IT'S MIDDAY, AND WE'RE JUST HOURS AWAY FROM KNOWING WHEN A TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE WILL FINALLY BE OPENED. WE'RE LIVE HERE AND IN AUSTRALIA AHEAD OF THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. CORONAVIRUS RAVAGES INDIA. A NEW RECORD FOR ITS HIGHEST NUMBER OF DAILY INFECTIONS SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN. AND WILL A NEW PASSENGER TRAIN BETWEEN HAMILTON AND AUCKLAND BE A RAILWAY REVOLUTION OR A TEDIOUS TRANSIT? CAPTIONS BY STEFFI DRYDEN AND PHOEBE UPTON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 IN JUST A FEW HOURS' TIME, WE'LL FIND OUT WHEN A TWO-WAY TRAVEL BUBBLE WITH AUSTRALIA WILL START. THE BUBBLE WOULD ALLOW QUARANTINE-FREE TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AND WILL LIKELY OPERATE ON A STATE-BY-STATE BASIS. OUR REPORTERS ARE STANDING BY HERE AND IN AUSTRALIA TO BRING YOU THE LATEST. FIRST, WE HEAD TO OUR REPORTER ABBEY WAKEFIELD WHO IS AT PARLIAMENT. KIA ORA, ABBEY. GOOD AFTERNOON. CABINET IS CURRENTLY MEETING RIGHT NOW TO DISCUSS THIS TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE. THEY ARE DUE OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND AT 4 PM, THE PRIME MINISTER WILL MAKE HER ANNOUNCEMENT, SOMETHING THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING MONTHS FOR. GETTING READY TO WELCOME OUR TRAVEL BUDDIES INTO OUR TRAVEL BUBBLE. WE'VE BEEN CAREFUL, WE'VE BEEN CAUTIOUS, BUT WE'RE READY. AND MICHAEL BAKER AGREES. THIS IS THE TIME TO OPEN UP TO QUARANTINE-FREE TRAVEL WITH AUSTRALIA AND WITH A NUMBER OF PACIFIC ISLANDS. BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ` BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AUSTRALIA REPRESENTED 23% OF ALL INTERNATIONAL VISITOR SPENDING IN NEW ZEALAND, WITH MORE THAN 100,000 AUSSIE TOURISTS EXPLORING OUR COUNTRY EVERY MONTH. SO BASED ON OUR MODELLING, IF IT OPENS UP SOON, WE THINK IT COULD BE $1bn OR EVEN MORE IN 2021, SO THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS INTO THE ECONOMY. THIS AUSTRALIAN BUBBLE WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY, WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE AN IMPACT ON TOURISM BUSINESSES. I MEAN AUSTRALIA IS OUR BIGGEST MARKET FOR US HERE. FOR MONTHS NOW, A TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE HAS BEEN ON THE CARDS. THE MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIA STATES ALREADY ALLOW KIWIS INTO THE COUNTRY WITHOUT NEEDING TO QUARANTINE. NEW ZEALAND, ON THE OTHER HAND, TAKING ITS TIME. THE REALITY IS WE HAD TO DO IT WHEN WE KNEW IT WAS SAFE FOR NEW ZEALANDERS. AND I'M NEVER GOING TO APOLOGISE FOR PRIORITISING THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF NEW ZEALANDERS. THE WORLD REALLY NEEDS MODELS OF GOOD PRACTICE WHERE COUNTRIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE THESE GREEN ZONES WHERE WE'VE BASICALLY ELIMINATED THE VIRUS. AIR NEW ZEALAND HAS ALREADY PRE-EMPTED THE BUBBLE, ADDING MORE FLIGHTS, STARTING FROM APRIL 19. WHETHER THAT'S THE DATE THE GOVERNMENT HAS IN MIND TOO, WE'LL FIND OUT THIS AFTERNOON. AND, ABBEY THE GOVERNMENT HAS A WARNING TO EAGER TRAVELLERS? YES, THEY DO. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS PREVIOUSLY WARNED THAT THE TRAVEL BUBBLE DOES NOT COME WITHOUT AN ELEMENT OF RISK FOR THOSE WILLING TO TRAVEL. IF THERE WERE A COVID-19 OUTBREAK, THE PREMISE TO HAS INDICATED THAT SOME TRAVELLERS MAY BECOME STRANDED SHOULD THE BORDERS ARE SHUT. THE PRIME MINISTER WILL ALSO BE LOOKING TO REASSURE NEW ZEALANDERS WHO MAY BE NERVOUS ABOUT THE BUBBLE, AND THAT SAFETY IS STILL THE TOP PRIORITY. WE SHOULD EXPECT DETAILS AROUND THE LOGISTICS OF THAT. THERE ARE ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MANAGED ISOLATION FACILITIES AND WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WILL RELAX RULES ABOUT WHO IS ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTRY GIVEN THAT 40% OF OUR MIQ SPOTS ARE TAKEN UP BY AUSTRALIANS. WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN OUR AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT, ANDREW MACFARLANE, WHO'S IN SYDNEY. ANDREW, WHAT'S THE REACTION BEEN ACROSS THE DITCH? WE HAVE REFERRED TO THIS IS A BUBBLE FOR SOME TIME, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN A BUBBLE FOR THIS LAST YEAR OR SO. NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA QUARANTINE ARE FREE. BUT THE AGREEMENT HAS NOT BEEN RECIPROCATED. TALKING TO PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA, YOU GET THE BIKE THEY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THAT. MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING THIS 4 O'CLOCK ANNOUNCEMENT VERY CLOSELY. AS ABBY MENTIONED, THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE IT IS A FLYERS BEWARE. IF YOU COME TO AUSTRALIA, THERE IS THE RISK THAT WHATEVER STATE YOU ARE AND COULD GO INTO LOCKDOWN SHOULD SCOVID RE-EMERGE. THEY HAVE HAD A FEW CASES POPPING UP HERE IN AUSTRALIA LAST MONTH NEAR BYRON BAY AND IN QUEENSLAND. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL, BUT IT DOES ILLUSTRATE HOW FRAGILE THIS AGREEMENT IS, IN THE RISK THAT FLYERS WILL BE ENTERING WHEN THEY COME TO AUSTRALIA. WE HAVE ALSO HEARD ABOUT TOURISM OPERATORS AND HOW THEY ARE WAITING FOR THIS AGREEMENT TO BE MADE. SPECIFICALLY, TOURISM OPERATORS AND AUSTRALIA HAVE BEEN FEELING THE PINCH. THEIR JOB KEEPER, THE EQUIVALENT OF OUR WAGE SUBSIDY HAS ENDED, AND MANY ARE HOPING THIS IS THE LIFELINE THEY NEED. IT HAS MEANT WE HAVE HAD TO SCALE BACK OPERATIONS. STUFF WE HAVE HAD FOR 20+ YEARS, WE HAVE HAD THEM ON REDUCED DAYS. SOME PEOPLE CAN TOLERATE THAT FOR A WHILE, BUT IT IS FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR THEM AND THEY HAVE HAD TO LOOK FOR OTHER JOBS. WE HAVE LOST SOME GOOD PEOPLE. THAT HAS BEEN HARD FOR US. ANDREW, THERE ARE STILL SOME BIG LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS. HOW WILL IT ALL WORK? YOU HAVE HEARD ALL ABOUT THE QUARANTINE AND MANAGED ISOLATION, BUT A BIG QUESTION WILL BE CONTACT TRACING. IN NEW ZEALAND YOU HAVE OUR CLOVER TRACER AT WHICH HAS BLUETOOTH CONTACT TRACING AND THE SCANNING OF QR CODES. IN NEW SOUTH WALES, THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE APPS. ONE FOR BLUETOOTH, AND A SEPARATE ONE FOR SCANNING QR CODES. ALREADY, PEOPLE COMING TO JUST NEW SOUTH WALES WILL HAVE TO DOWNLOAD TWO NEW APPS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH HOW THEY WORK. AUSTRALIA IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT DOES NOT OPERATE AS ONE COUNTRY, IT IS A STATE-BY-STATE. STATE-BY-STATE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT METHODS TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE AND TRACK THEM DOWN IF SOMEONE TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. THE MESSAGING AROUND CONTACT TRACING WILL BE CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE WHO COME FROM NEW ZEALAND TO AUSTRALIA, AND ALSO FOR PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA WHO ARE USED TO THE METHODS HERE, THEY HAD TO LEARN A NEW SYSTEM OF TRACKING AND TRACING WHEN THEY GO TO NEW ZEALAND. THAT IS OUR AUSTRALIAN CORRESPONDENT ANDREW MCFARLANE. COMPASSIONATE REFUNDS WILL FINALLY BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE HOLDING AIR NEW ZEALAND CREDITS. THE AIRLINE HAS SET UP A DEDICATED TEAM TO REVIEW CASES WHERE CUSTOMERS WHO HOLD A CREDIT WOULD LIKE A REFUND ON COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS. IT'LL INCLUDE NO LONGER BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL DUE TO ILL HEALTH OR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP CAUSED BY COVID-19. ITS CUSTOMER OFFICER SAYS A YEAR ON FROM THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, MUCH HAS CHANGED. A DEDICATED PHONE LINE HAS BEEN SET UP TO DEAL WITH COMPASSIONATE REQUESTS. A HAWKE'S BAY WOMAN IS PERPLEXED AS TO WHY SHE WAS OFFERED THE COVID VACCINE DESPITE NOT BEING ELIGIBLE. THEY'RE CURRENTLY ONLY AVAILABLE TO BORDER STAFF, FRONT LINE HEALTH WORKERS AND THEIR CLOSE CONTACTS. THE WOMAN, WHO DOES NOT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED, SAYS SHE WAS CALLED AND TOLD HER VACCINE WAS READY AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER, DESPITE NEVER WORKING AS ONE OR HAVING ANY CLOSE CONTACTS IN A PRIORITY GROUP. MY RESPONSE TO THEM WAS, 'I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT NEED IT BEFORE ME.' I THINK IT IS, YEAH, A LITTLE BIT CONCERNING HOW I MADE IT ON TO A PRIORITY LIST WHEN I'M DEFINITELY NOT PRIORITY. HAWKE'S BAY DHB HAS TOLD 1 NEWS THE MATTER WAS AN ISSUE FOR THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, WHO HAVE YET TO RESPOND TO OUR QUESTIONS. THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MINISTER KIRI ALLAN IS TAKING MEDICAL LEAVE AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE III CERVICAL CANCER. ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS MORNING, THE LABOUR MP SAID SHE RECEIVED THE DIAGNOSIS LAST WEEK, AND NOW THE FIGHT OF HER LIFE HAS BEGUN. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS IT'S DEVASTATING NEWS. IT'S FAIR TO SAY, AS A FRIEND AND A COLLEAGUE, I'VE BEEN GUTTED BY THE NEWS ` HER WHOLE TEAM IS. BUT WE'RE ALSO SO HEARTENED BY THE CHARACTER, THE PERSON THAT KIRI IS. KIRI ALLAN IS URGING WOMEN TO GET REGULAR SMEAR TESTS. THE EASTER WEEKEND ROAD TOLL IS NOW THE DEADLIEST IN A DECADE. THERE'S BEEN CONFIRMATION FROM POLICE THIS MORNING AN EIGHTH PERSON WAS KILLED OVER THE HOLIDAY PERIOD ` A TODDLER WHO DIED AT STARSHIP HOSPITAL AFTER AN INCIDENT IN AUCKLAND. ALL FATAL CRASHES HAPPENED IN THE NORTH ISLAND. NO ONE WAS KILLED ON THE ROAD THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WITH THE COUNTRY IN LEVEL 4 LOCKDOWN. INDIA'S SEEN ITS HIGHEST NUMBER OF DAILY COVID-19 INFECTIONS SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN. MORE THAN 103,000 CASES WERE CONFIRMED ON SUNDAY, AS THE COUNTRY ATTEMPTS TO RAMP UP ITS VACCINATION CAMPAIGN. PREVIOUSLY, ONLY THE UNITED STATES HAD REACHED 100,000 DAILY CASES. STRONGER COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS HAVE COME INTO EFFECT IN PARTS OF JAPAN TO TRY TO CURB A SHARP UPTICK IN CASES WITH JUST 108 DAYS UNTIL THE OLYMPICS. THE COUNTRY CONFIRMED ALMOST 2,500 CASES ON SUNDAY, MANY OF THEM IN OSAKA. THREE CITIES ARE THOUGHT TO BE ON