TONIGHT ON 1 NEWS ` POPE FRANCIS IS LAID TO REST, HIS FUNERAL ATTENDED BY HIS PEOPLE ` PRINCES, PRIME MINISTERS, AND PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING THESE TWO. COULD THE PONTIFF'S FINAL PRAYERS FOR PEACE BEFORE HE DIED BE ANSWERED? CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. POPE FRANCIS HAS BEEN EULOGISED AS 'A POPE AMONG THE PEOPLE' ` WORLD LEADERS ` INCLUDING OUR PRIME MINISTER, CHRISTOPHER LUXON ` AMONG WHAT THE VATICAN ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN 250,000 MOURNERS AT THE PONTIFF'S FUNERAL, AND HE GOT HIS WISH ` TO BE REMEMBERED AS A SIMPLE PASTOR. ANOTHER 150,000 PEOPLE LINING THE STREETS, INCLUDING KIWIS WHO MADE THE JOURNEY TO GET A GLIMPSE OF THE POPE'S PROCESSION AS HIS BODY WAS DRIVEN TO THE BASILICA OF ST MARY MAJOR, WITH PRISONERS AND MIGRANTS WELCOMING HIS SIMPLE WOODEN COFFIN AT HIS FINAL RESTING PLACE. AFTER 12 YEARS AS LEADER OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, FRANCIS DIED AGED 88 ALMOST EXACTLY A WEEK AGO AFTER A STROKE AND HEART FAILURE. LET'S BRING IN EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON. AND, MEI, HEARTS FULL FOR FRANCIS'S FAREWELL? GOOD EVENING. INCREDIBLE SCENES HERE IN ROME. PEOPLE HAVEN'T GATHERED FOR A POPE'S FUNERAL LIKE THIS IN 20 YEARS AND WHAT IS INCREDIBLE IS THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL COMING TO THE SQUARE, THIS TIME TURNING UP FOR MORNING MASS. PEOPLE TURNING UP IN DROVES, HEADING UP TO THE FRONT FOR A GOOD SPOT BUT IS ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF WHO TURNED UP TO THE FOR THE FUNERAL. FOR MOST PEOPLE THIS WAS A MOMENT THEY COULD NOT MISS. (MOURNFUL CHORAL SINGING) REPRESENTING THE OPEN ARMS OF AN EMBRACE, ST PETER'S BASILICA'S CURVED COLONNADES COULDN'T CONTAIN THE SEA OF PEOPLE WHO CAME TO BID FAREWELL, THE CROWDS SPILLING ON TO THE STREETS OF THE ETERNAL CITY. (MOURNFUL CHORAL SINGING CONTINUES) MORE THAN A QUARTER OF A MILLION CAME ` CLERGY ON THE RIGHT LOOKING OUT, POLITICIANS AND ROYALTY ON THE LEFT; BUT ALSO INVITED AT POPE FRANCIS'S REQUEST, PRISONERS, MIGRANTS, AND TORTURE VICTIMS. (SPEAKS ITALIAN) TRANSLATOR: POPE FRANCIS INCESSANTLY RAISED HIS VOICE, IMPLORING PEACE AND CALLING FOR REASON AND HONEST NEGOTIATION TO FIND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. 'BUILD BRIDGES, NOT WALLS,' WAS AN EXHORTATION HE REPEATED MANY TIMES. THE POPE ALWAYS STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH WAR-TORN UKRAINE, HIS FUNERAL A SCENE FOR A MOMENT. SOME HAVE CALLED POPE FRANCIS'S MIRACLE. PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY CALLING IT POSITIVE WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BE HISTORIC. THE LAST TIME THESE TWO MET ENDED IN A FIERY EXCHANGE AT THE WHITE HOUSE. TODAY, TRUMP SAID HE NOW DOUBTS RUSSIA'S VLADIMIR PUTIN WANTS TO STOP THE WAR. (MOURNFUL CHORAL SINGING) PEACE IS WHAT POPE FRANCIS HAD DESPERATELY PRAYED FOR; HIS HUMILITY, WHAT HIS FAITHFUL ADORED. HIS COFFIN TODAY PLACED NOT ON A PLATFORM, BUT THE GROUND. ALTHOUGH ELEMENTS OF THE FUNERAL HAD BEEN SIMPLIFIED AT HIS REQUEST, THIS WAS STILL A SPECTACULAR SIGHT, LACED WITH RITUAL AND TRADITION. A FINAL BLESSING MARKING THE START OF HIS LAST JOURNEY TO HIS FAVOURITE SPOT, PAST FAMOUS LANDMARKS AND A CONVERTED POPEMOBILE. AS HE MAKES HIS WAY THROUGH THE CITY, THE CROWD IS BREAKING OUT IN RESPECTFUL APPLAUSE. IT IS CLEAR ` THIS IS A POPE OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, AND RIGHT TILL THE END, WANTED TO BE AMONG HIS PEOPLE. AND IT HAS BEEN PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR ME. LIKE, (SOBS) I MUST BE A LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT. HE HAS BEEN THE GREATEST POPE IN THE WORLD, I THINK. IT CERTAINLY DOES FEEL LIKE YOU'VE BEEN PART OF HISTORY TODAY, HEY? YEAH, 100%. I THINK BEING HERE FOR THE WEEKEND, IF I DIDN'T POP IN, MY MUM WOULD NEVER HAVE FORGIVEN ME. (BELL TOLLS, MOURNFUL CHORAL SINGING) THE FIRST POPE BURIED OUTSIDE THE VATICAN IN 120 YEARS BROUGHT EXTRA SECURITY MEASURES, THE NUMBER OF WORLD LEADERS ADDING TO THE COMPLICATION. FOR A WHILE, THERE WAS A CONCERN POLITICS COULD OVERSHADOW THE HOLY OCCASION, BUT MAYBE IT SHOULDN'T COME AS A SURPRISE THE ONE PERSON THAT COULD UNIFY WAS POPE FRANCIS. FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE PEOPLE CAME, YOUNG AND OLD, PEOPLE TRAVELLING FROM FAR, FROM MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO A NEWLY MINTED PILGRIM AS KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS REPORTS FROM THE CROWD. THE ETERNAL CITY SWAMPED WITH WELL-WISHERS, INCLUDING THE VICAR FOR MAORI, MANUEL BEAZLEY, AND HIS WHANAU. REALLY JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO POPE FRANCIS FOR THE HOPE THAT HE HAS BROUGHT TO THE WORLD AND TO THE CHURCH. HE MET THE POPE LAST YEAR DISCOVERING HIS FONDNESS FOR AOTEAROA DESPITE NEVER VISITING. HE WAS QUITE INTERESTED IN HOW MAORI VIEWED THE LAND, AND HE SAID TO ME THAT WE HAVE A GREAT RICHNESS IN OUR CULTURE, IN ALL INDIGENOUS CULTURES REGARDING ENVIRONMENT` THE ENVIRONMENT. OUR PRIME MINISTER ALSO REPRESENTING NEW ZEALAND, PAYING PERSONAL RESPECTS BEFORE WATCHING PROCEEDINGS JUST A FEW ROWS BACK. I REMEMBER LOOKING OUT TO THE LEFT AND JUST SEEING THE MASSES OF PEOPLE IN THE SQUARE, BUT ALL DOWN THE STREETS AND ALL DOWN THE SIDE ALLEYS, AND THERE WAS MOMENTS OF SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE AT DIFFERENT TIMES AS WELL, AND IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL TO HEAR THAT REVERBERATING THROUGHOUT THE` THROUGHOUT THE SQUARE. 1 NEWS SPOTTING ANOTHER KIWI AMONG THOSE MASSES. A COMPLETE COINCIDENCE. I'VE BEEN WALKING A THREE-WEEK PILGRIMAGE THROUGH ITALY. FORMER LABOUR POLITICIAN MICHAEL WOOD IS COMPLETING THE WALK INSPIRED BY SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI, FROM WHOM THE POPE TOOK HIS PAPAL NAME. I'M NOT A CATHOLIC MYSELF, BUT I THOUGHT POPE FRANCIS WAS A GREAT MAN, AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD DID. HE WAS COURAGEOUS. AND UNCONVENTIONAL. POPE FRANCIS ENDING UP AT HIS FAVOURITE BASILICA, SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE. IT'S A GREAT MAN, AND, UH... (MUMBLES IN ITALIAN) HE WILL BE ALWAYS IN OUR HEART. HIS COFFIN INTERRED IN A PRIVATE CEREMONY IN THE BASILICA, A SITE OF DEEP PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE DUE TO HIS DEVOTION TO THE VIRGIN MARY. IT'S NOW 12 HOURS SINCE THE POPE'S FUNERAL, AND HUNDREDS OF MOURNERS ARE STILL PAYING THEIR RESPECTS, TAKING PART IN A PRAYER SERVICE OUTSIDE HIS FINAL RESTING PLACE. I'M NON-CATHOLIC, BUT, UM, I THINK HE WAS A GREAT PERSON. WE'RE GOING TO MISS HIM IMMENSELY. WE LOVE HIM. WE ADORE HIM. THE POPE'S FINAL JOURNEY IMMORTAL MEMORIES FOR PEOPLE THE WORLD OVER. A NEW DAY BRINGS A NEW STAGE OF THE MOURNING PROCESS ` SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE HAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND A POLICE CHECKPOINT HAD BEEN SET UP OUTSIDE. PEOPLE HEADING INSIDE TO VIEW THE POPE'S TOMB. IT'S NOW THE START OF OFFICIAL MOURNING PROCESS ` AND ATTENTION TURNS TO THE CONCLAVE, THE PROCESS FOR ELECTING THE NEXT POPE. THAT IS NOT THOUGHT TO START ANY TIME BEFORE MAY 6. IT'S NOT KNOWN HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE FOR THE CARDINALS TO GET THE JOB DONE ` THEY NEEDED TWO THIRDS OF VOTING MAJORITY. MANY SAW POPE FRANCIS AS OUR PROGRESSIVE LEADER AND THEY ARE NOW AT A CROSSROADS FOR THE DIRECTION TO TAKE. THANK YOU. IT REALLY HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY WEEK HERE. I THINK PEOPLE FELT EVEN CLOSER TO POPE FRANCIS, GIVEN SO MANY HAD SEEN 24-HOUR IS BEFORE HE DIED. WHAT STRUCK ME WAS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE WHO WENT TO CAFE, WHO DID NOT SHARE HIS FAITH, BUT STILL SAW HIM AS A GREAT LEADER. AND THERE WAS THE MEETING BETWEEN THE US AND UKRAINE ` POPE FRANCIS STOOD UP FOR VICTIMS, PUSH FOR CHANGE, PETITIONED FOR PEACE BUT THERE IS A SENSE THAT HIS FULL LEGACY MAY YET STILL COME. AND MOURNERS ALSO WATCHED THE FUNERAL ACROSS THE GLOBE, INCLUDING IN ARGENTINA, WHERE THE POPE WAS BORN. CROWDS GATHERING IN FRONT OF THE BUENOS AIRES CATHEDRAL WHERE HE SERVED AS ARCHBISHOP BEFORE HIS PAPACY. GATHERINGS ALSO HELD FROM THE U.S. TO AFRICA, TO PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA. AND MANY CATHOLICS HERE ALSO WATCHED THE FUNERAL SERVICE AND THEN PAID TRIBUTE TO THE POPE AT SERVICES TODAY. SIMON MERCEP WENT ALONG. (ORGAN PLAYS HYMN) AT AUCKLAND'S ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL, POPE FRANCIS STILL DREW A CROWD. THERE'S SOMETHING QUITE SPECIAL ABOUT BEING TOGETHER WITH OTHER PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE AN AMAZING MAN'S LIFE RATHER THAN HIS DEATH. TO MANY, FRANCIS WAS SPECIAL. HE WAS VERY PROGRESSIVE, AND I REALLY LIKED EVERYTHING HE STOOD FOR, LIKE HELPING PEOPLE WHO WERE MARGINALISED, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ` TO JUST CONNECT WITH OTHERS REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND. THE POPE'S CONCERN FOR THE POOR WAS ECHOED FROM THE PULPIT. WHAT WOULD HE SAY ABOUT THE PEOPLE LIVING ON OUR STREETS? WHAT WOULD HE SAY THAT SO MANY CAN'T AFFORD HOUSING, AND YET WE'VE GOT MARINAS FULL OF MAGNIFICENT YACHTS? FRANCIS, ARGENTINIAN-BORN, MEANT A GREAT DEAL TO HIS FELLOW LATIN AMERICANS. AND A FEW OF THEM ARE GATHERED HERE IN THIS EAST AUCKLAND HOME TO SPEND SATURDAY NIGHT TOGETHER AND SAY A FINAL FAREWELL TO THE MAN THEY CALL PAPA FRANCISCO. WE FOLLOWED THE RELIGION SINCE WHEN WE WERE KIDS, SO VERY IMPORTANT. WHENEVER YOU HEAR HIM TALKING, YOU SAY, 'OH THAT'S MY ACCENT.' THAT FEELS CLOSER. ONE HAD MEMORIES OF A CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN RIO. AND I FILM (LAUGHS)... AND I SAY, 'OH, POPE...! DID HE SEE YOU, DO YOU THINK? I HOPE! (LAUGHS) (CONGREGATION SING IN SPANISH) THE HISPANIC SPIRIT WAS IN THE AIR AT ANOTHER MASS TODAY ` THIS WAS FOR MEMBERS OF AUCKLAND'S LATIN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. NOW THERE'S BEEN AN ARGENTINIAN PONTIFF, WHERE COULD A FUTURE POPE HAIL FROM? NEW ZEALAND? NEW ZEALAND. NEW ZEALAND? (CHUCKLES) WHY NOT? WHEREVER THEY'RE BORN, MANY WILL PRAY FOR THEM. SIMON MERCEP, 1 NEWS. A MURI AKE NEI ` JUST AHEAD ` THE REST OF THE DAY'S NEWS, INCLUDING... THE GOVERNMENT UNVEILS A NEW SCHEME TO HELP MEET ITS TARGET FOR EV CHARGING STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TO STILL DEVELOPING NEWS OVERSEAS ` CANADIAN POLICE SAY SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AFTER A CAR WAS DRIVEN INTO A CROWD AT A STREET FESTIVAL IN VANCOUVER. LOCAL MEDIA ARE REPORTING A GROUP OF PEDESTRIANS WERE HIT AT AROUND 8pm LOCAL TIME DURING A BLOCK PARTY CELEBRATING FILIPINO CULTURE. AT LEAST 18 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MORE THAN 750 OTHERS INJURED IN A MASSIVE EXPLOSION AT AN IRANIAN PORT. AUTHORITIES SAY THE BLAST AT THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST COMMERCIAL PORT, NEAR BANDAR ABBAS, WAS LIKELY LINKED TO CHEMICALS BEING STORED THERE. THE EXPLOSION BLEW ROOFS OFF NEARBY BUILDINGS AND WAS FELT 50km AWAY. BACK HERE, ENQUIRIES ARE UNDERWAY AFTER A SHOOTING IN AUCKLAND'S CBD THAT LEFT ONE PERSON SERIOUSLY INJURED. JUST BEFORE 4 THIS MORNING, POLICE WERE CALLED TO FORT STREET FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT A FIREARM WAS DISCHARGED. THE BUSY DOWNTOWN AREA CORDONED OFF WHILE POLICE SPOKE TO WITNESSES AND CONDUCTED A SCENE EXAMINATION. AN AMBULANCE AND A RAPID RESPONSE UNIT RESPONDED TO THE INCIDENT, TRANSPORTING THE PATIENT TO AUCKLAND CITY HOSPITAL. TOMORROW MARKS 30 YEARS SINCE THE CAVE CREEK DISASTER ON THE SOUTH ISLAND'S WEST COAST. 13 POLYTECH STUDENTS AND A DOC WORKER WERE KILLED WHEN THE VIEWING PLATFORM THEY WERE ON COLLAPSED INTO A CHASM. ALI PUGH IS AT PUNAKAIKI THIS EVENING AHEAD OF THE ANNIVERSARY ` WHAT'S PLANNED, ALI? SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS AND SOME OF THE SURVIVORS FROM THE TRAGEDY HAD COME TO THE WEST COAST THIS WEEKEND TO MARK THREE DECADES SINCE THE TRAGEDY/ THE TRAGEDY. A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM GREYMOUTH POLYTECHNIC CAME HERE FOR A DAY-LONG FIELD TRIP AND WHEN THEY STOOD ON A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED CANTILEVERED PLATFORM. THE PLATFORM COLLAPSED, PLUMMETING INTO THE RIVERBED AND KILLING 14 OF THEM. AN ENQUIRY FOUND THEY PLATFORM WAS POORLY CONSTRUCTED, USE NAILS INSTEAD OF BOLTS, AND WASN'T PROPERLY ATTACHED TO THE COUNTERWEIGHT. HE HAS ALREADY BEEN A REUNION TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY, ORGANISED BY STUDENTS FROM THE POLITIC WHO AT THE BOARDINGHOUSE IN 1995, THERE WILL BE A GATHERING AND A PRIVATE CEREMONY PLAN JUST FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE SURVIVORS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF DOC AS WELL. THERE IS A LARGE SECTION OF WALKING TRACK THAT WILL BE RENAMED AS THE CAVE CREEK MEMORIAL TRACK, AND THAT WILL COINCIDE TOMORROW WITH THE ANNIVERSARY. THANKS. 'IT'S AMBITIOUS' ` THAT'S HOW THE TRANSPORT MINISTER'S DESCRIBED HIS GOAL TO HAVE 10,000 NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS INSTALLED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY 2030. OVER $68m WILL BE OFFERED IN INTEREST-FREE LOANS TO PRIVATE COMPANIES TO ACCELERATE THE ROLL-OUT, BUT THE GREEN PARTY HAS CALLED THE INVESTMENT AMOUNT 'UNDERWHELMING'. HERE'S ABBEY WAKEFIELD. CHRIS BISHOP TAKING HIS ELECTRIC NISSAN LEAF FOR A HOON. I'M THE TRANSPORT MINISTER. (LAUGHS) I DON'T GO FOR A HOON. BUT EVEN IF HE WANTED TO, HE WOULDN'T GET FAR BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF THESE WOULD PREVENT HIM. WE HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST NUMBER OF PUBLIC EV CHARGERS PER EV IN THE OECD. SO THE GOVERNMENT'S GOING TO CO-INVEST IN PUBLIC EV CHARGERS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WHAT WE'RE NOW MOVING TOWARDS IS WHAT WE CALL THE ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND MODEL FOR EV ROLL-OUT ` ESSENTIALLY A COMMERCIAL MODEL DRIVEN BY GOVERNMENT CONCESSIONARY LOANS, AND WE'RE ADOPTING THE SAME APPROACH FOR EV ROLL-OUT FROM NOW. $68.5 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR GRANTS FOR NEW EV CHARGING STATIONS WILL NOW BE SWITCHED TO LOANS OFFERED TO PRIVATE OPERATORS AT 0% INTEREST OVER 13 YEARS. IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE, BUT THIS NEW ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF CONCESSIONARY LOANS TO HELP THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THAT IS A REALLY GOOD STEP FORWARD. DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN, THE NATIONAL PARTY SAID IT WOULD INCREASE PUBLIC EV CHARGERS TO 10,000 BY THE YEAR 2030, WITH AN INVESTMENT OF NEARLY $260 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS. JULIE ANNE GENTER SAYS IT WON'T MAKE UP FOR THE GOVERNMENT CUTTING THE SUBSIDIES TO BUY EVs IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY IS ABSOLUTELY UNDERWHELMING. IT'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF WHAT NATIONAL PROMISED ON THE ELECTION HUSTINGS IN 2023, AND THE REALITY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SLIVER BULLET AND THE REALITY IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE SILVER BULLET THAT GETS US OFF FOSSIL FUELS. IT'S AN AMBITIOUS GOAL. THE TRANSPORT MINISTER CONCEDES THE CURRENT FUNDING WON'T BE ENOUGH TO FINISH THE JOB, BUT THEY'LL WORK OUT HOW MUCH MORE TO INVEST IN THE COMING YEARS. HOW FAST DOES THIS GO 0 TO 100? (LAUGHS) UH, I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY EVER DONE THAT. ...RACING AT HIS OWN PACE TO GET MORE EV CHARGERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ABBEY WAKEFIELD, 1 NEWS. DAVID SEYMOUR IS DEFENDING HIS SIGNATURE CHARTER SCHOOLS POLICY AFTER JUST SIX STATE SCHOOLS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN CONVERTING TO CHARTER MODELS IN THE LATEST ROUND OF APPLICATIONS. HE HAD BEEN AIMING FOR 35. CRITICS HAVE CALLED IT A 'WASTE OF MONEY' ` CRITICS HAVE CALLED IT A 'WASTE OF MONEY' ` MONEY THAT COULD'VE BEEN SPENT ON LEARNING SUPPORT IN CLASSROOMS. HERE'S Q+A'S JACK TAME. (STRUMS UKULELE) DAVID SEYMOUR HAS SAID THERE'S HUGE DEMAND FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS... (GROUP PERFORM HAKA) AND AS WELL AS 15 BRAND-NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS, IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, THE GOVERNMENT ALLOCATED FUNDING FOR UP TO 35 SCHOOLS TO CONVERT. BUT OF THE 2500 STATE SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE IN THE LATEST ROUND OF APPLICATIONS, JUST SIX EXPRESSED INTEREST. IF YOU WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOMEONE SETS AN AMBITIOUS LIMIT, THAT THEY SHOULD SOMEHOW BE PUNISHED FOR THAT, THEN YOU CAN, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE BOAT GO FASTER. THE DEADLINE FOR STATE SCHOOLS TO EXPRESS INTEREST IN CONVERTING FOR TERM 1 NEXT YEAR INITIALLY PASSED TWO WEEKS AGO. MORE THAN 24 HOURS LATER, THE CHARTER SCHOOL AGENCY ANNOUNCED ON FACEBOOK THAT DEADLINE WOULD BE EXTENDED. WITH THE EXTENDED DEADLINE NOW PASSED, AND TWO EXISTING APPLICATIONS ALREADY IN THE WORKS, IT MEANS NO MORE THAN EIGHT CHARTER SCHOOL CONVERSIONS WILL BE COMPLETED FOR TERM 1 2026. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TESTING THE WATER. IT'S AN UNFAMILIAR CONCEPT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OPPOSITION FROM THE UNION LEADERSHIP. WELL, I THINK IT IS A FAILED EXPERIMENT. I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 40 YEARS IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR, FROM THE LAST TRANCHE TO THIS ONE. CLEARLY, IT'S NOT WHAT SCHOOLS NEED. THERE'S NOT A DEMAND FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. (ELECTRONIC SIREN WHOOPS) THE CHARTER SCHOOL AGENCY HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS $10 MILLION IN ESTABLISHMENT FUNDING WITH SEVEN BRAND-NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS OPERATING, SERVING JUST OVER 200 STUDENTS. BUT CRITICS OF THE POLICY SAY MILLIONS PUT ASIDE FOR CHARTER SCHOOL CONVERSIONS, MUCH OF WHICH NOW WON'T BE SPENT, COULD INSTEAD HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE STATE EDUCATION SYSTEM. IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY. IT IS BETTER SPENT ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR, LIKE LEARNING SUPPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR YEARS. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE LOT OF CHILDREN WHO ARE GETTING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT EDUCATION EXPERIENCE. YOU'VE GOT EDUCATORS THAT ARE ABLE TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, AND THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING. ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE POSITIVE. THE NEXT BRAND-NEW CHARTER SCHOOL WILL OPEN IN JULY. JACK TAME, 1 NEWS. ME U TONU MAI ` COMING UP ` WHY VIRGINIA GIUFFRE WAS FACING COURT IN PERTH, AS TRIBUTES POUR IN AFTER THE PROMINENT JEFFREY EPSTEIN AND PRINCE ANDREW ACCUSER'S DEATH IN AUSTRALIA. AND DRAWING ON INSPIRATION FROM THEIR ANCESTORS, NOT JUST ON CANVAS ` THE FINALISTS ARE REVEALED FOR THE KIINGI TUHEITIA PORTRAITURE AWARD. AND WHO'LL NEED TO PACK THE RAINCOAT AND THE SCHOOL BAG ` TOMORROW, WE HAVE HEAVY FALLS FORECAST FOR SOME, PLUS A LOOK AT MORE SEVERE WEATHER ON THE WAY FURTHER INTO THE WEEK. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ` COMING UP AFTER SPORT. VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S AGENT SAYS HER CLIENT 'WAS A BEACON TO OTHER SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS,' BUT IT'S FEARED AFTER HER DEATH MANY QUESTIONS WILL REMAIN UNANSWERED. GIUFFRE ALLEGED SHE WAS TRAFFICKED TO PRINCE ANDREW BY JEFFREY EPSTEIN WHEN SHE WAS JUST 17. THE DUKE OF YORK HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE CLAIM. GIUFFRE'S FAMILY SAY THE 41-YEAR-OLD TOOK HER OWN LIFE AT HOME OUTSIDE PERTH IN AUSTRALIA. THE BBC'S KATY WATSON REPORTS AND I WON'T STOP FIGHTING. I WILL NEVER BE SILENCED. VIRGINIA GIUFFRE WAS ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT ACCUSERS OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN, THE DISGRACED U.S. FINANCIER ACCUSED OF RUNNING A VAST SEX TRAFFICKING NETWORK. GIUFFRE CLAIMED SHE WAS TRAFFICKED BY HIM AND FORCED TO HAVE SEX WITH THE DUKE OF YORK, THIS PHOTO OF THEM TOGETHER NOW INFAMOUS. PRINCE ANDREW, THOUGH, HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE ACCUSATIONS. HE REACHED AN OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT WITH HER IN 2022 THAT CONTAINED NO ADMISSION OF LIABILITY OR APOLOGY. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BBC'S PANORAMA THREE YEARS EARLIER, SHE SAID SHE STOOD BY THE ACCUSATIONS. HE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE OF US TELLING THE TRUTH. IN A STATEMENT, HER FAMILY SAID ` BUT HER FAMILY ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT... BORN IN THE U.S., VIRGINIA GIUFFRE IN RECENT YEARS MOVED CLOSE TO PERTH WITH HER AUSTRALIAN HUSBAND AND CHILDREN. IT'S UNDERSTOOD SHE WAS LIVING AT THIS FARM IN THE TOWN OF NEERGABBY AFTER HER 22-YEAR MARRIAGE BROKE DOWN. SHE RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN HER LIFE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, SHE POSTED THIS UPDATE, SAYING SHE'D BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HAD JUST A FEW DAYS TO LIVE. HER FAMILY LATER SAID SHE HADN'T INTENDED TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC. LOCAL POLICE ALSO DISPUTED THE SEVERITY OF THE CRASH. SEPARATELY, IT EMERGED THAT SHE WAS FACING COURT AFTER ALLEGEDLY BREACHING A FAMILY VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDER OVER AN INCIDENT IN PERTH IN FEBRUARY. AN ADVOCATE FOR SURVIVORS OF SEX TRAFFICKING DEAD AT JUST 41, VIRGINIA GIUFFRE WAS OUTSPOKEN UNTIL THE VERY END. A MONTH BEFORE PRINCE ANDREW SETTLED THE CASE, HE WAS STRIPPED OF HIS MILITARY ROLES AND USE OF THE TITLE 'HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'. BACK HERE, OVER 40 ART PIECES HAVE BEEN SELECTED AS FINALISTS FOR THIS YEAR'S PRESTIGIOUS KIINGI TUHEITIA PORTRAITURE AWARDS. THE LATE MAORI KING HELPED ESTABLISH THE COMPETITION FOUR YEARS AGO TO INSPIRE EMERGING MAORI ARTISTS TO REMEMBER THEIR ANCESTORS. AS TE ANIWA HURIHANGANUI REPORTS, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR IT GOES AHEAD SINCE HIS DEATH. IT MIGHT NOT BE OBVIOUS AT FIRST... (SERENE MUSIC PLAYS) ...BUT THIS STOP-MOTION VIDEO IS A PORTRAIT OF AN ANCESTOR. AROUND NEW ZEALAND, MAORI ARTISTS UNDER 35 HAVE BEEN HUNKERING DOWN, USING ANY MEDIUM THEY WISH TO DEPICT ONE OF THEIR TUPUNA. THE KIINGI TUHEITIA PORTRAITURE AWARD BEGAN IN 2021 WITH AN IDEA FROM KIINGI TUHEITIA WHO WE SADLY LOST IN AUGUST, TO UPLIFT RANGATAHI ARTISTS AND TO CHALLENGE THEM TO CONNECT WITH THEIR TUPUNA. I KNEW, LIKE, IMMEDIATELY, WHAT I WOULD WANT` WHO I WOULD WANT TO PAINT. SHE CHOSE HER GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER, ATAMA PAPARANGI, A TE RARAWA CHIEF BORN IN 1821. THIS IS HER PORTRAIT OF HIM, AN OIL PAINTING SHE SPENT OVER 100 HOURS ON, SORT OF DOING BIG 10-HOUR DAYS WHERE I WAS JUST PLUGGED INTO IT. REPLICATING HIS MOKO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ` THE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH IS SO OLD, ATAMA'S MOKO WASN'T ACTUALLY VISIBLE AFTER IT WAS TAKEN AND NEEDED TO BE SCRATCHED ON TO THE SURFACE, SO IT'S NOT ENTIRELY ACCURATE, BUT USING HISTORIC PAINTINGS OF ATAMA BY FAMOUS ARTIST CHARLES GOLDIE HELPED ZOE FILL IN THE BLANKS. SO I WORKED WITH ALL THESE PAINTINGS IN COMBINATION TO WORK OUT WHAT HIS MOKO WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE. OTHER FINALISTS HAVE TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH ` THIS ARTIST USING AN OLD TELEVISION TO DEPICT HIS ANCESTOR, HORI KEREI TAIAROA. THIS IS QUITE NOSTALGIC FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND.. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S IN LINE WITH ANCESTRY. I FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS A POLITICIAN FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES, AND I JUST DIDN'T THINK I COULD BE RELATED TO SOMEONE SO... NOBLE. HE FILMED HIS DAD IN HIS ANCESTOR'S PLACE, WEARING CLOTHES HORI WOULD HAVE WORN IN HIS TIME. AND I SHOT HIM AT A LOW ANGLE, BECAUSE I JUST SEE H.K. AS THIS KIND OF REGAL CHIEF. HE JUST LOOKS LIKE HE HAS HIS SHIT TOGETHER. THE WINNER, CHOSEN NEXT MONTH, TAKES HOME $20,000. IT'S DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR ARTISTS TO` YEAH, SORT OF DIG DOWN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR WHAKAPAPA. ...DRAWING ON THEIR PAST TO PROPEL THEM FORWARD. TE ANIWA HURIHANGANUI, 1 NEWS. IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO HEAD TO THE BEACH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS. DOC ARE WARNING PEOPLE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT AFTER A VENOMOUS SEA SNAKE WAS SPOTTED NEAR AUCKLAND. THE NATIVE YELLOW-BELLIED SEA SNAKE, DISCOVERED HERE BY A MEMBER OF PUBLIC ON THE DUNES AT OMAHA BEACH, NORTH OF THE CITY. WHEN RANGERS ARRIVED, IT WAS DEAD ` DOC SAYING IT WAS CLEARLY BITTEN BY A DOG AND HIT WITH SOMETHING. IT'S BELIEVED IT WAS BLOWN ASHORE BY STRONG WINDS. JENNY'S HERE NOW WITH SPORT, AND HISTORY IS MADE WITH AUCKLAND FC ` CLAIMING THE PREMIER'S PLATE TO BECOME THE FIRST KIWI PRO FOOTBALL TEAM TO WIN A TROPHY. AND THAT WAS BEFORE THIS AFTERNOON'S MATCH ` WE HAVE ALL THE ACTION FROM MT SMART. PLUS ` HOW ABOUT THIS FOR A BUZZER-BEATER ` SO DID THIS INCREDIBLE EFFORT FROM THE DENVER NUGGETS COUNT? YOU COULDN'T WRITE THIS STUFF ` THE FOOTBALL CLUB OWNED BY HOLLYWOOD ACTORS ARE PROMOTED AGAIN, BOOKING A SPOT IN ENGLAND'S CHAMPIONSHIP. AND IS THIS 24-YEAR-OLD ON COURSE TO RUN THE WORLD'S FIRST UNASSISTED SUB-TWO-HOUR MARATHON? KIA ORA, WELCOME TO SPORT. IT'S OFFICIAL ` AUCKLAND FC CLAIMING THE A-LEAGUE MINOR PREMIERSHIP EVEN BEFORE TODAY'S GAME KICKED OFF, BECOMING THE FIRST NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL SIDE TO WIN A TROPHY. THE PREMIER'S PLATE ARRIVING AT MT SMART AFTER MELBOURNE CITY'S GOALLESS DRAW LAST NIGHT ENSURED THE BLACK KNIGHTS WOULD FINISH TOP OF THE TABLE, MEANING AUCKLAND WILL HAVE HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT THE PLAYOFFS AND COULD HOST THIS YEAR'S GRAND FINAL. BUT DESPITE THE FESTIVITIES, FINDING THE BACK OF PERTH'S NET THIS AFTERNOON PROVING DIFFICULT. HE PULLS IT BACK! WHAT A SAVE BY SAIL! WHAT A SAVE BY SAIL! TERRIFIC PIECE OF GOALKEEPING BY THE HOME TOWN BOY, OLLIE SALE. TERRIFIC PIECE OF GOALKEEPING BY THE HOME TOWN BOY, OLLIE SAIL. MORE FRUSTRATIONS AFTER HALF-TIME, BEFORE FINALLY FINDING THE BREAKTHROUGH. CORNER TAKEN. HITS THE POST AND GOES IN. THE DAM HAS BURST! WITH AROUND 15 MINUTES TO GO, AUCKLAND FC STILL LEADING 1-0. ROUND 11 OF SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC IS IN THE BOOKS, WITH THE CRUSADERS CEMENTING THEMSELVES IN THE TOP TWO ALONGSIDE THE CHIEFS, THANKS TO A BIG WIN IN THE DEEP SOUTH. THE HURRICANES ALSO STAYING IN THE HUNT FOR A TOP SIX SPOT. THE HURRICANES ALSO STAYING IN THE HUNT FOR A TOP-SIX SPOT. BRODYN KNUCKEY WRAPS UP THE ACTION. THE EXCLAMATION MARK ON A BIG SOUTHERN DERBY WIN. AWAY GOES CODIE TAYLOR, AND HE PUTS THE ICING ON AN IMPRESSIVE CRUSADERS PERFORMANCE. THE CRUSADERS DOMINATING IN DUNEDIN, HAMMERING THE HIGHLANDERS 43-10. THE 'LANDERS WERE UP FOR THE CHALLENGES AS THEY ALWAYS ARE AGAINST ANYBODY OF RED AND BLACK. I WAS DISAPPOINTED FOR THE PLAYERS BECAUSE THEY CREATED A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO SCORE IN THE FIRST HALF, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY TAKE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. IN FACT, THE HIGHLANDERS KEPT SCORELESS FOR THE FIRST 62 MINUTES OF THE GAME. THE CRUSADERS DEFENCE STOIC ON THEIR OWN LINE WHILE ALSO FORCING 15 TURNOVERS. IF YOU'RE GOING TO COUGH UP THE BALL TO THE CRUSADERS, THEY WILL HURT YOU BIG TIME. AND OUR BOYS ARE REALLY BUYING IN, AND YOU SEE AN AWESOME PERFORMANCE AROUND OUR DEFENCE. IT SHOW HOW MUCH WE'RE CONNECTED. THEIR ATTACK JUST AS DECISIVE, SPARKED BY ONE OF THEIR BEST. JORDAN INJECTING HIMSELF INTO THE LINE, JUST FOOTS HIS FOOT DOWN! WILL JORDAN ` ALL CLASS. LOST OF SPACE FOR SPRINGER. HE'LL GET AWAY FROM TAVATAVANAWAI. HE'S GOT JORDAN BACK INFIELD, AND THE CRUSADERS ARE PUNISHING THE HIGHLANDERS EARLY. ALTHOUGH THE VICTORY APPEARS TO HAVE COME AT A COST. HE IS IN A WORLD OF HURT. IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD. FIRST-FIVE TAHA KEMARA SUFFERING A SERIOUS-LOOKING KNEE INJURY INSIDE THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES, A WELL-TIMED BYE GIVING THE CRUSADERS TWO WEEKS TO ADDRESS IT BEFORE A TOP-OF- THE-TABLE SCRAP WITH THE CHIEFS. WE'RE STARTING TO FEEL AS THOUGH THE BYE HAS COME AT A TREMENDOUS TIME FOR US TO FRESHEN UP. THE TOP TWO NOW WITH A COMFORTABLE GAP IN THE STANDINGS FROM THE THIRD-PLACED BRUMBIES, THANKS TO SOME HELP FROM THE HURRICANES. OH, THAT IS SLICK. THE 'CANES EXPOSING THEIR HOSTS OUT WIDE. WINGS KINI NAHOLO AND NGANE PUNIVAI SCORING FOUR OF THE TEAM'S FIVE TRIES IN A HARD-FOUGHT 35-29 VICTORY. WHEN YOU GET GUYS LIKE KINI AND NGANE AND BILLY ON THE FRONT FOOT, THEN WE'RE A DANGEROUS TEAM. THE WIN THEIR FIRST IN CANBERRA SINCE 2017 AND KEEPING THEM INSIDE THE TOP SIX AS THE COMPETITION REACHES ITS BUSINESS END. WE CAN ALL SEE HOW TIGHT THE TABLE IS, SO GETTING A WIN ON THE ROAD AND PICKING UP SOME POINTS, YEAH, IT'S SATISFYING. A LONG SEASON QUICKLY TURNING INTO A SPRINT FINISH. SPORT IS OFTEN TIMED IN FRACTIONS OF A SECOND, AND THE DENVER NUGGETS NEEDED ALL OF THEM TODAY TO BEAT THE LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS IN THEIR NBA PLAYOFF. WITH THE MATCH TIED, AND WITH TIME NEARLY UP ON THE CLOCK, THIS HAPPENED. AND THIS IS FOR THE WIN... OH! IT'S CLOSE! THEY'RE GONNA CALL IT. DID HE BEAT THE BUZZER? DID HE` DID GORDON BEAT THE BUZZER? HE DID... WITH OFFICIALS EVENTUALLY RULING THE BALL LEFT HIS HANDS BEFORE THE CLOCK RAN OUT. THE BEST-OF-SEVEN SERIES NOW TIED 2-2. ELSEWHERE, STEVEN ADAMS' HOUSTON ROCKETS WENT DOWN TO THE GOLDEN STATE 104-93, THE WARRIORS LEADING THAT SERIES 2-1. THEY'VE DOMINATED THE NRL FOR SO LONG, WINNING THE PAST FOUR GRAND FINALS, BUT NOW THE PENRITH PANTHERS FIND THEMSELVES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TABLE. IVAN CLEARY'S SIDE BEATEN 26-10 BY MANLY, THEIR SIXTH DEFEAT IN EIGHT GAMES SO FAR THIS SEASON. YEAH, WE LOOK BACK AND YOU JUST GO, YOU JUST GOTTA PLAY BETTER. LIKE, IT'S... (LAUGHS) IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE. TO WIN NRL GAMES, YOU GOT TO PLAY BETTER FOR LONGER, AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO THAT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS TEAM TO THIS POINT, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT OFTEN ENOUGH WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT OFTEN ENOUGH. IT DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER FOR THE PANTHERS, TAKING ON THE SECOND-PLACED BRONCOS NEXT WEEKEND. FROM A HOLLYWOOD SCRIPT TO A REAL LIFE FAIRYTALE, WREXHAM FOOTBALL CLUB ` THE ONE OWNED BY ACTORS RYAN REYNOLDS AND ROB MCELHENNEY ` SEALING A RECORD THIRD STRAIGHT PROMOTION, GOING BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO BOOK THEIR SPOT IN ENGLAND'S CHAMPIONSHIP. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE HAS MORE. PROMOTION, PROMOTION, PROMOTION! WHEN WREXHAM DREAMED OF PROMOTION, NOT EVEN HOLLYWOOD COULD HAVE SCRIPTED IT THIS PERFECTLY. ALL CHANT: WE ARE GOING UP, I SAY WE ARE GOING UP! LOOK AT THIS. HOW DO YOU PUT THIS UNDER WORDS? LOOK AT THIS. HOW DO YOU PUT THIS UNDER WORDS? LIKE, BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. THE FIRST TEAM IN ENGLISH SENIOR FOOTBALL TO EARN THREE CONSECUTIVE PROMOTIONS. LEADING CELEBRATIONS THE SAME HOLLYWOOD PAIR WHO BOUGHT INTO THE LONG-SHOT DREAM. WE WERE STANDING THERE DOING A PRESS CONFERENCE FOUR YEARS` FIVE YEARS` FOUR YEARS AGO? THAT'S RIGHT. AND THIS MAN SAID, 'OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE IT TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE,' AND THERE WAS, UNDERSTANDABLY, A LOT OF TITTERS AND LAUGHTER AND GIGGLES. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. BUT AT WREXHAM, IMPOSSIBLE DREAMS DON'T STAY IMPOSSIBLE FOR LONG. THEIR MATCH AGAINST CHARLTON UNFOLDING EXACTLY AS THEY IMAGINED IT... FANCIES IT, OH, LET'S IT FLY! ...GOING ONE UP INSIDE 15 MINUTES. THE SEA OF RED STANDING, SINGING, BELIEVING. ...TO JAMES, WHO'S LOOKING FOR SMITH! (CROWD ROARS) ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S ALL FALLING INTO PLACE! WREXHAM SCORING THREE GOALS, BAGGING THREE POINTS, AND SEALING THREE CONSECUTIVE PROMOTIONS. YOU DON'T GET SUCCESS WITHOUT A STRONG DRESSING ROOM, AND THAT JUST DOESN'T COME FROM THE DRESSING ROOM. THAT COMES FROM THE MANAGEMENT, THE OWNERS, THE FANS, ONE BIG GROUP EFFORT. THE KIND OF HEART THEY SHOWED LONG BEFORE THE HEADLINES. FOR DECADES, SPENDING TIME IN THE LOWER LEAGUES, THEY FELL INTO FINANCIAL RUIN BEFORE REYNOLDS AND MCELHENNEY SPARKED WREXHAM'S DRAMATIC RISE, NOW JUST ONE MORE PROMOTION AWAY FROM THAT PREMIER LEAGUE DREAM. THAT'S FOR TOMORROW TO THINK ABOUT. TODAY IS JUST ENJOYING THE MOMENT. WE'RE ALLOWED TO WAIT TILL TOMORROW? WELL... YEAH, I MEAN WE COULD PROBABLY WAIT UNTIL 12.01. OK. FOR NOW, IT'S TIME TO SOAK IN SUCCESS, DANCE WITH HISTORY... ROB, RYAN ` CHAMPIONSHIP, YOU'RE IN IT, MATE. MIC DROP. ...FAIR TO SAY WREXHAM'S GREATEST SCENES STILL IN THE MAKING. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE, 1 NEWS. IT'S A BITTER BOXING FEUD THAT'S BEEN SIMMERING FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, AND TODAY CHRIS EUBANK JR ENSURED HIS FAMILY KEPT THE UPPER HAND, BEATING CONOR BENN ON POINTS. EUBANK REUNITED WITH HIS FATHER, WHO TWICE FOUGHT BENN SR IN THE 1980S, AFTER YEARS OF NOT TALKING TO EACH OTHER, THEN OUTBOXING THE SMALLER BENN OVER TWELVE ACTION-PACKED ROUNDS. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS MAN BACK WITH ME I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THIS MAN BACK WITH ME. WE'VE UPHELD THE FAMILY NAME, LIKE WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS. BENN ALREADY TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A REMATCH TO CONTINUE THE ONGOING SAGA. IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE, BUT ONLY WITH THE HELP OF PACERS. NOW EXPECTATIONS ARE GROWING THAT UGANDAN ATHLETE JACOB KIPLIMO WILL BECOME THE FIRST PERSON TO BREAK TWO HOURS FOR THE MARATHON IN AN OFFICIAL RACE IN TONIGHT'S LONDON MARATHON, EVEN THOUGH HE'S NEVER COMPETED OVER THE DISTANCE. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE ENTIRE RUNNING WORLD TALKING? TURNS OUT JUST 52 MINUTES, 42 SECONDS. JACOB KIPLIMO OBLITERATING THE HALF-MARATHON WORLD RECORD BY 48 SECONDS IN BARCELONA EARLIER THIS YEAR. I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BREAK THE RECORD, BECAUSE I JUST CAME TO RUN A GOOD RACE. THE UGANDAN WILL BE HOPING FOR ANOTHER GOOD ONE WHEN HE RUNS HIS FIRST FULL MARATHON IN LONDON. MARATHON IS A NEW CHALLENGE, BUT I KNOW I AM GOING TO DO MY BEST. IN WHAT'S BEING CALLED THE MOST FASCINATING DEBUT EVER, HE'LL JOIN AN IMPRESSIVE FIELD ` GREATEST OF ALL TIME EILIUD KIPCHOGE, OLYMPIC CHAMPION TO TAMIRAT TOLA; OLYMPIC CHAMPION TAMIRAT TOLA; LAST YEAR'S WINNER, ALEXANDER MUTISO; AND PARIS OLYMPICS TRIATHLON CHAMPION AND FELLOW MARATHON DEBUTANT ALEX YEE. IF KIPLIMO IS FEELING THE PRESSURE, HE'S HIDING IT WELL. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS YOUR BEST DISTANCE? MAYBE MARATHON. (LAUGHS) YOU THINK YOU COULD BE BETTER THAN THE HALF-MARATHON? YEAH. THE 24-YEAR-OLD GREW UP RACING AGAINST HIS BROTHERS AND FIRST CAPTURED ATTENTION AT JUST 15 AT THE 2016 RIO OLYMPICS. THAT SAME YEAR, KIPCHOGE WON HIS SECOND LONDON MARATHON; TONIGHT, CHASING HIS FIFTH. YOU STILL FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HEALTHY? YES, I AM HEALTHY. I'M RUNNING IN A GOOD WAY, FINISHING MY SESSIONS IN A GOOD WAY. KIPLIMO HELPED PACE KIPCHOGE IN 2019, WHEN HE BECAME THE FIRST PERSON TO RUN AN ASSISTED SUB-TWO-HOUR MARATHON. I THINK HE'S CAPABLE OF RUNNING ANYTHING. HE HAS A GOOD MIND TRYING TO TAKE ANY CHALLENGE. DO YOU THINK HE COULD BE THE MAN TO BREAK TWO HOURS IN AN OFFICIAL? ABSOLUTELY, YES. WHY NOT? DESPITE THE WORLD'S EXPECTATIONS, KIPLIMO'S OWN EXPECTATIONS HAVE NOT CHANGED. THE CURRENT OFFICIAL BEST IS TWO HOURS 35 SECONDS, HELD BY KENYAN KELVIN KIPTON. SO WILL KIPLIMO'S BEST BE BETTER? WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. QUICK UPDATE ON THE AUCKLAND FC GAME, IT IS STILL 1-0 AT THIS POINT. COMING UP ` ERIN'S HERE WITH YOUR WEATHER FOR THE WEEK, AND WE HAVE MORE WIND AND RAIN ON THE WAY. AND, COMING UP ON GOODSORTS ` HAPPY ANZAC WEEKEND, PEOPLE. I'M WITH SIMON STROMBOM, WHO HAS AMASSED AN ARMY THAT SPENDS ITS TIME MAKING SURE THAT OUR SOLDIERS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. (SONG): 'COLD AS ICE' BY FOREIGNER BEN: Hello? From the bank? Really? VOICEOVER: Know it's really ASB with Caller Check. (PHONE RINGING) # You're as cold as ice # We can verify it's us through the ASB Mobile Banking app. BEN: Oh, it is you ASB! NAU MAI ANO ` WELCOME BACK. A VERY CONTRASTING DAY TODAY ` FINE OVER MUCH OF THE SOUTH AND LOWER NORTH ISLAND, WHILE IT WAS WET AND MISERABLE FURTHER UP-COUNTRY, WITH SOME SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL TOTALS RECORDED ACROSS NORTHLAND. AND ADDING TO A VERY WET MONTH SO FAR, ESPECIALLY FOR KERIKERI ` SEEING MORE THAN THREE TIMES YOUR NORMAL APRIL RAINFALL ALREADY. AND HERE IT IS FROM THE SATELLITE ` RAIN PUSHING DOWN OVER THE NORTH ISLAND, WITH PLENTY MORE IN THE PIPELINE. THE NORTHERLY FLOW DELIVERING SOME VERY WARM TEMPERATURES, WELL ABOVE AVERAGE IN THE LOWER SOUTH ` BOTH DUNEDIN AND WHANGANUI OUR HOT SPOTS TODAY. OVERNIGHT, THAT RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL OVER THE UPPER NORTH, WITH AN ACTIVE RAIN WATCH TO AUCKLAND IN PLACE UNITL 9am ` HOPEFULLY EASING FOR THE SCHOOL RUN. AND MORNING RAIN WORKING UP THE LOWER SOUTH TOO. FURTHER INTO THE WEEK ` TUESDAY, MORE HEAVY RAIN PUSHES DOWN THE NORTH ISLAND, AND WET TO THE TOP OF THE SOUTH TOO. AND THEN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, IT'S A WET AND WINDY PICTURE FOR MOST BEFORE EASING UP ON FRIDAY. AND TEMPERATURE-WISE, THE SOUTH ISLAND WILL BEGIN TO COOL OFF TOMORROW ` WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY LOOKING VERY CHILLY ACROSS THE ISLAND, WHILE THE NORTH ISLAND'S DOWN A FEW DEGREES AT THE END OF THE WEEK TOO. TOMORROW, STILL LOOKING AT SOME POSSIBLE HEAVY SHOWERS OVER NORTHLAND, WITH A RISK OF THUNDERSTORMS. RAIN THAT COULD BE HEAVY FOR WHITIANGA ` A WIND PICKING UP FOR ALL, AND 21 OR 22 DEGREES. THERE COULD BE SOME EARLY DOWNPOURS, AUCKLAND ` HOPEFULLY EASING UP FOR THE WALKING SCHOOL BUS, BUT SOME POSSIBLE RAIN AND THUNDER THROUGH THE DAY. A FRESH WIND, AND 21. A FRESH WIND, AND 22. IT'S THAT OCCASIONAL RAIN AGAIN IN HAMILTON, EASING BY EVENING ` AND 22 FOR YOU. HEAVIER RAIN FOR WHAKATANE AND ROTORUA. OTHERS MAY SEE IT FROM TIME TO TIME ` ALL EASING BY EVENING, AND HIGH TEENS TO 20s. A WET MONDAY, TAURANGA ` SOME POSSIBLE HEAVY FALLS, AND 21 DEGREES. ON-AND-OFF RAIN IN GISBORNE, AND THE ODD AFTERNOON SHOWER REACHING HAWKE'S BAY ` THE CHANCE IT'LL TRACK FURTHER SOUTH TOO, AND LOW 20S HERE. THE CHANCE IT'LL TRACK FURTHER SOUTH TOO, AND LOW 20s HERE. YOU'LL HAVE OCCASIONAL RAIN, NEW PLYMOUTH ` OTHERS, JUST THE CHANCE OF AN AFTERNOON OR EVENING SHOWER ` OTHERWISE, SOME CLOUD ABOUT, AND 22 FOR MOST. SOME CLOUD COVER TO COME AND GO IN THE CAPITAL ` A POSSIBLE EVENING SPRINKLE, AND 20 IS YOUR HIGH. A DECENT DAY FOR THE TOP OF THE SOUTH. SOME HIGH CLOUD AROUND FOR MOST ` A BIT MORE GREY IN WESTPORT. 20 FOR YOU AND NELSON. FINE TO START, OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH, BUT AFTERNOON CLOUD BUILDS TO SOME RAIN AT NIGHT, AND 22 DEGREES. SOME CLOUD, AND MAYBE A SPRINKLE TO HOKITIKA ` THAT AFTERNOON CLOUD ROLLING IN TO THE EAST, AND 19 TO 21 DEGREES. A SUNNY START TO YOUR MONDAY, TAHUNA QUEENSTOWN ` MAYBE A FEW AFTERNOON SHOWERS, AND 18. RAIN WORKS UP THE LOWER SOUTH, CLEARING AFTER IT PASSES, AND A COOL SOUTHERLY SHIFT FOR ALL. THE WALK TO SCHOOL SHOULD BE FINE, BUT PACK THE RAINCOAT FOR THE WALK HOME, OTEPOTI DUNEDIN. RAIN DEVELOPING THROUGH THE MORNING, A COOL SOUTHERLY AND TOP OF 18. TUESDAY ` AND THAT NEXT HEAVY RAIN BAND WORKS DOWN THE NORTH ISLAND, AND THE TOP OF HALF OF THE SOUTH ISLAND WET TOO. AND WEDNESDAY IS THAT VERY MESSY PICTURE, WITH HEAVY RAIN FOR MANY. A WEEK TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON FORECASTS. IT CERTAINLY IS. IN THE SPIRIT OF ANZAC WEEKEND, THIS WEEK'S GOOD SORT IS ALL ABOUT A FORMER KIWI SOLDIER WHO'S STARTED AN ARMY OF HIS OWN, MAKING SURE OUR FALLEN VETERANS ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN. HERE'S HADYN JONES. (LIVELY DRUM MUSIC) SIMON STROMBOM SAW SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK THAT LED HIM TO HIS LOCAL CEMETERY. THEY DON'T SAY FACEBOOK CHANGES YOUR LIFE ` PRETTY MUCH DID FOR ME. SIMON WASN'T VISITING A DEAD FRIEND OR RELATIVE. I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING. HE WAS HERE TO CLEAN A STRANGER'S HEADSTONE... BUT IT WAS COVERED IN MOSS ` YOU COULDN'T READ THE LETTERING. ...ONE IN DISREPAIR. BASICALLY, IT WAS THE START OF A LONG, LONG JOURNEY. SIMON WAS CLEANING THE GRAVESTONE OF JOHN MCGEEHAN, A SOLDIER WHO SURVIVED THE FIGHTING, BUT NOT THE WAR. HIS ACTUAL DEATH RECORDS SAY DEATH BY SUICIDE. CLEARLY, HE HAD PTSD, AND HE DIED FROM THE EFFECTS OF WAR. THEN SIMON NOTICED SOMETHING HE COULD NOT SHAKE. AS I WAS CLEANING IT, I LOOKED AROUND AS I WAS CLEANING IT, I LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, 'OH, THERE'S A FEW AROUND HERE THAT ARE IN BAD STATE.' I WAS JUST ASHAMED. WE SAY, 'LEST WE FORGET, BUT WE DO FORGET.' WE SAY, 'LEST WE FORGET,' BUT WE DO FORGET. SO SIMON, A FORMER SOLDIER... (LEAF BLOWER WHIRRS) ...STARTED CLEANING THE UNKEPT GRAVES OF RETURNED SERVICEMEN ` PEOPLE WHO'D BEEN FORGOTTEN, LIKE PRIVATE CHARLES WEBSTER. COS THERE'S NO ONE LEFT OF THIS FAMILY TO LOOK AFTER THIS GRAVE. BUT THE OTHERS... THEN SIMON STARTED A FACEBOOK PAGE WHICH BECAME A CHARITABLE TRUST CALLED THE REMEMBRANCE ARMY. SEEMED LIKE A GOOD THING TO DO. PEOPLE FROM ALL AROUND NEW ZEALAND STARTED HELPING. TODAY, IT'S NICK IN PORIRUA... IT'S INTERESTING. LEARN SOMETHING. ...WHILE BRIAN McINTYRE IN NELSON HAS HIS OWN UNIT. TURNS A STONE BACK INTO A PERSON. MOSS COMES BACK. OVER EIGHT YEARS, SIMON CLAIMS THEY'VE CLEANED A QUARTER OF A MILLION GRAVES. I THINK I'M CLOSE TO ABOUT 15,000 GRAVES NOW MYSELF. TODAY, THEY'RE INSTALLING POPPIES SO VISITORS KNOW WHO HAS SERVED. JUST SAYS 'RESPECT'. IT SAYS, 'LEST WE FORGET'. SIMON STROMBOM SAYS EVERY SOLDIER DIES TWICE... THIS GUY JUST NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF A TOUCH-UP. ...ONCE IN BATTLE, AND ONCE WHEN YOU'RE FORGOTTEN IN A CEMETERY AT HOME. EVERY DAY IS ANZAC DAY, AND EVERY DAY, I'M DOING SOMETHING FOR A VETERAN. HE'S DETERMINED... I FEEL VERY CALM IN A CEMETERY. ...TO NEVER FORGET. COS I THINK THEY KNOW YOU'RE DOING IT. THEY KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE. LEST WE FORGET. YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER STOP DOING IT. HADYN JONES, 1 NEWS. AND THAT'S 1 NEWS THIS SUNDAY. FROM US, GOODNIGHT. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH AND TOM CLARKE. 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