TONIGHT ` THE SOARING PRICE OF POWER THAT'S LEFT TOO MANY FEELING THE CHILL. SO WHAT CAN BE DONE? CATEGORY-FOUR HURRICANE FLORENCE IS ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH THE UNITED STATES. AND THE FALLOUT FROM TENNIS LEGEND SERENA WILLIAMS' ON-COURT TANTRUM. NOW A CARTOONIST'S VIEW OF THE INCIDENT IS UNDER ATTACK FOR BEING RACIST. CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 THE SIZE OF OUR POWER BILLS IS A MONTHLY ELECTRIC SHOCK FOR MANY NEW ZEALANDERS GRAPPLING WITH THE HIGH COST OF OUR ELECTRICITY. MORE THAN 100,000 HOUSEHOLDS SUFFER FROM WHAT'S KNOWN AS 'ENERGY HARDSHIP'. THAT MEANS THEY'RE SPENDING MORE THAN 10% OF THEIR INCOME JUST PAYING THE ELECTRICITY BILL. POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS WITH THE STORY. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY FOR POWER. I THINK WE COULD SAVE SOME MONEY. I THINK WE DO PAY TOO MUCH FOR POWER. IT'S DISGUSTING, REALLY, AND THEY SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOWER SOCIO-SIDE OF NEW ZEALAND, THAT CAN'T EVEN HEAT THEIR HOUSES UP, SO... SORT IT OUT. A NEW REPORT RELEASED TODAY FOUND HOUSEHOLDS PAY 80% MORE FOR ELECTRICITY THAN IN 1990. THE MARKET IS NOT WORKING FOR EVERYONE. NEW ZEALANDERS DESERVE AFFORDABLE ELECTRICITY, BUT TOO MANY HOUSEHOLDS ARE STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR BILLS. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS MORE THAN 100,000 KIWI FAMILIES MISSING OUT. THEY'RE IN ENERGY POVERTY ` THEY'RE SPENDING MORE THAN 10% OF THEIR INCOME. THAT'S A LOT, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE BELIEVE WE'VE GOTTA HAVE A REALLY STRONG ECONOMY. THE REPORT FOUND A TWO-TIER SYSTEM HAS DEVELOPED IN NEW ZEALAND'S RESIDENTIAL MARKET. THE FEW WHO SHOP AROUND GET MUCH BETTER DEALS, WHILE THOSE WHO STAY LOYAL DON'T. AND THAT FINDING CAME AS LITTLE SURPRISE. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT RETAILERS ` THEIR BEST OFFERS ARE NEVER ADVERTISED, AND THEY NEVER TELL THEIR CUSTOMERS WHAT THEIR BEST OFFERS ARE. BUT RETAILERS SAY THIS SYSTEM WORKS. SWITCHING IS EASY, AND OVER 22% OF NEW ZEALANDERS DID SWITCH THEIR POWER COMPANY LAST YEAR. THE LINES COMPANIES ADMIT THE INDUSTRY CAN BE IMPROVED, BUT SAY IT'S NOT IN CRISIS AND IS SERVING CUSTOMERS WELL. WHILE THE REPORT FOUND THE INDUSTRY IS NOT MAKING HUGE PROFITS, IT FOUND SOME COMPANIES ARE SHIFTING COSTS FROM BUSINESSES ON TO HOUSEHOLDS. MAYBE FAIRNESS MAY DICTATE THAT SOME OF THOSE SHARING OF COSTS SHOULD BE REALLOCATED. YOU COULD FEEL YOU'RE BEING RIPPED OFF. THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOW BEGIN A CONSULTATION PROCESS WITH THE PUBLIC AND BUSINESSES. BENEDICT COLLINS, 1 NEWS. NOT ONLY SHOULD WE GET TRAVEL INSURANCE WHEN GOING OVERSEAS, NEW ZEALANDERS ARE BEING URGED TO READ ALL THE FINE PRINT AND TELL INSURERS EVERYTHING ABOUT THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY. THE WARNING COMES IN THE WAKE OF A HAMILTON MUM'S DEATH IN BALI. ABBY HARTLEY (41) FELL CRITICALLY ILL LAST MONTH. HER INSURER REFUSING