DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. JOHN KEY VOWS TO STEP UP ACTION AS HIS LABOUR MINISTER STEPS DOWN AFTER A DAMNING REPORT INTO PIKE RIVER. THOUSANDS OPT FOR SAFE HARBOUR ON WELLINGTON'S WATERFRONT FOR A FIREWORKS DISPLAY SIX MONTHS IN THE MAKING. AND ARE K RIDERS ON TRACK FOR CUP GLORY IN DOWN UNDER'S RICHEST RACE TOMORROW? PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY HAS PROMISED TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT MOST OF THE 16 RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE ROYAL COMMISSION IN ITS DAMNING REPORT ON THE PIKE RIVER MINE TRAGEDY. HIS LABOUR MINISTER KATE WILKINSON HAS RESIGNED, TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER DEPARTMENT'S FAILURE TO ENSURE SAFETY AT THE MINE, AND THERE'S SPECULATION JOBS AT THE MINISTRY ARE ALSO ON THE LINE. POLITICAL REPORTER MICHAEL PARKIN WITH THE FALLOUT NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER THE FATAL BLAST. THE PIKE RIVER MINE EXPLOSION CLAIMED THE LIVES OF 29 MINERS AND NOW THE JOB OF LABOUR MINISTER KATE WILKINSON, WHO HAS TENDERED HER RESIGNATION FROM THE PORTFOLIO. TO A DEGREE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR, FOR WHICH SHE WAS THE MINISTER, COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY PREVENTED THESE MEN LOSING THEIR LIVES, AND THAT IS A... THAT IS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE ROYAL COMMISSION ARE ALSO POINTING THE FINGER AT THE MINE MANAGEMENT. IN THE 48 DAYS LEADING UP TO THE FATAL BLAST, THE BUILD-UP OF POTENTIALLY EXPLOSIVE METHANE GAS WAS REPORTED 21 TIMES, WARNINGS THAT WERE IGNORED. THAT'S SEEN THE ROYAL COMMISSION ACCUSE PIKE RIVER OF HAVING 'A CULTURE OF PRODUCTION BEFORE SAFETY'. THE COMPANY HAD A HISTORY OF OVER-PROMISING AND UNDER-DELIVERING. THE ROYAL COMMISSION SAYS NEITHER THE MINE'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOR EXECUTIVE MANAGERS PROPERLY ASSESSED HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS, AND IT SAYS MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICIALS FAILED TO CHECK THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE APPLYING FOR PIKE RIVER'S MINING PERMIT. BUT IT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR THAT'S REALLY BEEN FOUND WANTING. IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IF THEY HAD DONE THEIR JOB BETTER, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THOSE MEN MIGHT NOT HAVE DIED. THE COMMISSION'S REPORT SAYS AN UNDER-RESOURCED DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR ASSUMED PIKE RIVER WAS A 'BEST PRACTICE' OPERATION, AND THAT LED TO 'INEFFECTIVE' COMPLIANCE CHECKS. THEY BECAME A BUREAUCRATIC ORGANISATION THAT SORT OF LOST ITS WAY AND, UH, HEALTH AND SAFETY BECAME RELEGATED TO JUST ANOTHER PART OF THE BUSINESS. THE COMMISSION FOUND THE 29 MINERS DIED ALMOST INSTANTLY AS A RESULT OF THE INITIAL BLAST, AND A RESCUE ATTEMPT WAS NEVER VIABLE. BUT IT HAS CRITICISED THE EMERGENCY SERVICES' RESPONSE, WHICH IT SAYS WAS SLOWED UP BY NON-MINING EXPERTS MAKING DECISIONS IN WELLINGTON. IN THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF ITS 16 RECOMMENDATIONS, THE ROYAL COMMISSION SAYS A NEW CROWN ENTITY SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED FOCUSING SOLELY ON HEALTH AND SAFETY, BUT THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED. IN THE SIX DAYS WE'VE HAD THE REPORT, WE HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN INDEPENDENT STAND-ALONE CROWN ENTITY WOULD BE THE RIGHT APPROACH. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE UNWISE TO BACK AWAY FROM THAT BEFORE IT LOOKS AT THE FULL EXTENT OF THE RECOMMENDATION. A MAJOR SHAKE-UP THAT WON'T BE OVERSEEN BY KATE WILKINSON. THE FAMILIES OF THE PIKE RIVER 29 SAY THEY FEEL VINDICATED BY THE COMMISSION'S REPORT, AND ARE PLEASED LABOUR MINISTER KATE WILKINSON HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR HER DEPARTMENT FAILING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE MINERS. ANY MINISTER, ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THIS RIGHT, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR KATE THAT SHE WAS THE FINAL ONE, THE ONE WHERE IT ALL BLEW ON HER WATCH, BUT, YES, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT SHE STEPS DOWN. WE LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR AND THE PIPE RIVER COAL LTD. SURE, THE COMPANY WAS AT FAULT, BUT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR ` THEY WERE THE WATCHDOG, AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE WATCHDOG WAS ASLEEP UNDER THE TABLE. CAROL ROSE SAYS SHE'S BEEN TOLD ALL OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR. THE FAMILIES OF THE PIKE VICTIMS ARE ALSO WELCOMING THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO CONSIDER A LAW CHANGE THAT WOULD MEAN CORPORATIONS CAN BE CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. AND POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE DISASTER. PIKE RIVER COAL'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE, PETER WHITTALL ` WIDELY HAILED AS A HERO TWO YEARS AGO ` NOW FACES 12 CHARGES RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY FAILURES AT THE MINE. POLICE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH INTERVIEWING MORE THAN 350 WITNESSES. MEANWHILE, THERE'S STILL NO INDICATION OF WHEN AN ATTEMPT MIGHT BE MADE TO RETRIEVE THE VICTIMS' REMAINS FROM THE MINE. FAMILIES SEEKING ANSWERS ON THE DEADLY CTV BUILDING COLLAPSE TODAY HEARD USAR BOSS JIM STUART-BLACK REVEAL HE WAS IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR THREE AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE HAVING ANY CONTACT WITH THOSE IN CHARGE OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE. REPORTER MIKE THORPE HAS MORE FROM THE INQUEST INTO THE DEATHS OF VICTIMS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN ALIVE UNDER THE RUBBLE HOURS AFTER THE BUILDING COLLAPSED. IT'S BEEN SAID BEFORE AT THIS INQUEST THAT TIME IS LIVES. EVIDENCE EMERGED TODAY THAT BOTH MAY HAVE BEEN WASTED IN THE HOURS AFTER THE CATASTROPHIC SHAKE. SO YOU'D BEEN