DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. ANOTHER EMBARRASSING PRIVACY BLUNDER FOR THE GOVERNMENT AS PRIVATE EQC INFORMATION IS EMAILED TO THE WRONG RECIPIENT. TUHOE SIGNS THEIR SETTLEMENT, BUT IS A LONG-AWAITED APOLOGY ON THE CARDS? AND SOARING TO NEW HEIGHTS ` THE REMARKABLE STORY BEHIND THIS SPECIAL SKYDIVER. THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER EMBARRASSING PRIVACY BREACH FOR THE GOVERNMENT, THIS TIME OVER PRIVATE INFORMATION RELATING TO NEARLY 10,000 EARTHQUAKE-DAMAGED CANTERBURY HOMES. THE INFORMATION WAS ACCIDENTALLY EMAILED TO AN OUTSIDER BY AN EQC WORKER. LISA DAVIES WITH THE STORY. THE EARTHQUAKE COMMISSION HOLDS THE PRIVATE DETAILS OF THOUSANDS OF CANTABRIANS. TODAY SOME OF THOSE DETAILS WERE LEAKED IN A HUGE PRIVACY BREACH. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED. DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LEAK OF PERSONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO 9700 DAMAGED HOMES, INCLUDING OWNERS' ADDRESSES, CLAIM NUMBERS AND REPAIR COSTS MISTAKENLY EMAILED EXTERNALLY BY A STAFF MEMBER THIS MORNING. THE PERSON INVOLVED IS ABSOLUTELY DISTRAUGHT. EQC WENT PUBLIC WITH THE BOTCH-UP JUST HOURS LATER. WE WANT TO COME FORWARD IMMEDIATELY, EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENED AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THAT QUICK ACTION HAS EARNED PRAISE FROM EARTHQUAKE LOBBY GROUPS, BUT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON ALREADY STRESSED RESIDENTS. IT'LL PROBABLY BE REALLY DISTRESSING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THE BREACH. IT'S THE LATEST IN A STRING OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT PRIVACY BREACHES. OVER THE LAST YEAR, ACC, IRD AND WINZ HAVE ALL BEEN IN THE GUN FOR THE SAME FAILING. LABOUR SAYS THIS POINTS TO A BIGGER PROBLEM. THERE'S SOMETHING SYSTEMICALLY WRONG. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THE ACC CASE. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS HUMAN ERROR. IT WAS SIMILAR TO SOMEONE PUTTING THE WRONG ADDRESS ON AN ENVELOPE, SO WE'VE GOTTA WORK OUT A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN BE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. FROM MONDAY EQC WILL CONTACT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS INVOLVED TO REASSURE THEM THE INFORMATION WAS DESTROYED IMMEDIATELY BY THE RECIPIENT. AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW WILL NOW BE CARRIED OUT, WITH EQC VOWING TO BEEF UP ITS PROCEDURES TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. LISA DAVIES, ONE NEWS. A SMALL COMMUNITY NORTH OF AUCKLAND IS GRIEVING TONIGHT AFTER A TRIPLE FATALITY ON THE ROADS. AND IT'S BEEN REVEALED THE DRIVER (17) INVOLVED DIDN'T HAVE A LICENCE. WILL HINE WITH THE LATEST. OUTSIDE HUAPAI DISTRICT SCHOOL, NOTES DEDICATED TO THE STUDENT (11) WHO DIED IN THE CRASH. INSIDE MO-SHON HARRISON'S CLASSROOM, THERE ARE MORE TRIBUTES LEFT BY HIS GRIEVING MATES. HE