TO PAY MOUNTING HOSPITAL BILLS OR FLY HER HOME. NICOLE BREMNER REPORTS. ABBY HARTLEY'S BRAVE FIGHT IS OVER. A GIVE A LITTLE APPEAL FOR FUNDS TO AIRLIFT HER HOME SHUT DOWN, LEAVING NEARLY A $250,000 IN UNSPENT DONATIONS. OUR AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE SAYS IT'S A REMINDER TRAVELLERS NEED INSURANCE AND NEED TO BE UPFRONT ABOUT THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY. YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM ABOUT PRE-EXISITING CONDITIONS, BECAUSE INSURANCE COMPANIES WON'T COVER YOU FOR ANY COMPLICATIONS THAT ARISE UNLESS THEY KNOW ABOUT THEM. CONSUMER NZ SAYS PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS DON'T RULE OUT GETTING TRAVEL INSURANCE, BUT CAN COST MORE. ONCE YOU GET AWAY AND SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN, YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY AND THANKFUL THAT YOU ACTUALLY DID PAY THE EXTRA AND GET THE COVER. EVEN SIMPLE THINGS LIKE HAVING YOUR APPENDIX OR GALLBLADDER OUT 20 YEARS AGO, YOU NEED TO DECLARE TO YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY. THE APPEAL FOR ABBY HARTLEY SAYS THE 41-YEAR-OLD WENT DOWNHILL RAPIDLY IN BALI LAST MONTH AFTER EMERGENCY SURGERY FOR A TWISTED BOWEL. HER DAUGHTER SOPHIE POSTED ` FROM THERE, SOPHIE SAYS MEDICAL COSTS KEPT ESCALATING. SHAY MCGUINNESS SAYS MEDI-VACCING A PATIENT OUT OF SOUTH-EAST ASIA COULD COST AS MUCH AS $200,000. BUT NOT ALL PATIENTS CAN BE MOVED. SOMETIMES THEY'LL ASSIST IN FLYING FAMILY MEMBERS UP TO THE PATIENT. BUT IT'S CERTAINLY TREATED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. TONIGHT, ABBY HARTLEY'S FAMILY SAY SHE'S FINALLY AT PEACE. IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE GIVE A LITTLE DONATIONS. NICOLE BREMNER, 1 NEWS. MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED ALONG THE EAST COAST OF THE US AS A MONSTER STORM MAKES ITS WAY TOWARDS LAND. DUBBED 'FLORENCE', THE HURRICANE IS ON THE BRINK OF BEING A CATEGORY 5, PACKING WINDS OF MORE THAN 220KM/H. CHANNEL NINE'S CHARLES CROUCHER HAS MORE. FROM SPACE, IT'S MAJESTIC AS IT IS MENACING. HURRICANE FLORENCE IS CURRENTLY NORTH-EAST OF THE CARIBBEAN, BUT IT'S ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH THE US COASTLINE. FLORENCE IS INTENSIFYING STEADILY. THIS STORM IS STRONG, AND IT'S GETTING STRONGER. NOW A CATEGORY-4 STORM, FLORENCE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL IN THE NEXT 72 HOURS. STATES OF EMERGENCY HAVE BEEN DECLARED UP AND DOWN AMERICA'S EAST COAST. THIS MAY BE INCONVENIENT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS HURRICANE, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO GAMBLE WITH THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ` NOT A ONE. AS THE NATIONAL GUARD IS BUSSED IN, NAVAL FRIGATES ARE LEAVING PORT. I HAVE ALREADY ORDERED THE MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL PEOPLE IN ALL OF THE EVACUATION ZONES. THOSE CHOOSING TO STAY ARE SPENDING UP. FEW IN THE AREA HAVE SEEN A STORM THIS SIZE. THEY'RE COMPLETELY OUT