TONIGHT, QUESTIONS OVER WHETHER NZ CITIZENSHIP CAN BE BOUGHT FOLLOWING REVELATIONS AN AMERICAN BILLIONAIRE WAS MADE A CITIZEN IN 2011. PIPELINES, WALLS AND BANS ` DONALD TRUMP KEEPS HIS WORD TO PUSH ON WITH ALL OF THEM IN THE WHITEHOUSE AMID GROWING PROTEST. A RECORD-EQUALLING PERFORMANCE FOR THE ALL SINGING, ALL DANCING 'LA LA LAND' AS THE OSCAR NOMINEES ARE ANNOUNCED. FIRST TONIGHT, OPPOSITION MPs ARE DEMANDING TO KNOW WHY AN AMERICAN TECH BILLIONAIRE WAS GIVEN NZ CITIZENSHIP. IT'S BEEN REVEALED THAT GERMAN-BORN PETER THIEL, ONE OF DONALD TRUMP'S TOP ADVISERS, HAS BEEN A CITIZEN SINCE 2011. BUT IT'S NOT CLEAR WHY IT WAS GRANTED. GOOD EVENING. I'M PETER THIEL. I BUILD COMPANIES, AND I SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING NEW THINGS. AND SINCE 2011, UNBEKNOWNST TO MOST, HE'S BEEN A CITIZEN OF NZ. NOW LABOUR'S IAIN LEES GALLOWAY WANTS TO KNOW HOW. IF HE WASN'T A RESIDENT IN NZ, WAS SOME SPECIAL EXEMPTION MADE FOR HIM? IF IT WAS, THEN ON WHAT GROUNDS WAS IT MADE? A QUESTION THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS HAS YET TO ANSWER. WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, IT IS EASY TO SPECULATE THAT THEY COULD VERY WELL BE SELLING CITIZENSHIP TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. IT'S NO SECRET PETER THIEL IS A MAN OF WEALTH. FORBES MAGAZINE ESTIMATES THE CO-FOUNDER OF PAYPAL'S NET WORTH AT $3.7B. THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING, SOME FAVOUR, FROM THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE A WEALTHY INDIVIDUAL REALLY JUST JARS WITH WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CITIZEN IN NZ. MR THIEL IS REPORTED TO HAVE BOUGHT AT LEAST THREE PROPERTIES HERE, INCLUDING AN ALMOST 200HA FARM NEAR WANAKA. SUCH A PURCHASE BY FOREIGN NATIONALS OFTEN REQUIRES OVERSEAS INVESTMENT OFFICE APPROVAL. BUT GIVEN MR THIEL WAS MADE A CITIZEN FIVE YEARS AGO, THAT WASN'T NECESSARY. HE'D BEEN HERE AS A STUDENT. HE LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT NZ, AND LIKE ALL THOSE AMERICANS, BEAUTIFUL MANNERS, WELL RESEARCHED, KNEW MUCH MORE ABOUT NZ THAN I KNEW. HE KNOWS A FAIR BIT ABOUT HELPING DONALD TRUMP TOO. HE'S THE US PRESIDENT'S GO-TO GUY ON TECHNOLOGY AND WAS A KEY MEMBER OF THE TRUMP TRANSITION TEAM. MR THIEL GAVE NEARLY $2M TO TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN. BUT HE'S INVESTED HERE TOO, PUMPING MILLIONS INTO NZ TECH COMPANY XERO, AS WELL AS DONATING $1M TO THE CANTERBURY EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY FUND. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A GENUINE LOVE FOR NZ, WHO HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED THEIR COMMITMENT TO NZ BY LIVING HERE FOR THE REQUISITE PERIOD OF TIME. THEY ARE PEOPLE OF GOOD CHARACTER, AS I'M SURE MR THIEL IS A PERSON OF GOOD CHARACTER. THAT STILL DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHY HE SHOULD BE SHOT TO THE HEAD OF THE QUEUE. WITH THE LABOUR MP LODGING WRITTEN QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT TODAY, ANSWERS ARE EXPECTED BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH. LISETTE REYMER, 1 NEWS. PETER THIEL'S FAR FROM THE ONLY WEALTHY AMERICAN SEEKING REFUGE IN OUR OWN GODZONE. THERE'S QUITE THE SPIKE, ACCORDING TO US MAGAZINE 'THE NEW YORKER', WHICH BLAMES THE ONSET OF THE TRUMP ERA AND FEAR OF AN IMPENDING DOOMSDAY. IT SAYS MORE WELL-OFF AMERICANS NOW SEE NZ AS A SAFE HAVEN. AND THAT'S CONFIRMED BY REAL ESTATE AGENTS HERE. COUPLE YEARS AGO, ONE AMERICAN A MONTH WOULD BE TALKING TO US ABOUT HELPING THEM FIND PROPERTY, AND NOW IT WOULD BE TWO A WEEK, AND THE PROBLEM IS FINDING THEM PROPERTY AND FINDING NICE HOMES IN AUCKLAND. IT'S NOT EASY. IMMIGRATION NZ SEES ABOUT 3000 REGISTRATIONS A MONTH BY US NATIONALS INTERESTED IN STUDYINGM WORKING OR INVESTING HERE. IN THE PERIOD SINCE TRUMP WAS INAUGURATED, THERE HAVE BEEN 10,000. WELL, AT LEAST YOU CAN SAY HE'S A MAN OF HIS WORD. DONALD TRUMP IS SET TO SIGN A SLEW OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT INSIDERS SAY WILL SPELL A MAJOR IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN. THE MEXICO WALL'S ON THE LIST, ALONG WITH MUSLIM COUNTRIES. THE ABC'S PHILIP WILLIAMS HAS MORE. WE CAN'T SAY WE WEREN'T WARNED. CROWD SHOUTS, CHANTS BUILD THAT WALL. BUILD THAT WALL. THERE HAD BEEN SPECULATION THE WALL MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN CAMPAIGN HYPE, BUT AFTER THIS TWEET FROM DONALD TRUMP, IT LOOKS LIKE THE US AND MEXICO ARE ABOUT TO BE SEPARATED BY FAR MORE THAN JUST RHETORIC. SHORTLY AFTER THE ELECTION LAST YEAR, THE ABC SPOKE TO SOME ON THE US SIDE OF THE BORDER HOPING IT WOULD NEVER BECOME A REALITY. BUT NOW IT SEEMS ALMOST CERTAIN IT WILL GO AHEAD, ALTHOUGH THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IT CLEAR IT WILL NEVER HAND OVER THE BILLIONS DEMANDED TO PAY FOR IT. THERE IS NO WAY THAT MEXICO CAN PAY A WALL LIKE THAT. THE WALL IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS AIMED AT SHUTTING OUT FOREIGNERS. CITING GROUPS LIKE ISLAMIC STATE MILITIA, DONALD TRUMP HAS SAID HE'S DETERMINED TO PROTECT THE US AGAINST JIHADIST ATTACKS, AT ONE STAGE PROPOSING A BAN ON ALL MUSLIMS COMING TO THE UNITED STATES. TOMORROW HE'S EXPECTED TO SIGN ORDERS TEMPORARILY BLOCKING VISAS TO ANYONE FROM... DONALD TRUMP PROMISED DRAMATIC CHANGE. LIKE IT OR NOT, HE'S NOW DELIVERING. MEANWHILE IN AUSTRALIA, SEVERAL INMATES ARE ON THE RUN TONIGHT AFTER BREAKING OUT OF A YOUTH DETENTION CENTRE NEAR MELBOURNE. THE TEENAGERS STOLE A UTE DURING A RIOT, BEFORE LEADING POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED CHASE ALONG A FREEWAY. OTHER