Burning Bridges Podcast

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This week on Full Volume Episode 5.

Lets start hearty - with a Maori Haka.

This week, we spent the day at the Old Ngā Hau E Whā Māori Rugby League Tournament in Beenleigh, and what a day it was.

Footy. Food. Plenty of mana. Big energy. And, of course, the Haka Off.

We got into the conversation around the judging — how the Best Haka award was decided, whether the process was fair, and who really deserved the credit. We called it as we saw it and gave credit where credit was due.

We also took a closer look at what goes into events and planning, and what people don’t always see behind the scenes — the amount of time, effort, sacrifice and support it takes to put an event together.

It takes vision, hard work and, most importantly, people willing to come together and support. 

This episode is about culture, community, competition, hard work and having the conversations that need to be had.

No scripts. No filter. Just our honest take.

Turn it up!
*Go to our YouTube Channel to watch the Haka**

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Trigger Warning: This episode may contain stories, experiences, or discussions that some listeners may find confronting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.

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In Part 2 of our deeply emotional conversation with Melika Ackinclose, Melika reveals what she describes as one of the most devastating betrayals of her life.

After years of experiencing domestic violence and abuse from her partner and the devastating effects of alcoholism, Melika was already carrying more than most people could imagine.

But then came the discovery that changed everything.
Melika shares her experience of learning that her mother and the father of her children had been involved in an intimate relationship, over a period of years.
There were small things she noticed, things her intuition told her weren't right. But decided that it surely can’t be true!

When her mother eventually admitted to the intimate encounter with her former partner, Melika reached a point where she could no longer remain silent.

For years, Melika says she struggled with the feeling that her mother didn't truly like her — that she was treated with cruelty, criticism and abuse, while she desperately tried to understand why.
As her mother's relationship with alcohol deteriorated, and the destruction of her marriage unfolded, Melika describes how that pain and angst she caused increasingly affected her and her siblings.

In this raw and confronting conversation, Melika lays bare the complicated emotions that came with being betrayed by the very person she believed should have protected and loved her.
And ultimately, a painful realisation about how the actions of two people could ripple through an entire family and change relationships forever.

A powerful episode where a father and daughter process together the enormity of the trauma and betrayal they experienced, and how they held space for each other.

This is a story about breaking cycles, choosing yourself, protecting your children and finding freedom after years of chaos.
Melika is now focused on being the best mother she can be and creating a life built around peace, safety, honesty and boundaries.
She doesn't pretend that the past didn't happen.
She chooses to face it.
She chooses to speak about it.
And she chooses to move forward.
This is Melika's story — raw, painful, powerful and ultimately about reclaiming her life.

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised.
If this episode resonates with you, please remember that you are not alone. Seeking support and setting boundaries can be an important part of rebuilding a life after abuse. Ring 1800RESPECT.

**Subscribe to the podcast, leave a comment and share this episode with someone who may need to hear Melika's story.
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Trigger Warning: This episode may contain stories, experiences, or discussions that some listeners may find confronting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.

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We are back for Full Volume Episode 4.

We kick off with what we've been up to lately — including the Lomipeau Tongan and Māori Cultural Day: the food, the people, the culture, and why days like that matter more than we sometimes give them credit for.

Then we get loud about the heavy stuff.
What happens when parents keep a secret from their kids — the kind of secret that doesn't disappear, but turns into trauma when it finally comes out?

Like finding out the man who raised you isn't your biological father. Discovering a sibling you never knew about. Learning the truth at 30, 40, or even at a funeral.

We ask the uncomfortable question: is protecting someone from the truth actually protection? Or are we just delaying the pain and potentially making it worse?
Because sometimes the truth burns.
But maybe some things are worth the burn.

That leads us into the topic of sweeping things under the carpet — the family rule nobody ever says out loud:
We don't talk about that.
Embarrassment. Family pride. Keeping up appearances. Protecting the family's image.

But what does all that silence cost the people who come after us?
Sometimes staying quiet keeps the peace.
Sometimes staying quiet keeps the problem alive.

So we're going there. We're talking about the things families don't want talked about, the secrets that get carried from one generation to the next, and what happens when someone finally decides to break the silence.

Stay Loud.
Because some conversations are uncomfortable, but they're necessary.
And some truths hurt — but they're worth the burn.

No scripts. No filter. Just our honest take.
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Trigger Warning: This episode may contain stories, experiences, or discussions that some listeners may find confronting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.

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Melika Ackinclose takes us into a childhood filled with love, connection and family — memories of a dad who showed up for her through sport and built a lasting impression of what it takes to dig deep.
At a young age Melika became a mum, and what she believed would be a life built around love and family slowly turned into something much darker. During her pregnancy, the cracks began to show, and before she knew it, she was trapped in an abusive relationship.
What followed was a life lived in fear, control, isolation and manipulation - Domestic violence. 
A toxic and volatile home where she was constantly trying to protect her now two children while quietly falling apart herself. Her mental health spiralled to a place where she no longer wanted to live, yet she continued to give the man she loved chance after chance — hiding the reality from her family and desperately trying to hold her world together.
The moment came when Melika realised that if she wanted to survive, she had to choose herself. 
She bravely shares the choices she made to finally escape, the terror of leaving, and the heartbreak of discovering that freedom didn't mean the pain was over.
Because on the other side of that relationship was another person close to her — someone she trusted, someone who should have been safe, but who would leave her facing another form of manipulation and abuse.
This is not an easy story to hear. It is raw, confronting and heartbreaking. But beneath the pain is a woman who refused to stay broken. A mother who fought to survive. And a woman who, after years of fear, finally began to understand that choosing herself wasn't selfish — it was survival. 
This is Melika's story. Part One.

*For anyone seeking support you can ring: 1800RESPECT
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Trigger Warning: This episode may contain stories, experiences, or discussions that some listeners may find confronting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.

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Happy Father’s Day from the latest episode of Full Volume! 
This one is for the dads — the good, the great, the struggling, the absent, the stepdads, and the fathers who simply wish they could be with their children today.
We’re getting real about the highs and lows of fatherhood: what it means to be a dad, the heartbreak of not having access to your children, the impact that separation can have on a father’s mental health, and the often-lacking support for dads who are doing their absolute best.
But this episode isn’t just about the hard stuff. We’re also celebrating the beautiful side of fatherhood — the love, the pride, the memories, and the special moments that make being a dad so incredibly meaningful. We celebrate the new dads in our families and the love they’re already pouring into the next generation.
And to the mums who are holding it down, the stepfathers who step up, the families navigating complicated circumstances, and especially the fathers who cannot be with their children today — we see you.
Fatherhood comes in many forms, and every story is different.
So whether today is filled with laughter, love, longing, or a little bit of everything — this one is for you. 💚
Full Volume — Happy Father’s Day.
We see you. We hear you.
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Trigger Warning: This episode may contain stories, experiences, or discussions that some listeners may find confronting or triggering. Listener discretion is advised.