IT'S MIDDAY. THE STAND-OFF CONTINUES BETWEEN HEALTH OFFICIALS AND THE PARENTS OF A FOUR-MONTH-OLD WHO NEEDS URGENT HEART SURGERY. HAS THE OPERATION GONE AHEAD? THREE YEARS ON FROM THE WHAKAARI WHITE ISLAND ERUPTION. FAMILIES GATHER TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. PLUS ` HARRY AND MEGHAN'S NETFLIX SERIES HITS SCREENS. WERE THERE ANY BIG ROYAL REVELATIONS, AND DID ANYONE AT THE PALACE TUNE IN? CAPTIONS BY JESSIE PURU AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2022 KIA ORA. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE STANDOFF CONTINUES IN THE CASE OF A FOUR-MONTH-OLD BABY WHO NEEDS OPEN HEART SURGERY. THE HIGH COURT IS NOW THE GUARDIAN OF THE INFANT FOR MEDICAL MATTERS AFTER THE PARENTS SOUGHT TO USE ONLY BLOOD FROM UNVACCINATED DONORS. BUT TODAY SUPPORTERS OF THE PARENTS HAVE TURNED OUT IN PROTEST. OUR REPORTER LOGAN CHURCH IS THERE NOW. LOGAN, WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US? WE UNDERSTAND THE SURGERY WAS PLANNED FOR TODAY BUT LATE LAST NIGHT AFTER 9 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING, JUST AS THEY RELEASED STATING THAT WHEN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WENT INTO THE ROOM OF THE PARENTS AND BABY TO CONDUCT THE PRE-SURGERY CHECKS, THE PARENTS REFUSED TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. JUST FOR CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND, TE WHATU ORA HAD SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED TO THE COURTS TO BECOME THE GUARDIAN OF THE CHILD SO THE HEART SURGERY COULD PROCEED. YESTERDAY MORNING, IT INDICATED THE FAMILY WOULD NOT BE FILING AN APPEAL. THEY ARE TALKING TO 2 MEDICAL EXPERTS FROM AMERICA, HOWEVER SOMEONE SAID THE SURGERY WILL PROCEED AND ORDERED THE PARENTS NOT TO INTERFERE. POLICE HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY WILL BE DEPLOYED TO STARSHIP HOSPITAL LATE LAST NIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND AN ALTERCATION TOOK PLACE BETWEEN POLICE AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND THE FAMILY OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL TODAY THERE ARE ABOUT 50 PROTESTERS. WE HAVE ALSO GONE TO TE WHATU ORA TO CONFIRM IF THAT PLANNED SURGERY HAS ACTUALLY TAKEN PLACE. WE ARE YET TO HEAR BACK. THANK YOU. A DEVELOPING STORY. TODAY MARKS THREE YEARS SINCE THE DEADLY WHAKAARI WHITE ISLAND ERUPTION WHICH KILLED 22 PEOPLE AND LEFT 25 INJURED. IT'S ALSO THE FIRST TIME AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES WHO LOST LOVED ONES HAVE RETURNED TO AOTEAROA FOR THE ANNIVERSARY. OUR REPORTER YVONNE TAHANNA IS IN WHAKATANE AND JOINS US NOW LIVE. WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE SO FAR, YVONNE? THERE WERE REALLY MOVING SCENES WITH A PREDAWN KARAKIRA. WE HAD IWI, AND VICTIMS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE. YOU ALSO SAW AUSTRALIAN FAMILY MEMBERS FOR THE FIRST TIME INCLUDING RELATIVES OF JULIA JESSICA RICHARDS. THEY WERE A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER HERE FROM BRISBANE WHO WERE ON HOLIDAY. THEIR RELATIVES LAID A WREATH. THEY THANKED A CROWD AND THEY SAID THEIR LOVED ONES DIED DOING WHAT THEY LOVE. THEY HAD A REAL PASSION FOR TRAVEL. IT WAS A SHORT ADDRESS BUT YOU COULD TELL IT WAS SO EMOTIONAL FOR THEM. WE ALSO SPOKE TO A FIRST RESPONDER WHO WAS THERE ON THAT FIRST DAY. SHE SAID THAT SHE WORKED ON A YOUNG MAN FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, AS THOSE INJURED PEOPLE CAME BACK FROM WHITE ISLAND, AND SHE SAID THAT ONE BOY HAS REMAINED IN HER THOUGHTS EVER SINCE AND SHE ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM. HERE IS WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. WE HAD A YOUNG BOY THAT HAD COME OFF THE BOAT THAT WAS QUITE INJURED. AND THE PARAMEDICS AND US SPENT A BIT OF TIME HELPING HIM. AND HE ENDED UP GOING OFF IN THE RESCUE HELICOPTOR AND THAT WAS THE LAST WE'D SEEN OF HIM. ALL WE KNEW THAT HIS NAME STARTED WITH J AND HE WAS FROM AUSTRALIA AND I BELIEVED HE WAS 19. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING SINCE UNTIL THIS MORNING WHEN WE'VE JUST MET HIM AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY FINE. HIS NAME WAS JESSE LANGFORD. TRAGICALLY, HE LOST HIS MOTHER, FATHER AND HIS SISTER'S BODY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. WE UNDERSTAND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAS BEEN BACK IN WHAKATANE. THE FAMILIES ARE DUE HERE AT THE MARAE. WE WILL BRING YOU MORE ON THIS AS IT DEVELOPS. THANK YOU. ARMED POLICE SWARMED A PROPERTY IN TIMARU THIS MORNING, BELIEVED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE HEAD HUNTERS GANG. OCCUPANTS OF 38 HIGH STREET, POLICE CAN HEAR YOU INSIDE THE ADDRESS. YOU NEED TO EXIT THE ADDRESS NOW BY THE FRONT GATE WITH YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR. USING A LOUD SPEAKER, POLICE TOLD THE OCCUPANTS OF THE HOME THEY WOULD NOT BE LEAVING UNTIL EVERYBODY INSIDE THE ADDRESS CAME OUT. IN A STATEMENT, POLICE SAY THEY WERE EXECUTING A PRE-PLANNED SEARCH WARRANT ON HIGH STREET THIS MORNING AND COULD NOT ADD ANY FURTHER DETAILS. ROTORUA WILL REDUCE ITS USE OF MOTELS FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING TO "NEAR ZERO" AS PART OF A NEW AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT LOCAL COUNCIL AND IWI. THE BAY OF PLENTY CITY HAS SEEN WIDESPREAD USE OF EMERGENCY HOUSING IN MOTELS. THE AGREEMENT OUTLINES PLANS TO INCREASE HOUSING SUPPLY WITH AROUND 330 PUBLIC AND TRANSITIONAL HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR IN PLANNING. ROTORUA'S MAYOR IS WELCOMING THE MOVE, SAYING THE EMERGENCY HOUSING CRISIS HAS HAD A SEVERE IMPACT ON TOURISM IN THE REGION ` CAUSING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LOST REVENUE. IT'S THE LAST DAY FOR CANDIDATES IN THE HAMILTON WEST BY-ELECTION TO MAKE THEIR CASES AND CONVINCE THE ELECTORATE TO GET OUT AND VOTE. THE BY-ELECTION WAS FORCED BY THE RESIGNATION OF FORMER LABOUR M-P GAURAV SHARMA WHO'S NOW STANDING WITH HIS NEW PARTY. TURNOUT IN HAMILTON WEST IS EXPECTED TO BE LOW. LOW VOTER TURNOUT IS NOT GOOD FOR ANYONE. IT IS NOT GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY. AND WE NEED TO BE SPEAKING TO PEOPLE SO WE CAN SHOW THAT WE CAN RELATE TO THEIR ISSUES. IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR ISSUES ARE BEING HEARD, THEN I THINK THEY'LL HAVE MORE MOTIVATION TO GO AND VOTE. VOTING'S OPEN UNTIL 7PM TOMORROW EVENING. THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF SUSSEX HAVE ONCE AGAIN LAUNCHED HEAVY CRITICISM TOWARDS THE MEDIA AND THE ROYAL FAMILY ABOUT HOW THEY WERE TREATED BEFORE STEPPING DOWN AS SENIOR ROYALS. THE FIRST THREE OF SIX EPISODES OF THE NETFLIX "HARRY AND MEGHAN" SERIES WERE RELEASED LAST NIGHT, WITH THE COUPLE FOCUSING ON RACISM AND PRESS INTRUSION. THE BBC'S NICHOLAS WITCHELL HAS REACTION. SHE SACRIFICED EVERYTHING THAT SHE EVER KNEW, THE FREEDOM THAT SHE HAD, TO JOIN ME IN MY WORLD. PRETTY SOON AFTER THAT, I END UP SACRIFICING EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW TO JOIN HER IN HER WORLD. IT IS THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO HARRY AND MEGHAN. THE STORY OF TWO PEOPLE WHO FELL IN LOVE, BUT WHOSE LIVES, IN THEIR VIEW, WERE COMPROMISED BY OTHERS CONSPIRING AGAINST THEM. NO ONE KNOWS THE FULL TRUTH. WE KNOW THE FULL TRUTH. THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE PRESS IS A CONSTANT THEME. HARRY BELIEVES THERE WAS A RACIAL UNDERTONE TO MEDIA COVERAGE WHEN IT EMERGED HE WAS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH MEGHAN MARKLE, A WOMAN OF MIXED RACE. THE COUPLE THINK THE ROYAL FAMILY AND BUCKINGHAM PALACE SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE TO SUPPORT THEM. SO, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A RITE OF PASSAGE. AND SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF FAMILY ARE LIKE, 'RIGHT, BUT MY WIFE HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT. SO WHY SHOULD YOUR GIRLFRIEND BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENTLY?' AND I SAID, 'THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THE RACE ELEMENT.' MEGHAN TOO, EVIDENTLY BELIEVES THAT SHE WASN'T GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE. NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED, NO MATTER HOW GOOD I WAS, NO MATTER WHAT I DID, THEY WERE STILL GONNA FIND A WAY TO DESTROY ME. THERE'S NO EXPLICIT ALLEGATION AGAINST ROYAL FAMILY MEMBERS ON THE RACE ISSUE, THOUGH HARRY SAYS THERE IS UNCONSCIOUS BIAS. THE THING WITH UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IS IT'S ACTUALLY NO ONE'S FAULT. BUT ONCE IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT OR IDENTIFIED WITHIN YOURSELF, YOU THEN NEED TO MAKE IT RIGHT. FROM MEGHAN, THERE'S AN IMPLIED CRITICISM OF WILLIAM AND CATHERINE. EVEN WHEN WILL AND KATE CAME OVER AND I HAD MET HER FOR THE FIRST TIME` THEY CAME OVER FOR DINNER. I REMEMBER I WAS IN RIPPED JEANS AND I WAS BAREFOOT. IT'S LIKE, I WAS A HUGGER. ALWAYS BEEN A HUGGER. I DIDN'T REALISE THAT THAT IS REALLY JARRING FOR A LOT OF BRITS. I GUESS I'D STARTED TO UNDERSTAND VERY QUICKLY THAT THE FORMALITY ON THE OUTSIDE CARRIED THROUGH ON THE INSIDE. QUEEN ELIZABETH, THOUGH, WAS WARM AND WELCOMING. MEGHAN RECALLED THEIR FIRST MEETING AT WINDSOR CASTLE... I CURTSIED AS THOUGH. I WAS LIKE... PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, YOUR MAJESTY. THIS MORNING KING CHARLES WAS OUT AND ABOUT ON UNOFFICIAL VISIT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE IS SAYING NOTHING PUBLICLY, THOUGH PRIVATELY OFFICIALS ARE GROWING WARY. I THINK THERE'S A SORT OF SENSE OF BOTH DISAPPOINTMENT AND EXASPERATION AT THE PALACE THAT THE COUPLE FEEL THE NEED TO KEEP GOING ON ABOUT HOW MISERABLE THEY WERE IN THEIR OWN EXISTENCE. I ACCEPT THAT THERE WILL BE PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHO FUNDAMENTALLY DISAGREE WITH WHAT I'VE DONE AND HOW I'VE DONE IT. WHO'S THAT? BUT I KNEW THAT I HAD TO DO EVERYTHING I COULD TO PROTECT MY FAMILY. GRANDMA. THREE MORE HOURS OF HARRY AND MEGHAN TELLING THEIR TRUTH WILL BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK. THERE'S BEEN INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION AFTER IRAN CARRIED OUT ITS FIRST EXECUTION OF A PROTESTER LINKED TO THE MONTHS OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT UNREST. MOHSEN SHEKARI WAS REPORTEDLY CONVICTED OF, QUOTE, 'WAGING WAR AGAINST GOD' FOR INJURING A SECURITY OFFICER AND BLOCKING OFF A STREET IN TEHRAN. PROTESTS