IT'S MIDDAY. ONE YEAR AFTER THE KAIKOURA QUAKE, THE LIFELINE ROAD BETWEEN PICTON AND CHRISTCHURCH REOPENS. THE PRIME MINISTER PLEDGES TO HALVE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY. A BOLD GOAL. SO CAN IT BE ACHIEVED? PLUS, THERE'S NEW HOPE FOR PATIENTS LIVING WITH THE GENETIC DEFECT HAEMOPHILIA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017 AHIAHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, KAIKOURA WAS ROCKED BY A 7.8 MAGNITUDE QUAKE WHICH CAUSED 85 SLIPS THROUGH STATE HIGHWAY 1. AND TODAY, AFTER A MONSTER RECOVERY EFFORT, THE ROAD'S FINALLY REOPENED. 1 NEWS REPORTER ALI PUGH IS THERE. The moment this town has been waiting 13 months for is almost here. Within the next hour, State Highway 1 will finally have its ordinance lifted since the quake. Events have been held around town to mark this occasion. An early dawn ceremonially was held at North of this point. Iwi there had a blessing for the site, planting for trees representing the joining of the North and the South and the sea with the land. There was a breakfast in town for the local community to come together and celebrate this momentous day. It was a very emotional day for many. We can now go to Blenheim and a short time. It is opening up everything. It is a really big thing, honouring my boy. It means we do not have to fly or drive seven or eight hours to see grandparents. It is massive. I don't think it is really settled and foremost of us yet. It is pretty hard to express it. It is all about tourism, though. This road represents visitors. Visitors are the lifeblood of this region. The mayor said the reopening is a new beginning for Kaikoura. It has been a long time coming. To get this open my Christmas is fantastic. It will be a real lift for the community. Massive celebrations ahead this afternoon. There is a big party planned in town. We will have more for you at six. A CHRISTCHURCH WOMAN'S BEEN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN JAIL FOR THE MANSLAUGHTER OF A GIRL (1). SHAYAL UPASHNA SAMI (20) WAS BABYSITTING BABY AALIYAH ASHLYN CHAND IN JANUARY 2015 WHEN SHE INFLICTED MULTIPLE INJURIES ON HER, INCLUDING TWO SKULL FRACTURES. SHE LATER DIED IN HOSPITAL. BABY AALIYAH'S PARENTS DEV AND ANJANI CHAND SAID MS SAMI HAD PUT THEM THROUGH 'UNBEARABLE PAIN'. THE GOVERNMENT HAS SET ITSELF THE AMBITIOUS GOAL OF HALVING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND. IT COMES AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW FAMILIES PACKAGE TO HELP GIVE KIWI KIDS A BETTER START IN LIFE. PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN SAYS THE TASK'S A REALISTIC ONE. AND ALTHOUGH CHARITY GROUPS ARE SUPPORTING THE NEWS, THEY'RE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE LONGEVITY OF THE CHANGES. INDIA LEISHMAN REPORTS. IN NEW ZEALAND, THERE'S AN AVERAGE OF 100 CHILDREN EVERY DAY THAT ARE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF POVERTY-RELATED DISEASES. WE ARE WANTING TO SEE A HALVING OF THAT FIGURE. IT'S STARTLING STATISTICS LIKE THIS THAT HAVE PUSHED THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TO LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES. THE LABOUR-LED 'FAMILIES PACKAGE' WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY AS PART OF THE MINI-BUDGET. IT'LL SEE A MORE GENEROUS 'WORKING FOR FAMILIES' SCHEME AND A WEEKLY PAYMENT OF $60 TO PARENTS WITH