IT WAS IN 1977, WHEN DONOGHUE WAS HEAD PRIEST AT ST JOSEPH'S IN UPPER HUTT, THAT STEVE CARVELL SAYS HE WAS RAPED BY DONOGHUE, WHILE STAYING AT ST JOSEPH'S ORPHANAGE. IT WAS THE MOST PAINFUL THING I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE. IT WAS CARVELL'S ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DONOGHUE WHICH PROMPTED THIS MAN TO COME FORWARD. SUPPORT STEVE. THIS IS WHAT MY HIKOI IS ABOUT. STEPH MOYNIHAN ALSO CONTACTED NEWSHUB AFTER WE PUBLISHED CARVELL'S ALLEGATIONS. SHE SAYS HER LATE DAD, FORMER KAPITI COLLEGE PRINCIPAL PETER GOODWIN, RECEIVED A COMPLAINT ABOUT DONOGHUE ABUSING ONE OF HIS PUPILS IN THE LATE '80S, WHEN DONOGHUE WAS LIVING IN WAIKANAE. THE WOMAN WHO WAS CARING FOR THIS BOY WAS VERY, VERY CONCERNED, AND SHE GOT IN TOUCH WITH MY DAD, WHO WAS PRINCIPAL AT KAPITI COLLEGE, WHERE THE BOY WAS ATTENDING, AND SHE WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE BOY WAS BEING INTERFERED WITH. SHE SAYS HER DAD RAISED IT WITH DONOGHUE'S SUPERIOR BUT WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RESPONSE. BRUSHING IT UNDER THE CARPET. 'WE'LL JUST PARK THAT OVER THERE, AND WE WON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.' IS THAT HOW YOUR DAD FELT? YEAH. NEWSHUB HAS LEARNED THE CHURCH RECEIVED AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT COMPLAINT IN 2006 ABOUT DONOGHUE'S CONDUCT IN WAIKANAE IN 1984. THE ARCHBISHOP OF WELLINGTON SAID, PAUL MARTIN SAYS HIS PREDECESSOR, CARDINAL JOHN DEW, WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE 2006 COMPLAINT. WE ASKED DEW ABOUT IT. HE SAID HE DIDN'T REMEMBER IT, BUT THEN MADE ENQUIRIES. HE SAID IN A STATEMENT. THE CHURCH LABELLED IT A 'SERIOUS BOUNDARY VIOLATION' WHICH WAS INVESTIGATED BY THE SEXUAL ABUSE PROTOCOL COMMITTEE. DEW AND DONOGHUE WORKED TOGETHER AT ST JOSEPH'S PARISH IN THE '70s. IN MARCH, DEW TOLD NEWSHUB DONOGHUE WAS A MENTOR AND HE WAS SURPRISED BY STEVE CARVELL'S ALLEGATION AGAINST DONOGHUE. I FIND THAT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE. VERY HARD TO BELIEVE. AND WHY IS THAT? OH, JUST UNEXPECTED OF A PERSON, THE PERSON THAT I CAME TO KNOW. HE SAYS HE STANDS BY HIS COMMENTS DONOGHUE WAS A MENTOR AND SAYS HE NEVER OBSERVED ANY MISCONDUCT BY HIM. BETWEEN STEVE CARVELL, OUR SOURCE, THE LATE KAPITI COLLEGE PRINCIPAL AND THE OTHER COMPLAINANT THAT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE CHURCH, THERE ARE NOW FOUR COMPLAINTS AGAINST DONOGHUE THAT WE KNOW OF. SO, MICHAEL, DID POLICE KNOW ABOUT THIS 2006 COMPLAINT? NO, IT APPEARS THEY DID NOT. AS WE KNOW, POLICE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING STEVE CARVELL'S ALLEGATIONS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. POLICE HAVE TOLD ME TODAY THAT NO ONE FROM THE CHURCH, NOR JOHN DEW, MADE THEM AWARE OF THE 2006 COMPLAINT. I WAS ALSO TOLD A MONTH AGO THERE WERE NO RECORDS OF ANY COMPLAINTS, AND THEN JUST A WEEK AGO, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS. INTERESTINGLY, THIS COMPLAINT HAS ONLY SURFACED AFTER A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR FROM CATHOLIC-RUN COMPLAINTS AGENCY KNOWN AS 'NOPS' STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS. SO THIS WILL FORM PART OF THAT INVESTIGATION. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN THE CASE OF AN UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN'S BODY FISHED UP IN A BAG AT GULF HARBOUR. THE PAIR, WHO HAVE NAME SUPPRESSION, APPEARED IN COURT EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT IN AN ODD TWIST, AFTER RELEASING DETAILS ABOUT THE ARRESTS, POLICE THEN SUPPRESSED THEIR OWN ANNOUNCEMENT SO MEDIA COULDN'T REPORT IT. ALICE WILKINS HAS THE DETAILS. A MAN AND WOMAN, BOTH 36 YEARS OLD AND BOTH FACING CHARGES OF INTERFERING WITH HUMAN REMAINS, BUT THE BODY STILL HASN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED. YOUR HONOUR, PLEA CAN BE TAKEN TODAY. IT'S NOT GUILTY THROUGH COUNSEL. IN MARCH, AN AUCKLAND FISHERMAN SPOTTED A BAG IN THE WATER NEAR WHANGAPARAOA. WHEN HE PULLED IT IN, THE CONTENTS WERE UNEXPECTEDLY HORRIFYING. OPENED IT UP ` BIG CHUNK OF MEAT. LOOKED LIKE MAYBE... A LEG. LIKE A LEG OF LAMB TYPE THING, THAT SORT OF THING ` BIG CHUNK OF MEAT, AND I THOUGHT, 'OH, SOMEONE'S THROWN THEIR MEAT WASTE AWAY.' LO AND BEHOLD, A HAND APPEARS. POLICE DETERMINED THE PERSON WAS A WOMAN BETWEEN HER 30s AND 50s AND LIKELY OF CHINESE DESCENT, RELEASING THESE IMAGES OF THE PYJAMAS SHE WAS DRESSED IN. 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. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH INTERPOL, AND ON SUNDAY NIGHT THEY ARRESTED THE MAN AND WOMAN ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY. POLICE RELEASED INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARRESTS EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT WHEN THE DEFENDANTS APPEARED IN COURT ON MONDAY, POLICE RETRACTED THEIR STATEMENT, AND ORDERS TO TAKE DOWN ARTICLES ` AND STOP ANY FURTHER REPORTING ` WERE MADE. THE ORDER LAPSED TODAY. POLICE AREN'T RULING OUT FURTHER ARRESTS OR CHARGES AND HAVE BEEN SEARCHING AN OREWA HOUSE IN RELATION TO THE WIDER INVESTIGATION. THE PAIR HAVE PLEADED NOT GUILTY, BUT INVESTIGATORS WILL BE HOPING THEY'RE ANOTHER STEP CLOSER TO SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF A WOMAN FOUND IN THE WATER. ALICE WILKINS, NEWSHUB. FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE BEEN REMEMBERING THE 'FUNNY, LOYAL, AND LOVING' NEW ZEALAND WOMAN WHO WAS RUN OVER AND KILLED AFTER AN ARMED ROBBERY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. TRISH McKAY WAS SHOPPING WITH HER HUSBAND DOUG WHEN THEY WERE ATTACKED. LAURA TUPOU REPORTS. HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD WHILE SHOPPING AT AN UPMARKET MALL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, 68-YEAR-OLD KIWI TRISH McKAY'S LIFE WAS TAKEN. 