Podcast appearances and mentions of leo molloy

The owner of one of Auckland's most prominent waterfront bars has described the moment armed police stormed in to arrest a pair accused of violently kidnapping a woman on Auckland's North Shore. Police descended on Headquarters Bar on Auckland's Viaduct to apprehend and handcuff the man and woman, who had just ordered drinks. Leo Molloy suspects the police were given intel- as it was a very quick arrest. "They had access somehow, because they knew. As soon as those two settled in, about two minutes later I saw two cops walk down marketplace- they were clearly together...they circled round the outside of the building."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The owner of one of Auckland's most prominent waterfront bars has described the moment armed police stormed in to arrest a pair accused of violently kidnapping a woman on Auckland's North Shore. Police descended on Headquarters Bar on Auckland's Viaduct to apprehend and handcuff the man and woman, who had just ordered drinks. Leo Molloy suspects the police were given intel- as it was a very quick arrest. "They had access somehow, because they knew. As soon as those two settled in, about two minutes later I saw two cops walk down marketplace- they were clearly together...they circled round the outside of the building."   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Paula is joined by HeadQuarters owner and formal Auckland Mayoral candidate, Leo Molloy. They discuss his early life and losing his dad young, his life as a jockey and moving into hospitality, and explains why he isn't as controversial as people think he is - and he's actually holding his tongue more often than people think!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PM Christopher Luxon has given his clearest answer in a rejection of ACT's referendum at Waitangi although there is still wriggle room with his language of "no intention" and we are still waiting for a journalist to ask him about a conscience vote which means he could still claim National not supporting it and give it enough support to move forward via individual MPs Several speakers, including David Seymour and Winston Peters, had some confronting audiences making their time speaking at Waitangi fraught with vocal opposition. Leo Molloy has shown himself to be a complete hypocrite as he has had name suppression for himself against an alleged assault. Molloy has long been an opponent of name suppression both releasing suppressed names, and speaking out often against it. We see your classic hypocritical grift in the wee man though as he has good reason for name suppression...wonder if any of the people he opposed having it also had good reason? ================================================ Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠ Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter. @patbrittenden @Chewie_NZ

The Police Minister has suggested volunteer wardens could supplement police in central Auckland. Ginny Andersen says wardens for Maori and other ethnicities could do more patrols. Former mayoral candidate, Leo Molloy, says it's a dumb idea. He says crime has progressively reduced in downtown Auckland - and there are more visible police. "They're around a lot more. You know, they started to listen because people down here- they were rattling the cage. I was rattling the cage through the mayoral campaign." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who would have thought an event run by Leo Molloy and featuring Sean Plunket and Wayne Brown would have racist and homophobic undertones. We have a look at the 'menu' story tonight Paddy Gower has issues with feral cats. The story on last night's episode was a mixture of good information, and a lust for blood with Gower and other seemingly gleefully parading around dead cats without a care for what the more sensitive in the audience thought about what they were seeing Does the OCR increase help us? We speak with Professor Stephen Knowles from Otago Uni chats with us about the questions we had earlier in the week about why spending $500 extra on a mortgage is better than than spending $500 on consumables. If the Reserve Bank is upping the OCR to curb spending, but we're all still spending as much, if not more, on mortgage interest...just not TVs Also, we might get a chance to connect with Byron Clark who is at a protest this evening outside Julian Batchelor's Stop Co-Governance tour Visit www.BHNShop.nz for the July drop of merchandise to support the work we are doing. You need to make your order by July 20th and we aim to get your items out to you by the end of the month if you are in NZ Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠#BHN⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠ Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter. @patbrittenden @Chewie_NZ

NZ's best weekly political podcast (that is not funded by NZ on Air) presents a political review of the week unlike any other in NZ broadcasting. This week TOP Leader Raf Manji, Political Raconteur Leo Molloy and Damien Grant, columnist at Stuff. TONIGHT: Issue 1 – Newshub Poll and all its ramifications Issue 2 – I voted Chris Luxon and all I got was this receipt? Are National even trying? Issue 3 – Budget 2023 – can Grant pull a rabbit out of the hat?  and Issue 4 – Damien's column on being poor See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well just as the new Police Minister was fronting media yesterday and telling them she wanted communities to feel safe, Leo Molloy was making headlines for calling the Police ‘weak as piss'. His words, not mine.  The hospitality owner was furious that an attempted break in at his Auckland viaduct restaurant – which caused more than $50,000  in damage -  had elicited a ‘chat' from the Police, but no arrests. He had CCTV footage of the offenders, police had shown up and spoken with them, but did nothing more. They were free to go. So as Molloy is telling this story, newly minted Police Minister Ginny Andersen is busy saying ‘community safety is her focus'. She told reporters that her focus would be ‘targeting retail crime and youth offending'. And that ‘part of that would be making sure police were available on the front line and responding.' She said that her ‘single focus will be improving community safety. I want New Zealanders to feel safe,' she said. So do they?  Well if you ask Leo Molloy, probably not. If you ask retailers, probably not.  If you ask those in the suburbs getting confronted with drive by gang shootings, probably not. But the key point she made I reckon is in regard to her job being about making sure police are responding.  She said she wants police ‘available on the front line and responding'. So my question is: are they?  Is turning up and having a chat with young offenders responding? Is that good enough? Is making no arrests a response? Does a response include just having a chat with reprobates and sending them on their way? Is leaving a business owner with thousands of dollars of damage and lost revenue while he pays for repairs, a response? Because although I'm not entirely sure all of this is the police's fault. I do think there's an optics issue here if police are seen to be too soft. And we know where that's coming from, they're hamstrung, we get it, it's top down.  The commissioner we know beyond a shadow of a doubt is too soft, this government has a reputation for being soft on crime and they're not really making big inroads to address that. More utterances and promises to make communities feel safe doesn't fly when communities just don't. When those very communities are still being targeted by thugs and vandals and people who couldn't give a toss about the community, or the law, or any consequences.  And this is where National is gaining some ground in terms of cut through, they sound serious about crime. Luxon was out yesterday saying crime needed to be tackled ‘really hard' and there needed to be more progress on it. He said ‘serious consequences for serious offenders were needed..' and that.. ‘we need to be on the side of victims of crime, not on the side of offenders..' And he's right.  The balance is tipped too far the other way, though the Government indicates the opposite – that the plight of the offender is more important.  And I think this will be one of the things that could undo them this election year if they don't radically address that perception.  Because it's one thing to roll out another new face to lead the police portfolio, it's quite another to have police actually able to get tough and make some headway, other than just pulling offenders aside for a quiet chat, and then letting them go.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We'll check out where we are at with Cyclone Gabrielle and if there is anything more you need to know for the next 24 hours We'll take a look at the greatest ever Superbowl advert which doesn't make the celebrity stars of it look like washed up weirdos who can't get another gig right now Kate Hawkesby and Leo Molloy are both certifiable morons. you have to do a lot to thank the good lord that you have Wayne Brown as mayor and not Molloy...imagine what he needs to have done to make Brown look like the better choice Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of #BHN https://www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter @patbrittenden @Chewie_NZ

