TONIGHT ` DESPERATELY TRYING TO FLEE THE TALIBAN ` AS THE MILITANT GROUP SEIZE CONTROL IN KABUL, THE PANICKED RACE TO FLEE THE CITY. AND AS THE TALIBAN TAKEOVER, A MISSION IS LAUNCHED TO TRY AND RESCUE NEW ZEALANDERS CAUGHT UP IN THE UPHEAVAL. CAPTIONS BY CHELSEA BRADY AND MAEVE KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. THE TALIBAN HAS DECLARED THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN IS OVER AFTER INSURGENTS STORMED THE CAPITAL, KABUL, AND THE PRESIDENT FLED THE COUNTRY. THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS AND INTERNATIONAL EXPATS ARE DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET OUT AS THE MILITANT GROUP TIGHTENS ITS GRIP ON A NATION IT'S WAITED 20 YEARS TO RECLAIM. WITH MORE, HERE'S STEVE MARSHALL FROM CHANNEL 9. POSING IN KABUL'S PRESIDENTIAL PALACE AFTER SEIZING CONTROL OF THE CAPITAL. THE TALIBAN'S POWER GRAB WAS AS SWIFT AS IT WAS SHOCKING. THE MILITANTS' ADVANCE TRIGGERED MASS PANIC AT THE CAPITAL'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. (YELLING, SCREAMING) DESPERATE LOCALS SCRAMBLED TO BOARD THE LAST FLIGHTS OUT, SPRINTING ACROSS THE TARMAC AS GUNSHOTS RANG OUT. (GUNFIRE) THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS HAVE BEEN FREED FROM JAILS, INCLUDING ISIS AND AL QAEDA FIGHTERS. IN SCENES LIKENED TO THE FALL OF SAIGON, U.S. CHOPPERS DOMINATED THE KABUL SKYLINE, WHISKING EMBASSY STAFF TO SAFETY. THIS IS MANIFESTLY NOT SAIGON. THE INABILITY OF AFGHAN SECURITY FORCES TO DEFEND THEIR COUNTRY HAS PLAYED A VERY POWERFUL ROLE IN WHAT WE'VE SEEN. THE TALIBAN DEMANDED A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER WITHIN DAYS. IT WAS ALREADY THEIRS AFTER THE AFGHAN PRESIDENT FLED THE COUNTRY TO PREVENT A FLOOD OF BLOODSHED. 'I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE MUSLIM AFGHAN PEOPLE ON THIS HUGE VICTORY,' THIS SENIOR TALIBAN LEADER SAID, CALLING THE SUCCESS 'UNEXPECTED'. PEOPLE FEAR THE TALIBAN TAKEOVER WILL SEE THE GROUP IMPOSE ITS HARD-LINE FORM OF ISLAM. MANY RACED FOR THE BORDERS. OTHERS STAYED, REMAINING DEFIANT. THEY ARE HERE. I'M NOT AFRAID OF THEM. WE ARE NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WILL, YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO THE DARK ERA. THE U.S. IS SENDING 1000 NEW TROOPS TO JOIN THE 5000 THERE TO HELP WITH EVACUATIONS. A WAR OVERSEEN BY FOUR PRESIDENTS, IT'S A FOREIGN POLICY DISASTER FOR THE NEW ADMINISTRATION. THIS WAS JOE BIDEN FIVE WEEKS AGO. THE LIKELIHOOD THERE'S GOING TO BE THE TALIBAN OVERRUNNING EVERYTHING AND OWNING THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY. TODAY, THE PRESIDENT WAS BRIEFED AT CAMP DAVID BUT MADE NO PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A STAIN ON THIS PRESIDENT AND HIS PRESIDENCY. AND I THINK HE'S GOING TO HAVE BLOOD ON HIS HANDS FOR WHAT THEY DID. FROM DONALD TRUMP, WHO PENNED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE TALIBAN ` WE WERE IN AFGHANISTAN FOR ONE OVERRIDING PURPOSE, TO DEAL WITH THE FOLKS WHO ATTACKED US ON 9/11. WE'VE SUCCEEDED IN ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVES. THE WAR WAS SUPPOSED TO BRING A STABLE REGIME TO AN UNSTABLE REGION. BUT AFTER 20 YEARS, IT'S ENDING AS IT BEGAN. A MILITARY RESCUE OPERATION IS BEING LAUNCHED TO EVACUATE NEW ZEALANDERS FROM AFGHANISTAN. IT WILL ALSO TRY TO HELP DOZENS OF AFGHAN CIVILIANS WHO WORKED WITH OUR DEFENCE FORCES