HI, EVERYONE. WE'VE PUSHED WELL INTO AUTUMN, AND THE LONGER, COOLER NIGHTS ARE PUTTING DEW ON THE THIRSTY GRASS. PALMERSTON NORTH AND DUNEDIN AIRPORTS AWOKE TO FOG THIS MORNING, AND YET SUMMER WON'T LET GO. MASTERTON HIT 27 DEGREES TODAY, AND EASTER'S GOT THE GREAT OUTDOORS WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. FORECASTS JUST AHEAD. RIGHT NOW, IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF ONE NEWS WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. A RELIEF FOR DROUGHT-HIT FARMERS AS DAIRY GIANT FONTERRA ANNOUNCES A PROFIT BOOST. GETTING ULTRA-FAST INTERNET TO YOUR HOME. WE REVEAL WHAT DEALS ONE OF THE BIG PLAYERS IS OFFERING. A REACTION FROM AMERICAN AMANDA KNOX AS SHE'S ORDERED TO STAND TRIAL AGAIN FOR THE MURDER OF HER BRITISH FLATMATE IN ITALY. AND IT'S JUST NOT CRICKET. NO VIDEO UMPIRE NEEDED AS POLICE SEEK A MAN FOR STEALING GOLF GEAR OFF THE ENGLISH TEAM. KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. FONTERRA'S DELIVERED SOME MUCH-NEEDED RELIEF TO DROUGHT-STRICKEN DAIRY FARMERS. AND THOUGH THE PROFIT BOOST FOR OUR BIGGEST EXPORTER'S EXPECTED TO HAVE A FLOW-ON EFFECT TO RURAL COMMUNITIES, IT WON'T NECESSARILY LEAD TO CHEAPER MILK. THE DAIRY GIANT'S MADE NEARLY $460M FOR THE HALF YEAR TO JANUARY, WHICH MEANS A HIGHER PAYOUT TO FARMERS. NICOLE BREMNER REPORTS. FEED'S AN EXPENSIVE NECESSITY ON NIGEL ANDERSON'S PARCHED WAIKATO FARM. HE'S PLEASED HE'LL SOON BE GETTING MORE MONEY FROM FONTERRA TO BUY IT. CASHFLOWS ARE A BIG PROBLEM THIS YEAR. THE COWS BEING DRY ALREADY IS AFFECTING EVERYBODY. SO FARMERS ARE RELIEVED FONTERRA'S HAD A STRONG HALF YEAR, WHICH HAS BOOSTED MILK SOLID PAYOUTS TO $6.12 A KILO, UP 32C ON LAST YEAR. FARMING COMMUNITIES WILL HOPEFULLY FEEL THE BENEFITS TOO. IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT TO GET THAT INCREASE NOW JUST TO HELP THE CASHFLOWS. THIS STEEPLY DECLINING LINE IN ORANGE SHOWS THE DRASTIC CUT IN MILK SUPPLY FROM DROUGHT-PLAGUED FARMERS WHO'VE BEEN FORCED TO DRY COWS OFF EARLIER THAN THEY DID A YEAR AGO. FONTERRA'S MOVED TO ACCELERATE MONTHLY PAYOUTS TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR THAT LOST INCOME. A STRONG RECOVERY IN GLOBAL DAIRY PRICES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE LATEST PAYOUT, WHICH IS WORTH AROUND $100,000 TO THE AVERAGE FONTERRA FARMER. BUT THE COOPERATIVE SAYS THAT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY GIVEN THE TOUGH TIMES FARMERS ARE FACING. IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR FARMERS, BECAUSE FRANKLY, MOST OF OUR FARMERS WILL HAVE SPENT IT BEFORE THEY GET, AND THEY'RE SPENDING IT TO FEED THEIR COWS. FONTERRA SAYS INTERNATIONAL DEMAND FOR NZ MILK AND SKIM MILK POWDER WILL HELP SUSTAIN FARMERS' LONG-TERM BUT CAN'T RULE OUT PRICE HIKES FOR KIWI CONSUMERS. FOR THE NZ CONSUMER IT IS JUST TOO EARLY TO SAY. WE'VE SEEN WHOLE MILK POWDER PRICES MOVE UP 43% IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS, SO IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT HAPPENS OVER THE COMING FEW MONTHS AT LEAST DOWN ON THE FARM, THERE'S AN IMPROVING FINANCIAL OUTLOOK; THE FORECAST FOR RAIN IS NOT SO ENCOURAGING. NICOLE BREMNER, ONE NEWS. AS YOU HEARD IN NICOLE'S REPORT, MANY FARMERS HAVE SPENT THEIR PAYOUTS ALREADY ON DROUGHT FEED. AND WHILE THAT'S GOOD FOR THOSE SUPPLYING THE FEED, MATT MCLEAN REPORTS IT'S NOT GOOD NEWS FOR OTHER RURAL BUSINESSES. PAT GIBSON HAS BEEN BUILDING DAIRY SHEDS FOR FARMERS EVER SINCE HE LEFT HIGH SCHOOL. BUT EVEN WITH RISING MILK PRICES, BUSINESS FOR HIM IS SET TO GET TOUGHER THAN EVER. BEING IN THE BUSINESS I'VE BEEN IN FOR AS LONG, THIS IS THE WORST I'VE SEEN IT. IT'S THE FLOW-ON EFFECT THAT'S GONNA AFFECT US. THAT FLOW-ON EFFECT IS FARMERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY THEN SPENDING LESS MONEY AT RURAL BUSINESSES. WE'RE JUST COMING OUT OF THE RECESSION; THINGS WERE JUST LOOKING GOOD; PEOPLE WERE JUST GETTING THEIR CONFIDENCE BACK. AND THEN THIS HITS THE FARMERS, AND IT'S GONNA AFFECT EVERYBODY. THE COST OF THIS DROUGHT IS ALREADY SET TO HIT $2B. AND WITH THE REGIONS IN THE MIDST OF THE BIG DRY STRETCHING ACROSS THE ENTIRE NORTH ISLAND AND INTO THE SOUTH, THE STRESS IS WIDESPREAD. WE'RE 50% BACK ON WHAT WE WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR ON ORDERS READY TO GO. ALL OUR INCOME COMES FROM THE RURAL SECTOR, SO IF THEY'RE STRUGGLING, WE'RE STRUGGLING. BUT THERE ARE SOME BUSINESSES THAT ARE BOOMING AS A RESULT OF THESE DRY CONDITIONS ` PLACES LIKE THIS RURAL SUPPLY STORE, WHERE SUPPLEMENTARY FEED AND IRRIGATION SUPPLIES ARE FLYING OUT THE DOOR. YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY STRONG. I THINK WE'RE UP ABOUT 50% ON OUR TURNOVER FROM THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR IN MARCH, DRIVEN MAINLY BY THE DROUGHT AND THE LACK OF RAIN. A LOT OF THE SMALL BLOCK HOLDERS OUT HERE, WHEN THE GRASS IS GONE, IT'S GONE, SO THEY NEED TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR FEED. SO WE'RE DOING A LOT MORE FEED SALES. A SIGN OF HOPE IN A SEASON OF SEVERE HARDSHIP. MATT MCLEAN, ONE NEWS. THE MAN WHO MISTAKENLY RECEIVED THE EMAIL WITH PRIVATE DETAILS OF 80,000 CLAIMANTS IS THREATENING TO TAKE THE EARTHQUAKE COMMISSION TO COURT. HE'S HOPING TO USE INFORMATION IN THE DOCUMENT TO RECOUP MORE THAN $700,000 HE SAYS HE'S OWED AND FORCE THE EQC TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH ITS FIGURES. LISA DAVIES HAS MORE. WHEN BRYAN STAPLES SAID HE WAS THE WORST PERSON POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE THE EQC EMAIL IN ERROR, HE MEANT IT. I'M NOT GOING AWAY. IN FACT, HE'S TAKING HIS FIGHT TO COURT, WHERE HE'LL SEEK PERMISSION TO RETRIEVE THE DELETED DATABASE. THE INFORMATION THAT I SAW ON THAT SPREADSHEET IS VERY DAMNING. HE SAYS IN THE 40 MINUTES BETWEEN RECEIVING AND DELETING THE EMAIL, HE FOUND CONCERNING FIGURES ABOUT 10 QUAKE-DAMAGED PROPERTIES HE'S CARRIED OUT REPAIRS ON FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO OPTED OUT. HE TOOK NOTES ON ONE SUCH ADDRESS. THE EQC DAMAGE ESTIMATE WAS $59,000. BRYAN STAPLES' INVOICE FOR REPAIR WAS $52,000. BUT THE CASH SETTLEMENT TO THE OWNER WAS ONLY $30,000. SO I'M ASKING THE QUESTION 'WHY DID THEY CASH SETTLE FOR HALF?' EQC EMAILED HIM IN FEBRUARY SAYING IT HADN'T PRE-APPROVED ANY OF HIS WORK, SO COULDN'T PAY WITHOUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION. HE ARGUES THE SPREADSHEET PROVES EQC ALREADY HAS THE INFORMATION IT NEEDS. PEOPLE WILL QUESTION WHY YOU WOULD PROCEED WITH WORK WHEN IT HADN'T BEEN APPROVED. YEAH, BECAUSE THIS WAS GOING ON FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, AND WE TOOK LEGAL ADVICE. THIS MORNING BRYAN STAPLES SENT THIS EMAIL TO EQC ` AN ULTIMATUM, REALLY ` THAT IF THEY DIDN'T PAY UP THE $700,000 HE CLAIMS HE IS OWED, HE'D GO TO COURT. EQC'S REPLY, DEEMING HIS DEMAND FOR PAYMENT, 'ENTIRELY INAPPROPRIATE AND UNPROFESSIONAL' AND ADDS... IT SEEMS THE NEXT TIME EQC HEARS FROM BRYAN STAPLES, IT'LL BE THROUGH THE COURTS. AND THERE'S BEEN A LATE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS STORY. FOR MORE, LET'S GO LIVE TO LISA DAVIES. IT SEEMS THE TABLE MAY HAVE TURNED EQC HAS SENT A PRESS RELEASE THAT IT HAS LAID A COMPLAINT WITH POLICE LAWS MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN BRIAN STAPLES SAYS THIS IS BULLYING BEHAVIOUS MORE DRIVERS ARE FACING TOUGHER DRINK-DRIVE RULES UNDER A ROAD SAFETY PLAN JUST RELEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT. REBECCA EDWARDS HAS MORE DETAILS AND JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM WELLINGTON. LAST YEAR, 308 PEOPLE DIED THE GOVERNMENT WANTS SAFER ROADS INTERLOCKS WILL BE MORE WIDELY USED IF YOU ARE OVER ALCOHOL LIMIT, THE DEVICE LOCKS YOU OUT SAFETY LEVY MAY BE INTRODUCED FOR OLD CARS PHASING OUT OLD CARS HIGH-RISK INTERSECTIONS TO BE FIXED SAFETY COMMITTTEE WILL ASSESS ALL IDEAS THERE ARE RENEWED CALLS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DUMP ITS CONTROVERSIAL SKY CITY CONVENTION CENTRE DEAL. LABOUR AND THE GREENS SAY TESTIMONY FROM THE AUDITOR GENERAL TO A SELECT COMMITTEE TODAY CONTRADICTS THE PRIME MINISTER'S CLAIM THAT HER REPORT CLEARED THE GOVERNMENT. POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN HAS MORE. WHEN THE PROBE INTO THE SKY CITY CONVENTION CENTRE DEAL CAME OUT LAST MONTH, JOHN KEY SAW IT AS A CLEAR VINDICATION. AS THE AUDITOR GENERAL SAYS, NOTHING TO SEE THERE. NOTHING TO SEE THERE. NOTHING TO SEE, AND NOTHING TO SEE THERE. NOTHING TO SEE IN TERMS OF MY INVOLVEMENT. BUT THE OPPOSITION READ IT DIFFERENTLY, INSISTING A COSY DEAL HAD BEEN DONE WITH THE CASINO. TODAY AT A SELECT COMMITTEE HEARING, IT GOT THE CHANCE TO PUSH THE REPORT'S AUTHOR ON WHO WAS RIGHT. NOTHING WAS ENTIRELY CLEAR CUT. WE HAVE SAID THAT WE HAVE FOUND PROBLEMS WITH THE PROCESS THAT WAS ADOPTED, AND SO I THINK THE REPORT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. WHILE PHILLIPPA SMITH FOUND FLAWS IN THE TENDERING PROCESS, SHE AGAIN STRESSED TODAY THAT SHE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF ANY INAPPROPRIATE POLITICAL INFLUENCE. THAT WASN'T THE BASIS OF THE POLITICAL ALLEGATIONS MADE BY THE LABOUR PARTY AND THE GREENS. THEY WERE THAT MY ACTIONS WERE INAPPROPRIATE, AND MY ACTIONS WERE TOTALLY VINDICATED BY THE AUDITOR GENERAL. HOWEVER, MR KEY AND PHILLIPPA SMITH ARE AT ODDS WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER OTHER MINISTERS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS SHOULD SHOULDER SOME BLAME. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED DEFICIENCIES ON THE PART OF BOTH OFFICIALS AND MINISTERS. DO YOU ACCEPT THAT SHE IS ALSO SAYING THAT IT WASN'T JUST OFFICIALS IN THE GUN HERE BUT ALSO MINISTERS? NO. I DON'T ACCEPT THAT, NO. THE GREENS SAYS THE SKY CITY DEAL SHOULD NOW BE SCRAPPED. GERRY BROWNLEE MET WITH SKY CITY WITH HIS OFFICIALS TO TRY TO CHANGE THEIR PROPOSAL AND AMEND IT SO THAT IT CAME FIRST A YEAR LATER. IT WAS A VERY DIRECT INTERVENTION IN THE PROCESS. THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS A JACK-UP SKY CITY WAS ALWAYS GONNA WIN. JOHN KEY STILL REMAINS HOPEFUL A DEAL TO BUILD A CONVENTION CENTRE IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE POKER MACHINES WILL EVENTUALLY BE DONE. CORIN DANN, ONE NEWS. NEW SPEAKER DAVID CARTER HAS BOOTED HIS FIRST MPS OUT OF THE DEBATING CHAMBER. LABOUR MPS TREVOR MALLARD AND CHRIS HIPKINS WERE KICKED OUT FOR ACCUSING THE SPEAKER OF BEING TOO LENIENT ON THE PRIME MINISTER DURING QUESTION TIME. MR SPEAKER, SIT DOWN TILL I'M FINISHED. CLAMOURING THE MEMBER WILL NOW LEAVE THE CHAMBER. MR MALLARD SAYS DAVID CARTER NEEDS TO TALK TO PREVIOUS SPEAKERS ABOUT HOW TO BETTER HANDLE THE HOUSE. THE