ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND GLENNA CASALME. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013 DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. HI. WELCOME. IT'S A RED-LETTER DAY IF YOU'RE GAY. SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SHOULD LEAP ITS FINAL HURDLE TONIGHT, WHICH HAS A FAIR CHUNK OF THE GAY COMMUNITY WATCHING, INCLUDING ALI. I'LL BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT HERE AT THE PEGASUS ARMS IN CHRISTCHURCH. We'll talk to Anika Moa too. WE'RE ALSO AT PARLIAMENT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO'VE COME HOPING TO WATCH HISTORY BEING MADE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE TOPP TWINS. THEN TO LONDON WHERE THE IRON LADY WILL BE LAID TO REST. BUT IT WON'T BE ALL GLOWING EULOGIES FOR MARGARET THATCHER'S FUNERAL WE'LL LOOK AT SECURITY FOR THAT EVENT AFTER THE BOSTON BOMBINGS, AND WHAT ARE THEY PLANNING ON DOING FOR THE LONDON MARATHON THIS WEEKEND? THEN LIFE IMMITATES ART. COMEDIAN RHYS DARBY PLAYS MENTOR TO A MUSICAL DOUBLE ACT. WE'LL END ON A COMEDY MUSIC DUO YOU MAY NOT KNOW BUT SHOULD. IT'S WEDNESDAY. WE'RE HERE. ALI'S THERE. WELCOME TO SEVEN SHARP. Where else do you celebrate one of the momentous occasions in NZ civil union history then a pub in Christchurch? It is suddenly winter here. We have talked about this issue 1 million times. We have heard from both sides. But tonight is all about the celebration. Here is one of our more famous performers and a gay person, Anika Moa. She has chosen Christchurch to celebrate. Hello, Anika. Why Christchurch? Because I got a great e-mail from the organiser. And it also my hometown. I was born and grew up here. Your mum and sister are here. Pulling faces. You are already in a civil union, but you are a huge supporter of marriage equality. Will you do it again? The marriage thing? I would like to, but our civil union costs so much that I might have to say but for about 10 years. I like a fanfare. We'll have a whip around. Is NZ a good place to be gay? I think it is. It is very tolerant and loving. When I told my mum 10 years ago, she just laughed and said, 'Yeah. Duh.' The support of your family is what matters most. When you are in the public eye, you have to be as honest and supported by a family as you can. I'm supported and loved, and I'm happier for it. Are you proud of NZ for getting to this point? I am, but what took us so long? I think it's irrelevant that you love. It's a human right to marry the person you love. We need a plan denied. If by some terrible happenstance, the politicians let us down, what will we do? Leave the country. It's not going to go wrong tonight, is it? No, not at all. We are looking forward to celebrating tonight. Will you be getting married, Ali? Yes, we will. Have you found your bridesmaids yet? There are a couple of well-dressed gentleman who would like to do it. Try and picture it is all I ask. Don't rule it out. Will you wear a frock? We'll talk. Have fun tonight, Ali. THE MAIN EVENT, OF COURSE, IS HAPPENING IN PARLIAMENT IN THE CAPITAL, AND THAT'S WHERE HEATHER DU PLESSIS-ALLAN IS. HEATHER. Look at this group. HEATHER, THERE'S STILL A LITTLE OPPOSITION TO THE BILL. CAN YOU FILL US IN ON THAT? Kind of. I'll get to that in a minute. This is a large group of people standing here in the rain. Some of these people have been here since five o'clock, trying to get in and get a seat. Apparently the gallery in the debating chamber is completely overbooked. They have open another room with a big screen. That will cater for about 500 people. For these people, this is history in the making. Some of these people have come from far away. Here's Lynda Topp. How are you? My partner. You've come from quite a distance? Inland from Ashburton. Why come all this distance? We got married about a month ago at our little country Hall. Not a real marriage? It was to us and our 200 guests. We weren't interested in a civil union, because that is a second rate joining of two people. Tonight is history in the making. Will you remarry after this? For sure. We'll have another party. Maybe one in the North Island. I was going to ask about the party, because I understand