IT'S MIDDAY. FEARS THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE EARTHQUAKES IN TURKEY AND SYRIA COULD REACH 20,000 AS TIME RUNS OUT IN THE SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS. MEANWHILE, IN SYRIA, A MIRACULOUS TALE OF SURVIVAL ` THE STORY BEHIND THE NEWBORN PULLED FROM THE RUBBLE. PLUS, WHAT CRUSADERS COACH SCOTT ROBERTSON'S REVEALED ABOUT THE ALL BLACKS HEAD COACH JOB. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR RESCUE TEAMS IN TURKEY AND SYRIA, WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT AND BATTLING FREEZING CONDITIONS TO SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS. THE DEATH TOLL FROM YESTERDAY'S DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKES IS NOW AT MORE THAN 7000 PEOPLE, AND THERE'S WARNINGS THAT NUMBER COULD SURGE. OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON IS IN THE TURKISH CITY OF MERSIN AND SENT THIS REPORT. WE'RE ONLY A FEW HOURS FROM SOME OF THE PLACES THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY BADLY HIT. AND I HAVE JUST MET A FATHER WHO HAS BROUGHT HIS ELDERLY MOTHER HERE. THEY LIVED IN HATAY, WHICH IS NOT FAR AWAY BUT WAS VERY BADLY DAMAGED. THEY'VE ONLY JUST ARRIVED HERE. THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO STAY. HIS FAMILY IS ONE OF THE MANY THOUSANDS WHO WILL BE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO SHELTER FROM THE BITTER COLD WEATHER. THAT'S IN HOTELS LIKE THIS OR SCHOOLS OR GYMNASIUMS OR TENTS. WE FOUND IT HARD TO FIND A RENTAL CAR, BECAUSE COMPANIES HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY'RE GIVING OUT CARS TO PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN SLEEP IN. BUT THIS ISN'T JUST A PROBLEM FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, EVEN FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OR MONTHS; THE DEVASTATION IS SO VAST, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED THAT IT IS GOING TO TAKE YEARS TO REBUILD. THE BORDER BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA IS IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST EARTHQUAKE-PRONE AREAS. THE BBC'S QUENTIN SOMERVILLE VISITED ANTAKYA, A CITY IN THE REGION THAT'S BEEN DEVASTATED BY THE STRONG QUAKES. (MEN CONVERSE IN LOCAL LANGUAGE) WITH PICKAXE AND HAMMER, DETERMINATION AND HOPE, THEY DIG FOR LOST RELATIVES IN ANTAKYA. THIS BACKBREAKING WORK FALLS TO THESE MEN. THE CITY AND THEIR COUNTRY ARE OVERWHELMED, AND THE LIVES OF THOSE TRAPPED IN HERE DEPEND ON THEM. (SIREN WAILS IN DISTANCE) THIS WAS A SIX-FLOOR APARTMENT BLOCK ` FAMILIES ON EVERY FLOOR. 10 MINUTES AGO, THEY JUST HEARD A VOICE, SO THEY'RE DIGGING TO TRY AND GET TO WHOEVER IT IS BURIED DEEP INSIDE ALL OF THIS. THEY CAN SEE A MAN AND A CHILD TRAPPED INSIDE. SESSIZLIK! AGAIN, THEY HEAR SOMETHING, SO THEY CALL FOR SILENCE, AND THEY WAIT. THEY DIG MORE CAREFULLY NOW, BUT THEY'RE TOO LATE. BOTH ARE ALREADY DEAD. WITH SO MANY STILL TRAPPED, THERE'S BARELY TIME FOR GRIEF HERE. SO` SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW? WE ARE GOING TO FIND THE LIVE ONES. WE