TONIGHT ` OUR HOUSING CRISIS IS BEING LABELLED A HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS. BUT IT'S AFFECTING THREE PARTICULAR GROUPS THE MOST. EVER CALLED IN SICK BECAUSE OF A WILD NIGHT ON THE BOOZE? WE TELL YOU JUST HOW MUCH ALCOHOL COSTS IN LOST PRODUCTIVITY. AND IT'S NOT QUITE THE SCENIC RIDE THEY WERE AFTER. THE BALLOON WHICH LANDED IN A MELBOURNE BACK YARD. CAPTIONS BY ALEX STONE AND ELLA WHEELER CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2019 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. OUR CHRONIC HOUSING SHORTAGE HAS BEEN NOTICED INTERNATIONALLY AND IS BEING LABELLED A 'HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS'. IT COMES AS A REPORT ALSO FINDS NEW ZEALAND ISN'T MEETING ITS REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO MAORI, THE DISABLED AND PRISONERS. KATIE BRADFORD EXPLAINS. NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BECOME USED TO SCENES LIKE THESE, BUT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS WAKING UP TO OUR HOUSING CRISIS. IT'S EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING. NEW ZEALAND HAS A HOUSING CRISIS. IT ALSO HAS A HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS. EVERYONE IN NEW ZEALAND HAS THE RIGHT TO A SECURE, WARM, DRY HOME. THE HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE ASKED EXPERTS IN MORE THAN 170 COUNTRIES HOW THEY STACKED UP. NEW ZEALAND'S DATA BY GLOBAL STANDARDS DOESN'T LOOK TOO BAD, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS THERE ARE SOME QUITE SIGNIFICANT ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, NEW ZEALAND IS ONLY MEETING 76% OF ITS REQUIREMENT TO ENSURE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE HOUSING. THAT'S SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN CANADA AND AUSTRALIA, BUT FALLING BEHIND THE U.S. AND THE UK. HUMAN RIGHTS IS ALL ABOUT THE DIGNITY AND WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. FOR THE DISABLED, THE REPORT SAYS IT'S NOT JUST HOUSING BUT ACCESS TO EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH TO EDUCATION. PARENTS ARE STILL HAVING TO FIGHT TO GET THEIR CHILDREN INTO SCHOOLS, AND THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. ALSO PULLING DOWN OUR HUMAN RIGHTS SCORE IS THE TREATMENT OF MAORI. THEY ARE MUCH MORE AT RISK OF ARBITRARY ARREST OR BEING TORTURED OR ILL-TREATED. THE BAN ON PRISONER VOTING IS ALSO A BLEMISH. PEOPLE MIGHT DISMISS PRISONER VOTING RIGHTS, FOR EXAMPLE, AS A RELATIVELY TRIVIAL ISSUE, BUT WHEN YOU SEE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY AFFECTING OUR SCORE ON A SET OF GLOBAL INDICATORS, IT DOES GIVE YOU PAUSE FOR THOUGHT. IF AND WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DOES DEAL WITH IT, WE WANT TO DO IT WITH ALL THE ISSUES ON THE TABLE. OTHER COUNTRIES ARE ALREADY TACKLING SOME OF THE ISSUES. WE SHOULD LEARN FROM CANADA. THEY'VE RECENTLY PASSED LEGISLATION FOR A COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING STRATEGY WHICH IS A HUMAN-RIGHTS-BASED STRATEGY. THE GOVERNMENT IS BEING TOLD TO PICK UP ITS ACT. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. IT'S BEEN A TOUGH SEASON FOR FLUS AND ILLNESSES, BUT IF YOU'RE STILL HOPING TO GET YOUR WINTER FLU SHOT, YOU MAY BE TOO LATE. STOCKS ARE RUNNING LOW AFTER MASSIVE HUGE THIS YEAR, AND DOCTORS ARE BEING TOLD ONLY TO IMMUNISE THE MOST VULNERABLE. KIMBERLEE DOWNS REPORTS. AT TOM LAI'S PHARMACY, FLU VACCINE DOSES ARE RUNNING LOW. SO WE'RE DOWN TO 17 NOW. THAT'S ALL YOU'VE GOT LEFT? YEAH, THAT'S ALL WE'VE GOT LEFT. WE DID AN ORDER YESTERDAY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY'VE ALL BEEN STOPPED. THAT'S BECAUSE THE NATIONAL STOCKPILE IS ALMOST OUT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE BASICALLY DIDN'T ORDER ENOUGH FOR THE AMOUNT OF FLU THE COUNTRY WANTS. SO WE ARE LIKELY TO RUN OUT, SO REALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PRIORITISE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGHEST AT RISK. IT'S A REAL BUMMER. THE HIGH DEMAND IS BEING PUT DOWN TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THE SEASON STARTING EARLIER AND PUBLICITY AROUND FLU DEATHS. IN NEW ZEALAND IT'S KILLED THREE PEOPLE THIS YEAR. THE MINISTRY SAYS AROUND 1.26 MILLION DOSES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISTRIBUTED THIS YEAR, WHICH IS CLOSE TO LAST YEAR'S RECORD 1.3 MILLION. AND THAT WAS FOR THE ENTIRE 2018 SEASON. PHARMAC SAYS IT'S BEEN TRYING TO SOURCE MORE OF THE SOUTHERN-HEMISPHERE-SPECIFIC VACCINE BUT CAN'T GET ANY FROM AUSTRALIA, WHICH IS ALSO IN THE MIDST OF A SHORTAGE. ACROSS THE TASMAN MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DIED FROM FLU IN 2019. THE LESSON FROM THIS YEAR IS CLEARLY WE NEED TO ORDER MORE VACCINE NEXT YEAR. HEALTH PROVIDERS LIKE MR LAI ARE NOW RESTRICTING THEIR REMAINING DOSES. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT SUPPLY OF 17 IS GOING TO LAST YOU? PROBABLY JUST TODAY, AND THEN WE'RE OUT. SO WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY ONCE THIS GETS OUT, PEOPLE WILL START COMING IN AND ASKING ABOUT IT. I'D PROBABLY BE A BIT ANNOYED IF I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND I COULDN'T GET ANYTHING. I'VE BEEN READING UP ON FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL THAT, BUT, NAH, I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA AFFECT ME, SO... BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS IT WILL AFFECT THE MOST VULNERABLE. AND WITH DR TURNER PREDICTING WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE FLU THIS YEAR, SHE'S ADVISING PEOPLE TO TAKE EXTRA CARE TO TRY AND STOP ITS SPREAD. KIMBERLEE DOWNS, 1 NEWS. A CHILD'S BEEN CRITICALLY INJURED IN A MAJOR SUBURBAN CRASH INVOLVING FOUR ON AUCKLAND'S DOMINION ROAD THIS EVENING. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED TO THE PILE-UP IN MT EDEN AT AROUND 7.30, WHERE ONE CAR WAS NEARLY RIPPED IN HALF. NINE PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL, INCLUDING THREE ADULTS WHO WERE TAKEN TO AUCKLAND HOSPITAL, ONE IN A CRITICAL CONDITION AND THE OTHERS SERIOUSLY INJURED, WHILE THE CHILD WAS TAKEN TO STARSHIP. ST JOHN SAYS A CRASH OF THAT NATURE IN A SUBURBAN AREA IS CONCERNING. THIS ACCIDENT SCENE HAD A TOTAL OF NINE PATIENTS. THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE'D CALL A MAJOR INCIDENT, AND ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY THAT'D BE QUITE A BIG MAJOR INCIDENT. WE'RE THANKFUL THAT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF AMBULANCES TO CALL ON AND OTHER RESOURCES TO UTILISE AS WELL. THE ROAD REMAINS CLOSED