DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF TONIGHT, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. TRAGEDY ON TARANAKI. A YOUNG COUPLE IN LOVE PERISH JUST METRES FROM THE SUMMIT. BAD WEATHER'S STILL PREVENTING THE RECOVERY OF THEIR BODIES. IT'S LABOUR DAY, BUT IS IT LABOUR'S DAY? A NEW POLL SHOWS THE IMPACT OF A NEW LEADER. AND RUN RABBIT, RUN RABBIT. PLEASE, RUN RABBIT! INSIDE THE CRAZY WORLD OF COMPETITIVE BUNNY-HOPPING. BAD WEATHER WILL NEED TO CLEAR BEFORE THE BODIES OF TWO CLIMBERS KILLED ON MT TARANAKI CAN BE RETRIEVED. RESCUERS BATTLED FOR TWO DAYS TO REACH NICOLE SUTTON AND HIROKI OGAWA, BUT THE SEVERE CONDITIONS WERE JUST TOO MUCH. HADYN JONES REPORTS. KEITH AND ANNA SUTTON TODAY LOST A DAUGHTER AND THE MAN THEY HOPED WOULD BE THEIR SON-IN-LAW. WE EXPECTED THEY WOULD GET MARRIED. NICOLE SUTTON (29) AND HIROKI OGAWA (31) DIED ON MT TARANAKI THIS MORNING, SUTTON IN THE ARMS OF SEARCH AND RESCUE STAFF. WE ARE JUST SO PLEASED THAT THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY LOVED WHEN THEY CAME TO THIS END. OTHER PEOPLE DIE IN MUCH MORE UNPLEASANT CIRCUMSTANCES THAN THIS. KEITH SUTTON WOKE THIS MORNING THINKING HIS DAUGHTER WOULD BE DEAD AFTER A SECOND FROZEN NIGHT IN A SNOW CAVE NEAR THE SUMMIT OF MT TARANAKI. SHE WAS ALIVE BUT COULDN'T HOLD ON. I FACED THE MORNING AND THE REALITY THAT OUR DAUGHTER WASN'T WITH US, ONLY TO FIND THAT SHE WAS. AND THEN SHE WASN'T. SO, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO'S A PARENT WILL KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE. AFTER SPENDING SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY SEARCHING, LAST NIGHT RESCUERS REGAINED CELL PHONE CONTACT WITH THE PAIR. AN OVERNIGHT SEARCH WAS ABORTED AT 4AM BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. A FRESH SEARCH PARTY SET OFF AT 5. THEY FOUND HIROKI OGAWA DEAD IN A SNOW CAVE AT 7.30. LATER THAT MORNING, NICOLE SUTTON ALSO DIED. 24 HOURS EARLIER, RESCUERS WERE AGONISINGLY CLOSE TO THE PAIR, BUT THE WEATHER FORCED THEM BACK. I WAS UP THERE SATURDAY NIGHT AND WE GOT WITHIN 200M OF THEM AND HAD TO TURN BACK. A LOT OF THE OTHER TEAMS WERE THE SAME, SO YOU FEEL FRUSTRATED THAT YOU COULDN'T QUITE GET THERE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S SURVIVAL. AT ONE STAGE WEATHER WAS SO BAD RESCUERS COULDN'T STAND UP. I HEARD STORIES OF THE TEAMS CRAWLING. THE CLIMBERS WERE EQUIPPED AND WELL PREPARED, BUT THEY WERE ONLY PLANNING ON GOING UP MT TARANAKI FOR A DAY TRIP. THEY WERE NOT EQUIPPED FOR TWO NIGHTS IN A SNOW CAVE AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN IN FREEZING AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. THE BODIES OF NICOLE SUTTON AND HIROKI OGAWA REMAIN IN A SNOW CAVE NEAR THE SUMMIT. WHEN THE WIND DIES DOWN, THEY WILL BE RECOVERED BY HELICOPTER AND RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILIES. HADYN JONES, ONE NEWS. TODAY'S TRAGEDY ON THE MOUNTAIN HIGHLIGHTS THE RISKS OF VENTURING INTO THE ALPINE ENVIRONMENT. MOUNT TARANAKI HAS HAD MORE THAN 80 MOUNTAINEERING DEATHS SINCE RECORDS BEGAN. BUT OUR DEADLIEST MOUNTAIN IS OUR HIGHEST ` AORAKI MOUNT COOK IN THE SOUTH ISLAND, WITH MORE THAN 200 DEATHS. A MOTORCYCLIST IS TONIGHT IN HOSPITAL WITH CRITICAL INJURIES FOLLOWING A HEAD-ON CRASH IN SOUTH AUCKLAND. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE CRASH ON TWILIGHT ROAD IN BROOKBY JUST AFTER 3.30 THIS AFTERNOON. TWO MOTORCYCLISTS HAVE BEEN TRAVELLING ALONG TOGETHER ON TWILIGHT ROAD, HEADING TOWARDS CLEVEDON. A MOTOR VEHICLE HAS BEEN TRAVELLING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. FIRST MOTORCYCLE'S LOST CONTROL AND CROSSED THE CENTRELINE OVER INTO THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC. THE SECOND MOTORCYCLIST HAS THEN HIT THE FIRST MOTORCYCLIST, AND SO BOTH HAVE COME OFF. THE SECOND MOTORCYCLIST SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. NO ONE IN THE VEHICLE WAS INJURED. THAT'S JUST ONE OF A NUMBER OF SERIOUS CRASHES ON OUR ROADS THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND. POLICE SAY THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR THE ROAD TOLL TO BE MUCH HIGHER THAN ONE, WHERE IT CURRENTLY SITS. REBECCA EDWARDS WITH THIS. TYRE MARKS LEADING OFF THIS GRAVEL ROAD ` REMNANTS OF A HOLIDAY WEEKEND JOYRIDE WITH A TRAGIC ENDING. IT IS THE FIRST ACCIDENT, THE FIRST FATALITY IN THE LABOUR WEEKEND FOR TAURANGA. VERY DISAPPOINTING, UM, TOTALLY AVOIDABLE, AND JUST A WASTE OF A YOUNG LIFE. FOUR TEENAGERS WERE IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE FATAL CRASH NEAR KATIKATI. THE THREE SURVIVORS, INCLUDING THE DRIVER, WHO POLICE SAY INITIALLY FLED THE SCENE, ALL SUFFERED INJURIES. ONE'S BEEN LEFT WITH A BROKEN BACK. JUST AN ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES. CURRENTLY, THE RECORD FOR THE LOWEST DEATH TOLL DURING A LABOUR DAY WEEKEND SITS AT TWO. THAT WAS SET BACK IN 1977. AND WHILE A DEATH TOLL OF ONE WOULD SET A NEW RECORD, POLICE SAY HIGHLIGHTING THE NUMBER OF SERIOUS INJURIES IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE OFFICIAL TOLL ITSELF. THAT CAN OFTEN BE OVERSHADOWED BY THE NUMBER OF DEATHS. CERTAINLY THIS WEEKEND WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BADLY HURT. POLICE NOW HOPE THOSE HITTING THE ROAD HOME ARE DOING SO SAFELY. REBECCA EDWARDS, ONE NEWS. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A FATAL HOUSE FIRE IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB OF MOUNT WELLINGTON. THE FIRE SERVICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE JUST AFTER 4PM TO FIND THE HOUSE ON HARDING AVENUE FULLY ABLAZE. POLICE AND FIRE SAFETY ARE INVESTIGATING. AT THIS STAGE, CAUSE IS UNDETERMINED. THE WOMAN KILLED IN THE BLAZE WAS MIDDLE AGED AND NEIGHBOURS TOLD ONE NEWS THERE HAVE BEEN FIRES THERE BEFORE. CHRISTCHURCH FIRE CREWS HAVE BEEN KEPT BUSY WITH ANOTHER SPATE OF SUSPECTED ARSONS IN THE CITY'S RED ZONE. THERE HAVE FOUR DELIBERATELY LIT BLAZES, AND POLICE NOW SAY THEY NEED PUBLIC HELP TO CATCH THE FIREBUGS. HERE'S DONNA-MARIE LEVER. THE RED ZONE'S BEEN BURNING AGAIN, AND BY MORNING, THE CHARRED SHELL OF THIS ABANDONED HOME NOW JOINS A GROWING LIST OF SIMILAR CRIME SCENES WAITING TO BE SOLVED. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF HOUSES HERE IN THIS AREA THAT HAVE BEEN EMPTY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A MATTER OF TIME. WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING IT. RESIDENTS STILL LIVING HERE WERE QUICK TO CALL FOR HELP, BUT THE FIRE HAD ALREADY TAKEN HOLD. I HEARD MY DAD TALKING ABOUT A FIRE, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE MOVIE WE WERE WATCHING. BUT THEN, WHEN WE WENT OUTSIDE, IT WAS ALL FLAMES. THE NEW BRIGHTON BLAZE IS JUST ONE OF FOUR OTHER SUSPECTED ARSONS LIT IN THE RED ZONE THIS WEEKEND ALONE. THE RISK OF FIRES SPREADING TO OCCUPIED HOMES HAS NOW BECOME A VERY REAL THREAT. PEOPLE TEND TO LOOK AT THESE AND THINK THEY'RE ABANDONED; IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. THERE IS STILL PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THEM, OCCASIONALLY. POLICE SAY IT WILL TAKE THE PUBLIC TO ULTIMATELY SOLVE THESE CRIMES BY REPORTING ANY SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR STRAIGHT AWAY. DONNA-MARIE LEVER, ONE NEWS. THE GOVERNMENT'S TEAMING UP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS FOR A NEW SOCIAL HOUSING INITIATIVE IN AUCKLAND. A CASH INJECTION OF NEARLY $17M WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY TO CREATE 87 NEW HOMES. THE HOUSES WILL BE BUILT FOR LOWER INCOME FAMILIES TO RENT, ALTHOUGH SOME WILL EVENTUALLY PURCHASE THEM WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS. FOR MANY OF OUR FAMILIES UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE OF THE COST OF HOUSING, THEY NEED MORE THAN JUST A HOUSE ` THEY NEED SUPPORT SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL BEGIN ACROSS AUCKLAND NEXT YEAR. THE LABOUR PARTY IS USING LABOUR DAY TO PUSH FOR A CHANGE TO THE WAY WE WORK. CURRENT LAW'S DON'T GUARANTEE THE NUMBER OF HOURS WORK WE HAVE TO DO AND SOME PEOPLE ARE BEING EMPLOYED ON ZERO HOURS. EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE SPECIFIED HOURS OF WORK WRITTEN INTO THE AGREEMENT THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE JOB THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DO. DARIEN FENTON HAS SUBMITTED A BILL TO PARLIAMENT TO PROVIDE MORE CERTAINTY. THE BILL WILL ALSO REQUIRE WAGES AND SALARIES BE INCLUDED IN COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS. BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT LABOUR'S DAY, ACCORDING TO OUR LATEST ONE NEWS COLMAR BRUNTON POLL. NEITHER THE PARTY, NOR NEW LEADER DAVID CUNLIFFE HAVE MADE ANY GAINS OVER THE LAST SIX WEEKS. BUT IT'S NOT ALL BAD NEWS FOR THE CENTRE-LEFT, AS POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN EXPLAINS. JOHN KEY AND DAVID CUNLIFFE IN CAMPAIGN MODE THIS WEEK ` THE TWO RIVALS IN THE REGIONS, MATCHING EACH OTHER STEP FOR STEP. BUT WHILE THE LABOUR LEADER MADE AN ASSURED START TO HIS NEW ROLE,... AND, FOLKS, THERE'S A CHANGE COMING. IT'S COMING NEXT YEAR. ...HE'S YET TO DELIVER ANY MAJOR GAINS FOR HIS PARTY. OUR LATEST ONE NEWS-COLMAR BRUNTON POLL SHOWS LABOUR FLAT THIS MONTH ON 34%. NATIONAL'S SLIPPED TWO POINTS, THOUGH, BRINGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES TO JUST NINE. THE GREENS CLIMB ONE POINT TO 13%, WHILE NZ FIRST REMAIN STEADY ON 4%. ACT AND THE MAORI PARTY ARE STABLE ON 1%, WHILE THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE BACKED UP TALK OF BEING A POTENTIAL COALITION PARTNER WITH A ONE-POINT GAIN. SO WOULD YOU RATHER WORK WITH COLIN CRAIG? I MIGHT DO, YEAH. MIGHT DO. LET'S WAIT AND SEE. WHEN IT COMES TO SEATS IN PARLIAMENT, THERE'S NOTHING IN IT. NATIONAL HAS 58 SEATS. THROW IN ONE EACH FROM ACT AND UNITED FUTURE, AND THE CENTRE-RIGHT CAN MUSTER 60. BUT LABOUR'S 43 SEATS PLUS THE GREENS' 16 AND MANA'S ONE ALSO GIVES THE CENTRE-LEFT 60, MEANING THE MAORI PARTY, WITH ITS THREE SEATS, WOULD BE THE KINGMAKER. WHEN IT COMES TO PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER, JOHN KEY STILL APPEARS TO HAVE THE GOLDEN TOUCH ` HE'S UP ONE, TO 43% ` WHILE DAVID CUNLIFFE HASN'T BUILT ON HIS STRONG START SHOWN IN OUR SEPTEMBER POLL, UNCHANGED AT 12%. WINSTON PETERS IS STEADY ON 4%. DAVID CUNLIFFE'S ENJOYED THE TRADITIONAL HONEYMOON PERIOD SINCE BECOMING LEADER. TONIGHT'S POLL, WHILE FAR FROM A DISASTER, SUGGESTS THAT'S COMING TO A CLOSE, AND THE HARD GRIND OF BEING OPPOSITION LEADER IS JUST STARTING TO KICK IN. CORIN DANN, ONE NEWS. TONIGHT'S POLL SURVEYED JUST OVER 1000 VOTERS AND HAD A MARGIN OF ERROR OF PLUS OR MINUS 3.1%. IT'S BEEN REPORTED THE KABUL FIREFIGHT IN WHICH A NZ SOLDIER WAS WOUNDED WAS STARTED BY AN ARGUMENT OVER A LAPTOP. THE DEFENCE FORCE SAYS THE ATTACK WAS UNPROVOKED, ALTHOUGH THE MATTER IS BEING INVESTIGATED. SIMON BRADWELL REPORTS. IT'S AT THIS OFFICER TRAINING ACADEMY THAT THE NZ SOLDIER AND TWO AUSTRALIANS WERE ATTACKED. AN AFGHANI SOLDIER, ON THE SAME SIDE AS THE NATO COALITION, OPENED FIRE ON THE TRIO, WOUNDING THE NZER IN THE FOOT BEFORE BEING SHOT DEAD. THE REPORTS WE HAVE ARE THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN ARGUMENT OR FIGHTING BEFOREHAND, AND THIS CAME OUT OF THE BLUE FOR THE THREE OF THEM. THAT WAS 24 HOURS AGO. SINCE THEN, BRITAIN'S BBC HAS REPORTED A DIFFERENT STORY. THE BBC DOESN'T NAME WHAT IT CALLS AFGHAN GOVERNMENT SOURCES BUT CLAIMS THE AFGHANI REFUSED TO HAND A LAPTOP COMPUTER OVER TO THE TRIO. THE BBC CLAIMS HE WAS SWORN AT, AND THAT'S WHAT PROMPTED THE AFGHANI SOLDIER TO OPEN FIRE. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES ALSO REPORTED THE ATTACK WAS SPARKED BY AN ARGUMENT. AT THIS STAGE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THAT'S THE CASE. RHYS JONES DOES SAY THE NZER WAS INVOLVED IN RETRIEVING SOME EQUIPMENT STOLEN FROM THE CAMP. THIS EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN FOUND BY THE ADJACENT AFGHAN UNIT, AND SO HE HAD BEEN SENT OVER THERE TO LIAISE ABOUT ITS RETURN. BUT TODAY THE DEFENCE FORCE TOLD ONE NEWS, 'OUR INFORMATION IS THAT THERE WAS NO TENSION OR INFLAMMATORY SITUATION 'BEFORE THE INCIDENT. 'THE COMMANDER OF THE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY OFFICER ACADEMY 'WILL HOLD AN INQUIRY INTO THE MATTER, AS IN ANY SHOOTING INCIDENT, 'AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE INCIDENT 'WILL BE PART OF THE SCOPE OF THAT INQUIRY.' THE DEFENCE FORCE SAYS IT WON'T COMMENT FURTHER UNTIL THAT INQUIRY IS COMPLETE. IN THE MEANTIME, THE SHOT KIWI SOLDIER IS STILL RECOVERING AT BAGRAM AIR FORCE BASE. SIMON BRADWELL, ONE NEWS. THE FIRST COMMERCIAL BOEING 787 DREAMLINER TO FLY TO NZ HAS JUST LANDED AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT. THE CHINA SOUTHERN PLANE WILL NOW FLY DAILY FROM THE CHINESE CITY OF GUANGZHOU TO AUCKLAND. BUT IT HASN'T BEEN A TROUBLE-FREE PRODUCTION LINE FOR THE DREAMLINER. THE PLANES HAVE BEEN PLAGUED WITH PROBLEMS SINCE THE LAUNCH TWO YEARS AGO. AIR NZ IS DUE TO HAVE ITS DREAMLINERS DELIVERED FROM THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR. WHILE MOST OF US ARE BASKING IN SUNNY LONG WEEKEND WEATHER, CENTRAL OTAGO IS IN THE MIDST OF AN UNSEASONABLE COLD SNAP. SNOW AND FLOODING ARE CAUSING ISSUES AROUND QUEENSTOWN, WITH MORE RAIN ON THE WAY. MAX BANIA REPORTS. SPRING HAS SPRUNG A SURPRISE UPON CENTRAL OTAGO. SNOW ON THE CROWN RANGE BETWEEN QUEENSTOWN AND WANAKA IS PROVING A SHOCK TO TOURISTS. IT WAS ABOUT 23 WHEN WE DROVE THROUGH HERE THURSDAY, AND IT WAS SUNNY AND WARM, AND WE HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. SO, YES, IT'S A BIT DIFFERENT TODAY, ISN'T IT? MORE CONCERNING THAN THE COLD IS THE LEVEL OF LAKE WAKITIPU, WHICH HAS RISEN A METRE IN THE PAST FORTNIGHT. WHILE THE THREAT OF FLOODING EASED TODAY, THERE'S STILL A WARNING FOR THOSE AROUND THE LAKE. UH, ESPECIALLY BOATIES ` A LOT OF FLOTSAM, SO JUST KEEP AN EYE OUT, AND OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE GOING OUT, TEMPERATURES ARE PRETTY COOL, SO WRAP UP WARMLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUNGSTERS. PERSISTENT RAIN HAS ALSO TRIGGERED FLOOD WARNINGS ALONG THE CLUTHA. ROXBURGH AND CLYDE DAMS ARE SPILLING WATER TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG UPSTREAM. YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW MUCH DEBRIS THE LAKE HAS BROUGHT IN HERE. NOW, NORMALLY THIS IS A BIG, WIDE BEACH, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE WATER HAS COME JUST TO ABOUT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SEA WALL HERE. IT'D NEED TO GO