WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. TONIGHT ` BLAME FOR THE FLAMES. THE FIRST CULPRIT FOR ONE OF NEW SOUTH WALES' MASSIVE BUSH FIRES IS NAMED. THE PRICE OF A PIECE OF MERIDIAN ENERGY'S UNVEILED. WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT AIMING SO LOW? AND THE ULTIMATE IN SIBLING RIVALRY. HOW YOUR RANK IN THE FAMILY REALLY AFFECTS YOUR LIFE BEYOND CHILDHOOD. AS FIRES STILL BLAZE IN NEW SOUTH WALES, IT'S JUST BEEN REVEALED THAT ONE OF LARGEST WAS SPARKED BY A DEFENCE FORCE EXERCISE. THE RURAL FIRE SERVICE'S FOUND THAT THE LITHGOW FIRE WAS STARTED BY EXPLODING MILITARY SHELLS. RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN TOLD TO EVACUATE FROM THERE AND MANY OTHER NEIGHBOURHOODS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. CREWS ARE STRUGGLING TO CONTAIN FIRES AS FAR NORTH AS NEWCASTLE. CHANNEL NINE'S DIMITY CLANCEY IS IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS TOWN OF BILPIN, WHERE FIRE CREWS ARE FIGHTING DESPERATELY TO SAVE HOMES. SCORCHING TEMPERATURES, COMBINED WITH WIND GUSTS HAVE ACTED LIKE A BLOWTORCH, SETTING THE BUSH ALIGHT. RUNNING INTO THE FIRE ZONE, RFS VOLUNTEERS FACE DOWN A FOREST FULL OF FLAMES. WIND GUSTS WHIP UP THROUGH THE UNDERGROWTH, FANNING THICK PLUMES OF BLINDING SMOKE. DO YOUSE WANNA COME IN AND TRY AND GET ON TOP OF THIS? FIREFIGHTERS DO THEIR BEST, ASSESSING THE SIZE OF THE THREAT. VISIBILITY DROPS TO ALMOST ZERO ` SO LOW, AT TIMES YOU CAN BARELY SEE THE BLAZE. THE PROBLEM IS, WITH THESE WINDS, IT'S ONLY GONNA KEEP GOING ACROSS ANYWAY. THIS IS A HOTSPOT REIGNITED FROM A PREVIOUS BACKBURN ` CLOSE TO HOMES ALONG A ROAD IN BILPIN. SHANE MCLACHLAN'S HOME IS NOW AT THE MERCY OF THE WIND. CREWS DIG IN AND PREPARE TO DEFEND. PRETTY FULL-ON, ACTUALLY, YEAH. SORT OF, COMING OUR WAY EVERY NOW AND THEN, AND THEN JUST SHOOTS STRAIGHT UP OVER THE TOP. HE'S BEEN BATTLING FIRES FOR NEARLY A WEEK, BUT WITH EVERYTHING NOW AT RISK, THERE'S NO TIME TO BE TIRED. YOU KNOW, IT CERTAINLY GETS YOUR HEART RATE UP; GETS YOU EXCITED. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT... YEAH, IT'S NOT A GREAT FEELING. A TRUCK FULL OF REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVES ` SPEEDING OFF TO HELP ATTACK THE BLAZE. ROADS HAVE BECOME DANGEROUS; SHROUDED IN SMOKE. THE WIND'S MAKING IT, CERTAINLY, DIFFICULT. SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF RFS CREWS ALONG MOUNTAIN LAGOON ROAD. THIS PROPERTY, DOWNWIND, CAME UNDER EMBER ATTACK. THE OWNER'S THANKFUL FIREFIGHTERS WERE THERE TO SAVE HIS HOME. AFTER A WEEK OF BATTLING THE UNRELENTING FLAMES, SYDNEY AND BLUE MOUNTAINS FIREFIGHTERS ARE ON THE BRINK OF EXHAUSTION. BUT RELIEF HAS ARRIVED. AROUND 700 VOLUNTEER UNITS FROM AROUND AUSTRALIA HAVE TRAVELLED TO NEW SOUTH WALES TO HELP OUT. ONE LOT FLEW IN LAST NIGHT AND WERE SENT STRAIGHT INTO THE ACTION. AT BASE CAMP IN PENRITH, IN A LARGE COMMUNAL TENT THE FIRE CREWS WILL SLEEP IN SHIFTS, REMAINING UNTIL THE EMERGENCY IS OVER. LATE THIS EVENING, THE FIRE THREATENING THE COMMUNITY OF SPRINGWOOD WAS DOWNGRADED IN