IT'S MIDDAY. A MANHUNT UNDERWAY AFTER A DAIRY OWNER IS STABBED AND KILLED IN AN AUCKLAND SUBURB. WE'RE LIVE WITH THE VERY LATEST. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS TOWARDS A REVAMP OF WHANGAREI HOSPITAL, INCLUDING A NEW EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND MORE OPERATING THEATRES. PLUS... MORE WORLD CUP DRAMA IN QATAR. WHAT MESSAGE WERE THE GERMAN PLAYERS TRYING TO SEND DURING THEIR TEAM PHOTO... ? CAPTIONS BY KITTY WASASALA AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2022 POLICE HAVE JUST SPOKEN TO MEDIA FOLLOWING A FATAL STABBING AT A DAIRY IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB OF SANDRINGHAM LAST NIGHT, STATING THAT THE OFFENDER ACTED ALONE. JACOB JOHNSON IS AT THE CRIME SCENE NOW WHERE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE BEEN GATHERING TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS. JACOB, WHAT DID RESIDENTS HAVE TO SAY? AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THERE IS STILL A SMALL CROWD OF MAYBE 100 TO 200 RESIDENTS TO MARK THE LOSS OF ONE OF THEIR OWN POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE DAIRY BEHIND ME, WHERE THE WORKER WAS ALLEGEDLY STABBED AND HE DIED A SHORT WHILE LATER. THIS DAIRY WORKER HAD MOVED TO THE COUNTRY RECENTLY BY HISSELF HE ALSO HAD RECENTLY JUST BEEN MARRIED. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE DO THIS TO OTHER PEOPLE. IT IS NOT RIGHT I'M NOT SURPRISED THEY JUST KEEP GOING ON. AUCKLAND IS NOW BECOMING THE CRIME CAPITAL OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. HOW MANY MORE OF THESE CRIMES WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE FOR SOMETHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT POLICE GAVE AN UPDATE A SHORT TIME AGO. WHAT'S THE LATEST? PLEASE DO BELIEVE THAT THE MAN ACTED ALONE IN THIS ROBBERY. THEY SAY THERE IS GOING TO BE AT INCREASED PRESENCE HERE AND SANDRINGHAM OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS THEY ARE GOING DOOR-TO-DOOR AT THE MOMENT TO SPEAK TO RESIDENTS. THE OFFENDER WAS WEARING DARK CLOTHING, A DARK TOP, BLACK CAP. TRACKPANTS HAD WRITING DOWN THE LEFT LEG THEY HAD NOTHING BUT RADIO SILENCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUE. SPOKESPERSON SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING ALL THEY CAN TO STOP INCIDENTS LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING. A 27-YEAR-OLD MAN IS SET TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY FOLLOWING A FATAL HIT AND RUN IN WEST AUCKLAND. A WITNESS TOLD 1 NEWS A CAR APPEARED TO BE DRIVEN STRAIGHT INTO THE VICTIM AND A HANDGUN WAS PULLED AS THE CAR FLED THE SCENE. THE ALLEGED DRIVER WAS ARRESTED IN GLEN EDEN LAST NIGHT AND IS CHARGED WITH MURDER. POLICE ARE ASKING FOR ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE SEEN THE INCIDENT TO COME FORWARD. POLICE HAVE BEEN TRYING APPREHEND A FLEEING DRIVER THIS MORNING IN A DRAMATIC POLICE CHASE ACROSS OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. A NUMBER OF POLICE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN SEEN ACROSS THE CITY, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE AIR, IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. POLICE SAY THE SITUATION IS STILL UNFOLDING. THE RESERVE BANK GOVERNOR SAYS THERE'S LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, DESPITE PROJECTING NEW ZEALAND'S HEADING INTO A RECESSION NEXT YEAR. IT COMES AFTER THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE WAS HIKED 75 BASIS POINTS TO 4.25% YESTERDAY. ADRIAN ORR SAYS IT WAS A NECESSARY MOVE IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE WHICH IS "RUNNING HOT". WE ARE SORRY THAT NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE BEEN BUFFERED BY THESE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC SHOCKS AND ARE EXPERIENCING INFLATION WELL ABOVE OUR CENTRAL BANK 1 TO 3% TARGET RANGE. AS WE'VE SAID OFTEN, INFLATION IS NOBODY'S FRIEND AND IT LEADS TO NOTHING OTHER THAN SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC COSTS. INFLATION CURRENTLY SITS AT 7.2%. A NEW EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WITH THREE TIMES THE CAPACITY WILL BE PART OF A NEW HOSPITAL FOR WHANGAREI AND NORTHLAND. THE HEALTH MINISTER CONFIRMED $759m OF FUNDING FOR THE FIRST STAGE WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE ACUTE SERVICES BUILDING, A CHILD-HEALTH UNIT AND A PLAN FOR STAGE TWO. ANDREW LITTLE SAYS IT'S AN AREA THAT'S NEEDED MORE INVESTMENT FOR SOME TIME, AND THAT'S WHY THE GOVERNMENT'S MAKING THIS COMMITMENT. ABOUT $900m WORTH OF HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE EITHER UNDER UNDERWAY OR BEING CONSTRUCTED OR ABOUT TO BE. AND THAT REFLECTS, I THINK, BOTH THE LEVEL OF NEED, THE FACT THE POPULATION IS GROWING RAPIDLY, BUT ACTUALLY ALSO THAT THIS IS A REGION THAT HAS BEEN UNDERDONE AND UNDERSERVED IN HEALTH SERVICES AND HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TOO LONG. THE HOSPITAL IS PART OF THE 7 BILLION DOLLAR HOSPITAL REBUILDING PROGRAM GOVERNMENT HAS UNDERWAY. AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO JUST ANNOUNCED EQUAL PAY FOR ALL COMMUNITY AND IWI ORGANISED SOCIAL WORKERS. IT FOLLOWS THE ADVOCACY OF THE PSA UNION. THE MOVE IS EXPECTED TO EFFECT 4600 SOCIAL WORKERS. A CHRISTCHURCH TEEN HAS SPENT CLOSE TO TWO YEARS WAITING FOR ORANGA TAMARIKI TO ADDRESS COMPLAINTS HE'S RAISED OVER ABUSE IN ITS CARE. HIS STORY HIGHLIGHTING HOW DESPITE THE AGENCY'S REPEATED PROMISES TO DO BETTER ` IT'S STILL UNABLE TO RESPOND QUICKLY WHEN CONCERNS ARE RAISED. CORAZON MILLER HAS MORE. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO REPRESENT YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CARE OF THE STATE. IHORANGI PETERS STANDING BEFORE PARLIAMENT AS A YOUTH MP ` SHARING OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES. YOUNG PEOPLE IN CARE HAVE HIT IT PRETTY ROUGH. TODAY, THOUGH, THIS STORY IS ABOUT HIS BATTLE TO GET ANSWERS FROM ORANGA TAMARIKI OVER ABUSE HE SUFFERED IN ITS CARE. I WANT TO BE PROVIDED WITH THE CLOSURE AND I THINK IT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL BETTER. IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS SINCE HE LODGED HIS COMPLAINT, THE DETAILS OF WHICH CAN'T BE DISCLOSED PUBLICLY, IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS SINCE HE LODGED HIS COMPLAINT, THE DETAILS OF WHICH CAN'T BE DISCLOSED PUBLICLY, BUT WERE SHARED EARLIER THIS YEAR AS PART OF THE ABUSE AND CARE INQUIRY. IT WAS JUST THREE MONTHS AGO THAT THE AGENCY'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAT BEFORE THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, WITH A PROMISE THAT AFTER YEARS OF FAILING TO LISTEN TO CHILDREN IN ITS CARE, IT WAS LISTENING NOW. I PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE LISTENING. I JUST THINK THEY'RE JUST THERE TO SHOW THEM THAT THEY'RE THERE. THE MAIN REASONS FOR LISTENING TO THOSE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IS NOT JUST SO THAT WE HEAR THEIR STORIES, BUT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE CHANGE THAT'S NEEDED SO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WHICH SHE SAYS MUST COME IN THE FORM OF BETTER TRAINING AND RESOURCES. FOR NOW, ALL IHORANGI WANTS IS AN ANSWER. I WANT MY COMPLAINT TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE I'M 18. IN A STATEMENT, ORANGA TAMARIKI ADMITTED IT HAD TAKEN TOO LONG TO ADDRESS THE TEEN'S COMPLAINT AND SAID IT HOPED TO GIVE HIM A RESPONSE WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH. CORAZON MILLER, 1 NEWS. U.S POLICE HAVE CONFIRMED 6 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING AT A WALMART STORE IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA YESTERDAY. FOUR OTHERS WERE ALSO INJURED. IT'S BELIEVED THE ATTACKER WAS THE STORE MANAGER AND HAD CALLED HIS COLLEAGUES INTO A BREAK-ROOM BEFORE OPENING FIRE. THE GUNMAN WAS FOUND DEAD AT THE SCENE. I'M WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE WERE ABLE TO PUT RESCUE AND TACTICAL TEAMS TOGETHER TO GO INSIDE TO... PROVIDE LIFE-SAVING MEASURES RAPIDLY AND QUICKLY. AND THEN THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION, WE BELIEVE IT WAS A SINGLE SHOOTER. AND WE BELIEVE THAT SHOOTER IS DECEASED AT THIS TIME. THE SHOOTING COMES JUST DAYS AFTER A GUNMAN KILLED FIVE PEOPLE AT A NIGHTCLUB IN COLORADO. WIDESPREAD RUSSIAN MISSILE STRIKES HAVE LEFT LARGE PARTS OF UKRAINE WITHOUT POWER AND NEIGHBOURING MOLDOVA. WITH MOSCOW INTENSIFYING ATTACKS ON ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, HALF OF THE COUNTRY'S POWER GRID NEEDS REPAIR. AT LEAST SIX CIVILIANS WERE ALSO KILLED IN TODAY'S STRIKES. THE BBC'S JESSICA PARKER HAS THE LATEST. SMOKE BILLOWS OUT ON THE HORIZON FROM KIEV. A CITY, A COUNTRY AGAIN WAITING TO SEE WHAT DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE. JUST OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL, THESE FLATS, THESE HOMES WERE CAUGHT UP IN TODAY'S STRIKES. PEOPLE FORCED TO LEAVE BUILDINGS NOW COMPLETELY EXPOSED TO THE COLD, CARRYING WHAT THEY CAN FROM PLACES THAT ARE NO LONGER SAFE. (SPEAKS UKRAINIAN) TRANSLATOR: WE HEARD ROCKETS FLYING AND THEN WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. A COLLEAGUE SAW A RED LIGHT IN OUR EDUCATIONAL CENTRE. WINDOWS AND DOORS BLEW OUT. THE CEILING FELL. THE DARKNESS SETS IN WITH FEW LIGHTS TO SHOW THE WAY FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENED AND WHERE TO GO NEXT. (SPEAKS UKRAINIAN) TRANSLATOR: WE ARE EVACUATING