Tonight on Close Up ` the parents paying big money to give their kids a chance at the big time. When you do something, you get paid for it. You don't pay them. Could your rates be in for a shake-up? The government's plans for local councils. And why curling's more than just a family affair for this clan. Due to the live nature of Close Up, captions for some items may be incomplete. ONE News captions by June Yeow and Richard Edmunds. Close Up captions by Angela Alice and Diana Beeby. For any young girl or boy, how irresistible is the chance to be discovered, for that talent your parents have always told you have to be translated into a shot at fame? Well, that shot may come at a not inconsiderable price. Some American talent scouts have been holding auditions here over the weekend ` auditions attended by hundreds of young hopefuls, but the focus some parents experienced here mirrors what happened when the same outfit operated across the Tasman ` money. Michael Holland's been following it. # So let's walk, walk. Over to the bar. Fill it up, up. # Do a little dance... Like countless other young wannabes, Annaliese Chase (12) has got the moves... # Do you really want it? # Let's get it started. ...and more than just a couple of stars in her eyes. # To all my people on the dance floor... # I can imagine myself being like them ` not as good as them, maybe through time. I can imagine myself being on a poster like them. So with a group of American talent scouts in town ` apparently with big industry connections ` Annaliese joined hundreds of other hopefuls for her shot at being discovered. What do you think that celebrity lifestyle would be like? I think you would be running around streets with people running up to you asking for your autograph and for photos, and I think it would be really really cool. And here the woman offering her that chance ` a woman, who in this country at least, goes by the name Monique. As soon as I saw her, I was, like, 'She's the one, she's the one, she's the boss. 'I have to do perfect for her,' and so I was quite nervous. Also, I felt quite proud of myself going into it and doing it in front of her. Annaliese's dreams are resting on how she read an advertising script for an American washing powder. So, Annaliese, this is your moment. When I get stains on my clothes, Mum says, 'Don't worry.' She just grabs the Pride and in one wash, my clothes are clean again. I don't know how Pride does it, but my clothes always look new. Thanks to Pride, I never have to worry about stains again. I felt good. I thought I did really well. They looked quite happy with me. I thought everything was going good. I thought this is going to be the start, this is building my pathway slowly. This is it. I'm starting. And a phone call late last night only added to the excitement. Annaliese was called back, having made the cut to attend a week-long gathering in Florida, branded The Event, where young talent supposedly mixes with the showbiz influential. She actualy came running into the kitchen crying with excitement, thought this was her big break ` that's how Monique portrayed it. She was crying, couldn't believe she had been selected. The phone call was taken by family friend Nicole, who had also attended Annaliese's audition, and relayed Monique's words of praise. Annaliese was one of her top, and she really stood out and she had made the list Annaliese was one of her top, and she really stood out and she had made the list and Monique just wanted to see her sing and dance, and she wanted to do that today. She wanted to do that at 1.30 today and bring a credit card and that Monique would give a recommendation on what level of payment for Annaliese and made it sound like it was this amazing opportunity for her and she was in, she was gonna become famous. The insistent reference to a credit card and a closer look at a glossy brochure quoting thousands of dollars in attendance fees rang warning bells with Annaliese's mum. An internet search led her to a revealing expose on Australian television. We asked our young actor to make mistakes and act disinterested in his audition. The talent scout tells us her name is Layla. Even after all his bumbles and stumbles, we were told he certainly has what it takes to make it big in Hollywood, and that we had to return tomorrow with our credit cards and we had to move fast or else. This woman here is...? That's Monique. You're sure of that? That's absolutely her. And in this programme she's called...? Layla. Same woman? Same woman. I said, 'Don't be upset. Let's do something about this. 