TONIGHT ` ACT LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR SEEMINGLY SPAT AT DURING A PASSIONATE STUDENT HAKA AS A MANAWATU SCHOOL VISIT TURNS FIERY. THE FINANCIAL SQUEEZE FOR HOMEOWNERS IS GETTING TIGHTER, WITH THE BIGGEST RATES INCREASE IN MORE THAN 35 YEARS. WHAT'S BEHIND IT AND WHO'S WORST HIT. AND THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF AFRICA'S CIRCUS COME TO THE AUCKLAND STAGE. HOW ONE PERFORMER IS BENDING OVER BACKWARDS IN HIS BID TO BE THE BEST. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. ACT PARTY LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR HAS ALLEGEDLY BEEN SPAT AT WHILE ON A VISIT TO A MANAWATU SCHOOL. THE ASSOCIATE EDUCATION MINISTER HAD JUST MET WITH STAFF AT FREYBERG HIGH SCHOOL WHEN A PUPIL SPAT AT HIS FEET WHILE PERFORMING AN IMPROMPTU HAKA. ALL: A UPANE! KA UPANE! WHITI TE RA! HI! (SPITS) FOOTAGE SENT TO 1 NEWS ALSO SHOWED STUDENTS CROWDING HIS CROWN CAR. DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS STUDENTS WERE 'OVER-EXCITED' AS HE LEFT, BUT HE THOUGHT THEIR HAKA WAS 'VERY GOOD'. BUCKLE UP ` HOMEOWNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FACING AN AVERAGE RATES RISE OF 15% ` THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN MORE THAN 35 YEARS. LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY COUNCILS NEED OTHER INCOME STREAMS TO STOP RATES FROM SKYROCKETING EVEN FURTHER. JACOB JOHNSON REPORTS. THIS BRIDGE IN HAMILTON, THE COUNTRY'S FASTEST-GROWING CITY, WILL SOON CONNECT SOME OF ITS DEVELOPING SUBURBS. BUT SINCE THE PROJECT BEGAN IN 2020, COSTS HAVE BLOWN OUT BY ABOUT $40M ` PART OF THE REASON THE COUNCIL IS NOW PROPOSING AN ALMOST 20% RATES INCREASE. IT STINKS. IT'S A FACT OF LIFE, ISN'T IT? THE COST OF EVERYHTING NOW. IT'S A FACT OF LIFE, ISN'T IT? THE COST OF EVERYTHING NOW. I WAS ACTUALLY QUITE APPALLED. LOOK, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED, OF COURSE, BECAUSE NO MAYOR IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WANTS TO IMPOSE THAT KIND OF COST ON THE COMMUNITY AT ALL. COUNCILS RIGHT ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE LOOKING AT SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASES. AUCKLANDERS COULD FACE A RATES RISE OF UP TO 14%. WELLINGTON IS PROPOSING A 16% HIKE. CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL TODAY AGREED TO A 13% INCREASE, AS PART OF ITS DRAFT BUDGET, WHILE DUNEDIN IS PROPOSING A 17.5% RATES RISE. AND A REPORT RELEASED TODAY BY INFOMETRICS SHOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENT COSTS ARE ONLY CONTINUING TO GROW. WE UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE COST ESCALATION IN THIS SPACE, HOWEVER, THE COST ESCALATION THAT'S COME THROUH IN THIS SPACE WAS FAR MORE THAN ANYONE HAD FORECAST. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO INFRASTRUCTURE. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE COST OF BUILDING BRIDGES, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS GONE UP 38%, SEWAGE SYSTEMS HAVE GONE UP 30%, AND THE COST OF ROADS AND WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS HAVE GONE UP 27%. WE'VE REACHED A TIPPING POINT, AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, IT'S ONLY GONNA GET WORSE. HE SAYS COUNCILS NEED MORE WAYS TO FILL FINANCIAL HOLES. JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES, CONGESTION CHARGING COULD BE AN OPTION FOR A CITY COUNCIL, WHICH COULD HELP; ACCOMMODATION LEVIES FOR THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE AN INFLUX OF VISITORS. AS A TOOL TO SUPPORT COUNCILS AND ALSO TO CREATE LESS CONGESTION AROUND ROADS. ULTIMATELY COUNCILS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE INVESTING IN THE MUST HAVES, NOT THE NICE TO HAVES. ON AVERAGE, NZ HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE PAYING AN EXTRA $8 A WEEK UNDER THE PROPOSED RATE INCREASES. THE REALITY IS TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN DECREASING RATES, OR DECREASING OUR DENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO STRIP OUT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE FURTHER PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE. UNTIL OTHER SOURCES ARE FOUND, COST BLOWOUTS ON PROJECTS LIKE THIS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL BACK ON RATEPAYERS. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. A MAJOR UPDATE NOW ON THE MYSTERY BODY IN A BAG FISHED OUT OF THE WATER IN GULF HARBOUR, AUCKLAND. POLICE SAY THE PERSON IS A FEMALE OF ASIAN DESCENT, POSSIBLY CHINESE, AND SMALL IN STATURE. THEY'VE NOW LAUNCHED A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION AND ARE ASKING FOR HELP IN IDENTIFYING THE VICTIM. POLICE ARE URGING ANYONE WITH ANY INFORMATION ON A WOMAN MATCHING THE DESCRIPTION TO GET IN TOUCH. A FISHERMAN FOUND THE BODY BY THE GULF HARBOUR MARINA, ON THE WHANGAPARAOA PENINSULA, ON TUESDAY. THE FIRST CASE OF A DEGENERATIVE BRAIN DISEASE LINKED TO CONSTANT HEAD KNOCKS IN A NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL RUGBY PLAYER HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. FORMER SUPER RUGBY HALFBACK BILLY GUYTON DIED FROM SUSPECTED SUICIDE LAST YEAR. A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF HIS BRAIN FOUND HE HAD A DISORDER BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY REPEATED BLOWS TO THE HEAD. NEW ZEALAND RUGBY SAYS IT'S CONCERNED BY THE FINDINGS AND IS WORKING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF HEAD INJURIES. IS IT NORMAL? THE COURTS SAY NO CONFLICT ISSUES WERE RAISED IN GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN'S FIRST APPEARANCE ON SHOPLIFTING CHARGES. THE JUDGE WHO RECEIVED THE FORMER GREEN PARTY MP'S GUILTY PLEAS, THE JUDGE WHO RECEIVED THE FORMER GREEN PARTY MP'S GUILTY PLEAS WORKED TOGETHER ON OTHER CASES WHEN THE PAIR WERE BOTH LAWYERS. AND THAT COMES TO LIGHT AS NEW DETAILS SURFACE ABOUT GHAHRAMAN'S SHOPLIFTING SPREE. KIM BAKER WILSON REPORTS. WALKING INTO COURT, ABOUT TO PLEAD GUILTY. INSIDE, IT WAS JUDGE MARIA PECOTIC HEARING GHAHRAMAN'S GUILTY PLEAS. SHE WAS MADE A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN 2021. BEFORE THAT, A LAWYER IN HER OWN RIGHT WHO WORKED ON CASES WITH GHAHRAMAN. SO, THE JUDGE WILL BE VERY MUCH ALERT, NOT ONLY TO THE REALITY OF NOT HAVING BIAS, BUT THE PERCEPTION, AND PERCEPTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THE COURTS SAY A PERCEIVED CONFLICT OF INTEREST CAN BE RAISED BY LAWYERS OR THE SITTING JUDGE