HAVE SWEPT THE COUNTRY SINCE SEPTEMBER WHEN MAHSA AMINI (22) WAS KILLED FOR NOT WEARING HER HIJAB PROPERLY. A BILL PROTECTING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN THE U.S HAS BEEN PASSED IN CONGRESS. BOTH SIDES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAVE GIVEN APPROVAL TO THE "RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE" LEGISLATION. IT'S A MONUMENTAL STEP FOR THOSE BATTLING FOR NATIONWIDE RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. GROWING UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AS A GAY PERSON, I WASN'T SURE IF THERE WOULD BE A PLACE FOR ME OR IF I'D BE ABLE TO HAVE A FAMILY OF MY OWN. BUT I WAS LUCKY TO BE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO EMBRACED ME FOR WHO I AM. AND TO LIVE IN A TIME WHEN HEARTS, MINDS AND LAWS WERE CHANGING FOR THE BETTER. NEXT YEAR I'LL MARRY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. THE BILL NOW HEADS TO PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN TO SIGN IT INTO LAW. U.S BASKETBALL STAR BRITTNEY GRINER HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN PRISON. AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS, THE U.S AND RUSSIA AGREED TO A PRISONER EXCHANGE ` SWAPPED WITH AN ARMS DEALER KNOWN AS 'THE MERCHANT OF DEATH'. THE ABC'S ALEX PRESHA REPORTS. WELL, GOOD MORNING, FOLKS. IT IS A GOOD MORNING. AFTER 294 DAYS, DETAINED WNBA STAR BRITTNEY GRINER IS FREE. THIS IS VIDEO OF HER RIGHT BEFORE SHE WAS RELEASED INTO U.S CUSTODY. IT WAS TAKEN BY RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA. GRINER'S WIFE, CHERELLE, BEAMING AT THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY. TODAY, I'M JUST STANDING HERE, OVERWHELMED WITH EMOTIONS. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT EMOTION THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW IS JUST SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION. GRINER'S NOW EN ROUTE TO AN ARMY MEDICAL CENTRE IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ARRESTED IN FEBRUARY AT A MOSCOW AIRPORT FOR CARRYING VAPE CARTRIDGES CONTAINING HASH OIL. GRINER WAS SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS ON DRUG SMUGGLING CHARGES. THE U.S BROKERING A DEAL TO EXCHANGE HER FOR CONVICTED RUSSIAN ARMS DEALER VIKTOR BOUT, WHO WAS SERVING A 25-YEAR SENTENCE ` BOTH PARDONED AS PART OF THE DEAL. THE SPORTS WORLD REACTING TO THE NEWS ` GRINER'S WNBA TEAM, THE PHOENIX MERCURY AND THE NBA'S SUNS RELEASING A JOINT STATEMENT CALLING THE RELEASE 'MIRACULOUS' AND 'MERCIFUL', SAYING ` HER TEAM USA OLYMPIC COACH DAWN STALEY EMOTIONAL DISCUSSING THE MOMENT SHE GOT THE NEWS ON ESPN. I CRIED. AND I'M A GIRL FROM PHILLY. WE DON'T CRY VERY EASILY. BUT STILL IN RUSSIAN CAPTIVITY, VETERAN PAUL WHALEN, WHO HAS BEEN DETAINED ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES SINCE 2018. HE CALLED INTO CNN FROM PRISON. I'M HAPPY THAT BRITTNEY WENT HOME TODAY AND THAT TREVOR WENT HOME WHEN HE DID, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M STILL SITTING HERE. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN INSISTS THE U.S HAS MADE EVERY POSSIBLE AVAILABLE OFFER TO SECURE PAUL'S FREEDOM AND THAT THIS WAS NOT A CHOICE OF WHICH AMERICAN TO BRING HOME; IT WAS A CHOICE OF ONE OR NONE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE RARE NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION THAT'S FORCED CELINE DION TO STOP TOURING. PLUS ` MORE RECOGNITION FOR OUR WORLD CHAMPION BLACK FERNS CO-CAPTAIN AS THE NEW ZEALAND RUGBY AWARDS ARE HANDED OUT. - The day doesn't begin until we've got our coffee order in. Yup, we've become a nation of coffee snobs, which is why Z's trained baristas use SINGER CELINE DION HAS BEEN FORCED TO POSTPONE HER CURRENT TOUR AFTER REVEALING SHE'S SUFFERING FROM A RARE NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION. IN A POST TO SOCIAL MEDIA, DION TOLD FANS SHE'S BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH "STIFF PERSON SYNDROME", CAUSING SPASMS THAT AFFECT HER ABILITY TO WALK AND SING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SPASMS AFFECT... EVERY ASPECT OF MY DAILY LIFE, SOMETIMES CAUSING DIFFICULTIES WHEN I WALK, AND NOT ALLOWING ME TO USE MY VOCAL CHORDS TO SING THE WAY I AM USED TO. DION WAS DUE TO RESUME HER "COURAGE" TOUR IN FEBRUARY, BUT THOSE DATES HAVE NOW BEEN PUSHED BACK TO 2024. TRIBUTES ARE BEING PAID TO THE LAST SURVIVOR OF THE BRITAIN'S LEGENDARY WWII 'DAMBUSTERS'. SQUADRON LEADER GEORGE 'JOHNNY' JOHNSON WAS 101 AND WAS PART OF THE GROUP THAT DESTROYED KEY DAMS IN GERMANY DURING THE WAR. DANNY SAVAGE LOOKS BACK AT HIS LIFE. GEORGE 'JOHNNY' JOHNSON FLEW IN ONE OF THESE IN ARGUABLY THE MOST FAMOUS OPERATION OF WWII. HE WAS A DAMBUSTER ` A MEMBER OF 617 SQUADRON WHO DROPPED BOUNCING BOMBS FROM THEIR LANCASTER AIRCRAFT. HE WAS JUST 21 YEARS OLD. I FEEL PRIVILEGED AND HONOURED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THAT RAID ` ONE WHICH I SHALL NEVER FORGET. JOHNNY JOHNSON WAS THE BOMB AIMER ON HIS LANCASTER, AND HE WOULD LIE FLAT ON HIS STOMACH IN THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT HERE. ON THE NIGHT OF THE RAID, ONCE THEY WERE OVER THE TARGETS, HE WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE APPROACH, SO HE ASKED HIS PILOT TO GO ROUND AGAIN AND AGAIN, LEADING TO SOME ANXIOUS COMMENTS FROM THE REST OF THE CREW. THEY GAVE ROGER IN THE REAR TURRET. AFTER ABOUT THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH DUMMY RUN THEY SAID, 'WON'T SOMEBODY GET THAT BOMB OUT OF HERE?!' TO ME, DID NOT DO IT PROPERLY ` A WASTE OF TIME. SO ON THE 10TH RUN, WE WERE DOWN AT 30FT, AND I SAID, 'BOMB GONE.' 'THANK CHRIST' CAME FROM THE REAR TURRET. HIS SQUADRON'S EXPLOITS WERE IMMORTALISED ON FILM ` A BARELY BELIEVABLE-BUT-TRUE STORY OF AN OPERATION TO DESTROY GERMAN DAMS BY SKIMMING BOMBS OFF THE WATER BELOW. WE'RE IN SHOCK AND AWE OF WHAT THEY ACHIEVED TO BE FLYING AT NIGHT AT 60FT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, TO DROP AN INGENIOUS WEAPON THAT HAD NEVER BEEN USED BEFORE. IT IS GENERALLY THE STUFF OF LEGENDS. ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE 617 SQUADRON? YES, INDEED. VERY MUCH SO. ONE OF THE ORIGINALS. WOW. AND THAT STATUS WAS OFTEN REFLECTED AS HE MET YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. IN 2017, THE QUEEN AWARDED HIM AN MBE. SHE SAID, 'NICE TO SEE THE DAMBUSTERS STILL AROUND,' AND I THANKED HER FOR THE HONOUR. GEORGE 'JOHNNY' JOHNSTON'S DEATH MEANS THE DAMBUSTERS ARE NO LONGER AROUND. HE SAYS HE HAD A VERY LUCKY LIFE ` LIVING TO 101 ` WHEN MANY OF HIS FRIENDS DIDN'T MAKE IT MUCH PAST 21. TO SPORT AND THE RUGBY WORLD CUP WINNING BLACK FERNS HAVE CLEANED UP AT THE NEW ZEALAND RUGBY AWARDS. CO-CAPTAIN RUAHEI DEMANT TAKING HOME THE TOP HONOUR. SHE HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AGAIN FOR A STELLA YEAR ` RECEIVING BOTH THE BLACKS FERNS AND KELVIN TREMAIN PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS, AS WELL AS MAORI PLAYER OF THE YEAR. ARDIE