HBRW 2026 - The Crash

Award-winning journalist Sally Wenley joins Susie Ferguson to discuss her powerful book The Crash, which revisits a devastating 1987 Hawke’s Bay bus accident that killed five people from Sally’s school and changed the course of her life. Blending personal experience with the stories of fellow survivors, Sally explores grief, trauma and recovery, while reflecting on how our understanding and treatment of trauma has changed over the decades. With honesty, insight and humour, she shares the lasting impact of the accident and the experiences that shaped the person she is today. About Sally Wenley Sally is an award-winning journalist who has worked with TVNZ and RNZ and is now a freelance journalist. She has received four journalism awards for her radio reporting and also volunteers to support people adjusting to life as wheelchair users. About Susie Ferguson Susie is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster who has reported from around the world, including as a war correspondent in Iraq and Afghanistan. A former co-host of RNZ’s Morning Report, she now hosts Saturday Morning and has created documentaries and podcasts including The Unthinkable and Undercurrent: Misinformation in Aotearoa.