DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. THE PRIME MINISTER DEFENDS THE GOVERNMENT RECORD ON JOB CREATION, DESPITE NEW JOB LOSSES. SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES CAUSE MORE SERIOUS DISRUPTION ACROSS THE UK. AND TEAMMATES AT LOGGERHEADS AFTER A CONTROVERSIAL FINISH TO THE MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX. PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY IS DEFENDING THE GOVERNMENT RECORD ON JOB CREATION, DESPITE MORE JOB LOSSES EXPECTED THIS WEEK. THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION IS THE LATEST ORGANISATION TO BE HIT BY ENFORCED STAFF CUTS, WITH MORE THAN 100 JOBS DUE TO BE AXED TOMORROW. BUT THE PM SAYS MORE JOBS ARE BEING CREATED THAN LOST. KRISTIN HALL REPORTS. ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER ROUND OF JOB CUTS, THIS TIME AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION. THE ROYAL FOREST AND BIRD PROTECTION SOCIETY SAYS IT'S WORRYING. THEY'RE HAVING TO SAVE THE SAME ABOUT OF MONEY AS PREVIOUSLY, AND LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED, AROUND 120 PEOPLE` POSITIONS WENT. THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION IS DUE TO ANNOUNCE THE LATEST LOT OF REDUNDANCIES TOMORROW, AFTER YEARS OF LAY-OFFS. BUT THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THERE MAY SEEM TO BE A LOT OF JOB LOSSES, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THE MEDIA REPORTS. QUITE OFTEN THEY INTERVIEW ME ABOUT JOB CUTS WHEN I'M ON LOCATION AT A PLACE CREATING A CERTAIN NUMBER OF JOBS. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FIT THE NARRATIVE, SO THEY DON'T ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THAT, AND SO THAT'S THE FRIGHTENING THING FOR PEOPLE ` THEY SEE ONE SIDE OF THE STORY. FOREST AND BIRD SAYS DOC'S PLAN IS TO REPLACE SKILLED WORKERS WITH VOLUNTEERS, BUT THEY SAY THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. THEY ADD SOMETHING, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO ` THEY ADD. IT'S LIKE THE ICING ON THE CAKE. THE VOLUNTEERS CAN ONLY GIVE SO MUCH TIME, ONLY HAVE SO MUCH SKILL. THE LATEST JOB CUTS COME HARD ON THE HEEL OF NEWS THAT IT'S LIKELY UP TO 2500 JOBS WILL GO AT TELECOM LATER THIS YEAR ` THE HIGHEST NUMBER LOST AT A SINGLE TIME FROM A SINGLE COMPANY IN NZ HISTORY. BUT THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE JOB MARKET IS STABLE. IN ANY THREE-MONTH PERIOD IN NZ, OUR ECONOMY CREATES ABOUT 100,000 JOBS AND ABOUT 100,000 DISAPPEAR. FEW MORE ARE CREATED THAN ARE LOST, BUT IT'S A VERY FLUID MARKET. BUT THOSE RELYING ON SKILLED WORKERS TO KEEP OUR CLEAN, GREEN IMAGE DON'T AGREE. IT'S JUST REALLY SILLY. WE NEED THESE PEOPLE DOING THESE JOBS IN CONSERVATION. FINDING JOBS ELSEWHERE IN THE ECONOMY ISN'T THE ANSWER. KRISTIN HALL, ONE NEWS. POLICE ARE HOPING TO IDENTIFY EVERYONE WHO TRAVELLED OVER THE ATIAMURI BRIDGE THAT ROAD WORKER GEORGE TAIAROA WAS WORKING ON ROUND ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS SHOT DEAD LAST WEEK. A TEAM OF MORE THAN 30 OFFICERS ARE WORKING TO ESTABLISH A MOTIVE FOR THE SHOOTING NEAR TOKOROA, AND TO FIND A BLUE JEEP CHEROKEE