WHILE THE SERIOUS CRASH UNIT INVESTIGATES. THE PUSH TO PUT CAMERAS ON FISHING BOATS IS BEING CRITICISED BY SOME AS A WASTE OF TIME. THE GOVERNMENT'S SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THEM TO HELP SAVE THE MAUI DOLPHIN, BUT THEY'LL ONLY BE GOING ON JUST A HANDFUL OF COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS. KIM BAKER WILSON HAS MORE. THE WORLD'S RAREST DOLPHIN ` THERE ARE JUST OVER 60 MAUI LEFT. THE GOVERNMENT IS SPENDING $17m PUTTING CAMERAS ON COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS TO STOP THE ANIMALS BEING KILLED, STOPPING SHORT OF MUCH BIGGER CHANGE. THIS IS NOT A TIME TO BE JUST LOOKING AT TRYING TO OBSERVE DEAD ANIMALS COMING ABOARD A BOAT. THE TIME FOR THAT IS WELL PAST. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO EXCLUDE THE SORTS OF FISHING THAT CATCH DOLPHINS. HERE IS WHERE CAMERAS WILL GO ON FISHING BOATS FROM NOVEMBER ` AT LAST COUNT, 28 COMMERCIAL FISHING BOATS FROM THE 1000 NATIONWIDE. IT SEEMS LIKE AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF MONEY TO BE SPENDING ON AN ACTIVITY THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO DO VERY LITTLE FOR THE CONSERVATION OF THE DOLPHINS. AND IT'S TAXPAYERS, NOT FISHING OPERATORS, STUMPING UP FOR THE CAMERAS, BECAUSE THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT PROVEN. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT CAMERAS ON BOATS ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE DATA AND INFORMATION THAT IS USABLE, AND THAT WE CAN ENSURE THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY AS A RESULT OF WHAT THE CAMERAS ON BOATS PRODUCE. I'M HAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR IT, BECAUSE THE TRIAL PERIOD IS ONE THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT'S JUST A FIRST STEP, BUT IT'S SEVERAL STEPS TOO LATE FOR CRITICS. GREENPEACE SAYS THE CAMERAS SHOULD URGENTLY BE ROLLED OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHILE THE WORLD WILDLIFE FUND ALSO WANTS CAMERAS ON EVERY COMMERCIAL FISHING BOAT. BUT WE THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO GET IT RIGHT AND WE DO EARN THAT TRUST AND CONFIDENCE. SO WHEN WE TAKE IT TO THE NEXT PHASE, THE FISHING INDUSTRY KNOW THAT WE'VE TRIALLED THIS, WE'VE GOT IT RIGHT, AND WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING THESE ENDANGERED DOLPHINS, THERE'S NO ROOM TO GET THINGS WRONG. KIM BAKER WILSON, 1 NEWS. FORMOSA GOLF RESORT HAS BEEN SERVED WITH AN OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM AUCKLAND COUNCIL THAT IT'S UNSANITARY AND BEEN TOLD IT HAS 30 DAYS TO CLEAN UP ITS ACT. IT FOLLOWS AN EXCLUSIVE 1 NEWS STORY ON SATURDAY, WHEN WE REVEALED ALLEGATIONS THE BEACHLANDS RESORT WAS DRAINING THOUSANDS OF LITRES OF RAW SEWAGE FROM SEPTIC TANKS TOWARDS A STREAM WHICH FLOWS TO THE SEA. COUNCIL SAID IT SERVED THE NOTICE TODAY, CLAIMING PREVIOUS ABATEMENT WARNINGS ABOUT THE DISCHARGE OF RAW SEWAGE HAVEN'T BEEN COMPLIED WITH. $1.6 BILLION A YEAR. THAT'S HOW MUCH NEW ZEALAND'S DRINKING CULTURE IS COSTING KIWI BUSINESSES. THAT'S ACCORDING TO AN OTAGO UNIVERSITY STUDY WHICH TOOK A LOOK AT HOW MUCH PRODUCTIVITY IS LOST THROUGH ALCOHOL. JOHN MCKENZIE REPORTS. HANGOVERS DON'T JUST CAUSE HEADACHES FOR HEAVY DRINKERS; THEY'RE ALSO A PAIN FOR EMPLOYERS. THE COST, IT'S