PEOPLE FROM THE BUILDING THAT WAS DAMAGED. THOSE WHO NEED TO SLEEP SOMEWHERE, WE ARE TAKING THEM TO A HOTEL WHERE THEY CAN STAY AS LONG AS THEY NEED. THERE WILL BE FOOD AND HEATING THERE. THAT BUS IS JUST LEAVING, TAKING RESIDENTS WHO CAN NO LONGER STAY IN THEIR HOMES, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE, BUT ALSO THERE'S NO POWER HERE. THE ONLY REASON WE CAN SEE ANYTHING AT THE MOMENT IS BECAUSE OF THE LIGHTS COMING FROM THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES, FIRE TRUCKS AND POLICE CARS. PEOPLE HERE ` THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY, BUT THEY JUST PASS YOU LIKE SHADOWS. TONIGHT, THIS CITY AND THE AREA AROUND IT LEFT IN THE DARK AFTER STRIKES THAT HAVE HIT ACROSS UKRAINE. AUTHORITIES HAD BEEN WORKING TO REPAIR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGED IN PREVIOUS ATTACKS. TODAY, A SERIOUS SETBACK IN TRYING TO KEEP THE COUNTRY WARM THIS WINTER. (SPEAKS UKRAINIAN) I'VE JUST LOST MY HOME, SHE SAYS. HE TRIES TO COMFORT HER. TONIGHT, KIEV AND MANY PLACES PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE BRITISH ASTRONAUT WHO COULD BE THE FIRST DISABLED PERSON IN SPACE. AND THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP SERVES UP ANOTHER BIG UPSET AND MORE CONTROVERSY. AUCKLAND MUSEUM HAS BECOME THE FIRST PLACE IN THE WORLD TO EXHIBIT MALE AND FEMALE T-REX SKELETONS TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME. THE 8th MOST COMPLETE T-REX SKELETON NAMED BARBARA HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED RIGHT NEXT TO PETER, WHO HAS BEEN DISPLAYED IN THE MUSEUM IN APRIL. BARBARA IS ONE OF ONLY 3 PREGNANT FEMALE T-REX EVER DISCOVERED. SHE'S THE 8th MOST COMPLETE T-REX IN THE WORLD WITH 47% OF HER BONES EXHIBITED. SHE IS ACTUALLY QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY BIGGER THAN PETER. BARBARA AND PETER ARE OFFICIALLY ON DISPLAY TOGETHER FROMSHE MIGHT'VE BEEN A BIT OLDER BUT WE BELIEVE THAT SHE IS FEMALE. DECEMBER 2nd AT AUCKLAND MUSEUM. THE FEMALE T REX IS HAPPY KNOWN TO BE LARGER THAN THE MALES. BRITISH PARALYMPIC SPRINTER JOHN MCFALL WILL BECOME THE FIRST DISABLED PERSON TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY TRAINING PROGRAM. IT'S THE JOB OF DREAMS WITH AN OFFICE THAT'S GOT SPECTACULAR VIEWS, OFFERING AN OUT OF THIS WORLD EXPERIENCE. MANY WOULD LOVE TO BE AN ASTRONAUT, BUT VERY FEW MAKE THE CUT. (APPLAUSE) NOW IN PARIS, THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY HAS ADDED SOME NEW NAMES TO THE ROLE OF HONOUR. SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 22,000 APPLICANTS, THIS IS THE ASTRONAUT CLASS OF 2022. BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, ESA IS WIDENING ITS POOL OF TALENT BY RECRUITING THE FIRST EVER PARA-ASTRONAUT. I THINK BEING AN AMPUTEE, I... BEING AN ASTRONAUT WAS NEVER REALLY ON MY RADAR. JOHN MCFALL IS A PARALYMPIAN SPRINTER. HIS RIGHT LEG WAS AMPUTATED ABOVE THE KNEE AFTER A MOTORBIKE ACCIDENT. HE'S BEEN SELECTED USING EXACTLY THE SAME CRITERIA. AS ALL EUROPEAN ASTRONAUTS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS, HE HAS A DISABILITY. I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE THE