THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW PLAN TO REDUCE YOUTH VAPING ` AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON DISPOSABLE VAPES AND MORE RULES FOR RETAILERS. A NEW REPORT CONFIRMS 2023 WAS THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD, WITH NEW HIGHS FOR GREENHOUSE GASES, OCEAN HEAT, SEA LEVEL AND GLACIAL RETREAT. AND TROUBLE AT THE TOP? WINSTON PETERS DESCRIBES THE PRIME MINISTER AS MISINFORMED, LUXON SAYS POLITICAL LEADERS NEED TO GROW UP. TENA TATOU KATOA, GOOD EVENING. NEW ZEALAND IS FOLLOWING AUSTRALIA'S LEAD WITH AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON DISPOSABLE VAPES. AS PART OF A CRACK-DOWN ON YOUTH VAPING ANNOUNCED TODAY, THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO HIKING UP THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR RETAILERS CAUGHT SELLING VAPES TO MINORS TO $100,000. ZANE SMALL REPORTS. IT'S THE BRIGHT COLOURS, THE UNIQUE FLAVOURS LIKE PINEAPPLE MANGO AND THE CHEAP PRICE TAG THAT MAKE DISPOSABLE VAPES SUCH A HIT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, AND SUCH A PROBLEM FOR SCHOOLS. I WOULD SAY THAT A STAFF MEMBER WOULD BE DEALING WITH A VAPING ISSUE... DAILY. ONE STUDY LAST YEAR FOUND 10% OF 14- TO 15-YEAR-OLDS IN NEW ZEALAND VAPE EVERY DAY, AND IT'S STATS LIKE THAT THAT LED COMMUNITIES TO SPEAK OUT. HAPPY, HEALTHY AND VAPE-FREE. SO THE COALITION GOVERNMENT RESPONDED TODAY WITH AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON DISPOSABLE VAPES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PRODUCT IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT TO QUIT SMOKING, BUT BALANCE THAT TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE. THAT'S OUR TARGET. A DATE FOR THE BAN IS STILL TO BE DETERMINED, BUT IS EXPECTED TO BE THIS YEAR. THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO INCREASING THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR RETAILERS FOUND SELLING VAPES TO UNDER-18s FROM $10,000 TO $100,000. VAPE-FREE KIDS NEW ZEALAND IS STOKED WITH THE BAN ON DISPOSABLES, BUT HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD GO FURTHER. REDUCE THE NUMBER OF RETAILERS. IN OUR OPINION, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM. THE GOVERNMENT'S VAPING ANNOUNCEMENT IS A RE-HEAT OF MANY MEASURES THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT PUT IN PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, AND DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO TOUCH THE NUMBER OF VAPE SHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITIES. SHE WAS REFERRING TO THE PREVIOUS LABOUR GOVERNMENT'S REGULATIONS ` ALL VAPES WOULD NEED TO HAVE A REMOVABLE BATTERY TO LIMIT THE SALE OF DISPOSABLES, NO NEW SPECIALIST VAPE SHOPS WITHIN 300m OF SCHOOLS AND MARAE, A LIMIT ON NICOTINE LEVELS, AND ONLY GENERIC NAMES FOR FLAVOURS. ALTHOUGH THEY HAD TRIED TO GET RID OF DISPOSABLE VAPES, WHAT THEY PUT IN PLACE WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS EASILY WORKED AROUND. SOME OF THE PREVIOUS LABOUR ADMINISTRATION'S REGULATIONS COME INTO EFFECT FROM TOMORROW ` FOR EXAMPLE, VAPE PRODUCTS WITH ENTICING NAMES LIKE 'COTTON CANDY' WILL BE BANNED, AND SO WILL PRODUCTS WITH IMAGES LIKE CARTOONS OR TOYS ON THE PACKAGING. THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT IS ALSO LOOKING AT FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON STOREFRONT DISPLAYS. RETAILERS WILL NO DOUBT TAKE A FINANCIAL HIT, BUT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF OTHER NON-DISPOSABLE VAPE PRODUCTS TO SELL. THE KEY HERE IS GOING TO BE THE TRANSITION TIME, AND HAVING TIME TO TRANSITION THROUGH THEIR EXISTING STOCKS AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT ELSE COULD THEY SELL. BECAUSE IT IS NOW JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE DISPOSABLE VAPES MUST BE DISPOSED OF. ZANE SMALL, NEWSHUB. LEADING KIWI CLIMATE SCIENTIST DAVE FRAME SAYS THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON NEW ZEALAND IN 2023 WAS LIKE BEING 'REPEATEDLY PUNCHED IN THE FACE', AND NOW WE HAVE THE RESEARCH TO SHOW IT WAS THE SAME ALL OVER THE WORLD. GLOBALLY, RECORDS WERE BROKEN FOR GREENHOUSE GAS LEVELS, OCEAN HEAT, SEA LEVEL RISE AND GLACIAL RETREAT. CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT ISOBEL EWING HAS THE FINDINGS. 'THE WORLD IS ON RED ALERT' ` THAT'S THE WARNING FROM THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION. ITS LATEST REPORT CONFIRMED 2023 WAS THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD ` 1.45 DEGREES HOTTER THAN THE PRE-INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE. EL NINO PLAYED A PART, BUT THE MAIN DRIVER IS GREENHOUSE GASES. CARBON DIOXIDE, METHANE AND NITROUS OXIDE REACHED RECORD LEVELS IN 2022 AND KEPT RISING LAST YEAR. SEA TEMPERATURES ARE ALSO AT A RECORD HIGH. ON AN AVERAGE DAY IN 2023, NEARLY A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S OCEAN WAS GRIPPED BY A MARINE HEATWAVE. MELTING GLACIERS AND ICE SHEETS ALSO PUSHED SEA LEVELS TO A RECORD HIGH. ANTARCTIC SEA ICE COVER HAS LOST A CHUNK THE SIZE OF FRANCE AND GERMANY COMBINED. BUT THERE'S A GLIMMER OF HOPE ` RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY HAS GROWN BY ALMOST 50% FROM 2022. 2019 IN TIMARU. 