IT'S TUESDAY, THE 29th OF APRIL. MORENA, THIS IS BREAKFAST. MAY'S FAST APPROACHING. TORY WHANAU HAS ANNOUNCED SHE IS NOT GOING TO BE CONTESTING THE MAYORALTY THIS YEAR. AND WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR ANDREW LITTLE. WE HAVE CHRIS HIPKINS ON THE SHOW LATER. IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT ANDREW LITTLE IS A VERY EXPERIENCED POLITICIAN. IS IT A GOOD THING TO HAVE A CITY THAT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT WE WILL DECIDE THAT THIS IS THE PERSON FOR US, OR ACTUALLY IS IT BETTER TO HAVE A CONTEST OF IDEAS AND TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE AT STAKE AND THAT SHE PRETTY, BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE, YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT OF FRICTION. I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, ANYONE WHO IS LIVING IN WELLINGTON. HERE IT IS. I HAVEN'T SIGNED IT. I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD SIGN IT FOR ME. WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO SAY? ALL THE BEST? STOP HASSLING ME? COMING UP ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` A POSITIVE MOVE TO GET MORE KIDS IN CLASS, OR THE GOVERNMENT PASSING THE BUCK? DAVID SEYMOUR IS ASKING MAYORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO HELP TACKLE TRUANCY, ENCOURAGING THEM 'TO PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.' THE CATCH, IT COMES JUST A MONTH AFTER THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CONFIRMED FUNDING CUTS TO ATTENDANCE OFFICER POSITIONS. WE'LL SPEAK WITH THE MAYOR AND A PRINCIPAL IN A REGION WITH LOW ATTENDANCE RATES WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD IT BE TO TACKLE TRUANCY. LOVE TO HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT TO. ALSO COMING UP ` INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY MORE THAN 5000 SENIOR DOCTORS WILL GO AHEAD AS PLANNED. LAST MINUTE MEDIATION TALKS WITH HEALTH NEW ZEALAND HAVE BROKEN DOWN, LEADING TO THE 24 HOUR STRIKE STARTING THIS THURSDAY. THE HEALTH MINISTER SAYS HE'S DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE MOVE THAT WILL AFFECT MORE THAN 4000 PATIENTS. THE DOCTORS ASSOCIATION WILL TELL US WHY THEY REJECTED THE LATEST OFFER. PLUS, CANADIANS ARE CASTING THEIR VOTES THIS MORNING IN A CRUCIAL GENERAL ELECTION. AND AFTER WEEKS OF THREATS AND TRADE TARIFFS FROM ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BORDER. IT'S U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP THAT COULD BE THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON THE RESULT. WE'LL FIND OUT WHO'S TIPPED TO WIN AND WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR NORTH AMERICAN TENSIONS. RIGHT NOW IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. HERE'S YOUR NEWS. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S CARDINALS HAVE DECIDED WHEN THE PROCESS TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE WILL BEGIN. THE CONCLAVE WILL START NEXT WEEK ON MAY 7th. WE'RE JOINED BY KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS FROM VATICAN CITY FOR THE LATEST ON THIS. KATE, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? YES, CONCLAVE FANS, GET THE CALENDAR OUT. THAT VOTE IS GOING TO START IN JUST OVER ONE WEEK. IN LINE WITH TRADITION, THE CHURCH IS 135 ELIGIBLE CARDINALS COULD HAVE STARTED A PROCESS THE DAY EARLIER, BUT THEY'VE CHOSEN TO GIVE THEMSELVES AN EXTRA DAY TO PREPARE. THEY WILL BE SWORN TO SECRECY INSIDE THE SISTINE CHAPEL, AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE UNTIL THEY GET THE JOB DONE AT TWO THIRDS MAJORITY VOTES. THE ONLY WAY THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW HOW PROCEEDINGS ARE GOING IS THE COLOUR OF THE SMOKE THAT WILL COME FROM THE CHIMNEY THAT WILL SOON BE INSTALLED ON THE CHAPEL. BLACK SMOKE MEANS AN INCONCLUSIVE VOTE, BUT WHITE SMOKE MEANS WE HAVE A NEW POPE. SPECULATIONS SURROUNDING THE PROCESS IS RUNNING HIGH, POPE FRANCIS WAS ELECTED AFTER 24-HOURS. A MASSIVE POWER CUT HAS HIT MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES ACROSS SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, GROUNDING PLANES AND BRINGING TRAFFIC TO A STANDSTILL. OFFICIALS SAY THERE'S NO INDICATION OF A CYBER ATTACK. THE SPANISH PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE CAUSE IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND WARNED AGAINST SPECULATION. AND THE POWER CUT HAS SEEN PLAY AT THE MADRID OPEN CANCELLED FOR THE DAY. AMERICAN COCO GAUFF HAD JUST WRAPPED UP A STRAIGHT SETS VICTORY IN THE THIRD ROUND, AND WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A POST-MATCH INTERVIEW WHEN THE MICROPHONE DIED. HEAD AVOCADO TOAST AND FRUIT. IT WAS AN EARLY START, I DIDN'T SLEEP THAT WELL, SO MAYBE I JUST NEED TO` ALL REMAINING MATCHES FOR THE DAY HAVE BEEN MOVED TO TOMORROW. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (CRANBERRIES' 'DREAMS' AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND. ELSEWHERE, MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH SHOWERS IN TAURANGA AND GISBORNE. CLEAR SKIES IN WHANGANUI WITH A HIGH OF 25. 22 IN HAMILTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` SIMILAR STORY HERE. MAINLY FINE DAY IN BLENHEIM. FURTHER DOWN, BIT MORE CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AROUND CANTERBURY. 16 THE HIGH IN QUEENSTOWN. 15 IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE IS MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING WITH OUR TEAM OF REPORTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE SET TO HIT NORTHLAND TODAY, WITH METSERVICE PUTTING A WATCH IN PLACE. LUCY BENDELL JOINS US FROM AUCKLAND. WHAT'S THE ADVICE FROM OFFICIALS, LUCY? THAT'S RIGHT. MORE WILD WEATHER IS SET TO HIT. THAT HAS PROMPTED THEM TO PUT A WARNING IN PLACE FOR DRIVERS IN NORTHLAND, URGING THEM TO SLOW DOWN IN THE REGIONS STATE HIGHWAYS AND AVOID ANY UNNECESSARY TRAVEL DURING THESE HEAVY PERIODS OF RAIN. TO BE AWARE OF THE POSSIBLE FLOODING ESPECIALLY IN LOW-LYING AREAS AND TO BE AWARE OF SLIPS AND FALLEN TREES. THEY ARE ALREADY WARNING OF ROAD CLOSURES. RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AND LOCALISED DOWNPOURS FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THIS COULD SEE STREAMS AND RIVERS RISING. FOR THE UPDATE ON THE ROADS, THE STATE HIGHWAY ONE HAS JUST REOPENED TO ONE LANE FOLLOWING A SLIP THAT BECAUSE THAT AREA OF ROAD TO CLOSE. WAKA KOTAHI ARE WARNING THAT 15 CM OF RAIN COULD WIPE AWAY SOMEONE AND 30 CM OF RAIN COULD CARRY THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE. DRY TO THE CONDITIONS. MET SERVICE SAY THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE WATCH COULD BE UPGRADED TO A WARNING. AND THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST SOLAR FARM IS OPENING TODAY IN CANTERBURY. LET'S BRING IN OUR CHRISTCHURCH REPORTER CHARLOTTE MULDER. HOW BIG ARE WE TALKING? WE'RE TALKING PRETTY BIG CHRIS. AROUND 90,000 SOLAR PANELS HAVE BEEN USED FOR THIS FARM. THEY WOULD GENERATE AROUND 100 GW OF ELECTRICITY PER YEAR, ENOUGH TO POWER 13,000 HOUSEHOLDS. IT SPELT OUT IN THE LAURISTON AROUND THE CANTERBURY PLAINS, AROUND 100 PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION, NOW IT IS UNDERWAY THERE ARE ONLY THREE PEOPLE LEFT. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE FOR THE COMPANY'S LONG-TERM STRATEGY PLANS. THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH AN AUSTRALIAN ELECTRICAL COMPANY, WHO SAYS IT AS A SUSTAINABLE ELECTRICAL OUTCOME FOR OUR COUNTRY. THE HEALTH MINISTER'S CALLING A PLANNED 24-HOUR STRIKE BY MORE THAN 5000 SENIOR DOCTORS 'DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING' SAYING THEY ARE 'WALKING AWAY FROM THEIR PATIENTS', FAILING THEM AND HURTING THEM. THE UNION SAYS DOCTORS DON'T WANT TO STRIKE THIS THURSDAY, BUT EVERY DAY AT WORK FEELS LIKE A CRISIS AND THEY SEE NO OTHER CHOICE, DESPITE KNOWING MORE THAN 4000 PATIENTS WILL BE AFFECTED. THE STRIKE COMES AFTER MEDIATION TALKS FAILED, WHEN THE ASSOCIATION OF SALARIED MEDICAL SPECIALISTS REJECTED HEALTH NEW ZEALAND'S LATEST PAY OFFER. THE ASSOCIATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SARAH DALTON IS WITH US FROM WELLINGTON. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU ON. WHY WAS THE LATEST OFFER REJECTED? IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT HAD ON THE TABLE THE WHOLE TIME, JUST DIVIDED UP DIFFERENTLY, AND THEY HAVE HAD TIME TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE ON THE CLAIM. THEY HAVE OFFERED A BIT OF AN INCREASE FROM 500 OF OUR MEMBERS, BUT FOR THE BULK OF OUR MEMBERS, THEY ARE LOOKING AT LESS THAN 1% A YEAR OVER A THREE-YEAR TERM AND THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE THE REVISED OFFER BACK TO YOUR MEMBERS? IF WE THINK AN OFFER IS GOOD ENOUGH AND LIKELY TO BE APPROVED BY MEMBERS, WE WILL TAKE A FINAL VOTE AS AN INDICATIVE BALLOTS, BUT WHEN NOT REQUIRED TO DO IT. WE ALSO KNEW THAT LARGELY IT WAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, ONLY SLIGHTLY BETTER DESCRIBED, THERE WAS NO POINT IN WASTING TIME AND ASKING THEM ABOUT THAT. WE'VE ALREADY HAD CLEAR SIGNALS FROM OUR MEMBERS, BACK WHEN WE STARTED BARGAINING, TO ESTABLISH WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, AND WE ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THAT> IN TERMS OF GOING INTO THESE NEGOTIATIONS, THAT YOU GO INTO IT WITH GOOD FAITH? DID YOU FEEL THAT HEALTH NEW ZEALAND HAD GONE INTO THIS WITH GOOD FAITH AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER OUTCOME THAN WHAT HAPPENED? WITH BINA BARGAINING SINCE AUGUST LAST YEAR, THE FIRST TIME THAT TE PUT A DETAILED OFFER ON THE TABLE WAS LAST WEEK. I WOULD NOTE THAT WE ARE CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE MISS OUT ON CARE, BUT EVERY SINGLE WEEK IN THIS COUNTRY, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BE MISSING OUT ESTIMATED EVERY SINGLE WEEK. I WANT TO COME BACK TO THAT STRIKE ACTION, AND HEALTHY ZEALAND SAYS IT'S THE LIFTING PAY FOR NEW SPECIALISTS BY 10%, A LUMP SUM OF $8000 IN SOME PLACES, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH YOU'RE SAYING? THAT'S MISREPRESENTED. THEY'VE BEEN BARGAINING, THAT IS AN ANNUALISED AMOUNT FOR MOST OF OUR MEMBERS OF LESS THAN 1% STOP FOR THE MEMBERS THAT ARE SITTING IN THEIR FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS AS SPECIALIST, I THINK IT'S CLOSER TO 3% OVER THE TERM OF THEIR AGREEMENT. IT'S NOTHING LIKE THE NUMBERS THAT HEALTHY ZEALAND ARE PRESENTING. WE WILL END UP SAYING THEY SAID THIS, WE SAID THAT. IT'S LIKE THE WORKFORCE. THEY STILL CAN'T TELL US THE EXACT NUMBERS OF THE PEOPLE MISSING FROM OUR SYSTEM. THEY SHOULD BE DOING BETTER. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK THIS QUESTION. I IMAGINE THERE WILL BE PEOPLE WATCHING US WHO ARE CONFUSED ABOUT THE PAY DEBATES ET CETERA, THEIR CONCERNS ARE LARGELY WITH WHETHER WE HAVE OUR HEALTH SYSTEM THAT CAN TREAT THEM. SIMPLY PUT, HOW DID WE END UP IN THE SITUATION, AND HOW WILL WE RESOLVE IT? THE SITUATION HAS BEEN BUILDING FOR A WHILE. WE HAVE BEEN UNDER INVESTING IN OUR HEALTH WORKFORCE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST RELIANCE ON OVERSEAS TRAINED DOCTORS IN THE WORLD. NEARLY 50% OF OUR HOSPITAL DOCTORS TRAINED SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD AND WE BROUGHT THEM HERE. EVERYBODY AGREES THAT THERE ARE MEDICAL WORKFORCE SHORTAGES ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THEY ARE HARD TO RECRUIT. THE LOGICAL NEXT PART OF THE ISSUE IS GIVEN OUR RELIANCE ON THOSE PEOPLE, HOW DO WE BRING MORE OF THEM HERE AND KEEP THEM HERE, AND HOW DO WE KEEP A NEW ZEALAND TRAINED DOCTORS HERE. AND WE THINK THAT ONE PART OF THAT EQUATION IS HAVING GOOD ENOUGH TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT THAT PEOPLE WILL THINK TO COME HERE INSTEAD OF AUSTRALIA. IN NEW SOUTH WALES, THEIR DOCTORS HAVE JUST GONE ON STRIKE BECAUSE THEY ARE THE WORST PAID STATE. THERE IS NO ATTEMPTS TO RECOGNISE THAT WE RELY ON AN INTERNATIONAL MARKET, AND OUR MEMBERS WHO COME HERE TELL ME THAT THEY DIDN'T USED TO MIND THE TRADE-OFF IN TERMS OF EARNING LOWER PAY AND LESS GOOD TERMS AND CONDITIONS BECAUSE THEY HAD LOCKS OF COLLEAGUES, THE WORK WAS GOOD AND THEY FELT WELL SUPPORTED AND VALUED IN OTHER WAYS. THOSE THINGS HAVE LEACHED AWAY YEAR BY YEAR. TYPICALLY, THEY ARE INVULNERABLE SERVICES, UNDERSTAFFING, GAPS, AND LAST YEAR, HEALTHY ZEALAND PAID $400 MILLION IN LOCUM AND TEMPORARY STAFFING. WHY DON'T THEY PUT THAT MONEY INTO PERMANENT STAFFING. ALL THE SHORT-TERM THINKING, WE REALLY NEED SOME TANGIBLE COMMITMENT TO TRY AND BUILD OUR WORKFORCE. WE NEED DOCTORS AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO CARE FOR US. WE HAVE AN AGEING POPULATION AND PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A PLACE FOR THEM WHEN THEY NEED IT. MORE THAN 5000 SENIOR DOCTORS WILL STRIKE ON THURSDAY, THE HEALTH MINISTRY SAY STRIKING IS A CHOICE NOT A NECESSITY, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE? THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT IS A CHOICE. IT IS A DECISION OUR MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN AND NOT LIGHTLY. WE CALL THE STRIKE ACTION AND WE FINALLY HAVE MOVEMENT. THE BALL IS IN THE EMPLOYERS COURT. THEY ARE FREE TO PUT MORE ON THE TABLE, WE ARE OPEN TO LISTENING TO WHAT THEIR OFFERS ARE, WE WILL BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT OUR CLAIMS ARE IN RELATION TO WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING, WE ARE HAPPY TO MOVE IF A MOVEMENT WILL GET US THERE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE FAR TOO FAR APART. IT IS ACTIONS, NOT WORDS. LOOK IT WAS BE PUT ON THE TABLE, NOT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING. DOCTORS ARE NOT BEING VALUED. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT INVESTING IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT. I DO HAVE TO WRAP THINGS UP, BUT THE MINISTER ALSO SAID THAT ONLY 52% OF DOCTORS DIDN'T VOTE FOR STRIKE ACTION. IS THAT CORRECT, AND IF SO, WHY IS THE STRIKE GOING AHEAD? THAT IS NOT CORRECT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE HAS THAT GOT THAT NUMBER FROM. IMES SURE HE IS LOOKING AT THE PARTICIPATION RATE WHICH WAS 55% BUT THE YES VOTE WAS 82%. THAT WAS A STRONG ENOUGH MESSAGE FOR US TO CONTINUE WITH STRIKE ACTION. AND YOU CAN'T ASSUME THAT IF SOMEONE DIDN'T VOTE THEY ARE AGAINST THE STRIKE. MORE THAN HALF OUR MEMBERS ARE VOTED, AND 86% VOTED IN FAVOUR OF 24-HOUR STRIKE ACTION THIS THURSDAY. IT IS A MAYDAY STRIKE, I WILL BE OUT THERE, IT WILL START AT MIDNIGHT. WE ALL NEED TO STAND TOGETHER FOR OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. E WHAI AKE NEI ` WITH MORTGAGE RATES DROPPING, HOMEOWNERS COULD BE GETTING A LITTLE EXTRA CASH IN THEIR BACK POCKET. NEXT, HOW TO SPEND THAT MONEY WISELY. VOICEOVER: Waitoa free range chicken. Turns the whole family... Dad? ...cozy. What's happening? I'm warm and cozy, but worried. You know what? I actually feel close to you all. Waitoa free range chicken. All the feels for all the meals. WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. IT'S 6:20. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU HAS ANNOUNCED SHE WILL NO LONGER RUN FOR A SECOND TERM. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S CARDINALS HAVE DECIDED THE PROCESS TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE WILL BEGIN NEXT WEDNESDAY ON MAY 7th. AND A MASSIVE POWER CUT HAS HIT MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES ACROSS SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, GROUNDING PLANES AND BRINGING TRAFFIC TO A STANDSTILL. WITH INTEREST AND HOME LOAN RATES FALLING, IF YOU HAVE A MORTGAGE, YOU MIGHT BE LETTING OUT A SIGH OF RELIEF. THE BIG QUESTION ` WHAT SHOULD YOU DO WITH THIS EXTRA WIGGLE ROOM? INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL JOURNALIST FRANCES COOK IS WITH US NOW TO EXPLAIN. MORENA. DOES THIS MEAN WE HAVE A BIT OF EXTRA SHOPPING? WHAT'S THE BEST ADVICE? HAD OCCURRED. IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU FINALLY GET THAT LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING SPACE, AND I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN HANGING OUT FOR IT. IF SOMEONE HAS A MORTGAGE THEY PROBABLY BEEN SUFFERING A LITTLE BIT RECENTLY. INTEREST RATES ARE FINALLY COMING DOWN, WILL PROBABLY SEE THEM COME DOWN A LITTLE MORE, AND AT A TIME LIKE THIS YOU CAN MAKE SOME MILAGE AND GET AHEAD, BUT THE TRACK IS, IT IS NOT OFTEN AUTOMATIC. A LOT OF THESE RATES ARE DROPPING FROM THE MAJOR BANKS, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE PASSED THROUGH TO YOU STRAIGHT AWAY. SO YOU HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOUR PLAN IS AND HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE MOST OF IT. SO BREATHING ROOM NOW, BUT ALSO MAKING AHEAD FOR THE FUTURE. WHEN YOU FEEL THIS RELIEF, YOU FEEL LIKE OKAY, THINGS AREN'T SO CRAZY. YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT GETTING AHEAD, DOES THAT MEAN DOING WHAT YOU WERE DOING BEFORE OR ACTUALLY STEPPING THINGS UP AGAIN? I THINK THE BIG THING IS, IF YOU ARE ON A FIXED OR FLOATING RATE, HAVE A LITTLE LOOK AT WHAT IS AROUND, AND IF YOUR BANK IS GIVING YOU THE BEST DEAL. BECAUSE NEW ZEALANDERS ARE SHOCKING FOR THIS. WE OFTEN PAY A LOYALTY TAX, WE DON'T REALLY MOVE VERY OFTEN, AND BANKS ON A GAUCHER BALL THAN YOU THINK, YOU JUST HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU'VE DONE YOUR RESEARCH AND SAY HEY, EVERYONE ELSE'S OFFERING THIS, WHAT CAN WE GET HERE. THE ADVERTISED RATE AND THEN THERE'S THE RATE THAT THEY WILL GIVE YOU. IT IS REALLY WORTH DOING THEIR RESEARCH, SEE WHAT'S AROUND, LOOK ON WEBSITES LIKE INTEREST.CO.NZ AND HAVE A LITTLE LOOK AT WHAT'S AROUND, AND WHO HAS GOT WHAT, AND THEN TALK WITH YOUR BANK. THE TRACK AFTER THAT IS THEN TO SAY CAN YOU MAKE AN EXTRA REPAYMENT? I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HANGING OUT FOR THIS, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ALL OF THE CASH THAT YOU ARE SAVING, BUT I THINK PEOPLE REALLY UNDERESTIMATE HOW MUCH JUST EVEN A LITTLE SMALL EXTRA PAYMENTS CAN GET YOU AHEAD. LITERALLY $20 A WEEK EXTRA ON YOUR MORTGAGE CAN MEAN THAT YOU PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE YEARS EARLIER BECAUSE ANY EXTRA PAYMENTS GO ONTO INTEREST AND FEES AND IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THE AMOUNT THAT YOU WERE LOANED IN THE FIRST PLACE. ANY EXTRA REPAYMENT GO STRAIGHT ONTO THE ACTUAL LOAN, SO ANY DOLLY YOU CAN PUT ON THERE IS WITH 2 TO 3 DOLLARS. SUPER POWERFUL. IT CAN WIPE OFF YEARS MUCH FASTER THAN YOU THINK. ARE PEOPLE NOT REALISING THAT THEY ARE PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN THEY NEED TO BE PAYING? IT CAN BE TENS OF THOUSANDS. JUST WITH A LITERAL $20 A WEEK REPAYMENT. IT IS REALLY WORTH JUST GOOGLING MORTGAGE REPAYMENT CALCULATOR AND PUT IN WHAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY PAYING ADD-ON AND EXTRA 20 OR $40 A WEEK, AND SEE HOW MANY YEARS THAT WIPES OFF YOUR MORTGAGE. YOU WILL FIND IT TO BE SO MOTIVATING, THE IDEA OF BEING MORTGAGE FREE, THAT MANY YEARS EARLIER. WHEN I DID IT AT WIPED OFF FIVE YEARS FROM A MORTGAGE, WHICH IS CRAZY. THAT'S REALLY WORTH HAVING. WE OFTEN TEND TO THINK THAT AM I BEING SENSIBLE OR I'M GOING TO HAVE A BIT OF FUN WITH THIS MONEY. YOU CAN DO BOTH. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS WORTH CONSIDERING AS A SPLIT APPROACH. IF YOUR INTEREST RATE HAS GONE DOWN, AND YOU ARE MAKING A LITTLE BIT OF SAVING, IF YOU GO SHADED GREAT STUFF, MAYBE TAKE A 50-50 APPROACH OF HALF OF THAT SAVING I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME, GET MY NAILS DONE OR WHATEVER. AND THEN HALF OF THAT SAVING, ACTUALLY I'M GOING TO STICK TO A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA REPAYMENT AND I WILL PAY OFF MY MORTGAGE A LITTLE BIT FASTER. WHEN YOU COME TO THAT TIME WHERE YOU WOULD STILL BE PAYING A MORTGAGE BUT NOW YOU'RE FREE INSTEAD, YOU ARE GOING TO FEEL SO GOOD. THE SHOELACE THAT, FEEL THE FREEDOM, AND THAT $20 A WEEK OR FEEL SO WORTH IT. WHEN YOU ARE SADDLED WITH A MORTGAGE, IT CAN BE HARD TO SEE THE WOOD FOR THE TREES. IT IS HARD TO PLAY THE LONG GAME. IF I DO MORE NOW, WILL BE BETTER LATER, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS CATER IT TO YOUR OWN LIFESTYLE AND GIVE YOURSELF A BIT OF SLACK. EXACTLY. AND I THINK THAT'S THE THING. WE OFTEN MAKE SOME DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT IS IN THE HEADLINE, AND THE HEADLINES ARE GREAT FOR TELLING US WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT NOT ALWAYS SO GREAT FOR SEEING WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH OUR MONEY. IT IS ALWAYS DOWN TO WHAT YOUR PERSONAL SITUATION IS THAN WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE HEADLINES. IT IS A LITTLE BIT SPOOKY AND FREAKY OUT THERE, IT WILL COME DOWN TO MORE THINGS LIKE CAN YOU FIND A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA CASH, DO YOU WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE MORTGAGE, AND THEN DO YOU NEED CERTAINTY WITH YOUR MONEY? IF YOU HAVE A YOUNG FAMILY, IF YOU HAVE A REALLY TIGHT BUDGET, THEN YOU PROBABLY WANT TO TALK TO THE BANK AND SAY HEY, I WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA REPAYMENT AND I AM GOING TO WORK THAT AND AS A LOCKED-IN, FIXED-RATE EXTRA PAYMENTS. BUT IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO GETS BONUSES OR YOU ARE SELF-EMPLOYED, WE THINK, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO WORK HARD ON PAYING OFFICE MORTGAGE SUPER FAST, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I CAN COMMIT, THEN SOMETHING LIKE FLOATING WORKS BETTER. IT GIVES YOU THAT FLEXIBILITY. SO MUCH OF YOUR MONEY DECISIONS WILL COME DOWN TO YOUR MONEY PERSONALITY AND WHAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED RATHER THAN WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. AND WHAT THE RESERVE BANK OR TRUMP IS UP TO. IS IT NICE TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT SOME NEW OPTIONS. ALWAYS A PLEASURE FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR EXCELLENT ADVICE AS ALWAYS. ME U TONU MAI ` WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK WITH YOUR 6.30 NEWS. VOICEOVER: Cheesy Bites are back. For a limited tiiiime. Oh hi Mr Stephenson. You're having a cheese dream, bro. VOICEOVER: WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU HAS ANNOUNCED SHE WILL NO LONGER RUN FOR A SECOND TERM. JAMES FLEURY IS WITH US. WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US? MORENA, CHRIS. I SPOKE TO TORI AN HOUR AGO AND SHE CONFIRMED THAT SHE IS LOOKING FOR A NEW ADVENTURE AND OPPORTUNITIES AND HAS DECIDED NOT TO PUT A HAND UP TO RUN FOR MAYOR. SHE HAS EXITED THE RACE. WHEN SHE FIRST RAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO, SHE DID NOT FEEL THERE WERE ANY OTHER VIABLE OPTIONS, BUT SHE SAYS THAT THIS HAS SINCE CHANGED. SHE SAYS THAT THERE ARE CANDIDATES THAT ARE GOOD LEADERS TO RUN THIS CITY. SHE SAID THAT HER DECISION CHANGED YESTERDAY WHEN ANDREW LITTLE DECIDED TO PUT HIS HAND UP FOR MAYOR. THIS SHE SAYS THAT HE'S GOT A LOT OF SUPPORT OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM AND WILL ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO DIVIDE BETWEEN THE LABOUR AND GREEN PARTIES. SHE SAID THAT YESTERDAY, WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT, THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE GOLDEN MILE THAT SHE HAS DECIDED TO PUT A HAND UP FOR THE MAORI WARD. SHE SAYS THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO HER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF TE TIRITI AND THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND IT. SHE WANTS TO ENSURE THAT GOING FORWARD WELLINGTON IS A CITY THAT EMBRACES THIS IN THE FUTURE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HER ON THE SHOW JUST AFTER 730, SO MAKE SURE TO TUNE AND TO HEAR WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ABOUT HER NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW ADVENTURES GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, JAMES. JAMES LIVE IN WELLINGTON. HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE SET TO HIT NORTHLAND THIS MORNING, WITH WARNINGS OF FLOODING AND ROAD CLOSURES. WAKA KOTAHI IS TELLING DRIVERS TO AVOID TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE AND WARNING OF POSSIBLE SLIPS ON PARTS OF STATE HIGHWAY 1 AND 10. METSERVICE HAVE ISSUED A WARNING FROM 10am THIS MORNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT, FORECASTING HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST SOLAR FARM IS OPENING TODAY IN CANTERBURY. MORE THAN 90,000 SOLAR PANELS ON THE SITE WILL GENERATE UP TO 100GW OF ELECTRICITY PER YEAR ` ENOUGH TO POWER NEARLY 13,000 HOUSEHOLDS. GENESIS CHIEF EXECUTIVE MALCOLM JOHNS SAYS THE PROJECT MARKS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR THE COMPANY'S LONG-TERM STRATEGY AND NEW ZEALAND'S SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. THE POLLS ARE OPEN IN CANADA FOR ITS SNAP FEDERAL ELECTION. THE FRONT-RUNNERS ARE CURRENT PRIME MINISTER AND LIBERAL PARTY LEADER MARK CARNEY, WHO REPLACED JUSTIN TRUDEAU SIX WEEKS AGO, AND PIERRE POILIEVRE, LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVES. A CENTRAL ISSUE FOR VOTERS HAS BEEN THE ONGOING TRADE WAR WITH U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS REPEATED THREATS TO ANNEX THE COUNTRY. HE'S AGAIN TODAY CALLED TO MAKE IT AMERICA'S 51st STATE. WE GOING TO BE SPEAKING WITH A CANADIAN POLITICAL EXPERT LATER ON THIS HOUR. A 14-YEAR-OLD IN THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE HAS BECOME THE YOUNGEST EVER PLAYER TO SCORE A T20 TON. VAIBHAV SURYAVANSHI MADE HIS IPL DEBUT EARLIER THIS MONTH AND REACHED HIS CENTURY OFF JUST 35 BALLS ` THE SECOND FASTEST IN HISTORY. 100. IT IS THE 14-YEAR-OLD BOY. HIS HISTORY-MAKING KNOCK STEERING THE RAJASTHAN ROYALS TO A COMFORTABLE EIGHT WICKET WIN OVER GUJARAT TITANS. 14! WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT 14, CHRIS? GETTING READY FOR NCEA LEVEL 1, I THINK. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING ` RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND. ELSEWHERE, MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH SHOWERS IN TAURANGA AND GISBORNE. CLEAR SKIES IN WHANGANUI WITH A HIGH OF 25. 22 IN HAMILTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` SIMILAR STORY HERE. MAINLY FINE DAY IN BLENHEIM. FURTHER DOWN, BIT MORE CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AROUND CANTERBURY. 16 THE HIGH IN QUEENSTOWN. A LITTLE BIT COOLER THROUGH HER. 15 IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST HIGH-PROFILE COURT CASES OFFICIALLY GETS UNDERWAY TODAY. ERIN PATTERSON IS FACING MULTIPLE MURDER CHARGES, ACCUSED OF SERVING A FAMILY LUNCH THAT TURNED DEADLY IN REGIONAL VICTORIA. HERE'S AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT AZIZ AL-SA'AFIN. IT ALL STARTED WITH A FAMILY MEAL IN JULY 2023 THAT TURNED DEADLY. A BEEF WELLINGTON SERVED AT ERIN PATTERSON'S HOME IN RURAL VICTORIA ALLEGEDLY LACED WITH POISONOUS MUSHROOMS. THREE PEOPLE ` PETERSON'S FORMER IN-LAWS, DON AND GAIL, AND GAIL'S SISTER HEATHER WILKINSON, DIED AFTER THAT LUNCH. HEATHER'S HUSBAND, IAN, WAS THE SOLE SURVIVOR AFTER SPENDING WEEKS IN HOSPITAL FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE. IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, POLICE LAUNCHED A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, DETECTIVES SEIZING A FOOD DEHYDRATOR, SIFTING THROUGH WASTE BINS AND INTERVIEWING OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. MONTHS LATER, POLICE CHARGED ERIN PATTERSON WITH THREE COUNTS OF MURDER AND FIVE COUNTS OF ATTEMPTED MURDER. ERIN PATTERSON IS FACING TRIAL IN HER OWN COMMUNITY. BUT BEFORE IT CAN START, A JURY MUST BE SELECTED. NAMES DRAWN FROM A BALLOT, WITH LAWYERS FROM BOTH SIDES ALLOWED TO OBJECT UNTIL A FINAL PANEL OF 12 PLUS RESERVES HAS CHOSEN. THE CASE HAS DRAWN MEDIA FROM AROUND THE WORLD, ALONGSIDE LEGAL TEAMS AND CROWDS WHO HAVE BOOKED OUT ACCOMMODATION IN VICTORIA'S REGIONAL TOWN OF MORWELL. THE INTENSE PUBLIC INTEREST HAS FORCED AUTHORITIES TO RAMP UP COURT SECURITY. PATTERSON HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES, MAINTAINING HER INNOCENCE. OPENING STATEMENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN TOMORROW IN A TRIAL SET DOWN TO LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. YES, THAT IS A FASCINATING STORY. JUST VERY QUICKLY ` THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN WITH THE NEWS. I HAD A BIT OF A MIGRAINOUS MORNING SO I WAS FEELING A BIT OFF. NO STRESS. PICKING UP A BIT OF THE LOAD THIS MORNING, I APPRECIATE IT. AFTER 7 O'CLOCK, WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE CALLS FOR MAYORS TO STEP UP WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING OUT WITH TRUANCY. HE HAS WRITTEN TO ALL MAYORS. TO BE NO EXIT WE WHAT HE IS ASKING THEM TO DO? THAT IS NOT A PAID ROLE. IT FEELS TO BE SYMBOLIC, A BIT LIKE A MENTORING THING TO TAKE THE LEAD AND HELP WITH THIS ISSUE. WHEN I STEPPED BACK FROM IT, I THOUGHT, COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS TO COMMUNITY ISSUES. ON THE FACE OF IT, I GO, IT IS NOT A BAD IDEA GETTING YOUR COUNCIL, THE LEADER OF YOUR COUNCIL, TOGETHER TO GIVE THE LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY, WORK WITH POLICE AND THE SCHOOL TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN GET KIDS BACK IN SCHOOLS. IF YOU'RE SEEING THEM ON THE STREET, HUNDRED GET THEM BACK IN SCHOOL? DIDN'T THE GOVERNMENT A MONTH AGO CUT FUNDING TO TRUANCY OFFICERS? THAT IS WHAT THEIR ROLE WOULD HAVE BEEN, TO GO AND TALK TO FAMILIES, FIGURE OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO KIDS AND GET THEM BACK. ON THE FACE OF IT, A LOT OF MAYORS THOUGHT, WHY SHOULD THEY BE DOING IT? IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSER TO THE COMMUNITY, STUDENTS WOULD RATHER HEAR FROM THEM THAN POLITICIANS IN WELLINGTON. TO COUNCILS REALLY WANT CENTRAL TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO? WILL TALK A LAW BIT MORE ABOUT THIS AFTER 7 O'CLOCK. ME U TONU MAI ` IT'S ELECTION DAY IN CANADA. WE ASK A LOCAL POLITICAL EXPERT WHICH WAY THE VOTES WILL GO. STAY WITH US. WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU HAS DROPPED OUT OF THE WELLINGTON MAYORAL RACE. SHE SAYS FORMER LABOUR MP ANDREW LITTLE ANNOUNCING HIS CANDIDACY HAS 'CHANGED THE GAME.' HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE SET TO HIT NORTHLAND THIS MORNING WITH WARNINGS OF FLOODING AND ROAD CLOSURES. AND, IN SPORT, A 14-YEAR-OLD IN THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE AND, IN SPORT, A 14-YEAR-OLD IN THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE HAS BECOME THE YOUNGEST PLAYER EVER TO SCORE A T20 TON. IT'S ELECTION DAY IN CANADA. THE LATEST POLLING SHOWS THE CENTRE-LEFT LIBERAL PARTY COULD BE ABOUT TO LAND A FOURTH CONSECUTIVE WIN, ALBEIT BY A SLIMMER MARGIN. IT'S A STARK DIFFERENCE TO JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHEN THEY TRAILED THE CONSERVATIVES BY 20 POINTS. SO WHAT HAPPENED? WE'RE JOINED NOW BY POLITICAL SCIENTIST TARI AJADI FROM MCGILL UNIVERSITY IN MONTREAL. SO NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ATTACK ON VANCOUVER. HOW HAS THE COUNTRY RESPONDED TO THAT? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. IT HAS BEEN DEVASTATING. AS A COMPLETE TRAGEDY. THE POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE ALTERED THEIR TRAVEL PLANS AS A RESULT OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED. JAGMEET SINGH WAS ACTUALLY AT THE EVENT MINUTES BEFORE THE FATAL INCIDENTS OCCURRED. IT WAS QUITE A HORRIFIC SCENE. POLICE ARE RULING OUT TERRORISM AT THIS STAGE, BUT DO YOU THINK IT WILL HAVE ANY EFFECT, AND IF SO, HOW, ON PEOPLE HEADING TO THE POLLS? I THINK IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON BANK OVER. A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE QUITE DISTRESSED. I DON'T THINK IT WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT MORE GENERALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO POLITICAL IMPLICATION, OR RATHER IT IS NOT PERCEIVED TO BE POLITICAL VIOLENCE. I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED THERE WILL BE ANOTHER INCIDENT THAT IS SIMILAR. THERE IS A MESSAGE TODAY WISHING CANADA WELL AS THEY GO TO THE POLLS FROM THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, POSTING, GOOD LUCK TO THE PEOPLE OF CANADA. AND CALLING THERE ABOUT A ZERO TARIFF TAXES OF CANADA BECOMES THE CHERISHED 51ST STATE. HOW MUCH OF A GALVANISE A HAZARDOUS RHETORIC BEND FROM THE PRESIDENT FOR POLITICIANS IN CANADA? I WILL FIRST SPEAK TO THE VOTERS. WE SEE NATIONAL UNITY AT A LEVEL I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. YOU HAVE FOLKS HERE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE INCLINED TO PUSH FOR SOVEREIGNTY, FOR SEPARATION, OR AT THE VERY LEAST THE NATIONAL, ... PEOPLE ARE CANCELLING OCCASIONS TO THE UNITED STATES, PEOPLE ARE SELLING THE HOMES IN THE UNITED STATES. MANY PEOPLE HAVE VACATION HOMES IN THE UNITED STATES. PEOPLE ARE BUYING CANADIAN. THE DEPTH OF BETRAYAL AND ANGER A POLL THAT CAME OUT TODAY SUGGESTS THAT 27% OF CANADIANS VIEW THE UNITED STATES AS AN ENEMY. MORE THAN PEOPLE THAT VIEW CHINA AS AN ENEMY. THAT MAKES THE POLITICIANS RESPOND IN SOME INTERESTING WAYS. MARK IS TALKING ABOUT CANADA STRONG. PIERRE HAS SIMILARLY STRONG WORDS. IT PUTS A DIFFERENT HINGE ON THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. GREAT FOR POLITICIANS THAT WANT TO SEIZE ON THAT NATIONALISM, BUT ONCE THEY GET INTO POWER, HOW DIFFICULT DOES IT MAKE THE JOB THEN? IT IS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING. WHAT IS CONSISTENT ACROSS CANADA IS ITS DIVERSITY. CANADA IS INCREDIBLY INTERESTING AND DYNAMIC, AND IT CHANGES FROM REGION TO REGION, IN TERMS OF ITS LANDSCAPES, SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHICS, WHAT PEOPLE VALUE, AND HOW THEY PERCEIVE THINGS. THAT IS NOT TO MENTION THE VARIOUS NATIONS ACROSS THIS PLACE WE CALL CANADA. HOWEVER ENDS UP BLEEDING CANADA NEXT LEADING* AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER BUT NOT OVERALL THE VARIOUS POWERS THAT BE AT THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL. THAT IS AN INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING JOB. I DO NOT KNOW HOW IT WILL TURN OUT. AS A POLITICAL PARTY OR CANDIDATE THAT IS POTENTIALLY BEST SUITED TO NAVIGATE THIS NEW WAY FORWARD WITH THE STATES? THAT HAS A VERY DIFFICULT QUESTION. BEST POSITIONED, WE ONLY HAVE TWO OPTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE POSITIONED TO RULE ` WE HAVE THE LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES. NDP CANNOT FORM A BLOC. THAT IS NOT A WINNING PROPOSITION NATIONALLY. RIGHT NOW, THE LIBERALS ARE AHEAD IN THE POLLING. THE LIBERALS ARE THE INCUMBENTS, BASED ON THE DEPTH OF THE ELECTORAL PLATFORMS, AND THE ABILITY TO FOSTER MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I WOULD SAY THAT THE LIBERALS ARE THE BEST PLACE TO GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVELY TO TRY NAVIGATE THIS UNCERTAIN SITUATION. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VOTING EARLY IN THE SELECTION. DO YOU THINK THAT IS SUGGESTING VOTING GOING A CERTAIN WAY? ABSOLUTELY. WE DO HAVE EXIT POLLING. NOT EXIT POLLING, BUT THEY TAKE A SAMPLE OF THOSE WHO VOTED IN THE ADVANCE POLLS. FROM THE POLLING DATA, THAT INDICATES THAT FOR AROUND 50% OF ADVANCED VOTERS ARE LIKELY TO BE LIBERAL VOTERS. THAT INDICATES THAT THE VOTERS GALVANISED. IT SEEMS THAT THE 55 AND UP VOTERS ARE BREAKING TOWARDS THE LIBERAL PARTY. THOSE ADVANCE POLLING NUMBERS WILL PUSH THAT PARTY PERHAPS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US LIVE FROM CANADA. THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME. E HAERE AKE NEI ` WHY MAYORS ARE BEING SINGLED OUT TO HELP BOOST SCHOOL ATTENDANCE FIGURES. BUT FIRST, A NEW GAME-CHANGING TREATMENT FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. MORE THAN 4000 NEW ZEALANDERS LIVE WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. FOR MANY, MANAGING INTRAVENOUS TREATMENTS INVOLVES HOURS OF TRAVEL AND HOSPITAL TIME EVERY SIX MONTHS. BUT MEDSAFE HAS JUST APPROVED A NEW TREATMENT ` A 10 MINUTE INJECTION. JUST AS EFFECTIVE, BUT REQUIRING FAR LESS TIME AND RESOURCING. GRAHAM WALKER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH MS IN 2013, AND IS THE PRESIDENT OF MS TARANAKI. HE JOINS US NOW. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. THIS SEEMS LIKE WONDERFUL NEWS THAT MEDSAFE HAVE APPROVED THIS NEW TREATMENT. IS IT? YES IT IS WONDERFUL NEWS. IT'S AMAZING. HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF? THE THING IS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THEIR TREATMENT AND MAYBE 15 MINUTES RATHER THAN ALL DAY. SO IT REALLY WILL ENABLE PEOPLE TO CONCENTRATE ON MANAGING THEIR LIVES THAN ON THEIR TREATMENT. IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE AMAZING FOR RESOURCES AT HOSPITALS BECAUSE AT THE MOMENT, I GO INTO A DAY CLINIC, AND I DON'T MIND TOO MUCH, I TAKE A HOLIDAY TO DO THE TREATMENT, BUT IT TIES UP ALL THE NURSES AND THE CLINICIANS. IT FREE UP RESOURCES AT OUR HOSPITALS, IT WILL FREE UP PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF WHO HAVE MS, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD THING. IT'S REALLY GOOD. THE MOVE NOW THOUGH, IS WHAT YOU'RE AFTER. IT IS TRYING TO GET PHARMAC TO FUND THE TREATMENT. THAT'S ALWAYS A BIT OF A MISSION. FUNDS ARE SHORT AND WE HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH MS. THAT IS WHAT WE DO, AND WE DO IT WELL. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT, KNOWING THAT PHARMAC IS HAS A CERTAIN BUDGET AND TRYING TO GET THEM TO ALLOCATE MONEY TOWARDS THIS? THE BIG PROBLEM AT THE MOMENT, I LIVE IN NORTH TARANAKI, AND THE HOSPITAL IS WHERE I GO FOR MY INFUSIONS, AND THEY MANAGE THEIR INFUSIONS FAIRLY WELL, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE SOME HOSPITALS LIKE CHRISTCHURCH WHERE PEOPLE ARE ON THE WAITING LISTS FOR AGES, LIKE SIX MONTHS OR MORE TO GET THE TREATMENTS, AND THE NARRATIVE IN MS IS THAT BRAIN HEALTH TIME MATTERS, AND TIME IS REALLY IMPORTANT, SO AS SOON AS THEY CAN GET THE TREATMENT AND SLOW DOWN THE ADVANCE OF IT, PEOPLE WILL BE BETTER OFF. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE DAY OR HOURS FOR WAITING FOR THIS TREATMENT AND HERE COULD BE DONE IN 10 MINUTES. YOU TALK ABOUT INFUSIONS, HOW DOES THAT TREATMENT HELP YOU AS SOMEONE WITH MS? TECHNICALLY, THERE IS NO CURE FOR MS, BUT IT SLOWS DOWN THE ADVANCE OF THE DISEASE, THE TREATMENTS ARE ALIVE CHANGER, AND IT IS JUST AMAZING, MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO THEY JUST WEREN'T THE TREATMENT, AND THE ADVANCEMENTS ARE AMAZING AND THE RESEARCHERS AMAZING. PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO ME THAT I AM LUCKY TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH IT AT THIS TIME, AND THAT'S A STRANGE THING TO SAY, BUT IT IS TRUE. AND I GET IT, BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN OUR TREATMENTS HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, SO DID YOU EVER BELIEVE IN YOUR LIFETIME THAT YOU WOULD SEE TREATMENT THAT HAS COME TO THIS POINT WE CAN BE DONE WITHIN 10 MINUTES? WHEN I WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED 12 YEARS AGO THERE WERE NO TREATMENTS FOR MY FORM OF MS. AND WHEN THE NEUROLOGIST TOLD ME THAT'S WHAT I HAD, I SAID WHAT HAPPENS, AND HE SAID I DON'T KNOW. HE SAID IT IS CALLED THE SNOWFLAKES DISEASE, BECAUSE EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. BUT NOW THERE IS TREATMENT. IS THERE ANYWAY THAT PEOPLE CAN HELP AS YOU ADVOCATE TOWARDS PHARMAC FUNDING THIS NEW TREATMENT? AWARENESS IS HUGE, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US ON BREAKFAST, BECAUSE IF WE JUST GET THE MESSAGE OUT, THE WORLD IS FULL OF REALLY NICE PEOPLE, AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT MS IS AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN HELP, AND THEY ARE AMAZING, JUST AMAZING. YOU'RE AMAZING. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US ON THE PROGRAM THIS MORNING, AND THIS IS WONDERFUL NEWS, NOW THE NEXT STEP IS TO SEE IF PHARMAC CAN COME ON BOARD AND FUND THIS. REALLY A PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU THIS MORNING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JENNY MAY.. COMING UP ON THE SHOW THIS HOUR ` MAYORS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BOOST SCHOOL ATTENDANCE FIGURES BUT IS IT REALLY THEIR JOB? ALSO AHEAD ` CHRIS HIPKINS IS WITH US. HAS THE GOVERNMENT REALLY OPENED THE DOOR FOR COWBOY TRADIES? PLUS, THE NORTHLAND SAILING CLUB TRYING TO GET A ROOF BACK OVER ITS HEAD AFTER IT WAS RIPPED OFF BY CYCLONE TAM. IT'S 7 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU HAS ANNOUNCED SHE WILL NO LONGER RUN FOR A SECOND TERM. SHE SAYS HER DECISION FOLLOWS FORMER LABOUR MP ANDREW LITTLE ANNOUNCING HIS CANDIDACY, SAYING IT'S 'CHANGED THE GAME.' SHE WILL INSTEAD CAMPAIGN TO BE A MAORI WARD COUNCILLOR FOR THE CITY. LAST NIGHT ANDREW LITTLE ANNOUNCED HE HAD THE BACKING OF THE LABOUR PARTY. A SERIOUS CRASH BETWEEN A VEHICLE AND A CYCLIST IN HAMILTON'S WHITIORA HAS CLOSED THE INTERSECTION OF MILL AND ULSTER STREETS THIS MORNING. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE INCIDENT JUST BEFORE 6am, WHERE ONE PERSON WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE, AND POLICE SAY MOTORISTS SHOULD TAKE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE OR EXPECT DELAYS. A MASSIVE POWER CUT HAS HIT MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES ACROSS SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, GROUNDING PLANES AND BRINGING TRAFFIC TO A STANDSTILL. SOME POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED IN PARTS OF SPAIN. THE SPANISH PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE CAUSE IS BEING INVESTIGATED, AND WARNED AGAINST SPECULATION, SAYING THERE'S NO INDICATION OF A CYBER ATTACK. THE HIGH PROFILE TRIAL OF ERIN PATTERSON IS SET TO BEGIN TODAY IN THE STATE OF VICTORIA. THE 50-YEAR-OLD IS FACING THREE MURDER CHARGES AFTER ALLEGEDLY SERVING A MEAL CONTAINING DEADLY MUSHROOMS. OUR AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT AZIZ AL SA'AFIN FILED THIS REPORT. ERIN PATTERSON'S TRIAL OFFICIALLY BEGINS TODAY IN REGIONAL VICTORIA. SHE'S ACCUSED OF SERVING A BEEF WELLINGTON MEAL LACED WITH DEATH CAP MUSHROOMS, KILLING HER FORMER IN-LAWS, DON AND GAIL PATTERSON, ALONG WITH GAIL'S SISTER, HEATHER WILKINSON. HEATHER'S HUSBAND, IAN WILKINSON, WAS THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF THAT LUNCH AFTER SPENDING WEEKS IN HOSPITAL. TODAY, A JURY OF 12 PLUS RESERVES WILL BE SELECTED THROUGH A RANDOM BALLOT, WITH OPENING STATEMENTS EXPECTED TOMORROW. PATTERSON'S PLEADED NOT GUILTY, WITH THE TRIAL EXPECTED TO LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. TO SPORT, AND CHIEFS MIDFIELDER ANTON LIENERT-BROWN IS SET TO MISS THE REMAINDER OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON AFTER BREAKING HIS COLLARBONE. THE 30-YEAR-OLD WENT OFF THE FIELD AT HALFTIME IN HIS SIDE'S 56-22 WIN OVER THE FORCE IN TAURANGA LAST WEEK. IN AN INSTAGRAM POST, LIENERT-BROWN CONFIRMED HE'S SET TO UNDERGO SURGERY. IT COMES AFTER CHIEFS PLAYMAKER DAMIAN MCKENZIE MISSED LAST WEEK'S GAME WITH A HAND INJURY. LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND. ELSEWHERE, MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH SHOWERS IN TAURANGA AND GISBORNE. CLEAR SKIES IN WHANGANUI WITH A HIGH OF 25. 22 IN HAMILTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND, SIMILAR STORY HERE. MAINLY FINE DAY IN BLENHEIM. FURTHER DOWN ` BIT MORE CLOUDY WITH OCASSIONAL RAIN AROUND CANTERBURY. 16 THE HIGH IN QUEENSTOWN. 15 IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. BUNKING OFF, SKIVING, WAGGING ` WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, STAYING AWAY FROM SCHOOL CAN HAVE SERIOUS LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES FOR A CHILD'S EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT. ASSOCIATE EDUCATION MINISTER DAVID SEYMOUR HAS WRITTEN TO MAYORS AROUND THE COUNTRY, TELLING THEM TO 'LEAD THE CHANGE' IN THEIR REGION WHEN IT COMES TO PREVENTING TRUANCY. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RATES HAVE BEEN IN DECLINE FOR A DECADE, SO, FOR SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, HITTING A 94% DAILY ATTENDANCE RATE COULD BE A TOUGH GOAL. IN NORTHLAND, DAILY ATTENDANCE DROPPED AS LOW AS 71% EARLIER THIS MONTH. WE SPOKE WITH PAT NEWMAN FROM THE TE TAI TOKERAU PRINCIPALS' ASSOCIATION HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT MR SEYMOUR'S LETTER. I THINK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, TO BE QUITE HONEST, IS A MINISTER WHO IS HANDING OFF HIS RESPONSIBILITY AND HIS GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY AROUND ATTENDANCE AND DROPPING IT BACK AND BLAMING IT. THOSE OF US THAT ARE WORKING OUR GUTS OUT TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE, BLAMING US, PULLING IN THE ` NOW SUPPOSEDLY THE MAYORS OF EACH AREA TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THEM. THIS IS ALL HANDOVER GOVERNMENT MINISTERS RESPONSIBILITY AND AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT. IF WE LOOK AT IT SO FAR THIS YEAR, HE'S CUT ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT HELPS KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOLS. THAT'S LUNCHES. SO HE'S DECIMATED THAT, STUFFED IT UP, BUT HE'S TALKING ABOUT ATTENDANCE. HE'S NOW CUT THE ATTENDANCE OFFICERS. ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAD TO HELP US. I MEAN, LOOK, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT THIS IS ABOUT HEADLINES. THIS IS ABOUT VOTES. IT'S NOT` AND THIS IS ALSO ABOUT COVERING YOUR BACKSIDE, MINISTER. AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE CLEAR THAN THAT. WHAT WE NEED YOU'RE NOT GIVING US. WHAT YOU'RE GIVING US IS AT OUR COST. FOR MORE ON WHAT MAYORS CAN ACTUALLY DO TO COMBAT TRUANCY, WE'RE JOINED BY WHANGAREI MAYOR VINCE COCURULLO. GOOD MORNING VINCE. DO YOU THINK THOSE ARE FAIR COMMENTS FROM PAT? HE IS PRETTY FIRED UP. PATS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF A PRINCIPAL WHO WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS YOUNG PEOPLE AND YOU CAN SEE QUITE CLEARLY WHY HE'S PASSIONATE. WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOLS AND STUFF, THE PRINCIPLES ARE THERE, YOU HAVE THE TEACHERS ARE THERE, SO THEY ARE ALL TRYING TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS STAY IN SCHOOL. WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL REACTION TO DAVID SEYMOUR'S LETTER? DO YOU THINK HE IS ASKING TOO MUCH OF MAYORS? IT WASN'T ASKING US TO HAVE A HANDS-ON APPROACH, WAS ASKING US TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED. WHEN WE SEE YOUNG PEOPLE OUT THERE, BE THE EXAMPLE THAT THEY CAN LOOK UP TO. SO MAYORS BEING GOOD EXAMPLES OF BEING IN SCHOOL, BEING SOMEONE THEY CAN ASPIRE TO. WE DID CONTACT THE MINISTER, AND HE WAS SURPRISED THAT MAYORS SO CLOSE TO THEIR LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS DON'T PUT MORE OF A SMILE OF IT WHEN ASKED TO HELP THEIR COMMUNITY, HE ADDED THAT HE'S NOT ASKING THEM TO SPEND MONEY, HIRE MORE BUREAUCRATS OR MAKE MORE RULES. HE'S ASKING THEM TO PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET TO SCHOOL. AND ON THE FACE OF IT, THAT SEEMS FAIR, DOESN'T IT? AS A MAYOR, YOU ARE THERE TO REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY, AND YOUNG PEOPLE JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE. AND WHEN THEY KNOW YOU ARE, THEY WANT TO ASK HOW THEY BECOME LIKE ME. SO I AM OPEN TO BEING INVITED TO SCHOOLS, I GO TO THE PRIZEGIVING IS, I GO TO AS MANY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE SCHOOL THINGS AS POSSIBLE, SO JUST SO THEY HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THROUGH SCHOOL, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I HAVE MY OWN JOBS AND ON TOP OF THAT, I AM THE MAYOR AS WELL. AS SIDE FROM THE ADULTS HAVING A VERBAL TIT FOR TAT, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM. WHAT ARE THE BIG BARRIERS HEAR THE KIDS GETTING TO SCHOOL? THIS IS ONE OF THOSE REALLY COMPLEX THINGS. I'VE HAD A LOOK AT DAVID SEYMOUR'S DAILY ATTENDANCE SHEET AND ONTO IT, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE ` 8% OF EXCUSES WERE APPROVED, AND A SMALL PERCENT THAT ARE NOT. OF THE ONES THAT ARE APPROVED, MEDICAL. IT'S COMMON OCCURRENCES LIKE THAT. YOU HAVE THAT SORT OF THING. THEN YOU HAVE THE BARRIERS ABOUT GETTING TO SCHOOL. FOR SOME YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY HAVE TO WALK TO SCHOOL FOR SOME, IT'S THE WAY IT IS, YOU HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE LIKELY WORKING TWO JOBS, SO THE KIDS HAVE TO LOOK AFTER THEMSELVES SOMETIMES. THIS IS WHAT IT IS, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S WHERE TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS AND THE COMMUNITY NEED TO PICK UP THEIR GAME AND ACTUALLY HELP OUT EVERYBODY. DO YOU THINK MAYORS LIKE YOURSELF/ CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON SCHOOL ATTENDANCE FIGURES? REALISTICALLY, LIKE WHAT PAT HAS ORALLY SAID, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT MAYORS HAVE THAT ABILITY TO CHANGE THE ATTENDANCE RATIO. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING MORE TO DO WITH PARENTS AND THE SCHOOLS THEMSELVES AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE ASSETS OR MORE FUNDING PUT TOWARDS THAT TYPE OF THING. WHAT ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE ATTENDANCE OFFICER ROLES, THE THINGS THAT PAT WAS TALKING ABOUT, THOSE THINGS BEING CUT? IS THAT AN ISSUE? ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IS THAT THERE HAVE ENTRANCE THE OFFICES AT SCHOOLS, AND NOW THERE ARE NOT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE NO TRUE SEA OFFICES AT SCHOOLS, AND THAT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. ON SAYING THAT THOUGH, WE HAVE OUR CITY SAFE TEAM OUT THERE AT THE MOMENT AND THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED TO ME THAT TRUANCY IS ACTUALLY DOWN THIS YEAR. SO THE KIDS ARE WANTING TO GO TO SCHOOL AT THE MOMENT, AND THEY ARE WANTING TO LEARN, AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF SCHOOLS AS WELL. WE HAVE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONS, WE HAVE KURA. IF MAYORS AND COMMUNITIES ARE HAPPY TO PITCH AND AS THEY ALREADY ARE PROBABLY, ALREADY DO, WHAT WOULD YOUR MESSAGE BACK TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND DAVID SEYMOUR BE ABOUT WHAT HE CAN DO TO HELP OUT? I THINK THE BIGGEST THING HE CAN DO IS A SIN TO THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPLES, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE HANDS ON WHAT IS HAPPENING WIT H MOST OF THE KIDS. I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND ON WHAT A CHANGE CAN DO FOR A KID, AND THEY JUST NEED SUPPORT. THEY JUST NEED SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO. PUT THE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ACTUALLY LISTENED TO, AND ACTUALLY ENCOURAGED TO ACHIEVE BETTER. IT'S JENNY MAY HERE. DO COUNCILS HAVE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING HERE? WE ARE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING THAT YOU KNOW WHAT, EDUCATION IS UP TO THE TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOLS AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING COMES FROM, AND ACTUALLY JUST LEAVE THE COUNCILS OUT OF IT AND LET THE COUNCILS GET ON WITH IT. WHAT IS YOUR THOGUHTS ON THAT? I ACTUALLY AGREE. COUNCILS DEAL WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. MAKING SURE THE BUS STOP SO THERE. MAKING SURE THE SHELTERS ARE THERE FOR THE KIDS WHEN THEY CATCH BUSES. WE HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL AND NO FUNDING AS PAT NEWMAN HAS ALREADY SAID, THAT CAN ASSIST IN THIS. THANK YOU SO I SHOULD JOINING US. YOU COULDN'T BE ACCUSED OF NOT PUTTING A SMILE ON IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. MANY OF YOU SAYING THAT EDUCATION IS FUNDED, AND THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE SOLVED FROM. IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE DAVID SEYMOUR WAS ASKING THEM TO DO ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR. BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT IT HAS PEOPLE FIRED UP, MAYBE IT HAS DONE WHAT IT WAS MEANT TO DO IN TERMS OF GETTING ATTENTION. E HAERE AKE NEI ` WE'LL ASK CHRIS HIPKINS WHAT HE MAKES OF DAVID SEYMOUR'S LETTER TO MAYORS. PLUS, WILL THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO SHORTEN BUILDING CONSENT WAIT TIMES LOWER STANDARDS? WELCOME BACK. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S CARDINALS HAVE DECIDED THE PROCESS TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE WILL BEGIN NEXT WEDNESDAY ON MAY 7th. THE TRIPLE MURDER TRIAL OF ERIN PATTERSON OVER AN ALLEGED POISONOUS MUSHROOM LUNCH IS SET TO BEGIN TODAY IN THE STATE OF VICTORIA. AND IN SPORT, CHIEFS MIDFIELDER ANTON LIENERT-BROWN IS SET TO MISS THE REMAINDER OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON AFTER BREAKING HIS COLLARBONE. IT IS 7:17. AS WE JUST HEARD BEFORE THE BREAK, ASSOCIATE EDUCATION MINSTER DAVID SEYMOUR HAS TAKEN A UNIQUE APPROACH TO BATTLING TRUANCY BY WRITING TO MAYORS ASKING FOR THEIR HELP IN LIFTING SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS JOINS US NOW FROM WELLINGTON AIRPORT. MORENA. DAVID SEYMOUR'S LETTER COMES A MONTH AFTER THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION CONFIRMED FUNDING CUTS TO ATTENDANCE OFFICERS FROM JULY. IS IT A BIT OFF FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO ASK LOCAL COUNCILS TO HELP REDUCE TRUANCY? IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD. THE GOVERNMENT IS SAYING TO COUNCILS TO FOCUS ON YOUR CORE BUSINESS, DO NOT GET DISTRACTED BY OTHER THINGS, AND THEY NOW ASKING THEM TO TAKE ON RESPONSIBILITIES THAT SIT WITH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN CUTTING SUPPORT FOR SERVICES LIKE TRUANCY SERVICES. THE GOVERNMENT HAVE SAID COUNCILS SHOULD FOCUS ON THEIR CORE BUSINESS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FOCUS ON ITS CORE BUSINESS. GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL AS ITS RESPONSIBILITY. WHAT YOU THINK OF DAVID SEYMOUR SENDING THIS LETTER? WE HAD THE WHANGAREI MAYOR ON THE SHOW WITH US AND HE SAID, YES, I GUESS IT, WE ARE THERE TO BE AN EXAMPLE, BUT ACTUALLY, OUR CORE ROLE ... WHAT YOU MAKE OF THE LETTER? I BELIEVE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO HAVE A ROLE IN COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, BUT THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE THAT FOCUS AWAY FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, REMOVE THAT FROM THE LAW AND SAY THAT THEIR ONLY ROLE IS TO PROVIDE ROADS, PIPES, PLAYGROUNDS AND SO ON. IF THAT IS WHAT GOVERNMENT ARE SAYING TO COUNCILS THAN THEY SHOULD FOLLOW THAT THEMSELVES. I WANT TO MOVE ON TO TEACHER REGISTRATIONS. THE GOVERNMENT TO SPENDING $50 MILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO COVER TEACHER REGISTRATION COSTS. DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HAVE SOME IMPACT ON THE IMPACTS OF OTHER PARTS OF PAY OR CONDITIONS THAT THEY ARE SEEKING? I THINK THAT TEACHERS WILL BE WELCOMED THE FACT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY REGISTRATION FEES ANY MORE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT NICOLA WILLIS IS SAYING IN THE BUDGET IS THAT THERE IS NO MONEY FOR PAY RISES. THEY WILL BE BARGAINING THIS YEAR, I SUSPECT, WHICH WOULD BE A PRETTY RUGGED BARGAINING AROUND WHERE TEACHERS ARE UNLIKELY TO SEE PAY RISES. THAT MAY GO BACKWARDS IN REAL TERMS. MOST TEACHERS WOULD RATHER HAVE A PAY INCREASE SO THEY NOT GOING BACKWARDS RATHER THAN HAVE THIS REDUCTION IN THE REGISTRATION FEES. YOU ARE DOING VERY WELL OVER THE PA SYSTEM AT THE AIRPORT. CAN WE MOVE ON? TO TALK ABOUT BUILDING SELF CERTIFICATION. NATIONAL ANNOUNCED A NEW SCHEME TO SPEED UP HOUSING. WHAT IS LABOURS VIEW TO ALLOW BUILDERS TO SIGN OFF ON THEIR OWN WORK? I THINK THERE ARE SOME AREAS WHERE IT IS JUSTIFIED AND WE CAN SPEED UP THE PROCESS AND WHERE IT IS LOW RISK, IF IT IS SENSIBLE SELF CERTIFICATION, IT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE. WE ARE VERY OPEN TO THAT, BUT IT HAS TO BE RISK-BASED. IF IT IS HIGH RISK AND THE RISK OF FAILURE IS HIGH AND THE CONSEQUENCES ARE HIGH, THEN SELF CERTIFICATION IS APPROPRIATE. IT IS IMPORTANT WE DO NOT REPEAT THE MISTAKES OF LEAKY BUILDINGS THAT COST A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF MONEY. BY THE TIME THAT THE FULL NATURE OF THAT FAILURE WAS KNOWN, THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT WELL AND TRULY DISAPPEARED. I DO NOT THINK PEOPLE WANT TO SEE A REPEAT OF THAT. ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT ALL THAT THERE IS ANYONE CHECKING THE CHECKS IN TERMS OF SELF CERTIFYING, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CHECKS BEYOND THAT? I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES AND THE APPROVALS PROCESS ARE STILL IMPORTANT. FOR THEIR BE RANDOM CHECKS OF SELF CERTIFICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE ADHERING WHO WILL BE ALLOWED TO BE SELF CERTIFIED? I THINK ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE STILL TO BE ANSWERED. THE GOVERNMENT SAID THAT THE NEW SCHEME WILL HALVE CONSENT WAIT TIMES WHICH WILL LEAD TO MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THIS HAS TO BE A GOOD THING, RIGHT? AS I SAID, WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN SPEED UP SOME OF THESE PROCESSES AND MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT, BUT IT HAS TO BE RISK-BASED. WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE HOMEOWNERS FACE THE LIABILITY. THEY COVERING A LOT OF TOPICS THIS MORNING, I DO WANT TO GET TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN WELLINGTON AT THE MOMENT, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE POLICE FITNESS TEST. POLICE ARE AUDITING HUNDREDS OF APPLICANTS AFTER THREE RECRUITS FAILED PHYSICAL TESTS AND THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GO TO POLICE COLLEGE. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE AUDIT? THE GOVERNMENT SAID THAT POLICE NEED TO RECRUIT 500 EXTRA POLICE OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THOSE POLICE ARE RELIEVING THE FORCE, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL HOLD THE POLICE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HITTING THE TARGET. NUMBER POLICE HAVE BEEN CUTTING CORNERS. THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY. IF THEY SAY THEY NEED TO RECRUIT 500 MORE AND WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, ... I THINK THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOT HEARING TO THE STANDARDS, WHICH IS WHAT IS HAPPENING UNDER THIS GOVERNMENT, AND ADJUSTING THE STANDARDS TO THE SKILLS THAT POLICE NEED TO HAVE. WE AGREED TO SOME CHANGES AT THE POLICE WANTED TO MAKE TO THE STANDARDS TO REFLECT THE MODERN REALITIES OF POLICING. THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE ARE ASKING POLICE TO PREPARE FOR THAT THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY DO IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES. ADJUSTING STANDARD IS FINE, AND IF THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT AND MORE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE STANDARD, THAT WOULD BE FINE. IF SOMEONE IS SAYING THAT THEY ARE NOT EVEN MEET THE STANDARD, THAT IS NOT OKAY, AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT. FINALLY, I WANT TO MOVE ON TO TORY PARENTS THIS MORNING THAT SHE WILL NOT BE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION FOR THE WELLINGTON MAYORAL SHIP. ARE YOU SURPRISED BY HER DECISION? ULTIMATELY, THAT IS A DECISION FOR HER. EYE WELCOMES ANDREW LITTLE ENTERING THAT RACE. I THINK HE WILL BE GREAT FOR WELLINGTON HE HAS MY FULL BACKING AND CONSISTING. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TORY. IT IS A TOUGH DECISION TO MAKE. SURE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOUGH CALL FOR HER TO MAKE. FOLLOW DID NOT AGREE FOR TORY ON EVERYTHING, WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS THAT SOME OF THE ABUSE SHE WAS SUBJECTED TO WAS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. THAT WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT TAKEN A PERSONAL TOLL ON HER, AND NOW THAT SHE HAS MADE THIS DECISION, HOPEFULLY EVERYONE CAN MOVE ON FROM ITS. POLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS ARE VITAL IN A DEMOCRACY. PERSONAL DENIGRATION AND ABUSE, WHICH FAR TOO OFTEN ARE DIRECTED AT TWO WOMEN WHO STAND IN POLITICAL OFFICE; MAORI AND PASIFIKA WOMEN FACE THIS MORE, THAT IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. WHERE ARE YOU HEADING OFF TO? UP TO AUCKLAND TODAY. AN EARLY FLIGHT TO AUCKLAND. SAFE TRAVELS. AS ALWAYS, APPRECIATE YOUR TIME ON TUESDAY. JOINING US IN WELLINGTON AIRPORT IF YOU COULD NOT TELL. MR HIPKINS MENTIONED THAT A CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS LIKE SCHOOLS, COUNCILS MORE TO DO WITH INFRASTRUCTURE. EARTH DAVID SEYMOUR WANTS LOCAL LEADERS TO GET INVOLVED, THEN MAKE IT A JOB FOR CONSTITUENT MPS. LET THE MAYORS GET ON WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT ... A LOT OF ORGANISATIONS UNDERGO TOUGH TIMES. THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP YOUR RATES DOWN. JUST TO REITERATE, THE LETTER DOES NOT ASK MAYORS TO DO ANYTHING. THEY NOT STANDING AT THE GATES WITH THE NEON VESTS ON. I THINK IT IS MORE AT TAKING CHARGE AND SHOWING THAT IT IS A COMMUNITY EFFORT. LOVING YOUR FEEDBACK, KEEP IT COMING AND. BREAKFAST@TVNZ.CO.NZ. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 7.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS HAS ANNOUNCED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OPERATING ALLOWANCE WILL BE $1.3B, DOWN FROM THE TREASURY'S HALF YEAR FORECAST OF $2.4B. IN A SPEECH THIS MORNING, SAID NEW SPENDING INITIATIVES WILL BE FOCUSED ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LAW AND ORDER AND DEFENCE. NEW ZEALANDERS CAN EXPECT SOME COST OF LIVING RELIEF THAT WILL BE, 'CAREFULLY TARGETED', AS WELL AS SOME INVESTMENT IN BUSINESS GROWTH. SHE ALSO SAYS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WILL NOT BE RECEIVING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND AGENCIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW RESTRAINT WHEN IT COMES TO WAGE INCREASES. LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS SAYS AUSTERITY IS NOT THE ANSWER. NICOLA WILLIS IS DOUBLING DOWN ON AUSTERITY. SHE SEEMS TO BE THINKING NEW ZEALAND CAN CUT ITS WAY TO PROSPERITY. ALL SHE WILL BE DOING IS DEFERRING ROB LIMBS, SPENDING AND LEAVING A BIGGER DEPTH OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE BUDGET WILL BE DELIVERED ON THE 22ND OF MAY. VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS DECLARED A THREE-DAY CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, TO MARK THE 80th ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY OF THE SOVIET UNION AND ITS ALLIES IN WW2. THE TEMPORARY TRUCE IS THE SECOND BY PUTIN IN RECENT WEEKS. IT FOLLOWS A 30-HOUR CEASEFIRE OVER EASTER IN WHICH BOTH SIDES ACCUSED THE OTHER OF VIOLATING THE DEAL MULTIPLE TIMES. WET WEATHER IS SET TO HIT NORTHLAND AGAIN THIS MORNING, WITH WARNINGS OF FLOODING AND ROAD CLOSURES. METSERVICE IS FORECASTING HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS, WITH WAKA KOTAHI WARNING DRIVERS TO AVOID TRAVEL IF POSSIBLE AND BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE SLIPS AND FLOODING ON PARTS OF SH1 AND 10. THIS FOLLOWS THE MANGAMUKA GORGE JUST RE-OPENING TO ONE LANE YESTERDAY, FOLLOWING A SLIP FROM LAST WEEK'S DOWNPOURS. A WIDESPREAD POWER CUT IN SPAIN HAS SEEN PLAY AT THE MADRID OPEN SUSPENDED. AMERICAN COCO GAUFF HAD JUST WRAPPED UP A STRAIGHT-SETS VICTORY IN THE THIRD ROUND, AND WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A POST-MATCH INTERVIEW WHEN THE MICROPHONE DIED. WHAT ELSE DID I` OH, FRUIT. SO, THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT, IT WAS AN EARLY START. I DIDN'T SLEEP THAT WELL LAST NIGHT, SO MAYBE I JUST NEED TO, LIKE, NOT GET A LOT OF SLEEP... ALL REMAINING MATCHES FOR THE DAY HAVE BEEN MOVED TO TOMORROW. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND. ELSEWHERE, MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY, WITH SHOWERS IN TAURANGA AND GISBORNE. CLEAR SKIES IN WHANGANUI WITH A HIGH OF 25; 22 IN HAMILTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND, SIMILAR STORY HERE. MAINLY FINE DAY IN BLENHEIM; FURTHER DOWN, BIT MORE CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AROUND CANTERBURY. 16 THE HIGH IN QUEENSTOWN ` 15 IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. BIG NEWS OUT OF THE CAPITAL THIS MORNING, WITH WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU DROPPING OUT OF THE MAYORAL RACE, CONFIRMING SHE WON'T STAND FOR RE-ELECTION. SHE JOINS US NOW. MORENA. WHY HAVE YOU MADE THIS DECISION? MORENA. WHEN ANDREW LITTLE DECIDED TO PUT HIS HAT INTO THE RING, I HAD TO SELF REFLECT AND THINK, WHAT IS THE BEST OUTCOME FOR THE CITY? I THINK THE BOTH OF US ON COUNCIL WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL. WE CARE ABOUT THE SAME THINGS. SO I DECIDED TO STEP ASIDE TO GIVE HIM A CLEAR RUN AT THE MAYORALTY. I AM RUNNING FOR THE MAORI WARD. I KNOW ANDREW LITTLE, ESPECIALLY FROM MY TIME AT PARLIAMENT, I LOOK UP AT HIM. HE IS A GREAT POLITICIAN, HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE. AND HE HAS RESPECT FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. I JUST THOUGHT HE WANTS THIS. I WANT THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY. I THINK I CAN DO THAT IN A MORE EFFECTIVE MANNER. I AM PROUD OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS THAT I HAVE HAD THIS TERM, ESPECIALLY REGARDING WATER, HOUSING AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT. I CAN FOCUS ON MY PEOPLE AND STILL BE A REALLY EFFECTIVE COUNSELLOR AT COUNCIL. DO YOU THINK THE JOB IS BIGGER THAN WHAT YOU ANTICIPATED IT WAS? I THINK IT WAS CERTAINLY MORE CHALLENGING. NOT THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK ITSELF. I HAVE REALLY LOVED IT. I HAVE LOVED COUNCIL. I HAVE LOVED CREATING POLICIES THAT DELIVER THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR WELLINGTON CITY. THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED. WHEN I FIRST ENTERED LOCAL BODY, JACINDA WAS THE PRIME MINISTER. THINGS WERE QUITE DIFFERENT. POLITICS HAS CHANGED. AS PEOPLE HAVE ALLUDED TO, I THINK WOMEN IN POLITICS HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ONLINE ABUSE AND VIOLENCE. AS PART OF MY NEW ROLE, HOPEFULLY, AS A COUNSELLOR, THAT WILL GIVE ME TIME TO DEDICATE TO ADVOCACY WORK TO ENSURE SAFER PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN INTO POLITICS. THAT IS A HUGE PASSION OF MINE. WE HAD CHRIS HIPKINS ON. HE SAID THE ABUSE THAT YOU HAVE SUFFERED DURING YOUR TENURE HAS BEEN UNACCEPTABLE. HOW MUCH OF A TOLL AS THAT TAKEN ON YOU PERSONALLY? IN A FUNNY WAY, IT HAS CREATED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RESILIENCE. I HAVE A MUCH THICKER SKIN NOW. THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE QUITE AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO STEP ASIDE FROM THE MAIN ROLE AND LOOK AT WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE POLITICS FOR WOMEN. WE HAVE SEEN REPORTS OF MPS AND THE ESCALATION OF ONLINE VIOLENCE TOWARDS THEM. BUT IS SOMETHING I WANT TO HELP WITH AND ADVOCATE FOR, MORE SAFETY MEASURES. IT IS ADMIRABLE HOW YOU ARE PUSHING FOR THAT. I FEEL ALSO YOU ARE ANSWERING IT AS A POLITICIAN. PERSONALLY, IT MUST HAVE BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE MOMENTS. IT WAS. I AM HUMAN. AT THE BEGINNING, WHEN I WAS LESS EXPERIENCED, A LOT OF IT WAS QUITE HURTFUL. WHAT HURT THE MOST WAS MY FAMILY HAVING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS. I AM QUITE RELIEVED THAT THAT MIGHT TURN DOWN A BIT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE YOUNG WAHINE SEEING THAT CONTACT, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT DISSUADE THEM FROM CONSIDERING A ROLE IN POLITICS. THAT IS DEVASTATING. IS IMPORTANT IN A DEMOCRACY WE HAVE REPRESENTATION. I WILL TAKE MY EXPERIENCE AND PASSION AND DEDICATE. TO THAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE A WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED OFF YOUR SHOULDERS SINCE YOU HAVE COME TO THIS DECISION? A LITTLE BIT. THERE IS A HUGE SENSE OF RELIEF. I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT MY CITY. I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR IT. I WOULD HAVE HAPPILY STOOD AGAIN, HAD ANDREW LITTLE NOT PUT HIS HAND UP. I THINK HE WOULD BE A GREAT MAYOR. I CAN STILL SERVE MY CITY, BUT I CAN FOCUS ON THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME. TO HAVE ANY BIG REGRETS FROM YOUR TIME AS THE MAYOR OF WELLINGTON? NO. IN HINDSIGHT, PERHAPS SERVING AS A COUNSELLOR FIRST WOULD HAVE HELPED ME NAVIGATE AND LEARN THE WAYS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HOW TO BE A PUBLIC FIGURE. OTHER THAN THAT, THEY HAVE NO REGRETS. BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN A MAYOR, NOW I CAN BE AN INCREDIBLE COUNSELLOR. I NOW HOW EVERYTHING WORKS. CAN BE A GREAT SUPPORT TO THE NEXT MAYOR. I CAN STILL CONTINUE TO SERVING MY CITY. I DID SEE SOME COMMENTS THAT SAY YOU MIGHT CONSIDER GOING FOR PARLIAMENT IN THE FUTURE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ON THE BOOKS FOR YOU? NOT ANYTIME SOON. I AM STILL COMMITTED TO A COUPLE OF TERMS HERE AT COUNCIL. THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO. WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH TRANSFORMATION. I WANT TO SEE IT FINISHED. PARLIAMENT AS LATER DOWN THE TRACK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. ME U TONU MAI ` THE TEENAGER SMASHING RECORDS IN THE IPL. IT'S TIME FOR SOME SPORTS, AFTER THE BREAK. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS HAS ANNOUNCED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OPERATING ALLOWANCE WILL BE $1.3B, DOWN FROM THE TREASURY'S HALF-YEAR FORECAST OF $2.4B. VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS DECLARED A THREE-DAY CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE, BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, TO MARK THE 80th ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY OF THE SOVIET UNION AND ITS ALLIES IN WW2. PLUS IN SPORT, A WIDESPREAD POWER CUT IN SPAIN HAS SEEN PLAY AT THE MADRID OPEN SUSPENDED. THIS MORNING, CRICKETER VAIBHAV SURIYVANSHI (14) BECAME THE SECOND QUICKEST PLAYER IN THE IPL TO SCORE A CENTURY. BUT GET THIS ` HE'S ONLY 14. WITH MORE, ZION DAYAL JOINS US. AT 14, THERE WAS BIG TALK ABOUT YOU BEING THE NEXT BIG THING IN SPORT. TUESDAY MORNING, I WOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL. HE HAS COME OUT OF NOWHERE? HE IS AN AGE GRADE PLAYER. THIS MORNING HE HIT A CENTURY OFF 35 BALLS, THE SECOND QUICKEST IN THE IPL, BEHIND CHRIS GAYLE. ALL THESE BOUNDARIES ARE COMING AGAINST SEASONED BOWLERS. RASHID KHAN, THE SPINNER, WHO WAS INSIDE THE TOP 10 OF THE ICC BOWLING RANKINGS. HE ONLY TURNED 14 LAST MONTH. WHEN HE WAS PICKED UP BY THE RAJASTHAN ROYALS, HE WENT FOR NZ$200,000. WHAT A BUY. THERE WAS AN ELEMENT OF LUCK IN HIS INNINGS. BUT LOOK AT HOW HE IS CLEARING THE BOUNDARY. THAT IS NOT ALL LUCK. THE THING IS, AFTER THE GAME, EVERYONE WAS WAITING TO HEAR FROM HIM. BECAUSE HE IS 14, MEDIA DUTIES DON'T REALLY CONCERN HIM. BUT HIS PARTNER WHILE HE WAS BATTING SPOKE. I WAS JUST TELLING HIM, 'KEEP GOING.' HE WAS INCREDIBLE TODAY. I THINK HE HAS BATTED LIKE ANYTHING. INCREDIBLE INNING ` ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I HAVE SEEN. AND HE BATTED REALLY WELL, AND I HOPE HE WILL KEEP DOING THIS STUFF FOR US FOR A LONG TIME. HIS PARTNER IS ONLY 15. HE PLAYS FOR INDIA AND IS A SEASONED PLAYER. HE JUST TOOK IT IN HIS STRIDE. AFTER THE MATCH, HE WAS JUST WALKING AROUND LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. HE SHOWED MORE SWAGGER THAN YOU ON PONSONBY ROAD ON SATURDAY NIGHT. HE IS QUITE TALL. BABY FACED, SO YOU CAN TELL HE IS 14. SOMETIMES YOU NEED BIRTH CERTIFICATES. HE MADE HEADLINES LAST WEEK, FOR PLAYING HIS FIRST MATCH FOR RAJASTHAN ROYALS. ONLY TURNED 14 LAST MONTH. SCORED 34, TOOK HIS FIRST BALL FOR SIX. GETS AN OPPORTUNITY AGAIN AGAINST THE TITANS AND SCORED 101 RUNS, AND RAJASTHAN WON COMFORTABLY, CHASING 212. AND A SPECIAL WEEKEND FOR ONE RUGBY CLUB IN THE DEEP SOUTH. THIS IS QUITE COOL. OTOTO RUGBY CLUB CELEBRATED THEIR 150TH JUBILEE. THE THIRD OLDEST RUGBY CLUB IN SOUTHLAND. ONE OF THE TOP 15 OLDEST RUGBY CLUBS IN NEW ZEALAND. THEY PUT TOGETHER A WOMEN'S TEAM. THE GROUND LOOKS FANTASTIC. THEIR FIRST WOMEN'S TEAM, WHO PLAYED AGAINST A TRAVELLING MOSSBURN TEAM. 90% OF THIS TEAM HAD PLAYED RUGBY BEFORE. AROUND 700 PEOPLE TURNED UP. OUT OF A POPULATION OF 770 PEOPLE IN THE TOWN. THE COUNTRY GROUND LOOKS INCREDIBLE THERE. THE CAPTAIN SPOKE AFTER THE GAME. YEAH, NO, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY BUZZING AFTER THAT. YEAH, NO, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY BUZZING AFTER THAT. WE'VE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD. WE STARTED IN DECEMBER, TRAINING EVERY WEEK. WE HAD A LOT OF PLAYERS THAT NEVER PLAYED BEFORE AND, YEAH, SEEING THEM COME FROM, YOU KNOW, NEVER PUTTING BOOTS ON, AND THEY'RE SCARED OF THE BALL, TO SEEING WHAT THEY DID OUT THERE TODAY WAS, YEAH, A VERY PROUD MOMENT. YEAH. FEEL VERY HUMBLED TO BE A PART OF SUCH A GREAT GROUP. AWESOME. BIG WEEKEND. LOOKS SUMMERY THERE. 700 PEOPLE TURNING UP TO WATCH THEM CELEBRATE THEIR 150TH JUBILEE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG CELEBRATION. LOVE A SESQUICENTENNIAL. I MIGHT HAVE TO READ ABOUT IT IN THIS BOOK. LOOK AT THIS CUTIE. OHH! HOW OLD ARE YOU THERE? WE WILL GIVE YOU A COMPARISON WITH THE YOUNG LAD PLAYING IN THE IPL. HOW OLD ARE YOU? 10. THERE ARE SOME GOOD PHOTOS. DOES IT LOOK LIKE ME? NO. THESE ARE GOOD PHOTOS. NONE OF ME. WENT TO THAT PART...? E WHAI AKE NEI ` THE FAR NORTH SAILING CLUB APPEALING FOR HELP AFTER ITS CLUBHOUSE WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY CYCLONE TAM. WHERE AM I? YOU DIDN'T MAKE IT, MATE. Breaking news, Skinny Mobile has found a new way to keep prices low. They've digitally cloned their happiest customer, to make really cost-effective ads. I'm a real Skinny Mobile customer who loves them so much that I let them digitally clone me using A.I. Join me on Skinny today! Wow, what a heartwarming story about a telco that will do anything to keep prices low and customers happy. Wow, we are so happy. Get the Skinny! MOSTLY CLOUDY IN AUCKLAND TODAY. TURNING TO WIDESPREAD RAIN THIS EVENING. EASTERLIES FRESH FOR A TIME THIS AFTERNOON. STILL HUMID. 23 DEGREES. I JUST NEED TO COMMENT ON THE VEHICLES TRAVELLING OVER THE HARBOUR BRIDGE. TRAFFIC IS FLOWING WELL BOTH WAYS. WELLINGTON, LOOKING GOOD. PARTLY CLOUDY. SOUTHERLIES WILL EASE THIS EVENING. LOOK AT THAT. LOOKING PRETTY THIS MORNING, WELLINGTON. HEADING FOR 17 DEGREES. THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF A MAYORALTY RACE BEING BLOWN WIDE OPEN TODAY. CLOUDY PERIODS, DUNEDIN. LOOK AT US. WE ARE GOING TO HEAD TO NEW YORK, TIMES SQUARE. 25 DEGREES IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS. WARM WITH PLENTY OF SUN. NICE AFTERNOON FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. MANY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM TROPICAL CYCLONE TAM. STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN LASHED PARTS OF THE COUNTRY OVER THE EASTER WEEKEND. THIS IS THE TAIPA SAILING CLUB IN THE FAR NORTH, ON DOUBTLESS BAY. ITS ROOF WAS RIPPED OFF DURING THE STORM ON GOOD FRIDAY. NOW THE MEMBERS OF THE CLUB ARE RAISING FUNDS TO REBUILD. CLUB MEMBER PADDY SIMMS JOINS US. PADDY, GOOD MORNING. TAKE US BACK TO GOOD FRIDAY AND TELEPHONICALLY HAPPENED. GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. IT IS AWESOME TO HAVE THE SUPPORT. AT 7 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY MORNING AFTER A TERRIBLE NIGHT, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM ONE OF THE LOCALS TO TELL ME THE ROOF HAD COME OFF THE CLUB. THERE WASN'T MUCH MORE INFO. I EXPECTED TO DRIVE OUT THERE, I EXPECTED TO SEE ROOFING IRON SPREAD OUT, BUT IT WASN'T THAT BAD. HALF OF THE ROOF LIFTED UP AND LANDED ON THE OTHER HALF. IT WAS WIDE OPEN TO THE RAIN AND EVERYTHING. NO DOUBT RAIN WOULD HAVE GOT INSIDE THE BUILDING. BEYOND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROOF, IS THERE ANY FURTHER STRUCTURAL DAMAGE? THERE IS A BIT OF DAMAGE TO THE CLADDING. AND THE FLOOR, IT'S ALL WET, AND IT IS PARTICLEBOARD. THE WALLS ARE GIB. WE TALKED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. WE ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK AS TO HOW MUCH THEY WILL DO. WE WILL GO FROM THERE. TAIPA IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE. IT IS A RELATIVELY SMALL COMMUNITY. IN TERMS OF THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING, HOW OFTEN IS IT USED BY THE COMMUNITY? HOW IMPORTANT IS A SPACE LIKE THAT? IT IS ONLY USED AS A COMMUNITY WITH OUR LEARNING TO SAIL AND THE SAILING CLUB. IT IS IN NEED OF REPAIRS, SO WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO HIRE IT OUT, BECAUSE IT WASN'T UP TO THAT STANDARD, ESPECIALLY THE UPSTAIRS PART. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT REPAIRING IT AND RENOVATING IT AND THEN WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE HIRED IT OUT. IT HAS BEEN HIRED OUT BEFORE. OUR BIG COMMUNITY THING IS THAT WE TEACH KIDS TO SAIL AND THERE IS A SCHOOL PROGRAM NOT RUN BY US, BUT RUN BY YACHTING NEW ZEALAND. THEY USE OUR BOATS. WE HAVE WAKA AMA NEXT TO US, AND THEY HAD A REGATTA A WHILE BACK, AND WE HELPED THEM WITH SAFETY BOATS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY. ON SUNDAY A FEW PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER, AFTER THE ROOF CAME OFF ON FRIDAY, THE RAIN WAS STILL COMING DOWN, BUT COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER FOR A WORKING BEE. WHAT WAS THE FEELING LIKE? IT WAS AWESOME. IT WASN'T JUST CLUB MEMBERS HELPING, IT WAS THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. EVERYBODY TURNED OUT. IT WAS MEANT TO START AT 11. I GOT THERE AT 10.45 AND IT WAS WELL UNDERWAY. FOR ME, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. WE HAVE HAD LITTLE ISSUES BEFORE OVERTIME, AND WE HAVE ALWAYS MANAGED TO COME BACK FROM. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD HUGE HELP FROM THE COMMUNITY. IT'S LOVELY WHEN COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER. PADDY, YOU ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM INSURANCE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PLACE NEEDS A DO UP. HAVE YOU STARTED A GIVE A LITTLE PAGE? YES, I AM NOT RUNNING THAT SIDE OF IT. I AM TOO OLD, AND NOT TO TECH SMART. I UNDERSTAND WE ARE UP TO ABOUT $8000. WE HAVE HAD SOME OTHER DONATIONS, NOT THROUGH THAT. IT'S LOVELY. IT GIVES ME A TICKLE IN HERE. IT IS AWESOME TO SEE. WE WORK HARD AT THE CLUB FOR THE KIDS, AND TRY TO BRING THEM INTO SAILING. WE HAVE A BIG GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE THERE NOW WE DO ADULT LEARN TO SAIL. WE ARE A COMMUNITY GROUP, WE HAVE JUST COME OUT OF A PATCH OF HAVING LOW MEMBERSHIP, AND THINGS WEREN'T LOOKING GOOD. THE LAST THREE YEARS IT HAS BUILT UP AGAIN. UNTIL THIS HAPPENED. WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP. LET'S HOPE YOU CAN RAISE ENOUGH FUNDS TO SPRUCE THE PLACE UP. OUT OF ALL OF THIS, LOVELY THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER. PADDY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING US AND PUTTING US ON OUR. ALL THE VERY BEST. STILL TO COME ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE SLEEPING ROUGH CONTINUES TO RISE. WE'LL SPEAK TO ORGANISERS OF AN EMERGENCY HUI TONIGHT IN AUCKLAND TRYING TO FIND SOLUTIONS. ALSO AHEAD ` THE NEW INITIATIVE AIMING TO FIND NEW FAMILIES FOR THE THOUSANDS OF GREYHOUNDS IN NEED OF REHOMING. PLUS ` THE FOOTBALLING STORY STRAIGHT OUT OF A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE COMPLETES THE TRILOGY, AS FANS OF THE WELSH CLUB CO-OWNED BY RYAN REYNOLDS CELEBRATE PROMOTION FOR A THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR. IT'S 8 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU HAS REVEALED WHY SHE IS NOT RUNNING IN THE CITY'S MAYORAL RACE. WHANAU ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING SHE WILL NO LONGER RUN FOR A SECOND TERM, INSTEAD CAMPAIGNING TO BE A MAORI WARD COUNCILLOR. SHE SAYS HER DECISION FOLLOWS FORMER LABOUR MP ANDREW LITTLE ANNOUNCING HIS CANDIDACY, SAYING IT'S 'CHANGED THE GAME'. I LOOK UP TO HIM. HE IS A GREAT POLITICIAN, HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND RESPECT FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, SO I JUST THOUGHT HE REALLY WANTS THIS. I WANT THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY. MEANWHILE, ANDREW LITTLE HAS PUBLICLY RECOGNISED TORY WHANAU'S SERVICE TO WELLINGTON, CLAIMING IT IS TO HER CREDIT THAT SHE GOT ON WITH THE JOB, DESPITE FACING PERSONAL ABUSE IN THE ROLE. FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS HAS ANNOUNCED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OPERATING ALLOWANCE WILL BE CUT BY MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS. IN A SPEECH THIS MORNING, WILLIS SAID NEW SPENDING WOULD BE FOCUSED ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, LAW AND ORDER AND DEFENCE. NEW ZEALANDERS CAN EXPECT SOME QUOTE 'CAREFULLY TARGETED' COST-OF-LIVING RELIEF AND SOME INVESTMENT IN BUSINESS GROWTH. SHE ALSO SAYS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WILL NOT BE RECEIVING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, AND AGENCIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW RESTRAINT WHEN IT COMES TO WAGE INCREASES. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WILL BE DELIVERED ON MAY 22nd. THE CONCLAVE TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE WILL BEGIN NEXT WEEK, THE VATICAN SAYS. MORE THAN A HUNDRED CARDINALS WILL MEET FROM THE 7TH OF MAY, IN THE TOP-SECRET PROCESS. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS IS WITH US NOW LIVE FROM VATICAN CITY. KATE, WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT? THE POPE'S ADVISERS, THE COLLEGE OF CARDINALS, HELD A MEETING THIS MORNING WHEN THEY DECIDED ON THE MAY 7 DATE, GIVING THEMSELVES AN EXTRA DAY TO GET READY. WHEN THE CONCLAVE PROCESS DOES START, THEY WILL BE SWORN TO SECRECY INSIDE THE SISTINE CHAPEL, AND THE DOORS WILL BE CLOSED. THEY CONTINUING WITH PRE-MEETINGS, GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, HEARING ABOUT PROBLEMS THE CHURCH IS FACING AND HEARING WHAT TRAITS THE NEXT POPE SHOULD HAVE. THAT IS WHERE THE INFLUENCE IS STARTING. THEY NEED A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY AND THEY WILL KEEP HOLDING BALANCE BALLOTS UNTIL THEY ACHIEVE THAT. MANY FROM A RANGE OF CULTURES. THIS DOESN'T MEAN THEY WILL FOLLOW IN FRANCIS'S FOOTSTEPS AND ELECT A PROGRESSIVE LEADER. SOME ACADEMICS SAY THEY COULD LOOK FOR A MODERATE LEADER, SOMEONE THAT WON'T GET RID OF PROGRESS, BUT WON'T MAKE AS MANY REFORMS. APPRECIATE THE UPDATE, AND YOU STAYING UP TO BE WITH US. A 14-YEAR-OLD IN THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE HAS BECOME THE YOUNGEST EVER PLAYER TO SCORE A T20 TON. VAIBHAV SURYAVANSHI MADE HIS IPL DEBUT EARLIER THIS MONTH AND REACHED HIS CENTURY OFF JUST 35 BALLS ` THE SECOND FASTEST IN HISTORY. DEEP MIDWICKET! OVER! A HUNDRED! IT'S THE 14-YEAR OLD BOY. HIS HISTORY-MAKING KNOCK STEERING THE RAJASTHAN ROYALS TO A COMFORTABLE EIGHT-WICKET WIN OVER GUJARAT TITANS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING ` RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND. ELSEWHERE, MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH SHOWERS IN TAURANGA AND GISBORNE. CLEAR SKIES IN WHANGANUI, WITH A HIGH OF 25. 22 IN HAMILTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` SIMILAR STORY HERE. MAINLY FINE DAY IN BLENHEIM. FURTHER DOWN, A BIT MORE CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AROUND CANTERBURY. 16 THE HIGH IN QUEENSTOWN. 15 IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. THOSE WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN AUCKLAND SAY THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS IS ON THE RISE, ESPECIALLY IN OUR MAIN CENTRES. IN AUCKLAND, KIDS AS YOUNG AS 9 ARE BEING FOUND AND HELPED TONIGHT AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP CHLOE SWARBRICK AND YOUTH WORKER AARON HENDRY, THE FOUNDER OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT GROUP 'KICK BACK' ARE HOLDING AN EMERGENCY HUI LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS. THEY BOTH JOIN US NOW. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. I WANT TO QUICKLY ASK YOU, CHLOE, ABOUT TORY WHANAU PULLING OUT OF THE MAYORALTY. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A TOUGH PERSONAL DECISION, BUT WHAT SHE HAS DONE IS MODEL THAT NO ONE PERSON IS BIGGER THAN THE KAUPAPA, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE A SERVICE, THAT SHE WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE BY PUTTING HERSELF FOR MAORI WARD COUNCILLOR. MORE PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE. PLENTY OF WORK TO DO IN THIS AREA. WHAT IS THIS HUI ABOUT? THE SITUATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN WORSE. MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS, LIVING IN THE STREETS, IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. TONIGHT IS ABOUT RECOGNISING NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER. THEY NEED SUPPORT NOW. WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE BUILD COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE ENSURE THEY GET THE CARE THEY NEED. WHY ARE WE SEEING THIS RISE? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES? WE ARE SEEING CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS NINE, 11, 12. THERE ARE A WHOLE RANGE OF REASONS. THERE ARE ECONOMIC FACTORS. THERE HAS BEEN SPECIFIC DECISIONS THIS GOVERNMENT HAS MADE WHICH IS INCREASING THE RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. STRENGTHENING THE EVICTION PROCESS. WE HAVE SEEN WHANAU LIVING ON THE STREET AS A RESULT OF THOSE DECISIONS. THE BARRIERS OF GETTING INTO SHELTERS HAS INCREASED. LAST NIGHT WE HAD A YOUNG PERSON WHO COULDN'T GET SUPPORT AND HOUSING AND THEY SLEPT ON THE STREET. WE ARE SEEING MORE AND MORE RISK FOR THESE KIDS, AND NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT. DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, CHILDREN, COMING TO YOUR SERVICE? WE DO WHAT WE CAN. ANYONE THAT WALK THROUGH OUR DOOR, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT THAT YOUNG PERSON. BUT THIS IS ABOUT RECOGNISING WHAT CAN'T DO IT ALONE. WE NEED TO DO AS A COMMUNITY. TONIGHT IS ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ANGRY ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. THEY SEE THE PAIN AND TRAUMA. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY YOU CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION. WE DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE IN WELLINGTON TO SOLVE THE ISSUE. CHLOE, IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN YOUR CITY, THAT'S A DISGRACE. IT'S HAPPENING IN AUCKLAND CENTRAL, WANTON, CHRISTCHURCH, DUNEDIN, HAMILTON, CITIES, TOWNS AND REGIONS ACROSS NEW ZEALAND. WE ARE SEEING A TIDAL WAVE OF INEQUALITY AND HOMELESSNESS, THE RESULT OF INTENTIONAL GOVERNMENT DECISIONS. THE GOVERNMENT WAS ADVISED THIS WOULD HAPPEN IN MAY. THEY WERE TOLD HOMELESSNESS WOULD INCREASE. WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS UNFORTUNATELY, WE CAN SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL. WE KNOW THERE WILL BE THE WORST HOMELESSNESS CRISIS THROUGHOUT WINTER IF WE DO NOT RESPOND. ALL THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUSHED OUT OF HOUSING WHO ARE NOT GETTING SUPPORT WILL COME AWAY FROM PARKS AND BRIDGES AND CEMETERIES THEY ARE SLEEPING IN INTO THE SHELTER, AS THE WEATHER GETS HARSHER. THE PROBLEM WILL BECOME MORE VISIBLE. WE CANNOT IGNORE THIS. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR BIG SOLUTIONS BUT AS A COMMUNITY, ORGANISING TO SAY THAT NOBODY WILL BE LEFT BEHIND. THE GOVERNMENT WILL SAY THEY HAVE PUT WORK INTO EMERGENCY HOUSING... BY KICKING EVERYBODY OUT. WHY ARE WE STILL SEEING ISSUES? IF THE WAY YOU GET TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOAL IS BY PUNCHING DOWN AND KICKING PEOPLE OUT OF SUPPORT, MAYBE YOU SHOULD RE-EVALUATE AND GET A DIFFERENT GOAL. MINISTER POTAKA WAS DELIVERED A BRIEFING LAST YEAR THAT TOLD HIM HOMELESSNESS COUNTS HAD DOUBLED IN HAMILTON, THERE HAD BEEN A 2.5 TIMES INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS IN AUCKLAND AND A 30% AND ROUGH SLEEPING IN WELLINGTON. THAT IS JUST THOSE COUNTED. THE MINISTRY KNEW THEIR DECISIONS HAD RESULTED IN MORE HOMELESSNESS, AND THEY STOOD IN FRONT OF CAMERAS AND ASKED US TO CELEBRATE A REDUCTION IN EMERGENCY HOUSING NUMBERS. IT IS MIND BLOWING! WHAT IS THE SOLUTION, AND HOW DOES THE HUI TONIGHT ADDRESS THOSE? THE SOLUTION IS WE NEED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT RESPONDING TO THE CRISIS. CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING, GETTING HURT. SOME YOUNG LIVES ARE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE SITUATIONS THEY ARE AND. WE NEED TO TREAT IT LIKE A CRISIS AND MOVE WITH THE URGENCY THAT IS REQUIRED TO ENSURE WE HAVE A STRONG STRATEGY TO ENSURE THAT NO YOUNG PERSON IS LEFT BEHIND, THAT WE HAVE LEGISLATION TO ENSURE THAT IF A CHILD WALKS INTO WORK AND INCOME, INSTANTLY THEY CAN GET ACCESS TO SHELTER AND SUPPORT. WE NEED TO ENSURE THE STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY IS CLARIFIED TO CARE FOR PEOPLE. TONIGHT BIG THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN WITHIN OUR GOVERNMENT. THERE NEEDS TO BE WORK DONE, BUT WE CANNOT WAIT FOR GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE WAITED, ASKED, BEGGED, TOLD THEM EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AS A COMMUNITY TONIGHT, WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AND WORKING ON THIS PROJECT EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, SO IF YOU SEE A NEED IN YOUR COMMUNITY, HOW DO WE SUPPORT YOU TO SUPPORT THOSE WHANAU, NOT JUST TO THE CHILDREN ON THE STREET, BUT TO SAY HOW CAN I BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO GET YOU SAFETY AND CARE AND SUPPORT? WE ARE ORGANISING A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE THOSE GUARDIANS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, TO SAY HOMELESSNESS IS UNACCEPTABLE, PEOPLE SLEEPING ON OUR STREETS 11-YEAR-OLDS, IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT IS ONLY HERE BECAUSE OF OUR DECISIONS TO ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. THE HOPE IS FOR ALL OF US THAT HOMELESSNESS CAN BE ENDED. IF WE GOT HERE BECAUSE OF HUMAN DECISIONS, WE CAN MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE EVER SLEEPS ON OUR STREETS AGAIN. AARON HENDRY AND CHLOE SWARBRICK, THANK YOU. ME U TONU MAI ` FINDING NEW FAMILIES FOR THE THOUSANDS OF GREYHOUNDS IN NEED OF REHOMING. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU HAS REVEALED WHY SHE'S DROPPED OUT OF THE CITY'S MAYORAL RACE, SAYING SHE'LL BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN A DIFFERENT ROLE. FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS HAS ANNOUNCED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OPERATING ALLOWANCE WILL BE CUT BY MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS. AND IN SPORT, CHIEFS MIDFIELDER ANTON LIENERT-BROWN IS SET TO MISS THE REMAINDER OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON, AFTER BREAKING HIS COLLARBONE. IT'S TIME FOR OUR REGULAR DIVE INTO THE TVNZ ARCHIVE. TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 POLICE DOG PATROL TEAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WITH EACH DOG PUT THROUGH ITS PACES AT THE TRAINING CENTRE IN TRENTHAM, IN UPPER HUTT. BUT BACK IN 1956 WE GOT OUR VERY FIRST ONE. HER NAME WAS MISKA. HERE SHE IS. (BRIGHT NEWSREEL MUSIC) 6-YEAR-OLD MISKA TAKES ORDERS WITH A WAG OF HER TAIL. BROUGHT FROM ENGLAND, SHE DEMONSTRATES AT TRENTHAM DOG TRAINING SCHOOL WHAT NEW ZEALAND-TRAINED DOGS WILL BE DOING NEXT YEAR. THEY'RE STRICTLY ONE-MAN DOGS IN THE POLICE FORCE. AND IF SERGEANT RILEY SAYS STOP AND STAY, WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MISKA DOES. A TRAINED DOG WILL STOP AND STAY IN ONE SPOT FOR DAYS, EVEN WITHOUT FOOD. NEXT YEAR, NEW ZEALAND WILL HAVE A TEAM OF 12, FOR AT TRENTHAM, YOUNGER DOGS ARE BEING TRAINED TO FOLLOW IN MISKA'S PAWSTEPS. AT 6 YEARS OLD, SHE HAS REACHED HER PRIME, AND THE OTHER DOGS CAN LEARN A LOT FROM HER. GRIPPING THE RIGHT WRIST AND HANGING ON WITH DOGGED DETERMINATION IS JUST ONE WAY SHE WINS A FIGHT WITH LAWBREAKERS. YET, TO THE PUBLIC, POLICE DOGS ARE NO DANGER, FOR THEY NEVER ATTACK UNLESS ORDERED. WHEN YOU DISARM A MAN, YOU DON'T TAKE HIS ARM AWAY, YOU TAKE HIS GUN AWAY. 2-YEAR-OLD DANTE, A MALE DOG, IS LEARNING OBEDIENCE AFTER FIVE WEEKS' TRAINING. TRACKING DOWN AN OBJECT BY ITS SCENT IS EASY IF THE SCENT ISN'T MORE THAN FIVE HOURS OLD. THIS IS MISKA'S FAMOUS COIN TRICK. WHILE SHE'S BLINDFOLDED, THE COIN IS THROWN AWAY. THE ORDER IS THEN GIVEN ` GO, SEEK AND FIND. WORKING FROM DOWNWIND, MISKA SNIFFS AND GOES. SOON SHE PICKS UP THE SCENT, TRACKS IT DOWN AND FINDS. LIKE ALL POLICE DOGS, SHE IS TOUGH, SMART AND OBEDIENT. FOR SERGEANT RILEY, SHE'S AN EXTRA PAIR OF HANDS. FOR LAWBREAKERS, THEY'RE A REALLY TOUGH TEAM. CONTINUING THE CANINE THEME, APRIL IS 'ADOPT A GREYHOUND MONTH'. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE NOW ABOUT 3000 DOGS TO BE REHOMED, AND THE NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW. THE ORGANISATION 'GREYHOUNDS AS PETS' HAVE COME UP WITH AN INITIATIVE TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTERESTED IN ADOPTING THESE LOVEABLE COMPANIONS. DAWN GLOVER, A GREYHOUND PET OWNER HERSELF, JOINS US NOW WITH HER FURRY FRIENDS. MORENA, DAWN. HAVE WE GOT IN THE STUDIO WITH US THIS MORNING? WE HAVE ESME, WHO IS LOOKING FOR HER FOREVER HOME. WE HAVE ANGELINA AND HENRY WHO LIVE WITH ME. THEY ARE PRETTY COOL. THANKS. THEY ARE REALLY EASY DOGS TO LIVE WITH. MY INITIAL THINKING AS GREYHOUNDS, OF COURSE MY MIND GOES STRAIGHT TO RACING, THEREFORE THEY ARE ACTIVE. KIND OF ANIMALS ARE GREYHOUNDS? THEY ARE VERY LAZY. DON'T GET ME WRONG; THEY DO LOVE TO RUN. THAT IS IN THEIR DNA. BUT THEY ALSO LOVE TO SLEEP. AND THEY ARE SPRINTERS, SO IT IS A 20 MINUTE WALK, 30 MINUTE WALK, AND THEN THEY ARE HAPPY WITH THAT. HOW MANY ARE YOU LOOKING TO REHOME? RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ALWAYS GOT ABOUT 50 THAT WERE ACTIVELY TRYING TO REHOME. NEXT YEAR, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT AROUND ABOUT 3000 THAT WILL BE NEEDING TO BE REHOMED. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO REALISE IS THAT THESE DOGS ARE LOOKING FOR HOMES, THIS ONE ESPECIALLY, RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE SO READY TO BE SOMEONE'S FOREVER PET. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ESME. ESME IS FOUR YEARS OLD. SHE IS FULL OF BEANS. SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVES PEOPLE, GOING PLACES. SHE HAS A COMPLETE CITY GIRL. SHE DOESN'T REALLY LIKE SHEEP, SO SHE WASN'T HAPPY ON A FARM. SHE REALLY LOVES PEOPLE. SHE HAS GOT A LOT OF ENERGY. CHEERS FOR. THESE GUYS ARE EIGHT AND NINE. SHE BOUNCES AROUND A BIT, BUT THEN SHE CONKED OUT AND SLEEPS HARD FOR SEVERAL HOURS. SHE IS SWEET, ATTENTIVE. ALL OF THEM HAVE GOT DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES, BUT IN GENERAL, A GREYHOUND, WHAT KIND OF PERSONALITY DO THEY HAVE? IN GENERAL, YOU WILL FIND THAT GREYHOUNDS ARE GENTLE, CALMING, HUMAN FOCUSED. THEY CAN BE QUITE SMOOCHY OR COMES OFF AS STANDOFFISH, BECAUSE HENRY NEEDS TO KNOW YOU. HE IS MY BOY. HE IS LIKE A CAT THAT WAY. THEY CAN BE QUITE CATLIKE. THEY ARE SOMETIMES CALLED THE CATS OF THE DOG WORLD, BECAUSE THEY FEEL ALOOF, BUT THEN ANGELINA HAS NEVER MET A STRANGER. AND ESME HAS NEVER MET A STRANGER. BEAUTIFUL. APRIL IS ADOPT A GREYHOUND MONTH. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THIS MONTH? THIS MONTH, ADOPTIONS IS ALWAYS ALCOHOL. WE ALSO SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE HOW GREYHOUNDS CAN BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THEIR FAMILIES. THEY MAKE GREAT FAMILY PETS. IT IS A LOT OF TRYING TO EDUCATE THE AND LETTING THEM KNOW THINGS LIKE THEY MAY BE DOGS THAT WE THINK OF AS RACE DOGS, BUT THEY ARE ALSO GREAT FOR SMALL LIVING. THEY ARE RATED THE SECOND-BEST APARTMENT DOGS. THEY REALLY SUIT CAR RIDES. THEY DON'T BARK VERY MUCH. HENRY IS READY TO BE OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT. THERE ARE ALL THESE THINGS THAT MAKE THEM REALLY GREAT FAMILY PET. WE WANT THEM TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE SEEN IN THAT LIGHT, IN THE SAME WAY PEOPLE SEAL LABRADORS AND DOGS LIKE THAT AS PETS. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO ADOPT, IF YOU'RE WATCHING IT AND THINK ESME LOOKS PRETTY COOL, OR ANY OTHER GREYHOUND, WHERE CAN PEOPLE HEAD TO? YOU CAN GO TO GREYHOUNDS AS PETS.ORG.NZ THERE IS A LITTLE BUTTON THAT SAYS ADOPT AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN. IF YOU HIT THAT, IT TAKES YOU TO THE APPLICATION. FILL THAT OUT. IT PUTS YOU ON OUR RADAR, AND IT ALLOWS US TO REACH OUT TO YOU, SEE WHAT KIND OF DOG LIFESTYLE YOU HAVE. THEN WE WILL START TRYING TO MAKE SOME MATCHES BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE DOGS IN OUR CARE. AND THE PERSON WHO IS MAKING THE APPLICATION. I THINK ESME IS PRETTY COOL, JILL. YOU FOUND HER SECRET SPOT, THE TUMMY RUB. YOU ARE SO CUTE. I HOPE SOMEONE TAKES YOU HOME. THE DOGS HAVE PICKED THE OWNER. I HAVE GOT ONE. YOU WOULD LOVE MY ONE. YOU ARE VERY COOL. . REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THANKS FOR HAVING ME. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TO. YOU HAS BEEN VERY COOL. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 8.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. PLUS ` WE JUMP ON THE COTTAGE CHEESE BANDWAGON. VOICEOVER: Get your free Consumers's Guide to Hearing Aids. New Zealand's only independent guide to all the latest models. Choose the right hearing aid for your lifestyle and budget. Call 0800 45 45 42 for your free copy. WHEN WE GO TO THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM, IT IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS WHERE YOU CAN JUST SIT AND WATCH. I DO LIKE THE JELLYFISH. THAT'S THE ONE I LOVE. YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO KELLY TARLTON'S. THE NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY COVERS MORE SQUARE MILEAGE, 5312. IT IS 1.5 TIMES THE SIZE OF THE LARGEST NATIONAL PARK IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. AND ITS CENTRE IS AN UNDERWATER CANYON TWICE AS DEEP AS THE GRAND CANYON. SUCH A COOL PLACE. IT IS KELLY TARLTON'S ON STEROIDS. NOW THE NEWS. A PASSENGER HAS FALLEN OVERBOARD ON A WAIHEKE-TO-AUCKLAND FERRY SERVICE THIS MORNING. OUR REPORTER LUCY BENDELL IS AT THE AUCKLAND FERRY TERMINAL. WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR, LUCY? I CAN CONFIRM THE FERRY HAS RETURNED ET CETERA ARRIVE AT WAIHEKE ANY MOMENT, WITH POLICE AND AMBULANCE TO ASSESS THE PASSENGER WHEN HE ARRIVES. STAFF ARE READY TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE INVOLVED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. A PASSENGER HAS TOLD NEW ZEALAND HERALD A STAFF MEMBER YELLED OUT A MAN IS OVERBOARD, THE FERRY SLOWED DOWN, CIRCLED BACK AND THROUGH A LIFE RING. THE MAN APPEARED CALM, BUT IT COULD BE SHOCK. PASSENGERS WERE TOLD TO STAY IN THE CABINS. THE FERRY HAD DIFFICULTY GETTING THE MAN OUT OF THE WATER. HE HAS BEEN TRAVELLING ON THE FERRY, COMMUTING FROM WAIHEKE TO AUCKLAND FOR 22 YEARS, AND HE HAS NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. THE FERRY IS GOING BACK TO WAIHEKE. ST JOHN AND POLICE ARE READY FOR THE ARRIVAL. THANKS, LUCY. WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON OUR WEBSITE. FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS HAS ANNOUNCED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OPERATING ALLOWANCE WILL BE CUT BY MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS. IN A SPEECH THIS MORNING, WILLIS SAID NEW SPENDING WOULD BE FOCUSED ON HEALTH, EDUCATION LAW AND ORDER AND DEFENCE. THE BUDGET OPERATING ALLOWANCE WILL BE $1.3B, DOWN FROM THE TREASURY'S HALF-YEAR FORECAST OF $2.4B. THAT WAS ALWAYS A SMALL ENVELOPE. AS I OUTLINED EARLIER, OUR APPROACH HAS BEEN TO SUPPLEMENT THAT NEW SPENDING BY REPRIORITISING FUNDS. IT SEEMS TO BE THINKING NEW ZEALAND CAN CUT ITS WAY TO PROSPERITY. ALL SHE IS DOING IS DEFERRING PROBLEMS AND LEAVING A BIGGER DEBT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE BUDGET WILL BE DELIVERED ON MAY 22ND. WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU WANTS TO CREATE A SAFER PATHWAY FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS, DESPITE ANNOUNCING SHE WILL NO LONGER RUN FOR A SECOND TERM. WHANAU ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING SHE WILL EXIT THE MAYORAL RACE, INSTEAD CAMPAIGNING TO BE A MAORI WARD COUNCILLOR. SHE SAYS HER DECISION FOLLOWS FORMER LABOUR MP ANDREW LITTLE ANNOUNCING HIS CANDIDACY, CLAIMING SHE CAN STILL MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE IN WELLINGTON. POLITICS HAS CHANGED. AND AS PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY ALLUDED TO, I THINK WOMEN IN POLITICS HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ONLINE ABUSE AND ONLINE VIOLENCE. SO AS PART OF MY NEW ROLE, HOPEFULLY, AS A COUNCILLOR, THAT'LL ALSO GIVE ME TIME TO DEDICATE TO ADVOCACY WORK, TO ENSURE SAFER PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN INTO POLITICS. THAT'S A HUGE PASSION OF MINE. MEANWHILE, ANDREW LITTLE HAS PUBLICLY RECOGNISED TORY WHANAU'S SERVICE TO WELLINGTON, SAYING SHE GOT ON WITH THE JOB DESPITE FACING PERSONAL ABUSE IN THE ROLE. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S CARDINALS HAVE SET THE DATE TO BEGIN ELECTING THE NEXT POPE. THE CONCLAVE WILL START NEXT WEDNESDAY, WITH 135 CARDINALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHERING INSIDE THE 16TH-CENTURY SISTINE CHAPEL. THEY WILL REMAIN THERE UNTIL A NEW POPE IS CHOSEN. THE PUBLIC WILL LEARN THE OUTCOME ONLY WHEN THE COLOUR OF THE CHIMNEY SMOKE SIGNALS THE DECISION AND POPE FRANCIS' SUCCESSOR IS ANNOUNCED. TO SPORT, AND CHIEFS MIDFIELDER ANTON LIENERT-BROWN IS SET TO MISS THE REMAINDER OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON, AFTER BREAKING HIS COLLARBONE. THE 30-YEAR-OLD WENT OFF THE FIELD AT HALFTIME IN HIS SIDE'S 56-22 WIN OVER THE FORCE IN TAURANGA LAST WEEK. IN AN INSTAGRAM POST, LEINERT-BROWN CONFIRMED HE IS SET TO UNDERGO SURGERY. IT COMES AFTER CHIEFS PLAYMAKER DAMIAN McKENZIE MISSED LAST WEEK'S GAME WITH A HAND INJURY. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. RAIN WITH POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TOP OF THE NORTH ISLAND. ELSEWHERE, MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY WITH SHOWERS IN TAURANGA AND GISBORNE. CLEAR SKIES IN WHANGANUI WITH A HIGH OF 25; 22 IN HAMILTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND, SIMILAR STORY HERE. MAINLY FINE DAY IN BLENHEIM. FURTHER DOWN, BIT MORE CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN AROUND CANTERBURY. 16 THE HIGH IN QUEENSTOWN. 15 IN OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH. COTTAGE CHEESE MIGHT BE AN OLD-FASHIONED PRODUCT, BUT IT'S VERY MUCH IN VOGUE. ONCE THE MAINSTAY OF A DUBIOUS DIET FAD IN THE 1970s, IT'S RIDING A SOMEWHAT UNLIKELY SOCIAL MEDIA WAVE. WE'RE JOINED NOW BY KEVIN JENKINS, DIRECTOR AT 'THE CHEESE WHEEL', TO TALK ALL THINGS COTTAGE CHEESE. KEVIN, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. TALK TO ME ABOUT COTTAGE CHEESE. WHAT haS THE ACTUAL RISE BEEN LIKE? THANKS FOR HAVING ME. IT CERTAINLY HAS TAKEN OFF. I HAVE STARTED EATING MORE MYSELF. I LIKE THE ONE WITH CHIVES. I HAVE SOME OTHER MESSAGEs. IF YOU LIKE CHEESE AND CAN'T STOP EATING CHEESE, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. THE CASEiEN IN CHEESE TRIGGERS DOPAMINE IN YOUR BRAIN, EXACTLY THE SAME AS COCAINE. IT IS BETTER TO BE ADDICTED TO CHEESE AND COCAINE. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. EAT MORE CHEESE. THERE ARE 30 ARTISAN CHEESEMAKERS IN NEW ZEALAND. THEY MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHEESES. TREAT COTTAGE CHEESE, WONDERFUL AS IT IS, AS AN ENTRY-LEVEL CHEESE. DON'T STOP THERE. IT IS GOOD FOR YOU. IT IS GOOD FOR HEALTHY BONES AND TEETH. IT LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE. ANTIOXIDANTS SLOW AGE-RELATED NEURODEGENERATION. I LOOK GOOD FOR 103. IT HELPS GUT BACTERIA AND SELL HEALTH. SIGNUP TO THE CHEESE WHEEL. I AM NOT SURE YOU ARE GETTING YOUR MESSAGE THROUGH (!) BRILLIANT SALES PITCH. CAN I GO BACK TO COTTAGE CHEESE, ALBEIT BRIEFLY, THERE HAS BEEN A SPIKE IN DEMAND. WE KNOW IT IS PROBABLY TO DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA. SOME PEOPLE FIND IT HARD TO BY IT IN SUPERMARKETS. THAT IS EASILY FIXED. A BIT OF TIME. YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA. WE ALL KNOW YOUNG PEOPLE EAT MORE PROTEIN, AND OLDER PEOPLE, WE ARE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTEIN. IT IS LOW-FAT, COMPARATIVELY. THAT IS PART OF THE PICTURE. ANOTHER THING ABOUT ARTISAN CHEESEMAKERS, ONE ISSUE IS THAT IF YOU MAKE AGED CHEESE, THAT LASTS FOR YEARS ON THE SHELF, THAT IS MONEY TIED UP. COTTAGE CHEESE, YOU CAN MAKE IT IN A DAY. IT IS A FASTER TURNAROUND, SO THE INDUSTRY CAN ADAPT QUICKLY. BUT STOP THERE. YOU WANT HARD CHEESE, BLUE CHEESE. I AM SOLD ON THAT, EXCEPT FOR BLUE CHEESE. NO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IN TERMS OF COTTAGE CHEESE, IT IS HERE TO STAY? THIS ISN'T A FAD. MY POINT ABOUT BEING ENTRY-LEVEL IS TRUE. AS PEOPLE DISCOVER IT IS NICE TO EAT MORE CHEESE, THEY WILL MOVE ON TO OTHER CHEESES. THE AMOUNT OF CHEESE EATEN AROUND THE WORLD PER CAPITA HAS GONE UP YEAR ON YEAR ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND THE PERCENTAGES OF QUALITY ARTISAN CHEESE, HAS ALSO GONE UP. IN SHORT, WHETHER YOU ARE IN BRAZIL, NORWAY, NEW ZEALAND OR AFRICA, PEOPLE ARE EATING MORE AND BETTER CHEESE. COTTAGE CHEESE, I REALLY LIKE IT, BUT IT IS BASIC. YOU EAT IT IN A DAY. IT THE PHRASE ORIGINATED IN AMERICA IN THE MID-1800S, BECAUSE CHEESE WAS MADE IN COTTAGES. AS MUCH AS I LOVE IT, WE CAN DO BETTER. IT HAS BEEN FASCINATING. WE NEED TO GET YOU BACK ON THE PROGRAM TO TALK MORE ABOUT CHEESE. IT IS FASCINATING. HERE IS A THOUGHT. YOU ARE BUSY. ARTISAN CHEESE IN NEW ZEALAND HAS FOLLOWED THE SAME PATH AS WINE AND BEER. WHEN I GREW UP, THERE WERE TWO BREWERIES, ONE DAIRY, MAKING BIG BLOCKS OF YELLOW STUFF YOU COULDN'T CUT. NOW WE HAVE HUGE NUMBERS OF WINEMAKERS, VIA MAKERS AND THE SAME WITH CHEESE. BUY MORE NEW ZEALAND CHEESE. I CAN'T AGREE WITH THE CHIVES AND COTTAGE CHEESE. MY FATHER RUINED THAT FOR ME. KEVIN, SUCH A GOOD CHAT THIS MORNING. DIRECTOR OF THE CHEESE WHEEL. THERE IT IS. DAD WOULD PUT CHIVES. ALSO, PEOPLE DUNKING COTTAGE CHEESE LOOK AT THAT INFLUENCER, CHEESE SLAPPED ONTO THE FOOD. I WILL DO IT WITH CHICKEN YOU BUY FROM THE SUPERMARKET, HOT CHICKEN. 8/10 IS A GOOD RATING. CONSIDER ME INFLUENCED. SLAPPED IT ON. IS THAT KUMARA? BEETROOT, AVO. IS LIKE WHAT I GIVE MY KIDS. EVERYTHING SEPARATE. HE IS MIXING IT NOW. COLOURFUL, THOUGH. COTTAGE CHEESE, SLAP IT ON. E WHAI AKE NEI ` IT'S TIME TO WARM UP FOR NETBALL SEASON. WE GET SOME ADVICE TO AVOID INJURY FROM A FORMER SILVER FERN. NOT THIS ONE. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. WELLINGTON MAYOR TORY WHANAU SAYS DROPPING OUT OF THE RACE FOR A SECOND TERM MEANS SHE'LL HAVE MORE TIME TO HELP CREATE A SAFER PATHWAY FOR WOMEN IN POLITICS. VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS DECLARED A THREE-DAY CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE, BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, TO MARK THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY OF THE SOVIET UNION AND ITS ALLIES IN WW2. PLUS, IN SPORT ` A WIDESPREAD POWER CUT IN SPAIN HAS SEEN PLAY AT THE MADRID OPEN SUSPENDED. WITH THE CLUB NETBALL SEASON RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO WARM UP TO AVOID INJURY. LAST YEAR, ACC ACCEPTED MORE THAN 23,000 NETBALL-RELATED INJURIES, COSTING $48M ` THE HIGHEST IT'S BEEN IN FIVE YEARS. JOINING US WITH SOME TIPS TO STAY INJURY FREE THIS SEASON IS FORMER SILVER FERN SAM WINDERS FROM NETBALL NZ'S INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAMME. MORENA. HOW ARE YOU? I AM GREAT. THANK YOU. SO GOOD TO HAVE YOUR PROGRAM. YOU HAPPEN PART OF NETBALL SMART FROM THE BEGINNING. WHAT YOU WANT TO GET BACK INVOLVED NOW? IT HAS BEEN A BIT OF A CRAZY RIDE. FIRST CAME ON BOARD WHEN THEY RELEASED THE INITIAL BIG NETBALL SMART WARMUP, THEN AN AMBASSADOR DURING MY PLAYING YEARS, AND NOW THE SILVER FERNS PHYSIO GAVE ME A CALL LAST YEAR AND SAID THERE WAS A NETBALL SMART JOB GOING IN THE BAY OF PLENTY. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT WORK OUT. HERE WE ARE. I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOOKING AFTER THE REGION AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE MOVING WELL AND STAYING INJURY FREE, BUT IT IS AN AREA THAT I LIVE IN A PASSIONATE ABOUT SO IT WORKS. WHAT IS IN THE RECEPTION YOU GET FROM PEOPLE? BOTH OF US KNOW HOW HORRIFIC NETBALL INJURIES CAN BE. YOU ARE PLAYING ON A SATURDAY, ROLL YOUR ANKLE, TWEAK YOUR KNEE, ALTHOUGH SORTS OF THINGS WHICH CAN BE HELPED BY A GOOD WARMUP. HOW THE PEOPLE RECEIVED THE PROGRAM? IT VARIES. NETBALL SMART HAS MORE OF A PLATFORM NOWADAYS THAN IT USED TO, SO PEOPLE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF NETBALL SMART. WHEN WE SAY, NETBALL SMART PEOPLE THINK WARMUP, BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT. WE HAVE SIX PRINCIPLES, BUT ONE OF THEM IS SMART MOVEMENT. THAT IS SOMETHING I AM KEEN ON IN TERMS OF NETBALL IS A HIGH RISK SPORT, BECAUSE WE CAN'T ALWAYS PREVENT WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO AROUND US IN SMALL AREAS, MOVING FAST. OR WE CAN CONTROL IS HOW WE MOVE OURSELVES ON LAND AND TAKING A STEP BACK AND THINKING ABOUT IF I CAN LEARN TO MOVE WELL, JUMP IN LAND WELL, CHANGE DIRECTION WELL, I AM SETTING MYSELF UP TO PREVENT INJURIES. ALL THOSE BIG INJURIES LIKE ACL'S, MORE THAN 80% OF THOSE HAPPEN WHEN NO ONE ELSE IS AROUND US, WHICH TELLS US THAT IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN PREVENT ON OUR OWN. LEARNING HOW TO JUMP IN LAND AND RUN EVEN IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ALWAYS TAUGHT, SO WE'RE GETTING INTO SCHOOLS AND CENTRES AND STARTING THE GROUND WORK IN THAT CONVERSATION. IT IS A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION TO BE HAVING AS WELL, BECAUSE IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT TURNING UP ON A SATURDAY OR A TRAINING AND IS GOING, JUST STRETCHED A LITTLE BIT AND RUN A LITTLE BIT MORE; THERE IS MORE IN TERMS OF PREVENTION. WITH PEOPLE GOING INTO CLUB GAMES, I DIDN'T REALLY WARMUP, SO NOW I HAVE INJURIES AND A STIFF BODY, SO JOKE IS ON ME, BUT PEOPLE ON THE COURTS ON THE WEEKEND, WHAT IS THE BEST KIND OF ADVICE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE TO THEM? FIRST OF ALL, THE NETBALL SMART WARMUP IS DESIGNED TO PREPARE YOUR BODY TO PLAY NETBALL. THERE IS NOTHING IN THE WARMUP THAT IS UNRELATED TO PLAY NETBALL. FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE ARE PREPARING OUR BODIES TO PLAY THE SPORT WE WANT TO PLAY. SHOUT OUT TO MY CLUB IN ROTORUA, BECAUSE UP UNTIL NOW, THEY ARE RENOWNED FOR NOT WARMING UP. NOW THEY HAVE SEMI ON THEIR SIDE, WE DO SOME DECENT WARMUP'S. WHEN YOU ACTUALLY WARMUP PROPERLY, THAT IS A MASSIVE ONE. WE CAN JUMP IN LAND UP TO 60 TIMES A GAME. SOME OF US BYPASS THAT IN WARMUP AND DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT, SO JUST HEADING IN SOME TERMS AND CHANGE OF DIRECTION. THAT IS A MASSIVE ONE. NETBALL SMART RELEASE TO WARMUP AT THE START OF THIS YEAR. THE BIG FOCUS IS ON NETBALL SPECIFIC MOVEMENT. CHANGE OF MOVEMENT, JUMP IN LAND, STOPPING, STARTING. NO DOUBT YOU CAN FIND ALL THAT ON THE NETBALL NEW ZEALAND WEBSITE. YOU ARE STILL PLAYING? I PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF CLUB. I HAVE TO KEEP MY HEAD AND IT BECAUSE I LOVE IT. NOT LOVING PLAYING IS NOT THE REASON I AM NOT PLAYING AT THE TOP LEVEL THIS YEAR. LOVE IT. YOU ARE SMASHING IT OUT OF THE PARK. SO GOOD. THANK YOU. THANKS, DEAN. E HAERE AKE NEI ` WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK WITH THE WELSH FOOTBALLING FAIRYTALE THAT HAS TAKEN WREXHAM TO THE CUSP OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE. IT'S THE RAGS-TO-RICHES FOOTBALL FAIRYTALE THAT READS LIKE A HOLLYWOOD SCRIPT ` WREXHAM FOOTBALL CLUB, OWNED BY ACTORS RYAN REYNOLDS AND ROB MCELHENNEY, SECURING AN EPIC BACK TO BACK TO BACK PROMOTION TO ENGLAND'S SECOND TIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE. LAST YEAR, WE CELEBRATED WITH MEGA FAN PAULA SMITH FROM WREXHAM, NOW LIVING IN WELLINGTON, AND PROMISED TO SPEAK AGAIN WHEN THEY EARNED ANOTHER PROMOTION. WELL, THAT TIME HAS COME. SHE'S WITH US NOW, ALONG WITH HER MATE AMANDA MacMASTER, WHO'S ACTUALLY IN WALES. GOOD MORNING. PAULA, I AM SO GLAD WE CAN CATCH UP ABOUT THIS AGAIN. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING ALMOST IN THE BIG BIG TIME? IT HASN'T SETTLED IN. WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU LAST YEAR, I SAID IT FELT SURREAL. THIS FEELS EVEN MORE SURREAL. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 40 YEARS SINCE WE WERE AT THIS LEVEL OF FOOTBALL. AMANDA AND THE TEAM BACK HOME HAVE BEEN PARTYING HARD. I AM A BIT MAD OVER HERE. MY ENERGY LEVELS ARE THROUGH THE ROOF. IT HAS BEEN A GREAT FEW DAYS. AMANDA, WELCOME, FROM NEW ZEALAND. WERE YOU AT THE GAME? HAVE YOU BEEN PARTYING IT UP SINCE THE WEEKEND? GOOD MORNING, GOOD EVENING FROM HERE. I AM A SEASON TICKET HOLDER. I WAS THERE ON SATURDAY. HELL OR HIGH WATER, I WAS GOING TO BE IN MY SEAT. DEFINITELY BEEN PARTYING IT UP. I HAD TO GO TO WORK THIS MORNING. I WAS ON QUIET MODE. AS IT STILL EXCITING FOR FANS IN WALES TO SEE RYAN REYNOLDS, BLAKE LIVELY, ALL THE CELEBS COME TO TOWN? YES, WE TALK, AND WE SIT AROUND AND SAY, IT IS A PINCH YOURSELF MOMENT. WHAT ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE DOING IN OUR TOWN? IT IS VERY STRANGE. MEETING HUGH JACKMAN WAS VERY STRANGE FOR ME. I HAD A BIT OF A CRUSH. NOT GOING TO LIE. THEY ARE ALL SUPER NICE PEOPLE, REALLY NORMAL, LIKE THE REST OF US, JUST A BIT MORE MONEY. THESE STARS ARE COMING TO TOWN AND MINGLING WITH PEOPLE AT PUBS. THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE TURF WITH US ALL, IN THE TOWN. ONE OF MY CHILDREN WALKED UP TO RYAN AND CHANNING TATUM AND STARTED TALKING TO THEM. HE IS 13. THEY WERE SO GOOD WITH HIM. THEY WERE TALKING TO HIM FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. IT WAS CRAZY. PAULA, I KNOW YOU GET FOMO. HAVE YOU BEEN BACK AND EXPERIENCED THIS YOURSELF? NO, BUT I AM LIVING VICARIOUSLY THROUGH AMANDA. AMANDA'S PICTURE WITH HUGH JACKMAN, I WAS 1ST TO COMMENT. I'M HEADING BACK NEXT YEAR TO THE FAMILY AND CATCH UP FOR A FEW BEERS AT THE TURF. CAN WE MANIFEST IT, AND SAY WE WILL CATCH UP NEXT YEAR TO CELEBRATE AN UNLIKELY PROMOTION TO THE MOST FAMOUS LEAGUE IN FOOTBALL? IS IT UNLIKELY? EVERYONE SAID WE WOULD NEVER GET OUT OF LEAGUE TO. LET'S SAY WE ARE GOING UP AGAIN. RYAN REYNOLDS SAID, SOMEBODY SAID THEIR WELL HAVE A HEART OF A POET AND THE FISTS OF A FIGHTER. PAULA, DO SCENES LIKE THIS AND THE PUBLICITY LET YOU RECONNECT WITH HOME? IT DOES. AND GIVES A NICE EXCUSE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS. WE SUFFER WITH THE TERRITORY OF DISTANCE. WE ARE AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE DAY. HAVING FOOTBALL TO TALK ABOUT, TO RECONNECT, WITH FRIENDS LIKE AMANDA, CHRISTINA, WE GET TOGETHER AND TALK. IT IS NICE TO HAVE THAT FOCAL POINT. ANY EXCUSE TO TALK FOOTBALL IS A GOOD THING. AMANDA, THE TEAM A FEW YEARS AGO WAS IN SUCH A BAD PLACE. HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THIS STORY TO PEOPLE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE WREXHAM STORY? AS PAULA MENTIONED, IT IS A FAIRYTALE. IT IS A HOLLYWOOD STORY, ONE FOR THE MOVIES, YOU THINK IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, BUT IT HAS. WE ARE ALL SITTING HERE, I AM TALKING TO MY FRIENDS HERE IN WREXHAM, WE CAN'T BELIEVE IT, WE CAN'T BELIEVE WE HAVE GONE UP AGAIN. BACK TO BACK TO BACK HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. AMANDA OUT OF WREXHAM, AND PAULA SMITH WHO IS THERE IN SPIRIT BUT IN WELLINGTON, LOVELY TO TALK TO YOU BOTH. LET'S BOOK AND A DATE FOR NEXT YEAR FOR A BIG PARTY, WHEN WE ARE TALKING PREMIER LEAGUE. SO GOOD. IT IS A STORY THAT GIVES HOPE TO ALL SPORTS FANS WITH A TEAM THAT MIGHT BE STRUGGLING, THAT MAYBE THEY CAN MAKE IT TO THE BIG TIME. THAT IS US FOR THE DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPANY. CATCH UP AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND JAMES BROWN. 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