On today's show The Christmas Crib is moving locations Ray speaks to the Farmer who supplies animals for the crib, Fionn Sherlock, vintage typewriter collector Leo Molloy is in studio and it's the time of year that Folens Christmas Annuals arrive home in schoolbags editor Lynn Fitzpatrick chats to Ray and Conor Pope is back with Pricewatch.

Leo Molloy from VintageTypwriters.ie is on a mission to bring the vintage typewriter back into popularity and spends his days restoring, repairing and rehoming old typewriters. Leo joined Sean in studio to discuss...

Leo Molloy from VintageTypwriters.ie is on a mission to bring the vintage typewriter back into popularity and spends his days restoring, repairing and rehoming old typewriters. Leo joined Sean in studio to discuss...

Viv Beck has announced her withdrawal from Auckland's mayoral race, though she can still technically win the city's top job. She is the second high profile candidate to pull out in the last few weeks after Leo Molloy announced his withdrawal in August. Many believe it is now down to a two-horse race between Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown. Jonty Dine reports.

The comedy current affairs of self-styled ‘volunteer journalist' Guy Williams made real news recently when his now-notorious interview with Auckland mayoral hopeful Leo Molloy aired on TV. He's also confronted conspiracy theorists on his show New Zealand Today. But a suit and a mic don't make him a journalist.

The comedy current affairs of self-styled ‘volunteer journalist' Guy Williams made real news recently when his now-notorious interview with Auckland mayoral hopeful Leo Molloy aired on TV. He's also confronted conspiracy theorists on his show New Zealand Today. But a suit and a mic don't make him a journalist.