OF WATER, SO HE'S GOING TO TRY AND GO UP THE BEACH, BUT APPARENTLY THEY'RE OUT OF WATER TOO. THE THREAT IS LIKELY TO LAST FOR WEEKS AS AN ALREADY DRENCHED REGION BRACES FOR MORE. WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF HISTORIC, CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING. THE UNITED NATIONS HAS WARNED A POWERFUL GOVERNMENT ASSAULT ON REBELS IN THE SYRIAN CITY OF IDLIB COULD CAUSE THIS CENTURY'S WORST HUMANITARIAN DISASTER. RUSSIAN AND SYRIAN AIRCRAFT RESUMED THEIR BOMBING CAMPAIGN ON THE CITY LAST WEEK. AID AGENCIES SAY 800,000 COULD FLEE IN AN EXODUS SPARKED BY A MAJOR BATTLE. RUSSIA IS GEARING UP FOR ITS LARGEST MILITARY EXERCISE SINCE THE COLD WAR. DUBBED 'VOSTOK-2018', IT INVOLVES ABOUT 300,000 PERSONNEL IN EASTERN SIBERIA. 36,000 TANKS WILL TAKE PART, ALONG WITH MORE THAN 1000 AIRCRAFT AND 80 NAVY VESSELS. THE EXERCISE COMES AT A HOME OF HEIGHTENED TENSIONS THE EXERCISE COMES AT A TIME OF HEIGHTENED TENSIONS BETWEEN NATO AND RUSSIA. AN AUSTRALIAN CARTOONIST HAS RECEIVED WORLDWIDE CONDEMNATION FOR HIS DRAWING OF TENNIS CHAMPION SERENA WILLIAMS. AMONG THOSE WHO'VE LABELLED THE CARTOON RACIST ARE WRITER JK ROWLING AND THE DAUGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEGEND MARTIN LUTHER KING. WITH MORE, HERE'S CHANNEL NINE'S BRETT MCLEOD. ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST POPULAR CARTOONISTS DRAWING FIRE FROM THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR AUTHOR. WELL DONE ON REDUCING ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTSWOMEN ALIVE TO RACIST AND SEXIST TROPES. TO HAVE JK ROWLING TROLLING ME IS... WELL, IT'S SOMETHING I DIDN'T EXPECT IN LIFE. THE HARRY POTTER WRITER JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS WHO'VE TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA CONDEMNING THIS DEPICTION OF SERENA WILLIAMS AT THE US OPEN. A REACTION THAT THE CARTOONIST DIDN'T ANTICIPATE. ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, WHO I HAVE ADMIRED AND DRAWN MANY TIMES, HAVING A DUMMY-SPIT. AND I CAN SAY THAT WHEN I DREW THE CARTOON, IT WAS LIKE, 'YEAH, THAT'S NOT BAD,' AND OFF IT WENT. THE US ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS REFERENCED A RACIST PAST WHEN IT CALLED IT A 'REPUGNANT' CARTOON WHICH EXUDES RACIST AND SEXIST CARICATURES OF BOTH WOMEN, BUT WILLIAMS' DEPICTION IS UNNECESSARILY 'SAMBO-LIKE'. HER FACIAL EXPRESSIONS ARE ONE OF SOMEBODY HAVE A DUMMY-SPIT. I DON'T KNOW HOW I COULD HAVE DONE IT ANY OTHER WAY. I SUPPORT HIM ON IT. IT'S A GREAT CARTOON. AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY RACISM IN THERE AT ALL. MARK KNIGHT HAS THE SUPPORT OF HIS NEW CORPS CHIEFS, WHO'VE DISMISSED THE ONLINE ATTACKS. IN THIS WORLD OF PERPETUAL OUTRAGE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR VICTIMHOOD, NOTHING SURPRISES ME. THE DAUGHTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLED THAT RESPONSE 'UNFORTUNATE', 'WITHOUT CONSIDERATION 'FOR THE PAINFUL HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF SUCH IMAGERY.' LOOK, I'D SAY IN MY DEFENCE, I'VE DONE` I'M NOT A RACIST. (CHUCKLES) I'VE DONE CARTOONS SUPPORTING ADAM GOODES IN HIS BOOING SITUATION. AS MARK KNIGHT GOES BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, HE SAYS HE WON'T BE REFERENCING HIMSELF IN TOMORROW'S CARTOON, BUT HE MAY RETHINK JUST WHAT HE DEPICTS IN FUTURE DRAWINGS. AND NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSE HE'S BEEN GETTING. MY FAMILY ARE WORRIED AND UPSET AT THE THREATS THAT WE'RE GETTING. IS IT GOING TO AFFECT ME IN THE FUTURE? MAYBE IT WILL. MAYBE I WILL HAVE TO PULL MY PUNCHES. HE'LL LEAVE THE LAST WORD TO HIS FAMOUS CARTOON PIG. 'WHAT HAVE YOU GONE AND DONE NOW?' OVER MEDICATION IS KILLING AND INJURING OUR ELDERLY, ACCORDING TO A WORLD-FIRST STUDY BASED IN CHRISTCHURCH. UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS MEASURED THE IMPACT OF TAKING MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS, AND DISCOVERED THEY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO FALLS. WITH MORE, HERE'S LISA DAVIES. STRUGGLING TO GET AROUND... CAREFUL. ...AFTER A FALL THAT LEFT JOCELYN ORUM (76) WITH A FRACTURED HIP. IT DIDN'T FEEL VERY GREAT, I HAVE TO ADMIT. SHE WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. ARE YOU FINDING YOU'RE LOSING A BIT CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU'RE WALKING? A LITTLE BIT, YEAH. BUT I JUST WANNA GET GOING AGAIN. (CHUCKLES) CHRISTCHURCH GERIATRICIAN HAMISH JAMIESON'S DETERMINED TO FIND WAYS TO PREVENT SUCH FRACTURES. HE'S GOT A KEY ROLE IN A WORLD-FIRST STUDY MEASURING THE IMPACT OF MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS ON THE ELDERLY. WE SHOWED THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE ON CERTAIN TYPES OF MEDICATIONS, CALLED ANTICHOLINERGICS OR SEDATIVES, HAD HIGHER RATES OF FRACTURES. THE MEDICATIONS IN QUESTION ARE PRESCRIBED FOR SLEEPING, PAIN AND INCONTINENCE. ALL CAN LEAD TO DROWSINESS AND MAKE PEOPLE PRONE TO FALLS. THE STAKES ARE HIGH, AND THESE ARE VERY NASTY EVENTS FOR OLDER PEOPLE. PEOPLE TAKING MORE THAN THREE OF THE MEDICATIONS ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO BREAK A HIP. 90% OF FRACTURES SUFFERED BY THE ELDERLY ARE DUE TO A FALL, AND 20% TO 30% OF THOSE THAT HAVE A HIP FRACTURE DIE WITHIN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THIS NEW INFORMATION WILL BE USED TO STUDY OUR PHARMACY DATABASES, TO SEE IF HIGH-RISK DRUGS CAN BE REDUCED IN THE ELDERLY. I THINK THERE COULD BE LOTS OF BENEFITS FOR PATIENTS ABOUT IMPROVED ENERGY LEVELS, REDUCED FRACTURES, AND FROM THAT, THERE COULD BE SOME LONG-TERM GAINS. PREVENTING TRIPS TO HOSPITAL AND EVEN SAVING LIVES. YOU JUST TAKE IT AS IT COMES AND BE THANKFUL YOU'RE STILL HERE WHEN YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT OLDER BUT YOUNG AT HEART. (CHUCKLES) LISA DAVIES, 1 NEWS. COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK ` IT'S OFFICIALLY THE WORLD'S STEEPEST STREET, BUT COULD BALDWIN STREET'S TITLE BE UNDER THREAT? JOY REID WALKS HER WAY UP THE CONTENDER IN WALES. PLUS ` SHE'S