IT'S WEDNESDAY THE 30th OF APRIL. LAST DAY OF THE MONTH. YES, OF COURSE IT IS. ALREADY ABOUT THE JUMP INTO MAY. IT IS RATTLING BY, ISN'T IT? SPEAKING OF RATTLING BY, THE SHOW WILL QUICKLY THIS MORNING. COMING UP ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` POWER IS BACK ON IN EUROPE AFTER SPAIN AND PORTUGAL WERE PLUNGED INTO DARKNESS. SO HAS ANYONE BEEN ABLE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE REASON FOR THE MASS BLACKOUT? WE'LL CROSS TO EUROPE FOR THE LATEST. ALSO AHEAD ` HOW DID A FOREST SANCTUARY NEAR WHANGANUI BECOME COMPROMISED? RAT FOOTPRINTS HAVE BEEN DETECTED INSIDE TARAPURUHI BUSHY PARK, SPARKING AN INTENSE MONITORING AND TRAPPING OPERATION. WHY CONSERVATIONISTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE A SINGLE RAT COULD DO INSIDE THE SANCTUARY. PLUS ` THE ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST SCHOOL UNIFORMS. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S ANNOUNCED PLANS TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF COMPULSORY ITEMS IN SCHOOL UNIFORMS, POTENTIALLY SAVING FAMILIES MORE THAN A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER CHILD. COULD THE SAME WORK HERE OR SHOULD WE DITCH UNIFORMS ALTOGETHER? I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. DO NOT GET RID OF SCHOOL UNIFORMS. I DON'T THINK SO EITHER. I LIKE THE FACT YOUR CHILD DOES NOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT TO WEAR IN THE MORNING BECAUSE THAT COULD BE A NIGHTMARE. DO YOU WANT BRANDED SCHOOL UNIFORMS? I FEEL IT IS QUITE GOOD FOR HAVING SOME SCHOOL PRIDE. THAT IDENTIFIES YOUR SCHOOL WHEN THERE ARE MISBEHAVING KIDS ON THE BUS. YOU CAN SAY, THAT IS THE SCHOOL, I CAN CONTACT THEM. I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT HOWEVER. IT IS NOT REALLY A LEVELLER IN TERMS OF EQUITY AND PEOPLE GOING TO SCHOOL AND HAVING THE SAME GEAR AND STUFF. I'M INTERESTED IN WHETHER YOU THINK WE SHOULD HAVE UNIFORMS OR DITCH THEM. AS YOU GO INTO YOUR SENIOR YEARS, THERE IS A DIFFERENT UNIFORM SOME UNIFORM, WINTER UNIFORM, PELOTON. P.E.* RIGHT NOW IT'S 6 O'CLOCK, HERE'S CHRIS WITH YOUR NEWS. THANKS, JENNY MAY. FERRY OPERATORS IN WELLINGTON ARE PREPARING FOR FURTHER CANCELLATIONS AS SWELLS OF UP TO 7m ARE FORECAST. INTERISLANDER HAS CANCELLED ALL SAILINGS FROM TONIGHT UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING, WHILE BLUEBRIDGE HAS WARNED OF DISRUPTION TO SERVICES. IMPACTED INTERISLANDER PASSENGERS ARE BEING CONTACTED DIRECTLY WITH AN EVALUATION OF CONDITIONS SET TO TAKE PLACE LATER IN THE WEEK. FIRE CREWS ARE STILL AT THE SCENE OF A LARGE HOUSE FIRE IN MATAMATA, WAITING ON THE ARRIVAL OF A FIRE INVESTIGATOR. NINE CREWS WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE JUST AFTER 2am THIS MORNING ARRIVING TO A TWO-STOREY HOUSE WELL-INVOLVED IN FLAMES. 24 FIRE FIGHTERS WORKING FOR MORE THAN FOUR HOURS TO EXTINGUISH THE BLAZE. IN EUROPE, POWER IS BACK ON IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL FOLLOWING MAJOR OUTAGES AFFECTING MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES YESTERDAY. THE CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE IS STILL UNCLEAR, THOUGH A CYBER ATTACK HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY PORTUGAL AND A SPANISH POWER COMPANY. SPAIN'S LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATIVE COMMISSION AND PORTUGAL IS CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION. WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON LATER THIS HOUR. THE COUNT RESUMES IN CANADA TODAY TO LEARN WHETHER MARK CARNEY'S LIBERAL PARTY HAS ENOUGH VOTES TO FORM A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT. MORE THAN 10 RACES REMAIN TOO CLOSE TO CALL. THE FORMER CENTRAL BANKER WAS BACK TO WORK AS PRIME MINISTER THIS MORNING AFTER CELEBRATING HIS PARTY'S WIN. (UPBEAT MUSIC) PARTY ON. MEANWHILE, HIS OPPONENT, CONSERVATIVE LEADER PIERRE POILIEVRE HAS LOST NOT JUST THE ELECTION BUT HIS SEAT. IT'S BROADLY SEEN AS A MAJOR POLITICAL COMEBACK FOR THE LIBERAL PARTY, WHICH WAS BEHIND IN THE POLLS IN JANUARY. WHY DO THEY DO IT? POLITICIANS DANCING? I DON'T KNOW. THE HURRICANES ARE WELCOMING BACK SEVERAL SQUAD MEMBERS FROM INJURY AS THEY LOOK TO END THEIR SOMEWHAT INCONSISTENT SUPER RUGBY SEASON ON A HIGH. A WIN OVER THE BRUMBIES LAST WEEK MARKING THE FIRST KIWI WIN ON AUSSIE SOIL THIS YEAR AND BOOSTING THE SIDE'S MORALE. MIDFIELDER RILEY HIGGINS IMMEDIATELY MAKING AN IMPACT IN THE STARTING LINEUP AFTER MISSING MOST OF THE SEASON WITH A BROKEN HAND. MUCH OF THE TEAM'S BACK HEALTHY, SO IT'S BRINGING A LOT OF COMPETITION WITHIN THE GROUP AS WELL. I THINK EVERYONE IN THE ENVIRONMENT IS PRETTY, I WOULDN'T SAY HAPPY WHERE WE'RE AT, WE CAN OBVIOUSLY GET BETTER, BUT I GUESS THERE'S A BIT OF CONFIDENCE AFTER LAST WEEK. THEY'LL FACE THE TABLE-TOPPING CHIEFS IN WELLINGTON ON SATURDAY NIGHT. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING ` STARTING OFF WITH SOME WARNINGS, THERE ARE ORANGE HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE IN GISBORNE NORTH OF TOLAGA BAY, THE KAIKOURA COAST AND RANGES, BANKS PENINSULA, CANTERBURY AND NORTH OF AMBERLEY. TO THE NORTH ISLAND, PACK YOUR UMBRELLA. RAIN FOR MOST OF THE REGION, TURNING TO SHOWERS EARLY MORNING, WHICH COULD GET HEAVY. POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE CENTRAL REGIONS. A HIGH OF 22 IN TAURANGA, 23 IN WHANGAREI. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR ALL OF YOU. RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE WEST WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AT THE TOP OF THE ISLAND LATER ON. THERE ARE ALSO ORANGE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IN PLACE ON ARTHUR'S PASS AND PORTERS PASS, SO TAKE CARE. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE IS MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING WITH OUR TEAM OF REPORTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. LET'S START IN WELLINGTON WITH JAMES FLEURY AND JAMES, HUGE SWELLS ARE FORECAST TO DISRUPT FERRY SERVICES TODAY. MORENA, JENNY MAY. IN THE CAPITAL, THERE IS NO WIND OR RAIN. THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY STILL, BUT THAT IS SET TO CHANGE. SWELLS UP TO 7 M ARE FORECAST FROM TONIGHT ALL THE WAY UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING. THE SWELLS OF 7 M ARE NOT COMMON. USUALLY WE SEE SWELLS OF AROUND 45 M 4-5m* INTO IRELAND HAS GONE AHEAD AND CANCELLED ALL SERVICES, ALL SAILINGS FROM 8:30 PM TONIGHT UNTIL 230 IN THE MORNING ON FRIDAY. THEY SAID THAT IT IS NOT UNLIKELY THAT FURTHER CANCELLATIONS WILL BE MADE OVER THE COMING DAYS, BUT THEY HAVE GONE AHEAD AND WILL BE CONTACTING PASSENGERS DIRECTLY TO MAKE ALTERNATIVE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. BLUE BRIDGE FAIRIES, THEY HAVE NOT CANCELLED ANY SERVICES YET, BUT THEY HAVE ISSUED A STATEMENT ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND ON THEIR WEBSITE SAYING THAT IT IS VERY LIKELY THERE WILL BE DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS AS IS WHERE THE SYSTEM TRAVELS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IF PEOPLE ARE ON THOSE SERVICES EVENTUALLY, THERE COULD STILL BE SOME LARGE SWELLS REMAINING ONES ARE ABLE TO DO SOME SAILING, SO PEOPLE ON BOARD CAN GET SOME ANTINAUSEA TABLETS IF THEY NEED. GOOD OLD ANTINAUSEA TABLETS. THANKS FOR THAT UPDATE, JAMES. THE ELECTRIC AVENUE FESTIVAL HAS BEEN DECLARED CHRISTCHURCH'S HIGHEST-VALUE EVENT IN A DECADE. CHARLOTTE MULDER JOINS US NOW. HOW MUCH MONEY DID IT BRING IN? IT BROUGHT IN ALMOST $10.5 MILLION, MAKING IT THE LARGEST VISITOR SPENDING EVENT IN A DECADE. THE SOLD-OUT FESTIVAL DREW IN AROUND 75,000 ATTENDEES OVER THE TWO DAYS TO MARK ITS 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY. OVER HALF OF THE ATTENDEES CAME FROM OUTSIDE OF CHRISTCHURCH. AND ECONOMIC REPORT RELEASED FROM FRESH INFO SAYS IT BROUGHT IN ALMOST $10.5 MILLION. THAT IS A HUGE INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR'S 6.3 MILLION ` OVER HALF OF THE ATTENDEES ENDED UP SAYING, OR, MAJORITY OF THE ATTENDEES ENDED UP SAYING THAT THEY COMPARED IT TO OVERSEAS FESTIVALS SUCH AS COACHELLA OR TOMORROW LAND. THE EVENT DIRECTOR CALLUM SAID THAT HE AND THE TEAM ARE SUPER STOKES WITH THE SUCCESS OF THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL AND HAVE ALREADY BEGAN WORKING ON NEXT YEAR'S ELECTRIC AVENUE AND BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS ARE YET TO COME. LOVE IT FOR CHRISTCHURCH. THANKS FOR THAT, CHARLOTTE. AND A FIRE AT AN AUCKLAND RECYCLING PLANT LAST WEEK DESTROYED A BUILDING AND LEFT MANY WITHOUT WORK, BUT THE TEAM HAVE BEEN RAISING FUNDS. LUCY BENDELL JOINS US FOR SOME GOOD NEWS. HOW MUCH HAVE THEY RAISED, LUCY? GOOD MORNING, JENNY MAY. SOME MORE GOOD NEWS. COMES AFTER A MAMMOTH EFFORT FROM THE RECYCLING PLANT. THEY EMPLOY AND SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THEY RAISED OVER $180,000, AND MORE MONEY IS COMING THROUGH THIS MORNING. THIS COMES AFTER THE FIRE LAST THURSDAY THAT SWEPT THROUGH THEIR GLENFIELD FACTORY, COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE SITE, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT. AT LEFT THE FUTURE OF ALMOST 120 EMPLOYEES UP IN THE AIR WITHOUT A SPACE TO WORK. ABILITIES PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. THEY SOUGHT AN PROCESS. CYCLING, INCLUDING BATTERIES, PHONES AND BATTERIES. THEY DESCRIBED A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY AND CALLED FOR DONATIONS THROUGH GIVE A LITTLE. YESTERDAY, THEY HIT THE $180,000 MARK. LIKE I SAID THIS MORNING, EVEN ANOTHER DONATION CAME THROUGH OVER AN HOUR AGO. THE SMALL TO SUPPORT THEM FINDING A TEMPORARY LOCATION BEFORE THEY FIND THAT NEW SPACE AND REPLACED EDSALL'S AND EQUIPMENT. THEY POST ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA YESTERDAY SAYING THAT SHOCKED AND HUMBLED BY THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THEY HAD. A NICE WAY TO END OUR ROUNDUP. THANKS FOR THAT, LUCY. FROM BASIC SHIRTS AND SHORTS TO SKORTS, TROUSERS AND SOMETIMES BLAZERS AND TIES, THE COST OF SCHOOL UNIFORMS CAN BE A BIG FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR SOME HOUSEHOLDS. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSING TO MAKE UNIFORMS MORE UNIFORM, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF COMPULSORY BRANDED ITEMS AND PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON CHEAPER, EASIER-TO-ACCESS PIECES. HERE'S THE BBC'S ELAINE DUNKLEY. (SHOUTS) LET'S GET OUR UNIFORMS SORTED, PLEASE! AT THE HALIFAX ACADEMY, HEAD TEACHER MR PERRY IS ON CORRIDOR DUTY, ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ANYONE BREAKING THE RULES ON SCHOOL UNIFORM. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HE'S ALSO GOT HIS EYE ON WHAT'S AFFORDABLE FOR PARENTS ` HERE ITEMS WITH SCHOOL LOGOS ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM. HERE, YOU LOOK IMMACULATE. OFF YOU GO. GO ON. AS LONG AS WE SEE THE FAMILIES ARE REALLY TRYING TO ADHERE TO UNIFORM POLICY THAT WE'VE GOT, WE CAN BE FLEXIBLE WITH HOW WE INTERPRET THAT. SO IF IT IS IN THE RIGHT COLOURS, WELL, IF IT'S NOT BRADLEY, THAT DOESN'T MATTER FOR US. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS MEASURES IT'S SETTING OUT IN THE CHILDREN'S WELLBEING AND SCHOOLS BILL WILL LIMIT SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND TO THREE ITEMS OF BRANDED UNIFORM. WE THINK SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO CHOOSE WHICH ITEMS THEY THINK SHOULD BE BRANDED AS PART OF THEIR SCHOOL IDENTITY, BUT WE REALLY WANT TO MAXIMISE THE CHOICE FOR FAMILIES IN SHOPPING WHERE THEY THINK THEY CAN GET THE BEST VALUE, WHETHER THAT'S IN A LOCAL SHOP, WHETHER THAT'S IN A UNIFORM SUPPLIER. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT, THE AVERAGE COST OF A SCHOOL UNIFORM AND PE KIT FOR A PUPIL AT SECONDARY SCHOOL IN ENGLAND IS �442 A YEAR, AND FOR PRIMARY, IT'S �343. IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG SPEND AGAIN. COS THEY'RE REALLY STRICT ON THE UNIFORMS AS WELL, AREN'T THEY? SO YOU COULDN'T EVEN, LIKE, GET BLACK TROUSERS. IT HAS GOT TO BE, LIKE, GREY OR PLEATED SKIRT. FOR THEIR SHOES ALONE, I'M LOOKING ABOUT �60 A PAIR. AND THERE'S THREE OF THEM. AND THERE'S THREE OF THEM, AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDING BLAZERS, PE KITS... YEAH. ...OR ANYTHING ELSE. AND TO CONVERT SOME OF THOSE FIGURES, THE COST OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL UNIFORM IS ENGLAND IS JUST UNDER NZD $1000, AND A PRIMARY SCHOOL UNIFORM, AROUND $770. SO COULD AND SHOULD WE FOLLOW SUIT? JOINING US NOW IS SUSAN GLASGOW FROM THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY VARIETY. GOOD MORNING, SUSAN. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR NEW ZEALAND FAMILIES TO AFFORD UNIFORMS EVERY YEAR? IT IS REALLY HARD. LAST YEAR, WE GAVE $300,000 TO CAREGIVERS IN NEED AND FUNDED 1700 UNIFORMS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED WHO ARE SIMPLY NOT ABLE TO ACCESS WHAT THEY NEEDED. GENERALLY SPEAKING, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST FOR A SINGLE CHILD TO BUY AN AVERAGE UNIFORM RANGE AT A SCHOOL? YOU ARE LOOKING AT $500 IF YOU CONSIDER PE GEAR. SPORTS SHOES, BLAZER, JACKET. A COUPLE OF UNIFORMS, BECAUSE OF ONE GETS WET YOU HAVE TO DRY IT. I WOULD SAY THE $500 IS A VERY LOW ESTIMATE. THAT HAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FROM FAMILIES EACH YEAR WITH HOW DIFFICULT IT IS GETTING? AT IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER. WE ARE SEEING THAT KIDS ARE SHARING SCHOOL UNIFORMS. THEY HAVE DESIGNATED DAYS THEY GOING TO SCHOOL BIGGER SIBLING IS USING IT ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AND THE OTHER ON A TUESDAY AND THURSDAY. SCHOOL UNIFORMS ARE BECOMING A BARRIER FOR EQUITY. WHAT IS A SOLUTION FOR NEW ZEALAND? I LIKE THE IDEA OF A UNIFORM UNIFORM. THREE BRANDED PIECES SEEM SENSIBLE. IT MEANS YOU CAN GET A UNIFORM THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET AND YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE VILIFIED FOR NOT HAVING THE CORRECT ITEMS THAT THIS SKILL DESIGNATES THEY NEED. WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION AND WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO FIT INTO THE SCHOOL LIFE? I THINK IT IS HUGE. AND GIVE THEM A SENSE OF COMMUNITY. SUPPORT UNIFORMS FOR THAT REASON. I DO NOT THINK A CHILD'S SENSE OF RIGHT AND WELL-BEING SITS IN THE UNIFORM. IF EVERYONE HAD ACCESS TO THE CHEAPER PIECES, THEY NOT GOING TO DO BETTER ALL THE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES WILL NOT BE RELATED TO THE COST OF THE UNIFORM THEY ARE WEARING JUST TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL. REDUCE THE BARRIERS, GET KIDS IN SCHOOL. YOU SEEING KIDS GO IN SCHOOL WITH A MIX AND MATCH SUFFERING BECAUSE THERE IS THE PEER PRESSURE? WE HAD A DAD COME TO THE OFFICE. HE WAS A PARENT OF THREE KIDS, HE WAS A REFUGEE. IS KIDS HAD BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY HAD MOVED TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. THEY WERE ON TO THE THIRD SCHOOL. THE SKILL SET, YOU CANNOT COME UNLESS YOU HAVE A UNIFORM. THEY COULD NOT GET ANY MORE FUNDING BECAUSE THEY WERE PAYING OFF THE FIRST TWO UNIFORMS. A SURPRISE THAT SOME SCHOOLS ARE NOT GETTING WITH THE TIMES IN TERMS OF EVER HAVING A SECONDHAND STORE? A LOT OF SCHOOLS DO HAVE SECONDHAND UNIFORMS, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE CAR TO GO TO THE SCHOOL TO GET THE SECONDHAND UNIFORM WHICH ARE HOTLY CONTESTED. THEY NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE, AND THEY RUN OUT. YOU CANNOT ALWAYS RELY ON SECONDHAND ITEMS. IF THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH TWO OR THREE SIBLINGS, THINGS WE ARE OUT OVER TIME. YOU HAVE KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL AND ILL FITTING UNIFORMS. THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO LAST YEARS AND YEARS. HOW DIFFICULT YOU THINK IT WOULD BE FOR SCHOOLS TO GET ON BOARD WITH THAT? CONSIDERING THERE ARE BE SCHOOLS STEEPED IN TRADITION AND WILL HAVE THEIR SCHOOL COLOURS. I DON'T KNOW, I THINK IT WILL BE TOUGH BUT WHAT IS THE OUTCOME WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE? FOR ME, IT IS ABOUT EDUCATING IN A TIGHT POPULATION AND NOT LEAVING ANY CHILDREN BEHIND. WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE THE BASIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT UNIFORMS SHOULD BE? WHATEVER IS ADEQUATE TO KEEP THE CHILD WARM, THAT IS FLEXIBLE, THEY CAN MOVE AND RUN. THEY WANT TO LOOK SMART. CHILDREN HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE. BASIC ITEMS THAT CHILDREN CAN FUNDAMENTALLY BE COMFORTABLE AND AND ATTEND SCHOOL INTO THINGS EXPECTED OF THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FROM VARIETY. IT IS A FASCINATING TOPIC. LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS. IT MAY BE REQUIRES A KMART OR FARMERS TO COME TO THE PARTY, OR WAREHOUSE, TO STOCK THAT BASIC CORE LEVEL OF UNIFORM, WHICH THEY DO FOR SOME SCHOOLS. YES, BUT NOT ALL. VANESSA HAS SAID I AM ALL THE UNIFORMS. THE WAREHOUSE HAS POLO SHIRTS. IT IS A NO-BRAINER TO ME. GIVE YOU FEEDBACK COMING. E WHAI AKE NEI ` A HIGH-PROFILE AMERICAN TRAVEL SHOW IS ABOUT TO PUT AOTEAROA ON THE MAP. WE CATCH UP WITH THE SHOW'S STAR HOST NEXT. 