TONIGHT ` A STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS JUST BEEN CALLED IN AUCKLAND AS TORRENTIAL RAIN CAUSES CHAOS ACROSS MUCH OF THE CITY. MASS EVACUATIONS AND RESCUES ARE NOW UNDERWAY AS THIS BRIDGE WAS SWEPT AWAY BY FLOODWATERS. PLUS ELTON JOHN'S AUCKLAND CONCERT IS WASHED OUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS DUE TO START, LEAVING FANS WET AND WILD. CAPTIONS BY SOPHIE PEARCE AND INGRID LAUDER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 A STATE OF EMERGENCY HAS BEEN DECLARED IN AUCKLAND TONIGHT AFTER HEAVY RAINS CAUSED MASS FLOODING ACROSS THE REGEION. LET'S GO LIVE TO OUR NEWSROOM IN AUCKLAND WHERE REPORTER LOGAN CHURCH HAS BEEN FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS. LOGAN, WHAT'S THE LATEST? AS YOU SAID, THAT STATE OF EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED JUST A SHORT TIME AGO AFTER THIS TORRENTIAL RAIN IN OUR BIGGEST CITY THIS EVENING. AUCKLANDERS HAS BEEN EVACUATING RIGHT ACROSS THE CITY. WE DO NOT KNOW THE NUMBER YET. THAT IS JUST BECAUSE OF HOW WIDESPREAD THIS DRAMATIC, INTENSE WEATHER EVENT HAS BEEN. THE RAIN CAME HARD AND IT CAME FAST. SOME INCREDIBLE PICTURES HAVE COME THROUGH TO OUR NEWSROOM. WE HAVE ALSO HAD FOOTAGE FROM INSIDE SUPERMARKETS WHERE THERE IS WATER RIGHT THROUGH THE AISLES. ROADS AND DRIVEWAYS ARE COMPLETELY CUT OFF, PEOPLE UNABLE TO GET INTO THEIR HOMES OR LEAVE THEIR HOMES. WE HAVE SEEN EMERGENCY SERVICES STRETCHED RIGHT ACROSS THE CITY. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN SURF LIFE SAVING CREWS MANOEUVRING BOATS. LOGAN, POLICE HAVE TOLD US A BODY HAS BEEN LOCATED ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE. WHAT DO WE KNOW? WE KNOW THAT THE POLICE WERE CALLED JUST BEFORE 730 THIS EVENING AFTER A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CALLED IN. POLICE ARE NOT CONFIRMING THAT THIS PERSON IDENTIFIED WATERS, HOWEVER IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT THAT MAY BE A CASE. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE MANY SUBMERGED CARDS RIGHT ACROSS THE CITY AND HOUSES THAT HAVE BEEN FLOODED THAT EMERGENCY CREWS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET TO YET, SO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN HELPED OR HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES WE DO NOT KNOW AT THIS STAGE. LOGAN, THE HEAVY RAIN HASN'T STOPPED ALL DAY. IS THERE ANY IDEA WHEN IT MIGHT EASE? METSERVICE HAS ISSUED A RED WEATHER WARNING. THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN ALREADY BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE RAIN THEY ARE RESPECTING TO COME OVER THE COMING HOURS OVERNIGHT. BETWEEN 60MM AND 100MM, THEY ARE EXPECTING A REASON TO EASE TOMORROW, BUT NOT STOP. THAT WILL BE A CHALLENGE NOT JUST FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES BUT ALSO FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO CLEAN UP AND DEAL WITH WHAT HAS BEEN A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. THE MESSAGE FROM AUTHORITIES TO PEOPLE IS TO STAY HOME IF POSSIBLE, STAY OUT