NOTE: CAPTIONS COMPUTER GENERATED USING OCR FROM DVB-SUBPICTURES. CA. KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 3RD DEGREE. TONIGHT, THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR KIM DOTCOM NOTE: CAPTIONS COMPUTER GENERATED USING OCR FROM DVB-SUBPICTURES. CA. AND WHAT THEY THINK OF HIM. NOTE: CAPTIONS COMPUTER GENERATED USING OCR FROM DVB-SUBPICTURES. CA. WE'VE BEEN LOYAL TO HIM, THROUGH THICK AND THIN, BUT I FELT LIKE AFTER ALL WE'VE DONE IT WAS JUST THROWN IN OUR FACES. AND THE MAN HIMSELF, DOTCOM, WHAT DOES HE THINK OF THEM? TRYING TO ASSASSINATE MY CHARACTER IN THIS WAY... IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. PLUS, THE SCIENTISTS WORKING ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF 3D PRINTERS, PRINTING BODY PARTS. I MIGHT HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM, AND I NEVER WANT TO GET OVER THAT DRINKING PROBLEM AND EVERY FEW YEARS I COULD JUST REPLACE A LIVER. OK, OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT IS ABOUT KIM DOTCOM. NOT THE BIG SHOW AT THE AUCKLAND TOWN HALL. THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO KNOW HIM, WHO HAVE WORKED FOR HIM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND WHO KNOW WHAT HE'S REALLY LIKE. SARAH HALL IS JUST BACK FROM THE PHILIPPINES, WHERE SHE'S BEEN TALKING TO FORMER DOTCOM STAFF, TWO BUTLERS AND A PERSONAL ASSISTANT. THEY WEREN'T SURE AT FIRST IF THEY WANTED TO SPEAK OUT, BUT THEY REALLY FELT THAT THEY HAD TO. BEFORE I CAME HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU GUYS, I WAS HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS, BECAUSE I KNEW THE EXTENT OF HIS POWER. I THINK THE SHOULD KNOW THEIR TRUE COLOURS. I FEEL SCARED NOW FOR MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I'M COMING OUT, AND THEN HAVING THIS INTERVIEW. BUT FOR ME THE BEST THING IS FOR NZ TO KNOW WHO MR DOTCOM IS. THEY HAVE NO MONEY, NO POLITICAL CLOUT, AND THEY HAVE A LOT TO LOSE. BUT THESE FORMER EMPLOYEES OF KIM DOTCOM HAVE DECIDED TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT HOW THEY SAY THEY WERE TREATED AND WHAT KIM DOTCOM REALLY THINKS OF KIWIS. WELL, HE'S ALWAYS CALLED THEM CHEAP-ARSE FARMERS. SO THAT'S HIS DESCRIPTION OF NZERS CHEAP-ARSE FARMERS? YES. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT DOES HE THINK OF PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY? HE HATES HIM. YEAH, HE HATES HIM. SO JUST WHO ARE THESE WORKERS? WELL, FIRST UP IS FIL ORDUNA, A MANILA NATIVE AND KIM DOTCOM'S PRIVATE BUTLER. HE CLAIMS HE'S OWED $75,000. RUTH RELLEVE THE BUTLER OF KIM'S WIFE, MONA- SHE'S CLAIMING $92,000. AND JOHN TACTAQUIN, A PERSONAL ASSISTANT WHO SAYS HE'S OWED MORE THAN $200,000. I LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND Tl-E FAMOUS. I THEY'RE ALWAYS OOMPLAINING. OUT OF ANYONE, JOHN KNOWS KIM DOTCOM BEST. HE WAS FRIENDS WITH KIM'S FIRST WIFE, LOVELY, AND KNEW THE FAMILY FOR YEARS BEFORE BEING HIRED. IF YOU HAD TO TELL NZERS WHAT TYPE OF PERSON MR DOTCOM IS, GIVEN YOU KNOW HIM WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? UM, TO BE HONEST MR DOTCOM IS VERY HELPFUL WITH PEOPLE HE JUST METAND WHEN KNOWS THEY'RE IN NEED HE ALWAYS IS WILLING TO HELP. SO HE'S A GENEROUS MAN? YES, HE'S A VERY GENEROUS MAN. BUT HIS STAFF ALSO SAY THERE IS A DARK SIDE TO THE FLAMBOYANT MILLIONAIRE. DOES HE HAVE AN EXPLOSIVE TEMPER? HE DOES, HE DOES, WHICH IS VERY SCARY. DID HE USED TO YELL AT YOU? WHICH IS VERY SCARY. DID HE USED TO YELL AT YOU? YES. WHILE THE STAFF SAY HE COULD BE BAD-TEMPERED, THEY ALSO ADD FOR THE MOST PART THEY LOVED WORKING FOR THE DOTCOMS AND THOUGHT THEY WERE A FAMILY. BUT ALL THAT CHANGED AFTER THE CONTROVERSIAL RAIDS ON THE DOTCOM MANSION. IN JANUARY 2012 THE POLICE ARRESTED KIM DOTCOM AFTER US CHARGES RELATING TO ALLEGED COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. HIS ASSETS WERE FROZEN; THE EXT RAVAGANT LIFESTYLE GROUND TO A HALT. RT: CONFIRMED LOCATED TARGET - SAFE ROOM, THIRD LEVEL. THE STAFF WERE INITIALLY NOT PAID FOR TWO MONTHS. MANY OF THE KIWI STAFF MEMBERS LEFT AND LATER SETTLED WITH THE DOTCOMS. BUT MANY FILIPINO STAFF, WHO WERE WITH THE DOTCOMS FOR YEARS, WERE TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE SUBSTANTIAL PAY CUTS. AND YOU ACCEPTED THAT? YES WE DID, BECAUSE FOR ME ESPECIALLY DURING THAT TIME I KNEW IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM. MR DOTCOM WENT TO JAILAND MONA WAS PREGNANT WITH TWINS. KIM DOTCOM WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON FOUR WEEKS LATER. HIS STAFF SAY HE WAS HUMBLED THEY HAD REMAINED LOYAL. HE CALLED A MEETING FOR ALL THE STAFF THAT REMAINED AND THANKED US FOR STAYING AND SAID YOU KNOW GUYS I'M INNOCENT AND WE WILL FIGHT THIS, JUST STICK WITH ME; THINGS WILL GET BETTER. KIM DOTCOM CAME OUT OF PRISON IN FIGHTING FORM. THE WAR FOR THE INTERNET HAS BEGUN. HOLLYWOOD IS IN CONTROL OF POLITICS. THE GOVERNMENT IS KILLING INNOVATION. DON'T LET THEM GETAWAY WITH THAT. HE VOWED TO REBUILD HIS INTERNET EMPIRE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME HIS STAFF HAD TO PAY THE PRICE. PHIL SAYS HIS WEEKLY PAY WENT DOWN BY $275. AND BOTH JOHN AND RUTH SAY THEIRS DROPPED BY $175. WHILE THEY WERE PROMISED SUBSTANTIAL BONUSES IF THEY STAYED FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, THE STAFF SAY THEY WERE DOING A LOT MORE FOR THEIR MONEY. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU WORKING A DAY? MINIMUM OF 16 HOURS. A MINIMUM? MINIMUM 16 HOURS, BUT THERE WAS ONE TIME I WAS WORKING TWO DAYS STRAIGHT. NO SLEEP? I DID HAVE SOME SLEEP, SOME NAP, BUT I ALWAYS HAD TO ATTEND TO HIM. THAT'S THE TIME WHEN HE USUALLY PLAYS... PLAYS VIDEO GAMES? YEAH. DID YOU JUST THINK AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST EXPECTED AS PART OF YOUR JOB? YES, FOR US FILIPINOS, IT'S LIKE THAT. WE ARE A HARD-WORKING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE SITUATION IS REALLY TOUGH, WE STILL WORK OUR ARSE OFF. THAT'S HOW WE ARE. THE TRIO CLAIM THEY WERE WORKING AROUND 9O HOURS A WEEK, WHICH MEANS THEY WERE ONLY EARNING AROUND $5 AN HOUR, WELL BELOW NZ'S MINIMUM WAGE. THEY ALSO SAY THEY RARELY, IF EVER, GOTA DAY OFF. DID YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE WORKING AT THE MANSION, NZ EMPLOYMENT LAW APPLIED TO YOU? HONESTLY, NO. BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THE RULES IN THE MANSION IS THE RULES FOR NZ, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, THIS IS THE KIM DOTCOM RULE THIS IS THE MONA DOTCOM RULES, AND WE HAVE BE OBEY THAT. SO THE STAFF ALLEGE THEY WERE NOW WORKING INCREDIBLY LONG HOURS AT A REDUCED WAGE, SOMETHING THEY SAY THEY ACCEPTED UNTIL MONEY STARTED TO FLOW BACK INTO THE HOUSEHOLD. REMEMBER KIM DOTCOM'S ASSETS HAD BEEN FROZEN BY THE US GOVERNMENT AFTER THE RAID ON MEGAUPLOAD'S ASSETS. BUT HE LAUNCHED A NEW BUSINESS CALLED MEGA. <i>#</i> I HAVE A DREAM, LIKE A KING. THIS IS THE TIME TO STAND UP AND FIGHT. THE STAFF SAY INSIDE THE MANSION THE LAVISH LIFESTYLE WAS BACK. YEAH, THEY WERE SPENDING AND THEN A LOT OF PARTIES. HOW HARD WAS IT FOR THE STAFF WHO WERE NOT BEING PAID AT THE FULL RATE TO WITNESS? IT'S REALLY HEARTBREAKING, SO THAT'S WHAT WE FELT LIKE. WE FELT LIKE THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT US ANY MORE. THEY CERTAINLY FEEL HARD DONE BY, DON'T THEY? YEAH, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. WE'RE BACK WITH MORE ON THE CHARACTER OF KIM DOTCOM AFTER THIS. At Burger King, we value value, which is why you can get a freshly made burger, fries, a drink and a sundae all from just $5. And because taste is king, we've added our tasty new chicken nugget burger to the Stunner meal range just for you. Right, OK. WOMAN: Now, tell me what you see in this image. Right, OK. WOMAN: Now, tell me what you see in this image. MAN: Uh, my new golf clubs. OK, and this? Um, anniversary presents? Right, OK. This? Right, OK. This? My mechanic's bill. Right, OK. This? My mechanic's bill. Mm. If your credit card balance is playing on your mind, switch it to any ANZ credit card and enjoy 0% per annum for a whole year. WELCOME BACK. WELL, KIM DOTCOM HAS HAD QUITE A FEW DISPUTES WITH A NUMBER OF HIS FORMER STAFF. HE'S SETTLED WITH SOME OF THEM, BUT NOT WITH THREE OF HIS FILIPINO STAFF, CERTAINLY NOT YET ANYWAY. AND THEY'VE DECIDED TO SPEAK OUT AND TELL NZ ABOUT THE REAL DOTCOM. HERE'S SARAH HALL AGAIN. THERE IS NO DOUBT KIM DOTCOM IS KNOWN FOR HIS INCREDIBLY LAVISH LIFESTYLE. HE IS ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH SEVERAL HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND HE LIKES TO SPEND IT ON PARTIES AND FAST CARS. IISETTHEWORLDONFIRE. BUT FOR HIS FILIPINO STAFF SEEING THE FAMILY SPEND SO MUCH MONEY AFTER THE RAID WAS HARD TO STOMACH. THEY HAD BEEN FORCED TO TAKE PAY CUTS AFTER DOTCOM'S ASSETS WERE FROZEN. THEY CLAIM THEY WORKED A MINIMUM OF 16-HOUR DAYS WHICH MEANT THEY ONLY EARNED AROUND $5 AN HOUR. DID YOU KNOWAT THE TIME THAT UNDER NZ LAW YOU HAD THE SAME RIGHTS AS NZ WORKERS? UM, NO, WE DID NOT. THE STAFF'S DISSATISFACTION ALL CAME TO A HEAD AT A MEETING AT THE DOTCOM MANSION. REMEMBER THE STAFF SAY THE DOTCOMS HAD PROMISED THEM THEY WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PAY CUTS THEY TOOK WHEN HIS ASSETS WERE FROZEN, BUT IN THAT MEETING THE GOALPOSTS WERE CHANGED. SO HE OWED ME $21,000 TO $23,000. I WAS ONLY PAID 6000, ALMOST NZ$7000. AND THE REASON FOR THAT? THE REST, $14,000 JOHN WAS TOLD, WAS FOR THE TAX DEPARTMENT. DO YOU ACCEPT ALL NZERS, ALL PEOPLE WORKING IN NZ DO HAVE TO PAY TAX? YES, I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS TO PAY TAX. BUT WE WERE GIVEN THE KNOWLEDGE THEY WOULD SHOULDER THE TAX. THAT WAS WHAT YOU HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT? YES. WHAT WAS ATMOSPHERE LIKE IN THAT MEETING? WELL, DURING THAT MEETING, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT WE WERE ALL SHOCKED, LIKE, WE WERE ALL SPEECHLESS. BECAUSE IT CAME AS A SURPRISE. THERE WAS NO WARNING. RUTH, MONA DOTCOM'S BUTLER, RESIGNED AND WENT HOME TO THE PHILIPPINES. PHIL ORDUNA, KIM DOTCOM'S BUTLER, APPLIED FOR ANOTHER JOB BUT SAYS WHEN HIS BOSS ACCUSED HIM OF BREACHING CONFIDENTIALITY, HE WAS TOLD TO RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES. YOU WERE FIRED? OF BREACHING CONFIDENTIALITY, HE WAS TOLD TO RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES. YOU WERE FIRED? YES, JUST LIKE THAT, I WAS FIRED. I WAS FIRED. AND AS FOR JOHN, THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT? WELL HE SAYS HE DECIDED TO QUESTION KIM DOTCOM OVER THE TAX ISSUE. I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED AND THAT'S WHEN MR DOTCOM BLEW UP ON ME. HE SAID THAT, UM, HOW COULD I BE SO UNGRATEFUL; THAT HOW COULD I BE SO SELFISH. YOU KNOW, THAT IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIM, I WOULD BE LIKEA NOBODY. I WOULD BE NOTHING. A FEW DAYS LATER JOHN WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO THE PHILIPPINES FORA VACATION. HE SAYS HE WAS TOLD NOT TO COME BACK TO NZ BY KIM'S WIFE, MONA. SO I WAS, LIKE- IASKED MONA, 'HOW DID KIM COME TO THAT DECISION?' WHAT DID I DO? DID I SAY SOMETHING WRONG? WAS IT BECAUSE OF THE MEETING?' AND THEN MONA SAID, 