KIWI BROTHERS ON A HOLIDAY IN PHUKET COULD FACE YEARS BEHIND BARS AFTER WRESTLING A TRAFFIC COP'S GUN OFF HIM. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE'LL GIVE WINSTON A TALKING TO OVER HIS NAZI COMMENTS AND MAKES A PLEA FOR ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO DIAL DOWN THE RHETORIC. AND THE GOVERNMENT INSTRUCTS KAINGA ORA TO KICK OUT UNRULY SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS AND CHASE DOWN UNPAID RENTS. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 TENA TATOU KATOA. GOOD EVENING. TWO KIWIS ACCUSED OF ATTACKING A TRAFFIC COP IN THE TOURIST HOTSPOT OF PHUKET FACE LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCES IF CONVICTED. THAI MEDIA'S REPORTING THE PAIR WERE ARRESTED AFTER FLEEING A TRAFFIC STOP ON THEIR MOTORBIKE. THEY'RE ACCUSED OF WRESTLING THE POLICE OFFICER'S GUN AWAY FROM HIM, AND ATTEMPTED BRIBERY. AS ADAM HOLLINGWORTH REPORTS, THE ARREST COMES AS TENSIONS SIMMER BETWEEN LOCALS AND FOREIGN TOURISTS. OSCAR DAY, WHO'S 38, AND HIS BROTHER HAMISH, WHO'S 36, ARE DUE IN COURT TODAY AFTER THIS INCIDENT CAPTURED ON VIDEO IN CHALONG, PHUKET. A WOMAN CAN BE HEARD SHOUTING, 'YOU STOP, YOU STOP. YOU HAVE A GUN. YOU STOP.' THE POLICEMAN IS TRYING TO ATTACK US! ONE OF THE KIWIS RESPONDS, 'THE POLICEMAN WAS TRYING TO ATTACK US.' FROM THE VIDEO, IT LOOKS LIKE OSCAR DAY IS FIGHTING FOR A GUN WITH THE POLICE OFFICER. LOCAL MEDIA IS REPORTING ONE ROUND WAS FIRED, BUT NO ONE WAS HIT. A VOICE IS HEARD SAYING, 'HE IS TRYING TO KILL HIM.' HE'S TRYING TO KILL HIM! HE BROTHERS WERE ARRESTED WHEN MORE POLICE ARRIVED. THEIR FATHER, HAMILTON BUSINESSMAN LAWRENCE DAY, IS QUOTED IN THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD AS SAYING... THE FAMILY TOLD THE HERALD THE POLICE CLAIMED THEY WERE SPEEDING AND NOT HUGGING THE ROADSIDE CLOSE ENOUGH. THE BROTHERS ARE CHARGED WITH ROBBERY, OBSTRUCTION OF POLICE DUTY, A PHYSICAL ATTACK ON A POLICE OFFICER, DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENCE AND ATTEMPTING TO BRIBE THE OFFICER. THIS MAN, WHO WE'RE NOT NAMING, SPENT THREE NIGHTS IN A HOLDING CELL IN BANGKOK AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF ROBBERY IN 2001. THE MEMORY WILL ABSOLUTELY STAY WITH ME FOREVER. WHEN I WAS WALKING INTO THE CELL, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE. UM, I WAS VERY YOUNG AT THE TIME, AND IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY. IT WAS RAT-INFESTED. PRISONERS WERE STRIPPED DOWN TO THEIR UNDERWEAR AND RELIED ON PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE FOR FOOD ` NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED. FIRST THING THAT HITS YOU IS THE STENCH AND THE HEAT OF THE PLACE. IT WAS SUPER-HOT IN THERE, SUPER-PACKED WITH DOZENS OF GUYS, AND YOU DON'T GET YOUR OWN CELL. YOU DON'T GET A BED. YOU HAVE TO LIE ON THE FLOOR BESIDE PEOPLE WHO YOU DON'T KNOW... HOW DANGEROUS THEY ARE. UM, THE PLACE STINKS. THERE'S RATS AND OTHER INSECTS AND STUFF CRAWLING AROUND IN THERE. THE ARREST COMES AS PHUKET AUTHORITIES LAUNCH A CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGNERS BREAKING THAI LAWS. LOCAL MEDIA SAY THAI RESIDENTS WANT TOUGHER ACTION AGAINST FOREIGNERS BEHAVING BADLY. THOUGH THE LOCAL ECONOMY HAS BECOME MORE DEPENDENT ON THE GROWING NUMBER OF TOURISTS. MFAT SAYS CONSULAR OFFICIALS IN THAILAND ARE RESPONDING TO THE REPORTED ARREST OF THE TWO KIWIS. LAWYERS WHO'VE DEFENDED NEW ZEALANDERS IN THAILAND SAY THE ROBBERY CHARGES CARRY A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF 10 TO 20 YEARS AND THE BRIBERY CHARGE A MAXIMUM OF FIVE YEARS, BUT A GUILTY PLEA COULD HALVE THE SENTENCE. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH, NEWSHUB. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS STOPPED SHORT OF PUBLICLY REBUKING FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS FOR COMPARING RACE RELATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND TO NAZI GERMANY, BUT HE DOES PLAN TO GIVE PETERS A TALKING TO. THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WOULDN'T BACK DOWN FROM HIS COMMENTS TODAY, AND NOW CHRISTOPHER LUXON IS CALLING ON ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO DIAL DOWN THE RHETORIC. HERE'S POLITICAL EDITOR JENNA LYNCH. THE TRADEMARK GRIN GETTING A DIPLOMATIC SPIN. NICE PLACE. IT IS. IT IS. FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS WELCOMING HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART TO THE PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNTRY ` THE SAME AND, YET, A TOTALLY DIFFERENT MAN FROM THE WINSTON PETERS WHO YESTERDAY LIKENED RACE RELATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND TO ONE OF THE WORST ATROCITIES IN MODERN HUMANITY. I'VE SEEN THAT SORT OF PHILOSOPHY BEFORE. I SAW IT IN NAZI GERMANY. WE ALL DID. WE'VE SEEN IT ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD IN THE HORRORS OF HISTORY, BUT HERE, RIGHT IN OUR COUNTRY, AND TOLERATED BY PEOPLE WHOSE JOB WAS TO KEEP THE SYSTEM HONEST. PETERS DID NOT EVEN PONDER A BACK-PEDAL TODAY. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BRING THE HOLOCAUST INTO THIS? BECAUSE LAST YEAR, WAITITI FROM THE MAORI PARTY SAID THAT MAORI HAD SUPERIOR DNA. WHEN YOU SAY THAT, YOU'RE HEADING DOWN THE PATHWAY OF SEPARATISM, APARTHEID AND ALL THE UGLY BUSINESS OF RACISM AND EXCLUSIVITY. YOU KNOW, WINSTON PETERS' COMMENTS ARE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. THEY ACTUALLY REFLECT NOT ONLY POORLY ON THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT BUT POORLY ON NEW ZEALAND. THIS IS OUR DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND OUR MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. HIPKINS LIKENED HIM TO A DRUNK UNCLE AT A WEDDING. PETERS HIT BACK, SAYING HIPKINS COULDN'T EVEN HANDLE A WINE BISCUIT. I WILL CONCEDE RIGHT NOW THAT WINSTON PETERS' TOLERANCE FOR ALCOHOL WILL BE A LOT HIGHER THAN MINE. HE'S HAD A LOT MORE PRACTICE. YES, THESE ARE THE MEN LEADING THE COUNTRY. HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO WINSTON PETERS ABOUT THE COMMENTS YOU MADE YESTERDAY ABOUT NAZI GERMANY? NO, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO SO, BUT, UM` BUT I DO` WE TALK REGULARLY, AND I PLAN TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT. THE PRIME MINISTER WANTS SOME DECORUM BACK. CALLING ON PEOPLE FROM ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO MAINTAIN THE CIVILITY IN OUR POLITICS, AND I DON'T THINK EXTREME LANGUAGE ON EITHER SIDE FROM ANY PARTICULAR PARTY, UM, IS ACTUALLY HELPFUL OR NECESSARY. AS CHRISTOPHER LUXON PREPARED TO WELCOME THE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR LARGEST TRADING PARTNER HIMSELF, HE EMPLOYED SOME DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE ON PETERS. THAT'S NOT WHAT I WOULD SAY. I DON'T THINK THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE AREN'T WAY THAT I WOULD PHRASE IT AT ALL. I THINK CHRISTOPHER LUXON, AT THE VERY LEAST, NEEDS TO HAUL HIM IN AND SAY, 'STOP THIS. THIS ISN'T ACCEPTABLE. 