that if this passes, party at your place? Wed love to have one for the gay and lesbian community. What about the rest of us? That community would be so huge that they might not be any room for anyone else. But everyone would be welcome. Thanks very much. I'm disappointed you weren't wearing your hat. I need to be respectful for the momentous occasion. Some Mps have dressed up. Louisa Wall. A couple of the Green Mps dressed as mothers of the bride. This dude, who we saw on Lambton Quay, proposing to Winston Peters. Winston refused to comment. I'd like to point out that's not a no. Is anyone raining on the parade down there? Around a third of Parliament is expected to vote against it. There has been intense lobbying. Here are some submissions that have been sent to Green MP Kevin Hague. Some of it's upsetting. One comment said gays and lesbians gave the world HIV and AIDS. That's wrong. But Kevin said he is optimistic he will persuade a couple more Mps to vote for the bill. My librarian said to me today is the big day if you are gay. As Heather just mentioned, Colin Craig is planning to repeal this. A year from today, when the world hasn't come to an end and there isn't a plague of locusts, I want the opponents to come out and admit they are a bunch of ill informed bum barnacles. You can pick the margin of tonight's vote on our website. Or by text. WE'LL BRING YOU THE RESULTS TOMORROW. AFTER THE BREAK ` THE SUN'S JUST COME UP IN LONDON ON THE DAY OF THATCHER'S FUNERAL. WE'RE THERE LIVE TO TALK PROTESTS AND, AFTER WHAT HAPPENED IN BOSTON, SECURITY. PLUS... DO WE HAVE ANY GIGS, MURRAY? OH YES. I'VE GOT AN ANSWER FOR THAT. NO. WE SPEAK TO THE WORLD'S WORST BAND MANAGER ABOUT HIS LATEST LUCKY CLIENTS. ALI'S PARTYING IN CHRISTCHURCH TONIGHT, BUT NOT EVERYBODY'S EXCITED ABOUT MARRIAGE EQUALITY. AS ALWAYS WITH LAWS AROUND SOCIAL CHANGE, MANY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON SOCIETY. JESSE HAS MORE. YEAH, SOME PEOPLE THINK LEGALISING GAY MARRIAGE WILL BE THE END OF THE WORLD, AND HISTORY PROVES THAT THEY'RE RIGHT. IN 1893, NZ BECAME THE FIRST COUNTRY TO GIVE WOMEN THE VOTE, AND WHAT A DISASTER THAT WAS. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, OUR COUNTRY WAS RAVAGED BY INFLUENZA, AND WE LOST 18,000 SOLDIERS IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR. COINCIDENCE? BUT THAT WASN'T THE END OF IT. IN 1986, WE MADE HOMOSEXUALITY LEGAL, AND THE RESULTING GAYNESS CRASHED THE SHAREMARKET. OR REMEMBER WHEN WE WANTED TO PUT AN H IN WANGANUI? THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IS HAVING NATIONAL IMPLICATIONS. HE WAS RIGHT, YOU KNOW. WITHIN WEEKS, H'S HAD RUINED THE NAMES OF AMILTON, OWICK AND UNTLY. NEED MORE PROOF? HOW ABOUT THE ANTI-SMACKING BILL IN 2007. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE HERE IS A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY, SUE IF PARENTS HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO ASSAULT THEIR CHILDREN, WE WOULD HAVE WON THAT GAME IN CARDIFF. SO, TONIGHT, MPS, WHEN YOU HEAD BACK INTO PARLIAMENT, LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF HISTORY. VOTE NAY TO GAY OR YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. HARD TO THINK OF A HIGH-PROFILE FUNERAL RECENTLY WHICH WASN'T JUST ABOUT TEARY TRIBUTES AND FOND FAREWELLS. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOR, RIGHT? BUT MARGARET THATCHER'S FUNERAL ` TONIGHT OUR TIME ` SEEMS CERTAIN TO RELEASE A FAIR BIT OF BILE IN THE UK. BOTTOM LINE: A LOT OF BRITS STILL HATE HER. WE HEAD NOW TO OUR MAN IN LONDON, CHRIS PARKIN. Chris, it's not just going to be a willing up in tears over there tonight, is it? No, she is either the woman who divided or saved Britain. Every aspect of the planning of this funeral has been contentious. The procession begins in a couple of hours. The funeral will be attended by dignitaries from 170 countries. There will be silence of the procession. The last time that happened was for Churchill's funeral. Every aspect has been contentious. There's been a battle on the charts. Ding-Dong, The Witch Is Dead reached number 2. I'm in Love With Margaret Thatcher mid-30s ` left it too late. Many protesters are saying they will turn their back as the procession heads past. But many also deeply loved Margaret Thatcher and have come from throughout Britain to come and pay their respects. I'd be nervous about an event of this scale after what happened in Boston. As the extra security? Boston has meant a review of a number of things in London. 4000 police officers on the route today. There is also the London marathon this weekend. It is by far the biggest marathon in the world. 600,000 spectators expected. The security has been reviewed for that. And there will be a 30-second silence before the race. Chris, the airlines are supervising their jets. Tell us about that. Samoa Air got a bit of coverage when they decided to start charging people by what they weigh. There are all these famous photos of that Americans trying to squeeze into seats. Airbus announced a new type of A320 with an extra large aisle seat ` 20 inches, rather than 18. They say this to accommodate the changing body shape of passengers. Airlines can charge extra for these bigger seats. But the space has to come from somewhere. The two seats next to it being shrunk to accommodate the bigger seat. So while the airlines won't have any problem charging extra for fat passengers, the rest of us won't be getting cheaper tickets on our narrower seats. AFTER THE BREAK ` LIFE MIMICS ART, THANKS TO THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS MURRAY. The new Brian Epstein? Brian Nesbit, I said. ALI'S STILL AT THE PUB IN CHRISTCHURCH, SO WE THOUGHT WE'D FINISH TONIGHT AT THE PUB TOO. CRAIG STANAWAY'S ON PONSONBY RD WITH THE NEXT BIG THING, TWO RAP COMEDIANS, AND YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHO'S REPRESENTING THEM. THE TWO OF US WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT, BUT FOR NOW, CRAIG, TAKE IT AWAY. When the producer told me to go and interview a manager of a band, I thought was not really me until I found out who the manager of the band was. This really is life imitating art. It really is. People often ask me where I get my ideas. I really think it is the mysteries of the universe. Nothing is planned. Things just fall in your lap. I never discovered these guys. They actually discovered me. Hedluv ran into me while jogging in a park in Edinburgh. He had a flyer. I went to their gig. I like crap, so does not a hard sell. I can beatbox. (BEATBOXES) People at home are wondering is this a real? Rhys actually is the manager of this band. They're a Casio rap band. The reality is this is a serious thing. I loved what they did. There was a fantastic performance. They told me they wanted to make it. I asked if they wanted to make it big, and they said they would admit it mediocre. So I told them to come to NZ. Has Murray Hewitt given them any advice? He's hard to get hold of, but he did write to me. He told me to make sure they're facing the front and drink plenty of water. Here it is. Over to you. It's a pleasure to be hosting Seven Sharp. An hour. I want to bring this to the attention of the NZ public. The most fantastic rap band that ever come from Cornwall. I'm going to introduce into the whole crowd tonight. Here we go. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, are you ready?! CROWD CHEERS all right, this is it. You know... Here's a funny story. What is life about? It's about letting things flow, things landing in your lap, not planning anything. This is something that was unplanned, but just made perfect sense. I've brought it to NZ. Here they are for you. Please welcome Hedluv & Passman. CHEERING KEYBOARD HIP HOP BEAT PLAYS Oh... (SCREAMS) BEAT CONTINUES Huh! Huh! We're doin' it like you never knew it could be done. Who else do you know who has this much fun? (BOTH CONTINUE RAPPING) Been to the year 3000. I'd like to welcome you to our second album. Who knew we'd be back? Mikes at the ready. Saturday afternoon, like we got nothing to do. Till after lunch. Man, I don't be gettin' up till after lunch. Doin' it. Yeah, we're doin' it. I spend longer in the bathroom than Elvis Presley. Doin it, yeah we're doin it. Lost my remote down the back of the settee, didn't find it for a week. (BOTH CONTINUE RAPPING) CAPTIONS BY RICHARD EDMUNDS AND JOHN LING.