TONIGHT ON ONE NEWS ` IT'S TAKING THE TRASH OUT. THEN WE CAN MAKE AUSTRALIA A SAFER PLACE. THIS IS AUSTRALIA EXPORTING ITS GARBAGE TO NEW ZEALAND. WHAT THE WAR OF WORDS SAYS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CLOSEST NEIGHBOUR. PLUS ` A FUMBLE FROM DR ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD AS HE APOLOGISES FOR TAKING FREE TICKETS TO A CRICKET MATCH WHERE HE WAS LOBBIED OVER PRIORITY ACCESS TO VACCINES. CAPTIONS BY KRISTIN WILLIAMS, STEFFI DRYDEN, AND ANNIE CURTIS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. 'TAKING THE TRASH OUT' ` THAT'S HOW AUSTRALIA'S DESCRIBED DEPORTING THE LATEST BATCH OF NEW ZEALAND-BORN CRIMINALS. DUBBED 'CON AIR', THE TRANS-TASMAN FLIGHT'S AGAIN RAISED QUESTIONS OVER OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTRALIA AND HOW THE DEPORTEES, INCLUDING MURDERERS AND CHILD ABUSERS, ARE HANDLED. POLITICAL REPORTER MAIKI SHERMAN HAS THE LATEST. WHAT LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER FLIGHT IS ANYTHING BUT. THIS AUSTRALIAN JET, A CHARIOT FOR KIWI CRIMINALS AND OTHERS FAILING THE GOOD CHARACTER TEST, GIVEN THE HEAVE-HO. IT'S ONE OF TWO FLIGHTS THIS WEEK CARRYING 31 DEPORTEES. THE TRASH TALK EXTENDING FROM AUSTRALIA'S MEDIA TO ITS MINISTERS. IT'S TAKING THE TRASH OUT. THEN WE CAN MAKE AUSTRALIA A SAFER PLACE. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF PETER DUTTON CALLING THOSE DEPORTEES 'TRASH'? THIS IS AUSTRALIA EXPORTING ITS GARBAGE TO NEW ZEALAND. GARBAGE OR TRASH ` IS THAT APPROPRIATE FROM OUR MINISTER? I SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN A BETTER FRAME OF WORDS. TE PAATI MAORI SAYS AUSTRALIA'S PETER DUTTON SHOULD APOLOGISE. I CALL ON THE MINISTER TO RETRACT AND APOLOGISE ABOUT THOSE PARTICULAR COMMENTS BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE ARE NOT TRASH. SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, THOUGH, ARE MURDERERS, CHILD ABUSERS, DRUG RUNNERS. THEY'RE HUMANS. THEY'RE HUMAN BEINGS. THE ISSUE, THE LATEST WAR OF WORDS WITH OUR AUSTRALIAN COUNTERPARTS. I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATE THAT THE WORDS AND THE RHETORIC HAVE GOT TO THAT STAGE. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY A SYMPTOM OF THE BREAKDOWN IN MUTUAL RESPECT. THERE IS NO BREAKDOWN IN OUR RELATIONSHIP AT ALL. WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP. DUBBED 'CON AIR', DEPORTEES ARE SWOOPED UP FROM ACROSS AUSTRALIA, INCLUDING GRANT DAVID MITCHELL WHO CHOCKED HIS GIRLFRIEND TO DEATH IN SYDNEY IN THE '80s, FROM MELBOURNE, KILLER EDWIN ANDREW LEWIS, AND FIREARM CONVICT BRUCE SAVAGE, AND GAVIN LOU BOYNTON, A BIKIE DRUG RUNNER. THEY'RE NEW ZEALANDERS IN NAME ONLY. THAT'S IT. FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, THESE PEOPLE ARE AUSTRALIAN. THEY'VE GROWN UP IN AUSTRALIA, THEY'VE SCHOOLED IN AUSTRALIA., THEY'VE WORKED IN AUSTRALIA. JUDITH COLLINS SAYS THE GOVERNMENT HERE NEEDS TO GET TOUGH. WE SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME BACK TO AUSTRALIA. WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INTO A TIT FOR TAT OVER IT. I DON'T THINK IT TAKES US ANYWHERE. A CALL FOR CALM AS TRANS-TASMAN TENSION FLARES UP AGAIN. AND MAIKI JOINS US NOW LIVE. MAIKI, WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS HERE? KIA ORA. THIS TIME LAST YEAR, JACINDA ARDERN WAS STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH AUSTRALIAN PRO MINISTER SCOTT MORRISON, ABSOLUTELY TEARY SHREDS OF HAM OVER THIS EXACT ISSUE. TODAY THOUGH SHE WAS A LOT MORE SUBDUED. THAT'S BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T WANT NEW ZEALAND FIGHTING WITH AUSTRALIA TIME AND TIME AGAIN. WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT NEW ZEALAND HAS BIGGER FISH TO FRY. THE PROBLEM FOR THE PRIME MINISTER IS THAT NEW ZEALANDERS WILL SIMPLY GROW TIRED OF BEING AUSTRALIA'S PUNCHING BAG. THEY WON'T WANT TO ENSURE THAT MUCH LONGER. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. NATIONAL PUT THE PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TODAY TO FIGHT BACK. THE PRESSURE IS MOUNTING. KIA ORA, MAIKI. POLICE DATA SHOWS OF THE ROUGHLY 2300 PEOPLE DEPORTED TO NEW ZEALAND SINCE 2015, 924 HAVE SINCE BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME. BUT ADVOCATES SAY IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. YVONNE TAHANA REPORTS. A MOTHER IN MOURNING DEALT ANOTHER BLOW. THESE ARE HUMANS, YOU KNOW. THEY'RE NOT TRASH. MOANA TAVERIO'S AUSTRALIAN-RAISED SON WAS DEPORTED TO NEW ZEALAND FOUR YEARS AGO. HE STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND WAS SHOT DEAD BY POLICE LAST MONTH. IT IS THE WORST POSSIBLE DECISION THAT A POLICE OFFICER HAS TO MAKE. THE STRUGGLES OF 501 DEPORTEES LIKE HIM NOW BACK UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT. PEOPLE COME BACK, AND THEY'LL GET SUPPORT WITH GETTING A BANK ACCOUNT, GETTING WORK AND INCOME ESTABLISHED AND ALSO GETTING INLAND REVENUE. AFTER THAT, THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH LEFT ON THEIR OWN DEVICES. I'VE HARD TO START FROM SCRATCH IN CHRISTCHURCH WITH VERY LITTLE MONEY. LUCKILY, I'VE HAD SOME VERY GOOD PEOPLE HELPING ME. CORRECTIONS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY HERE. THEY HAVE TO SUPERVISE OFFENDERS WHO'VE SERVED MORE THAN A YEAR IN JAILS OVERSEAS. CURRENTLY THERE ARE 235 NEW ZEALANDERS SUBJECT TO RETURNING OFFENDERS ORDERS ` NEARLY 1500 SINCE 2015. CORRECTIONS SAYING WHILE MOST