'THIS ISN'T CONDUCT THAT'S ACCEPTABLE FROM SOMEONE 'HOLDING THE OFFICE THAT YOU HOLD.' I'VE SEEN CHRIS HIPKINS REFER TO OUR GOVERNMENT AS A DICTATORSHIP. I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE MAORI PARTY REFER TO US AS WHITE SUPREMACISTS WHO HAVE GOT SOME SORT OF GENOCIDE AGENDA. I DON'T THINK ANY OF THAT INFLAMED, INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE IS VERY HELPFUL AT ALL. NOT SPECIFICALLY REBUKING HIS FOREIGN MINISTER BUT CALLING FOR COOLER HEADS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM. JENNA, DID WINSTON PETERS GO TOO FAR FOR THE PRIME MINISTER THIS TIME? WINSTON PETERS WAS GIVEN THE LONGEST HE'S CONSTANTLY OFF SCRIPT CONFLICT SUNG ANY NUMBER OF OUTRAGEOUS THINGS HIS RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO SHRUG HIS RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO SHRUG IT IS NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT IT IS NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT IT WAS NOT CREDIBLE FOR CHRISTOPHER LUXON TO COME DOWN HERE TODAY AND NOT CALL WINSTON PETERS OUT HE FOUND THIS CLEVER SOLUTION OF RIGHTLY IDENTIFYING LANGUAGE ACROSS THE CLINICAL SPECTRUM HAS BEEN GETTING READILY WORSE EVERYONE IT'S CALLED THE HEADS RATHER THAN DIRECTING IT STRAIGHT AS DEPUTY TENNECO THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THE HARD WORD TO KAINGA ORA, INSTRUCTING THEM TO KICK OUT UNRULY SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS AND CHASE DOWN UNPAID RENTS. HOUSING MINISTER CHRIS BISHOP SAID THE AMOUNT OWED BY KAINGA ORA'S TENANTS HAD BALLOONED TO $21M LAST YEAR, WHILE THE NUMBER OF TENANTS OWING RENTS THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IF SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS DON'T PAY, THEY SHOULD BE EVICTED AND THAT SHOULD ACT AS A STRONG INCENTIVE TO PAY. THERE IS ALSO AN INSTRUCTION FOR THE HOUSING PROVIDER TO EVICT ANTISOCIAL TENANTS. FIGURES SHOW THERE WERE AN AVERAGE OF 335 SERIOUS COMPLAINTS EACH MONTH LAST YEAR, BUT JUST THREE TENANCIES WERE ENDED DUE TO DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOUR. POLITICAL REPORTER AMELIA WADE JOINS US NOW. SO AMELIA, HOW HAVE MINISTERS MADE THIS DIRECTIVE? WELL AND FULFILLING A COUPLE OF LYCIAN PROMISE TO ACT THEY HAVE SENT AN INTERIM LETTER OF EXPECTATION TO KAINGAROA TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS THE AIM OF THE POLICY IS TO MAKE TENANTS BEHAVE BETTER NOT TO MAKE MORE PEOPLE HOMELESS THERE WAS A KEY DETAIL MISSING TODAY THE CHILDREN BISHOP COULD NOT SAY HOW MANY OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS WERE FACING SERIOUS COMPLAINTS AND HOW MANY HAD CHILDREN IN THEM HE'D ASKED FOR ADVICE ON HOW CHILDREN WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS CHANGE IN POLICY PEOPLE ARE PRESUPPOSING THAT THOSE TENANTS WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY LIFTED AUTOMATICALLY EVICTED FROM THOSE HOUSES, OK? SO OUR FIRST` THE FIRST REASON WE ARE DOING THIS IS TO MAKE` IS TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT THE TENANTS WHO ENGAGE IN THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOUR NEED TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOUR. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE HAS TO BE A BACKSTOP FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SAY, 'IF YOU CONTINUE TO PERSISTENTLY AND REPEATEDLY ENGAGE 'IN THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOUR`' THERE HAS TO BE A BACKSTOP FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SAY, 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I'M SORRY. 'YOU CAN'T CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN THIS SORT OF BEHAVIOUR.' THE RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY HAS BEEN MAXED ONE WOMAN SAYS SHE HAS BEEN TORMENTED BY HER CRYING OR A NEIGHBOURS AND SCARED IN THEIR OWN HOMES PICKING PEOPLE OUT OF STATE HOUSES WILL LEAD TO PROPERTY AND TRAUMA AMELIA THANK YOU FOR THE DETAIL ON THAT RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT PUTIN HAS WON A FIFTH TERM IN OFFICE IN AN ELECTION LANDSLIDE, MADE POSSIBLE BY THE REMOVAL OF ALL OPPOSITION CANDIDATES ` ONE OF THEM PERMANENTLY. BUT THE WIDOW OF ALEXI NAVALNY NOW CHAMPIONS THE CAUSE HE FOUGHT, BUT THE WIDOW OF ALEXI NAVALNY NOW CHAMPIONS THE CAUSE HE FOUGHT, ITV'S JAMES MATES REPORTS. THE FINAL DAY OF SO-CALLED VOTING IN A SO-CALLED ELECTION, A SHAM OF DEMOCRACY WHERE THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE WINNER, THE OPPOSITION EITHER DEAD OR JAILED OR EXILED. BUT IRONICALLY, IN A COUNTRY WHERE EVEN THE MILDEST PROTEST IS BANNED, THE VOTE HAS GIVEN PEOPLE A CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES. ANYONE OPPOSED TO PUTIN TURNING UP TO VOTE AT THE SAME MOMENT ` NOON TODAY. JUST STANDING IN A QUEUE BECOMING AN ACT OF PROTEST AND OF SOLIDARITY. (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) 'I'M VERY HAPPY,' SAYS THIS WOMAN, 'THAT THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY WHO BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE, 'IN A RUSSIA WITHOUT PUTIN.' (ALL CHANT) THE MOST VOCAL PROTEST WAS YOUNG PEOPLE CHANTING THE NAME OF BORIS NADEZHDIN, AN ANTI-WAR CANDIDATE BANNED FROM STANDING AFTER IT BECAME CLEAR HE'D WIN TOO MANY VOTES. THIS ELECTIONS, AND I AM SURE THAT I AM IN A PROPER WAY, AND SOMETIMES WE WILL HAVE NORMAL, DEMOCRATIC, FREE AND FAIR ELECTION RUSSIAN FEDERATION. YOU BELIEVE THAT ONE DAY? I BELIEVE NOT, OF COURSE, ON THIS DAY, BUT I HAVE TO DO MY BEST. IN MOSCOW, PUTIN'S OPPONENTS CONTINUED TODAY, LAYING FLOWERS ON THE GRAVE OF ALEXEI NAVALNY, THE OPPOSITION LEADER JAILED AND THEN KILLED BY THE RUSSIAN STATE. IT WAS HIS WIDOW, YULIA NAVALNY, WHO CALLED FOR THE 'NOON AGAINST PUTIN' PROTEST ` JOINING IT HERSELF IN BERLIN, WHERE SHE LIVES IN EXILE. THERE COULD BE NO NEGOTIATIONS AND NOTHING WITH MR PUTIN, BECAUSE HE IS A KILLER. HE IS A GANGSTER. HE IS THE PERSON WHO BROUGHT MY COUNTRY TO THE WAR. SPEAKS UKRAINIAN: TO ME, THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS THAT THIS PERSON, LIKE MANY OTHERS THROUGHOUT HISTORY, HAS BECOME SICK WITH POWER AND WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO RULE FOREVER. VLADIMIR PUTIN APPEARED ON RUSSIAN TV, PRAISING THE ELECTION AS FREE, FAIR AND TRANSPARENT. EXIT POLLS SAY HE'LL WIN EASILY, WHICH WON'T HAVE SURPRISED HIM. ANOTHER TERM IN OFFICE WILL SEE PUTIN OVERTAKE JOSEPH STALIN'S TIME IN THE KREMLIN ` ANOTHER MAN WHO KNEW A THING OR TWO ABOUT MAKING SURE ELECTIONS PRODUCED THE REQUIRED RESULT. A NEW REPORT OUT TODAY SHOWS NEW ZEALAND HOUSEHOLDS CURRENTLY USING GAS APPLIANCES AND PETROL VEHICLES COULD SAVE THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR IF THEY WENT ELECTRIC. CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT ISOBEL EWING IS HERE NOW WITH THE DETAILS. YES, THIS REPORT FROM INDEPENDENT ENERGY TRANSITION CHARITY REWIRING AOTEAROA SAYS NEW ZEALAND'S REACHED AN ELECTRIFICATION TIPPING POINT, MEANING WE'RE ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES WHERE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES AND CARS ARE NOW MORE AFFORDABLE OVER THEIR LIFETIME THAN THEIR FOSSIL FUEL EQUIVALENTS. IT SHOWS HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE ABLE TO GET LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO TRANSITION FROM GAS APPLIANCES AND PETROL VEHICLES TO FULLY ELECTRIC COULD SAVE AROUND $4500 A YEAR. BUT EVEN ON AN AVERAGE HOME LOAN RATE, THE SAVINGS WOULD BE $1500 A YEAR. AND THEY SAY FOR FAMILIES WHO WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE BUT DON'T KNOW HOW, IT'S A PRACTICAL WAY TO SIGNIFICANTLY CUT EMISSIONS, WITH ENERGY DECISIONS MADE BY HOUSEHOLDS ACCOUNTING FOR 14% OF THE COUNTRY'S EMISSIONS. FROM AN ELECTRIC TRACTOR... I MUST BE THE FIRST FARMER IN NEW ZEALAND THAT CAN DO THIS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS FARM WHERE THERE'S NO ACCESS TO ELECTRICITY... EXCEPT THROUGH THIS ELECTRIC TRACTOR. ...TO ELECTRIC CHAINSAWS AND IRRIGATION AND FROST-FIGHTING SYSTEMS POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY. MIKE CASEY'S MADE HUGE SAVINGS BY TURNING HIS CHERRY ORCHARD ELECTRIC, AND HE'S ENCOURAGING KIWIS TO DO THE SAME WITH THEIR HOMES. IT IS NOW CHEAPER TO RUN AN ELECTRIC HOME THAN IT IS A FOSSIL FUEL HOME, EVEN CONSIDERING THE COST OF CAPITAL, WHICH IS A REALLY EXCITING SITUATION TO BE IN. THE REPORT FROM REWIRING AOTEAROA SAYS HOUSEHOLD ELECTRIFICATION CAN SAVE NEW ZEALANDERS MONEY AND REDUCE EMISSIONS. THESE ARE THE LOWEST-HANGING FRUITS OF EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY. WE CAN ATTACK THEM REALLY QUICKLY, AND WE CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS FOR 2030. BUT INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS OR BUYING AN EV IS NOT SOMETHING EVERYONE CAN AFFORD. BANKS, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE OFFERING LOW INTEREST ON THEIR MORTGAGES FOR THE ELECTRIFICATION OF HOUSEHOLDS. BUT THEY HAVEN'T` BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY CATER FOR THE 47% OF NEW ZEALANDERS THAT RENT, AND IT DEFINITELY DOESN'T CATER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING PAYCHEQUE TO PAYCHEQUE. SO IF IT'S IN NEW ZEALAND'S FINANCIAL BEST INTEREST TO ELECTRIFY HOUSEHOLDS, WILL THE GOVERNMENT HELP SPEED UP THE TRANSITION? YEAH, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT INCREASING THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING UNITS UP AND DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR AN EV CHARGING NETWORK. WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY IN THIS COUNTRY. RAY WHITE'S CHIEF ECONOMIST TOLD NEWSHUB THAT IN AUSTRALIA, IT USED TO BE JUST AN ENVIRONMENTALLY MINDED MINORITY OF BUYERS WHO TOOK INTO ACCOUNT WHETHER A HOME WAS FULLY ELECTRIC. NOW IT'S FAR MORE COMMON BECAUSE OF THE RISING FOSSIL FUEL ENERGY COSTS AND THE FACT THAT GREENER HOMES ARE CHEAPER TO RUN. AND IN VICTORIA, THE STATE HAS EVEN BANNED GAS CONNECTIONS IN NEW BUILDS HAVING MORE ELECTRIC HOUSES REQUIRES MORE RENEWABLE GENERATION AND SOME GRID UPGRADES. BUT EXPERTS SAY ENERGY GENERATED BY PEOPLE'S SOLAR AND BATTERY STORAGE WILL EASE THE BURDEN ON EXISTING LINES. THEN THAT MEANS THE LINE COMPANY WON'T HAVE TO INVEST IN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH WILL SAVE THEM MONEY. AND AS MORE PEOPLE JUMP ON BOARD, SOLAR COSTS WILL CONTINUE TO COME DOWN, MAKING THE ABILITY OF REGULAR HOUSEHOLDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE EASIER AND EASIER. ISOBEL EWING, NEWSHUB. A NEW STUDY HAS FOUND NEARLY ONE IN 10 NEW ZEALANDERS PRESCRIBED OPIOIDS AFTER SURGERY CONTINUE TO USE THEM LONGER THAN THREE MONTHS, WHICH PUTS THEM AT RISK OF GETTING ADDICTED. RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND WORRY IT COULD LEAD TO AN OPIOID CRISIS, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPERIENCED. ZANE SMALL REPORTS. THE UNITED STATES IS IN THE GRIPS OF AN OPIOID EPIDEMIC. WE'VE GOT A PULSE. WE DO? OK. IT'S ESTIMATED MORE THAN 1500 AMERICANS DIE EACH DAY FROM OVERDOSES. CAN YOU SIT UP FOR ME, SWEETIE? IT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OPIOIDS ARE ABUSED, BECAUSE, AS NATALIE GOOD FOUND OUT AFTER BEING PRESCRIBED OXYCONTIN, THE EFFECTS ARE POWERFUL. IT FEELS REALLY GOOD. (CHUCKLES) LIKE, IT'S AN OPIATE, AND IT KINDA MAKES YOUR PAIN GO AWAY, MAKES YOU JUST SUPER CHILLED-OUT. AND I CAN SEE WHY IT WOULD BE VERY ADDICTING. NATALIE WAS GIVEN OXYCONTIN TO TREAT THE PAIN OF A SLIPPED DISC. SHE TOOK IT FOR THE PRESCRIBED THREE MONTHS BUT WORRIES ABOUT PATIENTS WITH MORE ADDICTIVE TENDENCIES. THEY JUST GAVE ME MASS AMOUNTS OF OXYCONTIN. THEY DIDN'T ASK ANY OF MY HISTORY. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY'S JIAYI GONG IS NOW RAISING THE ALARM. HIS RESEARCH LOOKED AT HOW OFTEN OPIOIDS ARE GIVEN TO PATIENTS AFTER SURGERY AND FOR HOW LONG. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT IN NEW ZEALAND. THE STUDY LOOKED AT THE RECORDS OF 260,000 HOSPITAL PATIENTS BETWEEN 2007 AND 2019 WHO WERE PRESCRIBED OPIOIDS AFTER DISCHARGE AND FOUND THAT NEARLY ONE IN 10 CONTINUED USING THE DRUGS FOR A FURTHER THREE MONTHS, WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE PERSISTENT USE. ADDICTIVE RISK REALLY COMES WHEN PATIENTS STOP TAKING IT AS PER INSTRUCTION, TAKING IT FOR LONGER THAN THEY NEED TO AND TAKING IT OUTSIDE THE JURISDICTION OF THEIR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. AND ADDICTION CAN LEAD TO SEEKING OUT OPIOIDS ON THE BLACK MARKET. IN 2022, A DOZEN PEOPLE WERE HOSPITALISED IN WAIRARAPA AFTER TAKING FENTANYL. AND LAST MONTH, A WARNING FROM THE U.S. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ARE ANOTHER MARKET WHERE I THINK THERE IS A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FENTANYL EMERGING. TO AVOID THAT, HEALTH NEW ZEALAND TOLD US... THAT HARM HAS TRAGICALLY PLAYED OUT IN THE U.S. AS PEOPLE LIKE NATALIE HAVE WATCHED FROM AFAR, HOPING IT DOESN'T HAPPEN HERE. ZANE SMALL, NEWSHUB. TIME FOR A RECAP OF THE DAY'S WEATHER. HOW DID THE WEEK START, HEATHER? NOT TOO BAD. CERTAINLY NO SEVERE WEATHER. ALL VERY MUCH LIKE THIS ` BIT OF BLUE SKY, FEW CLOUDS. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FRONTS, SO SHOWERS HAVE AFFECTED THOSE OUT EAST AND AROUND SOUTHLAND, AND CHRISTCHURCH HAD A THUNDERSTORM FOR LUNCH. BUT WE'VE GOT HIGH PRESSURE FOR MOST OF THE WEEK, AND I'LL HAVE THE FULL FORECAST AFTER SPORT. DEFENCES AROUND A TOWN IN ICELAND HAVE SO FAR HELD BACK AN APPROACHING RIVER OF MOLTEN ROCK. MONITORING CAMERAS CAPTURED THE MOMENT A 3KM-LONG FISSURE OPENED UP AND ORANGE LAVA GUSHED INTO THE AIR. IN DEFIANCE OF INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM, ISRAEL PRESIDENT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS CONFIRMED HE WILL LAUNCH AN OFFENSIVE IN THE OVERCROWDED CITY OF RAFAH. ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER REMAINS DETERMINED TO PUSH AHEAD WITH AN ATTACK ON THE GAZA CITY OF RAFAH DESPITE INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION. THE CITY IS CRAMMED WITH AROUND 1.5 MILLION PALESTINIANS SEEKING REFUGE. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU REAFFIRMED HIS PLANS TO INVADE DURING A MEETING WITH GERMANY'S CHANCELLOR, PROMISING TO EVACUATE THOSE STUCK THERE. THICK BLACK SMOKE THE FIGHTING RELENTLESS AS THE US INTENSIFIES CALLS FOR A SIX FIRE BUT THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS IT HAS YET TO SEE ANY CREDIBLE EVACUATION PLAN FROM ISRAEL. AFTER 800 YEARS WITHOUT A MURMUR, ONE OF ICELAND'S VOLCANOS IS CERTAINLY MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME, AND FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN THREE MONTHS, THE FISHING VILLAGE IN THE PATH OF ITS LAVA FLOW HAS BEEN EVACUATED. ITV'S IAN WOODS REPORTS. IT'S RARE TO SEE THE EXACT MOMENT THE EARTH RUPTURES AND LAVA STARTS TO SPEW FROM A FISSURE. IT WAS CAPTURED BY ONE OF THE NETWORK OF CAMERAS SET UP TO MAINTAIN A CONSTANT VIGIL FOR NEW VOLCANIC ACTIVITY. IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS, THE CRACK WIDENED AND EXTENDED TO TWO MILES IN LENGTH. FOR THOSE WHO FLEW OVER THIS VISION OF HELL ON EARTH, IT'S AN AWESOME SPECTACLE. THIS FAST-FLOWING LAVA FLOWING LIKE RIVERS WITH LAVA FALLS LIKE WATERFALL ` I MEAN, IT'S, OF COURSE, STAGGERING TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS THIS, ESPECIALLY CLOSE UP. WE WERE ABLE TO CIRCLE AROUND THE LAVA FLOWS. THE FISSURE WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, BECAUSE THERE WERE PROBABLY... 50 LAVA FOUNTAINS OR MORE, UP TO 100M HIGH. BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIVE IN THIS VOLATILE AREA, IT'S A SIGN THEY MAY NEVER BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. LAST YEAR, GRINDAVIK WAS A THRIVING FISHING PORT, BUT WHEN A FISSURE OPENED CLOSE TO THE TOWN, IT HAD TO BE EVACUATED. ITS 6000 RESIDENTS ARE NOW SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AWAITING NEW HOMES. THIS LATEST ERUPTION WAS THE FOURTH IN AS MANY MONTHS. THE AUTHORITIES HAVE BUILT BARRIERS TO TRY TO DIVERT THE LAVA FLOW FROM ROADS, PIPELINES AND FIBRE OPTIC CABLES, BUT THERE'S LITTLE ELSE THEY CAN DO EXCEPT KEEP A CLOSE WATCH FOR MORE CRACKS APPEARING. (SPEAKS ICELANDIC) THE HEAD OF CIVIL DEFENCE SAID THE LAVA RUNS FAST, AND THEY'RE MONITORING IT USING DRONES. THE LATEST ERUPTION MEANT VISITORS TO THE POPULAR BLUE LAGOON HAD TO BE EVACUATED, THOUGH IT'S UNLIKELY TO IMPACT ICELANDIC TOURISM, WHICH IS A BIG SOURCE OF REVENUE. IF ANYTHING, IT MAY ATTRACT MORE EYEWITNESSES TO THE POWER OF NATURE. A GROUP OF BROWN KIWI HAVE TOUCHED DOWN IN WELLINGTON AND WILL BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD TONIGHT. IT'S PART OF CAPITAL KIWI PROJECT WITH CONSERVATIONISTS SLOWLY BUILDING UP THE WILD KIWI POPULATION IN THE SOUTHWEST HILLS AFTER INTENSE PEST ERADICATION. WILLIAM TE RITE REPORTS. THE LAST FLIGHT FOR THESE FLIGHTLESS BIRDS... ARRIVING AT THEIR NEW, PERMANENT HOME. 15 BROWN KIWI WERE TRANSPORTED FROM A WAIKATO SANCTUARY TO WELLINGTON THIS AFTERNOON, WHERE THEY'RE SET TO BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD. IT'S THE MISSION TO RESTORE A LARGE-SCALE WILD POPULATION OF KIWI, OF OUR ICON AND OUR TAONGA, TO THE BACKYARD OF OUR CAPITAL CITY. THE PROJECT IS BEING LED BY CAPITAL KIWI. THE GROUP HAS HELPED TO LAY NEARLY 5000 STOAT TRAPS ACROSS WELLINGTON TO ENSURE THE BIRDS HAVE A CHANCE. THEY'RE TOUGH, HARD-OUT ANIMALS AS ADULTS. WHERE THEY GET HAMMERED IS IN BETWEEN HATCHING AND GETTING TO THAT FIGHTING WEIGHT. THE PROJECT HAS ALREADY SEEN A HUGE NUMBER OF KIWI RETURN TO PONEKE. AROUND 100 MORE WILL BE RELOCATED THIS YEAR. SO THIS IS JUST A STEP ON THE PATH TO EVERYBODY GETTING INVOLVED IN PROTECTING KIWI. SO WHERE THERE'S NO GUARDIANSHIP GOING ON, OUR KIWI ARE HEADING TOWARDS EXTINCTION. BUT WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE LOOK AFTER KIWI, WE CAN GROW THOSE POPULATIONS IN THE WILD. THE 15 TAGGED BROWN KIWI ARE BEING RELEASED INTO THE HILLS NEAR RED ROCKS THIS EVENING. WILLIAM TERITE, NEWSHUB. ANDREW'S IN LATER WITH SPORT ` AND YOU'VE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOW THE HURRICANES ARE TOP OF THE SUPER RUGBY TABLE? THESE ARE STRANGE TIMES WE'RE LIVING IN, BUT A LOT OF THE CREDIT FOR THE CANES' SUCCESS LIES WITH THEIR ROOKIE COACH CLARK LAIDLAW. HOW THE SCOTTISH SEVENS SPECIALIST HAS ANSWERED QUESTIONS OVER HIS CREDENTIALS BY GUIDING HIS TEAM TO A 4-AND-0 START TO THE SEASON. AND THE KIWI INTERNATIONAL ON THE RECEIVING END OF WHAT'S BEING DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE NASTIEST FALCONS EVER SEEN IN THE NRL. A FAR NORTH MAN IS DUE IN COURT ON MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES THIS WEEK AFTER HIS LANDLORD WAS MAULED TO DEATH BY DOGS. WHY LOCALS FEAR THERE WILL BE MORE FATAL ATTACKS IN THE FUTURE. AND CHRISTCHURCH'S ADVENTURE PARK IS SET TO REOPEN FIVE WEEKS AFTER FIRE TORE THROUGH THE PORT HILLS. SUPERSTAR SINGER-SONGWRITER PINK HAS TAKEN WITH HER SOME VERY SPECIAL NEW ZEALAND ART. I'VE ONLY BEEN MAKING FOR JUST OVER TWO YEARS. FOR MY WORK TO BE IN THE HANDS OF SOMEBODY LIKE PINK IS MIND-BLOWING. MY INNER TEENAGE GIRL CAME OUT OF ME, AND I CRIED! WELCOME BACK. A FORMER GLORIAVALE MEMBER HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 11 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR MORE THAN 20 CHARGES OF SEXUAL OFFENDING AT THE ISOLATED WEST COAST CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY. A JURY FOUND JONATHAN BENJAMIN GUILTY AT GREYMOUTH DISTRICT COURT IN DECEMBER. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY ADMITTED MORE THAN HALF OF THE CHARGES, WITH SOME RELATING TO YOUNG GIRLS UNDER THE AGE OF 12. SEVERAL OF THE CHARGES DATE BACK AS FAR AS THE 1980s. A NEW ZEALAND LAWYER HAS BEEN KILLED IN A HIT-AND-RUN IN BONDI, AND POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR THE DRIVER. MITCH EAST (28) WAS GETTING OUT OF AN UBER AFTER A NIGHT OUT WHEN HE WAS HIT. THE DRIVER OF THE WHITE SUBARU FLED THE SCENE, WHILE NEIGHBOURS RAN TO HELP AND RAISE THE ALARM. SO, POLICE AND PARAMEDICS CONDUCTED CPR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BUT UNFORTUNATELY WERE UNABLE TO REVIVE THE MAN. EAST'S PROFESSOR AT OTAGO UNIVERSITY HAS PAID TRIBUTE, DESCRIBING HIM AS A REMARKABLE GRADUATE. HE MOVED TO SYDNEY ONLY LAST YEAR. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE THAT SAW KINGLAND'S NEW NORTH RD BLOCKED OFF FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS AFTERNOON. DOZENS OF FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDED AFTER GAS WAS SMELT COMING FROM A PROPERTY HOUSING A PERSON WHO HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE CHEMICALS. LOOKING AT POSSIBLE HYDROGEN SULPHIDE, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO ASCERTAIN THE EXACT CHEMICAL. BUT WE HAVE NEUTRALISED THE SUBSTANCE NOW, AND IT POSES NO FURTHER DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. THE PERSON INSIDE THE PROPERTY WAS HELPED TO SAFETY, GIVEN FIRST AID AND DECONTAMINATED. POLICE ARE NOW TALKING TO THE PERSON, WHO'S IN A MODERATE CONDITION. A FAR NORTH MAN ACCUSED OF OWNING A PACK OF DOGS THAT FATALLY ATTACKED HIS LANDLORD IN PANGURU IN 2022 WILL APPEAR IN COURT THIS WEEK CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. NORTHLAND LOCALS SAY THAT DESPITE TWO FATAL ATTACKS IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE PROBLEM WITH ROAMING AND UNTRAINED DOGS IS GETTING WORSE. AND THEY TOLD THE HUI'S JOHN BOYNTON DOG OWNERS DON'T SEEM TO CARE. THIS AUGUST WILL MARK TWO YEARS SINCE NEVILLE THOMSON WAS MAULED TO DEATH AT HIS PANGURU HOME. I FIND IT HARD TO THINK ABOUT HIM. HE'S SUCH A BIG VOID THAT'S MISSING FROM OUR LIVES. IT HAS AFFECTED MY ENTIRE FAMILY. AND I COULDN'T GO TO SLEEP, COULDN'T CLOSE MY EYES WITHOUT VISUALISING SOMETHING. THIS WEEK, A MAN (59) WILL APPEAR IN THE KAITAIA DISTRICT COURT, CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. ABEL WIRA WAS BOARDING AT THOMSON'S PROPERTY WITH HIS DOGS WHEN NEVILLE THOMSON WAS ATTACKED AND DIED. BUT JUST A YEAR AFTER NEVILLE THOMSON DIED, THE FAR NORTH COMMUNITY WAS HIT BY ANOTHER UNRELATED FATAL DOG ATTACK. THE VICTIM WAS MOEREWA RESIDENT ELIZABETH WHITTAKER (78). HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO HEAR ANOTHER PERSON HAD BEEN KILLED IN A DOG ATTACK? (SIGHS) ANGER. JUST ANGRY. DEEP SADNESS FOR THE FAMILY THAT HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT AND THAT POOR, POOR KUIA HAVING TO GO THROUGH SUCH A TRAUMATIC... SITUATION. IT'S NOT FAIR ON THE PEOPLE THAT'S LIVES HAVE BEEN TAKEN. IT'S A TRAGEDY, AND IT'S JUST NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY ENOUGH. SUMMER JOHNSON RUNS THE BAY OF ISLANDS ANIMAL RESCUE. WITH DOG NUMBERS OUT OF CONTROL, HER VOLUNTEER RESCUE IS AT BREAKING POINT. THERE WAS A TIME WHERE I COULD GET THREE OR FOUR PHONE CALLS A DAY WITH PUPPIES NEEDING HELP, AND YOU'D TAKE THEM, AND WE'D JUGGLE THEM. BUT NOW WE'RE HAVING TO SAY NO, AND IT'S HEARTBREAKING. JOHNSON SAYS AUTHORITIES MUST STEP UP. WE NEED MANDATORY DESEXING. WE NEED THE GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNCILS AND THE SPCA, THE ONES WITH POWER, TO RECOGNISE THAT WE ARE IN CRISIS. I THINK COUNCIL IS DOING AS MUCH AS COUNCIL CAN DO AT THE MOMENT. RODDY PIHEMA IS ON THE BAY OF ISLANDS-WHANGAROA COMMUNITY BOARD. THEY DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS WHEN IT COMES TO ANIMAL CONTROL WORKERS. HE'S BEEN LEADING EFFORTS TO INCREASE RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP. YOU CAN'T PUSH COUNCIL TO DO THE JOB IF YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB YOURSELF. YOU CAN'T PUSH COUNCIL TO DO THE JOB IF YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOB YOURSELF. IF WE HAVE GOOD DOG