Paula Bennett's new podcast with the Herald, which launches today, is called Ask Me Anything, but when Kim Knight sits down with the former politician, she discovers some things are still off-limits - even for a self-confessed oversharer. A few days before nominations for the Auckland mayoralty closed, Paula Bennett had regrets. "I said to my husband - we do not talk about Auckland. You do not get to moan about anything. Because I feel guilty and I know I could do a damn good job and I'm dismayed at the direction I think they're heading." And now, on the day of this interview, the field has narrowed. Leo Molloy has gone and the polls have "undecided" as the frontrunner. Does Bennett wish her name were on the ballot sheet? "From a personal perspective, absolutely not. From a professional perspective, yes." Paula Bennett is launching a new podcast with NZME today. Photo / Dean Purcell. Ask her anything? Former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett is a self-confessed oversharer. Photo/Dean Purcell. She could have won, she says. And she would have done a good job. But: "I don't mean to be rude, but the thought of sitting for a day in a council meeting with 19 others who are more interested in their own ideology and getting voted in again, than actually doing what's right, just literally makes me want to poke my own eye out with a toothpick." At Bayleys Real Estate head office, near Auckland's Wynyard Quarter, the women wear black. They file out of a meeting room in black trousers, dresses and jackets; black heeled boots and stilettos - money and power, rendered monochrome. Bennett sails down the stairs in sneakers. She is full noise and full colour. On a scale of one to tomato-red-pants-and-matching-shirt, her confidence is off the charts. Love her, loathe her, but don't ignore this former Deputy Prime Minister. The reinvention of Paula Bennett is a work in progress. She recently said it took her a year to detox from politics, from the "kick in the guts" delivered by a majority of her own caucus, when she and National party leader Simon Bridges were rolled by the short-lived pairing of Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye ahead of the 2020 general election. "Look, people do go from being the deputy leader of the party to, you know, pretty much unranked - but I couldn't see that I would ever become the deputy leader again. Maybe I have contributed to the highest and best that I can? And there was definitely the age factor and definitely the fact that I wanted a professional life after politics." This brings us to a very fancy lounge on the second floor of a national real estate company's headquarters. Bennett's job title is "national director – customer engagement & advisory". What does she actually do here? The chairman of the board has just slipped in to make a coffee. He has some thoughts: "The square root of f*** all!" Bennett hoots. She loves this family-owned company - what she calls the "Kiwiness" of it. She's never sold a house. Her role is to connect things. People, money, policy. "We might look at a big, potential land development. Is there a way government housing can work with a local developer, can work with council to make sure the infrastructure is there? I am the glue that tries to put those pieces together." National Party deputy leader Paula Bennett fronts reporters at a 2019 media conference. Photo/Mark Mitchell Paula Bennett hosts charades game show Give Us a Clue on TVNZ. Photo/Supplied She fronts charity events and has a swag of side hustles - a newspaper column (Herald on Sunday), a television game show (Give Us A Clue), and an upcoming real estate reality show (Rich Listers). Perhaps the biggest surprise about Paula Bennett 2.0, is that she didn't find populist telly sooner. "I'm an oversharer, that's an absolute! I'm a talker. Although one of the things I taught myself is you don't have to fill the silence. I was an automatic 'fill the silence' person. I'm an oversharer, but I've become very good at saying 'no' and not even giving a reason." Her advice for nailing the "no comment"? "The fewer words you use, the less likely they are to pursue it." From today, Bennett adds "podcaster" to her portfolio. She's the host of "Ask Me Anything" a new New Zealand Herald show that "I'm really excited about in the context that, in another life, probably living in another country, I could have been an Oprah . . . that didn't happen for me, so this is a way for me to explore people and conversations that will go from everything from the frivolous to hopefully the very interesting". The former deputy PM had undergone a reinvention. Photo / Dean Purcell. Bennett, 53, says with a "mid-life crisis reinvention under my belt" she wants to share some of the things she's learned and ask others for their advice (first up, broadcaster Kerre Woodham on how to be bold with your opinions). The podcast's premise is simple. Bennett can ask her guests absolutely anything - but they don't have to answer everything. Turn the tables, and it might go something like this: Who was the best Prime Minister? Bennett: "Oh, I'm completely biased in that I had John Key for all of those years. He's who I know the most and worked with, so I'd have to say him." Who should have been Prime Minister? Bennett: "Bill English for longer. He would have just brought a level of humanity and intellect and experience into the role. I think the country would have gained a lot from another three years under him." Has she ever, as once rumoured, worked as a prostitute? "No. Never." (More laughter). How did she tell her parents that she was pregnant, aged 17? "Yeah, I think I'll leave that one." Sometimes in an interview, it's the question you least expect that people are the most reluctant to answer. Once upon a time, Bennett was a teen mum in small town Taupō. She was "that girl". Smart and scandalous. And her parents - a librarian and a shopkeeper - couldn't handle her. "I'm conscious that part of that is their story as well," says Bennett. "And there was so much stigma, and so much going on. We're talking the end of 1986. I went to have a scan and they wouldn't show me the screen because they didn't want me to get emotionally attached. They wouldn't tell me the gender of my baby. So weird, eh? Just very different times." Bennett is Reset magazine's second cover girl. Photo / Dean Purcell. Paula Bennett has said she needed a year to detox from politics. Photo / Dean Purcell Bennett's transformation from solo mother to high-ranking politician with 15 years in Parliament has been much documented (and scrutinised, particularly when access to benefits was tightened under her regime). She leans into the "woman who turned her life around" narrative and the "Westie" persona that's associated with her West Auckland postcode. She says she doesn't want to be interviewed at her "nothing special" home because she'd worry the reporter would leave covered in dog hair. And it suited her when, early in her political career, some people decided she wasn't that bright. (One national magazine, for example, reported officials were simplifying written material because she apparently preferred graphics and pictorial representations - a claim she says was ridiculous). "Big deep breath," says Bennett. "Ignore it and move on . . . Some people close to me would say that I played on it, that I quite liked being underestimated, and I think there is a degree of truth in that . . . in those early years, when they wrote you off as being a bit dumb, you could kind of get on with it." Consider this anecdote from a return trip to her old high school: "One of the teachers said to me, 'you know I almost want to apologise to you - we've got a gifted class now and we would have had you in that.' And I went 'oh, what a load of bulls***!'" But she also acknowledges: "There were definite points where I could use that strength and intelligence for good or evil. They tried to keep channelling it into good. They put me on the local youth council and they would try and give me little leadership roles and then I'd get bored and I'd organise a protest against the school uniform or get the boyfriend to come and pick me up on his motorbike off the school field . . . " Bennett claims she never wanted to lead the National Party and that we should believe her when she says that "because I honestly believe that if I'd really wanted to, I could have". When? Well, she notes with deadpan delivery, in her final years in Parliament, there were "a few changes". Eventually, that change came for her. And it was brutal. "I literally gave it 100 per cent . . . and then you're trying to find your place again in the world and literally every day people want to talk to you about what you've done in the past and it's like 'far out - I'm trying to work my way through this'. Bennett has a new business career. Photo / Dean Purcell "I was used to knowing pretty much everything . . . Parliament is a VERY complicated place. It's policy, government departments, people, everything. And I believe I was very good at it. You only get to a certain age that you're comfortable saying that, by the way. But, actually, I believe I was. So I went from being very good and knowing more than most people, to knowing the least." She suspects she'll never have another job like it - but knows she couldn't have done it forever. "You sleep less, you work longer hours, there is definite tiredness and a risk of burnout. I had moments of knowing that I was at breaking point and, actually, broke a couple of times . . . " Recently, at a Bayleys function, a man came up to her. Did she recognise him? "I'm sorry, I don't . . . ?" He was the doctor who treated her when she was hospitalised in 2011. Asthma attacks, pneumonia, and "I had kept pushing to the point of collapse". She began routinely spending days off by herself, solo decompressing at a family bach, watching the birds and the trees, listening to music. "But that's really hard on your family. They haven't seen you much, you're away more often than you're home …" And, then, suddenly, she was home. All. The. Time. "He was very excited to have me home. I was, um, what was I? I was pleased to be there, but I was still trying to work out what I was going to do and where I was and how this fit. But we just sort of got on with it. Worked out we could live together and we quite liked each other. It could have gone either way." Ten years ago, Bennett married Alan Philps, the former truck driver she first dated when she was a server at a truck stop. Why didn't they stay together back then? "That's one for the podcast," she promises. The pair have just returned from a short holiday in Fiji where she took a walk that turned into a hike that she says she couldn't have completed, pre-gastric bypass surgery and a frequently-headlined 50kg weight loss. Paula Bennett on the campaign trail in 2005, with then National Party leader, Don Brash. Photo/Paul Estcourt Sure, she'll talk about that some more: "You're still the same person, your body's a bit smaller, fashion's more fun. It's easier, right? You're not thinking, oh, is that top the right length to cover that." Equally: "Caroline Marr [owner and creative director of plus-size fashion label The Carpenter's Daughter] once said to me, 'you take up more room, why not dress it up?' I loved that. I used to remember that a lot. Yeah - why not own a room?" What can a reinvented Paula Bennett do with a room? Most recently, she's fundraised $2.2m for the National party. ("It turns out she's very hard to say no to," said one insider). At Bayleys, "I work a lot with private wealth. That's really interesting, and a lot of fun as well. I love them!" Yes, she agrees, "there are wonderful eccentricities" to be found in the upper echelons of societal wealth - but, she adds, you can meet that in the Pūhoi Tavern too. "Go in with no judgment, take people at face value and work with them to the best that you can. I think that gets you through in any walk of life, right?" Paula Bennett for mayor, circa 2025? "We've got a pretty incredible city here in Auckland. And as I said to my husband - it turns out I still give a damn."   Paula Bennett also talked to Francesca Rudkin on the Sunday Session to discuss her new podcast and reinvention.  LISTEN ABOVE   Ask Me Anything with Paula Bennett is a New Zealand Herald podcast launching today, with new episodes every Sunday. You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. - Kim Knight, NZ HeraldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With local elections just over six weeks away, it's time to check in with the race to lead our biggest city. Twenty-three people are contesting the Auckland mayoralty, with polling showing it's a tight race between two-term Manukau councillor Efeso Collins, Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck, businessman and former Far North Mayor Wayne Brown and freelance media operator Craig Lord. Outspoken publican Leo Molloy pulled out at the 11th hour. For a closer look at who's in the running, and some of the big issues they're campaigning on, Kathryn is joined by the New Zealand Herald's Super City reporter Bernard Orsman.

