Tara Jackson is the Executive of the New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society (NZAVS). In her five years with the organisation she has made an incredible difference and unearthed some astounding information of what really goes on behind laboratory doors. Be prepared to be shocked as we learn the extent of animal testing around the world and the array of species exploited by humans for the sake of our 'health' and 'wellbeing'.

Co-Founder of Plant-Based News, Robbie Lockie, has an incredible vegan journey to share. From making the connection to animal suffering to helping create one of the leading vegan platforms in the world, his story is a must watch. His passion for veganism, compassion for the animals, and his hope for the future of humanity are incredible inspiring. We hope you love this talk as much as we did!

The main point of our 'Activist' series is to raise awareness of the many different forms of vegan activism. Until we met Meredith Marin, we had no idea of the role hospitality plays in the vegan movement and its importance. This form of activism allows us to make a difference in every meal we purchase when out. In this episode we learned so much from Meredith, including her incredible story in which a planned stay-at-home-mum ended up making the Caribbean island of Aruba one of the most vegan friendly places in the world! We love her positivity and wealth of knowledge and am sure you will too.

Australian activist Tash Peterson has been making headlines all over the world with her fearless and innovative activism. From running onto the field at history making sports games to storming supermarkets and fast food outlets - what will she think of next? We recently managed to pin Tash down long enough to talk about her story, her unique approach to activism and how she is influencing and educating the next generation of young people about the vegan movement.

As he lay desperately ill in a Japanese hospital, Shamiz Kachwalla really thought his time was up. Then his family discovered the healing powers of eating plants. Today, a fully recovered Shamiz and his brother Shukul teach people all over the world how they can live a happy and healthy plant powered life, through their business, High Carb Health. In this fascinating and inspiring interview, Shamiz tells how we can be at the top of our game for the animals, by remembering to take good care of ourselves too.

Canadian activist Justin Reineke is a former long-time worker in the hog and chicken farming industries in Canada, having been introduced at a young age. Justin now uses his first hand experience and inside knowledge to speak out against the animal industry he was once a part of, informing the public of the inherent cruelty of many common practices. In this interview, we talk about what his years in the job entailed and the life changing events that not only led him to become vegan but also a passionate voice for the animals. This episode also includes a special appearance (and added sound effects) from the family's beloved pet pig, Bubba!

Matthew Glover always thinks big. Together with his wife Jane, they have saved the lives of literally billions of animals, by inspiring people all over the world to go vegan through their brilliant campaigns and initiatives. As the co-founder of Veganuary, Million Dollar Vegan and most recently Veg Capital, Matthew is using his business knowledge to help grow vegan initiatives and steer consumer habits into a kinder future. Join us in this episode to learn the importance of voting with your wallet and have a few laughs along the way.

When it comes to vegan activism, there is a demand for change - and with that change comes demand. This is where the brilliant Katrina Fox comes in as an advocate and activist. Katrina helps vegan businesses to meet that demand through her books, tutoring, podcast and leadership initiatives. She has a massive wealth of knowledge and experience and is a delightful and positive asset to the vegan movement. We hope you enjoy our chat with Katrina as much as we did!

After leaving the gang life and going vegan for ethical reasons, Joey Carbstrong wanted to give back. “I wanted to help the less fortunate. I wanted to help human beings which is still one of my passions. But I had a realisation. There were a group of innocent beings who needed my help the most. A group of beings who weren’t even recognised by society as victims. A group of beings so persecuted, so exploited and so abused that it dwarfed any human genocide in comparison. The animals were screaming out for help and very few were listening. So I decided to answer their calls and began speaking for them with all my heart.”

In episode eight of “Activist” Joey Carbstrong shares his brilliant insights and advice for how we can all become better advocates for the animals, and how we can each start our activism journey. Co-host Gareth describes this episode as “All killer, no filler” (in a very vegan way)! Joey has a wonderful wealth of knowledge and we are very excited to share it all with you.

At 79 years old, James Wilson is proof that it’s never too late to change. This former sheep and beef farmer transformed his life when he went vegan and loves nothing more than sharing the joy and many benefits of the lifestyle. His book ‘Plant Paradigm’ is an absolute must-read for vegans and non-vegans alike.

"Our New Zealand landscape must and will change. In my vision, green pasture will revert to forest and domestic animals will become nothing more than species of interest. Dairy factories, milking sheds, wool sheds, freezing works, and millions of kilometers of fencing will become the dark satanic mills of New Zealand." -James Wilson