Due to the live nature of Tonight, we apologise for the lack of captions for some items. Rena's stern sinks, and we're told the bow will break up too. The latest on the new emergency. Two of the Carterton balloon victims are returned to their families. And survivors remember victims of last summer's Queensland flood one year on. Kia ora. Good evening. With the stern of Rena all but submerged tonight, authorities say fresh oil from the broken ship is likely to hit Bay of Plenty shorelines overnight. Maritime NZ's put out its first boom at Maketu to try to prevent the oil reaching land there. The wildlife centre has been reactivated, as has the volunteer oil response programme, as officials anticipate more fallout from this new phase of the Rena disaster. For three months, the experts told us it would happen, and here it is. This is the beginning of the end for Rena. The Rena is quite clearly in its death throws, and the government's priority is about minimising, uh, the environmental damage as it sinks and breaks up. We're told it's only a matter of time before the bow breaks up as well. Salvors tackle the big job in these swirling waters. 400 containers have gone down with the stern. The weather has to settle before the salvage team can get out on the stern section, for obvious reasons. The inspection of the hull will be done by divers. And an operation is underway to minimise the damage caused by the cargo as it comes ashore. Over the area today alone, we have over 140 people working from Waihi Beach down to, um, Papamoa, including Matakana, assisting us and working towards the same goal, which is to clean up the beaches as soon as possible. Tonight Matakana Island locals will be resting up, after an emotional day of cleaning, knowing there's still more to come. It's not just what you see here; it's what you can smell, and what we're worried about is what else is in the moana that we can't see. You can smell all these fumes and chemicals, and it's just devastating for us. The next stage is to clean it up. That's what we've got to do; that's why we're all here. It's not just the environment that's taken a hit at Waihi Beach. This is the busiest time of year, and, you know, people are just running for the hills. We've had cancellations left, right and centre. It's a bit of a shame, but there's still some people who are keen and want to get out there and have a go, so I want to accomodate that if I can, for sure. Locals waiting to see what the morning brings. Lacey Wilson, ONE News. While Rena's sinking was expected, it's bringing new challenges for the salvage operation. But planning is being hindered by bad weather. Also causing concern is more oil heading towards the coast. Rebecca Edwards reports. Above the sea, there's not much left to be seen. Our position at the moment is that the wreck has to be removed. But the question is, 'Exactly how will that be done?' And due to the current, bleak weather conditions, it's a question authorities can't yet answer. As soon as the weather settles, we're going to do a depth survey. From that we have to decide how we can position our vessel, the Borneo, and that will create crane reach over the forward section. At this moment, we don't know yet because we haven't done that survey, and we can't do that survey. It's too rough out there now. All that's known is the salvage plan needs to change. We are ready, we are prepared, we are waiting, and as soon as the weather circumstances will allow, we will be there. But that's not the only challenge authorities are facing ` with more oil released from Rena, it's predicted to reach shorelines tonight. We've mobilised further members of our national response team, essentially to implement the booming plans to protect those identified sensitive areas that need protecting if the oil migrates to those directions. Also mobilising ` more teams of volunteers. Trying to get just the main stuff at this stage and look for the big clumps of oil, cos there's tiny little bits of oil everywhere. But the Environment Minister says there is some good news. The amount of oil that has been released over the last 24 hours is small, is a single-digit number of tons ` nothing like the, sort of, 3000 tons that killed thousands of birds back in October. But despite being three months on, the challenge Rena poses to the coastline and communities is still far from over. Rebecca Edwards, ONE News. Just a final note on the Rena operation ` community meetings are planned for people affected by the wreck. They're on Thursday at the Tauranga Boys' College auditorium. Off the west coast of Australia, the clean-up's begun after a stricken cargo ship spilt tons of oil into pristine waters and on to beaches at Christmas Island. Now questions are being asked about the ship's safety. The ABC's Pamela Medlen with the story. With the wreck of the MV Tycoon sitting on the bottom of Flying Fish Cove, oil has washed up on a 70m stretch of beach. The ship broke from its moorings on the weekend, and rough seas pounded it into the cliffs, splitting it in half. Most of its oil and heavy oil leaked