SKILLS` A MIX OF SKILLS AND SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND THAT I COULD REALLY HELP THEM ANSWER THIS... THIS VERY ASPIRATIONAL QUESTION OF, CAN WE GET SOMEONE WITH A PHYSICAL DISABILITY INTO SPACE? TO WORK IN SPACE SAFELY? ALL ASTRONAUTS HAVE TO UNDERGO RIGOROUS TRAINING. PART OF JOHN'S JOB WILL BE TO TEST HOW THE KITS LIKE SPACESUITS AND SPACECRAFT NEED TO BE ADAPTED. HIS SELECTION DOESN'T MEAN HE'LL DEFINITELY GET TO GO INTO SPACE, BUT ESA WANT TO PAVE THE WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THE PEOPLE WHO'VE LIVED WITH A DISABILITY HAVE OVERCOME CHALLENGES THROUGH THEIR LIFE. THE CHALLENGE OF GOING INTO SPACE` THEY BRING SOMETHING` WELL, SOMETHING EXTRA, COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE CREW. AND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO BRING THROUGH THIS PROJECT. THERE WILL SOON BE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE NEW ASTRONAUTS, INCLUDING TRIPS TO THE MOON WITH THE ARTEMIS MISSION. THE HOPE IS, THIS MARKS THE MOMENT WE OPEN UP SPACE TO EVERYONE. THE GERMAN FOOTBALL TEAM HAS STAGED A PROTEST AT THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP, COVERING THEIR MOUTHS BEFORE THEIR MATCH WITH JAPAN THIS MORNING. IT FOLLOWS A THREAT OF SANCTIONS OVER A CONTROVERSIAL ARMBAND SUPPORTING THE RAINBOW COMMUNITY. IN A STATEMENT, THE TEAM SAID HUMAN RIGHTS ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE AND DENYING THEM THE ARMBAND IS THE SAME AS DENYING THEM A VOICE. LACHIE MCLEOD REPORTS. ANOTHER MESSAGE OF DISCONTENT IN QATAR. GERMAN PLAYERS COVERING THEIR MOUTHS DURING A PRE-MATCH PHOTO IN RESPONSE TO FIFA'S BAN ON THE CONTROVERSIAL ONE LOVE ARMBAND. THOUGH THE TEAM CAPTAIN DIDN'T WEAR ONE, IT DID MAKE AN APPEARANCE. GERMANY'S INTERIOR MINISTER SPORTING ONE IN THE STANDS, SEATED NEXT TO FIFA PRESIDENT, GIANNI INFANTINO. WHILE GERMANY'S PROTEST WAS SILENT, IT WAS LOUD AND CLEAR FROM DENMARK. MY OWN EMOTIONS ARE I'M DISAPPOINTED. I'M DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED. WE'VE BEEN ENGAGING WITH FIFA FOR A LONG TIME IN ORDER TO TRY TO HAVE THESE MESSAGES APPROVED. THE DENMARK FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION GOING AS FAR AS SAYING IT WON'T BACK INFANTINO IF HE STANDS FOR RE-ELECTION. IT'S ACTUALLY THOSE NATIONS WHO'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE A MESSAGE, WHO'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHO ARE NOW GETTING HAMMERED THE MOST. I THINK THE HAMMERING SHOULD BE ON FIFA FOR NOT ALLOWING WHAT IS A VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE. FOUR DAYS AFTER THE TOURNAMENT KICKED OFF, THE ISSUE CONTINUING TO DOMINATE THE HEADLINES IN QATAR. AS A SQUAD, WE'VE ALL HAD A CONVERSATION AND WE ALL STAND FOR IT. WE ALL WERE HAPPY TO WEAR IT BUT I THINK... THE DECISION GOT OUT OF OUR HANDS AS A SQUAD AND AS PLAYERS AND THINK IT WENT HIGHER UP THAN THAT, REALLY. RAINBOW COLOURS ON SIX OF THE GERMAN PLAYERS BOOTS THIS MORNING, WITH REPORTS OF LEGAL ACTION IS BEING CONSIDERED. WITH TEAMS COPPING CRITICISM FOR BACKING DOWN IN THE FACE OF SANCTIONS, THE DECISION TO WEAR OR NOT WEAR THE ARMBANDS DESCRIBED AS A CHOICE BETWEEN CHOLERA AND THE PLAGUE. LACHIE MCLEOD, 1 NEWS. THEIR FIRST EVER WIN OVER THE 4 TIME TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS. GERMANY DOMINATED FOR MOST OF THE MATCH, HOLDING A 1-NIL LEAD UP UNTIL THE 74TH MINUTE BEFORE JAPAN MOUNTED A COMEBACK. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) LOVELY TOUCH THERE FROM ASANO! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) LOVELY TOUCH THERE FROM ASANO! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) THE STORY DEVELOPS. AND SPAIN CONFIRMED THEIR STATUS AS A FAVOURITE IN QATAR, BLASTING SEVEN GOALS PAST COSTA RICA. AND THAT'S MORATA ON THE END OF IT. KEYLOR NAVAS COMING OUT TO MEET HIM. AND HE'S ARRIVING. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) ANOTHER SPANISH STRIKE THAT OOZES QUALITY. TAKING ON MATARRITA. AND ONCE AGAIN, A TASTY BALL IN IS DISPATCHED. BELGIUM SCORED A 1-NIL WIN OVER CANADA, WHILE MOROCCO HELD 20-18, BEATING FINALISTS CROATIA TO A NIL-ALL DRAW. IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED AUSTRALIAN FORMULA ONE DRIVER DANIEL RICCIARDO IS "COMING HOME" TO RED BELL RACING NEXT SEASON. THE AUSTRALIAN PARTED WAYS WITH MCLAREN AT THE END OF THE CURRENT SEASON. THE EIGHT-TIME GRAND PRIX WINNER BE REDBULL'S THIRD DRIVER, ASSISTING WITH TESTING. RICCIARDO MADE HIS DEBUT FOR REDBULL BACK IN 2014 BEFORE LEAVING IN 2018. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. PLUS, GIVING UP THE 9-TO-5 FOR THE 9-TO-5. THE NEW MOVIE ABOUT A DOLLY PARTON IMPERSONATOR, APPROVED BY DOLLY HERSELF. AND WE CHECK IN WITH SANTA'S HELPERS AHEAD OF AUCKLAND'S CHRISTMAS PARADE. PREPARATIONS ARE IN ORDER FOR THIS YEARS FARMER'S SANTA PARADE DOWN AUCKLAND'S QUEEN STREET. THE PARADE, ENTERING IT'S 89TH YEAR, IS FINALLY BACK ON AFTER TWO YEARS OF DISRUPTION FROM COVID-19. A COSTUME DESIGNER OF 23 YEARS, MARALYN MEYRICK, SAYS THE FREE EVENT IS GREAT AT UNITING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE PARADE DAY, IT'S LIKE` IT KICKS CHRISTMAS OFF. AND I THINK WE ALL, KIND OF, GET THE VIBE AND WE GET GOING AND START TO ENJOY AND... AFTER COVID LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THIS PARADE. WE WANT IT TO HAPPEN AND JUST MAKE US ALL FEEL GOOD AND FEEL NORMAL AGAIN. AUCKLAND'S SANTA PARADE IS NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST. IT STARTS AT 1PM THIS SUNDAY. THE NEW FILM 'SERIOUSLY RED' FOLLOWS A MAIN CHARACTER WHO GIVES UP HER 9-TO-5 REAL ESTATE JOB TO BECOME A DOLLY PARTON IMPERSONATOR. WRITTEN BY AND STARRING AUSTRALIAN ACTRESS KREW BOYLAN, THE FILM'S EVEN RECEIVED THE SEAL OF APPROVAL FROM PARTON HERSELF. RICHARD MARTIN SPOKE TO THE STARS OF THE FILM. I'M GONNA HAVE TO MEET YOU IN THERE. I'VE ONLY JUST FINISHED MY LAST EVALUATION. PHONE: YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA DRESS UP. I KNOW. PHONE: WELL, WHO ARE YOU GOING AS? IN THE FILM 'SERIOUSLY RED', A REAL ESTATE AGENT NICKNAMED RED TRADES IN HER CAREER FOR THE LIFE OF A DOLLY PARTON IMPERSONATOR. LOUDSPEAKER: RAYLENE 'RED' DELANEY. # WORKIN' 9-TO-5. WHAT A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING. # FOR ACTRESS AND WRITER KREW BOYLAN, THIS FILM HAS BEEN A LONG