REAL BATTLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH ULTRA FAST INTERNET AT HOME IS UNDERWAY WITH ONE OF THE BIG GUNS FIRING THE FIRST SHOT. THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST INTERNET PROVIDER TODAY REVEALED ITS PRICES, WITH DEALS GOING ON SALE TOMORROW. IT'S A MUCH-NEEDED BOOST FOR THE BROADBAND NETWORK, WHICH HAS SO FAR ATTRACTED LITTLE INTEREST. WILL HINE EXPLAINS. KEN CHOE HOOKED UP TO ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND LAST YEAR THROUGH ONE OF THE SMALLER INTERNET PROVIDERS, ORCON. IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD, YES. I WON'T GO BACK TO BROADBAND AGAIN IF I HAVE A CHOICE. IT'S ONE OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES THAT I'M SURPRISED TOOK US SO LONG TO GET ADOPTED IN NZ. BUT THAT ADOPTION'S A SLOW PROCESS. AS OF DECEMBER, MORE THAN 130,000 PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE FIBRE NETWORK, BUT FEWER THAN 4000 HAD CHOSEN TO DO SO ` AN UPTAKE RATE OF LESS THAN 3%. NOW TELECOM'S JOINING THE PARTY, ITS PACKAGES STARTING AT $95 A MONTH, ABOUT $10 MORE THAN NORMAL BROADBAND. IT WILL MEAN, IN THE HOME, THAT THINGS LIKE VIDEO, GAMING, SKYPE, THINGS LIKE THAT, WILL BE MUCH MORE RELIABLE IN TERMS OF THEIR PERFORMANCE. FIBRE'S BEING ROLLED OUT TO MORE STREETS EACH DAY. BUT AN INDUSTRY WATCHDOG SAYS PEOPLE ARE HAPPY WITH NORMAL BROADBAND AND WON'T UPGRADE UNTIL THERE'S MORE ONLINE CONTENT AVAILABLE. THE ABILITY TO ACCESS HUNDREDS OF CHANNELS, THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TELEVISION, THAT'S WHAT DRIVES UPTAKE, NOT SPEED OR THE DATA CAP OR ANY OF THE TECHNICAL STUFF. THE GOVERNMENT'S PUT MORE THAN $1.3B INTO BUILDING THE NETWORK AND IS CLOSELY WATCHING THE RESPONSE TO TELECOM ENTERING THE MARKET. IT'S SORT OF THE NEXT STEP WHICH WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR A WHILE, AND WE THINK THAT WILL START TO TRIGGER SOME REAL WIDESPREAD INTEREST IN UFB ACROSS NZ. THE OTHER BIG INTERNET PROVIDER, VODAFONE, IS STILL TO LAUNCH ITS ULTRA-FAST PRODUCTS. WILL HINE, ONE NEWS. THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HAMILTON WOMAN RAE PORTMAN HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY. PARAIRE TE AWA, ALSO KNOWN AS FRIDAY, APPEARED AT THE HIGH COURT IN AUCKLAND TODAY. HE'S CHARGED WITH MURDERING THE 33-YEAR-OLD, WHO WAS FOUR MONTHS' PREGNANT, WHEN SHE DISAPPEARED LAST YEAR. HE'LL STAND TRIAL IN LATE OCTOBER. ANOTHER MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING. AMERICAN AMANDA KNOX SAYS SHE'LL FIGHT TO CLEAR HER NAME AFTER AN ITALIAN COURT OVERTURNED HER ACQUITTAL FOR THE MURDER OF MEREDITH KERCHER. KNOX AND HER FORMER ITALIAN BOYFRIEND, RAFFAELE SOLLECITO, WILL FACE A NEW TRIAL OVER THE 2007 KILLING THAT CAPTURED GLOBAL ATTENTION. THE BBC'S DAVID WILLIS REPORTS. IN THE LEAFY SEATTLE SUBURB SHE CALLS HOME, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF AMANDA KNOX OR HER FAMILY TODAY, AND AS THEY WENT INTO HIDING, NEIGHBOURS WERE CLOSING RANKS. I WISH IT WAS OVER FOR THEM. THEY'RE A LOVELY FAMILY IN THE COMMUNITY. IT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR. PRESENTER: GOOD MORNING, AMERICA. AND BREAKING THIS MORNING ` A STUNNING REVERSAL FOR AMANDA KNOX. IN A STATEMENT RELEASED LATER THROUGH A FAMILY FRIEND, AMANDA KNOX DESCRIBED THE DECISION AS PAINFUL. IT CAME AFTER ITALY'S HIGHEST COURT ACCEPTED THE PROSECUTION'S CLAIM THAT THE PROCESS LEADING TO HER ACQUITTAL HAD BEEN FLAWED. IT'S A SHOCKING DECISION, SO WE GO BACK TO DISCUSS THE CASE, AND WE ARE READY AGAIN. WE WENT THROUGH THIS ALREADY. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ELSE CAN BE DISCUSSED IN THIS CASE. BUT THE FAMILY OF MURDER VICTIM MEREDITH KERCHER HAVE WELCOMED THE NEWS. THEY'RE URGING THE ITALIAN AUTHORITIES TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET TO THE TRUTH. YOU KNOW, NOTHING'S GONNA BRING MEREDITH BACK, BUT IT'S JUST THAT THERE ARE STILL SO MANY DETAILS THAT HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN RESOLVED IN THE CASE. AMANDA KNOX AND HER THEN BOYFRIEND RAFAELLE SOLLECITO WERE CONVICTED BACK IN 2009. THE PROSECUTION ALLEGED THEY'D BEEN INVOLVED SEX GAME THAT HAD GONE HORRIBLY WRONG. WHEN MEREDITH KERCHER'S BODY WAS FOUND IN A HOUSE SHE'D SHARED WITH AMANDA KNOX, HER THROAT HAD BEEN CUT. MAN WHOOPS, APPLAUDS AMANDA KNOX' ACQUITTAL 18 MONTHS AGO SPARKED A MEDIA FRENZY. THERE WAS TALK OF A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE AS WELL AS A BOOK DEAL SAID TO BE WORTH MILLIONS OF POUNDS. ONE THING SHE ALMOST CERTAINLY DIDN'T BARGAIN ON WAS HAVING TO PROVE HER INNOCENCE ALL OVER AGAIN. HER TRAGIC SAGA, WHICH AMANDA KNOX THOUGHT WAS WELL AND TRULY OVER, CLEARLY STILL HAS SOME WAY TO RUN. WHILE AMANDA KNOX DOESN'T HAVE TO RETURN TO ITALY FOR THE RETRIAL, IF FOUND GUILTY, SHE COULD FACE EXTRADITION FROM THE US. YOU MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT THE ENGLISH CRICKET TEAM SNATCHED A PRECIOUS TEST VICTORY OFF THE BLACK CAPS YESTERDAY. NOW THE TOURISTS ARE DEALING WITH A SNATCH AND GRAB OF THEIR OWN. POLICE BELIEVE THIS MAN, CAUGHT ON SECURITY CAMERA, IS REPSONSIBLE FOR STEALING GOLF CLUBS BELONGING TO THE ENGLISH TEAM FROM THEIR AUCKLAND HOTEL. HOTEL MANAGEMENT SAY THE CLUBS WERE STOLEN ON SUNDAY NIGHT FROM THE CRICKETERS' TEAM ROOM AT THE PULLMAN HOTEL BUT WERE ONLY DISCOVERED