(SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) WELCOME IN TWO BREAKFAST ON THIS TUESDAY THE 20th OF MAY. LOVELY TO HAVE YOUR COMPANY. TAUPO HAS A NEW TRAIL SCULPTURE. IT HAS CREATED QUITE A CONVERSATION IN OUR NEWSROOM. IT IS A FELL VERY DINOSAUR ON TOP OF A ROCK. IT IS CALLED BOOM BOOM. IT IS CALLED BOOM BOOM, AND IT IS ART. SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT, AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T. IT IS SUBJECTIVE. IT WAS $100,000 FROM THE COUNCIL AND $100,000 RAISED BY A TRUST. THEY HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH AN 8% RATE INCREASE. PEOPLE UNHAPPY ABOUT IT. COUNCILS ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND CASH. THIS IS UNDER THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL IN 2018, NOT THE CURRENT FINANCIAL CLIMATE. BREAKFAST USERS CAN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES. MAYBE YOU HAVE A SCULPTURE IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS, AND YOU ARE THINKING, MAYBE ART IS WORTH INVESTING IN. MAYBE YOU HAVE A BUCKET FOUNTAIN THAT SPLASHES PASSES BY. THAT ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A BIT OF A HOOT, AND YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT IT. WHAT ABOUT THE HAND AND CHRISTCHURCH ON TOP OF THE BUILDING? THAT IS NOT ME TRYING TO GET DOWN WITH THE KIDS. PEOPLE QUITE LIKED IT. IT IS ABOUT YOU TRYING TO FIND YOUR PLACE, YOUR TOWN, AND ATTRACT PEOPLE AS WELL. IT IS LIKE A DESTINATION ` I HAVE TO GO AND SEE THE DINOSAUR SITTING ON TOP OF THE ROCK. COMING UP ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` EDUCATION IN THE SPOTLIGHT. AS THE COUNTDOWN TO BUDGET DAY CONTINUES. WHAT DO EDUCATORS WANT PRIORITISED? ONE OF THE THINGS ON THE LIST IS LEARNING SUPPORT WITH A NEW REPORT DESCRIBING THE SITUATION AS 'DIRE'. HOW KIDS MISSING OUT ON THE HELP THEY NEED IS AFFECTING THEM, TEACHERS AND THE REST OF THE CLASS. ALSO AHEAD ` COULD CATS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR AS MANY AS 10,000 NEW ZEALANDERS LOSING THEIR SIGHT? AOTEAROA HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST INFECTION RATES GLOBALLY OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII, A SERIOUS INFECTION THAT AFFECTS AN ESTIMATED 40,000 PEOPLE NATIONWIDE. I THINK THAT IS HOW YOU SAY IT. IT'S ALSO A THREAT TO WILDLIFE AND UNBORN BABIES, WHAT RESEARCHERS SAY IS HOLDING BACK TREATMENT. PLUS ` IS YOUR JOB AFFECTING YOUR SLEEP? IF YOU WORK ON BREAKFAST IT CERTAINLY DOES. MORE THAN A THIRD OF KIWIS STRUGGLE TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S REST, AND THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE WORK MIGHT BE TO BLAME. WE'LL FIND OUT HOW AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO GET SOME QUALITY Z'S. RIGHT NOW IT'S 6 O'CLOCK. HERE'S YOUR NEWS. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS TODAY SPEAKING WITH THE LEADERS OF UKRAINE AND RUSSIA, AS AIR STRIKES IN UKRAINE'S SOUTHERN REGION OF KHERSON KILL TWO PEOPLE. THE WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMING HIS CALL WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS JUST CONCLUDED AFTER MORE THAN TWO HOURS. HE'S NOW DUE TO SPEAK WITH UKRAINE'S VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY. IT FOLLOWS UKRANIAN AND RUSSIAN DELEGATES MEETING FACE-TO-FACE IN ISTANBUL OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT FAILING TO REACH A PEACE DEAL. FIVE YEARS ON FROM BREXIT, THE UK AND EUROPEAN UNION HAVE SIGNED A NEW DEAL. THE WIDE-RANGING AGREEMENT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO TRADE FOOD, AND COULD ALLOW BRITAIN TO ACCESS EU FUNDS FOR DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT. THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER CALLING IT A 'NEW ERA'. THIS IS THE FIRST UK-EU SUMMIT. IT MARKS A NEW ERA IN OUR RELATIONSHIP. AND THIS DEAL IS A WIN-WIN. IT DELIVERS WHAT THE BRITISH PUBLIC VOTED FOR LAST YEAR. TODAY'S SUMMIT IS THE FIRST BETWEEN THE UK AND EU SINCE BRITAIN LEFT THE BLOC. THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SAYS ISRAEL WILL CONTROL ALL OF GAZA AS EVACUATION ORDERS WERE ISSUED IN THE SOUTHERN CITY OF KHAN YOUNIS. ISRAEL WARNING RESIDENTS OF A QUOTE 'UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK'. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S STATEMENT COMES DESPITE INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE, WHICH SAW AN 11-WEEK AID BLOCKADE LIFTED YESTERDAY. AN ISRAELI MILITARY BODY SAYS FIVE UN TRUCKS CARRYING AID HAVE NOW ENTERED THE GAZA STRIP, WHICH IS HOME TO MORE THAN 2 MILLION PALESTINIANS. AND BACK HERE ` FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS WILL EMBARK ON A VISIT TO AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH ASIA THIS WEEK. HE WILL MEET WITH HIS AUSTRALIAN COUNTERPART PENNY WONG IN ADELAIDE, SAYING IT IS VITAL TO VISIT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION. SAYING IT IS VITAL TO VISIT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION. MR PETERS WILL THEN HEAD TO SRI LANKA, IN THE FIRST VISIT BY A NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER SINCE 2013, FOLLOWED BY NEPAL AND INDIA. THE SOUTHERN STEEL HAVE DEFEATED THE MAGIC BY 28 GOALS IN THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP, TO RECORD THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. THE SOUTHERNERS STILL MISSING MIDCOURTER KATE HEFFERNAN THROUGH INJURY, BUT PUTTING TOGETHER A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE TO WIN 69-41. STEEL AGAIN. YEAH, THAT SWING TO POI AND THEN IN TO DUNN ` THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT ALL DAY. AH! TWO-POINTER FOR DUNN. IT LEAVES THE MAGIC AS THE ONLY SIDE YET TO WIN AFTER TWO ROUNDS. JUST A REMINDER ` YOU CAN WATCH THE NETBALL ON TV2 OR TVNZ+ ON SATURDAY. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN IN NORTHLAND WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED ON THE EAST COAST. FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, THERE ARE CLEAR BLUE SKY'S. 18 YOUR HIGH IN WHANGANUI. ROTORUA YOUR HIGH IS 14. IT'S A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE UPPER REGIONS AND CANTERBURY HERE TODAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SHOWERS TO BE EXPECTED IN THE WEST COAST AND LOWER SOUTH ISLAND THIS MORNING. NELSON, YOUR HIGH IS 18. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. THANKS VERY MUCH, JENNY MAY. LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE IS MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING WITH OUR TEAM OF REPORTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. POLICE ARE CONTINUING AN APPEAL FOR INFORMATION IN RELATION TO THE DEATH OF A WHANGAREI MAN AT THE START OF THE MONTH. LUCY BENDELL JOINS US THIS MORNING. WHAT EXACT DETAILS ARE POLICE WANTING, LUCY? GOOD MORNING, CHRIS. NORTHLAND POLICE ARE CALLING FOR THE EXTRA INFORMATION INTO THAT HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION. THEY'RE CALLING FOR ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT WERE ON STATE HIGHWAY 14 TOWARDS WHANGAREI OR OTHER ROADS IN THE AREA. THEY ARE CALLING FOR ANY SIGHTINGS OF A 1999 BLUE MITSUBISHI UTE OR A MAN WALKING AROUND THE AREA IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD. INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SOME TIME NOW SINCE JEFFREY WA'S BODY WAS FOUND IN HIS HOME ON 9 MAY. THE SGT AND HIS TEAM WANT TO THANK THE PUBLIC FOR THE INFORMATION SO FAR, AND THEY ARE FOLLOWING STRONG LINES OF ENQUIRY BUT ARE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION IN THIS INVESTIGATION. THERE IS AN ONLINE PORTAL FOR PEOPLE TO UPLOAD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS OF THAT AREA AT THAT TIME ` BETWEEN 2 PM AND 8 PM. PEOPLE CAN CALL CRIMESTOPPERS ANONYMOUSLY AT 0800 5551 11 OR THE NONEMERGENCY 105. LET'S GO TO THE CAPITAL NOW, AND OUR REPORTER HARRY BARTLE. MORENA, HARRY. BOWEL CANCER SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES WILL BE PROTESTING OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TODAY? THAT IS RIGHT. THEY WILL BE GATHERING OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT WITH THE GOAL OF CONVINCING THE GOVERNMENT TO LOWER THE BOWEL SCREENING AGE TO 45. THIS HAS BEEN QUITE A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC FOR THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF LOWERING THE AGE FROM 60 TO 58. BUT THERE IS A PROCESS THAT WOULD HAVE SEEN IT LOWERED TO 50 LOWERED TO 54 MAORI AND PACIFIC PEOPLE. NEW ZEALAND HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST MORTALITY RATES FOR BOWEL CANCER IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD ` AROUND 1200 PEOPLE DIE FROM EACH YEAR. THEY WANT TO SOUTH FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF AUSTRALIA WHO HAVE ALREADY LOWERED THEIR BOWEL SCREENING AGE TO 45. IT WILL MAKE A MASSIVE DIFFERENCE. THE GROUND, BECAUSE LATER IN THE SHOW WE WILL SPEAK TO THE TWO WOMEN WHO ORGANISED THIS PROTEST TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY WANT AND HOW THEY WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO FIND IT. AND TODAY IS THE LAST DAY THOSE IN THE SOUTH ISLAND CAN BOARD THE 'SOUTHERNER', AN ICONIC TRAIN THAT ONCE CONNECTED CHRISTCHURCH TO INVERCARGILL. CHARLOTTE MULDER JOINS US NOW. WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS TRAIN? HERE OR ARE, CHRIS. IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO PEOPLE. IT WAS ONCE CALLED THE STAPLE OF THE SOUTH ISLAND RAIL TRAVEL. IT OPERATED FROM 1970. IT WENT RIGHT THROUGH TO INVERCARGILL. IT HAS BEEN TAKING PEOPLE THROUGH TO DUNEDIN, ON A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE. IT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL. ALL THE PACKAGE DEALS THEY HAD ON OFFER HAVE BEEN OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT. SO IT IS ENCOURAGING THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING TO BRING BACK THE SOUTHERNER FOR YEARS ON END, THEY WANTED IT TO COME BACK PERMANENTLY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO RISING COSTS THAT HAD NOT HAPPENED. IT WILL BE MAKING ITS LAST JOURNEY AT 7 AM, AND WE WILL HAVE ONE OF OUR REPORTERS ON BOARD, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT. A NEW REPORT INTO LEARNING SUPPORT PAINTS A DIRE PICTURE, SAYING MANY SCHOOLS ARE AT BREAKING POINT AND UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION. LEARNING SUPPORT HELPS SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN, INCLUDING NEURODIVERGENT KIDS, THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND COMPLEX HEALTH NEEDS. THE REPORT FOUND SHORTAGES IN THOSE PROVIDING THE IN-CLASSROOM SUPPORT AND CRUCIALLY A BIG GAP IN CO-ORDINATORS WHO HANDLE THE BUREAUCRACY, FUNDING, AND PAPERWORK IN MANY SCHOOLS. AOTEAROA EDUCATORS' COLLECTIVE SARAH AIONO AUTHORED THE REPORT AND JOINS US NOW. SARAH, GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. WHAT EXACTLY IS LEARNING SUPPORT ` WHAT DO THEY DO WITHIN THE CLASSROOM ITSELF? LEARNING SUPPORT IS A REALLY BROAD TERM THAT BASICALLY DESCRIBES ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN SUPPORT CHILDREN SO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM. THIS MIGHT COVER THINGS AS SIMPLE AS HAVING A TEACHER AIDE WHO CAN SUPPORT A CHILD FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME IN AN AREA OF DIFFICULTY IN THE CLASSROOM, OR TO SOMEONE WHO CAN SUPPORT THEM RIGHT THROUGH THE DAY IF THEY HAVE COMPLEX NEEDS, RIGHT THROUGH TO TOILETING, FEEDING AND SO ON. IT ALSO DESCRIBES ACCESS TO DIFFERENT SPECIALIST SUPPORTS AS WELL. BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS FURTHER PROVISION OF PSYCHOLOGIST, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST. REALLY THE SUPPORT SYSTEM IS ABOUT PROVIDING A WAY FOR SCHOOLS TO ASK FOR HELP AND KIDS CAN GET THE ACCESS THAT THEY NEED. THERE IS A WIDE RANGE OF SUPPORT. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOM ` AND I KNOW THE SUPPOR REPORT SAYS 6% TO 7% GET SUPPORT, BUT AROUND 20% MAY NEED IT. WHAT IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON THE KIDS AND THE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM? WHAT WE ARE SEEING, AND AOTEAROA EDUCATORS COLLECTIVE ARE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE GROUND ` WE ARE IN CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY. WE ARE TALKING WITH TEACHERS. AND THE SYSTEM ` TEACHERS ARE AT BURNOUT. THEY ARE SO OVERWHELMED WITH THE SHEER NUMBER OF CHILDREN ARRIVING IN SCHOOL WITH THESE SIGNIFICANT NEEDS. AND NOT HAVING THE ACCESS TO SUPPORT, WHETHER IT IS SIMPLY ANOTHER BODY IN THE CLASSROOM, OR WHETHER IT IS ACCESSING A SPECIALIST WHO CAN HELP THEM, IS SIGNIFICANT. FIRSTLY FOR THOSE KIDS ` WE KNOW FOR MANY OF OUR CHILDREN, WHETHER THEY HAVE GOT SPECIFIC LEARNING NEEDS OR COMPLEX AND REALLY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE LEARNING NEEDS, THOSE CHILDREN ARE NOT GETTING THAT SERVICE. THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM AS THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO. IF YOU HAVE A TEACHER MANAGING CHILDREN WITH SIGNIFICANT NEEDS, THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE SAME FROM THEIR TEACHER AS WELL. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM WITH NEEDS; IT IS ABOUT ALL OUR CHILDREN. YOU TALK ABOUT TEACHERS BECOMING OVERWHELMED. THE REPORT SAYS THE SYSTEM IS AT BREAKING POINT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? MANY OF THE PARTICIPANTS THAT I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT THE OVERLY BUREAUCRATIC NATURE OF TRYING TO ACCESS FUNDING, HAVING TO PUT IN MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS AT APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING, MEANS THEY ACTUALLY END UP NOT BOTHERING. THE EFFORT THEY PUT IN FOR WHAT THEY GET, IT IS SIGNIFICANT. THERE ARE SCHOOLS FUNDING THEMSELVES. THERE IS A BULGING FUNDING OF PRESSURE, AND A BULGING OF TIME. THESE ARE ADMINISTRATORS AND SCHOOL LEADERS WHO SHOULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS THAN FILLING IN PAPERWORK. SARAH, THERE HAS BEEN REPORT AFTER REPORT AFTER REPORT AND DISCUSSION AFTER DISCUSSION AFTER DISCUSSION, BUT WE ARE STILL ` NOT IN THE SAME POSITION ` IT IS WORTH BASED ON WHAT THIS REPORT TELLS US. SO HOW DO WE MOVE FROM WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PASSING GET SOME ACTION DONE SO OUR KIDS CAN GET ACCESS TO THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE? YOU ARE RIGHT ` WE HAVE HAD FIVE SIGNIFICANT REVIEWS OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS. THE MESSAGE HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL. AND AS YOU SAY, IT IS GETTING WORSE. IT IS WORSE. IT IS CERTAINLY THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN IT, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE A SHARED SENTIMENT AMONG EDUCATORS. IF WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON, WE NEED SOME BRAVE BIPARTISAN WORK ` BECAUSE THIS IS A SUCCESSIVE ISSUE OVER MANY YEARS. ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FROM THE PEOPLE I WAS INTERVIEWING IN THIS PROCESS WAS, COME AND FEED ` COME AND SPEND TIME IN OUR CLASSROOMS. UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT TEACHERS ARE MANAGING EVERY DAY, AND SCHOOLS ARE MANAGING, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT POLICY THAT ACTUALLY ADDRESSES THIS, RATHER THAN CONTINUING TO TWEAK AROUND THE EDGES OR TAKE MONEY FROM ONE FUND AND ADD IT TO ANOTHER FUND. WE ARE NOW AT A POINT WHERE WE ARE SEEING THE OUTCOME OF THOSE KINDS OF INTERVENTIONS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS REALLY FRAGMENTED, OVERLY BUREAUCRATIC, AND IT IS NOT GETTING THE JOB DONE. SO WE NEED REALLY BRAVE, COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS. YOU TALK ABOUT BIPARTISAN LEADERSHIP IN THAT WAY, AND GOVERNMENTS WILL COME AND GO, SO YOU NEED SOMETHING THAT WILL ACTUALLY SAY IN PLACE AND WORK FOR THOSE ON THE GROUND. EDUCATION MINISTER ERICA SANFORD SAID THE BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT ON THURSDAY WILL BE A LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET. THAT MUST BE ENCOURAGING, SARAH. OF COURSE IT WOULD BE GREAT, AND I HOPE THAT IT IS A LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET. I THINK WHAT WE ARE SEEING AT THE MOMENT, THOUGH, IS A TENSION BETWEEN WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS. THERE IS A THOUGHT THAT IF WE JUST GET OUR KIDS TO CURRICULUM, EVERYTHING WILL BE OK. UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE DEALING WITH REALLY COMPLEX NEEDS FOR MANY CHILDREN, WHICH MEANS SIMPLY ACCESSING THE CURRICULUM AND HAVING A HIGH EXPECTATION ON STUDENTS TO MEET CURRICULUM LEVELS IS NOT REALISTIC. WE ARE DEALING WITH COMPLEX NEEDS WHICH MEANS THAT SIMPLY WANTING OUR CHILDREN TO REACH A LITERACY OR NUMERACY BENCHMARK IS ASPIRATIONAL BUT NOT REALISTIC FOR MANY CHILDREN. WE NEED MORE FOR THOSE KIDS. SARAH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM. WE GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THIS JUST AFTER 7 O'CLOCK. AND IF I CAN JUST SAY QUICKLY, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS MY NIECE ENDED UP GOING OVERSEAS. SHE ENDED UP IN THE CLASSROOM WHERE SHE WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN SHE HAD IN THE CLASSROOM. SHE HAD ONLY BEEN WORKING TWO OR THREE YEARS. DAMN GOOD TEACHER ` SERIOUSLY. AND UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST HER BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T COPE WITH WHAT SHE WAS REQUIRED TO DO ON TOP OF HER TEACHING. WE WILL TALK TO TEACHERS LATER ON. STRUGGLING TO GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP? WHY YOUR JOB MAY BE TO BLAME? TEANA: How's life going with the new addition? BEN AND AMY: Ummmmmm... AMY: Wooah! AMY: I think we might need a bit more room. VOICEOVER: Make your move with Canstar's bank of the year for Home Loans. Search ASB Home Loans today. # WAKE UP, WAKE UP. KIA ORA ANO. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER SPEAKING WITH LEADERS FROM BOTH COUNTRIES. FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS WILL EMBARK ON A VISIT TO AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH ASIA THIS WEEK. AND IN SPORT, THE SOUTHERN STEEL HAVE NOTCHED A RECORD 28GOAL WIN OVER THE MAGIC IN THE A=N=Z HAVE NOTCHED A RECORD 28GOAL WIN OVER THE MAGIC IN THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP. WHILE WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP IS, IT CAN BE A LOT EASIER SAID THAN DONE. NEW DATA FROM MASSEY UNIVERSITY'S BUSINESS SCHOOL SHOWS 38% OF THE POPULATION STRUGGLE WITH SLEEP, AND IT MAY WELL BE TO DO WITH YOUR JOB. MASSEY UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT JARROD HAAR IS WITH US THIS MORNING TO EXPLAIN. YOU'VE WOKEN UP BRIGHT AND EARLY FOR US. HOPEFULLY IT DID NOT AFFECT YOUR SLEEP THAT MUCH. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? WE SHOULD BE, AS A USEFUL REMINDER ` GOOD SLEEP ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE GOOD QUALITY WAKING TIME. SO IF YOU ARE HAVING SLEEP PROBLEMS, I THINK ONE OF THE CLASSIC THINGS AS WE JUST TEND TO GO, IT WILL COME RIGHT. IF YOU HAVE WORK PRESSURES GOING ON, WORRIED ABOUT YOUR JOB SECURITY FOR EXAMPLE, AND THAT DEFINITELY DRIVES SLEEP PROBLEMS. YOU NEED TO BE A BIT MORE PURPOSEFUL, RATHER THAN TAKE SLEEP PROBLEMS FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND THEN SAY, YAY, NOW I AM FIXED. BUT YOU ARE EXHAUSTED BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT HAD QUALITY SLEEP FOR WEEKS. IS THAT BECAUSE THE WORKERS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD SLEEP AND DON'T DO WELL? THIS IS A GOOD POINT. IT DEFINITELY DRIVES FROM THE WORK, BUT YOU GET INTO THAT DOWNWARD SPIRAL. I AM WORRIED ABOUT WORK, I'VE GOT POOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE ` THAT IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER. IF YOU ARE IN THAT HIGH GROUP, HIGH LONELINESS AT WORK, 15 TIMES MORE LIKELY OR 11% WHO HAVE THE HIGHEST SLEEP PROBLEMS. CLOSELY FOLLOWED AT 14 TIMES THE RISK IS USING SMART TECHNOLOGY TO WORK AFTER HOURS. THOSE BLUE SCREENS ` WE HEAR IT ENDLESSLY, STOP THE DOOM SCROLLING. DEVICES BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP. THEY TRIGGER YOUR BRAIN TO BE AWAKE. IF YOU SIT THERE WIDE AWAKE AND CAN'T SLEEP, IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE JUST BEEN SPIKING` THE EQUIVALENT OF DRINKING COKE OR COFFEE AND SPIKING THINGS. YOU HAVE TO BE A BIT MORE PURPOSEFUL ABOUT THE LAYUP TO SLEEP, WOULD BE MY ADVICE. IF YOU ARE DOING PROJECT WORK WILL HAVE A DEADLINE COMING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER THINKERS AND CAN WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND IMMEDIATELY THEIR THOUGHTS GO TO WORK. HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THAT SITUATION? IN SOME RESPECTS, IF IT IS THE DEADLINE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, AND IT IS THEN OVER, I WOULD SAY, WELL, THAT JUST MIGHT BE PART OF YOUR NATURAL PROCESS. IT MIGHT BE A NATURAL PART OF THE JOB. BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE YES, THAT HAPPENS TO ME EVERY SINGLE WEEK, YOU HAVE TO BE PURPOSEFUL AND GO BACK TO THE BOSS AND SAY, HEY, AFTER SO AND SO LEFT, I BEEN DOING THEIR JOB AND IT'S BEEN THREE OR SO MONTHS, AND I DON'T SLEEP MUCH BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH WORK AND IT KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT. A GOOD REMINDER FOR WORKERS, EVEN IN THIS JOB MARKET, TO PUSH BACK IF THE WORKLOAD SEEMS TO GO ON AND ON AND ON, AND SAY, I CANNOT PHYSICALLY KEEP DOING ALL THIS EXTRA WORK. HOPEFULLY YOUR JOB ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE ANNUAL LEAVE, THOUGH. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO TAKE A BREAK ONCE IN AWHILE? ANNUAL LEAVE IS CRUCIAL. WE SEE THIS A LOT SURPRISINGLY IN THE US WHERE THEY GET A LOT LESS LEAVE. I THINK THEY GET 12 DAYS. AND THEY ARE WAY MORE LIKELY TO NOT TAKE IT ALL. IT IS CRAZY ` YOU GET TWO WEEKS, TAKE ONE WEEK. SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE LEAVE HERE. DEFINITELY USE IT, TRY TO PLANNER, TAKE SOME TIME OFF TO RELAX. BECAUSE YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND AND ALL YOUR RELATIONSHIP THAT HOME IN PARTICULAR ARE GOING TO APPRECIATE THAT MUCH BETTER AS WELL. I GOT A CONFESSION TO MAKE, ACTUALLY. MAYBE IT IS TIMELY. I HAD A WORK STREAM AHEAD OF THIS INTERVIEW. BASICALLY SOMEONE ASKED ME TO DO SOME WORK AND I REFUSED, AND WE HAD AN ARGUMENT. THIS PERSON IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE A BLOWUP ARGUMENT WITH. HAVE I GOT A PROBLEM HERE? NO. BUT PERHAPS A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST YOU PICK UP EXTRA WORK, AND YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS THE SAME, ACTUALLY, IT IS PROBABLY TIME TO STOMP ON THAT AND SAY, NO, I CAN'T. YOU GUYS CITE YOUR WORKED A VERY EARLY, SO STRAIGHT AWAY YOUR SLEEP PATTERNS PROBABLY HAVE A MUCH EARLIER BEDTIME, AND OBVIOUSLY YOU WAKE UP MUCH EARLIER. YOUR DAY FINISHES, AND SOMEONE SAYS CAN YOU COME BACK INTO THE NEWS AT 6 PM, ACTUALLY YOU ARE TOTALLY SCREWING UP MY SLEEP PATTERNS. ONCE THREE MONTHS, SURE, BUT ONCE A WEEK IS GOING TO WRECK YOU. MAYBE I SHOULD RECLINE ON THE COUCH AND TELL YOU MORE ABOUT MY DREAM. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WHAT I FOUND FASCINATING ABOUT THAT WAS THE 15%? 15 TIMES THE RISK. 15 TIMES THE RISK OF HAVING POOR SLEEP BECAUSE OF YOUR WORKPLACE RELATIONS. AND IF YOU ARE FEELING STRESSED OUT AND ANXIOUS IN THE OFFICE, THAT CAN AFFECT THAT. A LOT OF THAT WILL BE RUMINATION ` WHY DOES NO ONE LIKE ME? IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING TOO HARD ON THE CORNER BY YOURSELF. GET OUTSIDE ` A REMINDER FOR US ALL. A REMINDER THAT USING TECHNOLOGY AWAY FROM WORK, YOU TAKE SOME OF THAT, MAKE SURE IT IS PURPOSEFUL. THAT IS THE WORD YOU USED. SLEEP WELL, EVERYBODY. LET'S HOPE SO. THANK YOU, DR. ME U TONU MAI ` WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK WITH YOUR 6.30 NEWS, PLUS THE LATEST FROM THE U.S. AFTER DONALD TRUMP'S PHONE CALL WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN. TEANA: So, how's life going with the new addition? BEN AND AMY: Ummmmmm... (SONG): 'LOVE IS STRANGE' BY Mickey & Sylvia AMY: Wooah! # Love is strange. # A lot of people. AMY: Oh oh, Sunny! # Take it for a game. # AMY: I think we might need a bit more room. VOICEOVER: Make your move with Canstar's Bank of the Year for Home Loans. Search ASB Home Loans today. 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! U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS, FOLLOWING TALKS WITH THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES. IT COMES AS AIR STRIKES IN UKRAINE'S SOUTHERN REGION OF KHERSON KILL TWO PEOPLE. THE WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMING HIS CALL WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS JUST CONCLUDED, AFTER MORE THAN TWO HOURS. HE'S NOW DUE TO SPEAK WITH UKRAINE'S VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY. IT FOLLOWS UKRANIAN AND RUSSIAN DELEGATES MEETING FACE-TO-FACE IN ISTANBUL OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT FAILING TO REACH A PEACE DEAL. A NEW REPORT INTO LEARNING SUPPORT SAYS MANY SCHOOLS ARE AT BREAKING POINT AND UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION TO STUDENTS. IT FOUND SHORTAGES IN THOSE PROVIDING IN-CLASSROOM SUPPORT AND A BIG GAP IN CO-ORDINATORS WHO HANDLE FUNDING AND PAPERWORK. IT ALSO SAYS WHILE AROUND 6% TO 7% OF KIDS ARE FUNDED FOR SUPPORT, UP TO 20% MAY NEED IT. AOTEAROA EDUCATORS' COLLECTIVE SARAH AIONO AUTHORED THE REPORT AND SAYS THE BUREAUCRACY OF GETTING FUNDING IS COSTING SCHOOLS. THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT ARE FUNDING OUT OF THEIR OWN OPERATIONAL GRANT TO COVER FOR TEACHER AIDES. THEY DON'T GET ANY FUNDING BETWEEN THAT TIME, OR THEY DO IT'S VERY MINIMAL. SHE SAYS THE SITUATION IS THE WORST SHE'S EVER SEEN IT. BOWEL CANCER SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES WILL PROTEST OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TODAY. THEIR AIM IS TO CONVINCE THE GOVERNMENT TO LOWER THE BOWEL CANCER SCREENING AGE TO 45. IT COMES AFTER THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IN MARCH IT WOULD BE LOWERING THE AGE FROM 60 TO 58 BY 'REDIRECTING' MONEY PREVIOUSLY SET ASIDE TO LOWER THE AGE TO 50 FOR MAORI AND PACIFIC PEOPLE. MORE THAN 1200 NEW ZEALANDERS DIE FROM BOWEL CANCER EACH YEAR. WARRIORS CO-CAPTAIN JAMES FISHER-HARRIS HAS COPPED A ONE-MATCH BAN FOR A HIGH TACKLE IN HIS SIDE'S WIN OVER THE DOLPHINS ON SATURDAY. THE 29 YEAR OLD PROP SENT OFF FOR A HIGH SHOT LATE IN THE MATCH, IN HIS FIRST GAME BACK FROM A PEC INJURY. HE'S SET TO MISS THIS WEEK'S MATCH AGAINST THE RAIDERS. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN IN NORTHLAND WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED ON THE EAST COAST. FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, THERE ARE CLEAR BLUE SKIES. 18 YOUR HIGH IN WHANGANUI. ROTORUA YOUR HIGH IS 14. IT'S A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE UPPER REGIONS AND CANTERBURY HERE TODAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SHOWERS TO BE EXPECTED IN THE WEST COAST AND LOWER SOUTH ISLAND THIS MORNING. NELSON, YOUR HIGH IS 18. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) STAYING WITH BUSINESS, AND THE UK AND THE EUROPEAN UNION HAVE ANNOUNCED A SERIES OF NEW DEALS AIMED AT RESETTING BRITAIN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH EUROPE POST BREXIT. AMONG THE DEALS, ALLOWING UK FIRMS TO SELL RAW SAUSAGES AT BURGERS TO THE EU, AND OPENING BRITISH WATERS TO EUROPEAN FISHING FOR 12 YEARS. HERE'S THE BBC'S IAN WATSON. CROSS-CHANNEL RELATIONS ARE GETTING CLOSER. WARM SMILES FROM THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION'S MOST SENIOR OFFICIALS. EVEN THOUGH A POST-BREXIT DEAL WAS STILL BEING HAMMERED OUT WITHIN HOURS OF THE UK-EU SUMMIT GETTING UNDERWAY. THIS IS THE FIRST UK-EU SUMMIT. AND IT MARKS A NEW ERA IN OUR RELATIONSHIP. THIS IS A BIG DAY BECAUSE WE ARE NOW TURNING THE PAGE AND OPENING A NEW CHAPTER ` A NEW CHAPTER THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN THESE TIMES BECAUSE WE SEE THE RISE OF GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS. BUT WE ARE LIKE-MINDED. WE SHARE THE SAME VALUES. AND THE GOVERNMENT IS KEEN TO HIGHLIGHT AGREEMENT ON DEFENCE AND SECURITY, A NEW PACT WHICH WILL IMPROVE ACCESS TO LUCRATIVE MARKETS, AS EU COUNTRIES REARM. THE GOVERNMENT'S CALCULATION IS THAT EVEN THOSE WHO VOTED FOR BREXIT WANT SOME OF THE FRICTION EASED, SO WE WILL GET WIDER ACCESS TO E-GATES, CUTTING WAITING TIMES FOR BRITISH TRAVELLERS AT EU BORDERS. THE GOVERNMENT SAID THEY HAVEN'T CROSSED ANY OF THE RED LINES IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REJOINING THE EU'S CUSTOMS UNION, WHICH COULD HAVE LIMITED THE UK'S ABILITY TO DO TRADE DEALS AROUND THE WORLD. AND WITH NO RETURN TO THE SINGLE MARKET, WHICH IN TURN, THEY SAY, MEANS NO RETURN TO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. THAT'S WHY NEGOTIATIONS ON A YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME HAVE BEEN TRICKY. THIS WOULD ALLOW YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UK TEMPORARILY TO WORK IN THE EU, AND VICE VERSA. THE DETAILS OF WHAT'S NOW BEING REBADGED AS A YOUTH EXPERIENCE SCHEME HAVE YET TO BE WORKED OUT. OPPONENTS SAY IT'S FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT BY THE BACK DOOR. SUPPORTERS SAY THE GOVERNMENT'S BEING OVERLY CAUTIOUS. WELL, WE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WANTED TO SEE A FULL YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME FOR THE UK AND THE EU TO BENEFIT YOUNG PEOPLE HERE IN THE UK. WE WOULD HAVE WANTED TO SEE AN EU-UK CUSTOMS UNION TO RIP UP THAT RED TAPE AND ENABLE BRITISH BUSINESSES TO EXPORT TO OUR CLOSEST NEIGHBOUR, AND A MUCH DEEPER SECURITY TIE AS WELL, AND SO THAT WE CAN FACE DOWN THE THREATS FROM PUTIN AND OF COURSE, THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF DONALD TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE. KEIR STARMER HAS TO PERFORM A DELICATE BALANCING ACT, IMPROVING TRADE WITH THEIR NEW NEIGHBOURS WITHOUT REOPENING THE DIVISIONS OF BREXIT. BUT MODERN DAY POLITICS IS ANYTHING BUT DELICATE. BACK HERE, WE'RE GOING TO DELVE INTO A BIT MORE EDUCATION STUFF COMING UP AFTER 7 O'CLOCK. ABOUT HOW THE BUDGET IS GOING TO FUND THAT AND LEARNING SUPPORT. WHOSE AUTHOR A REPORT ABOUT HOW THE SYSTEM IS AT BREAKING POINT. IT IS ABOUT CHILDREN WHO NEED EXTRA ATTENTION IN THE CLASSROOM. IT COULD BE PHYSICAL ` THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE OF THINGS CHILDREN MIGHT REQUIRE. THEIR ATTENTION MOST OF IT WILL GO TO THESE KIDS. IF YOU THINK IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S JUST AFFECTING A FEW PEOPLE IN YOUR CLASS, ACTUALLY IT'S NOT THE CASE.. THEIR ATTENTION IS STRETCHED ACROSS THE BOARD, AREN'T THEY. PAULA HAS JUST SAID THAT RURAL SCHOOLS, THEY GOT CHALLENGING STUDENTS, TEACHERS ARE PASSIONATE AND WORK HARD TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS WITH NO HELP FROM OUTSIDE AGENCIES. IT'S NO WONDER THAT TEACHING ISN'T ATTRACTIVE AS A PROFESSION, BECAUSE THEY ARE INUNDATED WITH ALL OF THE PAPERWORK, AND WE HEARD THAT FROM OUR FIRST GUEST ABOUT APPLYING FOR LEARNING SUPPORT AND THE BUREAUCRACY THAT'S INVOLVED IN THAT. THE FACT THAT WHEN THEY DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN, WHERE THE GOVERNMENT OR MINISTRY FUNDS THAT, IT'S USUALLY MINIMUM WAGE. AND DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE EXPERTISE THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THOSE LEARNING SUPPORT TEACHERS TO COME IN AND HELP THOSE KIDS. THE SCHOOLS ARE INEVITABLY HAVING TO TOP THAT UP, AS WELL. SCHOOLS ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIND THE MONEY TO PAY THOSE TEACHERS WHEN IT'S COMING FROM OPERATIONAL FUNDS. IT'S A MASSIVE BUDGET THAT COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN THE SCHOOL ITSELF, WHETHER IT'S MAINTENANCE ON THE BUILDINGS, HIGH TEA STUFF... WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR STORIES. MAYBE YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF HEROES IN YOUR SCHOOL AND YOU WANT TO JUST SEND A SHOUT OUT WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. ME U TONU MAI. HOW CATS COULD BE AFFECTING THE SIGHT OF THOUSANDS OF NEW ZEALANDERS. BUT FIRST, DONALD TRUMP'S DISCUSSED UKRAINE WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN. SO, IS THERE ANY SIGN OF ENDING THE WAR? 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! Introducing the new Subway Signature Menu. It's all... Oh, hey Andy, whatcha doing? Bit busy Hame, just the new Subway ad. Oh right. No, go for it. Yeah, OK... It's all your favourites, with specially chosen ingredients for just the right amount of juicy, melty, cheesy, crispy, tangy, smoky, saucy, all-round cravey awesomeness. That's great Andy. Now just finish with saying "It's your shortcut to Tasty Town my friends." Is that coming from you or from subway? That's from all of us mate! (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! HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. A NEW REPORT INTO LEARNING SUPPORT SAYS MANY SCHOOLS ARE AT BREAKING POINT AND UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION TO STUDENTS. BOWEL CANCER SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES WILL PROTEST OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TODAY. THEIR AIM IS TO CONVINCE THE GOVERNMENT TO LOWER THE BOWEL CANCER SCREENING AGE TO 45. AND IN SPORT, WARRIORS CO-CAPTAIN JAMES FISHER HARRIS HAS COPPED A ONE-MATCH BAN FOR A HIGH TACKLE IN HIS SIDE'S WIN OVER THE DOLPHINS ON SATURDAY. AFTER A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING BETWEEN UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS FAILED TO YIELD ANY PROGRESS ON A PEACE PLAN, U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS PICKED UP THE PHONE, SPEAKING WITH VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY AND VLADIMIR PUTIN. FOR MORE, U.S. CORRESPONDENT LOGAN CHURCH JOINS US NOW FROM NEW YORK. WHAT HAS COME OUT OF THAT CALL BETWEEN THE U.S. AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS? WELL, CHRIS THIS IS THE THIRD CALL BETWEEN TRUMP AND PUTIN. ON THE FACE OF IT, BOTH PRESIDENT SAID IT WENT WELL. JUST BEFORE I CAME ON AIR TO CHAT TO YOU GUYS DONALD TRUMP PUT A STATEMENT ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA, IN WHICH HE SAID RUSSIA AND UKRAINE WILL, QUOTE, IMMEDIATELY BEGIN CEASE-FIRE NEGOTIATIONS. INTERESTINGLY, A LITTLE BIT LATER ON, DONALD TRUMP SAID RUSSIA WANTS TO DO A LARGE-SCALE TRADE WITH THE UNITED STATES WHEN THIS CATASTROPHIC BLOODBATH IS OVER. HE AGREES THERE IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR RUSSIA. A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT A POST--WAR SITUATION BETWEEN RUSSIAN UNITED STATES LOOK LIKE. AFTER THIS PHONE CALL, WHICH LASTED SEVERAL HOURS, TRUMP SAID HE ALSO SPOKE WITH UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT AND OTHER EUROPEAN LEADERS, INCLUDING THE FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUELLE MACRON. DISCUSSIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN GOING ON BETWEEN BOTH PARTIES. REPRESENTATIVES BUT FOR RUSSIA AND UKRAINE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING IN ISTANBUL. ALL LEADERS, INCLUDING DONALD TRUMP AND ZIELINSKI MIGHT MEET, YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT TRUMP WAS IN THE MIDDLE EAST RECENTLY. DONALD TRUMP HOPING THAT TODAY'S PHONE CALL MIGHT BE A STEP CLOSER TOWARDS SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION HERE. DOES IT LOOK LIKE THERE IS ANY MOVEMENT TOWARDS SOME SORT OF CEASEFIRE OR PEACE DEAL? WELL, CHRIS, ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS HERE IS THAT WHILE EVERYBODY, EVERY SIDE, EFFECTIVELY, SAYS THEY WANT PEACE. THE IDEA OF WHAT THAT PIECE IS, IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. FOR EXAMPLE, RUSSIA SAYS ITS INVASION WAS TOTALLY JUSTIFIED. UKRAINE HAS FACED AN ILLEGAL INVASION. AMERICA, WHICH IS USUALLY BEEN UKRAINE'S STRONG SUPPORTER, SAYS IT WANTS AN IMMEDIATE END TO THIS CONFLICT. DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGNED ON THIS PROMISE THAT HE WOULD END THE CONFLICT ON THE FIRST DAY OF HIS PRESIDENCY. EUROPE IS LOOKING AT THIS CONFLICT INCREDIBLY NERVOUSLY NOT ONLY HAVE MANY COUNTRIES INVESTED HEAVILY INTO UKRAINE'S DEFENSE, THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AN AGGRESSIVE RUSSIA. ALL COUNTRIES SAY THEY WANT PEACE, BUT THERE IS NOT MUCH MOVEMENT AT THIS STAGE ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT HAPPEN, AS EVERYBODY STILL SEEMS QUITE FAR APART. BUT NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN ONGOING, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE. IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING, THAT THIS INVASION, THIS FIGHTING ON THE GROUND IS STILL HAPPENING. EASTERN VILLAGES, AND TOWNS ON THE FRONT LINES OF THIS WAR WHO HAVE BEEN BATTLING NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND IN OTHER NEWS, FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. WHAT HAS THE REACTION BEEN? YES, SOME VERY SAD NEWS OUT OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S OFFICE. REVEALS THAT JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AN AGGRESSIVE FORM OF PROSTATE CANCER, THEY DESCRIBED AS STAGE IV. THE DOCTORS SAID IT WAS TREATABLE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S NECESSARILY CURABLE. THERE'S BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR JOE BIDEN, INCLUDING FROM DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF. YOU'LL REMEMBER, THAT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, DONALD TRUMP HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT JOE BIDEN'S HEALTH, BUT THAT'S BEEN PUT ASIDE, AS HE SAID THAT HIM AND MILANI YOU ARE DEEPLY SADDENED. PARTICULARLY DURING THE ELECTION, YOU'LL REMEMBER THE DISASTROUS DEBATES, WHERE JOE BIDEN WAS ENTIRELY OFF TRACK AND LOST HIS TRAIN OF THOUGHTS, HAD CONFUSION AROUND WORLD LEADERS, HE ACCIDENTALLY CALLED SOMEONE VLADIMIR PUTIN. THIS LED TO JOE BIDEN STEPPING ASIDE AND, LET HARRIS TAKING THE REINS AND LEADING THE DEMOCRATS LAST ELECTION. SINCE HE LAST THAT ELECTION, JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN KEEPING A RELATIVELY LOW PROFILE. SINCE THE LAST TWO WEEKS HE HAS ONE, CRITICISE DONALD TRUMP'S POLICY ON UKRAINE, WELL IT HAS BEEN ALLEGED THAT DURING THE FINAL PART OF HIS PRESIDENCY BIDEN WAS SUFFERING FROM SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE DECLINE. THOSE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN DENIED AND REFUSED. BUT CERTAINLY, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE PRAYING TODAY AND THIS WEEK FOR THE HEALTH OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT.. LOGAN CHURCH, U.S. CORRESPONDENT. LOVELY TO SEE YOU ON WHAT LOOKS LIKE A LOVELY DAY IN NEW YORK. E HAERE AKE NEI ` WHAT EDUCATORS ARE HOPING FOR OUT OF THURSDAY'S BUDGET. PLUS, THE PARASITE SPREAD BY CATS THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED PERMANENT VISION LOSS IN THOUSANDS OF NEW ZEALANDERS. BEAUTIFUL IN AUCKLAND THIS MORNING. 