THE GUNMAN COULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING IN. POLICE ARE TRYING TO CONTACT EVERYONE WHO DROVE DOWN TRAM ROAD IN THE 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE SHOOTING AT 3 O'CLOCK LAST TUESDAY AFTERNOON, AND THEY'RE URGING TRUCK DRIVERS WITH VEHICLE CAMERAS OR RURAL RESIDENTS WITH SECURITY CAMERAS TO CHECK THEIR FOOTAGE. QUESTIONS ARE BEING ASKED ABOUT HOW A NZER FACING SEX ASSAULT CHARGES IN CANADA MANAGED TO GET THERE ON A FAKE PASSPORT. PALMERSTON NORTH MAN MICHAEL FARLEY (39) HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN VANCOUVER AFTER A VIOLENT ATTACK ON A CANADIAN SEX WORKER. HE'S BEEN WANTED BY NZ POLICE FOR TWO YEARS AFTER HE CUT OFF AN ELECTRONIC BRACELET AND SKIPPED THE COUNTRY. HE'D BEEN SERVING A TERM OF HOME DETENTION FOR RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY. THE LAWYER FOR FORMER ALL BLACK JERRY COLLINS IS EN ROUTE TO JAPAN TO TRY TO GET HIM RELEASED FROM CUSTODY THERE. TIM CASTLE LEFT AUCKLAND FOR JAPAN THIS MORNING, JUST OVER A WEEK AFTER COLLINS WAS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY CARRYING A KITCHEN KNIFE IN A DEPARTMENT STORE. MR CASTLE TOLD ONE NEWS HE'S RECEIVED A NUMBER OF LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF HIS CLIENT AND WILL PRESENT THESE TO JAPANESE AUTHORITIES. THE SUPPORT JERRY HAS FROM THE NZ RUGBY UNION, FROM THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN PORIRUA ` MARVELLOUS LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM THE MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR OF PORIRUA. WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THOSE, JUST TO IDENTIFY FOR THE AUTHORITIES THAT THIS MAN WHO, OF COURSE, IS SO WELL KNOWN AS AN ALL BLACK ALSO HAS SO MANY OTHER QUALITIES. THE FORMER ALL BLACK HAS SPENT JUST OVER A WEEK IN A JAPANESE POLICE CELL, BUT HAS NOT YET BEEN CHARGED. IN ENGLAND, POLICE OFFICERS TRAINED IN DEALING WITH CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR MATERIALS HAVE SEARCHED THE BERKSHIRE HOME OF A RUSSIAN BUSINESSMAN AFTER HIS SURPRISE DEATH. BUT THEY SAY THEY'VE FOUND NOTHING OF CONCERN AND ARE TREATING THE DEATH OF BORIS BEREZOVSKY AS UNEXPLAINED. JON BRAIN REPORTS. IN THE HEART OF THE ENGLISH HOME COUNTIES ` SPECIALLY TRAINED POLICE OFFICERS PREPARED TO SEARCH FOR CHEMICAL AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AT THE HOME OF A RUSSIAN OLIGARCH. BY LUNCHTIME TODAY, BORIS BEREZOVSKY'S MANSION AT ASCOT HAD BEEN GIVEN THE ALL-CLEAR. BUT THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HIS DEATH CONTINUES. THE BODY OF THE 67-YEAR-OLD WAS DISCOVERED IN A BATHROOM BY AN EMPLOYEE, WHO HAD TO FORCE OPEN THE DOOR. MR BEREZOVSKY, A FORMER ALLY TURNED CRITIC OF THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, WAS A SWORN ENEMY OF THE REGIME IN MOSCOW AND CLAIMED THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICE ` THE FSB, WANTED HIM DEAD. HE WAS DUE TO GIVE EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST OF HIS FRIEND ` THE DISSIDENT ALEXANDER LITVINENKO. A FORMER SCOTLAND YARD COMMANDER WHO WORKED BRIEFLY FOR BOTH MEN SAYS THE INITIAL POLICE RESPONSE