TONIGHT ` A GLITCH IN THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO PLANT ONE BILLION TREES. WHY THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE, SHANE JONES, HAS FOUND HIMSELF IN A HOLE. AND USER PAYS WHEN IT COMES TO SOME NEW HOUSING. THAT'LL MEAN HOMEOWNERS WILL BE PAYING TOWARDS ROADS AND OTHER SERVICES. AND FROM OFFICE JUNIOR TO REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO. FAREWELL TO THE MAN WHO CREATED THE WORLD OF MARVEL COMICS AND SOME OF HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST BLOCKBUSTERS. CAPTIONS BY CAMERON GRIGG AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018 HALF A MILLION SEEDLINGS PAID FOR WITH TAXPAYER MONEY TURNED INTO MULCH AFTER A PLANTING BLUNDER THAT'S DEALT A BLOW TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO PLANT A BILLION TREES. IT'S RAISED QUESTIONS OVER WHETHER THE MORE THAN $30M DISHED OUT TO THE PROGRAMME IN NORTHLAND IS BEING SPENT WISELY. HELEN CASTLES REPORTS. SHANE JONES HELPING OUT PLANTING IN THE FAR NORTH AS PART OF HIS BILLION TREE PROJECT. BUT FIVE MONTHS ON, HE'S FINDING HIMSELF IN A HOLE. THIS FORESTRY BLOCK NEAR KAWAKAWA IS WHERE ALMOST 200,000 SEEDLINGS HAVE BEEN PLANTED. BUT MUCH OF THE LAND'S NOT UP TO SCRATCH, MEANING HALF A MILLION SEEDLINGS HAVE HAD TO BE RELOCATED, WHILE THE OTHER HALF A MILLION HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. THAT'S $160,000 OF TAXPAYER-FUNDED MULCH. THESE SORTS OF THINGS DO HAPPEN IN THIS INDUSTRY. BUT, HEY, I'M THE STEWARD OF THE STRATEGY ` I'M RESPONSIBLE. THE $32M CROWN PROJECT IS A JOINT VENTURE WITH THE NGATI HINE FORESTRY TRUST, INTENDED TO SEE PINE AND MANUKA PLANTING OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE RELIANT ON THE SPRAY TO GET RID OF THE 1M-HIGH SCRUB AND GORSE, AND IT DIDN'T CLEAR IT ENOUGH ` IT'S A MISTAKE. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE VENTURE REMAINS UNAFFECTED, WITH PLANTING CONTINUING NEXT YEAR AND 2020, BUT NOT EVERYONE AGREES. TO ME, IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT. THEY'RE SPENDING TAXPAYERS' MONEY ` THEY NEED TO DO MORE DUE DILIGENCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE TAXPAYER'S GETTING BANG FOR BUCK. WHILE THE TRUST IS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, THE MINISTER INSISTS THEY WERE RIGHT FOR THE JOB. LET'S NOT HIDE FROM THE FACT IT'S NOT FLASH, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA FATALLY WOUND THE BILLION-TREE APPROACH. THIS IS JUST THE LATEST OF A STRING OF ISSUES SHANE JONES HAS FACED OVER THE $3B PROVISIONAL GROWTH FUND. PREVIOUS CONCERNS HAVE INCLUDED A LACK OF OVERSIGHT AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. BUT THE MINISTER SAYS PROJECTS OF THIS SCALE DON'T RUN WITHOUT A HITCH. WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HIT A FEW SPEED BUMPS, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE REALITY IS WE'RE NOT PLANTING TREES IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN HERE; THIS IS PERILOUS COUNTRY. BUT IT'S ALSO LIKELY THE MINISTER WILL BE HOPING THIS IS THE LAST OF THE OBSTACLES. HELEN CASTLES, 1 NEWS. PEOPLE BUYING HOMES IN A NEW DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE TO PAY AN ANNUAL INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY UNDER A SCHEME AIMED AT BUILDING HOUSES FASTER. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE UNUSUAL PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP DEAL TAKING THE PRESSURE OFF THE HEAVILY-INDEBTED AUCKLAND COUNCIL. KATIE BRADFORD EXPLAINS HOW IT'LL WORK. A SUBURB THE SIZE OF A SMALL TOWN WILL EVOLVE ON THIS SITE NORTH OF AUCKLAND OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, AND A NEW SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND TO HELP PAY FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE PROPERTIES WILL BE CHEAPER BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE FUNDING. IT'S A NEW VERSION OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AUCKLAND COUNCIL, CROWN INFRASTRUCTURE PARTNERS AND FULTON HOGAN. IT WILL SEE $90M SPENT ON ROADS, BRIDGES AND WASTEWATER TUNNELS AT THIS AREA IN WAINUI, BETWEEN OREWA AND SILVERDALE. THIS FUNDING AND FINANCING PACKAGE THAT WE'RE ANNOUNCING TODAY HAS BROUGHT FORWARD THIS DEVELOPMENT BY A MATTER OF YEARS. HALF OF THE MONEY IS COMING FROM A 35-YEAR LOAN FROM THE ACC FUND. WE CAN BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE ALL AT ONCE, RATHER THAN DOING IT AN AD-HOC WAY. THAT LOWERS THE COST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND MAKES THE WHOLE PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT. THE MAYOR SAYS HIS COUNCIL CAN'T BORROW ANY MORE MONEY, SO IT HAD TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE, AND SOMEONE HAS TO PAY IT BACK. ANYONE WHO BUYS ONE OF THE 9000 HOMES HERE WILL HAVE TO PAY AN ANNUAL INFRASTRUCTURE LEVY. THAT'LL START AT $1000 A YEAR, AND OVER THE 35-YEAR LIFETIME WILL DOUBLE. IF YOU OWNED IT FOR 30 YEARS, YOU COULD END UP PAYING 30, 40, 50K TOWARDS IT. YEAH, THE THING IS, THE PEOPLE WILL ENTER INTO THIS DEAL WITH THEIR EYES OPEN; THEY KNOW THE ENCUMBRANCE IS THERE. WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT HARD. WE THINK IT'S $250 A QUARTER. APARTMENTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT WILL START AROUND $700,000. THE MINISTER HASN'T ASKED IF ANY OF THE HOMES CAN BE PART OF HIS PET PROJECT, KIWIBUILD. I'M NOT AWARE THERE'S BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS. WE'D CERTAINLY BE VERY OPEN TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, BUT TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING. LOOK, WE'VE GOT A CERTAIN PRODUCT WE'RE BUILDING OVER HERE THAT WE HAVEN'T BUILT BEFORE IN AUCKLAND, THAT WE THINK WILL BE WELL SUITED FOR THAT PRICE-RANGE HOUSE. THE GOVERNMENT HOPES THIS WILL BE FIRST OF MANY DEVELOPMENTS FUNDED THIS NEW WAY. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. A MEGA-STRIKE COULD BE ON THE CARDS FOR THE SCHOOLS AS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS FLOAT THE IDEA OF COMBINING FORCES. IT COMES AS MORE THAN 500 NORTH ISLAND PRIMARY SCHOOLS OUTSIDE THE BIG CITIES CLOSED THEIR DOORS ON DAY TWO OF ROLLING STRIKES. A $690M OFFER IS ON THE TABLE FOR TEACHERS, INCLUDING $11,000 WAGE RISES FOR SOME BY 2020. IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY. I MEAN, I'D MUCH PREFER TO HAVE SOMEONE IN THE CLASSROOM HELPING ME, HELPING ME WITH MY INDIVIDUALS WHO REQUIRE THAT EXTRA TIME. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH TEACHERS, BUT THE POST PRIMARY TEACHERS UNION'S NOW RAISED THE POSSIBILITY ALL SCHOOL TEACHERS COULD GO OUT IF THE ISSUE'S NOT SETTLED. PRIMARY SCHOOL STRIKE ACTION CONTINUES IN CHRISTCHURCH TOMORROW. THERE'S A STARK WARNING FROM CALIFORNIAN AUTHORITIES TO GET USED TO THE GOLDEN STATE BURNING RED. THAT AS THE RAGING WILDFIRES THERE REACH A GRIM MILESTONE ` THE DEADLIEST IN THE STATE'S HISTORY. MORE THAN 40 PEOPLE HAVE NOW BEEN KILLED AND ANOTHER 200 ARE MISSING AS BLAZES FUELLED BY FIERCE WINDS CONTINUE THEIR DESTRUCTIVE PATHS. SO FAR, NEARLY 6,500 HOMES HAVE BEEN LOST. US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S NOW DECLARED THE FIRES A MAJOR DISASTER, ENABLING THE RELEASE OF MORE FUNDS TOWARDS THE RESPONSE. THIS NEW ABNORMAL WILL CONTINUE, CERTAINLY, IN THE NEXT 10 TO 15 TO 20 YEARS. AUTHORITIES SAY THE FIRES COULD TAKE WEEKS TO CONTAIN. ONE HOUR ` THAT WAS ALL IT TOOK FOR A JURY IN MELBOURNE TO FIND JAMES GARGASOULAS GUILTY OF MURDERING SIX PEDESTRIANS AND INJURING 27 OTHERS IN THE BOURKE STREET ATTACK IN JANUARY LAST YEAR. THE 28-YEAR OLD DROVE A STOLEN CAR ONTO THE FOOTPATH, DELIBERATELY SWERVING TO CAUSE MAXIMUM CARNAGE. FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS TODAY WELCOMED THE UNANIMOUS VERDICT. GARGASOULAS IS FACING LIFE IN JAIL AND WILL BE SENTENCED NEXT YEAR. AND THE VICTIM FROM LAST FRIDAY'S ATTACK IN MELBOURNE'S BOURKE STREET HAS BEEN HONOURED TODAY. THE SEAT USUALLY OCCUPIED BY ONE OF THE CITY'S ICONS WAS LEFT EMPTY AS HIS CAFE OPENED WITHOUT HIM. CHANNEL NINE'S BRETT MCLEOD WAS THERE. BEFORE THE DOORS REOPENED, A PRIVATE MOMENT JUST FOR STAFF AHEAD OF THEIR LONGEST DAY. SISTO WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US, AND I INTEND TO ENSURE PELLEGRINI'S WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T JUST LOSE A BOSS. I LOST A BROTHER. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE FRIDAY'S SHOCKING ATTACK WHICH CLAIMED SISTO MALASPINA'S LIFE, HIS CAFE, PELLEGRINI'S, WAS AGAIN OPEN FOR BUSINESS, SERVING FREE LONG BLACKS. THAT WAS SISTO'S FAVOURITE CHOICE OF COFFEE. HE USED TO SIT AT THE END OF THE COUNTER, READING HIS NEWSPAPER AND HAVE HIS LONG BLACK EVERY DAY, EVERY MORNING. THIS MORNING'S COFFEES WERE RECEIVED WITH TEARS, PRAYERS AND HUGS. THERE'S JUST A SENSE OF TREMENDOUS LOSS, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF GREAT LOVE. EMPTY. EMPTY. THE PLACE IS NOT GONNA BE THE SAME WITHOUT HIM. MEMORIES OF HAPPIER TIMES FILLING THE VOID. MANY, MANY YOUNG MARRIED COUPLES HAVE BEEN HERE FOR PHOTOGRAPHS, SHARED WONDERFUL TIMES HERE. ALL DAY, A QUEUE STRETCHED ALONG BOURKE STREET. HUNDREDS SIGNING CONDOLENCE BOOKS. AMONG THOSE PAYING RESPECTS, MICHAEL ROGERS, KNOWN AS TROLLEY MAN AFTER HE TRIED TO FEND OFF THE ATTACKER. AND THE PRIME MINISTER, SCOTT MORRISON, LIKE ALL VISITORS TO PELLEGRINI'S WELCOMED WITH COFFEE. MACCHIATO. AND I'LL HAVE A FLAT WHITE. FLAT WHITE AND MY USUAL PLEASE. THE PM LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE VENUE AND THE MAN WHO WAS AT MELBOURNE'S CENTRE. THIS IS AN AMAZING CITY, MATTHEW. IT'S GOT SUCH A HEART. IT'S GOT SUCH A SOUL. AND SISTO, I THINK, ENCAPTURED THAT SPIRIT AND THAT SOUL. SCOTT MORRISON AGAIN PUT PRESSURE ON THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY, QUESTIONING HOW HIS HASSAN KHALIF SHIRE ALI WAS RADICALISED HAVING LIVED IN AUSTRALIA SINCE THE AGE OF 5. HE GOT IT FROM THE COMMUNITY HE WAS LIVING IN AND THE PEOPLE HE WAS SPEAKING TO, AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE DOES NOT TAKE HOLD IN THIS COUNTRY. SOME GOOD NEWS THIS AFTERNOON ` RODNEY PATTERSON, WHO WAS STABBED IN THE HEAD DURING THE ATTACK, HAS BEEN DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL. ALL DAY LONG, THIS PLACE HAS BEEN PACKED AS EVERYONE ENJOYS THEIR LONG BLACK AND EVERY SEAT HAS BEEN FULL. EXCEPT FOR ONE. THE ONE THAT BELONGS TO SISTO. THE MOOD TODAY WAS LIKE A WAKE BEFORE THE WAKE. I'M SURE HE WOULD HAVE WANTED US TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, YOU KNOW. YOU CAN ONLY CRY SO MUCH. IT'S NEARLY EIGHT YEARS TO THE DAY SINCE THE FIRST PIKE RIVER MINE EXPLOSION WHICH CLAIMED 29 LIVES, AND TOMORROW A DECISION ON WHETHER TO RE-ENTER THE MINE WILL BE REVEALED. MINING EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD SPENT NINE MONTHS DELIBERATING OVER THREE OF THE SAFEST, MOST FEASIBLE RE-ENTRY OPTIONS. WELL I THINK WE'LL BE NERVOUS. AND WE ARE WAITING WITH AN OPEN BREADTH OF WHICH DECISION THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE, AND LET'S JUST HOPE AND PRAY, AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO PRAY THAT THIS DOES GO AHEAD. AND BREAKFAST WILL HAVE LIVE COVERAGE FROM THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT PARLIAMENT TOMORROW, FROM 7:15 AM, INCLUDING REACTION FROM VICTIMS' FAMILIES. A RECORD NUMBER OF DRONES HAVE BEEN CAUGHT FLYING NEAR AIRPORTS IN THE LAST YEAR, INCREASING FEARS PASSENGERS LIVES COULD BE PUT AT RISK. JUST LAST WEEKEND, WELLINGTON AIRPORT WAS CLOSED FOR 30 MINUTES AFTER A DRONE WAS SPOTTED FLYING CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY. MEI HERON REPORTS. THEY'RE ONLY SMALL, BUT ANY OBJECT IN THE SKY COULD BE A HAZARD TO AIRCRAFT. THEY ARE VERY HARD PARTS METAL, CARBON FIBRE, AND ONCE YOU START HAVING IMPACTS WITH THOSE SORTS OF OBJECTS, I CAN IMAGINE THAT IT CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC PROBLEMS, NO DOUBT. AS THIS TEST SHOWS, DRONES TEND TO STAY TOGETHER ON IMPACT, CUTTING THROUGH AN AIRCRAFT. THIS IS THE DAMAGE DONE TO A WING AT ONLY HALF THE SPEED OF A NORMAL JET. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY MORE DAMAGE TO THE SPAR, OR IT COULD HAVE PENETRATED A FUEL CELL. 55 DRONES HAVE BEEN RECORDED FLYING CLOSER THAN 4KM TO AN AIRPORT THIS YEAR ` A RECORD HIGH. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DRONE COMPLAINTS HAS ALSO SHOT UP FROM 10 FIVE YEARS AGO TO OVER 420 SO FAR THIS YEAR. THE AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOME OF THE LARGER IMPORTERS COMING THROUGH, AND TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE IN TERMS OF GETTING THE SAFETY MESSAGE THROUGH. ON SUNDAY, FLIGHTS IN WELLINGTON WERE DELAYED AFTER A PILOT BELIEVED THEY SAW A DRONE FLYING JUST 3KM FROM THE RUNWAY. POLICE UNABLE TO FIND THE CULPRIT. SO, AT THE MOMENT, OUR RADAR SYSTEMS CAN'T DETECT DRONES. AND IF WE CAN'T DETECT THEM, WE CAN'T ACTUALLY KEEP THEM AWAY FROM THE AEROPLANES AND, THEREFORE, KEEP THEM SAFE. HE SAYS THE LAWS ARE NOW FOUR YEARS OLD AND COULD BE IMPROVED. WE BELIEVE THAT COMPULSORY REGISTRATION IS JUST ONE OF THE KEYS TO GETTING A BETTER CONTROL OF THE DRONE INDUSTRY. THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT IS CONSIDERING POTENTIAL CHANGES, INCLUDING LOOKING AT LAWS OVERSEAS. THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY IS NOW INVESTIGATING SUNDAY'S INCIDENT, AND URGES DRONE USERS TO STAY AWAY FROM AIRPORTS. MEI HERON, 1 NEWS. IT'S THE DAY MANY CANTABRIANS WAIT ALL YEAR FOR. THE NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP AT ADDINGTON RACEWAY'S THE COUNTRY'S RICHEST HARNESS RACING EVENT. BUT AS SAM CLARKE REPORTS, THERE'S PLENTY OF OTHERS VYING FOR ATTENTION. WHETHER IT WAS IN THE STABLES... (WHISTLE) ...OR IN THE STANDS, IT WAS ALL ABOUT ATTENTION-GRABBING STYLE. THESE ARE THE IMAGES YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEWS TONIGHT. THE ANNUAL FASHION SHOW THIS YEAR FEATURING EVERYTHING FROM THE BOLD... YEAH, I'M A FIREFIGHTER. ...TO THE BRAVE... # WHO LIVES IN A PINEAPPLE UNDER THE SEA? CROWD: # SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. # ...AND THE BARELY THERE. THAT IS AMAZING. IT'LL REALLY COME DOWN TO THE VERY FINEST OF DETAILS. IT'S ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, REALLY. WHILE NOT IN THE RACE, PLENTY OF PUNTERS WERE STRUTTING THEIR STUFF AWAY FROM THE STAGE. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR THE LAST 14 YEARS, ALL THE DIFFERENT OUTFITS. THE USUAL HATS AND FASCINATORS JOINED BY TIARAS AND CROWNS. IT'S MOVING AWAY FROM WHAT YOUR MUM WORE, WHICH IS FASCINATING. AND THE CROWN AND THE FILIGREE THROUGH HERE, IT'S YOUNGER AND A BIT COOLER. BUT FOR OTHERS, THE THRILL WAS IN THE PUNT. JUST SMALL KIDDY BETS. LITTLE BETS. A BIT OF FUN. NOTHING TO ANNOY MUM TOO MUCH ` JUST KIDDY BETS. HUNDREDS QUEUING TO TRY THEIR LUCK. IT'S ON THE OUTSIDE. IT'S COMING. IT'S COMING. BUT NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A WINNER. KENSINGTON KATE HAS BEATEN IT! WE LOST! WE HAD OUR FUN. WE ENJOYED OURSELVES. THE FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE'S A RAY OF HOPE FOR THE TROTTING INDUSTRY AFTER AN UNCOMFORTABLE FEW MONTHS THAT'VE SEEN OWNERS, TRAINERS AND DRIVERS CHARGED OVER ALLEGED RACE FIXING. WE CAN'T TELL YOU WHO THEY ARE, BUT SOME OF THOSE ACCUSED ARE INVOLVED IN TODAY'S RACES. IT HASN'T TAKEN THE SHINE OFF THE DAY, THOUGH, FASHION AND FUN IN THE SUN GIVING RACE-GOERS PLENTY TO ENJOY. STILL TO COME, HE CREATED COMIC BOOK SUPERHEROES THAT WERE BROUGHT TO LIFE IN MOVIE BLOCKBUSTERS. YOU'LL KNOW THEIR NAMES AND COSTUMES. WE SALUTE THE ARCHITECT OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE. PLUS, THE BOOMING TOWN IN THE MCKENZIE COUNTRY. AN HISTORIC HYDRO TOWN HAS A SURGE IN POPULARITY. HE WAS KNOWN AS THE MAN BEHIND THE MARVEL COMICS, ONE OF THE CREATORS OF THE MODERN SUPER HERO, FROM IRON MAN TO THE INCREDIBLE HULK. STAN LEE HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 95. CHANNEL NINE'S ROBERT PENFOLD TAKES A LOOK AT HIS LIFE. WITH STAN LEE, THE WORLD HAS LOST A REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO. # SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN # THE MAN BEHIND SPIDER-MAN, IRON MAN, THE AVENGERS, X-MEN, THE HULK, BLACK PANTHER AND DEADPOOL ` JUST A FEW OF THE 8000 MARVEL CHARACTERS. STAN LEE IS PROBABLY EQUIVALENT TO WALT DISNEY IN ANIMATION OR STEVE JOBS OR THE BEATLES. HIS HEROES LIVED TWO VERY SEPARATE AND VERY SUCCESSFUL LIVES. BEFORE THEY WERE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES, THEY WERE DRAWINGS IN CARTOON STRIPS, BUT WHAT SET HIS HEROES APART WAS THEIR HUMANITY. THEIR PERSONALITIES WERE OFTEN FLAWED ` CHARACTERS WE COULD ALL RELATE TO. IT'S NO FUN READING ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO'S PERFECT. YOU WANNA READ ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN IDENTIFY WITH. LEE STARTED OFF AS AN INK REFILLER AT A SMALL COMIC COMPANY. AND BY THE 1960S, HE'D CATAPULTED THE BUSINESS INTO THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE PUBLISHER OF COMIC BOOKS. BUT HE DIDN'T STAY ALWAYS BEHIND THE SCENES. HE BECAME KNOWN FOR HIS CAMEOS. YOU KNOW, I GUESS ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I THINK HE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT FROM ALFRED HITCHCOCK, AND HE ACTUALLY MADE IT A CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT THAT HE APPEAR IN EVERY MARVEL PRODUCTION. ON HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD TONIGHT, WELL-DESERVED RESPECT FROM HIS MANY FANS. AND ONCE STAN'S SUPERHEROES BECAME MOVIE STARS, HE BECAME HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY. BACK IN 2000, WALKING THE RED CARPET HERE FOR THE OPENING OF X-MEN, WHICH WENT ON TO MAKE $350M. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO MEASURE THE REVENUE THAT HIS CHARACTERS HAVE GENERATED ACROSS DECADES OF PUBLICATIONS AND MOVIES, TV SHOWS AND VIDEO GAMES. AND THOSE WHO BROUGHT HIS IDEAS TO LIFE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL, SUCH AS HUGH JACKMAN, OR WOLVERINE, TWEETING... FROM CAPTAIN AMERICA, CHRIS EVANS... AND ROBERT DOWNEY JUNIOR, WHOSE TROUBLED CAREER WAS RESURRECTED WITH IRON MAN. HE SAYS... STAN LEE WAS 95. MANY OF OUR RIVERS REMAIN UNSWIMMABLE, BUT SOME ARE BEING CLEANED UP, LIKE A SMALL CANTERBURY RIVER WHICH HAS JUST WON THE SUPREME AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPROVED RIVER IN THE COUNTRY. THE OTUKAIKINO RIVER JUST OUTSIDE OF CHRISTCHURCH OUTSHONE MORE THAN 500 OTHER WATERWAYS IN THE CAWTHRON FOUNDATION'S RIVER AWARDS. NEARLY 200,000 NATIVES HAVE BEEN PLANTED ALONG THE RIVER BANK, LEADING TO LARGE REDUCTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF HARMFUL PHOSPHOROUS AND NITROGEN IN THE WATER. OVER THAT LAST 10-YEAR PERIOD, THERE'VE BEEN SOME COMMUNITY GROUPS AND COUNCILS THAT HAVE REALLY TAKEN ON BOARD LOOKING AFTER THAT RIVER. FENCING AND KEEPING STOCK OUT OF THE WATERS, PLANTING UP