'YEAH, KIM DIDN'T LIKE THAT YOU TALKED BACK.' SO YOU BELIEVE YOU WERE FIRED BECAUSE YOU QUESTIONED MR DOTCOM? DIDN'T LIKE THAT YOU TALKED BACK.' DID YOU HAVE ANY WRITTEN WARNINGS? NO. THERE WAS NO WARNING ATALL. SO, JR, WHAT'S LIFE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU SINCE YOU GOT BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES? WELL, IT HAS BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY LOOKING FOR A JOB. AND THATALL COMES DOWN TO YOUR EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO NZERS WHAT THAT IS? AN EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE IS A DOCUMENT THAT COMPANIES REQUIRE SO YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHERE YOU PREVIOUSLY WORKED. AND MR DOTCOM HASN'T SIGNED THAT, HAS HE? YES, UNFORTUNATELY HE DOESN'T WANT TO. WITHOUT THAT EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE, IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A JOB IN THE PHILIPPINES. KIM DOTCOM'S FORMER BUTLER PHIL AND HIS WIFE ARE FACING HAVING THEIR HOUSE REPOSSESSED. ALL WE HOPE IS TO GET THE SETTLEMENT DONE FOR ME TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO PAY MY DEBTS, BECAUSE IF I LOST THIS HOUSE, WHERE WOULD I LIVE? WHERE WOULD MY FAMILY LIVE? ON MONDAY THE FILIPINO WORKERS FILED A LEGAL CASE AGAINST KIM DOTCOM. THEIR LAWYER IS PAUL DALE. OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE TRIED TO SETTLE OUT OF COURT? YES, WE'VE ENGAGED IN NEGOTIATIONS, AS HAVE THEY. WE'VE EXPLORED THE ISSUES, AND TO BE HONEST, I EXPECTED WE'D BE ABLE TO AGREE, BUT IT TURNS OUT WE HAVEN'T. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ABOUT MR DOTCOM'S POSITION THAT HE WOULD ALWAYS PAY HIS STAFF WHEN HE COULD? WELL, TO BE HONEST, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW HE'S APPARENTLY SUPPORTING A POLITICAL PARTY BUT UNABLE TO PAY, IF THAT IS THE CASE, TO PAY THE EMPLOYEES. I DON'T KNOWANYTHING ABOUT HIS CIRCUMSTANCES. BUT HE DOESN'T SEEM TO GO WITHOUT, WHEREAS THESE EMPLOYEES ARE GOING WITHOUT. KIM DOTCOM HAS NOW DONATED $3.5 MILLION TO THE INTERNET PARTY. HIS FORMER WORKERS SAY IF HE HAS THAT TYPE OF MONEY, HE SHOULD HAVE SETTLED WITH THEM. HOW CAN HE TAKE CARE OF NZ WHEN HE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF HIS STAFF? IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. SO MR DOTCOM BACKS A POLITICAL PARTY WHICH SAYS IT STANDS FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS YET IN HIS OWN HOUSE HE HAD STAFF WHO WERE WORKING MANY MANY HOURS UNPAID. YES. WHY FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, FOR THE RIGHTS OF OTHER PEOPLE, WHEN YOU HAVE STAFF AROUND YOU SUFFERING, NOT GETTING PAID CORRECTLY, WORKING- OVERWORKED, WHY NOT FIGHT FOR US FIRST THEN FIGHT FOR OTHER PEOPLE. WE'VE BEEN LOYAL TO HIM THROUGH THICK AND THIN, WE UNDERSTOOD HIM. WE WERE WILLING TO HELP THEM SINCERELY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE HEART, BUT I FELT LIKE AFTER ALL THAT WE'VE DONE IT WAS JUST THROWN AT OUR FACES. WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT HE WAS PLANNING TO GET INTO POLITICS I WAS KIND OF, LIKE- I WAS SHOCKED AND AT SAME TIME LAUGHING, TO BE HONEST, BECAUSE I REMEMBER HOW HE USED TO CALL KIWIS CHEAP-ARSE FARMERS AND MONAALSO, YOU KNOW, KIWIS ARE VERY CHEAP. THEY HAVE NO FASHION SENSE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THEY WOULD ALWAYS SAY BEFORE WHEN THEY HAD A LOT OF MONEY, THEY ALWAYS HAD LIKE NASTY THINGS TO SAY ABOUT KIWIS. SO, YOU DON'T THINK HE CARES ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NZ OR NZERS? TO BE QUITE HONEST, I DON'T THINK SO. IF HE'S DOING THIS, IF HE WANTS TO GET INTO PARLIAMENT, IT'S FOR HIMSELF. IT'S FOR HIS OWN GOOD. IT WON'T BE ABOUT- FOR THE BENEFIT OF KIWIS, FOR NZERS. IT WON'T BE ABOUT THAT. SO THE QUESTION NOW IS, WHAT DOES THE MAN IN QUESTION - WHAT DOES KIM DOTCOM HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ALL THIS? YESTERDAY OUR REPORTER SARAH HALL WENT TO THE MANSION TO FIND OUT. THAT'S NEXT. I LOVE NZERS. ARE YOU KIDDING? I'M NEVER SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT, OK? THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. Thinking about fixing? Talk to NZ's favourite home loan provider. You'll get a great rate, plus get up to $2000 cash for new lending. Conditions apply. WELCOME BACK. WELL, KIM DOTCOM HAS BEEN PRETTY BUSY THESE PAST FEW DAYS, BUT NOT TOO BUSY TO COUNTER TO THE ALLEGATIONS YOU'VE JUST HEARD. HE'S CERTAINLY BEEN UNDER PRESSURE THIS WEEK, THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT HE'S ALLOWED SARAH HALL INTO THE DOTCOM MANSION FOR THIS INTERVIEW. WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A GOOD EMPLOYER? > DOTCOM MANSION FOR THIS INTERVIEW. ARE YOU KIND TO YOUR STAFF? YES. ARE YOU KIND TO YOUR STAFF? YES. AND IN FACT MANY OF YOUR STAFF HAS TALKED ABOUT YOUR GENEROSITY. YES. HOWEVER, EVERYONE WE HAVE SPOKEN TO HAVE TALKED ABOUT YOUR TEMPER. DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE AN ANGER ISSUE? NO. DO YOU EVER YELL AT YOUR STAFF? NO. DO YOU EVER YELL AT YOUR STAFF? SOMETIMES, BUT NOT IN ANY AGGRESSIVE FASHION. YET A LOT OF THEM SAY THEY FELT INTIMIDATED BY YOU. WELL, PEOPLE TELL ME THAT SOMETIMES BECAUSE I'M VERY DIRECT. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY A GERMAN TRAIT. SO YOU DON'T THINK YOUR BEHAVIOUR WAS BULLYING? NO. DO YOU THINK IT'S ACCEPTABLE TO YELL AT YOUR STAFF? WELL, IT IS ACCEPTABLE, AND I ONLY DO IT WHEN THERE ARE SERIOUS MISTAKES. I AM LIKE A FAMILY FATHER, OK? SO IF YOUR CHILD DOES SOMETHING STUPID, AND I'M JUST USING THIS AS AN EXPLANATION, RIGHT, YOU DO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, AND SOMETIMES YOU DO GET LOUD BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THAT MISTAKE TO HAPPEN AGAIN. I'M LOOKING AFTER THEM. I CARE FOR THEM. THEYARE FAMILY TO ME. I LOVE THEM. BUTA LOT OF YOUR STAFF SAY IT WAS ALMOST LIKE YOU WERE LOVELY ONE MOMENT AND THE NEXT MINUTE IN A FULL-BLOWN RAGE. THAT IS COMPLETELY WRONG, COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. SUCH AN ALLEGATION IS NOT TRUE. DO YOU ACCEPT YOUR FILIPINO STAFF WORKED MANY MANY HOURS HERE AT THE MANSION? YES, I ACCEPT THAT. SOMETIMES THEY HAD TO DO ATASK FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS THEN THEY WERE OFF FORA COUPLE OF HOURS, SO IT'S NEVER LIKE THEY ARE WORKING 16 OR 18 HOURS IN ONE GO. THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE. AND THEY ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT WAS THE CASE BEFORE THE RAIDS BUT THEY SAY AFTER THE RAIDS HAPPENED AND YOU LOST MANY STAFF THAT THEY WEREN'T JUST DOING THEIR INITIAL JOBS; THEY WERE DOING MANY OTHER JOBS AND THEY WERE 16 HOURS TO UP TO 22 HOURS IN A DAY. ABSOLUTELY NOT. THAT IS NOT CORRECT, OK? THERE ISN'T EVEN THAT KIND OF WORK HERE THAT SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO WORK 16 OR 22 HOURS. THAT IS INSANE. AND LET ME JUST EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU. AFTER THE RAID HAPPENED, WE HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. ALL THE ASSETS WERE FROZEN, AND I SIMPLY HADN'T THE CAPABILITY TO PAY THEM WHAT I PAID THEM BEFORE, AND I GAVE EVERYONE AN OPTION. I SAID, 'YOU CAN EITHER STAY HERE AND WORK HERE, 'BUT I NEED TO CUT YOUR PAY IN HALF AND DEFER THE REST UNTIL I'M ABLE TO PAY YOU, OR YOU CAN LEAVE.' THEY ALL SAID THEY WERE HAPPY TO ACCEPTA PAY CUT. THEY UNDERSTOOD YOUR POSITION. YEAH. ACCEPTA PAY CUT. THEY UNDERSTOOD YOUR POSITION. YEAH. BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS A STAFF MEETING CALLED > TO DISCUSS THEM BEING REPAID THAT AMOUNT. > MM-HM. REPAID THAT AMOUNT. > MM-HM. YOU RECALL THAT STAFF MEETING? > YES. MM-HM. YOU RECALL THAT STAFF MEETING? > YES. AND WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM IN THAT STAFF MEETING? WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, THE TAX, FOR EXAMPLE. IN NZ, AS YOU KNOW, THE EMPLOYER PAYS THE TAX, SO I JUST HAD TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THIS NEW REALITY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PAY PAYE AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE A SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT AGAINST IT. IT WENT UP, AND THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE TAX WAS DEDUCTED. WASN'T IT THEIR FEELING, THOUGH, THAT YOU WERE SHOULDERING THE TAX BURDEN? THAT WAS THEIR UNDERSTANDING. YEAH, BUT THAT WAS A DISAGREEMENT. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT IN HONG KONG, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY TAX, OR IT WASN'T THE OBLIGATION OF THE EMPLOYER. IN NZ IT'S A DIFFERENT LEGAL SITUATION, AND I EXPLAINED THAT TO THEM. AND, OF COURSE, THEY WERE UNHAPPY WHEN THEY LEARNED THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE TO PAY 25% TAX AND THEY EXPECTED ME TO PAY THAT TAX, AND I THINK ANYONE CAN AGREE THAT THAT IS UNREASONABLE. IN ACTUAL FACT, YOU TOOK A LOT MORE OFF THEM THAN 20%. IT WAS WELLAND TRULY OVER 30. YES, BECAUSE THEYARE LMNG WITH US, SO WE ARE PAYING FOR THE FOOD. THEY HAD LUNCH, BREAKFAST, DINNER. SO YOU THOUGHT YOU'D PUT AN EXTRA TAX IN FOR THAT? WELL, IT'S CALLED LODGING. IT'S A VERY COMMON THING. THAT WASN'T IN THEIR CONTRACT, MR DOTCOM. NO, IT WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT WE MADE, AND WE MADE A NEWAGREEMENT, TO WHICH THEYAGREED. BUT TO GET SPECIFIC, JOHN IN PARTICULAR TALKS ABOUT HOW HE QUESTIONED YOU AFTER THAT MEETING ON THE TAX ISSUE, AND HE WAS THEN FIRED FOR QUESTIONING YOU. OK, THAT IS COMPLETELY WRONG. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS FOR HIM TO SAY THAT. HE RESIGNED. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TAX. HE CLAIMS THAT YOUR FORMER WIFE, OR WIFE, MONA, TEXTED HIM AND TOLD HIM NOT TO COME BACK FROM THE PHILIPPINES, THAT YOU WERE ANGRY WITH HIM FOR QUESTIONING, HIM AND THAT WAS IT. THAT WAS IT. THAT IS WRONG, AND I THINK YOU SHOULD TALK WITH MONAABOUT THAT. ASK HER FOR AN INTERVIEW. LIKE I SAID BOTH, JR - JOHN -AND RUTH WERE MONA'S STAFF. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY INTERACTION WITH THEM AT ALL. THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR OWN STAFF, IN PARTICULAR PHIL, YOUR PERSONAL BUTLER. YEAH. STAFF, IN PARTICULAR PHIL, YOUR PERSONAL BUTLER. YEAH. STAFF, IN PARTICULAR PHIL, WHO I MISS VERY MUCH, BY THE WAY. HE HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL, AND HE HAS BEEN A GREAT GUY. HE CLAIMS HE WAS ALSO TOLD NOT TO COME BACK AFTER YOU ACCUSED HIM OF BREACHING CONFIDENTIALITY. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. HE HAS BREACHED HIS CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT WITH ME. HE WENT TO ONE OF MY INVESTORS IN MY MEGA BUSINESS AND REVEALED TO HIM PRIVATE INFORMATION ABOUT MY FAMILY. HE MAINTAINS HE DID NOT DO THAT; HE WAS JUST SEEKING ANOTHER JOB. YEAH, WELL, THAT'S DISHONEST. HE MAINTAINS HE DID NOT DO THAT; HE WAS JUST SEEKING ANOTHER JOB. YEAH, WELL, THAT'S DISHONEST. DID YOU GIVE ANYONE WRITTEN WARNINGS? UH, I DON'T THINK SO, NO. YET UNDER NZ LAW, THAT IS WHAT IS REQUIRED OF EMPLOYERS. YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I THINK I COULD HAVE DONE THINGS BETTER. I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS WERE. YOU KNOW, IALWAYS LIVED ABROAD. IALWAYS LIVED IN HONG KONG. IN HONG KONG, YOU CAN BASICALLY- YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AVERY SIMPLE EMPLOYMENT LAW. I AGREE THAT I COULD HAVE DONE THESE THINGS BETTER. IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DISAGREEMENTS IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE. THEY SAY THEY WERE FIRED; YOU SAY THEY RESIGNED. YOU SAY THEY GOT THIS AMOUNT; THEY SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T. CAN THIS BE SETTLED, MR DOTCOM? YES, AND I'VE MADE A GENEROUS SETTLEMENT OFFER. THEY HAVE ASKED FOR THINGS THAT WERE JUST NOT POSSIBLE TO DO, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WANTED ME TO GIVE THEM A CERTIFICATE OF GREAT EMPLOYMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CAN USE ME AS A REFERENCE, BUT I DON'T ACCEPT THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE MADE OUTRAGEOUS DEMANDS THROUGH THEIR LAWYERS FOR PAYMENT THAT I THINK IS COMPLETELY UNJUSTIFIED, SO I WOULDN'T GIVE THEM THE REFERENCE. IT IS NOTA REFERENCE. THEY WERE ASKING YOU TO SIGN THEIR EMPLOYMENT CERTIFICATE, WHICH YOU KNOW, MR DOTCOM, IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN THE PHILIPPINES. WITHOUT IT, THEY CAN'T GET A JOB. IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN THE PHILIPPINES. WITHOUT IT, THEY CAN'T GET A JOB. AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT, BUT YOU HAVE YOUR FACTS WRONG. OK, THEY ASKED FOR A REFERENCE. THEY ASKED THAT THEY CAN GO TO FUTURE EMPLOYERS AND TELL THEM THAT THEY WORK FOR ME. WELL, SURELY YOU CAN AT LEAST WRITE THAT. > EXCUSE ME? WELL, SURELY YOU CAN AT LEAST WRITE THAT. > EXCUSE ME? SURELY YOU CAN AT LEAST WRITE THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY- > WELL, WOULD YOU WRITE THAT ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS-? WELL, YOU CAN SAY- IT'S THE TRUTH. THEY WORKED FOR YOU. ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS-? WOULD YOU WRITE THAT ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO HAS BREACHED THEIR CONFIDENTIALITY CONTRACT WITH YOU, WHO HAS MADE OUTRAGEOUS DEMANDS FOR MONEY? WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE LIKE THAT A REFERENCE? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A GOOD REFERENCE, MR DOTCOM. IT JUST HAS TO BE A REFERENCE. YOU WOULD GIVE SOMEONE WHO DOES THAT TO YOU-? I WOULD SAY THAT SOMEONE WORKED FOR ME AND THAT THEY COULD CALL ME AND ASK ME WHAT- WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M... I HAVE DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES, OK. LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. YOU SENT ATEAM TO THE PHILIPPINES TO TALK WITH THEM, RIGHT? LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. YOU SENT I WENT TO THE PHILIPPINES. WITH THEM, RIGHT? LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. YOU SENT I WENT TO THE PHILIPPINES. WHEN DID YOU DO THAT? LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. YOU SENT YOU WENT ON FRIDAY. YOU KNOW WHEN THEY FILED? MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS FRIDAY. YEAH, SO, I MEAN, ISN'T THAT INCREDIBLE TIMING? YOU ARE THERE ON THE SAME DAY THEY FILE THIS? WOW. I'M FAST, MR DOTCOM. DAY THEY FILE THIS? WOW. I'M FAST, MR DOTCOM. YEAH. CAN WE JUST THEN TALKA LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WAY YOU SEE NZERS? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOUR STAFF SAID IS THAT YOU REFER TO NZERS AS 'CHEAP-ARSE FARMERS'. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WRONG. YOU'VE NEVER CALLED US THAT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WRONG. YOU'VE NEVER CALLED US THAT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF NZERS, THEN? YOU'VE NEVER CALLED US THAT? ABSOLUTELY NOT. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF NZERS, THEN? I LOVE NZERS. ARE YOU KIDDING? I'M NEVER SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT, OK? THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. AGAIN IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS DESIGNED TO HURT ME, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THIS HATRED IS COMING FROM. YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE THIS. I HAVE NEVER SAID THAT. I CAN CATEGORICALLY TELL YOU THAT THAT IS WRONG. AGAIN, TO ALL YOUR STAFF WHO WE'VE TALKED TO WHO HAVE SAID THAT YOU DO BULLY, THAT YOU DO INTIMIDATE, THAT YOU DO YELL AND SCREAM AT THEM, WHAT DO YOU SAY, MR DOTCOM? ABSOLUTELY WRONG. I MEAN, I'M LISTENING TO ALL THIS STUFF THAT YOU ARE THROWING AT ME HERE, AND THIS IS HOW I REACT TO THINGS. YES, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SURROUNDED BY TELEVISION CAMERAS. AND THIS IS HOW I REACT TO THINGS. YES, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SURROUNDED BY TELEVISION CAMERAS. YEAH, BUT THIS IS WHO I AM. I DOUBT YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR TEMPER RIGHT NOW. YEAH, BUT THIS IS WHO I AM. I DOUBT YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR TEMPER RIGHT NOW. THIS IS WHO I AM. SEE, THIS IS MY CHARACTER, RIGHT? I AM AGAINST CONFRONTATION. I LOVE HARMONY. IAVOID CONFLICT, OK? I'M NOT THE KIND OF GUY WHO IS BIPOLAR OR WHO THROWS TANTRUMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, I AM A VERY FRIENDLY GUY TO MY STAFF. YOU KNOW, IAM JOKING AROUND WITH THEM. WE'RE HAVING FUN. I'M A NICE GUY. YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL ON A FIRST-NAME BASIS. THEY CALL ME SIR, BUT I CALL THEM BY THEIR FIRST NAMES, AND WE ARE ALL ALWAYS FRIENDLY. WE USED TO ALWAYS JOKE AROUND. THERE WAS ALWAYS A LOT OF LAUGHTER IN THE HOUSE. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL OF THAT WAS DRAINED WITH THE RAID. THINGS CHANGED. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL OF THAT THEY DID TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CHANGED. THINGS CHANGED. UNFORTUNATELY, ALL OF THAT THEY DID TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CHANGED. YEAH. IT MADE ME VERY BITTER. THE RAID ITSELF WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC EVENT FOR THIS FAMILY. VERY TRAUMATIC. I MEAN, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET OVER THAT, AND IT CHANGED ME. IT MADE ME BITTER. IT MADE ME ANGRY, OK? AND SOME OF THAT MIGHT HAVE REFLECTED TO THE STAFF. THEY MIGHT HAVE SENSED THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, OK? THERE YOU GO. YOU HEARD FROM BOTH SIDES, SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO LEAVE IT UP TO THE VIEWERS AT HOME TO MAKE UP THEIR MIND ON THIS ONE. ALL RIGHT, COMING UP NEXT - I THINK IT'S MIRACULOUS. I THINK TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE YOUR MIND FLIPPED RIGHTAROUND GOING, 'I CAN PRINT ANYTHING.' WE ACTUALLY- WE ACTUALLY MADE IT. THIS IS IT. THIS IS GREAT, AND IT TOOK ONLY 14 DAYS. Don't need it. Don't need it. Pardon? An adaptor. Chinese power points are the same as here. How did you-? An adaptor. Chinese power points are the same <i>as</i> here. How did you-? You looked at ii, then you looked out there where they sell adaptors, and the phrasebook told me the rest. 'uNhen you're travelling, so many things are different. It's comforting to see something familiar and you just know it's gonna work. ANZ customers can now access overseas ANZ ATMs without overseas ATM fees. Now I have to make rny connection. Oh, true. Hey, Wade. Nan made <i>tacos</i> for tea. Hey, Wade. Nan made <i>tacos</i> for tea. 0h, true. “Here's your phone? Nan made <i>tacos</i> for tea. 0h, true. VVhere's your phone? Nah, it's way too expensive. Besides, what am I gonna miss? And the winner of the million bucks is Wade! If Wade doesn't text back soon, I'm asking out James. Come on, Wade, pick up. Pick up the phone, man. We have to go to our next caller. Oh! Don't miss out. For just $5 a day, use your NZ minutes, texts and data in the places more Kiwis travel to. WELCOME BACK. NOW, 3-D PRINTERS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T CAUGHT UP WITH THIS- WELCOME BACK. NOW, 3-D PRINTERS FOR LIKE YOU, DUNCAN. WITH THIS- WELCOME BACK. NOW, 3-D PRINTERS FOR LIKE YOU, DUNCAN. YES, PRETTY MUCH. IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED- THANKS FOR THAT. IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE NEXT INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, OK? A PRINTER IN YOUR OWN HOME THAT CAN MAKE UP ANYTHING YOU WANT, AS LONG AS IT'S-AND WHAT IS IT, SAM? PLASTIC OR METAL. IS THAT RIGHT? MAKE UP ANYTHING YOU WANT, AS LONG AS IT'S-AND WHAT IS IT, SAM? PLASTIC OR METAL. IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, WELL, THAT'S RIGHT, DUNCAN, AS OF NOW, BUT THIS IS THE THING - 3-D PRINTING IS ABOUT TO USHER IN A WHOLE NEW WORLD. EVERYTHING IS CHANGING. AND AS I FOUND OUT WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING THIS STORY, SOON IT WON'T JUST BE PLASTIC AND METAL. IT'LL SOON BE FLESH AND BLOOD AND BONE. WHEN THE WHEELS FALL OFF YOUR APPLIANCE, THE USUAL RESPONSE IS TO GET ON THE PHONE TO THE NEAREST REPAIR SHOP. BUT ACCORDING TO AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY ENGINEER DR MICHELLE DICKINSON, 3-D PRINTING HAS CHANGED ALL OF THAT. IT'S GOING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE THE WAY WE DESIGN AND INVENT THINGS AND GIVE EVERYBODY THE POWER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WHEN MICHELLE'S DISHWASHER BROKE, SHE SIMPLY SCANNED THE BROKEN PART AND CREATED A NEW DESIGN ON HER COMPUTER AND SENT IT TO HER 3-D PRINTER. RAPID MUSIC NOW, THIS PRINTER IS A UNIVERSITY MODEL, SO IT'S A BIT FLASHER THAN THE ONES YOU CAN BUY AT YOUR LOCAL APPLIANCE STORE , BUT THE FINAL RESULT IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME -A WHOLE NEW PART PRINTED UP FROM PLASTIC. NO WAITING, NO FUSS, JUSTA FULLY FUNCTIONAL DISHWASHER FOR NEXT TO NOTHING. RAPID MUSIC NOW, THAT MIGHT SEEM TOO DIFFICULT FOR MOST OF US, BUT IT'S LITERALLY CHILD'S PLAY. AT TAUPAKI SCHOOL IN WEST AUCKLAND, 3-D PRINTERS ARE PART OF THE CURRICULUM. THEY USE BASIC PRINTERS, LIKE THIS ONE WHICH CREATES A 3-D MODEL BY BUILDING LAYER UPON LAYER OF MELTED PLASTIC, A BIT LIKE A HOT-GLUE GUN THAT'S CAREFULLY DIRECTED BY THE COMPUTER. SO, YOU GUYS ARE USING CAD SOFTWARE AT THE AGE OF 12 AND 13 TO DESIGN WINDMILLS? MICHELLE SPENDS REGULAR TIME ENCOURAGING THESE DESIGNERS OF THE FUTURE BECAUSE, SHE SAYS, OUR VERY LIVES MAY BE IN THEIR HANDS. WHAT MIGHT THEY BE ABLE TO DO IN 1O OR 20 YEARS' TIME WHEN THEY JOIN THE WORKFORCE? CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT QUESTION 10 YEARS AGO BEFORE SMARTPHONES WERE INVENTED? THERE'S A WHOLE TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT. WE CURRENTLY 3-D PRINT CARS AND HOUSES RIGHT NOW, SO THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO ANY OF THOSE BIG PROJECT THINGS, CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING AND EVEN IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY - BEING ABLE TO 3-D PRINT NEW LIMBS OR BODY PARTS OR AT LEAST ORGANS - WOULD DEFINITELY BE A POSSIBILITY WITHIN THEIR LIFETIME. OR BODY PARTS OR AT LEAST ORGANS - YEAH, START SMALL. (LAUGHS) PRINTING PLASTIC IS ONE THING, BUT