TONIGHT ` SHE SAYS HER HUSBAND COMMITTED SUICIDE. THE CROWN SAYS SHE KILLED HIM. HEAR THE CASE AGAINST HELEN MILNER. PLUS ` WHO'S REALLY CHIPPING IN TO PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION GULLY PROJECT? AND MIRANDA KERR'S APPARENTLY BACK IN THE DATING GAME... A COURT'S HEARD A WOMAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HER HUSBAND BY POISONING HIM WANTED TO CLAIM $250,000 OF HIS LIFE INSURANCE. WE CAN FINALLY NAME HELEN MILNER, THE CHRISTCHURCH WOMAN CHARGED WITH THE MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER OF PHILIP NISBET WHO WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO HAVE TAKEN HIS OWN LIFE. LISA DAVIES WAS IN COURT. ACCUSED OF KILLING HER HUSBAND - HELEN MILNER ENTERS THE DOCK HOW DO YOU PLEAD? NOT GUILTY. BUT THE CROWN SAYS SHE POISONED PHILIP NISBET (47) WITH AN OVERDOSE OF PHENERGAN CRUSHED INTO HIS FOOD, THEN SUFFOCATED HIM IN THEIR BED. SHE WAS UNHAPPY WITH HER MARRIAGE, AND SHE WAS FINANCIALLY MOTIVATED. TO CLAIM ON A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY ON THE DECEASED OF 250,000. INITIALLY, POLICE DEEMED THE DEATH A SUICIDE; HELEN MILNER CLAIMING TO RECEIVE A SUICIDE NOTE BY TEXT WHEN POLICE ARRIVED AFTER HER 111 CALL. BUT THE CROWN SAYS SHE SENT HERSELF THE TEXT FROM HER DEAD HUSBAND'S PHONE. THE ATTENDING POLICE OFFICERS THOUGHT THE DEFENDANT'S BEHAVIOUR WAS ODD. BUT IT WAS THE CORONER WHO QUERIED WHO HAD ADMINISTERED THE LETHAL DOSE OF PHENERGAN, PROMPTING POLICE TO REOPEN THEIR INVESTIGATION. MILNER TOLD POLICE THEY HAD BEEN A HAPPY COUPLE. OTHERS HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW. THE DEFENDANT ALSO TALKED TO VARIOUS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND WORK COLLEAGUES ABOUT WAYS TO GET RID OF HER HUSBAND. IN ONE OF MANY EMAILS READ TO THE COURT BY FORMER WORK COLLEAGUES, THE ACCUSED WROTE: THE CROWN SAYS SHE EVEN OFFERED HER SON $20,000 TO KILL HER HUSBAND. WHEN HE SAID NO, SHE TRIED, UNSUCCESSFULLY, TWICE IN APRIL 2009. IN MAY, THE CROWN SAID SHE SUCCEEDED IN KILLING HIM. FOLLOWING HIS FUNERAL, SHE PRODUCED TWO TYPED-WRITTEN SUICIDE NOTES. THE FAMILY DENIES THAT THE SIGNATURE ON ONE OF THEM IS HIS. THE JURY WERE ALSO TOLD MILNER BEGAN A RELATIONSHIP SHORTLY AFTER PHIL NISBET'S DEATH. THEY WERE EXCHANGING SEXUAL TEXTS WITH EACH OTHER WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE DEATH. EVIDENCE FROM MILNER'S FORMER WORK COLLEAGUES CONTINUES TOMORROW. LISA DAVIES, ONE NEWS. POLICE ARE STILL SEEKING THE PEOPLE WHO ASSAULTED LANCE SCULLIN WHO DIED AFTER TRYING TO BREAK UP A FIGHT OUTSIDE HIS HOME IN TAURANGA ON SATURDAY NIGHT. MR SCULLIN HAD GONE HOME WITH A MINOR HEAD INJURY. NEIGHBOURS FOUND HIM DEAD LESS THAN 12 HOURS LATER. HE HAS BEEN ASSAULTED ON THE ROAD BEHIND ME HERE. WE BELIEVE HE'S BEEN ASSAULTED WITH A BROWN FENCE PALING. NEIGHBOURS SAY MR SCULLIN WAS A GOOD SAMARTIAN WHO ALWAYS DID HIS BEST TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. EWEN MACDONALD, THE MAN ACQUITTED OF KILLING HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW SCOTT GUY, POSES A RISK THAT MAY BE UNTREATABLE, THE PAROLE BOARD SAYS. THE BOARD HAS REVEALED ITS FULL REASONS FOR DENYING MACDONALD PAROLE, AND SAYS MACDONALD WAS FOUND TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PERSONALITY DISTURBANCE. IT SAYS THERE MAY NOT BE ANY PAROLE CONDITIONS AND THERAPY THAT ADDRESS THE RISK HE POSES OF RE-OFFENDING. MACDONALD IS HALF-WAY THROUGH A FIVE-YEAR SENTENCE FOR SLAUGHTERING CALVES, ARSON AND VANDALISM. HIS NEXT PAROLE HEARING IS AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR. KIWI VICTIMS OF THALIDOMIDE ARE WELCOMING A LANDMARK $99 MILLION SETTLEMENT. MORE THAN 100 SURVIVORS OF THE MORNING SICKNESS DRUG, BOTH HERE AND IN AUSTRALIA, TOOK PART IN THE LAWSUIT. BUT THERE'S DISAPPOINTMENT OVER WHERE THE PAYOUT HAS COME FROM. MATT McLEAN EXPLAINS. BARRY DEGEEST LIVES WITH A DAILY REMINDER OF THE DEVASTATION OF THALIDOMIDE. MY MOTHER'S NEVER FORGIVEN HERSELF FOR TAKING THE DRUG TO HAVE THE EFFECT THAT IT DID ON ME. AND IT'S MEANT THAT I'VE BEEN LIMITED IN WHAT I CAN DO. HE'S ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF THE MORNING-SICKNESS DRUG WHO HAVE FOUGHT HARD OVER THE YEARS FOR COMPENSATION. THE RESULT THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED TODAY IS A VINDICATION OF THEIR COURAGE. AND IT'S A VINDICATION OF THE PROPOSITION THAT, RIGHT AROUND THE WORLD, THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE THEM WHO HAVE MISSED OUT AND WHOSE TIME HAS COME. THAT RESULT IS $99M FOR AROUND 100 VICTIMS HERE AND IN AUSTRALIA. I'M REALLY REALLY ECSTATIC FOR THE 11 PEOPLE WHO'LL GET COMPENSATION IN NZ WHO HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A CENT. THALIDOMIDE WAS DISTRIBUTED TO MOTHERS WORLDWIDE IN THE EARLY 1960S, BUT TURNED OUT TO BE DISASTROUS. AN ESTIMATED 100,000 BABIES WERE BORN WITH DEFECTS. THALIDOMIDE IS, OF COURSE, NOTORIOUS AS THE WORST PHARMACEUTICAL DISASTER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. THE SETTLEMENT TODAY WAS STRUCK WITH THE AUSTRALASIAN DISTRIBUTOR DIAGEO. BUT THERE'S ANGER THE GERMAN MANUFACTURER, GRUNENTHAL, HAS REFUSED TO PAY UP. GRUNENTHAL SHUT ITS EYES TO MANY WARNING SIGNS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THIS DRUG, INCLUDING DEFORMITIES. SO GRUNENTHAL HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ACT AND STOP THIS DISASTER WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING, AND THEY NEVER DID. LAWSUITS ARE CONTINUING AGAINST THE COMPANY IN EUROPE AND THE US. IT'S A BITTERSWEET MOMENT. IT'S OBVIOUSLY TRUE THAT NO AMOUNT OF MONEY COULD EVER COMPENSATE PEOPLE FOR THE SORT OF INJURIES YOU SEE. INJURIES THEY'VE NOW HAD TO LIVE WITH FOR HALF A CENTURY. MATT MCLEAN, ONE NEWS. FIREFIGHTERS HAVE EXTINGUISHED A FIRE AT WAIHEKE ISLAND'S ONLY SUPERMARKET. THE