OWNERS, THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. BUT NATARIA MOORE ISN'T SURE IF PEOPLE ARE LEARNING FROM THESE TRAGEDIES. THIS IS NOT A DOG PROBLEM; IT'S A OWNER PROBLEM. IT'S A COMMUNITY PROBLEM. IT'S A GOVERNMENT PROBLEM. JOHN BOYNTON, NEWSHUB. AND YOU CAN CATCH JOHN'S FULL STORY ON THE DOG ATTACKS IN THE FAR NORTH ON THE HUI ON SOCIAL MEDIA TONIGHT FROM 8.30 AND ON THREE TOMORROW NIGHT AFTER NEWSHUB LATE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST CASUALTIES OF THE PORT HILLS FIRE, THE CHRISTCHURCH ADVENTURE PARK, IS SET TO REOPEN THIS WEEK. IT'S FIVE WEEKS SINCE THE MAMMOTH BLAZE RAZED HUNDREDS OF HECTARES ABOVE CHRISTCHURCH AND AS KAREN RUTHERFORD REPORTS, POLICE ARE STILL NO CLOSER TO LAYING CHARGES. HIGH ABOVE THE GARDEN CITY, THIS MUCH-LOVED ATTRACTION IS MAKING A PHOENIX-LIKE COMEBACK JUST FIVE WEEKS AFTER FIRE RIPPED THROUGH THE PORT HILLS. ANYBODY THAT HELPED ON THE FIRE, A BIG THANK YOU. WE'RE STILL HERE, AND WE ARE RISING FROM THE ASHES ONCE AGAIN. STAFF AT THE CHRISTCHURCH ADVENTURE PARK ARE BACK ON THE TOOLS, PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS, THE ZIPLINE AND CHAIRLIFTS AHEAD OF FRIDAY'S REOPENING. JUST SO EXCITED TO GET REOPENED. THE WORK THAT FENZ DID ON SITE DURING THE FIRE WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. WHILE THE PARK WAS LARGELY SPARED DURING FEBRUARY'S BLAZE THAT SAW ONE HOME DESTROYED AND DOZENS EVACUATED, IT HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL. POLICE SAY THEY'RE STILL INVESTIGATING WHO OR WHAT CAUSED IT TO CLOSE AND HAVE THE FIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY, THE HEIGHT OF OUR SEASON, WHEN YOU'VE GOT ALL THE TOURISTS HERE, THE CRUISE LINES, IT MOUNTS UP TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. YOU CAN STILL SMELL THE SMOKE UP HERE, BUT ONE CHRISTCHURCH FAMILY IS CELEBRATING A SMALL MIRACLE. THE FIRE HAS LITERALLY LICKED AT THE FOOT OF THEIR FATHER'S MEMORIAL CHAIR, BUILT IN HIS FAVOURITE PLACE AFTER HE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO. INDISCRIMINATE AND FURIOUS FLAMES THAT CAME WITHIN INCHES OF MEMORIES AND MACHINERY. BUT MANAGEMENT INSISTS THE ADVENTURE PARK IS STILL VIABLE. THAT'S DESPITE BEING CLOSED FOR MUCH OF 2017 FOLLOWING THE LAST BLAZE, AND THAT VERY PUBLIC $14 MILLION PAYOUT TO HOMEOWNERS AFTER ITS RUNNING CHAIRLIFT FUELLED FLAMES. THE PARK DEFINITELY IS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD, AND WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ATTRACTIONS THAT WE'VE GOT UP OUR SLEEVE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, AND WE'RE HOPING TO BRING THOSE TO THE PUBLIC IN THE NEXT 18 MONTHS. AND WITH EASTER AND THE APRIL SCHOOL HOLIDAYS JUST DAYS AWAY, AND WITH EASTER AND THE APRIL SCHOOL HOLIDAYS JUST DAYS AWAY... THE ONE THING THAT PEOPLE CAN DO TO SUPPORT US IS ACTUALLY TO COME AND VISIT US. BECAUSE ON TWO WHEELS OR TWO FEET, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT GOING FORWARD. KAREN RUTHERFORD, NEWSHUB. A LEISURELY DRIVE TURNED TO TERROR FOR TWO WOMEN IN IRELAND WHEN WHAT LOOKED LIKE A WRECKING BALL SUDDENLY SMASHED THROUGH THEIR WINDSCREEN. WE LOOK AT THE SECRETS BEHIND CLARK LAIDLAW'S SENSATIONAL START TO LIFE AT THE HURRICANES. PLUS ` PROOF OF JUST HOW CRUEL SPORT CAN BE. WE'LL TELL YOU WHICH PLAYER CAME THIS CLOSE TO FORCING A PLAYOFF AT GOLF'S PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP. AND FROM AGONY ON THE GREENS TO ECSTASY AT OLD TRAFFORD AS UNITED WIN A SEVEN-GOAL THRILLER AGAINST LIVERPOOL IN THE FA CUP. WITH HIS HURRICANES TEAM SITTING AS THE SURPRISE LEADERS OF THE COMPETITION, CLARK LAIDLAW COULD NOT HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER START TO LIFE AS A HEAD COACH IN SUPER RUGBY. THE SCOTTISH-BORN SEVENS SPECIALIST ARRIVED AT THE CANES WITH QUESTIONS OVER HIS CREDENTIALS. HE'S ANSWERED HIS CRITICS IN EMPHATIC STYLE, WITH PLAYERS HAILING HIS INFLUENCE AND IMPACT ON THE ONLY UNDEFEATED TEAM IN THE COMPETITION AFTER FOUR ROUNDS. GORDON FINDLATER HAS MORE. WITH FOUR WINS TO START THE SEASON, LIFE'S PRETTY GOOD FOR CLARK LAIDLAW. HIS SIDE ARE YET TO TASTE DEFEAT, AND HE'S NOT LOST HIS SELF-DEPRECATING HUMOUR. I GUESS IF WE LOSE, I'LL BE SCOTTISH AND A SEVENS COACH, IF WE WIN, I MIGHT GET A LITTLE BIT MORE GRACE. THAT'S CERTAINLY THE CASE AFTER THEIR LATEST VICTORY ` A CLUTCH WIN AGAINST THE SEVEN-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION CRUSADERS. OVER THEY GO, AND IT'S A TRY! LAIDLAW BELIEVES HIS SEVENS EXPERIENCE HELPED IN WHAT IS A DAUNTING AWAY TRIP FOR ANY COACH. SEVENS PUTS YOU UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE. YOU PLAY SIX GAMES IN A WEEKEND. WE'VE ONLY PLAYED FOUR. I'M NOT EVEN THROUGH ONE WEEKEND'S WORTH OF SEVENS. SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S NOT GETTING AHEAD OF HIMSELF. BUT THERE'S NO DENYING THE START TO THE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN BETTER THAN IMAGINED. A LOT OF US HADN'T EVEN MET, YOU KNOW, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO, LIKE, LITERALLY HADN'T EVEN MET EACH OTHER. SO THAT'S BEEN PRETTY COOL TO BUILD NEW RELATIONSHIPS. ONE THAT APPEARS TO BE WORKING ` THE PLAYERS EMBRACING SOME OF LAIDLAW'S MORE UNIQUE APPROACHES. WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS IN THE HEAT CHAMBER HERE AROUND, YOU KNOW, PROBLEM-SOLVING UNDER FATIGUE AND GIVING US VARIOUS SCENARIOS OUT ON THE FIELD. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK BACK TO THE WEEKEND WITH THE CRUSADERS GAME, YOU SORT OF SAW A LITTLE BIT OF THAT COME OUT. IF THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE CLINICAL IN THE BIG MOMENTS, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE SEASON MAY HOLD FOR THE HURRICANES? I THINK IT'S SORT OF OUR MENTALITY, UM, YOU KNOW, PLAY TO WIN. AT HOME AGAINST THE REBELS THIS FRIDAY, THAT'S WHAT THEY INTEND TO KEEP DOING. GORDON FINDLATER, NEWSHUB. WELL, THE POSITIVITY IN THE CAPITAL IS IN CONTRAST TO THE CRISIS IN CHRISTCHURCH, WHERE THE WINLESS CRUSADERS HAVE BEEN DEALT ANOTHER BLOW, WITH OWEN FRANKS CITED FOR DANGEROUS PLAY. THE VETERAN PROP WAS SHOWN A YELLOW CARD AFTER FULL-TIME IN THEIR LOSS TO THE HURRICANES FOR MAKING CONTACT WITH AN OPPONENT'S HEAD. THAT'S BEEN UPGRADED TODAY TO A RED CARD, AND FRANKS WILL FACE A FOUL PLAY COMMITTEE THIS EVENING. IF BANNED, HE'LL ADD TO A LONG LIST OF BIG NAMES CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE FOR THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS. THE WHITE FERNS TAKE ON ENGLAND TOMORROW IN THE FIRST OF EIGHT MATCHES, BUT THEY'LL BE WITHOUT THEIR TWO BIGGEST STARS FOR THE SERIES OPENER. SOPHIE DEVINE AND MELIE KERR ARE JETTING BACK FROM INDIA FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE. IT'S EVIDENCE OF THE GROWING INFLUENCE FRANCHISE CRICKET IS NOW HAVING ON THE WOMEN'S CALENDAR. NATASHA PAYNE REPORTS. THE WINDSWEPT NETS OF DUNEDIN A WORLD AWAY FROM A 30,000-PERSON SELL-OUT IN DELHI. IT IS RCB WHO WON THE WBBL FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. MELIE KERR AND SOPHIE DEVINE FINISHING THEIR WPL CAMPAIGN, MISSING THE START OF A SERIES WITH ENGLAND. LOOK, WE'VE PLANNED FOR IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS WANT THEM TO BE AVAILABLE. DEVINE HEADS HOME AFTER SHE HELPED THE ROYAL CHALLENGERS WIN THE WPL TITLE OVERNIGHT. GOES DOWN THE GROUND CLEANLY, STRUCK FOR SIX. WHILE KERR'S CAMPAIGN FINISHED ON SATURDAY MORNING. ENGLAND HAVE BEEN DEALT A BIGGER BLOW. FOUR KEY PLAYERS WILL MISS THE OPENING THREE GAMES OF THE T20 SERIES AFTER PRIORITISING THE INDIAN TOURNAMENT. IT'S A SHAME THAT IT DOES CLASH AT TIMES, BUT THAT'S JUST WHERE THE GAME'S GOING. IT'S HARD TO FIT EVERYTHING IN. ENGLISH CAPTAIN HEATHER KNIGHT KNOWS ALL ABOUT THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS, SAYING NO TO THE WPL AND AN ALMOST $80,000 PAYDAY SO SHE COULD COME TO NEW ZEALAND EARLY. YES, IT'S CHOICES PLAYERS HAVE TO MAKE NOW AND IT CAN BE QUITE TRICKY, I THINK, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IT'S ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL. THE RIGHT THING FOR ME WAS TO BE HERE. EITHER WAY, IT MEANS YOUNGER PLAYERS WILL HAVE TO STEP UP, BOTH SIDES TESTING THEIR DEPTH, WHICH IS IMPORTANT WITH THE T20 WORLD CUP THIS OCTOBER. WHAT'S GREAT IS WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BLOOD SOME NEW PLAYERS AND SEE WHERE THEY'RE AT IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. BOTH A POSITIVE AND A NEGATIVE TO THE WPL TAKING OUR KIWI STARS. NATASHA PAYNE, NEWSHUB. THE WARRIORS HAVE LOCKED IN ONE OF THEIR STARTING HALVES FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS WITH CONFIRMATION THEY'VE EXTENDED LUKE METCALF'S DEAL WITH THE CLUB UNTIL THE END OF THE 2026 NRL SEASON. MEANTIME, MELBOURNE STORM'S KIWI INTERNATIONAL HALFBACK JAHROME HUGHES HAS RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTED A ONE-MATCH BAN FOR PUSHING REFEREE CHRIS BUTLER IN SATURDAY'S DRAMATIC WIN OVER THE WARRIORS. FORMER PLAYERS HAVE SLAMMED THE NRL'S DECISION TO CHARGE HUGHES AS 'RIDICULOUS', DESCRIBING THE INCIDENT AS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ACCIDENT. THERE'S BEEN HEARTBREAK FOR ONE PLAYER AND HISTORY FOR ANOTHER IN A DRAMATIC END TO GOLF'S PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP. WORLD NUMBER ONE SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER BEGAN THE DAY FIVE SHOTS OFF THE PACE, BUT A HOLE-OUT EAGLE AT THE FOURTH WAS PART OF AN IMPRESSIVE EIGHT-UNDER ROUND OF 64 WHICH SAW HIM HOLD THE CLUBHOUSE LEAD. IT LOOKED LIKE EXTRA HOLES COULD BE REQUIRED, THOUGH, WITH WYNDHAM CLARK NEEDING TO SINK THIS PUTT TO FORCE A PLAYOFF. UNBELIEVABLE! HOW DID THAT NOT DROP? BUT SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER IS THE 50TH PLAYERS CHAMPION. BUT FEW COULD MATCH THE TENSION AND THE DRAMA OF THIS MORNING'S FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL AT OLD TRAFFORD. THERE WERE SEVEN GOALS IN TOTAL, WITH UNITED'S WINNER COMING IN THE 121ST MINUTE OF THE MATCH, SPARKING WILD SCENES AMONG THE HOME FANS. ITV'S CHRIS SKUDDER WITH ALL THE GOALS FROM A MATCH FOR THE AGES. KNOCKOUT FOOTBALL ` AND HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A CLASH BETWEEN ENGLISH FOOTBALL'S TWO GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHTS. TOE TO TOE, UNITED LANDED THE FIRST BLOW. AND IT'S PUMPED IN BY SCOTT MCTOMINAY! BUT THEN A DEVASTATING ONE-TWO BEFORE HALFTIME LEFT UNITED ON THE ROPES. MACALLISTER BLASTED LIVERPOOL LEVEL WITH THE HELP OF A SLIGHT DEFLECTION. THEN A MIGHTY BLOW FROM A MAN WHO KNOWS HOW TO PACK A PUNCH ` MO SALAH LEFT UNITED REELING. IT LOOKED LIKE BEING THE WINNER UNTIL ANTONY DRAGGED UNITED OFF THE CANVAS. (CHEERING) UNITED THEN HAD THEIR CHANCE TO FINISH LIVERPOOL OFF IN NORMAL TIME, BUT SOMEHOW, RASHFORD MISSED IT. WHAT A MOMENT! TO EXTRA TIME ` LIKE TWO PUNCH-DRUNK HEAVYWEIGHTS, BLOWS WERE EXCHANGED. HARVEY ELLIOTT ` 3-2 TO LIVERPOOL. THEN RASHFORD TO THE RESCUE FOR UNITED ` 3-3. WHAT A GAME! EPIC STUFF, BUT THIS STILL HAD AN ENDING TO RIVAL THE ROCKY MOVIES. A COMEBACK OF MONUMENTAL PROPORTIONS! SUBSTITUTE DIALLO WAS SENT OFF FOR TAKING OFF HIS SHIRT, BUT HE DIDN'T CARE, AND THOSE WHO WERE THERE WILL NEVER FORGET IT. FINALLY TONIGHT, FOR ANY ATHLETE THAT'S EVER BEEN TOLD TO GET THEIR HEAD IN THE GAME, DON'T TAKE IT AS LITERALLY AS KIWIS PLAYMAKER JEREMY MARSHALL-KING. THE DOLPHINS HOOKER TRIED TO RUSH THE OPPOSITION'S KICK AND GOT A FACEFUL OF LEATHER FOR HIS TROUBLES. NICKNAMED A 'FALCON' ACROSS THE TASMAN, THE HEADS-UP PLAY HAS BEEN LABELLED ONE OF THE NASTIEST SEEN IN THE NRL. INCREDIBLY, MARSHALL-KING WAS PASSED FIT TO CONTINUE THE MATCH. A FEW PANADOL REQUIRED AFTER THAT. I CAN'T BELIEVE HE WENT BACK. TWO WOMEN OUT FOR A DRIVE IN NORTHERN IRELAND HAVE HAD A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AS SOMETHING THE SIZE OF A WRECKING BALL FLEW ACROSS THE ROAD, STRAIGHT AT THEM. IN FACT, IT WAS A LARGE RUBBER BUNG THAT WAS BEING USED BY A GAS COMPANY TO TEST THE PRESSURE IN THE PIPES ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE. AMAZINGLY, THE WOMEN WEREN'T HURT, JUST BADLY SHAKEN, BUT THE FRONT END OF THEIR CAR WAS A WRITE-OFF. A CONTAINER SHIP THAT COULDN'T STOP HAS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO A PORT IN TURKEY. THE VESSEL WAS BEING STEERED BY A SPECIALIST LOCAL HARBOUR PILOT, BUT IT APPEARED TO LOSE CONTROL AND KNOCKED OVER SEVERAL CRANES. MOST DOCK WORKERS RAN FOR COVER, BUT ONE OF THE CRANE OPERATORS WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND SEVERAL CONTAINERS ENDED UP IN THE WATER. OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` TWO NEW ZEALAND BROTHERS ACCUSED OF ATTACKING A TRAFFIC COP IN THE TOURIST HOTSPOT OF PHUKET FACE LENGTHY PRISON SENTENCES IF CONVICTED. THAI MEDIA'S REPORTING THE PAIR ALLEGEDLY WRESTLED THE OFFICER'S GUN OFF HIM AND TRIED TO BRIBE HIM. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE WILL TALK TO WINSTON PETERS ABOUT HIS COMMENTS COMPARING CO-GOVERNANCE TO NAZI GERMANY BUT HAS CALLED ON ALL PARTIES TO DIAL DOWN EXTREME LANGUAGE. THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN THE HARD WORD TO KAINGA ORA, INSTRUCTING THEM TO KICK OUT UNRULY SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS AND CHASE DOWN UNPAID RENTS. COMING UP ` NEWSHUB WEATHER. AND HOW'S THE WEEK LOOKING, HEATHER? NOT BAD. A HIGH TO THE EAST OF US WILL KEEP THINGS CALM TOMORROW ` JUST A FEW SHOWERS HERE AND THERE. WEDNESDAY WILL BE THE SAME. BUT THEN THURSDAY, THIS LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM HEADS OUR WAY. STRONG NORWESTERS HIT FIRST, THEN RAIN FOLLOWS, WITH THE LOW SKIMMING NORTH UP THE WEST COAST. YOUR FULL FORECAST IS NEXT. NAU MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. GET SET FOR ANOTHER CHILLY DAY WITH A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING OVER THE SOUTH ISLAND TONIGHT AND SLOWLY BUILDING OVER MUCH OF THE COUNTRY TOMORROW. THAT'LL HELP PUSH OUT THE REMAINING COLD FRONTS OVER THE NORTH TONIGHT; THEY'LL BE OFFSHORE BY THE AFTERNOON. THE RIDGE WILL ALSO PUSH AWAY THE SHOWERS FOR THE LOWER SOUTH, GENERATED BY A WEAKENING WARM FRONT. SO IT'S THAT FRONT THAT WILL DELIVER DRIZZLE OUT EAST TONIGHT, AND SHOWERS FOR THE SOUTH, BUT IT IS CLEARING, AND THE SOU'WESTER WILL ALSO EASE. TOMORROW, THE ISOLATED SHOWERS FOR THE NORTH AND DRIZZLE OUT EAST WILL CLEAR, WITH A SOUTHERLY BREEZE UP TOP AND LIGHT WINDS EVERYWHERE ELSE. SO THE TWO FRONTS UP TOP WILL CONTINUE TO HEAD NORTH OVERNIGHT, SO JUST A FEW SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE TIED UP IN THE SOUTHERLY FLOW. TOMORROW, SHOWERS IN THE SOUTH AND EAST, WITH CLOUDY PERIODS AND SHOWERS CLEAR FOR WESTERN NORTHLAND AND SOUTHERN TARANAKI. THE SOUTHERLY WILL BE STRONG IN THE SOUTH AND EAST, BUT IT WILL EASE. SO, NOTE THE ARROWS ` IT'S ANOTHER DAY OF SOUTHERLY QUARTER WINDS, SO EXPECT IT TO BE ON THE CHILLY SIDE. IT'S A FINE DAY UP TOP, JUST A FEW CLOUDS, BUT THAT WIND WILL BE FRESH FROM THE AFTERNOON. IT'S FINE HERE TOO ` WITH SOU'EASTERLIES FOR MOST, SOUTHERLIES FOR TAUPO AND ROTORUA. THE WIND DOES GET FRESH FOR A TIME IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A LITTLE MORE ACTIVITY OUT EAST, WITH SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING. SOUWESTERS IN THE SOUTH, AND A SOUTHERLY FOR HAWKE'S BAY AND GISBORNE. AGAIN ` FRESH FOR ALL FROM THE AFTERNOON. THE FURTHER NORTH YOU ARE ` THE CLEARER THE SKY.. THERE WILL BE MORNING CLOUD SOUTH OF WHANGANUI WITH A FEW SHOWERS FOR WELLINGTON. SOUTHERLIES ARE STRONG THERE TOO. IT'S CALMER FOR THE NORTHWEST OF THE SOUTH. MORNING CLOUD CLEARS, AND WINDS WILL MOSTLY BE LIGHT. NELSON ` YOU HAVE AN AFTERNOON NOREASTER. WESTPORT, YOU HAVE AN AFTERNOON NORWESTER. OUT EAST, YOU'RE IN LINE FOR SHOWERS ` EVEN OCCASIONAL RAIN. BUT IT CLEARS AFTER LUNCH, WITH SOUTHERLY QUARTER WINDS EASING ACROSS THE DAY. AND NOT BAD FOR THE LOWER PART OF THE ISLAND, WITH MORNING CLOUD CLEARING AND LIGHT WINDS TO START. A NOREASTER DEVELOPS IN THE AFTERNOON FOR OAMARU AND DUNEDIN, BUT THE DAY ITSELF WILL BE FAIRLY SETTLED. MORNING CLOUD CLEARS AROUND DUNEDIN CITY, WITH A HIGH OF 14 THAT FEELS CLOSER TO 11. CHRISTCHURCH ` OCCASIONAL RAIN TO START, BUT IT CLEARS EARLY MORNING, AND THEN IT'S FINE. THE SOUTHERLY WILL EASE DURING THE AFTERNOON, BUT IT KEEPS THE TEMPERATURE LOW FOR THE DAY. IT'S WINDY FOR WELLINGTON ` STRONG SOUTHERLIES WITH A FEW SHOWERS. THINGS IMPROVE AFTER KNOCK-OFF TIME, WITH SHOWERS DRYING OUT AND THE WIND EASING IN THE EVENING. THE SHOWERS START IN THE MORNING NORTH OF WAIROA, BUT WILL SPREAD OUT ELSEWHERE IN THE MORNING. THE SOUTHERLY WILL BE STRONG NEAR THE COAST. SUNSHINE ALL DAY FOR TAURANGA, BUT THE SOU'EASTER WILL PICK UP IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, HELPING REDUCE THE TEMP FROM 20 TO A 'FEELS`LIKE' HIGH OF 15. SLIGHTLY WARMER FOR HAMILTON ` FEELS LIKE 17. BUT YOU'LL ALSO HAVE A SOUEASTERLY WIND DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING. CLOUD CLEARS FOR A FINE AFTERNOON, THOUGH. AND A SOUEASTERLY FOR AUCKLAND WITH FINE SKIES AND A HIGH AROUND THE CITY OF 21 OR 22. THE WIND DOES BECOME FRESH FOR A TIME IN THE AFTERNOON. AN ONSHORE FEED OF AIR WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS ALONG AUSSIE'S EAST COAST, AND A TROUGH ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL CYCLONE MEGAN IS CAUSING WIDESPREAD RAIN FOR NORTHERN QUEENSLAND. AND A TROUGH IS LINGERING AROUND NIUE, SO MORE RAIN THERE WITH THUNDERSTORMS LATE IN THE DAY FOR FIJI. BACK TO US, AND NOT A LOT GOING ON. WE MARK THE EQUINOX ON WEDNESDAY WITH MOSTLY FINE SKIES, CERTAINLY GETTING COOLER, THOUGH, DURING THE NIGHT. THERE MIGHT BE THE ODD SHOWER OUT EAST ON WEDNESDAY. ISOLATED SHOWERS FOR GISBORNE ON THURSDAY CLEAR AS WELL. IT'S FINE FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND UNTIL FRIDAY, THEN RAIN DEVELOPS LATE IN THE DAY FOR THE SOUTH AND WEST. SIMILAR FOR THE TOP HALF OF THE SOUTH TOO, WITH RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE NORTH ON FRIDAY, WITH SHOWERS BECOMING WDESPREAD FOR A TIME AND EXTENDING TO THE LOWER SOUTH TOO. IF IT'S NOT RAINING, IT WILL BE CLOUDY. SO THERE WE GO. NOT BAD WEATHER TO MARK THE ASTRONOMICAL END TO SUMMER. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE IT'S FELT LIKE AUTUMN FOR A WHILE NOW. OH YES. CERTAINLY TODAY. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT 6 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 BACKHOUSE AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024