ABOUT ANOTHER 20CM TO CAUSE LOCAL FLOODING. THERE IS MORE RAIN FORECAST FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IT'S LOOKING QUITE LIKELY THAT THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, SIMILAR TO THE ONE WE HAD YESTERDAY. DON'T PUT THOSE WARM CLOTHES AWAY. IF WEDNESDAY'S FORECAST RAIN IS HEAVY ENOUGH, IT COULD PUSH THE LAKE TO SPILLING POINT. MAX BANIA, ONE NEWS. WELL, IT WAS A FAR MORE SUMMERY DAY FOR AUCKLAND, WITH THOUSANDS TURNING OUT TO FAREWELL THE TALL SHIPS WHICH HAVE BEEN VISITING THE CITY'S HARBOUR. RUTH WYNN-WILLIAMS JOINED THE CROWDS. ON AUCKLAND'S CROWDED WATERFRONT, WE MET LORRAINE HAYWOOD. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SEA DOESN'T AGREE WITH ME. SHE SAYS SHE WAS BORN WITHOUT SEA LEGS, SO SHE'S LANDLOCKED, BUT ONE OF THOUSANDS HERE FOR THE VIEW. JUST LOOKING AT ALL THE ROPES AND JUST THE WAY THEY'RE PUT TOGETHER AND THAT ` JUST MARVELLOUS, I RECKON. WELL, IT'S JUST MEMORIES FROM THE PAST, REALLY. A NOSTALGIA TRIP FOR SOME. BUT ON BOARD, THEY'RE MUCKING IN. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN ON A TALL SHIP. JUSTIN DAVIS WAS INJURED TWO YEARS AGO WHILE SERVING WITH THE BRITISH ARMY. TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS PRETTY COOL, AND TO BE ABLE TO CLIMB UP THERE IS PRETTY COOL AS WELL. HE'S ONE OF 50 SAILORS IN CONTROL OF 'LORD NELSON'. THE 18-SAIL SHIP'S SPECIALLY RIGGED TO BE CREWED BY PEOPLE OF VARYING PHYSICAL ABILITIES. OBVIOUSLY, I HAVEN'T GOT THE LOWER PART OF MY LEGS, SO IT'S MORE UPPER BODY. YOU JUST SORT OF PULL YOURSELF UP AND GET TO THE TOP. LORD NELSON TOOK TO THE SEA WITH THE REST OF THE EIGHT-STRONG FLOTILLA THIS AFTERNOON, RAISING ITS SAILS ON THE NEXT LEG OF A ROUND-THE-WORLD TRIP. YOU WOULDN'T LIKE TO DO THE TRIP TO ANTARCTICA > THAT ONE OF THEM IS OFFERING FOR $10,000? > NO, NO. I'D NEVER MAKE IT. I'D BE JUMPING OVER. I'D BE SICK AS A DOG. (LAUGHS) ...HAPPY TO HAVE THAT ONE LAST LOOK. RUTH WYNN-WILLIAMS, ONE NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` THE RAIN'S ON THE WAY IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. IN 12 MINUTES, FIND OUT IF IT'S COMING TO YOUR PLACE. PLUS, IT'S NOT JUST RAIN, BUT DANGEROUSLY HIGH WINDS CAUSING CHAOS IN THE UK RIGHT NOW. AND WE SAY GOODBYE TO A PIONEER OF THE VELVET UNDERGROUND. BRITAIN IS BEING BATTERED BY A MONSTER STORM, WITH HURRICANE STRENGTH WINDS PREDICTED TO CAUSE WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION. AS THE STORM FRONT MOVED IN, A TEENAGE BOY WAS SWEPT OUT TO SEA, BECOMING THE FIRST VICTIM OF THE TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS. CHANNEL NINE'S MARK BURROWS HAS MORE. OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND AND THE CHANNEL BOILS AS A LIFEBOAT SEARCHES FOR A YOUNG BOY WASHED OUT TO SEA. A TASTE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE ABOUT TO SMASH THE COUNTRY. HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS UP TO 140KM/H AND WIDESPREAD FLOODS. THEY ARE HORRENDOUS CONDITIONS. BEEN DESCRIBED AS UNPRECEDENTED. A SWIRLING STORM CELL NAMED ST JUDE IS BEARING DOWN. FORECASTERS ARE COMPARING WHAT'S COMING TO THE GREAT STORM OF 1987, NOTABLE WHEN THE BBC WEATHERMAN DELIVERED THIS SHOCKER OF A FORECAST ` EARLIER ON TODAY, APPARENTLY A WOMAN RANG THE BBC AND SAID SHE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A HURRICANE ON THE WAY. WELL, IF YOU'RE WATCHING, DON'T WORRY. THERE ISN'T. HE WAS TRAGICALLY WRONG. WIDE AREAS OF ENGLAND WERE DEVASTATED AND 18 PEOPLE WERE KILLED. CRASH! THIS TIME FORECASTERS AREN'T HOLDING BACK. THE UNUSUAL NATURE OF THIS STORM IS WE'VE GOT TWO SYSTEMS THAT JOIN TOGETHER IN THE ATLANTIC, WE'VE GOT A PARTICULARLY STRONG JET STREAM AT THE MOMENT THAT'S REALLY STARTING TO INTENSIFY THAT SYSTEM OUT IN THE ATLANTIC. COASTAL COMMUNITIES ARE BATTENING DOWN AND MILLIONS OF COMMUTERS ARE BEING TOLD NOT TO TRAVEL UNLESS IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I THINK IF WE HAD A CHOICE, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, WITH SORT OF WARNING AROUND, BECAUSE IT'S NOT VERY PLEASANT. THE CROSS-CHANNEL EUROSTAR TRAIN HAS BEEN CANCELLED, AS HAVE SCORES OF TRAINS IN THE SOUTH. UNFORTUNATELY IT WILL COME RIGHT THROUGH THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND AND THROUGH ANGLIA RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR. THE STORM HAS PROMPTED THE PRIME MINSTER TO HOLD CRISIS TALKS TO ENSURE EMERGENCY AUTHORITIES ARE READY TO HANDLE THE IMPACT. HE WAS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MUSICIANS OF HIS GENERATION. BUT TODAY, LOU REED'S LONG WALK ON THE WILD SIDE CAME TO AN END. THE VELVET UNDERGROUND SINGER DIED AFTER A BATTLE WITH LIVER DISEASE AT THE AGE OF 71. CHANNEL NINE'S ROBERT PENFOLD LOOKS BACK ON HIS REMARKABLE LIFE. WHO HASN'T SUNG ALONG WITH LOU REED? # TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. # AND LIKE THE WORDS OF HIS BIGGEST SONG OF ALL, LOU DID INDEED WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. THE 50 YEARS AS A ROCK ICON TOOK ITS TOLL. SO MUCH SO IN MAY THIS YEAR, HE UNDERWENT A LIVER TRANSPLANT. LATE LAST WEEK, DOCTORS SAID HIS CONDITION HAD DETERIORATED TO A POINT WHERE THEY COULDN'T DO ANY MORE FOR HIM, SO HE WENT HOME TO NEW YORK, WHERE HE DIED PEACEFULLY, WITH HIS LOVED ONES AROUND HIM. IT ALL STARTED WITH HIS BAND, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND IN THE 1960S. AT THE TIME, A VERY UN-BEATLE-LIKE GROUP, MANAGED BY NONE OTHER THAN ANDY WARHOL. EVERYTHING I DO IS FROM THE OUTSIDE. IF IT HADN'T HAVE BEEN FOR ANDY, WHO KNOWS WHETHER WE WOULD HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO DO ANYTHING? NO MATCHING CLOTHES OR MATCHING HAIRCUTS FOR THE VELVET ` THEY WERE MORE LIKE A PUNK ROCK BAND BEFORE PUNK ROCK WAS EVEN THOUGHT OF. AND THEN CAME THE SOLO CAREER. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERSTATE HIS INFLUENCE ON MUSIC. HE'S PROBABLY THE GREATEST LYRICIST OF ALL TIME. HE MADE ROCK AND ROLL LITERATE. # JUST A PERFECT DAY. # HIS MUSIC HAS TOUCHED GENERATIONS. MOODY PIECES ` REALLY HIS POETRY PUT TO MUSIC, SUNG BY HIM AND SO MANY OTHERS. # AND THEN LATER, WHEN IT GETS DARK... # ...WE GO HOME. ANOTHER GREAT ADMIRER, PETE TOWNSEND SPOKE FOR SO MANY FANS TODAY, TWEETING OUT 'HE'LL WALK ON THE PEACEFUL SIDE.' # JUST KEEP... # AND IN MORE MUSIC NEWS, KIWI SINGER ELLA YELICH-O'CONNOR, BETTER KNOWN AS LORDE, HAS STORMED TO THE TOP OF THE BRITISH MUSIC CHARTS. THE 16-YEAR-OLD HAS HIT NUMBER ONE WITH HER DEBUT SINGLE 'ROYALS'. SHE'S THE YOUNGEST ARTIST TO ENTER THE CHARTS IN THE TOP SPOT SINCE 1998. # YOU CAN CALL ME QUEEN BEE. # AND, BABY, I'LL RULE. # LET ME LIVE THAT FANTASY. # EARLIER THIS MONTH, LORDE BECAME THE FIRST NZER TO EVER RULE THE US CHARTS. EARLIER THIS MONTH, LORDE BECAME THE FIRST NZ SOLO ARTIST TO EVER RULE THE US CHARTS. JUST AHEAD ` MOST OF US SHOULD BE FINE WITHOUT A JACKET FOR THE WALK TO WORK IN THE MORNING. WEATHER IS NEXT. AND GETTING THE JUMP ON THE COMPETITION. WE'VE GOT THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL RABBIT RACING ` JUST IN CASE YOU WANTED IT. NOW TO THE WEATHER. A COLD FRONT SLIDES EAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND TONIGHT, WHILE A HIGH OVER THE TASMAN, MOVES ONTO THE NORTH TOMORROW. AND A TROUGH FORMS OVER EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ FINALLY, THIS COULD VERY WELL BE THE WEIRDEST, BUT CUTEST SPORT WE'VE EVER REPORTED ON. FORGET ABOUT RUNNING DOWN HILLS OR PIGGY-BACKING YOUR SPOUSE ` HOW ABOUT COMPETITIVE RABBIT HOPPING? ABC'S RON CLAIBORNE JUMPED INTO ACTION AND SENT THIS REPORT. HI. HI. YOU'RE CASSANDRA? YEAH. NICE TO MEET YOU. FINALLY WE MEET. CASSANDRA, NOW 13, WHO HAD COME TO HARRISBURG FOR A RABBIT-HOPPING COMPETITION THAT DREW A BEVVY OF BUNNIES FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. (CHUCKLES) HE'S ATTACKING ME. CASSANDRA, WHO'S BEEN RAISING RACING RABBITS ON HER FAMILY'S IOWA FARM SINCE SHE WAS JUST SIX, BROUGHT DASH AND BROCK, AND GENEROUSLY LET ME RUN DASH. THE DAY BEFORE THE BIG RACE, SHE GAVE ME A FEW POINTERS IN THE FINE ART OF RABBIT HOPPING. DON'T PULL IT TOO TIGHT. WHY? WHY IS HE NOT GOING? LIKE THIS? AND LIKE THIS? KIND OF, YEAH. GO. COME HERE. WHY IS HE NOT GOING? BELIEVE ME, IT'S EVEN HARDER THAN IT LOOKS. THE NEXT DAY, THE BATTLE OF THE BUNNY. ARE YOU READY TO RACE? YEAH. AND THEY'RE OFF. JACQUES OFFENBACH'S 'ORPHEE AUX ENFERS' AND NOW CASSANDRA AND BROCK WERE UP. IT SEEMS BROCK JUST WASN'T IN A HOPPING MOOD. AND FINALLY MY TURN TO DASH WITH DASH. I KNOW, DON'T QUIT MY DAY JOB. YES! YES! CROWD CHEERS THAT'LL DO IT FOR TONIGHT. LOVELY TO HAVE YOU WITH US. SEE YOU TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY AMY PARK AND ANNA BRACEWELL-WORRALL CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013