Category: Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Warning: This story covers topics including sex addiction and suicide.

New Kiwi dark comedy Crackhead turns real-life addiction struggles into sharp humour – with Holly Shervey starring and husband Emmett Skilton directing.

Holly Shervey was just six-years-old when her mum died of cancer.

She was her everything, and once she was gone, Shervey began drifting down a destructive path of anxiety – including fears that murderers were lurking outside her bedroom – before an eating disorder, addiction and suicidal thoughts took hold, eventually leading to psychiatric care while she was still at university.

It’s an experience that would break many, but the New Zealand actress has turned that deep pain into a gripping dark comedy, Crackhead, which has just premiered on Kiwi and international screens.

“When I went into psych care, I couldn’t find someone or something to connect my journey with, except Girl Interrupted [an Oscar-winning movie, starring Angelina Jolie],” Shervey tells The Detail.

“It was the only way I could see what was going on for me and someone else going through the same struggle, and it made me feel less alone.

“So, my hope is that anyone who is going through something similar can feel less isolated in their own struggle. Yes, it’s dark, but we have tried to match it with enough comedy so it’s digestible for a wider audience as well.”

A familiar face to Kiwi audiences, thanks to roles on Shortland Street, Auckward Love, and Head High, Shervey moved to New Zealand from Australia with her parents and siblings when she was young. But not long after, tragedy struck when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“You lose that stability at that age … and I created these anxieties as a kid. I would have been about 7-years-old, and every night before I went to sleep, I would have to check around the outside of our house to make sure there weren’t murderers hiding.

“You are in survival mode as a kid because you don’t have your mum to look after you.”

As she got older, she turned to food, alcohol, and sex to numb her pain, and “things sort of just spiralled from there”. More than once, she contemplated suicide.

“You are trying so hard to feel normal, but your thoughts are so jagged, part of me was so desperate to not have those thoughts, that spiralling going on for me anymore, and so part of me reached out for help.”

She connected with her family, who organised psychiatric care. It proved lifesaving and life-changing.

And the experience ultimately formed the basis of her plot for her dark comedy, Crackhead.

Shervey wanted to turn her pain into gritty humour, so she created Frankie, a hard-partying, drug-taking, sex-loving, self-destructive 30-something who ends up in rehab.

A hint of her behaviour: in the opening scene, viewers meet her drunk dancing in a nightclub before she hooks up with a stranger in a bathroom cubicle, then vomits in the toilet while insisting her new male friend continues the sex act.

It’s confronting, raw, and gripping, all at once.

Before the end of the first 22 minutes, a hungover Frankie misses her father’s funeral, has a drunken car accident, and burns down part of her sister’s home before landing in court-appointed rehab, where she battles a colourful cast of patients and staff – played by the likes of Miriama Smith, Ana Scotney, and Sara Wiseman.

An in-your-face, did-that-really-make-it-on New Zealand TV “emergency defecation situation” makes it into the next 22 minutes, but it’s probably best that it’s left here.

All up there are eight episodes, which took Shervey and her husband, actor and director Emmett Skilton, eight years to bring to the screen.

For Shervey, bringing Frankie to life was, at times, “so much fun – the parties and drinking”, but other scenes proved “heartbreaking”.

“Playing Frankie felt real, but we definitely have different vices. She’s more of an addict than I was. I struggled more with an eating disorder and suicidal ideation, so there are similarities, but mental health is different,” says Shervey, who never contemplated anyone else playing the role.

“I think if someone else had played her, it would have broken my heart, because that was like my soul on that paper, and it was too hard for me to think of someone else having that voice.

“And the journey of Crackhead has been hugely cathartic.”

Her husband Emmett Skilton, in his role as the show director, admits it was heartbreaking to watch his wife relive her trauma, but he gained a full understanding of what she had been through years earlier.

“When we met, I fell in love with her very quickly and asked her to marry me very quickly. Her first instinct was to make sure that I was aware that she was in psych care.

