TONIGHT ` NATIONAL'S SIMON BRIDGES IS DEMOTED AND STRIPPED OF HIS PORTFOLIOS AFTER AN ALLEGATION HE MADE INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS TO A FEMALE MP. OPENING UP TO THE WORLD ` OUR BORDER RESTRICTIONS ARE SET TO EASE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD AS MIQ IS DISMANTLED. AND THE ERA OF CHEAP BORROWING IS OVER. WHY WE CAN EXPECT MORE INTEREST RATE RISES AND HIGHER AND HIGHER MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS. CAPTIONS BY PHOEBE UPTON AND MICHAELA CORNELIUS CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. WE BEGIN WITH A DEVELOPING STORY. FORMER NATIONAL PARTY LEADER SIMON BRIDGES HAS BEEN DEMOTED BY THE CURRENT LEADER JUDITH COLLINS. THE NEWS BREAKING IN THE LAST HOUR. FOR MORE, LET'S HEAD TO OUR WELLINGTON NEWSROOM AND REPORTER JACOB JOHNSON. JACOB, WHAT'S BEHIND THIS DEMOTION? THIS DECISION FOLLOWS AN ALLEGATION OF SERIOUS MISCONDUCT IN RELATION TO A COMMENT SIMON BRIDGES MADE TO A FEMALE CAUCUS COLLEAGUE AT A FUNCTION A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS CAUCUS COLLEAGUE IS MP JACQUI DEAN. JUDITH COLLINS SAYS SHE HAS ONLY JUST BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS ALLEGATION, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS MADE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE NATIONAL PARTY BOARD, SIMON BRIDGES HAS BEEN DEMOTED AND STRIPPED OF ALL OF HIS PORTFOLIOS, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. THERE HAVE BEEN MURMURINGS ABOUT WHETHER SIMON BRIDGES MIGHT BE JUST ABOUT TO CHALLENGE JUDITH COLLINS FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY LEADERSHIP, YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT BEING STRIPPED OF HIS PORTFOLIOS AND THIS DEMOTION CERTAINLY DOES NOT BODE WELL FOR HIS CHANCES. HAVE WE HEARD FROM SIMON BRIDGES YET? MY NEWS HAS BEEN MAKING CALLS TO SIMON BRIDGES, HE HAS NOT BEEN PICKING UP HIS PHONE. WE ARE TOLD THAT HE HAS BEEN CONSULTED ON THIS ISSUE, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS STILL IN WELLINGTON. THIS MORNING, SIMON BRIDGES WAS OUT AND ABOUT IN TOWN FOR BOOK SIGNINGS. WE ARE EXPECTING TO HEAR MORE ON THIS TOMORROW FROM JUDITH COLLINS THEY ARE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE IN PARLIAMENT AT 10 O'CLOCK. THANKS. THE WALLS OF FORTRESS NEW ZEALAND ARE STARTING TO BE DISMANTLED. MIQ AS WE KNOW IT IS ON THE WAY OUT AS A TIMETABLE FOR NEW ZEALAND OPENING UP THE WORLD IS REVEALED. FROM THE 17TH OF JANUARY, NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN FROM AUSTRALIA. FOUR WEEKS LATER, NEW ZEALANDERS LIVING IN OTHER COUNTRIES WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN. AND FROM APRIL 30, VISITORS WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO NZ IN STAGES. SO WHAT WILL PEOPLE HAVE TO DO ON ARRIVAL? ANYONE COMING INTO THE COUNTRY WILL NEED TO BE DOUBLE VACCINATED AND WILL HAVE TO COMPLETE SEVEN DAYS OF HOME ISOLATION. THEY'LL HAVE TO GET THREE NEGATIVE TEST RESULTS ` A PRE-DEPARTURE TEST, A DAY-ZERO TEST WHEN THEY LAND AND A THIRD BEFORE THEY LEAVE HOME ISOLATION. FOR MORE ON THE BORDER CHANGES, HERE'S VANDHNA BHAN. THE TRAVEL PLANS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY, WITH FORTRESS NEW ZEALAND SET TO REOPEN. WE ARE PUTTING THROUGH AROUND APPROXIMATELY 2000 BOOKINGS AN HOUR SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE, SO, YEAH, LOTS OF DEMAND OUT THERE. I'VE GOT TWO DAUGHTERS IN THEIR EARLY 20S. I'VE MISSED ONE 21ST. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MY SECOND'S 21ST MID FEBRUARY. HI, HARRIET. I'LL BE THERE, HOPEFULLY. (CHUCKLES) FOR THIS FATHER IN ADELAIDE, HIS FAMILY HERE HAVEN'T MET HIS NEWBORN DAUGHTER. SHE'LL BE 1 IN FEBRUARY SO, YEAH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BACK HOME FOR THAT TO MEET ALL THE WHANAU. BUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES THREE WEEKS TOO LATE FOR A KIWI CHRISTMAS. BASICALLY, JACINDA ARDERN IS THE GRINCH WHO HAS STOLEN CHRISTMAS FROM MANY KIWI FAMILIES. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE THE CHRISTMAS THEY DESERVE, AND THAT DOES MEAN THAT WE WILL ACT VERY CAUTIOUSLY. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN RISK BETWEEN OPENING UP TO AUSTRALIA NOW AND IN JANUARY. SO IT'S GOODBYE TO THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE AND SEE YOU LATER FOR MIQ THAT'LL ONLY BE USED FOR THE UNVACCINATED OR THOSE TRAVELLING FROM A HIGH-RISK COUNTRY. AND THAT'S THE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY ` COUNTRIES SUCH AS INDIA, PAKISTAN, INDONESIA, FIJI AND BRAZIL WERE ALL DEEMED HIGH-RISK COUNTRIES. BUT FROM EARLY DECEMBER, ONLY PAPUA NEW GUINEA WILL KEEP THAT STATUS. HOW ARE YOU? ARE YOU GOOD? THIS MEANS PERMANENT RESIDENTS LIKE DEV DHINGRA'S PARENTS CAN FINALLY RETURN HOME FROM INDIA WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND 14 DAYS IN A LOW-RISK COUNTRY BEFOREHAND. YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS SET UP IN A COUNTRY, AND YOU CAN'T GO BACK TO THE COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A CITIZEN. IS IT AN ILLUSION THAT YOU'RE GIVING ME SUCH A GOOD NEWS? I'VE NOT SEEN MY MUM WITH SUCH A BIG SMILE, AND SHE'S SMILING AFTER SO LONG. BUT THERE WERE NO SMILES IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY TODAY, WHO WERE HOPING FOR A BETTER OUTCOME. IT'S NOT A WIN FOR TOURISM, TO BE HONEST. IT'S TOO FAR AWAY. PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND IF THEY HAVE TO ISOLATE FOR SEVEN DAYS. I THINK WE COULD BE A LITTLE BIT BRAVER THAN THAT. OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE ALREADY DONE AWAY WITH HOME ISOLATION, SO FOR SOME, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. VANDHNA BHAN, 1 NEWS. TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT POPS THE TRANS-TASMAN BUBBLE FOR GOOD. OUR AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT ANDREW MACFARLANE, WHO WE KNOW IS KEEN TO RETURN HOME FOR A VISIT, JOINS US NOW. ANDREW, YOU MUST BE STOKED? YES, IT IS GOOD NEWS FOR A LOT OF KIWIS WHO ARE IN AUSTRALIA. PERSONALLY, THE MIQ BOOKING SYSTEM HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR MANY OVER THE LAST MONTHS. YOU ARE PITTED AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND A LOTTERY TO SEE IF YOU CAN GET A SPOT FOR TWO WEEKS AND SELF-ISOLATION IN A HOTEL, SO IT IS GOOD NEWS. I THINK A LOT OF KIWIS IN THIS POSITION WOULD HAVE BEEN HOPING FOR THE RETURN OF THE BUBBLE, QUARANTINE FREE AGREEMENT, HOWEVER, MANY ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE SEVEN-DAY STAY IN A FAMILY HOME IF IT MEANS THEY CAN BE THERE TO BE WITH LOVED ONES. THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS PEOPLE NEED TO BE WEIGHING UP IF THEY WILL LEAVE AUSTRALIA, IF THEY CHOOSE TO RETURN, EACH INDIVIDUAL STATE STILL HAS RULES AROUND INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS, THINGS LIKE QUARANTINE ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN FULL FORCE IN QUEENSLAND AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA. BEFORE THEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO NEW ZEALAND, GETTING YOUR PROOF OF VACCINATIONS IS GOING TO BE KEY WITH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM KICKING IN. IT TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR AUSTRALIAN BACKS NATION PROOF TO GO FORWARD AND TO BE ELIGIBLE IN NEW ZEALAND, SO IT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER BEFORE BOOKING THE FLIGHTS. I HOPE WE SEE YOU SOON. OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT DANIEL FAITAUA HAS BEEN TALKING TO KIWIS WHO'VE BEEN UNABLE TO COME HOME FROM THE UK FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS. HOW HAS THIS NEWS BEEN GREETED? FOR THE THOUSANDS OF DESPERATE KIWIS TRYING TO GET HOME, THIS NEWS MEANS CERTAINTY, IT GIVES THEM THAT CERTAINTY AFTER SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY. THE PAIN OF THE MIQ REJECTION. FOR MANY WHO HAVE FACED JOB LOSSES AS WELL AS FAMILY ILLNESS AND DEATH. THE NEWS HAS BEEN WELCOMED BY MANY, FOR OTHERS, IT IS TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. IN THE END, THERE WILL BE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS TRYING TO GET HOME, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THIS REGION ARE SUFFERING FROM A COVID-19 RESURGENCE. WHAT ABOUT YOUR OWN SITUATION, DANIEL? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TRAVELLING? WE HOPE TO GET HOME, BUT WE KNEW IN ALL HONESTY THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE A HOPE IN HELL BECAUSE OF THE MIQ SYSTEM. WHEN YOU ARE A JOURNALIST WORKING ON THE SIDE OF THE WORLD YOU ARE HEARING MANY HEART BREAKING STORIES FROM KIWIS. WE DID NOT FEEL RIGHT TO PUT OURSELVES IN APPOSITION AND TO TAKE A SPOT WHERE OTHERS WOULD NEED TO BE PRIORITISED. IN THE END, COME FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR, IT WILL BE TWO YEARS AND A HALF SINCE MY BOYS WOULD HAVE SEEN THEIR GRANDPARENTS IN PERSON, TO SEE THEIR FAMILY, TO SEE THEIR FRIENDS. IT IS GREAT NEWS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO FINALLY COME HOME, BUT, REMAINDER TO OUR VIEWERS, THAT HERE IN THE UK, COVID-19 ARE STILL ALIVE. CASES ARE ON THE RISE, AND NONE MORE SO THAN WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A SLOW UPTAKE ON THE VACCINE, IS A FOURTH WAVE SWEEPS ACROSS THE CONTINENT. HERE IN THE UK, WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN SWARMED BY, AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILT AN IMMUNITY WALL, AND OUR VACCINATION ROLLOUT IS PARTLY DUE TO THAT. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER MEASURES, FOR EXAMPLE, MILLIONS OF STUDENTS ARE REGULARLY TESTED TWICE, THREE TIMES A WEEK, WITH LATERAL FLOW TESTS, THAT IS BEING SENT TO THE NHS AND RECORDED. THERE ARE ALSO COVID PASSES, PROOF THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOUBLE VACCINATED HAVING TRAVELLED AROUND EUROPE, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER BARS AND RESTAURANTS. THAT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE NEW NORMAL THAT WE HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE ON THE SIDE OF THE WORLD. THE NEW NORMAL THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE IN NEXT YEAR, AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE EVEN LONGER? HOPEFULLY THOSE HUGS FROM THE GRANDPARENTS COME SOON. THANK YOU. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL PEOPLE WITH MORTGAGES COULD FIND THEMSELVES STUNG BY RISING INTEREST RATES WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. RATES ARE TICKING UP AS THE RESERVE BANK TRIES TO CONTROL INFLATION. HERE'S KATIE BRADFORD. TODAY'S RATE RISE WAS WIDELY EXPECTED. THAT RATE MOVING UP A QUARTER OF A PERCENT TO 0.75%. AFTER THOSE RECORD-LOW INTEREST RATES, THEY'VE BEEN RISING RAPIDLY OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. 12 MONTHS AGO, YOU COULD HAVE FIXED A 500K MORTGAGE FOR A YEAR AND PAID JUST OVER $1200 A FORTNIGHT. BUT NOW YOU'LL BE PAYING NEARLY $1300. THAT'S $2000 MORE A YEAR. A WHOPPING $193B DOLLARS IN LENDING IS DUE TO BE REFIXED OVER THE NEXT YEAR. THAT'S 59% OF ALL MORTGAGES, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FACING HIGHER REPAYMENTS. WHEN THE RESERVE BANK MAKES THESE DECISIONS, IT CONSIDERS THE INFLATION RATE, THAT'S 4.9%, WELL ABOVE THE BANK'S TARGET OF 1% TO 3%, AND THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE AT 3.4%. BUT OF COURSE, THE EXTENDED LOCKDOWN AND SHUTDOWN OF SO MANY BUSINESSES HAS SOME NERVOUS. KATIE BRADFORD REPORTING HERE. 'RELIEVED' ` THAT'S THE REACTION OF SOME CURRENT AND FORMER KIWIRAIL STAFF AFTER CHIEF EXECUTIVE GREG MILLER RESIGNED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. 1 NEWS AND OTHER MEDIA HAD BEGUN RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT ALLEGATIONS OF BULLYING, SEXISM, AND DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOUR AT THE COMPANY. KRISTIN HALL REPORTS. A CHIEF EXECUTIVE OUT OF A JOB, AND A WAVE OF RELIEF FOR WHISTLE-BLOWERS. MILLER'S RESIGNATION IS A GOOD START, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE END. GREG MILLER'S RESIGNATION COMES AFTER 20 CURRENT AND FORMER KIWIRAIL STAFF, WHOSE IDENTITIES WE'VE CONCEALED, SPOKE OUT TO 1 NEWS ABOUT A WORRYING CHANGE IN CULTURE SINCE MILLER GOT THE TOP JOB IN 2019. WHAT I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IS OUR PEOPLE KEPT SAFE ` WOMEN ACTUALLY RESPECTED IN THE WORKPLACE. THE KIWIRAIL BOARD'S HIRED AN INDEPENDENT INTERVIEWER TO LOOK INTO STAFF DEPARTURES UNDER MILLER'S LEADERSHIP. 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS THREE EXECUTIVES AND AT LEAST 11 SENIOR WOMEN HAVE RECENTLY LEFT. GREG MILLER REFUSED AN INTERVIEW, BUT KIWIRAIL'S ACTING BOARD CHAIR SAYS HE DENIES ALLEGATIONS ABOUT HIS CONDUCT. HE FELT IT WAS PRESSURE ON HIM AND HIS FAMILY, AND HE ALSO FELT THAT IT WAS A DISTRACTION FOR KIWIRAIL AS AN ORGANISATION. SHE SAYS NO ONE IN THE BOARD KNEW ABOUT LEADERSHIP CONCERNS UNTIL THEY SURFACED IN THE MEDIA. YOU HAVE TO APPRECIATE THERE'S 4500 EMPLOYEES AND THAT WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING ONCE A MONTH. IF WE HAVE LESSONS TO LEARN ABOUT HOW WE COULD HEAR BETTER FROM OUR TEAM, WE WILL TAKE THAT ON