HUMAN ORGANS PRINTED WITH OUR OWN CELLS? THIS IS WHERE SCIENCE IS REALLY STARTING TO OUTSTRIP FICTION. BIO-PRINTING, ACTUALLY MAKING LMNG TISSUE, IS THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE. THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING IN THE NEXT FIVE, 10, 15 YEARS IN THE MEDICAL FIELD WILL JUST BLOW YOUR MIND. IMAGINE THE DAY WE CAN PRINT AN EYEBALL, AND I COULD JUST IMPLANTA NEW EYE. MASSEY ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JOHAN POTGIETER SAYS THE DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS. I THINK IT'S MIRACULOUS. I THINK TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE YOUR MIND FLIPPED RIGHTAROUND, GOING, I CAN PRINT ANYTHING.' IT'S QUITE SCARY TO THINK THAT- TO START THINKING THAT WAY - THAT WE HAVE NO LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE AND DESIGN ANY MORE. AT MASSEY'S CAMPUS ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE ARE 3-D PRINTERS WORTH SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THIS MODEL PUTS DOWN ATHIN LAYER OF PLASTIC POWDER AND USES A LASER TO MELT ONLY THE PARTICLES NEEDED TO CREATE THE DESIGN, LAYER AFTER LAYER AFTER LAYER. WHEN WE FINISH, WE'VE GOT THIS BIG CAKE OF POWDER THAT WE'VE GOT TO DIG THROUGH TO GET OUR PARTS OUT. SO OUR MODEL IS ESSENTIALLY SUSPENDED INSIDE THAT? TOTALLY SUSPENDED. SO OUR MODEL IS ESSENTIALLY SUSPENDED INSIDE THAT? TOTALLY SUSPENDED. THAT'S HOW WE'RE ABLE TO PRINT IT IN 3-D? THATS IT. SO WE CAN LITERALLY JUST DIG IN AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE PARTS ARE, WHICH IS HALF THE FUN, AND YOU CAN FEEL- OH, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE. OH, LOOK, WE GOT SOMETHING. A BIT OF A DUST OFF WITH COMPRESSED AIR, AND WE'VE GOT OUR PLASTIC MODELS. BUT JOHAN SAYS THERE'S FAR MORE TO THE TECHNOLOGY THAN WE'VE SEEN SO FAR. WE'VE GOTA 3RD DEGREE MODEL AND SOME CELL PHONE COVERS, AND THATS FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND EASY IN TERMS OF 3-D PRINTING, BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REAL APPLICATIONS, THE REAL PURPOSE BEHIND THIS? WHAT CAN IT BE USED FOR? MEDICAL APPLICATIONS. THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE PUSHING FOR IN RESEARCH. YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE, BUT 97% OF ALL THE WORLD'S INNER-EAR HEARING AIDS ARE 3-D PRINTED, ALL RIGHT? OK, SO HEARING AIDS...? HEARING AIDS, UM, IMPLANTS, BONE IMPLANTS. THEY'RE EVEN DOING HEART VALVE IMPLANTS NOWAS WELL. AND THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT HERE. AT RAPID ADVANCED MANUFACTURING IN TAURANGA, THEY ARE USING TITANIUM, ONE OF THE WORLD'S STRONGEST METALS, TO 3-D PRINT HEART VALVES LIKE THESE FOR ANIMALS. THE TITANIUM PRINTING PROCESS IS SIMILAR TO JOHAN'S PLASTIC PRINTERS, BUT THESE LASERS MELT METAL AT AROUND 1400 DEGREES CELSIUS. CEO WARWICK DOWNING SAYS THEY'RE PIONEERING MEDICAL IMPLANTS. TODAY WE'RE MAKING A JAWBONE. IT'S ACTUALLYA CUSTOM JAWBONE. IT'S BEING CUSTOM-MADE FOR A DOG. UM, THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS BEING DESIGNED TO ALLOW BONE INGROWTH, AND SO IT'S GOTA POROUS STRUCTURE OVER ABOUT 90% OF THE JAWBONE. THE TITANIUM IMPLANT IS CUSTOM MADE FROM SCANS OF THE ANIMAL'S ACTUAL JAW. THE METAL JAWBONE REPLACES CANCEROUS BONE IN A BOXER, BUT WARWICK SAYS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS WORK IS TO PREPARE FOR 3-D PRINTING BONE STRUCTURES, SUCH AS HIP REPLACEMENTS FOR HUMANS. IT'S ACTUALLY STILL RELATIVELY NEW GLOBALLY. THERE'S BEEN ONE OR TWO PARTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE FOR HUMANS, AND WHEN I SAY ONE OR TWO - LITERALLY ONE OR TWO GLOBALLY. SO PLASTIC AND METAL CAN BE PRINTED INTO VIRTUALLY ANYTHING WE CAN DESIGN, BUT CAN WE REALLY GO BEYOND THAT TO THE SCIENCE-FICTION-SOUNDING GOAL OF PRINTING HUMAN TISSUE? WELL, IN CHRISTCHURCH, THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF GROUND-BREAKING RESEARCH GETTING NZ NOTICED IN THE WORLD OF 3D BIO-PRINTING. WOW, IT'S INTERESTING, ISN'T IT? HIP REPLACEMENTS - AREN'T THEY ALREADY MADE OF METAL? THEY ARE. YES, THEY ARE, BUT THE PROBLEM VVITH THOSE IS THAT THEY DO VVEAR OUT OVER TIME AND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED, AND WHAT 3-D PRINTING ALLOWS FOR IS THAT THE BODY CAN GROW INTO THIS POROUS METAL SO IT ESSENTIALLY BECOMES PART OF YOUR BODY AND IT WON'T NEED TO BE REPLACED. BUT THAT IS JUST THE START OF THIS. WHAT IF WE COULD PRINT WHOLE NEW ORGANS? SO THINGS- SO, UM, LUNGS, LIVER? KIDNEYS? SO THINGS- SO, UM, LUNGS, LIVER? KIDNEYS? KEEP WATCHING. WELCOME BACK. THERE HAVE BEEN HUGE ADVANCES IN THE MEDICAL WORLD. ORGAN DONATION WAS ONE OF THEM. YOU COULD GETA NEW HEART, NEW LUNGS, NEW LIVERS. BUT FOR SOMEBODY TO CHEAT DEATH, OFTEN SOMEONE ELSE HAD TO DIE. MM. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, BUT SOON YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET THESE TISSUES AND ORGANS MADE TO ORDER, OFF THE SHELF. IT'S REMARKABLE. LILTING IMJSIO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO'S CHRISTCHURCH CAMPUS, DR TIM WOODFIELD AND HIS REGENERATIVE MEDICINE TEAM ARE EXPERIMENTING WITH 3-D PRINTING OF ACTUAL BONE AND CARTILAGE. THIS IS WHERE THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE IS GOING TO GO. I MEAN, IT'S NOTA MATTER OF IF BUT WHEN. I MEAN, THE WAY THAT MEDICINE WILL CHANGE AND THE WAY THAT ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY WILL CHANGE IS THAT WE WILL LOOK TO REGENERATE OR REPLACE DAMAGED OR DISEASED TISSUES. THE WORK BEGINS WITH A SAMPLE OF THE PATIENTS OWN CELLS, HARVESTED DURING SURGERY. FROM THESE SAMPLES, MORE CELLS ARE GROWN IN A LAB AND ARE THEN TURNED INTO BIO-INK BY PLACING THEM IN A GEL-LIKE SUBSTANCE WHICH KEEPS THEM ALIVE. THEN THE BIO-PRINTER MAKES A SCAFFOLD CONTAINING THE CELLS IN BIO-INK, EXACTLY DUPLICATING THE SHAPE OF THE PATIENTS DAMAGED TISSUE, IN THIS CASE, A SPINAL DISC. JUST LIKE YOUR HOME LASER PRINTER, EACH CARTRIDGE CONTAINS A DIFFERENT 'COLOUR' - ONE FOR BONE, ONE FOR CARTILAGE CELLS. AND WHAT THE 3-D PRINTER, OR BIO-PRINTER, ALLOWS US TO DO IS CREATE VERY COMPLEX SHAPES AS WELL AS COMPLEX TISSUES BY THE FACT THAT WE CAN PRINT EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS IN A LAYER-BY-LAYER PROCESS SO WE CAN CUSTOMISE EXACTLY WHERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATERIALS GO BUTALSO CUSTOMISE EXACTLY WHERE DIFFERENT CELLULAR COMPONENTS GO. AND HERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A COMMON INJURY -A DAMAGED KNEE JOINT. THE BIO-PRINTED SCAFFOLD IS DESIGNED TO DISSOLVE OVER TIME IN THE BODY, JUST LIKE DISSOLVING STITCHES USED IN SURGERY, WHILE THE CELLS GROW HEALTHY NEW BONE AND CARTILAGE. NOW, WHAT WE DO IS WE'RE ABLE TO PRINT THESE TWO DIFFERENT MATERIALS TOGETHER, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO PLACE CELLS WHICH MAKE CARTILAGE IN THE CARTILAGE LAYER AND THEN CELLS THATARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING BONE WITHIN THE BONE LAYER. RAPID MUSIC THIS IS A HUGE BREAKTHROUGH, ONE MANY POINT TO AS THE FIRST STEP TO REGENERATING ENTIRE ORGANS AND BODY PARTS. BUT UP UNTIL NOW THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK IN BIO-PRINTING HUMAN ORGANS OR TISSUE. WITHOUTA BLOOD SUPPLY, ALL TISSUE WILL EVENTUALLY DIE. BUT THE SHEER COMPLEXITY OF OUR VEINS AND ARTERIES HAS SO FAR DEFEATED ANY ATTEMPTS TO ENGINEER COMPLETE REPLACEMENT ORGANS. CREATING A NETWORK OF VEINS TO KEEP TISSUE ALIVE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE HOLY GRAIL OF MEDICAL 3-D PRINTING, AND TODAY IT MIGHT JUST BE WITHIN OUR GRASP. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SIMPLY WALK INTO A HOSPITAL ONE DAY AND ASK YOUR DOCTOR, 'COULD YOU PLEASE PRINT ME A NEW LIVER, FOR INSTANCE, OR A NEW HEART?' DR LUIZ BERTASSONI OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY WANTS TO DO JUST THAT. HE'S A LEADER IN THE JOINT AUSTRALIAN-AMERICAN TEAM THAT SEEMS TO HAVE CRACKED THE PROBLEM OF BIOENGINEERING VEINS. YEAH, IAM CONVINCED. I'M SURE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL EVENTUALLY CHANGE THE WAY WE DO MEDICINE. THE BREAKTHROUGH CAME WHEN THE RESEARCHERS PRINTED TINY THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS OF VEINS AND THEN ENCASED THEM IN A JELLY LIKE SUBSTANCE. THEY THEN REMOVED THE THREAD-LIKE MODELS, LEAVING TINY CHANNELS IN THE JELLY TO SERVE AS A MOULD. THE NEXT STEP WAS INJECTING A SOLUTION CONTAINING HUMAN VEIN CELLS TO COAT THE INSIDE OF THE CHANNELS, AND THIS WAS THE TURNING POINT. THEY FOUND THEY'D CREATED THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR VEINS TO FORM. THE FIRST TIME WE OPENED THE INCUBATOR AND WE SAW THE CELLS ACTUALLY FORMING A VESSEL-LIKE STRUCTURE, WE'RE LIKE, 'WE ACTUALLY MADE IT. THIS IS IT. THIS IS GREAT, AND IT TOOK ONLY, YOU KNOW, 14 DAYS.' THE IDEA IS TO BASICALLY CREATE MORE COMPLEX AND LARGER STRUCTURES USING THE 3-D PRINTER AND USING OTHER TECHNIQUES THAT WE HAVE TO EVENTUALLY CREATE FULLY FORMED ORGANS AND TISSUE-LIKE STRUCTURES. ONE DAY WE COULD BE 3-D PRINTING NEW HEARTS. > YEAH. YEAH, I THINK ONE DAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THERE, AND NOT ONLY HEART BUT, YOU KNOW, LUNGS AND BONE AND LIVER AND SKIN AND SO ON. HOPEFULLY NOT TOO FAR FROM NOW. BUT DOES THIS LEAD US CLOSE TO THE EDGE OF AN ETHICAL CLIFF, PLAYING GOD, AT LEAST FOR THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD IT? TOTALLY. I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TEAM OF RESEARCHERS AND SCIENTISTS AROUND YOU, THE RIGHT LAB EQUIPMENT, RIGHT NOW, YOU COULD BE PRINTING BODY PARTS THAT YOU COULD KEEP IN A FRIDGE. AND WHEN YOU NEED THEM, YOU JUST PULL THEM OUT, GO INTO A SURGERY AND HAVE THEM REPLACED. SO I MIGHT HAVE A DRINKING PROBLEM AND I NEVER WANT TO GET OVER THAT DRINKING PROBLEM, AND EVERY FEW YEARS I JUST REPLACE A LIVER. THAT'S TERRIBLE BECAUSE IT STILL MAKES ME A PERSON WHO LIKES TO DRINK TOO MUCH. BUT FOR THE MAN WHO MIGHT JUST HAVE CHANGED OUR LIVES FOREVER, THE FUTURE IS NOTHING SHORT OF MIRACULOUS. TO ME, IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET TO THAT POINT WHERE WE CAN SIMPLY 3-D PRINT COMPLEX AND EFFECTIVE ORGANS IN THE LAB, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY CHANGING MEDICINE FOREVER, SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT. YEAH, WHAT REALLY INTERESTS ME HERE, SAM, IS HOW COULD THIS PROLONG OUR LIVES? SO FOR ALL OF US WATCHING THIS TONIGHT, COULD WE LIVE TO 150? COULD IT BE 200? I MEAN, DO THEY-? 300? IT'S SO HARD TO KNOW AT THIS STAGE. THE SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING THAT THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY IS FIVE TO 1O YEARS AWAY. FIVE YEARS FOR SIMPLE THINGS LIKE SKIN, BUT MAYBE 1O FOR ORGANS. BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PUT A DATE ON IT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SAY. BUT EVEN IF YOU ARE REPLACING SOME ORGANS, THE WHOLE SYSTEM MIGHT STILL COLLAPSE AT SOME STAGE. IT'S NOT IMMORTALITY, THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT THAT IS ALL FROM US AT 3RD DEGREE FOR THIS WEEK. WE ARE BACK, OF COURSE, NEXT WEDNESDAY. WE WILL SEE YOU THEN. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014