TONIGHT ` CRISIS TALKS IN NEW SOUTH WALES TO CONSIDER IMPOSING EVEN TOUGHER COVID-19 LOCKDOWN CONDITIONS. TWO OF THE COUNTRY'S WORST CHILD SEX OFFENDERS ARE JAILED AFTER BEING CAUGHT ON THEIR OWN CAMERAS. PLUS ` BRITNEY SPEAR'S DAD STEPS DOWN AS HER CONSERVATOR, BUT BRITNEY'S NOT FREE JUST YET. CAPTIONS BY LILLIE BALFOUR AND ANNIE CURTIS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. ANOTHER AUSTRALIAN CITY HAS BEEN PLUNGED INTO LOCKDOWN ` ITS CAPITAL, CANBERRA. THIS AS SYDNEY RECORDS A PANDEMIC RECORD. ITS RESPONSE? TO BAN ITS RESIDENTS FROM TRAVELLING TO THEIR HOLIDAY HOMES WHILE IN LOCKDOWN. A MOVE POLICE SAY HAS BEEN LONG OVERDUE. THERE HAVE BEEN NEARLY 7000 CASES OF COVID-19 OVER 7 WEEKS OF LOCKDOWN IN THE CITY, WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND TEENS MAKING UP A THIRD OF COVID CASES. HERE'S OUR AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT ANDREW MACFARLANE. ANOTHER AUSTRALIAN STATE IN LOCKDOWN, AND ANOTHER RUSH ON ESSENTIAL ITEMS. MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER ITS LAST LOCAL CASE OF THE VIRUS, SIX HAVE NOW BEEN DETECTED IN THE CAPITAL TERRITORY. WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO QUEENSLAND. IN A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK, MANY OF THE COUNTRY'S PARLIAMENTARIANS FLED LAST NIGHT BEFORE THE SNAP LOCKDOWN KICKED IN. IF MR MORRISON HAD NOT FAILED, ABSOLUTELY FAILED AUSTRALIA IN HIS JOB OF THE VACCINATION ROLLOUT, THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. NEW SOUTH WALES STILL HASN'T REACHED THE PEAK OF ITS OUTBREAK. WE HAD, UNFORTUNATELY, 390 CASES OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. A WOMAN IN HER 40S BELIEVED TO BE THE LATEST COVID DEATH. OFFICIALS SAY NON-COMPLIANCE IS ONE OF THE REASONS NUMBERS ARE CONTINUING TO CLIMB. 404 INFRINGEMENT NOTICES HAVE BEEN ISSUED AND 41 PEOPLE CHARGED WITH BREACHES OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER. IT'S SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE AT THIS POINT IN THE CURRENT CRISIS THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL FLOUTING THE RULES. SYDNEY'S BIG GOAL IS TO ADMINISTER 6 MILLION DOSES OF VACCINE BY THE END OF THE MONTH. ONLY THEN WILL THE STATE PREMIER CONSIDER EASING THOSE RESTRICTIONS. CURRENTLY, 4.8 MILLION HAVE BEEN DISHED OUT, MEANING THE STATE IS ON TRACK TO MEET THAT TARGET. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HITTING THOSE MILESTONES BECAUSE WE KNOW THE MORE OF US ` THE HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF US THAT ARE VACCINATED, THE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES WE'LL HAVE IN THE FUTURE, AND THE GREATER OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO LIVE MORE FREELY AND SAFELY. WORRYINGLY, THOUGH, THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HAD EASY ACCESS TO VACCINES ARE TESTING POSITIVE, INCLUDING A LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN. AT LEAST 18 PEOPLE AT THIS SCHOOL FOR AUTISTIC STUDENTS HAVE CAUGHT THE VIRUS. WE ARE SEEING A LARGE NUMBER OF YOUNGER ADULTS BEING AFFECTED BY COVID-19. IN THE LAST 14 DAYS, THAT 20-29-YEAR-OLD AGE GROUP WE HAVE SEEN BEING THE BIGGEST NUMBERS. A REMINDER OF WHY THE STATE IS IN A RACE TO VACCINATE AS THOSE CONSIDERED VULNERABLE EXTENDS TO THE YOUNG. ANDREW MACFARLANE, 1 NEWS, SYDNEY. THE PRODUCTION OF FUTURE SEASONS OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS TV SERIES IS BEING SHIFTED TO THE UK AS AMAZON STUDIOS QUITS THE HOME OF MIDDLE EARTH. THE MOVE CAME AS A SHOCK TO OUR GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL FILM INDUSTRY. CORAZON MILLER REPORTS. PICTURESQUE SCENES LIKE THESE THE CHOSEN BACKDROP FOR AMAZON'S LORD OF THE RINGS SERIES. BUT AFTER ONE SEASON IN MIDDLE EARTH, THE COMPANY'S MOVING PRODUCTION OFFSHORE. IT'S TAKEN EVERYONE BY SURPRISE. IT CERTAINLY WASN'T WHAT PEOPLE WERE HOPING FOR. I'M DISAPPOINTED, ABSOLUTELY DISAPPOINTED. I MEAN, I WAS LED TO BELIEVE` WELL, I DID BELIEVE IF SEASON ONE HAD BEEN SUCCESSFUL, THEN SEASON TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, ETC WOULD'VE BEEN MADE IN NEW ZEALAND. NOT TO BE. IN ITS YEAR HERE, THE INTERNET GIANT EMPLOYED AROUND 2000 KIWIS AND INJECTED MORE THAN $663m INTO THE ECONOMY. IF THEY'D CONTINUED FOR A SECOND YEAR, AND I CAN'T ESTIMATE THOSE FIGURES, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. IN A STATEMENT, AMAZON SAYS ITS DECISION TO FILM SEASON TWO IN THE UK WAS MADE BECAUSE IT WANTS TO EXPAND ITS BASE THERE. AND WHILE FILMING OF SEASON ONE HAS WRAPPED, IT'S PROMISING POST PRODUCTION WILL CONTINUE HERE TILL JUNE NEXT YEAR. AMAZON ARE ACTUALLY REALLY COMPLIMENTARY ABOUT THE WAY THAT NEW ZEALANDERS WORK. THE REALITY IS THIS IS A LARGE MULTINATIONAL COMPANY THAT HAS MADE AN ECONOMIC OR A COMMERCIAL DECISION TO RELOCATE TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST FILM-MAKING HUBS. NOTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE TO COUNTER THAT. THE GOVERNMENT HAD OFFERED AMAZON A HIGHER TAX INCENTIVE TO STAY FOR FUTURE SEASONS, BUT THAT'S NOW OFF THE TABLE. THE LOCAL INDUSTRY SAYING THE COMPANY'S CHOICE TO LEAVE CAN BE A WIN FOR OTHERS. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. WE'VE SEEN MORE PEOPLE EMPLOYED IN THE INDUSTRY, THERE'S BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPABILITY NOW, SO, ACTUALLY, IT COULD BE A BONUS FOR OTHER STUDIOS LOOKING AT GETTING WORK DONE IN NEW ZEALAND. WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH A RANGE OF INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTIONS WHO HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED THEIR INTEREST IN COMING TO NEW ZEALAND. HOPE OUR COVID-FREE LANDSCAPES WILL BE A DRAWCARD TO OTHER FILMMAKERS. CORAZON MILLER, 1 NEWS. A SERIAL PAEDOPHILE AND THE FEMALE PARTNER WHO ACTIVELY ASSISTED HIM HAVE BEEN JAILED FOR A STRING OF HORRIFIC SEX CRIMES. ANDREW WILLIAMS AND LAKEN ROSE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED SEVERAL CHILDREN AND FILMED THE ABUSE. THE COUPLE IS WELL KNOWN IN WAIKATO EQUESTRIAN CIRCLES. LOGAN CHURCH WAS AT THEIR SENTENCING TODAY IN ROTORUA. A WARNING ` SOME VIEWERS MIGHT FIND DETAILS IN HIS REPORT UPSETTING. THIS COUPLE'S DEPRAVITY LED TO EVERY PARENT'S WORST NIGHTMARE. TAKING YOUR CHILD TO A RAPE EXAMINATION IS AN EXPERIENCE I WISH ON NO OTHER PARENT. ANDREW WILLIAMS NOW SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 23 YEARS IN PRISON. CO-OFFENDER LAKEN ROSE MORE THAN 19 YEARS. THEY WERE COLLECTIVELY FOUND GUILTY OF MORE THAN 100 CHARGES RELATING TO THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF SEVEN CHILDREN ` THE OLDEST 13, THE YOUNGEST 3. IT IS, IN FACT, DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE MORE EGREGIOUS OFFENDING AGAINST CHILDREN. WORDS SUCH AS 'SICKENING' AND 'DEPRAVED' COME READILY TO MIND. THE PAIR MET AT THE HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW JUST OVER A DECADE AGO, DOCUMENTING THEIR ABUSE ON CAMERA. THEIR PORNOGRAPHY STASH WAS FOUND ON DEVICES WHEN POLICE RAIDED THEIR CAMBRIDGE HOME IN 2019. WE FOUND IN EXCESS OF 300,000 IMAGES AND VIDEOS DURING THIS INVESTIGATION. LAKEN ROSE ARGUED SHE WAS FORCED TO DO IT. HER DEFENCE REJECTED. MS ROSE, IN THE CROWN SUBMISSION, IS AS CULPABLE AS MR WILLIAMS. THE COURT HEARD THE CRIMES WERE PRE-PLANNED AND A GROSS BREACH OF TRUST. THE HORRIFIC DETAILS OF HOW THE CHILDREN WERE ABUSED FAR TOO GRAPHIC TO BE BROADCAST. SEEING YOUR CHILD PUT THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE ABSOLUTELY SHATTERS YOU INTO 1000 PIECES. IT MAY BE MANY YEARS YET BEFORE THE FULL EXTENT OF THE HARM IS IDENTIFIED. LOCAL POLICE SAY THEY'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH SERIOUS OFFENDING ON THIS SCALE. THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL. VERY SELDOM, I THINK, IN HISTORY HAVE WE SEEN A FEMALE WHO IS INVOLVED WITH SO MUCH OFFENDING AS A PRINCIPAL OFFENDER AS OPPOSED TO A PARTY. WELL, ROSE WAS A PRINCIPAL OFFENDER. SHE WAS NOT ONLY GROOMING THESE CHILDREN, BUT SHE WAS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THE VIOLATION OF SOME OF THEM. FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS STARED THE PAIR DOWN AS THEY WERE LED TO PRISON. THIS IS A GREAT RESULT FOR THE BRAVE YOUNG VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO TALK TO POLICE AND HELPED BRING THESE DANGEROUS OFFENDERS TO JUSTICE. BUT THE HORROR OF WHAT'S HAPPENED WILL LIKELY NEVER GO AWAY. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS. THE SECOND OF FIVE FUNERALS FOR THE VICTIMS OF A HORROR HIGH-SPEED CRASH IN TIMARU LAST WEEKEND HAS BEEN HELD TODAY. THE FAMILY ALLOWED MEDIA TO FILM THE EMOTIONAL SEND OFF TO FAREWELL JAVARNEY DRUMMOND (15). HIS FATHER TOLD 1 NEWS IT WAS TRAGIC FOR ALL THOSE AFFECTED. STUDENTS FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE WAS A STUDENT, STAGED A HAKA AS PART OF THE CEREMONY. (STUDENTS PERFORM HAKA) THE FUNERAL FOR ANOTHER TEENAGER KILLED IN THE CRASH WILL BE HELD OVER THE WEEKEND. IN A RAPIDLY DETERIORATING SITUATION UNFOLDING IN AFGHANISTAN, ANOTHER TWO KEY CITIES HAVE FALLEN TO THE TALIBAN JUST TODAY. IN DARK RED YOU CAN SEE THE PROVINCES HELD BY THE TALIBAN IN APRIL WHEN