GOOD EVENING. AS CYCLONE RUSTY BEARS DOWN ON WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND FLOOD WATERS ABATE IN QUEENSLAND, NZ REMAINS A DRY AND THIRSTY LAND. JUST A FEW SHOWERS ARE SPRINKLING OUR NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN EXTREMITIES, AND THAT'S IT FOR THE WEEK. CHECK YOUR WATER TANKS, AND TAKE THE SUNSCREEN. 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. WERE WE HEAVIED BY HOLLYWOOD? SECRET EMAILS ON THE FILMING OF 'THE HOBBIT' ARE REVEALED. DANGEROUS WATERS ` SAFETY FEARS AS A NEW BATTLE BREWS OVER WHALING IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN. HI, EVERYONE. WELCOME ALONG. HI, EVERYONE. WELCOME ALONG. YES, IT IS 'CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE'. A CAREER THAT MOVED IN DIFFERENT CIRCLES ` WE HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE CLOSEST TO ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE FRONTMEN. AND IT GOT TOO TRICKY FOR RICKI ` WAS HE KICKED OUT AS COACH OF THE PHOENIX? THE TESTY TONE OF TALKS ON THE MAKING OF THE HOBBIT MOVIES IN NZ HAS BEEN REVEALED IN THE RELEASE OF A SERIES OF SECRET EMAILS. THEY SHOW THE DEPTH OF DIRECTOR SIR PETER JACKSON'S ANGER WITH UNIONS, DESCRIBING THE SAGA AS 'TOXIC'. DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH HAS TAKEN A DETAILED LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS AND JOINS US NOW. THESE ARE 41 PAGES OF EMAILS AND DOCUMENTS WRITTEN ABOUT 2010. THE GOVE FORCED TO RELEASE THEM. TO SECURE THE FILMING OF 'THE HOBBIT' IN NZ, THE GOVERNMENT CHANGED THE LABOUR LAWS AND GAVE WARNER BROTHERS A TAX BREAK WORTH $25M. WHENEVER A DEAL IS DONE, THERE'S ALWAYS A PAPER TRAIL, WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO SEE JUST HOW HARD THE GOVERNMENT WAS LOBBIED. WE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE DECISIONS WE HAVE MADE WHICH HAVE ENABLE THE HOBBIT MOVIES TO BE FILMED IN NZ. THE EMAILS REVEAL DIRECT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND SIR PETER JACKSON AND SHOW JUST HOW FRUSTRATED THE DIRECTOR WAS WITH THE UNIONS AND HOW NERVOUS HE WAS ABOUT LOSING THE FILM TO EUROPE OR AUSTRALIA. IN AN EMAIL, SIR PETER JACKSON CALLS THE AUSTRALIAN-BASED UNION BOSS SIMON WHIPP A 'SNAKE' WHO PLAYED THE GOVERNMENT LIKE A FOOL AND WAS TRYING TO DERAIL THE HOBBIT PRODUCTION. DESPITE RECENT TRIPS TO HOLLYWOOD, THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT ISN'T TOO COSY WITH SIR PETER JACKSON OR BIG FILM COMPANIES. THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO DECIDE IN ALL THESE SITUATIONS, ARE THEY PREPARED TO CHANGE THE REGULATIONS TO ENCOURAGE AN INDUSTRY OR NOT? AND WE MADE THE CALL, AND THE MOVIE WAS PRODUCED HERE AND OTHER ONES ARE BEING PRODUCED HERE. LABOUR SAYS THE DOCUMENTS SHOW THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN ADVICE ON EMPLOYMENT AND COMMERCIAL LAW SAYS 'NO LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS WERE REQUIRED' IN OTHER WORDS, WE DIDN'T NEED A LAW CHANGE. THE GOVERNMENT KNEW THAT THEY COULD DEAL WITH ALL THE EMPLOYMENT ISSUES WITHOUT CHANGING THE LAW, BUT THEY WENT AHEAD AND DID IT ANYWAY. JUST LIKE SKY CITY, THEY ARE SELLING OFF OUR LAWS WHEN WE DON'T NEED TO. THE ACTORS' GUILD IS QUESTIONING WHO IS MAKING OUR LAWS. IS IT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY THE VOTERS OF NZ? OR IS IT A SINGLE BUSINESSPERSON WHO IS WORKING ON BEHALF OF A MUCH BIGGER BUSINESS ENTITY FROM OFFSHORE. THE FILMING OF HOBBIT MOVIES HAS NOW WRAPPED UP, AND THE GOVERNMENT HOPES THE POLITICAL FALLOUT HAS BEEN CONTAINED TOO. SO, JESSICA, WILL THE RELEASE OF THESE DOCUMENTS BE DAMAGING TO NZ'S FILM INDUSTRY? THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL ALWAYS BE A RISK THAT FILM COMPANIES WON'T NEGOTIATE THERE'S A CALL TONIGHT FOR 'COOLER HEADS' AS A WHALING BATTLE TAKES ANOTHER DANGEROUS TURN IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN. THE JAPANESE CLAIM LIVES WERE PUT AT RISK WHEN A PROTEST VESSEL ALLEGEDLY RAMMED THEIR SHIPS NEAR ANTARCTICA. RENEE GRAHAM HAS THE LATEST. IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE CAMERA ANGLE. JAPANESE WHALERS SAY THIS VIDEO SHOWS A SEA SHEPHERD PROTEST VESSEL RAMMING THEIR HARPOON SHIP. BUT ACTIVISTS CLAIM THEIR VIDEO OF THE SAME INCIDENT SHOWS THE JAPANESE WERE THE AGGRESSORS. THIS IS THE SECOND ALLEGED RAMMING INCIDENT THIS WHALING SEASON. THE JAPANESE SAY AN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ALLOWS THEM TO WHALE FOR SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES. THE CETACEAN INSTITUTE SAYS SEA SHEPHERD'S EFFORTS TO STOP THEM ARE SABOTAGE AND NOT ONLY MALICIOUS, BUT THREATEN SAFETY, AND ARE THEREFORE COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S CALLING ON AUSTRALIA, THE NETHERLANDS AND NZ TO RESTRAIN THEM. WE CAN'T PROVIDE IMMEDIATE SUPPORT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG THERE. AND WE THINK COOL HEADS SHOULD PREVAIL. THE SEA SHEPHERD SAYS THE JAPANESE ARE IN AN AREA PROTECTED BY THE ANTARCTIC TREATY AND REGARDED AS AUSTRALIAN WATERS, WHERE WHALING IS ILLEGAL. BUT JAPAN DISAGREES, SO THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE TAKEN THE DISPUTE TO AN INTERNATIONAL COURT. WE ARE NOT A PARTY DIRECTLY TO THE CASE THAT THE AUSTRALIANS ARE BRINGING TO THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE. BUT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT PROCESS, AND MY VIEW WOULD BE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE AN END TO SCIENTIFIC WHALING. IF THE CASE IS DECIDED IN AUSTRALIA'S