TONIGHT ` A NEW POLITICAL STORM FOR THE GREEN PARTY, WITH QUESTIONS OVER ITS HANDLING OF MP DARLEEN TANA AFTER MIGRANT EXPLOITATION ALLEGATIONS. INTERPOL'S CALLED IN AMID EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY THE BODY DISCOVERED IN AUCKLAND'S GULF HARBOUR, EARLIER THIS WEEK. AND THE LINE UP OF ALL-KIWI MUSOS HEADLINING WELLINGTON'S SELL OUT HOMEGROWN FESTIVAL. CAPTIONS BY TUI TIPENE AND ANNA HALL-TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. THE GREEN PARTY MP STOOD DOWN AFTER BEING ACCUSED OF MIGRANT WORKER EXPLOITATION, SAYS SHE WELCOMES THE INVESTIGATION THAT'S NOW UNDERWAY AND WILL COOPERATE FULLY. THE GREEN PARTY'S DENYING IT'S BEEN SLOW TO ACT, AS DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR, MAIKI SHERMAN REPORTS. NEW GREEN MP DARLEEN TANA SPEAKING OF LIFE WITH HUSBAND CHRISTIAN HOFF-NIELSEN IN HER PARLIAMENTARY MAIDEN SPEECH JUST LAST MONTH. WE SET UP CHRIS' BUSINESS MANUFACTURING, SELLING, AND RENTING ELECTRIC BIKES. BY THE TIME OF THIS SPEECH, THE MP AND HER THEN CO-LEADERS WERE ALREADY AWARE DARLEEN TANA AND HER HUSBAND WERE FACING CLAIMS OF MIGRANT WORKER EXPLOITATION. IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY HARD ON HIM, JUST NOT BEING ABLE TO SURVIVE, THAT'S BEEN REALLY HARD. LAWYER NATHAN SANTESSO REPRESENTS ARGENTINIAN SANTIAGO PALMA. THIS IS MY THIRD DAY HERE. IT'S CLAIMED HE BEGAN WORKING FOR THE E-BIKE BUSINESS IN SEPTEMBER 2022 ON A VISITOR VISA AND WAS PAID IN CASH UNTIL HE RECEIVED A WORK VISA A YEAR LATER. IT'S CLAIMED HE'S OWED AT LEAST $10,000 IN UNPAID WAGES AND ANNUAL LEAVE, PLUS COMPENSATION FOR LOST EARNINGS. WE'VE TAKEN THE IMMEDIATE ACTION ONCE NEW INFORMATION CAME TO US YESTERDAY TO STAND DARLEEN DOWN FROM MP DUTIES AND TO RUN AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. BUT THERE ARE QUESTIONS OVER THE GREENS' HANDLING OF THE ISSUE. ON FEBRUARY 1, DARLEEN TANA TOLD THE PARTY CO-LEADERS OF A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST HER HUSBAND'S BUSINESS. A WEEK LATER, A SECOND COMPLAINT FROM ANOTHER WORKER. THIS TIME, IT MENTIONED THE MP. SHE WAS STOOD ASIDE FROM HER SMALL BUSINESS PORTFOLIO. AND IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY, FOLLOWING MEDIA INQUIRIES, SHE WAS SUSPENDED. WE NEEDED TO BE SURE OF WHAT DARLEEN KNEW AND WHEN AND WHAT HER INVOLVEMENT WAS. THE MP RELINQUISHED HER SHAREHOLDING IN THE BUSINESS IN 2019. SHE REMOVED HERSELF OFFICIALLY AS A DIRECTOR, BUT SHE DID STAY ON AS THE PERSON KIND OF, LIKE, RUNNING THE SHOW. MARAMA DAVIDSON REJECTING THE PARTY WAS SLOW TO ACT. WE'VE GOT TO UPHOLD INNOCENCE BEING HELD UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AS WELL. WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DO YOU THINK DARLEEN TANA HAS IN ALL OF THIS? SHE HAD MORE OF A BURDEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT THING WAS DONE. A BURDEN THE GREEN PARTY NOW CARRIES AS WELL. TODAY MARKS