Whoo. Hello, Kiwis. I'm Paddy Gower, and I have got issues. On this show, we investigate issues, big and small, that are important to all of us. Tonight ` these guys get together to copy American dirt-bike culture. How dangerous are they? Nick Truebridge joins me to meet them and find out. And why does zero-alcohol beer and wine costs the same or more than the real stuff? Karen puts in the hard yards to get answers. Captions by Faith Hamblyn and James Brown. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023. Tonight ` my issue is with dirt bikers. Now, you might have seen them out riding like this, and let's be clear ` this is illegal riding ` on our roads and our motorways. The only dirt they actually see is a public park, or a grass verge or a rugby field. Some of them are kids looking for belonging and fun, others are adults with jobs, but the truth is, the gangs are involved here, and police say it is a breeding ground. Worse ` people are getting killed doing this; two riders have already died, and with the way they ride, it is a question of who's next ` another rider or a member of the public. Now, people are scared, and they are fed up. This is Lavina from the World Mission Society of God. Now, I got this video from Kara Goddard just last night, who coordinates volunteers cleaning up around South Auckland. She told me, and I quote, 'It's just so frustrating, 'trying to help the environment and having to dodge these dickheads 'hooning through our parks.' In America, it's been a massive problem already. This is how they dealt with it in New York City. Now, I reckon it's a bit more complex than that. And tonight, for the first time, we are going to meet these Kiwi Bike Life riders and find out just what they have got to say for themselves. This is about one of the biggest issues facing us today, our lost young people. This really is an issue for all of us. And tonight I'm very lucky to be joined by Nick Truebridge, the Newshub journo, also known as Bridge To The Truth, and, of course, my friend, our community investigator, Karen 'Results' O'Leary, and our news deskers, Eli Matthewson and Courtney Dawson. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - Paddy. I don't get it. Karen's got a nickname. Nick's already got a nickname ` when are you gonna give us a nickname? - Well, obviously, there's Awesome Dawson. And as for you, Eli,... look, nicknames are like respect; they need to be earned. - (LAUGHTER) - Wow. - (LAUGHS) Harsh, I know. Now, Nick, how have you been getting on with this dirt-bike investigation ` what have you found out? - Yeah, well, I guess, Paddy, the thing is that this all comes back to one of the big issues of the election. I don't know if you know ` we've just had one of those, Karen. - I think we did just have one. Yeah, my team didn't win. - But this is disengaged youth ` it's what it's all about, right? And there's nothing more in-your-face than a dirt bike coming screaming past you, when you might be driving to work or something like that. But the issue has been that no one has actually had a chance to talk to these guys, to find out what they're all about. But, Paddy, we've managed to do it, haven't we? - Yeah, they have a thing called Sunday Funday, believe it or not, where they meet up each week and start to go hooning around. And I went out on Sunday and managed to catch up with these guys. And a warning ` we are going to see them riding really dangerously, without helmets. And if there are any kids or any people watching, never ride without a helmet. It's illegal, and it's really, really dangerous. - UNCLE MURDA: # The whole gang outside with it. The whole gang outside with it. - Welcome to Bike Life. - # We outside. The whole gang outside with it. # - It's a common sight now on Auckland's streets. It doesn't take long for me to find them in Otara, running a red light. What do you think of the dirt bike riders that are around Otara? They're bad? Yeah. I've come to one of their favourite places to ride, Ngati Otara Park in South Auckland, to see for myself, what is Bike Life. (BIKE ENGINES REV) - Bike Life is a lifestyle. - It's a lifestyle. - Lifestyle? - A way of life, eh. It's how we are, eh. - It's the way we're raised, eh? Like how kids wanna grow up and play rugby? Yeah, kids from Otara like us, we wanna grow up and ride bikes. - Wynder is one of Bike Life's best riders. - It's just like, um, a brotherhood. Everyone comes together, comes for a ride. - And how did you start in this? I just used to, like, ride push bikes all the time. One day I got sick of it. And then my eyes got caught on a dirt bike. And that was my next ride. (LAUGHS) - And how much does watching what's happening in America influence you? (BIKE ENGINES REVS) - Far! (LAUGHS) 100% they're the motivation. - What does riding mean for you? - It's a path to, like, your future, chasing your dreams. - Cos what are your dreams? - I wanna travel the world. Travel the world doing what I love to do on bikes ` that's what I wanna do, eh? - You wanna be respected for what you do and show people? - Yeah. Everyone, eh ` everyone wants to be respected, eh? - You know, when you guys ride in packs, you scare people; it's dangerous, you ride into traffic ` is that a problem? - At the end of the day, we're just trying to... We're just trying to do what we love to do ` you know, ride bikes. - So you don't feel bad that people are sometimes scared of you? - Uh, yeah, yeah, a bit. Yeah. - The police, everybody says this is linked to gangs. - Nah, it's a lifestyle, not a gang. - But police say Bike Life is linked to the Killer Beez, one of Auckland's most notorious gangs. Their