TONIGHT, ANOTHER MINISTER IN TROUBLE. LABOUR'S MEKA WHAITIRI STEPS DOWN IN ANOTHER BLOW FOR THE GOVERNMENT. A MAJOR OVERHAUL OF THE RACING INDUSTRY IS REVEALED, WITH PLANS TO HALF THE NUMBER OF THOROUGHBRED RACE TRACKS IN THE COUNTRY. PLUS A FORMER SILVER FERN IS THE SIDE'S NEW COACH. HOW NOELINE TAURUA PLANS TO DO WHAT NO OTHER SILVER FERNS COACH HAS DONE BEFORE. CAPTIONS BY CHELSEA BRADY AND CAMERON GRIGG CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 MORE POLITICAL UPSET FOR THE GOVERNMENT TONIGHT AS ANOTHER MINISTER STANDS ASIDE. LABOUR MINISTER OUTSIDE CABINET MEKA WHAITIRI HAS STEPPED DOWN FROM HER PORTFOLIOS WHILE AN INVESTIGATION'S CARRIED OUT. FOR MORE, HERE'S POLITICAL REPORTER MAIKI SHERMAN. 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS CUSTOMS MINISTER MEKA WHAITIRI IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR AN ALLEGATION OF ASSAULTING A STAFF MEMBER FROM WITHIN HER MINISTERIAL OFFICE. NOW, WE UNDERSTAND THIS STAFF MEMBER HAS ONLY BEEN WORKING IN THE OFFICE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND ACTUALLY WENT HOME EARLY YESTERDAY, AND LAST NIGHT, THE PRIME MINISTER WAS INFORMED OF THIS SITUATION. NOW, MINISTERIAL SERVICES WILL BE CARRYING OUT THE INVESTIGATION. MEKA WHAITIRI HAS SAID THAT SHE IS HAPPY TO CO-OPERATE FULLY WITH THE INVESTIGATION, AND ONCE THAT REPORT LANDS BACK IN THE HANDS OF THE PRIME MINISTER, SHE WILL NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. BUT NEXT WEEK, ALL MPS WILL BE BACK HERE IN PARLIAMENT, AND YOU CAN BE SURE THAT EVERY MEMBER OF LABOUR WILL BE PUT ON NOTICE. POLITICAL REPORTER MAIKI SHERMAN THERE. THIS LATEST UPSET COMES AFTER THE PRIME MINISTER STRIPPED CLARE CURRAN OF TWO MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIOS, AND HER SEAT AT THE CABINET TABLE LAST WEEK, FOR A SECOND MEETING SHE FAILED TO PROPERLY DECLARE. JACINDA ARDERN IS PROMISING A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO THESE LATEST ALLEGATIONS INVOLVING MEKA WHAITIRI. NATIONAL LEADER SIMON BRIDGES HAD THIS TO SAY. IT'S VERY SERIOUS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, A MINISTER IS NOT STOOD DOWN FROM GOVERNMENT UNLESS THERE'S BEEN MORE THAN A TIFF OR A DISAGREEMENT. IT MUST HAVE BEEN MORE THAN THAT. I THINK IT ALSO CAPS OFF A VERY BAD FEW DAYS FOR THE GOVERNMENT. ULTIMATELY, IT'S CLEARLY SERIOUS, AND NEW ZEALANDERS WILL DESERVE ULTIMATELY, TO KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE, GIVEN THAT SHE'S BEEN STOOD DOWN. NATIONAL'S SIMON BRIDGES SPEAKING THERE. IT'S AN INDUSTRY IN CRISIS, AND NOW RACING IN NEW ZEALAND'S SET TO GET A BIG SHAKE UP. WINSTON PETERS TONIGHT UNVEILED A REPORT DETAILING CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE $1.6B INDUSTRY FOLLOWING THE LARGEST REVIEW ITS EVER HAD. TO EXPLAIN, HERE'S REPORTER KATIE BRADFORD. THE RACING MINISTER IS OUT SELLING THIS MASSIVE REPORT IN TO THE INDUSTRY ALREADY. HE'S BEEN AT A MASSIVE PUBLIC MEETING IN HAMILTON THIS EVENING, AND THEN CAME HERE TO THE CAMBRIDGE RACEWAY, IN WHICH HE TALKED TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IS IN THIS REPORT. THIS IS THE BIGGEST REPORT EVER IN TO THE RACING INDUSTRY, AND IT WAS CONDUCTED BY AUSTRALIAN RACING GURU JOHN MESSARA. NOW, THERE ARE 17 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, BASICALLY, WILL MEAN, IF THEY GO THROUGH, A MASSIVE OVERHAUL OF THE RACING INDUSTRY. AMONG THOSE ARE GIVING THE TAB LICENCE TO AUSTRALIA, MASSIVE CHANGES AT THE RACING BOARD, AND SCRAPPING THE $13M LEVY THAT THE RACING INDUSTRY PAYS TO THE GOVERNMENT. NOW, ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PARTS OF THIS FOR THE THOROUGHBRED RACING INDUSTRY WILL BE THE CLOSURE OF A NUMBER OF TRACKS IN SMALL REGIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IN SMALL TOWNS THAT RELY ON THOSE TRACKS. WINSTON PETERS SAYS, 'LOOK, THIS HAS TO BE DONE 'BECAUSE THIS INDUSTRY IS ON ITS KNEES, 'IT'S NEEDED BIG CHANGE FOR A LONG TIME.' OH, THE HARDEST ONE WILL BE THE PAROCHIALISM ABOUT LOCAL TRACKS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DYING, AND EVEN THOUGHT THEY'RE COSTING MONEY, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DOWNSIZING RETURNS FROM RACING, THEY'LL STILL ARGUE FOR IT, AND I'M SAYING TO THEM, 'YOU CAN HAVE PAROCHIALISM AND POVERTY, 'OR YOU CAN HAVE REAL REFORM AND WEALTH.' NOW, IN TERMS OF REACTION, THIS REPORT HAS ONLY BEEN OUT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, AND PEOPLE ARE STILL DIGESTING IT. WE'VE TALKED TO THE HARNESS RACING MINISTRY AND THE GREYHOUND RACING MINISTRY, WHO SAY THAT THEY DO NEED TO HAVE A BIT MORE TIME TO HAVE A LOOK AT IT, BUT INITIALLY, THEIR CONCERNS ARE THAT THEY MAY BE FORGOTTEN ABOUT WITH THIS. THEY SAY THEY'RE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY AS WELL, AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO GET THE SUPPORT THEY NEED FROM THE INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY WITH A BIG PART OF THAT BEING SOME BIG CHANGES FOR THE RACING BOARD. HERE'S WHAT THE HEAD OF THE RACING BOARD, JOHN ALLEN, HAD TO SAY. LOOK, THE WHOLE INDUSTRY FACES BIG CHANGES AND BIG CHALLENGES COMING UP. THE RACING BOARD IS PART OF THE INDUSTRY, AND IT WILL NEED TO CHANGE TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES AS WELL, BUT THE MORE THAN 800 FOLK THAT WE HAVE ON THE RACING BOARD THAT SPEND DAY AND NIGHT WORKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THIS INDUSTRY ARE UP FOR THAT CHALLENGE ` UP TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY. NOW, IN TERMS OF TIMEFRAME, THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN QUICKLY. IN FACT, A NUMBER OF THOSE CLUBS THAT WILL HAVE THEIR RACING TRACKS CLOSED WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE NEXT SEASON. THIS REPORT TALKS ABOUT THOSE TRACKS BEING CLOSED BY 2019. THAT WILL MEAN SOME BIG CHANGES FOR SOME COMMUNITIES. AND WINSTON PETERS SAYS HE WANTS A LOT OF THIS TO HAPPEN