TRESSES ALONGSIDE THOSE WATERS, AND, I GUESS, JUST REALLY TAKING OWNERSHIP AND CARE OF THE RIVER. HE SAYS OF THE 500 RIVERS THEY ASSESSED, ABOUT A THIRD ARE GETTING BETTER, A THIRD GETTING WORSE AND A THIRD ARE STAYING THE SAME. QUEENSTOWN AND WANAKA PROPERTY PRICES ARE HEADING EVER UPWARDS, BUT IT'S ANOTHER NEARBY TOWN THAT'S BENEFITING. TWIZEL, IN THE HEART OF THE MACKENZIE COUNTRY, IS EXPERIENCING MAJOR GROWTH, AS NEW ZEALANDERS LOOK FOR A MORE TRADITIONAL KIWI HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE. LISA DAVIES PAID THE TOWN A VISIT. NESTLED IN THE VERY HEART OF BIG SKY COUNTRY, TWIZEL WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A TOWN. IT'S GOING BALLISTIC. IT'S OUR LITTLE SLICE OF PARADISE, REALLY, BUT EVERYBODY'S STARTING TO KNOW THAT NOW. IT'S TAKING OFF. AFTER A MODEST START IN THE '70S AS TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION FOR WORKERS BUILDING HYDRO DAMS AND POWER STATIONS ON THE WAITAKI RIVER. WHEN THE TOWN WAS ORIGINALLY AUCTIONED OFF, YOU COULD BUY A HOUSE AND SECTION FOR $12,000. THOSE SAME HYDRO-HOUSES FETCHING BIG MONEY NOW. THEY WERE IN THE 200S, AND NOW YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO BUDGET BETWEEN 350 AND 450 FOR THEM, SO THEY'VE DOUBLED, AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THAT'S PROBABLY QUITE HARD TO GRASP. THE GROWTH IS BEING DRIVEN BY A LACK OF AFFORDABILITY IN THE SOUTH ISLAND'S BIGGEST HOLIDAY SPOTS. QUEENSTOWN AND WANAKA HAVE PRICED THEMSELVES OUT OF THE LOCAL NEW ZEALAND MARKET, SO PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE. THE TOWN WITH 1400 PERMANENT RESIDENTS EXPANDING TO ACCOMMODATE 6000 PEOPLE A NIGHT. TWIZEL IS GOING THROUGH A HUGE CHANGE. IT'S BECOME A DESTINATION. IT'S WHERE WANAKA WAS 30 YEARS AGO. THIS IS ONE OF 10 NEW SUBDIVISIONS IN TWIZEL, AND THERE ARE 30 BUILDING COMPANIES HERE FILLING THEM UP WITH BRAND-NEW HOMES. BUILDER IAN TRAINOR HAS WORKED HERE FOR 25 YEARS. I USED TO GO DOWN TO THE MAIN ROAD AND TRY AND GET ON THE MAIN ROAD, AND CARS WOULD BE GOING FLAT STICK PAST. NOW THEY'RE ALL TURNING INTO YOU, SO IT'S JUST CRAZY. THE WORRY NOW ` ITS POPULARITY COULD SOON MAKE THIS TOWN UNAFFORDABLE TOO. LISA DAVIES, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD, A MAINLY SUNNY WEDNESDAY. MORE DETAILS COMING UP. PLUS, LORDE'S CALLED KANYE WEST HER IDOL. NOW, SHE'S CALLING HIM OUT FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING HER STAGE SET DESIGN. 'DON'T STEAL.' THAT'S THE MESSAGE TO KANYE WEST FROM KIWI SONGSTRESS LORDE. SHE'S CALLED THE US RAPPER OUT FOR COPYING HER SET DESIGN FOR HIS PERFORMANCE IN LOS ANGELES OVER THE WEEKEND. ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SHE'S COMPARED THE SET WITH THE FLOATING SHIPPING CONTAINER SHE USED AT COACHELLA LAST YEAR, AND ON HER MELODRAMA WORLD TOUR. SHE SAID IT'S FLATTERING WHEN OTHER ARTISTS ARE INSPIRED BY HER WORK, BUT GOES ON TO SAY 'DON'T STEAL ` NOT FROM WOMEN OR ANYONE ELSE.' NOW TO TOMORROWS WEATHER WITH STUCK IN THE MIDDLE BY STAIRCASE. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY CAMERON GRIGG AND ANTONY VLUG. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2018