BLAZE AT THE COUNTDOWN STORE BROKE OUT AT AROUND 2.30 THIS AFTERNOON. CUSTOMERS WERE EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURY. THE SUPERMARKET WILL REMAIN CLOSED WHILE THE DAMAGE IS ASSESSED. FIRE CREWS WILL WORK THROUGH THE NIGHT AS THEY BATTLE A LARGE SCRUB FIRE IN LOWER HUTT. DOZENS OF FIREFIGHTERS HAVE SPENT THE PAST FEW HOURS TACKLING THE BLAZE IN THE HILLS ABOVE THE SUBURB OF WATERLOO. WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE FIRE IS HEADING AWAY FROM THE BUILDING. IT'S A RESIDENTIAL AREA. IT'S ALL RURAL OVER THAT SIDE. AND WE'VE GOT STANDBY CREWS LOOKING AFTER THE OTHER SIDE IF IT GETS ANY FURTHER. POLICE SAY THEY'VE SPOKEN TO TWO TEENAGERS IN RELATION TO THE BLAZE. A BIT MORE IN THE POCKET FOR WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS NEXT YEAR, WITH THE GOVERNMENT SET TO CUT ACC LEVIES. BUT THERE'LL BE NO RELIEF FOR MOTORISTS. THE GOVERNMENT'S REJECTED A RECOMMENDATION BY THE CORPORATION TO REDUCE MOTOR VEHICLE LEVIES WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN CHEAPER CAR REGISTRATIONS. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN A SAFETY RATING AROUND CARS AND VEHICLES, AND AT THE MOMENT THE SYSTEMS WILL NEED SOME MORE WORK BETWEEN NZTA AND ACC TO MAKE SURE, THAT THAT IS, IN FACT, IN PLACE. ACC MINISTER JUDITH COLLINS HOPES TO MAKE CUTS FOR VEHICLE OWNERS IN 2015. TWO NEW ROADING PROJECTS AROUND THE CAPITAL STARTED TODAY, BOTH OF WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SAYS ARE OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. RYAN BOSWELL HAS THE DETAILS. GERRY BROWNLEE ARMED TO FIX CONGESTION ON OUR ROADS. WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE OPTIONS BEYOND POLITICS. TODAY THE TRANSPORT MINISTER DUG A HOLE TO MARK THE START OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE 16KM MACKAYS TO PEKA PEKA EXPRESSWAY. THERE HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS. THERE HAS BEEN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE VOICES HEARD. THOSE VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD, AND THE PROJECT'S GOING AHEAD. THAT'S HOW WE WORK IN THIS COUNTRY. IT'S PART OF THE $2.5B WELLINGTON NORTHERN CORRIDOR THAT RUNS FROM LEVIN TO WELLINGTON AIRPORT, MAKING TRAVEL TIME 40 MINUTES SHORTER AND THE ROAD SAFER. ONE ACCIDENT CAN CLOSE THE ROAD, AND ALSO ONE KING TIDE WITH A STORM, AND THAT MEANS THE FREIGHT DOESN'T GET THROUGH. APART FROM THE COMMUTERS, THE FREIGHT TO THE SOUTH ISLAND CAN'T GET THROUGH. TRANSMISSION GULLY IS PART OF THE ROUTE, AND TODAY A CONSORTIUM OF FIVE, INCLUDING ACC, WAS CHOSEN FOR THE 27KM STRETCH. WE'VE SAID ALWAYS THAT WE'VE GOT TO FIND A PPP HERE THAT DELIVERS THIS ROAD AT BETTER VALUE THAN WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES. THE PROPOSITION THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US DOES EXACTLY THAT. THE GULLY ALONE WILL COST $908M. THIS IS A CONSORTIUM THAT INVOLVES A LOT OF NZ ENTITIES, AND, IN FACT, NZ CAPITAL, SO YOU'RE GETTING EXPERTISE CONSTRUCTION CAPABILITY COMING IN WITH LEIGHTON'S, BUT THERE ARE LOCAL PARTNERS AS WELL. THE DETAILS OF THE DEAL ARE STILL BEING WORKED THROUGH. WHEN WE GET TO THE AGREEMENT, WE'LL PUT ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE TABLE, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE UP YOUR MINDS AT THAT TIME. GERRY BROWNLEE HOPING TO WEAR A HARD HAT AGAIN SOON. CONSTRUCTION ON TRANSMISSION GULLY IS EXPECTED TO START NEXT YEAR. RYAN BOSWELL, ONE NEWS. 60 WORKERS AT CHRISTCHURCH'S STEELBRO FACTORY HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY'RE OUT OF JOBS. THE 135-YEAR-OLD COMPANY, WHICH EXPORTS CONTAINER HANDLING EQUIPMENT, WILL SHUT DOWN ITS CHRISTCHURCH MANUFACTURING OPERATION IN MARCH, AND MOVE PRODUCTION TO CHINA. IT WASN'T UNEXPECTED. THINGS HAVE BEEN QUIET FOR SOME TIME NOW. BUT IT STILL CAME AS A SHOCK TO THE EMPLOYEES. SOME OF THEM CAME HERE FROM SCHOOL. THEY'VE WORKED HERE ALL THEIR LIVES. SO FOR THOSE GUYS IN PARTICULAR, IT'LL BE VERY DIFFICULT. OFFICE AND DESIGN STAFF WILL REMAIN IN THE CHRISTCHURCH OFFICE. DOZENS OF DISGRUNTLED EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE CLAIMANTS PROTESTED OUTSIDE THE OFFICES OF SOUTHERN RESPONSE INSURANCE IN CHRISTCHURCH TODAY. THEY TOOK TO THE GROUNDS OF THE COMPANY FORMERLY KNOWN AS AMI CLAIMING THEY'VE BEEN CHEATED. ALI PUGH WAS THERE. WE CANNOT FORGET ONE FUNDAMENTAL. THERE'S BEEN A MASSIVE NATURAL DISASTER HERE. ALL JEER MAN: FIX OUR HOUSES! SOUTHERN RESPONSE BOSSES FACE TO FACE WITH FURIOUS CUSTOMERS... WOMAN: HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT, PETER? IN A BED AND A HOUSE THAT DOESN'T LEAK? ...PROTESTING THE COMPANY'S OFFERS FOR THEIR QUAKE-DAMAGED HOMES THAT THEY SAY ARE LOWBALL AND UNJUST. MAN: SHAME. YOU HAVE NO HONOUR. ALL CHANT: SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! 100 CLAIMANTS TOOK THEIR CONCERNS TO THE COMPANY'S DOORSTEP. THIS IS ABOUT FAIR ENTITLEMENT. AND, UNDER THE CLOSE WATCH OF SECURITY, THEY LINED UP AND, ONE BY ONE, DELIVERED THEIR MESSAGE TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE PETER ROSE. HONOUR OUR POLICY. PLEASE HURRY UP. WE JUST WANT TO GET ON WITH IT. I'VE GOT THREE CHILDREN. THE FOUNDATIONS ARE SHOT THROUGH. AND I CAN'T GET A DECISION FROM YOUR TEAM. MULTISPORT ATHLETE STEVE GURNEY AND CITY COUNCILLOR ALI JONES ORGANISED THE DEMONSTRATION. I THINK IT'S DISGUSTING. I THINK IT'S APPALLING. AND TO ME IT SUGGESTS WE NEED REAL REGULATION IN THIS COUNTRY. WE CANNOT LEAVE THIS UP TO THE... THE ETHICAL AND MORAL JUDGEMENTS OF INSURANCE COMPANIES. BUT IT'S NOT JUST HERE THAT THESE BATTLES ARE BEING FOUGHT. DOZENS OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE ALSO TAKEN THEIR CONCERNS TO COURT. SOUTHERN RESPONSE, THOUGH, SAYS THEY'RE ASKING FOR TOO MUCH. CERTAINLY IN SOME CASES THEY'RE RIDICULOUS REQUESTS. YOU KNOW, $1.2M FOR A THREE-BEDROOM WEATHERBOARD HOUSE. NO. PETER ROSE'S PROMISED TO REVISIT THE CLAIMS OF THESE DISGRUNTLED CUSTOMERS WITHIN A FORTNIGHT. LOOK AT THEIR CONCERNS; NOT NECESSARILY RESOLVE THEM. THEY MAY NOT BE RESOLVABLE. AND, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THESE PROTESTERS HAVE VOWED THEY'LL BE BACK. ALI PUGH, ONE NEWS. THERE'S DISAPPOINTMENT A FINAL APPEAL AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF THE CHRISTCHURCH CATHEDRAL HAS BEEN REJECTED BY THE SUPREME COURT. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH'S PLAN TO KNOCK THE DAMAGED CATHEDRAL DOWN AND REPLACE IT WITH A NEW DESIGN WAS CHALLENGED IN THE COURTS LAST YEAR. THE COURT OF APPEAL RULED THAT A CHURCH MUST EXIST ON THE SITE BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE ORIGINAL. THE GREAT CHRISTCHURCH BUILDINGS TRUST WANTED TO APPEAL THAT DECISION, BUT WERE TODAY DENIED THE CHANCE. THIS MEANS THE ICONIC BUILDING COULD SOON FACE THE WRECKING BALL. BUT THOSE WANTING TO SEE THE BUILDING RESTORED ARE STILL HOPEFUL. THERRE IS A LOT OF WATER TO FLOW UNDER THE BRIDGE YET. THERE'S NOT ONLY A CHANGE OF MAYOR, BUT POTENTIALLY A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK A GOVERNMENT THAT IS A MIX OF THE LABOUR PARTY, WINSTON PETERS AND THE GREENS MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE CONTRIBUTION THE GOVERNMENT CAN MAKE TOWARDS THIS. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH SAYS THE DECISION IS A RELIEF, AND THEY'RE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW CATHEDRAL. CHORUS IS HEADING TO THE HIGH COURT TO TRY TO OVERTURN A COMPETITION WATCHDOG RULING REQUIRING IT SLASH ITS COPPER BROADBAND PRICING BY $10 A MONTH. THE COMPANY CLAIMS THE COMMERCE COMMISSION HASN'T APPLIED THE LAW CORRECTLY AND SAYS THE PROPOSED CUT WOULD THREATEN ITS FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND THREATEN THE ROLLOUT OF ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND. FONTERRA APPEARS TO HAVE FAILED TO SETTLE OUT-OF-COURT COMPENSATION CLAIMS WITH FRENCH DIARY GIANT DANONE FOLLOWING THE BOTULISM SCARE. IT'S BEEN REPORTED DANONE IS SEEKING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR LOST SALES OF ITS INFANT FORMULA. FONTERRA CHIEF EXECUTIVE THEO SPIERINGS SAYS HE DOESN'T THINK HIS COMPANY IS LIABLE FOR DAMAGES. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE GCSB HASN'T CARRIED OUT MASS SURVEILLANCE ON NZERS. JOHN KEY SPOKE WITH THE COUNTRY'S TOP SPY FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT AUSTRALIA, A FELLOW MEMBER OF THE 'FIVE-EYES' NETWORK, TOOK PART IN WIDESPREAD SPYING AND CONSIDERED HANDING THE INFORMATION ON TO THE UNITED STATES. I RANG THE HEAD OF THE AGENCY AND SAID, 'CAN YOU CONFIRM FOR ME 'THAT NZ DIDN'T COLLECT WHOLESALE METADATA ABOUT ORDINARY NZERS?' THE ANSWER WAS WE DIDN'T, AND BECAUSE WE DIDN'T, WE COULDN'T HAVE SHARED IT. TOMORROW, FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE HEADS OF THE SIS AND GCSB WILL BE PUBLICLY QUESTIONED BY MPS AT A SELECT COMMITTEE. A POLICEMAN WHO PLACED HIMSELF IN THE LINE OF FIRE IS TO RECEIVE A TOP BRAVERY AWARD. THE OFFICER STOOD HIS GROUND AS A GUNMAN FIRED, KILLING A POLICE DOG AND INJURING TWO OF HIS COLLEAGUES. WILL HINE REPORTS. (MAN) RT: I'VE GOT A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD. CAN YOU TELL MY BOSS MY DOG IS DEAD, PLEASE? THE FRANTIC WORDS OF SENIOR CONSTABLE BRUCE LAMB MOMENTS AFTER HE WAS SHOT IN THE FACE, HIS DOG GAGE WAS KILLED AND A COLLEAGUE WOUNDED. MIKE WARDLE WAS ALSO THERE AS THE GUNMAN OPENED FIRE IN THE HALLWAY OF A HOUSE. I CAN STILL SEE BRUCE PUTTING HIS HAND TO HIS FACE, TAKING ABOUT THREE STEPS BACKWARDS AND FALLING TO THE GROUND. THE GUNMAN, CHRISTOPHER SMITH, CONTINUED TO SHOOT. HE PRETTY MUCH HAD BRUCE LINED UP. AND AT THAT STAGE GAGE HAS COME ACROSS THE TOP OF BRUCE JUST AS THE NEXT FEW SHOTS RANG OUT. MIKE WARDLE TRIED, AND FAILED, TO TASER THE OFFENDER. HE TEN STOOD HIS GROUND BETWEEN THE GUNMAN AND THE OTHER OFFICERS AS THEY RETREATED. I LOOKED BACK, AND I COULD SEE HIM THERE, AND HE HAD THE RIFLE, AND IT'S POINTED AT ME. AND HE'S SAYING, 'PLEASE LEAVE. PLEASE LEAVE.' NOT QUITE IN THOSE WORDS. HE LATER FOUND OUT SMITH HAD TRIED TO SHOOT HIM, BUT HIS WEAPON JAMMED. I GUESS I HAD A LOT OF GUILT INITIALLY, IN THE SENSE THAT THE BULLETS THAT BRUCE AND GAGE TOOK... IF THINGS HAD WORKED OUT DIFFERENTLY, MAYBE THEY'D HAVE MY NAME ON THEM. BRAVERY AWARDS ARE ALSO GOING TO SEVEN OFFICERS WHO ASSISTED THEIR COLLEAGUE, CONSTABLE JEREMY SNOW, TO SAFETY AFTER HE WAS SHOT BY A GUNMAN IN SOUTH AUCKLAND IN 2009. NINE CIVILIANS ARE ALSO BEING HONOURED, INCLUDING A TRUCK DRIVER WHO STEPPED IN AFTER A MAN STABBED TWO PEOPLE IN CHRISTCHURCH IN 2012. THE AWARDS ARE THE HIGHEST GIVEN FOR BRAVERY IN NZ AND WILL BE PRESENTED NEXT YEAR. WILL HINE, ONE NEWS. THE 'CORPSE FLOWER' NAMED BECAUSE IT SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN FLESH IS STARTING TO WITHER AND COLLAPSE AT AUCKLAND'S WINTER GARDEN. THE TITAN ARUM HAS BEEN GROWING FOR AROUND SEVEN YEARS, BLOSSOMING FOR ONLY TWO DAYS. BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THE PLANT HAS UNFURLED IN NZ, STAFF AREN'T TOO SURE WHEN THINGS WILL HAPPEN. THE PETALS ARE, SORT OF, CLOSING UP. THE SMELL IS GETTING LESS THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY. AND THE BIT IN THE MIDDLE THERE WILL SLOWLY, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, MAY SPLIT AND TOPPLE OVER IN THE NEXT 12 TO 48 HOURS. ONCE THE VEGETATION HAS DISSOLVED, STAFF WILL REPLANT THE REMAINS, HOPING IT'LL BLOSSOM AGAIN. WELL, IF YOU LIVE IN THE TOP HALF OF THE NORTH ISLAND, GRAB THE BROLLY NOW. CHANCES ARE YOU'LL NEED IT TOMORROW. YOUR WEATHER FORECAST IS UP IN 11 MINUTES. PLUS, WE GO HOBBIT-TASTIC. SEE THE VARIOUS WAYS THE LATEST MOVIE IN THE SERIES IS BEING USED