BEFORE NEXT MAY'S BUDGET. HE NEEDS TO GO TO HIS CABINET COLLEAGUES AND GET SUPPORT FOR THESE CHANGES. IT MAY BE HARD FOR ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO GO THROUGH, AND THERE WILL BE SOME TOUGH TIMES FOR PEOPLE IN THIS INDUSTRY. OUTSPOKEN REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MINISTER SHANE JONES HAS UPPED HIS ATTACKS ON BIG BUSINESS. HE'S HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE 'AUSSIE-OWNED' BANKS FOR MAKING RECORD PROFITS WHILE STEADILY ABANDONING RURAL AREAS. PAUL HOBBS HAS MORE. ANOTHER SMALL-TOWN BANK EARMARKED FOR CLOSURE ` THIS LATEST LIKELY CASUALTY IN TURANGI. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF FABRIC OF PROVINCIAL NEW ZEALAND. THESE PLACES ARE JUST SO IMPORTANT. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MINISTER SHANE JONES IS SCATHING, ACCUSING THE AUSTRALIAN-OWNED BANKS OF TAKING THE MONEY AND SHUTTING UP SHOP IN RURAL NEW ZEALAND. FACE OF THE REGIONS BEING ROGERED. LAST YEAR, ANZ, BNZ, WESTPAC AND ASB TOGETHER MADE RECORD PROFITS TOTALLING ALMOST $5B. BUT ACCORDING TO FIRST UNION, THEY'VE CLOSED AT LEAST 50 BRANCHES AROUND THE COUNTRY IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS. MANY MORE BRANCHES HAVE REDUCED HOURS. IF YOU WANT TO TAKE $5B A YEAR OUT OF THE POCKETS OF KIWIS, THEN DAMN WELL PUT SOMETHING BACK INTO THE RURAL AREAS. BANKS ARE JUST THE LATEST BUSINESS TO COP CRITICISM FROM MR JONES. AIR NEW ZEALAND, FONTERRA AND THE WAREHOUSE HAVE ALL COME UNDER FIRE FOR FAILING THE REGIONS. THE PRIME MINISTER'S BUSINESS CHARM OFFENSIVE IS NOW IN TATTERS, AND SHE NEEDS TO REIGN SHANE JONES IN. BANKS SAY THE EQUATION IS SIMPLE. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VISIT A BANK HAS DROPPED MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. NOW MOST PEOPLE USE INTERNET OR PHONE BANKING. ANZ SAYS 9 OUT OF 10 OF THEIR CUSTOMERS IN WIDER TURANGI HAVEN'T USED THE BANK THIS YEAR. NOT SO, SAY LOCALS. EVERYONE NEEDS THE BANK. WE'RE IN AND OUT EVERY SECOND DAY. THEY MAKE ENOUGH PROFIT AS IT IS. WHY PULL A BRANCH? THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WILL BE SUPPORTING WHAT I AM SAYING. THE SELF-PROCLAIMED PROVINCIAL CHAMPION SAYS HE PLANS TO MEET THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO SEE WHETHER THE AUSSIE-OWNED BANKS CAN BE FORCED TO RETURN TO THE REGIONS. PAUL HOBBS, 1 NEWS. CRACK TEAMS WHO'LL FLY INTO DISASTER ZONES ARE TO BE ESTABLISHED AS PART OF A CIVIL DEFENCE SHAKE-UP. IT'S PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM CARRIED OUT AFTER THE DEVASTATING KAIKOURA EARTHQUAKE AND THE PORT HILLS FIRES. FOUR FLY-IN RAPID RESPONSE UNITS WILL BE SET UP AT THE COST OF $5.2M. HAVING THOSE TEAMS ON HAND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL GROUP AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A LARGE EVENT, WE THINK WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF THE INITIAL STAGES. THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO LOOK AT WHETHER A NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SHOULD BE SET UP. PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE HAVE RETURNED FROM THEIR SUMMER BREAK, STEPPING OUT FOR A VERY PUBLIC DATE NIGHT IN LONDON. THEY WENT TO SEE A MUSICAL ON THE WEST END. CHANNEL NINE'S AMELIA ADAMS HAS MORE. THE BEAMING DUCHESS AND HER DUKE, FRESH FROM HOLIDAYS AND BACK TO WORK, MEETING THE OTHER STARS OF THE SHOW. (INDISTINCT CHATTER) TONIGHT WAS A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE RAISING FUNDS FOR HARRY'S CHARITY, SENTEBALE. MEGHAN ` SMART AND SOPHISTICATED IN A SHORT, BLACK TUXEDO DRESS ` CHATTING WITH CAST MEMBERS BEFORE TAKING THEIR SEATS AS GUESTS OF HONOUR. # FOR THE FIRST TIME, I'M THINKIN' PAST TOMORROW. # HAMILTON ` A HIP-HOP, RAP AND R&B TALE OF THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON, A FOUNDING FATHER OF THE UNITED STATES. IT'S WON PLENTY OF AWARDS, AND TONIGHT IT WON HIGH PRAISE FROM A PRINCE. # YOU SAY... # (LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE) A ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO YOURSELVES FOR TAKING PART IN THIS EVENING'S ACTIVITIES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE, TOGETHER, RAISED A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY. AFTER THEIR MONTH OFF ROYAL DUTIES, TONIGHT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A BUSY FEW MONTHS FOR THE DUKE AND DUCHESS ` A HECTIC SCHEDULE OF GALAS AND EVENTS BEFORE THEIR VISIT TO AUSTRALIA IN OCTOBER. AND WHEREVER THEY GO, THEY HAVE THE SAME IMPACT. I'M SPEECHLESS RIGHT NOW. NOW, HERE'S A TALE. FRECKLE THE STINGRAY HAS SPENT THE PAST NINE YEARS AS A SPINSTER AT THE SEALIFE SYDNEY AQUARIUM IN DARLING HARBOUR. BUT FRECKLE HAS SUDDENLY CREATED A BABY STINGRAY ALL ON HER OWN ` AN EVENT THAT'S STUNNED MARINE EXPERTS. MIKE DALTON OF CHANNEL NINE HAS MORE. SHE IS THE AQUATIC SISTER WHO DECIDED TO DO IT FOR HERSELF. THIS IS FRECKLE. AS YOU CAN SEE, SHE'S GOT A LITTLE SPOT ON THE SIDE OF HER FACE. AND SHE'S A SINGLE MUM? SHE'S A SINGLE MUM. FRECKLE THE STINGRAY, AFTER NINE YEARS OF SPINSTER, GOT TIRED OF WAITING FOR MR RIGHT AND SO DECIDED TO CLONE HERSELF, LAST MONTH GIVING BIRTH TO A GIRL CALLED ANNIE. AND SHE'S ONLY JUST LEARNT THE PROCESS OF HAND-FEEDING? YES, YEP, ONLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. BECAUSE SHE'S ONLY JUST STARTED TO EAT, FULL STOP. SHE'S PICKED IT UP EARLY. SHE'S VERY SMART. FRECKLE'S RE-FRECKLING IS AN EXTREMELY RARE PHENOMENA AMONG SHARKS AND STINGRAYS CALLED PARTHENOGENESIS, OR 'VIRGIN BIRTH'. THIS IS AN ADAPTATION TO LIVING IN ISLAND AREAS. SO THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MALES. SO THE FEMALES JUST DECIDE, AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME, TO REPRODUCE THEMSELVES. THE FIRST SIGNS FROM FRECKLE A FEW MONTHS BACK WERE THE CRAVINGS. SHE WAS EATING LARGE PIECES OF MULLET AND TREVALLY. LIKE, LITERALLY, HOOVERING DOWN THE