Leo Molloy was running for the Auckland mayoralty but withdrew from the race just days before our podcast episode was uploaded. In this bit sized clip taken from our full conversation, he talks about his fall from grace when he went from being the king of Auckland hospitality to being declared bankrupt.  Then how he bounced back from that (and the friend who helped him). If you like this clip and want to learn more about Leo, check out the full conversation. Thanks.  Dom  

Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Lately. This week Colin Peacock talks to Karyn Hay about Kiwi reporters on the ground in Ukraine to see the effects of war first-hand. Also: reporters' relationship with rugby management sinks to a new low in South Africa - and Leo Molloy blames media after scrapping his tilt at the mayor's job. 

Mediawatch's weekly catch-up with Lately. This week Colin Peacock talks to Karyn Hay about Kiwi reporters on the ground in Ukraine to see the effects of war first-hand. Also: reporters' relationship with rugby management sinks to a new low in South Africa - and Leo Molloy blames media after scrapping his tilt at the mayor's job. 

Back room deals, mud slinging and calls for contenders to drop out - just another day in the race to the Auckland mayoral chains. The most outspoken candidate - Leo Molloy - has bowed out, and now there's a scrap on the centre-right over who's got the best chance to win. Mohammad Alafeshat reports.

I sort of hate saying this because I actually really like Viv Beck, but I do think she needs to think very seriously about throwing in the towel in the Auckland mayoral race for the sake of the city. John Banks has got a point in what he was saying in the Herald this morning. At this rate, she can't win. Her polls are slipping, her campaign is not good enough to lift those polls. All she's doing right now is splitting the vote between the two candidates on the right — herself and Wayne Brown — and ensuring Efeso Collins on the left gets into the mayoralty. Have you seen Efeso Collins' policies? Are you sure this is the guy you want as the mayor of Auckland? There are three things I worry about: 1. He supports giving a lane on the Harbour Bridge to cyclists. Permanently. That's gonna screw the traffic coming in from the North Shore big time when it's already screwed up enough. 2. He supports building another harbour crossing that doesn't allow cars on it. So just for the climate friendly transport. That's not very smart for a city as jammed up as Auckland. 3. He supports light rail. Light rail is one of the dumbest transport ideas in its current design. It's gonna cost us $30 billion. Complete waste of money. Collins is basically a Labour guy just repeating the same stuff from the Labour guys in the Beehive. So we might end up voting them out this time next year, but we're still going to be stuck with their ridiculous ideas about transport in our biggest city because their guy Efeso Collins is the mayor. One of the two candidates on the right needs to stand down and give the other one a fighting chance. Viv's polling is lower, which is why she probably needs to stand down. She's on 12.5 percent on the latest Ratepayers Alliance Curia poll. Wayne Brown is on quite a bit more on 18.6 percent, Efeso Collins is on 22.3 percent, but apparently he is a bit stuck in the mid-twenties, so he is beatable. Leo Molloy pulled out last week to stop Efeso's policies becoming reality. You can't have Leo being more grown up than Viv here so she needs to do the same. The worst thing for her to do would be to split the vote to ensure Efeso Collins wins and condemn Auckland to another three years of this nonsense. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Monday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) More Holes In Labour's Head/This Might Not Be the Worst All Blacks Team of All Time After All/Cheese Still No Cheaper/What You Didn't Hear On the NewsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many New Zealander over a certain age probably remember an iconic student bar called The Fat Ladies Arms.  That was the brain child of Leo Molly in the early 1990s in Palmerston North.  That is when we became friends.  Since then Leo has ridden the extreme highs and lows of hospitality with resturants and bars including Euro, Cowboys, Headquarters and Cardiac (Which sent him bankrupt). At the time of releasing this, Leo has just announced that he is pulling out of the race to be the next Mayor of Auckland (This chat was recorded earlier in the year and we talk about pretty much everything EXCEPT for politics). This was a fun conversation- if you've never heard of Leo you'll get to learn about the life of one of New Zealands great characters.  If you have a pre concevied idea of who Leo is, this may change your opinion (or not LOL). Dom