colour is yellow. - Nothing to do with gangs. - Nothing to do with the Killer Beez? Cos even your shoes are yellow, Wynder. - Yeah. (LAUGHS) Treyway is another one of Bike Life's big stars. So, are you in a gang or anything? - Nah, I'm not, I'm not a gang member, but I am gang affiliated. - What gang you affiliated with? - Yeah, with the Killer Beez. - And was your dad in the gang? - Yeah. - Treyway's dad is Speedy Guns. - ARCHIVE: This is Speedy. He's second in command of the Killer Beez. - What Killer Beez is all about? I dunno, love for the block. You know? - So it's like a family to you? - Yeah, it's family. It's brotherhood. It's brotherhood. - I started when my dad got out of prison ` that's when I started. I was 13 then. - And he taught you? - Yeah, and he taught me. I was basically forced to ride. (LAUGHS) I ended up riding, and then he forced me to wheelie. He pushed me to do all the tricks I do now. - And no helmet? - No helmet. We know what we're doing. We know our balance points when it comes to wheelies. And we just ` the top rider's the best riders. - Bike Life in New Zealand is exploding online. - I posted up a video,... and I ended up with 3.3 million views on that. 300K likes. A lot of people out there hate on the Bike Life, they hate the bikes. They find the bikes disturbing, but we see Bike Life differently. - Yeah, how do you see it? - We see it like, um... like therapy. You know, you're going through things at home, pull out the bike ` the bike solves all your problems. (BIKE ENGINE REVS) - (BLEEP)! He's serious, bro. - That's real talk. - How's this stopped you from doing crime? And what would you guys say to the cops, if you could say something? - (BLEEP) you. (BLEEP) the police. (LAUGHTER) - (BLEEP)! - (APPLAUSE) - All right, I've gotta say straight out that, obviously, I do not condone any kind of illegal or dangerous riding, but I have to say, watching and spending time with Treyway and Wynder, you know, I was impressed by their incredible skills and talents, and, you know, seeing them say that, like everybody, they just want respect for what they're good at. And, of course, their dreams of wanting to take it to the world ` well, dreaming isn't illegal. - Yeah, yeah, I understand that, Paddy, but often in these stories, we've gotta think about victims as well. Right? And while they call it Sunday Funday, while the police might call it Sunday Funday, it's not Sunday Fun day if you're a motorist and these guys come screaming towards you, or if you're kicking a footy round at a park and a swarm of them come towards you ` that is really serious for them, of course. We also know that the police are struggling to figure out how to handle these guys, and also that it's spreading as well, so that is a real concern. - Yeah. And looking forward to what you find out about that as it spreads through the country. Now, Karen O'Leary, what have you been up to? - Well, look, speaking of Sunday Funday, there's nothing I would rather do on a Sunday for fun than go for a cold beverage with my dear friend, Paddy 'Tries His Best' Gower. (LAUGHTER) Obviously, I know that you don't drink alcohol, Paddy, but I do quite enjoy a beer every now and again. - Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, I have heard. - I think most people know that, thank you. - Yeah, OK. - I was gonna invite you, but I'm not any more. (LAUGHTER) But I just wanted to check Paddy ` I mean, you'd still come in and have, like, a non-alcoholic beer with me, wouldn't you? - Well, you know, I would, but to be honest, I do think that they're taking the piss sometimes, with the cost being around about the same as what you'd pay for piss, with alcohol in it, as opposed to not having alcohol in it. - So you're pissed off that you're paying for piss that doesn't get you pissed? (LAUGHTER) - No, I'm pissed off that they're taking the piss. - And there's not even any piss in it. Anyway, look, we digress. - (LAUGHTER) - I can see this is an issue for you, but it's also an issue for my new best friend, Murray from the Hawke's Bay. - A tasty beer is the perfect way to end a Friday. Or a Wednesday or a Tuesday ` any day, really. I'm here in happy hoppy Hastings to sink a couple of cold ones with my new best friend. - Here you go. Well, cheers, Murray. - Cheers, Karen. - Do you mind if I call you Muzza? - Absolutely you can call me Muzza. - You can call me Kazza if you like. - Kazza, righto. Kazza, yeah. - Kazza and Muzza. - Kazz and Muzza. - What is your issue? - You know, zero-alcohol beer is becoming a bigger and bigger thing in the in the New Zealand beer scene. There's some great varieties available now, but what I can't understand is why it's nearly the same price, or very close to the same price as a standard heavy duty beer. - What do you love about the taste of beer? - It's unique. It's nectar of the gods. - Nectar of the gods. - Mm-hm. - It's a big statement, and I'm inclined to agree with you. - Indeed. - Cheers. - Cheers. - What would you say would be your biggest regret, after a massive night out on the zeros? - You find that when you drink zero, you're actually visiting the loo quite a bit. - Right. - Compared, you know, to a standard beer. (LAUGHTER) - What would be your biggest regrets on a night of drinking actual beer? - I don't know if I'd call them regrets, but you, sort of, look back at your earlier days, and nudity's probably one thing that, yeah, that always comes from drinking too much of anything. - Not for me. - No, no, no, not for everyone. - No, but for you? - Yeah. Absolutely. - Yeah, for sure. (LAUGHTER) - I've just got a picture in my head now. I can't quite get it out