TO HIS DEATH WAS FULLY JUSTIFIED. IT'S QUITE REALISTIC TO SUSPECT THAT THOSE PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE WISHED HIM HARM MAY HAVE HAD ACCESS TO RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS. BUT MR BEREZOVSKY HAD RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A SERIES OF PERSONAL SETBACKS. HE WAS SAID TO BE PARTICULARLY DEMORALISED FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF A MULTIBILLION-POUND HIGH COURT BATTLE WITH HIS FELLOW RUSSIAN ROMAN ABRAMOVICH. THE POLICE SAY THERE'S NOTHING TO SUGGEST ANYONE ELSE WAS INVOLVED IN HIS DEATH HERE. THEY'RE NOW TRYING TO ESTABLISH HIS STATE OF MIND. HE'D RECENTLY ACKNOWLEDGED BEING EXTREMELY DEPRESSED AND SAID HE WAS HOMESICK FOR RUSSIA. A POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION IS DUE TO BE CARRIED OUT TOMORROW. THE NZ MOTHER WHO FAILED IN HER LEGAL BID IN ENGLAND TO STOP HER SON GETTING CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CANCER SAYS HER WORST FEARS HAVE BEEN REALISED. SALLY ROBERTS WENT ON THE RUN LAST YEAR WITH HER SON, NEON, TO PREVENT HIM HAVING RADIATION THERAPY TO TREAT A BRAIN TUMOUR. THE BOY'S NOW HAD 30 ROUNDS OF TREATMENT AND SALLY ROBERTS SAYS IT'S BROKEN HIM. SHE'S TOLD A BRITISH NEWSPAPER NEON IS WEAK AND EMACIATED, HE'S DEPRESSED, AND HIS SHORT-TERM MEMORY HAS BEEN AFFECTED. DOCTORS SAY THE 8-YEAR-OLD WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD WITHIN THREE MONTHS IF HE HADN'T RECEIVED THE TREATMENT. SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES HAVE CAUSED MORE SERIOUS DISRUPTION ACROSS THE UK. THOUSANDS OF HOMES ARE WITHOUT POWER IN SCOTLAND, WITH SNOW DRIFTS OVER 4M HIGH AND SOME COMMUNITIES STILL CUT OFF. KEVIN KEANE REPORTS FROM THE ISLE OF ARRAN. FROM THE AIR, IT'S A SCENE OF WINTER BEAUTY, BUT LOOK CLOSELY AND THE PROBLEMS BECOME CLEAR ` HOMES ENGULFED BY MASSIVE SNOW DRIFTS; CARS ABANDONED MID-JOURNEY; ELECTRICITY PYLONS TOPPLED BY THE WEIGHT OF THE ICE. MUCH OF THE ISLE OF ARRAN IS WITHOUT POWER FOR A THIRD DAY NOW. THIS MAN HAS BEEN STUCK IN HIS HOME WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE HELP. ONLY TODAY DID ASSISTANCE COME. WE'RE FINE. WE'RE OK. WE'VE GOT A GAS FIRE ` THOUGH WE'VE GOT NO ELECTRICITY, WE'VE GOT A GAS FIRE. WE'VE GOT THICK DUVETS TO KEEP US WARM AT NIGHT TIME. ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO MAKE HEADWAY. STOPPING THE HEAVY ICE MAKING MORE BREAKS HAS BEEN ONE PRIORITY; FIXING THOSE WHICH HAVE ALREADY GONE, JUST AS IMPORTANT. < MAN: WHAT'S CAUSED THAT, THEN? JUST ICE ON THE CONDUCTORS HAS PULLED IT.... PULLED IT OVER AND SHEARED IT OFF. AND, AS ELSEWHERE, IT'S THE MORE RURAL AREAS THAT ARE HIT HARDEST. SHEEP BAAS THE WEATHER DOESN'T HALT THE START OF THE LAMBING SEASON. AT CHURCH END FARM IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES, THE BITTER COLD AND SNOW HAS MADE THE BIRTHS MORE COMPLICATED. LET'S GET YOU WARMED UP. THEY'VE 700 SHEEP SHIVERING HERE, BUT AT LEAST FOR ONE SICKLY NEW ARRIVAL THERE'S A WARM WELCOME INTO THIS MOST UNWELCOMING OF WEATHER. BACK HOME, HOUSING MINISTER NICK SMITH AND AUCKLAND MAYOR LEN BROWN WILL MEET LATE TODAY