SEVERITY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE COMMUNITY IS SAFE... YET. OUR AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT STEVE MARSHALL IS THERE AND SENT US THIS REPORT. THAT CHOPPER THERE IS A MAJOR ASSET IN THE FIGHT AGAINST THESE BUSH FIRES. IT'S SHARED BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND CANADA, IN FACT. IT'S GOING NOW TO REPLENISH ITS WATER STOCKS TO FIGHT THIS FIRE AT THE SPRINGWOOD HIGH SCHOOL HERE. AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO MAKE OUT THE SMOKE ON THE HORIZON. IT'S NOT TOO FAR AWAY, AND THESE WIND GUSTS JUST MAKE THE FIRES FAN OUT THROUGH THESE VALLEYS AND HEAD TOWARDS SUBURBS, AND PARTICULARLY THIS HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH HAS BEEN EVACUATED. OBVIOUSLY NO SCHOOL TODAY. HAVE A LOOK DOWN HERE. NERVOUS RESIDENTS WATCH ON, JUST WONDERING IF THIS SCHOOL IS GOING TO SURVIVE, ARE THEIR HOUSES GOING TO SURVIVE. AND HAVE A LOOK OVER HERE. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE'S BELONGINGS ON THIS TRUCK OVER HERE, PACKED, READY TO GO. AND OBVIOUSLY RESIDENTS OVER THERE JUST WATCHING INTENTLY. THERE'S A LADY QUITE WORRIED OVER THERE, LOOKING AT THESE FLAMES HEADING THEIR WAY. THIS BATTLE TONIGHT IS GOING TO GO ON AS LONG AS THESE HIGH WINDS REMAIN. IT'S GOING TO BE A HELL OF A FIGHT. STEVE MARSHALL, ONE NEWS, SPRINGWOOD IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. THE PRICE OF A PIECE OF MERIDIAN ENERGY'S BEEN RELEASED TONIGHT. SHARES IN THE STATE-OWNED POWER COMPANY WILL GO ON THE MARKET AT $1.50 EACH. HERE'S DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR MICHAEL PARKIN. THE FINANCE MINISTER'S DESCRIBED THIS MERIDIAN FLOAT AS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN AUSTRALASIA, AND THE COMPANY WILL HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST REGISTERS ON THE NZ STOCK EXCHANGE. BUT THAT PRICE OF $1.50 IS AT THE VERY LOWEST END OF THE GOVERNMENT'S TARGET RANGE. AND EVEN WITH THAT 'BUY NOW, PAY LATER' SWEETENER, JUST 62,000 PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN UP THE SHARE OFFERING. THAT'S HALF THOSE THAT BOUGHT INTO MIGHTY RIVER POWER. WE HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT QUITE A LOT OF MUM AND DAD INVESTORS WERE SCARED OFF BY THE LABOUR-GREENS POLICY. YOU ALSO HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TIWAI CONTRACT. 62,000 INVESTORS, OR 1.4% OF THE POPULATION IS A DISASTER. THE MERIDIAN FLOAT WILL RAISE JUST UNDER $1.9B FOR THE GOVERNMENT IN 18 MONTHS, BUT IT WILL FALL SHORT OF THAT $5-7B TARGET FOR THE ASSET SALES PROGRAMME. WE'VE BEEN SAYING FOR A WHILE WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM END OF THAT RANGE. WE WOULDN'T WANNA PREJUDGE THE REST OF THE PROGRAMME. BEAR IN MIND THAT WHEN WE OUTLINED THAT RANGE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE ADDITIONAL COMPANY WHICH WAS VALUED AT SEVERAL BILLION DOLLARS AT THE TIME. THAT WAS SOLID ENERGY. THERE'S NO WAY THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE $5B AT ALL AND PARTICULARLY ONCE WE GET OUT