of there. Argh! Whoo-hoo! - Sorry about that. - No, no. No, don't be sorry. Look, I'm glad we're drinking 0% beers, to be honest. OK, so, Muzza, look, if you've got an issue, I've got an issue. I mean, how can I help? - I want you, Karen, to go and find out all about this zero beer and why it's priced as it is. - Muzza, I'm on the job. - Kazza, that'd be awesome. - No worries. Cheers. - Cheers. - Lovely to meet you. Now, I love beer as much as the next guy, and the next guy is my new best friend, Muzza. So to test out what he's been saying, I'm gonna do my favourite kind of scientific experiment ` a pub crawl. (CHUMBAWAMBA'S 'TUBTHUMPING') (LAUGHTER) - Do you have any no-alcohol beers? Like, does anyone actually buy these things? - Surprisingly, yes. - Actually, way more than you would think. - Have you ever tried them? - Yep. - Yes. - Shit, have you? - Mm. - I love them. I drink them all the time now. - Do you? - Yes. - Yeah, I'm paying for taste, so if it's alcoholic or non-alcoholic, it's the taste. - You're not paying to get drunk. - Yeah, exactly. - You are paying to get drunk. - I'm not paying to get drunk. - I'm a bit of a lightweight, so I have a few beers and I get quite pissed. - Can I see how light you are? - Oh, well, pick me up. Oh! (LAUGHTER) - He is quite light. - I think all low-alcohol and no alcohol beer should be cheaper than what an alcoholic beer should be. - Maybe the percentage on the bottle is what you should pay ` 0%, $0. - But I always figured there shouldn't be any tax on it, so it should be cheaper. - Are we gonna be on TV? I wanna be a supermodel. I mean superstar. - Well, I've sunk a lot of non-alkies, and they were yum, but I can tell you what ` Muzza's not wrong; they cost about the same amount as the full-alcohol stuff. And, look, I'm not drunk, but I do need a wee. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) - Absolutely love what you're doing for Muzza, Kazza, but is a pub crawl really scientific research? - Well, yeah, if by scientific research, you mean me finding stuff out, then absolutely legitimate. And I think it was also legitimate, and that's why I used your credit card. I hope that's OK. (LAUGHTER) - Hey, Kazza, just a quick question ` next time you do work research, can we come? (LAUGHTER) - Oh, look, Paddy's paying ` absolutely. No, but, obviously, look, next up, I'm gonna confront the wine and beer producers and to find out, you know, what the Dickens is actually going on. - All right, Kazza, that sounds good. And coming up ` Nick meets the frustrated cops trying everything to keep everyone safe, and then finds out that Bike Life is spreading down country and fast. And Karen is not afraid to make enemies, when she asks those hard questions about zero-alcohol prices at a brewery and at a winery. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) Nau mai, hoki mai, welcome back, Kiwis, this is Patty Gower Has Issues, and I'm Paddy Gower. Now, on King's Birthday Weekend this year, dirt bikers and police clashed big time. Nick meets the cops to find out what they can do to sort this issue out. But first, Eli, I know how much you love rugby... players, so my assignment today for my news desk is catch me up on the Rugby World Cup. - Yeah, go, the boys, especially Will Jordan. It's time for New Zealand Has Issues. (LAUGHTER) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - The Rugby World Cup is almost over, and so is my legitimate excuse for drinking beers at 8am. (LAUGHTER) On Saturday, the ABS took on Argentina, and the Argentinian fans were feeling confident. - They're going to win. - But 80 minutes later... - It is what it is. (LAUGHTER) - Oh no. She sounds like me, before and after I read the Facebook comments on our segments. - Yes. Yeah. And actually on that note, look, Nikki from Taupo, we hear you ` please stop hurting Eli's feelings. (LAUGHTER) So, how did the ABs turn this cup around? Well, the coaching staff are world leaders, and Sam Whitelock gave us an inside look into some of their genius advice. - Everyone needs to be leaders ` go out there and lead yourself. (LAUGHTER) - Lead yourself? Yeah, OK. That's kind of weird advice. But you know what? They did look pretty cute in those dog collars. - Ooh, can I get that printed out? (LAUGHTER) On Sunday, South Africa took on England in the other semi, and Ian Fosty was enthusiastic about the matchup. - I'll be watching it ` probably have some popcorn and, um, sit there and watch it, and I don't care who wins. (LAUGHTER) - Wow, the passion (!) He's in Paris, and they're, like, 'What would you like ` 'fromage, champagne?' And he's, like, 'Popcorn.' (LAUGHTER) - And, look, while all the players were great, the true stars of the show have been the cameos in our live news reports. - Go, the ABs! - Kieran Read ` that is former All Blacks captain Kieran Read. - And a bloke has just arrived walking his cat on a leash. (LAUGHTER) - The cat is on a leash, but Kieran isn't, because the All Blacks lead themselves, God damn it. - That's great, you too. But I know you love talking rugger, but usually, you bring me some politics ` none this week. - Well, normally, yes, but we don't have any government to talk about yet, so we're still waiting on those special votes, which I think that you know, because you tweeted about it a lot of times. - Yeah, I certainly did. Yeah. - 15 times. I thought we were your favourite special things, Paddy. - Well, you are, cos there's two of you, and you're easy to count, just like those bloody votes should be. (LAUGHTER) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) So, where did this dirt-bike culture Bike Life come from. And how bad is it here? It's time to go Behind The Issue. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) Dirt biking started in the 1920s, England, when people began riding perfectly good road motorcycles on dirt for fun. By the 1960s, purpose-built dirt bikes were born, made by Yamaha, Honda and BSA. And motorcycle gangs have always been a thing ` guys on Harleys, even guys on Vespas. They have always been about brotherhood, freedom, rebellion and excitement. Now, dirt bikes became a worldwide craze in the late '60s and '70s, and they were soon adopted by young people in low-income communities in America as a cheap and exciting upgrade from push bikes. Bike Life was born, and this hit music video, 'Ruff Riders Anthem' by rapper DMX took it next level in 1998, and today clips of the subculture can be seen all over the world, on TikTok and Instagram. And just like any other American culture, youngsters here quickly caught on. Bike Life started in Otara at least 20 years ago and has been spreading ever since. So, what are they doing wrong? Well, dangerous driving into oncoming traffic, wheelies, no helmets, no licence, no rego, no warrant, and worst of all, two riders have lost their lives doing this. They're often found on this sort of bike ` a Forza. They are loud, they look cool, and they are pretty damn cheap ` one of these is only 1400 bucks. And in Auckland, they cause big trouble. In 2018, they were on average 18 police callouts about this every week, but by 2021, this had reached 68 weekly callouts, peaking here at 80 incidents in just one week. We don't have the latest police data, but this year, Bike Life has got more high profile than ever. But is there more to it? Well, the cops say recruitment into the gangs, like the Killer Beez, is part of the Bike Life picture. And they say bikes are sometimes supplied by the Killer Beez gang to young riders who prove themselves. And all of this exploded one afternoon in Auckland, on King's Birthday weekend. So Nick went to ask the cops about what went down that day. (CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC) - So, tell us about this park and about the operation on that day. - Ngati Otara Park, home to the famous Otara Scorpions, but on King's Birthday Weekend, ground zero for a police sting on lawless dirt-bike riders terrorising Tamaki Makaurau. - So, currently, we've got them contained. So we're going through that park now with the intent to try and apprehend these people. - It's a massive open space. It's actually got a lot of connections to the different networks of roads that occur here in Otara. And with dirt-bike riders and the way they ride, it's a haven for them to be able to move across fields, away from blocks of police enforcement. - Tell us about the actual crimes being committed here. - It's the dangerous, careless and reckless riding that we're seeing. (BIKE ENGINES REV) We do see other corresponding offences after the fact. - We've had a number of incidents where members of the public have been assaulted seriously. So whilst this was a planned operation, it, kind of, got out of hand due to the behaviour of these motorcyclists. So we're here to put a stop to that. - Where do the bikes come from? - So it's a bit of a mix, where some are obtained through illegal means and, like I say, stolen or just passed around. - Is there more to this, and is there, from police's perspective, a gang influence here? - We can't be negating the fact that there is that sphere of gang influence there, but I wouldn't say it's the entire picture. It's a lifestyle. They think of it as an enjoyment. It's a fun activity, in that sense. They really see it as being part of that ropu, so that group that they're part of. BOTH: Yeah. - It gives them a... They belong. - Yes. - Some people might look at the story and think, these are just kids riding their bikes ` you know, we've got bigger fish to fry. Why this ` why is it a problem? - It's for the community. We hear what the community is saying. We know what's going on with the riding that occurs. All their bikes go past at speed in big hordes, and it causes a bit of angst and a bit of anxiety for our community to see that. And it's around their riding that caused them serious injury. And needless to say, we don't want that to happen. But the deaths that can occur from that, and we have had that before. - On that fateful King's Birthday Weekend, a rider died after colliding with a car in South Auckland. - It's been a growing issue, and it's taken a while to deal with it, and we hope today might send a strong message. - But the worry is Bike Life culture is growing in popularity. (BIKE ENGINE REVS) Obviously, Auckland has been in the news a lot, but is it just an Auckland problem? - It's actually many regions that have the same issue. - In terms of what you're seeing, age-wise,... what are we talking about? - So, we're looking at some as young as 10 years old, even some around just before that, - 10 years old? - Yep. - On bikes? - It's a sad... It's a sad connection, obviously, when we start seeing that influence from the older riders. It's what they see, it's what they are accustomed to, and it's around that lifestyle that they believe so heavily in. (BIKE ENGINES REV) (APPLAUSE) - I mean, Paddy, the thing here is that, um, I think you've really got to feel for the cops in this case. How are you supposed to arrest someone that you can't actually catch? We've got some internal documents which actually show they are hesitant to pursue these guys, because as you saw in those videos, they don't have any gear on ` there's no helmets, there's no body armour. And the fear, of