AND THAT, IN THIS CASE, NO PERCEIVED CONFLICT WAS RAISED. THE COURT'S OWN GUIDELINES SAY A JUDGE IS DISQUALIFIED FROM SITTING IF THERE'S A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT, IN THE EYES OF A FAIR-MINDED OBSERVER, A JUDGE MIGHTN'T BE IMPARTIAL IN MAKING A DECISION. IN A CASE WHERE SOMEBODY'S MAKING A FIRST APPEARANCE, AND EVERYTHING'S SORTED, THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY CRITICISM OF A JUDGE WHO'S WORKED WITH SOMEBODY TAKING THAT SORT OF HEARING. ALSO TODAY ` MORE DETAILS ABOUT GHAHRAMAN'S SHOPLIFTING. A SUMMARY OF FACTS DETAILING WHAT SHE TOOK AND WHEN. AT SCOTTIES BOUTIQUE IN AUCKLAND, SHE PUT THIS $1900 COAT INSIDE HER BAG WHILE BEHIND A PRIVACY CURTAIN, GOING ON TO TAKE THIS $160 WALLET FROM DISPLAY. THE AGREED SUMMARY OF FACTS SAYING, SHE 'SURREPTITIOUSLY' PUT IT IN THE SAME BAG; AGAIN, IN AUCKLAND, AT STANDARD ISSUE, PUTTING A $389 CARDIGAN IN HER BAG AND LEAVING WHEN A MANAGER'S ATTENTION WAS ELSEWHERE. THE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY NOTICED IT WAS GONE. BACK ACROSS TOWN, AT SCOTTIES BOUTIQUE A DAY LATER, POLICE AGAIN USE THE WORD 'SURREPTITIOUSLY' TO DESCRIBE THE WAY SHE PUT GOODS IN HER BAG ` THIS TIME, A $650 ISSEY MIYAKE HANDBAG, LIKE THIS ONE. SHE WAS STASHING MORE CLOTHES AS WELL, AMONG THEM A $4500 DRESS. SHE WAS CONFRONTED BY STAFF IN THE CAR PARK AFTER LEAVING. SHE WOULDN'T SHOW THEM HER BAG. THERE'S ALSO WELLINGTON'S CRE8TIVEWORX MONTHS BEFORE, WHERE SHE HID AN ALMOST $700 BLACK ZAMBESI SHIRT WHILE IN A CHANGING ROOM. REPARATION'S BEING SOUGHT FOR THE STOLEN ITEMS, MANY OF WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN RECOVERED. KIM BAKER WILSON, 1 NEWS. FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER WINSTON PETERS HAS RAISED EYEBROWS AFTER WEIGHING INTO A MESSY DISPUTE BETWEEN CANADA AND INDIA. THE DIPLOMATIC ROW OVER THE KILLING OF A SIKH LEADER IN VANCOUVER LAST YEAR HAS CAUSED A SERIOUS RIFT. MR PETERS WRAPPED UP TRADE TALKS IN INDIA JUST YESTERDAY BUT HAS LEFT BEHIND HEADLINES THAT COULD CAUSE ISSUES WITH SOME OF OUR CLOSEST ALLIES. DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN EXPLAINS. WINSTON PETERS WITH INDIA'S VICE PRESIDENT, HOPING TO TAKE OUR TWO-WAY RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL. HIS THREE-DAY JAM-PACKED SCHEDULE ALSO INCLUDED HIS FOREIGN COUNTERPART, POPPING INTO THE CRICKET, THE POLO GROUND AND EVEN A LOCAL TEMPLE. BUT IT WAS PETERS' COMMENTS ON A DIPLOMATIC DISPUTE BETWEEN INDIA AND CANADA THAT MADE LOCAL HEADLINES. (NEWS REPORTER SPEAKS HINDI) (NEWS REPORTER SPEAKS HINDI) WINSTON PETERS REPORTEDLY SAYING 'WHERE'S THE EVIDENCE', QUESTIONING FIVE EYES INTELLIGENCE OUT OF CANADA, WHICH ALLEGEDLY TIES THE KILLING OF A SIKH LEADER IN VANCOUVER LAST YEAR TO THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT. ANY INVOLVEMENT OF A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT IN THE KILLING OF A CANADIAN CITIZEN ON CANADIAN SOIL IS AN UNACCEPTABLE VIOLATION OF OUR SOVEREIGNTY. CANADA'S SIKH COMMUNITY CONSIDERED HARDEEP NIJJAR A LEADER OF A PEACEFUL SEPARATIST MOVEMENT. THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT DESIGNATED HIM A TERRORIST, BUT DENIES ANY ROLE IN HIS KILLING. A SPOKESPERSON FOR WINSTON PETERS SAID THE MINISTER'S POINT IS THAT THIS IS... CANADA MAY VIEW THAT AS NEW ZEALAND CASTING DOUBT ON THEIR CLAIMS THAT INDIA WAS INVOLVED. LOOK, I JUST THINK THE MINISTER WAS ARTICULATING THERE IS A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION ONGOING ` IT'S IMPORTANT IT RUNS ITS COURSE BEFORE ANY CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN. I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARILY A MOVE IN SUBSTANTIVE TERMS, BUT IT MAY BE A DIFFERENCE OF EMPHASIS WHICH IS PARTLY... INTENDED TO APPEAL TO HIS HOSTS IN INDIA. THE NEW COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS RAMPED UP EFFORTS TO SECURE A FREE TRADE DEAL WITH INDIA, SENDING DIPLOMATIC SCHMOOZING INTO OVERDRIVE. WE ARE VERY DETERMINED. WE WANT TO BUILD A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP. BUT THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S COMMENTS HAVE UPSET SOME BACK HOME. MATT ROBSON ACTS AS LEGAL COUNSEL FOR NZ'S SIKH COMMUNITY. WHO ARE EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT THIS FREE PASS THAT HAS BEEN, AS THEY SEE IT, GIVEN TO THE MODI GOVERNMENT, TO KEEP CARRYING ON AS THEY SEE IT, GIVEN TO THE MODI GOVERNMENT TO KEEP CARRYING ON THE TYPE OF REPRESSION ABROAD THAT IT HAS BECOME WELL KNOWN FOR. THE CHALLENGES OF DIPLOMACY DRAWING OUT PLENTY OF COMPETING INTERESTS FOR OUR FOREIGN MINISTER. MAIKI SHERMAN, 1 NEWS. AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER WINSTON PETERS IS SET TO WELCOME HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART, WANG YI, TO NEW ZEALAND NEXT WEEK. TRADE BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND CHINA IS LIKELY TO BE THE MAIN ISSUE ON THE AGENDA AT A BILATERAL MEETING IN WELLINGTON. THE MINISTERS WILL ALSO DISCUSS REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANCE OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION. FIJI'S FORMER PRIME MINISTER AND MILITARY STRONGMAN VOREQE BAINIMARAMA, ALONG WITH SUSPENDED POLICE COMMISSIONER SITIVENI QILIHO, BOTH FACE SIGNIFICANT JAIL TERMS AFTER BEING CONVICTED IN SUVA'S HIGH COURT TODAY. BAINIMARAMA'S BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF PERVERTING THE COURSE OF JUSTICE AND FACES A FIVE-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE. HE DIRECTED THE SUSPENDED POLICE COMMISSIONER TO DROP A POLICE INVESTIGATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. QILIHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF ABUSE OF OFFICE AND FACES 10 YEARS BEHIND BARS. BOTH MEN WILL BE SENTENCED AT THE END OF THE MONTH. SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT TIKTOK, THAT EVEN JOE BIDEN USES, COULD BE BANNED IN AMERICA IF CONGRESS GETS ITS WAY. IT COMES AMID FEARS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS USING THE POPULAR APP TO SPY ON AMERICANS. U.S. CORRESPONDENT LOGAN CHURCH EXPLAINS. NO SOCIAL NETWORK HAS HAD SUCH A METEORIC RISE AS TIKTOK, WITH EVEN THE U.S. PRESIDENT NOW CAMPAIGNING ON IT... ...WITH MORE THAN 1.5 BILLION USERS WORLDWIDE. BUT FEARS THE APP, OWNED BY CHINESE COMPANY BYTEDANCE, IS SPYING ON AMERICANS HAS RESULTED IN THIS. LOWER HOUSE LAWMAKERS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTING 'YES' ON A BILL TO BAN TIKTOK FROM U.S.