OF FLOODWATERS, AND ABOVE ALL, STAY SAFE. THANKS, LOGAN. EARLIER, TORRENTIAL RAIN ACROSS WEST AUCKLAND CAUSED CHAOS, TRAPPING YOUNG CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN AND THE ELDERLY. ISOBEL PRASAD IS IN RANUI, BUT FIRST, HERE'S HER REPORT ON HOW THE SUBURB OF HENDERSON WAS THROWN INTO TURMOIL. A WEST AUCKLAND COMMUNITY COMPLETELY SUBMERGED. WATER HAS COME FROM THERE, AND THEN IT'S JUST GOING INTO OUR HOUSES. SO BECAUSE IT'S JUST BIT OF A LOW AREA, SO ALL THE ROOMS ARE FLOODED, THE... EVERYTHING, THE BINS GONE, THE PLANTS ARE GONE. HENDERSON FAMILIES FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMES AS DRAINS FAIL TO COPE WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN. (SIRENS WAIL) PARENTS CLINGING TO THEIR CHILDREN, TREADING THROUGH THE FLOOD WATERS TO SAFETY. OH! SOME PEOPLE ON THE STREET ARE PREGNANT, INJURED OR ELDERLY. MY MUM IS STUCK THERE. THE GUYS HAVE GONE TO GET HER. BELOVED PETS ALSO MAKING A LUCKY ESCAPE. (ALARM WAILS) PARTS OF AUCKLAND HAVE SEEN THREE MONTHS' WORTH OF RAIN IN LESS THAN A DAY. ALSO IN THE WEST HERE, KUMEU ROADS TURNED INTO RIVERS. USUALLY WE HAVE JUST A LITTLE STREAM HERE, AND THEN THERE'S CURRENTLY LAND AND A NICE BACKYARD AND A BONFIRE. AND CURRENTLY IT'S A POOL. WEATHER LIKE THIS BECOMING ALL TOO FAMILIAR FOR WEST AUCKLAND. 2021 WAS THE BIG FLOODS THAT HIT KUMEU, AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW, AND THAT WAS AGAIN AFTER A BIG DELUGE OF RAIN, AND NOW WE'RE HAVING IT AGAIN TWO YEARS LATER. SO IT'S VERY MUCH HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY AND BECOMING MORE DISASTROUS. EMERGENCY SERVICES STRETCHED TO FULL CAPACITY AS OUR BIGGEST CITY DEALS WITH THE DELUGE. ISOBEL JOINS US NOW FROM RANUI, WHERE SOME HEARTBREAKING STORIES ARE EMERGING. YOU'RE AT A CHURCH. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE HAD TO FLEE THEIR HOMES TONIGHT, WITH NOTHING BUT THE CLOTHES ON THE BACK. THEY HAD SIMPLY LOST EVERYTHING. BUT THEY HAVE BEEN WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS BY PEOPLE HERE AT THE CHURCH. THEY HAVE ARE MAKING THEM FOOD AND TEA AND SOURCING THEM BLANKETS, JUST TRY TO KEEP THEM AS COMFORTABLE AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN THE FLOODS TODAY AND THEY ARE IN SHOCK. THEY ARE TRYING TO PROCESS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED THIS AFTERNOON. ONE WOMAN SAID SHE HAD SEVERAL CHILDREN CLINGING ONTO HER AND SHE HAD TO TRY TO WADE HER WAY THROUGH THE FLOODWATERS. HERE IS WHAT A FEW OTHER PEOPLE HAD TO SAY. IT IS UPSETTING BECAUSE I AM ALONE NOW, I DO NOT HAVE ANY HELP. I HAVE NOTHING AT THE MOMENT. I DO NOT HAVE MY MOBILE OR MY KEYS. I HAVE THE LORD AND MYSELF. I SAW A COUPLE WHERE THE MAN HAD BROKEN DOWN. THEY WERE DIABETIC AND SCARED. THE DAUGHTER WOULD NOT COME WITH THEM. SHE WANTED ME TO TAKE THEM AND ISOBEL, THESE WESTIES ARE IN FOR A VERY LONG NIGHT. CAN TELL US ABOUT THEY'RE FACING? THIS CHURCH IS PREPARING FOR A LONG NIGHT AHEAD. THEY HAVE ALREADY LINED THE BUILDING WITH SANDBAGS, TRYING TO PREVENT ANY RAIN OVERNIGHT FROM SEEPING