OWNING YOUR OWN HOME IS A DREAM FOR MANY NEW ZEALANDERS. BUT IT'S OUT OF REACH FOR PLENTY OF US, THANKS TO SKY HIGH PRICES AND PUNISHING INTEREST RATES. BUT WHAT IF WE TOLD YOU, THERE ARE HOUSES YOU COULD BUY FOR LESS THAN $500,000. NOT TOWNHOUSES OR APARTMENTS OR UNITS ` AN ACTUAL HOUSE. TURNS OUT, THERE ARE PLENTY. (UPBEAT MUSIC) THERE ARE CURRENTLY MORE THAN 41,000 PROPERTIES FOR SALE AROUND THE MOTU. THIS BEAUTY IN WANAKA, ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE AND IMPRESSIVE. BUT IF YOUR BUDGET SITS AT THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE, DON'T BE DISHEARTENED. A LOOK AT ALL HOUSE SALES OVER THE PAST YEAR REVEALS HOW MANY SOLD FOR $500,000 OR LESS. KAWERAU DISTRICT LED THE CHARGE, WITH 90% OF SALES UNDER $500,000. RUAPEHU DISTRICT WAS NEXT AT 88%. IN THE SOUTH ISLAND, GORE NOTCHED UP 78%. AND OF OUR CITIES, DUNEDIN WAS THE WINNER, 27% OF SALES SITTING UNDER HALF A MILLION BUCKS. IF YOU HAVE CHAMPAGNE DREAMS ON A BEER BUDGET, LAKEFRONT LUXURY IN WANAKA IS OFF THE LIST. BUT IF YOU'RE PREPARED TO EXPAND YOUR SEARCH, WELL, YOU MIGHT BE TOASTING HOME OWNERSHIP SOONER THAN YOU THOUGHT. AND WE'RE JOINED NOW BY ECONOMIST ED MCKNIGHT. HI, ED, GREAT TO SEE YOU. NOW YOU HAVE LOOKED AT THE PAST SALES FROM THE LAST YEAR, BUT WHAT ABOUT NOW IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS? ARE THERE STILL SOME BARGAINS TO BE HAD OUT THERE? YEAH, SO IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT THE REINZ, I'VE HAD A LOOK AT ONE ROOF. DOWN IN SOUTHLAND AND THE WEST COAST, OVER ONE IN TWO PROPERTIES, OVER 50% OF PROPERTIES ARE STILL LISTED AT $500,000 OR LESS. IF WE THINK ABOUT THE GARDEN CITY CHRISTCHURCH, ABOUT 1 IN 10 PROPERTIES ARE STILL LISTED FOR 500K OR LESS. NOW FOR CONTEXT, OVER THE NEXT YEAR, PERHAPS 5000 PROPERTIES MIGHT SELL IN CHRISTCHURCH. SO THAT'S STILL 500 PROPERTIES THAT COULD SELL FOR $500,000 OR LESS. SO ED, ARE THESE HOUSES LIVEABLE OR YOU KNOW, ARE WE TALKING SHELTER ONLY AND TOILET OUT THE BACK? (CHUCKLES) WELL, IT DOES DEPEND WHERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. FOR THIS ANALYSIS, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT HOUSES. SO WE'VE CUT OUT TOWNHOUSES AND APARTMENTS, WHICH ARE A BIT MORE AFFORDABLE AND WOULD MAKE THESE NUMBERS LOOK EVEN BETTER. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AUCKLAND FOR $500,000 OR LESS, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY. IT IS GOING TO BE ON THE SMALLER SIDE. BUT IF WE THINK ABOUT $500,000 OR LESS IN TARANAKI, FOR INSTANCE, YOU CAN STILL GET A REALLY GOOD ENTRY LEVEL PROPERTY. ED, GIVE ME A HAND BECAUSE FIFTH FORM MATHS WAS QUITE TRICKY. YOU'RE SAYING 90% OF HOMES IN KAWERAU CAN BE BOUGHT FOR UNDER $500,000. YEAH. IN FACT, 91% OF PROPERTIES SOLD IN KAWERAU OVER THE LAST YEAR, 500K OR LESS. NOW, JUST BEAR IN MIND, BEFORE YOU GO ON A ROAD TRIP TO KAWERAU, OR TRY AND GET A JOB