Conversations With Wāhine

Harita interviews Minister Mark Patterson.   Mark is the Lawrence farmer who stepped into politics to ensure rural communities wouldn't be left behind.
As the Minister for Rural Communities, Mark handles everything from nationwide flood-warning infrastructure to championing premium Kiwi strong wool on the global stage.
We talk about the pressure of local council shake-ups, his vision for a fully electrified agricultural sector, and what it’s actually like to carry regional representation into the beehive.
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Harita interviews Ingrid Leary.
Born in Germany to a Dutch aristocrat mother and a Kiwi father, her family later moved to New Zealand, where her father overcame severe generational poverty to become a doctor. She went on to study law at the University of Otago, building an extraordinary career across law, international relation management, and journalism. In 2006, she was awarded the New Zealand Special Service Medal for her immense bravery broadcasting from the front lines of Aceh following the catastrophic 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.
After over a decade leading international relations as the Director of the British Council New Zealand, she stepped directly into the political arena. In 2020, she won the seat for Taieri, navigating a sprawling and diverse electorate that bridges urban Dunedin South and rural South Otago.
Today, she serves on the parliamentary Health Select Committee and holds critical roles as the Labour Party Spokesperson for Mental Health and Seniors, as well as for Sport and Recreation and the Community Sector. Known for her sharp advocacy on everything from climate adaptation in South Dunedin to systemic reforms in retirement village protections, she remains a fierce voice for equity and regional resilience.
Some of you may remember that I interviewed her in the lead up to the 2023 elections, so it's great to chat to her again in the lead up to the 2026 elections.
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Every so often, you meet someone whose life story doesn't just make you pause—it demands that you look closer at the invisible structures of power, control, and resilience operating right in our backyard.
Lindy Jacombwas born into a world defined by strict boundaries. Growing up multi-generational in the Exclusive Brethren—now known as the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church—her childhood in Auckland was built around daily chapel services, a clear-cut sense of 'us versus the world', and an expectation of absolute compliance. But at age 19, she did something dangerous: she started reading the teachings of Jesus directly from a tattered Bible and asking questions of her leadership.
By age 20, the verdict was handed down. She was excommunicated and cast out. Overnight, she faced total familial shunning—losing her parents, siblings, friends, and the only reality she had ever known, left to survive in a 'worldly' society she had been taught to fear.
But she didn’t just survive; she rebuilt. Today, she is a Bachelor of Theology graduate, a former Baptist pastor, a co-host of the Cult Chat Podcast, and a leading speaker at New Zealand’s premier cult awareness conference, DECULT. As the founder of the Olive Leaf Network, she has dedicated her life to providing a lifeline, advocacy, and practical aid to those escaping high-control religious groups.
She is also organising this amazing event on 28 October:   WELLINGTON - Cult Awareness & Recovery Evening with Rachel Bernstein
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Harita chats to Petrina D'Rozario.
The power of cinema to connect distant corners of the world, break institutional barriers, and give a voice to diverse communities is magical. Petrina has spent her life at the intersection of international filmmaking, creative leadership, and cultural advocacy.

She started her journey in mass media and went on to champion massive systemic changes, serving as the Founder President of Women in Film & Television India to rewrite the script for female representation behind the scenes. As a powerhouse producer and executive, she managed regional slates as the COO for Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s Purple Pebble Pictures—earning three National Awards—and served as Acting CEO for Drishyam Films, overseeing the globally acclaimed Oscar entry Newton.

After relocating to Aotearoa, she stepped into vital local leadership as the Head of Screen CanterburyNZ. Now, she is bridging our two nations as the founder and Festival Director of The Indian Film Festival New Zealand, bringing its highly anticipated premier edition to our screens between 23-26 October.
You can buy tickets to TIFFNZ films screening over Labour weekend here:   TIFFNZ 2026 | The Indian Film Festival New Zealand
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Harita interviews Paloma Schneideman and Ani Palmer.
What does it mean to be a teenage girl who desperately wants to be seen as an adult, but deeply needs to be loved like a child?
In this episode, we chat to the visionary writer and director Paloma Schneideman and incredible breakout actor Ani Palmer, the brilliant duo behind the quiet film festival juggernaut, Big Girls Don't Cry.
Set against the backdrop of a sleepy, golden-sand New Zealand beach town during the sweltry summer of 2006, the film follows 14-year-old Sid (played with stunning, raw restraint by Ani in her onscreen debut). Desperate to escape childhood and reinvent herself, Sid finds herself caught in the intoxicating, messy orbit of wealthy out-of-town holidaymakers. It's a bittersweet, pre-smartphone slice of teendom complete with dial-up internet, dubstep, and MSN messaging facades.
But beneath the nostalgic 2000s soundtrack and summer haze lies something much deeper and unflinchingly honest. Paloma and Ani join us to unpack how the film bravely "rips open" the complicated realities of queer adolescence, female shame, and the blurred lines between consent and the desperate desire for validation.
In this episode, we dive into:
The Genesis of Sid: Paloma shares how her own youth in rural New Zealand inspired this deeply intimate character study.
From Non-Actor to Festival Star: Ani talks about stepping into her first-ever acting role and capturing the fragile bravado of being 14.
The "Seen vs. Desired" Trap: A raw conversation about the liminal space between girlhood and womanhood, and why looking back at teenage sexual awakening can feel both confronting and deeply cathartic.
Working with Executive Producer Jane Campion: How the legendary filmmaker supported the development of this powerful debut through her film program, A Wave in the Ocean.
Whether you lived through the 2006 MSN era or simply remember the terrifying thrill of trying to figure out who you are, this conversation is a beautiful, necessary gut-punch.
Big Girls Don't cry is screening in cinemas now!
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