AND GOODNIGHT. IT'S SEVEN SHARP. WHY AREN'T THESE PEOPLE IN PRISON? GOOD QUESTION. WE GO INSIDE THE LIFE OF THE INMATES AMONG US. I CAN WALK OUT THE DOOR ANY TIME I WANT. PLUS ` IT'S THE BEST CLUB THAT NOBODY WANTS TO BE A PART OF. THE POSITIVE TO A VERY NEGATIVE SITUATION... WHAT DID THAT WORD MEAN TO YOU WHEN YOU HEARD IT? DEATH. ...THAT GOT THESE SISTERS INTO A CLOSE SHAVE. AND TAKE A WALK ON THE 'WHAT THE?' SIDE. EVERYONE IS JUST REALLY REALLY AMAZED HOW I CAN EVEN GET IT TO WALK ON THE LEAD. SO WHAT'S ON THE END OF THE LEAD? ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY IMOGEN STAINES AND VIRGINIA PHILP. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014 Welcome to 7 sharp. Who died? Sarah Potts. I can't stand Shortland Street. At the crap programme on the wrong channel at the wrong time of night. There was up season my house last night. They said Rachel was going to die. But she didn't die so who died? Sarah Potts. Is it as big as when Ashley died on Coro? What about Mr Hooper on Sesame Street. Which one is Mr Hooper? Hey with the grocer. Matthew Crawley on Downton Abbey. What about Mufasa and lion king? Spoiler alert cos it hasn't happened in this country Will Gartner on the good wife is deed. Have you just spoilt it that everyone? We'll talk about it more some people had taken last night these hard. Here's the problem with Shortland Street because they have rating problems this year with our successful program they are killing people off left right and centre. He offered to kill off me in the morning meeting. HERE'S WHAT CAUGHT OUR EYE TODAY ` JUDITH COLLINS STILL HAS HER JOB AS A MINISTER ` FOR NOW. JOHN KEY'S WARNED HER SHE'S HAD HER LAST CHANCE AND SAID IT WAS UNWISE OF HER TO PASS ON A PUBLIC SERVANT'S DETAILS TO THE BLOGGER CAMERON SLATER. IT MIGHT REALLY BE TIME TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR. NEW RESEARCH OUT OF MICHIGAN SHOWS HAVING A STRONG COMMUNITY COULD HELP CURB YOUR RISK OF HEART ATTACKS. AND HOW MANY THREE-SEATER COUCHES CAN YOU FIT INTO A HATCHBACK CAR? IT SOUNDS LIKE A JOKE, BUT THIS BRITISH FAMILY SEEMED TO HAVE MISSED THE PUNCHLINE, TRYING TO SQUEEZE THIS COUCH INTO A CAR, ALONG WITH FOUR PASSENGERS. Those Getty images from Michigan NOW, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN JOHN KEY SAID THIS? BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE DONE A SERIES OF VERY SENSIBLE THINGS, AND THAT'S WHY WITH` THE PRISON POPULATION IS REDUCING. YOU MIGHT ALSO REMEMBER THEN THAT HEATHER FACT-CHECKED THAT STATEMENT AND FOUND OUT IT WAS WRONG. POLITICS ASIDE, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN JAILS AND ON PROBATION. MATT CHISHOLM WAS GIVEN A RARE LOOK AT WHAT LIFE IS REALLY LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SYSTEM. WHEN YOU THINK CORRECTIONS,... THE OLD GANG BASH HERE AND THERE. ...YOU PICTURE A PLACE YOU NEVER WANT TO BE. YOU GO FIRST. BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DOING TIME ARE DOING IT IN THE COMMUNITY. SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE COME OUT OF PRISON ON A MURDER CHARGE AND COULD BE LIVING RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO YOU OR ME. WHY AREN'T THESE PEOPLE IN PRISON? WELL, I GUESS, AS A COMMUNITY, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON. DO YOU WANT ANOTHER PRISON? OR DO YOU WANT ANOTHER HOSPITAL? DO YOU WANT ANOTHER PRISON? OR DO YOU WANT ANOTHER SCHOOL? WHILE THERE ARE ABOUT 8000 IN OUR PRISONS,... NO PLACE FOR A GOOD LOOKING YOUNG FELLA? NO. (CHUCKLES) ...THERE ARE ABOUT 30,000 OFFENDERS ON COMMUNITY SENTENCES, PEOPLE ON PROBATION WHO HAVE AVOIDED PRISON... I WAS LOOKING AT THREE AND A HALF YEARS. ...OR PRISONERS LET OUT OF THE BIG HOUSE EARLY ON CONDITIONS OR PAROLE. THE PEOPLE WE'RE WORKING WITH HAVE COME THROUGH EVERY OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM. THEY'VE BEEN IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM; MAY HAVE FALLEN OUT OF IT. THEY'VE BEEN IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM; MAY HAVE FALLEN OUT OF IT. YEP, IF ANY ORGANISATION HAD A CHALLENGE ON ITS HANDS, I'D ARGUE IT'S CORRECTIONS ` THE AMBULANCE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF, TASKED WITH KEEPING US SAFE AND TURNING LIVES AROUND. I THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY 30% THAT I COULD SAY GENUINELY WANT TO MAKE THAT CHANGE. I OFTEN SAY TO PEOPLE IF I WAS GONNA CHANGE YOUR LIFE INTO AN OFFENDING LIFESTYLE, IMAGINE HOW DIFFICULT THAT WOULD BE, AND THAT'S THE REVERSE OF` SOME WOULD SAY IT WOULDN'T BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME, NICK. BOTH LAUGH ...BUT THAT'S THE REVERSE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. AND GENUINELY TRYING COMES WITH ITS OWN PROBLEMS. DO YOU GET PAID DANGER MONEY? (CHUCKLES) NO. MELISSA SMYLIE'S WORKED AS A PROBATION OFFICER IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR THREE YEARS. I'VE HAD OFFENDERS THAT HAVE ASKED ME OUT ON DATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, IF I'M COMPLETELY HONEST. HAVE YOU ACCEPTED ANY OFFERS OR...? ABSOLUTELY NOT, AND THEY'VE BEEN TOLD PRETTY QUICKLY THAT IT'S INAPPROPRIATE, YEAH. HARDLY SURPRISING, REALLY, CONSIDERING MELISSA JUST MAY BE THE ONLY POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN THEIR LIVES. HI, THERE. I'VE JUST ARRIVED AT JASON'S. TODAY SHE'S VISITING A 37-YEAR-OLD DRUG DEALER ON HOME D. DO YOU EVER WORRY ABOUT YOUR SAFETY? UM, YES, BUT NOT WITH THIS PARTICULAR PERSON, BUT, YEAH, SOMETIMES. DESPITE APPEARANCES, I'M NOT A GOOD FIGHTER, OK? SO ARE YOU TELLING ME I'VE GOT TO PROTECT YOU? (CHUCKLES) RIGHT. NO WORRIES HERE, THOUGH ` IT'LL BE DEFINITELY JAIL NEXT TIME. ...JUST PLENTY OF CHAT ABOUT CHANGING FOR GOOD. SOME MIGHT SAY BEING AT HOME 24/7 WOULD BE THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD. IS IT AS GOOD AS ALL THAT? NAH, NAH. IT'S HARDER THAN JAIL BECAUSE THERE'S TOO MUCH TEMPTATION. I COULD WALK OUT THE DOOR ANY TIME I WANT. ABOUT HALF OF THOSE ON PROBATION DO COMMUNITY WORK. DO YOU RECKON THE WORK RATE'S GONE UP SINCE WE'VE ARRIVED WITH OUR CAMERA? (CHUCKLES) I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT ONE. (CHUCKLES) ABOUT A QUARTER ARE ON SUPERVISION, WHICH ` IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING THAT PERSON IN AND DO SOME ASSESSMENT WORK TO SAY, 'WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR US TO HELP THIS PERSON 'DEAL WITH THE ISSUES THEY MIGHT BE HAVING?' NEARLY 2500 OF THE 30 ARE ON PAROLE, HAVING BEEN LET OUT OF PRISON EARLY, BUT BACK THE TRUCK UP ` WHY DO