out, sparking fears for the sensitive environment, particularly the island's famous red-crab migration, but there's been some good news. A lot of the oil has dissipated as a result of the tidal change last night, so the beach is not anywhere near as bad as what we might have expected it to be. Some baby crabs came out of the ocean this morning, which is a good sign. There are questions about the monitoring of international ships in Australian waters and claims the ship was unsafe. And we know that every year since 2004, during annual inspections, this vessel has been found to be seriously defective. Indeed, in 2010 this vessel was detained because of the number of safety failings on-board. We wonder why that sort of vessel was allowed into Australian waters. We know that the ship was last inspected in Malaysia, uh, in the month of October last year. It showed seven deficiencies. Uh, they were minor deficiencies, and they were all corrected before, indeed, she sailed` before she came into Australian waters. 15 crewmen were rescued by the navy when the accident happened. The clean-up will be lengthy. Volunteers will be back on the beach every day this week as more oil gets washed ashore. Police say a man's body has been pulled from the sea north of Waihi Beach, just north of Tauranga. It's thought the man drowned about 200m from land at Homunga Bay. The bodies of two of the victims of Saturday's balloon crash have tonight been released to their families by coroner Peter Ryan in Wellington. They were Alexis Still (19) and her boyfriend Johannes Jordaan (21), known as Chrisjan. Both were from Wellington. The other nine victims will be released by the coroner once they have been formally identified. Investigations are continuing at the scene of the weekend crash. The wreckage of the balloon and undercarriage remain there, but are likely to be removed later in the week. Striking Auckland dock workers' jobs are under threat as their row with the Ports of Auckland escalates. The port company is looking at replacing the union members with private contractors in a bid to end the long-running dispute. Kim Vinnell reports. After a five-month stand-off, their jobs are now on the line. Working-class people don't take strikes lightly, but we've just had enough of the bullying and intimidation. These dock workers are making it clear they're not backing down. We think that what we're fighting for is right. And when you've got right on your side, you can't go wrong. Ports of Auckland has announced it could potentially make all 320 union members redundant and replace them with contractors on more flexible contracts. We go through a consultation period with the union, then with individuals. We put those jobs out for tender, or the contractors get notified, we have discussions with them. And that's about a 14- to 16-week process. The new positions may be offered to redundant workers, but the union is encouraging workers not to accept. So what you've gotta do is, when you're all locked out and we're all put out, is nobody go and sign that filthy document. The Ports of Auckland says that by bringing contractors in, the entire business will be more profitable, with competition on the ground. The union says it'll simply mean fewer hours for workers and less pay. That's because, despite the offer of a 10% pay rise, workers are worried their new contracts won't guarantee them enough hours and could mean they have to work with little notice. We'll pretty much have to stand by the phone and wait for a phone call. I think that what we've got to get ourselves to is providing a flexible, productive workforce so that we can retain customers, invest and grow. Mayor Len Brown is urging the two parties to settle their dispute and says, despite claims privatising the council-owned business may solve the port's problems, it's not on the agenda. Kim Vinnell, ONE News. The man accused of murdering an Auckland teenager has been committed for trial in the High Court. Akshay Chand is charged with kidnapping and murdering Christie marceau (18) in her Hillcrest home in November. He remains in custody and is due to reappear in court next month. Central Otago residents are being urged to take extra care on their properties as the risk of fire increases. It follows the large blaze on farmland near Roxburgh we told you about last night, which firefighters struggled to contain. Max Bania reports. It's all hands to the pump as a fire on a Central Otago hillside threatens to burn out of control. We've had Roxburgh and Millers Flat fire brigade, the Ettrick Rural Fire Force and the Dunstan Rural Fire Force ` probably 35 firemen all-up. By dusk, the tinder-dry landscape has changed from brown to black. Authorities investigating whether sparks from a hay mower are to blame. If you're going to mow, try and do it early in the morning or late at night, when it's cooled down. But make sure you carry water around with you, as well, in case you do have a little mishap like this. The fire took barely an hour to burn through almost 100 hectares of farmland that you can see behind