AND HIS BROTHER, MANANUI (2), DIED ALONG WITH THEIR UNLICENSED AUNTIE AS THEY HEADED HOME FROM SCHOOL. OH YEAH. SHE DRIVES ALL THE TIME. SHE WAS DRIVING ALL THE TIME TO MY UNDERSTANDING. SHE WAS` USED TO DRIVE FROM HERE. THE COLLISION ALSO LEFT MO-SHON'S SISTER MESSIAH (6) AND THE DRIVER OF A VAN WITH SERIOUS INJURIES. THE WHOLE THING IS JUST A TRAGEDY. THE DRIVER, CHEYENNE HEMANA (17), WAS MAKING THE 20KM DRIVE HOME TO PARAKAI WHEN SHE STEERED OFF THE ROAD. IT'S GONE OFF SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT IN LOOSE GRAVEL, AND` AND THEN IT'S... MAYBE AN OVER-CORRECTION OR SOMETHING ` SOME ACTION THAT MADE IT SLIDE INTO THE PATH OF THE VAN COMING THE OTHER WAY. THE TWO FRONT-SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE DEAD AS HELP ARRIVED, LEAVING EMERGENCY WORKERS FIGHTING TO SAVE YOUNG MANANUI. IT'S RIGHT UP THERE AS ONE OF THE MORE SEVERE AND MOST TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS WE'VE BEEN TO. BACK AT THE SCHOOL, TRAUMA COUNSELLORS ARE SUPPORTING SHOCKED PUPILS. STAFF AT THE SCHOOL WERE TOO UPSET TO APPEAR ON CAMERA. BUT THEY DESCRIBE MO-SHON AS AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN WHO WAS POPULAR WITH HIS PEERS. THEY SAY THEY HOPE MESSIAH CAN RECOVER FROM HER INJURIES AND RETURN TO SCHOOL. THE FAMILY'S ASKED FOR PRIVACY WHILE IT GRIEVES. IT'S ALWAYS TRAUMATIC AND REALLY... ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE CHILDREN, UM, AT THAT AGE. THE POLICE SAY YOUNG AND UNLICENSED DRIVERS NEED TO TAKE HEED. THOUGHTS REFLECTED ACROSS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS IT PREPARES FOR NEXT WEEK'S FUNERALS. WILL HINE, ONE NEWS. POLICE WILL CONTINUE SCOURING THE WAIKATO RIVER TOMORROW AS THEY INVESTIGATE THE KILLING OF A ROADWORKER, GEORGE TAIOROA (67). DIVERS HAVE SPENT THE DAY SEARCHING THE RIVER BED NEAR TOKOROA FOR ANY CLUES. FOR THOROUGHNESS, WE` WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DISCARDED. DETECTIVE INSPECTOR MARK LOPER'S ALSO CALLING FOR SIGHTINGS OF A BLUE JEEP CHEROKEE HE BELIEVES THE GUNMAN WAS DRIVING ON TUESDAY. A TANGI FOR GEORGE TAIAROA'S BEING HELD IN LEVIN TOMORROW. WE'VE THE NUMBERS NOW ON JUST HOW MANY NZERS WANT TO BUY A SHARE OF STATE-OWNED ASSET MIGHTY RIVER POWER. PRE-REGISTRATION CLOSED TODAY WITH 440,000 EXPRESSING AN INTEREST. THAT'S ABOUT DOUBLE THE NUMBER WHO SIGNED UP FOR STAKES IN CONTACT ENERGY IN 1999. WE'VE MADE A VERY STRONG COMMITMENT THAT THEY WILL BE AT THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE. IF THEY DO PRE-REGISTER, THEN THEY WON'T BE SCALED. IF THEY WANT TO BUY UP TO $2500 OF SHARES, THEY HAVE A GUARANTEE FROM THEY GOVERNMENT THEY'LL GET THAT. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOW REGISTER A FORMAL OFFER DOCUMENT WITH THE FINANCIAL MARKETS AUTHORITY BEFORE A THREE-WEEK APPLICATION PERIOD FOR SHARES OPENS IN ABOUT A WEEK. THE GOVERNMENT WAS WARNED AS EARLY AS THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR THAT SOLID ENERGY COULD END UP NEEDING A TAXPAYER BAIL-OUT. OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS DATING BACK SIX YEARS DETAIL TREASURY'S ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE. IN JUNE, OFFICIALS WARNED THE COMPANY NEEDED INTENSIVE MONITORING. LAST MONTH, THE GOVERNMENT REVEALED THE SOE WAS NEARLY $400M IN DEBT. TUHOE'S SET TO GET ANOTHER APOLOGY OVER THE SO-CALLED TERROR RAIDS. THIS AS THE IWI SIGNS A $170M COMPENSATION PAYOUT. POLITICAL REPORTER MICHAEL PARKIN HAS THE DETAILS. THE INK ON A $170M APOLOGY AND COMPENSATION SETTLEMENT TO TUHOE WAS STILL WET WHEN THE TREATY NEGOTIATIONS MINISTER LET SLIP ANOTHER APOLOGY MAY BE ON THE WAY FOR A MORE RECENT GRIEVANCE, NAMELY THE 2007 TERROR RAIDS AROUND RUATOKI. DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT WILL END UP ISSUING A SEPARATE APOLOGY > FOR THAT MATTER? > I THINK AT SOME STAGE SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES IS HIGHLY LIKELY. UNTIL NOW, RETIRING POLICE COMMISSIONER HOWARD BROAD IS THE ONLY OFFICIAL TO ACCEPT AN APOLOGY WAS POSSIBLE. IF IT COMES TO AN APOLOGY, THEN THAT'S` SO BE IT. CHRIS FINLAYSON SAYS CABINET HASN'T DISCUSSED ANY APOLOGY AND WON'T DO SO UNTIL THE INDEPENDENT POLICE CONDUCT AUTHORITY HAS FINISHED ITS INVESTIGATION IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY GETTING WARMED UP TO APOLOGIES. THE APOLOGY FOR THE CONFISCATION OF LAND AND BRUTAL TREATMENT OF THE TUHOE PEOPLE ALONG WITH THE $170M SETTLEMENT SIGNED OFF TODAY IS ECLIPSED IN REAL TERMS ONLY BY THE $170M GIVEN TO TAINUI AND NGAI TAHU IN THE MID '90S. IT'S BEEN A HUGE STRUGGLE TO GET IT BACK ON THE TABLE AGAIN, AND I TAKE MY HAT OFF TO THIS GOVERNMENT FOR HAVING AN OPEN EAR. AND IN A UNIQUE DEAL, TUHOE WILL CO-MANAGE TE URUWERA NATIONAL PARK WITH THE CROWN, BUT BOTH PARTIES SAY THAT WON'T RESTRICT PUBLIC ACCESS. WE SEE THAT AS MUCH AS A NATIONAL ICON AS IT IS A TUHOE HOMELAND. THE SETTLEMENT'S EXPECTED TO BE LAW BY THE END OF THE YEAR, BY WHICH TIME THE GOVERNMENT MAY BE ISSUING A SECOND APOLOGY OVER THOSE TERROR RAIDS. MICHAEL PARKIN, ONE NEWS. THERE ARE SCENES OF DEVASTATION IN AUSTRALIA TONIGHT AFTER WILD TORNADOS SHATTERED HOMES AND WRECKED CARS IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 20 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED. CHANNEL NINE'S DAMIAN RYAN HAS MORE. THE SKY TOOK ON A HELLISH GLOW, AND A TWISTER WAS BORN,... WIND HOWLS ...TEARING ACROSS FARMLAND ON A PATH OF DESTRUCTION. THE POWER LINE JUST WENT. THESE STORM CHASERS WITH A SMARTPHONE CAME FACE TO FACE WITH FURY. IT WAS TIME TO TAKE COVER. OH MY GOD, MUM. IT IS A TORNADO. OH MY GOD. LOOK AT THAT. THAT IS INSANE. OTHERS SAW IT COMING FROM A DISTANCE. IT BROUGHT WITH IT RAIN AND HAIL. HAIL RATTLES COMMUNITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE MURRAY RIVER BECAME OUR OWN TORNADO ALLEY. IT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULDN'T THINK YOU'D SEE IN AUSTRALIA. THIS YARRAWONGA