THE POLICE ASSOCIATION SAYS SOME OFFICERS ARE RELYING ON FOOD PARCELS AND THE GOVERNMENT'S PAY OFFER IS A KICK IN THE GUTS. 50 PEOPLE INJURED ON A FLIGHT FROM SYDNEY ` THE PILOT TELLS PASSENGERS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK. PLUS ` A FAMILY'S HEARTBREAKING BATTLE TO GET THEIR DYING CHILD AN EXPERIMENTAL DRUG THAT EXPERTS SAY IS HER ONLY CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 TENA TATOU KATOA, GOOD EVENING. POLICE SAY THEIR LATEST PAY OFFER IS 'INSULTING' AND A 'KICK IN THE GUTS', AND THERE ARE FEARS MORE OFFICERS WILL NOW HEAD TO AUSTRALIA. THE POLICE ASSOCIATION SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS ASKING OFFICERS TO WORK HARDER TO CATCH CRIMINALS, YET MANY CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO PAY THEIR RENT OR MORTGAGE. BUT AS KAREN RUTHERFORD REPORTS, THE GOVERNMENT IS ARGUING THAT TIMES ARE TOUGH. WHEN YOUTHS AS YOUNG AS 12 TARGETED AMIT KHANNA'S CALTEX STATION EARLY YESTERDAY, POLICE WERE HIS FIRST PORT OF CALL. JUST AS THEY WERE LAST MONTH, WHEN UP TO NINE TEENS CAME TWICE IN A NIGHT, STEALING $40,000 WORTH OF TOBACCO, CASH AND SWEETS. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO IN FIVE YEARS' TIME? THESE BOYS WERE 12 YEARS OLD TODAY. AND BY THEN, THE THIN BLUE LINE COULD BE A LOT THINNER... (SIREN WAILS) ...WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION TODAY SAYING THE PAY OFFER ITS MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WAITING A YEAR FOR IS ` A KICK IN THE GUTS. THE WORDS THEY USE ARE DISRESPECTFUL, FARCICAL ` JUST COMPLETELY OUT OF TOUCH. THE PAY OFFER, DESCRIBED BY SOME OFFICERS WE'VE SPOKEN TO AS 'A JOKE', INCLUDES A $5000 INCREASE LAST NOVEMBER, FOLLOWED BY A 4% INCREASE THIS SEPTEMBER AND ANOTHER 4% NEXT JULY. WHILE ALLOWANCES DO INCREASE, LEAVE ACCUMULATION DROPS FOR POLICE OFFICERS FROM 45 DAYS TO 35. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, A SIX-YEAR POLICE CONSTABLE WILL BE EARNING $22,000 LESS THAN A SIX-YEAR NURSE OR SOCIAL WORKER. SOME OFFICERS, HE SAYS, ARE RELYING ON FOOD PARCELS TO GET BY. POLICE HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP. THEY WANT A CRACKDOWN ON GANGS, THEY WANT TO LOWER THE ROAD TOLL, BUT THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY REWARDED THE POLICE OFFICERS WITH A SERIOUS PAY OFFER. LOOK, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE IN A REALLY TOUGH SITUATION ECONOMICALLY. POLICE ARE UNABLE TO TAKE INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY LAW, BUT TONIGHT ` A WARNING SHOT. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VERY ANGRY POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE. THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS BEING SUGGESTED ` SOME OF THEM ARE AROUND PROTESTING. THAT WILL BE INCREDIBLY EMBARRASSING. WE ARE IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE ASSOCIATION, AND WE WILL DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. THE GOVERNMENT'S 100-DAY PLAN HAS DISHED OUT TOOLS TO HELP POLICE FIGHT GANGS AND GET TOUGH ON CRIME, BUT VICTIMS LIKE AMIT KHANNA SAY THEY'RE YET TO SEE ANY CHANGE. ARE YOU GOING TO PAY MY INSURANCE EXCESS? ARE YOU GOING TO COME AND CLEAN UP FOR ME? BECAUSE YOU FEEL FOR THOSE CRIMINALS, BUT NOT FOR US. AND WHILE THE MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGES THOSE ON THE FRONT LINE ARE PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE... OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE LESS SAFE TODAY THAN THEY WERE SIX YEARS AGO. ...HE ACCEPTS THIS LATEST PAY OFFER COULD MEAN OFFICERS LEAVING OUR SHORES. LOOK, I COMPLETELY RESPECT THEIR DECISIONS. THEY'VE ALREADY PROVIDED PUBLIC SERVICE FOR US IN NEW ZEALAND. I HOPE WE CAN GROW IN STRENGTH IN OUR ECONOMY AND HOPEFULLY ATTRACT THEM BACK; BUT OF COURSE, WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEM. AND NEITHER DO VICTIMS LIKE AMIT KHANNA. KAREN RUTHERFORD, NEWSHUB. A PASSENGER ABOARD LAST NIGHT'S TURBULENT FLIGHT FROM SYDNEY SAYS HE ASKED THE PILOT WHAT HAPPENED AND WAS TOLD THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK FOR A SECOND AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE PLANE. AROUND 50 PEOPLE WERE INJURED WHEN THE PLANE SUDDENLY DROPPED, AND SOME WERE THROWN INTO THE CEILING. NICK TRUEBRIDGE HAS THE STORY. A WOMAN LIES INJURED AT 30,000FT. SHE'S ONE OF 50 PASSENGERS HURT IN THE CHAOS ABOARD FLIGHT LA800. THERE WAS ONE YOUNGER BOY IN FRONT OF ME WHO WAS QUITE TRAUMATISED... UPON SEEING HIS FATHER LEVITATE. THE LATAM AIRLINES BOEING 787 DEPARTED SYDNEY FOR AUCKLAND AT 11.44 LOCAL TIME, BUT TWO HOURS IN, IT EXPERIENCED WHAT THE AIRLINE IS CALLING A 'TECHNICAL EVENT' AND 'SUDDEN MOVEMENT'. IT CORRECTED AND CARRIED ON TO AUCKLAND, CARRYING DOZENS OF INJURED PASSENGERS. LUCAS ELLWOOD TOLD NEWSHUB THE TERRIFYING DROP HAPPENED JUST AFTER LUNCH WAS CLEARED. PEOPLE WERE STILL FINISHING THEIR DRINKS, AND WHEN THE JOLT HAPPENED, THE WINE, THE UNSEATBELTED PEOPLE AND LOTS OF BAGS AND CELL PHONES ALL HIT THE ROOF. THIS FOOTAGE WAS SHOT FROM INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT JUST AFTER THE PLANE MALFUNCTIONED. PASSENGERS CAN BE SEEN ASSISTING THE INJURED. THIS PHOTO, TAKEN BY PASSENGER BRIAN JOKAT, SHOWS PEOPLE HIT THE ROOF SO HARD IT CAVED IN. SO THE PILOT, AFTER THIS HAPPENS, COMES BACK TO CHECK ON EVERYBODY. AND I IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED WITH HIM, AND SAID, 'WHAT WAS THAT?' AND HE OPENLY ADMITTED` HE SAID, 'I LOST CONTROL THE PLANE; AND HE OPENLY ADMITTED` HE SAID, 'I LOST CONTROL OF THE PLANE; 'MY GAUGES JUST KIND OF WENT BLANK ON ME, 'AND THAT'S WHEN THE PLANE JUST TOOK A DIVE.' AN AVIATION EXPERT AND PILOT SAYS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION COULD BE ONE POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THIS INCIDENT. THE MOST LIKELY ONE, IF AT ALL, WOULD BE POSSIBLY A MALFUNCTION IN THE AUTOPILOT WHEN THE PILOTS WERE LEAST EXPECTING IT. IN 2008, INCORRECT DATA SENT TO A COMPUTER ON A QANTAS FLIGHT CAUSED THE AUTOPILOT TO SHUT DOWN, AND THE PLANE SUDDENLY LOST ALTITUDE. IN THAT INCIDENT, 70 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY, IT'S EXTREMELY RARE, WHICH IS WHY I REFER TO IT AS A BLACK SWAN INCIDENT. A BLACK SWAN INCIDENT ` ONE THAT FORTUNATELY WASN'T FATAL. OK, NICK, WHO'S NOW INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED? WE HAVE JUST HAD WORD FROM TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES IN NEW ZEALAND THAT CHILEAN INVESTIGATORS WILL BE COMMENCING AN INVESTIGATION. NEW ZEALAND TRANSPORT INVESTIGATORS WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THAT INVESTIGATION. WE HAVE ALSO JUST HEARD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MINUTES FROM TE WHATU ORA ABOUT THE INJURIES. FOR PEOPLE REMAIN IN MIDDLE MORE HOSPITAL WITH MODERATE INJURIES. AS YOU HEARD AND THAT STORY, THAT IS 50 PEOPLE IN TOTAL INJURED, FOUR REMAINING IN CARE AND HOSPITAL. IT HAS BEEN A ROUGH START OF THE YEAR FOR BOEING. THERE HAS BEEN THIS INCIDENT AS WELL AS ONE INVOLVING AN ALASKA AIRLINES JET WHICH CAME A CROPPER OVER THE WEST COAST OF THE U.S. A DOOR FLEW OFF THE AIRCRAFT. AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED INTO THAT INCIDENT AS WELL. CERTAINLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AS YOU HEARD ON THAT PIECE ` POSSIBLY SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AUTOPILOT. BUT WE WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT INVESTIGATION, BEING LED BY AUTHORITIES OVERSEAS AND BACKED TYPE BY THEIR KIWI COUNTERPARTS. AIR NEW ZEALAND SAYS IT'S HAD TO MAKE THE 'TOUGH DECISION' TO SUSPEND ITS DIRECT FLIGHTS TO CHICAGO FROM THE END OF THIS MONTH. THE AUCKLAND TO CHICAGO SERVICE WILL STOP FOR SEVEN MONTHS BECAUSE OF 'ONGOING CHALLENGES' WITH THE ROLLS-ROYCE TRENT 1000 ENGINES. IT'S A KNOWN, GLOBAL PROBLEM, AND AIR NEW ZEALAND SAYS IT MEANS THREE OF ITS BOEING 787 AIRCRAFT WILL BE OUT OF SERVICE. CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE FLIGHTS AFFECTED WILL BE ABLE TO GET A REFUND OR CREDIT. NEWSHUB CAN REVEAL THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO INSTALL ELECTRONIC SIGNS TO SLOW DRIVERS DOWN DURING SCHOOL DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP COULD COST $90,000 PER SCHOOL. THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO MAKE ALL SPEED LIMITS OUTSIDE SCHOOLS VARIABLE, MEANING COMMUNITIES COULD NO LONGER MAKE THE REDUCTIONS PERMANENT. HERE'S POLITICAL REPORTER AMELIA WADE. SO LITTLE STUDENTS CAN GET TO SCHOOL SAFELY, BE IT BY BIKE, FOOT OR PRAM, ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNER LUCINDA REES WANTS SPEEDS PERMANENTLY REDUCED TO 30 K'S OUTSIDE ALL SCHOOLS. IT'S UP TO THE CHILDREN TO MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE SCHOOL AND FOR US TO LOOK AFTER THE CHILDREN. THE HIGH-SPEED HIGHWAY OUTSIDE ASHLEY'S SCHOOL IN RANGIORA IS REDUCED TO 60 K DURING SCHOOL PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF. THE NEW TRANSPORT MINISTER WANTS ALL SCHOOLS TO HAVE VARIABLE SPEEDS LIKE THAT, BUT FOR CARS TO DRIVE EVEN SLOWER DURING THOSE TIMES. I'M SAYING 30KM/H OR 40KM/H OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL DURING PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF TIMES. BUT IN BRINGING IN THE BLANKET RULE, SIMEON BROWN WILL TAKE AWAY COMMUNITIES' ABILITY TO REDUCE SPEEDS TO 30 K AN HOUR AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY OUTSIDE SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT BETWEEN SAFETY AND ALSO KEEPING TRAFFIC MOVING. IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH, AND WHAT THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT ARE DOING IS ACTUALLY CRIMINAL. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY RESEARCH SHOWS IF A CAR HITS A VULNERABLE ROAD USER LIKE A SMALL CHILD AT 60ks AN HOUR, THERE'S A 0% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. AT 50 K'S AN HOUR, THERE'S A 20% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL, AND AT 30 K'S AN HOUR, THERE'S A 90% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. THERE IS A RANGE OF STATISTICS IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN` BASED ON PHYSICS, ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE IS HIT BY A CAR. IT'S JUST NONSENSE TO THINK THAT WE CAN BALANCE THE INDEPENDENCE AND FREEDOM AND SAFETY OF OUR KIDS WITH A COUPLE OF SECONDS OF TIME-SAVING FOR A CAR THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO STOP AT THE INTERSECTION ANYWAY. THERE ALSO COULD BE A BIG COST WHICH COMES WITH BROWN'S PLAN. NEWSHUB CAN REVEAL WAKA KOTAHI ADVICE ESTIMATES THE COST PER SCHOOL OF DESIGNING, BUILDING, INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING ELECTRONIC VARIABLE SIGNS WAS $90,000 PER SCHOOL. IT SHOULD BE A LOT CHEAPER THAN THAT, BECAUSE WE WON'T BE IMPLEMENTING` WE WON'T BE REQUIRING ELECTRONIC SIGNS, WHICH ARE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE. WE'RE CONFIDENT THIS WILL BE A LOT CHEAPER THAN THAT. ANYTHING THAT THEY UNDO WILL JUST COST, AND IT WILL NOT JUST COST MONEY; IT WILL ALSO COST LIVES. AND WHO CAN PUT A PRICE ON A CHILD'S LIFE? AMELIA JOINS US NOW. SO HOW MUCH COULD THIS END UP COSTING ALL UP? NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW, SAM. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT NEW ZEALAND HAS ABOUT 2500 SCHOOLS, SO IF EVERY ONE OF THEM NEEDS THE ELECTRONIC SIGNS THAT ARE PROPOSED, THAT COULD END UP COSTING $225 MILLION. TO TRANSPORT MINISTER IS ADAMANT THAT IT WILL NOT COST THAT MUCH. HE SAYS THE OTHER SIGNS RUN AT ABOUT $1000 PER SIGN. IF EACH SCHOOL NEEDS TO SIGNS OUTSIDE THE FRONT AND EACH ONE COSTS $1000, THAT IS ALL READY $5 MILLION. ONE THING IS FOR SURE ` IT IS CERTAINLY SHAPING UP TO NOT BE CHEAP. GREAT MATHS ON-THE-FLY, AMELIA. THE PARENTS OF A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL WITH TERMINAL CANCER ARE BEGGING THE GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW HER TO RECEIVE AN EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT IN NEW ZEALAND. MEILA DAVIS IS TOO UNWELL TO TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA, WHERE SHE COULD ACCESS A TRIAL OF THE DRUG THAT MIGHT PROLONG HER LIFE. ALEXA COOK REPORTS. ONCE A NORMAL, HAPPY, HEALTHY KID, MEILA DAVIS (12) IS NOW FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE IN HOSPITAL. JUST OUTSIDE, HER MUM IS FIGHTING TO GET HER A NEW IMMUNOTHERAPY TREATMENT THAT'S UNDERGOING CLINICAL TRIALS. TEARFULLY: EVERYTHING WAS AN EXPERIMENT AT ONE POINT... AND... THIS IS HER ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO SURVIVE. MEILA WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE BONE CANCER OSTEOSARCOMA IN JUNE LAST YEAR. IT WAS CUT OUT OF HER LEG, BUT HAD ALREADY SPREAD TO HER LUNGS. SEVEN DIFFERENT CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS FAILED, AND SHE'S JUST UNDERGONE EMERGENCY SURGERY TO DRAIN A COLLAPSED LUNG. SHE IS SO BRAVE AND STRONG, AND YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT SHE'S IN PAIN. AN AUSTRALIAN ONCOLOGIST HAS RECOMMENDED THE NEW IMMUNOTHERAPY DRUG CREATED BY ENGENEIC, WHICH SHE COULD ACCESS UNDER COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS IN AUSTRALIA. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT'S IN THE EARLY STAGES OF CLINICAL TRIALS, IT HASN'T BEEN APPROVED AS A MEDICINE, AND ISN'T AVAILABLE IN NEW ZEALAND. IF WE DON'T DO THAT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. IF IT WORKS, THEN WE HAVE OUR DAUGHTER. MEDSAFE SAYS THE DRUG COMPANY HASN'T SHOWN INTEREST IN RUNNING TRIALS HERE, BUT IT'S OPEN TO HEARING FROM THEM. MEANWHILE, SYDNEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS CONSIDERING TREATING MEILA WITH ENGENEIC, BUT SHE'S NOW TOO SICK TO TRAVEL, SO KRISTIN IS PLEADING WITH NEW ZEALAND'S HEALTH AUTHORITIES TO FIND A SOLUTION SO HER DAUGHTER CAN BE TREATED HERE, AS SHE'S NOW AT DEATH'S DOOR. JUST LIFT THE RED TAPE. YOU'RE KILLING THESE KIDS, AND THEY'RE NOT HAVING A CHANCE. THE HEALTH MINISTER SHANE RETI TOLD NEWSHUB THAT HE'S WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO ALL MEDICINES, INCLUDING CANCER DRUGS, AND THAT HE'S TAKING ADVICE ON WHAT'S NEEDED IN THE CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT SPACE. HOWEVER, THE CANCER SOCIETY BELIEVES NEW ZEALAND DOES HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO TRIAL NEW DRUGS, BUT THERE'S A LACK OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT. THEY ARE TOTALLY DOABLE. ALL YOU HAVE TO HAVE IS THE` ULTIMATELY, THE POLITICAL WILLPOWER TO INVEST IN THAT AREA. SO KIDS LIKE MEILA CAN HAVE A CHANCE. ALEXA COOK, NEWSHUB. THERE HAVE BEEN MORE PROBLEMS FOR THE WELLINGTON REGION'S AILING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ` THIS TIME, A BURST SEWER PIPE. RAW SEWAGE STARTED SPILLING INTO THE KENEPURU STREAM ` WHICH RUNS INTO PORIRUA HARBOUR ` AFTER A RUPTURE IN A WASTEWATER PIPE ON SUNDAY. WELLINGTON WATER IS SETTING UP PUMPS TO STOP THE SEWAGE RUNNING INTO THE WATERWAY UNTIL IT CAN BE FIXED. A RAHUI IS IN PLACE FOR THE STREAM AND PARTS OF THE HARBOUR. DIRECTORS OF MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY GATHERED IN WELLINGTON FOR CRISIS TALKS TODAY. THEY WARN THEY MAY SOON BE FORCED TO CLOSE OR LAY OFF STAFF DUE TO RISING COSTS AND DWINDLING FUNDING. WILLIAM TERITE REPORTS. FOR DECADES, THE NEW ZEALAND PORTRAIT GALLERY'S BEEN A POPULAR ATTRACTION FOR LOCALS AND TOURISTS. BUT NOW ITS MANAGEMENT IS PAINTING A GRIM PICTURE. WE DON'T HAVE ASSURANCE OF OUR LONG-TERM FUTURE. WE'RE ALSO EATING THAT FUTURE. FUNDING ISSUES ARE BEING FELT BY MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES NATIONWIDE, DESPITE DRAWING IN NEARLY 18 MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR. WHEN YOUR NEIGHBOURS ARE CRUMBLING AROUND YOU, IT'S A REALLY GOOD WARNING SIGN, AND THIS IS A WAKE-UP CALL. THE FUNDING MODEL VARIES GREATLY, BUT MOSTLY, IT IS COUNCILS WHO FUND MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES. THAT MONEY FROM LOCAL COUNCILS IS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH RISING OPERATING COSTS, WHICH IS WHY THE INDUSTRY MET TODAY IN WELLINGTON. WE'RE LAUNCHING THE 'KEEP THE LIGHTS ON' CAMPAIGN TODAY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OVER 100 OF OUR MEMBERS, AND MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES ARE REALLY FEARING FOR THEIR FUTURES. THE SECTOR'S ALSO CALLING FOR SUPPORT FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A NEW FUNDING MODEL, AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH US ABOUT WHAT THAT NEW MODEL LOOKS LIKE. THE CURRENT MODEL JUST REALLY ISN'T FIT FOR PURPOSE ANY MORE. NOT ONLY WILL WE LOSE ALL THE ASSETS THAT WE'VE BUILT UP; THE COMMUNITY VALUE WILL BE LOST. SO BEING ABLE TO TELL OUR STORIES, UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'VE COME FROM. TO TRY AND MAKE THAT POINT HIT HOME, THE MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES WILL BE SWITCHING THEIR LIGHTS OFF ON APRIL 15 FOR THE DAY. WILLIAM TERITE, NEWSHUB. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE DAY'S WEATHER ` AND THE NEXT FRONT IS ROLLING INTO TOWN, HEATHER? JUST STARTING TO GET WINDY FOR SOUTHLAND. EARLIER TODAY, THE FRONTAL CLOUD MOVED UP THE ISLAND. BRUCE CAPTURED THE TELLTALE SIGNS WELL ` VERY MOODY. MOST OF THE COUNTRY HAD SETTLED WEATHER ` NOT EXACTLY FINE WEATHER, BUT NOTHING TOO DRASTIC. THE END OF THE WEEK IS LOOKING UNSETTLED, AND THE WEEKEND IS COLD. DETAILS AFTER SPORT. TWO KIWI SKIERS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND A THIRD INJURED IN AN AVALANCHE IN JAPAN. ONE OF THE DECEASED HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY HER FAMILY AS SKI INSTRUCTOR ISABELLA BOLTON (21) FROM CHRISTCHURCH. PRINCESS KATE APOLOGISES FOR HER PHOTOSHOP FAIL THAT SENT ROYAL WATCHERS INTO A CONSPIRACY FRENZY. AND JACINDA ARDERN TAKES THE STAGE WITH PRINCE WILLIAM FOR A GOOD CAUSE. HOKI MAI ANO. WELCOME BACK. A KIWI SKI GUIDE WHO DIED IN AN AVALANCHE IN JAPAN YESTERDAY HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY HER FAMILY AS ISABELLA BOLTON (21). ANOTHER KIWI DIED AND A THIRD WAS INJURED WHEN THE AVALANCHE HIT A GROUP OF SIX ON MT YOTEI YESTERDAY. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH REPORTS. THE THREE KIWIS WERE IN A GROUP OF SIX BACK-COUNTRY SKIING ON MT YOTEI, A SIMILAR TYPE OF VOLCANO TO MT RUAPEHU, WHEN THE AVALANCHE STRUCK JUST BEFORE 11AM. THE JAPAN TIMES SAYS A MAN AND A WOMAN ` LATER CONFIRMED TO BE NEW ZEALANDERS ` WERE TAKEN UNRESPONSIVE TO HOSPITAL, WHERE THEY WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD. A THIRD KIWI SUSTAINED A SHOULDER INJURY BUT WAS CONSCIOUS. THE WOMAN'S FAMILY RELEASED A STATEMENT CONFIRMING THE PASSING OF THEIR BELOVED ISABELLA BOLTON, WHO WAS 21. IN THE STATEMENT, THEY SAID... HER ADVENTUROUS SPIRIT AND LOVE FOR SKIING AND OUTDOORS LED HER TO STUDY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GUIDING IN CANADA. RANGI RURU GIRLS' SCHOOL RELEASED A STATEMENT ABOUT THE FORMER STUDENT, SAYING... 'SHE SHOWED GREAT PERSEVERANCE AND A CAN-DO ATTITUDE 'THAT MADE HER A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL AND INSPIRATION TO US ALL. 'SHE WILL BE HUGELY MISSED.' NO AVALANCHE WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THE MT YOTEI AREA, NOR WAS IT SNOWING HEAVILY AROUND THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. TEMPERATURES WERE ABNORMALLY HIGH YESTERDAY, AND LOCAL EXPERTS TOLD JAPANESE MEDIA OUTLETS NEW SNOW ON TOP OF UNSTABLE OLD SNOW CAN STIMULATE AVALANCHES. ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS TODAY IS SLAB AVALANCHES. NEWSHUB UNDERSTANDS THE SAME GROUP HAD SKIED THE VOLCANO THREE DAYS BEFORE. NEWSHUB HAS BEEN TOLD THE CONDITIONS ON THE MOUNTAIN ARE EXTREMELY VARIABLE, AND EVEN FOR MANY INSTRUCTORS, THE RISKS ARE TOO HIGH. BUT OVERSEAS TOURISTS IN PARTICULAR ARE ALWAYS KEEN TO SKI THESE POWDER SLOPES, AND YOUTUBE IS STACKED WITH CLIPS LIKE THESE. HOWEVER, TWO KIWIS HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES ON ONE OF JAPAN'S MOST THRILLING BUT DANGEROUS MOUNTAINS. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH, NEWSHUB. THE PRINCESS OF WALES HAS OWNED UP AND APOLOGISED FOR PHOTOSHOPPING THE MOTHER'S DAY PICTURE OF HER AND THE CHILDREN. SHE SAID SHE WAS JUST DOING WHAT MANY AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS DO, BUT IT'S RAISED A NEW ISSUE OF CREDIBILITY. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. KEEP CALM AND PHOTOSHOP. NO, THAT'S NOT RIGHT ` KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. YES. BETTER. AND SO THEY DID. THE ROYALS HEALTHY ENOUGH TO DO SO SHOWING UP IN QUICK SUCCESSION AT THE COMMONWEALTH SERVICE IN LONDON TODAY, DESPITE THE UNFOLDING CIRCUS AROUND THEM. IT'S A MAJOR COMMUNICATION FAILURE FROM THEIR SIDE. TO DISTRIBUTE SUCH AN IMAGE, WHICH RAISES DOUBTS, WILL ONLY CREATE RUMOURS AND MAKE US DOUBT THAT SHE'S AS WELL AS THEY WANT HER TO LOOK. THE HAPPY FAMILY'S HEALTHY PRINCESS PHOTOGRAPH HAS ROYALLY BACKFIRED. THE AREA AROUND CHARLOTTE'S SLEEVE, THE UNUSUALLY STRAIGHT LINE ON HER SKIRT, THE ZIP ON KATE'S JACKET AND HER BLURRED HANDS ON LOUIS' IN-FOCUS JUMPER, PLUS A MISALIGNED PATTERN ON HIS SHOULDERS. THIS MORNING, JUST AS THE SPECULATION WAS REACHING FEVER PITCH, THERE CAME A SOCIAL MEDIA CONFESSION. SIGNED OFF WITH THE LETTER C FOR CATHERINE, THE PRINCESS WROTE... THE PHOTOSHOP FAIL FUELLING ANTI-MONARCHY PROTESTERS WHO HAD GATHERED OUTSIDE THE COMMONWEALTH SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY. IT'S A WEIRD THING TO DO, AND I DON'T THINK THEIR TWEET THIS MORNING HAS CHANGED ANY OF THAT. IT HASN'T REALLY EXPLAINED WHY THEY EDITED IT, OR WHY THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO PUT AN EDITED PHOTO OUT. KATE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED TODAY IN THE BACK OF A CAR WITH WILLIAM ON THE WAY TO WESTMINSTER, BUT THE PALACE CONFIRMED SHE WAS HEADED ELSEWHERE ` TO A PRIVATE APPOINTMENT. DESPITE HIS CANCER, KING CHARLES DID SHOW UP ` ONLY VIRTUALLY. I HAVE BEEN MOST DEEPLY TOUCHED BY YOUR WONDERFULLY KIND AND THOUGHTFUL GOOD WISHES FOR MY HEALTH. FORTUNATELY, HIS VIDEO HASN'T TRIGGERED ANY AI ACCUSATIONS. SO FAR, SO REAL. IN LONDON, LISETTE REYMER, NEWSHUB. MEANWHILE, PRINCE WILLIAM WAS JOINED BY DAME JACINDA ARDERN FOR THE NEXT PART OF HIS MISSION TO SAVE THE PLANET. THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER IS AMONG THE TRUSTEES OF THE PRINCE'S EARTHSHOT EVENT IN LONDON, WHERE THEY INTRODUCE FINANCIAL BACKERS TO PEOPLE WITH CLEVER IDEAS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE. WILLIAM TOLD GUESTS ABOUT 25 SOLUTIONS IN NEED OF FUNDING AND SAID 135 BIG INVESTORS HAD ALREADY SIGNED UP. ANDREW'S IN WITH SPORT LATER ` AND A BLACKCAPS STAR HAS COME UNDER FIRE? DARYL MITCHELL'S BEEN CALLED OUT BY TWO FORMER NEW ZEALAND GREATS FOLLOWING HIS COMMENTS AFTER THE SERIES WHITEWASH TO AUSTRALIA, SAYING THE BLACKCAPS ARE, QUOTE, 'NOT DEFINED BY OUTCOMES'. TEAMMATES TODAY FRONTING UP TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEAM'S AMBITIONS AND ASPIRATIONS. AND SPENCER LENIU IS BANNED FOR EIGHT WEEKS FOR A RACIAL SLUR. WHY NRL ICON JONATHAN THURSTON HAS SLAMMED THE PUNISHMENT DURING AN EMOTIONAL LIVE TV INTERVIEW. KIWI PALESTINIANS ARE PUSHING TO GET THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF GAZA. THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO CREATE A SPECIAL VISA CATEGORY BUT SAY THEY'RE RECEIVING MIXED MESSAGES. AND RECORD MARINE HEATWAVES IN THE HAURAKI GULF SPELL BAD NEWS FOR MARINE ANIMAL AND PLANTS. NEW ZEALAND HAS ATTRACTED 1000 EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS FROM OVERSEAS IN THE LAST YEAR. WHAT KIND OF RATIOS ARE NORMAL TO SEE NOW? FOR UNDER-2s, THE RATIOS AREN'T GREAT AT THE MOMENT. WE COULD BE SITTING AT ONE-TO-FIVE, ONE-TO-SIX. OVER-3s, ABOUT ONE-TO-10. (THUMPS) (GUESTS GASP AND FALL SILENT) (BELLOWS) Call this a feast?! (HEROIC MUSIC) (ARMOUR CLANKS) (HEROIC MUSIC CONTINUES) (PEOPLE CHEER) VOICEOVER: 4 Square. What'll it be today? A NEW STUDY HAS FOUND SEA TEMPERATURES IN HAURAKI GULF HAVE SHARPLY INCREASED IN THE PAST DECADE, AND WARMING WAS MOST APPARENT IN THE AUTUMN AND WINTER. SEA SURFACE MONITORING AT LEIGH MARINE LABORATORY SINCE 1967 HAS FOUND 2022 WAS THE WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD, WITH HEATWAVE CONDITIONS FOR 85% OF THE YEAR. ISOBEL EWING REPORTS. A MARINE HEATWAVE HAPPENS WHEN THE SEA SURFACE WARMS UP FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD. LAURIE POWELL HAS NOTICED THEY'RE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE. THIS YEAR ESPECIALLY, I THINK WAS THE HIGHEST WE'D HAD ON RECORD, WHICH WAS JUST OVER 27 ON THE WAY OUT, WHICH IS VERY HOT ` VERY WARM. AND HIS OBSERVATIONS ARE CONFIRMED BY LONG-TERM DATA. ALMOST 60 YEARS OF SEA SURFACE READINGS IN THE HAURAKI GULF SHOW A STEADY AND ABNORMAL RISE IN TEMPERATURE. THERE'S BEEN A REAL UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF HEAT WAVE EVENTS THAT WERE PICKED UP FOR THE HAURAKI GULF. AND SO CERTAINLY THE PACE OF THINGS IS STARTING TO REALLY INCREASE NOW. MARINE HEATWAVES CAN DISTURB ECOSYSTEMS AND THREATEN FISHING. THEY CAN CAUSE PENGUINS TO STARVE, AS THE FISH THEY FEED ON MOVE TO DEEPER, COOLER WATERS. THE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY AND UNUSUALLY WARM FOR THE LAST DECADE, WITH 2022 BEING THE WARMEST IN THE 57-YEAR RECORD. BOATIES HAVE ALSO NOTICED THE WARMER WATER IS STRETCHING BEYOND SUMMER. GOING INTO AUTUMN, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T DROP AWAY ` LIKE, YOU EXPECT IT TO COOL DOWN IN WINTER. AND IT SEEMS TO BE TAKING LONGER, AND THOSE WARMER TEMPERATURES ARE LASTING LONGER INTO THE YEAR. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE STUDY SHOWS ` AN UPWARD TREND IN AUTUMN AND WINTER, WHICH CAN BE DAMAGING FOR COOLER WATER SPECIES LIKE SPONGES, WHICH DON'T GET A RESPITE. ONCE YOU RAISE THE TEMPERATURE UP, THEY START GETTING STRESSED, AND ANIMALS START SUFFERING. ANIMALS AND PLANTS, FOR THAT MATTER. BUT HIGHER TEMPERATURES BENEFIT WARMER-WATER SPECIES LIKE THE INVASIVE PEST SEAWEED CAULERPA. AS THE TEMPERATURE CHANGES, SO DOES LIFE IN THE OCEAN, AND NOT FOR THE BETTER. ISABEL EWING, NEWSHUB. A FISHERMAN HAS DISCOVERED HUMAN REMAINS IN THE WATERS OF AUCKLAND'S GULF HARBOUR THIS AFTERNOON, REPORTEDLY WRAPPED IN SEVERAL PLASTIC BAGS. THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE NEAR THE GULF HARBOUR FERRY TERMINAL IN NORTHERN AUCKLAND. POLICE SAY THE BODY WAS LOCATED AROUND 3 O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON, AND THEY ARE TREATING THE DEATH AS UNEXPLAINED AT THIS STAGE. AN AREA HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF WHILE THEY MAKE ENQUIRIES. THE CHAIR OF THE MOSQUE WHERE THE LYNN MALL TERRORIST WAS STAYING WHEN HE ATTACKED COUNTDOWN SHOPPERS SAYS HE'S BEEN LEFT WONDERING IF HE COULD HAVE STOPPED HIM. THE CHAIR MADE A SUBMISSION IN THE HEARING TO DETERMINE THE SCOPE OF THE CORONER'S INVESTIGATION INTO AHAMED SAMSUDEEN'S DEATH. HE SAYS HE TRIED TO HELP SAMSUDEEN WHILE THE SRI LANKAN WAS LIVING AT THE GLEN EDEN MOSQUE ON BAIL BUT DID NOT KNOW SAMSUDEEN WAS BEING SURVEILLED BY POLICE. I CONSIDER I WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MR SAMSUDEEN WAS MANAGED OR SURVEILLED WHILE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT THE OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF I HAD BEEN, SIR. THE CHAIR WANTS SAMSUDEEN'S TIME AT THE MOSQUE EXAMINED BY THE CORONER. KIWI PALESTINIANS FIGHTING TO GET THEIR FAMILIES OUT OF GAZA SAY THEY'VE BEEN LEFT CONFUSED AFTER MIXED MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THEY'RE CALLING FOR A SPECIAL CATEGORY VISA TO BE CREATED. AND AS ASHA ABDI REPORTS, THEY SAY A LACK OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT ISN'T THE ONLY BARRIER THEY'RE FACING. THEY HAVE ONE REQUEST... PROTESTERS CHANT: GRANT THE VISAS! PROTESTERS CONFRONTED IMMIGRATION MINISTER ERICA STANFORD AFTER A MEETING ON SUNDAY. HEBA'S FAMILY IS CURRENTLY IN GAZA. HER SISTER AND HER NEPHEWS WERE KILLED WHEN AN AIRSTRIKE HIT THEIR HOME. SHE WAS KILLED WITH HER FOUR CHILDREN, WITH HER MOTHER-IN-LAW AND HER SISTER-IN-LAW AS WELL WITH HER THREE KIDS. WITH MORE THAN 30,000 PALESTINIAN PEOPLE KILLED BY ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT AND HALF A MILLION FACING STARVATION, SHE'S DESPERATE TO GET HER REMAINING FAMILY OUT. I AM DREAMING TO BRING MY MUM AND MY ELDEST SISTER HERE. THE CURRENT PATHWAY FOR PALESTINIAN KIWIS TO GET FAMILY OVER HERE IS TO APPLY FOR A TEMPORARY OR VISITOR VISA. VISITOR VISAS HAVE A REQUIREMENT TO SHOW THAT THE PERSON APPLYING FOR THEM WILL RETURN HOME, WHICH DOESN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE IF YOU'RE RUNNING AWAY FROM CONFLICT. RIGHT? THE WHOLE POINT OF IT IS TO JOIN FAMILY THAT YOU HAVE HERE. AND COMMUNITY LEADERS SAY THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE CHANCE TO GET CLARIFICATION AROUND WHAT VISAS THEY CAN APPLY FOR. THE MINISTER'S NOT EVEN ANSWERING OUR PHONE CALLS, OUR EMAILS. WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACTUALLY CALLED UP AND TOLD IF THEY KEEP CALLING UP, THEY'RE GONNA BE FORWARDED TO THE POLICE. SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN WILLING TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH PALESTINIAN KIWIS. THE MINISTER HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID ON TVNZ'S Q&A SHE WAS CONSIDERING CREATING A SPECIAL CATEGORY VISA. BUT IN A STATEMENT TO NEWSHUB, ERICA STANFORD SAID SHE WASN'T. SHE ALSO SAID... 30 OUT OF 61 APPLICATIONS TO GET FAMILY OUT OF GAZA HAVE BEEN GRANTED, BUT LITTLE IS BEING DONE TO GET THEM OUT. PUT PRESSURE ON ISRAEL, THEN, TO LET THEM OUT. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAID THEY HAD ASSISTED A SMALL NUMBER OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY TO LEAVE VIA THE RAFAH CROSSING AND WERE CURRENTLY SEEKING APPROVAL FROM RELEVANT AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION FOR FOUR PEOPLE TO EXIT GAZA. FOR NOW, MANY ARE LEFT HOPING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS STAY ALIVE LONG ENOUGH TO BE REUNITED. ASHA ABDI, NEWSHUB. DEPENDING ON YOUR POLITICAL PERSUASION, IT COULD BE THE SHOP OF YOUR DREAMS OR YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES. WE VISIT TRUMPTOWN ` A SHRINE TO THE DONALD. AFTER VICTORIA'S BUDGET BLOWOUT, HAS THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES JUST BEEN HANDED A LIFELINE? PLUS ` TEAMMATES DEFEND DARYL MITCHELL'S CHOICE OF WORDS THAT LEFT TWO FORMER GREATS SEETHING AFTER THE BLACKCAPS' SERIES DEFEAT TO AUSTRALIA. AND WE'LL TELL YOU WHERE YOU'LL SOON BE ABLE TO BUY A SHAUN JOHNSON BURGER AS THE WARRIORS PURCHASE A HOME FOR A NEW SPORTS BAR IN AUCKLAND. TEAMMATES HAVE LEAPT TO THE DEFENCE OF DARYL MITCHELL AFTER THE BLACKCAPS ALL-ROUNDER MADE SOME DIVISIVE COMMENTS IN THE WAKE OF THE TEAM'S SECOND-TEST LOSS TO AUSTRALIA. MITCHELL CLAIMED THE TEAM IS, QUOTE, 'NOT DEFINED BY THE OUTCOMES', LEAVING FORMER TEST PLAYERS AND FANS GOBSMACKED. TODAY, ONE OF THE STARS OF THE SUMMER WAS LEFT TRYING TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT MITCHELL MEANT TO SAY. ALEX CHAPMAN HAS MORE. AT ONE STAGE DURING THE AUSTRALIAN SERIES, MATT HENRY'S ABILITY WITH THE BAT WAS AS IMPORTANT WITH THE BALL. TODAY, HE SHOWED HIS ABILITY ON DEFENCE OFF THE FIELD. LOOK, I THINK, OBVIOUSLY, WE KNEW WHAT DARYL WAS TRYING TO SAY. IT'S NEVER EASY FACING THE MEDIA STRAIGHT AFTER A LOSS LIKE THAT. A LOSS WHICH LEFT FANS GUTTED AS THE HOPE OF A RARE TEST WIN AGAINST THE AUSSIES ` LET ALONE ONE AT HOME ` ONCE AGAIN FINISHED AS JUST THAT ` HOPE. WHAT COMPELLED THE DEFEAT AND SERIES WHITEWASH FURTHER WAS ALL-ROUNDER DARYL MITCHELL MAKING THESE CURIOUS COMMENTS ON SENZ. WE'VE ALWAYS SAID, AS BLACKCAPS, WE'RE NOT DEFINED BY THE OUTCOMES; WE'RE DEFINED BY HOW WE PLAY CRICKET AND HOPEFULLY HOW WE INSPIRE OUR COUNTRY TO PLAY THE GAME. AND, YEAH, REALLY PROUD OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE DID THROUGHOUT THE TEST, ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T GET THE WIN THAT WE WANTED. THAT WENT DOWN ABOUT AS WELL AS A DROPPED CATCH WITH A COUPLE OF FORMER PLAYERS. DON'T TELL ME THAT OUTCOMES HAVE GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH INTERNATIONAL SPORT. WE KIND OF GET WHAT HE'S MEANING, BUT ACTUALLY, YOUNG KIDS WILL FOLLOW THE NEW ZEALAND SIDE WHEN THEY WIN. I PROMISE YOU THAT. I PROMISE YOU THAT, DARYL. JEREMY CONEY'S OLD TEAMMATE, NOW COMMENTARY COLLEAGUE, IAN SMITH LESS TOLERANT. I'M GONNA TAKE TWO OR THREE DEEP BREATHS HERE AND THEN STILL SAY... (LAUGHTER) ...I DON'T BELIEVE I JUST HEARD A NEW ZEALAND CRICKETER SAY, 'WE'RE NOT DEFINED BY THE OUTCOMES.' HENRY, THOUGH, INSISTS THAT MITCHELL'S ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE PLAYERS IN THE TEAM AND THAT IT'S JUST A MISTAKE. AS A GROUP, LOOK, WE OBVIOUSLY PLAY IN A TEST MATCH AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY PROUD, AND WE WANNA PLAY THE BEST CRICKET WE POSSIBLY CAN. AND OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE OUT THERE TRYING TO WIN THOSE MOMENTS. BUT WHETHER OUTCOMES MATTER WILL MEAN LITTLE FOR THE NEXT WEE WHILE, WITH NO BLACKCAPS TESTS SCHEDULED UNTIL SEPTEMBER. ALEX CHAPMAN, NEWSHUB. RUGBY LEAGUE ICON JONATHAN THURSTON HAS SLAMMED THE NRL OVER THE PUNISHMENT HANDED DOWN TO SPENCER LENIU AFTER THE KIWI-BORN ROOSTERS PROP RACIALLY ABUSED AN OPPONENT. A JUDICIARY LAST NIGHT HANDED LENIU AN EIGHT-WEEK BAN AFTER HE ADMITTED CALLING BRONCOS HALF EZRA MAM A 'MONKEY' DURING THEIR ROUND ONE CLASH. BUT THURSTON SAYS THE PUNISHMENT DOESN'T FIT THE CRIME AND THE NRL HAS LET THE GAME DOWN. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT EMMA CROPPER HAS MORE. LATE MONDAY NIGHT, AT THE CENTRE OF A RACIAL SCANDAL, AND SPENCER LENIU HAD NOTHING TO SAY WHEN ARRIVING AT NRL HEADQUARTERS ` ALL TOO AWARE IT TAKES JUST ONE WORD... ...FOR ENOUGH HARM TO BE DONE. IT'S THE MOMENT INDIGENOUS RIVAL EZRA MAM MADE THE COMPLAINT THAT LENIU LATER ADMITTED MAKING. BUT DURING HIS JUDICIAL HEARING, THE ROOSTERS PROP SAID IT WAS... IT'S IN THAT CONTEXT, LENIU ARGUED, THE SLUR WAS BANTER. BUT 90 MINUTES LATER, HE QUIETLY EMERGED, LEAVING THE TALKING TO THE ROOSTERS CEO. WE ACCEPT THE SUSPENSION OF EIGHT WEEKS. BUT ALSO ADDING... THE CLUB STANDS BEHIND SPENCER AND IS FIRMLY OF THE BELIEF HE IS NOT RACIST. ONE OF THE GREATS OF THE GAME DISAGREES... I DON'T THINK THE EIGHT WEEKS IS SUFFICIENT. ...AND BELIEVES THE GAME FAILED WITH ITS PUNISHMENT. QUITE EMOTIONAL TALKING ABOUT IT. IT'S CERTAINLY OPENED UP A LOT OF SCARS FOR OUR PEOPLE. THE NRL CEO HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE SHOCKING EVENT HAS CAUSED AN OUTPOURING OF EMOTION, AND THAT WHILE BAD BEHAVIOUR MUST ALWAYS BE CALLED OUT, ANDREW ABDO SAYS THAT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN RUGBY LEAGUE MUST RESPECT THE INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL REVIEWS PROCESS. LENIU SAYS HE WANTS TO APOLOGISE IN PERSON TO MAM ABOUT WHAT WAS SAID, BUT SO FAR, HE'S REPLIED WITH ONE WORD TO THAT ` NO. IN SYDNEY, EMMA CROPPER, NEWSHUB. THE MUCH-MALIGNED COMMONWEALTH GAMES APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN A LIFELINE, WITH KUALA LUMPUR IN THE BOX SEAT TO HOST THE 2026 EDITION THANKS TO A FINANCIAL HANDOUT FROM THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES FEDERATION. THE GAMES APPEARED TO BE ON LIFE SUPPORT WHEN VICTORIA PULLED OUT OF HOSTING THE EVENT FOLLOWING A BUDGET BLOWOUT. OLLIE RITCHIE JOINS US NOW. OLLIE, WHAT'S HELPING GET THIS OVER THE LINE? QUITE SIMPLY, IT IS THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES FEDERATION ARE OFFERING TO PUT UP AROUND $200 MILLION OF INVESTMENT INTO GETTING THESE GAMES OFF THE GROUND. THAT MONEY WILL COME AS THE COMPENSATION PAID TO THE VICTORIA GOVERNMENT FOR THE LATE WITHDRAWAL. KUALA LUMPUR HAVE HOSTED THE GAMES BEFORE. GETTING A SECOND ATTEMPT IS NOT CONFIRMED, BUT THIS IS A POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. OK, OLLIE. WHAT'S THE NZOC HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT? UNSURPRISINGLY, THE COMMITTEE HAS WELCOMED THE DECISION. THEY SAID THIS ` THIS WILL BE RELIEF TO THE NZOC IF IT DOES GET OFF THE GROUND, AND EQUALLY A RELIEF TO OUR ATHLETES. NEW ZEALAND HAS A RICH HISTORY OF COMPETING AT THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES AND DOING INCREDIBLY WELL. A CHANCE TO ADD TO THAT LEGACY IN 2026 JUST GOT A VERY IMPORTANT LIFELINE. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. THE BLUES ADMIT THE AUSTRALIAN RESURGENCE IN SUPER RUGBY HAS PUT THEM ON NOTICE AS THEY LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK FROM LAST WEEK'S LOSS TO THE HURRICANES. THEY TRAVEL TO SYDNEY THIS WEEK TO FACE A WARATAHS SIDE WHO HAVE ALREADY TIPPED UP THE CRUSADERS AND WERE A PENALTY AWAY FROM DOING THE SAME TO THE HIGHLANDERS. ASSISTANT COACH PAUL TITO IS WELCOMING THE AUSSIE REVIVAL. THEY'RE PLAYING MUCH BETTER RUGBY, AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE COMPETITION. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAVING A REAL CRACK AT THE KIWI TEAMS; WHERE, IN THE PAST, MAYBE THEY WERE A LITTLE BIT HESITANT AND WEREN'T REALLY BACKING THEMSELVES. AUSTRALIAN SIDES HAVE WON TWO OF THEIR SIX TRANS-TASMAN DERBIES SO FAR THIS SEASON, HAVING MANAGED JUST SIX IN TOTAL LAST YEAR. THE WARRIORS TEAM TO FACE THE STORM IN MELBOURNE ON SATURDAY IS IN, WITH WAYDE EGAN AND KURT CAPEWELL BOTH NAMED TO START DESPITE BOTH SUFFERING KNOCKS IN THE SEASON OPENING LOSS TO THE SHARKS. MEANTIME, NEWSHUB'S LEARNED THE CLUB HAS PURCHASED THE PUB CURRENTLY KNOWN AS 'HOLY HOP' ` IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB OF KINGSLAND ` TO BE THE LOCATION OF A NEW WARRIORS-THEMED SPORTS BAR. THE SITE IS JUST A STONE'S THROW FROM EDEN PARK AND PROMISES TO PROVIDE THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE FOR FANS OF ANY AND ALL SPORTS. IT'S SET TO FEATURE A THEMED MENU WITH THE LIKES OF A SHAUN JOHNSON BURGER OR A ROGER TUIVASA-SHECK WRAP. MAY BE SOME TOHU TACOS, MAYBE? I'LL BE THERE. AHEAD OF THE U.S. ELECTION, DONALD TRUMP 'MERCHANDISE' SALES ARE BOOMING. ACROSS THE U.S, ENTREPRENEURS ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO CASH IN ON THE CANDIDATE. U.S. CORRESPONDENT MITCH MCCANN MET ONE OF THEM, AND HIS STORY COMES WITH A WARNING ` BECAUSE, LIKE DONALD TRUMP, SOME PEOPLE MAY FIND WHAT HE SAYS OFFENSIVE. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS OLD CHURCH IS STILL A PLACE OF WORSHIP. THEY DON'T PRAY TO ANY GOD HERE THOUGH, BUT TO A LIVING, BREATHING FORMER PRESIDENT ` AND, GOD FORBID, SOME OF THEIR OFFERINGS. RIGHT HERE'S THE MOST POPULAR THING WE GOT RIGHT NOW IS TRUMP'S BALLS. THESE WEIGH ABOUT A POUND AND A HALF, 2 POUNDS, AND WE'VE SOLD ALL THAT WE CAN GET OF THESE. I'M HEADING BACK TO TEXAS TO PICK UP A LOAD OF BALLS. IRONICALLY, IT WAS A MESSAGE FROM ABOVE THAT INSPIRED THE TRUMP STORE. A FEW YEARS BACK, WHITEY TAYLOR PRAYED TO FIND A PURPOSE. HE SAID, 'WHAT'S GOD TELLING YOU?' I SAID, 'WELL, HE CAME UP IN MY SPIRIT. 'HE WANTS ME TO HELP DONALD TRUMP.' AND WHEN YOU GET A SIGN LIKE THAT, WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO? WHITEY'S NOW SELLING BEACH TOWELS, TEDDY BEARS, ICE CREAM AND WHATEVER THIS IS. IT'S OFTEN CRUDE, SOMETIMES RUDE, BUT CUSTOMERS MIGHT SAY IT'S ` PERFECTLY LOVELY, IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. WHITEY STARTED BY SELLING A THOUSAND T-SHIRTS AT TRUMP RALLIES ACROSS AMERICA. HIS SON THOUGHT HE WAS NUTS. HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW HOW CRAZY YOU GET. JUST GET A HUNDRED.' I SAID, 'GO BIG OR GO HOME, BOY. 'IF GOD'S REALLY TELLING US THIS,' I SAID, 'WE'LL SELL EVERY DAMN ONE OF THEM. 'IF NOT, WE'LL THROW THEM IN A TRASH CAN AND LEAVE.' YOU BET THEY DID SELL EVERY DAMN ONE OF THEM. IT REALLY IS EXTRAORDINARY HOW MANY DIFFERENT TRUMP-RELATED ITEMS THEY ARE SELLING IN THIS STORE HERE IN VIRGINIA. FROM HATS TO BOBBLEHEADS TO BADGES, IT REALLY IS AS IF THEY'VE THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING. THEY'RE JUST LIKE, 'WE LOVE IT. WE LOVE BEING HERE. 'THIS IS THE MOST AMAZING THING WE'VE EVER SEEN.' WE'RE EVEN TOLD SOME CUSTOMERS ARE CONVERTS WHO VOTED AGAINST TRUMP BUT HAVE NOW SEEN THE LIGHT. ALL THE BLACKS THAT SWITCH, THEY COME IN HERE, LEFT AND RIGHT, AND THEY SAY, 'NEVER AGAIN AM I GOING TO VOTE FOR NO DAMN DEMOCRAT.' TO MANY IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD, DONALD TRUMP IS NO SEXUAL ABUSER, BUSINESS FRAUD, ELECTION INTERFERER OR DOCUMENT THIEF. I THINK HE'S A CHRISTIAN MAN, AND I KNOW SOMETIMES HE DOESN'T SAY THE NICEST THINGS, BUT WE'RE NOT ELECTING HIM TO BE A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER. AND IF THEY CAN'T ELECT HIM TO BE PRESIDENT EITHER ` IF HE LOSES THIS RACE, WE'LL HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK CHINESE. BUT AT THE TRUMP STORE, LOSING IS NOT AN OPTION ` THEY STILL THINK HE WON LAST TIME TOO. IN THE UNITED STATES, MITCH MCCANN, NEWSHUB. OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT ` POLICE SAY THEIR LATEST PAY OFFER IS 'INSULTING' AND A 'KICK IN THE GUTS', AND THERE ARE FEARS MORE OFFICERS WILL NOW HEAD TO AUSTRALIA. COMING UP ` NEWSHUB WEATHER. AND THE NEXT ROUND OF RAIN AND WIND HAS JUST ARRIVED IN THE SOUTH? THE WIND KICKED IN THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF THE FRONT, AND THE RAIN IS STARTING TO RAMP UP OVERNIGHT AS THE FRONT TRACKS NORTH-EAST. FORTUNATELY, THE WIND SUBSIDES BEFORE MIDNIGHT ONCE THAT FRONT PASSES OVER THE LOWER SOUTH. FIORDLAND, YOUR HEAVY RAIN WATCH WILL EXPIRE AT MIDNIGHT. MORE IN THE FULL FORECAST, NEXT. You all good, mate? You warm enough? (LAUGHS) SONG: # Like an endless dream... # Nearly there, mate. # Wrap me in your arms... # GIRL: Oh! So that's the difference between Courier and Economy. NAU MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. WE'RE ALL STILL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE REPETITIVE FRONTS, WITH A COLD FRONT HEADING UP THE SOUTH TOMORROW MORNING. IT'LL REACH WELLINGTON AT MIDDAY, THEN CONTINUE TOWARDS TAIHAPE TOMORROW NIGHT. BEHIND THE FRONT ` HIGH PRESSURE, SO THAT WILL CLEAR OUT THE SHOWERY CONDITIONS. BUT THEN THE NEXT COLD FRONT MOVES UP THE SOUTHERN OCEAN, REACHING THE SOUTH ISLAND ON THURSDAY. SO IT'S EASY TO TRACK THE FRONT TOMORROW ` PLENTY OF SHOWERS HEADING UP TO THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE ISLAND BY DAWN. WESTERLIES AHEAD OF THE FRONT TURN SOUTHERLY IN ITS WAKE. TOMORROW, SHOWERS RETREAT TO THE TOP OF THE MAINLAND IN THE AFTERNOON, AND APART FROM JUST A FEW SHOWERS FOR THE SOUTHLAND COAST, THE REST OF THE ISLAND IS FINE. ANOTHER CLOUDY NIGHT TONIGHT FOR THE NORTH ISLAND WITH POCKETS OF SHOWERS INCREASING OVER THE WESTERN HALF CLOSE TO SUNRISE. WINDS WILL MOSTLY BE FROM THE WEST BUT WITH STRONG NORTHERLIES THROUGH COOK STRAIT. IT'S A CLOUDY MORNING FOR MOST, WITH SHOWERS, EXCEPT FROM BAY OF PLENTY AND THE NORTHWEST. SHOWERS REACH GISBORNE IN THE AFTERNOON. THANKS TO ALL THE CLOUD, THE NIGHT WILL BE MILD IN THE NORTH WITH PLENTY OF SHOWERS AROUND TOMORROW. THEY START TO CLEAR OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH A WEST TO SOU'WESTER WIND. MORNING CLOUD HERE TOO WITH THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS. FINE SPELLS INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON, WITH WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING BEFORE LUNCH AND DYING OUT TOMORROW NIGHT. THE MORNING IS THE BETTER HALF OF THE DAY OUT EAST WITH ONLY HIGH CLOUD. BUT CLOUD THICKENS DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH SHOWERS AND A SOU'EASTER FROM HASTINGS NORTH. MOSTLY CLOUDY AND WITH SHOWERS FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND. WINDS TEND TO BE FROM THE WEST OR NORWEST, BUT A SOUTHERLY ARRIVES LATE MORNING FOR WELLINGTON AND IN THE AFTERNOON FOR KAPITI. FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND, THE RAIN EASES QUICKLY IN THE MORNING AND FINES UP NICELY FOR THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER, IT CLOUDS OVER AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT. WINDS WILL, FOR THE MOST PART, BE LIGHT. AND IT'S A CLEARING TREND OUT EAST TOO, WITH SHOWERS EASING IN THE MORNING. CLOUD RETURNS TOMORROW NIGHT FOR THE WIDER CANTERBURY REGION, WITH SOUTHERLIES TURNING EAST TO NOR'EAST. AND RAIN CLEARS EARLY BUT LINGERS AROUND THE SOUTHLAND COAST. CLOUD RETURNS FOR THOSE OUT EAST IN THE EVENING, WITH SOU'EASTERS TURNING NOR'EAST FOR OAMARU. SO, WINDS TURN SOU'WEST TONIGHT FOR DUNEDIN AND HANG AROUND ALL DAY TOMORROW. IT'S MOSTLY FINE, BUT TOMORROW NIGHT, CLOUD ROLLS BACK IN WITH LATE SHOWERS BY THE COAST. A LIGHT NOR'WESTER DEVELOPS TONIGHT FOR YOU, CHRISTCHURCH. IT WILL TURN SOUTHERLY IN THE MORNING, THEN EASTERLY LATE AFTERNOON. APART FROM MORNING SHOWERS, THE DAY IS MOSTLY CLEAR. NOT SO FOR WELLINGTON ` CLOUDY, WITH SHOWERS ARRIVING LATE MORNING. STRONG NORTHERLIES TOO, BUT THEY'LL TURN TO A LIGHTER SOUTHERLY BEFORE LUNCH. THE SHOWERS CLEAR TOMORROW NIGHT. HAWKE'S BAY, YOUR DAY WILL BE MOSTLY FINE ` JUST HIGH CLOUD. BUT AFTER LUNCH, THE CLOUD ARRIVES, WITH A SOU'EASTER AND BRINGING SHOWERS WHICH COULD BE HEAVY INLAND. MORNING CLOUD AROUND TAURANGA WITH THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS. THE AFTERNOON LOOKS GOOD, WITH A WESTERLY DYING OUT TOMORROW NIGHT, AND WARM. SHOWERS CLEAR TONIGHT AROUND HAMILTON BUT DEVELOP AGAIN TOMORROW MORNING. WESTERLIES ARRIVE IN THE AFTERNOON AND WILL DIE DOWN TOMORROW NIGHT. AND ANOTHER SIMILAR DAY TO TODAY FOR AUCKLAND ` MOSTLY CLOUDY, SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A SOU'WESTERLY DYING DOWN TOMORROW NIGHT. OVER THE TASMAN ` IT'S A CLOUDY DAY FOR ADELAIDE AND SHOWERS FOR MELBOURNE, CAIRNS AND DARWIN. AND PLENTY OF RAIN ACROSS THE PACIFIC, WITH THUNDERSTORMS A MAIN FEATURE FOR FIJI AND SAMOA. BACK TO US ` AND IT'S MORE OF THE SAME, WITH A FEW SHOWERS POSSIBLE UP TOP ON THURSDAY. BUT RAIN DEVELOPS FOR ALL ON FRIDAY. THAT RAIN EXTENDS TO MOST IN THE NORTH ISLAND AND COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES. THERE'S ALSO A DROP IN TEMPERATURE FOR THE WEEKEND FOR ALL, BUT THE RAIN CLEARS ON SATURDAY, AND FINE BREAKS INCREASE. RAIN CONTINUES OUT WEST FOR A FEW MORE DAYS, AGAIN CAUGHT UP IN THAT FRONTAL CYCLE. BUT PART OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT THAT HITS LATER IN THE WEEK WILL BE A SHARP DROP IN TEMPERATURES FOR EVERYONE IN THE SOUTH ISLAND. THE REASON IT WILL BE SO COLD ` THE SOURCE AIR IS FROM ANTARCTICA, SO IT WILL FEEL MORE LIKE MAY THAN MARCH, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH. FANTASTIC. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT SIX FOR TODAY. REBECCA WRIGHT AND THE NEWSHUB LATE TEAM ARE HERE ON THREE AT 9.25. AND YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWSHUB TEAM AT NEWS@NEWSHUB.CO.NZ. I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. AND I'M MIKE MCROBERTS. PO MANAHAU. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND KATE MCCULLOUGH.