Leo Molloy has quit the race to become the next mayor of Auckland, and has gone down fighting. Declaring 'cowboys don't cry', the self proclaimed 'hospo legend' says he's realised he can't win, after a poll showed he was third - behind Efeso Collins and Wayne Brown. Fronting the media this afternoon, holding a Heineken in his hand, he's gone out firing shots at anyone and everyone. He caught up with Nick Truebridge. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6310755878112

Many New Zealander over a certain age probably remember an iconic student bar called The Fat Ladies Arms.  That was the brain child of Leo Molly in the early 1990s in Palmerston North.  That is when we became friends.  Since then Leo has ridden the extreme highs and lows of hospitality with resturants and bars including Euro, Cowboys, Headquarters and Cardiac (Which sent him bankrupt). At the time of releasing this, Leo has just announced that he is pulling out of the race to be the next Mayor of Auckland (This chat was recorded earlier in the year and we talk about pretty much everything EXCEPT for politics). This was a fun conversation- if you've never heard of Leo you'll get to learn about the life of one of New Zealands great characters.  If you have a pre concevied idea of who Leo is, this may change your opinion (or not LOL). Dom        

Today on The Panel, Wallace and panellists Alan McElroy and Andrew Clay discuss Auckland Mayoral candidate Leo Molloy withdrawing from the race, your rights if a flight gets cancelled and the Government's new plan to improve literacy rates.

Leo Molloy has quit the race to become Auckland's next mayor. The Herald can reveal he is expected to announce his withdrawal today - on the same day a new poll had him dropping to third. Nominations for the election close at midday today. Leo Molloy joined Kerre Woodham. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our biggest city is gearing up for its fifth Super City election, and the golden-voiced Todd Niall – formerly of RNZ and now senior Auckland reporter for Stuff – has seen them all. He joins Toby Manhire to discuss the leading contenders for the office some call the country's second most important elected role, including Efeso Collins, Leo Molloy, Viv Beck and Wayne Brown, who have recent been joined by two unexpected candidates: John Palino (of Florida) and Lisa Lewis (of Hamilton).Plus: How does 2022 compare with previous campaigns? Why are turnout numbers so risible? And what can a mayor actually hope to achieve?–The Spinoff's local election coverage is public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air– See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With Sir John Key, Benedict Collins, Oscar Kightley, Wayne Brown, Viv Beck, Efeso Collins and Leo Molloy.

A Young Nat appears to be behind the creation of fake mayoral contender websites that all link back to Leo Molloy. The National Party says it's got nothing to do with local body elections and its youth wing is staying silent - but the contenders for the city's top job are not. Aanei te aki ripoata a Finn Blackwell.

The race for the Auckland mayoralty is heating up with candidates in a spat over a website domain mystery. Anyone clicking on efesocollins.co.nz or craiglord.co.nz is taken to a site showing the profile of rival candidate Leo Molloy. But the outspoken Mr Molloy says he's a technophobe and knows nothing about it. The real addresses for the candidates are efeso.nz and craiglord.nz Jonty Dine has the story. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6309862943112

As politicians they're poles apart, but two leading mayoral candidates share one thing - a headline policy. Free public transport has been often debated in Auckland, now councillor Efeso Collins and businessman Leo Molloy are promising to do it if elected. Here's Checkpoint's Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nick Monro.  

In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Karyn Hay about an outpouring of grief and opprobrium following the All Blacks' home series loss to Ireland, an uproar over a comedian's venture into political coverage, and a threat to free speech we hardly talk about.

In this week's edition of Midweek Mediawatch, Hayden Donnell talks to Karyn Hay about an outpouring of grief and opprobrium following the All Blacks' home series loss to Ireland, an uproar over a comedian's venture into political coverage, and a threat to free speech we hardly talk about.

Kyle and Philip chat with Mark about Guy Williams' ‘interview' with Leo Molloy, the ability of conspiracist groups to get favourable coverage in establishment media and the new covid ‘response' changes from Labour.Start - Guy Williams 'interview' with Molloy24:45 - Nurses For Freedom in the media39:00 - Labour's 'new' covid measureshttps://www.patreon.com/1of200

Comedian Guy Williams interviewed would be Auckland Mayor Leo Malloy and it seems for one of the first times ever, the interviewee became the master. With what was obviously supposed to be a joke conversation to embarrass a ridiculous public figure looking to be mayor, may have done the complete opposite and genuinely helped his campaign. Christopher Luxon abortion missteps seems to have harmed him in the polls, we'll take a look at this. Bill Ralston writes that Labour's deadwood is hurting them, suggesting that "the wider Cabinet reshuffle the Prime Minister signalled ahead of the election next year is urgently needed, to bring in a higher level of decision-making competence. You cannot carry your walking wounded into an election battle."