THAT? WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WHEN WE'RE MANAGING SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY ON PAROLE, WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE OVERSIGHT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING FOR THEM. IF WE KEEP THEM IN PRISON RIGHT UP TILL THE LAST DATE AND THEN LEAVE THEM TO IT, THEY ACTUALLY PROBABLY POSE MORE RISK TO THE COMMUNITY. WE ALL KNOW FAR TOO WELL, THOUGH, THAT SOMETIMES THE PAROLE BOARD AND CORRECTIONS GET IT WRONG. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ALL GOT TO DO BETTER ` YOU KNOW, US AS A DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. MELISSA RECKONS THIS BLOKE'S NOW IN THE 30% THAT WANT TO CLEAN THEIR ACT UP. HE CREDITS HER... GIVEN ME A CHANCE, I SUPPOSE. ...FOR HELPING HIM REACH THAT POINT. WHEN YOU MAKE THAT CHANGE, HOW GOOD IS IT WHEN THE PENNY DROPS? AH, AMAZING, REALLY. IT'S WHAT YOU` WHAT YOU'RE IN THIS WORK FOR. I was going to said that's what must keep them going because you must have to deal on a daily basis with people who are going nowhere fast. You hear stories all the time of prisoners who are released and it's really hard to make the transfer. Two thirds of people who go out of prison go back in. They are halfway there. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` < WHO ARE YOU DOING THIS FOR? BRIDGET. FINDING STRENGTH IN A CLOSE SHAVE FOR THEIR SISTER. I'M GLAD I CAN'T SEE IT. OH, IT FEELS SO WEIRD. YOU'RE VERY BRAVE. THANK YOU. OK, SO SHE'S DEAD, BUT SHE'S ALSO NOT REAL, SO WHY ARE PEOPLE GRIEVING? One of the greatest and most moving deaths on television when Jack Duckworth steady on! He was sitting in his seat at home and he just quietly... Andy was thinking about his Vera and they've been together and back and forth and bantered and argued did you grieve like people grieved today? Jack from Titanic was pretty sad Jenny from Forrest Gump was sad. This isn't once over lightly sitcom deeds. I can think of better than Jack Duckworth. THE HEAD-SHAVE FOR CHARITY'S BECOME A BIT OF A THING, HASN'T IT? JUST LAST WEEK WE HAD JAQUIE BROWN LOSING HER LOCKS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE CANCER SOCIETY. BUT SHE'S NOT THE ONLY WOMAN GOING BALD FOR THE CAUSE. 'BEAUTIES GO BALD' IS ABOUT TWO CHRISTCHURCH SISTERS DITCHING THEIR HAIR BECAUSE THEIR YOUNGEST SISTER WAS STRUCK DOWN BY CANCER. WE SENT MIKE THORPE ` WHO, LET'S FACE IT, IS NO STRANGER TO LIFE WITHOUT HAIR ` ALONG WITH SOME ADVICE. CROWD CHANTS: FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE, SNIP! CHEERING FUNKY MUSIC A NUMBER ONE ` IT'S THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES FOR MOST GIRLS. BUT FOR THE O'GRADY SISTERS, IT'S A BADGE OF HONOUR. < WHO ARE YOU DOING THIS FOR? BRIDGET. SOLEMN MUSIC BRIDGET WAS JUST 12 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK DOWN BY CANCER. DID THIS FEEL LIKE A BIT OF A HAMMER BLOW > WHEN YOU HEAR THAT WORD 'LEUKAEMIA'? > IT'S LIKE YOUR WHOLE WORLD'S JUST RIPPED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH YOU. YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT... WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. WHAT DID THAT WORD MEAN TO YOU WHEN YOU HEARD IT? > DEATH. YEAH. NOT SOMETHING YOU COULD SURVIVE. THE O'GRADY FAMILY'S WORLD FELL INSTANTLY APART. AND IT WAS JUST SO SURREAL. AND I THINK WE ALL BROKE DOWN, EVEN BRIDGET, CRYING STRAIGHT AWAY. IT WAS ALSO A PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE. IT PROBABLY TOOK A WHILE FOR IT TO REALLY SINK IN AND TO REALLY GRASP WHAT MIGHT LAY AHEAD. WE ONLY HAVE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS TO LEUKAEMIA. THAT'S ALL YOU EVER HAVE. YOUR PERCEPTION IS THAT. IT'S NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW. IT'S A SICKNESS THAT A LOT OF KIDS DON'T RECOVER FROM. BRIDGET UNDERWENT CHEMOTHERAPY. THE BRUTAL TREATMENT TOOK HER HAIR AND LEFT HER AS LITTLE MORE THAN SKIN ABD BONES. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE SO TRUSTING, AND THEY'RE IN YOUR HANDS FOR YOU TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THEM, YOU KNOW. IT'S PRETTY POWERFUL. ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 2007, THE FAMILY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO LOSE HER FOREVER. SHE HAD BLOOD COME` A BIT OF BLOOD COME OUT OF HER NOSE, AND A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE CAME RUSHING INTO HER ROOM. AND THEN THEY SENT HER OFF FOR A BRAIN SCAN TO SEE IF SHE'D HAD ANY HAEMORRHAGING. < THAT MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIFYING, KAREN. IT WAS` IT WAS REALLY SCARY. WITH THE BABY OF THE FAMILY FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE, HER TWO OLDER SISTERS, THEN AGED 14 AND 16, TURNED TO EACH OTHER AND CANTEEN. IT'S THE BEST CLUB THAT NOBODY WANTS TO BE A PART OF. CANTEEN GAVE THEM SUPPORT AND HOPE. I MEAN, IN MY MIND, I WAS ALWAYS FIGHTING THE THOUGHT. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO CONTEMPLATE THAT SHE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT. 'SHE'LL BE FINE; SHE'LL BEAT IT,' BUT IN REALITY, WE HAD NO IDEA. THANKFULLY, NOT ALL CANCER STORIES HAVE SAD ENDINGS. YOU SEE, BRIDGET ` THE 19-YEAR-OLD WITH A FACE THAT WON'T STOP SMILING, IS A CANCER SURVIVOR. THIS ONE'S MY FAVOURITE. THIS IS QUACKLES. IF YOU SQUEEZE HIM, HE MAKES A REALLY GOOD NOISE. HONKS BRIDGET'S ROOM IS LOADED WITH MEMORIES. YEAH, IT WAS MY HAIR BEFORE. CHEMOTHERAPY ROBBED HER OF HER TREASURED LOCKS LAST TIME. THIS TIME, IT'S FOR CHARITY. AND HER SISTERS ARE DOING IT TOO. I KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING INTO. THEY DON'T. (LAUGHS) BUT, YEAH, I HAVE HUGE RESPECT FOR THEM DOING THIS, YEAH. I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO. (LAUGHS) JUST A WEE BIT. LET'S GET THE SHOW STARTED. UPBEAT MUSIC I'M GLAD I CAN'T SEE IT. OOH, IT FEELS SO WEIRD. YOU'RE VERY BRAVE. THANK YOU. (INHALES DEEPLY) I'VE DONE IT. TWO BRAVE SHAVES DOWN AND ONE TO GO. YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME CRY. THE O'GRADY BUNCH IS A FAMILY OF FIVE THAT WAS TORN APART BY CANCER AND SET ABOUT PUTTING THEMSELVES BACK TOGETHER. TWO PROUD PARENTS, THREE GORGEOUS DAUGHTERS, AND BARELY A HEAD OF HAIR BETWEEN THEM. TEARFULLY: OH MY GOD! (CHUCKLES) I'VE BEEN CRYING. YOU CAN SEE MY VEINS. OH, I'VE HAD ENOUGH. WHATEVER DOESN'T KILL US MAKES US STRONGER. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? YEAH. (LAUGHS) YES. OR A BIT MORE CRAZY, EITHER WAY. Lovely story. NEXT ON SEVEN SHARP ` I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE SAY TO ME, 'YOU'VE JUST MADE MY DAY AND PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE.' WE CHALLENGE YOU TO NOT BE SMILING AFTER DEAN'S STORY WHEN YOU SEE WHAT'S MAKING PEOPLE SO HAPPY. How to grieve for someone you never truly new Another couple of deaths another couple of deaths Claire from McLeod's daughter someone said Hawkeye from M*A*S*H. Are you grieving right now for Hawkeye? Are you okay? Henry Blake died. WALKIES ` THE HAPPY MOMENTS OF BONDING BETWEEN HUMAN AND CANINE. BUT WHAT IF THE THING AT THE END OF YOUR LEASH IS NOT CANINE? I'm picturing someone on the end of a leash right now? There are a people on a leash stories on this show. THIS STORY IS BIZARRE AND PERHAPS THE START OF A WORRYING TREND. HERE'S DEAN BUTLER. UPBEAT MUSIC WHEN DARLENE NEALE AND HER DAUGHTER HIT THE STREETS AND TAKE MUFFY FOR A WALK, THEY'RE USED TO TURNING HEADS. AND WHY WOULDN'T YOU COP A GANDER? IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU SEE A CAT ON A LEASH. I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS ` A CAT ON A LEAD. LITERALLY EVERYONE IS JUST REALLY REALLY AMAZED HOW I CAN EVEN GET HER TO WALK ON A LEAD. WHEN WALKING MUFFY, DO PEOPLE THINK YOU'RE CRAZY? I HAVE HAD A FEW PEOPLE JOKE ` MOST OF THEM BEING MY FRIENDS, AND I SAID, 'THEY DON'T REALLY THINK THAT, DO THEY?' I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A LOT MORE THAN TWO CATS TO BE CONSIDERED A MAD CAT LADY. MUFFY HAS BEEN PAWING THE PAVEMENT FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. ROCK MUSIC HOW DID YOU END UP PUTTING A LEAD ON MUFFY? MUFFY ENJOYS GOING FOR RIDES IN THE CAR. THAT'S WHAT STARTED IT. THEN ONE DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHY, MUFFY WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, AND I THOUGHT,'WELL, WHAT CAN I DO? 'I CAN'T JUST LET HER RUN DOWN THE ROAD.' SO I BOUGHT A DOG LEAD AND CLIPPED IT ON TO HER COLLAR AND LET HER OUT, AND SHE JUST WENT STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD INTO THE SHOPS. DOES MUFFY THINK SHE'S A DOG? WELL, WHERE WE USED TO LIVE, HER NICKNAME WAS CATDOG. HER TAIL WAGS ALL THE TIME, LIKE A DOG. UPBEAT MUSIC IN A DOG'S WORLD, THIS MOGGY IS THE PURRRRRFECT PRETENDER. PEOPLE ARE JUST FASCINATED, AND COS SHE'S RATHER A CUTE LOOKING KITTY, I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE SAY TO ME, 'YOU'VE JUST MADE MY DAY AND PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE.' AND I REALLY LIKE THAT. # IT'S AS EASY AS ONE, TWO, THREE. # We've got two people Brown down neighbourhood who take the cats for walks and dolls prams I'm not comment whether it's bad or not. I think that cat looked okay. WE SHOULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT SARAH POTTS, BECAUSE SHE'S DEAD. AND YOU MIGHT THINK SHE WAS ACTUALLY DEAD, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF ONLINE GRIEF TODAY. SARAH POTTS IS NOT ACTUALLY DEAD, BECAUSE SARAH POTTS IS NOT AN ACTUAL PERSON. SHE WAS A CHARACTER ON SHORTLAND STREET. THE ACTRESS WHO PLAYED HER, AMANDA BILLING, IS PERFECTLY HEALTHY. WE CALLED HER AGENT TODAY TO CHECK. SO WHY IS EVERYONE SO SAD ABOUT THIS? TIM WILSON WITH THE FIVE STAGES OF NOT ACTUAL GRIEF. JUST GIVE ME A COUPLE OF MINUTES. SARAH! A SOAP OPERA DOCTOR MEETS HER MAKER. MACHINE BEEPS RAPIDLY BEEPS SLOW PREDICTABLE