THE CAMPAIGNING IS ALMOST OVER. TONIGHT, IT'S TIME TO VOTE. WILL THE POLITICAL OUTSIDER OR A PILLAR OF THE ESTABLISHMENT BECOME AMERICA'S NEXT PRESIDENT? FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN ARE INJURED BY A FALLING TREE AT AN AUCKLAND DAY-CARE CENTRE. A VERY LONG TAIL FOR A DOG WHO BARELY HAS ONE AT ALL. THE STORY OF A CANINE'S TANGLE WITH CRIME. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. FIRST TONIGHT ` IT'S CRUNCH TIME, AMERICA. THE FIRST VOTES HAVE ALREADY BEEN COUNTED IN ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL US ELECTIONS OF ALL TIME. IN THREE TINY NEW HAMPSHIRE TOWNS, WHO VOTE AT MIDNIGHT LOCAL TIME, TRUMP IS LEADING BY 32 VOTES TO 25. BUT THERE'S A VERY LONG WAY TO GO, OF COURSE. HERE'S ZAC FLEMING WITH THE FRANTIC LAST-DITCH CAMPAIGNING. # OH, OH, LIVING ON A PRAYER! # POP STARS, ROCK STARS, CURRENT AND FORMER PRESIDENTS ` HILLARY CLINTON DEPLOYED THE CAVALRY FOR HER FINAL CAMPAIGN DAY. I COULD NEVER HAVE FATHOMED THAT I WOULD EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFETIME THAT A WOMAN WOULD BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. CHEERING THIS FINAL RALLY IN NORTH CAROLINA EXTENDED INTO THE EARLY HOURS OF ELECTION DAY ` NOT THAT THAT WAS PUTTING VOTERS OFF. CROWD CHANTS IT IS A CHOICE BETWEEN DIVISION OR UNITY; BETWEEN STRONG, STEADY LEADERSHIP OR A LOOSE CANNON. THIS IS AN HISTORIC NICE. WE'RE GONNA SEE OUR FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT ELECTED ON TOMORROW. DONALD TRUMP ENDED HIS FINAL DAY AROUND THE SAME TIME IN MICHIGAN, THE 70-YEAR-OLD DEFIED HIS AGE BY VISITING FIVE STATES IN ONE DAY, STARTING IN FLORIDA AT 11AM LOCAL TIME TO NORTH CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND ENDING HERE IN MICHIGAN 12 HOURS LATER. CHEERING TODAY THE AMERICAN WORKING CLASS IS GOING TO STRIKE BACK. HE'S AWESOME. HE SPEAKS WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT CHANGE. HE'S GOT THE BEAUTIFUL HAIR. HE'S GOT THE BEAUTIFUL POLICIES. HE'S GOING ALL THE WAY, BABY. ONE REASON FOR TODAY'S FOCUS ON THE EASTERN BATTLEGROUNDS IS BECAUSE MANY DON'T ALLOW ADVANCED VOTING, SO NOT ONLY ARE THEY PIVOTAL MUST-WINS; THEY ALSO DELIVER THE BIGGEST BANG FOR BUCK IN TERMS OF CHANGING MINDS. AND CHANGE MINDS THEY MIGHT'VE. BOTH CANDIDATES' MESSAGES WERE MARKEDLY DIFFERENT TODAY, CLINTON ABANDONING HER USUAL ASSAULTS AND STRIKING AN OPTIMISTIC TONE. THERE IS NO REASON, MY FRIENDS, WHY AMERICA'S BEST DAYS ARE NOT AHEAD OF US. TRUMP, CONFIDENCE POSSIBLY WANING, A RARE SHOW OF VULNERABILITY. THEY SAY WE'LL GET A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF CREDIT, WIN OR LOSE. I SAID, 'NO, NO, NO, NO. I DON'T WANT ANY CREDIT IF WE LOSE.' THE LATEST CNN POLL OF POLLS HAS CLINTON LEADING TRUMP BY FOUR POINTS. NEARLY ALL THE OTHER MAJOR POLLS SHOW A SIMILAR GAP. BUT CLINTON CHOOSING TO USE HER LAST DAY TO CAMPAIGN IN THE TRADITIONALLY BLUE STATES OF PENNSYLVANIA AND MICHIGAN IS SIGNIFICANT. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN WON BY A REPUBLICAN IN NEARLY 30 YEARS, WHICH SHOWS HER CAMP IS WORRIED THEY MAY FALTER. THERE'S SOME SCENARIOS WHERE HILLARY DOESN'T WIN IF SHE DOESN'T WIN NEW HAMPSHIRE, SO` SO IT DEPENDS ON YOU. VOTING OPENS IN JUST 15 MINUTES IN SOME EASTERN STATES. WE COULD HAVE AN EARLY IDEA OF THE WINNER EARLY AFTERNOON TOMORROW WHEN SWING-STATE POLLS CLOSE, AND AROUND 5PM, WHEN WEST COAST POLLS CLOSE, WE MAY JUST KNOW THE NAME OF THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF AMERICA. ZAC FLEMING, 1 NEWS. AND THAT NAME WILL BE THE ONE WHO GETS THE MAJORITY OF VOTES IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. THAT'S THE SYSTEM AMERICA USES TO WEIGH THE CONTRIBUTION OF EACH STATE. THERE ARE 538 VOTES. THE MAGIC WINNING NUMBER IS 270. THE BBC'S JEREMY VINE EXPLAINS HOW IT WORKS. THERE ARE 50 STATES IN THE USA, AND EACH HAS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SO-CALLED ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES. SO LET ME EXPLAIN THIS NOW BY SHOWING YOU THE RESULT LAST TIME IN 2012. AND IT LOOKS, DOESN'T IT, AS IF MITT ROMNEY, THE REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER, WON, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RED ON THE FLOOR HERE, BUT ACTUALLY, OBAMA'S VOTES WERE PILED UP IN THE PLACES WHERE THERE ARE MOST PEOPLE AND THEREFORE MOST ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES ` PLACES LIKE CALIFORNIA HERE, WITH 55 OF THEM, SO IT'S A CASE ON THE NIGHT OF LOOKING AT THE SO-CALLED BATTLE-GROUND STATES. THESE ARE ONES TO WATCH, BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY MUCH IN PLAY. TRUMP NEEDS TO TURN PLACES LIKE FLORIDA, WITH 29 ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES, OR MICHIGAN, WITH 16, OR OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, WISCONSIN AND SO ON, TURN THEM FROM BLUE TO RED. HERE THEY ARE FLASHING ON THE FLOOR. THAT IS QUITE A TASK FOR THE REPUBLICAN. 40 MILLION VOTES ALREADY IN; 90 MILLION MORE, WE THINK, STILL TO COME, AND WHAT A NIGHT IN PROSPECT. US CORRESPONDENT JACK TAME IS FOLLOWING HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN. IT WAS INTERESTING HEARING FROM PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND THE COMMENTS TONIGHT THEY MADE WHICH REALLY PUT THIS ELECTION IN CONTEXT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ENORMOUSLY DIVISIVE PERIOD IN AMERICAN POLITICAL HISTORY, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RESULTS TOMORROW. HILLARY CLINTON MIGHT HAVE A SLIGHT LEAD OVER DONALD TRUMP, BUT THERE IS CAUTIOUS ANXIETY ABOUT THE RESULTS AS THEY COME IN. AND I WANNA LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH A COMMENT FROM VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, WHO WAS ALSO CAMPAIGNING TODAY. HE SAID, 'TOMORROW IS A DAY 'THAT IS GOING TO IMPACT ON ALL OF YOUR TOMORROWS 'FOR THE NEXT 10 OR 12 YEARS. IT'S NOT HYPERBOLE, MAN. 'IT'S GOING TO IMPACT ON YOUR LIVES LIKE NO OTHER TOMORROW 'IN TERMS OF AMERICAN HISTORY SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ALIVE.' AND AS WE SAID EARLIER, DONALD TRUMP HAS THE LEAD SO FAR, ALBEIT A VERY SMALL, VERY INSIGNIFICANT ONE. IT'S 4.45AM ON THE EAST COAST, AND POLLS DON'T OPEN TIL 6AM. BUT A GIMMICKY NEW HAMPSHIRE LAW LETS COMMUNITIES WITH LESS THAN 100 VOTERS OPEN THEIR POLLS AT MIDNIGHT. THREE TINY TOWNS TOOK ADVANTAGE. 57 VOTES WERE CAST. TRUMP LEADS 32 TO 25. FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HURT BY A FALLING TREE AT THEIR AUCKLAND DAY-CARE. PARENTS RUSHED TO THE PRESCHOOL AFTER LEARNING OF THE INCIDENT, WHICH HAPPENED IN HIGH WINDS. ONE CHILD WHO WAS CRITICALLY HURT AND ANOTHER WHO WAS SERIOUSLY HURT ARE NOW IN A STABLE CONDITION. THE OTHER TWO HAVE MODERATE INJURIES. CHRIS CHANG HAS MORE. IT WAS A BRUTAL END TO PLAYTIME FOR CHILDREN AT DISCOVERIES EDUCARE IN THE CENTRAL AUCKLAND SUBURB OF NEWMARKET AS A LARGE TREE TOPPLED IN EXACTLY THE WRONG DIRECTION. I WAS QUITE SHOCKED WHEN I HEARD THAT SOME OF THE KIDS WERE INJURED. MY SON WAS GOING TO THIS SCHOOL UNTIL LAST WEEK. HE'S JUST HAD HIS FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ON FRIDAY. SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN HIM. THEY'RE ALL UNDER 3, AND SOME HAVE HEAD INJURIES. BUT PARAMEDICS CHECKED ALL THE CHILDREN WHO WERE IN THE YARD WHEN THE TREE FELL. < HOW MANY OTHER CHILDREN POTENTIALLY MAY HAVE BEEN < KNOCKED ON THE HEAD OR BEEN INJURED? SURE. WE'VE TRIAGED APPROXIMATELY 25 PATIENTS TODAY. ANXIOUS CHILDREN WATCHED FROM WINDOWS AS DISTRAUGHT PARENTS RUSHED TO COLLECT THEM AND TOOK ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS. IF THEY RECOGNISE ANY CHANGE IN INTERACTION WITH THAT CHILD ` VOMITING, HEADACHES ` TO CALL HEALTHLINE IN THE FIRST INSTANCE. IF THEY HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS, THEY CAN CALL 111. EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE BEEN BUSY WITH FALLING TREES ACROSS AUCKLAND, AND A ROOF LIFTED ON A NEARBY HOUSE. THE WINDS HAVE BEEN WHIPPING THROUGH HERE ALL AFTERNOON. AT THE TIME THE TREE FELL OVER, THEY WERE GUSTING AT AROUND 70KM/H TO 80KM/H. PARENTS HAVE BEEN SLOWLY ARRIVING HERE. THIS HAS BEEN THE FIRST TIME MANY OF THEM HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE INCIDENT. ONE WOMAN, SHE WAS JUST SO OVERCOME BY EMOTION SHE BURST INTO TEARS. I JUST HOPE THAT THE KIDS ARE OK, MAN, YOU KNOW? WORKSAFE IS NOW INVESTIGATING THE SCENE AND THE TREE, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN OFF AT THE BASE RATHER THAN BEEN COMPLETELY UPROOTED. CHRIS CHANG, 1 NEWS. A NEW REPORT INTO FIGHT CLUBS AT MOUNT EDEN PRISON HAS REVEALED THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS WAS TOLD THEY WERE HAPPENING IN OTHER JAILS TOO. THE DEPARTMENT HAS DUMPED THREE REPORTS TONIGHT, ONE INTO THE FIGHT CLUBS UNCOVERED BY ONE NEWS. IT CONCLUDES THAT PRISONERS HAD WARNED OFFICIALS TWO YEARS AGO ABOUT TWO OTHERS IN TWO OTHER STATE-RUN PRISONS IN UPPER HUTT AND NORTHLAND. BUT CORRECTIONS HAS SAID IT FOUND NO HARD EVIDENCE OF THE ACTIVITY AT OTHER JAILS DURING INVESTIGATIONS. ALL PRISON VOLUNTEERS WILL NOW BE SUBJECT TO POLICE CHECKS AFTER A GANG MEMBER WAS FOUND TO BE WORKING AT WHANGANUI PRISON. CORRECTIONS ORDERED A REVIEW OF ITS VETTING PROCESS FOR VOLUNTEERS WHEN IT DISCOVERED BLACK POWER'S NGAPARI NUI HAD BEEN WORKING WITH INMATES FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. HIS TIME THERE WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT HE'S NOW BEEN BANNED FROM VOLUNTEERING, AS HAS A SECOND VOLUNTEER WITH GANG CONNECTIONS. THE DEPARTMENT'S BOSS SAYS THEY'LL BE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ARE