Podcasts about Ponsonby

Auckland Transport wants to extend parking charges in the popular Ponsonby dinning district to end the current "free for all". It is looking to extend paid street parking out to 9pm on Thursdays to Saturdays in busy streets around Ponsonby. Auckland Transport network planning group manager Andrew McGill spoke to Lisa Owen.

A month ago to this very day, Heart of the City, the business association for Auckland City Centre, released a scathing report that found store owners and offices believed homelessness, too few police, neglect and disorder, and frightening anti-social behaviour were crippling their businesses. Amongst the most dire findings was 91% of those surveyed saying rough sleepers and begging were affecting their business. 81% believed the city centre was not in a good state to attract significantly more people and investment. The findings came from 102 business owners in and around the Queen Street valley area in late September who were asked about the state of the city centre and what factors were hindering their financial success. This isn't news. There have been problems with rough sleepers for years now. But the business owners I've talked to in Queen Street say although there was always the odd person around before Covid, it was when Labour turned the inner-city hotels and motels into emergency housing during Covid that things became absolutely dire. Because when everything was freed up, the people stayed. They'd made a home there, they'd found a home there, they weren't going to be moved on, they'd found their people. In Ponsonby, when I was living there, there were about three or four characters, men and women, who were either sleeping rough or living in halfway houses. But they were part of the community. You knew them by name, you greeted them. They were they were different. They were odd, but that was okay. We're all different and odd at different times and perhaps not quite as odd as these ones, but they were there first, and they were part of the community. And I think we all do have empathy for those who are doing it tough or are going through a tough period in their life or who are just wired a little bit differently. But when you are swamped with people in need, when you are one district, one area that is overrun with people who are odd, who are wired differently, who don't behave as you would imagine civilised humans would behave, who quite literally crap on your empathy, inevitably you will start to take a tougher stance. And I think that's what's happened to the store owners and retailers in Queen Street. It's back in the news again. As I said, homelessness is seldom far from it because Labour has suggested that the Government is looking at introducing a ban on rough sleepers in the city. Well, as Chief Executive of Heart of the City Viv Beck told Mike Hosking this morning, bring it on, something needs to change. VB: What I'm seeing is we need a game changer. We can't just keep moving people around. As long as there were really good solutions for vulnerable people, I think a majority of the people that we represent would support a scenario where you don't lie on streets or you house people. MH: I don't know if you were watching Parliament yesterday, but they seem squeamish about it. Why don't we just be a bit blunt about it? And the cold hard truth of homelessness is that it ruins central cities, and we need to clean it up and clear it out. I mean, it's that simple, isn't it? VB: I believe so. And what's been really pleasing in the last four weeks is that there has been constructive debate and people are recognising these are real issues. We need to be bold about this. We do have to care for people. We've got a track record of caring for people. The reality is though, we cannot leave it the way it is. It does need a game change and I really hope the politics don't sabotage a really important issue that needs resolving. Oh, I think it probably will. Politics generally does, especially when there's an election looming. I was listening to Ginny Anderson and Mark Mitchell this morning, on the Mike Hosking Breakfast. Ginny said, "Well, where are they going to go? People don't want the homeless outside schools or their homes." Well, no, they don't, but they also don't want them outside their bloody businesses either. Hairdressers and cafe owners and accountants and clothing retailers and the like in Queen Street have had enough of looking after them. And I don't think many of the retailers would have a problem with rough sleepers if that's all they were doing. Looking for a warm, safe, dry place to sleep, then packing up and moving on. It's the detritus and the bodily fluids and the aggressive, pugnacious attitudes that most retailers have the problem with. Sleep in the doorway, but it's the associated issues that come with it that are the real issue, the real problem. We have got people out of motels. There are no children on the streets, and that's got to be a good thing. There are places, as Mark Mitchell referred to, for people to go. It's the associated issues, the problems that they have that mean they don't feel either safe staying there, they don't want to stay there, they don't feel comfortable being within four walls, they're quite claustrophobic, especially those that have done time. It is a huge issue, way beyond just putting a roof over heads. If only that billion dollars into mental health had actually done some work. So, I don't blame the retailers for saying, okay, make a law, move them on. At least if they are in communities, 24/7 communities, not retail areas, they might become part of the community. They're dispersed throughout the community. You can adopt a homeless person, a bit like it was in Ponsonby back in the day. I don't know what the answer is. I really don't. With so much money going into mental health, it doesn't seem to be affecting the very people that you would hope would be benefiting from that massive contribution of taxpayer money. Those who are living on the edge, those who are wired differently, those who do need extra help, and those who are making it almost impossible to run a business in the central city. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernard and Alex delve into one of the bigget topics of the modern political age. Why can't Westminster or Holyrood seem to manage our public finances?Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From today, three retro taxi cabs will be cruising around Newmarket, Ponsonby and Takapuna waiting for people game enough for a trip to a mystery destination. Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Christopher Luxon says his meeting with Donald Trump was an opportunity to build rapport with the president, and he invited him to New Zealand to play golf; Medsafe has received almost 150 complaints about a popular menopause treatment, but says there's no evidence to support a recall; New Westpac data shows customers paying for TV subscriptions are spending an average of $400 every year, that's up 20% on the same time last year; From today, three retro taxi cabs will be cruising around Newmarket, Ponsonby and Takapuna waiting for people game enough for a trip to a mystery destination; This weekend's Auckland Marathon event will see 79-year-old Rod Gill completing his 200th half marathon.

