Susan Thomas (Jeffries)

The Christchurch Deaf Mens Basketball team travel to Greymouth, accompanied by the Deaf netball team.

The grit! The determination! The hours of practice! Finally it’s game day for the first Deaf Netball New Zealand versus Australia in Manawatu. Watch highlights of the gameplay followed by expert post-match analysis and limbo shenanigans at MDS. Good times.

The 32nd New Zealand Games for the Deaf is featured on News Review, covering athletics, basketball, table tennis, lawn bowls and netball. The question, ‘Why have a Deaf Games?’ is put forward to competitors and officials! Footage also features the much appreciated ‘Canterbury Duck’ that Deaf kids had requested more of!

Susan Thomas takes the reins at the studio this week on ‘News Review’. The team recaps footage from the World Games of the Deaf which wrapped up on the Tuesday before. Watch records being broken, and some footage of our Kiwi athletes in action!

Susan, born as the only deaf person in a hearing family, talks about the dialect differences in sign between the South Island and the North Island, oralism, moving cities, participating in the Trans-Tasman Games, and meeting her husband, Paul.

A fancy dress party is held at the Canterbury Deaf Society’s clubrooms.

Christchurch Deaf Club Basketball ‘Deaf Boys’ Picnic at Spencer Park, Sunday 13th March 1977.

The Manawatu Deaf Netball Club celebrates 25 years of netballing adventures in June 2001 with stories, photos and even a cake!

Footage and interviews from the final Friday night at Deaf Club at Auckland Deaf Society before its long-awaited re-development in 2006.

In 1987, News Review became the first New Zealand programme to incorporate NZSL in its production. The show ceased in 1991 and to date, there has not been a similar programme using Deaf presenters or NZSL in full.