A NO-GO. I THINK THE ISSUE IS IF YOU'VE GOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THEN YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM. YOU CAN'T HAVE A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS. YOU CAN'T BE SAYING, 'ON THE ONE HAND, I'M HELPING, 'AND ON THE OTHER HAND, I'M PART OF A CRIMINAL ASSOCIATION.' RAY SMITH'S PROMISING TO ADOPT ALL 11 RECOMMENDATIONS PUT FORWARD IN THE REVIEW. THAT INCLUDES TRAINING VOLUNTEERS HOW TO AVOID BEING MANIPULATED BY PRISONERS. GET READY TO RUMBLE, NZ. THE BIGGEST ONE-NIGHT EVENT IN OUR SPORTING HISTORY WILL BE HELD AT AUCKLAND'S VECTOR ARENA NEXT MONTH. BUT SECURING HOME ADVANTAGE FOR KIWI BOXER JOSEPH PARKER IS A BIG FINANCIAL RISK FOR HIS PROMOTERS. WITHOUT GOVERNMENT OR AUCKLAND CITY FUNDING, HIS WORLD TITLE FIGHT WITH ANDY RUIZ WILL COST THEM $4M. HERE'S ANDREW SAVILLE. IT'S EASY FOR JOSEPH PARKER'S PROMOTERS TO SUM UP WHAT DECEMBER 10 MEANS FOR THEM. THIS IS A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR NZ SPORT. DUCO BOSS MARTIN SNEDDEN HAS CONFIRMED THAT PIECE OF SPORTING HISTORY WILL COST WELL OVER $4M. THAT INCLUDES HIGHER FEES FOR THE FIGHTERS. JOE PARKER'S UNDERSTOOD TO BE GETTING PAID A SEVEN-FIGURE SUM. THERE'S A STRONG UNDERCARD, PLUS SANCTIONING FEES AND COSTS LIKE HIRING A BIGGER VENUE ` ALL WITHOUT THE BACKING OF REGULAR SPONSOR AUCKLAND CITY. WE UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A POLITICAL GAME THAT IS PLAYED AROUND THIS STUFF, AND SO OUR POSITION IS, 'LISTEN, WE'RE JUST MOVING ON.' DUCO EVENTS DID COME CLOSE TO MOVING ON TOTALLY, BUT THEIR OTHER REGULAR BACKERS SIGNED ON. JUST HOURS AFTER AUCKLAND COUNCIL PULLED OUT, A NEW SPONSOR ALSO AGREED TERMS. ODDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN LAID ON A PARKER VICTORY. NORMALLY, HE'S LESS THAN $1.10. HE'S $1.30 FOR THIS FIGHT, COS ANDY RUIZ IS GOOD. WHAT'S RUIZ AT? OH, RUIZ IS AT $3.30. GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS WILL START AT AROUND $100. A CROWD OF 10,000 IS EXPECTED. A PRICE FOR PAY-PER-VIEW SUBSCRIPTIONS HASN'T BEEN SET AS YET. IT'S LIKELY TO BE MORE THAN THE $50 CHARGED TO WATCH PARKER FIGHT CARLOS TAKAM BACK IN MAY. SO COULD BOXING OVERTAKE CRICKET FOR INTEREST IN DECEMBER? CHUCKLING SAV, THAT'S A` A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION FOR ME AS THE CURRENT BOARD DIRECTOR OF NZ CRICKET... LAUGHTER DROWNS OUT SPEECH INTEREST WILL BE HIGH. OVERSEAS TV DEALS ARE BEING WORKED ON, WITH JUST OVER FOUR WEEKS TO GO UNTIL WHAT SHOULD BE A SPECIAL SPORTING OCCASION. IN ANY SPORT YOU PLAY, THE HOME ADVANTAGE IS SOMETHING TO BE TREASURED. AND SOMETHING DUCO EVENTS WEREN'T WILLING TO GIVE UP. ANDREW SAVILLE REPORTING THERE. RIGHT, NOW TO BRUIZAH, THE BOLTING DOG. HE'S BEEN REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY 10 MONTHS AFTER TURNING UP 500KM FROM HOME. BUT THIS IS NO ORDINARY TALE OF CANINE MISADVENTURE. THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT LESSONS TO BE LEARNED. HERE'S SEAN HOGAN. THIS IS BRUIZAH, AND HE'S AN ESCAPE ARTIST. HE'LL JUST WALK OFF, JUST TRY AND FIND ANY LOOPHOLE IN THE PROPERTY, EVEN IF IT'S A LITTLE WEE SMALL HOLE. BUT NEARLY A YEAR AGO, THIS PUP'S ROAMING GOT HIM IN A WHOLE HEAP OF TROUBLE. MY DAUGHTER CAME BACK HERE TO GET HIS LEASH AND COLLAR. WHEN SHE WENT BACK DOWN THERE ON HER BIKE, HE'D BEEN PICKED UP BY A GUY. THAT'S RIGHT. BRUIZAH'S OWNER, REA, BELIEVES HER ENGLISH BULLDOG WAS TAKEN. WONDERING WHERE HE WAS, HOPING HE WOULD COME HOME BY HIMSELF, BUT, YEAH. THANKFULLY, THIS DOG'S TALE DOESN'T END THERE. 