IT'S TUESDAY, THE 18th OF MARCH. MORENA, THIS IS BREAKFAST. HOPEFULLY YOU ARE NOT NURSING SORE HEADS AFTER SAINT PATRICK'S DAY. I AM A DAY LATE, AREN'T I? KNOW HOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TICKET CANCELLATIONS AND GETTING REFUNDS? WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE SHOW BECAUSE THERE IS THIS JUICY FEST SAGA GOING ON. I REMEMBER ELTON JOHN WHEN HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT AND HE HAD THIS BIG CONCERT ON THE NIGHT OF THE ANNIVERSARY FLOODS. GUTTED, COULD NOT SEE HIM. I WAS IN THE STADIUM. THE CANCELLATION HAPPENED AND WE KIND OF HUNG OUT A LITTLE LONGER. AT TOOK MONTHS TO GET THE REFUND. MONTHS. I GUESS IT IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU SAY, I NEED TO APPLY. THAT WE EVEN, FOR THAT ONE? YOU HAVE TO CHASE THEM HARD. THAT CONCERT HAD BEEN POSTPONED BEFOREHAND. IT'S A COUPLE MONTHS TO GET THEM BACK, IN FOR A COUPLE OF TICKETS, IT WAS $500. I WAS OUT OF THE FIELD, IT WAS NOT THAT MUCH. JUICY FEST TICKETS, I AM NOT SURE THEY WILL GET THOSE BACK. THIS IS A HARD ONE. WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER ON. COMING UP ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` COULD AIR BNB'S IN THE CAPITAL BE HEADING FOR A BIG COST INCREASE. THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING TREATING PROPERTIES ON THE POPULAR SHORT-TERM RENTAL SITE LIKE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, MEANING THEIR RATES COULD MORE THAN TRIPLE. WHY HOSTS SAY IT COULD COST THE CITY ECONOMICALLY IN THE LONG TERM. ALSO AHEAD ` MORE CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION POLICY. THE GOVERNMENT'S TIGHTENED UP RULES THAT WILL MAKE IT TOUGHER FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN TO SECURE A TEMPORARY VISA IF THEY HAVE SEVERE COGNITIVE OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. WE'LL HEAR FROM PARENTS OF CHILDREN AFFECTED WHO SAY IT'S UNFAIR TO BE SEEN SOLELY AS A BURDEN. AND AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW ` THREE MONTHS AFTER IT WAS CANNED, TICKET HOLDERS FOR 'JUICY FEST' ARE STILL WAITING FOR ANSWERS. THE CONCERT SERIES WAS PLACED IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION IN DECEMBER AND HUNDREDS OF WOULD-BE CONCERT GOERS LOOK LIKELY TO MISS OUT ON REFUNDS. WHAT THE FIRST REPORT FROM THE LIQUIDATORS REVEALS ABOUT ITS DOWNFALL. THEY ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW, IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. HERE'S YOUR NEWS. THANKS, JENNY MAY. ONE PERSON HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A FREIGHT TRAIN IN INVERCARGILL. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE NEAR ELLES ROAD JUST AFTER 5pm YESTERDAY TO FIND THE PERSON DEAD. IT MARKS THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK WHERE A PEDESTRIAN HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A TRAIN, AFTER A STUDENT (13) DIED NEAR MATAMATA COLLEGE ON WEDNESDAY. A WOMAN IS IN CUSTODY AFTER A MAN WAS LEFT WITH SERIOUS INJURIES IN PENROSE. EMERGENCY SERVICES RESPONDED TO AN ALTERCATION BETWEEN THE PAIR ON MOUNT SMART ROAD JUST AFTER 5pm YESTERDAY. THE MAN WAS TRANSPORTED TO AUCKLAND CITY HOSPITAL, BUT HIS INJURIES ARE NOT THOUGHT TO BE LIFE THREATENING. THE WOMAN (26) WAS ARRESTED NEARBY AND POLICE CONFIRM CHARGES WILL BE LAID. A 'BRIGHT FUTURE.' THAT'S HOW INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER'S SUMMED UP THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS FOLLOWING AN OFFICIAL MEETING WITH CHRISTOPHER LUXON IN NEW DELHI. POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN IS ON THE GROUND AND FILED THIS REPORT. FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL MEETING BETWEEN OUR TWO PRIME MINISTERS, A NUMBER OF COOPERATION AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED IN DIFFERENT AREAS, INCLUDING IN TRADE, EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, FORESTRY, THE LIST GOES ON. THERE WAS A HUGE FOCUS ON SECURITY AND DEFENCE, WITH BOTH MODI AND LUXON BUDDYING UP STRATEGICALLY ON DEFENCE. TO SPORT, AND THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S EXECUTIVE BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED THAT BOXING IS INCLUDED AT THE 2028 LA GAMES. THE SPORT WAS LEFT OFF THE SCHEDULE WHEN IT WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED IN 2022 OVER FINANCIAL AND ETHICAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE IBA, THE FORMER INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING BODY. THE U-TURN COMES AFTER WORLD BOXING WAS GRANTED PROVISIONAL RECOGNITION AS THE GOVERNING BODY LAST MONTH. THE IBA WAS STRIPPED OF THIS POSITION IN 2023. THE DECISION WILL NOW GO TO A VOTE AT AN IOC SESSION THIS WEEK, WHERE IT'S EXPECTED TO PASS EASILY. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. A CLOUDY AND WINDY DAY FOR MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TURNING TO RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND. HOWEVER, A FINE START FOR THOSE ALONG THE EAST COAST BEFORE TURNING CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. 26 THE HIGH FOR AUCKLAND. 20 FOR THE CAPITAL. FOR THOSE IN THE SOUTH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR BROLLIES READY AS RAIN AND WIND IS EXPECTED FOR MOST OF YOU HERE FOR NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 22 THE HIGH FOR CHRISTCHURCH. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. FAIR BIT COOLER. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE IS MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING WITH OUR TEAM OF REPORTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. FIRST, MORE ON THAT FATALITY IN INVERCARGILL INVOLVING A FREIGHT TRAIN. CHARLOTTE MULDER JOINS US NOW. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? MORENA, JENNY MAY. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE NEAR ELS ROAD IN INVERCARGILL JUST AFTER 5 PM LAST NIGHT WHEN THEY FOUND A PERSON DEAD ON ARRIVAL. KIWIRAIL RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT IT HAPPENED AT THE CROSSING, WHICH HAD SIGNAGE AT THE TIME. THE DRIVER WILL BE RECEIVING FURTHER SUPPORT IN THE COMING WEEKS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND ONE WEEK THAT A FREIGHT TRAIN HAS HAD A PEDESTRIAN. IT COMES AFTER A 13 YEAR OLD WAS HIT NEAR MATAMATA COLLEGE LAST WEEK AND DIED AT THE SCENE. POLICE SAY THEY WILL BE MAKING FURTHER INQUIRIES INTO BOTH INCIDENTS, AND BREAKFAST HAVE APPROACHED ST JOHN FOR A STATEMENT. THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE FAMILY. LET'S TO CHECK IN WITH OUR WELLINGTON REPORTER JAMES FLEURY. JAMES, AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AFTER A FIRE BROKE OUT AT A PALMERSTON NORTH CAR YARD. MORENA. FIRE AND EMERGENCY APPENDED THIS INVESTIGATION OVER TO POLICE TO LOOK INTO. IT COMES AFTER FOUR CARS WERE COMPLETE THE GUTTED AT A AUTO WRECKERS NEAR PALMERSTON NORTH WHICH IS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING FOR NEARLY A DECADE TO GET RID OF THEIR OLD CARS AND GET THEM RESOLD. FIRE AND EMERGENCY HAD TO CALL ON MULTIPLE APPLIANCES. ONCE THEY ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AROUND 7 PM LAST NIGHT, BECAUSE IT WAS ESCALATED TO A SECOND ALARM AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THREATENING NEARBY BUILDINGS, ARE ABLE TO CONTAIN THIS FIRE AND PUT IT OUT ON THEIR 9 PM, BUT IT DID TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO DO SO. BY AN EMERGENCY TOLD ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE CAUSE, BUT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN HANDED OVER TO POLICE WE ARE WAITING FOR THE POLICE TO GET BACK TO US. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS LATER IN THE PROGRAM TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AT THIS AUTO WRECKERS. AIR BNB OWNERS IN THE CAPITAL COULD FACE AN ENORMOUS HIKE IN EXPENSES AS THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS TREATING THEIR PROPERTIES LIKE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. IT MEANS THEY COULD PAY 3.7 TIMES MORE IN RATES COMPARED TO NORMAL HOUSEHOLDS. THE COUNCIL IS SET TO VOTE ON ITS LONG TERM PLAN TODAY WHICH INCLUDES THE PROPOSAL, AND IF ENDORSED, COULD GO TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION. ONE AIR BNB OWNER EMMA REID SAYS IT'LL MEAN SHE GOES FROM PAYING $11,000 A YEAR IN RATES TO $40,000. OH, GUTTING. AND IT'S JUST, LIKE, IT'LL BE A REAL SHAME FOR WELLINGTON, BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT OTHER PEOPLE IN A SIMILAR POSITION TO ME MORE THAN LIKELY WILL HAVE TO SHUT DOWN AS WELL, AND WE'RE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE THE AVIALABILITY OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN WELLINGTON. VOLUNTEER AIR BNB COMMUNITY LEADER JULIE WILSON JOINS US NOW. JULIE, GOOD MORNING. WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM HOSTS? THEY ARE REALLY UNSETTLED. A LOT OF HOSTS ARE JUST OCCASIONAL HOSTS, LIKE MYSELF. I HAVE A TWO BEDROOM SELF-CONTAINED APARTMENT BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT IS USED BY MY FAMILY. WE HAVE INTERNAL ACCESS, SO WINTER IS NOT USED, I LET IT OUT. I HAVE A SIMILAR RATE HIKE. IT WOULD NOT BE WORTH DOING. IT WOULD BASICALLY TREAT IT LIKE A BIG COMMERCIAL OPERATION, RIGHT? YES. IT IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A LOT OF THE GUESTS THAT WE GET IN THE SUBURBS ARE NOT TOURISTS. I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING TO WELLINGTON BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING ON BIG INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND MIGHT WANT TO HAVE THEIR VANS PARKED SECURELY OVERNIGHT. I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE VISITING THEIR FAMILY ` ELDERLY GRANDPARENTS COMING TO VISIT. I GET PEOPLE JUST COMING TO LOOK IN WELLINGTON AND THEY USE THEIR TIME HERE. THEY MIGHT STAY WITH ME FOR A WEEK OR TWO AND THEY USE THAT TIME TO LOOK FOR A RENTAL OR A HOME, SO WE ARE NOT REALLY COMPETING WITH HOTELS IN THAT SENSE. HOW CRUCIAL IS IT THAT YOU HAVE AIR B&B ACCOMMODATION IN THE CAPITAL IN TERMS OF HOW BADLY IT IS NEEDED? WELLINGTON IS HURTING AT THE MOMENT. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HATS WITH REDUNDANCIES, SO MANY FAMILIES. BEING ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THE INCOME IS KEY. HOTELS CANNOT COPE WITH CAPACITY. LAST WEEKEND, WE HAD HOME GROWN AND THE WEET-BIX TRIATHLON WHICH COME UP AT THE SAME TIME. HOTELS WOULD STRUGGLE. DO YOU THINK THERE IS A COMPROMISE THAT COULD BE MADE HERE? YES I DO. I THINK INSTEAD OF WIPING OUT SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE MY OWN, IF THEY DID A LEVY ON BOOK 2 NIGHTS, IT WOULD BE MORE FAIR. IT WOULD CAPTURE HOSTS LIKE MYSELF WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY $25,000 AND WIPING OUT MY BUSINESS, AND IT WOULD ALSO CAPTURE THE BIGGER PLAYERS AND THEY WOULD BE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE. DO YOU THINK THIS COULD HAVE MUCH OF AN ECONOMIC KNOCK ON WELLINGTON IN TERMS OF PROVIDING THAT ACCOMMODATION, AND IF SO, HOW? WELLINGTON IS A READY SEEN AS A SECOND-TIER DESTINATION UNFORTUNATELY, AND WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON RECENTLY, I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP IT OPEN FOR BUSINESS. THE COUNCIL PROMOTE CARPOOLING AND ROAD SHARING WITH OPENING UP THE BIKE LANES. I THINK THEY SHOULD PROMOTE HOUSE SHARING. IF PEOPLE ARE GOING AWAY ON HOLIDAYS OR THEY HAVE TO WORK OUTSIDE OF WELLINGTON, WHY WOULDN'T THEY HAVE THEIR HOUSES OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO BE SHARED TO GET PEOPLE INTO WELLINGTON? MY GUESTS THAT STAY, THEY SPEND THEIR MONEY AT THE CAFE'S AND SHOPS. IT IS MONEY COMING INTO WELLINGTON. WE NEED IT. IF THEY DO PUSH FORWARD WITH THIS, WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOURSELF AND PEOPLE THAT YOU DEAL WITH? IT WOULD MEAN FOR MYSELF THAT I WOULD NOT CONTINUE WITH AIR B&B. MY SPACE WOULD JUST BE USED BY MY FAMILY. IT WOULD MEAN THAT GRANDPARENTS COULD NOT VISIT THE CHILDREN LOCALLY, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STAY LOCALLY. THEY WOULD NEED TO STAY 15 TO 20 MINUTES AWAY AND A HOTEL. I HAD GUESTS THE OTHER WEEK THAT CAME TO VISIT, THEY CAME FROM OVERSEAS TO VISIT THE GRANDCHILDREN THAT LIVE IN THE NEXT SUBURB BUT THE KINDY IS OPPOSITE THE ROAD. THEY CAME FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEY WERE PROBABLY NOT DO THAT IF THEY WERE PAYING HOTEL PRICES. WHAT IS IT ABOUT AIR B&B THAT GIVES YOU AND THE CONSUMER, IF YOU LIKE, PROTECTION WITH THOSE LEVELS OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM YOU CAN GO AND COMPLAIN. YES, YOU CAN. WE DO PAY FEES AND SO DO THE GUESTS. THERE IS A FEE INVOLVED BUT THAT COVERS ALL OF CUSTOMER SERVICES, IT COVERS INSURANCE, IT COVERS THE PLATFORM, AND AS A HOST, I PAY INCOME TAX, I PAY GST TO THE GOVERNMENT. SO MANY OF OUR HOSTS ARE DOING THIS TO RECOVER THEIR RESIDENTIAL RATES, SO WHEN THEY GO AWAY, THEY ARE RENTING OUT A PART OF THEIR HOME OR THEIR WHOLE HOME TO COVER SOME OF THE RISING LIVING COSTS. JULIE WILSON, VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY LEADER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. WE KNOW WHETHER COUNCIL IS IN TERMS OF FINANCES, AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT CLAWING BACK SOME MONEY IN TERMS OF LIFTING THOSE RATES. BUT IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD THE RATES INCREASE, THEN THAT IS NO MONEY. I CAN GET IT FROM A COMMERCIAL OPERATION PERSPECTIVE. THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME BIGGER PLAYERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE USING IT, BUT FOR PEOPLE LIKE JULIE OR THE VAST MAJORITY, I THINK ABOUT THE AIR B&B IS THAT WE HAVE USED ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON LITTLE ROAD TRIPS. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RUNNING THOSE, IT IS NOT A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE. THEY MIGHT BE PAYING THEIR OWN RATES OR MORTGAGE. THIS IS THE POTENTIAL FOR IT TO BACKFIRE ON THE WELLINGTON COUNCIL. LET US KNOW. MAYBE YOU RUN AN AIR B&B AND THIS WILL AFFECT YOU AND WELLINGTON FOR AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE THIS WILL AFFECT YOU. E WHAI AKE NEI ` THEY SAY HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS. NEXT, HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR BELOVED HOME IN A BUYERS MARKET. SONG: # You're as cold as ice... # What's your address? Not telling. What's your bank account number? 