RUNNING A RESTAURANT IS A TOUGH BUSINESS. THE MARGINS ARE TIGHT AND THE OVERHEADS LARGE. SO WHEN A GROUP CANCELS A BOOKING LAST MINUTE, OR WORSE, DOESN'T SHOW UP AT ALL, SHOULD THEY BE CHARGED A FEE? AS IF DINING OUT ISN'T EXPENSIVE ENOUGH. IN THE STATES, YOU COULD BE PAYING FOR FOOD YOU DON'T EVEN EAT. NEW DATA FROM THE U.S. SHOWS RESTAURANT CANCELLATION FEES ARE ON THE RISE, WITH 17% OF AMERICAN EATERIES CHARGING AT LEAST ONE CANCELLATION FEE IN JANUARY. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 13% FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. AND THE REASON BEHIND THE JUMP? A RISE IN NO-SHOWS. IN BRITAIN, RESTAURANTS REPORTED A 40% INCREASE IN PEOPLE NOT TURNING UP, WHILE CANCELLATIONS WITH LESS THAN 24 HOURS' NOTICE JUMPED 35%. SO ARE RESTAURANTS WITHIN THEIR RIGHTS TO CHARGE CANCELLATION FEES? AND HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY FOR A MEAL YOU DIDN'T EVEN GET TO EAT? AND MARISA BIDOIS FROM THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION IS HERE NOW. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, MARISA. HOW GOOD ARE KIWIS AT SHOWING UP? AND WHAT'S THE FLOW-ON EFFECT IF THEY DON'T? WELL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME THIS EVENING. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. NOW, AS FAR AS KIWIS SHOWING UP FOR THEIR BOOKINGS IN RESTAURANTS, WE DID A RECENT SURVEY THAT SAID THERE'S ONLY AROUND 5% OF BOOKINGS THAT DON'T SHOW UP WHEN THEY DO MAKE A BOOKING. THAT'S NOT BAD IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS. SO OVERALL, I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO BAD AT ALL. AND AS FAR AS THE IMPACT GOES, IF YOU DON'T TURN UP FOR YOUR BOOKING, WELL, IT REALLY... IT TAKES A SEAT THAT COULD OTHERWISE BE GOING TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER. IT DEPENDS. IF YOU'RE COMING WITH A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE, THERE MAY BE FOOD THAT'S BEEN PRE-ORDERED, STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN ARRANGED FOR THE EVENING, SO THE IMPLICATIONS CAN BE QUITE LARGE. DO MANY NEW ZEALAND RESTAURANTS CHARGE CANCELLATION FEES, AND WHAT PERCENTAGE WOULD BE FAIR AS A CHARGE? LOOK, FROM OUR SURVEY, THERE WAS ONLY AROUND ABOUT 6% TO 10% OF BUSINESSES THAT CURRENTLY DID TAKE A CHARGE FOR SMALLER BOOKINGS. WHEN YOU GET INTO THE LARGER BOOKINGS, WHEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 15 PEOPLE OR OVER, THAT WAS FAR MORE COMMON. AROUND 60% OF PEOPLE WOULD TAKE A BOOKING FEE OR A PRE-BOOKING FEE AT THAT STAGE. SO, YOU KNOW, SMALLER BOOKINGS, NOT SO MANY, BUT THE LARGER ONES, IT'S PRETTY COMMON PRACTICE IN MANY CASES. AND AS FAR AS THE DEPOSIT AMOUNT, IT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM 20 TO 50. UM, IT MAY EVEN BE UP TO 80% IF YOU'VE GOT A LARGE GROUP. MARISA, WHAT IF SOMEONE HAS A GENUINE REASON FOR CANCELLING AT SHORT NOTICE? LOOK, OUR INDUSTRY ARE PRETTY UNDERSTANDING, AND I THINK IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY SEVERE THAT'S COME UP OR, YOU KNOW, SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WELL BEYOND YOUR CONTROL, IT'S ABSOLUTELY WORTH RINGING AND EXPLAINING THAT TO THE BUSINESS OWNER. THE OTHER THING AS WELL IS THAT THE SOONER YOU CAN CALL TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, THE BETTER. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK THAT. WHAT'S A REASONABLE TIME FRAME, DO YOU THINK, FOR BOTH PARTIES IF YOU DO NEED TO CANCEL? LOOK, THE SOONER THE BETTER, AS FAR AS THAT GOES. BUT LOOK, IF YOU'VE GOT A LARGER BOOKING ` AND I MEAN, IF YOU'RE BRINGING IN A GROUP OF 100, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED QUITE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF NOTICE TO CANCEL THAT. BUT IF IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU THAT ARE BOOKED IN, GIVE AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE. 24 HOURS WOULD BE PROBABLY ENOUGH. BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS. I MEAN, IF IT'S A SMALLER RESTAURANT AND THEY ONLY SEAT 30 PEOPLE, WELL, TWO PEOPLE MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. IF YOU'RE A 100-SEATER RESTAURANT, TWO PEOPLE MAY NOT MAKE SUCH A LARGE IMPACT. SO IT REALLY DOES DEPEND ON THE BUSINESS AS WELL. IT'S NOT JUST THE RESTAURANT SECTOR THAT'S ASKING US TO SHOW UP, IS IT? THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S PRETTY COMMON PRACTICE IN MANY DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES AT THE MOMENT. YOU KNOW, FROM THE HAIRDRESSER, THE NAIL TECHNICIAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF AREAS. IF YOU BUY A TICKET, YOU PAY FOR THAT IN ADVANCE OF THE SHOW. THERE'S LOTS OF EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE PRE-CHARGING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARISA. GOOD TO TALK TO YOU. WONDERFUL TO TALK TO YOU TOO. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. IT IS GOOD TO HEAR THAT CARRIE'S TURN UP THAT GREAT WHEN IT COMES TO A CUPPA, WE ALL HAVE OUR PREFERENCES ABOUT HOW WE LIKE IT. BUT COULD THE TEMPERATURE BE HARMFUL TO OUR HEALTH? I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE A CUP OF TEA. WOULD ANYONE LIKE A CUPPA? I'LL MAKE THEM. YEAH. YEAH. SWEET... YEAH, GO ON THEN. WHEN IT COMES TO A CUPPA, WE ALL HAVE OUR PREFERENCES. BUT COULD TURNING UP THE HEAT BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH? HERE YOU GO BC. OW, IT'S TOO HOT! OW, IT'S TOO HOT! EQUALLY, HOW COLD IS TOO COLD? OH MY GOD, NINA, THIS IS TOO COLD. HERE YOU GO, BOSS. AND IS ICY WORSE THAN SPICY? AND FOR MORE ON THIS WE'RE JOINED BY GP DOCTOR JOHN CAMERON. GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN, DOCTOR JOHN. OK. WHAT'S THE SITUATION HERE? IS IT BAD TO HAVE DRINKS THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY HOT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU KNOW, ON A COLD WINTER'S DAY YOU'RE SITTING BY THE FIRE YOU COULD EITHER HAVE A REALLY COLD PINT OF GUINNESS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS OK AS WELL, OR A REALLY NICE CUP OF TEA. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO YOURSELF ANY DAMAGE FROM IT. IF IT'S SO HOT THAT IT BURNS YOUR MOUTH, THAT'S A SILLY IDEA, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO LIKE THAT. SO THERE WAS A THOUGHT THAT POTENTIALLY HAVING A LOT OF RECURRENT HOT DRINKS MIGHT TICKLE UP YOUR OESOPHAGUS. THE TUBE WHICH GOES FROM YOUR MOUTH TO YOUR STOMACH, AND GIVE YOU OESOPHAGEAL CANCER. WE KNOW THAT'S PROBABLY NOT TRUE. THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS ABOUT CAUSATION VERSUS CORRELATION IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN SEE IT INCREASING THE RISK BUT THERE MIGHT BE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER THINGS WHICH ARE THERE. WE SEE IT MOSTLY OUT OF CHINA AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM..JUST TALKING ON OESOPHAGEAL CANCER WHILE WE GOT YOU HERE, IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE, SIXTH LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER. DEATH IN THE WORLD, IF FOUND EARLY, CAN BE CURED. IF FOUND LATE, CAN BE LETHAL. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT IT IS TO REPORT ANY SYMPTOMS YOU GET ABOUT FOOD STICKING IN YOUR GULLET. IF YOU'RE GETTING FOOD STICKING IN YOUR GULLET, GO AND GET IT SEEN. THAT THE BIG TICKET ITEMS FOR THAT, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE HOT FOOD AND THE TOP HALF OF THE OESOPHAGUS, IT'S ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES. THOSE TWO OLD FRIENDS THAT WE'VE GOT, THEY SEEM TO BE THE BIGGEST MARKER OF POTENTIAL RISK. FOR CANCER OF THE OESOPHAGUS, THE HOT DRINKS A LITTLE BIT ON TOP, MAYBE A TINY LITTLE BIT ON TOP, BUT THAT'S MOSTLY ACROSS ASIA. IN NEW ZEALAND, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT CANCER WHICH OCCURS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OESOPHAGUS WHICH IS WHERE THE OESOPHAGUS JOINS INTO THE STOMACH, ADENOCARCINOMA. IT'S A DIFFERENT BEAST AND THAT SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO REFLUX. SO AS FAR AS HOT DRINKS CAUSING DAMAGE, THE JURY'S OUT. WE THINK IT'S NOT A MAJOR. OKAY, DOCTOR. SO WHAT ABOUT COLD DRINKS? IS TOO COLD BAD FOR YOU? NO. AGAIN, YOUR BODY WILL ASSIMILATE IT VERY, VERY QUICKLY. BY THE TIME IT'S INTO YOUR MOUTH AND DOWN THROUGH YOUR OESOPHAGUS, YOUR BODY IS WARMING EVERYTHING UP. AND BY THE TIME IT'S IN YOUR BELLY, IT'S GETTING TO BLOOD TEMPERATURE VERY, VERY QUICKLY. THERE IS A POTENTIAL RISK. IT'S THIS LOVELY NERVE CALLED THE VAGUS NERVE, WHICH COMES OUT OF YOUR BRAIN, WANDERS DOWN THROUGH YOUR, UH, THROUGH YOUR CHEST AND DOWN AROUND ABOUT YOUR HEART. IF YOU STIMULATE THAT TOO MUCH, IT CAN SLOW YOUR HEART RATE RIGHT DOWN SO YOU CAN GET A REALLY SLOW PULSE GOING ON. AND SOMETIMES THAT WILL DROP YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE. BUT AS LONG AS YOU LIE FLAT ON THE GROUND, BESIDE YOUR PINT OF GUINNESS, YOU'LL BE FINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DOCTOR JOHN. GREAT TO TALK TO YOU AS ALWAYS. PLEASURE, GUYS. DON'T MIND A HOT DRINK SO MUCH WOMAD KICKS OFF IN NEW PLYMOUTH TOMORROW.BUT I DON'T DON'T MIND A HOT DRINK SO MUCH EVERYTHING THAT GIVES YOU BRAIN FREEZE IS SPECTACULAR WOMAD KICKS OFF IN NEW PLYMOUTH TOMORROW.BUT I DON'T OF MUSIC, ART AND DANCE LOVERS WILL BE HEADING FOR THE BOWL OF BROOKLANDS FOR THE THREE-DAY EXTRAVAGANZA. ALSO IN ATTENDANCE, A SPECIAL CHARITY HOPING TO HARNESS SOME OF THAT AMAZING ENERGY. HERE'S CAROLYN ROBINSON. IN AN UNDISCLOSED PATCH OF PARADISE, THERE'S A LIFE-SAVING SANCTUARY. (PEACEFUL GUITAR MUSIC) THE TARANAKI RETREAT IS A SUICIDE PREVENTION CHARITY. A PLACE TO GO WHEN LIFE LITERALLY GETS TOO MUCH. THERE ARE PLENTY OF BEDS, PLACES TO TALK, AND EARS TO LISTEN. SOMEWHERE TO LAY DOWN YOUR BURDENS, NO MATTER HOW HEAVY. AND THOUGH IT'S A FREE SERVICE, THE RETREAT HAS BILLS TO PAY. SO THEY'LL BE RATTLING THE DONATION BUCKETS AT WOMAD, HOPING TO GET ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THEIR POWER BILL FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. THIS IS THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS MADE CRYSTAL CLEAR, AND THEY'RE DETERMINED TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. AND CAROLINE SILK FROM THE TARANAKI RETREAT IS WITH US NOW. CAROLINE, GREAT TO SEE YOU. IT SOUNDS LIKE AN AMAZING ORGANISATION. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU HELPED? UH, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING 10 YEARS NOW, AND WE'VE HELPED WELL OVER 10,000 PEOPLE. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, WE HAVE ABOUT 400 PEOPLE ON OUR BOOKS AT ANY ONE TIME. THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND IT'S GOT TO BE HUGELY EXPENSIVE. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO KEEP THE PLACE GOING? UH, OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR THIS COMING YEAR IS 1.25 MILLION, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A LOT TO YOUR AVERAGE NEW ZEALANDER. BUT FOR OUR ORGANISATION, WE'VE GOT 29 PAID PEOPLE, OVER 100 VOLUNTEERS, TWO SITES. WE OFFER OUR SERVICES WITHOUT ANY COST TO ANYBODY. AND SO THAT COVERS ALL OF THE STAYS AT THE LODGE. IT COVERS THE COUNSELLING, THE LIFE COACHING, THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE OFFER AND THE FOOD AND COMFORT THAT WE OFFER PEOPLE. AND SO HOW MUCH ARE YOU HOPING TO RAISE? THIS WEEKEND IS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR US. WE ARE HOPING TO RAISE $15,000. WHAT WE'LL USE THAT MONEY FOR IS TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. LOOK, TARANAKI CAN BE A BIT COLD IN THE WINTER. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WE PROVIDE A WARM, COMFORTABLE PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO STAY, SO WE'RE HOPING TO PAY OUR POWER BILL FOR THE YEAR. SO YOU'RE HOPING THAT EVERYONE AT WOMAD IS VERY GENEROUS AND THEY NEED TO BRING SOME CASH? THAT WILL BE THE EASIEST, WOULDN'T IT? WELL, IT WOULD, BUT TO BE HONEST, WE'VE GOT EFTPOS MACHINES AVAILABLE AND WE'VE GOT A QR CODE ON ALL OF OUR BUCKETS, SO PEOPLE CAN DONATE LATER IF THEY WANT TO, OR THEY CAN JUMP ONTO OUR WEBSITE. WWW.TARANAKI.ORG.NZ AND THAT'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH TO PAGES WHERE YOU CAN LOOK AT WAYS THAT YOU CAN DONATE. LOOK, IF EVERYBODY IN OUR COUNTRY DONATED 50c TO US TODAY, THAT WOULD GIVE US TWO YEARS OF OPERATING COSTS. THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. WELL, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S DOING IT RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CAROLINE. BEST OF LUCK WITH THE FUNDRAISING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS. THE SCHOOL THAT'S GETTING A SECOND LIFE. PLUS ` THE NEW OLYMPIC EVENT, THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS A CROSS BETWEEN PADDLING AND DODGEMS. NATURALLY, NZ IS SENDING A TEAM ` MEET THEM IN JUST A MOMENT. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. NOW TO A DECAYING LANDMARK THAT'S ON THE WAY BACK. THE LONG ABANDONED ST STEPHEN'S SCHOOL ON THE BOMBAY HILLS. TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT TO GET ST STEPHEN'S BACK UP AND RUNNING NEXT YEAR, CREATING A NEW ERA FOR MAORI BOYS' EDUCATION. HERE'S MICHAEL HOLLAND. (SWEEPING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) IT STOOD AS A SILENT SENTINEL FOR THE LAST 24 YEARS, GLIMPSED BY THE CEASELESS CAVALCADE OVER THE BOMBAYS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART UNLOVED AND SEEMINGLY FORGOTTEN. IN 1930 THESE BUILDINGS WERE ESTABLISHED ON SITE HERE. THERE'S A GRANDEUR ABOUT THEM ` ALBEIT IN THIS DILAPIDATED STATE, THERE'S A GRANDEUR ABOUT THEM THAT WE WISH TO PRESERVE, TO RECOGNISE THE HISTORY OF THIS PLACE. A HISTORY NATHAN DURIE KNOWS INTIMATELY, BOTH AS A STUDENT IN THE '70S AND LATER AS A STAFF MEMBER. MY STORY IS VERY TYPICAL BACK THEN OF YOUNG MEN FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARRIVED HERE, LOOKING UP AT THIS STATELY FACILITY GOING, WOW... I DON'T THINK I'D EVER SEEN A BUILDING THAT BIG. YOU KNOW, WE'D NEVER BEEN TO AUCKLAND BEFORE. (CHUCKLES) AND NEXT YEAR, WHEN TIPENE ST STEPHEN'S REOPENS WITH A REVITALISED TAKE ON EDUCATION FOR MAORI BOYS, HE AND HIS WIFE, YVETTE, WILL BE CO-PRINCIPALS. IN YOUR DAY, WHERE WAS THE HEADMASTER? THE BOSS'S OFFICE, AS WE CALLED HIM, WAS JUST UNDER THE SIGN THERE THAT SAYS BEWARE. (CHUCKLES) THE SLOGAN OF THE SCHOOL IS 'TITIRO MATATAU KI TE RANGI'. AND THAT'S THIS NOTION OF CONTINUALLY LOOKING TO ASPIRE UPWARD, TOWARDS THE SKIES. AND SO, YEAH, THIS ELEVATES YOUR VIEW AND ENCOURAGES US ALL TO CONTINUE TO LIFT OUR HEADS AND LOOK UPWARD. AND THAT WILL BE QUITE A PICTURE. YEAH, YEAH, IT'LL BE BEAUTIFUL. (ASPIRATIONAL MUSIC) IT'S A HUGE CHALLENGE. DAUNTING? NO. NO, NOT DAUNTING. A PRIVILEGED OPPORTUNITY, REALLY, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, PARTICULARLY IN BOYS' EDUCATION. HOW NEEDED IS IT? WELL, EDUCATIONAL STATISTICS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE INDICATED THERE'S NEVER BEEN A GREATER NEED, ACTUALLY. THE SPACE OF MAORI BOYS EDUCATION IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND SHOULD BE ` AND IS ` A POINT OF EMBARRASSMENT FOR THIS COUNTRY. AND SO WE WANT TO HAVE A GO AT RECTIFYING THAT. THE SCHOOL'S REBIRTH FOLLOWING ITS CLOSURE IN THE YEAR 2000 AMID ALLEGATIONS OF STUDENT BULLYING AND INTIMIDATION, SPEARHEADED BY THE ANGLICAN CHURCH ST STEPHEN'S TRUST BOARD, WHICH HAS HELD TRUE TO THE PROPERTY'S ORIGINAL DEED STIPULATING THAT IT BE USED FOR EDUCATION. DID IT NEED A PERIOD OF TIME, BETWEEN THE THEN AND THE NOW? WHAT'S BEEN HAS BEEN, AND THERE'S A CHANCE TO START FRESH AND RETHINK HOW THINGS LOOK. AND OF COURSE, DURING THAT PERIOD, EDUCATION'S CHANGED. WE LEARN FROM IT, AND IF WE DON'T, THEN WE'RE CHALLENGED WITH REPEATING HISTORY, AND WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. THERE'S SOME GOOD HISTORY THAT SHOULD BE RECOGNISED AND CELEBRATED, AND THERE'S OTHER PARTS OF IT THAT WE NEED TO GROW FROM. THE ALUMNI OF THE SCHOOL WILL RECOGNISE THESE AS SPACES THAT WERE DORMITORIES ONCE UPON A TIME, AND THEY'RE NOW GONNA BE RECONFIGURED INTO TEACHING SPACES WITH ALL OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, BELLS AND WHISTLES AND AN OPEN-PLAN SYSTEM. THE SCHOOL WILL OPEN WITH A ROLL OF 30, ALL BOARDERS, AND THEN INCREASE YEAR BY YEAR TO A MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF 250. HUSBAND AND WIFE CO-PRINCIPALS. UNIQUE, SURELY? YEAH, VERY UNIQUE. I THINK IT'S JUST ABOUT SHARING THE BLAME, REALLY, IN THE END. BUT MOSTLY ABOUT SHARING THE ROLE. AND I THINK, FOR US, WE'RE COMPLEMENTARY IN THE SKILL SET THAT WE BRING. THE PROMOTION OF THE FEMALE VOICE AND HEART IN THIS PLACE IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. THE FIRST VOICE YOU HEAR ON A MARAE IS FEMALES. WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE IN YOUR MIND? THERE ARE QUANTIFIABLE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE TICK OFF. TE REO MAORI SHOULD BE ONE OF THOSE ` THAT AFTER FIVE YEARS IN THIS INSTITUTION, YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE CAPACITY AND CONFIDENCE IN THAT AREA OF THEIR WORLD. THE OTHER PART OF SUCCESS FOR ME IS THAT THE WELFARE AND CARE OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY HAVE A SMILE ON THEIR FACE AND THEY WANT TO BE HERE. BUT MOSTLY YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVING HERE WITH A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE, I THINK IS IMPORTANT. GET OUT THERE AND SEIZE IT. GRAB IT. DEFINITELY. YOU'RE BOTH WELL AND TRULY UP FOR IT? TOTALLY. YEAH. WE'RE HERE. WE'RE COMMITTED. WE'RE IN DEEP. THERE'S NO WAY OUT. (LAUGHS) (SWEEPING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) WHEN WE SEE THAT CLOCKTOWER SHINING AGAIN, IT'LL BE A SIGNAL TO EVERYBODY, THE THOUSANDS OF COMMUTERS WHO PASS THIS PLACE EVERY DAY, THAT THIS SCHOOL IS ALIVE AGAIN. MR BLOCK TO EVERYONE INVOLVED THERE ARE ONLY 134 DAYS UNTIL THE PARIS OLYMPICS, AND NZ HAS BEGUN TO ANNOUNCE THE TEAM IT'S TAKING. BEN HURLEY WENT TO MEET TWO MEMBERS FROM A SPORT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT. ACROSS THE WORLD, LUUKA JONES IS CONSIDERED CANOE SLALOM ROYALTY. IN A SPORT HEAVILY DOMINATED BY EUROPEAN NATIONS, SHE WILL REPRESENT NZ AT THE OLYMPICS FOR AN INCREDIBLE FIFTH TIME. I CAME TO THE VECTOR WERO, A $40M TRAINING FACILITY IN SOUTH AUCKLAND, FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT. FIVE OLYMPICS ` ARE YOU GETTING A BIT BORED WITH THESE OLYMPIC ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW? OH YEAH. THEY'RE OLD NEWS (!) (BOTH LAUGH) NAH, I LOVE IT. IS THIS FLAGBEARER YEAR FOR YOU? (CHUCKLES) I DON'T KNOW ` THAT'S A PRETTY HUGE HONOUR, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M REALLY THERE YET, YOU KNOW? OH REALLY? (LAUGHS) I THINK THIS IS THIS THE CAMPAIGN. (LAUGHS) IS THIS THE CAMPAIGN? YEAH. OK. LET'S HAVE LUUKA BE THE FLAGBEARER. I'LL START PRACTISING, THEN. (BOTH LAUGH) NZ'S PROUD TRADITION WITH, YOU KNOW, BOAT AND WATER SPORTS. MM-HM. WHY IS THAT? SITTING-DOWN SPORTS. (BOTH LAUGH) IT IS, ISN'T IT? YEAH. WE'RE GOOD AT SITTING DOWN. YEAH, I LOVE SITTING DOWN. YEAH. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SURROUNDED BY THE OCEAN AND RIVERS AND LAKES. YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE YOU GO, YOU'RE NOT TOO FAR FROM A WATERHOLE. SO IS THERE ANY RIVALRY BETWEEN YOU AND MAYBE A CERTAIN DAME? (CHUCKLES) DAME VAL? DAME VAL. I DON'T THINK SHE'S THE ONLY DAME. DAME LISA. OH YEAH. SO MANY DAMES. IS THIS WHERE WE START THE CAMPAIGN FOR DAME? (LAUGHS) WOW. SO MANY CAMPAIGNS. (BOTH LAUGH) SHE'LL BE JOINED BY CENTRAL OTAGO'S FINN BUTCHER, FOR HIS FIRST-EVER OLYMPICS. THE PAIR WILL COMPETE IN THE TRADITIONAL SLALOM TIME TRIAL, BUT ALSO IN A NEW OLYMPIC DISCIPLINE OF CANOE CROSS. OK, FINN, FIRST OLYMPICS, MAN. - BOTH: YEAH. FROTHING. (BOTH LAUGH) NOW, YOU'RE REPRESENTING NZ IN TWO DISCIPLINES ` ONE'S CANOE SLALOM; I THINK MOST PEOPLE, KIND OF, UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT THERE. YEAH. BUT THERE'S THIS NEW ONE ` KAYAK CROSS, THAT YOU'RE ALSO DOING. I'VE HAD A LOOK ONLINE. IT LOOKS LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN PADDLING AND A FIGHT. (LAUGHS) PRETTY MUCH. YEAH. YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO DESCRIBE IT, ACTUALLY, YEAH. THERE'S FOUR OF US SLIDING OFF A RAMP INTO THE WATER, AND THEN BASICALLY BATTLING IT. # WHOA, BLACK BETTY, BAM-BA-LAM. YEAH, THERE'S A BIT OF BIT OF ARGY BARGY, SOME CONTACT, MAYBE A BIT OF BLOOD EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE LOVE TO SEE IT. # YOU KNOW THAT'S NO LIE, BAM-BA-LAM. # SHE'S SO ROCK STEADY, BAM-BA-LAM. # NOW, THIS FACILITY HERE, THE WERO. MM. IT'S PRETTY AMAZING, ISN'T IT? DO YOU THINK THIS HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON HOW MUCH THIS SPORT'S GROWN IN NZ? YEAH, 100%. I THINK IT OPENED END OF 2015, AND I BASICALLY MOVED STRAIGHT HERE. IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, BEING FROM DEEP DOWN SOUTH, I WAS, LIKE, 'I'M NOT MOVING TO AUCKLAND UNLESS THERE'S A WHITEWATER STADIUM THERE.' AND SURE ENOUGH. (THE BEATLES' 'TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS') OK, LUUKA, YOU'VE VERY KINDLY OFFERED TO TAKE ME DOWN THE RIVER HERE. I'M PRETTY NERVOUS, BUT I JUST WONDER IF I CAN BE OF ANY HELP AT ALL, OR IS IT BEST IF I DO NOTHING? I THINK YOU JUST NEED TO FOLLOW MY PROMPTS. YOU KNOW, IF I SAY GO FASTER, GO FASTER. OK. PADDLE AS HARD AS YOU CAN. AND WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL DANGERS HERE? POTENTIAL DANGERS IS THAT WE POWER FLIP, AND WE HAVE TO SWIM THE REST OF THE RIVER. # SURRENDER TO THE VOID. # IT IS SHINING. # IT IS SHINING. # THAT YOU MAY SEE THE MEANING OF WITHIN. OK. OK. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING OVER. # IT IS BEING. # I DIDN'T MAKE IT ` I HAD TO SWIM TO THE SIDE. I'M PRETTY SURE SHE DID THAT ON PURPOSE. I BETTER TO GO CHASE AFTER THE BOAT, I GUESS. DID YOU SEE HIT LUTHERAN HEADWATERS NOT GREAT FOR EDITING WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. ON THE SHOW TOMORROW, WE'RE MIXING ACROBATICS WITH CONTORTION, AND SETTING IT TO A PULSATING BEAT. SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT WAY TO SPEND A FRIDAY, IF YOU ASK ME. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY ` THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. THE GREAT KIWI BAKE-OFF IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. POMARIE. CHEERIO. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN, OTO SEQUEIRA AND ALEX BACKHOUSE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024.