TONIGHT ON 1 NEWS ` A STRONG WARNING ABOUT PLANNED TAX CUTS AND THE UPCOMING BUDGET. THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND RELEASES ITS ANNUAL CHECK-UP ON THE HEALTH OF OUR ECONOMY, DELIVERING A POOR PROGNOSIS. THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES A YOUTH VAPING CRACKDOWN. INCLUDING ONE PRODUCT BEING COMPLETELY BANNED, AND A HEFTY FINE HIKE FOR SHOPS SELLING TO MINORS. PLUS ` A HELL OF A LOT OF MAHI OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS TO GET HERE. BOXED UP AGAIN FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET ` WHAT'S GONE INTO THIS MOMENT FOR HAWKE'S BAY ORCHARDISTS FOLLOWING CYCLONE GABRIELLE. CAPTIONS BY JESSIE PURU, LELE SIMEON AND LENA ERAKOVICH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 TENA KOUTOU KATOA. GOOD EVENING. THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WARNED IT MUSTN'T BORROW MORE MONEY TO PAY FOR TAX CUTS AND MAKE SURE THEY DON'T ADD TO INFLATION. THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND HAS RELEASED ITS YEARLY REPORT INTO NEW ZEALAND'S ECONOMY, REPEATING CALLS FOR AN OVERHAUL BY ADDING CAPITAL GAINS AND LAND TAXES. AND THIS COMES AS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST RETAILERS REVEALS HOW TOUGH THE CURRENT CLIMATE IS. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT KATIE BRADFORD HAS DETAILS. # THE WAREHOUSE, WHERE EVERYONE GETS A BARGAIN. # EVEN THE BARGAINS AREN'T ENTICING CUSTOMERS TO THE WAREHOUSE. ACROSS ALL ITS BRANDS ` AN ALMOST $24M LOSS. THE PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE MONEY HAVE CHOSEN TO SPEND IT MUCH MORE ON ENTERTAINMENT AND TRAVEL. THAT'S COME AT THE COST OF BUYING GOODS AND PEOPLE HAVING TO MAKE SACRIFICES. IT'S REALLY TOUGH FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE. RETAIL'S SO TOUGH RIGHT NOW THE GROUP SOLD OUTDOOR GOODS STORE TORPEDO7 FOR $1. NOW IT'S GETTING RID OF ITS ONLINE VENTURE, THE MARKET, TOO. THE MARKET HAS PROVED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LOSS-MAKING. WHAT'S HELPING SALES IS THE GROWING NUMBER OF GROCERIES IT SELLS. BUT IT SAYS THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO MORE. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BUY GOODS AT THE SAME PRICE THAT OUR COMPETITORS CAN SO THAT WE CAN RETAIL THEM AT LESS OF A MARGIN AND GIVE PEOPLE VALUE. AND THAT'S STILL NOT HAPPENING YET? STILL NOT HAPPENING YET. THOSE CHEAPER ARE GOODS POPULAR BECAUSE RISING INFLATION AND RISING INTEREST RATES HAVE HIT CONSUMER SPENDING HARD. THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND'S BEEN IN TOWN CHECKING OUT OUR ECONOMY. IT THINKS INFLATION WILL SQUEEZE BACK UNDER THE DESIRED 3% BY THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT IT'S WARNING THE GOVERNMENT ITS TAX CUTS COULD ADD TO INFLATION. ANY SORT OF OUTCOMES SHOULD BE DONE IN A FISCALLY-NEUTRAL WAY. AND AS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, THAT COULD MEAN MANY WAYS, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY ON THE TIMING AND ALSO ON THE SIZE OF THOSE PROPOSED MEASURES. THE IMF AND MANY ECONOMISTS ARE WELCOME TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. AS IT HAS FOR MANY YEARS, IT ALSO SAYS WE NEED MORE HOUSES AND MORE TAXES. ANOTHER PUSH FOR A CAPITAL GAINS TAX. TREASURY AND IRD ALSO HAVE VERY SIMILAR OPINIONS. SO I THINK THERE IS QUITE A LOT OF GOOD ENOUGH ADVICE OUT THERE TO INFLUENCE THE PUBLIC DEBATE. IT'S CLEAR THAT NOT EVERYONE DOES THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA. BUT THE IMF COMMENTS TODAY ARE ANOTHER SIGN OF THE PRESSURE THE FINANCE MINISTER IS UNDER AS SHE PREPS HER FIRST BUDGET. AND KATIE JOINS US NOW. SO, KATIE, A LOT OF TALK ABOUT NICOLA WILLIS' FIRST BUDGET. WILL SHE BE BORROWING TO FUND THOSE TAX CUTS? HIS WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING. SHE INSISTS NO. GIVEN THE CURRENT SITUATION, THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BORROW TO FUND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. NICHOLAS SAYS ONCE IT COMES TO THOSE TAX CUTS, THAT THE NEED FOR THOSE IS COMING FROM THE REPRIORITISATION. THIS CUTS A ACROSS PUBLIC SERVICES. THE IS WHAT SHE SAYS IS FUNDING THE TAX CUTS. THE IMF SAYS TODAY THE BUDGET MUST REMAIN TIGHT. THEY MUSTN'T BORROW MORE THAN THEY NEED TO. IT SAYS OUR CURRENT RATIO IS SUSTAINABLE. IT'S GOOD ON INTERNATIONAL LEVELS BUT IT HAS GONE UP IN RECENT YEARS. IT MEANS THAT NICOLA WILLIS NEEDS TO MAKE SURE HER NUMBERS ADD UP. AND GIVEN THE DETERIORATING STATE OF THE ECONOMY, WHEN WILL WE KNOW IF THERE IS ACTUALLY A FISCAL HOLE? THE IMF SAID TODAY COULDN'T REALLY SAY IF THERE WAS A FISCAL HOLE. THERE IS A LOT OF TALK OUT THERE FROM OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT HOW MUCH IT MIGHT BE. TO BE CLEAR NICOLA WILLIS SAYS THERE IS NOT A FISCAL HOLE. MANY DISAGREE. WE WILL HAVE BETTER IDEA NEXT WEDNESDAY. THAT'S WHEN THE BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT IS BEING RELEASED. THAT WILL TELL US HOW MUCH SPENDING THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO MAKE AND WHAT ITS PRIORITIES ARE/ A GIVES US A BETTER LOOK AT WHETHER WIGGLE ROOM IS. ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE ECONOMY IS DETERIORATING, THE GDP REPORT COMES OUT TOMORROW. THERE IS NO DOUBT IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE RESULTS FROM THE WAREHOUSE, AND HEAR FROM PEOPLE TALKING, IT IS TOUGH OUT THERE. THANKS, KATIE. THE GOVERNMENT IS BEING CHALLENGED TO PROPERLY ENFORCE ITS NEW TOUGHER RULES ON VAPING, AS THE MINISTER ADMITS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CHARGED PREVIOUSLY IS SHOCKING AND DISAPPOINTING. HARSHER FINES ARE BEING INTRODUCED FOR UNDER-AGE SALES, AND DISPOSABLE VAPES WILL BE COMPLETELY BANNED UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION. DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN REPORTS. HERE AT ASB POLYFEST, IT'S ALL ABOUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. # TENEI TE TANGATA... BUT MANY STUDENTS ARE HAVING THEIR FUTURES NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY VAPING PRODUCTS, AS SCHOOLS TRY EVERYTHING TO COMBAT THE ISSUE. BUYING DEVICES; PUTTING CAMERAS IN PLACE; GETTING I.T. SOLUTIONS, AND CHANGING THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF OUR BUILDINGS. SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN BATTLING WITH VAPING. STUDENTS THEMSELVES AGREE IT'S A PROBLEM. I'M PRETTY SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO VAPE. I DON'T VAPE. I DON'T REALLY SEE THE POINT IN IT. MOST DAIRIES SELL VAPES. AND SO, LIKE, THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE IN PROXIMITY TO WHERE THE SCHOOL IS, WHERE WE LIVE. THE GOVERNMENT TODAY ANNOUNCING A CRACKDOWN, BANNING THE SALE OF DISPOSABLE VAPES AND INCREASING FINES FOR RETAILERS CAUGHT SELLING TO UNDER-18'S FROM $10,000 TO $100,000. BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE IN THIS MARKET. SO WE NEEDED TO SET A HIGH BENCHMARK THAT SENT A CLEAR DETERRENT TO BUSINESSES. ANY CHANGE THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, TO GET HOLD OF VAPING PRODUCTS HAS GOTTA BE A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THIS VAPE STORE OWNER WELCOMES THE CHANGES BUT SAYS ENFORCEMENT IS THE ISSUE. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN UNTIL NOW FROM THE GOVERNMENT JUST ANNOUNCING THE RULES, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CONTROL. WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING TO COME TO CHECK THESE RULES. 1 NEWS CAN REVEAL ONLY ONE PROSECUTION HAS BEEN LAID BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH FOR UNDERAGED VAPE SALES SINCE NOVEMBER 2020. IS THAT NUMBER EMBARRASSINGLY LOW? VERY DISAPPOINTING, GIVEN THAT WE KNOW HOW PREVALENT IT HAS BEEN FOR YOUTH TO GET HOLD OF VAPING, SO YEAH, I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED. I WAS REALLY SHOCKED THAT IT WAS SO LOW. THE BAN ON DISPOSABLE VAPES INCLUDES THOSE WITH REMOVABLE BATTERIES, WHILE VAPE STORES WON'T BE ALLOWED NEAR EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRES, SIMILAR TO SCHOOLS. THE ISSUE HERE IS THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT TOUCHED THE QUESTION OF THE NUMBER OF STORES IN COMMUNITY. THIS CANCER EXPERT SAYS VAPING IS STILL THE BEST TOOL TO QUIT SMOKING. IT'S THIS WHOLE THING OF HOW WE STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING UP VAPING AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY DYING FROM SMOKING CIGARETTES. THE WAY VAPING STORES ARE DISPLAYED IS ALSO SET TO CHANGE. ONE OF THE ONE I WALKED PAST RECENTLY LOOKED LIKE A SMIGGLE STORE ` IT WAS REALLY ATTRACTIVE. AN ATTRACTION THE MINISTER IS HOPING TO BREAK. A TOUGH STANCE AND LOTS OF TOUGH TALK THERE, MAIKI. BUT HOW WILL THESE NEW RULES PRACTICALLY BE ENFORCED? THAT'S RIGHT. THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL WILL BE AROUND CRITICAL ISSUE OF ENFORCEMENT. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN ONE PROSECUTION IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERAGE SALES OF APES, AND MANY AGREE THAT THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. ENFORCEMENT SITS WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. THE MINISTER IS CONSIDERING SHIFTING THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND I'M TOLD THAT SOME DISTRICT COUNCILS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE MINISTER TO SIGNAL THE INTEREST ON THAT. THE QUESTION THEN OF COURSE IS AROUND HOW THIS WILL BE PAID FOR, CASEY COSTELLO HAS SAID SHE IS CONSIDERING LICENSING FEES FOR RETAILERS SO A USER PAY SYSTEM, AND THAT MONEY WILL BE USED TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO MONITORING. IT IS NOT JUST FOR PHYSICAL VAPING STORES. MONITORING SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO THOSE RETAILERS ONLINE WHICH IS ALSO A BIG ISSUE. CLEARLY STILL A LONG WAY TO GO ON THIS MATTER FOR THE GOVERNMENT. THANKS, MAIKI. AND BREAKFAST WILL BE SPEAKING WITH ASSOCIATE HEALTH MINISTER CASEY COSTELLO FOR MORE ON HER SMOKE-FREE POLICIES. THAT'S FROM 6AM. WINSTON PETERS SAYS CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS BEEN MISINFORMED BY THE MEDIA OVER HIS STATE OF THE NATION SPEECH AND THE REFERENCE IN IT TO NAZI GERMANY. THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER HAS ALSO DOUBLED DOWN ON USING THE CHUMBAWAMBA SONG THAT PLAYED DURING THE ADDRESS, THE BRITISH BAND ASKING HIM NOT TO. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS HAS MORE. WINSTON PETERS ON THE WARPATH. FIRST OF ALL, STOP DECEIVING NEW ZEALANDERS. MY WEEK'S NOT GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE. QUITE THE CONTRARY. IT'S GOING BETTER TO BETTER TO BETTER. THE PRIME MINISTER HAD TO HAVE A WORD WITH HIM FOR REFERENCING NAZI GERMANY IN A SPEECH ON SUNDAY. AND THEN ABOUT THEN I REALISED, LIKE SO MANY NEW ZEALANDERS, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, HE'S BEEN MISINFORMED BY YOU MEDIA PEOPLE. I AM QUITE WELL` CAPABLE OF MAKING MY OWN DECISIONS. LABOUR RECKONS THE PRIME MINISTER HAS BEEN MADE TO LOOK A FOOL. I THINK WINSTON PETERS IS HUMILIATING THE PRIME MINISTER. HE'S GOT` CLEARLY GOT NO RESPECT FOR THE PRIME MINISTER. AND WHEN WE TRIED TO ASK... # WE'LL BE SINGING... YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DON'T WANT YOU USING THEIR SONG, MR PETERS? THE BAND'S FORMER SINGER, DUNSTAN BRUCE, THINKS IT'S DEPLORABLE A DIVISIVE POLITICIAN IS USING THEIR SONG TO CAMPAIGN. HE HAS VIEWS THAT ARE THE COMPLETE ODDS TO EVERYTHING THAT CHUMBAWAMBA STAND FOR. HIS ANTI-IMMIGRATION RHETORIC IS, I FIND, EGREGIOUS. CHUMBAWAMBA SAY THEY DON'T WANT YOU USING THEIR SONG COS YOU'RE A RACIST, DIVISIVE, BIGOTED POLITICIAN. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT, MR PETERS? I THINK YOU SHOULD GET A GRIP AND PULL YOUR SILLY HEAD IN. HE CLAIMS THE BAND WAS MISLED BY THE MEDIA. I USED IT ONCE, BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT THEY WERE TOLD, WERE THEY? NO, NO THE BAND WAS TOLD, 'HE'S BEEN USING IT IN ALL HIS MEETINGS.' THIS IS THE KIND OF BULLDUST THAT SADLY, NEW ZEALANDERS WANT AN END OF. WELL, HERE'S HIS PARTY'S ELECTION NIGHT FUNCTION LAST YEAR. # I GET KNOCKED DOWN, BUT I GET UP AGAIN... AND THERE'S THIS TOO. JUST REPEAT TO YOURSELF THE WORDS OF CHUMBAWAMBA ` 'I GET KNOCKED DOWN, (LAUGHTER) 'BUT I GET UP AGAIN. 'YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KEEP ME DOWN.' 1 NEWS CAN CONFIRM NEITHER MR PETERS NOR THE VENUE HAD A LICENCE TO PLAY THE CHUMBAWAMBA SONG AT THEIR POLITICAL EVENT AT THE WEEKEND AND THE PARTY WILL BE SENT A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER. A LOT OF INFRINGEMENT IS DONE THROUGH IGNORANCE. PEOPLE JUST AREN'T AWARE OF COPYRIGHT RULES, AND THEN A LOT OF IT'S DONE JUST THROUGH LAZINESS, TO BE HONEST. PERHAPS TIME FOR WINSTON PETERS TO SCHOOL UP ON THE RULES. BENEDICT COLLINS, 1 NEWS. A MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING AN AUCKLAND COUPLE IN NOVEMBER CAN NOW BE NAMED. SHU MAN POON (42) IS ONE OF TWO MEN ACCUSED OF KILLING JOSEPH KWOK AND HIS WIFE, MEI HAN CHONG. KWOK WAS FOUND DEAD AT THE COUPLE'S ELLERSLIE HOME WITH MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS WHILE HIS WIFE'S BODY WAS DISCOVERED SEVERAL DAYS LATER IN THE SUBURB OF GREENHITHE WITH BLUNT FORCE INJURIES TO THE HEAD. LAST MONTH, POLICE LAID A NEW CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY TO MURDER A THIRD PERSON UNRELATED TO THE AUCKLAND COUPLE. THE TWO MURDER-ACCUSED HAVE DENIED ALL CHARGES AND WILL GO TO TRIAL NEXT YEAR. A DNA PROFILE OF THE BODY DISCOVERED IN AUCKLAND'S GULF HARBOUR DOESN'T MATCH ANYONE ON POLICE RECORDS IN NEW ZEALAND. AN INTERNATIONAL SEARCH IS UNDERWAY AFTER IT WAS FOUND BY A FISHERMAN LAST WEEK WRAPPED IN BAGS, FLOATING IN THE WATER. POLICE SAY THEY'RE STILL HOPING THE DNA PROFILE WILL HELP THEM IDENTIFY THE VICTIM AS THEY LIAISE WITH OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS, INCLUDING INTERPOL. THE VICTIM IS BELIEVED TO BE A MIDDLE-AGED CHINESE WOMAN WHO WAS WEARING THESE PYJAMA PANTS AND A LIGHT-COLOURED SINGLET WITH THIS LOGO WHEN SHE WAS FOUND. AND POLICE ARE OFFERING A $100,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION IN THE JESSICA BOYCE COLD CASE. THE MARLBOROUGH WOMAN (27) WENT MISSING IN MARCH 2019, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, POLICE UPGRADED THEIR INQUIRIES TO A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION. THEY BELIEVE THERE ARE UP TO 10 PEOPLE WHO THEY BELIEVE KNOW AT LEAST ASPECTS OF WHAT HAPPENED. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THROUGH THE WHOLE SCENARIO. OTHERS MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT OTHERS GOT UP TO. SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY NOW WITH THE REWARD AND WITH THE OFFER OF IMMUNITY FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO SERIOUSLY THINK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HELP US. THE VEHICLE BOYCE WAS LAST SEEN DRIVING, A RED HOLDEN UTE, WAS FOUND IN A CARPARK IN THE RICHMOND RANGES. HER BODY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. 'LOCAL WATER DONE WELL' ` THAT'S THE COALITION GOVERNMENT'S REPLACEMENT FOR 'THREE WATERS', WHICH WAS FLUSHED, OR REPEALED TO USE THE CORRECT TERM, LAST MONTH. BUT WHAT IS IT? IN THE FINAL PART OF HIS SERIES ON OUR WATER WOES, CHIEF CORRESPONDENT JOHN CAMPBELL ASKS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER WHAT THE COUNTRY'S COUNCILS CAN NOW EXPECT. DO YOU GET ANY CENTRAL GOVERNMENT MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR YOUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE? NO. WE SPOKE TO TARARUA MAYOR TRACEY COLLIS IN THE WOODVILLE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUT WE COULD BE ALMOST ANYWHERE IN RURAL NEW ZEALAND ` ELDERLY ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BEING A MUSEUM PIECE BUT MODERNISED AS COMPLIANCE STANDARDS, DEMAND AND MONEY WITH A TINY RATEPAYER BASE ALLOWS. IN THE TARARUA DISTRICT, WE HAVE 10,200 RATEPAYERS PAYING FOR SEVEN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS, SEVEN WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, 39 CONSENTS AND 4000 CONSENT CONDITIONS. IT'S A LOT. STARTING IN WELLINGTON, WE TRAVELLED OVER THREE DAYS FROM A HIGH-DENSITY URBAN POPULATION TO RURAL DISTRICTS WITH FEWER PEOPLE. TARARUA THEN RANGITIKEI, HEARING THE SAME STORY OVER AND OVER ` THAT IT'S BROKEN, AND THAT FIXING IT COSTS A LOT. THANKS, MINISTER. LOVELY TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TO WHICH THE MINISTER REPLIES... ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD IS 'LOCAL WATER DONE WELL' ` IT'S A POLICY OF SAYING, 'LOOK, WATER IS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY,' AND SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE COUNCILS FORMING COUNCIL-CONTROLLED ORGANISATIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNCILS. THEY'LL BE ABLE TO USE OFF-BALANCE-SHEET FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS DEBT TO MATCH THE LIFETIME OF THOSE ASSETS WITH THE FUNDING. MULTIPLE COUNCILS WORK WHERE COUNCILS ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSE, SO WELLINGTON CITY, PORIRUA, LOWER HUTT AND UPPER HUTT ` THEY HUG TIGHTLY TOGETHER. WORKING TOGETHER MAKES SENSE. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT WILL COST, BALLPARK? YEAH, SO WE KNOW FOR OUR WATER NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE HERE IN THE WELLINGTON REGION, IT'S GOING TO COST $30 BILLION ESTIMATED OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS. ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ANY MONEY INTO THIS AT ALL? WELL, ULTIMATELY IT'S ABOUT PROVIDING THE TOOLS FOR COUNCILS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS OVER THE LONG TERM. OK, SET ASIDE THE TOOLS ` MONEY ` ANY MONEY? UH, WELL, THERE'S SOME MONEY IN TERMS OF 'BETTER OFF' FUNDING THAT THE LAST GOVERNMENT HAD SET ASIDE FOR COUNCILS IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE TRANSITIONARY WORK. SO THAT'S EXISTING MONEY. IS THIS NEW GOVERNMENT PUTTING NEW MONEY IN? CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE. WHAT ROLE? WELL, FIRSTLY WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE THEM TO PUT IN PLACE A WATER SERVICE DELIVERY PLAN. WE WILL HAVE A REGULATORY BACKSTOP. IF THEY DON'T DELIVER THAT, WE WILL HAVE STEP-IN POWERS TO ENSURE THAT THOSE COUNCILS DO UNDERTAKE THAT PLAN. AND WE WILL ALSO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCILS ARE WORKING TOGETHER SO THAT NO COUNCIL IS LEFT BEHIND. BUT ULTIMATELY, AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO RESPECT THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT LOCAL COUNCILS HAVE IN DELIVERING LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE ` SOMETHING WE CRITICISED THE LAST GOVERNMENT FOR NOT DOING, AND WHICH VOTERS REJECTED. SO, JOHN, THIS COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT FROM THREE WATERS, COULD IT? I THINK THAT'S THE POINT OF IT. I HAVE HERE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRANDISH IT, LOCAL WATER DONE WELL. IT CONTAINS A POINT NUMBER ONE, REPEAL FREE WATERS. THAT WAS WHERE IT WAS BORN OUT OF. WHAT THEY DON'T SAY EXPLICITLY AS THE COST LANDING ON THE COUNCIL. UP TO $185 BILLION OVER 30 YEARS. THE MINISTER SAYS IT IS LESS THAN THAT. SO LET'S SAY SOMEWHERE OF THE BALLPARK OF $6 BILLION A YEAR. HOW DO COUNCILS PAY FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO, SO THERE IS DEBT. THEY ARE MAXED OUT, AREN'T THEY? THEY ARE MAXED OUT TO THE NTH DEGREE. THE THIRD OPTION OF COURSES WATER METERING. I ASKED THE MINISTER ABOUT THAT AND HE SAID IT WAS A GOOD IDEA. WHERE THEY MEET WATER, PEOPLE USE LESS. SO IN AUCKLAND WHERE WATER IS METED, THE CONSUMPTION IS ABOUT HALF OF WHERE IN THE COUNTRY IT IS NOT METERED. THIS IS ALL UNFOLDING, BUT THE CLEAR MESSAGE IS COUNCILS, THIS IS NEW AND VERY REAL FOR FINANCIAL TERMS. THANKS, JOHN. E WHAI AKE NEI ` CYCLONE RECOVERY ` SOME SWEET NEWS FOR HAWKE'S BAY ORCHARDISTS. AS THEIR FIRST SHIPMENT OF APPLES FOR THE SEASON GETS SET TO SAIL OVERSEAS, THE REASON BEHIND THE BUMPER HARVEST. BUT NO ROYAL GALA ` AS THE ONLINE FRENZY CONTINUES OVER THE LATEST KATE VIDEO, PRINCE WILLIAM FINALLY MENTIONS HIS WIFE. THEN, ON SEVEN SHARP, WITH LOTS OF SCHOOLS ALREADY BANNING CELL PHONES, WHAT'S BEEN THE EFFECT ON STUDENT LEARNING? PLUS, AFTER LOTS OF PLANNING AND SECRET MEETINGS, IT'S TIME TO SPRING A SURPRISE ON OUR ASB GOOD AS GOLD RECIPIENT. AND WE'RE AT A INTERNATIONAL MOVIE PREMIERE We got a new car you have to plug in. It goes for two wee stops. (DOG BARKS) One masterpiece. And four unlucky possums! Five! VOICEOVER: Fast charge on the road and pay like you're at home. With Genesis at charge net stations. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. THE SEASON'S FIRST SHIPMENT OF APPLES WILL SET OFF FROM HAWKE'S BAY TOMORROW, HEADED FOR CHINA AND THE MIDDLE EAST. IT'S THE FIRST TO GO SINCE THE DEVASTATION OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE. AS HENRY McMULLAN REPORTS, IT'S ALSO THE ECONOMIC BOOST THE INDUSTRY'S BEEN HOPING FOR. THE APPLE SEASON IN FULL SWING ` PLUCKED FROM HAWKE'S BAY ORCHARDS, READY FOR EXPORT... THE APPLES THIS SEASON ARE LOOKING UNBELIEVABLE. YEAH, AND THEY ABSOLUTELY TASTE FANTASTIC. (CRUNCHES) ...AND ON THE MOVE FROM THE TRACTOR TO THE PORT. THIS IS THE BEST APPLE IN THE WORLD, I TELL YA. AND NOW THE WORLD IS IN FOR A TASTE TOO. THE REGION'S BEST ` BOXED AND DESTINED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET. THIS IS THE FIRST SHIPMENT HEADING TO CHINA AND SOUTHEAST ASIA. SO, THESE ARE ROYAL GALA, SORT OF NEW SEASON CROP. SOME OF THIS WILL BE ON THIS BOAT NOW. BUT WE'LL BE PACKING ROUGHLY` ABOUT 25 CONTAINERS A WEEK WILL BE COMING OUT AT THE MOMENT, AND THEN WHEN WE GET IN SEASON, WE GET UP TO 100 CONTAINERS A WEEK OF THESE. A REASONABLE VOLUME OF FRUIT GOING OUT THIS SEASON. MANY IN THE INDUSTRY DIDN'T THINK IT'D HAPPEN SO SOON AFTER A TOUGH YEAR FOLLOWING THE CYCLONE. HOPEFUL ALWAYS, BUT IT WAS A PRETTY BIG YEAR FOR EVERYONE. WE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW HOW IT WAS ALL GOING TO PAN OUT, BUT A HELL OF A LOT OF MAHI OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS TO GET HERE. THE BOUNCEBACK HELPED BY PERFECT SUMMER CONDITIONS. WE'RE DOUBLING OUR CROP THIS YEAR, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. WITH THE CYCLONE, WE LOST ABOUT 30% OF THE FRUIT TO THE CYCLONE LAST YEAR. ORCHARDISTS FINALLY HAVING SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT. CLEVER STUFF. VERY FAST. A LOT OF WEIGHT AND MOVEMENT GOING ON. IT'S EXCITING TO SEE. OVER 100 CONTAINERS LOADED OVER THE NEXT DAY, CONTAINING AROUND 14.6 MILLION APPLES, AND THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST DAY, WITH LOADS EXPECTED TO BE SIX TIMES THAT FOR THE PEAK SEASON. WE'RE COMING INTO OUR PEAK HORTICULTURE SEASON AT THE MOMENT, AND SO WE WOULD TYPICALLY SEE IN THE PEAK OF THE SEASON SOMEWHERE AROUND ABOUT 1500 APPLE CONTAINERS ALONE GOING ON TO VESSELS THROUGH A WEEK, SO, YEAH, IT'S QUITE A BUSY PERIOD. HORTICULTURE INDUSTRY LEADERS DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING TO KEEP THE REGION ON TOP. IT'S HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR THE HAWKE'S BAY COMMUNITY AND UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST AS WELL. HAWKE'S BAY'S FINEST FRUIT BACK ON THE WORLD STAGE. HENRY McMULLAN, 1 NEWS. ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST SCHOOLS WILL CLOSE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AFTER THE DISCOVERY THAT TWO BLOCKS DON'T MEET NEW EARTHQUAKE BUILDING STANDARDS. CHRISTCHURCH'S BURNSIDE HIGH WILL RECONFIGURE TIMETABLES AND CLASSROOMS AND OPEN AGAIN ON MONDAY. THE AFFECTED BLOCKS HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE RATING OF JUST 15% OF THE NATIONAL STANDARD; THE MINIMUM IS 34%. THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY IS IN SHOCK AFTER A PROPOSAL IN THE PAST WEEK TO RESTRUCTURE THE CROWN AGENCY CALLAGHAN INNOVATION. THERE'S GROWING CONCERN THAT CONTINUED UNDER-INVESTMENT IN OUR SCIENCE SECTOR WILL PUT US FURTHER BEHIND OTHER COUNTRIES. LAURA FRYKBERG REPORTS. HOW TO HARNESS CLEAN ENERGY IS AMONG THE WORK IN MOTION AT CALLAGHAN INNOVATION, BUT NOW STAFF AT THE CROWN AGENCY ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR JOBS. THESE KIND OF FUNDING CUTS MEAN WE'LL LOSE OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST SCIENTISTS, LIKE THOSE AT CALLAHAN, TO OVERSEAS COUNTRIES WHO ARE INVESTING IN SCIENCE. A RESTRUCTURE PROPOSAL AT THE INSTITUTION WAS PUT FORWARD THIS WEEK, TELLING EMPLOYEES IT HAS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURES AND CAN NO LONGER OPERATE IN ITS CURRENT FINANCIAL POSITION, AND IS ALSO CONSIDERING MORE REVENUE GENERATING SERVICES FOR BUSINESS. SCIENCE MINISTER JUDITH COLLINS SAYS AS A CROWN AGENCY, SHE HAS NOT DIRECTLY ASKED CALLAGHAN INNOVATION TO MAKE SAVINGS, BUT SHE SAYS SHE EXPECTS THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE IT'S FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE GOING FORWARD. JUST LAST MONTH, THE GOVERNMENT SCRAPPED A $450M PLAN TO TURN WELLINGTON INTO A SCIENCE CITY. THE MOVE WOULD HAVE INCLUDED FIXING AGEING INFRASTRUCTURE AT INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING CALLAGHAN. WELLINGTON SCIENCE CITY WAS A DESPERATELY NEEDED INJECTION OF CAPITAL, WHICH WAS GOING TO ALLOW THAT REBUILD. NOW THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY, THE BOARD AND MANAGEMENT OF CALLAGHAN ARE SIMPLY OUT OF OPTIONS. DESPITE SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS PLEDGING TO SPEND 2% OF GDP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, SCIENTISTS SAY COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES, NEW ZEALAND STILL UNDER-INVESTS IN THE SECTOR. WE'RE ABOUT HALF OF WHERE WE SHOULD BE IN TERMS OF ACTUAL DOLLAR INVESTMENT, JUST IN TERMS OF PERCENT OF GDP. WE PROBABLY NEED TO BE HIGHER THAN THAT BECAUSE WE'RE COMING OFF A BASELINE OF HAVING A VERY PRIMARY INDUSTRIES-LED ECONOMY, AND WE NEED TO PUT THE PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN TO GET THAT TO CHANGE. FOR NOW, THOUGH, THAT'S LOOKING UNLIKELY, WITH THE GOVERNMENT SAYING THE ENTIRE SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY SECTOR MUST BECOME MORE EFFICIENT. LAURA FRYKBERG, 1 NEWS. OVERSEAS, AND STAFF AT THE HOSPITAL WHERE KATE MIDDLETON WAS RECENTLY TREATED ARE REPORTEDLY BEING INVESTIGATED FOR TRYING TO ACCESS HER MEDICAL RECORDS. THE PRINCESS OF WALES UNDERWENT ABDOMINAL SURGERY IN JANUARY AT PRIVATE FACILITY THE LONDON CLINIC, KNOWN FOR TREATING ROYALS AND THE RICH AND FAMOUS. THE RELEASE OF THIS VIDEO OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES YESTERDAY SPARKING THE LATEST SOCIAL MEDIA FRENZY. AS SPECULATION AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES CONTINUE, PRINCE WILLIAM TODAY VISITED A HOMELESS PROJECT IN SHEFFIELD WHERE THERE WAS ALSO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FACING YOUNG FAMILIES. BOTH GENUINE MEDIA QUESTIONS AND WILD CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FUELLED BY CATHERINE'S ABSENCE FROM PUBLIC LIFE AND THE LACK OF INFORMATION FROM THE PALACE. A MURI AKE NEI ` COMING UP ` THE FAREWELL SPEECH FROM ONE OF PARLIAMENT'S MOST QUICK-WITTED POLITICIANS. WHEN JACINDA ASKED ME TO BE THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, I TOLD HER THAT IT WAS ON ONE CONDITION ` THAT I WAS THE MINISTER OF SPORT AND RECREATION AS WELL. SHE SAID A FEW PEOPLE HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THAT ROLE. I ASKED HER HOW MANY SHE HAD ASKED TO BE MINISTER OF FINANCE. (LAUGHTER) AND THE STAGE IS SET FOR SAIL GP IN CHRISTCHURCH. THE CHANGE OF TACK FOR THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS TRAVELLING TO THE POPULAR EVENT. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP, THE INTERNATIONAL MOVIE PREMIERE THAT'S SMALL ON STARS BUT BIG ON MOUNTAINS. YOU CAN BE MY SHERPA. CARRY ALL MY THINGS, MAKE IT TO THE TOP FIRST AND GET NO CREDIT. AND THE MOUNTAIN BIKING FESTIVAL THAT'S TAKING OVER SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST TRACKS. THATS COMING UP AT 7. THE CONSULTATION PERIOD FOR THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO OUR COVID RESPONSE IS ABOUT TO END. INQUIRY CHAIRPERSON TONY BLAKELY WAS IN CHRISTCHURCH TODAY TO MEET A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO DISCUSS THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY FUTURE PANDEMIC. WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO PRIME MINISTERS THROUGH TO PEOPLE STACKING SHELVES AND BEING ESSENTIAL WORKERS AS PART OF OUR COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE. IT'S POSSIBLE THE TERMS OF REFERENCE WILL BE EXPANDED TO LOOK INTO THE MULTIPLE LOCKDOWNS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VACCINE. SUBMISSIONS CLOSE THIS SUNDAY. ONE OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE VOICES AT PARLIAMENT HAS REVERBERATED FOR THE LAST TIME IN THE DEBATING CHAMBER. GRANT ROBERTSON DELIVERED HIS VALEDICTORY SPEECH JUST MOMENTS AGO. HE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT FROM POLITICS LAST MONTH AND WILL TAKE ON A NEW ROLE AS VICE-CHANCELLOR AT THE UNVIERSITY OF OTAGO. HERE'S A QUICK SNIPPET OF HIS FAREWELL SPEECH IN THE HOUSE. I REMEMBER VIVIDLY THE DAY WE SHUT THE BORDERS. WE DID IT ON A TELECONFERENCE WITH CABINET. I WAS IN JACINDA'S ELECTORATE OFFICE WITH HER. WHEN THE CALL ENDED, WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND RECOGNISED THE ENORMITY OF WHAT WE HAD DONE. IT FELT VERY HEAVY. I TRIED TO LIGHTEN THE MOMENT BY NOTING THAT I KNEW WHEN WE WENT INTO COALITION WITH NEW ZEALAND FIRST, OUR IMMIGRATION POLICY MIGHT CHANGE, BUT I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD GO THIS FAR. (LAUGHTER) NEW ZEALAND'S TAX SYSTEM IS UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED. WE ARE ALMOST ALONE IN THE OECD IN TERMS OF NOT PROPERLY TAXING ASSETS AND WEALTH IN SOME FORM. OUR CURRENT SYSTEM ENTRENCHES INEQUALITY. AND TO MY MUM, WEAVED THROUGH THE SPEECH HAS BEEN MY ADMIRATION FOR STRONG WOMEN. THE STRONGEST OF THEM ALL IS MY MUM. IT'S YOUR VALUES, YOUR LOVE AND YOUR SPIRIT THAT I HAVE SPENT A LIFETIME TRYING TO MATCH. I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT EACH WEEK WITHOUT ME BEING HERE, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN BOTH COMPLAIN ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT NOW. (LAUGHTER) HOATU TUMANAKO KI A RATOU. YOU'VE GOTTA GIVE 'EM HOPE. ROBERTSON'S ALSO A KEEN RUGBY PLAYER, FOLLOWER OF SPORT, AND A FORMER SPORT AND RECREATION MINISTER. AND TALKING ABOUT SPORT, FINAL PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AHEAD OF SAIL-GP IN CHRISTCHURCH THIS WEEKEND, THE EVENT IN LYTTELTON COMING TOGETHER QUICKLY THE EVENT IN LYTTELTON COMING TOGETHER QUICKLY AFTER AUCKLAND PULLED OUT LATE LAST YEAR. KATIE STEVENSON CHECKED OUT THE SET-UP. THERE'S A BUZZ AROUND LYTTELTON TODAY. THE STAGE IS BEING SET, THE GRANDSTAND'S IN PLACE, AND THE BOATS HAVE ARRIVED TOO. THE SAIL-GP CIRCUS HAS COME TO TOWN. WE WILL SEE OVER 22,000 PEOPLE BE ABLE TO BE DOWN HERE IN LYTTELTON. WE HAD SUCH AN AWESOME TIME HERE LAST YEAR IN LYTTLETON AND CHRISTCHURCH, SO YEAH, IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK DOWN HERE AGAIN. RACING IN FRONT OF THE FANS, YEAH, CAN'T WAIT. IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT HIGH-ADRENALIN RACING THOUGH, THERE'S A SERIOUS MESSAGE TOO. THESE SCHOOL KIDS HAVE BEEN LEARNING ABOUT SAIL-GP'S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS. HOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A GLOBAL CHANGE AND SHOWING HOW SAIL-GP, WORKING CLOSE WITH SUSTAINABILITY, AND GETTING THEM INVOLVED, AND SHOWING THEIR ACTIONS THEY'RE DOING TO REALLY MAKE SURE SAILING IS LIKE AN AWESOME ACTIVITY TO GET INVOLVED IN. AND IT'S AN ECONOMIC BOOST FOR THE CITY, TOO. WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT $4M IN VISITOR SPENDING WILL BE COMING INTO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY THIS WEEKEND. THIS YEAR'S EVENT WAS DUE TO BE HELD IN AUCKLAND, BUT THOSE PLANS WERE SCRAPPED LAST NOVEMBER, AND CHRISTCHURCH STEPPED IN. IT'S AN ABSOLUTE COUP FOR THE CITY. WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE HOSTING SAIL-GP HERE AGAIN THIS YEAR, AT SUCH SHORT NOTICE, AS WELL. ACCESS TO LYTTELTON WILL BE THE SAME AS LAST YEAR WITH THE TUNNEL CLOSED FROM MIDDAY TO 6PM ON BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, AND PEOPLE BUSSED IN FROM THE CENTRAL CITY. LAST TIME SHOPKEEPERS, BUSINESSES HERE DID COMPLAIN THAT THE TOWN WAS VERY, VERY QUIET DURING THE RACE DAYS. SO CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE THIS TIME ROUND WITH EXTRA TRANSPORT AVAILABLE TO TAKE PEOPLE FROM THE EVENT BASE INTO LYTTELTON TOWNSHIP, AROUND TWO KILOMETRES AWAY. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, YES, BECAUSE AFTER ALL IT'S IN LYTTELTON. IT SEEMS SUCH A SHAME THAT THEY SHOULD ALL BE CONFINED TO ONE PARTICULAR QUARTER, AND NOT TAKE IN THE DELIGHTS OF THE TOWN AS WELL. THIS COMMUNITY READY TO PUT ON A SHOW, AHEAD OF A BIG WEEKEND OF ACTION ON THE WATER. KATIE STEVENSON, 1 NEWS. HAYLEY'S HERE. SUPER RUGBY HELPING TO RING IN SOME BIG CHANGES. WORLD RUGBY ACTING FAST TO TWEAK THE RULES IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE GAME FOR BOTH PLAYERS AND FANS. PLUS, THE WARRIORS HAVE WORKED TO SECURE AN IMPORTANT SIGNATURE, BUT CAN THEY DO THE WORK ON THE FIELD TO SECURE THEIR FIRST WIN? AND YOU CAN'T PUT THIS RISING STAR IN A BOX AS HE TAKES ON A FIGHT NIGHT WITH A TWIST. AND DUNEDIN WOULD HAVE FELT A BIT WARMER TODAY, EVEN IF IT WAS JUST 21 DEGREES. OUR HOT SPOT WAS ALEXANDRA WITH 24. MORE FROSTS FOR SOME TOMORROW, BUT THIS GOLDEN RUN OF WEATHER MUST COME TO AN END. FIND OUT WHEN AFTER SPORT. KIA ORA E TE IWI. WELCOME TO SPORT. RUGBY'S RULES ARE IN FOR MORE CHANGES, WORLD RUGBY TODAY OUTLINING PLANS TO SPEED UP THE GAME GLOBALLY, OFFICIALS TAKING ON BOARD WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SUPER RUGBY HERE. ANDREW SAVILLE HAS MORE. SUPER RUGBY TEAMS TRAINING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WITH SOME ADDED INTRIGUE. IT'S GOOD TO GET THE EARLY INTEL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (LAUGHS) MASSIVELY POSITIVE. A 'SHAPE OF THE GAME' FORUM WAS HELD IN EUROPE A FEW WEEKS AGO. NOW, WITH SURPRISING PACE, WORLD RUGBY HAS CONFIRMED GLOBAL LAW TWEAKS, STARTING THIS WEEKEND. HOW DO WE MAKE THE GAME SAFER FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLAYING IT AND BETTER FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING IT? A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT IS IN PLACE IN SUPER RUGBY IS NOW LOOKING LIKE IT'S GONNA PUT INTO GLOBAL TRIAL. INITIALLY, REFEREES ARE BEING ASKED TO SPEED UP RUCK BALL. OVERALL, THE FLOW OF SUPER RUGBY, YOU CAN TELL THERE'S MASSIVE INTENT TO SPEED THE GAME UP. WE'VE GOT A RULE BOOK THAT'S 120-ODD YEARS OLD. OUT GAME IS PROBABLY VERY DIFFERENT TO WHEN THAT WAS WRITTEN. FUTURE TRIALS WILL TRY TO SPEED UP THE USE OF THE BALL FROM THE MAUL. FURTHER WORK WILL BE DONE ON TACKLE HEIGHT AND SAFETY AND THE BREAKDOWN, ESPECIALLY THE ROLE OF THE JACKLER, A DEFENDER WHO TRIES TO TURN THE BALL OVER. THERE'S TOO MUCH GREY IN THAT AREA. IT SLOWS THE GAME DOWN, AWARDS PENALTIES LEFT AND RIGHT, AND IT SLOWS CONTINUITY UP. I FEEL REALLY SORRY FOR THE REFEREES, CAUSE OUR GAME IS TOO COMPLEX, TOO FAST FOR ONE MAN TO SEE EVERYTHING GOING ON. THE PACE OF THE GAME MEANS THE NUMBER OF REPLACEMENTS COULD BE REDUCED. THE TMO PROTOCOLS ARE ALSO SET FOR A REVIEW, ALREADY PARED BACK IN SUPER RUGBY. WE CAN'T HAVE IT STOP-START. WE CAN'T HAVE GAMES THAT ARE TAKING 110 MINUTES TO BE PLAYED. FOR THE FAN, THE REAL DIFFERENCES ARE LIKELY TO BE MORE OBVIOUS IN TEST MATCHES MID-YEAR. BUT THESE CHANGES COULD BE MORE RUGBY WHACK-A-MOLE ` SOLVE ONE PROBLEM, ANOTHER CROPS UP. ANDREW SAVILLE, 1 NEWS. THE CRUSADERS HAVE WOUND BACK THE CLOCK ONCE AGAIN, SIGNING 36-YEAR-OLD FORMER NEW ZEALAND SEVENS PLAYER TOBY ARNOLD AS A SHORT-TERM INJURY REPLACEMENT. THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS BATTLING INJURIES TO SUCH AN EXTENT LAST WEEKEND'S STARTING LINE=UP FEATURED JUST ONE PLAYER WHO STARTED IN LAST YEAR'S FINAL. WE'RE PROBABLY AN 8-CYLINDER MOTOR GOING ON 6 CYLINDERS, AND THE CHOKE'S OUT. WE'VE GOT GOOD BOYS HERE. AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING BACK, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR EXCUSES ` WE'RE REALLY PUMPED ABOUT WHAT THIS TEAM'S CAPABLE OF WHEN WE GET THAT RHYTHM AND FLOW. THE CRUSADERS HOPING THAT COMES THIS WEEKEND WHEN THEY TAKE ON THE BLUES AND ATTEMPT TO SNAP A FOUR-GAME LOSING STREAK. AND IN A SURPRISE ADDITION TO THE HURRICANES' STARTING LINE-UP THIS WEEKEND, JORDIE BARRETT'S BACK! THE 27-YEAR-OLD COMPLETED A COURSE TO CUT HIS THREE-WEEK SUSPENSION FOR THIS HIGH TACKLE DOWN TO TWO, MEANING HE'S FREE TO PLAY THE REBELS. WHILE THE WARRIORS ARE YET TO WIN THIS SEASON, THEY'VE LOCKED IN A KEY PIECE OF THEIR ATTACK FOR ANOTHER TWO SEASONS, LUKE METCALF COMMITTING HIS FUTURE TO MT SMART STADIUM AND OUTLINING HIS PLANS TO BECOME A NEW LEADER OF THE CLUB. ZION DAYAL REPORTS. THE WARRIORS HALVES DEPARTMENT GETTING YET ANOTHER BOOST. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEW DEAL. CAN WE CLAIM YOU AS A KIWI? UM, IF YOUSE WILL TAKE ME. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. FIVE EIGHTH LUKE METCALF RE-SIGNING FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS. METCALF! SO FAR IN HIS TIME IN AUCKLAND, HE'S MADE THE NUMBER SIX JERSEY HIS OWN. I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE HERE KNOWS WHAT WE'RE BUILDING, AND YOU CAN JUST FEEL IT FROM INSIDE THE CLUB. AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER PEOPLE CAN FEEL IT FROM OUTSIDE, BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE BUILDING SOMETHING REAL COOL. AND JUST, YEAH, I DIDN'T WANNA GO ANYWHERE ELSE. I JUST WANTED TO STAY HERE AND BE A PART OF THAT. HE GOT THE NOD IN ROUND ONE BECAUSE HE'S WORKED HARD. HE'S PLAYING REALLY GOOD FOOTY. HE'S BUILT GOOD COMBINATIONS. BEFORE RESIGNING, METCALF ONE OF THE FEW FORM HALVES ON THE MARKET, A PIECE OF BUSINESS THAT COULD BECOME EVEN MORE SIGNIFICANT IF SHAUN JOHNSON RETIRES AT SEASON'S END. I WANNA BE A LEADER AND SOMEONE THAT YOUNG BOYS CAN LOOK UP TO AS I'M GETTING OLDER. BUT, YEAH, IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO GROW INTO. HIS FUTURE SECURED, BUT FOR THE WARRIORS SECURING A FIRST WIN THIS SEASON, THE IMMEDIATE TASK. I THINK OUR BEST FOOTBALL IS BETTER THAN MOST IN THE NRL, WHICH I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT. BUT YEAH, IT'S, LIKE, WE ALL KNOW IT'S NOT THERE FOR 80S. THE WARRIORS SHOWING GLIMPSES OF THEIR POTENTIAL THROUGH TWO GAMES, ON FRIDAY TACKLING EARLY COMPETITION LEADERS THE CANBERRA RAIDERS IN CHRISTCHURCH. THE GREEN MACHINE MAY NOT FIND A WINNING FORMULA, TRAINING AT CRUSADERS HQ, AND WILL FEEL A LONG WAY FROM HOME, GIVEN WARRIORS FANS IN THE SOUTH HAVE SOLD OUT CHRISTCHURCH STADIUM. WE GOT A TASTE OF IT IN THE TRIAL GAME. AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S SOLD OUT. EVERYONE TURNED UP IN THE NEW BLACK AND RED CANTERBURY WARRIORS JERSEYS. THERE'S ALWAYS A BIG LEAGUE FOLLOWING DOWN IN CHRISTCHURCH. ALL HOPING A TRIP DOWN SOUTH MAY JUST DO THE TRICK FOR THE WARRIORS. ZION DAYAL, 1 NEWS. AUSTRALIA DIAMONDS GREAT VICKI WILSON HAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH NEW ZEALAND NETBALL. FOUR YEARS AFTER HER STINT AT THE CENTRAL PULSE WAS CUT SHORT BECAUSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, WILSON IS BACK, THIS TIME IN A WIDER CAPACITY. VICTOR WATERS HAS MORE. IT'S A SIGHT THAT STILL TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO FOR KIWI NETBALL FANS. WE'RE NOT STEPPING FROM THE DOT ON THE GROUND. FORMER AUSTRALIA DIAMONDS SKIPPER VICKI WILSON BACK INVOLVED IN NEW ZEALAND NETBALL, ANSWERING THE CALL FROM NETBALL CENTRAL'S DIRECTOR AND FRIEND WAIMARAMA TAUMAUNU, WHO THE AUSSIE WAS ASSISTANT COACH TO AT THE SILVER FERNS A DECADE AGO. CERTAINLY COULDN'T RESIST IT WHEN THE INVITATION WAS EXTENDED TO ME. SOME GREAT PLAYERS. I HAVE A WONDERFUL RAPPORT WITH EVERYONE. I ENJOY THE WAY THE GAME IS PLAYED HERE, THE ESTEEM IN WHICH WOMEN ARE HELD. WILSON'S INVOLVEMENT THIS YEAR WILL STRETCH ACROSS THE CENTRAL ZONE, CONNECTING WITH DEVELOPMENT SQUADS AND COMMUNITY COACHES, ALREADY MAKING AN IMPACT IN PULSE PRESEASON. VICKI IS UNREAL, AND I THINK I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GROW OFF HER, AS WELL AS THE OTHER SHOOTERS TOO. SHE'S DONE A LOT OF WORK ON OUR TECHNIQUE AND JUST OFFERS DIFFERENT IDEAS. THEY'RE WILLING TO TAKE IT ON. IT'S SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND IT'S A DIFFERENT VOICE. SO WE PLAY A VERY DIFFERENT STYLE OF GAME, JUST BRINGING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE PASSING ON HER ON-COURT WISDOM, MIDCOURTER MADDY GORDON LAUNCHING ON FRIDAY 'NETTY NOTES', IN COMBINATION WITH SILVER FERNS TEAMMATE KATE HEFFERNAN ` AN ONLINE PLATFORM TO HELP YOUTH NAVIGATE NETBALL. IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE TOOL WHERE GIRLS CAN CONNECT WITH THEIR TEAMMATES A BIT BETTER, THEIR COACHES, THEIR FAMILY, JUST WRITE DOWN WHAT THEY WANT, POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, THINGS THEY WANNA WORK ON. BUT YEAH, WE JUST WANNA HELP YOUNG GIRLS JUST STAY IN THE GAME AND LOVE IT A BIT MORE. IT ALL LINKS BACK TO THE PAIR'S OWN EARLY STRUGGLES IN THE SPORT. I WAS IN A C TEAM GROWING UP. LIKE, I WASN'T IN THE TOP TEAM. AND I THOUGHT, 'I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH.' WE'RE HOPING THIS NOTEBOOK CAN JUST HELP PEOPLE CONNECT MORE. TWO VERY DIFFERENT NETBALLING GENERATIONS HELPING SHAPE THE GAME THEY LOVE. VICTOR WATERS, 1 NEWS. THE PHOENIX ARE ON TRACK TO KEEP THEIR SLIM A-LEAGUE WOMEN'S PLAY-OFF HOPES ALIVE. WELLINGTON ARE CURRENTLY PLAYING IN PORIRUA, AND NEEDING TO WIN ALL THREE OF THEIR REMAINING GAMES TO STAY IN THE HUNT. ADELAIDE WERE HAPPY TO HELP WITH AN EARLY GIFT. GIVEN AWAY AGAIN. SPECKMAIER! THEY ARE THE ARCHITECTS OF THEIR OWN DEMISE. IN THE 13th MINUTE AT PORIRUA PARK, A HIGHLY-DESIRED OPENING GOAL. TWO MORE GOALS IN THE SECOND HALF NOW GIVING THE HOME SIDE A 3-0 LEAD WITH TWO MINUTES TO GO. JOINING THE ELITE STABLE AT CITY KICKBOXING IS MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST AARON TAU. UNDEFEATED