March 19, 2025 • 10 mins
The New Zealand Herald's Wellington Issues reporter Georgina Campbell is finishing up after nine years working at Newstalk ZB and the Herald in Wellington.
In the final Capital Letter slot, she reflects on her most memorable stories, and how the journalism scene has changed since 2016.
Nick also took a trip down memory lane to one of Georgina's first live radio crosses on Wellington Mornings - reporting to former host Tim Fookes from the opening of the David Jones department store.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks EDB taking the pulse of the city
The Capital Letter on news Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Now I've been saying all morning it's a very special
Capitals Letter today it's the very last one. Now George
is finishing up with nz ME this week and today
is going to be our last opportunity to have a
chat with it. She has been part of this particular
show since we started, which is nearly four years ago,
(00:42):
but she has been with nz ME for nine years.
It's one you have a listened to.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
This quickly back to lmnon key David Jones. The new
department store replacing Kacauley and Stains has opened at stores
about forty five minutes ago. Our reporter Georgina Campbell was
there to witness it. How did it all go?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Oh? Tim? It was so exciting a stream as people
went through the drawer as it hits nine am and
we wander around just for to store myself. It is
so crisp and fresh. It is truly a fashion wonderland
in there, okay.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And people buying anything, although just going in and treating
it more like a more like an observation at the moment.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Oh, there's certainly a lot of window shopping going on,
but I have seen a few bags come out the doors.
I talked to a couple of students who sort of
it ness that they probably couldn't afford anything, but they're
happy just to have a nose around the may cuff
and the handbag.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
That was nine years ago, that's when it all started.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
Gosh, you can hear the youth and my voice, can't you.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
No, it sounded exactly like it was yesterday. I think
that's what I was thinking with you and Tim Fooks
having a bit of a chat at the opening of
David Jones. I mean, there's been some huge, big news
stories since you've been involved.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
There has, and I mean I remember that day. It
was so exciting. There was like a huge line, there
was this fan there. It was like a fambulous thing
that for the city to you know, have a new
option for Kirks that was, you know, absolutely part of
the fabric of Wellington. And yeah, you know, I started
(02:16):
as a radio reporter at News Talk c B when
Tim Folks was the Wellington Mornings host. Did many live
crosses with Tim and Katrina Bennett was the news reader
you know. When I started, Celia way Brown was the mayor.
Justin Lester came in as the mayor and I got
to follow that round of local body elections, which was
really interesting. And yeah, I mean I think people will
(02:41):
obviously know me for my reporting in Wellington, which is
really that's my bread and butter, stuff that I love
and I'm so passionate about the city. But you know,
working at ZIB, I also got to cover some really
big events around the country, like the Porthills fires, the
christ Church mosk attacks. I went on the twenty seventeen election.
Was Bill English when he was the Prime Minister at
(03:03):
that time. When met Meghan and Harry came to tour
in New Zealand, I was Newstalk Be's royal correspondent and
followed them around when they arrived in Wellington. I have
never seen young women and girls sort of so delirious
as they were over Meghan. It was like nothing I'd
(03:24):
ever experienced before. Yeah, and then formally joined The Herald
in twenty twenty, but I've really enjoyed still doing Capital
Letter with you and having that connection with news talk
zeb also just something that I did want to mention
is that I've been lucky enough to do some really
great podcasts and the one I'm most proud of is
(03:45):
Speaking Secrets, which I made a few years ago now.
But that's all about sexual abuse emharrassment in New Zealand
when the Meto movement arrived, and it was like a
response to that. So yeah, I've been lucky enough to
do lots of things.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
What has been your favorite story? What has been a
story that you will look back on in twenty or
thirty years And so I did that story. I covered
that story. I made a difference Shelley Bay.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
I just think that story has all of the components
of a great story, all of the different players. You know,
you had Ian Castle's Ewie the Council, and then you
had the fame that Sir Peter Jackson brought to that story.
You know, Andy Foster announced his mural campaign at Shelley Bay.
There was lots of information that needed to be uncovered,
(04:32):
iceol and put out into the public arena, you know,
like the fact that Sir Peter Jackson's one of his
companies was bankrolling a EWE group and then the icing
on the cake for that story is when the press
release landed in my inbox saying the development's not going ahead.