BOARD. THE MINISTER IN CHARGE OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES HAS REPEATEDLY DODGED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER HE SHOULD HAVE INTERVENED. WE HAVE AN EXPECTATION, AS A GOVERNMENT, THAT SOEs ARE GOOD EMPLOYERS. WE EXPECT THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS. I HAVE SET A CLEAR EXPECTATION THAT THEY BEHAVE AS AN ETHICAL EMPLOYER. THE SOE MINISTER ` I THINK HE SHOULD TAKE UP A CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKER RATHER THAN A CABINET MINISTER BECAUSE HE HAS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY FAILED IN HIS ROLE. KIWIRAIL WASTING NO TIME SCRUBBING GREG MILLER FROM ITS WEBSITE ` HIS DEPUTY, TODD MOYLE, ONE OF MANY WHO'VE TENDERED THEIR RESIGNATION UNDER MILLER'S REIGN, STEPPING IN UNTIL A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT IS FOUND. KRISTIN HALL, 1 NEWS. OUR FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER HAS BEEN MEETING HER COUNTERPART IN THE U.S. BUT IT WAS MORE RELATIONSHIP-BUILDING THAN AGENDA-SETTING. NANAIA MAHUTA DECLINING TO CONFIRM WHETHER OUR INTELLIGENCE-SHARING PACT WAS EVEN DISCUSSED. U.S. CORRESPONDENT ANNA BURNS-FRANCIS WAS WITH THE MINISTER IN WASHINGTON DC. ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING YET. I'M SO PLEASED TO HAVE FOREIGN MINISTER MAHUTA HERE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT. NANAIA MAHUTA WRAPPING UP A FLYING U.S. VISIT WITH A ONE-ON-ONE WITH HER AMERICAN COUNTERPART, ANTONY BLINKEN. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S JUST RETURNED FROM AFRICA, DEALING WITH CIVIL UNREST, COVID RESURGENCE AND GROWING UNCERTAINTY OVER CHINA. BUT HE STILL MADE TIME FOR MINISTER MAHUTA. WE HAVE A STRONG AND DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW ZEALAND. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR NEW ZEALAND'S LEADERSHIP IN THE PACIFIC. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK TO. THIS IS A LONG WAY FOR THE MINISTER TO COME, BUT THE TIMING IS IMPORTANT. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA IS STRAINED, BUT BOTH COUNTRIES ARE COMPETING FOR INFLUENCE IN THE PACIFIC. BUT WHEN PRESSED ON WHERE WE STAND WITH CHINA, MS MAHUTA STAYED ON THE FENCE. OUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHINA IS A MATURED RELATIONSHIP. WE ENSURE THAT IT IS RESPECTFUL, PREDICTABLE AND CONSISTENT. RECENTLY, THE U.S. MADE A PACIFIC POWER MOVE THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE NEW ZEALAND ` SIGNING A TRILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM AND AUSTRALIA. SO, IS OUR OLD FIVE EYES INTELLIGENCE AGREEMENT STILL ALIVE? DID YOU DISCUSS FIVE EYES? LOOK, WE DISCUSSED A RANGE OF ISSUES. DID YOU DISCUSS FIVE EYES? WE DISCUSSED A RANGE OF ISSUES. AOTEAROA AND AMERICA HAVE A WARM RELATIONSHIP, BUT THIS IS DINE-AND-DASH DIPLOMACY. GREAT TO HAVE YOU. COME ON. WE'VE GOT WORK. AUSTRALIA RECENTLY VOWED TO HELP THE U.S. DEFEND TAIWAN IF CHINA ATTACKED. NEW ZEALAND MAY NEED TO SHOW THE U.S. ITS CARDS MORE IF WE WANT TO BE MORE THAN PASSING ACQUAINTANCES. ANNA BURNS-FRANCIS, 1 NEWS, WASHINGTON. STILL TO COME ` A SMALL CANTERBURY TOWN'S BID TO BECOME A VACATION DESTINATION THIS SUMMER. HOW METHVEN IS PUTTING THE 'HOT' IN HOLIDAY HOT SPOT. AND IF YOU'RE GUTTED YOU COULDN'T CATCH THIS