NEWBORNS. CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP HAS WELCOMED THE PROPOSALS. IT'S BEEN NEARLY THREE DECADES NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THE DISASTROUS CHILD POVERTY LEVELS IN NEW ZEALAND. WE NEED PROPER PACKAGES TO LIFT CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY, AND THIS IS A VERY CREDIBLE START. BUT THERE'S STILL CONCERN FROM THE GROUP OVER WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT'S GOAL MAY BE TOO BUREAUCRATIC FOR PEOPLE TO ENGAGE WITH. PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN MITIGATED THOSE FEARS. THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT. SO FOR THINGS LIKE WINTER ENERGY PAYMENTS, THAT'S AUTOMATIC. PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT ONE. 'WORKING FOR FAMILIES', FOR THOSE WHO GET IT, THAT JUST INCREASES. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BROADENED IT OUT TO TRY AND BRING IN MORE MIDDLE-INCOME EARNERS. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THEIR NUMBERS ARE PREDICTIONS FROM TREASURY, WHICH ESTIMATED THE IMPACT THE PACKAGES WOULD HAVE ON LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES. IT'S GOOD NEWS FOR NOW. BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS OVER WHETHER THE PLAN WILL HAVE ANY REAL IMPACT ON LIFTING KIDS OUT OF POVERTY. INDIA LEISHMAN, 1 NEWS. TO INTERNATIONAL NEWS NOW. AND A TRAIN HAS COLLIDED WITH A SCHOOL BUS IN SOUTHERN FRANCE, KILLING AT LEAST FOUR CHILDREN. ANOTHER 20 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED FOLLOWING THE CRASH NEAR PERPIGNAN. THE FRENCH PRESIDENT HAS EXPRESSED HIS CONDOLENCES TO THOSE INVOLVED. TO BRITAIN NOW. AND SIX MONTHS AFTER THE GRENFELL TOWER FIRE, SURVIVORS AND RELATIVES OF THE DEAD WERE JOINED BY MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. 71 PEOPLE ` 18 OF THEM CHILDREN ` DIED FOLLOWING THE BLAZE ON JUNE 14TH. FOR MANY THE DISASTER HAS COME TO SYMBOLISE THE DISPARITY BETWEEN RICH AND POOR IN LONDON. THE BBC'S MARK EASTON REPORTS. EVERY STRAND OF BRITISH CULTURAL LIFE WAS WOVEN INTO A SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE, COMMUNITY AND HOPE. GRENFELL SURVIVORS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, POLITICIANS AND ROYALTY. SOME POLITICIANS FROM KENSINGTON WERE ASKED NOT TO COME TODAY. EMOTIONS ARE STILL TOO RAW. WOMAN: DON'T COME AND LOOK AT TAKING OUT SELFIES. NO, NO, NO. THIS IS NOT RESPECTFUL. WE WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. USING VOICES FROM THE TIME, THE LINGERING AGONY OF THE GRENFELL COMMUNITY WAS DROPPED INTO THE COLUMN OF THE CATHEDRAL. WOMAN: YOU NEED TO FEEL WHAT WE FELT. MAN: THEY'VE LET US DOWN, THIS BOROUGH, THEY LET US DOWN. HONEST TO GOD. LOOK` WOMAN: THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS. TODAY WE ASK WHY WARNINGS WERE NOT HEEDED, WHY A COMMUNITY WAS LEFT FEELING NEGLECTED, UNCARED FOR, NOT LISTENED TO. IN A SERVICE RICH WITH IMAGERY, A COMMITMENT WAS MADE TO TURN GRENFELL FROM A SYMBOL OF SORROW TO A SYMBOL OF THE TIME WE LEARNED TO LISTEN AND TO LOVE. SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT FATEFUL DAY, THE POWERFUL WERE ONCE AGAIN FORCED TO LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE EYES OF THOSE WHOSE TRUST WAS BETRAYED. FOR THREE CENTURIES AND MORE, ST PAUL'S HAS MARKED THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS OF THE CAPITAL. TODAY, TO THAT LIST, WAS ADDED GRENFELL ` A TRAGEDY THAT AWOKE LONDON TO THE INJUSTICE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. RUPERT MURDOCH ` WHOSE HUGE MEDIA EMPIRE SPANS THE GLOBE ` HAS DECIDED TO SELL MOST OF IT TO THE DISNEY CORPORATION IN A DEAL WORTH NZ$74B. IT ENDS NEARLY FIVE DECADES OF MURDOCH'S REIGN OVER THE INDUSTRY. THE BBC'S AMOL RAJAN REPORTS. WHEN RUPERT MURDOCH BOUGHT THE 'NEWS OF THE WORLD' IN 1968, BUT THIS CANNY AUSTRALIAN WITH NEWS IN HIS VEINS MADE HIS WAY TO THE HEART OF THE ESTABLISHMENT IN BOTH BRITAIN AND AMERICA, WIELDING EXTRAORDINARY INFLUENCE. FROM HIS BASE IN TABLOID NEWSPAPERS, HE MOVED AGGRESSIVELY INTO FILM AND TELEVISION ` WELL, I'LL ALWAYS HAVE MY CRANK CALLS. BUT NOW, IN A MOVE FORESEEN IN THE SIMPSONS ` ANOTHER MURDOCH PRODUCT ` FOX HAS BECOME A DIVISION OF DISNEY. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, 'WHY DID THE MURDOCH'S COME TO SUCH A MOMENTOUS DECISION?' ARE WE RETREATING? ABSOLUTELY NOT. WE ARE PIVOTING AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT. ANDREW NEIL WAS AT MURDOCH'S SIDE AS AN EDITOR AND EXECUTIVE FOR YEARS. HE'S BEEN TRYING TO DO THAT FOR 35, 40 YEARS. I USED TO SIT WITH HIM IN RESTAURANTS IN LONDON IN THE MID-1980S, AND HE TALKED ABOUT A MURDOCH DYNASTY, ABOUT PUTTING HIS CHILDREN INTO KEY POSITIONS. 20TH CENTURY FOX; INTERNATIONAL TV BUSINESSES, INCLUDING SKY IN EUROPE AND STAR IN INDIA; CABLE NETWORKS, SUCH AS FX AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC; AND, PERHAPS MOST STRIKINGLY, A STAKE IN HULU ` WHICH COULD RIVAL NETFLIX. AND THAT'S THE KEY FOR DISNEY. STREAMING HAS CHANGED BROADCASTING FOREVER, ALLOWING YOU, AT HOME, TO WATCH A SEEMINGLY INFINITE NUMBER OF SHOWS HOW YOU WANT, WHERE YOU WANT AND WHEN YOU WANT. CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN OF DOMESTIC TELEVISION STATIONS, BROADCASTING DIRECTLY INTO MILLIONS OF HOMES. THE FOX INTERNATIONAL FOOTPRINT HAS SOME EXTREMELY HIGH-END TECHNOLOGY TO DELIVER ALL THIS CONTENT TO CONSUMERS IN MORE MODERN WAYS. SKY, IN EUROPE, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. STAR INDIA, ANOTHER ONE. AND SO, TO THE CONSUMER, NOT ONLY WILL THEY BE GETTING MORE GREAT CONTENT ` HIGH QUALITY CONTENT ` BUT THEY'LL BE GETTING IT IN WAYS THAT THEY DEMAND. WHILE FOX SAYS ITS OWN BID FOR FULL CONTROL OF SKY, CURRENTLY STUCK WITH REGULATORS, REMAINS IN PLACE. PLAYING CATCH-UP WITH TECH GIANTS LIKE FACEBOOK, AMAZON AND APPLE, WHO ` IF THEY AREN'T THERE ALREADY ` DOCTORS IN BRITAIN SAY THEY'VE MADE A SIGNIFICANT BREAKTHROUGH IN THE TREATMENT OF THE MOST COMMON FORM OF HAEMOPHILIA. THE GENETIC DEFECT MEANS SUFFERERS' BLOOD CANNOT CLOT. THE BBC'S JAMES GALLAGHER REPORTS. WALKING TO WORK SHOULD BE SIMPLE, BUT IT WAS UNTHINKABLE FOR JAKE. HAEMOPHILIA A MEANT EVEN THE IMPACT OF HIS FEET ON THE PAVEMENT LED TO BLEEDING IN HIS JOINTS. BUT NO LONGER. I THINK GENE THERAPY HAS HOPEFULLY GIVEN ME A NEW LEASE ON LIFE. IT'S GONNA ALLOW ME WHEN, AS MY BOYS GROW UP, TO BE A LOT MORE ACTIVE WITH THEM ` TO KICK FOOTBALLS AROUND, TO CLIMB TREES AND HAVE A LITTLE RUN AROUND THE PARK WITH THEM AND NOT BE SOMEONE WHO'S GOT TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING. HAEMOPHILIA A IS A HEREDITARY CONDITION THAT STOPS THE BLOOD CLOTTING. HELLO. JAKE WAS ONE OF 13 PATIENTS GIVEN GENE THERAPY LAST YEAR. ALL OF THEM ARE NOW OFF THEIR HAEMOPHILIA MEDICATION. THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. HAEMOPHILIA IS CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN A PATIENT'S DNA. SO SCIENTISTS MADE A GENETICALLY MODIFIED VIRUS. IT CONTAINS THE HEALTHY DNA PATIENTS ARE MISSING. WHEN THE VIRUS INFECTS THE LIVER, IT LEAVES THE DNA BEHIND, AND IT GIVES DELIVER THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THE PROTEINS CALLED FACTOR 8 THAT CLOT THE BLOOD. IF THIS IS HOW MUCH FACTOR 8 YOU OR I PRODUCE, WELL, THIS IS HOW MUCH IS PRODUCED IN A HAEMOPHILIA PATIENT. BUT YOU CAN SEE, AFTER THE GENE THERAPY TRIAL, IT IS ALMOST UP TO NORMAL. THIS IS HUGE. IT'S GROUNDBREAKING, BECAUSE THEIR OPTION TO THINK ABOUT NORMALISING LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE HAEMOPHILIA IS ABSOLUTELY MIND BLOWING. TO OFFER PEOPLE THE POTENTIAL OF A NORMAL LIFE WHEN THEY'VE HAD TO INJECT THEMSELVES WITH FACTOR 8 EVERY OTHER DAY TO PREVENT BLEEDING IS TRANSFORMATIONAL. LARGE STUDIES WILL NOW TAKE PLACE TO SEE IF GENE THERAPY CAN REPLACE THESE REGULAR INJECTIONS AND TRULY TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS. BACK HERE NOW, AND NEW ZEALAND LACKS A CO-ORDINATED PLAN TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND LACKS SOME OF THE VITAL KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO DO SO. THAT'S THE WARNING IN THE MINISTRY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT'S IT'S URGING COUNCILS TO START PLANNING NOW FOR A DRAMATIC RISE IN SEA LEVEL AND THE EXTREME WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH GLOBAL WARMING. CLIMATE CHANGE MINISTER JAMES SHAW SAYS THE REPORT SHOWS THE SCALE AND URGENCY OF THE WORK NEEDED. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT ALLOWS US TO START THINKING ABOUT, 'WELL, WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS? HOW IS THAT GOING TO PLAY OUT 'IN THE FUTURE? WHAT ARE THE RISKS TO PROPERTY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, 'TO THE SOCIAL FABRIC AND TO THE ECONOMY AND SO ON 'THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF?' MR SHAW ALSO SAYS THE EFFECTS ARE ALREADY BEING FELT IN THE FORM OF MORE SEVERE WILDFIRES, DROUGHTS, AND STORMS. GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEW ZEALAND SUPER FUND HAVE RESUMED TODAY, NEARLY NINE YEARS AFTER BEING FROZEN BY NATIONAL. HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IS TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, WITH ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO RISE TO $2.5B BY 2022. BY THE FINANCE MINISTER AT A SPECIAL CEREMONY AT TREASURY THIS MORNING. IT'S THINKING. JACINDA: DON'T TIME OUT. SUCCESS! EXCELLENT. (APPLAUSE) THE NEW ZEALAND SUPERFUND WAS SET UP TO HELP EASE THE FUTURE BURDEN OF RETIREMENT COSTS ON THE GOVERNMENT AND IS WORTH AROUND $37B. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` JUST OVER A WEEK TO GO. THE TOYS YOU SHOULD NOT PUT UNDER YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE. AND WHAT ENGLAND NEEDS TO DO TO KEEP THEIR HOPES ALIVE IN THE THIRD ASHES TEST. WELCOME BACK. THEY MAY LOOK HARMLESS, BUT DOZENS OF POPULAR TOYS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE SHELVES IN AUSTRALIA BECAUSE THEY'RE POTENTIAL DEATH TRAPS. SAFETY INSPECTORS ARE NOW WARNING PARENTS THEY NEED TO BE VIGILANT WHEN SHOPPING FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR LITTLE ONES. CHANNEL NINES VICKY JARDIM REPORTS. THESE TOYS LOOK HARMLESS ENOUGH, BUT ON CLOSER INSPECTION, MOST ARE POTENTIALLY DEADLY. THE MAJORITY HAD DANGEROUS SMALL PARTS THAT