HUGE. $1.6B A YEAR ` MASSIVE. THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $1000 OR $1100 PER EMPLOYEE PER YEAR. WHILE A LARGE CHUNK OF THAT'S DOWN TO ABSENTEEISM, 80% RELATES TO WHAT'S BEING CALLED 'PRESENTEEISM' ` THOSE WHO SHOW UP TO WORK, BUT ARE UNABLE TO PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL. THAT MEANS THAT PEOPLE ARE COMING TO WORK, THEY'RE IMPAIRED BY ALCOHOL EITHER BY DRINKING OR HUNGOVER AND NOT WORKING TO THEIR BEST. RESEARCHERS INTERVIEWED 800 WORKERS AND MORE THAN 200 EMPLOYERS. THEY FOUND SIMILAR RESULTS ACROSS SEVERAL INDUSTRIES ` THE MOST COMMON OFFENDERS BEING MALES UNDER THE AGE OF 25 AND THOSE WITH HIGH-STRESS JOBS. IT'S NOT JUST THE HARM TO THE DRINKER ` THEY'RE LOSING, POTENTIALLY, EARNINGS FROM NOT TURNING UP TO WORK AND HAVING TO USE ALL THEIR SICK LEAVE AND THEN HAVE TO COME TO WORK WHEN THEY'VE GOT THE FLU OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY ALL THE CO-WORKERS, LIKE, A QUARTER OF US PICKING UP THAT SLACK. THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY SAYS IT CAN BE EASY FOR SOME EMPLOYEES TO OVER-INDULGE. DO PEOPLE OCCASIONALLY COME IN A BIT HUNGOVER? YES. THE ANSWER THERE IS IF THEY'RE HUNGOVER AND THEY CAN'T FUNCTION, WE SEND THEM HOME. BUT HE DOESN'T BELIEVE IT'S A GROWING CONCERN. IN OUR INDUSTRY, WE'VE GOT TO BE BRIGHT EYED AND BUSHY TAILED, DELIVERING EPIC HOSPITALITY TO OUR GUESTS. WE CAN'T BE SITTING FEELING SORRY FOR OURSELVES. HE, AMONG OTHERS, CALLING FOR EMPLOYERS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM HEAD ON. FROM AN EMPLOYEES' PERSPECTIVE MAYBE HAVING THAT REALLY SUPPORTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS EMBEDDED POLICIES, PERHAPS TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND WELL-BEING, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD START. A GOOD START TO TACKLE A HIDDEN PROBLEM IN OUR WORKPLACES. JOHN MCKENZIE, 1 NEWS. A 37 YEAR OLD MAN'S FACING DRUG AND FIREARM CHARGES AFTER THE DEATH OF A MAN IN WAIKATO YESTERDAY. THREE OTHER MEN ARE RECOVERING IN WAIKATO HOSPITAL WITH GUN SHOT WOUNDS, FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING IN KAWHIA. THEY'RE ALL FACING BURGLARY CHARGES. A TEAM OF 30 DETECTIVES IS INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT. THERE'S OTHER LINES OF INQUIRY WE'RE FOLLOWING UP THROUGH AUCKLAND AND WAIKATO, TE AWAMUTU AND, OF COURSE, HERE, SO THERE'S 20 STAFF ON THE GROUND HERE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT YET CLEAR WHETHER THOSE INVOLVED ARE KNOWN TO EACH OTHER, BUT POLICE SAY THEY'RE NOT SEEKING ANYONE ELSE. AUCKLAND ZOO'S ISSUED AN URGENT CALL FOR HELP AS IT STRUGGLES TO DEAL WITH A DEADLY DISEASE AFFECTING KAKAPO. THE ZOO NEEDS MORE VET STAFF AND ZOOLOGISTS TO LOOK AFTER THE ENDANGERED BIRDS IT HAS IN ITS CARE. AT LEAST FIVE KAKAPO HAVE DIED FROM THE RESPIRATORY DISEASE SO FAR, AND A TOTAL OF 35 OTHERS ARE IN VET CARE AROUND THE COUNTRY. IT'S A MAJOR SETBACK, AFTER WHAT HAD BEEN A BUMPER BREEDING SEASON FOR KAKAPO. AUCKLAND ZOO IS URGING VETS WHO CAN HELP TO GET IN TOUCH. IT'S HOPED A NEW PATHWAY IN PALMERSTON NORTH WILL GIVE RESIDENTS WITHOUT CARS MORE OPTIONS TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE CITY. SPANNING NEARLY 9KM, THE HE ARA KOTAHI PATHWAY FEATURES FIVE BRIDGES, ONE OF WHICH STRETCHES ALMOST 200M ACROSS THE MANAWATU RIVER. FUNDED BY LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, THE PATHWAY COST $18.4M, MAKING IT THE CITY'S BIGGEST CAPITAL PROJECT EVER. IT'S EXPECTED TO BE USED BY OVER 1000 PEOPLE EVERY DAY. PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN HAS TODAY OFFICIALLY CHRISTENED THE NAVY'S NEWEST SHIP. JACINDA ARDERN: I NAME THIS SHIP... MANAWANUI! (CHEERING) IT'S THE FIRST NAVY VESSEL TO BE COMMISSIONED IN NINE YEARS. IT'LL BE USED FOR DIVING OPERATIONS AND SEABED SURVEYING. THE SHIP'S NAME, MANAWANUI, MEANS BIG HEART OR STEADFAST AND IS THE FOURTH SHIP TO HOLD THE NAME. MANAWANUI WILL COME TO REPRESENT OUR COUNTRY, AND, THROUGH THE ACTION OF THE SHIP'S COMPANY, WILL REPRESENT OUR VALUES AS A NATION. THE EVENT WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR ` THE PRIME MINISTER'S DAUGHTER NEVE AND FIANCE CLARKE GAYFORD ALSO IN ATTENDANCE. STILL TO COME ` A NEW TYPE OF INSECT IS DISCOVERED NEAR DUNEDIN. WHY THIS STONEFLY... CANT ACTUALLY FLY PLUS ` IS THIS THE WAY TO THE FUTURE? THE TARANAKI ROAD MADE OF KERBSIDE RECYCLING. 'THANK YOU.' THAT'S THE OVERWHELMING SENTIMENT ECHOED ACROSS THE BEACHES OF NORTHERN FRANCE AS THE D-DAY LANDINGS WERE REMEMBERED 75 YEARS ON. IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST MOMENTOUS OPERATIONS IN MILITARY HISTORY, AND A TURNING POINT WHICH HELPED END WORLD WAR TWO. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT JOY REID WITH THE DAY'S COMMEMORATIONS. ('LAST POST' PLAYS) SILENCE AT SUNRISE AT THE BEACHES THAT WERE ANYTHING BUT SILENT THIS TIME 75 YEARS AGO. AT 7.25am, A LONE PIPER MARKING THE EXACT MOMENT BRITISH FORCES STORMED ASHORE. COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS WERE HELD ACROSS NORTHERN FRANCE, PAYING TRIBUTE TO AND ATTENDED BY THOSE WHO TRULY REMEMBER. THESE YOUNG MEN BELONGED TO A VERY SPECIAL GENERATION ` THE GREATEST GENERATION ` A GENERATION WHO'S UNCONQUERABLE SPIRIT SHAPED OUR POST-WAR WORLD. NONE OF THEM WANTED TO BE PART OF ANOTHER WAR, BUT WHEN THE TEST CAME, WHEN FREEDOM HAD TO BE FOUGHT FOR OR ABANDONED, THEY FOUGHT. IN BAYEAUX, THE FIRST CITY THE ALLIED FORCES TOOK BACK ON D-DAY, A PARADE WELCOMING BACK THE LIBERATORS. IT'S A BIT OVERWHELMING, I FIND. IN THE CATHEDRAL, ROYALTY REMEMBERING THOSE WHO NEVER RETURNED. AT THE U.S. CEMETERY, AMERICA'S PRESIDENT GAVE HIS THANKS TO THOSE WHO DID. YOU ARE THE PRIDE OF OUR NATION. YOU ARE THE GLORY OF OUR REPUBLIC. WE KNOW WHAT WE OWE TO YOU VETERANS ` OUR FREEDOM. REMEMBRANCE IN THE UK TODAY TOO,... VERY NICE TO SEE YOU. ...INCLUDING ON THE HMS BELFAST,... (BANG! BANG!) ...A CENTREPIECE OF THE D-DAY CAMPAIGN. ON BOARD, THE DAY'S LOGBOOK, OUT FROM THE ARCHIVE,... IT'S BACK WHERE IT WAS COMPLETED. ...DOCUMENTING THE WARSHIP'S D-DAY STORY. WE CAN SEE AT JUST BEFORE 5.30 IN THE MORNING, BELFAST OPENED FIRE WITH A FULL BROAD SIDE. THE HMS BELFAST WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE FIRST SHIP TO OPEN FIRE, BUT ANOTHER SHIP STOLE ITS THUNDER. IT BECAME THE SECOND TO START SHELLING. ITS JOB TO TARGET GUN EMPLACEMENTS. BLIND VETERANS ON BOARD RECOUNTING THEIR MEMORIES. SO YOU SERVED WITH SOME KIWIS. OF COURSE. OF COURSE. THEY'RE ALL RIGHT. WITH MOST OF THE VETERANS NOW IN THEIR 90s, THIS COULD BE THE LAST TIME THEY GET TO REMEMBER THEIR MATES. IT'S NOW UP TO THE GENERATIONS THEY FOUGHT FOR TO ENSURE THEY'RE NEVER FORGOTTEN. JOY REID, 1 NEWS, LONDON. A FORMER GERMAN NURSE HAS BEEN HANDED A LIFE SENTENCE FOR KILLING 85 PATIENTS. NIELS HOEGEL (42) INJECTED HIS PATIENTS WITH LETHAL DRUGS WHILE WORKING AT TWO CLINICS IN NORTHERN GERMANY BETWEEN 2000 AND 2005. HE THEN TRIED TO PLAY THE HERO BY APPEARING TO STRUGGLE TO REVIVE THEM. HE'S BELIEVED TO BE THE MOST PROLIFIC SERIAL KILLER IN THE GERMANY'S POST-WAR HISTORY. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN SENTENCED FOR TWO MURDERS IN 2015. A NEW SPECIES OF INSECT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED JUST OUTSIDE OF DUNEDIN BY A TEAM OF ZOOLOGISTS AT OTAGO UNIVERSITY. NAMED THE MAUNGATUA STONEFLY, IT WAS FOUND LIVING IN ONLY A FEW HUNDRED METRES OF SUB-ALPINE HABITAT, BELOW THE SUMMIT OF MAUNGATUA IN OTAGO. BUT UNLIKE OTHER STONEFLIES, IT CAN'T FLY, ADAPTING TO THE WINDY CONDITIONS WHERE THEY LIVE, CAUSING ITS WINGS TO BE REDUCED TO TINY REMNANTS. IT'S QUITE A SMALL INSECT. IT'S ABOUT 1.5cm LONG. BUT WHAT'S REALLY UNUSUAL ABOUT IT IS IT HAS THESE TINY WINGS. IT APPEARS TO BE FLIGHTLESS, AND WE THINK THAT'S WHY ITS DISTRIBUTION MIGHT BE SO RESTRICTED. DESPITE ITS RECENT DISCOVERY, IT'S BELIEVED THE INSECT HAS BEEN ISOLATED IN THE REGION FOR AROUND 2 MILLION YEARS. IT'S UNKNOWN HOW MANY OF THE LITTLE CRITTERS EXIST, WITH ATTENTION NOW TURNING TO SECURING ITS SURVIVAL. FROM YOUR KERBSIDE RECYCLING BIN TO THE ROAD. TARANAKI IS TRIALLING A NEW ASPHALT MADE OF HALF A TONNE OF USED YOGHURT POTTLES AND MARGARINE TUBS, AND AS SAM KELWAY REPORTS, IF ALL GOES WELL, THE TECHNOLOGY COULD HAVE MUCH WIDER USES. THIS TIDY STRETCH OF TARMAC LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER NEW ROAD. BUT IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THE SCIENCE USED HERE IN NEW PLYMOUTH MAY PAVE THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE. WE KNOW ANOTHER COMPANY HAS DONE INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS INTO AN ASPHALT, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY USED RESIDENTIAL PLASTICS FROM KERBSIDE COLLECTION SERVICE. IT SOUNDS SIMPLE, BUT ENGINEERS AND SCIENTISTS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO REFINE THE PROCESS OF MELTING GRADED PLASTICS INTO ASPHALT. THEY ENDED UP WITH THIS ` A PRODUCT CALLED PLASMIX. AND EARLY INDICATIONS SUGGEST IT WORKS. THE KEY THING FOR THINGS THAT KILL ROADS IN NZ ARE HEAT, WATER AND TRAFFIC, AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING IN THE LAB TEST AT LEAST IS THAT ADDING THE PLASTIC MAKES IT MUCH MORE RESISTANCE TO ALL THREE. THIS 90m STRETCH OF ROAD CONTAINS 500kg OF PLASTIC, MADE UP OF 83,000 RECYCLED YOGHURT TUBS. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. YOU MAY AS WELL PUT IT SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN LANDFILLS. I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT'S NOT GOING TO LANDFILLS OR THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES HAS GOTTA BE A GOOD THING. THE COUNCIL SAYS IT'S STRUGGLED TO SELL PLASTICS GRADED THREE TO SEVEN, LIKE MARGARINE TUBS AND TAKEAWAY CONTAINERS, SINCE CHINA DECIDED TO STOP TAKING THE WORLD'S WASTE. WHEN WE'RE EXPORTING PLASTICS TO THAILAND AND CHINA, THEY HAVE TO TRAVEL MORE THAN 10,000km. WE BELIEVE THIS PLASTIC HAS PROBABLY ONLY TRAVELLED ABOUT 10km FROM THE KERBSIDE, TO THE PLANT, TO HERE IN LIARDET STREET. WE'RE REALLY KEEN TO TAKE THIS SOLUTION AND ROLL IT OUT NATIONWIDE. SO FAR THERE'S NO SIGN OF PLASTIC LEACHING FROM THE BITUMEN, BUT THE ROAD WILL BE MONITORED IN A SIX-MONTH TRIAL. SAM KELWAY, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` YOUR WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND. PLUS, PREPARE TO BE BLOWN AWAY BY THIS UNORTHODOX HOT AIR BALLOON LANDING. WELCOME BACK. YOUR WEATHER IS COMING UP, BUT FIRST, YOU'RE NOT GONNA WANT TO MISS THIS ONE. PASSENGERS ON BOARD A HOT AIR BALLOON HAVE HAD A LUCKY ESCAPE AFTER IT WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SUBURBAN BACKYARD. CHANNEL NINE'S MARK SANTOMARTINO HAS THE STORY. HOVERING WITHIN METRES OF ROOFTOPS AND POWER LINES, A HOT AIR BALLOON CIRCLES ABOVE THE SUBURBS, STRUGGLING FOR A SAFE PLACE TO LAND. AT THE MERCY OF CHANGING WINDS, NEARBY OVALS WERE OUT OF REACH, AND WITH JUST AN HOURS FUEL LEFT, A GRASSY BACKYARD QUICKLY BECAME THE PILOT'S BEST BET. HE JUST TOLD US IN THE LAST SECOND, 'PREPARE FOR LANDING.' BOOM, INTO A FENCE. WE BROKE A FENCE AND TOOK OUT A BOUNCY HOUSE. DAMAGE, INCLUDING A FEW SNAPPED ROOF TILES, (CROWD EXCLAIMS) WAS A SMALL PRICE FOR THE RELIEF OF 10 BEAMING PASSENGERS, WHO ALL WALKED AWAY UNSCATHED. HE WAS BASICALLY GIVING US A HEADS UP, 'SO, THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN; THIS IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN,' AND THEN FINALLY SAID, 'WE'RE GONNA LAND.' EVERYBODY WAS SAFE. THE GROUP LEFT YARRA BEND PARK THIS MORNING ON WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A ONE HOUR JOY FLIGHT WITH GLOBAL BALLOONING, BUT A FICKLE BREEZE PUSHED THEIR BASKET 5KM FURTHER SOUTH OF THEIR PLANNED LANDING ZONE. SO I JUST FOUND MYSELF DOING DONUTS AROUND THIS AREA, WITH ALL THESE GREAT BIG OVALS EVERYWHERE, ALL AROUND ME. SO, ANYWAY, LOOK. I JUST DECIDED THAT I'D RATHER HAVE THE PASSENGERS SAFE ON THE GROUND. WHILE THE BALLOON ITSELF WAS EASY ENOUGH TO PACK UP, GETTING THE BASKET OUT OF THE BACKYARD IS ANOTHER THING ENTIRELY. THIS FENCE WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED, AND THE TENANT WHO CURRENTLY LIVES IN THE HOUSE ISN'T HOME, MEANING THEY'LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR HIM TO RETURN SO HE CAN MOVE HIS CAR. THE BUMPY LANDING WAS NOT ENOUGH TO SPOIL DEEPIKA'S BIRTHDAY FLIGHT. WE WERE ACTUALLY HAPPY, HAVING FUN. WE TOOK MANY PHOTOS. EVERYONE WAS JOKING AROUND ALL WEEK, SAYING, 'OH, SOMETHING BAD'S GONNA HAPPEN.' (CHUCKLES) AND KNOWING MY LUCK, IT DOES, SO NOT AGAIN. WELL, YOU KNOW IT'S OFFICIALLY WINTER WHEN THE SKI FIELDS START OPENING. HUNDREDS OF KEEN SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS QUEUED UP EARLY TO GET THE FIRST RUN OF THE SEASON AT CANTERBURY'S MOUNT HUTT TODAY. AND THEY'LL BE SEEING SOME NEW STUFF THIS YEAR, INCLUDING 2.4KM OF NEW TRAILS. MOUNT HUTT'S THE FIRST SKI FIELD IN THE SOUTH ISLAND TO OFFICIALLY OPEN ALL ITS SLOPES. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH CUT COPY AND 'LIGHTS AND MUSIC'. (CUT COPY'S 'LIGHTS AND MUSIC') THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY ALEX STONE AND ELLA WHEELER CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.