IT'S MIDDAY ` IS THE GOVERNMENT MAKING ANY HEADWAY LIFTING CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY, WE'LL BRING YOU THE NEW DATA OUT THIS MORNING. BAD NEWS ALL ROUND FOR HOUSING, AS RENTS HIT A RECORD HIGH, AND PROPERTY SALES AT A 40 YEAR LOW. AND THINGS GET HEATED AS BORIS JOHNSON IS GRILLED OVER 'PARTY-GATE'. DID THE FORMER UK PRIME MINISTER WILFULLY MISLEAD PARLIAMENT OVER THE INFAMOUS LOCKDOWN GATHERINGS. CAPTIONS BY SEAN LYDIARD AND JORDAN WAETFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 NEW DATA FROM STATISTICS NEW ZEALAND SHOWS CHILD POVERTY FIGURES REMAIN LARGELY UNCHANGED COMPARED TO LAST YEAR. LAURA FRYKBERG WAS AT A MEDIA BRIEFING THIS MORNING AND JOINS US NOW FROM PARLIAMENT. LAURA, WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS LOOKING LIKE? THAT FIGURE IS LARGELY UNCHANGED, WITH AROUND 12% OF NEW ZEALAND CHILDREN STILL LIVING IN POVERTY. THAT FIGURE IS MAORI AND PASIFIKA AND DISABLED CHILDREN. STATISTICS TELL ME THAT FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST IN OUR COUNTRY ARE NOT BEING HELPED BY CURRENT GOVERNMENT POLICES, BECAUSE THERE'S NO CHANGE ` IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE EXPECTED ` BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT POLICIES THAT COULD HAVE LIFTED CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY. THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY SAYING THIS IS A WIN, THAT THE POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE DURING THE PANDEMIC HAVE STOPPED MORE CHILDREN FALLING INTO POVERTY, WE ARE YET TO HEAR FROM THE OPPOSITION, BUT IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT THEY WILL PROBABLY DISAGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT. IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE EXPENSIVE TO RENT IN AOTEAROA, WITH WEEKLY RENT REACHING A RECORD HIGH OF $600 IN FEBRUARY. THE LATEST TRADE ME PROPERTY DATA SHOWS THE AVERAGE MEDIAN WEEKLY COST IS UP 4% COMPARED WITH THIS TIME LAST YEAR. THE CAPITAL IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACE TO RENT, AT AN AVERAGE OF $695 A WEEK, WITH SOUTHLAND COMING IN AS THE CHEAPEST AT $ 400. TRADE ME SAYS SUPPLY HAS ALSO DROPPED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A YEAR. AND HOUSE SALES HAVE HIT A FORTY YEAR LOW. FIGURES FROM CORE LOGIC SHOW OVER 60,00 PROPERTIES WERE SOLD IN THE YEAR TO FEBRUARY ` THE LOWEST TWELVE MONTH TOTAL SINCE OCTOBER 1983. FIRST-HOME BUYERS ARE ALSO RETREATING FROM THE MARKET, WHICH IS SEEING 16% MORE LISTINGS THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR. $890M ` THAT'S HOW MUCH CYCLONE GABRIELLE HAS COST IN INSURANCE CLAIMS SO FAR. THE INSURANCE COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND SAYS OVER 40,000 CLAIMS RELATED TO THE WEATHER EVENT HAVE BEEN RECORDED. OVER HALF OF THESE HAVE BEEN HOME AND CONTENT CLAIMS, TOTALLING OVER $450M. A THIRD OF ALL CYCLONE GABRIELLE CLAIMS ARE FROM HAWKE'S BAY, BUT THE INSURANCE COUNCIL SAYS THE DAMAGE IS SO EXTENSIVE THAT THE REGION ACCOUNTS FOR $200M ` MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL VALUE OF CLAIMS. 