Aucklanders are about to have short-term free taxi rides to the heart of the city. The 'Straight to the Heart' service launching tomorrow - across Ponsonby, Newmarket, and Takapuna - lets people hail a retro red taxi, with no booking needed. It'll take passengers to a surprise - or requested - central location. Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck says this is running until November 16, and it's a way to rediscover what Auckland has to offer. "It's about the experience, getting people back into the rhythm of coming here." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leah wraps up Defiance Month with a pair of queer Irish ladies that she found so adorably defiant that she just wanted to be in their orbit and share their story. Remember Leah is high on cold medicine as she talks about Lady Eleanor Butler & Sarah Ponsonby. The Ladies of Llangollen were two upper-class women who lived together as a couple in the late 1700s. People wrote poems about them, their house is a museum. 

In Part Two, in marking the 25th anniversary of the death of Donald Dewar, Bernard and Alex reflect on the Office of First Minister and how it has changed since Dewar's time as the first office holder. Plus they rate every First Minister out of 10. PART ONEDonald DewarHenry McLeishJack McConnellAlex SalmondPART TWONicola SturgeonHumza YusafJohn SwinneySummary and RatingsFocussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode we are joined by British painter Emily Ponsonby to explore the importance, the relevance, the power of place - here you work, where you exhibit, where you travel, where your work finds home.Before we go any further, if you aren't familiar with her work I really would encourage you to take a moment to look her up here so that you can have her work in your mind's eye. The work of Emily Ponsonby is an invitation. It is an invitation to remain still. It is something revealed and something hidden. It is onion layers making your eyes sting, leaving the board littered with skins both crisp and yielding. Once seen, these captures of togetherness remain. I want to pod peas and hear the conversation. I want to be in the picture not stood in front of it, an outsider to its beeswax scrapings. 'Place' sings from the canvas and from Emily's story. It would be easy to focus on the life of an artist as one about looking and telling stories and truths and one of canvas and paint and technique. We could happily, and fruitfully, spend our time wondering how Emily elicits life from the page but, for me, the commercial side creeps in. Working with galleries, applying for residencies, pricing your work. It all has a part to play. I have known Emily for some time and have watched her navigate both the work itself and the commercial side of things with energy and honesty, with courage and with trepidation. We all have a great deal to learn from her. And so, let's explore the settings within her work, her studio space, her travel and explorations, where her work ends up and the importance of her latest exhibition, A Warm Life Through Butter at Gillian Jason Gallery. Emily PonsonbyGillian Jason Gallery Up With The Lark 

This weekend the third Whangarei Maritime festival takes place at the town basin. There will be boats - obviously - but also live music, a maritime careers fair, food and all the rest. This year, not all the action is on the sea, there is also a series of talks at the Hundertwasser Arts Centre. Including a talk from friend of the show Nick Atkinson - on an ocean voyage that began in a Ponsonby bakery and ended at Shakleton's grave. Nick chats to Jesse.

