A unique look at the US presidential debate. Tim Wilson has been to a few of them. TONIGHT ON THE SHOW ` WHAT WAS IT LIKE AS A FEMALE MUSLIM CANDIDATE IN THE LOCAL ELECTION? DID PEOPLE SEE THE DIFFERENCE AS A GOOD THING OR BAD? YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE, BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU LOOK. PLUS, THIS IS AS CHALLENGING AS IT LOOKS. UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN SOMEONE HOLD THAT, YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE. BUT IMAGINE DOING IT AFTER NOT ONE BUT TWO HIP REPLACEMENTS. AND THEY MAY BE MAKING A LIVING OUT OF BEING FUNNY, SO WHY ARE THESE CLOWNS ASKING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY? DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. Good to see you. I wish I could say the same about you. Here's harassing me about having a week. Most people were welcoming me back with open arms. Lovely to see you. SO, THANK GOD THE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS ARE OVER! MOST OF US DIDN'T TURN UP OR OUT. MOST OF US DIDN'T CARE. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM, BUT MORE ON THAT LATER. BUT NO MATTER HOW FLAWED, WE HAVE WINNERS AND LOSERS. A FEW NEW FACES FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO THOSE SKULKING AWAY, TAIL BETWEEN THEIR LEGS. BUT NOT EVERYONE WHO FAILED TO GET ENOUGH VOTES IS FEELING BAD. GHADAIR AL-SHEMARI WAS A NEWCOMER THIS YEAR, AND AS A REFUGEE, A WOMAN AND A MUSLIM, SHE'S NOT YOUR TYPICAL LOCAL BOARD CANDIDATE. BUT SHE THINKS SHE'S THE START OF SOMETHING NEW. SO GILL HIGGINS PUT THAT TO THE TEST. WE SAW A LOT OF CANDIDATES LIKE THIS. BUT ONLY ONE LIKE THIS. THE DIFFERENCE IS HOW I LOOK. HOW I ACT. WHAT I EAT. BEING THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENCES, HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN REPRESENT EVERYBODY IN NZ? THERE ARE 140 CULTURES IN AUCKLAND ALONE, SO SHARE SIMILARITIES AND EMBRACE THE DIFFERENCES. I THINK THEY NEED ME TO BE THERE. LISA, HER FRIEND AND MENTOR, THINKS SHE'S SPOT ON. I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TIME FOR SOMEONE LIKE HER TO BE STEPPING UP AS A LEADER. YET WHEN DOOR KNOCKING FOR SUPPORT,... I'M REALLY NERVOUS. ...SHE SOMETIMES FEELS SHUNNED. I CAN SMELL FOOD. I DID SEE SOMEBODY MOVING, BUT, YEAH... SURELY THEY OPEN THEIR DOORS FOR SOMEBODY. BUT, AND THAT'S WHEN I WAS, LIKE, 'OH MY GOD, I AM DIFFERENT IN A BAD WAY, NOT A POSITIVE WAY.' I WOULDN'T BE NERVOUS IF I WASN'T MUSLIM, TO BE HONEST. WHAT IF THEY SEE THE MIC AND THEY THINK IT'S SOMETHING ELSE LIKE A BOMB. I'M NOT BEING FUNNY. WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE TAKE WITH US BECAUSE OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING, REPRESENTING OUR RELIGION IN THE WRONG WAY. GHADAIR AL-SHEMARI IS OUT TO CHANGE THOSE VIEWS. SHE WANTS TO MAKE 'BEING DIFFERENT' A GOOD THING. DIVERSITY IS ABOUT EVERYBODY. DISABILITY. IT COULD BE ABOUT TRANSGENDER, IT COULD BE ABOUT GAY. IT COULD BE ABOUT AGE. BEFORE HER QUEST FOR ELECTION, SHE'D ALREADY WORKED HARD AT PROMOTING ACCEPTANCE. I WAS A STUDENT ADVISER IN THE PAST. A YOUTH LEADER. SHE'S ACTUALLY AMAZING LIKE THAT. SHE SETS UP EVENTS IN COMMUNITIES. SHE PRETTY MUCH STARTS THEM, PROJECT MANAGES THEM FROM START TO FINISH. SHE RAISES FUNDS. IT'S ALL PART OF HER PLAN TO GIVE BACK BECAUSE GHADAIR IS A REFUGEE. SHE WAS BORN IN KUWAIT. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN. I REMEMBER IT AS A HAPPY TIME BEFORE THE WAR. BUT THEN THE FIGHTING PUT THE FAMILY AT RISK AS HER FATHER WAS A TARGET. HE WAS DETAINED FOR A YEAR AND SIX MONTHS. WE LEFT KUWAIT IN CARS ` I HOPE I'M NOT GONNA CRY ` TO GO... TO ESCAPE TO JORDAN NOT KNOWING THE FACT NOW THAT WE ACTUALLY SAID OUR LAST GOODBYES. AT AGE 6, NZ BECAME HOME. IT WAS STRANGE. SEEING BLONDE AND BLUE EYES, YOU KNOW. DID YOU FEEL ACCEPTED? VERY MUCH. SHE HAD A KIWI UPBRINGING BUT EMBRACES HER FAMILY'S CULTURE; SOMETHING SHE SEES AS A GREAT COMBO TO A DIVERSE AND WELCOMING NZ. IT'S VERY COURAGEOUS. I BELIEVE THAT SHE HAS A PURPOSEFUL LIFE. DO YOU LIKE MY MUDDY SHOES? ON THE LAST DAY OF CAMPAIGNING SHE TOOK TO THE STREETS AGAIN, AND DESPITE ONE HAIRY ENCOUNTER,... DOG BARKS OH GOD. I CAN'T LOOK AT THE DOG. ...THE RESPONSES WERE MUCH MORE POSITIVE. I JUST LIKE DIVERSITY. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT A MUSLIM ON THE LOCAL BOARD? HOPE YOU GET HEAPS OF VOTES. I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING. THAT WHEN YOU GET TO THAT NEXT GENERATION OF IMMIGRATION, AND SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE TO THE COUNTRY, IT NEEDS TO BE ENCOURAGED. THAT'S THE THING I REALLY WANT TO DO. I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY. I'M REALLY HAPPY. AND SHE SEES ALL THIS AS GOOD GROUNDWORK, WHETHER SHE GETS IN OR NOT. NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW. I MEAN THREE MORE YEARS. That is the sort of person I would have voted for. What ever! She did not get and by the way. The guy at the door was right. It is the classic immigration story. Making a contribution. As she came to my door and told me that story I would have voted for her. You did not have a clue who you voted for. Did you? I voted for the mayor because I knew who the candidates were. I did not know any of the other names. The hospital is the biggest joke in the country. That we elect Bob and Betty to run hospitals we we do not know who they are. I did some research. Did you only vote for mayor? He helps with the health board Stuff. It took time. You have to know who you vote for. They delivered them in the pouring rain so was all soggy. They wonder why only 37% of people turn up. I have a beautiful letterbox about on a rainy day it still leaks. It has nothing to do with local body politics. You are an angry beast. The argument is we have debate