10 MINUTES OF THUNDEROUS HAIL ` HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN DAMAGE. BUT AS FAR AS STORMS GO, WE HADN'T SEEN ANYTHING YET. 2023 IN AUCKLAND. WIDESPREAD CATASTROPHIC FLOODING, WATERLOGGED LAND SLIDING OVER HOMES AND ROADS. AND A WEEK LATER, TAIRAWHITI AND HAWKE'S BAY HAMMERED WITH RECORD RAINFALL AND GALE-FORCE WINDS, DISPLACING THOUSANDS AND DEVASTATING HOMES, ORCHARDS AND INFRASTRUCTURE. WE'RE NOT NIMBLE ENOUGH TO DODGE THOSE PUNCHES, SO AT THE MOMENT WE'RE TAKING THEM FROM ANGLES WE DIDN'T EXPECT. AND WE NOW HAVE THE STATS THAT PROVE HOW HARD THOSE PUNCHES WERE. THE LATEST STATE OF THE GLOBAL CLIMATE REPORT SHOWS A PLANET ON THE BRINK. FOSSIL FUEL POLLUTION IS SENDING CLIMATE CHAOS OFF THE CHARTS. IN NEW ZEALAND, 2023 WAS A RECORD-BREAKER FOR WEATHER-RELATED INSURANCE PAY-OUTS. AUCKLAND'S FLOODS INCURRED $2.23b OF INSURED LOSS, FOLLOWED BY CYCLONE GABRIELLE CAUSING $2b IN INSURED LOSS. COMBINED, 2023'S WEATHER EVENTS COST 20 TIMES MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS RECORD-HOLDER. AND DESPITE ALL THIS, DAVE FRAME SAYS TWO SIGNIFICANT CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH PROGRAMMES COME TO AN END THIS YEAR. ABOUT $45m OF RESEARCH OVER FIVE YEARS IS FINISHING, AND AT THE MOMENT WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHAT'S REPLACING THAT. ONE'S THE NATIONAL SCIENCE CHALLENGE, TWO ENDEAVOUR FUND PROGRAMMES ` THEY'RE ON FLOODING AND EXTREME EVENTS. THOSE CONCERNS ECHOED BY ANOTHER KIWI SCIENTIST ` ONE WHO'S OBSERVED ANTARCTICA'S DRASTICALLY SHRINKING SEA ICE WHILE GATHERING DATA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND PAST CLIMATES. YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY WORK SO HARD AND SO FAST ` WELL, YOU WOULD'VE DURING COVID AS WELL ` BUT IT'S A REALLY STRONG COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE IN FOR IN THE COMING DECADES. BUT THE CLIMATE REPORT HELD ONE OPTIMISTIC RECORD ` RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION GROWTH HAS SURGED AT THE HIGHEST RATE IN TWO DECADES, MEANING THE GOAL SET AT LAST YEAR'S COP28 TO TRIPLE RENEWABLE ENERGY CAPACITY BY 2030 IS ACHIEVABLE. AND A STUDY OUT TODAY SHOWS OFFSHORE WIND IN NEW ZEALAND COULD CONTRIBUTE $50b TO THE GDP BY 2050. TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF GDP AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS, AND THOSE JOBS WILL BE HERE FOR DECADES. THE SCALING UP OF CLEAN ENERGY WILL BE EXPENSIVE, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN, THE COST OF CLIMATE INACTION IS A LOT HIGHER. ISOBEL EWING, NEWSHUB. MEANWHILE, ASSOCIATE ENERGY MINISTER SHANE JONES SAYS THE DESIRE TO FREE THE COUNTRY OF ITS RELIANCE ON FOSSIL FUELS IN THE NEAR FUTURE IS THE 'STUFF OF FAIRY TALES'. JONES IS INVESTIGATING THE FEASIBILITY OF REOPENING THE MARSDEN POINT OIL REFINERY AFTER IT WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN 2022. HE SAYS THE COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO NEED GAS AND COAL FOR DECADES. A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS IS BEING DEVELOPED, AND THE STUDY IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR. WINSTON PETERS SAYS WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT HIS NAZI COMMENTS, CHRISTOPHER LUXON WAS 'MISINFORMED' BY A 'MANIPULATIVE MEDIA'. LUXON LAUGHED OFF THE CLAIM, SAYING HE'S CAPABLE OF MAKING HIS OWN DECISIONS, AND THAT ALL POLITICAL LEADERS NEED TO 'GROW UP'. BUT JUST AFTER HE SAID THAT, PETERS BARRELLED PAST MEDIA PLAYING CHUMBAWAMBA. HERE'S JAMIE ENSOR. WAITING PATIENTLY FOR A FREE CAMERA BEFORE BLASTING THE SONG FROM HIS PHONE, REFUSING TO TALK TO MEDIA. MR PETERS, ARE YOU ABLE TO ADMIT THAT YOU'RE WRONG? ARE YOU ABLE TO SAY, 'SORRY, I'M WRONG?' WINSTON PETERS WON'T LET ANYONE KEEP HIM DOWN ` NOT EVEN HIS BOSS, THE PRIME MINISTER. HE SAID TO ME, 'I WAS TOLD THIS, THIS AND THIS.' AND I SAID TO HIM, 'BY WHO? DID YOU HEAR MY SPEECH?' 'NO.' AND THEN ABOUT THEN I REALISED, LIKE SO MANY NEW ZEALANDERS, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, HE'S BEEN MISINFORMED BY YOU MEDIA PEOPLE. THE NEW ZEALAND FIRST LEADER EARLIER ON MORNING TELEVISION CLAIMING THE PRIME MINISTER WAS MISINFORMED WHEN HE GAVE HIM A TALKING TO ABOUT HIS NAZI GERMANY COMMENTS. MR PETERS, YOU CANNOT BE ACCUSING THE PRIME MINISTER OF THIS COUNTRY OF BEING INFLUENCED SO WHOLLY BY THE MEDIA. I JUST SAID THAT, AND THAT'S THE TRUTH. (CHUCKLES) I AM QUITE WELL CAPABLE OF MAKING MY OWN DECISIONS. I THINK WINSTON PETERS IS HUMILIATING THE PRIME MINISTER. LUXON SAYING ALL POLITICIANS NEED TO DO BETTER. THE COMMENTS AND THE LANGUAGE FROM ALL SIDES OF POLITICS, FROM ALL POLITICAL LEADERS ` FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, EVERYONE NEEDS TO GROW UP. BUT PETERS IS SHOWING NO SIGN HE'S LISTENING OR WILLING TO BACK DOWN AFTER COMPARING CO-GOVERNANCE AND NAZI GERMANY. I'VE SEEN THAT SORT OF PHILOSOPHY BEFORE. I SAW IT IN NAZI GERMANY. YOU COMPARED LABOUR'S APPROACH TO CO-GOVERNANCE TO NAZI GERMANY. IS THAT APPROPRIATE? YES, IT IS. WINSTON PETERS IS ALSO IN DENIAL OVER CHUMBAWAMBA RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND FIRST USING THEIR HIT SONG AT HIS SUNDAY RALLY. GUITARIST BOFF WHALLEY TELLING STUFF ` LET'S SEE IF IT DOES BECOME A LEGAL THING. THAT'D BE GREAT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE` THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVEN'T A LEG TO STAND ON. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PLAYING IT IN A PUBLIC PLACE, AND THEY HAVEN'T ASKED PERMISSION. KIND OF HOPING, YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA GET A KIND OF, LIFE JAIL SENTENCE, AND WE'LL COME AND VISIT HIM. ARE YOU ABLE TO ADMIT THAT YOU'RE WRONG? ARE YOU ABLE ` WINSTON PETERS CLEARLY NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION. JAMIE ENSOR, NEWSHUB. POLITICAL EDITOR JENNA LYNCH JOINS US NOW. IS THERE ANYTHING THE PRIME MINISTER CAN DO TO REIN WINSTON PETERS IN? HE IS BASICALLY LAUGHING IN THE FACE OF THE PRIME MINISTER. HE ALWAYS HAS TO BE THE ONE THAT GETS THE LAST WORD. HE DOES NOT ADMIT IF HE HAS GOT SOMETHING WRONG. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE TO BLAME. THE PROBLEM FOR CHRISTOPHER LUXON IS THIS IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE, AND IT IS NOT JUST COMING FROM ONE SIDE OF HIS COALITION. HE HAS DAVID SEYMOUR DOING IT ONE WEEK, WINSTON PETERS DOING IT ANOTHER, AND DISTRACTING FROM WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING. THEY ARE SMALL PARTIES AND ARE WELL AWARE OF WHAT HAPPENS TO SMALL PARTIES WHEN THEY GO INTO GOVERNMENT. DAVID SEYMOUR AND WINSTON PETERS ARE IN AN ARMS RACE OVER WHO CAN SAY THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS THING TO REMAIN RELEVANT. JENNA, TENA KOE. THE FORMER FINANCE MINISTER AND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER GRANT ROBERTSON HAS SIGNED OFF FROM POLITICS ` DELIVERING A ROUSING AND AT-TIMES EMOTIONAL VALEDICTORY SPEECH AT PARLIAMENT A SHORT TIME AGO. HE SAT DOWN WITH POLITICAL EDITOR JENNA LYNCH AHEAD OF HIS FINAL FAREWELL. THE GRAND FINALE OF GRANT ROBERTSON... (APPLAUSE) USING HIS FINAL WORDS IN ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE PLACES TO HAVE A LAUGH... MR SPEAKER, BEING THE MINISTER OF FINANCE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PRIVILEGE. IT GAVE ME THE UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH MY COLLEAGUES WHEN THEY WERE AT THEIR MOST STRESSED AND ANXIOUS. ...TO REFLECT... IN MY TIME AS AN MP, WE HAVE ADDED MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND THE BANNING OF CONVERSION THERAPY, AND I WAS PROUD TO PLAY A ROLE IN THOSE. ...AND TO DRAW PEOPLE'S ATTENTION TO SOMETHING HE DEEPLY CARES ABOUT. I WOULD ASK EVERY NEW ZEALANDER TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION WHEN IT IS SHORTLY RELEASED. THE ABUSE, BULLYING AND CRUELTY EXPERIENCED BY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CARED FOR BY THE STATE AND CHURCHES IS HORRIFIC. GRANT ROBERTSON HAS BEEN IN-AND-AROUND PARLIAMENT FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS ` FIRST AS A STAFFER, THEN ELECTED IN 2008. 2008 GRANT ROBERTSON ` WOULD HE BE PROUD OF YOU TODAY? I HOPE SO. WHAT WOULD MAKE HIM MOST PROUD OF YOU? THAT I'VE STUCK BY MY VALUES. HE COULD HAVE BEEN LABOUR LEADER. HE STOOD TWICE ` THE FIRST TIME BEING OPENLY GAY PARTLY STOOD IN THE WAY. IT WAS A FACTOR, AND THERE'S NO DENYING THAT. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAPPENED. I DIDN'T COME INTO POLITICS TO BE THE LEADER OF THE LABOUR PARTY. BUT HE DID COME HERE TO MAKE CHANGE ` BY 2017, THE FATE OF THAT LAY IN THE HANDS OF ONE MAN. ROBERTSON AND JACINDA ARDERN WATCHED TOGETHER WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY TO LEARN WHETHER THEY COULD FORM A GOVERNMENT. WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE? NERVE-WRACKING, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW. HE CHOSE THEM. ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE WINSTON PETERS? MERCURIAL. THE OXFORD DICTIONARY DEFINES THAT AS 'SUBJECT TO SUDDEN OR UNPREDICTABLE CHANGES OF MOOD OR MIND.' IT WAS CHALLENGING. THE HANDBRAKE THAT STOPPED HIS POLICY DREAM ` A CAPITAL GAINS TAX. OF COURSE I WAS DISAPPOINTED. I OBVIOUSLY STILL BELIEVE THERE DOES NEED TO BE THE REFORM OF THE TAX SYSTEM IN NEW ZEALAND, AND THAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN. BUT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, COVID, SHUTTING THE BORDERS, LOCKING THE COUNTRY DOWN. FOR A FINANCE MINISTER, THAT MEANT SHUTTING THE ECONOMY DOWN. HE PUMMELLED CASH INTO IT, INTO THE UNKNOWN. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE END POINT WAS. WE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE WEEKS, MONTHS, YEARS. ADMITTING BY THE FINAL AUCKLAND LOCKDOWN, THE PATIENCE HAD RUN OUT. OUR SOCIAL LICENCE TO DO WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS DEFINITELY EBBING AWAY. THE PANDEMIC ALSO CREATED HIS HARDEST MOMENT HERE, THE PARLIAMENT OCCUPATION. WERE YOU SCARED? YEAH, AT TIMES. THERE WERE THREATS. IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT I GENUINELY THOUGHT ABOUT MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AND GOT WORRIED ABOUT IT. NOW HE GETS TO GO AND SPEND TIME WITH THAT FAMILY... TO MY DARLING ALF, YOU HAVE ALWAYS KEPT IT REAL AND KEPT ME GROUNDED. HAVING A PARTNER WHO ACTIVELY DISLIKES POLITICS HAS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR IT. ...TRYING TO MAKE UP THE TIME LOST TO THIS BUILDING. JENNA LYNCH, NEWSHUB. THE MOTHER OF A SEVERELY AUTISTIC CHILD HAS A WRITTEN TO THE MINISTER FOR DISABILITY ISSUES TELLING HER THE DECISION TO LIMIT ACCESS TO A FUND FOR DISABLED PEOPLE HAS LEFT HER UNABLE TO GET RESPITE AND SHE'S CONSIDERING TAKING HER LIFE. SHE IS ONE OF MANY CARERS WHO'VE BEEN LEFT DISTRAUGHT AT THE CHANGES. THE DISABILITY ISSUES MINISTER ROLLED BACK SOME OF THOSE CHANGES TODAY, BUT AS POLITICAL REPORTER AMELIA WADE EXPLAINS, WHEN SHE LEARNED ABOUT THE DECISION LAST WEEK, SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. MICHELLE SHARP'S SON HAS VERY HIGH SPECIAL NEEDS AND REQUIRES 24/7 CARE. IN AN ALREADY BROKEN SYSTEM, WHERE THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT AREN'T WORKING, THIS IS THE ONE THING THAT ALREADY WAS. PLEASE DON'T BREAK IT. THE MINISTRY OF DISABLED PEOPLE BLINDSIDED THE COMMUNITY ON MONDAY BY IMMEDIATELY LIMITING ACCESS TO A SUPPORT FUND FOR DISABLED PEOPLE AND THEIR CARERS. THE MINISTER KNEW ABOUT THE CHANGES ON THURSDAY, AND YET DIDN'T THINK TO CONSULT ANYBODY. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONSULTING ON A PAUSE, NOW WE'RE CONSULTING ON WHAT THE RULES SHOULD BE. TODAY THE MINISTER AND THE MINISTRY DID A PARTIAL U-TURN, ALLOWING THE FUND TO BE USED FOR ESSENTIAL TOOLS AND REGIONAL TRAVEL. IT'S NOT IMPRACTICAL FOR US TO WANT TO HAVE SOME CONDITIONS AND REGULATIONS AROUND THAT. BUT THERE'S STILL A QUESTION MARK OVER RESPITE CARE, LEAVING THE MOTHER OF A SEVERELY AUTISTIC CHILD DISTRAUGHT. IN A LETTER TO THE MINISTER SHE SAID ` THE MOTHER SAID A FEW MONTHS AGO THE ONLY SOLUTION SHE COULD SEE WAS TO TAKE HERS AND HER CHILD'S LIFE. THIS WOULD GIVE HER FAMILY LIFE INSURANCE TO KEEP THEIR HOME. NO CARER HAS BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE HER CHILD, AND SHE HAS NO FAMILY SUPPORT. THE FUNDING GAVE HER HOPE THAT HER SITUATION WAS SURVIVABLE BECAUSE IT ALLOWED HER A FEW NIGHTS AWAY SO THAT SHE COULD RECHARGE. SHE SAID ` WE PUT THAT TO THE MINISTER. EACH` UM, EACH PERSON WITH A DISABILITY IS ASSESSED. THEY ARE GIVEN A FULL ASSESSMENT, AND SO THOSE INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT. INDIVIDUAL SITUATIONS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN MADE SO MUCH HARDER. AMELIA WADE, NEWSHUB. AND IF AMELIA'S STORY BROUGHT UP ANY ISSUES FOR YOU, THERE IS SUPPORT AVAILABLE ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT ON THE NATIONAL HELPLINE ` YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT 1737. HEATHER'S IN NOW WITH A LOOK AT THE DAY'S WEATHER - SEEMED LIKE A FITTING WAY TO OFFICIALLY END SUMMER? YOU MEAN COLD? YES, I AGREE. THE FINAL SUMMER MORNING STARTED WINTRY. LEVIN