THEY WERE RIPPED APART BY CYCLONE PAM. THIS ROOF JUST THROUGH HERE, YOU COULD SEE IT, LIKE, LIFTING OFF. IF THAT HAD'VE GONE,... WE WOULD'VE BEEN FACING A DIFFICULT SCENARIO. TONIGHT, A HEARTWARMING REUNION. IT WAS EMOTIONAL LANDING IN... HARD. > IT WAS PRETTY DIFFERENT. PLUS ` IT SYMBOLISES COURAGE AND DETERMINATION ` CLEARLY THINGS THAT YOU PROVIDED IN THE RECAPTURE OF PHILLIP SMITH. THE POLICE PRAISE OUR HUMBLE BRAZILIAN HERO. WOULD YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AND DO FOR YOU? VERY. (SINGS, PLAYS GUITAR) AND BUSKING, AND MARC ELLIS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I LOVE HER. COMING UP. ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY PIPPA JEFFERIES AND JAKE EBDALE. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. Good evening. Busy show. The Burma thing is got us thinking today. I can only imagine how fraught it must be. There are regimes where you must know what you're getting yourself into. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THE SITUATION IN VANUATU A LITTLE LATER IN THE SHOW, BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER STORIES WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ` INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MARK LUNDY TRIAL TODAY. A FORMER INMATE CLAIMS LUNDY CONFESSED TO KILLING HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER DURING A CONVERSATION IN THE PRISON YARD. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THESE GUYS ARE PRETTY CUTE, BUT DID YOU KNOW THE WAY WE BOND WITH OUR FURRY FRIENDS IS DOWN TO OUR 'CUDDLE HORMONE'? THIS HORMONE NORMALLY HELPS MOTHERS BOND WITH THEIR BABIES, BUT TURNS OUT IT ALSO HELPS FORM LONG-LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR PETS. YEP, THIS A 9-MONTH-OLD SURFING WITH HIS DAD. THERE'S BEEN A BIT OF CONTROVERSY ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS, BUT CHECK OUT THE LITTLE MAN'S SMILE. Why would that be dangerous? If you're with an adult... if the baby falls off with no life jacket... Get the kid out there. SO, TODAY PHILLIP SMITH, THE MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE, APPEARED IN COURT ON CHARGES OF ESCAPE FROM CUSTODY. AS YOU CAN SEE, HE WAS WEARING THE BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL JERSEY HE PICKED UP OVER THERE. NO WIG, THOUGH. BUT RATHER THAN SPEND OUR TIME TALKING ABOUT HIM, WE WANT TO MOVE TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY. THE POLICE AND CORRECTIONS PRESENTED AN AWARD TO THE WOMAN FROM BRAZIL WHO SPOTTED HIM. WITHOUT HER, SMITH COULD HAVE BEEN GONE FOR GOOD. IT'S THE END OF AN AMAZING TRIP FOR THE WOMAN WE'LL CALL OLIVIA. SHE'S BEEN GIVEN THE TIME OF HER LIFE BY SOME VERY GENEROUS KIWIS, ALL LINING UP TO EXPRESS HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE THIS CONVICT IS BACK BEHIND BARS. GENTLE POP MUSIC HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A HELICOPTER BEFORE? NO, I'M VERY ANXIOUS AND EXCITED. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN SHEEP BEFORE? NO. NO?! OH, THE SHEEPS? OH, YEAH, BUT NOT FROM THE TOP, YEAH. PACEY POP MUSIC UP SHE GOES, SEEING THE LAND DOWN UNDER FROM UP ABOVE. AND SHE'S LOVING IT. I THOUGHT I WERE GONNA BE SCARED, BUT I DUNNO. I THINK WHEN I VISIT NZ, I BECOME MORE COURAGE. OLIVIA'S BEEN WHISKED TO OTAGO HIGH COUNTRY BY PEOPLE IN AWE OF HER COURAGE BACK IN BRAZIL. AND WITH VINEYARD OWNER HAYDEN LEADING THE CHARGE, THEY FIXED UP A LUNCH TO REMEMBER. JUST A NICE, QUALITY BEEF TENDERLOIN FILLET, AND THERE'S A LITTLE HORSERADISH. DO YOU LIKE HORSERADISH? HORSE? ALL LAUGH THIS SPREAD A VERY GENEROUS DONATION FROM A QUEENSTOWN CHEF. HORSE-RADISH. AND WHEN I HEARD, I WAS MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED. BRING THE HELICOPTER OVER FROM QUEENSTOWN. HAVE YOU CHARGED HIM? (LAUGHS) NO. WE'LL WORK THAT OUT OVER A FEW BOTTLES OF WINE LATER ON. THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE IN THE WORLD OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, DO GOOD THINGS STILL. SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU AT BENDIGO AND TREAT YOU. SAUDE. OLIVIA GAVE THIS EXPERIENCE HER HIGHEST ACCOLADE EVER. IT'S CLOSE TO SPICE GIRLS CONCERT, YEAH, WHEN I BEEN THERE. (LAUGHS) BUT THEN, EVERY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN RIGHT UP THERE. FAVOURITE PLACE? ROTORUA. YEAH. ROTORUA IS AMAZING. I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE PEOPLE. COS THEY DO THINGS HAPPY. HOW MANY PHOTOS HAVE YOU TAKEN? THOUSAND. BOTH LAUGH I LOOK LIKE CHINESE HERE, YEAH. I TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING. THIS IS MY FAVOURITE. COS NOW IT'S A PART OF THE MOVIE. IT SEEMS YOU ARE INSIDE IN A POSTCARD. THEN CAME THE REAL MOVIE SET, IN HOBBIT COUNTRY. YOU HAVE SEEN THE FILMS? YEAH, ALL OF THEM. I PREFER ROBBIE, ROBERT. HOBBIT. YEAH, ROBERT. ANOTHER SPECIAL PLACE WAS WAIHEKE. I GOT BREAKFAST ON THE BEACH. I THINK THEY PUT SO MUCH LOVE IN THAT FOOD. AND GIVEN WINE IS PERHAPS HER GREATEST LOVE... YEAH, IF I COULD, I'M GONNA DRINK WINE ALL THE DAY. YEAH. HAYDEN'S TRIP TO HIS VINEYARD WENT DOWN PARTICULARLY WELL. TASTE THE GRAPE. THIS ONE'S DELICIOUS. SO, YEAH, NOW WE'VE TRIED THE GRAPES, WE'LL TRY THE WINE. ALL THESE EXPERIENCES WERE FROM EVERYDAY FOLK. WE'RE ALL PROUD KIWIS AT THE END OF THE DAY. PLUS ONE GROUP WITH A VERY GOOD REASON TO BE GRATEFUL. YOU LOOK NICE, YEAH. WELL, THIS IS OUR UNIFORM. OH, THANK YOU. I'M A BIT YOUNGER THAN JEREMY, AREN'T I? ALL LAUGH THE POLICE GAVE HER AN AWARD; FROM CORRECTIONS A CARVING. IT SYMBOLISES COURAGE AND DETERMINATION ` CLEARLY THINGS THAT YOU PROVIDED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. WOW. IT'S AN HONOUR. YEAH. VERY BRAVE. WITHOUT THAT SUPPORT, WE COULD WELL BE STILL LOOKING FOR THIS INDIVIDUAL. WOULD YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN SURPRISED BY HOW MUCH PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AND DO FOR YOU? VERY. IT SHOW THE CHARACTER OF PEOPLE, THEIR HEART, THEIR LOVE FOR THEIR COUNTRY, AND TO SHARE A PART OF THEIR LIFE WITH ME. WELCOME TO OUR BACKYARD. YEAH, YEAH, EXACTLY. IT'S NOT BAD. ALL: SAUDE. Isn't that amazing? That started from the Nelson lawyer who offered to buy her air tickets. I hope she is relaxed and had a fantastic time. Rotorua. Her favorite spot. A very cool place. I wouldn't make it number one. No disrespect. Mine would be Queenstown followed by Nelson. WE WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED OUT WITH OLIVIA'S HOLIDAY. WE'VE PUT A LIST OF ALL OF THEM ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, BUT ESPECIALLY TO PHILIPPA AND THE TEAM AT FLEXI TOURS, AND BRUCE AND EVERYONE AT AAT KINGS ` YOUR GENEROSITY WAS INCREDIBLE. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` WHEN I THINK OF TANNA, IT'S THIS RUGGED, ROCKY, FORESTED ISLAND. AND TODAY IT'S... IT LOOKS LITTLE BIT LIKE WINTER... THE TRUE SCALE OF CYCLONE PAM IS SLOWLY BEING REALISED AS TALES OF SURVIVAL EMERGE. I NEVER GREW UP WITH A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT; I CAN'T SPEAK A LANGUAGE; TWO THINGS I WISH I COULD DO. SO HOW COME MARC ELLIS IS PLAYING TALENT SCOUT, THEN? THIS IS ME BUSKING, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. Who is picking the music tonight? Great story from Toni. I'm interested in the sweep. She went to the midwife today and was asked when her due date is. Toni said Monday but the midwife said Friday because Mike said so. Not many babies are born on the due dates, so it would've been better for you if it was Monday. SO, WE'VE SEEN THE DESTRUCTION COMING OUT OF VANUATU FOLLOWING CYCLONE PAM. WE'VE HEARD THE HEARTBREAKING STORIES OF THOSE LOST OR LEFT HOMELESS. BUT AS THE REGION STARTS TO PICK UP THE PIECES, SOME UNBELIEVABLE TALES OF SURVIVAL ARE EMERGING. YES, ONES LIKE PETER BROWN. HE WAS ON TANNA ISLAND WHEN CYCLONE PAM HIT. YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT ISLAND WAS ONE OF THE WORST-AFFECTED REGIONS. TODAY EMMA KEELING TOOK PETER'S WIFE, ELIZABETH, TO FIND HIM. SOMBRE MUSIC WE'RE FLYING TO TANNA ISLAND, WHICH TOOK THE FULL FORCE OF CYCLONE PAM. ALL ELIZABETH BROWN WANTS IS TO SEE HER HUSBAND, PETER. BEFORE THE CYCLONE HIT, ELIZABETH WAS AT A CONFERENCE IN PORT VILA. THEY DECIDED SHE WOULD STAY, BUT PETER CAME BACK TO TANNA TO FACE PAM. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SPOKE TO PETER? ON FRIDAY NIGHT, BEFORE THE CYCLONE. IT WAS ABOUT 8.30. THAT WAS THE LAST TIME. SO WHAT WERE YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS WHEN YOU LANDED? WHEN I THINK OF TANNA, IT'S THIS RUGGED, ROCKY, FORESTED ISLAND. AND TODAY IT'S... IT LOOKS LITTLE BIT LIKE WINTER... IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY. YEAH, IT WAS EMOTIONAL LANDING, AND... HARD? > YES, IT'S PRETTY DIFFERENT. WELL, HOPEFULLY PETER COMES AND GREETS YOU AT THE AIRPORT. THAT'LL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER, WON'T IT? PETER IS A VSA VOLUNTEER WITH WORLD VISION. HELLO. FOR ONE AND A HALF YEARS THEY'VE LIVED HERE; HAD THEIR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. BUT THE ISLAND THEY CALL HOME HAS BEEN DESTROYED. I EVACUATED MY HOUSE AT 5 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THE WINDS WERE JUST STARTING TO PICK UP THEN. SO I CAME UP HERE WITH MY DOG... (CHUCKLES) AND MY NEIGHBOUR. AND MY LITTLE PARROT, LORENZO. SOMBRE MUSIC I STARTED AROUND 5. SO 6 AND 7 STRONG WINDS, TREES BEING RIPPED DOWN, CORRUGATED IRON FLYING EVERYWHERE. WE HEARD A KNOCK AT THE DOOR, AND THERE WAS A MAN HOLDING MAYBE A 2-MONTH-OLD BABY WALKED IN. TURNED AROUND, CALLED OUT, AND THEN 10 OR 15 OTHER PEOPLE CAME IN. AT ANY POINT DID YOU THINK, 'WE'RE GONNA GET WIPED OUT HERE'? COS THIS ROOF JUST THROUGH HERE, YOU COULD SEE IT, LIKE, LIFTING OFF. AND ALTHOUGH THERE'S SAND BAGS ALL AROUND, IF THAT HAD'VE GONE, WE WOULD'VE BEEN FACING A DIFFICULT SCENARIO. AFTER SEEING WHERE HE SPENT THE NIGHT, YOU MUST BE FEELING PRETTY LUCKY HE'S STILL WITH YOU. EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LOCATION, THERE ALWAYS IS THAT ELEMENT OF... ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WITH A CATEGORY-FIVE CYCLONE. SO... I'M VERY THANKFUL. Maybe it's just me, but had you ever heard of Tanna Island before? There are Many unheard stories. FROM THE LOOKS OF EMMA'S STORY, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE IN VANUATU. YOU CAN DO YOUR BIT BY TEXTING PAM TO 4847 TO DONATE $3 TO FAMILIES IN NEED, OR VISIT THEIR WEBSITE TO MAKE AN ONLINE DONATION. SO FAR THEY HAVE RAISED OVER $107,000, SO GO ON, YOU! WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THE TALLY. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` IS THAT YOUR PHONE? < YES. FLOCK OF SEAGULLS. < IT'S JUST SOME SEAGULLS. (LAUGHS) THAT'S A WHISKY, ISN'T IT? (LAUGHS HEARTILY) AND TRUE TO HIS WORD, MARC ELLIS MADE OUR TIM PAY. I WAS A BIT SLOW. HANG ON. WELL, IT'S CORDIAL. HAI. (COUGHS) DOOR SLAMS She's in a violent relationship, and she's doing her best to hide it. Her mum, her aunties, friends and neighbours. They all know something's going on, but no one's saying anything. It's hard to know what to do. Ange. Are you OK? But the sooner you reach out to someone living with family violence, the sooner they can get help. Find out more at... I was saying that we are having BLuff oysters for dinner tonight. Pippa was suggesting that Bluff keeps all the good oysters. That would be a classic fair go story. Would bluff keep the best oysters? WE sent Brodie Kane out to do a story magazine's on tonight show. WE SHOULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT BURMA, BECAUSE WE LEARNT TODAY YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU DO THERE. KIWI BAR MANAGER PHILIP BLACKWOOD HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS IN JAIL BECAUSE OF THIS ` A BUDDHA WEARING HEADPHONES, WHICH HE USED IN AN ONLINE ADVERTISEMENT. SO THAT GOT US THINKING ABOUT OTHER STRANGE LAWS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT MIGHT TRIP YOU UP. HAYDN JONES BRINGS US UP TO SPEED. RULE NUMBER ONE OF TRAVELLING ` IF YOU WANNA STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, RESPECT LOCAL CUSTOMS. LIKE IN IRAN, SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE CAN GET YOU LASHED. HOMOSEXUALITY CAN END IN A FIRING SQUAD OR STONING. IN NORTHERN IRELAND, GETTING AN ABORTION CAN LEAD TO LIFE IN PRISON. SLAM! AND IN HONG KONG, IT'S WIDELY ACCEPTED A WIFE CAN KILL HER HUSBAND FOR CHEATING, ALTHOUGH SHE MUST USE HER BARE HANDS. DON'T ASK WHY. THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE REALLY ABSURD. IN SINGAPORE, YOU CAN BE FINED $5000 FOR NOT FLUSHING THE TOILET. TOILET FLUSHES AND IN FLORIDA, BLOWING OFF AFTER 6PM ON A THURSDAY IS ILLEGAL. HOLD OFF TILL FRIDAY. BUT ESPECIALLY BE CAREFUL WHEN TRAVELLING IN NZ. DRIVE ERRATICALLY AND LOCALS MAY TAKE YOUR KEYS. THEY MAY NOT