HOWDY, EVERYBODY. TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES ARE FALLING IN THE SOUTH AS AN ICY TENTACLE FROM ANTARCTICA CUTS A SWATHE UP THE COUNTRY. INVERCARGILL WAS JUST 4 DEGREES AT 3 O'CLOCK. ALL CORNERS OF THE LAND WILL BE AFFECTED, WITH SNOW TO SEA LEVEL, HAIL, SLEET, DAMAGING WINDS AND HIGH SEAS OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS. STAND BY FOR A RAFT OF WARNINGS. 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. BRACED FOR THE WINTRY BLAST, A MAD RUSH AT SUPERMARKETS AS RESIDENTS STOCK UP ON FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIALS. A LONDON COURT CONSIDERS SENDING DOUBLE-MURDERER MARK LUNDY'S APPEAL BACK TO NZ. THE INTERNET SCORES THE RIGHTS TO SHOW THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR FOOTBALL LEAGUE. IS ONLINE THE FUTURE OF SPORTS BROADCASTING? AND CAN THE SPURS WRAP UP THE NBA FINALS AS MIAMI PUTS ON THE HEAT IN OVERTIME? KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. THE POLAR BLAST WE'VE BEEN WARNED ABOUT IS TONIGHT STARTING TO HIT PARTS OF THE SOUTH ISLAND. THESE PICTURES SHOW SNOW ALREADY BLANKETING NASEBY IN CENTRAL OTAGO, AND IT'S NOW CLOSING IN ON OTHER AREAS. AND THE OFFICIAL ADVICE FOR RESIDENTS ACROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND IS STAY INDOORS AND TAKE CARE ON THE ROADS. WE BEGIN IN CHRISTCHURCH, WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STOCKING UP AHEAD OF THE FORECAST SNOW AND ICY TEMPERATURES. LET'S GO LIVE TO LORELEI MASON. COMMUTERS ARE HEADING HOME FROM WORK RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE ROADWORKS, NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHAT TOMORROW AND FRIDAY WILL BRING. IT'S JUST RAIN AT THIS STAGE, BUT THE FORECAST SIGNALS HEAVY RAIN AT THE LEAST, SNOW FLURRIES AT WORST. BUT ONE THING ABOUT HARDY CANTABRIANS ` THEY'RE NOW WELL-USED TO DEALING WITH MOTHER NATURE IN THE EXTREME AND IN TAKING PRECAUTIONS. THEY WERE OUT IN FORCE TODAY DOING JUST THAT. AS FAST AS THEY CAME IN, SUPPLIES WERE BEING LOADED INTO SUPERMARKET TROLLIES. AMONG THE CROWDS WERE FARMERS ROBERT AND LORRAINE KEENAN, UP IN THE BIG SMOKE ON A MISSION. WE SEE ALL THIS PANIC-BUYING, SO WE THOUGHT WE'D BETTER HURRY UP, WE'VE GOTTA GET HOME. HOME TO BURKE'S PASS IN INLAND SOUTH CANTERBURY. I'M JUST WORRIED THERE'S GONNA BE NO BREAD AND MILK LEFT TO TAKE HOME. THOUSANDS OF OTHERS SHARED THOSE CONCERNS. FOOD! FOOD IS ALL WE WANT. (LAUGHS) SUPPLY SO FAR IS MANAGING TO MEET DEMAND. WE'VE DONE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO GET WHAT WE WANT IN, AND JUST TIME WILL TELL, REALLY. IN TIMARU, CHECKOUTS WERE PACKED AS WELL. THIS MORNING, THEY WERE HERE AT 7AM, STOCKING UP. BUT IN NEARBY TEMUKA,... WE'VE BEEN SOLD OUT OF BREAD SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING, ABOUT 8 O'CLOCK. AND JUST WHEN MORE FRESH BREAD WILL TURN UP IS STILL NOT CLEAR. CAN THE TRUCKS GET THROUGH? AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE PUT THE ORDERS IN. CAN OUR SUPPLIERS DELIVER? WE WON'T KNOW TILL TOMORROW. CHRISTCHURCH LINES COMPANY ORION TOO SAYS ITS WELL PREPARED, WITH MOBILE GENERATORS AT THE READY IN CASE OF POWER OUTAGES. THESE ONES HERE CAN PROVIDE ENERGY TO UP TO 100 HOUSES, AND WE'VE GOT BIGGER ONES THAT CAN DO UP TO 200 HOUSES, SO WE'VE GOT OVER A DOZEN OF THEM READY FOR A PLAN B. KEEPING WARM AND DRY WILL BE A CHALLENGE FOR SOME. MANY RESIDENTS ARE STILL AWAITING ROOF REPAIRS FROM THE QUAKES. OTHERS HAVE SANDBAGS IN PLACE ALREADY, IN CASE THERE'S MORE OF THIS WEEK'S FLOODING. RED CROSS IS LOADING UP FOR A MAJOR DELIVERY OF WINTER WOOLLIES FOR THOSE STRUGGLING TO STAY WARM. THE RECOVERY GUYS ARE MAKING 7500 WINTER WARMER PACKS, AND WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO START A MASS DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE. CHANCES ARE, THEY'LL BE NEEDED IF SNOW COMES. WE COULD BE SEEING IT DOWN TO NEARLY SEA-LEVEL AS FAR NORTH AS, PERHAPS, KAIKOURA, MARLBOROUGH. BUT IT'LL BE MUCH MORE WIDESPREAD INLAND. WE'VE JUST GOTTA KEEP WARM, COS IT CAN GET DOWN TO MINUS-20 WHERE WE ARE. THE PRIORITY ` KEEPING NOT JUST WARM BUT WELL FED. LORELEI, LOCALS LOOK LIKE THEY ARE PREPARED FOR THIS STORM. ARE THERE STILL A NUMBER OF DECISIONS UP IN THE AIR DEPENDING ON HOW BAD IT IS? They are. Civil defence are ready to go. They will put in place the emergency centre they need to. Elective surgery and out patient appointments will be postponed if it snows. LORELEI MASON IN CHRISTCHURCH. AND FURTHER SOUTH, MANY AREAS ARE STILL BOGGED DOWN AFTER DAYS OF HEAVY RAIN. LACEY WILSON IS IN DUNEDIN WAITING FOR SNOW, BUT IT HASN'T COME YET? It's been raining here all day. The temperature gauge tells me it's 7. There have been reports of snow in Southland. ALL THIS WATER IS MAKING IT A TESTING TIME FOR FARMERS. A HIGH TIDE OF A DIFFERENT KIND. MANY PARTS OF OTAGO ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF TWO DAYS OF FLOODING. TODAY, A DIFFERENT WEATHER EVENT THE FARMERS WERE OUT PREPARING FOR. IT'S ALL IN THE PLANNING. IT'S MOVING THE STOCK TO SHELTER WHERE WE CAN AND WHERE WE CAN'T. WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE WE'VE GOT THE FEED OUT THERE FOR THEM. IT'S GOING TO LAST FOR A FEW DAYS, SO, YEAH, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED. THE