DRIVERS GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE CHAOS AFTER THE ESCAPEES USED IRON BARS TO HIJACK THREE MORE CARS. SIX OF THE INMATES HAVE BEEN RE-ARRESTED. NINE ARE STILL MISSING. KAIKOURA QUAKE AFTERSHOCK FEARS HAVE TRIGGERED AN ULTIMATUM TO OWNERS OF OLDER BUILDINGS IN THE AFFECTED REGION. THEY MUST STRENGTHEN UNREINFORCED MASONRY ON HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS WITHIN A YEAR OR FACE PROSECUTION. BUT THE GOVERNMENT'S NOT LEAVING THEM HIGH AND DRY, AS KIM SAVAGE REPORTS. 39 DEAD, VICTIMS OF FALLING MASONRY IN THE 2011 CANTERBURY QUAKE. CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKING TOGETHER TO TRY TO AVOID A REPEAT IN LIGHT OF A QUAKE RISK DEEMED EIGHT TIMES THE NORM AFTER NOVEMBER'S 7.8 SHAKE. THE GOVERNMENT IS GIVING NOTICE TODAY THAT IT IS GOING TO REQUIRE ABOUT 300 HIGH-RISK, UNREINFORCED MASONRY, PARAPETS AND FACADES IN WELLINGTON IN LOWER HUTT, MARLBOROUGH AND HURUNUI TO BE UPGRADED WITHIN A YEAR. OF THOSE 300 BUILDINGS IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING MASONRY REINFORCED, THE BULK ` 250 ` ARE IN WELLINGTON CITY, 50 IN LOWER HUTT, AND 10 IN HURUNUI AND MARLBOROUGH. AS ENGINEERS, WE BECAME CONCERNED THAT IF WE GOT AN EARTHQUAKE OF A DIFFERENT NATURE, WE'D HAVE HAD A LOT MORE ENERGY IN THAT HIGH FREQUENCY, WHICH AFFECTS THOSE BUILDINGS. WE COULD SEE A REPEAT OF THE CHRISTCHURCH EXPERIENCE. I THINK THIS IS A SENSIBLE PRECAUTION. WE'VE SAID CONSISTENTLY HERE IN WELLINGTON WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CITY SAFE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WELLINGTONIANS FEEL SAFE, AND THIS IS ONE ASPECT OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE CITY WE CAN IMPROVE. THE 12-MONTH DEADLINE COMES WITH A SWEETENER ` 50% OF THE WORK'S COST WILL BE SUBSIDED; TWO-THIRDS BY TAXPAYERS, A THIRD BY LOCAL RATEPAYERS. THIS WORK IS EXPECTED TO COST ABOUT $20,000 TO $30,000 PER BUILDING. WELLINGTON'S INNER CITY BUSINESSES AND DWELLERS HAVE LONG BEEN FIGHTING FOR FINANCIAL HELP WITH STRENGTHENING, AND THEY WANT MORE. THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SEE FOR ALL OWNERS THAT ARE FACING THIS SEISMIC STRENGTHENING, FOR THESE PUBLIC SAFETY, PUBLIC GOOD OUTCOMES, IS A LENDER OF LAST RESORT, TAX DEDUCTION AND CREDITS, AND ALSO AN ADVISORY SERVICE TO HELP OWNERS PROGRESS. THAT'S NOT ON THE CARDS RIGHT NOW ` JUST AN APPEAL FOR OWNERS TO COMPLY. IF WE REQUIRE THE HARD APPROACH OF PROSECUTION, YES, WE'LL USE THAT TOOL. THE GOVERNMENT HOPING IT WON'T COME TO THAT, OR TO THIS. A GAMBLING LAW CHANGE IS ON THE CARDS TO ADDRESS A POKIES PARADOX. NEW FIGURES REVEAL THE NUMBER OF LICENCE HOLDERS, GAMBLING VENUES, POKIES AND PLAYERS ALL DECREASED IN 2016. BUT AROUND $30M MORE WAS PUMPED INTO NON-CASINO GAMING MACHINES IN BARS AND CLUBS. POLITICAL REPORTER KATIE BRADFORD HAS MORE. DELIA'S A PROBLEM GAMBLER AND DOESN'T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED. SHE STARTED PLAYING THE POKIES AFTER HER PARTNER'S DEATH. I HAD A BIG WIN THE FIRST TIME I EVER WENT, AND, OF COURSE, THAT WAS THE START OF IT. SHE WAS ADDICTED. I LIKED PUTTING THE MONEY IN, FEELING THE KNOBS ` YOU KNOW, FEELING THE BUTTONS. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT I COULD READ THE MACHINES. SHE WAS WRONG. ONCE I HAD THIS RAGING HABIT, I COULDN'T JUST STOP IT. SHE LOST MILLIONS AND SPENT NINE YEARS IN PRISON FOR DRUG DEALING TO FEED HER GAMBLING HABIT. EVERYTHING I DID WAS SO THAT I COULD GAMBLE. IT WAS JUST ABOUT BEING IN FRONT OF A POKIE MACHINE, THE MUSIC ON THE MACHINE WITH THE FREE SPINS. DELIA'S AN EXTREME CASE, BUT LATEST NUMBERS SHOW THAT WHILE THERE WERE FEWER MACHINES AND FEWER PEOPLE PLAYING THEM LAST YEAR, THEY WERE SPENDING MORE. A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE TOTAL LEVEL OF EXPENDITURE. IT'S A BIT COUNTERINTUITIVE, IN A WAY. SO I DID ASK THE OFFICIALS WHETHER THERE WERE ANY PARTICULAR REASONS BEHIND THIS. THE PROBLEM GAMBLING FOUNDATION WANTS ANSWERS TOO. SO WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING IS A WHO LE LOT OF MONEY BEING PUT INTO THOSE MACHINES IN COMMUNITIES THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT. IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE ALSO THAT INCREASED TOURISTS ARE COMING TO THE COUNTRY, VISITING GAMBLING FACILITIES ` MAY BE A PARTIAL EXPLANATION. THEY'VE GOT A BIT MORE DISPOSABLE INCOME. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW REVIEWING THE SECTION OF THE GAMBLING ACT THAT GOVERNS PUBS AND CLUBS. PETER DUNNE SAYS THAT MAY LEAD TO TOUGHER LAWS ON POKIE MACHINES LATER IN THE YEAR. THE PROBLEM GAMBLING FOUNDATION, THOUGH, WANTS FEWER MACHINES AND MORE TECHNOLOGY TO PROTECT PLAYERS. WE'VE ALWAYS CALLED FOR POKIES TO BE MADE SAFER THROUGH PRE-COMMITMENT, OR PLAYER TRACKING, WHERE A PERSON CAN ACTUALLY DECIDE BEFORE THEY START GAMBLING HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO SPEND ON POKIES. DELIA KNOWS JUST HOW ADDICTIVE POKIES CAN BE. SEEING THOSE SIGNS IS A HUGE, HUGE PULL. BUT NOT WORTH THE GAMBLE FOR HER. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. THE ACTIONS OF A WELLINGTON COMMUNITY HAVE LED TO THE ARREST OF A MAN POLICE BELIEVE TO BE A SERIAL TYRE SLASHER. CARS PARKED IN MIRAMAR NEAR WELLINGTON AIRPORT HAVE BEEN TARGETED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. LOCALS HAVE PREVIOUSLY TOLD 1 NEWS THEY SUSPECTED A LOCAL VIGILANTE, TIRED OF TRAVELLERS USING THE AREA FOR FREE PARKING, WAS THE CULPRIT. TODAY POLICE ARRESTED A MAN (52) ON CHARGES OF CRIMINAL DAMAGE. THE MAN WILL APPEAR IN WELLINGTON DISTRICT COURT NEXT WEEK. IT'S THE BIGGEST BASH IN HOLLYWOOD, AND THIS YEAR THE OSCAR NOMINATIONS HAVE ALREADY GOT EVERYONE TALKING. RECORDS HAVE BEEN BROKEN, FEUDS HAVE BEEN FIXED, AND THE ACADEMY HAS GONE GAGA FOR 'LA LA LAND'. LISETTE REYMER HAS THE DETAILS. IT'S THE TALE OF TWO YOUNG ASPIRING STARS TRYING TO MAKE IT BIG IN TINSELTOWN. YOU COULD JUST WRITE YOUR OWN ROLES, YOU KNOW? WRITE SOMETHING THAT'S AS INTERESTING AS YOU ARE. WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? I'M GONNA HAVE MY OWN CLUB. AND TODAY, IN A FAIRYTALE END TO THEIR STORY, THEY TAPPED THEIR WAY INTO THE SHOWBIZ RECORD BOOKS. LA LA LAND SHOWERED WITH OSCAR LOVE, RECEIVING AN HISTORIC 14 NOMINATIONS, TIED WITH 'TITANIC' AND 'ALL ABOUT EVE' FOR THE MOST OF ALL TIME. THEIR CLOSEST COMPETITORS, SCI-FI THRILLER 'ARRIVAL' AND DRAMA 'MOONLIGHT',... IT'S SO IMPORTANT, YOU GOTTA DECIDE FOR YOURSELF WHO YOU GONNA BE. ...BOTH NOMINATED FOR EIGHT AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE. 'ARRIVAL' ALSO DEALT THE BIGGEST SNUB OF THE SEASON. NOW, THAT'S A PROPER INTRODUCTION. AMY ADAMS' EXCLUSION FROM THE BEST ACTRESS CATEGORY CAME AT SUCH A SHOCK, THE WEBSITE ORIGINALLY LISTED HER, BEFORE ISSUING AN APOLOGY FOR THE AWKWARD ERROR. AFTER TWO YEARS OF WHITEOUTS, THE 'OSCARS SO WHITE' HASHTAG HAS BEEN GIVEN A BREAK WITH SEVEN COLOURED ACTORS IN THE RUNNING FOR A GOLDEN STATUE. AND WHAT'S AN OSCAR CEREMONY WITHOUT MERYL STREEP? THE BIG SCREEN QUEEN EARNING A RECORD-BREAKING 20TH NOMINATION THANKS TO HER ROLE IN 'FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS'. (TRILLS OFF KEY) SHE'S REMARKABLE, ISN'T SHE? KIWI FAVOURITE MOANA HAS ALSO EARNT A SPOT ON THE BIG NIGHT, UP FOR BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM AND BEST SONG. IF IT WINS, COMPOSER LIN MANUEL MIRANDA WILL JOIN AN ELITE GROUP, ONE OF FEW TO WIN AN EMMY, GRAMMY, OSCAR AND TONY AWARD. WHICH STAR SHINES THE BRIGHTEST OF THEM ALL WILL BE REVEALED ON FEBRUARY 27TH. LISETTE REYMER, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD, THEY'RE NOT RACING SLICKS ` THEY'RE DANGEROUS. ALARMING NUMBERS EMERGE ON HOW MANY OF US ARE HAPPILY DRIVING AROUND ON DEADLY TYRES. AN IWI'S BID TO BUILD HUNDREDS OF HOMES IN AUCKLAND SOUNDS LIKE A NO-BRAINER. SO WHY THE OPPOSITION? AND GET THIS ` JAPAN HAS WON THE WORLD SUMO WRESTLING CHAMPS AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS OF HAVING THEIR MAWASHI KICKED. MORE AND MORE OF US ARE DRIVING ON DANGEROUSLY BALD TYRES, ACCORDING TO CONCERNED MOTORING GROUPS. THEY'RE SOUNDING A WARNING IN THE WAKE OF RULES WHICH LENGTHENED THE TIME BETWEEN MANDATORY CHECKS. ANDREW MORRISON HAS MORE. WHIRRING AT THIS BUSY WELLINGTON TYRE SHOP, THEY SAY ALMOST ONE IN THREE TYRES THEY CHECK ARE UNSAFE AND END UP ON THE SCRAPHEAP. YOU CAN JUST SEE EXAMPLES HERE ` LIKE, THIS HERE IS QUITE CONCERNING. THIS IS OFF A HIGH-END-VALUED CAR. THE LEGAL TYRE TREAD IN NZ IS 1.5MM, BUT THERE'S CONCERNS MANY MOTORISTS ARE AT RISK AFTER PASSING A WARRANT WITH THEIR TYRES VERY CLOSE TO THE LIMIT AND NO CHECK REQUIRED FOR ANOTHER YEAR ON CARS REGISTERED AFTER 2000. SO JUST OVER 1 MIL. TO ME, THAT TYRE SHOULD'VE COME OFF AT THE LAST WARRANT OF FITNESS. YEAH, WE'VE GOTTA SELL TYRES TO SURVIVE, BUT WE WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO STAY ALIVE TOO. PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO THINK, 'DO YOU REALLY WANT THAT DRIVING TOWARDS YOU 'OR YOUR WIFE OR DAUGHTER OR SON?' MOTORING GROUPS ARE PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT NEW CARS DOING HIGH MILEAGE, BECAUSE THEIR FIRST WARRANT ISN'T REQUIRED FOR THREE YEARS UNDER CHANGES INTRODUCED IN 2014. WHEN TYRES ARE WORN OUT, YOUR BRAKING CAPABILITIES AND ROAD-HANDLING CAPABILITIES ARE SEVERELY REDUCED. IF YOU'RE TRAVELLING 100KM/HR ON NEW TYRES ON A WET DAY, IT WILL TAKE YOU AROUND 50M TO STOP. THAT'S THE FIRST CONE. NOW, COMPARE THAT TO WORN TYRES, WHICH CAN TAKE DOUBLE THAT ` THAT'S THE FAR CONE ` THE LENGTH OF AN ENTIRE FOOTBALL FIELD. WE'VE HAD A WEATHER BOMB COME IN, AND WE'VE GOT VEHICLES TRAVELLING AROUND THE ROAD THAT` THEIR TYRES PROBABLY CAN'T COPE WITH THE RAIN THAT WE'VE GOT. BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS DEFENDING THE CURRENT RULES. THE APPROACH WE'VE TAKEN IS A PRAGMATIC ONE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NATURE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THOSE VEHICLES, BUT ALSO THE SERVICING. BUT ALSO DRIVERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF MAKING SURE THEY ARE DRIVING IN A SAFE VEHICLE. AND DAVID BENNETT SAYS THERE'S NO PLANS TO REVIEW THE ISSUE. ANDREW MORRISON, 1 NEWS. YOU CAN EASILY CHECK YOUR TYRE TREAD DEPTH WITH A 20c COIN. INSERT THE COIN INTO THE TREAD OR THE GROOVE. THE BASE OF THE NUMBER 20 IS ABOUT 2MM FROM THE EDGE OF THE COIN. SO IF YOU CAN SEE THE WHOLE OF THE NUMBER, IT'S TIME TO THINK ABOUT GETTING NEW TYRES. AN IWI PLAN TO BUILD HOMES ON PART OF A PUBLIC RESERVE IN AUCKLAND, WHICH IS ALSO ANCESTRAL LAND, HAS STIRRED UP OPPOSITION. MAORI AFFAIRS REPORTER YVONNE TAHANA WENT TO NGATI PAOA'S FIRST PUBLIC HUI TONIGHT AS IT TRIES TO SELL THE DEAL TO PT ENGLAND RESIDENTS. A FULL HOUSE TONIGHT AS NGATI PAOA BUILD BRIDGES FOR ITS GLEN INNES DEVELOPMENT. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE CONSULTED. WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY, THE COMMUNITY'S NOT GOING AWAY, SO LET'S WORK TOGETHER. NGATI PAOA IS SET TO BUY A QUARTER OF THIS 45HA PUBLIC RESERVE AT PT ENGLAND UNDER A DEAL RELATED TO ITS TREATY SETTLEMENT. ONCE IT'S PURCHASED, IT'LL BUILD 300 HOMES AND A MARAE. BUT THESE RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF GREEN SPACES. THERE HAS BEEN A PROMISE FROM OUR PAKEHA GOVERNMENT TO US THAT THAT WOULD BE KEPT, AND OUR PAKEHA GOVERNMENT ARE BREAKING THAT PROMISE. THERE WAS A FRANK ADMISSION FROM A REAL ESTATE BIGWIG WORRIED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL MILLION-DOLLAR-PLUS COSTS OF THE HOUSES. I MEAN, WE NEED TO GET THE HIGHEST PRICE ` THAT'S OUR JOB FOR PEOPLE ` BUT SOMETIMES WE WONDER WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE A MORE RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE. AND CONCERNS ABOUT NATIVE WILDLIFE TOO. THIS IS A BREEDING GROUND FOR THE ENDANGERED DOTTERELS. BUT THERE'S BACKING FROM OTHERS. SO WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? I MUST SAY IT'S NICE TO SEE NGATI PAOA GET THE LAND BACK THERE. BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. HOUSING AND BUILDING MINISTER NICK SMITH INTRODUCED THE LAW THAT'LL ALLOW THE SALE TO HAPPEN. HE TOLD 1 NEWS THE LAND HAD BEEN... NGATI PAOA ALSO REMINDED RESIDENTS IT HAD SUFFERED HISTORIC LAND LOSS, AND THE RETURN OF THE RESERVE WAS ONLY A SMALL PART OF ITS LOSS. PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS CLOSE NEXT TUESDAY. IF THE BILL PASSES, THE CROWN AND IWI WILL NEGOTIATE A SALE PRICE. YVONNE TAHANA, 1 NEWS. SPORT NOW, AND SPOTS IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN SEMI-FINALS ARE SLOWLY BEING FILLED UP. MIRJANA LUCIC-BARONI HAS MADE HER FIRST GRANDSLAM SEMI IN 18 YEARS WITH AN EMOTIONAL VICTORY IN HER QUARTER-FINAL CLASH. SHE'LL PLAY SERENA WILLIAMS, WHO JOINED HER SISTER VENUS IN THE TOP FOUR, CRUISING PAST JOHANNA KONTA IN STRAIGHT SETS. AND IT WAS MUCH THE SAME FOR BULGARIAN GRIGOR DIMITROV, MAKING LIGHT WORK OF BELGIAN DAVID GOFFIN TO BOOK HIS PLACE IN THE MEN'S SEMIS. OH, WHAT A WAY TO SHUT THE GATES! GRIGOR DIMITROV IS THROUGH TO THE SECOND GRANDSLAM SEMI-FINALS. RAFEAL NADAL WILL BE HOPING TO JOIN HIS ARCH NEMESIS ROGER FEDERER IN THE FINAL FOUR. HE'S CURRENTLY ONE SET UP AGAINST CANADIAN MILOS RAONIC. THIS MAY COME AS A SHOCK, BUT JAPAN HAS JUST CROWNED ITS FIRST SUMO CHAMPION IN NEARLY TWO DECADES. KISENOSATO (30), SEEN HERE ON THE RIGHT, HAS WON HIS FIRST TOURNAMENT, LIFTING HIS RANK TO THE ESTEEMED 'YOKOZUNA'. MONGOLIANS, RUSSIANS AND EVEN AN AMERICAN SAMOAN HAVE HELD THE TITLE IN THE 19 YEARS SINCE THE LAST JAPANESE-BORN CHAMP. IT'S HOPED HIS WIN WILL BOOST SUMO PARTICIPATION IN JAPAN. THE SPORT HAS SEEN FALLING NUMBERS OF RECRUITS, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE HIGHLY REGIMENTED LIFESTYLE. JUST AHEAD, WE'LL PRESENT THE WEATHER USING NOTHING BUT THE POWER OF TV AND A VOTIVE CANDLE. THEN THE UNUSUAL SUGGESTION TO CLAW ONE BACK FROM A LOUSY SUMMER OF WEATHER. IF SUMMER AIN'T COMING TO US, LET'S GO TO SUMMER. MORE THAN OFTEN, THE WEATHER'S DIRE DECEMBER TO JANUARY. SO COULD WE JUST MOVE THE OFFICIAL HOLIDAY BREAK TO FEBRUARY MARCH? THE MINISTER IN CHARGE OF THESE SORTS OF THINGS SAYS IT WOULD BE HARD, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE. PAUL HOBBS ASKS THE HARD QUESTIONS. FOREVER HOPEFUL, BUT TANNING MAY HAVE TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER DAY. AND THE SWIMMING IS QUITE FRANKLY... ALL: COLD. FOR GOODNESS SAKE, EVEN THE FISH AREN'T BITING. IT'S NOT VERY NICE AT ALL. SUMMER COMES A MONTH LATER. WE GET THAT GOLDEN WEATHER, (LAUGHS) SO IN A WAY, THE SECOND HALF OF THE SUMMER, A LOT OF TIMES, TENDS TO BE MORE SETTLED. WELL, IT'S 1 O'CLOCK, JUST 19 DEGREES AND EVEN A HINT OF DRIZZLE IN THE AIR. SORRY, GISBORNE AND NORTHLAND, BUT FOR MOST OF US, RATHER THAN A STUNNER, IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A BUMMER OF A SUMMER. SO HOW FEASIBLE WOULD IT BE TO MOVE THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS BACK TO FEBRUARY, EVEN MARCH? I THINK WHAT IT INVOLVES IS JUST SOME CHANGES OF THINKING, BUT THAT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE. THE SCHOOL CALENDAR WOULD NATURALLY REQUIRE THE BIGGEST SHAKEUP, SCHEDULING EXAMS AFTER A CHRISTMAS-NEW YEAR BREAK JUST ONE CONCERN. IT'S THAT CONTINUITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR WHICH IS REALLY ESSENTIAL. WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THAT. BUT THIS FORMER HIGH-SCHOOL TEACHER AND NOW GRANDMOTHER SAYS FEBRUARY IN THE CLASSROOM IS HOT AND HARD WORK. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THEIR LEARNING, SO THEY'D BE MUCH BETTER OFF OUT IN THE SUNSHINE AND THE FRESH AIR. TOURISM BOSSES ARE WORRIED THAT FAMILY HOLIDAYS IN FEBRUARY COULD CAUSE A CRUSH. WE'RE GONNA PILE ALL THE LOCAL TRAVELLERS ON TOP OF OUR PEAK SEASON FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS, AND THAT'S GONNA CAUSE BIG PROBLEMS. THESE CAMPGROUND SCENES FROM SUMMERS PAST AREN'T EASILY FORGOTTEN. AND IN WELLINGTON TODAY,... IT WAS CRAP! ...NO ONE NEEDED MUCH CONVINCING ON MOVING OUR SUMMER HOLIDAYS TO WHEN IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE SUMMER. I THINK FEBRUARY'S A MUCH BETTER TIME TO HAVE TIME OFF. THE BUSINESS SECTOR SEEMS RELAXED, NOT SEEING ANY GREAT COSTS IN CHANGING. WHERE IT'S POSSIBLE, PEOPLE ARE ALREADY TAKING THEIR HOLIDAYS AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THE YEAR. PETER DUNNE SAYS IF THE PUBLIC LIKE THE IDEA OF MORE OF THIS IN OUR SUMMER BREAK... YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GOOD, MATE. ...THAN THIS, HE'LL TAKE IT TO GOVERNMENT TO CONSIDER. PAUL HOBBS, 1 NEWS. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH LEFTFIELD. LEFTFIELD'S 'SWORDS' FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY JAKE EBDALE AND KATE PARKINSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017