Tonight on Sunday ` I meet our Kiri. She's bowled us over with her voice and her opinions. Tonight, the dame bowls us over again. On motherhood,... The best thing I could have done was to give up my career, yes. ...the challenging early days,... I look back and I think how sad I was. ...that famous temper,... I do have a` a short fuse. ...and her infamous public persona. A lot of people that knew I was coming to meet you said, 'Ooh, she's tough.' Are you making up things? Come on. Cars v. cyclists. That was a wheel? Aussie's battle of the bitumen. What sort of force creates a mess like this? Why are they the worst in the world? Cockroaches on wheels. She loves kisses. Give me a kiss. Totally at peace with the world. You realise they're just beautiful creatures. But the world's not at peace with the orang-utan. If it's too late, do you give up and there's nothing left? Monkey business in Borneo. Kia ora. I'm Miriama Kamo. There was a message posted on our Facebook site about tonight's story on Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Maree said pointedly, 'Remind me to be out when that is on. Can't stand the stuck-up woman.' Our internationally acclaimed diva hasn't helped that perception by taking a swipe at everyone from Hayley Westenra to Maori beneficiaries and skinny opera singers. But it's the snob thing perception or reality? As she approaches 70, the driven and unapologetic diva opens up. JAUNTY PIANO MUSIC PLAYS (SINGS OPERATICALLY) Vintage Kiri Te Kanawa. She is, by turns, gracious,... (SINGS OPERATICALLY) I'm loving every moment of it. You know, sort of, it's one of the happiest times of my life now. ...grumpy and urgent... I don't suffer fools, and I don't` I don't waste time. ...and astonishingly frank. Th-The best thing I could have done to have been a better parent was to give up my career, yes. I should have. MUSIC ENDS, ALL APPLAUD SLOW CLASSY MUSIC It's a chilly winter's evening, and gathered at the home of millionaire philanthropist Sir James Wallace are Auckland's opera crowd. While Dame Kiri charms the guests downstairs, upstairs, her 22-year-old protege, Kawiti Waetford, with a little bit of help, prepares to enthral them. They're coming through by the dozen, and we have to select out the, uh, extremely talented ones. This Whangarei baritone has been hand-picked by Dame Kiri's foundation. All going well, he'll become a star, continuing the diva's opera legacy. This is now Dame Kiri's passion. Where, once, it was all about her career, now it's about her students. I just sort of want exceptional talent. Something that sort of absolutely knock your socks off, and he has it. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) Next month, Kawiti Waetford will begin study at the International Academy of Voice in Cardiff. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) MUSIC ENDS, ALL APPLAUD He learns very quickly and, um, he learns the, sort of, the bad side and the sad side of the things that h-he shouldn't be doing and, uh, that's part of my, um, mentoring that I` What's the bad and the sad part? > What's the bad and the sad part? > That's for me to know and for you not to. (CHUCKLES) HUMS OPERATICALLY: # La, la, la, dee. La, la, la, ha, ha, la... # Just` Just croon it. Just don't try and sing it. Just croon it. It's been nine years. The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation has supported 12 students. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) When you go for it, make sure you've done it` you're there before it happens. Helping them navigate the highs and the lows of a competitive world Dame Kiri knows only too well. When` When I go up to there, that's... I tend to` That's when I go tighter. Use the R. (SINGS AND ROLLS TONGUE) Use the R up there. I was on a freight train, and everyone just had to jump on the freight train with me for those 30 years or whatever it was. There's a big rush to get to the other end of the day. Do you like it? Like that? > Do you like it? Like that? > (CHUCKLES) I think so. I don't seem to be, um, slowing down. # My hen pleased me. I fed my hen under yonder tree. # AMERICAN ACCENT: Under yonder tree. You've got be American here. It's got to sound` It's a little too calculated. It's just too good. It's a huge opportunity to learn from this short to sharp, focused and demanding diva ` A task neither take likely. # I bought me a cow. # It's been said of her that she's a tough taskmaster. Um, and I` you know, I think she would never have got to where she is and have done the things she has if she hadn't had` had that complete, utter dis-discipline. So you support your students, but you're tough on them too? Oh, I'm` I'm... yeah, I` sometimes, I just have to stand back and say, 'Look, stop being so close.' (SINGS OPERATICALLY) Oi! Oi! APPLAUSE, CHEERING It's` Very