TO TRY TO THRASH OUT A SOLUTION FOR AUCKLAND'S HOUSING SHORTAGE. THE CITY NEEDS TO BUILD AN EXTRA 400,000 HOUSES OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, BUT THERE'S DISAGREEMENT OVER THE COUNCIL'S DRAFT UNITARY PLAN. WHILE THE COUNCIL WANTS TO BUILD UP, WITH APARTMENTS AND TOWN HOUSES, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS IT TO BUILD OUT, WITH MORE SUBDIVISIONS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF AUCKLAND. ONE OF CHRISTCHURCH'S TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IS BACK IN BUSINESS TODAY. THE GONDOLA ON THE PORT HILLS HAS BEEN OUT OF ACTION SINCE BEING DAMAGED IN THE EARTHQUAKE IN FEBRUARY 2011. REPAIRS AND UPGRADES HAVE COST $2M. CANTERBURY TOURISM SAYS THE REOPENING IS ANOTHER MILESTONE IN THE AREA'S POST-QUAKE RECOVERY AND ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS ATTRACTING BACK DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL VISITORS. CORONATION STREET STAR WILLIAM ROACHE HAS SURPRISED CRITICS BY FRONTING ON TVNZ'S BREAKFAST SHOW THIS MORNING OVER CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS HE MADE ABOUT SEX ABUSE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ONE NEWS EUROPE CORRESPONDENT GARTH BRAY LAST WEEK, MR ROACHE SUGGESTED SEX ABUSE VICTIMS WERE 'PAYING FOR THEIR BEHAVIOUR IN PREVIOUS LIVES.' THE 88-YEAR-OLD SAYS HIS COMMENTS WERE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. THE TROUBLE IS THAT IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS, THEY'RE QUITE COMPLEX, AND YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING, AND IF SOMEBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND PUTS IT IN THEIR OWN WORDS, THAT'S FINE. IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND PUTS IN THEIR OWN WORDS, IT'S A DISTORTION. AND THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED. I'M NOT BLAMING ANYONE. I'M NOT TRYING TO JUSTIFY IT, BUT I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT. THERE IS NO PUNISHMENT. THERE IS NONE. MR ROACHE ALSO SAID THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE JUDGED UNTIL THEY'RE PROVEN GUILTY. WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE UK ` THERE'S BEEN A PENDULUM SWING OUT OF THE JIMMY SAVILE SITUATION. AND ALL I WAS SAYING WAS THAT IF YOU ARE ACCUSED ` YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, BUT YET IF YOU'RE A CELEBRITY, YOU GET PILLARED. I ALWAYS JUST SAY ` AND I THINK SOME LAWYERS HAVE SAID THIS ` THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANONYMITY FOR BOTH THE ACCUSER AND THE ACCUSEE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THERE IS EVIDENCE, AND THEN IT SHOULD COME OUT. AND THEY MUST BE ROUTED OUT. ABSOLUTELY. MR ROACHE IS HERE AS PART OF A MONTH LONG TOUR WITH 'CORONATION STREET ON STAGE', WHICH HAS ITS FIRST SHOW IN AUCKLAND ON THURSDAY. CORONATION STREET ACTOR WILLIAM ROACHE, SPEAKING ON BREAKFAST THIS MORNING. A GIRL (6) HAS HAD A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE AFTER FALLING FROM HER SIXTH-FLOOR APARTMENT IN CHINA. THE GIRL WAS HOME ALONE AT THE TIME AND STARTED PLAYING AROUND THE EDGE OF HER BALCONY. SHE