INTO THE BUILDING. THE VOLUNTEERS HERE SAY THEY ARE READY AND HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES FOR ANYBODY WHO MAY BE A NEED AND MAYBE TO COME DOWN AND THEY ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY. THANKS, ISOBEL. ELTON JOHN'S LONG-AWAITED AUCKLAND CONCERT WAS CANCELLED TONIGHT JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE 75-YEAR-OLD SHOWMAN WAS SET TO TAKE TO THE STAGE. NOT ONLY DID IT ANGER MANY IN THE 40,000-STRONG CROWD, THEY THEN FACED A LONG WAIT TO GET HOME. HERE'S JESSICA MORRIS. THEY CAME FOR THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD; INSTEAD, THE CROWD FOR ELTON JOHN FACING KILOMETRE-LONG QUEUES FOR A BUS RIDE HOME. CROWDS TOLD TO EVACUATE JUST 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE PERFORMER WAS SET TO TAKE TO THE STAGE TO A CROWD OF 40,000. AS SOON AS THEY SAID IT, I GOT UP AND I CRIED. AND I'M STILL A LITTLE BIT CRYING. I WAS JUST LIKE, 'YOU KNOW WHAT? I'LL JUST TAKE OFF THE PONCHO.' I MIGHT AS WELL LET EVERYONE SEE THE OUTFIT THAT I WORE FOR ELTON JOHN. SOME FRUSTRATED THE CALL WAS SO LAST MINUTE. THERE HAD BEEN CONCERNS IN THE LEAD UP OVER A LACK OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT ` NEARBY TRAIN SERVICES WEREN'T RUNNING TONIGHT, AND AUCKLAND'S ENTIRE RAIL NETWORK IS CLOSED FOR UPGRADES TOMORROW. WE JUST ARRIVED HERE. IT TOOK US ABOUT FOUR HOURS TO GET HERE. SO NOW WE'VE GOT TO WAIT IN THE TRAFFIC TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK. ITS BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY. AUCKLAND TRANSPORT FORCED TO APOLOGISE EARLIER TODAY AFTER YESTERDAY RECOMMENDING PEOPLE DRIVE TO THE CONCERT. # ...NO ONE THERE TO RAISE THEM... # FOR THESE FANS, THE NIGHT STILL ENDING IN A SONG,... I WILL SING ELTON JOHN IN THE CAR THE WHOLE WAY WHOLE HOME, NOW ` MUCH TO HER DISMAY. ...BUT NOT THE NIGHT THEY WERE HOPING FOR. JESSICA MORRIS, 1 NEWS. PARTS OF AUCKLAND AIRPORT HAVE BEEN FLOODED TONIGHT, CAUSING MAJOR FLIGHT DELAYS ` THESE PICTURES SHOWING FLOODING INSIDE THE AIRPORT TERMINAL. ROADS AROUND THE AIRPORT ARE ALSO UNDER WATER, AND, EARLIER, AN ARRIVING AIRCRAFT DAMAGED RUNWAY LIGHTING. 1 NEWS HAS RECEIVED REPORTS OF PLANES DELAYED ON THE TARMAC, SOME FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS. PASSENGERS TRYING TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO BECAUSE OF THE FLOODS, AND BUSES TO EVACUATE TRAVELLERS HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THROUGH. GISBORNE DISTRICT COUNCIL'S INVESTIGATING THE ORIGIN OF FORESTRY DEBRIS AFTER A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY DIED AT WAIKANAE BEACH ON WEDNESDAY. LOCALS TOLD 1 NEWS THE BOY HAD BEEN PLAYING AMONG LOGS WASHED DOWN FROM PINE PLANTATIONS FOLLOWING CYCLONE HALE TWO WEEKS AGO. GISBORNE MAYOR REHETTE STOLTZ SAYS THE STATE OF THE REGION'S WATERWAYS IS 'UNACCEPTABLE' AND SUPPORTS CALLS FOR AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO LAND USE IN TAIRAWHITI. NEARLY 9000 PEOPLE HAVE NOW SIGNED A PETITION PUSHING FOR THE INQUIRY. I'VE HEARD OF FORESTRY INDUSTRY