TENA TATOU KATOA, GOOD EVENING. ACT LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR RECEIVED A LESS THAN WELCOMING RECEPTION AT A PALMERSTON NORTH SCHOOL HE VISITED TODAY, WITH ONE STUDENT SPITTING AT HIS FEET AFTER PERFORMING A HAKA IN PROTEST. NEWSHUB HAS OBTAINED FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT. POLITICAL EDITOR JENNA LYNCH JOINS US NOW LIVE. JENNA, WHAT HAPPENED? DAVID SEYMOUR IS THE ASSOCIATE EDUCATION MINISTER. DURING A VISIT HE STOPPED AND AT A PALMERSTON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL TO TALK TO SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL LEADERS ABOUT TRUANCY. AS HE WAS LEAVING, A HAKA WAS PERFORMED BY STUDENTS WAVING TINO RANGATIRATANGA FLAGS. AND ANONYMOUS STUDENTS SENT US THIS FOOTAGE. YEAH! (PERFORM HAKA) THE STUDENT WHO BROUGHT US TO OUR ATTENTION, SAID THAT DAVID SEYMOUR SHOWED UP AND ASKED THE STUDENTS TO START PAYING FOR THEIR LUNCHES. THIS IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT IS PART OF THE FOOD IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM WHICH DAVID SEYMOUR HAS SAID HE WANTS TO CUT. THERE IS A FEAR AMONGST THIS UNION IS AMONGST THE STUDENTS THAT THEY ARE BILINGUAL CLASSES WILL BE CUT. I HAVE RECEIVED A STATEMENT FROM DAVID SEYMOUR THAT SAYS THE MEETING WAS VALUABLE, BUT SOME OF THE STUDENTS GOT OVEREXCITED. THEY WERE PERHAPS EGGING EACH OTHER ON. BUT I THOUGHT OF THE HAKA WAS GOOD. THANK YOU. POLICE ARE ASKING FOR HELP TO IDENTIFY A BODY THAT WAS FOUND WRAPPED IN PLASTIC BY A FISHERMAN IN THE GULF HARBOUR JUST NORTH OF AUCKLAND. THE GRIM DISCOVERY WAS MADE EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION IS NOW UNDERWAY. GRACE THOMAS JOINS US NOW FROM THE GULF HARBOUR MARINA. GRACE, WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US? THE POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION FINISHED TODAY. WE NOW KNOW THAT THE VICTIM WAS A WOMAN OF ASIAN DESCENT, POSSIBLY CHINESE AND OF SMALL STATURE. POLICE ARE ASKING ANYONE WHO HAS INFORMATION THAT MATCHES THAT DESCRIPTION TO GET IN TOUCH. THEIR PRIORITY IS TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIM THEY DO NOT YET KNOW THE CAUSE OF DEATH, BUT THEY BELIEVE THERE IS NO WIDER RISK TO THE PUBLIC. THEY ARE URGING ANYONE WHO WAS IN THE GULF HARBOUR AREA OVER THE LAST FEW AREAS WHO MAY HAVE SEEN SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS TO GET IN TOUCH. THEY SAY NOPE HIS INFORMATION IS INSIGNIFICANT AS THEY TRY TO WORK OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED. HOMEOWNERS, BRACE YOURSELVES FOR AN AVERAGE RATES INCREASE OF 15%. THAT'S WORKED OUT BY ECONOMIST BRAD OLSEN, WHO SURVEYED 48 COUNCILS ACROSS AOTEAROA. AND WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN FURTHER THAT'S AN EXTRA $416 A YEAR, WHICH OLSEN SAYS IS A STARK ILLUSTRATION OF THE COST PRESSURES COUNCILS ARE UNDER. FOR EXAMPLE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, BRIDGES HAVE BECOME 38% MORE EXPENSIVE TO BUILD, SEWAGE SYSTEMS 30% MORE COSTLY. ROAD AND WATER SUPPLY HAVE GONE UP 27%. AND YET THE COUNCILS' SHARE OF TAX REVENUE HAS REMAINED AT 2% OF GDP FOR 50 YEARS. THE GOVERNMENT TAX TAKE IS IN RED, AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT RATES SHOWN IN THE BLUE. LOCAL GOVERNMENT VICE PRESIDENT CAMPBELL BARRY SAYS, 'IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE FUNDING SYSTEM 'FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS BROKEN' SIMON SHEPHERD REPORTS. WHAT POURED INTO THE WATER AT PARNELL IN AUCKLAND IS PROBABLY HOW RATEPAYERS ARE FEELING ABOUT THE TSUNAMI OF RATE HIKES. WE ARE AT A TIPPING POINT. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. COUNCILS ARE PREPARING THEIR LONG-TERM PLANS TO WORK OUT HOW TO PAY FOR A LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT OF $51B ` A DEFICIT THAT KEEPS ON GROWING. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE COST A BRIDGE LIKE THIS HAS GONE UP BY 38%. ROADS, SEWAGE, WATER HAS GONE UP BY ABOUT 30% ` ALL OF THESE INCREASES WAY ABOVE THE INCREASES IN COST OF LIVING. WHICH IS WHY EYE-WATERING INCREASES ARE ON THE CARDS. BULLER DISTRICT COUNCIL LEADS THE WAY WITH 31.8%. FOR THE MAJOR CENTRES, AUCKLAND'S THE LOWEST FOLLOWED BY CHRISTCHURCH, TAURANGA, WELLINGTON AND DUNEDIN. BUT THE BIGGEST HIKE GOES TO HAMILTON. THE CONTEXT AROUND THAT IS, HAMILTON IS THE FASTEST-GROWING METRO CITY IN NEW ZEALAND RIGHT NOW. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GROWTH GOING ON. THESE PROPOSED NATIONWIDE HIKES ARE EVEN BIGGER THAN LAST YEAR'S 10% AVERAGE, AND THEY WERE THE LARGEST IN 20 YEARS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF COUNCILS THAT DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY ON NICE-TO-HAVES, HAVE RACKED UP DEBT, AND NOW THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST. THIS IS NOT YOUR FRILLY, NICE-TO-HAVE PROJECTS AT ALL. WE'VE STRIPPED THOSE RIGHT OUT. LOCAL COUNCILS SAY RELYING ON RATEPAYERS WON'T FIX THE FUNDING ABYSS. THEY NEED OTHER WAYS TO RAISE MONEY LIKE A SHARE OF THE GST COLLECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT. AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE PRESSURE HAS RAMPED UP AGAIN WITH A REVISED RECORD NET MIGRATION FIGURE FOR LAST YEAR OF $141,000. WE EITHER INVEST IN THAT, OR, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO AT SOME POINT, EITHER TURN PEOPLE AWAY OR GIVE THEM A WORSE QUALITY OF LIFE. WHICH NO BODY WANTS. SIMON SHEPHERD, NEWSHUB. COURT DOCUMENTS HAVE REVEALED MORE DETAILS ABOUT FORMER GREEN MP GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN'S SHOPLIFTING, INCLUDING EXACTLY HOW SHE DID IT. THE HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER PLEADED GUILTY TO ALL FOUR CHARGES YESTERDAY AND WILL BE SENTENCED IN JUNE. LUCY THOMSON REPORTS. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION FOR HER WRONGDOING WHEN GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN APPEARED IN COURT YESTERDAY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING SAY TO THE SHOP OWNERS? THE 43-YEAR-OLD PLEADED GUILTY TO ALL FOUR CHARGES OF SHOPLIFTING, AND NEWLY-RELEASED COURT DOCUMENTS DETAIL HOW GHAHRAMAN WENT ABOUT THE STEALING. ON THREE OF THOSE OCCASIONS, THE POLICE SAY GHAHRAMAN TOOK A LARGE TOTE BAG INTO A CHANGING ROOM OR A QUIET PART OF THE STORE. ON ONE OCCASION SHE PUT A $700 SHIRT IN HER TOTE BAG, PAID FOR A PAIR OF PANTS AT THE COUNTER, THEN LEFT. ANOTHER TIME SHE LEFT A STORE WITH A CARDIGAN WHILE THE MANAGER'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED, AND ONCE WHEN A SHOP ATTENDANT ASKED TO SEE INSIDE HER BAG, SHE TOOK THEM BACK INSIDE, SHOWED THEM A DRESS HANGING UNDERNEATH A COAT AS AN EXPLANATION FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING, AND THE EMPLOYEE ACCEPTED THAT. NEWMARKET BUSINESS ASSOCIATION SAYS RETAIL THEFT IS GETTING OUT OF HAND. WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS FAR MORE BRAZEN ACTIVITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING IN, TAKING STUFF AND WALKING OUT, THINKING THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT. LAST MONTH THE ASSOCIATION MORE THAN TRIPLED ITS IN-HOUSE SECURITY TEAM IN RESPONSE TO THE RISING NUMBER OF RAM-RAIDS, SMASH-AND-GRABS AND GENERAL THEFT. IT REALLY ADDS TO THE STRESS OF RETAILERS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS IS TOUGH. NEW ZEALAND'S DOING IT TOUGH RIGHT NOW. ALL THE MORE REASON TO ZERO IN ON ITS NO TOLERANCE APPROACH ` A MATTER THE COURT WILL ALSO HAVE ITS SAY ON LATER THIS YEAR. LUCY THOMSON, NEWSHUB. THE SENTENCING OF TRIPLE CHILD MURDERER LAUREN DICKASON HAS BEEN ADJOURNED TWICE, AND TODAY THE COURT RELEASED A PARTIAL REASON FOR THIS. THE SOUTH AFRICAN FORMER DOCTOR FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING HER THREE CHILDREN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SENTENCED AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, BUT TWO DATES SET SINCE THEN HAVE BOTH BEEN CHANGED. THE COURT CONFIRMED THAT THE DELAY IS IN PART DUE TO PSYCHIATRIC REPORTS. THE REPORTS QUESTION WHETHER THE 41-YEAR-OLD SHOULD BE RETAINED AS A MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT IN HOSPITAL OR SERVE HER SENTENCE IN PRISON. A MORE THAN THREE-FOLD INCREASE IN CRYPTOSPORIDIUM CASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS PROMPTED TE WHATU ORA TO ISSUE A WARNING. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE CASES ARE, CHRISTCHURCH HAS SEEN SEVEN-TIMES MORE THAN IT USUALLY DOES BY THIS TIME EACH YEAR. LAURA TUPOU REPORTS. IT'S ONLY THURSDAY, BUT IT'S BEEN A PARTICULARLY LONG WEEK FOR AUCKLANDER HANNAH. SUNDAY IS WHEN IT ALL KIND OF HIT THE FAN. NOTHING I COULD HOLD DOWN, AND YOU'RE RUNNING TO THE BATHROOM. I THINK I WAS GOING NEARLY EVERY HOUR OR HOUR AND A HALF. YEAH, IT WAS REALLY BAD. ELECTROLYTE SUPPLEMENTS HAVE HELPED, BUT THE SYMPTOMS PERSIST. REALLY, REALLY CRAMPY, QUITE TIRED AND NOT WANTING TO EAT. HANNAH GOT IT WHILE STAYING WITH A FRIEND TWO WEEKS AGO, WHO'S ALSO STILL NOT SYMPTOM-FREE. MY FRIEND'S LAB RESULT CAME BACK POSITIVE FOR CRYPTO. MY DOCTOR IS SAYING THAT YEAH, I'VE GOT IT. OF THE 262 CASES NATIONWIDE, 111 ARE IN AUCKLAND ` UP FROM AN AVERAGE OF 28 IN THE FIRST QUARTER. 18 ARE IN WAIKATO ` UP FROM THE USUAL FOUR, AND 70 ARE IN CHRISTCHURCH ` UP FROM AN AVERAGE OF 10 CASES. THE REMAINING 63 CASES ARE ACROSS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. IT'S A MIX OF TYPES AND SUBTYPES, SO THAT AGAIN INDICATES THAT IT'S A GENERALISED INCREASE, NOT AN OUTBREAK. TE WHATU ORA KNEW ABOUT THE INCREASE IN CASES UP TO THREE WEEKS AGO, BUT IT WASN'T REPORTED BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONSIDERED AN OUTBREAK. THERE'S NO INDICATION OF THAT. THERE'S NO ASSOCIATION WITH DRINKING WATER, SO WE WANTED TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE COULD BEFORE WE GOT OUR MESSAGING OUT. IT'S NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE OUTBREAK IN QUEENSTOWN LAST YEAR, BUT IT COULD BE RELATED TO WARMER WEATHER. IN AUSTRALIA, BOTH NEW SOUTH WALES AND QUEENSLAND HEALTH AUTHORITIES REPORTED STEEP INCREASES IN THE DISEASE LAST MONTH. DR BRYAN BETTY TOLD A.M. THE SYMPTOMS CAN BE SERIOUS. THEY CAUSE DIARRHOEA, STOMACH CRAMPS, NAUSEA, VOMITING, AND CAN BE VERY DEBILITATING. AND THE DISEASE STICKS AROUND. IF YOU HAVE AN ACUTE INFECTION, YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THE BUG IN YOUR SYSTEM, IN YOUR BOWEL MOTIONS, FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER. SO THE ADVICE IS ` NO SWIMMING FOR AT LEAST 14 DAYS AFTER YOU'RE RECOVERED. AND IN THE INTERIM, GOOD HAND HYGIENE IS KEY TO AVOID THE WORST. IT'S ACTUALLY HORRIBLE, SO... YOU NEED TO REST; YOU NEED TO LET IT OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM. IN ORDER TO CURB THE NUMBERS AND PREVENT THE SPREAD. LAURA TUPOU, NEWSHUB. AN AVIATION PUBLICATION CLAIMS THE MOVEMENT OF A PILOT'S SEAT IS AT THE FOCUS OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE NOSE-DIVE OF A LATAM FLIGHT EN ROUTE TO AUCKLAND. AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE WERE INJURED, SOME SERIOUSLY, WHEN THE BOEING 787 SUDDENLY LOST ALTITUDE OVER THE TASMAN ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. AN AIR CURRENT REPORT SAYS AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING INTO THE SEAT MOVEMENT AND QUOTES AN UNNAMED SAFETY OFFICIAL WHO SAID IT WAS UNDERSTOOD TO BE 'PILOT-INDUCED' AND 'NOT INTENTIONALLY'. A SHIP TOWING A BARGE FULL OF AID IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AT THE GAZA COAST IN THE MORNING. THE EXACT DESTINATION AND TIMING OF THE ARRIVAL ARE BEING KEPT SECRET TO AVOID THE FATAL MAYHEM THAT'S ACCOMPANIED SOME UN AID DELIVERIES BY ROAD. ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES ARE CONTINUING, WITH ONE TARGETING A UN AID SITE OVERNIGHT WITH FIVE PALESTINIANS KILLED. ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PHONE APPS IN THE WORLD COULD SOON BE BANNED IN AMERICA, WHERE IT'S CONSIDERED BY SOME TO BE A SPYING TOOL FOR THE CHINESE. LAWMAKERS THERE HAVE VOTED TO FORCE TIKTOK'S PARENT COMPANY TO SELL TO AN AMERICAN OWNER OR BE SHUT DOWN. BUT THAT'S LEFT MANY USERS FURIOUS. U.S. CORRESPONDENT MITCH MCCANN REPORTS. FROM SOAP SKIING TO MUSICAL CATS, EVEN CHICKEN DANCING WITH COWS. IT'S ALL PART OF THE TIKTOK REVOLUTION, AND 170 MILLION AMERICANS ARE WATCHING, SWIPING AND SHARING WHILE THEY STILL CAN, THAT IS. THE U.S. CONGRESS COULD SOON BE BLOCKING TIKTOK, TOO. TODAY, THE U.S. HOUSE PASSED A BILL FORCING THE APP'S CHINESE OWNER, BYTEDANCE, TO SELL UP. OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED THAT AMERICAN USERS' DATA CAN BE ACCESSED BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY. WHY IN THE HELL WOULD WE WANT AND ALLOW THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY TO HAVE ACCESS TO OUR PRIVATE DATA? TIKTOK NEEDS TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY VALUE THEIR USERS OR THEIR TIES TO THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY MORE. THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE BYTEDANCE TO SELL ITS SHARES IN TIKTOK, OR IT COULD BE PULLED FROM THE APPLE AND ANDROID PLATFORMS. TIKTOK HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED THAT BEIJING CAN ACCESS AMERICANS' DATA, SAYING THERE IS NO PROOF. IT SAYS IT'S GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO PROTECT U.S. USERS, BUT THAT'S FALLING ON DEAF EARS WHERE IT MATTERS MOST. TODAY, WE'RE SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE CCP THAT WE ARE GOING TO DEFLATE THE 140 MILLION SPY BALLOONS THAT THEY HAVE INSTALLED ON AMERICAN PHONES. BUT OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL, TIKTOK IS MORE THAN JUST SILLY DANCES. IT'S AN INCOME AND EDUCATIONAL TOOL, EVEN. BECAUSE OF TIKTOK, I HAVE THE POWER TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AND HOPEFULLY SAVE LIVES. AND BECAUSE OF TIKTOK, WE'RE ABLE TO SHOW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHERE THEIR FOOD AND FIBRE COME FROM. ALL CHANT: KEEP TIKTOK! AS LAWMAKERS DEBATED TODAY, TIKTOKERS PROTESTED AND POSTED THEIR CONCERNS. THE APP THAT I RELY ON TO KEEP MY BUSINESS ALIVE. YEAH, ONE OF THE FIVE MILLION SMALL BUSINESSES ON THIS APP THAT WILL GO AWAY IF TIKTOK IS BANNED. ANY BAN COULD STILL BE SOME TIME AWAY. THE U.S. SENATE WOULD STILL HAVE TO VOTE ON IT. BUT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS IF IT PASSES THERE, HE WILL SIGN IT INTO LAW. THAT'S DESPITE BEING ON TIKTOK HIMSELF. IN NEW YORK, MITCH MCCANN, NEWSHUB. CHRIS HIPKINS HAS DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS ACCUSATION THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTING LIKE A DICTATORSHIP. THE LABOUR LEADER TOOK HIS TROOPS ON A SOUL SEARCHING FIELD TRIP TODAY, WHERE ONE MP EVEN MOMENTARILY LIKENED THE COALITION TO RUSSIA'S REGIME. JAMIE ENSOR REPORTS. LIMPING INTO OPPOSITION AFTER A CRUSHING ELECTION DEFEAT. LABOUR MPS TURNING UP TO THEIR MARTINBOROUGH CAUCUS RETREAT TODAY WITH MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS. HOW WE CAN STAY TOGETHER AS A TEAM. HOW WE CAN REBUILD. WE ARE GOING TO BE GOVERNMENT AGAIN AT SOME POINT. WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE GOVERNMENT AGAIN? OH, I DON'T KNOW. NOT EXACTLY A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE THE STAY IN OPPOSITION WILL BE SHORT. I THINK SOME PEOPLE GOT CONFUSED AROUND THOSE VALUES, AND WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THOSE ROOTS. THE LABOUR PARTY'S VALUES HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY, AND THEY DON'T CHANGE ELECTION TO ELECTION. LEADERS OFTEN DO, THOUGH. NO CONCERNS BEING EXPRESSED ABOUT CHRIS HIPKINS' LEADERSHIP? I'LL BE THE LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY LONG AFTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON'S ROLLED AS LEADER OF THE NATIONAL PARTY. AND HE'S ALREADY IN TRAINING FOR THE NEXT ELECTION. I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF YOU OUT RUNNING AT 6.30 THIS MORNING. (LAUGHTER) 7km, I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW. FOLLOWING THAT UP WITH A ONE-TWO PUNCH AT THE GOVERNMENT. THEY MAY HAVE VOTED FOR THIS GOVERNMENT, BUT THEY ARE NOT SEEING THEIR HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS REFLECTED IN THIS CURRENT GOVERNMENT. AND GOING FOR A KNOCKOUT BY DROPPING THE D WORD THIS WEEK, ARGUING THE GOVERNMENT'S MOWING DOWN PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS IN ITS NEED-FOR-SPEED 100-DAY RACE. THEY SHOULD NOT BEHAVE LIKE AN ELECTED DICTATORSHIP JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN ELECTED. NO DISRESPECT, BUT CHRIS HIPKINS IS A DESPERATE INDIVIDUAL. ONE LABOUR MP TODAY EVEN SUGGESTED NEW ZEALAND COULD GO THE WAY OF THE UNITED STATES OR RUSSIA IF WE DON'T FOLLOW DUE PROCESS. IGNORING THE PROCESS OF PARLIAMENT, THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRACY, WE WATCHED A GUY DO THAT IN THE UNITED STATES. BACK UP THE TRUMP. I AM NOT COMPARING THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT TO TRUMP. PERHAPS VLADIMIR PUTIN, THEN? CERTAINLY, MAYBE, IN RUSSIA WOULD BE ANOTHER GOOD COMPARISON, WHERE IF YOU IGNORE YOUR PROCESSES OF GOVERNMENT, PROCESSES OF DEMOCRACY, THERE WILL BE A PRICE TO PAY IN THE LONG TERM. AND CUE THE BACK PEDAL. I AM NOT SAYING NEW ZEALAND IS COMING LIKE RUSSIA OR THE UNITED STATES, AND I WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IF ANY MEDIA SAID I SAID THAT. WHAT AN IRRELEVANT COMMENT. WHAT WE ARE DOING VERY CLEARLY IS WE'RE MOVING WITH PACE TO GET THINGS DONE FOR NEW ZEALANDERS. LABOUR HOPING ITS RELEVANCE TO THE VOTING PUBLIC DOESN'T SLIP THE WAY OF GREG O'CONNOR'S TURN OF PHRASE. JAMIE ENSOR, NEWSHUB. A JAPANESE MISSION TO PUT A SATELLITE INTO SPACE HAS EXPLODED JUST SECONDS AFTER LAUNCH. MISSION CONTROL SAID IT ABORTED THE FLIGHT BUT WOULDN'T GIVE DETAILS OF WHY. IT WAS THE PRIVATE COMPANY'S FIRST SPACE MISSION, AND IT'S BEEN REPORTEDLY PLAGUED BY PARTS SHORTAGES. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE DAY'S WEATHER, AND THE RAIN CLEARED FOR THE NORTH, HEATHER? AFTER A FEW HEAVY SHOWERS THIS MORNING. A WET COMMUTE FOR AUCKLAND, BUT THE SUN CAME OUT NICELY FOR THE AFTERNOON. A LOT OF PLACES IN THE NORTH HIT THE MID-20s TODAY, WITH MARSDEN POINT WARMING TO 28.. BUT THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT'S GOING TO STAY. TOMORROW AND THE WEEKEND IS COLD EVERYWHERE, WITH SNOW IN THE SOUTH. ALL THE DETAILS AFTER SPORT. ONE AUSTRALIAN GOLDMINER IS DEAD, AND 29 OTHERS HAVE ESCAPED AFTER A ROCKFALL. THE MINERS WERE WORKING 500M UNDERGROUND, AND THOSE WHO ESCAPED MANAGED TO REACH A SAFETY POD. WELLINGTON COUNCILLORS HAVE VOTED TO REMOVE PROTECTION FROM SOME 'CHARACTER' AREAS OF THE CITY. AND THE FLEET OF 400 IS OFF. WHITIANGA'S CLAIMING TO HOST THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BILLFISH COMPETITION. (PHONE RINGS) Hey, babe. I got an earlier flight. (CHUCKLES) Really? What are you doing? Nothing. Uh, I gotta go. See you soon. Chillies! (BRIGHT PIANO MUSIC) Here you go, mate. Thank you. SONG: # You, you got what I... # Hey, babe, I'm home. I made your favourite. # You've got everything you need... # Too spicy? I love it. Mmm. # Oh, baby... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB OF WATERVIEW THIS AFTERNOON, FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING A FIREARM IN WESTERN SPRINGS. NEWSHUB WAS THERE AS ONE MAN WAS ARRESTED, JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM WATERVIEW PRIMARY SCHOOL. EARLIER, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC REPORTED SEEING A FIREARM IN A VEHICLE, WHICH THEN DROVE OFF AT SPEED WITH TWO MEN INSIDE. THE POLICE EAGLE HELICOPTER HELPED OFFICERS TRACK THE CAR TO WATERVIEW, WHERE THEY CORDONED OFF THE STREET AND ARRESTED ONE MAN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CHARGES ARE BEING CONSIDERED. ONE MINER IS DEAD, AND ANOTHER IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AFTER AN AUSTRALIAN GOLD MINE COLLAPSED. 29 OTHER MINERS MANAGED TO REACH SAFETY AND WERE UNHARMED. THE UNION BELIEVES THE ACCIDENT AT THE BALLARAT GOLD MINE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AND IS ALREADY CALLING FOR INDUSTRIAL MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES TO BE LAID. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT EMMA CROPPER REPORTS. IT WAS A RACE AGAINST TIME ABOVE GROUND, BECAUSE, BENEATH IT, AN ENTIRE MINING TEAM WAS IN TROUBLE WITH TWO MEN BURIED UNDER ROCK. THEY WERE WORKING UNDER UNSUPPORTED GROUND, AND THAT GROUND GAVE WAY. AS SOON AS IT DID, THE 29 BALLARAT MINERS WHO COULD SOUGHT REFUGE IN SAFETY PODS. THEN THE DELICATE RESCUE TO REACH THE PAIR PINNED UNDER ROCKFALL BEGAN. SO INCREDIBLY COMPLEX, AND YOU'VE GOT TO BE SO CAREFUL. WORKING INTO THE NIGHT, SPECIALIST TEAMS PULLED OUT A 21-YEAR-OLD. HE'S ALIVE, BUT WITH CRITICAL INJURIES TO HIS LOWER BODY, HIS COLLEAGUE (37) HAD LITTLE TO NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. IT'S DEVASTATING BECAUSE YET WE'VE LOST ANOTHER WORKER. THE PAIR WERE 500M UNDERGROUND, 3KM FROM THE ENTRY. MINING FOR GOLD USING A TECHNIQUE KNOWN AS AIR LEGGING THAT THE UNION CLAIMS IS CONTROVERSIAL AND UNSAFE. THIS WAS A QUICK, CHEAP AND EASY WAY TO CHASE GOLD. A TECHNIQUE USED WORLDWIDE BUT ONE THEY ALLEGE WAS BEING UNSAFELY USED HERE. WHEN THIS NEW COMPANY TOOK OVER, THEY MADE THEIR SENIOR SAFETY MANAGER REDUNDANT AND HADN'T REPLACED THEM. THE ENTIRE SITE IS NOW CLOSED BY POLICE. WE WILL BE CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION ON BEHALF OF THE CORONER, AND WE'LL BE WORKING WITH WORKSAFE VICTORIA TO CONDUCT THAT INVESTIGATION. AND WORK OUT IF THE LIFE OF A MINER COULD HAVE BEEN IN SYDNEY, EMMA CROPPER, NEWSHUB. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL HAS VOTED TO SHRINK THE CITY'S PROTECTED CHARACTER AREAS TO ALLOW FOR MORE HIGH DENSITY HOUSING. COUNCILLORS PASSED A NEW DISTRICT PLAN TODAY WHICH WILL ALLOW APARTMENTS AND TOWNHOUSES IN AREAS WHERE THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY BANNED. WILLIAM TERITE REPORTS. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST CRUCIAL COUNCIL MEETINGS IN RECENT MEMORY. THIS DECISION COMES AT AN IMPORTANT TIME. OUR POPULATION IS GROWING, AND WE'RE EXPECTING 50,000-80,000 PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT DECADE. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCILLORS DECIDING THE FUTURE OF THE CAPITAL'S HOUSING. SO WE CAN EITHER SPRAWL OUT IN THE FAR AWAY SUBURBS AND SPENDS HOURS IN TRAFFIC, POLLUTING THE AIR, OR WE CAN PRIORITISE BUILDING NEW HOMES AND APARTMENTS AROUND THE CITY. DESPITE A 4000 PAGE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON WAYS TO INTENSIFY HOUSING IN THE CAPITAL, THAT DIDN'T STOP SOME COUNCILLORS FROM PUTTING FORWARD THEIR OWN LIST OF AMENDMENTS, INCLUDING COUNCILLOR REBECCA MATTHEWS, WHO WANTED TO SEE MORE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. UPZONING DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO DELIVERING MORE HOUSING. AFTER A GRUELLING FEW HOURS OF BACK AND FORTH... I DON'T WANT LUXURY HOUSES IN THE INNER CITY. CAN WE JUST BE INTELLECTUALLY CONSISTENT HERE, PLEASE? COUNCILLORS VOTED TO SCALE BACK AREAS OF THE CITY THAT ARE PROTECTED BY CHARACTER STATUS TO ALLOW FOR MORE APARTMENTS AND TOWNHOUSES TO BE BUILT, ESPECIALLY IN SUBURBS WITH OLD VILLAS LIKE MT VICTORIA. I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE VALUE CHARACTER AND HERITAGE BUILDINGS, BUT ULTIMATELY, WE NEED SOME BALANCE HERE, AND I BELIEVE IT IS PEOPLE WHO GIVE THE CITY ITS CHARACTER. THE COUNCIL'S ALSO DECIDED TO DESIGNATE EVERYTHING WITHIN A 15 MINUTE WALK OF THE CITY CENTRE A HIGH-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL ZONE, ALONG WITH INTENSIFYING HOUSING NEAR THE STOPS ON THE JOHNSONVILLE TRAIN LINE. WELLINGTON CITY CAN ENABLE MORE HOUSING CHOICES, MORE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS, AND MORE HOUSING TYPES ACROSS THE CITY. THE PLAN WILL NOW GO TO HOUSING MINISTER CHRIS BISHOP FOR SIGN-OFF. WILLIAM TERITE, NEWSHUB. OLLIE'S IN WITH SPORT LATER AND A BIG REVEAL IN AUCKLAND TODAY. YES, THE WAIT IS OVER FOR FOOTBALL FANS IN NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST CITY. AS AUCKLAND'S A-LEAGUE CLUB UNVEILED ITS NAME AND KIT TODAY, AND IT QUICKLY PROMPTED A WARNING SHOT FROM THE PHOENIX. PLUS ` TWO HEAVYWEIGHT SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS JOIN FORCES IN A BID FOR A SOUTH ISLAND NRL FRANCHISE. CLAIMS THE GOVERNMENT IS THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD WHEN IT COMES TO BAILING OUT THE RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS COMPANY. AND THE REMARKABLE 'POLIO PAUL' ` A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE IN AN IRON LUNG HAS COME TO AN END. I GOT A MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE ON INSTAGRAM. 'LLOYD, HERE IS SOME NEWS ` 'THERE IS A CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OUTBREAK IN SOUTH AUCKLAND.' SO WE HAVE PUT IN A REQUEST WITH TE WHATU ORA. IN BREAKING NEWS, HEALTH NEW ZEALAND HAS JUST CONFIRMED WIDESPREAD CASES OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM INFECTION. A DROUGHT HAS FINALLY BEEN DECLARED FOR THE TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND. PARTS OF MARLBOROUGH HAVE EXPERIENCED THE DRIEST SIX MONTHS IN NEARLY 100 YEARS, AND FARMERS ARE SENDING STOCK TO SLAUGHTER AS CROPS FAIL TO GROW. THE DECLARATION IS A RELIEF FOR MARLBOROUGH, NELSON AND TASMAN AND WILL MEAN TAX BREAKS AND EXTRA SUPPORT FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH THE DRY CONDITIONS. THE GOVERNMENT'S ONCE AGAIN FACING CRITICISM FOR PROPPING UP THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND SKIFIELDS. THE $7M DOLLAR HANDOUT TO RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS IS THE FIFTH IN TWO YEARS. THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTER SHANE JONES SAYS IT'S IN THE LAST CHANCE SALOON, BUT THE TAXPAYERS' UNION SAYS HE'S THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH REPORTS. A $7M HANDOUT GOES TO RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS TO KEEP WHAKAPAPA AFLOAT THIS SKI SEASON ALONG WITH A $3M PACKAGE TO PURE TUROA LIMITED TO GET ITS BID TO RUN TUROA OVER THE LINE. THE GOVERNMENT IS QUITE LITERALLY THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD, AFTER BAD, AFTER BAD, AFTER BAD. THE TAXPAYERS UNION DESCRIBES THE $30M IN HANDOUTS SINCE RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS WENT INTO VOLUNTARY ADMINISTRATION IN 2022 AS 'CORPORATE WELFARE'. RUAPEHU ALPINE LIMITED CLEARLY HAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS. IT IS NOT THE BUSINESS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO BE GOING IN THERE AND BAILING OUT ANY FAILING COMPANY JUST BECAUSE IT'S A PARTICULAR PET PROJECT OF CERTAIN MINISTERS OF SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS. 800 CENTRAL PLATEAU JOBS DEPEND ON THE SKIING INDUSTRY. THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT IS A FANTASTIC RESOURCE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE OFFERING OF NEW ZEALAND TOURISM BUT THERE IS NO FISCAL RUNWAY LEFT AFTER THIS ALLOCATION. NEWSHUB HAS ALSO SPOKEN TO SOME TANGATA WHENUA WHO ARE 'HIGHLY CONCERNED' ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WHILE HEARINGS ABOUT CONCESSIONS ARE ONGOING. BUT SHANE JONES SAYS STOP CATASTROPHISING AND MAKE TRADE-OFFS TO STOP THE REGION BECOMING AN ECONOMIC DESERT. PARK UP THE ENID BLYTON FAIRY STORIES. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO MAINTAIN, SUSTAIN A FLOURISHING SNOW-BASED BUSINESS IN THIS PART OF NEW ZEALAND. SO THEY EITHER EAT FERN ROOT OR JOIN ME IN CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. WHAKAPAPA HOLDINGS WALKED AWAY FROM BUYING THE WHAKAPAPA FIELD LAST MONTH WHEN DOC SAID IT WOULD REVIEW A 10-YEAR CONCESSION AFTER JUST FIVE YEARS. OF COURSE THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT IN THIS WHOLE OPERATION, AND WE ALL KNOW IN BUSINESS YOU NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A PERIOD OF TIME WHEREBY YOU CAN CLAW THAT BACK. BUT JONES IS WARNING DOC AGAINST UNDERMINING ECONOMIC GROWTH. SO YOU'VE GOT DOC IN THE FIRING LINE? THE TREATY REFERENCE IN THE CONSERVATION ACT MUST NOT BE WEAPONISED TO HOBBLE, PREVENT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES. THE ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR ONE WINTER AT LEAST IS GOOD, BUT IT COULD ALL BE DOWNHILL FROM THERE. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH, NEWSHUB. A REMARKABLE TEXAS MAN WHO LIVED INSIDE A METAL CANISTER THAT KEPT HIM ALIVE FROM THE AGE OF 6 HAS DIED MORE THAN 70 YEARS LATER. PAUL ALEXANDER CONTRACTED POLIO AS A CHILD, AND THE METAL LUNG ALLOWED HIM TO BREATH WHEN HIS OWN LUNGS WOULDN'T INFLATE. HE STILL MANAGED TO QUALIFY AS A LAWYER AND TAUGHT HIMSELF TO GULP AIR SO HE COULD MAKE BRIEF APPEARANCES IN COURT. THE IRON LUNG IS... HOME TO ME NOW. IT'S... IT'S MY FRIEND, AND IT'S... MY ENEMY. POLIO PAUL, AS HE CAME TO BE KNOWN, SPENT EVERY NIGHT IN THE METAL LUNG BECAUSE HIS GULPING AIR TECHNIQUE PROVED IMPOSSIBLE WHEN HE WAS SLEEP. THE COROMANDEL TOWN OF WHITIANGA IS EXPERIENCING A HUGE ECONOMIC BOOST THANKS TO WHAT ORGANISERS CLAIM IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST BILLFISH COMPETITION. NOW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, THE FISHING EVENT HAS ATTRACTED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. EMMA OLSEN WAS THERE AS THEY SET OFF THIS MORNING. THREE, TWO, ONE, WAY YOU GO! AND THEY'RE OFF ` 420 BOATS FULL OF EAGER FISHERS HOPING TO WIN BIG IN THE THREE-DAY KUBOTA BILLFISH CLASSIC. FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, THIS IS THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD, SO WE'RE STOKED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'VE TAKEN OVER SOME OF THE BIG GUYS IN THE STATES, AND, YEAH, REALLY COOL LITTLE ACHIEVEMENT FOR NEW ZEALAND. THE TOURNAMENT A MUCH-NEEDED BOOST FOR THE COROMANDEL TOWN OF WHITIANGA ` A PLACE LEFT REELING BY LAST YEAR'S CYCLONE GABRIELLE. OBVIOUSLY THE WHOLE COROMANDEL REGION RELIES HEAVILY ON TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY, AND IT'S BEEN A PRETTY BAD RUN WITH COVID AND THEN THE DEVASTATION FROM THE CYCLONE. WE'VE BASICALLY BEEN ISOLATED FROM THE MAINLAND WITH THE ROAD CLOSURES, SO THIS IS A HUGE BOOST FOR THE ECONOMY. A BOOST THAT'S ALREADY HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. NORMALLY TUESDAY FOR US MIDWEEK IS PRETTY QUIET, BUT WE DEFINITELY SAW THE IMPACT. WE GOT ABSOLUTELY SMASHED WHICH IS AWESOME FOR BUSINESS AFTER TWO YEARS OF COVID AND THEN A CYCLONE. ORGANISERS EXPECT THE EVENT WILL INJECT AROUND $6.5M INTO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE LOCAL BUSINESSES LOOKING TO LINE THEIR POCKETS. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF PRIZES, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, THERE'S JUST SHY OF $1.1M IN CASH UP FOR GRABS. COMPETITION SURE TO BE FIERCE OUT ON THE WATER. WHY ARE YOU HERE TODAY? HERE FOR THE BIG ONE, THE $350,000 CASH. AND TO FISH, IT'S BLOODY GOOD. WHETHER THEY WIN THE BIG PRIZE OR NOT, IT SOUNDS LIKE PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE'S GOING HOME A WINNER AT THE BILLFISH CLASSIC ` EXCEPT MAYBE THIS MARLIN. EMMA OLSEN, NEWSHUB. IF YOU WERE OFFERED THE CHANCE OF GOING TO SEA ON THE TITANIC WOULD YOU DO IT? WELL, A WEALTHY AUSTRALIAN HAS DECIDED THERE'S A MARKET AND HE'S BUILDING A 2ND TITANIC CRUISESHIP. TWO BIDS ARE NOW CONFIRMED FOR A SOUTH ISLAND NRL FRANCHISE AS A SECOND NEW ZEALAND TEAM BEGINS TO LOOK A REAL POSSIBILITY. PLUS ` HOW THE PHOENIX MANAGED TO GATE CRASH THE NEW AUCKLAND SIDE'S BIG A-LEAGUE LAUNCH TODAY. AND THEY MAY BE DRESSED FOR THE TROPICS BUT WHY THE CHIEFS ARE HAPPY TO BE PLAYING THE DRUA IN HAMILTON AND NOT FIJI THIS WEEKEND. (SINGS) # I like to ite, ite, ite # Apples and bananas... # (DOOR RATTLES) (CONTINUES SINGING INDISTINCTLY) VOICEOVER: In a crash, your car is your last line of defence. (CARDBOARD TEARS) What if it's not as safe as you think? (SINGS) # Apples and bananas... # (CAR RATTLES) Check your safety rating at Rightcar. A SECOND CONTENDER FOR A SOUTH ISLAND NRL SIDE HAS EMERGED TODAY, AND IT'S SPEARHEADED BY TWO HEAVYWEIGHT SPORTS ADMINISTRATORS. FORMER NRL AND NEW ZEALAND RUGBY BOSS DAVID MOFFETT AND FORMER RUGBY AUSTRALIA CEO ANDY MARINOS HAVE JOINED FORCES WITH THE AIM OF SETTING UP A SIDE BASED OUT OF CHRISTCHURCH AS THE NRL LOOKS TO EXPAND THE COMPETITION. TIA MCDOUGALL HAS THE LATEST. ARGUABLY THE FASTEST, MOST AGGRESSIVE FOOTBALL GAME THAT EXISTS. IT'S FOOTBALL BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT. TWO WEEKS AGO, HOLLYWOOD STAR RUSSELL CROWE WAS THE VOICE OF AN NRL CHARM OFFENSIVE, PROMOTING THE SEASON OPENER IN LAS VEGAS IN A BID TO TAP INTO THE LUCRATIVE U.S. MARKET. NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE IS UNLEASHED FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD LAS VEGAS, AND PART OF THAT NRL EXPANSION HAS NOW FILTERED DOWN TO THE SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND. US MAINLANDERS LIKE TO STICK IT TO THE AUCKLANDERS. FORMER NRL AND NEW ZEALAND RUGBY CHIEF EXECUTIVE DAVID MOFFETT I IS JOINING FORCES WITH FORMER RUGBY AUSTRALIA BOSS ANDY MARINOS TO LAUNCH WHAT WOULD BE CALLED THE SOUTH ISLAND KEA RUGBY LEAGUE FRANCHISE. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE INCLUDING IN THE OWNERSHIP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND KEA, THE FANS BY WAY OF EITHER COOPERATIVE OR SHARES. THEY'RE AIMING TO BE THE 18TH TEAM TO JOIN THE COMPETITION ` AN EXPANSION THE NRL WANT TO MAKE BY 2026, AND THEY'RE ALREADY LIKING THEIR CHANCES WITH CHAIRMAN PETER V'LANDY TELLING MEDIA WHILE IN VEGAS. MOFFETT JOINS FELLOW CANTAB TONY KIDD WHO ANNOUNCED HIS BID IN EARLY FEBRUARY. WE BELIEVE WERE THE BEST OPTION IN 2026, AND WE'LL BE READY TO GO. IN RECENT WEEKS, KIDD SAYS HE'S HAS HAD PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH SENIOR NRL LEADERSHIP PARTNERS AND INVESTORS. HE SAYS EVERYONE SUPPORTED THE BID AS AN EXPANSION CLUB. NEWSHUB UNDERSTAND THEY COULD BE MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRST INVESTOR AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. BOTH BIDS WANT TO BE BASED OUT OF THE NEW 30,000-SEAT TE KAHA STADIUM IN CHRISTCHURCH. WE'LL BE THERE PLAYING AT AN ABSOLUTE BUSTER OF A GAME AGAINST THE WARRIORS. A RIVALRY SURE TO BE WORTH THE WAIT. AND A BALL HASN'T EVEN BEEN KICKED YET, AND ALREADY THE RIVALRY BETWEEN THE TWO NEW ZEALAND A-LEAGUE TEAMS IS WELL UNDERWAY. DETAILS OF THE NEWEST SIDE WERE CONFIRMED TODAY, WITH AUCKLAND FC TO REPRESENT THE CITY IN A BLUE AND BLACK STRIP. BUT JUST AS THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS GETTING UNDERWAY, THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX MADE SURE TO REMIND EVERYONE WHO WAS HERE FIRST. ALEX CHAPMAN HAS MORE. INTRODUCING, FIGHTING OUT OF THE BLUE AND BLACK CORNER... ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL! ...THE NEWEST TEAM IN AUCKLAND'S SPORTING LANDSCAPE, TODAY FINALLY GETTING A CREST AND COLOURS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A NAME. AUCKLAND FC IS THE NAME OF THE CLUB, AND THAT KIND OF ROOTS US HERE. AND IT'S A CLUB FOR ALL OF AUCKLAND, AND WE'RE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. THEY EVEN HAVE A NICKNAME ` THE BLACK KNIGHTS. THAT'S THE BLACK KNIGHTS, NOT THE ILL-FATED AND PERHAPS CURSED KNIGHTS OF THE EARLY 2000s. THE GAME OF FOOTBALL HAS MOVED ON SO MUCH SINCE, UM` SINCE THE LAST TEAM NAMED THE KNIGHTS. AND WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER OUR NAME'S AUCKLAND FC. THE MONIKER ITSELF ALREADY HAS A CONNECTION TO OWNER BILL FOLEY. IT'S ABOUT CREATING THESE PATHWAYS, ABOUT BEING ENTERTAINING AND ABOUT BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY. PLAYER SIGNINGS ARE EXPECTED IN THE COMING WEEKS. NEWSHUB UNDERSTANDS SEVERAL KIWIS ALREADY HAVE BEEN SIGNED. IS MARCO ROJAS ONE OF THEM? (LAUGHS) I CAN'T ANSWER THAT, YOU KNOW THAT. BUT, UH, YEAH, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, ROJAS IS A VERY GOOD PLAYER, PLAYING IN BRISBANE AT THE MOMENT. YOU KNOW, HE'S A KIWI, YOU KNOW, GREAT, REALLY, AND HE'S DONE REALLY WELL IN THE A-LEAGUE IN THE PAST. BUT BARELY HAD THE HOOPLA AND HOORAYS BEEN HAD, THEIR NEW DOMESTIC FOES DROPPED A BOMBSHELL. THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX, WHO PLAY IN AUCKLAND ON SATURDAY, RELEASING A PETITION, TRYING TO CLAIM THE UPPER NORTH ISLAND, SUGGESTING AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION FOR OWNER BILL FOLEY TO MOVE THE TEAM TO, AND A KEY REASON WHY. THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY LIKE, AND IT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE. WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, FIRED UP TO BEAT WELLINGTON TWICE A YEAR. HAS THE WAR OF WORDS ALREADY STARTED, DO YOU THINK? WELL, IT LOOKS THAT WAY, DOESN'T IT? A NEW TEAM IS PART OF A NEW RIVALRY. ALEX CHAPMAN, NEWSHUB. AND AS THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX PREPARE FOR THEIR FINAL OUTING IN AUCKLAND AGAINST SYDNEY FC THIS WEEKEND, CAPTAIN ALEX RUFER'S HIT BACK AT HIS NON-SELECTION FOR THE ALL WHITES. SIX 'NIX PLAYERS HAVE BEEN NAMED INCLUDING UNCAPPED GOALKEEPER ALEX PAULSEN FOR MATCHES AGAINST EGYPT AND EITHER CROATIA OR TUNISIA LATER THIS MONTH. BUT ALL WHITES COACH DARREN BAZELEY EXCLUDED RUFER DUE TO A CONGESTED MIDFIELD, A DECISION RUFER IS STILL STRUGGLING WITH. I WOULDN'T SAY I HAVE ACCEPTED IT IN TERMS OF THAT, BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND HIS OPINION AND HIS VIEWS. I RESPECT HIM, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I DON'T THINK I SHOULD BE THERE. A WIN IN THEIR FINAL OUTING AT EDEN PARK WOULD PUT THE PHOENIX BACK ON TOP OF THE A-LEAGUE LADDER. THE CHIEFS HOPE THEIR EARLY SEASON SLIP UP AGAINST THE REDS LAST WEEK CAN BE THE WAKE UP CALL THEY NEED AS THEY LOOK TO GET BACK TO THEIR WINNING WAYS. THE SIDE RETURNS HOME TO HAMILTON THIS WEEK, WHERE THE IN-FORM FIJIAN DRUA ARE AIMING TO CLAIM A SECOND KIWI SCALP IN AS MANY WEEKS ALTHOUGH THE CHIEFS ALREADY HAVE ONE CLEAR ADVANTAGE. THEY CERTAINLY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE READY FOR FIJI, BUT THE DRIVING RAIN QUICKLY REMINDED THE CHIEFS THIS IS HAMILTON, NOT LAUTOKA, AND FACING THE DRUA AT HOME RATHER THAN AWAY SUITS THEM JUST FINE. ON ONE HAND, I'D LOVE TO GO TO FIJI AND ENJOY, YOU KNOW, THEIR HOSPITALITY, BUT BLOODY TOUGH PLACE TO PLAY. DONC LOVES GOING TO FIJI AND HAVING A FEW FIJIAN BITTERS, SO IT'S PROBABLY GOOD FOR HIM NOT TO GO THERE THIS WEEKEND. HAMILTON MAY NOT BE AN ISLAND PARADISE, BUT THE CHIEFS HOPE THERE WILL BE SOMETHING TO DRINK TO THIS WEEKEND REGARDLESS. THEY GOT A TIMELY WAKE-UP CALL FROM THE REDS LAST WEEK ` SOMETHING ANTON LIENERT-BROWN DOESN'T SEE AS TOO MUCH OF A BAD THING. YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, BUT YEAH, LIKE YOU SAID, EARLY ON IN THE SEASON, A BIT OF A KICK UP THE ARSE. BUT YEAH, WE'LL WORK HARD TO GET BETTER. DESPITE MOMENTS OF DOMINANCE IN BRISBANE, THE CHIEFS SHOWED THEY'RE NOT QUITE THE FINISHED PRODUCT, AND CLAYTON MCMILLAN IS DEMANDING IMPROVEMENT. CERTAINLY SHARPENS THE AXE. YOU PROBABLY CAN GET AWAY WITH RUNNING SOME SIMILAR STUFF FOR TWO TO THREE WEEKS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TO CHANGE THE DIAL. THEY'LL BE HOPING FOR A QUICK REVIVAL AGAINST THE FIJIAN DRUA WHO HAVE SHOWED THEY CAN BE GIANT-KILLERS. THE COMFORTS OF HOME CERTAINLY GIVE THE CHIEFS MORE REASON FOR OPTIMISM, BUT MCMILLAN IS ADAMANT THAT WILL COUNT FOR LITTLE. THEY'RE PARTICULARLY HARD TO BEAT OVER THERE, BUT THEY'VE ALSO DEMONSTRATED A MUCH IMPROVED SORT OF PERFORMANCE AND MINDSET WHEN THEY'VE TRAVELLED, SO MUCH HARDER TEAM TO BREAK DOWN. SOME WET-WEATHER RUGBY COULD BE JUST THE TICKET FOR THE CHIEFS TO AVOID BACK-TO-BACK DEFEATS. AFTER BEING NAMED THE BEST MEN'S CRICKETER IN THE COUNTRY, RACHIN RAVINDRA IS STILL STRUGGLING TO BELIEVE THE LAST 12 MONTHS HE'S HAD. THE WELLINGTON ALLROUNDER WAS LAST NIGHT AWARDED THE SIR RICHARD HADLEE MEDAL AT THE NEW ZEALAND CRICKET AWARDS. IN THE LAST YEAR, RAVINDRA'S GONE FROM A FRINGE BLACK CAP TO A REGULAR IN THE WHITE-BALL SETUP, AND DOUBLE CENTURION IN TESTS. LAST TIME I RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM SIR RICHARD WAS WHEN I WAS BACK HERE IN 2015, 2016, YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR, SO I GUESS IT IS NOT NECESSARILY FULL CIRCLE, CIRCLE BUT IT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE GETTING TO SIT HERE EIGHT YEARS LATER. MELIE KERR NOT ONLY WON THE DEBBIE HOCKLEY MEDAL; SHE WAS ALSO NAMED ODI, T20, AND SUPER SMASH WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR. JUST ANOTHER YEAR AND ANOTHER NIGHT CLEANING UP AT THE AWARDS. AN AUSTRALIAN BILLIONAIRE HAS ANNOUNCED HE'S GOING TO BUILD A REPLICA OF THE DOOMED CRUISE LINER, THE TITANIC. THE ORIGINAL, YOU'LL REMEMBER, INFAMOUSLY WENT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. SO FOR ALL BUDDING JACKS AND ROSES, CHANNEL 7'S PAUL KADAK ASSESSES THE NEW VERSION'S MAIDEN VOYAGE CHANCES. CLIVE PALMER'S IDEA FOR A NEW TITANIC SEEMS UNSINKABLE. I'D BE DREAMING AT NIGHT ABOUT THE TITANIC, LYING AWAKE, SEEING IT SAIL UP THE HUDSON RIVER. INSISTING, THIS TIME, HIS TITANIC 2 IS FULL STEAM AHEAD. BECAUSE I'VE GOT MORE MONEY NOW. THE PLAN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS LAUNCHED IN 2013. IT'S REALLY A 1912 EXPERIENCE. REPLICATING THE LOOK, FEEL, COSTUMES AND LAYOUT OF THE DOOMED LINER WITH MODERN ENGINES, SAFETY SYSTEMS AND ENOUGH LIFEBOATS FOR EVERYONE ON BOARD. BUT THEN... ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD! A PAYMENT DISPUTE SAW IT SUSPENDED ` A 2018 RESTART PAUSED AGAIN BY COVID. NOW THE 69-YEAR-OLD SAYS HE'S LOOKING FOR A SHIPYARD IN EUROPE TO START THE POSSIBLY BILLION-DOLLAR BUILD NEXT YEAR. ARE YOU HOPING IT'LL HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFETIME? IS IT A RACE NOW? WELL, I'LL DO IT AS FAST AS I CAN, YOU KNOW. I'M NOT THE YOUNGEST GUY, SO CERTAINLY I HOPE IT HAPPENS. YEAH. REPLICATING TITANIC DOESN'T HAVE A GREAT HISTORY. A TITANIC RESORT IN THE MIDDLE OF CHINA SITS UNFINISHED AFTER A DECADE. THERE'S BEEN A TITANIC 2 IN A MOVIE. SPOILER ALERT ` HIT BY A TSUNAMI AND ICEBERG, IT SANK. PALMER INSISTS THERE'S SO MUCH DEMAND HE COULD AUCTION OFF THE 2500 TICKETS FOR EACH SAILING. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE IRISH STEW. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO AND DO DANCING. IF IT MAKES IT, THE MAIDEN VOYAGE IS PLANNED FOR JUNE 2027. COMING UP ` NEWSHUB WEATHER, AND IT'S LOOKING LIKE A COLD WEEKEND, HEATHER? OH YES. IT ACTUALLY KICKS OFF TOMORROW WITH A NEW FRONT SENT TO TRACK UP OVER ALL OF US, DRAGGING WITH IT COLD POLAR AIR. SO EVEN AUCKLAND WILL HAVE THE COLDEST WEEKEND SO FAR THIS YEAR. AND OF COURSE THERE WILL BE SNOW. PORTERS PASS AFFECTED FROM 2pm TOMORROW. MORE DETAILS NEXT. (SINGS) # I like to ite, ite, ite # Apples and bananas... # (DOOR RATTLES) (CONTINUES SINGING INDISTINCTLY) VOICEOVER: In a crash, your car is your last line of defence. (CARDBOARD TEARS) What if it's not as safe as you think? (SINGS) # Apples and bananas... # (CAR RATTLES) Check your safety rating at Rightcar. NAU MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. GET READY FOR A TASTE OF WINTER. A LITTLE TOO EARLY FOR MY LIKING, BUT THE EQUINOX IS NEXT WEEK. TONIGHT THE FRONT OVER THE NORTH TURNS COLD, THEN ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES UP THE SOUTH. TOMORROW, THEY BOTH CONTINUE THEIR TREKS NORTHEAST. THE MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE, THOUGH, WILL BE THE AIR TEMPERATURE FOLLOWING THE FRONT IN THE SOUTH. IT'S A SOUTHERLY, AND THE SOURCE AIR IS ANTARCTICA, SO EXPECT SNOW DOWN TO 700m FOR THE DEEP SOUTH TONIGHT. IT CLOUDS OVER PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE, WITH SHOWERS UP THE WEST COAST. TOMORROW, THOSE FRONTAL SHOWERS MOVE UP THE MAINLAND MIXING WITH COLD AIR, TRIGGERING MORE SNOW SHOWERS SET TO MOVE UP THROUGH CANTERBURY AND REACHING THE TOP OF THE ISLAND TOMORROW NIGHT. THE WIND WILL BE COLD. THE SHOWERS BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY IN THE NORTH, DEVELOPING IN FROM THE WEST. TOMORROW, SHOWERS BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE ISLAND. POSSIBLY HEAVY, TOO, AS THAT FRONT TRACKS NORTHEAST. SHOWERS RETURN TO THE SOUTH WITH THE NEXT FRONT, AND WINDS WILL BE SHIFTING ALL OVER THE SHOW. SO IT'S BRIGHTER THE FURTHER NORTH YOU GO, BUT EVEN KAITAIA WON'T ESCAPE THE RAIN. SHOWERS SPREAD NORTH, TURNING TO RAIN, THEN EASING TO SHOWERS IN THE EVENING. WINDS END UP FROM THE WEST OR SOU'WEST. IT'S A BLEAK END TO THE WEEK HERE, WITH PLENTY OF RAIN ARRIVING FROM LATE MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, AND EASING TOMORROW NIGHT. WESTERLIES FOR ALL, STRONG FOR WHAKATANE. PLENTY OF CLOUD AND RAIN OUT EAST, ARRIVING AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT EVERYONE WILL HAVE A SHARE. NORWESTERS FOR GISBORNE, AND A COOL SOUTHERLY SHIFT IN THE SOUTH. AND TWO WAVES OF RAIN HERE TOMORROW, EASING TO SHOWERS AROUND MIDDAY-ISH, THEN RAMPING UP AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS AND HAIL FOR WELLINGTON WITH A STRONG AND COLD SOUTHERLY. CLOUDY FOR THE SOUTH TOO, WITH SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING AND TURNING TO RAIN, POSSIBLY HEAVY AS THE FRONT HEADS NORTH. SOUWESTERLIES DEVELOP ACROSS THE DAY. THE EAST WON'T ESCAPE THE RAIN EITHER. IT MOVES UP BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLAND. THE RAIN REACHES CHRISTCHURCH BY LATE MORNING, AND WINDS END UP FROM THE SOUTH OR SOU'WEST. AND MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND. IT'S DEFINITELY BETTER IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT IT'S COLD. WEST TO SOU'WEST WINDS PICK UP DURING THE AFTERNOON. DUNEDIN, THE SOUWESTERLY DEVELOPS LATE TONIGHT AND HANGS AROUND ALL DAY TOMORROW. IT'S CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS, BUT EASING FROM LATE MORNING, AND VERY COLD. MAINLY FINE WITH HIGH CLOUD TO START FOR CHRISTCHURCH, BUT RAIN ARRIVES LATE MORNING, POSSIBLY HEAVY, AND CLEARS TOMORROW NIGHT. THE SOUWESTER IS FRESH FROM THE AFTERNOON. A GREY MORNING FOR THE CAPITAL. BIT BRIGHTER IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT SHOWERS ARRIVE TOMORROW NIGHT, POSSIBLY HEAVY, THUNDERY AND WITH HAIL. NORTHERLIES TURN TO GALE SOUTHERLIES GUSTING 90 K'S. RAIN DEVELOPS IN THE MORNING FOR HAWKE'S BAY, SOME HEAVY FALLS TOO, EASING TO ISOLATED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON BUT REMAINING CLOUDY. WESTERLIES DEVELOP TOMORROW NIGHT. MOSTLY CLOUDY AROUND TAURANGA WITH WESTERLIES. PERIODS OF RAIN KICK IN FROM LATE MORING BUT EASE BACK TO SHOWERS TOMORROW NIGHT. NOT A LOT OF SUN FOR YOU KIRIKIRIROA HAMILTON. IN FACT, YOUR ENTIRE DAY WILL BE FILLED WITH RAIN. IT DOES EASE TO SHOWERS TOMORROW NIGHT WITH WESTERLIES. AUCKLAND'S NOT MUCH BETTER. RAIN DEVELOPS IN THE MORNING WITH A NORWESTER WHICH TURNS SOUWEST AROUND MIDDAY. RAIN EASES TO SHOWERS TOMORROW NIGHT. AUSSIE'S LOOKING MUCH BRIGHTER. HIGH PRESSURE HELPS THERE, BUT SHOWERS EXPECTED FOR CANBERRA AND SYDNEY. AND THE PACIFIC HAVE THEIR SHARE OF THE RAIN TOO. THUNDERSTORMS FOR FIJI. BACK HOME, AND THE RAIN CLEARS FOR THE WEEKEND UP TOP, BUT NOTE THE TEMPERATURES. IT'S A LITTLE BRISK. THE COLD WILL SPREAD TO EVERYONE FOR THE WEEKEND. BAY OF PLENTY AND OUT EAST THE ONLY REGIONS WHO WILL WARM PAST 20 DEGREES. GENERALLY FINE BUT CHILLY FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH FOR THE WEEKEND. SHOWERS DEVELOP FROM THE SOUTH ON MONDAY. SATURDAY IS GOOD FOR THE UPPER HALF OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, BUT CLOUD AND ISOLATED SHOWERS SPREAD NORTH ON SUNDAY. AND THE LOWER SOUTH WILL HAVE MORE WEATHER THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. PLENTY OF CLOUD AND SHOWERS. SO THE COLD IS THANKS TO TWO FACTORS ` ONE, THE COLD SOURCE AIR FROM ANTARCTICA, AND, TWO, CLEAR SKIES. NO CLOUDS ` NO INSULATION. TIME TO GET OUT OF THE JACKET AND WARM DUVET. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT 6 FOR TODAY. ALICE WILKINS AND THE NEWSHUB LATE TEAM ARE HERE ON THREE AT 9.35, AND YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWSHUB TEAM AT NEWS@NEWSHUB.CO.NZ. I'M MICHAEL MORRAH. - AND I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY JESSIE PURU AND KATE HARRIS.