course, is that if you pursue them, well, you end up with a third death. - Yeah. And, totally, looking in those documents, you also see that the police are really conscious of the fact that they're worried about the public thinking they're not going hard enough after these guys ` a bit like the, kind of, gang-convoy issue ` so the cops do, sort of, seem to be caught between two sides. - It's a real bind for the cops, Paddy. And the other thing is, you heard Rakana Cook in that track ` if you think it's just an Auckland issue, think again, because later on we're gonna go down country, where it is catching on as well. - All right. Coming up, trouble in Waitara ` Nick meets the cops down there baffled by the lawless bikers in their town. And Karen asks the tough questions about zero-alcohol drinks, and she gets answers so real and hard, she makes this face. (APPLAUSE, CHEERING) - Welcome back to Paddy Gower Has Issues, Kiwis. I am Paddy Gower. Now, very shortly Karen O'Leary is going to confront the people who make zero-alcohol beer and wine and ask them straight up, why are they so expensive? But first, each week there is always something that I am right in behind, something that I cannot get enough of. It's time for No Issues. (APPLAUSE) And tonight I've got no issues with body hair. This week my hairy friend and fellow journalist Charlotte Cook got in contact wondering why I hadn't covered hairy Kiwis. Now, hairy Kiwis need our help, she said, because society only allows hair in a few sanctioned locations. So no nipple beards, no snail trails, no underarm shrubberies, no carpet on the back and no bush. Now, I have to own up. I have been hairist in the past when I've seen hairy parts of people, and I apologise for that. An admission here ` I'm not that hairy myself. And here is the proof ` my legs. When people see these, they think that I have shaved them. I have not. I cannot grow a moustache, so for me the coming Movember will just be Vember. I cannot grow a beard. I only have to shave every couple of days. And I have just 17 hairs on my chest. 17 ` I counted them all last night. But since I grew my mullet and I've had basically 2.5 more centimetres of hair, people have absolutely lost their shit about it. And I have been awokened to hair shaming. So it is time to end hair shame. Seriously, some people are locked in an endless battle of waxing, shaving, plucking, lasering and covering up just to fit in, all because we have developed a weird aversion to what is actually natural. So a shout-out to Charlotte and her RNZ Hair And Loathing podcast. It is time to break down this hairy barrier and let it all hang out. It should be normal. We are actually apes. So let us be apes. That's why I've got no issues with body hair. (APPLAUSE) An important footnote, though ` I am absolutely against nose hair and ear hair. 100% hard no. - I'm pretty pro body hair, I reckon, because it's good for camouflage. Like, if you looked under this desk, you'd be like, 'Are those legs or are those ponga trees?' (LAUGHTER) - All right, Karen, what's next? - OK, well, not only does Muzza have an issue with non-alcoholic beer, we've actually had heaps of emails about non-alcoholic wine as well. So I travelled to Giesen, down in Blenheim, who are the biggest producers of premium non-alcoholic wines. And then I also went and saw my good mates at Garage Project. Seeing as they're my good friends, I thought I might get some free beer. Let's see if I did. To find out why we're paying so much for our non-alky pours, I'm going to the source of the sauce. (THUD!) Basically, what would you say is the difference between a non-alcoholic wine and say, I dunno, just, like, juice? - The flavour of wine is very different to grape juice, because it goes through fermentation. So the flavours are very, very different. - What have you noticed, in terms of the trends of people choosing your non-alcoholic products? - To be honest, we weren't 100% sure who the consumer was going to be. We thought it would probably be people who don't or choose not to drink at all, or people, perhaps, who are pregnant or driving. And certainly they exist. - Certainly pregnant people do exist. - They certainly do exist, and hence we're all still here. - See that? - Look at this. You've done this before. Beyond that, the ones who are really driving the growth are regular wine drinkers ` so people who would on a Tuesday night have a glass of their favourite Chardonnay; on a Wednesday night, they say, I wanna moderate, reduce my alcohol intake, and I'll have a zero-alcohol wine with dinner instead of regular wine. Taste a bit like wine? - Tastes exactly like wine. Why aren't these wines cheaper, then, for us, the consumer? - Yeah, it's a really, really good question. In order to make them, in order to unlock that flavour, you've got to make a wine in the first instance, and then you've gotta use really, really expensive technology to remove the alcohol. So it actually costs us more to produce than it would, for example, just a regular wine. - So it could have been alcoholic, but you make the whole thing, and then you suck the alcohol out. - Exactly. Yeah. - Well, that's fine for wine, but what about Murray's favourite, beer? - # Drink yourself more bliss. - I'm gonna start off with a pretty serious, pretty heavy question. Why are you ripping off my best friend, Murray? - Sorry? Who? - My best friend, Murray. He wants to know... I mean, I could probably give you some more context. He wants to know why non-alky beers cost him the same as alky beers. Can you answer that? - Um, well, they're not the same. This is Tiny, which is our non-alc. And this