“So, that being introduced into our relationship in a major way, cut to a decade later, and we are making Crackhead, it was almost like I was starting to understand what all that meant to her, and what all that was.

“So, the scenes that we explored that were the hardest hitting were the ones that were very very close to home in regard to close to the real events that occurred.

“Watching Holly re-live those things, and it was very painful for her, and watching it and guiding her as a director, but also supporting her as a husband, was quite relieving that it was me doing it.”

Shervey fought hard for her story to make it to air – “initially networks weren’t into it, it was too much of a risk” – and then to keep control of the narrative and the title.

“It’s such a powerful name… but there were people who weren’t willing to advertise the show because it’s such a bold name,” she says. “And there were definitely moments when we explored trying to have another title for the show. But nothing felt right.

“Crackhead matches the energy of what the show is. And it’s a crunchy, visceral word, and it’s a crunchy visceral show.”

The show is now airing on Three on Thursday night, plus on demand, and is already reaching international audiences through HBO Max Australia.

“With international audiences, we have had a few people who have already seen it and have nothing to compare it to,” says Skilton, who initially considered acting in the show before committing to director-only. “They said we haven’t seen something like this yet. We even have New Zealand audiences saying that.

“I think the importance of it is that it’s true and honest. You go to some very very dark places, and I think especially New Zealand audiences find those things more digestible when you are laughing at the same time. Or when they have just laughed, two or three seconds previous, you shock them with something very truthful and deep.”

Because sometimes humour is the only way people survive the hardest chapters of their lives. And sometimes telling the truth – even the ugly parts – is the bravest thing a storyteller can do.

Crackhead isn’t polished. It isn’t polite. But that may be exactly the point.

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
• What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds
• Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
• Healthline: 0800 611 116
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463
• Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

Sexual Violence

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Automobile Association (AA) is warning against panic buying or stockpiling fuel, saying large quantities may impact house insurance claims.

Several Gull, Foodstuffs, and Tasman Fuels stations ran out of petrol and diesel on Thursday and Friday, as the crisis deepened in the Middle East.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Friday told Morning Report the price increases were extremely tough and affecting all New Zealanders.

Willis said she did not want to see a situation where people could not drive to work, and instructed IRD and Treasury to come up with a package that could be implemented with urgency ahead of the Budget.

AA principal policy adviser Terry Collins told RNZ the government had been “very clear” the country had enough fuel.

“Occasionally you’ll see a service station that runs dry. That’s usually because they’re offering a good deal.”

Changes to consumer demand in response to rising prices meant the usual fuel deliveries were not always able to keep up, he said.

“We’ve had a rush on some of those service stations, they’ve run dry. It doesn’t mean we’re running out of fuel. It just means that that filling up regime has been interrupted.”

It was dangerous to store large quantities of fuel in residential homes – even in jerry cans, Collins said.

“Even though the cans are suitable for it, the danger that occurs is if you’ve got a large quantity and it’s attributed to some damage or a fire, then you may have some insurance problems.”

Insurance providers would not expect people to have large quantities of fuel at their homes, he said.

“It’s ok to have those cans for your chainsaw, your lawnmower, your motorbike or boat … but large quantities of fuel is just not recommended.”

How to save on fuel

Collins said there were two ways to save at the pump: finding the cheapest fuel, and maximising efficiency.

“We have a fuel standard. It’s nearly all the same. You will never notice the impact between different brands.

“Once you’ve got it, it’s how you use it. So simple tips about anticipating traffic, keeping gaps in front of you with the other cars … make sure your tyre pressure is all correct.”

“And generally, if you’re travelling places, put all your trips together this weekend.”

‘Another nail in the coffin’

Grey Power president Gayle Chambers said she was concerned rising petrol costs could lead to social isolation for older people.

“Many people, they’ll go out for coffee, or go to the likes of Senior Citizens in their car. If the petrol goes up too much more, they’re going to find that they’re going to have to restrict themselves as to where they go and how often they go.

She acknowledged if restrictions were brought in, that would be hard for everyone, but for the elderly it would be “just another nail in the coffin”.

Older people were likely to be worse affected because many were on restricted budgets.

“It makes it pretty hard. It’s mentally hard on people, as well as anything else,” Chambers said.

Isolated island communities hit hard

Chatham Island council held a meeting Friday to try to come up with a way to soften the blow for the isolated community which has seen diesel prices jump by more than $1.

Chatham Islands Enterprise Trust chief executive and council interim chief executive Bob Penter said diesel was at $2.29 per litre and petrol at $4.50 per litre before the conflict in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, on Waiheke Island, petrol prices on Friday were sitting close to $4 and the main Waiheke ferry was making some timetable changes to accommodate increasing fuel costs.

Great Barrier Islanders were also expecting access to the mainland will reduce if fuel continues to rise.

Local Board member Izzy Fordham Friday said their prices were slightly more than the rest of Aotearoa. At her local $4.17 a litre for petrol and $3.76 for diesel.

Fuel efficient rail

A rail advocate told RNZ a return to the rail network of the past could help deal with the fuel problems of the future.

The Future is Rail’s Paul Callister said if the country had electrified trains between the major cities, the fuel crisis would be less of a problem.

“We know that rail is very energy efficient, has hardly any emissions – even diesel trains pulling freight trains or passenger trains are very light on the use of fuel.”

Some of the billions of dollars being spent on Roads of National Significance could instead be spent on rail, he added.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The government is ordering a complete review of the decades-old Dog Control Act after sustained criticism the current law is not enough.

It comes after a spate of incidents, including the death of a woman in Northland last month after she was attacked by a pack of dogs.

The SPCA says it has been calling for changes for more than a decade.

Council animal control officers have also been calling for more powers.

Local Government Minister Simon Watts says recent attacks have been horrific.

“New Zealanders are appalled by recent attacks by aggressive and out-of-control dogs. People are reporting that they are avoiding areas in their neighbourhood because they have been attacked or have reason to believe they will be,” he said.

“Kiwis should be able to walk, run, or take their kids to the park without worrying about being harmed.”

Watts said the government has heard clearly from Local Government NZ and councils that the Dog Control Act is outdated and stopping them doing their jobs.

This was putting unnecessary strain on the wider system he said.

The scope of the review is still being worked out but will look at areas that may be putting barriers in place.

It will also delve into penalties and consequences for dog owners who are not compliant and obligations around desexing.

“We are also updating enforcement guidelines so dog control officers have a consistent approach to their work, with clarity on how they should respond and what tools are available to them,” the minister said.

But Watts said dog control issues were best managed locally by councils, which already have enforcement powers under the existing law.

He has sent a letter to every council outlining what he says are his expectations, and to encourage them to make full use of the powers they have now.

“As we review the Act, I want councils to be able to confidently say they are using every power available to tackle this issue,” Watts said.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell said while the review is underway, police will support dog control officers when they need help.

“Police have a role to play in dog control when council staff have safety concerns while dealing with dangerous and high-risk dogs. Police will accompany council staff where Police-only powers are required or there are significant safety risks,” Mitchell said.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said th Department of Conservation will step up monitoring on conservation land and expand its professional hunter response so cases involving feral or uncontrolled dogs can be dealt with quickly.

Speaking to RNZ’s Checkpoint before the Northland death, Simon Watts said there would not be time for law changes before the election.

However the prime minister later said he was open to the government intervening.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The global dairy sector risks losing society’s support – social licence – if it doesn’t adopt a ‘global mass’ approach to addressing emissions.

That’s what Donald Moore, from the Chicago-based Global Dairy Platform, told food industry leaders at the recent Riddet Institute Agrifood Summit in Wellington recently.

“From my perspective, we need to be thinking about the global mass balance of greenhouse gases, [as well as] probably water and maybe nutrition.”

