I need a mate, mate

Radio Hauraki DJs Jeremy Wells and Matt Heath share a fine bromance, and sealed it recently with a "mate-cation" in Melbourne.

Forget the man drought - New Zealand is suffering a friend famine.

Research released by travel company Intrepid Travel reveals Kiwis are in the market for more mates. The "Mate Meter" reveals 46 per cent of us have one to three close friends, despite 44 per cent agreeing the ideal number is four to six.

As well, 34 per cent of us have fewer friends than we would like.

Radio Hauraki breakfast host Matt Heath talked of his bromance with co-presenter Jeremy Wells.

"We were friends that would run into each other at parties and text each other stupid jokes when they came up. We obviously became much better friends when we began working together every second of the day.

"He's a very mellow guy. I haven't got sick of him yet. He's never pissed me off, which is quite impressive."

Heath recently soaked up the sporting sights of Melbourne on a "mate-cation" with Wells.

He had his own views on keeping friendships alive, including:

"All communication with friends should be based on stupid jokes or back-stabbing," and

"If you are back-stabbing other people it brings you closer to the people you are with."

"I would have maybe 10 close friends I could confide in. I am not really much of a confider, that's probably why I have 10 close friends."

The Mate Meter was commissioned in celebration of Intrepid's 25th anniversary, in which time the Australian-owned company has helped forge thousands of friendships in small group tours.

The research shows more than 12 per cent of us are trying to find more mates - and we are unsatisfied or only slightly satisfied with the number of mates we have.

Heath is outside these findings.

"I am not actively seeking more friends, but if I met a friend tomorrow, I wouldn't rule them out just because I'm fully booked."

To help combat the mate drought, Intrepid Travel is giving Kiwis the chance to 'take a friend or make a friend' on a $20,000 Intrepid Travel adventure To enter the competition visit intrepidtravel.com/about/friendships.

Famous Kiwi bromances

Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall
The golden boys of Canterbury and All Black rugby were also firm friends off the field. The inside back pairing was the perfect marriage of smarts, strength and guile. They consummated their mateship by writing a book together, Marshall & Mehrtens: A Season Of Two Halves.

Grant Kereama and Jonah Lomu
When All Black legend Jonah Lomu's kidneys gave out in 2004 after battling disease for a decade, Wellington radio presenter Grant Kereama came to his rescue by donating one of his own. The donation was initially kept secret,only becoming public a year later. The pair knew each other for years, but developed a "close connection" after the transplant. Kereama was touched that a part of himself would run on to the field with Lomu.

Matthew Ridge and Marc Ellis
The code-hopping rugby stars-turned small screen larrikins harnessed their mateship into a string of successful TV ventures. The deadpan Ellis and excitable Ridge appeared as at ease in front of the camera as they had carving up the rugby fields, and their close friendship fuelled their appeal to viewers.