YEAR'S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL BECAUSE OF COVID, WE'LL EXPLAIN HOW THE FESTIVAL IS COMING TO YOU. MOVE OVER HANMER AND NEW BRIGHTON ` CANTERBURY HAS A NEW HOT POOL ON THE SCENE. OPUKE THERMAL POOL AND SPA HAD ITS GRAND OPENING IN METHVEN TODAY. THE PROVINCIAL GROWTH FUNDED PROJECT IS SET TO TURN THE TOWN INTO A YEAR-ROUND DESTINATION, BUT AS ISAAC GUNSON REPORTS, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. JUMPING INTO METHVEN'S NEWEST ATTRACTION. (SPLASH!) THE FIRST VISITORS TO OPUKE THERMAL POOLS SOAKING UP THE EXPERIENCE. NOW THAT IT'S FINISHED, IT'S AMAZING. I'M VERY EXCITED. IT'S A LOT WARMER THAN THE RIVER. (CHUCKLES) IT'S BETTER THAN HANMER COS THERE'S NO SMELL. THE COMPLEX BOLSTERING CANTERBURY'S COLLECTION OF HOT POOLS, PARTLY FUNDED BY THE PROVINCIAL GROWTH FUND. METHVEN ITSELF IS REALLY JUST A WINCH DESTINATION WITH MT HUTT SKI FIELD. AND SO, IT WAS QUITE TOUGH FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO SORT OF LIMP THROUGH THE SUMMER PERIODS TO JOIN UP THE DOTS BETWEEN WINTERS. AND SO, THIS WILL REALLY BRING THOSE VISITORS THROUGH YEAR ROUND. IT'LL BE A MASSIVE BOOST IN THE WINTER FOR THE TOWN. THE GOVERNMENT'S BELIEF IN WHAT WE WERE DOING, THE GOVERNMENT'S REASONING FOR PUTTING THEIR MONEY BEHIND IT WAS REALLY GOOD. IF WE HADN'T HAVE GOT THAT, THE PROJECT WOULD'VE BEEN DEAD IN THE WATER. THEY MAY BE HOT POOLS, BUT THEY HAVEN'T HAD A WARM START ` INITIALLY SLATED TO OPEN IN WINTER 2020 TO CAPITALISE ON MT HUTT'S MARKET. COME NEXT WINTER, IT'S HOPED THEY'LL KEEP SNOW GOERS HERE LONGER, AND IN THE MEANTIME, ATTRACT MORE VISITORS IN THE SUMMER. OH, IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING FOR THE TOWN. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE GREAT NUMBERS IN THE WINTER, SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER IN THE SUMMER. AND THEY COME WITH ZERO EMISSIONS ` SOLAR PANELS HEATING THE POLES YEAR ROUND. THERE IS A HUGE SOLAR FARM, AND THAT WILL HEAT THE WATER DIRECTLY, WHICH IS OUR KEY HEAT LOAD HERE. SO IT'S REALLY COOL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PROJECT THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, WE CAN ACTUALLY BE FULLY SUSTAINABLE. A HOT BIT OF CANTERBURY LUXURY THAT LOCALS HOPE WILL MAKE A SPLASH. (SPLASH!) ISAAC GUNSON, 1 NEWS. MOVIE BUFFS WHO MISSED OUT ON THIS YEAR'S NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL BECAUSE OF COVID RESTRICTIONS CAN NOW WATCH A SELECTION OF FILMS ONLINE. THE FESTIVAL WRAPS UP NEXT WEEK AFTER A MONTH OF SCREENINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. JACOB JOHNSON CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF THIS YEAR'S WINNERS. FROM KIWI DIRECTOR DAME JANE CAMPION'S STAR-STUDDED HEADLINER, THE POWER OF THE DOG,... (WHISTLES) (STIRRING PIANO MUSIC) ...TO HUNDREDS OF OTHER FEATURE LENGTH AND SHORT FILMS, NEW ZEALANDERS ACROSS 13 TOWNS AND CITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THEIR FILM FIX AFTER PLANS FOR THE FESTIVAL UP NORTH HIT A SPEED BUMP. ALONG CAME DELTA OUTBREAK, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CANCEL. LAST YEAR, THE FESTIVAL WENT ONLINE, BUT GOING DIGITAL THIS YEAR WASN'T ON THE CARDS. WE'RE ABOUT PRESENTING THESE FILMS ON THE BIG SCREEN. WE'RE ABOUT THAT SHARED EXPERIENCE THAT