APPARENTLY SLIPPED, BUT MANAGED TO HOLD ON TO THE RAILINGS. PASSERS-BY SPOTTED HER DANGLING IN THE AIR AND STRETCHED A CANVAS UNDERNEATH HER JUST IN TIME TO CATCH HER FALLING. THE LITTLE GIRL'S NOW IN HOSPITAL WITH BROKEN ARMS, BUT IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY. FINALLY, HERE'S AN INTERESTING TAKE FROM ENGLAND ON PARKING YOUR CAR ` A DRIVER'S IN HOSPITAL AFTER HIS SPORTS CAR CAREERED OFF THE ROAD AND ENDED UP EMBEDDED HALFWAY UP THIS HOUSE. THE CAR MOUNTED THE FOOTPATH AND FLEW THROUGH A HEDGE BEFORE GOING OVER THE TOP OF TWO PARKED CARS. THREE PEOPLE WERE INSIDE THE HOUSE AT THE TIME, BUT WEREN'T HURT. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS, THEN IN SPORT, THE LATEST FROM THE CRICKET TEST. AND WHAT'S SERGIO DOING UP A TREE? 1 WITH ME NOW IS ROSS CUTHBERT FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. THE BIG ISSUE IS STILL CYPRUS AND WHAT THEY'LL DO TO GET A EUROPEAN BAILOUT. WHAT IMPACT IS IT HAVING ON MARKETS? DEFINITELY SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE SHORT TERM, BUT PROBABLY NO LASTING EFFECTS. BUT CURRENTLY THEY NEED A BAILOUT OF 10 MILLION TO SAVE THEIR BANKS.� PRESIDENT IS MEETING EUROPEAN LEADERS, WHO ARE ASKING CYPRUS TO RAISE 5.5 BILLION EUROS ONE OF THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IS BANK DEPOSITERS PAY A LEVY. THAT'S BEEN A STICKING POINT. HOPEFULLY A DEAL SOON. IN THIS COUNTRY, SNAKK MEDIA HAVE A REVENUE INCREASE? YES. IT'S AN INTERESTING TECH COMPANY. SHARE PRICE ALMOST TRIPLED. THEY MAKE REVENUE FROM ADVERTISING. THEY SAID THEIR REVENUE IN DECEMBER QUARTER WAS UP 210%. THANK YOU. ROSS CUTHBERT FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. NOW MIDDAY SPORT ` TO CRICKET, WHERE PETER FULTON'S LEADING THE CHARGE FOR THE BLACKCAPS AS THEY LOOK FOR A RARE TEST SERIES WIN OVER ENGLAND ON DAY FOUR OF THE FINAL TEST AT AUCKLAND'S EDEN PARK. FULTON AND DEAN BROWNLIE TOOK A MORE AGGRESSIVE APPROACH THIS MORNING AS THEY FOUGHT TO BUILD A BIG SECOND-INNINGS LEAD. ENGLAND'S CAUSE WAS NOT HELPED WHEN THE OPENER WAS GIVEN A REPRIEVE BY JAMES ANDERSON ON 31. OH, HE'S DOWN. PUT IT DOWN. PUT IT DOWN. (GROANS) IT'LL HURT. THAT WILL HURT JIMMY ANDERSON. BUT THERE WERE NO SECOND CHANCES FOR BROWNLIE 20 MINUTES LATER. HE COULD BE OUT HERE. OH, WHAT A CATCH THAT IS. THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL RUNNING EFFORT FROM IAN BELL. SUPER CRICKETER. USED HIS FEET, DIDN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT. BROWNLIE'S WICKET BROUGHT BRENDON MCCULLUM IN, BUT IT'S BEEN FULTON DOING ALL THE ATTACKING. HE'S MOVED TO 82. THE BLACKCAPS WITH A LEAD OF 391 FOR FOUR JUST BEFORE LUNCH. AND OVERSEAS, INDIA WON THE 4TH TEST AGAINST AUSTRALIA LAST NIGHT BY SIX WICKETS, SWEEPING THE SERIES FOUR MATCHES TO NIL. SEBASTIAN VETTEL'S WIN AT THE MALAYSIAN FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY CONTROVERSY. HE IGNORED TEAM ORDERS AND PASSED HIS RED BULL TEAMMATE TO TAKE THE LEAD AND THEN THE VICTORY. THE BBC'S NICK PARROTT REPORTS. TEAMMATES, BUT A DISTINCT LACK OF TEAM SPIRIT AT RED BULL. MARK WEBBER SHOULD HAVE BEEN STANDING ON TOP OF THE PODIUM IN IN SEPANG BECAUSE