In Part One, as we approach the 25th anniversary of the death of Donald Dewar, Bernard and Alex reflect on the Office of First Minister and how it has changed since Dewar's time as the first office holder. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(00:05) Set-up: Tory & SNP conference week — immigration, ECHR, and whether the Conservatives are “doomed.”(01:29) Are the Tories finished short–to–medium term? Leadership vs timing and arithmetic after a crushing defeat.(03:59) What the Conservatives are trying to sell: contrition on net migration; mooted ECHR exit; welfare/PIP tightening (incl. ADHD/mental-health references).(06:49) Both main parties “dancing to Farage's tune” — the Reform UK gravitational pull on immigration policy.(08:56) “Can you out-Reform Reform?” Why the answer is no — and why growth/economic confidence is the real antidote to populism. Threats to Labour from the left (Greens/Corbyn).(11:18) Tory identity crisis: talk of repealing the Climate Change Act vs the real problem of UK power prices — headline-grabbing vs serious policy.(13:18) What are the Tories for now? From coherent Thatcherism to today's knee-jerk opposition.(16:45) Scotland: Tory revival rode the constitutional (pro-Union) wave; with independence parked, what's their offer?(19:27) A quarter-century in devolved opposition and still no centre-right blueprint for Scotland (state size, tax, business, justice, “wokery”).(23:31) Holyrood “fanning around”: dog-theft bill as a symptom; why brand toxicity blunts “common-sense Conservatism.”(26:41) SNP conference preview: independence strategy debate; polls, minorities parliament, and why activists may not “rock the boat.”(30:06) “Steady-as-you-go” Swinney: on ~35% the SNP could still be largest party (≈58–60 seats) due to fractured opposition and candidate churn.(32:23) Voter mood: if “they're all useless,” stick with “the useless ones we know” — SNP success as least-worst option.(32:56) Longevity shocker: after 19–20 years in power, SNP still in pole position; next episode trail — Donald Dewar at 25 years.Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scottish polling: SNP still first; Reform's rise fractures the unionist vote and could hand SNP an outsized seat haul on a modest vote share.Scottish Labour's bind: must sell a credible policy offer while “owning” SNP record attacks — but Starmer's unpopularity in Scotland limits Sarwar's room.Reform dynamic: positioned as a “super protest vote”; mainstream parties risk losing if they try to outbid Farage on immigration.Electoral system: case made for shifting Holyrood to STV to avoid disproportional outcomes under a fractured party system.Approval ratings mood: Starmer underwater; Swinney seen as safer “adult in the room,” explaining SNP resilience despite policy discontent.Immigration: small boats symbolic of border control; debate increasingly about legal migration thresholds (ILR rules, salary/English requirements).Centre ground wobble: concern that political centre is collapsing, opening space for Reform beyond traditional limits.Leadership jeopardy: Starmer's authority tied to Budget performance and spring elections; internal manoeuvring (incl. Burnham) noted.Fiscal outlook: expectation of a tax-raising Budget; VAT hike flagged as the most likely manifesto breach.Post-election arithmetic: conditional openness to SNP–Labour cooperation if both in mid-30s seats range.Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A big mixed bag of issues in this week's episode“Deplore the Man. Respect the Office.” → How Starmer & Swinney played Trump for UK/Scotland gains → Moral vs national interest “Love-Bombing Trump: Smart or Shameful?” → The realpolitik you weren't told about → Starmer + Oval Office letter; subtle money/investment icons.“The Real Opposition? The Auditor General.” → £2bn hole, welfare rules, and the bill coming due → Auditor General report“Scotland's Justice Pivot: What You Weren't Told” → Not Proven scrapped — but did safeguards go too?“Saloon-Bar Morality vs National Interest” → Engaging Trump: grown-up statecraft or sell-out?“Buy Now. Pay Later. Government.” → Why Scotland's books won't balance by 2029“Soft Words. Hard Bills.” → The welfare promise vs the budget reality“Yellow Card Politics” → Hepburn v Ross, seagulls & standards at Holyrood“Proven. Not Proven. Truth.” → Bernard's case for how verdicts should really work“Ego, Investment… and Whisky Tariffs” → How flattering Trump might pay ScotlandFocussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christchurch-headquartered Brooksfield Homes is looking to bring a new style of townhouse to Auckland. Reports claim the company's planned eight new Pt Chevalier homes on two sites, with a projected end valuation of $11.6 million. Brooksfield Homes managing director Vincent Holloway says a lot of people want to live in similar heritage properties found in Grey Lynn or Ponsonby - but prices keep many out of reach. "People are wanting that in a home, so we aim to do that in a smaller scale in a cheaper area, basically." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch-headquartered Brooksfield Homes is looking to bring a new style of townhouse to Auckland. Reports claim the company's planned eight new Pt Chevalier homes on two sites, with a projected end valuation of $11.6 million. Brooksfield Homes managing director Vincent Holloway says a lot of people want to live in similar heritage properties found in Grey Lynn or Ponsonby - but prices keep many out of reach. "People are wanting that in a home, so we aim to do that in a smaller scale in a cheaper area, basically." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex “The gap between theory and reality is often wide. Phase two has begun unpromisingly.”“Is he, as Kemi Badenoch put it at Prime Minister's questions this week, In office, but not in power.”“The journey from five MPs to 300 plus at the next election should be required to put Nigel Farage into Downing Street is the kind of leap that hasn't been made in an awfully long time, if indeed ever, in British politics.”“it's the Prime Minister's judgment that is the issue here much more than it is Peter Mandelson's judgment.”“it is always easier to blame the advisors than to blame the monarch himself. But most of the time, if there's a problem with the advisors, that is actually a reflection of the problem with the monarch itself.”