SNOW IS FORECAST TO ARRIVE HERE TOMORROW. WHILE IT'S EXPECTED TO HANG AROUND FOR JUST A FEW DAYS, THE REPERCUSSIONS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST FOR WEEKS. THE NEXT WHILE WILL BE THE CHALLENGE FOR THE STOCK. AFTER THAT WILL BE THE CHALLENGE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DO DAMAGE TO PASTURE THAT WILL HURT US COME CALVING TIME. SO IF IT'S NOT THERE BECAUSE WE'VE HURT THE GRASS, WE WON'T HAVE FEED. AND WITH THE GROUND ALREADY EXTREMELY WET, IT WON'T BE EASY. IT'LL BE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I HOPE` I HOPE FOR THE BEST THAT` THAT EVERYONE GETS THROUGH. AND IN THE SHORT-TERM, IF THEY GET SNOW ON TOP OF THE FLOODING, IT WILL JUST ADD TO THE PROBLEMS. AND LACEY, PLENTY OF WARNINGS ABOUT FOR THE OTAGO-SOUTHLAND AREA. THE OTAGO REGIONAL COUNCIL HAVE A FLOOD WATCH IN PLACE FOR THE TAIERI, LOWER CLUTHA AND POMAHAKA RIVERS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN HIGH FOR AT LEAST A WEEK. WITH SNOW COMING, THESE RIVERS MAY RISE EVEN MORE AS THE SNOW MELTS. SO MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO BE PATIENT. THANKS. LACEY WILSON IN DUNEDIN. NOW, FOR THE BIG PICTURE AND A LOOK AT WHERE THE STORM SYSTEMS ARE HEADING, HERE'S OUR WEATHER EXPERT, JIM HICKEY. THIS IS ONE HECK OF A STORM, STRAIGHT FROM OUR COMPATRIOTS AT SCOTT BASE. SNOW'S FALLING IN SOUTHLAND AND OTAGO, AND IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS TO SEA-LEVEL FROM THE DEEP SOUTH TO SOUTH CANTERBURY. INLAND CANTERBURY MAY GET A METRE OF SNOW ON THE GROUND. FARMERS HAVE BEEN WARNED. SEE THE GRAINY POLAR SURGE AT MIDDAY. AND AGAIN AT 3. HERE IT IS TOMORROW ` DAMAGING GALES MAY HIT 150K IN PARTS OF WESTLAND AND 120K IN AUCKLAND, WITH SQUALLS AND THUNDER WE'LL UPDATE YOUR WARNINGS LATER. AND IF YOU'RE IN THE COLD SNAP'S LINE OF FIRE, HERE'S MORE ADVICE FROM THE AUTHORITIES: STAY OFF THE ROADS IF YOU CAN, AND CHECK CONDITIONS BEFORE DRIVING. HAVE TYRE CHAINS READY IF YOU'RE TRAVELLING ON SNOWY ROADS. AND, OF COURSE, WATCH YOUR SPEED. BE PREPARED IN CASE OF BREAKDOWN OR STRANDING. KEEP WARM CLOTHES, BLANKET AND A TORCH IN YOUR CAR. AT HOME, CHECK FUEL SUPPLIES FOR WOODBURNERS AND HEATERS, AND SECURE LARGE OBJECTS IF HIGH WINDS ARE FORECAST FOR YOUR PLACE. AND YOU CAN STAY RIGHT UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST FORECAST AND DEVELOPMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE ONENEWS.CO.NZ WHICH ALSO INCLUDES ALL NEW PUBLIC ADVISORIES AND WARNINGS. THE WAY NZERS WATCH THEIR SPORT IS SET TO CHANGE AFTER A SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT FROM SKY TV. IT'S LOST THE RIGHTS TO ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL MATCHES, WHICH WILL NOW BE SCREENED ONLINE BY A PRIVATE COMPANY AND ON TV ONE THIS IS A TREND THAT COULD SEE OTHER MAJOR SPORTS EVENTS SHOWN OVER THE INTERNET RATHER THAN ON TV. MATT MCLEAN EXPLAINS. WE'RE A NATION MAD ON OUR SPORT. RUGBY, CRICKET, TENNIS ` WE CAN'T WATCH ENOUGH OF IT, SOMETIMES FREE TO AIR AND OFTEN ON SKY. BUT THIS YEAR, TO WATCH YOUR FOOTBALL LIVE, YOU'LL HAVE TO LOG ON TO THE INTERNET. THIS WILL ALL TAKE PLACE ON PREMIERLEAGUEPASS.COM THIS WILL ALL TAKE PLACE ON PREMIERLEAGUEPASS.COM A PURPOSE-BUILT ONLINE PLATFORM TO PROVIDE MORE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE CONTENT THAN HAS EVER BEEN SHOWN IN NZ BEFORE. IT'S BEEN HERALDED AS A REVOLUTIONARY STEP. KIWIS CAN WATCH ALL THIS CONTENT WHEN, HOW, AND WHERE THEY WANT TO, ON PC, MAC, IPHONE, IPAD, ANDROID PHONE AND ANDROID TABLET. COLISEUM SPORTS MEDIA WON'T SAY HOW MUCH THEY PAID FOR THE FOOTBALL RIGHTS AND WILL ONLY SAY THEY HOPE TO HAVE THE VIEWERSHIP. WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT PRETTY QUICKLY IS HOW MANY ENGLISH PREMIERE LEAGUE FANS THERE ARE. THE COMPANY HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH TVNZ TO BRING ONE MATCH A WEEK, PLUS A WEEKLY WRAP-UP, TO FREE-TO-AIR TV. BUT WITH SUCH A HUGE PUSH TO GET THINGS ONLINE, DOES THIS SPELL THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR PAY TV? SKY DOESN'T THINK SO, DESPITE A 6.2% SLUMP IN THE COMPANY'S SHARE PRICE TODAY. BUT IT KNOWS IT HAS TO START THINKING SMARTER. I SEE A HYBRID MODEL DEVELOPING IN THE FUTURE, WHERE THE LINEAR MODEL WILL STILL BE AROUND. IF YOU WANNA WATCH THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL ON A LINEAR BASIS, THAT'S GREAT. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO WATCH SOMETHING THAT APPEARED TWO WEEKS AGO, YOU'D BE ABLE TO DO IT ONDEMAND. SPORTS COMMENTATORS WE'VE SPOKEN TO, THOUGH, ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHERE THINGS ARE HEADING. AS SOON AS THE GAME'S FINISHED, YOU CAN GO BACK INTO THE ARCHIVE AND WATCH IT WHENEVER YOU WANT TO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO MYSKY IT. IT'S ALREADY THERE. AND YOU CAN PICK THE GAMES YOU WANNA WATCH! IN ITS BASIC FORM, THE ONLINE SEASON PACKAGE WILL COST FANS AROUND $150. THE WEBSITE WILL BE LIVE AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST ` JUST IN TIME FOR THE BEAUTIFUL GAME TO KICK OFF IN BRITAIN. MATT MCLEAN, ONE NEWS. THOUSANDS MORE CUSTOMERS HAVE SIGNED UP TO BE PART OF LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ANZ BANK IN RESPONSE TO YESTERDAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT. THE FAIR PLAY ON FEES GROUP SAY MORE THAN 28,000 PEOPLE HAVE REGISTERED AS COMPLAINANTS OVERNIGHT. ANZ IS ACCUSED OF REAPING UP TO $250M IN UNFAIR PENALTY FEES. ANOTHER SETBACK FOR PETER DUNNE, WITH THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION REFUSING TO BEND THE RULES FOR THE UNITED FUTURE PARTY. MR DUNNE TODAY ASKED THE COMMISSION TO ACCEPT A SPREADSHEET OF NAMES AS EVIDENCE OF 500 PAID PARTY MEMBERS NEEDED TO RE-REGISTER THE PARTY. BUT THE COMMISSION STILL WANTS TO SEE SIGNED MEMBERSHIP FORMS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN THAT PROCESS JUST IN CASE, BUT I COULDN'T BE CONFIDENT ABOUT HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE TO COMPLETE. PETER DUNNE'S YET TO HEAR IF HE WILL BE HAULED BEFORE PARLIAMENT'S POWERFUL PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE IN RELATION TO A LEAKED GCSB REPORT. THE GREENS HAVE DUMPED A CONTROVERSIAL ECONOMIC POLICY THAT EFFECTIVELY AMOUNTED TO PRINTING MONEY. GREENS CO-LEADER RUSSEL NORMAN SAYS IT BECAME CLEAR DURING THE OPPOSITION'S RECENT MANUFACTURING INQUIRY THAT THE POLICY KNOWN AS QUANTITATIVE EASING LACKED POLITICAL SUPPORT. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, YOU KNOW, THE MORE IMPORTANT THING WAS ` DID WE HAVE A BROAD CONSENSUS OF SUPPORT ON MY SIDE OF POLITICS, IF YOU LIKE, OF AN ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT, AND CLEARLY IT ISN'T THERE. PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY SAYS THE U-TURN HIGHLIGHTS THE GREENS' LACK OF ECONOMIC CREDIBILITY. IN WHAT WOULD BE A FIRST FOR NZ, THE PRIVY COUNCIL IN LONDON IS CONSIDERING SENDING THE MARK LUNDY CASE BACK TO THE COURT OF APPEAL HERE. THE IDEA WAS RAISED IN DAY TWO OF THE HEARING TO OVERTURN LUNDY'S CONVICTION FOR MURDERING HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER (7). KIM VINNELL REPORTS FROM LONDON. DAY TWO OF MARK LUNDY'S LATEST BID FOR FREEDOM, AND HIS LAWYER IS WASTING NO TIME, TAKING AIM AT WHAT WAS A FOUNDATION OF THE PROSECUTION CASE ` THE TIME CHRISTINE AND AMBER LUNDY WERE KILLED AND THE WAY THE CROWN TRIED TO PROVE IT. THE UN-CONTRADICTED EVIDENCE AT TRIAL AS TO TIME OF DEATH WAS NOT FOUNDED ON VALID SCIENCE. IT WAS, WE SAY, POSITIVELY WITHOUT FOUNDATION. THE TIME THE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER WERE KILLED WAS CRUCIAL IN MARK LUNDY'S 2002 CONVICTION. THAT'S BECAUSE THE CROWN BASED ITS CASE ON A THREE-HOUR WINDOW IT ARGUED LUNDY HAD TO DRIVE FROM PETONE TO PALMERSTON NORTH, KILL HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER, BEFORE DRIVING BACK. THE TIME OF DEATH, THE CROWN ARGUED, FIT PERFECTLY. BUT LUNDY'S LAWYER SAYS EXPERTS CAST DOUBT ON THE TIME OF DEATH AND THE JURY SHOULD'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT. TEMPERATURES WERE NOT TAKEN? NO. > AND TESTING FOR RIGOR MORTIS NOT CARRIED OUT EITHER? NO. > CURIOUS OMISSIONS. DURING THE HEARING, THE PRIVY COUNCIL PANEL RAISED THE POSSIBILITY OF SENDING THE CASE BACK TO THE COURT OF APPEAL IN NZ, WHICH WOULD BE AN UNPRECEDENTED STEP. THERE THE COURT WOULD HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE EXPERTS MARK LUNDY'S LAWYER IS USING IN HIS APPEAL, AND IT WOULD DECIDE WHETHER THE EVIDENCE OFFERED IS CREDIBLE. BUT THE CROWN ARGUES THE EVIDENCE BROUGHT TO LIGHT DURING THE APPEAL ISN'T NEW, SO LEGALLY SHOULDN'T BE RE-EXAMINED IN COURT. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENTS OR FORENSIC ADVANCEMENTS SINCE TRIAL. IT IS NOT A CASE OF EVIDENCE NOT BEING REASONABLY DISCOVERABLE AT THE TIME OF THE TRIAL. THE CROWN SAYS THE SCIENCE IT USED TO CONVICT MARK LUNDY IS ROBUST AND ITS INVESTIGATION TRANSPARENT. IT HAS ANOTHER DAY TO CONVINCE THE COURT IT'S RIGHT. KIM VINNELL, ONE NEWS, LONDON. AHEAD ON ONE NEWS ` THE SOE THAT SPENT THOUSANDS ON ADVICE ON DEALING WITH POLITICIANS, AS IT WENT TO THE WALL. IS THIS ALL PART OF A PEACE PLAN? AFGHANISTAN'S TALIBAN STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS TO OPEN UP AN OVERSEAS OFFICE. THE OBAMAS' PUB LUNCH IN IRELAND WITH ROCK MUSIC ROYALTY. AND STAND WELL BACK ` A FERRARI-DRIVING JUSTIN BIEBER'S CONFRONTATION WITH THE PAPARAZZI. TINKLING MUSIC Have you ever noticed how your smartphone will often underline things in texts and emails, like this? Well, it's a link, and it's really useful. If I tap it, I can either use or store the information. Here, I'll show you. A friend has texted me this number, and my smartphone has automatically recognised it as a phone number and linked it. Because it's linked, when I tap it, I get a range of options, like calling Smithy directly or saving him to my contacts, or I can send him a text message. So gone are the days when I would have had to write it down or been chanting it out loud to remember it while I dialled. Now, all smartphones work differently, but the principle is the same. You'll need to experiment to find out what yours will do, so try it out next time you see one on your smartphone, and you can find out more at techinasec.co.nz Yeah, Smithy, mate. How are you? It's Matt. Matt` Matt Gibb. No, Matt. Matt Gibb. FAILING COMPANY SOLID ENERGY SPENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS GETTING ADVICE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH POLITICIANS AS IT WAS GOING TO THE WALL. DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BY ONE NEWS SHOW THE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE PAID A HIGH-POWERED LOBBYIST NEARLY $50,000 TO SMOOTH THE MESSAGE. DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH HAS THIS EXCLUSIVE STORY. APPEARING BEFORE A PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE CAN BE A DAUNTING EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE IN NEARLY $400M IN DEBT, LIKE SOLID ENERGY. SO THEY ASKED FOR SOME HELP FROM THIS MAN. $48,000 OF TAXPAYER MONEY WAS SPENT ON ADVICE FROM HIGH-POWERED LOBBYIST MARK UNSWORTH. EMAILS OBTAINED UNDER THE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REVEAL MARK UNSWORTH AND SOLID ENERGY DID A ROLE PLAY SESSION TO PRACTISE HARD QUESTIONS. HE TOLD SOLID ENERGY TO KEEP ANSWERS AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE, SAYING, 'THE LONGER YOU TALK, THE MORE LIKELY IT WILL BE 'THAT YOU TRIGGER A RANGE OF QUESTIONS, 'AND THAT WILL NOT BE PLEASANT.' LABOUR SAYS A STATE-OWNED COMPANY SHOULD BE MORE TRANSPARENT. WHY DO THEY NEED TO SPENT $48,000 OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY TO DODGE AND WEAVE? THE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES MINSTER HAS PUT THE HEAT BACK ON SOLID ENERGY, SAYING, 'IT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON ADVICE 'FOR APPEARING AT A SELECT COMMITTEE 'TO ANSWER THE SAME OLD QUESTIONS FROM LABOUR.' SOLID ENERGY REFUSED TO COMMENT. THIS IS WHERE SAUNDERS UNSWORTH IS BASED, JUST UP THE ROAD FROM PARLIAMENT. MARK UNSWORTH DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK ON CAMERA, BUT TOLD ME THAT THE SITUATION WITH SOLID ENERGY WAS COMPLEX, THE COMPANY'S OWN COMMUNICATION TEAM WERE STRETCHED, AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS BROUGHT IN TO HELP. MARK UNSWORTH ALSO HELPED OUT WITH SOME PERSONAL PROFILING, STATING THAT MP 'DAVID CLARK IS LIKEABLE AND WILL BE QUIET AND PROBABLY LEAVE FELLOW MP CLAYTON COSGROVE TO DO ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING DURING THE SELECT COMMITTEE' AND ALSO TOLD SOLID ENERGY HE WOULD LOOK AT STRATEGIES TO HANDLE THE TWO MOST PROBLEMATIC MPS ` DAVID CUNLIFFE AND CLAYTON COSGROVE. AND I WEAR IT AS A BADGE OF HONOUR. THE GOVERNMENT IS SET TO DECIDE WHETHER IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE BAILOUT OF SOLID ENERGY IN THE COMING WEEKS. JESSICA MUTCH, ONE NEWS. AFTER MONTHS OF SPECULATION, LABOUR MP LIANNE DALZIEL HAS FINALLY DECLARED HER HAND AND CONFIRMED SHE WILL RUN AGAINST BOB PARKER IN THE CHRISTCHURCH MAYORALTY RACE. LIANNE DALZIEL SAYS SHE ONLY MADE UP HER MIND THREE WEEKS AGO. HER DECISION WILL MEAN A BY-ELECTION FOR CHRISTCHURCH EAST. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I'M COMMITTED ABSOLUTELY TO THE MAYORALTY RACE AND THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BE DOING TWO JOBS. LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE THIS OCTOBER. ON THE DAY NATO HANDED BACK FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN TO THE GOVERNMENT THERE, THE US AND THE TALIBAN HAVE AGREED TO TALKS AIMED AT A POLITICAL SOLUTION. BUT AFTER 12 YEARS OF WAR, THE WHITE HOUSE WARNS IT'LL BE A LONG ROAD TO PEACE. BBC CORRESPONDENT DAVID LOYN REPORTS FROM KABUL. BOOM! IN EACH OF THE PAST 12 YEARS, THE AFGHAN WAR HAS COST THOSE NATIONS FIGHTING IT AROUND �20B. THEN THERE'S THE COST IN LIVES LOST ` TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS AND 3000 DEAD FOREIGN TROOPS. BUT AS FOREIGN FORCES CLOSE DOWN BASES TO GO HOME, THE UNEASY TRUTH IS THAT FAR FROM BEING DEFEATED, THE TALIBAN ARE STILL FIGHTING AND NOW CLAIMING POLITICAL LEGITIMACY BY OPENING AN OFFICE IN THE GULF AND STILL CALLING THEMSELVES BY THE NAME THEY DID WHEN THEY WERE IN GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN. THE OPENING OF THE TALIBAN'S OFFICE UPSTAGED A CEREMONIAL EVENT IN KABUL TO MARK THE FORMAL HANDOVER OF AFGHAN SECURITY FROM NATO TO THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT. A HISTORIC MOMENT FOR AFGHANISTAN, BUT PRESIDENT KARZAI FOUND HIMSELF TALKING ABOUT THE OLD ENEMY. THE PRINCIPLES ARE THAT THE TALKS MUST BRING ABOUT AN END TO VIOLENCE IN AFGHANISTAN. IN AFGHANISTAN, THERE IS FEAR AMONG HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS THAT THERE MAY BE TOO MANY CONCESSIONS MADE TO THE TALIBAN ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS OR EDUCATION IN RETURN FOR PEACE. BUT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN FAST. ^ PROCESS WILL BE EASY OR QUICK, BUT WE MUST PURSUE IT IN PARALLEL WITH OUR MILITARY APPROACH. THERE'S BEEN NO CALL FOR A CEASE-FIRE. THE WAR WILL NOT END WITH THESE TALKS. BUT THESE TALKS COULD END THE WAR. IT MIGHT BE SOME TIME BEFORE WE CAN SAY WHETHER IT WAS WORTH IT. AND EVEN AS THE MILESTONE TALKS WERE ANNOUNCED FOUR US SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN AN ATTACK ON BAGRAM AIRBASE IN KABUL. RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, HAS DERAILED EFFORTS BY THE G8 NATIONS FOR A UNITED STANCE TO WIN BACKING FOR THE DOWNFALL OF SYRIAN LEADER BASHAR AL-ASSAD. THE RUSSIAN LEADER INSTEAD WARNED THE WEST THAT ARMS SUPPLIED TO THE REBELS COULD BE USED FOR ATTACKS ON EUROPEAN