TIME NOW FOR SEVEN SHARP WITH HILARY AND DANIEL. AUCKLAND BUS DRIVERS ARE ON THE RECEIVING END OF SOME SORT OF ABUSE EVERY THREE DAYS. THAT INCLUDES VERBAL ABUSE AND RACIAL TAUNTS ` NOT TO MENTION DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO PAY. SO IT TAKES A PRETTY SPECIAL PERSON TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL. WE SHARE A RIDE AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE MEASURES TO KEEP BUS DRIVERS SAFE. (BROODING MUSIC) I DIDN'T WANT TO BE DOING SECURITY THE REST OF MY LIFE, AND I REALLY WANTED TO DRIVE A DOUBLE-DECKER BUS SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY. (KEYPAD BEEPS) THANK YOU, OUT BASE ` DUTY 10-16, BE SERVING COMM STREET. OPPORTUNITY AROSE WHERE I COULD DRIVE A DOUBLE-DECKER, AND I TOOK IT. I LOVE IT. I KIND OF FOUND MY CALLING IS DRIVING BUSES AND DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC. (DRAMATIC ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) GOOD MORNING. MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. YOURSELF? I'M GOOD, THANK YOU. BUT IT'S DEALINGS WITH THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE PUT BUS DRIVING IN THE SPOTLIGHT RECENTLY. LATEST FIGURES SHOW ASSAULTS ARE ON THE RISE. THERE HAVE BEEN 35 REPORTED INCIDENTS SO FAR THIS YEAR, NOT TO MENTION THE VERBAL ABUSE. IT'S SOMETHING AUCKLAND TRANSPORT WANTS TO PUT THE BRAKES ON. THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A BUS DRIVER. THEY LOVE THE CUSTOMER INTERACTION THAT YOU CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE SAME ROUTE, SPEAKING TO THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY DAY, FIVE, SIX DAYS A WEEK. YOU KNOW, IT IS QUITE ENJOYABLE. YEAH. AND DRIVING A BIG BUS. YEAH. AND DRIVING A BIG BUS, YEAH. I LOVE DRIVING IN GENERAL, SO I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY. SHAYLE JOHNSON'S BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE HOWICK AND EASTERN DOUBLE DECKER. HE USED TO BE A SECURITY GUARD, AND LETS THE INSULTS RIDE. I'M CARRYING THE MOST IMPORTANT CARGO, WHICH IS HUMAN BEINGS, AND YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO` EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO IN A QUICK AND TIMELY MANNER, SO WE TRY TO PROVIDE THAT. BETTY CHAN HAS COPPED HER FAIR SHARE OF ABUSE. THEY WERE POINTING TO ME AND SAY, 'YOU'RE THE ASIAN BITCH.' SOMETIMES THEY JUST TRY TO GET ON THE BUS AND NOT PAY` NOT PAY? NOT PAY. AND I CAN'T HEAR THE SOUND, SO I SAID, 'OH, EXCUSE ME, CAN YOU TRY AGAIN, PLEASE?' AND THEY... THEY GET ANGRY. BETTY'S 70 ` AND STRAIGHT-TALKING. I STILL SMILING TO THEM ` OR ELSE... I CAN SAY, 'I LOVE YOU.' NICE ONE. YEAH. BECAUSE WE'RE JUST DOING OUR JOB. RIGHT. DRIVE THE BUS, MAKE THE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE. IF THEY KEEP SAYING THAT, THEN I WILL SAY, 'I STILL LOVE YOU.' (LAUGHS) SO WHAT CAN I DO? DRIVERS GET DE-ESCALATION TRAINING AND AT'S PUTTING IN MORE SECURITY. SO WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK WITH ALL OF OUR OPERATORS AROUND CCTV. WE'RE DOING A LOT MORE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE LOCAL POLICE. ALSO, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BIG HIRE TO GET MORE TRANSPORT OFFICERS IN OUR NETWORK. THERE'S ALSO A MOVE TOWARDS SECURITY SCREENS AROUND DRIVERS. THEY ARE SEEING MORE ON THE FRONT LINE. YEAH, CERTAINLY SINCE, UM, COVID` COVID HAS BEEN BASICALLY A PRECURSOR, AND, YEAH, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T BASICALLY CONGREGATED AROUND AUCKLAND BEFORE COVID, AND AFTER COVID, SO I SEE A LOT OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE THAT, UM... NEED A BIT OF HELP? NEED A LOT OF HELP, ACTUALLY, UNFORTUNATELY. AND, UM, YEAH, SO WE'RE SEEING` WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THAT. MOST OF THE TIME IF A PERSON'S A LITTLE BIT, UM, NEGATIVE, WHEN THEY ENTER THE BUS, UM... THEY RESPOND IN A POSITIVE WAY, LEAVING THE BUS. RIGHT, SO YOU CAN SMILE THEM OUT OF IT? HOPEFULLY. TO THESE DRIVERS, IT'S CLEAR THE JOB IS A LOT MORE THAN A BUS RIDE. WHAT'S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR JOB, BETTY? KNOWING PEOPLE, CHAT WITH THE PEOPLE... YOU KNOW? HELPING THE PEOPLE. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) EVEN ON A BAD DAY, WHEN PEOPLE ARE UPSET OR CRANKY, WHATEVER, I CAN MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE BY SMILING AND SAYING, 'HI, HOW ARE YOU?' (UPLIFTING MUSIC SOARS) OF COURSE, EVERYONE WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO RESPECT YOU. I RESPECT THEM ` I HOPE THEY CAN RESPECT ME. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH, OTO SEQUEIRA AND KATE McCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 TO HAWKE'S BAY ` AND A STORY OF RENEWAL AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE. BURIED IN THE THICK SILT OF ESK VALLEY WERE DOG BOARDING KENNELS RUN BY A COUPLE WHO INCREDIBLY MANAGED TO SAVE ALL THE DOGS ON THAT TERRIBLE NIGHT 18 MONTHS AGO. NOW IT TURNS OUT, KATRINA AND JOHN HARRIS HAVE SAVED THEMSELVES TOO. MICHAEL HOLLAND EXPLAINS. MICHAEL HOLLAND EXPLAINS. COME ON, COME ON. GOOD BOY! YEP. SITS IN THE BACK SEAT THERE. IT'S A TAIL-WAGGINGLY HECTIC START. (CHUCKLES) NOT UNLIKE HERDING... CATS? THIS IS OUR LOVELY SHADOW. I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR SHADOW BECAUSE HE'S SADLY JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A TERMINAL CONDITION. BUT HE LOVES HIS WALKS, SO I KEEP TAKING THEM UNTIL BUT HE LOVES HIS WALKS, SO I KEEP TAKING HIM UNTIL HE CAN NO LONGER COME OUT WITH US. HELLO, GORGEOUS GIRL! HELLO! COME ON. GOOD GIRL. WE'VE GOT HARRY, RECKON, SHADOW, WILLA. YES. WHO'S NEXT? BETSY, BAXTER AND KIP. JUST THREE MORE. AND THAT'LL BE QUITE A SNUG LITTLE CAR BY THEN. YES IT WILL! YES, YES. COME ON, COME ON. IT'S ALL RIGHT. HELLO! YES, YES, YES. MWAH. ALL HOUNDS ABOARD AND ALL ROADS LEADING TO PLAYGROUND NUMBER ONE. COME ON, SHADOW! COME ON! CONVINCE ME THAT YOU LOVE DOGS. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED MUCH CONVINCING. THEY'RE SO LOYAL. AND I LOVE THE LOVE THEY GIVE ME. COME ON, HARRY. COME ON, BETSY. KATRINA'S GANG OF SEVEN COMING TOGETHER WITH AN EVEN BIGGER PACK ROUNDED UP BY HER HUSBAND, JOHN. SO MANY DOGS. HAPPY DOGS. I'VE COUNTED THEM ` 22. YOU'VE GOT AN APPETITE FOR MORE? OH, YEAH. I COULD HAVE PLENTY MORE THAN THIS. YEAH, CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH FUN. ESCAPADES LIKE THIS. 25 A DAY SORT OF THING. 30 A DAY, TWO GROUPS OF 15. BORN OUT OF THE DEVASTATION INFLICTED ON THEIR ESK VALLEY DOG FARMSTAY BUSINESS BY CYCLONE GABRIELLE. OH, THE DOGS WERE SO HAPPY. IT WAS SUCH A HAPPY PLACE. AND YEAH, WE REALLY MISS IT. MISS IT HEAPS. WE WERE THIS DEEP. WE WERE CHEST DEEP. WE SORT OF REALISED WE WERE IN TROUBLE WHEN THE FRONT DOOR BLEW OPEN WITH THE PRESSURE OF THE WATER BEHIND IT. IT WAS LIKE A RIVER AND THE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS COMING THROUGH WAS INCREDIBLE. WE HAD SIX BOARDING DOGS THAT WE MANAGED TO BRING INTO THE HOUSE AND SAVE IN TIME. YOU KNOW, IT WAS A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME AND, TO HELP US, WE JUST THOUGHT, 'LET'S JUST GET SOME DOGS AND GO WALKING.' WALKING TO CLEAR THE HEAD? YEAH. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND IT'S TURNED INTO... THIS! WHICH ISN'T PANDEMONIUM, IS IT? NO, NO, NOT AT ALL. JUST A LITTLE BIT. THEY WERE DOWN, BUT THEY WEREN'T DOWN FOR LONG. AND IT'S THE DOGS THAT HAVE BROUGHT THEM BACK. THERE IS GENUINE MONEY IN WALKING DOGS. VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH SO. THEY DESERVE IT? WITHOUT A DOUBT. THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THESE GUYS HAVE GOT, LIKE, THEY ARE THE MOST GENUINE, CARING PEOPLE. MY DOGS LOVE THEM TO BITS. THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THEM GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO DO, A BIT OF PURPOSE AND A REASON TO GET OUT OF BED. IT'S JUST GROWN FROM THERE AND IT'LL KEEP GROWING. THERE ARE A LOT OF PASSIONATE DOG OWNERS OUT THERE, BUT THE DOG COMES FIRST. THEY GO HOME, THE OWNERS ARE HAPPY. THEY'RE` THEY'RE JUST BUGGERED AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, EXHAUSTED. ONE DAY, I'D LOVE TO HAVE A DREAM PROPERTY WHERE WE CAN BUILD OUR OWN ADVENTURE PARK, JUST FOR DOGS TO COME AND PLAY AND DO THIS! YOU NEED TO MAKE ME A PROMISE AS YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD. KATRINA ABSOLUTELY NEEDS A NEW VEHICLE. SHE CERTAINLY DOES, AND WE WILL BE GETTING ONE VERY SOON. A PURPOSE-BUILT VAN OR SOMETHING, PLEASE! YEAH, IT'LL BE THERE. FULL OF CAGES AND SEATS AND IT'LL MAKE LIFE SO MUCH EASIER. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS NOW. YEAH, YEAH. YOU'RE LOVING LIFE AGAIN? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES VERY LUCKY. E WHAI AKE NEI, COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` WHY DAVID 'BUTTERBEAN' LETELE IS GOING ALL OUT IN HEAVYWEIGHT. PLUS... I JUST FEEL SO PROUD. IT'S JUST INSPIRING TO SEE WHAT THEY ACHIEVE EACH WEEK. THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY THAT'S NOW PASSING THE LESSONS LEARNED ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI ` WELCOME BACK. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. RAISING A FAMILY CAN TAKE A VILLAGE, BUT NOT EVERYONE'S LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE, AND WHEN HOME LIFE ISN'T SAFE, THAT'S PARTICULARLY TOUGH. FOR 55 YEARS, BARNARDO'S CHILDREN'S CHARITY HAS BEEN HELPING BRIDGE THAT GAP. AND FOR ONE GRATEFUL MUM, THAT HELP'S GONE FULL CIRCLE. RACHEL PARKIN EXPLAINS. (GENTLE ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC) SARENA EDWARD WAS 18 WHEN SHE BECAME A MUM. I HAD TO GIVE THEM THE DIFFERENT COLOURED TEDDY SO I KNEW WHICH BABY WAS WHICH. HELP WITH THE BOYS WAS LIMITED AND THERE WAS VIOLENCE. AT THE TIME, SARENA NOT KNOWING ANY DIFFERENT. AND MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR FATHER, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T NICE. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME DARK DAYS. YOU WERE JUST SURVIVING. NOW, AS AN ADULT, THOUGH, WITH 23-YEAR-OLD TWIN BOYS, SARENA SEEING JUST HOW MUCH A VILLAGE MIGHT HAVE HELPED. OH, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS I WISH I COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. (UPBEAT DANCE MUSIC) (LAUGHTER) IF ONLY SHE'D HAD THIS ` A BARNARDO'S COFFEE GROUP FOR MUMS SHE OVERSEES ` I SAY 'OVERSEE', BECAUSE THESE WAHINE TOA WELL AND TRULY CALL THE SHOTS. COMING TOGETHER TO UNPACK, SNACK.... DO YOU WANT ME TO FIND A CARAMEL? CREAMY CARAMEL? ...AND CHEW THE FAT, ALL THE WHILE DOING THE MAHI AT HOME FOR THEIR FAMILIES. EVERYONE HERE DID A SAFETY COURSE FIRST. LESSONS LEARNED, IT'S HOPED, FOR LIFE. HOW BIG IS THAT ` MOVING THE BLAME AWAY FROM SELF? HUGE. IT'S REALLY HUGE. THE WEIGHT OFF THEIR SHOULDERS WHEN THEY CAN FINALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOT THE PERSON TO BLAME IS` THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED TO HAVE FUN. (LAUGHTER) SHANNON HERE A BARNARDO'S BABY. YEAH, SO I WAS ONE OF