NONSENSE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. PEOPLE SOB A TRAIL OF TEARS OVER A MUCH-LOVED FAKE PERSON. Life WILL NEVER be the same AGAIN ` OR NOT. WHO'S DEAD? IT'S SHATTERING THE NATION. AND WHAT WOULD THAT BE? DO YOU GUYS WANT SOME TISSUES? NO, I'M GOOD, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU CAN KEEP THAT. THIS IS ABOUT SARAH POTTS! I KNOW, BUT` SHE WAS A DOCTOR. YEAH. AND SHE DIED! YEAH. AND YOU DON'T CARE! IT'S SHORTLAND STREET. IT'S NOT REAL LIFE. TAKE THAT BACK. (CHUCKLES) NO. DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER FOR SHORTLAND STREET? IF YOU BRING HER BACK, I'LL WATCH THE SHOW, I PROMISE. # KUMBAYA, MY LORD. # KUMBAYA. # AW. # KUMBAYA, MY LORD. KUMBAYA. # THANK YOU, MAN. WONDER WHAT'S ON TELLY. SEVEN SHARP THEME SONG I actually get the whole thing. I cried and dead poets Society. That means you're invested when one of the characters died. If I was ever on a soap, I'd want a long-term part. I SEE TODAY AUCKLAND'S BEEN NAMED IN THE TOP 10 WORLD'S MOST LIVEABLE CITIES AGAIN. IT'S THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW THIS HAS HAPPENED, AND I HAVE TO BE HONEST ` I NEVER THOUGHT THERE'D COME A DAY WHEN I'D ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT. YOU SEE, I GREW UP IN TARANAKI, WHERE IT WAS COMMONPLACE TO BE ANTI-AUCKLAND. EVEN WHEN I MOVED TO CHRISTCHURCH FOR FIVE YEARS, THE SAME ATTITUDE WAS IN PLACE, AND I WAS ONE OF THE WORST. WHEN I GOT MY FIRST JOB HERE AT TVNZ, I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER SAYING, 'LOOKING FORWARD TO THE JOB, BUT I'LL HATE LIVING THERE.' THE HONEST TRUTH IS I NOW LOVE AUCKLAND. I LIVE FAR ENOUGH OUT OF THE CITY TO NOT FEEL CITY-AFIED. THE BEACHES ARE AWESOME, AND THE SHOPPING AND FOOD IS GREAT. THE OTHER THING YOU FORGET ABOUT AUCKLAND IS THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF NON-AUCKLANDERS LIVING HERE, AND I'M PRETTY SURE SOME OF MY REGIONAL FRIENDS MIGHT HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART TOO, IF THEY WERE FORCED TO LIVE HERE. JIM HICKEY EVEN SAYS HE'S WITH ME ` KIND OF. GIVEN THE FUSS THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AROUND LEAKS AND HACKING, I THOUGHT IT EVER SO SLIGHTLY IRONIC AS I WATCHED MR JULIAN ASSANGE THIS MORNING HOLDING ANOTHER ONE OF HIS 'I'M STILL STUCK HERE' PRESS CONFERENCES IN THE ECUADORIAN EMBASSY. REMEMBER JULIAN? HE'S BEEN HOLED UP NEXT DOOR TO HARRODS FOR OVER TWO YEARS NOW, AND WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO PROMINENCE, WHAT HE HAD LEAKED FOR THOSE WHO GET OBSESSED BY SUCH MATTERS WAS GOING TO ROCK THE WORLD. IT DIDN'T, OF COURSE. IT NEVER REALLY DOES. LIFE MOVES ON. EDWARD SNOWDEN CAME ALONG AND SORT OF STOLE JULIAN'S THUNDER AND THEN WE SORT OF MOVED ON FROM EDWARD, AS WELL, BUT AT LEAST HE'S ALLOWED OUTDOORS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS OUTDOORS IN RUSSIA. UPSHOT IS WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BLOKES THAT THOUGHT THEY'D CHANGE HISTORY, WHEN IN FACT ALL THEY DID WAS LIMIT THEIR LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. HISTORY SHOWS FUSS ALWAYS PASSES. THERE MIGHT BE A LESSON IN THAT ON THE LOCAL FRONT, AS WELL. CAPTIONS BY JESSICA BOELL AND ANNA BRACEWELL-WORRALL. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014