SOIL. HE COMPARED THE REBELS TO THE KILLERS OF BRITISH SOLDIER LEE RIGBY. TRANSLATOR: NEXT TO HIS BARRACKS ON THE STREETS OF LONDON, A BRITISH SERVICEMAN WAS VIOLENTLY ASSASSINATED. CLEARLY, THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION IS NOT ENTIRELY COMPOSED OF PEOPLE LIKE THIS, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONES WHO PERPETRATED THE KILLING IN LONDON. MR PUTIN ALSO SAID HE HADN'T RULED OUT SUPPLYING MORE ARMS TO THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT IN FUTURE. AND WHILE US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WAS AT THE G8 CONFERENCE, HIS WIFE, MICHELLE OBAMA, DINED WITH IRISH SINGER BONO. THE FIRST LADY AND HER DAUGHTERS MET WITH THE U2 FRONTMAN AND HIS FAMILY AT HIS FAVOURITE PUB IN DUBLIN, WHICH WAS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE SPECIAL OCCASION. BONO AND HIS GUESTS REPORTEDLY CHOWED DOWN ON FISH AND CHIPS. JUSTIN BIEBER'S BEEN CLEARED OF ANY CRIME FOLLOWING AN ALLEGED HIT-AND-RUN IN HOLLYWOOD. VIDEO FROM A CELEBRITY GOSSIP SITE TMZ SHOWS THE SINGER (19) AS HE WAS LEAVING A COMEDY CLUB SURROUNDED BY PAPARAZZI. HE APPEARS TO ACCIDENTALLY PIN ONE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHERS BETWEEN HIS FERRARI AND ANOTHER CAR. < ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, MAN? I'M ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE GOT TO GET AN AMBULANCE, THOUGH. (GROANS) HOWEVER, POLICE SAY MR BIEBER WASN'T AWARE HE'D HIT ANYONE AND ARE INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE PHOTOGRAPHER WAS IN THE WAY. TIME FOR A WEATHER UPDATE. LOTS HAPPENING, JIM, SO WHERE ARE WE AT NOW? SNOW'S FALLING ON THE HIGH SOUTHLAND FARMS NOW. DUNEDIN WAS 7 AT 1 O'CLOCK AND IS NOW 4. AND THE SNOW'S HEADING FOR ALL OUR MAIN RANGES AND HILL COUNTRY RIGHT UP THE NORTH. A LIST OF WARNINGS LATER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ TOMORROW DAMAGING GALES MAY HIT 150K IN PARTS OF WESTLAND AND 120K IN AUCKLAND WITH SQUALLS AND THUNDER AND SNOW ON THE NORTH ISLAND RANGES. IT'S ABOUT AS SEVERE AS WINTER GETS. BUT IT'LL BE ALL OVER LATE SATURDAY. WE'LL UPDATE YOUR WARNINGS LATER. COMING UP ` THE KIWI-BORN AUSTRALIAN RUGBY LEAGUE STAR FACING DEPORTATION, AS RECORD NUMBERS OF NZERS ARE SENT PACKING. AND AFTER THE DELUGE, A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION AND WASHOUTS. 1 THE MAORI PARTY'S CLAIMING A WIN IN ITS WAR ON POKIES, CONVINCING THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE NEW LAWS DESIGNED TO REDUCE HARM. THE PERCENTAGE OF POKIE MONEY GOING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY WILL BE RAISED FROM 37% TO AROUND 40%. BUT TO GET GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, TE URUROA FLAVELL'S HAD TO ABANDON PLANS TO STOP THE RACING INDUSTRY USING POKIE PROCEEDS AS RACE PRIZE MONEY IT HAS 15,000 JOBS IN THE RACING INDUSTRY; IT EXPORTS OVER $300M INTERNATIONALLY. THIS IS A KEY INDUSTRY FOR US, AND WE DID NOT WANT TO HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME. POKIE OPERATORS WILL ALSO BE ALLOWED TO KEEP THEIR MACHINES WHEN THEY MOVE OUT OF POOR AREAS. A HIGH-PROFILE NZ-BORN RUGBY-LEAGUE STAR IS FACING BEING DEPORTED BACK HERE OVER DRINK-DRIVING. NZERS WHO COMMIT CRIMES IN AUSTRALIA ARE BEING DEPORTED IN RECORD NUMBERS, WITH MORE THAN 300 KIWIS THROWN OUT BY AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT STEVE MARSHALL HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING. JAMES TAMOU RISKED MORE THAN HIS LICENCE WHEN HE WAS PULLED OVER FOR DRINK-DRIVING IN QUEENSLAND. THE NZ-BORN LEAGUE STAR FACES UP TO 18 MONTHS IN JAIL AND BEING DEPORTED FROM HIS ADOPTED COUNTRY. IF YOU GET A CONVICTION FOR A YEAR, EVEN IF IT'S SUSPENDED, YOU FAIL THE CHARACTER TEST BY LAW AND YOU HAVE TO BASICALLY SHOW WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BE BOUNCED OUT OF THE COUNTRY. NEARLY 350 CONVICTED NZERS HAVE BEEN DEPORTED FROM AUSTRALIA IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. AMONG THEM, PATRICIA TOIA, WHOSE CONVICTION RECORD RAN 30 PAGES. SOME OTHER DEPORTEES WENT ON TO COMMIT HORRIFIC CRIMES BACK HOME, INCLUDING CONVICTED MURDERER JEREMY MCLAUGHLIN AND PAEDOPHILE AARON ELLMERS. NOW THE NUMBER OF NZERS IN IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS' SIGHTS IS ON THE RISE. I GET CALLS FROM NZERS IN JAIL; NZERS AT VILLAWOOD, THE IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTRE; RELATIVES ` 'HOW DO WE HELP?' AND I'VE HAD NZERS COME IN. SOME YOU CAN HELP, AND SOME YOU CAN'T ` SOME OF THEIR CRIMES ARE TOO SEVERE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY AROUND 800 NZERS SERVING TIME IN AUSTRALIAN PRISONS. BUT WHAT'S NOT WIDELY KNOWN HERE IS THAT EVEN SUSPENDED SENTENCES CAN BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY AUSTRALIA'S HARD-LINE IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS WHEN DECIDING ON WHO SHOULD STAY AND WHO SHOULD GO. IT'S THE SENTENCE THAT COUNTS, NOT THE SERVING OF THE TIME, SO NZERS HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL HERE. JAMES TAMOU WILL BE IN COURT EARLY NEXT MONTH. BUT HE WON'T BE THE ONLY NZER FIGHTING TO STAY OUT OF JAIL AND IN AUSTRALIA. STEVE MARSHALL, ONE NEWS, SYDNEY. THERE ARE CALLS TONIGHT FOR A DOUBLING OF THE PROPOSED 300M