THE BRINK OF STATES OF EMERGENCY. NEW MEASURES, INCLUDING CUTTING OPENING HOURS FOR RESTAURANTS AND MANDATORY MASKS, WILL BE IN PLACE FOR AT LEAST A MONTH. BRAZIL IS BUCKLING UNDER A WAVE OF COVID-19 CASES, BUT THE VICTIMS ARE GETTING YOUNGER THAN EARLIER IN THE PANDEMIC. THE LOCAL VARIANT IS THOUGHT TO BE BEHIND THE SPREAD. BUT THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS TOO, AS ABC'S BARBARA MILLER EXPLAINS. BEFORE COVID, THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAME TO PLAY SPORT. NOW FAR TOO MANY COME HERE TO DIE. TRANSLATOR: THE PROFILE USED TO BE MAINLY ELDERLY PATIENTS. AND TODAY MORE AND MORE YOUNGER PEOPLE ENTER THE HOSPITAL EVERY DAY. WHEN THEY ARRIVE HERE, IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION. DIFFICULTY BREATHING ONE DAY, INTUBATION THE NEXT. THE SPREAD OF THE BRAZIL VARIANT, KNOWN OFFICIALLY AS P1, IS THOUGHT TO BE PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RISE IN PATIENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 60. MANY OF THEM CAN SURVIVE LONGER IN INTENSIVE CARE, BUT THAT'S ADDING EVEN MORE PRESSURE ON A HEALTH SYSTEM CLOSE TO COLLAPSE. TRANSLATOR: THE AMOUNT OF MEDICATION FOR INTUBATION IS DECREASING, BUT THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WHO NEED TO BE INTUBATED IS INCREASING. LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE IMPOSED LIMITED RESTRICTIONS, BUT THEY'RE UP AGAINST ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PROMINENT COVID SCEPTICS ` A PRESIDENT WHO IS TRYING TO USE THE COURTS TO OVERTURN LOCKDOWNS. BRAZIL'S STRONGMAN DESCRIBES THE VIRUS AS A LITTLE FLU AND SEES OFF CABINET COLLEAGUES WHO DARE TO DISAGREE. TRANSLATOR: WE HAD, AND WE HAVE TWO ENEMIES ` THE VIRUS AND UNEMPLOYMENT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BY STAYING AT HOME. VACCINATIONS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY. JUST 2% OF THE POPULATION IS FULLY INOCULATED. MOST HAVE NO PROTECTION AGAINST THIS SECOND WAVE. 330,000 BRAZILIANS HAVE DIED WITH COVID SO FAR. SO MANY THAT THERE ARE NOW LITERALLY NOT ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY TO BURY THEM. ENGLAND'S PRIMED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS IN ITS ROADMAP OUT OF LOCKDOWN. PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON HAS CONFIRMED NON-ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES INCLUDING GYMS, SPAS, ZOOS AND THEME PARKS CAN REOPEN NEXT WEEK. BUT THERE'S STILL NO WORD ON INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL. BBC'S CAROLINE DAVIS HAS DETAILS. PREPARING FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TAKES TIME ` THE INDUSTRY IS ALREADY GEARING UP, HOPING THAT THEY'LL HAVE A SUMMER SEASON. BUT TODAY, THE PRIME MINISTER WASN'T MAKING ANY PROMISES. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GET GOING. BUT FROM MAY 17, WE'RE HOPEFUL. BUT I DO NOT WISH TO GIVE HOSTAGES TO FORTUNE OR TO ESTIMATE THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN SOME OF THE DESTINATION COUNTRIES THAT PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO GO TO. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THE VIRUS BEING RE-IMPORTED INTO THIS COUNTRY FROM ABROAD. WHEN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL DOES RESTART, IT WILL USE A TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM. SO FAR, WE ONLY KNOW SOME COUNTRIES ON THE RED LIST. ANYONE ARRIVING TO ENGLAND FROM DESIGNATED GREEN COUNTRIES WON'T NEED TO QUARANTINE, ALTHOUGH THEY WILL STILL NEED TO TAKE A TEST BEFORE THEY TRAVEL BACK AND MORE WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN THE U.K. THOSE TRAVELLING FROM AMBER COUNTRIES NEED TO TAKE ALL OF THESE TESTS, AND WILL BE REQUIRED TO QUARANTINE AT HOME ON ARRIVAL FOR 10 DAYS. ALTHOUGH, IF THEY PAY FOR AN EXTRA TEST ON THE FIFTH DAY, AND IT'S NEGATIVE, THEY CAN LEAVE QUARANTINE EARLY. ONLY U.K. RESIDENTS WILL BE ALLOWED IN FROM RED COUNTRIES, AND THEY'LL NEED TO PAY FOR QUARANTINE AT A HOTEL AS WELL AS TAKING THESE TESTS. MORE DETAILS ARE EXPECTED LATER THIS WEEK. SCOTLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND HAVEN'T COMMITTED TO A DATE FOR WHEN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MIGHT RESTART. WHETHER A COUNTRY IS ADDED TO THE GREEN LIST WILL DEPEND ON THE VACCINES AND THE PREVALENCE OF CONCERNING VARIANTS. THIS WAS THE LAST TIME LARIA AND HER CHILDREN SAW HER PARENTS IN SAN MARINO IN OCTOBER 2019. THEY GET TO MEET HER DAUGHTER (1). THEY'VE MISSED A WHOLE CHUNK OF HER LIFE THAT THEY CAN'T REALLY TAKE BACK. AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW AT WHAT POINT WE WILL KNOW WHERE WE CAN TRAVEL, WHICH COUNTRIES WILL BE IN THE AMBER, RED AND GREEN CATEGORIES. THERE ARE STILL PLENTY MORE DETAILS NEEDED BEFORE TRAVEL CAN TAKE OFF. THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE CHIEF SAYS KNEELING ON PEOPLE'S NECKS IS NOT WHAT OFFICERS ARE TAUGHT AS HE TESTIFIED AT THE GEORGE FLOYD MURDER TRIAL. FORMER OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN IS CHARGED WITH MR FLOYD'S KILLING. ABC'S ALEX PEREZ REPORTS. YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM? MINNEAPOLIS CHIEF OF POLICE MEDARIA ARRADONDO TESTIFYING AGAINST ONE OF HIS FORMER OFFICERS, TELLING THE JURY THAT WHAT DEREK CHAUVIN DID TO GEORGE FLOYD VIOLATED THE POLICY AND VALUES OF THE DEPARTMENT. TO CONTINUE TO APPLY THAT LEVEL OF FORCE TO A PERSON PRONED OUT, HANDCUFFED BEHIND THEIR BACK. THAT THAT IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM IS ANYTHING THAT IS BY POLICY IS NOT PART OF OUR TRAINING, AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT PART OF OUR ETHICS OR OUR VALUES. CHIEF ARRADONDO RECALLING THE FIRST TIME HE SAW THE PAINFUL CELL PHONE VIDEO. ALMOST VERBATIM, BUT SAID, CHIEF, HAVE YOU SEEN THE VIDEO OF YOUR OFFICER CHOKING AND KILLING THAT THAT MAN? THE NEXT DAY HE FIRED ALL THE OFFICERS INVOLVED AND LATER HE TOOK A KNEE. AS GEORGE FLOYD'S CASKET ARRIVED AT HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE. TODAY, THE CHIEF DELIVERED A BLUNT ASSESSMENT OF CHAUVIN'S CONDUCT. IS THIS A TRAINED MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT DEFENSIVE TACTICS TECHNIQUE? IT IS NOT. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT VIOLATES OUR POLICY. HE DID ACKNOWLEDGE NECK RESTRAINTS AND CHOKEHOLDS WERE ALLOWABLE AT THE TIME. BOTH WERE PERMITTED UNDER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE POLICY ON MAY 25TH OF 2020. AGREED? YES. THE CHIEF LATER CLARIFYING ` IT IS CONTRARY TO OUR TRAINING. I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE THAT THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE USE OF FORCE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` IS THIS THE START OF A RAILWAY REVOLUTION IN NEW ZEALAND? OR IS THE NEW HAMILTON TO AUCKLAND PASSENGER SERVICE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME ON THE TRACKS? AND AFTER MULTIPLE INJURIES AND A TOUGH LOSS, COULD THE WARRIORS FINALLY GET A MUCH NEEDED BOOST? (ENGINE RUMBLES) PHONE: Flow ` everything's flowing. When you can hit that flow, you basically become one. Challenge yourself to be better, to do it with more style and grace. (ENGINE RUMBLES IN BURSTS) That's what I aspire to. THE FIRST HAMILTON TO AUCKLAND PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE SET OFF THIS MORNING, CONNECTING THE TWO CITIES IN A BID TO EASE CONGESTION. BUT AS KATIE STEVENSON REPORTS, THERE'S SOME CONCERN OVER HOW LONG THE JOURNEY TAKES. TE HUIA EN ROUTE TO AUCKLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE TRAIN LEAVING HAMILTON'S FRANKTON STATION JUST BEFORE 6AM. IT'S A BIG OCCASION, ACTUALLY. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PASSENGER TRAINS IN HAMILTON BEFORE. OLD RAIL CAR AND STUFF. BUT HAVING THIS THING RUNNING OUT, ESPECIALLY FOR HAMILTON, IS, YEAH, IT'S GREAT, ACTUALLY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, I THINK. THE WAIKATO REALLY HAS NEEDED THIS FOR A WHILE, SO WE'LL DEFINITELY USE IT. I THINK EVERY TIME THAT I COME TO AUCKLAND, I WILL DEFINITELY USE IT. WE ACTUALLY CAME UP JUST TO GO FOR A RIDE ON THE TRAIN. THERE'LL BE RETURN SERVICES TWICE A DAY IN A BID TO EASE TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES. I THINK THIS WILL GIVE PEOPLE OPTIONS AROUND GOING IN AND OUT OF AUCKLAND ON A DAILY BASIS, AND ALSO HELP PEOPLE TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS. IT'S A LOT MORE PLEASANT TO COMMUTE ON A TRAIN THAN IT IS TO SIT IN A FRUSTRATING TRAFFIC. A FULL JOURNEY FROM FRANKTON, HAMILTON INTO AUCKLAND CBD TAKES ABOUT 2� HOURS WITH A TRANSFER AT PAPAKURA. IT'S A CHANCE FOR US TO BRIDGE THE COMMUTER CHALLENGE, GET 73,000 CARS A YEAR OFF THE STATE HIGHWAY 1 TO AUCKLAND. IT'S COST THE GOVERNMENT AND COUNCIL CLOSE TO $100m. ABOUT 8000 PEOPLE A DAY COMMUTE BETWEEN WAIKATO AND AUCKLAND, AND IT'S HOPED ABOUT 300 PEOPLE A DAY WILL USE THE TRAIN. BUT CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE LENGTH OF THE JOURNEY. BUT THERE'S MORE POSITIVES THAN THERE ARE NEGATIVES. YOU KNOW, THIS IS A START AND WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. A STEP INTO A NEW ERA OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR THE REGION. KATIE STEVENSON, 1 NEWS. TO SPORT, AND NEW ZEALAND SPORTS TEAMS ARE EAGERLY AWAITING THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE ANNOUNCEMENT AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR FUTURE GAMES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPETITIONS. AMONG THEM, THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX, WHO ARE, ONCE AGAIN, KICKING THEMSELVES FOR LETTING POINTS SLIP AGAINST MELBOURNE CITY. WELLINGTON TWICE FOUGHT BACK FROM BEHIND, THANKS LARGELY TO SKIPPER ULISES DAVILA. IT MIGHT OPEN UP HERE FOR DAVILA. AND IT'S THE ONE THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. ULISES DAVILA BRINGS THE PHOENIX BACK ON TERMS, WITH A QUITE BRILLIANT EFFORT. THE NIX'S HARD WORK WAS UNDONE, CITY FINDING A WAY PAST THEIR DEFENCE LATE ON TO SNATCH A 3-2 WIN AND DENT WELLINGTON'S TOP SIX HOPES. I BELIEVE WE'RE A GOOD TEAM AND WE'VE GOT SOME GOOD PLAYERS AND WE PLAY SOME REALLY GOOD FOOTBALL. AND I'VE SAID THAT SINCE THE START OF THIS SEASON, WE'VE PLAYED SOME REALLY DECENT FOOTBALL WITHOUT REWARDING OURSELVES. THAT'S THE DISAPPOINTING PART ABOUT IT. ANOTHER TEAM EAGERLY AWAITING NEWS OF A TRAVEL AGREEMENT IS THE WARRIORS. FOR NOW, THE TEAM ARE FOCUSSED ON NEGOTIATING THE EARLY RELEASE OF REECE WALSH FROM THE BRONCOS. THE HIGHLY RATED FULLBACK (18) IS SET TO HAVE HIS END-OF-SEASON MOVE BROUGHT FORWARD TO HELP THE INJURY-STRUCK WARRIORS. MULTIPLE REPORTS IN AUSTRALIA SAY THE KIWI SIDE WILL SEND YOUNG PLAYMAKER PAUL TURNER THE OTHER WAY TO BRISBANE IN A SWAP DEAL. NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL ISAIAH PAPALI'I HAS SCORED HIS FIRST TRY FOR HIS NEW NRL CLUB THE PARRAMATTA EELS. THE FORWARD CRASHING OVER AGAINST THE WESTS TIGERS. PAPALI'I! HE'S OVER. ISAIAH PAPALI'I SCORES. PAPALI'I AMONG SEVEN TRY-SCORERS IN THE EELS' 36-22 WIN. THEY REMAIN UNBEATEN, ALONG SIDE THE PANTHERS. WEST HAM UNITED ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO SECURING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL NEXT SEASON. THE HAMMERS NOW ON COURSE FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE'S TOP FOUR AND COMPLETE THEIR BEST PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON IN MORE THAN A DECADE. THE BBC'S KATIE GORNALL EXPLAINS HAS A WRAP OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION. CARLO ANCELOTTI HAS SEEN AND WON IT ALL IN EUROPE, LEADING EVERTON THERE WOULD COUNT AS ANOTHER HUGE SUCCESS. AFTER THREE DEFEATS, HIS SIDE SET ABOUT TRYING TO GET THEIR HOPES OF A TOP FOUR FINISH BACK ON TRACK. EVERTON HAD ENERGY AGAINST CRYSTAL PALACE ` WHAT THEY NEEDED WAS ACCURACY. HERE'S WHERE HAMMER'S RODRIGUEZ COMES IN. AND RODRIGUEZ! THE COLOMBIAN HAS BEEN OUT FOR MORE THAN A MONTH ` HOW THEY'VE MISSED HIM. AS THE MINUTES TICKED DOWN, ROY HODGSON TURNED TO THOSE HE'D LEFT OUT. AND HERE'S THE MOMENT ` AND HE TAKES IT! MICHY BATSHUAYI'S IMPACT WAS ALMOST INSTANT. PALACE HAD TAKEN THEIR BIGGEST CHANCE, WHILE EVERTON CONTINUE TO WASTE THEIRS. EUROPE, FOR NOW, FEELS A LITTLE MORE DISTANT. POISED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE AT MOLLENHAUER WEST HAM, AND THEY SET OFF AT A BLISTERING PACE. FEW PLAYERS HAVE THE SWAGGER OF JESSE LINGARD RIGHT NOW ` FIVE MINUTES IN AND HE'D ALREADY STOLEN THE SHOW. LINGARD WOULD HAVE MORE TRICKS UP HIS SLEEVE AS WEST HAM THROUGH FORNALS CRUISED TO A SECOND 2-0 AFTER 14 MINUTES. SOON IT WOULD BE THREE. AS LINGARD ` WHO ELSE ` SET UP JARED BOYEN. AND BOYEN WILL GET THERE FIRST. WOLVES SEEMED AS IF THEY'D LOST THEIR FIGHT. BUT THIS FRANTIC GAME JUST KEPT ON GIVING AS THEY CLAW THEIR WAY BACK. AND FABIO SILVA MADE IT 3-2 AFTER THE BREAK. NERVOUS? WELL, SURE, BUT SOMEHOW WEST HAM HELD ON. THEY ARE BACK IN THE TOP FOUR WITH EIGHT GAMES REMAINING, HOPING TO END THE SEASON IN STYLE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE WEATHER'S SHAPING UP AT YOUR PLACE TODAY. # I COME FROM A LAND DOWN UNDER, # WHERE BEER DOES FLOW AND MEN CHUNDER. # CAN'T YOU HEAR, CAN'T YOU HEAR THE THUNDER? # YOU BETTER RUN, YOU BETTER TAKE COVER. # YE-AAH. # LYIN' IN A DEN IN BOMBAY, # LYIN' IN A DEN IN BOMBAY, # WITH A SLACK JAW AND NOT MUCH TO SAY. # I SAID TO THE MAN, 'ARE YOU TRYING TO TEMPT ME?' # BECAUSE I COME FROM THE LAND OF PLENTY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE'LL HAVE A 1 NEWS SPECIAL WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE HERE ON TVNZ 1 AT 4 O'CLOCK. UNTIL THEN, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY STEFFI DRYDEN AND PHOEBE UPTON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.