PEOPLE CRYING WHEN THEY HEARD IT WAS A PINE TREE THAT WAS INVOLVED AND THAT'S REALLY TOUGH. IT'S HARD FOR OUR COMMUNITY WHO RELY ON THIS INDUSTRY. WE DON'T WANNA SEE IT CLOSE DOWN ENTIRELY; WE JUST NEED TO LOOK AT WHERE IT'S ALLOWED TO OPERATE, AND HOW IT'S ALLOWED TO OPERATE. FORESTRY MINISTER STUART NASH SAYS HE'S 'OPEN' TO AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY, BUT HASN'T LAUNCHED ONE YET. ACROSS THE TASMAN, A YOUNG BOY IS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE AFTER BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING SOUTH OF WOOLLONGONG. THE 10-YEAR-OLD IS IN A SYDNEY HOSPITAL AFTER FIRST RESPONDERS RESTARTED HIS HEART AND BROUGHT HIM BACK TO LIFE ON THE BEACH. CHANNEL NINE'S JAMES WILSON HAS MORE. WADING THROUGH THE WATER AT LITTLE LAKE NEAR WARILLA BEACH, A 10-YEAR-OLD BOY HEADS FOR THE BREAKERS, CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY HIS PARENTS AND YOUNGER BROTHER. ALL OF A SUDDEN, A FLASH, THEN A FALL, AS HE'S STRUCK AND KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS BY A BOLT OF LIGHTNING. THERE WAS AN ALL OF SUDDEN MIGHTY CRACK THAT` IT WAS JUST LIKE A SHOCK OUT OF NOWHERE. IN SECONDS, THE BOY'S FATHER IS THERE, PULLING HIM FROM THE SURF AND CARRYING HIM TO SHORE. THE GUY RUNNING BACK WITH THE KID IN HIS ARMS WAS SCREAMING. SOMEONE WAS CALLING, 'HELP ME.' COUNCIL LIFEGUARDS WATCHING ON FROM THE TOWER RUSH OVER AND BEGIN CPR ALONGSIDE AN OFF-DUTY DOCTOR. AND THIS IS ABOUT AS WORSE AS IT GETS AT A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL. IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND HEAVY SITUATION. THE SOUND OF SIRENS AND THE TOLL RESCUE HELICOPTER BRINGING THE STUNNED AUSTRALIA DAY CROWD TO A STANDSTILL, AS EMERGENCY SERVICES AND EVERYDAY HEROES WORK TO SAVE HIS LIFE. THE YOUNG FELLOW STARTED TO RESPOND WITH SLIGHT BODY MOVEMENTS AND ALSO STARTED TO BREATHE, AND HIS PULSE STARTED TO RETURN. AFTER BEING PLACED INTO AN INDUCED COMA, THE BOY WAS TAKEN TO THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN WESTMEAD IN A CRITICAL CONDITION. THIS WEATHER EVENT IS BEING DESCRIBED AS A BOLT FROM THE BLUE ` ONE SINGLE ROGUE STRIKE HITTING THE WATER BEHIND ME WITH NO OTHER LIGHTNING RECORDED IN THIS AREA BEFORE OR AFTER THE INCIDENT. WE HAD BEEN MONITORING A STORM CELL THAT WAS MOVING OVER WOLLONGONG, BUT IT STILL HADN'T REACHED US YET. EXTREME FREAK ACCIDENT. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THREE YOUNG MURDERERS HAVE HAD THEIR LIFE SENTENCES QUASHED BY THE COURT OF APPEAL AND REPLACED WITH SHORTER SENTENCES. THE COURT RULED A LIFE SENTENCE MAY BE UNFAIR FOR SOME YOUNG OFFENDERS BASED ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS EXPLAINS. THIS IS WHERE AN INVERCARGILL TEENAGER WAS FATALLY ATTACKED IN 2017, AND IN CHRISTCHURCH, A WOMAN WAS STABBED TO DEATH AT A HOUSE PARTY IN THE SAME YEAR. BUT WHAT ELSE LINKS THESE CRIME SCENES IS THE MURDERERS WERE TEENAGERS. THEY'VE BEEN SERVING LIFE IMPRISONMENT, BUT NOW THE COURT OF APPEAL'S OVERTURNED THEIR SENTENCES FOR LESSER PUNISHMENTS. IT'S QUITE RIGHT AND TO BE ENCOURAGED FOR JUDGES TO HAVE THE DISCRETION THAT THEY'VE EXERCISED TODAY. THE COURT OF APPEAL FOUND LIFE IMPRISONMENT WAS 'MANIFESTLY UNJUST' IN THESE CASES, BECAUSE THE OFFENDERS GREW UP WITH ABUSE, DEPRIVATION OR PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES. IT ALSO NOTED YOUNG PEOPLE'S BRAINS ARE LESS DEVELOPED THAN ADULTS', AND A MINIMUM OF 10 YEARS IN PRISON WOULD HAVE A GREATER NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THEM. WE NEED TO ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THOSE LAWS MORE FLEXIBLE TO CONSIDER THE SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PEOPLE BEING SENTENCED. THE JUDGES AGREED MORE FLEXIBILITY IS NEEDED WHEN CONSIDERING WHAT IS 'MANIFESTLY UNJUST'. THEY SAID THE YOUNG AGE OF AN OFFENDER NOW CARRIES MORE WEIGHT WHEN BALANCED AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST IN ACCOUNTABILITY. BUT THEY STRESSED THIS RULING SHOULDN'T BE VIEWED AS A GUIDELINE FOR OTHER CASES, AND IT'D BE UP TO PARLIAMENT TO CREATE AN EXCEPTION TO SENTENCING LAW FOR YOUTH MURDERERS. WHETHER THIS WILL PROMPT ANY CHANGE TO THE SENTENCING ACT, I ALMOST GUARANTEE IT WILL IF NATIONAL AND ACT GET ELECTED, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MADE NO SECRET OF THE FACT THAT THEY WANT TO REMOVE DISCRETION FROM THE HANDS OF THE JUDGE, PERHAPS NOT COMPLETELY, BUT THEY WANT TO SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT THAT. NATIONAL SAYS IT IS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW MUCH SCOPE JUDGES HAVE TO REDUCE SENTENCES. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT'S NOT CONSIDERING A CHANGE. SOME WANT BOLDER ACTION. YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN SHOULD NEVER OR NOT BE GOING TO PRISON IN AOTEAROA. THE COURT OF APPEAL TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH, SAYING SOME OF OUR YOUNGEST KILLERS SHOULDN'T BE IN PRISON FOR LIFE. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS, 1 NEWS. FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER GRANT ROBERTSON HAS DECIDED AGAINST SEEKING THE LABOUR NOMINATION FOR THE WELLINGTON CENTRAL ELECTORATE AT THE NEXT ELECTION. ROBERTSON SAYS HE'LL PUT HIMSELF FORWARD FOR LABOUR'S LIST ONLY TO HELP CONCENTRATE ON HIS DUTIES AS FINANCE MINISTER. HE'S HELD THE WELLINGTON CENTRAL SEAT FOR FIVE TERMS, SINCE THE 2008 ELECTION, WITH A MAJORITY OF NEARLY 19,000 VOTES AT THE LAST ELECTION OVER NEAREST CHALLENGER, NATIONAL'S DEPUTY LEADER NICOLA WILLIS. AN ASTEROID THE SIZE OF A MINIBUS HAS FLOWN PAST EARTH IN WHAT SCIENTISTS SAY WAS A CELESTIAL NEAR MISS. THE SPACE ROCK TRAVELLED ABOUT 3600km ABOVE SOUTH AMERICA, WHICH MIGHT SOUND LIKE A LONG WAY AWAY, BUT, FOR COMPARISON, BROADCAST COMMUNICATION SATELLITES ARE ABOUT 36,000km AWAY. THE ASTEROID WAS DISCOVERED BY AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER ALMOST A WEEK AGO, BUT SCIENTISTS QUICKLY DETERMINED IT WAS NOT A THREAT TO OUR PLANET. E WHAI AKE NEI, COMING UP ` RUSSIA STEPS UP ITS AERIAL BOMBARDMENT ON UKRAINE JUST A DAY AFTER MORE MILITARY AID WAS PROMISED TO THE EMBATTLED COUNTRY. AND IT'S TAKEN HIM FOUR SEMI-FINALS, BUT GREEK TENNIS STAR STEFANOS TSITSIPAS HAS FINALLY REACHED THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL. AS PREDICTED, EUROPEAN AND U.S. PLANS TO BOLSTER UKRAINIAN DEFENCES, HAVE BEEN MET BY FRESH RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. MULTIPLE MISSILE AND DRONE ATTACKS HAVE TARGETED POPULATED AREAS. THE ABC'S TOM SOUFI-BURRIDGE REPORTS FROM THE FRONTLINE. TONIGHT, RUSSIAN MISSILES SPREADING TERROR ACROSS UKRAINE. THE KREMLIN LAUNCHING AROUND 70 MISSILES AND LETHAL IRANIAN DRONES. UKRAINE SAYING IT SHOT DOWN 47 OF THE MISSILES AND ALL 17 DRONES, BUT THE ATTACKS STILL KILLING 11 PEOPLE. PUTIN LASHING OUT AFTER THE U.S. AND ITS ALLIES PLEDGED ADVANCED TANKS TO UKRAINE. THE RACE NOW ON TO GET NEW NATO WEAPONRY ON TO THE BATTLEFIELD, WITH RUSSIA POUNDING THE EASTERN CITY OF BAKHMUT IN A BRUTAL BATTLE WHICH IS CLAIMING COUNTLESS RUSSIAN LIVES. BUT THE COST HEAVY FOR UKRAINE TOO ` BLOODSTAINED STRETCHERS OUTSIDE THIS MILITARY FIELD HOSPITAL. OUR TEAM GETTING RARE ACCESS INSIDE. THIS SOLDIER HAS BEEN RUSHED BACK FROM THE FIGHTING. HE'S GOT A NECK WOUND. THEY'RE NOW TRYING TO STABILISE HIS INJURY, THE MEDICS HERE, BEFORE HE'S TAKEN ON TO ANOTHER MEDICAL FACILITY NEARBY. DOZENS OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS RUSHED HERE EVERY DAY. AND SOME OF THEM CANNOT BE SAVED. PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY DAY. YEAH. LOTS OF PEOPLE? YEAH. IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS. TO SPORT, WHERE GREEK TENNIS STAR STEFANOS TSITSIPAS IS THROUGH TO THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL AT LAST. IT WAS THE FOURTH TIME HE HAD REACHED THE FINAL FOUR IN MELBOURNE AND THE THIRD SEED PREVAILED IN FOUR SETS OVER RUSSIAN KAREN KACHANOV. HE AWAITS THE WINNER OF THE NOVAK DJOKOVIC-TOMMY PAUL SEMI, ON NOW. NEW YEAR, NEW WELLINGTON PHOENIX. TOMORROW AGAINST THE PERTH GLORY IN PALMERSTON NORTH, THE FOOTBALLERS CAN EARN A FOURTH WIN IN A ROW, POTENTIALLY CLIMBING TO SECOND ON THE LADDER. BUT AS VICTOR WATERS EXPLAINS, A NEW-FOUND COMPETITIVE EDGE IN THE PHOENIX IS RUFFLING A FEW FEATHERS IN THE A-LEAGUE. AS THEIR NAME MIGHT SUGGEST, THERE'S BEEN A FIERY ELEMENT TO THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX THIS SEASON. AND THERE'S A SCRAP AFTERWARDS TOO. THIS MELEE LAST SUNDAY STARTING AFTER GOALKEEPER OLI SAIL TOOK EXCEPTION TO A RAISED BOOT FROM A CENTRAL COAST PLAYER LATE IN THEIR 2-1 WIN. I SAW RED A LITTLE BIT AND THE TEMPERS FLARED. THE NATURE OF THE GAMES WE'VE PLAYED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND THE LAST MONTH OR SO HAVE BEEN REALLY CLOSELY CONTESTED... MATCHES, AND HAVE FINISHED WITH A LOT OF FIRE. AND THE PHOENIX SAY THEY'RE NOT THE ONES STARTING IT. AND A LITTLE BIT OF TENSION AT THE END AS WELL. MRCELA INVOLVED, OLI SAIL NEVER FAR FROM THE ACTION. BUT IT'S KICKING OFF. STEVEN UGARKOVIC HAS RUN IN. ALEX PAULSEN, THE SUBSTITUTE GOALKEEPER, IS ON THE FIELD AS WELL. DO YOU THINK BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE DOING SO WELL, TEAMS ARE TRYING TO GET IN YOUR FACE A BIT MORE? ABSOLUTELY. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY EVERY POSSIBILITY THAT'S THE CASE. I MEAN, WE ARE THE MOST-FOULED TEAM IN THE COMPETITION. THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE MENTIONED IS TO LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT BEING DISRESPECTED. WELL, WE ARE A FAMILY. WE SEE OURSELVES AS A FAMILY. WE WANT TO GET THE OUTCOME BY PLAYING FOOTBALL, NOT BY DOING THAT. BUT AT TIMES THIS SEASON, THE 'NIX FEEL THEY'VE HAD NO CHOICE. A VOCAL UFUK TALAY NEVER FAR AWAY FROM THE SEASON'S MORE CONTROVERSIAL INCIDENTS. YOU'RE A YELLOW CARD AWAY FROM SUSPENSION. YES. (CHUCKLES) MAYBE TOO MUCH FIRE IN THE BELLY AT TIMES, BUT LOOK, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M AWARE OF. LOOK, AT THE END OF DAY, I AM WHO I AM. IT'S NOT MEANT IN A BAD WAY. WHAT HAS ENDED BADLY IS THIS TACKLE ON CLAYTON LEWIS. THE ALL WHITE PLAYING ON FOR HALF AN HOUR WITH A BROKEN KNEECAP AGAINST THE MARINERS, SET TO MISS EIGHT WEEKS OF RED-HOT ACTION. VICTOR WATERS, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` THE NEW ARRIVAL AT AN ENGLAND ZOO, AND IT'S A CRITTER BEING WELCOMED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 100 YEARS. Where to from here, New Zealand? To amazing places, places of opportunity, technology, possibility, sustainability, every ability, places that are for all to enjoy ` yeah, everyone. Let's enjoy the path forged by those that came before us but also find new ones, maybe better ones. Life is our journey. Aotearoa ` our magnificent waka. WELCOME BACK. A ZOO IN ENGLAND'S CELEBRATED THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF AN INCREDIBLY RARE TREE KANGAROO ` FOOTAGE CAPTURING THE BABY EMERGING FROM ITS MOTHER'S POUCH FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. CHESTER ZOO, IN THE COUNTRY'S NORTH-WEST, SAY IT'S THEIR FIRST TREE KANGAROO BIRTH IN MORE THAN 90 YEARS. UNLIKE ITS FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN COUNTERPART, THE RARE KANGAROO LIVES IN TREES NATIVE TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA. CONSERVATIONISTS HAVE BEEN MONITORING THE BABY'S PROGRESS, WITH HOPES THE DATA WILL HELP PROTECT THE ENDANGERED SPECIES. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER, WITH SIR ELTON JOHN ` NEIL DIAMOND HAS BEEN WISHED VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY. DURING THE SHOW, THE LEAD ACTOR OF THE SHOW SANG TO HIM WITH THE CAST AND AUDIENCE FOR HIS 82ND BIRTHDAY. (ALL SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY) DIAMOND CANCELLED HIS 2018 TO A NEW ZEALAND AFTER HIS DIAGNOSIS OF NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER, WITH SIR ELTON JOHN ` WHO'S HOPEFULLY NICE AND WARM INSIDE ` AND 'BENNY AND THE JETS'. (ELTON JOHN'S 'BENNY AND THE JETS') THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. PO MANAHAU, GOODNIGHT. STAY SAFE THIS WEEKEND. CAPTIONS BY SOPHIE PEARCE AND INGRID LAUDER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