MEANWHILE, POLITICIANS BACK HERE AGREE THE SEPARATION IS A REGRETTABLE MOVE BY PRESIDENT TRUMP. A FAMILY IS A FAMILY, AND IN MY OPINION, FAMILIES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO STICK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, TO ME, IT'S CRUEL. IT'S JUST OUTRIGHT CRUELTY. SEPARATING FAMILIES IN THIS WAY SEEMS INHUMANE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS AUSTRALIA HAVE GATHERED TO HONOUR A YOUNG COMEDIAN WHO WAS RAPED AND MURDERED WHILE WALKING HOME FROM WORK. EURYDICE DIXON'S BODY WAS FOUND IN A MELBOURNE PARK LAST WEEK. THOSE WHO KNEW HER AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T HAVE HELD VIGILS TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE AND FIGHT AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. THE ABC'S EMMA YOUNGER REPORTS. IN AN INNER CITY PARK, THOUSANDS GATHERED TO LIGHT THE WAY HOME FOR WOMEN IN HONOUR OF A YOUNG COMEDIAN WHO DIDN'T MAKE IT THERE. IT'S A MOMENT FOR US TO COME TOGETHER TO GRIEVE AND TO MOURN AND COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO REAFFIRM THE RIGHT FOR WOMEN EVERYWHERE TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL SAFELY. THE RAPE AND MURDER OF EURYDICE DIXON HAS SPARKED GRIEF BUT ALSO ANGER. IT COULD'VE BEEN ANYONE; SHE WAS JUST WALKING HOME FROM WORK. WE'RE ALL JUST ASKING FOR CHANGE, AT THE END OF THE DAY. BEFORE DAWN, FIREFIGHTERS MADE ANOTHER DISTURBING DISCOVERY ` LEWD GRAFFITI AROUND THE SITE OF SO MUCH GRIEF. LOW ` IT'S LOWER THAN LOW. IT'S THE ABSOLUTE PITS. IT'S ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. THEY SHOULD JUST BE LEFT OUT TO DRY. HOURS LATER, VICTORIA'S POLICE CHIEF ADDED TO THE GROWING MEMORIAL. I JUST WANTED TO PERSONALLY JUST PAY MY RESPECTS. LATER HE CHAIRED A MEETING WITH MELBOURNE'S LORD MAYOR AND THE POLICE MINISTER TO DISCUSS IMPROVING SAFETY. WE'RE CREATING 360-DEGREE CAMERAS TO REALLY MAKE SURE POLICE AND THE 'SAFE CITY' CAMERA NETWORK IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO CALLING ON THE COMMUNITY TO CHANGE ATTITUDES. IT'S ABOUT SHOWING OUR GRIEF BUT ALSO DEMANDING CHANGES IN TERMS OF THE WAY WOMEN ARE SEEN AND TREATED IN OUR COMMUNITY. A SENTIMENT ECHOED BY THE PRIME MINISTER ` WHAT WE MUST DO AS WE GRIEVE IS ENSURE THAT WE CHANGE THE HEARTS OF MEN TO RESPECT WOMEN. WE START WITH THE YOUNGEST MEN ` LITTLE BOYS, OUR SONS AND GRANDSONS. TONIGHT IN CANBERRA, THERE WAS ALSO A VIGIL, ATTENDED BY POLITICAL LEADERS, INCLUDING THE PRIME MINISTER AND OPPOSITION LEADER ` A CALL TO ALL AUSTRALIANS TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN. BACK HERE, ALL MAJOR DIY STORES ARE PULLING IONISATION SMOKE ALARMS FROM THEIR SHELVES. TESTS HAVE REVEALED THEY GIVE LESS WARNING OF SMOULDERING FIRES COMPARED TO OTHER MODELS, MAKING THEM LESS LIKELY TO GO OFF IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. MITRE 10, HAMMER HARDWARE, PLACEMAKERS AND BUNNINGS HAVE ALL AGREED TO STOP SELLING THE DEVICES IN THE COMING WEEKS. CONSUMER NZ'S WELCOMED THE NEWS AND SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CHECK WHICH TYPE OF ALARM THEY HAVE AT HOME. SECURITY FOOTAGE HAS CAPTURED THE MOMENT A TORNADO RIPPED THROUGH A PROPERTY IN WAIKATO. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, THE TORNADO TEARS OFF LARGE PARTS OF A GARAGE IN MATAMATA. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS INSIDE. LOCALS REPORTED SEEING A FUNNEL-SHAPED CLOUD LOCALS REPORTED SEEING A FUNNEL-SHAPED CLOUD YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AS A STORM FRONT PASSED ACROSS THE AREA. SECURITY FOOTAGE HAS CAPTURED THE MOMENT NZERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR FUNDING TO CELEBRATE 125 YEARS OF WOMEN WINNING THE RIGHT TO VOTE. MINISTER FOR WOMEN JULIE ANN GENTER ANNOUNCED THE $300,000 FUND AT THE NATIONAL LIBRARY THIS MORNING IN FRONT OF THE 1893 WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE PETITION. MS GENTER SAYS THE FUNDING WILL ALLOW COMMUNITY GROUPS TO CELEBRATE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LED THE WAY FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS. APPLICATIONS OPEN ON THURSDAY. STILL TO COME ON 'MIDDAY' ` NEW TECHNOLOGY IN AUSTRALIA IS HELPING PARENTS KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE OVER BABIES IN HOSPITAL. THE STATE-OF-THE-ART WEBCAM FOOTAGE CAN EVEN BE VIEWED ON A SMARTPHONE. IN SPORT, ENGLAND SCRAPE A WIN OVER WORLD-CUP RIVALS TUNISIA. WE'VE GOT THAT AND THE REST OF THE DAY'S ACTION FROM RUSSIA. AND GETTING A NATURAL RECHARGE AHEAD OF ORIGIN TWO AS THE BLUES ASK THEMSELVES WHO CAN STOP QUEENSLAND STAR KALYN PONGA. FOR PARENTS OF PREMATURE BABIES, LEAVING THEIR NEWBORNS IN THE NURSERY FOR TREATMENT CAN BE HARD, BUT NOW A HOSPITAL IN SYDNEY IS TRYING TO MAKE THINGS A LITTLE EASIER WITH WEBCAM TECHNOLOGY SO PARENTS CAN STILL SEE THEIR BABIES EVEN WHEN THEY CAN'T BE WITH THEM. THE ABC'S LIV CASBEN HAS THIS. BORN AT JUST 24 WEEKS' GESTATION, LANI DANIEL WEIGHED LESS THAN 700G. AT JUST THREE MONTHS, SHE'S ALREADY HAD STOMACH SURGERY. SHE'S UP AND DOWN, BUT AT THE MOMENT, SHE'S GOING REALLY WELL. BUT WITH LANI IN INTENSIVE CARE, EACH NIGHT, HER MUM, EMMA, HAS TO LEAVE THE HOSPITAL WITHOUT HER. NOW NEW TECHNOLOGY FILMING LANI IN HER COT WILL MAKE THAT GOODBYE A LITTLE EASIER. TONIGHT WILL BE THE FIRST NIGHT, SO IT WILL BE GOOD, COS I'VE GOT TWO OTHER KIDS AT HOME THAT CAN HAVE A LOOK. IT'S, LIKE, NICE IF YOU CAN JUST HAVE A LOOK AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THEY'RE OK AND JUST GO TO SLEEP. I DON'T WANNA WAKE YOU. MUM OF IDENTICAL TWINS, OLIVIA AND CALISTA SMITH, HAS JUST STARTED USING THE TECHNOLOGY. WE USUALLY LOG IN AT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 9.30 OR 10 O'CLOCK WHEN WE GET INTO BED BEFORE WE GO TO SLEEP, AND THEN THAT KIND OF MAKES US FEEL THAT THEY'RE WITH US IN SOME SORT OF WAY. (CHUCKLES) AND SHE'S ABLE TO LOG IN FROM ANYWHERE. IT'S NOT A NATURAL THING TO LEAVE YOUR BABIES AT HOSPITAL WHILE YOU GO HOME, SO HAVING THE CAMERAS AT HOME REALLY GIVES US THAT PEACE OF MIND. AND IT'S PROVING POPULAR. IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, ALMOST EVERY PARENT WHO HAS A BABY IN THE SPECIAL CARE NURSERY HERE AT THE ROYAL PRINCE ALFRED HOSPITAL HAS SIGNED UP TO USE THE CAMERAS. THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS PAID FOR THROUGH FUNDRAISING, WITH ONE GRANDMOTHER DONATING $50,000 AFTER HER GRANDCHILD WAS TREATED HERE IN THIS NURSERY. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, BUT FOR US, IT'S VITAL FOR INCLUDING FAMILIES. THERE SHE IS. (GASPS) IT'S THAT SORT OF INCLUSION THAT'S MAKING ALL THE DIFFERENCE. AND THE SCANDAL AROUND THE FOOTBALL FERNS AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR COACH, ANDREAS HERAF, IS SHOWING NO SIGNS OF DISAPPEARING. NZ FOOTBALL TODAY RELEASED A STATEMENT CONFIRMING IT'S RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS' ASSOCIATION REGARDING A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM PLAYERS. THEY'RE RELATED TO CONCERNS AROUND THE TEAM'S CURRENT ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE UNDER THE AUSTRIAN COACH. NZ FOOTBALL SAID THEY'RE REVIEWING THE COMPLAINTS AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY. ENGLAND HAVE AVOIDED EMBARRASSMENT IN THEIR FIFA WORLD CUP OPENER AGAINST TUNISIA WITH A DRAMATIC 2-1 VICTORY. ELSEWHERE, BELGIUM OUTCLASSED PANAMA IN A MATCH THAT SHOWCASED THEIR SHEER BRILLIANCE AND PURE MAGIC. VICTOR WATERS HAS ALL THE ACTION. HARRY KANE'S WORLD CUP DEBUT ` THE STUFF ENGLISH DREAMS ARE MADE OF. IT AT THE DEATH! ENGLAND'S YOUNGEST EVER CAPTAIN STEERING THE SIDE TO VICTORY IN THE OPENING GAME OF A WORLD CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME 12 YEARS. THE TEAM ADAMANT THEY'RE READY TO CORRECT PAST FAILURES. AND SPOKE A LOT ABOUT TOGETHERNESS. WE GOT A GREAT BONDING OVER THE PITCH. SO GETTING THE FIRST GAME, AND SEEING IT WORKING. EVERYONE, STAFF INCLUDED, WE'RE ALL DELIGHTED. WE'VE GIVEN OURSELVES A GREAT PLATFORM TO BUILD FROM. WE'VE GIVEN OURSELVES A GREAT PLATFORM TO BUILD FROM. THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE PLEASED ABOUT TONIGHT. IN PARTICULAR FOR ME, THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO STILL. THAT UNITY HAD EARLIER HELPED ENGLAND TAKE THE EARLY LEAD. FLOATED IN BY YOUNG. BUT IT'S TURNED INTO CLOSE QUARTERS BY HARRY KANE. ALTHOUGH A PESKY SWARM OF FLIES MAY HAVE HINDERED THEIR ABILITY TO PUT THE GAME AWAY. EVERYTHING LOOKED ON TRACK FOR ENGLAND UNTIL KYLE WALKER'S MOMENT OF MADNESS. AND HE SCORES! AND ENGLAND AND TUNISIA ARE LEVEL. AND ENGLAND AND TUNISIA ARE LEVEL. ENGLAND LATER HAD THEIR OWN PENALTY SHOUT, AS TUNISIA SCRAMBLED TO HOLD ON FOR A DRAW. KANE, THOUGH, DASHING THEIR HOPES AT THE FINAL HURDLE. WHEN IT COMES TO FINISHING, IT'S HARD TO GO PAST BELGIUM'S DRIES MERTENS. AND TURNED BACK IN. WHAT A STRIKE THAT IS. HIS STUNNING VOLLEY AGAINST PANAMA OPENED THE FLOODGATES FOR THE RED DEVILS. A ROMELU LUKAKU DOUBLE LATER COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE 3-0 VICTORY OVER WORLD CUP DEBUTANTS. ELSEWHERE, THE VIDEO REFEREE ONCE AGAIN PROVED TO BE DECISIVE. SWEDEN'S SKIPPER TUCKING AWAY THE WINNER FROM THE SPOT TO DEFEAT SOUTH KOREA 1-0. VICTOR WATERS, 1 NEWS. SONNY BILL WILLIAMS HAS TRAINED WITH THE ALL BLACKS THIS MORNING, AS HE PUSHES TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL TEST AGAINST FRANCE IN DUNEDIN. WILLIAMS HAS TAKEN A FULL PART IN TRAINING, HAVING REMARKABLY OVERCOME HIS KNEE SURGERY JUST THREE WEEKS AGO. HE COULD WELL MOVE STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE STARTING LINEUP, LIKELY PARTNERING WITH RYAN CROTTY AGAIN IN THE MIDFIELD. THE ALL BLACKS ARE ALSO PONDERING WHETHER TO START DAMIAN MCKENZIE OR RICHIE MO'UNGA AT FIRST-FIVE IN PLACE OF BEAUDEN BARRETT, WHO WILL MISS THE TEST THROUGH CONCUSSION. FORMER ALL BLACKS WING JULIAN SAVEA HAS CONFIRMED HE'LL LEAVE FOR FRANCE AT THE END OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON. SAVEA SAYS HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS NEW EUROPEAN ADVENTURE, PLAYING FOR FRENCH CLUB TOULON. AT 27, HE'S PLAYED 54 TESTS AND SCORED 46 TEST TRIES. POPULAR KIWI BRAND MOLENBERG HAS SIGNED A HISTORIC SPONSORSHIP DEAL WITH THE BLACK FERNS AND