me. Nevertheless, authorities still say they were lucky there was no wind ` otherwise the situation could've been far, far worse. The Roxburgh area is a notorious fire hot spot. A New Year's Day inferno two years ago destroyed one house and threatened three others. In 1999, a Civil Defence emergency was declared as more than 10,000 hectares burned, forcing the evacuation of 200 people and 40 homes. Authorities are keeping their sense of humour for now,... It's amazing how good sheep shit burns. ...but warn even harder days lie ahead. Very very dry throughout Central. Um, we're only in the beginning of January, so we've got a long way to go yet with the weather. And if we don't get any rain, it's going to be pretty tough. A total fire ban remains in place as the summer heat shows no sign of letting up. Max Bania, ONE News. The three Australian activists being held on board a Japanese whaling ship are to be released without charge. They'll be picked up by a customs boat, but the cost to taxpayers has prompted a new row across the Tasman. This from Channel Nine's Lane Calcutt. The customs boat, Ocean Protector, diverted to the Southern Ocean to bring the protesters home. They are all in good health and being treated well. For the sister of Geoff Tuxworth, it's been worth the risk. YELLING They've made their point. Um, they've achieved their protest. Um, they've got worldwide attention, and I'm proud and pleased. But taxpayers won't be. I think we're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. The government says anti-whaling protesters should help out. I don't think that Attorney General or anybody else asks wealthy yachtsmen to pay for their costs when they have to be rescued. I support taxpayers' money funding the Ocean Protector. Julia Gillard's caused this cost by not taking the Japanese on. The conduct of these three Australians, in my view, is unacceptable. An angry prime minister's warning copycats they mightn't be so lucky and not to expect government help. They are at risk of feeling the full force of the law. What does she mean? Is she gonna give them the death penalty or something? 12 months ago today, a deadly wall of water swept through remote towns and valleys in Queensland, killing more than 20 people. Those who survived some of Australia's worst-ever floods paused to remember those who died. Australia correspondent with the commemorations. BAGPIPES SKIRL A dawn gathering to remember lost family and friends. And we gather to support each other in the grief that is with us still. This is Grantham, where 12 residents were swept to their deaths by the inland tsunami. In nearby Lockyer Valley, considered the flood's Ground Zero, Prime Minister Julia Gillard laid a wreath. If there is any occasion for contemplating the past and the future, it is perhaps this day, January 10. Your own New Year. 35 people died in the Queensland floods last summer, 19 in this region alone. We needed to believe that the human spirit was up to what was being thrown at us. And it was your example that shone like a beacon. The clean-up is now over, the rebuilding underway. The resilience of residents recognised by Prince William in a message delivered by the Governor-General. I applaud you for coming so far so quickly, and I wish you well as you continue along the path to recovery. Last night, hundreds gathered in Toowoomba to reflect on the disaster and the loss of a mother and her son, taken by the floodwater. # Remember January... # Today, the sun is shining and the streets are dry. But grave fears of a repeat remain. Clients tend to, um, be a bit frightened about coming down when it's raining, especially if it's been raining a lot. More memorial services will be held, in what will be a painful week of reflection for Queenslanders. Steve Marshall, ONE News. Ahead on Tonight ` details on Wednesday's weather. But before that ` the young American accused of spying and sentenced to death in Iran. And in sport ` an upset in Auckland at the Heineken Tennis Open. 1 Petrol prices have gone up today. Caltex, Z and BP stations have all increased the cost of 91 octane by 5c, to $2.12 a litre. They say Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil supply line, is pushing up the global price of refined fuel. The price of diesel remains unchanged. There are new fears tonight over Iran's nuclear ambitions, with the activation of an underground nuclear plant. Iran says the uranium being enriched in a mountain bunker near the northern city of Qom is for peaceful purposes. But Western powers believe Iran's taken another big step towards building atomic weapons. Western-imposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear goals have brought relations with the US to breaking point. Adding fuel to the fire, Iran has now sentenced an American man to death for spying. The ABC's Martha Raddatz reports. It is a shocking sentence for this young American ` broadcast today on Iranian TV. Amir Hekmati is the first American to face a death sentence in Iran. The first to face a charge of spying for the CIA. The first detainee to have served in the US military. I