FAVOUR, IT WON'T STOP JAPAN. THEY'LL STILL COME DOWN HERE ANYWAY. THE WHALING SEASON WRAPS UP IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. ACTIVISTS WANT NZ OR AUSTRALIA TO SEND A SHIP TO KEEP THE PEACE, BUT JOHN KEY SAYS THAT COULD ANTAGONISE THE SITUATION. RENEE GRAHAM, ONE NEWS. ONE NEWS HAS LEARNED THE RAIL CROSSING WHERE A WOMAN IN A WHEELCHAIR WAS HIT BY A TRAIN HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR HAZARD. KIWIRAIL IS NOW INVESTIGATING THE SAFETY OF ALL ITS CROSSINGS IN AUCKLAND. RUTH WYNN-WILLIAMS HAS MORE. KERRY HILL HAS TO CROSS THIS TRAIN TRACK TO GET TO WORK IN PENROSE EVERY DAY ` A BUMPY CROSSING HE SAYS ONCE TURNED INTO A DANGEROUS GAME OF CHICKEN. AS I WENT ACROSS THE FIRST TRACK, IT SHOOK MY CHAIR ENOUGH TO BASICALLY KILL THE WHEELCHAIR. IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. AND WHEN HIS CHAIR IS POWERLESS, SO IS HE ` STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. WARNING BELLS SOUNDED, AND A TRAIN WAS ON ITS WAY. FEAR, LIKE, KIND OF OVERTAKES, AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE WAS PULLED AWAY BY A FRIEND WITH JUST MOMENTS TO SPARE. WE COUNTED THE LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN WHEN THE ALARM BELLS SOUND AND WHEN THE TRAIN COMES PAST. WE COUNTED LESS THAN 20 SECONDS. THAT'S 20 SECONDS FOR KIDS ON BIKES, MUMS PUSHING PRAMS OR PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS TO GET THEMSELVES SAFELY OFF THE TRACKS. WITH GAPS OF NEARLY 10CM ` THAT'S WIDER THAN HIS FRONT WHEELS ` KERRY'S SOLUTION IS TO NEVER TAKE THIS PATH ALONE AGAIN. THE WOMAN STRUCK BY A TRAIN IN MORNINGSIDE IS STILL IN HOSPITAL WITH LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. THE CROSSING'S BEEN TEMPORARILY PATCHED UP, BUT THE SITE'S BEEN LABELLED NOTORIOUSLY DANGEROUS. LOCALS ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH IT, WITH PEOPLE GETTING STUCK IN IT BEFORE. A SAFETY REVIEW BY AUCKLAND TRANSPORT IN 2011 IDENTIFIED MORNINGSIDE AND TWO OTEHR CROSSINGS AS MOST IN NEED OF A SAFER OPTION. KIWIRAIL TOLD ONE NEWS THE CROSSING WAS ALREADY KNOWN AS A MAJOR TRIP HAZARD. IT'S NOW INSPECTING EACH OF ITS 54 AUCKLAND CROSSINGS. I THINK IT'S DISGUSTING THAT IT'S TAKEN SOMEBODY TO GET HURT FOR SOMEBODY TO DECIDE, 'OK, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.' IN THE MEANTIME, HE'LL CONTINUE TO AVOID THESE CROSSINGS AND TAKE THE LONG WAY TO WORK. RUTH WYNN-WILLIAMS, ONE NEWS. SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' PATIENCE WITH NOVOPAY HAS RUN OUT, WITH THEIR UNION SAYING IT'LL GO TO COURT. THE PPTA SAYS IT'S COLLECTING WITNESS STATEMENTS FROM MEMBERS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT LEGAL STEPS TO TAKE. THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR NOVOPAY, STEVEN JOYCE, SAYS HE UNDERSTANDS TEACHERS' FRUSTRATION, BUT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT COURT ACTION WILL ACHIEVE. COURT ACTION IS OBVIOUSLY ABOUT GETTING SOME COMPENSATION FOR OUR MEMBERS, AND IF HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL ACHIEVE, THEN THAT'S CLEARLY A SIGNAL THAT HE HAS NO IDEA ABOUT THE IMPACT THIS IS HAVING ON PEOPLE. THE PPTA SAYS THE LAST TWO PAY CYCLES HAVE BEEN THE WORST. 12 SCHOOLCHILDREN ARE TONIGHT IN THE CLEAR AFTER NEEDING HOSPITAL CHECK-UPS FOR TAKING PILLS. A SIX-YEAR-OLD FROM NORTHCOTE PRIMARY IN CHRISTCHURCH FOUND AN UNMARKED CONTAINER ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL. HER OLDER SISTER HANDED OUT THE PILLS. SOME CHILDREN ATE THEM. OTHERS SPAT THEM OUT. THE CHILDREN SEEMED FINE, BUT AS A PRECAUTION IT NEEDS TO BE OFFICIAL AND HAVE PEOPLE CHECKED OUT` THE CHILDREN OUT TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OK. THE HOSPITAL SAYS THE PILLS ARE A HERBAL SUPPLEMENT OFTEN USED FOR FAT BURNING. THEY'RE SAFE FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN. A CRUCIAL MEETING FOR PIKE RIVER FAMILIES HAS SEEN THEM TAKE ONE STEP CLOSER ENTERING THE MINE THAT STILL HOLDS THE BODIES OF 29 MEN. A WORKING PARTY GOT TOGETHER IN CHRISTCHURCH AT SOLID ENERGY'S HEADQUARTERS TO SORT OUT A SAFE WAY TO RE-ENTER THE COAL MINE. THIS FROM LISA DAVIES. ARRIVING BEFORE DAWN WITH ONE THING IN MIND. IF WE CAN'T GET THINGS DONE, GOD HELP MINING IN NZ. BERNIE MONK WAS ONE OF 21 PEOPLE, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND MINE EXPERTS, AT A MEETING THAT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING FOR THE PIKE FAMILIES ABOUT RE-ENTERING THE MINE TUNNEL. IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS OF IMMENSE FRUSTRATION. THE MEETING'S BEEN SCHEDULED THIS EARLY SO THAT TWO OF THE PIKE RIVER FAMILIES' MINING EXPERTS, BASED IN ENGLAND, CAN TAKE PART VIA TELECONFERENCE. I WON'T BE LEAVING THAT MEETING WITH OUR GUYS TODAY UNLESS THINGS ARE PUT IN CONCRETE TODAY. GAINING ACCESS TO THE TUNNEL IS CRUCIAL TO THE FAMILIES BECAUSE IT MAY REVEAL FURTHER CLUES AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION. IT MAY ALSO CONTAIN THE REMAINS OF SOME OF THE MEN WHO DIED HERE. AFTER FIVE HOURS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS DISCUSSING THE RE-ENTRY, THEY EMERGED. I LEARNT A LOT FROM THIS. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AS FAST AS I ANTICIPATED, BUT WE'RE GOING DOWN THE RIGHT PATHS. THE GROUP HAS AGREED TO FURTHER DEVELOP TWO METHODS OF EXPLORING THE TUNNEL, WHICH RUNS OVER 2KM UP TO THE WORKINGS OF THE MINE. IT'S BEEN SEALED SHUT, BECAUSE THE MINE IS SO VOLATILE, SO GETTING BACK IN IS FAR FROM SIMPLE. ALWAYS DISAPPOINTMENT, OF COURSE, ABOUT TIMING, BUT YOU CAN'T RUSH A PROCESS ON WHICH PEOPLE'S LIVES TURN. ONCE THE BEST OPTION IS SELECTED AND ITS SAFETY HAS BEEN ASSESSED BY THE HIGH HAZARDS UNIT, IT WILL GO TO THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS INDICATED IT WILL FUND A SAFE AND TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE PLAN. WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE. GETTING ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO RE-ENTERING THE MINE THAT TOOK THE LIVES OF THEIR MEN. LISA DAVIES, ONE NEWS. THERE'S BEEN MORE FALLOUT OVER THE FINANCIAL FAILINGS OF SOLID ENERGY. THE GOVERNMENT'S NOW TRYING TO PUT THE BLAME ON LABOUR, WITH THE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE, EARMARKED FOR SALE, ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE. THIS FROM POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN. IT WAS BORROWING MILLIONS FOR HIGH-STAKES PROJECTS LIKE THIS LIGNITE MINE IN SOUTHLAND THAT GOT SOLID ENERGY INTO TROUBLE. AND TODAY JOHN KEY WAS FORCED TO EXPLAIN WHY HE WAS BACKING THE PROJECTS IN 2011. HIS ACTUAL STATEMENT WHEN HE WAS IN SOUTHLAND WAS THAT, 'WE WANT SOLID ENERGY TO EXPAND IN AREAS LIKE LIGNITE CONVERSION.' I GENUINELY BELIEVED THAT THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FOR LIGNITE CONVERSION. BUT JOHN KEY STRESSES HIS ENDORSEMENT CAME FOUR MONTHS BEFORE A SCOPING STUDY REVEALED THE TRUE STATE OF SOLID ENERGY'S FINANCIAL WOES ` WOES HE CLAIMS STARTED UNDER THE WATCH OF LABOUR SOE MINISTER TREVOR MALLARD. FROM 2003 ON, THEY WERE INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH THE PLANS THAT THAT COMPANY HAD. THEY WERE AROUND WHEN THEY PURCHASED THE LAND FOR LIGNITE. I CANNOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PRICE OF COAL OR THE DECISIONS OF NATIONAL PARTY MEMBERS WHO IN CHARGE OF THE AREA NOT TO READ THEIR PAPERS. WITH SOLID ENERGY IN SUCH TROUBLE, A PARTIAL SALE IN THE NEAR FUTURE LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE, DENYING THE GOVERNMENT OF AS MUCH AS $850M IN PROCEEDS. AS A RESULT, IT MAY NOW STRUGGLE TO MEET ITS TARGET OF BETWEEN $5B AND $7B FOR THE ENTIRE ASSET-SALES PROGRAMME. IT MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO TEST THE MARKET. FAILING TO REACH $5B WOULD CAUSE HEADACHES, AS THE GOVERNMENT'S ALREADY EARMARKED THE CASH FOR FUTURE PROJECTS, LIKE THE CHRISTCHURCH REBUILD. I HOPE THOSE NUMBERS HOLD UP, BECAUSE WE HAVE BIG COMMITMENTS IN CHRISTCHURCH. WITH SOLID ENERGY'S DEMISE, THERE IS NOW BIG PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO GET A STRONG PRICE FOR SHARES IN ENERGY SOE MIGHTY RIVER POWER. A SUPREME COURT RULING ON WHETHER THAT SALE CAN PROCEED IS DUE IN A MATTER OF DAYS. CORIN DANN, ONE NEWS. POLICE HAVE SEIZED MORE THAN 600 CANNABIS PLANTS WORTH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN AN INTERNATIONAL OPERATION. FIVE HOMES ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE WERE UNCOVERED GROWING THE DRUG BY NZ INVESTIGATORS WORKING ALONGSIDE CANADIAN AUTHORITIES. THEY'D ALREADY SEIZED A $7M SHIPMENT OF METHAMPHETAMINE DUE FOR OUR SHORES. VERY SOPHISTICATED SET UP. THE HOUSES WERE PURELY SET UP FOR THE GROWING OF CANNABIS, AND THE PEOPLE WERE LIVING SOMEWHERE ELSE. 10 PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 18 AND 34 HAVE BEEN ARRESTED. CONCERNS ARE GROWING FOR A MISSING CANADIAN BACKPACKER. PEARCE MARTIN (20) HASN'T BEEN IN CONTACT WITH FAMILY OR FRIENDS SINCE ATTENDING WAITANGI CELEBRATIONS. POLICE SAY THERE'S NO CLUE WHERE HE WENT AFTER WAITANGI, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE SEEN HIM. THE MOST ENDURING TELEVISION PRESENTER IN NZ HISTORY HAS DIED OF A BRAIN TUMOUR AT THE AGE OF 61. PHILLIP LEISHMAN FIRST APPEARED ON SCREEN IN 1971 AND WAS STILL WORKING LATE LAST YEAR. HIS FRIEND AND LONG-TIME COLLEAGUE PETER WILLIAMS LOOKS BACK AT A DISTINGUISHED CAREER. FIVE MINUTES TO KICK-OFF, AND THE STAGE IS SET FOR A DRAMATIC FIRST TEST MATCH BETWEEN PHIL BENNETT'S 1977 LIONS AND TANE NORTON'S ALL BLACKS. FROM HIS START IN SPORTS, HE WAS ALWAYS A VIEWERS' FAVOURITE AND MADE SURE HE LOOKED THE PART. ALWAYS VERY PROUD OF HIS BIG BOUFFANT HAIRDO. AND HE USED TO TEASE SOME OF US MORE RUGGED AND RAGGED-LOOKING CHARACTERS WITH THE LITTLE CREED THAT, 'IT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAY ON TV; IT'S HOW YOU LOOK.' PHILLIP UNASHAMEDLY LIKED THE CAMERA, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE CAMERA LOVED PHILLIP. IT TURNED OUT BROADCASTING RAN IN THE FAMILY. # SNOOPY WAS CERTAIN # THAT THIS WAS THE END. # ONCE THEY WERE YOUNG BOYS IN TIMARU WHO LOVED TO PLAY RADIO. WE USED TO SET UP WITH AN OLD STEREOGRAM, WITH A RECORD TURNTABLE AND A REEL-TO-REEL TAPE DECK, AND WE USED TO MAKE OUR OWN RADIO STATIONS. OF COURSE, HE WAS ALWAYS THE STAR. HE REALLY MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF IN 1976. THE FIRST-EVER OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY TO BE SHOWN LIVE IN NZ HAD MAJOR SOUND PROBLEMS. IN A WELLINGTON STUDIO, PHILLIP PARROTED INFORMATION GIVEN TO HIM ON THE PHONE BY KEITH QUINN IN MONTREAL. HE GOT ALL THE PRAISE. I DID ALL THE WORK AND GOT NONE. AND HE NEVER REALLY LET ME FORGET THAT. AFTER NEARLY 20 YEARS IN SPORTS, HE MOVED TO LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT AND THE GAME SHOW 'WHEEL OF FORTUNE'. HI, EVERYONE. WELCOME ALONG. YES, IT IS 'CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE' TIME. JULIAN MOUNTER WAS THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL AT THE TIME, OR THE HEAD OF TV ONE. HE COULDN'T BELIEVE I WOULD DO A GAME SHOW. HE WAS, YOU KNOW, A BIT PATRONISING. 