MISSING YESTERSDAY. THE ACTUAL GUYS IN CHARGE OF IT WERE REALLY NICE, UM, ENGLISH GUYS AND VERY UNDERSTANDING THAT, OBVIOUSLY, EVERY MEASURE HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM A SECURITY POINT OF VIEW, WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. POLICE WANT TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO MIGHT RECOGNISE THIS MAN AND ARE URGING SECOND-HAND DEALERS OFFERED ANY TAYLOR-MADE, PING OR MIZUNO GOLF CLUBS TO CONTACT THEM. ROSS TAYLOR'S REIGNITED RUMBLINGS IN THE BLACKCAPS CRICKET CAMP. THAT STORY'S AHEAD ON ONE NEWS. ALSO, ARE OUR NEIGHBOURS BETTER OFF? SEE HOW YOUR INCOME TALLIES WITH THE AUSTRALIANS. THE FACE-OFF BETWEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE GAY MARRIAGE DEBATE ` WHY IT'S HOTTING UP IN AMERICA. AND THE PRIZE PIECES OF ART ` THE WORKS BY SOME OF OUR BIGGEST NAMES GOING UNDER THE HAMMER. TINKLING MUSIC Did you know there's a great way to get the most out of your smartphone while you're chilling on the couch at home without chewing through all of your mobile data? Basically, this will get you online the same way as your laptop or tablet. Just set it to connect to your home Wi-Fi, and then you can watch your favourite TV shows online while your other half streams cat videos to their heart's content. And the best thing is you only have to tell your device to connect once, and then it connects automatically as soon as you walk through the door, which means you can save your mobile data for when you're out and about. You'll know you're connected when this little Wi-Fi symbol appears, or on some smartphones, the Wi-Fi symbol will simply brighten. So for step-by-step instructions on hooking up your device to your home Wi-Fi connection, just visit techinasec.co.nz NZERS THINKING THEY'LL BE BETTER OFF ACROSS THE TASMAN NOW HAVE MORE AMMUNITION. NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THE AVERAGE INCOME OF AUSTRALIANS IS RISING AT A FASTER RATE. THIS FROM SIMON BRADWELL. OUR NEIGHBOURS CALL AUSTRALIA THE LUCKY COUNTRY. NOW NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS AUSSIE WORKERS ARE LUCKY TOO ` POCKETING A QUARTER MORE INCOME A YEAR THAN THEIR KIWI COUNTERPARTS. ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH COMPANY, SINCE 2001, THE AVERAGE PERSONAL INCOME OF NZERS HAS RISEN FROM $35,000 TO NEARLY $50,000 A YEAR. BUT IN THE SAME TIME, AUSTRALIAN AVERAGE INCOME HAS RISEN FROM NEARLY $40,000 TO MORE THAN $60,000. BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IS A LONG-TERM TREND. UH, THERE'S A LONG-TERM WIDENING GAP BETWEEN AUSTRALIA, OTHER ADVANCED ECONOMIES AND NZ. SUPPORTERS OF THAT THEORY BLAME THE SIZE OF OUR TWO ECONOMIES, OUR DISTANCE FROM OVERSEAS MARKETS, AND MORE RECENTLY, THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS. BUT THE GOVERNMENT REJECTS THE NUMBERS. IT SAYS WHEN ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, NZERS' EARNINGS HAVE ACTUALLY RISEN MORE THAN AUSTRALIANS'. SO THE INCOME GAP HAS ACTUALLY NARROWED. THE GOVERNMENT ALSO SAYS STATISTICS NZ FIGURES ARE VERY DIFFERENT TO THOSE OF THE RESEARCH COMPANY. BUT THE OPPOSITION SAYS THE FIGURES ARE ON THE MONEY. DEFINITELY WIDENING. UM, IT'S WIDENED MOST RAPIDLY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. IT'S NO SURPRISE WHY A THOUSAND KIWIS A WEEK ARE GOING ACROSS TO AUSTRALIA. LIKE ONE WE FOUND GETTING READY TO FLY OUT THIS AFTERNOON. MORE MONEY TO BE MADE OVER IN AUSTRALIA. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF KIWIS LOOKING TO FEATHER THEIR NESTS IN AUSTRALIA IS ACTUALLY DOWN SLIGHTLY ON LAST YEAR. SIMON BRADWELL, ONE NEWS. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS INCHING CLOSER TO BEING LEGALISED IN NZ. PARLIAMENT'S HAVING THE LAST DEBATE TONIGHT, WHEN CHANGES CAN BE MADE TO LABOUR MP LOUISA WALL'S BILL BEFORE A FINAL VOTE TO MAKE IT LAW. THE BILL'S LIKELY TO HAVE ITS THIRD AND FINAL READING IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS ALSO BEING DEBATED IN AMERICA. IN A HISTORIC FIRST, THE SUPREME COURT'S HEARD ARGUMENTS ON WHETHER GAY COUPLES HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO WED. HERE'S THE BBC'S STEVE KINGSTONE. IN GLORIOUS TECHNICOLOR AND PROVOCATIVE LANGUAGE, THE CULTURE WARS ARE BACK. SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF GAY MARRIAGE FACING OFF OUTSIDE THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. SOME HAD QUEUED HERE FOR DAYS, HOPING TO WITNESS HISTORY FROM THE INSIDE. OTHERS ARGUED FROM THE PAVEMENT. BUT OPPONENTS OF GAY MARRIAGE SAY ALL THEY'RE DOING IS DEFENDING A TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE,... ONE MAN! ALL: ONE WOMAN! ...WHAT THEY SEE AS THE SANCTITY OF HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE. MY VIEW IS THAT MARRIAGE SHOULD BE BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN. IT'S THE TRADITIONAL WAY. IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN TO PROCREATE. I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU BOTH LEGALLY MARRIED. LISA AND AUDREY TYING THE KNOT IN WASHINGTON LAST FRIDAY IN WHAT'S BECOME A COMMON SIGHT HERE AND IN NINE US STATES. NATIONWIDE, PUBLIC OPINION HAS SHIFTED TOO. A CLEAR MAJORITY OF AMERICANS NOW SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. ONE DAY, ALL OF THIS, ALL OF THE LITTLE INTRICACIES THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME ARE GOING TO BE ON A HISTORY BOOK. I THINK SAME-SEX COUPLES SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET MARRIED. THE PRESIDENT CAME OUT FOR GAY MARRIAGE LAST YEAR. OTHER POLITICIANS HAVE FOLLOWED. BUT IT'S THE COURTS THAT MATTERS, AND TODAY IT HEARD ARGUMENTS ABOUT A 2008 REFERENDUM IN CALIFORNIA WHICH LED TO A STATE BAN ON GAY MARRIAGE. TOMORROW IT WILL LOOK AT A FEDERAL LAW THAT DENIES TAX AND PENSION BENEFITS TO SAME-SEX MARRIED COUPLES. IT'S BEEN CALLED THE CIVIL-RIGHTS ISSUE OF OUR TIMES, BUT HOW BROADLY WILL THE COURT RULE? HOW MUCH OF AMERICA WILL BE AFFECTED? WE SHOULD KNOW BY THE END OF JUNE. A POLL CONDUCTED THIS MONTH FOUND 49% OF AMERICANS FAVOUR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. A GIRL (14) IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN MAULED TO DEATH BY DOGS AT A BRITISH HOME. POLICE SAY JADE ANDERSON WAS ALONE AT HER FRIEND'S HOUSE IN MANCHESTER WHEN THE ATTACK HAPPENED. WHEN AUTHORITIES ARRIVED, THEY FOUND FIVE DOGS OUT OF CONTROL. SHE WAS A FUN-LOVING GIRL. SHE WAS REALLY HAPPY. THERE WASN'T` BUT THERE WASN'T NOTHING THAT COULD HOLD HER BACK. SH-SHE GOT ON WITH EVERYBODY REALLY WELL. FOUR OF THE FIVE DOGS HAVE BEEN PUT DOWN. RESCUERS ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE BURIED IN A LANDSLIDE IN INDONESIA. THE BODIES OF 10 RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FOUND AFTER A HEAVY DOWNPOUR TRIGGERED THE DISASTER. SEVEN ARE STILL MISSING, WITH A LACK OF EQUIPMENT MEANING RESCUERS ARE USING SHOVELS AND THEIR BARE HANDS TO DIG THROUGH DEBRIS. THIS IS THE DESTRUCTION LEFT BY A BRIEF THUNDERSTORM IN CHINA. THE EARLY-MORNING STRIKE SET FIRE TO TWO HOUSES AND DISRUPTED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS IN THE CITY OF WUGANG. AND FARMERS ARE BATTLING TO RESCUE STRANDED STOCK AS HEAVY SNOW TAKES ITS TOLL IN BRITAIN. HUNDREDS OF SHEEP HAVE FROZEN TO DEATH, TRAPPED IN SNOW DRIFTS MORE THAN 4M HIGH. THOUSANDS OF HOMES ALSO FACE ANOTHER DAY WITHOUT POWER, AND MANY ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE. NOW FOR A LOOK AT OUR WEATHER AS WE APPROACH EASTER. STILL ON TRACK FOR A FINE WEEKEND? YEP. FINE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH JUST A FEW BLEMISHES HERE AND THERE. AND WE DO GET BURST OF SHOWERS OVER THE COUNTRY ON SUNDAY. A COOL, CLEAR NIGHT TRIGGERED FOG OVER ALEXANDRA AND CLYDE WHICH HUNG AROUND TILL LATE MORNING. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ WE'RE FINE AND DRY, WHICH IS NOT GOOD, BUT WE'RE STILL PRETTY. CENTRAL OTAGO ONE OF THE PRETTIEST. AFTER SPORT WITH ANDREW, THE OUTLOOK HEADING INTO EASTER. G 8 AFTER THE BREAK ON ONE NEWS MILKING IT FOR ALL IT'S WORTH ` THE NEW RESEARCH ON WHICH COWS ARE MOST PRODUCTIVE. AND A VALUABLE COLLECTION ` A LOOK AT THE HIGH-PROFILE ART THAT'S UP FOR AUCTION. 1 A PAROLE BOARD HAS RESERVED ITS DECISION ON WHETHER TO KEEP SERIAL SEX OFFENDER STEWART MURRAY WILSON BEHIND BARS FOR ALLEGEDLY BREACHING PAROLE. WILSON WAS PAROLED IN SEPTEMBER TO A HOUSE JUST BEYOND WANGANUI PRISON GROUNDS. BUT HE WAS PUT BACK IN JAIL LAST MONTH AFTER ALLEGEDLY PHONING A WOMAN HE'D BEEN BANNED FROM CONTACTING. WILSON AND HIS LAWYER APPEARED BEFORE THE PAROLE BOARD TODAY. THE 66-YEAR-OLD DENIED BREACHING HIS PAROLE CONDITIONS AT A COURT HEARING LAST MONTH. FARMERS ARE NOW GETTING A BETTER IDEA OF JUST HOW VALUABLE THEIR COWS ARE. SCIENTIFIC TRIALS HAVE FOUND A COMPLEX GENETIC FORMULA SHOWS WHICH ONES PRODUCE MORE MILK THAN OTHERS. HADYN JONES EXPLAINS. ON A FARM BESIDE A DAIRY FACTORY, FARMERS GATHERED TO LISTEN TO SCIENTISTS TELLING THEM THAT NOT ALL COWS ARE CREATED EQUAL. THEY'VE KNOWN THIS FOR GENERATIONS, OR COURSE, BUT SCIENTIST TODAY REINFORCED THE FACT THAT IT'S GENETICS THAT MAKES SOME COWS MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN OTHERS. SO WE'RE INTERESTED IN WHY SOME COWS PRODUCE MORE AND SOME PRODUCE LESS. AND WHAT WE WERE AIMING TO DO WAS IDENTIFY GENE MARKERS. SO LET ME PUT THIS RESEARCH INTO HUMAN TERMS. YOU KNOW HOW SOME OF US CAN EAT A LITTLE AND YET WE SEEM TO GROW A LOT AND OTHERS OF US CAN EAT A LOT AND HARDLY PUT ON ANY WEIGHT AT ALL? WELL, THE DAIRY FARMERS ARE TRYING TO CREATE A COW THAT CAN EAT A LITTLE AND GROW A LOT. SIX YEARS THEY'VE BEEN TESTING ON THIS HAWERA RESEARCH FARM, THEY'VE FOUND SOME ANIMALS CAN PRODUCE 20% MORE WEIGHT AND 4% MORE MILK, AND THE COMPLEX BUT PRODUCTIVE GENETIC MAKE-UP CAN BE PASSED THROUGH GENERATIONS. IT'S CERTAINLY GOT THE FARMERS TALKING. YOU COULD SAVE 240 MILLION TONS OF FOOD` TONS OF FEED FOR COWS TO MAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF THE SAME AMOUNT OF MEAT AND MILK. IT'S QUITE AMAZING WHEN YOU GET UP TO THAT SORT OF SCALE. THE RESEARCH, PAID FOR BY THE DAIRY FARMERS AND THE TAXPAYERS, IS TIMELY GIVEN THE DROUGHT. THE EFFICIENT COWS, BECAUSE THEY PRODUCE LESS` OR EAT LESS, SORRY, YES, WE MIGHT EXPECT THEM TO BE HANDLING THE CONDITIONS BETTER NOW. THE SCIENCE WILL HELP FARMERS CHOOSE A MATING BULL, BUT NO ONE HERE WAS SAYING IT WILL EQUAL LOWER MILK PRICES. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL BE CHEAPER. THAT'S OUT OF MY HANDS. SO AT A FARM NEAR HAWERA, THEY THINK THEY MAY HAVE PART OF THE ANSWER TO THE BIG QUESTION: HOW ARE WE GOING TO FEED THE WORLD? THERE'S PLENTY OF STARVING PEOPLE ALREADY, AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SOON, THEN WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUT OF RESOURCES. THEY CELEBRATED WITH LUNCH ` BEEF PATTIES, OF COURSE. HADYN JONES, ONE NEWS. THE STATE OF OUR ART MARKET'S BEING PUT TO THE TEST RIGHT NOW AT AN AUCTION. SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE PIECES, INCLUDING WORKS BY THE LATE RALPH HOTERE, ARE GOING UNDER THE HAMMER IN AUCKLAND. BETH BATES REPORTS. IF ALL GOES WELL, THESE TWO PAINTINGS WILL SELL FOR AROUND $400,000. THE GOLDIES ARE PART OF SEVERAL PRIZED PIECES UP FOR AUCTION IN AUCKLAND. IT'S PRETTY RARE TO GET WORKS OF THIS, UH, REALLY WONDERFUL QUALITY IN ONE AUCTION. NZ'S HIGH-END ART MARKET HAS BEEN LARGELY UNAFFECTED BY THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC RECESSION. THIS 3M-WIDE BILL HAMMOND IS THE AUCTION'S CENTREPIECE, WITH ESTIMATES IT COULD FETCH UP TO $300,000. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL PIECES BY THE LATE RALPH HOTERE. IT'S REALLY THE` THE FINEST QUALITY WORK BY, UH, BY RALPH HOTERE TO HAVE COME ON THE MARKET FOR, ARGUABLY, A DECADE. BUT HIS DEATH ISN'T EXPECTED TO PUSH UP THE PRICE OF HIS WORK. PEOPLE KNEW HE WAS` HE WAS UNWELL FOR QUITE SOME TIME. UH, THERE WAS A BIT OF A BOOM IN HIS WORK, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO. AND THERE COULD BE A BOOM FOR THE VENDORS OF THIS ARTWORK. THIS MICHAEL ILLINGWORTH PAINTING IS ON SALE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1967. IT'S BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY FOR THE PAST 46 YEARS AND IS EXPECTED TO SELL FOR AROUND $160,000. SO WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT BUY? THEY HAVE GENERALLY GOT, UH, QUITE A LOT OF, UH, DISPOSABLE INCOME, AND THEY, UH, THEY'VE SORTED OUT THE BRICKS AND MORTAR OF LIFE. UH, THEY'VE` THEY'VE` THEY'VE GOT THEIR FOOD BUDGET SORTED, AND THEY'RE NOW WANTING TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING ELSE. AS THEY SAY, BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER AND, IT SEEMS, THE CHEQUEBOOK, WITH BIDS FOR THIS MINIMALIST PAINTING EXPECTED TO START AROUND $50,000. BETH BATES, ONE NEWS. YOU CAN SEE WHAT FETCHED THE TOP PRICE ON ONE NEWS TONIGHT AT HALF PAST 10. THERE'S ANOTHER CHANCE TO GET YOUR SKATES ON IN WELLINGTON WITH A TEMPORARY ICE RINK RE-OPENING DESPITE REGIONAL WATER BANS. THE 500M2 RINK TOOK 10 WORKERS TWO DAYS TO MAKE, USING 36,000 LITRES OF WATER. ICE WORLD NZ SAYS IT USED RAIN WATER NOT FIT FOR DRINKING, SO DIDN'T BREACH BANS. I THINK RAINWATER THAT'S COLLECTED OVER TIME... EXCESS TO REQUIREMENTS, SO I THINK WE CAN SAFELY SAY WE HAVEN'T HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE RESIDENTS AROUND HERE; THAT TAPS WILL STILL KEEP FLOWING. THE WATERFRONT RINK PROVED POPULAR WHEN IT WAS LAST INSTALLED TWO YEARS AGO, ATTRACTING MORE THAN 30,000 SKATERS. UPDATING TONIGHT'S LEADING STORIES ` THERE'S LITTLE RAIN IN SIGHT, BUT SOME RELIEF FOR DROUGHT-STRICKEN DAIRY FARMERS IN FONTERRA'S HALF-YEAR PROFIT ANNOUNCEMENT. MILK SOLID PAYOUTS ARE UP 32C ON LAST YEAR, WHICH IS WORTH AROUND $100,000 FOR THE AVERAGE FARMER. THE MAN SENT A CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL DETAILING ABOUT 80,000 EARTHQUAKE COMMISSION CLAIMS SAYS HE'S READY FOR A FIGHT WITH THE ORGANISATION. THE EQC SAYS IT'S LAID A POLICE COMPLAINT AGAINST BRYAN STAPLES FOR HIS ACTIONS SINCE RECEIVING THE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. AND THE ALCOHOL LIMIT FOR HIGH-RISK DRIVERS COULD BE LOWERED UNDER A ROAD SAFETY PLAN JUST RELEASED BY THE GOVERNMENT. OTHER PROPOSALS INCLUDE GETTING UNSAFE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD AND IMPROVING THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND THE BLACK CAPS PERFORMANCES HAVE BEEN OVERSHADOWED. MORE ON TAYLOR'S COMMENTS AND A STRONG REACTION FROM HIS BOSSES. ALSO TONIGHT, A TIMELY, EARLY RETURN FOR A COUPLE OF HIGHLANDERS VETERANS. PLUS, FROM CHRISTCHURCH TO HARVARD, NOW OXFORD AND THE THAMES ` A ROWING TALE OF PERSEVERANCE. AND TIGER, ARNIE AND SUPER MEX AS YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. FIRST UP TONIGHT ` TO CRICKET, AND THE BLACKCAPS CAPTAINCY SAGA HAS FLARED UP AGAIN. A DAY AFTER THE FIGHTING SERIES DRAW AGAINST ENGLAND, FORMER CAPTAIN ROSS TAYLOR HAS MADE COMMENTS TODAY WHICH HAVE ANGERED HIS BOSSES AND TEAMMATES. ABBY SCOTT REPORTS. JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THAT SUBJECT HAD BEEN HIT FOR SIX. THERE'S A LOT OF` A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE` THAT HAVE HAPPENED. MAYBE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS O-OR MONTHS, THINGS MIGHT GET TOLD. UM, BUT AS IT IS NOW, UM, NOW PROBABLY NOT A` NOT A GREAT TIME TO TALK. THE FORMER BLACKCAPS SKIPPER REIGNITING THE CAPTAINCY SAGA THAT'S DOMINATED CRICKET HEADLINES ALL SUMMER, SUGGESTING THERE'S MORE TO EMERGE FROM HIS CONFLICT WITH COACH MIKE HESSON. I'VE GOT NO IDEA WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT. TAYLOR'S COMMENTS HAVE JUST THE MORNING AFTER NZ'S CAPTIVATING DRAW AGAINST THE WORLD NUMBER TWO SIDE. ONE NEWS UNDERSTANDS HIS TEAMMATES ARE ANGRY HE'S CHOSEN NOW TO SPEAK OUT; MANAGEMENT DISAPPOINTED. IT'S THE LAST THING ANYONE WANTS TO HEAR, I THINK. I MEAN, WE HAD SUCH A FANTASTIC TEST MATCH. GREAT DAY YESTERDAY. IT STOPPED THE NATION, AND, UM THAT'S ALL WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AT THE MOMENT. BUT, APPARENTLY, TAYLOR DIDN'T GET THE MEMO. HIS FORM FROM THE TEST SERIES HINTED THAT THINGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SITTING RIGHT. OF HIS FIVE INNINGS AGAINST ENGLAND, HE AVERAGED JUST OVER 23, WITH A TOP SCORE OF 41 NOT-OUT IN WELLINGTON. THAT'S FAR BELOW HIS OVERALL AVERAGE OF NEARLY 43. YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT TOUR. I WOULDN'T SAY I'M COMFORTABLE, UH, AS COMFORTABLE I'D LIKE TO BE, BUT, UM, YEAH, I GUESS IT'S... OVER TIME, TIME WILL TELL. I'M SURPRISED, REALLY, BECAUSE MANAGEMENT AND THE PLAYERS HAVE MADE HIM VERY WELCOMING. SO I GUESS IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH, BUT I'D LIKE TO TALK TO HIM TO DISCUSS THAT AND HIS MOTIVATIONS FOR COMING OUT THE DAY AFTER THE TEST MATCH. WHILE DAVID WHITE SAYS TAYLOR'S COMMENTS WON'T AFFECT HIS SELECTION FOR THE UPCOMING TOUR, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S KEEN TO PUT AN END TO THE OFF-FIELD SIDESHOW THAT CONTINUES TO UPSTAGE THE ON-FIELD ACTION. ABBY SCOTT, ONE NEWS. WHILE THE RUMBLING ROW OVER ROSS TAYLOR MIGHT HAVE SOURED THINGS, MOST OF THE PLAYERS STILL ENJOYED SOME R & R AT THE GRANGE GOLF CLUB IN AUCKLAND TODAY. KANE WILLIAMSON SEEING THE FUNNY SIDE OF FAILING TO KEEP HIS HEAD STILL, REFLECTING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE TEST SERIES, WHICH AUGURS WELL FOR THE TOUR BACK TO ENGLAND. JUST THE GROWTH IN THE UNIT. UM, TO PUT TOGETHER THREE CONSISTENT PERFORMANCES AS A TEAM HAS BEEN A REALLY PLEASING THING. UM, AND A BUILDING THING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR QUITE SOME TIME. TRENT BOULT SEES A REAL STRENGTH IN DEPTH IN THE SQUAD AND SAYS HE'LL BE LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER. YOU KNOW, YOUR SPOT IS NEVER CEMENTED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO IT'S GOOD TO KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE YOU ARE WATCHING YOUR BACK, I GUESS. BOULT LOOKING THE BUSINESS IN THIS CODE TOO. AND ON THE DAY ROSS TAYLOR'S BROUGHT CAPTAINCY BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, BRENDON MCCULLUM'S TIME AT THE HELM HAS CAUGHT THE EYE OF ONE OF THE GAME'S GREATS. FORMER ENGLAND ALL ROUNDER SIR IAN BOTHAM, WHO'S BEEN COMMENTATING ON THE TOUR, HAS LAVISHED PRAISE ON THE SKIPPER. UH, HE'S ENERGETIC. UH, HE'S PROACTIVE. UM, AND I THINK HE'S ONE OF THE BEST CAPTAINS I'VE SEEN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK HE'S DONE SO LITTLE OF IT AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. UM, WHAT HE'S ACHIEVED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IS MAGNIFICENT. SIR IAN IS NOT SO TAKEN WITH THE NZ PITCHES, LABELLING THEM 'ROADS' AND SAYING THEY MAKE IT VERY HARD FOR ANY SIDE TO WIN. THE WINLESS HIGHLANDERS SUPER RUGBY TEAM HAS SCORED A GOOD BREAK FOR A CHANGE. TWO ALL BLACKS VETERANS HAVE MADE A SPEEDY RECOVERY FROM INJURY AND WILL PLAY ON FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE QUEENSLAND REDS. MARK HATHAWAY REPORTS. FINALLY SOME GOOD INJURY NEWS FOR JAMIE JOSEPH. ANDREW HORE IS OVER HIS RIB DAMAGE, AND TONY WOODCOCK HAS ALSO RECOVERED FROM HIS HAMSTRING STRAIN. BOTH WILL START THIS WEEK. SO, IT'S NICE WHEN YOU HEAR THE LIKES OF, UM, HOREY AND WOODY AND, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO PUT THEIR HAND UP AGAIN. IT'S COMFORTING FOR THE TEAM. BUT WILL THE BIG GUNS FIRE THE WINNING SHOTS? THE HIGHLANDERS HAVE YET TO REAP ANY REWARDS FROM BIG NAME SIGNINGS MA'A NONU, TONY WOODCOCK AND BRAD THORN. IT DOESN'T REALLY WORRY ME TOO MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW? I DON'T REALLY CONSIDER MYSELF A BIG NAME. COMMENTATOR: HERE'S THORN WADING THROUGH A COUPLE. BRAD THORN. BETWEEN THEM, THORN, NONU AND WOODCOCK HAVE 337 SUPER RUGBY GAMES AND 232 TESTS, INCLUDING A WORLD CUP WIN. BUT EXPERIENCE HASN'T BRED EXPECTATION. THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS DO. UM, WE JUST GET ON WITH BUSINESS, AND I THINK WHAT I'VE REALISED WITH BEING A TOP RUGBY PLAYER IS YOU JUST GOT TO GET USED TO THAT. DESPITE THEIR POSITION, THE HIGHLANDERS AREN'T READY TO WRITE OFF 2013 I'VE BEEN IMPRESSED DOWN HERE AND, YOU KNOW, I'M ENJOYING MYSELF, OBVIOUSLY. LIKE WE SAID, IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET A WIN, THOUGH. (CHUCKLES) THEIR NEXT CHANCE TO DO THAT IS FRIDAY NIGHT AGAINST THE REDS, WHO FACE THEIR OWN INJURY PROBLEMS AND A WINLESS RECORD PLAYING IN DUNEDIN. MARK HATHAWAY, ONE NEWS. ENGLISH RUGBY REFEREE WAYNE BARNES HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO OFFICIATE IN ONE OF THE ALL BLACKS-FRANCE TESTS IN JUNE. BARNES STILL ISN'T THE MOST POPULAR REF WITH SOME KIWI FANS AFTER THAT WORLD CUP QUARTER-FINAL LOSS TO THE FRENCH IN 2007. HE'LL CONTROL THE FIRST FRENCH TEST AT EDEN PARK ON JUNE 8TH. IT'LL BE THE FIRST TIME BARNES HAS TAKEN AN ALL BLACKS-FRANCE TEST SINCE 2007. MEANWHILE, NZ'S CHRIS POLLOCK HAS SCORED A PLUM JOB REFEREEING THE FIRST LIONS-AUSTRALIA TEST IN BRISBANE, ALSO IN JUNE. THE WARRIORS ARE STILL HOLDING OUT HOPE FOR THE RETURN OF INJURED HOOKER NATHAN FRIEND FOR THEIR NEXT NRL LEAGUE GAME ON EASTER MONDAY. AND HOPES OF FINDING ANSWERS TO THEIR WINLESS START TO THE SEASON ARE PROVING DIFFICULT TOO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU COME TO A GAME. JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. I THINK, YOU KNOW... AND, LIKE I SAID, COMMUNICATION'S MASSIVE. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FATIGUE. HOPEFULLY IT'LL COME TOGETHER VERY SOON. GETTING LOCKE MORE INVOLVED SHOULD HELP, BUT CALLS TO START RESERVE HOOKER PITA GODINET HAVE BEEN IGNORED. HE'S DONE A FANTASTIC JOB FOR US. HE'S A FAIR WAY OFF BEING AN 80-MINUTE PLAYER. I KIND OF GET THE QUESTION, COS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS, JUST LIKE I AM, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT ANSWER. IF THEY CAN'T THE COWBOYS, THEIR TOP EIGHT HOPES WILL REMAIN ON THE FLOOR. THE BREAKERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AT FULL STRENGTH FOR THEIR OPENING NBL BASKETBALL PLAY-OFF AGAINST SYDNEY TOMORROW. COACH ANDREJ LEMANIS SAYS IMPORT WILL HUDSON IS CONTINUING TO IMPROVE AFTER INJURING HIS KNEE NEARLY TWO MONTHS AGO AND WILL TAKE THE COURT. MEANWHILE, MIKA VUKONA, WHO'S SHOULDERED MUCH OF HUDSON'S WORK. DOESN'T EXPECT A LACK OF GAME TIME TO AFFECT THE BIG CENTRE. TALKING WITH HIM, UH, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, HE SAID AS SOON AS HE GETS ON BOARD, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOING TO GO IN GUNS BLAZING. SO IT DOESN'T MATTER. HE'S NOT GONNA WORRY ABOUT HIS KNEE OR ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, I FULLY TRUST HIM ON THAT. SYDNEY ARE THE ONLY TEAM OTHER THAN PERTH TO HAVE DEFEATED THE BREAKERS THIS SEASON. A BOYHOOD DREAM IS ABOUT TO BE REALISED THIS WEEKEND BY A YOUNG NZ ROWER IN LONDON THIS WEEKEND. CHRISTCHURCH'S SAM O'CONNOR IS LINING UP IN THE OXFORD EIGHT AGAINST CAMBRIDGE ON THE RIVER THAMES, IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS BOAT RACES. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT GARTH BRAY REPORTS. IT'S NOT JUST THE COLD GETTING UNDER THEIR SKINS ON THE THAMES THIS WEEK. COMMENTATOR: CAMBRIDGE JUST STOPPED. CAMBRIDGE JUST STOPPED. WAYNE PORTER, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? THEY'VE STOPPED ROWING. THERE'S A MAN SWIMMING ACROSS BETWEEN THE BOATS. A COURSE INVASION ` SHATTERED BLADES, SHATTERED BODIES AND SHATTERED OXFORD HOPES. HISTORY MADE FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS A YEAR AGO. THE OXFORD CREW DIDN'T TALK IT OVER UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND EVEN NOW THEY'RE PRETTY TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT THE LOSS. THERE'S SIX NEW GUYS, AND WE'RE ALL THERE TO WIN THE RACE THIS YEAR, AND SO WE DON'T REALLY FOCUS MUCH ON WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. SAM O'CONNOR'S THE 10TH NZER TO RACE HERE. HIS SIZE ` 6'2" IS NOT BIG IN THIS BOAT ` MAKES THE JUMP FROM THE NZ JUNIOR PROGRAMME LOOK LIKE A LARGE LEAP. I THINK I'M DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE SHORTER GUYS, (CHUCKLES) AROUND` ESPECIALLY, LIKE, RIGHT BEHIND SOME GUY WHO'S GOING TO BE THE TALLEST ONE TO EVER DO THE BOAT RACE. NOW IT'S NOT EXACTLY LIKE PUTTING ISRAEL DAGG IN A SCRUM, BUT YOU'D NORMALLY EXPECT TO FIND SOMEONE JUST A LITTLE BIGGER THAN SAM O'CONNOR IN THE NUMBER FOUR POSITION ON A BOAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE BOAT RACE. BUT IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH A COACH WHO'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS. YOU KNOW WHAT? SAM'S REALLY GOOD AT IT ` SORT OF LINKING THINGS UP. HE ROWS ALONG. HE'S GOT REALLY GOOD ENDURANCE, AND HE'S GOT A LOT OF, UM, SORT OF MENTAL SKILLS TO DEAL WITH PRESSURE. SO I THINK, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOAT, THERE'S A GOOD JOB THAT HE CAN DO. THE ENGINE ROOM IS PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE FOR A SCHOLAR WHO'S JUST EARNED HIS ENGINEERING DEGREE AT HARVARD, WHILE ALSO ROWING TO SUCCESS FOR THE IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY'S CREW. BOW TO STROKE, THERE'S NO HIDING FROM THIS BITING WIND ` MINUS-2 ON THE WATER. HE'S BEEN WATCHING NZ RACING AT THE WORLD CUP WITH SOME ENVY. THIS IS MY THIRD WINTER IN A ROW, SO... (CHUCKLES) I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO A SUMMER. AND BEFORE THAT, TO A WIN THIS WEEKEND. GARTH BRAY, ONE NEWS, LONDON. IF YOU'RE EYEING UP 18 HOLES OR MORE OVER EASTER BUT HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR CREAKING FRAME, DON'T DESPAIR. EVEN AT 83, LEGEND ARNOLD PALMER STILL HAS PLENTY OF LIFE LEFT IN HIM. HERE HE IS WITH TIGER WOODS IN A NEW PROMO FOR A GOLF VIDEO GAME. ARNIE AND TIGER FIGHTING OFF THE BAD GUYS TRYING TO NAB ALL THEIR TROPHIES. ALL GRUNT WHO SHOULD ALSO SAVE THE DAY? LEE TREVINO (73) (YELLS) (GRUNTS REPEATEDLY) TREVINO? FELLAS! THANKS, ANDREW. NEXT ON ONE NEWS ` JIM GOES TO THE SATELLITES FOR ANY SIGN OF RAIN. At OPSM, we use precision technology for a 3-D view of the retina, helping us better detect eye disease such as macular degeneration. Just one of the ways we look deeper. Talk to OPSM about an eye-health check-up today. HI, EVERYONE. YES, FINE AGAIN, BUT WE DO GET A BRIEF FLURRY OF RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON SUNDAY WITH A LOW SKIPPING OVER. QUEENSTOWN LOOKED BEAUTIFUL TODAY, LIKE MOST OF THE COUNTRY. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ I'M OFF TO THE CLASSIC FIGHTERS AIRSHOW IN BLENHEIM. AND THAT'S ONE NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY.