THE PRIME MINISTER DECLARES NEW ZEALAND OPEN FOR BUSINESS, WHILE LABOUR PROMISES TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO NATIONAL'S DOOR. POLICE ADMIT THE METH LOLLY SCARE AT THE AUCKLAND CITY MISSION WAS MUCH WORSE THAN PREVIOUSLY REVEALED. NEW ZEALAND RECORDS ONE OF IT'S LOWEST EVER DROWNING TOLLS AND EXPERTS NOW THINK IT'S A PROBLEM WHICH CAN BE SOLVED. AND DONALD TRUMP TELLS PRESIDENT PUTIN TO END HIS RIDICULOUS WAR 'OR ELSE'. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 NAU MAI, HAERE MAI. WELCOME TO THREENEWS. THE PRIME MINISTER WAS LASER FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN HIS STATE OF THE NATION SPEECH TODAY. CHRISTOPHER LUXON IS PROMISING BETTER DAYS AHEAD AND SAYS FOREIGN INVESTMENT IS ONE WAY TO GET THERE, BUT BENEFIT NUMBERS PAINT A SLIGHTLY BLEAKER PICTURE, WITH AN INCREASING NUMBER OF KIWIS OUT OF WORK AND NEEDING SUPPORT. HERE'S SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT JENNA LYNCH. HIS WAKE TIME PRECEDES HIM. PRIME MINISTER OF NEW ZEALAND, '4.30AM OAT MILK TRIM FLAT WHITE', CHRISTOPHER LUXON CHRISTOPHER LUXON, THE CRACK-OF-DAWN PRIME MINISTER, BRINGING HIS BREAKFAST ENERGY TO A BUSINESS LUNCH. I WANT NEW ZEALAND TO BE A COUNTRY OF ASPIRATION, OF AMBITION AND OF OPPORTUNITY YES, THE FOCUS TODAY WAS LASER. I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND ALMOST NOTHING ELSE. COS ITS NOT LOOKING THAT GREAT. BENEFIT NUMBERS ARE GOING THE VERY WRONG WAY TO HITIN THE GOVERNMENT'S TARGET OF 50,000 FEWER JOBSEEKERS, WITH 213,321 PEOPLE NOW ON A JOBSEEKER BENEFIT, AN INCREASE OF NEARLY 24,000 COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. THAT'S DESPITE BENEFIT SANCTIONS MORE THAN DOUBLING IN THE SAME PERIOD, WITH 13,518 APPLIED IN THE SEPTEMBER QUARTER ` UP 7000. BETTER DAYS LIE AHEAD. AND IF YOU'RE PREPARED TO WORK HARD, THIS COUNTRY IS AN OUTSTANDING PLACE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BUT WE NEED MORE JOBS; LUXON EYEING UP MINERALS... MINING NEEDS TO PLAY A MUCH BIGGER ROLE IN THE NEW ZEALAND ECONOMY. ...DECLARING NEW ZEALAND OPEN FOR BUSINESS... GROWTH MEANS THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU. ...STARTING WITH A NEW DEDICATED INVESTMENT AGENCY. WE HAVE AGREED TO ESTABLISH INVEST NEW ZEALAND AS THE GOVERNMENT'S ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ATTRACTING FOREIGN INVESTMENT. (APPLAUSE) JOHN KEY ESTABLISHED SOMETHING SIMILAR POST THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES, INVEST CHRISTCHURCH. DO YOU LOOK AT INVEST CHRISTCHURCH AND HOW SUCCESSFUL IT WAS AND CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT MODEL WAS? ALL THE PM IS SET TO HOST AN INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT SUMMIT IN MARCH, HOPING GLOBAL FUNDS WILL FLY PLANELOADS OF CASH IN WITH THEM... THERE IS A HEAP OF MONEY OUT THERE IN THE WORLD, CAN I HELP WITH THAT ONE? THIS IS ABOUT GETTING MONEY INTO SCIENCE AND INNOVATION. ...GOING ALL IN ON SCIENCE ` MERGING THE SEVEN CROWN RESEARCH INSTITUTES INTO THREE AND SCRAPPING CALLAHAN INNOVATION. IT'S GOING TO BE IN PLACE INSTEAD ABSOLUTE FOCUSED ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES, WHILE NATIONAL TALKED TO THE SUITS, LABOUR WAS STILL IN ITS JANDALS. GREAT, YOU ARE FILMING MY FEET. GREAT, I CUT MY TOENAILS. AFTER A YEAR-LONG LISTENING TOUR, THEY'VE LEARNT WHY KIWIS TURNED UP THEIR NOSE AT THE ELECTION... WE ALSO HEARD SOME HOME TRUTHS FROM THEM. THEY FELT THAT ACROSS OUR SIX YEARS IN GOVERNMENT, WE HAD OFTEN OVER-PROMISED AND UNDER-DELIVERED. ...BUT ARE NOW CONVINCED THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ALREADY HAD ENOUGH OF THE COALITION. 2024 WAS THE YEAR KIWIS GOT TO SEE THE CHARACTER OF THIS GOVERNMENT. PRETTY CLEAR THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAW. AND DESPITE THE ATTIRE, ITS TIME TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS GIVING VOTERS AN ALTERNATIVE. WE WILL BE RAMPING UP THE PRESSURE ON THIS GOVERNMENT. HIPKINS WARNING HIS CAUCUS TO FOCUS ON THE BASICS ` HEALTH, EDUCATION, ECONOMY. THE OTHER THING WE'VE GOT TO DO IS MAKE SURE WE'RE CALLING OUT THE POLITICS OF DISTRACTION. THERE IS NOTHING THIS GOVERNMENT WANTS MORE THAN FOR NEW ZEALANDERS TO BE FOCUSED ON CULTURE WARS. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS THE SAME GOAL, BUT HIS GOVERNING JUGGLING ACT MIGHT MAKE IT HARDER TO ACHIEVE. SPEAKING OF DAVID SEYMOUR, HE IS ABOUT TO BECOME DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER. ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT AS MUCH AS HE IS? (LAUGHTER) LOOK, I'M THE PRIME MINSTER. WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. THAT WASN'T A YES. JENNA, THERE'S MORE TO COME IN THIS POLITICAL KICKSTARTER OF A WEEK, ISN'T THERE? TOMORROW BRINGS THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO RATANA, BARRING ACT, DAVID SEYMOUR WILL DELIVER HIS OWN STATE OF THE NATION SPEECH, HE WILL DESCRIBE NEW ZEALAND AS BEING THE NEED TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES AROUND HOW THE GOVERNMENT IS SPENDING AND BORROWING ` SPENDING AND BORROWING ` CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS HAD A PRETTY GOOD RUN AT THE START OF THE YEAR, AROUND THE ECONOMY, IT'S GOING TO BE HARDER TO STEER AWAY FROM THE DIVISION THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE TREATY DEBATE, THEY WILL BE HEARING SUBMISSIONS ON THAT ` I'VE JUST HEARD FROM DAVID SEYMOUR'S TEAM THAT DESPITE HIS HAPU WARNING HIM NOT TO ATTEND WAITANGI, THANKS JENNA. AUCKLAND POLICE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO FILE CHARGES AGAINST FORMER GREEN MP GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN OVER A RECENT ALLEGED SHOPLIFTING INCIDENT. IT OCCURRED AT THE ROYAL OAK PAK 'N SAVE IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR, AND WAS REPORTED TO POLICE FOR INVESTIGATION ELECTRONICALLY. WHILE NOT CONFIRMING IT WAS