is a pain in if we do not it is our fault. But any business if you do not succeed it is your fault. They need to do something about it and fix it. 85% of people do not want anything to do with you. I am right. It was really hard to pick people. I agree. We have more on that later. It will all be different when I run it. WELL, IT SEEMS THE GLOVES ARE WELL AND TRULY OFF NOW, AREN'T THEY! NOW THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS TURNED THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE INTO A CONTACT SPORT. THIS WAS LOCKER ROOM TALK. WE'RE SPORTSCASTING THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE. OH, COME ON! WHAT A BOZO! COMING UP. PLUS, FROM ONE PACKS OF CLOWNS TO ANOTHER. SEE WHAT I DID THERE? WHY IT'S TIME TO REMEMBER THAT 'CLOWN LIVES MATTER'. AND HE'S ABOUT AS CLOSE TO SPIDERMAN AS PEOPLE CAN GET. IT IS JUST A SERIES OF PROBLEM SOLVING IT. BUT WHAT ALMOST STOPPED HIM FROM CLIMBING ALTOGETHER? HE WAS LIKE, 'DUDE, YOU'RE TOAST, MAN. YOU NEED TO GO SEE A SURGEON.' 1 TENSE MUSIC (SIGHS) BEEPING, INDISTINCT SPEECH LOUD CLANGING CLATTERING CAR ALARM CHIRPS TENSE MUSIC What sort of music is that? Ole ole. It is good to be back. Everyone says it is better now that I am back. NOW, WE'LL GET TO THIS CLOWN IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT FIRST, THESE CLOWNS ` ACTUAL CLOWNS. QUICK QUESTION ` DOES THIS IMAGE FILL YOU WITH AN UNSPEAKABLE TERROR? IF SO, YOU'RE NOT ALONE. THE IRRATIONAL FEAR OF CLOWNS IS KNOWN AS COULROPHOBIA, WHICH LEADS YOU TO ASK, 'WHY DON'T THEY JUST CALL IT CLOWNPHOBIA?' RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, IT'S PROBABLY NOT THAT IRRATIONAL. FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, CREEPY CLOWNS HAVE BEEN SPOTTED ACROSS AMERICA DOING, WELL, NOT MUCH AT ALL, REALLY. ACTUALLY, IT'S THE CLOWNS THEMSELVES WHO ARE IN DANGER. IT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY'RE SO CREEPY THAT NOW YOU'VE GOT ANTI-CLOWN MOBS SPRINGING UP. THIS IS ONE OF THEM AT PENN STATE UNIVERSITY. DOESN'T LOOK HYSTERICAL OR OUT OF CONTROL AT ALL (!) SO, FOR ONCE, CLOWNS ARE ASKING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THEY'VE CRANKED OUT A CAMPAIGN CALLED 'CLOWN LIVES MATTER'. I WISH I WAS JOKING. AND THIS IS IN THE LEAD-UP TO AMERICA'S NATIONAL CLOWN DAY AS WELL. IT'D BE EASY TO LAUGH ABOUT IT, EXCEPT IT'S HAPPENING HERE NOW TOO. THIS IS IN PORIRUA. THIS HAPPENED IN CHRISTCHURCH THE OTHER DAY. AND POLICE ARE EVEN INVESTIGATING AN ASSAULT INVOLVING TWO CLOWNS OVER THE WEEKEND. SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT THIS CLOWN STUFF IS ACTUALLY ABOUT ` A MARKETING GIMMICK, A SICK FAD ` RIGHT NOW, IT'S APPARENTLY NO LAUGHING MATTER. I don't really know how to talk about clowns without laughing. I can't take it seriously. One of my kids has a clown fear. So your child is sitting there crying now. I told them to harden up. It is a modern invention. The were scary clowns. It is the movie It. More fool you. Our producers were like I know I will give him the clown story. It was a Stephen King one. SPEAKING OF CLOWNS, THIS WEEKEND WE HEARD THOSE REVELATIONS OF WHAT DONALD TRUMP REALLY THINKS ABOUT WOMEN. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL RACE HAS TURNED INTO A CONTACT SPORT. SO THAT'S HOW WE'VE DECIDED TO APPROACH TODAY'S DEBATE ` Who knows what the numbers will be. LIKE A SPORT. SOMEONE LOSES. SOMEONE WINS. IT'S A SPECTACLE. TIM WILSON JOINS FORCES WITH SPORTSCASTING LEGEND AND POLITCAL JUNKIE JOHN DVBIG. AMERICA'S NATIONAL ANTHEM PLAYS SURE AS EVERY MATCH HAS A WINNER AND A LOSER, EVERY FIGHT HAS A BEGINNING. YOU'VE GOT TRUMP WHO HAS A WOMAN PROBLEM AND CLINTON WHO HAS A TRUTH PROBLEM. CLINTON'S GOT A HUSBAND PROBLEM. BOOM! THE ROUGH STUFF STARTS PRETTY QUICKLY. WHAT'S TO SAY` THAT HAS NOT BEEN DEBUNKED. SO, PLEASE` THAT HAS NOT BEEN DEBUNKED. I WAS AGAINST` NO, I WASN'T. I WAS GONE. I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU BUT` BUT YOU WERE IN CONTACT. EXCUSE ME. YOU WERE IN TOTAL CONTACT. AND I THINK SHE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HERSELF, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH. THIS IS LIKE A WRESTLING MATCH! THEY'RE JUST... PUNCH! IT IS. IT IS. IT'S JUST ONE COUNTER-PUNCH AFTER ANOTHER. ANSWER THE QUESTION. DO YOU STILL BELIEVE` YOU INTERRUPT ME ALL THE TIME. WHY DON'T YOU INTERRUPT HER? THIS IS GUTTER POLITICS USA. WE'RE GONNA DEFEAT ISIS. ISIS HAPPENED` EVERY TIME HE SAYS ISIS, SCULL. ...WITH ISIS. SCULL! I WILL KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF ISIS. SCULL! SCULL! IT'S JUST AWFULLY GOOD THAT SOMEONE WITH THE TEMPERAMENT OF DONALD TRUMP IS NOT IN CHARGE OF THE LAW IN OUR COUNTRY. BECAUSE YOU'D BE IN JAIL. RAUCOUS CHEERS (YELLS INDISTINCTLY) IS THAT REALLY THE CROWD? HEY, TIMMY, THIS IS GONNA BE BORING. I'M GONNA GO GET A DRINK. GET OUTTA HERE. WHAT THE...? JOHN WAS RIGHT. IT WAS BORING. BLAH. YOU KNOW WHY THIS IS BORING, THOUGH? BECAUSE IT'S FACTS. IT'S <BLEEP>. SHE'S ACTUALLY DONE. AND NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THAT. THEY WANNA HEAR THE HEADLINE. WE'RE GOING TO DEFEAT ISIS. SCULL! AFTER 90 LONG MINUTES, THE FIGHT ENDS. CROWD ROARS OK, THIS IS HOW IT LOOKED. AND THE WINNER... I GIVE IT ON POINTS TO HILLARY FOR SUBSTANCE AND PLANS AND ACTUALLY THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE. DOES THAT MEAN SHE'S WON? NO. NO? BLUSTER WINS EVERY TIME. THE DONALD SET THE BAR SO LOW, HE WINS. TUNE IN NEXT TIME. UNBELIEVABLE, HUH? Here is a lot like our local body elections. Trump won because he had so much against him today and he had such a poor first time out. Him improving on what he did and turning up was a win. He iswinning because he is playing the sport better rather than going with policy I cannot wait to be there. It is more and more exciting by the day. SHE'S KEEPING