AND NOW FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES. POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS WITH MORE. AFGHANS WHO HELPED NEW ZEALAND TROOPS ARE NOW BEING HUNTED BY THE TALIBAN. THIS FOOTAGE SHOT JUST HOURS AGO. THEY'VE FLED INTO THE MOUNTAINS IN BAMIYAN PROVINCE TO ESCAPE THE TALIBAN. NOW AN URGENT RESCUE MISSION'S PLANNED. WE'RE SENDING A HERCULES TO AFGHANISTAN TO HELP KIWIS AND SOME AFGHAN CIVILIANS OUT OF THE COUNTRY. NOW WE ARE LOOKING TO DEPLOY AN ASSET IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE REMOVAL OF BOTH NEW ZEALANDERS BUT ALSO THOSE WE CONSIDER MAY BE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH NEW ZEALAND. AT THIS STAGE, WE ARE PLANNING TO DEPLOY FOR A MONTH, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE SECURITY SITUATION WILL ALLOW US TO OPERATE FOR THAT LONG, SO WE'LL DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. WHY HAVE YOU WAITED UNTIL THE TALIBAN HAVE OVERRUN THE COUNTRY TO OFFER THESE 37 AFGHANI NATIONALS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT? YOU WILL HAVE SEEN FROM THE REACTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ` THERE SIMPLY WAS NOT AN EXPECTATION THAT WE WOULD SEE THE SECURITY SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN DETERIORATE AS QUICKLY AS IT HAD. NEW ZEALAND NOW URGING THE TALIBAN TO ACT HONOURABLY. WE WOULD IMPLORE THEM ` ALLOW PEOPLE TO LEAVE SAFELY. NEW ZEALAND FORCES WERE IN AFGHANISTAN FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS. 10 SOLDIERS WERE KILLED, OTHERS WOUNDED. NOW THE TALIBAN IS BACK IN CHARGE, WAS IT WORTH IT? EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DEFENCE FORCE PERSONNEL WHO WENT IN THERE WENT IN THERE TO DO THAT VERY THING ` TO TRY TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN. THESE AFGHANS WHO HELPED OUR FORCES ARE DESPERATELY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR RELATIVES STILL IN BAMIYAN. SINCE YESTERDAY, WHEN TALIBAN CAME INTO BAMIYAN AND TOOK OVER, I TRIED TO CONTACT MY FAMILY MEMBERS. I COULDN'T GET HOLD OF THEM. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. THEY MIGHT BE HIDING SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS, OUT OF CELLPHONE COVERAGE, OR... WE DON'T KNOW ` THEY MAY BE IN HAND OF TALIBAN. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO COME HERE AND BE HERE, BUT OUR FAMILY ` MY PARENTS, MY SIBLINGS ` ARE ALL LEFT THERE, AND I AM EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM. WORRIED THE TALIBAN WILL EMBARK ON ANOTHER REIGN OF TERROR. BENEDICT COLLINS, 1 NEWS. THERE ARE MAJOR CONCERNS FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN. THEIR FUTURE UNDER TALIBAN RULE LOOKS BLEAK. THE ISLAMIC MILITANTS HAVE REFUSED TO RULE OUT STONINGS AND PUBLIC EXECUTIONS FOR THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAW. OUR REPORTER VANDHNA BHAN SPOKE TO ONE AFGHANI WOMAN IN KABUL WHO FEARS FOR HER LIFE. IT'S TERRIFYING, HONESTLY, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IS WHAT I EXPERIENCED WHEN I WAS 2 YEARS OLD MYSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, MY DAUGHTER, SHE IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME EXACT SITUATION THAT I WENT THROUGH AS A CHILD, AND... (VOICE BREAKS) AND IT'S HEART-BREAKING. BECAUSE SHE'S MY BABY, AND SHE'S A GIRL. I FEEL LIKE ALL THE RIGHTS THAT I HAVE ` I WILL LOSE ALL MY RIGHTS, THE BASIC RIGHTS. FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO WORK AGAIN, FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO BE INDEPENDENT ` FINANCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY, EVERYTHING ` IT'S GOING TO BE ALL TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. HOW SCARED ARE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW? IF THERE WAS A SCALE, EVEN 100 IS NOT ENOUGH. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T KNOW EVEN HOW TO DRESS TO GO OUTSIDE. AM I SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BURQA? AM I SUPPOSED TO HAVE, LIKE, MY NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY HIJAB? WE'VE LOST HOPE, TO BE HONEST. YESTERDAY I WAS SPEAKING TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS, AND WHEN I ASKED, 'HOW ARE YOU FEELING? AND SHE'S LIKE, 'I'M JUST PRAYING FOR THEM TO LET US LIVE.' WHAT HAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE WITH THE TALIBAN, GROWING UP IN AFGHANISTAN? EXPERIENCE WAS HORRIFYING, WAS TERRIBLE. FATHER HIMSELF IS A MAWLAWI, WHO PREACHES ISLAM, AND HE ALLOWED US TO GO TO SCHOOL. AND EVERYBODY WAS SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT MUSLIMS, WE'RE GOING AGAINST ISLAM, WE'RE GOING AGAINST OUR FAITH. WE GET A KNOCK AT 6 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. THEY CAME AND KNOCKING THE DOOR. MY MOTHER WENT AND OPENED THE DOOR. HE WAS LIKE, 'WE'RE HERE FOR YOUR HUSBAND, 'AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AND HANG HIM.' WHEN SHE STOPPED THE TALIBS, NOT TO GO TO` GO INSIDE THE HOUSE, THEY HIT IN HER STOMACH. SO RIGHT AWAY` MY MOTHER WAS PREGNANT WITH TWO TWINS; SHE LOST THE BABY IMMEDIATELY, ONE IN HER STOMACH. SHE WENT TO THE BATHROOM, AND SHE MADE MY DAD COME OUT, WITH THE FOAM, THE SOAP, EVERYWHERE ON HIS BODY, AND SHE WAS LIKE, 'RUN.' BUT MY FATHER IS THE ONE WHO ALLOWED ME TO CHOOSE MY HUSBAND, TO CHOOSE MY PROFESSIONAL, TO CHOOSE TO WORK, TO STUDY. AND I CANNOT TAKE A CHANCE TO LEAVE THEM IN THIS CHAOS, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY WILL COME AFTER THEM. HOW CAN I LEAVE THEM BEHIND? I WOULD RATHER DIE HERE WITH THEM THAN TO` COMPARING TO JUST LEAVE THEM HERE DYING FOR SOMETHING HE DID FOR ME AS A CHILD. NEW SOUTH WALES HAS RECORDED ITS DEADLIEST DAY OF THE PANDEMIC. THERE WERE 478 CASES AND EIGHT DEATHS, WITH THE STATE PREMIER SAYING IT COULD BE NOVEMBER BEFORE RESTRICTIONS EASE. CHANNEL NINE'S EDDIE MEYER REPORTS. IN THE TALLY OF DISTURBING DAYS IN THIS WAVE OF COVID IN NEW SOUTH WALES, THIS WAS NOT WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR. OUR COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION NUMBERS ARE DISTURBINGLY HIGH. OF THE RECORD 478 NEW CASES IN THE 24 HOURS TO 8pm, ONLY 97 WERE IN ISOLATION THROUGHOUT THEIR INFECTIOUS PERIOD, MEANING UP TO 381 WERE INFECTIOUS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SOME OR ALL OF THE TIME. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE INFECTIOUS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE ALL HEED AND TAKE PART IN THE ACTIONS WE'RE REQUIRED TO UNDERTAKE. AMONG THE DEATHS WE WERE TOLD ABOUT TODAY, THREE MEN AND A WOMAN IN THEIR 80s, A MAN AND WOMAN IN THEIR 70s AND A MAN IN HIS 40s. ALSO TODAY ` THE DEATH OF OSAMA SARDA (15). HE WAS ADMITTED WITH PNEUMOCOCCAL MENINGITIS AND DIED FROM THAT AT SYDNEY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL. HE WAS ALSO COVID-POSITIVE. HE HAD BEEN VACCINATED AGAINST PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE AS A CHILD, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE VACCINE MAY NOT HAVE COVERED THE PARTICULAR STRAIN THAT WAS INVOLVED IN HIS DEATH. IT'S TELLING THAT FROM THE START OF THIS OUTBREAK, 70% OF THOSE INFECTED HAVE BEEN AGED UNDER 40, AND IT IS IN WESTERN AND SOUTH-WESTERN SYDNEY THAT THE FOCUS FOR CONCERN REMAINS. AND IF EVER WE WANT TO PROVE THAT THERE IS NO NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR BATTLING COVID, JUST LOOK TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA ` PREMIER MARK McGOWAN DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS STANCE; THE TARGETED LOCKDOWNS AND HARD BORDERS WILL STILL BE USED EVEN ONCE 80% OF THE POPULATION IS FULLY VACCINATED. THE STATE WOULD KEEP, AS PART OF OUR WEAPONS, INTERSTATE BORDERS. I SAID ALL THAT, AND I STAND BY THAT. WE WILL KEEP THAT. WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? NEW SOUTH WALES? IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT? OUR PREMIER LESS THAN IMPRESSED. THERE'S NEVER BEEN A COMPLETE ELIMINATION STRATEGY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT SO LONG AS DELTA, OR SO LONG AS COVID EXISTS AROUND THE WORLD, THERE WILL BE CASES, THERE WILL BE OUTBREAKS. IN THE END, COVID WILL EXIST IN THE WORLD. WE WILL NEVER ELIMINATE COVID FROM THE WORLD. WHERE ONCE THERE WAS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THIS TUNNEL THAT WE WOULD ENJOY FREEDOM ONCE 80% OF US ARE FULLY VACCINATED, TODAY, THE PREMIER ALL BUT EXTINGUISHED IT ` FREEDOM FROM COVID MAY MEAN SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT. LOCKDOWN, IT SEEMS, MAY JUST HAVE ANOTHER NAME, AND THAT MIGHT MEAN RESTRICTIONS EVEN IN NOVEMBER. BECAUSE IF CASE NUMBERS ARE WHERE THEY ARE NOW AND WE GET TO 80% DOUBLE DOSES, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO DO. AND TO THE SUGGESTION THOSE CASE NUMBERS COULD EVEN REACH A THOUSAND A DAY... WE ABSOLUTELY COULD, IF PEOPLE KEEP IGNORING THE RULES. A YOUTH HAS TONIGHT BEEN ARRESTED IN RELATION TO THE STABBING DEATH OF 16-YEAR-OLD ZION PURU-KAMU. ZION PURU-KAMU WAS KILLED AND TWO OTHERS HOSPITALISED FOLLOWING THE ATTACK AT A PARTY IN FENDALTON. POLICE SAY A YOUTH HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND TWO COUNTS OF WOUNDING AND IS DUE TO APPEAR IN THE CHRISTCHURCH YOUTH COURT TOMORROW. TO THE EARTHQUAKE CRISIS IN HAITI NOW, AND THE DEATH TOLL FOLLOWING THE POWERFUL JOLT HAS SOARED TO 1300. THE MAGNITUDE 7.2 QUAKE SAW THOUSANDS OF HOMES IN THE SOUTH WEST OF THE CARIBBEAN NATION REDUCED TO RUBBLE. WITH MORE, HERE'S MICHAEL GENOVESE FROM CHANNEL 9. LIVING ON A SOCCER FIELD, THOUSANDS OF HAITIANS HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. ONE MOTHER SAYING THAT SOME HAVE RESIGNED THEMSELVES TO DRINKING THE NON-POTABLE WATER BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO DRINK. MORE THAN 5000 ARE INJURED, AND THE DEATH TOLL CONTINUES TO CLIMB. A DAY AFTER A 7.2 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE ROCKED THE ISLAND NATION, LOCALS ARE SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS WHILE THEY STILL CAN. (RUBBLE CLATTERS) A TROPICAL STORM IS CLOSING IN, FORECAST TO HIT THE ISLAND TOMORROW. PROBABLY IN 24 HOURS OR LESS. SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONTINGENCY SO WE CAN ADDRESS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE` THAT OUT OF FEAR, STAY OUT OF THEIR HOUSES AND SLEEP OUT ON THE STREETS. THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE IS WARNING OF FLOODS AND POTENTIAL MUDSLIDES. A DIFFERENT MESSAGE FROM ABOVE ` THE POPE OFFERING PRAYERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, WHILE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES OFFERED SUPPLIES. COLOMBIA, MEXICO AND CUBA DELIVERING FOOD, WATER AND DOCTORS. OF HAITIAN DESCENT, TENNIS SUPERSTAR NAOMI OSAKA HAS PLEDGED TO DONATE HER NEXT TOURNAMENT WINNINGS. BUT THE COUNTRY IS IN PIECES IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, STILL REBUILDING FROM THE QUAKE IN 2010 THAT KILLED MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE. IN THE MIDST OF A DROUGHT, THEIR PRESIDENT WAS ASSASSINATED LAST MONTH, LEAVING ONE OF THE POOREST NATIONS IN THE WORLD WITHOUT A HEAD OF STATE. HARDSHIP AND HAITI GO HAND IN HAND. E HAERE TONU NEI ` STILL TO COME ` NIWA STEPS IN TO TRY TO SOLVE CROMWELL'S LINGERING POLLUTION PROBLEM WITH SOME HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND FINALLY TIME TO CELEBRATE THEIR SUCCESS ` OUR FIRST WAVE OF OLYMPIC ATHLETES CHECK OUT OF MIQ. KIA ORA ANO. CROMWELL HAS SOME OF THE WORST AIR POLLUTION IN THE OTAGO REGION. IT'S BEEN A LINGERING PROBLEM FOR YEARS. NOW NIWA IS STEPPING IN TO KNOW MORE, WITH THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY. HERE'S OUR QUEENSTOWN-BASED REPORTER JARED MCCULLOCH. CROMWELL IS KNOWN FOR PRODUCING FRESH FRUIT AND WINE, BUT NOT ALWAYS FRESH AIR. AIR QUALITY HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM IN PLACES LIKE OTAGO FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. BUT NOT MUCH IS IMPROVING. SMOKE FROM FIRES AND WOOD BURNERS OFTEN LINGER OVER THE TOWN IN WINTER. THE REGIONAL COUNCIL ADMITTING IT DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY OR RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THIS IS NOT LIKE FLICKING A SWITCH. THIS IS NOT LIKE CHANGING A CAR, FOR EXAMPLE, OR PAINTING YOUR HOUSE. I MEAN, THIS IS CHANGING A CULTURE THAT WE'VE GOT IN OTAGO. THE TOWN'S EXCEEDED THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARD FOR AIR QUALITY MORE THAN 20 TIMES SO FAR THIS YEAR, MEANING THE AIR IS AT AN UNACCEPTABLE LEVEL FOR HUMAN HEALTH. THAT'S THE BIT YOU'RE GOING TO MEASURE. SO NIWA'S TEAMING UP WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS BY PROVIDING BOTH INDOOR AIR QUALITY SENSORS TO TAKE HOME, AND OUTDOOR MONITORS TO CAPTURE A BETTER PICTURE OF THE PROBLEM. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED OUR INVESTIGATION, WE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE THAT BAD. I DIDN'T EXPECT IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT PLACES LIKE CITIES WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF CARS AND THINGS WOULD BE A LOT WORSE. IT MAKES IT FEEL QUITE AWKWARD. MISHA'S FAMILY IS ONE OF MANY WHO HAVE SWITCHED TO A LOW EMISSION FIRE. FOR THEM, IT'S A RELIABLE SOURCE OF HEAT. JUST ON THE BASIS OF WHEN WE DO LOSE POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, TEMPERATURE GOES SOUTH IN A HURRY. HEAT PUMPS, JUST NOT SO MUCH. BUT WHILE LOW AND EVEN ULTRA LOW FIREPLACES DO REDUCE EMISSIONS, IT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH. THE VALLEY LOCATIONS, THE LOW WINDS. THAT MEANS THESE LOCATIONS HAVE TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO GET THE SAME GOOD AIR QUALITY AS ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. ANY MOVE AWAY FROM WOOD BURNING HERE REQUIRES LONG TERM INVESTMENT. IF WE WAIT FOR INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLDERS TO FUND THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BE WAITING AN AWFUL LONG TIME. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT IT'S SOME SORT OF GOVERNMENT LEVEL. IF THERE WAS A WAY OF GOING COMPLETE WITHOUT FIRES, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S HOPED THE TRIAL WILL INSPIRE CHANGE AS THE EXACT LEVEL OF POLLUTION BECOMES ALL TOO CLEAR. JARED MCCULLOCH, 1 NEWS. THE TOKYO OLYMPICS WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST ` YET MOST SUCCESSFUL, IN TERMS OF MEDAL COUNT FOR NEW ZEALAND. A BIG GROUP OF MEDAL WINNERS OUT OF MIQ TODAY. JORDAN OPPERT WAS AT CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT FOR THAT LONG-AWAITED PROPER WELCOME HOME. SMILE FOR THE CAMERA. THIS IS WHAT FILLS OUR OLYMPIANS' CUPS. DO YOU KNOW WHOSE ONE THAT IS? IT'S HAMISH BOND. AND IN LIGHT OF THE TRAGEDY A WEEK AGO TODAY, MID-QUARANTINE, SOME CUPS DESPERATELY NEEDED FILLING. IT WAS REALLY HARD, AND IT'S STILL HARD, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A MIXTURE OF CELEBRATION AND MOURNING AS WELL, CAUSE SHE WAS LOVED BY SO MANY OF US. OLIVIA PODMORE WAS PARTICULARLY CLOSE WITH THE NEW ZEALAND ROWERS. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ATHLETES TO KNOW THEY CAN COMMUNICATE, TO KNOW THEY'RE SUPPORTED, AND NOT JUST UP AGAINST ORGANISATIONS. IT STARTS WITH ACKNOWLEDGING THE DEMANDS AND VULNERABILITIES THOSE IN ELITE SPORT FACE. WE ALL GO THROUGH HIGHS AND LOWS ` I'VE CERTAINLY HAD MINE ` BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DELIVER MESSAGES THAT ARE TOUGH NEED TO REALISE YOU DON'T KNOW THE MENTAL STATE OF THE PERSON AT THE OTHER END. THAT'S WHERE SAFE TEAM ENVIRONMENTS AND CULTURES ARE HUGELY IMPORTANT. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR ATHLETES IS FRONT AND CENTRE? WELL, IT HAPPENS AT THE COAL FACE AT ALL LEVELS MAKING SURE WE PUT AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR THINKING THAT SPORT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO EXPLORE THEIR POTENTIAL SAFELY, AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE HARMED BY IT. THEY SHOULD BE ENHANCED BY IT. AND KNOW THAT THEIR VOICES WILL BE HEARD. WE HAVE THESE MOMENTS IN OUR TEAM TOO, AND PRIORITISE MENTAL HEALTH AND WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH, INDIVIDUALLY AND FAMILY, AND IT'S NOT EASY TO DO. YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT TO BE AN ATHLETE AND TAKE OFF OVER HERE BY YOURSELF AND DO IT YOURSELF, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL. IF WE PUT A LITTLE MORE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING EACH OTHER 100% OF THE TIME, AND A STRONG FOCUS ON THE RESULT, BUT MAYBE HAVING THEM A CLOSE SECOND, LED BY THE ATHLETES, THAT COULD BE SO POWERFUL. AND MAKE GOLDEN MOMENTS LIKE THIS... ...ALL THE MORE SPECIAL. JORDAN OPPERT, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` A WINTER STORM BRINGS HEAVY RAIN AND GALES AND SOME SNOW. AND HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY FOR THIS SUPER DELUXE BURGER? THE QUEST TO CREATE THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE BURGER. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BURGERS WILL BE SOLD AND EATEN IN THE CAPITAL OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AS PART OF 'WELLINGTON ON A PLATE'. MORE THAN 200 RESTAURANTS ARE TAKING PART, BUT ONLY ONE IS VYING TO SELL THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE BURGER. JACOB JOHNSON EXPLAINS. IT'S HEATING UP IN THIS DOWNTOWN WELLINGTON KITCHEN, WITH PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY TO TRY AND MAKE A RECORD-BREAKING BURGER. IF WE CAN SELL THE BURGER FOR` I THINK IT'S SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO 10 GRAND, WE WILL CREATE THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE BURGER EVER. WHAT WE'VE GOT IN THERE IS A TAHR PATTY, AND IT'S NOW, MUCH LIKE DEER, BECOME A BIT OF A PEST IN THE SOUTHERN ALPS. SO, WE WANTED TO CREATE A BURGER THAT WASN'T CREATING A REALLY BIG ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. WE'VE GOT SOME HOMEMADE BUTTER PICKLES, WE'VE GOT SOME BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER STEMS, WHICH WE'VE PICKLED... I THINK THE MOST EXPENSIVE BURGER WE'VE EVER HAD WAS $350, AND IT WAS A TRIO OF DELECTABLE BURGERS, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S` I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLY LOW BAR TO BEAT. COMMUNITY RESTAURANT 'EVERYBODY EATS' IS AUCTIONING THE BURGER ON TRADEME, BUT A LIMITED NUMBER ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO PATRONS, WHO CAN PAY AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS THEY LIKE. WE WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ACCESS TO WELLINGTON ON A PLATE ` SO SOME OF THE VULNERABLE COMMUNITY WE'RE FEEDING THREE NIGHTS A WEEK ` THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART, TO HAVE A BURGER. WHY NOT? THE CURRENT RECORD-HOLDER'S FROM THE NETHERLANDS, WITH BEEF, CRAB AND CAVIAR GOING FOR AROUND 8400 NZD. THIS IS KIND OF THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THAT. SO WE'RE NOT GOING FOR THAT REALLY DECADENT SORT OF EXPENSIVE NARRATIVE; THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE HUMBLENESS OF A QUALITY BURGER, USING AN ANIMAL THAT PEOPLE DON'T TYPICALLY GET TO SEE OR GET TO EAT. SO WE THOUGHT WE'D PUT THE TAHR MEAT TO THE TEST. THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. IT IS PRETTY GAMEY. IT'S NOT REALLY WHAT I WAS EXPECTING, BUT... PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. ALL PROFITS FROM THE AUCTION WILL GO BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY RESTAURANT. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. NOW TO TOMORROWS WEATHER, WITH ALDOUS HARDING AND 'OLD PEEL'. (ALDOUS HARDING'S 'OLD PEEL') # RIGHT NOW AT THE TOP OF THE COUNT. # HOT CLOWN, AND THE CREEK IS TURNIN'. # GIVE BACK THE SHEETS OF EASTER. # GET MORE FOR YOUR MONEY, MAN. # RIGHT NOW, # KICK OUT, # KICK OUT FOR THE LIGHT AND LIGHTER. # GIVE THAT WHICH YOU MEAN TO GET BACK. # SEE, THESE ARE THE STREETS OF FAVOUR. # HANG DOWN LIKE THE FEET OF EASTER. # YOU'RE BAD FOR ME NOW, BABY. # RIGHT NOW, # HANG DOWN. # HE WON'T MEET IF YOU DON'T MEET, BABY. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU ` GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY CHELSEA BRADY AND MAEVE KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.