Coming up on Te Karere... Storm alert! A category 5 cyclone cuts a swathe through the Pacific and it's heading our way. Gisborne prepares for the worst. 58 years of teaching is honoured and celebrated in Tauranga. And an emerging opera singer lands his first big role. Due to the live nature of Te Karere, some segments will not be subtitled. Tena koutou katoa, and welcome to Te Karere. A man has died in Napier in the early hours of this morning after police used tasers, pepper spray, and dogs to arrest him. after police used tasers, pepper spray, and dogs to arrest him. Authorities found the 53-year-old in a car at Westshore Beach following reports of an attack on the man's parents in their Hastings home. Police tried removing the man from the car first by speaking with him and then smashed two windows. The incident's been reported to the Independent Police Conduct Authority. The Ministry of Maori Development has gone through major structural changes over the last three years. CEO Michelle Hippolite has been leading the revamp and says the aim is to strengthen its commitment to Maori. But that drive has resulted in job losses. Hippolite says it'll make the ministry more effective in two key areas. Irena Smith has more. Behind doors, Te Puni Kokiri has gone through a re-structure, mainly impacting staff. This is Michelle Hippolite's third year in the saddle as CEO. In that time the department has been through a Government review. She leads the re-structure. As part of the review its Blenheim office was closed and regional offices combined like, Bay of Plenty and Waikato, and Gisborne and Hastings. Hippolite says she aims to get the head office in Wellington working more collaboratively with its regional offices. Te Puni Kokiri has a major advisory role in the changes to the Maori Language Bill and the Maori Land Ownership Bill. It is also the monitoring agency for Whanau Ora. Maori families will be the ones to acknowledge that, and time will tell whether the restructure of their department has any positive outcome for Maori families. Irena Smith, Te Karere. A paraplegic man is being evicted from his Auckland home for anti-social behaviour. Raniera Kahui Ariki will be homeless on Monday due to what his family describes as a breach of his human rights. This is the entrance| to Raniera Kahui Ariki's home, This is the entrance to Raniera Kahui Ariki's home, demanding he's no longer welcome here. HNZ has given Waiata along with her children and her brother two weeks to get out of their home. The reason being anti-social behaviour, which the family absolutely refutes. One of the most consistent complaints made by the neighbour who's since moved is around Raniera listening to his radio during the day. HNZ responded in a letter saying they do not tolerate anti-social behaviour. They've given the tenant many chances to rectify this, but as a last resort they have decided on eviction. D-day is on Monday. Oriini Tipene-Leach, Te Karere. Tropical cyclone Pam is right now cutting a swathe through the South Pacific and heading our way. The category five weather system - the most severe on the scale - has already struck Vanuatu. The cyclone is expected to reach NZ by Sunday and east coast residents are being advised to prepare for the worst. Oriini Tipene-Leach reports. It s been dubbed the mother of all storms. Cyclone Pam has made landfall in Vanuatu and is predicted to hit our east coast by Sunday. Gisborne residents are bracing themselves by stocking up on the essentials. Some are re-enforcing their homes to be storm protected. It is believed cyclones like these occur once every 20 - 30 years. When Cyclone Bola struck, it took the east coast ten years to recover from the devastation. According to up-to-date weather forecast predictions, there is a chance the cyclone will miss the east coast. Others are saying the same as well. However, there is still a chance we could be hit by this wild force of nature. Oriini Tipene-Leach, Te Karere. After the break, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa receives a special award. From veteran to emerging artist, we speak to a Maori singer who's landed his first big role New Zealand's most accomplished singer, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has just added another honour to her name. The legendary opera singer has been given an honorary doctorate at a ceremony at the Royal College of Music in London. Prince Charles presented the famous soprano with the award. It was given to her for her services to the music world as well as for being a mentor and fundraiser for the college. A new portrait of Dame Kiri is set to hang in the halls to provide inspiration to students. An up-and-coming singer from Northland has landed his first big role in opera. Luke bird will feature in the annual Garden Opera Show, following in the footsteps of Dame Helen Medland, Ben Makisi and Kawiti Waetford, Pere Wihongi caught up with the singer as he prepares for the big event. An entertaining bird, flying out and about. The last time we saw this bird was just as he prepared to take the stage for award winning theatre show 'Hairspray'. But, this bird has landed on another branch of entertainment. A branch allowing him to express through voice, his opera voice, at Opera in the Garden. However, it's not as if