goals and vision for the team (much of which has come to fruition since). We also go into the best stories from across his rugby and All Blacks career, as well as an open conversation about the loss of his father.This episode is brought to you by our proud sponsors TAB - and Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Your Best Day Yet, Chief Victory Officer Eric Guy is joined by Ali Williams, entrepreneur, business developer at Elite Paving IL, and founder of Vintage Blacktop Co. From navigating instability in her early years to finding belonging in the world of construction, Ali's story is one of resilience, purpose, and vision. Together, Eric and Ali explore her mission to shift cultural perceptions of the trades, empower women and youth to pursue meaningful careers, and lead with integrity and authenticity in a world that often overlooks quiet leadership.

Welcome back to the Top Contractor School Podcast, where contractors learn how to scale smarter, lead stronger, and build businesses that last.  In this episode, Eric Guy sits down with Ali Williams of Elite Paving and founder of Vintage Blacktop Co. to talk about her unexpected journey into the trades, stepping into leadership in a male-dominated industry, and her mission to bring pride, visibility, and representation to the paving world. From leaving behind a career as a nanny to building a company with purpose, Ali's story is proof that courage and vision can change everything. 

After hours of discussion, Auckland Councillors have not voted on banning helicopters in residential areas, and instead supported an amendment that asks for guidance from the Environment Court. The original motion was put forward by Councillor Mike Lee - who said it was an ambush that his motion was not voted on. It comes after news this week that Auckland rich-listers Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' approval to build a helipad at their Westmere home will be challenged at the Environment Court. Jessica Hopkins reports.

Councillors will today debate the private use of helicopters in residential areas, following an Environment Court challenge to Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' approval to build a helipad at their Westmere home. Whau Ward Councillor Kerrin Leoni spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Billionaire entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and her former-All Black husband Ali Williams, have been given permission to build a helipad at their 24 million dollar luxury Auckland waterfront home. Elena Keith from Quiet Sky Waitemata opposed the application, she spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

In today's episode, the Government announces it will introduce new penalties for those who hurl coward punches, to reflect the gravity of their crime. The weight-loss injection Wegovy, that has the same active ingredient as Ozempic, hits shelves in New Zealand. The Auditor-General reprimands the Defence Force for accepting gifts and hospitality from commercial suppliers. Billionaire entrepreneur Anna Mowbray and her former-All Black husband Ali Williams, have been given permission to build a helipad at their 24 million dollar luxury Auckland waterfront home. And New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox is lending his support to the campaign to save the Takapuna Golf Course on Auckland's North Shore.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 1st of July, we've got a new police college opening in Auckland today – is it a case of build it and they will come? What is it about helicopters that gets us so exercised? Mike has some thoughts on Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray's helipad getting approval. We haven't caught up with Ryan Fox since his success on the PGA Tour, so we catch him before he jets off to the UK for the Open Championship. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helicopters are such an Auckland issue. I love helicopters. I have flown in a lot of helicopters. Our place is on a flight path north. People who go to the Bay of Islands and to the flash golf courses north of Auckland fly over our place. On a sunny Saturday they start 6.30am-ish in summer. On a still day you hear them coming maybe 30 seconds before you might see them. Because I like them, I have never understood the Waiheke moaners who can't stand them and want them banned on their island. To me a helicopter is full of people going places, i.e. tourists and golfers. These are people we like and want. If you haven't followed the story, Ali Williams, once an All Black, and Anna Mowbray, part of the Zuru clan, are a couple and they have a house in Westmere, which is an inner-city suburb in Auckland. They applied to land their chopper at their place. Cue the horror. Far too much money and time has been spent on this – over 1400 submissions. That's right, 1400. And what was mad about it was a number of submissions submitted that they had no view. You can't make this up. The number of people who are clearly bored out of their minds is unreal. Many a submission against their use of a chopper in suburbia came from people who don't even live in Auckland. Not only were they not close to the landing pad, but they're not even in the same city, i.e. it's got nothing to do with you. Lawyers, council staff, submissions, hearings, and Lord knows how many hours and dollars and, as you will have heard, Williams and Mowbray win. They can land at their place two times a day for no more than 10 times a month. There is nothing, said the Commissioners, untoward, unacceptable, or significantly out of character with helicopter noise, which I think is fair enough. But two questions; 1) How many got exercised out of petty jealousy, i.e. rich folks doing stuff we don't like? 2) How unpopular does it make them? And do they care? There is of course the precedent now. Suburbia and choppers are no big deal. Very Auckland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray's controversial plans for a helipad go before a council panel this week as the council tries to tighten rules for helipads on Waiheke and Great Barrier islands. 

Today On The Show - 0.00 - Bryce Went Fishing 3.56 - Drunk Auctions 20.41 - The Bryce Is Right 28.08 - How We Look Busy 32.42 - Ali Williams 46.44 - One Second Song 52.02 - Pool Jogger 55.36 - Awake During Surgery

The finale of Claud's mystery... or is it? Ali Williams and the successful first season for Auckland FC. Bree blows our minds. Fridayoke - Anxiety by Doechii. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.