WOKE TO 1.3 DEGREES, THE SECOND COLDEST MARCH MORNING THERE SINCE 1950. THESE ARE THE LOWEST TEMPS NIWA RECORDED THIS MORNING. THE GOOD NEWS ` BY THE WEEKEND TEMPERATURES WILL BE BACK TO ABOUT RIGHT FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. DETAILS AFTER SPORT. PRINCESS KATE IS FACING FRESH DRAMA AND RENEWED SPECULATION ABOUT HER HEALTH FOLLOWING REPORTS STAFF AT THE HOSPITAL WHERE SHE WAS TREATED TRIED TO ACCESS HER MEDICAL RECORDS. PLUS, THE BATTLE OF THE BILLIONAIRE TECH LORDS OVER THE FUTURE OF AI, WILL WE ALL GET CAUGHT IN THE CROSS FIRE? SOMEONE HAS TRIED TO BREAK INTO THE PRINCESS OF WALES'S MEDICAL RECORDS AT THE LONDON CLINIC WHERE SHE RECENTLY HAD HER SURGERY, ACCORDING TO REPORTS IN BRITAIN. WHOEVER IT WAS IS SAID TO BE A STAFF MEMBER WHO ATTEMPTED AN UNAUTHORISED ACCESS AND A FULL INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. THE PRIVACY WATCHDOG HAS CONFIRMED A BREACH REPORT, BUT NOT THE NAME OF THE PATIENT. KING CHARLES WAS ALSO BEING TREATED THERE AT THE TIME. AFTER 39 DAYS, THE STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR A HAMLET OF HOMES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTH ISLAND HAS FINALLY BEEN LIFTED. IT WAS DECLARED AFTER SEVERE EROSION THREATENED HOMES AND AN OLD COMMUNITY DUMP THOUGHT TO CONTAIN EXPLOSIVES. RESIDENTS WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES FOR TWO WEEKS. NOW, AS KAYSHA BROWNLIE REPORTS, THE RESIDENTS OF BLUECLIFFS CAN NOW RETURN HOME. THE COASTAL ROAD AT BLUECLIFFS NO LONGER AT RISK OF EXPLOSION, BUT STILL AT THE MERCY OF EROSION. THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IS OVER. IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE WALKING AWAY FROM THIS. WE'RE WORKING JUST AS HARD, IF NOT HARDER, ON LOOKING AT THE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR THE RESIDENTS. SO YEAH, WE'RE CERTAINLY ROLLING UP OUR SLEEVES AND CARRYING ON THE WORK. THE AREA IS NOW IN A TRANSITION OF RECOVERY, AND RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY BEHIND ME. IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR THEM TO MOVE BACK INTO THEIR HOMES, AND I KNOW THEY'LL BE RAPT TO GET BACK INTO THEIR OWN HOMES. AFTER BEING GIVEN 48 HOURS TO EVACUATE TWO WEEKS AGO SO THE OLD LANDFILL COULD BE CLEARED. VERY EXCITINGLY, TODAY THE DUMP HAS BEEN FINISHED, ALL THE WORK'S CLEARED 2000 TONS, APPROXIMATELY, OF WASTE FROM THAT LANDFILL. INCLUDING A LARGE AMOUNT OF ASBESTOS BUT NO EXPLOSIVES. BLUE CLIFFS HAVE BEEN UNDER A LOCAL STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, AS THE SWIFT WAIAU RIVER AND STRONG OCEAN CURRENTS ERODED THE COAST. THREATENING HOMES. THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE RIVER BAR TO MANAGE THE FLOW FAILED. NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR A SECOND ATTEMPT. THE OPTIONS FOR THE BAR ARE STILL BEING DEVELOPED. WE HAD AN EXPERT CONSULTANT COME IN AND TO ASSIST US WITH THAT, AND WE GOT THE REPORT JUST AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, SO STAFF ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT NOW. RIGHT NOW THE RIVER IS LOW, BUT AUTHORITIES CAN'T RULE OUT MORE EVACUATIONS ` THE FUTURE OF BLUE CLIFFS AS A SAFE RESIDENTIAL AREA STILL UNCERTAIN. IT'S TOO SOON TO KNOW WHAT ALL THE OPTIONS MIGHT BE FOR THAT COMMUNITY, AND WE REALLY NEED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT AND FIGURE OUT WHERE`TO NEXT FOR THEM. THAT'S GONNA SERVE THEM BEST. AND FOR NOW, THAT'S KEEPING THE AREA CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. KAYSHA BROWNLIE, NEWSHUB. 8,000 SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BE PERFORMING AT THIS YEAR'S ASB POLYFEST. IT KICKED OFF IN AUCKLAND TODAY, AND ORGANISERS SAY NUMBERS ARE ALMOST BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVELS. GRACE THOMAS WAS THERE. AS DAWN BROKE IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU... (STUDENTS CHANT HAKA) A MASS HAKA FROM NGA PUNA O WAIOREA ` WESTERN SPRINGS COLLEGE ` HERALDED THE START OF POLYFEST 2024... (MASSED SINGING) THEN THE MANUKAU SPORTSBOWL CAME ALIVE. (CROWD CHEERS, SCREAMS) (UPBEAT MUSIC) HOW DO YOU GUYS FEEL AFTER THAT? TIRED! TIRED! INDIAN AND FIJIAN PERFORMANCES WERE AMONG THE FIRST TO TAKE TO THE DIVERSITY STAGE. WE'VE BEEN PRACTISING REALLY HARD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WE'RE FROM 'REWA, SO 'REWA HARD. POLYFEST IS A RITE OF PASSAGE. SO THERE'S GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE FESTIVAL, ME INCLUDED. MORE THAN 230 GROUPS FROM 69 SCHOOLS AROUND AUCKLAND ARE PERFORMING AT THE FESTIVALS SIX STAGES. THAT'S ALMOST BACK TO PRE-COVID LEVELS. I THINK IT'LL BE EVEN CLOSER TO THAT, OR PROBABLY EXCEED IT IN 2025 WHEN WE CELEBRATE 50 YEARS. MORE THAN 75,000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND OVER THE NEXT FOUR DAYS, INCLUDING PLENTY OF PROUD PARENTS. DID YOU GUYS HEAR OUR CHEERING? (LAUGHTER) OF COURSE, THERE'S NOT ONLY PERFORMANCES HERE AT POLY FEST, THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE MORE THAN 100 STALLHOLDERS WITH HEAPS OF KAI, INCLUDING MY FAVOURITE WATERMELON AND ICE CREAM. HEY, CAN I HAVE SOME? SURE, CUZZIE. MEAN. THIS FAMILY-RUN COOK ISLANDS FOOD STALL HAS BEEN AT THE FESTIVAL FOR 25 YEARS. I GOT MAINESE, WHICH IS AN ORIGINAL ORIGINAL DRESSING DONE BY MY MUM, UM, WE'VE GOT POKEM, WHICH IS MADE OUT OF BANANA AND STARCH. WE'VE GOT DOUGHNUTS. YOU'LL HAVE TO GET IN QUICK, THOUGH. OUR BEST SELLER HERE ` OUR BANANA POKE AND OUR DOUGHNUTS. SO FROM THE FOOD TO THE PERFORMANCES, POLYFEST IS A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY IN AOTEAROA. AND THERE'S STILL LOTS MORE ACTION TO COME. TOGETHER: CHEE-HOO! GRACE THOMAS. NEWSHUB. ANDREW'S IN LATER WITH SPORT, AND THE PRESSURE'S MOUNTING ON THE CRUSADERS COACH? ROB PENNEY'S OVERSEEN THE TEAM'S WORST EVER START TO THE SEASON ` AS IF THAT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH, HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO HIM TODAY ` THE WALLS LITERALLY CLOSING IN ON HIM AT CRUSADERS HQ. WE'LL TELL YOU WHICH NRL COACH HAS OFFERED ENCOURAGING WORDS AS PENNEY SEEKS TO END THE TEAM'S WINLESS STREAK AGAINST THE