GIRL POWER ON TRACK. I THINK A LOT OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE IS THAT IT'S A DIRTY, GRUBBY, ROUGH INDUSTRY. IT'S NOT THAT AT ALL. YOU CAN STILL DO THE JOB AND STILL BE FEMININE. WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS WOMAN AT THE WHEEL? AND WHAT DO YOU CALL A ROCK CLIMBER WITH TWO HIP REPLACEMENTS? SEFTON PRIESTLEY. WE'RE AT CASTLE ROCK TO SEE WHAT HE'S GOT, AND I'LL TELL YA, IT'S FREAKY. Ghetto Superstar plays I think it is incredible. Ghetto Superstar. This is a remake of course. Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. Written by Barry Gibb. He is a nice guy. Touring Australia. That was for Luke Gibson. Thank you for sending it in. He was the first person to invite me to the ball at high school. So you are now doing requests for boyfriends. How tragic. Thanks, Luke. Ring me Luke. Tell me about prom night. I heard the stories about you on hay bales. If you have photographs seen them in Luke. IF WE TOLD YOU SEFTON PRIESTLEY HAS HAD BOTH HIPS REPLACED, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T GUESS THAT HE'S ONLY 33. AND IF WE TOLD YOU HE'S BACK COMPETING IN HIS CHOSEN SPORT, YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T GUESS THAT IT'S ROCK CLIMBING. YES, HE'S ALL OF THOSE THINGS. PLUS, HE'S THE NATIONAL CHAMPION ` AGAIN. MIKE THORPE WENT TO CASTLE HILL, WHICH IS ON THE WAY TO ARTHURS PASS, TO MET UP WITH NZ'S ANSWER TO SPIDERMAN. ELECTRONIC MUSIC HANDS AND FEET. THAT'S ALL A ROCK CLIMBER HAS TO WORK WITH. IT IS JUST A SERIES OF PROBLEM SOLVING. COULD YOU TOE-CLAMP, LIKE, BICYCLE THAT ONE? (GASPS) I COULD TRY. AND YOU SOLVE THAT PROBLEM USING YOUR BODY. SEFTON PRIESTLEY SOLVES THEM BETTER THAN MOST. (GRUNTS) HE'S BEEN CROWNED NZ'S BEST IN THREE DIFFERENT DECADES. SO I WAS 15 WHEN I WON IT THE FIRST TIME. I STARTED THE TREND OF PUNK KIDS, YOU KNOW (LAUGHS) HANDING IT TO THE OLDIES. HE'S HAD CLIMBING IN HIS BLOOD SINCE BEFORE HE COULD WALK. I WAS CAUGHT UP A LADDER AT 6 MONTHS. NOW AT THE RIPE OLD AGE OF 33,... I'M WASHED UP ALREADY! ...HE'S THE GURU. TRY WHAT YOU DID LAST TIME BUT DON'T FALL OFF SO MUCH. BUT INDOORS HAS A CEILING. I MAINLY CLIMB INDOORS TO HELP TRAIN FOR OUTDOOR GOALS. SO, FOR ME, ROCK CLIMBING IS THE NUMBER ONE. ELECTRONIC MUSIC AND SEFTON'S NUMBER ONE ROCK PARK IS CASTLE HILL. IT'S JUST A HUGE BIG FIELD OF BOULDERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS BEAUTIFUL ALPINE VALLEY, AND PEOPLE COME FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD TO CLIMB THERE. THIS IS HIS PLAYGROUND. OUTDOOR CLIMBING IS... IT'S INFINITE IN ITS VARIETY. THERE ARE NO TWO BITS OF ROCK THAT ARE THE SAME. SEE, THE COOL THING ABOUT BOULDERING IS THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT ` OR MORE THAN ONE WAY TO CLIMB A ROCK. BUT HE'S LUCKY TO BE CLIMBING AT ALL. SO IN 2007 WHEN A VERY EXPERIENCED PHYSIO, WHO IS ALSO A CLIMBER, SAW ME CLIMBING AND HE JUST SAID, 'MATE, LIE DOWN.' STARTED DOING SOME RANGE-OF-MOTION TESTING. HE WAS LIKE, 'DUDE, YOU'RE TOAST, MAN. YOU NEED TO GO SEE A SURGEON.' (GRUNTS) SURE ENOUGH, HE NEEDED A HIP REPLACEMENT. FIRST ONE AT WHAT AGE? 29. 