PARLIAMENT SETS RIGHT AN HISTORIC WRONG, WIPING HISTORIC HOMOSEXUAL CONVICTIONS. PETROL PRICES WILL RISE AND SPEED LIMITS WILL DROP. THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN AGAINST OUR HORRIFIC ROADTOLL. SOPHIE PASCOE WILL LEAD THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM INTO THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES TOMORROW. PLUS, HERE'S WHAT THE TEAM WILL BE TRYING TO AVOID. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 MP'S HAVE TONIGHT PASSED A LAW THAT WILL ALLOW GAY MEN MP'S HAVE TONIGHT PASSED A LAW THAT WILL ALLOW GAY MEN TO GET THEIR HISTORIC HOMOSEXUAL CONVICTIONS WIPED. MP'S FROM ACROSS PARLIAMENT APOLOGISED FOR THE HARM THEY SAY THE GOVERNMENT CAUSED MANY NEW ZEALANDERS THROUGH HOMOPHOBIC LAWS. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS HAS THE LATEST. AN HISTORIC WRONG THAT LEFT YEARS OF PAIN, FEAR AND PREJUDICE. SORRY TO THOSE MEN WHO HAVE CARRIED THE STIGMA AND SHAME OF DOING NOTHING OTHER THAN EXPRESSING THE LOVE FOR THE PERSON THAT THEY DID LOVE. TONIGHT PARLIAMENT MADE THE UNANIMOUS DECISION TO RIGHT THE UNIMAGINABLE, GIVING MEN WHO BECAME CRIMINALS FOR BEING IN A GAY RELATIONSHIP THE RIGHT TO HAVE THEIR CONVICTION ERASED. WE ALL KNEW PEOPLE WHO WERE CONVICTED, WHOSE LIVES WERE WRECKED BY THEIR CONVICTIONS. MANY MPs HAVE ALSO BEEN MOVED BY THE IMPACT OF SUCH A LAW PERSONALLY. I'M SORRY AS A MAN WHO HAS BEEN ABLE TO LIVE MY LIFE RELATIVELY FREELY AS A HOMOSEXUAL MALE. HE LEFT THE COUNTRY. HE NEVER RETURNED. HE LEFT THE COUNTRY. HE NEVER RETURNED. HE NEVER SAID GOODBYE TO HIS MOTHER. WE HEARD OF PEOPLE ISOLATED AND STIGMATISED AND BEATEN AND ABUSED BECAUSE OF THESE LAWS AND THESE CONVICTIONS. THAT LAW WAS REPEALED 32 YEARS AGO AFTER NATIONWIDE GAY RIGHTS MARCHES AND RALLIES. CAMPAIGNERS AND THE GOVERNMENT SAID THIS BILL'S PASSING WAS ALSO LONG OVERDUE. THIS IS A PLACE THAT TOOK TOO LONG TO CHANGE THE WRONGS OF THE PAST , BUT IT HAS DONE SO NOW. AROUND 1000 MEN ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO HAVE THEIR CONVICTIONS WIPED. IF THEY'VE DIED, A FAMILY MEMBER OR PARTNER CAN MAKE THE APPLICATION. BUT ONE CAMPAIGNER SAYS PARLIAMENT'S MOVE TONIGHT DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH. I CERTAINLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE COMPENSATION, AND I ALSO THINK THAT THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT NEED TO APPLY TO HAVE THEIR CONVICTIONS EXPUNGED. THE STATE HAS ALL THOSE RECORDS. SOME WOULD LIKE, I BELIEVE, TO SEE COMPENSATION. OTHERS BELIEVE THAT THAT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE THING TO CALCULATE. THE GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGING IT CAN'T UNDO THE DAMAGE IT'S CAUSED AND WARNING NEW ZEALAND STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TO MAKE NEW ZEALAND AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS, 1 NEWS. PETROL WILL BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE UNDER A NEW TRANSPORT PLAN THE GOVERNMENT'S RELEASED TODAY. A NATIONWIDE FUEL TAX WOULD MEAN AUCKLANDERS WILL BE HIT TWICE AS THEY'RE ALSO DUE TO PAY A REGIONAL FUEL TAX. MONEY WILL BE USED TO UPGRADE ROADS AND SAFETY BARRIERS TO CUT OUR HORRIFIC ROAD TOLL, AND AS DONNA MARIE LEVER REPORTS, DRASTIC CUTS TO SPEED LIMITS ARE ALSO ON THE CARDS. SIX MORE CROSSES WILL SOON TO MARK THE LIVES LOST ON OUR ROADS OVER A GRIM WEEKEND, TAKING THE EASTER ROAD TOLL TO ITS HIGHEST IN EIGHT YEARS. IT COMES AS DRAFT POLICY OUT LATE TODAY PROMISES TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND SAVE LIVES. YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE MORE MEDIAN BARRIERS, SAFE PASSING LANES, RUMBLE STRIPS, INTERSECTION UPGRADES, AND ALL OF THAT WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THE ROAD TOLL. IT IS ABSURD TO CALL IT A ROAD TOLL. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE IT ANY LONGER. IT'S NOT THE ONLY OPTION ON THE TABLE. THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FORUM REPRESENTING 59 COUNTRIES, INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND, BELIEVES LOWER SPEED LIMITS ARE THE ANSWER. ITS NEW REPORT CALLS FOR DRASTIC CHANGE. THE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD SEE A HUGE CHUNK OF NEW ZEALAND ROAD NETWORK DROP TO 70KM/H. THE ONLY AREAS THAT COULD RETAIN THE 100K SPEED LIMIT WOULD BE MOTORWAYS THAT HAD MEDIAN BARRIERS. ALREADY MOTORISTS DON'T SEEM IMPRESSED. ALL IT WILL DO IS CAUSE FRUSTRATION AND PEOPLE WILL DO STUPID STUFF AND CONTINUE AS THE WAY THEY ARE. I THINK IT'S UNREALISTIC OUT IN THE COUNTRY ON OPEN ROADS. IT WOULD TAKE SUCH A LONG TIME TO GET ANYWHERE. BE A BIT SLOW, I THINK. THE MORE RULES YOU HAVE ON IT, THE MORE PRESSURE IT'S PUTTING ON DRIVERS. THE IDEA IS NOT A NEW ONE. THE AA HAS DONE AROUND 20 SURVEYS IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS ABOUT LOWERING SPEED LIMITS. IT FOUND 87% OF ITS MEMBERS ARE AGAINST A BLANKET CUT TO 90KM/HR ON THE OPEN ROADS AND 80% DON'T WANT SPEED LIMITS LOWERED TO 40 ON URBAN ROADS EITHER. THE PM TODAY NOT CONVINCED LOWER SPEED LIMITS ARE THE SOLUTION. THERE'S ALSO EVIDENCE AROUND THE USE OF MEDIAN BARRIERS AND SO ON. THERE'S A RANGE OF TOOLS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT WE'RE NOT USING AT THE MOMENT. THE REPORT IS LIKELY TO PROVOKE FURTHER DEBATE WITH PLANS FOR DISCUSSION AT THE SUMMIT OF TRANSPORT MINISTERS IN GERMANY NEXT MONTH. DONNA MARIE LEVER, 1 NEWS. FLAGBEARER SOPHIE PASCOE'S BEEN NAMED THE NEW ZEALAND FLAGBEARER FOR TOMORROW'S COMMONWEALTH GAMES OPENING CEREMONY. THE 25-YEAR-OLD IS ONE OF NEW ZEALAND'S MOST SUCCESSFUL SPORTSPEOPLE AND THE FIRST PARALYMPIAN EVER TO LEAD OUT THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM. IT'S JUST A HUGE HONOUR TO BE ASKED OUT OF 250 ATHLETES, AND INCREDIBLE ATHLETES THAT WE'VE OBVIOUSLY CREATED IN NEW ZEALAND. AND I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT LEADING THIS TEAM OUT AND TO BE ONE TEAM AS WELL. THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME BEING A PARA ATHLETE, AND I FIT RIGHT INTO THE TEAM, AND THAT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. IN A BLOW TO THE NEW ZEALAND COMMONWEALTH GAMES TEAM, IT'S BEEN REVEALED WOMEN'S RUGBY SEVENS PLAYER RUBY TUI HAS CONTRACTED MUMPS. THE 26-YEAR-OLD IS WITH HER TEAM AT THE PRE-GAMES CAMP ON THE SUNSHINE COAST. SHE'S IN ISOLATION AND BEING SUPPORTED BY A NEW ZEALAND TEAM DOCTOR. THE REST OF THE TEAM WAS DUE TO TRAVEL TO THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES VILLAGE TOMORROW BUT IS NOW DUE TO STAY IN ISOLATION UNTIL SUNDAY. COVERAGE OF THE 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES WILL BEGIN TOMORROW NIGHT AT 9.30PM RIGHT HERE ON TVNZ 1. AND YOU CAN FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS ON 1, DUKE, GAMES EXTRA AND ONLINE ON TVNZ.CO.NZ. DISTURBING SECURITY VIDEO HAS EMERGED SHOWING POLICE IN MELBOURNE VIOLENTLY BEATING A DISABLED PENSIONER LAST YEAR. NONE OF THE SIX OFFICERS HAS BEEN STOOD DOWN, AND IT SEEMS THEY WERE UNAWARE THEY WERE BEING FILMED. CHANNEL NINE'S TIM DAVIES REPORTS. CALLED IN BY A CONCERNED PSYCHOLOGIST, OFFICERS TRY TO COAX A MAN KNOWN ONLY AS 'JOHN' FROM THE SAFETY OF HIS HOME. IN REMISSION FROM CANCER, MENTALLY ILL AND DETOXING FROM MORPHINE, JOHN PLEADS TO BE LEFT ALONE. WRENCHED FREE FROM HIS HOUSE, WRENCHED FREE FROM HIS HOUSE, JOHN IS PULLED FACE FIRST ON TO THE GRASS. PILING ON TOP, A BOOT HOLDS HIS HEAD DOWN WHILE AN OFFICER WIELDS A BATON AND BEGINS LAYING INTO HIS LEGS. CAPSICUM SPRAY THEN FIRED INTO JOHN'S FACE. CUFFED AND SLUBBED ON THE LAWN, A GARDEN HOSE IS BLASTED INTO HIS FACE. BUT THE MOMENT IS MISSED. BUT THE MOMENT IS MISSED. A SMIRKING COLLEAGUE WANTS TO CAPTURE THIS ON CAMERA. FOR A SOLID 10 SECONDS, JOHN IS DRENCHED. THE FORCE USED HERE LAST SEPTEMBER AND IN NUMEROUS OTHER INCIDENTS INVOLVING VICTORIA POLICE NOW SUBJECT TO AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. SUNLIGHT IS THE BEST DISINFECTANT. AND VICTORIA POLICE IS VERY CLEAR THAT WE WELCOME EXTERNAL SCRUTINY. THERE'S ALWAYS TWO SIDES TO A STORY. I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT THE OFFICERS INVOLVED HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THEIR CASE FORWARD. UNTIL THEY DO, THE SIX MEN WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE FRONT LINE. AS FOR THE VICTIM... I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, JOHN WOULD LIKE AN APOLOGY FROM THE POLICE, BUT HE'LL ALSO BE SEEKING COMPENSATION. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS CLARE CURRAN SHOULDN'T HAVE CALLED THE CHAIR OF RADIO NEW ZEALAND IN THE WAKE OF THE CAROL HIRSCHFELD SAGA. THE BROADCASTING MINISTER'S IN HOT WATER OVER A MEETING WITH HIRSCHFELD IN DECEMBER, ONE THAT WASN'T GREEN-LIT BY RNZ BOSSES. CURRAN'S BEEN ACCUSED OF TELLING CHAIR RICHARD GRIFFIN TO SEND A LETTER RATHER THAN FRONTING A PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE THIS WEEK. DID YOU ADVISE HIM IT WAS BETTER FOR HIM NOT TO APPEAR IN PERSON? I DON'T RECALL SAYING THAT. YOU WOULD HAVE REMEMBERED SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WOULDN'T YOU? THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION. SO I WAS TRYING TO GET THE RECORD CORRECTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THAT WAS THE ADVICE THAT I HAD RECEIVED. RNZ'S CHAIRMAN RICHARD GRIFFIN STILL EXPECTED TO FACE PARLIAMENT ON THURSDAY TO CLARIFY DETAILS AROUND THE MEETING. PORT POLICE SAY THE BODY FOUND ON A TRAIN CARRIAGE IN TAURANGA THIS MORNING WAS A LOCAL MAN (38). IT APPEARS HE FELL FROM AN OVERBRIDGE NEAR WHAKAMARAMA AND LANDED ON TOP OF A TRAIN CARRIAGE. HIS BODY WAS THEN CARRIED FOR MORE THAN 20KM TO THE PORT OF TAURANGA WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED BY STAFF UNLOADING THE TRAIN. SUPPORT HAS BEEN OFFERED TO THE MAN'S FAMILY AND PORT STAFF. HIS DEATH HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE CORONER. THE NUMBER OF KIWI KIDS IN STATE CARE HAS RISEN TO 6000 ` AN ALL-TIME HIGH. THE INCREASE COMES A YEAR AFTER ORANGA TAMARIKI, THE MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN, WAS CREATED. BUT IT'S RAISED QUESTIONS OVER WHETHER THE REVAMP HAS SOLVED ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL. EMILY COOPER REPORTS. IT WAS ANNOUNCED WITH MUCH FANFARE AND PROMISES. BUT ONE YEAR ON, HOW WELL IS THE NEW CHILDREN'S MINISTRY DOING? I THINK THE SCHOOL REPORT WOULD SAY 'GOOD START, SHOWS PROMISE, I THINK THE SCHOOL REPORT WOULD SAY 'GOOD START, SHOWS PROMISE, 'LOTS MORE WORK TO DO.' CONTROVERSIAL 'CHILD, YOUTH AND FAMILY' WAS DISBANDED, AND ORANGA TAMARIKI TOUTED AS A COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF OUR CARE SYSTEM. FROM A CAREGIVER'S PERSPECTIVE, WE WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. BUT NOW JUST OVER 6000 CHILDREN ARE IN STATE CARE IN NEW ZEALAND ` 500 MORE THAN LAST YEAR ` THE HIGHEST IT'S EVER BEEN. ORANGA TAMARIKI SAYS PART OF THE INCREASE IS BECAUSE CHILDREN CAN NOW STAY IN CARE UNTIL THEY'RE 18. THE OTHER PART HAS PROBABLY BEEN THAT WE HAVE HAD MORE NOTIFICATIONS, THE PUBLIC HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC AT RISING TO THE CHALLENGE AND COMING FORWARD AND SPEAKING UP ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN. GRAINNE MOSS SAYS THEY HAVE MORE SOCIAL WORKERS ON THE GROUND THAN IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. SHE SAYS 327 NEW SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE BEEN HIRED IN THE PAST YEAR, TAKING THE TOTAL TO OVER 1400 AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT THOSE ON THE FRONT LINE SAY NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED. SO CAREGIVERS DESPERATELY NEED BETTER SUPPORTS AND BETTER TRAINING TO DEAL WITH WHAT'S PRESENTED TO THEM ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. 1 NEWS HAS BEEN REQUESTING INFORMATION ON CYF'S STAFFING, BUT ORANGA TAMARIKI SAYS THE OLD AND NEW MINISTRIES ARE DIFFERENT SO AREN'T NOT COMPARABLE. 1 NEWS HAS ALSO OBTAINED A LETTER SENT FROM WHANGAREI SOCIAL WORKERS WITH THEIR CONCERNS INCLUDING ` THE LETTER STATED THE OFFICE HAD A VERY HIGH TURN OVER AND THAT ISSUES HAD BEEN RAISED BEFORE. WE SENT EXTRA STAFF THERE TO HELP THE TEAM WORK TOWARDS WHAT THE ISSUES WOULD BE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE PUT IN ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. OUR PAST CHILD ABUSE RECORD HAS SEEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CASES A YEAR AND DEATHS OF CHILDREN IN CYF CARE. BUT ORANGA TAMARIKI SAYS THEY'RE ON TRACK FOR THAT PROMISED OVERHAUL, FOR A MORE CHILD-FOCUSED SYSTEM. EMILY COOPER, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` THE RETRIAL OF ENTERTAINER BILL COSBY. WHY LAWYERS ARE HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME FINDING A JURY. PLUS, THE BLACKCAPS CELEBRATE THEIR FIRST HOME TEST SERIES WIN AGAINST ENGLAND IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS. WINNIE MANDELA, ONE OF THE DEFINING SYMBOLS OF SOUTH AFRICA'S ANTI-APARTHEID STRUGGLE, HAS DIED AGED 81. THE FORMER WIFE OF NELSON MANDELA FOUGHT FOR BLACK RIGHTS DURING AND BEYOND HIS 27 YEARS BEHIND BARS. BUT AS CHANNEL NINE'S SEB COSTELLO, SHE WAS A CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE UNTIL THE END. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) SHE WAS THERE FOR THE FINAL STEPS OF SOUTH AFRICA'S LONG WALK TO FREEDOM. BUT WINNIE MADIKIZELA-MANDELA JOINED THE MARCH DECADES BEFORE THAT. AND AS WE SAY IN AFRICAN CULTURE, A GIGANTIC TREE HAS FALLEN. SHE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE STRONGEST WOMEN IN OUR STRUGGLE. KNOWN AS MAMA WINNIE AND THE MOTHER OF A NATION, SHE WOULD MARRY NELSON MANDELA IN 1958. WHEN HE WAS JAILED FOR LIFE FOUR YEARS LATER, IT WAS LEFT TO HIS THEN 28-YEAR-OLD WIFE TO CARRY ON THE CRUSADE. MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE LIBERATION OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE. DURING A TIME OF GREAT DIVISION, WINNIE WAS A PASSIONATE LEADER,... (SCREAMING) ..OFTEN TARGETED BY APARTHEID POLICE, DRAGGED OUT OF BED AND OUT OF VEHICLES. HEY, DON'T DRAG ME! AT TIMES CONTROVERSIAL, SHE WAS CONVICTED OF KIDNAPPING A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS LATER FOUND DEAD IN THE 1990S. YEARS EARLIER, SHE'D MADE HEADLINES FOR PUBLICLY SUPPORTING NECKLACING, THE PRACTICE OF PUTTING A BURNING TYRE AROUND THE NECK OF POLICE INFORMANTS. WITH OUR NECKLACES, WE SHALL LIBERATE THIS COUNTRY! NELSON AND WINNIE WERE MARRIED FOR HIS ENTIRE 27-YEAR PRISON TERM, BUT IT DIDN'T LAST. THE ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING HIS WIFE SHOCKED NELSON MANDELA, AND THE PAIR DIVORCED SHORTLY AFTER HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT. WINNIE HERSELF WOULD HOLD OFFICE IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN PARLIAMENT UNTIL HER DEATH. HER SUPPORTERS SOON GATHERED OUTSIDE HER HOME, HONOURING HER WITH DANCING. COSBY PROSECUTORS AND DEFENCE COUNSEL HAVE BEGUN THE DIFFICULT JOB OF PICKING A JURY FOR THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RETRIAL OF ENTERTAINER BILL COSBY. THE 80-YEAR-OLD IS CHARGED WITH DRUGGING AND MOLESTING A FORMER TEMPLE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS ADMINISTRATOR AT HIS HOME IN 2004. HIS PREVIOUS TRIAL ENDED IN A HUNG JURY. POTENTIAL JURORS WERE QUESTIONED ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE CASE AND THEIR VIEWS ON THE ME TOO MOVEMENT EXPOSING SEXUAL MISCONDUCT. CRICKET NEW ZEALAND'S SECURED AN UNLIKELY DRAW IN THE SECOND TEST IN CHRISTCHURCH TO SECURE A RARE SERIES WIN OVER ENGLAND. AFTER BEING IN TROUBLE EARLY ON DAY FIVE, BOWLERS ISH SODHI AND NEIL WAGNER PRODUCED VALIANT EFFORTS WITH THE BAT TO DENY THE VISITORS. DEWI PREECE HAS THE DRAMA. THE BLACKCAPS KNEW IF THEY BATTED ALL DAY, A RARE SERIES WIN OVER ENGLAND WOULD BE THEIRS. IN THE AIR... TAKEN! VERY FIRST BALL! CLEARLY, NOT THE START THEY WERE HOPING FOR, AND IT DIDN'T GET ANY BETTER WITH THE VERY NEXT DELIVERY. IT'S TAKEN! KANE WILLIAMSON'S FIRST GOLDEN DUCK IN TEST CRICKET COULDN'T HAVE COME AT A WORSE TIME. ROSS TAYLOR MANAGED TO KEEP OUT STUART BROAD'S HAT-TRICK BALL, BUT DIDN'T STAY AROUND FOR MUCH LONGER, GIVING DEBUTANT JACK LEACH HIS FIRST TEST SCALP. TOP-EDGE SWEEP. HENRY NICHOLLS COULDN'T RESIST A WIDE ONE FROM JIMMY ANDERSON, GIFTING ALASTAIR COOK A REGULATION CATCH IN THE SLIPS FOR 13. BJ WATLING AND OPENER TOM LATHAM BATTLED HARD TO WRESTLE SOME MOMENTUM AWAY FROM THE TOURISTS, WITH LATHAM REACHING HIS 15TH TEST 50 BEFORE LUNCH. A LAPSE IN CONCENTRATION AFTER THE BREAK SAW WATTLING GUIDE THE BALL STRAIGHT TO ANDERSON IN A LEG-SLIP TRAP. WHAT WAS BJ WATLING THINKING THERE?! AFTER A PROMISING STAND WITH COLIN DE GRANDHOMME, LATHAM EVENTUALLY FELL TO JACK LEACH FOR A HARD-FOUGHT 83. SHOULD BE TAKEN, AND IT'S TAKEN. DE GRANDHOMME SEEMED TO BE CARRYING HIS FORM FROM THE FIRST INNINGS, UNTIL HE EVENTUALLY HOLED OUT TO MARK WOOD. GOES FOR IT... TAKEN! RECENTLY OVERLOOKED BY SELECTORS BECAUSE OF HIS BATTING, ISH SODHI RESPONDED BY STAYING OUT IN THE MIDDLE FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS ` FACING MORE THAN 168 BALLS FOR 56. (CROWD CHEERS) ONE OF THE MOST DOGGED, GUTSY 50s NEW ZEALAND CRICKET HAS EVER SEEN. NEIL WAGNER WAS EQUALLY RESOLUTE WITH 103 BALLS FOR SEVEN, BUT HIS LATE WICKET CREATED SOME LAST-MINUTE DRAMA. UNTIL THE UMPIRES CALLED STUMPS BEFORE SOUTHEE COULD EVEN GET TO THE CREASE. THE BEST BATTING PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY MAY HAVE COME FROM AN UNEXPECTED SOURCE, BUT THE BLACK CAPS WON'T MIND AS THEY CLINCH THEIR FIRST HOME TEST SERIES WIN AGAINST ENGLAND IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS. DEWI PREECE, 1 NEWS. THE AUSTRALIAN BALL TAMPERING SCANDAL HAS GONE FULL CIRCLE WITH BACKLASH NOW AGAINST THE BANS HANDED TO THE THREE PLAYERS BEHIND THE SANDPAPER PLOT. THE CRICKETERS UNION'S CALLING FOR THE SUSPENSIONS TO BE REDUCED FOLLOWING THE TEARY APOLOGY OF STEVE SMITH AND DAVID WARNER. CHANNEL NINE'S MARK BURROWS HAS THE LATEST. AUSTRALIAN SPORT HAS NEVER SEEN THE LIKES OF IT. (SIGHS, SNIFFLES) SMITH AND WARNER BREAKING DOWN, BANNED FROM INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC CRICKET FOR A YEAR. BANCROFT, NINE MONTHS. TOO HIGH A PRICE, ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATION REPRESENTING OUR CRICKETERS. THEIR DISTRESSED FACES SEND A MESSAGE ACROSS THE WORLD THEIR DISTRESSED FACES SEND A MESSAGE ACROSS THE WORLD AS EFFECTIVE AS ANY SANCTION COULD EVER BE. (SOBS) I THINK AUSTRALIA CRIED WITH STEVE SMITH LAST THURSDAY. I KNOW I CERTAINLY DID. THE PLAYERS' UNION SUGGESTED CRICKET AUSTRALIA WAS GUILTY OF A RUSH TO JUSTICE, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD REVIEWED 12 OTHER CASES OF BALL TAMPERING. THE MOST SEVERE SANCTION WAS A BAN ON PLAYING TWO 1-DAY INTERNATIONALS. THE PROPOSED PENALTIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATE RELATIVE TO PRECEDENT. I'M WITH GREG DYER. I THINK THE PUNISHMENT DOES NOT FIT THE CRIME. I DON'T THINK 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE GAME FITS THE CRIME. 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE GAME WOULD REPRESENT THEM BEING REPEAT OFFENDERS, AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY NOT THAT. SMITH, WARNER AND BANCROFT ARE TALKING TO THEIR LAWYERS AS THEY DECIDE WHETHER TO LODGE APPEALS THIS WEEK AGAINST THE BANS. DAVE WARNER IS THOUGHT TO BE PARTICULARLY KEEN AND PUSHING HIS CASE FOR LENIENCY. AT HIS MEDIA CONFERENCE, HE NOTICEABLY REFUSED TO SAY THAT HE'D CHEATED. THE PROBLEM, OF COURSE, IS THAT BEING BANNED FOR 12 MONTHS TAKES THEM OUT OF THEIR CRICKETING ENVIRONMENT, OUT OF THEIR SUPPORT ENVIRONMENT. IT WON'T HELP SMITH, WARNER AND BANCROFT, BUT THE CRICKET'S ASSOCIATION WANTS AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE GAME. AND IT'S SUGGESTING THERE'S SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE CULTURE OF THE GAME, ILLUSTRATED BY THE CAPE TOWN DEBACLE. JUST AHEAD ` YOUR WEATHER FORECAST. AND THEN SOME HOT TIPS FOR OUR COMM GAMES ATHLETES, INCLUDING HOW NOT TO CELEBRATE WHEN YOU WIN GOLD. WELL, THE FINAL COUNTDOWN IS ON UNTIL THE 2018 COMMONWEALTH GAMES BEGIN. THIS TIME TOMORROW NIGHT, THE OPENING CEREMONY WILL BE GETTING UNDERWAY. BUT WHAT'S TO BE EXPECTED OF THE KIWI TEAM? LISETTE REYMER WITH THIS. THE FRIENDLY GAMES SURE HAVE COME A LONG WAY. IN 1930, ONLY 400 ATHLETES SHOWED UP. IN 2010, 38 MONKEYS SHOWED UP AS SECURITY GUARDS FOR THE DELHI VENUES. AND IN GLASGOW, THE MASCOT WAS... A THISTLE. YEAH. THIS YEAR, IT'S A BEACHSIDE BASH. OVER 6000 SPORTING STARS ARE INVITED, AND SO FAR, NO MONKEYS. AND WHILE THERE IS A BLUE KOALA IN THE MIX, IT'S ALSO THE FIRST MAJOR SPORTING EVENT TO HAVE AN EQUAL NUMBER OF MEN AND WOMEN'S MEDAL EVENTS, BRINGING THE GRAND GOLD MEDAL TOTAL TO 275 ` UNLESS SOMEONE MANAGES TO REPEAT THIS HISTORIC GOLDEN TIE, THE ONLY ONE EVER. IT'S THE CLOSEST THING WE'VE SEEN TO A DEAD HEAT SINCE THIS COMPETITION STARTED. YEAH, THEY WEREN'T STOKED. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE, BUT, UH... AT THE LAST GAMES, NZ BROUGHT HOME 14 GOLDS. THIS YEAR'S GOAL ` 15. WHICH ISN'T A GREAT START. WHATEVER HAPPENS, WE'RE ALREADY DOING BETTER THAN THE 19 COUNTRIES WHO'VE NEVER WON A MEDAL. AND AS LONG AS WHEN WE DO WIN, NO ONE DOES AN ALAN PASCOE, WE'LL BE OKAY. 'ALAN WHO,' YOU ASK? THIS IS ALAN. OOH! AND THE CELEBRATIONS WENT SLIGHTLY WRONG. AFTER SCOOPING GOLD IN 1974, THE HURDLER COMPLETELY BOTCHED HIS VICTORY LAP. TWICE. AND HE STILL CAN'T DO IT! CAN'T WIN 'EM ALL, ALAN. HERE'S HOPING IT'S SMOOTHER SAILING TOMORROW NIGHT WHEN SOPHIE PASCOE LEADS THE KIWI TEAM INTO THE OPENING CEREMONY. THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A BIT OF PRESSURE ON ME OBVIOUSLY NOT TO LIMP WALKING OUT INTO THE STADIUM TOMORROW. WELL, THE BOOKIES ARE PAYING $12 FOR A FLAGBEARER TO DROP THEIR FLAG AND $5 FOR A TRIP AND FALL, WHICH ISN'T UNHEARD OF. SO, REALLY, IT'S TIME TO FOCUS IN, NEW ZEALAND, BECAUSE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS, THINGS GET UNDERWAY AND THE TEAM NEED OUR SUPPORT. LET THE 75TH HUNGER GAMES BEGIN. WELL, NOT THE HUNGER GAMES ` THERE'S PLENTY TO EAT IN THE GOLD COAST. BUT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES DON'T HAVE A MOVIE, SO JUST GO WITH IT. LISETTE REYMER, 1 NEWS. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER. (DESTINY'S CHILD'S 'SAY MY NAME') FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY JEAN TENG AND JAKE EBDALE.