his passion for opera grew recently. However, it's not as if his passion for opera grew recently. Bird remains content acknowledging the many auspicious people who have stood in this position before. Tomorrow the event will take place in Whangarei. Pere Wihongi, Te Karere. Who is the ultimate waterman? That question should be answered in the coming days That's question should be answered in the coming days as eight of the world's best compete in a number of water sports activities. as eight of the world's best compete in a number of water sports activities. One of the entrants is Aotearoa's own Daniel Kereopa. Peata Melbourne caught up with the boys at Takapuna Beach this morning. The water athletes line-up of doom sizing up the approaching storm. Kai Lenny is perhaps one of the most accomplished all-round watermen here. The next 8 days all these athletes will all compete in 6 water events, from surfing to SUP. One of those champs here just weeks ago learnt just how testing NZ waters can be. Lenny is a multiple title winner of the SUP World Champs & the OCT, with only 1 major threat in the waka ama division. America's Danny Ching world renown also for his water prowess, mainly in outrigger canoeing. America's Danny Ching world renown also for his water prowess, mainly in outrigger canoeing. Surf champ DK feeling very relaxed about competition against either of them. Nothing much phases Australian Mark Visser it seems who took on the famous Jaws Break at night, except perhaps one thing. Tomorrow will see the tournament kick off here in Takapuna Tomorrow will see the tournament kick off here in Takapuna in the waka ama section. The champion will be named in Kohimarama next Saturday. Peata Melbourne, Te Karere. And now we talk sports with Jenny-May Coffin. Tena koe, Jenny-May. Let's talk a little rugby first. The Hurricanes are up against the mighty Blues in Palmerston North tonight. The Blues are obviously playing well this season... Not! Especially with 4 losses from 4 starts. Whereas the Hurricanes have 3 wins from 3 matches and they'll be well rested, coming off a bye. But get this stat - the Blues have won 3 of their last 4 matches against the Canes. In addition, in the competition's 20 year history, the Hurricanes have never won 4 matches in a row. So on the face of it, despite the Blues poor start to the season, history says they could tip over the Canes tonight. Although the odds are made tougher with skipper Jerome Kaino out injured. Let's be honest - the Blues and coach Sir John Kirwan are under the pump. There's lots of talk about JK's position being very shaky, although I had a chat with a few of my colleagues in the sports department, and the problem is, who would replace him? My tip for the Blues - keep the ball in the forwards. The backs are still getting their act together. Onto league and the warriors celebrating 20 years in the NRL. Onto league and the warriors celebrating 20 years in the NRL. Well they haven't had too much to celebrate so far just 1 game in, and it appears to be the same old, same old. They blew it against the Knights last week, and were kept scoreless in the second half. Round 2 and they face the Raiders in Canberra. The Warriors will be without Conrad Hurrell, but they have Sam Tomkins who has recovered from a hamstring injury. The Warriors have won the last three matches against the Raiders, but, and this is a big but, the green machine has won 9 of their last 10 games against the Warriors in Canberra. So I don't know. Take a guess! Either team could win it. Go Souths! Jenny-May Coffin, thank you for your time. After the break, nearly 60 years of teaching at the same school is celebrated and honoured. And then we have the weather. WHISPERS: Watch this. WHISPERS: Watch this. TAP! Huh? Huh. Huh. This is Glowie. Together with our Community Services Card, Glowie could help us save on power. And because he's pre-paid, Mum's in control of her dollars. She can even top up from here. He even changes colour when it's top-up time. But now it's play time! Get smarter about power. See if you could save with GLOBUG. (GIGGLES) To the weather now. For weather, see tvnz.co.nz. She's a living legend. Most of Geraldine Reweti's 88 years has been spent at Bethlehem School, Tauranga. She went there as a pupil and worked there for nearly sixty years. But today, staff and pupils from the past and present held a special celebration to honour the teacher affectionately known as Nanny Dean. It's an occasion to honour this amazing teacher. Cloaked with love for her long serving commitments to Bethlehem School. It's a great day because Nanny Dene, or Aunty Geraldine was such a strong and humble woman. or Aunty Geraldine was such a strong and humble woman. Reweti began working at the school when it was known as Paeroa Native School in 1958. She was all about caring for the children from all over the area. She was all about caring for the children from all over the area. The school is fortunate that the tradition of the Reweti family educating children here will continue in to the future. My son still works here, my baby. She'll even have a throne to sit on upon her return. Manawa Wright, Te Karere. That's all we have for today. Kia ora tatou katoa. Captions were made possible with funding from Te Mangai Paho. Copyright TVNZ 2015.