TONIGHT ` IT'S MATCH POINT FOR TEAM NEW ZEALAND BUT NOT IN THE BAG YET, AFTER ANOTHER NAIL-BITER IN THE HAURAKI GULF. A DAY THAT PROMISED SO MUCH HAS DELIVERED ALREADY. AN EXCITING CONTEST... EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND MAKE IT 6-3. CLAIMS OF RACIAL BIAS IN THE POLICE ` WHY A LACK OF DIVERSITY IS BEING BLAMED FOR MAORI BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED. AND IT'S A BLOCKBUSTER STAGE SHOW THAT'S BEEN GRANTED PERMISSION TO ENTER NEW ZEALAND TO TOUR. WHY ENTERTAINERS HERE ARE PROTESTING. CAPTIONS BY SALLY HARPER AND JOHN GIBBS CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. TEAM NEW ZEALAND HAS MOVED ONE STEP CLOSER TO HOLDING ONTO THE AMERICA'S CUP. AT 6-3, IT'S NOW MATCH POINT IN THE FIRST TO SEVEN SERIES. JUST ONE MORE WIN WOULD LEAVE THE AULD MUG ON OUR SHORES, BUT NO ONE'S COUNTING THE ITALIAN SYNDICATE LUNA ROSSA OUT YET. ABBY WILSON HAS THE RACE AND REACTION. IT'S NOT YET JOB DONE, BUT KIWI FANS ARE HAPPY WITH THE JOB SO FAR. (HORNS BLARE) TEAM NEW ZEALAND ARRIVING BACK TO BASE JUST ONE WIN AWAY FROM CLAIMING THE AMERICAS CUP. IN SHIFTY CONDITIONS, THE KIWIS MADE THE MOST OF HOME ADVANTAGE TODAY FINDING THE PERFECT PUFF AT THE PERFECT TIME. THEY'VE GOT THE NORTHHEAD SHIFT. IT'S DEFINITELY A GOOD FEELING WHEN YOU TAKE ON THE LIFT ONE WAY, AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT SECOND TACK AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE ON THE GOOD SIDE OF IT. NO, IT'S DEFINITELY, UH, YEAH, NICE TO HEAR THE COMMS FROM THE GUYS SAYING WE'RE GOING ALL RIGHT HERE. IT WASN'T JUST ALL RIGHT, THEY WERE MOTORING, RIPPING PAST LUNA ROSSA AND INTO THE LEAD WITH JUST ONE LEG TO GO. JIMMY SPITHILL KNEW IT, YOU COULD HEAR HIM. HE KNEW THAT THEY HAD GIVEN THE ADVANTAGE AWAY. LUNA ROSSA RUING THE DECISION TO LET THEM HAVE THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE COURSE AND A PUFF THEY'VE NOW NICKNAMED. I WAS IN CHARGE AND I SAW A VERY LIGHT PATCH IN FRONT OF ME, AND, UH, HONESTLY, I COULDN'T SEE THE BLACK BAND ` WHAT WE CALL THE 'KIWI PUFF' NOW ` BEHIND IT. WHILE THAT PUFF HELPED TEAM NEW ZEALAND WIN RACE 9, A CHANGE OF WIND DIRECTION FORCED THE DAYS SECOND RACE TO BE ABANDONED ` THE KIWIS DENIED A CHANCE TO WRAP THINGS UP. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WOULD'VE BEEN, COULD'VE BEEN, COULD THEY HAVE STARTED? WE'RE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING OUT THERE TOMORROW, ABSOLUTELY. THE AMERICAS CUP MAY BE AT MATCH POINT, BUT IN TONIGHT'S PRESS CONFERENCE THERE WAS ONLY MUTUAL RESPECT FROM BOTH TEAMS, EACH THRILLED WITH JUST HOW CLOSE THIS CONTEST WAS. I JUST WANNA SAY WELL DONE TO EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND FOR SAILING AN AWESOME RACE. IT WAS A FUN RACE TO BE INVOLVED IN. OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE COME OUT ON TOP, BUT, MAN, THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. IT'S A CHANGE FROM THE JIMMY SPITHILL WE'VE COME TO KNOW, A MAN WHO FAMOUSLY SAID THIS WHEN HE AND ORACLE WERE DOWN 8-1 IN SAN FRANCISCO. I THINK THE QUESTION IS, IMAGINE IF THESE GUYS LOST FROM HERE, WHAT AN UPSET THAT WOULD BE. IT TURNED OUT TO BE QUITE THE UPSET. NOONES GIVING UP, NO TOWEL TO THROW IN. WE HAVE A SHOT. AND IT'S NOT JUST AT THE AMERICA'S CUP VILLAGE WHERE FANS HAVE PACKED IN TO WATCH THE RACING, HUNDREDS TAKING UP PRIME POSITION ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH HEAD. LAURA JAMES IS THERE. FROM THE AMERICA'S CUP VILLAGE TO RETIREMENT VILLAGES, AND EVEN IN PARLIAMENT, ALL EYES WERE ON THE WATER. (CHEERING) CELEBRATIONS RIGHT AROUND THE COUNTRY. ON THE WATERFRONT, THEY WENT CRAZY. FANS OF ALL BREEDS GRABBING PRIME VIEWING SPOTS. SO, TEAM NEW ZEALAND FANS COME IN ALL KINDS. THEY DO. (LAUGHS) EH, STEVE? GOT MY RED SOCKS ON! I THINK IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE US GO FAST. (LAUGHS) THE MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SHOW IN TOWN PLAYING OUT ON SCREENS RIGHT AROUND THE COUNTRY. THOSE GAME ENOUGH TO BRAVE THE CROWDS WERE REWARDED IN THE FAN ZONE. (CHEERING) GO TEAM NEW ZEALAND! WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE TWO O'CLOCK. OBVIOUSLY LEAVING THE BEST TILL LAST. GO KIWIS! WE CAN DO IT! THE TIGHT RACING ONLY ADDING TO THE ATMOSPHERE. RESIDENTS AT SETTLERS' LIFESTYLE VILLAGE IN ALBANY WHEELING THEMSELVES INTO PRIME POSITIONS TO CATCH THE ACTION. BRILLIANT! ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! TODAY'S ACTION PLAYING OUT ON COURSE C, MEANING THE HILLS WERE ONCE AGAIN ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF SPECTATORS. HERE ON NORTH HEAD, THEY SETTLED IN FOR A LONG AFTERNOON, AND YOU CAN GUARANTEE THEY'LL ALL BE BACK TOMORROW TO SEE IF TEAM NEW ZEALAND CAN CLINCH VICTORY. LAURA JAMES, 1 NEWS. TO THE DAY'S OTHER NEWS AND CLAIMS OF RACIAL BIAS IN OUR POLICE FORCE WILL BE INVESTIGATED IN A WIDE-ANGING REVIEW. IT COMES AS POLICE FACE ACCUSATIONS OF UNFAIR TREATMENT OF MAORI. RYAN BOSWELL REPORTS. FIREARMS, PEPPER SPRAY AND TASERS ARE SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE USED ON MAORI THAN ON PAKEHA. THOSE STATS ARE SHOCKING, AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. THE POLICE COMMISSIONER BACKING A NEW INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROGRAMME TO MAKE SURE HIS OFFICERS DO THEIR JOB WITHOUT BIAS. WE HAVE TO SEPARATE THE RAW STATS WHICH MIGHT REFLECT FAILINGS IN A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER AREAS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT POLICE'S CONTRIBUTION IS. LONG-TIME CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE SIR KIM WORKMAN HAS BEEN CALLED IN. AS YOU KNOW, RYAN, I'VE BEEN A CRITIC OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR A LONG TIME. HE'LL HELP EXAMINE WHERE BIAS MAY EXIST WITHIN POLICE POLICIES, PROCESSES AND PRACTISES. THERE IS GENDER BIAS THAT COULD BE IN THERE, BIAS TOWARDS PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT BELIEFS, AND SO IT'S BROADER THAN JUST RACIAL BIAS. POLICE ARE BEING ACCUSED OF COLLECTING PHOTOS, TARGETING MAORI AND PASIFIKA TO USE IN FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE. THE BLAME IS BEING PUT ON A LACK OF DIVERSITY. THOSE BIASES USUALLY HAPPEN FROM THE ENGINEERS WHO ARE NORMALLY MIDDLE-CLASS WHITE MALES, SO THEY DESIGN A SYSTEM BASED ON WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE 'NORMAL'. FRONTLINE STAFF AND THEIR INTERACTIONS, AS WELL AS TRAINING AND DEPLOYMENT WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE RESEARCH. THE MINISTER REFUSING TO SAY WHETHER ANY RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE BINDING. LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF IT. I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT THAT THEY'RE TAKING THIS MOVE TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE. WE FIND PEOPLE TALK PAST EACH OTHER IN FAIRLY EMOTIVE TERMS, AND WHAT THAT DENIES US IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GRAPPLE WITH THE ISSUE. THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED IN JUNE, A STEP FORWARD TO REVIEW POLICE PRACTICES. RYAN BOSWELL, 1 NEWS. MORE THAN A HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GIVEN EXEMPTIONS TO ENTER NEW ZEALAND FOR THE STAGE PRODUCTION OF THE LION KING. BUT THE MOVE'S UPSET OUR LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, AS MEI HERON EXPLAINS. GETTING READY TO TOUR THE COUNTRY. (SINGING) BUT IT'S BEEN A TOUGH ROAD TO GET HERE. I HAVEN'T WORKED FOR A YEAR, SO THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. AND THE DECISION TO ALLOW LION KING PERFORMERS IN ADDING TO THE PAIN. THIS PRODUCTION'S A BIG HIT, SEEN BY OVER 100 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. OUR CAST ALONE REPRESENTS 16 DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES. THERE ARE OVER 100 PEOPLE THAT IT TAKES TO DELIVER THIS SHOW BOTH ON STAGE AND BEHIND THE SCENES. BUT BRINGING 126 PEOPLE IN MEANS LOCALS MISS OUT. SURELY WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AFTER NEW ZEALANDERS FIRST. AND, YEAH, LET'S BRING LION KING HERE, BUT LET'S WAIT TILL OUR BORDERS ARE OPEN. THEY WERE ALLOWED IN UNDER THE 'OTHER CRITICAL WORKER' CATEGORY ` THE SAME AS THE WIGGLES. BUT THESE EXEMPTIONS ARE CAUSING FRUSTRATIONS FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REUNITE, UPSETING THE INDUSTRIES WHO SAY THEY DESPERATELY NEED MIGRANT WORKERS AND KIWIS STRUGGLING TO BOOK MIQ SPOTS. THE LION KING'S WIGGLED IN WHILE A WHOLE LOT OF HONEST, HARD-WORKING PEOPLE MISS OUT. OPEN UP THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE. THAT WILL FREE UP 40% OF YOUR MANAGED ISOLATION QUARANTINE FACILITIES. THAT WILL MEAN YOU CAN ACTUALLY BRING MORE PEOPLE IN. 6500 EXEMPTIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS SET UP. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN GRANTED BORDER EXEMPTIONS HAVE BEEN FOR THE LIKES OF RESEARCH, TECHNOLOGY AND PRIMARY INDUSTRIES. AND THE GOVERNMENT SAYS LION KING WILL BENEFIT THE ECONOMY AND CREATE SOME JOBS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS. NEW ZEALAND NEEDS AND DESERVES THESE SHOWS TO COME. BUT IT'S ABOUT TIMING, AND NOW'S NOT THE TIME. # WHO LOVES YOU? # NOT A LOT OF LOVE FOR THE DECISION TO LET LION KING IN. MEI HERON, 1 NEWS THE NATIONAL PARTY'S SWINGING IN BEHIND ITS LEADER IN THE WAKE OF A POOR SHOWING IN THE LATEST 1 NEWS COLMAR BRUNTON POLL. THE PARTY CHANGED LEADER THREE TIMES IN FOUR MONTHS LAST YEAR, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THAT ANY TIME SOON. IT COMES AS JACINDA ARDERN DIPS IN POPULARITY TOO. HERE'S POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY. A SHOW OF UNITY, DESPITE ONLY 8% OF THE PUBLIC CALLING FOR JUDITH COLLINS TO BE PRIME MINISTER. SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB, AND THESE POLLS SWING. WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO. CLEARLY JUDITH IS OUR LEADER AND SHE'S UP FOR IT. SHE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. THE FORMER AIR NEW ZEALAND CHIEF EXECUTIVE TURNED MP IS GETTING 2% SUPPORT. I DON'T THINK 2% IS SUPER POPULAR WITH THE PUBLIC. LET'S KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE. IT'S NOT TOO FAR BEHIND JUDITH COLLINS. KEEP A BIT OF PERSPECTIVE. BUT EVEN THOUGH NATIONAL IS STAGNATING IN THE 20S, NO ONE'S JOSTLING TO TAKE OVER YET. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT'S ON THE AGENDA AT THE PRESENT TIME. THE BOTTOM LINE IS I'VE JUST ARRIVED IN PARLIAMENT. I'VE GOT A LOT TO LEARN. I'M WORKING MY WAY THROUGH MY PORTFOLIOS. NATIONAL'S ON 27%, ONLY UP 2% FROM OUR LAST POLL IN DECEMBER. IT'S MORE THAN 25%. WE'RE ON OUR WAY UP, AND IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION. JACINDA ARDERN IS SITTING AT 43%, BUT THAT'S A 15 POINT DIP. I WOULDN'T READ MUCH INTO THAT. I THINK JACINDA ARDERN IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. AND THE GREENS AND ACT ARE HOLDING STRONG FROM THE ELECTION. I JUST GET UP EVERY DAY AND SPEAK FOR HARD WORKING NEW ZEALANDERS. WE'LL KEEP WORKING. WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T SIT ON ANY LAURELS EVER. THIS LATEST POLL HAS BEEN DONE 50% ONLINE AND 50% ON MOBILES. SO WE'VE DITCHED LANDLINES. THIS NEW WAY OF ASKING PEOPLE MAY ACCOUNT FOR SOME OF THE SHIFT IN THE PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER NUMBERS, BUT THE TRENDS AREN'T SURPRISING. THERE ARE MANY MORE POLLS TO COME BEFORE THE 2023 ELECTION. JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY, 1 NEWS. E HAERE TONU NEI. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS ON THE BRINK OF ITS BIGGEST HEALTH DISASTER AS A COVID CRISIS UNFOLDS WITH A DRAMATIC SPIKE IN CASES. MEANWHILE, EUROPE IS UNDER THREAT OF A THIRD WAVE OF INFECTIONS WHILE THEIR VACCINE ROLLOUT GETS PUT ON HOLD. TJ: Have I done enough to wear the jersey? Gotta sweat out that fear because this is bigger than me. I do it for my fans and my family. ION4 hydration. Sweat it out witih Powerade. (ALL CHANT) - The planet doesn't know which stuff you're doing just because you can't say no. So start at the bottom of your list and cross a few things off. A COVID CRISIS IS UNFOLDING IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA WITH A DRAMATIC SPIKE IN CASES. IT'S ESTIMATED ONE IN EVERY THREE PEOPLE THERE HAVE CONTRACTED THE VIRUS. NOW AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ARE URGENTLY LOOKING AT HOW TO HELP. PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER HAS MORE. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS ON THE BRINK OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST HEALTH DISASTER IN MODERN HISTORY. WE'RE POSSIBLY HAVING AN INFECTION RATE OF AROUND ONE PERSON TO THREE, FOUR IN OUR COUNTRY. THERE ARE MORE THAN 2,000 KNOWN CASES, BUT WITH LOW LEVELS OF TESTING, OFFICIALS SUSPECT IT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. A NATIONWIDE ISOLATION STRATEGY WILL BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW. IT'S NOT A FULL LOCKDOWN, AS THERE'S CONCERN FOR THE FRAGILE ECONOMY. FOR US TO WORK IN UNISON IN ENSURING THAT COVID-19 IS IDENTIFIED, CASES ARE IDENTIFIED, CASES ARE ISOLATED AND WE, THROUGH NON-CLINICAL MEASURES, TRY TO STOP IT FROM SPREADING. THE HOSPITAL IS OVERFLOWING AND OFFICIALS THERE ARE WARNING THEY MAY TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT STAFF FROM PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP IGNORING HEALTH MEASURES. AND IT'S FEARED THE MASS GATHERINGS TO FARWELL FORMER PRIME MINISTER SIR MICHAEL SOMARE THIS WEEK WILL SEE INFECTIONS SURGE IN THE COMING DAYS. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL WARDS LIKE AT THIS GYM ARE BEING PREPARED. AS THE CASE NUMBERS INCREASE THERE WILL BE A NEED, POTENTIALLY, FOR A GREAT ASSISTANCE FROM AROUND THE REGION. NEW ZEALAND HAS ALREADY DONATED MONEY, MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. BUT WITH A LOOMING SURGE IN CASES, IT'S ASKING WHAT ELSE IT CAN OFFER. AUSTRALIA'S LEADERSHIP ALSO MEETING TO LOOK AT WHAT IT CAN DO. QUEENSLAND'S CLOSE PROXIMITY TO PNG IS ALSO RAISING ALARM BELLS. WE HAVE BEEN ASSISTING WITH SOME TESTS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, AND OUT OF THE 500 TESTS THAT OUR HEALTH AUTHORITIES HAVE DONE FRO PAPUA NEW GUINEA, 250 HAVE COME BACK POSITIVE. SO THIS IS A REAL CONCERN. PAPUA NEW GUINEA KNOWS WHAT IT NEEDS. IF THEY COULD SEND US SOME VACCINES AT THE VERY EARLIEST. THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE NOT EXPECTED TO ROLLOUT THERE UNTIL NEXT MONTH. THERE'S FEARS THAT, FOR MANY, THAT MAY BE TOO LATE. BARBARA DREAVER, 1 NEWS. EUROPEAN POWERHOUSES GERMANY, FRANCE, SPAIN AND ITALY HAVE BECOME THE LATEST NATIONS TO PAUSE THEIR ROLLOUT OF THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE OVER FEARS IT'S LINKED TO A SMALL NUMBER OF BLOOD CLOTS. BUT IT'S COME AT THE WORST POSSIBLE TIME, WITH A THIRD WAVE OF INFECTIONS THREATENING THE CONTINENT. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT DANIEL FAITAUA REPORTS. AS COVID RETURNS WITH A VENGEANCE IN EUROPE, YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S NEVER ENDING. ONE YEAR AFTER AND IT'S STILL THE SAME. ITALY'S BACK IN STRICT LOCKDOWN, WITH THE U.K. VARIANT DELIVERING A NEW CASE SURGE. THIS DOCTOR SAYS ENTIRE FAMILIES ARE TURNING UP FROM THE OLD TO THE YOUNG. NOW, MORE PRESSURE, WITH ITALY THE LATEST EUROPEAN COUNTRY TO PAUSE THE USE OF THE OXFORD ASTRAZENECA VACCINE OVER FEARS IT'S LINKED TO BLOOD CLOTS, JOINING FRANCE AND GERMANY ` ALL UP, NINE NATIONS WHO ARE SUSPENDING THE ROLL OUT, PENDING SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS. BUT THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION SAYS THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF A LINK. SO I THINK THAT, WHILE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE VERY CLOSELY MONITORING THIS, WE DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO PANIC. AND ASTRAZENECA SAYS ABOUT 17M PEOPLE IN THE EU AND THE UK HAVE RECEIVED A DOSE OF THE VACCINE WITH FEWER THAN 40 CASES OF BLOOD CLOTS REPORTED AS OF LAST WEEK, NO MORE THAN THE NUMBER OF BLOOD CLOT INCIDENTS TYPICALLY REPORTED WITHIN THE GENERAL PUBLIC. AS A THIRD WAVE LOOMS, SOME EXPERTS FEAR THE PAUSE WILL COST LIVES. IF YOU PAUSE THIS VACCINE AND THERE IS A LOT OF THE COVID DISEASE ABOUT AND THERE'S A LOT OF THE VIRUS ABOUT, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE DEATH RATE. FEARS ALSO ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO CONFIDENCE IN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VACCINE. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT IT, THAT ALWAYS MAKES FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO QUESTION IS EVEN MORE. THE EU'S VACCINE ROLLOUT WAS ALREADY LAGGING FAR BEHIND THE UK'S, WHICH IS STILL USING THE ASTRAZENECA JAB. I BELIEVE IN SCIENTIFIC ADVICE AND SCIENTIFIC ADVICE IS THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING IT, SO I'M GOING TO BE TAKING IT. ALL EYES NOW ON THE EUROPEAN MEDICINES AGENCY, WHICH WILL MAKE ITS CALL ON FRIDAY. DANIEL FAITAUA, 1 NEWS, LONDON. TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AFTER THEIR PLANE FELL OUT OF THE SKY IN FLORIDA. THIS DRAMATIC FOOTAGE CAPTURED THE MOMENT AN AIRCRAFT CRASHED OUT OF THE SKY AND BURST INTO FLAMES JUST NORTH OF MIAMI. TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD DIED, WHILE AN ADULT AND A CHILD WERE INJURED WHEN THEIR CAR WAS CLIPPED BY THE WING. JUST AHEAD, YOUR WEATHER AND IT'S A MOSTLY FINE DAY, BUT THERE ARE SHOWERS ABOUT. PLUS, IT'S A DIVERSE LINE UP VYING FOR THE ACCOLADES OF OSCAR NIGHT. THEY'VE BEEN CRITICISED IN THE PAST DUE TO A LACK OF DIVERSITY, BUT THIS YEAR'S ACADEMY AWARDS APPEAR TO BE WRITING A NEW CHAPTER. TODAY MORE ACTORS OF COLOUR WERE NOMINATED THAN EVER BEFORE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME TWO WOMEN WERE NOMINATED FOR BEST DIRECTOR. HERE'S CHANNEL 9'S ALISON PIOTROWSKI. IT'S TAKEN 93 YEARS, BUT MORE THAN ONE WOMAN HAS FINALLY BEEN NOMINATED FOR BEST DIRECTOR. EMERALD FENNELL FOR THE REVENGE TALE 'PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN'... I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN, YEAH, MAKING SOMETHING THAT REAL. ...AND CHLOE ZHAO ` WHO RECEIVED FOUR NOMINATIONS IN TOTAL ` THE FRONTRUNNER FOR NOMADLAND. I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS MOVIE. SADLY, NO AUSSIES RECEIVED NOMINATIONS, BUT 9 ACTORS OF COLOUR DID, MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. VIOLA DAVIS, WITH TWO NODS FOR 'MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM', NOW THE MOST NOMINATED BLACK ACTRESS EVER. STEVEN YEUN BECAME THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN EVER NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTOR, FOR MINARI. GARDEN OF EDEN IS BIG. A REFRESHING CHANGE FROM THE PAST, HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF PREVIOUS TOP OSCAR CATEGORIES SHOW THAT 89% OF NOMINATIONS WERE TO WHITE PEOPLE, 71% TO MEN. AND I THINK THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT STRIDE FORWARD. A WIN FOR DIVERSITY AND ALSO FOR STREAMING. 'MANK', NETFLIX'S BEHIND-THE-SCENES DRAMA ABOUT THE MAKING OF 'CITIZEN KANE' RECEIVED 10 NODS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE. IT'S UP AGAINST 'SOUND OF METAL', 'MINARI', AND 'PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN'. THE OSCARS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE HELD HERE AT THE DOLBY THEATRE. THE DATE HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK TO APRIL 25 IN THE HOPES THAT THERE'LL BE MORE FREEDOMS IN REGARDS TO COVID RESTRICTIONS. CHADWICK BOSEMAN WAS ONLY THE SECOND PERSON IN OSCARS HISTORY TO RECEIVE A POSTHUMOUS NOMINATION. IF MY DADDY HAD A KNOWN I WAS GONNA TURN OUT LIKE THIS, HE WOULDA NAMED ME GABRIEL. (MEN GROAN) THE LAST POSTHUMOUS WINNER ` OUR OWN HEATH LEDGER. I DON'T SEE YOUR NAME IN LIGHT. TO THE WEATHER NOW WITH THE LATEST HIT, "LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN" BY BRUNO MARS, ANDERSON PAAK AND SILK SONIC. NO REIRA KOINA NGA KORERO MO TENEI PO. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. PO MANAHAU.