important part is not to be too close. What do you mean by that? > What do you mean by that? > Well, you can love them` love them a little bit too much. And what does that mean? And what does that mean? Well, I just sometimes give in and let them get away with something, and that's` that's not what I want to do, because it didn't happen to me. No one gave into me, and no one let me get away with anything, so I make sure I don't let that happen. SINGS OPERATICALLY: # Hei kona au... 1966 ` a grand farewell concert at Wellington's town hall. # Hei au koe... But the young Kiri had little idea of what lay ahead in London. # Ai... # And now she wants to prepare her students for the harsh reality ` the one she went through. I was very very very unhappy. I missed everything about home, as you would and, uh, i-it's gut-wrenching because you` I look back at that 1966 to 1967 and I think how sad I was, and every time I saw the steam of a plane, you know, I` it just broke my heart cos I couldn't afford to be on it. Coming up ` Dame Kiri is back in the recording studio. Could it be the last time? SINGS OPERATICALLY: # Whakaaria mai. # Tou ripeka ki au. # And she talks about her failures and her fiery reputation. I do have a` a short fuse, and I-I go at a, you know, a rate of knots because I-I can't see that, uh, I should be wasting time. Take your music, whoever this is. Own your music and then move the stands, please. It's a big day. Dame Kiri is working with the backing choir on a video to go with her new album, Waiata, and as usual, she's moving at a rate of knots. Is it all right? OK. Is it all right? OK. Bring the stands back. Is it all right? OK. Bring the stands back. Just the stands. Unafraid to call the shots. Stop, stop, stop. They're way out. Come on. You know how this goes. PIANO PLAYS PIANO PLAYS Can you hear the beat? Unafraid to call it as she sees it. You must keep up with it cos you've got to be fine. It's a bit lazy. A lot of people are scared of you. I was a bit nervous to meet you, to be honest. > A lot of people that knew that I was coming to meet you said, 'Ooh, she's tough.' Are you making up things? Come on. Are you making up things? Come on. No. > Are you making up things? Come on. No. > Of course you are. Rubbish. Rubbish. CHUCKLES: I'm not. I'm really not. That's what people said to me. > CHUCKLES: I'm not. I'm really not. That's what people said to me. > Then what's to be feared? Come on. What's fearful? What's fearful? I guess I thought you might say, 'Bugger off.' (SCOFFS) I mean, you're intimidating. You're a strong woman, and I think a lot of people find that scary. No, I don't think I'm strong. I think I'm very determined. I think I'm very` I have very good focus. But, um, I don't suffer fools, and I don't` I don't waste time. I mean, if` if I'm standing on a street corner, I think, 'This is a waste of time.' But I don't do nothing. I can't stand doing nothing. ALL SING OPERATICALLY She keeps a punishing schedule. In five days, Dame Kiri will record 16 tracks with the renowned Kiwi pianist and producer Carl Doy. The album, Waiata, is a chance to connect with a heritage she's had a dark relationship with and famously seemed to fall out with when she declared too many Maori welfare-dependant. I'm proud of being Maori, but I was never brought up to be Maori. That was the problem. You know, I-I don't know if you realise, way back in 1966, they only just started, um, having Maori in schools. they only just started, um, having Maori in schools. Do you feel like you missed out? I missed out on speaking Maori. I would have loved to have spoken Maori. I think it would have been very very important. Stretch this. Like... (SPEAKS MAORI) Just that bit. It's` It's` Stretch this. Like... (SPEAKS MAORI) Just that bit. It's` It's` (SINGS OPERATICALLY) On this, her second album of Maori songs, respected actor George Henare is her guide. I've got to get my tongue around that way. I've got to get my tongue around that way. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) A steadying hand with te reo pronunciation. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) This is just beautiful, isn't it? This is just beautiful, isn't it? Mm. It's a lovely tune. Well, I'm glad. Who chose this? Nothing but the best, you know? Do you enjoy the recording process? Do you enjoy the recording process? Well, I've done so many recordings, and I love it. It's fun especially, you know, with someone like Carl. He's done fantastic orchestrations. SINGS OPERATICALLY: # Whakaaria mai. # Tou ripeka ki au. It is your last album? It is your last album? Um, maybe not. I don't know. # Ra roto I te po. # There's a lot of talk around, mainly, about this notion of you retiring. I mean, th-the press retire me. They retire me on a regular basis. I mean, th-the press retire me. They retire me on a regular basis. It bothers you? Well, it bothers that they` they don't give me a chance to answer or say, 'No, no, no. Not this year. 