THE AUDIENCE LOVES COMING TOGETHER. AMONG THIS YEAR'S VIEWER FAVOURITES, DATSUN, ABOUT A 14-YEAR-OLD TAKING HIS DAD'S CAR FOR A SPIN, SCOOPING UP THE AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR NEW ZEALAND'S BEST SHORT FILM. I THINK IT'S A RITE OF PASSAGE IN NEW ZEALAND, PROBABLY, TO GET IN A CAR WHEN YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT TOO YOUNG AND GET INTO MISCHIEF. IT CERTAINLY WAS WHERE I GREW UP ON THE KAPITI COAST. WHILE A BRAND-NEW DIRECTOR TOOK OUT THE TOP PRIZES FOR THE MAORI AND PASIFIKA SHORT FILM CATEGORY,... (HIP-HOP MUSIC) WITH HER FILM DISCONNECTED. IT'S ABOUT A CONSTRUCTION WORKER, AND HE'S LOST HIS MUM, AND HE RINGS HER CELL PHONE SO HE CAN HEAR HER VOICE. AND WHEN THE PHONE COMPANY CUTS OFF HER VOICEMAIL, HE SORT OF SPIRALS INTO DEPRESSION. (WOMAN SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) (BEEP!) A SELECTION OF SHORT FILMS FROM THE FESTIVAL ARE NOW AVAILABLE DIGITALLY AND MORE PLANS ARE IN THE WORKS FOR THOSE WHO MISSED OUT. WE'RE TALKING TO OUR VENUES ABOUT OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT FILMS IN AUCKLAND, MATAKANA AND IN HAMILTON AND EARLY 2022. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) GIVING ALL NEW ZEALANDERS A CHANCE TO SEE THIS YEAR'S OFFERINGS ON THE SILVER SCREEN. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` THE GUY WITH THE MOST GRAMMY NOMINATIONS. # WHEN I MOVE MY BODY, JUST LIKE THIS, # I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I FEEL LIKE FREEDOM. # I HEAR A SONG THAT TAKES ME BACK, # AND I LET GO WITH SO MUCH FREEDOM. THE GRAMMY NOMINATIONS FOR 2022 ARE OUT, AND SINGER COMPOSER JON BATISTE HAS TOPPED THE LIST. # WHEN I MOVE MY BODY, JUST LIKE THIS, # I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I FEEL LIKE FREEDOM. THE JAZZ ARTIST WHO WON AN OSCAR FOR THE SOUNDTRACK TO THE DISNEY MOVIE 'SOUL', IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN AS THE KEYBOARDIST ON STEPHEN COLBERT'S TALK SHOW. BATISTE HAS ELEVEN NOMINATIONS INCLUDING ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR 'WE ARE'. JUSTIN BIEBER, DOJA CAT AND HER FOLLOW WITH EIGHT NODS, WITH BILLIE EILISH AND OLIVIA RODRIGO CLOSE BEHIND WITH SEVEN. ABBA ALSO RECEIVED THEIR FIRST EVER GRAMMY NOMINATION IN THE RECORD OF THE YEAR CATEGORY. THE AWARD CEREMONY WILL BE HELD IN JANUARY NEXT YEAR. # WE DO HAVE IT IN US. # NEW SPIRIT HAS ARRIVED. NOW TO TOMORROWS WEATHER WITH THAT MULTIPLE GRAMMY NOMINEE JON BATISTE AND HIS SONG 'FREEDOM.' # WHEN I MOVE MY BODY JUST LIKE THIS # I DON'T KNOW WHY # BUT I FEEL LIKE FREEDOM (FREEDOM) # I HEAR A SONG THAT TAKES ME BACK # AND I LET GO WITH SO MUCH FREEDOM (FREEDOM) # FREE TO LIVE (HOW I WANNA LIVE) # I'M GON' GET (WHAT I'M GONNA GET) # 'CAUSE IT'S MY FREEDOM (FREEDOM) # I LOVE HOW YOU TALK # YOU SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE # THE WAY THAT YOU WALK # YOU CAN'T CONTAIN IT # IS IT THE SHOES # JUMPED UP, KANGAROO # WE'RE OVERDUE FOR A LITTLE MORE PRANCING # NOW IT'S YOUR TIME (IT'S YOUR RIGHT) # YOU CAN SHINE (IT'S ALRIGHT) # IF YOU DO, I'MA DO TOO # WHEN I MOVE MY BODY JUST LIKE THIS THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING, GOODNIGHT. PO MANAHAU. CAPTIONS BY PHOEBE UPTON AND MICHAELA CORNELIUS CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.