HELLO. IT WAS A BRIEF BUT PLEASANT-LOOKING DAY FOR MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. IT WAS A SMALL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE. NOW BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES, GRAB THE EXTRA LAYERS, WITH ANOTHER ACTIVE WEATHER SYSTEM TO MOVE ITS WAY IN. IT'S GOT A BIT OF EVERYTHING ` SOME RAIN, SOME THUNDER AND SOME SNOW TO SOME PRETTY LOW LEVELS. SO THE HIGH-COUNTRY FARMERS DOWN SOUTH, TAKE SOME NOTE. BUT THEN WE HAVE A BIG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE COMING IN. ALL THE DETAILS COMING UP. RIGHT NOW, IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF 1 NEWS, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. HOUSE PRICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY GO UP. THE LATEST STATS SHOW WHICH AREAS ARE DRIVING IT. WHAT ABOUT THE RED-HOT AUCKLAND MARKET? TEXT MESSAGES AND VIDEO ARE SHOWN AT THE TRIAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING HIS NZ TINDER DATE. AND STRIKING A POSE ` FROM MUSCLE MAN TO DANCING GIRL. THE FIRST MOVIE SHOWN IN NZ, 120 YEARS AGO TODAY. KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. THE COST OF BUYING A HOUSE AROUND THE COUNTRY HAS HIT RECORD LEVELS NOW DRIVEN BY AREAS OUTSIDE AUCKLAND. $515,000 IS THE NEW MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE NATIONWIDE, FIGURES OUT TODAY SHOW. THE BIGGEST MOVERS ` THE CENTRAL OTAGO REGION HERE, QUEENSTOWN-WANAKA UP A WHOPPING 41%. AND THE NELSON-MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT UP 22% IN THE PAST YEAR. UP NORTH, AND LOOKING AT SALES, THE AUCKLAND MARKET SEEMS TO BE COOLING. THE NUMBER OF HOUSES SOLD HAS FALLEN 23% IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER COMPARED TO SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. PAUL HOBBS REPORTS. THIS IS WELLINGTON. THE MARKET'S HOT. 520, 530. BUCKLE UP. 540. KEEP GOING. 615,000. STEP ASIDE, AUCKLAND. THIS IS EVIDENCE THE REST OF NZ HAS CAUGHT THE FEVER. YOU SEE THE CATCH-UP WE'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR THE LAST 12 OR 18 MONTHS AFTER A NUMBER OF YEARS WHERE THOSE MARKETS DID NOT GET THE INCREASE THE AUCKLAND MARKET HAS. WHILE WELLINGTON IS SEEING A 16% RISE IN THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE IN THE PAST YEAR ` NOW $480,000 ` YOU CAN LOOK TO THE REGIONS FOR DRIVING THE PRICE TO A RECORD HIGH. FOR INSTANCE, CENTRAL OTAGO LAKES, WHICH INCLUDES QUEENSTOWN, HAS SEEN A DRAMATIC 41% INCREASE TO ALMOST $700,000. NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES ARE UP 22%. TARANAKI, HAWKE'S BAY AND NORTHLAND UP 15%. ONE ECONOMIST SAYS MUCH OF THAT RISE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE BEING FED UP WITH AUCKLAND PRICES. FOR SOME PEOPLE SELLING UP, THEIR MONEY GOES A LOT FURTHER ELSEWHERE, FOR SOME PEOPLE SELLING UP, THEIR MONEY GOES A LOT FURTHER ELSEWHERE, AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO JUST CAN'T GET INTO THE AUCKLAND HOUSING MARKET LOOKING IN OTHER PLACES. IT'S THE SAME OLD STORY ` SUPPLY AND DEMAND. THE NUMBER OF HOUSES ON THE MARKET IN SEPTEMBER WAS DOWN, SO PRICES HAVE GONE UP. THERE WERE ALMOST A QUARTER FEWER SALES IN AUCKLAND ALONE IN SEPTEMBER COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR. A SIMILAR DROP-OFF IN WAIKATO AND A 10% REDUCTION IN CANTERBURY AND WELLINGTON. THE LATEST FIGURES SHOW AUCKLAND IS STILL OUR MOST UNAFFORDABLE CITY, AND PRICES ARE STILL RISING. EXPERTS BELIEVE THE 40% LOAN-TO-VALUE RESTRICTION NOW IN PLACE NATIONWIDE HAS COOLED INVESTOR SPENDING SOMEWHAT. TIME WILL TELL IF THAT'S A TEMPORARY EFFECT OR IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SEEING MORE PERMANENTLY. BUT UNTIL THE BUILDING OF NEW HOUSES MEETS DEMAND,... AT $705,000, IT'S SOLD, SIR. CONGRATULATIONS. ...SORRY, FIRST HOME BUYERS. THE BIDS MAY JUST KEEP GETTING HIGHER. PAUL HOBBS, 1 NEWS. AND PROJECTS TO BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES IS EMPTYING HOUSING NZ'S COFFERS, AND IT'LL HAVE TO GO CAP-IN-HAND TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR MORE MONEY. TREASURY AND THE CROWN HOUSING PROVIDER WARN THE CASH COULD DRY UP AS SOON AS NEXT YEAR, SO THE FINANCE MINISTER'S PROMISING A TOP-UP. POLITICAL REPORTER KATIE BRADFORD HAS MORE. AMBITIOUS PLANS TO TRANSFORM 300 HOUSES IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB NORTHCOTE TO OVER 1000 IS PUSHING HOUSING NZ TO ITS LIMITS. THE NORTHCOTE DEVELOPMENT IS AMONG MANY OF THE CHANGES HOUSING NZ FACES, BUT THOSE CHANGES HAVE LED TO REPEATED WARNINGS FROM THE COMPANY AND TREASURY THAT HNZ NEEDS MORE CASH IF IT'S TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF BUILDING NEW HOUSES AND MAINTAINING THE ONES IT HAS. THE BALANCE SHEET OF HOUSING NZ HAS BEEN PLUNDERED BY THIS GOVERNMENT. AND THE MINISTER IN CHARGE SAYS YES, HE'LL HAVE TO GIVE IT MORE MONEY. IT'S SIMPLY AN ORGANISATION WHOSE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY IS GROWING, AND THEY WILL LIKELY NEED MORE SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT TO ACHIEVE THAT. IN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, TREASURY WARNED... AND IN A LETTER, THE CHAIR OF HNZ WARNED MR ENGLISH... 