RUNWAY EXTENSION AT WELLINGTON AIRPORT. THE AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION SAYS THE RUNWAY MUST BE EVEN LONGER FOR SAFETY. RYAN BOSWELL REPORTS. MOST PASSENGERS WORRY ABOUT THE WIND WHEN LANDING AT WELLINGTON AIRPORT, BUT PILOTS ARE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY. OUR FOCUS IS ABOUT ENSURING WE HAVE THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF SAFETY. IN AN EFFORT TO ATTRACT LONG-HAUL FLIGHTS TO THE CAPITAL, WELLINGTON AIRPORT ALREADY HAS PLANS TO EXTEND THE RUNWAY BY 300M AT A COST OF $300M. BUT THE AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION WANTS IT TO BE DOUBLE THAT. THE AIRPORT IS LONG ENOUGH FOR THE SHORTER FLIGHTS, BUT WHAT WE ARE AFTER IS THE ADDITIONAL DISTANCE OF THE RUNWAY-END SAFETY AREA OF 240M, WHICH IS TODAY'S NEW SAFETY STANDARD. IN 2006, WELLINGTON AIRPORT SPENT $23M EXTENDING THE SAFETY AREA OF THE RUNWAY BEHIND ME TO MEET MINIMUM STANDARDS. BUT THAT'S STILL LESS THAN HALF THE DISTANCE RECOMMENDED BY THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY. THE AIRPORT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS SET BY THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY, AND SO THE AIRPORT IS SAFE AND COMPLIANT. AIRPORTS IN AUCKLAND AND CHRISTCHURCH COMPLY WITH THE 240M SAFETY ZONE, AND WELLINGTON AIRPORT ISN'T RULING OUT MEETING THE SAME STANDARD AS IT GOES THOUGH THE PLANNING CONSENT PROCESS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE RUNWAY EXTENSION, WHICH IS A TWO-YEAR PROCESS, TO LOOK AT RESOURCE CONSENT FOR THAT, WE'LL CONSIDER EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF THE EXTENSION. PASSENGERS, TOO, APPEAR WILLING TO PAY. I THINK EXTENDING THE RUNWAY IS A GOOD IDEA, ACTUALLY. BUT PERHAPS MORE TO THE SOUTH. WELLINGTON AIRPORT HOPES CONSTRUCTION WILL START BY 2015. RYAN BOSWELL, ONE NEWS. LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT. THE WAY KIWIS WATCH SPORT IS SET TO CHANGE RADICALLY. ENGLISH PREMIERE LEAGUE FOOTBALL MATCHES WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ONLINE THIS SEASON, AFTER PAY TV CHANNEL SKY TV LOST ITS BID. FOOTBALL FANS WILL BE ABLE TO PAY AN ONLINE SEASON PASS TO WATCH EVERY LEAGUE MATCH. SOUTH ISLANDERS ARE BEING ADVISED TO TAKE CARE ON THE ROADS AS A POLAR BLAST STARTS TO ARRIVE. MANY HAVE BEEN STOCKING UP ON SUPPLIES IN CASE TRAVEL BECOMES TOO HAZARDOUS, WITH SNOW EXPECTED TO REACH SEA LEVEL IN SOME PARTS. WHILST THE SNOW IS YET TO FULLY ARRIVE, WEATHER HAS ALREADY BROUGHT THE MAIN RAILWAY BETWEEN CHRISTCHURCH AND TIMARU TO A HALT. THE DELUGE THAT FLOODED PARTS OF THE SOUTH ISLAND HAS LEFT A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION IN ITS WAKE. MIKE THORPE REPORTS. THE FULL FORCE OF THE COLD SNAP MAY BE YET TO ARRIVE, BUT ITS PREDECESSOR HAS LEFT A TRAIL OF CARNAGE. THIS SLUMP IN THE OPIHI BRIDGE HAS STOPPED RAIL TRAFFIC BETWEEN CHRISTCHURCH AND TIMARU IN ITS TRACKS. AND ONE OF THE PIERS HAS SUBSIDED, AND WE JUST NEED TO PLACE A TEMPORARY PIER ALONGSIDE OF IT AND LIFT THE BRIDGE BACK ON TO IT. SO THAT'S THE WORK THAT'S UNDERWAY NOW. THE BUCKLED LINE LEAVING A BACKLOG OF FREIGHT LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES. WE'RE THE BACKBONE OF THE TRANSPORT SYSTEM, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THE ROADS, SO I'M QUITE SURE THAT SOME OF THAT FREIGHT WILL BE ABLE TO BE MOVED BY ROAD. THAT'S PROVIDED THE FORECAST SNOW DOESN'T CLOSE THEM. SOME ARE ALREADY OUT OF ACTION. NORTH OF CHRISTCHURCH, THE ASHLEY RIVER BRIDGE REMAINS CLOSED. THE FLOOD SURGE CAUSING THIS PIER TO DISAPPEAR. WELL, IT'S NOT QUITE STATE HIGHWAY 1, BUT THE ASHLEY BRIDGE DOES PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE WAIMAKARIRI DISTRICT WITH ALMOST 10,000 CARS CROSSING IT EVERY DAY. IT'S UNCLEAR JUST YET HOW LONG THE DIVERSION WILL REMAIN. REPAIRS WON'T BEGIN UNTIL THE RIVER LEVEL EASES. DELAYS WILL BE EVEN LONGER ON THE WAIHAO BRIDGE EAST OF WAIMATE ` RAGING WATERS HAVE WASHED TWO-THIRDS OF IT DOWNSTREAM. WE HAVE LAND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE US QUITE A LOT OF EXTRA WORK. THERE WAS SOME GOOD NEWS FOR MOTORISTS, THOUGH, THE KAKANUI BRIDGE, SOUTH OF OAMARU, BRUSHING OFF THIS IMPACT AND REOPENING TO TRAFFIC. MIKE THORPE, ONE NEWS. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND THE NBA FINALS GO TO A DECIDING GAME SEVEN. MORE FROM THIS OUTSTANDING NBA FINALS SERIES NEXT. A STUNNING FINISH TO REGULATION TIME IN MIAMI, BUT WHY IS THE GAME'S BEST PLAYER SO UPSET? PLUS ` WHO'S THE RELAXED FRENCHMAN WITH THE LOCAL TATTOO WHO SEES HIS FUTURE IN SUPER RUGBY? AND THE GROUNDSMAN WHO'S UNDER PRESSURE TO READ EVERY BLADE OF GRASS ` WE'LL EXPLAIN ALL NEXT. FIRST UP TONIGHT ` TO THIS REMARKABLE NBA BASKETBALL FINALS SERIES IN THE US. THE CHAMPIONSHIP WILL GO DOWN TO A DECIDING SEVENTH GAME, AFTER AN OVERTIME EPIC IN MIAMI THIS AFTERNOON. IN FACT, THE GREAT MAGIC JOHNSON SAYS IT'S THE BEST BASKETBALL GAME HE'S EVER SEEN. KIMBERLEE DOWNS WATCHED ALL THE ACTION. IF YOU EVER NEED A LESSON ON RESPONDING TO PRESSURE, HIRE RAY ALLEN AS YOUR TUTOR. BACK OUT TO ALLEN. HIS THREE-POINTER. BANG! TIED GAME WITH FIVE SECONDS REMAINING! ONE OF THE BEST THREE-POINT SHOOTERS IN BASKETBALL SNATCHING THE CHAMPIONSHIP FROM SAN ANTONIO'S HANDS, SENDING