The Johnstone Podcast

Forty minutes south of Kirikiriroa/Hamilton is the world’s largest predator proof fenced sanctuary. One of the crown jewels of the NZ conservation estate, Sanctuary Mountain has just turned 25 years old, and in honour of the occasion I talked with some of the people who make it all happen.
Part 1 - I talk with David Wallace about his very audacious idea to fence the 3,400 hectares of remanent bush on Maungatautari Mountain and how he made it happen.

Conversations with Interesting people about Life, Death and Other Things.

William Durning is a man of many parts. He’s worked in the travel industry, owned and operated a Subway franchise, been the general manager of the National Party, the CEO of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce and the Waikato District Council's strategic manager. William is currently Principal Advisor to the Waipa District Council and in this wide-ranging interview, he offers his recipe for living an intentional and meaningful life.

Conversations with Interesting people about Life, Death and Other Things.

Himanshu moved to NZ from Delhi in Northern India some 20 years ago. In this deeply insightful interview he talks about his love of whiskey, the experience of moving to a new country and adapting to it’s culture. And then there’s AI – for many it’s a contentious technology, for Himanshu it’s been transformative.

Conversations with Interesting people about Life, Death and Other Things.

Amber Hammill - An Australian at Large
Like Dane Clarke two weeks before, Amber is one of those rare Australian’s who have come to call NZ home.
In this warm and wide-ranging conversation, Amber describes growing up in rural Victoria, her research into radio as a form of companionship, motherhood, migration to New Zealand, her love of te reo and the subtle cultural differences that shape how we connect with one another.

Conversations with Interesting people about Life, Death and Other Things.

Seeking perspectives on death grief, god, the afterlife and assisted dying for the most recent series of Hospice Waikato’s Last Breath podcast, I asked several people if they would agree to an interview and among them was the general manger of Free FM Phil Grey.
As with Gary Verberne the week before last, my conversation with Phil starts with death and quietly morphs into a discerning treatise about how to be a decent human being.

Conversations with Interesting people about Life, Death and Other Things.