AT THE LOCAL PAPER MILL THERE, KAWERAU IS OUR SMALLEST COUNCIL AREA IN NEW ZEALAND BY LAND SIZE. THAT DOES MEAN WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT 78 PROPERTIES THERE. SO WHAT ABOUT THE BIG CITIES? CAN YOU STILL GET AN AFFORDABLE HOUSE THERE? YEAH, DEFINITELY. IF WE THINK ABOUT DUNEDIN, OVER THE LAST YEAR, OVER 1 IN 4 PROPERTIES WERE SOLD AT OR BELOW THAT PRICE MARK. IF WE LOOK AT THE CURRENT MARKET TODAY, IT'S STILL OVER 1 IN 5 PROPERTIES AVAILABLE ON ONE ROOF. ED IS THE, UH, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS ONE, IS THE NORTH ISLAND MORE AFFORDABLE THAN THE SOUTH? SURELY IT'S THE SOUTH. OH, THE SOUTH ISLAND IS DEFINITELY ON THE MORE AFFORDABLE SIDE. BUT IF I WAS A FIRST HOME BUYER IN THE NORTH ISLAND, I WOULDN'T LOSE TOO MUCH HEART. IF WE THINK ABOUT WELLINGTON, YES, IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND A PROPERTY AT THAT 500K MARK OR LESS, BUT IT'S STILL 1 IN 20 PROPERTIES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET. LOOK, IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IN AUCKLAND ` WE'RE TALKING 1 IN 50 PROPERTIES. ED, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. SAY HI TO BERT AND ERNIE BEHIND YOU. GREAT TO CHAT. NICE TO SEE YA. CAPTIONS BY TUI TIPENE, TOM CLARKE AND JOHN GIBBS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 WHO DOESN'T LOVE A GOOD 'WHO DUNNIT' MYSTERY ` A DRAMATIC CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME BETWEEN A ROGUE DETECTIVE AND A CRIMINAL THAT STRIKES IN THE NIGHT? WELL, THE NEXT STORY IS SORT OF THAT ` IT'S THE TALE OF HOW LUCAS DE JONG LOST HIS SHOE. (CURIOUS MUSIC) IT'S NOT OFTEN A STORY TURNS UP ON YOUR DOORSTEP. BABY. BABY, HAVE YOU SEEN MY SHOE? THERE'S ONLY ONE SHOE HERE. NO, ON THE MEAN STREETS OF GLENFIELD, THERE'S A SERIAL SHOE-STEALER. (MUSIC CONTINUES) HI, GIRLS. THERE WERE CLUES EVERYWHERE. (MUSIC CONTINUES) BUT DANIEL HAD A THEORY. MATE, WHERE'S YOUR SHOE? IT'S BEEN TAKEN BY THE CAT. A CAT? YEAH, IT'S STOLEN SHOES BEFORE. IT'S STOLEN MY BOOT, IT'S STOLEN A COUPLE OF MY JANDALS BEFORE. YOU THINK IT'S A CAT? YES, WE'VE SEEN IT. WE CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT. IF I TRUSTED WHAT THIS TEENAGE BOY WAS SAYING, I WAS LOOKING FOR AN ACTUAL CAT BURGLAR IN A NEIGHBOURHOOD FULL OF CATS. QUIETLY: CAT, CAT, CAT, CAT! (INTRIGUING MUSIC) WHERE'S THE SHOE? LEAD ME TO IT. YEP, THAT'S MY FOOT. WHERE'S THE SHOE? THANKFULLY, MIKE HAD SOME HARD EVIDENCE. WENT OUT TO GO FOR A RUN, NORMALLY LEAVE MY SHOES OUTSIDE, WENT TO LOOK, AND THEY WERE GONE. HIS CAMERAS PICKED UP THE PURR-PETRATOR IN ACTION. YEAH, THAT'S THE SHOES GOING MISSING. I WASN'T EXPECTING TO SEE A CAT TAKING MY SHOES. AND THEN TO ESTABLISH DOMINANCE, IT RETURNED. ABOUT 45 MINUTES LATER, CAME BACK AND GRABBED THE OTHER ONE. OH, WENT FOR THE PAIR, WANTED THE MATCHING SET? YEAH. WE WERE GETTING CLOSE. HE HEADED BACK IN THAT