FINDING INSPIRATION IN HER INDIVIDUALITY. HOW SHE'S HOPING HER UNIBROW COULD FURTHER HER CAREER. OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN HAS REVEALED SHE'S BATTLING CANCER FOR A THIRD TIME. THE 69-YEAR-OLD ACTRESS BROKE THE NEWS ON AUSTRALIAN TV, SAYING DOCTORS FOUND A TUMOUR IN HER LOWER BACK LAST YEAR. SHE'D PREVIOUSLY BEEN TWICE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER. THE GREASE STAR, WHO LIVES IN CALIFORNIA, IS GOING THROUGH RADIATION THERAPY AND ALSO USING CANNABIS OIL FOR PAIN RELIEF. AN AMERICAN MODEL IS CHALLENGING BEAUTY STEREOTYPES WITH WHAT SHE'S CALLING A UNIBROW MOVEMENT. SOPHIA HADJIPANTELI'S (22) BEST KNOWN FOR HER UNUSUAL EYEBROWS, WHICH ARE NATURALLY BLOND, BUT HAVE BEEN DYED. SHE'S BEEN VICIOUSLY ATTACKED ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT HER UNIBROW, BUT ALSO HAS SUPPORT FOR THE MESSAGE SHE'S SENDING. I PERSONALLY REALLY DID NOT WANT TO PLUCK MY EYEBROWS, BECAUSE I JUST REALLY LIKED THE WAY IT LOOKED. NOW AS I AM ESTABLISHING MYSELF A LOT MORE, I'M REALISING THAT WHETHER I NOTICED IT OR NOT AT THE TIME, I WAS BEHIND A CONVERSATION THAT WAS SUPER IMPORTANT TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO. THE MODEL HOPES HER CAREER WILL FURTHER WHAT SHE CALLS BODY-POSITIVE AND BEAUTY ACTIVISM. WE TURN NOW TO A NEW BATTLE FRONT BREWING BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND WALES ` NOT OVER RUGBY OR THE LONGEST PLACE NAME, BUT OVER A RESIDENTIAL ROAD RECORD. IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE'S CORNER, DUNEDIN'S BALDWIN STREET, OFFICIALLY THE WORLD'S STEEPEST, FAMOUS FOR ITS ANNUAL JAFFA ROLLING RACE. BUT NOW THERE'S A NEW CHALLENGE A WORLD AWAY IN A LITTLE CORNER OF BRITAIN. THE WELSH TOWN OF HARLECH, HOME TO A LUNG-BUSTING ROAD, WE SENT OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT JOY REID TO CHECK IT OUT. FAMED FOR ITS 800-YEAR-OLD CASTLE ON THE HILL, THIS PROUD WELSH TOWN WANTS ANOTHER ACCOLADE. AND THIS IS IT ` THE STREET, THAT IS. SHE'S A BIT OF A HIKE. (LAUGHS) YOU DO THIS EVERY DAY? YES, I DO. YEAH. I NEED OXYGEN WHEN I GET HOME. (LAUGHTER) I CAN SEE WHY. LOCALS SAY FFORDD PEN LLECH IS 1 DEGREE STEEPER THAN DUNEDIN'S BALDWIN STREET AND HAVE ASKED THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS TO INVESTIGATE. IF IT IS THE STEEPEST STREET, IT SHOULD BE RECOGNISED AS SO, I GUESS. IT'S 36%, AND WE BELIEVE THAT BALDWIN ST IS 35%. SO, YEAH. THIS IS A PERCENT STEEPER, SO... CERTAINLY MAKES YOU PUFFED WHEN YOU'RE CLIMBING IT, DOESN'T IT? IT DOES. ABSOLUTELY, YEAH. EVERY TIME. IT'S A KILLER. THIS ROAD IS REALLY ONLY FOR THE BRAVEST OF MOTORISTS. BUT IT'S STILL A POPULAR THOROUGHFARE, BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS ARE DOWN THE BOTTOM OF THE ROAD, WHICH MEANS THE SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE TO WALK UP AND DOWN HERE IN A DAY, AND THE POST OFFICE AND THE SHOP IS AT THE TOP. IT'S EVEN WORSE IN ICY WELSH WINTERS. BUT A WORLD AWAY, DUNEDINITES ARE HOLDING FIRMLY ON TO THEIR TITLE ` FOR NOW. I MEAN, THEY'VE GOTTA PROVE IT YET. IT HAS BECOME A VERY POPULAR TOURIST SPOT. SOME WELSH SEEM OPEN TO SHARING, THOUGH. I THINK WE CAN BOTH BE CONGRATULATED FOR BEING ABLE TO WALK UP SUCH STEEP STREETS. WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOURS IS STEEPER? OH, OF COURSE. I'D BE LYNCHED IF I SAID SOMETHING ELSE. (LAUGHS) SO, WITH BALDWIN STREETS FAMOUS JAFFA-ROLLING COMPETITION IN MIND, SO, WITH BALDWIN STREET'S FAMOUS JAFFA-ROLLING COMPETITION IN MIND, WE CONDUCTED A DECIDEDLY UNSCIENTIFIC COMPARISON IN THE RAIN ON LIVE TV. LET'S SEE HOW FAST THESE ROLL. OOH, NO, THEY'RE NOT GOING VERY FAST. THAT WAS A FAILED ATTEMPT, WASN'T IT? SO COULD THAT BE ALL THE PROOF DUNEDIN NEEDS TO STAY AT THE TOP? WELL, IT'LL BE AT LEAST 12 WEEKS BEFORE WE FIND OUT ` OFFICIALLY, ANYWAY. MY CALF MUSCLES REALLY HURT. JOY REID, 1 NEWS, HARLECH, WALES. TODAY MARKS 90 YEARS SINCE NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT LANDED ON KIWI SOIL. BACK THEN, 30,000 PEOPLE ` ALMOST A THIRD OF CHRISTCHURCH'S POPULATION AT THE TIME ` TURNED OUT AT WIGRAM TO WATCH HISTORY UNFOLD. DONNA-MARIE LEVER LOOKS BACK. OUT OF THE ARCHIVE BOX AT WIGRAM AIR BASE ` THIS IS THE FLYING HELMET THAT KINGSFORD SMITH WORE ON THE FIRST FLIGHT. AN IMPORTANT PART OF AN AVIATION FIRST. HE DROPPED THIS, AND A LITTLE GIRL PICKED IT UP GAVE IT TO HIM, AND HE SAID, 'THANK YOU,' AND 'I'LL SEND IT TO YOU WHEN I GET BACK TO AUSTRALIA.' AND, SURE ENOUGH, HE DID. IT'S AMONG A COLLECTION THAT CELEBRATES THE MOMENT AUSTRALIAN PILOTS CHARLES KINGSFORD SMITH AND CHARLES ULM CROSSED THE TASMAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SOUTHERN CROSS. SO, FOR THE FIRST TIME NEW ZEALAND WAS BROUGHT WITHIN A DAY'S TRAVEL OF OUR NEAREST NEIGHBOUR. IT WAS INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT. THE TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHT TOOK A STAGGERING 14 HOURS AND 25 MINUTES. KIWI TOM MCWILLIAMS WAS ON BOARD AS A RADIO OPERATOR. BUT THE SIGNAL DROPPED OUT, LEAVING THE PILOTS TO EFFECTIVELY FLY BLIND FOR MUCH OF THE JOURNEY. ARCHIVE: FINE INDEED TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU GOOD FOLK HERE TO SPEED US ON OUR WAY. THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN, NO SEATBELTS WORN, AND THEY WERE DROPPING SOME 200FT AT A TIME OUT OF THE SKY. THEY SAW THIS LIGHTNING, AND THERE'S THIS HUGE STORM RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, AND THEY CLIMBED AND THEY CLIMBED AS FAR AS THEY COULD, UP TO ABOUT 10,000FT. AND THEY REALISED THEY COULDN'T GO ANY HIGHER BECAUSE THE STORM WAS WELL ABOVE THEM, SO THEY JUST HAD TO RIDE IT OUT, JUST GO THROUGH IT. THE FLIGHT CIRCLED OVER THE CAPITAL BEFORE LANDING IN CHRISTCHURCH AT 9.22AM LOCAL TIME TO A ROCK-STAR WELCOME. THIS IS THE EXACT LANDING SPOT OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS. BUT FAST FORWARD 90 YEARS AND NOW IT SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN WHAT HAS BECOME SUBURBAN CHRISTCHURCH. HISTORY TEACHER PETER HEWSON HAS EVEN MADE A REPLICA OF THE EXACT