BLACK FERNS SEVENS. IT'S THE FIRST CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP OF THE TEAMS, WHICH COMES IN THE WAKE OF NZ RUGBY'S FIRST PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS FOR WOMEN AND THEIR FIRST TEST-CAPPING CEREMONY. SKIPPER FIAO'O FA'AMAUSILI SAYS THE NEW DEAL WILL HELP THE FUTURE OF WOMEN'S RUGBY. AGE GROUPS ` YOU KNOW, A LOTTA YOUNG GIRLS ARE PLAYING IT, SCHOOL GIRLS, SO HOPEFULLY BRING IN ANOTHER AGE GROUP WHERE WE CAN` YOU KNOW, FROM PROBABLY UNDER-18S, UNDER-16 NZ TEAM. THAT WOULD BE EXCITING. THE BLACK FERNS WILL PLAY ALONGSIDE THE ALL BLACKS IN TWO TEST MATCHES AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN AUGUST. QUEENSLAND ARE SET TO UNLEASH 20-YEAR-OLD STAR KAYLYN PONGA IN THEIR UPCOMING MUST WIN STATE OF ORIGIN CLASH IN SYDNEY. NEW SOUTH WALES MEANWHILE ADOPTED SOME UNUSUAL APPROACHES AT TRAINING AS THEY PREPARE FOR SUNDAY'S REMATCH. CHANNEL NINE'S ROB CANNING EXPLAINS. HERE WE GO, GUYS. FREDDY'S YOUTH BRIGADE ALL SMILES TODAY, AS THE NEW FACES SETTLED IN AND GOT KITTED UP FROM HEAD TO TOE. IT WAS A SLOW MORNING AFTER A BIG NIGHT OF BONDING. THE CAFE GOT SOME BUSINESS. FANS GOT LUCKY. SOME PLAYERS EVEN BRAVED A SWIM. THEN LATE TODAY, THEY HIT THE TRAINING PADDOCK. SHOELESS. THEY WERE ODD SCENES, BUT THE PLAYERS BELIEVE THERE'S A METHOD TO BRAD FITTLER'S MADNESS. STAYING ALL CONNECTED, I GUESS. ALL SORTA MOVING TOGETHER ALONG THE FIELD, SO JUST GETTING EVERYONE BACK TOGETHER AND CONNECTING, AND I HAD A BIT OF TIME AWAY, SO JUST GET BACK TOGETHER AND GET THE COMBINATIONS GOING. THE BIG ORIGIN NEWS TODAY CAME NORTH OF THE BORDER WITH THESE FOUR WORDS. ANDRE PONGA, NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS. THE 20-YEAR-OLD OFF LIMITS TO THE MEDIA, LEAVING HIS DAD DOING THE TALKING FOR HIM. EXCITED. IT'S LIKE A KID IN THE CANDY STORE, YOU KNOW. IT'S PROBABLY A DREAM COME TRUE ONCE HE STEPS ON THAT FIELD ON SUNDAY. QUEENSLAND SAY THEY'VE CRAFTED A PLAN ON HOW THEY'LL INJECT PONGA INTO THE MATCH AND HELD AN UNSCHEDULED TRAINING SESSION THIS AFTERNOON TO FAST-TRACK THE PROCESS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOT THE BLUE'S ATTENTION. THERE'S BEEN PLANS FOR GREAT FOOTY, AND HE'S BEEN KILLING IT, SO HE'LL OBVIOUSLY BE A DANGER. HOW DO YOU SHUT HIM DOWN? I DUNNO. IT'S PRETTY HARD TO DEFEND. WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS GOING TO BE A LONG-TERM PLAYER FOR QUEENSLAND. WE HOPE HE CAN BE A LONG-TERM PLAYER, AND I THINK HE'S EARNED THE RIGHT TO PUT ON THE MAROON'S JUMPER. BILLY SLATER'S HAMSTRING IS RECOVERING WELL. THE MAROONS SAY HE'LL PLAY. SOUTH-AFRICAN RUNNER CASTER SEMENYA IS TO CHALLENGE RULES AFFECTING SOUTH AFRICAN RUNNER CASTER SEMENYA IS TO CHALLENGE RULES AFFECTING FEMALE ATHLETES WITH NATURALLY HIGH TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. THE RULING MEANS ATHLETES LIKE THE WORLD AND OLYMPIC 800M CHAMPION WOULD HAVE TO RACE AGAINST MEN OR CHANGE EVENTS UNLESS THEY TOOK MEDICATION. SEMENYA SAYS SHE'LL FIGHT THE RULING AT THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT. STILL TO COME ON 'MIDDAY' ` A MISERABLE OUTLOOK FOR SOME PLACES. I'LL HAVE YOUR FORECAST SOON. 'TOUGH GUY' BY KIWI ARTIST BENE PLAYS OUT TODAY'S WEATHER. (BENE'S 'TOUGH GUY') THANKS FOR WATCHING. FROM THE 1 NEWS 'MIDDAY' TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY SHRUTIKA GUNANAYAGAM AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018