TEAM ORDERS HAD BEEN GIVEN IN HIS FAVOUR. ALTHOUGH VETTEL HAD STARTED THE RACE FROM POLE, WEBBER FOUND HIMSELF LEADING AFTER PIT-STOPS, MUCH TO THE GERMAN'S ANNOYANCE. VETTEL: MARK IS TOO SLOW. GET HIM OUT OF THE WAY. SEB, BE PATIENT. YOU'RE ONLY HALF RACE YET. WHILE WEBBER WAS MAKING THE RIGHT MOVES, LOUIS HAMILTON MADE A WRONG ONE. HE'D BEEN WITH MCLAREN SINCE HE WAS 13, SO PERHAPS HE COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR FORGETTING HE NOW DRIVES FOR MERCEDES. FORTUNATELY, HIS COMEDY MOMENT DIDN'T STOP HIM FROM FINISHING THIRD. THINGS FOR FAR MORE SERIOUS AT THE FRONT OF THE FIELD. WEBBER KEPT THE UPPER HAND, EMERGING FROM HIS FINAL PIT-STOP IN THE LEAD. RED BULL EXPECTED THEM TO DRIVE SENSIBLY TO THE FINISH TO ENSURE MAXIMUM POINTS. BUT, DETERMINED TO WIN, VETTEL AGGRESSIVELY PURSUED HIS QUARRY, MUCH TO THE DISMAY OF HIS BOSS, CHRISTIAN HORNER. THIS IS SILLY, SEB. COME ON. THE WORLD CHAMPION IGNORED THE PLEAS AND WENT ON TO TAKE THE CHEQUERED FLAG, MOVING HIM TO THE TOP OF THE DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP, BUT EARNING A FROSTY RECEPTION FROM WEBBER. AND THE FANS SOON HEARD ABOUT HIS DISPLEASURE. I WANNA RACE AS WELL, BUT IN THE END, THE TEAM MADE A DECISION, WHICH WE ALWAYS SAY AT THE START OF THE RACE IS PROBABLY HOW IT'S GONNA BE. WE LOOK AFTER THE TYRES, GET THE CAR TO THE END, AND, UH, IN THE END, SEB MADE HIS OWN DECISIONS TODAY AND WILL HAVE PROTECTION AS USUAL, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES. AND KIWI DRIVER MITCH EVANS HAD A PODIUM FINISH IN THE SECOND RACE OF THE GP2 CHAMPIONSHIP IN MALAYSIA. AFTER FINISHING 10TH IN HIS DEBUT ON SATURDAY, THE 18-YEAR-OLD AUCKLANDER DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED IN THE SPRINT RACE, THE CURTAIN RAISER TO THE FORMULA ONE EVENT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS MAN, MITCH EVANS? STRUGGLING WITH FOOD POISONING ALL WEEKEND, BUT MAKES AN INSTANT IMPRESSION IN GP2. THE GP3 CHAMPION, STEPPING UP A DIVISION THIS SEASON, WAS 8.35 SECONDS DOWN ON WINNER STEFANO COLETTI, BUT FAR ENOUGH AHEAD OF THE FIELD TO CLAIM A PLACE ON THE PODIUM. THE CRUSADERS WILL BE WITHOUT ANOTHER STAR PLAYER FOR THEIR SUPER RUGBY MATCHES IN SOUTH AFRICA. CAPTAIN KIERAN READ HAS A TOE INJURY. THE CRUSADERS ARE ALREADY WITHOUT DAN CARTER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN TRIP BECAUSE OF THE IMPENDING BIRTH OF HIS FIRST CHILD. LAST NIGHT THE BLUES BLEW A 14-POINT LEAD AND LOST TO THE WARATHS IN SYDNEY. THE BLUES SCORED 3 TRIES IN THE FIRST HALF AND LED 24`10 AT THE BREAK. MOALA IS COMING THROUGH. OH! AND WHAT A MISTAKE. AND IT'S BEEN HANDED ON TO PIUTAU, AND THE BLUES ARE IN FOR ANOTHER FIVE-POINTER. ISRAEL FOLAU STARTED THE COMEBACK FOR THE WARATAHS, FINISHING OFF THIS BREAKAWAY TRY SIX MINUTES AFTER THE BREAK. BERNARD FOLEY THEN LEVELLED THE SCORES WITH A TOUCHDOWN BEFORE STEPPING UP IN THE LAST MINUTE OF THE MATCH TO KICK THE WINNING PENALTY AND GIVE THE WARATAHS A 30`27 WIN. AND SUBSTITUTE OSEA KOLINI-SAU SCORED THREE TRIES TO HELP FIJI TURN AROUND A 19-POINT DEFICIT TO BEAT WALES IN THE FINAL. NZ FINISHED THIRD, BUT STILL LEAD THE SERIES