IT'S MIDDAY ` SPACE FANS AROUND THE WORLD WERE TUNING IN TODAY. THREE, TWO, NONE? WHY THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL ROCKET FAILED TO LAUNCH THIS MORNING. AS THE WAR OUTSIDE RUSSIA RAGES, THE INTERNAL CONFLICT THAT'S SEEN THIS MAN JAILED. AND THE HEART-POUNDING FINISH AS THE BLACKCAPS WIN BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH. CAPTIONS BY KITTY WASASALA AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. THE ANTICIPATED LAUNCH OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST ROCKET HAD SCIENTISTS AROUND THE GLOBE ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS. BUT CROWDS WERE LEFT DISAPPOINTED WHEN THE STARSHIP ROCKET FAILED TO LIFT OFF. WHILE TECHNICAL ISSUES CAME AS NO SURPRISE TO THE SPACE-X TEAM, THE MISSION WAS CALLED OFF JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE SCHEDULED TAKE-OFF. COURTNEY HAMMOND HAS MORE. THE WORLD'S TALLEST AND MOST POWERFUL ROCKET... WHAT MAKES STARSHIP SPECIAL IS, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S REALLY BIG. (LAUGHS) LIKE, REALLY BIG. STANDING 120M HIGH, STARSHIP HAS ALMOST DOUBLE THE THRUST OF THE LARGEST ROCKET EVER LAUNCHED. THE SCALE OF THE THING, WITH OVER 30 ENGINES, IT'S JUST GARGANTUAN. THE REVOLUTIONARY CREATION WAS BUILT BY ELON MUSK'S COMPANY SPACEX. IT'S BEEN IN DEVELOPMENT FOR YEARS, UNDERGOING A NUMBER OF TEST FLIGHTS, THOUGH NOT ALL OF THEM SUCCESSFUL. BUT THE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED TEST LAUNCH EARLY THIS MORNING FELL SHORT OF AN ACTUAL TAKE-OFF. DECISION RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO STOP THE LAUNCH FOR TODAY. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE LARGEST ROCKET TO TAKE OFF, IT'S A BIT OF A LETDOWN ` JUST A TAD, YOU KNOW. IT CAME AS NO SURPRISE TO THE SPACEX FOUNDER, WHO WARNED OF POSSIBLE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES YESTERDAY ON TWITTER. WE WON'T NEED TO ARM IT TODAY AS WE WON'T BE FLYING. THE FUEL NEEDS TO BE STORED AT MINUS-169C. SO WHEN THEY'RE PUMPING IT IN, IT NEEDS TO BE SO COLD THAT, YEAH, APPARENTLY THE VALVE FROZE; THIS CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH THE PRESSURISATION, WHICH MEANT THAT IF YOU HAVE THE WRONG PRESSURE, THE ROCKET CAN... POP. THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN. SPACEX EXPECTED TO GO AHEAD WITH A SECOND LAUNCH ATTEMPT FROM BOCA CHICA, TEXAS, LATER THIS WEEK. AFTER TAKE-OFF, STARSHIP WILL FLY AN ALMOST FULL ORBIT OF EARTH, STARTING FROM TEXAS AND SPLASHING DOWN IN THE WATERS OF HAWAII. SPACEX HAS BEEN PIONEERING THEIR CURRENT ROCKET BOOSTERS. THEY COME BACK DOWN AND LAND. AND THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE, GENERALLY, IN THE PAST, YOU'VE ONLY HAD THE ROCKET BOOSTER LAND IN THE OCEAN. BY HAVING THE TECHNOLOGY AND STORING ENOUGH FUEL TO HAVE THE THRUSTERS GUIDE ITSELF DOWN, THAT MEANS YOU CAN REUSE IT AND REFUEL IT, SO YOU'RE ONLY THEN PAYING THE DEVELOPMENT COST ONCE. WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING THE COST OF SENDING PEOPLE AND SPACECRAFT INTO SPACE BECOME EVEN CHEAPER THAN WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY MADE IT. THIS TECHNOLOGY COULD ONE DAY RETURN ASTRONAUTS TO THE MOON IN A JOINT MISSION WITH NASA. ITS SUCCESS IS KEY TO THE FUTURE OF SPACE EXPLORATION. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEM GETTING, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LONGER IF IT TAKES TIME, THEY WILL GET THERE. AND I THINK IN A YEAR AFTER THAT, WE WILL START SEEING THEM LAUNCH PEOPLE AROUND THE MOON. BUT SPACEX HAS ITS SIGHTS CAST FURTHER ` FIRMLY SET ON MARS. THE FIRST STEP, THOUGH, WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH IN TWO DAYS' TIME. COURTNEY HAMMOND, 1 NEWS. 10 YEARS OF STUDIES HAVE DETERMINED THAT AIR POLLUTION CAUSES SERIOUS HARM OVER A LIFETIME. A REPORT THAT EXAMINED 30,000 STUDIES REVEALS THAT AIR POLLUTION CAN BE LINKED TO FOETAL DEVELOPMENT, THE COGNITIVE FUNCTION OF TEENAGERS AND EVEN ADULTS' MENTAL HEALTH. ONE FINDING SHOWED POOR AIR EQUALITY LED TO MORE THAN 1700 HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR ASTHMA AND SERIOUS LUNG CONDITIONS FROM 2017 TO 2019. MEANWHILE, ASTHMATICS ARE BEING WARNED ABOUT THE EFFECT THEIR INHALERS COULD BE HAVING ON CLIMATE CHANGE. THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF A 200-DOSE INHALER IS EQUAL TO A 290km JOURNEY IN A SMALL CAR. A RECENT UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO STUDY FOUND THOSE WITH RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS DIDN'T CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL COST, BUT WOULD BE HAPPY TO SWITCH TO MORE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY OPTIONS. THE COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY GENERAL IS CALLING FOR CLIMATE VULNERABLE COUNTRIES TO HAVE THEIR DEBT CLEARED. PATRICIA SCOTLAND WANTS TO SEE PACIFIC NATIONS CRIPPLED BY THE PANDEMIC AND CLIMATE CHANGE SPENDING MONEY ON CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION INSTEAD. PACIFIC ISLANDS ARE FACING A SERIOUS DEBT CRISIS. THERE'S CONCERN CLIMATE-RELATED EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS WILL BRING FURTHER HITS TO THEIR ECONOMIES. THE NUMBER OF DISASTERS HAVE GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY ` JUST LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED BETWEEN 2000-2019 ` YOU HAD 7000 MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS DURING THAT PERIOD, AND THE COST TO OUR COUNTRIES IS CRIPPLING, SO WE'RE NOW FACING A POLY-CRISIS. A LATE 2021 INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND REPORT INDICATES THE WHOLE PACIFIC REGION IS ALREADY IN A RECESSION. A FIRE IN LOWER HUTT THIS MORNING HAS LEFT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN A LOCAL SHOP AND THOSE WHO LIVE THERE SHAKEN UP. EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE ALERTED JUST BEFORE 7AM TO THE ALICETOWN FOOD MARKET. 8 FIRE TRUCKS ATTENDED AND POLICE WERE ALSO CALLED TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT. FIRE AND EMERGENCY SAYS 3 PEOPLE WERE IN THE BUILDING, BUT MADE IT SAFELY OUT. PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IN THERE IS SMOKE-DAMAGED, TO START WITH. THE FIRE DAMAGE HAS BEEN REALLY WELL-CONTAINED TO THE SCENE... THE SCENE OF THE FIRE. BUT A LOT OF IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY DAMAGED. AND THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THEM A LOT OF SHOCK, REALLY. FAMILY OF THOSE WHO OWN THE PROPERTY SAY IT'S DEVASTATING, AND IT'S A BIG CLEAN-UP JOB AHEAD. I THINK IT LOOKS PRETTY BAD, ALTHOUGH THE BACK PROBABLY LOOKS WORSE THAN THE FRONT. BUT YEAH, IMAGINE IT'LL TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME TO SORT OUT. MY HUSBAND SAID THAT HE GREW UP IN THE BUILDING, SO IT'S PRETTY SAD FOR HIM AS WELL. FIRE AND EMERGENCY SAYS AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. AN OUTSPOKEN OPPONENT OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN'S WAR ON UKRAINE HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS IN JAIL. IT'S THE LONGEST SENTENCE THAT ANY OPPOSITION LEADER HAS RECEIVED SO FAR. THE BBC'S STEVE ROSENBERG HAS MORE. HANDCUFFED AND IN A BULLET-PROOF CAGE ` ONE OF PRESIDENT PUTIN'S MOST PROMINENT CRITICS, VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA, FACED MULTIPLE CHARGES, INCLUDING TREASON. (MAN SPEAKS RUSSIAN) THE VERDICT ` GUILTY. THE PUNISHMENT ` THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE ` 25 YEARS IN PRISON. ACCESS TO THE COURTROOM WAS HEAVILY RESTRICTED. ALONG WITH OTHER JOURNALISTS AND FOREIGN DIPLOMATS, WE CROWDED INTO ANOTHER ROOM TO WATCH ON TV SCREENS. FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA HAS BEEN A HIGH-PROFILE OPPONENT OF THE KREMLIN. HE'D LOBBIED WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO SANCTION RUSSIAN OFFICIALS ON RUSSIAN OFFICIALS FOR CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AND HE PUBLICLY CONDEMNED THE WAR IN UKRAINE. MR KARA-MURZA IS ALSO A BRITISH CITIZEN. THE U.K HAS JOINED INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF HIS CONVICTION. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HIM AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO CALL FOR HIS RELEASE. VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA HAS A BRITISH PASSPORT. WHAT WILL BRITAIN DO TO TRY TO SECURE HIS RELEASE? WE ARE CONTINUING TO ASK FOR CONSULAR ACCESS TO MR KARA-MURZA, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. FOR A CRITIC OF THE KREMLIN, A POLITICAL OPPONENT OF PRESIDENT PUTIN, A PRISON SENTENCE OF 25 YEARS IS UNPRECEDENTED IN ITS SEVERITY. AND IT'S A SIGN THAT IN TODAY'S RUSSIA, THE AUTHORITIES ARE DETERMINED NOT ONLY TO SILENCE ALL CRITICISM BUT TO NEUTRALISE ANYONE AND ANYTHING THEY BELIEVE COULD BE A THREAT TO THE POLITICAL SYSTEM HERE. VLADIMIR IS A VERY STRONG MAN. EVGENIA KARA-MARZA IS VLADIMIR'S WIFE. WHEN SHE SPOKE TO ME FROM AMERICA BEFORE THE VERDICT, SHE WAS ALREADY PREPARING FOR THE WORST. THE 25-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE ` I THINK THIS IS` WELL, TO ME, THIS IS A RECOGNITION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VLADIMIR'S WORK. THEY HATE HIM SO MUCH, AND THEY'RE SO MUCH AFRAID OF HIM OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING FREE, THAT THEY NEED TO LOCK HIM UP FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY TO STOP HIM FROM CONTINUING HIS WORK. ANOTHER SIGN OF THE TIMES IN MOSCOW. THIS FAMOUS MUSEUM REMINDS RUSSIANS OF POLITICAL OPPRESSION OF THE PAST. IT'S NAMED AFTER SOVIET HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER ANDREI SAKHAROV. BUT THE AUTHORITIES HAVE DECLARED IT A FOREIGN AGENT, AND NOW THEY'RE EVICTING IT FROM THE BUILDING. THEIR FINAL EVENT FEELS LIKE A SWAN SONG FOR RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY. RECESSION COULD BE HITTING NEW ZEALAND SHORE'S SOONER THAN EXPECTED ACCORDING TO ASB'S RECENT FORECAST. OVERALL, THEY EXPECT OUR GDP WILL FALL 2% BY EARLY NEXT YEAR. ASB CHIEF ECONOMIST NICK TUFFLEY SAYS PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE CHANGING ECONOMY, HAVING TO DIG DEEPER INTO THEIR POCKETS. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME COST INCREASES GO UP QUITE DRAMATICALLY IN PAST YEARS, SO THIS YEAR WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WILL PAY ABOUT ANOTHER $150 PER WEEK IN ADDED COSTS. ABOUT $50 OF THAT IS FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD DEBT SERVICING COSTS, THAT'S STILL ABOUT $100. ON THE OTHER NECESSITIES OF LIFE, LIKE FOOD, TRAVEL, PUTTING A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD. THE FORECAST ALSO FOUND INTERNATIONAL TOURISM IS ALREADY BACK TO TWO THIRDS OF PREVIOUS LEVELS, BUT COULD BE HAMPERED BY WORKER SHORTAGES. NEW ZEALAND WOMEN WOULD RATHER LIE AND SAY THEY HAVE A PHYSICAL ILLNESS THAN SAY THEY'RE FEELING SICK DUE TO MENOPAUSE. THAT'S ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY THE AOTEAROA NZ MENOPAUSE COLLECTIVE. THE SURVERY FOUND 84% OF WOMEN FELT FATIGUE, BRAIN FOG AND ANXIETY DURING MENOPAUSE, WHICH HAD A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THEIR WORK. A NEW ZEALAND DOCTOR SAYS WOMEN ARE OPTING TO STAY SILENT ABOUT MENOPAUSE, DESPITE HOW IT AFFECTS THEM IN THE WORKPLACE. THERE'S A LOT OF SECRECY. THERE'S A LOT OF SHAME. AND IT IS JUST A NORMAL PART OF LIFE FOR WOMEN, THAT EVERYONE IS GONNA GO THROUGH IN SOME WAY AT SOME POINT, AND SO WE NEED TO GET THE SHAME OUT OF IT. BUT WOMEN DIDN'T FEEL ABLE TO USE THE WORD. ONE IN 12 WOMEN SURVEYED LEFT THEIR JOBS DUE TO MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS. THE START OF A $1.6M DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST FOX NEWS HAS BEEN DELAYED. ABC CORRESPONDENT MORGAN NORWOOD WAS IN DELAWARE, WHERE THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO BE HELD TOMORROW, AND FILED THIS REPORT. THIS AFTERNOON, QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE LAST MINUTE DELAY OF DOMINION VOTING SYSTEMS $1.6bn LAWSUIT AGAINST FOX NEWS CHANNEL. THE JUDGE DID NOT GIVE A REASON, INSTEAD SIMPLY SAYING THE TRIAL WILL NOW BEGIN ON TUESDAY, CALLING A DELAY LIKE THIS NOT UNUSUAL. JUDGE ERIC DAVIS ANNOUNCEMENT COMES HOURS AFTER THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, OWNED BY FOX CORPORATION CHAIRMAN RUPERT MURDOCH, REPORTED THAT FOX MADE A LATE PUSH TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE OUT OF COURT. BUT TODAY, THE JUDGE MAKING NO MENTION OF A POTENTIAL SETTLEMENT TALK, SAYING, 'IT'S A SIX WEEK TRIAL. THINGS HAPPEN.' DOMINION'S CASE HINGES ON ITS ABILITY TO CONVINCE THE JURY THAT FOX NEWS KNOWINGLY PUSHED FALSE CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAT THE VOTING MACHINE COMPANY SOMEHOW RIGGED THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN JOE BIDEN'S FAVOUR, IN ORDER TO RETAIN VIEWERS UPSET OVER DONALD TRUMP'S ELECTION LOSS. DISTURBING IRREGULARITIES HAVE BEEN FOUND. FOX NEWS HAS DEFENDED ITS COVERAGE, CLAIMING THE SUIT IS... BUT THE JUDGE HAS ALREADY DETERMINED EVERYTHING FOX NEWS SAID ON AIR ABOUT DOMINION WAS CLEARLY FALSE, RULING FOX CANNOT ARGUE IT WAS MERELY REPEATING ALLEGATIONS PUSHED BY FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES BECAUSE THEY WERE NEWSWORTHY. DOMINION ESTABLISHED THE FALSITY OF THESE NEWS STORIES, AND SO THIS JURY IS GOING TO BE INSTRUCTED THEY DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER A LIE WAS TOLD ` THIS JURY IS GOING TO BE TOLD, OR IT'S GOING TO BE ASKED, TO RESOLVE WHETHER OR NOT FOX NEWS OR ITS PARENT PUBLISH THESE STORIES WITH ACTUAL MALICE. ALL EYES NOW ON THE WITNESS STAND WHERE THE CHANNEL'S BIGGEST ON-AIR STARS LIKE SEAN HANNITY AND TUCKER CARLSON ARE EXPECTED TO TESTIFY. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` A GRIPPING T20 FINISH AS THE BLACKCAPS KEEP THEIR SERIES HOPES ALIVE AGAINST PAKISTAN. DEVON CONWAY DELIVERS A MAN OF THE MATCH PERFORMANCE IN THE IPL. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. TO SPORT ` IT WAS A MATCH THAT HAD THE HEART RATE UP, THE BLACKCAPS SURVIVING A LATE SURGE TO BEAT PAKISTAN, LACHIE McLEOD HAS ALL THE DRAMA FROM THIS MORNING'S CLASH. IF YOU THOUGHT THE IPL HAD EXCITING FINISHES... IT'S A DOUBLE BANG. AND BANG IT GOES! ...THE BLACKCAPS MAY JUST TAKE THE CAKE. HE HITS IT. HAS HE HIT IT WELL ENOUGH? NO, HE HASN'T. INTO THE PITCH. HE'S HIT IT HIGH, BUT IT'S NOT GOT THE DISTANCE. NEW ZEALAND WIN. THE KIWIS BEATING PAKISTAN IN THE FINAL OVER BY FOUR RUNS. I THINK THE WAY WE PERFORMED WAS OUTSTANDING. OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS A GREAT GAME OF CRICKET IN THE END. AND I GUESS THE CONFIDENCE THE GUYS WILL GET FROM THAT AND A TIGHT ONE TO GET OVER THE LINE WAS REALLY PLEASING AND OBVIOUSLY TO STAY IN THE SERIES IS, OBVIOUSLY, PLEASING TOO. IT WAS A BLACKCAPS SIDE THAT ACTUALLY WANTED TO BAT. THIS TIME AROUND, HE'S BEEN TOUGH. THAT WILL GO ALL THE WAY. PLAYER OF THE MATCH TOM LATHAM HOLDING DOWN THE FORT, SCORING 64 RUNS. GOES TO THE LEFT. HE'S GOT REALLY GOOD TIMING ON THIS ONE. FLIES OVER THE ROOF FOR A SIX. PAKISTAN NOWHERE TO BE SEEN AT THE START OF THE SECOND INNINGS. YEAH, HE'S GOING WITH IT. HAS IT CARRIED? HAS IT CARRIED? RAVINDRA DOWN THERE. OH, A CHANCE HERE. OH, HE'S HIT IT. THIS COULD BE A RUN-OUT. 17/2 AFTER JUST FOUR OVERS, AND THE ONSLAUGHT DIDN'T STOP THERE. THERE IT IS. THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE. THE BLACKCAPS LOOKING LIKELY TO WALTZ HOME UNTIL PAKISTAN'S NUMBER SEVEN, IFTIKHAR AHMED, WENT TO WORK. THERE IT IS ` MASSIVE! AND IT'S GONE HIGH INTO THE NIGHT SKY. AHMED SCORING 60 OFF JUST 24 DELIVERIES, PLANTING A SHRED OF DOUBT IN THE KIWI BOWLING ATTACK. TO RESTRICT HIM TO` I THINK WE GOT THREE WICKETS IN THAT POWER PLAY ` WAS OUTSTANDING AND, OBVIOUSLY, PUT THEM ON THE BACK FOOT A LITTLE BIT, AND, OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE SEEN IN GAMES OF T20 CRICKET, IT'S NOT OVER RIGHT TILL THE END. JIMMY NEESHAM HOLDING HIS NERVE IN THE FINAL OVER TO FORCE THE SERIES TO GAME FOUR. THE BLACKCAPS NOW A CHANCE TO LEVEL THE FIVE-MATCH SERIES. LACHIE McLEOD, 1 NEWS. OF COURSE, THE BLACKCAPS ARE WITHOUT MOST OF ITS STARS ` ONE OF THEM, OPENER DEVON CONWAY, LIGHTING IT UP IN THE IPL THIS MORNING. IT'S A FEAST OR A FAMINE OF RUNS WHEN CONWAY'S BATTED THIS SEASON IN INDIA. TODAY THE CHENNAI SUPER KINGS OPENER DINED OUT ON THE ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE, SMASHING SIX SIXES IN A GAME-HIGH 83. THE TRAINER OF THE HORSE THAT DIED DURING LAST WEEKEND'S GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE IS BLAMING BRITISH ANIMAL ACTIVISTS FOR ITS DEMISE. SANDY THOMSON SAYS THE DELAY TO THE START OI THE GRUELLING RACE UNSETTLED HORSES AND RIDERS. BBC SPORTS EDITOR DAN ROWAN HAS THE FALL OUT. THEY WERE THE SCENES THAT RACING HAD BEEN DREADING. ANIMAL RIGHTS PROTESTERS AT AINTREE DELAYING SATURDAY'S GRAND NATIONAL, WITH 118 ARRESTED. HORSES WERE KEPT IN THE PADDOCK UNTIL THE RACE COULD START. AND THE TRAINER OF HILL SIXTEEN, WHICH WAS PUT DOWN AFTER BEING INJURED FALLING AT THE FIRST FENCE, TODAY BLAMED THE ACTIVISTS FOR ITS DEATH. SINCE THE COURSE HAS BEEN MODIFIED, THERE'S BEEN AN AVERAGE OF UNDER TWO FALLERS AT THE FIRST TWO FENCES, AND THIS YEAR, THERE WAS EIGHT FALLERS. EVERYBODY JUST GOT VERY UPTIGHT AND VERY UNSETTLED, AND THIS WAS ALL CAUSED BY THESE SO-CALLED ANIMAL LOVERS WHO ACTUALLY ARE IGNORANT AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA ABOUT WELFARE OF HORSES. ALL: # WE SHALL NOT... # WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED. # BUT ANIMAL RISING, WHICH ORGANISED THE PROTEST, SAID THEIR ACTIONS AIMED TO PREVENT THE DEATHS OF HORSES, OF WHICH THERE WERE THREE AT THE THREE-DAY MEETING. THE REAL REASON THE HORSES RUN THE RACE IS SO PEOPLE COULD BET ON THE HORSE, SO JOCKEYS COULD MAKE MONEY, AND SO PEOPLE COULD HAVE A FUN DAY OUT. AND THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO PUT AN ANIMAL IN HARM'S WAY. SUPPORTERS OF JUMP RACING POINT TO A REDUCTION IN HORSE FATALITIES BOTH HERE AT AINTREE AND BEYOND IN RECENT YEARS AFTER SAFETY REFORMS. THEY SAY AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY AND THE ACTUAL EXISTENCE OF THOROUGHBREDS DEPEND ON THE SPORT CONTINUING. THE CRITICS, HOWEVER, SAY IT'S AN OUTDATED AND CRUEL SPECTACLE. WHAT'S CERTAIN IS THAT THE CHAOTIC SCENES HERE ON SATURDAY WERE A BAD ADVERT FOR THE SPORT, AND THERE'S NOW THE THREAT OF FURTHER PROTESTS THIS SUMMER. WHAT I'VE SAID IS THAT WE WILL REVIEW THE INCIDENTS THAT TOOK PLACE, BUT THAT WE ARE FLEXIBLE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT HOW THE RACE CONTINUES IN THE FUTURE. BUT WE KNOW THAT PART OF THE GRAND NATIONAL'S APPEAL IS HOW CHALLENGING IT IS FOR BOTH HORSE AND RIDER. MANY REFORMERS BELIEVE THERE'S A LIMIT TO JUST HOW SAFE THE GRAND NATIONAL CAN TRULY BE WITH 40 HORSES AND 30 FENCES INVOLVED. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR, FOR A WHILE IS TO SEE THE FIELD SIZE OF THE GRAND NATIONAL REDUCED. YOU KNOW, NOBODY WOULD ARGUE IT'S ACCEPTABLE THAT WE COME OUT OF A FESTIVAL OF RACING WITH THREE DEAD HORSES. COMMENTATOR: BARON BRIGGS PUTTING IT TO... THE COUNTRY'S SECOND MOST POPULAR SPECTATOR SPORT CONTINUED TODAY, BUT RACING ONCE AGAIN FINDS ITSELF UNDER PRESSURE TO BECOME SAFER FOR THOSE INVOLVED. STILL TO COME, THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. AND ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR WITH SYDNEY'S MAN ABOUT TOWN, MANIAC MIKE. THE SEEMINGLY NEVER-ENDING SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW HAS FINALLY WOUND UP FOR ANOTHER YEAR. 12 DAYS ` AND IT FELT LIKE CHANNEL 9'S MIKE DALTON WAS THERE FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM. 'DON'T TELL ME IT'S TRUE. I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT,' TO QUOTE AUSTRALIAN CRAWL, BUT IT IS. THE LAST DAY OF THE SHOW, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT ONE ` ACCORDING TO THE BOSS. THE SHOW'S BEEN A RAGING SUCCESS. 850,000 PEOPLE THROUGH THE GATES. IT MAY BE THE LAST DAY, BUT SHOW JUDGING KEPT ON KEEPING ON ` IN AQUACULTURE. SOME OF US MIGHT SAY WE SAVED THE BEST UNTIL LAST OUT HERE AT THE RAS. WELL, IT IS OYSTERS AND PRAWNS, MATE. AND CHIPS ON A STICK SALES ARE THE BEST IN 25 YEARS. WE THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING CAN BEAT 2022, DEEP AND HIS CREW HAVE CURLED MORE THAN 30 TONS OF SPUDS FOR THEIR STANDS; 1300 CASES OF LEMON WERE CRUSHED FOR DELICIOUS FRESH LEMONADE; THE WOOD CHOP WOULD CHEW THROUGH 760 TONS OF TIMBER; AND THE CWA TEA ROOMS WOULD BAKE MORE THAN 40,000 SCONES OVER THE SHOW RUN. WE LIVE HERE IN SYDNEY FOR THE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS THAT WE'RE HERE. IT'S A LOT OF WORK, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT TIME DOING IT. BUT NOW THE END IS NEAR. THE DISTRICT EXHIBITS ARE PACKING AWAY; I SAMPLED MY LAST EXOTIC FRUIT, THE JUJUBE; THE LAST LOG CHOPPED IN THE 375 MIL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING BLOCK. BUT AS I WAVED GOODBYE TO CARMEL, THE FRESH LEMONADE LADY, THE BOSS WAS STILL OVER THE MOON ABOUT EASTER SHOW 2023. MAN, I'VE GOT A SMILE ON MY FACE AND SO HAVE ALL THE STAFF. MURRAY. YES. I THINK I'M GONNA BE SICK. OH WELL. 340 DAYS TO GO TO THE NEXT ROYAL EASTER SHOW. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (AUSTRALIAN CRAWL'S 'ERROL') # CONVICT STATE. # IT JUST DON'T RATE. # HE WANT TO GET HIGHER. # THE APPLE ISLE, # THE INBRED SMILE. # HE'S GOING TO GET BY'A. # HIS MOTHER'S HAND. # HE COULD NOT STAND. # HE LEFT FOR THE ISLANDS # TO FISH AND HUNT. # HE'D TAKE A PUNT. # THE NEW GUINEA HIGHLANDS. # OHH, ERROL. # I WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING JUST TO BE LIKE HIM. # HE HAD TO GO, # THE SIROCCO. # HE'S SAILING THE HIGH SEAS. # HOLLYWOOD. # CAPTAIN BLOOD. # HE'S BILLING THE NAZI'S. # TOOK A REBEL STAND. # CONTRABAND. # COAST OF MEXICO. # HE WANT TO POUNCE # LIKE AN ANIMAL. # TO GIRLS HE JUST CAN'T SAY NO. # I SAID, OHH, ERROL. # I WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING # JUST TO BE LIKE HIM. # OHH, ERROL. 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 KITTY WASASALA AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.