TIME IN THE MAKING. WHAT WAS THAT SORT OF PROCESS LIKE? COS I KNOW THERE WAS, LIKE, 13 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION. FROM THE TIME I STARTED WRITING IT, IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS. BUT YEAH, I STARTED WRITING BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I WAS SORT OF GETTING THE ROLES THAT I WAS WANTING IN MY CAREER. AND SO I STARTED WRITING OUT OF THAT PLACE OF WHAT IS SUCCESS AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? AND I VERY QUICKLY REALISED THAT, TO ME, IT LOOKED LIKE DOLLY PARTON. AND THAT IS WHERE I SORT OF STARTED FROM IN MY QUEST TO FIND OUT HOW I COULD BE AND LOOK AND FEEL LIKE DOLLY PARTON. ALONG WITH A WHIRLWIND ROMANCE WITH A KENNY ROGERS IMPERSONATOR, RED ALSO CROSSES PATHS WITH AN ELVIS IMPERSONATOR PLAYED BY ROSE BYRNE. IMITATES ELVIS: THANK YOU VERY MUCH ABOUT THAT. MISS DOLLY PARTON HERE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WHAT'S IT LIKE GETTING THAT PHONE CALL ` WE WANT YOU TO PLAY ELVIS PRESLEY? (CHUCKLES) WELL, KREW, YOU KNOW, SHE ALWAYS THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX. AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HER VISION OF SOMETHING AND HER CREATIVE KIND OF ECCENTRICITIES, WHICH I LOVE AND HOW SHE` LIKE, NOBODY WOULD PROBABLY EVER THINK TO DO THAT, TO CAST ME IN THAT ROLE. AND IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE, LIKE, A VERY POIGNANT PART OF THE MOVIE. AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY FUN AND LIBERATING THING TO PLAY. HOW MUCH DID YOU GUYS SORT OF GET INVOLVED IN THE WORLD OF, LIKE, IMPRESSIONISTS AND THINGS? I WENT TO VEGAS AND GOT TO SPEND A BIT OF TIME AND GOT TO INTERVIEW A FEW TRIBUTE PERFORMERS AND GOT A REALLY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECTRUM OF THE LIVES THAT YOU CAN LIVE. BOTH: # ISLANDS IN THE STREAM, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE. # NO ONE IN BETWEEN. # THE FILM IS A LOVE LETTER TO THE MUSIC OF DOLLY PARTON, APPROVED BY THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY HERSELF. AND WHEN WE` WHEN I GOT TO MEET HER IN AUSTIN, SHE'D ALREADY WATCHED IT AND SHE'D ALREADY TWEETED ABOUT IT. AND SHE JUST SAID, 'OH, WE LAUGHED.' 'WE LAUGHED!' YOU KNOW, SHE JUST, LIKE, SHE JUST LOVED IT. AND SHE JUST SHE FELT QUITE MOVED AND SORT OF ALSO VULNERABLE, BECAUSE OF WHAT MY CHARACTER GOES THROUGH. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING THAT SHE PERSONIFIED HERSELF AS RED AS MUCH AS RED PERSONIFIED HERSELF AS DOLLY. SERIOUSLY RED IS IN CINEMAS NATIONWIDE FROM TODAY. RICHARD MARTIN, 1 NEWS. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER, WITH HANBEE AND KAWAKAWA. (RELAXING MUSIC) # MY DARLING, # TAKE ALL YOU WANT. # GLISTENING WAVES, # FRUIT IN THE SUMMER. # IN THE EVENING, # I'LL HELP YOU SLEEP. # DREAM OF THE SEA, # WHISPERS TO ME... # BE MY KAWAKAWA PLEASE, BE MY KAWAKAWA # BE MY KAWAKAWA PLEASE, BE MY KAWAKAWA # DARLING WOULD YOU BE MY KAWAKAWA? # BE MY KAWAKAWA PLEASE, BE MY KAWAKAWA THAT'S IT FOR MIDDAY. THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY KITTY WASASALA AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.