Past The Name

You’ve heard him read the news. Now hear his story.

Neil Waka joins Shubz for Episode 11 of Past The Name — two hours of life behind the news desk, strong opinions and some bloody good laughs.

From growing up in military camps to finding his voice on radio and becoming a familiar face on New Zealand television, Neil takes us through the opportunities he chased, the boundaries he pushed and why he eventually walked away.

We get into working alongside broadcasting legends, the management decisions that frustrated him, and the moment he realised how much television had shaped his everyday life. Even getting a haircut took some adjusting.

Neil also opens up about his Israel trip, his interview with Moana, the backlash that followed and the close relationships he says it cost him.

Then there’s the childhood hurt, fatherhood, faith, trust and learning to question beliefs you once accepted without hesitation.

Some stories hit hard. Others have us losing it. And if you’ve wondered what Neil and I have been cooking up together, stick around.

What’s something Neil said that you agree with — or would challenge? Drop it in the comments.

Subscribe to ShubzLive on YouTube for more Past The Name.

For all inquiries: [email protected]

#PastTheName #NeilWaka #ShubzLive

PAST THE NAME | EPISODE 10 | PAUL HENRY

You know the voice. You know the headlines. But how well do you really know Paul Henry?

For Episode 10 of Past The Name, I sat down with one of New Zealand’s most recognisable and outspoken broadcasters for a conversation that went well beyond politics, television and the controversies.

And what a conversation it was.

Paul takes us through his journey, from New Zealand to the United Kingdom and back again, sharing stories from his life, experiences that shaped him and moments he’s never spoken about publicly before.

We get into the state of our nation, what drove him to stand for ACT, and what he hopes to achieve by stepping into politics.

But this isn’t just a political interview.

There are stories, surprises, plenty of laughs and a few wines along the way. As the conversation unfolds, we get to see a side of Paul Henry that rarely makes the headlines.

No shouting matches. No manufactured drama. Just a fascinating conversation with a man who’s lived one hell of a life.

This is Paul Henry beyond the noise and the headlines.

Welcome to Episode 10 of Past The Name.

Hosted by Martel ‘Shubz’ Wikeepa.

Enjoy the kōrero, subscribe to ShubzLive and let us know what surprised you most about Paul Henry.

For collaborations, sponsorships or guest suggestions:

[email protected]

#PaulHenry #PastTheName #ShubzLive #NZPolitics #ACTParty #NewZealand #Podcast

0:00 Introductions and wine

1:04 The art of wine tasting

3:21 Insights from the campaign trail

5:42 Early life and adversity

7:56 Lessons from poverty

11:24 Monarchy and personal legacy

13:27 Broadcasting and music

15:53 Politics and public perception

20:13 Broadcasting standards and content

24:58 Perspectives on wealth

28:38 Reflections on history and work

34:16 The environment and politics

37:11 Interviewing and relationships

39:26 Staying true to oneself

42:08 The Jeep incident and discipline

49:29 Education and guiding the next generation

55:13 Travel, memories, and modern challenges

58:48 Travel stories and notable figures

1:09:45 New Zealand's future and towns

1:17:43 The American road trip

1:24:00 Life lessons and personal legacies

1:30:04 Political vision and final thoughts

PAST THE NAME | EPISODE 9: TAMA SINGH

Should women have the right to vote? Should women submit to a good man? Are Māori the most openly racist people in New Zealand?

Tama Singh has some very strong opinions, and in this episode of Past The Name, he doesn't hold back.

From his upbringing in Ōpōtiki to his views on gender roles, relationships, race, COVID, politics and Israel, this is a conversation that will get people talking.

But there's a lot more to Tama than his controversial opinions.

We dive into growing up in Ōpōtiki, the influence of his entrepreneurial father, becoming a Countdown supervisor at just 15 years old, his journey into business and investing, and his time as a dating coach with a massive billboard that turned heads.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why Tama believes women shouldn't have the right to vote

• His views on traditional gender roles and women submitting to good men

• Why he believes Māori are the most openly racist people in NZ

• Growing up in Ōpōtiki and his father's influence

• Becoming a Countdown supervisor at just 15

• His dating coaching business and controversial billboard

• COVID, government and political power

• His views and claims about Israel's global influence

• The experiences that shaped the man he is today

Whether you agree with Tama, disagree with him, or think he's completely wrong, this conversation gives you a chance to understand the thinking behind his beliefs.

