TONIGHT ` A FINANCIAL BOOST TO OUR LOWEST PAID. THE MINIMUM WAGE AND BENEFITS BOTH RISE FROM TOMORROW, SO WHY ARE SOME OPPOSING THE CHANGES? EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY IN THE GEORGE FLOYD MURDER TRIAL ` WITNESSES TELL HOW THEY PLEADED FOR POLICE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL HELP TO THE DYING MAN. AND HUNDREDS RALLY AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE CAPITAL AND CALL FOR SAFER STREETS. WHY THOSE GATHERING HAVE HAD ENOUGH. CAPTIONS BY MICHAELA CORNELIUS AND CHELSEA BRADY CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 LOW-INCOME NEW ZEALANDERS WILL HAVE A BIT MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS FROM TOMORROW. THE MINIMUM WAGE IS GOING UP TO $20 PER HOUR. IT'S GONE UP $4.25 IN THREE YEARS UNDER LABOUR, COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, WHICH LIFTED THE MINIMUM WAGE BY $3.75 OVER NINE YEARS. BENEFITS WILL ALSO INCREASE, IMPACTING MORE THAN ONE MILLION NEW ZEALANDERS. RATES WILL VARY BUT COULD RISE UP TO $16 A WEEK FOR SOME. POLITICAL REPORTER MAIKI SHERMAN HAS MORE. AS A MINIMUM WAGE WORKER AND UNION MEMBER, XAVIER WALSH IS PLEASED HE'S GETTING A RAISE TOMORROW. IT WILL GO TOWARDS GETTING MORE FOOD WEEK-TO-WEEK, COS, HONESTLY, BY THE END OF THE WEEK MY CUPBOARDS ARE A BIT BARE. BUT SOME EMPLOYERS SAY NOW'S NOT THE TIME. WHAT WE SEE IS A COST OF $216m DIRECTLY TO BUSINESS WITH THE MINIMUM WAGE RISE, AND THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS IT'S A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY, PARTICULARLY WITH COVID. NATIONAL AGREES. A LOT OF PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR, ARE TELLING US THAT THEY SIMPLY CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE INCREASES. THE PRIME MINISTER, AT AN EVENT IN TAUPO, BELIEVES OUR LOWEST-PAID WORKERS NEED THE SUPPORT. OUR JOB AS GOVERNMENT IS TO CONSTANTLY STRIKE THAT BALANCE OF ENSURING THAT OUR LOWEST-PAID WORKERS ARE EARNING ENOUGH TO MEET THEIR COST OF LIVING. THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL INCREASE BY A $1.90 PER HOUR, RESULTING IN AN EXTRA $44 A WEEK. SOME ARE WARNING OF JOB LOSSES. OUR SURVEY SHOWED THAT 15% OF BUSINESSES ARE THINKING ABOUT A RESTRUCTURE. OTHERS SAY THAT'S JUST HYPE. THAT IS AN OUTDATED NOTION, AND I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN DISPROVEN. WE'RE SEEING A WEALTH OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SHOW THAT WHEN THE MINIMUM WAGE GOES UP, IT IS STIMULATORY. IT CREATES JOBS. TOMORROW WILL ALSO SEE A 3% INCREASE IN BENEFIT AND SUPERANNUATION PAYMENTS WHILE THE AMOUNT A PERSON CAN EARN BEFORE IT IMPACTS THEIR BENEFIT WILL ALSO RISE. IT'S SO SMALL. IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. IT'S JUST GOING TO SLOW DOWN THE RATE AT WHICH THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE. IN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, 250,000 PEOPLE REQUESTED EMERGENCY FOOD GRANTS. ADD ROCKETING HOUSING COSTS, AND MANY ARE STRUGGLING. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO IS INCREASE BENEFITS, INCREASE ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN. ALL EYES, THEN, ON THE MAY BUDGET ` THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO SIGNAL ITS PRIORITIES. MAIKI SHERMAN, 1 NEWS. IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL DAY OF TESTIMONY IN THE TRIAL OF DEREK CHAUVIN, THE AMERICAN POLICE OFFICER WHO KNELT ON THE NECK OF GEORGE FLOYD. THE PROSECUTION CALLED ON A NUMBER OF WITNESSES, INCLUDING A MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FIGHTER WHO CALLED THE POLICE AND AN OFF-DUTY RESPONDER WHO SAYS SHE WAS BLOCKED FROM OFFERING ASSISTANCE. AND A WARNING, THIS REPORT FROM CHANNEL 9'S ALISON PETROWSKI CONTAINS SOME CONFRONTING AND DISTRESSING IMAGES. SO FEEL FREE TO JUST TAKE A MINUTE. (SNIFFS) A FRUSTRATED FIREFIGHTER WHO JUST WANTED TO HELP. TELL ME WHAT HIS PULSE IS RIGHT NOW. GENEVIEVE CLARA HANSEN WAS OFF-DUTY AND ON A WALK WHEN SHE FOUND HERSELF ON THE SCENE OF GEORGE FLOYD'S ARREST. SHE PLEADED WITH OFFICERS TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. WHY WEREN'T YOU ABLE TO DO ANY OF THAT? BECAUSE THE OFFICERS DIDN'T LET ME IN TO THE SCENE. HANSEN'S CHILLING TESTIMONY WAS ONE OF MANY TODAY. MMA FIGHTER DONALD WILLIAMS WAS JUST METRES AWAY FROM OFFICERS WHEN HE DECIDED TO CALL THE POLICE ON THE POLICE. AND WHY DID YOU DO THAT? BECAUSE I BELIEVE I WITNESSED A MURDER. HE TOO WAS OVERCOME WITH EMOTION, LISTENING BACK TO HIS CALL TO EMERGENCY SERVICES. A NUMBER OF WITNESSES WHO COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED PROVIDED AUDIO TESTIMONY, INCLUDING A 9-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD PARAMEDICS TELL CHAUVIN TO GET OFF FLOYD. BUT HE DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS. THE COURT ALSO HEARD FROM HER COUSIN, THE WOMAN WHO FILMED THE VIRAL CLIP THAT SPARKED A MASS MOVEMENT. DANIELA FRASIER EXPLAINED TO THE COURT WHY SHE DECIDED TO FILM THAT VIDEO. SHE STAYS UP AT NIGHT APOLOGISING TO GEORGE FLOYD FOR NOT DOING MORE TO SAVE HIS LIFE. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE GATHERED IN WELLINGTON'S CBD TONIGHT TO PROTEST AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE. REPORTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE CAPITAL HAVE INCREASED BY NEARLY 50% IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, AND AS IMOGEN WELLS REPORTS, RESIDENTS HAVE HAD ENOUGH. WHAT DO WE WANT? CROWD: SAFE STREETS! WHEN DO WE WANT THEM? CROWD: NOW! A RALLYING CRY TO MAKE THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL SAFER. AS A YOUNG WOMAN, I DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING THESE STREETS AFTER DARK. JUST THAT FEELING OF CONSTANTLY BEING ON EDGE AND HAVING TO ALWAYS LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER, AND WE'RE JUST TIRED OF IT. SINCE 2015, REPORTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT TO POLICE HAVE INCREASED BY NEARLY 50% IN THE WELLINGTON REGION, AND IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE CAPITAL. IT'S CUMULATED INTO THIS ENERGY AMONGST PEOPLE THAT THEY'LL NO LONGER TOLERATE THIS. WE'RE CLAIMING A SPACE THAT SAYS THAT WE BELONG HERE, WE DESERVE TO BE HERE, AND WE DESERVE TO BE SAFE IN THIS SPACE. AND SOON THERE'LL BE THE DATA TO BACK THOSE STORIES UP. THESE TWO STUDENTS SET UP AN ONLINE SURVEY FOR VICTIMS. THE RESULTS ` OVERWHELMING. NEARLY 3000 RESPONDENTS, AND ALL OF THE LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT WE RECEIVED WERE INCREDIBLY SAD, BUT THEY'RE NOT SURPRISING. WE'RE SEEING COMMON THREADS OF GROPING, ASS GRABBING, PEOPLE BEING FOLLOWED. WE'RE GOING TO COLLATE THE DATA AND PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL IN A FEW WEEKS' TIME. HUNDREDS HAVE SHOWN UP TO TONIGHT'S RALLY, INCLUDING THE MINISTER FOR FAMILY AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION, MARAMA DAVIDSON. AND TODAY ALSO ADDING HER VOICE TO THE CALL ` THE PRIME MINISTER. IT'S A STAIN ON OUR SOCIETY AND OUR COUNTRY THAT WE HAVE THE LEVELS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND FAMILY VIOLENCE THAT WE DO. THE CALL NOW IS FOR COUNCIL AND HOSPITALITY GROUPS TO WORK TOGETHER TO REVAMP THE CBD SO THAT WELLINGTONIANS CAN TAKE BACK THE NIGHT. IMOGEN WELLS, 1 NEWS. BYRON BAY'S BLUES FESTIVAL HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE SECOND YEAR RUNNING DUE TO COVID-19. THE FESTIVAL WAS EXPECTED TO BRING A CROWD OF UP TO 15,000 PEOPLE, BUT THE NEW SOUTH WALES HEALTH MINISTER ORDERED THE FESTIVAL NOT TO GO AHEAD AFTER A FRESH CASE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION WAS RECORDED. CHANNEL 9'S DAMIEN RYAN REPORTS. BYRON BAY ON A DAY WHEN IT'S NOT LOOKING OR FEELING ITS BRILLIANT BEST. THE TOURIST HAVEN IS NOW A COVID HOTSPOT ON THE EVE OF EASTER. WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT COVID, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. THE FIRST CASE OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IN TWO WEEKS IS A MAN IN HIS 20S WHO INNOCENTLY CROSSED PATHS WITH AN INFECTED HEN'S PARTY AT THE BEACH HOTEL LAST FRIDAY NIGHT. THE FALLOUT WAS SWIFT. EVERYONE AT THE BYRON BEACH HOTEL WILL BE ASKED TO QUARANTINE FOR THE FULL 14 DAYS. AND IT'S WORSE FOR THE MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN THE TWEED, BYRON, BALLINA AND LISMORE SHIRE COUNCILS THRUST BACK INTO RESTRICTIONS. TO BE ABLE TO HAVE 30 PEOPLE AT MY HOUSE OVER AT EASTER AND HAVE HALVED MY RESTAURANT SEATING. AND LATE TODAY, AN EVEN BIGGER SETBACK. I THINK IT'S UNTENABLE AT THIS STAGE, WHILE SO MUCH FLUX IS OCCURRING. AND NEW SOUTH WALES HEALTH AGREED WITH THE MAYOR. THE WORLD-FAMOUS BLUES FESTIVAL CANCELLED FOR A SECOND YEAR RUNNING. FESTIVAL GOERS ARE PACKING UP, WHILE BRISBANE, DEALING WITH ITS OWN OUTBREAK, MAY HAVE SEEN TWO NEW CASES, BUT NOT ENOUGH, IT SEEMS, TO EXTEND ITS THREE-DAY LOCKDOWN. FINGERS CROSSED ALL WILL BE LOOKING GOOD FOR EASTER. AND IN THE UK, THE LIFTING OF STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS HAVE LED TO BRAWLS AND COVID BREACHES. THESE SCENES IN THE CITY OF NOTTINGHAM AFTER HUNDREDS GATHERED IN A PARK. NEW REGULATIONS ALLOW PEOPLE TO MEET OUTDOORS BUT ONLY IN GROUPS NO LARGER THAN SIX. AND IN BIRMINGHAM, POLICE RELEASED THESE THERMAL IMAGES OF AN ILLEGAL RAVE BENEATH A MOTORWAY. BACK HERE, MORE THAN 60,000 COVID VACCINES HAVE BEEN ADMINISTERED SO FAR, BUT THERE'RE CALLS FOR THE PROGRAMME TO PICK UP THE PACE. THE MINISTER FOR THE VIRUS RESPONSE GOT HIS JAB TODAY AND INVITED CAMERAS ALONG. POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY WAS THERE. I'M NOT A GREAT FAN, NO. FOR A MAN WHO ISN'T A NEEDLE PERSON, HE'S TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM. DIDN'T EVEN FEEL IT. FLEXING SOME POLITICAL MUSCLE. MY LACK OF TAN IS A BIT EMBARRASSING. BOTH MINISTERS SENDING OUT A MESSAGE THAT IT'S SAFE TO GET THE JAB. WE ARE LEADING THE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN, WE NEED TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE VACCINE. THERE WAS JUST SOME FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE SAYING, WELL, IF THE VACCINE IS SO GOOD, HOW COME NONE OF YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE GETTING THE VACCINE? THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER WAS FIRST IN LINE, SO WHY NOT JACINDA ARDERN? I'LL LOOK TO DO IT WHEN WE START ROLLING OUT TO PARTS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WITH REGARD TO THE HEALTH MINISTERS, WE ARE OBVIOUSLY MORE LIKELY TO BE INTERACTING WITH OUR FRONT LINE WORK FORCE. HIS POLITICAL RIVAL GETS ONE TOO. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT LEADERS LIKE THE MINISTER AND OTHER MINISTERS AND POLITICIANS DO GET THE JAB. I'LL BE GETTING THE JAB. HE'S REACHED OUT TO ME AND ASKED ME TO DO IT. THERE IS VACCINE HESITANCY OUT THERE. SO FAR, MORE THAN 66,000 DOSES HAVE BEEN DISHED OUT. YESTERDAY THERE WERE MORE THAN 5,500. WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A LAG IN THE SENSE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN GETTING UP ABOUT 96% OF OUR TARGET. I'M REASONABLY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT ` GETTING THE 96% OF THE DELIVERY MODEL ON A DAILY BASIS. IS IT FAIR THAT WE CAN'T MEASURE YOU AGAINST THOSE TARGETS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DELIVERING? OH, LOOK, I'M CERTAINLY CONSCIOUS OF THAT. WE WILL RELEASE MORE INFORMATION. NATIONAL SAYS GET A MOVE ON. WE REALLY DO NEED TO SPEED UP, YOU KNOW. AUSTRALIA HAS DONE DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF VACCINES THAT WE HAVE DONE, AND THEY ARE REGARDING AS PERFORMING QUITE SLOWLY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT RIGHT SO THAT WHEN WE RAMP IT UP, WE CAN JUST REALLY ROCK IT. OF COURSE, WE'D ALL LIKE TO SEE IT GOING FASTER AS WELL. WITH 50 CENTRES OPENING UP, THE GOVERNMENT'S GOT THREE MONTHS TO GET IT RIGHT BEFORE MASS VACCINATIONS START IN JULY. JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY, 1 NEWS. REVISED PLANS FOR AUCKLAND'S LIGHT RAIL ARE 'BACK ON TRACK', ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT. BUT IT'S BEING SLAMMED AS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD. IT'S FOUR YEARS SINCE JACINDA ARDERN PROMISED TRAMS WOULD BE SPEEDING THROUGH AUCKLAND BY NOW. KATIE BRADFORD WITH TODAY'S DEVELOPMENTS. SIX YEARS, REPEATED STOP-STARTS, ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS TRANSPORT PROJECTS IN RECENT HISTORY. AND NOW THE NEW TRANSPORT MINISTER THROWING THE BOTCHED LIGHT RAIL PLAN BACK TO SQUARE ONE. TODAY I'M DRAWING A LINE UNDER IT. STARTING AGAIN MEANS SETTING UP A GROUP TO SPEND SIX MONTHS CONSULTING WITH AUCKLANDERS. COMPLETING AN INDICATIVE BUSINESS CASE TO ENABLE DECISIONS TO BE MADE ON MODE, ROUTE AND PROVIDING COST ESTIMATE AND FUNDING AND FINANCING OPTIONS. LABOUR'S BLAMING NEW ZEALAND FIRST FOR STOPPING THE PROJECT IN ITS TRACKS IN THE LAST TERM OF GOVERNMENT, BUT MANY WERE ALSO UNHAPPY AT A LACK OF CONSULTATION. ENGAGEMENT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE, BUT THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN THE CASE IN 2017. WE'VE SIMPLY WASTED FOUR YEARS. AND WE NEED TO SPEED IT UP. THE GOVERNMENT PREDICTS 17% OF THE CITY'S POPULATION, JOB AND HOUSING GROWTH WILL BE ALONG THE CORRIDOR FROM THE CENTRAL CITY THROUGH MT ROSKILL TO THE SOUTH, BUT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT ROUTE OR MODE THE TRANSPORT FIX MIGHT TAKE. THE AMBITION IS FOR IT TO CONNECT THE CITY CENTRE TO THE AIRPORT VIA THE MANGERE CORRIDOR. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN IN AUCKLAND. WE'RE COMPLETELY INERT, AND THE GOVERNMENT'S TO BLAME. ACTUALLY, WE DON'T HAVE A BUSINESS CASE RIGHT NOW, SO WE NEED TO SEE A BUSINESS CASE TO SEE IF LIGHT RAIL EVEN STACKS UP BECAUSE, QUITE FRANKLY, NOBODY KNOWS. OTHERS ARE KEEN THAT BUSINESSES DON'T SUFFER IN THE PROCESS. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IS WHATEVER CORRIDOR THEY LAND ON, IT'S A BETTER JOB THAN WHAT HAPPENED WITH ALBERT STREET AND THE HUGE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES THERE. I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO BE LEARNED FROM THAT. $1.6B IN SEED FUNDING HAS BEEN SET ASIDE, BUT IT'LL COST A LOT MORE THAN THAT, AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO WILL PAY FOR IT. SO, WHEN WILL WE ACTUALLY SEE PEOPLE JUMPING ONBOARD? LOOK, THAT WORK HAS TO BE DONE. THAT'S NOT A QUESTION THAT I CAN ANSWER TODAY, BUT WE'RE SETTING OUT THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. WE'LL HAVE A DELIVERY ENTITY MOVING INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS PROJECT. RIGHT NOW, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT RAPID RAIL ` MORE LIKE SNAIL'S PACE. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. E HAERE TONU NEI ` STILL TO COME. TWO BOOKS AND MULTIPLE FILMS HELP EARN THIS BRAVE YOUNG WOMAN AN AWARD AT THE NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR CEREMONY. AND AFTER A YEAR OF PLANNING AND ONE FAILED ATTEMPT, THIS PAIR CONQUER CROSS COOK STRAIT ON FOILS. AN UNUSUALLY WARM SPRING IN JAPAN HAS HERALDED THE EARLIEST CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON SINCE RECORDS BEGAN 1200 YEARS AGO. SCIENTISTS SAY THE INCREASINGLY EARLY FLOWERINGS ARE LIKELY THE RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE ARRIVAL OF THE BLOSSOMS, OR SAKURA IN JAPANESE, IS IMPORTANT BOTH CULTURALLY AND ECONOMICALLY. IT'S A TIME WHEN FAMILY AND FRIENDS GET TOGETHER. ALTHOUGH THIS YEAR, CORONAVIRUS HAS PUT PAID TO MASS GATHERINGS. THE NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR AWARDS ARE UNDERWAY THIS EVENING IN AUCKLAND. IN THE RUNNING FOR THE TOP GONG, MUSLIM COMMUNITY LEADER AND MOSQUE TERRORIST ATTACK SURVIVOR FARID AHMED. TAMAKI HEALTH DIRECTOR RANJNA PATEL IS NOMINATED FOR HER WORK TO HELP REHABILITATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS, AND MICROBIOLOGIST SIOUXSE WILES IS ALSO A FINALIST FOR HER WORK DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE WINNER IS STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED. BUT EARLIER THIS EVENING, MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVIST JAZZ THORNTON WON YOUNG NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR. JAZZ THORNTON'S BEEN RECOGNISED FOR HER WORK IN HELPING YOUNG KIWIS OVERCOME MENTAL ILLNESS. SHE'S WRITTEN TWO BOOKS AND PRODUCED SHORT FILMS. SHE'S A CO-FOUNDER OF THE CHARITY VOICES OF HOPE AND TRAVELS THE COUNTRY CAMPAIGNING FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH CARE. I KNOW THAT HERE IN NEW ZEALAND, OUR SUICIDE STATISTICS ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST OF YOUTH IN THE WORLD. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I VERY SIMPLY STAND HERE, NOT JUST ME, BUT REPRESENTING THAT NO MATTER HOW DARK IT FEELS, THAT THERE IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS HOPE. THORNTON'S FILM 'DEAR SUICIDAL ME' HAS HAD MILLIONS OF VIEWS. IF YOU'VE BEEN MISSING OUT ON YOUR AMERICA'S CUP FOILING FIX, THIS IS FOR YOU. IT'S MORE THAN 100 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST FLIGHT ACROSS COOK STRAIT, ALMOST 60 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST SWIMMER MADE THE CROSSING. NOW IN 2021 WE'RE FINDING NEW WAYS OF NAVIGATING ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS STRETCHES OF WATER. DEWI PREECE REPORTS. CROSSING THE COOK STRAIT MIGHT NOT SOUND LIKE MUCH THESE DAYS, BUT FOILING IT, ON THE OTHER HAND... IT'S BEEN SOMETHING I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO FOR YEARS. KITING IN WELLINGTON, YOU'VE GOT THE COOK STRAIT RIGHT AT YOUR BACK DOOR. THE SOUTH ISLAND'S JUST SITTING THERE WAITING TO BE REACHED. JUSTIN GROBLER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO BRING KITE FOILING TO THE REGION, AND IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO CONVINCE FELLOW SOUTH AFRICAN BRYAN WALTERS ON THE IDEA OF TACKLING THE STRAIT. IF WE GET THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY, THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A PARTICULARLY LONG JOURNEY. MIND YOU, A 60KM ROUND TRIP IS HARDLY A CRAWL IN THE PARK EITHER. JUST ASK CROSSING MASCOT JASPER. AND PROBABLY WHY IT'S TAKEN MORE THAN A YEAR'S WORTH OF PLANNING. JUST GOTTA BE PATIENT AND DON'T LET OUR EXCITEMENT CLOUD OUR JUDGEMENT. EASIER SAID THAN DONE. ON A BRISK FEBRUARY MORNING ON WELLINGTON'S SOUTH COAST, THE GUYS GETTING THEIR FIRST SHOT. WE'VE BEEN SUPER NERVOUS. NOW'S THE TIME TO GO, SO WE JUST GOTTA MAKE IT HAPPEN. BUT FOR ALL THE PREP AND BEST INTENTIONS, THE WIND NOT QUITE SO OBLIGING ` DYING DOWN ALMOST AS SOON AS THEY GOT OUT ON THE STRAIT. WE'LL BE BACK, FOR SURE. SO WE JUST HAD A CHAT TO PHIL ON THE BOAT ` JUST TALKED ABOUT THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNT HERE. THOSE LESSONS FINALLY PAYING OFF ON THE WEEKEND AS THEY TOOK ON MOTHER NATURE FOR ROUND TWO. (ADVENTURE MUSIC) 68KM FOILED FROM WELLINGTON'S MAKARA BEACH TO PERANO HEAD AND BACK WITH QUITE THE TALE TO TELL. I HIT A SHARK. YEAH. PROBABLY, LIKE ` SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IT WAS SITTING THERE WITH SEAGULLS AROUND. I WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF IT. JUST THREW ME OFF. NICE! PRETTY CHALLENGING, BUT GOOD FUN. LIKE, REALLY STOKED THAT WE DID IT. AND IF YOU THOUGHT ONE HISTORIC HYDROFOIL CROSSING WAS ENOUGH, JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER JUSTIN AND BRIAN'S SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT, HAYDEN REEVES BECOMING THE FIRST PERSON TO DO IT ON TWO WHEELS. WELL, SORT OF. WOO-HOO! A BIKE ON FOILS CROSSING ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE BODIES OF WATER. IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT WILL BE NEXT. DEWI PREECE, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` YOUR WEATHER. AND A COLD CHANGE ARRIVES IN TIME FOR EASTER. PLUS, VIRGIN GALACTIC UNVEILS ITS SHINY NEW SPACESHIP. VIRGIN GALACTIC'S UNVEILED ITS NEXT GENERATION SPACESHIP THAT IT HOPES WILL ONE DAY TAKE TOURISTS INTO SUB-ORBIT. THE MIRROR-LIKE FINISH ON THE VSS IMAGINE IS SAID TO BE A KEY PART OF THE SHIP'S THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM. TESTING OF THE AMERICAN-MADE SPACECRAFT WILL GET UNDERWAY IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IN THE NEW MEXICO DESERT. THE COMPANY'S FOUNDER, SIR RICHARD BRANSON, PLANS TO FLY TO THE EDGE OF SPACE LATER THIS YEAR IN A CURRENT GENERATION SPACECRAFT. TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER, WITH CLEM BEATZ AND 'MEET YOU'. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU ` GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY MICHAELA CORNELIUS AND CHELSEA BRADY CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.