'IT'S NOT AN ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM WE HAVE.' THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE NZEI, AOTEAROA'S BIGGEST EDUCATORS' UNION, AS THE NATIONAL PARTY PITCHES TO REWRITE THE CURRENT CURRICULUM. IT COMES AS THE SECTOR FIGHTS FOR BETTER PAY AND WORKING CONDITIONS. NZEI PRESIDENT MARK POTTER SAYS NATIONAL'S PLAN TO BRING MORE CHANGE IS JUST AN 'EASY' FIX. HE SAYS WHAT THEY NEED IS MORE INVESTMENT. THE INVESTMENT NEEDS TO BE IN THE FRONT LINE, TO GIVE US MORE RESOURCING, MORE TIME TO DO OUR INCREASINGLY COMPLEX JOB. WHAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR IS INCREASING STANDARDS AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF FLIPPING THE CURRICULUM AGAIN AND AGAIN. BUT NATIONAL PARTY LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON SAYS ACHIEVEMENT HAS BEEN IN DECLINE FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, AND HIS PARTY WILL NOT ALLOW THAT TO CONTINUE. AUCKLAND COUNCIL HAS PUT DISCUSSIONS AROUND A FUNDING GAP IN THE CITY RAIL LINK ON STAND-BY, REMOVING IT COMPLETELY FROM THE AGENDA OF A MEETING THIS MORNING. A NUMBER OF KEY SERVICES AND COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE ALREADY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, AS THE COUNCIL TRIES TO SOLVE A $295M BUDGET HOLE. GREEN PARTY MP CHLOE SWARBRICK SAYS SHE'S ENCOURAGING AUCKLAND-BASED MPs TO SPEAK UP ON THE PROPOSED CUTS. AUCKLAND COUNCIL SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS OF AN AUCKLAND EVENT INVOLVING AN ANTI-TRANS RIGHTS ACTIVIST. IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS HAVE RULED THAT KELLIE-JAY KEEN-MINSHULL ` ALSO KNOWN AS POSIE PARKER ` CAN ENTER NEW ZEALAND AND ISN'T LIKELY TO BE A THREAT OR RISK TO PUBLIC ORDER. THAT'S DESPITE NEO-NAZI'S ATTENDING EVENTS INVOLVING PARKER IN AUSTRALIA EARLIER THIS WEEK. A LOCAL RAINBOW COMMUNITY LEADER SAYS PARKER'S WORDS WILL EMBOLDEN OTHERS TO ACT ON THEIR HATE SPEECH WHICH IS ALREADY PRESENT IN NEW ZEALAND. LAST YEAR, 'RAINBOW YOUTH' GOT BURNED DOWN IN AN ARSON ATTACK; GLORIA OF GREYMOUTH, A PINK QUEER CHURCH, WAS VANDALISED AND A RAINBOW FLAG WAS BURNED AND STAKED IN THEIR LAWN; THERE ARE PROTESTS OUTSIDE DRAG STORY HOURS EVERY WEEK; A SCHOOL IS BEING SHUT DOWN BECAUSE THEY CAN NO LONGER PRACTICE CONVERSION THERAPY ` QUEER HATRED IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. COUNTER PROTESTS DURING PARKER'S VISIT HAVE BEING ORGANISED IN AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. FORMER BROADCASTER LIZ GUNN HAS MAINTAINED HER 'COMPLETE INNOCENCE' WHILE APPEARING AT THE MANUKAU DISTRICT COURT, FOLLOWING HER ARREST AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT LAST MONTH. A CROWD GATHERED TO SUPPORT GUNN OUTSIDE THE COURT THIS MORNING. GUNN IS FACING CHARGES FOR TRESPASSING, RESISTING ARREST, AND ASSAULT. SPEAKING TO MEDIA WITH HER ARM IN A BRACE, GUNN SAYS SHE WAS THE ONE ASSAULTED DURING THE AIRPORT INCIDENT. SHE AND CAMERAMAN JONATHAN CLARK WERE FILMING A FAMILY ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ARREST. AUCKLAND AIRPORT REQUIRES ALL MEDIA TO SEEK CLEARANCE BEFORE FILMING. FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR HIS POLITICAL LIFE TODAY, FOLLOWING THREE HOURS OF GRILLING BY MPS OVER LOCKDOWN PARTIES. THEY'RE INVESTIGATING WHETHER STATEMENTS HE MADE TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS WERE DELIBERATE OR RECKLESS. HERE'S THE BBC'S CHRIS MASON. ONE AFTER ANOTHER THE REVELATIONS CAME, THE EVIDENCE STACKED UP, THE DEFENCES FELL. BORIS JOHNSON'S GOVERNMENT STUMBLED AND THEN COLLAPSED. TODAY IS ABOUT MR JOHNSON'S REPUTATION, BUT IT IS BIGGER THAN THAT ` PUBLIC DEBATE IS BUILT ON TRUTH, SOMETHING THAT TOPPLED OVER UNDER BORIS JOHNSON. MPs ARE NOW TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER LIED TO THEM. I SWEAR BY A MIGHTY GOD THAT THE EVIDENCE I SHALL GIVE FOR THIS COMMITTEE SHALL BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP ME GOD. BEING ASKED TO TAKE THE OATH IS RARE. BORIS JOHNSON PROMISING TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT WHETHER HE TOLD THE TRUTH, AND THAT, THE CHAIR OF THIS INQUIRY UNDERLINED, IS AT THE CRUX OF ALL THIS. IF WHAT MINISTERS TELL US IS NOT THE TRUTH, WE CAN'T DO OUR JOB. OUR DEMOCRACY DEPENDS UPON TRUST THAT WHAT MINISTERS TELL MPs IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IS THE TRUTH, AND WITHOUT THAT TRUST, OUR ENTIRE PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY IS UNDERMINED. PRIME MINISTER! AND LOOK AT THIS ` BORIS JOHNSON HAVING TO LOOK HIMSELF IN THE EYE AND WATCH WHAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID. THE GUIDANCE WAS FOLLOWED AND THE RULES WERE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES. I AM HERE TO SAY TO YOU, HAND ON HEART, THAT I DID NOT LIE TO THE HOUSE. WHEN THOSE STATEMENTS WERE MADE, THEY WERE MADE IN GOOD FAITH AND ON THE BASIS OF WHAT I HONESTLY KNEW AND BELIEVED AT THE TIME. AND SO TO HIS INTERROGATION, THE MPs TESTING HIS ARGUMENTS. ONE OF HIS CONSERVATIVE COLLEAGUES ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS PICTURE OF A LEAVING DO FOR A SENIOR ADVISER, OR WHAT MR JOHNSON CALLED A 'FAREWELL EVENT'. THE GUIDANCE DOES NOT SAY YOU CAN HAVE A THANK YOU PARTY AND HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE... (BORIS JOHNSON STAMMERS) ...IF YOU THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THANK PEOPLE. THE GUIDANCE DOESN'T SAY THAT. ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEMBER CONTRASTED MR JOHNSON'S WRITTEN TESTIMONY WITH WHAT HE TOLD MPs. YOU SAY YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT PERFECT COMPLIANCE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING WAS REQUIRED BY THE GUIDANCE. IF YOU BELIEVE THIS, WHY DID YOU NOT MAKE IT CLEAR WHEN YOU TOLD THE HOUSE THAT THE GUIDANCE WAS FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES? ALL OF THIS LEAVES THREE QUESTIONS TONIGHT ` DO THE MPs BELIEVE HIM? DO YOU BELIEVE HIM? AND WHAT WILL A DAY LIKE TODAY MEAN FOR HOW OUR LEADERS CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN FUTURE? STAYING IN THE UK, INFLATION FIGURES HAVE SURPRISED MANY, JUMPING HIGHER FOR THE LAST MONTH. ANALYSTS HAD WIDELY PREDICTED ANOTHER FALL, BUT SHORTAGES OF SALAD AND VEGETABLES ALONG WITH HIGHER PRICES IN CAFES, PUBS AND RESTAURANTS, HELPED