TIME NOW FOR SEVEN SHARP WITH SACHA AND JEREMY. WITH MORTGAGE RATES REMAINING HIGH, AND MORE PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO MAKE THEIR REPAYMENTS, HOME BUYERS ARE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO FINANCE THEIR HOME. SO IS IT TIME TO GO INTEREST-ONLY? ('ROCKIN' ROBIN) ARE YOU TRAPPED IN A MORTGAGE PRISON WHERE YOU'RE LOCKED IN WITH YOUR CURRENT MORTGAGE DEAL, UNABLE TO REFINANCE AND REDUCE YOUR MONTHLY REPAYMENTS? OR ARE YOU LOOKING TO MAKE THE SWITCH TO AN INTEREST-ONLY MORTGAGE FOR A SHORT-TERM BREAK? AN INTEREST-ONLY MORTGAGE IS WHERE YOU PAY THE INTEREST CHARGED ON THE LOAN, AND NOT THE AMOUNT BORROWED. BRINGING DOWN THE COST OF YOUR MONTHLY MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS AND, IN TURN, FREEING UP YOUR CASH FLOW. SO COULD AN INTEREST-ONLY LOAN HELP KIWI HOME OWNERS BREAK FREE FROM THE MORTGAGE PRESSURE? AND MORTGAGE ADVISOR CLAIRE McARTHUR IS HERE NOW. THANKS FOR JOINING US, CLAIRE. FOR HOMEOWNERS STRUGGLING TO MAKE THEIR HIGH MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS, IS AN INTEREST-ONLY MORTGAGE A GOOD OPTION FOR A SHORT-TERM BREAK? YEAH, JEREMY ` GOING INTEREST-ONLY ON YOUR HOME LOAN CAN BE A GOOD SOLUTION, AS LONG AS IT'S JUST A SHORT-TERM FIX, AND THERE'S A REALLY GOOD REASON FOR IT. SO, JUST LIKE ANYTHING, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND AND GET ADVICE BEFORE YOU TAKE UP THAT OPTION FROM YOUR BANK OR LENDING ADVISER. THERE MIGHT BE SOME REALLY GOOD EXAMPLES OR REASONS SOMEBODY MIGHT APPLY FOR INTEREST-ONLY. SO PERHAPS YOU HAVE HAD A PROMOTION AT WORK AND YOU KNOW YOUR INCOME IS GOING TO GO UP IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, OR PERHAPS YOU'VE GOT A CHILD THAT'S STARTING PRIMARY SCHOOL, SO, YOU KNOW, THOSE DAYCARE COSTS ARE GOING TO DROP RIGHT OFF, AND THAT MIGHT JUST BE A GOOD REASON THAT YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR SOME SHORT-TERM RELIEF AND IMPROVE SOME HOUSEHOLD CASH FLOW FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. CLAIRE, AN INTEREST-ONLY MORTGAGE HAS ITS ADVANTAGES, BUT WHAT ARE THE RISKS? YEAH, LIKE ANYTHING, THERE'S ALWAYS PROS AND CONS WHEN YOU DO THESE THINGS, SO IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SIGNING UP FOR. SO BEFORE YOU HAVE THAT BIG SIGH OF RELIEF BECAUSE YOUR INTEREST-ONLY APPLICATION'S BEEN APPROVED, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THE LONGER-TERM IMPACTS OR COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO ON TO INTEREST-ONLY, YOU'RE POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE PAYING A WHOLE LOT MORE INTEREST ON YOUR HOME LOAN OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. OR ANOTHER ONE TO BE REALLY AWARE OF IS THAT ONCE YOUR INTEREST-ONLY PERIOD ENDS, THEN YOUR HOME LOAN REPAYMENTS MAY ACTUALLY BE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY WERE TO START WITH WHEN YOU GO ON TO PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE RISKS BEFORE YOU SIGN AWAY AND GO ON TO INTEREST-ONLY. CLAIRE, I KNOW BANKS DON'T ALWAYS LIKE GIVING OUT INTEREST`ONLY MORTGAGES. WHY IS THAT? YEAH, LOOK, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS A SOLUTION THAT CAN BE OFFERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR FAMILY HOME OR THE HOME THAT YOU'RE LIVING IN, BANKS WANT TO SEE YOU PAYING THAT DOWN. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL REALLY WANT TO RETIRE WITH A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS THAT WE OWN. AND IF YOU KEEP OPTING FOR THAT INTEREST-ONLY, YOU'RE NOT GETTING AHEAD, AND YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO PAY OFF YOUR HOME AND ACHIEVE THAT GOAL OF BEING A HOMEOWNER WITH NO DEBT HANGING OVER YOU. SO WHAT ABOUT HOMEOWNERS THAT FIND THEMSELVES TRAPPED IN A MORTGAGE PRISON? WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? OH YEAH, THIS IS A REALLY TRICKY ONE, AND UNFORTUNATELY QUITE COMMON AT THE MOMENT. WE HAD, OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PERHAPS BOUGHT MAYBE AROUND TWO YEARS AGO WITH LOW DEPOSIT AND REALLY LOW INTEREST RATES ` NOW THOSE RATES HAVE GONE UP. AFFORDABILITY HAS REDUCED AND PROPERTY VALUES HAVE DROPPED, SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVEN'T GOT ANY OPTIONS. SO MY SUGGESTION TO THOSE PEOPLE WOULD ABSOLUTELY` REACH OUT TO AN ADVISOR, SOMEONE WHO'S QUALIFIED, AND SEE IF THEY CAN COME UP WITH ANY OPTIONS THAT MIGHT BE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THAT YOU HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF, OR, OF COURSE, PICK UP THE PHONE TO YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION AND SEE IF THEY'VE GOT ANY OPTIONS THEY CAN OFFER YOU THROUGH THEIR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TEAMS AS WELL. IT'S A TOUGH TIME FOR KIWI HOMEOWNERS WITH HIGH INTEREST RATES AND STAGNANT HOUSE PRICES AT THE MOMENT, CLAIRE ` IS THERE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, I BELIEVE SO. SO TO ECHO ONE OF THE ECONOMISTS I LISTENED TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, HE USED A REALLY GOOD LINE AND SAID, 'THERE'S ALWAYS DARK BEFORE THE DAWN.' AND I REALLY THINK THAT IN THE NEXT 12 TO 18 MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A BIT MORE LIGHT. IN THE MEANTIME, WE OBVIOUSLY JUST NEED TO SUPPORT KIWIS THROUGH THAT. SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE REVIEWED THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SAY THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING, BUT THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A BUDGET WRITTEN DOWN. SO LOOK AT YOUR INCOME, LOOK AT YOUR MONEY GOING OUT AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU CAN SCALE BACK. IF THERE REALLY ISN'T ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, THEN AGAIN, YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO AN ADVISOR OR THE BANKS, AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF INTEREST`ONLY RESTRUCTURING, REFINANCING. WHAT I WOULD SAY, THOUGH, IS THAT SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE AND REACH OUT AND ASK FOR THAT HELP. THAT'S GREAT ADVICE. THANKS, CLAIRE. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH, JESSIE PURU AND BRIGIT KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 NOW TO SOME GOOD OLD-FASHIONED COMMUNITY PROBLEM SOLVING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FLOODING ISSUES CAUSED BY A PARTICULAR SPECIES OF TREE THAT MIGHT LOOK ATTRACTIVE, BUT IS OFFICIALLY CLASSIFIED AS A PEST. HERE'S MICHAEL HOLLAND IN HUNUA. (GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC) THE POSSE'S GATHERED, WEAPONS POISED. IN THEIR SIGHTS, A SEEMINGLY INOFFENSIVE ENEMY. THEY HAVE TO GO. THEY HAVE TO GO. THEY JUST GROW SO FAST. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AN INVASIVE WEED. SIMPLY, THERE'S NO ROOM FOR SENTIMENT HERE ON AUCKLAND'S SOUTHERN FRINGE, FOR THE HUNDREDS OF CRACK WILLOWS CLOGGING RURAL WATERWAYS. (UPBEAT MUSIC) (DRILL WHIRRS) KILLING A TREE IS SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE TO DO... I THINK THERE'S A 'BUT' COMING IN CAPITAL LETTERS. (LAUGHS) BUT... THERE ARE BETTER TREES TO BE PUTTING HERE. LANDOWNERS INSISTING THE CRACK WILLOWS EXACERBATE FLOODING BY SELF-SEEDING ON THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS, AND EVEN SPROUTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WATERWAYS. NOT ALL WILLOWS ARE CREATED EQUAL. THIS CRACK WILLOW ` A SMALL AMOUNT WILL BREAK OFF AND REINFEST FURTHER DOWN THE RIVER. WHAT I SEE IS THAT TREE AND ITS BROTHER AND ITS BROTHER, AND ITS SISTER AND ITS BROTHER ` YOU KNOW, AND THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO STOP. THEY ARE CREATING ALL THESE BLOCKAGES IN THE CHANNEL AND THEY'RE STOPPING THE FLOODWATER FROM GETTING THROUGH. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE JUST HOLDING HANDS LIKE THIS ACROSS THE RIVER. AND THEY JUST` THEY JUST TRAP EVERYTHING COMING DOWN THE RIVER. IT'S ALMOST POETIC ` HOLDING HANDS. (LAUGHS) HOLDING HANDS. BUT` YEAH, BUT NOT IN A GOOD WAY. (MOODY MUSIC) NONE MORE SO THAN DURING LAST YEAR'S AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY WEATHER ONSLAUGHT, QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY CYCLONE GABRIELLE. (MOODY MUSIC CONTINUES) DRILL HOLES AND HERBICIDE THE FIRST PHASE OF A CAMPAIGN TO GET CRACKING AGAINST CRACK WILLOWS, LISTED AS A NATIONAL PEST PLANT, WHICH IS PROHIBITED FROM SALE AND COMMERCIAL PROPAGATION. WE KILL POSSUMS AND RATS AND THINGS BECAUSE THEY'RE HARMING THE ENVIRONMENT, AND I GUESS IT'S THE SAME HERE. THEY'RE CAUSING MORE GROWTH THAN GOOD. AND JUST TO BE SURE, THIS ISN'T LICENCE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF TREES IN URBAN AREAS. NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO, NO. THIS IS... THIS IS A PARTICULAR PROBLEM IN THIS PARTICULAR PLACE. ABOVE THIS POINT HERE, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 150KM2 OF CATCHMENT, AND IT ALL COMES THROUGH HERE AND A BIG FLOOD FLOW. AND IT ALL COMES THROUGH HERE IN A BIG FLOOD FLOW. (UPLIFTING MUSIC) AND AS THE WILLOWS WITHER, THE FOCUS WILL TURN TO REPLANTING THE WATERWAY EDGES. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT KILLING WILLOWS, AND THAT'S A VERY STRONG PART OF THE MESSAGE, IS THAT RIPARIAN PLANTING NEEDS TO GO IN AFTER THEY'RE DEAD, TO HOLD THE BANKS TOGETHER. IDEALLY, WE WANT TO REPLACE THESE WITH NATIVE PLANTS ` FLAXES, GRASSES, SEDGES, CABBAGE TREES, MANUKA, KANUKA, KARO, THAT KIND OF THING. YOUR CONSCIENCE IS CLEAR? (LAUGHS) MY WORD, IT IS. YEAH. HAS TO BE DONE. YEAH. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO PROBLEM-SOLVE. YEAH. IT'S GREAT TO SEE. AND SO MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE FACE HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH BY COMMUNITIES. THERE'S NOBODY ELSE TO DO IT. YOU CAN'T JUST` 'OH, COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO THIS OR DOC NEEDS TO DO THAT.' IT HAS TO COME FROM THE COMMUNITY. ROLL THE SLEEVES ON THAT SWANNDRI UP? YEAH. GET INTO IT. THAT'S RIGHT. GOOD ON THOSE GUYS. E WHAI AKE NEI ` COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` THE SHARED CONVICT HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND THAT'S BEEN KEPT QUIET UNTIL NOW. PLUS... YEAH, I SCREAMED A BIT, AND THEN I WENT AND GOT A TATTOO. DON'T TELL MY MUM. I HAVEN'T TOLD MY MUM. IS THIS GOING TO BE ON TV? OH NO. CELEBRATING THE FINALISTS OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP COMEDY AWARD ` THE BILLY T's. THAT'S NEXT. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. THE NEW ZEALAND COMEDY FESTIVAL SEASON IS UPON US ONCE AGAIN. AND AMONG THE INCREDIBLE LINE-UP, YOU'LL FIND THE FIVE NOMINEES FOR THIS YEAR'S BILLY T AWARD, SO TONIGHT, WE THOUGHT WE'D PUT THESE UP-AND-COMERS THROUGH THEIR PACES. (EXCITING, WHIMSICAL MUSIC) JEREMY: WE INVITED THE FINALISTS FOR THIS YEAR'S BILLY T AWARDS INTO TVNZ TO MAKE THEM ASK EACH OTHER SOME CURLY QUESTIONS. THE AWARDS ARE NAMED AFTER THIS LEGEND ` THE LATE, VERY GREAT BILLY T JAMES. WELCOME. WELCOME. WELCOME, BILLY` OH, SORRY. WELCOME... BILLY T 2024... FINALISTS. PLEASE SIT UP STRAIGHT. PLEASE SIT UP STRAIGHT. PLEASE SIT UP STRAIGHT. NAME, AGE, STAR SIGN AND IWI. BEN. I'M 29. I'M A PISCES. OOH, I AM... (CHUCKLES) I FORGOT MY NAME. I'M MATTHEW. I'M... 29. I'M ADVAIT KIRTIKAR. I'VE... 30 YEARS OLD. I'M LIV MCKENZIE. I AM 30 YEARS OLD. RHIANNON MCCALL, 30, TAURUS. LANA WALTERS. SAGITTARIUS. UH, PAKEHA. I DON'T HAVE AN IWI. (SQUEALS) UH, I'M CHINESE. (LAUGHS) I SUPPOSE THAT'S MY` MY IWI. PATHARE PRABHU CLAN FROM INDIA. MY IWI IS CHRISTCHURCH, CANTERBURY. HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMEDY ACT? IT'S A BUDDY COP... COMEDY... UM, MURDER MYSTERY... WHODUNNIT THRILLER, UM, JUKEBOX MUSICAL. UH, IT'S VERY DRY AND LOW ENERGY. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT ` JUST LIKE I AM RIGHT NOW. MY COMEDY ACT IS SO FUNNY. GOSH. IT'S HILARIOUS, AND I REALLY THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BUY A TICKET TO GO AND SEE IT IN AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON. I TALK A LOT ABOUT BEING A MUM, WHICH, UM... (CHUCKLES) PEOPLE WHO AREN'T PARENTS SOMETIMES SAY SCARES THEM OFF BEING PARENTS. SO MAYBE BRUTALLY HONEST ABOUT PARENTHOOD? INAPPROPRIATE. (CHUCKLES) I THINK I FEEL LIKE MY VIBE IS LIKE` I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT GIRL AT A DINNER PARTY WHO, LIKE, EVERYONE'S CRACKING UP AT. AND WHEN THEY WHEN SHE LEAVES, THEY'RE ALL LIKE, 'IS SHE ALL RIGHT?' PAST WINNERS INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH NAMES LIKE TAIKA, JEMAINE, ROSE, BEN, RHYS, MEL, GUY, DAI, AND THIS GUY. WHICH MEANS THAT THESE FIVE ACTS ARE CURRENTLY THE BEE'S KNEES, THE CREAM OF THE CURRENT CROP. AND BEING NOMINATED IS A VERY BIG DEAL INDEED. (GIGGLES HEARTILY) DESCRIBE THE MOMENT THAT YOU FOUND OUT YOU WERE A BILLY T FINALIST. 'WE GOT IT!' UH, SO, YEAH, IT WAS, UM` NO, THAT WAS AN AMAZING FEELING. OH, I WAS VERY HAPPY. I GOT A PHONE CALL, AND I JUST, LIKE, HAD FUZZY FEELINGS. UH, I WAS ON THE BUS. I WAS SO HAPPY I WENT FOR A 5-K RUN JUST COS I HAD SO MUCH ADRENALINE, AND I COULDN'T, LIKE, CALM DOWN IN THE HOUSE. BECAUSE I'M FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF THE OTHER FINALISTS, WE WERE KIND OF MESSAGING EACH OTHER LIKE, 'DID YOU GET A CALL?' 'DID YOU GET A CALL?' AND I WAS THE LAST PERSON TO RECEIVE A CALL. AND SO I THOUGHT I HADN'T BEEN NOMINATED, AND I WAS AT HOME. I WAS MEANT TO MEET MY FRIENDS FOR BRUNCH, BUT I WAS SO SAD. I PULLED THE COVERS UP AND, UM, I WAS VERY UPSET. YEAH, I SCREAMED A BIT, AND THEN I WENT AND GOT A TATTOO. DON'T TELL MY MUM. I HAVEN'T TOLD MY MUM. IS THIS GOING TO BE ON TV? (CHUCKLES) OH NO. SURPRISED THAT I GOT IT, BUT REALLY ELATED TO GET IT AS WELL, SO... COMPLETE THIS CLASSIC BILLY T JAMES JOKE. 'LAST NIGHT, SOMEBODY PINCHED ALL THE TOILET SEATS OUT OF 'THE KAIKOHE POLICE STATION. NOW THE COPS HAVE...' 'NOW THE COPS HAVE...' 'NOW THE COPS HAVE...' THE PERPETRATOR. 'NOW THE COPS HAVE...' THE PERPETRATOR. HE WAS WEARING ALL OF THE TOILET SEATS AS NECKLACES. WET ARSEHOLES? NO, NO, THIS IS` WE'RE GOING BACK IN TIME. THEY CAN'T` YOU CAN'T SAY THAT WORD. NOWHERE TO (BLEEP)? I CAN'T SAY (BLEEP) ON THIS SHOW, CAN I? (SNICKERS) UM... (BLEEP) OH THEIR HANDS? LAUGHS: NO. INCORRECT. THE CORRECT ANSWER IS, 'NOW THE COPS HAVE NOTHING TO GO ON.' (GIGGLES) WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE MAN THE AWARDS ARE NAMED AFTER ` MR BILLY T JAMES? I THINK HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BEFORE MY TIME. I DIDN'T GROW UP ON BILLY T JAMES. YOU CAN ASK, LIKE, THE OLDEST PERSON YOU KNOW, 'WHO'S THE FUNNIEST NEW ZEALAND COMEDIAN?' AND I GUARANTEE THEY'LL ALL SAY` DAI HENWOOD. I WAS GOING TO SAY BILLY T JAMES. OH, RIGHT. AND I'M VERY AWARE OF HIM IN THE FACEBOOK COMMENTS OF ANY COMEDY SHOW WHERE PEOPLE JUST ALWAYS GO, 'THERE HASN'T BEEN FUNNY COMEDY SINCE BILLY T JAMES,' WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A DEVASTATING WAY FOR ME TO FIND OUT I'M NOT FUNNY. YEAH. BILLY T JAMES. I KNOW THAT HE IS A COMEDY ICON. I KNOW THAT HE'S MAORI. I ACTUALLY WENT DOWN A BIG BILLY T JAMES, UM, RABBIT HOLE THE OTHER DAY ON YOUTUBE. COPS IN AUCKLAND NOW ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A MAN BELIEVED TO BE MASQUERADING AS A BODY LANGUAGE TEACHER. TO BE MASQUERADING AS A MAORI LANGUAGE TEACHER. AND HE IS SO FUNNY. HE'S AN AMAZING MUSICIAN. HIS SKETCHES ARE SO GOOD. HIS CHARACTERS ARE SO STRONG. I AM THINKING MAYBE THE TANIWHA GOBBLED HIM UP. THE WHAT? OH, HE'S HILARIOUS. HE'S AMAZING. I MEAN, HE'S AN ICON. I THINK HE'S SO FUNNY EVERY TIME I WATCH, YOU KNOW, HIS OLD SKETCHES. I THINK IT'S VERY PRECIOUS TO BE PART OF ANY LEGACY HE'S INVOLVED IN. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO CHECK OUT SOMETHING. I JUST WONDERED IF THINGS WILL CHANGE IF THE HOMOSEXUAL LAW REFORM BILL IS PASSED. WILL THINGS CHANGE? LIKE, FOR INSTANCE, UH, WILL WE SEE A BIG REVIVAL IN MARVIN GAYE RECORDS? OR, UH... (SHOCKED LAUGHTER) WILL WE` SHUT UP. LISTEN. (LAUGHTER) I DON'T KNOW IF HE'D GET AWAY WITH THE THINGS THAT HE SAID BACK THEN TODAY. BUT I'M GOING TO DO SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS. AS MINISTER OF MAORI AFFAIRS, I'M GOING TO DO SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS, SO... IF ANY OF YOU LADIES WANT AN AFFAIR WITH A MAORI... (LAUGHTER, CHEERING, APPLAUSE) AND THE FIVE NOMINEES WILL ALL PERFORM THEIR OWN SHOWS DURING THE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL, LEADING UP TO THEIR FINAL PERFORMANCE ON SUNDAY 26 MAY AT SKYCITY THEATRE, WHERE THE WINNER WILL BE CROWNED. IN OCTOBER, DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM NEW ZEALAND TO TASMANIA WILL BE BACK ON OFFER, SO WE THOUGHT WE'D PARTNER WITH TOURISM TASMANIA TO SEE THE BEST SIGHTS BEFORE THE REST OF YOU GOT ON BOARD. LUCAS DE JONG STARTED HIS JOURNEY BY WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FOUNDING MOTHERS OF TASMANIA, AND FOUND OUT WHY THEIR CONVICT PAST MEANT MANY CAME TO OUR SHORES. (GENTLE ACOUSTIC GUITAR MUSIC) AT THE PORT OF HOBART, THEIR LONG JOURNEY WOULD REACH ITS FINAL LEG. TRY TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR THEM ` THREE MONTHS, MAYBE EVEN LONGER, ON BOARD THE SHIP, AND DISEMBARKING. (GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC CONTINUES) IN THE AGE OF TRANSPORTATION, 7000 CONVICT WOMEN WOULD WALK THIS PATH. THIS WOULD BE LIKE AN ALIEN PLACE TO THEM. I MEAN, NO DOUBT THEY HAD HEARD RUMOURS, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS ACTUALLY LIKE. IN THE DARKNESS, THEY'D DO THE ORIGINAL WALK OF SHAME. FROM HERE, IT'S ABOUT A 4km WALK. (MELANCHOLY HARP MUSIC) IT WOULD END AT THE GATES OF THE CASCADES FEMALE FACTORY. (OVERLAPPING) I'M FROM LONDON. I'VE COME FROM HERTFORDSHIRE... I WAS FROM COUNTY DOWN. MY HOME IS EDINBURGH. I COME FROM LANARKSHIRE. SCOTLAND IS MA HAME, AND I COME FRA' GLASGAE. I'M FROM ENGLAND. (SPEAKS CHINESE) I AM FROM BORDEAUX... THE CASCADES FEMALE FACTORY WAS ESSENTIALLY A PRISON. THEY ALSO HAD A HOSPITAL HERE, THEY ALSO HAD A NURSERY HERE. BUT THE WOMEN WERE ALSO PUNISHED HERE AS WELL. THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE WORK THAT THE WOMEN WERE DOING HERE ` IT WAS PRODUCING MONEY FOR THE PRISON, SO THEY WOULD DO ALL THE INDUSTRIAL WASHING FROM HOBART. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY HARD LIFE, HANDED DOWN FOR MINOR CRIMES. THERE WERE A HIGH PERCENT OF ALL CONVICTS THAT WERE SENT OUT, THIS IS MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN ` TO ME, THEY COMMITTED WHAT I CALL A 'SURVIVAL CRIME'. THEY WERE LIVING IN POVERTY, SO THEY WERE STEALING FOOD TO SURVIVE. THERE WAS A VERY SMALL PERCENT THAT WERE PURELY CRIMINAL. (POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC) WHEN WOMEN ARRIVED OFF THE SHIP, THEY HAD TO SPEND SIX MONTHS IN THIS CELL ` SIX MONTHS OF TOTAL SILENCE ` YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK. SO YOU'D WORK IN THIS CELL, ANYTHING FROM 8 TO 10` MAYBE EVEN 12 HOURS A DAY, DOING WEAVING, SEWING OR SPINNING, AND THEN HALF AN HOUR A DAY, GO OUTSIDE TO THE EXERCISE YARD, WALK UP AND DOWN FOR HALF AN HOUR, AND BE PUT BACK IN. (POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC CONTINUES) YOU HAD TO RECEIVE AT LEAST A SEVEN- YEAR SENTENCE TO BE SENT HERE, BUT WITH GOOD BEHAVIOUR, THEY COULD BE OUT EARLIER, BECAUSE THE FEMALE FACTORY'S MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCT WAS PEOPLE. NOW, IF EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT, YOU'RE VERY WELL-BEHAVED, YOU'RE THEN GOING TO BE ASSIGNED OUT TO WORK, TO A FAMILY. AFTER BEING THERE FOR 12 MONTHS, YOU COULD APPLY FOR YOUR TICKET OF LEAVE, THEY NEEDED FEMALES TO BE ABLE TO COLONISE, AND THEY HAD THE MALE POPULATION HERE, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FEMALES HERE. ONCE YOU'RE TRANSPORTED, YOU'RE TRANSPORTED FOR LIFE. PART OF IT WAS THAT YOU COULDN'T GO BACK HOME. FOR YEARS, SHELLY KNEW ABOUT THE CONVICT MEN IN HER FAMILY, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL RECENTLY THAT SHE LEARNED ABOUT HER FEMALE CONNECTIONS. CATHERINE RYAN, 4TH OF APRIL 1848. ON A WALL THAT RECORDS THE BABIES WHO WERE BORN HERE, HER ANCESTOR SITS. NEVER KNEW ABOUT THIS, SO... AND TO THINK THAT I FOUND THIS NAME AND DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS A RELATION... I WAS BLOWN AWAY, I MUST ADMIT. IT'S A STORY THEY HEAR ALL TOO OFTEN FROM THE VISITORS THAT COME HERE. SO IS STUART IN YOUR...? STUART'S MY MOTHER'S NAME. AND SO THEY BUILT DATABASES SO YOU CAN TRACE YOUR OWN HISTORY. STEWARD, STEWARD, STUART. YEAH. SEE THE SPELLING? YEAH. LIKE, WAS THAT DONE DELIBERATE? WAS IT, LIKE... THEY WANT TO LEAVE THIS ISLAND, BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE, EVEN IF YOU ARE SETTLING, YOU'RE JUST PRESUMED TO BE AN EX-CONVICT. SO THEY WOULD LEAVE, GO TO MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, BUT A LOT WENT TO NEW ZEALAND. FOR GENERATIONS, IT WAS A SOURCE OF SHAME TO HAVE CONVICT ROOTS, BUT THAT'S CHANGING. IT WAS SUCH A SHAMEFUL THING. IT REALLY WAS. LIKE, NOBODY WOULD EVER TALK ABOUT IT ` NOBODY WOULD OWN UP TO SAY THEY HAD A CONVICT IN THE FAMILY. BUT NOW ` WELL, I FIND AUSTRALIANS GET UPSET IF THEY CAN'T FIND A CONVICT. BECAUSE TASMANIA OWES SO MUCH TO THESE WOMEN ` THE WOMEN FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. I MEAN, THEY SURVIVED THIS SYSTEM. IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO. SO A LOT OF US OWE OUR LIVES TO THESE WOMEN... ...WHO MADE A LIFE AND BUILT A COUNTRY. I SEE THESE WOMEN AS BEING THE FOUNDING MOTHERS OF AUSTRALIA. (SWEEPING ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. NOT SURE. BEFORE WE GO, WE HAVE AN EMAIL FROM SHIRLEY ` I JUST LOVE SACHA'S DRESS TONIGHT, DOES SHE MAKE THEM HERSELF? SHE MUST THINK I AM MORE CREATIVE THAN I AM, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO. THINGS ARE TOUGH AT TVNZ, BUT THEY ARE NOT THAT TOUGH/ ON THE SHOW TOMORROW ` THE SCANDINAVIANS SWEAR BY THEM, AND THEY'VE GOT SOME OF THE BEST COMPLEXIONS IN THE OECD. WE GET HOT AND SWEATY INVESTIGATING THE BENEFITS OF SAUNAS. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY; THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. MT HUTT RESCUE IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH, JESSIE PURU AND BRIGIT KELLY.