This is Past The Name. We go beyond the headlines, opinions and public image to discover the person behind the name.

Tama's views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or platform.

Drop your thoughts in the comments. What do you agree with? What do you disagree with?

Subscribe to ShubzLive for more unfiltered long-form conversations.

For collaborations, sponsorships or guest suggestions: [email protected]

#PastTheName #TamaSingh #ShubzLive #NewZealand #GenderRoles #NZPolitics

0:00 Introduction

1:05 Growing up in Opotiki

6:16 Early life and soccer

9:11 Business and money lessons

13:18 Town dynamics and gangs

17:50 Career advice and AI

21:31 Supermarket career

31:51 Entrepreneurial ventures

37:11 Property and social media

41:45 Unemployment and Wingman

47:47 Dating coaching business

58:16 Society and conspiracy

1:08:40 Theories on history

1:16:03 New Zealand social issues

1:25:00 Property and politics

1:29:16 Future goals and final thoughts

You know the name David Seymour. But how well do you know the man?

In Episode 8 of Past The Name, we go back to the beginning. David talks about his upbringing, his mother, father and grandfather, the role models who influenced him, and his time working at a think tank in Canada.

This is a conversation about the experiences and people that shaped the David Seymour we see today. There are plenty of laughs, a few surprises, and stories that take us well beyond the usual political headlines.

Watch the full conversation and tell us in the comments what surprised you most.

Past The Name with Martel Wikeepa | Episode 8

#PastTheName #DavidSeymour #NewZealand #shubz #politics

Want to collaborate, sponsor the show, or suggest someone we should interview? Reach out: [email protected]

0:00 Early life and influences

2:34 Family dynamics

5:59 Career, family, and politics

8:40 Entrepreneurship and problem solving

12:51 Ideology and public perception

17:12 War, history, and values

22:12 Philosophy and books

26:58 Thinking fast and slow

30:14 Technology and the future

33:26 Risks of innovation

37:00 Rugby and entertainment

43:52 Entering politics

48:00 The journey to ACT party

53:21 International experience

58:31 Personal loss and motivation

1:02:26 Building the ACT party

1:06:47 Political style and mission

1:12:38 The Paul Henry influence

1:17:34 Addressing critics

1:24:07 Education and charter schools

1:33:20 Economic perspective

1:38:04 Closing thoughts

Daniel Ahsin was born in New Zealand and grew up in Sydney with a future in rugby league. Then his father’s life was taken, and Daniel says his own life spiralled into alcohol, drugs and violence.

Seven years in prison. Deportation back to New Zealand. Then an encounter with God that changed the direction of his life.

For Episode 7 of Past The Name, Churchboy opens up about how reading began for him in prison, finding his faith, joining Destiny Church and why he now spends his time trying to reach young people before they follow the path he did.

We also talk about Man Up, what Daniel has seen it do for people, and his strongly held views about Islam and New Zealand’s future.

There’s a lot to agree or disagree with here. Hear his full story, then tell me what you think.

Hosted by Martel Wikeepa aka Shubz

#PastTheName #501 #christian #islam #destinychurch #Churchboy #ShubzLive

0:00 Introduction and prayer

2:02 Early life and tragedy

4:44 Downward spiral and crime

7:35 Deportation and prison life

10:20 Family struggles and coping

13:01 Rugby and childhood memories

16:53 Gang involvement

19:17 Finding purpose through books

21:43 Study of worldviews

26:23 Prison culture and media

28:25 The journey back to NZ

33:32 Turning his life around

38:05 Spiritual transformation

42:25 Destiny Church and ManUp

45:56 Standing for convictions

51:31 Masculinity and values

57:06 The mission of Church Boy

1:14:53 Vision and closing

Months after getting out of jail, Jay “The Dingo” Tonkin is preparing to make his BKFC debut against Asher Jack.

But there’s a whole life behind that fight.

For Episode 6 of Past The Name, Jay takes us back to Thailand at just 15 years old. The training, the fights, the packed stadiums and the energy of competing in front of tens of thousands of people.

He speaks about his Māori roots and why he believes they’re a huge part of his warrior spirit.

We also get into the setbacks, hitting rock bottom, his time in jail and what it means to have another shot at doing what he loves.

