IT'S SEVEN SHARP. TONIGHT ` SHE'S PRETTY RUGGED, ISN'T SHE? (LAUGHS) PRETTY HARDCORE. I THINK SHE'S THE TOUGHEST WOMAN THAT I'VE EVER MET. YEP, TARA MULVANY EPITOMISED TOUGHNESS. I'M GOING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WHOLE WORLD. BOTH LAUGH PLUS, PUT YOUR BATS OUT. ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, PEOPLE ARE PUTTING BATS IN THEIR BACKYARD AND IN THEIR FRONT WINDOW. THE TOUCHING TRIBUTES TO CRICKETER PHILLIP HUGHES. CRICKET WILL GO ON. AND WHEN PAIN IS YOUR CONSTANT ENEMY,... I CAN'T WALK. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR MYSELF. ...ALL YOU NEED IS A DOSE OF CHRISTMAS. I SIT OUT AT THE DRIVE, AND I WATCH THEM COME IN EACH NIGHT, AND THEIR FACES JUST GO, 'WOW!' ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY JUNE YEOW AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014 DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. Good evening. You saw lights on the news. With got better ones. No need to thank me. We were under the spectre. Of the police changing to a 1 K speed tolerance. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME. THE POLICE NEED COMMUNITY SUPPORT. THEY NEED US ON BOARD TO MAKE THESE SORTS OF THINGS WORK, AND OPERATING AS A REVENUE GENERATOR FOR THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE GUISE OF ROAD SAFETY DOES THEM NO FAVOURS. It was 24 short hours ago. They've reversing the decision. People are saying that Mike gets things done. It's a slow start to my campaign. . You've got no time at the moment. HERE'S WHAT CAUGHT OUR EYE TODAY. IT HAS BEEN TOUGH, BUT IF YOU DON'T GIVE UP IN YOUR HEART, YOU'VE NEVER LOST. YES, TODAY FORMER ACT LEADER AND MP JOHN BANKS WON THE RIGHT TO ANOTHER TRIAL OVER CHARGES HE KNOWINGLY FILED FALSE ELECTORAL RETURNS IN HIS 2010 AUCKLAND MAYORALTY CAMPAIGN. AS IF AIRPORT GOODBYES WEREN'T EMOTIONAL ENOUGH, A DUTCH AIRLINE HAS HELPED FAMILIES LEAVE SURPRISE MESSAGES FOR THEIR LOVED ONES ON THEIR PLANE SEAT HEADRESTS. ALL THE PASSENGERS WERE SHOCKED BY THE GESTURE, WHICH REDUCED MANY TO TEARS. AW! AND EVER WONDERED WHY RUDOLPH'S NOSE IS RED? IT'S BECAUSE WHEN A CHEMICAL CALLED LUCIFERIN REACTS WITH OXYGEN TO PRODUCE LIGHT. IT IS PRESENT IN MANY ANIMALS AND PLANTS ALL OVER THE WORLD. OK, SO THAT'S QUITE TECHNICAL, BUT SOME AUCKLAND PROFESSORS HAVE USED A LITTLE SCIENCE TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE MAGIC BEHIND CHRISTMAS. THEY ALSO DISCOVERED HOW SANTA'S SLEIGH CAN GET AROUND THE WORLD SO FAST ` BY USING ROCKET POWER! Love the rocket power. WE'RE ABOUT TO INTRODUCE TO ONE OF THE TOUGHEST WOMEN IN THE COUNTRY, A WOMEN WHO IS PROBABLY ONLY ABOUT 50KG SOAKING WET. BUT SHE'S THE KIND OF PERSON YOU MEET AND QUESTION WHETHER YOU'RE DOING ENOUGH WITH YOUR TIME ENOUGH WITH YOUR LIFE. YOU SEE, TARA MULVANEY HAS CIRCUMNAVIGATED OUR THREE MAIN ISLANDS ALMOST ENTIRELY BY HERSELF ` IN A KAYAK. AND SHE'S GOT PLENTY MORE IN THE PIPELINE. WE SENT OUR MOST INTREPID REPORTER, MATT CHISHOLM, TO MILFORD SOUND TO MEET HER. POIGNANT MUSIC THE STUNNINGLY MAJESTIC MILFORD, WITH 100-KNOT WINDS AND