New Zealand has a powerful fan in Australia in the form of top broadcast journalist Sandra Sully.
Any Kiwi who has been across the Tasman will recognise Sully and her dulcet voice. The 50-year-old has anchored Channel Ten's Eyewitness News since 2011. At the beginning of this year, thenetwork celebrated Sully's 25 years of dominating the airwaves with a This is Your Life special.
Spy caught up with Sully in Australia yesterday, prior to her arriving in town as a special guest of New Zealand Fashion Week. She will attend shows and be a guest at a corporate lunch with Sovereign on Friday.
Sully is married to Sovereign CEO, Melbourne-born Symon Brewis-Weston, who this year became one of only five CEOs around the world to be recognised by the United Nations for his progressive approach to workplace diversity and community engagement.
The couple married in a picturesque ceremony at the Sydney Opera House in 2011 and Sully comes over the Ditch every other weekend to enjoy some anonymity at their Takapuna home.
Symon Brewis-Weston and Sandra Sully. Photo / Getty
Spy asked Sully what the Aussie climate was like around women in broadcasting, as that has been a hot topic here lately.
"We still have very solid news organisations and the new media and platforms are giving a degustation in news," she told Spy.
"We have huge diversity in radio with women radio hosts, and that goes across all broadcasting mediums. As for politicians, they are held to the blow torch more than ever, with countless shows and panels that never let them get away with a Friday or Sunday policy dump."
When Sully is in New Zealand she is here to relax, switch off and spend quality time with her man.
"I love New Zealand. Not enough Australians know just how fabulous it is there, from luxury lodges and golf courses to great restaurants. I loved Banque in Remuera; when we first moved to Auckland we had house in Remuera."
"I am one of your best ambassadors ... about the people too. A lot of Aussies know New Zealand is beautiful but need a push to get over there. You Aucklanders are genuine, similar to the people you meet in Perth and in Brisbane, but in a city very similar in topography to Sydney."
Spy is told Sully will be dressed in Trelise Cooper while here for NZFW.
"I love Trelise, I can't wear her whimsical pieces on the news, but I wear her often. Her label, Karen Walker and Zambesi have huge respect over here [in Australia]."