THE US FIRST ANNOUNCED THE WITHDRAWAL OF ITS TROOPS. AND LOOK AT THE DARK RED TONIGHT. THIS IS WHAT THE TALIBAN CONTROLS NOW ` AT LEAST 12 CITIES ` MAKING UP ROUGHLY TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTRY. NOW THE US HAS REVEALED THOUSANDS OF TROOPS WILL BE SENT BACK TO KABUL. WITH MORE, HERE'S ABC CORRESPONDENT IAN PANNELL IN LONDON. TONIGHT, IN A STUNNING MOVE, THE US MILITARY DEPLOYING AROUND 3000 TROOPS BACK INTO AFGHANISTAN TO HELP AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF SOME STAFF FROM THE US EMBASSY IN KABUL, AS THE TALIBAN'S GRIP ON THE COUNTRY TIGHTENS. WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE PRUDENT THING TO DO, GIVEN THE RAPIDLY-DETERIORATING SECURITY SITUATION IN AND AROUND KABUL. THE TROOPS HEADING BACK TO KABUL TO SUPPORT THE 650 STILL THERE. THE PENTAGON SAYING NO SINGLE EVENT TRIGGERING THIS EMERGENCY MISSION NOW EXPECTED TO START IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. UP TO 3500 TROOPS WILL BE STATIONED IN KUWAIT ON STANDBY, BUT OFFICIALS REFUSING TO CALL THE DEPLOYMENT A COMBAT MISSION OR AN EVACUATION. OUR JOB HERE NOW, WITH THIS ADDITIONAL PLUS UP, IS TO HELP FACILITATE THE SAFE MOVEMENT OF CIVILIAN PERSONNEL. THIS IS NOT AN EVACUATION. THIS IS NOT THE WHOLESALE WITHDRAWAL. BUT THE SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AS AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES FACE MASSIVE PRESSURE FROM THE TALIBAN. THE GOVERNMENT RELEASING VIDEO PURPORTING TO SHOW A BATTLE WITH THE TALIBAN OUTSIDE KANDAHAR. REPORTS TONIGHT THAT THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY JUST FELL TO THE TALIBAN ` IN THE LAST WEEK, THE MILITANTS TAKING 11 OTHER MAJOR CITIES THIS MORNING. THE TALIBAN SWEEPING INTO GHAZNI, JUST 80 MILES SOUTH OF KABUL. THESE VIDEOS SHOWING TALIBAN FIGHTERS CONTROLLING THE STREETS, SOME POSING FOR THE CAMERAS, INCREASINGLY CONFIDENT. AND THIS AFTERNOON, THE TALIBAN TAKING HERAT, VIDEO FILMED BY THE TALIBAN, APPEARING TO SHOW THEM WANDERING THROUGH POLICE HEADQUARTERS. AND TODAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN REFUSING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND DETERIORATES DRAMATICALLY. THE BATTLE CONTINUES TO CONTAIN THE OIL SLICK FROM A CARGO SHIP THAT RAN AGROUND AND SPLIT IN TWO OFF THE COAST OF NORTHERN JAPAN. ALL 21 CREW MEMBERS WERE RESCUED BY HELICOPTER. THE VESSEL HAD EARLIER GOT STUCK ON THE SEABED WHILE ENTERING THE HARBOUR. IT MANAGED TO GET FREE BUT SUFFERED A CRACK, WHICH GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER, EVENTUALLY CAUSING THE SHIP TO BREAK INTO TWO. PATROL BOATS ARE TRYING TO STOP THE 5km-LONG OIL SPILL FROM SPREADING. THE VESSEL WAS CARRYING WOODCHIPS FROM THAILAND. AT 39, BRITNEY SPEARS HAS JUST GOT A STEP CLOSER TO FREEDOM. AFTER MONTHS OF PUBLIC PRESSURE FROM THE FREE BRITNEY MOVEMENT, SHE'S FINALLY RELEASED FROM THE CLUTCHES OF HER FATHER. TODAY HE STEPPED DOWN AS HER CONSERVATOR AFTER 13 YEARS. THE POP STAR CLAIMED HER FATHER WAS ABUSING THE CONTROL HE HAD OVER HER LIFE AND THAT SHE HAD BEEN DRUGGED