think this man is probably in very serious trouble, and unless there's some intervening variable we don't know about, uh, he could very well be executed. Last month the Iranians released a so-called confession from Hekmati, who has been imprisoned since August. Of Iranian descent, Hekmati served in the US Marines from 2001-2005, including a tour in Iraq. Now 28, he was born in Arizona and attended high school in Michigan, where his family still lives. His father, a professor at a community college, says this was Amir's first trip to Iran to visit his grandmothers. The White House released a strong statement today calling the accusations against him 'false'. The charges come at a time of high tensions between the US and Iran, with the US pressing its allies for stronger sanctions because of Iran's nuclear programme, and the Iranians threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz. Killing an American citizen, uh, through this trial may be part of that pattern of messages they're sending to us, that they're feeling the pinch from all of our activity and they're not going to take it any more. Amir Hekmati has just 20 days to appeal his death sentence. Right now the first votes are being cast in the New Hampshire primary, with the winner likely to lead the race to November's election. With that in mind, NZ's keen to get in on the action. US correspondent Tim Wilson explains. Mitt Romney looks increasingly likely to be the man Republicans will pitch against Barack Obama. But while Romney's been stumping in New Hampshire, he and other candidates have been collared by representatives of NZ. If we are able to come here, to meet the people, to meet the candidates, then as things develop later and somebody's president, um, we will have been here in the first state; in New Hampshire. Lawyer Simon Leeming is NZ's honorary consul to an area which includes New Hampshire. He says that while the political canvassing goes on, NZ embassy staff have been doing some campaigning of their own. NZ is a country which needs to have, um, uh, influence. Why they meet different candidates was made obvious today when Mitt Romney made this gaffe. I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. If` If` You know, if someone doesn't give me the good service I need, I want to say, you know, that I'm gonna go and get somebody else to provide that service to me. Mr Romney was talking about President Obama's healthcare legislation. His opponents were happy to take his words out of context and worry a nerve during a time of high unemployment. Governor Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs. Mitt Romney firing up the crowd in New Hampshire on a day that he's spent fending off attacks based on his corporate past as NZ uses local leads and the schedule of a constantly shifting campaign to find influence in Washington. Tim Wilson, ONE News, New Hampshire. To sport, and a major upset tonight at Auckland's Heineken Men's Tennis Open. Frenchman Benoit Paire beat Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-2 to move through to the second round. And there it is! What a way to finish ` with yet another ace. ANNOUNCER ON PA: 6-3, 6-2. What a performance we have seen from the 92nd ranked Benoit Paire. The qualifier. He's ousted one of the legends of the game. The Frenchman is ranked 45 places below Ferrero, who is a former world number one. American Wildcard Ryan Harrison, German eighth seed Phillip Kohlschreiber and French qualifier Adrian Mannarino have also won through to the second round. Just ahead ` I'll have the weather prospects for tomorrow. Plus ` a good day's work for a Dunedin police officer and our reporter on a life-saving mission. MANNEQUINS LAUGH I don't know, sometimes my stomach just feels heavy, you know. I feel sluggish and slow. Mm-hm. If I'm not eating properly, I just feel... bleugh. I know what you mean. My stomach feels uncomfortable. I get that pretty often. I just don't do anything about it. Well, I just had a bowl of All-Bran each day for seven days, and I really felt the difference. You did? You did? Yeah, I feel... like I should. Try All-Bran Honey Almond flakes for seven days and see if you feel All-Bran new. I'm gonna try that. Welcome back, and the weather now ` first to the big picture. It's a multitude of fronts and lows made more complicated by the fact there are weak ridges and high centres in the mix as well. The main feature to watch is the low-pressure system developing off the New South Wales coast, due to bring some nasty weather on Thursday. For weather, see tvnz.co.nz Finally tonight, a quick-thinking police officer has saved eight lives in a daring rescue on Dunedin's Southern Motorway this afternoon. These ducklings were plucked to safety from the median strip of the four-lane highway. However, despite the best efforts of police and ONE News, their mother managed to avoid capture. Her babies will be raised instead by the SPCA. That's it from us here on Tonight. Thanks for watching. Goodnight. Captions by Chris Leggett and Kelsey Taylor. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air.