BLUES AT EDEN PARK. AND AS THE WARRIORS HEAD TO CHRISTCHURCH TRYING TO END THEIR OWN WINLESS START TO THE SEASON, ANDREW WEBSTER ON WHY HE BELIEVES HIS TEAM IS PLAYING THE BEST FOOTY IN THE COMPETITION. LOCAL NURSES HAVE TRIUMPHED IN A LONG BATTLE TO BRING PERMANENT CANCER TREATMENT TO WAIROA, SPARING PATIENTS FROM SPENDING HOURS TRAVELLING TO HASTINGS. AND WHY BILLIONAIRES ELON MUSK AND CHATGPT BOSS SAM ALTMAN ARE FIGHTING OVER THE FUTURE OF AI. WHAIKAHA, MINISTRY OF DISABLED PEOPLE, ANNOUNCE THAT THEY'LL BE MAKING CHANGES TO THE RULES AROUND WHAT FUNDING CAN BE USED FOR. THE SPEED AT WHICH THEY MOVED, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT CONSULTATION TIME. I JUST THINK SHE SHOULD ACTUALLY APOLOGISE FOR THAT. Shopping duty again? I'm earning more than just brownie points. (BEEP!) And they're adding up! VOICEOVER: Scan your Clubcard to save with Club Deals, earn rewards and much more. You've earned this one. Find your wonderful. New World. THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND HAS ISSUED A WARNING TO THE COALITION GOVERNMENT ABOUT ITS PLANNED INCOME TAX RELIEF. IN A ROUTINE REVIEW OF NEW ZEALAND'S ECONOMY, THE IMF SAID THE TAX CUTS COULD WORSEN INFLATION, BECAUSE THE RELIEF IS, QUOTE, 'TARGETED PREDOMINANTLY AT LOW AND MIDDLE-INCOME EARNERS 'AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, WHICH HAVE A HIGHER PROPENSITY TO SPEND.' FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS WILL RELEASE THE GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET ON THE 30TH OF MAY. POLICE NOW HAVE THE DNA PROFILE OF THE WOMAN FOUND WRAPPED IN A BLACK PLASTIC BAG IN AUCKLAND'S GULF HARBOUR. POLICE SAY THE DNA DOESN'T MATCH ANYONE IN ITS RECORDS. THEY SAY THEY'VE RECEIVED AROUND 100 PHONE CALLS WITH INFORMATION THAT THEY ARE REVIEWING, ALONG WITH CCTV FOOTAGE. THE VICTIM - BELIEVED TO BE A WOMAN OF ASIAN, POSSIBLY CHINESE, DESCENT WAS FOUND IN THE WATER LAST TUESDAY. LEADING BUSINESS AND CLIMATE JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR ROD ORAM HAS DIED FROM INJURIES CAUSED BY A CYCLING ACCIDENT. BORN IN THE UK, ROD ORAM CAME TO NEW ZEALAND TO HEAD UP THE BUSINESS SECTION OF THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD. HE THEN BECAME A HIGH-PROFILE COLUMNIST AND THEN CONTRIBUTOR TO THE NEWSROOM WEBSITE. ORAM WAS ALSO A PASSIONATE CYCLIST, RIDING BOTH HERE AND OVERSEAS. HIS FAMILY SAYS HE PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AGED 73. CANCER PATIENTS IN THE RURAL TOWN OF WAIROA WILL BE ABLE TO KEEP GETTING CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT LOCALLY RATHER THAN TRAVELING HOURS TO HASTINGS HOSPITAL. IT'S THANKS TO A PUSH FROM LOCAL NURSES WHO SET UP CHEMO TREATMENTS IN WAIROA DURING CYCLONE GABRIELLE WHEN THE TOWN WAS COMPLETELY CUT OFF. ALEXA COOK HAS THE STORY. CHEMOTHERAPY FROM THE COMFORT OF HIS LOCAL HEALTH CENTRES' LA-Z-BOY. CAN I JUST HAVE YOUR FULL-NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH? A BIG IMPROVEMENT ON THE BIG DRIVE TO HASTINGS. LESS STRESS FOR HIS FAMILY, TOO. IF YOU'RE JUST TRAVELLING FOR THE DAY AND IF YOU CAN'T GET THE PETROL VOUCHERS, IT'S EXPENSIVE. CHEMO PATIENTS USED TO DRIVE FROM WAIRAU TO HASTINGS HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT ` A MORE THAN THREE`HOUR ROUND TRIP. BUT THEN CYCLONE GABRIEL DESTROYED THE ROAD, LEAVING THEM IN THE LURCH. THERE WAS A LOT OF FEAR FROM PATIENTS, JUST THE UNKNOWN. WITHIN TEN DAYS OF THE CYCLONE HITTING, LAURA LEDGER AND HER TEAM HAD SET UP CHEMOTHERAPY IN WAIROA. MOVING A SERVICE TO A RURAL LOCATION ISN'T AN EASY THING TO DO. SO HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE HAS THIS ACTUALLY MADE TO PEOPLE'S LIVES IN WAIROA? A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE. UM, PATIENTS ARE HAPPIER, THEY'RE MORE RESTED, THEY'RE MORE HYDRATED BEFORE THEY COME TO THEIR CHEMOTHERAPY APPOINTMENTS. WHERE THEY'RE TREATED BY RURAL NURSE SPECIALIST NERYS WILLIAMS, WHO'S UNDERGONE EXTRA TRAINING TO DELIVER THE TREATMENT HERSELF. PATIENTS ARE JUST LOVING BEING ABLE TO GET UP IN THE MORNING, COME STRAIGHT TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, NO TRAVEL, UM, FAMILIAR FACE. ANYTHING TO MAKE AN ALREADY TOUGH TIME A BIT EASIER. ALEXA COOKE, NEWSHUB. THE BATTLE OF THE TECH BILLIONAIRES IS HEATING UP ` FORMER BUSINESS PARTNERS ELON MUSK AND OPEN AI'S SAM ALTMAN ARE LOCKED IN A PUBLIC STOUSH OVER THE FUTURE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL NEW TECHNOLOGY. FINN HOGAN HAS MORE. THE BILLIONAIRE BROMANCE THAT BIRTHED THE MODERN AI BOOM IS LOOKING A LITTLE ROCKY. I AM THE REASON OPENAI EXISTS. I MISS THE OLD ELON. THE ROLE OF OPENAI IS, YOU KNOW, IS INCREDIBLE RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE OF TECHNOLOGY. IN SOME WAYS, THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY. IN 2015, MUSK FOUNDED OPENAI WITH SAM ALTMAN. MUSK STEPPED DOWN IN 2018, WARNING AI POSED A POTENTIALLY EXISTENTIAL RISK TO HUMANITY. IN 2023, SAM ALTMAN WAS FIRED, THEN REHIRED FOR REASONS THAT ARE STILL UNCLEAR. THEN THIS YEAR, MUSK SUED OPENAI, ALLEGING THAT BY PARTNERING WITH MICROSOFT AND CEASING TO BE A NOT-FOR-PROFIT, IT 'SET THE FOUNDING AGREEMENT AFLAME'. THIS WEEK, MUSK ALSO MADE THE UNDERLYING CODE FOR HIS OWN CHATBOT, GROK, AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, CHALLENGING OPENAI TO DO THE SAME IN SETTING UP A DEBATE OVER THE FUTURE OF AI SAFETY. WITH OPENAI, WE CAN'T SEE HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS OR WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THE DATA. IF IT'S FULLY OPEN, WE CAN SEE THAT, BUT THEN EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IT, AND CAN USE IT FOR THEIR OWN REASONS. THERE'S PROS AND CONS OF BOTH SIDES. ADDRESSING MUSK'S ATTACKS IN AN INTERVIEW WITH YOUTUBER LEX FRIDMAN, ALTMAN SAID MUSK'S LEGAL ACTION ISN'T ABOUT PRINCIPLES, BUT POWER. HE THOUGHT OPENAI WAS GOING TO FAIL. HE WANTED TOTAL CONTROL TO SORT OF TURN IT AROUND. AT VARIOUS TIMES, HE WANTED TO MAKE OPENAI INTO A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY THAT HE COULD HAVE CONTROL OF, OR HAVE IT MERGED WITH TESLA. LOOK, I THINK THIS WHOLE THING IS LIKE UNBECOMING OF A BUILDER. IT MAKES ME SAD. AND I THINK IT MAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE SAD. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE REALLY LOOKED UP TO HIM FOR A LONG TIME. I MISS THE OLD ELON. ELSEWHERE, HE DOWNPLAYED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CURRENT GENERATION OF CHATGPT. WHAT'S BEEN THE MOST IMPRESSIVE CAPABILITIES OF GPT FOUR TO YOU? I THINK IT KIND OF SUCKS, AND I THINK IT IS OUR JOB TO LIVE A FEW YEARS IN THE FUTURE AND REMEMBER THAT THE TOOLS WE HAVE NOW ARE GOING TO KIND OF SUCK, LOOKING BACKWARDS AT THEM. BUT ON THE RISKS OF THE NEXT-GENERATION AI HE'S CURRENTLY BUILDING, ALTMAN WAS MORE SERIOUS. I THINK SOME THINGS ARE GOING TO GO THEATRICALLY WRONG WITH AI. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PERCENT CHANCE IS THAT I EVENTUALLY GET SHOT, BUT IT'S NOT ZERO. WHILE IT HOPEFULLY WON'T END IN VIOLENCE, THE BATTLE OVER WHO CONTROLS THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY IS ONLY JUST BEGINNING. FINN HOGAN, NEWSHUB. STILL TO COME ` THERE'S A NEW HOT FAVOURITE TO TAKE OVER FROM DANIEL CRAIG AS JAMES BOND, AND NO, IT'S NOT ANDREW GOURDIE. I CAN'T COMPETE WITH MAGIC MIKE MCROBERTS THE BLUES AND THE HURRICANES WELCOME BACK SOME BIG NAMES FOR ROUND FIVE OF SUPER RUGBY WHILE CRUSADERS COACH ROB PENNEY REVEALS THE CROSS-CODE SUPPORT HE'S RECEIVED AS HE PONDERS HOW TO END HIS TEAM'S WINLESS START TO THE SEASON. AND THE SHOCK RELEVATION AROUND HIS SIDE IS WITHOUT A WIN IN SUPER RUGBY, BUT SOME 'CROSS-CODE' WORDS OF ADVICE HAS REASSURED ROB PENNEY THE CRUSADERS CAN TURN A CORNER. WITH THE CANBERRA RAIDERS IN CHRISTCHURCH FOR THEIR CLASH WITH THE WARRIORS ON FRIDAY NIGHT, PENNEY'S BEEN PICKING THE BRAINS OF RICKY STUART, WHOSE OWN TALE OF OVERCOMING ADVERSITY HAS INSPIRED BELIEF THE SEVEN-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ON AN 0-4 START TO THE SEASON CAN DO THE SAME. RUGBY REPORTER OLLIE RITCHIE HAS MORE. IF ANYTHING WAS TO SUM UP THE CRUSADERS SEASON SO FAR, NOT ONE, BUT TWO MEDIA MISHAPS FOR ROB PENNEY. WHILE THAT WAS A QUICK FIX, IMPROVING THE CRUSADER'S SEASON AS PROVING A HARDER TASK. BUT THIS NIGHT BELONGS TO THE HURRICANES. TO HELP WITH THAT, PENNEY'S BEEN PICKING THE BRAINS OF CANBERRA RAIDERS COACH RICKY STUART. THEY WERE 5-1 LAST YEAR, AND THEN THEY WON 10 IN A ROW. UM, AND WE JUST DISCUSSED HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT TURNAROUND CAME ABOUT. PENNEY COULD ONLY DREAM OF A SIMILAR REVIVAL FOR THE CRUSADERS THIS YEAR. FEEL AS THOUGH WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SITUATION WE'RE IN HERE, ABOUT` THERE'S STILL A LOT OF BELIEF AND CONFIDENCE, AND THE TEAM IS WORKING REALLY HARD. BUT THEIR WORK ETHIC ISN'T TRANSLATING TO RESULTS ` THE CRUSADERS ARE TRAILING THE PACK AT THE MOMENT. OVER THEY GO, AND IT'S A TRY! WHILE THE RESULTS OF DIPPED, THEIR MINDSET HASN'T. IT'S FOUR AND ZIP, BUT THEY COME IN, THEY'RE REVIEWING AS ASSIDUOUSLY AS THEY WERE AT THE START OF THE YEAR TO GET BETTER, TO GET IMPROVEMENT. PENNEY WILL BE DESPERATELY HOPING THAT COMES AGAINST THE BLUES ON SATURDAY. HIS MESSAGE AHEAD OF THAT CLASH IS A SIMPLE ONE. DON'T SIT IN AND FEEL SORRY FOR YOURSELF, BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE IS. THERE CERTAINLY WON'T BE MUCH SYMPATHY AT EDEN PARK IF THE CRUSADERS LOSING RUN EXTENDS TO FIVE. OLLY RITCHIE, NEWSHUB. MEANTIME, PATRICK TUIPULOTU WILL RETURN FROM INJURY TO CAPTAIN THE BLUES IN HIS 100TH GAME FOR THE FRANCHISE. HE MISSED THE FIRST FOUR ROUNDS OF THE COMPETITION AFTER DISLOCATING HIS JAW IN A PRE-SEASON GAME IN JAPAN. THE HURRICANES WILL ALSO WELCOME BACK THEIR SKIPPER, WITH BRAD SHIELDS NAMED TO START FRIDAY'S GAME AGAINST THE REBELS. SHIELDS HAS HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT TO HIS TEAM'S UNBEATEN START TO THE SEASON, AND SAYS THE WORK THEY'RE DOING OFF THE FIELD IS PAYING DIVIDENDS ON IT. IT MIGHT SEEM SMALL, BUT WE'VE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THAT, AND WE'VE OBVIOUSLY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO OUR RUGBY AS WELL, BUT SOMETIMES THE THINGS OFF THE FIELD BOND AND GEL A TEAM A LITTLE BIT BETTER. MEANWHILE, ETHAN DE GROOT WILL MISS THE HIGHLANDERS' TRIP TO FACE THE CHIEFS THIS WEEKEND. THE ALL BLACKS PROP LEFT THE FIELD LESS THAN TEN MINUTES INTO THEIR GAME AGAINST THE BRUMBIES LAST WEEKEND AFTER SUSTAINING A HEAD INJURY. YOU KNOW, THE PROTOCOLS ARE IN PLACE FOR HIM TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS. LIKE, HE'S FEELING GOOD. HE, UH, HE'S PRETTY CHIRPY HIMSELF. BUT THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY IN THERE FOR A REASON TO MAKE SURE HE COMES BACK AT THE RIGHT PACE. DE GROOT IS THE THIRD ALL BLACK TO BE RULED OUT OF THIS WEEKEND'S FIFTH ROUND AFTER A FAILED H.I.A. WITH ANTON LIENERT BROWN AND RIEKO IOANE, ALSO ON THE SIDELINES. IT'S THE FINISH THAT'S LEFT RUGBY LEAGUE FANS GOBSMACKED, BUT NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE WARRIORS ARE SICK OF SEEING REPLAYS OF THEIR DRAMATIC LAST-MINUTE LOSS TO THE STORM. XAVIER COATES' GRAVITY-DEFYING MATCH-WINNER HAS GONE VIRAL, AND CONTINUES TO HAUNT THE SIDE, WHO TODAY ADMITTED THEY'RE YET TO DELIVER A FULL 80-MINUTE PERFORMANCE. BUT AS ALEX CHAPMAN FOUND OUT, THE TEAM IS ADAMANT THEY'RE NOT FAR AWAY FROM PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER. A FEELING THAT NO ONE WANTS WAS HOVERING AROUND WARRIORS HQ TODAY. I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING RID OF THAT` THAT YUCK FEELING FROM THE WEEKEND. WHICH PROBABLY DOESN'T HELP WHEN YOU'RE REPEATEDLY SEEING THIS ` HE GOES` LAUGHS: OH! JUST EVERY INSTAGRAM POST WAS JUST ABOUT THAT. LIKE, IT'S COOL TO WATCH IF YOU'RE A FAN, BUT IF YOU'RE A WARRIORS FAN OR A WARRIORS PLAYER, IT WAS PRETTY HEARTBREAKING. MOMENTS LIKE THOSE A REMINDER THAT THEY'RE YET TO PUT TOGETHER A FULL 80-MINUTE PERFORMANCE. A LACK OF DISCIPLINE A KEY AREA OF FOCUS. I GENUINELY THINK OUR BEST FOOTY IS SOME OF THE BEST FOOTY IN THE NRL RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT DOING IT LONG ENOUGH. THAT MEANS NOT PULLING ANY PUNCHES AS THEY LOOK TO IMPROVE BOTH AS A TEAM AND INDIVIDUALLY. YEAH, STILL WORKING OUT THE CENTRE POSITION. ESPECIALLY THE LUNGS ARE STILL TRYING TO WORK IT OUT IN THE BODY. BUT NAH, IT'S BEEN FUN ` ENJOYING IT OUT THERE. UNLIKE OTHER OWEN'S TWO TEAMS, THOUGH, COACH ANDREW WEBSTER'S BARELY EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED, LET ALONE RESISTED THE URGE TO MAKE WHOLESALE CHANGES FOR FRIDAY'S MATCH AGAINST UNBEATEN CANBERRA. BOTH THE BABY AND THE BATHWATER REMAIN. WE'RE NOT THERE YET. WE'RE NOT AT THAT STAGE. WE ARE CONSISTENT IN THE WAY WE REVIEW THINGS. I THINK THERE'S JUST MORE THAN ONE OR TWO GUYS WHO ARE, UM, ARE THE CULPRITS AROUND OUR ERRORS AND PENALTIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. IF THEY DO, IT COULD GO A LONG WAY TO RESOLVING A LINGERING ISSUE. HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THAT YUCK FEELING? WIN. WIN. THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT. WE'RE HERE TO WIN. A PRETTY SIMPLE APPROACH. ALEX CHAPMAN, NEWSHUB. THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX WOMEN HAVE BOUNCED BACK FROM LAST WEEK'S 4-2 DEFEAT IN EMPHATIC STYLE, AND ARE ON TRACK FOR A MUCH-NEEDED WIN OVER ADELAIDE UNITED. THE PHOENIX GOT ON THE SCOREBOARD EARLY, WITH MARIANA SPECK-MIER NETTING IN THE 13th MINUTE. AND THAT WAS JUST THE START, AS THEY FOUND THE BACK OF THE NET NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AFTER HALF TIME. ACROSS IT GOES ` FRASER` IN FACT, TAYLOR! KATE TAYLOR. ROBERTSON TO THE FAR POST. HERE'S EMMA MAYNE. HERE'S ROBERTSON. THREE FOR WELLINGTON. THE NIX CURRENTLY LEADING 3-0 WITH ONLY MINUTES REMAINING. THERE'S WIDESPREAD SHOCK ACROSS THE TASMAN FOLLOWING REVELATIONS THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT SERIOUSLY INVESTIGATED CANCELLING THE BRISBANE 2032 OLYMPICS. BUDGETS ARE BLOWING LEAVING OFFICIALS TO OPT FOR A CHEAPER, SLIMMED-DOWN VERSION, WHICH INCLUDES ABANDONING MAJOR PLANS TO REBUILD THE GABBA. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT EMMA CROPPER REPORTS. IT'S BRISBANE'S BIG OLYMPIC DREAM ` HOSTS OF THE 2032 GAMES, BUT 8-YEARS-OUT, REPORTS THEY DON'T WANT THE JOB. THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT SOUGHT ADVICE AND CONSIDERED CANCELLING THE BRISBANE 2032 OLYMPIC GAMES. PART OF THEIR WINNING PITCH WA S TO REBUILD THE FAMOUS GABBA BUT A RECENT REVIEW BY IOC'S VICE PRESIDENT REVEALED IT'S TOO OLD TO KEEP, TOO EXPENSIVE TO REBUILD, THE COST BLOWING OUT TO $3.4b. HE WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT WE DID NOT NEED A NEW $3.4b STADIUM. THE COST BLOWING OUT TO $3.4b. HE WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT WE DID NOT NEED A NEW $3.4b STADIUM. THE OLYMPICS POTENTIALLY WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUSTIFY BUILDING ONE. INSTEAD, JOHN COATES HAS RECOMMENDED SPENDING THE MONEY ON UPGRADING OLDER, SMALLER STADIUMS LIKE THEY USED FOR THE 1982 COMMONWEALTH GAMES. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO DELIVERING A GREAT GAMES THAT DELIVERS A GREAT LEGACY. THE STATE PREMIER FORCED TO DEFEND MOUNTING CRITICISM ABOUT SECRET PLANS TO INVESTIGATE CANCELLING THE GAMES. I WON'T BE CONFIRMING OR DENYING ANY PARTICULAR DISCUSSION. AUSTRALIA'S ALREADY BACKED OUT OF HOSTING THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES; TO BACK OUT OF THE OLYMPICS IS NOT EXACTLY THE LEGACY BRISBANE DREAMED OF FOR 2032. IN SYDNEY, EMMA CROPPER, NEWSHUB. MELBOURNE PULLING OUT OF THE CON GAMES, BRISBANE PULLING OUT OF 2032, WHERE IS THE BACKBONE ACROSS THE TASMAN? A TABLOID MOLE APPEARS TO HAVE REVEALED THE NAME OF THE NEW 007 ` THE WHISPER FROM LONDON TO MOSCOW IS A FORMAL DEAL IS ON THE TABLE AND WAITING TO BE SIGNED BY TAYLOR`JOHNSON. AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON LIFE IMITATING ART, OR A VISION OF THE FUTURE? AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON AT THE 2012 PREMIERE OF SKYFALL WITH HIS WIFE SAM. BUT COULD THIS 33-YEAR-OLD ACTOR WHO SHOT TO FAME AS TEEN HERO KICK-ASS, BE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON HIS MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. PUTTING ON A MASK AND HELPING PEOPLE? HOW'S THAT IMPOSSIBLE. THE GREEN CATSUIT COULD SOON BE SWAPPED FOR A TRADEMARK TUX AS THE NEXT BOND. NOTHING IS YET CONFIRMED, BUT IN A RECENT MAGAZINE INTERVIEW, HE DID SAY ` IF TRUE, TAYLOR-JOHNSON WILL HAVE SEEN OFF COMPETITION FROM THE LIKES OF SUPERMAN HIMSELF, HENRY CAVILL, IRISH OSCAR-WINNER CILLIAN MURPHY, AND THE FORMER FAVOURITE IDRIS ELBA. CRITICS SAY AARON HAS ALL THE BOND CREDENTIALS. WELL, AARON IS VERY GOOD AT BRINGING HUMOUR, HE'S VERY GOOD AT BRINGING DRAMAM AND THE BEST THING ABOUT AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON IS THE ACTION. HE KNOWS HOW TO BRING ACTION. HE'S A- YOU KNOW, HE'S KIND OF A DIRECTOR'S ACTOR. HE KNOWS HOW TO TO PLAY THAT GAME SO WELL. I MEAN, HE'S BEEN DOING IT SINCE HE WAS A SMALL CHILD. FOR HIM, THIS IS THE PERFECT FIT. AARON HAS BIG SHOES TO FILL, WITH DANIEL CRAIG BOWING OUT IN NO TIME TO DIE. SO YOU'RE NOT DEAD. HELLO Q. I'VE MISSED YOU. BUT BEFORE HIM, THERE WERE 5 OTHERS ` SEAN CONNERY, GEORGE LAZENBY, ROGER MOORE, TIMOTHY DALTON, AND PIERCE BROSNAN. ALL HOUSEHOLD NAMES AFTER PLAYING... - BOND. - (CHUCKLES) - JAMES BOND. COULD IT NOW BE AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON, LICENSED TO KILL? CAMBODIA'S PRIME MINISTER HAS PICKED AN UNUSUAL ISSUE TO GET TOUGH ON ` HE'S BANNING THE USE OF POPULAR MUSICAL VEHICLE HORNS BECAUSE PEDESTRIANS HAVE BEEN DANCING TO THEM. (TUNEFUL HONKING, LAUGHTER) DEFINITELY UNUSUAL. HE SAYS THE DANCERS ARE A RISK TO THEMSELVES AND THE BEHAVIOUR IS INAPPROPRIATE. POLICE HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO RIP THE HORNS OUT OF ANY TRUCK THEY CATCH. OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` NEW ZEALAND IS FOLLOWING AUSTRALIA'S LEAD WITH AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON DISPOSABLE VAPES AS PART OF A CRACK DOWN ON YOUTH VAPING ANNOUNCED TODAY. THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO HIKING UP THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR RETAILERS CAUGHT SELLING VAPES TO MINORS TO $100,000. WINSTON PETERS CLAIMED TODAY THE PRIME MINISTER HAD BEEN 'MISINFORMED' ABOUT HIS NAZI GERMANY COMMENTS BY A 'MANIPULATIVE MEDIA'. LUXON LAUGHED OFF THE CLAIM, SAYING HE'S CAPABLE OF MAKING HIS OWN DECISIONS, AND THAT ALL POLITICAL LEADERS NEED TO 'GROW UP'. THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION HAS WARNED THAT THE WORLD IS ON RED ALERT. IT'S LATEST REPORT CONFIRMED 2023 WAS THE HOTTEST YEAR ON RECORD ` 1.45 DEGREES HOTTER THAN THE PRE-INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE. COMING UP, NEWSHUB WEATHER, AND LOOKING AHEAD ` HOW IS THE WEEKEND SHAPING UP? WELL, IT STARTS MIXED ` A COUPLE OF FRONTS FORM WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WHICH SPINS OUT A RAIN BAND WHICH MOVES UP THE COUNTRY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. A NEW FRONT HITS ON SUNDAY FOR THE DEEP SOUTH, BUT MONDAY WILL BE THE FORECAST TO WATCH. LOTS OF RAIN ` STRONG WINDS ` WARNINGS AND WATCHES WILL BE ISSUED CLOSER TO THE DAY. AS FOR TOMORROW ` THAT FORECAST IS NEXT. NAU MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. IT WILL BE ANOTHER CHILLY ONE FOR THE NORTH ISLAND OVERNIGHT, BUT BACK TO NORMAL TEMPS FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND. WE'RE IN FOR ANOTHER CLEAR AND MOSTLY SETTLED NIGHT WITH A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE REMAINING FIRM. IT'S HARD TO MISS THE APPROACHING WALL OF RAIN, THOUGH ` COLD FRONTS ARE MOVING IN FROM THE TASMAN SEA, BENDING INTO A LOW WEST OF THE ISLAND, BUT THAT WILL BE A FRIDAY PROBLEM. AS FOR TONIGHT ` APART FROM A FEW SHOWERS ALONG THE WEST COAST, THE REST OF THE MAINLAND IS LOOKING FINE, WITH NORTHERLY WINDS. TOMORROW, THAT NORTHERLY PICKS UP OVER FIORDLAND AS THOSE FRONTS INCH CLOSER. STILL SOME SHOWERS REMAINING ALONG THE WEST COAST DURING THE DAY. HIGH CLOUD WILL DRIFT ACROSS THE ALPS TOMORROW NIGHT. NOT A LOT GOING ON OVER THE NORTH ISLAND TONIGHT, WITH JUST SOME CLOUD REMAINING ALONG THE GISBORNE COAST AND EAST NORTHLAND. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT TOO. SO EXPECT ANOTHER COLD NIGHT, WHICH WILL LEAD TO FROST FOR INLAND PLACES EARLY IN THE MORNING. THE DAY IS A REPEAT OF TODAY'S, SO VERY LITTLE CLOUD APART FROM GISBORNE, WHICH WILL ALSO HAVE THE ODD MORNING SHOWER, AND WINDS ARE LIGHT. IT'S A PERFECT AUTUMN DAY UP TOP ` YES, A COLD START, BUT THE SUN WILL BE OUT ALL DAY, WITH MOSTLY LIGHT WINDS. A WEST OR SOU'WEST WIND WILL PICK UP BRIEFLY IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND HAMILTON. THE RISK OF FROST IS THERE FOR TOKOROA, TAUPO AND ROTORUA, WITH LIGHT WINDS EVERYWHERE AND A FINE DAY AHEAD. JUST AN AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE FOR THOSE ALONG THE COAST. MORNING CLOUD AGAIN UP TOP, AND POSSIBLE FROSTS FOR MASTERTON AND DANNEVIRKE. THE LAST OF THE LIGHT SHOWERS WILL CLEAR BY THE AFTERNOON FOR GISBORNE, WITH A SOUTHERLY EASING IN THE AFTERNOON. FINE FOR ALL HERE, POSSIBLY FROSTY FOR THE USUAL SUSPECTS. NOR'WESTERS DEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON FOR NEW PLYMOUTH. THERE WILL BE MORE CLOUD FOR THE NORTHWEST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, AND A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS THE DAY SOUTH OF REEFTON. LIGHT WINDS TURN NORTH OR NOREAST FROM LATE MORNING. IT'S FINE OUT EAST, WITH HIGH CLOUD DEVELOPING FOR ALL OF CANTERBURY FROM THE MORNING. NOR'WESTERS FOR BLENHEIM, NOR'EASTERS FOR KAIKOURA AND CHRISTCHURCH, AND A NORTHERLY FOR ASHBURTON. AND IT'S A SIMILAR OUTLOOK HERE, WITH FINE SKIES, BUT HIGH CLOUD INCREASING THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. WIND DIRECTION DIFFERS DEPENDING ON YOUR LOCATION, BUT WILL EASE TOMORROW NIGHT. SO A CHANGE IN WIND DIRECTION IS THE REASON WHY TEMPS ARE A LITTLE MORE BEARABLE IN THE SOUTH. THE NOR'EASTER FOR YOU, DUNEDIN, HELPING THE DAY WARM TO 19 DEGREES. FINE FOR CHRISTCHURCH, WITH A FRESH NOR'EASTER. HIGH CLOUD ROLLS IN FROM THE AFTERNOON, AND THE WIND EASES TOMORROW NIGHT. MORNING FROST FOR SHELTERED SPOTS AROUND THE CAPITAL. OTHER THAN THAT, THE DAY IS FINE. THE NORTHERLY PICKS UP BEFORE LUNCH WITH A HIGH OF 17. HAWKE'S BAY, YOUR MORNING CLOUD CLEARS TO BE FINE, BUT REMAINS AROUND THE WAIROA DISTRICT, WITH A FEW LIGHT MORNING AND AFTERNOON SHOWERS. FINE FOR TAURANGA, AND WITH VERY LITTLE WIND. THERE WILL BE AN AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE THAT DEVELOPS, WITH A FEELS-LIKE HIGH OF 18. ANOTHER COLD NIGHT AROUND THE WAIKATO, BUT STILL AND CLEAR, AND PERFECT HOT AIR BALLOONING WEATHER. A SLIGHT WESTERLY WILL ARRIVE FROM THE AFTERNOON. AND FINE AND CALM FOR AUCKLAND, JUST LIKE IT WAS TODAY. AFTER MIDDAY, EXPECT A VERY SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE BREEZE FROM THE SOU'WEST. THE ACTIVITY FOR OZ REMAINS OVER THE NORTHERN HALF ` SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE DAY. AND THUNDERSTORMS TOO FOR VANUATU AND FIJI, WITH SAMOA AND THE COOK ISLANDS SET TO REMAIN DRY. HOME AGAIN, AND INTO THE WEEKEND. OCCASIONAL RAIN DEVELOPS FRIDAY NIGHT FOR AUCKLAND AND HAMILTON, WITH SHOWERS CLEARING ON SATURDAY IN THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES ARE ALSO BOUNCING BACK UP TO NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR FOR ALL AROUND THE NORTH. RAIN DEVELOPS IN THE SOUTH AND WEST LATE ON FRIDAY ` POSSIBLY HEAVY, BUT IT CLEARS DURING THE AFTERNOON ON SATURDAY. WE SAW THE APPROACHING RAIN BAND EARLIER IN THE FORECAST. THIS WILL MAKE IT'S MARK FROM FRIDAY, WITH ANOTHER FRONT ARRIVING ON SATURDAY, WITH MORE RAIN TO THE SOUTH AND WEST. SO THE WEATHER IS BANG ON FOR BALLOONS OVER WAIKATO ` THIS IS FROM TODAY, DAY TWO ` A BALLOON AT LAUNCH HEADING OUT OVER LAKE ROTORUA. CONDITIONS FOR TOMORROW ` PERFECT AGAIN. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT SIX FOR TODAY.FANTASTIC, WELL DONE HEATHER. REBECCA WRIGHT AND THE NEWSHUB LATE TEAM ARE HERE ON THREE AT 9.35, AND YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWSHUB TEAM AT news@newshub.co.nz. I'M MIKE MCROBERTS. AND I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. PO MANAHAU. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND JOHN GIBBS.