CARAVAN PARK WAS EASY PICKINGS. EVERY ONE OF THE 220 UNITS WERE UPENDED AND TORN APART. HAYLEY WILHELM WENT LOOKING FOR A HOLIDAY HOME. THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT. I'M JUST A BIT NUMB. EVERYTHING'S GONE, SO YEAH. SIX TOWNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER WERE LEFT BATTERED, INCLUDING MULWALA, YARRAWONGA, BUNDALONG AND RUTHERGLEN. IT WAS SMASHING THE WINDOWS. JUST IT WAS HORRIFIC. IT WAS SO QUICK BUT SO HORRIFIC AT THE SAME TIME. AND SO DESTRUCTIVE. BRICK HOMES BLOWN APART. THEN THE WINDOWS STARTED TO BULGE IN, SO THEY WERE PUSHING AGAINST IT. AND NEXT MINUTE, THE KITCHEN JUST EXPLODED, THE ROOF CAME OFF, THE WINDOWS COLLAPSED, UM, AND THAT WAS IT. 20 PEOPLE WERE INJURED, BUT IT COULD'VE BEEN FAR WORSE. AND TWO PEOPLE INJURED BY THE TORNADOS ARE TONIGHT IN A CRITICAL CONDITION. NOW TO THE FRIGHTENING SCENARIO OF A TSUNAMI STRIKING THE SOUTH ISLAND'S EAST COAST WITH VIRTUALLY NO WARNING. SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN ALONG THE COAST AROUND KAIKOURA, INVESTIGATING THE THREAT. ALI PUGH JOINED THEM. THE DEEP SEA OFF KAIKOURA'S COAST IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS MAGICAL MARINE LIFE. BUT NOW SCIENTISTS ARE HOPING TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT WHAT LIES EVEN FURTHER BENEATH. UP TO A QUARTER OF A CUBIC KILOMETRE OF SEDIMENT'S ACCUMULATING AT THE HEAD OF KAIKOURA'S SUBMARINE CANYON. NOW RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY TO SEE IF THAT BUILD-UP COULD CREATE AN UNDERSEA LANDSLIDE. IF THAT WAS TO BECOME UNSTABLE DURING AN EARTHQUAKE AND COLLAPSE INTO THE CANYON ITSELF, IT COULD GENERATE A TSUNAMI, SO THAT'S THE BIG CONCERN FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. NIWA MODELLING FROM 2006 REVEALED A LANDSLIDE IN THE CANYON MIGHT CAUSE A 13M WAVE WHICH WOULD HIT LAND IN 60 SECONDS. WE HOPE THAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN, IT'S GOING TO BE TRIGGERED BY AN EARTHQUAKE, BECAUSE AT LEAST THAT GIVES PEOPLE SOME WARNING. THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY'S BEING USED TO SURVEY THESE SEA-BED SOILS. THE AIM IS TO MORE ACCURATELY PREDICT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. THEIR EQUIPMENT SENDS WAVES OF SOUND BEAMS HUNDREDS OF METRES DEEP COLLECTING DATA ON THE SEAFLOOR SHAPE AND MAKE-UP. WE HAVE FAR LESS IDEA OF WHAT'S ON THE SEA FLOOR THAN WE HAVE WHAT'S ON MOON OR MARS. AND WHAT MAKES THE KAIKOURA CANYON SO VERY UNIQUE IS ITS PROXIMITY TO THE SHORELINE. HERE AT THE EDGE OF THE CANYON, WE'RE JUST 500M FROM NEARBY COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND A MAJOR ROAD. IF A TSUNAMI DID HIT, IT'S HOPED THIS RESEARCH COULD HELP WITH CLEARER HAZARD PLANNING, LEAVING LOCALS HERE BETTER PREPARED. ALI PUGH, ONE NEWS. A PORIRUA MAN IS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS RICHER AFTER A RARE FIND AT HIS LOCAL BEACH. THE DISCOVERY WORTH THOUSANDS IS FROM THE BELLY OF A