It’s a good thing Erin Conroy thrives on multitasking. Alongside raising her two young children, she’s juggling not one but three roles at TVNZ. It sounds like a lot, but between weekend weather presenting, and her producing and reporting roles on Seven Sharp and ASB Good As Gold, Erin,is usually home in time for the after-school rush.
When we visit her on Auckland’s North Shore, where she lives with her lawyer partner Nick Molineaux, 46, and their children Guy, nine, and Eliza, five, she’s in full multitasking mode – laptop open on the kitchen bench, homemade blueberry and white chocolate muffins in the oven, and time carved out for a catch-up.
“I’ve always maintained that a working mother is the most efficient worker in the land,” she laughs. “I don’t think I’m much different from most other parents. Sometimes you have to work in the evenings once the kids are in bed, but I don’t mind that.”
Returning to full-time work
While she worked part-time when her kids were younger, Erin, 45, admits she felt a pull to take on more once Eliza turned five last year. Now, the former news reporter and 20/20 host is not only 1News’ weekend weather presenter – a job she shares with Renee Wright – and producer, but she’s back in front of the camera on Seven Sharp, with a weekly segment inspired by often-hilarious viewer feedback. She also regularly fills in for Seven Sharp presenter Hilary Barry alongside Jeremy Wells.
“I can’t really explain that drive to step back into full-time work when Eliza started school, because every parent knows the 3pm pick-up can make the juggle even harder than it was before,” says Erin.
“But I love my work and even though some weeks are total chaos, I am still able to be a really hands-on, present mum, which is important to me.”
Her journey to parenthood
There are moments when she still can’t quite believe how lucky she is to have them. Erin met fellow Nelsonian Nick while they were students at the University of Otago more than 25 years ago.
The couple later spent six years in the UK, where Erin worked for global broadcasters, before returning to New Zealand to settle down and start a family. But their path to two children wasn’t straightforward.
After welcoming Guy in 2017, Erin experienced multiple miscarriages before the couple turned to fertility treatment.
“Nothing could have prepared us for that,” she admits. “It was just heartbreaking – your hopes would rise, then be dashed again. There were some really tough times where we had to ask ourselves, ‘Do we keep trying?’ knowing the emotional and physical toll.”
Thankfully, their wee miracle Eliza arrived in 2020, making every moment of that journey worthwhile.
Life as a family of four
“I just can’t imagine our family without her. She’s such a gentle, lovely little girl, but she absolutely knows what she wants,” Erin laughs. “She isn’t afraid to use her voice.”
While Guy is football obsessed, Eliza is a “yes-to-everything” kind of girl.
“She wants to sign up to 75 activities per term, so we’re just having to manage that. There’s several types of dance, football, swimming – she would do even more if we let her.”
Dinnertime with her whānau is Erin’s favourite time of day. She loves hearing Guy and Eliza’s stories from the day.
“It’s so cute now they’re both at school together. They have this little shared world that they come home and tell us about. There is always a lot of laughter. Last night, we had a riddle competition and everyone had to bring their best jokes!”
Like many women in their mid-forties, Erin is also navigating perimenopause, candidly sharing the challenges of mood changes and physical symptoms. Anxiety, racing heart, joint pain and “off the scale irritability”, Erin has experienced it all. Yet after reacting badly to one type of hormone treatment, she’s currently trying other options, including sessions with a wellbeing expert provided by TVNZ to staff to help her manage the challenges.
“There are a bunch of us at work going through it,” she says. “I feel so grateful we’ve reached a point where women can talk about these things.”
With the media landscape shifting rapidly, Erin is focused on staying adaptable and positive. It hasn’t been easy seeing so many colleagues lose their jobs amidst widespread restructuring.
“I feel so much for those who’ve lost jobs – it’s heartbreaking. It’s such an important industry and I just wish it wasn’t happening. Who knows how long I’ll get to keep doing what I’m doing – I’m just grateful for each day!”