FIVE YEARS SINCE THE CHRISTCHURCH TERRORIST ATTACK, WHICH KILLED 51 PEOPLE AND INJURED DOZENS MORE. THE DAY'S BEEN ONE OF REMEMBRANCE, A THEME THAT'S CONTINUED INTO THE EVENING, WITH POLITICIANS OF ALL STRIPES ATTENDING A COMMEMORATIVE EVENT AT THE AL NOOR MOSQUE. THE PRIME MINISTER AND A NUMBER OF MINISTERS SPENT TIME MINGLING WITH GUESTS AND HEARING THE VIEWS OF VICTIMS FAMILIES, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY LEADERS. A PRAYER WAS ALSO HELD. THAT EVENT WAS JUST ONE THAT TOOK PLACE TODAY. FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK AT HOW MARCH 15 WAS COMMEMORATED, HERE'S THOMAS MEAD. THIS MORNING, A HUNDRED CAKES ARRIVED AT THIS HOME FOR A SPECIAL NEW TRADITION. ALL: WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOURS! FARID AHMED LOST HIS WIFE, HUSNA, IN THE CHRISTCHURCH TERROR ATTACK, BUT HE'S FELT SO MUCH LOVE FROM HIS COMMUNITY, HE WANTS TO GIVE IT BACK. WE JUST APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE. AWESOME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE IT. HAVE A GOOD DAY. GOING DOOR TO DOOR... HI! ...SPREADING PEACE.... WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOURS! ...ONE CAKE AT A TIME... THANK YOU, THANK YOU! ALONGSIDE A SPECIAL GUEST ` THE U.S. AMBASSADOR FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, HERE FOR THE ANNIVERSARY. IT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT AND MOVING REMINDER THAT THE WAY WE TRANSFORM HEARTS AND THE WAY WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IS IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY INTERACTIONS. FOR FARID, IT'S A CHANCE TO CONTINUE HIS WIFE'S LEGACY OF KINDNESS. I KNOW SHE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY IF I CARRY ON THE THINGS SHE WAS DOING. WE WERE A TEAM, AND WE LOST ONE, BUT I HAVE TO CARRY ON. I HAVE TO CONTINUE. AND AT AL NOOR MOSQUE THIS AFTERNOON, THERE WERE FRESH FLOWERS ON THE GROUND. THE COMMUNITY POURING IN FOR PRAYER. WE ARE ALL REMEMBERING THE SHAHADA, THE MARTYRS OF 15 MARCH 2019, AND IT'S BEEN A WHILE. IT'S QUITE EMOTIONAL FOR ALL OF US. OH, NO, I AM SO SAD, YEAH. PRAYING, PRAYING FOR THEM. FAMILIES FROM MANY DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES COMING TOGETHER, UNDETERRED BY THE RAIN. SO MANY WORSHIPPERS ARRIVED THAT SOME HAD TO STAY OUTSIDE AND PRAY IN THE CARPARK. IT'S HERE AT THE SAME PLACE WHERE 51 PEOPLE WERE KILLED THAT THEY WILL BE HONOURED TONIGHT. TODAY WE WANT TO SHOW THE WORLD AND EVERYONE ELSE THAT NEW ZEALANDERS ARE UNITED, THAT THE COMMUNITY IS COMING TO SHOWING RESPECT, SO WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT PERSON, IT DIDN'T WORK. THE NATION'S LEADERS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO SHARE A MEAL AND HEAR FROM SURVIVORS. IT'S NOT FIVE YEARS OF TRAUMA; IT'S EVERY DAY, EVERY MOMENT, IT'S ONGOING, AND WE'RE NOW SEEING INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA. A COMMUNITY HEALING TOGETHER, REFUSING TO LET MARCH 15 DEFINE THEM. THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE ASKING FOR FINANCIAL REPARATIONS FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THAT'S ONE OF MORE THAN 20 RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE TERROR ATTACK, WHICH HAVE STILL NOT BEEN IMPLEMENTED. RYAN BOSWELL REPORTS. (PRAYING IN ARABIC) WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO UNITY, TO SOLIDARITY AND TO PEACE. A GATHERING IN CHRISTCHURCH TO TACKLE DIVISION. NO ONE WILL FORGET THE DEVASTATION STRUCK BY THE TERROR ATTACKS THAT TOOK AWAY 51 INNOCENT LIVES IN THE NAME OF HATRED AND IGNORANCE. BUT FIVE YEARS ON FROM THIS HORRIFIC DAY... (SIREN WAILS) ...NEW ZEALAND'S MUSLIM COMMUNITY REMAINS A TARGET. MUSLIM WOMEN ARE ABOUT 36% OF THE DAILY HATE. THEY'RE INVOLVED WITH 36% WITH LESS THAN 1% OF THE POPULATION. THE FIRST UNITY SUMMIT PUSHING TO BREAK BARRIERS AND CHANGE PERCEPTIONS. WELL, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER, AND FOR US, AND OUR CULTURE, THE MUSLIM FAITH, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN EXPRESSION OF OUR FAITH ` THE RESILIENCE, THE PERSEVERANCE, THE PATIENCE. PROGRESS ON THE ROYAL COMMISSION'S INQUIRY INTO THE DEADLY ATTACK IS ALSO BEING QUESTIONED. 23 OF THE 44 RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. WE'VE GOT A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO LOOK AT THE ROYAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. HE WANTS REPARATIONS PAID TO THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AS FIRST RESPONDERS. THIS COMMUNITY WAS ATTACKED AS A COMMUNITY, AND REPARATIONS NEED TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION. TODAY'S NOT THE DAY TO GO THROUGH EACH RECOMMENDATION AND MAKE DECISIONS ON IT. NO, BUT IT IS FIVE YEARS ON, AND I GUESS THAT TIME FRAME DOES MARK` A LOT OF TIME HAS GONE PAST, SO THEY WANT THOSE ANSWERS TOO. YEAH, SURE, BUT TODAY IS, AS JUDITH SAID QUITE RIGHTLY, A DAY FOR FAMILIES TO REMEMBER THEIR LOVED ONES. BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WE'RE VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE ROYAL COMMISSION INQUIRY IS NOW FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. THE GOVERNMENT BEING ASKED TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF THE WHAKAARI ERUPTION COURT RULING THAT'S SEEN VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES PAID OUT MORE THAN $10M IN TOTAL. WE DO FEEL THAT CERTAIN THINGS ARE TICKING A BIT TOO SLOW TO MOVE FORWARD. STUCK FOR NOW, BUT HOPING THEIR WORDS ARE ACTED ON SOON. RYAN BOSWELL, 1 NEWS. AND WINSTON PETERS IS PAYING RESPECTS TO THE VICTIMS OF THE SHOOTINGS, BY VISITING THE BIGGEST MOSQUE IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, DURING A TRADE TRIP TO THE INDONESIAN CAPITAL, JAKARTA. HOME TO THE WORLD'S LARGEST POPULATION OF MUSLIMS, INDONESIA WAS THE FIRST NATION NEW ZEALAND OFFICIALS VISITED AFTER THE CHRISTCHURCH TERROR ATTACKS. AND SO WE THOUGHT IT WAS PROPER TO GO BACK AND TO PAY OUR RESPECTS WITH RESPECT TO THE ORGANISATION THAT WAS OF SUCH ENORMOUS HELP TO US WHEN IT HAPPENED ON 2019. IN MEETINGS WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS, HE ALSO DISCUSSED A SHARED COMMITMENT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND TOLERANCE. AN INTERNATIONAL SEARCH IS UNDERWAY TO IDENTIFY THE BODY DISCOVERED IN AUCKLAND'S GULF HARBOUR EARLIER THIS WEEK. POLICE BELIEVE IT BELONGS TO A MIDDLE-AGED CHINESE WOMAN, BUT IT DOESN'T MATCH ANY MISSING PEOPLE THEY'RE CURRENTLY AWARE OF. YVONNE TAHANA HAS THE LATEST. THE START OF A DELICATE AND COMPLEX INVESTIGATION ` POLICE TRYING TO ESTABLISH JUST WHO THIS JANE DOE IS. A FISHERMAN AT GULF HARBOUR MADE THE GRISLY DISCOVERY ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. I WAS THINKING THOSE BOATS GOING THROUGH THERE, THEY BETTER WATCH OUT. AND THEN I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHY AREN'T THEY STOPPING TO PICK IT UP OR MOVE IT OR SOMETHING? AND TODAY POLICE REVEALED AN AUTOPSY HAS BEEN COMPLETED. WE ESTIMATE HER HEIGHT TO BE AROUND 160CM. WE BELIEVE SHE'S OF ASIAN DESCENT, AND OUR INQUIRIES LEAD US TO BELIEVE SHE IS PROBABLY CHINESE. THEY'VE COMBED THROUGH MISSING PERSONS FILES AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO MAKE A MATCH. ALSO RULING OUT HOMICIDE VICTIM YANFEI BAO, THE CHRISTCHURCH REAL ESTATE AGENT WHO WENT MISSING IN JULY LAST YEAR. INTERNATIONAL AGENCY INTERPOL HAS NOW BEEN CONTACTED FOR HELP. SHE COULD BE SOMEONE'S MOTHER, SOMEONE'S SISTER, OR EVEN SOMEONE'S GRANDMOTHER. IF THERE'S A WOMAN IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT MATCHES THIS DESCRIPTION THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN FOR A WHILE OR YOU HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, PLEASE MAKE CONTACT WITH THE INVESTIGATION TEAM. THE SPARSE DETAILS ARE CONFRONTING. THE VICTIM WAS FOUND WRAPPED IN BLACK PLASTIC CLEAN SACKS. SHE WAS ALSO WEARING THESE BLUE PYJAMA PANTS WITH A DISTINCT PATTERN. AND THIS LOGO WAS FOUND ON A LIGHT-COLOURED SINGLET WHICH NAMES THE BRAND, SIZE AND FACTORY. POLICE SAY THEY HAVE SUBSTANTIAL CCTV FOOTAGE BUT ARE ASKING LOCALS TO CHECK THEIR OWN CAMERAS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY FACE THE WATER. THEY'RE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ANY SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOUR BETWEEN LONG BAY AND GULF HARBOUR IN THE PAST FEW DAYS. WE'RE KEEPING A TOTALLY OPEN MIND IN RELATION TO WHERE THIS VICTIM HAS COME FROM AND ARE LOOKING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF AUCKLAND. CHINESE-SPEAKING OFFICERS SET TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE AS POLICE LEAN ON THE PUBLIC, SAYING NO PIECE OF INFORMATION IS TOO SMALL AT THIS STAGE OF THE INVESTIGATION. YVONNE TAHANA, 1 NEWS. TWO PEOPLE HAVE APPEARED IN COURT AFTER MORE THAN 60 KILOS OF DRUGS WERE FOUND IN THEIR LUGGAGE AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT THIS WEEK. 37 KILOS OF METH WAS DISCOVERED IN ONE BUST, AND 25 KILOS OF MDMA INTERCEPTED IN ANOTHER. THE HAUL HAS AN ESTIMATED STREET VALUE OF MORE THAN $20m. CUSTOMS STAFF ARE DESCRIBING THE FIND AS A HUGE SUCCESS. STUDENTS FACE DISCIPLINARY ACTION AT A PALMERSTON NORTH SCHOOL AFTER CONFRONTING ACT LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR WITH A PROTEST HAKA. THE PRINCIPAL SAYS THEIR BEHAVIOUR WAS 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE', BUT A VETERAN ACTIVIST SAYS THE STUDENTS SHOULD BE HONOURED FOR WHAT THEY DID. KIM BAKER WILSON REPORTS. A CHALLENGE... (ALL PERFORM HAKA) ...COMING RIGHT TO DAVID SEYMOUR'S FEET AT FREYBERG HIGH. HAKAS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE CONFRONTING, AND I THOUGHT THEIRS WAS QUITE GOOD. BUT THEN A SPIT, OR TUHA. YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T CLAIM TO BE AN EXPERT IN TIKANGA, BUT USUALLY, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU KNOW, A GOOD HOST TO YOUR MANUHIRI OR GUESTS, AND I THINK PROBABLY ONE OR TWO STUDENTS FAILED AT THAT. BUT FOR A VETERAN ACTIVIST ` WHO'S SIMILARLY CHALLENGED POLITICIANS ` THE STUDENTS WERE DOING A GOOD JOB. THAT'S JUST NORMAL IN OUR CULTURE, AND I THINK THAT... IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE CHILDREN... MAKING A STATEMENT. THE SCHOOL SHOULD SUPPORT THAT IDEA. THE SCHOOL ISN'T, SAYING THE BEHAVIOUR WAS 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE' AND CONTRARY TO ITS VALUES AND HIGH STANDARDS, AND STUDENTS WILL NOW BE DEALT WITH IN A DISCIPLINARY PROCESS. WELL, I THINK THE SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. I MAY NOT BE PARTICULARLY UPSET ABOUT IT, BUT I FULLY RESPECT THE CHOICE OF THE PRINCIPAL AND THE BOARD TO RUN THE SCHOOL ACCORDING TO THEIR STANDARDS. THE SCHOOL WOULDN'T BE INTERVIEWED. CHALLENGES OF THIS NATURE IS NOTHING NEW TO TE AO MAORI. AS MAORI, IT'S PART OF OUR TIKANGA. IT'S BEEN DONE FOR CENTURIES. DAVID SEYMOUR HAD A ROBUST WELCOME AT WAITANGI TOO. IT'S THOUGHT YESTERDAY'S WAS TAKING AIM AT PLANS PUTTING FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES UP FOR REVIEW. THEY'VE BEEN TOLD SOME THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE ON TIKTOK. IT MIGHT BE FOREIGN TO MANY, BUT FOR TE AO MAORI, IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY. FREYBERG HIGH'S BEING URGED TO THINK LIKEWISE. IT'S THE HONOURABLE THING FOR KIDS AND FOR OUR PEOPLE TO MAKE SUCH STATEMENTS, YOU KNOW? THE ACT LEADER'S OFFERED TO GO BACK AND HEAR THE STUDENTS OUT. KIM BAKER WILSON, 1 NEWS. STILL TO COME ` SHIFT OVER SUMMER FESTIVALS WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WELLINGTON'S HOMEGROWN IS SHAPING UP, JUST A DAY OUT. THEN ` THE DISAPPOINTING END FOR ANOTHER SPACE-X ROCKET, WHY IT'S STILL BEING DEEMED A SUCCESS. KIA ORA ANO, WELCOME BACK. THOSE LOOKING FOR A LATE NIGHT MCDONALD'S FIX MAY BE OUT OF LUCK WITH REPORTS RESTAURANTS ARE CURRENTLY UNABLE TO TAKE ORDERS IN-STORE. SOME OUTLETS IN AUSTRALIA HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CLOSE OVER A SIMILAR ISSUE, WITH JAPAN STORES REPORTING THEIR OWN 'SYSTEM FAILURE.' MCDONALD'S NEW ZEALAND HAS BEEN APPROACHED FOR COMMENT. AOTEAROA'S MOST POPULAR MUSOS ARE ARRIVING IN THE CAPITAL CITY, READY TO PLAY FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FANS AT TOMORROW'S SELL-OUT HOMEGROWN FESTIVAL. SAM OLLEY WENT FOR A LOOK BACKSTAGE. # KICK YOUR FEET ABOVE THE... # OUR BIGGEST PARTY OF SOLELY NEW ZEALAND MUSICIANS. FIVE STAGES AND 45 ACTS MAKE UP THIS YEAR'S HOME-GROWN. FROM STAN WALKER... (STAN WALKER'S 'HE KAKANO AHAU' PLAYS) ..TO SAVAGE... (SAVAGE'S 'SWING' PLAYS) ..BIC RUNGA... (BIC RUNGA'S 'SOMETHING GOOD' PLAYS) ..AND BLINDSPOTT... (BLINDSPOTT'S 'LULL' PLAYS) BANDS LIKE KORA ARE BECOMING REGULARS. (KORA'S 'GONE' PLAYS) IT WAS ALWAYS LIKE THE FESTIVAL AT THE END OF THE SUMMER. SO FOR A LOT OF THE BANDS, THIS WAS LIKE, 'YAY, THIS IS THE LAST RUN.' WITH THEIR MIX OF REGGAE, ROCK AND ROOTS, KORA FORMED IN 2002, AND THE EXCITEMENT OF LIVE PERFORMANCE HASN'T WANED. YOU REALLY WANT TO, LIKE, COME HERE AND PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND REALLY PUT ON A GOOD SHOW FOR EVERYONE. THE FESTIVAL'S AN ANNUAL REUNION OF SORTS FOR ARTISTS CATCHING UP AFTER SUMMER TOURS. JUST FLEW IN WITH THE L.A.B BOYS AND THE BROTHERS PLAY FOR THEM AS WELL. UM, OBVIOUSLY KATCHAFIRE IS HERE. WHO ELSE? HOMEBREW, LADI6 I HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME. AND WITH 20,000 PEOPLE EXPECTED, ORGANISERS ARE GEARING UP FOR PUNTERS TO TAKE OVER THE WELLINGTON WATERFRONT FOR THE 17TH YEAR. IT'S AMAZING. WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, THEY SAID THAT NEW ZEALAND MUSIC WOULD ONLY HAVE TWO YEARS AND THE FESTIVAL WOULD BE OVER. HE SAYS THE PREPARATIONS FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT STARTED THE MOMENT LAST YEAR'S ONE FINISHED. LOOKING AT WHAT WENT WELL, WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL. WHO DO WE WANT IN OUR LINE UP? WHO'S STARTING TO POP AND WHO'S STARTING TO LOOK REALLY GOOD. UM, AND THEN HOW DOES THAT ROLL INTO THAT NEXT YEAR? SO, PRETTY MUCH THE DAY AFTER, WHILE WE'RE PAYING BILLS, WE'RE LOOKING AT LITTLE TWEAKS WE WANT TO MAKE AROUND THE SITE. A SITE SET TO SWARM WITH FANS READY TO ROCK. SAM OLLEY, 1 NEWS. SPACE-X HAS BLASTED ITS NEXT GENERATION STARSHIP ROCKET FURTHER INTO SPACE THAN EVER BEFORE. IT'S A KEY STEP TO RETURNING HUMANS TO THE MOON AND MAYBE, ONE DAY, MARS. THE BIGGEST AND MOST POWERFUL ROCKET EVER BUILT DISINTEGRATED ON RE-ENTRY BUT THAT DIDN'T STOP CELEBRATIONS, AS U.S. CORRESPONDENT LOGAN CHURCH REPORTS. (ROCKET RUMBLES) THIS IS THE THIRD TIME SPACE-X