SPERM WHALE. REBECCA EDWARDS EXPLAINS. WHEN LEE HAENGA HEADED TO THE BEACH FOR AN AFTERNOON SURF, HE WASN'T EXPECTING TO STRIKE FLOATING GOLD. SMELT IT AND THERE WAS A SMELL TO IT THAT TOLD ME, 'I THINK I MAY HAVE FOUND THE RIGHT THING.' THAT RIGHT THING BEING 625G OF A HIGHLY SOUGHT-AFTER SUBSTANCE KNOWN AS AMBERGRIS. PRIZED FOR CENTURIES, THE WAXY SUBSTANCE FORMS IN THE INTESTINES OF JUST A FEW SPERM WHALES, LESS THAN 5% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION. IT'S QUITE REMARKABLE STUFF. IT'S STILL UNKNOWN REALLY HOW IT'S PRODUCED, WHY IT'S PRODUCED IN THE INTESTINES OF SPERM WALES, AND WHY SO FEW OF SPERM WHALES ACTUALLY PRODUCE IT. BUT IT'S A NATURAL PHENOMENON THAT STILL WASHES UP ON OUR BEACHES AND PEOPLE OCCASIONALLY GET RICH OFF. THAT'S BECAUSE ITS RARITY MEANS IT FETCHES AN IMPRESSIVE PRICE. LEE SAYS HE SOLD THIS FIND TO TRADERS FOR $8000. AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S USED FOR ` CREATING TOP-CLASS PERFUMES. BUT STUMBLING ACROSS IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN. THE COMPANY THAT BOUGHT LEE'S FIND SAYS ONLY ONE OUT OF EVERY HUNDRED PEOPLE WHO CONTACT THEM THINKING THEY'VE FOUND A TREASURE ACTUALLY TURN OUT TO HAVE IT. IT'S GOT THIS REAL MYSTIQUE BECAUSE PEOPLE GO, 'I'M GOING TO BE RICH!' BUT IN FACT MOST OF THE TIME THEY'VE JUST GOT SOMETHING SMELLY THAT THEY HAVE TO DISPOSE OF. NOT THE CASE FOR LEE HAENGA, THOUGH, WHO ALREADY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT HE'LL BE DOING WITH HIS EXTRA CASH. BUY SOME NEW SURFING GEAR. (LAUGHS) REBECCA EDWARDS, ONE NEWS. NOW SOMETHING FOR THE RECORD BOOKS ` PARAPLEGIC MUM CHRISTINE LAWN (40) MADE HER FIRST SOLO SKYDIVE TODAY. AS KRISTIN HALL EXPLAINS, SHE'S THE FIRST IN NZ TO MAKE THE THRILLING LEAP ON HER OWN. 12,000 FEET ABOVE THIS SPRAWLING CANTERBURY COUNTRYSIDE, AND CHRISTINE LAWN IS STOKED. SORT OF RELIEVED TOO THAT I HAVEN'T TOTALLY COCKED IT UP. (LAUGHS) PARALYSED FROM THE WAIST DOWN IN A RACING ACCIDENT WHEN SHE WAS 29, THE FORMER JOCKEY HAD BEEN SAVING UP FOR THIS BREATHTAKING FREE FALL. IT'S GIVEN ME A NEW HOBBY. AS I SAID TO MUM, I'M NOT ONE TO TAKE UP KNITTING. I NEEDED SOMETHING THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT. AND I AM QUITE PASSIONATE ABOUT DOING THIS. IT'S REALLY GOOD. WHILE SHE'S GUIDED BY HER INSTRUCTORS, SHE'S THE FIRST KIWI PARAPLEGIC TO TAKE THE DIVE SOLO AND SHE SAYS IF SHE CAN DO IT, ANYONE CAN. GO FOR IT. GO FOR IT. THERE'S NO REASON YOU CAN'T DO IT NOWADAYS. HER COACH GARY BEYER IS EQUALLY HAPPY WITH HER PERFORMANCE. BETTER THAN EXPECTED. SHE HAD GREAT BODY POSITION, LEGS WERE NICE AND OUT, SHE WAS VERY IN THE SKY. THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA WORK REQUIRED, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'VE GOT TO MASTER THE LAND WITHOUT THE USE OF YOUR LEGS. WE JUST DID BODY POSITION DRILLS A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE ALSO ADJUSTED THE HARNESS A LITTLE BIT ` JUST ADDED