TONIGHT ` PUBLIC HOSPITALS AT CRISIS POINT, WITH EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS BUCKLING UNDER THE STRAIN, AND A WARNING THE WORST IS YET TO COME. A NEW COMMUTER TRAIN SERVICE IS LAUNCHED BETWEEN HAMILTON AND AUCKLAND, BUT IS THIS THE START OF A RAIL RENAISSANCE OR A WHITE ELEPHANT? AND MOVES TO SELL WESTPAC BANK'S NEW ZEALAND ARM, SO WHO MIGHT BUY THE BANK WHICH HAS 1.3 MILLION CUSTOMERS HERE. CAPTIONS BY KATE PARKINSON AND SOPHIE PEARCE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. EXCESSIVE WORKLOADS, A SHORTAGE OF BEDS, AND PATIENTS SUFFERING. EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IN OUR HOSPITALS ARE IN CRISIS, AND AS CORAZON MILLER REPORTS, THE WORST COULD BE YET TO COME. AT THIS EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN DUNEDIN, A CALL YESTERDAY TO DECLARE A CODE BLACK. STAFF SAY IT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING PATIENTS IN BEDS SPACES, CUBICLES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR US TO SEE PATIENTS, WE MIGHT HAVE TOO MANY PATIENTS, AND SOME OF THOSE PATIENTS ARE UNFORTUNATELY REQUIRED TO WAIT ON BEDS IN CORRIDOR SPACES. AN ISSUE COMPOUNDED BY A HOSPITAL-WIDE BACKLOG. THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ACTS AS A BAROMETER OF THE PRESSURE WITHIN THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM, AND IT'S THE PLACE WHERE THE PROBLEM IS MANIFEST. THE TARGET TO ADMIT 95% OF PATIENTS IN THE E.D. WITHIN SIX HOURS HAS GOT HARDER FOR DHBs TO MEET SINCE 2015. AT AUCKLAND'S MIDDLEMORE HOSPITAL ON MONDAY MORNING, 60 PATIENTS WAITED TO BE ADMITTED TO A WARD, WHILE AT AUCKLAND HOSPITAL 40 WERE WAITING. WELLINGTON HAD 81 PATIENTS IN AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH ONLY 35 BEDS OR CHAIRS AVAILABLE. AND LAST TUESDAY, 96 PATIENTS WAITED IN WAIKATO HOSPITAL'S E.D. WITH ONLY 69 BEDS OR CHAIRS ` EXHAUSTED AND OVERWORKED STAFF BEARING THE BRUNT. I'VE HEARD OF STAFF GOING INTO CUPBOARDS AND BURSTING INTO TEARS. THAT'S NOT JUST NURSING STAFF ` MEDICAL STAFF, NURSING STAFF, ALLIED HEALTH. WHILE LARGE NUMBERS OF NURSES ARE BEING TRAINED, SHE SAYS THERE ISN'T ENOUGH FUNDING TO SUPPORT THEM INTO THE WORKFORCE. WE HAVE NURSES THAT CAN'T GET A JOB AT THE END OF THEIR THREE YEARS OF TRAINING. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. IT REALLY DOES REQUIRE SYSTEM-WIDE INVESTMENT, SO THESE PATIENTS CAN MOVE THROUGH. THIS IS MANIFESTED IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S CAUSING PATIENT HARM. WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. WE PROVIDE ADDITION FUNDING. OBVIOUSLY, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS TAKES LONGER. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE DHBs ARE DOING ON THEIR SIDE IN TERMS OF MANAGING THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT THEY'VE GOT. BUT IT'S FEARED THE SITUATION WILL ONLY GET WORSE. WINTER IS COMING. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE VERY GOOD. WE'LL HAVE PATIENTS STUCK IN AMBULANCES, UNABLE TO OFFLOAD. A CRISIS HE SAYS REQUIRES INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE, AS WELL AS INFRASTRUCTURE. CORAZON MILLER, 1 NEWS 'UNFAIR' ` THAT'S THE MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT FROM TWO MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS AFTER ONE WAS GRANTED A MANAGED ISOLATION EXEMPTION AND ONE WASN'T. JUST 12 EXEMPTIONS IN EIGHT MONTHS HAVE BEEN GRANTED FOR PEOPLE TO ISOLATE AT HOME. KRISTIN HALL HAS THE STORY. TWO WOMEN ` SAME DISEASE, SAME MEDICAL TREATMENT, BUT DIFFERENT APPROACHES FROM MIQ. GUTTED. ABSOLUTELY GUTTED. KAREN TAYLOR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IN 1996, BUT LATELY HER CONDITION HAS BEEN DETERIORATING. EVERY DAY, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING WORSE. YOU KNOW, LIKE EVEN THIS MORNING, I COULD HARDLY WALK. IN MAY, SHE'S HEADING TO MEXICO FOR STEM CELL TREATMENT NOT AVAILABLE HERE. SHE SAYS IT'S HER ONLY HOPE TO GET BETTER, BUT INITIALLY IT WILL RADICALLY REDUCE HER IMMUNITY. LEE MERRITT KNOWS HOW INTENSE THE TREATMENT IS. SHE WENT TO THE SAME CLINIC LATE LAST YEAR. YOU'RE SO, SO WEAK, AND, UM, YOU'RE SICK. AFTER MONTHS OF TRYING, LEE WAS GRANTED AN EXEMPTION TO ISOLATE AT HOME; A HOTEL DEEMED TOO RISKY FOR HER WEAKENED IMMUNE SYSTEM. WE HAD GATES LOCKED. WE HAD POLICE CHECKS ` RANDOM POLICE CHECKS. DESPITE LETTERS FROM HER GP, NEUROLOGIST AND HAEMATOLOGIST RECOMMENDING KAREN ISOLATE AT HOME, SHE'S BEEN DECLINED AN EXEMPTION. SHE WAS TOLD HER NEEDS CAN BE MET IN AN MIQ FACILITY, BUT HAS BEEN ADVISED TO BRING A SUPPORT PERSON. KAREN'S HUSBAND HAS EPILEPSY, SO CAN'T DO IT HIMSELF. IF I HAVE A SEIZURE, BAD SEIZURE ` I JUST HAD ONE LAST WEEK WHERE I HAVE NO MEMORY OR KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT HAPPENED. SOMETIMES I END UP IN INTENSIVE CARE. AN MIQ SPOKESPERSON SAYS LEE MERRITT'S EXEMPTION WAS GRANTED BECAUSE HER NEEDS WEREN'T ABLE TO BE MET IN AN MIQ FACILITY WHEN SHE APPLIED LAST YEAR. THEY SAID A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL BE DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT KAREN TAYLOR IN HER HOTEL ROOM, AND HER SITUATION CAN BE REASSESSED AT ANY TIME. THIS IMMUNOLOGIST SAYS IF SOMEONE WITH REDUCED IMMUNITY CATCHES COVID-19, THEY CAN HARBOUR THE VIRUS FOR LONGER. THERE IS A SLIGHTLY INCREASED RISK OF ACQUIRING COVID IN THE MANAGED ISOLATION FACILITY. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE PERSON IS ONE OF THESE CHRONICALLY INFECTED PERSONS, THEN THAT COULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE. MIQ ` YOU KNOW, YOU GAVE ME THE CHANCE TO COME HOME. DO IT AGAIN FOR KAREN. THIS LONG-SUFFERING PAIR SIMPLY CALLING FOR EQUAL TREATMENT. KRISTIN HALL, 1 NEWS. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19 AT AN AUCKLAND MIQ FACILITY. 250 RETURNEES WHO LEFT THE GRAND MERCURE HOTEL AFTER MARCH 10 HAVE BEEN ASKED TO GET A COVID TEST AND STAY HOME. IT COMES AFTER GENOME SEQUENCING REVEALED TWO RETURNEES TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE UK STRAIN OF THE VIRUS. HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE NOW INVESTIGATING THE SOURCE OF THE INFECTION, AS THE TWO PEOPLE WHO TESTED POSITIVE STAYED IN DIFFERENT ROOMS ON DIFFERENT FLOORS AND CAUGHT SEPARATE FLIGHTS. 14 PEOPLE HAVE ALSO BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CLOSE CONTACTS AFTER THEY SHARED A BUS WITH THE INFECTED PEOPLE. A MAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER TWO PEOPLE WERE STABBED TO DEATH IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB OF EPSOM. A BEDSIDE COURT HEARING WILL BE HELD TOMORROW FOR THE MAN, WHO REMAINS IN HOSPITAL UNDER POLICE GUARD. HE'S ALSO CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO MURDER A FRIEND OF HERMAN AND ELIZABETH BANGERA, WHO DIED IN THEIR HOME LAST FRIDAY. POLICE SAY THE KILLINGS WERE A FAMILY INCIDENT. DETAILS OF A MUCH-LAUDED TRAIN SERVICE BETWEEN HAMILTON AND AUCKLAND HAVE BEEN RELEASED, TO A MIXED RESPONSE. ALL ABOARD TE HUIA EXPRESS FROM KIRKIKIRIOA TO TAMAKI MAKAURAU ` (GROUP PERFORM HAKA) A NEW COMMUTER RAIL NETWORK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES. IT'S UNBELIEVABLY EXCITING THAT AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF LOBBYING AND KEEPING THIS STORY ALIVE THAT WE FINALLY HAVE A TRAIN ON THE TRACKS. IT'S COST THE GOVERNMENT AND COUNCIL CLOSE TO $100 MILLION. PASSENGERS HEADING TO CENTRAL AUCKLAND STILL NEED TO TRANSFER AT PAPAKURA ` A FULL TRIP TAKING TWO AND A HALF HOURS. WHEN YOU USE A CAR, YOU END UP ENDING UP AT POKENO ` WE CALL IT THE TAKANINI CAR PARK, AND I MEAN, IT'S JUST GRIDLOCK. THAT'S A BIG, KIND OF, CRAWLING INTO TOWN. SO THIS WILL BE COMPARABLE TO ACTUALLY USING THE VEHICLE. FREE WIFI AND COFFEE CARTS DESIGNED TO LURE COMMUTERS IN AND MISS THE GRIDLOCK. ABOUT 8000 PEOPLE A DAY COMMUTE BETWEEN THE WAIKATO AND AUCKLAND. IT'S HOPED ABOUT 300 A DAY WILL TAKE THE TRAIN TRIP INSTEAD, TAKING A NUMBER OF CARS OFF THE ROAD. THE CONCERN, THOUGH, IS IF THE POPULARITY OF THIS DIMINISHES, IT'LL BECOME A GHOST TRAIN. WE FULLY EXPECT IT'LL TAKE TIME FOR US TO BUILD UP THAT PATRONAGE. YOU'D EXPECT THAT. SO, WILL LOCALS USE IT? YEAH. I PROBABLY WOULD, YEAH, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GOING AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND ` LIKE, FOR A DAY OFF. COS IT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO DO. HAMILTON'S BORING! MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT STOPS IN PAPAKURA AND THEN TRANSFERS. THAT'S NOT GOOD. I WOULD BE ADDING MORE TIMES TO INCORPORATE EVERYBODY, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THE PEOPLE WORKING THERE. THE ROUTE IS OPENING A BETTER CONNECTION TO CHEAPER HOUSING IN PLACES LIKE HUNTLY AND NGARUAWAHIA. LOOKING AT THE KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT DEVELOP ALONG THE CORRIDOR BETWEEN AUCKLAND AND HAMILTON IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING. AND FOR THOSE JUST WANT TO SEE THE SIGHTS OF THE WAIKATO, THERE WILL BE SOME WEEKEND SERVICES. IT'S A FIRST STEP IN THIS` I CALL IT THE RENAISSANCE OF RAIL. ALL THOSE INVOLVED... (TRAIN HORN BLARES) ...HOPING THIS VENTURE WILL KEEP MOVING FORWARD. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE HAVE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION INTO EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS AFTER A MAN DROWNED IN HIS CAR IN FLOODWATERS NORTH OF SYDNEY. THE PAKISTANI NATIONAL (25) WAS TRAPPED IN A RENTAL CAR ON HIS WAY TO START A NEW JOB AND SPENT MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR ON HIS PHONE TO EMERGENCY SERVICES, UNTIL THE LINE WENT DEAD. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THAT INVESTIGATION FOR THE CORONER WILL EXPLORE ALL OF THOSE SITUATIONS IN TERMS OF RESPONSE TIMES AND WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED, AND I DON'T THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL NOW TO SPECULATE ON ANY OF THAT. IT'S BEEN REVEALED ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS RESCUED FROM THE SAME STRETCH OF WATER ON MONDAY. AND THE SCALE OF THE FLOOD DEVASTATION IS STILL BEING REVEALED AS FLOOD WATERS SLOWLY RECEDE. THE FLOODED HAWKESBURY RIVER IN PARTS A DUMPING GROUND FOR THE DEBRIS OF BUILDINGS THAT WERE WASHED AWAY. MANY RESIDENTS ARE STILL CUT OFF BY THE FLOODWATERS, AND IT'S EXPECTED TO TAKE DAYS BEFORE THE WATERS FULLY RECEDE AND THE ROADS ARE DEEMED SAFE ENOUGH TO DRIVE ON. AN OLD PART OF THE SUEZ CANAL HAS BEEN RE-OPENED TO TRY TO GET BOATS MOVING AGAIN, AS ATTEMPTS TO RE-FLOAT A STRANDED SKYSCRAPER-SIZED CONTAINER SHIP HAVE BEEN DELAYED UNTIL THE NEXT HIGH TIDE. MARINE AUTHORITIES ARE STILL HOPEFUL TUGS OR DIGGING ALONG THE SANDBANKS OF THE CANAL WILL DISLODGE THE 400M-LONG VESSEL WITH UP TO 20,000 CONTAINERS ONBOARD. THE HULKING SHIP LOST ITS STEERING WHILE BATTLING STRONG WINDS AND HAS BEEN BLOCKING THE BUSY WATERWAY, THE QUICKEST SEA ROUTE BETWEEN ASIA AND EUROPE. A CHINESE BANK COULD BE A POSSIBLE BUYER FOR WESTPAC NEW ZEALAND, AS ITS AUSTRALIAN OWNERS CONSIDER SELLING OFF THE LOCAL OPERATION. THE ESTIMATED PRICE TAG OF MORE THAN $10 BILLION IS LIKELY TO MEAN A SMALL POOL OF POSSIBLE NEW OWNERS. LAURA JAMES REPORTS. IT HAS 1.3 MILLION KIWI CUSTOMERS INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT. 20% OF OUR BANKING MARKET, AND NOW WESTPAC NEW ZEALAND COULD BE UP FOR GRABS. THE MOST LIKELY BUYERS ARE THE BIG THREE CHINESE BANKS ` EACH OF WHICH AT THIS STAGE HAVE A RELATIVELY SMALL OPERATION IN NZ. A LOCAL BUYER ALSO POSSIBLE. BUT IT WOULD BE A FAIRLY COMPLICATED TRANSACTION. BECAUSE THE PURCHASE PRICE I'D EXPECT WESTPAC TO BE LOOKING FOR IS 10-15 BILLION. BUT THE PROSPECT OF IT BECOMING AVAILABLE TO INVESTORS ` WELCOMED. IT WOULD BE A BIG LISTING AND A BIG DEAL FOR THE NEW ZEALAND MARKET. IT OFFERS SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT TO WHAT'S ALREADY LISTED ON THE MARKET AND AT SCALE. OBVIOUSLY WE'RE AT EARLY DAYS HERE. WESTPAC'S LOOKING AT A RANGE OF OPTIONS. THERE MAY BE OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR OTHER FORMS OF NZ BASED OWNERSHIP, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. OUR BIGGEST BANKS ALL TOOK A HIT TO THEIR PROFITS LAST YEAR WHILE WESTPAC'S DROPPED THE MOST, IT STILL MADE MORE THAN HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. THE COMPANY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IT WAS REVIEWING THE FUTURE OF ITS NEW ZEALAND ARM CAME AFTER A TELLING OFF BY THE RESERVE BANK. I DONT THINK WESTPAC MADE THE DECISION TO SELL BETWEEN 9AM YESTERDAY MORNING AND 5PM YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PIPELINE A LOT LONGER THAN THAT. WHAT THE STATEMENTS YESTERDAY INDICATE IS SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES OPERATING ACROSS JURISDICTIONS. THERE COULD ALSO BE A PERCEPTION FROM THE BUSINESS THAT IT'S HIT A CEILING. WESTPAC MIGHT HAVE SIMPLY DECIDED THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FURTHER DEVELOPMENT THEY CAN DO WITH WESTPAC NZ, AND THEY MIGHT JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN GET FROM A SALE. WESTPAC SAYS A FINAL DECISION IS STILL SOME TIME AWAY. THERE'S A LOT OF WATER TO GO UNDER THE BRIDGE. IT SAYS IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE, WITH DAY-TO-DAY BANKING SERVICES CARRYING ON AS NORMAL. LAURA JAMES, 1 NEWS. ED SHEERAN WAS AMONG THE STARS PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE LATE AUSTRALIAN MUSIC ICON MICHAEL GUDINSKI AT HIS STATE MEMORIAL IN MELBOURNE. THE MUSHROOM RECORDS FOUNDER AND PROMOTER DIED EARLIER THIS MONTH, AGED 68. CHANNEL 9'S SOPHIE WALSH REPORTS. WHEN THE GODFATHER OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC FALLS SILENT, IT TAKES A CHORUS TO FILL THE VOID. # WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GOOD TIME TONIGHT. # ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC GONNA PLAY ALL NIGHT. # MICHAEL GUDINSKI ` PROMOTER, PRODUCER, AND FIERCE SUPPORTER OF HOME-GROWN TALENT. # ALL THE LOVERS. # SO, MICHAEL ` THE BIG G TOOK THIS LITTLE, SCRAWNY GIRL FROM MELBOURNE TO THE WORLD. AND INDUSTRY GIANT WHO NEVER YEARNED TO BE THE HEADLINE ACT, CONTENT IN PROVIDING BACKING VOCALS. COS I DON'T WANNA BE A POP OR ROCK STAR. BUT, HELL, I LIKE WORKING WITH 'EM. HE SOLD MORE THAN A MILLION TICKETS TO ED SHEERAN'S LAST AUSTRALIAN TOUR. # I WISH THAT HEAVEN... THE TRIBUTE WRITTEN WHILE HE WAS IN QUARANTINE. # ...BUT I KNOW WHAT THEY'D SAY. # THAT IT'S FOR THE BEST. TEARFULLY: SORRY. # SO I WILL LIVE LIFE THE WAY YOU TOLD ME, # AND MAKE IT ON MY OWN. # AND I WILL CLOSE THE DOOR, BUT I WILL OPEN UP MY HEART. # HE'D SAY, 'REMEMBER THAT THE ANSWER'S IN # 'THE LOVE THAT WE CREATE.' # SO MUCH HAS CHANGED # SINCE YOU'VE BEEN AWAY. # E WHAI AKE NEI. STILL TO COME ` IT'S ONE TOUGH WORKING BEE. HOW A SMALL TOWN IS JOINING TOGETHER TO FIGHT A THORNY PROBLEM WITH SOME OUTSIDE HELP. AND FROM FREERIDE SKIING, TO AN IRONMAN. THE 22-YEAR-OLD CHAMPION TAKING ON A WHOLE NEW CHALLENGE. (UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC) - Hey, sis. Off the ciggies, on the vape. You're halfway there! - I know you've tried so many times to give up smoking. - And this is the one that stuck. - You're looking so good now. I can see that glow on your face and in your eyes. - Good on ya, girl! - You're a strong mana wahine. - Keep going. I'm with you all the way. - Keep up the mahi. (BOTH CHUCKLE) - Let's go. - (LAUGHS) - Quitting smoking is the best thing for your health. Vaping is way less harmful and can help you get off the smokes. THE NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS HAVE STARTED STRONGLY AGAINST MELBOURNE UNITED THIS EVENING. THE BREAKERS JUMPED OUT TO AN EARLY LEAD IN THE FIRST QUARTER, THANKS TO SOME LONG-RANGE SHOOTING FROM RASMUS BARK. HIS TEAM'S MOMENTUM CONTINUED TO HALFTIME. HERE'S TY WEBSTER. OH, TY WEBSTER. THE CLASS OF THE MAN THE BREAKERS LEAD BY 16 POINTS AT HALFTIME. A TINY WEST COAST TOWN WITH A THORNY PROBLEM IS FEELING THE LOVE OF OUTSIDERS. THE 40 RESIDENTS OF OKARITO WERE STRUGGLING TO FIGHT A GORSE INVASION BUT HAVE BEEN INUNDATED WITH OFFERS OF HELP. LISA DAVIES EXPLAINS. THE AMBER GLOW OF EARLY MORNING ENDEAVOUR; ALMOST EVERYONE IN OKARITO IS UP. IT'S AWESOME. IT'S AWESOME JUST SEEING ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THERE'S 40, 50 PEOPLE A DAY THAT NEED FEEDING. NOBODY WILL BE FIGHTING GORSE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH TODAY. HAVE YOU TASTED IT? IT'S TO PERFECTION, MY DARLING. THE LOCAL TEACHER WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB. DELICIOUS. ANYONE FOR A LONG BLACK? BAZ HUGHES STARTED ALL THIS, SICK OF THE SIGHT OF GORSE MARRING THE BEAUTY OF THE OKARITO LAGOON. OBVIOUSLY THERE'S BEEN SOME REALLY QUITE HARD DAYS OUT THERE. VOLUNTEERS ARE FERRIED ACROSS. IF IT FLOATS, THE GORSE BUSTERS ARE ON BOARD. WE PUT THE CALL OUT, AND PEOPLE CAME, AND THEN MORE PEOPLE CAME. NOBODY UNDER ANY ILLUSION THAT THE JOB WOULD BE EASY; THEY ARRIVE HEAVILY ARMED. I'VE JUST RECENTLY SOLD A FARM, SO I'M MISSING SLASHING THE GORSE. DEE WILSON DROVE EIGHT HOURS TO GET HERE. AH, GOTCHA. I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, EVER. AND I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY TO COME UP HERE. BUT I AM CRAZY, BUT I'M LOVING IT. BECAUSE THE TOWNSFOLK HAVE OPENED THEIR HEARTS, HOMES AND PANTRIES TO THOSE WHO'VE COME TO HELP... THERE'S ONLY 40 PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE TOWN, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE COOKED DINNER FOR US. ...AS THEY WAGE A NEVER-ENDING BATTLE. I THINK IT'S NEW ZEALANDERS REALISING HOW LUCKY THEY ARE TO HAVE THESE PLACES LEFT. EVEN IF THE PLACE HAS GOT A LITTLE INHOSPITABLE AT TIMES. OH, IT WAS A PRICK. YEAH. BUT WHEN THE CALL FOR HELP GOES OUT AGAIN NEXT YEAR,... AND I LOVE IT. (GRUNTS) ...MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WILL RETURN... (GRUNTS) GET OFF. ...FOR THE HARD-WON LOVE OF AN ENTIRE TOWN. LISA DAVIES, 1 NEWS. WORLD FREERIDE SKI TOUR CHAMPION CRAIG MURRAY IS USED TO THROWING HIMSELF OFF MOUNTAINS. BUT THE 22-YEAR-OLD FROM WANAKA IS NOW THROWING HIMSELF INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD OF HURT. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE HAS MORE. IF YOU DON'T KNOW CRAIG MURRAY, HE'S ONE OF THE WORLD'S GUTSIEST FREERIDE SKIERS. OH MY GOD, CRAIG! BUT HIS LATEST STUNT HAS GOT TO BE HIS CRAZIEST YET. AS OF THIS MORNING, I HAVE ENTERED THE, UM, THE IRONMAN NEW ZEALAND TAUPO 70.3 RACE. SO HERE CRAIG SHOWS HOW A NORMAL IRONMAN ATHLETE WOULD PEAK OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD. I CALL THIS ONE THE MOUNTAIN OF STRENGTH. CRAIG'S PREPARATION VERY UNIQUE ` WITHOUT ANY TRAINING OR GEAR, HIS BUILD-UP ORIGINALLY CONSISTED OF JUST DAYS. I'M GONNA DUB THIS THE TRIANGLE OF DOOM. WHY HAVE YOU PICKED THIS? NOT BEING OVERSEAS AT THE MOMENT, I'VE REALLY BEEN LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ELSE TO PUT MY ENERGY INTO AND, UH, THE IRONMAN JUST JUMPED OUT AT ME. THE 22-YEAR-OLD FROM WANAKA WOULD USUALLY BE CARVING IT UP ON THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR, BUT LIKE SO MANY KIWI ATHLETES, LIFE CHANGED. SO WHY NOT THROW HIMSELF INTO SOMETHING HE'D NEVER DONE BEFORE? THE SWIM IS DEFINITELY THE MOST NERVE-RACKING. I'VE HARDLY SWUM MORE THAN 200M BEFORE IN MY LIFE. TRY NEARLY 2KM, FOLLOWED BY A 90K RIDE,... HERE WE GO. COMING INTO A CHANGEOVER. ...FINISHED OFF WITH A HALF MARATHON. THE MARCH LOCKDOWN AND DELAYED EVENT ACTUALLY GIVING HIM MORE PREPARATION TIME AND THE CHANCE TO TRAIN ALONGSIDE KIWI ENDURANCE LEGENDS. YOU'LL BLUFF YOUR WAY THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN HE TOLD YOU HE WAS DOING IT? DID YOU THINK HE WAS CRAZY? (LAUGHS) I THINK HE'S CRAZY, THAT'S FOR SURE. IF IT WAS ANYBODY ELSE, I'D PROBABLY RAISE MY EYEBROWS, BUT THE MURRAYS ARE GENERALLY PRETTY CRAZY PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE CRAZY BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SO TALENTED. INCREDIBLY, CRAIG'S PARENTS BOTH HOLD THE COURSE RECORDS FOR THE COAST TO COAST. NOT ONLY ARE THERE FAMILY STANDARDS TO LIVE UP TO, BUT HE'S ALSO RAISED ALMOST $3000 FOR 'BOYS ALIVE', A CHARITY HELPING YOUNG MEN IN SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW IF IM GONNA MAKE IT TO THE FINISH LINE, BUT I CERTAINLY HOPE SO, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO TRY. I THINK PUTTING IN THE EFFORT IS GOING TO BE THE FUN PART ANYWAY. FROM FLYING DOWNHILL, TO GRINDING HIS WAY UP THEM, CRAIG MURRAY KNOWS THERE'S NO FREE RIDE IN ONE OF SPORT'S TOUGHEST COMPETITIONS. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` YOUR WEATHER AND THE AUTUMN SUNSHINE CONTINUES FOR MOST. PLUS ` THE ART OF SOLVING A PUZZLE WITH 54,000 PIECES. THE JIGSAW ENTHUSIAST PIECING IT ALL TOGETHER WELCOME BACK. AFTER 4� MONTHS OF HARD WORK, A GERMAN PUZZLE ENTHUSIAST HAS PIECED TOGETHER WHAT'S CLAIMED TO BE THE WORLD'S BIGGEST JIGSAW. THERE ARE 54,000 PIECES IN THIS MAMMOTH PUZZLE. THE 8m-LONG, 2m-HIGH JIGSAW DEPICTS AN ART GALLERY SHOWING FAMOUS PAINTINGS SUCH AS THE MONA LISA AND MONET'S POPPIES. PETER SCHUBERT SAYS HE SPENT FOUR TO FIVE HOURS A DAY WORKING ON IT, AND ONCE A WEEK, DEVOTED A WHOLE DAY TO THE PROJECT. HE'S NOW SET HIS SIGHTS ON GOING EVEN BIGGER AND CREATING A 500,000-PIECE PUZZLE. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER, WITH BENEE AND 'FIND AN ISLAND'. # FIND AN ISLAND FAR AWAY FROM ME # A SHIPWRECK LOST AT SEA # WHERE NOBODY GOES, NO SEARCH PARTY # NOBODY KNOWS BUT ME # BOTH SHARED A SINGLE ROPE # TRYING TO STAY AFLOAT # THE TREASURE THAT YOU BLEW # WHEN I WAS TIED TO YOU # WE REELED EACH OTHER IN # GOT CAUGHT UP IN THE WIND # OUR SAILS, THEY PULLED TOO HARD # AND WE FELL OFF OUR RAFT # IF OUR OWN MISTAKES ARE TOO MUCH TO TAKE # IF THIS JUST WON'T WORK, AND WE CAN'T FIND A WAY # MAYBE OUR MAPS GO DIFFERENT WAYS, # GO DIFFERENT WAYS THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY KATE PARKINSON AND SOPHIE PEARCE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.