TO SELL NZ TO THE WORLD. AND WHO'S MIRANDA KERR'S NEW BEAU? CAN MONEY BUY LOVE? AS HOLLYWOOD PREPARES FOR THE NEXT INSTALMENT OF THE HOBBIT, TOURISM NZ IS HARD AT WORK SELLING MIDDLE EARTH AS A HOLIDAY DESTINATION. IT'S CREATED A GIANT POP-UP BOOK THAT FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS WILL SHOW OFF THE BEST OF NZ. JOANNA HUNKIN JOINED SIR PETER JACKSON AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH IN LOS ANGELES. THE HOBBIT IS BIG BUSINESS FOR TOURISM NZ, AND IN BEVERLY HILLS, IT'S MAKING A BIG SCENE. SIR PETER JACKSON AND HIS HOBBIT CAST WERE ON HAND TO UNVEIL THIS SPECIAL INSTALLATION FEATURING FOUR UNIQUE NZ LOCATIONS, ALONGSIDE ACTUAL SETS FROM THE FILM. AS MUCH AS WE HAVE TO USE CGI TO CREATE A LOT OF THE FANTASTICAL ELEMENTS OF THE TOLKIEN STORIES, IF WE CAN USE REAL ENVIRONMENTS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THEN IT GIVES THE FILM A KIND OF A GROUNDING. IN A TOWN WELL USED TO PUBLICITY STUNTS AND PROMOTIONS, IT'S STILL GRABBING ATTENTION. NOW IT'S UP TO TOURISM NZ TO CONVERT THAT ENTHUSIASM INTO PAYING CUSTOMERS. WE INVESTED HEAVILY IN IT. WE THINK WE'LL GET $10 BACK FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE PUT INTO IT IN TERMS OF MEDIA COVERAGE. THE WORLD'S INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ARE HERE IN LOS ANGELES TO COVER THE SECOND FILM, AND THE BOOK IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT THE FILM WITH NZ. VISITOR NUMBERS FROM THE STATES HAVE BEEN DOWN IN RECENT YEARS, BUT WITH THE US BECOMING A KEY FOCUS FOR THE MIDDLE EARTH CAMPAIGN, THE NUMBERS ARE NOW RISING ` UP 19% ON THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. IT'S HOPED WITH MAJOR EVENTS LIKE THIS, THOSE NUMBERS WILL KEEP RISING. I THINK THAT'S THE WHOLE OPPORTUNITY HERE, IS TO KEEP BUILDING THE MOMENTUM. AND THE CAMPAIGN'S ALREADY DELIVERED RESULTS, WITH 8% OF RECENT VISITORS SAYING THE HOBBIT SPARKED THEIR INTEREST IN NZ AS A DESTINATION. I THINK THAT JUSTIFIES THE GOVERNMENT'S STANCE THAT WE TOOK IN THE PROMOTION OF THE HOBBIT MOVIES. A PROMOTION NEARLY AS BIG AS ITS BLOCKBUSTER MUSE. JOANNA HUNKIN, ONE NEWS, LOS ANGELES. AND IT SEEMS A SERIOUS CASE OF HOBBIT FEVER HAS ARRIVED HERE TOO. WELLINGTON AIRPORT'S JUST UNVEILED ITS LATEST HOBBIT-THEMED SCULPTURES AHEAD OF TOMORROW'S WORLD PREMIERE. THE ARTWORKS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN PLACE TWO WEEKS AGO, BUT THE COMPLEXITY OF THEIR INSTALLATION FORCED THE DATE TO BE PUSHED OUT. WITH 15M WINGSPANS, THERE'S A LOT OF RIGGING IN THERE. SO WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GO IN SHORT ON OUR ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS. THE GIANT EAGLES AND GANDALF THE GREY TOOK MORE THAN 12 WEEKS TO BUILD. MORE THAN 1000 FEATHERS ALL INDIVIDUALLY MADE. AND IF THE AIRPORT EXPERIENCE WASN'T ENOUGH, THERE'S A JUMBO DRAGON TO INSPIRE MIDDLE EARTH FANS. AIR NZ'S LATEST HOBBIT-THEMED PLANE HAS THE FIRST FULL PICTURE OF THE DRAGON 'SMAUG' EMBLAZONED ALONG IT. UNTIL NOW, MOVIE AUDIENCES HAVE ONLY EVER SEEN THE MYTHICAL CREATURE'S EYE. THE FLYING BILLBOARD HEADS TO LOS ANGELES TODAY AND WILL ARRIVE IN TIME FOR THE MOVIE'S PREMIERE. 'THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG' WILL BE RELEASED HERE IN 10 DAYS. SHE WAS THE LINGERIE MODEL WHO HAD A HOLLYWOOD HUNK FOR A HUSBAND. BUT NOW IT SEEMS MIRANDA KERR'S TASTE IN MEN HAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT. SHE'S BEEN ROMANTICALLY LINKED WITH JAMES PACKER ` AUSTRALIA'S RICHEST MAN. HERE CHANNEL NINE'S MARK BURROWS. IT'S THE COUNTRY'S RICHEST MAN HOOKED WITH THE COUNTRY'S BEST KNOWN MODEL ` 16 YEARS HIS JUNIOR. WE THINK IT'S THE BIGGEST CELEBRITY SCOOP OF THE YEAR. IN SEPTEMBER, JAMES PACKER BLAMED THE PRESSURE OF BUSINESS ON THE BREAKDOWN OF HIS MARRIAGE TO ERICA BAXTER ` THE MOTHER OF HIS THREE CHILDREN. IT'S A VERY MIXED YEAR. MIRANDA KERR'S MARRIAGE TO ORLANDO BLOOM ENDED 45 DAYS LATER. THEY'VE BOTH SPLIT FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE SPOUSES, AND LOVE HAS CLEARLY BLOSSOMED SINCE THEN. AS WORD OF THE AFFAIR WAS LEAKING, KERR AND FORMER HUSBAND ORLANDO BLOOM, WITH SON FLYNN, WERE SNAPPED GOING TO LUNCH IN NEW YORK. GOOD FRIENDS, IT SEEMS, DESPITE HER NEW ROMANCE. JUST AHEAD, TOMORROW'S WEATHER IS LOOKING GOOD FOR MOST. BUT WHO COPS THE RAIN? AND A LEAP OF FAITH. GIRLS DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES, AS THEY DIVE INTO THE RECORD BOOKS. NOW TO THE WEATHER. HIGHS HOLD FIRMLY OVER MOST OF NZ, THOUGH LOWS DEVELOPING OVER THE TROPICS FEED IN A MOIST NORTHEAST FLOW ACROSS THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY TOMORROW. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ FINALLY TONIGHT ` A STORY ABOUT GIRL POWER. HOW ABOUT THIS ` DOZENS OF WOMEN JUMPING OUT OF PLANES AND SETTING A NEW WORLD SKYDIVING RECORD FOR FEMALES. THE ABC'S LINZIE JANIS HAS MORE. FOR THESE 63 WOMEN, THE MOMENT WAS FINALLY HERE ` WIND RUSHES ON A CRISP ARIZONA SATURDAY, DIVING THEIR WAY INTO RECORD BOOKS. IT'S VERTICAL DIVING, SO WE'RE ON OUR HEADS WHILE WE'RE IN FREE FALL. THAT'S RIGHT. THEY'RE UPSIDE DOWN, TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH AIMED AT SETTING A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR THE LARGEST ALL-FEMALE FORMATION OF ITS KIND. WE EXIT THE AIRPLANE IN A CHOREOGRAPHED FASHION, AND THEN WE ALL START TO FLOCK TOWARDS THE CENTRE. THE DROP IS FROM 18,000FT; THE TIMING IS CRUCIAL. SO WE HAVE ABOUT 40 SECONDS WORKING TIME, MAYBE A LITTLE LESS. ALL WHILE HURTLING TOWARDS THE EARTH AT 165 MPH. WIND RUSHES 95 WOMEN TRYING OUT FOR JUTS 63 SPOTS. THE RUSH COMES FROM NOT EXACTLY A FEAR OF SKYDIVING, BUT MORE OF AN EXCITEMENT OF DOING SOMETHING TOGETHER AS A GROUP. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND ANNE LANGFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2013