A FEW MORE STRAPS ON HER LEG STRAPS TO MAKE SURE SHE DIDN'T FALL OUT OF THE HARNESS ON OPENING. CHRISTINE SAYS SHE'D DO IT ALL AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT, AND AS IT HAPPENS, SHE IS ` TOMORROW. KRISTIN HALL, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` FALLING ON THE FEDERAL SWORD ` THE HEADS ROLL IN THE WAKE OF AUSSIES LABOR LEADERSHIP DEBACLE. MEANWHILE, CHAOS OF A DIFFERENT KIND IN SYDNEY AS TALK-SHOW HOST ELLEN DEGENERES TOUCHES DOWN, BREAKING OUT HER TRADEMARK MOVES FOR TEARFUL FANS. IT'S BEEN A DAY OF BLOOD-LETTING IN CANBERRA. THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOST THREE SENIOR MINISTERS IN THE FALLOUT FROM THE FARCICAL LEADERSHIP ROW. JULIA GILLARD SAYS THE CRISIS IS NOW OVER, WHILE HER RIVAL KEVIN RUDD HAS DECLARED HE'LL NEVER RETURN TO THE LEADERSHIP. THIS FROM CHANNEL NINE'S LANE CALCUTT. THE DIVISION ARE WIDE, THE WOUNDS DEEP AND THE LABOR BAD BLOOD STILL FLOWS ALONG THE CORRIDORS OF POWER AS FIRST CHRIS BOWEN FELL ON HIS MINISTERIAL SWORD... THIS IS THE HONOURABLE THING TO DO. ...FOLLOWED BY FELLOW RUDD SUPPORTERS RESOURCES MINISTER MARTIN FERGUSON AND HUMAN SERVICES MINISTER KIM CARR. I THINK I HAVE NO OPTION. NO OPTION. IT'S THE RIGHT AND HONOURABLE DECISION. I MAINTAIN MY INTEGRITY AND SENSE OF DECENCY. d THE PRIME MINISTER'S SUPPORTS NTED 8 THE RUDD BACKERS TO GO OR BE S AND WHILE JULIA GILLARD STILL HAS THE KEYS TO THE LODGE, THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF TURBULENCE. FLYING TO BALLINA, TRYING TO LEAVE THE LEADERSHIP CRISIS BEHIND. THIS ISSUE IS OVER AND DONE WITH. IT'S CERTAINLY OVER FOR KEVIN RUDD. THERE ARE NO CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH I WILL RETURN TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY IN THE FUTURE. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED FOR ALL TIME, AND I THINK KEVIN'S STATEMENT REFLECTS THAT. KEVIN RUDD SAYS HE BACKED AWAY WHEN NUMBER CRUNCHERS TOLD HIM HE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT. KNOWING THAT ONE COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED A MAJORITY, LET ALONE A SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY, WOULD HAVE SIMPLY SPLIT THE LABOR PARTY RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. I WASN'T PREPARED TO DO THAT. WHILE RUDD CALLS FOR UNITY AND HEALING, IT WON'T BE EASY, WITH FINGER-POINTING OVER THE LEADERSHIP FARCE, CONFUSION OVER SIMON CREAN'S ROLE IN PULLING THE TRIGGER AND WHO PROMISED WHAT. I WAS PREPARED TO TAKE THE BOLD CALL, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE CALL, HE BLINKED. TONY ABBOTT'S THE ONLY REAL WINNER, GIVING NOTICE HE'LL MOVE A MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT ON BUDGET DAY. AND JULIA GILLARD IS NOW EXPECTED TO RESHUFFLE HER CABINET TO SURROUND HERSELF WITH SUPPORTERS. NZ MOUNTAINEER GEORGE LOWE, THE LAST SURVIVING MEMBER OF THE TEAM THAT CONQUORED MT EVEREST WITH SIR EDMUND HILLARY, HAS DIED IN