FOOD. A VERSION OF CHOCOLATE, FOR AN EAGLE RAY. THEN, LATE LAST MONTH, ANNIE WOULD ARRIVE. BUT GIVEN ANNIE ARRIVED WITHOUT THE USUAL INPUT OF DNA, THERE WERE CONCERNS THE LITTLE MIRACLE MAY NOT LIVE LONG. SO, WE'RE JUST WATCHING HER AND SEEING HOW SHE GOES, BUT, CERTAINLY, I THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS LITTLE RAY. SO FAR, ANNIE'S BEEN HITTING ALL THE STINGRAY BABY BENCHMARKS, EATING AND GROWING WELL. BUT ONE WONDERS, WHAT'S IN THE WATER? MAYBE US FEMALE DIVERS NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHEN WE'RE DIVING IN THIS SIDE OF THE TANK, I DON'T KNOW. (LAUGHS) IF YOU START CRAVING FILET-O-FISHES, THEN YOU DO HAVE SOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT. (CHUCKLES) YEAH. COMING UP, THE BUILDING BLOCKS HELPING AUTISTIC KIDS COMMUNICATE. WHY PLAYTIME'S BECOMING A POPULAR TOPIC AT SCHOOL. FINALLY, A NEW COACH FOR THE SILVER FERNS. WILL NOELINE TAURUA BE THE LUCKY CHARM THEY NEED? 50 SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTRES WERE FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO A TOXIC FIRE EMERGENCY IN MELBOURNE. A FACTORY MADE OF ASBESTOS AND FILLED WITH HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS BECAME AN INFERNO. ACRID SMOKE SPREAD ACROSS THE WESTERN SUBURBS, WITH RESIDENTS WARNED TO STAY INDOORS. AROUND 140 FIRE FIGHTERS SPENT MUCH OF THE DAY TRYING TO CONTAIN THE BLAZE. CREWS SAY IT COULD BE DAYS BEFORE ITS OUT. US SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN HAS BEEN REMEMBERED IN HIS HOME STATE OF ARIZONA AS A LOVING FATHER, A RESILIENT WAR HERO, AND A TOWERING POLITICAL FIGURE. MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES LINED THE STREETS AS HIS COFFIN WAS CARRIED TO THE CAPITOL BUILDING. COLLEAGUES DELIVERED SHORT TRIBUTES ` THE EMOTION OF THE DAY CLEAR IN THE FACE OF HIS DAUGHTER MEGHAN. THEN HUNDREDS OF WELL-WISHERS, SOME WHO'D WAITED IN THE HEAT FOR HOURS, PAID THEIR LAST RESPECTS. HE SAID IT LIKE IT WAS, AND HE MOVED FORWARD, AND THAT'S WHY THEY CALL HIM THE LION IN THE SENATE. I THINK HE BROUGHT A UNITY, BROUGHT CHANGE FROM THE BEGINNING. HE DIED A GREAT MAN. I WASN'T ALWAYS ABOUT THE POLITICS THAT HE DID, BUT I LOVED THE MAN. IT'S THE FIRST OF SEVERAL EVENTS TO HONOUR JOHN MCCAIN. A CHURCH SERVICE TOMORROW WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A VIEWING AND A MEMORIAL SERVICE IN WASHINGTON DC THIS WEEKEND. LEGO IS THE KEY COMPONENT OF A NEW COURSE FOR TEACHERS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING THE SOCIAL SKILLS OF AUTISTIC STUDENTS. A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES ALREADY USE THE LEGO-BASED PROGRAMME, AND AS LAURA TWYMAN REPORTS, THEY'RE SEEING GREAT RESULTS. 