29?! YEAH. SIX MONTHS LATER, HE'D HAD BOTH HIPS DONE. DID YOU EVER THINK YOU'D CLIMB AGAIN? I DIDN'T KNOW. EVEN IF I COULD JUST CLIMB JUST WITH MY ARMS, I PROBABLY WOULD'VE TRIED IT. SEE, TRYING IS MOST IMPORTANT THING TO SEFTON. NOW YOU CAN REACH UP TO THAT ONE RIGHT THERE. GO, GO, GO, GO, GO OH! NOW REACH. NOW REACH OVER THE TOP. YEAH! WHAT A BOSS! WHOO-HOO! THANK YOU! OH! THANK YOU. THANK YOU! WHAT A BOSS! BUT GREATER CHALLENGES LIE AHEAD. ELECTRONIC MUSIC JUST AROUND THE CORNER IS ACTUALLY THE HARDEST BOULDER PROBLEM IN NZ. THIS ONE IS? YEAH, RIGHT HERE. IT'S CALLED BIOTRONIC. AND NONE OF US KIWIS HAVE DONE IT YET. ALL I SEE IS A COUPLE OF MINOR INDENTATIONS. ARE YOU CALLING THEM HOLDS? YEAH, YEAH. THERE'S JUST THE TIPS OF YOUR FINGERS. AND AT ONE POINT, YOU'RE JUST HOLDING WALL. (MOUTHS) YEAH. UNTIL YOU'VE SEEN SOMEONE HOLD THAT, YOU JUST CAN'T IMAGINE. TODAY'S CHALLENGE, THOUGH, IS SEFTON'S FAVOURITE BOULDER PROBLEM ` CALLED BIO HAZARD. IT INCLUDES REALLY GYMNASTIC, REALLY AGGRESSIVE BIG MOVEMENTS ON QUITE BIG HOLDS, BUT YOU'RE KIND OF THROWING YOURSELF AROUND A BIT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE QUITE HIGH UP THE BOULDER, AND THE HOLDS RUN OUT. IT'S SO EFFORTLESS, YOU ALMOST FORGET THE DANGER. DO YOU WANT TO MOVE IT JUST IN THIS AREA DOWN HERE? AT 33 THIS OLD MAN OF CLIMBING HAS STILL GOT THE GOODS, AND THAT'S NOT ALL. (YELLS) I'VE STILL GOT USEABLE HIPS! And isn't Castle Hill beautiful? It is beautiful. Near Mount Cheeseman. Beautiful landscape. Looks like he has recovered from his surgery so well. You get better hips. A younger person will recover quickly. IMAGINE BEING THE PERSON IN CHARGE OF 1300 TONS. THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE TO DRIVE A TRAIN. TONIGHT, WE GO BEHIND THE WHEEL OF ONE ENORMOUS LOCOMOTIVE TO MEET AN ENGINEER WITH A BIT OF A DIFFERENCE. SO WE'RE PRETTY MUCH GOOD TO GO. ALL THE CAB CHECKS HAVE BEEN DONE. THANK YOU, NIGEL. RADIO CHECK LOUD AN CLEAR. TODAY'S LOAD IS 1360 TONS. THE LOT SHOULD BE COMING UP. PULLING OUT. TRAIN HORN BLOWS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED BY IT. I'VE ALWAYS LIKED THE INDUSTRY. YEAH. IT WAS SOMETHING I REALLY WANTED TO GIVE A GO. THERE'S ONLY NINE FEMALE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS IN KIWIRAIL THROUGHOUT NZ. BUT, NO, THERE'S NO ISSUE WITH BEING A FEMALE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER. THE TEAMS ARE REALLY GOOD. THE GUYS ARE REALLY GOOD. I THINK IT'S WITH ANY JOB, IF YOU DO IT WELL, YOU'LL GET THE RESPECT THAT YOU DESERVE. MOST PEOPLE ARE QUITE INTRIGUED WHEN YOU TELL THEM WHAT I DO. THEY LAUGH QUITE A BIT. I'VE HAD A FEW COMMENTS, 'BUT YOU'RE SO SMALL!' WELL, I DON'T HAVE TO PUSH THEM, I'M