PUSH THE COST OF LIVING UP AGAIN. FOOD PRICE ARE NOW RISING AT THEIR FASTEST RATE IN 45 YEARS. INFLATION INCREASED FROM 10.1% IN JANUARY, TO 10.4% IN FEBRUARY. WHILE THE UK STRUGGLE, THE U.S. FEDERAL RESERVE HAS HIKED ITS CASH RATE BY ANOTHER QUARTER POINT IN AN EFFORT TO CURB INFLATION. DESPITE TURMOIL IN THE BANKING SECTOR, IT TAKES THE FED'S INTEREST RATE TO ITS HIGHEST POINT SINCE 2007. THE MOVE COMES AT A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY FOR THE BANK, OVER WHETHER THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ENOUGH TO AVERT A FULL-BLOWN CRISIS. FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S POSSIBLE INDICTMENT IS OFF ` FOR NOW. THE GRAND JURY IN NEW YORK THAT WILL DECIDE IF TRUMP IS CHARGED OVER ALLEGED HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS DIDN'T MEET TODAY, AND ANY UPDATE MAY NOT HAPPEN UNTIL NEXT WEEK. BUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE OVER WHETHER HE BROKE THE LAW BY TAKING CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS TO HIS FLORIDA HOME. HERE'S ABC'S REENA ROY WITH THE LATEST. NEW INFORMATION IN THE POTENTIAL INDICTMENT OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, SOURCES NOW TELLING ABC NEWS THE EARLIEST THE GRAND JURY WOULD CONVENE WOULD BE THURSDAY. AND FROM THERE, A DECISION COULD COME AT ANY MOMENT. JURORS WILL WEIGH EVIDENCE PRESENTED BY PROSECUTORS AS PART OF THE MANHATTAN DA'S INVESTIGATION INTO AN ALLEGED HUSH MONEY PAYMENT MADE TO PORN ACTRESS STORMY DANIELS. THE CHARGE COULD BE FALSIFICATION OF BUSINESS RECORDS IN THE WAY THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS COMPANY ACCOUNTED FOR THE $130,000 PAID TO STORMY DANIELS BY MICHAEL COHEN IN THE WEEKS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION. MEANWHILE, IN A SEPARATE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION, SOURCES TELL ABC NEWS A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS DETERMINED THAT THERE'S COMPELLING PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE THAT PROSECUTORS MADE A PRIMA FACIE CASE THAT TRUMP BROKE THE LAW IN THE SPECIAL COUNSEL'S INVESTIGATION OF TRUMP'S HANDLING OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS AND ORDERED HIS LAWYERS TO TESTIFY DESPITE THEIR CLAIMS OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE. JUDGE BERYL HOWELL'S ORDER IS SEALED, BUT SOURCES DESCRIBED ITS CONTENTS TO ABC NEWS, SAYING SHE WROTE SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH PROVIDED EVIDENCE, QUOTE... IN PARTICULAR, PROSECUTORS SAY HE KNOWINGLY MISLED HIS ATTORNEY SO THEY WOULD FILE A SWORN STATEMENT LAST JUNE THAT HE KNEW WAS FALSE, CLAIMING THAT A DILIGENT SEARCH OF HIS MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE FOUND HE HAD TURNED OVER ALL CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS IN HIS POSSESSION. I HAD A SMALL NUMBER OF BOXES IN STORAGE AT MAR-A-LAGO GUARDED BY SECRET SERVICE. PROSECUTORS SAY MORE THAN 100 ADDITIONAL CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS WERE FOUND TWO MONTHS LATER WHEN THE FBI SEARCHED HIS PREMISES. BUT THE JUDGE'S ORDER DOES NOT MEAN TRUMP IS GUILTY OR WILL BE CHARGED WITH A FEDERAL CRIME. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` A COIN FIT FOR A KING, OR A KING'S RANSOM TO AFFORD THEM. HOW MUCH THIS COMMEMORATIVE CORONATION CURRENCY WILL SET YOU BACK. PLUS ` THE DRUG THREATENING THE LIVES OF THESE AUSTRALIAN PRISON SNIFFER DOGS. BEING BETTER PREPARED COULD MEAN COVID-19 IS THE LAST PANDEMIC WE FACE, ACCORDING TO FORMER PRIME MINISTER HELEN CLARK. THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER LED A GLOBAL REVIEW ON THE RESPONSE TO COVID AND BELIEVES WE CAN RESPOND FAR QUICKER. THREE YEARS ON FROM AOTEAROA GOING INTO LOCKDOWN, CLARK SAYS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE NIP THE NEXT POSSIBLE PANDEMIC IN THE BUD. WE HAD NOT HAD A PANDEMIC ON THIS SCALE SINCE THE 1918 FLU EPIDEMIC. AND THERE IS A CYCLE OF PANIC AND NEGLECT THAT SETS IN WITH THESE THINGS. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PANIC PHASE. WE MANAGED IT. NEW ZEALAND ACTUALLY DID A LOT BETTER THAN MOST COUNTRIES, BUT THE WORLD'S INTO THE NEGLECT PHASE NOW. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, BUT SLOWLY. AND IF WE DON'T CAPTURE THESE LESSONS OF HISTORY IN HOW TO BE BETTER PREPARED, YES, WE COULD FACE IT ALL AGAIN. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION ARE CONFIDENT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SAY COVID-19 WILL BE OVER THIS YEAR. A DRUG FOUND IN AUSTRALIAN PRISONS IS CAUSING A FATAL PROBLEM FOR DOGS EMPLOYED TO SNIFF THEM OUT. THE DRUG DISSOLVES ON THE DOG'S WET NOSES AND CAN KILL THEM. BUT AS 9'S EMMA PARTRIDGE EXPLAINS, THEY'VE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. SNIFFING OUT WHAT IS NOW THE MOST POPULAR DRUG IN OUR JAILS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE MOST DEADLY SUBSTANCE FOR DETECTION DOGS ON THE FRONT LINE. OUR MAIN ITEM WE'RE FINDING LATELY IS SUBOXONE STRIPS, WHICH IS AN OPIOID. OTHERWISE KNOWN AS... ...BUPE. BUPRENORPHINE. YEAH. BUT SUBOXONE IS THE ACTUAL BRAND NAME. IT'S A $30 PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION, BUT SELLS FOR UP TO $1800 A STRIP ON THE INSIDE. THEY'RE LIKE A LISTERINE STRIP THAT GOES UNDER YOUR TONGUE. SO AS SOON AS THEY TOUCH MOISTURE OR LIQUID, THEY DISSOLVE. SO IF A DOG'S WET NOSE TOUCHES BUPE... ...IT CAN BE FATAL. DEATH. JUST BY TOUCHING THE MUCOUS MEMBRANES ON A DOG'S NOSE, IT CAN BE ABSORBED IMMEDIATELY INTO THE SYSTEM. ACROSS THE STATE, WE'RE FINDING UPWARDS OF 100 STRIPS A WEEK, EASILY. A HUGE SOURCE OF ANXIETY FOR THE CANINE UNIT HANDLERS WHO INVITED US TO SEE THE DANGERS FOR OURSELVES DURING A RAID AT FRANCIS GREENWAY CORRECTIONAL COMPLEX NEAR WINDSOR. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES THAT YOU'RE FINDING THEM IN AS WELL? SO WE FIND THEM EVERYWHERE FROM HIDDEN INSIDE TEABAGS TO INSIDE SEAMS OF BOOKS TO SEWN INSIDE TOWELS AND JACKETS AND PANTS. IN AN AUSTRALIAN FIRST, NEW SOUTH WALES HANDLERS HAVE SECURED A LIFE-SAVING NASAL SPRAY FOR THEIR DOGS, WHICH BLOCKS OPIOID RECEPTORS. A RELIEF FOR KATIE AND HER BEST MATE SKIP. IF HE INGESTS IT, THAT COULD KILL HIM. SO HAVING THIS MAKES ME FEEL MUCH, MUCH SAFER. HE'S EVERYTHING TO ME. HE'S MY 5-8. HE'S LITERALLY MY SHADOW. BECAUSE THEY'RE SERVING THE DEPARTMENT AND SERVING YOU WITH THEIR WHOLE LIFE AND GIVING YOU 100%, ESPECIALLY A DOG LIKE HIM THAT DOES EVERY DAY, YOU'LL DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT THEM ` ANYTHING. AHEAD OF KING CHARLES III'S CORONATION IN MAY, NEW ZEALAND POST HAVE MADE COMMEMORATION COINS, PERSONALLY APPROVED BY THE KING. THESE COINS ARE PART OF A SIX-COIN SERIES WITH THE PIECES MINTED IN SILVER AND GOLD. THEY VARY IN PRICE. THIS ONE COSTS OVER $8000 DOLLARS. NEW ZEALAND POST WILL ALSO BE ISSUING STAMPS TO MARK THE CORONATION. A GROUP OF SAILORS HAVE A TALE TO TELL AFTER THEIR BOAT WAS SUNK BY A WHALE. THEY SPENT 10 HOURS STRANDED AT SEA. THE ABC'S TREVOR AULT HAS MORE. WELCOME ABOARD RAINDANCER. THIS MORNING, THIS BEAUTIFUL SAILBOAT IS LOST TO THE SEA, ITS CREW ENDURING A REMARKABLE TALE OF SURVIVAL. THIS IS OUR CREW OF MISFITS. CAPT RICK RODRIGUEZ AND THREE OF HIS CREWMATES WERE 13 DAYS INTO A THREE-WEEK SAIL FROM THE GALAPAGOS TO FRENCH POLYNESIA WHEN THEIR BOAT SLAMMED INTO A WHALE. JUST BY THE NATURE OF THE IMPACT AND HOW STRONG IT WAS AND HOW FAST THE WATER WAS COMING IN, I HAD A FEELING RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT WE WERE NOT IN A GOOD SITUATION. THE CREW SCRAMBLING FOR SURVIVAL SUPPLIES, FILLING UP BOTTLES, POTS, EVEN TEA KETTLES WITH DRINKING WATER. BOARDING THIS LIFE RAFT AND A DINGHY, THE RAIN DANCER SLIPPED BENEATH THE SURFACE JUST 15 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS HIT. THESE PEOPLE WERE EXTREMELY LUCKY. THESE TYPES OF WHALE-VESSEL INTERACTIONS CAN BE DEADLY. AND THESE FOLKS DID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. RODRIGUEZ THEN SENT THESE MESSAGES TO ANOTHER SAILOR, TOMMY JOYCE, WHO WAS ON ANOTHER BOAT 180 MILES BEHIND. JOYCE SOON REPLYING... AND NINE HOURS LATER, STILL FLOATING IN THAT LIFE RAFT, THEY SPOTTED THE LIGHT OF ANOTHER BOAT, THE ROLLING STONES. THEY MADE CONTACT USING RADIO THEN SET OFF A FLARE, THOSE ON BOARD QUICKLY HELPING THE SHIPWRECKED CREW CLIMB UP TO SAFETY. WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE. RYAN FOX HAS OPENED THE FIRST ROUND AT THE WORLD MATCH PLAY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP IN STUNNING FASHION. FOX WITH AN EAGLE ON THE PAR FOUR 13TH TO BEAT AMERICAN HARRIS ENGLISH AT THE MATCH PLAY TOURNAMENT. THIS IS IT, THE 13, THE GUYCAN BOMB IT . IT IS THE FIRST TIME FOX HAS PLAYED AT THE TOURNAMENT HELD IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. THE CRUSADERS HAVE CELEBRATED SCOTT ROBERTSON WITH A PRESENTATION TO RECOGNISE HIS PROMOTION TO THE ALL BLACKS. CRUSADERS FIRST-FIVE RICHIE MO'UNGA SAYS DESPITE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY UNDER HIM WITH THE NATIONAL SIDE, HE'S STILL CONTENT WITH HIS DECISION TO GO TO JAPAN AFTER THE WORLD CUP. I'M GOING FOR MORE REASONS THAN JUST FOOTY, OR JUST, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER'S HEAD COACH. I'M GOING AS A FATHER NOW TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY AND TO TAKE ON A NEW CHALLENGE THAT I THINK MY FAMILY IS READY FOR IN JAPAN. BUT YEAH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE WOULD'VE OR COULD'VE, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, JUST REALLY PROUD OF RAZOR AND HIS ACHIEVEMENT. ASSISTANT COACH SCOTT HANSEN SAYS NOW THE FOCUS IS ON PREPARING FOR THEIR SUPER RUGBY MATCH TOMORROW NIGHT. AND SCOOTER SAID SOME WORDS AROUND... CONGRATULATIONS AND WE CARE FOR YOU. WE'RE PROUD OF YOU, BUT NOW, LET'S FOCUS BACK IN. AND WE'VE GOT GUYS LIKE SAM WHITELOCK AND SCOOTER THAT'LL DO THAT FOR US. AND RAZE ALREADY SAID THAT NOW THE FOCUS HAS TO BE IN. AND THAT'S ON THE BRUMBIES THIS WEEKEND. THE CRUSADERS FACE THE BRUMBIES IN CHRISTCHURCH. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE WEDDING GUESTS WHO SKIPPED THE CEREMONY TO ANSWER A DISTRESS CALL. I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON'S WEATHER. GUESTS AT A WEDDING IN WALES HAVE BEEN PRAISED FOR DITCHING THE SERVICE. THEY HAD GOOD REASON FOR LEAVING ` THEY WERE ALL VOLUNTEERS WITH THE RNLI ` THE LOCAL LIFEBOAT SERVICE. THE BBC'S TOMOS MORGAN HAS THE STORY. SATURDAY WAS JESSICA AND MARK BROADWAY'S WEDDING IN PORTHCAWL, SOUTH WALES. AND EVERY COUPLE, OF COURSE, WANTS THEIR WEDDING DAY TO GO AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT ANY UNEXPECTED SURPRISES. BECAUSE MARK'S ONE OF THE VOLUNTEERS ON THE LIFEBOAT, WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE RNLI WAS GOING TO BE A PART OF THE WEDDING. A FEW OF THE LIFEBOAT CHAPS WERE INVOLVED IN THE WEDDING, THEY ARE VERY HELP FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE AROUND. LITTLE DID THEY KNOW JUST HOW BIG A PART THEY WOULD PLAY. AS THE CEREMONY BEGAN, THE VICAR ASKED EVERYONE TO TURN THEIR PHONES OFF UNLESS THEY WERE VOLUNTEERS AT THE RNLI. AND THEN THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED. HOW MUCH OF THE WEDDING DID YOU MISS? ALL OF IT. I WAS THERE FOR 17 MINUTES. HE HAD JUST STARTED THE SERMON, THOUGH PERHAPS NOT A BAD TIME TO LEAVE. AND THAT WAS IT. I MISSED ALL OF THE WEDDING. THE GROUP SWUNG INTO ACTION AFTER TWO PEOPLE HAD BEEN CUT OFF BY THE INCOMING TIDE 10 MILES AWAY. THEY WERE RESCUED SAFE AND WELL, GRATEFUL, BUT ALSO A BIT APOLOGETIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HONESTLY, I WAS IN CHURCH. (LAUGHTER) ONE OF THE LIFEBOAT GUYS IS GETTING MARRIED. OH! IT'S ALL RIGHT. IT WAS BEFORE THE SERMON. AS ONE OF THE LAND CREW, RUTH WAITED FOR THE TEAM TO GET BACK, AND HAD TO CLEAN THE BOAT DOWN BEFORE THE DAY WAS DONE. WE'RE YOU GUTTED TO MISS THE FREE DRINKS AND THE CAKE? IF I'M ABSOLUTELY HONEST, YES. BUT I AM SURE I WILL MAKE UP FOR IT. THIS WAS FAR MORE IMPORTANT, AND THIS TAKES PRECEDENCE. IT WAS SO GOOD TO BE ABLE TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON A SUCCESSFUL SHOUT, AND GREAT TO SEE THEM AFTER THEY HAD DONE WHAT THEY DID SO WELL. AN UNEXPECTED TURN OF EVENTS ON WHAT WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE DAY. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. THANKS FOR JOINING US ` TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4. FOLLOWED BY THE 1 NEWS TEAM AT 6. BUT FROM THE 1 NEWS TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY SEAN LYDIARD AND JORDAN WAETFORD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023