is Hapi Days. We pay excise on this beer, for the alcohol. And about 20% of the price is tax. - Tax. - So we've taken that tax off Tiny. - So it's 20% cheaper. - It's 20% cheaper. - But I guess you've still got some of the similar costs. - Well, look, both got a can. We haven't cracked a way of putting beer in without a can. Still needs to be transported on trucks. And in fact, if you broke down all the ingredients and the process, this beer, Tiny, would be fractionally more expensive. - So you're actually getting a bargain if you if you buy that. - Bargain. Bargain. Mind you step. - OK. - This is malted barley. Sometimes we use wheat and oats. - Yeah. - But basically we make a big porridge in here. - That just looks like soapy bubbles. - It does, doesn't it? There's your bubbles. - Oh, that's the bubbles for the beer. - That's beer bubbles. The idea is to try and create something ` obviously it's never gonna be identical to a beer, but we want something that's as close to it as possible. - As someone that enjoys beer quite regularly, this tastes like real beer. - To be honest, this was the hardest beer that we have ever had to make. - Really? - Yeah. I mean, I think we threw away about 9000 or 10,000 litres of beer trying to get it just right. - Where did you throw it? - Down the drain. - Then where does it go? into the ocean? - Out to the dolphins. - Oh that's nice. OK, well, I've been convinced. I don't think me or Murray are getting ripped off. But I still wanna help him out. I think I've got an idea. (APPLAUSE) - OK. Bloody interesting. Basically, they've gotta make it with the alcohol in it, then take the alcohol out, so it's gonna cost the same. - Yes. - You aren't gonna solve this one Karen. - Paddy what is my middle name? - Results? - Don't you worry. I've got something big brewing. You're just gonna have to wait and see. - All right, coming up ` if zero-alcohol beers and wines simply cost more to make, then how can Karen solve this problem? With a stroke of bloody genius and some hard yakka, that's how. And nobody seems to know who or where the Waitara dirt bikers are. Will Nick get more than he bargained for on these remote Taranaki roads? (APPLAUSE) - Nau mai, hoki mai. Welcome back, Kiwis. I'm Paddy Gower, and this is Paddy Gower Has Issues. Now, in a minute Nick heads to the rural town that has been plagued by dirt bikers that they can't find and they can't catch. But first to my news desk. There's lots of talk about the Rugby World Cup, but what about that other tournament that we always seem to do well in? Your assignment is to tell me what the heck is going on with the Commonwealth Games. - We will, Paddy. You better tape up your ankles, cos we're going for gold. It's The World Has Issues. (APPLAUSE) - Well, everyone's 14th favourite athletics event, the Commonwealth Games, also known as the Easy Olympics, has been hitting hurdle after hurdle on the track to 2026. The Australian state of Victoria was meant to host, but a few months ago they said, 'Shotgun not!' The Victoria Premier, Daniel Andrews, pulled out because the budget had blown out to 6 billion bucks, and he needs to save that money for his ear-reduction surgery. - And there's more bad news for the Commonwellies. After Victoria dropped out of 2026, Alberta, Canada dropped out of the 2030 games. And ooh ` breaking news. This just in. Ngaruawahia has now pulled out of 2034. So it begs the question ` will they ever happen again? And does literally anyone care? - Well, I kind of do. I mean, it's great for our athletes, and we smash them! At the last Olympics, Kiwis won 20 medals, but at the Commie-wells we won 50. And spare a thought for Gabon and Togo, two nations who just joined the Commonwealth in 2022, which is a bit like booking a ticket for the Titanic in 2022. - But do we even need the Commonwealth? Calling it the Common wealth is like calling Maccas fries 'nutrition sticks'. I don't wanna do the Commonwealth Games in front of Charles. I wanna do the Olympics in front of Zeus. - Yeah. - There's a last-minute lifeline, though, from Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who looks like the Cheshire Cat became a real estate agent. He reckons he can do the whole thing for 747 million bucks. Bargain! - So don't worry, New Zealand, we probably haven't seen our last C-Dub Games. Because much like our staff Christmas party this year, if no one volunteers to host it, we'll just turn up to Paddy's mansion and start throwing javelins around. Back to you, Paddy. (APPLAUSE) - Sounds like it's time for me to get those guys in and build the moat around my place. Hey, but what about Winston? Didn't he want to bring it to Christchurch? - Oh, yeah. I guess we don't know, cos he's not in government yet. They're actually ` I don't know if you know about this ` they're counting the special votes. - I know. They need to count those. Now, Nick, we've been up in Auckland, obviously. But you followed Bike Life down country, didn't you? - Yeah, that's right. It's spread, guys. It's in Huntly. It's also in Hamilton as well. And it's gone from Otara to Waitara. Paddy, I believe you're from Waitara initially, aren't you? And we spoke to locals down there. We spoke to the cops down there as well. And fair to say, they've had a gutsfull. The tiny town of Waitara has a growing problem. Today the roads are quiet. (OMINOUS MUSIC) (BIKE ENGINES WHINE) But a budding Bike Life crew is causing headaches for cops and residents. (ENGINE REVS) - Yeah, so, it was Thursday evening a few months ago, and one of these riders and his friend doing wheel stands up and down the road outside the station. No helmet, some pretty