'WITHOUT CHANGES TO MANY ASPECTS OF OUR BUSINESS MODEL AND STRUCTURE, 'WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INVEST IN SERVICES THAT DO NOT GENERATE 'AN ADEQUATE FINANCIAL RETURN, AND WE WILL STRUGGLE TO GROW 'HOUSING SUPPLY IN THE AREAS OF HIGHEST NEED.' THIS IS AN ORGANISATION WITH $20B OF ASSETS AND $3B OR $4B OF LIABILITIES. THERE'S NO WAY IT'S GOING BROKE. TO LEAVE THE ORGANISATION THAT SHOULD BE LEADING THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE HOUSING CRISIS, TO LEAVE IT WITHOUT THE RESOURCES TO DO ITS JOB, I THINK THAT'S APPALLING. IT COMES ON THE DAY BILL ENGLISH OPENED THE GOVERNMENT'S BOOKS AND REVEALED A LARGER-THAN-EXPECTED SURPLUS OF $1.8 BILLION DOLLARS. BUT DON'T EXPECT A LOLLY SCRAMBLE, EVEN FOR HOUSING NZ. BILL ENGLISH WANTS THE COMPANY TO ALSO MAKE MONEY FROM THE SALE OF SURPLUS HOUSES. WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO HAND THEM HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS AND HOPE THEY DO A GOOD JOB. JUST HOW MUCH THEY WILL GET, THOUGH ` WELL, THAT'S UNKNOWN. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. AFTER DELIVERING THAT BIGGER-THAN-EXPECTED SURPLUS, THE FINANCE MINISTER'S NOW CONSIDERING CUTTING TAXES. A GROWING ECONOMY AND AN INCREASED TAX TAKE HAS DELIVERED THE GOVERNMENT A $1.8B SURPLUS. BILL ENGLISH'S NOW DANGLING THE PROMISE OF INCOME TAX CUTS AHEAD OF NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION. HAVING SURPLUSES WON'T MEAN WE CHANGE OUR APPROACH TO FISCAL MANAGEMENT. IT JUST MEANS WE'VE GOT A FEW CHOICES WE DIDN'T HAVE IN THE PAST. BUT HE'S MAKING NO FIRM PROMISES, AS THE GOVERNMENT ALSO WANTS TO PAY OFF NATIONAL DEBT. THE MOTHER OF WARRIENA WRIGHT, THE LOWER HUTT WOMAN WHO DIED AFTER FALLING FROM GABLE TOSTEE'S 14TH-FLOOR GOLD COAST BALCONY, IS UPSET AT THE RELEASE OF THE RECORDING OF HER DAUGHTER'S LAST MOMENTS. THE COURT'S HEARD MORE ABOUT THE NIGHT THE 26-YEAR-OLD DIED, INCLUDING MESSAGES FROM TOSTEE VIA THE DATING APP TINDER AND VIDEO OF THE PAIR. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT RUTH WYNN-WILLIAMS WAS IN COURT IN BRISBANE. WARRIENA WRIGHT AND GABLE TOSTEE ARE VIRTUAL STRANGERS WHEN THEY MEET IN CENTRAL SURFERS PARADISE, ONLY CONNECTING SIX DAYS EARLIER ON TINDER. TOGETHER THEY GO TO A BAR BUT ONLY STAY FOR TWO MINUTES. THE GOLD COAST MAN BUYS A SIX PACK OF BEER, AND JUST SEVEN MINUTES AFTER THE COUPLE FIRST MEET IN PERSON, THEY ENTER THE LOBBY OF GABLE TOSTEE'S APARTMENT, GO UPSTAIRS AND BEGIN TO DRINK. IN THE LEAD-UP TO THEIR DATE, THE NZER (26), WHO WAS HOLIDAYING ALONE ON THE GOLD COAST, SHARED SEVERAL MESSAGES WITH TOSTEE ON TINDER AND BY TEXT. THE COURT HAS BEEN TOLD THE LOWER HUTT WOMAN AND THE MAN SHE THOUGHT LOOKED LIKE A 'TELEVISION STAR' REPEATEDLY WRESTLED WITH EACH OTHER AND WERE INTIMATE. AT TIMES, GABLE TOSTEE REFERS TO MS WRIGHT AS 'CLETES' ` A NAME SHE SOMETIMES USED ON HER SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS. THE PATHOLOGIST WHO EXAMINED MS WRIGHT'S BODY TOLD THE COURT HER BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS THREE TIMES OVER THE LEGAL LIMIT. THE NZER WAS SO BADLY INJURED ` IN 80 SEPARATE PLACES ` IT WAS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCURATELY MEASURE THINGS LIKE HER HEIGHT, AND THE JURY HEARD THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MANUAL STRANGULATION ON THE VICTIM'S NECK. POLICE PHOTOGRAPHS PRESENTED IN COURT SHOW RED MARKS AND SCRATCHES ON GABLE TOSTEE'S HEAD AND BODY. THE PROSECUTION SAYS THEY'RE EVIDENCE OF A STRUGGLE. THE DEFENCE CASE IS THAT TOSTEE WAS SIMPLY PROTECTING HIMSELF AND HIS HOME. THEY'LL BEGIN THAT ARGUMENT TOMORROW. RUTH WYNN-WILLIAMS, 1 NEWS, BRISBANE. POLICE NUMBERS LOOK SET TO GET A BOOST, WITH BOTH MAJOR PARTIES PROMISING AN INCREASE TO TACKLE RISING CRIME. LABOUR'S PROMISING A THOUSAND NEW OFFICERS TO BRING DOWN BURGLARIES, SEXUAL ASSAULTS AND DRUG AND VIOLENT CRIME. POLICE MINISTER JUDITH COLLINS SAYS SHE'S BEEN WORKING FOR MONTHS ON A PLAN TO INCREASE COPS ON THE STREETS, WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON. THERE'S A CALL FOR AN URGENT OVERHAUL OF PHARMAC'S DRUG-FUNDING SYSTEM TO HELP SAVE THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF NZERS WITH SECONDARY BREAST CANCER. IT COMES AFTER EMOTIVE PLEAS FROM PATIENTS WHO SAY A LACK OF ACCESS TO FIVE MODERN DRUGS FREELY AVAILABLE OVERSEAS IS COSTING THEM THEIR LIVES. HEALTH REPORTER LORELEI MASON EXPLAINS. THEIR LIVES HANG IN THE BALANCE. SURELY WE MUST BE WORTH... THE EXTRA MONEY TO EXTEND OUR LIVES, TO RAISE OUR FAMILIES, TO WORK. BREAST CANCER PATIENTS ARE LOBBYING THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP FUND FIVE MODERN DRUGS FOR ADVANCED DISEASE. THREE YEARS, TWO YEARS MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU'RE 6 TO HAVE YOUR MUMMY AROUND. PERSONALISED DRUGS LIKE PERJETA AND KADCYLA THE BREAST CANCER AOTEAROA COALITION SAYS ARE FREELY AVAILABLE OVERSEAS. WOMEN ARE FORCED TO EITHER GO WITHOUT TREATMENTS OR TO SELL THEIR HOUSES OR GO OVERSEAS TO GET TREATMENT. IT'S PERSONAL, TOO, FOR AUCKLAND MOTHER MOANA PAPA,... IT'S HARD. IT'S THE HARDEST THING. ...DESPERATE TO LIVE TO SEE HER SON'S 21ST IN DECEMBER. THAT'S ACTUALLY THE THING THAT MAKES ME CRY. NEVER, EVER, EVER WANTED TO LEAVE MY CHILDREN MOTHERLESS. THIS MORNING, SHE WAS ON HER WAY TO HOSPITAL FOR YET MORE CHEMO, WHICH SOON WON'T WORK. I IMPLORE THE GOVERNMENT ` PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP ON US. THE COALITION SAYS NZ NOW HAS THE LOWEST ACCESS TO NEW MEDICINES IN THE OECD, WITH ONLY $180 SPENT YEARLY PER PERSON HERE COMPARED TO $435 IN AUSTRALIA, AND ONLY 14 NEW MEDICINES FUNDED IN THE FIVE YEARS TO 2014 HERE COMPARED TO 59 ACROSS THE TASMAN. I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THE CAP OFF THE PHARMACEUTICALS BUDGET. AT THE MOMENT, TO FUND A NEW MEDICINE, WE HAVE TO UNFUND AN OLD ONE. BUT THE HEALTH MINISTER SAYS PHARMAC'S FUNDING MODEL DELIVERS THE MOST DRUGS TO THE MOST PATIENTS FOR THE BEST VALUE AND WON'T BE CHANGED. HE SAYS THE BUDGET ADDED A FURTHER $40M TO PHARMAC'S $850M PURSE. THOSE PEOPLE ARE IN TERRIBLE SITUATIONS, AND IT IS VERY TOUGH, BUT I DON'T HAVE EXTRA MONEY AT THIS POINT. PHARMAC SAYS IT'S INAPPROPRIATE TO COMMENT RIGHT NOW AS IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF A NINE-DRUG COMMERCIAL DEAL WITH ROCHE, THE MAKERS OF ONE OF THESE DRUGS IN QUESTION, PERJETA. BUT INDICATIONS ARE THAT, FOR PERJETA AT LEAST, THINGS ARE LOOKING MORE POSITIVE. THE PHARMAC BOARD'S DUE TO DISCUSS FUNDING IT NEXT MONTH. IT COULD BE AVAILABLE TO WOMEN AS EARLY AS JANUARY. IF THAT DID HAPPEN, I'D BE VERY VERY PLEASED. AND HOPEFUL IT'LL HAPPEN IN TIME FOR HER. LORELEI MASON, 1 NEWS. 'OVERKILL' AND 'AN EYESORE' ` WORDS USED TO DESCRIBE A CENTRAL CHRISTCHURCH INTERSECTION WHICH HAS A WHOPPING 19 TRAFFIC LIGHT POLES. THE NEWLY INSTALLED LIGHTS AT THE CORNER OF HIGH AND TUAM STREETS ARE NEEDED TO CONTROL SEPARATE FLOWS OF VEHICLE, CYCLE, PEDESTRIAN AND TRAM TRAFFIC. PEOPLE ON THE STREET TODAY SLIGHTLY BEMUSED. HOPEFULLY IT'LL MAKE MORE SENSE WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY LIT THAN JUST BLUE BAGS. SORT OF LOOKING A LITTLE BIT LIKE AN ART INSTALLATION AT THE MOMENT. THE COUNCIL SAYS ALL THE POLES ARE NEEDED BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THE INTERSECTION. THE 19 LIGHTS ARE COSTING ABOUT $160,000. 120 YEARS AGO TODAY, THE FIRST PUBLIC SCREENING OF A MOVIE TOOK PLACE AT THE OPERA HOUSE IN AUCKLAND, AND SOME KIWI CLASSICS ARE BEING ROLLED OUT TO CELEBRATE. BRIAR WELLS TAKES A LOOK BACK AT OUR EARLY DAYS OF CINEMA. FLEXING MUSCLES AND DANCING GIRLS ` THE FIRST PICTURES PLAYED ON THE BIG SCREEN IN AUCKLAND IN 1896. ONE OF OUR EARLIEST FILMMAKERS, TED CUBRAY, WAS A SMALL BOY WHEN THE MOVIES CAME TO TOWN. AND HE HAS A GREAT STORY OF THE TRAIN WAS COMING AT HIM, AND HE WAS MOVING BACKWARDS AND BACKWARDS TO AVOID THE TRAIN, AND HE FELL OFF HIS CHAIR. AS TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED, GOING TO THE MOVIES QUICKLY BECAME A POPULAR PART OF KIWI LIFE. BY THE 1940s, NZERS WENT ABOUT ONCE EVERY FORTNIGHT TO THE MOVIES. THERE WAS, IN 1943, OVER 38 MILLION ADMISSIONS. BUILT IN 1912, THE VICTORIA CINEMA IN DEVONPORT IS THE OLDEST MOVIE HOUSE IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, STILL IN EXISTENCE. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CINEMA, THEY FITTED ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE INTO THIS PLACE. THE SEATS WERE REALLY NARROW TOGETHER, NOT A LOT OF LEG ROOM. YEAH, IT WAS ALL ABOUT NUMBERS. THE VAULTS AT NGA TAONGA SOUND AND VISION IN WELLINGTON PRESERVE OUR OWN FILM HISTORY WITH OVER 750,000 RECORDINGS. AMONG THOSE ARE KIWI CLASSICS THAT'LL BE SCREENED OVER THE NEXT MONTH. HE'S AFTER US. STEP ON IT. 'GOODBYE PORK PIE', WHEN IT WAS RELEASED IN 1981, WAS A HUGE BOX OFFICE HIT. RICKY BAKER. HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE HAS ECLIPSED THE BOX OFFICE AGAIN. FILMS THAT HAVE INSPIRED A NEW GENERATION OF DIRECTORS. HAYDEN WEAR'S 'CHRONESTHESIA' IS NOW PLAYING AT THE AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL IN TEXAS. MICHAEL J FOX, WHO PLAYS MARTY MCFLY IN 'BACK TO THE FUTURE', HE WAS IN A FILM CALLED 'THE FRIGHTENERS' THAT PETER JACKSON DIRECTED. SOMEBODY AT SCHOOL TOLD ME THAT, AND I WAS LIKE, 'WOW, YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE FILMS IN NZ.' A FAVOURITE FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT... QUIRKY CELLO MUSIC ...THAT'S COME A LONG WAY IN 120 YEARS. BRIAR WELLS, 1 NEWS. THE MUD KEEPS FLYING IN THE RACE FOR THE WHITEHOUSE. COMING UP, DONALD TRUMP IS FACING MORE ALLEGATIONS OF SLEAZE, INCLUDING ACCUSATIONS HE HAD 'FREE REIN' AT THE BEAUTY PAGEANT HE USED TO OWN. AND 'THAT'S THE WAY LOVE GOES' ` JANET JACKSON'S BABY NEWS. THE SINGER REVEALING SHE'S TO BECOME A FIRST-TIME MOTHER AT THE AGE OF 50. AND A NEW ENTRANT IN THE VIRTUAL REALITY RACE. IS THIS A GAME CHANGER? WE TAKE A LOOK AT WORLD VIEW FROM THE LATEST IN WHIZZ-BANG TECHNOLOGY. A GROUP OF AUCKLAND BUS DRIVERS CLAIM THEY'RE PUTTING LIVES AT RISK BECAUSE THEY'RE OVERWORKED AND EXHAUSTED. IT'S THE LATEST IN A GROWING NUMBER OF EMPLOYMENT DISPUTES, WHERE UNIONS AND EVEN INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO ARGUE THEY'RE NOT BEING KEPT SAFE AT WORK. RYAN BOSWELL REPORTS. NAVIGATING AUCKLAND'S CONGESTED ROADS CAN BE FRUSTRATING, BUT SOME BUS DRIVERS SAY FOR THEM, THESE ROADS ARE EXHAUSTING AND DANGEROUS, GIVEN THEIR LONG HOURS. YOU'RE REALLY TIRED, AND FATIGUE SETS IN. MERV'S BEEN PUT FORWARD BY FIRST UNION AS PART OF ITS CAMPAIGN TO GET RID OF SPLIT SHIFTS AT HOWICK AND EASTERN BUSES. FOR OVER 50 YEARS, DRIVERS HAVE HAD TO WORK SOME SHIFTS THAT REQUIRE THEM TO TAKE A THREE-HOUR BREAK ` THAT'S UNPAID AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY ` TO ACCOMMODATE THE PEAK TRAVEL TIMES. NO, THEY'RE NOT BREAKING THE LAW, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK 70 HOURS A WEEK? I PUT IT TO YOU NOT MANY PEOPLE DO THAT, NOT WHEN THEY HAVE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF 40 OR 50 PASSENGERS BEHIND THEM. AND IT'S NOT JUST DRIVERS WHO'RE FIGHTING FOR BETTER WORK HOURS. I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO SURVIVE THIS WEEK. JUNIOR DOCTORS TOO SAY THEIR ROSTERS ARE UNSAFE, AND THEY'RE SET TO STRIKE. THIS EMPLOYMENT LAWYER POINTS TO THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTROVERSIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS. I THINK IT'S NOW GIVEN EMPLOYEES AND UNIONS A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE I THINK IT'S NOW GIVEN EMPLOYEES AND UNIONS A LOT MORE CONFIDENCE TO POINT TO THE ACT. THERE'S ALSO BEEN AN INCREASE IN INDIVIDUALS TAKING PERSONAL GRIEVANCES AGAINST THEIR EMPLOYERS FOR NOT PROVIDING A SAFE WORK PLACE. PERSONAL GRIEVANCES IN RELATION TO THE WAY YOU FEEL YOU'VE BEEN TREATED OR MISTREATED, AND EVEN THE HOURS THAT YOU'RE WORKING, IS A COMMON TOOL FOR AN EMPLOYEE TO USE. JUST LIKE THIS HOWICK AND EASTERN BUS EMPLOYEE. YOU TELL THEM YOUR CONCERNS BUT PRETTY MUCH GET FLAGGED OFF. HOWICK AND EASTERN BUSES CLAIMS IT'S NEVER BEEN APPROACHED ABOUT FATIGUE AMONG DRIVERS UNTIL NOW, SAYING SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY. SOME EMPLOYERS AND UNIONS CLEARLY NOT ON THE SAME SCHEDULE WHEN IT COMES TO SAFE WORK HOURS, AND CASES LIKE THIS ARE ONLY EXPECTED TO PICK UP. RYAN BOSWELL, 1 NEWS. DONALD TRUMP HAS DENIED REPORTS IN THE NEW YORK TIMES HE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED TWO WOMEN MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO AND IS THREATENING TO SUE. AND THERE'VE BEEN MORE SLEAZE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE BY A FORMER BEAUTY QUEEN. HERE'S THE ABC'S TOM LLAMAS. FOR DONALD TRUMP, TONIGHT, A NEW BATTLE CRY. IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED, GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE, OK? THE SELF-PROCLAIMED 'UNSHACKLED' TRUMP SENDING HIS BASE INTO A FRENZY WITH BLISTERING ATTACKS ON HILLARY CLINTON. AND TODAY, THIS TAKE ON THE DEBATE, AND THAT MOMENT WHEN TRUMP HOVERED BEHIND CLINTON. I INVADED HER SPACE. BELIEVE ME, THE LAST SPACE THAT I WANNA INVADE IS HER SPACE. BELIEVE ME. I DON'T WANNA INVADE HER SPACE. TRUMP ALSO ESCALATING HIS WAR WITH REPUBLICAN LEADERS, ESPECIALLY HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN. I WOULDN'T WANNA BE IN A FOXHOLE WITH A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, THAT I CAN TELL YOU,... BUT MCCAIN'S A BRAVE MAN. ...INCLUDING RYAN. HE'S A BRAVE MAN, MCCAIN. BY THE WAY, INCLUDING RYAN. I GOT THAT. TRUMP LIVID THAT RYAN NEVER CALLED AFTER THE DEBATE. WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT PAUL RYAN WOULD CALL AND SAY, 'GOOD GOING'? YOU'D THINK THAT THEY'D SAY, 'GREAT GOING, DON! LET'S GO! 'LET'S BEAT THIS CROOK. SHE'S A CROOK. LET'S BEAT HER. 'WE GOTTA STOP IT.' NO, HE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. THERE'S A WHOLE SINISTER DEAL GOING ON. THE REFUTE COMES WITH TRUMP UNABLE TO ESCAPE HIS PAST COMMENTS ON WOMEN. A PAST INTERVIEW WITH HOWARD STERN IS NOW MAKING HEADLINES. TRUMP TALKED ABOUT HOW HE HAD FREE REIN AT HIS BEAUTY PAGEANTS. TO HAVE THE OWNER COME WALTZING IN WHEN WE'RE NAKED OR HALF-NAKED IN A VERY PHYSICALLY VULNERABLE POSITION, WHO DO YOU COMPLAIN TO? HE OWNS THE PAGEANT. (CHUCKLES) SO THERE'S NO ONE TO COMPLAIN TO. EVERYONE THERE WORKS FOR HIM. BUT A GROUP OF NEW YORK WOMEN HAS COMPLAINED TO DONALD TRUMP, MARCHING IN FRONT OF TRUMP TOWER AGAINST HIS LEWD COMMENTS ABOUT WOMEN. TRUMP THINKS HE RUNS THIS TOWN. <BLEEP> CAME TO SHUT IT DOWN. TRUMP THINKS HE RUNS THIS TOWN. <BLEEP> CAME TO SHUT IT DOWN. THE GROUP WERE DEMONSTRATING AGAINST COMMENTS TRUMP MADE ABOUT GROPING WOMEN THAT WERE CAUGHT ON AN OPEN MICROPHONE IN 2005. HE'S BRUSHED THEM OFF, SAYING IT WAS JUST LOCKER-ROOM TALK. A GROWING NUMBER OF ISIS DEFECTORS AND CAPTURED FIGHTERS ARE BEING HELD AT AN INTERNMENT CAMP OPERATED BY A REBEL GROUP IN NORTHERN SYRIA. THE CAMP OF AROUND 300 PEOPLE INCLUDES CAPTURED FRENCH, DUTCH AND POLISH NATIONALS. THE BBC'S QUENTIN SOMERVILLE REPORTS. WHERE DO JIHADISTS GO WHEN THEIR BELOVED ISLAMIC