Auckland Mayoral Candidate Leo Molloy appeared on TV 3's comedy show New Zealand Today last night, and not everyone is laughing. The talk could be seen as personality politics but  Auckland Mayoral Candidate Wayne Brown believes Molloy should back down from the race. Both Leo Molloy and Wayne Brown joined Simon Barnett to discuss the show. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another twist in the race to become Auckland's mayor.Candidate Wayne Brown has called on rival Leo Molloy to withdraw after an appearance on satirical television programme, New Zealand Today.Molloy hit out at people he deemed "woke" as well as mayors Phil Goff and Len Brown during the interview with comedian Guy Williams.Wayne Brown says the bizarre antics, short-temper, and foul-mouthed rants have eliminated any thought he was capable of being mayor.Molloy laughed off Brown's call, describing his rival as "a dead man walking" and says it's Brown who should hold up a "white flag".Simon Barnett & Tyler Adams (in for James Daniels) discussed the brouhaha on the show today.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's harder to figure out who comes out worse after Leo Molloy's performance on late night TV and Wayne Brown's public complaint about it.Mr Brown's surprise at the earthy nature of Mr Molloy's character, particularly when he's playing up for the cameras, suggests he's a ‘wowser'.After all we've seen plenty of politicians playing up on late night telly to show they're not buttoned up bores.  Simon Bridges has a long history and who can forget Kieran McAnulty dropping a c-bomb on 7 days. And McAnulty has been recently promoted to a minister outside of cabinet.Meanwhile, suggesting that Mr Molloy needs professional help is just a massive step too far.On the other hand Mr Molloy's claim that this was comedy is a bit rich.  This was an attempt at outrage humour. Guy Williams does it all the time and many people seen no laughs in it.Now outrage humour only works if it's actually outrageous. But Mr Molloy's behaviour last night was not outrageous.  It was just Leo being Leo.  We know that side of him but what we don't know is whether he has the chops to foot it as Mayor.  He seems to think that the mayoralty has power when really he will just be one vote around a table. We're supposed to vote for Mayors who bring the Council together and nudge them in the right direction.  Not for Mayors who invite councillors to fight them in his bar side boxing ringThe most successful mayors are the inspirational ones, not the confrontational ones.The suspicion was always that Mr Molloy is not that sort of person and last night confirmed it.What this is all really showing is what a dog's ear the Right's mayoral campaign is.Labour's Ofeso Collins is leading.On the right Mr Molloy is polling the highest of the three.  Behind him is Viv Beck who has the C&R seal of approval and bringing up the rear is Mr Brown who is sinking $500 thousand of his own money into the campaign.The three split the right vote. The right would be better served by just one candidate but all 3 seem bloody-mindededly determined not to stand down.The three are like rats on a sinking ship desperately fighting each other and not fighting Mr Collins, who if this carries on will laugh all the way to the Mayor's office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Thursday night, New Zealand Today went to air on TV3 with roughly half of its show dedicated to an exchange between the show's host, Guy Williams, and Auckland mayoral candidate, Leo Molloy.The piece was funny if not especially edifying. Even for the minority of us who do engage with local body politics, Leo Molloy is probably better known for his character rather than his policy positions.Leo Molloy spent the vast majority of the segment teasing and insulting Guy. He used various low-level juvenile slurs and repeatedly accused Guy of being woke and soft. It ended with the pair having a boxing fight with novelty gloves before Guy recorded a parody endorsement video for Leo's campaign.Guy Williams is now facing a backlash for the piece. He's been accused of platforming a mayoral candidate, of normalising offensive behaviour, and of ultimately helping Leo's campaign. These are ridiculous critiques that only serve to further entrench the things they're criticising.Context is important. New Zealand Today's audience is looking for a laugh. I can't imagine many of the viewers tune into what is clearly and obviously a comedy programme, expecting serious and robust analysis of local body politics. New Zealand Today is a comedy. It isn't Q+A.Anyone who watched will have been left in little doubt as to the sort of mayor Leo Molloy might be. He's rambunctious. Entertaining? Sure. But he can also be crude, volatile, childish, and offensive. This comes as little surprise to those who have been following the campaign. Only a few weeks ago, Leo Molloy lost his temper at a mayoral debate and challenged a member of the audience to fight him. Are these the qualities you want in a mayor? Maybe not. But they're qualities that make for funny TV, which is surely why Guy Williams chose to film with him.People have compared Guy's piece to late night comedians' treatment of Donald Trump in the lead up to the U.S election. The comparisons are unfair. Last I checked, Leo Molloy is running on a platform of local body infrastructure issues. He isn't advocating to ban Muslims. The piece has been compared with the media treatment of Toronto's late scandal-ridden former mayor, Rob Ford. Last I checked, Auckland voters will elect the mayor, not Guy Williams. If New Zealand Today helps Molloy and proves to be a turning point in the campaign, voters will frankly be electing the mayor they deserve.Comedians everywhere operate in an environment in which they're constantly monitored and regularly hammered for offending people.It's true, I view the World from a position of privilege. Nonetheless, I err on the side of wanting a society where comedians are free to push the line. I want comedians to offend from time to time. Not because I find comedy funny – although I do – but also because I think those who are too readily offended ultimately hurt their own kaupapa.New Zealand Today is the perfect case in point. In the grand scheme of things, Guy Williams' segment wasn't offensive or problematic. It was comedy. Love him or loathe him, it showed Leo Molloy as he is.As part of the piece, Leo himself reminded Guy that the more attention he gets, the more he thrives. He's right. Those who've kicked up in offence at the segment are only giving him more.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's neck and neck in the race to become Auckland's next mayor. Some are surprised with how well Leo Molloy is going - but not him! He joins us with more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The race for Auckland's mayor is very tight.Efeso Collins and Leo Molloy are tied in first place at 21.7 percent a piece, with Viv Beck and Wayne Brown just behind them in the 20s.Molloy reckons he has the support of the National Party, which he said this morning on the AM show.Leo Molloy joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVE

The Tauranga by-election wraps up on Saturday.National's Sam Uffindell is tipped to win what is a safe seat for them.The latest poll has Uffindell at 45 percent to Labour's Jan Tinetti at 35 percent.It has been revealed that more than two thirds have been spent on consultants.Where Transport Minister Michael Wood has defended the spending, National's Simeon Brown has said the project was going nowhere.The Auckland mayoral race is heating up.A new poll shows all five candidates are polling close, while Leo Molloy has claimed he's got National's endorsement.NZ Herald Political Editor Claire Trevett joined Heather du Plessis-Allan.LISTEN ABOVE

A differing of opinions from Auckland's mayoral candidates, on the latest spate of gang activity in Auckland.Police have been called to about a dozen gang incidents in recent days.It includes seven gang shootings on Tuesday night, and two firearms incidents in Mellons Bay and Massey last night.Viv Beck says told Kate Hawkesby she wants a tough, urgent response from law enforcement.“We've got to have much stronger Police presence, we've got to have the resource focused on the right things.”Leo Molloy says the shootings need to be considered in context.“This latest little spate is a one-off between two gangs with a deeply entrenched hatred for eachother.”LISTEN ABOVE

Nine wannabes are contesting the Auckland mayoralty this October. We've heard a lot from Efeso Collins Viv Beck and Leo Molloy but what about the rest? Jonty Dine reports.

For workers in dairies, liquor stores, and shops, the fear of a car crashing through the window followed by robbery seems all too real. Ram-raids are becoming far too common in Auckland.. making it a battleground for the race for the city’s mayor too - candidate Leo Molloy has released his plan to combat the raids, almost exclusively being carried out by young people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland Council is asking for feedback on some pretty controversial unitary plan changes that'll encourage high density development in Auckland. It's on the back of central Government requirements, including apartments of six storeys or more near large urban centres, and more medium-density housing of up to three storeys across almost all Auckland suburbs. Earlier we heard from Aucklanders, but we also put the plans to the region's mayoral candidates, starting with businessman Leo Molloy.

You may know Leo Molloy as being owner of HQ Waterfront Bar in Auckland, but today we chat to Leo about a potential Stadium on the Water Front. Recently Leo posted a video on his social media talking about how this will work, so he joins the show to explain further.

Lawyer Linda Clark at partner at Dentons Kensington Swan and restaurant owner Auckland mayoral hopeful Leo Molloy joined Tova as panelists for Pae Kōrero.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chief executive of the Auckland business lobby group Heart of the City, Viv Beck, has joined the race for the city's mayor. She joins Efeso Collins, Leo Molloy and Craig Lord in the battle for Auckland's top job, with current mayor Phil Goff retiring at the end of this term. Viv Beck spoke to Susie Ferguson.

Contenders in the Auckland mayoral race are lining up. Phil Goff is standing down as Mayor of Auckland, a post he's held since 2016. Councillor Efeso Collins and HeadQuarters bar owner Leo Molloy have put their hands up for the job, and Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck is expected to as well. Massey University Associate Professor Grant Duncan told Kate Hawkesby Collins is a strong contender because Aucklanders tend to support left wing candidates, but he says Beck has a chance. “But of course, it's completely open now, we don't have an obvious front runner this time.” Grant Duncan doesn't rate Molloy's chances very highly, but says he'll make the race interesting. LISTEN ABOVE 

I am relieved at the news that young Richard Hills will not be running for Auckland's mayoralty.Up to the point that he pulled out of the running yesterday, he was clearly seriously considering it.He reportedly set up a campaign team as early as mid last year and was the Labour Party's favoured candidate. It's not that I have a problem with Richard Hills himself. I don't. But I'm not a fan of someone his age running Auckland. He's reportedly 35 years old.  Who really thinks a 35-year-old - whose only jobs listed online are in politics - is equipped to be running our biggest city?The Supercity Mayor is one of the five most powerful (if not three most powerful) political jobs in this country. I wish political parties would get over their fascination with youth. This isn't just a problem on the left. Labour and the Greens are certainly the main offenders but don't forget National selected a 17-year-old as a candidate last election. There is nothing inherently attractive about youth in political office.Proponents will tell you the benefit of youth in politics is ‘fresh ideas'. That's rubbish. They're not fresh ideas. They're untested ideas often borne out of naivety. Give that young person twenty years to try those ideas out and see how many of them they stick with.We don't want young politicians testing their ‘fresh' ideas out on 1.7 million ratepayers. I'd much rather they tried them out in private enterprise first, saw which ideas worked and then brought the tested ideas and the experience to running our biggest city. Case in point: one of the ideas Richard Hills likes is trialling using a lane on the Harbour Bridge just for bikes.  Hands up who likes that? That's great in theory somewhere in la-la land but in the reality of a congested Auckland, that's just going to make things a lot worse. With Richard pulling out, Auckland's left with three definite or likely contenders for the job: Efeso Collins, Leo Molloy and Viv Beck, all of whom have a few years on Richard. Frankly, we're going to have to see a lot more of each of them before we can know who will be best for the job.But one thing's a given already. I'll take experience over youth every day.  