COMPLETE SUPERVISION SUCCESSFULLY, THERE HAVE BEEN 511 BREACHES OVER FIVE YEARS. MANY DO GO ON TO COMMIT CRIMES. THE MOST FAMOUS ` COMMANCHEROS BOSS PASILIKA NAUFAHU FOR MONEY LAUNDERING AND DRUGS CHARGES. FILIPA PAYNE SAYS A LIFE OF CRIME DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A GIVEN. WE NEED TO KNOW IF THEY NEED LEGAL SERVICES WHEN THEY GET HERE, WHAT COUNSELLING SERVICES, AA, NA, IS THERE ADDICTION PROBLEMS? WE NEED TO COME TO THEM AND OFFER OUR SUPPORT AND HELP. NEW ZEALAND NEEDS TO STEP UP. THIS DEPORTEE TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OF HIS SITUATION. I GO OUT OF MY WAY TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND BE HONEST. I DON'T HIDE MY PAST FROM PEOPLE, AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING. THEY CHANGE. PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR LIVES. ANOTHER CHALLENGING JOURNEY AHEAD FOR THE LATEST ARRIVALS. YVONNE TAHANA, 1 NEWS. 'I GOT IT WRONG.' THAT FROM DR ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD AFTER HE USED FREE TICKETS TO ATTEND A CRICKET MATCH WHERE HE WAS LOBBIED ABOUT VACCINES. THE GOVERNMENT'S CURRENTLY CONSIDERING WHETHER PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND OVERSEAS, INCLUDING THE BLACK CAPS, SHOULD GET PRIORITY ACCESS TO VACCINES. HERE'S POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY. OH, HERE WE GO. AN EXCITING GAME, WATCHED WITH THE TOP BRASS FROM CRICKET NEW ZEALAND. NOW DR ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD SAYS HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE ACCEPTED THE FREEBIE. AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DRINK, WHICH I` I HAD A SPRITE, AND THERE WAS SOMETHING TO EAT THERE. WHEN HE WAS MEETING THE TEAM IN THE CHANGING ROOM, THE ISSUE OF ACCESS TO VACCINES FOR PLAYERS HEADING OVERSEAS CAME UP. HE WOULDN'T APPEAR ON CAMERA TODAY BUT SAID THIS YESTERDAY ` WE TALKED ABOUT A RANGE OF THINGS ` MOSTLY THE CRICKET GAME THAT WAS ON. IN PASSING, THE CONVERSATION HAPPENED AROUND VACCINES, AND I SAID I WOULD TAKE THAT AWAY. BUT OBVIOUSLY I DIDN'T MAKE ANY PROMISES. TODAY, HE SAYS,... GOT ON THE INSIDE OF BARRETT. HE ALSO WENT TO TWO HURRICANES GAMES LAST YEAR, SO HAS DONATED THE COST OF ALL THREE GAMES TO WELLINGTON CITY MISSION. THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSIONER, PETER HUGHES, SAYS STRICT RULES ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THERE'S PUBLIC TRUST IN BIG ROLES LIKE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HEALTH. HE SAYS THAT DR BLOOMFIELD WAS RIGHT TO CLARIFY THINGS, BUT SAY'S THAT'S THE END OF THE MATTER. WE PUT IT TO THE PRIME MINISTER. I DON T THINK ANYONE IN NEW ZEALAND WOULD WANT TO DENY DR BLOOMFIELD THE CHANCE TO WATCH SOME CRICKET. I HAVE ABSOLUTE TRUST IN HIS PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY. THE GOVERNMENT'S STILL CONSIDERING WHETHER PEOPLE REPRESENTING NEW ZEALAND OVERSEAS SHOULD BE PRIORITISED FOR VACCINES. WE ASKED BLACKCAPS IF THEY'D BE COMFORTABLE TRAVELLING WITHOUT ONE. THEY'RE DUE TO LEAVE FOR TOURS OF INDIA AND ENGLAND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. I CERTAINLY HAVE FULL TRUST IN THE BLACK CAP'S MANAGEMENT TO MAKE THOSE RIGHT DECISIONS. IT'S PROBABLY ABOVE MY PAY GRADE TO, SORT OF, MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. THOSE DECISIONS ARE LEFT TO PEOPLE INCLUDING DR ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD. JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY, 1 NEWS. RESIDENTS IN COVID-FREE NIUE ARE SHORTLY EXPECTED TO BE ALLOWED ENTRY TO NEW ZEALAND WITHOUT QUARANTINE. NIUEANS WHO NEED MEDICAL CARE AND ARE NEW ZELAAND CITIZENS HAVE BEEN DENIED MEIDCAL EXEMPTIONS AND THEN FORCED TO WAIT MONTHS FOR A SPOT IN MIQ. PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER WITH THIS REPORT. FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS, JENNA TOEONO HAS BEEN TRYING TO ARRANGE TREATMENT IN NEW ZEALAND FOR HER MOTHER AND SISTER'S SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS. AS NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR IT, BUT THEY CAN'T PHYSICALLY GET HERE. EXEMPTION REQUESTS FOR SPECIALIST APPOINTMENTS AND SURGERIES HAVE ALL BEEN DENIED AND SECURING MIQ SPOTS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATION. A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE AND FAMILIES IN NIUE ARE ALSO FACING THE SAME STRUGGLES AS WELL. I ALMOST THINK THAT BECAUSE WE ARE SMALL IN NUMBER, WE REALLY DON'T FEATURE. NIUE'S MEDICAL SERVICES ARE LIMITED, AND 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS THERE ARE DOZENS OF REFERRAL PATIENTS WHO NEED TO COME HERE FOR TREATMENT. JUST LAST WEEK, A WOMAN HAD TO BE MEDIVACCED OUT. SHE HAD REPORTEDLY BEEN WAITING MONTHS FOR A QUARANTINE VOUCHER. PEOPLE ARE BEING REFERRED HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHRONIC ONGOING CONDITIONS OR THEY NEED TO BE SEEN IMMEDIATELY. AND I THINK THAT'S ONLY GOING TO INCREASE. RESIDENTS FROM THE COOK ISLANDS, ALSO A REALM COUNTRY OF NEW ZEALAND, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL HERE QUARANTINE-FREE SINCE JANUARY, BUT NOT SO NIUE, WHICH HOLDS THE SAME STATUS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE'VE BEEN, ESSENTIALLY, PUT ON THE BACK BURNER. WE HAVE BEEN COVID-FREE SINCE RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING, SO I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC IN IT. JENNA TOEONO HAS BEEN DEMANDING ACTION FROM THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT FOR SOME TIME. THEN TODAY, WHEN QUESTIONED BY 1 NEWS, HEALTH MINISTER CHRIS HIPKINS PROMISED THINGS WOULD CHANGE, WITH PLANS TO GIVE NIUE THE SAME QUARANTINE-FREE STATUS AS THE COOK ISLANDS. IT'S JUST BEEN A DIFFERENT SET OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP IN NIUE TO THE COOK ISLANDS, BUT ITS ABSOLUTELY OUR INTENTION TO BRING THEM INTO LINE. A RELIEF FOR THIS FAMILY AS THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SECURE QUARANTINE SPOTS UNTIL JUNE, NOW HOPEFUL THAT NEW ZEALAND IS FINALLY PLAYING FROM THE SAME SONG SHEET. BARBARA DREAVER, 1 NEWS. DON'T FORGET, THE DECISION ON ALERT LEVELS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT 11.30 TOMORROW MORNING. WE'LL BRING YOU THAT LIVE RIGHT HERE ON TVNZ1. 100,000HA OF LAND IS SET TO BECOME PREDATOR-FREE UNDER AN AMBITIOUS NEW PLAN. THE EXTENSION OF A PROJECT IN SOUTH WESTLAND WILL COST ALMOST $50 MILLION. BUT AS LISA DAVIES REPORTS, IT PROMISES TO CREATE JOBS IN A COMMUNITY HARD HIT BY COVID. GLORIOUS WEST COAST VISTAS, AND THE FIGHT TO KEEP THEM THIS WAY BY GETTING RID OF PREDATORS LIKE RATS, POSSUMS AND STOATS. THIS PROJECT IS REALLY AMBITIOUS. IT'S ALL THREE PREDATORS AT THE SAME TIME, AND ON A REALLY LARGE SCALE. 12,000ha HAVE ALREADY BEEN RESTORED THROUGH THE PERTH VALLEY. BUT NOW IT'S GOING EVEN BIGGER. 100,000ha FROM THE SOUTHERN ALPS TO THE TASMAN SEA ARE IN LINE TO BE PREDATOR-FREE TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE NATIVE SPECIES. THAT'S 100,000ha WHERE OUR BIRDS, OUR INVERTEBRATES, OUR LIZARDS, OUR BATS CAN RECOVER AND THRIVE. NOBODY'S PRETENDING IT WILL BE EASY. IT RELIES ON NEW TECHNOLOGY TO REMOTELY MONITOR CAMERAS AND TRAPS. WE'VE HAD TO GET THE WHOLE COMMUNITY BEHIND THIS, AND IT WILL PROVE THAT WE CAN MAKE NEW ZEALAND PREDATOR-FREE BY, HOPEFULLY, 2050. IT'S A WEST COAST COMMUNITY THAT'S STRUGGLING. COVID HAS DECIMATED THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE, WITH TWO MORE SCENIC CIRCLE HOTELS ANNOUNCING THEY WILL NOW CLOSE IN GLACIER COUNTRY. THIS IS ONE OF A RANGE OF WAYS THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY THERE. SO IT CREATES JOBS. PEOPLE FROM THE TOURISM SECTOR HAVE ALREADY FILLED SOME OF THE 18 NEW JOBS, AND ANOTHER 32 JOBS WILL BE ON OFFER SOON. IT'S IMPORTANT WORK. THEY ENSURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR BEST CHANCE, AND GIVING THE NEXT GENERATION THEIR BEST CHANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY GET TO MEET SOME OF THOSE SPECIES, KIWI INCLUDED. PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL TREASURES IN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. LISA DAVIES, 1 NEWS. AUCKLAND'S FEBRUARY LOCKDOWNS DID NOTHING TO STOP HOUSE PRICES SOARING, WITH THE BIGGEST FEBRUARY FOR HOUSE SALES IN 14 YEARS. THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE IN OUR BIGGEST CITY INCREASED BY $100,000 BETWEEN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE FIGURES. THAT'S A JUMP OF MORE THAN 10% IN ONE MONTH ALONE. AUCKLAND HOUSE PRICES ROSE 20.7% IN THE LAST YEAR, WHILE NATIONWIDE, HOUSE INFLATION WAS 21.5% NATIONALLY. THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICE IS NOW $780,000, WITH A 5.2% MONTH-ON-MONTH INCREASE. THE FINANCE MINISTER INSISTS THE GOVERNMENT IS STILL WORKING ON A PACKAGE TO CURB THE HOUSING CRISIS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET A PACKAGE OF MEASURES TOGETHER THAT TILTS THE BALANCE IN FAVOUR OF FIRST HOME BUYERS. WE WILL BE DELIBERATE ABOUT THAT, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE AT THE SAME TIME IT ACKNOWLEDGES FOR MOST NEW ZEALANDERS THEIR GREATEST ASSET IS THEIR HOUSE. TIGHTER LOAN-TO-VALUE RESTRICTIONS WERE REINTRODUCED ON MARCH 1ST, BUT THERE'S NO SIGN YET THEY'RE SLOWING THE OUT OF CONTROL MARKET. IT'S 10 YEARS SINCE A TERRIFYING WALL OF WATER HIT JAPAN AFTER THE FOURTH MOST POWERFUL EARTHQUAKE IN RECORDED HISTORY. THE 9.1 MAGNITUDE QUAKE STRUCK OFF JAPAN'S EAST COAST JUST BEFORE 3 IN THE AFTERNOON, LASTING A STAGGERING SIX MINUTES. IT WAS CENTRED JUST OVER 70KM OFF SHORE AND 130KM FROM THE NEAREST CITY, SENDAI. THE JOLT TRIGGERED TSUNAMI WAVES OF UP TO 40M AT SOME POINTS ` ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF A 12 OR 13 STOREY BUILDING. TRAVELLING AT AROUND 700KM/H, THE WAVES MADE IT AS FAR AS 10KM INLAND. NEARLY 16,000 ARE CONFIRMED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED, MORE THAN 90% PERCENT OF THEM DROWNED WHEN THE WATER SWEPT IN. IT REMAINS THE MOST EXPENSIVE NATURAL DISASTER IN HISTORY, $235b US, ACCORDING TO THE WORLD BANK ` MORE THAN OUR ENTIRE ANNUAL GDP. CUSHLA NORMAN REPORTS. FIRST CAME THE ROAR AND RUMBLE. A QUAKE SO STRONG IT SHIFTED THE EARTH'S AXIS, FOLLOWED BY A WALL OF WATER DESTROYING EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH. COMPLETE CARNAGE, THAT GOT EVEN MORE APOCALYPTIC WITH A NUCLEAR MELTDOWN AT FUKUSHIMA. (EXPLOSION) THE AFTERMATH ` WHOLE TOWNS WIPED OUT, LIVELIHOODS RUINED. 10 YEARS ON, SEAWALLS HAVE GONE UP AND COMMUNITIES ARE GRADUALLY REBUILDING. TRANSLATOR: WE HAVE NOT RECOVERED AT ALL. THERE IS STILL VACANT LAND. SO THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE IN FUKUSHIMA PREFECTURE. IT'S TRUE, AND ONLY A FEW PEOPLE HAVE COME BACK. ON THAT DAY, LIFE AND DEATH DEPENDED ON SPLIT-SECOND DECISIONS. 74 CHILDREN DIED AT THIS SCHOOL BECAUSE OF A CALL TO STAY PUT. SURVIVORS OF THE DISASTER STILL GRAPPLE WITH GRIEF. THIS TELEPHONE BOOTH HELPS THEM OVERCOME THAT. TRANSLATOR: HI GRANDPA, AS GRANDMA SAID, IT'S BEEN 10 YEARS. TRANSLATOR: I FEEL LIKE I CAN HEAR AND SEE HIM TALKING. I FEEL BETTER WHEN I TALK AND THINK HE'S LISTENING TO ME, SO I COME HERE A LOT. THE EARTHQUAKE WAS 8000 TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN THE ONE IN CHRISTCHURCH JUST WEEKS BEFORE. JAPAN SENT SEARCH-AND-RESCUE TEAMS HERE AND VICE VERSA. WE ARE BOTH FULLY AWARE HOW IMPORTANT THE MUTUAL HELP, SOLIDARITY, FRIENDSHIP IN THE DIFFICULT PERIOD OF TIME. TODAY IN CHRISTCHURCH, A SHOW OF SOLIDARITY FOR JAPAN. ASAKO SUZUKI MOVED BY THE MEMORIES ` SHE WAS IN SENDAI AT THE TIME. TRANSLATOR: I THOUGHT, I DON'T HAVE TOMORROW. IT WAS A BIG EARTHQUAKE. EVERYTHING WAS BROKEN. A REMINDER TO NEVER FORGET. JAPANESE SAYING, NEXT NATURAL DISASTER WILL COME WHEN WE ALMOST FORGOT THE PREVIOUS ONES. A CAUTIONARY TALE, AS JAPAN CONTINUES ITS REVIVAL. CUSHLA NORMAN, 1 NEWS. LATER ` SHE WAS THERE. A KIWI TAKE ON THE QUAKE 10 YEARS ON. I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT'S` IT IS A HORRIBLE MEMORY, YOU KNOW. IT'S GONNA STICK WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. AND 12 MONTHS AFTER THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, WHY MIXED MESSAGES ARE STILL COMING OUT OF THE U.S. AND, SEE THE SOLUTION FOR AN INDUSTRY STRUGGLING TO GET ITS HANDS ON... ENOUGH HANDS. AND THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` ON THE HUNT FOR SNAKES. YES. JUST HOW DID AN AUSSIE SNAKE END UP ON A BUILDING SITE IN NEW ZEALAND? WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW GOOD WE ARE AT KEEPING UNWANTED GUESTS OUT OF THE COUNTRY. PLUS ` HOW A CAN-DO ATTITUDE IS TURNING THIS KIWI CLASSIC INTO A VERY STYLISH FINAL RIDE. AND CAN OUR NEW AD CAMPAIGN GET NEW ZEALAND SOME ROYAL ATTENTION? FIND OUT TONIGHT AT 7. FRUIT GROWERS ACROSS THE REGIONS ARE TRYING NEW INITIATIVES AND TECHNOLOGY TO COMBAT THE LABOUR SHORTAGE THIS HARVEST SEASON. HORTICULTURE NZ ESTIMATES IT COULD BE 5000 TO 10,000 WORKERS SHY OF WHAT'S NEEDED. SAM KELWAY REPORTS ON THE MOVES BEING MADE TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM AS PEAK PICKING SEASON HITS. PICKING'S FINALLY UNDERWAY IN THE BAY OF PLENTY, AND FOR THIS FIRST TIMER, IT'S MEANT A MOVE SOUTH. WORKING ON AN AVOCADO ORCHARD. AND THEN I USED TO WORK FOR THE COUNCIL FOR 19 YEARS, SO IT'S A BIG CHANGE. (CHUCKLES) SHE'S ONE OF THE NEW BREED OF PICKERS NEEDED THIS SEASON. RATHER BE OUTSIDE THAN AN OFFICE. THE WAHINE FOUND IT ON THE FACEBOOK. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE THINK WE'RE AROUND 500 PEOPLE SHORT LOCALLY HERE IN TE PUKE. 2000 RSE WORKERS HAVE ARRIVED SINCE JANUARY, BUT THE NUMBER HERE IS STILL LESS THAN HALF OF LAST SEASON'S WORKFORCE. INDUSTRY IS PICKING UP ANY MIQ COSTS. A CHALLENGE FOR POST HARVESTERS LIKE SEEKA, WHO'VE SECURED 300 WORKERS. THE COST OF THAT'S AROUND $2m, AND THAT'S BEFORE WE ACTUALLY GET THEM ON THE GROUND. PUTI HOETA IS ONE WORKER HELPED INTO A JOB BY MSD. I ACTUALLY CAN'T WAIT TO START. I DON'T MIND STARTING TODAY, IF POSSIBLE. (CHUCKLES) THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 3000 INSTANCES OF PEOPLE CANCELLING OR SUSPENDING BENEFITS SINCE NOVEMBER TO GO INTO ALL SEASONAL WORK. SPECIFIC HORTICULTURE INITIATIVES INCLUDE TRAINING IN PACKHOUSES AND PRUNING, AND FUNDING TO MOVE WORKERS ACROSS REGIONS. INDUSTRY CAMPAIGNS HAVE TARGETED UNI STUDENTS WITH INCENTIVES, SCHOOL LEAVERS, AND THE SEMI-RETIRED. SPORTS CLUBS ARE BEING ASKED TO COME PICK AS A FUNDRAISER MEASURE. AND IN HASTINGS, APPLE GROWERS ARE HOPING TO RECRUIT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AFTER CLASS. SOME IN THE INDUSTRY ARE TURNING TO TECHNOLOGY. TURNERS AND GROWERS IMPORTING EIGHT NEW AUTOMATED PICKING PLATFORMS. IT'S ENABLES US TO BE ABLE TO PUT A DIFFERENT WORKFORCE ON THESE MACHINES THAT ARE JUST COMING STRAIGHT OUT OF THE FIELD THAT HAVE NEVER PICKED BEFORE. THEY ONLY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PICKING. THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GOING UP AND DOWN A LADDER OR A PICKING BAG. THERE A NUMBER OF PACKHOUSES IN PARTICULAR WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH SOME AUTOMATION INITIATIVES, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY CAN PACK MORE FRUIT WITH LESS PEOPLE. MPI PLANS TO ANNOUNCE A SUPPORT PACKAGE IN THE COMING WEEKS AS THIS VITAL SECTOR STRUGGLES IN THE COVID CLIMATE. SAM KELWAY, 1 NEWS. A YEAR AGO TODAY, THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK WAS DECLARED A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, BRINGING THE WORLD TO A SHUDDERING HALT. ON THAT DAY, THERE WERE FEWER THAN 120,000 CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19, AND JUST OVER 4000 DEATHS. FAST FORWARD TO NOW, AND NEARLY 120 MILLION HAVE HAD THE DISEASE. OFFICIALLY IT'S KILLED MORE THAN 2.6 MILLION PEOPLE. IN REALITY, THOSE NUMBERS ARE LIKELY TO BE FAR HIGHER. THE US IS STILL BY FAR THE WORST HIT NATION. THIS FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT THERE, ANNA BURNS-FRANCIS. THE DOORS ARE OPEN IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS TEXAS, EVEN IF THERE'S A CAUTIOUS APPROACH TO ENDING THE MASK MANDATE. SO, WE KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING. WE'VE ALREADY HAD 45,000 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND NOW IT'S GOING TO GO UP EVEN MORE. BUT EVERY DAY, MORE RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED, STATE OFFICIALS HOPEFUL THEY'RE FINALLY WINNING THE WAR ON CORONAVIRUS. IN TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FAMILIES ARE REUNITING. WE FEEL HONOURED AS A TOWN TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A COVID PATIENT TO RETURN BACK HOME. A GRANDMOTHER HUGGING HER GRANDSON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A YEAR. I GAVE HER A BIG HUG. YOU GAVE HER A BIG HUG. YEAH. ALL POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE VACCINE. EVERY DAY THAT YOU PUT TWO MILLION TO THREE MILLION VACCINATIONS INTO PEOPLE, MAKES SOCIETY BE MORE AND MORE PROTECTED. THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS BEING VACCINATED IS RAMPING UP EVERY DAY. THERE ARE NOW MORE PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED THAN EVER CAUGHT CORONAVIRUS. BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT EVERYWHERE ON THIS SIDE OF THE WORLD ` SOME OF AMERICA'S NEIGHBOURS ARE STRUGGLING MORE THAN EVER. BRAZIL IS BUCKLING UNDER ANOTHER SURGE, DEATHS AT A RECORD HIGH. TO BLAME ` ITS HOME-GROWN VARIANT, OVERWHELMED HOSPITALS, AND A PRESIDENT IN DENIAL. 'STOP FUSSING AND WHINING', HE SAYS, AS DEATHS SOAR TOWARDS 300,000. IT'S TOLL SECOND ONLY TO THE UNITED STATES, A FACT AMERICAN HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE ALL TOO AWARE OF. WE ASK FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION BY ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVE WHEN IT IS YOUR TURN TO BE VACCINATED. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T GET VACCINATED, THOUGH. I DON'T TRUST IT. I'M NOT A REAL BELIEVER IN THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC THING. HOSPITALS LIKE THIS ONE IN NEW JERSEY ARE STILL AT 100% OF THEIR INTENSIVE CARE CAPACITY. I DO SEE OUT IN THE PUBLIC THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE LAX, AND NOT SEEING BEHIND THESE FOUR WALLS WHAT'S GOING ON. THE WAR ON CORONAVIRUS STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO. ANNA BURNS-FRANCIS, 1 NEWS, NEW YORK. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS SEEING AN ALARMING SPIKE IN COVID CASES, WHICH HAVE ALMOST DOUBLED OVER THE PAST FIVE WEEKS. THE SURGING NUMBERS ARE PUTTING PRESSURE ON AN ALREADY STRETCHED HEALTH SYSTEM, WITH HOSPITAL STAFF AMONG THOSE BECOMING INFECTED. UP TO 40% OF PREGNANT WOMEN PRESENTING TO MATERNITY WARDS ARE TESTING POSITIVE. THERE ARE FEARS HOSPITALS WILL HAVE TO CLOSE IF THE INFECTION RATE ISN'T BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. MEANWHILE, CAIRNS HOSPITAL IS ALSO ON HIGH ALERT AS IT STRUGGLES WITH AN INFLUX OF INFECTED WORKERS FROM AN AUSTRALIAN-OWNED MINE IN PNG. E WHAI AKE NEI. 10 YEARS ON ` THE KIWI COUPLE WHO SURVIVED THE JAPANESE TSUNAMI. IT SORT OF BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES, TOO, WITH THE RECENT EARTHQUAKES THAT HAPPENED HERE. AND WHY DRINKING WATER RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN EAST OTAGO DESPITE LEAD-LEVEL FEARS EASING. AND THEN AT 7 ` CONCERNS OVER SNAKES TURNING UP IN NEW ZEALAND. YES, WORKERS DISCOVERED A PYTHON AT A BUILDING SITE. SO WAS IT A FAILURE AT THE BORDER, OR ARE WE HEADING TOWARDS A FRESH AUSSIE INVASION? AND IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW WE'RE COOKING OUR EGGS; IT'S HOW WE'RE STORING THEM. HAVE WE BEEN DOING IT ALL WRONG? PLUS ` IT'S THE PERFECT PLAYGROUND. THE LESSONS THESE RURAL KIWI KIDS ARE LEARNING WHEN THEY TRADE THE LAND FOR THE SEA. JAPAN IS ABOUT TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI WHICH HIT THE COUNTRY 10 YEARS AGO. THESE ARE LIVE PICTURES FROM TOKYO. JAPAN'S EMPEROR IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND THE COVID-19 AFFECTED EVENT, WHICH IS ALSO LIKELY TO BE THE LAST FORMAL MEMORIAL OF THE DISASTER. A MOMENT OF SILENCE WILL BE HELD AT THE EXACT TIME THE QUAKE STRUCK ` IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES. A DECADE ON FROM JAPAN'S DAY OF DISASTER, A KIWI COUPLE TALKS OF THEIR DRAMATIC JOURNEY FROM FUKUSHIMA HOME TO NEW ZEALAND. GARTH BRAY WAS TVNZ'S FIRST REPORTER ON THE GROUND. HE TRAVELLED WITH THE COUPLE ON THAT DAY, AND RETURNS TO CHECK IN ON THEM. THIS IS THE MOMENT JAPAN'S NATURAL DISASTER BECAME A NUCLEAR NIGHTMARE. THE FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI POWER PLANT EXPLODING THE DAY AFTER IT WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE TSUNAMI. 10 YEARS ON, IT STILL SEEMS SURREAL. JUST DIDN'T STOP. I THINK IT WAS OVER FIVE MINUTES LONG, THE ACTUAL EARTHQUAKE. KIHI AND KELLY WERE ABOUT AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET AND LIVE TO TELL THE TALE. I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT, THOUGH, BECAUSE IT'S... IT IS A HORRIBLE MEMORY, YOU KNOW. IT'S GOING TO STICK WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. AS SHELTERS FILLED AND AUTHORITIES SWEPT FOR RADIOACTIVITY, 40KM AWAY THE EXCLUSION ZONE REACHED THEIR APARTMENT. ONCE THE REACTOR BLEW, THEY WERE LIKE, 'JUST BE MINDFUL THAT IF YOU GO OUTSIDE, 'MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE COVERED, AND THERE'S NO SKIN EXPOSED. 'AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOUR AIR VENTS ARE CLOSED.' BUT REALLY CALM, LIKE, THAT WAS LIKE, 'HANG ON. ARE WE REALLY HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?' THEY HAD TO FLEE, BUT JAPAN WAS PARALYSED. 1 NEWS WAS THERE AS KIHI'S BROTHER MADE A MERCY DASH TO HIS FAMILY. LIFE MUCH CALMER NOW FOR THE BIG, HAPPY, HEALTHY FAMILY, SETTLED IN THE BAY OF PLENTY. LITTLE ATAREA NAMED FOR HIS BRAVE UNCLE AND THEIR FIRST-BORN. MEREANA? HOW OLD ARE YOU? I'M NINE. NINE. NEARLY 10 YEARS OLD. YOU SEE, THERE WAS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT REASON THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET AWAY FROM FUKUSHIMA. WE WERE EXPECTING AT THE TIME, SO KELLY WAS HAPU. SO THEY REALLY NEEDED TO GET OUT. TSUNAMI, EARTHQUAKE, YEAH, RADIATION WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING... SORT OF DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO... WHAT KIND OF EFFECTS THAT'S GONNA HAVE. FEARS THAT HAVEN'T MATERIALISED. AND BECAUSE OF MEREANA, THEY WERE TOGETHER THE MOMENT THE DISASTER STRUCK. WE WERE ACTUALLY ON OUR WAY TO GO AND SEE THE DOCTOR FOR THE FIRST SCAN FOR THE BABY. THAT'S WHY WE WERE SO LUCKY IN THAT WHO WAS LOOKING AFTER US AT THAT TIME WAS OUR... WAS OUR BABY AND OUR GIRL. UM, THAT'S WHO BROUGHT US HOME. QUAKES HERE STILL STIR BAD MEMORIES, WASHED AWAY WHEN THEY LOOK AT THEIR DAUGHTER AND THEIR FUTURE. GARTH BRAY, 1 NEWS. THERE ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ANY LONG-TERM EFFECTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD FOR RESIDENTS OF THREE EAST OTAGO TOWNS. A COMMUNITY MEETING IN WAIKOUAITI LAST NIGHT SHOWED LEAD LEVELS WERE BY AND LARGE BELOW THE NATIONAL STANDARD, ENDING WEEKS OF UNCERTAINTY. JOHN MCKENZIE WAS THERE. KARITANE LOCALS WILL STILL HAVE TO GET THEIR WATER FROM THIS WELL FOR SOME TIME; THAT'S DESPITE GOOD NEWS LAST NIGHT. I THINK IT ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAD ON THEIR MIND. IT WAS INFORMATIVE. THEY'D OBVIOUSLY DONE THEIR HOMEWORK. RESIDENTS OF WAIKOUAITI, HAWKSBURY VILLAGE AND KARITANE WERE TOLD THEIR DRINKING WATER HAD BEEN CONTAMINATED BY LEAD ABOUT FIVE WEEKS AGO, ONE READING FROM DECEMBER SHOWING UP TO 40 TIMES THE ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, BUT BLOOD TEST RESULTS HAVE NOW REVEALED VERY LITTLE CAUSE FOR CONCERN. IF WE TOOK BLOOD FROM A THOUSAND PEOPLE IN ANY COMMUNITY IN NEW ZEALAND, WE WOULD EXPECT RESULTS VERY SIMILAR TO THIS. THE ONLY THING SHE COULDN'T DEFINITIVELY ANSWER IS IF THERE'LL BE ANY LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON CHILDREN. BY AND LARGE, THE CHILDREN'S RESULTS WERE WELL BELOW THE NEW NOTIFIABLE LEVEL OF 0.24 MICRO MILLS PER LITRE. SO THAT WAS REASSURING. DESPITE THE POSITIVE RESULTS, THE RESTRICTIONS AROUND DRINKING THE TOWN'S WATER SUPPLY WILL STILL STAY IN PLACE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER FEW MONTHS, THAT'S WHILE THE DUNEDIN CITY COUNCIL REPLACES SEVERAL OLD PIPES. THE DCC SEES THE PIPES WERE LIKELY RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF THE ELEVATED READINGS, WHILE ALSO APOLOGISING FOR ITS HANDLING OF THE ISSUE. I CONFESS THAT SOME OF THE COMMUNICATION AND SOME OF THE WAY THAT WE LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHY AROUND THE TIME OF THE ISSUING OF THE 'DO NOT DRINK' NOTICE COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BETTER. THAT ACCEPTED BY MANY RESIDENTS,... IT'S THE PUTTING RIGHT THAT COUNTS. (APPLAUSE) ...WHO CAN FINALLY START PUTTING THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF UNCERTAINTY BEHIND THEM. JOHN MCKENZIE, 1 NEWS. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND THE DISSECTING BEGINS. THAT WILL PROBABLY CARRY ON UNTIL SAILING WINS PERMITTING. SO WHERE TO FROM HERE FOR BOTH BOATS? BLAIR TUKE IS WITH US, AMONG OTHERS. ALSO TONIGHT ` SOME ALARMING FINDINGS FROM A MAJOR REVIEW CONDUCTED INTO AUCKLAND SPORT. PLUS ` A STUNNING GAME WINNER IN MELBOURNE THAT COULD TURN AROUND A STRANDED KIWI BASKETBALL SEASON. AND IT'S BEEN A BUSY DAY FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTH ISLAND. CHECK OUT THE DARK AND THREATENING SKIES IN HAMILTON. FURTHER SOUTH, A BUILDING HIGH IS BRINGING IN THE FINE WEATHER. HERE IS THE VIEW IN CHRISTCHURCH. NAU MAI KI NGA KORERO HOKINAKINA O TE WA, WELCOME TO SPORT, AND WELCOME TO THE BIG DEBRIEF. 1-1 IN THE AMERICA'S CUP MATCH ` INTRIGUING STARTS, NOT TO MENTION THE POSSIBILITY OF VERY LIGHT WINDS IN AUCKLAND THE NEXT THREE DAYS. THE BOATS WERE OFF THE WATER TODAY, SO WHAT DID THE TEAMS GET RIGHT OR WRONG? ABBY WILSON USES HER SAILING MICROSCOPE. AFTER TEAM NEW ZEALAND'S FIRST START YESTERDAY, MANY BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF. GREAT START BY THE KIWIS. BUT FORMER COACH MURRAY JONES WASN'T AS EASILY IMPRESSED. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THEY WOULD HAVE COME OUT A BIT STRONGER THAN THEY DID IN THE STARTING, SO THAT REALLY DISAPPOINTED ME MOST OUT OF THE DAY. JONES THINKS LUNA ROSSA ACTUALLY LET THE KIWIS OFF THE HOOK IN THAT FIRST START, AND IT WAS OUT OF FRUSTRATION THAT JIMMY SPITHILL THEN TRIED THIS TACTICAL LUFFING MANOEUVRE IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GET THE KIWIS PENALISED. WE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY, THOUGHT WE HAD A SHOT AT IT. FROM THEN ON, WE BASICALLY NEEDED A MISTAKE FROM THEM. BUT THAT MISTAKE DIDN'T COME FROM THE KIWIS UNTIL THE START OF THE SECOND RACE. THEY REALLY SORT OF SCREWED UP WITH ABOUT 45 SECONDS, ONE MINUTE TO GO. THEY WERE WELL UP ABOVE AND DIDN'T COME DOWN AND PUSH EARLY ENOUGH. AND WHEN THEY DID COME AND PUSH, THEY CAME AT SUCH A DOWNWIND ANGLE THAT THEY DIDN'T' HAVE SPEED, AND THE TIME'S CLICKING BY. TE REHUTAI ENDING UP LATE TO THE LINE... (BLEEP) ...THE TEAM SHOWING UNCHARACTERISTIC EMOTION IN THEIR COMMS. (BLEEP!) ALL THE PRE-START, MINUTE TO GO, MINUTE 30 TO GO, IS ALL REALLY IRRELEVANT UNTIL THE LAST PUSH AT THE END, AND WE JUST MIS-EXECUTED THAT, SO WE CAN... AND WE HAVE REVIEWED THAT A LOT. THE STARTS ARE PROVING CRITICAL IN DETERMINING THE RACE WINNER, SECOND PROBABLY ONLY TO SPEED. I DON'T THINK HOW WE STARTED YESTERDAY WILL WIN US THE AMERICA'S CUP. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT, BUT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH WHERE WE'RE AT. JONES SAYS THE KIWIS SHOULD HAVE LEARNED MORE FROM WATCHING THE CHALLENGER SERIES. MISTAKES TEAM NEW ZEALAND WERE MAKING YESTERDAY ` WE'VE SEEN THEM ALL BEFORE IN THE PREVIOUS RACES. PERHAPS WE CAN WRITE THE MISTAKES OFF TO DAY-ONE NERVES. NO SUCH EXCUSE TOMORROW. ABBY WILSON, 1 NEWS. A MAJOR REVIEW INTO THE FUNDING OF SPORT IN AUCKLAND HAS REVEALED SOME SERIOUS ISSUES. THE FINDINGS OF THE FOUR-MONTH LONG REVIEW HAVE HIGHLIGHTED IN CERTAIN AREAS A LOT OF GOOD BUT ALSO CONCERNS ABOUT SENIOR MANAGEMENT IN A TAX AND RATE PAYER FUNDED SET-UP. COMMISSIONED BY THE HARBOUR SPORTS COUNCIL, THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW WAS UNDERTAKEN BY SPORTS LAWYER ROBERT SMITH, WHO INTERVIEWED OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS, FROM GRASSROOTS UP. WE ASKED FOR THE REVIEW, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THERE WERE ISSUES OUT THERE THAT SPORT NEEDED TO TAKE ON HEAD ON AND RESOLVE. THE OVERARCHING FINDING ` AUCKLAND'S UNIQUE FUNDING SET-UP IS COMPLEX, HAS NUMEROUS ISSUES, INCLUDING DUPLICATION, BUT ONE AREA STANDS OUT. IT'S A BODY CALLED 'AKTIVE', WHICH WAS SET UP EIGHT YEARS AGO BY AUCKLAND COUNCIL, TO DELIVER PROGRAMMES AND ADMINISTER FUNDING THROUGHOUT THE REGION'S SPORTS TRUSTS. AKTIVE'S FUNDED PRIMARILY BY TAX PAYER DOLLARS, IN THE MILLIONS, FROM SPORT NEW ZEALAND, GAMING TRUSTS, AND RATE PAYERS ALSO PROVIDE DOLLARS. THE CEO OF AKTIVE, SARAH SANDLEY, RESIGNED FIVE WEEKS AGO, PRIOR TO THE RELEASE OF THE REPORT. THE REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS... THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON AKTIVE, A CHARITABLE TRUST ARE PAID. THAT'S NOT THE NORM. AKTIVE SALARIES ARE HIGHER THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE SPORTS SECTOR, BUT THERE'S STILL HIGH STAFF TURNOVER. THE FINDINGS SAY THERE'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN DECISION-MAKING. SOME INTERVIEWEES DESCRIBED AKTIVE SENIOR MANAGEMENT AS CONTROLLING, DEFENSIVE AND QUICK TO ATTACK. THEY, 'TALK DOWN, DEMEAN AND INTIMIDATE', AND THERE HAVE BEEN, THREATS TO PULL FUNDING. AKTIVE AND SPORT NEW ZEALAND HAVE BEEN APPROACHED FOR COMMENT. THEY DECLINED, SAYING THE REVIEW HASN'T YET BEEN RELEASED. OVERALL, THE REVIEW NOTES, 'THE SECTOR HAS FAILED TO EVOLVE 'IN CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS', THE WHOLE SYSTEM BEING TOO COMPLEX. IT'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S SOME ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THE MONEY. PEOPLE MAY HAVE GOT TIED UP IN THEIR ROLES. THERE ARE NOW CALLS FOR A NATIONAL REVIEW OF FUNDING AND DELIVERY AND A REBUILDING OF TRUST. IT IS ABOUT, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT GETTING THE MONEY TO WHERE THE KIDS ARE OUT ON THE FIELDS. PUBLIC SPORTS FUNDING IS DESCRIBED AS ALWAYS BEING IMPERFECT, BUT THIS LATEST REVIEW SUGGESTS THERE'S ROOM FOR A MAJOR RETHINK. ONE OF OUR MOST TALENTED YOUNG CRICKETERS HAS RECEIVED A SURPRISE CALL UP TO THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE. BLOCKBUSTING WELLINGTON BATSMAN FINN ALLEN IS OFF TO BANGALORE AND A MUCH HYPED NEW ZEALAND CALL-UP COULD BE JUST AROUND THE CORNER. GUY HEVELDT EXPLAINS. IT'S THE SOUND... (THWACK!) ...YOU GET USED TO... ...WHEN WATCHING FINN ALLEN BAT. THE 21 YEAR OLD'S MADE WAVES THIS DOMESTIC SEASON FOR WELLINGTON, WITH SIX BLISTERING HALF CENTURIES IN THE SUPER SMASH AND A POWERFUL TON IN THE PROVINCIAL ONE-DAY COMPETITION. HE'S NOW BEEN REWARDED WITH AN IPL CONTRACT IN THE ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE, COACHED BY MIKE HESSON, REMARKABLY BEFORE HE'S EVEN PLAYED INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. IT WAS LITERALLY JUST, 'HEY, FINN. MIKE HEESON HERE. 'GIVE ME A MESSAGE WHEN YOU'RE FREE FOR A CALL.' AND I WAS, LIKE, STRAIGHTAWAY, LIKE, STRAIGHT ON THE BLOWER WITH HIM. AND, YEAH. NO. I THINK IT TOOK FIVE MINUTES FOR HIM TO RING ME BACK, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY, LIKE, THE LONGEST FIVE MINUTES I'VE HAD FOR A WHILE. (CHUCKLES) HE'LL NOW TEAM UP WITH FELLOW KIWI KYLE JAMIESON IN A SIDE THAT FEATURES VIRAT KOHLI AND AB DE VILLIERS. I MEAN, IT'S ALL I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, I GUESS. LIKE, IT'S BEEN PRETTY AWESOME TO SORT OF THINK OF ALL THE LEARNINGS I COULD HAVE OVER THERE. AND WHILE HE'S ALWAYS DREAMED OF PLAYING IN THE IPL, AN EVEN BIGGER GOAL IS PLAYING FOR HIS COUNTRY. WHILE HE'S MISSED OUT ON THE ODI SQUAD TO PLAY BANGLADESH, 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS HIS NAME IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO BE CALLED FOR THE T-20s. FINN'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT. AND WHY WOULDN'T HE BE? (CHUCKLES) COS HE'S HAD A FANTASTIC SEASON WITH WELLINGTON. THEIR CONVERSATIONS WILL CONTINUE. CONVERSATIONS THAT COULD SOON LEAD TO AN ANTICIPATED NEW ZEALAND DEBUT. GUY HEVELDT, 1 NEWS. A 13-MONTH INJURY LAYOFF AT THE AGE OF 39 ` THE NUMBERS WERE AGAINST ROGER FEDERER IN HIS RETURN TO PRO TENNIS. SO NATURALLY, THE SWISS LEGEND DEFIED THE ODDS AT THE QATAR OPEN. FEDERER INITIALLY NEEDING TO REACQUAINT HIMSELF WITH THE RULES,... BUT THEN IT WAS BACK TO BUSINESS, PRODUCING SOME FEDERER TRADEMARK SHOTS IN A THREE-SET WIN OVER BRITAIN'S DAN EVANS. OH! ROGER'S BACK WITH US. HE'LL QUICKLY PUT HIS TROUBLESOME KNEE BACK TO THE TEST IN TOMORROW MORNING'S QUARTER-FINALS. HE'S THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE BREAKERS. NOW TOM ABERCROMBIE HAS PRODUCED 'THE PLAY' THAT'S KEPT THE BREAKERS' AUSSIE BASKETBALL LEAGUE SEASON MOVING. THESE ARE THE CELEBRATIONS AFTER ABERCROMBIE'S BUZZER-BEATING THREE-POINTER TO BEAT THE CAIRNS TAIPANS. DEWI PREECE HAS ABERCROMBIE'S INCREDIBLE SHOT IN A GAME-WINNING PERFORMANCE. HERE'S THE SITUATION ` THE SCORES ARE TIED, SEVEN SECONDS ON THE CLOCK... HE GOES DOWNHILL. ANOTHER GAME SLIPPING THROUGH THE BREAKERS' FINGERS, OR SO IT SEEMED. FADE AWAY. IT'S GOOD. BREAKERS WIN! FADE AWAY. IT'S GOOD. BREAKERS WIN! UNSHAKEABLE SPIRIT FROM THE BREAKERS' CAPTAIN CLUTCH, TOM ABERCROMBIE. HOLY MOLY. THAT ONE FELT NICE. FELT VERY NICE. IT FELT PRETTY GOOD FOR THE BREAKERS' BENCH TOO. (BUZZER) (CHEERING) AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT SURE WHY THIS FAN WAS FILMING INSTEAD OF SOAKING IT IN... (CHEERING) ...WE'RE PRETTY GLAD HE DID. AND JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE SEEN IT ENOUGH, NEW ZEALAND WITH A CHANCE TO WIN IT OFF THIS POSSESSION. ...ABERCROMBIE'S WINNER EVEN GIVEN THE INFAMOUS TITANIC TREATMENT. (CELINE DION'S 'MY HEART WILL GO ON' PLAYS) CAPTAIN ABERCROMBIE STEERING HIS BREAKERS SIDE TO A FOURTH WIN OF THE SEASON, A CAMPAIGN THAT AT TIMES HAS FELT LOST AT SEA. JUST GOT TO MAKE THEM WHEN IT COUNTS... AND ENJOY. HE AND YOU CAN ENJOY THAT ONE FOR A VERY LONG TIME TO COME. DEWI PREECE, 1 NEWS. SPECTACULAR. STILL GOT IT. GREAT TO SEE BECAUSE THE BREAKERS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH HAVING TO PLAY ALL THEIR GAMES AWAY. GOOD LUCK FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. COMING UP AT 7, TAKING YOUR FINAL RIDE IN STYLE. YES, THERE'S A WORLD WIDE SHORTAGE OF HEARSES RIGHT NOW. SO ONE 'CAN-DO' KIWI FUNERAL DIRECTOR HAS COME UP WITH A CLASSIC SOLUTION. WE CHECK OUT HIS SWEET RIDE. PLUS, HARRY AND MEGHAN THOUGHT ABOUT MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND. WHY WE RECKON THEY SHOULD THINK AGAIN. OUR SALES PITCH TO GET THE FORMER ROYALS DOWN UNDER. HELLO. HIGH-PRESSURE NET THE TASMAN SEA. SOME FINE -LOOKING WEATHER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. SOME LOW PRESSURE HANGING AROUND LIKE THE CHEWING GUM ON YOUR SHOE MOMENT. THERE IS THE HIGH COMING IN. THERE IS A BIT OF A TWIST, AN UPPER LEVEL LOW. IT WILL BROUGHT SHOWERS AND STORMS TO SOME OF THE NORTH ISLAND TODAY. LOOK AT THE SUNRISE AND CLAIRE BEACH. A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY FURTHER NORTH WITH THUNDERSTORMS. 25 THE TOP SPOT. LOOK AT THIS HAIL IN MORRINSVILLE. YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN A THUNDERSTORM, THE MEANER IT IS, THE HEAVIER THE HAIL. THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. HEAVY PERSISTENT RAIN TO PARTS OF HAWKE'S BAY, OVER 100 MM NORTH OF NAPIER. THAT WILL EASE BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE HIGH IS BUILDING AND FOR MOST OF US. THE LOW PRESSURE HANGS ON. WHAT ABOUT THE RACING? WE HAVE A CLOSER VIEW. LOOK AT THE WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF AUCKLAND. THERE IS NOT MUCH. A CLOSE VIEW, CHECK THIS OUT. WE MIGHT BE WATCHING THE TV DOING ONE OF THOSE FOR THE BOATS. MAYBE TEN KNOTS. THAT MIGHT MAKE IT A TRICKY DAY FOR WINS. SATURDAY IS IN PRETTY DECENT SHAPE, MIGHT BE A LIGHT WIND TODAY. WE WILL SEE HOW THINGS GO FOR THE RACING. A NEW FRONT ARRIVES BY MONDAY. GOING INTO FRIDAY, ONE LITTLE TROUGH FLEX SOME SHOWERS INTO PARTS OF THE FAR NORTH. OTHERWISE IT IS A PRETTY DECENT DAY, SOME SCATTERED CLOUD. THE ODD SHOWER WORKS ITS WAY IN. I HAVE MENTIONED THE WINDS, THEY ARE PRETTY LATE FOR THE SAILING. ALL OTHERWISE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. BAY OF PLENTY, QUIETER LOOKING DAY FOR YOU. THE LUMPS OF BLUE ARE FURTHER EAST, THE SYSTEM GOING AWAY. EARLY CLOUD, THEN FINE. HAMILTON, A SMALL RISK OF SHOWER BUT IS NOT A THUNDERSTORM. 24 OR 25 . SAME THING FOR TAURANGA. MUCH QUIETER COMPARED TO TODAY. SIMILAR AROUND THE REGION. ISOLATED AFTERNOON SHOWER, BUT THAT IS IT. MY SET IN, YOU HAVE THE CLOUD AND 17. HEADING FURTHER WEST, IS DIFFERENT STORY. NEW PLYMOUTH, 22 AND SUNSHINE FOR YOU ALL THE WAY DOWN TO LEVIN. EARLY CLOUD, BUT KAPITI LOOKING GOOD. AS WE GO SOUTH, WE ARE INTO THE CALLER AIR. KAIKOURA, A FINE LOOKING DAY. 2 THIS MORNING IN INVERCARGILL. EASTERLY FLOW, SO NOT A WARM WIND, BUT A FINE LOOKING DAY. GOING SOUTH AND WEST, THE WEST COAST IS FINE. SUNSHINE FOR YOU AND SAME FURTHER EAST. 21, IT MAY BE SOME MORNING CLOUD FOR QUEENSTOWN. AFTER THAT IT IS FINE AND GONE. BIT OF A CHILLY ONE IN TE ANAU. ALL IN GOOD-LOOKING SHAPE. MILFORD SOUND ALL THE WAY TO INVERCARGILL, YOU ARE FINE AND DRY. FINISH THE DAY IN DUNEDIN WITH 19. YOU ARE LOOKING GOOD AS WELL. FINE FOR MOSGIEL. THAT IS HOW IT IS LOOKING. THINGS WILL BE QUITE RNING DOWN. I AM JUST LOOKING FOR WINTER FOR RACING.