12-YEAR-OLD KEIR IS A LOVER OF LEGO AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT KIND IS THE MOST FUN. I LIKE THE ONES WITH, LIKE, INTERESTING GIMMICKS. LIKE, FEATURES LIKE THAT, AND, LIKE, WHERE YOU CAN PRESS A LEVER AND SOMETHING WILL POP OUT. AND BRICK BY BRICK, HE'S BUILDING NOT JUST WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE TABLE, BUT ALSO SOCIAL SKILLS. HE'S PART OF A GROUP FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, DUBBED 'LEGO CLUB'. SO, BASICALLY, WE HAVE AN... ENGINEER, I THINK, THAT READS THE INSTRUCTIONS, THEN THE SUPPLIER, WHO GRABS ALL THE PIECES, GIVES IT TO THE BUILDER, AND ALL THE PIECES THAT THE BUILDER HAS ` THEY JUST SCRAMBLE IT TOGETHER. THE FOCUS IS ALL ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE CREATING, AND IT DOES TAKE AWAY THE STRESS AND ANXIETY OF COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER. HERE, TEACHERS ARE LEARNING HOW IT ALL WORKS AT AUTISM NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST LEGO CLUB TRAINING. LEGO CAN BE A REALLY OPEN-ENDED ACTIVITY, BUT IT CAN BE A REALLY STRUCTURED, SYSTEMATIC WAY OF BUILDING SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE GOT A PLAN TO BUILD TO. LOTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM REALLY RESPOND WELL TO THAT STRUCTURE. THIS TEACHER FROM SOUTH AUCKLAND HAS BEEN RUNNING A CLUB FOR TWO YEARS, AND SHE'S NOTICED HUGE CHANGES IN HER STUDENTS. THEY BECOME REALLY VERBAL, QUITE EXPRESSIVE. THEY DEFINITELY LIGHT UP, AND THEY FIND THEIR WAY AROUND THE SCHOOL A LOT BETTER. YOU KNOW, THEY FIND THEIR NICHE AND WHERE THEY BELONG. KEIR'S FAMILY SAYS HE'S BECOME CALMER AND MORE CONFIDENT FROM BEING IN THE CLUB. WHEN WORKING WITH HIS BROTHER AND SISTER, IT'S GIVEN HIM SOME REALLY GOOD SKILLS OF HOW TO TALK WITH THEM AND HOW TO INTERACT WITH THEM. HIS MUM IS HOPEFUL OTHERS LIKE HIM CAN BENEFIT IN THE SAME WAY, AS MORE AND MORE TEACHERS GET HANDS-ON WITH THE HUMBLE BRICK. LAURA TWYMAN, 1 NEWS. TO SPORT, SHE WAS SNUBBED THREE YEARS AGO, BUT TONIGHT NOELINE TAURUA HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS COACH TO LEAD THE SILVER FERNS TOWARDS NEXT YEAR'S WORLD CUP. AND AT THE SAME TIME, SHE'LL CONTINUE TO COACH HER AUSSIE CLUB. JENNY MAY COFFIN HAS THE STORY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT FINALLY NETBALL FANS AND CRITICS ALIKE HAVE THEIR WISH. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ACTUALLY SUNK IN, BUT I THINK ONCE WE DO TAKE THE COURT, ESPECIALLY THAT FIRST TEST, LIKE ALWAYS, I THINK IT'LL BE VERY SPECIAL. UNWANTED BACK IN 2015 DESPITE AN ALREADY IMPRESSIVE COACHING RESUME, INCLUDING BEING THE ONLY KIWI COACH TO WIN A TITLE IN THE NOW DEFUNCT TRANS-TASMAN CHAMPIONSHIP, TAURUA CONTINUED TO WEAVE HER MAGIC, BUT IN AUSTRALIA. JUST LAST SUNDAY LEADING HER SUNSHINE COAST LIGHTNING TO AN UPSET WIN OVER THE WEST COAST FEVER IN PERTH TO CLAIM BACK-TO-BACK TITLES. THEY WILL BECOME THE MOST SUCCESSFUL START-UP TEAM IN ANY SPORT IN THE COUNTRY, THE LIGHTNING. TAURUA'S REPUTATION AND CREDIBILITY IS UNTOUCHABLE. THE SILVER FERNS', ON THE OTHER HAND, IS IN TATTERS. THE REALITY IS, SHE DOESN'T NEED THE JOB. SO WHY JUST THREE YEARS AFTER BEING SHUNNED IS TAURUA WILLING TO HELP? I'VE