Now he’s stepping into bare knuckle against Asher Jack. Hear the story behind The Dingo before they meet.

Who you got? Jay Tonkin or Asher Jack? Drop your pick below 👇

Past The Name EP 06

Hosted by Martel Wikeepa aka Shubz

#PastTheName #JayTonkin #TheDingo #BKFC #ShubzLive

0:00 Introduction to the guest

0:33 Early life and career

1:17 Growth and training in Thailand

2:54 Transition to bare knuckle

4:14 Hardship and redemption

6:12 Upcoming fight preparations

8:01 Reflecting on opponent rivalries

10:08 Memorable fights and experiences

14:53 Handling the crowd and lights

17:08 Cultural identity and respect

20:22 Advice for young fighters

23:03 Final thoughts and sponsors

“I’m gonna make him look like a puppy.”

Asher Jack has a message for Jay “The Dingo” Tonkin. He’s coming for the knockout.

For Episode 5 of Past The Name, I sit down with the Kiwi bare knuckle fighter to hear the story behind the callouts.

We talk about his life growing up, One Minute Scraps, his ambitions and how calling fighters out on Instagram helped him get his shot in BKFC.

Asher shares what drives him, where he wants fighting to take him and why he’s backing himself against Tonkin.

Who you got? Asher Jack or Jay “The Dingo” Tonkin? Drop your pick below 👇

Past The Name EP 05

Hosted by Martel Wikeepa aka Shubz

#AsherJack #BKFC #PastTheName #ShubzLive #BareKnuckle

0:00 Introduction to Asher Jack

1:21 Growing up in Oakland

3:03 Entering the fight world

5:30 Perspective on free speech

7:31 Navigating modern conflicts

11:27 The one-minute scrap experience

14:55 Developing as an entertainer

19:37 The mindset of a real fighter

23:59 Joining the BKFC ranks

27:50 Inspirations and training

31:17 Life outside the ring

36:22 Manifestation and consistency

40:08 The warrior mentality

44:40 Looking toward Brisbane

50:51 Travel, history, and culture

1:02:13 Reflections and closing

Two obese controversy kings finally connect 😂

In Episode 04 of Past The Name I sit down with Steven Setu for a wild unfiltered korero that goes way deeper than people might expect.

We get into who Steven really is where it all began and how he became one of the most talked about Samoan voices online. From there the convo opens right up.

We talk masculinity and why Steven believes the masculine man is under attack in society today.

We get into relationships and the debate around whether men and women can actually just be friends.

We touch on the different agendas shaping the world how society is changing what people are afraid to say and why certain voices always seem to get targeted more than others.

There is plenty of controversy plenty of laughs and plenty of moments where you will either fully agree or fully disagree.

This is not one of those polished safe sit downs.

This is two big mouths two strong opinions and one wild conversation.

And somewhere along the way we even make a pact to lose some weight too 😂

Big love to the uso Steven Setu for coming through and giving his time.

If you enjoy real conversations real opinions and podcasts that are not scared to go there this one is for you.

Past The Name EP 04

Steven Setu x Shubz

0:00 Steven's journey

2:09 Cancellations and culture

4:02 Breaking perceptions

6:45 Social issues and identity

9:30 The state of modern discourse

12:07 Gender roles in leadership

14:03 Pandemic and government control

17:36 The myth of platonic friendship

20:05 Relationships and reality

22:55 The role of the helper

26:00 Masculinity and society

30:27 Appreciating strong women

33:31 Unapologetic speech

37:23 Life as an influencer

40:24 Final thoughts on life

Most people know Kerrin Leoni through politics.

Auckland Council. A run for the mayoralty. Now Labour’s candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau in the 2026 election.

But Past The Name starts before any of that.

Kerrin takes us back to being born in Australia and growing up between the two ANZAC nations before eventually making a decision that would shape everything that followed.

Aotearoa was home.

We talk about the people who built the foundations underneath her. Her grandmother, who was still studying hard into her 80s, and her Uncle Mangu, who helped spark Kerrin’s understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, kaupapa Māori and the importance of knowing where you come from.

Then life took her around the world.

An exchange year in the United States. Time in California. Around a decade living in London, working, building businesses and continuing her education. Social work, Māori development and eventually postgraduate study in economics and international politics at King’s College London.

But after all the travelling, studying and building, she came back to the place she knew was home.

Kerrin talks about becoming a mum to twins, getting deeper into community mahi, iwi and hapū spaces, sitting around governance tables and eventually stepping into local politics.

Local board.

Auckland Council.

Then in 2025 she took on Wayne Brown for the Auckland mayoralty and finished second with 77,577 votes.

She could have stopped there.

Instead, the next move was national politics.

Kerrin is now standing for Labour in Tāmaki Makaurau, and we get right into why. What she believes she can bring to the electorate, why representation matters to her and what drives her to keep putting her hand up even after losing elections.

And yeah, we get into the politics properly.

Te Tiriti. Māori representation. Labour. Chris Hipkins. The current coalition Government. Tāmaki Makaurau.

Kerrin explains why she believes Labour is the party to lead the next Government and why, from her perspective, there is no strategic voting play here. Her message is clear: two ticks Labour.

But the politics is only one part of this conversation.

We talk motherhood. Education. Business. Social work. Iwi. Hapū. Governance. Australia. America. London. Auckland. Winning. Losing. Coming home and figuring out what actually matters when all the titles disappear.

Kerrin even gives a shout out to Hone Harawira, who she calls Uncle Hone.

Anyone who has followed me for a while knows Hone and I haven’t always seen eye to eye.

But being back home has made me look at some things through a different lens too.

And that’s part of what Past The Name is about.

You don’t have to agree with somebody on everything to sit down, listen and understand how they became who they are.

Underneath the candidate is a daughter, a mokopuna, a mum of twins and a wahine who has lived across different parts of the world before deciding exactly where she wanted to plant her feet.

You might know Kerrin Leoni the politician.

Now meet Kerrin Leoni Past The Name.

Episode 3.

0:00 Introduction to the guest

1:02 Heritage and roots

2:41 Early life and influences

5:25 Reclaiming cultural identity

7:43 International perspective

10:32 Witnessing racism

13:58 Social service and policy

18:24 Overcoming challenges

22:28 Language and culture

27:50 Education and career start

35:21 Local government experience

41:40 Mayoral campaign

45:57 Current political platform

51:43 Political goals and strategy

55:17 Policy and accountability

59:27 Vision for the future

1:16:19 Conclusion

Most people seeing Bernadette Soares today know the businesswoman, the political candidate and the woman standing for New Zealand First in Upper Harbour.

But that’s not where her story started.

For Episode 2 of Past The Name, we go right back to India.

Bernadette speaks about growing up in a wealthy family, being surrounded by servants and not fully understanding how privileged that upbringing was until she eventually left India and started again in New Zealand.

She talks about her father, a senior public servant who she says refused bribes even when money, gifts and pressure were put in front of him. She recalls the threats he received, the example he set for his family and why integrity became such a big part of her own life.

We get into religion too.

Being raised Catholic. Becoming a Christian at 15. Faith. Family. Marriage. Motherhood.

Then in 1989, Bernadette came to New Zealand with her husband and, as she tells it, only around US$500 available to start their new life.

No empire.

No political career.

Just a new country and plenty of mahi ahead.

Bernadette talks about the jobs she worked, the workplace bullying she experienced and how that eventually led to years of advocacy around bullying in the workplace.

She became an author.

An entrepreneur.

And built a career in the beauty industry through businesses and brands including Natural Glow.

New Zealand First’s current candidate profile lists Bernadette as its Upper Harbour candidate and describes her as a business owner, community advocate and mother of three who has lived in New Zealand for more than 37 years.

But this conversation goes further than the campaign profile.

Bernadette talks about her previous political journeys, what she says she learned from them and why she chose New Zealand First this time around.

She speaks about immigration, how different migration was when she arrived, her views on India and Narendra Modi, the proposed India free trade agreement, and why she says her loyalty in politics sits with New Zealand regardless of where she was born.

We also talk about business, raising children, becoming a mother and why she believes the future her children inherit is one of the biggest reasons she keeps putting herself forward.

The 2026 General Election is scheduled for 7 November 2026.

But this episode isn’t just about an election.

It’s about the woman before the campaign signs.

India.

Faith.

Family.

$500.

Starting again.

Building businesses.

Getting knocked around.

Getting back up.

And eventually putting her name forward for public office.

You might know Bernadette Soares the candidate.

This is the story of Bernadette Soares before the politics.

Past The Name. Episode 2.

Bernadette Soares.