THAT DRIVING FIORDLAND RAIN. IT REALLY IS ONLY FIT FOR THE BIG BOATS. YEP, GO QUICK. WHOO-HOO-HOO! BUT RIGHT IN AMONGST IT IS THIS TENACIOUS WEE SEA PRINCESS, TARA MULVANEY. IS TARA TOUGH OR MAD OR BOTH? OH, SHE'S PRETTY RUGGED, ISN'T SHE? (LAUGHS) PRETTY HARD CORE, I THINK. SHE'S THE TOUGHEST WOMAN THAT I'VE EVER MET. TAYLOR SWIFT'S 'BLANK SPACE' IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE RELATIVELY UNKNOWN ADVENTURER YET, I'M PICKING YOU WILL BE IN THE FUTURE. I'M GOING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WHOLE WORLD. (LAUGHS) OPTIMISTIC, YES, BUT THE 25-YEAR-OLD HAS MADE A BLOODY GOOD START. THE INVERGIGGLE GIGGLER, THE FIRST WOMAN TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE OUR THREE MAIN ISLANDS, UNSUPPORTED, ALMOST ENTIRELY ON HER OWN. WHAT DID YOU CARRY WITH YOU? UM, I'VE GOT MY TENT AND MY SLEEPING BAG, FOAM REST, CHANGE OF CLOTHES, MY COOKING GEAR AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS' WORTH OF FOOD. AND WHERE'S THE MAKE-UP? UM, JUST IN THIS BAG HERE. YOU ACTUALLY HAD SOME? YEP. OH, YOU DON'T NEED IT. (LAUGHS) TARA WAS ALWAYS GOING TO GET AMONGST IT. I GREW UP IN A PRETTY ACTIVE FAMILY. AS AN 11-YEAR-OLD, SHE SUMMITED ASPIRING. IT WAS PRETTY EPIC, ACTUALLY. AT 12, SHE ALL BUT CONQUERED COOK. (LAUGHS) THAT'S KIND OF A LONG STORY. I DON'T REALLY WANT TO... (LAUGHS) GET IN TO IT. THE MILFORD SOUND GUIDE WENT ON TO TRAVEL AND WORK IN THAILAND, NEPAL, SOUTH AMERICA AND CANADA. BUT EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN THAT ` WHAT SHE'S ACHIEVED AT HOME. AN ENTIRE WINTER WE SPENT IN THE FIORDS JUST LIVING OUT OF OUR KAYAKS AND FISHING AND, YEAH, JUST SORT OF LIVING OFF THE LAND A LITTLE BIT. (LAUGHS) AND, UM, YEAH, SO THAT KIND OF PROGRESSED TO THE SOUTH ISLAND, AND THEN I FIGURED IF I'D DONE THE SOUTH ISLAND, I MAY AS WELL DO THE NORTH ISLAND AND STEWART ISLAND, SO... THE UNFORGIVING SOUTH WAS PROBABLY THE MOST CHALLENGING. COS IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, AND GOING UP THE WEST COAST, I WAS JUST SMASHED BY STORMS ONE AFTER THE OTHER. TARA, I'VE GOT TO ASK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BOYFRIEND? (LAUGHS) OH I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN USE THE WORD BOYFRIEND. OH, REALLY? SHORT STORY IS WHILE SHE TEMPORARILY LOST HER... WELL, 'FRIEND' HEADING UP THE WEST COAST, SHE LOST HIM FOR GOOD COMING DOWN THE EAST. WHY DID YOU CARRY ON WHEN YOUR FRIEND LEFT? UM, WELL, I KNEW RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO, IS TO MAKE IT BACK TO MILFORD. AND... YEAH, I JUST DIDN'T SEE ANY REASON NOT TO KEEP GOING. I KNEW I COULD DO IT ON MY OWN. FIVE MONTHS AFTER STARTING OUT, SHE DID JUST THAT. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE DOING BY THEMSELVES, TARA? UM, YEAH. IT'S SAFE FOR EVERYONE. BOTH LAUGH DON'T USE THAT. (LAUGHS) HER... HMM... COURAGEOUS JOURNEY NOW IN BLACK AND WHITE. I ACTUALLY WROTE IT FOR MYSELF. I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE PUBLISHED AND THAT JUST SORT OF HAPPENED. THE NORTH ISLAND WAS NEXT, AN ENTIRELY SOLO MISSION OVER FOUR MONTHS. THEY ALL THOUGHT I WAS PRETTY CRAZY. (LAUGHS) ESPECIALLY ON THE WEST COAST WHEN I PADDLED IN TO PLACES LIKE THE KAIPARA HARBOUR, AND EVEN THE BOATS ARE PRETTY SCARED TO VENTURE OUT OVER THE BAR, AND, YEAH, I THINK THEY WERE SHAKING THEIR HEADS REALLY. (LAUGHS) THE HEAD SHAKING CONTINUES. TARA'S NEXT MISSION ` A 2000KM PADDLE THROUGH THE ARCTIC IN 2015. IT'S PRETTY COLD UP THERE AND 24-HOUR DAYLIGHT AND POLAR BEARS AND WALRUSES AND... (LAUGHS) A LOT OF HUNGRY WILDLIFE. (LAUGHS) AT THIS POINT I'VE GOT TO QUESTION YOUR SANITY, TARA. (LAUGHS) DO YOU WANT TO COME? BOTH LAUGH THAT'S A NO. WHATEVER HAPPENS THERE, ONE THING'S FOR CERTAIN ` TARA MULVANEY ISN'T GONNA DIE WONDERING. YOU'RE GONNA DIE GIGGLING AND HAVING A GO, AREN'T YA? GIGGLING PROBABLY IN A BIG WATERFALL. BOTH LAUGH Had she not look tired? . We need to restrict Matt's pickup lines. She hasn't had a a house. The two months and is battling glandular fever. My pohutukawa is out. What is it me when it comes out early? . What? Why has mine not? Images could be a long summer. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` THE WORD TRAGEDY GETS USED TOO OFTEN IN SPORT, BUT THIS FREAK ACCIDENT IS NOW REAL-LIFE TRAGEDY. THE WORLD COMES TOGETHER TO HONOUR PHILLIP HUGHES. WE LOVE YOU. AND EVERY WEEK WE ASK YOU A QUESTION, AND, BOY, DO YOU GIVE US SOME RANDOM ANSWERS! ON LAND, I THINK IT'S THE OSTRICH. ON WATER, IT'S THE WHALE SHARK. BUT IT'S ALL A FALLACY. WE KNOW THE LABOUR PARTY DOES, BUT THEY COME OUT CRACKED. NOW, WE SHOULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT PHILLIP HUGHES, THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER WHO DIED LAST NIGHT. HE WAS JUST 25 YEARS OLD, 63 NOT OUT. THE OUTPOURING OF GRIEF HAS BEEN ASTOUNDING, LITERALLY FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE. PEOPLE HAVE FOUND THEIR OWN UNIQUE WAYS TO EXPRESS GRIEF. TODAY, THE NEWS WE ALL FEARED. IN AN INSTANT, JUST AN ORDINARY INSTANT, A YOUNG LIFE WAS ENDED AND AUSTRALIAN SPORT AS CHANGED FOREVER. HE'S PASSED AWAY. (VOICE QUAVERS) (CLEARS THROAT) EXCUSE ME. SHOCKING. (CLEARS THROAT) EXCUSE ME. SHOCKING. THE WORD TRAGEDY GETS USED TOO OFTEN IN SPORT, BUT THIS FREAK ACCIDENT IS NOW REAL-LIFE TRAGEDY. UTTER TRAGEDY AND DEVASTATION. YOU DON'T EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN. THE THOUGHT THAT A PLAYER IN HIS PRIME SHOULD BE KILLED PLAYING OUR NATIONAL GAME IS SHOCKING AND SOBERING. SOMBRE PIANO MUSIC THE PROFOUND IMPACT THIS HAS HAD ON MICHAEL CLARKE WAS THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE. SHAKILY: WE LOVE YOU. THEY'RE GRIEVING, AND THEY'VE LOST SOMEONE THAT'S INCREDIBLY CLOSE TO THEM. WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER SEAN ABBOTT, WHO WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED. I'M SURE NO ONE IN CRICKET FEELS HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS TO ANSWER. I JUST HOPE HE CAN FORGIVE HIMSELF. EVERYBODY'S AFFECTED BY IT, WHETHER YOU ARE AN AUSTRALIAN OR A NON-AUSTRALIAN. PLAY HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WHILE NZ AND PAKISTAN COME TOGETHER TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO BECAUSE OF THE TRAGIC NEWS. THE ENTIRE CRICKETING COMMUNITY IS IN SHOCK. WE ARE JUST LIKE A FAMILY, YOU KNOW? WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE THE IRREPARABLE LOSS WE'RE ALL FEELING RIGHT NOW. IT'S WAY MORE THAN A SPORTING STORY, ISN'T IT? IT'S A STORY OF HUMANITY. I HEAR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY PEOPLE ARE PUTTING BATS IN THEIR BACKYARD AND IN THEIR FRONT WINDOW. I SUPPOSE THE GAME WILL GO ON. THE GAME HAS TO GO ON. PHILLIP LOVED CRICKET MORE THAN ANYONE, AND, UM,... HE WOULD WANT NOTHING MORE THAN FOR THE GAME TO CONTINUE. HE WAS SUCH A GOOD GUY. HE WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED. What he died of there has only been 100 cases in Australia. One. In cricket. . How nice with a beautiful tribute for his family. The Sheffield Shield is domestic cricket. But this family were there. . He was about to fly as a cricketer. He gets snuffed out. . In so many tragedies you can explain why it happened. No one saw this coming. He didn't deserve it. It's more profound. . It was the nicest guy. NEXT ON SEVEN SHARP ` WHEN WE, SORT OF, GOT CLOSE TO 500,000, WE, SORT OF, THOUGHT, 'OH, WHY BOTHER COUNTING ANY MORE? 'IT'S JUST A LOT OF LIGHTS.' BUT THEY'RE LIGHTING UP MORE THAN JUST THE NIGHT SKY. THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD MOTOR NEURON DISEASE; I SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD LAST YEAR. AND MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL, WHO'S THE BIGGEST OF THEM ALL? AN EMU? I WAS GONNA SAY DINOSAUR. THAT WAS WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY. IS IT THE OSTRICH? We were talking about streety's birth next year. And when she can get back on radio. You can be at home. He was telling me the logistics of how it can happen the next week. How hard is it? . I'm not commenting. ON A LIFESTYLE BLOCK JUST OUT OF CHRISTCHURCH LIVES WHAT COULD BE THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST PRIVATE CHRISTMAS LIGHT COLLECTION. You get replaced. EVERY YEAR CARL AND MAUREEN SEAWARD INVITE PEOPLE INTO THEIR VERY SPECIAL GROTTO. BUT AS MIKE THORPE DISCOVERED, This something wrong with the word grotto. THE LIGHTS ARE SIMPLY A GIANT DISTRACTION. BY DAY THE SEAWARD PROPERTY LOOKS LIKE A SHRINE TO CHRISTMAS PAST, BUT WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN... UPBEAT CLASSICAL MUSIC ...THIS IS THE FLASHEST LIGHT SHOW IN TOWN. WHEN WE GOT CLOSE TO 500,000, WE, SORT OF, THOUGHT, 'WHY BOTHER COUNTING ANY MORE? 'IT'S JUST A LOT OF LIGHTS.' A LOT OF LIGHTS, A LOT OF WIRES, A LOT OF ELECTRICITY AND ONE BIG POWER BILL. WE'RE PROBABLY KICKING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $2000 TO $3000. A... MONTH? YEAH. THE TRUTH IS THAT POWER BILL IS PAID FOR BY THE PROVIDER. IT'S PAID FOR BECAUSE THESE LIGHTS DO A LOT OF GOOD, NOT LEAST OF ALL FOR CARL'S WIFE. I CAN'T WALK. I CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR MYSELF. I HAVE TO RELY ON PEOPLE 24-7. THESE ARE MY WEE BIRDS. FROM THE LIGHTS TO BIRDS TO PIGS TO YOU