Sir Peter Jackson and Dame fran Welsh have purchased the
land like it's all off And it felt very quintessential
(04:54):
Wellington to have all of this angst over a big
project for years and years and years and then for
it to just flow not happen.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
What is the most difficult story? What is the story
that you took home with you? You know, you had
trouble sleeping, you know, the streets level would be up.
There's got to be stories that you've covered done that
to you.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
Yes, And usually I'm pretty good at not sort of
bringing the stories home or letting them get to me.
But the one that did was the christ Church Musk attacks.
So I went down to christ Church I think a
day or two after it happened, and I just have
a very distinct memory of being near the grave side
(05:37):
where you know, families were bearing their loved ones, and
you know, there was a tiny, tiny little body wrapped
up and being lowered into the grave and I, you know,
and I was reporting on that, and you know, I
filed for ZIB. I was a ZIB reporter at the time,
and it wasn't until I got back that it sort
(05:59):
of really hit and I'd never had that experience before.
And I think that is an important thing to remember
about journalism, is that, yeah, like sometimes you do need
to look after yourself after some of those horrible events.
But yeah, the memories from that particular story are very
stark in my mind and will remain with me forever.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
What's changed, What's changed. We'll get on to what you're
going to do next, but something's changed. What's changed for
you in our industry?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
In our industry, it's sort of you sort of think
what hasn't changed, you know, Like journalism is just sort
of going through perpetual change, and it has been for
the entire time that I've been in the industry, but
particularly and you know, the past five years, I think
post COVID, you know, we're constantly adapting and thinking how
we can tell our stories differently. You know, we're dealing
(06:50):
with trust issues and things like that. Like I was
really proud when The Herald put up the paywall because
I thought, yes, like our journalism is worth paying for.
And I still believe that, and I think the changes
it can be unsettling, and I totally understand that, but
I think it's also an opportunity, you know, and my
experience if you want to try something new in zipping
(07:11):
has always been very accommodating of that. And that's exciting,
Like long gone of the days where you have to
sort of do your time and wait years and years
to get around and all of the senior journals get
the good yarns, you know, like you can actually make
a mark as a young journalist in New Zealand, and
I think that's exciting.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Now. I've known you for a number of years before
I started here, because I'd come in and do face
off for you. Any time you wanted a story about
something that happened on the town and to do with hospitality,
you'd quickly give me a call or sometimes you'd give
me a call. And I remember the very first day
that I got brought into this, into this old studio,
and the news people came around and you came over
(07:51):
you and you looked me in the eye and you said,
I'm so excited to have a Wellington show coming back,
and I'll never forget that. I'll like, you look me
straight your eyes, and all these people were just sort
of standing there looking and you look me in the
eye and you said, I'm so excited. I mean, I mean,
you're an amazing person.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Oh thank you, Nick. Such a nice memory. And I
still stand by that, Like this show is so important,
Like I love that we can have conversations about Wellington,
talk about the issues. Wellingtonians can call you to talk
about them. I think, Yeah, it's a really important part
of Wellington to be able to discuss it on are.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Can I ask you what you're going to do or
do you not want to mention what you're going to do?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Yes, I'm taking up a Head of Mayor's Office role
with Campbell Berry at Haut City Council. So it is
sad to say goodbye to journalism after such a long time,
but I'm really looking forward to a new opportunity and
trying something different.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Well On behalf of all our listeners and people the
community of Wellington. I'd like to give you my own
special thank you, as I say, you're an amazing people
and a person. And I often get asked and I
question it myself over the past eight or ten months,
is whether I trust journalism anymore or whether people should
trust journalism anymore. And I think if there was one
(09:12):
person that I would stereotype that you could trust in
journalism as you, And I say that with all honesty
and sincerity. If I was ever going to tell anybody
your story and wanted that story to be truth, then
Georgina Campbell would be top of my list. So I
appreciate working with you. I think you're a wonderful person,
and I wish you only the very very best for
(09:34):
your future. And I appreciate all you've done for me
since I've been in this job.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
Thank you, Nick, right back at you to show and
don't be a stranger.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
No. Likewise, give me those stories. Give me those stories
out the hut. The guy with two first names, that's
how I describe him.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
Oh yeah, and my last name is Campbell, of course,
so yeah, I might run into a few interesting things
there with the names.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Good luck. Whatever you do, you're going to be fantastic
at it, and they are very very lucky to have you,
very very lucky to have you. Thank you, and we
will issue miss you on the show.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news Talks. It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks EDB taking the pulse of the city
The Capital Letter on news Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Now I've been saying all morning it's a very special
Capitals Letter today it's the very last one. Now George
is finishing up with nz ME this week and today
is going to be our last opportunity to have a
chat with it. She has been part of this particular
show since we started, which is nearly four years ago,
(00:42):
but she has been with nz ME for nine years.
