DESPITE CHAOTIC MOTORWAY SCENES, AUCKLAND POLICE STAND BY THEIR APPROACH TO THE MASSIVE GANG GATHERING. CONFIRMATION THERE'S NO ACTIVE COVID INFECTION ON STEWART ISLAND ` RAKIURA ` BUT CONCERNS LINGER ON. PLUS ` TIM MINCHIN TELLS US HOW THE DARKEST POINT OF HIS CAREER LED HIM TO CREATE THE WORK HE'S MOST PROUD OF. CAPTIONS BY SOPHIE PEARCE AND HELEN CROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 AUCKLAND POLICE HAVE DEFENDED THEIR HANDLING OF THE MASSIVE GATHERING OF GANGS, DESPITE SOME DRIVERS BEING FORCED OFF THE CITY'S MOTORWAY. HUNDREDS OF GANG MEMBERS DESCENDED ON A GREY LYNN CHURCH FOR A FUNERAL. LOGAN CHURCH REPORTS. (ENGINE REVS) A REV AND A ROAR ` HUNDREDS OF BIKIES HONOURING HEADHUNTERS GANG MEMBER TARANAKI 'ARDIE' FUIMAONO. HIS CASKET BEARING HEADHUNTERS INSIGNIA, WITH A SAMOAN FLAG DRAPED OVER. MANY OTHER GANGS ` THE KING COBRAS, MONGREL MOB, BLACK POWER, REBELS, KILLER BEEZ ` MEETING AT THIS GREY LYNN CHURCH ` A RARE SHOW OF UNITY. UP THE ROAD, LARGE NUMBERS OF POLICE KEEPING A DISCREET DISTANCE, EVENTUALLY BLOCKING THE STREET. THE POLICE EAGLE HELICOPTER CIRCLING ABOVE, COPS ON THE GROUND TAKING THEIR OWN PICTURES. AFTER THE SERVICE, HUNDREDS OF GANG MEMBERS GEARING UP, A MARCH OF MOTORCYCLES. (ENGINES ROAR) BUT WHAT STARTED AS A PEACEFUL GATHERING LATER TURNED TO CHAOS ON AUCKLAND'S MOTORWAYS. THIS FOOTAGE CAPTURED ON THE NORTH WESTERN MOTORWAY ` BIKERS, SOME WITHOUT HELMETS, FORCING VEHICLES OUT OF LANES ON THE SOUTHERN. THIS CAR HAVING TO MOVE ON TO THE SHOULDER, THE OCCUPANTS TELLING 1 NEWS THEY FELT INTIMIDATED AND LOCKED THEIR DOORS. I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT IT LOOKS INTIMIDATING AND CAN FEEL INTIMIDATING. I UNDERSTAND THAT. WE'D PREFER THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, HOWEVER OUR AIM WAS TO GET THEM THROUGH QUICKLY, TO MONITOR THEIR DRIVING BEHAVIOUR AND TO ALLOW AUCKLANDERS TO GET BACK TO DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AND GET ACROSS AUCKLAND. OVER 100 PEOPLE DIE IN NEW ZEALAND EVERY DAY, SADLY, AND EVERYONE ELSE MANAGES TO MOURN AND FAREWELL THEIR LOVED ONES WITHOUT CREATING THIS SORT OF DISTURBANCE. FUIMAONO DIED HERE AT AUCKLAND HOSPITAL JUST UNDER A WEEK AGO, AFTER BEING ARRESTED BUT WAS LATER FOUND UNRESPONSIVE IN THE POLICE CELLS. THE CORONER, WORKSAFE, THE DHB AND THE INDEPENDENT POLICE CONDUCT AUTHORITY ARE ALL NOW INVESTIGATING. POLICE SAY THEY'VE BEEN MONITORING THE FUNERAL PROCESSIONS AND NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT SAY THEY HAVE RECEIVED CALLS FROM CONCERNED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS. RELIEF ON STEWART ISLAND RAKIURA TONIGHT, WITH A WAVE OF NEGATIVE COVID TEST RESULTS. TESTING WAS BEEFED UP WHEN A CHILD RETURNED A WEAK POSITIVE. HEALTH OFFICIALS HAVE TONIGHT CONFIRMED THE RESULT WAS NOT DUE TO AN ACTIVE COVID INFECTION. BUT AS MADDY LLOYD REPORTS, THE SCARE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT HOW READY WE ARE FOR A REAL OUTBREAK. TESTING IN FULL SWING TODAY AS THIS COMMUNITY'S REMINDED OF THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF COVID-19. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T IGNORE THE FACT THERE WAS THIS WEAK POSITIVE YESTERDAY AND WONDERING WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN. THAT RESULT RETURNED FROM A SWAB OF A CHILD ON STEWART ISLAND ` RAKIURA. FURTHER TESTING TODAY, INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS, COMING BACK NEGATIVE. THE CHILD INSTEAD POSITIVE FOR RHINOVIRUS. THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF THE COMMON COLD. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY VIRUSES THAT CIRCULATE EVERY WINTER AND CAUSE COLD AND FLU SYMPTOMS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE VERY COMMON ONES. THE WIDER COMMUNITY TESTED AS A PRECAUTION BUT SOME STILL CONCERNED ABOUT A LACK OF PLANNING. THEY'RE FEELING THAT WE HAVE BEEN A BIT FORGOTTEN IN GETTING AN ACTIVE PLAN FOR BEING VACCINATED. AT THE MOMENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL TO INVERCARGILL, AND THAT WOULD BE A COST. IF MY HUSBAND AND I WERE BOTH TO GO, YOU'D BE LOOKING AT OVER $500 AND TWO LOTS OF FLIGHTS. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS THOSE ON THE ISLAND SHOULDN'T BE EXPECTED TO TRAVEL TO THE MAINLAND FOR A VACCINATION, ANNOUNCING TODAY THAT TEAMS WILL BE SENT HERE TO VACCINATE THE COMMUNITY IN AUGUST. THAT'S GREAT NEWS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND DO THAT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE ARE BEING PESTERED TO GO TO TOWN. ALL THIS IS A BIT LATE FOR US. WE COULD DO WITH IT BEING A BIT SOONER THAN THAT. WE ARE VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE'VE OVER 100 PEOPLE THAT ARE OVER 60, SO WE ARE AN OLDER COMMUNITY. A FALSE ALARM FOR NOW, BUT THIS EXPERT SAYS IT SHOULD ACT AS A REMINDER OF HAVOC THE VIRUS IS STILL CAUSING OVERSEAS. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THIS PATTERN, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION, IS WE HAVE A LOT OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN PURSUING ELIMINATION VERY SUCCESSFULLY FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC ` AND OF COURSE, THAT INCLUDES NEW ZEALAND ` BUT NOW, MOST OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY GOING BACKWARDS. SAYING WE NEED TO PREPARE NOW FOR ANY POTENTIAL DELTA VARIANT OUTBREAK HERE. I THINK THERE ARE THREE THINGS WE NEED TO DO REALLY URGENTLY. ONE IS REALLY COMPLETE VACCINATION OF ALL BORDER WORKERS AND AIR CREW. SECONDLY, I THINK WE NEED TO URGENTLY UPGRADE OUR ALERT LEVEL SYSTEM TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN AIRBORNE PATHOGEN. AND THIRDLY, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT MANDATORY TO SCAN INTO HIGH-RISK, INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS. A WARNING THAT THERE'S GAPS TO BE FILLED TO ENSURE A SOLID DEFENCE. MADDY LLOYD, 1 NEWS. PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN ROLLED UP HER SLEEVE FOR HER FIRST COVID-19 VACCINATION TODAY. YEAH, YEAH, GO FOR IT. SHE SAID SHE WAS SMILING UNDER HER MASK AS THE NURSE ADMINISTERED THE PFIZER DOSE. ARDERN'S VACCINATION COMES MONTHS AFTER HER OVERSEAS COUNTERPARTS, LIKE AUSTRALIA'S PRIME MINISTER, SCOTT MORRISON, WHO WAS JABBED IN FEBRUARY, BUT ITS STILL THREE MONTHS BEFORE HER AGE GROUP'S ELIGIBLE. I NEVER WANTED TO BE AMONGST THE FIRST. FOR ME, WE NEEDED TO GET THOSE FRONT LINE WORKERS. BUT I ALSO NEED TO BE A ROLE MODEL AND JUST DEMONSTRATE THAT IT'S SAFE, THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE, AND THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE'S VACCINATED WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR OPPORTUNITY. SO IT'S ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE. IT'S REALLY TRUE WHAT THEY SAY. IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY PAIN-FREE. BEFORE HER JAB, THE PRIME MINISTER WAS WELCOMED TO THE CENTRE AT MANUREWA MARAE WITH A MIHI WHAKATAU. AFTER A TOUGH YEAR, AIR NEW ZEALAND'S REWARDING EACH PERMANENT STAFF MEMBER WITH $1000 WORTH OF SHARES. THE BONUS COMES AS THE COMPANY EXPECTS TO MAKE A HEFTY LOSS OF $450m, DESPITE HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT, AND AS KATIE BRADFORD REPORTS, THERE ARE SOME BIG CHANGES AHEAD. THE JET SETTING LIFESTYLE FELL APART FOR THIS CABIN CREW MEMBER WHEN AIR NEW ZEALAND MADE A FLOOD OF REDUNDANCIES LAST EASTER. THE CARPET'S BEEN PULLED FROM UNDER YOUR FEET, LIKE YOUR WORLD IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. NOW HE'S BACK IN A NEW ROLE. THESE ARE SOME SNACKS WE'VE TRIALLED. OFFERING UP SOME SWEET NEW SNACK OPTIONS FOR PASSENGERS. I FEEL INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE AND LUCKY. PEOPLE WERE COMING BACK. IT WAS SO WELCOMING FROM EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHAT WE'D BEEN THROUGH, BECAUSE THEY WERE WONDERING THEMSELVES, 'AM I GONNA LOSE MY JOB?' DESPITE HEAVY FINANCIAL LOSSES, STAFF WILL RECEIVE A BONUS OF $1000 IN SHARES. THIS IS IN RECOGNITION FOR, IF YOU LIKE, ALL THOSE STAFF WHO'VE HAD TO WORK ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS. A POSITIVE SIGN TODAY FOR AIR NEW ZEALAND WORKERS THAT THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND THE SACRIFICES THEY HAVE MADE MEAN THAT THE AIRLINE CAN RECOVER. THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO, AND THE BIG TEST IS REALLY GOING TO BE IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING BOTH THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR. THE THREE STAGES OF AIR NEW ZEALAND'S RECOVERY HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED 'SURVIVE, REVIVE, AND HOPEFULLY THRIVE'. WHAT WE'VE SAID IS, 'NOW WE'RE OUT OF SURVIVE AND WE'RE INTO REVIVE, 'LET'S GET BACK TO SOME NORMALITY HERE.' SO, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO'VE TAKEN PAY REDUCTION, LET'S GET THEM BACK TO THE PAY THEY WERE ON PREVIOUSLY. FROM JULY, STAFF WHO FACED CUTS TO PAY AND ALLOWANCES WILL HAVE THOSE RESUMED. OF THE MORE THAN 4000 STAFF WHO LOST THEIR JOB LAST YEAR, ABOUT 500 HAVE BEEN REEMPLOYED. BUT THERE'S A LONG LIST OF MAINLY PILOTS AND CABIN CREW STILL HOPING TO ONE DAY BE RECALLED, HOPING THAT AIR NEW ZEALAND WILL SOON REACH THAT 'THRIVE STAGE'. ...IS DETERMINED BY WHEN THE BORDERS ARE GOING TO OPEN, AND I THINK THE KEY DETERMINER OF THAT IS GOING TO BE VACCINATIONS. SO WHILE BORDERS REMAIN CLOSED, DOMESTIC CAPACITY IS AT 90%, TRANS-TASMAN AT 70% OF PRE-COVID LEVELS, LONG HAUL TRAVEL STILL ONLY AT 5%. THE CARGO BUSINESS, THOUGH, HELPED BY SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS, IS BUSY. AND A HINT OF GOOD NEWS FOR THE REGIONS AIR NEW ZEALAND CANNED FLYING TO A FEW YEARS AGO. NOTHING'S OFF THE TABLE. THE HOPE BEING THAT BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, THERE'LL BE MORE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, AND A REFRESHED DOMESTIC LOOK. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. IT'S BEST KNOWN FOR ITS FIRST-HAND VIEW OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT TVNZ'S POLICE TEN-7 SHOW IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION ITSELF. AN INDEPENDENT PANEL HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED TO LOOK AT CLAIMS THE SHOW PEDDLES RACIST STEREOTYPES. YVONNE TAHANA REPORTS. (POLICE TEN-7 THEME MUSIC) 28 SEASONS ON THE FRONT LINE... IF I KNEW POLICE TEN-7 WAS COMING, I WOULD'VE (BLEEP)IN' HAD A SHOWER EARLIER. ...BUT POLICE TEN-7 NOW ITSELF IN THE GUN. ALL THIS IS DOING IS MONETISING PEOPLE'S POOR AND VULNERABLE EXPERIENCES. TVNZ COMMISSIONING AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW INTO HOW THE PROGRAM PORTRAYS MAORI AND PASIFIKA AND ALL OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS AND ASKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE PRODUCTION AND PROMOTION. IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING TO KEEP PACE WITH VIEWER EXPECTATIONS AND CHANGING SOCIETAL NORMS. IT COMES AFTER AUCKLAND COUNCILLOR EFESO COLLINS CALLED FOR IT TO BE CANCELLED EARLIER THIS YEAR, CLAIMING THE SHOW, PRODUCED BY SCREENTIME, FED RACIAL STEREOTYPES. TVNZ'S TAKING A HALF-STEP, I RECKON, BY HAVING THIS REVIEW. BUT IT SHOULD BE CANNED. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO LOOK AT ` SCRAPPING IT? WE'LL LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS, ACTUALLY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING. THE SHOW IS A RATING WINNER, AND TVNZ SAYS IT DOES A LOT OF GOOD. A LOT OF CRIMES ARE SOLVED OFF THE BACK OF POLICE TEN-7, SO WE STILL THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT THAT POLICE TEN-7 DOES, AND IT'S GOT A REALLY LOYAL AUDIENCE. POLICE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH SCREENTIME, AS THEIR CONTRACT RUNS OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AS PART OF THAT, THEY SAY THEY WANT TO LOOK AT HOW THE SHOW CAN BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WORK POLICE DO. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING TONIGHT, MAN? ARE YOU ON THE BEERS OR ON SPIRITS? (CHUCKLES) (BLEEP). BUT POLICE ALREADY HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE EDITING CALLS. TVNZ SAYS THAT'S A STANDARD PRACTICE FOR SHOWS THAT USE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. THE TWO-PERSON PANEL WILL REPORT BACK TO TVNZ IN SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS. YVONNE TAHANA, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME ` THE MAN WHO CAN DO IT ALL ON STAGE. WE GET A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT MAKES GLOBAL STAR, TIM MINCHIN, TICK PLUS ` A BIZARRE COURT STORY FROM AUSTRALIA, WITH A STAR WARS TWIST. THE SUICIDE BOMBER WHO KILLED 22 PEOPLE AT AN ARIANA GRANDE CONCERT, IN MANCHESTER FOUR YEARS AGO, SHOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A THREAT, ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT. A PUBLIC INQUIRY FOUND THAT A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO STOP SALMAN ABEDI WERE MISSED. THE BBC'S JUDITH MORITZ REPORTS. MAN: THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION AT MANCHESTER ARENA. WOMAN: WAS ANYBODY INJURED? MAN: YES, LOADS. CHAOS AND DEVASTATION IN THE MOMENTS AFTER THE BOMB. THE AFTERMATH WAS HORRIFIC, BUT THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE EXPLOSION ARE DISTRESSING TOO. WHERE HAVING CONSIDERED THE EVIDENCE, I CONSIDER THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE FALLEN BELOW A PROPER STANDARD. THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO DIED LEARNT TODAY THAT THERE WERE SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS NOT JUST BY INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE POLICE AND PRIVATE COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY AT THE ARENA. TODAY, OUR HEARTBREAK TURNS TO ANGER. WE ENTRUSTED THE SAFETY OF OUR LOVED ONES INTO ORGANISATIONS AND AGENCIES WHO HAD A DUTY OF CARE TO PROTECT THEM. THE BOMBER, SALMAN ABEDI, HUNG AROUND THE ARENA AND TRAIN STATION NEXT DOOR FOR TWO HOURS BEFORE HIS ATTACK. A CATALOGUE OF SECURITY FAILURES ALLOWED HIM TO SLIP THROUGH THE NET. HE WALKED INTO THE FOYER AN HOUR BEFORE THE ARIANA GRANDE CONCERT FINISHED, UP THESE STAIRS TO A CAREFULLY-RESEARCHED HIDING PLACE IN A CCTV BLIND SPOT. NO ONE FROM AUTHORITY CHALLENGED HIM, BUT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC DID AND TOLD A TEENAGE STEWARD. HE DIDN'T SEEM THAT INTERESTED. IT WAS AS IF HE HAD MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DEAL WITH. TODAY'S REPORT SAYS THE 19-YEAR-OLD STEWARD, MOHAMMED AGHA, FOBBED MR WILD OFF AND BEARS PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STRIKING MISSED OPPORTUNITY. SO, TOO, DOES ANOTHER TEENAGE STEWARD, KYLE LAWLER, WHO WALKED AWAY, UNCONCERNED, AFTER BEING WARNED ABOUT THE BOMBER. AND DEFYING ORDERS, THERE WAS NO BRITISH TRANSPORT POLICE OFFICER INSIDE THE ROOM WHEN THE CONCERT ENDED. A GROUP OF THEM WERE STANDING TOGETHER AT THE STATION NEXT DOOR WHEN THE BOMB WENT OFF. THERE'S SAID TO BE NO SATISFACTORY EXPLANATION FOR THIS. 22 PEOPLE WERE MURDERED IN THE ATTACK ` THE YOUNGEST, A CHILD OF 8. THE REPORT SAYS HAD MORE BEEN DONE, FEWER PEOPLE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. AFTER BEING KICKED OFF THE SLOPES AT AN AUSTRALIAN SKI FIELD, A PASTAFARIAN MAN'S BEEN JAILED FOR MORE THAN 2 YEARS FOR VIOLENTLY ASSAULTING THE RESORT'S BOSS WITH A SNOWBOARD, ALL WHILE DRESSED UP AS STAR WARS CHARACTER CHEWBACCA. CHANNEL NINE'S, TIFFINY GENDERS, TRIES TO EXPLAIN. KEITH WASS PLEADED GUILTY TO HIS CRIME, BUT HE POINTS THE FINGER AT HIS VICTIM. NO APOLOGY TO THE MAN THAT YOU SERIOUSLY HURT? UM, NO. I REALLY STRUGGLE WITH THAT, GIVEN THE FACT THAT HE KNEW I WAS THERE AS PART OF MY TREATMENT PLAN. THREDBO WAS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES WHERE WASS SAYS HE FELT HIMSELF. IN 2017, HE TOOK TO THE SLOPES AS STAR WARS CHARACTER CHEWBACCA. HE WAS A CROWD FAVOURITE, BUT AFTER COMPLAINTS FROM TWO PARENTS, THE CEO REVOKED HIS PASS. JORDAN ROGERS BEATEN UNCONSCIOUS WITH A SNOWBOARD, NEEDING SURGERY TO REMOVE PART OF A TOOTH FROM HIS CHEEK. IN A VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT, ROGERS SAID THE ASSAULT HAD CHANGED HIM. AM I A VIOLENT PERSON? THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU WANNA KNOW. NO. IT'S A ONE-OFF? I DISCOMBOBULATED BECAUSE I WAS PUT UNDER PRESSURE FOR YEARS. WASS IDENTIFIES AS A PASTAFARIAN. THE COLANDER HE WEARS ON HIS HEAD IS A SYMBOL FOR THE SATIRICAL CHURCH OF THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER. IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN COURT HE SUFFERS FROM MANY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, BUT THE JUDGE SAID THAT WAS NO EXCUSE. WASS REFUSED TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHICH EFFECTIVELY RULE HIM OUT OF A SUSPENDED SENTENCE, JAILED FOR A MAXIMUM TWO YEARS AND FOUR MONTHS, BUT HE COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE IN OCTOBER NEXT YEAR. TIM MINCHIN ADMITS HE'S NOT GREAT AT FOCUSING ON ONE THING, BUT WHAT COULD BE A VICE HAS ACTUALLY GIVEN HIM AN INCREDIBLY DIVERSE AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER. THE AUSSIE MUSICIAN, LYRICIST, ACTOR AND COMEDIAN IS TOURING NEW ZEALAND. I SPOKE TO HIM BEFORE HIS AUCKLAND SHOWS. # A COUPLE OF Gs... # AN R AND AN E... # AN I AND AN N... # SIX LITTLE LETTERS ALL JUMBLED TOGETHER # HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE THAT WE MAY NEVER MEND. # WE CAN'T PLAY YOU A LOT OF TIM MINCHIN'S STUFF BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO BLEEP OUT TOO MUCH OF IT. ONLY A GINGER CAN CALL ANOTHER GINGER GINGER. THERE'S BEEN TIMES WHEN, WE'VE HAD TO SEND THE POLICE AROUND TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE WHO'S MADE A DEATH THREAT AND STUFF. # THANK YOU, GOD, FOR FIXING THE CATARACTS OF SAM'S MUM. # THEATRE'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A COMPLEX, IRONY-LACED, HILARIOUS DISCOURSE. IT'S WHY IT'S JOYOUS, AND I FEEL CONFIDENT WHEN I HAVE AN AUDIENCE IN FRONT OF ME THAT I CAN SAY WHAT I WANT TO SAY WITHOUT UPSETTING ANYONE AND TIM HAS A LOT TO SAY, AND HE'S FOUND MANY WAYS TO SAY IT IN STAND UP ` ARE YOU STUDYING FEMINISM AT UNI? ...WRITING THE MUSIC AND LYRICS FOR 'MATILDA', HIS DEBUT ALBUM, WEAVING THROUGH HIS WORK, A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF US, RELIGION, POLITICS, RELATIONSHIPS, MORALS; THOUGH SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO FIND. I NEVER HAVE TO MASTURBATE AT ALL. UNSTOPPABLE INFLATABLE YOU. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE WRITING A MUSICAL OR A TV SHOW OR A THEATRE SHOW. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE UNDERNEATH IDEAS, A GOOD WAY TO LIVE LIFE IS, HOW TO BRING MEANING TO A MEANINGLESS UNIVERSE, THEN IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN THERE. HE SAYS, AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, HE'S STILL SHOCKED HE PULLS AN AUDIENCE. IT'S WHO I AM. I REALLY LIKE READING BOOKS. I'M INTERESTED IN SCIENCE. I'M A NERD QUOTING KURT VONNEGUT AND TALKING ABOUT THE GREEKS. I DO A 10-MINUTE RANT ON CONFIRMATION BIAS AND PEOPLE ARE LAUGHING THE WHOLE TIME, AND THEN I GET TO PLAY A SONG, DRINK WINE AND GO TO BED. (LAUGHS) TIM'S BEEN BACK IN OZ FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. HE LEFT L.A. ON A GRIM NOTE ` A $140m DREAMWORKS ANIMATED FILM, SCRAPPED SO CLOSE TO COMPLETION. A MUSICAL STOPPED IN ITS TRACKS TOO. BUT TIM IS NOT ONE FOR SELF PITY. HE RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA AND CREATED 'UPRIGHT' ABOUT TWO MISFITS TRAVELLING ACROSS THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT ` A STORY OF SELF-FORGIVENESS. FOR TIM, A SORT OF ART IMITATING LIFE. THE CRAP THAT HAPPENS IS FERTILISER FOR FUTURE FLOWERS. HE SAYS ITS THE BEST THING HE'S EVER CREATED. WE TAKE OUR HARD STUFF AND WE TELL STORIES TO MAKE IT BETTER. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, BUT THAT'S WHY ART IS SO IMPORTANT AND STORIES ARE SO IMPORTANT. STORIES CELEBRATED FOR ALL THE TWISTS AND TURNS. TO SPORT, WHERE FORMER WARRIORS LEAGUE STAR, SHAUN JOHNSON, WAS HOPING TO IMPRESS IN TOWNSVILLE TONIGHT AS HE CONTINUES TO TRY AND SECURE A NEW CONTRACT ANYWHERE. HE HELPED HIS CAUSE BY SETTING UP CRONULLA SIDE'S FIRST TRY AGAINST THE COWBOYS. TOO EASY. TERRIFIC KICK BY SHAUN JOHNSON. HE JUST KEEPS SUPPLYING TRIES FOR THE SHARKS. THE SHARKS OPENING UP A 14 POINT LEAD IN THE SECOND HALF, WITH JOHNSON PERFECT FROM THE TEE. BUT NORTH QUEENSLAND ROARED BACK WITH TWO LATE TRIES TO STATE OF ORIGIN WINGER, KYLE FELT. GO, GO, GADGET ARM. CENTIMETRES FROM THE LINE. HE'S DONE IT AGAIN! BUT THE SHARKS CLUNG ON TO WIN 26-24 AND MOVE PAST THE COWBOYS TO SEVENTH ON THE LADDER. JUST AHEAD ` THE WEATHER FOR YOUR WEEKEND, PLUS A COLD SNAP COMES TO THE RESCUE OF NEW SOUTH WALES FARMERS, BATTLING RAMPAGING RODENTS. FRIGID WEATHER IN PARTS OF NEW SOUTH WALES SEEMS TO BE PUTTING OFF RODENTS FROM REPRODUCING. THE COLD SNAP'S GOOD NEWS FOR THE STATE'S DEVASTATING MOUSE PLAGUE, WITH RESEARCHERS FINDING JUST ONE PREGNANT MOUSE OUT OF 3000 CAPTURED. BUT THEY SAY THEY WON'T KNOW TILL SPRING JUST HOW MANY HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT BY THE WINTER CHILL. IT'S ESTIMATED THE MOUSE PLAGUE HAS COST NEW SOUTH WALES GRAIN FARMERS MORE THAN $0.5b IN CROP DAMAGE. TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER NOW WITH TIM MINCHIN AND 'AIRPORT PIANO'. # I WROTE THIS SONG ON AN AIRPORT PIANO. # I WAS THE GUY DISTURBING YOUR JOURNEY FROM SECURITY # TO GATE TWENTY-THREE A. # MAYBE YOU NOTICED ME. # I WROTE THIS SONG COS I HAD A SPARE HOUR. # I WAS DELAYED TRYING TO GET BACK TO MY BABIES IN SYDNEY # AND I NOTICED THE KEYS, SO I'M WRITING A SONG, # SINGIN'... # WOMEN IN SUV PORSCHES ALWAYS LOOK MISERABLE. # I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE SO SAD. DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE SO SAD. # MAYBE IT'S THE CALORIES THEY COULD'VE HAD, # FILLING THEM UP WITH REGRET. # AND MEN IN CAFES IN SKI RESORTS, # TRYING TO CONNECT WITH THEIR SONS, # LOOK LIKE THEY JUST WANNA HIT 'EM. # I MEAN, I'M SURE THAT THEY DIG 'EM UNDERNEATH ALL THE GEAR. # A YOUNG MAN IN AIR JORDANS # JUST LEFT ME $5 ON THE PIANO. # WHAT YOU KNOW... # THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU. GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY SOPHIE PEARCE AND HELEN CROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021