“If Keir Starmer was a factional leader, that would be fine.”“So it's a government that is all things toward people and therefore absolutely nothing.”“it is never a good thing when you are resetting your Government for the reset to require a reset.”“the mere fact that we are even entertaining such speculation at this stage in the parliament is the real story there.”“the difference between a conviction politician and one who is a manager who doesn't like management, which is one of the problems with Keir Starmer.”“I still think it is more likely than not, but it is no longer completely inconceivable that he would be replaced… I think the chances have gone up from sort of 5 % to 25 % if I had to put numbers on it.”Bernard “Is the problem the Prime Minister himself? And I think with every passing month that becomes absolutely clear that the issue is indeed the Prime Minister himself.”“there is no such thing as Starmerism. He doesn't have any real ideological anchors within the Labour and Trade Union movement.”“this is a Prime Minister who... can't even sack a cabinet minister properly… These are not the actions of somebody who is on top of the job.”“I am increasingly of the view that he can't change because he doesn't have the political skill set and that at some point in this parliament the PLP will go into revolt.”“that now becomes a potentially very embarrassing visit… which would turn the visit into potentially a diplomatic disaster.”“At the end of the day, this was a decision of the Prime Minister. And therefore the key question, it's always that cliched questions, what did he know about Mandelson and when did he know it?”“Mr. Mandelson seems to have a penchant for people who are stinking rich.”“The content of some of those emails are on some levels beyond embarrassing and on other levels, plain revolting… and yet he's to be the British Ambassador.”“what they cannot accept is that this is all self-inflicted and a lot of it is self-inflicted in such a way where the current lot look every bit as incompetent and every bit as sleazy as the last lot.”“the buck stops with the guy at the top. The buck stops with the prime minister.”“you have to entertain the possibility that Reform UK might, might win a general election.”“and the parliamentary party will have its collective head and its collective hand and it will, I think at some point say, he has to go.”“both Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch will not lead the respective parties at the next general election.”Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a 3-0 pool play, the Black Ferns are back in action tonight. They're taking on South Africa in a quarter-final match up at the Women's Rugby World Cup. Coming off a 40-0 shutout of the Irish last weekend, the Black Ferns will look to put on a strong performance and progress through to the semifinals next weekend. D'Arcy caught up with Black Fern hooker Georgia Ponsonby ahead of the quarter final to preview the match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With around 1 in 5 Scots telling pollsters they're voting for Reform UK at the coming Scottish Parliament Elections, Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie analyse the current and likely effect on Scottish politics and how Nigel Farage's party can't lose out in this election. Bernard Ponsonby“What they're feeding into is a mood that the system is broken… the message about a broken political system is a message which transcends the traditional left-right issues. And it transcends the constitutional question.”“The rise of Reform UK is in part a crisis that the voters have in the confidence with the established order and with the established parties.”“The Scottish elections are an entirely free hit for Nigel Farage… he has a proportional voting system to fall back on next year. So he's going to get representatives. And the only thing that getting representatives at Holyrood will do is give him a further bounce.”“I think that they will have a good election next May. The only question is how good. I think for the Conservatives, they will have a bad election. The only question is how bad or perhaps even how catastrophic.”“Ultimately, just like the SDP, he will ultimately fail to break the mold of politics because… the asylum and immigration issue… won't cut through forever.”Alex Massie“In Scotland, Reform is winning around 25% of the working-class vote, C2DE voters… that tells you something. It tells you that in a strange way, some of the people who responded very well to the Yes campaign in 2014… it is the same kind of message that Reform is capitalizing on now.”“It is a howl of discontent that is not necessarily connected to any specific policies or even ideas that Reform have.”“Banging the drum on illegal immigration and forcing other parties… to conflate legal and illegal immigration is something that is extremely effective as a wedge issue for Farage and Reform.”“Poor old Russell Findlay… is taking fire from his right and from his left and his center is falling apart too. And so this really leaves him with little option but to counter attack, but with what sort of troops he can muster, I am not entirely sure.”“The rise of Reform again complicates matters because it becomes much, much harder to see how you can put together an election winning team… everybody in Scotland is a minority.”Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Zealand's Dorothy Butler was an internationally recognised advocate for children's literacy and ran her first bookshop from her home while she and her husband raised their eight children. A recipient of the Margaret Mahy Award, Dorothy died at the age of 90 in 2015 but her legacy continues with The Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop, situated for the last 40 years on Jervois Road in Auckland's Ponsonby. A familiar fixture for many parents, children and schools, it has weathered the challenge of digital reading on screens, determined that as many children as possible should have the pleasure of opening a book and being drawn into its pages. Change is afoot however - at a time when bookshops - and retail in general - have been doing it tough, the current owners have decided to pass Dorothy's mantel on. The shop is up for sale. Helen Wadsworth is one of the co-owners and she joins Emile. Go here if you are keen to know more