PLANE. I SUPPOSE WE WERE FRUSTRATED PILOTS, YOU KNOW. (CHUCKLES) WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. A REMINDER OF THE FAMOUS FLIGHT THAT CHANGED THE WAY WE TRAVEL FOREVER. DONNA-MARIE LEVER, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` YOUR WEATHER FOR TOMORROW. THEY'RE A VERY KIWI WAY OF SAYING 'THANK YOU VERY MUCH'. GUESS WHO'S HAD A MAKEOVER. ROSES CHOCOLATES HAVE BEEN A GO-TO LAST MINUTE GIFT, ALONG WITH SOAP ON A ROPE, FOR DECADES, BUT NOW THE KIWI FAVOURITE HAS HAD A MAKEOVER. SOME OF THE LESS POPULAR FLAVOURS ARE OUT AND SOME NEW ONES REPLACING THEM. HERE'S LUCAS DE JONG WITH HIS VERDICT ON ROSES. # THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WASHING ROVER. THEY'RE THE TIMELESS CLASSIC... CADBURY ROSES CHOCOLATES. ...THAT HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH OVER THE YEARS. # THANK YOU VERY MUCH... # ...FOR BEING MY FRIEND. DO YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR FRIEND? (LAUGHS) # THANK YOU VERY MUCH... # FOR SITTING NEXT TO ME. AW. NO, HOLD IT LIKE THIS. YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT LIKE THIS. SINCE THE 1930S, ROSES CHOCOLATES HAVE BEEN THE LAST-MINUTE BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR RELATIVES YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BUY FOR. AND LIKE YOUR RELATIVES, EVERYONE'S GOT A FAVOURITE. OH, THE CARAMEL ONE. CARAMEL. CARAMEL? THE CARAMEL ONE. HAZELNUT WHIRL. HAZELNUT. THE HAZELNUT. BUT THERE'S ALSO THAT ONE THAT'S LEFT BEHIND. IF ONE HAD TO GO, WHAT IT BE? STRAWBERRY CREAM. STRAWBERRY CREAM. OH, STRAWBERRY CREAM. STRAWBERRY CREAM. BUT TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING. (SIGMA'S 'CHANGING') # EVERYTHING IS CHANGING, AND I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TOO LONG. ROSES 2.0, CADBURY'S NEW TAKE ON THE CLASSIC. SAME BOX WITH NEW FLAVOUR-TRANSFER-AVOIDING RIP-NOT-TWIST PACKAGING. # AND I CAN'T DO THIS ANY MORE. BUT WITH EVERY REBRAND, THERE ARE SOME CASUALTIES. STRAWBERRY, DON'T LIKE THAT ONE? NO. NAH, IT'S RUBBISH, EH. THEY'RE GETTING RID OF IT. OH, YEAH. GOOD? YEAH. YEAH, GOOD. YEAH, GOOD. YEP, THE NEVER-LOVED STRAWBERRY CREAM AND CLASSIC FUDGE ARE GONE. BUT WHITE RASPBERRY AND VANILLA NOUGAT ARE IN. SOME OLD FAVES HAVE BEEN FRESHENED UP. SO, OLD VERSUS NEW? WHO BETTER TO DECIDE THAN OUR 'MMM'-MAKING SEVEN SHARP EDITORS? MMM. MMM. MMM. SALTED CARAMEL OR THE NEW CLASSIC CARAMEL? OLD. OLD. OLD. THE OLD PEPPERMINT CREAM OR NEW PEPPERMINT CRUNCH? THE OLD ONE'S A STRONGER PEPPERMINT TASTE. OLD. NEW. OLD. HAZELNUT WHIRL OR ` WAIT FOR IT ` HAZELNUT SWIRL. TO ME, IT TASTES CREAMIER. IT DOES TASTE CREAMIER. I'M GOING TO SAY 50/50. IT'S THE SAME. I'M GONNA GO NEW. I'M GONNA GO NEW. # THANK YOU VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROSES. BECAUSE WHETHER YOU LIKE OLD OR NEW, IT'S GOING TO CAUSE SOME CONVERSATION. # THANK YOU VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH. # TURKISH DELIGHT IS STILL IN THE BOX. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018