'All those other children are in the same boat. Let's do something about it and tell everyone.' Now I feel disgusted. Just thinking of all those kids' faces, how excited they were. They thought all their dreams were going to come true. She just wants their money, just saying they are good, they are amazing and going to be famous. So what about your high-pressure tactics? Why do you have to lock in families within 24 hours? We don't. But what parents aren't told is that Layla isn't just a talent agent and that Layla isn't her real name. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN BY POLICE AFTER SHE WAS ARRESTED FRO STEALING NO ONE FRMO THE AGENCY WOULD TALK TO US TODAY YOU'RE DEALING WITH THINGS ON THE INTERNET. WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO RESPOND So this afternoon, instead of going back for a second audition, our trio returned to ask Monique ` or should that be Layla ` why if Annaliese was so talented she had to pay many thousands of dollars upfront. MONIQUE BECAME DEFENSIVE AND INDIGNANT UNTIL THIS EXCHANGE SHE WAS REALLY MAD. I DIDN'T HAVE MY CREDIT CARD, AND THAT'S ALL SHE WANTED SHE SUGGESTED US$15,000. THE CHILDREN BELIEVE EVERYTHING THEY HEAR TO ALL THE KIDS WHO AUDITIONED ` NEVER GIVE UP WHEN YOU ARE DISCOVERED, WE'LL GET FIRST INTERVIEW? We did ask Michael Palance from The Event to appear live in the show this evening. He declined, saying he'd said all he had to say to ONE News on Saturday. So what are you views? Go to our website email us at... And we're on Facebook too. As you'll have seen, the weather's hitting big in Northland. High tide was half an hour ago and that's what the Whangarei Fire Service were waiting for. To get the very latest, I'm joined now by Mike Lister, the Whangarei Fire Service area commander. Mike, you're still above water. YES WE ARE. IT'S RAINING HARD, BUT WE'RE STILL ABOVE WATER SEEING THE PICTURES TONIGHT, YOU'D THINK YOU'D BE RUSHED OFF YOUR FEET. WE EXPECTED IT TODAY TOO. WE'VE GOT 30 STATIONS THROUGHOUT NORTHLAND. WE STARTED AT ABOUT 8 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING OVER THE WHOLE NORTHLAND AREA, WE HAD ABOUT 30-40 CALLS FOR THE PERIOD BETWEEN 8 O CLOCK AND 6 OCLOCK TONIGHT WE'RE RESILIENT UP HERE. WE'RE GETTING USED TO THIS SORT OF THING WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD A WEATHER BOMB OR SOMETHING OF THE LIKE I BELIEVE NORTHLAND PEOPLE ARE RESILENT. AND ONLY UNLESS THEY ARE REALLY IN TROUBLE TO DO THEY CALL THE FIRE SERVICE. SO THEY'D DO IT THEMSELVES IF THERE WAS SOMETHING BLOCKING THE DRIVE OR WHATEVER? YES, IF A BRANCH COMES DOWN OVER A DRIVEWAY OR OVER THEIR HOUSE, THEY WILL GET RID OF IT. THEY'D GET THE CHAINSAW AND GET RID OF IT. SO THERE WERE PEOPLE WILLING TO LEND A HAND? WE ARE THERE TO MAKE PEOPLE SAFER AND WE ARE THERE FOR THE CALL AND, YEAH, SO WE'VE HAD A FEW RESCUES TODAY WE'VE HAD QUITE A FEW STORM-RELATED EVENTS TREES ON ROOFS, CARS STUCK IN DRAINS BUT AS I SAY, NOT AS MANY CALLS AS I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED MYSELF. WE'RE PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE NOT BEING INUNDATED. AND MAYBE SOME OF US FURTHER SOUTH NEED TO HARDEN UP. I WON'T SAY THAT. I BET YOU WANT TO! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD LUCK OVERNIGHT. Coming up ` what's the government got planned for your rates? The purpose of these reforms is to get a change in direction. And keeping curling in the family. How's this for a headline to really get you going: 'better local government reforms announced'? But before you start rolling your eyes, consider this what your council spends and how it spends impacts on your pocket, be it rates if you own a house, rent if you don't, and then the charges for everything a council provides, and some councils around the country are in big trouble. Kaipara District ` their debts have risen 1000% since 2002, and if you live there you each owe more than $4000. So does the government coming out and saying it's going to get better actually mean anything? Local government minister Nick Smith joins me now. DR SMITH, COUNCILS CAN'T GO BROKE, BUT ARE SOME OF THEM BASICALLY BROKE? CERTAINLY, SOME COUNCILS ARE IN DIFFICULTY OVER THE LAST DECADE WE'VE SEEN COUNCIL DEBT OVERALL GO FROM GO FROM $2B TO $8B. WHAT'S PARTICULARLY CONCERNING IS WHILE HOUSEHOLDS AND FARMERS AND BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN TIGHTENING AND TRYING TO GET DEBT UNDER CONTROL, THE LEVEL HAS BEEN INCREASING AND THAT'S WHY THIS PACKAGE OF REFORMS IS NEEDED BOTH TO GET DEBT UNDER BETTER CONTROL BUT OVER THE LAST DECADE OF 7% COMPOUND INCREASES IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST INCREASES ACROSS THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX WE IN GOVERNMENT NEED TO HAVE A FRESH LOOK YOU'VE GOT TO GET ON TOP OF IT? A LOCAL GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY TASK FORCE. WITH RESPECT, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF YES MINISTER. REFOCUS THE PURPOSE OF LOCAL GOVERNM WE'RE SAYING THERE'S SOME THINGS WE NEED TO DO RATHER THAN THE PC WAFFLE THAT WAS IN THE 2002 ACT GET COUNCILS BACK TO PROVIDING INFRASTRUCTURE GET LIBRARY AND PARKS AND ALL THOSE THINGS HOW WILL IT CHANGE MY LIFE? WHAT IT WILL MEAN IS THE COUNCILS ARE GOING TO HAVE TOUGHER RULES AROUND KEEPING RATE INCREASES AND DEBT UNDER CONTROL FOR EXAMPLES GOVERNMENT SET FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TARGETS ON OURSELVES YOU'LL BE AWARE OF CHANGES IN PUBLIC SERVUICE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS AND WE ARE ASKING THE SAME OF COUNCILS. THE 2002 ACT HAS MADE IT HARD TO BE EFFICIENT SO GOVERNMENT IS SAYING, 'WE DON'T WANT TO BEAT UP ON COUNCILS.' MAYORS KNOW THAT THE DEBT INCREASES ARE UNREASONABLE THEY'RE ASKIGN GOVERNMENT TO MAKE CHANGES IN LEGISLATION THEY WANT TO DO THEIR BUSINESS MORE EFFICIENTLY. IS THIS A HOSTILE TAKEOVER? YOU CAN COME IN AND CLOBBER THEM IF THEY DON'T PLAY BALL IF YOU END UP WITH A COUNCIL GOING BROKE, EFFECTIVELY THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO PICK UP THE PIECES IN THE OLD LAW, THE GOVERNMENT SET A DEBT LIMIT ON COUNCILS, AND THAT WAS REMOVED WE ARE SAYING, HANG ON A SEC, IF THE COUNCIL GOES BANKRUPT, GOVERNMENT HAS TO PICK IT UP WOUDLN'T IT BE SMART TO PUT LIMITS UP FRONT ON THOSE COUNCILS AND NOT LIKE WHAT WE HAD TO DO WITH ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY WHERE WE HAD TO FIX IT UP LATER WOULDN'T IT BE SENSIBLE TO GET IN EARLY? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LIMIT YOU'D WANT TO SEE IN A RATE INCREASE? IF WE LOOK PRIOR TO 2002 WHEN THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT MADE ALL THOSE CHANGES THE AVERAGE RATE INCREASE FORT EH PREVIOUS DECADE WAS 3.5% SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT ABOVE INFLATION BUT SORT OF IN A MARGIN OF ERROR I WANT RATE INCREASES COMING BACK TO CLOSE TO THE RATE OF INFLATION SO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HALVING THE AVERAGE INCREASE? I WANT TO SEE EVERY MAYOR AND COUNCILLOR WAKING UP EACH MORNING THINKING ABOUT HOW THEY CAN GET BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY FOR THE RATEPAYER AND GETTING THESE RATE INCREASES UNDER CONTROL. LET'S HOPE YOU GET YOUR WISH/. Coming up ` life on the ice ` the family that curls together, stays together. Curling ` some people think hairdressing. Dynasties are not unusual in sport ` the Whitelocks in rugby the Evers-Swindells in rowing. But this is the most unusual sport to boast a dynasty ` curling. Curling, for the uninitiated, is like indoor bowls on ice where you use brooms to smooth the path of large stones. The powerhouse family of the NZ curling world are the Beckers. The brothers make up half the men's team, Dad's the coach ` then there's the women in the family. Abby Scott headed to Naseby. TRANQUIL MUSIC Becker family bonding... Lovely, Scotty. ...and banter. Not bad for a man who spends his nights in a bar. We haven't killed each other yet. Yeah, there's been some fairly good arguments on the ice. You wouldn't call them arguments. They'd be aggressive discussions. Brothers Sean and Scott Becker make up half of the national men's curling team. Hard. Come on. Dad Peter is their coach. Coaching your sons? Just stand back off them a bit. (LAUGHS) Don't say too much because I can be taken the wrong way. The sport of curling isn't quite mainstream,... Some people think hairdressing. Yeah, originally that's what we were always up against. They look at you sideways. It's, like, 'What?' 'Are you a hairdresser?' But it's in the Becker blood. When we were 2 and 3, we used to... I suppose we can tell this story. You're not going to have child services after you or something. (LAUGHS) We used to... We've got a frozen pond out the back of our place. Dad and Granddad used to throw stones up and down it, just having a good time and as kids, we used to run out and grab them and let them drag us down the ice. You're going to have to sweep that hard to get it there. And it's not just the Becker boys. Sister Bridget is in the women's national team. Mum Wendy plays for the senior women, as well as running the local Naseby cafe, which has become the unofficial major meal sponsor for the team. They have their moments, as families do, but they do work well. I think that's why they've got so far. We don't like to talk about curling too much do we? No. It's boring. (LAUGHS) You talk about it enough when you're curling. Just off the nose. Do you give each other tips and things? No, never. (LAUGHS) If you're going to have to play against them in a tournament, you don't want to let them know all the little secrets about how you play. This cabinet would lead me to believe you guys are pretty good at the whole curling thing? When you step out on the ice, you don't actually go out to win these and maybe that's why we've won so many, because you don't go out there, at the end of the day, for the accolades. I mean, some people do, but that's something that comes with doing well and you always want to strive, I suppose, to get the colour, this sort of colour here at the end of the day. My sister and I won the only world championship medal that a NZ team has ever won in curling, and that was a silver medal at the world mixed doubles a couple of years ago in Russia. The Russian team who Sean and Bridget were playing were running up and down the stairs and warming up, and these three were sitting on the beanbags beside the rink wrestling, fighting with each other, and that was their warm-up before the world champs. New Zealand. ...creating just a little bit of sibling rivalry. I've always aspired to reach that level, to at least walk into the Winter Olympic stadium, and so... Maybe carry the flag. You've had your turn. And nobody ever wants their little brother to beat them, so it works both ways. Gosh. Is the dream to have the men's team four Beckers? No, I'm too old. We actually took on the Australian team as a family. James, my other son, played and we beat them, and they came sixth in the world that year, so we were quite happy. Curl, curl. The team will be the only one from the Southern Hemisphere competing at the world championships. They've already secured a spot at the Olympic qualifiers, but they're not getting too far ahead of themselves. One stone at a time. Just play one stone at a time. You play that perfect, play the next one the same, and it'll build on itself, and the win will come. Good game. Well done. Well done. Cheers, old man. Thanks for the game. I think they'll go very well in these worlds. BOTH: Thanks, Coach. And the men's team will be representing NZ at the world championships in Switzerland at the end of the month. Time for your feedback now, and The Event story has garnered a lot of your attention. Shane emailed us... Lisa emailed us... Shannon says... King George Tupou V of Tonga, who died overnight, was definitely a royal character. He'll be remembered not only for the huge step forward he made in moving Tonga towards democracy but also for the more colourful side of his character. Something he was prepared to admit and have a joke about when he sat down with Greg Boyed on Close Up in July last year. I was watching Don Clarke kick a penalty against the Lions from inside his own 25. That was one of the highlights of a schoolboy's memories. You are a king. You lead a king's lifestyle. Do you feel there is a connection with the common man on the streets of Tonga? Yes. Tongan society is slightly different from a British monarchy, the Tongan monarchy. It's actually based on blood relations, so people in Tonga have always looked to the nobility and the king as kinsmen first, then king after. Kinsmen or not, though, it's doubtful a black London cab is the mode of transport for many other Tongans. The king, though, says that it all about practicality. Quite simply, the London taxi has the right proportions. It makes it easy for you to get in and out of whilst wearing spurs and a sword. I realise that these criteria... (GIGGLES) > (GIGGLES) > ...are not... (GIGGLES) > ...everyday consideration for your ordinary mum and dad when they come to buy a family car. You know, 'May I have one that will allow me to get in and out of wearing my sword and spurs.' But, for some people, it's an important issue, yes. He'll be missed by the people of Tonga and the Tongan community here. And that's NZ Close Up. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. Copyright TVNZ Access Services 2012