AND PREVENTED FROM HAVING CHILDREN. HOWEVER SHE'S NOT IN FULL CONTROL OF HER LIFE YET, AS A REPLACEMENT CONSERVATOR IS YET TO BE APPOINTED. STILL TO COME AHEAD OF OUR FRIDAY NIGHT SPORTS SEGMENT ` HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY FOR A 40-YEAR-OLD PIECE OF CAKE IF IT WAS A SLICE OF ROYAL HISTORY? AND ALSO WANTING A PIECE OF THE ACTION, A PANTHERS STAR FINALLY GETS BACK ON THE FIELD. WELCOME BACK. A SLICE OF CHARLES AND DIANA'S WEDDING CAKE HAS GONE UNDER THE HAMMER. IT SOLD AT AUCTION FOR OVER $3600. FOR 40 YEARS, THE DESERT'S BEEN TUCKED AWAY IN A ROYAL STAFFER'S FREEZER, PRESERVED WITH GLAD WRAP, A MAN FROM LEEDS FORKING OUT A FORTUNE TO ADD TO HIS COLLECTION OF MEMORABILIA. TO SPORT, WHERE BATTLERS NORTH HARBOUR AND COUNTIES MANUKAU WERE LOOKING FOR THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE PROVINCIAL SEASON IN PUKEKOHE TONIGHT. THE STEELERS WERE ABLE TO UNLEASH ALL BLACKS LOOSE FORWARD HOSKINS SOTUTU FROM THE OUTSET. BUT THIS LONG-RANGE PENALTY GOAL LOOKED LIKE BEING THE HIGHLIGHT FOR MOST OF THE SECOND ROUND MATCH. THEY'VE GOT THE ADVANTAGE HERE, NORTH HARBOUR. BEAUTIFUL PASS. AND AWAY THEY GO. THEY'VE GOT IT AWAY. STEVENSON, HE'S AWAY! AND SHAUN STEVENSON, AFTER 69 MINUTES, SCORES THE OPENING TRY OF THIS GAME. IT PROVED THE ONLY TRY, AS NORTH HARBOUR WON 14-6. TO THE NRL, WHERE ONE OF THE LEAGUE CODE'S BIGGEST STARS NATHAN CLEARY HAS MADE A TIMELY RETURN FOR PENRITH IN BRISBANE TONIGHT. THE PANTHERS HAD LOOKED SHAKY WITHOUT THEIR PLAYMAKER OVER THE PAST SIX WEEKS, BUT WITH CLEARY BACK CALLING THE SHOTS, THEY CRUISED PAST THE DRAGONS. DOESN'T HIT THE TARGET. HERE HE GOES. CHASING BURTON. WE KNOW HE'S GOT SPEED. HAVE A LOOK AT HIM. AND THEY COME WITH EDWARDS. THAT IS CRACKING PLAY BY PENRITH. ANOTHER RUN. OH, AND HE'S LOST IT! THAT WAS CLEARY. OUT IT COMES, HIT BY CLEARY. HERE COME THE PANTHERS. HERE COME THE PANTHERS. LUAI TO BURTON, THERE'S THE STEPPING. BURTON IS OVER. PENRITH WINNING 34-16 TO KEEP PACE WITH THE MELBOURNE STORM, THE PANTHERS' COOLEST CAT CONVERTING FIVE OF THE SIX TRIES. US COLLEGE BASKETBALL PLAYER CHARLISSE LEGER-WALKER HAS BROUGHT REAL STAR POWER TO THE LOCAL WNBL LEAGUE. SHE WAS SPELLBINDING FOR THE WAIKATO WIZARDS WITH A 31 POINT HAUL IN THE OPENING MATCH OF THE COMPETITION. AND AS VICTOR WATERS REPORTS, THE TEENAGER IS ALREADY TALKING UP THE NEXT MEMBER OF THE B-BALL DYNASTY. BACK FROM PLAYING US COLLEGE BASKETBALL, CHARLISSE LEGER-WALKER DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO LIVE UP TO ALL THE HYPE SURROUNDING HER. DOWN IT GOES, AND SHE GETS THE TOURNAMENT UNDERWAY. BUT THAT WAS JUST A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME. THE WAIKATO WIZARDS STAR CONTRIBUTING 31 POINTS, PROVING A NIGHTMARE FOR THE AUCKLAND DREAM. IN FACT, SHE SCORED THE FIRST 16 POINTS FOR HER SIDE, WHILE MAKING EIGHT REBOUNDS AND NINE STEALS. CHARLISSE, BALL IN HAND. STEP BACK, THREE. SIX IT. ALL THOSE STEALS ARE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, TEAM STEALS. THE GIRLS SET UP GREAT TRAPS. KRYSTAL'S, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS SO PRESENT ON THE COURT THE WHOLE TIME, AND IT JUST SETS ME UP EASY FOR ME TO, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND GET THE GLORY, GET THE CREDIT, I GUESS, JUST GETTING THOSE LOBS. SO IT WAS A GREAT HIT-OUT TODAY BY THE GIRLS ` YOU KNOW, PUTTING INTO PRACTICE EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE. THOSE KIND WORDS IN REFERENCE TO OLDER SISTER KRYSTAL AND MUM AND COACH LEANNE WALKER. THE SEASON SET TO BE A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE WIZARDS. SOMETIMES DAD WANTS TO CHANGE UP THE TOPIC A LITTLE BIT. (CHUCKLES) BUT, YEAH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST KIND OF NATURAL. IT'S ALWAYS BASKETBALL AT OUR DINNER ROOM TABLE. BUT NO, NOT REALLY. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST REALLY HAPPY TO GET AMONGST THESE GIRLS AGAIN. IF WAIKATO'S OPPONENTS THOUGHT THINGS COULDN'T GET ANY HARDER, THEY'LL SOON HAVE A THIRD LEGER-WALKER TO CONTEND WITH. YEAH, TRUE, OUR YOUNGER SISTER TANNIKA, SHE'S JUST WAITING TO TURN 15 BEFORE SHE CAN SUIT UP. SO HER BIRTHDAY'S IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND WE'RE HOLDING OUT AND WAITING FOR HER TO JUMP ON WITH US. AS BOTH SISTERS CONTINUE TO WORK THEIR WAY INTO THE WNBA THROUGH WASHINGTON STATE BASKETBALL, LET'S SEE IF THE YOUNGEST LEGER-WALKER CAN FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS. VICTOR WALTERS, 1 NEWS. THE MAGIC OF THE CLASSIC BASEBALL MOVIE 'FIELD OF DREAMS' HAS BEEN RECREATED MORE THAN 30 YEARS LATER IN IOWA. A STADIUM SPRUNG UP NEXT TO THE SET OF THE BOX OFFICE SUCCESS, AND TODAY ITS HOLLYWOOD STAR SHARED THE SPOTLIGHT WITH SOME HEAVY HITTERS FROM THE MAJOR LEAGUES. MATT MANUKIA REPORTS. IT WAS IN 1989 WHEN KEVIN COSTNER FIRST HEARD THAT VOICE IN HIS IOWA CORNFIELD. WHISPERS: IF YOU BUILD IT, HE WILL COME. NOW, 30 YEARS LATER, THE CINEMA CLASSIC 'FIELD OF DREAMS' HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO LIFE ` THE HOLLYWOOD STAR EMERGING FROM THOSE SAME CORNSTALKS TO MARK THE FIRST-EVER MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL GAME IN IOWA. (APPLAUSE, CHEERS) IT WAS AN EMOTIONAL VISUAL OF PLAYERS FROM THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX AND NEW YORK YANKEES ENTERING THE FIELD JUST LIKE THE MOVIE. (APPLAUSE, CHEERS) 30 YEARS AGO, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT CORN, WE FILMED A MOVIE THAT STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. THE ORIGINAL FIELD OF DREAMS DIAMOND AND MOVIE SET IS ACTUALLY JUST NEXT DOOR. EVEN THAT HOUSE WE SAW 30 YEARS AGO ` STILL THERE TODAY. THEY'LL COME TO IOWA FOR REASONS THEY CAN'T EVEN FATHOM. THEY'LL ARRIVE AT YOUR DOOR AS INNOCENT AS CHILDREN, LONGING FOR THE PAST. DESCRIBED AS THE PERFECT BLEND OF BASEBALL AND NOSTALGIA, BOOSTING AUDIENCE RATINGS WITH EVERYTHING FROM THE UNIFORMS TO THE SCOREBOARD DESIGNED TO CONJURE UP MEMORIES BOTH OF THE MOVIE AND OF THE BASEBALLS GROUNDS FROM A CENTURY AGO. HERE'S ZAVALA FLYING ONE IN TO RIGHT. BACK AT THE WALL. IT IS GONE! WHITE SOX STAR