GOT NEW SKILLS IN MY BACK POCKET, AND NOW I CAN CONTRIBUTE, PROBABLY, IN A MORE CONFIDENT MANNER THAN MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO. TAURUA NOW IN CONTROL AND CALLING THE SHOTS. SHE WILL DO WHAT NO OTHER SILVER FERNS COACH HAS EVER DONE, CONTINUE COACHING IN AUSTRALIA'S SUPER LEAGUE IN 2019 WHILE ALSO BEING IN CHARGE OF THE SILVER FERNS THROUGH TO THE JULY WORLD CUP IN LIVERPOOL. WORKING WITH A NEW PARTNER IN THE SUNSHINE COAST HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT, SO THERE HAS BEEN A PROCESS, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT. WITH MY WORK, I FIND THAT REALLY EASY IN REGARDS TO LIGHTNING AND ALSO THE COMMITMENTS THAT I NEED FOR NETBALL NEW ZEALAND. THANKFULLY, THE SCHEDULES WILL NOT CLASH, AND SO I WILL NOT MISS ANY GAMES FOR BOTH PROGRAMMES. BUT, PROBABLY, THE JUGGLING NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH MY FAMILY, AND, THANKFULLY, I'VE GOT THE SUPPORT OF THEM, OTHERWISE IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED THAT I'M HERE. THE TEAM ASSEMBLES ON THE 10TH OF OCTOBER FOR THE QUAD SERIES. YOU CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL A SENSE OF RENEWED HOPE AND EXCITEMENT, KNOWING NETBALL'S TOP JOB IS FINALLY UNDER TAURUA'S INFLUENCE. JUST AHEAD, YOUR FRIDAY WEATHER. PLUS ` RUGBY STARS TAKE TO THE CATWALK AND ADMIT IT'S MORE NERVE-RACKING THAN A TEST MATCH. SOME OF OUR ALL BLACKS SWAPPED BOOTS FOR BRIEFS THIS AFTERNOON, HITTING THE CATWALK AT NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK IN AUCKLAND. DAMIAN MCKENZIE AND NGANI LAUMAPE WERE JOINED BY SEVENS STARS KURT BAKER AND SAM DIXON AS THEY MODELLED THE LATEST JOCKEY COLLECTION. SOME EVEN TRADING A RUGBY BALL FOR A BASEBALL BAT. DEFINITELY MORE NERVE-WRACKING THAN THE TEST, BUT IT'S GOOD TO DO SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE. CHANNELLED OUR VISION STRAIGHT AHEAD AND NOT LOOK AT ANYONE, OTHERWISE WE'D GET A BIT WOBBLY. SO I THINK WE WERE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ` JUST DON'T LOOK AT ANYONE. REALITY TV STAR MATILDA RICE WAS ALSO ON THE RUNWAY, MODELLING A NEW JOCKEY COLLECTION WHICH SHE DESIGNED. AND THE RUNWAY ALSO GOT A TASTE OF THE LATEST TRELISE COOPER LINE EARLIER TONIGHT. THE DESIGNER'S BEEN MISSING FROM THE SHOW IN RECENT YEARS, AND RETURNED WITH TWO BACK-TO-BACK SHOWS. TO EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S SHOWN THIS WEEK. I FEEL A BIT STRANGE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY THE ANTITHESIS OF EVERYBODY ELSE. THEY'VE BEEN SO COOL AND MODERN AND PAIRED BACK, AND I'M MAXIMALISM, WHICH IS COLOUR. IT'S ALL THINGS, IT'S BRIGHT. DAME TRELISE COOPER SHOWED THREE COLLECTIONS AND THREE SEASONS ON THE CATWALK. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH DIPLO. (DIPLO'S 'SUN IN OUR EYES') THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY CHELSEA BRADY AND CAMERON GRIGG CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018