HAVE A LICENCE THEMSELVES, BUT HEY! IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY. AND IF YOU FIND YOURSELF A JUDGE ON A REALITY SHOW, DON'T EVER BE RUDE. I AM EMBARRASSED TO BE SITTING HERE IN YOUR PRESENCE. THE LOCALS WILL BULLY YOU ENDLESSLY, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR JOB AND END UP HAVING TO FLEE THE COUNTRY WEARING SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT. DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU. That was very funny. What is the law? In York, city walls it is legal to shoot a Scotsman with a bow and arrow. That is still a law. Up until a couple of years ago. The flushing toilet law in Singapore is a good rule. If we implement it here, things would improve dramatically. In Singapore, it is illegal to walk around naked in your own house. My brother lived in Singapore, and he was a naked walker. I think he could've been seriously in trouble. MARC ELLIS. HE'S A JACK OF ALL TRADES, ISN'T HE? SPORTSMAN, TV LARRIKIN, BUSINESSMAN. BUT NOW HE'S SINGING A NEW SONG. RUNNING A WORLDWIDE SHOWCASE OF BUSKERS FOR A CAR COMPANY. TIM WILSON WITH THE REBIRTH OF A SALESMAN. A DUDE CALLED DARIO DOING THE TIN-PAN ALLEY THING IN ITALY; A FELLOW CALLED NICK FIDDLING AROUND ON K'RD; HE'S FANTASTIC. IT'S ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS. A YOUNG WOMAN BUSKING IN NEW ORLEANS. # LAST NIGHT IN THE GLASS ROOM... # THEY'RE PART OF A HUGE INTERNET TALENT CONTEST PUT TOGETHER BY MARC ELLIS. IT'S CALLED 'FEEL THE STREET'. WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT GO. WE HOPE IT DOES EVERYTHING IT COULD TO GIVE EXPOSURE TO AMAZING ARTISTS THE WORLD OVER, AND I GUESS IF TOYOTA ARE THE COMPANY WHO ARE THE ONES BRINGING IT TO YOU, I GUESS ONE OF TWO PEOPLE MIGHT SAY CHEERS. HUNDREDS OF BUSKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD... (SINGS FREESTYLE) AND IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE THIS PLATFORM TO DO IT. SO I'M PRETTY GRATEFUL. ...ATTRACTING A POSSIBLE AUDIENCE IN THE MILLIONS, ALL VYING FOR YOUR VOTE AND A PRIZE. SEXING UP COROLLAS GOT MARC ELLIS, AS THE OPERATOR OF A SMALL AD AGENCY, SHOOTING ON THE STREETS OF BUENOS AIRES. THERE'S CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN WHERE YOU DON'T WALK AROUND WITH A NICE WATCH. I CALL THEM THE HYENAS. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE, LAUGHING, WATCHING AMERICAN TOURISTS WITH BIG CAMERAS. AND YOU KNOW THAT SOON AS THEY MAKE A MISTAKE, YOU'VE LOST YOUR WATCH, YOUR CAMERA YOUR BAG. EVERYTHING'S GONE. ELLIS MARCHES TO A DIFFERENT DRUM. YOU'RE DOING A PERFECTLY NORMAL INTERVIEW ABOUT BUSKING AND MUSIC. IT IS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE, AND IT'S AN AMAZING THING TO GET A BIT CLOSER TO. SOON THE BACKGROUND BECOMES THE FOREGROUND. # DON'T WORRY ABOUT A THING. # COS EVERY LITTLE THING'S GONNA BE ALL RIGHT. # DITTO WITH THAT DRUM ` HE'S PLAYING IT. A RANDOM APPEARS. (PLAYS GENTLE MELODY) THIS IS ME BUSKING, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN BUSKING. AN ALL-TIME NZ TEST TRY-SCORING RECORD! FOOTBALLER, STUNT MAN, JUICE BRINGER. MARC ELLIS IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE 'NEW' NEW THING. I'VE LIVED