That is one news for Thursday. More on Michael Hollins story? TONIGHT ` THEY'RE A SYMBOL OF SACRIFICE. READS: HE DIED FOR FREEDOM AND HONOUR. AND AFTER LAST NIGHT'S STORY, WE MAY HAVE FOUND THOSE MEDALS A NEW HOME. PLUS, CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN LIKE THIS IS NO MEAN FEAT. WE DID IT. BUT FOR NICK, IT MEANS MORE THAN MOST. I JUST LACKED COORDINATION AND BECAME INCREDIBLY FATIGUED ALL THE TIME. PLUS ` THIS IS EXCITING ` I'VE BEEN CALLED UP TO NORTHLAND, AND I'VE BEEN ASKED TO BE IN A MOVIE. THIS IS TOTALLY NOT WHAT I HAD IN MIND. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. On a scale of one to phenomenally embarrassing, how bad is it? The background material? I think it's okay. SO LAST NIGHT WE ASKED FOR YOUR HELP. YOU'LL REMEMBER WE'D BEEN HANDED A SET OF WORLD WAR ONE MEDALS AWARDED TO ONE OF THE 600 NZERS WHO DIED ON THE FIRST DAY OF OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME. WELL, THIS MORNING WE RECEIVED QUITE A TIMELY LEAD ON THOSE MEDALS, AS TODAY MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT DAY, ONE OF THE BLOODIEST IN OUR MILITARY HISTORY. MICHAEL HOLLAND WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS. WE FIRST LAID EYES ON THEM LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, LONG LOST SYMBOLS OF COURAGE FROM THE GREAT WAR. THE PLAN? TO TRY TO FIND THEIR RIGHTFUL HOME A CENTURY TO THE DAY AFTER THE SOLDIER WHO'S NAME IS INSCRIBED ON THEM, SERGEANT ERNEST JOSEPH O'DONOHUE, FELL ON THE FIRST DAY OF OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE FRIGHTFUL BATTLE OF THE SOMME. SO HERE WE ARE IN WELLINGTON WITH SPECIAL CONSIGNMENT SAFELY IN HAND, AND, WHILE I'M NOT INTIMATELY INVOLVED, IT'S HARD NOT TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE EMOTION ON THIS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE BLOODIEST DAYS IN OUR MILITARY HISTORY. IT DOES FEEL TRULY AN HONOUR TO BE PLAYING COURIER. WE'RE HEADED FOR LOWER HUTT TO THE HOME OF SERGEANT O'DONOHUE'S GRANDDAUGHTER (80), AND IT'S FAIR TO SAY THE BUSH TELEGRAPH HAS BEEN WORKING OVERTIME SINCE WE REVEALED THE MEDALS LAST NIGHT. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE THE DAY I WOULD SEE MY GRANDFATHER'S MEDALS. IT IS TIME, ISN'T IT? IT IS TIME TO GET THEM. YOU'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH! I HAVE. I WON'T BE HERE THAT MUCH LONGER SO I NEED THEM BEFORE I GO. I HAVE. I WON'T BE HERE THAT MUCH LONGER SO I NEED THEM BEFORE I GO. FOR YOU, GRANDDAUGHTER. (GASPS) (SOBS) MARVELLOUS, AREN'T THEY? JUST AS WELL YOU SAW IT ON TELLY, MY DARLING. WORDS CAN'T EXPRESS WHAT I FEEL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM AND PASS THEM ON TO CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN. I WONDER WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ALL THIS YEARS? IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW, DOES IT? IT DOESN'T MATTER NOW, NO. THE MEDALS WERE PASSED TO US YESTERDAY BY AN AUCKLAND MAN WHO RECEIVED THEM FROM AN ELDERLY NEIGHBOUR. AND THERE'S ONE OTHER. HE DIED FOR FREEDOM, ERNEST JOSEPH O'DONOHUE. GOD BLESS HIM. ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL, ISN'T IT? AND AS WE DELVE FURTHER, THE TRUE COST OF WAR TO SERGEANT O'DONOHUE'S FAMILY. HIS YOUNGER TWIN BROTHERS LEO AND LAURENCE LOST ON OTHER BATTLEFIELDS WITHIN MONTHS OF HIS DEATH. THE SACRIFICE FROM ONE FAMILY, THREE SONS. YES, THREE SONS. FROM SACRIFICE TO SELFLESSNESS, AND CHRIS, THE MAN WHO WANTED US TO FIND SERGEANT O'DONOHUE'S FAMILY, I WOULD LIKE SOME DAY TO MEET YOU AND THANK YOU PERSONALLY, FACE TO FACE. WILL THEY EVER BE LOST AGAIN? NO, NO. THEY ARE HOME TO STAY? THEY ARE HOME TO STAY. HE'D BE JUST SO PROUD. I feel like Michael in that sense, because last night I held them and then suddenly they are there. For it to happen the next day on this day it's fantastic. Sgt O Donoghue's great granddaughter who was in the shot actually works of the defence Force. CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN IN THE HIMALAYAS IS ONE BIG TASK. LOTS OF PEOPLE TOLD ME I WAS CRAZY. BUT HIDDEN BEHIND NICK'S AMAZING JOURNEY IS A PRETTY IMPORTANT MESSAGE. EVEN KIWI MEN CAN'T DO LIFE ON THEIR OWN. WILL YOU TAKE ME HOME? UM, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. OK, SO THAT WAS EASY BUT I THINK THERE'S BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING. QUINTON'S GOING TO TAKE US HOME. IN YOUR BED, NOT MINE. (LAUGHS) NAH, NAH, NAH. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. AND I TRIED TO KEEP IT CLASSY WITH ELLE MACPHERSON LAST NIGHT,... SPANKS OR SHAPEWEAR ` NOT GOING TO CONFIRM WHETHER I'M WEARING ANY RIGHT NOW. ...BUT THAT ALL CHANGED DURING MY BEHIND-THE-SCENES DASH BACK TO THE STUDIO. IS THE CAB OVER THERE? ACROSS THERE, OVER THERE. ELLE WOULD NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS. # SHOULDN'T BE DROWNING ON YOUR OWN. # AND IF YOU FEEL YOU'RE SINKING, # I WILL JUMP RIGHT OVER # INTO COLD, COLD WATER FOR YOU. A lot of questions that were. Any particular reason why they love it? IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO LOSE YOUR STRENGTH AND ENERGY IN YOUR 20S. YOU GO FROM BEING AN ACTIVE, HEALTHY YOUNG MAN TO GETTING AROUND IN A MOBILITY SCOOTER. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO NICK ALLEN SHORTLY BEFORE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. HE THOUGHT HIS DISEASE WAS A DEATH SENTENCE, BUT HE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG. HERE'S KRISTIN HALL, WITH NICK. ONCE IN A WHILE YOU MAY ACROSS A PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING IS AS CLOSE TO PERFECTION AS YOU'LL EVER NEED. AND STRIVING TO BE FAULTLESS, THE AIR ON ITS KNEES HOLDS THE TREES APART. FOR NICK ALLEN (31), BEING CLOSE TO NATURE IS JUST ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD. TO BE ON THE TOP OF A HILL TO BE OUT IN THE QUIET AND WITH A VIEW, IT'S JUST THE MOST AMAZING THING. MUCH OF HIS LIFE HAS BEEN DEFINED BY CHASING THAT GOLDEN VIEW. FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER I'VE WANTED TO CLIMB MOUNTAINS, AND PARTICULARLY MOUNT EVEREST. WE STATED TRAMPING PRETTY EARLY. I THINK HE WAS 8 WHEN WE STARTED. BUT WHEN HE WAS 19, SOMETHING CHANGED. I JUST LACKED COORDINATION. I BECAME INCREDIBLY FATIGUED ALL THE TIME. HE WAS SO EXHAUSTED, HE USED A MOBILITY SCOOTER TO GET AROUND. IT TOOK TWO YEARS TO DIAGNOSE, BUT NICK HAD MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, A