IN EIGHT BOUTS, SEVEN WINS BY KNOCKOUT, HE'S ALREADY AUSTRALASIA'S TOP BANTAMWEIGHT. AND HE'S GOT THE UFC IN HIS SIGHTS. ON FRIDAY HE'LL BE LOOKING TO ENHANCE HIS REPUTATION IN ARSENAL-X, A FIGHT SERIES LIKE NO OTHER. THERE'S A REASON AARON TAU IS REGARDED AS COMBAT SPORT'S NEXT BIG THING. I GOT SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THESE HANDS. SO ONCE I HIT PEOPLE, THEY'RE KINDA, 'GIVE ME AN EARLY NIGHT. GET THE BEERS READY, BOYS.' BOXING, KICKBOXING ` THE BANTAMWEIGHT DOES IT ALL. AND WITH AN UNDEFEATED MMA RECORD, TAU IS DESTINED FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE UFC. I LIKE THE SMALLER GLOVES AND THE ASPECT OF SPINNING ALL THOSE DIFFERENT PLATES, HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THE WRESTLING, THE JUJITSU AND THE KICKBOXING. THAT'S DEFINITELY TOWARDS MY FAVOUR, INTEGRATING THE MARTIAL ARTS TOGETHER. ON FRIDAY NIGHT HE'S TAKING ON A VERY DIFFERENT CHALLENGE, THE HYBRID SERIES ARSENAL-X, FIGHTING ONE OPPONENT FOR ONE ROUND EACH OF KICKBOXING, MMA, AND FINALLY MUAY THAI. EACH ONE OF THOSE SPORTS IS ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL SPORT IN ITSELF, SO THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THE CROSSOVERS THAT PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE RUGBY AND RUGBY LEAGUE. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF RULE CHANGES AND RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT YOU CAN DO, SO MAKING THAT SWITCH IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. NOT THAT IT FAZES TAU. LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE, THE 30-YEAR-OLD NEEDS REINING IN. I CAN USE THE WISDOM OF MY EXPERIENCE TO KINDA GUIDE HIM WITHOUT... I JUST DISREGARD HIS OPINION. HE'D FIGHT EVERY WEEKEND. HE'D FIGHT ANYONE. HIS RECORD WOULD BE A MESS, JUST LIKE MINE. SO YOU HAVE TO PROTECT MADMEN FROM THEMSELVES. HE DOESN'T SEEM THAT MAD. HE DOESN'T SEEM THAT MAD? HAVE YOU NOT SEEN HIM FIGHT? (LAUGHS) HE'S ONE OF THE MADDEST. ONE OF THE MADDEST ` YEAH, INSIDE THE CAGE. OUTSIDE THE CAGE, TAU IS FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT BEING UNDEFEATED. IT'S ABOUT BEING THE BEST MARTIAL ARTIST I CAN BE. THE PROUD NGAPUHI IS WELL ON HIS WAY. STAY WITH US. WHAT THE WEATHER IS DOING AT YOUR PLACE, NEXT. THEN, ON SEVEN SHARP, CELL PHONES HAVE ALREADY BEEN BANNED IN MANY SCHOOLS. WE FIND OUT HOW STUDENTS ARE COPING. PLUS THE FLYING LOCAL DEFENDING HIS TITLE AT ROTORUA'S MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL AND AIMING FOR WORLDWIDE DOMINATION. WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY AT 7. KIA ORA ANO, WELCOME BACK. WE SAW SOME VERY CHILLY OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES RECORDED LAST NIGHT. SOME SEEING THEIR FIRST FROST FOR THE SEASON. AND A FITTING DAY FOR IT AS IT'S THE AUTUMN EQUINOX TODAY ` WHERE THE DAYS AND NIGHTS ARE EQUAL AND THE ASTRONOMICAL DEFINITION OF THE START OF AUTUMN. THE OTHER BEING THE METEOROLOGICAL AUTUMN WHICH STARTS AT THE BEGINNING OF MARCH. AND THERE HAS BEEN A VERY AUTUMNAL FEEL TO THIS MARCH SO FAR. IN FACT, NIWA HAVE BEEN CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS, AND IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, ONLY TWO MONTHS HAVE RECORDED LOWER-THAN-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ` BACK IN 2017 AND AUGUST LAST YEAR. BUT THE WAY WE'RE TRACKING, THIS MARCH IS SET TO BE THE THIRD BELOW-AVERAGE MONTH. AND STILL UNDER CLEAR SKIES, THE FROST IS SET TO RETURN TO THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND TOMORROW MORNING. A WIND CHANGE OVER THE SOUTH MEANS THE NIGHT'S NOT QUITE AS COLD TONIGHT. BUT STILL LOTS OF SUN TOMORROW. JUST A FEW MORNING SHOWERS TO GISBORNE. AND UP THE SOUTH ISLAND'S WEST COAST, OTHERWISE, NOT TOO BAD. BUT WE HAVE A CHANGE THROUGH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. AUTUMN ON FULL SHOW UP TOP ` COOL NIGHTS, STUNNING DAYS. 21 OR 22 FOR ALL. IT WAS YOUR COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR LAST NIGHT, TAMAKI MAKAURAU AUCKLAND, AND TONIGHT'S LOOKING SIMILAR. BUT SUN ALL DAY AND 21. A DAY ON REPEAT FOR YOU TOO, KIRIKIRIROA HAMILTON. ENJOY THE SUNSHINE. YOUR HIGH IS 21. TAKE CARE ON THE ROADS FIRST THING. FROSTS POSSIBLE FOR MOST HERE, AND THAT TURNS TO FOG IN TAUMARUNUI AROUND DAWN. IT ALL FINES UP THOUGH WITH A HIGH OF 19 TO 22 FOR ALL. WALL-TO-WALL SUN, TAURANGA; JUST SOME AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES AND 21 DEGREES. JUST A FEW MORNING LIGHT SHOWERS TO GISBORNE ` THE CLOUD STICKING AROUND WHILE IT CLEARS HAWKE'S BAY. AND JACK FROST VISITS FURTHER SOUTH, ESPECIALLY MASTERTON. AND 22 FOR YOU. IT'S A CLEAN SWEEP OF SUNSHINE IN THE WEST. FROSTY FOR LEVIN AND POSSIBLY PALMERSTON NORTH TOO WITH 19 TO 21 FOR ALL. SHELTERED SPOTS MAY BE A BIT CRUNCHY UNDERFOOT IN TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA WELLINGTON. AND A NORTHERLY PICKING UP A BIT IN THE MORNING WITH A HIGH OF 17. MORNING AND EVENING CLOUD FOR BOTH NELSON AND WESTPORT. PLENTY OF SUN IN BETWEEN AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE, AND 22 FOR BLENHEIM. A MOSTLY FINE LOOKING DAY, OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. JUST SOME HIGH CLOUD ABOUT FROM AFTERNOON. AND NOR'EASTER ` YOU'LL NOTICE IT EASES IN THE EVENING. 21 IS YOUR HIGH. A FEW SHOWERS TO THE WEST COAST ` DRY IN THE EAST, BUT HIGH CLOUD BUILDING. 21 IN TIMARU. SOME HIGH CLOUD ROLLS IN THROUGH YOUR MORNING, TAHUNA QUEENSTOWN, WITH A HIGH OF 19. A MIX OF SUN AND CLOUD IN THE LOWER SOUTH. JUST MILFORD SOUND WITH A FEW SHOWERS, BUT THAT DOES TURN TO RAIN OVERNIGHT. AND 17 IS YOUR HIGH. IT STARTS FINE FOR YOU, OTEPOTI DUNEDIN. BUT HIGH CLOUD INCREASES THROUGH THE MORNING, AND A TOP 19 DEGREES. BY FRIDAY, WE SEE THIS RAIN BAND CURL AROUND LATE IN THE DAY TO HIT THE LOWER AND WESTERN NORTH ISLAND. OTHERWISE IT'S PARTLY CLOUDY IN TE IKA-A-MAUI THE NORTH. AND IT'S A SHOWERY ONE IN THE SOUTH ISLAND. BY SATURDAY, A FEW SHOWERS STICKING AROUND IN BOTH ISLANDS BUT BEGINNING TO CLEAR. SOME MORE SUN FOR MANY NEXT WEEK. MAKE THE MOST.