AFRAID! I ONLY HAVE TO DRIVE THEM. I THINK A LOT OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE IS THAT IT'S A DIRTY, GRUBBY, ROUGH INDUSTRY. IT'S NOT THAT AT ALL. YOU CAN STILL DO THE JOB. STILL BE FEMININE. ALARM BLARES THE THINGS WE SEE FROM THE CAB. PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON THING IS PEOPLE RUNNING RAILWAY-ROAD CROSSINGS. I FIND THAT QUITE STRESSFUL. YOU COULD HAVE UP TO A 2000-TON TRAIN TRAVELLING TOWARD YOU AT 80 K'S AN HOUR. SO IF YOU ARE IN THE WAY, YOU ARE REALLY REALLY PUTTING YOURSELF IN A POWER OF DANGER. THEY CERTAINLY WON'T WIN THAT ARGUMENT. THE JOB IS DIFFERENT EVERY DAY. THERE IS NO DAY THAT IS EXACTLY THE SAME. WE DON'T JUST SIT THERE AND PUSH A BUTTON. YEAH, THE VIEW IS PRETTY SPECIAL, ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR WHEN THERE'S LOTS OF SNOW ON THE MOUNTAINS. IT'S QUITE BEAUTIFUL. Lovely to hear someone happy in the work. THE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS WERE PRETTY DIRE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, AUCKLAND'S NEW MAYOR, PHIL GOFF, HAS BEEN VERY CRAFTY OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS IN GETTING PEOPLE TO TAKE NOTICE. HE'S STARTED HIS TERM ASSOCIATING HIMSELF WITH TWO OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BOSSES OF AIR NZ. IT'S A MASTERSTROKE. HE WANTS PEOPLE TO HAVE A BETTER PERCEPTION OF THE COUNCIL. WELL IN MY MIND, IF HE'S CONSULTING ROB FYFE AND NORM THOMPSON, HE'S ALREADY ON HIS WAY TO ACHIEVING THAT. PHIL GOFF FEELS LIKE A SAFE PAIR OF HANDS. BUT BY BRINGING IN THE LIKES OF ROB FYFE, YOU'RE GETTING FRESH BLOOD AND THAT BIT OF EDGINESS THE COUNCIL SO DESPERATELY NEEDS. LET'S NOT FORGET HE WAS THE CEO PREPARED TO BE BODY PAINTED WHILST TRYING TO IMPROVE THE CULTURE OF HIS COMPANY. IF THAT'S WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT FROM PHIL GOFF, THEN THINGS MIGHT JUST GET MORE INTERESTING YET. AND THAT, TO BE FAIR, IS A GENUINELY GOOD IDEA. BUT HERE'S YOUR REAL STORY AROUND THE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS. NO ONE CARES. TURNOUT YET AGAIN WAS DOWN. THE VAST MAJORITY OF US COULDN'T BE BOTHERED VOTING. NOT INTERESTED THIS TIME, NOT INTERESTED LAST TIME, HAVEN'T BEEN INTERESTED FOR DECADES. THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES CONCERNED HAVE FAILED FOR A GENERATION TO ENGAGE US, FAILED TO CONVINCE US THAT WHAT THEY DO IS RELEVANT. IT IS TIME TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM. IT IS TIME TO GET RID OF VOTING FOR HEALTH BOARDS. IT IS TIME TO VASTLY REDUCE COUNCIL SIZES. IT IS TIME FOR MORE APPOINTMENTS AND LESS DEMOCRACY, GIVEN WE HAVE REJECTED DEMOCRACY AS A MECHANISM. WE NEED TO STOP BEMOANING THE FACT IT DOESN'T WORK AND ACTUALLY START CHANGING IT. 1 NEWS CAPTIONS BY ASHLEE SCHOLEFIELD AND KATE PARKINSON. SEVEN SHARP CAPTIONS BY INGRID LAUDER AND ANNE LANGFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.