It's one you have a listened to.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
This quickly back to lmnon key David Jones. The new
department store replacing Kacauley and Stains has opened at stores
about forty five minutes ago. Our reporter Georgina Campbell was
there to witness it. How did it all go?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
Oh? Tim? It was so exciting a stream as people
went through the drawer as it hits nine am and
we wander around just for to store myself. It is
so crisp and fresh. It is truly a fashion wonderland
in there, okay.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
And people buying anything, although just going in and treating
it more like a more like an observation at the moment.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Oh, there's certainly a lot of window shopping going on,
but I have seen a few bags come out the doors.
I talked to a couple of students who sort of
it ness that they probably couldn't afford anything, but they're
happy just to have a nose around the may cuff
and the handbag.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
That was nine years ago, that's when it all started.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
Gosh, you can hear the youth and my voice, can't you.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
No, it sounded exactly like it was yesterday. I think
that's what I was thinking with you and Tim Fooks
having a bit of a chat at the opening of
David Jones. I mean, there's been some huge, big news
stories since you've been involved.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
There has, and I mean I remember that day. It
was so exciting. There was like a huge line, there
was this fan there. It was like a fambulous thing
that for the city to you know, have a new
option for Kirks that was, you know, absolutely part of
the fabric of Wellington. And yeah, you know, I started
(02:16):
as a radio reporter at News Talk c B when
Tim Folks was the Wellington Mornings host. Did many live
crosses with Tim and Katrina Bennett was the news reader
you know. When I started, Celia way Brown was the mayor.
Justin Lester came in as the mayor and I got
to follow that round of local body elections, which was
really interesting. And yeah, I mean I think people will
(02:41):
obviously know me for my reporting in Wellington, which is
really that's my bread and butter, stuff that I love
and I'm so passionate about the city. But you know,
working at ZIB, I also got to cover some really
big events around the country, like the Porthills fires, the
christ Church mosk attacks. I went on the twenty seventeen election.
Was Bill English when he was the Prime Minister at
(03:03):
that time. When met Meghan and Harry came to tour
in New Zealand, I was Newstalk Be's royal correspondent and
followed them around when they arrived in Wellington. I have
never seen young women and girls sort of so delirious
as they were over Meghan. It was like nothing I'd
(03:24):
ever experienced before. Yeah, and then formally joined The Herald
in twenty twenty, but I've really enjoyed still doing Capital
Letter with you and having that connection with news talk
zeb also just something that I did want to mention
is that I've been lucky enough to do some really
great podcasts and the one I'm most proud of is
(03:45):
Speaking Secrets, which I made a few years ago now.
But that's all about sexual abuse emharrassment in New Zealand
when the Meto movement arrived, and it was like a
response to that. So yeah, I've been lucky enough to
do lots of things.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
What has been your favorite story? What has been a
story that you will look back on in twenty or
thirty years And so I did that story. I covered
that story. I made a difference Shelley Bay.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
I just think that story has all of the components
of a great story, all of the different players. You know,
you had Ian Castle's Ewie the Council, and then you
had the fame that Sir Peter Jackson brought to that story.
You know, Andy Foster announced his mural campaign at Shelley Bay.
There was lots of information that needed to be uncovered,
(04:32):
iceol and put out into the public arena, you know,
like the fact that Sir Peter Jackson's one of his
companies was bankrolling a EWE group and then the icing
on the cake for that story is when the press
release landed in my inbox saying the development's not going ahead.
Sir Peter Jackson and Dame fran Welsh have purchased the
land like it's all off And it felt very quintessential
(04:54):
Wellington to have all of this angst over a big
project for years and years and years and then for
it to just flow not happen.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
What is the most difficult story? What is the story
that you took home with you? You know, you had
trouble sleeping, you know, the streets level would be up.
There's got to be stories that you've covered done that
to you.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
Yes, And usually I'm pretty good at not sort of
bringing the stories home or letting them get to me.
But the one that did was the christ Church Musk attacks.
So I went down to christ Church I think a
day or two after it happened, and I just have
a very distinct memory of being near the grave side
(05:37):
where you know, families were bearing their loved ones, and
you know, there was a tiny, tiny little body wrapped
up and being lowered into the grave and I, you know,
and I was reporting on that, and you know, I
filed for ZIB. I was a ZIB reporter at the time,
and it wasn't until I got back that it sort
(05:59):
of really hit and I'd never had that experience before.
And I think that is an important thing to remember
about journalism, is that, yeah, like sometimes you do need
to look after yourself after some of those horrible events.
But yeah, the memories from that particular story are very
stark in my mind and will remain with me forever.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
What's changed, What's changed. We'll get on to what you're
going to do next, but something's changed. What's changed for
you in our industry?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
In our industry, it's sort of you sort of think
what hasn't changed, you know, Like journalism is just sort
of going through perpetual change, and it has been for
the entire time that I've been in the industry, but
particularly and you know, the past five years, I think
post COVID, you know, we're constantly adapting and thinking how
we can tell our stories differently. You know, we're dealing
(06:50):
with trust issues and things like that. Like I was
really proud when The Herald put up the paywall because
I thought, yes, like our journalism is worth paying for.
And I still believe that, and I think the changes
it can be unsettling, and I totally understand that, but
I think it's also an opportunity, you know, and my
experience if you want to try something new in zipping
(07:11):
has always been very accommodating of that. And that's exciting,
Like long gone of the days where you have to
sort of do your time and wait years and years
to get around and all of the senior journals get
the good yarns, you know, like you can actually make
a mark as a young journalist in New Zealand, and
I think that's exciting.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Now. I've known you for a number of years before
I started here, because I'd come in and do face
off for you. Any time you wanted a story about
something that happened on the town and to do with hospitality,
you'd quickly give me a call or sometimes you'd give
me a call. And I remember the very first day
that I got brought into this, into this old studio,
and the news people came around and you came over
(07:51):
you and you looked me in the eye and you said,
I'm so excited to have a Wellington show coming back,
and I'll never forget that. I'll like, you look me
straight your eyes, and all these people were just sort
of standing there looking and you look me in the
eye and you said, I'm so excited. I mean, I mean,
you're an amazing person.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Oh thank you, Nick. Such a nice memory. And I
still stand by that, Like this show is so important,
Like I love that we can have conversations about Wellington,
talk about the issues. Wellingtonians can call you to talk
about them. I think, Yeah, it's a really important part
of Wellington to be able to discuss it on are.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Can I ask you what you're going to do or
do you not want to mention what you're going to do?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (08:33):
Yes, I'm taking up a Head of Mayor's Office role
with Campbell Berry at Haut City Council. So it is
sad to say goodbye to journalism after such a long time,
but I'm really looking forward to a new opportunity and
trying something different.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Well On behalf of all our listeners and people the
community of Wellington. I'd like to give you my own
special thank you, as I say, you're an amazing people
and a person. And I often get asked and I
question it myself over the past eight or ten months,
is whether I trust journalism anymore or whether people should
trust journalism anymore. And I think if there was one
(09:12):
person that I would stereotype that you could trust in
journalism as you, And I say that with all honesty
and sincerity. If I was ever going to tell anybody
your story and wanted that story to be truth, then
Georgina Campbell would be top of my list. So I
appreciate working with you. I think you're a wonderful person,
and I wish you only the very very best for
(09:34):
your future. And I appreciate all you've done for me
since I've been in this job.
Speaker 5 (09:38):
Thank you, Nick, right back at you to show and
don't be a stranger.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
No. Likewise, give me those stories. Give me those stories
out the hut. The guy with two first names, that's
how I describe him.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
Oh yeah, and my last name is Campbell, of course,
so yeah, I might run into a few interesting things
there with the names.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Good luck. Whatever you do, you're going to be fantastic
at it, and they are very very lucky to have you,
very very lucky to have you. Thank you, and we
will issue miss you on the show.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news Talks. It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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