Gill Higgins

Fair Go reporter Gill Higgins felt undeniably daunted on her first day back in 2018. She might have worked in primetime roles on Close Up and Seven Sharp, but Fair Go’s reputation was like no other, she says.

“I remember being in a meeting and Pippa [Wetzell] and Garth [Bray] sounded so knowledgeable about insurance policies and consumer guarantees, and I thought, ‘Wow, I have a lot to learn!’”

Thankfully Gill, 56, who is mum to India, 20, and Ben, 18, learnt fast, and she’s confident tackling the often-thorny stories. She loves travelling the country and meeting Kiwis from all walks of life, and feels privileged at being able to offer her help.

“People love to know that if all else fails, they can turn to Fair Go. It’s very special.”

While she’s had plenty of successes, including chasing a rogue roofer all the way to court, one campaign that didn’t pan out was her efforts to reduce single-use plastic at fast-food outlets. “I was pretty appalled that my husband Verney was given four plastic spoons and five napkins with his KFC,” she explains. “It’s a small thing for one person, but millions of people have takeaways every month, so I suggested to the team that we start a campaign of ‘Ask for Less’. Some people supported what we were trying to say, but most people commented that they liked to get lots of serviettes to keep in their car, so it kind of backfired!”

Gill admits she’s learnt a lot about herself throughout her time on the show.

“I’ve come to realise that I’m naturally a trusting person. I still sometimes find it hard to believe that there are dodgy traders out there who really don’t care about ripping people off. I always start off giving them the benefit of the doubt.”

‘I’ve come to realise that I’m naturally a trusting person’