WILL LOOK FOR THEM. THERE IS BARELY A CORNER OF THIS CITY OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE THAT HASN'T BEEN CHURNED UP AND TORN APART BY THE EARTHQUAKES. ANTAKYA'S DEVASTATION IS NEAR TOTAL. THIS IS THE SCENE ALL ACROSS ANTAKYA. IT'S NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS THAT HAVE COME DOWN; IT'S ENTIRE CITY BLOCKS. AND THERE ARE GROUPS OF MEN ON TOP OF MOST OF THESE PILES OF RUBBLE, LISTENING CAREFULLY, LISTENING OUT FOR SURVIVORS, BUT THEY KNOW THAT IT WILL SOON BE 48 HOURS SINCE THE FIRST EARTHQUAKE STRUCK, AND EVERY MINUTE THAT GOES BY, EVERY HOUR THAT PASSES LESSENS THEIR CHANCES OF FINDING SURVIVORS HERE. AND THE PEOPLE HERE KNOW IT. (SHOUTS IN LOCAL LANGUAGE) 'YOU WON'T RETURN TO HELP,' THIS WOMAN SHOUTS AT THE POLICE. 'YOU'RE LYING. I DON'T ACCEPT YOU ABANDONING US.' (SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE) EMRE TELLS ME, 'I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE YESTERDAY. 'I'M BEGGING FOR HELP.' MOST OF HIS FAMILY WERE INSIDE THE BUILDING. HE HEARD CRIES, BUT NOW THERE'S ONLY SILENCE AND LOSS. STILL, THEY FIND SURVIVORS, BUT THEY ARE FEW. DERVIS HAS JUST BEEN RESCUED. (SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE) 'I WAS 36 HOURS UNDERGROUND. I'D LOST ALL HOPE,' HE TELLS ME. CORPSES LITTER EVERY PAVEMENT HERE. IN A CITY WHERE TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE LIVING, THE DEAD MUST WAIT. HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES ARE STRUGGLING TO GET AID INTO SYRIA, WITH SOME PARTS ALREADY RAVAGED BY CONFLICT. TODAY, RESCUERS PULLED OUT A NEWBORN BABY ` THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF HER FAMILY. THE BBC'S LYCE DOUCET HAS MORE. AND A WARNING ` THIS STORY CONTAINS SOME IMAGES THAT MAY BE DISTRESSING. LAYER UPON LAYER OF SYRIAN CEMENT ` ENTIRE STREETS SMASHED IN THIS SEISMIC SHOCK. LAYER UPON LAYER OF CRISES. THIS COUNTRY BROKEN BY MORE THAN A DECADE OF WAR. A PEOPLE LIVING ON SO LITTLE. NOW EVEN THAT LITTLE IS LOST, BURIED IN THIS RUBBLE. AND THEN THIS MOMENT ` A NEWBORN BABY PULLED FROM THE RUINS. EVEN MORE, HER UMBILICAL CORD HAD TO BE CUT FROM HER MOTHER, HER DEAD MOTHER. TODAY, SHE'S BEING KEPT ALIVE IN THIS INCUBATOR. (SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE) TRANSLATOR: WE RECEIVED THE BABY YESTERDAY AT 3 PM WITH BRUISES AND ABRASIONS ALL OVER HER BODY. SHE WAS EXPOSED TO SEVERE COLD. THE CHILD WAS WARMED AND WAS GIVEN CALCIUM AND A SUGAR SOLUTION. HER CONDITION IS NOW STABLE. THANK GOD. A BABY STILL WITHOUT A NAME, WITHOUT A FAMILY. HER BROTHERS, SISTERS, PARENTS, THEY ALL PERISHED IN THIS EARTHQUAKE. THE SEARCH FOR LOVED ONES HASN'T STOPPED. (URGENT CHATTER IN LOCAL LANGUAGE) 'YALLA! COME ON, HAROON,' THIS RESCUE TEAM SHOUTS. (URGENT CHATTER IN LOCAL LANGUAGE) THERE'S A SPACE JUST BIG ENOUGH TO ESCAPE. WHAT RELIEF FOR THIS LITTLE KURDISH BOY. ANOTHER CHILD ALMOST BURIED BY RUBBLE. SHE MADE IT OUT, SAVED BY RESCUERS KNOWN AS THE 'WHITE HELMETS'. THEY'VE SPENT YEARS PULLING SURVIVORS TO SAFETY AFTER AIRSTRIKES BY SYRIAN AND RUSSIAN WARPLANES. THIS EARTHQUAKE STRUCK EVERY SIDE IN THIS WAR, INCLUDING THE NORTHERN CITY OF ALEPPO, UNDER GOVERNMENT CONTROL. EVERY PART OF SYRIA WAS ALREADY PULLED DOWN BY POVERTY; 90% LIVING WITH ONLY ENOUGH TO SURVIVE. THE WORST OF THE WORST IS IN OPPOSITION AREAS. (SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE) TRANSLATOR: PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY A LOAF OF BREAD, SO HOW WILL THEY REBUILD THEIR HOMES? SOME HAD SAVED MONEY TO BUILD A HOUSE OR BUY A CAR, AND THEY WERE ALL DESTROYED BY THE EARTHQUAKE. NGOS ARE NOT OFFERING ANY HELP. A NATION REELING FROM A NATURAL DISASTER IS ALSO A POLITICAL QUAGMIRE. GETTING AID TO SYRIA MEANS CROSSING FRONTLINES. BUT IN THIS BRUTAL WAR, EVEN AID HAS ALWAYS BEEN WEAPONISED. AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS, IT'S EVEN HARDER. BACK HERE, AND ARMED POLICE HAVE SWARMED A CENTRAL WELLINGTON STREET WITH PEOPLE TOLD TO AVOID THE AREA. OFFICERS HAVE BEEN OUTSIDE THE CURRENCY EXCHANGE STORE ON LAMBTON QUAY FOR ALMOST THREE HOURS NOW. IT'S NOT CLEAR YET EXACTLY WHAT HAS UNFOLDED, BUT INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY. LATER THIS AFTERNOON, THE GOVERNMENT WILL REVEAL WHAT PROJECTS ITS SLASHED THE GOVERNMENT WILL REVEAL WHAT PROJECTS IT'S SLASHED IN A BID TO GET BACK TO BASICS AND RE-FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY. POLITICAL REPORTER CUSHLA NORMAN JOINS US NOW FROM PARLIAMENT. CUSHLA, WHAT COULD BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK? KIA ORA. CHRIS HIPKINS HAS STYLED HIS GOVERNMENT AS THE BREAD AND BUTTER GOVERNMENT, TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM JACINDA ARDERN, WHICH HAD A LOT OF REFORM GOING ON WHICH DIDN'T NECESSARILY TOUCH THE EVERYDAY LIVES OF KIWIS. HE IS TRYING TO STEER BACK TO BASICS. HE IS CUTTING EXPENSE. ONE OF THOSE COULD BE THE MERGER ` RNZ/TVNZ, TO CREATE ONE PUBLIC MEDIA ENTITY. THAT WOULD COST $327 MILLION OVER THREE YEARS, A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2019. QUITE A BIT OF WORK DONE ON IT 15 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT ON IT SO FAR, SO CHRIS HIPKINS COULD POTENTIALLY UNDO A LOT OF WORK HERE, BUT IT IS AN UNPOPULAR POLICY WHICH NATIONAL HAS CONSISTENTLY ATTACKED, SAYING IT IS AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE AND A COST OF LIVING CRISIS AND THAT IT WOULD SCRAP IT. PUBLIC SENTIMENT ISN'T EXACTLY FAVOURABLE EITHER. I WILL POLL RECENTLY SHOWED THAT 31% WEREN'T SURE HOW THEY FELT ABOUT IT; 41% OPPOSED IT; 28% WERE FOR IT. ANOTHER THORNY ISSUE IS THREE WATERS, THE REFORM OF OUR WATER SYSTEM, HOW IT WOULD BE DELIVERED AND MANAGED. WE DO KNOW THEY ARE NOT GOING TO SCRAP THAT ENTIRELY ` CHRIS HIPKINS SAID SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND SOME AMALGAMATION IS NECESSARY, BUT THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DEBATED A BIT FURTHER AROUND THE CABINET TABLE, AND A DECISION ON THAT ISSUE IS LIKELY IN ANOTHER MONTH. CUSHLA, THANK YOU. MEANWHILE, OPPOSITION LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON SAYS HE'S GOT A LIST OF POLICIES HE WANTS TO SEE CROSSED OFF THE AGENA. I FIRST AND FOREMOST WOULD REPEAL THREE WATERS. WE'D` YOU'RE GONNA REPEAL IT ALL THE WAY? WE'D` WE'RE GONNA REPEAL IT, ABSOLUTELY, AND WE'RE GONNA` WE JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING ` TO TAKE ASSETS OUT OF LOCAL CONTROL AND PUT THEM IN MEGA ENTITIES. I'M SORRY, BUT THE TVNZ/ RADIO NEW ZEALAND MERGER IS A TOTAL UTTER INSANE WASTE OF MONEY. UH, WE'VE GOT MAJOR CHALLENGES WITH THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT ` THAT'S GONNA COST US A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY. CHRIS HIPKINS WILL BRIEF MEDIA AFTER CABINET MEETS THIS AFTERNOON. A NEW ZEALAND PILOT HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN TAKEN HOSTAGE BY SEPARATIST FIGHTERS IN THE PAPUA REGION OF INDONESIA. GRACE THOMAS IS WITH US FOR MORE. KIA ORA, GRACE. WHAT'S THE LATEST? KIA ORA. DETAILS ARE SLIM, BUT WHAT WE KNOW IS A NEW ZEALAND PILOT HAS BEEN TAKEN HOSTAGE IN THE PAPUA REGION OF INDONESIA BY SEPARATIST FIGHTERS. ACCORDING TO THE REBEL GROUP, THE PLANE LANDED IN A REMOTE HIGHLAND AREA BEFORE THEY SET IT ALIGHT. THIS IS A SMALL COMMERCIAL PLANE CARRYING FIVE PASSENGERS. THE GROUP SAYS THEY HAVE RELEASED THE PASSENGERS BUT KEPT THE PILOT HOSTAGE. LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAVE SENT MILITARY AND POLICE INTO THE AREA TO LOCATE THE PASSENGERS AND PILOT, BUT THIS IS A REALLY REMOTE REGION AND IT IS VERY HARD TO GET IN. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT THEY ARE CALLING FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE PILOT. BACK HERE, THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAVE TOLD US THEY ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND ARE PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE PILOT'S FAMILY, BUT THEY CAN'T MAKE ANY MORE COMMENT DUE TO PRIVACY REASONS. GRACE, THANK YOU. AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW INTO WHAT CAUSED A MAJOR POWER OUTAGE AT CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL LAST FRIDAY HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED. THE HEALTH MINISTRY TE WHATU ORA SAYS IT'LL LOOK INTO WHAT WENT WRONG WHEN GENERATORS FAILED TO AUTOMATICALLY CONNECT DURING THE 55-MINUTE POWER OUTAGE. STAFF NEEDED TO TREAT PEOPLE IN THE DARKNESS, BUT REGIONAL OFFICIALS SAY ALL 478 PATIENTS AFFECTED BY THE OUTAGE WERE SAFE THROUGHOUT, INCLUDING 96 IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. AND NEW ZEALAND'S IN A 'TRANS-TASMAN BATTLE FOR TALENT' IN THE MEDICAL WORLD, WARNS A RECRUITER WHO SAYS WE'RE LOSING 30 DOCTORS A MONTH TO AUSTRALIA. THE COMMENTS COME AS BOTH COUNTRIES COMMIT TO MAKING CITIZENSHIP EASIER FOR KIWIS WANTING TO HEAD ACROSS THE DITCH. MEDRECRUIT FOUNDER DOCTOR SAM HAZLEDINE SAYS AUSTRALIA HAS INVESTED IN ITS FRONTLINE MORE THAN AOTEAROA, AND NOW WE'RE PAYING THE PRICE. WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE IN A TRANS-TASMAN BATTLE FOR TALENT. IF WE JUST LOOK AT NEW ZEALAND, WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED. THERE IS A CONTINGENT GROUP OF DOCTORS THAT ARE COMING ACROSS, AND SO I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT US AS A TRANS-TASMAN MARKET AND ACT ACCORDINGLY. HAZLEDINE SAYS WE USED TO HAVE DOCTORS GOING BOTH WAYS, BUT SINCE COVID, HIS COMPANY HASN'T MOVED A SINGLE DOCTOR FROM AUSTRALIA. A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS EXPECTED TO FORM IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC TODAY THAT COULD BRING MORE POOR WEATHER TO ALREADY SODDEN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. NIWA SAYS GLOBAL MODELS ARE SUGGESTING IT'S LIKELY THE NORTH ISLAND WILL SEE 'MAJOR IMPACTS' EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE WEATHER AGENCY SAYS THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY ABOUT ITS TRACK AND FORCE, AND METSERVICE SAYS IT MAY BRING SEVERE WEATHER TO NORTHERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BY SUNDAY. 4000 CARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN OFF FOLLOWING DAMAGE FROM THE LAST BOUT OF SEVER WEATHER FOLLOWING DAMAGE FROM THE LAST BOUT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN THE AUCKLAND REGION. WITH 1500 AA CLAIMS SO FAR, THE RECENT WEATHER EVENT IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO MORE MOTOR VEHICLE CLAIMS THAN ANY OTHER EVENT IN NEW ZEALAND. AA'S MOTOR ADVISER ALISTER WADE SAYS IT'S ALL DUE TO WATER DAMAGE. THERE IS A LOT OF DAMP AND MOULD THAT WILL START IN THE VEHICLE, AND WITH ALL THE COMPLEX ELECTRONICS IN VEHICLE, THIS CAN CAUSE A LOT OF ONGOING EFFECTS LATER ON. SO NORMALLY IF INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE INVOLVED, THE VEHICLES WILL JUST GENERALLY GET WRITTEN OFF. WADE SAYS 60% OF THE RECENT FLOOD-RELATED AA CLAIMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SETTLED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE FIRST CLOSE-UP LOOK AT THE MYSTERIOUS WEATHER BALLOON BROUGHT DOWN BY AMERICAN FIREPOWER. WELCOME BACK. THE U.S. NAVY HAS RELEASED PHOTOS OF A SUSPECTED CHINESE SPY BALLOON THAT WAS SHOT OUT OF THE SKY ON SATURDAY. THE PHOTOS SHOW THE DEBRIS OF THE BALLOON AS IT WAS HAULED ON TO A BOAT. THE DEVICE WILL NOW BE EXAMINED TO CONFIRM WHETHER IT WAS SPY EQUIPMENT. CHINA HAS REPEATEDLY INSISTED THE BALLOON IS USED FOR CIVILIAN USE AND ACCIDENTALLY DEVIATED INTO U.S. AIRSPACE. THE SURVIVAL OF TWO PILOTS FROM A PLANE CRASH IN AUSTRALIA IS BEING CALLED A MIRACLE. THE BOEING AIRCRAFT WAS BEING USED TO FIGHT A FIRE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S FITZGERALD RIVER NATIONAL PARK. THEY MANAGED TO FREE THEMSELVES AFTER IT WENT DOWN AND ESCAPED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. AUTHORITIES ARE NOW INVESTIGATING. THE MOSQUITO IS ONE OF THE LESSER-KNOWN GREAT BRITISH FIGHTING PLANES OF WWII. THERE ARE NONE LEFT FLYING IN THE UK ` BUT THAT COULD BE ABOUT TO CHANGE, THANKS TO A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS. THE BBC'S TIM MUFFET EXPLAINS. ARCHIVE: MOSQUITOS OF R.A.F. COASTAL COMMAND ON THE WAY TO ATTACK ENEMY SHIPPING TUCKED AWAY IN A NORWEGIAN FJORD. ITS NICKNAME WAS 'THE WOODEN WONDER'. THE MOZZIES PEEL OFF AT 5000FT. THE MOSQUITO PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DEFEATING THE NAZIS. THERE YOU GO. THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO IT. NO. GEORGE DUNN, WHO IS 100 YEARS OLD, FLEW THEM ON NUMEROUS MISSIONS DURING WORLD WAR TWO. IT WAS MY FAVOURITE AIRCRAFT. I'VE FLOWN SEVERAL SPITFIRES AND THAT, BUT, ER, THE MOSQUITO WAS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF THIS WORLD. IT'S THOUGHT THERE ARE ONLY FOUR AIRWORTHY PLANES LEFT ` THREE IN THE U.S. AND ONE IN CANADA. A MOSQUITO HASN'T BEEN BUILT IN THE UK FOR 70 YEARS ` UNTIL NOW. (SAW WHIRRS) WE'RE 'THE PEOPLE'S MOSQUITO'. SO, WE'RE A UK CHARITY REBUILDING, REMANUFACTURING A DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO AIRCRAFT TO BRITISH SKIES. USING TRADITIONAL METHODS, THE VOLUNTEERS ARE FOLLOWING ORIGINAL TECHNICAL DRAWINGS DISCOVERED IN AN OLD FILING CABINET AT THE AIRBUS FACTORY IN BROUGHTON IN NORTH WALES, WHERE MOSQUITOES WERE ONCE BUILT. THAT'S RIGHT. GEORGE HAS COME ALONG TO RYE IN EAST SUSSEX TO MEET THE VOLUNTEERS. THIS PLANE WILL ALSO FEATURE ORIGINAL MOSQUITO PARTS. WE RESCUED THIS CONTROL COLUMN FROM CANADA. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE... BEING RENOVATED. RESURRECTED. (CHUCKLES) (DRILL WHIRRS) ARCHIVE: ...AS THE SQUADRONS HEDGE-HOP AND ROOF-SKIM THEIR WAY TO EINDHOVEN. THIS IS THE LOG FROM YOUR... RAIDS OVER BERLIN? THAT'S RIGHT, YES. WHAT WAS IT LIKE? WERE YOU SCARED? WERE YOU EXCITED? WHAT KIND OF EMOTIONS WERE GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND? OH, I WOULDN'T SAY I WAS SCARED. IT` YOU WERE MORE APPREHENSIVE. BUT NOT` NOT SO MUCH IN THE, ER... WITH THE MOZZIE ` YOU'VE GOT THE SPEED AND YOU'VE GOT THE HEIGHT. AMAZING AIRCRAFT. WITH THEIR CURRENT FUNDING, THE VOLUNTEERS BELIEVE IT WILL TAKE FOUR YEARS TO GET THEIR MOSQUITO IN THE AIR. THE COCKPIT... 'IT'S JUST MARVELLOUS. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S HAPPENING.' UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK I SHALL BE HERE (CHUCKLES) WHEN IT'S COMPLETED. THE TEAM WOULD DEARLY LOVE TO PROVE GEORGE WRONG. THE ALL BLACKS WILL NEED TO FILL TWO SPOTS AS SOME OF THEIR TOP PLAYERS HEAD TO JAPAN. FIRST-FIVE BEAUDEN BARRETT AND HALFBACK AARON SMITH HAVE SIGNED DEALS TO PLAY FOR TOYOTA IN JAPAN. SMITH'S SIGNED A LONG-TERM DEAL WHICH WILL MOST LIKELY MEAN HE WILL NOT RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND. MEANWHILE, BARRETT IS WORKING WITH NEW ZEALAND RUGBY ON A RETURN AFTER 2024. SCOTT ROBERTSON'S COME IN HOT TO HIS FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE OF 2023 AS CRUSADERS HEAD COACH, HINTING THERE COULD BE AN UPDATE IN A MATTER OF DAYS RELATING TO THE ALL BLACKS' TOP JOB. NEW ZEALAND RUGBY HAVE JUST ISSUED A STATEMENT THOUGH, NEW ZEALAND RUGBY HAVE JUST ISSUED A STATEMENT, THOUGH, SAYING WHILE IT CONTINUES TO HAVE INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS, AN ANNOUCNEMENT ABOUT THE HEAD COACH OR PROCESS IS NOT IMMINENT. LACHIE MCLEOD HAS THE LATEST. SCOTT ROBERTSON ONCE AGAIN PUTTING THE BALL FIRMLY IN NEW ZEALAND RUGBY'S COURT. LOOK, YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT AS AN EMPLOYEE, AND UNDERTSANDING HOW IMPORTANT THAT WE GO THROUGH CLEAR PROCESSES... PROBABLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS HOPEFULLY KNOW IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SO YOU KNOW WHAT THE GOAL IS? YOU'RE JUST WAITING ON NZR TO SORT OF PULL THE TRIGGER HERE? YEAH. YES, THAT'S CORRECT. THE 48-YEAR-OLD CONTROVERSIALLY MISSED OUT ON AN ALL BLACK COACHING CALL-UP IN 2019, IAN FOSTER GETTING THE NOD. ROBERTSON SIGNED ON WITH THE CRUSADERS TO 2024, BUT WITH THE OPTION TO PACK UP AND LEAVE EARLY. I'VE HAD OPTIONS, BUT, LOOK, MY PREFERENCE HAS TO BE HERE IN NZ AND COACH MY COUNTRY. THIS MORNING, ROBERTSON MADE IT CLEAR HE'S READY TO ROLL IF OR WHEN HE FINALLY GETS THE CALL-UP. LIKE I SAID, WHATEVER THEIR PROCESS IS, THEY'VE JUST GOT TO GIVE ME ENOUGH RUN-IN AND TIME. WHENEVER THEY GO. I'LL LOOK. I CAN DO MY JOB HERE AT RUGBY PARK. IT'S PART OF IT, YOU KNOW. AT ONE STAGE THERE... YOU KNOW, IT COULD HAVE ONLY BEEN 10 DAYS, (CHUCKLES) AND I WAS COACHING A TEST MATCH. AND THE BACK-UP PLAN, IF IT DOESN'T GO HIS WAY AGAIN... NEED TO ASK COLIN. (CHUCKLES) HEY, LOOK... YEAH, I'LL HAVE TO ASK COLIN. CURRENT COACH IAN FOSTER WILL TAKE THE TEAM UNTIL THE RUGBY WORLD CUP, BUT BEYOND THAT, COULD WE SEE RAZOR RETURN TO THE BLACK JERSEY? LOCHIE MCLEOD, 1 NEWS. THE BREAKERS WERE ONLY ABLE TO CLAIM ONE HONOUR LAST NIGHT AT THE AUSTRALIAN NBL AWARDS. IMPORT BARRY BROWN JUNIOR WAS CROWNED THE BEST SIXTH MAN OF THE SEASON FOR HIS IMPRESSIVE GAME STATS OFF THE BENCH, INCLUDING AN AVERAGE OF 19.5 POINTS A GAME. COACH MODY MAOR MISSED OUT ON COACH OF THE YEAR DESPITE LEADING THE BIGGEST TURNAROUND OF THE SEASON. NONE OF THE BREAKERS WERE SELECTED FOR THE ALL-NBL FIRST TEAM, BUT DERERK PARDON WAS SELECTED FOR THE ALL SECOND TEAM. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. A FAIRLY SETTLED DAY FOR MOST WITH A FEW SCATTERED CLOUDS AND SHOWERS ABOUT. DETAILS NEXT. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER WITH KIMBRA AND RYAN LOTT AND 'FOOLISH THINKING'. (KIMBRA AND RYAN LOTT'S 'FOOLISH THINKING') (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) KIMBRA: # ANYONE CAN TELL YOU # THAT I'M NO FAINT-OF-HEART. # I'LL FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE # FOR THE ONES THAT I LOVE. # LIKE A BROKEN NEEDLE, # I CAN'T PENETRATE THE SKIN. # FEEL I'M ON THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN. # BUT WHO AM I # TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE? # WHO AM I # TO WARN WHAT'S WRONG AND WHAT'S RIGHT? # IT'S NOT MY PLACE. # NO MATTER WHAT I SAY, # YOU'RE GONNA DO WHAT YOU WANT ANYWAY. # THOUGHT I COULD REMOVE THE PAIN, # BUT THAT'S MY FOOLISH THINKING. THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS TE KARERE AT 4, AND THE 1 NEWS TEAM WILL BE HERE AT 6. THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS TE KARERE AT 4, AND THE 1 NEWS TEAM WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY AND TOM CLARKE.