'NO, STAY IN SPORT. DON'T DO A GAME SHOW.' BUT THE MONEY WAS PRETTY ATTRACTIVE. BUT I ACTUALLY LOVED THE CHALLENGE OF 'WHEEL OF FORTUNE', BECAUSE EVERY DAY YOU HAD TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT PATTER. LATER THERE WAS A TRAVEL SHOW AND, ONCE, A 'MISS NZ' SHOW. THEN, FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, A GOLF PROGRAMME, WHERE HE TRAVELLED THE WORLD AND TALKED TO THE GAME'S BEST. PHILLIP LEISHMAN WAS A CHARMING AND GENIAL MAN WHO VIEWERS LOVED FOR 40 YEARS. IN THIS INDUSTRY, YOU CAN'T ASK FOR MUCH MORE THAN THAT. COMING UP NEXT ON ONE NEWS ` AUSTRALIA'S WILD WEATHER CLAIMS MORE VICTIMS AS THE WEST NOW BRACES FOR CYCLONE RUSTY. A HUGE PROTEST VOTE BRINGS ITALY TO ITS POLITICAL KNEES. WILL SILVIO BERLUSCONI OR A COMEDIAN END UP HOLDING THE BALANCE OF POWER? ALMOST 100 YEARS AFTER HE DIED FOR KING AND COUNTRY, A YOUNG SOUTHERN MAN IS LAID TO REST IN FLANDERS. AND A NEW CAST OF POLITICAL PUPPETS RISE FROM THE ASHES OF AN ICONIC WELLINGTON WATERING HOLE. AFTER ONE OF ITS DRIEST SUMMERS IN YEARS, NORTHLAND WILL FIND OUT TOMORROW WHETHER A DROUGHT WILL BE DECLARED FOR THE REGION. FARMERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND RURAL SUPPORT WORKERS HELD A TELECONFERENCE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE EFFECTS OF DRY SPELL. THEY'VE ASKED THE MINISTRY OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES TO DECLARE WHAT'S CALLED A 'MEDIUM-SCALE ADVERSE WEATHER EVENT' THAT WOULD TRIGGER A RANGE OF RELIEF MEASURES, INCLUDING ECONOMIC AID. MEANWHILE, FURTHER WATER RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED IN KAIPARA, WHERE THE RISK OF FURTHER SRUBFIRES IS HIGH. WESTERN AUSTRALIA IS BRACING FOR DEVASTATING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN AS TROPICAL CYCLONE RUSTY BEARS DOWN ON PORT HEDLAND. A MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PEOPLE LIVING AROUND THE MINING TOWN, AND A STORM SURGE IS EXPECTED. MEANWHILE, IN SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND, THE EXTREME WEATHER HAS CLAIMED ANOTHER LIFE AND LEFT THE TOWN OF GYMPIE FACING ITS FIFTH FLOOD IN 12 MONTHS. IT REALLY HURTS AT THE MOMENT. IT'S REALLY STARTING TO HURT. THE BUSINESS DISTRICT IN GYMPIE HAS BEEN EVACUATED AS THE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO BREAK ITS BANKS LATER THIS EVENING. THE POPE HAS ACCEPTED THE RESIGNATION OF BRITAIN'S HIGHEST-RANKING CATHOLIC LEADER AMID ONGOING ALLEGATIONS OF MISCONDUCT. CARDINAL KEITH O'BRIEN, THE ARCHBISHOP OF EDINBURGH, EARLIER SAID HE WOULD FIGHT THE CLAIMS THAT HE ACTED INAPPROPRIATELY TOWARDS FOUR PRIESTS. KEITH O'BRIEN RETAINS HIS TITLE AS CARDINAL AND COULD HAVE STILL VOTED IN THE CONCLAVE TO ELECT A NEW POPE, BUT HAS DECIDED NOT TO ATTEND. AND POPE BENEDICT HAS CHANGED THE RULES OF THAT CONCLAVE TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING HIS REPLACEMENT. INSTEAD OF THE USUAL 15-DAY GAP BETWEEN BENEDICT'S EXIT AND THE CONCLAVE TO CHOOSE HIS SUCCESSOR, CARDINALS CAN START MEETING TO DECIDE ON A NEW POPE ONE DAY AFTER HE ENDS HIS PAPACY. A DAY AFTER GOING TO THE POLLS, ITALIANS FACE THE PROSPECT OF A HUNG PARLIAMENT AND ANOTHER ELECTION. THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO POLITICAL STALEMATE BY A HUGE PROTEST VOTE, PUTTING A COMEDIAN IN A POSSIBLE KINGMAKER POSITION. THE BBC'S GAVIN HEWITT REPORTS. THIS MAN, ON HIS WAY TO VOTE TODAY, HAS CAUSED A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY. BEPPE GRILLO IS A COMEDIAN WHO HAS RAGED AGAINST ITALY'S POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT. HE'S ANTI-AUSTERITY AND WANTS TO HOLD A REFERENDUM ON THE EURO. ONE IN FOUR ITALIANS HAVE VOTED FOR HIS PROTEST MOVEMENT. INITIALLY, AS THE VOTES STARTED TO BE COUNTED, IT SEEMED THAT THE CENTRE-LEFT WAS ON COURSE TO FORM A COALITION GOVERNMENT. IT WAS SOON CLEAR, HOWEVER, THAT SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND HIS ALLIES HAD DONE WELL IN KEY REGIONS IN THE NORTH. THE COUNTRY WAS HEADING FOR POLITICAL DEADLOCK. IT MAY WELL BE THAT HERE AT THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES, THE LOWER HOUSE, THAT THE CENTRE-LEFT IS THE DOMINANT PARTY. BUT JUST DOWN THE ROAD AT THE SENATE, SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND HIS ALLIES ARE PERFORMING STRONGLY. AND IT ALL RAISES THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THERE REALLY CAN BE A CREDIBLE AND STABLE GOVERNMENT. THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME IS A HUNG PARLIAMENT. THE CENTRE-LEFT CANDIDATE, PIER LUIGI BERSANI, IS LIKELY TO TRY AND FORM A COALITION WITH THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER, MARIO MONTI, WHO HAD A DISASTROUS CAMPAIGN. BUT OFFICIALS ARE PREDICTING ITALY WILL HAVE TO GO TO THE POLLS AGAIN. THE BIG LOSERS IN ALL THIS: BRUSSELS AND BERLIN. VOTERS IN LARGE NUMBERS REJECTED AUSTERITY AND PAINFUL REFORMS. I THINK THEY WILL WRING THEIR HANDS AND TEAR THEIR HAIR OUT. AND ALL THESE REFORMS WHICH ITALY HAS GONE THROUGH PROBABLY WILL GO UP IN SMOKE. BUT THIS ELECTION, AND IN PARTICULAR COMEDIAN BEPPE GRILLO, HAS SENT A MESSAGE TO EUROPE'S LEADERS. A CANDIDATE FROM NOWHERE TAPPED INTO A COUNTRY'S RAGE AGAINST AUSTERITY AND CORRUPTION. THE VOTING WAS SO CLOSE THAT FINAL, OFFICIAL RESULTS ARE STILL SOME HOURS AWAY. A YOUNG MAN FROM THE SOUTH ISLAND WHO WENT TO WAR FOR KING AND COUNTRY HAS FINALLY BEEN LAID TO REST AMONG HIS COMRADES ALMOST A CENTURY AFTER HE WAS KILLED IN BATTLE. AT A SOLEMN CEREMONY IN BELGIUM THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER WAS BURIED IN THE NZ MEMORIAL PARK AT MESSINES IN FLANDERS. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT GARTH BRAY WAS THERE. IN THE HARD GROUND OF FLANDERS FIELDS THEY'VE MADE SPACE FOR ANOTHER YOUNG NZ SOLDIER'S REMAINS. SHOTS FIRED IN SALUTE FAREWELLING HIM WITH FULL MILITARY HONOUR AND MANY FINE WORDS. REMEMBER THAT PROSPERITY IS FOR THE FREE, BUT THAT FREEDOM CAN ONLY TRULY BELONG TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO DEFEND IT. TODAY WE ARE HERE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ONE SUCH MAN WHO HAD THAT COURAGE. FROM THE INSIGNIA THEY FOUND, HE'S THOUGHT TO BE FROM CANTERBURY OR OTAGO. EXPERTS HAVE FIVE POSSIBLE NAMES, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BE CERTAIN ANY ONE OF THEM WOULD BE THE RIGHT ONE TO PUT ON A GRAVESTONE. DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATIONS AND LOOKING THROUGH NZ RECORDS, IT HASN'T BEEN POSSIBLE TO PUT A HARD-AND-FAST NAME ON THIS SOLDIER. DIPLOMATIC AND MILITARY REPRESENTATIVES FROM BRITAIN, SOUTH AFRICA AND GERMANY WERE HERE PAYING RESPECTS BESIDE NZERS, AUSTRALIANS AND THE BELGIANS WHO KEEP DEAR THE MEMORY OF THIS PLACE. THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A CHANCE TO GIVE A 25-YEAR-OLD FROM HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD A PROPER BURIAL. IT'S ALSO A FITTING REMINDER THAT THE HUNDRED ANNIVERSARY OF WWI IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WHEN THE NATIONS THAT FOUGHT WILL COME TOGETHER AGAIN TO REMEMBER ALL WHO DIED. IN THIS PLACE WHERE THOUSANDS OF NZERS WERE KILLED, LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND DONORS ARE SPENDING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REMEMBER THEM. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL YOUNG PEOPLE FROM HERE TO KNOW WHAT THE MEANING IS OF THIS WORLD WAR. THE LESSON WASN'T LOST ON TWO YOUNG NZERS STUDYING HERE FOR A YEAR. OUR DEAD LIE THICKLY IN THE BROKEN TOWN. ALL STRONGLY STILL AND QUIET, UNHEEDING NOW. WORDS PENNED IN 1917 ON THIS BATTLE FRONT, WHERE SO MANY FELL. GARTH BRAY, ONE NEWS, MESSINES. TO THE WEATHER NOW. AUSTRALIA'S GETTING HEAVY RAIN AND CYCLONE WARNINGS, BUT STILL NOTHING HERE? A FEW DRIBBLES IN THE FAR NORTH AND OVER THE FIORDS, WHERE NOBODY LIVES. AWAY FROM THERE, EVEN OUR NATIVE BUSH IS STARTING TO LOOK DULL AND A BIT WITHERED. YOU DON'T OFTEN HEAR OF FRASER BEACH. IT'S ON LAKE MANAPOURI. PLENTY OF SUNBATHING SPOTS. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ GRAB A FRISBEE AND HEAD FOR THE BEACH. FINALLY, ANOTHER QUIET CORNER OF AOTEAROA ` FINALLY, ANOTHER QUIET CORNER OF AOTEAROA ` SANDY BAY, STEWART ISLAND: WHERE TO GO IF YOU WANT A FEW COCKLES FOR DINNER. SEE YOU AGAIN AFTER ANDREW'S DONE WITH SPORT. UP NEXT ON ONE NEWS, THE MINIMUM WAGES GOES UP, BUT BY A MISERABLE AMOUNT, SAYS THE OPPOSITION. EXPLOSIVE PREPARATIONS FOR THE ARRIVAL OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST ROCK-EATING MONSTERS. AND OUT OF THE ASHES COMES A NEW CAST OF PEOPLE'S PUPPETS. TRADE ME'S UNDER FIRE FROM ANGRY USERS TONIGHT AS A GLITCH CONTINUES TO PREVENT USERS FROM ACCESSING SOLD ITEMS, INCLUDING PAYMENT DETAILS. THE PROBLEM COMES AS TRADEME LAUNCHES A NEW FEATURE THE PROBLEM COMES AS TRADE ME LAUNCHES A NEW FEATURE ALLOWING USERS TO SELL MULTIPLE ITEMS THROUGH ONE LISTING. MESSAGES POSTED ON THE SITE SAY STAFF ARE WORKING ON THE BUG. THE MINIMUM WAGE IS SET TO RISE 25C IN A MOVE THAT IS BEING LABELLED MISERABLE BY THE OPPOSITION. FROM APRIL, THE MINIMUM HOURLY RATE WILL GO UP FROM $13.50 AN HOUR TO $13.75. LABOUR SAYS AN EXTRA $2 A DAY BEFORE TAX IS A JOKE. WE'LL RECEIVE AN EXTRA $10 A WEEK LESS TAX AND LESS OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS. WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUY AN EXTRA BLOCK OF CHEESE. THE NEW MINISTER OF LABOUR, SIMON BRIDGES, SAYS IT'S ABOUT BALANCING THE RIGHTS OF LOW-PAID WORKERS AND MAKING SURE JOBS AREN'T LOST BECAUSE OF A HIGH MINIMUM WAGE. THE OWNER OF A WELLINGTON HERITAGE BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN DEEMED AN EARTHQUAKE RISK IS REFUSING TO PAY TO HAVE IT STRENGTHENED. THE HARCOURTS BUILDING HAS A CATEGORY-ONE HERITAGE LISTING, BUT THE OWNER TOLD ONE NEWS HE WOULD RATHER DEMOLISH IT AND REBUILD. AN APPLICATION TO KNOCK IT DOWN WAS REFUSED BY THE COUNCIL, SAYING IT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF HERITAGE. THE REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE ACT ARE THAT FOR THE NEXT 15 YEARS I DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING, AND THEN IT WILL HAVE TO BE DEMOLISHED OR STRENGTHENED. AND IN NO WAY WILL I EVER SPEND ANY DOLLAR IN STRENGTHENING THIS BUILDING. MARK DUNAJTSCHIK SAYS HE WILL BE APPEALING THE COUNCIL'S DECISION. WORK ON AN AMBITIOUS ROADING PROJECT IN AUCKLAND IS SPEEDING AHEAD, WITH ENGINEERS NOW GETTING READY FOR THE ARRIVAL OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST TUNNELLING MACHINES. THE $1.4B WATERVIEW CONNECTION WILL CREATE A RING ROUTE OF HIGHWAY AROUND THE CITY. WILL HINE REPORTS. THIS IS HOW YOU LOOSEN UP 600 TONS OF BASALT. BLASTING, DIGGING AND THE REMOVAL OF ROCK ` IT'S ALL IN THE NAME OF PREPARING THIS SUBURBAN WORKSITE FOR THE GIANT DRILLING MACHINE THAT'S ON ITS WAY. WE'VE MADE PROGRESS SO FAR THROUGH THE BASALT, THROUGH THE VOLCANIC ROCK, WHICH IS THE HARD STUFF. AND NOW WE'RE INTO THE SOFTER ROCK BELOW, SO WE CAN ACCELERATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRENCH. THE GERMAN-DESIGNED, CHINESE-BUILT MACHINE WILL ARRIVE IN A FEW MONTHS BY SEA. THREE STOREYS HIGH, 100M LONG AND WEIGHING 4000 TONS, IT WILL BE ASSEMBLED ON SITE. THE TUNNELLING MACHINE WILL START IN THIS TRENCH AND HEAD THROUGH THE FAR WALL AT THE SPEED OF 4M A DAY FOR 2.5KM. IT'LL WORK 24 HOURS A DAY, AND EVERY FIVE MINUTES SPIT OUT A TRUCK AND TRAILER LOAD WORTH OF SPOIL. AS IT BURROWS UNDER AUCKLAND, IT'LL REINFORCE THE TUNNEL WITH CONCRETE PANELS. THE SUBMARINE-LIKE CONTRAPTION WILL SURFACE AFTER PASSING UNDER THIS ROAD IN WATERVIEW BEFORE TURNING ROUND AND BORING THE SECOND OF THE TWO TUNNELS. THE LOGISTICS BEGIN IN THE COMING MONTHS, WHEN THE MACHINE'S MOVED FROM PORT TO WORKSITE. THERE MAY BE SOME SPECIAL MEASURES THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE TO MOVE THIS KIT. WE MAY NEED TO PUT SOME TEMPORARY STRENGTHENING ON SOME STRUCTURES AND MOVE SOME STREET FURNITURE AROUND. THE NEW ROUTE SHOULD BE OPEN TO MOTORISTS BY EARLY 2017. WILL HINE, ONE NEWS. AN ICONIC WELLINGTON PUB AND WATERING HOLE OF OUR POLITICIANS IS OFFICIALLY RISING FROM THE ASHES OF TWO FIRES TONIGHT, AND UNVEILING THE LATEST IN POLITICAL SATIRE. THE BACKBENCHER PUB HAS FEATURED SOME OF THE BEST AND WORST FROM THE CORRIDORS OF POWER, BUT AS GEORGINA BALL DISCOVERED A COUPLE OF INCUMBENTS HAVE MISSED THE CUT. A NEW CAST OF POLITICAL PUPPETS IS ABOUT TO RISE FROM THE ASHES. THEY HAD TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES NOW. THEY HAD TO HAVE THE MOST INFLUENCE, THE POWER WITHIN THEIR DOMAINS. THIS HAS BEEN A FAVOURITE HAUNT OF POLITICIANS UNTIL FIRE GUTTED IT LAST YEAR. NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE, THE FLAMES SENT FAMOUS FACES UP IN SMOKE. JUST LIKE THE REAL CUT-THROAT WORLD OF POLITICS, NOT ALL HAVE MADE THE CUT THIS TIME AROUND. PROBABLY TIME FOR THEM TO RETIRE. THANKS FOR THE DUBIOUS HONOUR HERE. MAORI PARTY CO-LEADER PITA SHARPLES' WAKA'S BEEN GROUNDED FOR GOOD, AND UNITED FUTURE'S PETER DUNNE'S LOST HIS PLACE ON HIGH. I'M GUTTED I'M REALLY GUTTED. IT'S BURNING AWAY AT ME THAT'S IT'S GONE. EACH POLITICIAN WHO HAS MADE THE CUT WILL WHIP OFF THESE BLACK CURTAINS THROUGHOUT THE EVENING AND UNVEIL THEIR LIKENESS. UNTIL THEN THE PUB'S KEEPING THE SATIRICAL STORIES EACH PUPPET TELLS WELL UNDER WRAPS. THE GREEN'S METIRIA TUREI, MANA'S HONE HARAWIRA AND NATIONAL'S GERRY BROWNLEE GOT THE CALL-UP, AND WE GOT A SNEAK PEAK AT THESE FAMILIAR FACES. HONOURABLE BILL ENGLISH. THIS FACE HAS MADE YET ANOTHER COMEBACK ` A FEATURE HERE SINCE THE PUB OPENED MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO. AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S BACK, OF COURSE, BUT IN A DIFFERENT GUISE THAN THIS. LAST TIME I WAS THERE I WAS ALONGSIDE BILL ENGLISH AND WE WERE BATMAN AND ROBIN, SO I'M HOPING FOR SLIGHTLY MORE FLATTERING TAKE THIS YEAR. ALL WILL BE REVEALED AT TONIGHT'S VIP PARTY WHEN THE PUPPETS COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE POLITICIANS. GEORGINA BALL, ONE NEWS. AND SEVEN SHARP WILL BE LIVE FROM BACKBENCHER FOR THE UNVEILING OF SOME OF THOSE PUPPETS RIGHT AFTER THE NEWS HOUR. LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` EMAILS BETWEEN HOBBIT DIRECTOR SIR PETER JACKSON AND THE GOVERNMENT HAVE BEEN RELEASED, REVEALING HOW HARD THE GOVERNMENT WAS LOBBIED TO KEEP THE MOVIE HERE. IN ONE, JACKSON CALLED AN AUSTRALIAN UNION LEADER A SNAKE WHO PLAYED THE GOVERNMENT LIKE A FOOL. STEVEN JOYCE SAYS HE IS COMFORTABLE WITH THE DECISION MADE AND THE GOVERNMENT APPROACH. A WAR OF WORDS HAS ERUPTED IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN, A WAR OF WORDS HAS ERUPTED IN THE SOUTHERN OCEAN, WITH JAPANESE WHALERS AND SEA SHEPHERD ACCUSING EACH OTHER OF CAUSING THIS COLLISION. THIS IS THE SECOND ALLEGED RAMMING INCIDENT THIS WHALING SEASON, PROMPTING THE PRIME MINISTER TO APPEAL FOR COOL HEADS TO PREVAIL. AND TRIBUTES ARE FLOWING TONIGHT FOR VETERAN BROADCASTER PHILLIP LEISHMAN, WHO DIED OF A BRAIN TUMOUR LATE LAST NIGHT. HE SPENT MORE THAN 40 YEARS ON OUR SCREENS, DOING EVERYTHING FROM SPORTING EVENTS TO LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT. PHILLIP LEISHMAN IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT. PHILLIP WAS THE MASTER YOU WOULD HAVE LEARNED FROM HIM HE ALWAYS HAD TIME TO CHAT COMING UP, RICKI HERBERT'S DECISION TO STAND DOWN AS PHOENIX FOOTBALL COACH. SO, WHERE DO THE PHOENIX'S WOES LEAVE THE NEW OWNERS, AND ALSO THE UPCOMING ALL WHITES WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN? PLUS, WHY DID SIR BOB JONES DROP HEAVYWEIGHT JOSEPH PARKER? IS FRANCOIS BOTHA ON THE HORIZON? AND WHERE IS PARKER HEADED TO NEXT, AND WHO WITH? AND LOOK WHO'S BACK. ENGLAND'S STAR BATSMAN ROCKS INTO TOWN. WHO ELSE ROLLED UP TODAY IN QUEENSTOWN? FIRST UP TONIGHT, TO FOOTBALL, AND THE RESIGNATION OF WELLINGTON PHOENIX COACH RICKI HERBERT. HERBERT HAS STOOD DOWN AS BOSS, SHIFTING INTO AN ADVISORY ROLE. IT'S A MAJOR STEP DOWN FOR ONE OF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE FIGURES IN FOOTBALL, BUT IT COMES ON THE BACK OF A POOR SEASON IN THE A-LEAGUE. MARK HATHAWAY REPORTS. A BRIGHT DAY, AND A NEW DAWN FOR THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX. RICKI HERBERT ABSENT FROM TRAINING, HAVING JUMPED ` RATHER THAN BEING PUSHED ` FROM THE HEAD COACH'S ROLE. NO, NO, RICKI RESIGNED. HE CAME IN THE OFFICE YESTERDAY MORNING, MONDAY MORNING, SAT DOWN WITH ROB AND I AND TENDERED HIS RESIGNATION TO THE BOARD. DID THAT COME AS A SURPRISE TO YOU? > LOOK, I DON'T