BRITAIN. LOWE (89) WAS A LIFELONG FRIEND OF SIR EDMUND AND DIED IN ENGLAND AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. PAUL HOBBS REPORTS. GEORGE LOWE WAS BORN IN HASTINGS, BUT IT WAS CLIMBING IN THE SOUTHERN ALPS WHERE HE MET EDMUND HILLARY, FORGING A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP WITH UNPARALLELED ADVENTURE. ON THE HISTORIC 1953 ASCENT OF EVEREST, LOWE SELFLESSLY PREPARED THE FINAL CAMP JUST A FEW HUNDRED METRES SHY OF THE SUMMIT FOR HILLARY AND TENZING TO LAUNCH THEIR PUSH TO THE TOP. LOWE, SEEN HERE IN CREAM, WOULD BE IMMORTALISED GREETING THE PAIR COMING DOWN. HE SAID, 'WELL, ED, HOW DID IT GO?' AND DAD RESPONDED TO HIM,... WELL, GEORGE, WE KNOCKED THE BASTARD OFF. LOWE NEVER RESENTFUL THAT HIS BEST MATE REACHED THE SUMMIT AND HE DIDN'T. THE MESSAGE OF EVEREST WAS THAT IT WAS A COMBINED EFFORT AND ED HILLARY DIDN'T DO IT ALONE AND NO ONE PERSON MANAGED IT. IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT. BACK HOME THEY WERE BOTH HEROES. ARCHIVE: FROM ABOARD THE SOLENT FLYING BOAT SIR EDMUND HILLARY AND GEORGE LOWE EMERGE TO REPORT ALL'S WELL. AND GEORGE LOWE TOOK HIS ROLE OF BEST MAN AT HILLARY'S WEDDING FURTHER THAN MOST. I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH ED FOR MANY YEARS NOW. I TRAVELLED BACK TO NZ WITH HIM. I WAS AT HIS WEDDING AND I'M NOW ON HIS HONEYMOON, WHICH IS SINGULARLY DISTINGUISHING, I THINK. (LAUGHS) BUT HE SAID IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE ANYONE ON HONEYMOON, I'D RATHER TAKE GEORGE LOWE THAN PROBABLY ANYONE ELSE. YET OTHER PEOPLE SAID, 'HELLO. HELLO.' (LAUGHS) LOWE WOULD LATER JOIN HILLARY AGAIN TO MAKE THE FIRST TRAVERSE ACROSS ANTARCTICA TO THE SOUTH POLE. GEORGE WAS A GREAT FRIEND. HE KEPT MY FATHER LAUGHING. HE WAS AN INSPIRATION TO DAD IN MANY WAYS ` HIS COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION. LOWE SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE IN BRITAIN, LIKE HIS BEST MATE DEVOTING MUCH OF HIS TIME TO THE HIMALAYAN TRUST, TRAINING TEACHERS AT THE MANY TRUST-BUILT SCHOOLS IN NEPAL. PAUL HOBBS, ONE NEWS. IT TURNS OUT THE UNIVERSE COULD BE MILLIONS OF YEARS OLDER THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. THIS NEW COLOUR-ENHANCED MAP SHOWS THE SPLIT SECOND AFTER THE BIG BANG WHEN STARS AND GALAXIES BEGAN. IT INDICATES THE UNIVERSE IS AROUND 13.82 BILLION YEARS OLD ` ADDING AT LEAST 50 MILLION YEARS ON TO ITS AGE. TALK SHOW QUEEN ELLEN HAS KICKED OFF HER LONG AWAITED TOUR OF AUSTRALIA AND WASTED NO TIME IN SEEING THE SIGHTS. A FERRY RIDE ON THE HARBOUR AND A VISIT TO THE ZOO JUST THE START. HERE'S CHANNEL NINE'S AMELIA BALLINGER. OFF THE PLANE AND STRAIGHT INTO A FAN FRENZY. CHEERING TALK SHOW QUEEN ELLEN DE GENERES, HAND IN HAND WITH HER AUSSIE WIFE, PORTIA, IMMEDIATELY GIVING THE CROWD HER TRADEMARK MOVES. CHEERING ANY SIGNS OF THE ILLNESS THAT GROUNDED HER LAST WEEK ALL BUT GONE. HER DEDICATED FANS, OF COURSE, MADE UP MOST OF THE WAITING CROWD. HER