123... Nah! Would you be interested in... Nope. How about a deal... Nah! Pay here! (*Pfffft SOUND*) Negative. Not. Telling. (PHONE RINGS) # Cold # As # Ice... # Hello? My card number? It's, um... Ooh, yeah! # You're as cold as ice... # WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. A WOMAN IS IN CUSTODY AFTER A MAN WAS LEFT WITH SERIOUS INJURIES IN PENROSE. THE MAN HAS BEEN TRANSPORTED TO AUCKLAND CITY HOSPITAL. VIGILS ARE BEING HELD FOR VICTIMS OF THE NORTH MACEDONIA NIGHTCLUB FIRE, WHICH KILLED 59 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 150 OTHERS. AND THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S EXECUTIVE BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED THAT BOXING NOW BE INCLUDED AT THE 2028 LA GAMES. THE LATEST REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE DATA SHOWS HOUSE HUNTING CAN FEEL LIKE SEARCHING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK ` A VERY EXPENSIVE HAYSTACK. HOW DO SELLERS GET THE BEST PRICE POSSIBLE? HERE TO GIVE US ALL THE TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO GET THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR HOME IS INDEPENDENT FINANCE JOURNALIST FRANCES COOK. MORENA. I LISTENED TO THIS POD CAST, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION ON IT SO I WILL TRY TO EXTRAPOLATE IT. PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED GOING INTO THE MARKET NEED TO SELL THEIR HOMES. HOW DO THEY GET THE BEST PRICE? IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT FOR MANY PEOPLE THEIR HOME AS THEIR BIGGEST ASSET. IF YOU'RE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU NEED TO SELL, I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF YOU ARE LOOKING AROUND AND SAYING, WE DID 2021 GO? WHAT AM I GOING TO DO HERE? AS YOU SAID, THERE ARE A LOT OF FIGURES THAT SAY IT IS NOT THE SAME MARKET. REAL ESTATE ALSO SHOWING THAT THE AVERAGE TIME TO SELL IS TAKING LONGER, THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET HAS INCREASED, SO IT IS DEFINITELY BUYERS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE OUT OF OPTIONS, THERE ARE DEFINITELY THINGS YOU CAN DO BUT IT WILL BE A COMBINATION OF A LOT OF REALISM AND THEN WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THAT. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. I LOVE THAT REALISM. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT MARKET. HOW CAN YOU GET THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR HOME THAT YOU ARE SELLING? THE FIRST THING IS TO RIP THE BAND-AID OFF. WHAT IS IT LOOKING LIKE IN YOUR AREA? WE OFTEN SEE THIS TREND IS. NEW ZEALAND IS NOT JUST ONE HOUSING MARKET. WE ARE A BUNCH OF LITTLE HOUSING MARKETS. WHAT IS GOING ON AT ONE END OF THE COUNTRY CAN BE DIFFERENT TO THE OTHER. YOU WANT TO JUMP ONLINE AND HAVE A LOOK AT THE LISTINGS AROUND YOU. A LOT OF THESE ONLINE PORTAL SHOW NOT JUST WHAT IT IS LISTED FOR, BUT WHAT IT HAS ACTUALLY SOLD FOR. YOU WANT TO HAVE A LOOK ` WHAT ARE THINGS ACTUALLY GOING FOR AROUND YOU RIGHT NOW? ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THAT HOMEWORK, YOU CAN SAY, AM I IN OR OUT? YOU WANT TO GET INTO OR THREE REAL ESTATE AND GIVE THEM A PROPER JOB INTERVIEW, WHAT YOU'RE HIRING SOMEONE, YOU WOULD HAVE AN INTERVIEW FOR MORE THAN ONE PERSON. WE SEEM TO GET A LITTLE SQUEAMISH WHEN IT IS SOMETHING LIKE OUR HOUSE. BRING IN MORE THAN ONE PERSON, TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO SIMILAR HOUSES, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING IN THE MARKET RIGHT NOW? WHAT STRATEGY WOULD YOU USE? TALK TO THAT REAL ESTATE ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO IN REALITY FOR YOUR HOUSE, BECAUSE THAT REAL ESTATE CAN BE YOUR BIGGEST SECRET WEAPON OR THEY CAN ACCIDENTALLY SET THE WHOLE THING OFF THE RAILS. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PERSON. I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING ABOUT BEING REALISTIC. YOU MIGHT HAVE A COUPLE OF REAL ESTATE IN THE GIVE A CERTAIN FIGURE AND SOMEONE ELSE THAT SAYS, I CAN GET THAT FOR $250,000 MORE. YOU MIGHT SAY, THAT IS WHAT I WANT, I AM GOING THERE, BUT THAT IS POTENTIALLY SETTING US UP FOR DISAPPOINTMENT. THERE IS A THING KNOWN AS BUYING THE LISTING, WHERE EVERYONE IS TRAINED TO MAKE A BUCK. THE HOPE IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE SELLING WITH THEM AND THEY HAVE A FEW PEOPLE THROUGH THE DOOR THEY MIGHT SAY, THIS IS NOT WHERE WE ARE AT, BUT THIS PERSON IS ALMOST SORT OF THERE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU LIST TOO HIGH AND A BUYERS MARKET THE NEW HOUSE CONSIDERING THE WEEKS OR MONTHS AND IT CAN HAVE BETTER WITH A FAILURE IN BUYERS START TO WONDER WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE HOUSE. YOU DO NOT WANT TO START TOO HIGH AND GO LOWER. IF YOU HAVE BEEN LOOKING AROUND AT LISTINGS AND SOMEONE COMES IN AND PROMISING YOU THE MOON, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT DOES NOT FIT WITH WHAT I AM SAYING. IT WILL GIVE YOU MORE OF THE SPIDER SENSE. IT IS CRUCIAL TO BE DOING YOUR OWN HOMEWORK AND THEN BRINGING IN TWO OR THREE PEOPLE TO HAVE A CHAT. HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR HOUSE STAND OUT WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING? THERE ARE MORE HOUSES ON THE MARKET AT THE MOMENT. HOW DO YOU SAY, YOU NEED TO BE LOOKING AT MY THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATHROOM. THIS IS WHERE I SO YOU NEED TO DECIDE IF YOU ARE IN OR OUT. MARKETING IS EXPENSIVE BUT IT IS THE BIGGEST INVESTMENT YOU MAY MAKE. IT AS SOMETHING THAT COULD GIVE YOU A LOT MORE MONEY BACK. DECIDE IF YOU ARE IN OR OUT AND IF YOU ARE COMMITTING TO THEIR MARKETING. IT COULD BE YOUR BIGGEST WEAPON. PHOTOS ARE IMPORTANT AS WELL. YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE DOING THAT YOURSELF. BELIEVE ME, I DID TRY ONE TIME. IT IS ASTOUNDINGLY HARD TO STAND IN THE CORNER OF A ROOM AND NOT MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A TINY BOX. THOSE PHOTOGRAPHERS EARN THEIR MONEY. THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR FREE TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE LOOK AMAZING. THIS WILL SOUND SO SIMPLE, BUT THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF IT ` A DEEP CLEAN AND DE-CLUTTER WILL MAKE YOUR HOUSE LOOK MORE EXPENSIVE. GET RID OF HIS MUCH STUFF AS YOU CAN. STORE IT WITH YOUR IN-LAWS IF YOU HAVE TO. MAKE YOUR HOUSE FEEL BETTER. IT IS A DEEP CLEAN THEY CAN ADD TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE PRICE. AS ALWAYS, SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. I KNOW YOU'LL FILL ME IN ON THIS ` WHEN YOU HAVE KIDS AND ARE TRYING TO PREPARE FOR PHOTOS, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO GET ALL THE KIDS TOYS OUT OF THE HOUSE? IF YOU ARE PREPARING FOR AN OPEN HOME AND JEFF TO DO THAT EVERY WEEK AND PUT AWAY ALL OF THAT RUBBISH, IT IS A JOB, ISN'T IT? YOU BOUGHT IT. NOT ALWAYS. YOU TO TAKE DOWN THE KIDS ARTWORK. I WELL. IF YOU HAVE THE KIDS TOYS, PUT THEM IN THE BOOT OF THE CAR. GET THEM OUT OF THEIR. IT IS GOING TO BE REALLY TOUGH. IF YOU COMMIT TO IT, HOPEFULLY YOU SELL IT QUICKER AND IT WILL ONLY BE A COUPLE OF VOIDS. ON A MORE SERIOUS POINT, HELM PORT AND IS IT THAT YOU DRAG THIS MINDSET AND SO TODAY? IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HOUSE A FEW YEARS AGO AND THIS IS WHAT THE PRICES WERE, ACTUALLY CAN CHANGE A LOT IN A FEW YEARS AND JEFF TO GET YOURSELF INTO WHAT THE MINDSET IS NOW. EXACTLY. PEOPLE MIGHT SEE THE NEIGHBOUR SELL IN 2021 AND YOU ASK WHAT YOU CAN GET FOR IT, AND THEN YOU ARE LOOKING TO SELL AND YOUR PROPERTY IS SIMILAR. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME SITUATION. I THINK A DESCRIPTION OF THAT BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING, LOOK AT WHAT THINGS ARE SELLING FOR NOW. DO NOT TELL YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. SAY, DO I NEED TO SELL? CAN I ACCEPT THAT SORT OF PRICE? IF I AM IN ON THIS, THEN I AM IN. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL SPEND MONEY ON MARKETING AND THAT IS A WASTE. THAT IS THE LAST THING YOU WANT. AS ALWAYS, SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. SO MANY GOOD TIPS ON THE POD CAST. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS, TEAM. LOVELY TO CHAT. ONE PERSON HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A FREIGHT TRAIN IN INVERCARGILL. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE NEAR ELLES ROAD JUST AFTER 5pm LAST NIGHT TO FIND THE PERSON DEAD. THIS MARKS THE SECOND TIME IN ONE WEEK WHERE A PEDESTRIAN HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A TRAIN AFTER SARIE MORTON (13) DIED NEAR MATAMATA COLLEGE. A MAN IS LEFT WITH SERIOUS INJURIES AFTER AN ALTERCATION IN AUCKLAND'S PENROSE. THE MAN WAS TRANSPORTED TO AUCKLAND CITY HOSPITAL, BUT HIS INJURIES ARE NOT CURRENTLY LIFE THREATENING. THE WOMAN (26) WAS ARRESTED AND TAKEN IN TO CUSTODY NEARBY JUST AFTER 5pm YESTERDAY. POLICE CONFIRM CHARGES WILL BE LAID. TRIBUTES ARE FLOWING IN NORTH MACEDONIA AFTER A DEADLY NIGHTCLUB FIRE IN THE TOWN OF KOCANI KILLED 59 PEOPLE. A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL WAS HELD IN THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL WHERE MOURNERS DEMANDED JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS. ANGER HAS BEEN GROWING OVER THE TRAGEDY, WITH ACCUSATIONS OF BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION OVER THE VENUE'S ILLEGAL LICENCE. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS VOWED ALL THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCIDENT WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. A U.S. JUDGE HAS ORDERED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO EXPLAIN WHETHER ITS DEPORTATION OF HUNDREDS OF VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS VIOLATED A TEMPORARY PAUSE. MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS WERE TRANSFERRED TO EL SALVADOR OVER THE WEEKEND UNDER AN 18TH CENTURY LAW NOT USED SINCE WORLD WAR II. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DENIED DEFYING THE ORDER SAYING IT WASN'T LAWFUL, AND ISSUED AFTER THE DEPORTATIONS HAD TAKEN PLACE. RORY MCILROY HAS CLAIMED THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AFTER DEFEATING JJ SPAUN IN A THREE HOLE PLAYOFF. THE NORTHERN IRISHMAN DOMINATED THE PLAYOFF, TAPPING IN A BIRDIE ON THE 16th, WHILE HIS AMERICAN OPPONENT HIT THE WATER FOR A TRIPLE BOGEY ON THE 17th. THIS ONE LOOKS A LITTLE HEAVY. FLOATING. OH. IT'S MCILROY'S SECOND PLAYERS' TITLE. HE'LL TAKE HOME MORE THAN $7.7m IN PRIZE MONEY. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. A CLOUDY AND WINDY DAY FOR MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TURNING TO RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND. HOWEVER, A FINE START FOR THOSE ALONG THE EAST COAST BEFORE TURNING CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. 26 THE HIGH FOR AUCKLAND. 20 FOR THE CAPITAL. FOR THOSE IN THE SOUTH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR BROLLIES READY AS RAIN AND WIND IS EXPECTED FOR MOST OF YOU HERE FOR NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 22 THE HIGH FOR CHRISTCHURCH. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (GROOVY MUSIC) AN AUSTRALIAN WOMAN HAS ADMITTED TO TRYING TO SELL HUMAN TOES WHICH HAD BEEN REGURGITATED BY DOGS. THE 48-YEAR-OLD WHO PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT A VICTORIA ANIMAL SHELTER HAS NARROWLY AVOIDED JAIL DESPITE TRYING TO SELL THE PARTS ON THE BLACK MARKET. CHANNEL NINE'S MARK SANTOMARTINO REPORTS. JOANNA KINMAN STOLE TWO HUMAN TOES FROM A WHEELIE BIN AT WORK, PLANNING TO SELL THEM ONLINE. JOAN, HOW MUCH DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO GET FOR THOSE TOES? WHY DID YOU DO IT? NO COMMENT. THE 48-YEAR-OLD TOLD HER DAUGHTER SHE HAD RESEARCHED IT AND THOUGHT SHE COULD GET ABOUT $400 FOR THEM. AS AN AVID CONTRIBUTOR OF A FACEBOOK GROUP CALLED 'BONE BUDDIES AUSTRALIA', A PAGE THAT DESCRIBES ITSELF AS A RESOURCE FOR AUSTRALIANS TO ASK QUESTIONS, OFFER ADVICE AND BUY, SWAP OR SELL SPECIMENS. ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH HUMAN REMAINS? NO COMMENT. THE MOTHER OF FIVE WAS WORKING FOR AN ANIMAL SHELTER WHEN TWO DOGS, FOUND WITH THEIR DEAD OWNER, BECAME ILL AND COUGHED UP HUMAN REMAINS. THOSE REMAINS WERE PLACED IN A BIN, WHICH MISS KINMAN SEARCHED AT THE END OF HER SHIFT. SHE FOUND TWO HUMAN TOES AND PLACED THEM IN A JAR OF FORMALDEHYDE, WHICH SHE TOOK HOME AND KEPT ON A SHELF BETWEEN A GUINEA PIG TROTTER, AN ALLIGATOR CLAW, A BIRD SKULL, AND TEETH BELONGING TO HER CHILDREN. 'MY CLIENT DIDN'T SEEK OR ARRANGE FOR THIS TO OCCUR. 'IT WAS SPONTANEOUS', CLAIMED HER DEFENCE LAWYER. 'IT IS REPREHENSIBLE. 'SHE SHOULD HAVE SOUGHT ADVICE OR NOT DONE IT AT ALL.' THE COURT HEARD MS KINMAN HAS PREVIOUSLY SOLD SPECIMENS OF STILLBORN PUPPIES AND KITTENS. SHE HAS SINCE LOST HER JOB AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND PLEADED GUILTY TO THIS CHARGE, HOPING TO BE SPARED JAIL. SAID MAGISTRATE ANDREW SIM, WHO ULTIMATELY DID NOT SEND MISS KINMAN TO PRISON BY THE BAREST OF MARGINS. SHE WAS SENTENCED TO 150 HOURS OF UNPAID WORK AS PART OF AN 18-MONTHS COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS ORDER. WE ARE ALL QUITE STUNNED. I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING. I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT ONLY FANS AND SELLING PICTURES OF HER TOES. LUCKILY, IT WAS MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. A BIT OF FEEDBACK COMING IN ON AIR B&B WELLINGTON POSSIBLY CHARGING AIR B AND B HOSTS ARE RATES HIKE. FOR A LOT OF AIR B AND B USERS, IT'S NOT A BIG COMMERCIAL OPERATION, BASICALLY A ROOM OR A HOUSE OR A SMALL GRANNY FLAT ON THE HOUSE THAT THEY RENT OUT FOR EXTRA INCOME. I FREQUENTLY USE AIR B&B, IF THE COUNCIL GOES THROUGH THIS, EVEN FEWER PEOPLE WILL VISIT WELLINGTON, SAYS KAT. JULIE CALLED WELLINGTON A TIER 2 DESTINATION. IT COULD BE FA NOT GOING TO HAVE GOT ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE. SAM SAYS AIR B&B SHOULD BE BANNED IN RESIDENTIAL STREETS. NO PARKING, LOTS OF PARTIES, AND MANY OF THE OWNERS DON'T LIVE IN THE AREA. I SUSPECT IT'S NOT THE NORM FOR THE SORT OF THING, AND THE GOOD THING ABOUT AIR B AND B YOU CAN VET YOUR CUSTOMERS. PEOPLE WILL GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THEY WANT TO GIVE YOU IN ORDER TO SECURE THE PLACE. I GUESS THAT'S ONE OF THE OTHER POINTS WE WERE MAKING EARLIER TWO, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THIS, IT'S ABOUT TOPPING UP AND TRYING TO FIND THE EXTRA INCOME SO THAT YOU CAN PUT A LITTLE MORE ON THE MORTGAGE AND PAY FOR YOUR RATES. A RATES INCREASE WOULD BE THE HOLIDAY LETTING, THANKS FOR THAT FEEDBACK, VIVIAN. YOU CAN TELL THAT PEOPLE TAKE REAL PRIDE IN AIR B&B AS A LOT OF THE TIME. THEY GO TO A MASSIVE EFFORT TO MAKE YOU FEEL WELCOME. I DID HAVE ONE PLACE WHICH HAD A SIGN ON THE WALL OF ALL THE THINGS NOT TO DO, AND YOU BASICALLY JUST HAD TO STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM. I HAVE CHILDREN. THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. ME U TONU MAI ` THE GOVERNMENT'S TIGHTENED IMMIGRATION POLICY. WHY IT'S MAKING IT HARDER FOR CHILDREN WITH SEVERE COGNITIVE OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO GET INTO THE COUNTRY. # TO STOP THE WORLD TO STOP THE FEELING. SONG: # You're as cold as ice... # What's your address? Not telling. What's your bank account number? 123... Nah! Would you be interested in... Nope. How about a deal... Nah! Pay here! (*Pfffft SOUND*) Negative. Not. Telling. (PHONE RINGS) # Cold # As # Ice... # Hello? My card number? It's, um... Ooh, yeah! # You're as cold as ice... # HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. A U.S. JUDGE HAS QUESTIONED TRUMP OFFICIALS OVER WHETHER THEY DEFIED HIS COURT ORDER AFTER DEPORTING HUNDREDS OF VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS OVER THE WEEKEND. VIGILS ARE BEING HELD FOR VICTIMS OF THE NORTH MACEDONIA NIGHTCLUB FIRE, WHICH KILLED 59 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 151 OTHERS. AND PRIME MINSTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS MET WITH INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER. HE DESCRIBED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS IN HAVING A 'BRIGHT FUTURE'. A TIGHTENING IN IMMIGRATION POLICY WILL MAKE IT TOUGHER FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN WITH SEVERE COGNITIVE OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TO SECURE A VISA. THOSE CHILDREN DEEMED AS NEEDING SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT WILL NO LONGER BE ELIGIBLE FOR STUDENT AND VISITOR VISAS. IMMIGRATION MINISTER ERICA STANFORD SAYS THE SHIFT PUTS IT IN LINE WITH THE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENCY. SHE SAYS IT'LL EASE THE BURDEN ON THE EDUCATION SYSTEM WHILE GIVING PARENTS GREATER CLARITY IF THEIR CHILD'S CONDITION POSES A RISK TO THEIR FUTURE HERE. IT'S A RISK ONE FAMILY SAY THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF WHEN THEY FIRST BROUGHT THEIR SON, WHO HAS EPILEPSY AND LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, TO AOTEAROA IN 2023 ON A STUDENT VISA. IF THEY'D KNOWN, THEY SAY THEY'D NEVER HAVE LEFT FIJI. WE FELT DISHEARTENED, REALLY DISHEARTENED. WE NEVER EXPECTED ALL THAT, YEAH. WE HAD ALWAYS THOUGHT OF NEW ZEALAND AS A BIGGER BROTHER TO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. WE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT NEW ZEALAND IS GOING TO BE OUT THERE HELPING OUT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED OF HELP, AND THEN COMING IN HERE AND THEN HEARING ALL ABOUT THESE THINGS. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A CERTAIN KIND OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHILDREN LIKE THIS. I MEAN, WHY ARE THEY NEGLECTED? WHY? WE ARE HAVING SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. WE ONLY PRAY TO GOD THAT HOPEFULLY WE HAVE A FAVOURABLE REPLY FROM IMMIGRATION. THE TIGHTER SETTINGS MAY PROVE A DETERRENT TO OTHERS STILL TO COME, BUT ADVOCATES ARE WORRIED IT'LL MAKE THINGS HARDER FOR THOSE ALREADY HERE. 1 NEWS REPORTER CORAZON MILLER HAS BEEN ACROSS THIS STORY. SHE JOINS US NOW. YOU'VE BEEN ACROSS THE STORY. TELLER IS A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THESE NEW SETTINGS AND WHY THEY HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN. PUBLIC MONEY IS TIGHT AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN TRYING TO PULL BACK ON ITS BUDGET WHILE ALSO TRYING TO EASE THE PRESSURE WE HAVE ON OUR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS IS LIKELY A SMALL LIVER THAT WILL ONLY AFFECT A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE, BUT OFFICIALS HOPE THAT WILL STRIKE THAT RIGHT BALANCE OF CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO COME HERE WHILE ALSO ENSURING THE RESOURCES WE HAVE HERE ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ALREADY CALLED NEW ZEALAND HOME. OF COURSE FOR FAMILIES LIKE THIS, IT'S NOT GREAT NEWS AND THEY ARE QUITE UNHAPPY AND THEY WOULD LIKE OFFICIALS TO SEE THEM AS MORE THAN JUST A BURDEN. WE BOTH ARE WORKING PARENTS. WE PAY OUR TAXES. WE PAY OUR BILLS. AND MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN ENROLLED IN BACHELOR OF EDUCATION, SO SHE'S GONNA BE A TEACHER IN FUTURE. FROM A HUMANITARIAN PERSPECTIVE, IT SEEMS TOUGH. WHAT'S THAT GOVERNMENTS JUSTIFICATION? ADVOCATES AT THE MOMENT SAYS THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION IN THAT IT IS DISCRIMINATORY, BUT BOTH OFFICIALS AND OTHERS WERE SPOKEN TO IN THE SECTOR SAY IT DOES STRIKE THE BALANCE. IT WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE HIGHLY SKILLED MIGRANTS WE NEED WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT IT WON'T PUT THAT UNDUE PRESSURE ON THAT EDUCATION SECTOR. IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND SO HAVING CHILDREN THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT REQUIRES MORE. IT WOULD GIVE THEM A CLEAR INDICATION THAT IF THEY HAD HOPES OF TRANSITIONING OVER TO A RESIDENCY VISA OR MAKING NEW ZEALAND HOME PERMANENTLY, THAT'S PROBABLY UNLIKELY IF THERE CHILD HAS THESE CHALLENGES. THERE ALWAYS IS ROOM TO CHALLENGE THESE DECISIONS, SO ANYONE WHO HAS A CHILD THAT FITS THESE COGNITIVE OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, THEY CAN ALWAYS PUT FORWARD AS PART OF THE APPLICATION A REQUEST THAT HAS OFFICIALS LOOK AT POTENTIAL INVESTMENT THE FAMILY MIGHT BRING WHEN THEY COME AND AS WELL AS THEIR POTENTIAL COST THAT THEIR CHILDREN MIGHT HAVE ON THE SYSTEM, BUT IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, THERE ARE THE STEPS, LIKE TAKING IT TO THE ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. E HAERE AKE NEI ` THOUSANDS OF CONCERTGOERS HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF POCKET AFTER JUICY FEST WAS FORCED INTO LIQUIDATION. NEXT, WHAT LED TO THE SERIES' DOWNFALL. IT IS SAINT PATRICK'S DAY SOMEWHERE ELSE. EXACTLY, IN IRELAND. POSSIBLY HEAVY. NORTHERLIES TURNING SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON, WHICH WILL BE STRONG FOR A TIME. LET'S HEAD TO WELLINGTON. CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TODAY. RANGE FROM LATER ON THIS MORNING, POSSIBLY HEAVY. TURNING TO SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THE RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS. GAIL NORTHERLIES GUSTING 100 KM AN HOUR. HEADING FOR A HIGH OF 20 DEGREES. IN CHRISTCHURCH, PERIODS OF RAIN IN THE MORNING. SOUTH-WESTERLY IS BECOMING STRONG. AND NOT TOO BAD, GETTING TO A HIGH OF 22. IT IS 6.53. HUNDREDS OF WOULD-BE CONCERT GOERS ARE STILL DEMANDING REFUNDS FOLLOWING THE CANCELLATION OF A MAJOR MUSIC FESTIVAL THREE MONTHS AGO. JUICY FEST WAS SET TO FEATURE ACTS SUCH AS LUDACRIS, AKON AND JAY SEAN ACROSS 4 EVENTS IN TAURANGA, AUCKLAND, WELLINGTON AND CHRISTCHURCH IN JANUARY. BUT THE COMPANY WAS PLACED INTO VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION IN DECEMBER. THE FIRST LIQUIDATORS REPORT HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED, REVEALING A FAILURE TO SECURE A LIQUOR LICENSE LED TO ITS COLLAPSE AND FINANCIAL DOWNFALL. AFTER PRE-PAYING ARTISTS AND VENUE HOSTS, HUNDREDS OF TICKET HOLDERS ARE STILL OUT OF POCKET. TWO OF THEM, SOPHIA CARPENTER AND DYLANA IMMINK, JOIN US NOW. GOOD MORNING TO THE BOTH OF YOU. THIS MUST BE VERY FRUSTRATING. WHAT WERE YOU HOPING FOR ORIGINALLY WHEN YOU BOUGHT THESE TICKETS? I WAS ORIGINALLY HOPING TO GO TO THE EVENT. I THOUGHT THAT I WAS GOING TO BE SEEING ALL OF THESE ARTISTS, BUT SINCE IT GOT CANCELLED, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE MONEY BACK. WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE TICKETS, WHO WE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING? I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING AKON BECAUSE I GREW UP LISTENING TO SOME OF HIS MUSIC. ME MY BEST FRIEND SAID, IT IS CANCELLED, LET'S COME UP WITH DIFFERENT PLANS THAN. EVENTS AND FESTIVALS GET CANCELLED, BUT THEN YOU HAVE NO WAY TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK. CAN I ASK FOR THE BOTH OF YOU HOW MUCH OUT-OF-POCKET IU? $372.09 ROUGHLY. I BOUGHT A VIP TICKET. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE IF I ACTUALLY WENT. IT IS A FAIR BIT. PERSONALLY, $265, BUT I ALSO BOUGHT MY FRIENDS TICKETS, WHICH ADDED UP TO $800. YOU ARE NOT QUITE SO GOOD AS WELL. WHAT ABOUT FRIENDS THAT YOU HAVE TALKED TO WITH ABOUT THIS? HAVE THEY BEEN LEFT OUT OF POCKET TOO? MY BEST FRIEND IS ALSO OUT OF THE SAME AMOUNT, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT OUT OF MONEY. WHEN YOU GOT THE EMAIL, WHAT WAS NEXT? DID YOU FIND A WAY TO CONTACT THE ORGANISERS? ORIGINALLY, THEY SENT US AN EMAIL SAYING THAT THE EVENT WAS CANCELLED AND WILL BE GETTING OUR REFUNDS IN FEBRUARY. ANOTHER EMAIL GOT SENT OUT SAYING THAT WAS STILL USING OUR REFUNDS, IT IS JUST TAKING A WHILE. OUT OF NOWHERE, THEY SAID, SORRY, OUR COMPANY IS GETTING LIQUIDATED, NOT SAYING IF THERE IS A WAY FOR US TO GET ANY COMPENSATION. I TRY TO EMAIL AND SAY, WHEN IS OUR REFUND HAPPENING? IS THAT HAPPENING OR NOT IN FEBRUARY? NOTHING, NO REPLY. YOU'RE GETTING STONEWALLED. YOU CANNOT GET THROUGH ANYWHERE. BASICALLY LEFT IN THE DARK. DO YOU HAVE ANY INDICATION AS TO WHAT YOU CAN DO NEXT AND HOW YOU CAN GO TO? SO FAR WE'VE BEEN TOLD WE CAN MAKE DISPUTES WITH THE BANK. I HAVE TRIED, BUT THEY STILL NEED TO INVESTIGATE IT. YET AGAIN, IT IS NOT A GUARANTEE BECAUSE IT ALWAYS DEPENDS ON THE COMPANY THAT I'M DISPUTING FROM. BECAUSE I'M DISPUTING FROM JUICY FEST, THEY SAY IT IS NO GUARANTEE BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY 60 DAYS THAT A DISPUTE HAPPENS, SO FINGERS CROSSED. HOW MUCH IS IS AFFECTING YOU IN TERMS OF MEANING THAT THAT MONEY BACK AND THE STRESS OF IT ALL? OBVIOUSLY, IT IS STRESSFUL BECAUSE MY FRIENDS MONEY IS ALSO IN MY HANDS. I HOLD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TRYING TO GET BACK FOR THEM AS WELL. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THAT MONEY BACK KNOWING THE EVENT IS CANCELLED. I DID NOT MIND SPENDING THAT MONEY, BUT BECAUSE IT IS CANCELLED, YOU WOULD EXPECT A REFUND OR SOME INFORMATION HOW TO GET BACK. I THINK IN THE FUTURE, I WOULD ACTUALLY CALL AHEAD AND SAY, EXCUSE ME, I HAVE HAD THIS BAD EXPERIENCE. IS IT POSSIBLE, IF IT DID HAPPEN, WOULD WE GET A GUARANTEE ON OUR REFUND? FOR ME, I USED TO WORK FULL-TIME AND NOW I AM PART-TIME BECAUSE I STARTED UNI. I COULD USE THAT MONEY TOWARDS MY UNI. TOTALLY. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE WORRYING AND STRESSING ABOUT THAT SORT OF THING WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO BUY A TICKET TO A FESTIVAL. IN TERMS OF GOING FORWARD, DOESN'T MAKE YOU A LITTLE UNEASY BOOKING THINGS LIKE THAT? DEFINITELY. IT WAS A DIFFERENT WEBSITE THAT I USUALLY BUY. A USED TICKET FAIRY. USUALLY, I AM ON TICKETMASTER, AND WHEN THEY POSTPONE OR CANCEL, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A REFUND. I HAVE NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THAT BEFORE. IT IS A NEW EXPERIENCE OF TRYING TO WORK MY WAY AROUND THIS AND FIGURE OUT WHY THIS HAPPENED AND WHY THERE ARE NO SOLUTIONS OF ANY KIND TO TRY AND GET MONEY BACK, BECAUSE NOT ONLY WE LOST OUR MONEY, BUT ALSO EVERYONE ELSE WHO BOUGHT TICKETS IN NEW ZEALAND. IF YOU COULD TALK TO THE ORGANISERS AND LIQUIDATORS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM? I WOULD SAY THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT TICKETS, CAN BE PLEASE HAVE OUR MONEY BACK? WE COULD USE THAT MONEY TO THINGS LIKE GROCERIES, CARS. TO FEEL LIKE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THROUGH THE SITUATION? DEFINITELY. I WISH YOU LUCK IN TRYING TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK. IT IS TOUGH WHEN YOU THINK THE ONLY SOLUTION IS GOING TO DISPUTES TRIBUNAL. EVEN THEN, NO PROMISES. THANK YOU BOTH. STILL TO COME ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` WITH CHRISTOPHER LUXON AND WINSTON PETERS OVERSEAS, DAVID SEYMOUR'S ACTING PRIME MINISTER. WE'LL ASK HIM WHAT'S THE COALITION'S PLAN TO REACH ITS JOBSEEKER TARGET AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE BENEFIT GOES UP. ALSO AHEAD ` A NIGHTMARE SCENARIO FOR A CHRISTCHURCH COUPLE AFTER A CAR CRASHED THROUGH HER HOUSE AND LANDED ON HER BED ON TOP OF HER. SHE'LL EXPLAIN HOW IT ALL UNFOLDED. PLUS, BALLOONS ARE SET TO TAKE TO THE SKY OVER WAIKATO. WE'RE LIVE TO HAMILTON AS THE EVENT KICKS OFF. IT'S 7 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. THANKS, JENNY MAY. POLICE ARE URGING THE PUBLIC TO COME FORWARD AFTER SHOTS WERE FIRED TOWARDS A PUB NORTH OF WAIROA IN A GANG-RELATED INCIDENT. OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO THE FRASERTOWN TAVERN JUST AFTER 11 O'CLOCK ON SATURDAY NIGHT AFTER AT LEAST TWO SHOTS WERE FIRED TOWARDS THE BUILDING. THE TAVERN WAS OPEN WITH SEVERAL PATRONS INSIDE AT THE TIME, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. POLICE ARE SEEKING SIGHTINGS OF A WHITE HATCHBACK. ONE PERSON HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A FREIGHT TRAIN IN INVERCARGILL. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE NEAR ELLES ROAD JUST AFTER 5pm YESTERDAY, TO FIND THE PERSON DEAD. THIS MARKS THE SECOND TIME IN ONE WEEK WHERE A PEDESTRIAN HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A TRAIN AFTER A 13-YEAR-OLD DIED NEAR MATAMATA COLLEGE. CHRISTOPHER LUXON DELIVERED THE KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT INDIA'S PREMIER CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND DEFENCE ISSUES IN NEW DELHI WHICH WAS WARMLY RECEIVED BY INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI. 1 NEWS POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN IS ON THE GROUND AND FILED THIS REPORT. CHRISTOPHER LUXON BEGAN HIS SPEECH BY PRAISING HIS HOSTS, INCLUDING PRIME MINSTER MODI, FOR LIFTING A NUMBER OF HIS PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY. NOW, IN INDIA, THAT GOES A LONG WAY. BUT THE MAIN FOCUS WAS THE INDO-PACIFIC. CHRISTOPHER LUXON SAID THAT FOR NEW ZEALAND TO TAKE CARE OF ITS INTERESTS IN THE REGION, IT NEEDED PARTNERS LIKE INDIA. CHRISTOPHER LUXON ALSO SAID THAT HE WANTED NEW ZEALAND TO STEP UP AND PLAY ITS ROLE, INCLUDING SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVES OF QUAD PARTNERS SUCH AS INDIA AND AUSTRALIA. IN SPORT, THE CANBERRA RAIDERS DUO INVOLVED IN A LATE NIGHT SCUFFLE AT A LAS VEGAS HOTEL HAVE ESCAPED SUSPENSION. THE NRL HAS ISSUED HUDSON YOUNG AND MORGAN SMITHIES A BREACH NOTICE OVER THE INCIDENT, WHICH SAW THE PAIR EVICTED FROM THE HOTEL AFTER BRAWLING IN AN ELEVATOR. THEY'RE REPORTEDLY FACING A SUSPENDED FINE OF $2700 EACH, BUT WON'T BE BANNED FROM PLAYING. THE NRL SAYS IT RECOGNISES THAT THE PAIR PUBLICLY APOLOGISED AND ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS ` (GROOVY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. A CLOUDY AND WINDY DAY FOR MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TURNING TO RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND. HOWEVER, A FINE START FOR THOSE ALONG THE EAST COAST BEFORE TURNING CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. 26 THE HIGH FOR AUCKLAND. 20 FOR THE CAPITAL. FOR THOSE IN THE SOUTH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR BROLLIES READY AS RAIN AND WIND IS EXPECTED FOR MOST OF YOU HERE FOR NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 22 THE HIGH FOR CHRISTCHURCH. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. THANKS, CHRIS. THERE ARE FEW OF US WHO DIDN'T FEEL THE EFFECTS OF THE DEEP RECESSION THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, FROM HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT TO HIGH INTEREST RATES, BUT IT'S CLEARLY STILL TOUGH OUT THERE. LATEST FIGURES FOR FEBRUARY SHOW NEARLY 22,000 MORE PEOPLE RECEIVED THE JOBSEEKER BENEFIT THAN A YEAR AGO. THAT'S NEARLY A 12% INCREASE. ACTING PRIME MINISTER DAVID SEYMOUR JOINS US NOW. MORENA, MR SEYMOUR. GOOD MORNING, JENNY MAY. GOOD MORNING. THE GOVERNMENT SAID LAST YEAR IT WANTS TO REDUCE JOBSEEKER NUMBERS BY 50,000 BY 2030, BUT THEY'VE INCREASED BY JUST UNDER 22,000 IN THE PAST YEAR. WHAT'S THE PLAN TO TURN THIS AROUND? WE HAVE BEEN QUITE OPEN ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE TARGET OVER SIX YEARS MAY NOT BE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THERE ARE ALWAYS ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT PEOPLE HAVING JOBS. IT IS VERY TOUGH OUT THERE. THAT PEOPLE FACE A LOT OF INFLATION WHICH IS MADE THINGS TOUGH. WE CALL THAT THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS. WE MANAGED TO GET INFLATION UNDER CONTROL AT 2.2%. WE STILL HAVE THE HIGH INTEREST RATES THAT WERE USED TO GET INFLATION UNDER CONTROL, BUT THOSE HAVE FALLEN AND ARE FORECAST TO FALL FURTHER. AS IT HAPPENS, PEOPLE END UP WITH MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS AT THE END OF THE WEEK. MORE SPENDING AND INVESTMENT, AND THAT LEADS TO JOBS. UNFORTUNATELY, AND I KNOW THAT IS NO COMFORT IF YOU ARE IN THOSE 22,000, WE HAVE TWO DIGESTS WHAT WAS THE COST OF LOCKING DOWN FOR TWO YEARS. THAT IS HOW WE GOT THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING AND INFLATION. OUR PLAN TO TURN THAT AROUND IT TO BE DISCIPLINED IN OUR OWN SPENDING, START GETTING INFLATION UNDER CONTROL, WHICH WE HAVE DONE. THAT LEADS TO AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY, INCLUDING JOBS. WHEN WE SEE THOSE JOBSEEKER NUMBERS START TO DROP? I BELIEVE THAT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS YEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT ECONOMIC RECOVERY OCCURRING. THAT WILL SEE FEWER PEOPLE ON JOBSEEKER. THE OTHER FACTOR THAT COMES IN IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE A LOT OF CHANGES TO MAKE IT MORE OF AN OBLIGATION TO BE LOOKING FOR WORK. TO LOOK OVER THE LAST MONTH, YOU HAVE SEEN 6000 PEOPLE COME OFF JOBSEEKER BENEFIT AND LOOK FOR JOBS. THAT IS BETTER THAN 1000 IN THE PREVIOUS MONTH. YOU'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY. THE FIGURES, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PAST YEAR, REFLECTS THAT DIGESTIVE OF THE DIFFICULT ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WHEN HERITAGE BUT ARE TURNING AROUND. 6400 PEOPLE HAVE CANCELLED THEIR BENEFIT, WHICH IS A POSITIVE, BUT OVERALL, THE NUMBER IS STILL RISING. THERE ARE STILL MORE PEOPLE ENTERING THE SYSTEM THEN LEAVING. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO STOP THAT TREND? WELL, AGAIN, THE ANSWER THAT I HAVE GIVEN IS THAT WE ARE DRIVEN BY ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE INHERITED. THAT HAS LED TO LOW ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB GROWTH. OUR JOB IS TO CUT THE RED TAPE TO CONTROL OUR SPENDING AND START TO SEEN ECONOMIC RECOVERY WHICH I BELIEVE IS OCCURRING. THAT IS WHAT CREATES JOBS. THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT ULTIMATELY CREATE JOBS, THEY CAN CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH POLICIES SO THAT BUSINESSES OUT THERE CAN CREATE JOBS FOR PEOPLE. I BELIEVE IT IS STARTING TO HAPPEN. YOU TAKE THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE GONE DOWN, BUT IF YOU TAKE THE PAST MONTH, WE HAVE TURNED A CORNER AND STARTED TO COME UP AGAIN. CAN WE TALK ABOUT SANCTIONS? ARE THOSE SANCTIONS ACTUALLY WORKING? YES, THEY ARE, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION. THAT IS PART OF THE DEAL. THERE IS ANOTHER PART OF THE DEAL ` IF YOU OWE THE TAXPAYER THE OBLIGATION TO BE LOOKING FOR WORK, GETTING WORK WHEN IT APPEARS AND DOING YOUR BIT. THE GOVERNMENT MAKES NO APOLOGY FOR MUTUAL OBLIGATION. TAXPAYERS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO FUND THESE BENEFITS, BUT PEOPLE RECEIVING THEM HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AS SOON AS A JOBS AVAILABLE. THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR JOBSEEKER SANCTIONS AS FAILING TO ATTEND AN APPOINTMENT, IT IS NOT FOR REFUSING TO WORK. ARE THOSE SANCTIONS ACTUALLY WORKING? THE APPOINTMENTS MOST OFTEN ARE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO GET A JOB TO REPORT THE EFFORTS YOU HAVE MADE ON SCHEDULE FOR FILLING THOSE OBLIGATIONS. WHAT YOU DO NOT GET A JOB BY MAKING AN APPOINTMENT, SHOWING UP AND FULFILLING YOUR OBLIGATIONS AND DEMONSTRATING YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WORK AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS. IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD A POLICY THAT YOU COULD TAKE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY, KEEP ON RECEIVING IT AND NOT HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU'RE MAKING AN EFFORT TO GET A JOB BACK FOR YOURSELF SO YOU CAN BE BACK ON YOUR 2 FEET AND PROVIDE TAX FOR EVERYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT NEED IT IN THE FUTURE, I THINK PEOPLE WILL BE PRETTY UPSET ABOUT THAT. IN FACT, OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT WE HAD A GOVERNMENT THAT SAW GETTING WELFARE AS AN ENTITLEMENT OR A LIFESTYLE RATHER THAN A TEMPORARY THING THAT YOU DO IF YOU HAD THE BAD LUCK OF LOSING A JOB BEYOND YOUR CONTROL. WE HAVE STARTED TO BRING BACK THE IDEA OF MUTUAL OBLIGATION. THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A SOCIAL SAFETY NET. I BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE DOWN ON THEIR LUCK, THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING FOR THEM. HOWEVER, THE SYSTEM ONLY WORKS IF PEOPLE DO THEIR BIT, AND THAT AS EXECUTOR WHAT WE ARE SEEKING TO BRING ABOUT. CAN WE MOVE ON? THE RETIREMENT COMMISSION HAS REVEALED THAT THOUSANDS NEVER RETIREMENT HAVE UNDER $10,000 IN THEIR ACCOUNT. WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO BOOST SAVINGS? FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE KIWI SAVER. I THINK IT HAS BEEN A SUCCESS. IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SAVE A LOT OF MONEY. OUR FINANCE MINISTER IS TAKING ADVICE AND IS ONE OF THE FIVE BUDGET MINISTERS, I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS. WE CANNOT TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN THE BUDGET UNTIL IT IS ALL NAILED DOWN. YOU MAY SEE SOME INITIATIVES AROUND INCREASING SAVING, BUT EQUALLY, OR MAKE THE POINT THAT AUSTRALIANS HAVE MORE SAVINGS BECAUSE THEY EARN MORE MONEY. THEY EARN MORE MONEY BECAUSE THEIR ECONOMY IS MORE PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE INVESTMENT, IS IN MANY AREAS THEY HAVE LESS RED TAPE. THEY HAVE MORE MONEY LEFT AT THE END OF THE WEEK TO SAVE. IF YOU WANT NEW ZEALANDERS TO RETIRE WITH MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS AND TO HAVE MORE SECURITY AND TO ENJOY THEIR RETIREMENT, WHICH I CERTAINLY WANT FOR EVERY NEW ZEALANDER, AND THE NUMBER ONE THING WE CAN DO IS BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH IF YOU WANT TO SAVE MORE, YOU HAVE TO EARN MORE. THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE AND THAT IS TO CREATE GOOD PAYING JOBS THAT ARE BETTER AND MORE ENJOYABLE FOR PEOPLE TO DO, BUT CRUCIALLY ALLOW THEM TO SAY BETTER FOR THEIR FUTURE. I HAVE A COUPLE MORE THINGS I WANT TO COVER, BUT BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM KIWI SAVER, THAT GENDER GAP AND KIWI SAVER IS 25%, WHICH MEANS THAT FULL PAY PARITY WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED UNTIL 2158. WHAT SOLUTIONS DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO SORT THIS OUT? IF YOU LOOK AT THE GENDER PAY GAP, IT HAS HARD TO THIS CENTURY. I'M NOT SURE IT WILL TAKE UNTIL 2158. AT THE CURRENT RATE OF PROGRESS, IT'LL BE A LOT SOONER THAN THAT. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT KIWI SAVER BALANCES, AND THAT IS WHAT THE REPORT HAS SAID, THERE IS A GENDER GAP AND KIWI SAVER BALANCES. THAT REFLECTS THE FACT THAT KIWI SAVER HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2006. A LOT OF THOSE SAVING STARTED A LONG TIME AGO WHEN THE GENDER PAY GAP WAS A LOT LARGER. OUR ROLE AS A GOVERNMENT ARE SECRETING NEW ZEALAND WHERE THERE IS NO DISCRIMINATION WHEN YOUR ANCESTORS ARRIVED IN THE COUNTRY, IT IS JUDGED ON WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DO, NOT WHO YOU ARE. COMING BACK TO THAT GENDER GAP ` WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING TO BRING THAT CLOSER? WHEN IT COMES TO SAVINGS? WHEN IT COMES TO SAVINGS, . MIND THAT THE SAVINGS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR HISTORIC. THOSE SAVINGS HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. I BELIEVE IT REFLECTS A GENDER PAY GAP IN THE PAST, WHICH IS CLOSING. OUR POLICY IS TO CONTINUE CLOSING THE GENDER PAY GAP SO THAT AS TIME GOES ON, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU HAVE AN EQUAL SHOT TO USE YOUR TIME ON EARTH TO WHAT MATTERS TO YOU. IT SHOULD NOT MATTER WHAT GENDER YOU ARE, YOU SHOULD BE VALUE TO THE SAME. CAN WE MOVE ONTO SCHOOL LUNCHES? I'M SURE IT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TOPIC AT THE MOMENT. A STUDENT WAS BURNT DUE TO A PACKAGE NOT SUITABLE FOR REHEATING. I ABSOLUTELY CAN. BEAR IN MIND THAT THIS HAPPENED ALMOST 2 WEEKS AGO. IMMEDIATELY, WITHIN 24-HOUR IS OF THAT HAPPENING, WE SAID THAT MEAL WOULD NOT BE USED AGAIN. YOU MIGHT ALSO WONDER, WHY WERE THEY USING A MEAL THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HEATED THAT WAY? THAT WAS BECAUSE OF SUPPLY CONCERNS WHICH LED TO US NEEDING TO USE SUBSTITUTE MEALS TO MAKE SURE WE GOT DELIVERIES ON TIME FOR ALL THE KIDS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN LAST WEEK THAT ONE SUBCONTRACTOR WENT INTO LIQUIDATION. THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER AND ARE BEING RUN MORE EFFECTIVELY. IT IS AMAZING WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IN JUST A FEW DAYS. AS A PRODUCTION THAT WE REGIONALLY INTENDED RAMPS UP, YOU WILL NOT SEE ANY SUBSTITUTES. YOU CERTAINLY WILL NOT SEE THAT PARTICULAR ONE, WE HAVE STOPPED THAT ALTOGETHER, YOU WILL SEE THE PROGRAM AS I INTENDED IT WITHOUT THIS PROGRAM OVERSUPPLY. INCREASINGLY YOU WILL SEE PEOPLE SAY THIS IS REALLY GOOD, AND I HAVE PAGES OF COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE SEEN SOME. I JUST WISH THOSE GOT AS MUCH COVERAGE AS THE MISTAKES THAT WE HAVE FAXED. I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR OVER 10 YEARS. IN OUR CITY OR TOWN, WE ELECTED A COUNCIL, AND THEY MAKE THESE CHOICES. I TRY TO HELP PEOPLE AS MUCH AS I CAN AS AN MP. IF PEOPLE HAD SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT STOOD UNDER A BANNER THAT SAYS WE WANT TO CUT WASTE AND END THE WAR ON CARS AND ASSIST YOU TO GET AROUND YOUR WAY, NOT THE WAY WE WANT YOU TO GET AROUND, IN A WAY THAT TREATS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME BASIC DIGNITY, I THINK IF THERE WAS A BANNER LIKE THAT AND HAS THOSE STRONG VALUES ON SAVING MONEY I THINK PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, I WANT SOMEONE IN MY COMMUNITY LIKE THAT. TOO OFTEN PEOPLE SAY, I GET THE LITTLE BOOKLET FOR MY COUNCIL, I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE NAMES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING, BUT I TICKED THE BOX OUT OF MY CIVIC DUTY. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MIGHT SAY, I WANT MORE CERTAINTY. I SAID, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN CITIES THAT WANT TO STAND UNDER THE BANNER AND STAND UNDER THOSE VALUES THEN I THINK IT COULD BE A VERY POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR REBUILDING TRUST IN OUR COUNCILS, PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO CHECK THE BOX AND WHAT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING AND GET LESS WASTE AND MAKE IT EASY TO GET AROUND. DAVID SEYMOUR, ACTING PRIME MINISTER, JOINING US THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. E HAERE AKE NEI ` WHAT HAPPENED WHEN A CAR CRASHED INTO A HOUSE AND LANDED ON TOP OF A SLEEPING COUPLE IN CHRISTCHURCH? THAT STORY'S NEXT. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. A U.S. JUDGE HAS QUESTIONED TRUMP OFFICIALS OVER WHETHER THEY DEFIED HIS COURT ORDER AFTER DEPORTING HUNDREDS OF VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS. VIGILS ARE BEING HELD FOR VICTIMS OF THE NORTH MACEDONIA NIGHTCLUB FIRE WHICH KILLED 59 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 150 OTHERS. AND BOXING IS SET TO BE INCLUDED AT THE 2028 LA OLYMPICS AFTER THE APPOINTMENT OF A NEW GOVERNING BODY FOR THE SPORT. IT'S THE STUFF NIGHTMARES ARE MADE OF. FAST ASLEEP, THEN SUDDENLY A CAR PLOUGHS INTO YOUR BEDROOM, TRAPPING YOU UNDERNEATH. BUT FOR CANTERBURY COUPLE LLEWELLYN AND SUE-ANN VENTER, IT BECAME A HORROR REALITY. INCREDIBLY, THEY SURVIVED THE WEEKEND ORDEAL, AND SPOKE TO DONNA-MARIE LEVER ABOUT THE LOVE THAT PULLED THEM THROUGH. THE NOISE, THE SOUND OF IT. IT WAS THE WORST THING I EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE. UM, JUST... THUNDER CRASHING IN, AND THEN BIG BANG. AND IT'S THE SCARIEST THING I EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE. AND I STILL HEAR IT WHEN I SIT IN A QUIET PLACE. IT'S SCARY. AND, UH... YEAH, IT'S` I'M JUST GLAD SHE WAS ASLEEP WHEN IT HAPPENED. IN A SPLIT SECOND, A CAR AT HIGH SPEED HAD SMASHED INTO THE VENTER'S ROLLESTON HOME. SUE-ANN WAS PINNED UNDER THE WRECKAGE IN BED, UNABLE TO MOVE. I JUST HEARD HIM SCREAMING OUT, AND I FELT THE PRESSURE, AND... AND THEN IT JUST TOOK ME OUT. SO... (SNIFFS) IT'S ALL A BLUR. SOMETHING JUST KICKED IN AS LLEWELLYN BATTLED TO FREE HIS WIFE. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DID IT, BUT I JUST KNOW I HAD THE CAR ON THE ONE SIDE AND I HAD HER HAND IN MY OTHER, AND I JUST GOT HER OUT. I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW. IT'S JUST` SHE JUST CAME OUT, AND WE WERE UP AND OUT. AND THEN WHEN I LOOK BACK AT THE PICTURES, AND WHEN I CAME IN LATER, I WAS LIKE, 'HOW? SHE WAS UNDER THE WHEEL.' HE PUTS IT DOWN TO THE POWER OF LOVE. YEAH, SHE'S MY BEST FRIEND. SHE'S MY EVERYTHING. YEAH, I WOULDN'T GO... I WOULDN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT HER. DEFINITELY. THE MOTHER OF MY CHILDREN. BEST PART OF ME, ACTUALLY. I'M NOT THE BEST GUY. SHE MAKES IT BETTER. MUST BE LOVE. IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO SAY IT. SUE-ANN'S HUSBAND NOW HER HERO WHO SAVED HER LIFE. YEAH, HE DID. AND I'LL BE GRATEFUL FOREVER. (SNIFFS) THE PAIR THANKFUL, TOO, FOR THEIR ROLLESTON NEIGHBOURS WHO WERE WOKEN AND JUMPED IN TO HELP THEM AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN. THE WHOLE STREET OF SHILLINGFORD BOULEVARD IN THEIR UNDIES AND PYJAMAS. EVERYONE DIGGING IN IN THE GLASS, BAREFOOT, TRYING TO HELP EVERYONE. AND THEY EVEN HELP THE GENTLEMAN TO GET HIM OUT OF THE CAR AND SEE IF HE'S OK. GET THE DRIVER OUT SAFELY, MADE HIM COMFORTABLE. A 35-YEAR-OLD IS NOW DUE TO APPEAR IN COURT ON DRINK DRIVING CHARGES NEXT MONTH. YOU'RE STILL A HUMAN BEING, YOU KNOW, AND ACCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND NO ONE WINS IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE'S NEVER A GOOD SCENARIO. I DON'T KNOW` I FEEL FOR THEM. YEAH. THEY ALSO HAVE BEEN UPROOTED IN SOME WAY, SO WE DO FEEL FOR THEM AS WELL. THE MENTAL SCARS ARE RAW, BUT MIRACULOUSLY THEY ESCAPED SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY. SO SURPRISED WHEN THE DOCTOR SAID EVERYTHING WAS CLEAR. WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. IN ALL THE TESTS, IT'S NOT JUST THE ONE. IT WAS THE CT SCANS, THE SONAR THE DID, THE X RAYS. IT'S AMAZING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I REALLY DON'T. THIS COUPLE WERE RENTING IN ROLLESTON AND HAD NO INSURANCE, NOW NEEDING TO REPLACE THE FAMILY TRAMPOLINE AS WELL AS A NEW BED. DONNA-MARIE LEVER, 1 NEWS. SAD WHAT HAPPENS, BUT WHAT A BEAUTIFUL COUPLE. LISTENING TO HOW HE TALKED ABOUT HIS WIFE. EXTRAORDINARY FORCE THE CAR WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE BRICKS. IT'S ONE OF MY FEARS. WHEN LOOKING AT HOUSES I'M LOOKING AT HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO THE ROAD OR WHETHER THEY ARE DOWN SLIGHTLY. AND WHEN I WAS A POLICE OFFICER HAVING TO DEAL WITH A COUPLE OF INCIDENCES THAT WERE SIMILAR. GETTING LOTS OF FEEDBACK FROM YOU ABOUT THE AIR B AND B STORY, WELLINGTONIAN'S WORRYING ABOUT PAYING MORE RATES. CRAIG, SINGLE DAD, THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET BACK INTO THE PROPERTY MARKET WAS TO PURCHASE OUT OF TOWN AND RENT IT AS AN AIR B AND B. WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT PUTTING UP THOSE RATES, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT GRANNY FLATS WOULD NOT BE CHARGED FULLY, ONLY THE RENTED PORTION THAT WAS THE PART OF THE HOUSE THAT YOU ARE RENTING OUT AS AN AIR B AND B. MANY SMALL OPERATORS ARE DOING THIS TO TOP THINGS UP, PAY THEIR OWN RATES OR MORTGAGE, SO MANY FEELING A LITTLE AGGRIEVED ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL DECISION. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 7.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY AFTER A FIRE TORE THROUGH CARS AT AN AUTO WRECKERS NEAR PALMERSTON NORTH. FOUR CARS WERE GUTTED AT THE BUNNYTHORPE PROPERTYSITE FOUR CARS WERE GUTTED AT THE BUNNYTHORPE PROPERTY SHORTLY AFTER 7 LAST NIGHT. FIRE AND EMERGENCY SAYS POLICE ARE NOW LOOKING INTO THE INCIDENT. ACTING PRIME MINISTER DAVID SEYMOUR IS CONFIDENT THE COUNTRY WILL SEE FEWER PEOPLE ON JOB SEEKER SUPPORT BENEFITS DESPITE THE LATEST FIGURES FROM THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. NEW FEBRUARY DATA SHOWS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE RECEIVING SUPPORT HAS RISEN BY NEARLY 22,000 COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO. THE GOVERNMENT IS HOPING TO REDUCE JOBSEEKER NUMBERS BY 50,000 BY 2030, BUT SEYMOUR SAYS GETTING TO THIS GOAL ISN'T A STRAIGHT LINE. I BELIEVE THAT THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS YEAR YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THAT ECONOMIC RECOVERY OCCURRING, AND ABOUT WILL SEE FEWER PEOPLE ON JOBSEEKER. HE SAYS 6000 PEOPLE HAVE COME OFF JOB SEEKER BENEFITS IN THE LAST MONTH. TRIBUTES ARE FLOWING IN NORTH MACEDONIA AFTER A DEADLY NIGHTCLUB FIRE IN THE TOWN OF KOCANI KILLED 59 PEOPLE. A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL WAS HELD IN THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL, WHERE MOURNERS DEMANDED JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS. ANGER HAS BEEN GROWING IN THE WAKE OF THE TRAGEDY, WITH ACCUSATIONS OF BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION OVER THE VENUE'S ILLEGAL LICENCE. THE PRIME MINISTER HAS VOWED EVERYONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INCIDENT WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. A U.S. JUDGE HAS ORDERED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO EXPLAIN WHETHER ITS DEPORTATION OF HUNDREDS OF VENEZUELAN IMMIGRANTS VIOLATED A TEMPORARY PAUSE. MORE THAN 200 ALLEGED GANG MEMBERS WERE TRANSFERRED TO EL SALVADOR OVER THE WEEKEND UNDER AN 18Tth-CENTURY LAW NOT USED SINCE WORLD WAR II. UNDER AN 18th-CENTURY LAW NOT USED SINCE WORLD WAR II. THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DENIED DEFYING THE ORDER, SAYING IT WASN'T LAWFUL, AND ISSUED AFTER THE DEPORTATIONS HAD TAKEN PLACE. THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE'S EXECUTIVE BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED THAT BOXING IS INCLUDED AT THE 2028 L.A. GAMES. THE SPORT WAS LEFT OFF THE SCHEDULE WHEN IT WAS FIRST ANNOUNCED IN 2022 OVER FINANCIAL AND ETHICAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE I.B.A., THE FORMER INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING BODY. THE U-TURN COMES AFTER WORLD BOXING WAS GRANTED PROVISIONAL RECOGNITION AS THE GOVERNING BODY LAST MONTH. THE I.B.A. WAS STRIPPED OF THIS POSITION IN 2023. THE DECISION WILL NOW GO TO A VOTE AT AN I.O.C. SESSION THIS WEEK, WHERE IT'S EXPECTED TO PASS EASILY. (DISCO MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. A CLOUDY AND WINDY DAY FOR MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TURNING TO RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND. HOWEVER, A FINE START FOR THOSE ALONG THE EAST COAST BEFORE TURNING CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. 26 THE HIGH FOR AUCKLAND. 20 FOR THE CAPITAL. FOR THOSE IN THE SOUTH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR BROLLIES READY, AS RAIN AND WIND IS EXPECT FOR MOST OF YOU HERE. FOR NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 22 THE HIGH FOR CHRISTCHURCH. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. GETTING LOTS OF FEEDBACK ON THIS AND AIRBNB SITUATION, WELLINGTONIAN'S HAVING TO PAY A FEW MORE RATES. BUT HE SAYS HER SON IS ON A JOBSEEKER BENEFIT. HE WANTS TO WORK, BUT SO FAR CANNOT. GET DESPONDENT FROM THE SO-CALLED HELP FROM MSD. HE ATTENDS EVERY INTERVIEW AND EVERY SEMINAR AND EVERY COURTIER SENT ON, HOWEVER, IT IS THE NATURE OF THE COURSES THAT IS PROBLEMATIC. THEY GIVE NOTHING BUT FALSE HOPE. IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS SERIOUS, THEY WOULD LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF HELPING OFFERED BY MSD. THAT CAME OFF THE BACK OF A NUMBER OF SANCTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE GOT THEMSELVES INTO. 5712 PEOPLE WITH SANCTIONS IN 2023 DECEMBER, THAT HAS INCREASED BY 6%. MOST OF THOSE WERE FAILING TO ATTEND AN APPOINTMENT, NOT AN OUTRIGHT REFUSAL TO WORK. WITH THE FEEDBACK COMING IN ON ANY TOPIC. I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE BOXING STORY, ABOUT IT BEING REINTRODUCED BACK INTO THE LIMPETS, IT HAS BEEN IN THERE SINCE 1904, WASN'T IN THERE IN 1912, BUT AFTER THAT, EVERY SINGLE OLYMPICS SINCE THEN. 2012 WAS WHEN WOMEN'S BOXING WAS INTRODUCED. IT WAS A SPORT I HAVEN'T REALLY WATCHED MUCH. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS A THING. SINCE ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WHERE YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE SONY DIFFERENT BELTS, SO MANY DIFFERENT TITLES. ME U TONU MAI ` THE BLACK FERNS SEVENS PUT OUT THE CALL FOR HELP. WE'LL EXPLAIN WHY NEXT. (SINGING) What a time to be into pop with Spark Mobile. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. PRIME MINSTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS MET WITH HIS INDIAN COUNTERPART AS BOTH NATIONS WORK TOWARDS A FREE TRADE DEAL. PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS IN THE CAPITAL ARE BEING WARNED OF POSSIBLE DISRUPTION AS BUS DRIVERS ATTEND A UNION MEETING. ONE PERSON HAS DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A FREIGHT TRAIN IN INVERCARGILL. THIS FOLLOWS A FATAL TRAIN INCIDENT WHERE A YOUNG GIRL DIED IN MATAMATA LAST WEEK. TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SPORT WORLD. JENNY SUO IS HERE WITH US NOW. GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAMME. LETS TALK ABOUT ST PATRICK DAYS. ST PADDY'S IS NOT JUST ABOUT HITTING THE PUB IN IRELAND? IT IS A LOT ABOUT THAT, BUT NOT ALL ABOUT THAT. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A RARE IN NEW ZEALAND, IT IS ST PADDY'S DAY IN IRELAND IN THE MOMENT. HOPEFULLY, BEFORE THEY GOT INTO THE BEERS, THERE ARE TWO PRETTY BIG SPORTING FILES THAT TAKE PLACE IN IRELAND. ONE IS THE HOGAN CUP FINAL, WHICH IS FOOTBALL, AND THE OTHER IS THE HURLING FINAL. DO YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT HURLING? IT IS INTENSE. HERE ARE SOME PICTURES. THE FINAL PLAYED OUT A FEW HOURS AGO. IT IS A CROSS BETWEEN A LACROSSE AND HOCKEY. I THINK ALSO FOOTBALL AND RUGBY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT THE NET, NOT AS A GOAL, AND NEW ARE ALSO TRYING TO GET IT OVER THE POSTS. I FORGET WHAT THE INSTRUMENT IS CALLED. IT IS CALLED A HURLY. I FORGET WHAT THE BALL IS CALLED. THREE POINTS THROUGH THE NIGHT AND ONE POINT OVER THE TOP. TWO TEAMS, 15 PLAYERS, TWO HALVES, 25 TOTO TWO TEAMS, 15 PLAYERS, TWO HALVES, 25 TO 35 MINUTES. THERE WAS A SECOND HALF FIGHTBACK FROM ONE OF THE TEAMS, AND THEY WON IT IN THE END 25-23. THEY WILL BE CELEBRATING. AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE FROM NEW ZEALAND AT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS WINTER GAMES. THEY JUST GOT BACK FROM ITALY THIS MORNING. AMAZING RESULT SIX MEDALS ALTOGETHER, THREE GOLD, TWO SILVER, ONE BRONZE. TAKE A LOOK AT COSMO ADAMS, THIS WAS OUR FIRST GOLD-MEDAL, THIS IS THE SNOW BOARD SLALOM. I LOVE HIS REACTION TO GETTING ON THE PODIUM. IT IS THE HAPPIEST I'VE EVER SEEN ANYONE EVER, AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH. THREE GOLDS ALTOGETHER. LAST SPECIAL OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES WAS IN 2017. IT WAS IN AUSTRIA. THE NEXT ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN RUSSIA, BUT IT GOT DELAYED BECAUSE OF COVID, NOR HAPPEN, SO IT GOT CANCELLED, SO A LOT OF ATHLETES MISSED THEIR CHANCE, AND THEY WON'T ABLE TO MAKE IT. THAT IS WHY WE HAD A TEAM OF NINE. WHEN YOU ABOUT IT, NINE PEOPLE, SIX MEDALS, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS WE HAVE EVER HAD OVER THERE, WHICH IS AWESOME. THE SEVENS TEAM, THE WOMEN'S TEAM, THEY HAVE HAD SOME OF THEIR STUFF STOLEN? HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT JORJA MILLER POSTED ON INSTAGRAM. THAT MASSIVE TRAILER HAS GONE MISSING FROM BLAKE PARK IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI. ALLEGEDLY STOLEN ON 11 MARCH, HOW DO YOU STEAL SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IT IS HUGE. IT IS FULL OF THEIR TRAINING. IT IS FULL OF THEIR TRAINING GEAR. HOT PROPERTY, THEIR GEAR, TO BE HONEST. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO WITH ALL OF THAT? THIS GOING TO BE PRETTY OBVIOUS IF IT STOLEN. WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IF THEY DO GET IT BACK, IS PAINT IT FLUORESCENT. IF YOU GOT ANY INFORMATION, CALL THE POLICE. THAT WAS A MASSIVE ARRAY OF SPORTING STORIES THIS MORNING. SO GOOD. AIRBNB OWNERS IN THE CAPITAL COULD FACE AN HIKE IN EXPENSESSEE IN AIRBNB OWNERS IN THE CAPITAL COULD FACE AN HIKE IN EXPENSESSEE AIRBNB OWNERS IN THE CAPITAL COULD FACE AN HIKE IN EXPENSES AS THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS TREATING THEIR PROPERTIES LIKE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. THE COUNCIL IS SET TO VOTE ON ITS LONG-TERM PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES THE PROPOSAL, AND IF ENDORSED COULD GO TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION. VOLUNTEER AIRBNB COMMUNITY LEADER JULIE WILSON TOLD US WELLINGTONIANS ARE ALREADY DOING IT TOUGH WITHOUT EXTRA COSTS. LOTS OF HOSTS ARE JUST OCCASIONAL HOSTS, LIKE MYSELF. I'VE GOT A TWO-BEDROOM SELF-CONTAINED APARTMENT IN THE BOWELS OF MY HOUSE, BUT FOR MOST OF THE TIME IT'S USED BY MY FAMILY. WE'VE GOT INTERNAL ACCESS, AND SO WHEN IT'S NOT BEING USED, I LET IT OUT. BUT I WOULDN'T SAY I'M A BIG PLAYER, AND I'VE GOT A SIMILAR RATES HIKE. IT WOULD BASICALLY WIPE OUT... YOU KNOW, IT JUST WOULDN'T BE WORTH DOING, SO... COS IT WOULD BASICALLY TREAT IT LIKE A BIG COMMERCIAL OPERATION, RIGHT? YES. YEAH. AND IT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT TO NOTE LOTS OF THE GUESTS THAT WE GET IN THE SUBURBS AREN'T TOURISTS. SO, I GET A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING TO WELLINGTON BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING ON BIG PROJECTS, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. THEY MIGHT WANNA HAVE THEIR VANS PARKED SECURELY OVERNIGHT. I GET LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING TO VISIT THEIR FAMILY, ELDERLY GRANDPARENTS COMING TO VISIT THEIR NEW, YOU KNOW, MOKOS. I GET PEOPLE JUST COMING TO LOOK TO LIVE IN WELLINGTON, AND THEY USE THEIR TIME HERE` THEY MIGHT STAY WITH ME A WEEK OR TWO WEEKS, AND THEY USE THAT TIME TO LOOK FOR A RENTAL OR A HOME. SO THEY'RE NOT ALL JUST... YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT REALLY COMPETING WITH HOTELS IN THAT SENSE. MM. HOW CRUCIAL IS IT THAT YOU HAVE AIRBNB ACCOMMODATION IN THE CAPITAL IN TERMS OF HOW BADLY IT'S NEEDED? WELL, WELLINGTON IS HURTING AT THE MOMENT. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HIT WITH REDUNDANCIES, SO MANY FAMILIES. AND SO HAVING` BEING ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THE INCOME IS KEY. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED IT FOR` HOTELS. CAN'T DEAL WITH CAPACITY. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED IT FOR` HOTELS CAN'T DEAL WITH CAPACITY. LAST WEEKEND, WE'VE JUST HAD HOMEGROWN AND THE WEET-BIX TRYATHLON, WHICH COME UP, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME, AND HOTELS WOULD STRUGGLE. MM. DO YOU THINK THERE IS A COMPROMISE THAT COULD BE MADE HERE, THOUGH? YES, I DO. SO, I THINK RATHER THAN WIPING OUT LOTS OF SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE MY OWN, I THINK IF THEY DID A SORT OF` A LEVY ON BOOKED NIGHTS, IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE FAIR. SO, IT WOULD CAPTURE THE OCCASIONAL HOSTS LIKE MYSELF, WITHOUT MAKING ME PAY, SORT OF, $25,000 AND WIPING OUT MY BUSINESS. BUT IT WOULD ALSO CAPTURE THE BIGGER PLAYERS, AND THEY'D BE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE. YEAH, IF THEY DO PUSH FORWARD FOR WITH THIS, WHAT WOULD IT MEAN FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOURSELF AND FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DEAL WITH? WELL, YEAH, IT WOULD MEAN... FOR MYSELF, IT WOULD MEAN THAT I WOULDN'T CONTINUE WITH AIRBNB. SO, MY SPACE WOULD JUST BE USED BY MY FAMILY. BUT WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS THAT IF, SAY, GRANDPARENTS COME DOWN TO VISIT THEIR GRANDCHILDREN LIVING LOCALLY, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STAY LOCALLY; THEY'D HAVE TO BE STAYING, YOU KNOW, 15, 20 MINUTES AWAY IN A HOTEL. I HAD GUESTS THE OTHER WEEK THAT CAME TO VISIT. THEY CAME FROM OVERSEAS. THEY CAME TO VISIT THEIR GRANDCHILDREN THAT LIVE IN THE NEXT SUBURB. BUT THE KINDY'S ACROSS THE ROAD FROM ME, AND THEY ACTUALLY PICKED UP THE CHILDREN, THE GRANDKIDS, FROM THE KINDY EVERY DAY. AND THEY LOVE THAT. AND IT WOULD JUST BE, YOU KNOW, HARDER FOR THEM. AND THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T COME. THEY CAME FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T DO THAT IF THEY WERE PAYING HOTEL PRICES. KEEP GOING WITH THAT. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE KIWISAVER WHILE THAT WAS PLAYING OUT, BECAUSE YOU SPOKE TO DAVID SEYMOUR ABOUT KIWISAVER CONTRIBUTIONS. THE REPORT SAYS THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PREPARED FOR RETIREMENT. THEY HAVE LESS THAN $10,000 IN THEIR ACCOUNTS. ONE OF THE EXAMPLES ARE DAVID SEYMOUR SPOKE ABOUT IS THAT AUSTRALIANS CONTRIBUTE 11.5%, BUT IS THE MINIMUM RATE. THAT ASHLEY GOES UP IN JULY TO 12%. ONE OF YOU WANTED TO POINT OUT DAVID SEYMOUR SAYING THAT YES, THEY EARN MORE EXCEPT A, BUT ACTUALLY THE AUSTRALIAN KIWISAVER IS COMPULSORY AND HAS BEEN SINCE THE LATE 1980S, PLUS THE EMPLOYER HAS TO CONTRIBUTE THE 11.5% INTO THE EMPLOYEES ACCOUNT, WITH AND EMPLOYEES BEING ABLE TO PUT ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN BY THEMSELVES. THE QUESTION IS SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DOING MORE TO BE ENSURING THAT PEOPLE ARE READY FOR RETIREMENT, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO THAT, THEN, AND I HATE USING THE WORD BURDEN, BUT THEN THAT COSTS EVERYONE IN THE LONG RUN. WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE PREPARED FOR RETIREMENT. I SAY THIS KNOWING THAT MANY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT LITTLE BIT AWAY FOR YOUR RETIREMENT. OR HAVING TO TAKE OUT OF KIWISAVER FOR THINGS. PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE IT OUT FOR A HOUSE DEPOSIT OR WHATEVER, PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT, WAIT. CIRCUMSTANCES, THAT COME THEIR WAY. E WHAI AKE NEI ` E WHAI AKE NEI ` THERE'S A LOT OF HOT AIR FILLING THE SKY OVER THE WAIKATO THIS WEEK. LUCY BENDELL'S IN HAMILTON TO TELL US MORE. MORENA, LUCY. GOOD MORNING, LOCHABER IF YOU ARE IN HOW TODAY, BECAUSE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, HOTAIR BALLOONS ARE SET TO TAKE OVER THE WAIKATO SKIES. FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF HOTAIR BALLOONING AFTER THE BREAK. (RELAXED MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. IF YOU'RE IN WAIKATO, LOOK UP. HUNDREDS OF HOT AIR BALLOONS ARE TO TAKING TO THE SKY TODAY FOR HAMILTON'S BIGGEST DAY OUT. WE'VE SENT LUCY BENDELL TO FIND OUT MORE. MORENA. MORENA. COLOUR IS FILLING THIS FIELD THIS MORNING. THE FIRE IS PUMPING UP THE BALLOONS BEHIND ME, AND KIDS HAVE BEEN SCREAMING. THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WEATHER IS NOT PERMITTING FOR THEM TO FLY TODAY. BUT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE IT AND GET INTO THE BASKET AND SEE THE HOT AIR BLOW THE BALLOONS UP. TELL US, THIS MORNING IS THE FIRST DAY OF BALLOONS OVER WAIKATO. IT IS LIKE CHRISTMAS FOR PILOTS. WE CATCH UP AND HAVE FUN. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR SAFETY REASONS, WE ARE NOT FLYING TODAY. THE WIND IS A BIT TOO HIGH FOR US. BUT IT IS GREAT THAT THE KIDS IN THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THEM ALONE IS THIS MORNING. IT IS AT 7 AM FOR THE NEXT WEEK UNTIL SATURDAY. TELL US WHAT PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE. IN THE MORNING, YOU WILL SEE THE BALLOONS HOPEFULLY TAKING OFF BETWEEN SEVEN AND 7:30 AM. DEPENDING ON THE WIND CONDITIONS, WILL BE TAKING OFF FROM HERE, THEN YOU WILL SEE US LIFTING OFF AND CRUISING ACROSS THE WAIKATO SKIES. THERE ARE HEAPS OF THINGS GOING ON IN THE MORNINGS. THERE ARE FOOD TRUCKS AND BANDS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXCITED SINCE 630 THIS MORNING. YOU HAVE BEEN A BALLOONIST FOR 17 YEARS. DESCRIBE WHAT IT IS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE UP IN THE SKY. IT IS LIKE NO OTHER WAY OF FLYING. IT IS BEAUTIFULLY PEACEFUL AND QUIET. ESPECIALLY, WE LOVE SHARING BALLOONING WITH PEOPLE BELOW US AND OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN THE BASKET. BUT WHEN WE FLY SOLO, IT IS LIKE A FORM OF MEDITATION. YOU ARE UP AND LOOKING OVER NATURE. AND PEOPLE ON THE GROUND IN HAMILTON CAN SEE THAT AS WELL. YOU ARE A KIWI PILOT, BUT THERE ARE A FEW FROM OVERSEAS, AND A FEW FROM AMERICA. TELL US ABOUT THE BALLOONS FROM AMERICA. WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL SHAPES FROM AMERICA THIS YEAR. THE KIDS ALWAYS LOVE THE SPECIAL SHAPES. WE TRY TO HAVE DIFFERENT ONES EASIER. THEY CAN GET UP CLOSE AND HAVE A LOOK AT THEM, BECAUSE THE ENGINEERING INVOLVED IN THEM IS REALLY INCREDIBLE. IT IS GREAT. THIS SATURDAY IS SET TO BE THE BIGGEST NIGHT IN HAMILTON. DALLAS A BIT ABOUT THE NIGHT EVENT. THE NIGHT GLOW IS AN ICONIC HAMILTON EVENT. IT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SET HAMILTON APART. WE ARE EXPECTING ABOUT 35,000 PEOPLE AT THE EVENT CENTRE THIS YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. HOPEFULLY, WEATHER PERMITTING, YOU WILL SEE ALL OF THESE BEAUTIFUL BALLOONS GLOWING TO CHOREOGRAPHED SETS. THERE WILL BE RIDES AND FOOD TRUCKS, AND IT WILL BE A WHOLE VIBE UNTIL THE EARLY EVENING. HOW DID YOU EVEN GET INTO BALLOONING? IT IS RATHER NICHE. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH THAT I TRAINED TO FLY BY MY DAD WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. WHEN OTHER KIDS WERE OUT DOING MORNING NETBALL OR SOCCER, I WAS UP AT FIVE LOOKING AT THE WEATHER AND TRAINING TO FLY. IT HAS BEEN A SPORT THAT HAS TAKEN ME AROUND THE WORLD, AND SOME OF MY GREATEST FRIENDS AND MY PARTNER ARE ALL PILOTS. IT IS A REALLY COOL COMMUNITY. IT IS ALSO THAT THE KIDS TO GET TO EXPERIENCE IT AS WELL. DO YOU THINK IT HAS INSPIRED PERHAPS OTHER PEOPLE TO BECOME BALLOONISTS? IT IS SUCH AN ICONIC LEE HAMILTON THING. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT TRAVEL TO CS AND THEY DO NOT KNOW THAT YOU WILL SEE OUT OF DOZEN BALLOONS FLYING EVERY MORNING. WE DO A LOT OF WORK TO TRY AND GET YOUNG PILOTS INTO THE SPORT. IT IS NOT QUITE AN ACCESSIBLE SPORT, AS PEOPLE DO NOT REALLY KNOW THAT THEY CAN JOIN A CLUB AND TRYING TO BECOME A PILOT OR A CREWMEMBER. WE TRY AND DO TRICKS SUCH AS SCHOOLS AND VISITS TO GET KIDS INVOLVED. YOU ARE GETTING ME EXCITED. I THINK I HAVE A SECOND CAREER PATH PERHAPS. EVERY MORNING FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MORNINGS, THEY WILL BE TAKING OFF FROM HERE AT 7 AM. ALL THIS SATURDAY, THE BIGGEST NIGHT OUT IN HAMILTON. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON. THANK YOU SO MUCH, LUCY. IT IS A SHAME THAT THE WIND IS NOT PLAYING BALL. HAVING LIVED IN HAMILTON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS BEFORE I MOVED HERE TO AUCKLAND, THAT IS SPECTACULAR. IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THESE BALLOONS, USUALLY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, IT IS JUST GORGEOUS. I WOULD NOT GET IN ONE MYSELF. NO, I THINK I MIGHT BE LIKE YOU. IT LOOKS AMAZING. LOOK AT IT. FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, YOU SAID ABOUT, AND WE'RE TALKING DOZENS, NOT JUST A FEW. AS IF HAMILTON WAS NOT GREAT ENOUGH ALREADY. HAMILTON, CITY OF THE FUTURE. NO, SORRY, CITY OF NOW. STILL TO COME THIS MORNING ` WHY THE DAYS OF FLIGHTS BEING CANCELLED DUE TO FOG DISRUPTION COULD SOON BE A THING OF THE PAST. ALSO AHEAD ` A MAORI-LED INITIATIVE IS RACING TO BUY A SACRED MAUNGA IN HAWKE'S BAY. HOW MUCH IT NEEDS TO RAISE TO GET IT BACK. PLUS ` HOW WETA WORKSHOP'S TAKEN WELLINGTON'S FUR SEALS FROM THE COASTLINE TO SCREEN TIME. EH? LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. IT'S 8 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI RAISED A FEW EYEBROWS DURING A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON. AFTER HE CALLED OUT 'ANTI-INDIA ACTIVITIES' DERIVING FROM WHAT HE CLAIMED WERE 'SOME ILLEGAL ELEMENTS' IN NEW ZEALAND. 1 NEWS POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN IS ON THE GROUND AND FILED THIS REPORT. PRIME MINISTERS MODI AND LUXON JOINTLY STATED THEIR ABSOLUTE CONDEMNATION FOR TERRORISM IN ALL FORMS. THEY HIGHLIGHTED THE MUMBAI ATTACK IN 2008 AS WELL AS THE CHRISTCHURCH MOSQUE ATTACK SIX YEARS AGO, BUT THEN MODI WENT ON TO DISCUSS ANTI-INDIA ACTIVITIES HE SAID WAS COMING OUT OF NEW ZEALAND, SAYING THAT THEY WERE ILLEGAL. IT'S BELIEVED THIS IS IN RELATION TO THE KHALISTAN MOVEMENT, WHICH CRITICS ARGUE IS A SEPARATIST MOVEMENT BASED ON SIKH RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. NOW, PRIME MINISTER MODI SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT INDIA WOULD RECEIVE THE SUPPORT OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT IN TAKING ACTION AGAINST THIS, BUT CHRISTOPHER LUXON TOLD MEDIA AFTERWARDS THAT WHILE NEW ZEALAND SUPPORTS INDIA'S SOVEREIGNTY, THERE IS A THING IN NEW ZEALAND CALLED FREE SPEECH AND HE DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT ANY ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES HAD TAKEN PLACE TO DATE. THE ACT PARTY HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL ENTER LOCAL ELECTIONS THIS OCTOBER FOR THE FIRST TIME. PARTY LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS HE'S NOW SEEKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO STAND UNDER THE ACT BANNER. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO BRING HIS PARTY'S STRONG VALUES TO COUNCILS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND I BELIEVE IT HAS STRONG BRANDS ON THOSE VALUES OF SAVING MONEY, LETTING PEOPLE BE FREE TO CHOOSE, AND TREATING PEOPLE EQUALLY. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, 'I WANT SOMEONE LIKE THAT IN MY COMMUNITY, 'SO THAT WHEN I TICK THE BOX FOR MY LOCAL COUNCIL, 'I KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING.' THE PARTY IS NOT LOOKING TO STAND MAYORAL CANDIDATES. PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS IN THE CAPITAL ARE BEING WARNED OF POSSIBLE DISRUPTION AS BUS DRIVERS ATTEND A UNION MEETING. METLINK IS URGING PASSENGERS TO PLAN AHEAD FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN 10am AND 1.30pm WHEN THE MEETING TAKES PLACE. 10 ROUTES COULD BE AFFECTED, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SERVICES TO BE CANCELLED. UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED ON THE METLINK APP AND WEBSITE. RORY MCILROY HAS CLAIMED THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE AFTER DEFEATING JJ SPAUN IN A THREE-HOLE PLAY-OFF. THE NORTHERN IRISHMAN DOMINATED THE PLAY-OFF, TAPPING IN A BIRDIE ON THE 16TH, WHILE HIS AMERICAN OPPONENT HIT THE WATER FOR A TRIPLE BOGEY ON THE 17TH. THIS ONE LOOKS A LITTLE HEAVY... FLOATING. (CROWD GROANS LOUDLY) OHH... IT'S MCILROY'S SECOND PLAYERS' TITLE. HE'LL TAKE HOME MORE THAN $7.7 MILLION IN PRIZE MONEY. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. A CLOUDY AND WINDY DAY FOR MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TURNING TO RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND. HOWEVER, A FINE START FOR THOSE ALONG THE EAST COAST BEFORE TURNING CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. 26 THE HIGH FOR AUCKLAND. 20 FOR THE CAPITAL. FOR THOSE IN THE SOUTH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR BROLLIES READY, AS RAIN AND WIND IS EXPECT FOR MOST OF YOU HERE. FOR NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 22 THE HIGH FOR CHRISTCHURCH. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. THANKS, CHRIS. FOG CAN BRING AIRPORTS TO A STANDSTILL ` FLIGHTS DELAYED, PASSENGERS STRANDED, SCHEDULES THROWN OFF TRACK, BUT ONE COMPANY MAY HAVE A SOLUTION. PYPER VISION HAS CREATED AN ADVANCED FOG FORECASTING SYSTEM 150% MORE ACCURATE THAN CURRENT METHODS, AND IT'S NOW ABOUT TO TRIAL IT WITH AIR NEW ZEALAND. EMILY BLYTHE FROM PYPER VISION JOINS ME NOW. SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. THIS IS EXCITING. WE KNOW IT IS A MAJOR ISSUE. TELL ME ABOUT THE MAJOR DISRUPTIONS THAT FOG CAN CAUSE FOR AEROPLANES. WHEN THE FOG FORMS, WE CANNOT GET THE TRAFFIC THERE AT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME. AVIATION WAS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF A NEED OF VISIBILITY. WE HAVE AIRPORTS THAT HAVE AUTO LAND SYSTEMS IN PLACE, BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE OPERATING, YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL SEPARATION BETWEEN TRAFFIC THAT HAS TO TAKE OFF AND LAND OR TAXI AROUND THE AIRFIELD. YOU ARE FEELING THE DISRUPTION THERE AS WELL, SO NO ONE CAN OPERATE AT FULL CAPACITY, AND THAT IS THE CRIES OF THE PROBLEM WE WANT TO SOLVE THERE. ON THE FORECASTING FRONT, 70% OF FOG FORECASTS ARE WRONG. THOSE ARE DISRUPTIONS THAT DO NOT NEED TO OCCUR. HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM BY 150%? WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW THAT TRADITIONAL METHODS DID NOT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION? WE HAVE GOT SIX YEARS OF RESEARCH BEHIND US, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. AND WE ARE USING MACHINE LEARNING, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT A SPECIFIC AIRPORT FOG TRENDS, AND TRAIN ON HISTORICAL DATA AS WELL AS SIMILAR SITES TO IT, AND WITH OUR FUTURE ENGINEERING, WE ARE ABLE TO DETECT OR PUT IN SOME FUTURE POINT IS THAT WOULD NOT GET PUT IN WHEN FORECASTING FOG. SO WE CAN PROVIDE A FORECAST THAT LOOKS AT WHAT OTHER CHANGES EVERY MINUTE FOR THE NEXT FOUR HOURS AHEAD, WHICH IS A LEVEL OF CERTAINTY THAT AVIATION HAS NOT HAD BEFORE. THERE IS A LOT THAT GOES ON BEHIND-THE-SCENES THAT WE AS PASSENGERS DO NOT KNOW OR DO NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND APART FROM THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DELAYED BY FOG, SO IN TERMS OF HOW WE MIGHT SEE THIS NEW IMPROVEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY, HOW WILL WE FEEL AND SEE THAT? HOPEFULLY IT WILL MEAN FEWER DISRUPTIONS FOR THE PASSENGER, SO YOU'RE ONLY REALLY GETTING DISRUPTED WHEN THERE IS ACTUAL FOG. IDEALLY, WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN COMMUNICATE WITH POSSIBLE DELAYS COULD OCCUR TO YOU SO THAT BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE, YOU KNOW THAT YOU COULD MAYBE SPEND ANOTHER HOUR HOME BEFORE YOU GO TO THE AIRPORT. THIS IS CURRENTLY BEING TRIED WITH THE AIR NEW ZEALAND. YES, AND IT WILL RUN FOR SIX MONTHS. THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THAT IS FOCUSED ON GETTING THE CERTIFICATION IN PLACE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO ACT. YOU WILL NOT SEE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE FIRST THREE MONTHS AS WE GET ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS IN PLACE, BUT FOLLOWING THAT, IT WILL BE STARTING TO IMPACT FLIGHTS AROUND NEW ZEALAND. YOU ARE LOOKING AT TAKING THIS TECHNOLOGY GLOBALLY AS WELL. WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH LONDON CITY AIRPORT OVER IN THE UK, AND THEY ARE LEADING A TRIAL OVER THERE, WHICH WILL LAUNCH WITH THEIR FOG SEASON AROUND SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR. WE WILL BE LOOKING TO TAKE THE STANDARD OF CERTIFICATION WE HAVE HERE IN NEW ZEALAND AND MAKE SURE THAT MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND TRANSITION IT INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. IT IS GREAT THAT YOU ARE DOING THIS HERE IN NEW ZEALAND. IN TERMS OF THAT TECHNOLOGY, IN TERMS OF WHAT YOUR VISION IS, WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS KIND OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE FUTURE? WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT WE ELIMINATE ALL FOG DISRUPTIONS, AND TODAY WE ARE DOING THAT WITH BETTER FOG FORECASTING THAT WILL ADDRESS ABOUT 58% OF THE TOTAL FOG. BUT WE WANT TO GENERATE THE VISIBILITY THAT YOU NEED AROUND FOG. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? TO START WITH, WE WILL BE USING DRONES AND A HYGROSCOPIC APPROACH. WHAT WILL IT WITH THAT IS THAT THE WAY THAT FOG IS FORMING TO DATE IS ULTIMATELY CHANGING. WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE COULD DEPLOY THAT TODAY, AND WE WANT TO KNUCKLE BACK INTO THE CORE VALUES AND SUSTAINABILITY INCOME UP WITH A WAY THAT CAN SUSTAIN FOR MANY FUTURE GENERATIONS MOVING FORWARD. WE'LL BE USING THE FORECASTING MODELS AND THE DATA WE COLLECT TODAY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND FOG AT A LOCAL LEVEL AND THEN SET REQUIREMENTS FOR BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY SOME THAT COULD GENERATE THIS LONGER TERM. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT TECHNOLOGY IS AWAY? NOTHING LIKE THIS HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE. I WOULD BE HOPING TO SEE TRIALS COMING IN SORT OF 3 TO 4 YEARS TIME. EXCELLENT. ALL THE BEST. YOUR SUCCESS MEANS EVERYBODY SUCCESS, REALLY. SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. CONGRATULATIONS. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE HOW THE SIX MONTH TRIAL WITH AIR NEW ZEALAND GOES. ME U TONU MAI ` SINGER SONGWRITER MAYA PIATA BRINGS HER SUNSHINE SOUL TO THE BREAKFAST STUDIO. SHE'S PERFORMING LIVE NEXT. (UPBEAT MUSIC) (RELAXED MUSIC) A TASTER FOR YOU THERE. THE ARTIST IS IN STUDIO FOR YOU. WE WILL HEAR FROM HER SHORTLY. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` AIRBNB OWNERS IN THE CAPITAL COULD FACE AN ENORMOUS HIKE IN EXPENSES AS THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS TREATING THEIR PROPERTIES LIKE COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. ALSO IN WELLINGTON ` PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS ARE BEING WARNED OF POSSIBLE DISRUPTION AS BUS DRIVERS ATTEND A UNION MEETING. AND ACTING PRIME MINISTER, DAVID SEYMOUR, IS CONFIDENT THE COUNTRY WILL SEE FEWER PEOPLE ON JOB SEEKER SUPPORT BENEFITS, DESPITE THE LATEST FIGURES FROM THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. NOW WE'RE HEADING BACK TO THE '80s, WITH THE HELP OF THE TVNZ ARCHIVE. IT WAS A TIME WHEN THE BLUE LIGHT DISCO WAS A BRAND-NEW INITIATIVE BY THE NEW ZEALAND POLICE. THE DRUG- AND ALCOHOL-FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS STILL RUN TODAY, BUT WHEN THEY STARTED OUT IN 1985, THEY WERE SUCH A HIT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY WERE ALMOST TOO POPULAR FOR THEIR OWN GOOD. TAKE A LOOK. NO MORE TICKETS. I'M SORRY. WE CAN'T LET ANY MORE IN TONIGHT. THE TICKETS SOLD OUT IN RECORD TIME, AND ABOUT 100 KIDS HAD TO BE TURNED AWAY. ONE UNLUCKY DAD HAD COME FROM LEVIN WITH HIS SON, ONLY TO FIND THERE WERE NO TICKETS LEFT. WE NEED SOME $1 NOTES HERE. I JUST CAN'T LET ANY MORE IN. 50 MILES DRIVE. I'M SORRY. THE FACT THAT THE DISCOS ARE CONTROLLED BY THE LOCAL POLICE DOESN'T BOTHER THE KIDS; SOME EVEN WELCOME THE POLICE PRESENCE. I'M NOT REALLY GONNA DO ANYTHING BAD OR ANYTHING. THEY DON'T TAKE MUCH PART IN IT REALLY; THEY JUST KEEP ORDER AND THAT, SO IT'S QUITE GOOD. AND THE ORGANISER OF THE DISCO, SGT LAURIE, SAYS THE DANCES HAVE HELPED RELATIONS BETWEEN COPS AND KIDS. WELL, MOST OF THE POLICE THAT ARE HERE ARE OFF DUTY, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S... MADE THE KIDS REALISE THAT WE'VE GOT A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S BEEN HELPFUL NOT ONLY TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT TO THE POLICE AS WELL, I THINK. INSIDE THE HALL, HUNDREDS OF SWEATY BODIES DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY TO THE LATEST ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC, ALTHOUGH AT LEAST ONE YOUNG RANGER BROUGHT ALONG AN ALTERNATIVE. # I LOVE ROCK AND ROLL. # PUT ANOTHER DIME IN THE JUKEBOX, BABY. MOST OF THE KIDS SAID THEY'D BE BACK FOR ANOTHER BLUE LIGHT RAGE. IT JUST GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO GET OUT AND HAVE FUN. IT'S REALLY GOOD. THE MUSIC'S REALLY GOOD. AND THERE'S... I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A REALLY GOOD ATMOSPHERE. CHOICE. OH, I JUST COME DOWN AND DANCE AND MEET SOME GIRLS. AND SGT LAURIE SAID THE FUTURE OF THE DANCES WOULD DEPEND ON THE KIDS. WE'LL BE JUDGED BY WHETHER OR NOT THE YOUNG PEOPLE STILL WANT TO COME. WE'RE PREPARED TO STOP IF THEY WANT US TO STOP, BUT WE'RE PREPARED TO CONTINUE IF THEY WANT US TO CONTINUE. THE MONTHLY BLUE LIGHT DISCOS BEGAN IN LOWER HUT LATE LAST YEAR, AND HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE POLICE HOPED. HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE TURN UP TO THE DANCES, AND THERE'S FEW, IF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEM. BUT MANY HAVE HAD TO BE TURNED AWAY. AND THAT, SAYS SR SGT LAURIE, IS IS WHERE THE TROUBLE LIES. LAST ONE IN FEBRUARY, WE HAD TO TURN NEARLY 400 YOUNG PEOPLE AWAY, COS WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED A THOUSAND INSIDE THE HALL. THOSE ARE THE LIMITS THAT THE AUTHORITIES PUT ON THEM. AND SOME PARENTS WERE DROPPING THE YOUNG PEOPLE OFF AND MAKING NO ARRANGEMENTS UNTIL` TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM UNTIL 11. AND, OF COURSE, THEY WERE LEFT SITTING ON THE GRASS OUTSIDE. AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THERE WERE SOME BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO SOME PROPERTY OUTSIDE THE HALL. AND THAT'S VERY DISCONCERTING TO US, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING THE BLAME FOR THAT. HE SAYS THE POLICE CAN GUARANTEE THE SAFETY AND BEHAVIOUR OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE INSIDE THE HALL, BUT ALTHOUGH THEY MAKE REGULAR CHECKS OUTSIDE, THEY CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS THERE. HE SAYS PARENTS MUST STOP TREATING THE POLICE LIKE BABYSITTERS. THE PARENTS, HE SAYS, MUST CHECK WHETHER OR NOT THEIR CHILDREN ACTUALLY GET INTO THE DISCO BEFORE LEAVING THEM THERE FOR THE NIGHT. HE SAYS THE POLICE ARE PLEASED THE DANCES ARE SO POPULAR, BUT THE ACTIONS OF A FEW PARENTS ARE MAKING IT DIFFICULT. WHEN YOU TAKE SOME NEW ORLEANS CREOLE, ADD IN NGATI TUWHARETOA WHAKAPAPA, MIX WITH A DASH OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN, YOU'RE BOUND TO PRODUCE A PRETTY UNIQUE. SINGER-SONGWRITER AND THAT THE CASE WITH MAYA PIATA, WHO'S HERITAGE AND MUSICAL LINEAGE IS ABOUT AS EXOTIC AS IT GETS. SHE'S TRAVELLED FROM HER HOME IN THE U.S. TO PERFORM FOUR SHOWS AT THE AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL, AND SHE JOINS US NOW. GOOD MORNING. MORENA. IT MUST BE SO NICE TO BE BACK. YOUR PARENTS ARE BOTH PERFORMERS. ABSOLUTELY. MUM WAS A PRINCESS AND DAD WAS A SOLDIER. 30 YEARS LATER, WE'RE BACK HERE. THIS IS SUCH AN AWESOME MIX. WHERE IS HOME FOR YOU? EARTH. I AM HERE IN AOTEAROA. NEW ORLEANS IS HOME. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN DALLAS, TEXAS. I KNOW JENNY-MAY HAS BEEN TO NEW ORLEANS, AND SHE LOVED IT. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PLEASURE, BUT IT FEELS LIKE YOU GET THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY DANCING ON THE STREET. DID YOU GET YOUR VOICE FROM ` MUM OR DAD? MUM. I GOT THE RIZZ FROM DADDY. HOW DO YOU DRAW ON THE DIFFERENT CULTURAL EXPERIENCES? I THINK THAT WITH THE MAORI PEOPLE HAVING NEW SECOND SONG BEFORE A WRITTEN LANGUAGE TO COMMUNICATE OUR STORY AND HISTORY, THAT IS HOW I TURN MY EMOTIONS AND MY EXPERIENCES INTO SONG. MUSIC IS MEDICINE AND FOOD FOR ME. IT IS THEREFORE ME WHEN WORDS ESCAPE ME. DO YOU GET PEOPLE ASKING YOU OVER IN THE STATES ABOUT THE MAORI HERITAGE OF YOURS? WHAT IS THE REACTION TO IT? A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE STATE, ESPECIALLY IN TEXAS, NOT SO FAMILIAR. WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT I AM MAORI, THEY SAY, YOU DO THE HAKA. AND I AM LIKE, YES, BASICALLY. BUT I AM REALLY EXCITED, AND I AM HAPPY TO REPRESENT AND SHARE MY CULTURE EVERYWHERE THAT I GO, AND I PRAY THAT I REPRESENT WELL. I AM SURE YOU DO THAT. WHEN YOU COME BACK TO NEW ZEALAND, WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO? I LIKE TO BE WITH MY WHANAU. I LIKE TO GO ON MY MOUNTAIN. AND I LOVE TO BE IN THE WATER AND JUST SOAK UP THIS AMAZING NATURE, THE WEATHER, AND I LIKE TO GROUND AND PUT MY FEET IN THE GROUND, AND HAVE AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE. WHAT ARE WE TALKING? TRADITIONAL KIWIFRUIT? IN NEW ORLEANS, IT IS FAMOUS FOR ITS FOOD. I AM ALL ABOUT FOOD. MUSIC IS A PATHWAY TO TRAVEL AND EAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. YOU MEET BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AS WELL. YESTERDAY, I HAD THREE MINCE PIES. THAT IS TRUE BLUE KIWI. I FEEL THAT. YOU GET TO SEE FAMILY WHEN YOU ARE HERE? ABSOLUTELY. THE WHANAU WILL BE COMING TO THE ARTS FESTIVAL. I AM EXCITED TO SEE OUR CHIEF AND MY UNCLE, ALL OF MY COUSINS, MY AUNTS. EVERYBODY. IT IS SO OVERWHELMING. I HAVE SO MUCH JOY. MANY SHOWS ARE YOU DOING? THERE ARE FOUR SHOWS. TONIGHT, TOMORROW, WILL BE AT WAIHEKE ISLAND. THEN WE WILL BE AN AOTEA SQUARE AND THEN MANGERE. THIS SONG IS A SONG THAT I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. ONCE I SHARED IT, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO OTHERS AS WELL BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THIS, THEY LISTEN TO THE WORDS, AND THEY DECIDE TO SEIZE THEIR DAY, SEES THEIR DREAMS, AND TAKE ACTION TO GO FORTH AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR WAY TOWARDS THEIR DREAM, CREATE THEIR DREAM LIFE AND REALLY LIVE IN IT. THAT IS A VERY POWERFUL THING. GOOD LUCK FOR YOUR SHOWS COMING UP. ENJOY THE ARTS FESTIVAL, AND TAKE IT AWAY. THANKS, CHRIS. # I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY TIME # WITH MY NOSE IN THE CREVICE OF THESE PARKS. # I'VE SPENT MOST MY TIME # BEHIND THESE GLASSES # TOO AFRAID TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WORLD # AROUND ME. # BECAUSE IT IS STILL CRAZY OUT THERE. # NO SCHOOL COULD PREPARE ME FOR WHAT I AM UP AGAINST. # WHAT I AM BOUND TO FACE. # I HAVE SPENT MOST MY LIFE # AT A DESK # AND I DO NOT WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE THERE. # NOW I CAN TASTE IT ON THE TIPS OF MY TEETH # I CAN FEEL IT ALL AROUND ME. # SOMETHING IS CHANGING. # I AM CHANGING. # OH, CHANGE # IS GONNA COME. # AS IT UP TO US # WHO WILL STAY, WHO WILL RUN FROM THE CHANGE # COMING FAST. # SO LET'S MAKE IT LAST # FOR TODAY BECOMES THE PAST. # HEY # HEY. # I'VE SPENT MOST MY LIFE # WITH MY EYES ON THE GROUND # WHEN I WALK. # I CANT COUNTER THE TIMES THAT I'VE STARTED WHEN IT WAS MY TURN TO TALK. # ALL EYES ARE ON ME. # MAN, IT'S SO CRAZY OUT THERE. # NO SCHOOL COULD PREPARE ME # FOR WHAT I AM BOUND TO FACE. # WHAT I WILL BE UP AGAINST. # I'VE BEEN PARALYSED AND AFRAID. # I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE SCARED. # NO. # I CAN TASTE IT ON THE TIPS OF MY TEETH. # I CAN FEEL IT AROUND ME. # SOMETHING IS CHANGING # I AM CHANGING. # OH, CHANGE IS GOING TO COME. # YES, IT IS UP TO US # WHO WILL STAY, WHO WILL RUN FROM OUR CHANGE. # IT IS COMING FAST. # SO LET'S MAKE IT LAST # FOR TODAY BECOMES THE PAST. I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER. # SO KEEP ON MOVING # ON WORD FOR WORD # KEEP ON MOVING ON. # KEEP ON MOVING # ONWARD FORWARD. # KEEP ON MOVING ON, I SAID, # KEEP ON MOVING ON. # ON. # ON. # OH, CHANGE # IS GONNA COME # YES, IT'S UP TO US # WHO WILL STAY AND WHO WILL RUN # FROM THE CHANGE. # IT'S COMING FAST. # SO LET'S MAKE IT LAST. # FOR TODAY BECOMES OUR PAST. # (APPLAUSE) ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. # WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL THIS LATE NIGHT TALKING. POLICE ARE URGING THE PUBLIC TO COME FORWARD AFTER SHOTS WERE FIRED TOWARDS A PUB IN A GANG-RELATED INCIDENT NORTH OF WAIROA. OFFICERS WERE CALLED TO THE FRASERTOWN TAVERN JUST AFTER 11 O'CLOCK ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THE TAVERN WAS OPEN WITH SEVERAL PATRONS INSIDE AT THE TIME, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. POLICE ARE SEEKING SIGHTINGS OF A WHITE HATCHBACK VEHICLE. FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS HAS DISCUSSED THE UNITED STATES' CUTS TO AID IN THE PACIFIC, WITH THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE DIRECTOR TODAY IN WASHINGTON D.C TODAY. WINSTON PETERS IS IN THE UNITED STATES TO DISCUSS GLOBAL ISSUES AND TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH THE GLOBAL POWER. NUMEROUS AID PROJECTS HAVE COME TO A HALT IN THE PACIFIC SINCE A FREEZE ON THE U.S. OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMme SINCE A FREEZE ON THE U.S. OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WAS ANNOUNCED TWO MONTHS AGO. THE DECISIONS ON THAT ARE BEING MADE IN MID-APRIL, AND WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL THEN, BUT THEY GET OUR POINT OF VIEW IN TERMS OF HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS IN THE BLUE ECONOMY, OR THE PACIFIC, SO TO SPEAK, AND WHAT OUR ROLE SHOULD BE IN IT. THE FOREIGN MINISTER WILL HAVE DINNER WITH STAFF IN TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION THIS EVENING. HE ARRIVES BACK IN NEW ZEALAND ON FRIDAY. THE U.S. HAS CONTINUED ITS AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN, TARGETING THE HOUTHI REBELS AS SUPPORTERS TOOK TO THE STREETS IN PROTEST. THE LATEST ROUND OF STRIKES HAS KILLED AT LEAST 53 PEOPLE. MEANWHILE, U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO EXPLICITLY LINK THE GROUP TO IRAN, SAYING IRAN WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF THE HOUTHIS TAKE FURTHER ACTION. CANADA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY HAS MET WITH KING CHARLES AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN HIS FIRST OVERSEAS TRIP SINCE SUCCEEDING JUSTIN TRUDEAU. THE MEETING IS A SYMBOLIC SHOW OF SUPPORT AT A TIME OF FRAUGHT U.S.-CANADIAN RELATIONS, WITH AMERICAN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP INSTIGATING A TRADE WAR AND CALLING FOR CANADA TO BECOME THE 51ST STATE. CARNEY IS ALSO EXPECTED TO MEET WITH UK PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER. THE BLACK FERNS SEVENS ARE APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC TO HELP FIND A MISSING TRAILER FULL OF GEAR. JORJA MILLER POSTING THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA LAST NIGHT, ALLEGING THE TRAILER WAS STOLEN FROM BLAKE PARK IN MT MAUNGANUI LAST TUESDAY. SHE SAID IT WAS PACKED WITH VITAL TRAINING EQUIPMENT THAT THEY RELY ON AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE FINAL TOURNAMENTS OF THE 2025 WORLD SERIES. AND FINALLY, A BULGARIAN FOOTBALL CLUB HAS BEEN FORCED TO APOLOGISE AFTER MISTAKENLY MOURNING THE DEATH OF AN EX-PLAYER WHO TURNED OUT TO BE ALIVE. ARDA KARDZHALI BOWED THEIR HEADS AND HELD A MINUTE'S SILENCE FOR THEIR FORMER PLAYER PETKO GANCHEV, WHO THEY THOUGHT HAD DIED. BUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE GAME, THE CLUB ISSUED AN APOLOGY ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE, SAYING THEY'D RECEIVED INCORRECT INFORMATION AND GANCHEV WAS, IN FACT, STILL ALIVE. THE MATCH ENDED 1-1. OH DEAR. . THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT. I LOVE HOW THEY PUT OUT OF A STATEMENT, WE WISH HIM MANY GOOD YEARS OF HEALTH. YOU HAVE GOT TO FEEL FOR THEM. GOOD NEWS. GOT TO TAKE THE POSITIVES. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. A CLOUDY AND WINDY DAY FOR MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS TURNING TO RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND. HOWEVER, A FINE START FOR THOSE ALONG THE EAST COAST BEFORE TURNING CLOUDY IN THE AFTERNOON. 26 THE HIGH FOR AUCKLAND. 20 FOR THE CAPITAL. FOR THOSE IN THE SOUTH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO GET YOUR BROLLIES READY, AS RAIN AND WIND IS EXPECTED FOR MOST OF YOU HERE. MAY BE JUST FORGET THE UMBRELLA IF IT IS GOING TO BE WINDY. JUST GET YOUR COAT OUT. FOR NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 22 THE HIGH FOR CHRISTCHURCH. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. A CHRISTCHURCH AUTHOR IS RELEASING A NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK TODAY TITLED 'VIOLET AND THE VELVET'. THE BOOK IS PART OF A BRAND NEW SERIES INSPIRED BY AUTHOR RACHAEL KING'S PERSONAL LIFE. WE SENT OUR REPORTER CHARLOTTE MULDER DOWN TO SEE WHAT THIS CONNECTION IS. MORENA, CHARLOTTE. MORNING, TEAM, YES, WE ARE FEATURING THIS BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN'S BOX, WHICH IS COMING OUT TODAY. I AM IN THE LIONS DEN OF THE AUTHOR. HOW ARE YOU RACHEL? PERFECT. START OFF BY TALKING ABOUT YOUR BOOK, IT IS NOT A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO YOU, DO YOU WANT TO START OFF BY TELLING US ABOUT IT? VIOLET AND THE VELVETS AT THE CASE OF THE MISSING STUFF IS THE FIRST IN THE SERIES. IT IS ABOUT A SCHOOL ROCK BAND THAT SOLVES MYSTERIES AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE BAND CHANCE, EDITION, WHICH IS KIND OF LIKE OUR BAND QUEST. THE FIRST BOOK IS WHEN THEY COMPETE TO REPRESENT THEIR SCHOOL IN BAND CHANCE. THEN THEY GO TO THE REGIONALS, THEN THE INTERNATIONALS. IT IS QUITE A COOL IDEA. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO THIS? I WENT TO A BAND QUEST COMPETITION WITH MY SON WHEN HE WAS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL, AND I NOTICED THAT OF ALL THE KIDS THAT CAME ACROSS THE STAGE, MOST OF THE GIRLS WERE SINGING, AND MOST OF THE BOYS WERE PLAYING INSTRUMENTS, AND I JUST THOUGHT, THERE IS A REAL GAP HERE. WHY OUR SCHOOL AGE GIRLS NOT PICKING UP INSTRUMENT, AND IS THERE SOMETHING I CAN DO ABOUT THAT? I PLAYED IN BANDS THAT I WAS A TEENAGER. I STARTED PLAYING BASS GUITAR WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, AND I HAD A GO, I WAS PLAIN FOR SIX WEEKS WHEN I HAD MY FIRST GIG. SO I THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE A BOOK TO ENCOURAGE KIDS NOT TO BE PERFECTIONIST, BUT TO START A BAND WITH YOUR FRIENDS, BECAUSE THAT IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN. I ALSO WANTED TO WRITE A BOOK THAT WAS ACCESSIBLE FOR MAYBE RELUCTANT READERS. MY OTHER CHILDREN'S BOOKS ARE REALLY QUITE DENSE, IF IT MORE COMPLEX, AND THIS ONE IS A BIT MORE FUN. IT IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE AMAZING PHOEBE MORRIS. IT IS A REALLY INVITING BOOK. IT IS A SHORT WALK, IT IS ABOUT 1/3 OF THE SIZE OF MY LAST BOOK. IT IS A REALLY GREAT THING THAT CAN SHOUT OUT TO KIDS FROM THE LIBRARY SHELF, PICK ME, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS REALLY GOOD TO GET KIDS READING FOR PLEASURE, SO I REALLY WANTED TO WRITE A JOYOUS, FUN BOOK ABOUT GIRLS ROCKING OUT. IT IS SO AWESOME. THIS IS NOT YOUR FIRST CHILDREN'S BOOK. AS YOU SAID, YOU HAVE DONE OTHER CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN THE PAST, WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN ABOUT? MY LAST TWO WERE MORE ABOUT FANTASY AND MAGIC REALISM AND THEY INCORPORATED SCOTTISH FOLKLORE. THE FIRST ONE I WROTE WAS RED ROCKS, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN RELEASED AS A TV SERIES, THE SECRETS OF RED ROCKS, I AM NATURALLY LAUNCHING TWO BOOKS THIS WEEK. MY NEXT ONE WAS THE GREMMELINGS ABOUT A KELPIE, WHICH IS A WATER HORSE, WHICH IS A BIT SCARY, SO I LOVE WRITING THAT BOOK. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY. GOT TO BOOK LAUNCHES, AND I WANTED TO QUICKLY AS A LAST QUESTION, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE A SIDING WITH A USA BOOK PUBLISHING COMPANY WITH THOSE TWO BOX. CAN YOU TELL IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SIMON & SCHUSTER WHO ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST BOOK PUBLISHING COMPANIES IN THE WORLD, THEY HAVE SIGNED A TWO BOOK DEAL. MY NEXT BOOK IS A YOUNG ADULT BOOK WHICH WILL COME OUT IN SIMULTANEOUSLY AND THE UK AND NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA IN MAY NEXT YEAR, WITH MY NEW ZEALAND PUBLISHER. BEST OF LUCK WITH THAT. THANKS TO HAVING US HERE TODAY. IT COMES OUT IN ALL BOOKSTORES? YES, ALL BOOKSTORES. IT COMES OUT TODAY, SO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK IT OUT, IT LOOKS REALLY, REALLY COOL. IT IS FOR THE GIRLS AS WELL. GET YOUR BANDS ON, GUYS. E WHAI AKE NEI ` A MAORI-LED INITIATIVE TRYING TO RAISE $12m TO BUY BACK A SACRED PIECE OF LAND. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS SAYS THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO REVERSE CUTS TO AID IN THE PACIFIC AFTER MEETING WITH THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE DIRECTOR TODAY IN WASHINGTON D.C. THE U.S HAS CONTINUED AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN TARGETING HOUTHIS REBELS, WHILE SUPPORTERS HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS IN PROTEST. TRUMP HAS NOW EXPLICITLY BLAMED IRAN FOR THE GROUP'S ACTIONS AND WARNED IT WILL 'SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES' OF FURTHER ATTACKS. AND VIGILS ARE BEING HELD FOR VICTIMS OF THE NORTH MACEDONIA NIGHT CLUB FIRE, WHICH KILLED 59 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 150 OTHERS. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS, KAHURANAKI STATION IS UP FOR SALE. SITTING ON THE SACRED KAHURANAKI MOUNTAIN IN SOUTHERN HAWKE'S BAY, IT HOLDS DEEP CULTURAL IMPORTANCE TO NGATI KAHUNGUNU AND THE WIDER REGION. IT'S WHY A MAORI-LED INITIATIVE IS RACING TO BUY IT. ORGANISER KELLY AROHA HUATA JOINS ME NOW. KAHURANAKI, KAHURANAKI? WHICH ONE? TOMMY ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS LAND, OF THIS MOUNTAIN? I SUPPOSE IT IS IN OUR DNA. THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE SPIRITUAL CONNECTED TO. IT IS A LANDMARK THAT WE ARE EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED TO. PEOPLE COME AND GO, BUT OUR LANDMARKS THAT WE RECITE IN OUR PEPEHA, THESE ARE LONG-STANDING. IT IS IMPORTANT TO US SO THAT OUR GRANDCHILDREN, OUR GENERATION STIR, NEVER HAVE TOO ASK FOR PERMISSION TO ACCESS SOMETHING THAT IS THEIR BIRTHRIGHT. HOWDEN COME TOGETHER SO QUICKLY? IF WE WANT SOMETHING, WE TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. WE ARE MORE I CAN, I CAN, I WILL, I WILL, BELIEVING IN OUR POTENTIAL. IT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE MESSAGING US SAYING THAT THE MOUNTAIN WAS UP FOR SALE AND YOU SHOULD TRY AND BUY IT. INSTANTLY, I WOULD SAY HOW MAORI I CONNECTED TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, WE SEE THINGS IN HERE THINGS ARE NOT IN THE PHYSICAL FORM, AND EVERYTHING WAS SAYING TO GO FOR IT, DON'T ASK FOR PERMISSION, JUST PRAY FOR IT LATER IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT. WE WENT FOR IT, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FUND IT OURSELVES, BUT WE DO HAVE A GENERATION THAT COLLECTIVELY WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO LAND BACK. SELF BELIEF BACK, MATAURANGA MAORI BACK. AND SO WE THOUGHT WE WILL NOT LET A DOLLAR FIGURE BE A BARRIER TO US. THAT IS WHERE IT WAS BORN OUT OF. WE WANT TO BE A GENERATION THAT SAYS WE TRIED OUR BEST. THE COMMUNITY MADE THE CALL TO YOU. HOW WAS THE COMMUNITY RESPONDED, NOW THAT YOU HAVE SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO THIS? THE COMMUNITY WAS SO HUMBLE. WHEN WE FIRST STARTED OUT OUR KAUPAPA, THAT IS THE PLATFORM THAT WE USE TO COLLECT OUR CROWDFUNDING, SO WHEN WE LAUNCHED IT, IT WAS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO MESSAGE, WE'VE GOT YOU. 40,000 PEOPLE ALL GIVE MONEY, WE HAVE GOT THIS. WITHIN FIVE SECONDS WE HAD OUR FIRST $300 DEPOSIT. EVERYONE FROM THERE, WE HAVE JUST BEEN GRATEFUL. $30,000 AT THE MOMENT, NOT FAR TO GO, WE'VE GOT A BIT OF MAHI TO GO. WE BELIEVE THIS. THIS IS NOT JUST A GENERATION DOING IT BY OURSELVES, BUT WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR IWI, JUST A COLLECTIVE EFFORT TO GET THIS MOUNTAIN BACK IN MAORI OWNERSHIP. THIS ISN'T LIMITED TO MAORI. THIS IS OPEN TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE. WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM VISION? THE LONG-TERM VISION IS FOR ALL PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT, BUT IN PARTICULAR, FOR THE DESCENDANTS OF THE MOUNTAIN TO FREELY ACCESS THAT SPACE FOR ALL OF US TO GO BACK AND VISIT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS KAUPAPA, PEOPLE THAT RECITE PEPEHA, HOW OFTEN HAVE THEY GONE TO VISIT THESE TRIBAL LANDMARKS? IT IS ALL ABOUT EDUCATIONAL MOVEMENTS. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT MAORI, IT IS ABOUT ALL PEOPLE HERE IN NEW ZEALAND TO CONTRIBUTE TO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT. I THINK THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US GETTING IT AND SOMEBODY ELSE IS HOW DEEP SUMMARIES POCKET WAS, AND I THINK WHY WOULD YOU WANT A PIECE OF LAND THAT YOU DON'T EVEN CARE FEEL CONNECTED TO ALL THAT HAS NO COMMERCIAL VALUE? BECAUSE FOR US, IT IS NOT ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL VALUE, IT IS ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL CONNECTION WE HAVE AND THE VALUE THAT IT IS GOING TO HAVE FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN. THAT'S WHAT IT IS FOR US. ALL PEOPLE, ALL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD, WE ARE CALLING THEM TO COME IN. WHERE CAN PEOPLE DONATE? ON INSTAGRAM. OUR LINK IS THERE. WE'VE GOT FUNDRAISERS, RAFFLE, SILENT AUCTIONS, SO IF YOU CAN'T DONATE TO THAT KAUPAPA, YOU MIGHT WANT TO DONATE SOMETHING FROM YOUR BUSINESS AND WE CAN AUCTION THAT OFFER OR RUFFLE THAT OFF, SO IT CAN, MANY FORMS, BUT IF YOU COME TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, WHICH IS, YOU CAN CONTACT US THERE AND WE WILL RESPOND VERY FAST. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. E WHAI AKE NEI ` A COMMON RESIDENT OF WELLINGTON'S SOUTH COAST IS NOW THE UNLIKELY STAR OF A NEW PRIME TIME TELEVISION SERIES. WELLINGTON REPORTER JAMES FLEURY IS AT WETA WORKSHOP TO FIND OUT MORE. MORENA, JAMES. MORNING, TIM, THIS IS A FANTASTIC SELKY. YOU WOULD USUALLY FIND AS ACROSS THE WELLINGTON COASTLINE, BUT WE ARE HERE AT THE WETA WORKSHOP COSTUME ROOM, SO MAKE SURE TO TUNE IN AFTER THE BREAK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RED ROCKS. (UPBEAT MUSIC) USUALLY SEEN SUNBATHING ALONG WELLINGTON'S RUGGED COASTLINE, FUR SEALS HAVE CALLED THE REGION HOME FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. NOW THEY'RE BEING RECOGNISED ON PRIMETIME TELEVISION IN A NEW SERIES THANKS TO WETA WORKSHOP'S WORLD-LEADING SKILL AND TECHNOLOGY. WELLINGTON REPORTER JAMES FLEURY IS AT WETA TO FIND OUT MORE. MORENA, JAMES. MORENA. WE ARE IN THE COSTUME ROOM, NOT AT THE RUGGED COASTLINE. NOT LIKE YOU WILL SEE IN RED ROCKS, WHICH IS OUT NOW. THESE SEALS ARE THE STARS OF THE SERIES, AND THEY HAVE GONE BACK TO USING PUPPETS. BUT TO FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, I AM JOINED BY ALISTAIR, WHO IS THE HEAD OF COSTUMING. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE SEALS AND THE PRODUCTION THAT WENT INTO THEM. WE HAVE GOT AN ADOLESCENT SEAL HERE, WHICH IS MADE SUPER CUTE, AND THEN THERE IS A LARGER ADULT CELL. THEY ARE MEANT TO BE A NEW ZEALAND FUR SEAL, BUT THESE ARE SLIGHTLY MORE LOVABLE. WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY AS DAVID, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR AND WRITER OF THIS PRODUCTION, HE GAVE US A BRIEF TO MAKE THESE AND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS WERE FOR THE PRODUCTION. THE SEALS HAD TO GO IN THE WATER AND ON THE BEACH, SO THEY HAD A PRETTY TOUGH LIFE. WE STARTED OFF WITH A 3D SCAN OF ACL, AND THEN WE TWEAKED IT IN THE COMPUTER TO MAKE IT A BIT MORE ADORABLE. WE THEN WORKED WITH THREE PRINTERS TO MAKE THE UNDER STRUCTURE FOR THE HEADS, AND WE RAN OUT FOAM TO ENABLE US TO DO HERE PUNCHING AND ALL OF THE LOVELY DETAILS IN THE FRONT, AND WE USED A SPECIAL FOAM ON THE BODIES WHICH DOES NOT SOAK UP WATER, SO WHEN THEY ARE ON THE SEA AND ON THE BEACH, THEY DO NOT BECOME GREAT WAITS FOR THE ACTORS TO ACTUALLY DRAG DOWN ON. SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT WITH THESE WAS THAT WE NEEDED SOMETHING FOR THE ACTORS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY AGAINST, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE A REALLY LIVE PERFORMANCE. AND YOU HAD TO BATTLE WITH THE SOUTH COAST OF WELLINGTON. HOW DID YOU ENSURE THAT THESE DID NOT DISINTEGRATE? WHAT SORT OF MATERIALS DID YOU HAVE TO USE? THE SPECIALTY FOAM IS ON THIS AND ALSO THE FUR IS A SYNTHETIC, AND WE HAVE COLOURED IT APPROPRIATELY TO THE SEALS. THERE ARE SOME HERE PUNCHING AND SOME TRANSFER AS WELL. INSIDE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS LAYERS OF MATERIAL, SO THAT STRUCTURE CAN SLIP AND MOVE TO GIVE SOME GOOD MOVEMENT. YOU HAVE QUITE A FUNNY STORY ABOUT WHILE YOU WERE FILMING THIS. DOG WAS CALLED. TELL US ABOUT THAT. WE WERE DOWN ON BREAK A JUST REHEARSAL IN, AND DOC TURNED UP. A NEIGHBOUR HAD CALLED THEM BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT WE WERE INTERFERING WITH THE SEALS. WE WERE JUST USING THESE. THAT IS FANTASTIC. IT IS VERY SOUTH COAST WELLINGTON. PROTECTING ALL OF THE WILDLIFE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS. DAVID, YOU OTHER DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER OF RED ROCKS. WHY DID YOU GET THE IDEA TO GO BACK TO PUPPETS? I HAVE BOYS LOVE THE IDEA OF DOING THINGS ON CAMERA RATHER THAN WITH DIGITAL EFFECTS, SO WE THOUGHT, LET'S DO IT WITH SECRETS OF RED ROCKS, AND ALSO LET'S GIVE THE ACTORS SOMETHING TO INTERACT WITH, BECAUSE THE ACTORS WERE QUITE YOUNG. THEY ARE KIDS. WHY NOT GIVE THEM A CREATURE IN THE SCENE WITH THEM TO INTERACT WITH, AND IT MIGHT CREATE SOME MORE TENSION AND SOME MORE FEAR IN THE BETTER PERFORMANCE, AND THAT IS WHAT WE GOT. IF PEOPLE WANT TO CHECK IT OUT, HOW CAN THEY DO SO? IT IS THE BEAUTIFUL WELLINGTON COASTLINE, NATIVE ANIMALS THAT ARE SHOWCASED. ALL NEW ZEALAND FAMILIES NEED TO SEE THE SHOW. IT IS FREE TO AIR ON SKY OPEN, AND YOU CAN STREAM IT ON NEON AS WELL. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WATCH IT. EVERYONE CAN HAVE AN ADVENTURE WITH JAKE AND HIS FRIENDS. IT HAS BEEN REALLY COOL HERE, AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB OPERATING THESE SEALS. A HUMAN ACTUALLY OPERATES THIS AS WELL. IT IS ALMOST LIKE A BODY SUIT, THIS LARGE ONE, WHERE AS THIS IS JUST A SMALL PUPPET. ARE YOU GOING TO GET INSIDE THERE, JAMES? I DO NOT KNOW IF I WOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT. JUST SAY NO, JAMES. IT IS FINE. I AM GOING TO SAY NO. I WILL DECLINE THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JAMES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMPANY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CATCHING UP WITH YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY DREW WELSH, MAIA CARR HEKE, TOM CLARKE AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025