Kiwis go for goldon coast

23-year-old scaffolder, property investor and ladies' man, Tame Noema, stars in The G.C., TV3's...
23-year-old scaffolder, property investor and ladies' man, Tame Noema, stars in The G.C., TV3's new reality series which delves into the lives and loves of a bunch of young Maori as they work and party hard on Australia's Gold Coast. Photo by TV3.
Phar Lap, Crowded House, Russell Crowe, Kimbra ... and now these guys. The cast of reality show The G.C. are just the latest talent we've lost to Australia. Scott Kara gets acquainted with the whanau on the Gold Coast.

There are dozens of girls with dangerously short skirts writhing around on the dance floor. Every now and then, with their hands in the air, they shimmy down towards the floor, and then undulate all the way back up. It's like a cross between some sort of mating ritual and a Girls Just Wanna Have Fun dance.

Welcome to the Gold Coast, people. Tonight, we are at East, a swanky, popular club in Broadbeach - or Broadies as the local neffs (bros), mumsies (their girlfriends), and aunties (single girls) refer to it.

This place is heaving since it's "ladies' night" and all. It's a favourite hang-out of 23-year-old scaffolder, property investor and ladies' man, Tame Noema, and the rest of the stars of The G.C., TV3's new reality series which delves into the lives and loves of a bunch of young Maori as they work and party hard on Australia's Gold Coast.

"I would move back to New Zealand if I could afford to live there. I miss home heaps," says Tame (or Tommy as he is often called).

"I miss the diving, the hunting, the outdoors, everything.

"But this place is the place I have to be. I came to the G.C. for the money, to chase the dream - and the aunties."

And, as he points out in the opening episode at 8pm tomorrow, it doesn't matter if they are young, old, "banging", or ugly, he does OK with the ladies.

"Five aunties, five nights. It's not amazing, but it's not bad," he smiles cheekily.

One of the show's other buff stars, Ngahere "Nuz" Ngatai, a good-looking Maori boy originally from Rotorua and part of Howard Morrison's clan, is up on stage performing at East as part of R and B group Sex 'N Chocolate (sadly the group hit the headlines last year when singer Tony Williams was found murdered on Christmas Eve).

They are like a Maori showband-meets-Michael Jackson or Usher.

And it's no wonder Nuz is cut like a Maori Mr Universe.

"I don't have a 9 to 5 full-time job," he says.

"So from Monday to Friday I don't do anything other than go to the gym and work on my house [in Brisbane]."

Then on the weekend, he sings and dances, including a Sunday afternoon residency at Koi which is booked out three weeks in advance.

So, much like the rest of The G.C. crew, Nuz is living his dream.

Despite the promotional photos of the show's stars, they do wear clothes. When we hook up with them earlier at a hotel in Surfers Paradise, the neffs are wearing shirts (with glimpses of their tattoos), and the girls add a touch of glamour, revealing far less skin than they do on the show - though plunging necklines are obviously part of the uniform.

As well as Tame and Nuz, there's part-Maori, part-Italian property investor Jade Ruwhiu and scaffolder and fellow property hotshot Zane Houia. They are here with their respective "mumsies" Jessi Nugent and Rosie Arkle (who are both glamour models, though Jessi also dabbles in real estate).

The two couples share an apartment with Tame on the 40th floor of a Broadbeach high rise - nicknamed The Whare - where much of the action of The G.C. takes place.

Then there's 30-year-old Cole Smith, a former soldier in the New Zealand Army and martial arts exponent turned personal trainer, whose goal is to open his own gym.

Rounding out the lads are cocky wannabe rapper Nathan "Nate" Waikato and dapper model-turned-personal trainer and mentor Alby Waititi (a second cousin of film-maker Taika).

The other two G.C. girls are 28-year-old singer, solo mum, and fast talker Jade-Louise Harawira Dewes, who, though not Maori by blood was brought up in a whangai situation ("Even though I'm the Australian adopted one I know more te reo than my little sisters"), and DJ Tuini (real name Elyse Minhinnick) who was born in New Zealand but raised in Australia and knows little about her Maori heritage.

They are a likeable, friendly bunch, and excited about the show starting.

The $420,000 NZ On Air-funded series is like a cross between hit MTV show Jersey Shore and British "scripted reality show" The Only Way is Essex.

Yes, the Gold Coast gang like to party hard but they also work hard and are doing well. They are careful not to bag New Zealand, because they love their home, but Australia has more opportunity.

And as we find out, some of them have heartfelt goals in life.

Take Tame. Though he is unashamedly hungry for money and aunties, his main mission in life is to work hard and earn as much as he can to help his parents.

"At the end of the day my ultimate goal is to retire my parents and help them out and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen," he said.

Not that the gang have to sacrifice their leisure and party time, because as well as saving and investing their money they earn enough to live a "luxury life".

Tame says his pay packet each week comes complete with additional extras such as tool, travel and "crib" allowances, among other perks.

It's crawling with Maori over here. There is a loyal community who celebrate Waitangi Day, and other iwi-specific days, some speak fluent te reo, and most visible of all are the tattoos (ta moko) worn proudly by many Maori on the Gold Coast.

Jade was 19, and about to leave home, when he got his ta moko done under the guidance of his father: "My dad knew our background and he wanted me to understand our genealogy before I left and I got my ta moko done with him there."

Being Maori, their ties back to New Zealand are important for all of them.

"When I'm missing home I have to go back," says Cole.

"My father is always up in the Ureweras, we go for a hunt, and we go get some pigs and stags. And I catch up with my grandma in Mahia too. I love it."

But for now, home is the Queensland Gold Coast.

The G.C. premieres at 8pm tomorrow on TV3.

 

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