GAME SIX TO OVERTIME BEFORE DROWNING TWO CLUTCH-FREE THROWS TO GIVE MIAMI A 103-100 WIN. UNTIL THE CLOCK RUNS OUT, WE STILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO WIN THIS GAME. SO I JUST KEPT MY HEAD IN, AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A GREAT BOUNCE. ONLY AFTER AN EQUALLY GREAT COMEBACK. THE FIRST THREE-QUARTERS ESSENTIALLY BELONGING TO SPURS VETERAN TIM DUNCAN. RIGHT TO THE RIM AND FINISHES. EIGHT FROM EIGHT FOR TIM DUNCAN. THE 37-YEAR-OLD WINDING BACK THE CLOCK, CLAIMING 25 OF SAN ANTONIO'S 50 FIRST-HALF POINTS. EVEN A SOARING BIRDMAN COULDN'T OUTPERFORM HIM. THE VISITORS ENTERING THE FINAL QUARTER WITH A 10-POINT LEAD, MIAMI SIMPLY SEEMED FLUMMOXED. THEN MIKE MILLER LOST A SHOE. NOT ENOUGH TIME TO TIE IT. SHOES ARE OVERRATED! AND LEBRON JAMES LOST HIS HEADBAND. HE FINALLY DISCOVERED HIS MOJO IN RETURN. CHALMERS, BEHIND, AND JAMES ON THE FLUSH! CHALMERS IN THE PAINT. OFF-BALANCE, WILD SHOT THROWN! DRIVES, INSIDE TO DUNCAN, BLOCKED BY JAMES! AFTER SCORING JUST 14 POINTS IN THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS, JAMES KNOCKED DOWN 16 IN THE FOURTH. BUT THE SPURS WEREN'T DONE. THAT'S A THREE-POINTER. IT'S GOOD! JAMES' BARRAGE SUDDENLY GOING BARREN. GIVES HIM SOME SPACE. JUST LOSES THE BALL. LUCKILY FOR MIAMI, ALLEN KEPT HIS COOL. SAN ANTONIO UNABLE TO CONVERT A DESPERATE FINAL PLAY IN OVERTIME, PAYING THE PRICE FOR WHAT WAS ULTIMATELY A CHOKE. THEIR COACH AS PRAGMATIC AS EVER ON HOW THEY'LL COME BACK AND PREPARE FOR THE FINAL GAME. I GET 'EM ON A BUS, AND IT ARRIVES AT THE RAMP OVER HERE. WE GOT OFF THE BUS, AND WE GET ON THE COURT, AND WE PLAY. THEY'LL ALSO HAVE TO REDISCOVER THIS SORT OF AGGRESSION. WINNER TAKES ALL IN MIAMI ON FRIDAY. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, ONE NEWS. TO INTERNATIONAL RUGBY, AND HE'S BIG, HE'S STRONG, HE'S WELL KNOWN IN NZ, AND NOW WANTS TO PLAY HERE. FRENCH MIDFIELDER MATHIEU BASTAREAUD HAS OPENED UP TO ONE NEWS ABOUT HIS RUGBY CAREER AND FUTURE. AND THAT INCLUDES A STINT IN SUPER RUGBY. THE SLIPPERS ARE A CLEAR GIVEAWAY, AS IS THE TATTOO ETCHED ON TO HIS LEFT ARM, WHICH WAS TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING. MATHIEU BASTAREAUD FEELS COMFORTABLE HERE AND WANTS TO PLAY FOR A NZ FRANCHISE. < WOULD YOU LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN? YES. YES, FOR ME, I'M A YOUNG PLAYER ` IT'S, I THINK, A GOOD EXPERIENCE. THE 25-YEAR-OLD'S DEAL WITH THE STAR-STUDDED TOULON CLUB IN FRANCE RUNS OUT IN TWO SEASONS. I THINK HE'S A MAN OF HONOUR. HE WOULD TO LIKE TO PROVE HOW HE LIKES THIS COUNTRY, THE RUGBY HERE. BASTAREAUD SAYS HE WANTS TO IMMERSE HIMSELF IN NZ BECAUSE HE'S BEEN TAUGHT BY HIS KIWI TEAMMATES AT TOULON TO WORK HARDER AND BE MORE PROFESSIONAL. US FRENCH PLAYER, WE CAN'T DO THIS. THE FRENCH, WE ARE A LITTLE BIT CRAZY. HIS CRAZY MOMENT CAME IN WELLINGTON FOUR YEARS AGO, ACCUSING LOCALS OF ASSAULT, ONLY TO OWN UP TO INJURING HIMSELF WHILE HE WAS DRUNK. DESPITE ALL THAT, BASTAREAUD SAYS KIWIS ARE MORE FORGIVING. AND AFTER, EVERYTHING IS OK. IN FRANCE, NOT THE SAME. HIS NEIGHBOUR IN TOULON IS FORMER ALL BLACKS PROP CARL HAYMAN, WHO INVITED HIM TO STAY IN NEW PLYMOUTH NEXT WEEK. I SAY TO HIM, 'I'M SORRY, BUT I GO TO THE SUN, 'BECAUSE HERE IS TOO COLD FOR ME.' (LAUGHS) TOUGH CHOICE. HE'S OFF TO THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF GUADELOUPE INSTEAD, A FORMER FRENCH TERRITORY, WHERE IS FAMILY HAILS FROM. FROM PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE TO A PROSPECTIVE SUPER RUGBY STAR PURCHASE. SWAP THE SLIPPERS FOR JANDALS, AND MATHIEU COULD BECOME KIWI MATTHEW. AN EMBARRASSING WAKE-UP CALL FOR THE LIONS AHEAD OF THEIR OPENING TEST AGAINST AUSTRALIA ON SATURDAY. THEY'VE SUFFERED THEIR FIRST LOSS TO A PROVINCIAL RUGBY SIDE IN 16 YEARS. WARREN GATLAND'S SECOND-STRINGERS WERE OUTPLAYED BY THE BRUMBIES IN CANBERRA LAST NIGHT. CENTRE TEVITA KURIDRANI SET THE PLATFORM FOR THE HOME SIDE IN JUST THE FIFTH MINUTE. THAT'S THE FIRST TRY! AND WHAT A TRY! THE HASTILY ASSEMBLED LIONS BACKLINE NEVER LOOKED LIKE MATCHING THAT, AND FINALLY OWEN FARRELL WAS BROUGHT ON AT FIRST FIVE TO KEEP THE KICK-HAPPY TOURISTS IN CONTENTION. BUT HE COULDN'T GET THEM OVER THE LINE AS THE SUPER 15 FRONT-RUNNERS, MINUS MOST OF THEIR STARS, RECORDED AN HISTORIC 14-12 WIN. THE NZ UNDER-20 RUGBY SIDE HAS FAILED TO MAKE THE FINAL AT THE JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE FOUR-TIME CHAMPIONS WERE THE FIRST TO SCORE IN THE SEMI-FINAL, BUT BY HALF-TIME, ENGLAND WERE AHEAD 20-8. ENGLAND... HUGE BLOW. TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE BREAK, THEY SCORE AN INTERCEPT TRY. WITH 20 MINUTES TO PLAY, THE BABY BLACKS CLOSED THE GAP,... AND THEY SCORE! BRILLIANT BUILD-UP PLAY BY THE NZ SIDE. ...COMING WITHIN TWO BEFORE ENGLAND SCORED A LAST TRY, WINNING 33-21. ENGLAND NOW PLAY WALES IN THE FINAL, AFTER THEY UPSET DEFENDING CHAMPIONS SOUTH AFRICA IN THE OTHER SEMI BY ONE POINT. THE BLACKSTICKS WOMEN'S HOCKEY TEAM HAS PROGRESSED TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE WORLD LEAGUE TOURNAMENT IN ROTTERDAM AFTER A 3-1 WIN OVER JAPAN. THE DO-OR-DIE MATCH HAD NZ, HERE IN WHITE, DOWN 1-0 AT HALF-TIME AFTER AN OWN-GOAL EARLY ON. BUT THE BLACKSTICKS MADE THREE PENALTY CORNERS COUNT. PUNT'S AT THE HEAD OF THE DEEP, STRAIGHT FOR IT... INTO THE ROOF OF THE NET! GOOD INJECTION. STRAIGHT THROUGH FROM PUNT. HERE'S THE CROSSBAR THIS TIME. FERGUSON WITH THE FOLLOW-UP AND SWEPT HOME! NZ WILL PLAY THE NETHERLANDS IN THEIR SEMI-FINAL. A WIN WILL GUARANTEE THEM A PLACE AT THE 2014 WORLD CUP. AUSTRALIA'S BECOME THE SECOND COUNTRY TO QUALIFY FOR THE 2014 FOOTBALL WORLD CUP AFTER A 1-0 WIN OVER IRAQ IN SYDNEY. THE SIDES WERE SCORELESS UNTIL SOCCEROOS SUBSTITUTE JOSH KENNEDY HEADED HOME WITH JUST SEVEN MINUTES TO PLAY. THERE'S GOING TO BE A TOUGH YEAR AHEAD OF US IN ORDER TO GET READY, BTU TONIGHT I THINK WE HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE PRIVILEGE TO ENJOY OUR QUALIFICATION. THE PLAYERS CERTAINLY GETTING TO ENJOY IT TODAY, WITH A PUBLIC CELEBRATION IN DOWNTOWN SYDNEY. IT'S THE FOURTH TIME AUSTRALIA'S QUALIFIED FOR THE WORLD CUP. AND FOR ALL YOU ENGLISH FOOTBALL FANS, AS REPORTED EARLIER IN THE NEWS, TVNZ HAS SECURED THE TV RIGHTS FOR THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE. A MATCH OF THE WEEK WILL BE SHOWN EVERY SUNDAY ON ONE, AND AN HOUR-LONG HIGHLIGHTS SHOW WILL ALSO BE BROADCAST ON MONDAY NIGHTS. JAMAICA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL FEMALE SPRINTER, VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN, HAS BEEN SUSPENDED AFTER FAILING A DRUGS TEST. THE 31-YEAR-OLD, WHO WON DOUBLE OLYMPIC GOLD IN THE 200M, HAS BEEN REVEALED AS THE ATHLETE WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR A DIURETIC AT AN INTERNATIONAL MEETING LAST MONTH. THE BANNED SUBSTANCE, WHICH CAN BE USED TO MASK PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS, WAS CONTAINED IN A CREAM SHE WAS USING TO TREAT A LEG INJURY. CAMPBELL-BROWN NOW FACES A DISCIPLINARY PANEL. PREPARING A GROUND FOR AN ALL BLACKS TEST IN THE WETTEST WEEK OF THE YEAR WOULD PUT THE PRESSURE ON ANY GROUNDSMAN. BUT TARANAKI'S TURF-MASTER BILL READ'S CHRISTMAS DINNER THIS YEAR MIGHT BE A BIT TENSE IF THE ALL BLACKS CAPTAIN ISN'T HAPPY WITH THE PITCH IN NEW PLYMOUTH. MARK HATHAWAY REPORTS. THE EDGES OF YARROW STADIUM ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF THE DELUGE THAT'S HITTING THE COUNTRY. OUT IN THE MIDDLE, THOUGH, GROUNDSMAN BILL READ ISN'T WORRIED. IT'S DRAINING WELL. MORE NERVE-RACKING FOR BILL IS THAT HE'S PREPPING THE GROUND FOR THE ALL BLACKS, CAPTAINED BY HIS NEPHEW KIERAN READ. WELL, IT IS A BIT NOW. HE'S GOT A BIT OF POWER NOW, KIERAN. I'VE BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE. HE'S JUST BEEN A PLAYER, BUT NOW HE'S A CAPTAIN, GOTTA BE A BIT MORE, YEAH, CAREFUL WHAT I DO AND GET IT IN PRETTY GOOD NICK. THE ALL BLACKS HAD THEIR FIRST TRAINING IN NEW PLYMOUTH YESTERDAY, BUT WON'T GET ON TO THE TEST TURF UNTIL FRIDAY'S CAPTAIN'S RUN. < HAS HE GIVEN YOU ANY DIRECTIVES? NO, NO, HE'S KEPT OUT OF THAT AREA, BUT NO DOUBT IF WE HAPPEN TO, DARE I SAY IT, LOSE TO THE FRENCH, IT'LL BE MY FAULT, NO DOUBT. (LAUGHS) BILL'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR 30 YEARS. BUT WITH A READ AT THE HELM, PRIDE IN THE FAMILY IS MIXING WITH THE PRIDE IN HIS WORK. I THINK ABOUT IT A LOT WHEN I'VE BEEN OUT THERE PREPARING THE GROUND AND DOING THE BITS AND PIECES. I DO THINK ABOUT KIERAN A LOT, AND, YEAH, IT'S A BIG THING FOR HIM, WELL, AND OUR FAMILY, OF COURSE. WE'RE ALL PRETTY PROUD OF HIM. THE IMAGE OF KIERAN READ THE ALL BLACKS' POWERHOUSE NUMBER EIGHT IS A BIT DIFFERENT TO THE LONG-HAIRED NEPHEW BILL REMEMBERS. HE HAD A BIG HUGE MOP OF CURLY HAIR IN THEM DAYS WHEN HE WAS, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP, IN PRIMARY SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. I'M PLEASED HE'S GOT IT ALL CUT NOW. HE LOOKS A BIT MORE RESPECTABLE NOW, YEAH. (LAUGHS) BILL READ WILL BE BUSY TILL KICK-OFF ON SATURDAY WHEN ANOTHER READ, IN ANOTHER SET OF BOOTS, WILL TAKE OVER IN THE MIDDLE. MARK HATHAWAY, ONE NEWS. THE ALL BLACKS TEAM FOR THE THIRD FRENCH TEST WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON BREAKFAST TOMORROW MORNING. A FEW CHANGES ARE EXPECTED. AND LEAGUE-CONVERT ISRAEL FOLAU IS TIPPED TO START FOR THE WALLABIES AGAINST THE LIONS IN THEIR FIRST TEST. AFTER THE BREAK ` WEATHER WARNINGS GALORE AS THE STORM HITS. JIM HAS DETAILS. Welcome to the crash test lab, where we work hard to see which cars have the best safety performance. Whoo! The more stars, the safer the cars. So go on. Check safety first at our cracking new website. YOU CAN FEEL IT ALREADY ` THAT FRISSON OF WINTERY EXPECTATION. THE SNOW'S HERE. SOME FALLS WILL BE HEAVY, ACCOMPANIED BY GALES, SOMETIMES SEVERE FROM FIORDLAND TO NELSON AND WELLINGTON. IT'S A BIGGIE! SNOW ALL OVER THE SHOW. UNLESS YOU'VE GOT A BULLDOZER. AS THE CENTRAL LOW DEEPENS, THE SLY BECOMES SAVAGE. STRADDLING COOK. EXPECT GALE GUSTS FROM FIORDLAND TO NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND AND COROMANDEL FROM LATE TOMORROW. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ WE'RE ALL GOING TO GET OUR BUTTS KICKED BY THIS. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DOWN TREES, BLOCK ROADS WITH HEAVY SNOW, BRING SEVERE WIND-CHILL AND STORM SURF INTO COASTAL AREAS. FROM KAITAIA TO OBAN, DON'T LEAVE YOUR PARROT. AND THAT'S ONE NEWS FOR WEDNESDAY. ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING.