TONIGHT ` THE PLUG SET TO BE PULLED ON THE CONTROVERSIAL EXPORT TRADE OF LIVE ANIMALS TO PROTECT ANIMAL WELFARE. ANOTHER POLICE SHOOTING LEADS TO LOOTING AND CONFRONTATION ON THE STREETS OF MINNEAPOLIS. THE POLICE OFFICER WHO KILLED AN UNARMED BLACK MAN SAYS IT WAS A MISTAKE. AND UNDER PRESSURE ` THE COUNTRY'S ONLY INTENSIVE CARE FACILITY SPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN IS APPEALING FOR HELP TO FUND MORE BEDS. CAPTIONS BY SALLY HARPER AND CHELSEA BRADY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. IT'S A CONTROVERSIAL PRACTICE MANY HAVE LABELLED ANIMAL CRUELTY, BUT FROM TOMORROW THE GOVERNMENT'S EXPECTED TO REVEAL MOVES TO END THE LIVE EXPORT TRADE. IT COMES AMID A MONTHS-LONG INVESTIGATION BY TVNZ'S SUNDAY PROGRAMME INTO THE CONDITIONS ENDURED BY CATTLE AT SEA. WITH HER EXCLUSIVE REPORT HERE'S SUNDAY CORRESPONDENT REBECCA WRIGHT. OVER 4000 NEW ZEALAND CATTLE BOARDING A SHIP IN NAPIER ABOUT TO SPEND 17 DAYS AT SEA. THEY'RE ON THE WAY TO CHINA RIGHT NOW FOR BREEDING AS THE GOVERNMENT GETS SET TO BAN LIVE EXPORTS FROM THIS COUNTRY. IT'S A TRADE WHOSE TIME HAS COME, IT'S A TRADE WE SHOULD'VE GOT OUT OF YEARS AGO. THE INDUSTRY WAS THRUST INTO THE SPOTLIGHT AFTER THE GULF LIVESTOCK CAPSIZED LAST SEPTEMBER IN THE EAST CHINA SEA. 41 CREW, INCLUDING TWO NEW ZEALANDERS, DIED, ALONGSIDE NEARLY 6000 CATTLE. FOLLOWING THAT, OUR GOVERNMENT TEMPORARILY BANNED EXPORTS OF LIVE CATTLE, BUT ALLOWED THEM TO RESUME LATE LAST YEAR WITH PROMISES OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROCESS. WE HAVE A VETERINARIAN ON BOARD. WE HAVE ANOTHER FIVE STOCK PEOPLE. THESE ANIMALS WILL BE LOOKED AFTER, FED APPROPRIATELY, AND WILL ARRIVE IN THEIR DESTINATION IN AS GOOD A CONDITION AS WE CAN EXPECT. NOW THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR MINDS AGAIN, WITH PLANS TO SCRAP THE TRADE COMPLETELY. EXPORTER DAVE HAYMAN HAS BEEN SENDING LIVE CATTLE OVERSEAS FOR 20 YEARS AND HAS BEEN LOBBYING INTENSIVELY TO CONTINUE. EXPORT GIVES THE ANIMALS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A FULL, PRODUCTIVE LIFE AND, YOU KNOW, IN A VERY WELL CARED FOR ENVIRONMENT. HE SAYS IT FULFILS A VALUABLE ROLE FOR THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY. FARMERS DO HAVE SURPLUS ANIMALS TO SELL, AND IF WE DON'T EXPORT THEM, THEN THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT THOSE ANIMALS WILL BE CULLED AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. BUT OPPONENTS SAY THERE ARE BIG QUESTION MARKS OVER THE WELFARE OF THESE ANIMALS DURING THE JOURNEY BY SEA AND ONCE THEY ARRIVE IN CHINA. WE TAKE ANIMALS FROM AN ENVIRONMENT IN NEW ZEALAND WHERE THEY HAVE A REASONABLY GOOD LIFE, AND SEND THEM TO PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE A PRETTY LOUSY LIFE. AND IN THE PROCESS, WE SUBJECT THEM TO A JOURNEY WHICH GETS INCREASINGLY STRESSFUL. LAST YEAR, NEARLY 110,000 CATTLE WERE EXPORTED FROM NEW ZEALAND ` ALL TO CHINA. THAT'S A NEARLY THREE-FOLD INCREASE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. IN 2019, THE VALUE OF LIVESTOCK EXPORTS WAS $54m. THAT'S JUST 0.1% OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF PRIMARY PRODUCT EXPORTS. SINCE THE TRAGEDY, PROTESTS HAVE BEEN HELD AROUND PORTS FROM TARANAKI TO TIMARU. 1 NEWS AND SUNDAY UNDERSTANDS THE GOVERNMENT WILL FINALLY MOVE TO BAN THE PRACTICE THIS WEEK, BUT WITH A WIND-DOWN PERIOD. FOR THOSE TWO YEARS, ANIMALS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUFFER. BOTH IN THE JOURNEY AND AT THE DESTINATION. BUT THIS EXPORTER IS SENDING A DIRE WARNING ABOUT WHAT THIS ALL COULD MEAN FOR OUR VITAL TRADE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA. THE GRAVE RISK IS THAT CHINA IS UNHAPPY, AND THEREFORE, THEY COULD CHANGE THE RULES AROUND THE SUPPLY OF MEAT AND DAIRY AND OTHER PRODUCTS. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES SET TO END IN A MOVE THAT, FOR MANY, CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH. REBECCA WRIGHT, 1 NEWS. TWO YEARS ON FROM THE CHRISTCHURCH TERRORIST ATTACK, THERE ARE MOVES TO STRENGTHEN OUR COUNTER TERRORISM LAWS. AMONG THE CHANGES, CREATING A NEW OFFENCE FOR ANYONE PLANNING OR PREPARING A TERRORIST ACT. POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY HAS MORE. THE ATTACK ON MARCH 15 2019 HIGHLIGHTED BIG HOLES IN OUR TERRORISM LAWS. THOSE AT THE CENTRE OF IT SAY IT'S TAKEN TOO LONG TO PLUG THOSE GAPS. THAT WAS THE FIRST AND BIGGEST TERRORIST ATTACK IN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY, AND 2 YEARS AFTER, THIS PROPOSAL IS RELEASED TODAY, AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY SLOW. THE CHANGES INCLUDE CRIMINALISING PEOPLE FOR GOING OVERSEAS TO CARRY OUT A TERRORIST ACT. THE DEFINITION WILL NOW INCLUDE 'INDUCING FEAR', AND RULES FUNDING A TERROR GROUP WILL NOW BE STRENGTHENED. BUT IMPORTANTLY MAKING SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE PREPARING OR TRAINING OR GETTING WEAPONS FOR TERRORISM ACTS HERE IN NEW ZEALAND CAN BE PROSECUTED FOR THAT. BUT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THIS WOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED THE CHRISTCHURCH GUNMAN. NO, SADLY THERE IS NO SUGGESTION THAT HAD THE LEGISLATION, THE TERRORISM SUPPRESSION ACT BEEN ANY DIFFERENT THAT IT WOULD HAVE NECESSARILY LED TO A DIFFERENT SITUATION. I THINK WHAT THEY DO GIVE AUTHORITIES NOW IS MORE TOOLS. WE'VE HAD A MINISTER WHO, THE FIRST THING HE SAYS IS, 'WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS IN RESPONSE TO MARCH 15,' AND THE SECOND THING HE SAYS IS, 'THIS WOULDN'T HAVE PREVENTED MARCH 15.' I FIND THAT ASTONISHING. BUT OTHERS SAY IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT BIG TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS ANY MORE. TERRORISM IS CHANGING, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF THE POTENTIAL TERRORIST ACTOR, PRIMARILY NOW BEING THE EXTREME RIGHT, BUT IT'S ALSO IN TERMS OF THE TERRORIST ATTEMPT AND BEING ABLE TO MONITOR PEOPLE IN THE LONGER TERM WHO MAY BE PUT INTO INCARCERATION BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DO. WHEN THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MARCH 15 REPORTED BACK IN DECEMBER, IT MADE 44 RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN IMPLEMENTING JUST ONE OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. IF THEY DO IT AT THIS SPEED, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TENS OF YEARS. AND IT'S GONNA BE A VERY SLOW PROCESS. IT'S A DAY THAT'S STILL HAVING REPERCUSSIONS 2 YEARS ON. JESSICA MUTCH MCKAY, 1 NEWS. POLICE ARE HOPING A $100,000 REWARD WILL HELP FIND NEW INFORMATION INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF TODDLER AMBER LEE CRUICKSHANK NEARLY 29 YEARS AGO. THE TWO-YEAR-OLD WAS LAST SEEN ON THE SHORES OF LAKE WAKATIPU NEAR KINGSTON, SOUTH OF QUEENSTOWN, IN OCTOBER 1992. SHE WAS WITH HER FAMILY AT A HOUSE, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHERS, BEFORE SHE WENT MISSING. POLICE BELIEVE FOUL PLAY MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AND SAY AFTER NEARLY THREE DECADES THE FAMILY WANT ANSWERS. COME AND GET TESTED ` THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM THE TESTING STATION SET UP TO RESPOND TO OUR LATEST BORDER-RELATED COVID CASES. ITS STAFF ARE URGING MORE PEOPLE TO COME ALONG FOR A SWAB AFTER A SLOW START IN AUCKLAND'S MOUNT ROSKILL. LAURA JAMES REPORTS. IT MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT OFFICIALS WANT TO SEE MORE OF THIS. I D LIKE TO SEE A LOT MORE COME OUT AND MAKE AN ATTEMPT. IN THE HOUR AFTER OPENING, NO MORE THAN FOUR CARS WERE IN THE QUEUE AT THIS MOUNT ROSKILL SITE AT ANY ONE TIME. IF ANYONE HAS ANY SYMPTOMS OF ANY KIND ` FLU SEASON IS COMING AS WELL ` COME DOWN AND GET TESTED JUST TO BE SAFE; SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY, SAFE FOR YOUR FAMILY. THESE PEOPLE DOING JUST THAT. I'VE JUST HAD A FEW OF THE SYMPTOMS, AND SEEING AS WE LIVE IN ROSKILL, WE'RE TRYNA BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS. GET RID OF THAT LITTLE NIGGLE ` 'WHAT IF?' I'VE JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A COLD. THERE ARE FIVE LOCATIONS OF INTEREST IN THIS SUBURB, VISITED BY ONE OF THE TWO SECURITY GUARDS AT THE GRAND MILLENIUM WHO'VE TESTED POSITIVE. THIS DAIRY AMONG THEM. YESTERDAY WAS VERY, VERY QUIET. THE NEWS WAS OUT AND ABOUT. MY SHOP NAME WAS THERE ON THE PAPER AND THE TELLY. THAT MUST HAVE SCARED MANY PEOPLE OFF. HE'S FRUSTRATED IT TOOK DAYS TO TRACK THE MOVEMENTS OF THE FIRST CASE. THE WORKER'S BUS ROUTE ONLY REVEALED YESTERDAY. IT IS A BIT WORRYING, COS THE LAST THING ANYONE WANTS IN AUCKLAND IS TO HAVE ANOTHER LOCKDOWN. ALSO SHOCKED OVER 500 BORDER WORKERS ARE STILL YET TO BE VACCINATED. WE JUST ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE GOT AT LEAST ONE JAB BY NOW! MOUNT ROSKILL LOCALS NOT TOO WORRIED. IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION. I THINK THE OVERALL IMPRESSION... PEOPLE THINK IT IS UNDER CONTROL. I'M HOPING PEOPLE STILL ARE TAKING IT SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE WE'RE IN A GREAT POSITION IN NEW ZEALAND, AND IT'D BE A SHAME FOR PEOPLE TO GET LAX, AND THE OUTBREAK TO REALLY TAKE OFF. THERE'RE NO NEW COMMUNITY CASES TODAY. AND OF THE 23 CONTACTS LINKED TO THE INFECTED BORDER WORKERS, NEGATIVE RESULTS ARE IN FOR ALL BUT TWO. LAURA JAMES, 1 NEWS. RIOTS, VIOLENCE AND LOOTING ` THE US CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS HAS ONCE AGAIN BECOME A FLASH POINT OF CIVIL UNREST AFTER AN UNARMED BLACK MAN WAS SHOT DEAD BY POLICE DURING A ROUTINE TRAFFIC STOP. THE POLICE CHIEF INSISTING DAUNTE WRIGHT'S DEATH WAS AN ACCIDENT AND RELEASING BODY CAMERA VISION TO PROVE IT. HERE'S CHANNEL 9'S AMELIA ADAMS. FIREWORKS AND FLASH BANGS IN THE NIGHT. PROTESTERS REFUSED TO LEAVE THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN CENTRE AFTER CURFEW. MINNESOTA STATE TROOPERS BACKED UP BY NATIONAL GUARD, FACING OFF WITH THE ANGRY CROWD, FURIOUS ABOUT THE DEATH OF ANOTHER BLACK MAN AT THE HANDS OF POLICE. DAUNTE WRIGHT WAS PULLED OVER FOR DRIVING UNREGISTERED WHEN OFFICERS DISCOVERED HE HAD AN OUTSTANDING ARREST WARRANT. THE 20-YEAR-OLD ATTEMPTED TO FLEE. A SENIOR OFFICER PULLING OUT A HANDGUN. WOUNDED, WRIGHT DROVE OFF, CRASHING INTO ANOTHER CAR SOON AFTERWARDS. HE DIED AT THE SCENE. HIS DEATH RULED A HOMICIDE. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE OFFICER HAD THE INTENTION TO DEPLOY THEIR TASER, BUT INSTEAD SHOT MR WRIGHT WITH A SINGLE BULLET. MY BROTHER LOST HIS LIFE BECAUSE THEY MADE A MISTAKE. YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR RIGHT AND YOUR LEFT. PROTESTS ESCALATING TO RIOTS AND LOOTING FOR A SECOND NIGHT, NOT FAR FROM THE COURTROOM WHERE FORMER MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER DEREK CHAUVIN IS ON TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD. I AM REQUESTING, AGAIN, SEQUESTRATION OF THE JURY IN VIEW OF THE INCIDENTS OF LAST NIGHT. THE DEFENCE ARGUING JURORS MAY BE SWAYED IN THEIR VERDICT BY THE POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE. THE JUDGE REFUSED ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CASE. BUT THE SCENES ON THE STREETS ARE FAMILIAR AND FRIGHTENING. AND AMERICA IS WATCHING PROTESTERS IN NEW YORK, DC AND PORTLAND MARCHING IN SOLIDARITY. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION, NONE, FOR LOOTING. NO JUSTIFICATION FOR VIOLENCE. THE OFFICER INVOLVED, 48-YEAR-OLD KIMBERLY POTTER, IS ON LEAVE PENDING AN INVESTIGATION. EMERGENCY SERVICES HAVE MADE A DISTURBING DISCOVERY TONIGHT. A BODY FOUND INSIDE A BURNING VEHICLE IN KERIKERI. THE CAR WAS FOUND SHORTLY AFTER 7 ON WHARAU ROAD, JUST OVER AN HOUR'S DRIVE FROM WHANGAREI. POLICE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING. ONE OF WELLINGTON'S LARGEST SCHOOLS IS BLAMING THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FOR A MOULD PROBLEM THAT'LL FORCE SENIOR STUDENTS TO WORK FROM HOME NEXT TERM. AN ENTIRE BLOCK AT HUTT VALLEY HIGH HAS BEEN CLOSED AND DEEMED UNSAFE, AND THE SCHOOL SAYS IT'S BEEN ASKING FOR HELP FOR OVER A DECADE. HERE'S JACOB JOHNSON. SEALED AND LOCKED UP. A WHOLE BLOCK OF CLASSROOMS AT HUTT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SHUT OFF TO STUDENTS DUE TO BLACK MOULD AND LEAKS. WE'RE A YEAR OUT OF COVID AND OUR STUDENTS WERE JUST GETTING USED TO BEING BACK AT SCHOOL AND BACK TO, EFFECTIVELY, NORMAL SCHOOL. AND NOW WE'RE TURNING THEIR WORLD UPSIDE DOWN. LAST MONTH, HIGH LEVELS OF TOXIC MOULD WERE FOUND IN THE BUILDING, FORCING STUDENTS INTO THE SCHOOL'S HALL AND LIBRARY FOR LESSONS. SINCE THEN, MOULD HAS BEEN FOUND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE SCHOOL. FROM THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR, YEAR 12s AND YEAR 13s WILL SPEND HALF THEIR TIME AT HOME AND HALF THEIR TIME HERE AT SCHOOL. YEAR 12s WILL BE AT HOME FROM MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY MORNINGS, AND YEAR 13s WILL BE AT HOME FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS UNTIL FRIDAY. THE ACTING PRINCIPAL SAYS THE SCHOOL'S INFRASTRUCTURE SIMPLY ISN'T UP TO SCRATCH. AND THOUGH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IS NOW STEPPING IN TO HELP, SHE CLAIMS THIS ISN'T A NEW PROBLEM. IT'S JUST REALLY SAD THAT THEY DISMISSED OUR CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS AS BEING NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH. BUT THE MINISTER DENIES THAT OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO ACT. THE SCHOOLS ARE GIVEN MONEY EVERY YEAR TO MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY AND BUILDINGS. SOME HAVE DONE THAT VERY WELL AND SOME HAVE NOT. TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE ASSESSED AS NEEDING 10 MIL TO JUST MAINTAIN THIS SITE. THEY GAVE US TWO LOTS OF TWO MIL. YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT OUT OVER 30 YEARS AND THAT'S THE POSITION WE'RE IN. STUDENTS AND PARENTS SAY THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT NEXT TERM. I THINK EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, JUST KIND OF NOT QUITE KNOWING HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO GO ON FOR. I THINK IT'S REALLY SHOCKING. THE STUDENTS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO STAY AT HOME. LOCKDOWN WAS BAD ENOUGH, BUT WHEN YOU'RE THE ONLY SCHOOL THAT'S HAPPENING TO, IT'S A REAL DRAG. MINISTRY OFFICIALS MET WITH THE SCHOOL TODAY, AND 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS PLANS TO GET TEMPORARY CLASSROOMS ON SITE ARE BEING FAST TRACKED. BUT FOR NOW, IT'S BACK TO LEARNING FROM HOME FOR THE SCHOOL'S SENIOR STUDENTS. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. NEW ZEALAND'S ONLY INTENSIVE CARE UNIT FOR CHILDREN HAS HIT PEAK CAPACITY, WITH STAFF WORKING OVERTIME AND NON-EMERGENCY SURGERIES FOR OUR YOUNGEST PATIENTS BEING DELAYED. THERE ARE PLANS TO INCREASE THE CURRENT 22 BED UNIT, BUT STARSHIP STILL NEEDS $8M TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. CORAZON MILLER REPORTS. BABY SOPHIA AT HOME. WELL ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY AFTER A LIFE SAVING LIVER TRANSPLANT. HI, ARE WE GOING TO TAKE YOU HOME? SOPHIA WAS TAKEN INTO STARSHIP ICU AT JUST THREE DAYS OLD. WE GOT TOLD THAT WE HAD A 5% CHANCE OF HER SURVIVING THE NIGHT AND THAT OUR BABY WAS FULLY BRAIN DAMAGED. DIAGNOSED WITH A RARE METABOLIC CONDITION, WITHOUT TREATMENT, HER LIFE WAS AT RISK. OUR WALLS HAD COME CRUMBLING. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST EXCITING TIME OF OUR LIFE AND WAS THE MOST HEARTBREAKING TIME OF OUR LIFE. SOPHIA WAS PUT ON A WAITLIST FOR A TRANSPLANT, WHICH CAN ONLY HAPPEN WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE PAEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. PICU SAVED OUR DAUGHTER'S LIFE. HEROES. YEAH, IT'S JUST NO WORDS TO EXPLAIN. THE UNIT HAS JUST 22 BEDS TO PROVIDE FOR THE HEALTH NEEDS OF AROUND 1.25 MILLION NEW ZEALANDERS AGED 16 YEARS OR YOUNGER. THIS GROWING POPULATION AND ITS COMPLEX NEEDS PUSHING THE UNIT TO THE BRINK. WE WILL ALWAYS TAKE CHILDREN IF THEY NEED EMERGENCY CARE. SOMETIMES THAT MIGHT MEAN PUTTING CHILDREN BETWEEN BED SPACES. THAT MEANS OUR VERY DEDICATED NURSING STAFF WILL DO OVERTIME. WE'RE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE AND WE'VE GOT TO THE POINT NOW WHERE EVERY TWO OR THREE DAYS WE'RE FULL OR NEARLY FULL. OCCASIONALLY, WE HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND THAT MIGHT MEAN DEFERRING PLANNED SURGERY. THESE EARLY PLANS FOR A MUCH NEEDED EXPANSION THAT WILL ADD 10 NEW BEDS STILL SHORT $8M. THAT WILL GIVE US THE CAPACITY WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CATER TO THE NEEDS OF ALL OF NEW ZEALAND. GIVING FAMILIES LIKE THESE HOPE. FOR HER TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE. YEAH. TO LIVE LIKE YOU AND I. TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SCHOOL, TO BE ABLE TO GO TO CAMPS, TO BE ABLE TO PLAY RUGBY OR, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE NORMAL THINGS. CORAZON MILLER, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME, KANE WILLIAMSON DOES IT AGAIN. THE SKIPPER GETS CRICKET'S SUPREME INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR THE FOURTH TIME. PLUS, WE CHECK OUT A NEW KIWI DRAMA HITTING SCREENS NEXT WEEK. BLACKCAPS CAPTAIN KANE WILLIAMSON HAS WON HIS FOURTH SIR RICHARD HADLEE MEDAL IN SIX YEARS AT THE NEW ZEALAND CRICKET AWARDS THIS EVENING. WILLIAMSON AMASSED AN IMPRESSIVE 639 RUNS IN JUST FOUR TEST MATCH INNINGS AT HOME THIS SUMMER, WHILE LEADING NEW ZEALAND TO NUMBER ONE IN THE TEST RANKINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME. HE IS CURRENTLY THE NUMBER 1 TEST BATSMAN IN THE WORLD. THE 30-YEAR-OLD ALSO TOOK HOME INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND THE REDPATH CUP FOR FIRST CLASS BATTING. SIR RICHARD HADLEE HIMSELF CALLED WILLIAMSON TO GIVE HIM THE GOOD NEWS. WELL, FOURTH TIME NOW, SO HAVE YOU GOT SPACE SOMEWHERE IN THE TROPHY CABINET, OR ON THE` WHEREVER YOU KEEP THESE? NO, NO TROPHY CABINET AT MY HOUSE... NO, BUT THAT'S A PRIVILEGE, TO RECEIVE THAT. AMELIA KERR WON T-20 WOMEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR WHILE AMY SATTERTHWAITE WON WOMEN'S ODI PLAYER OF THE YEAR. NEXT WEEK THE NEW KIWI DRAMA 'VEGAS' IS SET TO BE RELEASED OVER ON TV2. SET IN ROTORUA, THE NAME 'VEGAS' REFERENCES THE CITY'S NICKNAME 'ROTOVEGAS'. THE SERIES FOCUSES ON A GANG LEADER WHO TRIES TO TURN AROUND HIS CRIME-RIDDEN COMMUNITY. ZION DAYAL SAT DOWN WITH SOME OF THE CAST. THE STREETS OF ROTORUA THE LOCATION FOR A NEW ACTION DRAMA ` 'VEGAS'. THIS LAND, AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE, STOLEN FROM ITS TRUE OWNERS. I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED FOR AOTEAROA TO SEE THIS AND TO GET USED TO THE STYLE OF, YOU KNOW... OF TV, BECAUSE IT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. THERE'S NOT THIS STYLE OF TV SHOW OUT AT THE MOMENT. ACTOR EDS ERAMIHA PLAYS THE LEAD ROLE OF KINGI, A RELUCTANT GANG MEMBER WHO'S TRYING TO STEER HIS MEMBERS AWAY FROM DRUGS. THIS IS THE LAST BAG OF CRACK THAT COMES THROUGH THOSE DOORS. THERE'S HOPE. THERE'S HOPE. THERE'S SOME REDEMPTION. THERE'S CONCEALING WITH WHANAU. THERE'S,... YOU KNOW, WAYS OF ASKING FOR HELP. IT'S OK TO ASK FOR HELP. CIAN ELYSE WHITE PLAYS A LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER WHO BECOMES A SUSPECT IN A DRUG DEAL GONE WRONG. IN A TWIST OF FATE, A ROBBERY IS COMMITTED THE SAME NIGHT AT HER TAVERN, WHICH SETS OFF A DANGEROUS CHAIN OF EVENTS. NO SHADES AT THE TABLE. VEGAS IS DESCRIBED AS AN ACTION-THRILLER WITH A PINCH OF COMEDY, BUT FOR SOME, THE STORY ALL TOO FAMILIAR. MANY OF US CAST AND CREW, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, OUR REAL LIVES. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT PAKEHA UNDERSTAND A MAORI PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT IT'S LIKE FOR MAORI LIVING IN NEW ZEALAND, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE SAME. WE DON'T THINK THE SAME. THIS AIN'T NO ORDINARY TOWN. ALL: HI! THE SHOW IS SET TO PREMIERE ON TVNZ 2 ON MONDAY. I GUESS YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. (CHUCKLES) YEAH, THEY'RE IN FOR A GOOD TREAT. WHERE'S YOUR DAMN BROTHER? I DON'T KNOW, MUM. YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN, DO YOU? ZION DAYAL, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD, YOUR WEATHER AND IT'S A MIXED BAG WITH SHOWERS AND SUNSHINE. PLUS, WEAVING A YARN ABOUT FLAX. FROM THIS TO THIS, WE VISIT A MUSEUM THAT'S DEVOTED TO THE STUFF. IF YOU LIKE PUBLIC SPEAKING, LOCAL HISTORY AND FLAX, THEN THIS MAY JUST BE THE JOB FOR YOU. A SMALL MUSEUM IN FOXTON DEDICATED TO NEW ZEALAND'S FLAX INDUSTRY IS AT RISK OF CLOSING IF THE CURRENT CURATOR CAN'T FIND SOMEONE TO HELP RUN IT. JACOB JOHNSON HAS MORE. WHEN IT COMES TO FLAX, TONY HUNT'S AN EXPERT. (MACHINERY RATTLES) FOR 30 YEARS, HE'S BEEN SHOWING VISITORS HOW THIS... BECOMES THIS AND EXPLAINING HOW NEW ZEALAND'S ONCE THRIVING INDUSTRY WORKED HERE AT FOXTON'S FLAX STRIPPER MUSEUM. TONY'S HERE SIX DAYS A WEEK, BUT HE'S GETTING OLD AND HAS ALZHEIMER'S. SO HE'S LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT. TO HELP OUT WITH IT, FOR A START, AND IF THEY'RE GOOD ENOUGH, TAKE OVER. DEPENDS HOW SOON I DEPART THE COIL. I'M GETTING NO WORSE AT DOING THIS JOB, BUT ONCE YOU GET OVER 80, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLERS ARRIVED IN THE COUNTRY, MAORI USED FLAX FOR THE MANY OF THEIR EVERYDAY NEEDS, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE CLOTHING, BASKETS AND FISHING LINES. THEN, FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE FLAX STRIPPING MACHINE, IT BECAME A MAJOR INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE. BUT TONY CLAIMS FOXTON IS THE FLAX CAPITAL OF NEW ZEALAND. NO ONE ELSE HAS MADE ANYTHING OUT OF FLAX FIBRE OTHER THAN ROPE. AND FOXTON NOT ONLY MADE ROPE, BUT IT MADE WOOL PACKS AND FLOOR COVERINGS AND UNDERFELT. NO ONE ELSE HAS DONE ANYTHING. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE THE CAPITAL. NO ONE CAN CHALLENGE US. AND THOUGH THE INDUSTRY CAME TO AN END IN THE '80S AFTER SYNTHETIC FIBRES CAME ALONG, TONY WANTS NEW ZEALAND'S FLAX HISTORY TO BE REMEMBERED. I CAN'T SEE WHY IT'S ANY LESS IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE PRESERVE IN OUR COUNTRY. FOR NOW, TONY PLANS TO STAY ON AT THE MUSEUM. IF YOU MISBEHAVE, I'LL GIVE THE SIGNAL. (CHUCKLES) ...UNTIL HE CAN FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE UP THE MANTLE. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. TO TOMORROWS WEATHER NOW WITH MICHELLE AND 'SUNRISE'. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU, GOODNIGHT.