THE CHILDREN IN BARNARDO'S SUPERVISED CARE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY I MOVED ON TO HAVING MY SON COME IN AND DO THE SAFETY PROGRAMME. I FOUND THAT HE ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO, WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, USE WHAT HE LEARNED IN THAT SAFETY PROGRAMME. BUT IT WAS REALLY COMFORTING KNOWING THAT HE HAD THOSE SKILLS TO KEEP HIMSELF SAFE WHEN HE NEEDED TO. HAVE THERE BEEN TIMES THAT THINGS MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN OK WITHOUT BARNARDO'S HELP? OH, ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. JUST KNOWING THAT THERE'S SOMEONE THAT I CAN RING. THIS GROUP THE ICING ON THEIR CAKE. # HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR LIZ. # I WAS VERY LOCKED AWAY IN MY HOME. EVERY TIME SARAH, MY BARNARDO'S WORKER, CAME TO VISIT ME AT HOME, MY CURTAINS WERE SHUT. THE GROUP I MET` AT THE START, I WAS VERY OBVIOUSLY SHY. I DIDN'T REALLY TALK. I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE GOING OUT ANYWHERE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. I HADN'T MADE FRIENDS IN ABOUT THREE YEARS. I'LL BE HONEST, I WAS SCARED. (LAUGHS) LIKE, SHY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT AND PUTTING YOUR SHIT ON THE TABLE, REALLY, IT'S A LOT. AND IT TAKES BALLS, REALLY. AND WE'RE ALL STRANGERS. BUT WITH TIME, THOSE STRANGERS BECOMING FRIENDS, EVEN FAMILY. YEAH. I LOVE THIS GROUP LIKE MY WHANAU. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT BARNARDO'S MEANS TO ME. BUT SINCE COMING HERE, I BASICALLY BLOSSOMED. YOU KNOW, MY CURTAINS ARE OPEN NOW. I'M DRESSED. I'M LOOKING AFTER MYSELF. MY SON'S HAPPY. I THINK IT'S NICE TO DO SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF, AND HAVE THAT SORT OF SOCIAL CIRCLE AROUND YOU. THERE ARE STILL, OF COURSE, CHALLENGES, BUT THIS SIMPLE SET UP ` COFFEE AND A CACKLE... (LAUGHS) ...REALLY HELPS. I FINISHED MY LAW DEGREE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR AND I WAS ADMITTED TO THE BAR IN JUNE, AND I'VE JUST SECURED MY FIRST ROLE AS A SOLICITOR, SO... CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. BUT NOW I'M STUDYING TO BE A SWIM TEACHER, SO EVERYTHING'S GOING COOL. SO BESIDES THAT, IT'S JUST BEEN, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE PARENTING, REDIRECTION AND STUFF LIKE THAT. JUST WHATEVER I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. IN ITS 55th YEAR HELPING WHANAU ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BARNARDO'S IS STILL SADLY VERY MUCH IN NEED. AND A VISION BOARD` THERE'S NO WRONG WAY TO DO IT. WE KNOW THE HARD FACTS. FAMILY VIOLENCE IN NEW ZEALAND IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH IN OUR NUMBERS. BUT I GUESS WHAT WE KIND OF PROMOTE IS DREAMING BIG. THIS THE PERFECT SAFE SPACE TO DO THAT. HALF OF US CAN'T WAIT TO SEE EACH OTHER EVERY WEEK. (CHUCKLES) TO BE TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, ONCE A WEEK, OR WHEN WE CAN. BECAUSE IT'S HARD ON YOUR OWN. YEAH. THE VILLAGE TEENAGE SARENA COULD ONLY DREAM OF CHANGING LIVES. IT'S BEEN PRETTY FULL-ON, BUT` YEAH. YEAH, YOU CAN DEFINITELY DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO, I THINK. I JUST FEEL SO PROUD. IT'S JUST INSPIRING TO SEE WHAT THEY ACHIEVE EACH WEEK. (CAMERA SHUTTER FLASHES) DAVE LETELE IS THE ULTIMATE COMMUNITY MAN - ALWAYS HELPING OTHERS. IT'S A DRIVE THAT'S BEEN BORN OUT OF ADVERSITY. HE'S MADE NO SECRET ABOUT HIS PAST AND THE FACT HIS FATHER WAS A GANG LEADER. NOW HE'S LOOKING INTO GANGS IN A NEW DOCUMENTARY. SOME PEOPLE` A LOT OF PEOPLE END UP IN THE MOB BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT A HUMAN HEART DESIRES, BUT THAT