'No, n-not next year, either. Oh, no, I'm not thinking about next` No, I'm not thinking about it yet.' Well, what is the answer? Well, what is the answer? There isn't. I-I don't want to retire. What does retirement mean to you? There's no retirement. There's no last. There's no end unless there's death. There's only death in taxes. That's all there is left. And when that happens, you bring out the box, pay the taxes ` or not ` get in the box and die. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) But Dame Kiri does concede that opera will now be rare. From now on, expect more concerts, recordings and mentoring, even as she approaches a fairly considerable milestone. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) Your next birthday, you'll be 70. How does that sit with you? > Your next birthday, you'll be 70. How does that sit with you? > Not very well. (SNIFFLES) CHUCKLES: Why not? > CHUCKLES: Why not? > Well,... (SNIGGERS) would you want to be 70? I think if I'd led a life like you have, I would be probably pretty proud of myself > and think I deserved 70. 70. I thought, 'How's that? How did I get from there to here at age 70?' But I suppose you do. SINGS OPERATICALLY: # Oh, love. Oh, love was born to gypsy life. # A life that's free. That is as free as air. It has been a career of incredible peaks and, it seems, many unseen lows. # You take care. # Had a huge career, and it's really been` it's been hard. It's hard work. Yes, I've really worked at it, um, because I had no other choice. You know, I had teachers that drove me and drove me and drove me, and sometimes I thought it was almost relentless how hard I was pushed. # You take care... # MUSIC ENDS, ALL APPLAUD So is this where the dame's steely focus and infamous impatience stems from, or was it something else? I love your face when you talk about your parents. > I love your face when you talk about your parents. > (CHUCKLES) I mean, you're just radiant. > I mean, you're just radiant. > Th-They` Yeah, they` they were fu` they were fun. They were wonderful people. Nell and Tom Te Kanawa. They adopted Gisborne-born Kiri when she was just a baby. I kept on saying to my children, 'You know, but for my parents, none of us would be here. 'We wouldn't be here. I wouldn't have this amazing life. 'I wouldn't have the happiness I've even got today for the sacrifices of my parents.' And they did. They sacrificed everything. I had incredible grounding through my parents. My mother was tough for all the right reasons. My father was the biggest softie, but I think, through my parents, they gave me that incredible strength of being able to say to somebody, you know, really, bugger off if I really felt like it. Because I had th-that` that grounding in` in my upbringing. Dame Kiri adopted two children herself, but if there has been a failing in this stellar life, perhaps it's this. I would love to have been a better parent, but I was a working parent, and it was really tough. What would you have done differently? Um, well, I` I suppose, what I should have done was give up my career. Not do it. That would have been the thing that I should have done. That would have been the thing that I should have done. Did you ever consider doing that? I don't think I had a chance to give it up. I, um, I don't even think I thought about it. I had a diary of five years. I thought, 'Oh God.' And every time I got to New Year, I used to go and sink into the bed and say, 'No.' Put the pillow over my head and think, 'No, here comes another year of it.' One of the things I think would surprise a lot of people is that it felt like a freight train that you put a pillow over your head and said, 'Oh, another year of this.' I mean, it's a terrible thing to think that our, you know, legendary Kiri went through such tough times. I` I don't think people would really understand that. Oh, no, and also, I wouldn't want them to understand it. I wouldn't want to, sort of, be moaning and groaning about something that was, you know, I worked on this career. I did incredible things in it. And, um, everyone's incredibly proud of me. A lot of young singers are coming to` to England because of me. A lot of` I've inspired, hopefully, an awful lot of people. So I wouldn't regret any of that. Is it what you want for your students? Is it what you want for your students? Yes. Yeah. You want them on that freight train? > You want them on that freight train? > I'd like it. Yes. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) It may be a freight train, but it's driven Dame Kiri to incredible success. The thought she wants to share and the thought she's not ready to let go off just yet. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) So will you ever stop singing? > So will you ever stop singing? > Um, most probably. Most probably. But not today. Why might you stop singing, do you think? > Why might you stop singing, do you think? > Um, I... I don't know. Just cos I don't want to. (SINGS OPERATICALLY) MUSIC ENDS, ALL APPLAUD It was special being in that room. So, my impressions of the dame. Was she blunt, aloof and no-nonsense? Yes, she was. But she was also generous, funny and warm. I liked her. Here's something else. Her dream holiday destination is Oamaru. Coming up ` In Australia's big cities, it's the battle of the bitumen ` cars v. cyclists. It's almost as if they've become two tribes ` two tribes who've gone to war; the war on our roads. LILTING PIANO MUSIC When inspiration strikes, talk to an ANZ home-loan expert about this great rate ` 4.95% per annum, one year fixed. Talk to us today. Hello again. It's a new front line and depending on whether you drive a car or ride a bike, the other side is always at fault. To cyclists, motorists are selfish, thoughtless and dangerous. To motorists, cyclists are Lycra-wearing irritants who ignore the road rules and think they own the road. But the casualties are real, and they're all cyclists. Now, we ran a story in April after four cyclists died in three weeks here. Now, it is bad here, but it's worse in Australia. ANTHEMIC ROCK GUITAR ROCK MUSIC CONTINUES # Maybe it's the way she walked... # In Australia's big cities, it's the battle of the bitumen ` cars v. cyclists. It's almost as if they've become two tribes ` two tribes who've gone to war; the war on our roads. I drive a car, and sometimes I ride a bike. It's fun and it's healthy. But it can be frightening, too, because on one of these, rather than behind the wheel, the road is a very very different place. I've copped abuse, I've had car doors open in front of me, I've had drivers swerve in front of me and cut me off. Accidental? Well, sometimes it's hard to tell, but every single cyclist has a story about their own close call. Wow. Wow. What do you think? Oh my God. Oh my God. Left of the back wheel ` the sprockets, they're bent back. Gabby Vassallo didn't see the car that almost killed her four years ago. That was a wheel. That was round. What sort of force creates a mess like this? What sort of force creates a mess like this? Obviously, a lot. (LAUGHS) I just parked my car at Cronulla, like I always do, and rode in, and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital, and that was weeks later. Kym Wilson did see the car that injured her, but had no chance of saving herself. A car came behind me and then suddenly just hung a left. Like, so sharply, 90 degrees, right in front of me. I flew over the handlebars, put my arms out. I heard both arms crack. Kym and Gabby are lucky to be alive. Last year on Australian roads, 33 cyclists died. Nearly 3000 were injured. But it's not all one-way traffic. For every aggrieved cyclist, there seems to be just as many upset motorists. What is your attitude to cyclists on our roads? Cockroaches on wheels. TOOTS MAN: On the way up` MAN: On the way up` Comes Barbie! MAN: On the way up` Comes Barbie! comes Barbie Doll. In 2008, Gabby Vassallo lived the dream of climbing the same mountains as the riders in the Tour de France, and Gabby's support crew was just as vocal as the crowds who follow the tour. Hundred metres to go! MAN: Just a quick word for the people back home, La Stupenda? This is a great way to spend spare time. (LAUGHS) "Spare time." Look at that form. One year later, Gabby would have an even bigger mountain to climb. Before her accident, she was working for the New South Wales police and training for her first triathlon. What do you love so much about cycling? It's the freedom. It's the ability to be able to get from A to B, but at a slower pace, so you get to see the sights, the sounds, you get to even smell the places you go through, which you don't get in a car or a bus because it's usually just a blur on the horizon as you go through. Yes, it's harder, but when you get there it's such an achievement to get there and know that you cycled it that whole way. It's just fantastic ` fantastic thing to do, and it happens to be healthy for you. Then came the early morning training ride that changed everything. It was 2009. Gabby was riding along this stretch of one of the main roads near Sydney Airport. The car slammed into her at around 60km/hr. The impact left her impaled on a guard rail with horrific injuries. The driver, a 19-year-old P-plater, just couldn't explain what had happened, and told police he simply hadn't seen her. My right leg ` because I was impaled on the barrier, it was partially hanging off, so that had to be sewed back on. Gabby's leg, and her life, were hanging by a thread. In