Molly Spark is a 22 year old from Canterbury, and she spends her spare time doing things that sound like a PTSD inducing nightmare for most of us:

Her sport is multi-day expedition races through mountains, rivers, forests and bush.

You may have heard of the iconic event called Godzone- it got a bit of mainstream coverage after Richie McCaw took part a few years ago- that’s an expedition race.

1000km in a week. Sleep deprivation. Hallucinations. Limited food. Carrying everything you need in a backpack. Navigating with a map and compass. And the wild part? She LIVES for this stuff. She is built different.

This podcast is a small part of the Molly Spark story.

We talk about resilience, fear, suffering, hallucinations, sleep deprivation, near-death moments, and why she genuinely believes discomfort is one of the best things a person can experience. There is also a great story about how Richie McCaw almost killed her.

This is one of my favourite podcasts so far- partly because the sport of expedition racing itself is so wild, but mostly because Molly is such a firecracker. She just oozes positivity and joy.

This chat definitely didn’t make me want to become an expedition racer….but it did make me wish Molly was my friend.

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Greg Newbold is best known as one of New Zealand’s top criminologists. He spent 30 years at Canterbury University and became to go-to guy whenever the main stream media wanted someone to comment on crime.

But his back story is jaw dropping.

In the 1970s, when Greg was in his early 20s, he was a heroin user and dealer, socialising in the same circles as New Zealand’s most infamous drug dealer, Terry Clarke aka Mr Asia.

He eventually got busted and was sentenced to seven-and-a-half-years in prison.

Then somehow… he comes out the other side, gets a PhD and completely reinvented himself as one of New Zealand’s leading criminologists and university professors. And he has just put out a new book too called Dream Dealer.

https://www.paperplus.co.nz/shop/books/non-fiction/biography-memoir/dream-dealer

In this conversation, Greg opens up about how he became addicted to heroin, the reality of life at Paremoremo maximum security prison back then, and the surprising lessons he learned about human nature while locked up alongside some of the country’s most notorious criminals.

At nearly 75 years old, Greg’s still running, swimming, lifting weights, and reflecting on a life that’s been chaotic, controversial, and ultimately incredibly fulfilling.

***

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.

The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Dom Harvey Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast, its producers, or any sponsors associated with the show.

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Today’s guest is one of those people who quietly makes New Zealand a better place.

Tony Scott (aka Scottie) has spent more than 30 years in the fire service. And for the past 8 years he has been Crew Chief at Auckland Airport.

Chances are, even if you don’t know his name, you’ve seen the impact of his work.

Scottie is the man behind the Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge: the iconic annual event where firefighters climb 1,103 steps in full gear to raise money for Blood Cancer New Zealand.

What started as a small idea with a handful of firefighters has now raised almost 20 million dollars for Kiwis battling cancers. And this episode is being released to coincide with the 21st anniversary of this iconic Kiwi fundraiser

As well as the Sky Tower challenge, we find out who Scotty is- his early years, the stutter he had to overcome to get the job of his dreams, the emotional toll of recovering bodies and saving lives, his reaction when he was awarded a Queens Service Medal and much more.

After spending a couple of hours with Scottie, you discover pretty quickly that this isn’t about publicity or recognition for him.

He’s just one of those genuinely good humans who gets a lot of fulfilment out of helping other people.

There’s a lot of heart in this episode.

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