He said greenhouse gas emissions weren’t limited by country borders or boundaries, and the industry needed to adopt a “macro level” solution rather than working to solve it at the “individual country” level.

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His Chicago-based company, alongside the Food and Agriculture Organisation, completed a 2020 a study which found that 80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s dairy sector came from emerging or developing markets.

He said that matters when considering transitioning to more sustainable models of farming.

“If we don’t help solve that for emissions coming out of those emerging markets, then ultimately that will damage dairy’s global reputation, and therefore our social licence to operate.”

Moore said countries like New Zealand working to reduce emissions through reduced production would only export the problem somewhere else in the world.

“In a country like New Zealand, you’re running at, I think somewhere just under or around one kilogram of CO2 equivalent per kilogram of milk. In some African countries that we’re working in, they’re running at anywhere from 12 to 14 kgs of CO2 per kg of milk because their yields are so low.”

A key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in emerging economies was their “low productivity” models and small scale farming, with an average of about 2.9 cows per dairy farm.

“When you think about New Zealand and the scale we have here, the average, I think is about 380, just under 400, cows per farm. Farms in the world with more than 100 cows are less than half of one percent of the farms in the world.”

However, Moore said it was also important to consider the social systems which underpinned the sector.

“There are approximately 133 million dairy farms worldwide and an estimated 80 million women are employed in the dairy sector, the majority in low and middle income countries.

“That matters because livestock ownership often correlates directly with household nutrition security, with education access, with financial inclusion and with women’s economic agency.”

Moore said in countries like New Zealand, co-operative structures – like Fonterra – linked farmers directly to global markets, creating a “shared accountability”.

“Farmers are not just producers … they are stewards of the land, water and rural communities,” he said.

“It means things like soil health decisions made season after season, water management practices adjusted over time, animal welfare maintained daily, and inter-generational land care guided by lived experience.

“When markets demand sustainability improvements, those signals travel directly back to farm level decisions.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

In a former Anglican church just off Mataura’s main street, you’ll find a new group of worshippers.

The Mataura Masjid and community centre was established at the deconsecrated site in 2018, providing a new place for the Southland region’s Muslim community to gather.

Its 25 or so members come from far and wide, both in terms of their countries of origin, as well as the rural settlements they travel from.

Haji Zamberi Matyunus, a long time resident in Mataura and the current imam (leader) of the Mataura Masjid, told Country Life it was the only mosque of its kind in the rural area, the nearest alternatives being Dunedin or Invercargill.

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Matyunus moved to Mataura from Malaysia more than 40 years ago. There is a stark contrast between the town of less than 2000 residents and the busy city of Kuala Lumpur with a population of over 2 million.

“I like the area – very quiet and peaceful. I like fishing too, and the river is near my house,” he said with a chuckle. The Mataura River is well-known for it’s world-class brown trout fly fishing.

Other members come from “every country”, including Fiji, Libya, and the Philippines – almost too many to name. They travel in from across the wider Southland and Otago regions including from Roxborough, Tapanui, Gore, and Wyndham.

Many, like Matyunus, work at the local meat works processing halal meat – a growing part of New Zealand’s export portfolio, with the government signing new agreements with Indonesia and Malaysia last year.

“The halal process is very, very important for Muslims,” he told Country Life.

Halal is an Arabic word meaning permissible. Halal food excludes pork, alcohol, improperly slaughtered meat, and even certain by-products of non-halal meat like gelatine or animal rennet.

For meat to be halal, a few things have to happen:

• The animal must be cut at the major blood vessel point on the neck to ensure a quick death.
• The animal must not be already dead or suffering.
• A Muslim must proclaim ‘in the name of Allah’ as an act of asking for permission before the slaughter. (Some scholars recommend facing the direction of prayer, Mecca, too.)
• But halal isn’t just about how an animal is killed – it includes how the food is stored, handled, and prepared. Any contamination with non-halal substances can make it impermissible to eat.

Matyunus said he was proud to play a part in this and to call Mataura home. The Masjid is “open for everyone” in the community.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand