TONIGHT ON 1 NEWS, ACT CANDIDATES IN THE SPOTLIGHT ` ONE QUITS, ONE APOLOGISES. THE PARTY'S VETTING IS CALLED INTO QUESTION. CANDIDATES' EXTREME VIEWS TAKE A POLITICAL TOLL AFTER COVID MEASURES ARE LIKENED TO NAZISM. BUT DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS A PURITY TEST FOR MPs WON'T WORK. IF YOU'RE GOING TO JUDGE PEOPLE BY EVERYTHING THEY SAID AT THE HEIGHT OF WHAT WAS A MAJOR NATIONAL CRISIS, THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA RULE OUT A LOT OF PEOPLE. WHAKAARI WHITE ISLAND'S OWNERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS ` FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE LEARN WHAT THEY KNEW OF THE DANGERS TOURISTS MIGHT FACE ON THE VOLCANO. AND... # IT'S A DAMN SHAME # WHAT THE WORLD'S GOTTEN TO... THE CONTROVERSIAL COUNTRY SONG THAT'S UNITED CONSERVATIVES AND DIVIDED AMERICA. A WELL KNOWN PROTEST SINGER HITS BACK. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER, SAM BAKER AND SEAN LYDIARD. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA. GOOD EVENING. THE ACT PARTY IS FACING SCRUTINY OVER ITS VETTING PROCEDURES AFTER 1 NEWS REVEALED THE EXTREME VIEWS HELD BY A NUMBER OF ACT'S ELECTION CANDIDATES. ONE CANDIDATE RESIGNED IMMEDIATELY; SHE'D ONCE LIKENED COVID RESTRICTIONS TO NAZI CONCENTRATION CAMPS. ANOTHER ADMITS HIS VACCINE COMMENTS WERE WAY OUT OF LINE. WITH THE FALLOUT, HERE'S SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS. IT WAS A TIME OF INCREDIBLE TENSION. SOME NEW ZEALANDERS RALLIED AGAINST VACCINES AND MANDATES, INCLUDING ACT'S FUTURE CANDIDATE FOR RANGITATA, WHO LIKENED COVID RESTRICTIONS TO CONCENTRATION CAMPS. 1 NEWS ALERTED DAVID SEYMOUR TO HER POSTS TODAY. A SHORT TIME LATER, SHE WAS GONE. SHE OFFERED TO STAND DOWN IMMEDIATELY, AND I'VE ACCEPTED THAT. DID YOU FIND ELAINE'S COMMENTS UNACCEPTABLE? YEAH, I DID FIND THOSE UNACCEPTABLE. WHY? BASICALLY BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE THE ALLUSION TO NAZISM. I REPRESENT THE BIGGEST JEWISH COMMUNITY IN NEW ZEALAND. WITH ELAINE, I MEAN, SHE WAS CALLING ACT PARTY MPs A DISGRACE. SHE SAID YOU NEEDED TO GROW SOME BALLS. HOW DID ACT NOT PICK UP ON THAT BEFORE YOU SELECTED HER AS YOUR CANDIDATE? YOU'VE GOTTA LOOK THROUGH LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMMENTS. ACT'S WAIKATO CANDIDATE POSTED THIS DURING THE PANDEMIC, LINKING A SPATE OF SUMMER DROWNINGS WITH RECEIVING THE VACCINE. I WAS JUST ASKING THE QUESTION, SO NO, I DON'T` I MEAN, I DON'T... I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT` THOSE` GOSH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DROWN FOR MANY REASONS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE WHOSE LOVED ONES HAD DROWNED, EH, THEY WOULDN'T FIND IT VERY AMUSING. YEAH. YEAH, NO, EXACTLY. AND NO, I TOTALLY DISAVOW THAT COMMENT. YEAH. YEAH. IN ANOTHER POST, YOU'VE REFERRED TO OUR FORMER PRIME MINISTER AS 'JAB-CINDA'. YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK ON THAT NOW, YOU'D THINK THAT WAS APPROPRIATE? NO. THAT WAS INAPPROPRIATE AS WELL. ANOTHER ACT CANDIDATE PULLED OUT RECENTLY. ANTO COATES SAID SUMMER TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR THE UNVACCINATED WERE A RECIPE FOR POLITICAL ASSASSINATION. WELL, HE HASN'T BEEN A CANDIDATE FOR OVER MONTH, AND I'M PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT ACT HAVE BEEN SELECTING THESE PEOPLE REALLY IS A BIT OF A WARNING SIGN OF WHAT YOU COULD GET UNDER A NATIONAL-ACT- NEW ZEALAND FIRST GOVERNMENT. TYPICAL, I THINK. I'M NOT SURPRISED AT ALL WITH THE EXTREMISM THAT THAT PARTY HAS IN THE VEINS. SOME SAY IT'S HARD TO AVOID. YOU KNOW, LOOK, ALL THE PARTIES HAVE FOUND THAT SOMETIMES TO MAKE UP THE NUMBERS, YOU END UP WITH A FEW, SORT OF, PEOPLE WHO'VE GOT AMBITIONS WHO MAYBE WOULDN'T REALLY THRIVE IN PARLIAMENT. AND IT WAS IN PARLIAMENT THAT SOON ACT WAS COPPING IT. IS HE RESORTING TO A DESPERATE CAMPAIGN OF FEAR BECAUSE HIS GOVERNMENT HAS NO RECORD TO RUN ON? COMING FROM A MEMBER WHO'S BEING PROPPED UP BY A BUNCH OF ANTIVAX CONSPIRACY THEORISTS, I THINK THAT QUESTION'S A BIT RICH. A TOUGH DAY IN THE OFFICE FOR ACT. AND BENEDICT COLLINS JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM PARLIAMENT. BENEDICT, ACT ON A BIT OF A HIGH AFTER THE 1 NEWS-VERIAN POLL. HOW MUCH DAMAGE IS THIS GOING TO DO? THIS IS CERTAINLY VERY MESSY FOR THE ACT PARTY. DAVID SEYMOUR INSISTS THAT ACT HAS GOOD VETTING PROCESS IS IN PLACE AND THAT A COUPLE OF CANDIDATES HAVE JUST SLIPPED THROUGH THE NET. WHAT IS DAMAGING FACT IS THAT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE CANDIDATES AND THE UPCOMING ELECTION THAT HAVE EXTREME VIEWS AROUND THE PANDEMIC, AND ACTS RISKS LOOKING LIKE AN IS BECOMING A VEHICLE FOR PEOPLE WITH THESE VIEWS. THESE CANDIDATES WERE PRETTY FAR DOWN THE LIST AND AT LONG ODDS OF INTO PARLIAMENT ANYWAY, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO THINK AFTER TODAY, ALL OF ACT'S OTHER CANDIDATES ARE GOING TO COME UNDER A LOT MORE SCRUTINY. THANKS, BENEDICT ` LIVE FROM WELLINGTON. THE COMPANY THAT RUNS MT RUAPEHU'S SKI FIELDS HAS ESCAPED A FINE DESPITE BEING CONVICTED AFTER A 2018 BUS CRASH THAT KILLED A CHILD AND INJURED OTHERS ON BOARD. RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS WAS OPERATING THE SHUTTLE THAT OVERTURNED ON THE MOUNTAIN ROAD. BUT IT'S NOW IN LIQUIDATION AND DEEMED UNABLE TO PAY A PENALTY. JACOB JOHNSON WAS IN COURT. A CRUMPLED, MANGLED MESS. THIS BUS WAS CARRYING 31 PEOPLE WHO'D SPENT THE DAY AT TUROA SKI FIELD WHEN IT TURNED A CORNER AT SPEED AND ROLLED. HANNAH FRANCIS (11) HAD BEEN ON THE LEARNER SLOPES WITH HER DAD JUST HOURS EARLIER. SHE NEVER MADE IT HOME. ALL I HAVE LEFT OF HANNAH ARE MEMORIES, VIDEOS, PHOTOS AND EMPTINESS. I WAKE UP EVERY SINGLE DAY HAVING TO FACE THE DAY KNOWING HANNAH'S NOT HERE, THAT I CAN NEVER AGAIN FEEL HER TOUCH, SEE HER FACE OR HEAR HER VOICE. HANNAH WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN THE BUS TOPPLED. SHE DIED ON THE WAY TO HOSPITAL. NO PARENT SHOULD EVER HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE TO A CHILD. I HAD TO GO UP TO MY DAUGHTER LYING IN A COFFIN AND SAY GOODBYE TO HER. I UNDERSTAND THE LOSS AND DEVASTATION YOU FEEL AND EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY, HOW UTTERLY ROBBED YOU FEEL OF NOT SEEING HANNAH GROW UP TO BECOME THE BEAUTIFUL ADULT THAT SHE NO DOUBT WOULD HAVE BECOME. WHILE NO CHARGES WERE LAID AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, A CORONER'S INQUEST IN 2021 FOUND BAD DRIVING AND OUTDATED BRAKES WERE TO BLAME. THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AND THE NATURE OF THE VEHICLE UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AND MAINTENANCE ` SO, TRAINING OF DRIVERS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BUS ITSELF. EARLIER THIS YEAR, RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS PLEADED GUILTY TO TWO BREACHES OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT. WE SINCERELY APOLOGISE FOR THE HARM WE'VE CAUSED AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS TRAGEDY. THE COMPANY'S IN LIQUIDATION, AND WHILE IT'S BEEN CONVICTED, ITS FINANCIAL POSITION MEANS IT WON'T HAVE TO PAY A FINE. A GOVERNMENT BAILOUT MEANS CAN STILL OPERATE THIS SKI SEASON, BUT ITS FUTURE REMAINS UNCLEAR. SEVERAL OTHER VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS WERE READ IN COURT THIS AFTERNOON. THEY SPOKE OF THE HORROR AS THE BUS LOST CONTROL, THE SCREAMING AND CRYING ON BOARD, AND THE LONG-TERM INJURIES CAUSED BY THE CRASH. I CONSTANTLY FELT LIKE WE NEVER QUITE GOT THE JUSTICE FOR HANNAH THAT SHE DESERVED, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT NOW THAT RAL ARE AWARE OF THE IMPACT OF THIS ACCIDENT. A DAY OF FUN ENDING IN TRAGEDY. TODAY'S PUNISHMENT OFFERING LITTLE CONSOLATION FOR A FAMILY STILL GRIEVING. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH'S DECISION TO PAUSE THE IMPLANTING OF SURGICAL MESH INTO WOMEN WITH 'STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE' HAS BEEN GREETED WITH RELIEF BY THOSE WHO'VE SUFFERED SERIOUS AFTER-EFFECTS. SURGICAL MESH IS A NET-LIKE FABRIC OR TAPE USED IN THE PROCEDURE. THE PAUSE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL A NUMBER OF PROCESSES ARE PUT IN PLACE. THESE INCLUDE TAILORED TRAINING FOR SURGEONS WHO PERFORM THE PROCEDURE, A NEW REGISTRY FOR ALL PATIENTS AND A MORE DETAILED CONSENT PROCESS. THE MOVE FOLLOWS AN INVESTIGATION BY A SPECIALIST MONITORING GROUP. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY 75% OF WOMEN WHO'VE HAD THE PROCEDURE HAD GOOD OUTCOMES, BUT SOME PATIENTS SAY THEY'VE HAD TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES. USE OF THE MESH IMPLANTS IS ALSO ON PAUSE IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND, AND THE PRODUCT ITSELF WAS AT THE CENTRE OF A LANDMARK LAWSUIT AGAINST JOHNSON & JOHNSON IN AUSTRALIA. NICOLE BREMNER REPORTS. SURGICAL MESH IS MEANT TO FIX WOMEN WITH 'STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE', BUT OPERATIONS ARE NOW ON HOLD, DUE IN PART TO LOBBYING BY SALLY WALKER, WHOSE OWN HEALTH WAS PERMANENTLY DAMAGED BY THE PROCEDURE. THE WORST PART OF IT WAS WHEN I HAD MY BLADDER OUT, AND I WAS DOING FINE, AND THEN I HIT ROCK BOTTOM, AND I ALMOST DIED FROM IT. 10 OPERATIONS AND A PETITION TO PARLIAMENT LATER, SALLY WALKER AND FELLOW CAMPAIGNER CHARLOTTE KORTE ARE DELIGHTED MESH PROCEDURES HAVE STOPPED UNTIL THE HEALTH MINISTRY IMPLEMENTS A SERIES OF CHANGES TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES. WE ALL LOSE HOPE, AND WE ALL LOSE TRUST, AND WE'RE ALL TOLD, 'IT'S IN YOUR HEAD.' AND THIS IS GOING TO MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE. THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE SUFFERING, SO... YEAH, SORRY. (CHUCKLES) IT'S A BIG DAY. THE QUESTION NOW ` WHAT HAPPENS NEXT WITH THE PROCEDURE THAT'S CONSIDERED SUCCESSFUL WITH 75% OF PATIENTS BUT HAS A REPORTED INJURY RATE OF 3.6%? THAT NUMBER BETWEEN 3% AND 4% IS HIGH WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE SEVERITY OF SOME OF THE COMPLICATIONS THAT WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED, SO IT'S FINDING A CORRECT BALANCE. THE TRICKY THING IS THAT... COMPLICATIONS OR HARM DOES EMERGE OVER TIME AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, 10 TO 15 YEARS AFTER THE ORIGINAL SURGERY. ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF OTHER SURGICAL COLLEGES, SHE SUPPORTS THE MINISTRY'S PLAN FOR A PATIENT REGISTRY AND MORE STRUCTURED CONSENT PROCESS. WHAT WE NEED TO REALLY HELP REBUILD THE TRUST THAT WE NEED WITH WOMEN IS THE ASSURANCE THAT WE WON'T BE LIFTING THE PAUSE UNTIL ALL OF THOSE MEASURES ARE IN PLACE. THESE WOMEN SAY THE PROPOSED CHANGES COULD TAKE YEARS AND WANT THE FOCUS TO REMAIN ON THOSE WHO NEED HELP NOW. IT'S NOT JUST PHYSICAL; IT IS THE MENTAL SIDE OF IT. THEY FEEL SUICIDAL. THEIR MARRIAGES HAVE BROKEN UP. NO INTIMACY. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVEN'T HAD INTIMACY SINCE 2009. SALLY ONE AMONG HUNDREDS OF WOMEN LIVING WITH THE PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES OF A PROCESS THAT'S NOW UNDER REVIEW. NICOLE BREMNER, 1 NEWS. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE OWNERS OF WHAKAARI WHITE ISLAND HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE RISKS ` AS THEY UNDERSTOOD THEM ` OF LETTING TOURISTS ON TO A LIVE VOLCANO. AN AUDIO RECORDING OF PETER, JAMES AND ANDREW BUTTLE BEING INTERVIEWED BY WORKSAFE HAS BEEN PLAYED TO THE COURT. REPORTER YVONNE TAHANA WAS THERE. SPEAKING WITH PRIDE ABOUT HAVING A VOLCANO IN THE FAMILY. IT'S UNIQUE, AS FAR AS, THE FACT THAT YOU CAN WALK IN TO A VOLCANO FROM SEA LEVEL, AND ACCESS THAT POWER AND ESSENCE OF THE EARTH. IN THIS PROMOTIONAL VIDEO, PETER AND ANDREW BUTTLE EXPLAINED HOW THEIR GRANDFATHER HAD PUT IN A WINNING TENDER TO BUY THE VOLCANO IN 1936. THEY, ALONG WITH THEIR BROTHER JAMES, HAVE BEEN ON TRIAL FOR BREACHING HEALTH AND SAFETY RULES. THEIR COMPANY, WHAKAARI MANAGEMENT, HAS ALSO BEEN CHARGED. THE BUTTLE BROTHERS AREN'T REQUIRED TO BE AT THE HEARING BUT THEY HAVE BEEN A SOLID FIXTURE IN THE PUBLIC GALLERY AS LAWYERS HAVE TRAVERSED THIS COMPLEX CASE. TODAY, AS THEIR VOICES FILLED THAT SAME COURTROOM, NONE OF THE BROTHERS ` ANDREW, PETER OR JAMES ` WERE PRESENT. INSTEAD, THEIR 2020 AUDIO INTERVIEW WAS PLAYED TO AN ALMOST EMPTY COURTROOM. THEIR COMPANY LICENCED TOUR OPERATORS TO ACCESS THE ISLAND. A WORKSAFE OFFICER ASKING THEM WHAT STEPS THEY TOOK TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DANGER POSED BY WHAKAARI. A RELATIONSHIP WITH A GNS VOLCANOLGIST, BRAD SCOTT, WAS KEY, PETER BUTTLE SAID. THEY ARGUED THAT RISK WAS MANAGED BY THE TOUR COMPANIES. THEY ARGUED THAT RISK WAS MANAGED BY THE TOUR COMPANIES. BUT WHAKAARI MANAGEMENT NEVER DID A RISK ASSESSMENT ITSELF AND THEY APPEARED CONFUSED ABOUT TOUR COMPANIES BEING ABLE TO TAKE PAYING CUSTOMERS ONTO WHAKAARI AT ALERT LEVEL THREE, WHERE MINOR ERUPTIONS CAN OCCUR. BUT THE BUTTLES WERE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY DID NOT KNOW. AND A BLOW TO THE DEFENDANTS ` THEY'D WANTED THEIR CHARGES DISMISSED AND HAD TAKEN THAT FIGHT TO THE HIGH COURT, BUT THAT WAS REJECTED THIS MORNING. YVONNE TAHANA, 1 NEWS. A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION'S UNDERWAY INTO A SUDDEN DEATH AT AN APARTMENT BLOCK IN CENTRAL AUCKLAND. POLICE WERE CALLED TO AN UPPER QUEEN STREET ADDRESS JUST AFTER 1PM, AFTER A MAN SUFFERED INJURIES AND COLLAPSED. HE WAS TAKEN TO AUCKLAND HOSPITAL, WHERE HE LATER DIED. TWO PEOPLE HAVE NOW BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, BUT FURTHER DETAILS ARE STILL UNKNOWN. WE'VE JUST COMMENCED OUR SCENE INVESTIGATION. WE'RE SPEAKING TO TWO PEOPLE. WE DONT HAVE ANY MOTIVE WE'RE SPEAKING TO TWO PEOPLE. WE DON'T HAVE ANY MOTIVE AND WE HAVEN'T RECOVERED ANY POSSIBLE WEAPONS. POLICE SAY RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT SOME DISRUPTION AS THE SCENE EXAMINATION CONTINUES. THE CROWN'S OPENED ITS CASE IN THE RETRIAL OF DAVID BENBOW, THE MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING HIS FRIEND MICHAEL MCGRATH. THE CHRISTCHURCH BUILDER WENT MISSING SIX YEARS AGO; NEITHER HIS BODY NOR A WEAPON HAVE EVER BEEN FOUND. THE PROSECUTION SAYS ITS CASE IS CIRCUMSTANTIAL BUT ALSO THAT DAVID BENBOW IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAD THE 'MOTIVE, MEANS AND OPPORTUNITY' TO MURDER MCGRATH, WHO WAS SEEING BENBOW'S EX-PARTNER. 'I WOULD LIKE TO ANNIHILATE HIM', THOSE ARE THE WORDS USED BY THE DEFENDANT IN THIS TRIAL, MR DAVID BENBOW, ABOUT THE DECEASED IN THIS TRIAL, MICHAEL MCGRATH, 20 DAYS BEFORE MR MCGRATH DISAPPEARED. DAVID BENBOW DENIES THE MURDER CHARGE. THE TRIAL'S EXPECTED TO LAST EIGHT WEEKS. A DANGLING CABLE CAR, SEVEN KIDS INSIDE, AND NIGHT FALLING ` SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. BUT LOCALS IN PAKISTAN ARE BEING PRAISED FOR PULLING OFF A STUNNING 14-HOUR RESCUE. THE CABLE CAR IS IN THE COUNTRY'S NORTH, LINKING TWO VILLAGES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF A CANYON, ABOUT 250KM FROM THE CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD. IT'S A COMMON MODE OF TRANSPORT IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS, WHERE ROADS AREN'T PRACTICAL. PAKISTAN'S PRESIDENT HAS NOW ORDERED A SAFETY AUDIT OF ALL CABLE CARS. HERE'S LOGAN CHURCH ON HOW THE RESCUE UNFOLDED. (CROWD CLAMOURS) MAN: ALLAHU AKBAR! ALLAHU AKBAR! THE DRAMATIC END OF A PRECARIOUS RESCUE. A TRIP TO SCHOOL FOR A TEACHER AND SEVEN CHILDREN ` THE YOUNGEST JUST 10 YEARS OLD ` TURNING INTO A 15-HOUR ORDEAL WHEN THE CABLE SNAPPED. A SINGLE, THIN, NOW HEAVILY COMPROMISED CABLE KEPT THE GROUP IN THE AIR AND FROM PLUMMETING MORE THAN 270M INTO THE RAVINE BELOW. MILITARY HELICOPTERS WERE FIRST DEPLOYED, BUT AS CROWDS GATHERED IN THE VALLEYS BELOW, IT BECAME APPARENT PROGRESS WAS SLOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND FEARS PRESSURE FROM THE HELICOPTER BLADES WITH STRONG WINDS AND FEARS PRESSURE FROM THE HELICOPTER BLADES COULD BE AN ISSUE. TRANSLATOR: DOESN'T THE GOVERNMENT HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THESE INNOCENT CHILDREN? IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SO HELPLESS, THEN IT SHOULD SEEK HELP FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY. TRANSLATOR: NOW A SPECIAL UNIT IS COMING. THE LOCAL RESCUE TEAM ARE ALREADY ON STANDBY. WE ARE TRYING BUT REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES HERE. LOCAL TV SPOKE TO ONE OF THE PEOPLE INSIDE. TRANSLATOR: I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE A REQUEST, BUT IT'S A MATTER OF HUMAN LIVES. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD RESCUE ALL OF US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS LIGHT FELL, THE HELICOPTERS STOPPED. RESCUERS ATTACHED THEMSELVES TO THE CABLE, PULLING THEMSELVES ALONG, FIGHTING STRONG WINDS AND IGNORING DIZZYING HEIGHTS TO GET EVERYONE TO SAFETY. ALLAHU AKBAR! 'GOD IS GREAT,' THEY CRIED, AS THE LAST PEOPLE LANDED BACK ON SOLID GROUND. THIS RIDE TO SCHOOL NARROWLY AVOIDING BECOMING A DISASTER. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS. E WHAI AKE NEI ` LOCALS' CONCERNS OVER ONGOING STAFFING SHORTAGES AT WESTPORT HOSPITAL. WE NEED OUR HOSPITAL OPEN 24/7. THERE ARE FEARS IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE DIES. AND MORE ACCURATE THAN A BLOOD TEST ` A NEW APPROACH TO SCREENING MEN FOR PROSTATE CANCER WHICH IT'S HOPED WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE DEATHS. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` EVER HAD A SONG STUCK IN YOUR HEAD? MEET THE KIWI WHOSE JOB IS TO MAKE MUSIC YOU CAN'T FORGET. PLUS ` IT'S THE PERFECT SPOT FOR AN AMBITIOUS CONSERVATION PROJECT, BUT DOES IT HOLD THE SECRET TO SAVING ONE OF OUR RAREST NATIVE SPECIES? AND SHOULD IT BE COMPULSORY FOR BOAT SKIPPERS TO HAVE A LICENCE? JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WESTPORT HOSPITAL'S BEEN FORCED TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT 12 TIMES SINCE LAST OCTOBER, PARTLY DUE TO STAFF SHORTAGES. IT'S FEARED IF THERE'S A MEDICAL EMERGENCY, THE HOUR-AND-A-HALF DRIVE TO THE CLOSEST HOSPITAL IN GREYMOUTH COULD RESULT IN SOMEONE DYING. JESSICA RODEN REPORTS. WESTPORT'S OLD HOSPITAL WAS IN DIRE NEED OF AN UPGRADE. BUT WHILE THIS BUILDING'S NEW, THE ISSUES AREN'T. WE NEED OUR HOSPITAL OPEN 24/7. THAT'S WHAT HOSPITALS DO. SOMEONE'S GOING TO DIE, BECAUSE THEY AREN'T GOING TO GET THE RIGHT MEDICAL CARE. LAST MONTH, HER DAUGHTER GOT FOOD POISONING. IN THE NIGHT, SHE TOOK HERSELF TO OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL HERE, AND SHE WAS MET WITH A SECURITY GUARD WHO SAID, 'I'M SORRY, LOVE, BUT THIS HOSPITAL'S CLOSED. AMANDA'S DAUGHTER DIDN'T WANT TO BE INTERVIEWED ON CAMERA BUT TOLD ME THAT SHE COULDN'T STOP VOMITING. THE SECURITY GUARD CALLED AN AMBULANCE, AND SHE WAITED AN HOUR FOR IT TO ARRIVE. MORE RECENTLY, AMANDA'S GRANDDAUGHTER BECAME UNWELL WITH RSV AND HAD TO BE DRIVEN AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GREYMOUTH. HALFWAY THROUGH THE TRIP, BABY WENT BLUE, BECAUSE SHE WAS JUST GAGGING SO MUCH WITH THE PHLEGM. WE SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED FOR WANTING TO LIVE IN A RURAL, ISOLATED LOCATION BY NOT HAVING CORRECT HEALTHCARE. THE NEW HOSPITAL HERE HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL FROM THE GET-GO... CROWD CHANT: STAND UP! FIGHT BACK! BUT IT'S RETAINING AND ATTRACTING STAFF FOR THIS SITE THAT'S BEEN PROBLEMATIC. SO, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE SERVICES AVAILABLE AND PARTICULARLY THAT 24-HOUR COVER OVER WEEKENDS. SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR, WE HAVE ONLY HAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT ON 12 OCCASIONS AT WESTPORT, AND THAT'S DUE TO A COMBINATION OF SICKNESS, LEAVE AND CARRYING VACANCIES. FOUR NURSES HAVE RECENTLY BEEN RECRUITED, AND STAFF HAVE BEEN REDEPLOYED FROM OTHER FACILITIES TO FILL GAPS. I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE MAKING HEADWAY WITH OUR RECRUITMENT, AND I FEEL THAT OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE ALL HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. EVERYONE AGREES DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE DOING THEIR BEST. PROBABLY NOT THE ONLY ONES WITH STAFFING ISSUES, TO BE FAIR. SO I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR THE STAFF. THAT'S INDICATIVE OF THE SITUATION IN RURAL NEW ZEALAND, REALLY. A NATIONWIDE ISSUE WITH BIG CONSEQUENCES IN SMALL TOWNS LIKE THIS. JESSICA RODEN, 1 NEWS. OVERSEAS, AND 18 DEAD, BURNT BODIES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN A FOREST IN NORTHERN GREECE, AS EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND HIGH WINDS CONTINUE TO FLAME WILDFIRES. AS EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND HIGH WINDS CONTINUE TO FAN WILDFIRES. IT'S BELIEVED THEY WERE MIGRANTS WHO'D CROSSED THE TURKISH BORDER. FIREFIGHTERS MADE THE GRISLY DISCOVERY NEAR THE CITY OF ALEXANDROPOULOS, WHERE THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONTAIN A MASSIVE WALL OF FLAMES FROM ADVANCING TOWARDS THE PORT CITY. AUTHORITIES HAVE NOW EVACUATED EIGHT SURROUNDING VILLAGES AND A HOSPITAL. IN THE SPANISH TOURIST ISLAND OF TENERIFE, CREWS CONTINUE TO BATTLE A WILDFIRE, WITH OFFICIALS NOW SAYING THE BLAZE WAS DELIBERATELY LIT AND AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. IT'S BEEN RAGING FOR FIVE DAYS, WITH THOUSANDS FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMES. AND IN THE U.S., FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING TWO MAJOR BLAZES IN WASHINGTON STATE. THE 'GRAY' FIRE HAS RIPPED THROUGH MORE THAN 8000HA OF FOREST, DESTROYING AROUND 100 BUILDINGS IN ITS PATH, WHILE THE 'OREGON ROAD' FIRE ` WHICH, ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, IS ONLY 10% CONTAINED ` HAS ALREADY TORCHED 80 BUILDINGS, THREATENING AROUND 1000 MORE. TWO PEOPLE CHARGED WITH ELECTION INTERFERENCE ALONGSIDE FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAVE HANDED THEMSELVES IN TO AUTHORITIES IN GEORGIA. THE REMAINING 16 DEFENDANTS HAVE UNTIL MIDDAY FRIDAY, GEORGIA TIME, TO APPEAR IN PERSON AT AN ATLANTA JAIL FOR PROCESSING. THEY'LL BE RELEASED ON BAIL, AWAITING TRIAL. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID HE'LL HAND HIMSELF IN ON FRIDAY. THE CHARGES RELATE TO ATTEMPTS TO OVERTURN ELECTION RESULTS IN GEORGIA, A KEY SWING STATE THAT SEALED THE 2020 ELECTION WIN FOR JOE BIDEN. A 10-MINUTE MRI SCAN COULD REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY PROSTATE CANCER IS DIAGNOSED. UK SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND IT TO BE MORE ACCURATE THAN THE CURRENTLY USED BLOOD TESTS. PROSTATE CANCER IS THE MOST COMMON CANCER AFTER SKIN CANCERS FOR MEN IN NEW ZEALAND. EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 4000 MEN ARE DIAGNOSED, AND 700 DIE. IT'S THE SECOND HIGHEST CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN MEN BEHIND LUNG CANCER. OVERALL, THE NUMBER OF MEN DIAGNOSED IS INCREASING AS TESTING RATES IMPROVE, AND THE DEATH RATE IS SLOWLY DROPPING DUE TO EARLIER DIAGNOSIS AND IMPROVED TREATMENTS. WITH A LOOK AT THIS POSSIBLE NEW SCREENING METHOD, HERE'S THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH. PAUL ROTHWELL FEELS FORTUNATE; HIS PROSTATE CANCER WAS CAUGHT EARLY AT LONDON'S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL, AFTER HE TOOK PART IN A TRIAL USING MRI SCANS. THE 62-YEAR-OLD'S CANCER WOULD HAVE BEEN MISSED IF HE'D ONLY HAD THE STANDARD PSA BLOOD TEST, WHICH CAME BACK AS NEGATIVE. IF I JUST HAD THE BLOOD TEST, I WOULD BE CARRYING ON LIFE AS NORMAL, WALKING AROUND UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF TICKING TIME BOMB INSIDE ME OF A CANCER SLOWLY GROWING. AND BY THE TIME I THEN DID FIND OUT, PRESUMABLY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH HARDER TO TREAT AND MUCH MORE DANGEROUS TO ME. WE DON'T SEE ANY SIGN OF CANCER RECURRENCE THERE. PAUL WAS AMONG 300 MEN AGED 50 TO 75 WHO TOOK PART IN THE TRIAL LED BY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON. OF THE 25 MEN WHOSE AGGRESSIVE CANCERS WERE PICKED UP VIA MRI, OVER HALF, LIKE PAUL, HAD NEGATIVE BLOOD TESTS. WE THINK THESE ARE REALLY SIGNIFICANT RESULTS. WHAT WE SEE IS THAT A SHORT TEN MINUTE MRI SCAN, USED AS A SCREENING TEST, CAN SELECTIVELY PICK UP SIGNIFICANT CANCERS IN A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WAY THAN THE PSA BLOOD TEST ALONE. THAT WILL HELP US TO DIAGNOSE THE IMPORTANT CANCERS EARLY WHEN THEY'RE CURABLE. THE PROSTATE IS A WALNUT-SIZED GLAND WHICH SITS BELOW THE BLADDER. THIS IS WHAT MEN OVER 50 CAN REQUEST FROM THEIR DOCTOR ` A BLOOD TEST FOR THE PROTEIN PSA. HIGH LEVELS CAN INDICATE CANCER, SO IT'S A USEFUL TEST, BUT UNRELIABLE, AS IT'S NOT ALWAYS ACCURATE. WHEN PROSTATE CANCER TURNS UP AT YOUR FRONT DOOR, IT DOESN'T CARE WHETHER YOU'RE BLACK, WHETHER YOU'RE WHITE, IT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR WEALTH, IT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOU. WHAT IT WILL DO, IF YOU IGNORE IT, IT WILL KILL YOU. LARGER TRIALS WILL BE NEEDED TO CONFIRM THE VALUE OF MRI SCANS. TE WHATU ORA SAYS IT'S AWARE OF THE UK STUDY AND THAT LARGER TRIALS ARE STILL NEEDED. MEANWHILE, A PERSONALISED APPROACH TO PSA TESTING REMAINS THE RECOMMENDED APPROACH. STILL TO COME ON 1 NEWS ` HOW THIS SONG, ALREADY DIVIDING AMERICA, IS NOW ALSO DIVIDING TRANSATLANTIC OPINION AS WELL. # AND IT'S TAXED TO NO END # COS OF RICH MEN # NORTH OF RICHMOND. A BRITISH ARTIST'S RESPONSE TO THE CONTROVERSIAL HIT, WHICH IS NOW NUMBER ONE IN THE U.S. AND WHILE CANNABIS REMAINS ON THE BANNED LIST FOR ATHLETES, A THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENT OF THE PLANT ISN'T, WITH THE BENEFITS NOW BEING PROMOTED BY A FORMER ALL BLACK. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` COULD YOU HANDLE 24 HOURS ON AN TREADMILL? MAYBE AN EXERCISE BIKE INSTEAD? MEET THE KIWIS PUTTING THEIR BODIES ON THE LINE. PLUS... SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE DELVE INTO WHAT MAKES A REALLY GOOD EARWORM AND WHY YOU SOMETIMES CAN'T GET A TUNE OUT OF YOUR HEAD. AND SHE'S KNOWN AS THE QUEEN OF THE CHEESE ROLLS. FIND OUT WHY SHE'S A WORTHY RECIPIENT OF OUR ASB GOOD AS GOLD. THAT'S COMING UP AT 7. # THESE RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND, # LORD KNOWS THEY ALL JUST WANNA HAVE TOTAL CONTROL... # THIS SONG, 'RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND' IS CURRENTLY NUMBER ONE IN THE U.S. BECOMING A VIRAL HIT AFTER CAPTURING A CULTURAL MOOD, IT'S CLIMBED TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS, COURTING PLENTY OF CONTROVERSY ALONG THE WAY. IT'S SUNG BY PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN AMERICAN COUNTRY FOLK SINGER OLIVER ANTHONY, AND THE LYRICS ABOUT ECONOMIC HARD TIMES HAVE PROMPTED POINTED CRITICISM FROM A BRITISH ARTIST WELL KNOWN FOR HIS POLITICAL ACTIVISM. SIMON MERCEP HAS MORE. # WORKING ALL DAY, # OVERTIME HOURS, # FOR BULLSHIT PAY... # IT'S A GUT WRENCHING PLEA FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE. # IT'S A DAMN SHAME, # WHAT THE WORLD'S GOTTEN TO... # NO ONE HAD HEARD OF OLIVER ANTHONY, BUT HE'S FAMOUS NOW. 'RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND' REFERS TO THE ELITES OF WASHINGTON DC, WHO HE SAYS ARE DIVIDING THE COUNTRY. MAKING EVERYONE IDENTIFY EACH OTHER'S DIFFERENCES AND NOT THEIR SIMILARITIES. (CROWD CHEERS) MANY AGREE WITH HIM ` THESE POLITICIANS ` THEY DO NOT CARE. ALL THEY WANNA DO IS CONTROL, CONTROL, CONTROL. A FEW WEEKS AGO ANOTHER RIGHT-WING COUNTRY SONG, 'TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN', ALSO HIT NUMBER ONE. CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATORS HAVE SEIZED ON THE TREND. WE DON'T TRUST THE PEOPLE IN POWER TO CARE ABOUT US. # MILKING WELFARE... # SOME LYRICS CRITICISE THOSE ON SOCIAL WELFARE, WHICH THIS COMMENTATOR SAYS TAPS INTO DEEP DIVISIONS. THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT SOMEHOW FEEL THAT MORE WELFARE, FREE CARE IN AMERICA IS SOMEHOW DANGEROUS OR COMMUNIST. BUT THE FACT THAT THE SONG WENT TO NUMBER ONE SO QUICKLY SHOWS THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT FEEL THAT WAY. IT'S PROMPTED BRITISH SINGER BILLY BRAGG TO RELEASE AN ALTERNATE VERSION. # YOU BETTER JOIN A UNION, BROTHER # MUSICIANS SQUARING OFF ISN'T NEW. 50 YEARS AGO, NEIL YOUNG ATTACKED THE RACISM OF THE SOUTH IN A SONG CALLED 'SOUTHERN MAN'. # SOUTHERN MAN... # THAT PROMPTED A FAMOUS REPLY ` (OPENING NOTES OF 'SWEET HOME ALABAMA' BY LYNYRD SKYNYRD) ...IN 'SWEET HOME ALABAMA', THE SOUTHERN BAND LYNYRD SKYNYRD HIT BACK. # A SOUTHERN MAN DON'T NEED HIM AROUND ANYHOW. # THE DIFFERENCE TODAY IS THAT OLIVER ANTHONY DIDN'T NEED RADIO OR RECORD COMPANIES ` HE USED SOCIAL MEDIA TO CAUSE A SENSATION ALL ON HIS OWN. SIMON MERCEP, 1 NEWS. THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS HE FEELS SORRY FOR FORMER NATIONAL CABINET MINISTER MICHAEL WOODHOUSE BECAUSE HIS LEADER DIDN'T MANAGE THE LIST RANKING PROPERLY. THE DUNEDIN-BASED MP SPOKE TO HIS LOCAL NEWSPAPER SAYING HE'S NOT DIVERSE ENOUGH TO BE HIGHER UP THE LIST AND SECURE HIS PLACE POST-ELECTION. NATIONAL ANNOUNCED ITS LIST AT THE WEEKEND, AND MICHAEL WOODHOUSE WAS SO LOW HE PULLED OUT. HIS LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON SAYS HE'S SPOKEN TO WOODHOUSE, AND IT'S SORTED, DENYING IT WAS MANAGED POORLY. NATIONAL'S TODD MULLER HAS WRAPPED UP NINE YEARS IN PARLIAMENT, DELIVERING HIS VALEDICTORY SPEECH JUST MOMENTS AGO. MULLER WAS FIRST ELECTED TO PARLIAMENT IN 2014 AS THE MEMBER FOR BAY OF PLENTY. HE ROSE TO THE POSITION OF NATIONAL PARTY LEADER IN 2020, WHICH HE THEN STOOD DOWN FROM CITING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. MULLER TOLD THE HOUSE THIS EVENING WE SHOULD TREAT POOR MENTAL HEALTH LIKE CANCER BY PROVIDING SUITABLE SPACE FOR REHABILITATION, INCLUDING DISTANCE FROM SCRUTINY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I HOPE THAT WHEN THE OCCASION ARISES IN THE FUTURE, FOR IT SURELY WILL, EMPATHY REPLACES SILENCE, AND UNDERSTANDING, BLAME. HE ALSO SAID WE SHOULD BE OPEN ABOUT THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF EXPERIENCING POOR MENTAL HEALTH WHILE BEING A POLITICAL FIGURE. HAYLEY'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND THE CANNABIS PRODUCT HELPING RUGBY PLAYERS? YES, WHILE CANNABIS ITSELF IS BANNED IN THE GAME, THERE'S GROWING USE OF CANNABIDIOL FOR THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES. IN A GAME WHERE OTHER FORMS OF PAIN RELIEF ARE OFTEN RELIED UPON... TOOK TOO MANY ONE NIGHT, AND THEN HIS WIFE FOUND HIM COLLAPSED OVER THE TOILET SEAT AND HAD A COUPLE OF ULCERS IN HIS STOMACH. ...SOME SAY CBD IS THE ANSWER. WHY IS DRUG-FREE SPORT NEW ZEALAND WORRIED? PLUS, AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOXING GURU ` SERIOUSLY. TWO PHASES ` ONE, TWO, STEP, RIGHT HAND. MEA MOTU'S SECRET WEAPON IN THIS SATURDAY'S WORLD TITLE DEFENCE IN AUCKLAND. AND ANOTHER CHILLY START, BUT MORE FINE WEATHER AROUND TODAY WITH THE HIGH STILL IN CONTROL. WE GET A BIT MORE OF IT TOO FOR THURSDAY, JUST ADD IN SOME MORE CLOUD AND MIST AT FIRST PLUS THE ODD SHOWER. HOW IT IS SHAPING UP AT YOUR PLACE, AFTER SPORT. KIA ORA E TE IWI. WELCOME TO SPORT. TWO WEEKS AGO, HURRICANES FORWARD ISAIA WALKER-LEAWERE WAS BANNED FROM SPORT FOR A MONTH AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR THC, THE MAIN PSYCHOACTIVE COMPOUND FOUND IN CANNABIS. THAT'S DESPITE DRUG FREE SPORT NEW ZEALAND ADMITTING IT'S NOT PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING AND THAT THEY'RE CAMPAIGNING AGAINST ITS PROHIBITED STATUS IN SPORT. HOWEVER, AS VICTOR WATERS EXPLAINS, THE PLANT'S MEDICINAL USE IS GAINING SUPPORT WITHIN RUGBY. HE'S A FAMILIAR FACE IN NEW ZEALAND RUGBY. NOW LIAM MESSAM WANTS TO BE THE FACE OF CHANGE FOR PLAYER WELFARE, PUSHING FOR CANNABIDIOL OR CBD, THE THERAPEUTIC COMPONENT OF CANNABIS, TO BE EMBRACED. I TRIED IT AND ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT STRAIGHT AWAY. JUST THE INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY, THE BEST SLEEPS THAT I'VE HAD... IT DOESN'T CURE THE PROBLEM. IT JUST HELPS ME LIVE A BETTER LIFE. ITS USE BY RUGBY PLAYERS HAS RISEN SINCE 2018 WHEN IT WAS REMOVED AS A BANNED SUBSTANCE BY THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AUTHORITY. BUT CANNABIS ITSELF IS STILL BANNED, AND WHILE DRUG-FREE SPORT IS FIGHTING THAT, IT HAS CONCERNS ABOUT CONTAMINATION IN PRESCRIPTION-ONLY CBD. CBD ` IT DOESN'T HAVE THE PSYCHOACTIVE PIECE TO IT AND IS USED MEDICINALLY PROPERLY TO COPE WITH A BUNCH OF` WITH PAIN RELIEF, WITH SOME STRESS DISORDERS... AND YOU NEED TO BE CLEAR AS AN ATHLETE THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY RESIDUAL THC IN IT, AND AS AN ATHLETE, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? INSTEAD, ATHLETES CURRENTLY TURN TO PAINKILLERS RANGING FROM ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES TO OPIOIDS. AMONG THOSE TRAMADOL, WHICH FROM NEXT JANUARY WILL BE BANNED BY WADA IN COMPETITION AFTER CONCERNS OVER ITS ADDICTIVE POTENTIAL. I HAD A COUPLE OF FRIENDS HERE AT THE CHIEFS WHEN THEY WERE PLAYING. THEY HAD TO TAKE VOLTAREN JUST TO BE ABLE TO PLAY. TOOK TOO MANY ONE NIGHT, AND THEN HIS WIFE FOUND HIM COLLAPSED OVER THE TOILET SEAT AND HAD A COUPLE OF ULCERS IN HIS STOMACH. WHEN YOU'RE A YOUNG FOOTY PLAYER, ALL YOU WANNA DO IS GET OUT THERE ON THE FOOTY FIELD, AND YOU'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. FORMER BLUES AND SCOTLAND PLAYER GRAYSON HART KNOWS THAT ALL TOO WELL. A KNEE INJURY FORCING HIM TO TAKE UP TO EIGHT PAINKILLERS A DAY FOR THREE YEARS WHILE PLAYING. IT LED HIM TO CREATE THE FIRST CBD PRODUCT ON THE MARKET CERTIFIED BY WADA. THERE ARE SO MANY PLAYERS JUST HUGELY RELIANT ON PAINKILLERS, AND IT'S SO UNHEALTHY. I SEE CBD AS A WAY TO SHOW THE WIDER WORLD THAT THIS KIND OF NARRATIVE THAT WE HAVE GOT AGAINST SOMETHING LIKE THE CANNABIS PLANT ISN'T ALL THAT IT'S PORTRAYED TO BE. THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST WITHIN RUGBY CIRCLES ABOUT CBD. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS ` THEY'RE JUST TOO SCARED TO TAKE IT. BUT WITH ORGANISATIONS LIKE THE NBA AND UFC NOW ALLOWING CANNABIS, CBD COULD SOON BE A GAME-CHANGER IN SPORT. VICTOR WATERS, 1 NEWS. IT'S BEEN THE HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN ALL YEAR ` THE WAHS. FRIDAY THEIR LAST HOME GAME OF THE REGULAR SEASON; TICKETS ALL GONE AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, WITH A CHANCE TO LOCK IN A TOP-FOUR SPOT. JESSICA DERMODY WAS AT WARRIORS HQ TODAY AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS. AN EMPTY STADIUM AND THE SUN OUT ` UNUSUAL THESE DAYS FOR AUCKLAND'S MT SMART. WHAT A DAY. HELLO! BUT COME FRIDAY, WAHS FANS WILL BE THERE IN THEIR DROVES. THEIR SIGNS ONLY GETTING MORE... CREATIVE. THERE'S A LOT OF SIGNS AROUND JOHNSON. USED IN THE WRONG CONTEXT, I FEEL. BUT MAN, LIKE, THE WAY THE CROWD'S BUYING IN, AND IT'S SPECIAL FOR THE PLAYERS TO SEE. IT'S BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR SHAUN JOHNSON. THIS WEEKEND HIS 250TH NRL GAME. HIS FORM NO LONGER A DALLY M MEDAL WHISPER. YOU KNOW, I COULD GIVE YOU LIKE A REAL CLICHE ANSWER AND BE LIKE, 'NO, YOU KNOW, LIKE, THAT'S ALL BACKGROUND NOISE.' BUT IT DOES ` 100%. AND I DO A LOT OF WORK WITH A GUY CALLED DAN HAESLER AROUND MY MENTAL APPROACH. THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR, I'VE HAD TO KNUCKLE DOWN ON IT MORE THAN EVER, SO IT'S A DISTRACTION, BUT IT'S A DISTRACTION THAT I'M OPEN TO. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE THE WARRIORS HAVE BEEN IN SUCH A GOOD POSITION. A WIN ON FRIDAY WILL CONFIRM THEIR TOP FOUR SPOT FOR PLAYOFFS, A FIRST SINCE 2007. IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE SATISFIED WITH THAT. WE'VE JUST GOT US IN A SPACE WHERE IT'S ALL ABOUT CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT. IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE MORE DIALLED IN TO IMPROVE WITH WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW THAN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'VE PROBABLY GOT MORE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE PAST. AT THE MOMENT, YEAH, WE'VE GOT TO GET OUR DEFENCE BACK. LIKE, THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD STUFF, BUT, YEAH, WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER. IF THEY GET A HOME PLAYOFF, GIVEN THE SELL-OUTS AT MT SMART, A QUESTION REMAINS ` DO THEY GO BIGGER? FROM A PLAYER'S PERSPECTIVE, WE DIDN'T WORK THAT HARD TO WARRANT A HOME PLAYOFF GAME TO BE PLAYED AT EDEN PARK. NO, NO. THAT'S HOME FOR US. HERE. MT SMART. UNANIMOUS IN WHERE THEY WANT TO GO WITH JUST ONE MORE WIN UNTIL THEY GET THERE. JESSICA DERMODY, 1 NEWS. WALLABIES COACH EDDIE JONES SAYS INVITING FORMER ALL BLACKS COACH SIR STEVE HANSEN INTO CAMP WAS LIKE ASKING A MATE FOR ADVICE OVER A BEER. JONES SAYS HE ASKED HANSEN TO COME IN AND OBSERVE THE TEAM IN FRANCE DURING THEIR 'RESET' WEEK TO GIVE POINTERS ON WHERE HE THINKS THE AUSSIES CAN IMPROVE. OH, WELL, THERE'S TWO MAIN AREAS, MATE ` TRAINING QUALITY, WHICH IS OUR WAY OF IMPROVING, AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TEAM. AND EVERY TIME HE SPEAKS, THERE'S SOME WISDOM IN WHAT HE SAYS. SO WHEN HE SAYS SOMETHING, WE'RE LISTENING TO HIM. JONES NOTED HANSEN'S TRACK RECORD AND REITERATED THEIR RELATIONSHIP DATES BACK TO 1998. MEANWHILE, ENGLAND NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET, WITH CAPTAIN OWEN FARRELL COPPING A FOUR MATCH BAN FOR THAT DANGEROUS TACKLE, MEANING HE'LL MISS THEIR FIRST TWO WORLD CUP MATCHES. IT COMES AFTER AN APPEAL BY WORLD RUGBY, AND BACKLASH FROM THE ENTIRE RUGBY FRATERNITY, OVER THE INITIAL JUDICIARY DECISION TO OVERTURN HIS RED CARD. KIWI RUNNER GEORGE BEAMISH HAS CLAIMED NEW ZEALAND'S BEST EVER FINISH AT A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STEEPLECHASE, FINISHING FIFTH IN BUDAPEST. IN JUST HIS EIGHTH TIME RACING THE DISCIPLINE, THE 26-YEAR-OLD PUT THE PACE ON IN THE FINAL LAP, FINISHING IN 08.13.46. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW CLOSE THE MEDALS WERE TONIGHT, I THINK THEY WERE WITHIN REACH. I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO LOST ANY SLEEP OVER IT, BUT KNOWING THAT, I THINK IT'S REALISTIC, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PARIS. BEAMISH IS CERTAINLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK FOR THE OLYMPICS, SETTING A NEW OCEANIA RECORD LAST MONTH. IBF HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION LANI DANIELS' TITLE DEFENCE IS PROMISING TO BE A BRUTAL BATTLE IF THE PRE-FIGHT TALK IS ANYTHING TO GO BY. HER SOUTH AFRICAN OPPONENT RAZEL MUHUMMAD HAS ARRIVED IN NEW ZEALAND AHEAD OF SATURDAY'S FIGHT NIGHT IN A PROVOCATIVE MOOD. YEAH, I THINK WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE FUN IN THERE. WAS THAT A THREAT? OH, OBVIOUSLY. (CHUCKLES) IF YOU'RE NOT THREATENING YOUR OPPONENT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? PIPIWAI'S WAHINE TOA FAR FROM INTIMIDATED, SAYING SHE'S DONE THE WORK NEEDED TO DEFEND HER BELT. SHE'S GONNA GET A SURPRISE CAUSE IT AIN'T GONNA BE FUN FOR HER. (LAUGHS) IT DEFINITELY AIN'T GONNA BE FUN, BECAUSE WHEN THAT BELL GOES I'M GOING TO TAKE HER HEAD OFF, LIKE, I'M GOING IN FOR THE KILL ` I AIN'T THERE TO HAVE FUN, THERE'LL BE FIVE FIGHT'S WORTH OF FUN ON SATURDAY. THE OTHER KIWI BOXER HEADLINING THAT FIGHT NIGHT ` IBO SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MEA MOTU. AND SHE HAS A SECRET WEAPON IN HER CORNER. MANY 8-YEAR-OLD KIDS FINISH SCHOOL AND HEAD TO ACTIVITIES. BUT FOR ZEN PEACH, HE'S NOT GETTING THE LESSONS; HE'S GIVING THEM. TWO PHASES. SO ONE, TWO, STEP, RIGHT HAND. HIS CHARGE ` WORLD CHAMPION BOXER MEA MOTU. HE'S WORKED EVERY DAY ` LIKE, HUSTLED BY MY SIDE EVERY DAY. AND HE'S COME IN HERE MORNING AND NIGHT AND JUST GIVEN EVERYTHING TO ME, AND IT MEANS THE WORLD. ZEN'S DAD, ISAAC, RUNS PEACH BOXING. HE FIRST RECOGNISED A CHAMPION IN THE MUM OF FIVE... TIME! ...BUT IT WAS HIS SON (8) WHO EARNT HER TRUST. GOOD WORK. FEELS HARD. WE HAVE A SPECIAL BOND, AND SO NO ONE CAN TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME. YOU KNOW? THEY AIN'T GONNA` NO ONE, AND I'LL TRUST HIM OVER ANYBODY. JUST DO IT. YEAH. (SHOUTS) HER LAST FIGHT WAS, LIKE, I TRAINED EVERY DAY WITH HER, SO I THINK I JUST SAW SOMETHING IN HER. FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT WAS ZEN WHO WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO MOTU WHEN HIS DAD COULDN'T. HE WAS REAL HONEST. HE WOULD SAY, 'THAT'S SHIT. 'HOW COME DAD CAN'T TEACH YOU TO THROW A RIGHT HAND?' IT WAS JUST, LIKE, A LITTLE SLOW RIGHT HAND THAT WASN'T HARD OR FAST, SO I HAD TO FIX IT. RIGHT HAND. WE KEPT DRILLING IT FOR AGES. TOOK A FEW MONTHS, BUT THEN SHE GOT IT RIGHT. NO SURPRISES THIS KID GREW UP AROUND BOXING. HARDER, HARDER, HARDER. ZEN'S MUM, ALINA, IS ALSO IN MOTU'S CORNER. TO BE HONEST, AT THE START, IT WAS A BIT OF A JOKE, AND WE JUST THOUGHT MEA WAS BEING REALLY KIND AND KINDA ENTERTAINING ZEN AND GOING ALONG WITH IT. BUT THEN WE QUICKLY REALISED THAT THEY WERE FOR REAL, AND ZEN WAS ACTUALLY NOT WRONG, WHAT HE WAS TELLING HER. AND THE LITTLEST BOXING TRAINER IN NEW ZEALAND HAS BIG PREDICTIONS FOR SATURDAY'S WORLD TITLE DEFENCE. PROBABLY INSIDE FIVE ROUNDS, MEA WILL KNOCK HER OUT, TO THE BODY. AS LONG AS THE YOUNG PEACH IS IN HER CORNER. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT CORNER, I HAVE TO HEAR HIM. I'M GONNA WIN IT WITH HIM RIGHT BY MY SIDE. (PANTS HEAVILY) THE ALL BLACKS HAVE MADE THE MOST OF THEIR DAY OFF IN SUNNY LONDON BY GETTING INVOLVED IN OTHER CODES. THE GOLFING FANS SPENDING THE DAY WITH FELLOW KIWI AND EUROPEAN TOUR GOLFER DANIEL HILLIER AT ST GEORGE'S HILL IN WEYBRIDGE ` THE COURSE CLEARLY CHALLENGING. WHILE OTHERS PAID A VISIT TO BRENTFORD FOOTBALL CLUB, PERHAPS THEY SHOULD STICK TO RUGBY. A PRETTY GOOD GOLF SWING. HOW ABOUT THAT BOXING COACH? HE IS MY FAVOURITE COACH IN THE WORLD. COACH OF THE YEAR. DAN IS HERE WITH WEATHER DETAILS AT YOUR PLACE, NEXT. AND WHY ONE BELOVED VIDEO GAME CHARACTER WILL SOON SOUND A BIT DIFFERENT. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` BOATING, IT'S OUR FAVOURITE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY. BUT IF YOU NEED A LICENCE TO DRIVE A CAR, SHOULD YOU NEED A LICENCE TO SKIPPER A BOAT? PLUS ` COULD YOU HANDLE 24 HOURS ON AN EXERCISE BIKE? WHY TJ PERENARA IS GIVING IT HIS ALL. WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY, AT 7. THE VOICE OF MARIO IN NINTENDO'S SUPER MARIO GAMES IS STEPPING BACK FROM HIS ROLE AFTER NEARLY THREE DECADES. NINTENDO HAS ANNOUNCED CHARLES MARTINET WILL NO LONGER BE RECORDING CHARACTER VOICES FOR THE LONG-RUNNING VIDEO GAME SERIES. THE COMPANY THANKED MARTINET FOR BRINGING THE CHARACTER TO LIFE OVER THE YEARS. IT'S-A ME MARIO! (MARIO THEME MUSIC) HELLO! IT'S NOT THE END OF MARTINET'S MARIO THOUGH ` THE 67-YEAR-OLD IS SET TO TRAVEL THE WORLD AS NINTENDO'S BRAND NEW MARIO AMBASSADOR. NICE JOB OF YOU CAN GET IT. IF YOU ARE THINKING THE NICE WEATHER GOES THROUGH THE WEEKEND, YOU WILL HAVE TO PLAN THROUGH COOLER WEATHER. A QUICK LITTLE VISIT AROUND... WHAT IS THE CHANGE? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMING IN TOMORROW ` A WEEK SYSTEM. AND ARE STILL COMING IN, ALL THE ACTIVITY. ALL THE HIGH PRESSURE IS SITTING IN PLACE. THE ELECTRIC FENCE KEEPING IT COLD AND DOWN THERE. SUNDAY INTO MONDAY, THE LAST LITTLE SURGE BEFORE WE GET INTO METEOROLOGICAL SPRING. A LITTLE BLAST MOVING UP THE COUNTRY. THAT IS WHAT IS COMING IN TOMORROW. THIS MILKY LOOKING COLOUR ON EITHER SIDE. TEMPERATURES BY THE WAY... 17 DEGREES FOR INVERCARGILL. -4 FOR LAKE TAUPO. TEMPERATURES TO FREEZING IN THE BLUE. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE BLUE. MIGHT BE A DEGREE OR SO NOT AS COLD THAN LAST NIGHT. A BLANKET OF CLOUD... THAT CLOUD WILL BURN BACK. THAT IS SOME PATCHY LIGHT RAIN TO FIORDLAND. THE ODD LITTLE DOT OF A SHOWER TO NORTHLAND, WEST COAST OF AUCKLAND. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS OVER MOST OF NORTHLAND. SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A SHOWER. SAME THING FOR AUCKLAND. SMALLEST CHANCE OF A SHOWER. HAMILTON, ANOTHER CHILLY ONE. OTHERWISE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. BAY OF PLENTY, CENTRAL PLATEAU ` A REPEAT PERFORMANCE. COOLER AROUND THIS REGION. SCATTERED CLOUD AROUND GISBORNE. SOME EARLY CLOUD FOR NEW PLYMOUTH. SAME SORT OF THING WITH MORNING CLOUD FOR WELLINGTON. MORNING CLOUD IN PLACES FOR NELSON. IT WILL COME AND GO THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SAME THING, MIST AND FOG FRIDAY MORNING. WEST COAST HAS CLOUD. HIGHER CLOUD FOR CHRISTCHURCH. REMEMBER OUR WEAK FRONT? IT WORKS ITS WAY INTO THE DEEP SOUTH. I THINK FOR DUNEDIN, YOU ARE OTHERWISE DRY. WE HAVE THE HIGH ON FRIDAY. THE SYSTEM AND THAT ONE OFF TO THE WEST IS PRETTY WEAK. SATURDAY IS A PRETTY GOOD DAY. THE WEEKEND, I WOULD BE PICKING RIGHT NOW SATURDAY.