DEDICATED FANS, OF COURSE, MADE UP MOST OF THE WAITING CROWD. THE MIDDLE ONE'S BEEN UP SINCE 5. WE'VE COME FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF SYDNEY. SHE REALLY KEEPS ME GOING, KEEPS ME POSITIVE. REALLY CHANGED MY ATTITUDE QUITE A LOT TO LIFE. JUST A GLIMPSE OF THEIR IDOL ENOUGH TO SEND SOME PEOPLE INTO AN ABSOLUTELY SPIN. FOR HER TO SAY 'HI, HOW ARE YOU?' TO ME, LIKE, IT'S JUST` I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE IT. SHE WAS WHISKED AWAY TO AN INNER-CITY HOTEL, BUT THERE WAS NO ESCAPING THE FAITHFUL. CROWD CHANTS: ELLEN! ELLEN! ELLEN! AND AFTER A QUICK GLIMPSE OUT ACROSS THE OPERA HOUSE, THE POSSE WAS ON THE MOVE AGAIN. HOW ARE YOU GUYS? WE'RE GREAT. THIS IS AMAZING. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUR FANS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S A GOOD THINK ELLEN LOVES HER FANS, BECAUSE FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS, WHEREVER SHE GOES, THEY ARE GOING. AND THERE IS PLENTY OF THEM TO KEEP HER COVERED. THE GROUP WASTED NO TIME IN TAKING IN A PICTURE-PERFECT DAY. ONCE ON THE HARBOUR, THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SOAK UP SYDNEY AND ADD TO THE FAMILY ALBUM. THERE WERE MORE PHOTOS AS THE STAR TICKED OFF TARONGA ZOO. ELLEN AS MUCH A DRAW CARD AS THE ANIMALS. ELLEN IS SPENDING THREE DAYS IN SYDNEY AND TOMORROW IS HOLDING A SPECIAL EVENT IN THE CITY'S BOTANIC GARDENS. JUST AHEAD ` WE'VE ALL THE ACTION FROM THE SUPER 15 SMASH BETWEEN THE HIGHLANDERS AND THE CHIEFS. Opportunity may only knock once, but the allure of the city does tend to lean on the doorbell. Streets are paved with possibility; sidewalks punctuated with promise. ROCK MUSIC The city is ripe with choice, and making the right one comes with experience. And experience will tell you that faith in quality is still more rewarding than quantity. Well,... Well,... ICE CLINKS ...in spirit anyway. McKenna Bourbon. IN SPORT, THE HIGHLANDERS FACED THE TOP-OF-THE-TABLE CHIEFS IN THE SUPER RUGBY COMPETITION TONIGHT AT THE CHIEFS HOME GROUND AT WAIKATO STADIUM. THE CHIEFS, THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS, MAKE A DREAM START EARLY IN THE GAME WITH THIS FROM TIM NANAI-WILLIAMS. HE'S LOST IT. HERE'S A CHANCE. NANAI-WILLIAMS ` HE'LL HAVE TOO MUCH PACE. AND THE LITTLE SANTA SCORES THE OPENING TRY. THE HIGHLANDERS ONLY TRY CAME FROM AARON SMITH, BUT AFTER A HARD-FOUGHT MATCH IT WAS THE CHIEFS WHO REIGNED, WITH A FINAL SCORE OF 19-7. THERE HE GOES. ALL SHOUT NOW SMITH IS LOOKING BLINDSIDE. OFF GOES AARON SMITH. AND SMITH ON HIS OWN. AND HE'S MADE IT. AND THE ALL WHITES HAVE BEATEN NEW CALEDONIA 2-1 IN THEIR WORLD CUP QUALIFIER IN DUNEDIN TONIGHT. TOMMY SMITH'S LATE HEADER GOT THEM HOME IN THE FOURTH MINUTE OF EXTRA TIME. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. POMARIE, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY FINN SCOTT-KELLY AND ANGELA ALICE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013