20, 30 PEOPLE CAME RUNNING AROUND THE CORNER SCREAMING, 'THERE'S GUNSHOTS, THERE'S GUNSHOTS.' EMERGENCY SERVICES SWARMED THE AREA WHERE TRISH AND HER HUSBAND, DOUG, WERE ROBBED AT GUNPOINT BY TWO MEN. AT THIS POINT, WE BELIEVE THE SUSPECTS DRAGGED HER INTO THE STREET. THEN A THIRD MAN AND A GETAWAY CAR HIT AND KILLED McKAY. THE SUSPECTS FLED, ONE OF THEM ON FOOT, PROMPTING A POLICE PURSUIT. THE TWO OTHERS DITCHED THE CAR, AND ONE HID BUT WAS EVENTUALLY ARRESTED AND ONE HID BUT WAS EVENTUALLY ARRESTED. ALL THREE ARE NOW IN CUSTODY ON SUSPICION OF HOMICIDE, ROBBERY WITH FIREARM AND CONSPIRACY. A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE McKAY FAMILY RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING... HER HUSBAND, DOUG, IS A PROMINENT BUSINESSMAN AND FORMER AUCKLAND COUNCIL CEO. THE PRIME MINISTER, WHO KNOWS THE McKAYS, SAYS IT WAS A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. THEY ARE GREAT NEW ZEALANDERS AND GREAT PEOPLE, AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT THE COUNTRY AND THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THEIR COMMUNITY TO GET AROUND THEM AND LOVE THEM. AUCKLAND'S DEPUTY MAYOR, DESLEY SIMPSON, SAID TRISH WAS AMAZING, FUNNY, LOYAL AND LOVING. JOIN WITH ME IN SENDING OUR VERY DEEPEST AND MOST SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO THE McKAY FAMILY. HER DEATH WAS MARKED WITH A MINUTE'S SILENCE AT A MEETING TODAY ` A SENSELESS TRAGEDY ON WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HAPPY TRIP TO VISIT FAMILY IN THE U.S. LAURA TUPOU, NEWSHUB. THE GOVERNMENT IS PROMISING NEW PLANNING RULES WILL BRING A FLOOD OF NEW HOUSES ONTO THE MARKET ` NO URBAN-RURAL BOUNDARIES, INCREASED INTENSIFICATION AND NO MIMIMUM SIZE LIMITS FOR APARTMENTS ARE AMONG THE CHANGES. AS BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT SIMON SHEPHERD REPORTS, THE HOUSING MINISTER SAYS THE MARKET ` NOT PLANNERS ` SHOULD DECIDE WHAT GETS BUILT WHERE. TOO FEW, TOO EXPENSIVE ` A BROKEN MARKET MANY MINISTERS HAVE PROMISED TO FIX. NOW IT'S CHRIS BISHOP'S TURN. WHAT WE NEED IS HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN NEW ZEALAND. HOUSES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE IN NEW ZEALAND, RENTS ARE TOO HIGH, AND IT'S LOCKING A WHOLE GENERATION OF YOUNG NEW ZEALANDERS OUT OF THE HOUSING MARKET. SO SWEEPING CHANGES ARE ON THE WAY. COUNCILS WILL NO LONGER HAVE RURAL-URBAN BOUNDARIES; INSTEAD, THEY MUST ZONE LAND TO MEET 30 YEARS OF HOUSING DEMAND. PREVIOUS MEDIUM-DENSITY RULES BECOME OPTIONAL, BUT COUNCILS WILL HAVE TO ENABLE INTENSIFICATION SIX STOREYS OR HIGHER ALONG TRANSPORT CORRIDORS. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE MORE APARTMENTS AND SHOPS IN THE SAME DEVELOPMENTS, AND COUNCILS CANNOT SET MINIMUM SIZE OR BALCONY REQUIREMENTS. BISHOP'S VISION ` THOSE INTERNATIONAL CITIES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK AND SHOP IN THE SAME PLACE. NEW ZEALANDERS GO OVERSEAS TO PLACES LIKE SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE AND LONDON, PARIS ` OTHER CITIES AROUND THE WORLD ` AND THEY COME HOME AND SAY, 'WHY CAN'T WE BE LIKE THOSE CITIES?' SO THAT MEANS ZONING LOTS OF LAND TO GO UP AND OUT. GETTING THESE POLICY SETTINGS RIGHT NOW WILL MEAN THAT AS WE HEAD INTO A MORE PROSPEROUS PART OF THE MARKET CYCLE, DEVELOPERS MAY BE ABLE TO BUILD MORE OF THE HOMES THAT NEW ZEALANDERS NEED. BUT WHAT WILL THEY BUILD? MAJOR COUNCILS WILL HAVE TO ALLOW SIX STOREYS OR MORE AROUND TRAIN AND BUS ROUTES, BUT BISHOP DOESN'T AGREE THAT MEANS ROWS OF TINY APARTMENTS WITHOUT BALCONIES OR CARPARKS. WHAT WE'RE DOING IS LIBERALISING THE RULES SO THAT PEOPLE WILL BUILD WHAT THE MARKET DEMANDS, SO IF THERE'S NO DEMAND FOR 20m2 SHOEBOX APARTMENTS, THEY WON'T BE BUILT ` SIMPLE AS THAT. THE STUFF WITH THE APARTMENTS IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT ` THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUILDING ON WHAT WE HAD ALREADY LINED UP ` THE OTHER STUFF, WE JUST WANT TO SEE THE DETAILS FIRST. SO DOES LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEW ZEALAND. IT WASN'T CONSULTED ON THESE CHANGES AND WANTS TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THE NEW ROADS AND PIPES. WE OBVIOUSLY REALLY SUPPORT HOUSING GROWTH, AND COUNCILS WANT TO SEE MORE HOUSING GROWTH, BUT UNTIL WE SEE FUNDING FOR COUNCILS TO DELIVER THAT GROWTH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE EXPECTED RESULTS. CHRIS BISHOP SAYS THAT WHOEVER IS BUILDING THE HOUSES AND USING THE PIPES AND ROADS WILL PROBABLY PAY FOR THEM, BUT THAT HE WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ON INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING LATER THIS YEAR ` ALL PART OF HIS PLAN TO BRING DOWN PRICES AND FIX THE HOUSING CRISIS. SIMON SHEPHERD, NEWSHUB. WAIROA'S RESIDENTS ARE THREATENING TO TAKE THE HAWKE'S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL TO COURT OVER THE FLOODING OF 400 HOMES BECAUSE IT FAILED TO DIG A CHANNEL IN THE RIVER BAR TO PROTECT THE TOWN. ALEXA COOK HAS THE DETAILS. ALEXA, WHO IS SUING THE COUNCIL? WELL, NEWSHUB UNDERSTANDS THERE IS A GROUP OF RESIDENTS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES WHO HAVE ENGAGED A LAWYER AND ARE LOOKING AT LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE REGIONAL COUNCIL FOR NOT ACTING QUICK ENOUGH TO SAVE THE TOWN IN LAST WEEK'S FLOODING. THAT IS BECAUSE THERE IS A RIVER BAR, AND IT'S THEIR JOB TO MANAGE THE RIVER BAR AND DIG A CHANNEL IN WEATHER EVENTS SO IT CAN GET OUT TO SEA MORE EASILY, BUT LAST WEEK, THEY DIDN'T GET A CONTRACTOR OUT THERE UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. RESIDENTS ARE FURIOUS, AND THE MAYOR IS DEMANDING AN APOLOGY FROM THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, SAYING HIS COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR AND NEEDS THEM TO SAY SORRY ` BUT THEY'RE YET TO DO IT. THIS REPORT AFTER CYCLONE GABRIELLE DETAILED HOW THEY COULD IMPROVE ITS MANAGEMENT, BUT CLEARLY THEY DID NOT LEARN ANY LESSONS FROM GABRIELLE. THAT'S WHY LEGAL EXPERTS SAY THERE COULD BE A STRONG CASE TO TAKE THE REGIONAL COUNCIL TO COURT AND CLAIM BACK SOME OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL PREVENTABLE. I REACHED OUT TO THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THIS. ALEXA, TENA KOE. LABOUR'S LATEST SOUL-SEARCHING MISSION HAS LANDED IT AT THE EPICENTRE OF ITS ELECTORAL DEFEAT: AUCKLAND. THE PARTY CAUCUS SPENT TWO DAYS IN THE CITY OF SAILS TALKING TO AUCKLANDERS ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG, AND HOW THEY CAN MAKE IT RIGHT. STILL CHEWING OVER THE REASONS FOR DEFEAT... WE ALL KNOW THE SIZE OF THE OVERALL JOB WE'VE GOT AHEAD. NINE MONTHS ON, LABOUR'S STUCK IN ITS REFLECTION ERA, STILL PICKING OVER THE REMAINS OF ELECTION OBLITERATION. WHEN DOES THE REFLECTION ERA END FOR LABOUR? OH... I THINK WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY REVIEW WHERE WE'RE AT. WE ARE ONLY SIX, SEVEN MONTHS IN. SLOWLY BUILDING UP TO START TALKING ABUT A REBUILD... SLOWLY BUILDING UP TO START TALKING ABUT A REBUILD. REBUILDING OUR MOVEMENT SO WE'RE A FORMIDABLE FORCE WHEN WE HEAD INTO THE NEXT ELECTION. JUST DON'T EXPECT THEM TO SERVE UP ANY POLICY. THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IS GOING TO TAKE A WEE WHILE, BUT WE'RE DOING THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY ALONGSIDE THE LISTENING EXERCISE. THE PARTY HAD BEEN DELIBERATELY KEEPING A LOW PROFILE, AWARE THAT THE PUBLIC DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM FOR A WHILE. I THINK PEOPLE ARE HEARING FROM US NOW, BUT IN TERMS OF NEW POLICY, I THINK IT'S STILL TOO EARLY FOR THAT. LABOUR'S BEEN IN A STATE OF INTERNAL SOUL-SEARCHING SINCE THE ELECTION. THE COUPLE OF DAYS IN AUCKLAND WERE ABOUT RECONNECTING WITH THE PUBLIC. AUCKLAND IS WHERE ELECTIONS ARE WON AND LOST, AND LABOUR KNOWS IT. IF WE WANT TO BE BACK IN GOVERNMENT IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS' TIME, THEN WE NEED TO WIN BACK A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT SUPPORT HERE IN AUCKLAND THAT WE LOST AT THE LAST ELECTION. THE THREE C'S ARE WHAT LOST IT FOR THEM ` COVID, CRIME, COST OF LIVING. ARE YOU THE RIGHT PERSON TO WIN BACK AUCKLAND? YEAH, I AM. I THINK I'M THE RIGHT PERSON TO LEAD THE LABOUR TEAM INTO THE NEXT ELECTION. CHRIS HIPKINS HAD A DIRECT MINISTERIAL HAND IN TWO OF THOSE PROBLEMS ` HE WAS THE POLICE MINISTER WHILE RETAIL CRIME SOARED; HE WAS THE COVID MINISTER THAT KEPT AUCKLAND LOCKED DOWN FOR THREE MONTHS. THE 2026 ELECTION CAMPAIGN WON'T BE A RERUN OF THE 2023 ELECTION CAMPAIGN. YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE OFFERING DIFFERENT POLICIES. HIS AUCKLAND MPs BACKING HIM. IS CHRIS HIPKINS GOING TO BE THE LEADER AT THE NEXT ELECTION? 100%. 150% CHIPPY OFFERS STABILITY. HE UNDERSTANDS PARLIAMENT. HE CAN GET THINGS DONE. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT AUCKLANDERS WANT. THE CHALLENGE NOW ` KEEPING THE TEAM TOGETHER UNTIL THE PARTY POPS ITS HEAD ABOVE THE POLICY PARAPET AND FACES THE INTERNAL TURMOIL OVER TAX. CAPITAL GAINS TAX OR WEALTH TAX? (LAUGHTER) HA HA HA. THERE YOU GO, YOU GOT US ALL LAUGHING AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU THOUGHT THAT LAUGH WAS AWKWARD, WAIT UNTIL LABOUR HAS TO AIR ITS TAX TROUBLES REPEATEDLY AND PUBLICLY OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS DEFYING CALLS TO BOW OUT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, TELLING DONORS, 'NO ONE'S PUSHING ME OUT.' HIGH-PROFILE DEMOCRATS ARE NOW OPENLY CALLING FOR HIM TO STEP ASIDE, AND DONALD TRUMP'S LEAD IN THE POLLS IS ONLY GROWING. U.S. CORRESPONDENT MITCH MCCANN REPORTS. (PATRIOTIC MUSIC) AS 'ALL HAIL TO THE CHIEF' RANG THROUGH THE HALLS OF THE WHITE HOUSE, THE CHIEF HIMSELF CONTINUED HIS DUTIES AMID GROWING CALLS TO GIVE THEM UP. HE TOLD CAMPAIGN STAFF ON A CALL... IT'S THE STORY THAT WON'T GO AWAY, SIX DAYS AFTER JOE BIDEN'S DEBATE PERFORMANCE FROM HELL. WE HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH` UM, LOOK, IF... WITH TWO DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMEN NOW PUBLICALLY ASKING BIDEN TO STEP BACK AND BOW OUT, THE WHITE HOUSE IS PROTECTING THE PRESIDENT AND PUSHING BACK. IS THE PRESIDENT STANDING DOWN? NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VICE PRESIDENT ASSUMING HIS DUTIES? NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE PRESIDENT IS CLEAR-EYED AND IS STAYING IN THE RACE. BUT THE VOICES OF SCEPTICISM ` AND SOMETIMES FRUSTRATION ` ARE TOUGH TO IGNORE. DEMOCRAT NANCY PELOSI, A POWERFUL ALLY, WAS HARDLY REASSURING ON CABLE TV. IS THIS AN EPISODE, OR IS THIS A CONDITION? AND IF POLITICAL PRESSURE WASN'T CHANGING BIDEN'S MIND, NEITHER IS MONEY, IT SEEMS ` DEMOCRATIC MEGA-DONOR ARI EMANUEL HAS SUGGESTED DONORS ARE CONSIDERING NOT PUTTING THEIR MONEY TO THE CAMPAIGN. HE GAVE US A BUNCH OF MALARKEY. I AM PISSED. WE ALL SHOULD BE PISSED. TODAY, THE PRESIDENT ASSEMBLED POWERFUL DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS TO THE OVAL OFFICE TO SHORE UP SUPPORT, AND ` LUCKILY FOR HIM ` THAT'S WHAT HE GOT. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS IN IT TO WIN IT, AND ALL OF US SAID WE HAVE PLEDGED OUR SUPPORT TO HIM, BECAUSE THE STAKES COULD NOT BE HIGHER. BUT HIS POLLING NUMBERS ARE GETTING LOWER BY THE DAY ` HE'S NOW 6 PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW TRUMP. OVER THE WEEKEND, BIDEN IS EXPECTED TO RETURN TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND UNDERGO A HIGH-PROFILE TV INTERVIEW. AS THE NEW YORK GOVERNOR PUT IT, THE STAKES REALLY COULDN'T BE HIGHER. IN NEW YORK, MITCH McCANN, NEWSHUB. TIME NOW FOR NEWSHUB WEATHER. AND YOUR REQUEST FOR WEATHER PHOTOS WORKED, HEATHER? YEAH. IT SURE DID. AN INBOX FULL OF MAGNIFICENT SHOTS. HERE'S JUST A FEW ` ALL OF THEM SUMMING UP THE GENERAL VIBE OF TODAY'S WEATHER, WHICH WAS COLD, FROSTY AND FOGGY, AND THAT EVEN LED TO FREEZING FOG IN TAUMARUNUI THAT DIDN'T LET UP TILL 11am. MT COOK AIRPORT AND TEKAPO WERE THE COLDEST SPOTS, THOUGH ` MINUS-7. TOMORROW IS LOOKING VERY SIMILAR, WITH SEVERE FROST EXPECTED. DETAILS AFTER SPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS. GREAT TO SEE THEM COME IN. THE GOVERNMENT'S REVEALED ITS PLAN TO FIX MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. IT INVOLVES NEW TARGETS ` BUT THE PRIME MINISTER IS ALREADY ADMITTING THEY MIGHT NOT BE MET. EVEN THE CONSERVATIVES ADMIT THEY'RE IN FOR A HIDING AS THE UK HEADS TO THE POLLS. AND THE QUESTION WE'VE ALL BEEN WONDERING BUT WERE TOO AFRAID TO ASK ` CAN HIPPOS FLY? WELCOME BACK. THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN ITSELF SIX YEARS TO TURN AROUND THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE. IT'S LAUNCHING A $10m FUND AND FIVE VERY AMBITIOUS TARGETS, BUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S CONCEDING THEY MIGHT BE MISSED. HERE'S POLITICAL REPORTER AMELIA WADE. THE PRIME MINISTER WANTS TO DO A MENTAL HEALTH TURN-AROUND JOB. GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH. IT'S GOT TO BE ABOUT RESULTS. WE NEED BOTH BIG HEARTS AND WE NEED HARD HEADS. ALONGSIDE LAUNCHING A $10m FUND FOR INNOVATIVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, TODAY THE GOVERNMENT TOLD KIWIS TO HOLD THEM TO ACCOUNT. WE'RE DETERMINED TO DELIVER RESULTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE SET FIVE TARGETS SO YOU CAN HOLD US TO ACCOUNT. THOSE TARGETS ARE THAT BY 2030, 25% OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION INVESTMENT GOES TOWARDS PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION; 500 MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE TRAINED EACH YEAR; THAT 95% OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION-RELATED EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS ARE ADMITTED, DISCHARGED OR TRANSFERRED WITHIN SIX HOURS; OR TRANSFERRED WITHIN SIX MONTHS; 80% OF REFERRALS THROUGH THE ACCESS AND CHOICE PROGRAMME ARE SEEN WITHIN ONE WEEK, AND BEYOND THAT, 80% OF PEOPLE NEEDING HELP ARE SEEN WITHIN THREE WEEKS. LITERALLY JUST YESTERDAY, I WAS TRYING TO HELP A FAMILY GET IN EARLIER THAN SIX MONTHS. THAT'S A REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE, BETWEEN THREE WEEKS AND SIX MONTHS, AND I WANT TO KNOW HOW. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT? BECAUSE WE'RE LACKING IN CLINICIANS, WE'RE LACKING IN PROFESSIONALS TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. NEW ZEALAND'S MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE IS EXTREMELY STRETCHED AND UNDER-RESOURCED. THE NATIONAL WORKFORCE CENTRE FOR MENTAL HEALTH, TE POU, ESTIMATES WE HAVE ABOUT 1700 SHORTAGES IN PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE SECTOR. CURRENTLY, 420 PROFESSIONALS ARE TRAINED EACH YEAR ` 80 SHORT OF THE 500 TARGET. IS 80 GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO TAKE THE WAITLIST FROM SIX MONTHS TO THREE WEEKS? THE MATH ISN'T NECESSARILY MATHING. EVEN THE PRIME MINISTER ADMITS THE TARGETS ARE AMBITIOUS. WE MAY OR MAY NOT HIT OUR TARGETS ALL THE TIME. BUT YOU MIGHT NOT HIT YOUR TARGETS? WELL, WE ARE GOING TO HIT` WE ARE GOING TO DRIVE TOWARDS OUR TARGETS. BUT YOU WANT TO PLAY A GAME OF 'GOTCHA', OF, 'DID YOU HIT THIS TARGET OR DID YOU NOT HIT THIS TARGET?' WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THINGS HAVE TO CHANGE. THE TARGETS ARE AN ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE, NOT A GAME. AMELIA WADE, NEWSHUB. THE POLLING STATIONS HAVE JUST OPENED IN WHAT'S SHAPING AS THE MOST DECISIVE UK ELECTION IN LIVING MEMORY. ONE OF PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK'S OWN TEAM HAS CONCEDED LABOUR COULD WIN THE LARGEST MAJORITY EVER ` A COMMENT QUICKLY SLAMMED BY LABOUR AS A 'DESPERATE TACTIC' TO TRY SCARE VOTERS FROM DELIVERING IT. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. THE CAMPAIGN BINGO CARD IS FILLING UP NOW. SELFIES AND SIGNATURES AND SMIRK-RAISING STUNTS ` EVEN SURPRISE DOOR-KNOCKS. HELLO, RISHI. HOW ARE YOU? ...IN THE KNOCKOUT ROUND. IT'S VERY TOUGH TO CALL WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THE POLLS ARE NOT FINDING IT HARD AT ALL ` THE UK IS HEADED FOR POLITICAL OVERHAUL, TURFING OUT THE TORIES AFTER 14 YEARS OF RULE. ON ELECTION DAY EVE, RISHI SUNAK IS REPORTEDLY FEARFUL HE'S GOING TO LOSE HIS SEAT, NOT JUST THE KEYS TO NUMBER 10. NO, EVERY VOTE MATTERS. HE SPENT HIS FINAL HOURS ON THE TRAIL OUT WOOING CITIZENS NOT EVEN OLD ENOUGH TO TICK 'YES' FOR TORIES... I LOVE PEPPERONI. THAT'S MY FAVOURITE PIZZA. ...HAVING ALREADY ALIENATED MOST ELIGIBLE VOTERS. FROM LEAVING D-DAY COMMEMORATIONS EARLY TO REVEALING HIS CHILDHOOD SACRIFICE OF LIVING WITHOUT SKY TV, IT'S BEEN A GLOOMY OLD CAMPAIGN FOR SUNAK FROM START TO FINISH. THE HOME SECRETARY TODAY RULED IT'S OVER ` BEFORE A CABINET MINISTER DUG THE DEFEATIST DAGGER THAT MUCH DEEPER. THERE IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY HERE OF A LANDSLIDE THAT'S THE LARGEST THAT THERE'S EVER BEEN IN BRITISH ELECTORAL HISTORY. LABOUR SAYS IT'S A DIRTY TACTIC. THE TORIES ARE TRYING TO SUPPRESS LABOUR'S VOTE, BUT UNLIKE SUNAK, NOT EVEN THE WEATHER IS GETTING THE BETTER OF SIR KEIR STARMER. LET'S GO OUT. LET'S DO IT. THERE WAS STILL A BIT TO DO... STARMAN, IS IT? THAT'S STARMER, KEIR STARMER. THAT'S THE ONE, YEAH. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIM? ER, USELESS. SORRY. WE DON'T KNOW WHO HE IS. NO. DON'T RECOGNISE HIM? NO. HAVE YOU HEARD OF KEIR STARMER? NO, NO. SORRY, NO. BRITS MORE CERTAIN OF WHO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE INTO POWER THAN WHO THEY ARE. LISETTE REYMER, NEWSHUB. ANDREW'S IN LATER WITH SPORT. AND SOME BIG CALLS FROM SCOTT ROBERTSON? ABSOLUTELY. HE'S NAMED HIS FIRST SQUAD TO FACE ENGLAND ON SATURDAY, AND HE'S SPRUNG A COUPLE OF SURPRISES, WITH BLUES FULLBACK STEPHEN PEROFETA NAMED TO START IN THE 15 JERSEY WITH ONLY A PLACE ON THE BENCH FOR BEAUDEN BARRETT. RAZOR TALKS US THROUGH HIS SELECTIONS SHORTLY. AND A WORLD CUP HERO MISSES OUT ON THE OLYMPICS AS THE FOOTBALL FERNS FINALLY ADDRESS THE OFF-FIELD DRAMA INVOLVING THEIR CONTROVERSIAL COACH. HURRICANE BERYL POUNDS JAMAICA WITH DEVASTATING WINDS. THE STORM HAS ALREADY KILLED SEVEN, THE STORM HAS ALREADY KILLED NINE, AND AN ISLAND WAS EFFECTIVELY FLATTENED IN HALF AN HOUR. WE'RE COMING IN FOR LANDING TO A.M.'S FINAL SHOW ON FRIDAY. UNTIL THEN, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY, WITH THE LATEST NEWS. AND THIS WEEK, WE ARE ESPECIALLY ENJOYING THE RIDE ` OR SHOULD I SAY 'FLIGHT'? (CHUCKLES) WELL, JOIN US FOR TAKEOFF AT 6am. # WHOA, WHOA-OA. WHOA, WHOA-OA. # HURRICANE BERYL IS LASHING JAMAICA AND LEAVING ARMAGEDDON-LIKE DESTRUCTION ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST CARIBBEAN. THE CATEGORY 4 STORM, WHICH HAS ALREADY CLAIMED NINE LIVES, IS THE STRONGEST TO HIT THE ISLAND IN 15 YEARS. MEANWHILE, A CLEARER PICTURE HAS EMERGED OF THE DEVASTATION IT HAS CAUSED IN GRENADA, THE COUNTRY'S PRIME MINISTER CALLING IT 'UNIMAGINABLE' AND 'TOTAL'.SORRY MORE WARRIORS GAMES DOWN HERE. TE KAHA IS ON TIME AND ON BUDGET. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BEST STADIUM IN THE COUNTRY BY A LONG SHOT. THE MAYOR QUELLING CONCERNS THE COUNCIL IS PLANNING TO SLASH EVENT FUNDING. A LOT OF MONEY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO EVENTS THROUGH THE CITY. WE'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN. DON'T WORRY. PEOPLE WILL BE QUEUING TO GET HERE. THE NEXT KEY MILESTONE IS BEGINNING THE BUILD FOR THE ROOF, WHICH WILL BE BUILT OUT OF 9000 TONS OF STEEL, MAKING IT ONLY THE SECOND COVERED STADIUM IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS THE START OF CHRISTCHURCH BEING THE EVENTS AND SPORTING CAPITAL OF NEW ZEALAND. WORK ALREADY UNDERWAY TO SECURE SOME BIG ACTS. TAYLOR. WHY NOT? ONLY A YEAR AND A HALF TO WAIT. KAYSHA BROWNLIE, NEWSHUB. STUDENTS AT BRUCE MCLAREN INTERMEDIATE HAVE HAD A DAY TO REMEMBER ` GETTING TO TOUCH AND, IN SOME CASES, EVEN SIT IN A REAL MCLAREN. EVEN MORE SPECIAL ` THE KIDS GOT TO MEET THE DAUGHTER OF THE MAN THEIR SCHOOL IS NAMED AFTER. PERRY WILTON WAS THERE. IT FELT LIKE A FAMILY HOMECOMING. IT HAS BEEN OUR GREATEST HONOUR TO BE ABLE TO WELCOME AMANDA, BRUCE'S DAUGHTER. AMANDA TODAY JOINING THE TRUST TO TAKE STUDENTS ON A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE. IN 1963, I FOUNDED MY OWN MOTOR RACING TEAM. NOW LET ME TELL YOU ONE STORY SO YOU GET WHAT IT WAS ABOUT. BRUCE MCLAREN IS MORE THAN ACCUMULATED. HIS NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH GLOBAL MOTORSPORT. HIS ACHIEVEMENTS PLASTER THE WALLS OF THE SCHOOL, AND A SPECIAL SURPRISE TODAY PLASTERED SMILES ON THESE FACES. SOME CHILDREN WHO HAD EARNED THE CHANCE... A CHANCE TO SIT IN THE CAR. YOUR NAME HAS TO BE IN THE BOX. ... GOT TO SIT IN AND BE DRIVEN AND SOME OF HIS LATEST CREATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO MCDONALD'S! THE STORY REALLY IS A NEW ZEALAND STORY. THAT CLASSIC SWITCH LOGO ` THAT IS ACTUALLY A KIWI. THAT KIWI EVEN FEATURES IN THE LIGHT DESIGN OF THE BRAND'S SUPERCARS. IT IS A LEGACY THAT SURROUNDS THESE CHILDREN, A LEGACY THAT CAME TO LIFE TODAY. IT SPARKED EXCITEMENT AMANDA MCLAREN HOPES COULD TURN TO BRIGHT FUTURES DOWN THE TRACK. BRUCE WAS A YOUNG CHILD WITH A CRIPPLING DISEASE AND A BIG DREAMER. HE ACHIEVED THAT DESPITE ALL THE ADVERSITIES. JUST TO GIVE THESE CHILDREN A TASTE OF WHAT POTENTIALLY THEY COULD ASPIRE TO. WE REALLY HOPE THAT SOME OF DAD'S MAGIC RUBS OFF ON THEM. THAT WAS SO COOL! IT WAS PRETTY LOUD. IT WAS SO COOL. NOT SOMETHING YOU OFTEN HEAR AFTER A SCHOOL ASSEMBLY. I NEVER KNEW THE BADGE OR THE LOGO WAS ACTUALLY A KIWI. YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY. MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO ` HOW APING THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE REAL THINGS HELPED THE CREATIVE CRITTERS AT WETA FX ON THEIR LATEST BLOCKBUSTER. AND CAN HIPPOS FLY? SCIENCE FINALLY HAS THE ANSWER. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT. SCOTT ROBERTSON PULLS SOME SURPRISES WITH HIS FIRST SQUAD TO FACE ENGLAND ON SATURDAY, PLUS THE TALL BLACKS STUN CROATIA TO TAKE A GIANT STEP TOWARDS QUALIFYING FOR THE OLYMPICS. AND LULU SUN ADVANCES TO THE THIRD ROUND AT WIMBLEDON AND LULU SUN ADVANCES TO THE THIRD ROUND AT WIMBLEDON, LEAVING HER ON THE BRINK OF KIWI TENNIS HISTORY. SCOTT ROBERTSON HAS MADE HIS MARK WITH THE NAMING OF HIS FIRST ALL BLACKS TEAM TO FACE ENGLAND IN DUNEDIN ON SATURDAY. IN THE FORWARDS, SAMIPENI FINAU STARTS AT BLINDSIDE FLANKER AND JOINS DALTON PAPALI'I AND ARDIE SAVEA IN THE LOOSE TRIO. PATRICK TUIPULOTU'S NAMED AT LOCK AND WILL PAIR UP WITH SCOTT BARRETT, WHO'LL CAPTAIN THE SIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME. BUT THE BIG SHAKE-UP COMES IN THE BACKS ` BLUES FULLBACK STEPHEN PEROFETA GETS THE NOD OVER BEAUDEN BARRETT IN THE 15 JERSEY, WHILE TJ PERENARA'S COMEBACK IS COMPLETE, NAMED TO START AT HALFBACK. BARRETT WILL ADD PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE OFF THE BENCH, WHILE LUKE JACOBSON'S INCLUSION MEANS THERE'S NO PLACE IN THE 23 FOR ETHAN BLACKADDER. AS RUGBY REPORTER OLLIE RITCHIE DISCOVERED, THE SQUAD WAS A TOUGH ONE TO PICK FOR THE NEW COACH. WITH A FIRST LOOK AT THE FIRST VENUE OF HIS ALL BLACKS COACHING TENURE, SCOTT ROBERTSON IS DIALLED IN. IT'S BEEN A BUSY WEEK, BUT HE'S READY FOR WHAT'S TO COME. A MESSAGE FROM SIR GRAHAM HENRY DRIVING HOME THAT TEST WEEK IS FINALLY HERE. SIR TED HE'D ACTUALLY TEXTED ME LAST NIGHT AND SAID ALL THE BEST. HIS CAREER STARTED 20 YEARS AGO DOWN HERE IN THE SAME PLACE, SO... THAT WAS A NICE LITTLE TOUCH FOR HIM. AS THE ALL BLACKS GET READY TO EMBRACE A NEW ERA, ROBERTSON HAS STAMPED HIS MARK ON THIS TEAM FROM TEST ONE ` STEPHEN PEROFETA GIVEN THE NOD AT FULLBACK AHEAD OF BEAUDEN BARRETT. THE EXPERIENCE OF 123 TEST MATCHES COUNTS FOR A LOT, BUT ALSO A GUY WHO'S IN FORM, GOOD AROUND THE HIGH BALL, PLAYING GREAT FOOTY. THE SAME CAN BE SAID OF SEVU REECE THIS YEAR. REECE ENDURED A DIFFICULT 2023 ` ANY ALL BLACK AMBITIONS GONE, WITH A TORN ACL IN SUPER RUGBY. ALTHOUGH HE CAN SEE THE LIGHTER SIDE NOW. JUST VERY GRATEFUL TO BE BACK HERE. UM, YEAH. SPECIAL THANKS TO MY MATE HERE. SORRY, MATE. YEAH. HE WAS THE ONE THAT PULLED ME OUT OF LAST YEAR, IN CASE YOU GUYS WERE WONDERING. YEAH, IT WAS HIM. (LAUGHTER) IT'S CLEAR ROBERTSON HAS GOT THIS GROUP TO GEL QUICKLY. COLD MONDAY MORNINGS. UH, FIRST MEETING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL UP AND WE'RE ALL READY, SO IT'S AWESOME, AND IT KEEPS US ATTENTIVE AND, YEAH, READY TO GO. BUT EVEN FOR THOSE WITH A PLETHORA OF TEST EXPERIENCE, THERE'S AN EDGE. I'M NERVOUS, BUT, YOU KNOW, NERVES BRING THE BEST OUT OF US, AND, UM... YEAH, IT'S A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR MYSELF TO STEP FORWARD AND TRY AND OWN IT. ROBERTSON WANTS THIS TEAM TO BE DOMINANT ON SATURDAY. DESPITE THE CLEAR EXPECTATION THAT FOLLOWS THE TEAM AND ITS COACHING REGIME, ROBERTSON'S FOCUS IS CLEAR. JUST DIALLING IN ON THIS TEST MATCH, AND WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE FOR US TO WIN IT? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE A HELL OF A SIDE, ENGLAND. SCOTT ROBERTSON IS CONFIDENT HIS ALL BLACKS WILL BE MORE THAN UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. OLLIE'S WITH US. LET'S TALK SOME OF THESE SELECTIONS. PEROFETA OVER BARRETT ` IT'S A BIG CALL. WHAT'S YOUR READ ON THIS ONE? it tells me that even if you are 100 test ALL BLACK IT TELLS ME THAT EVEN IF YOU HAVE DONE 100 TEST, IT IS NOT GUARANTEED. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY FOR ROBERTSON TO BOOK BARRETT STRAIGHT BACK IN THERE, HE IS A PROVEN PERFORMER, HE KNOWS THE INTERNATIONAL GAME WELL, BUT IT IS A MESSAGE FROM ROBERTSON THAT HE WANTS TO GET HIM UP TO ALL BLACK STANDARD. NO DOUBT THAT HE WILL HAVE A BIG ROLE TO PLAY, BUT HE WILL HAVE TO PROVE THEMSELVES IF YOU WANT TO GET BACK TO THE STARTING SIDE. AND QUICKLY, SAMIPENI FINAU OVER ETHAN BLACKADDER ` HAS THIS ESTABLISHED THE PECKING ORDER AT 6, OR DO YOU THINK BLACKADDER WILL GET A CHANCE TO STAKE HIS CLAIM AT SOME POINT? IT IS ESTABLISHED FINAU - ROBERTSON AND JASON WRIGHT KNOW HIM WELL, HE HAS A VERY GOOD PLAYER, BUT THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO WAS IT LIKE FOR LIKE WITH SHANNON FRIZELL, SO I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE SOME BLACKADDER WITH SOME GAME TIME FOR THE ALL BLACKS SOON. THE KIWI HERO OF LAST YEAR'S WOMEN'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP HAS MISSED OUT ON SELECTION FOR THE PARIS OLYMPICS. HANNAH WILKINSON HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF THE 18-STRONG FOOTBALL FERNS SQUAD FOR THE GAMES, WHICH WILL BE LED BY AN INTERIM COACH. MICHAEL MAYNE TODAY TELLING NEWSHUB HE BELIEVES THE OFF-FIELD DRAMA INVOLVING COACH JITKA KLIMKOVA IS BEHIND THEM, DESPITE ONE SENIOR PLAYER REFUSING TO SAY WHETHER SHE WANTS THE EMBATTLED COACH TO RETURN. ALEX CHAPMAN HAS MORE. AT THE SCENE OF NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S FOOTBALL'S MOST FAMOUS GOAL, THERE'S NO ROOM ON THE PLANE TO PARIS FOR ITS SCORER. IT WAS REALLY TOUGH. SHE'S A THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN. SHE HOLDS A LOT OF RESPECT IN THIS GROUP, AND IT WAS NEVER AN EASY DISCUSSION, NO HANNAH WILKINSON; NO JITKA KLIMKOVA EITHER ` THE COACH LAST WEEK STEPPING AWAY FROM THE CAMPAIGN DESPITE BEING CLEARED OF AN EMPLOYMENT RELATED MATTER FOLLOWING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. MICHAEL MAYNE'S REPLACED HER FOR THE GAMES. I'VE SPOKEN TO EVERY SINGLE PLAYER ONCE I FOUND OUT THE NEWS. WE HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS. THEY'RE ALL READY TO GET ON THE GRASS AND WORK, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO FOCUS ON OUR ATTENTION. AND THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO FOCUS OUR ATTENTION. BEYOND THIS, I'LL LET THE PROCESS PLAY OUT WITH NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL. AS FIRST REVEALED BY NEWSHUB LAST WEEK, IT'S UNDERSTOOD 'PLAYERS ONLY' MEETINGS WERE HELD AFTER AN ALLEGED INCIDENT INVOLVING KLIMKOVA. WERE YOU INVOLVED IN THESE PLAYERS-ONLY MEETINGS? (LAUGHS) GOOD QUESTION. I CAN'T COMMENT ON THAT. HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT JITKA NOT BEING INVOLVED? WE'RE WORKING ON A PROCESS IN THE BACKGROUND. AT THE MINUTE, OUR FOCUS IS ON THE OLYMPICS. IT'S BELIEVED KLIMKOVA LOST THE DRESSING ROOM, WITH PLAYERS NOT WANTING HER TO CONTINUE IN THE ROLE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HER RETURN? WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT IN THE PROCESS A PROCESS THAT NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED IN. THEIR CEO, ANDREW PRAGNELL, THOUGH, WASN'T AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO MEDIA TODAY, DESPITE BEING AT THE EVENT; THE PLAYERS WILL HAVE TO DO THE TALKING ON THE FIELD INSTEAD. ALEX CHAPMAN, NEWSHUB. THE TALL BLACKS HAVE STUNNED CROATIA TO BE JUST ONE WIN AWAY FROM REACHING THE SEMI-FINALS OF THEIR OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT IN GREECE. LED BY LOS ANGELAS CLIPPERS CENTRE IVICA ZUBACS, CROATIA ESTABLISHED A LEAD OF SEVEN WITH LESS FIVE MINUTES REMAINING, BUT THE TALL BLACKS TIMED THEIR COMEBACK TO PERFECTION. KNOCKED DOWN TO 3. THERE IT IS. DOESN'T MESS AROUND, TAKES THE T! WHAT A FINISH THIS WAS, UNBELIEVABLE! THE TALL BLACKS GOING ON TO WIN 90-86. THEY CAN NOW FINISH TOP OF THEIR GROUP AND ADVANCE TO THE SEMI-FINALS IF THEY BEAT SLOVENIA TONIGHT; THEY WILL ALSO STILL ADVANCE IF THEY LOSE BY NO MORE THAN NINE POINTS. LULU SUN'S DREAM RUN AT WIMBLEDON HAS CONTINUED, DEFEATING UKRAINIAN YULIIA STARODUBTSAVA IN THREE SETS. DESPITE DROPPING THE FIRST SET, SUN WENT ON TO WIN 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 IN TWO HOURS AND 13 MINUTES. IF SUN CAN DEFEAT CHINA'S ZHU LIN IN HER THIRD ROUND MATCH ON SATURDAY MORNING, IT WILL BE THE BEST PERFORMANCE BY A KIWI WOMAN AT A GRAND SLAM SINCE BELINDA CORDWELL REACHED THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE 1989 AUSTRALIAN OPEN. AND FINALLY ` SIR MARK CAVENDISH HAS MADE CYCLING HISTORY WITH A RECORD-BREAKING 35th STAGE WIN AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE, AND AT THE RIPE AGE OF 39. THREE YEARS ON FROM MATCHING THE RECORD OF 34 STAGE WINS, CAVENDISH FINALLY GOT HIS CHANCE TO GO ONE BETTER ` PART OF A CHAOTIC SPRINT FINISH IN THIS MORNING'S FIFTH STAGE. MARK CAVENDISH ALL THE WAY TO THE LINE! MANX MISSILE! RECORD-BREAKER ` STAGE 35 IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE! YOU SEE WHAT IT MEANS. LIKE... OK, DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA BE TOP IN THE UCI RANKINGS OR ANYTHING, BUT... TOUR DE FRANCE IS BIGGER THAN CYCLING, ISN'T IT? CAVENDISH'S FIRST STAGE WIN CAME ALL THE WAY BACK IN 2008. I THINK THE BEST THING ABOUT WINNING THAT RACE, WAS HE AVOIDED THAT CRASH, I FELT EVERY MOMENT OF THAT. BOX OFFICE HIT 'KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES' HAS HAD AUDIENCES SWINGING FROM CINEMA TO CINEMA SINCE RELEASE ` AND ONCE AGAIN, THEY HAVE WELLINGTON'S WETA FX TO THANK. AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTS OF WELLINGTON ZOO. THE COLLECTIVE WEIGHT OF OSCARS THAT WORLD-DOMINATING VISUAL EFFECTS HOUSE WETA FX HAS IS HEAVIER THAN THE KING KONG THEY CREATED, AND THEIR GROUNDBREAKING WORK ON EVERYTHING APES JUST CONTINUES TO BLOW THE MINDS OF FANS EVERYWHERE. MUCH TO LEARN. MUCH TO TEACH. YOU MAY THINK THAT THOSE APES ARE A FAR CRY FROM THIS SLEEPY DUDE, BUT CUT HIM SOME SLACK ` IT'S MIDWINTER NAP TIME AT WELLINGTON ZOO FOR THIS LOT. IN FAIRNESS, THOUGH, THEY'RE QUITE USED TO VFX GURU ERIC WINQUIST HANGING AROUND THEIR ENCLOSURE ` NOT AS WEIRD AS IT SOUNDS. ERIC'S WORKED ON ALL THE RECENT 'PLANET OF THE APES' FILMS. STUDYING THE REAL McCOY BEFORE CREATING THE BLOCKBUSTER ONES HAS BEEN PIVOTAL. IT WAS CLEAR FOR US AT THE OUTSET OF THIS THAT WE NEEDED TO FOCUS ON FACIAL ANIMATION MORE THAN WE EVEN HAD ON THE PREVIOUS MOVIES ` SPEECH IN PARTICULAR ` AND NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CHARACTERS... UM, THE RIG, THEIR FACIAL RIG, COULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT SPEECH. THESE PLANET OF THE APES HAVE MUCH TO THANK ANOTHER PLANET ` PANDORA. WETA'S OSCAR-WINNING WORK ON JAMES CAMERON'S LATEST 'AVATAR' ` 'THE WAY OF WATER' ` CASCADED PERFECTLY INTO THEIR NEW KINGDOM. THIS NEW 'APES' HAS A LOT OF WATER. WE CAME OFF THE BACK OF A FILM CALLED 'THE WAY OF WATER,' SO... OH, I'VE HEARD OF THAT. YEAH. HEARD OF THAT ONE. WHICH ALLOWED ME TO GO INTO THIS PROJECT WITHOUT LOSING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF SLEEP EVERY NIGHT. THE SIX YEARS OF R&D THAT WENT INTO THAT PROJECT GAVE US A REALLY ROBUST TOOLSET FOR DOING SIMULATION WORK. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY! FROM THE BIG SCREEN TO THE SMALL, FANS CAN START BEATING THEIR CHESTS WITH JOY. 'KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES' IS ABOUT TO HEAD INTO HOMES. NEXT WEEK. KATE RODGER, NEWSHUB. YOU'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE MANY DENIERS I KNOW MIKE IS ` WHEN IT COMES TO WHETHER HIPPOS CAN FLY, BUT LISTE TO THIS, THE SCIENCE IS OUT, AND BY 'POTAMUS, THEY CAN. IT'S TRUE THEY NEED A LONG RUN-UP, BUT AT FULL PELT - ABOUT 45KM/H - VIDEO SHOWS THE 2000KG MONSTERS CAN IN FACT GET ALL FOUR FEET OFF THE GROUND AT ONCE. AND THAT, MIKE, IS THE DEFINITION OF AIRBORNE. YOU ARE NOT FOOLING ANYONE WITH THAT. COMING UP ` NEWSHUB WEATHER. AND THE SKI FIELDS WILL GET A TOP-UP THIS WEEKEND? AND THE SKI FIELDS WILL GET A TOP-UP THIS WEEKEND? I AM WORRIED ABOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF SCIENCE. THE SOUTHERN FIELDS IN LUCK, WITH TWO COLD FRONTS UP FROM THE SOUTHERN OCEAN FROM TOMORROW. THE SECOND ONE ON SATURDAY IS THE ONE DELIVERING THE SNOW ` LIKELY DOWN TO 900m. THEN WATCH WHAT HAPPENS FOR NEXT WEEK ` ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. HIGH PRESSURE PARKS UP AND WON'T MOVE FOR LIKELY A WEEK. SO CLEAR, CALM AND COLD ` THE FULL FORECAST IS NEXT. NAU MAI ANO ` WELCOME BACK. IT'S ANOTHER COLD, FROSTY AND FOGGY NIGHT AROUND THE COUNTRY THANKS TO HIGH PRESSURE, WHICH IS HANGING AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. SO, ALL LOOKING VERY PROMISING FOR THE WEEKEND ` A FEW SHOWERS REMAIN FROM THE TROUGH OVER THE NORTH-EAST, BUT THEY'RE CLEARING. THE ONLY REAL ACTIVE WEATHER IS A PAIR OF COLD FRONTS, WHICH MOVE UP THE SOUTH ISLAND TOMORROW NIGHT. BUT DON'T HATE ON THEM ` THE SECOND ONE WILL BRING SNOW. SO, IT'S ANOTHER NIGHT OVER THE SOUTH ISLAND WITH CLEAR SKIES, SO, YUP, FROST FORMS AGAIN TOO. A FEW SHOWERS FOR FIORDLAND AND THE SOUTHLAND COAST ARRIVE HEADING TOWARDS SUNRISE WITH SOU'WESTERS. TOMORROW, THOSE SHOWERS THEN SPREAD OUT FROM FIORDLAND, REACHING GREYMOUTH AND QUEENSTOWN BY TOMORROW NIGHT. AND SOU'WESTERS TURN WESTERLY BEHIND THAT FRONT. CLEAR AND COLD FOR THE NORTH ISLAND ` PLENTY OF FROST FORMING, WITH JUST A FEW SHOWERS FOR GISBORNE AND HAWKE'S BAY AND POTENTIALLY THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA. TOMORROW ` FROSTY, AND EARLY FOG ONCE MORE FOR WAITOMO TO WHANGANUI. SHOWERS CLEAR, HAWKE'S BAY, IN THE MORNING, THEN GISBORNE TOMORROW NIGHT, WITH A SOU'WESTERLY. SO, IT'S A SIMILAR MORNING TOMORROW TO TODAY, WITH MORNING FROST FOR HAMILTON, AND SOME AROUND THE COROMANDEL AND AUCKLAND. NORTHLAND, YOUR SOUTHERLY EASES TOMORROW NIGHT. A CHILLY MORNING; FROSTY TOO, WITH FINE SKIES FOR ALL ACROSS THE DAY. WINDS ARE LIGHT, WITH A SOUTH TO SOU'WEST WIND ALONG THE COAST, EASING TOMORROW NIGHT. NOW, THE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHEAST IS MOVING OFF SHORE. SO SHOWERS IN THE MORNING FOR HAWKE'S BAY CLEAR, THEN CLEAR GISBORNE TOMORROW NIGHT, WITH AN EASING SOU'WESTERLY. FROSTY TOMORROW MORNING FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE. TAUMARUNUI, YOU'LL HAVE FREEZING FOG AGAIN, LIKE YOU DID TODAY. NORTHERLIES DEVELOP FOR KAPITI AND WELLINGTON. NELSON, YOU ARE FINE, WITH FROST; THEN DRY WITH A SOU'WESTER TOMORROW NIGHT. EVERYONE ELSE STARTS FINE, WITH FROST OR FOGGY, BUT SHOWERS ROLL THROUGH TOWARDS THE END OF THE DAY. MORNING FROST EVERYWHERE HERE, BUT SEVERE FROST EXPECTED FOR CHRISTCHURCH, ASHBURTON AND TIMARU; THEN IT'S FINE, WITH LIGHT WINDS. SEVERE FROST IN THE MORNING TOO FOR ALEXANDRA. THE DAY STARTS FINE FOR MOST BUT CLOUD INCREASES, WITH SHOWERS ARRIVING IN THE EVENING. AND IT'S WINDY FOR SOUTHLAND ` STRONG WESTERLIES. SO, FROST AND FOG POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING; THAT COULD BE FREEZING FOG TOO AROUND DUNEDIN. SKIES ARE CLEAR ` TILL TOMORROW NIGHT, WHEN SHOWERS ARRIVE, WITH A NOR'WESTER; SEVERE MORNING FROST, DROPPING TO -3 OVERNIGHT. AGAIN, THE DAY ITSELF IS FINE, WITH JUST A LIGHT BREEZE. CLOUD AND SHOWERS BEFORE DAWN FOR WELLINGTON; THEN IT'S FINE FOR SUNRISE. MORNING FROST EXPECTED FOR SHELTERED SPOTS, WITH A DEVELOPING NORTHERLY. A CLOUDY, SHOWERY DAY TO START, BUT CLEARING WEST OF WAIROA IN THE MORNING, THEN EVERYWHERE ELSE TOMORROW NIGHT. SOU'WESTERS WILL EASE AFTER MIDDAY. FINE FOR TAURANGA. THERE'S A SOUTH TO SOU'WEST WIND, BUT THAT EASES TOMORROW NIGHT. CHILLY, WITH A FEELS-LIKE HIGH OF 10. FINE, FROSTY, AND WITH A SOUTH TO SOU'WEST BREEZE ` THAT'S THE ENTIRE DAY FOR HAMILTON; THEN CLOUD ROLLS IN AFTER SUNSET. EVEN COLDER THAN TODAY FOR FRIDAY MORNING AROUND AUCKLAND ` AREAS OF MORNING FROST, WITH SHOWERS FOR GREAT BARRIER IN THE MORNING. LIGHT SHOWERS DEVELOP ALONG THE WEST COAST TOMORROW NIGHT. OVER THE TASMAN ` STILL SHOWERY FOR SYDNEY, BRISBANE AND UP THE COAST TO CAIRNS, AND SHOWERS FOR SAMOA AND NEW CALEDONIA. EVERYONE ELSE IS SUNNY AND WARM. BACK TO US FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, THEY START ALMOST PERFECTLY UP TOP ` JUST A FEW SHOWERS ON SATURDAY, NOTHING SIGNIFICANT, THOUGH. GREAT WEATHER HERE. IF THERE'S A ROGUE SHOWER ON SATURDAY OUT EAST, DON'T WORRY ` NOT HANGING AROUND FOR LONG. LOOKING GOOD FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND ` NOT JUST FOR THE WEEKEND, BUT WELL INTO NEXT WEEK. THERE IS A WEAK FRONT THAT TRACKS UP THE SOUTH ISLAND ON SATURDAY AND, IN ITS WAKE, A STRONG SOUTH-WESTERLY FLOW; THAT WILL EASE ON MONDAY, WHEN HIGH PRESSURE LOCKS ON OVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. AND FINALLY ` LAST NIGHT I POINTED OUT THE LIMITED TIME LEFT AS NEWSHUB WEATHER AND ENCOURAGED YOU ALL TO EMAIL IN PHOTOS ` WELL, YOU DID THAT, AND I WANT IT AGAIN, ONE LAST TIME. BUT NO STITCH-UPS ` NOT LIKE THE NAKED SUNBATHER IN FRONT OF THE LIGHTHOUSE. NOT LIKE THE NAKED SUNBATHER IN FRONT OF THE LIGHTHOUSE. THAT ALMOST MADE IT TO AIR. A LITTLE BIT OF NUDITY ON THE NEWS, AT THIS POINT, WHY NOT? I DON'T MEAN IT. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT 6 FOR TODAY. YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWSHUB TEAM AT news@newshub.co.nz. I'M MIKE McROBERTS.