TIM ANDERSON ADMITTED HE HADN'T EVEN WATCHED THE MOVIE, BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH AND FINAL INNING, HE BECAME PART OF THE SCRIPT. ANDERSON HITS IT IN THE AIR TO RIGHT. BACK AT THE WALL. AND THE WHITE SOX WIN IT. HIS TWO-RUN HOMER SEALING A 9-8 WIN OVER THE YANKEES. THIS MASTERCLASS IN NOSTALGIA WILL HAVE OTHER SPORTS WONDERING ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE GAMES LIKE IT. MATT MANUKIA, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` IT FEELS LIKE A VARIATION ON DOCTOR DOOLITTLE. YOU CAN TALK TO THE ANIMALS IN LOCKDOWN AT SYDNEY'S LEADING ZOO. ONE OF SYDNEY'S LEADING ATTRACTIONS IS PUTTING THE ZOOM INTO ZOO TO TRY AND MAINTAIN CONNECTIONS IN THE LOCKDOWN WORLD. WITH ITS ANIMALS OFF LIMITS TO THE PUBLIC, TARONGA ZOO HAS TURNED THEM INTO TV STARS. CHANNEL NINE'S MIKE DALTON EXPLAINS. THEY'RE GETTING SO LONELY AT THE ZOO... (PLAYS FUNKY TUNE) ...SOLO SAXOPHONISTS ARE SERENADING THE ELEPHANTS. THEY'RE USED TO THE STIMULUS OF PEOPLE. BUT WITH ZOO PATHWAYS EMPTY OF PROMENADING BIPEDS, TARONGA'S KEEPERS ARE BRINGING THEIR ANIMALS ONLINE TO WHAT ARE CALLED LOCKDOWN LESSONS. A RANGE OF ON DEMAND AND LIVE ACTIVATIONS COMING UP FOR SCHOOLS DELIVERED BY OUR AMAZING EDUCATION TEAM ` SO ALL CURRICULUM EXPERTS AND TEACHERS. THE LESSONS BUILT TO BE VIRTUALLY VIEWED FOR FAMILIES LIVING IN LOCKDOWN, COMPLEMENTING THE LIVE CAMERA FEEDS OF ENCLOSURE'S ON TARONGA TV, WHICH DEBUTED LAST YEAR. THEY'RE USING LOTS OF REALLY RICH VOCABULARY. SO MY KIDS ARE LEARNING ALL SORTS OF GREAT NEW WORDS, LIKE THERMOREGULATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S NOT JUST HALF AN HOUR OF BABYSITTING. TOPICS RANGE FROM HOW TO FEED A ZOO TO, SOMEWHAT NATURALLY, I SUPPOSE, WHOSE POO IS WHOSE? POO'S ACTUALLY A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF ANIMAL WELFARE AND CONSERVATION. YOU'D HAVE A LOT TO STUDY IF YOU WERE STUDYING THE ELEPHANTS. (LAUGHS) THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'D BE A BIG ASK. WE WANT YOUNG FAMILIES AROUND THE WORLD AND AROUND AUSTRALIA TO BE INSPIRED BY WILDLIFE AND PROTECT THEM. ACCESS OUR BEST SCIENTISTS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR LIVING ROOM. SO HELPING OUR KIDS LEARN, BUT HELPING OUT PARENTS DURING LOCKDOWN AS WELL. OUR SMALLEST BIRD HAS MADE AN APPEARANCE IN THE CAPITAL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A CENTURY. THE PAIR OF TITIPOUNAMU, OR RIFLEMEN, LIKE THESE ONES WERE SPOTTED ON WELLINGTON'S TE AHUMAIRANGI HILL NEAR THE SUBURB OF WADESTOWN. AND WHILE THEY'RE COMMON IN SOME PARTS OF AOTEAROA, THE LAST TIME THEY WERE SEEN FLYING AROUND WELLINGTON WAS MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO. THESE TINY MANU WEIGH JUST 6 GRAMS. AND THEIR CALL IS SO HIGH PITCHED, IT'S OFTEN INAUDIBLE TO THE HUMAN EAR. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER NOW WITH BRITNEY SPEARS AND 'TOXIC'. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU, HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND. CAPTIONS BY LILLIE BALFOUR AND ANNIE CURTIS.