the hours immediately after the crash, her parents, like her doctors, feared she wouldn't survive. All I remember is just walking to her bed, and the way she looked at us, Polly said, "I think she's gone." I... I was really, um... One of your children. Look at it! Look at it! Yeah. Look at it! Yeah. That was your back wheel. Mm. Just a mess of metal and twisted wire. GABBY: I had brain injury. I've... tore a hole in my aorta, which is the main artery to the heart, and I've got a stent in that. My right arm was completely shattered. I've got a plate in that as well. I also had severe weakness to my hands ` actually, an inability for the hand to work at all, and I broke my back, and lots of cuts and grazes. And my left arm's the only untouched limb. And I think that's all I can remember. How on Earth are you still here? How on Earth are you still here? I don't know. OK. I think that's as much as I can do. Gabby was in hospital for seven months. Then she had to move back in with her mum and dad and learn to walk again. I'll just try with that right hand. Can't` Can I grab it? No. Ironically, riding a stationary bike was a big part of her rehab, and when she learnt to walk, she then learnt to run. This is Gabby one year after the accident. MAN: Are you tired? Do you want to do one more? MAN: Are you tired? Do you want to do one more? Yeah, OK. Your injuries are on-going. How many operations have you had? Last count I think was 15, but I think I've had another couple since. It's about 17. 17? OK. I've heard of people who've had more, but I think they did a lot in one. SHOUTING Cyclists are twice as likely to die on Australian roads than in the UK, where they have three times the cars and 10 times more riders. There, there are more bike lines keeping the two tribes apart ` but there's still plenty of friction. # Come home, practically all is nearly forgiven. # GASPS, TOOTS Oi! <BLEEP>ing hell! And cyclists are fighting back. You and that girl, <BLEEP>, look... I've warned you <BLEEP>ing about that... Whoa, don't hold back. Well, coming up ` what motorists really think. They should pay for it. The saddest thing is you've got these middle-aged men in their lime-green Lycra, with their padded codpieces and their funny little shoes tippy-toeing around cafes in Brighton and South Yarra. It's pathetic. MAMILs. Middle-Aged Men In Lycra. MAMILs. Middle-Aged Men In Lycra. That's right, yeah. And they should be extinct. TV PLAYS SOFTLY TV PLAYS SOFTLY I'm off. TV PLAYS SOFTLY I'm off. Hey. It's raining outside. DEEP VOICE: Watch your following distances. Back by 10, eh? Yep. DEEP VOICE: Eyes on your side of the road, Tom. I can't believe you did this. I'm going out. No, love, you can't. You're too upset. DEEP VOICE: You can't drive like this. Calm down. Take 30. Or I'll drop you in. Fine. TYRES SQUEAL TYRES SQUEAL DEEP VOICE: Keep going straight. It's either us or the possum. OK. I'll see you Sunday. I'll see you Sunday. DEEP VOICE: 'Carl. > 'Take the route that we planned. It's a long trip, so take some breaks. 'Drive safe, chicken pie.' Thanks, Mum. Running your own business can be stressful. That's why ANZ has more business bankers who can help. Find the details of the ANZ business banker closest to you and use their expertise to get the most out of your business. Man, wouldn't you just love to catch bad behaviour out, say, in the office, on the rugby sidelines or on the roads? That's what cycling vigilante Gareth Williams does. YELLS I use a camera just in case something happens. I use it to occasionally report drivers that I think are bad. Gareth Williams dobs in at least three drivers a week to the police. He's one of around 500 self-appointed cycling vigilantes using helmet camera footage to trap motorists. Over the past four years there's been four prosecutions, several cautions, and maybe several hundred letters sent out to drivers warning them of their actions. # Sometimes, wish you were here... # CRASH! <BLEEP>ing want a go, do you? <BLEEP>ing want a go, do you? Go away before I call the police. <BLEEP>ing want a go, do you? Go away before I call the police. <BLEEP>ing ring them, you prat. The conflict they've caught on camera has been made into a controversial documentary. VOICEOVER: By this stage, I decided it would be a good idea to turn on my helmet camera. SHOUTING MENACING MUSIC So he's stopped the car, and he's getting out and coming towards me, and I'm thinking, 'what's going to happen now?' Wallop. You can see from the expression on his face he is consumed by rage. He's completely out of control. What worried me was that they'd start kicking me, because I was a soft target lying there. But then they got back in the car and drove off. I'm left sitting on the ground, thinking, 'That was rather a surprise for a nice day,' and, 'Won't my wife be