DOWN IN CHRISTCHURCH POSSIBLY FOUR HOURS > BEFORE YOU WERE ABLE TO FIND OUT > AND SPEAK TO THE LOCAL INCIDENT COMMANDER. > IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING US, PLEASE? > SO, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SPEAKING TO STEVE BARKLAY, THAT IS CORRECT. YES. DO YOU THINK THAT'S ACCEPTABLE? NO, I DO NOT. RESCUE PERSONNEL EN ROUTE FROM AUCKLAND WERE DELAYED FOR PRECIOUS HOURS AS THE DEFENCE FORCE REPACKED THE AIRCRAFT. BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED, SO TOO HAD A TEAM FROM AUSTRALIA. VITAL RESCUE EQUIPMENT ARRIVED BY ROAD MORE THAN 14 HOURS AFTER THE BUILDING COLLAPSED. WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THE MORE GEAR, THE MORE MEN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE WOULD HAVE ENABLED MORE HOLES, AND DOES IT FOLLOW THAT THE MORE HOLES THAT ARE CUT WITHIN THE TRIAGE AREA > AND THE MORE TEAMS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND, > YOU INCREASE THE CHANCES OF RESCUE? > POTENTIALLY, YES. AND MORE QUESTIONS AS TO WHY THE MAN IN CHARGE OF URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE WOULDN'T TAKE CHARGE OF THE RESCUE SITE. I WAS A UNIFORMED NATIONAL MANAGER, BUT WITHOUT RANK AND WITHOUT A DEFINED COMMAND AUTHORITY. HE ORDERED TEAMS TO LEAVE THE SITE THE FOLLOWING DAY, ONLY TO RETURN HOURS LATER. A RETURN, IT WAS SUGGESTED, THAT FOLLOWED POLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE. IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM WERE MY DECISIONS TO RETURN PEOPLE BACK TO THAT SITE INFORMED, COERCED OR PRESSED UPON ME BY ANY OTHER PERSON. HE SAYS THE DECISION TO RETURN WAS BASED ON NOISES FROM THE RUBBLE THAT SUGGESTED SURVIVORS REMAINED. MIKE THORPE, ONE NEWS. A COURT HEARD TODAY THAT A MAN CHARGED WITH MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR FRAUDS TRIED THE SAME TACTICS IN AUSTRALIA EIGHT YEARS AGO. THE CROWN CLAIMS LOIZOS MICHAELS USED BOGUS ORGANISED CRIME CONNECTIONS TO CONVINCE INVESTORS TO BUY INTO A NUMBER OF VENTURES IN THE MOVIE INDUSTRY. PAUL HOBBS REPORTS. WE WILL SEE A LOT OF YOU, AND YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF US, AND WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR EXTENDED FAMILY. THIS IS LOIZOS MICHAELS INTRODUCING HIMSELF TO AUSTRALIAN MOVIE INDUSTRY PLAYERS ` PLAYERS WHO CLAIM HE CONNED THEM OUT OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. AUCKLAND PROSECUTORS GOT PERMISSION TO CALL AUSTRALIAN WITNESSES TO PROVE MICHAELS USED THE SAME TECHNIQUES TO DEFRAUD PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA THAT HE USED TO COMMIT FRAUD HERE. WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE HE SAID HE KNEW? > UM, THE JAPANESE YAKUSA. THE COURT'S ALREADY HEARD HOW MICHAELS CONVINCED TWO FORMER EXECUTIVES OF CHRISTCHURCH CASINO TO QUIT THEIR JOBS AND HAND OVER MILLIONS OF THEIR OWN MONEY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PROMISE OF MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SALARIES AND INVESTMENTS IN CASINO VENTURES. TODAY THE COURT HEARD HOW A FORMER ASSISTANT OF MICHAELS' WAS LURED BY A LAVISH SALARY INTO MAKING CASH INVESTMENTS INTO A FILM COMPANY MICHAELS WAS APPARENTLY SETTING UP. I'D INVEST WHAT I HAD AND PUT IN` AND LIVE OFF WHAT I COULD LIVE OFF, AND THE MONIES WOULD GO TO GROWING THE BUSINESS. ADAM HANSEN GAVE MICHAELS $30,000 IN THREE CASH PAYMENTS. MR HANSEN WAS SO DESPERATE TO MEET MICHAELS' DEMANDS HE RAIDED HIS SON'S MONEY BOX TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS. MR HANSEN WENT ON TO SELL HIS HOUSE, AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS OF SELLING IT, HE WAS BROKE. HIS $150,000 WORTH OF EQUITY WAS ALL HANDED OVER TO MICHAELS. IF I QUESTIONED HIM, HE WOULD GO OFF HIS BRAIN AND JUST START ABUSING ME. AND WHAT TYPE OF THINGS WOULD HE SAY? OH, JUST, 'HOW DARE YOU <BLEEP>ING TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?' MR HANSEN SAYS MICHAELS LATER MADE DEATH THREATS AGAINST HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. IT'S UNDERSTOOD AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THESE ACCUSATIONS AND OTHERS AGAINST MICHAELS. EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE BEING KEPT ON THEIR TOES TONIGHT WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF GUY FAWKES-RELATED CALL-OUTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THOUSANDS OPTED OUT OF THEIR OWN DISPLAYS AND GATHERED ON WELLINGTON'S HARBOUR TO WATCH 3� TONS OF EXPLOSIVES LIGHT UP THE SKY. THE ANNUAL SHOW TOOK MONTHS TO PREPARE AND GOT RAVE REVIEWS FROM WELLINGTONIANS. IT WAS AWESOME. IT WAS BRILLIANT AWESOME. ACROSS THE COUNTRY SO FAR FIRE FIGHTERS HAVE RECEIVED CLOSE TO 200 CALLS REGARDING FIREWORKS-RELATED INCIDENTS. THE WORST SO FAR BEING A 200M-WIDE BUSH FIRE IN CHRISTCHURCH'S VICTORIA PARK. SO FAR THERE'VE BEEN NO REPORTS OF INJURIES. JUST AHEAD ON ONE NEWS TONIGHT, DOWN TO THE WIRE ` HOW THE FINAL SURGE OF CAMPAIGNING IS STRETCHING THE OBAMA AND ROMNEY CAMPS. AND IT'S A WRAP FOR ONE OF OUR LARGEST TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY? B BARACK OBAMA AND REPUBLICAN RIVAL MITT ROMNEY ARE CRISS-CROSSING THE COUNTRY IN A LAST-DITCH BID FOR VOTES. SHORTLY, OUR US CORRESPONDENT JACK TAME REPORTS FROM THE SWING STATE OF OHIO ON THE MIND-BOGGLING AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING SPENT CAMPAIGNING. BUT FIRST, POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN IS IN MR OBAMA'S HOME STATE OF ILLINOIS AND SENT THIS REPORT. WITH POLLS SHOWING THE TIGHTEST RACE IN OVER A DECADE, BOTH CANDIDATES ARE FIGHTING HARD FOR EVERY VOTE. HE'S HOPING WE WILL SETTLE. AMERICANS DON'T SETTLE. CHEERING WE BUILD. WE ASPIRE. WE DREAM. WE CAN DO BETTER. PRESIDENT OBAMA CRISS-CROSSING THE COUNTRY, HITTING FOUR STATES IN A MARATHON FINAL PUSH. WE'RE NO LONGER RELEVANT NOW. WE'RE PROPS, BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENED IS NOW THE CAMPAIGN FALLS ON THESE 25-YEAR-OLD KIDS WHO ARE OUT THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS AND MAKING PHONE CALLS. CHEERING IN 2008, CHICAGO LOCALS WERE FILLED WITH PRIDE WHEN THEIR HOMETOWN BOY WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT. FOUR YEARS ON, THE EXCITEMENT HAS DIMMED. LITTLE LESS ENERGETIC. YEAH. THE ENTHUSIASM ISN'T THERE. I DON'T THINK EITHER CANDIDATE IS MAYBE AS EXCITING AS THE LAST TIME ROUND. SO WILL HOMETOWN LOYALTY STILL COUNT IN THE PRESIDENT'S FAVOUR? CHICAGO IS OBAMA COUNTRY, BUT SOME OF US ARE NOT. THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THAT'S GONE RIGHT. HE HASN'T ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING. HE CAN'T` NOBODY CAN TURN THIS AROUND IN FOUR YEARS. YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE HIM SOME TIME. WHILST THERE IS DISSATISFACTION HERE IN CHICAGO WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA DUE TO THE SLOW ECONOMIC RECOVERY, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IS LIKELY TO BE HELD. AND FOR THAT REASON, OBAMA VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN HEADING ACROSS THE BORDER TO HELP WITH CAMPAIGNING IN THE SWING STATE OF WISCONSIN. A STRONG VOTER TURNOUT WAS SEEN AS A KEY FACTOR IN OBAMA'S 2008 WIN. SO WITH POLLS OPENING IN AROUND 30 HOURS, BOTH CAMPS ARE CONCENTRATING ON MAKING SURE THEIR CORE SUPPORTERS TURN OUT TO VOTE. CORIN DANN, ONES NEWS, CHICAGO. BOTH CAMPS HAVE BEEN SPENDING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS ON THE TV ADS THEY SEE AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO REACH THE MASSES. AND AS US CORRESPONDENT JACK TAME REPORTS, MORE HAS BEEN SPENT IN THIS CAMPAIGN THAN EVER BEFORE. AN HOUR OF PRIMETIME TV. I'M BARACK OBAMA, AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE. IN OHIO THESE DAYS, THAT MEANS SATURATION CAMPAIGN ADS. I'M MITT ROMNEY, AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE. AND OHIO-BASED POLITICAL SCIENTIST MELISSA MILLER SAYS MORE ADS HAVE SCREENED THIS TIME THAN EVER BEFORE. THE FIRST ELECTION IN HISTORY NEITHER CANDIDATE TOOK THE PUBLIC FUNDS. THAT MEANS THERE WAS NO CAP TO HOW MUCH THEY COULD SPEND, AND THEY'VE BOTH RAISED JUST INCREDIBLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY. IT MEANT, TOO, THAT FROM THE EARLIEST STAGES, THE OFFICIAL CAMPAIGNS OF BARACK OBAMA AND MITT ROMNEY HAVE BEEN RELENTLESSLY FUNDRAISING TO GET THEIR ADS ON TV. BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER FOUR YEARS LIKE THE LAST FOUR YEARS. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER FIRST THIS YEAR, RESULTING IN EVEN MORE EXTREME ADVERTISING CONTENT. A DECISION BY THE US SUPREME COURT MEANS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, A GROUP OF PEOPLE DUBBED A SUPER PAC CAN GET TOGETHER AND MAKE THEIR OWN TV ADS AS A SORT OF UNOFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. 'RESTORE OUR FUTURE' IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT OF THIS MESSAGE. THERE AREN'T LIMITS TO HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN GIVE TO A SUPER PAC LIKE THERE ARE LIMITS ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN GIVE TO A POLITICAL CANDIDATE. IN STATES LIKE OHIO, CRITICAL TO BOTH CAMPAIGNS,... IT'S ABSOLUTELY INFURIATING. UM, I ACTUALLY TRY TO TURN IT OFF. ...IT MEANS POLITICAL ADS ARE ALMOST ALL THAT AIR. RIGHT, THAT'S AN HOUR OF PRIMETIME TV, AND IN 60 MINUTES, NO FEWER THAN 12 POLITICAL ADS HAVE SCREENED. WITH OFFICIAL CAMPAIGNS AND SUPER PACS COMBINED, CAMPAIGN SPENDING WILL CLOSE TOMORROW PRETTY MUCH EVEN BETWEEN THE CANDIDATES. THE TOTAL COST IN THE 2012 RACE FOR PRESIDENCY ` MORE THAN $2.5B. JACK TAME, ONE NEWS, OHIO. AND WE'LL HAVE A ONE NEWS SPECIAL FROM 4.30 ON WEDNESDAY WITH MORE ELECTION COVERAGE ON THE NEWS HOUR AND IN 'CLOSE UP'. IN SEARING OUTBACK HEAT, AUSTRALIA HAS WELCOMED PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA, THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL. IT WAS BIG HANDSHAKES, BIG HATS AND CURTSIES AS THE ROYAL COUPLE ARRIVED AT LONGREACH IN CENTRAL QUEENSLAND FOR THE START OF THEIR AUSTRALASIAN TOUR. IT'S CAMILLA'S FIRST VISIT ACROSS THE DITCH. THE ROYAL COUPLE DUE HERE IN NZ ON SATURDAY FOR A SIX-DAY VISIT. OUR MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY COULD BE SAILING INTO THE DOLDRUMS AS ANOTHER MAJOR PRODUCTION COMES TO THE END OF ITS RUN. REBECCA EDWARDS ASKS WHERE TO NEXT NOW THAT IT'S A WRAP ON THE LIKES OF SPARTACUS AND THE HOBBIT. AFTER FOUR SEASONS OF SHOOTING IN MT WELLINGTON, IT'S A WRAP FOR THE US TELEVISION SERIES SPARTACUS... ...AND FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PERMANENT AND CASUAL JOBS SUSTAINED BY THE PRODUCTION. I'M HOPING THOSE PEOPLE FIND WORK. I KNOW THERE'S NO BIG MOVIE COMING DOWN RIGHT NOW. I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME SMALLER PRODUCTIONS. THE PRODUCTION HAS NOT JUST PROVIDED WORK, BUT HAS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE WIDER ECONOMY. SPARTACUS GENERATED MORE THAN $200M OVER ITS FOUR-YEAR RUN FOR THE LOCAL SCREEN INDUSTRY. THERE WILL BE GAPS IN PRODUCTION, AND THOSE ARE STRESSFUL. WE ARE FOCUSED AND FILM NZ IS FOCUSED, ALONG WITH THE INDUSTRY, IN BUILDING SCALE SO THAT THERE'S ENOUGH PRODUCTION HAPPENING AT ANY ONE TIME SO THAT THESE GAPS THAT SPARTACUS IS GIVING US AT THE MOMENT, UH, HOPEFULLY DISAPPEAR. THIS AMERICAN EXECUTIVE HAS BEEN BRINGING PRODUCTIONS HERE SINCE THE EARLY 1990s, BUT ADMITS OUR HIGH DOLLAR IS MAKING THINGS DIFFICULT. THE FINANCIAL ADVANTAGES OF SHOOTING HERE IN NZ ARE NOT WHAT THEY ONCE WERE. BUT WITH LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS TO GO UNTIL THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE FIRST HOBBIT FILM HERE IN WELLINGTON, THOSE IN THE INDUSTRY SAY THE GLOBAL ATTENTION WILL HELP ATTRACT FUTURE LARGE-SCALE PRODUCTIONS TO OUR SHORES. IT'S THE OLYMPICS OF FILM-MAKING, AND SO THERE'S A CONTINUOUS MEGAPHONE ABOUT NZ GOING OUT THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS ALL THE TIME. AND WHILE IT MAY BE THE LAST TIME SPARTACUS ENTERS THE ARENA, THIS CREATIVE IS HOPING NZ WILL SET THE SCENE FOR MORE OF HIS PROJECTS IN THE FUTURE. WE DO NOT SURRENDER IN THIS HOUSE! REBECCA EDWARDS, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD, THEY'RE TALKING IT UP, BUT CAN K JOCKEYS DELIVER AT TOMORROW'S BIG RACE? AND HARSH REALITY HITS FOR ALL BLACKS VETERAN ALI WILLIAMS AHEAD OF THE SCOTLAND TEST. TWO K JOCKEYS RECKON THEY'RE BOUND FOR GLORY IN TOMORROW'S MELBOURNE CUP. TWO-TIME WINNER JIMMY CASSIDY AND ROOKIE JAMES MACDONALD WERE TALKING UP THEIR CHANCES AT THE PRE-RACE PARADE TODAY. THIS FROM AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT STEVE MARSHALL IN MELBOURNE. MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE FLOODED MELBOURNE'S STREETS FOR THE ANNUAL PRE-RACE PARADE. THAT'S THREE TIMES THE POPULATION OF CAMBRIDGE ` THE HOMETOWN OF MELBOURNE CUP FIRST-TIMER JAMES MCDONALD. AS A KID, EVERYONE DREAMS OF BEING IN THIS, AND, UM, I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I'D BE IN THE RACE, UH, WITH SUCH A LIVE CHANCE AT A YOUNG AGE. ALREADY A RACE-WIN RECORD BREAKER AT 20, MCDONALD IS TEAMING UP WITH TRAINING QUEEN GAI WATERHOUSE ON BOARD EUROPEAN HORSE FIORENTE, WHICH CERTAINLY ISN'T AN OUTSIDER. BE UNBELIEVABLE. UM, IT WOULDN'T BE JUST FOR ME; IT'D BE FOR THE WHOLE OF NZ. 50 YEARS OLD NEXT YEAR, JIM CASSIDY'S AN OLD HAND. IF HE WINS, WE'RE GOING TO CLAIM HIM AS AN AUSSIE, OK? (LAUGHS) CASSIDY'S TRUMPED TWICE BEFORE - ON K IN 1983,... K'S COME FROM LAST IN A PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCE. ...AND MIGHT AND POWER 14 YEARS LATER. HE'LL RIDE ONE OF THE BEST LOCAL HOPES ` THE NZ-BRED MALUCKYDAY. THE SIMILARITIES WITH MIGHT AND POWER AND MALUCKYDAY ` HE'S OWNED BY THE SAME OWNER, RIDDEN BY THE SAME JOCKEY. AND IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS SINCE HE'S WON THE MELBOURNE CUP, AND WE'RE NUMBER 15 TOMORROW. < WELL, THERE'S A FEW POINTERS. I'VE GOT THREE DAUGHTERS; I'VE GOT TWO CUPS ` I NEED ONE MORE. CASSIDY WILL HAVE HIS WORK CUT OUT IN A FIELD DOMINATED BY EUROPEAN STAYERS, WITH FRENCH DUO AMERICAIN AND LAST YEAR'S CHAMP DUNADEN THE TWO FAVOURITES. IT'S NOT SURPRISING THERE'S SO MANY EUROPEAN RAIDERS HERE. THEY'RE ALL CHASING A WINNER'S CHEQUE OF MORE THAN $4.5M, WITHIN A TOTAL PRIZE POOL OF $8M, MAKING THIS, THE MELBOURNE CUP, ONE OF THE TOP THREE RICHEST RACES IN THE WORLD. WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY? OH, I'D PROBABLY` MY WIFE LIKES TO SHOP. (LAUGHS) IT MIGHT BE KNOWN AS THE SPORT OF KINGS, BUT BILLIONAIRES MIGHT BE A BETTER FIT. STEVE MARSHALL, ONE NEWS, MELBOURNE. THE HARSH REALISATION THAT HE COULD BE ON HIS LAST ALL BLACKS TOUR SEEMS TO HAVE HIT VETERAN ALI WILLIAMS. THAT'S PUT THE USUALLY LIGHT-HEARTED LOCK IN A REFLECTIVE MOOD AS THE SQUAD PREPARES FOR THE TEST AGAINST SCOTLAND. HERE'S EUROPE CORRESPONDENT GARTH BRAY. ALI WILLIAMS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF THE JOKERS IN THE ALL BLACK PACK, BUT RIGHT NOW HE SAYS HIS BODY ISN'T QUITE 100% FIT AND LAUGHTER'S SCARCE. I'D LIE IF I SAID THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH HOW THE CARCASS IS GOING, BUT IT'S ABOUT HOW I DEAL WITH THAT. COACH STEVE HANSEN CALLED THE 75-TEST VETERAN UP IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE SQUAD TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE. 'THE LEVEL THAT YOU TOOK THE GAME TO, 'ESPECIALLY THE THREE OF YOU LOCKS, HAS INSPIRED ME TO... 'TO SEE IF I CAN MATCH THAT, IF NOT BETTER IT.' ALI WILLIAMS AND KEVEN MEALAMU MADE THEIR TEST DEBUTS ON A NORTHERN HEMISPHERE TOUR A DECADE AGO. THE LOCK, ESPECIALLY, SEEMS TO GRASP THAT MUCH OF EXPERIENCE ON THIS CAMPAIGN MAY BE CALLED UPON TO HELP PREPARE A YOUNGER GENERATION OF ALL BLACKS. PLENTY ARE PUSHING FOR THEIR CHANCES. THIRD-STRING HOOKER DANE COLES IS EARNING PRAISE. PROBABLY THE PART OF THE GAME I REALLY ENJOYED, UM, WAS BEING ABLE TO CARRY THE BALL WELL, AND, UH, HE DOES IT REALLY WELL. AND, UH, HE'S GOT A GREAT VISION AS A RUGBY PLAYER AS WELL. HIGH PRAISE FROM ONE WHO KNOWS AND WHO ALSO LED THE ALL BLACKS TO A 32-6 VICTORY OVER SCOTLAND FOUR YEARS AGO ` A REPEAT PERFORMANCE THEY ALL HOPE TO HAVE A HAND IN A WEEK FROM NOW. GARTH BRAY, ONE NEWS, EDINBURGH. SILVER FERNS SKIPPER CASEY WILLIAMS WILL MISS THE UPCOMING FAST5 NETBALL SERIES IN AUCKLAND WITH HER TROUBLESOME LEFT KNEE REQUIRING FURTHER REHABILITATION. NEXT SEASON, THE MAGIC DEFENDER WILL BE JOINED IN THE CIRCLE BY JAMIE LEE PRICE, THE DAUGHTER OF FORMER WARRIORS STAR STEVE PRICE, AS THE TRANS-TASMAN FRANCHISES RELEASED THEIR SQUADS FOR NEXT SEASON. ON THE LEFT, ELISAPETA TOEAVA, WHO'S THE SISTER OF FORMER ALL BLACK ISIAH TOEAVA, JOINS THE MYSTICS AS A MID-COURTER, ALONG WITH AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS DEFENDER JULIE CORLETTO. ALSO OF NOTE, THE TACTIX AND MAGIC ARE DOING A SHOOTER SWAP. ELLEN HALPENNY IS MOVING NORTH TO WAIKATO WITH JULIANNA NAOUPU MOVING HOME SOUTH TO CANTERBURY. IN GOLF NEWS, GUAN TIANLANG (14) HAS BECOME THE YOUNGEST-EVER GOLFER TO QUALIFY FOR THE MASTERS AFTER WINNING THE ASIA-PACIFIC AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP IN THAILAND. THE CHINESE TEENAGER LED GOING INTO THE FINAL ROUND, AND SUNK A 2M PUTT ON THE 18TH TO SECURE THE TITLE. HE'LL BE THE SECOND CHINESE 14-YEAR-OLD TO PLAY IN A MAJOR AFTER ANDY ZHANG COMPETED IN THE US OPEN THIS YEAR. THE LEGAL FLOODGATES FROM THE LANCE ARMSTRONG DOPING SCANDAL COULD BE ABOUT TO OPEN WITH THE SPORT'S GOVERNING BODY NOW IN THE FIRING LINE. AUSTRALIAN CLOTHING BRAND 'SKINS', WHICH HAS PREVIOUSLY OUTFITTED NZ'S CYCLING TEAM, IS DEMANDING $2 MILLION FROM THE UCI OVER MISMANAGEMENT OF THE ARMSTRONG SCANDAL. THIS JUST A DAY AFTER IRISH JOURNALIST PAUL KIMMAGE FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST THE UCI, ALLEGING IT PROTECTED ARMSTRONG DURING HIS TOUR DE FRANCE GLORY YEARS. NOW TO THE WEATHER. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. BREAKFAST IS BACK WITH UPDATES FROM 6 TOMORROW MORNING. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE BY LOGGING ON TO OUR WEBSITE AT ONENEWS.CO.NZ THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MARIE, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY RICHARD EDMUNDS AND ANNE LANGFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2012