A very enjoyable chat with Arthur Ponsonby, Founder and Director of The Right Tuition Company. Arthur tells us about the perceptions of tutoring, their core values and the evolution of the business, as well as some good advice for other entrepreneurs. https://right-tuition.co.uk/Support the show

The Chancellor's Budget season is upon us and "winter is coming" says Alex Massie. 1. Government debt costs hitting crisis levels“If debt interest payments are running at more than 100 billion pounds a year, that is by definition 50 or 60 billion pounds a year that can't be spent elsewhere.” (Alex Massie)2. Labour's tax promises already collapsing“It becomes absolutely unambiguously clear that the Labour Party's pledge to the voters in the general election last year in relation to not raising taxes on working people is simply not going to hold.” (Bernard Ponsonby)3. Property tax and home sales under threat“One is an annual levy basically on the value of houses above a certain threshold, possibly as low as five hundred thousand pounds… The other proposal floated… is that the government might impose capital gains tax on the sale of family homes.” (Alex Massie)4. Pension age rising to 70 and triple lock scrapped“For people who are in the workplace at the moment, they can probably look towards a state pension age of about 70. In terms of the long-term sustainability of this, if you want to keep it at the same proportion of GDP, then it is inevitable that the triple lock will have to go.” - Bernard Ponsonby, 20:18)5. Scottish independence economics look dire“You would be starting with a deficit which you would have to service, which would be even bigger than that which the remaining countries of the UK would have to service and therefore you would be borrowing probably at punitive levels of interest rates or… into big tax increases or the kind of public expenditure cuts which would make you a very unpopular government on day one.” -Bernard PonsonbyFocussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two, the book has now been published and Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie not only dig through the detail, some of which has been overlooked in coverage, but also reflect on the reaction to the book. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie preview the release of Nicola Sturgeon's memoir, "Frankly". Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Taken from a lunchtime chat as part of talkSPORT's coverage of the England v India Test series this is a chance to listen back to Jarrod Kimber, Mel Farrell and Cameron Ponsonby discuss their journeys into the world of freelance cricket journalism. If you like what you hear please take the time to leave a 5 star review on the podcast page and follow @cricket_ts on X/Twitter. For even more content head over to the talkSPORT Cricket YouTube Channel and hit subscribe.https://www.youtube.com/@talkSPORTCricket hit subscribe.Thanks for listening to Following On. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Summer in Politics-Land and the First Minister of Scotland has chosen this quiet moment to outline his plans for Independence - What plans, you may ask? Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie clash over the right to a second independence referendum but agree that the First Minister cannot claim a mandate if he doesn't ask the electorate for a mandate.ALSOCONSERVATIVE RESHUFFLE"If James Cleverley is your headline, you know you're in some trouble."SCOTTISH GREENS WOES"There's a split between the ‘sensibles' and the ‘radicals' in the Greens."Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starmer and Swinney to Meet President on VisitFocussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Front row Cheyenne Tuli-Fale has returned for the Auckland Premier Rugby Final, as two-time champions Ponsonby take on Marist in hopes of maintaining their winning streak. She joined Adam Cooper for a chat about the growth and development of premier grade rugby over the season, and rising competition standards. Tuli-Fale played for Blues Aupiki in the 2025 season and had a taste of the black jersey in the Black Ferns XV team facing the Black Ferns last weekend. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie reflect on Keir Starmer surviving last week's back bench mutiny but has he quietly lost the crew? Will this be regarded as a moment that instigated further ferment? Also, reflections on the death of Tory grandee, Lord Norman Tebbit at the age of 94. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The usos from the WesWes Network Stace, Joey and Roger delve into the thrilling opening test match between the All Blacks and France. They discuss the game's highlights, the performance of debutantes, and the tactical decisions made by both teams. The conversation also explores the French squad's talent depth and the implications for future matches. As they look ahead to the second test, they analyze potential changes in the All Blacks' lineup and the impact of weather conditions on gameplay. In this episode, the hosts delve into the All Blacks' midfield strategy, discussing the selection of muscular 12s and the implications for playmaking. They predict the outcome of the upcoming game against France, highlighting the All Blacks' strengths. The conversation shifts to Moana Pacifica, addressing recent corporate mismanagement and its impact on the team. The hosts celebrate Ponsonby Rugby Club's success in maintaining their home ground against corporate interests. Finally, they discuss upcoming matches and make predictions, reflecting on the evolving landscape of rugby.