cross.' Over in a flash. Quite stunning really. Mate` One of Gareth's clips became an internet hit. Don't touch my frigging cab! All right? Don't touch my cab for no reason. Smile for the camera. Smile for the camera. I don't business about your damn camera. You don't know what's going through someone's mind ` if they'll punch you. You just don't know. It's your responsibility to pass me safely. It's your responsibility to pass me safely. I passed you safely, you arsehole. You decide you wanna come and hit my cab. You decide you wanna come and hit my cab. If I can touch your cab` Don't give it to me. Keep your stupid camera. I don't care. Did I overreact? Maybe I did a little bit, you know. Was I in a bad mood? No, I wasn't. I was going about my business. I was just going home. You touched me. That's assault. You touched me. That's assault. Oh? I touched you, or your camera? You touched something of mine, that's assault. I wouldn't describe it as a war on the roads. I'd say more a revolution of things changing. We have to share the roads. It's built for everyone, not just motorists. And all of this sounds self-evident to many cyclists. But not so to many motorists, who find it self-righteous and self-serving. Among them, motor racing legend Mark Skaife and broadcaster Derryn Hinch. I'm not talking about recreational cyclists, but people riding to work and home from work. They don't stop at red lights, they often don't wear the right gear, they don't have lights on their bikes or their backs, and they're a danger. You argue that they should be registered, just like cars. I do. I think that the way for them to be accredited, and for motorists to take them seriously, is to be registered. I mean, you go out there and you pay $1.50 or $1.60 a litre for petrol. A huge chunk of that goes in taxes and is used for the roads that they ride on. They use the whole system. They should pay for it. The saddest thing is you've got these middle-aged men in their lime-green Lycra, with their padded codpieces and their funny little shoes tippy-toeing around cafes in Brighton and South Yarra. It's pathetic. MAMILs. Middle-Aged Men In Lycra. MAMILs. Middle-Aged Men In Lycra. That's right, yeah. And they should be extinct. They should be banned from the CBD. They should be banned from the CBD. But they have every` Hang on. Banned from the CBD? Yes, yes. Yes, yes. They have every right to use that road. No, they haven't paid a cent for it. That is crazy. Banning bikes in the CBD? If anything, we should ban cars from the CBD, and take a leaf out of cities like London, or a lot of the European cities who say, 'actually, bike's the way to travel.' The Chinese cope with... I mean, imagine if they were all sitting in Cadillacs in the CBD. You'd never move. Is that the world we wanna live in ` cars can't move, there's pollution, everybody's sitting strapped into the back of a car? Or would we prefer that people are out in the fresh air, cycling around, getting some movement themselves, not polluting the environment ` really? I think we need to change the way we work our cities, and maybe we need to ban cars from the CBD. For New Idea editor Kym Wilson, recovering from her two broken arms after a car sideswiped her bike on this Bondi stretch of road, it's personal. I was wearing visible clothing, wearing my helmet, I wasn't going that fast, I was in a bike lane. But still you can do everything right, and accidents still happen. Kym says, and Gabby Vassallo agrees, that for all the argument there's an imbalance. Cars can be lethal. A bike rarely is. It's time the two tribes called a truce. I think it's really important that we talk about it and establish some sort of etiquette and some rules. Bikes are not going away, cars are not going away, and we need to work it out. When will you get back on that bike? (INHALES DEEPLY) I haven't decided. I'll be honest, I am mustering my courage. I will do it, for sure, but it's gonna be a tough day. It's gonna be quite challenging, I think. Yeah. It's a bit scary. But`but I'll do it. I will. Yeah, it's true. It's an uneven battle where the cyclists are most vulnerable. Uh, maybe this is the answer. The more cyclists on the road, the more pressure for cycling infrastructure. So get on your bikes. Next ` orang-utans. Our closest rellies by the barrel-load. Whee...! Whee! (CHUCKLES) LILTING PIANO MUSIC When inspiration strikes, talk to an ANZ home-loan expert about this great rate ` 4.95% per annum, one year fixed. Talk to us today. Hello again. We've met Charlie Teo before ` the brilliant maverick brain surgeon. From saving lives in Sydney, he's now off on another life-saving operation in the rainforests of Borneo. It's a deeply personal and touching story about the race to save the magnificent but endangered orang-utan. And leading the charge is Charlie