DISEASE THAT ATTACKS THE LINING OF YOUR BRAIN AND SPINE. TO GO FROM SOMEONE WHO CYCLED AND CLIMBED TO SOMEONE WHO COULDN'T, IT WAS LIKE MY MASCULINITY HAD BEEN TAKEN. HE CONTEMPLATED SUICIDE. I WAS DRIVING THROUGH OPEN ROAD AND THERE WAS THIS BIG TREE COMING UP, AND I WAS LIKE, 'MAN, I JUST SHOULD CRASH INTO THE TREE 'AND BE DONE WITH IT.' SO I DECIDED TO DO THAT. I PULLED OUT AT THE LAST MOMENT AND SWERVED AND MISSED. WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR YOU? WHEN I WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED I WAS STRUCK WITH THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE PERMANENT THING. IF I DON'T DO SOMETHING, THIS IS GONNA BE ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. SLOWLY, NICK STARTED CHANGING HIS LIFESTYLE. HE STARTED EXERCISING AGAIN. WE STARTED OFF JUST DOING THINGS LIKE BALANCING ON ONE FOOT WITH MY EYES OPEN FOR FIVE SECONDS. OVER SEVERAL YEARS, HE GOT STRONGER, THE HILLS HE COULD CLIMB GOT BIGGER. UNTIL, EVENTUALLY ` I THOUGHT, 'WELL, IF I'M GOING TO THE HIMALAYAS, 'WHY NOT TRY AND DO A CLIMB?' AND NOT JUST ANY CLIMB, ISLAND PEAK. A 24-DAY TREK. I KNOW I SAY THIS PRETTY MUCH EVERY TIME, BUT IT'S JUST AMAZING. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. UH, THIS ONE HERE, FROM EVEREST BASE CAMP. DID PEOPLE TELL ME IT WAS A STUPID IDEA? LOTS OF PEOPLE TOLD ME I WAS CRAZY! 5500M. NEARLY HALFWAY UP THE MOUNTAIN AND THINGS ARE GOING WELL. NOT QUITE EVEREST, BUT NOT FAR FROM IT. THIS IS AMAZING! WE ARE ON THE PEAK! 6,189 METRES, WE DID IT! HE CAME HOME, SPENT THE NEXT THREE MONTHS WRITING A BOOK. HE STRUGGLES WITH THE SYMPTOMS OF HIS M.S EVERYDAY. THE DIFFERENCE NOW IS HE DOESN'T STRUGGLE TO TALK ABOUT IT. EVEN KIWI MEN CAN'T DO LIFE ON THEIR OWN. WE ALL NEED THE HELP OF OTHER PEOPLE, AND IF WE DON'T EXPRESS WHAT'S HAPPENING, THEN HOW CAN WE HAVE HELP? HE'S PLANNING HIS NEXT MOUNTAIN CLIMB, NOT EVEREST THOUGH. MUM'S NOT HAVING THAT. THAT IS A NO-GO. (LAUGHS) LITERALLY OVER MY DEAD BODY. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE MASCULINITY NOW? IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO, IT'S MORE ABOUT JUST BEING WHO YOU ARE. FIRST STEP, AND HOPEFULLY WILL NOT BE MY LAST. He doesn't look like he is struggling. Isn't it amazing how people can internalise around with all of that adversity? The launch of this book is this evening. Congratulations and I hope it goes well. GOING HOME WITH STRANGERS ` MOST OF US WOULDN'T BE SILLY ENOUGH TO DO IT, BUT THOSE THAT DO CAN FIND THEMSELVES IN SOME WEIRD SITUATIONS. LIKE GOING FISHING WITHOUT WATER... OR FISH. TIM WILSON MEETS QUINTON, A YOUNG GUY WHO LOVES ADRENALINE. MY NAME'S TIM, FROM SEVEN SHARP. HOW'S IT GOING? MY NAME'S QUINTON. EVERYONE HAS A STORY. I WANNA HEAR YOUR STORY. WILL YOU TAKE ME HOME? UM, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. I'LL, UH` WELL, TO MY HOUSE? TIM. ELI. NICE TO MEET YA, ELI. NOW, LISTEN, QUINTON'S GONNA TAKE US HOME. IN YOUR BED, NOT MINE. (CHUCKLES) NAH, NAH, NAH. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT. CORNERSHOP'S 'BRIMFUL OF ASHA' HE PUNCHED A BEE THE OTHER DAY, EH? YEAH, I WAS SITTING THERE, ME AND MY GRANDDAD OUT ON THE BOAT, GRANDDAD PULLIN' SOMETHIN' IN. ACTUALLY NAMED HIS BOAT AFTER ME AND MY COUSIN. REALLY? YEAH, YEAH. HIS BOAT WAS CALLED 'DYLANQUINT',... (LAUGHS) ...MY COUSIN'S NAME WAS DYLAN, AND MY NAME WAS QUINT. THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS' 'THE SALMON DANCE' SO, YOU'RE GONNA GIVE US A DEMONSTRATION? YEAH, WE GOT NO WATER. I COULD BE THE FISH. WE'RE GONNA TRY CATCH THIS, UH, OH, BABY KINGFISH. OH, YEAH, NAH, NAH, HE'S A FLYING FISH. GOT OUR LINE HERE. WE'VE GOT OUR GHOST SWIVEL, GHOST TRACE, GHOST HOOK. SEE, THERE'S OUR BRONZE WHALER. HE'S TRYING TO GO FOR IT. HE'S TRYING TO GO FOR THE BAIT, YEP. YEP, HE GOT IT? RIGHT, WE'RE ON. GOT HIM. HERE WE GO. HERE WE GO. IS HE BIG? HOW BIG IS HE? OOH, HE'S BIG, YEAH. HANG ON. (PANTS DRAMATICALLY) DO YOU THINK HE'S SMART, THIS FISH? OH, HE DOESN'T LOOK IT. HE DOESN'T LOOK THAT SMART, DOES HE? # YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT. YOU KNOW HOW WE DO IT. HERE WE GO. HERE HE COMES. HERE HE COMES. HERE HE COMES. HERE HE COMES. COME ON. WE GOT HIM. YEAH, RIGHT. GET THE GAFF. GET THE GAFF. GET THE GAFF AND CLUB HIM! DONK! DONK! DONK! YEAH. I WAS ACTUALLY WRONG ` IT'S A ELI BRONZE WHALER, THIS ONE. If you came back to the office of explained what had happened, no one would believe you. Tim takes people home in people feel the pressure, like they have to do something call. It approaches you, you can be like 'hey!' I want to see you on your Astroturf trying to be a fresh. *fish. WE'VE NOTICED A CRAZE RIGHT NOW IN NORTHLAND... I DIDN'T REALISE THERE WAS SUCH A ZOMBIE OBSESSION. ...AND IT SEEMS OUR CARO IS CATCHING ON. THE THINGS I DO FOR SEVEN SHARP. ZOMBIE READY! AND GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF TONI'S CHAOTIC DASH BACK TO THE STUDIO LAST NIGHT AFTER CHATTING WITH ELLE MACPHERSON. AH! PATHETIC. YOU MISSED IT, YOU MISSED IT. This is my favourite song at the moment. This is a remake of the original. I think it's better. What your other favourite? We had this massive fight at home. Katie hate that song. I'm moving in saying how can you hate the song. SO LAST NIGHT, OF COURSE, TONI THE PICTURE OF POISE AS SHE CHATTED TO ELLE MACPHERSON, BUT HER MAD DASH BACK TO THE STUDIO TO FINISH THE SHOW WAS ANYTHING BUT. Quite full of poise is there to be fair. Here's the truth. She was saying that I will make it back before the end of the ad break. You've never seen an athlete like me. That's what she said. Let's look at the footage. HOPE YOU GET TO THE STUDIO ON TIME. WHERE'S THE CAB, OVER THERE? ELLE WOULD NEVER HAVE TO DO THIS. RIGHT, WE'RE OFF. GO. CROSS. STRAIGHT ACROSS, STRAIGHT ACROSS. FOUR MINUTES AND COUNTING. GO, GO, GO! DOOR LOCK BEEPS FOUR DIFFERENT SWIPE AREAS. YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PUFFING ON AIR. AH! PATHETIC. YOU MISSED IT. YOU MISSED IT. WE'RE IN THE SECOND PART OF THE PROGRAMME. NO WE'RE NOT! YOU SAID YOU'D BE OUT BEFORE THE END OF THE AD BREAK. LOOK, YOU CAN BARELY BREATHE. (PANTS) YOU TRY RUNNING IN HEELS, BUDDY. What a con! I had no idea there was a cab involved. I thought there was no cab. You are coming back sweating with make up all over you. She said my high heels. You were sitting in the back of the car. I had to run in my heels from the second floor