The Front Page: The Great NZ Road Trip to take pulse of the nation after election

NZ Herald Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie will be behind the wheel of a VW ID.5 for two weeks as he traverses the length of the country.

NZ Herald Editor-at-Large Shayne Currie will be trading his V8 to drive an all-electric VW ID.5 north from Dunedin.

Dubbed “The Great NZ Road Trip”, a new editorial series will chronicle Currie’s journey as he tells the stories of inspirational Kiwis throughout the country.

Speaking to The Front Page podcast, Currie says that this trip has been designed to tell the stories of everyday New Zealanders.

“While there’ll be some notable names along the way as we trek north over two weeks, we’re visiting lots different regions and lots of different provinces,” says Currie.

“I’ve already had a wonderful response from readers and internally here at NZME, telling me of Kiwis doing some extraordinary things.”

Currie will also use this opportunity to identify some of the problems – and perhaps potholes – that have emerged across New Zealand over a tough three years.

There has been a sense that New Zealanders are angrier and more divided than they’ve been in the past, but Currie says that does seem to be subsiding.

“We definitely saw that at the height of Covid, but I do think it’s starting to ease back,” he says.

“Even in the last two weeks, I’ve noticed that. I’ve been doing more research for the road trip this week and talking to more and more people, rural New Zealanders in particular, and since the election result, there has been quite a sharp change in sentiment. One person said it was like a pressure valve had been released, particularly in rural New Zealand.”

This trip will also offer a snapshot of the divide between rural and urban Aotearoa, which has become more defined in recent years as criticism of the farming sector’s contribution to climate change has grown. Farmers, on the other hand, have grown tired of being blamed for climate change at a time when they are trying to change.

In taking this journey, Currie hopes to showcase some of the positive stories to come out of rural New Zealand.

“I’m an avid viewer of Country Calendar,” says Currie.

“And while that’s only a weekly snapshot of rural life, there are some amazing stories that come through each week, and I’m looking to expand on that. You know, 99 per cent of farmers are absolutely across climate change – and many of them are already leading the way in terms of electrifying equipment and becoming carbon-positive farming operations. There are a lot of good stories out there, and that’s partly what I’m doing this trip for. "

Arguably the biggest challenge Currie will face on this trip will be trading his beloved V8 for something a little quieter.

“It’s the first time that I’ve driven an EV. I actually want to explain to readers who haven’t had the joy of being behind the wheel of an EV - I’m basically new to it myself, and I want to explain how I find it compared to a normal petrol or diesel vehicle… Whether we like it or not, EVs are going to be a big part of our lives for the next decade.”

Listen to the full episode of The Front Page to get a full rundown on this epic road trip across this beautiful country.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. It is presented by Damien Venuto, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in business reporting who joined the Herald in 2017.

You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.