TONIGHT ` THE SHOWS FACING THE AXE AT TVNZ. NEARLY 70 JOBS ON THE LINE AS THE ORGANISATION TRIES TO RECOVER FROM MOUNTING FINANCIAL LOSSES. THE SOUTHLAND RESIDENTS BEING EVACUATED IN THE FACE OF EROSION. WHY THEY FEAR FOR THEIR HOMES. PLUS, A NEW COVID VACCINE BECOMES AVAILABLE FROM TODAY, BUT FEWER PEOPLE WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE FLU VACCINE. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. STAFF FROM SEVERAL TVNZ NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOWS, INCLUDING THIS ONE, WILL BE TOLD OF PROPOSED CHANGES TOMORROW MORNING AS THE BROADCASTER LOOKS SLASH 68 JOBS ACROSS THE ORGANISATION. 'FAIR GO', NEW ZEALAND'S LONGEST RUNNING TV CONSUMER PROGRAMME AND CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW 'SUNDAY' ALSO FACE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. KIM BAKER WILSON HAS DEVELOPMENTS. (APPLAUSE) FOR DECADES, ITS BATTLED FOR CONSUMERS. GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE FINAL FAIR GO FOR 1977. NOW ITS STAFF ARE FACING A BATTLE OF THEIR OWN. MEDIA SPECULATION STARTED SWIRLING LAST NIGHT. THE EMAIL TO STAFF CAME ONLY THIS MORNING. ALMOST ONE IN 10 TVNZ JOBS ARE ON THE LINE. WE'RE DEVASTATED. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT JOB LOSSES FOR OUR TEAM. THE CONCERN WE HAVE IS THAT TVNZ HAS INDICATED THAT STAFF MAY ONLY HAVE ONE WEEK TO PROCESS THIS PROPOSAL, TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES, AND SIMPLY THAT'S NOT CREDIBLE OR REALISTIC FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO DO. ...TVNZ TOLD THOSE STAFF... GOING ON TO SAY... THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN CONSULTATION STARTS WITH STAFF. TODAY, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY; SHE'LL BE BACK AS MEETINGS GET UNDERWAY. AWARD-WINNING 'SUNDAY' HAS CONFIRMED ITS STAFF ARE HEADING TO THOSE. IT'S THE LAST OF ITS KIND. THAT WHAT WE WANT IN OUR MEDIA LANDSCAPE ` TO NOT HAVE AN IN-DEPTH CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW? 'RE', TVNZ'S YOUTH ONLINE ARM, SAYS ITS STAFF ALSO HAVE INVITES. SO DO NEWSROOM CONTENT CREATORS WHO EDIT MATERIAL FOR ONLINE AND ON-AIR. ('TONIGHT' NEWS THEME MUSIC) STAFF ON THE LATE NIGHT 1 NEWS ALSO HAVE AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. TVNZ'S PLANS COME A WEEK AND A DAY AFTER ALL OF NEWSHUB WERE TOLD OF PLANS FOR THEIR JOBS TO GO. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ACTUALLY COME TO GRIPS WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE ISSUE WITH NEWSHUB'S DEMISE POTENTIALLY, AFTER JUNE 30th... TVNZ MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING. TVNZ SAID LAST WEEK IT'S LOST OVER $16m IN SIX MONTHS. ITS AXE IS PLANNED TO FALL BEYOND THE NEWSROOM AND ON STAFF ACROSS DEPARTMENTS. WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR MEMBERS THAT THEY FEEL A HUGE SENSE OF UNCERTAINTY AT THE MOMENT. BUT TVNZ SAYS CUTTING COSTS MEANS CUTTING WORKERS. KIM BAKER-WILSON, 1 NEWS. AND DAVID SEYMOUR'S COME UNDER FIRE FOR REPEATEDLY CRITICISING MEDIA, INCLUDING 1 NEWS SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS. THAT'S BECAUSE THE ACT LEADER'S ROLE AS A GOVERNMENT MINISTER INCLUDES PARTIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE STATE BROADCASTER, AND HE'S NOT MEANT TO INFLUENCE ITS EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE. KATIE BRADFORD EXPLAINS. WHETHER IT'S REPORTS ON BRINGING BACK PSEUDOEPHEDRINE OR SCRUTINY OF THE PRIME MINISTER CLAIMING TAXPAYER-FUNDED ALLOWANCES, DAVID SEYMOUR IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE MEDIA RIGHT NOW. I SAW, YOU KNOW, A REPORT ON 1 NEWS, BENEDICT COLLINS GRINNING DOWN THE CAMERA ABOUT CHRIS LUXON'S APARTMENT COSTS, AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT CRY, 'YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE US SYMPATHY.' BUT NOW HE'S BEING ACCUSED OF BREACHING STRICT RULES GOVERNING TELEVISION NEW ZEALAND. THE ACCUSATION IS FARCICAL. AS ASSOCIATE FINANCE MINISTER, HE'S A SHAREHOLDING MINISTER IN THE STATE BROADCASTER. UNDER THE LAW, HE CAN'T TELL IT HOW TO GATHER OR PRESENT THE NEWS. THE QUESTION WITH DAVID SEYMOUR IS HAS HE FALLEN FOUL OF THE SPIRIT OF THE ACT THROUGH HIS CRITICISM EVEN IF HE'S MANAGED TO STAY ONSIDE OF THE BLACK-LETTER LAW? THE ACT LEADER'S TAKEN TO TWITTER MULTIPLE TIMES TO CRITICISE MEDIA, INCLUDING FOR NOT USING PEOPLE HE'S SUGGESTED IN STORIES. EARLIER THIS WEEK, HE TOOK A SWIPE AT NEWSHUB, WHICH FACES CLOSURE AND HUNDREDS OF JOB LOSSES, IN HIS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER. AND TODAY, HE TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO 1 NEWS' BENEDICT COLLINS. I'VE USED ONE REPORTER'S BEHAVIOUR AS AN EXAMPLE OF A WIDER POINT THAT MEDIA, IN MY VIEW, HAS BECOME TOO SELF-REFLECTIVE AND NOT SELF-AWARE. THE BROADCASTING MINISTER STRUGGLING TO DEFEND DAVID SEYMOUR. HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS COMMENTS. I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR MINE. FORMER BROADCASTING MINISTER WILLIE JACKSON WAS HEAVILY CRITICISED FOR HAVING A GO AT JOURNALISTS ON Q+A. TODAY, THE TABLES TURNED. HAS SHE SPOKEN WITH DAVID SEYMOUR? MELISSA LEE EVENTUALLY SAYING, YES, SHE'LL DO THAT. NO, SHE HASN'T, AND IT'S NOT REALLY HER JOB, TO BE HONEST. ULTIMATELY, IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER PREPARED TO DO IN THE WAKE OF DAVID SEYMOUR TAKING THESE ACTIONS. POLITICIANS OF ALL PARTIES PROBABLY THINK THEY GET UNFAIR TREATMENT FROM THE MEDIA, BUT BOTTOM LINE IS YOU PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR DEMOCRACY. IN RESPONSE TO SEYMOUR'S CRITICISM, TVNZ ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING BENEDICT COLLINS WAS SIMPLY DOING HIS JOB AND THAT TVNZ IS NOT ASKING FOR SYMPATHY BUT FOR POLITICIANS TO RESPECT THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE MEDIA SO THEY CAN GET ON WITH THEIR WORK. TO BE CLEAR ` TVNZ IS A COMMERCIAL COMPANY RELIANT ON AD REVENUE. IT IS NOT GOVERNMENT-FUNDED. EVERY TIME A MEDIA OUTLET GOES NUTS ABOUT A COMMENT LIKE THIS, THEY JUST PROVE MY POINT THAT THE MEDIA IS LACKING THE ABILITY TO ASK THE SIMPLE QUESTION THAT MAYBE IT'S THE WAY WE'RE CONDUCTING OURSELVES THAT'S LED TO THE LOSS OF AUDIENCE SHARE. AND THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL DOUBLING DOWN. THANKS, GUYS. SEE YOU LATER. KATIE BRADFORD, 1 NEWS. DONALD TRUMP HAS NO MORE CHALLENGERS FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION AFTER NIKKI HALEY SUSPENDED HER CAMPAIGN. A PRESIDENTIAL REMATCH WITH JOE BIDEN NOW A FORMALITY AND THE RACE IS ON TO ATTRACT THE DISSATISFIED VOTERS. CHANNEL NINE'S JONATHAN KEARSLEY REPORTS FROM THE U.S. IT SEEMED INEVITABLE. THE RACE FOR US PRESIDENT, A SEQUEL MOST AMERICANS SAY THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE. THE TIME HAS NOW COME TO SUSPEND MY CAMPAIGN. NIKKI HALEY BOWING OUT AFTER LOSING ALL BUT ONE STATE ON SUPER TUESDAY, TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT. IT IS NOW UP TO DONALD TRUMP TO EARN THE VOTES OF THOSE IN OUR PARTY AND BEYOND IT, WHO DID NOT SUPPORT HIM, AND I HOPE HE DOES THAT. NOT ENDORSING THE MAN SHE SOUGHT TO BEAT, AND CHOOSING TO QUOTE MARGARET THATCHER. NEVER JUST FOLLOW THE CROWD. ALWAYS MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND. THE FIGHT IS ON FOR NIKKI HALEY'S VOTERS. DONALD TRUMP INVITED THEM TO JOIN WHAT HE CALLS 'THE GREATEST MOVEMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATION' JOE BIDEN SAYING, 'THERE IS A PLACE FOR THEM IN MY CAMPAIGN.' THESE ARE THE VOTERS WHO HAVE AGREED WITH NIKKI HALEY WHEN SHE STOOD UP TO TRUMP FOR THE CHAOS, THE DIVISION, THE EXTREMISM THAT HE REPRESENTS. IT WILL BE THE SEVENTH PRESIDENTIAL REMATCH IN US HISTORY, THE FIRST SINCE THE 1950S. ONLY GROVER CLEVELAND FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY HAS SERVED NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS. AND THERE'S CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPACT OF KENNEDY, A NAME SYNONYMOUS WITH THE DEMOCRATS, COULD HAVE ON JOE BIDEN'S RE-ELECTION BID. ROBERT KENNEDY JR. HE'S ON THE BALLOT AS AN INDEPENDENT IN CRUCIAL STATES. TOMORROW, JOE BIDEN WILL DELIVER HIS LAST STATE OF THE UNION TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC BEFORE NOVEMBER'S ELECTION, LIKELY A PLEA TO FRUSTRATED VOTERS TO GET ON BOARD. IT'S DAY 99, AND WITH PARLIAMENT RISING, THE COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WORKING UNDER URGENCY TO FAST-TRACK IT'S 100-DAY PLAN, WITH THE PRIME MINISTER SAYING ALL 49 ACTIONS WILL BE TICKED OFF. WHEN HE CAME INTO POWER, CHRISTOPHER LUXON CALLED IT 'AMBITIOUS', ADDING IT WOULD DO MORE IN 100 DAYS THAN THE LAST GOVERNMENT DID IN SIX YEARS. WHILE LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS SAID IT WON'T TAKE THE COUNTRY FORWARD 'TO THROW EVERYTHING INTO REVERSE.' HERE'S DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN WITH MORE ON THE GOVERNMENT'S ACCELERATED 100-DAY PLAN. ON THE EVE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S FIRST 100 DAYS, SPLASHES OF COW EFFLUENT OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT ` A LAST-DITCH PROTEST AGAINST NEW FAST-TRACK LEGISLATION. WHAT THIS FAST-TRACK BILL COULD BE USED FOR IS TO CONSENT NEW MEGA DAIRY FARMS IN FRAGILE PLACES. MR SPEAKER, THIS IS A MOMENTOUS DAY FOR THE COALITION GOVERNMENT. PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK TO THIS BILL AS THE DAY THAT NZ MOVED FROM CANCEL ECONOMICS TO CAN-DO ECONOMICS. THE NEW FAST-TRACK BILL PROMISES TO BE A ONE-STOP SHOP, BULLDOZING ROADBLOCKS AND GETTING PROJECTS UNDERWAY. NZ HAS A MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT OF OVER $200bn, AND WHAT WE KNOW IS WE'VE STRUGGLED TO DELIVER FAST ENOUGH. WE WANT MORE ROADS, WE WANT MORE WINDFARMS, WE WANT MORE HOMES, MORE SOLAR, MORE GEOTHERMAL, MORE MINES, MORE COMMERCE, AND MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR NZERS TO GET BUILDING AND TO GET AHEAD UNDER THEIR OWN STEAM. THE ONE-STOP SHOP, OR THE ONE-STOP CHOP, WHICH WE HEARD TODAY, IS FULL OF FORKED TONGUE AND FALSE PROMISES. PROJECTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE WILL GO TO AN EXPERT PANEL. THEY'LL SET CONDITIONS, MAKING A DECISION WITHIN SIX MONTHS. ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, MINISTERS HAVE FINAL SAY. IT'LL MAKE NZ INTO A BANANA REPUBLIC, REALLY ` THE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY MINISTERS. MULDOON IS BACK, FRANKLY. THIS IS A DISASTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS ONE POLITICIAN YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GUILT TRIP OVER ANY NARRATIVE THAT TREATS CLIMATE CHANGE AS THE ONLY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT HAS TO DEAL WITH. THE GOVERNMENT HAS DEALT WITH PLENTY OF ISSUES OVER THE LAST HUNDRED DAYS, SCRAPPING A BUNCH OF LABOUR'S LEGISLATION AND INTRODUCING SOME OF ITS OWN. (MOTORBIKE ENGINES REV) SO HOW WOULD THE PUBLIC SUM IT UP? CONSIDERING WHAT THEY INHERITED, YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE DOING ALL RIGHT. I'M PRETTY GUTTED, TO BE HONEST. I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE CUTS TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE. THEY JUST DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY PLANS BEYOND TALKING POINTS. THEY MAKE A LOT OF PROMISES, AND THEY DON'T KEEP THEM. I THINK THEY'RE BEING VERY RUSHED. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW BUMPS IN THE ROAD IN THESE HUNDRED DAYS. I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WAY AT ALL. I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT. MOMENTUM THEY HOPE TO MAINTAIN. TENA RA TATOU KATOA. WELL, THIS GOVERNMENT HAS CERTAINLY COME IN WITH A BIG, BOLD NEW AGENDA. THEY HAVE TACKLED SOME MEATY AND, AS YOU SAY, CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS HAD A BAPTISM BY FIRE AT TIMES. SO, TOO, SOME OF HIS MINISTERS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY NEW TO PARLIAMENT. TO THE COALITION'S CREDIT, THOUGH, THEY HAVE DONE SO WITH CONVICTION AND AN UNWAVERING FOCUS ON THE NEW DIRECTION THEY ARE SETTING FOR THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE UNAPOLOGETIC, THEY ARE CUTTING TO THE CHASE. AND AN EXAMPLE OF THAT WAS THE FAST-TRACK BILL THAT WE SAW TODAY. I'M TOLD THAT SECTION FOUR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION ACT, WHICH GIVES THE PRINCIPLES OF THE TREATY OF WAITANGI EFFECT, THAT WILL NOT APPLY TO THIS NEW LEGISLATION THAT ESSENTIALLY CUTS OFF A MAJOR LEGAL AVENUE FOR LEGAL CHALLENGES AGAINST THIS LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO THE TREATY. NOW, THE GOVERNMENT TRIED TO DISTRACT TODAY BY SAYING THAT ANY CURRENT TREATY SETTLEMENTS, THEY WOULD BE UPHELD AND THEY WOULD BE HONOURED WHERE THEY APPLIED. BUT NONETHELESS, THAT IS STILL A NARROWING OF THE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE BEEN THERE. THIS GOVERNMENT WANTS TO GET THINGS DONE. A SENIOR LEADER OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND HAS FAILED IN HIS EFFORTS TO PREVENT A MEDIA COMPANY REPORTING SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS MADE AGAINST HIM. THE SUPREME COURT TODAY DISMISSED A BID BY CARDINAL JOHN DEW TO PREVENT NEWSHUB AIRING A REPORT ABOUT ABUSE ALLEGATIONS FROM THE 1970s. CARDINAL DEW DENIES THE OFFENDING. POLICE INVESTIGATED, BUT HAVE SAID NO CHARGES WILL BE LAID. HOMEOWNERS IN THE TINY SOUTHLAND SETTLEMENT BLUECLIFFS ARE FUMING AFTER BEING GIVEN JUST TWO DAYS' NOTICE TO EVACUATE. AUTHORITIES ARE ABOUT TO START WORK TO CLEAN UP AN OLD DUMP SITE AT RISK OF WASHING OUT TO SEA. THE COMMUNITY, WEST OF INVERCARGILL, HAS BEEN UNDER AN EXTENDED STATE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO EROSION FEARS. OUR REPORTER IN THE SOUTH, JARED MCCULLOCH, HAS THE LATEST. PACKING UP WITH NO TIME TO SPARE ` THOSE LIVING AND WORKING IN THIS TINY SETTLEMENT GIVEN LESS THAN TWO DAYS' NOTICE TO GET OUT, AND THEY'RE TOLD THEY COULD BE AWAY FROM THEIR HOMES FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS. AT THE MOMENT, WE HAVE TO FEED BEES. TO HAVE IT ALL ORGANISED AND SHIFTED TO SOMEWHERE ELSE THAT I COULD WORK FROM, IN TWO DAYS, YOU CAN'T DO IT. FOR A START, THE BEES, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM WOULD STARVE, QUITE SIMPLY, AND THEY WOULD DIE. THEY'RE BEING EVACUATED SO EMERGENCY WORK CAN BE DONE, CLEARING THIS HISTORIC LANDFILL, AS THE LAND ON THIS COASTLINE FACES SIGNIFICANT EROSION. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ASBESTOS, WE'VE GOT SUSPECTED EXPLOSIVES, SO WE'RE HAVING TO TREAT BOTH OF THOSE THING VERY SERIOUSLY. AUTHORITIES ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SITE LAST YEAR, BUT RESIDENTS HERE ARE LESS WORRIED ABOUT THE DUMP. MY HOUSE COULD BE GONE IN A WEEK. IF IT'S BAD WEATHER AND HIGH TIDE, THIS COULD BE RED STICKERED IN A WEEK. I'M THE MOST IN THE GUN ` I'M THE CLOSEST TO THE DUMP, AND I'M THE CLOSEST TO THE RIVER MOUTH. LAST MONTH, WORK WAS DONE TO CREATE A NEW RIVER MOUTH OPENING, TO REDIRECT THE FLOW OF THE WATER AND SLOW EROSION, BUT TO NO AVAIL. MOTHER NATURE MOVED IN AND SWEPT SOME MORE GRAVEL IN AND CLOSED IT BACK UP. SO SINCE THEN, WE'VE JUST BEEN SEEKING FURTHER ADVICE. IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE GUARANTEED TO WORK. SOME RESIDENTS FEEL THE COUNCIL'S GIVING UP ON THEIR HOMES. I THINK ANY TALK ABOUT A RETREAT IS JUST THE EASY OPTION OUT. THEY'VE RAISED IDEAS, LIKE BUILDING A ROCK WALL ALONG HERE, AND SAYING THAT THEY KNOW HOW THE RIVER WORKS, BUT NO ONE'S LISTENING. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE LOCALS HAVE AN INPUT INTO THE PROCESS, BUT, OBVIOUSLY, WE DO NEED TO HAVE THAT EXPERTISE COMING IN AND DRIVING IT AS WELL. AUTHORITIES ACKNOWLEDGING THE TIGHT TIMEFRAME ON THE EVACUATION ORDER. WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF WRIGGLE ROOM, IN TERMS OF THE TIMEFRAMES FOR WE NEED THE RESIDENTS OUT BY. THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T HAVE TWO WEEKS. BUT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SOUTHLAND'S KEEP TO GET WORK UNDERWAY AS EARLY AS SATURDAY, SAYING GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF HARM'S WAY IS KEY. JARED MCCULLOCH, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME, HOW YOU CAN GET A NEW COVID-19 VACCINE THAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE LATEST VARIANTS. PLUS, PERFORMERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD DESCEND ON AOTEAROA FOR THE AUCKLAND ART FESTIVAL. WE CHECK OUT WHAT'S ON OFFER. (CHATTER, LAUGHTER) - ALL: Hooray! - Hip hip! - Hooray! - Hip hip! - Hooray! - Happy birthday, mate. - It's your bowel screening test. I've done mine. - WOMEN: Me too! - And it's free! Uso, you've got this! - # There's a screening here tonight. # Pull the stick from the test. Put it in the poo. # Just follow the pictures. It's easy to do. - Koro! You can 'poo' it! - # Don't delay or procrastinate. # Put it in the post. Send it away. # Early detection can save the day. (ALL CHEER) # There's a screening # here tonight. # - ALL: Oh yeah! A NEW COVID-19 VACCINE IS AVAILABLE FROM TODAY THAT'S MORE EFFECTIVE AGAINST THE LATEST VARIANTS CIRCULATING AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT HEALTH EXPERTS ARE ALREADY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT OF WINTER ILLNESS, WITH FEWER PEOPLE ABLE TO GET A FREE INFLUENZA VACCINE THIS YEAR ` KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS HAS MORE. MAKING TIME AT WORK TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD FROM COVID-19, THIS PHARMACY WORKER'S ONE OF THE FIRST TO RECEIVE THE NEW VACCINE, TARGETING THE LATEST VARIANTS TO TAKE HOLD IN NZ. I'M GOING TO HAWAI'I NEXT MONTH, AND IT JUST GIVES ME SOME EXTRA PROTECTION. THE NEW VACCINE TARGETS JUST ONE STRAIN ` THIS TIME, IT'S KNOWN AS XBB 1.5. IT'S STILL VERY IMPORTANT FOR PROTECTING US AGAINST SEVERE ILLNESS, BEING HOSPITALISED AND EVEN DYING FROM COVID. THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE EVERY WEEK BEING ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL WITH COVID. OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, COVID CASES ROSE GRADUALLY, PEAKING OVER SUMMER. THEY'VE SINCE DROPPED SLIGHTLY, BUT THERE WERE STILL MORE THAN 5500 CASES RECORDED IN THE PAST WEEK. PHARMAC SAYS THERE'S NO CHANGE TO WHO CAN ACCESS THE VACCINE AND BOOSTERS, BUT FURTHER FUNDING WILL DEPEND ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IN MAY. HEALTH EXPERTS ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WINTER ILLNESS AND UPTAKE OF FLU JABS. I KNOW THE COST OF LIVING IS VERY HIGH AT THE MOMENT, SO, YOU KNOW, IT IS TOUGH, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF THIS WINTER WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IS GREAT. HE'S DISAPPOINTED CHILDREN, AND MAORI AND PASIFIKA AGED BETWEEN 55 AND 64, WON'T GET A FREE FLU VACCINE THIS YEAR, LIKE THEY HAVE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. YOU ARE GONNA INEVITABLY SEE A DECREASE IN UPTAKE, AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GONNA HAVE AN ONGOING IMPACT ON OVERALL HEALTH CARE, SO, YOU KNOW, MORE LIKELY TO HAVE AN INCREASE IN INFLUENZA OVER THE WINTER SEASON. PEOPLE 65 AND OVER ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A FREE FLU JAB, AS WELL AS AT-RISK GROUPS; OTHERS ASKED TO PRIORITISE THEIR HEALTH IF THEY CAN AFFORD IT. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS, 1 NEWS. FROM WAIHEKE ISLAND TO WAITAKERE, THE ARTS ARE PREPARING TO TAKE OVER OUR LARGEST CITY. THE AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL CELEBRATING ITS OPENING NIGHT THIS EVENING. JESSICA MORRIS WENT ALONG FOR A TASTE OF THE ACTION. MODERN DANCE PERFORMED AGAINST A WALL OF SOUND. IT'S THE FUNNEST WORK I'VE BEEN A PART OF. IT'S FUN TO DO. IT'S SO FUN TO DO. MANIFESTO, A TROUPE OF DANCERS AND DRUMMERS FROM MELBOURNE, ONE OF THE SHOWS PREPARING TO ENTERTAIN AS AUCKLAND ART FESTIVAL SPRINGS INTO ACTION. FOR ME, IT'S A SUPER EXCITING SHOW TO BE A PART OF. IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT ANY OF THE DRUMMERS GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH NINE OTHER DRUM KITS. HAVING NINE OF NINE OF THE BEST DRUMMERS IN AUSTRALIA, KIND OF LAYING IT DOWN, SUPPORTING YOU FROM BEHIND REALLY GIVES YOU A MASSIVE SPACE TO LIKE, TRY AND LIKE, PUT THE BEST OF YOU OUT THERE. ALSO TAKING PART IN THE FESTIVAL, AUSTRALIAN COMEDIAN TIM MINCHIN. SO THIS IS A BEAT POEM, FOR YOU LUCKY DOGS. AND BERNIE DIETER'S CLUB CABARET FROM BERLIN. # EVERYBODY WANTS TO...FEEL # THESE REALLY DARK, SALACIOUS, LOTS OF GIN, AND THOSE FANTASTIC CIRCUS ACTS WHICH WE KNOW OUR AUCKLAND AUDIENCES JUST LOVE. THE FESTIVAL INCLUDES MORE THAN 60 SHOWS FROM 15 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. IT'S EXPECTED TO WELCOME TENS OF THOUSANDS OF GUESTS, HERE IN AOTEA CENTRE AND ACROSS THE CITY. ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT A FESTIVAL DOES IS SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL ARTISTS TO PREMIERE NEW WORK. SO WE'VE GOT SEVEN WORLD PREMIERES. THE FESTIVITIES KICKING OFF TONIGHT WITH AN OPEN CHOIR PERFORMANCE, WAIATA MAI, RINGING IN A MONTH OF THE ARTS TILL MARCH 24TH. JESSICA MORRIS, 1 NEWS. # TE REO VERSION OF 'SLICE OF HEAVEN' # JUST AHEAD, YOUR WEATHER HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND AND VALENTINO IS BACK IN BLACK AT PARIS FASHION WEEK. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER. HERE'S GALANTIS, DAVID GUETTA AND 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER WITH 'LIGHTER'. # WE'RE PAPER PLANES IN THE SKY # DRIFTIN' WHERE THE WIND BLOWS. # YEAH, GRAVITY HELD ME TIGHT # BUT WITH YOU, I CAN LET GO. # I KNOW, I KNOW WHEN I'M HOLLOW, HOLLOW # YOU TAKE IT ALL AWAY AND FILL THE EMPTY SPACES. # DON'T KNOW, DON'T KNOW 'BOUT TOMORROW, 'MORROW # BUT I KNOW THAT TODAY # I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER # WHEN THE WORLD'S HEAVY AS STONE # IN THE COLD, YOU SHINE A BIT BRIGHTER. # WHEN I'M WITH YOU, # WHEREVER WE GO, THE COLD AIN'T SO COLD # AS LONG AS YOU'RE CLOSE, I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW # # I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER... # AND BEFORE WE GO, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT VALENTINO'S LATEST COLLECTION IN PARIS. ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING. PO MANAHAU, GOOD NIGHT. # YOU SAY YOU GOT A GIRL. # YEAH, HOW YOU WANT ME? HOW YOU WANT ME WHEN YOU GOT A GIRL? # THE FEELIN' IS RECKLESS, OF KNOWIN' IT'S SELFISH. # AND KNOWIN' I'M DESPERATE. # GETTIN' ALL IN YOUR LOVE, FALLIN' ALL OVER LOVE, LIKE # DO IT 'TIL IT HURTS LESS. # HANGIN' OUT THE BACK, ALL UP IN YOUR LAP # LIKE IS YOU COMIN' HOME? IS YOU OUT WITH HER? # I DON'T CARE LONG AS YOU HERE # BY 10:30, NO LATER THAN DROP THEM DRAWERS, # GIVE ME WHAT I WANT. # MY MAN IS MY MAN, IS YOUR MAN, HEARD IT'S HER MAN TOO. # MY MAN IS MY MAN, IS YOUR MAN, HEARD THAT'S HER MAN. # TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, # I JUST KEEP HIM SATISFIED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. # YOU LIKE 9 TO 5, I'M THE WEEKEND. # MAKE HIM LOSE HIS MIND EVERY WEEKEND.