The Dom Harvey Podcast

Barry Soper has been around New Zealand politics for so long that Rob Muldoon was Prime Minister back in the 1970s when Barry first started his life as a political reporter.

Since then he has covered all 12 Prime Ministers of New Zealand. He’s seen the boozing, the backstabbing, the egos, the feuds, the big personalities, the little moments, and all the stuff that never makes it into the official version of history.

And now, after 50 years in the press gallery, he’s put a lot of those stories into a new book called One Last Question, Prime Minister.
Barry is 74 now and still incredibly sharp, funny and totally unapologetic for his opinions.

Outside of the political stuff, some of the stuff we talk about includes:

+ His marriage with Heather Duplessis Allen, being a dad later in life and what he wants his younger kids to know about him when they grow up.

+ His feud with Duncan Garner.

+ Meeting Nelson Mandela, Yoko Ono and others.

+ His recent brush with death, grief, aging,

This was a really fun conversation. Barry is one of those great old-school New Zealand characters. A proper raconteur. And whether you agree with him or not, I think you will find this conversation incredibly entertaining.

***

Massive thanks to my long‑term podcast sponsor, Generate.
Your KiwiSaver account is one of those things that’s easy to set up and then completely ignore whilst you’re hoping it’s all working out in the background.
I had a chat with a Generate KiwiSaver adviser when they came on as sponsor, and it genuinely gave me clarity on what it means to have a KiwiSaver plan, and whether mine was actually set up to perform over the long-term.
Generate is an award‑winning KiwiSaver provider with a strong track record of long‑term performance.
You can check out their latest returns online, or book a no‑obligation chat with one of their advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom.
No pressure, no hard sell, no judgment. Just clear advice to help you feel confident you’re on track. I promise you will not regret doing it- there is a good reason Generate won Consumer NZs Peoples Choice Award for the 6th time.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their PDS and Financial Advice Provider info see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And remember, I’m not a financial adviser, so this is just general information. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.



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You might know Katie Flood from the Bravo reality shows Below Deck Mediterranean, or Winter House, or maybe you don’t know her at all: and that’s totally fine, because that’s what these conversations are all about- getting to know people or getting to learn more about people you may have a pre-formed opinion on.

Katie Flood is from Whangārei, she went to boarding school in Auckland, then somehow ended up working on some of the most expensive superyachts in the world, serving the sort of people whose names most of us only see on the Forbes Rich list or on TMZ.

And some of the stories are wild.

We talk about what life is really like working for billionaires, the difference between real yachting and the Below Deck, the biggest tip she ever got (which was from Simon Cowell) and what Leonardo DiCaprio is actually like when he casually wanders onto a boat in the south of France!

We also talk about some darker, heavier stuff: anxiety, grief, burnout, being suddenly thrown into the Bravo universe, online hate, and what it’s like living in Dubai while missiles are being intercepted overhead.

This was the first time we met and my impression was Katie is funny, honest, self-aware, very Kiwi and very very sweary!
I loved this conversation because it went to places I absolutely did not expect in her trademark authentic unapologetic unfiltered style.

I hope you like it :)

Dom
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This is a first for the Dom Harvey Podcast- a 4-way! I’m joined by Rowan, Alan and Adam from Viva La Dirt League- one of the biggest New Zealand success stories most Kiwis have never heard of.

Full disclosure: a week before this conversation, I didn’t know much about them either. Then I saw the buzz in the office, did a deep dive, and realised these three unassuming Kiwi lads have built something absolutely massive.

We’re talking 7.4 million YouTube subscribers, 5.6 billion views, a global fanbase, a custom-built studio with a giant green screen, a medieval tavern, a fake tech store, and a full-noise business that began with a few mates making nerdy videos for fun.

Rowan, Alan and Adam are the brains behind VLDL.
What started in 2011 with parody songs and rough-as-guts sketches has become an international comedy machine for /gamers and fantasy fans.

We talk about the early days when every video seemed to lose them subscribers.
The moment they quit safe jobs to go all-in.
Raising more than $4 million on Kickstarter.
The pressure of employing people.
And the strange reality of being famous to millions online while still walking around New Zealand mostly unnoticed.

This is a funny, honest chat about creativity, business, resilience, friendship and building something huge from the bottom of the world.

If you love VLDL you’ll naturally love this.
You’ll also get a lot from it if you are interested in becoming a content creator.
But its just great story for anyone who is interested in New Zealanders doing epic shit.
I loved this one. Hope you do too.

Massive thanks to my long‑term podcast sponsor, Generate.
Like a lot of Kiwis, I spent years saying, “I’ll look at my KiwiSaver account later.”
Turns out later comes around faster than you think, and the decisions you make now could be the difference between counting every dollar in retirement or having the freedom to take that trip you've always talked about.
I switched my KiwiSaver account to Generate after they came on board, and honestly, I should’ve done it sooner.
They’re an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with strong long‑term performance. You can check out their latest returns online, or book a no‑obligation chat with one of their friendly advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom.
No pressure, no judgement — they’re just there to help wherever you’re at in your investing journey.
The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. You can view their Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Advice Provider information at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures.
Past performance does not guarantee future returns.
And just a reminder — I’m a podcast host, not a financial adviser. This is general information only, and I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is bonus episode of the Dom Harvey Podcast, brought to you by Neon and their new Kiwi series Bust Up!
The show stars Morgana O’Reilly and Roimata Fox who play the roles of exes who end up working together, which felt very familiar! LOL

Check out the trailer for Bust Up Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGz8Tcj35IY

So, for this episode, I’m joined by my ex-wife, former radio co-host, and current business partner Jay-Jay Feeney.
We talk about:

+ What it’s really like to work with your ex.
+ How we went from married couple to business partners.
+ Why we still consider each other family.
+ And whether a marriage that ends can still be thought of as a success.

It’s honest, funny, occasionally uncomfortable.
Hope you like it.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Kemp (“Kempy”) had a massive career in rugby league playing for the Kwis and the Newcastle Knights in the NRL.
He was assistant coach of the Warriors when they made the NRL grand final in 2002. And by the age of 34 he was the head coach of the Warriors, with Ivan Clary as his assistant, before a very public sacking.
He’s also done a tonne of media work where he has a reputation for his strong opinions.
We discuss all those parts of Kempy in this podcast.

But this conversation is more about the man underneath all of that.

Tony talks about his childhood: the family tragedy that saw three of his siblings drown, being raised by his grandmother and initially believing she was his mum. Then growing up around chaos and domestic violence and the PTSD and depression that this unresolved trauma caused much later in life.
There are some heavy moments in this one. But there’s also humour, warmth and a lot of wisdom.
I came away from this conversation seeing Tony completely differently. I think you will too.
****

Massive thanks to Generate for sponsoring this episode.
We’ve all got that one mate who’s convinced they’ve worked out how to beat the market, usually with a lot of confidence and no actual expertise.
So, here's your reminder not to get caught up in the noise and trust the real investment experts at Generate.
I sat down with a Generate KiwiSaver adviser when they came on as the show sponsor in 2023, and it was one of those conversations that made me think, I should have done this years earlier!
A Generate adviser can help you figure out what fund type is best suited to your KiwiSaver goals.
Start planning now! Book a no cost chat with an adviser at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their PDS and Financial Advice Provider info see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And remember, I’m not a financial adviser, so this is just general information. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.