COULD EASILY FIT INTO A YOUNG PERSON'S MOUTH. MOST WERE AIMED AT CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 3. SO, THIS MAY LOOK LIKE A SOFT, CUDDLY TOY, BUT THE BATTERY PACK HERE IS NOT SECURED. SO IT CAN OPEN EASILY. MOST OF THESE DANGEROUS TOYS WERE FOUND IN POP-UP AND DISCOUNT STORES, AS WELL AS MARKETS, THROUGHOUT SYDNEY. PARENTS ARE BEING WARNED TO MAKE SURE THEY SHOP AT REPUTABLE RETAILERS. INDIVIDUALS CAUGHT SELLING UNSAFE TOYS FACE A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF $220,000. WHEN IT COMES TO COMPANIES, IT'LL SKYROCKET TO $1.1M. ONE OF THE TOYS THAT'S CONCERNED US MOST IS A VERY SMALL CIGARETTE LIGHTER THAT'S IN THE FORM OF A TOY CAR. IT'S, OBVIOUSLY, CLEARLY DANGEROUS, BUT IT'S A TOY THAT A CHILD COULD EASILY PICK UP. CONSUMERS WHO HAVE BOUGHT ONE OF THESE TOYS ARE ENTITLED TO A REFUND. IF THEY ARE IN YOUR HOME, THEY SHOULD BE THROWN OUT IMMEDIATELY. TO SPORT NOW, AND THE WOMEN HAVE CLEANED UP AT THE NEW ZEALAND RUGBY AWARDS LAST NIGHT IN AUCKLAND. REIGNING WORLD CHAMPIONS THE BLACK FERNS TOOK THE TEAM OF THE YEAR PRIZE FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER CLINCHING A FIFTH WORLD TITLE EARLIER IN THE YEAR. IT WAS AMONG SIX AWARDS THEY RECEIVED ` SOMETHING WHICH BLACK FERNS STAR RUBY TUI SAYS PROVES THE WOMEN'S GAME IS FINALLY GETTING THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES. ALL MY SISTERS IN HERE, WE'RE NOT A CURTAIN RAISER; WE'RE NOT A PRE-GAME; WE ARE MAIN EVENTS. I THINK THE BLACK FERNS SHOWED THAT IN THE WORLD CUP 2017. SO IT'S LOOKING GOOD. IT'S LOOKING GOOD. WORLD RUGBY'S 2017 'BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER OF THE YEAR' RIEKO IOANE ADDED 'MAORI PLAYER OF THE YEAR' TO HIS COLLECTION. TO BOXING, AND KIWI HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSEPH PARKER HAS GIVEN HIS BIGGEST HINT YET THAT HIS WORLD UNIFICATION FIGHT WITH ANTHONY JOSHUA IS CLOSE TO FRUITION. IT'S UNDERSTOOD PARKER'S DUCO PROMOTER DAVID HIGGINS IS LIKELY TO BOARD A FLIGHT TO LONDON NEXT WEEK TO OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE THE BOUT, WITH PARKER HIMSELF CONFIRMING ONLY A FEW DETAILS ARE LEFT. PARKER ALSO TOUCHED ON THE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO CAMPS IN THE PAST MONTH, WITH THE KIWI LOOKING FORWARD TO FINALLY TAKING ON THE BRIT IN THE RING. I THINK, AS A CHAMPION, THAT I TAKE PRIDE IN THE WBO THAT I HAVE, AND HE TAKES PRIDE IN THE IBF AND WBA. SO IT'S JUST A BIT OF BANTER. I THINK IT'S A BIT OF FUN. BUT I'VE SAID MANY TIMES I RESPECT HIM AS A FIGHTER AND I RESPECT HIM AS A CHAMPION, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN WE CLASH. IT'S GONNA BE... I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT FIGHT. THE POTENTIAL FIGHT IS EXPECTED TO BE HELD IN MARCH NEXT YEAR. KIWI SHOT-PUT SENSATION JACKO GILL HAS BEEN FORCED OUT OF NEXT YEAR'S COMMONWEALTH GAMES ON THE GOLD COAST AFTER A HEART SCARE. THE YOUNG ATHLETE WAS HOSPITALISED FOR EIGHT DAYS AFTER WAKING UP WITH PAIN IN HIS CHEST AND FOREARM TWO WEEKS AGO. THE 22-YEAR-OLD WILL NOW TAKE THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OFF FROM COMPETITIONS TO RECOVER. ACROSS THE DITCH TO THE ASHES, AND ENGLAND HAVE MADE A STRONG START IN DAY ONE OF THE THIRD TEST IN PERTH. DAWID MALAN STRUCK HIS MAIDEN TEST CENTURY TO BREATHE LIFE INTO ENGLAND'S ASHES DEFENCE IN A MATCH THAT WASN'T WITHOUT A SPRINKLING OF CONTROVERSY. THE BBC'S ANDY SWISS