STATE STARTS TO CRUMBLE? SOME ARE BEING HELD HERE AT A SECRET CAMP IN NORTHERN SYRIA. THE MEN ARE FROM EUROPE, ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA. THEY'RE DEFECTORS AND PRISONERS OF WAR, SO FEW WANT TO SHOW THEIR FACES. IN RETREAT, MANY HAVE BROUGHT THEIR FAMILIES WITH THEM. IN THE HEADSCARF IS ABU SUMAIL. HE JOINED THE SO-CALLED ISLAMIC STATE FROM HOLLAND, AND NOW A CAPTIVE, HE RENOUNCES THE GROUP. MAN: THEY USE PEOPLE LIKE HUMAN MEAT. YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE TO THEM, SO THEY'RE GOING TO START TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE. I KNOW I WILL GET INTO TROUBLE, BUT THIS IS WHAT I CHOOSE, AND I WILL PAY THE PRICE. I HOPE I CAN GET OUT SOON AND LIVE MY LIFE NORMALLY. TRANSLATOR: THESE ARE EGYPTIANS, TUNISIANS, HOLLAND. THE CAMP IS RUN BY THE REBEL GROUP JAYSH AL-TAHRIR. ITS COMMANDER SHOWED ME THE DETAILS OF DOZENS OF PRISONERS. SOME WILL BE RETURNED TO EUROPE IF THE AUTHORITIES PROMISE TO JAIL THEM. BUT OTHERS WILL FACE SYRIAN JUSTICE. TRANSLATOR: WE REFER THEM TO COURTS, AND THEY RULE ACCORDING TO THE GRAVITY OF THEIR CRIMES. IF THEY HAD COMMITTED MURDER, THEN THEY MIGHT BE EXECUTED. ISLAMIC STATE'S COURT IS COLLAPSING. THEY'RE LOSING TERRITORY, AND AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DEFECT. JOINING IS WAS RELATIVELY EASY, BUT LEAVING IS DIFFICULT. WE'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ARE ON A MISSION IN NORTHERN SYRIA TO FIND, CAPTURE AND RETURN IS SUPPORTERS. THEY'RE WORKING ALONGSIDE SOME REBEL GROUPS TO CREATE A KIND OF UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WHICH WILL BRING IS GROUP SUPPORTERS HOME TO FACE JUSTICE. FOR NOW THEY'RE HELD IN SYRIA, BUT THESE EUROPEAN JIHADISTS WANT TO COME BACK. IT WILL BE A DANGEROUS HOMECOMING. MOSCOW HAS DENOUNCED WHAT IT CALLED 'RUSSOPHOBIC HYSTERIA' FROM BRITAIN'S FOREIGN SECRETARY BORIS JOHNSON. MR JOHNSON HAD CALLED FOR PROTESTS OUTSIDE RUSSIA'S LONDON EMBASSY OVER THE BOMBING OF THE SYRIAN CITY OF ALEPPO. THE KREMLIN SAID BRITAIN HAD A DUTY TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS ON ITS SOIL. SINGER JANET JACKSON HAS CONFIRMED SHE'S EXPECTING HER FIRST CHILD AT THE AGE OF 50. SPECULATION ABOUT HER PREGNANCY SURFACED IN APRIL WHEN SHE POSTPONED HER CONCERT TOUR. IN A VIDEO POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHE TOLD FANS HER DOCTOR'S ORDERS WERE TO REST UP. HER HUSBAND WISSAM AL-MANA (41) IS A QATARI BILLIONAIRE BUSINESSMAN. WEATHER TIME NOW. DAN IS HERE, AND A FINE-LOOKING SPRING DAY TODAY, BUT IS IT SHORT-LIVED? VERY SHORT LIVED. TYPICAL SPRING, UP AND DOWN. ACROSS MANY PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, QUITE NICE. THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE AND THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM. REALLY A CONTRAST TEMPERATURE-WISE. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ SOME PRETTY COLOURFUL SKIES DOWN SOUTH. WE'LL HAVE COLOUR IN THE LIGHTNING TOMORROW. STILL AHEAD, A NEW TAKE ON VIRTUAL REALITY FROM ELECTRONICS GIANT SONY. BUT WILL THIS HEADSET BE THE GAME CHANGER TO OPEN UP NEW WORLDS? AND THE TRUTH ABOUT GIANTS ` DO THEY REALLY EXIST OR IS IT JUST A TALL TALE? LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` THE HOUSING MARKET FEVER IS SPREADING FAR BEYOND AUCKLAND, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REAL ESTATE STATS. REGIONS OUTSIDE OF OUR BIGGEST CITY ARE BOOMING AS SOME SAY BUYERS ARE LOOKING FOR BETTER VALUE. AND IN THE TRIAL OF GABLE TOSTEE, A JURY HAS HEARD FROM THE PATHOLOGIST WHO EXAMINED THE BODY OF HIS ALLEGED VICTIM, WARRIENA WRIGHT. THE KIWI TOURIST HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL THREE TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT. THE COURT WAS ALSO SHOWN POLICE PHOTOGRAPHS REVEALING MARKS AND SCRATCHES TO GABLE TOSTEE'S HEAD AND BODY. THERE'S A NEW GAMING GADGET FOR YOUR LIVING ROOM THAT WILL LITERALLY HAVE HEADS TURNING. SONY'S RELEASED A VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSET, THE LATEST ENTRANT IN A BURGEONING WAVE OF SIMILAR PRODUCTS. BUT IS IT THE FUTURE OR JUST A FAD? WILL HINE REPORTS. IT'S 1993 AND TIME FOR A TECHNOLOGY REVOLUTION. NOW IT'S POSSIBLE TO STEP THROUGH THAT SCREEN INTO A THREE-DIMENSIONAL WORLD OF VIRTUAL REALITY. EXCEPT, OF COURSE, THE REALITY WASN'T THAT REAL. BUT WHAT ABOUT NOW? THE FUTURE'S ARRIVED TODAY. THE FUTURE'S HERE. BUT SONY WOULD SAY THAT. THEY'VE JUST RELEASED THEIR PLAYSTATION VR HEADSET. BASICALLY, IT HAS A SCREEN THAT FILLS THE USER'S FIELD OF VISION, AND IT REACTS TO MOVEMENT. WHATEVER ENVIRONMENT THE GAME DEVELOPER'S CREATED, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE RIGHT THERE AND TRANSFORMED TO THAT PLACE ` BENEATH THE SEA, UP IN SPACE, IN THE DESERT SOMEWHERE. TIME TO PUT THAT TO THE TEST IN A VIRTUAL SHARK CAGE. THERE'S A TURTLE ABOUT HERE. JELLY FISH HERE. JELLY FISH THERE. IT'S LIKE BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF 'FINDING NEMO'. AND THERE IS A GREAT BIG BLOODY SHARK. IT'S UNDENIABLY IMMERSIVE AND AT TIMES HAIR-RAISING. IT DOES DO