and his beautiful angels. So this Hockey. She's a great example of how human-like these creatures are. She suffered a stroke at birth. As a consequence, she has a right-sided weakness; paralysis. She has blindness on the right side of, uh, her vision. And she's also, uh, suffering from secondary seizures. She's got the typical contractions that you see after you've had a stroke, uh, exactly like you'd see in a human. She's beautiful, and she loves kisses. Give me a kiss. Oh. Oh. Oh. For more than two decades, Dr Charlie Teo has scrubbed up for surgery. But this is a very different kind of life-saving mission, and a very different kind of patient. When you have an experience with an orang-utan, you'll realise that they're just beautiful creatures. They're not violent. They're not aggressive. They're totally at peace with the world. What's happening in Borneo and Malaysia with palm oil is not responsible. It's totally irresponsible. Greed is driving some terrible environmental disaster. This is not brain surgery. Yet, in a roundabout way, brain surgery is what led Charlie Teo to Borneo. Charlie is one of the world's best neurosurgeons, whose life-saving skills are always in demand. I work very hard. I operate Mondays, Wednesday and Thursday, and I usually operate well into the night. Tuesdays, I see patients well into the night, so the children very rarely see me. So you can imagine the time we have together is extremely precious. Uh, with that in mind, I've always felt that I should have a very, uh, interesting family holiday every year. Not just to a beach somewhere or a resort but to see part of the world. And, uh, so Borneo ticked all the boxes. So in January last year, Charlie and his wife, Genevieve, took their four teenaged girls to Borneo. What began as a 10-day jungle adventure would become a life-changing experience for the whole family. But it didn't begin well. After two days in the rainforest, they were still arguing about petty little things like iPods and electronics. So I went into the room, and I just hit the roof. I go, 'You know, you're such spoiled little brats. You know, don't you realise where you are, 'and don't you appreciate, you know, uh, this opportunity t-to` to be here?' And, the next day, I was still very upset about the whole thing, and I guess I was a bit despondent walking through the rainforest, looking for the orang-utans. And, as we were walking out, a, uh, an orang-utan called Princess, she came down, and she reached down and patted my head. She reached down and held her hand out for me to grab her hand, and she sort of gently held my hand. It was almost, like, 'There, there. It is worth it.' You know, like, (CHUCKLES) 'You're gonna love this.' And, uh, my children were almost in tears. My wife was in tears and, uh, I never heard them arguing again for the next eight days. It was just remarkable. Mm. I think that's why that was the best` one of the best holidays we've ever had. People describe them as Zen-like. People describe them as being, evolutionarily, one step above us. Orang-utans seemed to have reached nirvana. They all seem to be at peace with themselves and their environment. It's only us that disrupts that. Across Borneo, rainforests are being torn down. Cleared for palm-oil plantations. The oil is cheap to produce, but the cost is high, especially for native orang-utans who are left homeless. So a year and a half after his family holiday, Charlie is returning to Borneo. I actually spoke to a friend of mine who's an airline pilot with Qantas, and he said to me, 'Charlie, when I fly over Borneo and then fly back three days later, 'I can actually tell how much rainforest has disappeared in that small period of time. 'You can see it from the air. That's how bad it is.' They're destroying rainforests at a rate of 300 football fields per hour. On this trip, Charlie has arranged to meet up with the Dian Fossey of orang-utans. As a young scientist, Birute Galdikas made world headlines when she made her home in the remote Borneo rainforest. It was like a different universe ` the last wild place left on this planet. She raised her children alongside the orang-utans and saved as many as she could. 40 years later, Birute is still in the fight. She still lives deep in the jungle. Look, look. She's going to help bring the boat in. Look. (CHUCKLES) (CHUCKLES) Thank you. With an ever-growing family of orphans and their offspring. So this is Percy, and we haven't seen Percy in a long time. So this is Percy, and we haven't seen Percy in a long time. Hello, Percy. It's beautiful to me because of the orang-utans that live here. This is Akmal, and she came for a taste of my coffee. (CHUCKLES) And she doesn't like it. You see, she's pushing me away. She is. She is. And she says, 'Where's the sugar?' You see? She clearly feels natural here, too, I mean, and at ease. > And that's one of the things I really like about orang-utans is they are so Zen. > You know, they can sit there for hours ` just contemplating the universe. I think there's much that can be learned from orang-utans and... Oh, look at that. She likes you. I think she likes your surgeon's hands. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. That's just how they are at peace with us. Yeah. That's just how they are at peace with us. Yeah. Birute's sanctuary, called Camp Leakey, is home to more than 300 orang-utans. It's a refuge from the deforestation and devastation nearby. Many are orphans, including one named after the doctor. Is that Charlie? Is that Charlie? Hi, this is Charlie. Is that Charlie? Hi, this is Charlie. Hi, Charlie. Hi, baby. Aw... Aw... Oh, I know you want Sarah. I've had patients name children after me. I've had patients name dogs after me. But I've never had an orang-utan named after me. They're not just raising orang-utans here. I like them more than I like real babies, huh? (KISSES) They're also nurturing the next generation of scientists. Sarah Leister spends half a year studying animal conservation at Flinders University in Adelaide... CHARLIE CHUCKLES ...and half here, helping to return orphans to the wild. Look at him. He's so brave. For such a little guy, he's so brave. It's kind of rare for the small guys to go off like that. Very precious cargo here. We're gonna have some fun. Having raised four girls, I think I'm used to dealing in large numbers, and this mobile creche is not difficult to handle, but I would contend that this group are probably easier to handle than my four girls. They're much better behaved, aren't you? Yes. So off we go now... to jungle gym. There you go. Oh, look at that. Ooh! (CHUCKLES) When we took out the little babies today, I-I guess that is exercise, but is that also the start of the process of`? Oh, absolutely, that's them learning how to find fruit in the trees. They learn how to build nests out there. You know, swing around in the vines and, yeah, that's forest school. Look at this vine. Come on. Look at how much fun this is. They can't survive themselves without people taking care of them. They need somewhere to sleep at night. They need someone to give them food and love. I mean, even just without love, they can get depressed and die. They need all of these things to be able to survive. Here we go. Yes. Yes. That's a boy. That's a boy. < And do you think that it's too late already? Well, I mean, if it's too late, do you just give up and then there's nothing left. I mean, you have to try. You can't just give up and have nothing. I want to see all of these babies free. For Charlie, this trip is more personal that anyone could have known. His wife, Genevieve, wanted more than anything to be part of it. Unfortunately, uh, my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Uh, we've never mentioned that on national TV, but it's not something we're ashamed off. Uh, in fact, I'm incredibly proud of her. She has never faltered in her role as a mother or as a wife. Uh, and, uh, she's been incredibly courageous. Uh, I think it's taken more of a toll on me than it has on her. One of my patients once said to me, 'The worst thing about cancer is you can't take the weekend off.' And it was very telling. I mean, basically, it's with you forever, and yes, thankfully, cancers like breast cancer are curable, and her doctors have told her that she has a significant chance of cure, uh, which is terrific. Both Charlie and Genevieve know all too well that all life is precious. So with Genevieve's encouragement, Charlie went back to Borneo. She did want to come as well, but she's in chemotherapy. It would have been too dangerous for her to come here. And you have several feeding areas along here? And you have several feeding areas along here? Yeah, we have several. At the edge of Camp Leakey, in a rainforest that generous supporters have helped to buy with donations, Charlie finds good news. We have a wild, adult male orang-utan there. You can see from the size of him. Orphan orang-utans that were released into the jungle 10 days ago are suddenly joined by wild ones. He wants to come close. He wants to, uh, see what kind of females that are here. It's the females that are attracting him, not the food. It's the females that are attracting him, not the food. Not the food. Ah. What that should tell you is that there is hope. The hope is that, yes, we are decimating their habitat. (CHUCKLES) Nah, no more. Hey. But there is hope as long as we start reversing things from now on. We just can't let it continue the way it's going. Whee...! Whee! (CHUCKLES) Adorable. That is our show for tonight. We're curious ` what are your thoughts on Dame Kiri now? Join us on Facebook ` Sunday TVNZ.