reasonable speeds, blowing stop signs and stuff in the vicinity. If he was five seconds earlier, that could have 100% been a fatal accident. - Basically, as a cop, as a local cop, that would be one of your greatest fears, I would imagine. - 100%. The last thing we wanna see is A) an innocent member of the public being hurt by one of these riders, and B) any of these riders hurting themselves. And there's so much potential for disaster, just the way they're riding, their lack of safety and care for other road users. - So, how many calls would you say you're having a week with these riders? - The volume's definitely increased. More than several a week, easily. - Who are these kids, and what do you know about them? And what's the tactic from a policing point of view, I guess? - So, we've identified some of the riders from these groups, but not a lot of them. So we need help from the community to identify these riders. If they let us know who they are, where they are coming from, we can start putting pressure on them, getting them to change their riding behaviours. - A few months ago Sergeant Moses went to a Waitara Community Board meeting. The town's dirt bike scene was high on the agenda. Councillor Tony Bedford attended. - The community have been quite vocal over a long period of time about their concern about the way motorbikes have been ridden around our community. - Tell us about where we are now. This is an area they, as far as we know, frequent. - With the walkway, we get a lot of people ` mobility scooters, wheelchairs, elderly, parents, young children, on this part through here. And it's the safety of those people. Cos the motorbikes motor through here. This is an area that should be shared by all, not dominated by few. - Do you know who the riders are? Does the community know who they are? - No. No. No. We can't run that fast and have a look and take a photo. The other day I saw one in the main street of Waitara, up the centre line, middle of the day, on one wheel, wheel standing, no helmet, doing about 60K's. That's a recipe for disaster. - If you could talk to them ` let's say you had an audience with these guys ` what would you say? - I'd just say to them, 'What do you need?' What do you need? What do you want so that you can ride your bike and respect people and property? That would be the overriding message. - So, one of the issues in Waitara seems to be no one knows exactly who these riders are. But we've managed to find one of them on Instagram. They've told us to meet them here on this deserted road just south of Waitara. And we're about to find out whether they're actually gonna show up. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) (ENGINES WHINE) (APPLAUSE) - Yeah. As you can see, Paddy, they got pretty close, those guys. It was pretty hairy. But that's how they ride, these guys. And as we said earlier, Paddy, they are heavily influenced by the guys you interviewed up in Otara. - Yeah, and I'm looking forward to seeing how your meeting with these guys turned out. And I'm also interested in seeing, O'Leary, how you can possibly get results, in terms of cheaper zero-alcohol booze. - Well, basically, I've solved the actual problem that Muzza had through my extensive research. But that doesn't actually help Muzza. So what I've done is created my very own non-alcoholic beverage, and it's gonna take Aotearoa by storm. Well, I've already solved Muzza's issue, because I'm an amazing investigator. But I wanna do something more for him. I'm gonna create my very own zero-alcohol beverage. And what better place to do that than top New Zealand syrup makers Six Barrel Soda? Do you have any beer-flavoured syrups? - We have a grapefruit and hops from time to time, which is kinda beery, but not beer. - Berry? - Beer-y. - Beery? Beer. - Beeresque. - Beeresque. - Bearish. - Bearish. Yeah, bearish. Joe took me into their world-leading soda facility with a super cool name. - This is the kitchen. - Yep. - It's a pretty simple name. - Where you make the things. - Where we make the things. - Beer-flavoured syrup. It's gotta taste like the real thing. We want authenticity. - Juicy, hoppy. - Flavourful. - Put that on there. You're doing great. - Am I? A little bit of sugar for a little bit of sweetness. - Oh (BLEEP)! Ooh, sorry. I've done 355. - 355. - It's experimental. - Yeah. - It's an art form. You've got some pineapples. A bit of malt to give it that beer flavour. Some hops ` Nelson Sauvin hops. - # Stirring syrup around and around. # Stirring syrup on the... bench. The hops are ready for when it gets hot enough. - 80-ish, I reckon, we'll chuck some hops in. Home brewers at home are gonna tell me that's the wrong temperature. - That's why they're home brewers. - We're gonna prove them wrong. You're gonna stir it round. - Woof it round like that? - Woof it round. It should be pretty strong. How's that that tasting? Beery? - Ish. Yeah. - More hops, eh? - I think so. # Stirring syrup on the bench. - Take two ` more hops. - BOTH: Cheers! - Definitely better. - That's it. - Yeah. - Shall we bottle it? - Yes. How did we do that? - Well, we're gonna pour it into a bottle. All of our syrups are about $16.95 a bottle. But you get about 15 drinks. - 15 drinks for $16.95? - That's all right, eh? - I'd be laughing all the way not to the pub. - Who are we gonna toast to? - To Muzza. - Muzza. (APPLAUSE) - Yeah. - Cheers. Give it a try. - Bottoms up. Yeah, cheers. Interesting. - I've gotta remember, it's actually concentrate. So don't forget to add the carbonated water. - You gotta add soda to this? - Yeah, you just use soda water. - I think I'm sticking to VB, Karen. - You can