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! WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` IN EUROPE, POWER IS BACK ON IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL FOLLOWING MAJOR OUTAGES AFFECTING MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES YESTERDAY. THE CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE IS STILL UNCLEAR. THE COUNT RESUMES IN CANADA TODAY TO LEARN WHETHER MARK CARNEY'S LIBERAL PARTY HAS ENOUGH VOTES TO FORM A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT. THE FORMER CENTRAL BANKER WAS BACK TO WORK AS PRIME MINISTER THIS MORNING AFTER CELEBRATING HIS PARTY'S WIN. AND IN SPORT, THE HURRICANES ARE WELCOMING BACK SEVERAL SQUAD MEMBERS FROM INJURY AS THEY LOOK TO END THEIR SOMEWHAT INCONSISTENT SUPER RUGBY SEASON ON A HIGH. THE UK IS FULL OF SIGHTS THAT DRAW VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND RECENTLY VISITORS TO GLOUCESTERSHIRE HAVE BEEN FLOCKING TO A RATHER UNCONVENTIONAL ATTRACTION... IT'S A DUMPED SOFA. PRECISELY HOW IT GOT THERE REMAINS A MYSTERY, BUT IT'S QUICKLY BECOMING A LOCAL LANDMARK. THE BBC'S ANDY HOWARD HAS MORE. SEE, THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO IN THE FOREST THEY'RE ALL THESE PLACES THAT YOU CAN` WHAT THE!? FOREST OF DEAN IS GETTING A REPUTATION FOR UNUSUAL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS. WELCOME. WELCOME TO THE LOUNGE. HERE IS THE LATEST. ICE LOCALS WERE DRIVING UP AND DOWN HERE AS WE DO AND WE SAW THE SOFA HAD BEEN DUMPED, WHICH IS NOT A GREAT THING. RATHER THAN COMPLAIN, PEOPLE THOUGHT WHAT IF WE ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS AND TURN IT INTO A LIVING ROOM? BEFORE WE KNOW IT, SOME PEOPLE BROUGHT DOWN THE TABLE AND A STANDARD LAMP. IT HAS BEEN A LOCAL SOURCE OF FUN FOR THE LAST 10 DAYS. THE TOURIST SEASON IS COMING UPON US. IT COULD BE BUSY AROUND HERE SOON. SOMEONE MIGHT WANT TO GET MARRIED HERE. (MARRIAGE MUSIC) IS THERE A RIVALRY WITH THE RUSTY POLE? I WAS THERE, AND THAT WAS THE TOURIST ATTRACTION. IS A COMPETITION, IS THERE? A RUSTY POLE AND A SOFA. (LAUGHS) I SUPPOSE IT DOES NOT COME WITHOUT ITS COMPLICATIONS. EFFECTIVELY, IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DUMPED. THAT IS CORRECT. THOSE OF US ARE BROUGHT ADDITIONAL THINGS DOWN HERE, WE HAVE ALL AGREED WE WILL TAKE THEM AWAY WHEN THE FUN IS OVER. THAT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE ANY TIME SOON. A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER HAS GONE ON SOCIAL MEDIA INVITING ANYONE SUPPOSE WITH OR WITHOUT PROPS AND HAS TAKEN ALMOST 150 SHOTS SO FAR. I'M THINKING OF PUTTING TOGETHER A PHOTO BOOK AND SELLING IT AT THE VILLAGE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE LOCAL PLAYGROUND, TO DO UP THE PLAYGROUND. IT IS A NICE THING TO COME TOGETHER TO DO. THAT IS AN INTERESTING FULL CIRCLE. SOMEONE TAPPED A SOFA AND COULD END UP PAYING FOR STUFF FOR THE VILLAGE. IT IS A FUN WAY TO BRING THE VILLAGE TOGETHER. EVERYONE IS BEHIND IT. WITH ALL OF THESE PHOTOS BEING TAKEN, I COULDN'T LEAVE WITHOUT GETTING ONE TAKEN MYSELF. A LITTLE BIT OF SILLY FUN NEVER HURT ANYONE. YOU MAY REMEMBER OUR NEXT GUEST, U.S. DANCER AND TV HOST MICKELA MALLOZZI, WHO WE CAUGHT UP WITH LAST YEAR WHILE SHE WAS IN AOTEAROA FILMING A SPECIAL SERIES OF HER AWARD-WINNING TRAVEL SHOW. IT'S A WIRI. WIRI. YEAH. AND IT JUST MEANS 'TO BE ALIVE'. BOTH: HI AU, AU, AUE, HA. I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE I'M HERE. (SNIFFLES) (CRIES) KIA ORA. 'BARE FEET WITH MICKELA MALLOZZI' FOLLOWS MICKELA AROUND THE WORLD AS SHE EXPLORES NEW NATIONS, CULTURES AND TRADITIONS THROUGH DANCE. SHE'S GEARING UP FOR THE LAUNCH OF SEASON SEVEN WHICH WILL FEATURE THE TWO NEW ZEALAND EPISODES FILMED HERE BACK IN JUNE. MICKELA JOINS US NOW FROM NEW YORK. KIA ORA. IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU. HOW ARE YOU? I AM GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? I AM FANTASTIC, THANK YOU. HOW EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT THIS SERIES? THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK, BY THE WAY. IT IS ACTUALLY TUESDAY HERE STILL. WE ARE CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY. YOU GUYS ARE IN THE FUTURE, YOU ARE A DAY AHEAD. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT SHARING WITH THE WORLD THE BEAUTY OF MUSIC AND DANCE. TALK TO ME ABOUT THE INSIGHTS OF THE SERIES ITSELF. I KNOW THERE IS AN EPISODE THAT SPECIFIC TO NEW ZEALAND. GIVE US AN INSIGHT TO THE SHOW ITSELF. IN EVERY DESTINATION, ALONE THE DANCE AND MUSIC FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE PLACE. IN NEW ZEALAND, WE WERE WITH NGATI WHATUA. WE ALSO WENT TO THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN TAIWAN. WE ALSO FEATURE NORTHERN IRELAND, PARTS OF THE NORTHERN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, AND WE DID A SPECIAL EPISODE IN THE UNITED STATES ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND THE ARTS ` WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT DOES DANCE MEAN IN THE UNITED STATES? WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THIS NEW SEASON OF SHARING DIVERSE VOICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. ALGEBRA PRIVILEGES THAT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE CULTURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD WITH A MASSIVE AMERICAN AUDIENCE? I THINK ABOUT THIS BROADCAST WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR SHOW ` 2 MILLION VIEWERS PER EPISODE. THAT AIRS ACROSS ALL STATES IN THE US. HOW MUCH OF A PRIVILEGE IS IT TO BE ABLE TO BRING, LIKE I SAID, CULTURES TO THE US? IT IS A MASSIVE PRIVILEGE AND THAT IS A MASSIVE RESPONSIBILITY THAT I HOLD DEAR TO BRING TO THE UNITED STATES AUDIENCES. ESPECIALLY NOW, AND A DAY LIKE TODAY WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH DIVISIVENESS. WE WANT TO SHOW THE WAY THAT CULTURES ARE SIMILAR, THAT PEOPLE ARE SIMILAR, RATHER THAN THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE HAVE. IT IS A HUGE HONOUR TO DO THAT. WE ARE ALSO ON PUBLIC MEDIUM ` WE ARE THROUGH PBS, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE US GOVERNMENT. THAT IS AT RISK AS WELL. WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE PBS AND PUBLIC MEDIA SYSTEM. I THINK SHE IS JUST FROZEN. THE CONNECTION WAS DODGY RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING, SO THE FACT THAT WE MANAGED TO CONNECT AND ITSELF HAS BEEN BRILLIANT. AS WE SAY, THAT SERIES IS LAUNCHING IN THE US TODAY OR TOMORROW US TIME. CONSIDER THAT THIS SHOW, WHICH WILL SHOWCASE NEW ZEALAND, AS BEING BROADCAST ACROSS US. WE KNOW THAT AMERICANS LOVE COMING TO NEW ZEALAND, SO THE HOPE IS THAT WILL SPARK MORE INTEREST FOR AMERICANS TO COME HERE. MASSIVE SHOW. SO SORRY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION, BUT LOVELY TABBY ON THE PROGRAM. IT WAS GOOD WHILE IT LASTED. ME U TONU MAI ` WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK WITH YOUR 6.30 NEWS. # I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE WOMAN: Excuse me. Sorry. VOICEOVER: There are loads of great reasons to travel New Zealand. When you're ready to take off, we'll zip you to epic spots across the country. If you just can't choose... pack them all. (PEOPLE TALKING) And if you're not ready to call it... a flight changes in your pocket. FLIGHT ATTENDANT: You all good there, Roman? Whether you're a first time flyer or a regular, great trips begin with Air New Zealand. You're speaking with Pippa. How can I help? Mm-hmm... VOICEOVER: Run your business like a well-oiled machine, on NZ's most reliable mobile network. With plans from $43.48 a month, excluding GST. One New Zealand. Let's get connected. VOICEOVER: One minute you're doing a little DIY. The next you've done too much. With Tower, you can save $75 on every new comprehensive car or contents insurance policy. Ts&Cs apply. Got a minute? Get a quote. (ELEGANT PIANO MUSIC PLAYS) (MAN SHOUTS) (ROARS) (DOORBELL RINGS) (ELEGANT MUSIC CONTINUES) (SONG): 'COLD AS ICE' BY FOREIGNER BEN: Hello? From the bank? Really? VOICEOVER: Know it's really ASB with Caller Check. (PHONE RINGING) # You're as cold as ice # We can verify it's us through the ASB Mobile Banking app. BEN: Oh, it is you ASB! WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. FERRY OPERATORS IN WELLINGTON ARE PREPARING FOR FURTHER CANCELLATIONS AS SWELLS OF UP TO 7m ARE FORECAST. INTERISLANDER HAS CANCELLED ALL SAILINGS FROM TONIGHT UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING, WHILE BLUEBRIDGE HAS WARNED OF DISRUPTION TO SERVICES. IMPACTED INTERISLANDER PASSENGERS ARE BEING CONTACTED DIRECTLY WITH AN EVALUATION OF CONDITIONS SET TO TAKE PLACE LATER IN THE WEEK. WATER HAS BEEN RESTORED TO RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL WELLINGTON AFTER A PIPE BURST EARLY YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. CREWS WORKED INTO THE NIGHT TO FIX THE BROKEN PIPE WHICH LEFT SEVERAL BUILDINGS WITHOUT DRINKING WATER ON THORNDON QUAY. WELLINGTON WATER SAYS THE REPAIR PROCESS TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THE EXCAVATIONS AND UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE. OVERSEAS, THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING IN THE SWEDISH CITY OF UPPSALA. LOCAL MEDIA ARE REPORTING POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR THE SUSPECT WHO FLED THE SCENE ON A SCOOTER. THE SHOOTING OCCURED AT A HAIR SALON IN THE CENTRAL CITY. A LARGE AREA HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF AND A MURDER INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. THE AREA HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF AND A MURDER INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. FOUR CHARGES OF ATTEMPTED MURDER HAVE BEEN DROPPED AGAINST ERIN PATTERSON AS HER TRIAL RESUMES TODAY IN REGIONAL VICTORIA. THE 50-YEAR-OLD IS STILL ACCUSED OF MURDERING THREE RELATIVES AND ATTEMPTING TO MURDER A FOURTH BY SERVING THEM POISONOUS MUSHROOMS IN JULY 2023. BUT THE ADDITIONAL CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO KILL HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN. PATTERSON HAS MAINTAINED HER INNOCENCE AND PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES. THE WARRIORS HAVE NAMED AN UNCHANGED STARTING LINE UP FOR THIS WEEKEND'S CLASH AGAINST THE COWBOYS. COACH ANDREW WEBSTER STICKING WITH THE SAME SQUAD THAT TOOK DOWN THE KNIGHTS IN CHRISTCHURCH LAST WEEK AS THEY LOOK TO PUT A THIRD STRAIGHT WIN ON THE BOARD. THAT'S A GOOD FEELING AROUND THE SPORT, OBVIOUSLY, BUILDING SOME GOOD MOMENTUM. WE ARE BUILDING A TEAM. UP THE WAHS, AND THE GAME KICKS OFF ON SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7.30. AND FINALLY, MORE THAN $180,000 HAS BEEN RAISED FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT WITHOUT A PLACE TO WORK AFTER THEIR NORTH SHORE RECYCLING PLANT BURNED TO THE GROUND LAST WEEK. 'ABILITIES GROUP' EMPLOYS MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND PUT A CALL OUT FOR DONATIONS FOLLOWING THE BLAZE. THE MONEY WILL GO TOWARDS FINDING A NEW LOCATION AND REPLACING EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING ` STARTING OFF WITH SOME WARNINGS, THERE ARE ORANGE HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE IN GISBORNE NORTH OF TOLAGA BAY, THE KAIKOURA COAST AND RANGES, BANKS PENINSULA, CANTERBURY AND NORTH OF AMBERLEY. KI TE IKA-A-MAUI, THE NORTH ISLAND, PACK YOUR UMBRELLA. RAIN FOR MOST OF THE REGION, TURNING TO SHOWERS EARLY MORNING WHICH COULD GET HEAVY. POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE CENTRAL REGIONS. A HIGH OF 22 IN TAURANGA, 23 IN WHANGAREI. KI TE WAIPOUNAMU, TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR ALL OF YOU. RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE WEST WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AT THE TOP OF THE ISLAND LATER ON. THERE ARE ALSO ORANGE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IN PLACE ON ARTHUR'S PASS AND PORTERS PASS, SO TAKE CARE. KIA TUPATO. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (GROOVY MUSIC) DONALD TRUMP'S CELEBRATING 100 DAYS BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THAT JUST AFTER 7. HIS APPROVAL RATING IS THE LOWEST FOR ANY NEWLY-ELECTED U.S. PRESIDENT IN AT LEAST SEVEN DECADES. ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES AMERICANS ARE UNHAPPY WITH IS THE ECONOMY. HERE'S THE ABC'S ALEX PRESHA. PRES TRUMP TRAVELLING TO MICHIGAN, EXPECTING TO OFFER SOME TARIFF RELIEF TO AUTOMAKERS AS HIS POLICY IS TAKING A TOLL ON THE INDUSTRY. AND OFFICIAL TOLD THE NEWS THAT IT WOULD HAVE A PRESENT TARIFF WILL REMAIN, BUT TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT WILL PREVENT TARIFFS FROM SACKING ON OTHER TARIFFS, SUCH AS STEEL AND ALUMINA. PRES TOM HAS HAD MEETINGS... (CLEARS THROAT) HE IS COMMITTED TO BRINGING BACK WATER PRODUCTION IN THE US SO WE WANT TO GIVE AUTOMAKERS A PASS TO DO THAT QUICKLY, EFFICIENTLY AND CREATE AS MANY JOBS AS POSSIBLE. TOUTING THE PRES'S ECONOMIC MOVEMENT IS WORTH 100 IS OFFERED, BUT POLLING SHOWS MOST AMERICANS FEEL DIFFERENTLY. (READS) TODAY, THERE ARE REPORTS THAT EMMA IS ON BALL DISPLAY TARIFF COSTS NEXT TO EACH ITEM, AND THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. TODAY, THERE ARE REPORTS THAT AMAZON WILL DISPLAY TARIFF COSTS NEXT TO EACH ITEM, I WILL TAKE THIS SINCE I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THE PRESIDENT ABOUT AMAZON'S ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS IS A HOSTILE AND POLITICAL ACT BY AMAZON. AND AMAZON TODAY TELLING ABC NEWS THAT IT'S ULTRA LOW-COST DISORDER, AMAZON HAUL, CONSIDERED POSTING THESE CHARGES BUT IT NEVER MADE IT TO THE MAIN AMAZON SITE, NOR HAS IT BEEN IMPLEMENT IT AGAINST ANY. BED GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF DONALD TRUMP'S REIGN IN THE WHITE HOUSE. HE IS CERTAINLY A BUSY MAN. HE NORMALLY SIGNED OFF ON THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, A VERY FLAMBOYANT SIGNATURE, WITH A THICK BLACK PEN. YESTERDAY WHEN I ASKED YOU TO SIGN MY BOOK, YOU REVEAL SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR SIGNATURE. I HAVE TO SAY IT NOW ` I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A SIGNATURE. I SPENT YEARS SIGNING JENNY MAY COFFIN, SO WHEN I GOT MARRIED NINE YEARS AGO... 10 YEARS AGO? CLARKSON, I WAS LIKE, WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT? SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU SIGN DOCUMENTS? I MAKE SOME CONSISTENCY... I NOW JUST DO MY FIRST NAME, THAT'LL DO. THE GREAT OTHER SPORTING WORLD ARE KNOWN BY THEIR FIRST NAME, SERENA, JENNY MAY. SCHOOL UNIFORMS ` PERHAPS FOLLOWING THE U.K.'S WAY OF DOING THINGS, BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT, AT $1000 TO GET ALL THE BITS AND PIECES. WERE TALKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD SCALE THINGS RIGHT BACK AND HAVE SOMETHING MORE BASIC. I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU WILL BE` THIS WILL ALREADY BE HAPPENING IN YOUR SKILLS, AND A NUMBER OF STORES YOU CAN GO INTO THE WAREHOUSE AND THEY HAVE UNIFORMS THERE, THEY ARE CHEAPER, GOOD OLD POLO SHIRT AND SHORTS, A JUMPER OR JERSEY. MITCH, THOUGH, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT YOUR SUGGESTION ` I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT UNIFORMS SHOULD BE SIMPLE AND WHITE. THAT IS JUST SCREAMING GRASS STAINS. I'M ALSO NOT INTO THE WHOLE, LET'S DO BLACK AND WHITE AND CHANGE JERSEYS. FAIRPLAY. PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE GENERIC UNIFORMS ACROSS ASIA. THAT'S A GOOD SOLUTION. THERE ARE SOME IDEAS. I LIKE THE IDEA... I LIKE SCHOOL HAVING DIFFERENT UNIFORMS, YOU CAN TELL THEM APART, THE ONE THING AS WELL, BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF UNIFORMED AXELS BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE GENERIC, NOT HAVING TO HAVE BOYS OR GIRLS UNIFORMS, LIKE SHORT-TERM POLOS OR DRESSES, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO RUN AROUND AND GO ON THE MONKEY BARS. SHORT-TERM POLOS, PARTICULARLY THE PRIMARY SCHOOL, THAT SHOULD BE A STOCK STANDARD. AS A SENIOR TOO. I WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY MORE COMFORTABLE IN THAT. WHAT ABOUT GARTERS? YEP, WELL. NOT ME. MY SOCKS ARE UP. ME U TONU MAI ` THE POWER'S BACK ON IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, BUT DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY IT WENT OUT? WE'RE LIVE TO EUROPE, NEXT. THOSE STUPID WHITE THINGS... (MILEY CYRUS' 'END OF THE WORLD') WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` OVERSEAS, THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING AT A HAIR SALON IN THE SWEDISH CITY OF UPPSALA. BACK HERE, FERRY OPERATORS IN WELLINGTON ARE PREPARING FOR FURTHER CANCELLATIONS AS SWELLS OF UP TO 7m ARE FORECAST. AND IN SPORT, THE WARRIORS HAVE NAMED AN UNCHANGED STARTING LINEUP FOR THIS WEEKEND'S CLASH AGAINST THE COWBOYS. POWER HAS NOW BEEN FULLY RESTORED ACROSS SPAIN AND PORTUGAL AFTER MONDAY'S MASSIVE BLACK OUT. A CYBER ATTACK HAS BEEN RULED OUT, BUT BOTH COUNTRIES ARE STILL TRYING TO ESTABLISH EXACTLY HOW IT HAPPENED. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON JOINS US NOW FROM LONDON. MORENA, MEI. WHAT'S THE LATEST? GOOD MORNING, AS YOU SAY, POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED NEARLY 24 HOURS ON SENSE THAT MASSIVE BLACKOUT, LET'S NOT FORGET THE SHEER SCALE OF HOW BIG THAT CULT *BLACKOUT WAS, THOUGHT TO BE THE LARGEST EUROPEAN EVER FACED. IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IMAGINE ALL OF NEW ZEALAND JUST SUDDENLY DISAPPEARING, GOING OFF WITHOUT ANY POWER IN JUST FIVE SECONDS. THE POPULATION IS ABOUT 48 MILLION IN SPAIN, SO MILLIONS AND MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER, NOT JUST POWER BUT WITHOUT CONNECTIVITY, SO THE INTERNET AS WELL. DESPITE BEING ON, THERE IS NO CLEAR ANSWER AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO KIWIS THERE AFFECTED SINCE IT FIRST BEGAN ` WHAT HAVE PEOPLE BEEN SAYING? (SIRENS WAIL) NO SURPRISE THAT GIVEN THE MILLIONS AFFECTED THAT THERE WERE KIWIS AFFECTED. IT WAS FIRST THE POWER, THEN THE CONNECTIVITY, THEN THE STREETLIGHTS, SO IT SEEMED THAT IT WAS ONE AFTER THE OTHER THAT IT HAPPENED, BUT FOR A LOT OF THEM, THEY SAID IT TOOK A BIT OF TIME BUT TO REALISE THE GRAVITY OF WHAT HAPPENED. WE ASSUME IT IS A LOCALISED POWER CUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, BUT MOST OF US JUMP ONTO THE INTERNET AND FIND OUT IT'S A NEIGHBOURH PROBLEM, SELECT AND GET ON THE INTERNET OR FIGURE *NEIGHBOURHOOD PROBLEM I TALKED TO ONE KIWI IN COSTA BLANCA FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, OPEN THE CAFE JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE. IT THEN GAVE US THIS STRANGE CONCERN THAT THIS COULD BE MORE THAN JUST A BLACKOUT. SO, QUITE AN EMOTIONAL DAY, I MUST SAY, HAVING LIVED THROUGH THE PANDEMIC HERE AS WELL. IT DID GIVE A FEW FLASHBACKS BECAUSE WHEN WE DECIDED TO CLOSE THE CAFE AND CALL IT A DAY, THE GAS STATIONS WERE CHAOS, THE SUPERMARKETS WERE CHAOS, AND NO ONE KNEW, AND STILL THERE'S SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT WAS REALLY THE CAUSE. AND EVEN THOUGH PALLOR HAS BEEN RESTORED, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE EVERYTHING IS BACK UP AND RUNNING AS EFFICIENTLY AS IT SHOULD. *POWER TO CUT A LOT OF GOES TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO MARISSA TODAY, AND MANY ARE SAYING THEY STILL HAVE PATCHY CONNECTIONS. SHE DID MENTION THERE THAT ACTUALLY, THEY ARE NOT SURE WHY THIS ALL HAPPENED. I IMAGINE IT'S QUITE UNSETTLING. YOU WANT TO BE REASSURED WHEN YOU GO THROUGH AN EVENT LIKE THIS THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW THE REASON, YOU FEAR THE SCALE OF THE NEXT ONE, AND I THINK YOU HAVE AUTHORITIES SCRAMBLING TO COME UP WITH ANSWERS, THE SPANISH KING TODAY HOLDING MEETINGS WITH HIGH OFFICIALS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE DON'T FORGET, POWER IS A NATIONAL SECURITY PROBLEM, AND IF YOU HAVE AN ENTIRE COUNTRY, CERTAINLY LIKE SPAIN, IT IS ALSO A REALLY GOOD REMINDER OF HOW FRAGILE OUR COUNTRY IS. NOT JUST NEW ZEALAND BUT THE ENTIRE WORLD, WE ARE NOT REALLY SET UP FOR THINGS TO GO AS POORLY AS THIS, AND THAT IS WHAT A LOT OF KIWIS SAID AS WELL, THAT IT IS A GOOD REMINDER TO BE PREPARED. INDEED, THANKS FOR THAT, MEI. AND HOPEFULLY THERE IS AN ANSWER THAT COMES OUT SOON. E HAERE AKE NEI ` HOW A FALLEN TREE MAY HAVE CREATED A 'RAT BRIDGE' INTO A FOREST SANCTUARY NEAR WHANGANUI, AND THE DAMAGE A SINGLE RAT COULD DO INSIDE. (MILEY CYRUS' 'END OF THE WORLD') # What a time to be into rhymes with Spark Mobile. # WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFASTST. RAT FOOTPRINTS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED INSIDE TARAPURUHI BUSHY PARK, EVIDENCE OF AN UNWELCOME INTRUDER THAT'S SPARKED AN INTENSE MONITORING AND TRAPPING OPERATION AT THE FOREST SANCTUARY NEAR WHANGANUI. JOINING US NOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENING IS NICOLA TOKI FROM FOREST AND BIRD. MORENA, NICOLA. LOVELY TO SEE YOU. WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER THESE RAT PRINTS? WE DISCOVERED WE HAD THEM IN THE PARK ON 22 APRIL. FOREST AND BIRD OWNS THIS PARTICULAR RESERVE. IT IS HAD A FENCE UP FOR 20 YEARS. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, FINDING A RAT PRINT AND 90 HA IS LIKE FINDING A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. WE HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF AND TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS. WE WERE CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING HAD GONE AWRY BECAUSE WE HAD A STORM AND A TREE HAD FALLEN ON THE FENCE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY PROVIDED A BRIDGE FOR RATS. WHAT IS THE PROCESS? ONCE YOU IDENTIFY THOSE PRINTS, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? THE ALARM BELLS GO OFF, SIRENS GO OFF. CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH WHAT HAPPENS. WITH DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AND THROWING EVERYTHING WE CAN AT IT. THE WILDLIFE HERE IN NEW ZEALAND, WE HAVE LOST OVER 51 SPECIES SINCE PEOPLE ARRIVED. THESE PREDATOR PROOF SANCTUARIES ARE EQUIVALENT OF MAINLAND ISLANDS. THAT SIMPLY CANNOT EXIST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE. WE HAVE HAD DETECTION DOGS FOR RATS, WE HAVE HAD HELPERS FROM DOC, LOCAL IWI AND MANY OF OUR VOLUNTEERS. IT IS 90 HA, AND IT IS PRETTY GOOD, ROUGH TERRAIN. WE ARE PUTTING A CALL OUT FOR BUSH SAVVY CAPABLE VOLUNTEERS TO GIVE US A HAND. THAT IS MUCH LIKE A MILITARY OPERATION. WE LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED WHILE WE LOOK FOR THESE BADDIES. WHAT IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR YOU? BEST CASE SCENARIO, WE HAVE BAIT OUT, WHICH WE CAN SEE THE RATS ARE REACHING BECAUSE WE ARE MEASURING THEIR FOOTPRINTS. WE CAN SEE THE RATS ARE COMING TO THE BAIT AND HAVING A GOOD CHEW. WE HOPE IT IS A LETHAL DOSE. THE KEYNOTE IS VIGILANCE. IT IS A KEY REMINDER ABOUT WHY NEW ZEALAND'S PREDATOR FREE GOAL IS SO CRUCIAL. WE CAN HOLD THE LINE IF WE THREW EVERYTHING AT THE SANCTUARY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. ELSEWHERE, OUTSIDE OF THE FENCE, WE ARE LOSING WILDLIFE THROUGH OUR FINGERS EVERY DAY. PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DO TRAPPING AND TRY AND SUPPORT LANDSCAPING PREDATOR CONTROL ARE ABSOLUTE HEROES. THE THREAT OF EXTINCTION WHEN AREAS LIKE THIS GET AN INCURSION LIKE THIS MEANS THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY A BATTLEFRONT. USED THE PLURAL BEFORE. HOW MANY RATS DO YOU THINK COULD BE THERE, AND WHAT SORT OF DAMAGE COULD A SINGLE RAT WRECK? YES, THAT IS SUCH A GREAT QUESTION. IF YOU HAVE ONE RAT, WORST-CASE AND REO, SCENARIO * IT MIGHT BE A PREGNANT FEMALE, AND YOU MAY HAVE MORE RATS OVER TIME. WE KNOW THE DAMAGE A SINGLE RAT CAN DO. IN THE 1950S, MUTTON BIRDS DOWN SOUTH, AND A 1964, WHEN THE WILDLIFE SERVICE WENT DOWN, THERE WAS A RAT PLAGUE. THREE SPECIES WENT EXTINCT ` SPECIES OF BAT AND TWO SPECIES OF BIRD. THAT WAS ALL DUE TO ONE RAT INCURSION. THIS IS A SAD LEGACY IN NEW ZEALAND OUR WILDLIFE CANNOT COPE WITH ANYTHING WITH FOUR LEGS AND FUR. THAT IS WHY FOREST AND BIRD AND THE BUSHY PARK TRUST WORK SO HARD TO PROTECT THESE LIFEBOATS FOR WILDLIFE FOR NEW ZEALANDERS TO HOLD THE LINE. QUICKLY BEFORE YOU GO ` MENTION THAT PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTEERING TO JOIN AND HELP WITH THIS CASE. OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WANTING TO HELP OUT, WHAT CAN THEY DO? WE WANT THEM TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US. BY ALL MEANS, HAVE A LOOK ON THE BUSHY PARK.NZ WEBSITE OR CONTACT FOREST AND BIRD ON OUR MAIN LINES. WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE CAPABLE, FIT, BUSH SAVVY, WHO USED TO DOING PEST CONTROL, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RUN THROUGH THE BUSH A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. IF WE HAVE HARD-WORKING KIWIS TO HELP PROTECT SPECIES WHICH HAVE BEEN EXTINCT ON THE MAINLAND FOR 100 YEARS, THEN WE WILL ABSOLUTELY WELCOME YOUR HELP. LOVELY TO SPEAK WITH YOU. KEEP US UPDATED. THANK YOU. COMING UP ON THE SHOW THIS HOUR ` IT'S 100 DAYS SINCE DONALD TRUMP WAS SWORN IN AGAIN AS U.S. PRESIDENT. THE IMPACT HIS SECOND TERM HAS ALREADY HAD ON AMERICA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. ALSO AHEAD ` THE FACTORS KEEPING AUTISTIC CHILDREN AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM AS A NEW STUDY REVEALS THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO MISS SCHOOL. AND LATER ` HOW CLOSE ARE HUMANOID ROBOTS TO REALITY. AND HOW WORRIED SHOULD WE BE? RIGHT NOW, IT'S 7 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. THANKS, JENNY MAY. FIRE CREWS IN MATAMATA ARE DAMPENING DOWN HOTSPOTS AFTER BATTLING A LARGE TWO-STOREY HOUSE FIRE FOR HOURS THIS MORNING. 24 FIREFIGHTERS WERE AT THE SCENE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FIRE, THE NINE CREWS ARRIVING JUST AFTER 2am. CREWS ARE NOW BEING SCALED DOWN AS THEY WAIT FOR THE ARRIVAL OF A FIRE INVESTIGATOR THIS MORNING. IN EUROPE, POWER IS BACK ON IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL FOLLOWING MAJOR OUTAGES AFFECTING MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES YESTERDAY. THE CAUSE OF THE OUTAGE IS STILL UNCLEAR, THOUGH A CYBER ATTACK HAS BEEN RULED OUT BY PORTUGAL AND A SPANISH POWER COMPANY. SPAIN'S LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATIVE COMMISSION AND PORTUGAL IS CALLING FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT BY THE EUROPEAN UNION. WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON LATER THIS HOUR. THE COUNT RESUMES IN CANADA TODAY TO LEARN WHETHER MARK CARNEY'S LIBERAL PARTY HAS ENOUGH VOTES TO FORM A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT. MORE THAN 10 RACES REMAIN TOO CLOSE TO CALL. THE FORMER CENTRAL BANKER IS NOW BACK TO WORK AS PRIME MINISTER AFTER CELEBRATING LAST NIGHT. IT'S A MAJOR POLITICAL COMEBACK FOR HIS PARTY AFTER BEING BEHIND IN THE POLLS. (DANCE MUSIC BLARES) THAT IS HOW YOU CELEBRATE. I STILL DO THAT WITH MY HANDS UP. MEANWHILE, HIS MAIN OPPONENT, CONSERVATIVE LEADER PIERRE POILIEVRE HAS LOST NOT JUST THE ELECTION BUT HIS SEAT. ELECTRIC AVENUE HAS SET THE RECORD FOR BRINGING IN THE MOST VISITOR SPENDING THIS DECADE TO CHRISTCHURCH. THE SOLD-OUT FESTIVAL DREW AROUND 75,000 ATTENDEES ACROSS TWO DAYS TO MARK ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY IN FEBRUARY. AND ACCORDING TO AN ECONOMIC REPORT FROM FRESHINFO, ALMOST $10.5m WAS SPENT IN THE CITY, OVERTAKING 6.3 FROM LAST YEAR. EVENT DIRECTOR CALLAM MITCHELL SAYS HE'S THRILLED AT THE SUCCESS AND WILL CONTINUE TO GO BIGGER AND BETTER. TO SPORT, THE NEW ZEALAND TAKE OVER OF ENGLAND CRICKET COULD BECOME A REALITY, WITH BLACK CAPS GREAT TIM SOUTHEE TIPPED TO JOIN THE COACHING STAFF. THE BBC REPORTS THE 36-YEAR-OLD WHO RETIRED FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET LAST YEAR IS BEING CONSIDERED AS A FAST BOWLING CONSULTANT FOR THE UPCOMING HOME SEASON. SOUTHEE WAS NEW ZEALAND'S ALL-TIME LEADING WICKET TAKER AND IF APPOINTED WOULD BE THE THIRD FORMER BLACK CAP ON THE STAFF ALONGSIDE HEAD COACH BRENDON MCCULLUM AND SPIN COACH JEETAN PATEL. YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT AS A PLAYER? YOU WOULDN'T DO IT. I'M NOT SAYING I WOULDN'T DO IT, BUT I'M THINKING OF THE PLAYERS. WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLE COACHING STAFF FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRY. I DON'T KNOW. IT PROBABLY PAYS QUITE WELL. I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. STARTING OFF WITH SOME WARNINGS ` THERE ARE ORANGE HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE IN GISBORNE NORTH OF TALOGA BAY, THE KAIKOURA COAST AND RANGES, BANKS PENINSULA AND CANTERBURY ABOUT AND NORTH OF AMBERLEY. TO THE NORTH ISLAND ` PACK YOUR BROLLY. RAIN FOR MOST OF THE REGION, TURNING TO SHOWERS EARLY MORNING, WHICH COULD GET HEAVY. POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE CENTRAL REGIONS. A HIGH OF 22 IN TAURANGA. 23 IN WHANGAREI. MILD TEMPERATURES, ISN'T IT? TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR ALL OF YOU. RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE WEST WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AT THE TOP OF THE ISLAND LATER ON. THERE ARE ALSO ORANGE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IN PLACE ON ARTHUR'S PASS AND PORTERS PASS. TAKE CARE. TO PUT IT MILDLY, DONALD TRUMP HAS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN HIS SECOND STINT AS U.S. PRESIDENT. IN HIS FIRST 100 DAYS BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE, HE'S LAUNCHED AN UNPRECEDENTED GLOBAL TARIFF WAR, ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THE WAR IN UKRAINE, FLOATED IDEAS LIKE TAKING CONTROL OF GREENLAND, RETAKING THE PANAMA CANAL, AND EVEN MAKING CANADA THE 51st STATE. SO WHAT DO AMERICAN VOTERS THINK? A RECENT CNN POLL FOUND MR TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING IS LOWER THAN ANY U.S. PRESIDENT IN AT LEAST SEVEN DECADES. TO UNPACK, WE'RE JOINED BY MARIA ARMOUDIAN, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICS AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND. LOVELY TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP DONALD TRUMP'S FIRST 100 DAYS BACK IN OFFICE? CERTAINLY A WHIRLWIND. I THINK THAT IS BY DESIGN. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, FROM THE FIRST TIME AROUND, KNEW THE LIVERS AND KNEW HOW TO MANOEUVRE THINGS AND DECIDED TO MOVE FAST AND TO BREAK AS MUCH AS HE POSSIBLY COULD BREAK BEFORE ANYBODY COULD BLINK TWICE. THAT IS WHAT HE HAS DONE ACROSS EVERYTHING ` ACROSS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, HIGHER EDUCATION, REGULAR EDUCATION. HE HAS DONE THIS WITH SECURITY APPARATUS EVEN, WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, WITH THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT, FOOD SAFETY, CERTAINLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THE INTERNATIONAL, BOTH WITH THE AID OVERSEAS THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE LIFE-SAVING AID, ALL THE WAY TO CANCELLING THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FROM COMING INTO THE US WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN PROCESSED. WE CAN GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE, OF COURSE, BUT WITH THE TARIFFS. FIRST WE HAVE THEM, THEN WE DON'T, THEN WE DO. SENDING THE MARKETS TUMBLING DOWN, WHICH AFFECTS PEOPLE'S RETIREMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL TIED UP IN THE MARKET, POTENTIALLY SENDING THE WORLD INTO A RECESSION. THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF THINGS BUT THE FIRST AND FOREMOST THING TO REMEMBER, I'M GOING TO QUOTE SOMEONE I KNOW WELL, IS THAT DONALD TRUMP IS A SHOWMAN. HE WANTS TO DO THIS THING IS FOR SHOW. HE WANTS TO DO THINGS THAT ARE SHOCKING, AND THAT IS WHAT HE IS DOING. THAT INCLUDES THESE IMMIGRATION ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE SHOCKING TO THE CONSCIENCE IN MANY CASES AND HAVE INVOLVED EVEN DICTATING AND TRYING TO DEPORT ILLEGAL, PERMANENT RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES. THERE HAVE NOW BEEN CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN DEPORTED THAT INCLUDE TWO-YEAR-OLDS, FOUR-YEAR-OLD, SEVEN URAL CHILDREN. THE FOUR YEAR OLD IS IN STAGE IV CANCER AND HAS BEEN DEPORTED WITHOUT MEDICINE TO HONDURAS. AND NOW THERE IS DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN EVEN FIND PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE DEPORTED. IT IS A MESS. I WOULD SAY A MESS, BUT QUITE CHAOTIC AS WELL. NOT ONLY FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD, BUT FOR US CITIZENS AS WELL. I WANT TO BRING IT BACK TO MYSTICALLY FOR ABOUT. NOT BOOSTING THE ECONOMY FOR SURE. TO QUOTE SOME OF THE MAJOR ECONOMISTS, THEY ARE SAYING THAT A MILD RECESSION AS SOME OF THE BEST THINGS WE CAN EXPECT IN THE UNITED STATES, GIVEN THE TARIFFS. SOME THINGS HAVE COME DOWN AND GONE UP. IT IS REALLY RIGHT NOW A MIXED BAG. THIS TARIFFS HAVE NOT HAD ENOUGH TIME TO BE EFFECTIVE TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE, BUT ONCE THEY DO, THAT IS WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE CONSUMER BEING CHARGED EXTRA FOR THINGS. HE IS TRYING TO MITIGATE SOME OF THESE THINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. TAKING THINGS OUT. IT IS CLEAR THAT HE IS NOT THOUGHT THINGS THROUGH. YOU TALK ABOUT TARIFFS, BUT LET'S ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF HIS OTHER ACTIONS AS WELL BECAUSE THE RESTRAINED ALLIANCES. THAT IS RESHAPING THE GLOBAL ORDER. IN TERMS OF NEW ZEALAND, HOW EXPOSED ARE WE ECONOMICALLY, BUT ALSO STRATEGICALLY? THAT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT QUESTION. I HAVE BEEN GIVING US A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT. THERE ARE MULTIPLE AREAS THAT NEW ZEALAND GETS AFFECTED. THERE IS SOME EXPOSURE WITH THE TARIFFS. THE UNITED STATES IS A PLACE WHERE WE EXPORT, SO SOME OF THAT WILL BE AFFECTED. I THINK THAT'S NEW ZEALAND NEEDS TO BE THINKING LONG-TERM ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IN TERMS OF OUR ECONOMY. IN TERMS OF SECURITY, THAT IS ANOTHER AREA WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN B JUST IN CASE THINGS GO BADLY. IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAS GONE ON ` FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS A GLOBAL ORDER THAT IS BEING UPENDED, A RULES-BASED ORDER. THE UNITED STATES SEEMS TO BE ALIGNING WITH THE KREMLIN MORE THAN EUROPE AT THE MOMENT. IT IS A REVERSAL FOR CONTINUED TO GO THAT WAY. THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN SECURITY WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. ONE IS THE SIGNAL TO BUCKLE IN WHICH THE SEC OF DEFENCE, ON AN INSECURE LINE, COMMUNICATED WAR PLANS. ON WHATSAPP. IT IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING. I THINK A PLAN B WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR NEW ZEALAND TO HAVE AS A JUST IN CASE BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS. ABSOLUTELY IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SET IN STONE AND COUNT ON. THE THIRD THING THAT I THINK IS A MAJOR CONCERN THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT IS THE ENVIRONMENT. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS ESSENTIALLY REVERSED ALL OF THE EFFORTS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE, HE HAS DISMISSED SO MANY SCIENTISTS, HE HAS UPENDED ALL KINDS OF FUNDING FOR RESEARCH BOTH IN MEDICINE, FOOD SAFETY AND CLIMATE, BIODIVERSITY. WE'RE GOING TO FEEL THESE EFFECTS, ALL OF THEM. NOT HAVING A STRONG PARTNER IN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS MAJOR GLOBAL ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY KILL OFF THIS PLANET AND MAKE IT UNINHABITABLE FOR PEOPLE, THAT IS NOT A POSITIVE THING. WE NEED TO BE THINKING AHEAD ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE BEEN GOING ON THIS INTERVIEW FOR ABOUT FIVE, SIX MINUTES, AND I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO ASK THIS AS WE WRAP THINGS UP ` IS THERE ANYTHING POSITIVE THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE DONALD TRUMP'S FIRST 100 DAYS? IT IS SO HARD TO EVEN THINK THAT WAY GIVEN THE RASH OF NEGATIVE THINGS WITH COURT ORDERS, ESSENTIALLY USING THE LAW AGAINST PEOPLE WHO JUST SIMPLY DISSENT, THAT EVEN IF THERE ARE POSITIVE THINGS, WHICH THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING, IT IS LIKE YOU ARE BEING HURT WITH A SOON ARMY OF AWFUL THINGS THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND THAT. AS ALWAYS, SUCH A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU, AGAIN, FOR YOUR INSIGHTS. THANK YOU. E HAERE AKE NEI ` HOW MUCH HAS SCHOOL CHANGED FOR NEURODIVERSE KIDS IN THE PAST FOUR DECADES? AS A NEW SURVEY SHOWS THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO MISS CLASSTIME. GIRL: I'm a Weet-bix kid. BOY: He's one. KID: Me too. MAN: And me. RUGBY PLAYER: I'm a Weet-bix kid, are you? (POP MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` IN EUROPE, THE CAUSE OF A MASSIVE POWER OUTAGE IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL IS STILL UNCLEAR AFTER MILLIONS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE AFFECTED YESTERDAY. ACROSS THE DITCH, FOUR CHARGES OF ATTEMPTED MURDER HAVE BEEN DROPPED AGAINST ALLEGED MUSHROOM KILLER ERIN PATTERSON NEWS THIS MORNING AS HER TRIAL RESUMES TODAY IN REGIONAL VICTORIA. BACK HERE, IN SPORT, THE NEW ZEALAND TAKE OVER OF ENGLAND CRICKET COULD BECOME A REALITY, WITH BLACK CAPS GREAT TIM SOUTHEE TIPPED TO JOIN THE COACHING AUTISTIC KIDS ARE MISSING FAR MORE SCHOOL THAN OTHER CHILDREN. A NEW OTAGO UNIVERSITY STUDY OF MORE THAN 8000 NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS FOUND THEIR REGULAR ATTENDANCE RATE WAS 55.3% COMPARED TO 62.5% FOR THEIR NON-AUTISTIC PEERS. ADD ALL THOSE DAYS UP AND THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF MISSING FOUR MORE MONTHS OF SCHOOL THROUGH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLING. ONE OF THE STUDY'S CO-AUTHORS JOANNE DACOMBE JOINS US NOW. MORENA. WHAT IS YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE OF BEING AUTISTIC IMPACT ON SCHOOL LIFE? WITHOUT ACCOMMODATION, WE CAN REALLY STRUGGLE, NOT JUST WITH THE LEARNING BUT THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO MAY BE IN A MODERN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO TEACHERS WHO DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT AUTISM AND HOW TO TEACH AUTISTIC STUDENTS AND JUST COPING WITH LONG SCHOOLDAYS. YES. WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE BACK IN YOUR DAY TO NOW? I GUESS I AM SURPRISED ABOUT HOW SLOWLY THAT ELEMENT OF CHANGES COMING. IT HAS CHANGED, THERE ARE SOME POCKETS OF EXCELLENCE AND GOOD SCHOOLS DOING GOOD THINGS, BUT WE HAVE 2500 SCHOOLS, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF SCHOOLS WITHOUT ENOUGH TRAINING OR SUPPORT FOR THEIR STUDENTS WHO HAVE DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS, SO I GUESS I'M A LITTLE BIT WARY BECAUSE I SAW THE LITTLE CHANGED BY THE TIME MY AUTISTIC SON WENT TO SCHOOL AND NOW I HAVE A GRANDSON... I GUESS I HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE WILL BE LIKE FOR HIM AND HIS PARENTS. IT'S NOT JUST THE CHILD THAT GOES TO SCHOOL, IT'S THE FINAL IMPACT AS *WHANAU IMPACT WHAT IS IT THAT KEEPS NEURO DIVERSE CHILDREN FROM GOING TO SCHOOL IN THESE SITUATIONS? NOT BEING ACCEPTED, REJECTED BY THEIR PEERS. EVERY DAY I PICKED MY SON UP IN HIS FIRST YEAR, OTHER PEOPLE COME OUT AND SAY, ARE YOU, YOUR SON IS NAUGHTY. I THINK THERE IS MORE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE AND NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED. WE KNOW ABOUT AUTISM BUT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT IT AND WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, IN TERMS OF MEETING UNMET NEEDS. WHAT CAN SCHOOLS DO, JOANNE? WE KNOW THAT SCHOOLTEACHERS UNDER THE PUMP, THEY ARE STRETCHED AS IT IS, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT SCHOOLS? THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCESSIBILITY WHEN IT COMES TO NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM. TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE READY ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED, AND THAT INCLUDES ACCESS TO TEACHER AIDES AND OTHER SUPPORT THAT THEY MIGHT NEED, OR SPECIALIST TEACHERS. THAT OFTEN VERY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE AND WHAT OFTEN HAPPENS IS THAT CHILDREN ARE OFTEN SET UP TO BE STOOD DOWN OR SUSPENDED IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY GET SOME HELP FROM THE MINISTRY, AND I THINK THAT IS A BACKWARD STEP. WE SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING TO PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING STEPPED DOWN OR SUSPENDED. YOU MENTIONED KIDS SAYING, 'THEY HAVE BEEN A BIT NAUGHTY TODAY.' WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MISCONCEPTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT NEURO DIVERSE CHILDREN? PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE DELIBERATELY PLAYING UP, A LOT OF PARENT-BLAMING THAT CAN GO ON, NOT RECOGNISING THAT THESE CHILDREN CAN'T BE PARENTED IN THE SAME WAY AS IN YOUR TYPICAL CHILD, AND YOU HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR STRATEGIES, AND THERE IS A HUGE MISCONCEPTION AROUND THAT. THEY ARE NOT NAUGHTY, BUT THEY GET OVERWHELMED AND OVERSTIMULATED AND CAN'T REGULATE THOSE EMOTIONS TO THE SAME EXTENT, WHICH BECOMES A HUGE ISSUE FOR THE STUDENTS, OTHER STUDENTS IN THE CLASS AND FOR THE TEACHERS. YOU MENTIONED MODERN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, DO YOU THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY THE WAY THAT SOME SCHOOLS TEACH NOW WITH SOME OF THOSE POD LEARNING CLASSES, THAT THAT CAN ACTUALLY EXACERBATE THINGS? I BELIEVE IT DOES COMPOUND THE ISSUE, WHEN IT COMES TO OVERSTIMULATION. IT IS NOT COMMON TO HAVE IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 70 CHILDREN AND TWO TEACHERS. THAT A LOT, A LOT OF EXTRA NOISE, A LOT FOR TEACHERS TO COPE WITH AND LET ALONE A CHILD WITH DYSREGULATION. WE'VE GOT TO THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY WHERE TO FROM HERE? I SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS GOVERNMENT... THEY HAVE HINTED ABOUT LEARNING SUPPORT IN THE NEXT BUDGET. I WOULD LIKE TEACHERS TO BE GIVEN SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOM, TEACHER AIDES, A WHOLE DAY OF RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES, INCREASED TRAINING... SO THAT THEY BETTER UNDERSTAND AUTISM. A ONE-WEEK CRASH COURSE ON DISABILITIES IS NOT ENOUGH. WHEN MY OWN DAUGHTER UNDERTOOK HER TEACHER AIDE STUDIES, SHE DIDN'T LEARN ANYTHING ABOUT AUTISM AT ALL INTO FIRST PLACEMENT, SHE HAD TWO AUTISTIC STUDENTS. JOANNE, STUDY COAUTHOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. I'M SO GLAD SHE SAID THAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS THAT ARE NEW, COMING OUT OF TEACHERS COLLEGE, WHATEVER THAT ITERATION LOOKS LIKE NOW, AND PUTTING THEM INTO A CLASSROOM WITH A BUNCH OF KIDS WHICH, IN ITSELF, IS A CHALLENGE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN YOUR CLASS WHO ARE NEURO DIVERGENT AND COPING WITH THAT, SOME OF THAT BEHAVIOUR COMES OUT AS BEING NAUGHTY AND SO ARE TOLERANCE LEVELS ARE PRETTY LOW WHEN IT COMES TO THAT, BUT ACTUALLY, THE WAY THAT WE DEAL WITH THAT... OUR TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING OR RESOURCES IN TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH... NOT TO DEAL WITH THOSE CHILDREN, BUT BE ABLE TO TEACH. YOU CAN ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE SAYING WHY SHOULD THEY HAVE TO FOCUS ON JUST A COUPLE OF CHILDREN? ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE CHILDREN ` THERE WILL BE MORE THAN YOU THINK. THERE ARE MANY UNDIAGNOSED CHILDREN, STRUGGLING WITH THOSE THINGS. IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS, IF THE TEACHERS PREPARED TO WORK IN A WAY THAT ACCOMMODATES EVERYONE. AND UNDIAGNOSED ` A LOT OF CHILDREN, WHANAU, WILL NOT KNOW THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE NEURO DIVERSE. YES, THEY WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING, BUT WON'T HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE. IT'S HARD TO HELP WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE RESOURCES. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 7.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. (POP MUSIC) A SCENE EXAMINATION IS SET TO TAKE PLACE TODAY, AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND AT A FEILDING PROPERTY. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE ADDRESS ON CAMPBELL ST SHORTLY BEFORE 1pm YESTERDAY. OFFICERS SAY THEY WILL HAVE AN INCREASED PRESENCE THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT WANT TO REASSURE THE PUBLIC THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. THE DEATH IS CURRENTLY BEING TREATED AS UNEXPLAINED. COOK STRAIT FERRY PASSENGERS ARE BEING TOLD TO PREPARE FOR TRAVEL DISRUPTION, AS SWELLS OF UP TO 7M ARE FORECAST. INTERISLANDER HAS GONE AHEAD WITH CANCELLING ALL SAILINGS FROM TONIGHT UNTIL EARLY FRIDAY MORNING, WITH FURTHER CANCELLATIONS POSSIBLE. PASSENGERS BOOKED ON IMPACTED SERVICES ARE SET TO BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY, WITH INTERISLANDER PLANNING TO PUT ON REPLACEMENT SAILINGS LATER IN THE WEEK. MEANWHILE, BLUEBRIDGE HAS NOT YET CANCELLED ANY SAILINGS, BUT SAYS CREWS ARE CLOSELY MONITORING THE CONDITIONS. OVERSEAS, THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING IN THE SWEDISH CITY OF UPPSALA. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED AT A HAIR SALON IN THE CENTRAL CITY. LOCAL MEDIA ARE REPORTING POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR THE SUSPECT, WHO FLED THE SCENE ON A SCOOTER. A LARGE AREA HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF, AND A MURDER INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. SEVERAL CHARGES OF ATTEMPTED MURDER HAVE BEEN DROPPED AGAINST THE AUSTRALIAN WOMAN ACCUSED OF KILLING FAMILY MEMBERS WITH POISONOUS MUSHROOMS, AS HER TRIAL RESUMES TODAY IN REGIONAL VICTORIA. ERIN PATTERSON (50) IS STILL FACING THREE CHARGES OF MURDER AND ONE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER, FOLLOWING A LUNCH SHE SERVED IN JULY 2023. BUT THE ADDITIONAL CHARGES OF ATTEMPTING TO KILL HER ESTRANGED HUSBAND HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN. PATTERSON HAS MAINTAINED HER INNOCENCE AND PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES. TO SPORT ` AND PARIS ST GERMAIN HAVE TAKEN AN EARLY LEAD AGAINST ARSENAL IN THE FIRST LEG OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL. USMANE DEMBELE OPENED THE VISITORS' ACCOUNT IN THE FOURTH MINUTE, PUTTING THE GUNNERS ON THE BACK FOOT EARLY. EYES LASER FOCUSED ON THE BALL. DEMBELE HAS SCORED. PARIS HAVE THE LEAD. DEMBELE HAS SCORED AFTER ONLY THREE MINUTES. PARIS HAVE THE LEAD. THE SCORE REMAINS 1-0, AS ARSENAL SEEK AN EQUALISER. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING ` STARTING OFF WITH SOME WARNINGS. THERE ARE ORANGE HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE IN GISBORNE NORTH OF TOLAGA BAY, THE KAIKOURA COAST AND RANGES, BANKS PENINSULA AND CANTERBURY NORTH OF AMBERLEY. TO THE NORTH ISLAND ` PACK YOUR BROLLY. RAIN FOR MOST OF THE REGION, TURNING TO SHOWERS EARLY MORNING, WHICH COULD GET HEAVY. POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE CENTRAL REGIONS. A HIGH OF 22 IN TAURANGA. 23 IN WHANGAREI. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR ALL OF YOU. RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE WEST, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AT THE TOP OF THE ISLAND LATER ON. THERE ARE ALSO ORANGE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IN PLACE ON ARTHUR'S PASS AND PORTERS PASS. TAKE CARE. IT IS STILL WARM. I STILL HAVE THE FAN ON. THERE IS A VERY GOOD GEORGIAN PLAYER WHO PLAYS FOR PSG. I HOPI PLACE FOR US TODAY. THE COST OF SCHOOL UNIFORMS CAN BE A BIG FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR SOME HOUSEHOLDS. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSING TO MAKE UNIFORMS MORE UNIFORM, REDUCING THE NUMBER OF COMPULSORY BRANDED ITEMS AND PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON CHEAPER, EASIER-TO-ACCESS PIECES. SO COULD AND SHOULD WE FOLLOW SUIT? SUSAN GLASGOW FROM THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY VARIETY JOINED US EARLIER. IT'S GETTING HARDER AND HARDER AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT KIDS ARE SHARING SCHOOL UNIFORMS, AND SO THEY THEN THEY HAVE DESIGNATED DAYS THAT THEY GO TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE A SIBLING IS USING IT ON A MONDAY, A WEDNESDAY AND A FRIDAY, AND ANOTHER SIBLING IS USING IT ON A TUESDAY AND A THURSDAY. IS REALLY REALLY TOUGH. WHAT IS THE SOLUTION FOR NEW ZEALAND? I REALLY QUITE LIKE THIS UNIFORM UNIFORM IDEA. THREE BRANDED PIECES SEEM SENSIBLE, AND IT MEANS YOU CAN GET A UNIFORM THAT YOUR BUDGET CAN AFFORD, BUT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE SCHOOL, AND YOUR CHILD WILL NOT BE BULLIED OR VILIFIED FOR NOT HAVING THE CORRECT ITEMS THAT THE SCHOOL DESIGNATES THAT THEY NEED. LET'S GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT. THAT WAS A BARRIER IN TERMS OF KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL. WHAT ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THAT SOCIAL INTERACTION AND ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIT INTO THE SCHOOL LIFE? IT IS HUGE. IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, SO I SUPPORT UNIFORMS FOR THAT REASON. BUT WELL-BEING CAN'T BE MEASURED BY UNIFORM. IF PEOPLE CAN ACCESS CHEAPER PIECES, THERE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES WON'T BE RELATED TO THE COST OF THE UNIFORM THAT THEY NEED TO ATTEND SCHOOL. ARE YOU SEEING KIDS GOING TO SCHOOL WITH IT IS THE UNIFORM, A MIXED MATCH, THEY ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE THERE IS THAT PEER PRESSURE? WE HAD A DAD COME TO OUR OFFICE, AND HE WAS A PARENT OF THREE KIDS, A REFUGEE. HIS CHILDREN HAD BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY HAD REMOVED THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, THE SCHOOL HAD SAID THEY COULDN'T COME IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A UNIFORM. THEY COULDN'T GET MORE FUNDING BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY PAYING BACK THE UNIFORMS. IT HAS A MATERIAL IMPACT ON A CHILD'S EDUCATION. A SURPRISE THAT SOME SCHOOLS AREN'T GETTING WITH THE TIMES IN TERMS OF HAVING A SECONDHAND STORE WITH UNIFORMS? LOTS OF SCHOOLS TO HAVE SECONDHAND UNIFORMS AVAILABLE, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE STORE TO BE ABLE TO BUY THE SECOND AND UNIFORM. THEY ARE HOTLY CONTESTED. THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE. THINGS WERE OUT, SO YOU CAN'T ALWAYS RELY ON SECONDHAND ITEMS. IF THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH TWO OR THREE SIBLINGS, THINGS WERE OUT OVER TIME. CHILDREN GROW. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY FIT. KIDS GO TO SCHOOL AND ILL FITTING UNIFORMS. THEY ARE JUST ON ALWAYS GOING TO LAST FOR YEARS AND YEARS. HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE FOR SCHOOLS HERE TO GET ON BOARD WITH THAT, CONSIDERING THERE ARE GOING TO BE LOTS OF SCHOOL STEEPED IN TRADITION, SCHOOL COLOURS? I DON'T KNOW. IT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH, BUT WHAT IS THE OUTCOME WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE? FOR ME, IT IS ABOUT EDUCATING AN ENTIRE POPULATION. WHAT WOULD BE THE BASIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT A UNIFORM SHOULD BE? A POLO SHIRT, SHORTS AND A JUMPER? WHATEVER IS ADEQUATE TO KEEP THE CHILD WARM, FLEXIBLE, THEY CAN MOVE, THEY CAN RUN AND PLAY. THEY WANT TO LOOK SMART. CHILDREN HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE. BASIC ITEMS THAT CHILDREN CAN BE COMFORTABLE IN AND ATTEND SCHOOL AND DO THE THINGS THEY ARE EXPECTED. TO DO MANY OF YOU HAVE JUMPED IN ON IT. THEY SAID GET RID OF ALL OF THE UNIFORMS. DON'T DO THAT. I LIKE UNIFORMS. I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT BARRIERS TO KIDS GETTING TO SCHOOL AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE A GOOD SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. ANOTHER IS NEWER DIVERSE CHILDREN AND THE SUPPORT SERVICES NOT BEING IN PLACE TO ENJOY AND EXPERIENCE SCHOOL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ATTENDANCE RATES NOT BEING AS GOOD AS CHILDREN WITHOUT THOSE NEURO DIVERSE ISSUES. LOREN SAID HER SON WAS EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL FOR A YEAR. HE COULD GO IN THE MORNINGS FOR AN HOUR, THEN SHE HAD TO PICK UP AND TAKEN TO WORK WITH HER. SHE WAS LUCKY TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING EMPLOYER. MANY TEARS AND A LOT OF STRESS. YOU WILL HAVE PARENTS THAT WILL SAY, I'D DON'T NEED YOUR CHILD DISRUPTING MY AND THE REST OF THE CLASSROOM. AT THE SAME TIME, THAT CHILD, YOUR CHILD, SHOULD HAVE AN EDUCATION LIKE ALL OF THE OTHER CHILDREN. IT GOES BACK TO WHO, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THAT CLASSROOM. JOANNE, WHO WE SPOKE TO EARLIER, HAD DONE RESEARCH AROUND THIS. WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT HAS COME OUT OF THIS, HER PROPOSAL WAS, WE NEED TO GIVE SUPPORT TO OUR TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, WHETHER IT IS WITH A TEACHER AID, MORE TRAINING DURING TRAINING AS A TEACHER, TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND NEURO DIVERSITY AND HOW YOU CAN TAILOR YOUR TEACHING TO THESE CHILDREN. I AM SORRY ABOUT THAT. THERE IS A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT BEHAVIOUR OF PEOPLE WITH NEURO DIVERSE ISSUES. ; IT IS NOT THE CASE THAT THESE KIDS ARE NOT AS CAPABLE AS ANY OTHERS THEY JUST NEED THE SUPPORT SERVICES IN PLACE TO FLOURISH AND HAVE THEIR SCHOOLING EXPERIENCE. MISSING OUT OF ALL OF THAT TIME AT SCHOOL IS NOT HELPING AT ALL. IT IS MAKING MATTERS WORSE. TONY SAID 15-YEAR-OLD WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD AFTER BEING THE NAUGHTY KID. DYSLEXIA IS ANOTHER ONE. WE HAVE BEEN ON THE WAITLIST FOR MONTHS TO GET WHAT AN APPOINTMENT WITH A PSYCHIATRIST, BUT HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. NO PRIVATE ONES HAVE THE BOOKS OPEN. THE FACT IS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PARENTS AND FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHO ARE SEEKING SUPPORT FOR THIS. KEEP THE FEEDBACK COMING IN. ME U TONU MAI ` COULD RYAN REYNOLDS BE HEADING TO AOTEAROA ` OR AT LEAST HIS FOOTBALL TEAM? WE'LL EXPLAIN MORE AFTER THE BREAK. WE CAN DO THE HEADLINES TOGETHER. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS NEXT CHAT. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. COOK STRAIT FERRY PASSENGERS ARE BEING TOLD TO PREPARE FOR TRAVEL DISRUPTION, AS SWELLS OF UP TO 7m ARE FORECAST. OVERSEAS, THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING AT A HAIR SALON IN THE SWEDISH CITY OF UPPSALA. AND IN SPORT ` PARIS ST GERMAIN HAVE TAKEN AN EARLY LEAD AGAINST ARSENAL IN THE FIRST LEG OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL. DEMBELE! GOOD GOAL. WELSH FOOTBALL CLUB WREXHAM AFC ARE RUMOURED TO BE HEADING TO NEW ZEALAND THIS YEAR. THE CLUB IS OWNED BY HOLLYWOOD STARS RYAN REYNOLDS AND ROB McELHENNEY. WITH MORE, ZION DAYAL JOINS US LIVE. THIS WOULD BE FANTASTIC. STRONG REPORTS OUT OF AUSTRALIA SUGGEST THEY ARE COMING TO NEW ZEALAND AS PART OF THEIR DONE UNDER TOUR. THEY WILL PLAY SYDNEY FC AND MELBOURNE VICTORY FIRST, BEFORE COMING TO NEW ZEALAND TO TAKE ON AUCKLAND FC. ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT, YOU COULD SAY, FOR AUCKLAND FC. FOR WREXHAM, TO LINE UP AGAINST THE PREMIERS PLATE WINNERS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THEM FOR THEIR FAMOUS OWNERS. ALSO THE DISNEY SERIES, WELCOME TO WREXHAM, THAT DETAILED THE FINANCIAL ISSUES COMING UP FROM THE ENGLISH FIFTH TIER, NOW TO BE ONE STEP, ONE CHAMPIONSHIP AWAY FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE. THEIR RISE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL. A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THEM FOR BEING REALITY TV STARS. THEY ARE RUMOURED TO COME DOWN UNDER AS EARLY AS JULY. AUCKLAND HAVE HAD CONTACT, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD ANNOUNCE OR SET IN STONE. NOT YET. THE AUSTRALIAN REPORTERS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ARE USUALLY RELIABLE. AUCKLAND ARE UP TODAY, AND WHEN I SPEAK TO THEM I WILL ASK IF THEY KNOW ANYTHING. IT WOULD BE HUGE. THE CROWD WOULD BE MASSIVE. A BIG DRAWCARD AS TO WHY THEY ARE COMING DOWN UNDER IS A BIGGER PORTION OF THE AUDIENCE THAT WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY SERIES IS FROM THIS PART OF THE WORLD. THERE WOULD BE A BIG FOLLOWING. YOU HAD A COUPLE OF FANS ON THE OTHER DAY. THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF KIWIS AND AUSSIES TO WATCH THAT. HOLLYWOOD MEETS WELLYWOOD. YOU ARE MAKING A PITCH TO HELP OUT THE INDIAN PANTHERS, WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO FIND PLAYERS. I FIT THE BRIEF, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS. EXCEPT A BIT VERTICALLY CHALLENGED. BUT I HAVE THE HEART TO DO IT. THEY WERE MEANT TO PLAY THE CANTERBURY RAMS LAST NIGHT. LONG STORY SHORT, THEY BOTH GOT CANCELLED. BEFORE THE NBL GAME THERE IS A RAPID LEAGUE GAME, WHICH IS A QUICKER VERSION. THAT WAS DELAYED DUE TO TRAFFIC ISSUES. THAT IS WHAT THE CANTERBURY RAMS POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. A FEW MINUTES LATER THEY POSTED THAT THE NBL MATCH WAS CANCELLED BECAUSE THE PANTHERS DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PLAYERS. I CONTACTED THE LEAGUE TODAY. THIS WAS NOT FROM LAST NIGHT, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PLAY. I CONTACTED THE LEAGUE THIS MORNING. THEY DECLINED TO COMMENT. THIS IS NOTHING TO DO WITH INJURIES OR SEVERE TRAFFIC. THERE IS A DEEPER ISSUE HERE. THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE WORD GO. IT IS A TERRIBLE LOOK. IT TARNISHES THE LEAGUE'S REPUTATION. IT HAS A BIG FOLLOWING AROUND THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER TEAMS. IT DRAWS PLAYERS HERE. IT DRAWS INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS HERE TO PLAY IN THEIR OFF SEASONS IN OTHER LEAGUES, BECAUSE IT IS STILL SEMIPROFESSIONAL. BUT IT TARNISHES IT. WHEN THESE PLAYERS ARE ASKED WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES ARE PLAYING IN NEW ZEALAND, THEY HAVE TEAMS THAT CAN'T SIT UP, TEAMS THAT DON'T ARRIVE ON TIME. THEY HAD THESE ISSUES GETTING INTO THE COUNTRY. THE CORE OF THEIR PLAYERS WERE HELD BACK IN INDIA BECAUSE THE INDIAN NATIONAL TEAM HAD A BASKETBALL CAMP. I WENT AROUND WITH A COACH BEFORE THE GAME AS HE WAS RECRUITING PLAYERS TO PLAY. THESE WERE KIDS AS YOUNG AS 16 THAT HE WAS GIVING A CHANCE TO, IT WAS NOT A GREAT LOOK. WHEN THIS DEAL WAS SIGNED OFF, IT WAS LABELLED AS A STROKE OF GENIUS. IT WAS MEANT TO HELP INDIAN BASKETBALL. IT IS NOT A BIG SPORT OVER THERE. THE FAVOUR HAS BEEN TAKEN IN DISREGARD. MOVE ON. YOU ARE STILL AVAILABLE. YOU DON'T EVEN MAKE THE TVNZ TEAM. AND FINALLY, THE WARRIORS. ARE THEY THE REAL DEAL? IT IS OUR YEAR. AFTER THE VEGAS GAME, UH-OH. THE VEGAS GAME WAS THE FIRST GAME. YOU HAVE TO SET THE TONE AT THE START OF THE SEASON. THEY HAVE LOST ONE SINCE. I AM HAPPY TO EAT HUMBLE PIE. THEY LOOK LIKE THE REAL DEAL SO FAR. THE COMPETITION SO FAR IS WIDE OPEN. IN THE PAST TWO SEASONS, IT HAS BEEN THE TOP TWO TEAMS, THE PANTHERS, THE MELBOURNE STORM AND THE BRISBANE BRONCOS THAT WERE BY FAR AND AWAY THE BEST. THE WARRIORS SIT FOURTH THAT WAS THE MOST COMPLETE PERFORMANCE ON THE WEEKEND. WHEN THINGS DON'T GO THE RIGHT WAY, THEY STILL MAKING GOOD PLAYS. I HONEST FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE MOST GROUNDED WE'VE BEEN AS A GROUP. I HONEST FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE MOST GROUNDED WE'VE BEEN AS A GROUP. AS IN, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. WE'RE HAPPY WITH WHAT OUR CONNECTION AS A GROUP IS, AND HOW HARD WE'RE WORKING FOR EACH OTHER. BUT WE ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR WHERE WE WANT TO BE. WE'RE NOT RIDING... EVEN WHEN WE HAVE TWO REALLY BAD GAMES, WE'RE NOT RIDING THE EMOTIONS OF IT, LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IS. AND THEN, WHEN WE HAVE A GOOD WIN, WE'RE NOT OVER-RIDING IT, AS WELL. THE COWBOYS THIS WEEK IN BRISBANE FOR MAGIC ROUND. ALL THE TEAMS PLAY AT SUNCORP STADIUM THIS WEEK. A WIN WOULD CEMENT THEMSELVES IN THE TOP FOUR AND CONTINUE THEIR RUN. UP THE WAHS. SORRY. DO YOU NOT WATCH THE SHOW? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. E WHAI AKE NEI ` LUCY BENDELL IS CHECKING OUT AN INITIATIVE KEEPING KIDS WARM THIS WINTER. MORENA, LUCY. THAT'S RIGHT. THE COLDER MONTHS ARE APPROACHING, BUT ONE PAIR OF PYJAMAS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR A CHILD LIVING IN POVERTY. FIND OUT AFTER THE BREAK HOW $10 CAN KEEP THE KEY WE COULD WARM THIS WINTER. (SONG): 'COLD AS ICE' BY FOREIGNER BEN: Hello? From the bank? Really? VOICEOVER: Know it's really ASB with Caller Check. (PHONE RINGING) # You're as cold as ice # We can verify it's us through the ASB Mobile Banking app. BEN: Oh, it is you ASB! THE COLDER MONTHS HAVE ARRIVED, AND THERE ARE INCREASING NUMBERS OF KIWI KIDS LIVING IN POVERTY ` THIS YEAR MORE THAN 150,000. AND THE DEMAND IS GROWING TO KEEP CHILDREN WARMER THIS WINTER, SO THE KINDNESS COLLECTIVE IS KICKING OFF THEIR PJ PROJECT AGAIN. LUCY BENDELL HAS GONE ALONG TO FIND OUT MORE. GOOD MORNING. THAT IS RIGHT I AM AT THE KINDNESS COLLECTIVE THIS MORNING SURROUNDED BY THOUSANDS OF PAIRS OF DRAMAS. THE EXACT NUMBER OF KIDS IN POVERTY IS ONE 56,000. IT HAS GROWN 10,000 SINCE LAST YEAR AND IS STILL GROWING. HERE IS THE TEAM THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. THE PJ PROJECT KICKS OFF TODAY. TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. WE ARE IN THE FIFTH YEAR. WE ARE EXCITED TO KICK IT OFF. WE ARE HOPING TO PROVIDE 20,000 KIDS WITH A BRAND NEW PAIR OF WARM PYJAMAS IT IS AN AMAZING INITIATIVE. WHAT IS ONE PAIR OF PYJAMAS DO TO ONE CHILD? WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE? THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A REALLY SIMPLE THING, A PAIR OF PYJAMAS, BUT IT MAKES A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE CHILDREN WE SUPPORT THAT ARE LIVING IN SUCH HARSH CONDITIONS, THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING NEW OF THEIR OWN. THEY HAVE TO READ SHARE, OUR INTENSE, TRADITIONAL HOUSING. THIS PAIR OF PYJAMAS ARE THE FIRST THING THEY HAVE OWNED. YOU MENTIONED THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME DOING THIS. FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WHAT REACTION DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU GIVE A CHILD THEIR BRAND-NEW PAIR OF PYJAMAS? FAMILIES ARE REALLY GRATEFUL. IT IS ONE THING THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT WEEK. WE ARE DISTRIBUTING PYJAMAS RIGHT FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE COUNTRY. PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL. IT IS ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT. KIDS ARE SO STOKED, BECAUSE THEY GET TO CHOOSE THE PRINCE. THEY ARE CUTE. IT IS AMAZING INITIATIVE. WHY DO WE NEED THIS? THIS IS A POLICE SOCIAL WORKER. WE MENTIONED THE RISE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY HERE IN NEW ZEALAND, CHILDREN. WHAT SORT OF SCENES ARE YOU SEEING ON THE GROUND? WE ARE SEEING A NUMBER OF FAMILIES LIVING IN CARS, GARAGES THAT ARE COLD AND DAMP. MANY FAMILIES LIVING IN OVERCROWDED SITUATIONS. IT IS HARD FOR THE CHILDREN. WHILE WE SEEING THIS RISE? WHY IS IT STILL GROWING? IT IS DUE TO THE COST OF LIVING. FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD TO OWN THEIR OWN HOME OR RENT THEIR OWN HOME, SIMPLE THINGS LIKE PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE IN THE PYJAMAS DO SUCH AN AMAZING JOB. THE FAMILIES ARE SO GRATEFUL. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT THAT WE HAVE A CHARITY LIKE THIS THAT PROVIDES ABOUT 25,000 WARM PAIRS OF PYJAMAS TO KIWI KIDS? WHEN WE DELIVER THE PYJAMAS TO THE CHILDREN, THEY ARE SO HAPPY. TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WE WILL GO INTO THE HOME, THE CHILDREN WERE IN THE PYJAMAS. THAT MEANS THEY CAN GO TO DAYCARE OR SCHOOL, BECAUSE THEY ARE WARM. THEY DON'T NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTORS EVERY WEEK. IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THE FAMILIES. THE HUGE IMPACT. HAVE 4000 PAIRS OF PYJAMAS IN THE ROOM. IT IS GOING TO REFILL. HOW CAN WE HELP? WE HAVE 9033 ORDERS IN THE SYSTEM ALREADY. 9033 KIDS THAT NEED WARMTH THIS WINTER. HAS DONATE $10, AND WE WILL DISTRIBUTE A PAIR OF WARM PYJAMAS TO A CHILD IN NEED ON YOUR BEHALF. PEOPLE CAN HEAD TO ANY WAREHOUSE, AND THEY CAN BUY SOME OF THESE CUTE PRINTS, OR DROP PYJAMAS, NEW PYJAMAS IN THE BINS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE WILL DISTRIBUTE THEM. JUST $10 FOR A WARM PAIR OF PYJAMAS GOING TO A KID IN NEED. THIS PROJECT WARMS MY HEART. IF YOU ARE IN THE POSITION TO DONATE, GO ONLINE OR HEAD TO THE WAREHOUSE AND DROP SOME OFF. ONCE AGAIN, YOU DO FOR WORK. THANK YOU SO MUCH. STILL TO COME ON THE SHOW THIS HOUR ` A TOP NEUROSCIENTIST SOUNDS THE ALARM ON A NEW WAVE OF COLLISION SPORTS, WHERE COMPETITORS RUN FULL SPEED INTO EACH OTHER. ALSO AHEAD ` HUMANOIDS ARE BECOMING MORE HUMAN-LIKE THAN EVER, POWERED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE? PLUS ` WE MEET ONE OF THE SCIENTISTS WHO HELPED CAPTURE THE FIRST CONFIRMED FOOTAGE OF A COLOSSAL SQUID. EW. IT'S 8 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL REINSTATE A TOTAL BAN ON PRISONER VOTING. UNDER THE PREVIOUS LABOUR GOVERNMENT, PRISONERS SERVING TERMS SHORTER THAN THREE YEARS WERE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. JUSTICE MINISTER PAUL GOLDSMITH SAYS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED HAVE BREACHED CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND SHOULD NOT BE AFFORDED THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE BAN WILL NOT APPLY TO PRISONERS ALREADY SERVING A PRISON SENTENCE OF LESS THAN THREE YEARS. PEOPLE ON REMAND OR SERVING HOME DETENTION SERVICES WILL STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. COOK STRAIT FERRY PASSENGERS ARE BEING TOLD TO PREPARE FOR TRAVEL DELAYS, AS LARGE WAVES BATTER THE COAST. SWELLS OF UP TO 7m ARE FORECAST FROM TODAY, WITH INTERISLANDER CANCELLING SERVICES FROM TONIGHT UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING. THE COMPANY SAYS CUSTOMERS WILL BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY, WITH EXTRA SERVICES BEING PUT ON THIS WEEKEND TO ACCOMMODATE IMPACTED TRAVELLERS. MEANWHILE, BLUEBRIDGE SAYS IT IS MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY. THREE CHILDREN AND A TEENAGER HAVE BEEN KILLED AFTER A CAR CRASHED INTO A BUILDING IN THE U.S. STATE OF ILLINOIS DURING AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMME. POLICE SAY THOSE KILLED WERE TWO 7-YEAR-OLDS, AN 8-YEAR-OLD AND AN 18-YEAR-OLD. SEVERAL OTHERS WERE INJURED AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELLED THROUGH THE BUILDING. AUTHORITIES SAY THE INCIDENT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A TARGETED ATTACK, BUT IS THE CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE DRIVER WAS UNINJURED. TO SPORT ` THE HURRICANES ARE WELCOMING BACK SEVERAL SQUAD MEMBERS FROM INJURY, AS THEY LOOK TO END THEIR SOMEWHAT INCONSISTENT SUPER RUGBY SEASON ON A HIGH. A WIN OVER THE BRUMBIES LAST WEEK MARKED THE FIRST KIWI WIN ON AUSSIE SOIL THIS YEAR AND BOOSTED THE SIDE'S MORALE. MIDFIELDER RILEY HIGGINS IMMEDIATELY MADE AN IMPACT IN THE STARTING LINE-UP, AFTER MISSING MOST OF THE SEASON WITH A BROKEN HAND. MOST OF THE TEAM IS BACK HEALTHY, SO IT'S BRINGING A LOT OF COMPETITION WITHIN THE GROUP AS WELL. BUT EVERYONE IN THE ENVIRONMENT IS PRETTY... I WOULDN'T SAY HAPPY WHERE WE ARE AT ` WE CAN OBVIOUSLY GET BETTER ` BUT THERE IS A BIT OF CONFIDENCE AFTER LAST WEEK. THEY WILL FACE THE TABLE-TOPPING CHIEFS IN WELLINGTON ON SATURDAY NIGHT. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING, STARTING OFF WITH SOME WARNINGS. THERE ARE ORANGE HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE IN GISBORNE NORTH OF TOLAGA BAY, THE KAIKOURA COAST AND RANGES, BANKS PENINSULA AND CANTERBURY ABOUT AND NORTH OF AMBERLEY. TO THE NORTH ISLAND, PACK YOUR BROLLY ` RAIN FOR MOST OF THE REGION, TURNING TO SHOWERS EARLY MORNING, WHICH COULD GET HEAVY; POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE CENTRAL REGIONS. A HIGH OF 22 IN TAURANGA. 23 IN WHANGAREI. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND. MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR ALL OF YOU ` RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE WEST, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AT THE TOP OF THE ISLAND LATER ON. THERE ARE ALSO ORANGE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IN PLACE ON ARTHUR'S PASS AND PORTERS PASS. TAKE CARE. THERE ARE SERIOUS CONCERNS AROUND SO-CALLED COLLISION SPORTS THAT ARE INCREASING IN POPULARITY. THE 'RUNNING IT STRAIGHT' CHALLENGE INVOLVES TWO PLAYERS, ONE RUNNING AT FULL SPEED, AND THE OTHER TRYING TO STOP THEM. THINK OF A HIGH-IMPACT RUGBY OR LEAGUE TACKLE. OVER THE WEEKEND, FOOTAGE SURFACED FROM AN EVENT IN AUSTRALIA, SHOWING A MAN KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND SUFFERING A SUSPECTED SEIZURE. NOW, ANOTHER EVENT IS HEADING TO NZ, OFFERING CASH PRIZES. THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR THE 'RUN IT' CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE SAYS IT'S 'BUILT TO BREAK LIMITS' AND 'REWARDS STRENGTH AND GRIT'. JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE RISKS IS DR HELEN MURRAY FROM THE CENTRE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. HAVE YOU SEEN THE FOOTAGE FLOATING AROUND ABOUT THIS COMPETITION? WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF IT? THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YOU ARE SEEING SOME OF THE FOOTAGE OF THIS ACTIVITY AS A NEUROSCIENTIST, IT IS FRUSTRATING, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME GREAT WORK GOING ON AROUND CONCUSSION AWARENESS AND BRAIN HEALTH AND HOW TO PROTECT OUR BRAIN AND CONTACT SPORT, WHICH IS REALLY GREAT. AND THIS GOES AGAINST THAT. THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT ARE HIGH RISK FOR BRAIN INJURY. FROM A BRAIN HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, HOW IS THIS COMPETITION DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL SPORTS LIKE RUGBY OR LEAGUE? THERE ARE A FEW COMPONENTS THAT MAKE IT HIGH RISK. HIGH VELOCITY COLLISIONS. PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AT EACH OTHER WITH THE INTENT TO COLLIDE. AND HIGH FORCE. THE INTENT IS TO DOMINATE, AS THE TERM THEY USE, THE OPPONENT. HIGH FORCE COLLISION WITH HIGH VELOCITY. THERE IS LIMITED TECHNIQUE, IN THE SENSE OF RULES AROUND TECHNIQUE YOU CAN USE FOR SAFE TACKLE, AND YOU HAVE THE JUDGING COMPONENT, WHERE PEOPLE ARE SCORED, SO THERE IS THE INTENTION TO INFLICT MORE DAMAGE. THOSE COMPONENTS TOGETHER SET THIS ASIDE FROM OTHER COLLISION SPORT. THERE IS MUCH HIGHER RISK OF INJURY. REMIND US AGAIN, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE BRAIN WHEN THERE IS A COLLISION AT HIGH SPEED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW, YOUR BRAIN IS FLOATING INSIDE YOUR SKULL, BATHED IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID. IT IS A DELICATE STRUCTURE. IF YOU HAVE AN IMPACT TO YOUR SKULL, YOUR BRAIN BOUNCES AROUND INSIDE YOUR SKULL, AND THE DELICATE FOLDS ARE STRETCHED AND TWISTED, WHICH CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO BLOOD VESSELS AND BRAIN TISSUE. IN TERMS OF REPEATED IMPACT, EVEN WITHOUT CONCUSSIONS, WHY IS THAT SO CONCERNING? WE STUDY THE LINK BETWEEN REPETITIVE HEAD IMPACTS AND NEURODEGENERATIVE CONDITIONS. WE UNDERSTAND RISK FACTORS FOR LONG-TERM NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES. REPEATED HEAD IMPACTS IS A RISK FACTOR. AN EVENT LIKE THIS, WITH REPEATED COLLISIONS, WE WORRY WHAT THEY CAN DO OVER A LONGER PERIOD. RUN IT SAYS THEY PRIORITISE ATHLETES SAFETY, WITH MEDICAL SCREENINGS. DO SCREENINGS PROTECT AGAINST RISKS? IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT THE SCREENING IS IN THIS SITUATION. I WOULD HOPE THERE WOULD BE SOME ASSESSMENT AS TO WHETHER A PERSON HAS HAD A PREVIOUS INJURY. TO INJURIES CLOSE TOGETHER CAN COMPOUND EFFECT. THAT WOULDN'T PREVENT SOMETHING HAPPENING IN THE COLLISION ITSELF. WHILE IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A GOOD MEASURE, IT IS NOT FAR ENOUGH IN THIS SITUATION. IS THERE ANY WAY TO MAKE THIS KIND OF... I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT A SPORT. THIS KIND OF EVENT, SAFER AT ALL? WHEN THERE IS INTENT TO COLLIDE LIKE THIS, TO DOMINATE AN OPPONENT, AS THEY SAY, THERE ARE CHALLENGES TO MAKE THIS WHAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED SAFE. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT RISK TOLERANCE. THERE MIGHT BE SOME CHANGES THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLE TO SOME PEOPLE. WE WOULD BE THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN YOU PROTECT THE OTHER PERSON, TACKLE IN A WAY THAT WILL REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF HEAD IMPACTS OR OTHER INJURIES. THAT COULD BE CHALLENGING IN THIS SITUATION. WHAT ABOUT HEADGEAR OR MOUTHGUARDS? MOUTHGUARDS WILL PROTECT YOUR TEETH FROM FALLING OUT. THAT IS A GOOD THING. HEADGEAR WILL REDUCE SOME OF THE FORCE TO THE BRAIN. IT CAN PROTECT FROM CONTUSIONS OR CUTS. IT DOESN'T STOP YOUR BRAIN FROM BOUNCING AROUND INSIDE YOUR SKULL. THAT IS THE MAIN THING I WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT. OVERALL, WHAT WOULD YOUR WARNING BE TO PARENTS WHOSE KIDS ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY, OR SOMEONE WHO IS THINKING ABOUT, THIS LOOKS LIKE A BIT OF ME? EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT RISK APPETITE. I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. MY MESSAGE IS ABOUT BRAIN HEALTH, AND YOUR BRAIN REALLY IS SUPER INCREDIBLE. IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. DAMAGE CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE. HAVE A THINK ABOUT, IS THIS RISK WORTHWHILE? DOCTOR HELEN MURRAY FROM BRAIN RESEARCH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HAVE SEEN SOME VIDEOS OF THIS. MANY OF YOU WILL GO, ISN'T THAT WHAT THEY DO AND RUGBY AND LEAGUE? THIS IS ONE SUSTAINED MOVEMENT, WITH THE POINT OF ACTUALLY RUNNING INTO SOMEBODY. SMASHING THEM OVER. I DON'T GET. IS THEIR SKILL INVOLVED? THERE IS NO STEPPING. IT IS ABOUT RUNNING THROUGH THEM. IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE INTO. ME U TONU MAI ` ONCE ONLY SEEN IN SCI-FI, HUMANOID ROBOTS HAVE BECOME A REALITY. NEXT ` THE UNLIKELY ROLE THEY'RE PLAYING IN THE U.S.-CHINA TARIFF WAR. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` A TOTAL BAN ON PRISONER VOTING WILL BE REINSTATED LATER THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED, REVERSING CHANGES MADE BY LABOUR IN 2020. OVERSEAS, THREE CHILDREN AND A TEENAGER HAVE BEEN KILLED AFTER A CAR CRASHED INTO A BUILDING IN THE U.S. STATE OF ILLINOIS DURING AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMME. AND IN SPORT, THE NEW ZEALAND TAKEOVER OF ENGLAND CRICKET COULD BECOME A REALITY, WITH BLACK CAPS GREAT TIM SOUTHEE TIPPED TO JOIN THE COACHING STAFF. WE TRIED TO GET A HOLD OF THE ORGANISERS OF THE 'RUN IT' EVENT, BUT WE ARE YET TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER A TIME WHEN TYPEWRITERS WERE USED TO PRODUCE THE NEWS. WELL, IN 1988 ONE LOCAL PAPER ON THE WEST COAST LED THE CHARGE IN TAKING UP THE CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY OF THE TIME. TODAY IN OUR DAILY WALKTHROUGH OF THE TVNZ TREASURE TROVE, WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE WESTPORT NEWS SWITCHING TO COMPUTERS TO PUT TOGETHER ITS PAPER. SLEEK COMPUTER TERMINALS WILL SOON REPLACE THE CLATTER OF TYPEWRITERS IN NEWSPAPER NEWSROOMS. HIGH TECHNOLOGY MEANS REPORTER LEE SCANLON CAN SEND STORIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD FROM HER KITCHEN TABLE. BUT THE DESTINATION OF THIS STORY IS NOT LONDON, SYDNEY OR NEW YORK. HERE, NEWS RATTLES IN RELENTLESSLY FROM AGENCIES AND CORRESPONDENTS TO INFORM THE 6000 PEOPLE OF WESTPORT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD. WHAT THE PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW IS THEIR PAPER MAY BE ONE OF THE SMALLEST, BUT IT'S A NATIONAL LEADER IN NEW TECHNOLOGY. THE BIG CITY NEWSPAPERS ARE ONLY JUST SWITCHING TO COMPUTERS, BUT THE WESTPORT NEWS HAS BEATEN THEM TO IT BY ABOUT EIGHT YEARS. NEWS IS STILL GATHERED IN THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY, BUT IT'S PUT TOGETHER ON COMPUTER WITH A SPEED AND EFFICIENCY THAT SHOOTS NEWS THROUGH THE SYSTEM IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. EDITOR AND OWNER COLIN WARREN SAVED THE NEWSPAPER FROM CLOSURE WITH $50,000 EIGHT YEARS AGO. IT'S HIS BABY, AND NOW WORTH A MILLION. AND HE BELIEVES IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT NEW TECHNOLOGY. A JOURNALIST CAN, INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF WORKING AT A TYPEWRITER WITH PIECES OF PAPER AND THEN HAVE A SLOW PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THE OLD SYSTEM, HE OR SHE CAN NOW SIT AT A MACHINE, TYPE INTO THE SYSTEM AND HAVE THAT STORY SET ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I WOULD SAY THAT MANY SMALL TOWNS IN NEW ZEALAND COULD LOOK SERIOUSLY AT STARTING UP THEIR OWN DAILY NEWSPAPER, BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE. COLIN WAS A JUNIOR REPORTER ON THE NEWS. AND NOW HE'S IN THE BOSS'S CHAIR, HE STILL RELISHES THE JOB OF CHRONICLING A SMALL COMMUNITY. IF YOU DON'T GET IT RIGHT, OF COURSE, YOU COME IN FOR A FAIR BIT OF CRITICISM, BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS YOU. SO YOU DO HAVE THAT PRESSURE. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE THE SATISFACTION OF GETTING PATS ON THE BACK. BUT EVEN THOUGH MOST OF COLIN'S EMPIRE RUNS ON SCREENS AND FLOPPY DISKS, THERE ARE A FEW REMNANTS OF THE OLD DAYS WHICH, FOR THE MOMENT, WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. (ROLLERS SQUEAK) (PRESS MACHINERY WHIRRS) FROM THE TERMINATOR TO STAR WAR'S C3PO, HUMANOIDS HAVE BEEN THE TOPIC OF SCI-FI MOVIES FOR DECADES. BUT AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DEVELOPS RAPIDLY, REAL-LIFE HUMANOIDS ARE BECOMING MORE HUMAN-LIKE THAN EVER. JUST THIS MONTH, ROBOTS RAN ALONGSIDE MARATHON RUNNERS IN BEIJING, AND NOW THEY'RE EVEN REVOLUTIONISING MANUFACTURING, CREATING COMPLETELY AUTOMATED FACTORIES ACROSS THE GLOBE. TO EXPLAIN THIS ROBOTIC BOOM, WE'RE JOINED BY TECH EXPERT DANU ABEYSURIYA. LOVELY TO SEE YOU. WELCOME IN. WHAT SORT OF IMPACT THE HUMANOIDS HAVING ON THE WORKFORCE? THERE IS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THEM. WE HAVE ALL WATCHED TERMINATOR. A LITTLE TREPIDATION. I KIDS THAT WE SHOULD MAKE THEM ALL LOOK LIKE ARNIE, SO WE ARE REMINDED THAT WE SHOULD GET THERE. THE REALLY INTERESTING THING IS, THERE WAS THIS QUESTION OF WHY DO THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE? IS IT NECESSARY? THAT JUSTIFICATION AS WE HAVE BUILT AN ENTIRE WORLD OF MACHINES AND CONTRAPTIONS LIKE DOOR HANDLES, AND IT IS A STRANGE GAME. HE HAS DONE HIS HAMSTRING. HE IS LIMPING. THE WHOLE WORLD IS BUILT FOR HUMANS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A DOOR HANDLE OR A PACKING STATION OR HOLDING ONTO ANY KIND OF PIECE OF EQUIPMENT LIKE A DRILL, THE HANDLE IS NAMED AFTER A HAND, SO IT MAKES SENSE FOR THESE ROBOTS TO HAVE THAT FORM. IT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY LESS CREEPY, BUT IT DOES MAKE THEM QUITE PRACTICAL. THESE ARE THE TWO ROBOTS ON SCREEN; THESE ARE A COMPETITION IN CHINA, WHERE THEY TRY TO GET THESE ROBOTS TO RUN 1/2 MARATHON, AND THERE WAS A COMPANY WHICH PRODUCED A ROBOT WHICH CAN RUN 1/2 MARATHON AND COMPLETED IT RELATIVELY QUICKLY, 3.3 M A SECOND. THE AVERAGE HUMAN IS FOR. CHINA AND AMERICA. DRUM ROLL, PLEASE. AS PART OF THE WHOLE NEXT COLD WAR THAT WE ARE ENTERING THAT NO ONE WANTS TO SAY OUT LOUD, AMERICA IS CHASING AI SUPREMACY, SO THEY CAN EMBODY AIN ROBOTS. THERE IS A LOT OF PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS INCLUDING WARFARE, IN CHINA IS PROTECTING THEIR INTERESTS BY DOING THE SAME THING. HOW CYNICAL OF YOU TO SUGGEST WARFARE! WHAT SORT OF ROLE IS THIS GOING TO PLAY AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE A BIGGER TRADE WAR? THE VERY FIRST CRITICAL APPLICATION OF THESE ROBOTS IS TO REPLACE AND DO JOBS THAT HUMANS CAN'T DO EASILY. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN LOGISTICS, THERE IS A LOT OF JOBS THAT IF THERE IS LABOUR SHORTAGES FOR. THESE ROBOTS ARE ABLE TO WORK 24 SEVEN WITHOUT FATIGUE, LABOUR UNIONISATION AND AT A LOWER HOURLY RATE THAN A HUMAN. THAT FLOWS ON TO THE COST OF PRODUCTS, DELIVERY OF PRODUCTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BALANCING OFF. ALL THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT AMERICANS NOT WANTING TO MAKE SNEAKERS IN AMERICA OR PUT TOGETHER IPHONES, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS COULD BE QUITE USEFUL TO HAVE HUMANOID ROBOTS. IF YOU CAN PIECE TOGETHER THE NONSENSICAL STUFF THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS WORDING AROUND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THESE JOBS IN AMERICA, THERE IS A CONTINUOUS THREAD OF WE ARE NOT GOING TO SIMPLY HAVE AMERICANS SCORING AND SCREWS ON PHONES; WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AMERICANS SCORING AND SCREWS ON ROBOTS THAT WILL BE SCORING IN THE SCREWS ON PHONES. THE IDEA IS THAT ROBOT ENGINEERING AND THE SKILLS REQUIRED IS A HIGHER VALUE CHAIN IN THE ECONOMY. FOR THIS MAKE CHINESE EXPORTS CHEAPER? HOW IS IT GOING TO AFFECT THOSE SORTS OF THINGS? IF YOU LOOK AT ROBOT ADOPTION AROUND THE WORLD, SOUTH KOREA PER CAPITA, IT IS ONE ROBOT FOR EVERY 10 WORKERS. IN CHINA, IT IS ABOUT ONE ROBOT FOR 30. CHINA HAS HAD THE MOST ACCELERATION FROM THE LEAST NUMBER OF ROBOTS PER WORKER, AND THEY ARE HEADING TOWARDS BEATING SOUTH KOREA IN FIVE OR SIX YEARS. THEY ARE ON A MISSION TO ENABLE THESE ROBOTS. WHERE DOES NEW ZEALAND SIT IN ALL OF THIS? FOR NEW ZEALAND, THE DARK SIDE IS THAT WE MIGHT COME LESS COMPETITIVE, BECAUSE WE USE TRADITIONAL LABOUR, WHICH IS PEOPLE. THERE ARE GLIMMERS OF HOPE. THERE IS A COMPANY IN NEW ZEALAND CALLED ROBOTICS PLUS. PLU THEY RECEIVED ABOUT $10 MILLION. THEY HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED COMPLETELY. THEY HAVE BEEN BUILDING ROBOTS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TAILORED TO THE THINGS THAT NEW ZEALAND IS GOOD AT, AGRICULTURE. YAMAHA AGRICULTURE IS INFORMED AROUND THE ACQUISITIONS OF THE NEW ZEALAND COMPANY. THESE AREN'T NECESSARILY HUMANOID ROBOTS, BUT IF YOU IMAGINE ROBOTS THAT LOOK LIKE VEHICLES OR PLANES OR DRONES. THERE IS A WIDE SCOPE, SO NEW ZEALAND HAS THE ABILITY TO COMPETE. YOU MENTIONED ABOUT ROBOTS BEING CREATED IN THE LIKENESS OF HUMANS, BECAUSE THE PRODUCTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE USING, IT AS A HUMAN HAND DEALING WITH THE. HOW FAR OFF ARE WE HAVING HUMANOID ROBOTS THAT ARE REALLY MIMICKING THE MOVEMENT IN TOUCH AND SENSITIVITY OF HUMANS? WE ARE AT THE STAGE WHERE WE HAVE THOSE CAPABILITIES IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE NOT AT THE STARTING POINT; WE ARE AT THE ENGINEERING POINT. THE NEXT STAGE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS AS WE HAVE THE SOFTWARE, MOTORS AND COMPUTERS. IT IS FUNNY TO LOOK AT, IS IN IT? HE HAS QUITE AN ARM SWING. IT LOOK LIKE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD RUNNING. WE ARE NOT FAR. IN THE NEXT DECADE, WE COULD SEE THESE MASS PRODUCE ROBOTS OUT IN THE WORLD. OVER THE NEXT 50 OR 60 YEARS, THEY WILL BE QUITE COMMONPLACE. WHAT IS SETTING OUT AS A MARATHON COULD BE A SPRINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO CHAT TO YOU. IF ONLY FOR THE EXCUSE OF PLAYING THAT FANTASTIC MARATHON. YOU ARE JUST GOING TO LOOP THAT. ARE WE GOING TO DO A 10 YEARS, WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY? LAUGHING AT US. YOU GOT IT. I FEEL EXACERBATED BY THE THOUGHT OF THIS, BUT YOU THINK, I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED. THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE ARE HEADING. IT IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL IN SOME REGARDS. I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF WORKING THEM LOOK LIKE ARNIE. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER GUY? GET THE CHOPPER. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ARNIE MOVIE? KINDERGARTEN COP. WHO IS YOUR DADDY AND WHAT DOES HE DO? FANTASTIC. I QUITE LIKED TWINS. THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD. PREDATOR. GOOD CHOICE. US HAVE TO GO TO THE DARK SIDE. OR CONAN THE BARBARIAN. THAT IS MY FAVOURITE OF ALL TIME. IS VERY FIRST. HIS BEST WORK. HE DIDN'T SPEAK AT ALL. I HAVE NO QUOTE FOR THAT. THANK YOU, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER. LOVELY TO HAVE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT FILM, AS ALWAYS. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 8.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. PLUS ` THE FIRST EVER FOOTAGE OF A COLOSSAL SQUID FILMED MORE THAN HALF A KILOMETRE UNDER WATER. A WOMAN (51) IS SET TO APPEAR IN COURT TODAY, AFTER ALLEGEDLY THROWING ACID AT A MAN IN WELLINGTON'S JOHNSONVILLE. POLICE SAY THE ALLEGED OFFENDER FLED THE SCENE BEFORE EMERGENCY SERVICES LOCATED HER AT A NEARBY STREET EARLY THIS MORNING. THE VICTIM WAS LEFT WITH BURNS TO AN ARM AND WAS TREATED BY AN AMBULANCE CREW. THE WOMAN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH INTENT TO INJURE. A TOTAL BAN ON PRISONER VOTING WILL BE REINSTATED LATER THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED. UNDER CHANGES MADE BY LABOUR IN 2020, PRISONERS SERVING TERMS SHORTER THAN THREE YEARS WERE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. JUSTICE MINISTER PAUL GOLDSMITH SAYS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED HAVE BREACHED CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND SHOULD NOT BE AFFORDED THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE BAN WILL NOT APPLY TO PRISONERS ALREADY SERVING A SENTENCE OF LESS THAN THREE YEARS. THOSE ON REMAND OR SERVING HOME DETENTION SENTENCES WILL STILL BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. TO CANADA NOW. IT'S PREDICTED MARK CARNEY'S LIBERAL PARTY HAS FALLEN SHORT OF BEING ABLE TO FORM A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT, AS THE FINAL VOTES ARE COUNTED. THE FORMER CENTRAL BANKER HAS WON THE ELECTION, BUT WILL NEED SUPPORT FROM OTHER POLITICAL PATIES TO PASS LEGISLATION. IT'S A MAJOR POLITICAL COMEBACK FOR HIS PARTY, AFTER BEING BEHIND IN THE POLLS. OVERSEAS, THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTING IN THE SWEDISH CITY OF UPPSALA. THE SHOOTING HAPPENED AT A HAIR SALON IN THE CENTRAL CITY. LOCAL MEDIA ARE REPORTING POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR THE SUSPECT, WHO FLED THE SCENE ON A SCOOTER. A LARGE AREA HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF AND A MURDER INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY. THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY TEAM HAVE ANNOUNCED LES KISS AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH FROM MID-2026. THE CURRENT QUEENSLAND REDS COACH WILL TAKE OVER FROM KIWI JOE SCHMIDT AFTER NEXT YEAR'S SUPER RUGBY SEASON AND WILL LEAD THE WALLABIES TO THE 2027 RUGBY WORLD CUP. THE WARRIORS HAVE NAMED AN UNCHANGED STARTING LINE-UP FOR THIS WEEKEND'S CLASH AGAINST THE COWBOYS. COACH ANDREW WEBSTER IS STICKING WITH THE SAME SQUAD THAT TOOK DOWN THE KNIGHTS IN CHRISTCHURCH LAST WEEK, AS THEY LOOK TO PUT A THIRD STRAIGHT WIN ON THE BOARD. IT'S A GOOD FEELING AROUND THE SQUAD, OBVIOUSLY. WE'RE STARTING TO BUILD MOMENTUM AT THE MOMENT, WITH THE LAST FEW WINS, AND REALLY STARTING TO PLAY TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND GET CONSISTENT WITH IT. THE GAME KICKS OFF SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7.30. BLACK CAPS GREAT TIM SOUTHEE IS TIPPED TO JOIN THE ENGLAND CRICKET TEAM'S COACHING STAFF. THE BBC REPORTS THE 36-YEAR-OLD, WHO RETIRED FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET LAST YEAR, IS BEING CONSIDERED AS A FAST-BOWLING CONSULTANT FOR THE UPCOMING HOME TESTS. IF APPOINTED, HE WOULD BE THE THIRD FORMER BLACK CAP ON THE STAFF, ALONGSIDE HEAD COACH BRENDON McCULLUM AND SPIN COACH JEETAN PATEL. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING, STARTING OFF WITH SOME WARNINGS. THERE ARE ORANGE HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS IN PLACE IN GISBORNE NORTH OF TOLAGA BAY, THE KAIKOURA COAST AND RANGES, BANKS PENINSULA AND CANTERBURY ABOUT AND NORTH OF AMBERLEY. TO THE NORTH ISLAND, PACK YOUR BROLLY ` RAIN FOR MOST OF THE REGION, TURNING TO SHOWERS EARLY MORNING, WHICH COULD GET HEAVY. POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS AROUND THE CENTRAL REGIONS. A HIGH OF 22 IN TAURANGA. 23 IN WHANGAREI. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR ALL OF YOU. RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE WEST, WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AT THE TOP OF THE ISLAND LATER ON. THERE ARE ALSO ORANGE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IN PLACE ON ARTHUR'S PASS AND PORTERS PASS. TAKE CARE. SCIENTISTS HAVE CAPTURED THE FIRST CONFIRMED FOOTAGE OF A COLOSSAL SQUID NEAR THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS. WEIGHING UP TO 500kg, THE COLOSSAL SQUID IS THE LARGEST INVERTEBRATE ON THE PLANET. THE VIDEO WAS CAPTURED AT A DEPTH OF 600m IN THE COLOSSAL SQUID'S NATURAL HABITAT. WE SPEAK TO ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY KATHRIN BOLSTAD FOR MORE. HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE SCATTERING OF THIS FOOTAGE? IT IS SO EXCITING. WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE COLOSSAL SQUID FOR 100 YEARS, AND NOW FINALLY WE GET TO SEE ONE ALIVE AT HOME IN THE DEEP . SEA IT IS NOT THE FULL-GROWN VERSION WE CAN SEE AT TE PAPA, IT IS A BABY AND IT LOOKS LIKE A GLASS SCULPTURE. ONE OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT THAT MAKES IT SO DIFFICULT TO FILM? THE DEEP SEA IS LOGISTICALLY DIFFICULT TO GET TO, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE IT MAKES UP 95% OF THE LIVING SPACE ON PLANET EARTH. THERE IS SO MUCH LEFT TO DISCOVER. THE DEEP SEA ITSELF IS DIFFICULT TO GET TO. THE ANTARCTIC DEEP SEA IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO GET TO, BECAUSE IT IS EXTRA REMOTE. THESE ANIMALS HAVE VERY GOOD VISION AND ARE AWARE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS, SO IF WE PUT DOWN A CAMERA SYSTEM WITH LIGHTS AND NOISE, THEY WILL SEE IT COMING AND DISAPPEAR. THEY ARE PROBABLY AVOIDING US. I AM FASCINATED BY THE PROCESS. WHAT DO YOU PUT DOWN UNDERWATER? THERE ARE A COUPLE OF STRATEGIES. IN THIS CASE, THEY WERE NOT LOOKING FOR THE COLOSSAL SQUID. THEY WERE ON A DEEP SEA SPECIES DISCOVERY. THEY USED A REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE. THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY DOWN TO THE SEA FLOOR, TO A DEPTH OF 2000m TO SEE IF THEY COULD DISCOVER NEW SPECIES. IT WAS A VEHICLE THE SIZE OF A MINIVAN COVERED WITH ALL SORTS OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THEY CAME ACROSS THE SMALL SQUID, AND THEY RECOGNISED IT WAS SOMETHING INTERESTING AND TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO FILM IT FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND NOW WE HAVE THE FIRST FOOTAGE OF THE COLOSSAL SQUID. IT IS MESMERISING FOOTAGE. WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM SEEING IT ALIVE AND IN ACTION IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT? THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T TELL FROM LOOKING AT A DEAD SPECIMEN. IF WE PULL ONE OUT OF A JAR, AND WE HAVE SPECIMENS AND COLLECTIONS, IT LOOKS LIKE A RUMPLED PLASTIC BAG. WE CAN MEASURE AND COUNT THINGS, SEE HOW THE BODY IS PUT TOGETHER, BUT IT DOESN'T TELL US HOW IT POSITIONS ITSELF OR SWIMS. ALTHOUGH THINGS CAN ONLY BE SEEN ONCE WE HAVE LIVE FOOTAGE OF THE ANIMAL IN THE WATER COLUMN. THIS IS A SMALL GLASS SQUID. IT HAS 50 OR 60 COUSINS. ARE CHANGES A LOT AS IT GROWS. THIS HELPS BUS CONFIRM WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT IT. WAS ANYTHING SURPRISING FROM THIS FOOTAGE? IT IS UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHEN IT TRANSITIONS FROM BEING WHAT WE WOULD CALL A TYPICAL GLASS SQUID TO THE LARGER, MUSCULAR VERSION. THIS ONE IS IN THE EARLY LIFE STAGE, WHERE IT IS STILL MOSTLY TRANSPARENT, ALTHOUGH WE CAN SEE FROM THE COLOUR CELLS IT CAN CHANGE TO OPAQUE AS WELL. AT FIRST WE THOUGHT WE COULD SEE THE LIGHT ORGANS, BUT IT IS A STRONG REFLECTION FROM THE LIGHTS ON THE SUB. IT SUGGESTS SOME BEHAVIOURS APPLY HERE AS WELL THAT WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE. SEEING THIS ON CLEAR FOOTAGE, HOW DOES IT HELP YOU REFINE WHAT YOU KNOW ALREADY AND INFORM MORE SCIENCE ABOUT OTHER SPECIES? THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS WE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM THIS. ONE OF THE REALLY NICE THINGS AS WE NOW HAVE AN EXACT OBSERVATION OF THIS ANIMAL AT THIS SIZE AT THIS TIME AT THIS DEPTH. A LOT OF SPECIMENS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY NETS AND THOSE DON'T USUALLY OPEN AND CLOSE AT CERTAIN DEPTHS. WE MIGHT HAVE A TRAWLER THAT HAS GONE FROM A THOUSAND METRES TO THE SURFACE, WE KNOW SOMEWHERE IN THERE THIS ANIMAL WAS COLLECTED. WE KNOW AT THIS SIZE, THIS WAS SEEN AT 600m. LOOKING AT THIS, THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER BEHAVIOURS WE KNOW ABOUT, SOME SQUIDS CAN FILL THE MANTLE UP WITH INK TO CHANGE THEIR APPEARANCE. THIS ONE MAY BE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE A BEHAVIOUR WE WOULD LOOK OUT FOR IN FUTURE. FASCINATING IMAGES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. THEY GET UP TO 7m. POTENTIALLY 500kg YOU THINK IT IS CREEPY. IT IS BEAUTIFUL, BUT MY BOYS WENT TO CTHULHU. IT IS A MASSIVE GIANT SQUID. WE NEED TO DO MORE TERMINATOR VOICES. E WHAI AKE NEI ` CHARLOTTE MULDER'S EXPLORING HER CREATIVE SIDE FOR US THIS MORNING. MORENA, CHARLOTTE. GOOD MORNING. I AM AT PHOTOSYNTHESIS STUDIO, LEARNING HOW TO TAKE A GOOD PHOTO. YOU WILL FIND OUT HOW BAD OR GOOD IT IS AFTER THE BREAK. 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. HAMILTON 22 IS THE HIGH TODAY, RAIN TURNING TO SHOWERS, POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THIS AFTERNOON, EASTERLIES TURNING NORTHERLY THIS MORNING, BEAUTIFUL WELLINGTON. I AM SURE, BEHIND THAT. RAIN DEVELOPING THIS MORNING. HEAVY FALLS FROM THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHERLIES, AND THEY ARE BECOMING STRONG THIS AFTERNOON. 16. GETTING COLDER AS WE HEAD SOUTH. CHRISTCHURCH. LOOKING EVEN MORE GLORIOUS, POTENTIALLY. RAIN, HEAVY FALLS. SOUTHERLIES BECOMING FRESH. GOOD LUCK, EVERYBODY. DUNEDIN. MOSTLY CLOUDY. SOUTHERLIES AND A HIGH OF MIDTEENS. LOOKING GOOD. AT LEAST WE CAN SEE YOU. SHALL WE GO TO PARIS? DOES THAT BRING BACK MEMORIES? THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I WAS GETTING READY TO HEAD TO THE OLYMPICS. THE EIFFEL TOWER THERE. 21 IN PARIS. VERY WARM. 10:45 AT NIGHT THERE. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` ALL PRISONERS WILL BE BANNED FROM VOTING LATER THIS YEAR, WITH THE GOVERNMENT REVERSING CHANGES MADE BY LABOUR FIVE YEARS AGO. OVER IN CANADA, IT'S PREDICTED CANADA'S MARK CARNEY'S LIBERAL PARTY HAS FALLEN SHORT OF BEING ABLE FORM A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT, AS THE FINAL VOTES ARE COUNTED. AND IN SPORT, THE WALLABIES HAVE ANNOUNCED LES KISS AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH FROM MID-2026. A CANTERBURY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IS OPENING ITS DOORS TO HELP A WIDE RANGE OF PEOPLE EXPLORE THEIR CREATIVITY. ITS CALLED 'HANDS AND THINGS' AND IS DESIGNED TO HELP PARTICIPANTS TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF HANDS AND OTHER DECORATIVE ITEMS. THE BEST PART? NO EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED. WE SENT OUR CHRISTCHURCH REPORTER, CHARLOTTE MULDER, TO THE STUDIO TO TAP INTO HER INNER ARTISTIC FLAIR. KIA ORA. WHAT YOU MEAN, JUST AS WELL? WE ARE HERE AT PHONE OF CYNTHIA STUDIO. I WILL PUT MY SKILLS TO THE TEST. YOUR DOING THESE WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE TO COME ALONG. CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH WHAT HANDS AND THINGS AS? IT IS A INTERACT OF WORKSHOP FOR ANYONE TO COME ALONG AND GIVE THEIR GO AT TAKING SOME NICE DETAILED SHOP OF HANDS AND THINGS. IT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT IS NOT THE ONLY WORKSHOP. SO TELL ME WHAT ELSE YOU HAVE BEEN DOING. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING X MENTAL MANUAL EFFECTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHY, WHICH IS A LOT OF FUN. WE ARE DOING POSING WORKSHOPS, TO HELP PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH POSING THEIR MODELS. THIS IS QUITE A SKILL TO PICK UP, BUT IT IS A GREAT ONE IF YOU WANT TO GET REALLY DYNAMIC, INTERESTING PHOTOS. I LOVE THAT. YOU WERE TALKING BEFORE, YOU HAVE AN EXHIBITION COMING UP. I'M SURE OUR VIEWERS WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THAT IS ALL ABOUT AS WELL. I HAVE AN EXHIBITION COMING UP CALLED BIRD PEOPLE. IT IS ALL ABOUT BIRDS, MAKING COSTUMES, CIDERS COSTUMES MODELS. THERE IS BIG, BEAUTIFUL COLOUR ONCE. WE ARE ALSO DOING FILM PHOTOGRAPHY. THERE IS GOING TO BE BOOKS FOR THAT. THAT IS STUNNING. THIS IS A VOLUNTEER RUN COMPANY. I AM GOING TO BRING IN DIRECTOR OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS KAREN. KERIN, WHAT IS PHOTOSYNTHESIS? I AM NOT SURE HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT. WE ARE A NON-PROFIT THAT IS TRYING TO MAKE PHOTOGRAPHY ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY. WE RENT OUT THIS PHOTO STUDIO. WE ALSO HAVE NEW ZEALAND'S ONLY COMMUNITY DARK ROOM. WE MAKE IT AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE TO DO THINGS. WE RUN EVENTS, EIGHT A MONTH. IF PEOPLE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, THEY CAN SEE EVERYTHING WE HAVE ON. WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU TO PICK UP A CAMERA AND HAVE A GO AT TAKING SOME HANDS AND THINGS SHOTS. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO NOW TO SHOW THAT EVERYONE CAN DO IT. IF I CAN DO IT, EVERYONE CAN DO IT. IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO SHOT OR FRAME, I'M GOING TO PICK UP THIS REALLY EXPENSIVE CAMERA THAT I WON'T DROP, HOPEFULLY. I WILL GO AROUND HERE. GIVE ME SOME TIPS AND TRICKS OF THINGS. THIS IS WHAT IS BEING OFFERED TONIGHT, HANDS AND THINGS. KERIN IS GOING TO STRETCH OUT HIS ARMS AND SHOW US HIS HANDS. THIS IS A STATIC SHOT, SO MAKE YOURS FRAME IN THE CENTRE. THE PHOTO COMES UP OVER THERE. THAT SHOWED. IT IS NOT. WE'RE GOING TO DO AN ACTION SHOT, SO THIS HELPS WITH THE DYNAMICS, MAKES YOUR HANDS LOOK NICE AND NATURAL WHILST DOING SOMETHING. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT IS TURNING UP TO LOOK GOOD. IT WILL COME UP. WE WILL ADD DRAMA. WE ARE GOING TO ADD SOME FLAIR. WE'RE GOING TO COUNT YOU IN. ARE YOU COMING AROUND? I AM. WE WILL GO ONE, TWO, THREE. I WILL THROW, AND YOU TAKE THE SHOT. I WAS A THROW, AND YOU TAKE THE SHOT. I CAN'T STUFF THIS UP. I DON'T KNOW IF I GOT IT OR NOT. CAN WE HAVE A LOOK? JASON IS GOING TO SHOW YOU GUYS. CAN I PUT THE CAMERA OVER HERE? SWEET. LOOK AT THAT. IT IS RAINING SPRINKLES. VERY COOL. YOU CAN SEE HOW NICE AND NATURAL HIS FINGERS ARE LOOKING. NICE AND SPREAD OUT IN PRETTY. AWESOME. IF I CAN DO IT, ANYONE CAN DO IT. I AM SURE YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SPACE OPEN TONIGHT, BUT YOU HAVE ONE LEFT. YOU ARE OFFERING IT NEXT MONTH AS WELL. JUST KEEP AN EYE OUT. I'M SURE THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS COMING AND GOING, SO GO TO THEIR WEBSITE. AS FAR AS THE CREATIVE ENDEAVOURS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ON THIS YEAR, PAINTING OR SCULPTING, THE PHOTOGRAPHY, THAT MIGHT BE YOUR THING. THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE LIGHTING AND THE MODEL. ? WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU STILL HAD THE TIME IT. SHE IS EXPANDING HER PALLET OF CREATIVE TALENTS. E HAERE AKE NEI, AN INCREDIBLY RARE KITTEN, A THREE LEGGED CAT AND A DEAF DOG WHO KNOWS SIGN LANGUAGE ` HAWKE'S BAY SPCA TELLS US ABOUT SOME OF ITS ANIMALS WHO NEED LOVING HOMES. HAWKE'S BAY VIEWERS, DO YOU HAVE ROOM IN YOUR HEARTS FOR A THREE-LEGGED CAT? HOW ABOUT A DEAF DOG WHO KNOWS SIGN LANGUAGE? THE LOCAL SPCA HAS NO SHORTAGE OF ANIMALS WHO NEED HOMES, AND WE'RE BACK ON OUR MISSION TO GET THEM ADOPTED. FIRST, THOUGH, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE SUCCESS STORY OF THADDEUS, AN INCREDIBLY RARE KITTEN WHO WAS NURSED BACK TO HEALTH. HAWKE'S BAY SPCA COMMUNITY OUTREACH OFFICER KAREN HACKING JOINS US NOW. TELL US ABOUT THADDEUS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US ON AND LETTING US SHOWCASE THESE WONDERFUL ANIMALS. THADDEUS WAS DROPPED OFF TO US IN NAPIER BY A CONCERNED MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC. HE WASN'T IN VERY GOOD SHAPE. WE PICKED THEM UP AFTER THE AMBO JOBS WERE CALLED IN, AND TOOK INTO OUR ISO UNIT. HE HAD GUNKY EYES AND DIARRHOEA FROM CAT FLU. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM NOW? THADDEUS HAS NOW BEEN NURSED BACK TO HEALTH BY ONE OF OUR CENTRE LEADS IN NAPIER. SHE TOOK HIM HOME AND LOOK AFTER HIM AROUND THE CLOCK. HE HAD TO BE BATHED TWICE A DAY, MEDICATED CONSTANTLY. HE IS BRIGHTER AND STRONGER AND FRIENDLIER. HIS HEALTH WAS SECURE ENOUGH TO GO OUT TO FOSTER, AND HE IS A FOSTER FAIL. WE HAVE THREE ANIMALS WE NEED TO GET THROUGH IN TWO MINUTES. SADIE THE DEAF DOG. SIR BILLY. AND SARAH THE CAT. SADIE IS A SIX YEAR OLD POINTER. SHE WAS BORN DEAF, BUT SHE IS AMAZING. SHE KNOWS SIGN LANGUAGE, SOME BASIC COMMANDS OF SIT, STAY, WAIT. SHE LOVES BEING AROUND PEOPLE. ONE THING ABOUT SADIE IS THAT SHE GOES TO A HOME WITH SOMEONE WORKING FROM HOME, OR A DOG SHE CAN BE IN THE COMPANY OF. WE ASK THAT SHE IS IN A SECURE YARD THAT WILL KEEP US SAFE FROM DANGERS SHE CAN'T HEAR. SHE HAS A CLEVER COOKIE, SO SHE WILL LEARN MORE SIGN LANGUAGE IF THE OWNER PUTS IN THE EFFORT. SHE IS BROWN AND WHITE AND BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE IT. GO FOR IT. SIERRA IS ONE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL 10 YEAR OLD. SHE HAS A SPECIAL GENE, A BIT LIKE THADDEUS, TO GET THE CERTAIN COLOURING, ESPECIALLY THE MALES, TORTOISESHELLS, THEY ARE RARE UNICORNS. SIERRA HAS THE CALICO GENE. SHE WAS SURRENDERED TO US AND IS ONE OF OUR LONGSTAY ANIMALS. SHE IS VERY GENTLE, QUIET, BUT SHE REALLY DOESN'T LIKE LIVING WITH OTHER CATS. SHE IS DONE AND DUSTED WITH THAT KIND OF THING. SHE WANTS TO GO TO A HOME WHERE SHE WILL BE DOTED ON. SHE IS BEGGING ANYONE, PLEASE TAKE HER AWAY FROM HER ROOMMATES. SHE IS OVER IT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING, KAREN. IF YOU WANT TO ADOPT THOSE ANIMALS OR OTHERS CHECK IN WITH THE HAWKE'S BAY SPCA. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND JAMES BROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025.