OVERALL. IN THE NRL THERE WERE TRIES APLENTY LAST NIGHT ` NATHAN MERRITT SCORED A HAT-TRICK AS THE SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS EDGED THE PENRITH PANTHERS 44`32. AND THE CANBERRA RAIDERS HAVE CLAIMED THEIR FIRST VICTORY OF THE NRL SEASON, WITH A 30`17 WIN OVER ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA. DEFENDING TRANS-TASMAN NETBALL CHAMPIONS, THE WAIKATO-BAY OF PLENTY MAGIC HAVE PICKED UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF, THUMPING THE CANTERBURY TACTIX IN THEIR SEASON OPENER. IRENE VAN DYK WAS FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS FOR THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS ` THE 40-YEAR-OLD NETTED 45 GOALS FROM 48 ATTEMPTS. JO HARTEN WAS IN GOOD FORM FOR THE TACTIX, BUT HER EFFORTS WEREN'T ENOUGH AGAINST A STAR-STUDDED MAGIC. WE PROBABLY DON'T LOOK AT OURSELVES AS DEFENDING CHAMPS ` WE'RE JUST ANOTHER TEAM IN THE ANZ, AND I THINK IF ANYTHING, WE'VE GOT THE PLEASURE OF WRITING OUR OWN STORY THIS YEAR, SO THIS IS A GOOD START. THE MAGIC RAN AWAY WITH A 69`46 VICTORY. BREAKERS' STAR CEDRIC JACKSON HAS BEEN VOTED THE NBL'S MOST VALUABLE PLAYER FOR 2013 AT AN AWARDS CEREMONY IN MELBOURNE. IN JUST HIS SECOND SEASON WITH THE BREAKERS, JACKSON WAS A CLEAR FAVOURITE, LEADING THE LEAGUE IN ASSISTS AND STEALS AS WELL AS BEING AMONG THE TOP 10 POINT-SCORERS. JACKSON, WHO WAS ALSO NAMED IN THE NBL ALL-STAR TEAM, SHARED THE SPOTLIGHT WITH BREAKERS' COACH ANDREJ LEMANIS, WHO WAS NAMED COACH OF YEAR FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING. BAD WEATHER MEANS A DELAYED FINISH AT GOLF'S ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL IN FLORIDA. TIGER WOODS LEADS BY 3 SHOTS, BUT THE EVENT WILL FINISH TOMORROW. BUT SERGIO GARCIA HAD TO USE HIS 'TREE' IRON TODAY. GARCIA HIT HIS TEE SHOT ON THE 10TH HOLE UP A TREE, BUT RECKONED HE COULD PLAY HIS SECOND SHOT UP IN THE BRANCHES. SO AFTER A BIT OF TREE-CLIMBING AND GETTING HIS BALANCE RIGHT, AND REHEARSING A BACK HAND FLICK, GARCIA NUDGED THE BALL OUT OF THE TREE AND BACK ON THE FAIRWAY. IT DIDN'T DO HIM MUCH GOOD, THOUGH ` HE TOOK A DOUBLE-BOGEY SIX ON THE HOLE AND IS SO FAR BEHIND HE'S WITHDRAWN FROM THE TOURNAMENT. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. NOW TO THE WEATHER. THE RAIN-BEARING FRONT CONTINUES UP THE WEST COAST, BRINGING HEAVY RAIN FOR OTAGO AND CANTERBURY. A COLD FRONT SWEEPS IN FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE COUNTRY, BUT THAT'S FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER BIG HIGH. CLOUD HANGS ROUND THE FAR SOUTH. RAIN FOR ALEXANDRA AND INVERCARGILL. IT'S SHOWERY EVERYWHERE ELSE. GREYMOUTH AND HOKITIKA ARE IN FOR MORE HEAVY RAIN AND FRESH NORTHERLIES. SHOWERS EVERYWHERE ELSE. OVER ON THE EAST COAST, A FEW SPOTS OF RAIN FOR TIMARU AND ASHBURTON. MOSTLY FINE FOR OTHER AREAS. IT'S NICE AND SUNNY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE NORTH ISLAND ` JUST A FEW CLOUDS HANG ROUND WELLINGTON. NORTHERLY BREEZES LINGER. GISBORNE CAN EXPECT SOME SHOWERS, FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND LAUREN STRAIN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013