GOOD EVENING. AN ACTIVE TROUGH HAS BEEN WORKING ITS WAY UP THE SOUTH ISLAND TODAY, DELIVERING SOME HEAVY RAIN TO FIORDLAND THIS MORNING. THE BLUSTERY NOR'WESTER COMING IN AHEAD OF IT HAS BEEN WARMING UP EASTERN DISTRICTS, AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN SPARKING UP OVER CENTRAL NZ THIS EVENING. LATER IN THE NEWS HOUR, I'LL TELL YOU WHICH PARTS OF THE NORTH ISLAND WILL GET WET TOMORROW. 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. THE BUILDING MINISTER'S LINK TO A SUPPLIER TO THE COLLAPSED MAINZEAL CONSTRUCTION. WHY SOME ARE CALLING IT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. NEW FIGURES SHOW HOUSE PRICES ARE STILL ROCKETING UP. WHY THE AUTHORITIES ARE CONCERNED. NO CROWING FROM SONNY BILL AS HE TURNS UP FOR TRAINING WITH THE ROOSTERS. BUT THE VERBAL PUNCHES KEEP COMING FROM HIS CONTROVERSIAL MANAGER. AND THE GRAMMY GOES TO... 'SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW' BY GOTYE. AND RECORD OF THE YEAR. KIWI SONGSTRESS KIMBRA FLIES HIGH AT THE GRAMMY AWARDS. KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. ONE NEWS INVESTIGATIONS HAVE UNCOVERED CONCERNS ABOUT A POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THE MINISTER OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AND IT'S PROMPTING CALLS FOR MAURICE WILLIAMSON TO STEP ASIDE FROM ANY GOVERNMENT DECISIONS OVER THE MAINZEAL COLLAPSE. OUR POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN IS ACROSS THIS STORY. CORIN. THE ISSUE OF EX-POLITICIANS BEING ON BOARDS WITH JENNY SHIPLEY RESIGNING FROM MAINZEAL BOARDS NOW IT'S CURRENT POLITICIANS MAURICE WILLIAMSON HELPS OVERSEE THIS COUNTRY'S BUILDING INDUSTRY,... I CAN GIVE UP MY DAY JOB. ...AND HE HAS BEEN COMMENTING ON SUB-CONTRACTORS BEING LEFT OUT OF POCKET IN THE MAINZEAL COLLAPSE. BUT LABOUR SAYS MR WILLIAMSON SHOULD BE NOWHERE NEAR THE MATTER. THERE ARE LEGITIMATE ISSUES FOR SUB-CONTRACTORS, BUT THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT MAURICE WILLIAMSON HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. HOLYOAKE INDUSTRIES LTD, OWNED BY RICH-LISTER NOEL HOLYOAKE, IS A LARGE SUPPLIER OF AIR CONDITIONING AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS. ON ITS WEBSITE IT LISTS THE MAINZEAL-BUILT SUPREME COURT IN WELLINGTON AS ONE OF THE PROJECTS IT'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH. NO ONE FROM HOLYOAKE INDUSTRIES WOULD FRONT TODAY, HOWEVER, STAFF CONFIRMED TO ONE NEWS THAT THEY DO HAVE DIRECT DEALINGS WITH MAINZEAL AND SUPPLY A NUMBER OF FIRMS WHO WORK WITH MAINZEAL. THEY ALSO CONFIRMED THAT MAURICE WILLIAMSON IS STILL A DIRECTOR, AFTER JOINING THE BOARD IN 2003. HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF A COMPANY WITH AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH MAINZEAL. HE'S A MINISTER MAKING DECISIONS. HE NEEDS TO STEP ASIDE. MR WILLIAMSON DOESN'T FEATURE AMONG THE LISTED DIRECTORS ON HOLYOAKE INDUSTRIES' WEBSITE. HOWEVER, HE WAS GIVEN APPROVAL BY THE PRIME MINISTER TO BE ON HOLYOAKE'S BOARD. HE'S ALSO DECLARED MAINZEAL'S GIFT OF CORPORATE BOX HOSPITALITY AT A RUGBY WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL. MR WILLIAMSON WOULDN'T BE INTERVIEWED, BUT ISSUED THIS STATEMENT TO ONE NEWS: 'ON BECOMING A MINISTER,...' IF SOMEONE IS A MINISTER OR INVOLVED IN THE GOVERNMENT IN A MAJOR WAY, THEY SHOULD NOT BE ON THE BOARD OF A MAJOR COMPANY, PARTICULARLY IF THAT COMPANY IS INVOLVED IN INDUSTRY IN WHICH THE MINISTER IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN. LABOUR SAYS THE PRESSURE IS NOW ON THE PRIME MINISTER TO EXPLAIN WHY MR WILLIAMSON'S BEEN ALLOWED TO STAY ON AS A DIRECTOR. THERE'S NO SUGGESTION HE HAD DONE ANYTHING WRONG. THIS IS ISSUE OF THE PERCEPTION OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST ` THERE NEEDS TO BE TRUST ON WHETHER HE CAN COMMENT ON ISSUES IT'S A MESSY SITUATION. GIVEN THAT, I THINK HE NEEDS TO FRONT UP ON THIS AND REASSURE THE PUBLIC. MORE ON THIS TOMORROW. THANKS, CORIN DANN IN WELLINGTON. AND MAINZEAL PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION'S RECEIVERS, PRICE WATERHOUSE COOPERS, SAY THEY'VE LAID OFF ABOUT HALF OF MAINZEAL'S PERMANENT EMPLOYEES IN AN URGENT ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE COMPANY'S COSTS. THE 200 WORKERS WERE TOLD THEY'D BEEN MADE REDUNDANT ON FRIDAY. RECEIVER COLIN MCCLOY SAYS IT'S A CHALLENGING TIME FOR ALL PARTIES CAUGHT UP IN THE COLLAPSE. THE RECEIVERS SAY THEY ARE IN TALKS WITH A NUMBER OF PARTIES HERE AND OVERSEAS INTERESTED IN BUYING ALL OR PARTS OF THE FAILED COMPANY. FROM HAMILTON TO HOLLYWOOD. OWNING YOUR OWN HOME IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER. NEW FIGURES SHOW HOUSE PRICES NATIONWIDE HAVE RISEN MORE THAN 6% IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THE HOUSING HEAT-UP IS SPREADING BEYOND CHRISTCHURCH AND AUCKLAND. BUT THAT'S CONCERNING AUTHORITIES, AS RENEE GRAHAM REPORTS. IF YOU OWN A HOUSE IN CENTRAL AUCKLAND, THE VALUE OF YOUR ASSET IS AGAIN ON A STEEP RISE. NEW FIGURES FROM GOVERNMENT VALUER QV SHOW AVERAGE PRICES SPIRALLED MORE THAN 11% IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. IT'S REALLY TOUGH BEING A YOUNG PERSON TRYING TO GET INTO THE PROPERTY GAME FOR ME, PERSONALLY. I THINK THERE'S AN OVER RELIANCE ON PROPERTY ` TOO MUCH MONEY IN IT. NATIONWIDE HOUSING VALUES HAVE GROWN MORE THAN 6% ON AVERAGE. 10% ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE, ALMOST 4% IN HAMILTON, 7% IN CHRISTCHURCH AND NEARLY 2% IN WELLINGTON. BUT TAURANGA'S BUCKING THE TREND WITH A 1% DROP IN VALUE. PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES GO UP IN VALUE, THEN THEY HAVE TO PAY MORE FOR THE NEXT ONE. IT'S ONLY THE FIRST HOME BUYER THAT GETS AFFECTED. EVERYBODY ELSE RISES WITH THE TIDE. RISING HOUSE PRICES ALSO POSE A PROBLEM FOR REGULATORS. JUST LAST WEEK THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR WARNED THE DEMAND COULD DERAIL FINANCIAL STABILITY AND PUSH UP INFLATION. IT'S PREDICTED GRAEME WHEELER WILL PUSH THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE UP LATE THIS YEAR. THE RESERVE BANK SAW HOW A HOUSING BANK BOOM BETWEEN 2002 AND 2008 INCREASED THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES IN THE ECONOMY. EVENTUALLY IT HAD TO RESPOND WITH HIGHER INTEREST RATES IN 2007, AND THAT REALLY SLOWED THE ECONOMY DOWN. IT'S PREDICTED GRAHEME WHEELER WILL PUSH THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE UP THIS YEAR. NZ'S NOT THE ONLY DEVELOPED COUNTRY SEEING HIGHER HOUSE PRICES. SUBURBS IN SYDNEY, VANCOUVER AND CENTRAL LONDON ARE ALSO GOING UP. PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE FOR HIGHER YIELDS AND BECAUSE THEY SEE HOUSE PRICE INFLATION HERE, THE SURGE OF NEW CAPITAL COMING INTO NZ IS PUSHING UP THE NZ DOLLAR AND MAKING THE EXPORT SECTOR LESS COMPETITIVE. THE BUOYANT HOUSING MARKET IS FORCING BANKS TO COMPETE HARD FOR NEW BUSINESS. WESTPAC'S JUST FOLLOWED ASB AND CUT ITS FIXED MORTGAGE RATES. RENEE GRAHAM, ONE NEWS. THOUSANDS OF INTERNET USERS WITH YAHOO XTRA EMAIL ADDRESSES FROM HAMILTON TO HOLLYWOOD. KIWI SONGBIRD KIMBRA HAS TONIGHT SOARD TO NEW HEIGHTS IN LA AFTER WINNING RECORD OF THE YEAR AT THE GRAMMY AWARDS. IT'S ONE OF TWO AWARDS SHE'S RECEIVED FOR HER DUET WITH AUSTRALIAN SINGER GOTYE AT AMERICA'S BIGGEST NIGHT OF MUSIC. REBECCA EDWARDS HAS THE DETAILS. NZ'S VERY OWN POP PRINCESS TOOK CENTRE STAGE ON THE BIGGEST MUSIC NIGHT OF THE YEAR. APPLAUSE THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON I WANT TO THANK VERY QUICKLY, AND THAT IS THE WONDERFUL GOTYE FOR CHOOSING ME TO BE A PART OF THIS SONG. I FEEL UNWORTHY TO BE UP HERE RECIEVING THIS, BUT THANK YOU, ALL MUSICIANS AND PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO MUSIC. KIMBRA AND AUSTRALIAN ARTIST GOTYE TOOL OUT RECORD OF THE YEAR FOR THEIR NUMBER-ONE SMASH HIT. # SOMEBODY THAT YOU USED TO KNOW. # I FEEL UNBELIEVABLY BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS SONG, AND I COULDN'T HAVE SHARED IT ANYONE MORE AMAZING THAN THIS ARTIST THAT YOU SEE HERE. A SECOND GRAMMY FOR THE PAIR, WHO WERE ALSO NAMED BEST POP DUO AT THE PRE-AWARDS CEREMONY. WHILE OUTSIDE SOME ON THE RED CARPET SOME MAY HAVE MISSED THE MEMO TO COVER UP, INSIDE THE 55TH GRAMMY CEREMONY DIDN'T MISS A BEAT. # WE ARE NEVER, EVER, EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER. # SIX-TIME NOMINEES FUN TOOK OUT SONG OF THE YEAR AND SNAPPED UP BEST NEW ARTIST. WITH FIVE NOMINATIONS, THE BLACK KEYS WERE NAMED BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE. IT WAS A PRINCESS OF POP CROWNED FOR BEST POP VOCAL ALBUM. I DID NOT THINK I WAS GOING TO WIN. THANK YOU! MUMFORD AND SONS TAKING COVETED ALBUM OF THE YEAR BUT ON THIS NIGHT OF MUSICAL CELEBRATION, IT WAS A KIWI SONGSTRESS STANDING ON TOP OF THE WORLD. REBECCA EDWARDS, ONE NEWS. THOUSANDS OF INTERNET USERS WITH YAHOO XTRA EMAIL ADDRESSES HAVE BEEN CAUGHT UP IN A SPAM ATTACK. TELECOM, WHICH OUTSOURCES ITS EMAIL BUSINESS TO YAHOO, SAYS THE PROBLEM'S BEEN FIXED, BUT IT'S LEFT USERS WONDERING WHETHER THEIR COMPUTERS HAVE NOW BEEN INFILTRATED BY MORE SINISTER SOFTWARE. LISA GLASS REPORTS. IT'S A GOLDEN RULE: DON'T OPEN AN EMAIL FROM AN UN-KNOWN SOURCE. BUT THIS ATTACK SEEMED TO COME FROM TRUSTED CONTACTS. IT WAS FROM MY DAD. THE EMAIL ADDRESS LOOKS LEGITIMATE, BUT THE LINK ISN'T. SPAMMERS HIJACKED THE ACCOUNTS OF THOUSANDS OF TELECOM CUSTOMERS IN THE HOPE OF SNEAKING THEIR ADS UNDER THE RADAR. TELECOM CONTRACTS ITS XTRA EMAIL BUSINESS OUT TO INTERNATIONAL COMPANY YAHOO. SPAMMERS BROKE INTO YAHOO'S XTRA SERVERS, GIVING THEM ACCESS TO THOUSANDS OF LEGITIMATE EMAIL ACCOUNTS. IT ALLOWS THEM TO SEND OUT SPAM WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT'S FROM A FRIEND OR COLLEAGUE REALLY IT'S A LINK TO AN ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT. LAST MONTH YAHOO WAS COMPROMISED IN AUSTRALIA, AND IT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT. SO I WOULD SAY IT'S AN EXTENSION ON THAT ORIGINAL ATTACK ON YAHOO'S SERVERS. IT FOLLOWS AN EARLIER PHISHING ATTACK ON XTRA CUSTOMERS WHERE PEOPLE WERE ASKED FOR PASSWORDS AND OTHER DETAILS. THIS ATTACK'S BEEN WIDESPREAD, BUT APPEARS TO BE MORE NUISANCE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY DANGER OF THIS ` AT THIS POINT, ANYWAY ` OF HARVESTING ANYTHING MORE THAN INFORMATION OUT OF YOUR MACHINE OTHER THAN YOUR INBOX AND YOUR ADDRESS BOOK. IF IT IS A MALICIOUS LINK AND ADDS IN SOME KIND OF KEYSTROKE LOGGER, FOR EXAMPLE ` STARTS RECORDING YOU TYPING ` THEN YOU START TO WORRY ABOUT THINGS LIKE BANK ACCOUNT COMPROMISES AND THINGS OF THAT SORT. BUT AT THIS STAGE, THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. TELECOM'S APOLOGISED AND SAYS YAHOO'S NOW FIXED THE BREACH. THE ISSUE IS, OF COURSE, IT'S SITTING IN EMAILS ALL OVER THE PLACE SO THE GUIDANCE REMAINS FOR ALL OF THE YAHOO USERS ` NUMBER ONE, DON'T CLICK ON A LINK YOU DON'T RECOGNISE; AND IF YOU'VE GOT ANY DOUBT AT ALL, JUST DELETE IT. AND BE SURE TO CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS. LISA GLASS, ONE NEWS. AN INVESTIGATION'S BEEN LAUNCHED AFTER PICTURES APPEARED ONLINE OF A TEENAGE GIRL WHO CLAIMS SHE WAS BEATEN BY POLICE AT AN EAST AUCKLAND PARTY. WE MUST WARN THAT THE PICTURES ARE GRAPHIC. IN A FACEBOOK POST, A FRIEND OF ELLA MERE EKETONE (15) SAID THAT SHE'D BEEN AT A PARTY IN HOWICK ON SATURDAY WHEN SHE WAS PUSHED TO THE GROUND AND HER TEETH KNOCKED OUT. POLICE SAY THEY'VE SPOKEN TO THE GIRL, AND THE MATTER HAS BEEN PASSED ON TO THE INDEPENDENT POLICE CONDUCT AUTHORITY. THE PRIME MINISTER IS INSISTING THE THREAT OF BOAT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN NZ IS VERY REAL. JOHN KEY'S REMARKS COME A DAY AFTER HE SIGNED A CONTROVERSIAL AGREEMENT TO TAKE 150 REFUGEES FROM AUSTRALIA. DANIEL FAITAUA EXPLAINS. ENJOYING THE KIWI HOSPITALITY. AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JULIA GILLARD EVEN MORE APPRECIATIVE NZ'S AGREED TO TAKE REFUGEES OFF HER COUNTRY'S HANDS. ONLY A DAY AFTER BOTH LEADERS AGREED TO THE CONTROVERSIAL DEAL, THE PRIME MINISTER HAS ADMITTED THREATS POSED TO NZ BY REFUGEES ARE CREDIBLE. I GET MORE THAN ENOUGH CORRESPONDANCE FROM MY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, FED FROM MY AUSTRALIAN AGENCIES, TO TELL YOU THAT THIS SITUATION AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF A BOAT COMING TO NZ IS VERY REAL. JOHN KEY SAYS THAT ONLY TWO MONTHS AGO, A BOAT WITH HUNDREDS OF INDONESIANS ON BOARD WAS BOUND FOR NZ BUT IT WAS INTERCEPTED BY AUSTRALIAN AUTHORITIES. AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE PRIME MINISTER BELIEVES IT MAKES SENSE FOR NZ TO PIGGYBACK ON THE AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES, WHICH ARE ALREADY GEARED UP TO KEEP REFUGEES FROM ITS SHORES. THE GREEN PARTY SAY THEY'RE UNCONVINCED. AUSTRALIA HAS A POLICY THAT THE UN HAS CALLED HARSH AND INHUMANE. NZ DOES NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH A POLICY LIKE THAT. AND THERE'S GROWING CONCERN THIS IS JUST A PLOY TO WIN OVER PUBLIC APPROVAL. FEAR MONGERING AND SAYING THAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN AND THEN GETTING SUCKED INTO THE AUSTRALIAN PROBLEM AND THE AUSTRALIAN SITUATION HAS IS VERY INTERNALLY DIVISIVE IN AUSTRALIA. NZ TAKES UP TO 750 REFUGEES A YEAR, AND SOON 20% OF THOSE WILL COME FROM THE AUSTRALIAN-RUN CONTROVERSIAL DETENTION CENTRES, LIKE THOSE IN NAURU. THE PRIME MINISTER IS TO FACE HARSH QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE TOMORROW. DANIEL FAITAUA, ONE NEWS. BETHLEHEM COLLEGE SAYS THE ISSUE OF WHO WAS DRIVING A SCHOOL VAN IN KENYA WHEN IT CRASHED, KILLING FOUR PEOPLE, IS ONE FOR KENYAN POLICE. TAURANGA TEENAGER DAVID FELLOWS HAD ALREADY CONFESSED TO THE SCHOOL THAT HE WAS DRIVING, BUT AN INVESTIGATION BY POLICE IN KENYA FOUND LOCAL MAN CHRISTOPHER MMATA WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL. A COURT IN KENYA WILL NOW DECIDE IF THE CASE WILL BE HEARD IN A PUBLIC INQUEST. BETHLEHEM COLLEGE IS CONTINUING ITS OWN PRIVATE INVESTIGATION, BUT SAYS IT'LL BE LEAVING THE DETAILS OF WHAT CAUSED THE FATAL CRASH IN THE HANDS OF KENYAN POLICE. A WOMAN (44) WHO'S ACCUSED OF MURDERING HER HUSBAND HAS BEEN REMANDED IN CUSTODY. LUCILLE SCOLLAY APPEARED IN COURT IN CHRISTCHURCH THIS MORNING, AFTER SHE WAS ARRESTED AT THIS HOME IN ST ALBANS, WHERE GUY SCOLLAY (48) WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE EARLY HOURS OF YESTERDAY MORNING. FAMILY MEMBERS SAY THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE TRAGIC LOSS AND ARE SUPPORTING THE ACCUSED. MRS SCOLLAY WILL REAPPEAR IN COURT LATER THIS MONTH. THE NOVOPAY DEBACLE COULD BE COSTING SCHOOLS AS MUCH AS $16M. THAT'S A FIGURE FROM A SURVEY BY THE PRINCIPALS FEDERATION, WHICH ASKED SCHOOLS HOW MUCH THE TROUBLED SYSTEM IS COSTING THEM. HELEN CASTLES HAS THE RESULTS. FED-UP SCHOOL STAFF HAVE PUT THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE LINE, AND THE RESULTS ARE ALARMING. THEY'RE SCREAMING, 'WHEN ARE WE GOING TO STOP THIS?' 'WHEN CAN WE FIND ANOTHER PROVIDER?' 'WHEN ARE WE GOING TO TAKE A STAND?' JUST OVER A THOUSAND SCHOOLS CLAIM THEY'RE OWED MORE THAN $8M FOR TIME THEY'VE HAD TO SPEND TRYING TO MANAGE NOVOPAY'S MISTAKES. IT'S PEOPLE COMING BACK FOR OVERTIME. IT'S THE COST OF LOST BANK INTEREST THAT THEY MAY HAVE RECEIVED FOR DEPOSITS IN THE BANK. IT'S JUST ALL THE THINGS THAT ADD TOGETHER AND MAKE THIS A NIGHTMARE FOR SCHOOLS. AND WITH HALF OF THE SCHOOLS YET TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY, THE COMPENSATION FIGURE COULD GROW TO UPWARDS OF $16M. IT JUST TAKES A LOT OF MY TIME, SO MY OTHER WORK IS BEHIND. I'VE GOT A CHARTER TO HAVE IN AT THE MINISTRY BY THE 1ST OF MARCH; STUDENT-ACHIEVEMENT TARGETS THAT I'M WORKING ON; I'VE GOT A BOARD MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT. MY BOARD REPORT'S NOT READY, BECAUSE LAST WEEK I SPENT MOST OF MY WEEK DOING NOVOPAY. MORE THAN HALF OF SCHOOLS SURVEYED HAVE HAD TO DIG INTO THE THEIR OPERATIONAL GRANTS TO PAY STAFF. 93% OF THE RESPONDENTS ARE STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS PROBABLY TOO FAR GONE. THESE ARE NOT STATIC COSTS. THESE ARE ONGOING COSTS THAT ARE OCCURRING OVER TIME. THEY DON'T STOP. THEY NEED TO MAKE A REAL CALL ON WHETHER IT'S ACTUALLY TIME TO CALL IT QUITS AND PULL THE PLUG. NOVOPAY MINISTER STEVEN JOYCE SAYS HE'S WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUES AND IS WORKING ON A RANGE OF MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING THE MINISTERIAL INQUIRY THAT'S EXPECTED TO COST $500,000. HELEN CASTLES, ONE NEWS. COMING UP ON ONE NEWS ` EUROPEAN SUPERMARKETS CLEAR THEIR SHELVES OF SUSPECT FOOD AS THE HORSEMEAT SCANDAL SPREADS. CELEBRATIONS AT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS HAVE BEEN MARRED AFTER A DEADLY STAMPEDE IN INDIA. AND A DESPERATE MANHUNT IS ON IN CALIFORNIA FOR AN EX-POLICE OFFICER SUSPECTED OF KILLING THREE PEOPLE. VOICEOVER: The way it moves and cleans is simply amazing. Oral-B power brushes oscillate, rotate and even pulsate to remove 99.7% plaque in hard-to-reach areas. From the: Unbeatable. SONNY BILL WILLIAMS REMAINED TIGHT-LIPPED AS HE ARRIVED AT HIS NEW RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB TODAY. BUT THERE WAS NO HOLDING BACK HIS MANAGER DURING AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ONE NEWS. AS CRITICISM MOUNTS OF SONNY BILL'S FIGHT, KHODER NASSER TOLD OUR AUSTRALIAN CORRESPONDENT STEVE MARSHALL HE CAN PROVE FRANCOIS BOTHA TESTED POSITIVE FOR A BANNED SUBSTANCE. FOR A MAN UNDER FIRE, KHODER NASSER LOOKED COMFORTABLE AT COFFEE TODAY. THE CONTROVERSIAL BOXING PROMOTER SAYS HE CAN SUBSTANTIATE FRANCOIS BOTHA'S POSITIVE TEST TO TWO BANNED SUBSTANCES. WHAT EVIDENCE HAVE YOU GOT TO SUPPORT THE URINE TEST? OH. THE PRINT OUT FROM THE LABS WHICH STIPULATE WHAT HE'S ON AND WHAT HE WAS TAKING, AND IT'S FROM A VERY REPUTABLE COMPANY. I'VE BEEN TOLD NOW BY KHODER'S... A FAMILY MEMBER OF KHODER NASSER THAT IT WAS DOCTORED. BOTH BOXERS UNDERTOOK MANDATORY BLOOD TESTS LAST TUESDAY FOR HIV AIDS AND HEPATITIS. ACCORDING TO NASSER, BOTHA ALSO VOLUNTEERED A URINE SAMPLE AS WELL, ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT REQUIRED TO. WHY DO YOU THINK HE OFFERED A URINE SAMPLE WHEN IT WASN'T REQUIRED? HE'S AN INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER. HE'S BEEN TO A LOT OF PLACES AROUND THE WORLD. HIS LAST TWO FIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN GERMANY AGAINST TWO OF THE TOP-30 FIGHTERS AND THEY TEST YOU BEFORE AND AFTER THE FIGHT. NASSER SHOWED ME AN ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE LAB RESULTS FROM AN INDEPENDENT TESTING AGENCY. IT HIGHLIGHTS BOTHA'S NAME, THE DATE HE WAS TESTED AND THE BANNED SUBSTANCES HE TESTED POSITIVE TO. NASSER SAYS HE FOUND OUT THE RESULTS THE DAY AFTER THE FIGHT ` AFTER BOTHA'S SAMPLE WAS TESTED. HE HIT BACK AT CRITICS WHO CLAIM THE DRUGS REVELATIONS WERE TIMED TO DEFLECT ATTENTION FROM THE LENGTH OF THE FIGHT, WHICH ENDED WITH WILLIAMS PINNED ON THE ROPES AFTER TEN ROUNDS ` NOT 12 ROUNDS AS ADVERTISED. PEOPLE WANT TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY. THERE'S FACTS AND THERE'S FICTION. PEOPLE IF THEY WANT TO DELVE INTO CONJECTURE SPECULATION CRAP, I'VE SEEN THE PAPERS. I'VE SEEN THE REALITY, AND THAT'S WHAT I DEAL IN. THE ENTIRE SAGA HAS LEFT THE AUSTRALIAN BOXING FRATERNITY FUMING. STEVE MARSHALL, ONE NEWS, SYDNEY. AND A BRUISED SONNY BILL WILLIAMS TURNED UP FOR TRAINING WITH THE SYDNEY ROOSTERS LEAGUE TEAM TODAY. WE CHECK OUT HOW IT WENT LATER IN SPORT. A 19-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY STOLE A VEHICLE AT GUNPOINT AND THREATENED A MAN WITH A KNIFE HAS APPEARED IN TAUMARUNUI DISTRICT COURT. THE GUNMAN, WHO WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO NAME BECAUSE OF A COURT ORDER, SPARKED AN ARMED-OFFENDER CALL-OUT WHICH SAW PARTS OF TAUMARUNUI CLOSED OFF. HE'S BEEN REMANDED IN CUSTODY FOR A MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT. HE'LL APPEAR IN COURT AGAIN LATER THIS MONTH, FACING BURGLARY, ROBBERY AND FIREARMS CHARGES. SUPERMARKETS IN EUROPE ARE CLEARING THEIR SHELVES AS THE SCANDAL SPREADS OVER FROZEN MEALS CONTAINING HORSEMEAT. THE SCARE STARTED IN BRITAIN, WHERE SHOPPERS ARE BEING REASSURED THAT ALL PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS ARE NOW SAFE. THE BBC'S ANDY MOORE REPORTS. ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SUPERMARKET CHAIN CLEARS ITS SHELVES. CARREFOUR IS AMONG SEVERAL IN FRANCE WHO ARE VOLUNTARY REMOVING SOME FINDUS AND OWN-BRAN PRODUCTS. THEY INCLUDE MOUSSAKA AND SHEPHERD'S PIE ` PRODUCTS THAT SO FAR HAVEN'T BEEN TAKEN OFF THE SHELVES IN THE UK. HERE THE ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY SAID THERE IS NO KNOWN RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH, ALTHOUGH THE TESTING IS STILL ONGOING. THIS, FOR THE MOMENT, IS A LABELLING PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF FRAUD. THIS IS A CASE OF PEOPLE BEING SOLD ONE THING AND GETTING ANOTHER. AT THE MOMENT, WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE THERE IS A THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH. WE KNOW IT'S A EUROPEAN-WIDE MARKET, SO ARE THERE PRODUCTS ON BRITISH SHELVES THE SAME OR SIMILAR TO THE ONES NOW BEING REMOVED FROM FRENCH SHELVES? THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS COORDINATING THE BRITISH RESPONSE. THE FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY WORKING CLOSELY WITH DEFRA SAYS IT HAS NO PLANS TO UPDATE ITS LIST OF PRODUCTS THAT HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM SALE. THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF SOME OF THE CONTAMINATED MEAT IS SAID TO BE EASTERN EUROPE. IT'S BEING CLAIMED THAT MANY ANIMALS ARE GOING FOR SLAUGHTER IN ROMANIA BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW LAW BANNING HORSES AND CARTS ON THE ROAD. HORSEMEAT IS CHEAPER THAN, FOR EXAMPLE, BEEF. AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS IT'S FAR LESS REGULATED. AFTER BSE, THE WHOLE BEEF SYSTEM WAS VERY MUCH MORE TIGHTLY REGULATED IN TERMS OF IDENTITY AND TESTING AND LOCALITY. BUT WITH HORSES, THAT'S NOT THE CASE. FINDUS IS FRANCE AND SWEDEN SAYS IT WILL SUE ITS FRENCH SUPPLIER, COMIGEL. THAT SUPPLIER IN TURN SAYS IT'S BEEN A VICTIM AND WILL BE SEEKING COMPENSATION. EATING HORSEMEAT IS A TABOO IN BRITAIN, AND ALTHOUGH ONCE COMMON FARE IN FRANCE, IT HAS BEEN OUT OF FASHION FOR DECADES. CELEBRATIONS AT ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS HAVE BEEN MARRED AFTER A DEADLY STAMPEDE IN INDIA. MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE WERE TRAMPLED TO DEATH AFTER A RAILWAY STATION FOOTBRIDGE COLLAPSED UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THOUSANDS OF HINDU PILGRIMS. DOZENS WERE INJURED AND RESCUE EFFORTS WERE DELAYED BY MASSIVE CROWDS HEADING HOME AFTER BATHING IN THE RIVER GANGES. MORE THAN 30 MILLION HINDU PILGRIMS ARE TAKING PART IN THE FESTIVITIES. AN EMERGENCY DRILL ON A CRUISE SHIP IN THE CANARY ISLANDS HAS LEFT FIVE CREW MEMBERS DEAD. THEY WERE IN A LIFEBOAT, CARRYING OUT A MOCK RESCUE OPERATION, WHEN CABLES SNAPPED. THE BOAT PLUNGED 200M INTO THE OCEAN, LANDING UPSIDE DOWN. THE FIVE MEN WERE KILLED ON IMPACT. LOS ANGELES AUTHORITIES HAVE OFFERED A $1.2M REWARD FOR A FORMER POLICE OFFICER SUSPECTED OF KILLING THREE PEOPLE. CHRISTOPHER DORNER VOWED TO TAKE REVENGE AFTER HE WAS FIRED FROM POLICE FOR LYING ABOUT A COLLEAGUE. HE'S ON THE RUN FOLLOWING THE KILLING OF HIS LAWYER'S FAMILY AND AN OFFICER WHO TRIED TO ARREST HIM. HE ALSO CLAIMS HIS DISMISSAL WAS RACIALLY MOTIVATED. A MASSIVE CLEAN UP IS UNDERWAY IN NORTH AMERICA AFTER A BLIZZARD BURIED THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND LEFT ELEVEN PEOPLE DEAD. NEARLY 300,000 PEOPLE STILL DON'T HAVE ANY POWER AND DOZENS HAVE BEEN MOVED TO EMERGENCY SHELTERS. THE BLIZZARD CLOSED HIGHWAYS AND AIRPORTS AND LEFT HUNDREDS OF CARS ENTOMBED IN SNOW. TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO MINUS-15 DEGREES IN SOME AREAS. BACK TO OUR WEATHER NOW ` NOTHING AS NASTY AS A BLIZZARD IN OUR FORECAST, KAREN. IT'S FAIRLY BENIGN. WE DO HAVE SOME FRONTS MOVING UP THE SOUTH ISLAND THOUGH. HAD SOME HEAVY RAIN OUT OF THEM EARLIER IN THE DAY AROUND FIORDLAND. BLUSTERLY NOR'WESTER COMING IN AHEAD OF THEM, PUSHING THE TEMPERATURES UP IN THE EAST ` THAT RAIN MOVES ONTO THE NORTH ISLAND IN THE MORNING. THERE'S CURRENTLY A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN PLACE. THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING ABOUT THE INLAND AND SEAWARD KAIKOURA RANGES. SEE THEM HERE. THEY COULD DRIFT NORTH INTO THE WELLINGTON RADAR AREA. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ I'LL HAVE THE FULL FORECAST FOR YOU AFTER SPORT. AFTER THE BREAK ` THE MAN WHO UNCOVERED FRAUDSTER BERNIE MADOFF'S PONZI SCHEME IS HERE TO ADVISE INVESTIGATORS. PLUS A FIGHT OVER A MILLION-DOLLAR WELFARE CONTRACT IN WEST AUCKLAND TURNS UGLY. AND FIND OUT IF 'THE HOBBIT' PICKED UP ANY AWARDS AT THE BRITISH FILM AND TV AWARDS. 1 A NEW WEBSITE TO LINK CHRISTCHURCH BUSINESSES WITH OUT-OF-TOWN SUPPLIERS, WORKERS AND SUB-CONTRACTORS LAUNCHED TODAY. COLLABORATE CANTERBURY IS A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE INITIATIVE WHICH AIMS TO BOOST THE CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD BY FOSTERING NEW BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS. IT'S ALSO HOPED THE INITIATIVE WILL HELP RESTORE CONFIDENCE AFTER LAST WEEK'S COLLAPSE OF MAINZEAL CONSTRUCTION. THE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE ARE ENORMOUS. THEY ARE JUST AS BIG NOW AS THEY WERE BEFORE THE MAINZEAL COLLAPSE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET THOSE OPPORTUNITIES SOAKED UP BY OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY WITHIN CHRISTCHURCH AND OUTSIDE CHRISTCHURCH AS SOON AS WE CAN. PETER TOWNSHEND SAYS ONCE BUSINESSES REGISTER WITH THE SITE, THEY'LL BE MATCHED WITH COMPATIBLE BUSINESS PARTNERS. A FIGHT OVER A MILLION DOLLAR WELFARE CONTRACT IN WEST AUCKLAND HAS TURNED UGLY. JOHN TAMIHERE, WHO HEADS THE TRUST THAT'S LOST THE CONTRACT, SAYS THE MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WILL NOW BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CASES OF ABUSE THAT HAPPEN NOW. DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH HAS DETAILS. UNTIL LAST WEEK, THE WAIPARERIA TRUST IN WEST AUCKLAND GOT $1.5M IN GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO CARE FOR MORE THAN 200 FAMILIES AT HIGH RISK WITH ABUSE ISSUES. BUT THE FUNDING'S BEEN CUT BECAUSE OF THE TRUST'S POOR PERFORMANCE. IT NOW HAS TO HAND OVER ITS WORK TO NEW PROVIDERS. THE MINISTER SAW FIT TO SIGN OFF ON A TERMINATION FOR US. THAT'S HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES. BUT THEN WE'VE GOT TO TRANSITION THOSE 260 FAMILIES SOMEWHERE. JOHN TAMIHERE HAS SENT A STRONGLY WORDED LETTER TO THE MINISTER SAYING, WHEN IT COMES TO THESE FAMILIES, WE'RE... AND TELLS HER IF THERE IS ANY... THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DISPUTES IT'S HANDLED THE TRANSITION BADLY AND SAYS IT HAS MET WITH THE TRUST TO ARRANGE HANDING OVER THE FILES. THE MINISTRY WOULDN'T APPEAR ON CAMERA, AND THE MINISTER IS OVERSEAS FOR WORK. ONE NEWS HAS A COPY OF JOHN TAMIHERE'S LETTER THAT HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO FAMILIES TODAY TELLING THEM TO CONTACT PAULA BENNETT'S ELECTORATE OFFICE DIRECTLY IF THEY HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. THE BATTLE BETWEEN JOHN TAMIHERE AND PAULA BENNETT ISN'T NEW. DON'T FORGET THE FORMER LABOUR MP HAS HINTED HE WANTS TO COME BACK TO POLITICS. HE MAY EVEN STAND IN WAITAKERE. THAT'S PAULA BENNETT'S SEAT. THE WAIPAREIRA TRUST TOOK THE CROWN TO COURT LAST YEAR OVER BEING STRIPPED OF ITS WELFARE CONTRACT AND LOST. BUT IT SEEMS JOHN TAMIHERE DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE UP THE FIGHT. JESSICA MUTCH, ONE NEWS. THE HIGH COURT HAS RULED AN ALLEGED PEOPLE-SMUGGLER LIVING IN AUCKLAND CAN'T BE EXTRADICTED TO AUSTRALIA TO FACE TRIAL. IT'S ALLEGED MAYTHEM RADHI WAS PART OF A ORGANISED RING WHICH TRIED TO SMUGGLE ASYLUM-SEEKERS FROM INDONESIA TO AUSTRALIA ON BOARD THE ILL-FATED BOAT SIEV X IN 2001. THE OVER-CROWDED VESSEL SANK, KILLING MORE THAN 350 PEOPLE. MR RADHI APPEALED AN EARLIER COURT DECISION TO SEND HIM BACK TO AUSTRALIA TO FACE CHARGES. THE HIGH COURT'S OVERRULED THE DECISION, SAYING MAYTHEN RADHI CAN'T BE EXTRADITED, BECAUSE AT THE TIME THE ALLEGED CRIMES WERE COMMITTED, THEY DIDN'T CARRY A JAIL TERM OF ONE YEAR OR MORE. THE MAN WHO UNCOVERED AMERICAN FRAUDSTER BERNIE MADOFF'S INFAMOUS PONZI SCHEME IS IN NZ TO GIVE ADVICE TO INVESTIGATORS HERE. AND IT'S A MESSAGE THAT'S BEING LISTENED TO, WITH AUTHORITIES HERE GRAPPLING WITH $0.5B OF PONZI FRAUD IN RECENT YEARS. WILL HINE REPORTS. BERNIE MADOFF'S $120B SCAM TOOK IN THE RICH AND FAMOUS, AMONG THEM HOLLYWOOD ACTORS KEVIN BACON AND JOHN MALKOVICH. PEOPLE INVESTED BASED ON THE RESUME AND HIS PERCEIVED LOFTY STATUS IN THE INVESTMENT INDUSTRY, AND, OF COURSE, IT WAS NOTHING BUT A MASSIVE FRAUD. MR MARKOPOLOS SHOULD KNOW ` HE WARNED US REGULATORS FIVE TIMES IN NINE YEARS THAT MADOFF WAS UP TO NO GOOD. HERE INVESTIGATORS HAVE LOOKED INTO MORE THAN $0.5B OF PONZI-RELATED FRAUD IN THE PAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF. SOME OF THEM ARE FAIRLY LARGE. THE ALLEGED OFFENDING WE SAW AT AORANGI, THE SUSPICIONS WE HAVE AROUND ROSS ASSET MANAGEMENT AND THE CONVICTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE B'ON CASE ARE FAIRLY MAJOR IN THE CONTEXT OF NZ. NORMALLY WHEN YOU INVEST MONEY WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, IT'LL LEND THE MONEY TO OTHERS AND PAY YOU INTEREST FROM THE PROFITS. BUT WITH A PONZI SCHEME, THE FRAUDSTERS DON'T INVEST YOUR MONEY AS PROMISED ` THEY USE IT TO PAY FAKE DIVIDENDS TO EARLIER INVESTORS AND RELY ON NEW INVESTORS TO KEEP THE FUNDS FLOWING. WHEN THOSE INVESTORS DRY UP, THE SCAM COLLAPSES. WHEN THOSE INVESTORS DRY UP, THE SCAM COLLAPSES. SO HOW DO YOU SPOT A PONZI SCHEME? WELL, THE RETURNS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, AND OPERATORS ARE OFTEN EVASIVE ABOUT HOW THE MONEY'S INVESTED, WITH MANY SURVIVING ON WORD-OF-MOUTH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PEOPLE ALREADY TAKEN IN. AUTHORITIES IN THE US HAVE INTRODUCED A WHISTLE-BLOWER SCHEME THAT REWARDS PEOPLE WHO DOB IN OFFENDING ` AN IDEA THAT'S BEING LOOKED AT HERE. ANYTHING THAT CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD IS TO BE ENCOURAGED. FOR NOW, THOUGH, THE MESSAGE IS ` BE WARY OF THOSE CHARISMATIC MONEY MEN. WILL HINE, ONE NEWS. IT'S BEEN A DISAPPOINTING NIGHT FOR 'THE HOBBIT' AT THE BRITISH FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS. THE MOVIE FAILED TO WIN ANY OF ITS THREE NOMINATED CATERGORIES. IT WAS ALSO THE BUTT OF A JOKE FROM BAFTA'S HOST STEPHEN FRY, WHOSE CAMEO APPEARANCE FAILED TO MAKE THE FINAL FILM. UH, MY PART REMAINS IN THE CUTTING ROOM, THUS, UH, MAKING IT MORE FOR ME, FRANKLY, 'THE HOBBIT: A WASTED BLOODY JOURNEY.' LAUGHTER 'LES MISERABLES' PICKED UP FOUR AWARDS, WHILE BEN AFFLECK'S MOVIE 'ARGO' WON BEST DIRECTOR AND BEST PICTURE. AS PREDICTED, DANIEL DAY-LEWIS TOOK OUT BEST ACTOR FOR HIS PORTRAYAL OF US PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN. HAMILTON ZOO IS CELEBRATING THE SUCCESSFUL BIRTH OF THREE RARE RED PANDA CUBS. THE TRIPLE SURPRISE CAME JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BUT ZOO STAFF KEPT THE BIRTHS UNDER WRAPS UNTIL TODAY WHEN THE CUBS REACHED 400 GRAMS. THE TRIPLETS ARE ALL BOYS AND STAFF HAVE YET TO NAME THEM. THEY'LL GO ON SHOW TO THE PUBLIC IN AROUND SIX WEEKS. LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` THERE ARE CALLS FOR THE MINISTER OF BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, MAURICE WILLIAMSON, TO STEP AWAY FROM ANY GOVERNMENT DECISIONS CONCERNING THE COLLAPSED CONSTRUCTION COMPANY MAINZEAL. MR WILLIAMSON IS A DIRECTOR OF AN AUCKLAND-BASED COMPANY THAT HAS HAD DIRECT DEALINGS WITH MAINZEAL. LABOUR'S RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT A POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. AND KIWI SINGER KIMBRA IS CELEBRATING TONIGHT AFTER WINNING TWO GRAMMY AWARDS. KIMBRA AND MELBOURNE-BASED GOTYE WON BEST RECORD OF THE YEAR AND BEST POP DUO/GROUP FOR THEIR HIT 'SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW'. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND SOME NEW TWISTS IN THE SONNY BILL SAGA? WHERE DO I START? IT'S A CIRCUS, ALL RIGHT. MORE FROM SYDNEY AND JOHANNESBURG IN THIS MURKY BUSINESS. AS THE ROOSTERS LEAGUE RECRUIT TURNS UP FOR HIS NEW, REAL JOB, WHERE TO FROM HERE FOR HIS BOXING CAREER? PLUS, GOLF'S WONDER-KID LYDIA KO IS IN HUGE DEMAND IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WHO'S CALLING NOW? AND IS THERE ANY CHANGE IN PLANS TO TURN PROFESSIONAL? AND DOES VAL HAVE A FUTURE IN COACHING? FIRST UP TONIGHT TO SONNY BILL WILLIAMS' CONTROVERSIAL BOXING BOUT AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LAST HOUR. AS WE REPORTED EARLIER ON ONE NEWS, THE RESULT OF FRANCOIS BOTHA'S SUPPOSED POSITIVE DRUGS TEST IS UP IN THE AIR. BOTHA WAS TESTED LAST WEEK IN BRISBANE, AND HAS TOLD US HE'S CLEAN. SO WHERE DOES THE LATEST FLARE UP LEAVE SONNY BILL AND MANAGER KHODER NASSER? ABBY SCOTT REPORTS. THE PART-TIME PUNCHER WAS BACK ON MORE FAMILIAR GROUND, ARRIVING FOR HIS FIRST DAY OF TRAINING WITH THE ROOSTERS LEAGUE TEAM. YEAH, IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE, BUT THE BOSS MAN IS SAYING I CAN'T TALK TO ANYONE, BRO. THE 27-YEAR-OLD IS BACK IN THE LEAGUE FOLD AFTER FOUR YEARS DABBLING IN THE OTHER CODE. BUT IT'S HIS OFF-FIELD IN-RING SPORTING EXPLOITS EVERYONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT. HIS MANAGER IS KEEN TO EXPLAIN AGAIN THE APPARENT EARLY FINISH TO THE FIGHT IN BRISBANE. PEOPLE ASSUMED IT WAS A 12-ROUND FIGHT. ALL PEOPLE HAD TO DO WAS GO AND LOOK AT THE LAST TIME THE HEAVYWEIGHT WBA INTERNATIONAL BELT WAS FOUGHT FOR ` IT WAS FOUGHT FOR OVER 10 ROUNDS. WHETHER THAT FIGHT WAS AGAINST A MAN WHO'D TESTED POSITIVE TO DRUGS IS UNCERTAIN. FRANCOIS IS BOTHA ADAMANT HE'S NO DRUG CHEAT. I DID NOT TAKE ANY SUBSTANCES ` ANY SUBSTANCES WHICH CAN AMOUNT TO ANYTHING. THE SOUTH AFRICAN SAYS HE SIGNED OFF A CLEAN TEST. THE DOCTOR THAT ADMINISTERED THE DRUG TEST CAME IN ON THE NIGHT OF THE FIGHT IN MY LOCKER ROOM, AND HE BROUGHT THE PAPER THERE. HE SAID, 'FRANCOIS, EVERYTHING'S FINE.' I SAID, 'GREAT NEWS. EVERYTHING'S FINE,' AND I SIGNED THE PAPER FROM HIM. WILLIAMS IS PROUD OF HIS FIGHT. I THOUGHT I SHOWED A LOT OF GRIT AND DETERMINATION, AND IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN PRETTY AT SOME TIMES, BUT I FELT THAT... I SHOWED THAT I'VE IMPROVED AS A BOXER. BUT DID HE SHOW THE BOXING WORLD THAT HE'S A FIGHTER TO TAKE SERIOUSLY? AND IS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH NASSER GOING TO HELP OR HINDER THAT? IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT DISHEARTENING, THE REACTION. I LEFT MY ALL OUT THERE. I GAVE IT MY WHOLE HEART, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS THAT I'VE EVER DONE. WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT THE FIGHT OUT OF THE RING WOULD BE JUST AS FIERCE? ABBY SCOTT, ONE NEWS. AUSSIE RULES FOOTBALL OFFICIALS HAVE FRONTED AGAIN TODAY OVER THE PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUG ALLEGATIONS CIRCLING THEIR SPORT. THE MAJOR BACKER OF THEIR PRESEASON CUP TOURNAMENT WHICH STARTS THIS WEEKEND IS STICKING BY THE AFL. TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE'S ONLY TWO CLUBS INVOLVED WITH PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS. YOU KNOW WHO ONE OF THEM IS. AND, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS ONE PLAYER AT ONE CLUB. THE RUMOUR MILL IS IN OVERDRIVE IN NRL LEAGUE, WITH FORMER ROOSTERS COACH BRIAN SMITH WRITING ABOUT SMALL PLAYERS RETURNING WITH A MUCH BIGGER PHYSIQUE AFTER A YEAR OR TWO AWAY FROM FIRST GRADE. THE ALL BLACKS SEVENS TEAM HAS SUFFERED A HEAVY DEFEAT TO SOUTH AFRICA IN THE FINAL OF THE LAS VEGAS TOURNAMENT. NZ WERE LEFT SHELL-SHOCKED AS THE UNDERDOGS RAN RAMPANT IN THE FIRST HALF. FOUR CONVERTED TRIES GAVE THEM A 28-NIL LEAD AT THE BREAK. OH, BRILLIANT PASS. BRANCO DU PREEZ'S GONNA GO HIMSELF UNDER THE POST. AND THAT IS ANOTHER HAMMER BLOW FOR SOUTH AFRICA. THE KIWIS EVENTUALLY GOT ON THE BOARD TO SALVAGE SOME PRIDE, BUT WERE STILL SOUNDLY THUMPED 40-21. ON A BRIGHTER NOTE, REGARDLESS OF THE SCORELINE, NZ'S EXTENDED ITS LEAD IN THE OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP TO 23 POINTS. THE NZ RUGBY UNION HAS SIGNED A NEW DEAL FOR REFEREES WHICH WILL MAKE THEM HARD TO MISS ON THE FIELD. INSULATION MANUFACTURER PINKS BATTS IS SPONSORING OUR TOP WHISTLE BLOWERS, WHOSE JERSEYS WILL CARRY THE SLOGAN 'ANOTHER GOOD CALL'. OH, I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET ANY MORE FLACK THAN WE'VE EVER GOT IN THE PAST, SO BE NICE TO BE TALKING ABOUT PINK. PINK'S NOT NEW TO RUGBY, WITH LEADING EUROPEAN CLUB STADE FRANCAIS PLAYING IN THE COLOUR FOR YEARS ` BUT DON'T EXPECT REFS TO FOLLOW THEIR LEAD AND DO A NUDE PHOTO SHOOT AS WELL. TEENAGE GOLFING STAR LYDIA KO HAS RISEN TO NUMBER 30 ON THE WOMEN'S WORLD RANKINGS AFTER PLAYING JUST A DOZEN PROFESSIONAL TOURNAMENTS. IT'S ANOTHER STAGGERING FEAT AFTER KO BECAME THE YOUNGEST EVER WINNER ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR YESTERDAY, CLAIMING HER HOME TITLE AT THE NZ OPEN. SO IS SHE TEMPTED AGAIN TO TURN PRO? MARTIN TASKER REPORTS. THE PULLING POWER OF THE HOTTEST NEW PROPERTY IN WOMEN'S GOLF ` THE GALLERY FOLLOWING LYDIA KO'S WINNING WAYS GOT AN HONOURABLE MENTION IN HER VICTORY SPEECH. I THINK THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE OUT HERE AT THE NZ WOMEN'S OPEN THAN THE MEN'S OPEN. (LAUGHS) THE 15-YEAR-OLD FIELDED A PHONE CALL FROM THE PRIME MINISTER AND TWEETS FROM HER GOLFING IDOL MICHELE WI IS SUCH A DRAWCARD, THE GALLERY INCLUDED AN AMERICAN GOLF JOURNALIST WHO'D PERSUADED HER EDITOR TO FOLLOW THE STORY OF 2012. WHAT BETTER PLACE TO COME WATCH HER KICK OFF 2013 THAN THE NZ WOMEN'S OPEN? AND I PROMISED SHE WOULD WIN,... < IT'S BEEN A GOOD WEEK? ...SO I LOOK SMART. (CHUCKLES) SO DOES KO'S COACH AFTER EXCHANGING HIGH-FIVES WITH HIS PUPIL BACK AT HIS DAY JOB IN AUCKLAND TODAY IN BETWEEN TAKING CALLS FROM MARKETING AGENTS. THERE'S SOME BIG COMPANIES ON THE DOORSTEP TRYING TO SAY HELLO. YET WHILE THE AGENTS CAN SMELL THE MONEY, KO CONTINUES TO TURN HER AMATEUR NOSE UP AT IT. ADD THE CLEARWATER CHEQUE TO THE PRIZE MONEY FOR THE NEW SOUTH WALES AND CANADIAN OPENS, AND KO HAS TURNED DOWN GETTING ON FOR $500,000. SOME SUPPORTERS HAVING A CHANGE OF HEART. I'M STARTING TO THINK, WELL, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY, GO WITH $10M IN THE BANK IN 10 YEARS' TIME. THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT SHE COULD DO. SHE COULD EASILY WIN A MAJOR THIS YEAR ` NO JOKE. (LAUGHS) KO NOW HEADS FOR THE AUSSIE OPEN, STARTING ON THURSDAY. MARTIN TASKER, ONE NEWS. THE BLACKCAPS ARE BLAMING THE EDEN PARK LIGHTS FOR THEIR ABYSMAL FIELDING PERFORMANCE IN SATURDAY'S T20 LOSS TO ENGLAND. CATCHING PRACTICE WAS THE THEME OF TODAY'S TRAINING IN HAMILTON AFTER THE HOSTS DROPPED FIVE CATCHES IN THE AUCKLAND DEFEAT. IT IS A TOUGH GROUND TO FIELD AT BECAUSE IT'S A RING OF LIGHTS AT A LOW TRAJECTORY. I PLAYED THERE EARLIER IN THE YEAR FOR THE HRV CUP, AND I'VE SEEMED SOME DOLLY CATCHES DROPPED THERE. I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, BUT YOU WON'T SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. IAN BUTLER AND GRANT ELLIOT ARE LIKELY TO RETURN TO THE SIDE FOR TOMORROW'S SECOND T20 AT SEDDON PARK, AFTER RECOVERING FROM INJURY. THE WHITE FERNS HAVE STARTED STRONGLY IN THEIR CRUCIAL WOMEN'S WORLD CUP SUPER-SIX MATCH AGAINST THE WEST INDIES IN MUMBAI. BOWLING FIRST AND NEEDING TO WIN TO STAY IN THE HUNT FOR A PLACE IN THE FINAL, SIAN RUCK TOOK TWO EARLY WICKETS BEFORE MORNA NIELSEN AND SUZIE BATES JOINED THE PARTY. RESULT IN AN EARLY WICKET CATCH BEHIND! THE WEST INDIES ARE NOW 129 FOR 6 AFTER 31 OVERS. WHEN IT COMES TO LONGEVITY, IT'S HARD TO TOP MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALLER RYAN GRIGGS. THE WELSHMAN'S OPENING GOAL FOR UNITED AGAINST EVERTON TODAY GAVE THE 39-YEAR-OLD THE EXTRAORDINARY FEAT OF HAVING SCORED IN EVERY PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON SINCE THE COMPETITION BEGAN 21 YEARS AGO. HE HAS SCORED IN ALL OF THEM. HAVING SET UP THE FIRST GOAL, ROBIN VAN PERSIE GRABBED A SECOND JUST ON HALF-TIME. THE 2-0 WIN TAKES UNITED 12 POINTS CLEAR OF MANCHESTER CITY IN THE TITLE RACE. ENGLAND'S NOW A FIRM FAVOURITE TO WIN RUGBY'S SIX NATIONS TITLE AFTER BEATING IRELAND IN DUBLIN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS. THE GAME WAS DECIDED ON KICKS, INCLUDING THIS ONE FROM IRISH PROP CIAN HEALY. ENGLAND FIRST FIVE OWEN FARRELL KNOCKED OVER FOUR PENALTIES TO IRELAND'S TWO. SO ENGLAND 12-6. THEY HAVE FRANCE, ITALY AND WALES LEFT IN THE DRAW. HOW'S THIS FOR PARENTAL SUPPORT? AFTER SCORING YESTERDAY FOR WALES AGAINST FRANCE, FOOTAGE HAS EMERGED OF WINGER GEORGE NORTH'S FATHER GETTING OVEREXCITED AND BEING REMOVED BY FRENCH SECURITY. BLACK STICKS STRIKER NICK WILSON HAS CLAIMED BRAGGING RIGHTS OVER HIS FELLOW KIWIS IN THE INDIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE. WILSON'S RANCHI RHINOS STUNNED FAVOURITES THE DELHI WAVERIDERS IN THE FINAL OF THE TOURNAMENT OVERNIGHT ` THAT'S DESPITE KIWI STRIKER SIMON CHILD OPENING THE SCORING FOR DELHI IN THE FIRST HALF. THE WAVERIDERS' NZ TRIO OF CHILD, ANDY HAYWARD AND DEAN COUZINS COULDN'T PREVENT RANCHI WINNING 2-1 TO LIFT THE FIRST LEAGUE TROPHY. FINALLY IN SPORT ` ONE OF OUR YOUNG PARALYMPIC SHOT PUT HOPEFULS HAS BEEN GIVEN A HELPING HAND TODAY BY NONE OTHER THAN DOUBLE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST VALERIE ADAMS. FREEDOM NATHAN (15) LOST HER SIGHT TO CANCER WHEN SHE WAS JUST 4. ADAMS TOOK TIME OUT FOR A ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING SESSION WITH HER THIS AFTERNOON. IT WAS AWESOME, EH. IT WAS AMAZING TO WORK WITH VAL, AS A COACH FOR SHOTPUT. SHE'S MY COACH, YEAH. (LAUGHS) I THINK AS WE WENT ON I GOT MORE AND MORE COMFORTABLE WITH REMEMBERING TO MAKE HER FEEL THE MOVEMENT AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO GET A VISUAL, OBVIOUSLY. BUT I THINK I DID ALL RIGHT AT THE END. IT JUST TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF CONNECTING THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. NATHAN HOPES TO QUALIFY FOR PARA SHOT PUT NATIONALS AND EVENTUALLY TRIAL FOR THE RIO 2016 PARALYMPICS. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. THANKS, ANDREW. AFTER THE BREAK, KAREN'S SAYS THERE'S SOME RAIN OR SHOWERS FOR PARTS OF BOTH ISLANDS TOMORROW. HELLO AGAIN. AN ACTIVE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WAS SWEPT UP OVER THE SOUTH ISLAND TODAY DELIVERING SOME HEAVY RAIN IN THE SOUTH-WEST. THE LEADING FRONT APPROACHING THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN FIRING UP OVER KAIKOURA AND MARLBOROUGH. WATCHING THESE CELLS AT THE MOMENT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN PLACE. JUST A WATCH AT THIS STAGE. SEE BRIGHT WHITE FRONTAL CLOUD MARCHING UP THE SOUTH ISLAND. COUPLE OF COLD FRONTS. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ ALL FROM ME. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. AND THAT'S ONE NEWS FOR MONDAY.