Life in one of our most peaceful and isolated villages – Nightcaps, the tiny town on the edge of the world.
Each day on the Great New Zealand Road Trip, we catch up with a notable or noteworthy Kiwi, and pose nine specific questions. Today, we hear from journalist and TV presenter Mike McRoberts, whose new memoir, Speaking My Language/Te Kōrero i Tōku Reo, is out this week.
What’s one wordto sum up your mood right now?
Optimistic. Change means reinvention, my own, my industry’s, and our country and it makes me excited about what’s next.
What do you wish people knew about where you live?
I live in Titirangi, it’s equal parts bush and ocean. From our place you can hear tūī and kererū in the ngahere (bush), while staring out over the Manukau Harbour. The landscape has a whakapapa. It’s not just scenery, it’s a story.
What are your passions?
My wife Heidi and I are season ticket holders for the Warriors and the Wāhine – we love our little community at the games. There’s something really beautiful about being among other passionate fans, week after week, win or lose. Beyond that, I’m passionate about language – especially te reo Māori. Learning it later in life has changed the way I see myself and the world around me.
"Speaking My Language, Te Kōrero Tōku Reo" by Mike McRoberts, published by HarperCollins, is out this week. Photo / Supplied
Which New Zealander (alive or dead) do you most admire – and why?
Moana Jackson, Ngāti Kahungunu – such a beautiful and powerful voice for Māori. His words weren’t just eloquent, they carried weight and truth. I admire how he made space for others, and how he advocated with both intellect and humility. He embodied what mana really looks like.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Simple moments of connection, whether with Heidi or my kids or my whānau and friends. Everyone healthy and laughing, with no crises looming, probably sharing a meal.
What is your greatest fear?
Complacency. Waking up one day and realising I’ve stopped asking questions or learning. Journalism and te reo have taught me curiosity is a muscle …if you don’t use it, it wastes away.
What is it that you most dislike?
Arrogance, especially when it’s used to silence others. I think listening, really listening, is undervalued.
Veteran broadcaster and journalist Mike McRoberts learnt te reo later in life. Photo / file
What is on your bucket list?
I’d love to walk Te Araroa one day – the full length of Aotearoa. It feels like the kind of journey where the whenua teaches you something if you’re open to it.
What do you hope/think NZ will look like in 10 years?
I hope it’s a place where our stories, all our stories, are told and heard. Where te reo Māori isn’t seen as something niche or political, but as part of our shared identity. I’d love to see a New Zealand that’s brave enough to confront its history and kind enough to walk forward together from it.
Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie is one of New Zealand’s most experienced senior journalists and media leaders. He has held executive and senior editorial roles at NZME including Managing Editor, NZ Herald Editor and Herald on Sunday Editor.
