IT'S THURSDAY THE 29TH OF FEBRUARY. MORENA, THIS IS BREAKFAST. WE GOT A BUSY SHOW VIEW TODAY. GREEN MP FANANA EFESO COLLINS WILL BE FAREWELLED TODAY. THE PASIFIKA LEADER DIED SUDDENLY A WEEK AGO TODAY. THOUSANDS HAVE PAID THEIR RESPECTS, AND TODAY HE WILL BE FAREWELLED IN A PUBLIC CEREMONY. A FAMILY SPOKESPERSON WILL JOIN US AROUND 7.20AM ACROSS THE DITCH, THOUSANDS OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REVEAL THEIR GENERAL PAY GAP BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THEIR WORK FORCE IN ADDRESSING INEQUALITY, AND THE DATA REVEALS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO. AND HERE IN NZ `SURPRISE, SURPRISE ` IT'S THE SAME ESPECIALLY FOR MAORI AND PACIFIC WOMEN. WHY? AND WHAT MORE CAN WE DO ? WE FIND OUT IN 40 MINUTES' TIME. AND OF COURSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CLOSURE OF THE NEWSHUB NEWSROOM. WE'LL HAVE REACTION FROM INDUSTRY COMMENTATORS LATER AND THE FORMER BROADCASTING MINSITER AND WE ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU, AT HOME WATCHING US THIS MORNING. TIMES ARE TOUGH IN TELLY LAND, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE CHOSEN TO SWITCH ON THIS MORNING. WE ALL HERE AT BREAKFAST GET UP EARLY EVERY MORNING TO BRING YOU THE NEWS, AND OF COURSE A BIT OF ENTERTAINMENT NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR JOBS. AND WE KNOW OUR FRIENDS OVER THE ROAD AT TV3 GET UP JUST AS EARLY, AND WORK JUST AS HARD. KIA KAHA TO OUR INDUSTRY FRIENDS TIME WILLIE JACKSON SHORTLY DUNCAN GRIEVE AND JANET WILSON AFTER 7 O'CLOCK. RIGHT NOW IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. HERE'S CHRIS WITH THE NEWS. AFTER 35 YEARS AS THE CENTREPIECE OF THE CHANNEL, TV3 WILL SHUT DOWN ITS NEWSROOM AT THE END OF JUNE, WITH NEWS NOT PART OF A PLAN THAT COULD SEE UP TO 300 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS. NEWSHUB STAFF WERE TOLD OF THE PROPOSAL FROM ITS PARENT COMPANY TO END THE BROADCASTERS NEWS SERVICES, DUE TO DECLINING ADVERTISING REVENUE. THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES CO-FUNDING OF LOCAL CONTENT, BUT THE HEAD OF WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY'S NEW ZEALAND OPERATION SAYS THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE NEWS. WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS A NEW OPERATING MODEL, SHOULD THE PROPOSAL GO AHEAD, THAT'S CENTRED AROUND THREENOW AS A DIGITAL PROPERTY, SUPPORTED BY OUR LINEAR CHANNELS. UNFORTUNATELY, THREE WOULDN'T HAVE NEWS AND CURRRENT AFFAIRS AS PART OF ITS OFFERING ON THE CHANNEL. TV3 WAS ACQUIRED BY DISCOVERY IN 2020 WHO LATER MERGED WITH WARNER MEDIA. AT ITS LAST EARNINGS REPORT, THE MEDIA CONGLOMERATE IS CURRENTLY CARRYING MORE THAN $72 BILLION OF DEBT. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL HAS FINALLY RELEASED THE DETAILS OF ITS $32 MILLION READING CINEMAS DEAL. THE CINEMA COMPLEX ON COURTENAY PLACE HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE IT WAS DEEMED EARTHQUAKE PRONE IN 2019. A PROPOSAL TO FIX THE BUILDING WAS PRESENTED TO WELLINGTON COUNCILLORS IN A SECRET MEETING IN OCTOBER. IT WOULD SEE THE COUNCIL BUY THE LAND FOR $32 MILLION AND THEN LEASE IT BACK TO THE READING CINEMAS ONCE THE NEW BUILDING DESIGN HAS RESOURCE CONCENT. COUNCILLORS WILL DECIDE ON THE PROPOSAL AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY. A BAG CONTAINING SECURITY PLANS FOR THIS YEAR'S PARIS OLYMPICS HAS BEEN STOLEN. THE BAG HAD A LAPTOP AND TWO MEMORY STICKS WITH THE SECURITY DETAILS ON THEM WHEN IT WAS STOLEN ON A SUBURBAN TRAIN. POLICE HAVE NOT YET FORMALLY COMMENTED ON THE THEFT. PRINCE HARRY HAS LOST A LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER THE WITHDRAWAL OF HIS PUBLICLY FUNDED SECURITY. THE BBC'S SEAN DILLEY REPORTS. FROM THE MOMENT HE WAS BORN, PRINCE HARRY HAS BEEN SURROUNDED BY ARMED METROPOLITAN POLICE PROTECTION. THEY USED TO TRAVEL THE WORLD WITH HIM AND GO WITH HIM WHEREVER HE WENT, BUT THAT WAS WHEN AND BECAUSE HE WAS A WORKING ROYAL. WHEN HE STEPPED DOWN AND LEFT THE COUNTRY IN 2020, THAT ROUTINE TAXPAYER FUNDED PROTECTION WAS DOWNGRADED. GOVERNMENT LAWYERS SAID ARMED SECURITY WOULD STILL BE PROVIDED, BUT ONLY WHEN IT WAS BELIEVED TO BE NECESSARY AND ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. PRINCE HARRY'S CASE WAS THAT THE DECISION MADE BY A GROUP KNOWN AS RADIC OR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF ROYALTY AND PUBLIC FIGURES WAS WRONG, UNFAIR AND UNLAWFUL. THE JUDGE DID NOT AGREE. THE COURT HAS FOUND THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY UNLAWFULNESS IN REACHING THE DECISION OF THE 28TH OF FEBRUARY, 2020. IT'S A JUDGEMENT THAT WILL HAVE SECURITY IMPLICATIONS FOR THE KING'S YOUNGER SON. WHILE THE GOVERNMENT MAY INSIST THAT PROTECTION WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN JUSTIFIED, THE RULING MAY DICTATE HOW CLOSELY PRINCE HARRY FEELS HE CAN BE TO HIS FAMILY. A PORTUGUESE POLITICIAN HAS BEEN COVERED IN PAINT DURING A CAMPAIGN APPEARANCE. LUIS MONTENEGRO WAS MAKING HIS FIRST STOP OF A TWO WEEK CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF A SNAP ELECTION. POLICE HAD JUST ARRESTED FOUR PEOPLE AND CONFISCATED ONE CAN OF PAINT WHEN A FIFTH PERSON MANAGED TO GET CLOSE TO THE CENTRE RIGHT COALITION LEADER. MR MONTENEGRO WASN'T INJURED. THE PERSON WHO THREW THE PAINT IS NOW IN CUSTODY. SEVERE WEATHER HAS CAUSED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ACROSS SEVERAL U.S. STATES. THOUSANDS ARE WITHOUT POWER, BUT NO INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE YET BEEN REPORTED. EYEWITNESSES REPORTED SEEING TORNADOES IN AREAS OF MICHIGAN, BUT METEOROLOGISTS HAVE NOT YET CONFIRMED THAT TWISTERS WERE FORMED. MORE STORMS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE AFFECTED AREAS. THE BREAKERS JOURNEY IN THE NBL PLAYOFFS SURVIVES ANOTHER WEEK AFTER A COME BACK VICTORY TO BEAT THE SYDNEY KINGS 83-76. THE KIWI CLUB TRAILED BY NINE POINTS AT HALFTIME BUT A STUNNING 34 POINT GAME BY PARKER JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE KINGS TO DEFEND. IF HE'S THINKING ABOUT HIS CAREER AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, WELL- THERE'S THE DECISION, JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT! OH, THEY ARE SO SMART, NEW ZEALAND - LOOK AT THIS. FIVE SECONDS TO GO, SHOOTS FOR THREE... GOODNIGHT! PARKER JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT SILENCES QUDOS BANK ARENA! THAT IS ENORMOUS! THE NEW ZEALAND CLUB TRAILED BY NINE POINTS AT HALFTIME, BUT A STUNNING 34 POINT GAME BY PARKER JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT THE BREAKERS NOW FACE THE ILLAWARRA HAWKS FOR A SPOT IN THE SEMI-FINALS. RED BULL'S FORMULA ONE TEAM PRINCIPAL CHRISTIAN HORNER HAS BEEN CLEARED OF ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE AND CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR. IN A STATEMENT RED BULL SAYS IT BELIEVSE THE INTERNAL REVIEW WAS FAIR, RIGOROUS AND IMPARTIAL. CLEARING THE 50-YEAR-OLD OF ANY WRONGDOING. HORNER HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ` IT'S A MAINLY FINE DAY HERE. SUNSHINE WITH SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT. RUSSELL, YOU'LL SEE A SHOWER PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 24. FURTHER SOUTH ` A STUNNING DAY. SUNSHINE IS OUT ALL DAY HERE. ENJOY THE BLUE SKIES. 23 THE HIGH FOR TOKOROA. TO THE EAST COAST ` A LITTLE MORE OF A GREY DAY HERE. CLOUD WITH SHOWERS, BECOMING LESS FREQUENT IN YOUR AFTERNOON. MASTERTON, YOU'LL MISS THE SHOWERS, WITH A HIGH OF 21. THE SUNSHINE IS OUT OVER ON THE WEST. A FINE DAY FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, WITH SOME PATCHES OF MORNING CLOUD ABOUT. 26 THE HIGH FOR TAUMARUNUI TODAY. TO TE WAIPOUNAMU ` THE SOUTH ISLAND IT'S A FINE DAY THROUGH HERE. HIGH CLOUD TO START SOME OF YOUR MORNINGS, CLEARING TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. KAIKOURA, YOU'LL REACH A HIGH OF 19. HEADING SOUTH ` SIMILAR HERE. YOU'LL WAKE UP TO MORNING CLOUD CLEARING TO A FINE DAY FOR MOST OF YOU. CHRISTCHURCH AND ASHBURTON, YOU'LL SEE SOME DRIZZLE PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 22 AND 21. TO THE DEEP SOUTH ` A FINE DAY HERE. HIGH CLOUD CLEARING TO SUNSHINE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON. 24 THE HIGH FOR GORE. AROUND 300 JOBS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IMPACTED AFTER THE SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT NEWSHUB WILL BE CLOSING AT THE END OF JUNE. AND THAT INCLUDES OUR FELLOW FRIENDS ACROSS THE ROAD AT THE AM SHOW. HERE'S WHAT THEY TOLD THEIR AUDIENCE THIS MORNING. I CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO HAVE YOUR COMPANY THIS MORNING. YOU'VE LIKELY SEEN IN THE NEWS THIS MORNING THAT OUR COMPANY HAS PROPOSED A SHUTDOWN NEWS HUB FROM JUNE. COMPAN HAS PROPOSED A SHUTDOWN NEWS HUB FROM 2 AM AND NEWS HUB ARE ONE OF THE SAME. WE ARE FAMILY. IT MEANS THE END OF A.M. TO. THERE HAS BEEN A WHOPPING 24 HOURS. BUT WE WILL GET THROUGH IT AND YOU'LL GET THROUGH IT WITH US. LABOUR'S MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS SPOKESPERSON AND FORMER BROADCASTER HIMSELF WILLIE JACKSON JOINS ME NOW. GOOD MORNING. HOW SUBSTANTIAL IS THE LOSS? HUGE LOSS. A HUGE HOLE IN TERMS OF NEW ZEALAND BROADCASTING. THEY PLAYED A GREAT ROLE IN TERMS OF GETTING THE NEWS OUT THERE CHALLENGING YOURSELVES, GREAT COMPETITION BETWEEN THE TWO ENTITIES. WE NEED THAT. THEY'RE VERY SAD THIS MORNING. I USED TO WORK FOR THE SETUP TOO. I WAS A BROADCASTER FOR 10 YEARS UNDER THE MEDIAWORKS BANNER. NEW ZEALAND IS A SMALL PLACE, AND ALTHOUGH THERE IS LOTS OF SUPPORT FROM YOURSELF AND LOTS OF PEOPLE INSIDE TV NZ. PLENTY OF US HAVE CROSSED THE ROAD A NUMBER OF TIMES. THEY WENT CAP IN HAND TO YOU LAST YEAR, WHAT THEY WANT IN THAT MEETING? THEY DIDN'T COME CAP IN HAND. I WAS BROADCASTING MINISTER FOR LESS THAN 18 MONTHS, I MET WITH THEM TWO OR THREE TIMES AND THEY GAVE ME AN OUTLINE OF WHERE THINGS ARE AT. THINGS WERE NOT GOOD, BUT THERE WAS NO REQUEST FOR A BAILOUT. OBVIOUSLY THEY WANTED SOME SUPPORT, AND THAT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE CONSIDERING BUT DID NOT EVENTUATE. I HAD GOOD MEETINGS WITH THEM, I HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. I APPRECIATED THE PRESSURES IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING LOCALLY. IT'S A CHANGING MEDIA WORLD. WHEN THEY WERE SET UP, THEY WERE SET UP IN 1989. 35 YEARS AGO, SO THAT TIME YOU HAD TWO CHANNELS, THEY WITH 1/3 CHANNEL AND YOU HAD NOTHING ELSE. IT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MARKET. NOW YOU HAVE 3 MILLION CHANNELS YOU CAN ACCESS. A HUGELY DIFFERENT TIME, BUT GO BACK TO THAT MEETING IT WAS A GOOD MEETING, THEY TALKED ABOUT FUTURE PROBLEMS, THE SAD THING WAS WE WERE NOT IN GOVERNMENT AND I DID NOT HAVE THE CHANCE TO PROGRESS THINGS. I ALWAYS TRY TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR INDUSTRY. WITH REGARDS TO WHAT THEY TALK TO YOU ABOUT, THEY SAID IT WAS A PRIORITY WE DIDN'T GET TO. DID YOU NOT ACT WITH ENOUGH TASTE? WE MET IN AUGUST AND I THINK WE WERE ON THE CAMPAIGN. I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY GOOD BLAMING US. YOU SHOULD MAYBE TALK TO THE CURRENT MINISTER ABOUT HER SUPPORT BECAUSE I DIDN'T HEAR MUCH SUPPORT YESTERDAY. IF THEY WERE TOBACCO LOBBYISTS OR GUN LOBBYISTS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. WE GAVE THEM SUPPORT OVER THE PREVIOUS SIX YEARS, YOU KNOW THAT. WE HAVE A FAIR DIGITAL BARGAINING BILL UP RIGHT NOW WHICH WILL HELP ALL OF OUR MEDIA ORGANISATIONS RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. HOW COME THE BILL HAS MADE IT FURTHER? TALK TO MELISSA LEE. DID YOU GUYS START IT? YES WE DID AND I GOT IT ON THE FLOOR AND I'M TRYING TO GET IT THROUGH AND I'M TRYING TO GET SUPPORT FOR MEDIA ENTITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT YOU'VE GOT A MINISTER WHO DOESN'T CARE. I WATCHED YESTERDAY, IT'S DISGRACEFUL THE WAY THIS GOVERNMENT HAS ACTED. ASK WHAT THE MEDIA AND BROADCASTING PLAN IS OVER THE NEXT 100 DAYS AND YOU'LL FIND THERE IS NO MEDIA PLAN. ASK IF IT'S IN THEIR MANIFESTO, THERE IS NOTHING IN THEIR MANIFESTO. THE MARKET IS BROKE, OUR MEDIA ENTITIES NEED ASSISTANCE WE NEED A FAIR DIGITAL BARGAINING BILL SO THAT MEDIA GET PAID FOR THEIR NEWS INSTEAD OF HAVING THEIR NEWS STOLEN AS IT IS AT THE MOMENT. IT IS SHOCKING THIS GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TO THE MEDIA. THEY ARE SO WORRIED ABOUT THEIR MATES IN THE GUN LOBBY AND THE TOBACCO LOBBY BUT THEY DON'T WORRY ABOUT GOOD JOURNALISTS ON THE GROUND WHO HAVE BEEN GIVING THEIR HEARTS TO NEW ZEALANDERS. YOUR CHALLENGES WITH THE CURRENT MINISTER, NOT WITH ME. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT BUT YOU COVERED IT. THE GOVERNMENT ARE NOT YOUR GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT THIS GOVERNMENT NECESSARILY BUT GOVERNMENTS IN SUCCESSION HAVE BEEN TOO SLOW TO ACCEPT THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL ORGANISATIONS THE BIG BOYS LIKE FACEBOOK AND META AND GOOGLE WHO ARE TAKING OUR CONTENT ARE NOT PAYING US. SO HOW COME, WHEN YOU WERE IN POWER, WHY WAS IT MORE DONE FAST ENOUGH? WE PUT MORE INVESTMENT AND MORE SUPPORT IN OUR SIX YEARS THE NATIONAL DID IN THE LAST 20./ THEY HAD A FREEZE ON OUR RNZ FOR 10 YEARS. WE PUT IN STRATEGIES USING DIFFERENT CEOS IN TERMS OF A MEDIA FRAMEWORK GOING FORWARD. WE TRY TO GET THE MERGER UP, OF COST OF LIVING OVERWHELMED US BUT I PUT THAT BILL UP AND I URGE NOW THE NATIONAL TO SHOW SOME COMPASSION HERE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT BILL IS. THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING A FAIR DIGITAL BARGAINING BILL. NEWSHUB HAS CLOSED, YOU CAN WATCH SKY AND THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS BUT WE NEED SUPPORT, THE MEDIA NEED SUPPORT, THE INDUSTRY NEEDS SUPPORT. WE WERE DOING A LOT OF THINGS OVER SIX YEARS, MORE THINGS IN BROADCASTING IN SIX YEARS THAN THEY'VE DONE IN THE LAST 20. WE ARE RESHAPING THE BROADCASTING ACT, DIGITAL BARGAINING BILL, MERGER DIDN'T GO TO PLAN FOR THAT DOESN'T MEAN TO SAY YOU CAN'T INVEST AND SUPPORT YOUR MEDIA. I REALLY ANGRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. IN TERMS OF HOW THE GOVERNMENT HAS TREATED THIS. YOU CAN'T BAIL $20 MILLION COMPANIES OUT. BUT YOU CAN STILL PUT A STRATEGY AROUND THEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.� HE DOES MAKE A POINT. YESTERDAY WE WATCHED POLITICIANS WALK THROUGH PARLIAMENT AND BROADCASTING MINISTER MELISSA LEE APPEARED LIKE SHE WASN'T CONCERNED. WILLIE JACKSON IS THE FORMER BROADCASTING MINISTER AND HE MADE THE POINT THAT YOU CAN STILL WATCH NEWS ON SKY BUT THAT IS MADE BY THREE SO YOU CANNOT WATCH THE NEWS ON SKY. WHEN I FIND OUT I WAS SHOCKED. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT TV3 STAFF ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. YOU JUST SAW IT WITH THE HOSTS ON AM, THE EMOTION... THERE IS A BUSINESS PARTNER IS GOING UNDER, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS BUT ALSO THE JOURNALISM SIDE. WE NEED A PLURALITY OF VOICES. WE WILL LOSE THAT COME JUNE. IT'S A CHOICE THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE. WE SHOULD KNOW FROM EMAILS THAT WE OCCASIONALLY GET, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS I'M GOING TO THE OTHER SIDE AND WHAT NOT, BUT AT LEAST YOU HAD THE CHOICE AND WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT YOU CHOOSE TO TUNE INTO US AND HEAVEN FORBID SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD HAPPEN HERE. I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE SAY I HOPE WE ARE WEARING, ITS BRIGHT PURPLE AND I THINK YOUR BUBBLY ON THE WRONG CHANNEL. YOU WORKED FOR TV3... YES AND IT'S INCREDIBLE. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CULTURE. THEY TALK ABOUT BEING A FAMILY, AND IT'S TRUE. THE PAY IS ATROCIOUS OR IT WAS WHEN I WAS THERE. WAS A HOLE IN THE CARPET, I COULD SEE THROUGH TO THE CONCRETE. EVERY DAY I FELT I WAS GOING OUT THERE TO DO THE BEST STORY GET MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE COULD, GIVE YOU IS THAT STORY. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKING HERE AND THERE IS THAT WE DON'T PICK HOLES IN THE FLOOR. E WHAI AKE NEI ` COULD YOU EXERCISE TWICE A DAY FOR 75 DAYS? WE LOOK AT THE FITNESS CRAZE THAT'S DIVIDING OPINION ABOUT ITS EFFECTIVENESS. THE RULES ARE SIMPLE ` FOLLOW A DIET, STAY ALCOHOL FREE, DRINK A GALLON OF WATER, WORK OUT TWICE A DAY AND READ 10 PAGES OF SOMETHING EVERY DAY FOR 75 DAYS. THIS IS THE LATEST FITNESS OR 'MENTAL TOUGHNESS' CHALLENGE. BUT WHILE SOME SAY ITS HELPED TO CREATE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, IT'S ALSO BEEN LABELLED AS 'DANGEROUS.' SO SHOULD YOU DO '75 HARD'? TO HELP US ANSWER THIS QUESTION, WE'RE JOINED BY 75 HARD CHALLENGE-GOER CHRISTINA FRANSHAM AND THE 'KEEP IT CLEANER' DIETITIAN LIV MORRISON. IT'S AROUND WHAT PEOPLE CHOOSE TO DO. IN TERMS OF THE DIETARY SIDE OF THINGS. EXERCISING AND GOING FOR A WALK COUPLE OF HOURS A WEEK WHICH THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE DOING, AN HOUR AND 1/2 A DAY WILL QUICKLY IMPROVE THINGS. REGULAR AMOUNT OF WATER, UNLESS YOU'RE A SIX-FOOT MALE IT CAN CREATE A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR VIEWERS TO KNOW THIS IS NOT SCIENTIFIC, EVIDENCE-BASED AS IT? IS A FAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA. HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT THAT? BE REALISTIC AROUND IT. DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES PER SE, ADJUST THEM TO BE SUITABLE TO YOU SO THAT IT IS SUSTAINABLE AND LESS RISKY. THE MAN THAT CREATED THE CHALLENGE HAS SAID THESE ARE RULES HE HAS DEVELOPED TO LOSE WEIGHT FOR HIMSELF. WE'VE HEARD THE IT'S WORKED FOR ME IT SHOULD WORK FOR YOU TROPE. HE'S DONE THIS OVER YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, SO IT'S GEARING YOU UP FOR FAILURE WHICH WE KNOW IS DETRIMENTAL TO MENTAL HEALTH AND INCREASES YOUR RISK OF RAPID WEIGHT REGAIN. IN MY OPINION THE RISKS OUTWEIGH THE REWARDS. LIV, THANKS THANK YOU. YOU ARE AN ADVOCATE FOR 75 HARD. HOW YOU FINDING IT? I'D SAY 75 HARD CHANGED MY LIFE. CHANGED MY LIFE, MY MINDSET AND MY DIRECTION. A LOT OF DISCIPLINE IT TAKES. IS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE DONE IT? THIS WAS ACTUALLY MY SECOND ATTEMPT. I ATTEMPTED THE CHALLENGE LAST YEAR IN FEBRUARY, GOT TODAY NINE AND FAILED. THEN I REDID THE CHALLENGE IN OCTOBER AND COMPLETED IT. I NEED TO PUT WHAT LIV HAS SAID IN TERMS OF THE RISKS, PARTICULARLY DRINKING THE AMOUNT OF WATER, YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD DURING HER INTERVIEW, WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT? IN SOME WAY I AGREE. FROM DRINKING A CUP OF WATER A DAY TO DRINKING THAT AMOUNT IS CRAZY AND IT WAS PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING OF THE CHALLENGE. YOUR BODY GETS USED TO IT. NOW AFTER THE CHALLENGE, AND DRINKING MORE WATER AND I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WATER I DRINK. IN TERMS OF INJURIES, I DID INJURE MYSELF, BUT I KEPT GOING WITH THE CHALLENGE AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS FROM PLAYING TOUCH, OTHER PEOPLE SAID IT WAS FROM 75 HARD. TO YOU'RE NOT THINKING I'LL GIVE THIS UP? I STILL KEEP GOING. IT WAS NEAR THE END OF THE CHALLENGE WHERE I HAD INJURED MYSELF AND I JUST CONTINUE TO PUSH THROUGH. WHAT DAY ARE YOU NOW? I COMPLETED THE CHALLENGE. JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS I COMPLETED IT THANK YOU SO MUCH YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. ALL THE BEST WITH THE CHALLENGE AND THE RESULTS. HOPEFULLY THAT DISCIPLINE CONTINUES. THANKS FOR THE INSIGHT LIV. IT SOUNDS NUTS YOU LOOK AT WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTERWARDS, TO DISCIPLINE IN KNOWING WHAT YOU CAN DO, AND PICKING UP SOME OF THOSE GOOD HABITS LIKE YOUR DIET AND WATER INTAKE. AND READING NOT SURE I'D SIGN UP FOR IT BUT... THAT WAS THE ASTERIX WE WERE WAITING FOR. ME U TONU MAI ` WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK WITH YOUR 6.30 NEWS. PLUS, YOU'VE BEEN FLOODING OUR INBOX WITH OUR LEAPLINGS CELEBRATIONS. WE'LL GET TO SOME OF THAT SHORTLY. We got a new car you have to plug in. It goes for two wee stops. (DOG BARKS) One masterpiece. And four unlucky possums! Five! VOICEOVER: Fast charge on the road and pay like you're at home. With Genesis at charge net stations. WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. IT IS 630. THE FORMER BROADCASTING MINISTER RECKONS EVEN A LAST DITCH APPEAL FOR HELP FROM TV3 BOSSES WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAVE THE BROADCASTER'S NEWS DIVISION. NEWSHUB STAFF WERE TOLD OF A PROPOSAL FORM THE CHANNEL'S PARENT COMPANY TO END NEWS SERVICES DUE TO DECLINING ADVERTISING REVENUE. WILLIE JACKSON MET WITH WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY BOSSES LAST YEAR WHERE THEY DISCUSSED FINANCIAL RELIEF FROM TRANSMISSION FEES. BUT HE SAYS THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY BAILOUTS AND EVEN IF THEY HAD, IT WOULDN'T HAVE SAVED THE COMPANY. I AM REALLY ANGRY ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN TERMS OF THE WAY THE GOVERNMENT HAS TREATED THIS. OBVIOUSLY INVESTING AND BAILING THEM OUT WAS OBVIOUSLY TOO FAR. YOU CAN'T BAIL $20 MILLION COMPANIES OUT. BUT YOU CAN PUT A CIRCLE OF SUPPORT AROUND THEM AND PUT A STRATEGY AROUND THEM. AROUND 300 STAFF WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS WHEN THE NEWS DIVISION IS CUT AT THE END OF JUNE. THE PRIME MINISTER'S ELECTORATE OFFICE HAS BEEN VANDALISED OVERNIGHT. THE BOTANY PROPERTY WAS DOUSED IN RED PAINT AND TAGGED WITH THE WORDS 'FREE PALESTINE'. IT'S THE SECOND TIME CHRISTOPHER LUXON'S OFFICE HAS BEEN TARGETED BY PROTESTS LINKED TO THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR. NO GROUP HAS YET TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY. PRINCE HARRY HAS LOST A LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER THE DECISION TO DENY HIM POLICE PROTECTION WHEN HE IS IN THE UK. WHEN HARRY AND HIS WIFE MEGHAN STEPPED DOWN AS WORKING ROYALS IN JANUARY 2020, THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT THEY NO LONGER QUALIFIED FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED POLICE PROTECTION ON A FULL-TIME BASIS. HARRY CHALLENGED THAT, SAYING THE DECISIONW AS PUTTING HIS AND HIS FAMILY'S LIVES IN DANGER. TODAY A JUDGE RULED THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE LAWLFULLY. HARRY AND HIS LEGAL TEAM INTEND TO APPEAL. THE POPE IS BACK IN THE VATICAN AFTER A BRIEF VISIT TO HOSPITAL. THE PONTIFF HAD EARLIER CANCELLED A PUBLIC READING, SAYING HE WAS STILL UNWELL WITH FLU WHICH HAD FORCED HIM TO CANCEL DAYS OF MEETINGS EARLIER THIS WEEK. HE THEN BRIEFLY VISITED HOSPITAL BUT RETURNED HOME ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. A SERIES OF HUGE FIRES ARE BURNING IN TEXAS, THREATENING LIVES, HOMES AND EVEN A NUCLEAR FACILITY. THE BIGGEST OF THE BLAZES IS MORE THAN HALF A MILLION ACRES IN SIZE. HERE'S ABC'S REENA ROY. AT LEAST FIVE MASSIVE WILDFIRES BURNING IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. OH MY GOSH. RECORD HEAT, DRY LAND AND STRONG WINDS FUELLING THE FLAMES. HALF A MILLION ACRES BURNING IN THE LARGEST FIRE. YOU CAN SEE SMOKE FILLING THE SKIES. THERE WERE HOUSES AND STRUCTURES THAT WERE BURNING. GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT ISSUING DISASTER DECLARATIONS FOR AT LEAST 60 COUNTIES. EVACUATION ORDERS IN PLACE IN SOME AREAS. MULTIPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CANCELLING CLASSES TODAY. IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR FIREFIGHTERS TO MAKE PROGRESS WITH HOW RAPIDLY THE FIRE IS GROWING AND SPREADING, SO THEY'VE BEEN PRIORITISING LIFE SAFETY, EVACUATING RESIDENTS. THE FIRE IS EVEN FORCING A NUCLEAR WEAPONS FACILITY TO PARTIALLY EVACUATE AND PAUSE OPERATIONS. FLAMES ENGULFING THESE VEHICLES ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHILE RESIDENTS DESPERATELY TRIED TO ESCAPE. DOZENS OF BUILDINGS DAMAGED IN THE INFERNO, BUT NO INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. PARIS OLYMPICS OFFICIALS SAY NO SECURITY PLANS WERE STOLEN. THE MAN'S LAPTOP AND USB DRIVES WERE IN THE BAG, WHEN A STAFF MEMBER'S BAG WAS TAKEN ON THE METRO SYSTEM. THE MAN'S LAPTOP AND USB DRIVES WERE IN THE BAG, AND THERE WERE INITIAL FEARS SECURITY PLANS HAD BEEN COMPROMISED. OFFICIALS NOW SAY HE WAS ONLY IN POSSESSION OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLANS. FINAL PREPARATIONS HAVE STARTED FOR THE BLACKCAPS FOR THE FIRST TEST AGAINST AUSTRALIA AT THE BASIN RESERVE. WILL YOUNG HAS BEEN GIVEN THE NOD TO REPLACE OPENING BATSMEN DEVON CONWAY WHO IS OUT WITH A THUMB INJURY. THE BASIN RESERVE USUALLY PRODUCING A GREEN WICKET FOR THE FIRST DAY. I AM SURE THE GROUNDSMAN KNEW THIS WHEN HE WAS AROUND, SO THEY WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO MAKE SURE IT WAS READY BEFORE THAT. IT IS A GOOD PATCH. WE HAVE SEEN THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. YOU CAN WATCH THE TEST SERIES LIVE AND FREE ACROSS ON OUR DUKE CHANNEL AND TVNZ+. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ` IT'S A MAINLY FINE DAY HERE. SUNSHINE WITH SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT. FURTHER SOUTH ` A STUNNING DAY. SUNSHINE IS OUT ALL DAY HERE. ENJOY THE BLUE SKIES. TO THE EAST COAST ` A LITTLE MORE OF A GREY DAY HERE. CLOUD WITH SHOWERS, BECOMING LESS FREQUENT IN YOUR AFTERNOON. MASTERTON, YOU'LL MISS THE SHOWERS, WITH A HIGH OF 21. THE SUNSHINE IS OUT OVER ON THE WEST. LOOKING NICE. A FINE DAY FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, WITH SOME PATCHES OF MORNING CLOUD ABOUT. 26 THE HIGH FOR TAUMARUNUI TODAY. 18 DEGREES IN WELLINGTON. TO TE WAIPOUNAMU ` THE SOUTH ISLAND IT'S A FINE DAY THROUGH HERE. HIGH CLOUD TO START SOME OF YOUR MORNINGS, CLEARING TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. 21 FOR NELSON AND ON THE WEST COAST. HEADING SOUTH ` SIMILAR HERE. YOU'LL WAKE UP TO MORNING CLOUD CLEARING TO A FINE DAY FOR MOST OF YOU. CHRISTCHURCH AND ASHBURTON, YOU'LL SEE SOME DRIZZLE PASS 28 DEGREES AND BEAUTIFUL IN ALEXANDRA. TO THE DEEP SOUTH ` A FINE DAY HERE. HIGH CLOUD CLEARING TO SUNSHINE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON. 25 FOR QUEENSTOWN. AND 23 AND SUNSHINE IN INVERCARGILL. NICE. THANKS, CHANGY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR ` WHAT DO WE CALL THEM ` LEAPLINGS. WE HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY HEAPS OF YOU WHO HAVE A BIRTHDAY TODAY. THEY HAVE ALL TOLD US THEY HAVE TWO BIRTHDAYS, AND THEY KNOW THE EXACT COUNT FOR EACH. SO, I HAVE HAD 10 OF THESE BIRTHDAYS, BUT I AM ACTUALLY 40 YEARS OF THE STOP MY DAUGHTER TURNS 22 MORROW. IN LEAP YEARS, IT WILL BE HER FIFTH. SOMEONE ELSE POPPED UP ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ` UP THE WAHS. CELEBRATING OUR FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY TOMORROW WITH MY ABSOLUTE FAVES. ROCK ONTO ALL 29 SOLDIERS OUT THERE FOR. ANNIVERSARY? DID SHE NOT WANT TO CELEBRATE EVERY YEAR? ONLY EVERY FOUR YEARS. DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU TOO OFTEN A YEAR THE ADDITIONAL DAY IS ADDED BECAUSE THE EARTH'S ORBIT AROUND THE SUN TAKES APPROXIMATELY 365.25 DAYS, SO THE CALENDAR WOULD GRADUALLY BECOME OUT OF SYNC WITH THE DAYS. IT IS MY SON'S THIRD EVER BIRTHDAY, BUT HE WILL BE TURNING 12. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. DO YOU THINK WHEN PARENTS HAVE A CHILD BORN ON THIS DAY THEY THINK I DON'T WANT TO THROW THAT MANY BIRTHDAY PARTIES. I JUST WANT TO SHIFT THE TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE... OK. IN TERMS OF GIFTS, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU DONATE TO A GIFT WHEN A WORK COLLEAGUE IS LEAVING? WHAT IS THE NORMAL RATE WHEN YOU GET AN EMAIL SAYING, CONTRIBUTE, KNOWING THERE IS ABOUT 30 OF US? WHAT IS THE NORMAL RATE? I JUST GET REALLY ANNOYED WHEN SOMEONE DOESN'T PUT THE RATE AND SAY, LET'S JUST GIVE $25. IT IS UP TO YOU. I HAVE AN AMOUNT THAT I DO, BUT I STRATEGY THIS TIME WAS TO BEAT YOU. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH` I SAID, HOW MUCH ARE YOU PUTTING IN FOR THAT? AND I SAID, OK, I WILL DO MORE. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GOING TO DINNER AND WHEN SOMEONE CAN'T PAY WHEN YOU SPLIT THE BILL, THEY FEEL REALLY BAD ABOUT THAT. JUST PAY WHAT YOU CAN. EACH INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE. BUT DO YOU NOT LOOK AT THAT WORK COLLEAGUE THAT IS LEAVING AND THINK, WHAT IS MY CONNECTION TO THEM? HOW LONG HAVE I KNOWN THEM? THIS IS HOW MUCH I THINK I WILL CONTRIBUTE. DO YOU NOT FACTOR THAT IN? THINK IT IS INDIVIDUAL CHOICE BUT WHAT YOU CAN AT THE TIME. YOU MIGHT KNOW SOMEONE REALLY WELL, BUT AT THAT TIME, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE, IT MAY NOT BE AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO. IT'S EASY TO SAY JUST $25 FROM EVERYONE, AND IF YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE MORE, FEEL FREE TO. GO ON. I WILL TELL YOU HOW MUCH I PUT IN. HOW MUCH? I PUT ON $50. YOU REALLY UPPED ON ME WHEN I SAID. DANIEL, YOU DID THE SAME TO ME. YOU ASKED ME HOW MUCH I PUT IN ANYTHING, I'M GOING TO PUT A BIT MORE. IF YOU ARE ASKING FOR A GIFT TO PULL TOGETHER THE MONEY, YOU SHOULD JUST PUT IN A NUMBER. I THINK YOU SHOULD JUST PUT N/A NUMBER, AS OPPOSED TO LEAVING IT OPEN TO EVERYONE TO GIVE WHAT THEY WANT TO GIVE. BECAUSE IT IS PROBABLY NOT FAIR THAT SOME I CONTRIBUTING MORE AND SOME ARE CONTRIBUTING LESS. YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE EMAIL. ME U TONU MAI ` THOUSANDS OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REVEAL THEIR GENDER PAY GAPS. THIS IS INTERESTING, FOLKS. THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE PUT IN MORE! WE TALK ABOUT WHETHER THAT SHOULD THAT HAPPEN HERE. WE WILL BE BACK AFTER THE BREAK. # I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES. # I FOUND YOU. IT IS 6:45. TO AUSTRALIA NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME THOUSANDS OF COMPANIES THERE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REVEAL THEIR GENERAL PAY GAP AND SURPRISE, SURPRISE, IT'S SHOWN HOW BIG THE CHASM IS. HERE'S 9 NEWS' CHARLES CROUCHER. AT DRAKE'S SUPERMARKETS, WOMEN ON AVERAGE ARE PAID MORE THAN MEN. YOU SHOULD BE GETTING THE POSITION BECAUSE OF HOW GOOD YOU ARE. IN MOST COMPANIES,THOUGH, THIS ISN'T THE CASE. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE MEDIAN BASE SALARY FOR WOMEN IS ABOVE 68,000, FOR MEN, IT'S ABOVE 79,000. CAREER PROGRESSION, MORE MALE FULL TIME WORKERS AND HIGHER SALARIES IN INDUSTRIES DOMINATED BY MEN DRIVING THE GAP. THERE ARE SOME VERY LARGE, VERY ICONIC BRANDS THAT HAVE A VERY LARGE PAY GAP. TRAVEL COMPANIES ALLIANCE AIR, JETSTAR, VIRGIN AIRLINES, QANTAS AND CRUISE OPERATOR CARNIVAL HAVE PAY GAPS WELL ABOVE THE AVERAGE, PARTIALLY EXPLAINED BY MORE MEN IN HIGHER PAID ROLES LIKE PILOTS AND ENGINEERS AND WOMEN IN LESS LUCRATIVE POSITIONS SUCH AS CABIN CREW. EVEN COMPANIES TARGETING WOMEN LIKE PANDORA JEWELLERY WITH A 52% PAY GAP AND LORNA JANE. THE CHALLENGE TONIGHT TAKING THE DATA AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. THIS IS ABOUT SAYING THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE AT, IT'S PUBLIC, THERE'LL BE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT. DON'T GET MAD, GET EVEN. TAKE THIS DATA AND SEE WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THIS. ASK FOR A PAY RAISE. HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR COMPENSATION AND ABOUT YOUR SUCCESSES WITH YOUR MANAGER. THE AVERAGE PAY GAP HERE AT NINE ENTERTAINMENT IS 10.1%, BUT HIGH PROFILE COMPANIES LIKE THE AFL AND MCDONALD'S HAVE NO GAP, WHILE DAVID JONES AND LULULEMON ARE AMONG A GROUP WITH WOMEN PAID MORE. IT'S THE FIRST TIME LARGE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REVEAL THE DATA AND TONIGHT, SOME HERE HOPE IT'S THE LAST. FORCED THE DATA. HERE IN NEW ZEALAND, WOMEN CONTINUE TO BE PAID LESS THAN MEN. OVERALL WOMEN EARN AROUND 8% LESS BUT IF YOU'RE A MAORI OR PASIFIKA WOMAN YOU'RE LIKELY EARNING 17% LESS THAN YOUR MALE COLLEAGUES. FOR MORE ON MANDATORY REPORTING OF PAY GAPS IN NEW ZEALAND WE'RE JOINED BY UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCHER SEREANA NAEPI. SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW. AUSTRALIA ARE DOING IT. WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS, RIGHT? THIS IS RELATIVELY EASY. IT IS NOT A CONTROVERSIAL MEASURE. IN 2023 WHEN IT WAS VOTED BY THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT, THE MINISTER SAID, WHY NOT? THIS IS NOT A BAD THING TO DO. WE SEE IN THE MIND THE GAP REGISTRY THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPANIES THAT ARE ALREADY VOLUNTARILY DOING THIS. SO WHY NOT LEGISLATE IT? WHY NOT MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR? THE THING PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT IS THAT IT MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE A BAD COMPANY WAS NOT REALLY, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPANIES TO SAY, WE ARE A GOOD EMPLOYER. THE POINT TO MAKE, THOUGH, ABOUT THE REGISTRY IS THAT THERE ARE BOTH COMPANIES. WE WERE SURPRISED ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF COMPANIES OUT THERE. THEY ALSO HAVE THE CHOICE ABOUT HOW THEY PRESENT THE DATA. WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THE DETAILS, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THEM ARE JUST PUBLISHING SALARIES. SOME OF THEM ARE SAYING THIS AS A PERCENTAGE WAS UP MY OWN EMPLOYER, THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND, SAYS, THIS IS A BREAKDOWN IS AS THEY ARE COMMITTED TO REPORTING ON THE ETHNIC PAY GAP AS WELL STOP THAT IS WHAT YOU DON'T SEE IN THE MIND THE GAP DATA. WHICH IS HORRENDOUS, RIGHT? WE START WORKING FOR FREE ABOUT THREE MONTHS BEFORE OTHER WOMEN. IT IS NOT FAIR. WE HAVE THE SAME EDUCATION IN THE SAME JOBS ` PAY US THE SAME AMOUNT. WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM IMPACT? LONG-TERM IMPACTS ARE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT RETIREMENT. WE CAN'T SAVE AS MUCH BECAUSE WE ARE NOT BEING PAID AS MUCH. ALL OF OUR INCOME GOES TOWARDS RENT OR A MORTGAGE. WE JUST DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS EVERYONE ASKS UP IN THE LONG-TERM, THAT IS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENCE. WE JUST TOUCHED ON THIS, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH COMPANIES WHO HAVE DONE THIS. SOME COMPANIES HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT BEING FORCED TO DO IT. WHAT OTHER BENEFITS THAT WE CAN SEE FROM COMPANIES THAT DO THIS? THAT ABLE TO THEN LOOK AT WHETHER IT IS THAT YOU HAVE HIRED SOMEBODY IN POSITIONS WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUMPED UP ANOTHER LEVEL. WHETHER THEY ARE HIRING WOMEN. SAME EDUCATION, SAME JOB. IS IT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE HIRING OUR WOMEN. LOOKING AT IT, RATHER THAN IGNORING IT. IF YOU IGNORE IT, DOESN'T GO AWAY. I LIKE TO THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO THINK THEY ARE NOT SEXIST. THIS IS THE WAY TO ADDRESS THE PAY GAP IN THE INDUSTRY. FINALLY, VERY QUICKLY, WE KNOW THAT THE FORMER GOVERNMENT TABLED THIS IN AUGUST 2023 WHERE IS THAT AT NOW? THAT WAS SAID DURING THE ELECTION BUT DIDN'T HAPPEN. THE MINISTER HAS SAID IT COULD WORK. SO WHY IS IT NOT PART OF THE AGENDA MOVING FORWARD? THEY ARE COMMITTED TO GROWING THE ECONOMY ` GIVE US SOME MORE MONEY. WE WILL SPEND IT AND SAVE IT. JUST SO YOU KNOW, JAY MAY, YOU AND I CAN LEAVE AT 445 THIS MORNING JUST TO MAKE UP FOR THAT PAY GAP. E HAERE AKE NEI, THE SOUTH ISLAND DESTINATION TRAVELLERS LOVE IF THEY MANAGE TO GET THERE. WE TALK TO THE MAYOR SHORTLY. # COVER ME IN SUNSHINE. IT'S A HIDDEN GEM, IN PLAIN SIGHT. CENTRAL OTAGO, WITH ROLLING HILLS, VINEYARDS AND CYCLE TRACKS. A RECENT SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY, WELL, TOURISM CENTRAL OTAGO, FOUND THE REGION TICKS ALL THE BOXES FOR A RECOMMENDED TRAVEL DESTINATION. SO WHY AREN'T YOU GOING? ONLY 9% OF KIWIS HOLIDAYED IN THE REGION LAST YEAR. THE OTHER 91% PERCENT OF YOU MUST BE MISSING OUT. SO TO TELL US ABOUT IT WE'RE JOINED BY CENTRAL OTAGO MAYOR, TIM CADOGAN. . THANKS FOR COMING ON THE PROGRAMME THIS MORNING HAVE YOU GOT A BUSY DAY PLANNED? ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE. WHAT WE ALL MISSING? YOU ARE MISSING A SLICE OF PARADISE. YOU'RE MISSING A PLACE LIKE NEW ZEALAND NEEDS TO BE. FOR FOLKS LIVING IN AUCKLAND, YOU'RE MISSING A PIECE OF PEACE. IT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF AND NOT MANY OTHERS. IS THIS REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY? YOU DON'T WANT A BUNCH OF JAFAS DO YOU? WE CAN TAKE A FEW MORE. WE'VE GOT 10,000 KM DOWN HERE, WE HAVE A LOT SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO. YOU CALL YOURSELF THE MAYOR OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DISTRICT IN NEW ZEALAND. IS THIS A FACTUAL CLAIM? A LOT OF MEDS NEW ZEALAND WILL SAY THESE THINGS. WE HAVE GOT ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL LAKES. IF PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE A GOOD LOOK AND EXPERIENCE THE BIG SKIES RIDE THE CENTRAL OTAGO RAIL. AND THEN YOU STOP AT A COUNTRY PUB I MIGHT HAVE A BEER OR A GLASS OF OTAGO PINO. TRY OUR ROSE. WE'VE GOT THAT, WE GOT IT IN SPADES AND WE ARE VERY VERY BLESSED. YOU'VE NAMED A FEW HOTSPOTS I KNOW A LOT OF AUCKLANDERS HAVE DONE. WHAT IS THE HIDDEN GEM? THE ROCKSBURRA TRAIL. YOU HAVE THE LAKESIDE VIEWS, YOU RIDE ALONG THE EDGE WHICH CAN GET A BIT EXCITING BUT IT'S JUST NOT AS BUSY. 85,000 PEOPLE. IT'S A LOT QUIETER. IS GREAT FOR PEOPLE SEEKING PEACE AND QUIET. YOUR BROTHER IS ALSO A MAYOR IN THE SOUTH ISLAND, WHO HAS GOT THE BEST SPOT? AT THE MOMENT MY MOTHER IS AT THE CRICKET SO IT IS PROBABLY A GOOD TIME TO GO. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY IN PARADISE. 'GOING, GOING, NOT QUITE GONE'. THAT'S HOW NEWSHUB PRESENTER MIKE McROBERTS INTRODUCED HIS NETWORK'S 6PM BULLETIN LAST NIGHT, JUST HOURS AFTER HE AND HUNDREDS OF HIS COLLEAGUES FOUND OUT THEY WERE SET TO LOSE THEIR JOBS. TV3 HAS BEEN PROVIDING A NEWS SERVICE SINCE 1989. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON ITS SHOCKING COLLAPSE SHORTLY. FORMER GREEN MP FA'ANANA EFESO COLLINS WILL BE FARWELLED TODAY IN A PUBLIC CEREMONY IN AUCKLAND. POLITICIANS FROM ACROSS THE SPECTRUM WILL ATTEND IN A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE. THE FAMILY'S SPOKESPERSON JOINS US IN 20 MINUTES. AND WE ONLY GET TO CELEBRATE EVERY FOUR YEARS, BUT HAPPY LEAP YEAR! MORE ON THAT IN HALF AN HOUR, BUT FOR NOW, IT'S 7 O'CLOCK. HERE'S CHRIS WITH THE NEWS. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL HAS FINALLY RELEASED THE DETAILS OF A $32 MILLION DEAL WITH READING CINEMAS. THE CINEMA COMPLEX ON COURTENAY PLACE HAS BEEN CLOSED SINCE IT WAS DEEMED EARTHQUAKE-PRONE IN 2019. A PROPOSAL TO FIX THE BUILDING WAS PRESENTED TO WELLINGTON COUNCILLORS IN A SECRET MEETING IN OCTOBER. IT WOULD SEE THE COUNCIL BUY THE LAND FOR $32 MILLION AND THEN LEASE IT BACK TO THE READING CINEMAS ONCE THE NEW BUILDING DESIGN HAS RESOURCE CONSENT. COUNCILLORS WILL DECIDE ON THE PROPOSAL AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY. THE FORMER BROADCASTING MINISTER HAS HIT OUT AT HIS SUCCESSOR, SAYING THE COLLAPSE OF TV3'S NEWS DIVISION PROVES THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO OFFER SUPPORT TO NEW ZEALAND MEDIA. NEWSHUB STAFF WERE TOLD OF A PROPOSAL TO END NEWS SERVICES YESTERDAY, DUE TO DECLINING ADVERTISING REVENUE. WILLIE JACKSON MET WITH WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY BOSSES LAST YEAR WHERE THEY DISCUSSED FINANCIAL STRUGGLES. HE SAYS WHILE THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR ANY BAILOUTS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO MORE TO INVEST IN AND SUPPORT THE MEDIA. YOU'VE GOT A MINISTER WHO DOESN'T CARE. I WATCHED YESTERDAY I THINK IT'S DISGRACEFUL. ASK HER WHAT THE MEDIA AND BROADCASTING PLAN IS. YOU'LL FIND THERE IS NO MEDIA PLAN. ASKED THEM IF MEDIA AND BROADCASTING IS IN THEIR MANIFESTO THERE IS NOTHING IN THEIR MANIFESTO. THE MARKET IS BROKE. OUR MEDIA ENTITIES NEED ASSISTANCE THEY NEED SUPPORT. AROUND 300 STAFF WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS WHEN THE NEWS DIVISION IS CUT AT THE END OF JUNE. BREAKFAST INVITED MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER MELISSA LEE TO JOIN THE PROGRAMME THIS MORNING, BUT SHE DECLINED. A SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCHER WANTS MORE CLARITY OVER THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENDER PAY GAPS HERE IN AOTEAROA. IT COMES AS 5000 COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REVEAL THE EXTENT OF THEIR EMPLOYEES' GENDER PAY GAPS. RECENT DATA INDICATES THE KIWI GAP IS JUST UNDER 8% MEANING WOMEN EFFECTIVELY WORK THE MONTH OF DECEMBER FOR FREE. SEREANA NAEPI SAYS THE LONG TERM RAMIFICATIONS ARE HUGE. PARTICULARLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT RETIREMENT. SO ALL OF US ARE SAVING THROUGH OUR KIWISAVER. WE'VE GOT OTHER SAVINGS HAPPENING. WE CAN'T SAVE AS MUCH, COS WE'RE NOT BEING PAID AS MUCH. MORE OF OUR INCOME GOES INTO RENT OR TO MORTGAGE. WE JUST DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS EVERYONE ELSE. AND LONG TERM, THAT'S HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DIFFERENCE IN WEALTH. THE MAORI AND PASIFIKA PAY GAP IS OVER 17%, EFFECTIVELY MEANING THEY WORK FOR FREE FROM THE END OF OCTOBER. SEVERE WEATHER HAS CAUSED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ACROSS SEVERAL U.S. STATES. THOUSANDS ARE WITHOUT POWER, BUT NO INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE YET BEEN REPORTED. EYEWITNESSES REPORTED SEEING TORNADOES IN AREAS OF MICHIGAN, BUT METEOROLOGISTS HAVE NOT YET CONFIRMED THAT TWISTERS WERE FORMED. MORE STORMS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE AFFECTED AREAS. A PORTUGUESE POLITICIAN HAS BEEN COVERED IN PAINT DURING A CAMPAIGN APPEARANCE. LUIS MONTENEGRO WAS MAKING HIS FIRST STOP OF A TWO-WEEK CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF A SNAP ELECTION. POLICE HAD JUST ARRESTED FOUR PEOPLE AND CONFISCATED ONE CAN OF PAINT WHEN A FIFTH PERSON MANAGED TO GET CLOSE TO THE CENTRE-RIGHT COALITION LEADER. MR MONTENEGRO WASN'T INJURED. THE PERSON WHO THREW THE PAINT IS NOW IN CUSTODY. MEXICO'S MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVE VOLCANO IS RUMBLING TO LIFE. HUNDREDS OF TREMORS HAVE BEEN DETECTED NEAR THE POLOCATEPETL VOLCANO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND IT'S NOW STARTED SPEWING SMOKE AND ASH INTO THE SKY. AUTHORITIES ARE WARNING PEOPLE NOT TO APPROACH IT, AND THERE'S EVEN FEARS NOXIOUS GASES COULD WAFT INTO THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL, MEXICO CITY. TO SPORT, AND THE BREAKERS ROLLER COASTER SEASON IS NOT OVER JUST YET. THE SIDE BEATING THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS SYDNEY KINGS IN AN IMPRESSIVE COME-FROM-BEHIND VICTORY 83-76. THE BREAKERS TRAILING BY NINE POINTS AT HALFTIME. THEY CARE ABOUT ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. THEY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER. AND THEY'RE BATTLE TESTED, BECAUSE THIS SEASON HAS BEEN TOUGH, AND WE'VE SEEN EVERYTHING AND BEEN THROUGH EVERYTHING. ONCE I WALKED INTO THE LOCKER ROOM AT HALFTIME AND KNEW WE WERE WINNING THE GAME, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANYTHING BUT DETERMINATION AND BEING FOCUSED ON THE TASK. THE BREAKERS WILL NOW FACE THE ILLAWARRA HAWKS FOR A SPOT IN THE SEMI-FINALS. AND RED BULL'S FORMULA 1 TEAM PRINCIPAL CHRISTIAN HORNER HAS BEEN CLEARED OF ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE AND CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR. IN A STATEMENT, RED BULL SAYS IT BELIEVES THE INTERNAL REVIEW WAS FAIR, RIGOROUS AND IMPARTIAL, CLEARING THE 50-YEAR-OLD OF ANY WRONG DOING. HORNER HAS DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ` IT'S A MAINLY FINE DAY HERE. SUNSHINE WITH SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT. RUSSELL, YOU'LL SEE A SHOWER PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 24. FURTHER SOUTH ` A STUNNING DAY. SUNSHINE IS OUT ALL DAY HERE. ENJOY THE BLUE SKIES. 23 THE HIGH FOR TOKOROA. TO THE EAST COAST ` A LITTLE MORE OF A GREY DAY HERE. CLOUD WITH SHOWERS, BECOMING LESS FREQUENT IN YOUR AFTERNOON. MASTERTON, YOU'LL MISS THE SHOWERS, WITH A HIGH OF 21. THE SUNSHINE IS OUT OVER ON THE WEST. A FINE DAY FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, WITH SOME PATCHES OF MORNING CLOUD ABOUT. 