GHAHRAMAN AT THE CENTRE OF THE INCIDENT, POLICE SAY THE SUBJECT OF THE INVESTIGATION IS ENTITLED TO PRIVACY AND THE ITEM TAKEN WAS WORTH LESS THAN $40. THE FORMER MP SAYS SHE IS RELIEVED. IT'S BEEN FIVE MONTHS SINCE BLOCKS OF METH DISGUISED AS CANDY WERE DISCOVERED IN FOOD PARCELS AT AUCKLAND CITY MISSION, AND WE NOW KNOW THAT ABOUT 30 OF THE SO-CALLED 'LOLLIES' WERE NEVER ACCOUNTED FOR, AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ARRESTED. DETECTIVE INSPECTOR GLENN BALDWIN SPOKE EXCLUSIVELY TO ZANE SMALL ABOUT OPERATION TIRADE AND THE WIDER METH TRADE. WHAT LOOKED LIKE RINDA-BRANDED LOLLIES WERE, IN FACT, BLOCKS OF PURE METHAMPHETAMINE THAT WERE DONATED TO THE AUCKLAND CITY MISSION FOR FOOD PARCEL DISTRIBUTION IN AUGUST LAST YEAR. DETECTIVE INSPECTOR GLENN BALDWIN REMEMBERS THAT DAY. WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE AUCKLAND CITY MISSION. THEY WERE CONSIDERABLY DISTRESSED ABOUT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED, AND WITH PEOPLE REPORTING ILLNESS AND GOING TO HOSPITAL. IT SPARKED AN INVESTIGATION, NAMED 'OPERATION TIRADE'. WE ENDED UP WITH ABOUT THREE PEOPLE HOSPITALISED. THERE WERE 15 PEOPLE THAT REPORTED TASTING THE LOLLIES. WE DID SOME... CALCULATIONS, AND BASED ON THE INQUIRIES WE MADE, WE THOUGHT ABOUT 61 HAD GONE INTO CIRCULATION, BEING TWO PACKETS, AND NOTWITHSTANDING SOME THAT WE ACTUALLY RECOVERED FROM THE CITY MISSION. SO, WE RECOVERED 35 OF THOSE. SO IN THE END, ABOUT 30 UNACCOUNTED FOR? ABOUT THAT. POLICE SPOKE TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, BUT NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF INCIDENTS REPORTED TO US ABOUT PEOPLE OFFERING TO SELL THEM ON FACEBOOK. BASED OFF ALL INFORMATION GATHERED SO FAR, POLICE BELIEVE THE SO-CALLED 'LOLLIES' WERE DONATED TO AN ADDRESS IN NEW ZEALAND AND INTENDED TO BE INTERCEPTED, BUT IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THE ITEMS WERE INADVERTENTLY PICKED UP AND DONATED TO THE AUCKLAND CITY MISSION BY AN UNSUSPECTING MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. THAT PERSON HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. REALLY, REALLY CONCERNING THAT THEY ARE IMPORTING IN THAT METHOD WHERE IF THEY GET IN THE WRONG HANDS, PEOPLE MISTAKING THEM TO BE INNOCENTLY FOOD AND DRINK. IT HAPPENED TO AIDAN SAGALA IN 2023. THE 21-YEAR-OLD DIED AFTER CONSUMING WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A BEER; IT WAS ACTUALLY LIQUID METH. POLICE DISCOVERED IT WAS PART OF A SIGNIFICANT DRUG IMPORTATION OPERATION. THE ORGANISED CRIME PICTURE AND THE GANG PICTURE IN NEW ZEALAND HAS CHANGED SINCE 2015, WITH THE AUSTRALIAN GANGS SETTING UP IN NEW ZEALAND. THEY HAVE WIDER SPREAD NETWORKS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. IN THIS CASE, THE DRUGS WERE DISGUISED AS MALAYSIAN BRAND RINDA LOLLIES. WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT WE THINK THE METH BLOCKS HAD BEEN RE-WRAPPED IN NORMAL RINDA WRAPPER. THE METH WAS VALUED AT AROUND $250,000. THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE REPLACEMENT COST OF THOSE DRUGS IS QUITE TINY COMPARED TO THE MONEY YOU REALISE WHEN YOU SELL IT AT THE CONSUMER COUNTRY. THE SAD THING IS, WE HAVE THIS ONGOING DEMAND FOR METHAMPHETAMINE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND THAT'S A SOCIETY PROBLEM. THAT IS THE DEEPLY CONCERNING STUFF. AND SO, TO MEET THAT DEMAND, SUPPLIERS WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, EVEN DISGUISING DRUGS AS LOLLIES. EMERGENCY TEAMS ARE SEARCHING FOR A SWIMMER MISSING AT A CHRISTCHURCH BEACH. SURF LIFE SAVERS, THE POLICE, AND THE WESTPAC CHOPPER HAVE BEEN SCOURING THE WATERLINE AT SOUTH SHORE BEACH. OFFICERS ARE BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE AREA AND SUPPORTING TWO VISIBLY UPSET WOMEN ON THE SAND. THIS LATEST INCIDENT COMES AS NEW DROWNING STATISTICS HAVE BEEN RELEASED. LAST YEAR, 72 PEOPLE DROWNED IN AOTEAROA ` THAT'S THE FIFTH LOWEST ANNUAL TOTAL SINCE RECORDS BEGAN. WHILE STILL A CONFRONTING NUMBER, 'WATER SAFETY NEW ZEALAND' NOW BELIEVES FOR THE FIRST TIME IT'S A SOLVABLE PROBLEM. A MOTHER WHO WATCHED HER HUSBAND AND SON DROWN ON A COROMANDEL BEACH IT WAS AN UNIMAGINABLE TRAGEDY IN 2023 AT OPOUTERE BEACH IN THE COROMANDEL. DONNA CRUICKSHANK WATCHED HER HUSBAND AND TEENAGE SON DROWN AS SHE STOOD ON THE BEACH. IT WAS THE WEEK AFTER CYCLONE HALE HAD GONE THROUGH, AND WE ALL WENT FOR A SWIM AT THE BEACH, AND WE GOT CAUGHT IN A RIP. THERE WERE SEVEN FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE SEA SWIMMING. WE VERY NEARLY ALL DIED. FIVE OF THEM MADE IT TO SHORE WITH THE HELP OF OTHERS ON THE BEACH. DONNA'S HUSBAND, IAN, AND HER 15-YEAR-OLD SON, SAMUEL, TRAGICALLY DROWNED. AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY HARD TWO YEARS. DONNA WAS ONLY THIGH-DEEP IN THE WATER. IT WASN'T DEEP, JUST GOT CAUGHT IN THE RIP, AND I GUESS THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A BIG HOLE CREATED IN THE BEACH, BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS NOTHING UNDERNEATH MY FEET AND I WAS HELPLESS. WHAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW IS THAT THE WATER WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS THAT DAY, EVEN TRICKY FOR THE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM WHO THEN SPENT DAYS SEARCHING FOR SAMUEL'S BODY. VERY LARGE SWELL AT OPOUTERE HERE, AND IT'S A VERY DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT, SO WE'RE TRYING TO PREDICT WHERE OUR SEARCH PATTERNS SHOULD BE. LAST YEAR, 72 PEOPLE DROWNED IN NEW ZEALAND, THE LOWEST SINCE 2018. LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IS STARTING TO BARE FRUIT, 'WATER SKILLS FOR LIFE' HAS BEEN IN PLAY AND DELIVERING BASIC SKILLS FOR OVER A DECADE NOW, AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE RESULTS COME THROUGH, ALSO EVIDENCE OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING LESS RISKS. WATER SAFETY NZ SAYS THIS IS A SOLVABLE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS REPORT SUGGESTS TO US THAT DROWNING IS SOLVABLE IN NZ. I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THAT WE NOW KNOW THE LEVERS THAT CAN AFFECT CHANGE. ALCOHOL IS A FACTOR IN 30% TO 40% OF DROWNINGS. THIS MAP SHOWS THE 10 WORST DROWNING SPOTS IN THE COUNTRY AND THE NUMBERS WHO HAVE DROWNED THERE SINCE AROUND 2000 ` MANUKAU HARBOUR THE WORST AT 54, WAIKATO RIVER NEWLY ADDED WITH 46 DROWNINGS, WHICH SHOWS THE DANGERS OF URBAN WATERWAYS. ONE THING THAT COULD DEFINITELY BE DONE BETTER IS MORE SIGNAGE AT BEACHES. WE DIDN'T FEEL UNSAFE THERE, AND WE FOUND OUT LATER THAT MANY OF THE LOCALS DO NOT SWIM THERE BECAUSE THEY KNOW OF THE RISKS. BUT THERE WERE NO SIGNS. THERE WAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT. DONNA SAYS IT'S THE WRONG MESSAGE TO SAY PEOPLE SHOULD ONLY SWIM AT BEACHES WITH LIFEGUARDS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT A REALITY IN THIS COUNTRY ` SHE SAYS MUCH BETTER SIGNAGE WOULD HELP AND ALSO AN APP PEOPLE COULD HAVE ON THEIR PHONES WHERE PEOPLE COULD ENTER THE BEACH AND GET REAL TIME DATA ABOUT TIDES AND THE SAFETY OF EACH BEACH ON ANY GIVEN DAY IN NEW ZEALAND. AND A MANDATE FOR LIFEJACKETS ` 94% OF WATERCRAFT DEATHS LAST YEAR INVOLVED PEOPLE NOT WEARING THEM. NOW IS THE TIME THAT WE NEED TO BE PUTTING LEGISLATION IN PLACE. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO STEP UP, MODIFY RULE 91. IT HASN'T BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION OR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN CABINET AT THIS POINT AND TIME. WATER SAFETY ADVOCATES SAY MORE CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT DEVASTATING TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS ONE. GRACE IS HERE NOW WITH MORE ON TODAY'S WEATHER ` AND THE SOUTH ISLAND SAW PLENTY OF RAIN TODAY? FIORDLAND SAW THE MOST TODAY, WITH ITS SECRETARY ISLAND GETTING 74.6MM OF RAIN, AND IT WAS ALSO THE WINDIEST, WITH GUSTS OF 74KM/H. BUT TODAY, MUCH OF TE WAIPOUNAMU SAW EITHER RAIN OR SHOWERS, AS WELL AS A FEW THUNDERSTORMS FOR SOME. AND IT WAS A RETURN TO COOLER TEMPS FOR MANY TODAY WITH A SOUTHERLY CHANGE. DUNEDIN SEEING THE LOWEST TEMP OF 7 DEGREES. ME U TONU MAI ` I'LL HAVE THE FULL FORECAST, AFTER SPORT. JUST AHEAD ON THREENEWS ` A NEW FIRE'S BROKEN OUT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY WHILE THE OTHER TWO BIG ONES BURN ON. PRINCE HARRY SETTLES AGAINST THE SUN'S PUBLISHERS AND SCORES A RARE APOLOGY, BUT SAYS HE WAS ONLY FIGHTING FOR THE TRUTH. AND HOW A CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR COULD BE THE HEAD OF THE FBI UNDER PRESIDENT'S NEW REGIME, DONALD TRUMP HAS CONTINUED WITH HIS BLIZZARD OF SHOCK-AND-AWE DECLARATIONS ON HIS SECOND FULL DAY BACK IN THE OVAL OFFICE. THE U.S. PRESIDENT HAS TODAY WARNED HE WILL HIT RUSSIA WITH MORE SANCTIONS IF VLADIMIR PUTIN FAILS TO END THE WAR IN UKRAINE, CLAIMING TO BE DOING THE KREMLIN 'A VERY BIG FAVOUR'. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGNED ON ENDING THE WAR IN UKRAINE WITHIN A DAY. HE HAS INSTEAD MANAGED TO FIRE A WARNING SHOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITHIN THREE. HIS TARGET ` VLADIMIR PUTIN... (SOLDIER SHOUTS) ...THREATENING TO IMPOSE TAXES, TARIFFS AND SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA IF A DEAL ISN'T MADE SOON. ...HE WROTE. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS COME OUT SWINGING SINCE TAKING OFFICE, DEPLOYING TROOPS TO THE BORDER WITH MEXICO AS PART OF AN AGGRESSIVE CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS... YOU WILL BE RETURNED HOME. YOU WILL BE ARRESTED. YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED. DO NOT COME. ...AND QUICKLY PARDONING THE JANUARY 6TH RIOTERS, LEADING TO EMOTIONALLY CHARGED REUNIONS. THIS IS WHAT FREEDOM LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT WE FIGHT FOR. IT'S WHAT WE STOOD AT THE CAPITOL FOR! MY FATHER` IMPRISONED IN BIDEN'S AMERICA, THE NARRATIVE IS NOW BEING REWRITTEN UNDER TRUMP. WE ARE BACK, BABY! FOUR YEARS AGO, JAKE LANG, SEEN HERE IN THE GAS MASK, WAS CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING AN OFFICER. WE'VE GOT X, WE'VE GOT TRUMP, WE'VE GOT MUSK. WE'VE GOT THE DREAM TEAM. WE'RE BACK! DOMESTIC TERRORISTS, VIOLENT CRIMINALS NOW RELEASED FROM PRISON AS PATRIOTS. THEY ARE TRUE HEROES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY DID STAND UP FOR A STOLEN ELECTION. THIS MAN'S SON IS THE FIGURE IN MILITARY CAMOUFLAGE TACKLING POLICE AT THE HEART OF THE INSURRECTION. WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THAT JAIL. AND SO MANY FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN DESTROYED FOR, YOU KNOW, UM, BEING AMERICAN. THE HERALDING OF TRUMP'S SELF-DUBBED GOLDEN AGE IS FAR FROM UNANIMOUS, NOT EVEN WITHIN THE RIOTERS. PAM HEMPHILL SPENT TWO MONTHS IN PRISON FOR TRESPASSING INSIDE THE CAPITOL THAT DAY, AND HAS REJECTED THE PRESIDENTIAL PARDON. IT WOULD BE A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE CAPITOL POLICE AND TO THE RULE OF LAW. NO, I DON'T WANT ANY PART OF NO PARDON. INTERNATIONALLY, THERE IS REJECTION TOO. THIS DANISH MP DELIVERING TRUMP A STERN MESSAGE REGARDING HIS RECENT TALK OF TAKING CONTROL OF GREENLAND. LET ME PUT IT IN WORDS YOU MIGHT UNDERSTAND ` MR TRUMP, (BLEEP) OFF. A NEW PERSON OF INTEREST FOR KASH PATEL PERHAPS, A TRUMP LOYALIST WHO HAS SWORN TO GO AFTER HIS BOSS'S ENEMIES. IT IS A FANTASTICAL TELLING BY ME OF HOW WE TRIUMPH TO PUT TRUTH OVER EVIL. NOT JUST AN AUTHOR, HE'S NOW TIPPED FOR A NEW JOB ` HEAD OF THE FBI. HAVING BEEN POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION... WHAT IS IN THERE? THANK YOU, PETER. IT COULD HAVE BEEN YEARS BEFORE WE FOUND THIS THING. ...TRUMP HAS TODAY SHARED THE CONTENTS OF BIDEN'S HANDOVER LETTER TO HIM. ...THE FORMER PRESIDENT WROTE. BUT TRUMP HAS NEVER APPEARED ALL THAT INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO WHAT BIDEN HAS TO SAY. IN CALIFORNIA, EVACUATION ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AFTER A NEW FIRE BROKE OUT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THE HUGHES FIRE IS BURNING OUT OF CONTROL NEAR CASTAIC, A COMMUNITY NORTH OF L.A. IT'S BURNT THROUGH MORE THAN 2000 HECTARES OF LAND ALREADY. NO BUILDINGS HAVE SO FAR BEEN DAMAGED. THE TWO MONSTER FIRES WHICH DECIMATED L.A. SUBURBS EARLIER THIS MONTH ARE STILL BURNING AND ARE NOW KNOWN TO HAVE CLAIMED AT LEAST 27 LIVES. RUPERT MURDOCH'S MEDIA EMPIRE HAS JUST DONE SOMETHING INCREDIBLY UNUSUAL ` IT'S SAID SORRY, PUBLICLY APOLOGISING TO PRINCE HARRY FOR SERIOUS INTRUSIONS INTO HIS PRIVATE LIFE BY THE SUN NEWSPAPER. ITS PUBLISHER HAS ADMITTED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT IT ILLEGALLY HACKED HIS PHONE. THE RARE APOLOGY A KEY PART OF A SETTLEMENT DEAL ANNOUNCED TO AVERT A HIGH-STAKES TRIAL. AND AS ITV'S CHRIS SHIP REPORTS, THE MONUMENTAL LEGAL VICTORY COMES WITH A MASSIVE PAYOUT. WHAT HAPPENED IN A LONDON COURTROOM TODAY WAS MOSTLY ABOUT PRINCE HARRY, BUT PRINCE HARRY WASN'T THERE. HE IS IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE WAS PICTURED WITH THOSE FIGHTING THE WILDFIRES, BUT WHAT HE INSTRUCTED HIS LAWYERS TO DO HAD SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES IN COURT. HARRY AND FORMER LABOUR MP TOM, NOW LORD, WATSON, WHO WAS AT THE HIGH COURT THIS MORNING, WERE THE LAST TWO CLAIMANTS STANDING, BUT BEFORE THIS TRIAL HEARD A WORD OF EVIDENCE ` A STATEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF THE SUN WHICH STOPPED THE TRIAL IN ITS TRACKS. THE JUDGE WAS TOLD ` THE DAMAGES AGREED WILL EXCEED �10 MILLION. BUT FOR HARRY, AS HIS LAWYER SAID OUTSIDE COURT, THIS WAS NEVER ABOUT THE MONEY, BUT ABOUT THE ADMISSION OF WRONGDOING. THE TRUTH THAT HAS NOW BEEN EXPOSED IS THAT 'NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS' UNLAWFULLY LAWFULLY ENGAGED MORE THAN 100 PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS OVER AT LEAST 16 YEARS ON NO MORE` MORE THAN 35,000 OCCASIONS. THIS HAPPENED AS MUCH AT 'THE SUN' AS IT DID AT 'THE NEWS OF THE WORLD', WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL THE EDITORS AND EXECUTIVES GOING TO THE VERY TOP OF THE COMPANY. BY THOSE AT THE TOP OF THE COMPANY, THEY POINTED THE FINGER AT RUPERT MURDOCH'S KEY LIEUTENANTS, INCLUDING FORMER SUN EDITOR REBEKAH BROOKS, NOW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE COMPANY. THE SAME REBEKAH BROOKS WHO, IN HER CRIMINAL TRIAL IN 2014, SAID WHEN SHE WAS IN CHARGE, SHE FELT HER NEWSROOM WAS A CLEAN SHIP. 10 YEARS LATER, WHEN SHE IS CEO OF THE COMPANY, THEY NOW ADMIT WHEN SHE WAS EDITOR OF THE SUN, THEY RAN A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE. TODAY, NGN ALSO APOLOGISED TO HARRY'S CO CLAIMANT, ADMITTING THAT NEWS OF THE WORLD JOURNALISTS PLACED TOM WATSON UNDER SURVEILLANCE DURING HIS TIME IN GOVERNMENT. I ONCE SAID THAT THE BIG BEASTS OF THE TABLOID JUNGLE HAVE NO PREDATORS. I WAS WRONG. THEY HAVE PRINCE HARRY. HE SAID THIS BECAUSE PRINCE HARRY DOGGEDLY REFUSED TO SETTLE WITH NGN UNLESS THEY ADMITTED WRONGDOING. HARRY TOLD OUR CAMERAS LAST YEAR HIS FIGHT WAS FOR ALL THOSE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO TAKE THEIR FIGHT TO TRIAL. THIS IS A DAVID-VERSUS-GOLIATH SITUATION. THE DAVIDS ARE THE CLAIMANTS, AND THE GOLIATH IS THIS VAST MEDIA ENTERPRISE. I'M TRYING TO GET JUSTICE FOR EVERYBODY. SO AFTER WHAT TOM WATSON AND PRINCE HARRY CALLED THEIR MONUMENTAL VICTORY TODAY, WHAT NEXT? AND YOU THINK THERE SHOULD NOW BE A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION? THE EVIDENCE IS NOW THERE. YOU KNOW THE WRONGDOING AND THE CRIMINALITY IS LAID BARE. FOR THE POLICE NOT TO INVESTIGATE THIS FULLY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD EXCUSE, AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS ONE. THE METROPOLITAN POLICE SAID THEY WILL RESPOND WHEN PRINCE HARRY'S LAWYERS HAVE HANDED OVER WHATEVER EVIDENCE THEY HAVE. A 12-YEAR-OLD BOY HAS BEEN STABBED TO DEATH WALKING HOME FROM SCHOOL IN THE UK. LEO ROSS IS BEING REMEMBERED AS FUNNY, KIND AND BRIGHT. HE WAS ATTACKED NEAR HIS SCHOOL IN BIRMINGHAM. A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF HIS MURDER AND AN ASSAULT ON AN ELDERLY WOMAN TWO DAYS EARLIER. AHEAD ON THREENEWS ` WE'RE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA LOOKING AT THE WORK OF THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION AS THEY TRAIN LOCAL EYE DOCTORS TO HELP STOP AVOIDABLE BLINDNESS. IT'S TIME FOR THE RAZZIES ` THE AWARD SEASON EVENT NO ONE WANTS TO FEATURE IN. WE HAVE THE NOMINATIONS. AND LATER IN SPORT ` LOTS OF DRAMA AS AUCKLAND FC SCORE A LATE GOAL AGAINST TOP OF THE TABLE ADELAIDE. THIS IS THREENEWS. IF YOU'VE JUST JOINED US, HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES SO FAR TONIGHT ` THE PRIME MINISTER HAS DELIVERED HIS STATE OF THE NATION SPEECH UNVEILING HIS PLAN TO LURE FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN A BID TO BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH. POLICE ADMIT THE METH LOLLY SCARE AT THE AUCKLAND CITY MISSION WAS MUCH WORSE THAN PREVIOUSLY REVEALED, WITH 30 STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR. AND POLICE WON'T BE FILING CHARGES OVER A NEW ALLEGED SHOPLIFTING INCIDENT ` GOLRIZ GHAHRAMAN SAYS SHE'S 'RELIEVED THE RIGHT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE'. THE PARTNER OF AN AUSTRALIAN DIPLOMAT HAS PLEADED 'GUILTY' TO ASSAULT CHARGES FOLLOWING A LATE-NIGHT ALTERCATION IN CENTRAL WELLINGTON LAST YEAR. THIS VIDEO APPEARS TO SHOW THE MAN BEING ARRESTED AS HE SWEARS AT POLICE AND TELLS THEM HE HAS DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY. POLICE ASKED THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO WAIVE IMMUNITY SO THEY COULD CHARGE HIM. THE MAN HAS INTERIM NAME SUPPRESSION AND WILL APPLY FOR DISCHARGE WITHOUT CONVICTION AT HIS NEXT HEARING. A WARNING, THIS NEXT STORY CONTAINS UNPLEASANT IMAGES. MORE THAN A HUNDRED LAMBS HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THREE ROAMING DOGS IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS AT A COUNCIL-RUN FARM IN SOUTH AUCKLAND. THE ATTACKS HAPPENED LAST WEEK AT PUHINUI RESERVE IN MANUKAU. AROUND 85 OTHER SHEEP WERE INJURED. ANIMAL MANAGEMENT HAS FOUND ONE OF THE DOGS THOUGHT TO BE RESPONSIBLE. DASHCAM FOOTAGE HAS CAPTURED A NEAR-MISS BETWEEN TWO LOGGING TRUCKS AND A CAR IN THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND. THE VIDEO SHOWS A LOGGING TRUCK'S TRAILER HITTING AN ONCOMING TRUCK AS IT DETACHES. A FOLLOWING VEHICLE SWERVES AND NARROWLY AVOIDS COLLIDING WITH THE LOGS AS THEY SPILL ON TO THE ROAD. REMARKABLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE INCIDENT, WHICH HAPPENED ON TUESDAY NEAR ATIAMURI NORTH OF TAUPO. IN NEW ZEALAND, THERE ARE ABOUT 175 PRACTISING OPHTHALMOLOGISTS. IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA, A COUNTRY WHICH HAS TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE, THERE ARE JUST 11. THE TRAINING OF SPECIALIST EYE DOCTORS AND NURSES IS A HUGE FOCUS FOR THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION, A CHARITY WHOSE MISSION IS TO END AVOIDABLE BLINDNESS IN THE PACIFIC. AND WITH THE HELP OF DONATIONS AND THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT, A NEW EYE CLINIC WILL BE BUILT OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS TO HELP ATTRACT AND TRAIN LOCALS. HERE'S LAURA TUPOU. THE EYE CLINIC AT PORT MORESBY HOSPITAL IS WHERE DR ALICE IRAFA CURRENTLY WORKS. SHE'S COMPLETED HER TRAINING. NEXT YEAR SHE WILL GRADUATE AS AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST. HER SPECIALIST TRAINING HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION, AND NEXT YEAR, SHE WILL RETURN TO HER HOME PROVINCE TO WORK. STILL AN UNREALISTIC FEELING TO ME, PROBABLY, MAYBE` I DON'T KNOW. WHEN I'M ACTUALLY PRACTISING SEEING MY FIRST PATIENT ON MY OWN, THEN I'LL... IT WILL FINALLY SINK IN THAT YES, I AM` I AM AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST. SINCE 2007, THE FOUNDATION HAS SUPPORTED THE SPECIALIST TRAINING OF 130 EYE NURSES AND EYE CARE CLINICIANS AND SIX EYE DOCTORS IN PNG, INCLUDING THESE TWO, PERFORMING CATARACT SURGERY AS PART OF THEIR TRAINING WITH THEIR MENTORS BY THEIR SIDE. THIS TYPE OF SURGERY IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS THEY'VE PERFORMED IN THEIR MEDICAL CAREERS. THIS IS MICROSURGERY USING PRECISION TOOLS. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET THE HANG OF USING THESE INSTRUMENTS, BUT THEN OVER TIME, YOU DEVELOP THE ` WHAT WILL I SAY? ` SKILLS FOR WORKING WITH THEM, AND THEN IT BECOMES MORE EASIER. THE CLINIC IN MADANG, THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY, IS WELL-SUPPLIED, SUPPORTED BY THE FOUNDATION. WE HAVE ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENTS THERE, ALL OF OUR STAFF. WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFF, AND WE HAVE ALL THE CONSUMABLES THAT WE CAN WORK WITH. SO THE TRAINING HERE, I'D SAY, IT'S REALLY GOOD. CONSUMABLES ` THE MEDICINE AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO TREAT PATIENTS ` AREN'T ALWAYS READILY AVAILABLE, AND WITH ONLY 11 OPHTHALMOLOGISTS FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY, THERE ARE ALSO WORKFORCE CHALLENGES. OUR BEST CONTRIBUTION TO THE HEALTH SYSTEMS IN PNG IS TO TRAIN THESE OPHTHALMOLOGISTS AND TO TRAIN THESE NURSES, AND TO RETURN THEM BACK TO THOSE PROVINCES AND SAY, 'HERE'S THE CAPACITY YOU NEED 'TO DESIGN AND DELIVER YOUR OWN SERVICES.' THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH UNIVERSITIES, FRED HOLLOWS FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THE TRAINING, AND THEY'RE NOW ABOUT TO BUILD A NEW CLINIC AT THE PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN PORT MORESBY TO HELP. THIS FACILITY WILL SERVE MORE PEOPLE THAN WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW. I THINK WE CAN WE CAN SEE AN INCREASE OF 30% OR 40%. I THINK WE CAN SEE AN INCREASE OF 30% OR 40%. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE MASTER PLAN OF THE PORT MORESBY GENERAL HOSPITAL, YOU CAN HEAR THE CONSTRUCTION BEHIND ME HERE FOR THE CANCER CENTRE BUT THIS SITE IN PARTICULAR WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE OF ITS CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE MEDICAL SCHOOL, THIS BLUE BUILDING BEHIND ME. BECAUSE THE CENTRE WILL HAVE EQUIPMENTS, INSTRUMENTS, AND FACILITIES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, THIS WILL BE A GREAT STEP IN THEIR ADVANCED TRAINING OF... OF THEIR OPHTHALMOLOGY TRAINING. WE THANK THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT FOR SUPPORTING US. THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTED $18.9m TOWARDS IT, AS WELL AS INVESTMENT FROM THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND, OF COURSE, DONATIONS TO THE FOUNDATION. PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS LIKELY TO NEED MORE THAN 100 OPHTHALMOLOGISTS OVER THE NEXT 20 OR 30 YEARS. WE HOPE THE CENTRE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO AT LEAST BUILDING HALFWAY SOME OF THAT CAPACITY. THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG DREAM COME TRUE. A DREAM TO TRAIN PACIFIC PEOPLE TO FULFIL THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION OF ENDING AVOIDABLE BLINDNESS IN THE PACIFIC. IT'S AWARD SEASON IN HOLLYWOOD, AND THE NOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE ONE NO ONE WANTS TO WIN ` THE RAZZIES. THE PARODY AWARD SHOW HONOURS THE WORST FILMS OF THE YEAR THE PARODY AWARD SHOW HONOURS THE WORST FILMS OF THE YEAR, AND IN 2024, THERE WAS ONE PARTICULAR STAND OUT ` FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE, I DIDN'T FEEL ALONE ANY MORE. 'JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX' RECEIVED A RECORD SEVEN NODS, INCLUDING WORST PICTURE AND WORST SEQUEL. JOAQUIN PHOENIX, WHO WON BEST ACTOR AT THE OSCARS IN THE FIRST JOKER FILM IS NOW NOMINATED FOR WORST ACTOR, ALONGSIDE LADY GAGA. THE WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONY. WE WILL HAVE THE ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS FOR YOU TOMORROW. NO DOUBT A BIT OF DRAMA WITH THE OSCARS. YOU HAVE GOT SOME DRAMA AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FOR US, LUCY. BEN SHELTON HAS BEEN THE LATEST LASER CALLOUT AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTERS FOR WHAT HE SAYS ARE DISRESPECTFUL COMMENTS. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON WHAT PROMPTED THE OUTBURST FROM THE AMERICAN, NEXT. PLUS, AUCKLAND FC SALVAGE A DRAW WITH AN ADDED-TIME EQUALISER AGAINST TABLE TOPPERS ADELAIDE UNITED. AND SEVEN-TIME FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMP LEWIS HAMILTON STEPS OUT IN RED FOR HIS VERY FIRST TEST-RUN WITH FERRARI. RISING TENNIS STAR BEN SHELTON HAS BLASTED AUSTRALIAN OPEN BROADCASTERS, CALLING THEIR PLAYER INTERACTIONS THIS YEAR 'EMBARRASSING AND DISRESPECTFUL.' SHELTON ` WHO'LL FACE WORLD NUMBER ONE JANNIK SINNER ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOR A SPOT IN SUNDAY'S MEN'S SINGLES DECIDER ` MADE THE UNPROMPTED COMPLAINT DURING HIS POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER BEATING LORENZO SONEGO IN THEIR QUARTER-FINAL. GAME, SET, MATCH, SHELTON. BEN SHELTON MAKING AMERICAN GREAT AGAIN! BEN SHELTON MAKING AMERICAN TENNIS GREAT AGAIN! BEN SHELTON THROUGH TO THE SECOND GRAND SLAM SEMI-FINAL OF HIS CAREER. THE 22-YEAR-OLD LEFT-HANDER EVENTUALLY OVERCOMING LORENZO SONEGO'S ITALIAN FLAIR... (CROWD GASP) WHAT A PIECE OF TENNIS ARTISTRY! ...WINNING THE MATCH AND FOUR SETS ` 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, ...WINNING THE MATCH IN FOUR SETS ` 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, BUT IT WAS THE COMMENTS HE MADE AFTER THE GAME THAT HAD EVERYONE TALKING. ONE THING THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY BEFORE WE'RE DONE, I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT SHOCKED THIS WEEK WITH HOW PLAYERS HAVE BEEN TREATED BY THE BROADCASTERS, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE GUY WHO MOCKED NOVAK, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS JUST A SINGLE EVENT. SHELTON REFERRING TO THIS INCIDENT INVOLVING BROADCASTER TONY JONES EARLIER IN THE WEEK. YEAH, THE CHANTS IS QUITE EXTRAORDINARY. CHANTS: NOVAK IS OVERRATED, NOVAK'S A HAS-BEEN, NOVAK, KICK HIM OUT. HIS COMMENTS PROMPTING NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO BOYCOTT THE ON-COURT INTERVIEW UNTIL AN APOLOGY WAS ISSUED. I'VE NOTICED IT WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE, NOT JUST MYSELF. I NOTICED IT WITH LERNER TIEN IN OF HIS MATCHES, I THINK, WHEN HE BEAT MEDVEDEV, HIS POST-MATCH INTERVIEW, I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF EMBARRASSING AND DISRESPECTFUL, THAT INTERVIEW. UM, THERE ARE SOME COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO ME. GOING ON TO GIVE TWO EXAMPLES, INCLUDING THIS SEEMINGLY AWKWARD EXCHANGE A FEW MOMENTS EARLIER. IN THE SEMI YOU'RE GOING TO PLAY EITHER JANNIK SINNER OR ALEX DE MINAUR. YOU KNOW, LIKE, THE CROWD ARE GOING TO BE ON THE OTHER GUY'S SIDE FOR THAT, AREN'T THEY? (LAUGHS) WELL, I MEAN` I MEAN, IT MAY BE TRUE, BUT... BUT I JUST DON'T THINK A COMMENT THAT'S RESPECTFUL FROM A GUY I'VE NEVER MET BEFORE IN MY LIFE, AND, UH, I FEEL LIKE BROADCASTERS SHOULD BE HELPING US GROW OUR SPORT AND HELP THESE ATHLETES WHO JUST WON MATCHES ON THE BIGGEST STAGE ENJOY ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST MOMENTS. AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S JUST BEEN A LOT OF NEGATIVITY, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. SHELTON WILL NOW TURN HIS ATTENTION TO FRIDAY'S SEMI-FINAL AGAINST WORLD NUMBER ONE JANNIK SINNER, WHO EASED PAST HOME FAVOURITE ALEX DE MINAUR OVERNIGHT... SINNER DIDN'T INVENT TENNIS, BUT HE IS CERTAINLY PERFECTING IT. ...AS HIS MARCH TOWARDS BACK-TO-BACK AUSSIE OPEN TITLES CONTINUES MEANTIME, KIWI MIXED-DOUBLES DUO ERIN ROUTLIFFE AND MICHAEL VENUS HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF CREATING NEW ZEALAND TENNIS HISTORY AT MELBOURNE PARK. THE NUMBER-TWO SEEDS LOOKED A CHANCE OF MAKING THE FINAL IN THEIR PREVIOUS MATCHES, A FIRST FOR NEW ZEALAND TENNIS, BUT FAILED TO CAPITALISE ON OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE GAME. THE PAIR EVENTUALLY FALLING 6-4, 6-4 TO AUSTRALIAN DUO OLIVIA GADECKI AND JOHN PEERS. AND HE SEALS IT WITH AN ACE, JOHN PEERS. THE AUSSIE WILDCARDS ARE THROUGH HERE AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN. ROUTLIFFE WILL NOW TURN HER FULL ATTENTION TO TOMORROW'S WOMEN'S DOUBLES SEMI-FINAL. AFTER 15 YEARS, THE LARGEST ANNUAL SNOWSPORTS EVENT IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, THE NEW ZEALAND WINTER GAMES, HAS BEEN AXED. THE COMPETITION ` WHICH REGULARLY FEATURED TWO OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST SUCCESSFUL WINTER OLYMPIANS, ZOI SYDOWSKI-SYNNOTT AND NICO PORTEOUS ` SAID IN A STATEMENT, DELIVERING ITS PATHWAY COMPETITIONS AGAINST 'ESCALATING EVENT COSTS HAD BECOME UNTENABLE'. EVENT ORGANISERS ALSO CITED THE CHALLENGING SPONSORSHIP AND MEDIA MARKETS ALONGSIDE RISING FEES AND PRIZE MONEY EXPECTATIONS. HEAD COACH STEVE CORICA'S HEAPED PRAISE ON HIS BLOSSOMING AUCKLAND FC SQUAD, AFTER LAST NIGHT'S DRAMATIC 2-2 DRAW WITH A-LEAGUE LEADERS ADELAIDE UNITED. THE COMPETITION NEWCOMERS REMAIN SECOND OVERALL THANKS TO AN ADDED-TIME EQUALISER THAT STUNNED THE ADELAIDE CROWD, WHO JUST MOMENTS EARLIER THOUGHT VICTORY WAS THEIRS. TOM BARTLETT REPORTS. FRANCIS DE VRIES... FOR SHEER DRAMA, THIS WILL BE HARD TO TOP. AND IT COMES DOWN. THEY'VE SCORED! AN UNMARKED LOGAN ROGERSON FINDING THE BACK OF THE NET. WITH THE CLOCK HAVING JUST TICKED OVER 99 MINUTES. AND LOGAN ROGERSON TURNS THIS GAME BACK ON ITS HEAD! REALLY PROUD OF THE BOYS. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DONE IT BEFORE IN GAMES. THEY JUST KEEP GOING, THESE BOYS, AND REALLY PROUD OF THEM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT TO THE DEATH. AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS A GREAT BALL IN FROM FRANCIS DE VRIES AND A GOOD HEADER. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THAT LAST KICK OF THE GAME, AND I THINK WE GOT WHAT WE DESERVED ` AT LEAST A POINT. JUST HALF AN HOUR EARLIER, AUCKLAND HAD A CLAIM ON ALL THREE COMPETITION POINTS. HE'S GOT BACK, BUT THERE'S THE SHOT AND THERE'S THE GOAL. WHAT AN ENTRANCE! BUT THE GOAL SPARKED ADELAIDE INTO LIFE. OH, THE BALL INTO THE MIDDLE. GOODWIN SCORES! ARCHIE GOODWIN. BACK ON LEVEL TERMS, THE HOSTS PUSHED FOR THE WINNER WITH TIME ALMOST UP... AND ADELAIDE ARE HEADING CLEAR AT THE TOP! ...OR NOT. THE WILD CELEBRATIONS PROVING A LITTLE PREMATURE, AS THE SEVEN MINUTES OF ADDED TIME CAME AND WENT, TO THE DISMAY OF ADELAIDE'S COACH. WE PLAYED TWO EXTRA MINUTES. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME FROM. BUT, AS THEY DID AGAINST MELBOURNE CITY JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AUCKLAND FC REFUSED TO YIELD. ONE LAST CORNER, ONE LAST CHANCE. THEY'VE DONE IT! THEY'VE SCORED! THIS IS WHY WE LOVE THE A-LEAGUE! LOOK AT THE EMOTIONS! ROGERSON'S HEADER SNATCHING A POINT FROM A GAME THAT HAD LOOKED BEYOND THEM. VERY TOUGH PLACE TO COME AS WELL HERE. UM, THEY ALWAYS PUT ON A GOOD PERFORMANCE IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME FANS. YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT ATMOSPHERE ALWAYS IN THIS` IN THIS STADIUM. SO, UM, YEAH, IN THE END, PROBABLY PLEASED WITH THE POINT. THE FIGHTING SPIRIT OF THE BLACK KNIGHTS ON SHOW ONCE AGAIN. FINALLY TONIGHT, SEVEN-TIME WORLD CHAMPION LEWIS HAMILTON HAS COMPLETED HIS FIRST LAPS FOR FERRARI AHEAD OF THE START FOR THE FORMULA ONE SEASON IN TWO MONTHS' TIME. HAMILTON, WHO ANNOUCED HIS DECISION TO LEAVE MERCEDES ALMOST A YEAR AGO, STEPPED OUT IN THE ICONIC RED OVERALLS TO A BUNCH OF FANS WHO GATHERED TO WATCH HIS FIRST TEST RUN. THE BRIT WILL PARTNER CHARLES LECLERC WHEN THE SEASON GETS UNDERWAY AT THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX IN MARCH. I THINK ELON'S QUITE GOOD IN RED. I THINK HE LOOK QUITE GOOD IN RED. I THINK YOU MAY HAVE INSPIRED YOUR OUTFIT. I WILL FIRMLY BE IN RED BULL'S CAMP. GOOD ON HIM, HE MAY WELL MAKE A COMEBACK. MANY KIWIS WILL RECOGNISE BRITISH ACTOR PAULINE QUIRKE, WHO FOUND FAME IN THE 1990S IN THE SITCOM BIRDS OF A FEATHER. HER HUSBAND'S ANNOUNCED THE 65-YEAR-OLD IS RETIRING FROM ACTING AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH DEMENTIA. QUIRKE, WHO ALSO STARRED IN 'EMMERDALE', RECEIVED AN MBE IN 2023. IS RETIRING FROM ACTING AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH DEMENTIA. TYPICAL WORKING CLASS ATTITUDE TO ANYTHING IN NEWSPAPER THAT ISN'T COVERED IN VINEGAR. QUIRKE, WHO ALSO STARRED IN 'EMMERDALE', RECEIVED AN MBE IN 2023. FINALLY TONIGHT, SOME GOOD NEWS ` THE WORD 'KINDNESS' HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS OXFORD'S CHILDREN'S WORD OF THE YEAR FOR 2024. MORE THAN SIX OUT OF 10 BRITISH CHILDREN VOTED FOR IT, BEATING OUT OTHER CONTENDERS LIKE 'AI' AND 'CONFLICT'. ITV'S LEWIS RHYS-JONES REPORTS. THEY HAVE EVERY WORD IN THE DICTIONARY TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT THE CHOICE FOR THE OXFORD CHILDREN'S WORD OF THE YEAR 2024 HAS CERTAINLY SURPRISED A FEW PEOPLE. SLANG TERMS THAT MADE THE SHORTLIST INCLUDED SLAY, SIGMA, AND SKIBIDI. HOWEVER, OUT OF THE 6000 SURVEYED, SIX IN 10 CHILDREN VOTED 'KINDNESS' AS THEIR WORD OF THE YEAR. IT SHOWS EMPATHY, AND, LIKE, A REALLY GOOD WORD TO HAVE, IT CAN CHANGE SOMEONE'S FEELING, EMOTION ` LIKE, IF THEY FALL, YOU HELPING THEM CAN REALLY CHANGE THEIR FEELING AND EMOTIONS. (CHILDREN COUNT IN UNISON) WITH PHRASES LIKE 'QUEEN' AND 'CLIMATE CHANGE' WINNING PREVIOUS YEARS, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS SAY THE CHOSEN WORD OFTEN REFLECTS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. KINDNESS IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ONE, BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN EVENT. IT'S MORE ABOUT THE EMOTIONS AND THE FEELINGS THAT CHILDREN HAVE AND THEIR REACTIONS TO THINGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH, THINGS LIKE CONFLICT AROUND THE WORLD. THEY'RE REALLY TELLING US HOW AWARE THEY ARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF JUST BEING KIND TO EACH OTHER EVERY SINGLE DAY. CHARLIE MACKESY IS THE AUTHOR OF CHILDREN'S BOOK 'THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE', WHICH WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO LIFE AS THIS SHORT MOVIE. WE'RE ON A QUEST FOR CAKE. (BOY GIGGLES) HE WAS TAKEN ABACK BY HOW MATURE THE CHILDREN'S CHOICE OF WORD IS THIS YEAR. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT KIDS HOPE FOR AND ASPIRE TO, BUT THE IDEA THAT 'KINDNESS' WAS THEIR WORD WAS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. LIKE, IT REALLY MOVED ME. BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH HOPE, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S` IT'S SUCH A HOPEFUL THING, AND KINDNESS IS WHAT EVERYBODY NEEDS. SO CHILDREN ACROSS THE UK HAVE SET AN EXAMPLE THAT IT MAY BE TIME FOR US ALL TO INTRODUCE A LITTLE MORE KINDNESS INTO OUR LIVES. GRACE IS HERE NOW WITH A LOOK AT THE FORECAST AND WHAT ABOUT THE WEATHER ` WILL IT BE KIND TO US? UNFORTUNATELY NOT, SAM. WE'VE GOT A WET WEEKEND IN STORE, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME DRY PATCHES IN BETWEEN. A LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM CROSSES THE COUNTRY THIS WEEKEND, LEAVING MOST OF US TOUCHED BY SOME KIND OF WET WEATHER BY THE END OF SUNDAY. THINGS LOOK TO IMPROVE IN THE UPPER NORTH ISLAND ON MONDAY IN TIME FOR THE PUBLIC HOLIDAY. E WHAI AKE NEI ` I'LL HAVE THE FULL FORECAST, NEXT. All done, Sue? Yep, and not just with your hair. With the help of Xero accounting software, I've sorted my numbers too. So now, I can take my business anywhere. (LIVELY MUSIC) Woah! That's it. Woah! Woah! Where to next? Wherever we want. Search Xero with an X. NAU MAI ANO. THE REMNANTS OF A COLD FRONT WILL STILL BE AFFECTING PARTS OF AOTEAROA TOMORROW TONIGHT WILL STILL BE AFFECTING PARTS OF AOTEAROA TOMORROW. TONIGHT,YOU CAN SEE THAT LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTHWARDS AND WEAKENING, BUT IT DOES MEAN WE START THE DAY ACROSS THESE MIDDLE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WITH A BIT MORE CLOUD AND A FEW SHOWERS. IT'S PRETTY SETTLED RIGHT UP THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE MOTU, BUT SHOWERS SPRING UP ACROSS EASTERN PARTS OF THE NORTH ISLAND LATER IN THE DAY. FOR TE WAIPOUNAMU THE SOUTH ISLAND, YOU CAN SEE THIS BAND OF WET WEATHER MAKING ITS WAY UP THE ISLAND OVERNIGHT, BUT IT'S FOLLOWED BY SOME COOLER AIR SO TEMPERATURES WON'T BE HUGELY WARM TOMORROW. THE REMAINS OF THAT SYSTEM MEANS THE LIKES OF BULLER AND RIGHT IN TOWARDS NELSON KEEP A HOLD OF SHOWERS DURING THE DAY, BUT IT'S PRETTY DRY EVERYWHERE ELSE. TO TE IKA-A-MAUI THE NORTH ISLAND ` IT'S VERY SETTLED OVERNIGHT FOR MOST HERE, BUT WE START THE DAY WITH A FEW SHOWERS AND CLOUD AROUND FROM WHANGANUI INTO WELLINGTON. AND AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE DAY, THE WET WEATHER MOVES ACROSS TO AROUND TAUPO AND THE EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY. THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE ISLAND MANAGE TO STAY PRETTY DRY, THOUGH. SO STARTING UP TOP ` SOME MORNING CLOUD AROUND HERE, WITH THE ODD EARLY SHOWER FOR TAMAKI MAKAURAU, BUT SETTLES FOR EVERYONE LATER IN THE DAY. HAMILTON IS WARMEST WITH 27 DEGREES. A FINE START TO YOUR FRIDAY HERE, HAMILTON IS WARMEST WITH 27 DEGREES. A FINE START TO YOUR FRIDAY HERE, BUT THERE IS THE CHANCE FOR A FEW SHOWERS FOR THE LIKES OF ROTORUA AND WHAKATANE LATER ON AS THE REMNANTS OF THAT FRONT ARRIVES IN THE EAST. OTHER THAN MASTERTON, IT'S A FINE START TO THE DAY FOR MOST HERE, BUT CLOUD INCREASES AROUND MIDDAY FOR EVERYONE AS EASTERLY WINDS DEVELOP. POSSIBLE AFTERNOON SHOWER FOR DANNEVIRKE, AND IT'S PRETTY WET HERE TOO ` LOTS OF SHOWERS AND CLOUD AROUND HERE IN THE MORNING, BUT FINE BREAKS START TO INCREASE BY THE AFTERNOON. TAUMARUNUI HOTTEST WITH 28 DEGREES. ACROSS THE STRAIT, YOU CAN SEE THAT FRONT HAS EASED OFF THE WEST COAST, JUST A FEW SHOWERS AROUND IN THE MORNING, AND THEN IT CLEARS TO FINE IN THE AFTERNOON. MOST OF YOU HAVE NORTHERLY WINDS HERE TOO. OVER TO THE EAST ` MOSTLY CLOUDY HERE. MORNING DRIZZLE FOR ASHBURTON AND TIMARU, AND SHOWERS FOR BLENHEIM. THAT ALL CLEARS TO PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. FURTHER SOUTH, IT'S LOOKING TO BE A FINE DAY, BUT THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF CLOUD AROUND HERE. EASTERLIES DEVELOPING LATER ON FOR INVERCARGILL. ALEXANDRA THE WARMEST WITH 23 DEGREES. TO OUR MAIN CENTRES ` A CLOUDY DAY FOR OTEPOTI DUNEDIN, WITH FRESH NORTHEASTERLIES DEVELOPING IN THE AFTERNOON. NOT WARM, UNFORTUNATELY, GETTING TO A HIGH OF JUST 16 DEGREES. AND NOT MUCH BETTER IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH ` A HIGH OF 18 DEGREES FOR YOU. IT'S SET TO BE AN OVERCAST DAY, WITH SOUTHERLIES DYING OUT BY THE AFTERNOON. A FEW MORNING SHOWERS FOR YOU, TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA, BUT THE FINE BREAKS INCREASE FROM THE AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL DIE OUT IN THE EVENING. A FINE DAY FOR TE MATAU-A-MAUI HAWKE'S BAY WITH JUST SOME LIGHT WINDS, BUT FROM THE AFTERNOON CLOUD INCREASES AS THOSE EASTERLY WINDS DEVELOP. MUCH BETTER-LOOKING IN TAURANGA. ` MUCH BETTER-LOOKING IN TAURANGA ` A POTENTIAL SHOWER IN THE EVENING, BUT NOTHING MAJOR. A HIGH OF 28 DEGREES HERE. MORNING CLOUDY PERIODS WITH THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER FOR KIRIKIRIROA HAMILTON, THEN BECOMES FINE AND WESTERLIES DIE OUT IN THE EVENING. AND IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU ` A CLOUDY MORNING TOO WITH THE ODD SHOWER. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS START TO EASE IN THE EVENING. HIGH OF 25 DEGREES HERE. OVERSEAS NOW TO AUSTRALIA, AND THERE'S SHOWERS FORECAST FOR BRISBANE AND SYDNEY WHILE THE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN THE PACIFIC FOR FIJI, TONGA AND THE COOK ISLANDS. BACK TO US, THOUGH. LOW PRESSURE CROSSING THE COUNTRY FROM THE SOUTH MEANS IT'S LOOKING LIKE A WET WEEKEND, BUT IT SHOULD BE A DRY ANNIVERSARY DAY FOR AUCKLAND AND ON SUNDAY NORTHERLY WINDS DRIVING THAT WET WEATHER INTO THE EAST. SO RAIN HERE TOO. AND I'M SORRY TO SAY IT'S A RAINY WEEKEND FOR THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND AS WELL NOW. THE WEST TASMAN AREA IS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THE HIGHEST RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND, BUT THAT WET WEATHER AND STRONGER WINDS WILL BE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND BEFORE EASING UP ON MONDAY. AND IN HONOUR OF THE RAIN AND CLOUD RETURNING TO WELLINGTON, HERE'S A COUPLE OF SNAPS OF JUST HOW GOOD IT WAS TODAY. WHAT DO THEY SAY ` YOU CAN'T BEAT WELLINGTON ON A GOOD DAY. IT IS A GREAT CAPITAL CITY. THAT IS THREENEWS FOR TONIGHT, THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND INFORMATION ON stuff.co.nz. I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. PO MARIE. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND TOM CLARKE. 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