Summer Weekends for Saturday 25 January 2025

9.00 Mangawhai Heads Surf Club

Mangawhai Heads surf lifeguards have not been able to enter their clubrooms for two years.

The building was one of many damaged by flooding and slips during Auckland anniversary weekend's devastating weather event in 2023.

Lifeguards are now working out of portacoms, but club chair Jess Costello tells Susana the volunteers are as keen to be at the beach as ever. 

 

9.25 Toks Fale: from professional rugby to wrestling in Japan  

From professional rugby player to professional wrestler in Japan, Toks Fale understands how daily discipline trumps motivation when it comes to maintaining focus and achieve a goal.

Born on Tonga and raised in South Auckland, Toks started his rugby career with a scholarship straight after De La Salle College and then went on to play in Japan. He has now been a professional wrestler for 15 years. 

 

9.40 Who takes career breaks and why? You might be surprised 

Patrick Mazzocco has worked a few jobs in his time — including photographer, horse wrangler and tour guide — and is currently midway through his PhD at the Higher Education Development Centre at the University of Otago.

He is researching the motives, experiences, and outcomes of those who decide to take career breaks. He says that, in the modern world, career breaks can be integral to helping us achieve personal growth.

Patrick joins Susana. 

 

10.00 Sir Sam Neil on the line from Central Otago 

He's been to the Sub Antarctic New Zealand islands over the New Year and kindly agreed to phone for an update and to share some music. 

Susana is joined by Sir Sam Neil. 

 

10.35 Peter Gordon shares special family recipes 

Peter Gordon joins Summer Weekends for the final time this month and has some family recipes to share – including his Mum’s pavlova, Dad’s soufflé omelette.

 

This week's recipe:

• Timmy’s Pavlova, Bruce Gordon’s soufflé omelette, Rose Gordon’s yummy corned beef

Peter's previous recipes:

• Kiwi summer chicken salad, peanut condensed milk mayonnaise 
• Mexican chocolate cake
• Raw fish on twice cooked sesame kumara

 

 

 

11.00 Jenna Wee looks ahead to the Year of the Snake

Next month is Pride Month in Auckland with its jammed packed calendar of events. 

Jenna Wee will be hosting a live podcast — Year of the Snake — with an all-queer panel at the Auckland Art Gallery

She is the host of the Asian in Aotearoa podcast where she explores the work and lives of Asian creatives.

Jenna joins Susana in the Auckland studio. 

 

11.30 Pet Refuge is here to help

Since opening in 2021, Pet Refuge has helped hundreds of pets escape family violence and find new homes.

The only charity of its kind in New Zealand, it also provides temporary pet shelter, so owners can find safety away from domestic abuse. 

The charity says that there is often a spike in cases in January — with back to school and work pressures, plus the post-Christmas financial blues exacerbating violence in homes.

Pet Refuge founder Julie Chapman joins Susana. 

 

11.45 Susana's Plumber on working in a male dominated field 

In New Zealand there are 11,389 certified plumbers, according to the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board.

Of which, only 15 are female. 

Finding out New Zealand's plumber numbers piqued Susana's interest and when she met 28-year-old Hera Eruera – a plumber who stopped by to fix her kitchen sink – she just had to invite her for an on-air chat.

 

 

Music played in this show

• The Delltones – High Five
• Sione Aleki And T Edmondson – Si'i Vai Ko Lelea with
• Ashford and Simpson – Tried, Tested and Found True
• Mt Raskil Preservation Society – Bathe In The River (feat. Hollie Smith)
• The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
• Roy Orbison and K.D. Lang – Crying
• Fazerdaze – Cherry Pie 
• Jim Croce – I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song
• Topps Twins – Nga Iwi E