Pints are pouring and cocktails are being sipped on Auckland's waterfront.Hospitality businesses dusted off tables and opened their doors this morning after 107 days in lockdown.Venues have a 100 person cap under the Red Traffic Light Setting and patrons have to show their My Vaccine Pass.HeadQuarters bar owner Leo Molloy told Heather du Plessis-Allan it's a vibe on the Viaduct.“Oh, you'd not believe how good it is out there. You just would not believe it. In your wildest expectations, there's gotta be about 3, 4, 500 people here.”LISTEN ABOVE

They say half right isn't wrong, so that's me this time yesterday. I said this time yesterday that they'd open hairdressers and the beauty industry this week. So, half right. Which is pleasing given the pasting I took after the show right across the spectrum from colleagues to siblings, all telling me I was nuts. But I was basing it on Robertson's visit to Auckland last week when he saw how acute the suffering of businesses was and seemed keen to advocate for them.  There's increasing tension around the Cabinet table, as we know, between the fear mongers and the realists, so I don't doubt Robertson may've put up a solid argument for Level 3 Step 3, but the fear mongers, (Ardern and Hipkins), won. So just hairdressers get to open, no hospo, no beauty.  And that's unfair I reckon. Just plain cruel actually. Not only do they have to stay shut, at the traditionally busiest time of year, but it's almost another fortnight before they can open. Our so-called “Freedom Day”, later than anyone thought, now not until December 3rd. And by freedom, I mean of course a red traffic light. This, I think, is the death knell for many hospitality businesses in Auckland for two reasons. One, they've already suffered three long months of lockdown and this is now dragging on longer than even they could've predicted. And two, because what do Aucklanders do in December - January over the Christmas holidays? They bugger off. Especially Aucklanders who've been cooped up for months, having been held like prisoners in their own city. So if you're an Auckland café or restaurant, you get to open your doors about 10 days before the border opens, at which point there's a mass exodus out of Auckland. December – January is a notoriously quiet period for hospitality in town anyway, it'll be even quieter post December 15th. So, a really tough time looms for them, even with the certainty that they can plan for a date, they're still hamstrung in reality. Likewise, the beauty industry's in a similar boat. How many facials and massages are being done in town when Aucklanders are bailing to the bach and the beach?  So much of this is inconsistent; why alfresco dining can't open now is beyond me. Why beauty can't open when hairdressers and botox can is beyond me. It's hard to comprehend that with our high vax rates and low hospital admissions and ICU numbers, that we are staying shut, held to ransom by the unvaxxed and the Government's slow vaccine pass system getting up and running. I'll be interested to see how renegade this gets now, whether the Leo Molloy, who vowed to open as of December 1st, will still go ahead with it, whether cafes go rogue and just throw open their doors. It's a long time to be at the mercy of erratic decisions, and it felt like yesterday's call was a cruel final nail in the coffin, for many hospitality operators. 

As Auckland enters week 12 of lockdown, there must be a small sigh of relief for businesses. I mean another whole week, but at least a date is set to open. Which is just as well, because had they not given businesses a green light to open, I would've suggested they just stop waiting for permission and get on with it anyway. Leo Molloy it. Ian Tayor it. Set a date, make some rules, band together in a cohesive body and just make it happen. I think some business associations were already looking at that. But a reprieve of sorts yesterday – an ‘in principle' decision for next Wednesday morning for retailers to throw open the doors. Lucky Aucklanders, Christmas shopping can be done in person, the couriers can get some respite, the online bingeing can be replaced by the bricks and mortar experience. Waikato of course gets better news, doors can open as of tomorrow morning, thrilling for them. So why not now for Auckland? Well according to the PM she wants to allow an extra week to let the school changes ‘bed in', whatever that means, and to let extra vaccinations occur.  Let's call it for what it was - political pressure, and buckets of it. It was just all getting a little too unsavoury for them to continue with their head in the sand approach to Auckland. The irony of this won't be lost on anyone. Record case numbers, yet only 3 in ICU. Our vaccination rates are high, 81 percent of Auckland is fully vaxxed, 75 percent of the whole country is double jabbed. So, our rates are at higher levels than when most other countries threw open the doors for more freedoms. In other words, we are very late to this party. I feel for the sectors who're still playing the waiting game. No date, no surety, and no consistency. I mean how is it a physio and a chiropractor can open but a masseuse can't? A dentist and a botox operator can open, but a hairdresser can't. Many of those closed businesses are of course already operating. Just covertly, with cash, and behind closed doors. They're not waiting for permission, and they're prepared to take the risk of a fine because they're that desperate. It's not about breaking rules or trying to be renegade, it's about literally surviving. Many of them have mouths to feed and you can't take loans out on the basis of never knowing when you can pay it back. So, a political decision from the Government yesterday based on two things; compliance in Auckland lost, and political heat being felt. Health considerations are now taking a back seat, and there's more of that to come. Watch this whole thing unravel real quick from here - and the pivot on the fear messaging is going to be sharp, so buckle up. It's a shame Auckland retailers are being used as pawns in a political game to appease the fearful, by buying another pointless week, but it bodes well long term for restrictions being eased faster then we think. 

An Auckland businessman and mayoral hopeful has set his own freedom date from lockdown.  Leo Molloy says he will re-open his viaduct bar 'HeadQuarters' on December 1, and claims someone must lead the way.  The Government has given no firm indication for when Auckland outlets can resume operating.  Molloy says under his rules -- patrons will need to show proof of vaccination and would be served by fully-vaccinated staff.  Molloy told Heather du Plessis-Allan two out of three of Auckland's DHBs are well on track to hit their jab target.  "I'm allowing for 20 or 30 days to get the 9,000 remaining first jabs, and get them jabbed the second time as well so we all qualify. Then I can't see how there's any further obstruction." LISTEN ABOVE 

One high profile Auckland restauranteur is preparing for a life with vaccine certificates.Leo Molloy told Simon Barnett and James Daniels there seems to be a certain consensus that this is inevitable.He says this is inevitable in transport here and around the globe, and questions why New Zealanders wouldn't prepare for this as the country vaccinates.LISTEN ABOVE