-BASED APP STORES, ON A BILL TO BAN TIKTOK FROM U.S.-BASED APP STORES UNLESS BYTEDANCE SELLS IT WITHIN SIX MONTHS. TIKTOK IS ABSOLUTELY A THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, AND WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE, IN 2017, THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY PASSED A LAW THAT ALL CHINESE COMPANIES MUST COMPLY WITH ANY OF THEIR REQUESTS FOR DATA. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN INDEPENDENT CHINESE COMPANY. THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO BAN TIKTOK; IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE TIKTOK BETTER. TIC TAC TOE ` A WINNER. IT'S ALSO FEARED IT COULD BE USED TO INFLUENCE THE U.S ELECTION, WITH ABOUT HALF OF AMERICANS REGULARLY USING IT. TIKTOK'S ALWAYS DENIED THE ALLEGATION THAT IT'S SIMPLY A TOOL FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND SAYS IT'S ALSO NEVER HANDED U.S. USER DATA OVER TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HASN'T ACTUALLY PRESENTED ANY EVIDENCE THAT IT HAS DONE SO. CHINA'S GOVERNMENT AND STATE-RUN NEWS MEDIA CRYING FOUL. TRANSLATOR: IN THE END, IT IS BOUND TO COME BACK TO BITE THE U.S. ITSELF. IT'S VERY RARE FOR U.S. LAWMAKERS TO AGREE ON SOMETHING SO QUICKLY. ALL CHANT: KEEP TIKTOK! KEEP TIKTOK! AND IT'S EVEN MORE REMARKABLE BECAUSE BY AND LARGE, VOTERS DON'T WANT A BAN. NOW, WHEN WE HAD A SPY BALLOON OR A WEATHER BALLOON FLOATING ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AMERICANS WERE LOSING THEIR MINDS, SAYING 'SHOOT IT DOWN'. BUT FOR SOME REASON, HAVING A DEVICE IN THEIR POCKET THAT CAN BE USED AS SURVEILLANCE AND PROPAGANDA THEY AREN'T THINKING ABOUT. THIS STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH THE SENATE, BUT JOE BIDEN SAYS HE'LL SUPPORT IT. WHILE THERE WERE PASSIONATE CROWDS OUTSIDE CONGRESS TODAY... TIKTOK CHANGED MY LIFE. TIKTOK HAS DONE SOMETHING VERY AMAZING FOR ME AS FAR AS STARTING MY TAX BUSINESS. ...THE CLOCK'S TICKING FOR THIS WILDLY POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS, NEW YORK. E WHAI AKE NEI ` STILL TO COME ` HOW THE SAIL GP EVENT COULD BE STOPPED DURING ITS LYTTELTON HARBOUR LEG, ALL IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION. AND GET SET FOR GRAVITY-DEFYING ACROBATICS ` IT'S OPENING NIGHT OF AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE. THE INVESTIGATION INTO WHY A BOEING PASSENGER PLANE DROPPED SUDDENLY EN ROUTE TO AUCKLAND IS FOCUSING ON THE PILOT'S SEAT MOVEMENTS. THAT'S ACCORDING TO EXPERT AVIATION PUBLICATION 'THE AIR CURRENT', WHICH SPOKE TO TWO PEOPLE WHO'D BEEN BRIEFED ON THE EARLY FACTS. THEY SAY INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING AT THE MOVEMENT OF A SEAT IN THE COCKPIT WHICH COULD HAVE HIT THE CONTROLS, CAUSING THE PLANE TO DROP. IT'S REPORTED THOSE BRIEFED CLAIM THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IS ALSO UNDER REVIEW. AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE WERE INJURED WHEN THE LATAM AIRLINES FLIGHT, TRAVELLING FROM SYDNEY TO AUCKLAND ON MONDAY, DIVED SUDDENLY. UKRAINE'S LAUNCHED SWEEPING DRONE ATTACKS IN RUSSIA AS KYIV INTENSIFIES ITS CROSS-BORDER ATTACKS. THREE OIL REFINERIES WERE STRUCK, CAUSING A FIRE IN ONE OF THE BIGGEST ABOUT 180KM SOUTH OF MOSCOW. IT'S NOT KNOWN IF PRODUCTION WAS AFFECTED. RUSSIAN MEDIA CLAIMS 60 DRONES WERE DESTROYED ABOVE RUSSIAN TERRITORY OVER SEVERAL HOURS. VLADIMIR PUTIN SAYS THE STRIKES WERE AN ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THIS WEEK'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. IN A WIDE-RANGING INTERVIEW, HE ALSO SAID RUSSIA WOULD MOVE TROOPS TO ITS FINNISH BORDER NOW THAT FINLAND HAD JOINED NATO. WELCOME BACK. COUNCILS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO IDENTIFY COUNCILS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT NATURAL AREAS WHERE RARE OR THREATENED PLANTS OR ANIMALS ARE FOUND. THE COALITION GOVERNMENT SAYS THE LEGISLATION LIMITS NEW DEVELOPMENT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE MOVE IS BEING WELCOMED BY FARMERS, WHILE THE GREENS SAY IT IS AN ASSAULT ON THE FUTURE OF AOTEAROA'S UNIQUE WILDLIFE. AN INDEPENDENT DECISION-MAKER WILL BE ABLE TO HALT RACING IN THE GLOBAL SERIES SAILGP DURING ITS LYTELLTON HARBOUR LEG NEXT WEEK. IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO PROTECT THE ENDANGERED HECTOR'S DOLPHINS AFTER RULES WERE BROKEN LAST YEAR. RYAN BOSWELL EXPLAINS. SAIL GP IS FAST-PACED AND, SOME ARGUE, POTENTIALLY DEADLY. THE AMERICANS HAVE A LOT OF SPEED! WITH FEARS THE GLOBAL RACE IN LYTTELTON HARBOUR COULD SEE BOATS COLLIDE WITH THE ENDANGERED HECTOR'S DOLPHIN. WE CAN'T ELIMINATE THE RISK TO DOLPHINS, BUT I'M COMFORTABLE WE'VE DONE A REASONABLY GOOD JOB. THE CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT HAS HAD INPUT INTO A PLAN DEVELOPED BY SAILGP AND LOCAL HAPU NGATI WHEKE THAT'S SEEN AN INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT APPOINTED TO STOP NEXT WEEK'S RACE IF NEEDED. I QUESTION THE INDEPENDENCE THERE, CONSIDERING THEY HAD... THEY WERE PART AUTHORS IN LAST YEAR'S PLAN. ALL PARTIES ARE OPERATING IN GOOD FAITH THAT THE PLAN WILL BE FOLLOWED. OFFICIALS REVISED THE MARINE MAMMAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AFTER SAILGP'S RACE DIRECTOR FAILED TO ACT LAST YEAR. TWO DOLPHINS WERE THOUGHT TO HAVE CROSSED THE BOUNDARY INTO THE RACE ZONE, AND RACING SHOULD'VE COME TO A HALT. WHETHER OR NOT THOSE DOLPHINS WERE WITHIN PROXIMITY WASN'T FOUND. THE NUMBER OF OBSERVERS ON THE LAND AND WATER HAS BEEN INCREASED THIS YEAR. THERE'LL BE A FOURTH MONITORING BOAT TOO ` THE CHANGE IN DIRECTION ALSO SEEING THE END OF REAL-TIME ACOUSTIC LISTENING AND DRONE-AIDED SURVEYS. WHAT WAS DISCOVERED ULTIMATELY IS THAT HUMAN OBSERVERS WERE FAR MORE EFFECTIVE. WHAT HAPPENS IF ITS CHOPPY WATER? YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU HOPE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S CHOPPY WATER? YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU HOPE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S CHOPPY WATER? YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU HOPE TO SEE. YOU NEED TO RELY ON SOMETHING ELSE. THE UNDERWATER ACOUSTIC DEVICES DIDN'T WORK LAST YEAR. IN FUTURE YEARS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THEIR USE INCLUDED AGAIN, PARTICULARLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COURSE TO DETECT PRESENCE AND ABSENCE. THE EVENT DRIVES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN VISITOR SPEND FOR THE REGION, A COST TOO GREAT FOR SOME WHO WANT THESE ENDANGERED DOLPHINS TO BE LEFT ALONE. RYAN BOSWELL, 1 NEWS. ACROBATICS, CONTORTION AND PULSATING PERCUSSION ` IT'S ALL ON IN AUCKLAND WITH THE OPENING OF AFRIQUE EN CIRQUE TONIGHT AT THE ARTS FESTIVAL. INSPIRED BY DAILY LIFE IN GUINEA, THE SHOW TAKES A SIMPLE LOCATION ` A FISH MARKET ` AND MAKES IT INCREDIBLE. CORAZON MILLER CHECKED IT OUT. ECHOED IN THE THRUM OF THE DRUM IS THE HEARTBEAT OF AFRICAN CULTURE. (FRENETIC DRUMMING) YOU WILL SEE HOW AFRICAN PEOPLE LIVE IN FISH MARKET, AND YOU WILL SEE HOW THEY GET READY BEFORE THEY GO FISHING. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THEIR LIFE. THAT LIFE TOLD THROUGH MUSIC, DANCE AND SHEER ATHLETICISM. IN FRENCH: I WANTED SOMETHING PEOPLE CAN FEEL AND PEOPLE CAN HAVE A PICTURE OF MY COUNTRY. ORIGINALLY FROM GUINEA, CIRCUS LIFE HAS TAKEN HIM ACROSS THE WORLD, BUT HE'S NEVER FORGOTTEN HIS ROOTS. EVERY TIME I HAVE A BREAK IN BETWEEN SHOWS, WHEN I GO TO GUINEA, I START A CIRCUS SCHOOL THERE, AND I START TEACHING THEM, THEY REALLY WANT TO BECOME A CIRCUS STAR. THEY REALLY WANT TO BECOME A CIRCUS STAR. ONE OF THOSE STARS, FELLOW GUINEAN AND CONTORTIONIST MOHAMMED BEN SYLLA, WHOSE SPENT A LIFETIME TURNING HIS BODY INTO AN ARTFORM. IN FRENCH: AND WHILE IT'S A STORY THAT BEGAN IN GUINEA, IT'S GROWN TO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE WHOLE AFRICAN CONTINENT. I AM HAPPY ALL THE AFRICANS SEE THE SHOW, THEY'RE LIKE, 'WOW, I FEEL LIKE, YEAH, AFRICA IS GOOD.' AND BESIDE AFRICANS, THE WHOLE WORLD FEELS IT. IN FRENCH: THEIR FIRST CIRCUS ACT IN NEW ZEALAND OPENS IN AUCKLAND TONIGHT BEFORE CONTINUING SOUTH TO CHRISTCHURCH. CORAZON MILLER, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD ` WET, WINDY AND COOLER WEATHER MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY TOMORROW. AND WHO THOUGHT A DAY CELEBRATING MATHS WOULD LOOK QUITE SO SWEET? AND WHO THOUGHT A DAY CELEBRATING MATHS WOULD LOOK QUITE SO SWEET? WHY TODAY'S DATE IS CAUSE FOR EXCITEMENT. NAU MAI HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK. MATHS ENTHUSIASTS AND FOOD LOVERS ARE TODAY TEAMING UP TO CELEBRATE A HOLIDAY YOU MAY'VE NEVER EVEN HEARD OF ` BAKED GOODS ON OFFER AT THIS CONNECTICUT BAKERY FOR PI DAY. IT CELEBRATES THE 14TH DAY OF THE THIRD MONTH, OR 3.41 ` THE MATHEMATICAL CONSTANT OF 'PI'. OR 3.14 ` THE MATHEMATICAL CONSTANT OF 'PI'. THE CELEBRATION STARTED IN THE U.S. IN THE LATE 1980s BUT HAS SINCE TAKEN OFF OVERSEAS. FESTIVITIES INCLUDE EATING PIE AND RECITING MATHS EQUATIONS. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER WITH JOHN MAYER AND 'FREE FALLING'. (JOHN MAYER'S 'FREE FALLING') # ALL THE VAMPIRES # WALKIN' THROUGH THE VALLEY # THEY MOVE WEST DOWN VENTURA BOULEVARD. # AND ALL THE BAD BOYS # ARE STANDIN' IN THE SHADOWS, # AND THE GOOD GIRLS # ARE HOME WITH BROKEN HEARTS. # FREE FALLIN', FREE FALLIN'. # NOW I'M FREE FALLIN'. # NOW I'M FREE FALLIN', # NOW I'M FREE FALLIN'. # NOW I'M FREE FALLIN'. # NOW I'M FREE FALLIN'. # NOW I'M FREE FALLIN'. # I WANNA GLIDE DOWN # OVER MULHOLLAND. # I WANNA WRITE # HER NAME IN THE SKY. # I WANNA FREE FALL # OUT INTO NOTHIN'. THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.