10 MONTHS LATER, BRUIZAH WAS FOUND, NOT IN LOWER HUTT BUT A WHOPPING 500KM AWAY ON A STREET IN HAMILTON. AND WHEN THEY SCANNED HIM, THEY CHECKED HIS MICROCHIP AGAINST THE NATIONAL DOG DATABASE, BECAUSE HE WASN'T WEARING ANY REGISTRATION TAGS, AND THAT'S WHEN IT FLAGGED UP THAT HE WAS A STOLEN DOG FROM LOWER HUTT. REA DROVE ALL THE WAY TO WAIOURU TO PICK HIM UP. I JUST FROZE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH, SCREAM, CRY. AND HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL SAYS BRUIZAH'S CASE IS THE SECOND TIME A STOLEN DOG HAS BEEN SOLD ON FACEBOOK THIS YEAR. SO THE OFFICIAL ADVICE FOR BUYING A DOG ONLINE IS TO CHECK WITH THE SELLER FOR ITS REGISTRATION AND MICROCHIP DETAILS. ALSO, CALL YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY ALERTS OUT FOR THE ANIMAL. HE'S LUCKY. HE'S PART OF THE FAMILY. EVERY DAY WE JUST NEVER GAVE UP HOPE. BRUIZAH NOW DREAMING OF HIS NEXT ADVENTURE. (SNORES) SEAN HOGAN, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` HAS A BIG MEDIA MERGER HIT A DEAD END? THE MARRIAGE OF FAIRFAX AND NZME COULD STOP BEFORE IT STARTS, THANKS TO THE COMMERCE COMMISSION. WHY BEING WELL-OFF IS A GREAT THING, BEING A PENSIONER IS A BAD THING AND LIFE'S LUXURIES ARE CHEAPER THAN EVER. SOME ALARMING NEW STATISTICS. IT'S BEEN LONG. IT'S BEEN NASTY. BUT IT'S BEEN A COMEDY GOLD MINE. WE'VE THE VERY BEST NUGGETS ON THE AIRWAVES. A MEGA-MERGER BID BY TWO OF OUR MEDIA GIANTS HAS HIT A ROAD BLOCK. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION SAYS IT'S UNLIKELY TO AGREE TO A MARRIAGE BETWEEN NZME AND FAIRFAX. IT SAYS THE DEAL WOULD CREATE A MEDIA MONOPOLY SURPASSED ONLY BY THAT IN COMMUNIST CHINA. WILL HINE EXPLAINS. IT HAD BEEN TOUTED AS A MARRIAGE THAT WOULD BENEFIT READERS, LISTENERS AND ADVERTISERS ` NZME AND FAIRFAX COMBINING FORCES. BUT NOW THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMERCE WATCHDOG IS POISED TO BLOCK THE WEDDING, FINDING IT WOULD DIMINISH THE RANGE OF EDITORIAL VOICES AND WEAKEN COMPETITION IN SEVERAL ADVERTISING MARKETS. IT'S TURNED IT DOWN QUITE STRONGLY AND EMPHATICALLY ON THE BASIS OF PUBLIC INTEREST. A MERGED COMPANY WOULD TAKE CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY'S TWO LARGE NEWS WEBSITES ` NZHERALD AND STUFF. NZME ALSO HAS SOME BIG-NAME RADIO STATIONS, LIKE NEWSTALK ZB AND ZM, AS WELL THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST NEWSPAPER. FAIRFAX WOULD BRING A NUMBER OF MASTHEADS INCLUDING THE SUNDAY STAR TIMES, DOMINION POST AND THE PRESS, AND BOTH BOAST A STABLE OF OTHER PAPERS FROM RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE COMMISSION SAYS THAT WOULD GIVE ONE ENTITY OWNERSHIP OF NEARLY 90% OF OUR PRINT MEDIA ` A LEVEL ONLY SURPASSED IN COMMUNIST CHINA. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION CLEARLY FELT THAT ONE OUTFIT THAT WAS THAT BIG, HAD THAT MUCH PRESENCE, WOULD NOT ALLOW ANY OTHER COMPETITOR TO GET A FOOTHOLD IN THE MARKET, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THEIR MAIN CONCERN. IT HAS, IN FACT, GIVEN REAL WEIGHT TO DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINTS AND QUALITY OF JOURNALISM AND THE PUBLIC GOOD IN A WAY THAT THE COMPANIES DIDN'T EXPECT AND COMMENTATORS LIKE MYSELF DIDN'T SEE. NZME'S SHARE PRICE TUMBLED 24% ON NEWS OF THE DRAFT DECISION. THE COMPANIES HAVE A CHANCE TO PUT THEIR CASE AGAIN. BUT IS IT DEAD IN THE WATER? I THINK MANY PEOPLE RIGHTLY THINK THIS HAS KILLED IT, THAT STUFFME, AS IT BECAME KNOWN, IS STUFFED. I'LL ASSUME THEY HAD A PLAN B IF THE COMMERCE COMMISSION DIDN'T WANT THEM TO GET MARRIED. HOWEVER, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE QUITE PERSUASIVE. A FINAL DECISION ON THE NUPTIALS IS EXPECTED IN MARCH. WILL HINE, 1 NEWS. IT'S A CASE OF THE RICH GETTING RICHER AND THE POOR GETTING POORER IN THIS NEXT STORY. THE STATS ARE IN, SHOWING HOW THE COST OF LIVING IN OUR HOUSEHOLDS HAS CHANGED SINCE NATIONAL TOOK POWER IN 2008. AND IF YOU'RE A PENSIONER, LOOK AWAY NOW. ANDREW MORRISON HAS MORE. WHEN IT COMES TO LIVING COSTS, WHO'S HAD THE BEST RIDE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS? IT'S NEVER BEEN CHEAPER TO BUY SOME NEW WHEELS OR THE LATEST TV. THE WORLD'S FIRST CINEMATICALLY CURVED... AND OUR RICHEST ARE CASHING IN ON THESE ITEMS ` AND BOOZE ` MORE THAN ANY OTHER GROUP, ACCORDING TO STATS NZ, WHICH HAS RELEASED NEW DATA SHOWING HOW MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THINGS HAVE GOT FOR DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS. THE DIFFERENCES ARE QUITE BIG. SO THE LOWEST-EXPENDITURE GROUP HAVING DOUBLE THE INFLATION OF THE HIGHEST-EXPENDITURE GROUP IS QUITE A MARKED DIFFERENCE. MAKING IT HARDER FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE POWER AND RENT. WE'VE BEEN SEEING FOR SOME TIME NOW THAT PEOPLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID ARE ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE OFF. BENEFICIARIES ARE SPENDING THE MOST ON SOARING RENT COSTS. THEY'RE ALSO SPENDING MORE OF WHAT THEY GET ON SMOKES. A PACK OF 25 HAS RISEN FROM AROUND $13 TO $29 IN THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. BUT IT'S OUR PENSIONERS THAT'VE BEEN HIT WORST BY INFLATION. NOBODY'S ASKING FOR FIVE-STAR TREATMENT, BUT SOME PEOPLE REALLY DO NEED SOME ASSISTANCE, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN DIRE STRAITS. BUT 88% OWN THEIR OWN HOME OUTRIGHT, AND THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THEIR SUPER HAS ALSO INCREASED. OBVIOUSLY, WE ALWAYS PICK OUT ONE SPECIFIC ITEM, BUT OVERALL, NZ SUPER IS UP DRAMATICALLY OVER THAT TIME WHEN INFLATION IS LOW. BUT PROPERTY RATES, INSURANCE AND POWER HAVE INCREASED ABOVE INFLATION, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THE ELDERLY SPEND THE MOST ON. THE BIG BOGEY FOR MOST RETIRED PEOPLE, AND I WOULD SAY EVEN WORKING PEOPLE IN LOWER-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, IS LOCAL GOVERNMENT RATES. TODAY'S REPORT CONFIRMING WHAT ADVOCATES FOR THE POOR HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR SOME TIME. THERE IS A GROWING GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR. AND NOW THERE'S NUMBERS TO BACK THAT UP. ANDREW MORRISON, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` WE SET SAIL FOR AN ISLAND CALLED 'WEATHER FORECAST'. AND THE REAL THING WAS NASTY AND AMUSING IN EQUAL PARTS. THE COMIC TAKE ON WHAT SOME HAVE CALLED A JOKE ELECTION. Hello, Mr Teasell. Come on through. Let's do the hearing test. Alright. (BEEP!) WOMAN: Hi, baba. It's your daughter. (LAUGHS) You're my best friend. You know that. Yes. You told me recently how isolated a lack of hearing makes you feel. Mmm. And that's not fair. I want you to be able to recognise my voice when I call. (SOFTLY) Yes. Something as little as a free hearing check can make a big difference. THERE'S BEEN NOTHING NICE ABOUT THIS US ELECTION. HILLS AND DON HAVE HAD THEIR CLAWS OUT SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT HASN'T BEEN FUNNY. COMEDIANS AND TALK SHOW HOSTS HAVE HAD A FIELD DAY WITH THE PAIR OF THEM. HERE'S ABC'S DAVID MUIR. HEY, BARTENDER, KEEP 'EM COMIN'. APPLAUSE, CHEERING HILLARY CLINTON ON 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE', KATE MCKINNON PLAYING HER. WHEW! HI. I'M HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON. HEY. GREAT NAME. I'M VAL. LAUGHTER AND HILLARY'S FRUSTRATION. ALL ANYONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT IS DONALD TRUMP. DONALD TRUMP? ISN'T HE THE ONE THAT'S, LIKE, (DEEP VOICE) 'UGH, YOU'RE ALL LOSERS'? LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE DONALD TRUMP'S TURN TOO,... # YOU USED TO CALL ME ON THE CELL PHONE. LAUGHTER ...DOING HIS BEST DRAKE IMPERSONATION,... # CALL ME ON THE CELL PHONE. # ...AND ON 'LATE NIGHT' ALLOWING THIS. DRUM ROLL, CHEERING (LAUGHS) CYMBAL CRASHES YES! AND TIPS FROM TRUMP FOR CLINTON. ARE YOU WRITING ALL THIS DOWN? CHUCKLING UM, UH, HOLD ON. LET ME` LET ME GRAB MY PEN. LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE, CHEERING TESTING CLINTON'S STAMINA. (GRUNTS) OH, YOU DID GET IT. APPLAUSE, CHEERING THAT'S A BIG DEAL IF YOU'RE... THE DEBATES ON 'SNL'. ...AND, UH, NUMBER THREE. LAUGHTER AND THAT ONE REAL-LIFE DEBATE MOMENT TOO. WOULD EITHER OF YOU NAME ONE POSITIVE THING THAT YOU RESPECT IN ONE ANOTHER? AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS, APPLAUSE I RESPECT HIS CHILDREN. HIS CHILDREN ARE INCREDIBLY ABLE AND DEVOTED, AND I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT DONALD. I WILL SAY THIS ABOUT HILLARY ` SHE DOESN'T QUIT; SHE DOESN'T GIVE UP. I RESPECT THAT. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH ALICE COOPER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ ALICE COOPER'S 'ELECTED' # I'M YOUR TOP PRIME CUT OF MEAT. I'M YOUR CHOICE. # I WANNA BE ELECTED. # I'M YANKEE DOODLE DANDY IN A GOLD ROLLS ROYCE. # I WANNA BE ELECTED. # KIDS WANT A SAVIOR. DON'T NEED A FAKE. # I WANNA BE ELECTED. # WE'RE ALL GONNA ROCK TO THE RULES THAT I MAKE. # I WANNA BE ELECTED. # ELECTED. # ELECTED. # RESPECTED. # ELECTED. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY SARAH MAIAVA AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. 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