do that, Nick, but all I'm saying is this is the solution to non-alcoholic beverages. And not only that, it's cheap, and you can buy it right now on the Six Barrel Soda website. And even better than that, $1 from every bottle will be donated to Inside Out, a fantastic charity that does great work for rainbow communities in schools. So don't forget as well, if you've got an issue, I've got an issue. Get in touch with me if you want results ` issues@paddygower.co.nz. Cheers. - Coming up ` Nick has gone to this quiet road to meet the lawless bikers that nobody can catch. What sort of reception will he get? (APPLAUSE) (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - Whoo! Welcome back, Kiwis. This is Paddy Gower Has Issues, and I am Paddy Gower. Now, back to you, Nick, and your Bike Life mates down in Waitara. - Oh, Paddy, Paddy, I don't think I would call them my mates ` let's make that clear. But I did employ the well-known investigative journalism technique of sending them a message on Instagram. Because they were obviously quite hard to get hold of. But basically what we wanted to do with these guys is find out exactly who they are and what they're all about. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) I'm noticing a lot of skid marks on the road just ahead, so maybe this is somewhere they come often. (ENGINES WHINE) Bike Life has hit Taranaki, so we've come to meet the balaclava-clad riders the cops can't catch. - We like to do wheelies through oncoming traffic. - Wheelies through oncoming traffic. - Yeah, or against it. - Have you had any near misses or accidents? - We've had a couple, but... There's no better feeling than driving through oncoming traffic while doing it. - Dantei Healey is a front man of sorts for this crew. He suggested meeting down a long, rural road between New Plymouth and Waitara, away from the glare of police and public. - If it wasn't for Otara ` that's probably where it originated for Bike Life. And if it wasn't for them, then we probably wouldn't be here. Shout out to Wynder and all the Otara boys. They've definitely made it grow, especially over social media. They've just grown it big time. Yeah, now everyone's picking up on it. - What do you see as the future for Bike Life? - I see it growing. I see it becoming one of the top sports in New Zealand. - A sport played on our streets and roads. Obviously the police have raised concerns about the activity in Waitara. And then there's sorta, like, community concern. - Yeah. - So what would you say to that? - I can't say I'm sorry, cos sorry ain't gonna stop, and we probably won't stop. But my advice is, we're having fun, and just don't panic. We get labelled as a gang, but it's not really a gang. It's just a group of boys, a lifestyle. - So Dantei's keen to distance the group from gang life, but I can't help but notice one of them dons the distinctive colours of Uru Taha, a well-known Taranaki gang. Because the gang thing does get mentioned. - Yeah. - How would you describe it? - Probably cos they see a pack, and we're wearing balaclavas. But that's just to stop the wind. - That's all there is to it? - Yeah. Yeah. - They tell me they don't want to cause trouble, they just have nowhere to go. - There's beach, but we still get in trouble for the beach too. We're not even allowed there. If we had our own straight roads and our own park, we probably wouldn't be on the roads. (ENGINE ROARS) Then we wouldn't be in the public's way, and there won't be any Karens going off at us, and we'd be out of the cops' view. (ENGINE WHINES) - Because how do you feel when you ride? - Freedom. We pay our taxes, we go to work, and we just have a bit of fun ` or in our words, it's therapy. Yeah. - I can hear one of the boys saying, like, it actually keeps you occupied. - Well, if we didn't have our bikes, we'd probably just be trouble. Yeah. There's nothing really to offer here, but just Bike Life, really. And just work. Yeah. (APPLAUSE) - Wow. Great yarn, but obviously we cannot condone riding head-on into traffic or anything like that. It is illegal. But what did you actually think of these guys when you met them? - Look, Paddy, these really weren't bad guys, to be honest. But obviously, as we saw, some of the things they were doing are bad and they're illegal. But I think the issue here, really, is there isn't actually enough to keep these guys occupied. So I think this is an issue where there's a lot more to it than actually meets the eye. - Yeah, totally. And really good investigation. You were a bridge to the truth, Nick Truebridge. And of course Karen 'Results' O'Leary ` more results. And over on the news desk, Courtney 'Awesome Dawson' Dawson and Eli 'No Nickname' Matthewson. (APPLAUSE) All right, so for me it goes like this ` here's something from an internal police report that I want you to see, because I reckon the cops actually say it best. Quote ` Translation ` this stuff is going to get worse unless life improves for people in poorer areas. Like I say, that's from the New Zealand Police, the cops out there dealing with it. It is an awkward, inconvenient truth. The cops get it, but they can't solve the dirt bike issue on their own. Just like the bigger issue of our lost young people, it is just so complex. On this show, we like to find solutions, or at least come to conclusions. So here is a conclusion ` inequality is bad for New Zealand, and it creates issues for all of us. I'm Paddy Gower. Those were my issues, and I'm gonna miss youse. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) Captions by Faith Hamblyn and James Brown. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air.