The 4th of July marks the first anniversary of Keir Starmer's election victory and time as Prime Minister. Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie evaluate his first 12 months in No 10 Downing Street, breaking down performance into domestic and foreign affairs performance. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Queuing for brunch and browsing the shops is a rose tinted memory.' That from a Ponsonby business who say landlords are willing to let some of Ponsonby road's more well known shops empty out in order to keep the rents high. Those who still have shops there say the famous road's flavour is shifting. From being a creative hub balancing fashion and eateries to now leaning heavily in favour of hospitality. Louise Ternouth went for a browse.

New All Black flanker Du Plessis Kirifi almost gave up on his All Blacks dream but decided at the start of this year to give it one more big shot. Kirifi's father Jack played flanker for Auckland club Ponsonby for years and made a wider Manu Samoa squad in the 1980s. He spoke to RNZ rugby reporter Joe Porter about what it means for his son to finally achieve his All Blacks dream and how he reacted when Du Plessis gave him the good news.

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie discuss the news today that Fergus Ewing is leaving the SNP and standing as an independent candidate at the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election, bringing to an end an era of constant representation under the SNP banner for the Ewing dynasty since the Scottish Parliament was formed. Also - What is the role of independents in the Scottish Parliament and why do so few succeed? Only 3 have been elected as independents but can you name them?Scottish Disability numbersThe Winter Fuel AllowanceAssisted dying.... and Bernard cutting the podcast a little shorter to get out for a pint in the sun! Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie run the rule over each of the Scottish political party leaders and give them a mark out of ten for how they are performing. Including:John SwinneyAnas SarwarRussell FindlayAlex Cole-HamiltonLorna Slater & Patrick HarvieReform? Who is the Scottish Leader?Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie are joined by Paul Sweeney of Labour and Cllr Thomas Kerr of Reform UK to ask what the result means?Labour GAIN from SNP Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election resultLAB: 31.5% (-2.0) SNP: 29.4% (-16.8) REF: 26.2% (+26.2) CON: 6.0% (-11.5) GRN: 2.6% (+2.6) +/- 2021Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On support for independence in poll: "54% of people supporting independence and 46 supporting the unionist status quo... a record high for Norstat in the last four or five years." — Alex MassieOn Reform UK's rise in poll: "Reform are plus four at 18%. And of course, when you translate all of this into seats, I mean, it is really quite extraordinary." — Bernard PonsonbyOn Labour's struggles: "If Labour are way, way, way behind the SNP... it would be a complete humiliation if they can't come second." — Bernard PonsonbyOn the SNP's longevity: "By the time we go into the election next year the SNP will have been in government for 19 years. I mean, it really is embarrassing from the Labour Party's point of view." — Bernard PonsonbyOn Farage and political consistency: "Farage has just decided, I won't bother about the Tories... he's now going after Labour. But he's doing it not by enunciating what he really has traditionally believed." — Bernard PonsonbyOn Reform's strength: "It is an expression of a sensibility of dissatisfaction with politics as they've been." — Alex MassieOn Labour's disconnect: "The people Labour are really struggling with in Scotland are people who live on the housing estates... reform are now at around one in four in council housing." — Alex MassieOn race politics in the by-election: "Anybody who knows Anas Sarwar will know that he would not prioritise the interests of any community over the other." — Bernard PonsonbyOn Farage's ignorance of Scotland: "I remember... he said, 'the SNP won that famous Falkirk by-election'... they didn't." — Bernard PonsonbyFocussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Speculation is rife that the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, will be privately pleased that details of her tax reform memo to Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, have been leaked to the Telegraph. Is she on manoeuvres and is she a credible candidate for the top job?AlsoThe SNP has criticised the Prime Minister's EU deal - but aren't these things that the SNP would need to agree to if they were to apply to rejoin the EU in an independent Scotland?And...Where is Labour's camera shy candidate for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by election? He hasn't agreed to go on TV to debate the other candidates. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I just want to be clear, I don't want to start a disagreement between shows here on Newstalk ZB, but I did listen to Mike Hosking this morning talking some smack, and listening to it, I felt, no, I'm gonna have to say something about this just to restore a bit of balance to this debate. In defence of instant coffee, the stuff is great. I love it. I drink it nearly every day, little flat white in the morning, little old school instant in the afternoon. I am, I would like to point out, squarely in the demographic that should be snobby about coffee, right? It should be like fresh beans from Rwanda every day. I grew up on the cafe culture, live in Ponsonby, have some of the best cafes in the country around the corner, but I still write by instinct. Now I don't want to be super unfair on Mike, because obviously he's a legend, but he does some girl math when he wants to. Instant coffee is not more expensive than your ground beans. I mean, if you look at it on the face of what you're paying at the supermarket, yep, sure, your classic Makona at $12 for 100 g does appear to be more expensive than your Havana 5 Star coffee beans at $10.50 for 200 g, cause obviously getting 200 g of the beans as opposed, as opposed to 100 g of the instant. So, you know, you're paying for twice as many beans for roughly the same price. But you and I know that's not how it works. You and I know that you're getting more cups of coffee out of that little Macona jar, cause you're only using one teaspoon at a time. You're using the beans, you're gonna have to fill up that whole double shot filter basket, and so you're gonna whip through that 200 g a whole lot faster. But the thing about it is, obviously, you know, I live in Ponsonby, OK? It's not just about price. I can afford to go and buy myself a nice little flat white. It's about the fact that it tastes good. Instant coffee tastes good in its own special watery mud way. Do you know what I mean? It's got its place in life. I don't think we need to discount it. It's kind of like you can enjoy yourself a craft beer, but then you can also want a dirty old Corona from time to time. Or you can make a virtue out of eating your Vogels and getting all that fiber going through your gut. But then sometimes you just want a nice white slice with your snag. You know what I mean? Sometimes you just want to get down in the gutter with that little instant coffee. Not everyone wants to drink an espresso at 3 in the afternoon and be pinging at 11 at night. Still, that's the place of the instant coffee. You have that at 3, it's got a little light little buzz until 7.Sleep like a baby after that. And finally, just the final point on this is. It turns out more of us actually drink the instant than the espresso. This may shock you, because we're the land of the flat white, but we are also the land that invented the instant coffee in Southland. And the last survey I saw said 44% of us drink the instant, and only 34% of us drink the espresso. And as Mike likes to say, numbers don't lie.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ponsonby plant theif Employee won $30K for comment from co-worker Top 6 Reasons the goat tried to sabotage the cyclist New reality show billion dollar playground Vaughan's rain chat Women are loving Daddy TV SLP - Do you enjoy travelling with your parents? Were you late to the gay? Hayley's mini Magnums Bet I can guess your Mums name Is kissing on the lips cheating? Fact of the Day What word do you hate?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The woman living in the country's most valuable state house says it should be sold, as Kāinga Ora plans to put hundreds of homes on the market. Amy Williams has the story.

Another famed Kiwi restaurant has been forced to close its doors amid the ongoing economic downturn. Sid and Chand Sahrawat are shuttering Ponsonby's KOL, citing challenging trading conditions. Chand Sahrawat says they're tried a number of solutions set to fix the concept - but they're hoping to take on a new challenge. "I think there is some other concept out there - we've got some ideas of what we would do with the space...but we want to see if there's a better idea out there than what we have for the space and hopefully mentor someone." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chloe Summerhayes is a visual artist who often explores themes of the subconscious in her work. Her recent works are currently being exhibited at Suite Gallery in Ponsonby alongside those of artist Jeremy Piert. Suite writes that Summerhayes' work ‘often references the romantic and phantasmal history of painting whilst contending with the anxieties of the contemporary world. '[Her] practice reflects the complex nature of mortal existence by finding and straddling the ‘in between' spaces regarding dualities such as reduction/addition, minimalism/excess and abstraction/figuration.' Beth caught up with Chloe about her recent works.