HAS ALL THE ACTION FROM THE WACA. THEY'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS. AFTER WATCHING COLLAPSES, CALAMITIES AND CONTROVERSIES, AT LAST, FOR ENGLAND FANS, A BIT OF CRICKETING CHEERS ` NOT THAT IT NECESSARILY SEEMED THAT WAY AT FIRST. ENGLAND OPTED TO BAT, BUT IN ALISTAIR COOK'S CASE, NOT FOR LONG. MAKING LIFE DECIDEDLY UNCOMFORTABLE. THEY BROKE MARK STONEMAN'S HELMET, AND SOON, IT SEEMED, ENGLAND'S HOPE. STONEMAN WAS GONE, CONTROVERSIALLY FOR 56. THE VIDEO UMPIRE DECIDED IT HAD JUST BRUSHED HIS GLOVE ` TO ENGLAND'S FRUSTRATION. AT 131 FOR 4, IT SEEMED ANOTHER TALE OF 'WHAT IF'. BUT IN THE NICK OF TIME, A CENTURION EMERGED FROM THE RANKS ` THE UNHERALDED DAWID MALAN. YES, HE RODE HIS LUCK, DROPPED ON 92, BUT TOGETHER WITH JOHNNY BAIRSTOW, HE MADE AUSTRALIA PAY. WHAT A TIME TO SCORE YOUR FIRST TEST 100. IF THE DAY BELONGED TO ENGLAND, THE MOMENT WAS ALL HIS. MAGNIFICENT EFFORT. IT WAS SO EMOTIONAL. I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND WHEN I GOT THE HUNDRED, I WAS JUST SO EMOTIONAL I ALMOST STARTED CRYING, TO BE HONEST, WHEN IT HAPPENED. WELL, JUST WHEN THEY NEEDED IT, ENGLAND'S BEST DAY OF THE SERIES SO FAR. THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO IN THIS MATCH, BUT THEY'VE GIVEN THEMSELVES A CHANCE. IN A SERIES SO FAR DEFINED BY DISAPPOINTMENT, ENGLAND WILL HOPE THIS MIGHT JUST BE A TURNING POINT. TO SAILING, AND AUCKLAND COUNCIL PASSED IT'S FIRST HURDLE YESTERDAY IN CHOOSING THE WYNYARD BASIN AS IT'S PREFERRED LOCATION FOR THE NEXT AMERICA'S CUP VILLAGE. BUT CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED AT THE POTENTIAL COST OF THE 2021 REGATTA, WITH AUCKLAND COUNCIL ESTIMATING FIGURES OF AROUND $100M. BUT TEAM NEW ZEALAND BOSS GRANT DALTON SAYS THAT'S NOT ACCURATE. THE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING BANDIED AROUND ARE JUST` I HAVE NO IDEA WHY SOME OF THESE NUMBERS OF OVER $100M` SO IT'S LESS THAN $100M? OH, YEAH. I MEAN, IT WOULD BE A PRETTY GOOD EVENT AT $100M. WOW! CHALLENGER SYNDICATES ARE EXPECTED TO START SETTING UP BASES HERE IN LATE 2019. THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE FLEET HAVE BEEN FEELING THE FULL STRENGTH OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN, PUMMELLED BY 50 KNOT WIND GUSTS AND WILD WAVES. NEVERTHELESS, BOAT SPEEDS ROCKETED TO AN INCREDIBLE 38 KNOTS AS TEAMS TAKE ON WHAT HAS BEEN THEIR MOST TREACHEROUS STRETCH OF THE RACE YET. CHINESE TEAM DONG FENG ARE CURRENTLY IN FRONT, WITH KIWI BLAIR TUKE'S MAPFRE A CLOSE SECOND. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. A YEAR ON FROM KAIKOURA'S EARTHQUAKE, STATE HIGHWAY 1 HAS REOPENED IN TIME FOR SUMMER. THE GOVERNMENT'S SET ITSELF THE AMBITIOUS GOAL OF HALVING THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY IN NEW ZEALAND. NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ AND THAT'S OUR LAST MIDDAY BULLETIN FOR 2017 ` A SHOW THAT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE, FOR THIS LOT, INCLUDING THE CREW IN THE CONTROL ROOM ` THE TEAM BEHIND 1NEWS MIDDAY. A HUGE THANK-YOU FROM ME TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU, AND A SPECIAL THANK-YOU TO YOU FOR ALWAYS TUNING IN. HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS, AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR. FROM US, STAY SAFE. GOODBYE. CAPTIONS BY CHELSEA BRADY AND GLENNA CASALME WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.