REFERENDUM. THE COMPANY WILL BE FLOATED NEXT TUESDAY, AND THE INTEREST WILL BE IN WHETHER ITS SHARES TAKE A STEADY DROP AS WE HAVE SEEN WITH MIGHTY RIVER POWER. MARKET ANALYSTS SAY THERE'S A NUMBER OF DISAPPOINTING FACTORS ABOUT THIS FLOAT, BUT IT'S NOT ALL BAD NEWS FOR POTENTIAL INVESTORS. THE KEY FACTOR GOING FORWARD FOR THE SHARE PRICE WILL BE THE POLLS. IF IT LOOKS LIKE A LABOUR GOVERNMENT WILL GET IN POWER, THEN MIGHTY RIVER POWER WILL LIKELY TRADE DOWN. AND THE OPPOSITE ` IF IT LOOKS LIKE NATIONAL WILL GET IN POWER, THEN THE SHARES WILL PROBABLY TRADE UP. WILLIAM CURTAYNE FROM MILFORD ASSET MANAGEMENT. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS CONFIRMED IT WAS A NATIONAL MP WHO TIPPED OFF LEN BROWN THAT HIS AFFAIR WAS ABOUT TO BECOME PUBLIC A WEEK BEFORE THE REVELATIONS WERE PUBLISHED ONLINE. JOHN KEY SAYS THE MP HEARD GOSSIP ABOUT THE AFFAIR AND SHARED IT WITH RODNEY COUNCILLOR PENNY WEBSTER. SHE THEN ALERTED THE MAYOR'S CAMPAIGN TEAM. I THINK THE WAY IT WAS DONE WAS THEY WERE EXCHANGING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DISCUSSION AT A COCKTAIL PARTY ` 'HAVE YOU HEARD THIS?' AND THAT WAS WHERE IT LED TO, BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH IT. WE'VE GOT NOTHING AGAINST LEN. MR KEY SAYS THE NATIONAL PARTY WASN'T INVOLVED IN BRINGING THE MAYOR'S AFFAIR TO LIGHT. KIWI GOLFING SENSATION LYDIA KO'S TEED OFF LIFE AS A PROFESSIONAL BY CONFIRMING THE MOVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE 16-YEAR-OLD TWEETED THIS QUIRKY VIDEO WITH ALL BLACK ISRAEL DAGG, WHERE THEY PLAY OUT A SKIT. ARE YOU READY TO GO PRO YET? ARE YOU READY? IZZY, I'M TRYING TO PUTT HERE. YOU'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY. AFTER CONSTANT PESTERING, THE WORLD'S BEST AMATEUR FINALLY GIVES IN. WELL, IF YOU CAN BEAT ME, YOU CAN DEFINITELY HANDLE THE PRESSURE OF GOING PRO. IT MUST BE TIME NOW. OK. I'LL DO IT. WHAT? I'LL DO IT. DO WHAT? TURN PRO. WHAT? NOW? LIKE, THIS MOMENT? RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW? YEP, RIGHT NOW. RIGHT THIS SECOND. YES! ONE NEWS REVEALED EARLIER IN THE MONTH THAT KO WOULD TURN PROFESSIONAL BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SHE'S ALREADY WON FOUR PROFESSIONAL EVENTS AS AN AMATEUR, BUT KISSED GOODBYE TO MORE THAN $1M IN PRIZE MONEY BECAUSE SHE WASN'T PRO. SHE'S HOPING TO BE IN THIS KIND OF FORM WHEN SHE MAKES HER PROFESSIONAL DEBUT IN FLORIDA IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH. THERE ARE WARNINGS TONIGHT A HEALTH SUPPLEMENT TAKEN BY SOME GYMGOERS TO HELP LOSE WEIGHT COULD BE MAKING THEM SICK. THE MINISTRY FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES IS ADVISING PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM OXYELITE PRO SUPPLEMENTS BECAUSE OF CONCERN THE PRODUCTS MAY BE LINKED TO THE LIVER CONDITION NON-VIRAL HEPATITIS. OFFICIALS SAY IT'S AWARE OF ONE SUCH CASE IN NZ AND THAT PERSON DID CONSUME THE PRODUCT. IF YOU ALREADY THINK OF OUR POSTAL SERVICE AS SNAIL MAIL, WAIT TILL 2015, WHEN IT'S SET TO GET EVEN SLOWER. THE GOVERNMENT'S FINALLY REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH NZ POST SO IT CAN REDUCE MAIL DELIVERIES IN TOWNS AND CITIES TO THREE TIMES A WEEK. MATT McLEAN EXPLAINS. ALLAN PEPPERKOORN'S BEEN DELIVERING MAIL FOR NZ POST FOR 20 YEARS, BUT NOW HE THINKS HIS JOB'S AT RISK. WELL, I AM CONCERNED AT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO JOB SECURITY. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE CAN ONLY DO OUR BEST, AS FAR AS PROVIDING A SERVICE OUT THERE AND PROVING TO THE PUBLIC THAT IT IS STILL A VIABLE OPTION. THE GOVERNMENT'S ANNOUNCED A CHANGE IN THE DEED OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE. FROM 2015, URBAN AREAS WILL HAVE THEIR MAIL DELIVERY CUT. FOR BASIC LETTERS ONLY ` THIS ISN'T PARCELS, AND IT'S NOT PREMIUM MAIL ` TO NO LESS THAN THREE DAYS A WEEK. NZ POST SAYS IN RECENT TIMES, LETTERBOXES HAVE BEEN GROWING EMPTIER. IN THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, LETTER VOLUMES HAVE DROPPED BY AROUND 30%, AND PROFITS ARE SUFFERING. IT'S A DECISION THE COMPANY'S BEEN PUSHING HARD. IT'S GONNA MOVE US BACK INTO ABILITY TO MAKE A PROFIT. WE'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET INTO A LOSS-MAKING SITUATION. THAT'S NOT A GOOD POSITION FOR A STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISE. YOU KNOW, WE THINK PROFIT IS A VALID EXPECTATION. THE COMPANY DID WANT TO REDUCE DELIVERY TO RURAL AREAS AS WELL, BUT THE GOVERNMENT SAID NO. THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE MORE RELIANT ON POSTAL SERVICES THAN, PERHAPS, SOME OF THEIR URBAN NEIGHBOURS, WHERE THERE ARE BETTER COMMUNICATION ALTERNATIVES. BUT JOB LOSSES ARE A REALITY. THE COMPANY CAN'T YET SAY HOW MANY WILL GO. WE USED TO HAVE PHRASES LIKE 'PEOPLE REACHING PEOPLE' AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHICH IS NO LONGER THE COMPANY'S THING. THE DELIVERY SERVICE WILL BE REVIEWED AGAIN IN FIVE YEARS TO DETERMINE IF TECHNOLOGY'S SLOWED DOWN SNAIL MAIL EVEN FURTHER. MATT MCLEAN, ONE NEWS. AFTER THE SUCCESS OF MOVIES LIKE 'LORD OF THE RINGS', OUR FILM INDUSTRY'S NOW FACING CRIPPLING LOSSES. THERE ARE NEW CALLS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW TAX INCENTIVES FOR FOREIGN PRODUCTIONS AS WE FACE LOSING A BILLION-DOLLAR BLOCKBUSTER. THE INDUSTRY'S SUFFERING ITS WORST DOWNTURN EVER, WITH THOUSANDS ALREADY OUT OF WORK. JOANNA HUNKIN REPORTS. DRAMATIC MUSIC YOU'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANY MORE. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE FILMS EVER MADE, AND ITS THREE SEQUELS ARE EXPECTED TO COST CLOSE TO $1B. THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD BE COMING TO NZ IF DIRECTOR JAMES CAMERON STILL FILMS HERE. BUT ONE NEWS UNDERSTANDS THAT'S UNCERTAIN, AS OUR TAX INCENTIVES CAN'T COMPETE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES. OBVIOUSLY NZ'S VERY KEEN TO DO IT, BECAUSE THERE'S A STRONG ASSOCIATION WITH JAMES CAMERON; ALSO A STRONG ASSOCIATION WITH WETA DIGITAL. SO, YES, WE'RE KEEN TO, UH, BUT ALSO IT CAN'T BE DONE AT ANY PRICE. INDUSTRY RUMOURS ABOUT AVATAR HAVE BEEN FLYING