TONIGHT ON THE SHOW ` WHY COULDN'T A STUDENT GET A REFUND FROM A UNIVERSITY WHEN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES GOT IN THE WAY OF STUDYING? I CAN'T. THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO SIT DOWN AND CONCENTRATE ON SOMETHING, IT'S NOT WORTH IT WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN THE RIGHT STATE. THE RESPONSE FROM THE INSTITUTION THAT LEFT HER IN SHOCK. SO DON BRASH HAS CAUSED THE STIR AND FINDS TE REO MAORI 'POINTLESS'. BUT FOR THESE STUDENTS, IT'S CENTRAL TO EVERYTHING THEY DO. IT JUST MAKES YOU MORE DETERMINED TO GET IN BEHIND OUR KAUPAPA MAORI. WHY THEY CHOOSE TO BE EMMERSED IN THE LANGUAGE EVERY DAY. PLUS ` WHAT'S 113M LONG, 2.4M HIGH, SMACK BANG IN THE MIDDLE OF CHRISTCHURCH? A HISTORY-MAKING COMIC STRIP ` THAT'S WHAT. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017 Further good news ` you have returned to us. Is it four this week? Days? Four days? We have got the Christmas decorations. Sometimes people wish you would be on for four days. ASB Good as Gold is on too. OPENING UP ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND DEPRESSION IS SLOWLY BECOMING NORMALISED, BUT IN SOME CASES THERE'S STILL NEGATIVE STIGMA ATTACHED TO REVEALING YOU NEED HELP. THIS IS WHY THE WOMAN AT THE CENTRE OF OUR FIRST STORY TONIGHT SAYS HER TREATMENT BY MASSEY UNIVERSITY REALLY STINGS. WHEN CHRISTINE HEYNS HAD TO PULL OUT OF STUDY EARLIER THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF A RELAPSE OF HER CONDITION, SHE EXPECTED THE UNIVERSITY TO, AT THE VERY LEAST, SHOW A BIT OF COMPASSION; AT BEST, TO GIVE HER A REFUND. BUT SHE SAYS IT DIDN'T TURN OUT THAT WAY. CLAIRE ROBBIE TAKES UP THE STORY. CHRISTINE IS LEARNING ABOUT WHAT MAKES PEOPLE TICK. SHE WANTS TO BE A PSYCHOLOGIST. HER REASONS ARE PERSONAL. I LOVE STUDYING. I WANT TO BE THE PERSON THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN GO TO, TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING AT THAT STAGE WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY JUST WANT TO GIVE UP. SHE'S HAD FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, DIAGNOSED WITH BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER IN 2013. YOU CAN BE VERY HAPPY BUT STILL BE VERY UPSET INSIDE. SO YOU GET VERY GOOD AT PRETENDING. YES, VERY GOOD AT PRETENDING. WITH NEW ZEALAND'S MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM, IT IS VERY HARD TO GET THE RIGHT COUNSELLING, THE RIGHT THERAPY AND THE RIGHT SUPPORT. CHRISTINE'S COMPLETED 19 OUT OF 24 PAPERS AND HER STUDIES WERE GOING WELL. UNTIL HER RELAPSE EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHERE SHE BECAME SUICIDAL AND STARTED SELF-HARMING AGAIN. AND THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED I JUST CAN'T. THE THOUGHT OF HAVING TO SIT DOWN AND CONCENTRATE ON SOMETHING THAT I'M PAYING FOR AND THAT I NEED TO DO WELL IN, IT'S NOT WORTH IT WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN THE RIGHT STATE. CHRISTINE APPLIED FOR A REFUND FOR ONE OF HER PAPERS WITH A LETTER FROM HER GP. SHE ALSO SAID THAT IF THEY NEEDED MORE EVIDENCE, TO GET BACK TO HER. SURELY YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT CHOICE TO WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND BE LIKE, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT READY FOR THIS. I NEED SOME TIME.' THEIR RESPONSE ` A FLAT OUT 'NO'. READS: THE FEE APPEAL PROCESS EXISTS FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED UNFORESEEN CRITICAL, PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR A STUDENT TO CONTINUE WITH HER OR HIS STUDIES. YOU HAVE KNOWN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES SINCE 2013 BUT CHOSE TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR STUDIES. SO WHAT DO YOU FIND THE MOST UPSETTING PART OF THAT? EVERYTHING. IT'S AS IF THEY'RE SAYING, 'WHY AM I STUDYING, THEN, IF I KNOW I WON'T BE ABLE TO COPE WITH IT?' SHE PHONED THE PERSON WHO SENT HER THE RESPONSE. SHE SAYS THEY WERE JUST AS INSENSITIVE ON THE PHONE. WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING THE FACTS. LATE THIS AFTERNOON, AFTER WE CONTACTED THEM, A CHANGE OF HEART FROM THE UNIVERSITY. THEY HAVE NOW DECIDED TO REFUND CHRISTINE AND SAY THEY UNRESERVEDLY APOLOGISE. FOR CHRISTINE, IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING RESPECTFUL. PERSONALLY, I WOULD HAVE LIKED A PHONE CALL BACK ` THAT'S ALL. I JUST WANTED SOMEONE TO CALL ME BACK AND SAY, 'HEY, CHRISTINE. I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS SITUATION, 'BUT WE NEED MORE EVIDENCE.' DO YOU FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO BE TOUGH, OTHERWISE PEOPLE WOULD BE APPLYING FOR REFUNDS LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTRE? YES, I FULLY AGREE. BUT IN TERMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS, I THINK THERE'S A HUGE GAP BETWEEN UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT REALLY IS. YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU CAN REALLY DO ANYTHING, LET ALONE GET OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING. I think she makes a good point. When you are dealing with something as intangible as mental health, it is not a bit of paper or a score of 10. It is interesting situations like that. The way things are dealt with become more of an issue than what it is. I can't believe institutions don't deal with this all the time. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK LATELY ABOUT THE WAY WE'RE TALKING ON TV AND RADIO, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE USE OF MAORI WORDS AND PHRASES. VOCAL OPPONENTS OF TE REO IN MAINSTREAM BROADCASTING, LIKE DON BRASH, SAY MAORI IS POINTLESS BECAUSE 98% OF KIWIS DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO WHAT DO FLUENT MAORI SPEAKERS MAKE OF THE DEBATE? MAIKI SHERMAN MET TEENS BEING SCHOOLED ENTIRELY IN TE REO AT THE 'WIKI HAKINA-KINA', OR MAORI SPORTS WEEK. THEY'RE GROWING UP IN A WORLD MOST NEW ZEALANDERS WILL NEVER KNOW. WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD KORERO MAORI EVERY SECOND OF THE DAY, NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE, NO MATTER WHAT SITUATION. IT'S, KIND OF, UNIQUE TO THE WORLD. NO ONE ELSE HAS OUR LANGUAGE. THESE STUDENTS ARE SCHOOLED COMPLETELY IN THE MAORI LANGUAGE. (MAN SHOUTS IN TE REO) EVERYTHING FROM MATHS, SCIENCE, AND SPORT TO MAORI MYTHOLOGY, CUSTOMS, AND TRADITIONS. IT BASICALLY GIVES ME A CONNECTION TO MY TUPUNA AND ALL OF MY WHAKAPAPA, GENEALOGY. AND TUPUNA BEING ANCESTORS, SORRY. 