SAVEA WON ALL BLACKS PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE SEASON. WAYNE SMITH WALKED AWAY WITH COACH OF THE YEAR. AUSTRALIAN CRICKET'S SANDPAPER SCANDAL IS BACK IN THE HEADLINES. THE MANAGER OF DAVID WARNER SAYS SENIOR EXECUTIVES WERE NOT ONLY AWARE OF A BALL TAMPERING INCIDENT IN 2016, BUT TOLD THE PLAYERS TO DO IT. WAYNE ERSKINE AIRING THE DIRTY LAUNDRY AFTER WARNER WITHDREW HIS BATTLE TO REGAIN LEADERSHIP DUTIES. CHANNEL 9'S ZAC BAILEY REPORTS. AS DAVID WARNER WALKED DOWN TO BAT IN ADELAIDE, THE GHOSTS OF SANDPAPERGATE CONTINUED TO HAUNT AUSTRALIAN CRICKET. A DAY AFTER HE GAVE UP HIS FIGHT TO OVERTURN HIS LIFELONG LEADERSHIP BAN, HIS MANAGER WENT IN TO BAT. IT WAS JUST A LOOSENER. JAMES ERSKINE REVEALING THE SEEDS OF THE GAME'S GREATEST SCANDAL WERE PLANTED IN THE AUSTRALIAN DRESSING ROOM TWO YEARS EARLIER. ERSKINE DIDN'T NAME THE EXECUTIVES, BUT IN AN INTERVIEW AFTER THE CAPE TOWN SCANDAL, STEVE SMITH ALSO RECALLED A CONVERSATION WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE HOBART SHEDS. COMING IN THE ROOMS THERE AND ACTUALLY SAYING, 'WE DON'T PAY YOU TO PLAY; WE PAY YOU TO WIN.' SO FOR ME, THAT WAS, I THINK, A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING TO SAY. FOR HIS PART IN THE AFFAIR, SMITH HAS LARGELY BEEN FORGIVEN ` TODAY, CAPTAINING HIS COUNTRY. THAT'S AN HONOUR WARNER WILL NOW NEVER EXPERIENCE. HIS BATTLE AGAINST CRICKET AUSTRALIA TAKING TOO GREAT A TOLL. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL, LIKE I SAID, AND TO PUT OUR FAMILY, ALSO HIS TEAM MATES, THROUGH EVERYTHING AGAIN. AND THE DISAPPOINTING THING FOR DAVID IS, IS THAT THIS HAS BEEN DRAGGED OUT FOR SO LONG. IN THE WAKE OF CAPE TOWN, WARNER SMITH AND CAMERON BANCROFT WERE PUBLICLY NAMED AND SHAMED FOR THEIR ROLE IN THE AFFAIR. 9 NEWS APPROACHED CRICKET AUSTRALIA FOR RESPONSE, BUT THEY REFUSED TO COMMENT. AS THE TEAMS GEAR UP FOR THE QUARTER-FINALS, FOOTBALL WORLD CUP OFFICIALS ARE ONCE AGAIN IN HOT WATER OVER THE USE OF MIGRANT WORKERS IN QATAR. IT COMES AS FIFA CONFIRMED THE DEATH OF ANOTHER WORKER AT A WORLD CUP TRAINING BASE. THE BBC'S NATALIE PIRKS REPORTS. YESTERDAY, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT DURING THE GROUP STAGES, A FILIPINO WORKER FELL TO HIS DEATH CARRYING OUT REPAIRS AT THE RESORT USED AS A TRAINING BASE BY SAUDI ARABIA. FIFA SAYS IT'S DEEPLY SADDENED BY THE DEATH, BUT THE SUPREME COMMITTEE FOR QATAR SAID THE WORKER WASN'T WORKING UNDER ITS REMIT. THAT IS A NATURAL PART OF LIFE, WHETHER IT'S AT WORK, WHETHER IT'S IN YOUR SLEEP. OF COURSE, A WORKER DIED. OUR CONDOLENCES GO TO HIS FAMILY. HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S STRANGE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO FOCUS ON. WHEN THE QUARTERFINALS BEGIN TOMORROW, QATAR WILL BE RELIEVED TO SEE FOOTBALL ONCE AGAIN TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. KIA ORA. WELCOME BACK, TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. # CHRISTMAS IN LAS VEGAS # DECORATE YOUR TREE WITH CHIPS # LET'S ROLL-E-O BENEATH THE MISTLETOE # # CHRISTMAS IN LAS VEGAS # IT'S A TRIP # THE WISE MAN ROLLING SEVENS # THE ELVES ARE DOUBLING DOWN # LIGHT A CANDLE AND PULL THE HANDLE # EVERY SHOWGIRL AND BOY RIDING A SLAYER OF JOY # CHRISTMAS IN LAS VEGAS # WHAT A TOWN THAT'S IT FOR MIDDAY TODAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. FROM THE WHOLE TEAM, HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JESSIE PURU AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2022