THIS REALLY GREAT THING OF AFFECTING YOUR MIND AND SORT OF MAKING YOU THINK THAT, YEAH, I AM IN THIS VIRTUAL WORLD. IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE SOMETHING YOU PULL OUT, YEAH, WHEN YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE OVER. (LAUGHS) BUT RIGHT NOW, IS THERE A KILLER FEATURE THAT MAKES IT A MUST-BUY? AT THE MOMENT, THERE'S NOTHING KILLER, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S POTENTIAL THERE FOR IT TO TURN INTO A REALLY GREAT PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY. IT'S NOT PERFECT BY A LONG SHOT, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO WITH VR AS A PLATFORM AS A WHOLE. THIS HEADSET IS JUST OVER $600 ` MORE AFFORDABLE THAN COMPETING PRODUCTS, BUT STILL NOT CHEAP. IF THE PRICE CAN COME DOWN, WHICH I THINK NATURALLY IT WILL OVER TIME, THAT WILL OBVIOUSLY SEND MORE PEOPLE TOWARDS IT. AT THE MOMENT, IT'S VERY MUCH A HIGH-END GADGET FOR THE ENTHUSIAST. THE FUTURE HERE, BUT PERHAPS NOT FOR EVERYONE JUST YET. WILL HINE, 1 NEWS. NOW TO THOSE TALL TALES OF GIANTS IN IRISH MYTHOLOGY AND NEWS THEY MAY'VE HAD A GRAIN OF TRUTH. SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED WHAT THEY'RE CALLING A 'GIANT GENE', AND THEY'VE FOUND IT'S MORE COMMONLY CARRIED BY PEOPLE FROM A PARTICULAR AREA OF NORTHERN IRELAND. THE BBC'S CHRIS BUCKLER WITH MORE. THESE STONE CIRCLES AREN'T THE ONLY LINK TO HISTORY HERE IN MID-ULSTER. THIS IS A LAND OF GIANTS, AND THAT'S A TITLE THAT COMES NOT JUST FROM MYTHS AND LEGENDS. IN THIS AREA, IT'S IN THE BLOOD. AT HIS HEIGHT, BRENDAN HOLLAND STOOD ALMOST 6'11" TALL, AND IT'S LIKELY HE WOULD HAVE GROWN TO WELL OVER 7FT TALL IF HE HADN'T BEEN TREATED FOR A GENETIC DISORDER THAT CAUSED GIGANTISM. IT WOULD'VE BOTHERED ME WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER AND THAT, BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD. THE CAUSE OF THAT GIGANTISM, WHICH CAN AFFECT HEALTH AS WELL AS HEIGHT, IS IN THE GENES. MY MOTHER PASSED IT TO ME, AND SHE NEVER KNEW THAT. DNA EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN THAT BRENDAN IS A DESCENDENT OF CHARLES BYRNE, WHO WAS ALSO FROM MID-ULSTER. IN THE 1700S, HE BECAME FAMOUS AS THE IRISH GIANT, AND HIS 7'6"-TALL SKELETON IS STILL PART OF A MEDICAL MUSEUM. THERE ARE, OF COURSE, MANY TALES OF GIANTS IN IRISH FOLKLORE, NOT LEAST FINN MCCOOL, WHO WAS SAID TO HAVE BUILT THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. BUT IT'S AWAY FROM THE COAST, IN THE CENTRE OF NORTHERN IRELAND, THAT THE GIANT GENE IS STILL PRESENT WITHIN SOME OF THE POPULATION. FOR SOME, THAT GENE CAN LEAD TO HEADACHES, EYESIGHT OR MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS, AND THAT'S WHY SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WITH IT IN THEIR DNA. SO FAR, THEY'VE FOUND 15 FAMILIES. THERE WAS PROBABLY AT LEAST SOME TRUTH IN THE CENTURIES OF STORIES TOLD ABOUT GIANTS. BUT IT'S LIKELY THAT AT THEIR HEART WAS A GENE THAT CAUSED CONSIDERABLE PAIN AND PROBLEMS. THAT'S WHY MANY WANT THE IDEA OF GENERATIONS OF GIANTS TO BE CONSIGNED FOREVER TO HISTORY. THE GIANT GENE CAUSES EXCESSIVE PRODUCTION OF GROWTH HORMONE, AND SO FAR IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN AROUND 400 PEOPLE IN IRELAND. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND COME ON DOWN, JOSEPH PARKER. WE'LL HEAR FROM JOE PARKER NEXT FROM LAS VEGAS. ALSO TONIGHT, HAS THE BAD BOY OF TENNIS GONE TOO FAR? YOU KNOW, LIKE, I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO COME WATCH. JUST LEAVE. WHO HAS NICK KYRGIOS OFFENDED NOW? PLUS, THE AUSTRALIANS ARE UPSET OVER A NETBALL SHOCK. FROM PALMY NORTH TO AUCKLAND TO CANTERBURY, HAVE THE RED AND BLACKS UNEARTHED ANOTHER SUPER TALENT, AND IS THIS MAN HELPING PLOT THEIR DOWNFALL THIS WEEKEND? JOSEPH PARKER IS NOW OFFICIALLY ON THE VERGE OF BOXING FOR A WORLD TITLE. THE PATH FOR THE YOUNG KIWI HEAVYWEIGHT HAS BECOME CLEAR, WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL TYSON FURY GIVING UP HIS TWO WORLD TITLE BELTS. PARKER COULD NOW HAVE A SHOT AT THE BIG TIME IN JUST EIGHT WEEKS. ONE BOXER'S SETBACK IS ANOTHER'S PRIME CHANCE FOR A CAREER BREAKTHROUGH. IT'S DISAPPOINTING FOR FURY. HE'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO ME, AND I HOPE HE GETS WELL SOON, BUT IT'S AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY WHICH CAN'T BE IGNORED. ENGLISHMAN TYSON FURY THIS MORNING RELINQUISHED HIS WBO AND WBA WORLD TITLES BEFORE BEING ORDERED TO GIVE THEM UP. IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE HE UPSET VLADIMIR KLITSCHKO. FURY HASN'T FOUGHT SINCE. HE'S STATED HE CAN'T DEFEND THE TITLES WHILE BATTLING DEPRESSION, TAKING THE 'HARD AND EMOTIONAL' DECISION TO VACATE THE TWO BELTS. THREE THINGS HAVE HAD TO HAPPEN FOR US TO FIGHT ANDY RUIZ FOR THE WORLD TITLE ` ONE, TYSON FURY HAS TO BE STRIPPED. THAT'S NOW HAPPENED. OR HE RELINQUISH THE BELTS. SO THAT'S ONE. STEP TWO, JOSHUA ` ANTHONY JOSHUA ` HAS TO SIGN TO FIGHT WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO. THAT'S COMING UP. STEP THREE, WE NEED TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH BOB ARUM AND ANDY RUIZ. WE'RE ON OUR WAY. THAT WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT WILL BE THE FIRST EVER HELD HERE, COSTING SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS TO STAGE. A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR JOSEPH PARKER TO TRY TO CLAIM A WORLD CROWN AT JUST 24, AGAINST A TRICKY OPPONENT, UNBEATEN MEXICAN-AMERICAN ANDY RUIZ, HERE SPARRING IN THE RED HEAD GEAR. I HAVE MY FINGERS CROSSED MY PROMOTERS CAN STITCH UP A DEAL TO BRING THE WBO WORLD TITLE FIGHT TO NZ. THE ONLY STICKING POINT APPEARS TO BE A DATE, STILL LIKELY TO BE PRE-CHRISTMAS. AS REPORTED LAST NIGHT ON 1 NEWS, IF PARKER BECOMES WBO CHAMP, A RECOVERED TYSON FURY COULD BE AN OPTION NEXT YEAR, IN A BIG-MONEY BOUT IN ENGLAND. I THINK TYSON FURY AT SOME STAGE WILL BE GUARANTEED A SHOT TO GET HIS BELT BACK. IT'S A FIGHT WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE. THE PARKER-RUIZ WORLD TITLE FIGHT IN AUCKLAND IS LIKELY TO BE SIGNED WITHIN DAYS. AUSTRALIAN NICK KYRGIOS HAS ADDED ANTHER CHAPTER TO HIS ALREADY TURBULENT YOUNG TENNIS CAREER AFTER ANOTHER MELTDOWN, THIS TIME IN HIS SECOND-ROUND MATCH AT THE LATEST ATP TOURNAMENT IN SHANGHAI. JUST DAYS AFTER WINNING A TITLE IN JAPAN, THE WORLD NUMBER 14 (21) PRODUCED THIS SERVE AGAINST GERMAN MISCHA ZVEREV. HE WAS BOOED BY THE CROWD AND REPRIMANDED BY THE UMPIRE ` NOT THAT IT SEEMED TO DO MUCH TO CHANGE HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE MATCH, WHICH HE LOST 6-3, 6-1. OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T SHOW UP AT ALL. LIKE, I DON'T OWE HIM ANYTHING. LIKE, IT'S MY CHOICE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO COME WATCH. JUST LEAVE. IT'S YOUR CHOICE IF YOU WANNA BUY A TICKET AND COME WATCH ME. YOU KNOW WHAT` I'M UNPREDICTABLE. IT'S YOUR CHOICE. I DON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING. DOESN'T AFFECT HOW I SLEEP AT NIGHT. KYRGIOS MORE REPENTANT LATER, TWEETING THAT HE'S BETTER THAN THAT, THERE ARE NO EXCUSES, AND HE'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. THE SILVER FERNS WILL BE SEARCHING FOR CONSISTENCY AS THEY HEAD HOME, AFTER PULLING OFF A SHOCK WIN OVER AUSTRALIA IN TASMANIA. THE 53-51 UPSET IS COACH JANINE SOUTHBY'S FIRST VICTORY OVER THE DIAMONDS AND LEVELS THE CONSTELLATION CUP SERIES AT 1-1. KIMBERLEE DOWNS REPORTS. A DIAMONDS SIDE THAT'S NOT USED TO BEING OUTSHONE OR OUTPLAYED, SHOWING MORE THAN A GLINT OF FRUSTRATION AS THEIR OLD RIVALS DEFIED EXPECTATIONS. THIS IS BRAVE AND GUTSY STUFF FROM THE SILVER FERNS. THE HOME TEAM STRUGGLING UNDER NZ'S DEFENSIVE PRESSURE, WHILE THE KIWIS' ATTACK END REFUSED TO CRACK IN THE MOST CRUCIAL MOMENTS. IT'S THEIRS TO LOSE, KEL. BAILEY MES. IT JUST MIGHT BE THE SEALER! IT WAS, COMPLETING A THRILLING TWO-GOAL WIN THAT WAS ALMOST UNTHINKABLE JUST FOUR DAYS AGO, WHEN THEY'D BEEN ON THE RECEIVING END OF AN EMBARRASSING 12-GOAL DRUBBING. IT WAS NICE TO CLOSE THE GAP AND HAVE A REALLY TIGHT GAME. WE WERE REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH WHAT WE PUT OUT THERE, BUT TONIGHT I THINK IT SHOWED THE CHARACTER THIS SIDE HAS. PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE FERNS STARTED JUST AS POORLY, FINDING THEMSELVES DOWN 6-1 IN THE OPENING STAGES. BUT IT WOULDN'T LAST. ANNA HARRISON A STANDOUT, MAKING A MENACE OF HERSELF ON HER RETURN TO THE DEFENSIVE CIRCLE, TO HELP RESTRICT CAITLIN BASSETT. WHILE RELATIVE NEWCOMER TE PAEA SELBY RICKIT SHOWED HER COMPOSURE. HOW IMPRESSIVE HAS SHE BEEN. COMBINING WELL WITH BAILEY MES, AS THEY DREW LEVEL BY HALF TIME. THIS CROWD IS SHELL SHOCKED. NZ KEEPING THE INTENSITY UP IN THE SECOND HALF, EVEN AS AUSTRALIA RECLAIMED A SLIM LEAD IN THE FINAL QUARTER. ENTER LAURA LANGMAN. AND LANGMAN... WITH THE QUICK HANDS. THE MIDCOURTER'S CRUCIAL INTERCEPT WOULD LEAD TO THE SCORES BEING LEVELLED AGAIN, TOPPING OFF A BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE AT WING DEFENCE IN WHICH SHE CONSISTENTLY SHUT DOWN DANGEROUS AUSSIE WING ATTACK MADDIE ROBINSON. I ALWAYS LOVE COMING UP AGAINST HER, BECAUSE YOU'VE GOTTA BRING YOUR 'A' GAME. THE KEY NOW TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT JUST A ONE-OFF. THE TEAMS HEAD TO AUCKLAND FOR THE THIRD TEST ON SATURDAY. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, 1 NEWS. TO LEAGUE NOW, THE KANGAROOS WILL BE WITHOUT CANBERRA RAIDERS ENFORCER JOSH PAPALI'I FOR THE TEST MATCH AGAINST THE KIWIS THIS SATURDAY NIGHT. PAPALI'I RULED OUT WITH AN ANKLE INJURY, MAKING WAY FOR MANLY FORWARD JAKE TRBOJEVIC TO JOIN THE SQUAD. YEAH, LOOK, WE ARE DISAPPOINTED TO LOSE PAPA, OBVIOUSLY. BUT SOMEONE LIKE JAKE COMING IN IS REALLY EXCITING - ANOTHER NEW FACE BUT SOMEONE WITH A GREAT WORK ETHIC AND REALLY GOOD DEFENSIVELY. SO IF WE DO HAVE A FEW INJURIES, HE WILL BE MORE THAN A HANDY REPLACEMENT. MEANWHILE, THE KIWIS LOOK RIGHT AT HOME HERE AT NIB STADIUM IN PERTH WITH THOUSANDS OF FANS TURNING OUT FOR THE NATIONAL SIDE'S OPEN TRAINING. THE CRUSADERS MIGHT HAVE LOST THE SERVICES OF JORDIE BARRETT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE CLOSING IN ON ANOTHER PROVINCIAL TALENT. ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, YOUNG CANTERBURY HALFBACK EREATARA ENARI WILL GET THE CHANCE TO TEST HIMSELF AGAINST A MAN WITH INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE, AUGIE PULU, WHEN THE RED-AND-BLACKS TAKE ON COUNTIES-MANUKAU. GEORGE BERRY HAS MORE. IT'S EREATARA ENARI'S LIGHTNING PASS AND SHARP BOOT THAT MAKES HIM HOT PROPERTY. HE'S QUICK ` QUICK OF MIND AND QUICK OF FEET AND QUICK OF HAND, SO HE'S BEEN ELECTRIC FOR US. IT'S A LITTLE BIT NATURAL, BUT GROWING UP, I THINK THERE WAS A BIG EMPHASIS. DAD AND THAT WERE TEACHING ME MY CATCH PASS. AT JUST 19 YEARS OLD AND SEVEN PROVINCIAL CAPS TO HIS NAME, THE CANTERBURY HALFBACK HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF NEARLY EVERY SUPER RUGBY FRANCHISE. HE WAS A HOT PROSPECT IN A LOT OF... TEAMS WHO WERE PRETTY KEEN TO SIGN HIM. YEAH, WE'LL SEE, EH. NOT SURE WHAT'S TO HOLD IN FUTURE, BUT WORKING THAT OUT AS I GO. ACCUSTOMED TO MOVING ABOUT, THE MANAWATU BOY ` LATER SCHOOLED IN AUCKLAND ` WAS ENTICED TO CANTERBURY VIA GISBORNE. CANTERBURY'S PRETTY GOOD AT... AT PICKING FROM UP NORTH. AND WITH INJURIES TO PLAYERS AHEAD OF HIM, OTHER FRANCHISES HAVE SEEN A WHOLE LOT MORE OF HIM THAN INITIALLY EXPECTED. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE HE'S JUST TURNED 19, AND WE WERE TRYING TO DEVELOP HIM A BIT MORE SLOWLY, BUT THE WAY IT'S WORKED OUT, HE'S SLOTTED STRAIGHT IN, AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN. DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE MY MINDSET AT THE START OF THE YEAR TO BE DOING THIS, BUT IT'S COME ALONG WELL, AND I'VE ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE SO FAR. ALTHOUGH, IF SCOTT ROBERTSON HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT, THAT EXPERIENCE WILL CONTINUE WITH HIM. YEAH, LOOK, HE'LL BE A CRUSADER, YES. HISTORY WOULD SUGGEST IT'S NOT A BAD PLACE TO LAUNCH A CAREER FROM EITHER. GEORGE BERRY, ONE NEWS. AN UPSET WIN OVER COMPETITION LEADERS CANTERBURY WOULD ALL BUT BOOK COUNTIES-MANUKAU JUST THEIR SECOND TOP-TIER SEMI-FINAL IN THE PAST 20 YEARS. THE MAN WHO TOOK THEM TO THE PLAYOFFS IN 2013, TANA UMAGA, WAS AT TRAINING TODAY. HE'S BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A BIT, SO THAT SHOWS THAT HE LOVES HIS TEAM AND EVERY WEEK HE'S TEXTING AND SAYING GOOD LUCK TO US. PULU WILL PLAY UNDER UMAGA AT THE BLUES NEXT YEAR. THE MATCH AGAINST CANTERBURY ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON IS EXTRA SPECIAL FOR CRUSADER JORDAN 'THE BEAST' TAUFUA. WE BACK OURSELVES AS A TEAM TO BREAK TACKLES, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KNOWN AS A PHYSICAL TEAM, SO WE JUST HAVE TO TAKE THEM OUT THAT WAY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SUPER RUGBY PLAYERS, BUT THE GUYS THAT HAVE COME BACK FROM SUPER, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE REALLY DRIVEN THIS ENVIRONMENT, AND I'VE HEARD ` OR I KNOW ` THAT IN OTHER AREAS, THEY WORRY ABOUT THEIR SUPER RUGBY PLAYERS NOT FRONTING, BUT THESE GUYS, THEY'VE TURNED UP AND THEY BELIEVE IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING. A SOMETIMES BIZARRE 27-27 DRAW BETWEEN TASMAN AND NORTH HARBOUR LAST NIGHT MEANS THERE'S NOW SEVEN POINTS SEPARATING FIVE TEAMS IN THE TOP TIER, ALL FIGHTING FOR THE REMAINING SEMI-FINAL SPOTS, BEHIND LEADERS CANTERBURY. THE BLACK CAPS ARE IN SOMETHING OF A SLUMP AT THE MOMENT, BUT AT LEAST NZ CRICKET FANS CAN TAKE SOME COMFORT FROM THE FACT AUSTRALIA IS AS WELL. THEY'VE SUNK TO THEIR FIRST EVER FIVE-MATCH ONE DAY SERIES WHITEWASH AGAINST THE PROTEAS IN SOUTH AFRICA. WE'VE GOT TO DO A LOT BETTER THAN WE'VE DONE OVER HERE. WE'VE BEEN OUTPLAYED. WE'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTING IN A FEW ASPECTS. DAVID WARNER DID MAKE 173 FOR THE VISITORS, BUT THEY STILL FELL 31 RUNS SHORT OF THEIR 328-RUN TARGET IN CAPE TOWN. Maybe a prime chance for the blackcaps to take them on. Over to Seven Sharp ` culinary olympics. SPEAKING OF DELICIOUS FOOD... AND THE PROXIMITY OF THE COAST? SALT BLOWS INTO HERE, SEASONING THE PASTURES AND PRE-SALTING THE LAMB. HE'S NOT JOKING. BUT EVEN WITH OUR MILLIONS OF SHEEP, WHAT MAKES THIS LAMB SO MUCH MORE SPECIAL? PLUS, IT'S UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE, SEVEN SHARP-STYLE, WITH A QUESTION FROM THE OXFORD ENTRANCE EXAM, HERE IN AUCKLAND... ...AND WELLINGTON... ...AND CHRISTCHURCH. A good-looking day for quite a few of us, but some wet, windy and even snowy weather over the next couple of days. A category four hurricane in Bermuda. Our weather is getting rather active. The main front is the line of white there. Thunder and colder air for an active spring storm. Snow for the passes overnight and into Friday. There's the band of rain and cold air. Thundery weather moving up the West Coast. A cold, biting southerly kicks up the east coast of the country. A band of rain moves across. The thundery stuff moves in. A southerly overnight. Snow to 500m. Wraparound rain for Christchurch. Improving down south. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