1 Tonight ` Hello. Is Linton here? ...we're on the trail of a renegade roofie. He has no conscience. He had lots of excuses, but he never turned up. So what's he got to say for himself? Shit happens, all right? Plus ` bureaucracy gone mad. Tell me what you see here. Bike. ALL: Bike. Both these bikes have three wheels. So they look very similar to you? Yep. But one has to be registered as car. That's stupid. That really surprises me. Wow. And girls can do anything, but can they wear anything? it's not just about girls being able to wear pants; it's about everyone being warm. I don't see the gender involved here, really. Copyright Able 2018. Kia ora. Welcome to the show. Mark Twain said, 'Find a job you enjoy doing, and you'll never have to work a day in your life. Now, that is one option. You could also set up a company, take big cash deposits, procrastinate, pocket the money and FTD ` that's fail to deliver. Mm. Well, that might seem like a lucrative lifestyle option, but sooner or later customer dissatisfaction will land you on Fair Go. Here's Anna. (HIP-HOP MUSIC) Here at Fair Go, we go to great lengths... Hi. I'm here to see Linton. ...to try and track down tradies we get complaints about. No? OK. Sometimes we go down dead ends. Hello? Is Linton here? And sometimes we get told some tall tales. Hi. Is Linton here? For the record, that's Linton's truck, so you can imagine our surprise... Gidday, Linton! ...when we caught him slipping out the driveway a few minutes later. And I just talked to your wife before, and she said you weren't there. Yeah, I wasn't there. How did you get down the drive without us seeing you? Well, I dunno. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. Roofer Linton Kennedy right where we thought he was ` at home, but not too keen on discussing his bad debts. What about Barbara? You took $13,000 off Barbara. And the job's been done. Not by you. Yeah, not by me, yeah ` so what? Linton Kennedy of Vital Roofing, otherwise known as Lint Kennedy, Lint Pooley, Kennedy Lin and William Kennedy. I think he's ripping people off and he has no conscience. Rosemary's mother paid Linton more than $13,000 deposit last October to reroof her Auckland home. The scaffolding went up, and then... A couple of weeks went by where he said he'd be there, and then the excuses started rolling out ` the colour wasn't in stock,... machinery was breaking down. Then he got bronchitis. Rosemary's mum waited and waited and waited for Linton to turn up. My mother was getting very, very distressed, and so... I contacted Linton,... and he assured me on the phone that he was going to take very good care of my mother. In December Rosemary's mother, Barbara, had a stroke. And in January, she died. She was 92. I feel extremely sad and angry that my mother had to live the last two or three months of her life with this hanging over her head and the stress and just feeling she'd been ripped off. Linton never started the roof. Instead Rosemary had to get another company to do the job. But the months of excuses he gave to Barbara and Rosemary were nothing new. In fact, he played the same cards after taking $25,000 from another customer, Bruce Langley. I mean, he had lots of excuses, but he never turned up. Bruce's original 1970s roof was asbestos, and when it needed replacing in November 2016, he hired Linton Kennedy to do the job. He assured me verbally that he would have the job finished by Christmas 2016. Anyway, and so therefore the reason I came to you guys is I've sat here with an unfinished roof, leaking, no contact with these guys, a shambles, the place was a mess, and I really had nowhere to turn. I had nowhere to go. Parts of the asbestos roof were removed, but not properly disposed of. Here I am with asbestos lying in the driveway ` there's kids playing, there's been no precautions. And I'm thinking, 'Holy shit. Am I liable for this?' (WATER DRIPS) And then there was the weather. At 2 in the morning, if ever I heard a bit of rain, I was instantly awake. I'd come up into the dining room, and sure as hell, there would be something leaking. It was unbelievable, and I could never get a straight answer. It was... Yeah, it was just one of those... awful experiences. Surprisingly, Linton doesn't disagree that Bruce was fobbed off ` yup, he says all those excuses are all true. Your excuses to Bruce ` your worker dislocated his thumb, your ex-employee was murdered, you were sick, the materials weren't delivered. Yeah, that's true, yip. You had no reception, it was raining, a friend died. OK, listen` You were in a meeting. Hang on, you, you gave all these` Yes, yes, all the excuses are there. Yes, yes, of course, all the` Your materials didn't arrive again, your worker was in Australia, your family was sick, you were sick, you were sick and it was raining, you were in hospital and it was raining, the materials didn't arrive again, your truck broke down, your workers were sick again, you son was sick, there was bad weather, you were sick again, you had to babysit, you were at a birthday party. Yeah. Cool. Cool. And? What are you doing? What am I doing? Shit happens, all right? So, this is the new bit of the roof that you've had put on? Yes. On the days that he did turn up, Linton wasn't even applying the right product to the roof. It just looked like a dog's breakfast. he'd quoted in Colorsteel, but only used it for part of the roof. For the rest he used a cheaper brand. In fact I did have a conversation with him where I asked, 'This is definitely Colorsteel right?' And he was, like, 'Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.' You could actually see where it was joining about a foot and a half down from that ridge. All those gaps in there? Yeah. Yeah. Bruce has started legal proceedings against Linton, but that hasn't stopped Vital Roofing taking on more work and more deposits. There's only ever been Barbara and Bruce. That's the only problems there's been. So how's the kindergarten job going? What kindergarten job? That would be this kindergarten job, a $25,000 deposit Linton took last year, the roof still not finished. $25,000 deposit? I don't know which one you're talking about about that. We understand that shortly after our chat, Linton turned up at the childcare centre to do some work. So you're not working on that job? No. In fact, all up, we've tracked down 10 customers and suppliers owed a total $100,000. But as for where the money went, Linton says it all went on jobs. Zero. He never spent a thing on this house. He just took the money. Linton says when he realised he didn't have the money to do the jobs, he did tell people. Otherwise I would have just, what, done nothing? You can't say I haven't done anything and ripped somebody off, when I've still tried to do something about it. You know, people make mistakes you know? But I'm not the type to just (BLEEP)ing let it just sit there. Is there anything else you wanna say? To who? Well, this is gonna be on TV. Anybody else out there that might be wanting to get in touch with you? Oh, yeah, people make mistakes ` that's all I can say. His customers would agree ` hiring Linton Kennedy was a mistake many regret making. Did you almost feel sorry for Linton at the end there? Oh, Linton has got a lot of questions to answer, I think ` even more than what he has. Actually, he has been back in touch. He wanted to do another interview with us in Auckland, then Wellington, and then Auckland, and then disappeared. Now, WorkSafe tells us it's also investigating, but is having trouble getting hold of Linton. We know how you feel, WorkSafe. Right. Coming up after the break ` you've gotta love bureaucracy. Tell me what you see here. Bike. ALL: Bike. Both these bikes have three wheels. So they look very similar to you? Yep. But one has to be registered as a car. That's stupid. That really surprises me. Wow. And taking a stand for the right to wear pants. it's not just about girls being able to wear pants; it's about everyone being warm. I don't see the gender involved here, really. The 2018 census starts soon, but don't expect a knock on your door, because... Look out for your access code in your letterbox, and use it to... Welcome back. Everybody hates bureaucracy, except maybe if you're a bureaucrat. Oh, no, maybe they hate it too. I'm not sure. I'm a bit distracted. It's kryptonite to common sense and innovation. If you ever had any doubt, you'll love this next story. It involves a man and a machine that's been bubble-wrapped in bureaucratic red tape. Here's Hannah. (BIKE ENGINE REVS) It's a simple enough question ` when is a bike not a bike? Tell me what you see here. Is this a car or a bike? Bike. What about that one? Still the same bike. Do you think that is a bike or a car? Scooter. Trike. OK. What about that one? ALL: Bike. Bike or car? Bike. What about that one? Bike. So they look very similar to you? Yep. So when is a bike not a bike? When it's classified as a car. Both these bikes are 400cc. Both are three-wheelers, and even the commercials, the sales pitches look pretty much the same. But with this bike, a Yamaha, you don't need a bike licence and you only pay car rego fees. With this bike, though ` a Piaggio ` you do need a bike licence, and you pay bike rego fees. That's stupid. That really surprises me. That's weird. Wrong. Wow! Bike-owner Ravi also thinks its weird and wrong,... because the bike he owns, the Piaggio 400cc, is the one you pay much more rego for, the one that needs a bike licence. He does loves it, though. For one person travelling, you don't need a huge car to go, you know? You just go by a bike. Why do you need to clog the road with cars? Ravi learnt to ride in this sort of traffic... as a teenager in India. When he came to New Zealand 11 years ago, he sat the Kiwi bike licence. So I had to go through all the four stages, from skill test to the learners, and then to the restricted and the final ones, yeah. But you got it OK? Yes, I got it OK. I immediately upgraded my bike from a 125cc to a 400cc (LAUGHS) And a more safer one. His bike rego fees increased to over $400 a year, and Ravi was not happy about that. I never had a history of any accident, and I feel like it's too high for a person who's driving so safely. The sense of unfairness increased when Ravi had a chat with a friend, who'd bought the other kind of three-wheeler ` the one that's the same, but very different. And then he told me that, 'I got it on a car licence, and I have to pay the car-licence fees.' So I'm paying around $406 per year,... whereas he's paying just $76 per year ` that's the big difference of three times or four time. Does that make you a bit mad? Yeah, that makes me much mad. But what concerns Ravi most is that in New Zealand, some brands of three-wheelers don't need the bike licence. Surely, says Ravi, it's a safety issue ` surely, you should sit the bike test. That gives you a sense of responsibility, and it acquaints you with the rules and regulations, so you should go through a licence system. We asked the people in charge of licences and rego and such, how come Ravi's bike is classed as a bike when similar three-wheelers are classed as cars? That particular vehicle was... you know, was registered and certified, you know, as a motorbike when it came in. And that was a decision that was made, you know, by the importer and by the manufacturer. And I can completely understand why he's asking those questions. So it's the bike manufacturers who class their vehicle as either a bike or a car. Piaggio say this is a bike. Yamaha says this is a car. And that's OK with the NZTA? These are a relatively new type of vehicle, and they don't fit neatly into one well-defined vehicle class or another. So that's causing some issues for riders, and it's causing some issues for regulators like us, not just in New Zealand, but all around the world. Ravi wants all brands of three-wheelers to be classed as bikes. People who have never gone through a test and they are driving these bikes now, so they are making the roads unsafe. Well, there's no evidence... that there is a safety risk for people on a class-one car licence riding most of these vehicles. These vehicles don't handle in the same way as a motorbike. And, you know, they're a different type of vehicle. Ravi says the answer is to put all three-wheelers in a class of their own. Three-wheelers are much safer than a two-wheeler, so they should be probably into a new class,... which could be in between a car and a bike, you can say. But right now, sorting out the three-wheelers isn't top of the NZTA's to-do list. Not to say that these concerns aren't legitimate, but we've got some very serious road safety concerns that also need to be addressed and, you know, those need to be prioritised. If Ravi eventually does manage to get these changes made, won't some of the other three-wheeler bike riders be pretty unhappy with him? Yeah, I know probably I'll be creating a few enemies, but at least I will be making the road safer. So the authorities here are clearly a bit confused. They are not alone. So Ravi's three-wheeler here is considered a bike. Yes. But get this ` in the UK, it's considered a car. Mm. Ravi's mate's three-wheeler here is a car, but in the UK, it's a bike. Can we all just get on the same page? Like, come on, Mother England ` we can do this. (LAUGHS) Coming up after the break ` taking a stand over the right to wear pants. Do you ever wear a dress? If I'm dancing, I do, but other than that, it's not too often. She's been battling for a better dress code. Has she triumphed? Or has her school skirted around the issue. it's not just about girls being able to wear pants; it's about everyone being warm. And ` Dear Fair Go. Dear Fair Go. Dear Fair Go. ...we give you a sneak peek into the making of Fair Go. # This is how you do it! # Who knew? Pippa has wardrobe envy. Check this out ` Wendy Petrie, Wendy Petrie, Wendy Petrie, Wendy Petrie ` four wardrobes. Welcome back. It's time to tip our hat to girl power. Every kid should have the right to run, jump and climb without fear of hypothermia. And every woman knows there's a place for skirts and dresses, but do they really have to be compulsory in the schoolyard? Here's Hannah with an update on one girl's fight for the right to wear pants. # I know I can't afford to stop... # Last year 14-year-old Karla Mills had a fight on her hands over her costume. No, not her ballroom dancing outfit; it was about the clothes she had to wear most days of the week. So, you normally wear pants all the time, do you? Yeah, I like wearing pants. Do you ever wear a dress? If I'm dancing, I do, but other than that, it's not too often. And Karla wanted to wear pants to school in winter, but the uniform was set ` skirts for girls, trousers only for the senior boys. Yeah, we should be catching up with the times and not living back in the past. Karla argued that pants were warmer and healthier, so with her mum's permission, she wore these trousers to school. I could freely move. I could run around if I need to. It was just so much easier. But she was sent home with a clear message ` no pants for girls. I said, 'OK, if that's what you've been told to do, then that's what you do.' Karla then started a petition to change the uniform, and late last year, her school took action. We've had our uniform reviewed and changed. We can now, everyone in both junior and senior school, boys and girls, can wear pants in winter, which is really nice. Girls can wear either a skirt or trousers. Boys can choose between shorts or long pants. It's not just about girls being able to wear pants ` it's about everyone being warm. I don't see the gender involved here, really. So you've had a win, really. Yeah. Really good outcome. Really good that I didn't put all the effort in for nothing. I've gotten something out of this, and everyone else has gotten something out of this. She can go into school with her head held high. I mean, what am I worrying about? And I think we do learn more from our kids than we would like to admit. (CHUCKLES) Over 800 parents, staff and students had their say in the uniform review. We don't know which way they voted, but 800's a pretty good number. My deputy principal and my principal were both very happy that I went about everything the way I did, which did surprise me a lot. And they said that any publicity is good publicity. Although Karla did get some stick last year for speaking out for uniform equality. A lot of older-generation males seemed to have the negative opinion, while they wore their pants in the middle of winter, looking happy and warm. But mostly, it's been a positive experience. I got a lot of support, which was really nice. And perhaps even those grumpy old geezers in their warm winter pants can finally see that this was great work, Karla. (LAIDBACK MUSIC) Oh, good on you, Karla. And you know what? I hope that she continues to fight for things she believes in. Prime Minister one day. Right. We hope you enjoyed our walk down memory lane over the last couple of weeks. It's been really good, hasn't it? It has been really interesting looking back on those faces and stories of old, but it is time to focus on the now. So we thought we'd give you a little behind-the-scenes look at how our show gets to air. (FUNK MUSIC) Dear Fair Go. Dear Fair Go. Dear Fair Go. Dear Fair Go. Every Fair Go story starts with you. My neighbour... My oven has blown up. I bought something off the internet. No matter what the complaint,... Can you help? ...they all end up here. It's pretty much 24-7. There's lots of them. Currently, I have 221 unread emails to go through today. Pete Cronshaw's the boss, but has the worst job at Fair Go. 221 people that need help. It's a bit of a hopeless task. We get to help three or four people a week. We might get 400, 500 emails a week. They say the best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google, cos no one ever looks past the first page. If a story makes it past Pete, they get assigned to a reporter. We all leave quite a lot of digital footprints. The first stage is research. The funniest place I ever found information was in a dumpster. Garth Bray is expert at this. Well, you've gotta be fair, and it's hard to be fair unless you know it all, so you try and know as much as you can. Garth knows his way around the web, but actually prefers the phone. Yeah, gidday, Tony. It's really easy to Google stuff, but it's even better if you can go to the sources and talk to them. Thanks very much. For Garth, it's about knowing as much as possible. If you're gonna say this much about a story, you've gotta know, like, this much. (PLODDING PIANO MUSIC) If you're unwilling to talk to us, sometimes we'll come and talk to you. You only get one shot at this, so a little bit of nervousness, a little bit excitement. They're called doorknocks. Hobsonville today. Anna Burns-Francis enjoys cold-calling with a camera. Do you know which house Richard lives in? Three things always happen ` panic,... Gidday, Keith. ...fear... Can I talk to you about where the money's gone? Sorry? ...and confusion. You know, after we'd finished. Yeah, but you haven't finished. No, I was unable to finish. Usually, people will try and slam the door in your face. Hi, Denise. Anna from the Fair Go programme. I still wanna talk to you, Denise. Regardless of the result, Anna says she likes the closure of a door-stop. You're going to get an answer from the person. You may not get the result, but you're going to get an answer. # This is how you do it. # Once the interviews are done, a script has to be fashioned. Don't call 90-year-old Myra Larkin. That's Hannah Wallis. She talks to herself a lot. 90-year-old plucky pensioner. We watch what's on the tape, what we've got visually, and then we start putting it together. Nowadays, though... She's a master at combining narration... So bit of a swimming legend is Myra. ...and actuality into a story most people only get the chance to see once. So the computer is on the blink. Hannah never stops making changes. She even opened the local pool. You write and write and rewrite and tweak and tweak and tweak. So it's not like it comes out of here, out of the magic fingers. Editor Gareth Pearce sometimes suggests subtle changes,... Sometimes, I sort of guide them towards using something a little bit closer to what the pictures are. A story's final stop before broadcast is here. His company in any way shape or form ` a bit ridiculous. It's where producers and other reporters look over the story. She didn't. And then I said... It's often a challenging meeting. No, I know ` I just feel like it's a red herring. There's a woman in the photo... Yeah. That's Harriet Beattie, part of TVNZ's legal team. We need to be pretty confident. Is she tagged in it? Harriet's job is to have a final check to ensure the story is legal... Defamation is a pretty big one, contempt of court, and then privacy issues. ...and most importantly, that it's fair. So, look, I reckon it'll be fine. The name of the show is Fair Go. I'm partly there to make sure that everyone's getting a fair go, and that includes the people who are being complained about. Morning, ladies. Monday is show day. The show is filmed in the morning. She has Earl Grey, and I have English Breakfast. My first job is hydration. The key to a successful onscreen partnership is that one person always makes the tea. There's hair and make up to do ` not because we're vain, but because the lights make us look washed out. You don't want it to be too shiny. That's Kieran Parker. She does the make-up and hair. Each present has their own wardrobe. Oh, that's gorgeous. And the clothes are out ready for them, and no, they don't get to keep them. So, this is the dressing room for the female presenters. Not many people get to come in here. Haydo got in here once, though. This is my wardrobe, just the one, but check this out ` Wendy Petrie, Wendy Petrie, Wendy Petrie, Wendy Petrie ` four wardrobes. By mid-morning the show is ready to be filmed. This special episode was recorded at The Pleasuredome Musical in West Auckland. Tonight we go back in time. Our words are written for us, so they're legally correct, but there is some room for adlibbing and natural reactions. Wow. Great ad. Thank you. And that's how we turn your complaints into a television show. Next week we'll do it all again, because you have issues. Why does my orange felt always run out first? What should I do next? And we reckon we can help. You make it look so easy. Yeah, it's not, though. It's not easy. That is the show for tonight, but we're always keen to help right some wrongs. So if you've got a gripe, a grumble or just need some advice, don't hesitate to get in touch. No. We're on Facebook, or you can email us ` fairgo@tvnz.co.nz And we'll still accept your letters. Write to us ` Private Bag 92038, Auckland 1142.