TONIGHT ` EXTRA POLICE ARE PATROLLING GISBORNE TO PROTECT HOMES AND BUSINESSES AFTER A DEADLY PLANE CRASH CUTS POWER TO THE REGION. THE BILL ENGLISH ERA OFFICIALLY BEGINS. SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM OUR NEW LEADER? PLUS ` WHAT DROVE THIS MORTGAGE BROKER TO PLAY 13 ROUNDS OF GOLF IN 12 HOURS? FIRST TONIGHT, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN GISBORNE AND SURROUNDING AREAS ARE WITHOUT POWER TONIGHT AFTER A DEADLY PLANE CRASH. TWO MEN WERE KILLED WHEN THE SMALL PLANE CRASHED AFTER HITTING POWER LINES IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR THE SMALL SETTLEMENT OF TINIROTO. EXTRA POLICE ARE TONIGHT PATROLLING GISBORNE'S STREETS TO PROTECT BUSINESSES. SEAN HOGAN HAS THE LATEST. THE REMOTE AND HILLY SITE WHERE TWO MEN LOST THEIR LIVES THIS MORNING. IT APPEARS THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRANSITING PROBABLY UP A VALLEY AND FOR SOME REASON HASN'T SEEN THE TRANSMISSION-LINE CONDUCTORS AND HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THEM. THE BUSH SCORCHED AT THE CRASH SITE, A SIGN OF THEIR FIERY FATE. FRAGMENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT CAN BE SEEN LITTERED UNDER THE POWER LINES. THE SMALL AGRICULTURAL PLANE, SIMILAR TO THIS ONE, WAS OWNED BY TOP-DRESSING COMPANY 'FARMERS AIR'. IN A STATEMENT THEY SAID... THE PLANE SEVERED HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER LINES, THROWING THE REGION INTO DARKNESS. TONIGHT, CARS QUEUED AROUND THE BLOCK AT GISBORNE'S PETROL STATIONS TO FILL UP THEIR CARS AND GAS BOTTLES. BEEN ABOUT AN HOUR WAITING IN THE QUEUE. THE OTHER TWO PETROL STATIONS, THERE IS A LINE ALL THE WAY DOWN THE ROAD. RESIDENTS WERE FORCED TO COOK WITH GAS OR GENERATORS. KIDS WERE FORCED TO SIMPLER FORMS OF ENTERTAINMENT. POWER WAS CUT JUST AFTER 9AM. BUSINESSES WERE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO SHUT UP SHOP FOR THE DAY. WE'VE GOT CANDLES GOING, BUT IT'S PRETTY HARD AND PRETTY DARK INSIDE MY SHOP. PHARMACY WORKERS GOT CREATIVE TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK. THINGS ARE FAIRLY MINIMAL. WE JUST HAVE TO PRIORITISE PEOPLE AS THEY COME IN AND DO WHAT WE CAN. MORE SERVICE STATIONS AND FOOD OUTLETS WILL BE SUPPLIED WITH GENERATORS TOMORROW. POLICE WERE OUT IN FORCE IN THE CBD TO WARD OFF ANY OPPORTUNISTS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT MAY BE THAT OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES FOR CRIMINALS, SO WE WILL BE EXTRA VIGILANT. LINES COMPANY 'EASTLAND NETWORK' ARE WARNING RESIDENTS POWER'S UNLIKELY TO BE RESTORED UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT. PUTTING THE BIG EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED TO PULL THE NEW CONDUCTORS ACROSS THE 800M SPAN REQUIRES A LOT OF MOBILISATION, SO WE'VE GOT A BULLDOZER MAKING ITS WAY TO THE SITE AT THE MOMENT. CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY INVESTIGATORS WILL BE WINCHED IN BY HELICOPTER TOMORROW. SEAN HOGAN, 1 NEWS. 'TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.' JOHN KEY'S PARTING ADVICE, AS HE OFFICIALLY HANDED NZ OVER TO BILL ENGLISH. THOSE INSTINCTS DELIVERED A FEW SURPRISES FROM OUR NEW LEADER, INCLUDING A U-TURN ON A HOT-BUTTON ISSUE, AND A SPOT OF POETRY. HERE'S POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN. THESE WERE THE EXTRAORDINARY SCENES ON THE STEPS OF PARLIAMENT... HIP-HIP! CROWD: HOORAY! AS JOHN KEY SAID HIS GOODBYES AND HANDED OVER THE REINS OF POWER. SEE YA, MATE. HEY, GOOD LUCK. YOU ARE GOING TO BE AWESOME. ENJOY IT. ENJOY IT THIS AFTERNOON. SOAK IT UP. SEE YA, GUYS. BYE-BYE! WITH THAT, MR KEY AND WIFE BRONAGH HEADED TO GOVERNMENT HOUSE TO TENDER HIS RESIGNATION AND PERHAPS BEGIN A LESS PUBLIC LIFE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ANONYMOUS, AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS PRACTICALLY POSSIBLE ALL OF THE TIME. BUT I'VE REALLY LOVED MY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUBLIC. BILL ENGLISH FOLLOWED LATER WITH HIS DEPUTY, PAULA BENNETT, TO BE SWORN IN AS NZ'S 39TH PRIME MINISTER. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE TRUST THEY HAVE SHOWN IN ME AND FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE AND CIVIL MANNER IN WHICH THEY HAVE DEBATED OVER AND CHOSEN A NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM. MR ENGLISH ISN'T PROMISING RADICAL CHANGE. BUT COULD THIS DEVOUT CATHOLIC, FATHER OF SIX PUSH FOR MORE CONSERVATIVE RULES AROUND THINGS LIKE ABORTION AND EUTHANASIA? I DON'T INTEND TO USE THE POSITION TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THOSE ISSUES. THEY'VE BEEN DEALT WITH BY THE PARLIAMENT AND BY THE PROCESS OF LAW, AND I ACCEPT THAT. AND HE'S HAD A CHANGE OF HEART ON GAY MARRIAGE, WHICH HE VOTED AGAINST IN 2013. I DON'T THINK THAT GAY MARRIAGE IS A THREAT TO ANYONE ELSE'S MARRIAGE. HE HAS GOOD INSTINCTS, AND HE HAS A STRONG SET OF PRINCIPLES THAT UNDERPIN HIS THINKING. IF I WAS A NZER WATCHING THIS, I WOULDN'T BE AT ALL CONCERNED BY THAT. FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AS FINANCE MINISTER, BILL ENGLISH HAS TRIED TO BETTER TARGET GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE. YOU CAN NOW EXPECT MUCH MORE OF THAT UNDER PRIME MINISTER ENGLISH. WE NEED TO BE MUCH MORE ACTIVE, MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON THOSE WHO HAVE HUGE CHALLENGES, AND GOVERNMENT HAS ENORMOUS CAPACITY TO DO A BETTER JOB. SO THERE'S SOME NEW FACES NOW, AND LET'S SEE WHETHER THEY DO REPRESENT A REAL DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW, I REMAIN SCEPTICAL. AS FOR THE TRAPPINGS OF OFFICE? PRIME MINISTER ENGLISH HAS SIGNALLED HE AND WIFE, MARY, WON'T LIVE AT PREMIER HOUSE. THEY'LL STAY IN THEIR NEARBY WELLINGTON HOME. AND HE'S OFFERED A POETIC VIEW ON LEADERSHIP, QUOTING POET SELINA TUSITALA MARSH ON RECOGNISING POTENTIAL IN PEOPLE. LEAD AND DIG UP THE DIAMONDS AROUND YOU. THAT IS OUR TASK TOGETHER. WITH PAULA BENNETT CONFIRMED AS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, ATTENTION NOW TURNS TO HOW THE REST OF THE CABINET WILL LOOK. HOUSING HAS BEEN A BIG CHALLENGE FOR THE GOVERNMENT THIS YEAR, SO HOUSING MINISTER NICK SMITH MAY BE IN THE GUN. OTHERS TO GO MAY INCLUDE LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER SAM LOTU-IIGA, FOREIGN MINISTER MURRAY MCCULLY, AND MINISTER FOR SMALL BUSINESS CRAIG FOSS. BILL ENGLISH IS PICKING HIS TEAM WITH ONE EYE ON NEXT YEAR'S GENERAL ELECTION. GETTING THE KIND OF MIX WE WANT IN THE CABINET FOR A GOVERNMENT THAT COULD RUN THROUGH AFTER 2017, SHOULD WE WIN THAT ELECTION. THE NEW PM SAYS HE MAY HAVE THE RESHUFFLE SORTED BY LATER THIS WEEK, BUT CERTAINLY BEFORE CHRISTMAS. BUT IT MAY TAKE LONGER TO DEAL WITH THE ESCALATING PROTEST AT PIKE RIVER MINE. VICTIMS' FAMILIES HAVE GEARED UP THEIR BID TO STOP THE MINE BEING SEALED BY TAKING CONTROL OF THE ONLY ROAD TO THE SITE. ALI PUGH REPORTS. A PROTEST THAT NOW HAS THE PIKE FAMILIES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW AFTER THE OWNER OF THE ONLY ROAD THAT ACCESSES THE MINE GIFTED FAMILIES FULL LEGAL CONTROL OF THE ROUTE. WE'VE BEEN PADLOCKED OUT OF HERE OVER THE LAST 30 DAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN PROTESTING OUT HERE. NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOCK THEM OUT. BERNIE MONK'S SON MICHAEL WHO PERISHED AT PIKE HELPED BUILD A HOUSE AT THE NEARBY LOGBURN FARM. THAT FARMER HANDED THE ROAD OVER INDEFINITELY. IN A STATEMENT HE SAID... IT'S BEEN A GODSEND FOR US. WE'VE NOW GOT A BIT OF A VOICE, WHEREAS IN THE PAST WE'VE BEEN TOLD WHAT TO DO, HOW TO DO IT. SOLID ENERGY'S PLANS TO SEAL THE MINE ARE NOW STALLED, WITH THE ROAD BLOCK CUTTING ACCESS TO CONTRACTORS. THE COMPANY'S ALWAYS MAINTAINED THERE'S NO SAFE ALTERNATIVE, BUT SEVERAL PIKE FAMILIES ARE NOW EN ROUTE TO THE CAPITAL, HOPING TO MEET WITH THE NEW PM TOMORROW AND TALK RE-ENTRY. I SAID I'M WILLING TO CONSIDER MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES AT SOME STAGE. IT WON'T BE POSSIBLE TOMORROW. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD THEM THAT I CAN, AS A NEW PRIME MINISTER, MAKE THAT MINE SAFER OR CHANGE THE LAW OF NZ. LABOUR SAYS IT'S HIGH TIME THE GOVERNMENT SOUGHT INDEPENDENT ADVICE ON WHETHER A RE-ENTRY IS IN FACT POSSIBLE. IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, IF A NEW PRIME MINISTER CAN'T DO THAT AT VERY LITTLE COST TO THE GOVERNMENT, THEN, GEE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT HOLDING OUT MUCH HOPE FOR COMPASSION IN THIS NEW LOOK. AND WITH THE BARRICADE NOW IN PLACE, ANY WORK TO SEAL THE MINE IS ON HOLD WHILE THE POLITICS PLAY OUT. ALI PUGH, 1 NEWS. BILL ENGLISH SAYS HE'S TOO BUSY TO SEE PIKE RIVER FAMILIES HEADING TO PARLIAMENT TOMORROW BUT HE'S OPEN TO A FUTURE MEETING. INVESTIGATIONS ARE CONTINUING INTO THE MURDER OF AN UPPER HUTT WOMAN ON SATURDAY. POLICE HAVE BEEN GOING DOOR TO DOOR THIS EVENING ON THE STREET WHERE LOIS TOLLEY (30) WAS KILLED. FOUR MEN WERE SEEN RUNNING FROM THE SCENE AND POLICE ARE URGING THE MEN AND ANYONE WITH MORE INFORMATION TO COME FORWARD. ONE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST FOOTBALL BOSSES HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF HIDING MONEY IN A NZ TRUST. IT'S ALLEGED THAT MANCHESTER UNITED'S JOSE MOURINHO USED THE TRUST TO HELP DODGE PAYING TAXES OVERSEAS. IT PILES PRESSURE ON OUR GOVERNMENT TO SPEED UP RULES TO STOP MONEY LAUNDERING AS POLITICAL REPORTER ANDREA VANCE REPORTS. MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER JOSE MOURINHO ` THE LATEST RICH-LISTER ACCUSED OF HIDING MONEY IN A NZ TRUST. WE HAVE BEEN WORRIED ALL ALONG THAT OUR INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION WOULD BE DAMAGED BY HIGH-PROFILE PEOPLE HIDING THEIR MONEY IN NZ. YOU DON'T GET MUCH MORE HIGH PROFILE THAN JOSE MOURINHO. THE PORTUGUESE STAR STRENUOUSLY DENIES CLAIMS HE USED A WEB OF TRUSTS TO STASH $18M IN OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS. AFTER THE PANAMA PAPERS, THE GOVERNMENT PROMISED TO INCLUDE LAWYERS, ACCOUNTANTS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS IN ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING LAWS. IT'S VERY GRAPHIC TO PEOPLE IN AUCKLAND THAT MONEY LAUNDERING IS A PROBLEM WITH OUR HOUSING MARKET. BANKS AND CASINOS ALREADY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE STRICT RULES, BUT THIS ACCOUNTANT SAYS THAT WILL MAKE DOING BUSINESS TOO HARD. IF IT BECOMES AS HARD FOR ACCOUNTANTS, LAWYERS AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO DO BUSINESS AS IT HAS BECOME FOR BANKS AND STOCK BROKERS TO DO BUSINESS, THAT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT DEADWEIGHT ON THE ECONOMY. SO THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING MORE CONSULTATION. ANOTHER DISCUSSION PAPER WILL BE PUBLISHED THIS WEEK. BUT THIS CONSULTATION PAPER WAS PUBLISHED IN AUGUST, AND LABOUR SAYS THE GOVERNMENT NOW WON'T MEET A PROMISE TO PASS THE LAW BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR. THIS IS QUITE CLEARLY A STALLING TACTIC FORM THE GOVERNMENT. ALL THE TALKING HAS BEEN DONE. WHAT WE NEED NOW IS ACTION. JUSTICE MINISTER AMY ADAMS WOULDN'T APPEAR ON CAMERA TODAY. BUT HER OFFICE SAYS SHE'S STICKING TO THAT TIMELINE. BUT CRITICS SAY ALL THE TALK MEANS THE GOVERNMENT IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO BLOW THE WHISTLE ON MONEY LAUNDERING. ANDREA VANCE, 1 NEWS JUST AHEAD ` A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE DANGEROUS TASK OF CLEARING STATE HIGHWAY ONE. WHY WORKERS ARE FEELING THE PRESSURE. HOW DONALD TRUMP'S REACTING TO CLAIMS RUSSIAN HACKERS HELPED GET HIM TO THE WHITE HOUSE. HERE'S A CLUE ` HE'S NOT RELAXED ABOUT IT. PLUS ` 13 ROUNDS, ONE CLUB AND A WORLD RECORD SMASHED. WHEN MARATHON RUNNING MEETS GOLFING MAYHEM IN NZ. THE WATER IS FINALLY BACK ON IN WARD, IN MARLBOROUGH, AFTER THE NOVEMBER 14 QUAKE WRECKED THE TOWN'S TANKS. COUNCIL CONTRACTORS ARE BATTLING FIERCE WINDS TO REPLACE THE OLD TANKS WITH EIGHT NEW ONES, EACH WITH A 30,000-LITRE CAPACITY AND WEIGHING NEARLY HALF A TON. THE WATER SCHEME'S COST IS SHARED BY LOCALS, BUT MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT COUNCIL'S PUT IN $34,000 TO HELP COVER A FUNDING SHORTFALL. MEANWHILE, PRESSURE'S MOUNTING ON WORKERS TO FINISH CLEARING THE COASTAL ROAD INTO KAIKOURA. BUT OFFICIALS SAY THE DANGEROUS WORK TO REMOVE THE LAST FOUR SLIPS IS BEING DONE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. LISA DAVIES HAS MORE. DEBRIS RAINING DOWN ACROSS THE ROAD, AS ABSEILERS DANGLE PRECARIOUSLY FROM ABOVE. IT'S ONE OF MANY MEASURES TAKEN TO MAKE THIS CRITICAL COASTAL ROAD SAFE AGAIN. BUT NONE OF IT'S BEEN EASY. THIS IS A TOUGH JOB. IT'S UP AMONGST IT. ON A RATING OF ONE TO 10, PROBABLY AN EIGHT OR NINE. THEY'VE ALREADY CLEARED 21 SLIPS, BUT THERE ARE FOUR LEFT TO GO ` A TOTAL OF 200,000M3 OF DEBRIS. EVERYTHING IS MAKING IT TRICKY. THE WEATHER, GEOTECHNICAL DANGERS AND SLIP NUMBER 14. IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGER ONES, ABOUT 14,000M3. TODAY, THEY LET THE MEDIA IN TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROGRESS, BUT SAFETY MEASURES ARE STILL VERY STRICT ` WALKING SINGLE FILE, NO STOPPING ALLOWED IN THIS AREA, WHERE THE HILLSIDE HASN'T BEEN FULLY STABILISED. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ` BY THE TIME WE OPEN IT, WE HAVE GOT IT SAFE. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE RAILWAY TUNNEL IS STILL BASICALLY OBLITERATED, AS IS THE TUNNEL HEADING NORTH. THE OTHER ONE IS CLEAR BECAUSE THEIR MAIN AIM IS TO GET ONE LANE OPEN ALL THE WAY INTO KAIKOURA. BY NEXT WEEK, KAIKOURA SHOULD FEEL A LOT LESS CUT OFF. THAT'S THE WISH. AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF THIS IS WEATHER DEPENDENT, AND AFTERSHOCKS. BUT THEY'RE CERTAINLY FEELING THE PRESSURE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE OF KAIKOURA NEED TO GET ACCESS AND GET ON WITH THEIR LIVES. ON THE INLAND ROAD, WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED CONVOYS ONLY, THEY HOPE TO OPEN TWO LANE ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC IN DAYLIGHT HOURS... BEAR WITH US, AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT. ...IN OFTEN LESS THAN IDEAL CONDITIONS. LISA DAVIES, 1 NEWS OVERSEAS NOW, AND DONALD TRUMP'S LATEST TIRADE ABOUT RELATIONS WITH CHINA HAS THE COMMUNIST NATION 'SERIOUSLY CONCERNED'. THE U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT SAYS HE'S WILLING TO ABANDON AMERICA'S LONG-STANDING POSITION THAT TAIWAN IS PART OF 'ONE CHINA'. BEIJING INSISTS THAT ALL ITS DIPLOMATIC PARTNERS EFFECTIVELY IGNORE TAIWAN, WHICH IT SEES AS A BREAKAWAY PROVINCE. BUT TRUMP SAYS HE NEEDS TO SEE SOME KEY CONCESSIONS FOR THAT TO CONTINUE. THE NATION OF CHINA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALMOST HALF OF AMERICA'S TRADE DEFICIT. THEY HAVEN'T PLAYED BY THE RULES, AND I KNOW IT'S TIME THAT THEY ARE GOING TO START. YOU HAVE THE MASSIVE THEFT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, PUTTING UNFAIR TAXES ON OUR COMPANIES, NOT HELPING WITH THE MENACE OF NORTH KOREA LIKE THEY SHOULD. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO TRUMP TRIGGERED A DIPLOMATIC ROW WITH CHINA AFTER SPEAKING TO TAIWAN'S PRESIDENT BY PHONE. AND DONALD TRUMP'S RUBBISHING CLAIMS THAT RUSSIAN HACKERS HELPED HIM WIN THE US ELECTION. HE SAYS THE CIA'S CONCLUSIONS ARE 'RIDICULOUS', BUT EVEN MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY ARE JOINING CALLS FOR A FULL INVESTIGATION. CHANNEL NINE'S TESSA HARDY WITH THIS. DONALD TRUMP DIDN'T MINCE HIS WORDS, BLASTING CLAIMS THE CIA CONCLUDED THAT RUSSIA INTERVENED IN THE ELECTION TO HELP HIM BECOME PRESIDENT. I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS. I THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE. I DON'T BELIEVE IT. THE PRESIDENT-ELECT'S DIRECT CRITICISM OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS UNPRECEDENTED. THEY HAVE NO IDEA IF IT'S RUSSIA OR CHINA OR SOMEBODY. IT COULD BE SOMEBODY, SITTING IN A BED SOMEPLACE. AND HE'S POINTING FINGERS. I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE PUTTING IT OUT, BECAUSE THEY SUFFERED ONE OF THE GREATEST DEFEATS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICS IN THIS COUNTRY. WHILE DONALD TRUMP MAY NOT BE TAKING IT SERIOUSLY, A HIGH-PROFILE ALLIANCE IS. A GROUP OF TWO REPUBLICANS AND TWO DEMOCRATS HAVE BANDED TOGETHER TO CALL FOR A BI-PARTISAN INVESTIGATION. RECENT REPORTS OF RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN OUR ELECTION SHOULD ALARM EVERY AMERICAN. THERE HAS BEEN BACKLASH TOO ABOUT THE LIKELY PICK FOR SECRETARY OF STATE, REX TILLERSON ` A POWERFUL OIL TYCOON. TILLERSON HAS DEEP BUSINESS TIES TO RUSSIA. VLADIMIR PUTIN ONCE AWARDED HIM AN ORDER OF FRIENDSHIP. I'VE KNOWN HIM SINCE 1999, AND I HAVE A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. DONALD TRUMP HIT BACK ON TWITTER, SAYING HE'S... BACK HERE NOW, AND NZ HAS JUST GAINED A BRAND-NEW WORLD RECORD. WELL, REALLY, GOLF AMATEUR BRAD LUITEN (35) HAS. TODAY, HE PLAYED 237 HOLES ` THAT'S JUST OVER 13 ROUNDS ` IN JUST 12 HOURS AND RAN ALMOST A HUNDRED KILOMETRES TO DO IT. LISETTE REYMER EXPLAINS. CROWD CHEERS AND JUST LIKE THAT, A WORLD RECORD SHATTERED. GET IN THERE, BOY! CHEERING OVERWHELMING. PRETTY HAPPY. COOL TO HAVE EVERYONE HERE, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. HIS SUPPORT CREW WERE ON HAND TO CELEBRATE A SUCCESSFUL END TO A VERY LONG DAY. OH, IT WAS SO HARD. I'M NOT GONNA LIE. FIRST 10 ROUNDS WERE EASY, THEN IT JUST GOT HARD AS. ROUND 11, ROUND 12 ` HARD. 13 ` HARDEST. BUT THAT WAS THE RECORD ROUND, SO THAT GOT ME THROUGH. MY LEGS ARE DONE. MY QUADS, MY CALVES, EVERYTHING. REWIND 12 HOURS, AND THINGS WERE JUST TEEING OFF AT HELENSVILLE GOLF CLUB. HOOTER BLARES A MARATHON RUNNER AT HEART, BRAD ARMED HIMSELF WITH A SIX IRON AND SET A CRACKING PACE FROM THE START. I RAN A MARATHON A MILLION YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS 40, AND HE'S DOING MORE THAN TWO AND HITTING A GOLF BALL AT THE SAME TIME. (CHUCKLES) BUT BRAD HAD SPECIAL MOTIVATION. WELL, I'VE HAD A FRIEND PASS AWAY LAST YEAR OF BOWEL CANCER, SO IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT TODAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS, MAINLY. HE'S NO STRANGER TO THE WORLD RECORD SCENE. IN FACT, THE CRAZIER THEY ARE, THE BETTER. HE HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR THE 10K ON CRUTCHES, SO THAT WAS PRETTY INTENSE, HIM DOING THAT. THAT WAS EASY COMPARED TO THIS. THAT WAS ONLY AN HOUR 13. THIS IS NEARLY 12 HOURS OF PAIN. WATCHING