26 THE HIGH FOR TAUMARUNUI TODAY. TO TE WAIPOUNAMU ` THE SOUTH ISLAND IT'S A FINE DAY THROUGH HERE. HIGH CLOUD TO START SOME OF YOUR MORNINGS, CLEARING TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. KAIKOURA, YOU'LL REACH A HIGH OF 19. HEADING SOUTH ` SIMILAR HERE. YOU'LL WAKE UP TO MORNING CLOUD CLEARING TO A FINE DAY FOR MOST OF YOU. CHRISTCHURCH AND ASHBURTON, YOU'LL SEE SOME DRIZZLE PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 22 AND 21. TO THE DEEP SOUTH ` A FINE DAY HERE. HIGH CLOUD CLEARING TO SUNSHINE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON. 24 THE HIGH FOR GORE. THROUGH GOOD TIMES AND BAD, NEW ZEALAND PUT ITS TRUST IN THIS MAN. NOW HE'S BACK. GOOD EVENING. I'M PHILIP SHERRY... PHILLIP SHERRY, ONLY ON THREE NATIONAL NEWS, NIGHTLY AT 6. THE FIRST THREE NATIONAL NEWS BULLETIN WENT TO AIR IN NOVEMBER 1989, WITH THE SERVICE QUICKLY EMERGING AS A FIERCE COMPETITOR TO RIVAL 1 NETWORK NEWS. NOW WARNER BROS DISCOVERY IS SHUTTING DOWN NEWSHUB ` ITS ENTIRE NEW ZEALAND NEWS DIVISION. THE MOVE HAS STUNNED THE INDUSTRY, WITH SOME CALLING YESTERDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT A 'DEATH BLOW' TO DEMOCRACY AND JOURNALISM IN NEW ZEALAND. BREAKFAST WANTED TO SPEAK TO MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER MELISSA LEE THIS MORNING ABOUT THIS, BUT SHE TOLD US SHE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE SPINOFF FOUNDER DUNCAN GREIVE SPOKE WITH ME EARLIER. HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. I THOUGHT THERE WERE SOME SIGNALS THAT THREE WAS NOT STABLE. BUT THE SCALE OF THIS, THE NATURE OF IT, I DID NOT SEE COMING. WHAT WERE THE CLUES? LAST YEAR WE SAW THE SHUTDOWN OF THE PROJECT. THERE WAS A HIGH PERFORMING SHOW. THE FACT THEY EMPLOYED AN INTERIM HEAD OF NEWS, AND THE RYAN BRIDGE SHOW KEPT GETTING BUMPED OUT AND IT GAVE AN HOUR OF SOMETHING RUMBLING UNDER THE SURFACE. YOU ARE TELLING ME BEFORE THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO SOME OF THE STAFF. WHAT ARE THEY SAYING TO YOU? THIS PIECE THE CHARACTER OF NEWS HUB. GOT THE NEWS AT 11 O'CLOCK. THEY WENT ABOUT THEIR DAYS REPORTING AND THE NOTE THAT THEY STRESSED TO ME THAT WAS EXTRAORDINARY WAS THEY WERE FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE GUN LAW REFORM THIS PERSON HAS LOST THEIR CAREER AND YET THAT IS THEIR CONCERN. IT TELLS YOU A LOT ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE LIKE AS AN ORGANISATION. TAUGHT US ABOUT THE HISTORY OF NEWS HUB/ IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CHALLENGER BRAND. IT HAS BEEN YOUR CHIEF OPPOSITION TV NZ AND A VERY GOOD ONE. IT HAS BEEN A FRIENDLY RIVALRY BUT A FIERCE RIVALRY. RIGHT THE WAY THROUGH IT HAS HAD ISSUES. IT WAS IN RECEIVERSHIP WITHIN MONTHS OF STARTING. THAT WAS ITS FIRST BRUSH WITH FINANCIAL ISSUES BUT THE NEWSROOM GOT USED TO OPERATING UNDER THAT SITUATION. IT BECAME A GALLOWS HUMOUR. THEY KEPT REPORTING AND REPORTING AND IT IS A MASSIVE LOSS. IT IS ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE NEWS PRODUCTS IN THE COUNTRY NOISE HAS BEEN. BROADCASTING MINISTER MELISSA LEE DID NOT APPEAR CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATE OF NEW ZEALAND MEDIA. SHE MENTIONED SKIES AN OPTION BUT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW SKY DOES NOT OFFER NEWS. IT'S RUN BY NEWS HUB. DISHY OUT OF TOUCH? I SPOKE TO HER LATE YESTERDAY AND HER TONE HAD NOTABLY SOFTENED. SHE COMES FROM THE MEDIA HERSELF SO SHE WON'T BE COMPLETELY BLIND. IF YOU HAVE NOT WORKED IN THE MEDIA LATELY YOU DON'T KNOW HOW DIFFERENT IT IS FROM THE REALITY YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO. SOME OF THE COMMENTS BY CHRISTOPHER LUXTON THE PRIOR MINISTER, SIMILARLY HAD AN AIR THAT SOMEBODY WILL COME AND FILL THE GAP BUT THE ADVERTISING IS NOT SUFFICIENT THERE. THIS WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IF THERE WAS ANY ALTERNATIVE. POTENTIALLY A BIT OF NAIVETE OVER SOMETHING THAT REQUIRED AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE. WHAT IS NEWS HUB'S LEGACY? NEWS HUB HAS PROBABLY BEEN ONE OF IF NOT THE BEST CREATOR OF NEWS TALENT, NOT JUST WITH INTELLIVISION BUT WITHIN THE WHOLE OF THE INDUSTRY. A TV NZ YOU HAVE JOHN CAMPBELL, HILARY BARRY, THESE ARE ALL PEOPLE WHO STARTED AT NEWS HUB OR ITS PREDECESSOR THREE NEWS. DAVID FARRIER WHO IS VERY HIGH UP IN NETFLIX AT THE MOMENT CAME UP FOR THE SAME SYSTEM. IT IS ALWAYS BEEN A PLACE THAT HAD AN UNCANNY KNACK FOR PICKING AND THEN MOULDING TALENT. REAL HOUSEHOLD NAMES WHO HAVE OUTPERFORMED THE SCALE OF THE ORGANISATION. AND PARTICULARLY THE PRESS GALLERY TEAM THEY HAD A REAL STYLE TO THEM AND I'M SURE THAT POLITICIANS, SOME OF THEM WILL BE BREATHING A BIT OF A SIGH OF RELIEF AND THAT IS NOT A GOOD THING. FOR MORE, WE'RE JOINED BY FORMER TV3 JOURNALIST AND PRESENTER JANET WILSON. GOOD MORNING. ARE YOU SURPRISED? SURPRISED AT THE LENGTH AND DEPTH OF THE CUTS. AS MARK JENNINGS SAID WE COULD HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF PROGRAMS CUT BUT TO CUT AN ENTIRE NEWS DIVISION, 300 PEOPLE, IS EXCEPTIONAL. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THIS MEANS FOR NEW ZEALAND MEDIA? LET'S FACE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, LET'S LOOK AT THE BROADER CONTEXT. WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS HAPPENING ELSEWHERE. ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES THERE IS AN ARTICLE CALLED HOW THE MEDIA INDUSTRY KEEPS LOSING THE FUTURE, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE INHERENT IN NEW ZEALAND AND ELSEWHERE. WE ARE EATING OURSELVES ESSENTIALLY. THE RISE OF DIGITAL HAS MEANT THAT THERE IS SOME NEWS PAPERS FOR INSTANCE THE NEW YORK TIMES, AND THE GUARDIAN THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY DRIVING FORWARD. FORWAR THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS 3.5 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS WE ARE FIGHTING FOR IT ARE NOT BEING PAID FOR IT AND THAT IS THE CENTRAL PROBLEM. IF WE KEEP DOING WHAT WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE YOU WILL LOSE. FORMER BROADCASTING MINISTER WILLIE JACKSON WAS ON EARLIER, HE SAYS HE MET WITH WARNER BROTHERS 2 TO 3 TIMES, THEY GIVE HIM AN OUTLINE AND IT WAS IN GOOD BUT IT WAS NOT A REQUEST FOR A BAILOUT. HE TOUCHED ON THE FAIR DIGITAL BARGAINING BILL, COULD THIS HAVE HELPED NEWS HUB? POTENTIALLY YES IT COULD HAVE HELPED IT. BUT WHEN SIMILAR BILLS HAVE BEEN ENACTED ELSEWHERE, THEY HAD NOT BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT WAS HOPED. CANADA IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE. THEY ENACTED VERY SIMILAR LEGISLATION THERE AND IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY REAP THE REWARDS FOR THE MEDIA INDUSTRY THAT THEY HOPED SO WE ARE PINNING OUR HOPES ON ALL THIS STUFF WHEN WE HAVE THESE SOCIAL MEDIA GIANTS WHO CAN EFFECTIVELY WALK ALL OVER THE LOCAL INDUSTRY. I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THE WHOLE IDEA OF WHAT NEWS IS IS CHANGING FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE AND OFTEN FOR WORSE. SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT HAD STEPPED IN? NO, TV3 WAS ALWAYS A PRIVATELY OWNED ORGANISATION AND THAT PRIVATELY OWNED ORGANISATION HAD A MISSION ABOUT IT. WHEN I JOINED IN 1992, THEY HAD JUST COME OUT OF THAT. WHERE THEY HAD GONE INTO RECEIVERSHIP AND CULTURALLY AS A NEWSROOM, THAT STIFFENS THEIR RESOLVE AND MADE THEM SO MUCH STRONGER BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS DARK GALLOWS HUMOUR ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY DID. IT WAS PUT TOGETHER WITH RUBBER BANDS AND PAPERCLIPS, BUT EVERYONE PUT THEIR SHOULDER TO THE WHEEL AND HAD A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF WHY THEY WERE THERE AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITHIN THAT NEWSROOM. I WANT TO TOUCH ON ACTS LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR, 'I THINK THERE IS A QUESTION OVER THE OWNERSHIP OF TV ONE' DOES HE HAVE A POINT? I THINK IT IS A CHEAP POLITICAL TRICK AT A TIME WHEN THE MEDIA IS ON ITS KNEES. AND CAN ILL AFFORD THAT KIND OF THING. DEMANDING DIVIDENDS WHEN NEWSROOMS ARE BEING CUT AND SERVICES ARE BEING CUT WITHIN TV NZ IS A LITTLE RICH I THINK. YOU WORKED FOR NEWS HUB WHICH I REMEMBER WAS TV3 AT THE TIME, WHAT SET IT APART? THIS DERRING-DO. IT HAD AN AMAZING DERRING-DO. EVERYONE IN TV NZ WITH THE GREATEST OF RESPECT, YOU ARE PART OF A MUCH LARGER ORGANISATION. AT TV3 IT WAS EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, EVERYONE HAD A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY ABOUT THEMSELVES AND IT WAS DO OR DIE. AND YOU JUST HAD TO GO FOR IT. IF YOU DIDN'T GO FOR IT YOU WOULD BE SUBSUMED BY OTHER PEOPLE. SO IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT CULTURE AND A DIFFERENT SENSE. WHAT IS NEWS HUB'S LEGACY? BRIO. AND THAT IS NOT TO BE DISCOUNTED IN ANY NEWSROOM. THAT SENSE OF, WE CAN DO THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. GOOD TO TALK TO YOU. I LIKE THAT WORD. VITALITY. E HAERE AKE NEI ` MOURNERS WILL FAREWELL FA'ANANA EFESO COLLINS TODAY AT A PUBLIC MEMORIAL IN SOUTH AUCKLAND. THE FAMILY'S SPOKESPERSON WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT HIS LIFE WITH US. (UPBEAT MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. GREEN MP FA'ANANA EFESO COLLINS WILL BE REMEMBERED TODAY AT A PUBLIC MEMORIAL IN SOUTH AUCKLAND. EFESO DIED AFTER COLLAPSING AT A CHARITY EVENT LAST WEEK. HE WAS 49. HE WAS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HIS SOUTH AUCKLAND COMMUNITY AND WAS THE FIRST OF HIS FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE WAS A HUSBAND AND FATHER OF TWO. HIS MEMORIAL WILL BE HELD AT THE DUE DROP EVENTS CENTRE IN MANUKAU AND STARTS AT 1pm. ALL ARE WELCOME. EFESO HAS BEEN LYING IN STATE AT TIPENE FUNERALS IN AUCKLAND, WHERE THOUSANDS HAVE GATHERED THIS WEEK TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS. FOR MORE, WE'RE JOINED BY FAMILY SPOKESPERSON TAITO EDDIE TUIAVII. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN US. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. NOT SO GOOD UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WE SO APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US. IT HAS BEEN A TOUGH WEEK, AND A LONG WEEK. HOW IS THE WHANAU DOING? EXHAUSTED. IT HAS BEEN A VERY LONG WEEK. WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE TIME TO SHARE AND WITNESS AND EXPERIENCE THE INCREDIBLE AND OVERWHELMING OUTPOURING OF LOVE AND SUPPORT AND THE MEMORIES, IT HAS BEEN A TOUGH AND DEVASTATING WEEK. YOU CAN IMAGINE IT HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON THE WHANAU. BE THAT AS IT MAY, THROUGH OUR GRIEF, THE ENTIRE FAMILY, THERE ARE NO WORDS TO THANK AND SHOW ENOUGH APPRECIATION FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS COME THROUGH SINCE EFESO'S PASSING LAST WEEK. YOU MENTIONED THE GIRLS ` HIS WIFE AND BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTERS. HOW ARE THEY? THEY ARE BROKEN. HE WAS THERE NORTHSTAR AND ANCHOR. HE WAS THE BEDROCK. AND NOW HE IS NO MORE. AS I HAVE SAID, SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS GOING ON, AND THE YOUNGEST IS INNOCENT AND STILL PLAYING AND HANGING OUT WITH HER COUSINS. DADDY IS SLEEPING. BE QUIET. IT IS DEVASTATING TO SEE. HE WAS TAKEN TOO SOON. YES, HE WAS. AS YOU SAID EARLIER, THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY WHO CAME THROUGH TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO HIM AND THE WHANAU. I WONDER ABOUT HOW OVERWHELMING THAT HAS BEEN FOR THE FAMILY BUT ALSO, ON THE OTHER HAND, SO MANY DID NOT KNOW HIM PERSONALLY, BUT THEY KNEW OF HIM AND HOW HE TOUCHED SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITIES. I THINK EVEN FOR US AS A WHANAU, THOSE THAT WERE INTIMATELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIM AND KNEW HIS PERSONAL LIFE, HIS PROFESSIONAL LIFE, WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WHEN PEOPLE CAME THROUGH, AND YOU ARE SITTING THROUGH GOING, JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU KNOW THE DEPTH OF THE MAN THAT WAS, THE LOCAL HERO, YOU FIND OUT SOMETHING NEW, AND YOU HEAR A NEW EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT IS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL. IT DOES HELP THE FAMILY COME TO TERMS WITH THIS COLOSSAL LOSS, KNOWING THAT EVERYBODY THAT EFESO CAME INTO CONTACT WITH, IT WAS A POSITIVE, IT WAS AN ENDEARING EXPERIENCE, AND THAT WILL REMAIN IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS FOR YEARS TO COME. WE WERE TALKING EARLIER, AND I ALMOST SHED A FEW TEARS, BECAUSE HE WAS ALWAYS SO GENEROUS. THE NUMEROUS TIMES THAT WE SAT DOWN AND HAD CONVERSATIONS, I KNEW THAT SIDE OF HIM. MANY OF US KNEW THAT FEARS ADVOCATE THAT HE WAS FOR HIS COMMUNITY, THE PASIFIKA COMMUNITY BUT ALSO THE MAORI COMMUNITY. WHAT WILL HIS LEGACY BE? MANY FOLD. IT IS QUITE HARD TO ARTICULATE, BECAUSE DEPENDING ON WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS WITH HIM, THAT LEGACY WILL DEPEND ON WHAT THAT ENCOUNTER WAS LIKE. I THINK BACK TO HIS WORK OVER THE MANY YEARS. HE WAS LOUD AND PROUD ABOUT CULTURE, LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY. HE WAS LOUD AND PROUD. TWO WEEKS AGO WAS HIS MAIDEN SPEECH. HE WAS ALL OF THESE THINGS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT GROWING UP IN NEW ZEALAND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, EFESO WAS ALL ABOUT RANGATAHI, THE FEARLESS AND RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF EXCELLENTNESS. HE WANTED HIS DAUGHTERS TO GROW UP FREELY AND INNOCENTLY. AS YOU SAID EARLIER, I HAVE NOT COME ACROSS A PERSON THAT DOES NOT HAVE A POSITIVE MEMORY TO SHARE. SOMEONE SAID LATE LAST WEEK UPON HEARING OF HIS PASSING, THEY HAD NOT MET SOMEBODY THAT HAD TRIED SO HARD TO BE LIKED, BECAUSE HE JUST OOZED LOVE AND LIGHT. THERE WILL BE A CELEBRATION TODAY AT 1 O'CLOCK. I KNOW THERE WILL BE A LOT OF TEARS, BUT I HOPE THERE IS A LOT OF LAUGHTER AS WELL. I CAN TELL YOU THAT OVER THE LAST WEEK, WHILE IT HAS BEEN` THE OTHER HIGHS AND THE LOWS, AND EVEN IN OUR GRIEF, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE PIVOTED SO OFTEN TO HYENA LAUGHS, BECAUSE THAT WAS EFESO. HE WAS A PROFESSIONAL AND INTELLECTUAL PERSON, BUT WE ARE BLESSED AND HONOURED TO KNOW HIM OUTSIDE HIS PROFESSIONAL PERSONA. THIS GUY IS ROASTING COMEDY KEEN. HE WAS INCREDIBLE. THAT HELPS US IN OUR GRIEF. BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. PARTICULARLY DURING THIS TIME. I KNEW THAT I WOULD LOSE MY PLACE IN MY THOUGHTS. THE HIM AS A MAN OF INTEGRITY WHO OFFERED EVERYONE GRACE, COMPASSION AND LOVE. WE ARE DEEPLY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. LOVE TO YOU AND THE WHANAU. CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. AROHA NUI. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 7.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. PLUS, THERE WILL BE SOME PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY CELEBRATING SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS THAT ONLY HAPPEN EVERY FOUR YEARS TODAY. WE WILL EXPLAIN THAT NEXT. # TELL THEM THAT IT'S MY BIRTHDAY. GREEN MP FA'ANANA EFESO COLLINS WILL BE REMEMBERED TODAY AT A PUBLIC MEMORIAL IN SOUTH AUCKLAND. EFESO DIED AFTER COLLAPSING AT A CHARITY EVENT LAST WEEK. HE WAS 49 YEARS OLD. HE WAS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HIS SOUTH AUCKLAND COMMUNITY AND THE FIRST OF HIS FAMILY TO GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE FAMILY, TAITO EDDIE TUIAVII SAYS THEY'RE BROKEN BY HIS DEATH. EFESO WAS THERE NORTHSTAR. HE WAS THE ANCHOR. HE WAS THE BEDROCK, AND NOW HE HAS NO MORE. AS I HAVE SAID, GABRIELLA UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS GOING ON, AND THE YOUNGEST IS INNOCENT. SHE IS STILL PLAYING AND HANGING OUT WITH HER COUSINS. THE MEMORIAL WILL TAKE PLACE AT 1pm AT THE DUE DROP EVENTS CENTRE IN MANUKAU. ALL ARE WELCOME. THE PRIME MINISTER'S ELECTORATE OFFICE HAS BEEN VANDALISED OVERNIGHT. THE BOTANY PROPERTY WAS DOUSED IN RED PAINT AND TAGGED WITH THE WORDS FREE PALESTINE. IT'S THE SECOND TIME CHRISTOPHER LUXON'S OFFICE HAS BEEN TARGETED BY PROTESTS LINKED TO THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR. NO GROUP HAS YET TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY. A SOCIAL SCIENCES RESEARCHER IS WARNING OF THE LONG-TERM RAMIFICATIONS OF FAILING TO CLOSE GENDER PAY GAPS. IT COMES AS 5000 COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA HAVE BEEN FORCED TO REVEAL THE EXTENT OF THEIR EMPLOYEES' PAY GAPS. RECENT DATA INDICATED NEW ZEALAND'S GENDER GAP IS JUST UNDER 8%, BUT FOR MAORI AND PASIFIKA, IT'S MORE THAN 17%. WE START WORKING FOR FREE ABOUT THREE MONTHS EARLIER THAN OTHER WOMEN, AND PART OF ME IS LIKE, LET'S DO A CANADA, AND ALL THE WOMEN CAN GO ON STRIKE ON THE SAME DAY AND SEE HOW IT GOES. IT'S JUST NOT FAIR. WE'VE GOT THE SAME EDUCATION. WE'RE DOING THE SAME JOBS. PAY US THE SAME AMOUNT. SEREANA NAEPI IS CALLING FOR MORE CLARITY ON REPORTING. A HUGE DROP IN ADVERTISING REVENUE IS BEING BLAMED AS THE DEATH KNELL FOR TV3'S NEWS DIVISION. NEWSHUB STAFF WERE TOLD OF A PROPOSAL TO END NEWS SERVICES YESTERDAY. THE ASIA PACIFIC ARM OF PARENT COMPANY, WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY, SAID IT WAS A LOSING OPERATION. FOMER TV3 JOURNALIST JANET SAY THE GLOBAL MEDIA INDUSTRY IS FACING FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. THE RISE OF DIGITAL HAS MEANT THAT THERE IS SOME NEWS PAPERS, FOR INSTANCE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE GUARDIAN, THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY DRIVING FORWARD. THERE IS PLENTY OF NEWS OUT THERE VIA THE WEB, AND WE ARE ALL FIGHTING FOR IT AND NOT GETTING PAID FOR IT. AND THAT IS THE ESSENTIAL PROBLEM. AND IF YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE, YOU WILL LOSE. AROUND 300 STAFF WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS WHEN THE NEWS DIVISION IS CUT AT THE END OF JUNE. PRINCE HARRY HAS LOST A LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER THE DECISION TO DENY HIM POLICE PROTECTION WHEN HE IS IN THE UK. WHEN HARRY AND HIS WIFE MEGHAN STEPPED DOWN AS WORKING ROYALS IN JANUARY 2020, THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT THEY NO LONGER QUALIFIED FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED POLICE PROTECTION ON A FULL-TIME BASIS. HARRY CHALLENGED THAT, SAYING THE DECISION WAS PUTTING HIS AND HIS FAMILY'S LIVES IN DANGER. TODAY A JUDGE RULED THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE LAWFULLY. HARRY AND HIS LEGAL TEAM INTEND TO APPEAL. THE POPE IS BACK IN THE VATICAN AFTER A BRIEF VISIT TO HOSPITAL. THE PONTIFF HAD EARLIER CANCELLED A PUBLIC READING, SAYING HE WAS STILL UNWELL WITH FLU, WHICH HAD FORCED HIM TO CANCEL DAYS OF MEETINGS EARLIER THIS WEEK. HE THEN BRIEFLY VISITED HOSPITAL BUT RETURNED HOME ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. TO SPORT, AND THE BREAKERS HAVE SURVIVED THEIR AUSTRALIAN NBL ELIMINATOR AFTER A COMEBACK VICTORY OVER THE SYDNEY KINGS 83-76. THE NEW ZEALAND CLUB TRAILED BY NINE POINTS AT HALFTIME, BUT A STUNNING 34-POINT GAME BY PARKER JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT HELPED DETHRONE THE DEFENDING CHAMPS. IF HE'S THINKING ABOUT HIS CAREER AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, WELL- IF HE'S THINKING ABOUT HIS CAREER AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, WELL` THERE'S THE DECISION, JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT! OH, THEY ARE SO SMART, NEW ZEALAND. LOOK AT THIS. FIVE SECONDS TO GO, SHOOTS FOR THREE... GOODNIGHT! PARKER JACKSON-CARTWRIGHT SILENCES QUDOS BANK ARENA! THAT IS ENORMOUS! THE BREAKERS WILL NOW FACE THE ILLAWARRA HAWKS FOR A SPOT IN THE SEMI-FINALS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ` IT'S A MAINLY FINE DAY HERE. SUNSHINE WITH SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT. RUSSELL, YOU'LL SEE A SHOWER PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 24. 26 IS THE HIGHFOR AUCKLAND. FURTHER SOUTH ` A STUNNING DAY. SUNSHINE IS OUT ALL DAY HERE. ENJOY THE BLUE SKIES. 23 THE HIGH FOR TOKOROA. TO THE EAST COAST ` A LITTLE MORE OF A GREY DAY HERE. CLOUD WITH SHOWERS, BECOMING LESS FREQUENT IN YOUR AFTERNOON. MASTERTON, YOU'LL MISS THE SHOWERS, WITH A HIGH OF 21. THE SUNSHINE IS OUT OVER ON THE WEST. A FINE DAY FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, WITH SOME PATCHES OF MORNING CLOUD ABOUT. 26 THE HIGH FOR TAUMARUNUI TODAY. 18 DEGREES IS THE HIGH FOR THE CAPITAL. TO TE WAIPOUNAMU, THE SOUTH ISLAND ` IT'S A FINE DAY THROUGH HERE. HIGH CLOUD TO START SOME OF YOUR MORNINGS, CLEARING TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. 23 IN BLENHEIM. HEADING SOUTH ` SIMILAR HERE. YOU'LL WAKE UP TO MORNING CLOUD, CLEARING TO A FINE DAY FOR MOST OF YOU. CHRISTCHURCH AND ASHBURTON, YOU'LL SEE SOME DRIZZLE PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 22 AND 21. ALEXANDRA, 28 DEGREES AND SUNSHINE TODAY. TO THE DEEP SOUTH ` A FINE DAY HERE. HIGH CLOUD CLEARING TO SUNSHINE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON. 24 THE HIGH FOR GORE. QUEENSTOWN, YOU ARE LOOKING BEAUTIFUL TODAY. YOUR HIGH IS 25. THANKS, CHRIS. IT'S FEBRUARY 29th ` A DAY SO SPECIAL IT ONLY HAPPENS EVERY FOUR YEARS. BUT IN A SOCIETY DICTATED BY RULES AND PROCEDURE, SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THE LEAP YEAR BABIES. WHAT ARE THEY TO DO? HOW ARE THEY TO CELEBRATE LIKE THE REST OF US? FOR SOME INSIGHT INTO THIS ISSUE, WE'RE JOINED BY EX-PAT BIRTHDAY BOY MARC SWADEL. I KNOW YOU ARE JOINING US FROM OVERSEAS, SO I WILL SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM NEW ZEALAND, BUT MAY BE HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON THE DAY THAT YOU NORMALLY GET TO CELEBRATE. YES. BASICALLY, IT IS ON THE 28TH ALMOST ALWAYS. MY FATHER'S BIRTHDAY IS ON THE 28, SO AS A CHILD, I USED TO GET LONDON WITH MY DAD, BUT THEN MY NANNA, LET HER, SHE SAID THE DAY AFTER THE 28TH OF YOUR BIRTHDAY, SO SHE USED TO GET ME AROUND ON MUCH THE FIRST-EVER SECOND BIRTHDAY. MY BROTHERS HATED IT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE. THERE HAVE GOT TO BE SOME UPSIDES TO ONLY BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE EVERY FOUR YEARS. HOW ARE YOU MARKING THE MILESTONE THIS YEAR? I AM 13. I AM A TEENAGER FINALLY. THE CRAZY THING IS WHEN I HAVE MY 21ST, I AM GOING TO BE SLIGHTLY 80S. THAT WILL BE FUN. WE WILL BE GOOD TO SEE WHETHER UNDER CELEBRATE IT WITH ME. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? WELL, OCCASIONALLY, YOU DO GET BUSINESSES WHO ARE VERY HAPPY TO LOOK AFTER LEAPLINGS, LIKE MYSELF. THERE IS, ACTUALLY, A FEW PLACES AROUND THAT DO THINGS. THERE IS A PLACE IN MANCHESTER THAT WILL GIVE ME A FREE PINT OF BEER. BUT I AM IN LONDON, SO THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. THE LONDON EYE, THE BIG FEAR AS WELL YOU CAN GO ON, YOU CAN DO THAT FOR FREE, BUT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, SO IT WILL BE RAINY AND GREY, SO I WILL NOT DO THAT. THERE IS A LOCAL GREEK PLAYS THAT HAVE SAID THEY WILL GIVE YOU �50 OFF A MEAL. THAT IS NOT BAD. I AM GOING TO DO THAT. THAT IS ME. THAT IS �12.50 FOR EVERY YEAR YOU HAVE HAD TO MISS OUT. AMAZING. THE YOU GO. THERE ARE SOME VICTORIES. AS A CHILD, IT WAS` WHAT WAS IT LIKE AS A KID? WHAT DID YOU ACTUALLY DO? IT IS THE ULTIMATE PESSIMISTS BIRTHDAY. APART FROM BEING BORN ON CHRISTMAS DAY, BECAUSE YOU MISS OUT ON GETTING A BIRTHDAY. I DID GET LESS BIRTHDAYS, BUT I JUST MADE THE MOST OF IT. I WAS A BIT OF A BACKGROUND BIRTHDAY GUY, BECAUSE I DO NOT REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO GO, YOU DO NOT HAVE A BIRTHDAY. IT IS OKAY. I TAKE IT IN MY STRIDE. I DID NOT HAVE 1/21, AN ACTUAL 21ST, BECAUSE IT DID NOT MEAN ANYTHING. YOU DO NOT REALLY THINK MUCH OF BIRTHDAYS. WHEN THEY DO COME AROUND, YOU'RE LIKE OKAY, I AM OLDER. I AM SURPRISED FROM THE FEEDBACK HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE WHO HAVE A LEAPLING CHILD OR BIRTHDAY. DO YOU OFTEN RUN INTO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME BIRTHDATE AS YOU? THE FUNNIEST THING ` ANYWHERE WHERE I AM IN THE WORLD WHEN BIRTHDAYS COME UP, OH, YOU ARE A LEAP YEAR, AND PEOPLE WILL DRAG YOU ACROSS THE ROOM ACROSS THE TOWN TO MEET ANOTHER PERSON WHO WAS BORN ON THE 29TH. YOU ARE THERE TALKING TO SOMEONE, HI, CALL, 29, OH YEAH, WHICH YEAR? IT IS KIND OF LIKE A SECRET IS IT. YOU ARE ALL THOUGHT OF IN THE SAME SLIGHTLY DIED BIRTHDAY BOAT UNTIL IT ROLLS AROUND EVERY FOURTH-YEAR. EXACTLY. YOU KINDA FORGET, BUT THEN YOU REMEMBER IT IS LIKE EVERY OLYMPICS. FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS, EVERY OLYMPICS IS OUR SPECIAL YEAR. THAT IS A GOOD WAY OF LOOKING AT IT. YOU ALSO BECOME REALLY GOOD AT MATHS, BECAUSE EVERYONE WRITES AND SAYS I AM 80, BUT IT IS MY 21ST. YOU GET VERY GOOD AT HAVING TWO NUMBERS IN YOUR HEAD. HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND THE DAY AFTER, WHICH WE WILL NOT SAY IS 1 MARCH. ENJOY IT. ENJOY THE GROUP MEAL. ME U TONU MAI ` WHAT HAPPENS NOW FOR THE FUTURE OF BROADCAST JOURNALISM AFTER THE AXING OF NEWSHUB? OUR POLITICAL PANEL IS WITH US NEXT. (UPBEAT MUSIC) THE AXING OF NEWSHUB MEANS THAT FROM JULY ONWARDS TVNZ WILL BE NEW ZEALAND'S ONLY TVA NETWORK PROVIDING A NEWS SERVICE. BROADCASTING MINISTER MELISSA LEE SAID SHE HAD NO CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLURALITY OF MEDIA, SAYING THAT SKY WAS ANOTHER OPTION... ...EXCEPT THAT SKY DOESN'T PROVIDE A NEWS SERVICE. HERE FOR MORE IS OUR POLITICAL PANEL OF NATIONAL'S CHRIS BISHOP AND LABOUR'S KIERAN MCANULTY WHO JOIN ME THIS MORNING. REALLY ROUGH WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR JOB OR POTENTIALLY LOSE YOUR JOB. TO HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND THEN HAVE TO PRESENT THE NEWS AT NIGHT THAT IS PRETTY ROUGH AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE FEELING SORRY FOR THEM. WHAT ALSO ROUGH IS THEY FELT A KICK IN THE GUTS BY THE BROADCASTING MINISTER BEING OUT OF TOUCH MAKING COMMENTS LIKE THAT THAT THERE IS A PLURALITY OF MEDIA OUT THERE. I THINK WHAT MELISSA IS SAYING IS CORRECT. *IT'S NOT* WHEN TV3 STARTED OUT IN THE 1990S, IT WAS TV NZ THEN A NEW COMPETITOR LOTS OF PEOPLE WATCH THE NEWS AND WATCH TV. WE'VE GOT OTHER CHANNELS, YOU GOT MORE RADIO CHANNELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHATEVER CHANNEL IS THERE? WHAT IN TERMS OF TV NEWS? TERRESTRIAL TV NEWS? THERE IS NOT ONE. THERE IS NOT A TERRESTRIAL TV CHANNEL. THAT IS MY POINT CHRIS. BUT NOT EVERYONE WATCHES THE NEWS VIA TERRESTRIAL TV ANY MORE WE DON'T LIVE IN THE 1990S ANY MORE. IS A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS. CLEAR IN YOUR THOUGHTS? AS AN INTERESTING ANSWER FROM CHRIS. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACT THIS DECISION HAS MADE ON THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED. WHAT AN AWFUL WAY TO FIND OUT. FOR SOME OF THEM, THIS WILL BE THE END OF A CAREER IN TELEVISION OR JOURNALISM AND THAT IS AN AWFUL THING TO BE CONFRONTED WITH IN SUCH A WAY. WE ARE THINKING OF THEM, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE BOTH POSITIONS. YOU CAN'T ON ONE HAND SAY I REALLY THOUGHT SORRY FOR THEM AND ON THE OTHER SAY MELISSA LEO'S RIGHT BECAUSE HER RESPONSE YESTERDAY WAS DISGRACEFUL. AND SENSITIVE TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING NOT WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM A BROADCASTING MINISTER. THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOME EMPATHY SHOWN FOR THOSE WHO WERE AFFECTED NOT A STIRRING HANDS IN THE AIR IN SAYING, I WELL. AND CHRISTOPHER LUXTON'S RESPONSE WAS A MUCH BETTER. THIS IS A BLOKE THAT HAS BEEN RALLYING AGAINST YOU GUYS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ELECTION, INCLUDING NEW SUB. EVEN HE HAD THE SENSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS IS SEVERE. WHILE THERE MIGHT BE MORE CHOICES AVAILABLE, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS NEW ZEALAND HAD TO NETWORKS PROVIDING NEWS AND NOW WE ARE DOWN TO 1. CHRIS, WE INVITED THE BROADCASTING MINISTER TO COME ON AND SHOW SOME EMPATHY OR GIVE US INSIGHT BUT SHE DECLINED. INITIALLY OUT OF TOUCH? WE ARE ON HERE EVERY WEEK. I THINK MEDIA DIVERSITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK IT IS BAD NEWS FOR NEW ZEALAND MEDIA THAT WE WILL LOSE, POTENTIALLY, OUR TERRESTRIAL TV CHANNEL. I GREW UP WATCHING TV3 AND THERE WERE SOME GREAT PEOPLE THERE OVER THE YEARS AND TO WORK THERE NOW. THINGS CHANGE. THERE MAY BE A FUTURE FOR ANOTHER NEWS CHANNEL, WHO KNOWS WE HAVE TO LET THESE THINGS PLAY OUT. ITS ACROSS-THE-BOARD. MELISSA NOT TAKING INTERVIEWS IS NOT WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT FROM A BROADCASTING MINISTER. CHRIS YOU SAID THINGS CHANGE, WHAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THE OCR RATE WHICH IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY. AS A GREAT PIVOT WELL DONE. A FEW PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WOULD GO UP. IT STAYED THE SAME. WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE FIGHT AGAINST INFLATION. THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO. WE WANT TO GET IT DOWN. WE'VE GOT TO GET INFLATION OUT OF THE ECONOMY. IT IS THE THIEVING PUPILS BACK POCKETS AND THE BEST THING WE CAN DO TO GET MONEY BACK IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS THEY MOVE QUICKER? AT THE END OF THE DAY THE RESERVE BANK IS INDEPENDENT. WHEN THEY WERE IN OPPOSITION THEY WERE BLAMING GRANT WILSON FOR THE BANK'S DECISIONS BUT THE FACT IS INFLATION IS COMING DOWN ON TRACK WITH WHAT WAS PROJECTED BEFORE THE ELECTION. THE GOVERNMENT COULD DO MORE BECAUSE THEY TALK TO BIG-GAME. IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN THEY CAMPAIGNED SOLELY ON THE COST OF LIVING THEY HAVE A 100 DAY PLAN AND NOTHING THAT HAS MADE A TANGIBLE DIFFERENCE TO THE COST OF LIVING. WE HAVE ECONOMISTS SAYING NOW IS NOT THE TIME THE TAX CUTS. THEY WILL FORGE AHEAD WITH THOSE, ECONOMISTS SAY IT WILL FUEL INFLATION MORE. THE WALK HAS NOT MET THE TALK, AND THERE IS MORE TO COME ON THAT FRONT AS WELL. WE WILL BE REMEMBERING AND CELEBRATING COLLINS TODAY. WHAT WE REMEMBER ABOUT HIM KIERAN? NOT ONLY DID HE HAVE INVOLVEMENT WITH THE GREEN PARTY BUT ALSO LABOUR AS WELL I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THEY WILL BE HIT INCREDIBLY HARD. HE WAS A GENTLE GIANT, A MASSIVE MAN WITH A MASSIVE HEART AND HE WAS THEREFORE A VERY CLEAR REASON. HE GOT INTO POLITICS, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR IN PARLIAMENT TO LOOK AFTER THE MOST VULNERABLE AND HE INSPIRED. HIS LEGACY SHOULD BE MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO STAND UP FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. I AGREE WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S A SAD DAY. IT'S A ROUGH DAY FOR ALL OF US. BEFORE WE GO I WANT TO GIVE KIERAN MY WEDDING PRESENT TO HIM FOR HIS WEDDING OVER THE SUMMER. KIERAN GOT A GREYHOUND, SO I GOT SOME BEER. LOW-CARB, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? I'VE GOT A BOTTLE OF AUSTRALIAN RED WINE FOR HIM AS WELL. CHEERS, APPRECIATE THAT. ENJOY THOSE GIFTS. E WHAI AKE NEI ` SUPERCARS IS BACK ON THE TRACK FOR 2024. WE'LL LOOK AHEAD TO THE MAJOR RACE IN TAUPO. (UPBEAT MUSIC) SUPERCARS HAS JUST MADE IT'S RETURN FOR 2024 AND EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING SUPERCARS HAS JUST MADE ITS RETURN FOR 2024 AND EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING FOR A NEW STOP ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR. TAUPO WILL BE THE NEW HOME FOR KIWI MOTORSPORT FANS WITH THE EVENT SET TO ARRIVE IN APRIL, BUT BEFORE THEN, SOME OF OUR KIWI DRIVERS HAVE COME OVER FOR A QUICK CHAT AND JOIN ME NOW ON THE COUCH. MORENA, GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. HOW EXCITING IS IT TO BE GOING TO TAUPO? OBVIOUSLY, COMING BACK TO NEW ZEALAND IS PRETTY SPECIAL FOR ALL OF US. WE HAVE BEEN RACING AND THE SUPERCARS HAS BEEN IN AUSTRALIA FOR A LONG TIME, AND EACH TIME IT CAME TO NEW ZEALAND WAS PRETTY SPECIAL. I HAD NEVER RACED IN NEW ZEALAND FOR SUPERCARS. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. WE WILL BE MY FIRST TIME RACING IN FRONT OF MY HOME CROWD. WHAT DO YOU THINK TAUPO WILL BRING? WE ARE SO USED TO SEEING RACES OUT IN PUKEKOHE, BUT IT WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT. I THINK YOU'LL BE GREAT. WHEN PEOPLE COME TO NEW ZEALAND, THEY SEE THE SUPERCAR EVENT IS AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT. LOTS OF PEOPLE COME OVER FROM AUSTRALIA, EVEN OVERSEAS FOR IT. TO SHOWCASE A BIT MORE OF WHAT NEW ZEALAND IS REALLY ABOUT IS REALLY COLD. ANY OF US THAT HAVE BEEN TO TAUPO, WE KNOW IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE RACETRACK. THERE ARE ALL OF THE THINGS AROUND IT. YOU CAN GO TO ROTORUA. IT WILL ALL ADD TO THE EVENT. WE ARE NOT DISRESPECTING YOUR HOME TOWN OF PUKEKOHE. IT IS A GREAT SPOT FOR RACING. YOU GUYS ARE BASED IN AUSTRALIA, WHERE SUPERCARS IS MASSIVE. YOU ARE FLYING THE FLAG FOR NEW ZEALAND. DO YOU FEEL MORE RESPONSIBILITY NOW SOME OF THE BOYS HAD GONE OFF TO OTHER VENTURES? I THINK YOU CAN PROBABLY SAY THAT. I THINK IT ALSO GIVES US MORE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND TAKE OVER THAT ROLE AND BE A BIT MORE` NOT SAYING BE A BIT MORE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT TRY AND DO A BIT BETTER AND FLY THE FLAG A BIT HIGHER, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY. WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING. YOU JUST HOPE THE RESULTS BACK UP THE WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING. YOU ARE FAIRLY NEW TO THE SAME. HOW HAS IT BEEN? HAVE THE OLDER BOYS WHEN TAKING YOU UNDER THEIR WING? IT HAS BEEN GOOD. I HAD MY FIRST FULL SEASON LAST YEAR. IT WAS A BIT EVENTFUL AT THE START. THERE WAS SPEED AND TRYING TO MAKE BECAUSE A BIT FASTER AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE DID REALLY COME ON IN THE BACKUP OF THE YEAR. THE LAST FIVE OR SIX RACES, WE DID REALLY WELL. OUR CAR SPEED WAS REALLY WELL. I CAN FINALLY RACE ANDRE. DOING THE SECOND YEAR NOW, IT IS A BIT EASIER, STARTING WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT. JUST TRYING TO START OFF ON A FAST PACE AND KEEP THE CONSISTENCY UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND TRY AND BE THERE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE END. FOR YOU, ANDRE, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DO NOT LIKE BEING LUMPED IN WITH OTHER MOTORSPORT, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE LIAM LAWSON AND THE MEN OVER IN AMERICA AT THE MOMENT, WHAT DOES IT DO FOR MOTORSPORT IN NEW ZEALAND? IT IS QUITE INTERESTING. IT IS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED, WHY WE HAVE SO MANY SUCCESSFUL NEW ZEALAND MOTORSPORT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. WE THINK OF HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE IN THE WORLD, AND MOTORSPORT IS VERY LARGE IN A LOT OF PLACES, AND WE MANAGED TO FIND A WAY TO THE TOP OF MANY DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. FORMULA ONE IS MAYBE ONE OF THE ONLY ONES RECENTLY WE HAVE NOT HAD A REALLY STRONG REPRESENTATION. HOPEFULLY LIAM LAWSON CAN GET INTO THAT. EVERYONE ASKS US IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE WATER? HONESTLY, I DO NOT ACTUALLY KNOW. I THINK POTENTIALLY WE START VERY YOUNG OVER HERE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY RAISE A FULL CAR WHEN YOU ARE 12 ON A BIG TRACK, WHICH IS CRAZY. YOU CANNOT DO THAT OVERSEAS. THERE IS POTENTIALLY A BIT OF THAT, AND MAY BE A CULTURE THING AS WELL. WE ARE NOT COMPLAINING AT ALL. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS AROUND THE TRACK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN, AND GOOD LUCK FOR WHEN IT ROLLS AROUND IN APRIL. A LIST WE STILL HAVE IT AROUND HERE IN NEW ZEALAND. IT WAS ALSO IN PUKEKOHE, THE HOME OF THE EIGHT SUPERCARS HERE IN NEW ZEALAND. BUT IT IS GOING ACROSS TO TAUPO IN APRIL. HOW GOOD IS SHANE? HE PLACED A THIRD IN THE LAST RACE. SMASHING IT. SPEAKING OF SMASHING IT, HERE HE IS. YOU ARE TOO KIND, JENNY-MAY. IT HAS JUST GONE 8 O'CLOCK. THE BROADCASTING MINISTER IS UNDER FIRE, ACCUSED OF NOT DOING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT NEW ZEALAND'S MEDIA. IT COMES AS TV3'S NEWS DIVISION FACES A PERMANENT SHUT DOWN IN JUNE. NEWSHUB STAFF WERE TOLD OF A PROPOSAL TO END NEWS SERVICES YESTERDAY, DUE TO DECLINING ADVERTISING REVENUE. WILLIE JACKSON MET WITH WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY BOSSES LAST YEAR WHERE THEY DISCUSSED FINANCIAL STRUGGLES. HE SAYS WHILE BAILOUTS AREN'T THE ANSWER HE SAYS WHILE BAILOUTS AREN'T THE ANSWER, THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO MORE. WE HAVE GOT A MINISTER WHO DOES NOT CARE. I WATCHED YESTERDAY. I THINK IT IS DISGRACEFUL THE WAY THIS GOVERNMENT IS ACTING. ASK THEM WHAT THAT BROADCASTING PLANNERS OVER THE NEXT 100 DAYS. YOU WILL FIND THERE IS NO MEDIA PLAN. ASK THEM IF THE MEDIA AND BROADCASTING AS AN M MANIFESTO. YOU WILL FIND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE MANIFESTO. I AM SAYING TO YOU, THE MARKET ROLLS ` THE MARKET IS BROKE. OUR MEDIA ENTITIES NEED ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. BREAKFAST INVITED MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER MELISSA LEE TO JOIN THE PROGRAMME THIS MORNING, BUT SHE DECLINED. THE PRESENTERS OF NEWSHUB'S 'AM' SHOW ALSO SLAMMED HER RESPONSE TO THE CLOSURE. WHAT WASN'T IMPRESSIVE WAS MELLISA LEE'S COMMENT - I COULDN'T BELIEVE SHE SAID PEOPLE COULD GO AND WATCH NEWS ON SKY AND IT JUST KIND OF SPEAKS OF HER KNOWLEDGE, THAT SHE DOESN'T REALLY KNOW THE SECTOR. BECAUSE WHO DOES SKY OPEN'S NEWS? IT'S WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY, ITS THE SAME- IT'S OUR NEWS ROOM THAT DOES THE NEWS FOR SKY, SO, I WAS LIKE, COME ON. I JUST EXPECTED A BIT MORE FROM HER TO BE HONEST. AROUND 300 STAFF WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS WHEN THE NEWS DIVISION IS CUT AT THE END OF JUNE. EFESO COLLINS WILL BE REMEMBERED AT A PUBLIC MEMORIAL LATER TODAY. COLLINS DIED AFTER COLLAPSING AT A CHARITY EVENT LAST WEEK. HE WAS 49 YEARS OLD. HE WAS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HIS SOUTH AUCKLAND COMMUNITY. TAITO EDDIE TUIAVII SAYS HE WAS FEARLESS AND RELENTLESS IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE. HE WAS LOUD AND PROUD ABOUT CULTURE, LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY. HE WAS LOUD AND PROUD. TWO WEEKS AGO IN PONEKE WAS HIS MAIDEN SPEECH, AND IT WAS OTARA HARD, TOKELAUAN, SAMOAN, TE AO MAORI. HE WAS ALL OF THESE THINGS. IF YOU THINK ABOUT GROWING UP IN AOTEAROA IN THIS DAY AND AGE, FA'ANANA EFESO WAS ALL ABOUT RANGATAHI. THE MEMORIAL WILL TAKE PLACE AT 1pm AT THE 'DUE DROP EVENTS CENTRE' IN MANUKAU. ALL ARE WELCOME. DONALD TRUMP HAS ASKED A NEW YORK COURT TO HALT COLLECTION OF A MORE THAN $700 MILLION FINE. THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S OFFERED UP $160 MILLION DOLLARS AS A BOND BUT SAYS COLLECTING THE FULL AMOUNT IS UNFAIR WHILE THE MATTER IS BEING APPEALED. USUALLY, FINES WOULD BE COLLECTED IN FULL AND HELD IN TRUST WHILE UNDER APPEAL. THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS THREATENED TO SEIZE TRUMP'S FAMOUS NEW YORK TOWER IF HE DOESN'T PAY. SEVERE WEATHER HAS CAUSED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ACROSS SEVERAL U.S STATES. THOUSANDS ARE WITHOUT POWER, BUT NO INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE YET BEEN REPORTED. EYEWITNESSES REPORTED SEEING TORNADOES IN AREAS OF MICHIGAN, BUT METEOROLOGISTS HAVE NOT YET CONFIRMED THAT TWISTERS WERE FORMED. MORE STORMS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE AFFECTED AREAS. PARIS OLYMPICS OFFICIALS SAY NO SECURITY PLANS WERE STOLEN WHEN A STAFF MEMBER'S BAG WAS TAKEN ON THE CITY'S METRO SYSTEM. THE MAN'S LAPTOP AND USB DRIVES WERE IN THE BAG, AND THERE WERE INITIAL FEARS SECURITY PLANS HAD BEEN COMPROMISED. OFFICIALS NOW SAY HE WAS ONLY IN POSSESSION OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLANS. TO SPORT, AND THE BLACKCAPS ARE GOING THROUGH THEIR FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR THE FIRST TEST AGAINST AUSTRALIA AT THE BASIN RESERVE. WILL YOUNG HAS BEEN GIVEN THE NOD TO REPLACE OPENING BATTER DEVON CONWAY, WHO IS OUT WITH A THUMB INJURY. THE BASIN RESERVE USUALLY PRODUCING A GREEN WICKET FOR THE FIRST DAY. I AM SURE THE GROUNDSMAN KNEW THIS WEATHER WAS AROUND, SO THEY WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO MAKE SURE IT WAS READY BEFORE PUTTING THE DOONA ON. BUT, YEAH, IT'S USUALLY A PRETTY GOOD WICKET. WE HAVE SEEN OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, OBVIOUSLY, HAS A GREEN TINGE TO IT BUT USUALLY PLAYS PRETTY WELL. YOU CAN WATCH THE TEST SERIES LIVE AND FREE ACROSS OUR DUKE CHANNEL AND TVNZ+. THE BLUES WILL TAKE ON SOME FAMILIAR FACES WHEN THEY TAKE ON THE HIGHLANDERS IN SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC'S SUPER ROUND THIS WEEKEND. BOTH TEAMS OPENED THE COMPETITION WITH WINS. THE BLUES EXPECTING TO COME UP AGAINST FORMER PLAYERS WHO HAVE HEADED TO THE SOUTH FOR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. THAT'S REALLY KEY TO RECRUITING ` IS FINDING PLAYERS THAT HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY GIVEN TO THEM, AND THEY ARE ` THEY'RE VERY MOTIVATED. AND WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH THE BOYS THEY HAVE THERE. THEY HAVE STRENGTH IN THEIR WINGS. THEY'VE GOT SOME POWER PACE. THEY'VE GOT A GOOD KICKING GAME. WE'RE AWARE THAT THEY'RE VERY GOOD AND PUTTING THE BALL DOWN THE OTHER END OF THE PADDOCK, TRYING TO GET YOU TO OVERPLAY. THE BLUES AND HIGHLANDERS WILL KICK OFF THE SUPER ROUND IN MELBOURNE TOMORROW NIGHT. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ` IT'S A MAINLY FINE DAY HERE. SUNSHINE WITH SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT. RUSSELL, YOU'LL SEE A SHOWER PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 24. IT IS STUNNING AS WE MOVE SOUTH. SUNSHINE IS OUT ALL DAY HERE. ENJOY THE BLUE SKIES. 23 THE HIGH FOR TOKOROA. TO THE EAST COAST ` A LITTLE MORE OF A GREY DAY HERE. CLOUD WITH SHOWERS, BECOMING LESS FREQUENT IN YOUR AFTERNOON. MASTERTON, YOU'LL MISS THE SHOWERS, WITH A HIGH OF 21. THE SUNSHINE IS OUT OVER ON THE WEST. A FINE DAY FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, WITH SOME PATCHES OF MORNING CLOUD ABOUT. 26 THE HIGH FOR TAUMARUNUI TODAY. A BIT COLDER IN WELLINGTON. YOUR HIGH TODAY IS 18. TO TE WAIPOUNAMU, THE SOUTH ISLAND ` IT'S A FINE DAY THROUGH HERE. HIGH CLOUD TO START SOME OF YOUR MORNINGS, CLEARING TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. HEADING SOUTH ` SIMILAR HERE. YOU'LL WAKE UP TO MORNING CLOUD, CLEARING TO A FINE DAY FOR MOST OF YOU. CHRISTCHURCH AND ASHBURTON, YOU'LL SEE SOME DRIZZLE PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 22 AND 21. TO THE DEEP SOUTH ` A FINE DAY HERE. HIGH CLOUD CLEARING TO SUNSHINE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON. 24 THE HIGH FOR GORE. THANKS, CHRIS. THE PLIGHT OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH RARE DISORDERS IN NEW ZEALAND HAS BEEN LAID BARE IN A CONFRONTING NEW SURVEY OF THOSE AFFECTED. ONE IN THREE RESPONDENTS SAY THEY FEEL UNHAPPY OR DEPRESSED. HALF OF THOSE SURVEYED SAY THEY HAVE TO SELF-FUND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR DISORDER. OUR NEXT GUEST JAMES LIVES WITH A RARE DISORDER AND JOINS ME THIS MORNING ON INTERNATIONAL RARE AND JOINS ME THIS MORNING ON INTERNATIONAL RARE DISEASE DAY. MORENA. YOU ARE ALSO OF COURSE THE BOARD CHAIR FOR RARE DISORDERS NEW ZEALAND. THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY MAKE FOR SOME PRETTY SAD READING. IT HAS GOT TO BE EVEN TOUGHER FOR THOSE LIVING WITH A RARE DISORDER. THAT IS RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON. OBVIOUSLY, YESTERDAY WAS INTERNATIONAL RARE DISEASE DAY. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE TALK ABOUT THIS PAPER TODAY, BECAUSE IT IS REALLY TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE VOICE OF THOSE LIVING WITH A RARE DISORDER, AND BY THAT, WE ALSO INCLUDE THE FAMILIES AND CARERS OF THOSE WITH A RARE DISORDER. IT CAN BE EXTREMELY ISOLATING. IT CAN BE EXTERNALLY TOUGH TO NAVIGATE THE HEALTH SYSTEM. BUT EVEN IN THE BROADER CONTEXT, SUPPORT FOR CARERS, THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE AFFECTED AND THEIR FAMILIES, THESE ARE ALL ISSUES THAT PEOPLE WITH A REAR DISORDER ARE FACING. THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME THEY SAY WE HAVE A FREE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. HOW COME YOU ARE HAVING TO SELL FIND YOUR CARE? I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RARE DISORDERS. THEY ARE SEEN AS MAY BE A FRENCH CONCERN ONLY AFFECTING A FEW PEOPLE. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT AS MANY AS 300,000 PEOPLE IN NEW ZEALAND HAVE A RARE DISORDER. IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE A REAL DISORDER, BUT EACH ONE IS RARE. THAT OFTEN LEAVE THEM HAVING TO EXPLAIN THEIR CONDITIONS TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MEANT TO BE TREATING THEM OR FINDING THAT THEY ARE REALLY FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO CONNECT BETWEEN SPECIALISTS. WE REALLY NEED TO DO BETTER TO HELP PEOPLE IN THAT SITUATION REALLY GET THE CARE THAT THEY NEED. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT, AND AS MUCH AS THE WHITE PAPER OUTLINES SOME OF THE PROBLEM, IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS OPPORTUNITIES. YOU LIVE WITH A REAR DISORDER. WHAT IS THAT LIKE DAY-TO-DAY? FOR ME, I HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS, BUT IT IS PERHAPS LESS CHALLENGING FOR ME. AS YOU MIGHT NOTICE, I AM NOT SCARED ABOUT TALKING ABOUT MY DISORDER AND BEING VERY UPFRONT WITH DOCTORS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND THAT CHALLENGING. A LOT OF PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE OR THEY MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES IN THAT CONTEXT. WHILE I FEAR THAT I DO A FAIRLY GOOD JOB OF NAVIGATING MY HEALTH CONCERNS, I KNOW THAT FOR A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE, THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE. AND IT CAN BE EXTREMELY TOUGH, PARTICULARLY IF THEY HAVE MORE SEVERE DISABILITIES OR HEALTH ISSUES CAUSED BY THAT DISORDER. THEY ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A SPOKESPERSON AND A GROUP LIKE YOURSELF WHO CAN ADVOCATE FOR THEM, THAT WE ARE MISSING A NATIONAL STRATEGY. WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW OECD COUNTRIES WHO DO NOT HAVE A PLANNED WAY OF DEALING WITH AND HELPING PEOPLE WITH RARE DISORDERS. ALMOST 2 YEARS AGO, THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING A REAR DISORDER STRATEGY, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING OVER THE LAST YEAR WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP THAT STRATEGY. WE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF INPUT INTO THAT. IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT WE DISORDER COMMUNITY IS SOMEWHAT ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEY STRATEGY LOOKS LIKE, SO WE ARE PUSHING HARD TO REALLY GET THAT STRATEGY TO THE NEXT STAGE. IT HAS NOT BEEN PERMITTED YET. WE ARE ALSO VERY KEEN TO HAVE RARE DISORDERS NEW ZEALAND BE A KEY PARTNER IN DELIVERING THE STRATEGY, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE VOICE OF RARE DISORDERS IS NOT LOST ON THIS, THAT IT DOES NOT JUST BECOME SOMETHING THAT IS A PAPER POLICY WITH SOMETHING WHERE WE SEE WELL THE SALTS ON THE GROUND FOR PEOPLE WITH RARE DISORDERS. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW THERE IS A NEW GOVERNMENT AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A COUPLE OF HE IS UNDER A PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS GIVEN THERE IS A FOCUS ON MINISTRIES AND WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR RESOURCES TOWARDS THE MOMENT? THOSE ARE ALWAYS CONCERNS, BUT FOR MANY YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN BUILDING A LOT OF SUPPORT ACROSS ALL OF THE POLITICAL PARTIES. LAST NIGHT WE LAUNCHED THE WHITE PAPER. WE HAVE TWO WHITE PAPERS, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT. ONE IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT THE IMPACT ON WHANAU MAORI. AND WE LAUNCH THAT AT PARLIAMENT LAST NIGHT. WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS THE BELITTLE SPECTRUM, AND IT WAS REALLY HEARTENING TO SEE. WE ARE PREPARED TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON THIS. BUT THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A BIT OF ANXIETY, BUT THERE IS WIDE SUPPORT FOR THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, AND WE WILL BE IN THERE, CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FROM THE REAR DISORDER COMMUNITY'S POINT OF VIEW. JOINING US ON ONE OF THE VERY RARE DAYS THAT WE HAVE A LEAD DAY, BUT THE START OF WE'RE DISORDERS MONTH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. ME U TONU MAI ` THE M9 IS FESTIVAL RETURNS NEXT WEEK. NINE POWERFUL VOICES WILL TAKE TO THE STAGE TO DISCUSS THE TREATY OF WAITANGI. WE HAVE ONE OF THEM JOINING US AFTER THE BREAK. # THE DARK DAYS ARE OVER. # THE DARK DAYS ARE DONE. WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. IF EVER YOU WERE GOING TO ORGANISE AN EVENING OF DISCUSSION OF TE TIRITI O WAITANGI FROM A RANGE OF ANGLES AND EXPERIENCES, YOU PROBABLY COULDN'T PICK A BETTER TIME THAN NOW. NEXT WEEK, NINE KAIKORERO WILL SPEAK TO WHY TE TIRITI IS FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN AOTEAROA AT THE M9 FESTIVAL. ONE OF THE NINE POWERFUL MAORI VOICES WILL BE THAT OF HONE HARAWIRA, WHO JOINS ME NOW. MORENA. KA PAI. MORENA. WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN THEY ASK YOU TO BE PART OF THIS? I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS. I AM JUST A NORTHERN BOY. YOU KNOW NOW. JUST FOR THE AUDIENCE, THEY MAY NOT KNOW EITHER. IT IS SOME SPECTACULARLY FAMOUS AND POWERFUL MAORI VOICES HAVE SPOKEN ON A WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES. IT IS USUALLY WELL ATTENDED. IT IS JAMPACKED AT THE CIVIC THEATRE EVERY TIME IT IS HELD. THE SPEAKERS THAT I AM GOING TO BE PRIVILEGED TO BE ALONGSIDE THIS TIME ARE KIND OF EYE WATERINGLY COOL. THEY WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE DEGREE. SOME HAVE TWO OR THREE. I JUST GET THE THIRD-DEGREE FROM SOME PEOPLE IF I DO NOT DO THE DISHES. IT IS A WAY OF GETTING ACROSS MESSAGES THAT MAY NOT BE HEARD BY URBAN MAORI, AND BY GRABBING THESE CLIPS AND USING THEM AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER WAYS, WE GET TO SEE THAT MESSAGE TO A WIDER AUDIENCE. IT IS INTERESTING YOU SAY THAT, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK, HAVING BEEN TO A COUPLE MYSELF THAT YOU ARE PREACHING TO THE CONVERTED WHEN YOU ARE THERE. THERE ARE THOSE MAORI, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE TREATY WHO ARE NON-MAORI ARE IN THE AUDIENCE. SO HOW DO YOU PULL YOUR TALK TOGETHER SO THAT IT IS IMPACTFUL FOR THOSE THAT ARE THERE? FOR ME NOW, IT IS ALWAYS TO LEAVE THEM WITH SOME KEY MESSAGES SO THAT EVERYBODY GOES HOME THINKING, I CAN DO THAT. YOUR REO HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF SINCE YOU STARTED AT TV, JENNY-MAY, AND YOU ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR IT. I HAVE DOWNGRADED MYSELF FROM 65. I DO NOT THINK MY REO IS ANYWHERE NEAR WHERE IT SHOULD BE. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I WILL BE PUTTING TWO PEOPLE IS MEASURE YOURSELF, WHERE ARE YOU ON THE SCALE? WHEN THE GOVERNMENT TALKS ABOUT DOWNGRADING THE REO, YOUR ANSWER IS TO UPGRADE YOUR OWN, TAKE YOURSELF FROM A4 TO A5 OR A 9 TO 18. LIFT IT SO YOU ARE MAKING A STATEMENT TO THE WHOLE WORLD THAT YOU DO NOT CARE WHERE GOVERNMENT GOES WITH THIS. OUR JOB IS TO CHANGE THE WORLD BY LIFTING OURSELVES. YOU WERE AT WAITANGI. YOU SPOKE THERE AS WELL. WE SAW THEM COME ON TO THE UPPER MARAE, AND WE SAW TAME ITI AND THE WAY THAT HIS ADVOCACY, ACTIVISM HAS CHANGED TO BE LESS IN YOUR FACE, BUT IT WAS STILL IN YOUR FACE, BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. HE EMBRACED EVERYBODY TO BE A PART OF IT. YOUR ACTIVISM IN THE PAST AS WELL WAS FULL ON AND IN YOUR FACE. IS THAT CHANGING NOW? DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE PUT THE WORD OUT THERE, SO TO SPEAK? I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN TO DEFEND THE TREATY, TO DEFEND THE TRIBUNAL, TO DEFEND THE REO, TO DEFEND THE LIVES OF OUR PEOPLE IN TERMS OF OUR HEALTH, THE WIPING OUT OF THE MAORI HEALTH AUTHORITY, TO DEFEND OUR RIGHT TO BE A SMOKE FREE AOTEAROA, TO STOP THE INTRODUCTION OF MILITARY FIREARMS, AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT AT THIS TIME, BUT WE CANNOT CHOOSE JUST ONE WAY. IT CANNOT JUST BE IN PARLIAMENT. IT CANNOT BE JUST AND ARTISTIC WAYS. WE CANNOT JUST BE IN YOUR FACE PROTESTS. THERE ARE THINGS TO DO WITH SCHOOL. THERE IS A WHOLE COHORT OF PAKEHA PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY THE YOUNGER ONES WHO LOVE THE REO, WHO LOVE WHAT THEY GET FROM UNDERSTANDING THE TREATY AND BEING PART OF IT. IT IS ENGAGING WITH THEM AND POSITIVE WAY SO THAT THE FUTURE BECOMES BETTER. AFTER 50 YEARS OF DOING THIS, THE GOVERNMENT COME AND GO BANG, BANG, BANG, LIKE IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT IS CHALLENGING. IT MAKES YOU WANT TO BE YOUNGER AGAIN, JENNY-MAY, AND TAKE TO THE STREETS AGAIN. YOU ARE TAKING TO THE STAGE. THAT IS ONE WAY. THAT IS ANOTHER WAY OF ACTIVISM AND ACTIVATION, ACTUALLY. I AM SORRY I WILL NOT BE THERE ON MUCH THE NIGHT, BUT I AM GOING TO A ROADSHOW WITH THE HOPE THAT MY BOYS WILL EVENTUALLY GO THERE. I KNOW IT WILL BE AN AMAZING NIGHT. I UNDERSTAND JENNY-MAY HAS DONE THE DIRTY AND ALREADY SNEAKS OFF TO SEE YVETTE AND GET A SPECIAL DEAL FOR HER OWN CHILDREN. THAT IS THE PRINCIPAL. AND SHE WANTS TO KEEP THEM AT HOME. THAT IS TERRIBLE. I DO NOT THINK MY BOY WILL BE GOOD ENOUGH TO GET IN THERE. I HAVE FILLED OUT ALL OF THE FORMS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT I WANT MY BOYS TO COME HOME TO ME AT NIGHT, AND I AM NOT SURE ABOUT BOARDING SCHOOL. IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE HAVING YOU ON THE CUTS. WE USUALLY TALK TO YOU DOWN THE BARREL. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 8.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. PLUS, THE NRL IS BACK IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND. WE SENT OUT REPORTER ZION DAYAL TO GET SOME LAST-MINUTE INSIGHT FROM THE WARRIORS. UP THE WAHS. # FIELD THE RAIN ON YOUR SKIN. IT'S A CLEAN SWEEP. 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING'. BARRIE M. OSBOURNE, PETER JACKSON, FRAN WALSH. (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) OH, WE WERE SO PROUD. DO YOU REMEMBER WHERE YOU WERE? 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING' TAKING OUT A CLEAN SWEEP OF ALL 11 OSCARS IT WAS NOMINATED FOR THIS DAY 20 YEARS AGO BACK IN 2004. WHAT? 20? I WAS A BIG LORD OF THE RINGS FAN, ACTUALLY. GOT A GOOD GOLUM IMPRESSION. I WILL DO IT AFTER THE NEWS. NOT PROFESSIONAL TO DO THAT. CHATTING, OR ARE WE? DO YOU WANT THE IMPRESSION? CAN I JUST SAY, WITH THAT, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO ONE OF THE HOBBIT HOMES IN MATAMATA, AND YOU GOT TO SEE HOW HOBBITS LIVED. THEY ARE NOT REAL, THOUGH. I HAD TO CROUCH OVER AS YOU WALKED IN, BECAUSE IT HAS THAT WHOLE SORT OF ATMOSPHERE. REALLY, IT WAS A PLACE YOU COULD LIVE IN. IT WAS BIGGER THAN MY HOUSE` KITCHEN. JUST REITERATING ` FICTIONAL CHARACTERS. THERE ARE SO MANY HOBBIT FANS THAT COME FROM OVERSEAS JUST TO SEE IT. BUT MASTER IS MY FRIEND. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS. NOBODY LIKES YOU. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GO FROM THAT TO THE NEWS? MAYBE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT HOW DANIEL THINKS HOBBITS ARE REAL. LET'S GET TO THE REAL NEWS, SHALL WE? A HUGE DROP IN ADVERTISING REVENUE IS BEING BLAMED AS THE DEATH KNELL FOR TV3'S NEWS DIVISION. NEWSHUB STAFF WERE TOLD OF A PROPOSAL TO END NEWS SERVICES YESTERDAY. THE ASIA PACIFIC ARM OF PARENT COMPANY WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY SAID IT WAS A LOSING OPERATION. FORMER TV3 JOURNALIST JANET WILSON SAYS THE GLOBAL MEDIA INDUSTRY IS FACING FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. THE RISE OF DIGITAL HAS MEANT THAT THERE IS SOME NEWSPAPERS, FOR INSTANCE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE GUARDIAN, THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY DRIVING FORWARD. THERE IS PLENTY OF NEWS OUT THERE VIA THE WEB, AND WE ARE ALL FIGHTING FOR IT AND NOT GETTING PAID FOR IT. AND THAT IS THE ESSENTIAL PROBLEM. AND IF YOU KEEP DOING WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS DONE, YOU WILL LOSE. AROUND 300 STAFF WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS WHEN THE NEWS DIVISION IS CUT AT THE END OF JUNE. RARE DISORDERS NEW ZEALAND IS CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT MEANINGFUL ACTION TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH RARE DISORDERS. CONFRONTING NEW DATA HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL STRATEGY WITH ONE IN THREE PEOPLE OFTEN LEFT FEELING DEPRESSED AND UNABLE TO OVERCOME THEIR PROBLEMS. 59% OF RESPONDENTS REPORTED THEIR DISORDER HAVING AN IMPACT ON HEALTH AND EVERYDAY LIFE. JAMES MCGORAM SAYS WE NEED TO DO BETTER. WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RARE DISORDERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEN AS MAYBE A FRINGE CONCERN ONLY AFFECTING A FEW PEOPLE. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT AS MANY AS 300,000 PEOPLE IN NEW ZEALAND HAVE A RARE DISORDER. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY UNCOMMON TO HAVE A RARE DISORDER. UNLIKE MANY OTHER OECD COUNTRIES, AOTEAROA DOESN'T YET HAVE A RARE DISORDERS STRATEGY IN PLACE. PRINCE HARRY HAS LOST A LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER THE DECISION TO DENY HIM POLICE PROTECTION WHEN HE IS IN THE UK. WHEN HARRY AND HIS WIFE MEGHAN STEPPED DOWN AS WORKING ROYALS IN JANUARY 2020, THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT THEY NO LONGER QUALIFIED FOR PUBLICLY FUNDED POLICE PROTECTION ON A FULLTIME BASIS. HARRY CHALLENGED THAT, SAYING THE DECISION AS PUTTING HIS AND AND HIS FAMILY'S LIVES IN DANGER. TODAY A JUDGE RULED THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE LAWFULLY. HARRY AND HIS LEGAL TEAM INTEND TO APPEAL. THE POPE IS BACK IN THE VATICAN AFTER A BRIEF VISIT TO HOSPITAL. THE PONTIFF HAD EARLIER CANCELLED A PUBLIC READING, SAYING HE WAS STILL UNWELL WITH FLU, WHICH HAD FORCED HIM TO CANCEL DAYS OF MEETINGS EARLIER THIS WEEK. HE THEN BRIEFLY VISITED HOSPITAL BUT RETURNED HOME ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. MEXICO'S MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVE VOLCANO IS RUMBLING TO LIFE. HUNDREDS OF TREMORS HAVE BEEN DETECTED NEAR THE VOLCANO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND IT'S NOW STARTED SPEWING SMOKE AND ASH INTO THE SKY. AUTHORITIES ARE WARNING PEOPLE NOT TO APPROACH IT, AND THERE'S EVEN FEARS NOXIOUS GASES COULD WAFT INTO THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL, MEXICO CITY. TO SPORT, AND THE BREAKERS ROLLER COASTER SEASON ISN'T OVER JUST YET. THE SIDE'S BEATEN THE DEFENDING CHAMPION SYDNEY KINGS IN AN IMPRESSIVE COMEBACK VICTORY 83-76. THE BREAKERS TRAILED BY NINE POINTS AT HALFTIME. THEY CARE ABOUT ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. THEY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER. AND THEY'RE BATTLE TESTED, BECAUSE THIS SEASON HAS BEEN TOUGH, AND WE'VE SEEN EVERYTHING AND BEEN THROUGH EVERYTHING. ONCE I WALKED INTO THE LOCKER ROOM AT HALFTIME AND KNEW WE WERE WINNING THE GAME, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANYTHING BUT DETERMINATION AND BEING FOCUSED ON THE TASK. THE BREAKERS WILL NOW FACE THE ILLAWARRA HAWKS FOR A SPOT IN THE SEMI-FINALS. THE SUPERCARS HAS MADE ITS RETURN IN 2024, WITH KIWI FANS EXCITED FOR ITS RETURN TO THE COUNTRY.WILL FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL HEAD TO THE KING COUNTRY FOR THE TAUPO SUPER 400. SUPERCARS HAS FIVE KIWI DRIVERS THIS SEASON, ADDING TO THE HIGH CALIBRE OF TALENT PRODUCED IN NEW ZEALAND. EVERYONE ASKS US ` IS THERE SOMETHING IN THE WATER; WHAT IS IT? HONESTLY, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW. I THINK, POTENTIALLY, WE START VERY YOUNG OVER HERE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY RACE A FULL CAR WHEN YOU'RE 12 ON, LIKE, A BIG TRACK, WHICH IS CRAZY. I KNOW YOU CAN'T DO THAT OVERSEAS. SO, POTENTIALLY, THERE IS A BIT OF THAT, AND IT'S A BIT OF A CULTURE THING TOO, MAYBE, BUT, YEAH, WE'RE NOT COMPLAINING AT ALL. TAUPO WILL HOST THE THIRD ROUND OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP IN APRIL. AND RED BULL'S FORMULA ONE TEAM PRINCIPAL CHRISTIAN HORNER HAS BEEN CLEARED OF ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE AND CONTROLLING BEHAVIOUR. IN A STATEMENT, RED BULL SAYS IT BELIEVES THE INTERNAL REVIEW WAS FAIR, RIGOROUS AND IMPARTIAL, CLEARING THE 50-YEAR-OLD OF ANY WRONGDOING. HORNER HAS DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY ` IT'S A MAINLY FINE DAY HERE. SUNSHINE WITH SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT. RUSSELL, YOU'LL SEE A SHOWER PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 24. 26 FOR AUCKLAND. FURTHER SOUTH ` A STUNNING DAY. SUNSHINE IS OUT ALL DAY HERE. ENJOY THE BLUE SKIES. 23 THE HIGH FOR TOKOROA. AND 26 IS THE HIGH FOR TAURANGA. TO THE EAST COAST ` A LITTLE MORE OF A GREY DAY HERE. CLOUD WITH SHOWERS, BECOMING LESS FREQUENT IN YOUR AFTERNOON. MASTERTON, YOU'LL MISS THE SHOWERS, WITH A HIGH OF 21. THE SUNSHINE IS OUT OVER ON THE WEST. A FINE DAY FOR ALL OF YOU HERE, WITH SOME PATCHES OF MORNING CLOUD ABOUT. 26 THE HIGH FOR TAUMARUNUI TODAY. WELLINGTON, QUITE A BIT COLDER THERE. 18 DEGREES IS YOUR HIGH. TO TE WAIPOUNAMU, THE SOUTH ISLAND ` IT'S A FINE DAY THROUGH HERE. HIGH CLOUD TO START SOME OF YOUR MORNINGS, CLEARING TO A BEAUTIFUL DAY. KAIKOURA, YOU'LL REACH A HIGH OF 19. 21 ON THE WEST COAST. HEADING SOUTH ` SIMILAR HERE. YOU'LL WAKE UP TO MORNING CLOUD, CLEARING TO A FINE DAY FOR MOST OF YOU. CHRISTCHURCH AND ASHBURTON, YOU'LL SEE SOME DRIZZLE PASS THROUGH, REACHING A HIGH OF 22 AND 21. 28 AND CLEAR IN ALEXANDRA. TO THE DEEP SOUTH ` A FINE DAY HERE. HIGH CLOUD CLEARING TO SUNSHINE FOR YOUR AFTERNOON. 24 THE HIGH FOR GORE. THIS WEEKEND THE NEW NRL SEASON KICKS OFF IN LAS VEGAS, AND THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND THE WARRIORS START THEIR SEASON OFF THE BACK OF A TOP FOUR FINISH LAST YEAR, THE BELIEF IS BIGGER THAN EVER THAT MAYBE JUST MAYBE THE WARRIORS CAN GO ONE BETTER. ZION DAYAL CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF THE PLAYERS BEFORE SEASONS START HERE WE GO AGAIN. ALL CHANT: # WE ARE THE POWER. WE ARE THE SPEED. # WE ARE THE SPIRIT. THAT'S ALL WE NEED. # GET OUT AND SHOUT, AND SAY IT 'TIL THE END. # WE ARE THE WARRIORS 100%. THE WARRIORS TEAM SONG THAT RANG AROUND MT SMART ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS LAST SEASON, READY TO BLAST OUT AGAIN WITH RENEWED HOPE, REFRESHED OPTIMISM. BOTH FANS AND PLAYERS ARE READY FOR 2024. I ALWAYS HAVE THE DREAM OF US WINNING IT AND THEN US ON A DOUBLE DECKER BUS PARTYING DOWN QUEEN STREET. (LAUGHTER) AND THEN I ALSO WANT FREE BEERS EVERY BAR I GO TOO, SO... (LAUGHS) SO THAT'S THE DREAM, BRO. AND WHO BETTER TO MAKE THAT DREAM A REALITY? WITH THE INCLUSION OF FORMER CLUB CAPTAIN AND DALLY M MEDALLIST ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK. HIS RETURN HELPED IN PART BY ONE OF THE WARRIORS LONGEST-SERVING MEMBERS IN THE SQUAD, JAZZ TEVAGA. I JUST SOLD HIM THE DREAM, BRO. (LAUGHS) HE ASKED ME. HE'S LIKE, IS IT WORTH ME COMING HOME? AND I SAID, BRO, EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANTED, WE'VE GOT NOW. JAZZ HAS BEEN HERE THE LONGEST. HE'S SEEN THE AMOUNT OF COACHES I'VE SEEN WHILE I WAS HERE. IF JAZZ WAS GONNA SAY IT'S GONNA BE THE SAME-SAME, THEN MAYBE I WOULD HAVE LEFT. TUIVASA-SHECK LEAVING IN 2021. BUT IT'S COACH ANDREW WEBSTER AND HIS STAFF HELPING REVIVE NOT JUST THE WARRIORS BUT TUIVASA-SHECK'S CAREER. ANDREW WEBSTER, YOU KNOW, EVEN SLADE GRIFFIN, STACY JONES, RICHARD AGAR. IT'S WHAT THEY'VE CREATED THAT I CAN'T PUT ONE FINGER ON IT, BUT THEY'VE CREATED SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE THE BOYS WANNA LEARN, WANNA BE BETTER RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS. HAVING DONE PLENTY OF LEARNING, NOW IN HIS 14TH YEAR, STAR PLAYMAKER AND MT SMART'S FAVOURITE SON SHAUN JOHNSON. 2024, NEW SEASON. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT IT ALL? BRO, LOOK AT ME. NAH, NAH, NAH, I FEEL GOOD, BRO. I FEEL REALLY GOOD. OFF THE BACK OF AN IMPRESSIVE 2023 SEASON, JOHNSON SIGNING FOR ONE MORE YEAR WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF WINNING THE WARRIORS A PREMIERSHIP. NAH, IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE STARTING IN A MUCH BETTER SPOT THAN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PAST FEW YEARS. AS A GROUP, WE'VE GOT STABILITY. AS AN ORGANISATION, WE'VE GOT CLARITY. AND WHAT WE` WE KNOW WHAT OUR GAME LOOKS LIKE. ONE WEEKEND AWAY NOW UNTIL A NEW ERA OF THE WARRIORS STARTS. THIS IS OUR YEAR. UP THE WAHS. YOU ARE SO TOTALLY INTO THAT, ANNA BURNS-FRANCIS, 1 NEWS.? I WAS JUST LOOKING UP THE CHANT. NOT TO BE A DAMPENER, BUT IT GETS TIRING. IT IS JUST A NEW CHANT. LAST YEAR, I BECAME A BELIEVER, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THEY COULD DO IT. YOU BECAME A BANDWAGON FAN. E WHAI AKE NEI ` OUT OF ACTION FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS, WELLINGTON'S FRANK KITTS PARK IS REOPENING TODAY. WE'VE SENT OUT COURTNEY HAMMOND TO TEST OUT THE SLIDE. MORENA, COURT. MORENA, GUYS. IT IS LOOKING REALLY GOOD. THIS IS ONE OF WELLINGTON'S MOST FAMOUS PLAYGROUND. IT REOPENED THIS MORNING, AND I WILL GIVE YOU MY HONEST REVIEW AFTER THE # DON'T SHOW UP. # DON'T COME OUT. # DON'T START CARING ABOUT ME NOW. IT IS 8:43. IF YOU'RE A WELLINGTONIAN, OUR NEXT STORY IS ABOUT ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST POPULAR SPOTS. FRANK KITTS PLAYGROUND, IN THE HEART OF THE CAPITAL, ENTERTAINED LOCALS AND VISITORS. CHILDREN LOVED CLIMBING UP INSIDE THE ICONIC LIGHTHOUSE AND WHIZZING DOWN. NOW AFTER THREE YEARS, IT'S HAD A REVAMP FOR THE BIG REVEAL. BREAKFAST REPORTER COURTNEY HAMMOND IS THERE. THIS IS EXCITING. COURTNEY, GOOD MORNING. MORENA, DANIEL. IT IS VERY EXCITING INDEED. THIS PARK HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR ALMOST 3 YEARS NOW, BUT THIS MORNING THERE WAS A DAWN BLESSING, AND IT IS FINALLY BACK OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I AM JOINED NOW BY JAMES ROBERTS FROM WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL. DO YOU WANT TO TELL ME HOW GREAT IS THAT TO HAVE THE SPARK BACK UP AND RUNNING? IT IS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. AS A PARENT OF FIVE KIDS WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN THIS TOWN, I HAVE SPENT MANY SUNDAY AFTERNOONS DOWN HERE HAPPILY PLAYING WITH THE KIDS. IT IS AN ICONIC LOCATION, AND THE KIDS LOVE IT. THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING FOR THEM, BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN IT WAS. IT HAS BEEN UNDER REPAIRS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. WHAT WAS ACTUALLY NEEDED WITH THE SPARK TO MAKE IT READY TO OPEN AGAIN? THERE WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS THAT THE PARK WAS GETTING OLD, AND IT NEEDED A REFURBISHMENT. SECONDLY, THERE HAD BEEN A FEW ACCIDENTS AS WELL, PARTICULARLY ON THE HIGH SLIDE. AND SINCE WE FIRST PUT IT TOGETHER, THE PLAYGROUND STANDARDS HAVE COME INTO PLACE, AND WE REALLY NEEDED TO REDO IT IN ORDER TO BRING IT UP TO STANDARD. WHY HAS IT TAKEN SUCH A LONG TIME FOR IT TO GET BACK UP AND RUNNING AGAIN? I KNOW SOME OF THESE ISSUES WERE FLAGGED IN 2016. TIMING IS EVERYTHING, UNFORTUNATELY, AND WE JUST HAPPEN TO HIT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID, OR THE BEGINNING OF COVID. SO WE WENT INTO THIS PROJECT JUST AS COVID STARTED, AND WE WERE VERY AMBITIOUS AS TO WHAT WE WANT TO DOWN HERE. THEN COVID HAPPENED. IT GOT A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE TO CONSTRUCT. THERE WERE DELAYS WITH CONTRACTORS AND MATERIALS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FIRST CONTRACT ON-SITE WENT INTO RECEIVERSHIP. IT WASTE A LOT OF TIME AND COST US EXTRA MONEY THAT WE HAD INVITED FOR. SO WE HAD TO SCALE BACK OUR AMBITION A LITTLE BIT. I THINK YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT WHAT HAS BEEN DELIVERED HERE IS PRETTY GOOD, PRETTY AMAZING, AND WE HAVE COME IN UNDER THE REVISED BUDGET. IT IS AMAZING. IT LOOKS INCREDIBLE. TELL ME ABOUT THE DESIGN, BECAUSE IT DOES LOOK SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE. WE STILL GOT THE LIGHTHOUSE AND THE YELLOW SLIDE. TELL US ABOUT THE DESIGN AND HOW THEY CAME ABOUT. IT WAS AN AMBITIOUS DESIGN TO START WITH, AND THERE ARE A FEW NEW THINGS IN IT. BUT WHEN IT WAS PARED BACK, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET THE KEY COMPONENTS RIGHT TO HOW PLAYED DEVELOPS AND INVOLVES IN DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE WORLD TO SOMEHOW PLAYGROUND HAVE DEVELOPED, WE PUT THAT IN HERE. THIS IS COMPLETELY BRAND-NEW. ALL NEW MATERIALS ON IT. IF YOU ACTUALLY CLIMB TO THE TOP ` WHICH YOU MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO DO ` THERE IS A CAGE OUT THERE TO STOP KIDS PUTTING THEIR FINGERS AND ARMS AND THAT THROUGH. THERE ARE RESTRAINTS GOING UP AS WELL. AND THEN THE DESIGN OF THE SLIDE COMING DOWN IS DIFFERENT, BECAUSE THERE IS NO HARD CORNER ON IT THAT IT HAD BEFORE. WE ALSO HAVE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MANA WHENUA, AND AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY COULD CONNECT TO AS WELL. WE HAVE THE SOFT GROUND. WE GOT RID OF THE HILL WHICH WAS A BIT DANGEROUS AS WEALTH IS NOT THERE IS A PLACE FOR CAREGIVERS AND MUMS AND DADS TO SIT AROUND AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE KIDS. THEY CAN FILL THEIR WATER BOTTLE AT THE WATERING SPOT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JAMES. IT LOOKS GREAT. BEFORE WE GO, I AM UNDER STRICT INSTRUCTION THAT I NEED TO GIVE THE SLIDE AGO. I WILL BE RIGHT BACK. NICE, COURT. I LIVED IN WELLINGTON FOR SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, AND OUR BOYS GREW UP ON THIS PLAYGROUND. THEY NEVER BROKE ANYTHING. IT WAS THAT HIGH, BUT IT WAS JUST STRAIGHT DOWN. NO, GO DOWN THE HIGH ONE. DON'T GO DOWN THAT ONE. HERE SHE COMES. THAT WAS LIKE THE BEGINNERS VERSION. CAN YOU GOT THE HIGH ONE? I KNOW, BUT, GUYS, DO WE HAVE TIME TO SHOW YOU? IT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE UP HERE. LOOK AT THIS. ALL: WOW. I THINK YOU CAN DO THAT. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STAIRS? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WILL BACK ME ON THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK I COULD. DO A GET AWAY WITH IT? THEY USED TO HAVE STAIRS THAT TOOK YOU UP. I THINK THAT LOOKS MORE DANGEROUS. WE HAVEN'T DONE A HEALTH AND SAFETY FORM FOR THAT. THAT IS A LUCKY ESCAPE. NICE WORK, COURTNEY. I DIDN'T WANT TO RISK IT. ENJOY. E HAERE AKE NEI ` THE OLYMPIANS WHO HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND, CREATING THEIR OWN SONG FOR TEAM NEW ZEALAND AHEAD OF THIS YEAR'S GAMES. WE'LL HAVE THAT LIVE PERFORMANCE NEXT. # HEY, I HEARD YOU WERE A WILD ONE. - ALL: Hooray! - Hip hip! - Hooray! - Happy birthday, mate. - It's your bowel screening test. I've done mine. - WOMEN: Me too! - Uso, you've got this! # Pull the stick from the test. # Put it in the poo. Just follow the pictures... - Koro. You can 'poo' it! - # Put it in the pottle. Put on the date. # Don't delay or procrastinate. (ALL CHEER) # Early detection can save the day. # (ENGINE REVS) Oh. OK, turn off the car. (PHONE RINGS) GIRL: Dad! Hey, man. Long time no talk. Yeah, just... I'm teaching Samara how to drive. (BRIGHT MUSIC) Hi! Could you do something for me? SONG: # Oh, baby, you... # Thanks. # You've got what I need # You got everything I need # You're like medicine to me... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. # THIS IS THE MOMENT. # NOW WE'RE TOGETHER. # WE WILL BE STRONGER. # FEEL THE SPIRIT WITHIN YOU. # LET IT SURROUND YOU. # WELCOME, EVERYONE... THE EAR WORM OF 1990. 'THIS IS THE MOMENT' ` THE THEME SONG FOR THE AUCKLAND COMMONWEALTH GAMES. HAS THERE BEEN AN AOTEAROA SPORTS ANTHEM SO POPULAR SINCE? WELL, MAYBE NOW. OLYMPIC CYCLIST ELLESSE ANDREWS AND OLYMPIC KAYAKER MAX BROWN HAVE COMPOSED A TEAM SONG FOR THIS YEAR'S OLYMPICS, AND THEY'RE HERE TO PLAY IT FOR US. MORENA. BEFORE I GET TO YOU TOO, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CONWAY AND ALSO JULES HERE WITH US WHO WILL BE PART OF THIS SONG. BACK TO YOU GUYS. TELL ME ABOUT THIS SONG, HOW IT CAME ABOUT. WE WERE HAVING A FEW SORT OF LOOSE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW COOL IT WOULD BE TO HAVE A CREATIVE PROJECT THAT INVOLVED THE ATHLETES, SO MAX AND I JUMPED ON BOARD WITH THAT, AND WE REALLY STARTED PLAYING AROUND WITH IT AND WRITING SOME TURNS, AND JUST SEEING WHAT WE COULD COME UP WITH AND OUR BRIEF WAS TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT REALLY CAPTURED THE FEELING OF BEING AN ATHLETE AND WORKING TOWARDS THAT BIG GOAL AND PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE ON THE WORLD STAGE. WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE`? MY MICROPHONE HAS DROPPED OFF SOMEWHERE, SO I WILL STAND CLOSE TO YOU. IN TERMS OF COMPOSING THIS, WHAT WAS IT LIKE? I SPENT MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD DREAMING OF BEING A MUSICIAN, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS IN A SPORT. IT WAS REALLY COOL TO COMBINE THOSE TWO. WE SPENT A WHOLE TIME COMBINING THINGS, AND IT IS ABOUT WHETHER YOU ARE A MUSICIAN YOU ARE PERFORMING OR A TV PRESENTER, AND THE MOMENTS YOU GO THROUGH WHEN THE PRESSURE IS THERE. YOU HAVE BEEN REHEARSING BEFORE THE REAL DEAL AND ABOUT A MINUTE OR SO. AND YOU BOTH SEEM REALLY RELAXED. I WONDER HOW IT IS WITH YOU STANDING HERE TO PERFORM, AND IS IT ANY DIFFERENT FROM YOU BEING IN THE KAYAK OR THE BIKE? A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THE NERVES BEFORE RACING, YOU HAVE GOT THE PAINTED GOPHER WHEN YOU ARE RACING, SO SOMETIMES IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT AWKWARD BEFORE A RACE. I HAVE NOT DONE THAT BEFORE THIS PERFORMANCE. THERE ARE A FEW BUTTERFLIES. WHAT ABOUT FOR YOU? DEFINITELY. THESE GUYS MAKE US FEEL SO COMFORTABLE, AND THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN AMAZING WITH THEM, SO EVEN REHEARSING BEFOREHAND AND RECORDING THE SONG AND WORKSHOP ON IT WITH THE BAND AND DEVELOPING IT WITH THEM, THE PROCESS HAS BEEN AWESOME. IT IS NICE TO BE UP HERE WITH SUCH A SUPPORTIVE GROUP OF PEOPLE. YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS. WHAT ABOUT YOU? AT THE MOMENT, YOU HAD A BIT OF AN INJURY. HOW ARE THINGS? I HAVE BEEN PROGRESSING WELL. I AM HAPPY TO BE OUT OF A SLING AND MOVING AROUND. IT IS LOOKING GOOD. IN TERMS OF THE OLYMPICS COMING UP IN FRANCE? ALL GOOD TO GO. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE. I WILL FINISH OUR INTERVIEW HERE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR BEING WITH US. CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS SONG. I WILL GET OUT OF THE WAY. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE SONG? AIN'T JUST DREAMING. DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET READY. YOU HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET THAT COLLARBONE SORTED BEFORE YOU START HAVING TO DRAPE SOME MEDALS AROUND THERE. THERE IS 150 DAYS FOR US TO LEARN ALL OF THE WORST OF THE SONG. WE WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THE SONG. SEE YOU TOMORROW. # THIS MOMENT SO TRUE. # THEY WOULDN'T BELIEVE. # STRENGTH RISING IN YOU. # FOLLOW THOSE DREAMS # WHEREVER THEY MAY TAKE YOU TO. # TAKE YOUR CHANCE AND GO. # WHERE TRUE, I DO NOT KNOW. # ONE DEEP BREATH, # AND ONE SMALL STEP. # IT IS FINALLY TIME FOR THE SHOW. # IT'S FINALLY TIME. # THIS MOMENT IS MINE. # CLOSE YOUR EYES TO THE WORLD. # TODAY, I AIN'T JUST DREAMING. # REACH THOSE HIGHS, # SHOW THEM ALL. # AND HOLD ONTO THAT FEELING. # THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. # TOGETHER, WE BREATHE. # THEIR VISION IN YOU. # AND THE VISION IN ME. # TAKE YOUR CHANCE AND GO. # WHERE TRUE, I DO NOT KNOW. # ONE DEEP BREATH, # AND ONE SMALL STEP. # IT IS FINALLY TIME FOR THE SHOW. # IT'S FINALLY TIME. # THIS MOMENT IS MINE. # CLOSE YOUR EYES TO THE WORLD. # TODAY I AIN'T JUST DREAMING. # REACH THOSE HIGHS. # SHOW THEM ALL. # HOLD ONTO THAT FEELING. # CLOSE YOUR EYES TO THE WORLD. # TODAY, I AIN'T JUST DREAMING. # REACH THOSE HIGHS. # SHOW THEM ALL.