IS TRYING TO SEND THE BIGGEST ROCKET EVER INTO SPACE. THIS THING IS MASSIVE ` 120m TALL WITH 35 ENGINES ` AND IT STARTED REALLY WELL, LAUNCHING FROM TEXAS. WE ARE FEELING THE RUMBLE. THEN SUCCESSFULLY SEPARATING FROM ITS HUGE BOOSTER, THE POINT AT WHICH IT BLEW UP LAST TIME. OK, WE GOT A STARSHIP ON ITS WAY TO SPACE AND A BOOSTER ON THE WAY BACK TO THE GULF. CRIES OF JOY FROM THE CONTROL ROOM AS EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE GOING TO PLAN. THE FIRST SURPRISE WAS THE BREATHTAKING VIEW FROM THE ROCKET. VIDEO RELAYED BY ELON MUSK'S STARLINK SATELLITE SYSTEM. OH MAN, I NEED A MOMENT TO PICK MY JAW UP FROM THE FLOOR BECAUSE THESE VIEWS ARE JUST STUNNING. THE SECOND SURPRISE WAS WHEN THEY LOST THE WHOLE THING. VIDEO SHOWING HOT GASES ENVELOPING THE SPACECRAFT ON RE-ENTRY BEFORE RADIO SILENCE. WE ARE MAKING THE CALL NOW THAT WE HAVE LOST SHIP 28. BUT THIS LAUNCH HAS BEEN SEEN AS A TOTAL SUCCESS FOR SPACE-X. NOT ONLY HAVE THEY LAUNCHED THE BIGGEST ROCKET EVER INTO SPACE, BUT ON IT, THEY'RE TRIALLING TECH THAT ONLY A FEW DECADES AGO WOULD HAVE SEEMED THE STUFF OF DREAMS FOR THE MOST DIEHARD SCIENCE FICTION FANS. THIS IS THE FURTHEST AND FASTEST THAT STARSHIP HAS EVER FLOWN. THEY HAVEN'T MANAGED TO BRING THE BOOSTER BACK, BUT THAT'S, I THINK, A READILY SOLVABLE PROBLEM WITH A FEW MORE TRIALS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE STARSHIP ACTIVITIES IN ORBIT HAVE GONE VERY WELL. THIS WAS ALSO A LOT MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE FIRST TWO GOS WHICH ENDED IN... A RAPID UNSCHEDULED DISASSEMBLY. ...TWICE. THE SUPER HEAVY BOOSTER HAS JUST EXPERIENCED A RAPID UNSCHEDULED DISASSEMBLY. SO NOT BLOWING UP STRAIGHT AWAY IS PROGRESS, ESPECIALLY AS NASA IS COUNTING ON THESE ROCKETS TO RETURN HUMANS TO THE MOON IN JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS ` IF, OF COURSE, THEY STOP GETTING LOST OR BLOWING UP. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS, NEW YORK. I'VE GOT YOUR WEEKEND WEATHER AFTER THE BREAK, AND THEN ` CAUGHT ON CAMERA, THE FISH THAT'S BEHAVING LIKE A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF ANIMAL. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. MANY OF US ENJOY BLUE COD WITH CHIPS, BUT YOU MIGHT THINK AGAIN, WITH THE FISH BEING DUBBED 'KITTENS OF THE SEA' BY SCIENTISTS. NIWA ECOLOGISTS WORKING IN THE MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS HAVE CAPTURED THE FISH CHASING LASERS, LIKE CATS DO, WHEN THEY WERE BEING COUNTED AND MEASURED FOR RESEARCH. NIWA SAYS NO OTHER FISH SPECIES SEEM TO EXHIBIT THIS BEHAVIOUR, AND THE TEAM HASN'T WORKED OUT EXACTLY WHY. NOW TO TOMORROW'S WEATHER. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS) THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING. PO MANAHAU, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY TUI TIPENE AND ANNA HALL-TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.