HIM, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN IT. HE'S PUTTING LIKE A DEMON, ISN'T HE? HE'S DOING INCREDIBLE. IT'S REMARKABLE. I STRUGGLE TO BREAK 100 WITH A FULL SET, AND HE'S DOING IT WITH JUST THE ONE SIX IRON. THE FATHER OF TWO, WHO ONLY PLAYS AROUND FOUR TIMES A YEAR, WAS ON FORM FROM THE START, AVERAGING ABOUT A HUNDRED SHOTS A ROUND. JUST AN AMAZING YOUNG MAN WHO HAS GOT A BIG HEART AND WANTS TO DO GOOD FOR PEOPLE. WHAT MORE COULD A MOTHER ASK FOR? BUT THERE'S STILL ONE CHALLENGE AHEAD FOR BRAD... GETTING UPSTAIRS FOR A BEER. (LAUGHS) I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M GONNA DO THAT, BUT I'M GONNA TRY. WELL-DESERVED. LISETTE REYMER, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD, HOW YOUR WEATHER IS LOOKING TOMORROW. PLUS TRYING TO MAKE CHRISTMAS AS MERRY AS POSSIBLE IN HOSPITAL. THE VERY SPECIAL YULETIDE STORY MANY OF YOU MAY'VE HAD A HAND IN. THE COUNTDOWN IS ON. CHRISTMAS IS NOW UNDER TWO WEEKS AWAY. BUT FOR A VERY SPECIAL GROUP OF FAMILIES IN AUCKLAND TONIGHT, THE BIG DAY CAME EARLY. AND AS LISETTE REYMER REPORTS, THEY HAVE MANY OF YOU TO THANK. 'TWAS 13 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS AND ALL THROUGH THE RONALD MACDONALD HOUSE, ALL OF THE CHILDREN WERE WAITING FOR THIS GUY. SHALL I TRY THE THRONE OUT? SEE IF IT SUITS SANTA? THE JOLLY MAN IN RED, BRINGING A MOMENT OF JOY TO KIDS WHO NEED IT THE MOST... WHEN I SAW HIM I WAS SCREAMING! ...AND SOME WELCOME RELIEF FOR PARENTS. AND ALL THE NURSES ON THE WARDS AND PEOPLE HERE HAVE BEEN SAYING, 'OH, SANTA'S GOING TO BE EXTRA WATCHING OUT FOR YOU 'AND BRING YOU SPECIAL THINGS THIS YEAR COS YOU'VE BEEN SUPER BRAVE,' AND IT JUST MAKES IT A BIT EASIER AND MORE SPECIAL FOR HER. SHOPPERS FROM MALLS ALL OVER NZ HAVE DONATED OVER A THOUSAND PRESENTS TO THESE KIDS. SANTA PASSING OUT GIFTS TO CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, AND EVEN MAKING TIME FOR SOME OF THE ADULTS. IT'S DELIGHTFUL TO BE ABLE TO SEE KIDS WHO DON'T NORMALLY ENJOY CHRISTMAS TO HAVE SANTA COME TO THEM, HAVE SANTA PHOTOGRAPHS, SO THEY'RE GETTING THE REAL ROYAL TREATMENT TONIGHT. MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM SANTA. IT'S NOT NICE BEING AWAY FROM HOME AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND IT'S JUST LOVELY. A BIT OVERWHELMING, REALLY, THAT PEOPLE ARE SO GENEROUS. IT'S A DAY THESE KIDS HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO, AND ALTHOUGH GREER (8) WAS TOO SICK TO COME ALONG TODAY, SHE WAS PREPARED. SHE'S GOT A LITTLE LETTER THAT SHE WANTS TO GIVE TO SANTA, JUST SAYING SHE HOPES HE'S HAD A GOOD YEAR, AND HER WISH IS TO GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. AND WHILE IT'S A WISH SHARED AMONG MANY IN THIS ROOM, FOR NOW, SANTA AND HUNDREDS OF GENEROUS KIWIS HAVE HELPED MAKE THEIR CHRISTMAS STAY AS MERRY AS POSSIBLE. ALL: MERRY CHRISTMAS! NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER. ALICIA KEYS' 'WAR IS HOLY' FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY KATE PARKINSON AND ANNE LANGFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.