the farmers building across Queen Street` what sort of person would run up the hill and high heels, giving all sweaty when they are doing this show? If it had been left to you,, you wouldn't have made it. All you had to do itwas swiping the door for times. I enjoyed it. NORTHLAND'S BEEN OVERRUN BY ZOMBIES. AN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE ABOUT THE GORY UNDEAD IS CURRENTLY BEING SHOT THERE, AND THE CALL WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ZOMBIE EXTRAS. Take a cab from the office to the studio every night? THEY NEEDED JUST A FEW DOZEN, BUT INSTEAD, THEY GOT A FEW HUNDRED. SO CAROLYN ROBINSON, WHO, FUNNILY ENOUGH, DIDN'T GET OFFERED A SWORD FIGHTING ROLE AFTER HER LAST STORY, THOUGHT SHE'D TRY HER LUCK AT BEING A ZOMBIE. UNCOMFORTABLE MUSIC WHAKAPAPA IN NORTHLAND IS THE BACKDROP FOR R: RAGE OF THE ZOMBIES. KIWI-MADE, CHINESE-FUNDED, AMERICAN-PRODUCED, IT'S BOUND FOR THE ASIAN MARKET, WHERE ZOMBIES ARE APPARENTLY HUGE. AND IT SEEMS THEY'RE PRETTY POPULAR HERE TOO. IT JUST WENT CRAZY. I DIDN'T REALISE THERE WAS SUCH A ZOMBIE OBSESSION. SO I HAD TO BRING ON A COUPLE OF PAs JUST TO HELP WITH THAT ISSUE OF DEALING WITH OUR ZOMBIES. CRAZY. MIG ALVES IS A FIXER. SHE'S ALSO IN THE FILM AND KNOWS WHAT MAKES A GOOD ZOMBIE. SOMEONE WHO'S NOT AFRAID TO LOOK UGLY, SOUND UGLY AND ROLL AROUND IN THE DIRT AND GET ABSOLUTELY FILTHY. WHICH ALSO CUTS DOWN ON THE MAKE-UP BUDGET. AND THE BUDGET'S SO TIGHT EVEN THE CATERERS HAVE MORE THAN ONE JOB. THIS IS KEVIN. > HEAD CHEF. HEAD CHEF! (LAUGHS) > IT TURNS OUT KEVIN'S ALSO GOOD AT MARINADES. TRY NOT TO WIPE IT OFF. MUM? THEN THERE'S PHIL, ANOTHER KIWI PRODUCER/ACTOR. TO STAND OUT AS AN EXTRA, JUST BE AS BELIEVABLE AS YOU CAN. (GROWLS) JUST BE A ZOMBIE. THAT'S IT. THERE ARE SOME PROFESSIONALS. SHAIL'S HERE FROM FLORIDA TO PLAY A DOCTOR. VERY COOL, VERY VERY COOL. CAN'T TELL YOU TOO MUCH ABOUT THE STORYLINE AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE KNOW IT'S ABOUT ZOMBIES. (LAUGHS) CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME TIPS ON HOW I CAN STAND OUT? GOOD POINT. ONE OF THE GOOD TRICKS IS TO LOOK AT WHERE THE CAMERA IS SITUATED AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THAT BEFORE THE CAMERA STARTS ROLLING. AND IF YOU CAN KIND OF POSITION YOURSELF PRETTY CLOSE TO WHERE THAT'S SITUATED, YOU MIGHT HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF GETTING FEATURED. LIKE, DRAG YOUR FOOT. BUT THE KIDS HAVE THE BEST TIPS. YOU GOTTA PUT YOUR LEGS IN AWKWARD PLACES. YOU DON'T WANNA RISK BREAKING YOUR LEGS. THEN IT'S MY TURN TO GET THE STAR TREATMENT. YOU CAN GET ELDERLY ZOMBIES, RIGHT? YEAH. DO YOU MIND IF PUT SOME GREASE... YES, I DO! # I CAN'T FEEL MY FACE WHEN I'M WITH YOU, # BUT I LOVE IT. GO AND HAVE A LITTLE ROLL AROUND IN THE DIRT NOW. LAUGHING: THIS IS SO WRONG! GO AND HAVE A LITTLE ROLL AROUND IN THE DIRT NOW. LAUGHING: THIS IS SO WRONG! (YELPS) I'M JUST WONDERING WHEN THE DIRECTOR MIGHT COME OUT AND GIVE ME MY LINES. COS I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY MET THE DIRECTOR YET, WHICH IS WEIRD FOR A LEAD ACTOR. TRUE. THIS IS TRUE, YEAH. YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT YOUR MOTIVATION IS YET? NO. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE? PROBABLY 'HUNGRY'. BUT U.S. DIRECTOR FRED POTTS IS BUSY INSIDE THE FARMHOUSE SHOOTING THE PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING 'NEWT', PLAYED BY 11-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN ACTRESS SOPHIE GONZALES. SO IT'S LAST-MINUTE TOUCHES FOR US,... WE'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SPLIT LIP. ...AND WE'RE OFF TO LOCATION. I'M READY. (CHUCKLES) THEN WE'RE ON. QUIET ON SET! SOUND ROLLING. AND IT'S A GOOD FIRST ATTEMPT. CREEPY MUSIC THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS ZOMBIE FILM AND ALL THE OTHERS IS IT'S THE FIRST TRILOGY. THERE'S NEVER BEEN A TRILOGY. AND APPARENTLY, THE ZOMBIES, TOO, ARE DIFFERENT,... GUNSHOTS ...INFORMATION THAT'S A LITTLE LATE GETTING TO ME. NOT YOUR TYPICAL WALKING DEAD (MOANS) TYPE. THEY'RE MORE (HISSES) ARE YOU SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO CUT ME OUT? NO, NO, WE WON'T CUT YOU OUT. SO IN THE EDIT, JUST LOOK ` I'M THE ONE WITH THE BLUE SNEAKERS. THOSE WORK. STRANGELY, ALL OF IT DOES. Pparently the blood is golden syrup and food colouring. She was deathly the hottest zombie. PRETTY WORRYING STATS OUT TODAY IF YOU'RE A PARENT OF YOUNG KIDS IN THIS COUNTRY. NEW ENTRANTS STARTING SCHOOL ARE UNABLE TO SPEAK IN SENTENCES. OUR KIDS' ORAL LANGUAGE SKILLS ARE IN SERIOUS NEED OF HELP, EVEN THE BASIC COMMUNICATION SKILLS, THINGS LIKE MAKING EYE CONTACT ARE LACKING. THE GOVERNMENT'S LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION AND WE'LL BE GETTING ADVICE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT LETS BE HONEST, MOST OF US ALREADY KNOW THE BASICS DON'T WE? WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TALKING AND READING TO OUR KIDS IS. THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF FREE ADVICE OUT THERE ON THAT, AND THESE STATS JUST CONFIRM THAT IF YOU DON'T DO IT, THE CONSEQUENCES CAN BE DIRE. THE QUESTION IS, IN THIS INCREASINGLY BUSY WORLD WE LIVE, ARE WE PREPARED TO FIND THE TIME? SO CONGRATULATIONS TO US. THE ROCK STAR ECONOMY IS BACK AND IN A BIG WAY. GDP NUMBERS OUT TODAY AND WERE ON FIRE. NO LONGER CAN THE WOWSERS CLAIM IT'S ALL MIGRATION BECAUSE IT ISN'T ` NOT THAT IT EVER WAS, BUT TODAY'S FIGURES LOCK DOWN THE IRREFUTABLE PROOF THAT THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT IS NOT ONLY GROWING BETTER THAN VIRTUALLY ANYWHERE, BUT GROWING IN A VERY BROAD BASED WAY. YES, MIGRATION DROVE SOME OF IT, BUT SO DID EXPORTS, AND CONSTRUCTION, AND TOURISM, AND MANUFACTURING, AND WE'RE SPENDING, AND WE'RE SPENDING BECAUSE WE'RE FEELING GOOD. EXPORTS ` BIGGEST GROWTH IN 20 YEARS, AND THAT'S AGAINST A HIGH DOLLAR AND A DAIRY SECTOR IN TROUBLE, WHICH IS THE OTHER EXCITING BIT ` DAIRY IS BACK. SO ADD THAT GROWTH NEXT TIME ROUND. HOW GOOD ARE WE? PICK A COUNTRY LIKE OURS, THE STATES, THE UK, ANYWHERE IN EUROPE, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, WE BEAT 'EM ALL. NUMBERS DON'T LIE, THE GOOD TIMES ARE ROLLING. ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY ALANA DRAYTON AND ANTONY VLUG. SEVEN SHARP CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND TOM PEDLAR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2016.