THICK AND FAST THAT PRODUCTION IS MOVING TO AUSTRALIA, OR EVEN MEXICO. WE CONTACTED JAMES CAMERON TO CONFIRM HIS PLANS, BUT HAVE YET TO GET A RESPONSE. LIKEWISE, WETA DIGITAL, WHICH WON AN OSCAR FOR ITS VISUAL EFFECTS WORK ON THE FIRST FILM, WOULDN'T COMMENT. THERE'S STILL, I THINK, DISCUSSIONS GOING ON. THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. FILM COMMISSION AND FILM NZ ARE WORKING WITH THE PRODUCERS AND... AND THE DIRECTOR, AND THEY'RE KEEPING ME INFORMED AS TO HOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING. NZ OFFERS A 15% REBATE TO BIG-BUDGET FOREIGN PRODUCTIONS, BUT IN COUNTRIES LIKE BRITAIN AND SOUTH AFRICA, THE INCENTIVE'S 25%. THE ACCOUNTANTS ARE LOOKING AT JUST THE BOTTOM LINE AND GOING, 'WELL, WE'LL GO TO THE PLACE THAT GIVES US THE MOST BACK; 'THAT GIVES US THE BEST VALUE.' SO WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE ANY MORE AT THAT LEVEL. TRADITIONALLY, UP TO 80% OF WORK IN OUR FILM INDUSTRY COMES FROM OFFSHORE PRODUCTIONS. BUT THAT ALL CHANGED LAST YEAR. THE LAST MAJOR PRODUCTION HERE WAS 'SPARTACUS', WHICH FINISHED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR. SO THERE'S BASICALLY BEEN NOTHING SINCE THEN. AND IF THAT DOESN'T CHANGE SOON, SOME WARN THE WHOLE INDUSTRY WILL COLLAPSE. JOANNA HUNKIN, ONE NEWS. A WELLINGTON MAN WHO STABBED HIS FORMER PARTNER AND MOTHER OF HIS 9-MONTH-OLD SON TO DEATH HAS APOLOGISED TO HIS VICTIM'S FAMILY. ERNEST SMITH HID IN THE CEILING OF AMANDA TAUFALE'S HOUSE BEFORE SNEAKING INTO HER BEDROOM AND ATTACKING HER. HER BODY WAS FOUND THE NEXT MORNING BY HER SON (15). SMITH WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON, WITH A NON-PAROLE PERIOD OF 17 YEARS. THE TARANAKI OUTDOOR PURSUITS CENTRE INVOLVED IN A FATAL ROCK CLIMBING TRIP LAST YEAR HAS BEEN ORDERED TO PAY MORE THAN $250,000 IN COMPENSATION TO THE SURVIVORS, AND VICTIMS' FAMILIES. INSTRUCTOR BRYCE JOURDAIN AND STUDENTS STEPHEN KAHUKAKA-GEDYE AND FELIPE MELO DIED WHEN THEY WERE SWEPT OFF PARITUTU ROCK LAST AUGUST. THE FAMILIES OF THE DEAD MEN WILL RECEIVE $75,000 EACH AND THE TEN SURVIVING STUDENTS $5000 EACH. A BOY'S BEEN REUNITED WITH THE POLICEMEN WHO SAVED HIM FROM RAGING SURF IN NAPIER. THE TWO OFFICERS HAVE BEEN HONOURED FOR THEIR BRAVERY, AND THE YOUNGSTER WAS THERE TO SEE IT. SIMON BRADWELL REPORTS. RESCUERS RACE TOWARDS POUNDING SURF, THEN FORM A HUMAN CHAIN. AT THE END OF IT, FIGHTING TO STAY AFLOAT, TWO POLICE OFFICERS AND A TERRIFIED BOY (12). < WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THEY WEREN'T THERE THAT DAY? I WOULDD BE DEAD, PROBABLY. SEVEN MONTHS AGO, JOSH MCQUOID WAS SWAMPED BY A HUGE WAVE, DRAGGED OUT TO SEA, SECONDS AWAY FROM DROWNING, UNTIL HELP ARRIVED. THESE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST HEROIC MEN I'VE EVER MET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THERE THAT DAY TO SAVE ME. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU TWO. NO WORRIES, MATE. NO WORRIES. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. PAUL BAILEY DOVE INTO RESCUE JOSH, WHILE BRUCE FARQUHARSON ORGANISED THE CHAIN THAT PULLED THEM BOTH TO SAFETY,... APPLAUSE ...EARNING THEM THE POLICE ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BRAVERY. PRETTY OVERWHELMING. UM, VERY PROUD MOMENT. AND, UM, YEAH, I JUST DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE HERE. JUST HAPPY THAT WE'RE HERE; THAT WE'RE ALL HERE, YOU KNOW. UM, IT'S... YOU DON'T REALLY THINK OR MAKE A DECISION; YOU JUST GO AND DO WHAT YOU DO. WATCHING COVERAGE OF THE CEREMONY OF HER SON'S RESCUE BROUGHT JOSH'S MUM TO TEARS. THE AWARDS ARE ONLY GIVEN OUT FOR THE MOST OUTSTANDING ACTS OF BRAVERY. THEY'RE SO EXCLUSIVE THAT LAST YEAR, DESPITE HUNDREDS OF POLICE OPERATIONS, NO ONE WAS HONOURED WITH THE AWARD. AND, WHILE THE OFFICERS THEMSELVES SAY THEY WERE JUST DOING THEIR JOB, JOSH THINKS DIFFERENTLY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU TODAY. AND YOUSE ARE` LIKE, YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T A HERO, BUT I THINK YOU ARE. JOSH WAS BACK IN THEIR SAFE HANDS TODAY ON A MUCH HAPPIER OCCASION. SIMON BRADWELL, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` THERE'S SOME HEAVY RAIN ON THE WAY FOR THE WEEKEND; FIND OUT WHERE IN UNDER 12 MINUTES. PLUS, HOW AN APP DEALING WITH ONE OF LIFE'S MOST AWKWARD MOMENTS COULD HELP THIS CHRISTCHURCH MAN CHECK OUT OF HIS SUPERMARKET JOB. AND OLDER? YOUNGER? STUCK IN THE MIDDLE? THE DEFINITIVE RULING ON WHERE YOUR SIBLING STATUS LEAVES YOU IN LATER LIFE. IT'S THE STUFF OF MODERN FAIRYTALES ` A SUPERMARKET CHECKOUT WORKER HAS A BRIGHT IDEA, WHICH COULD MAKE HIM VERY VERY RICH. BUT IT'S BECOME REALITY FOR ONE CHRISTCHURCH MAN. WE SENT HOLLY CARRAN TO MEET HIM. STEVEN PINKHAM SPENDS HIS DAYS AT THE CHECKOUT. BUT, ALL GOING TO PLAN, HE COULD SOON BE CHECKING OUT. HE'S DEVELOPED AN APP TO HELP WITH THE MOST AWKWARD OF SUPERMARKET QUEUE MOMENTS ` WHEN YOUR CARD DECLINES. THE MOBILE BANKING APPS THAT WE'VE GOT AT THE MOMENT, IT TAKES FAR TOO LONG. IT TAKES, SOMETIMES, UP TO A MINUTE ` MAYBE A BIT LESS. BUT I THOUGHT, 'WELL, THERE'S GOT TO BE A FASTER WAY.' SO I'VE MADE AN APP THAT DOES IT IN ABOUT FIVE SECONDS. IT'S A SIMPLE IDEA WITH SOME POWERFUL BACKING. STEVE WON WESTPAC'S CROWD-SOURCING COMPETITION THAT ASKED PEOPLE WHAT THEY HATE ABOUT THEIR CURRENT BANKING APP AND HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER. HE'S DEVELOPED AN APPLICATION THAT HE BELIEVES, AND WE BELIEVE, WILL BECOME PART OF EVERYDAY BANKING. I THINK THEY WERE THINKING, SORT OF, OF TOO BIG A PICTURE. BUT I WAS FOCUSING ON A SMALLER PROBLEM. THE BANK RECEIVED A WHOPPING 800 RESPONSES THAT WERE DIVVIED DOWN TO JUST SEVEN ` ALL CHOSEN TO PRESENT THEIR CONCEPT TO A PANEL OF EXPERTS. EIGHT CLICKS ` FOUR OF THEM THE PIN NUMBER. STEVE'S CONCEPT WILL NOW BE COMING TO A PHONE NEAR YOU VERY SOON. THIS HAS THE ABILITY TO CHANGE STEVEN'S LIFE; CHANGE THE LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM AND HIS FAMILY. BECAUSE WE'LL DEVELOP THE APPLICATION FIRST IN NZ, AND THEN WE'LL WORK WITH STEVEN TO TAKE IT TO THE WORLD. AND HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMERCIALISE THIS AND SELL IT TO EVERY BANK GLOBALLY. I THINK IF I MANAGED TO MARKET THIS TO, SAY, EUROPEAN, AMERICAN OR ASIAN BANKS AND THEY PICKED IT UP, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING FOR ME. WITH JOB OFFERS ALREADY FLOWING IN FOR THIS YOUNG SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, THE FUTURE'S LOOKING VERY BRIGHT. HOLLY CARRAN, ONE NEWS. SIBLINGS ` THEY CAN EITHER BE YOUR BEST FRIENDS OR THE BANE OF YOUR LIFE. NOW A NEW STUDY IS OUT ABOUT JUST HOW BEING THE OLDEST, THE YOUNGEST OR, GOD FORBID, THE MIDDLE CHILD REALLY AFFECTS YOU LATER IN LIFE. HERE'S ABC'S LINSEY DAVIS. MARCIA, MARCIA, MARCIA. I'M TIRED OF BEING IN MARCIA'S SHADOW ALL THE TIME. IT SEEMS YOUNGER SISTER JAN BRADY MAY HAVE BEEN ON TO SOMETHING. BASED ON NEW RESEARCH, FIRSTBORN CHILDREN TEND TO GET THE BEST PARENTING AND THE BEST GRADES. ACCORDING TO THE DATA, THE EXPLANATION IS SIMPLE. PARENTS ARE MORE STRICT ON OLDER CHILDREN AND TEND TO GIVE THEM MORE ATTENTION. A NEW REASON FOR SIBLING RIVALRY TONIGHT. I'M AN OLDEST SIBLING, SO, YES, I THINK THAT'S TRUE. I THINK I'M SMARTER, AND I'M THE LAST OF THE SIBLINGS. I'M SMARTER. INTERNATIONAL STUDIES HAVE LONG SUGGESTED FIRSTBORNS EARN MORE MONEY AND SCORE HIGHER ON IQ TESTS ` ON AVERAGE, THREE POINTS HIGHER. WHEN THE FIRSTBORN COMES ALONG AND THERE ARE NO YOUNGER SIBLINGS, THEY'VE GOT 100% OF PARENTAL ATTENTION AND PARENTAL INVESTMENT. JUST LOOK AT THE MOST RECENT PRESIDENTS. FIVE OF THE LAST SEVEN, ALL OLDEST CHILDREN. NEED MORE PROOF? FIRSTBORNS, LIKE EINSTEIN, HAVE WON MORE NOBEL PRIZES IN SCIENCE. BUT, ON THE FLIPSIDE, YOUNGER CHILDREN TEND TO BE MORE REBELLIOUS. LEADERS OF REVOLUTIONS, LIKE THOMAS JEFFERSON, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR; EVEN JOAN OF ARC, ALL YOUNGER CHILDREN. BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR ALL THOSE YOUNGER SIBLINGS OUT THERE ` LIKE ME. JUST AHEAD ` THE BLACKCAPS STEP AHEAD IN THE SECOND TEST. AN UPDATE FOR YOU NEXT. AND WE'LL GIVE YOU A SNEAK PEEK AT SOME OF THE HIGH-FLYING ACTS HERE FOR NEXT YEAR'S NZ ARTS FESTIVAL. THE BLACKCAPS HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD OVER BANGLADESH ON DAY THREE OF THE SECOND TEST IN DHAKA. KANE WILLIAMSON AND COREY ANDERSON WERE THE MAINSTAYS OF THE KIWI INNINGS. ANDERSON BROUGHT UP HIS 50 OFF 72 BALLS. HE WAS EVENTUALLY GONE FOR 116. BJ WATLING AND ISH SODHI ARE CURRENTLY AT THE CREASE. A FEW MOMENTS AGO, THE BLACK CAPS WERE ON 370/8, 88 RUNS AHEAD. NOW TO THE WEATHER. THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES OFF TO THE EAST. ACROSS THE TASMAN SEA COMES THE DEEPENING LOW AND A WAVE OF FRONTS. THE LEADING WARM FRONT SPREADS RAIN ON TO THE WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND FROM THIS EVENING. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. WE'LL LEAVE YOU NOW WITH A SNEAK PREVIEW OF SOME OF THE ACTS PERFORMING IN THE 2014 NZ ARTS FESTIVAL. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY HUGO SNELL AND RICHARD EDMUNDS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013