THINK... ROB HAS ALWAYS SAID WE WERE GONNA REVIEW HIS CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS. SIX YEARS IN THE A-LEAGUE WITH THE CLUB; 154 GAMES, WINNING JUST 35% OF THEM. WITH JUST FIVE WINS FROM 22 GAMES THIS SEASON, HERBERT'S DEMISE DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE BLUE. THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM OF THE PHOENIX THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN CO-OWNER GARETH MORGAN, AND HIS EFFECT HAS BEEN INFLUENTIAL. THE ECONOMIST COME PHILANTHROPIST COME CAT-HATER HAS TAKEN A VERY ACTIVE ROLE. LOOK, IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT DISRUPTIVE. I SPOKE A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT IT WAS A BIT DISRUPTIVE. BUT I ALSO SAID THAT WE HAVE TO GROW FROM THAT AND WE HAVE TO BE BETTER THAN THAT. AND WE WANT TO PLAY A BETTER BRAND OF FOOTBALL. PROBABLY COULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT IT, BUT PEOPLE HAVE GOT OPINIONS, AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE GAME SO GOOD. MORGAN AND HERBERT BOTH REFUSING TO COMMENT TODAY; THE PLAYERS LEFT IN THE DARK AS WELL. I FOUND OUT THIS MORNING VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, TO BE HONEST. HERBERT'S ALL WHITES BOSSES NOT DETERRED BY HIS FAILURE WITH THE PHOENIX. NOT AT ALL. HE'S CONTRACTED TO NZ FOOTBALL TO COACH THE ALL WHITES AND DELIVER THE NEXT WORLD CUP TO US. SO THAT PLAN REMAINS INTACT. THE PHOENIX, UNDER CHRIS GREENACRE, NOW HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR THE FIVE REMAINING A-LEAGUE MATCHES, BEGINNING TOMORROW NIGHT AGAINST THE NEWCASTLE JETS. HERBERT'S QUICK EXIT LEAVING FANS NO CHANCE TO SAY GOODBYE. MARK HATHAWAY, ONE NEWS. ENGLAND'S TEST MATCH CAVALRY HAS ARRIVED IN QUEENSTOWN AHEAD OF TOMORROW'S FOUR-DAY MATCH AGAINST A NZ 11. STAR BATSMAN KEVIN PIETERSEN HAS JOINED THE SQUAD, WITH THE VISITORS PROMISING NO LET-UP. BUT IT WAS THE APPEARANCE OF A FORMER NZ SKIPPER THAT ALSO ATTRACTED BIG INTEREST. MAX BANIA REPORTS. A WELCOME SIGHT IN THE NETS. DANIEL VETTORI REHABBING WITH THE NZ 11 AS HE RECOVERS FROM HIS ACHILLES INJURY. HE'S STILL TARGETING THE TOUR TO ENGLAND IN MAY FOR HIS INTERNATIONAL RETURN. HOW THE BLACKCAPS COULD USE HIM NOW, ESPECIALLY WITH ENGLAND UNLEASHING THEIR BIGGEST WEAPON FOR THE TEST SERIES: BATSMAN KEVIN PIETERSEN. OBVIOUSLY BRINGS IN ENERGY AND OBVIOUSLY QUALITY TO THE SQUAD AS WELL, SO, YEAH, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE HIM BACK. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AS NORMAL, REALLY. THE TOWERING SOUTH AFRICAN WAS EXCUSED FROM MEDIA DUTIES TODAY, BUT WILL PLAY HIS FIRST GAME OF THE TOUR STARTING TOMORROW. WITH ARGUABLY THE WORLD'S BEST KEEPER-BATSMAN, MATT PRIOR, ALSO BACK, ENGLAND WILL BE OVERWHELMING FAVOURITES IN THE TESTS. BUT THEY'RE TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED AFTER THEIR SHOCK LOSS IN HAMILTON ON THEIR LAST VISIT. THAT'S A BEAUTY FROM KYLE MILLS, AND A TERRIFIC CATCH, BRENDON MCCULLUM. WE'VE STILL GOT TO EARN THE RIGHT. TEST CRICKET IS... YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO WIN A TEST MATCH, AND YOU CAN'T JUST PITCH UP AND WIN. YOU HAVE TO DO THE HARD YARDS, AND WE EXPECT TO DO THAT. WHILE THE ENGLAND LINE-UP LOOKS SETTLED, THERE IS COMPETITION IN THE NZ CAMP. ONE FAST BOWLER OUT OF MARK GILLESPIE AND NEIL WAGNER WILL BE ADDED TO THE BLACKCAPS SQUAD FOR NEXT WEEK'S FIRST TEST. I'M KEEN. I'M HUNGRY. BUT IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER GAME. TOMORROW'S GAME, THOUGH, THE LAST CHANCE TO SCORE PSYCHOLOGICAL POINTS BEFORE THE TEST. MAX BANIA, ONE NEWS. MAJOR CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TODAY IN THE CAREER PATH OF UP-AND-COMING HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER JOSEPH PARKER. HIS MENTOR, SIR BOB JONES, HAS PULLED THE PIN AS HIS MANAGER, AND PARKER'S SET TO FIGHT SOUTH AFRICAN VETERAN FRANCOIS BOTHA. THE YOUNG HEAVYWEIGHT IS ALSO EYEING UP A MOVE TO LAS VEGAS. JOE PORTER HAS THE DETAILS. HAPPIER DAYS BETWEEN KIWI HEAVYWEIGHT JOSEPH PARKER AND HIS NOW FORMER MANAGER, SIR BOB JONES. I THINK HE'S AN EXTREMELY SPECIAL TALENT, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT WASTED. SIR BOB'S QUITTING OVER PARKER'S PROMOTERS SETTING UP A FIGHT WITH CONTROVERSIAL SOUTH AFRICAN FRANCOIS BOTHA IN EITHER HAMILTON OR AUCKLAND THIS MAY. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY EGO CLASH. I JUST THINK WE HAD A DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS. WE THINK THAT FRANCOIS BOTHA IS A FANTASTIC MATCH FOR JOSEPH PARKER RIGHT NOW. HE'S INCREDIBLY DURABLE. HE'S HAD OVER 61 FIGHTS. SIR BOB SEES IT DIFFERENTLY. FIGHTING SOME LUMBERING OAF COMING SWINGING AT HIM, SWINGING WILD PUNCHES, NO, HE'LL LEARN NOTHING FROM THAT. HE ALSO QUESTIONS DUCO'S STRATEGY FOR ADVANCING PARKER'S PROFESSIONAL CAREER. I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE ANY LONG-TERM VISION IN ANYTHING THEY DO. BUT PARKER'S SET FOR A SIX-FIGURE PAYDAY FROM THE BOTHA FIGHT, AND SOME OTHER BIG THINGS ARE ON THE HORIZON FOR THE HEAVYWEIGHT. ONE NEWS UNDERSTANDS HE'LL TRAVEL TO LAS VEGAS NEXT MONTH. LOOK, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE GONNA COME OUT IN THE WIND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR COUPLE OF MONTHS AROUND JOSEPH PARKER ` SOME REALLY EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS. THE 21-YEAR-OLD IS TIPPED TO LINK UP IN VEGAS WITH DAVID TUA'S FORMER TRAINER, KEVIN BARRY. CAN'T CONFIRM OR DENY ANYTHING JUST YET, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS: FOR JOSEPH PARKER, THE FUTURE'S ALL ROSY. JOE PORTER, ONE NEWS. TEAMMATES OF FALLEN NRL LEAGUE STAR BEN BARBA SAY THEY'RE SHOCKED BY THE NEWS OF HIS PROBLEMS. THE EXTENT OF BARBA'S DRINKING AND GAMBLING ISSUES HAVE COME TO LIGHT TODAY AS THE BULLDOGS FULLBACK LOOKS AT A POSSIBLE SEASON-LONG BREAK. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT STEVE MARSHALL HAS THE LATEST. THIS IS THE MOMENT BEN BARBA KNEW ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH. LEAGUE'S POSTER BOY DEMANDED TO BE SUBBED DURING THE WEEKEND'S TRIAL MATCH AGAINST THE RAIDERS. HE LATER POURED HIS HEART OUT TO BULLDOGS MANAGEMENT ABOUT HIS PERSONAL PROBLEMS. I DON'T HAVE A CLUE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH. EVERYONE WAS OBVIOUSLY A BIT SHOCKED. YOU KNOW, BEING ONE OF BENNIE'S GOOD MATES, EVERYONE JUST WANTS HIM TO GET BETTER. AS HIS TEAMMATES STRUGGLE TO COME TO TERMS WITH THEIR FRIEND'S FALL FROM GRACE, MORE DETAILS ARE EMERGING ABOUT THE STAR PLAYERS DEMISE. IT'S UNDERSTOOD BARBA'S LINKS TO A HARD-CORE PARTY GROUP CALLED 'THE EPIC BENDER CREW' HELPED BURN OUT THE GAME'S BRIGHTEST STAR ` HE EVEN THE GROUP'S INITIALS TATTOOED ACROSS HIS STOMACH. I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ANY OF THAT WAS GOING ON, BUT, MATE, I'M SURE HE'LL HEAD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION NOW. BARBA WAS ALSO SPOTTED GAMBLING ON SLOT MACHINES JUST HOURS BEFORE THE WEEKEND'S KICK-OFF. IT'S PRETTY HARD FOR THE PLAYERS ` UNDERSTANDING WHAT LIFE'S ALL ABOUT WHEN THEY DON'T WORK. IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. THE NRL ARE NOW GAMBLING ON JOHNATHAN THURSTON TO PROVIDE THE CLEAN IMAGE THE CODE SO DESPERATELY NEEDS WHEN THE SEASON IS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED TOMORROW NIGHT. THE FRESHEST FACE IN THE CHIEFS IS COMING TO TERMS WITH BEING THE SUPER RUGBY CHAMPIONS' LATEST HOT PROPERTY. EVERYONE WANTED A PIECE OF TARANAKI SHEPHERD RHYS MARSHALL TODAY AFTER THE HOOKER (20) WAS RUSHED IN TO THE STARTING SIDE AND PLAYED THE ENTIRE MATCH AS THEY ROUNDED UP THE HIGHLANDERS LAST FRIDAY. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY STRENGTHS ` COMING OFF... JUST... THE FULL DAYS JUST KEEP THE... THE FAT OFF YA. AND ALWAYS STRUGGLE TO PUT ON WEIGHT. THE CHIEFS KEPT A CLOSE WATCH ON MARSHALL WHILE HE WAS COMPLETING A TWO-YEAR FARM CADET SCHEME IN HAWKE'S BAY. WE KNEW HE WAS AROUND. BUT HE WAS PRETTY ENSCONCED IN GETTING THAT COURSE DONE. YOU KNOW, HE WAS UP EVERY MORNING WITH HIS... WORKING DOGS AND HORSES AND OUT WITH THE SHEEP. SO IT WAS A MATTER OF HIM GETTING THROUGH THAT COURSE. MARSHALL'S DEBUT MADE EASIER AS ANOTHER FARMER, ANDREW HORE, COULDN'T TRY AND UNSETTLE HIM. THE BREAKERS ARE GEARING UP TO GET BACK IN ACTION ON THURSDAY, NEARLY TWO WEEKS AFTER THEIR LAST GAME. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEIR 13TH STRAIGHT WIN, BUT WILL ALSO TRY TO MARK A SPECIAL OCCASION FOR TWO KEY PERSONNEL. KIMBERLEE DOWNS REPORTS. MILESTONE? WHAT MILESTONE? 200 FOR THE CLUB NOW? OK. WOW. YEAH, IT'S GOOD. IT'S A GOOD FEELING, I GUESS. MIKA VUKONA'S SURPRISE AT REACHING THE 200 MARK, WELL, NO SURPRISE, COMING FROM A MAN WHO'S ALL ABOUT THE TEAM. THE 30-YEAR-OLD CLEAR ON HIS MAIN PRIORITY. PERTH'S RIGHT BEHIND US. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DROP A GAME. STILL, VUKONA'S BEEN IMMENSE FOR THE CLUB THIS SEASON ALONE, DIGGING THE BREAKERS OUT OF A FEW HOLES. IT'S MIKA VUKONA FOR THE GAME! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! EVEN JUST GOING THROUGH THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE, HE'S BEATEN UP, HE'S SORE; YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO GET HIM TO SIT OUT OF ANYTHING. THOUGH MAYBE HE SHOULD HAVE. ALEX HAS GOT BIG ELBOWS, SO I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO TALK TO HIM AFTER THAT ` NOT THAT I COULD ANYWAY. THURSDAY'S HOME CLASH WITH THE RESURGENT ADELAIDE ALSO A BIG ONE FOR COACH ANDREJ LEMANIS, WHO'LL RACK UP HIS 250TH GAME IN CHARGE OF THE CLUB. NICE TO TICK IT OFF, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK, AGAIN, AS THE HEAD COACH, YOU GET A LOT OF THE RECOGNITION, WHEREAS IN FACT IT'S THE PRODUCT OF A LOT OF HARD WORK BY A LOT OF PEOPLE. THAT HARD WORK THE FOCUS IN THE BREAKERS CAMP, ESPECIALLY COMING OFF A 13-DAY BREAK. COMING OUT AND FINDING THAT RHYTHM AND ENERGY THROUGHOUT THIS GAME'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT, AND GETTING OURSELVES KICK-STARTED AGAIN FOR THIS LAST MONTH OF THE REGULAR SEASON. A SEASON THAT COULD VERY WELL SEE MORE MILESTONES REACHED ` NOT LEAST THAT ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE THREE-PEAT. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, ONE NEWS. INDIA HAS JUST WRAPPED UP FIRST TEST AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN CHENNAI, WINNING BY EIGHT WICKETS, INDIA ACCUSSING THE AUSSIES OF HAVING BIG EGOS TOO. SHOCK HORROR. NOT A FIRST. BREAKING NEWS FOR YOU (!) THANKS, ANDREW. AFTER THE BREAK, PLENTY OF RAIN IN THE FORECAST, BUT IT'S ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TASMAN. WEATHER'S NEXT. SORRY, LITTLE CHANGE OUT THERE. THE BIG THIRST ROLLS ON. NICE SUNRISES, THOUGH. THIS IS HAMILTON'S LAKE ROTOROA EARLY THIS MORNING. THANKS, JAKE NGAWAKA. GREAT NAME NICE... SOUND GOT A BIT OF GRUNT FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ OVERALL, OUR RIVERS ARE LOW, THE GROUND'S PARCHED AND THE RAIN STAYS AWAY. AT LEAST THERE'S PLENTY OF WATER IN THE SEA.