OUR SOUL YEARNS FOR, YOU KNOW? AND IT'S A SENSE OF BELONGING. IT'S ACCEPTANCE... IT'S, UM... IT'S LOVE. AN UPBRINGING DAVE LETELE KNOWS HE COULD HAVE HAD TOO HAD HE NOT BEEN SENT AWAY BY HIS FATHER, WHO AT THE TIME WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUCKLAND CHAPTER OF THE MONGREL MOB. # HOPE FOR A GENERATION... IN HIS LATEST HEAVYWEIGHT SPECIAL, 'PATCHED', DAVE TAKES A CLOSE LOOK AT NEW ZEALAND'S GANG CULTURE AND WHY IT'S STILL SO PREVALENT TODAY. (REGGAE MUSIC) IT'S PERSONAL ` SITTING DOWN WITH HIS FATHER TO TALK ABOUT HIS OWN CHILDHOOD AND HOW HIS ROLE IN THE GANGS INFLUENCED IT. AND DAVE LETELE IS HERE NOW. IT IS SO GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, DAVE. AND NORMALLY WHEN WE HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW, WE'RE SHINING A LIGHT ON YOUR COMMUNITY WORK, WHICH IS VAST. NOW YOU'VE GOT THIS NEW PROJECT. WHY DID YOU WANT TO DO IT? OH, IT'S ALL ABOUT RAISING AWARENESS AND CREATING, YOU KNOW, MORE UNDERSTANDING. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH UNDERSTANDING, THAT'S HOW WE CAN TRULY CHANGE THINGS AND HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT NEED TO BE HAD. DAVE, HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT GROWING UP WITH THE GANG CULTURE ALL AROUND YOU? I WAS LUCKY ` I STILL HAD A GOOD FAMILY, YOU KNOW? SO WHILE MY FATHER WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE MOB, AND, YOU KNOW, I SEEN A LOT OF STUFF, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP AND THAT I THOUGHT WAS NORMAL, AND I UNDERSTAND NOW THAT IT WASN'T ` YOU KNOW, HE WAS A BANK ROBBER, MY FIRST MEMORY OF THE POLICE WAS THEM RAIDING MY HOUSE AND STEALING ALL MY CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. THAT WAS MY FIRST MEMORY OF THE POLICE. BUT AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY FATHER WENT AWAY AND SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR ARMED ROBBERY, AT LEAST I STILL HAD A GOOD FAMILY THAT COULD PLUCK ME OUT OF THAT ENVIRONMENT AND RAISE ME. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE` A LOT OF THESE CHILDREN THAT` AND A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AND THAT ARE ON THE SHOW ` THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT LUXURY. YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE GOOD FRIENDS OR FAMILY THAT CAN HELP THEM. SO AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT CREATING UNDERSTANDING. AND IT'S` YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THINGS, WE HAVE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. AND IT STARTS WITH HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND IT STARTS WITH HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS. AS PART OF THE PROGRAMME, YOU SIT DOWN WITH YOUR DAD, WHO YOU JUST MENTIONED. HOW DID THAT GO, AND WAS IT HARD GETTING HIM INVOLVED? I DIDN'T WANT MY FATHER INVOLVED, IF I'M HONEST. UM... YOU KNOW, WE'VE` I LOVE MY FATHER, I LOVE MY MUM, AND MY FAMILY ` BUT WE'VE GOT A COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP. THERE'S STILL SO MUCH TRAUMA THERE. AND, UM... YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER INTERVIEWING` HOW NERVOUS I WAS INTERVIEWING JACINDA ARDERN. I WAS MUCH MORE NERVOUS TO INTERVIEW MY FATHER, BUT I TREATED IT AS LIKE A COUNSELLING SESSION FOR ME. WE SAT DOWN FOR AN HOUR, AND IT'S THE LONGEST TIME THAT WE'VE EVER SAT DOWN AND HAD A CONVERSATION IN OUR LIVES, SO I USED IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE I COULD ASK HIM QUESTIONS THAT I'VE BEEN WANTING TO ASK SINCE I WAS A LITTLE KID, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHY` WHY WAS I SENT AWAY? WHY DIDN'T I COME BACK