DIRECTION, IS THAT RIGHT? I WOULD ASSUME SO, YEAH. BUT WENDY HAD THE FINAL CLUE. I'VE BEEN TOLD YOU HAD SOME JANDALS STOLEN. OH, YES. A FEW WEEKS AGO, ONE OF MY SHOES WAS DISAPPEARED, SO ALSO, I WAS SHOCKED. SHE CAPTURED IT ON CAMERA ` IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, NO LESS, BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHOSE CAT IT WAS UNTIL A NEIGHBOUR POSTED ON FACEBOOK. OH, THAT'S MY SHOES! (LAUGHS) AND SO YOU GOT IT BACK, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? AND ANOTHER DAY... DISAPPEARED AGAIN. (BOTH LAUGH) WE HAD A HOUSE AND A NAME. IT WAS TIME FOR SOME ANSWERS. HELLO, LUCAS DE JONG ` SEVEN SHARP REPORTER. JUST WONDERING IF I COULD ASK YOU A FEW QUESTIONS. THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE CAT, IS IT? WE FOUND THE PURR-FECT LOAD OF EVIDENCE. WELL, I RECOGNISE THAT ONE. (BOTH LAUGH) THAT'S A GOOD START. (LAUGHS) LOOK AT HOW MANY THERE ARE THERE. YES, HE'S BEEN VERY BUSY. HIS NAME IS ZUMA, A 1-YEAR-OLD BLACK KLEPTO CAT. ASIDE FROM THE STEALING, HE'S NOT` HE'S NOT A VERY EXCITING CAT. YOU KNOW, HE EATS, HE ANNOYS US, AND THEN HE GOES OUT AT NIGHT AND STEALS. (LAUGHS) IT STARTED WITH THE ODD JANDAL, BUT LATELY, HE'S UPPED HIS GAME. I THINK ONE OF HIS WORST NIGHTS, I THINK WE GOT FIVE SHOES... LAUGHS: MY GOD. ...THREE MADE IT INSIDE, AND THEN AROUND THE HOUSE, I WENT AND FOUND ANOTHER TWO. THE LEFTIE'S USED TO BE HIS FAVOURITE. AND THEN HE STARTED BRINGING HOME THE RIGHT SHOES, AND THEN NOW IT'S LIKE` IT'S LIKE HE'S TRYING TO MATCH THEM UP. HE'S TRYING TO FIND THE PAIRS. IF HE'S GOING TO CHOOSE A LIFE OF CRIME, HAVE YOU ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT TEACHING HIM TO STEAL BETTER THINGS? IF HE'S NOT GOING TO GIVE IT UP AND NO ONE'S CLAIMING THEM, MAYBE HE` YOU KNOW, WE CAN TEACH HIM TO GO FOR THE NEWER SHOES IN MY SIZE. (LAUGHS) YEAH, YEAH. KIMBERLY'S BEEN TRYING HARD TO RETURN THEM ALL... WE PUT OUT FLYERS, WE'VE BEEN LEAVING THIS BASKET. ...AND SHE POSTS REGULARLY TO FACEBOOK, BUT SHE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH ZUMA. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS REVELLING IN MY NEW ROLE AS CLAW ENFORCEMENT. SO WITH TWO SHOES, I HIT THE STREETS. YES, THERE'S THIS ONE. THAT'S YOUR ONE. YEAH,, THAT'S MINE. YEAH, BEAUTIFUL. YEAH, THAT'S MY HIKING BOOT. BEAUTY. KEEP IT INSIDE TONIGHT, EH? YEAH. CATCH YA LATER, MATE. SEE YA. SO SLEEP EASY. THE CASE OF THE GLENFIELD CAT BURGLAR IS CLOSED ` UNTIL TONIGHT. (MUSIC CONTINUES) WOW. THAT IS A CHEEKY KITTY CAT. ANOTHER REASON TO GET A DOG. NOW FROM DIRTY OLD SHOES TO GRUBBY HI-VIZ OVERALLS. HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PAIRS OF THEM WORN BY WORKERS ON THE $1.5B GIANT WASTEWATER TUNNEL BEING BUILT UNDER THE AUCKLAND ISTHMUS. HERE'S MICHAEL HOLLAND. (THE WHO'S 'WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN') HEY, YOU GOTTA HAVE FABRIC SOFTENER. WE REALLY DO. GIVE THE UNIFORMS A NICE SMELL. COME ON, YOU'RE MOTHERING THEM. THEY WEAR THEM FOR FIVE MINUTES AND GUESS WHAT THEY SMELL LIKE THEN? YEAH, WE CAN GUESS. (LAUGHS) YEP, AS THE FILTHY FEW ` ACTUALLY, MAKE THAT 600 OF THEM ` ARE DOING THEIR WORST... (TOOLS THRUM) ...SISTERS PENNY AND ANITA ARE DOING THEIR BRIGHT AND SHINY BEST. (HIGH-ENERGY MUSIC) I LOVE IT. I LOVE COMING TO WORK, THROWING ALL THOSE OVERALLS ALL OVER THE PLACE. THIS ISN'T A LUXURY; THIS IS A NECESSITY. NOPE. IT'S A NECESSITY, YEAH. THEY NEED CLEAN UNIFORMS, SO... AND IT SAVES THEM FROM HAVING TO TAKE THEM HOME AND PUT IN THE NORMAL WASHING, WHICH YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO DO. (MUSIC CONTINUES) THEIR INDUSTRIAL LAUNDRY, SET UP BY THE JOINT VENTURE BUILDING AUCKLAND 16KM CENTRAL INTERCEPTOR WASTE AND STORM-WATER TUNNEL, A FIRST FOR A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ON THESE SHORES. WE KNOW HOW TO BUILD THE TUNNEL. WE ARE NOT THAT GOOD AT THE LAUNDRIES. BUT WE MADE IT. WE MADE IT AND IT'S WORKING. THEY'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, AND THEY'RE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE TEAM, AND IT SHOWS THAT WE SHOULDN'T JUST THINK OF THESE BIG PROJECTS AS JUST DOING AN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT. I LIKE THE JOB, YOU KNOW, AND I GET PAID FOR IT... (LAUGHS) ...WHICH IS GREAT. OUR FABRIC SOFTENER SISTERS PICKING UP AND DROPPING OFF AT 17 SITES ALONG THE TUNNEL'S ROUTE, WORKING THEIR MAGIC ON UP TO 6000 GRUBBY GARMENTS A MONTH. WHAT YA THINKING? I'M THINKING IT NEEDS A GOOD, GOOD WASH. (LAUGHS) ALTHOUGH NO AMOUNT OF HEAVY DUTY SUDS WILL SEE THEM MATCH THIS PRETENDER'S PRISTINE THREADS ` COMPLETE WITH EMBROIDERED NAME. LAUGHS: OH MY GOD. HOW ABOUT THAT? (UPBEAT MUSIC) I DON'T EVEN HAVE MY NAME EMBROIDERED ON MY PPE. (MUSIC CONTINUES) SOME OF THEM ARE TRYING TO SNEAK IN THEIR PERSONAL GEAR. YEP, YEP. WE FIND IT ALL THE TIME. REALLY? YEP. A LOT OF THEIR, UM... PERSONAL WASHING. IT'S WORTH A TRY. (LAUGHS) YEAH, YEAH, OF COURSE IT'S WORTH THE TRY. BECAUSE, LOOK, YOU'RE ABOUT TO PUT IT IN. YEAH, I AM ACTUALLY. AND, UM, WE TAKE IT BACK AS WELL. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? THE SEWING REPAIR SHOP IT IS ALL PART OF THE SERVICE. ANY THEY RIPPED OR BAD OVERALLS FROM THE SITES, WE WILL TRY AND REPAIR IT AS BEST WE CAN. THE LAUNDRY'S THREE STAFF FROM A LOCAL IWI TRUST, WHICH PLANS TO TAKE OVER THE FACILITY AND RUN IT AS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WHEN THE TUNNEL PROJECT FINISHES. PRETTY MUCH, THIS THEN BECOMES OUR BABY, BUT WE STILL WANT TO HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH WATERCARE. GOTTA MAKE SURE THERE'S NOTHING IN THEIR POCKETS. SOME OF THEM LEAVE THEIR TOOLS IN THERE. IT'S A BIT OF A TREASURE HUNT? OH, YEAH, YOU'LL BE AMAZED AT WHAT YOU CAN FIND. YOU JUST DROP YOUR DIRTIES AND RUN DROP AND RUN. AND IT'D BE NICE IF EVERYONE PUT THEM IN THE BAG FOR THESE LADIES INSTEAD OF ABOUT THE FLOOR. (METAL CLANGS) I THOUGHT I HEARD SOMETHING, LIKE A TOOL. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT 'CLACK, CLACK, CLACK'. (LAUGHS) IT MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE. IT MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN A ZIPPER ON THE GLASS. IT MIGHT HAVE JUST BEEN THE ZIPPER ON THE GLASS. GREASE, MUD, SLUDGE, CONCRETE ` EVERYTHING. STUFF THAT YOU WOULDN'T PUT IN YOUR OWN WASHING MACHINE, GUARANTEE IT. (GROOVY MUSIC) A SPECIAL TRIP DEEP, DEEP DOWN HELPING WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE GRIME COMES FROM. WELL, NOW WE KNOW WHY THEY'RE ALL WET AND GRUBBY. (LAUGHS) AND SMELLY. AND YOU'LL NEVER CRITICISE THEM AGAIN. NEVER. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. WE ONLY SEE IT FROM THE GROUND UP. WE DON'T SEE IT THE GROUND DOWN. AS FOR THAT NOISY SOMETHING GOING ROUND AND ROUND IN A POCKET... I THINK YOU'RE DREAMING. NO EARPLUGS. NO, THEY DON'T RATTLE. (CHUCKLES) THEY DON'T RATTLE. AH! THAT'S WHAT YOU HEARD? THAT'S WHAT I HEARD. A WASHER. A WASHER IN THE WASHING MACHINE. (CHUCKLES) E WHAI AKE NEI, COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` HOW A NEW PLAY IS AIMING TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW THE WORLD. PLUS ` CAN YOU TELL ME WHO YOU THINK WILL PROBABLY WIN? I'M SORRY, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. THAT'S CONFIDENTIAL I'M AFRAID. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE MEANT TO BE HERE. IT'S THE SHOW WITH SO MANY SECRETS. BEN HURLEY EXPLORES THE TASKMASTER COMPOUND, NEXT. VOICEOVER: Hello person not watching this ad? Yup, you on your mobile. Hey, did you know you could be ignoring this TV ad for less? How much less? 50% less. Get the skinny! SONG: # Happy happy happy aaaah! # (GURGLING MONSTER ON TV) DAD: Hey, hey, guess what? I just got another scam text from the 'power company'... ...saying I need to pay my bill. $156.32. MOM: What Grant?! Final notice... What? Threatening to cut my power... ...think I came down on the last... (ELECTRICITY CUTS DOWN) Oh, is that a fuse, Grant!? JADE: That might be real Dad. Yes it might. VOICEOVER:We're blocking more scams than ever before. One New Zealand, let's get connected. That bit might be real, Dad. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK, NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. JEREMY MIGHT NOT BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT IF YOU'RE REALLY MISSING HIM NEVER FEAR ` HE'S STILL ON THE TELLY AS TASKMASTER NEW ZEALAND STARTS TONIGHT. THE SHOW FEATURES A WHOLE NEW CAST OF KIWI COMEDIANS, INCLUDING OUR OWN BEN HURLEY, WHO RETURNS TO THE TASKMASTER HOUSE TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON HIS FELLOW CONTESTANTS. TASKMASTER NZ IS BACK. IN ADDITION TO THE TASKMASTER AND HIS LOVELY ASSISTANT, PAUL, THE SEASON SIX CAST FEATURES HAYLEY SPROULL, TOM SAINSBURY, ABBY HOWELLS TOFIGA FEPULEA'I AND THIS GUY. (PHONE RINGS) HELLO? WHAT? TAX? HOW OFTEN DO I HAVE TO PAY THAT? SO I'VE RETURNED TO THE TASKMASTER HOUSE AS MY ROLE AS A 'JOURNALIST' TO GET SOME INTEL ON MY FELLOW CONTESTANTS. SURELY... SOMEONE'S GOING TO TELL ME SOMETHING. SO YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR OF TASKMASTER ` WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN? UM, BASICALLY, WE JUST SORT OF SET THINGS UP AND RELEASE YOU INTO THEM AND SEE HOW YOU REACT. SO YOU'VE BEEN ON THE SHOW AS A CONTESTANT. NOW, YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR. I'VE DONE ALL MY TASKS. YEP. MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS ` WHY ARE THERE SO MANY SECRETS? WELL, WE` WE DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW WELL OR BADLY YOU THINK YOU HAVE DONE UNTIL THE STUDIO. SO WHEN YOU SEE YOURSELF, WE GET A REAL GENUINE REACTION ABOUT YOU BEING UPSET OR EXCITED, OR SEEING WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS DONE. IT'S A GREAT` IT'S A GREAT FEELING, AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT AT ALL. BUT YOU'VE SEEN EVERYONE GO THROUGH NOW. YEP. UM, CAN YOU TELL ME, WHO YOU THINK WILL PROBABLY WIN? I CAN'T EVEN` I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GIVE YOU A NOISE. I MEAN, THOSE WERE NOISES. THOSE WERE DEFINITELY NOISES. YEAH, THAT WAS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU A 'MEH' OR A 'HMM'. SO AS CATERER ON TASKMASTER, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER CONTESTANTS, LIKE, HAD FOR LUNCH? ARE ANY OF THEM VEGETARIAN? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE MEANT TO BE HERE. OK. YEAH, NO, THAT'S FAIR ENOUGH. (OLD-TIMEY GLITZY MUSIC) THERE'S NO ONE IN THERE. (CICADAS CHIRRUP) LUCY, WHAT DO YOU DO AT TASKMASTER? I'M THE ART DIRECTOR. IT'S BASICALLY MY JOB TO GATHER EVERYTHING THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE TASKS, AND ALSO DRESSING THE SET. SO YOU GET A LOT OF WEIRD THINGS FOR COMEDIANS BASICALLY, RIGHT? MM-HM. WHAT WAS THE WEIRDEST THING YOU HAD TO GET THIS SEASON? OH, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN TELL YOU THAT. OK. WHAT WAS THE WEIRDEST THING I ASKED FOR? PROBABLY... A SHIT TON OF CHOCOLATE. CAN I SWEAR? IS THAT ALL RIGHT? (BOTH LAUGH) BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER CONTESTANTS? WHAT DID THEY ASK FOR? THAT'S CONFIDENTIAL, I'M AFRAID. THANKS, YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT HELP (!) (MUSIC CONTINUES) SO THIS IS ACTUALLY WHERE THE CONTESTANTS WAIT BEFORE THEY GO AND DO A TASK, AND THERE IS ACTUALLY SOMEONE HERE, SO I'M JUST GONNA SEE IF I CAN... (GASPS) HEY. I'M COMPLETELY NUDE. (LAUGHS) HOW DO YOU FEEL BEING IN THIS LITTLE ROOM? THIS IS WHERE ANXIETY LIVES. SO THERE'S ANXIETY BEFOREHAND AND REGRET AFTERWARDS. YEAH, AND JUST, LIKE, BETTER IDEAS AND A LOT OF SHAME AND EMBARRASSMENT. PAUL. HI, BEN HURLEY ` SEVEN SHARP. HELLO, BEN HURLEY SEVEN SHARP. JUST DOING SOME INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM. YOU GIVE EVERYONE THE TASKS. CORRECT. HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL WHEN YOU GIVE THEM THE TASK? I FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS. WHO WOULD YOU SAY OF THIS SEASON HAS THE MOST SORT OF INTERESTING RESPONSES WHEN THEY FIRST READ THE TASK? UH... I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT. I MEAN, YOU COULD SAY` LIKE, DOES ANYONE GET REALLY MAD AT THE TASK? I'M SORRY. I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. UM, SHOULD WE JUST TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH. HOW ABOUT THEM WARRIORS? I THINK THIS IS THEIR YEAR. NO ONE'S GONNA YOU TELL ME ANYTHING. HE'S ALWAYS WATCHING. SO AFTER THAT INTENSE JOURNALISTIC INVESTIGATION, WHAT HAVE I LEARNED ABOUT MY FELLOW CONTESTANTS? NOTHING. I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO WATCH ` LIKE YOU. ART HAS LONG SERVED AS A MIRROR TO SOCIETY, CAPTURING ITS ESSENCE, STRUGGLES, AND TRIUMPHS. 'SCENES FROM THE CLIMATE ERA' IS A PLAY THAT TACKLES THE BIGGEST STORY IN HUMAN HISTORY ` CLIMATE CHANGE. TE RAUHIRINGA BROWN HAS MORE. (UNEASY MUSIC) OVER THE PAST CENTURY, THE WORLD'S UNDERGONE PROFOUND CHANGES ` THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE DRIVEN LARGELY BY HUMANS. (INTRIGUING MUSIC) THE OTHER SIDE OF HUMAN NATURE ` ART, HOLDING UP A MIRROR AND CHANCE FOR CHANGE. I THINK THE PLAY DOES, LIKE, SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB OF ADDRESSING ALL PEOPLE ALONG ANY STAGE OF WHERE THEY ARE AT WITH THEIR CLIMATE JOURNEY AND HOW THEY LOOK AT IT. SILO THEATRE AND THE AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY'S PLAY 'SCENES FROM THE CLIMATE ERA' IS A CALL TO ACTION WITH A DIFFERENCE. IT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU VIEW THE WORLD WHEN YOU WALK OUTSIDE THE DOOR. AS THE SON OF A CLIMATE SCIENTIST, AUSTRALIAN PLAYWRIGHT DAVID FINNIGAN PROVIDES A GLIMMER OF HOPE. THIS WORK IS LIKE A KALEIDOSCOPE OF CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT SPACES. NOW, DAVID WORKS AS A CLIMATE COMMUNICATOR. HE'S GOT ACCESS TO THESE SPACES WHERE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING BETWEEN POLITICIANS, BETWEEN SCIENTISTS, BETWEEN ACTIVISTS. SO IT'S LIKE AN INSIGHT INTO THOSE SPACES AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS. HE'S PICKED OUT THE MOST FASCINATING ONES HE'S COME ACROSS. WE'RE HITTING THEM IN VERY DIFFERENT PLACES IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. SO HERE'S SOME FACTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO, LIKE, MAYBE, GIVE YOU A LITTLE PUSH. AND THEN HERE'S ANOTHER FACT, AND WE'RE JUST GONNA, LIKE, UPPERCUT YOU, OR WE'RE GOING TO... AND WE'RE... OR, LIKE, HERE'S ANOTHER FACT AND WE'RE GOING TO TICKLE YOU TO DEATH. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE YOU'RE DIFFERENT ARRAY OF WAYS IN WHICH WE SEND A MESSAGE ACROSS THAT IS VERY SCARY, THAT IS VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND, THAT IT'S SO OVERWHELMING THAT PEOPLE AVOID THE WHOLE CONVERSATION AT ALL. LIKE, EVERYBODY... AVOIDS THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THERE'S NO SOLUTION ` AND THERE'S A MILLION SOLUTIONS. (MELLOW MUSIC) THIS BEAUTIFUL THING THAT DAVID HAS DONE, IS THAT HE HAS JUST WRITTEN THIS THING, AND HE HAS GIVEN IT TO A BUNCH OF CREATIVE PEOPLE TO TELL IT IN A WAY THAT'S GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE, TO MOBILISE THE SOCIETY. BECAUSE THEY DO! WE DO! YOU FEEL DESPAIR AND IT WASHES OVER YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA GET BACK UP AND KEEP FIGHTING. THE PLAY TALKS ABOUT DESPONDENCY AND... HOW WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT CLIMATE CHANGE AND YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S TOO BIG FOR YOU TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT, I THINK THE PLAY DOES A REALLY WONDERFUL JOB AT TACKLING THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE. IN TERMS OF YOUR JOURNEY WITH THIS PLAY, WITH THESE THEMES, HOW CONFRONTING WAS THAT FOR YOU AS A DIRECTOR? AH, YEAH. VERY CONFRONTING. UM... I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER WORKED ON A PLAY THAT HAS... SPOKEN SO DIRECTLY TO EVERYTHING I DO DAY TO DAY. WHY WOULD ANYONE GET UP IN THE MORNING IF THEY THINK THE FUTURE IS (BLEEP)? YOU START TO ANALYSE EVERYTHING YOU DO AND EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING THAT'S IMPACTING THE CLIMATE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IMPACTING MY MOKOPUNA, AND... YOU CAN'T HELP BUT GET TIED UP IN IT EMOTIONALLY. BUT THE THING, I THINK, AND THE THING I HOPE PEOPLE GET FROM THIS PLAY AND THE THING I'VE LEARNED FROM WORKING WITH DAVID AND WORKING ON THIS PLAY, IS NOT TO GET TIED UP IN THE WEEDS. IT IS TO LOOK AT THE THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT MAKE THE BIGGEST CHANGE. AND YOU CAN CATCH 'SCENES FROM THE CLIMATE ERA' ON STAGE AT Q THEATRE RIGHT NOW. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT WITH TOMORROW'S PLACE TO BE. WELCOME BACK. THE PLACE TO BE TOMORROW IS GISBORNE. AND IF YOU CAN GET UP EARLY, GO CATCH THE SUNRISE AND BE THE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO WELCOME THE NEW DAY. ON THE SHOW TOMORROW, IF YOU'VE EVER WANTED TO BUY A PUB ON THE WEST COAST, WELL, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY. THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. 'AMBULANCE AUSTRALIA' IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY TUI TIPENE, TOM CLARKE AND JOHN GIBBS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024