Simon Bennett

The Stories of Ruapekapeka, a documentary highlighting Northland's most infamous armed conflict, is hosted by RNZ's Māori Issues Correspondent Mihingarangi Forbes. It coincides with commemorations of the New Zealand Wars.

Fast-forward five years and things havent quite gone as the boys might have planned: Albert is now married to Tania and they are living in suburbia, both working in insurance and also trying (unsuccessfully) to have a baby; Sefa and Leilani are still together and now have two kids although despite Sefas proposal, theyre still not married. And while Sefas business is falling apart, Leilani seems to be living life to the full; Stanley is now a trainee Deacon in the Future Church; Michael has moved to Australia but the boys dont hear from him often; and Bolo has thrown in his job with Sefa and taken up work with Sione, Michaels younger brother.

A true story. 1942. New Zealand is at war. Times are desperate. The Japanese invasion seems imminent. At this perilous moment, confidence trickster Syd Ross completes his sentence and is released from Waikeria Prison. He makes a phone call and finds himself in front of Prime Minister Fraser. Syd tells a tale of sabotage and assassination, of a Nazi plot to take over New Zealand.