'SORRY' BECAUSE HAVING TO TRANSLATE TE REO MAORI IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY IS THE REALITY FOR MANY REO MAORI SPEAKERS. ON ONE HAND, IT'S COURTEOUS TO THOSE WHO DO NOT SPEAK TE REO. (MAN SPEAKS IN TE REO) BUT ON THE OTHER, IT'S DEMANDED BY THOSE WHO SEE THE MAORI LANGUAGE AS AN UNWANTED INCONVENIENCE. DON BRASH SAYS TE REO MAORI WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT? WELL, TO ME, IT'S NOT QUITE POINTLESS. E AI KI TE TANGATA NEI KI A DON BRASH KAARE HE PAKU AKORANGA O ROTO I TE REO MAORI. HE AHA TAU KI TENA? KATAHI NGA KORERO TEKO, KATAHI NGA KORERO TEKA KO TERA. KAARE TE PAKU WHAKAAE KI TERA NA RUNGA I TE WHAKAARO KO TE REO MAORI KOIRA TE TUAPAPA O TAKU AO. (SPEAKS TE REO) THE LATEST CRITICISM AIMED AT THE INCREASED USE OF THE MAORI LANGUAGE IN MAINSTREAM BROADCASTING. THE UNDERLYING RACISM IN THOSE COMMENTS - I BELIEVE THERE IS A CERTAIN FACTION OF NEW ZEALAND THAT CARRY THOSE VALUES. 'WHY ARE WE BOTHERING WITH THE TREATY OF WAITANGI?' 'WHY ARE WE BOTHERING WITH THE MAORI LANGUAGE?' THOSE VALUES EXIST IN A CERTAIN PORTION OF NEW ZEALAND, AND WHEN PEOPLE IN POWER LIKE DON BRASH MAKE THOSE STATEMENTS, IT RE-ENDORSES THEIR OPINIONS. AND THE LACK OF VALUE AFFORDED TO THE MAORI LANGUAGE, TRIST REWETI SAYS, IS NOT ONLY BY PAKEHA BUT BY MAORI AS WELL. I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US IS CHANGING THE VALUE BASE OF OUR OWN PEOPLE. BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OUR OWN PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T TURNED TO VALUE OUR OWN LANGUAGE AND OWN TIKANGA ENOUGH TO RETAIN THEIR CHILDREN IN SECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATION IN THE WHAREKURA MOVEMENT. WHAREKURA IS TOTAL IMMERSION MAORI SECONDARY SCHOOLING AND THIS IS THEIR BIENNIAL GATHERING; A WEEK-LONG SPORTS EVENT FOR WHAREKURA ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I THINK IF WE GO BACK A FEW YEARS, THERE WAS ONLY ABOUT 70, 80 STUDENTS AND PARENTS INVOLVED, AND NOW WE'VE GOT THROUGH TO 1500. SO TO SEE THIS EVENT GROW NOW TO 1500 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TELLS ME THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE SLOWLY TURNING AND BELIEVING IN THIS KAUPAPA. AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO CONVINCE THE SCEPTICS ` AND THAT IS TO WIN. (CHEERING) WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE'RE IN THE KAUPAPA RIGHT NOW IS WE NEED TO DO A GOOD JOB OF IT. IT NEEDS TO BE SHOWN THIS IS A REAL PATHWAY FOR OUR PEOPLE AND WE NEED MORE OF US ON BOARD. I don't understand what the big deal is. There are so many people connected to their culture. The is the same thing with Tamati. There was all this controversy. I believe Don brash's point was public radio is taxpayer funded. There is a certain amount of Maori radio stations funded for that language. WITHOUT SELFIES, HOW WOULD INSTAGRAM SURVIVE? WHY THE POPULAR SOCIAL NETWORK IS CRACKING DOWN ON PEOPLE POSTING SNAPS WITH WILD ANIMALS. PLUS, YOU MIGHT THINK CHRISTCHURCH IS JUST A PILE OF RUBBLE WITH NOT MUCH GOING ON. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE OGNNA PROVE YOU WRONG. OR SHE WILL. AND WE MEET THE GALS' CHOIR ON THEIR 25TH BIRTHDAY. # WE'RE COMING UP # ON SEVEN SHARP # TO CHAT ABOUT US I hope there is a Christmas bonus in your stocking for this effort. We have gone for the champagne white Christmas, not the traditional red and green. The ferrylight tree is too much for you to handle. What about the creepy Santa outback? IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT POSTING A SELFIE WITH AN EXOTIC ANIMAL ON INSTAGRAM THESE HOLIDAYS, THINK AGAIN. TODAY INSTAGRAM HAS ANNOUNCED THEY'RE CRACKING DOWN ON PEOPLE WHO ARE POSTING PHOTOS WITH WILD ANIMALS. INTERNATIONAL NGO WORLD ANIMAL PROTECTION HAS REVEALED THAT SINCE 2014, THERE'S BEEN A 292% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SELFIES TAKEN WITH WILD ANIMALS. MORE THAN 40% OF THOSE SELFIES SHOWED WHAT ARE DEEMED 'BAD INTERACTIONS'. NOW, WHEN ONE OF THE NEAR 800 MILLION INSTAGRAM USERS SEARCH FOR A HASHTAG ASSOCIATED WITH HARMFUL BEHAVIOUR TO ANIMALS, THEY'LL SEE WARNINGS. A WILDLIFE SELFIE CODE HAS ALSO BEEN CREATED TO TEACH TOURISTS HOW TO CAPTURE THE MOMENT WITHOUT ENDANGERING ANIMALS. People will do anything for the right shot. You have an elephant walking, you are on a safari in Africa, and you go for the big photo. There is nothing wrong with this? As long as you are not touching. FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS NOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BAD NEWS COMING OUT OF CHRISTCHURCH. BUT TONIGHT WE'RE LOOKING TO CHANGE SOME OF THAT BY INTRODUCING YOU TO ONE OF THE CITY'S BIGGEST CHAMPIONS. AND HERE'S THE KICKER ` SHE CHOSE TO LIVE IN CHRISTCHURCH AFTER THE QUAKES. SO PUT AWAY THOSE PRECONCEPTIONS AND BUCKLE UP FOR WHAT FELICITY POWELL CALLS A CHRISTCHURCH 'ADD'-VENTURE, ENDING WITH A PIECE OF HISTORY IN THE MAKING ` A REALLY BIG PIECE! HERE'S RACHEL PARKIN. IT'S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE, AND NO ONE'S SAYING WE SHOULD, FORGET THAT DAY OR THOSE PRECIOUS LIVES LOST. BUT ` AND IT'S A BIG BUT ` # I LIKE BIG BUTTS AND I CANNOT LIE. # CHRISTCHURCH IS MAKING A COMEBACK. AND THIS IS THE CITY'S SEVEN SHARP-APPOINTED 'COMEBACK QUEEN'. FELICITY'S LIVED ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT THREE YEARS AGO CHOSE TO CALL THE GARDEN CITY 'HOME'. I ABSOLUTELY FELL FOR IT ` HOOK, LINE AND SINKER. THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY COOL GOING ON. SHE'S THE BRAINS BEHIND THIS BOOK. A PICK-A-PATH OR, YEAH, OK, BROKEN PATH, TAKING 'ADD'-VENTURERS ON A JOURNEY THROUGH PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. I WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE CREATIVELY CONNECT TO THE CITY AS IT TRANSFORMS AROUND THEM. SHE'S ALSO THE WOMAN BEHIND THIS ` THAT'S SO CRAZY! A 113M-LONG, 2.4M-HIGH COMIC STRIP, COMMISSIONED BY OTAKARO, THE CROWN-OWNED REBUILD COMPANY, TO FLANK THE SITE FOR CHRISTCHURCH'S FLASH NEW CONVENTION CENTRE. AN ARTWORK THAT, LIKE THE BOOK, EXPLORES THE PAST, THE QUAKES, THE NOW AND THE FUTURE. SO, YOU'RE AN ARTIST? NOT REALLY. LIKE, I'M A YOGA TEACHER. I WAS A GLACIER GUIDE. SHE'S NOT TECHNICALLY A WRITER, EITHER. SHALL WE GIVE IT A NUDGE? LET'S DO IT. WHERE BETTER TO START THAN THE 'BOXED QUARTER'? HOME OF FELICITY'S PUBLISHING COMPANY RE-EDIT ` A MEDLEY OF THINK-TANK, YUM-BANK AND STYLE, COMPLETE WITH TABLE TENNIS. OOOHH! SEE, POST-QUAKE CHRISTCHURCH IS A CITY OF JUXTAPOSITION. THE LAST REMAINING OLD BUILDINGS BEING PATCHED UP TO CODE IN AMONGST POCKETS OF INNOVATION. THERE ARE TRIBUTES, LEST WE FORGET. THE WOOD FOR THESE WAS HARVESTED FROM DEMOLISHED HOUSES FROM THE RED ZONE. AND TO CONTRAST THAT, AND I MEAN REALLY CONTRAST... WHAT? ...PURELY FOR FUN STUFF LIKE THIS. (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS) (LAUGHS) A STONE'S THROW FROM THERE ` THE NEW HOME FOR THE GIANT COMIC. (LAUGHS) TODAY IS D-DAY, AND FELICITY'S A KID IN A CANDY SHOP. # I'LL LET YOU LICK THE LOLLIPOP. # THAT'S SO FREAKING COOL. (LAUGHS) FIVE HOURS OF RESEARCH WENT INTO EACH AND EVERY OF THE 113M, NOT TO MENTION THE GRAPHIC DESIGN! HARDEST ONE IS EYES AND HANDS. I'M NOT AN ARTIST, BUT I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. YEAH, SEE, I'D DISAGREE, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IF I TRIED TO DRAW THAT, NOBODY WOULD COME. AND TODAY, RIGHT FROM THE WORD GO, THE PEOPLE CAME. WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS SO SPECIAL. THANK YOU! I APPRECIATE THAT! LIKE ADD-VENTURE, THE HOARDINGS ARE ALL ABOUT INTERACTION. SO, YES, TAKING SELFIES. COS I HAVE REAL SHORT ARMS! (LAUGHS) BUT ALSO TAKING STOCK AND KEEPING THE FAITH. WE'VE DONE SOME REALLY COOL STUFF WHEN WE GATHER TOGETHER, AND WORK TOGETHER. ALL OTAKARO ARE DOING IS MAKING A MASSIVE GATHERING PLACE SO THAT MORE EXTRAORDINARY THINGS CAN HAPPEN. BECAUSE TO LIVE IN CHRISTCHURCH, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK BIG PICTURE. Clever. Down on the waterfront, it just looks so beautiful. They are worried about some of the projects timewise. AND FELICITY'S WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS. IT COULD JUST BE THE 'LARGEST COMIC STRIP EVER PRODUCED BY AN INDIVIDUAL.' FOR A FULL LOOK AT THE COMIC AND MORE ON WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, JUMP ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR 'ANORIGINSTORY.CO.NZ.' DID YOU KNOW AUCKLAND HAS A GAY AND LESBIAN CHOIR? WELL, HERE THEY ARE. THEY'VE JUST TURNED 25 AND ARE WARMING UP FOR A CONCERT TO RAISE MONEY FOR HOMELESSNESS. Good enough for me and Bobby McGhee. He paraphrased that song, Winston peters. He said it was a Janis Joplin song, but it was Kris Kristofferson. This Christmas card. I purchased Mike a goat, and now 373 people have done the same and received this card. I am the person who gives at Christmas time. I am the gift that keeps on giving. TIME NOW TO ANNOUNCE OUR LATEST ASB GOOD AS GOLD SANTA EDITION WINNER, SHEILA HAGEN FROM OPUNAKE. SHEILA'S HUSBAND DIED SUDDENLY IN JANUARY. THE FAMILY LEFT BEHIND FOUND OUT THAT HE'D UNEXPECTEDLY CANCELLED HIS LIFE INSURANCE POLICY BEFORE PASSING AWAY. SHEILA'S DAUGHTER LINDA HELPED PAY FOR THE FUNERAL, SPENDING ALL THE MONEY THEY'D BEEN SAVING FOR HEARING AIDS FOR HER MOTHER, ASSUMING THAT THEY'D GET THE LIFE INSURANCE PAYMENTS AT A LATER DATE. THIS, OF COURSE, NEVER CAME. LINDA SAYS NEW HEARING AIDS WOULD DRASTICALLY IMPROVE HER MOTHER'S QUALITY OF LIFE, SAYING SHE'D BE ABLE TO JOIN IN AND ENJOY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE CHRISTMAS DINNER TABLE. SO ASB ARE GIVING SHEILA $4000 FOR BRAND-NEW HEARING AIDS. NOMINATIONS ARE STILL OPEN FOR THIS YEAR'S DAILY WINNERS. HEAD TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR ALL THE DETAILS. A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY IS BEING CELEBRATED THIS WEEK. IT'S THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF GALS ` THE FIRST GAY AND LESBIAN CHOIR IN NEW ZEALAND. THEY'VE SEEN MANY MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY ` CIVIL UNIONS, SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, GAY ADOPTION RIGHTS TO NAME A FEW. AND THEY'RE USING THEIR QUARTER-CENTURY CELEBRATION TO SHINE A LIGHT ON ANOTHER MARGINALISED COMMUNITY ` THE HOMELESS. THEY TOOK CAROLYN ROBINSON FOR A STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE. (LAUGHTER) IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SINGING. (LAUGHTER) IS THAT YOU? THAT'S YOUNG! THEY'RE ALSO CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP. IT'S ALL BEEN ABOUT BELONGING, REALLY. YEAH. IT IS. I JOINED THE CHOIR IN '94. AND YOU... I JOINED IN '95. SINGING TOGETHER IS ABOUT BEING TOGETHER. AND CREATING CHORAL SOUND IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ONLY DO IN A GROUP. (ALL SING CHORAL SONG) THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT GALS IS THEIR FAMILY IN AUCKLAND... IT REALLY IS WHANAU. IT CERTAINLY WAS FOR ME. I CAME TO IN AUCKLAND IN 1990 OR 1991 NOT KNOWING ANYBODY. YOU SAID TO ME WHEN I CAME IN THAT IT WAS ONLY 5% OR 10% ABOUT THE SINGING. 300 MEMBERS HAVE PASSED THROUGH GALS' RANKS. # YOU CAN TALK TO ME. # PARTIES THAT WE GO TO, BIRTHDAYS THAT WE CELEBRATE TOGETHER. WEDDINGS THAT WE SING AT. WEDDINGS THAT WE SING AT. THERE'S USUALLY A CHRISTMAS SOMETHING OR RATHER WHERE WE GET TOGETHER, SO THERE'S LOTS OF SOCIALISING, CAMARADERIE GOING ON. A HIGHLIGHT WAS THE 1998 GAY GAMES IN AMSTERDAM, WHERE HOMOSEXUALITY WAS OPENLY CELEBRATED EVERYWHERE THEY WENT. # I'M NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WITH SOME SUPERHUMAN KISS. # EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT US. WE WERE IN THE MAJORITY. THAT'S THE THING WITH THOSE SORT OF EVENTS. SUDDENLY, YOU'RE NOT A MINORITY IN THE NORMAL STREET SCENE. YEAH. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY FEELING. SO, TONIGHT, IN CONCERT, THEY'RE HONOURING ANOTHER MINORITY. PEOPLE WHO HAD STRUGGLED ON THE STREET, DIED ON THE STREET. PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN MARGINALISED SITUATIONS. WE NEED REALLY CRISP, QUICK CONSONANTS. GOOD LUCK. (LAUGHTER) (ALL SING UPLIFTING CHORAL SONG) WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO JUST TO BE ALL ABOUT US. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME FOR US TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. WITH THE HELP OF SIX OTHER CHOIRS, (RHYTHMIC CLAPPING) IN GALS, I CAN SING ABOUT THE REALITY OF MY LIFE. WE WEREN'T GOING TO SIT IN GALS AND HAVE ALL THE WOMEN HAVE TO SING A SONG ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THEIR MAN. THERE'S LOTS OF OPINIONS. THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF OPINIONS. YOU SEE THE REAL PERSON. SINGING IN A GROUP IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. 25 YEARS. HERE'S TO 25 MORE. ABSOLUTELY. I'LL SEE YOU THERE. (BOTH LAUGH) (SLOW PIANO MELODY PLAYS) # WE REMEMBER THEM. # Sensational. You can still get there at the Auckland town Hall. CAPTIONS BY JAKE EBDALE AND JEAN TENG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.