NAME IT, MAUREEN'S LIFE IS AN ORCHESTRATED DISTRACTION FROM PAIN, HER CONSTANT COMPANION. YOU SEE, MAUREEN, OR 'CHOOK' AS SHE'S BETTER KNOWN AS, SUFFERS FROM LYME DISEASE, CAUSED BY A TICK BITE IN AUSTRALIA FIVE YEARS AGO. THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT IS IT LOOKS LIKE A WEE WORM, AND THAT JUST GOES INTO YOUR BLOOD SYSTEM AND THEN IT JUST GETS INTO YOUR BLOOD AND MULTIPLIES AND MULTIPLIES AND JUST STARTS SPREADING ALL THROUGH YOUR BODY. CHOOK TESTED POSITIVE FOR LYME DISEASE THREE YEARS AGO FOLLOWING TESTS IN THE US. DOCTORS HERE HADN'T RECOGNISED IT. THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD MOTOR NEURON DISEASE; I SHOULD'VE BEEN DEAD LAST YEAR. STRAPPED FOR CASH AND WITH MOUNTING MEDICAL BILLS, CARL HAD A FLASH OF BRILLIANCE. YOU COULD SAY A LIGHT CAME ON. IN FACT, QUITE A FEW LIGHTS CAME ON. UPBEAT CLASSICAL MUSIC THE AIM IS TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHOOK'S TREATMENT, BUT IT TURNS OUT IT'S GOOD FOR HER SOUL AS WELL. THE BEST PART I GET OUT OF IT IS SEEING THE PLEASURE ON EVERYBODY ELSE'S FACES. I SIT OUT AT THE DRIVE, AND I WATCH THEM COME IN EACH NIGHT AND THEIR FACES JUST GO, 'WOW!' AND I LOVE IT. IT MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE TO SEE THEM HAPPY. CARL'S COMPUTERISED CONCERT IS ALL ABOUT DROPPING JAWS. I CAN TELL YOU NOW THAT CHOOK JUST ASKED MY SON WHAT HIS FAVOURITE PART WAS, AND HE SAID IT WAS THE PIRATES. YEAH. BOYS WILL BE BOYS. AND WE AREN'T THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN TESTIFY TO THIS JAW-DROPPING SIGHT. LAST YEAR WE HAD 30,000 PEOPLE THROUGH. AND EACH AND EVERYONE OF THOSE PEOPLE HELPED POWER HOPE, HOPE THAT CHOOK WILL ONE DAY RECOVER. IS IT YOUR DREAM TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP AND WALK OUT THAT DOOR AGAIN? IT CERTAINLY IS. HOPEFULLY ONE DAY. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL CARL, THOUGH, BECAUSE HE WON'T LOOK AFTER ME THEN. I'LL JUST PRETEND I'M STILL IN MY CHAIR. BOTH LAUGH THE SEAWARDS LOVE CHRISTMAS, BUT, AND THEY'LL HATE ME SAYING THIS, THEY LOVE EACH OTHER MORE. I'M REALLY BLESSED IN ACTUALLY HAVING HER IN MY LIFE. I'D BE LOST WITHOUT HIM. I REALLY WOULD. BUT, NO, HE'S WONDERFUL. I WOULDN'T BE WITHOUT HIM. < AW! I SAY THAT NOW. BOTH LAUGH SEE, IT FEELS LIKE EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS DAY HERE, AND EVERY NIGHT CHRISTMAS EVE. POIGNANT MUSIC Amazing. . That's the Christmas spirit. I'm tempted to take the girl down there. Demi Lovato today announced that she was coming here `let it be. Let it go. That's the Beatles. You're excited about Demi Lovato? . It's the best song. And Neil Diamond. I can't believe you want to see her. Meridian pay the Power bill. It's $3000. YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT HERE ON SEVEN SHARP WE'VE TAKEN IT UPON OURSELVES TO SCHOOL THE NATION ON SOME LESSER-KNOWN FACTS. IN FACT, WE HIT THE STREETS EACH WEEK TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN EDUCATION. AND EVERY WEEK WE ARE AMAZED AT SOME OF THE TRULY RANDOM ANSWERS WE GET. IT'S TIME TO SHARPEN UP, NZ. WOULDN'T HAVE NO CLUE, MATE. AN EMU? I WAS GONNA SAY DINOSAUR. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY. IS IT THE OSTRICH? EMU. EMU. THE DINOSAUR. OSTRICH. LAUGHTER A KIWI? IS IT A FISH? A CAT. OSTRICH? SHARK? ON LAND, I THINK IT'S THE OSTRICH. ON WATER, IT'S THE WHALE SHARK. BUT IT'S ALL A FALLACY. WE KNOW THE LABOUR PARTY DOES, BUT THEY COME OUT CRACKED. HE'S RIGHT. ABOUT THE WHALE SHARK, THAT IS. PFFT. BOTH: OH WOW. ALL: OH. WHERE DO THEY PUT IT? IT'S IN A NEST? DO THEY MAKE A NEST FOR IT? A SHARK? THEY LAY EGGS? LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY, MATE. WELL, WE GOT THAT ONE WRONG. WE WOULDN'T HAVE GUESSED THAT ONE. NAH, TOTALLY NOT RIGHT. BOTH: OH! (LAUGH) I WAS GONNA SAY THAT. NO, YOU WEREN'T. YES. (LAUGHS) Why would it so many people in it his with odd coloured hair? There were odd answers. . We didn't get it. . I got it. After six clues I got it. To be fair, I didn't think shark Laid eggs. WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON THIS 9-YEAR-OLD RUSSIAN MODEL, KRISTINA PIMENOVA? THE CRITICS THINK SHE'S BEING EXPLOITED BY HER PARENTS. SHE'S BEEN MODELLING SINCE SHE WAS 3, HAS OVER 300,000 FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM AND TWO MILLION ON FACEBOOK, WHICH HER MOTHER MANAGES. SHE HAS A JET-SET LIFESTYLE ` FIRST-CLASS FLIGHTS, WEEKENDS IN EUROPE, FANCY RESTAURANTS. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, 'NO WAY I'D NEVER LET MY CHILD DO THAT.' WHAT SORT OF ISSUES IS SHE GOING TO HAVE LONG TERM? I'D EXPECT MOST KIWI PARENTS WOULD FEEL THE SAME. BUT IS THIS ANY DIFFERENT TO THE KID THAT GETS A TENNIS RACKET OR A GOLF CLUB THRUST IN THEIR HAND AS A TODDLER? OR THE INFANT THAT LEARNS VIOLIN AND HAS THEIR VIDEOS UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE? THE ANSWER IS NO. AND IN OUR SOCIETY WHERE ON AVERAGE ONE CHILD IS KILLED EVERY FIVE WEEKS AS A RESULT OF CHILD ABUSE ` MOST UNDER THE AGE OF 5` I THINK WE HAVE FAR GREATER ISSUES TO WORRY ABOUT. I AM HAPPY FOR JOHN BANKS TODAY. THE CONVICTION OVERTURNED, A NEW TRIAL ORDERED. WHAT I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WAS MRS DOTCOM, WHO SAID DONATIONS WERE DISCUSSED, WHO WAS FAVOURED AS A WITNESS OVER MRS BANKS WHO SAID THEY WEREN'T. IT WAS CLASSIC 'SHE SAID, SHE SAID'. AND IN A BUSINESS WHERE BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT IS INVOLVED, IT WAS A BIG HURDLE TO CROSS TO FIND ONE SO MUCH MORE CREDIBLE THAN ANOTHER. NOW, WHY THE BANKS DEFENCE DIDN'T STUMP THE TWO AMERICANS UP THAT BACKED THEIR STORY DAY ONE SEEMS ODD IF NOT LAX. BUT ONCE THEY GOT THEM TO THE COURT, IT WAS COMPELLING ENOUGH TO TURN THE WHOLE THING OVER, AND PRESUMABLY FROM THE BANKS CAMP POINT OF VIEW, ENOUGH TO FIND HIM EVENTUALLY NOT GUILTY. BUT EVEN IF THAT COMES TO PASS, WHAT A REMINDER ALL THIS IS OF JUST HOW SLOWLY JUSTICE MOVES. THREE YEARS AND COUNTING. IT NEEDS TO BE SEEN TO BE DONE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SEEN TO BE DONE A LOT QUICKER THAN IT IS. CAPTIONS BY PIPPA JEFFERIES AND AMY PARK CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.