WHEN YOU GOT OUT? IT WAS A GOOD` A GOOD HEALING. AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S AN EXAMPLE FOR, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF GANG KIDS BEING RAISED WITH THAT EXACT SAME RELATIONSHIP. SO IT WAS GOOD THAT WE COULD SIT DOWN AND START THE CONVERSATION. SO, DAVE, WHAT IS IT` WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LEARN FROM WATCHING THE SHOW? WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO LEARN FROM WATCHING THIS SHOW IS THAT` YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT CHOICE, AND A LOT OF THESE CHILDREN DON'T ` THAT THEY'RE BORN INTO SITUATIONS WHERE THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CHOICE, NO CHOICE IN THE ENVIRONMENT THEY'RE RAISED, AND WHAT THEIR PARENTS ARE DOING. SO IN ORDER TO CHANGE AND BREAK THESE CYCLES, WE HAVE TO, NUMBER ONE, ADMIT AND START THESE CONVERSATIONS AND THINK OF THINGS LONG TERM. SO I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE WALK OUT OF THIS WITH SOME UNDERSTANDING ` IT'S OK. TO CHANGE THINGS, WE HAVE TO INVEST IN THESE PROGRAMMES, LIKE OURS AND LIKE GRACE FOUNDATION, AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED REHABS LONG-TERM, SO THAT THINGS ARE BETTER FOR THE GRANDKIDS. BECAUSE IF WE THINK THINGS ARE BAD NOW WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING, YOU JUST IMAGINE THE KIDS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH, YOU KNOW? IT GETS WORSE EVERY GENERATION. SO WE'VE GOT TO THINK LONG-TERM. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING THAT PEOPLE GET OUT OF THIS. AND ALSO THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN GANGS ` YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TIMES THEY THINK THEY CAN NEVER GET OUT. WE'VE GOT` YOU KNOW, WE HAD A FORMER COMANCHERO ON THE SHOW AND WE ASKED THEM, 'HOW DID YOU LEAVE? 'YOU KNOW, WHY DID YOU LEAVE?' AND HE JUST SAID TO ME, 'YOU KNOW, I WOKE UP AND LOOKED IN THE MIRROR 'AND I DIDN'T LIKE WHAT I SAW.' 'YOU KNOW, I HAD ONE FOOT WITH GOD AND ONE FOOT WITH THE CLUB, 'AND YOU JUST CAN'T BE THAT WAY, YOU KNOW?' SO IT SHOWS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO LEAVE THE CLUB. AND ALSO EVERYONE THAT WAS ON THE SHOW, FORMER AND CURRENT MEMBERS ` THEY ALL HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON ` WHEN WE ASKED IF THEY WANTED THEIR KIDS IN THIS LIFE, THEY ALL SAID NO. 'WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUNG KIDS LOOKING UP, 'SEEING THE GOLD CHAINS AND THE RINGS AND THE CARS 'AND THE BIKES AND THE GIRLS? 'WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM WANTING TO BE GANGSTERS?' AND THEY'D SAY, 'WELL, IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT 'TO WHAT YOU SEE ON A 10-SECOND TIKTOK REEL.' EVERYONE SAID THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A... THERE'S SO MANY AMAZING THINGS THAT CAN COME OUT OF THE SHOW. DAVE, THANK YOU. GREAT TO TALK TO YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, TEAM. AND YOU CAN WATCH HEAVYWEIGHT WITH DAVE LETELE ON TVNZ2 AT 8.45 TONIGHT AND ON TVNZ+. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT WITH TOMORROW'S PLACE TO BE. WELCOME BACK. THE PLACE TO BE TOMORROW IS TAUPO ` YOU'VE GOT A GORGEOUS, CRISP SUNNY DAY ON THE CARDS. ON THE SHOW TOMORROW ` THE HUNT FOR THE CANTERBURY PANTHER HITS THE BIG SCREEN. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY ` THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. KIRSTIE AND PHIL'S LOVE IT OR LIST IT IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. PO MARIE. CHEERIO. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH, OTO SEQUEIRA AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024