One retailer wants to know why shops are carrying the losses, when they're hit by credit card fraud and not the companies, whose cards are being used for the dodgy transactions. Earlier this month a customer spent about $3000 on gift vouchers and goods, at Cactus Outdoor, a clothing and outdoor equipment shop in Ponsonby, Auckland. He paid with a Visa. CCTV seen by Checkpoint shows the man apparently tapping a credit card on the eftpos machine and entering a pin number; the transaction goes through. But a few days after the sale, the card holders bank, BNZ contacted the store and said it was a "card not present transaction" and the $3000 spend was not inititated or authorised by the cardholder, it took the money back out of the shop's banks account. Cactus Outdoor Managing Director Ben Kepes spoke to Lisa Owen.

Unsuspecting passengers are being caught out by rogue car or cab companies and it's costing them hundreds of dollars to go just a few kilometres up the road. One woman was charged nearly $800 for a 19 kilometres from Auckland's Ponsonby to West Harbour. It seems when there's a big event in town, more people are being preyed on, so are you supposed to tell what is legit and what's not? The Small Passenger Service Association is an industry body for taxis, ride shares and shuttles, its spokesperson Warren Quirke spoke to Lisa Owen.

Kiwis are turning away from high-end fashion when it comes time to refreshing their wardrobes, with op shop chic likely to be a big look this summer. Figures from Stats NZ show retail sale volumes per person have been falling for the last two and a half years, and some clothing retailers are feeling the pinch. New Zealand designer Kate Sylvester will be closing down next year; Juliette Hogan has closed its Ponsonby store; and iconic Auckland retailer Smith and Caughey's has closed its Newmarket story and significantly downsized its CBD operation. At the same time, the appetite for pre-loved more affordable designer clothing is fastly growing. Louise Ternouth reports.

One of our most gifted political writers reflects on the death of Alex Salmond and the current state of Scottish politics. This is engrossing from the very first second. SUBSCRIBE to the Ponsonby and Massie podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ponsonby-and-massie-podcast/id1749779794 SEE Matt at on tour until March 2025, including his extra dates at The Bloomsbury Theatre: https://www.mattforde.com/live-shows2024 6 November: Exeter, Phoenix8 November: Tunbridge Wells, Trinity Theatre14 November: Basingstoke, The Haymarket15 November: Colchester Arts Centre20 November: York, The Crescent21 November: Chorley, Little Theatre27 November: Chipping Norton Theatre28 November: Leicester, Y Theatre29 November: Eastleigh, The Berry31 November: Faversham, The Alexander Centre6 December: London, Bloomsbury Theatre - EXTRA DATE14 December: London, Bloomsbury Theatre - EXTRA DATE 2025 29 January: Norwich, Playhouse - EXTRA DATE2 February: Salford, Lowry4 February: Leeds, City Varieties5 February: Sheffield, The Leadmill6 February: Chelmsford Theatre7 February: Bedford, The Quarry Theatre12 February: Bath, Komedia13 February: Southend, Palace Theatre16 February: Cambridge, The Junction20 February: Nottingham, Lakeside Arts23 February: Brighton, Komedoa25 February: Cardiff, Glee Club26 February: Bury St Edmunds, Theatre Royal28 February: Chelmsford Theatre - EXTRA DATE2 March: Bristol, Tobacco Factory4 March: Colchester Arts Centre - EXTRA DATE6 March: Birmingham, Glee Club - EXTRA DATE7 March: Maidenhead, Norden Farm - EXTRA DATE11 March: Aberdeen, Lemon Tree12 March: Glasgow, Glee Club27 March: Oxford, Glee Club - EXTRA DATE28 March: Nottingham, Lakeside Arts Centre - EXTRA DATE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on the radio show, find out what happens when pigeons are shot in suburban Auckland, and discover what Old English sounded like back in 200 BC!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The halcyon days of sipping champagne and martinis on Ponsonby Rd are over. Instead, hospitality veteran Luke Dallow told Susana Lei'ataua these tough economic times call for swappa crates and country music. Mr Dallow, whose opened up Hard Rock Cafes across the world and a string of well-known New Zealand watering holes, is currently planning a new venture on Ponsonby Rd.