CHAPTERS. I` I DON'T REALLY LOOK BACK. APPLAUSE I DON'T MIND IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME FOR IT. I'D RATHER LOOK OVER THERE. THE 'OVER THERE' IS ALWAYS HERE FOR MARC ELLIS. YOU'RE DOING A PERFECTLY NORMAL INTERVIEW, WHICH THE DOG SEEMS TO BE ENJOYING WHEN... IS THAT YOUR PHONE? YES. FLOCK OF SEAGULLS. IT'S JUST SOME SEAGULLS. THAT'S A WHISKEY, ISN'T IT? WELL, I SUPPOSE SO. CHEERS. GOD BLESS. (COUGHS) WHICH MAY BE WHY WE THOUGHT WE'D GIVE IT A CRACK. INCOHERENT MUSIC PLAYS I was just saying did you notice how he was drinking out of his left hand. Is that a rule? The cat! We Will have to do that tomorrow night. SO, A PREGNANT WOMAN WALKS INTO A BAR, ORDERS A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE AND THE BAR SAYS NO. OK, MAYBE NOT JOKE MATERIAL, BUT A STORY THAT'S GOT YOU GUYS TALKING TODAY. BEFORE I CONTINUE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE ADVICE FROM THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IS THAT THERE IS NO KNOWN SAFE LEVEL OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION FOR PREGNANT WOMEN. SO ABSTAIN ` AND I WHOLLY SUPPORT THAT ` BUT IS IT A BAR'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DECIDE WHETHER A PREGNANT WOMAN SHOULD HAVE A DRINK OR NOT? THE BAR HAS NOW APOLOGISED FOR ITS REFUSAL TO SERVE THE WOMAN. BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF SUPPORT OUT THERE FOR THEIR ACTION, AND PERHAPS RIGHTLY SO. YOU SEE THIS IS A SITUATION THAT CALLED FOR DISCRETION. BUT DISCRETION CAN BE A TRICKY THING. IN A SCENARIO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE A PREGNANT WOMAN ORDERED AND CONSUMED SEVERAL GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE, I'D CERTAINLY HOPE BAR STAFF WOULD STEP IN AND REFUSE TO SERVE THEM. SO LET'S NOT GIVE THEM TOO MUCH FLAK. BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY, RIGHT? GOOD NEWS TODAY FOR AUCKLAND AND BY INFERENCE THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. IF HERALD REPORTAGE IS CORRECT, MAYOR LEN BROWN HAS BEEN ABANDONED BY HIS INNER CIRCLE OF SUPPORTERS WHO ARE NOW URGING HIM NOT TO STAND IN THE NEXT ELECTION. THEY SAY HE WON'T BE ABLE TO RAISE MONEY, HE WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND PEOPLE TO STICK HIS BILLBOARDS UP, SUCH IS THE CALAMITY AND EMBARRASSMENT OF HIS MAYORAL TENURE. ONLY THING MISSING IN THAT OTHERWISE LOGICAL ARGUMENT IS A REPLACEMENT. THE LEFT MIGHT NOT BACK BROWN ANY MORE, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO HAND CONTROLS TO THE OTHER SIDE. COME ON IN, PHIL GOFF, WHO SAID TODAY HE'S GIVING IT DEEP AND SERIOUS THOUGHT. AND IN DOING SO SOLVES THE LAST REMAINING PROBLEM ` A CREDIBLE CANDIDATE. HE'S GOT NAME RECOGNITION, EXPERIENCE, A GOOD TRACK RECORD AND BRINGS WITH HIM A CERTAIN CACHE. IF THE CENTRE-RIGHT CAN PUT UP A JOHN BANKS OR A MICHAEL BARNETT, WHAT YOU THEN HAVE AT LAST IS THE SORT OF RACE THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST CITY DESERVES ` REAL CANDIDATES WITH REAL EXPERIENCE AND A PROPER SENSE OF GRAVITAS THAT'S BEEN APPALLINGLY MISSING SINCE THE CURRENT CIRCUS ROLLED INTO TOWN. CAPTIONS BY AMY PARK AND JESSICA BOELL CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2015