16 DEGREES AND FINE. THERE WILL BE SOME EVENING CLOUD AND SHOWERS OUT WEST, EASING THIS EVENING. LOOK AT THAT ` ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS THIS MORNING. WELLINGTON. YOU ARE LOOKING GOOD AS WELL. 15 DEGREES TODAY. NORTHERLIES TURNING SOUTHERLY A LITTLE BIT LATER ON THIS EVENING. I DO LIKE THAT SHOT. JUST BEFORE 7 O'CLOCK IT IS DARK, ISN'T IT? CHRISTCHURCH AGAIN ` 15 DEGREES FOR YOU. CLOUD INCREASING IN THE AFTERNOON. SOU'WESTERLIES DEVELOPING THIS MORNING. IT IS 6:55. A PARASITE SPREAD BY CATS MAY HAVE CAUSED PERMANENT LOSS OF VISION IN UP TO 10,000 NEW ZEALANDERS, ACCORDING TO UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO RESEARCHERS. TOXOPLASMA GONDII IS A SERIOUS INFECTION. AND DESPITE RESEARCHERS IDENTIFYING PROMISING TREATMENTS, A LACK OF FUNDING IS STALLING EFFORTS TO TACKLE THE DISEASE. AND DESPITE RESEARCHERS IDENTIFYING PROMISING TREATMENTS, A LACK OF FUNDING IS STALLING EFFORTS TO TACKLE THE DISEASE. NEW ZEALAND HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST INFECTION RATES GLOBALLY, WITH UP TO 40,000 PEOPLE NATIONWIDE INFECTED ANNUALLY. PARASITOLOGIST BRUCE RUSSEL JOINS US NOW FROM DUNEDIN. BRUCE, GOOD MORNING. HOW DOES THIS PARASITES SHIFT TO HUMANS? KIA ORA. IT IS AN INFECTION CAUSED BY PARASITES SPREAD MAINLY BY CATS. THINK OF AS A SILENT INVADER SITTING IN YOUR BODY FOR YEARS. IT REPRODUCES IN CATS WHERE THE PARASITE PRODUCES ITS EGGS, AND IT SPREAD THROUGH FAECES OR IF WE EAT UNDERCOOKED MEAT. SO IT IS NOT JUST IN CATS? IT ONLY REPRODUCES IN CATS. I AM NOT A CAT HATER BY THE WAY ` I HAVE A CAT OF MY OWN. IT IS UNFORTUNATELY ONE PARASITE THAT WILL ONLY BREED IN CATS. THE SAD THING FOR US AND THE ENVIRONMENT AS THE EGGS THEY PRODUCE CAN AFFECT ANYTHING THAT HAS A BACKBONE. WHETHER IT IS DOLPHINS OR US OR COWS OR SHEEP, IT CAN INFECT ANYTHING. HOW DOES THAT CAUSE BLINDNESS IN HUMANS? FOR MOST PEOPLE, IT IS JUST A SILENT INVADER. YOU MAY GET A LITTLE FLU OR SOMETHING THAT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT ODD. BUT THE PROBLEM IS IT IS A BIT OF A WHEEL OF FORTUNE. WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE PARASITE ENDS UP. IT COULD BE IN A BIT OF MUSCLE WHERE IT DOES NOTHING. BUT IT COULD JUST UNFORTUNATELY END UP IN OUR RETINA ` THE BACK PART OF OUR EYE ` OR IN OUR BRAINS. IT FEELS LIKE WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THIS. AND IT IMPACTS SO MANY NEW ZEALANDERS. SO WHY IS IT THAT THIS IS NOT WELL-KNOWN? ONE OF THOSE DISEASES THAT WE ARE JUST STARTING TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT. IT HAS BEEN A HEAD ON PARASITE. WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT TOXO AND ITS EFFECT ON THE EYES FOR YEARS, BUT WE ARE SEEING ALARMING RATES OF OCULAR TOXOPLASMOSIS. AS OF RIGHT NOW, AROUND 10,000 PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR VISION TO IT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE BRAIN EITHER. WE ARE STARTING TO THINK IT IS LINKED TO A RANGE OF THINGS LIKE BIPOLAR DISORDER, SCHIZOPHRENIA AND PERHAPS ALSO DEPRESSION. WITH OUR STATISTICS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, WHY ARE OUR INFECTION RATES HIGHER THAN ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE WORLD? THE LAST TIME THEY DID A STUDY WAS 25 YEARS AGO. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WHAT WE DO SEE IS HECTOR'S DOLPHINS ENDING UP ON OUR BEACH WITH THEIR BRAINS RIDDLED WITH TOXOPLASMA. THAT MEANS A HIGH AMOUNT IS GOING INTO THE WATERWAYS. SEEING NURSES AND YOUNG STUDENTS WITH THE SORT OF THINGS IN THEIR EYES, WE START TO WORRY ABOUT THE LEVEL OF INFECTION. AT THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE JUST DON'T KNOW, AND THERE ARE JUST NO STUDIES ANYMORE LOOKING AT THESE PARASITES IN HUMANS. SO WE NEED TO DO MORE STUDIES. WHAT ABOUT TREATMENTS ` IS IT EASY TO TREAT? THERE ARE TREATMENTS IF WHEN PEOPLE WHEN PEOPLE GET THE FEVER, THEY GET TREATMENT. BUT ONCE IT GETS INTO OUR BRAINS, THERE IS NOT MUCH WE CAN DO. AS IT IS IN OUR EYES, IT REQUIRES MULTIPLE TREATMENT PHASES. NOT ONLY THAT, BY THE TIME THE TREATMENTS WORK, THE SCARRING CAUSED TO THE BACK OF THE RETINA CAUSES PERMANENT EYE LOSS. WE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE SEEN THIS WITH A NUMBER OF CASES RECENTLY WHERE VERY PROMISING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH GREAT CAREERS IN MIND HAVE LOST ONE QUARTER OF THEIR CENTRAL VISION. QUICKLY TO WRAP THINGS UP ` IN TERMS OF CASUAL CONTACT WITH A CAT, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOIL AND LITTER, AREN'T WE? THERE ARE SIMPLE STEPS TO PREVENT PARASITE INFECTION ` WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER GARDENING AND HANDLING CAT LITTER, COOK MEAT THOROUGHLY, AND CONSIDER CLIMATE FRIENDLY CAT OWNERSHIP PRACTICES. TRY AND KEEP YOUR CAT INSIDE MORE OFTEN. BY THE WAY, KITTENS ARE PERHAPS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM. THE NUMBER ONE THING IF YOU FORGET EVERYTHING I'VE SAID, PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD GO NOWHERE NEAR CAT LITTER ` GET THEIR PARTNERS TO LOOK AFTER THAT LITTLE JOB. LET'S HOPE WE CAN GET SOME MORE FUNDING, RIGHT? SO WE CAN LOOK AT MORE TREATMENTS AND MORE STUDIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. KIA ORA. FASCINATING. STILL TO COME ON THE SHOW THIS MORNING ` WHY TEACHERS SAY THE LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEM IS 'BROKEN' AND WHAT THEY'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE IN THURSDAY'S BUDGET. ALSO AHEAD ` LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS JOINS US SHORTLY. DOES THE PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME AS TE PATI MAORI MPs FACE A LENGTH SUSPENSION FROM PARLIAMENT? AND LATER ` ATTENTION SPANS ARE SHRINKING, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO STRETCH THEM OUT AGAIN? IT'S 7 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. THANKS, CHRIS. ISRAEL'S EXPANSION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN GAZA HAS BEEN CONDEMNED BY THE UK, CANADA AND FRANCE. IN A JOINT STATEMENT, THE LEADERS OF THE THREE COUNTRIES SAID THE LEVEL OF HUMAN SUFFERING IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY IS 'INTOLERABLE'. IT COMES AFTER AN 11-WEEK AID BLOCKADE LIFTED YESTERDAY, ALLOWING SOME FOOD INTO GAZA, BUT THE STATEMENT SAYS THAT IS WHOLLY INADEQUATE. THE LEADERS HAVE THREATENED FURTHER CONCRETE ACTIONS IF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT CONTINUES ITS RENEWED MILITARY OFFENSIVE AND DOES NOT LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON HUMANITARIAN AID. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS FOLLOWING TALKS WITH THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES. IT COMES AS AIR STRIKES IN UKRAINE'S SOUTHERN REGION OF KHERSON KILL TWO PEOPLE. THE WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMING HIS CALL WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS JUST CONCLUDED AFTER MORE THAN TWO HOURS. HE'S NOW DUE TO SPEAK WITH UKRAINE'S VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY. IT FOLLOWS UKRANIAN AND RUSSIAN DELEGATES MEETING FACE TO FACE IN ISTANBUL OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT FAILING TO REACH A PEACE DEAL. THE EDUCATION SECTOR IS HOPEFUL THE NEXT BUDGET WILL DELIVER ON LEARNING SUPPORT, WITH A NEW REPORT FINDING MANY SCHOOLS ARE AT BREAKING POINT AND UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION TO STUDENTS. IT FOUND SHORTAGES IN THOSE PROVIDING IN-CLASSROOM SUPPORT, AND BIG GAPS IN CO-ORDINATORS WHO HANDLE FUNDING AND PAPERWORK. THE EDUCATION MINISTER HAS CALLED THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THE 'LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET'. REPORT AUTHOR SARAH AIONO SAYS SHE'S HOPEFUL THAT'S TRUE, BUT FEELS THERE'S TOO MUCH FOCUS CURRENTLY ON CURRICULUM ACHIEVEMENT. UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE DEALING WITH COMPLEX NEEDS FOR MANY CHILDREN, WHICH MEANS ACCESSING THE CURRICULUM AND HAVING A HAKE SPECTATING ON STUDENTS TO MEET EXPECTED CURRICULUM LEVELS IS NOT REALISTIC. SHE SAYS SCHOOLS SHE'S SPOKEN TOFIND IT TOO HARD AND TIME-CONSUMING TO SECURE FUNDING FOR LEARNING SUPPORT, AND THE SYSTEM NEEDS TO CHANGE. THE SOUTHERN STEEL HAVE DEFEATED THE MAGIC BY 28 GOALS IN THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP TO RECORD THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. THE SOUTHERNERS STILL MISSING MIDCOURTER KATE HEFFERNAN THROUGH INJURY, BUT PUTTING TOGETHER A DOMINANT PERFORMANCE TO WIN 69-41. IT'S THEIR FIRST WIN OVER THE MAGIC IN THREE YEARS. OH, SO GOOD. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD HEAPS OF INJURIES OVER THE PAST WEEK, REALLY LATE INJURIES AS WELL. ABBY JUST WAS OUT THE OTHER DAY. SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM AND HOW WE OVERCAME THIS. IT LEAVES THE MAGIC AS THE ONLY SIDE YET TO WIN AFTER TWO ROUNDS. REMINDER ` ANZ PREMIERSHIP ON TVNZ 2 AND TVNZ+ 4 PM ON SATURDAY. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN IN NORTHLAND WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED ON THE EAST COAST. FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, THERE ARE CLEAR BLUE SKIES. 18 YOUR HIGH IN WHANGANUI. ROTORUA YOUR HIGH IS 14. IT'S A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE UPPER REGIONS AND CANTERBURY HERE TODAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SHOWERS TO BE EXPECTED IN THE WEST COAST AND LOWER SOUTH ISLAND THIS MORNING. NELSON, YOUR HIGH IS 18. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. THANKS, JENNY MAY. LEARNING SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS IS AT BREAKING POINT, WITH FAMILIES BATTLING BUREAUCRACY, UNDERFUNDING, AND LONG WAIT TIMES FOR CRITICAL HELP. THAT'S ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT FROM THE AOTEAROA EDUCATORS' COLLECTIVE, AND IT COULDN'T BE MORE TIMELY. BUDGET 2025 LANDS THIS THURSDAY, AND SO FAR, WE'VE SEEN MORE MONEY FOR MATHS AND IMPROVING ATTENDANCE. AS PART OF OUR PRE-BUDGET SERIES THIS WEEK AND TO FIND OUT WHAT EDUCATORS REALLY NEED, WE'RE JOINED BY ROSS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL TEACHER LIAM RUTHERFORD IN PALMERSTON NORTH, AND ARAKURA SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TUTE MILA IN WAINUIOMATA. GOOD MORNING TO THE BOTH OF YOU. LIAM, I WILL START WITH YOU. HOW BAD IS THE NEED HERE THAT WE ARE SEEING? LOOK, IT IS NOT OFTEN YOU FIND IN THE EDUCATION SECTOR WHERE PEOPLE ARE UNITED AROUND AN ISSUE, BUT LEARNING SUPPORTERS NUMBER ONE. TEACHERS, PARENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTED BATTLING THE SYSTEM. SO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW WITH THE EDUCATION MINISTER TRAVELLING THE COUNTRY LEARNING ABOUT HOW IT IS BEFORE THE BUDGET. THEY HAVE TAKEN FUNDING OUT OF ONE AREA AND PUT IN ANOTHER WHEN WHAT WE NEED IS GENUINE REAL INVESTMENT. WHERE DOES THAT SCEPTICISM COME FROM? WHAT I YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? EVERY OTHER DAY WE ARE HEARING SOME TYPE OF STAFF OR BUDGET CUTS. WE HAVE BEEN TOLD TO ACCEPT CUTS FOR FUNDING OF SCHOOLS WORKING TOGETHER, SUPPORT FOR LITERACY AND MAORI TEACHER SPECIALIST WAS NOT AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE BEING TOLD THIS IS THE LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET. THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO REARRANGE THE DECKCHAIRS ` WE NEED MORE IN THE BUDGET. SOME SCHOOLS WILL ALREADY BE TAKING FUNDS OUT OF THEIR OPERATIONAL BUDGET TO TRY AND PROVIDE THOSE TEACHERS. WHERE OUR SCHOOL IS GOING TO FINANCE FROM AND HOW CRUCIAL IS IT THAT THEY DO NOT ROB PETER TO PAY PAUL AND HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM ELSEWHERE? HAD SOFTER PRINCIPLES AROUND THE COUNTRY, BECAUSE THEY DO SUCH A GREAT JOB WALKING A TIGHTROPE, MANAGING THOSE BUDGETS AND TRYING TO TURN DUST INTO MAGIC, WHICH IS WHY WE ACTUALLY NEED TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF THEM, SO THEY CAN GO BACK TO BEING THE PROFESSIONAL LEADERS OF THEIR SCHOOL BY INVESTING GENUINELY IN THE LEARNING SUPPORT. I THINK OFTEN WE FIND THAT WE ARE CHASING EXCELLENCE IN THE WAY THAT WE GO, WHEN IN ACTUAL FACT, GOOD RIGHT NOW WOULD BE FANTASTIC. SO ONE REALLY OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUDGET RIGHT NOW IS THE INTRODUCTION OF TEACHER AIDS AND CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE NEED MORE HANDS ON DECK. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT TEACHER AIDES WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. IT IS ABOUT FREEING UP THE TEACHER TO ENSURE EQUITY OF ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM FOR EVERYBODY IN THE CLASSROOM. I THINK OFTEN PEOPLE HERE LEARNING SUPPORT AND THINK IT ONLY AFFECTS A SMALL GROUP OF KIDS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. IT ACTUALLY AFFECTS EVERYTHING A CHILD IN THE CLASSROOM AND EVERYTHING WILL CLASSROOM IN THE COUNTRY. IT WILL BE A HOMERUN FOR THE GOVERNMENT WAS CALLING THIS A LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET, TO ROLL OUT A GREATER NUMBER OF TEACHER AIDS AND CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. TUTE MILA WHO HAS BEEN VERY PATIENTLY WAITING, I AM GOING TO BRING YOU IN HERE. LIAM TOUCHES ON A VERY IMPORTANT POINT ` THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT A SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS. IT IS AFFECTING EVERYONE, ISN'T IT? IT IS. YOU CANNOT HAVE QUALITY TEACHING AND QUALITY PROGRAM WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR THE CHILDREN THAT NEED ADDITIONAL HELP. AND SO THAT IS WHAT THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION IS AROUND LEARNING SUPPORT ` THAT IF WE HAVE THE ASSISTANCE IN THE CLASSROOM, THEN EVERYBODY WINS. YOU'VE SEEN THE REPORT ` WHAT SORT OF PICTURE DO YOU THINK IT PAINTS, AND IS IT AN ACCURATE ONE? IT IS AN ACCURATE ONE. IT HAS NEVER BEEN SO BAD AS IT IS NOW. AND LEARNING SUPPORT HAS BEEN THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME. AND IT HAS JUST GOTTEN WORSE AS NEEDS HAVE INCREASED. BUT THE RESOURCING TO ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED IN A TIMELY WAY HAS NOT KEPT UP AT ALL. CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR OWN SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS YOU HAVE BEEN TO AND SEEN ABOUT THAT RESOURCE BEING STRETCHED THEN AND TEACHERS HAVING TO, LIKELY SAID, TURN DUST INTO MAGIC? WE CERTAINLY LEAN ON A BIT OF MAGICAL THE TIME AND PRAYER, REALLY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SYSTEM IS SO STRETCHED THAT, YOU KNOW ` WE HAD A SITUATION LAST YEAR WHERE WE NEEDED A PSYCHOLOGIST STRAIGHT AWAY, BUT WE DID NOT GET THE PSYCHOLOGIST UNTIL LAST WEEK. AND IT IS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR LOCAL MINISTRY OFFICE ` THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, BUT THEY ARE SO STRETCHED THAT THEY CANNOT GET TO THESE HIGH AND COMPLEX NEEDS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL IN A TIMELY WAY. SO WHAT WE ARE HAVING TO DO AS A SCHOOL AS DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. AT MY SCHOOL, WE ARE VERY MUCH USING ALMOST ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS GRANT TO PROVIDE A TEACHER AID IN EVERY CLASSROOM, BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE CHILDREN THAT NEED HELP GET HELP WHILE ENSURING THAT ALL OF THE OTHER KIDS STILL HAVE THE RICH PROGRAM AS WELL. AND SO WITHOUT THE EXTRA SUPPORT FOR OUR KAIAKO, IT IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE. BUT IT IS ALSO IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO CONTINUE FUNDING AT THIS WAY, IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE, AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED THIS INVESTMENT IN LEARNING SUPPORT. WHAT SORT OF TOLD THIS ATTACK ON THE TEACHERS THAT ARE THERE AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH ISSUES THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE DREAMT OF HAVING TO DEAL WITH WHEN THEY WERE GOING THROUGH TEACHERS COLLEGE AND JUST WANTING TO TEACH KIDS? IT IS REALLY TOUGH, EH, CHRIS. WE ARE HEARING STORIES FROM ALL AROUND THE MOTU TEACHER STRUGGLING. THEY'RE HERE TO DO THEIR BEST FOR TAMARIKI AND BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN THE GOOD OF EDUCATION. BUT THEIR EFFORTS ARE GREATLY HAMPERED WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THE BASIC TOOLS TO SUPPORT ALL THEIR CHILDREN. AND IT HAS GOT TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE DESPAIRING NOW, BECAUSE YOU LITERALLY CAN'T. IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT THE SUPPORT AROUND YOU TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN, IT IS ALL ENTIRELY ON YOU AND OF THE SCHOOL, AND THAT IS NOT OK ` THAT IS A BURDEN THAT EDUCATORS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CARRY. THAT IS A SYSTEMIC FAILURE. LIAM, WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT AHEAD OF THURSDAY'S BUDGET DAY? I MEAN, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO NOT INVEST IN A LEARNING SUPPORT SYSTEM AND HOPE THAT EVERYTHING WILL COME RIGHT IN THE FUTURE. WE DO NEED LONG-TERM INVESTMENT, BUT LONG-TERM INVESTMENT STARTS WITH SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT. AND SO IT IS GREAT THAT THIS IS BEING HERALDED AS THE LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SEE FUNDING TO DO JUSTICE TO THAT. TUTE, DO YOU SHARE SOME OF LIAM'S CYNICISM IN THAT YOU ARE HOPEFUL BUT STILL WORRIED ABOUT HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO BE PACKAGED UP? I DEFINITELY SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENTS NZTA HAS PUT OUT A REPORT CALLED WORKING TOGETHER. THAT CONTAINS THE SOLUTION FOR THE SITUATION WE'RE IN, BUT IT REQUIRES REPOR CALLED WORKING TOGETHER. THAT CONTAINS THE SOLUTION FOR THE SITUATION WE'RE IN, BUT IT REQUIRES AN INVESTMENT OF $2.5 BILLION OVER FIVE YEARS. THAT IS THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT WE NEED. APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU COMING ONTO THE SHOW THIS MORNING. WE REACHED OUT TO EDUCATION MINISTER ERICA STANFORD FOR COMMENT. SHE TOLD US... E HAERE AKE NEI ` WHAT'S CHRIS HIPKINS EXPECTING TO SEE ON BUDGET DAY? THE LABOUR LEADER JOINS US NEXT. # I DON'T EVER THINK TWICE. 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! HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING. MANY SCHOOLS ARE AT BREAKING POINT AND UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SUPERVISION TO STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT. OVERSEAS, ISRAELI'S EXPANDED MILITARY OPERATION IN GAZA HAS BEEN CONDEMNED BY THE UK, CANADA AND FRANCE, AS BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CLAIMS ISRAEL WILL CONTROL ALL OF THE TERRITORY. AND IN SPORT ` THE SOUTHERN STEEL HAVE DEFEATED THE MAGIC BY 28 GOALS IN THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP TO RECORD THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON. HOLD YOUR BREATH ` WE'RE JUST TWO DAYS AWAY FROM FINDING OUT EXACTLY HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL SPEND TAXPAYER MONEY IN THE BUDGET. IT'S ALREADY ANNOUNCED SOME OF ITS PLANS, LIKE $12b FOR DEFENCE AND $164m FOR AFTER-HOURS HEALTH CARE. BUT SAVING MONEY IS A MAJOR THEME. NICOLA WILLIS HAS HALVED THE AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY THAT WILL BE SPENT, NOT TO MENTION CONTENTIOUS CHANGES TO THE EQUAL PAY ACT THAT HAVE SAVED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS JOINS US NOW. MORNING. WHAT NEW BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE YOU EXPECTING ON THURSDAY? WELL, I MEAN, I THINK FUNDAMENTALLY BUDGETS ARE ABOUT THE FUTURE. SO I THINK THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO THREE THINGS THEY NEED TO TELL THE PUBLIC THAT THE CUTS THAT THEY RELY ON ON A DAILY BASIS ARE GOING TO STOP. PROMISES THEY MADE TO NEW ZEALANDERS. AND THEY NEED TO TELL US THAT THERE'S A PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE GIVING UP HOPE, MOVING TO AUSTRALIA, SO THERE'S A LOT RIDING ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, I THINK. WE HEARD IN THE INTRODUCTION, SOME OF THE BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENTS, BUT NOT FOR ITS PAY EQUITY CHANGES. WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT? WHILE THE GOVERNMENT'S DESPERATELY TRYING TO DISTRACT PEOPLE'S ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT THEY UNILATERALLY CANCELED THE PAY EQUITY CLAIMS OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, MOST OF WHOM ARE HARD-WORKING AND LOW-PAID NEW ZEALAND WOMEN WHO ARE ASKING TO BE PAID FAIRLY. THEY'VE EXTINGUISHED THAT WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. NOW THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO TELL NEW ZEALANDERS HOW MUCH MONEY IS SAVED. IT IS SAVED IN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THEY SHOULD TELL HARD-WORKING NEW ZEALAND WOMAN HOW MUCH EXTRA THEIR MAKING ON THE BUDGET BECAUSE PAY EQUITY IS BEING CANCELED. THEY MADE A MESS OF THE BOOKS BY OVERSPENDING. IS IT YOUR FAULT? $17 BILLION WAS DOLED OUT LAST YEAR ON TAX CUTS TAX CUTS FOR LANDLORDS, TOBACCO COMPANIES. THAT CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT NICOLA WILLIS CALLS DEFICIT IN THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCES. ACTUALLY, THEY'VE THROWN THE BOOKS DEEPER THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN. THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BALANCING THE BUDGET HAS RESTED WITH NICOLA WILLIS FOR THE PAST YEAR AND 1/2. SHE'S FAILED TO DO THAT. WE HAD A PLAN TO BRING THE BOOKS BACK INTO SURPLUS. PEOPLE LIKE LANDLORDS HAVE BENEFITED, WHO ARE STILL INCREASING RENTS AND POCKETING THE MONEY THEY HAVE GOTTEN BACK IN TAX CUTS. NEW ZEALANDERS ARE THE ONE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THIS GOVERNMENTS BAD CHOICES. CAN WE TALK ABOUT EDUCATION BECAUSE WE'VE DEDICATED PART OF THE PROGRAM TO THAT, IN PARTICULAR LEARNING SUPPORT. TEACHERS ARE OVERWHELMED, SO KIDS AREN'T GETTING THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE. THERE IS A REPORT THAT SAYS THAT THE SOLUTION IS A BIPARTISAN APPROACH. THE SYSTEM HAS TO WORK FOR TEACHERS BUT ALSO BE SUSTAINABLE. SO, CAN PARTIES GET TOGETHER TO DO RIGHT BY OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND OUR KIDS? WE PARKED A LOT OF MONEY DURING OUR TIME IN GOVERNMENT INTO LEARNING SUPPORT. THERE WAS A LOT OF EXTRA INVESTMENT INTO THAT SPACE. UNFORTUNATELY, IT BARELY TOUCH THE SIDES, BECAUSE THE SCALE OF THE NEED IS VERY SIGNIFICANT. WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT THERE ARE MANY KIDS WHO NEED EXTRA SUPPORT WHO ARE CURRENTLY GOING UNSUPPORTED. BUT, AS I SAID IT WASN'T ENOUGH. THE NATIONAL PARTY TALKS ABOUT HOW THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT WAS ON A SPENDING SPEED, THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO LEARNING SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE MOST VULNERABLE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. HEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM, THOUGH. BECAUSE WE NEED THE BIG PARTIES TO COME TOGETHER AND AGREE ON WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE. IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO THAT? BECAUSE WHO ENDS UP COPPING IT HERE IT'S OUR KIDS AND IT'S OUR TEACHERS. FAIR QUESTION. BECAUSE DISADVANTAGED KIDS IN NEW ZEALAND ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE DISADVANTAGED. AS LONG AS WE'VE GOT A GOVERNMENT WHO IS ARBITRARILY TRYING TO SHRINK INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITIES, FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN A TARGET THEY HAVE PUT ON A PIECE OF PAPER. THEY DON'T CARE WHAT THE EFFECTS OF THAT ARE ON VULNERABLE Q. WEEK KIDS WHETHER IT'S IN SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION, HEALTH SYSTEM, THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT GOING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT THINGS LIKE CRIME WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS NONE OF THAT MATTERS, ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS CUTTING GOVERNMENT SPENDING. OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SUFFER AS LONG AS THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT'S MENTALITY. IS THERE ANY CHANCE PARTIES CAN COME TOGETHER ON THIS? OF COURSE. AS MINISTER OF EDUCATION, I TRIED TO DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE LEARNING SUPPORT ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS REGULAR REACHED OUT AND CONSULTED WITH MY OPPONENTS, WHICH AT THAT TIME WAS NIKKI K, BUT AT THIS TIME THE GOVERNMENT HAS COME IN AND CANCELED EVERYTHING WE WERE WORKING ON. I WANT TO MOVE ON, BECAUSE TE PATI MAORI SUSPENSION. IS STARTING. DO YOU SUPPORT THIS? I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SANCTION, BECAUSE THE MODI PARTY BROKE THE RULES, MAORI* AND THERE NEEDS TO BE CONSEQUENCES, EVEN IN PROTEST. MORE THAN ANY OTHER P ON RECORD THAT I COULD FIND, IF YOU ADDED UP ALL HIS SUSPENSIONS, IT STILL WOULDN'T ADD UP TO THE 21 DAYS THAT THEY ARE PROPOSING TO SUSPEND TE PATI MAORI FOR. THAT SHOWS THAT IT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE IN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY, AND I STRUGGLED TO FIND ANY EXAMPLES FROM OVERSEAS, OF WHERE GOVERNMENT HAS USED ITS WAFER THIN MAJORITY TO UNILATERALLY SUSPEND ITS OPPONENTS FOR 21 DAYS, PARTICULARLY DURING A DEBATE ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S BUDGET. THERE IS SOME TALK THAT LABOUR MAY DRAG OUT THE DEBATE SO THAT TE PATI MAORI CAN REJOIN THE CONVERSATION. FRANKLY, I THINK NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF US TALKING ABOUT OURSELVES. WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE PAY EQUITY, HOW THE COUNTRY IS LITERALLY CRUMBLING AROUND US. I THINK THEY WANT US TO SEE DEBATE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THEM. THE PUBLIC GALLERY IS GOING TO BE CLOSE, WHICH IN ITSELF IS UNUSUAL. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY UNCOMMON MOVE, DEMOCRACY ISN'T JUST ABOUT OBSERVING IT, IT'S ABOUT BEING PRESENT AS WELL, OR DO YOU THINK IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE GIVEN THE INTENSITY AND RUN REST ABOUT THE SUSPENSIONS? I THINK THE GALLERY SHOULD BE OPEN. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION IN THIS INSTANCE FOR CLOSING THE PUBLIC GALLERY. THAT'S A BAD DECISION. ULTIMATELY, WHAT WERE DEBATING HERE IN PARLIAMENT MAKES NEW ZEALAND LOOK BAD INTERNATIONALLY. SUSPENDING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FOR THREE WEEKS, FOR WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE A ONE DAY COOL OFF AND COME BACK TYPE OFFENSE, IT MAKES US LOOK BAD INTERNATIONALLY. HAVING THE ATTY. GEN. TALKING ABOUT UNCIVILIZED BEHAVIOR FROM INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSERVED TO THE 19TH CENTURY. THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE WAS USED TO JUSTIFY ALL SORTS OF ATROCITIES AGAINST MAORI NEW ZEALANDERS ACROSS HISTORY. HOW WILL YOU BE VOTING TODAY? I HAVE SAID TO THE GOVERNMENT VERY CLEARLY THAT THEY SHOULD BRING BACK EVERY PROPORTIONATE RESPONSE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THE STANDARDS OF PARLIAMENT. NEITHER OF WHOM WERE SUSPENDED FROM PARLIAMENT AT ALL. CHRIS ATKINS JOINING US FROM PARLIAMENT THIS MORNING, THANK YOU. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 7.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. # MY HEART GOES WELCOME BACK, IT'S JUST GONE 7.30. HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE BEING PUMPED INTO UPGRADING OUR RAIL NETWORKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN A PRE-BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MORNING, THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTING $604m TO MAKE OUR RAIL NETWORK MORE RELIABLE. $400m WILL BE PUT TOWARDS MAINTAINING THE RAIL FREIGHT NETWORK AND $140m TOWARDS REPLACING THE AUCKLAND AND WELLINGTON METROPOLITAN INFRASTRUCTURE. NORTHLAND POLICE ARE APPEALING FOR INFORMATION RELATING TO A WHANGAREI HOMICIDE EARLIER THIS MONTH. AN INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UNDERWAY SINCE GEOFFREY WARE (55) WAS FOUND DEAD AT HIS PARAKAO HOME. ANYONE ON MANGAKAHIA ROAD, OTAIKA VALLEY ROAD AND STATE HIGHWAY 14 TOWARDS WHANGAREI BETWEEN 2pm AND 8pm ON THE 9th OF MAY HAS BEEN ASKED TO COME FORWARD. THE PUBLIC'S ALSO BEING ASKED TO REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS OF A 1999 BLUE AND SILVER MITSUBISHI UTE. A PALMERSTON NORTH TEACHER SAYS HE'S SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANNED INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION. BUDGET 2025 LANDS THIS THURSDAY, AND SO FAR, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN PLEDGED TOWARDS IMPROVING ATTENDANCE AND MATHS ACHIEVEMENT. BUT A NEW REPORT INTO LEARNING SUPPORT HAS FOUND SHORTAGES IN CLASSROOM SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO HANDLE FUNDING AND PAPERWORK. BUT ROSS INTERMEDIATE'S LIAM RUTHERFORD SAYS IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW IF THE GOVERNMENT IS GENUINELY COMMITTED TO IMPROVING OUTCOMES. EVERY OTHER DAY WE ARE SEEING MORE BUDGET CUTS, AND WE ARE BEING TOLD TO EXPECT FUNDING, FUNDING TO REMOVE LITERACY, RESOURCE TEACHERS AND MAORI SPECIALISTS, AND BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS THE LEARNING SUPPORT BUDGET. MEANWHILE, THE EDUCATION MINISTER SAYS LEARNING SUPPORT IS ONE OF SIX KEY PRIORITIES FOR EDUCATION, CLAIMING SHE HAS HEARD CONCERNS FROM THE SECTOR 'LOUD AND CLEAR.' FIVE YEARS ON FROM BREXIT, THE UK AND EUROPEAN UNION HAVE SIGNED A NEW DEAL. THE WIDE-RANGING AGREEMENT COVERS TRADE AND ENERGY AND COULD ALLOW BRITAIN TO ACCESS EU FUNDS FOR DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT. ONE KEY ISSUE IS FISHING, THE EU SECURING ACCESS TO BRITISH WATERS FOR ANOTHER 12 YEARS. THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER HAS CALLED IT A 'NEW ERA', WHILE OPPOSITION PARTIES SAY IT'S A SURRENDER TO THE EUROPEAN BLOC. FOOTBALL PRESENTER GARY LINEKER IS SET TO LEAVE THE BBC OVER A CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA REPOST CRITICISING ZIONISM AND FEATURING A RAT EMOJI, AN HISTORICALLY ANTI-SEMITIC TROPE. THE 64-YEAR-OLD WAS SET TO RETURN TO PRESENT THE WORLD CUP AFTER HOSTING HIS FINAL MATCH OF THE DAY EPISODE THIS WEEKEND, BUT WILL NO LONGER BE INVOLVED IN THE COVERAGE. IN AN INSTAGRAM VIDEO, LINEKER APOLOGISED, SAYING HE WOULD NEVER CONSCIOUSLY SHARE ANYTHING ANTI-SEMITIC, BUT RECOGNISED THE UPSET HE HAD CAUSED. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MARKETS. (FUNKY MUSIC) AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN IN NORTHLAND WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED ON THE EAST COAST. FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, THERE ARE CLEAR BLUE SKIES. 18 YOUR HIGH IN WHANGANUI. ROTORUA YOUR HIGH IS 14. IT'S A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE UPPER REGIONS AND CANTERBURY HERE TODAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SHOWERS TO BE EXPECTED IN THE WEST COAST AND LOWER SOUTH ISLAND THIS MORNING. NELSON, YOUR HIGH IS 18. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. IF YOU'RE WAKING UP THIS MORNING FEELING LESS THAN WELL-RESTED, YOU'RE NOT ALONE. 38% OF THE POPULATION STRUGGLE WITH SLEEP, AND IT MAY WELL BE TO DO WITH YOUR JOB! THAT'S BASED OFF NEW DATA FROM MASSEY UNIVERSITY'S BUSINESS SCHOOL. EARLIER WE SPOKE WITH PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT JARROD HAAR. WE SHOULD BE, AS A USEFUL REMINDER ` GOOD SLEEP ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE GOOD QUALITY WAKING TIME. SO IF YOU ARE HAVING SLEEP PROBLEMS, I THINK ONE OF THE CLASSIC THINGS AS WE JUST TEND TO GO, IT WILL COME RIGHT. IF YOU HAVE WORK PRESSURES GOING ON, WORRIED ABOUT YOUR JOB SECURITY FOR EXAMPLE, AND THAT DEFINITELY DRIVES SLEEP PROBLEMS. YOU NEED TO BE A BIT MORE PURPOSEFUL, RATHER THAN TAKE SLEEP PROBLEMS FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND THEN SAY, YAY, NOW I AM FIXED. BUT YOU ARE EXHAUSTED BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT HAD QUALITY SLEEP FOR WEEKS. IS THAT BECAUSE THE WORKERS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD SLEEP AND DON'T DO WELL? THIS IS A GOOD POINT. IT DEFINITELY DRIVES FROM THE WORK, BUT YOU GET INTO THAT DOWNWARD SPIRAL. I AM WORRIED ABOUT WORK, I'VE GOT POOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE ` THAT IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER. IF YOU ARE IN THAT HIGH GROUP, HIGH LONELINESS AT WORK, 15 TIMES MORE LIKELY OR 11% WHO HAVE THE HIGHEST SLEEP PROBLEMS. CLOSELY FOLLOWED AT 14 TIMES THE RISK IS USING SMART TECHNOLOGY TO WORK AFTER HOURS. THOSE BLUE SCREENS ` WE HEAR IT ENDLESSLY, STOP THE DOOM SCROLLING. DEVICES BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP. THEY TRIGGER YOUR BRAIN TO BE AWAKE. IF YOU SIT THERE WIDE AWAKE AND CAN'T SLEEP, IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE JUST BEEN SPIKING` THE EQUIVALENT OF DRINKING COKE OR COFFEE AND SPIKING THINGS. YOU HAVE TO BE A BIT MORE PURPOSEFUL ABOUT THE LAYUP TO SLEEP, WOULD BE MY ADVICE. IF YOU ARE DOING PROJECT WORK WILL HAVE A DEADLINE COMING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER THINKERS AND CAN WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND IMMEDIATELY THEIR THOUGHTS GO TO WORK. HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THAT SITUATION? IN SOME RESPECTS, IF IT IS THE DEADLINE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, AND IT IS THEN OVER, I WOULD SAY, WELL, THAT JUST MIGHT BE PART OF YOUR NATURAL PROCESS. IT MIGHT BE A NATURAL PART OF THE JOB. BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE YES, THAT HAPPENS TO ME EVERY SINGLE WEEK, YOU HAVE TO BE PURPOSEFUL AND GO BACK TO THE BOSS AND SAY, HEY, AFTER SO AND SO LEFT, I BEEN DOING THEIR JOB AND IT'S BEEN THREE OR SO MONTHS, AND I DON'T SLEEP MUCH BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH WORK AND IT KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT. A GOOD REMINDER FOR WORKERS, EVEN IN THIS JOB MARKET, TO PUSH BACK IF THE WORKLOAD SEEMS TO GO ON AND ON AND ON, AND SAY, I CANNOT PHYSICALLY KEEP DOING ALL THIS EXTRA WORK. HOPEFULLY YOUR JOB ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE ANNUAL LEAVE, THOUGH. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO TAKE A BREAK ONCE IN AWHILE? ANNUAL LEAVE IS CRUCIAL. WE SEE THIS A LOT SURPRISINGLY IN THE US WHERE THEY GET A LOT LESS LEAVE. I THINK THEY GET 12 DAYS. AND THEY ARE WAY MORE LIKELY TO NOT TAKE IT ALL. IT IS CRAZY ` YOU GET TWO WEEKS, TAKE ONE WEEK. SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE LEAVE HERE. DEFINITELY USE IT, TRY TO PLANNER, TAKE SOME TIME OFF TO RELAX. BECAUSE YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND AND ALL YOUR RELATIONSHIP THAT HOME IN PARTICULAR ARE GOING TO APPRECIATE THAT MUCH BETTER AS WELL. I DID HAVE A RECURRING WORK DREAM LAST NIGHT. I HAVE A DREAM ABOUT BEING LATE INTO THE STUDIO AND YOU ARE GETTING CHANGED AND YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR SOBS OR SOMETHING AND THEN THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND YOU ALMOST ON THE HOUR FOR THE NEWS BULLETIN CORRECTION: SOCKS I'VE BEEN LATE TO WORK TWICE IN ONE WEEK. TO BREAKFAST? TO BREAKFAST. YOU MAY HAVE HEARD MY ALARM GOING OFF EARLIER. YOU ARE SITTING AT THE TWO LATE ` 7:10. I GOT HERE IN TIME FOR MY FIRST INTERVIEW WHICH WAS AT 620. TOUCH WOOD, I HAVE NEVER SLEPT IN FOR BREAKFAST. BUT I AM ALSO PARANOID AND I SET FOR ALARMS AND THEY CHECK IT IS LIKE, THREE TIMES, CHECK MY PHONE IS PLUGGED IN. CAN I SHOW YOU A PICTURE I'VE DRAWN? THIS MORNING, WE MENTIONED ABOUT A SCULPTOR IN YAUPO *TAUPO THAT COST $200,000 OF RATES. THAT'S EXPENSIVE. LOCALS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. AND SO, WE COULDN'T REALLY FIND A PICTURE OF IT SO I DREW IT. IT'S OF A DINOSAUR. (CHUCKLES) A LITTLE HUMP ON TOP OF ITS HEAD. HAD TO REDO THAT BUT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS PROMINENT. ITS NAME WAS BOOM BOOM. THANKS, YES, YOU'VE POINTED THAT OUT. YOU COULD CONSIDER THAT ART, YOU COULD SELL THAT. MAY BE WILL SIGN IT. BUT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE A CONNECTION TO EVERYTHING. APPARENTLY THERE IS A CONNECTION. IS DINOSAUR FEATURED IN JURASSIC PARK, ALSO SO DID SAM NEIL, AND THERE WE GO. THE ACTUAL STORY BEHIND IT DOESN'T MATTER, I LOVE THAT ONE. PEOPLE ARE WORRIED AND UPSET ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT COSTS RATEPAYERS, THAT WAS MONEY THAT WAS COMMISSIONED SEVEN YEARS AGO. JUST ANOTHER QUICK LOOK AT IT, $200,000. IT'S $200,000 FOR A SCULPTURE, NOT FOR THAT. SOME PEOPLE SAY IS LOOKS TACKY. I CAN SEE AWAY WOULDN'T GET SIGNED UP IF YOU WENT TO COUNCIL. HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT, HALF A MILLION? 'THAT'S GOOD, J-MAY, THAT'S REALLY GOOD.' BOOM BOOM! ME U TONU MAI ` ANOTHER BIG MATCH AHEAD FOR THE BLACK FERNS. WE'RE TALKING THAT AND MORE SPORT NEXT. (POP MUSIC) WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE BEING PUMPED INTO UPGRADING OUR RAIL NETWORKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OVERSEAS, FIVE YEARS ON FROM BREXIT, THE UK AND EUROPEAN UNION HAVE SIGNED A NEW DEAL. THE WIDE-RANGING AGREEMENT COVERS TRADE AND ENERGY AND COULD ALLOW BRITAIN TO ACCESS EU FUNDS FOR DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT. AND IN SPORT, FOOTBALL PRESENTER GARY LINEKER IS SET TO LEAVE THE BBC OVER A CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA RE-POST FEATURING A RAT THAT SPARKED ACCUSATIONS OF ANTI-SEMITISM. TIME TO TALK SPORT, AND BACK WITH US OUT OF WELLINGTON IS LUKE ROBINSON. MORENA, LUKE, AND THE BLACK FERNS ARE GEARING UP FOR ANOTHER IMPORTANT MATCH THIS WEEKEND? THAT IS RIGHT, THEY TAKE ON THE USA THIS WEEKEND IN THAT SERIES. THE USA HAVE BEEN COMPETITIVE, I GUESS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES... A LOSS TO AUSTRALIA BY EIGHT POINTS, AND LOST TO CANADA BY 12, OBVIOUSLY, THE TEAM THAT THE BLACK FERNS LOST TO LAST WEEKEND. THE CAPTAIN AND STILL IS THAT BELIEF IN THE SIDE, AND THIS IS WHAT SHE HAD TO SAY. TO BE HONEST, A LITTLE BIT FRUSTRATED AFTER THE PERFORMANCES LAST WEEK. I THINK THERE WERE SOME THINGS IN OUR CONTROL THAT WE LET SLIP AWAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU WAKE UP REFRESHED ON A NEW MONDAY, DON'T YOU? IT'S A NEW WEEK, NEW OPPORTUNITY AGAINST THE BLACK FERNS HERE IN NEW ZEALAND. YEAH, FEELING GOOD ABOUT THIS WEEK. BLACK FERNS ARE GONNA BRING A BIG FIGHT, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT A FEW DAYS TO RIGHT SOME WRONGS AND GET READY FOR THE WEEKEND. BUT ALSO A BIG MATCH FOR THE BLACK FERNS, AND BY THEIR OWN STANDARDS, THEY NEED TO IMPROVE IF THEY ARE TO GO BACK TO BACK TO BACK IN THIS WORLD CUP AT THE END OF THE YEAR. AND TO THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP ` THE STEEL THRASHING TO MAGIC LAST NIGHT TO END THE SECOND ROUND. AND, LUKE, WITH THE CONDENSED COMPETITION THIS SEASON, THE MAGIC CAN'T AFFORD TOO MANY LOSSES, CAN THEY? THAT'S RIGHT. A REALLY BIG LOSS FOR THE MAGIC, STILL THRASHING THEM BY 28 POINTS, LOSING BOTH OF THE OPENING TWO ROUNDS, AND IT REALLY WAS THE COMPLETE PERFORMANCE FROM THE STEEL ALL ACROSS THE COURT. YOU HAD THE MIDCOURT OF KIMIORA POI. AT THE OTHER END OF THE COURT, ALIYAH DUNN THERE IS THE MOST ACCURATE SHOOTER WE HAVE HERE IN NEW ZEALAND. AND AT THE DEFENSIVE END OF THE COURT, THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH WITH FOUR INTERCEPTS AND FIVE DEFLECTIONS. COMPLETE PERFORMANCE FROM THAT SIDE, AND HERE'S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. OH, SO GOOD. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD HEAPS OF INJURIES OVER THE WEEK, REALLY LATE INJURIES AS WELL. ABBY JUST WAS OUT THE OTHER DAY, SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM AND HOW WE OVERCAME THIS. OH, YEAH, SO, IT'S SO GOOD. IT FEELS MUCH BETTER THAN LAST WEEK. (CHUCKLES) REALLY INTERESTING DYNAMIC, THIS YEAR, WITH THE TWO POINT SHOOTING, AND I HAD A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THIS MORNING ` THE MYSTICS WERE ON TOP OF THE TABLE, UNBEATEN. IN THE MAGIC, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP TABLE, SHOOTING THE MOST TWO-POINT SHOTS, WHETHER OR NOT THAT IT IS AN INDICATION OF THE MAGIC ALWAYS TRAILING IN GAMES... IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THEY CONTINUE THAT IS THE COMPETITION PROGRESSES. LOVING THIS ANALYSIS, LUKE! LUKE ROBINSON, JOINING US OUT OF WELLINGTON. GOOD OBSERVATION, ACTUALLY. YOU TAKE IT AND REPURPOSE IT? E WHAI AKE NEI ` THE 8 O'CLOCK NEWS IS COMING UP. PLUS, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR ATTENTION SPAN AND INCREASE YOUR FOCUS. # NO ONE ELSE, NO ONE ELSE # CAN SPEAK THE WORDS ON YOUR LIPS. TEANA: How's life going with the new addition? BEN AND AMY: Ummmmmm... AMY: Wooah! AMY: I think we might need a bit more room. VOICEOVER: Make your move with Canstar's bank of the year for Home Loans. Search ASB Home Loans today. WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. IS YOUR ATTENTION SPAN GETTING SHORTER? FROM SCROLLING ENDLESSLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO JUGGLING MULTIPLE TASKS AT ONCE, IT SEEMS LIKE FOCUS IS BECOMING HARDER TO FIND. BUT THERE IS HOPE. TURNS OUT YOU CAN TRAIN YOUR ATTENTION SPAN. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST KAREN NIMMO JOINS US NOW. USED TO READ A CHAPTER OF THE BOOK PER NIGHT, YOU CAN ENJOY A DRINK WITH A FRIEND WITHOUT GRABBING YOUR PHONE THE SECOND THEY GO TO THE BATHROOM. WHAT IS WRONG WITH US? CRAZY, ISN'T IT. IT IS NOT KNEW THAT PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH A LACK OF FOCUS ON THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY BECAUSE A STORY CLEAR, THE LACK OF FOCUS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, BUT WHAT WE ARE NOTICING NOW IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY UNWELL ARE STRUGGLING WITH PHONIC DISTRACTION. LIKE YOU SAID, THEY CANNOT WATCH A MOVIE ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE END OR READ A BOOK OR THEY LOSE THEIR TRAIN OF THOUGHT EASILY, THEY CANNOT FOCUS ON CONVERSATIONS. ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. OF COURSE, EVERY PERSON SAYS THEY ARE AN ACTIVE RELAXER, WHICH TO MY MIND IS CODE FOR CANNOT SIT STILL. IN YOUR PRACTICE, HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH THIS IDEA OF FOCUS? THAT IS ALL THE TIME, BUT LIKE I SAID, THAT IS NOT A NEW. NEW THING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE OWNING IT. NEVER A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE THEY NOT PRESENT FOR THEIR PARTNER AND THE KIDS. THE KIDS WILL NOTICE AND SAY, YOU ARE NOT LISTENING. THERE ARE PEOPLE SAYING THAT THE PARTNERS ARE DISTRACTED ON THEIR PHONES ARE MORE INTERESTING THAN THEM, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. IT IS A DISTRACTED WORLD, I THINK. IS IT STRICTLY A SOCIAL MEDIA PROBLEM? SOCIAL MEDIA OBVIOUSLY IS A HUGE PLAYER. WE ARE LIVING IN A WORLD THAT IS OBVIOUSLY HIJACKING OUR FOCUS. WHO SITS AT A BUS STOP OR WAITS FOR A FLIGHT ANY MORE WITHOUT SCROLLING THE PHONE? I WAS AT THE AIRPORT, AND I SAW A COUPLE OF PEOPLE DOING CROSSWORDS AND A LITTLE BOOK AND I THOUGHT, THAT IS LIKE A BLAST FROM THE PAST BECAUSE EVERYONE AROUND THEM WAS ON THE PHONE. WE ARE SO USED TO CHECKING YOUR PHONE MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY AND BEING INTERRUPTED BY BEEPS AND CLICKS AND FLASHES THAT WE HAVE GOT USED TO THAT AND WE CALL IT NORMAL, BUT IT IS PLAYED HAVOC WITH OUR ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE. OUR THINKING IS NOW MUCH MORE SHALLOW THAN IT ONCE WAS. LET'S BREAK THE CYCLE. HOW DO WE BREAK IT? TO BE GO COLD TURKEY OR DO THINGS INCREMENTALLY? WE CANNOT GO COLD TURKEY. IT IS ENTERTAINING. WE HAVE TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE IMPACT IT IS HAVING ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS. YOU DO NOT WANT OUR KIDS TO BE SAYING, MUM AND DAD ARE ALWAYS ON THEIR PHONE AND WERE NOT LISTENING TO ME, WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND PUT THE PHONE AWAY SOMETIMES, CREATE SOME CALM ENVIRONMENTS. I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WOULD BE AN EASY FIX WOULD BE TO TRAIN OURSELVES TO FINISH THINGS. INSTEAD OF STARTING ONE SURE LIKE CLEANING A BATHROOM, WE FINISH IT BEFORE MOVING ONTO THE NEXT ONE WHICH IS A HABIT I THINK ALL OF US HAVE GOT ON SO. COOKING DINNER WITHOUT LISTENING TO A POT CAST, I AM VERY GUILTY OF DOING THAT, DECIDE TO DO A TASK WHERE IF YOU THINK THERE IS QUITE, ON THE ODD OCCASION WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND, THAT YOU NEED THE NOISE AND FEEL TO MAKE USE OF THAT TIME BY CONSUMING IN ANOTHER WAY, HOW DO YOU MAKE USE OF THAT? WE ARE REALLY HUNG UP ON PRODUCTIVITY. PEOPLE HATE TO HAVE BLANK SPACES OF TIME. COOKING A MEAL WITHOUT DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS IS A MINDFUL TASK. MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW THEY CAN HELP. A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THEY CANNOT STAND MEDITATING. YOU CAN TRAIN YOURSELF BY PERHAPS READING A BOOK OR READING ANYTHING AND READING IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE END AND DOING THAT ONE THING AT A TIME. I THINK THAT ALL THE TIME AND BEATING UP OURSELVES FOR NOT BEING PRODUCTIVE AS BEING A LITTLE BIT SO MUCH. IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN TRAIN YOURSELF. DO YOU NEED TO START EXPANDING LIKE YOU WOULD NEED TO FOR ANYTHING, TO TAKE SMALL STEPS AT A TIME? ATTENTION IS LIKE A MUSCLE. THINK ABOUT THE MUSCLE BEING OUT OF SHAPE. SURE, YOU CAN TRAIN IT, BUT YOU NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW YOU USE YOUR TIME AND OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR WORLD TELLING YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT REALLY THERE WILL PRESENT? BECAUSE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE END, LET'S HOPE, MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR PHONE. YOU HAD MY FULL FOCUS FOR ALL THAT TIME. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. I WAS NODDING MY HEAD THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW. WHEN I WATCH A PROGRAM AND IT BECOMES TOO INTENSE, I REACH FOR MY PHONE TO DISTRACT MYSELF. WHEN THE SCENE ENDS, I PUT MY PHONE DOWN. BAD, BAD HABITS. THE ABILITY TO STOP YOURSELF. STILL TO COME ON BREAKFAST THIS MORNING ` THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT CAN'T BE DONE RIGHT NOW, BUT PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS SAY IT ABSOLUTELY MUST. THE PUSH TO LOWER THE AGE FOR BOWEL CANCER SCREENING. THAT IS COMING UP SHORTLY. ALSO AHEAD ` ONE TOE IN THE FINAL? AUCKLAND FC JOIN US AS THEY PREPARE FOR THIS WEEKEND'S BIG A-LEAGUE SEMI FINAL. PLUS, THE RARE PLANT THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT IN THE WELLINGTON REGION THAT'S BEEN REDISCOVERED. IT'S 8 O'CLOCK. HERE'S THE NEWS. THANKS, JENNY MAY. TRAIN COMMUTERS AND BUSINESSES MOVING GOODS AROUND THE COUNTRY WILL SEE MORE RELIABLE RAIL SERVICES. IN A PRE-BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT, THE GOVERNMENT'S INVESTING $604m TO MAKE OUR RAIL MORE EFFICIENT. FOR MORE DETAILS ON THIS, JOINING US OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT IS SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS. WHAT ARE THE DETAILS INSIDE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT? KIA ORA. WE JUST FINISHED UP WITH A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE TRAIN STATION WITH THE MINISTER, WINSTON PETERS AND THE TRANSPORT MINISTER, CHRIS BISHOP. ABOUT $600 MILLION THAT WILL BE GOING INTO MAINTENANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FREIGHT AND PASSENGER SERVICES CAN KEEP RUNNING SMOOTHLY, AND MIGHT GO INTO UPGRADES TO MAKE SURE THINGS RUN ON TIME. IT WAS A RATHER HECTIC PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE TRAIN STATION THIS MORNING. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMMUTERS GETTING OFF THE TRAINS. ONE RATHER FIERY PERSON WHO WALKED PAST ALSO GAVE WINSTON PETERS AND EARFUL. A LOT OF DRAMA AT THE TRAIN STATION THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR THAT, BENEDICT. SOME EDUCATORS ARE SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANNED INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION, CONCERNED IT WILL NOT BE PUT IN THE RIGHT AREAS. BUDGET 2025 LANDS THIS THURSDAY, AND SO FAR, THE GOVERNMENT HAS PLEDGED MILLIONS TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AND PUSH MATHS. BUT A NEW REPORT INTO LEARNING SUPPORT HAS FOUND SHORTAGES IN CLASSROOM SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO HANDLE FUNDING AND PAPERWORK. ARAKURA SCHOOL PRINCIPAL TUTE MILA SAYS RESOURCES ARE STRETCHED EVERYDAY. WE HAD A SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR WHERE WE DID A PSYCHOLOGIST, BUT WE DID NOT GET THE PSYCHOLOGIST UNTIL LAST WEEK. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR LOCAL MINISTRY, THEY DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN, BUT THEY ARE SO STRETCHED. MEANWHILE, THE EDUCATION MINISTER SAYS LEARNING SUPPORT IS ONE OF SIX KEY PRIORITIES FOR EDUCATION, CLAIMING SHE HAS HEARD CONCERNS FROM THE SECTOR 'LOUD AND CLEAR.' ISRAEL'S EXPANSION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN GAZA HAS BEEN CONDEMNED BY THE UK, CANADA AND FRANCE. IN A JOINT STATEMENT, THE LEADERS OF THE THREE COUNTRIES SAID THE LEVEL OF HUMAN SUFFERING IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORY IS 'INTOLERABLE'. IT COMES AFTER AN ELEVEN-WEEK AID BLOCKADE LIFTED YESTERDAY ALLOWING SOME FOOD IN TO GAZA, BUT THE STATEMENT SAYS THAT IS WHOLLY INADEQUATE. THE LEADERS HAVE THREATENED FURTHER CONCRETE ACTIONS IF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT CONTINUES ITS RENEWED MILITARY OFFENSIVE AND DOES NOT LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON HUMANITARIAN AID. U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS FOLLOWING TALKS WITH THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES. IT COMES AS AIR STRIKES IN UKRAINE'S SOUTHERN REGION OF KHERSON KILL TWO PEOPLE. UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN DELEGATES MET FACE-TO-FACE IN ISTANBUL OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT FAILED TO REACH A PEACE DEAL. LIVERPOOL HAVE TAKEN A HALF-TIME LEAD OVER BRIGHTON IN THEIR PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH THIS MORNING. THE LEAGUE WINNERS RACING OUT TO 1-0 IN THE OPENING 10 MINUTES, WITH HARVEY ELLIOTT FINISHING OFF A POLISHED TEAM GOAL. THE SEAGULLS CLAWING ONE BACK BEFORE A REDS FREE KICK ON THE CUSP OF HALF-TIME. BACK TO THE HUNGARIAN. WHAT A FINISH THAT IS! (CROWD CHEERS) HE PUTS LIVERPOOL BACK IN FRONT! THE SECOND HALF GETS UNDERWAY SHORTLY. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING ` THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN IN NORTHLAND WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED ON THE EAST COAST. FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, THERE ARE CLEAR BLUE SKIES. 18 YOUR HIGH IN WHANGANUI. ROTORUA YOUR HIGH IS 14. IT'S A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE UPPER REGIONS AND CANTERBURY HERE TODAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SHOWERS TO BE EXPECTED IN THE WEST COAST AND LOWER SOUTH ISLAND THIS MORNING. NELSON, YOUR HIGH IS 18. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. THANKS, CHRIS. NEW ZEALAND'S RATES OF BOWEL CANCER ARE HIGH. IT'S THE SECOND MOST COMMON CANCER AND IT KILLS MORE THAN 1200 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, ONE OF THE WORST MORTALITY RATES AMONG DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. DESPITE THIS, OUR AGE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR AT-HOME TWO-YEARLY BOWEL CANCER SCREENING IS ONLY BEING LOWERED FROM 60 TO 58 FROM NEXT YEAR. AUSTRALIA ALREADY OFFERS IT FROM AGE 45. THE PRIME MINISTER CAMPAIGNED ON MATCHING THAT IN 2023. WILL EITHER OF YOU LOWER THE AGE OF SCREENING AND SAVE THE LIVES OF KIWIS? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO DO THAT. (APPLAUSE) BECAUSE PADDY, PADDY, HERE'S THE PROBLEM, RIGHT ` WE HAVE A 15% HIGHER MORTALITY RATE ON CANCER THAN OUR EQUIVALENTS IN AUSTRALIA DO. AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO CLOSE THAT CANCER GAP BIG TIME. TWO WOMEN WHO ARE LIVING WITH BOWEL CANCER, JACKIE ROBERTSON AND LISA MAXWELL, JOIN US NOW FROM OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT WHERE THEY'LL BE PROTESTING LATER TODAY. IN FACT, THEY ARE IN OUR WELLINGTON STUDIO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. JACKIE, CAN I START WITH YOU? YOU WERE DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER AT THE AGE OF 46. THIS MUST'VE COME AS A HUGE SHOCK. THAT WAS A TOTAL HUGE SHOCK. I DID NOT FIT THE SOCIAL DEMOGRAPHIC, AND ARE NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED IT. I WAS RUNNING MARATHONS AND TRAINING 80 KM A WEEK, DOING 3 TO 4 CIRCUIT GYM SESSIONS. I WAS STRICT WITH MY DIET. I HAD BLEEDING, BUT IT GOT PUT DOWN TO HAEMORRHOIDS. THE YEAR BEFORE, I HAD GONE ON FOR A HAEMORRHOID PROCEDURE. I WAS BOOKED IN FOR A COLONOSCOPIES, BUT I DID NOT THINK ABOUT BOWEL CANCER. I SAID, DO I REALLY NEED TO HAVE A COLONOSCOPIES? HE SAID, NO. IT IS TOTALLY OBVIOUS WHY YOU HAVE BLEEDING, AND IT WAS THE OBVIOUS WOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE, WOULD HAVE, AND THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND THE TUMOUR. YOU ARE GOING TO BE OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT LATER ON THIS MORNING, OR EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE MESSAGE YOU WANT THE GOVERNMENT TO HEAR? WHEN THE PETITIONS ARE BEING PUT IN, AND RACHEL PUT THAT IN AT THE START OF THIS YEAR AND THEY LOWERED IT BY TWO YEARS, WE THOUGHT THAT WAS SUCH A SLAP IN THE FACE. WE WANT TO PUT FACES TO THE STATISTICS. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING ALONGSIDE ME, WE ARE ALL FIT, HEALTHY PEOPLE. IT IS NOT, I HATE TO SAY IT, AN OLD MAN'S DISEASE. THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THE MODEL OF WHO GETS BOWEL CANCER. WHEN WE SAY, WE ARE IN OUR 30S, 40S, 50S AND A WHOLE MIX OF PEOPLE, THE MAJORITY OF US ARE REALLY HEALTHY AND FIT WOMAN. LISA, CAN I BRING YOU IN? YOU WERE DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE III CANCER IN LATE 2020. WHAT WAS YOUR JOURNEY TO DIAGNOSIS? SO, BASICALLY I WENT TO THE TOILET AND I PASSED A BLOOD CLOT. THAT WAS QUITE A SIZEABLE BLOOD CLOT. STRAIGHTAWAY, I THOUGHT OF MY FATHER WHO PASSED AWAY FROM BOWEL CANCER. I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, GET TO MY GP. HE FOUND A WAY TO GET ME INTO HAVING A COLONOSCOPY. THANKFULLY, I DID NOT HAVE TO WAIT TOO LONG. I HAVE HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD FORTUNE. HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU WERE DIAGNOSED? I WAS 51. NEW HAVE TRAVELLED FROM INVERCARGILL TO COME TO THE PROTEST. I HAVE, YES. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE BY BEING THERE IN PERSON? WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT JACKIE AND RACHEL HAD PUT THIS TOGETHER, I KNEW I HAD TO BE HERE, I HAD TO BRING MY SUPPORT. AGAIN, IT IS PERSONAL FOR ME BECAUSE I LOST MY FATHER TO CANCER. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH IT, I DO NOT WANT MY KIDS TO GO THROUGH IT. I THINK THAT 45, THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PRETTY FAIR, BUT CONSIDERING THAT THERE ARE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY DIAGNOSED WITH BOWEL CANCER AS JACKIE HAS JUST SAID, THAT IS NOT JUST AN OLD PERSON DISEASE, THAT CAN AFFECT ANYONE. SORRY TO INTERRUPTS, LISA. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THEY WANT TO LOWER THE AGE FURTHER BUT DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO IT ALL YET, IT HAS TO BE DONE SLOWLY AND IN STAGES. DO YOU ACCEPT THAT? WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT CANNOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WE UNDERSTAND THEY DO NEED TO PUT THINGS INTO MOTION, BUT OFFER SCREENING TESTS. I WAS NEVER OFFERED A SCREENING TEST. I GET ROUTINE BLOODS. IF IT WAS NOT ME GETTING THAT ALL MY LIVER WAS THROUGH THE ROOF, I WOULD NOT BE HERE NOW. EVEN THOUGH I HAD SYMPTOMS OF THE BLEEDING, THEY KEPT PUTTING IT DOWN TO HAEMORRHOIDS AND A LOT OF WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD CHILDREN GET TOLD, AND IT IS A COMMON STORY, THAT WOMAN BLEEDING IS HAEMORRHOIDS. NO, IT WAS NOT. IF IT IS ABOUT THE MONEY, JACKIE HAS HAD A LOT OF TREATMENT. I AM ON AROUND 30 WEEK. THAT HAS COST ABOUT $110,000 FOR MY CHEMOTHERAPY, WHEN A SCREENING TEST WOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT EARLIER. YOU ARE GATHERING AT 12 O'CLOCK UNTIL WHAT TIME? 2 O'CLOCK. YOUR MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT IS CLEAR. DELIVER ON YOUR PRE-ELECTION PROMISE. GO FOR THAT. TWO YEARS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. IT IS NOT. GIVEN HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE FROM THIS DISEASE, YOU CAN ADD BREAST AND PROSTATE CANCER TO THAT, AND BOWEL CANCER WILL DOUBLE THAT AND MORE FOR THE CANCER DEATHS THAT HAPPEN. JUST GETTING BACK TO THE MONEY SIDE OF THINGS, I HAVE HAD SO MANY DIAGNOSTICS AND SCANS AND I THINK, HOW MUCH DOES THAT COST? THEY COULD GO TOWARDS SCREENING KITS. THAT WOULD BE MY MESSAGE ` THINK ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE INSTEAD OF THE HERE AND NOW. THEY WAIT UNTIL IT IS STAGE FOR ALL LATE STAGE III. FOR ME, I ALWAYS SAID THAT STAGE IV DOES NOT MEAN TERMINAL, YOU ARE TERMINAL THE DAY YOU WERE BORN, WE ARE ALL GOING TO END UP IN THE SAME PLACE. I HAVE A HELL OF A FIGHT ON MY HANDS BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT WAY. I DO NOT WANT ANY OTHER PERSON TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH. IF YOU CAN SCREEN EARLIER AND SAVE A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. THERE NEEDS TO BE THAT PROTECTION. PEOPLE DESERVE THIS. JACKIE AND LISA, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. ALL THE BEST THIS AFTERNOON BETWEEN 12 AND TWO OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT. WE WISH YOU WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ME U TONU MAI ` AUCKLAND FC HAVE THE EDGE AS THEY RETURN TO THEIR FORTRESS. NEXT WE SPEAK WITH A COUPLE OF THEIR STARS AHEAD WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` SOME EDUCATORS ARE SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANNED INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION, CONCERNED IT WILL NOT BE PUT IN THE RIGHT AREAS. OVERSEAS, U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE AND RUSSIA WILL IMMEDIATELY BEGIN CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS FOLLOWING TALKS WITH THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES. AND IN SPORT, LIVERPOOL HAVE TAKEN A HALF-TIME LEAD OVER BRIGHTON IN THEIR PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH THIS MORNING. IT IS NOT THE FOOTBALL WE ARE BOTHERED ABOUT, BUT. IT'S ADVANTAGE AUCKLAND FC AS THEY TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO THE HOME LEG OF THEIR A-LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL AGAINST MELBOURNE VICTORY AFTER A 1-0 WIN ON THE ROAD. YOU ALL KNOW THE STORY. A SECOND HALF HEADER BY LOGAN ROGERSON PUT THE BLACK KNIGHTS AHEAD WITH VICTORY UNABLE TO FIND A WAY THROUGH THE STAUNCH AUCKLAND DEFENCE. FOR MORE, WE'RE JOINED ON THE COUCH BY VICE CAPTAIN TOMMY SMITH AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE NICK BECKER. GOOD MORNING, GENTS. GOOD MORNING. THE SECOND LEG COULD HAVE BEEN MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING A POSTER COUPLE OF TIMES. I WAS RIGHT BEHIND, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING ON. TO HIT BOTH POSTS, IT COULD HAVE GONE EITHER WAY. EITHER BACK TO MORENO OR GILLIAM. YOU TAKE THAT RESULTS AWAY FROM HOME ALL DAY. YOU HAVE THE AGGREGATE SCORE, AND THEN YOU COME BACK TO WHAT IS A FORTRESS FOR THE TEAM. HOW MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE IS THAT? YES, IT'LL BE A MASSIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE. LISTEN, WE KNOW THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO. 90 MINUTES OF FOOTBALL IS A LONG TIME. WE WILL APPROACH AT THE SAME WAY WE HAVE EVERY OTHER GAME. WE WANT TO WIN THE GAME ON ITS MERIT. WILL BE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO ACHIEVE THAT. IT IS LOOKING LIKE IT IS CLOSE TO SELLING OUT. VERY CLOSE. THERE ARE FEWER THAN A THOUSAND TICKETS LEFT. MY TWO TICKETS THE OTHER DAY. THE OTHER FANTASTIC THING IS THAT AUCKLAND TRANSPORT HAVE PUT ON FREE TRANSPORT FOR ALL FANS. THEY GOING TO LOAD A TRAIN FROM THE PORT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS THERE SAFELY. IT IS GOING TO BE FANTASTIC DAY. LET SPICE THINGS UP A BIT AND HEAR FROM DANIEL WHO SAID THIS AFTER THE GAME FROM MELBOURNE VICTORY ` THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT, IN MY OPINION, ONE-DIMENSIONAL WITH THEIR PLAY. I THINK IF WE CAN OVERCOME THAT FIRST HURDLE OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING ON THE BALL AND HIGHER UP ON THE PITCH IN 1 V 1 SITUATIONS, I THINK WE CAN REALLY GIVE IT A GOOD CRACK THIS WEEKEND. SALTY, OR ARE YOU ONE-DIMENSIONAL? I THINK WE KNOW THE CHARACTERS. HE LIKES TO BE SLIGHTLY CONTROVERSIAL. THEY HAVE PLAYERS, NO DOUBT. THEY WANT TO PLAY TO THE STRENGTHS. WE WANT TO STOP THEM DOING THAT. AT THAT MAKE US ONE-DIMENSIONAL, THEN BE AT. DOES THAT FIRE YOU UP? ABSOLUTELY. WHEN YOU READ THINGS LIKE THAT, IT ADDS TO THE FIRE. IT IS GOING TO BE A HIGH-PRESSURE SITUATION. ALL THIS COMMENTS IN THE LEAD UP, TO SIMILAR TO THE LEAD UP WITH THE PHOENIX GAMES WITH THINGS GET SAID AND BROUGHT UP OUT OF CONTEXT. IT ADDS FUEL TO THE FIRE. I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THAT WE WERE THE FASTEST TEAM TO SCORE 50 GOALS. WE BROKE A FEW OF THE RECORDS THE SEASON. ONE-DIMENSIONAL IS A BIT UNFAIR. WHEN YOU ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF A 1-0 LOSS AT HOME, YOU ARE GOING TO SAY SOME SILLY THINGS, SO HOPEFULLY THOSE WORDS COME BACK AND BITE THEM IN THE PROVERBIAL. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE THE CASE. IS A NICE POSITION TO BE AN WHEN THE TARGET IS PAINTED ON YOUR BACK AND YOU FIND IT MORE CLUBS ARE WANTING TO HAVE A CRACK AT YOU? AS A MEANS WE ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT. WE HAVE HAD IT SINCE THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON WHEN TEAMS ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT. THE CALL DOES A SURPRISE PACKAGE AT THE START, AND THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, THEY HAVE NOT MANAGED TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE TO WORK HARD. IT IS BY NO MEANS A DONE DEAL. ALL THE TEAMS MAKE THE FINAL ARE A GOOD TEAM. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST WEEK, JENNY MAY HAS BEEN DOING A MOOD BOARD. YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE WARRIORS BOARD. I ALSO NOTICED THAT YOURSELF A GAME HAS BEEN STRONG. TAKING SELFIES WITH THE REST OF THE TEAM. I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE COMPOSITION IS SPECTACULAR. YOU ALWAYS MANAGING TO INCLUDE THE PORT. IT LOOKS VERY WELL DONE. COULD WE MANIFEST A WIN BY YOU TAKING A SELFIE HERE IN THE STUDIO AND WE CAN PRINT IT OUT AND STICK IT ON THE WALL? I'LL GIVE YOU MY PHONE. YOU CAN TAKE A PHOTO. WE'RE DOING IT NOW? WHY NOT? YOU WITH A MAN IN CHARGE, SO YOU HAVE TO CHANGE POSITIONS. BEAR WITH US FOR ONE MOMENT. THERE WERE LITTLE CELEBRATING. THERE WE GO. BAM. WE WILL STICK IT ON THE BOARD. GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. IT IS A COLLECTORS ITEM. TOMMY SMITH SELFIES. YOU CAN PUT THEM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL. WE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF TROPHIES COMING INTO THE STUDIO THIS YEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE MANIFESTED MOOD BOARD. THANK YOU, GENTS. A MURI I NGA WHAKATAIRANGA ` YOUR 8.30 NEWS, SPORT AND WEATHER. PLUS, IS THE TRUTH OUT THERE? WE DIVE INTO THE TVNZ ARCHIVE FOR A LOOK AT ALIEN ABDUCTIONS. WHAT? HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK TO BREAKFAST. IN 2025, THE IDEA OF ALIEN ABDUCTIONS SOUND TO MOST PEOPLE LIKE PURE SCIENCE FICTION, GIVEN EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE HAS NEVER BEEN PROVEN. IT WAS FAMOUSLY THE SUBJECT OF HIT '90s TV SHOW THE X-FILES. YES, IT WAS. BACK THEN, MOST PEOPLE WERE SCEPTICS, BUT THERE WERE A NOTABLE NUMBER OF BELIEVERS. AROUND THAT TIME HERE IN NEW ZEALAND, THERE WERE EVEN SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PEOPLE WHO CLAIMED THEY'D BEEN ABDUCTED, AND ONE WOMAN EVEN WENT ON NATIONAL TV IN 1995 TO CLAIM SHE'D BEEN VISITED BY STRANGE BEINGS. WOW. IT WAS... A DIFFERENT TIME. FOR MANY OF US, THE NIGHT SKY HOLDS A PRIMITIVE KIND OF FASCINATION. FOR SOME, THOUGH, THE NIGHT HOLDS UNSPEAKABLE FEARS ` THE FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. OH MY GOD, WHAT IS THAT? WITH GROWING REPORTS OF UFO SIGHTINGS FROM AGENCIES AS CONSERVATIVE AS THE U.S. AIR FORCE AND EVEN NASA, THERE'S BEEN A CORRESPONDING GROWTH IN REPORTS OF ALIEN ABDUCTIONS, EVEN IN NEW ZEALAND. LAID ON A METAL TABLE. AND I HAD BEEN EXAMINED AND AN OPERATION HAD TAKEN PLACE. AND THE FIGURE WAS` IT TELEPATHED TO ME, 'DO NOT BE AFRAID. 'YOU ARE CHOSEN. 'YOU ARE ONE OF THE SPECIAL ONES. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE TAKEN CARE OF.' MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE CRAMMED INTO AN AUCKLAND PUBLIC MEETING LAST YEAR TO ESTABLISH A SUPPORT GROUP FOR ALIEN ABDUCTIONS. ORGANISER DAISY KIRKBY SAYS SOME WOMEN CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN IMPREGNATED. BUT IT'S NOT JUST HUMANS ` IN ONE ALLEGED UFO LANDING IN A WAIKATO DUCK POND 24 YEARS AGO, A LOCAL FARMER CLAIMED FOUR DUCKS AND AN ENTIRE POPULATION OF FROGS DISAPPEARED. THEY COME DOWN TO EARTH, THEY PUNCH HOLES AND FIELDS. THEY EAT ALL OF OUR FROGS. THEY SCARE OUR COWS, AND THAT'S ALL. I MEAN, WHY CAN'T THEY GIVE US SOME INTERESTING, TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED, USEFUL INFORMATION SUCH AS, LET'S SAY, A CURE FOR CHILDHOOD LEUKAEMIA? THEN I'D BELIEVE IN THEM. AS IT IS, WE ALWAYS SEEM TO BE VISITED BY IDIOTS FROM OUTER SPACE. WELL, JULIA CROCKET SAYS SHE HAS MADE ALIEN LIFE FORMS AND SHE'S WITH ME LIVE. WELCOME. THANK YOU. HELLO. TELL US ABOUT YOUR VERY FIRST ENCOUNTER. I THINK IT WAS IN AUSTRALIA, NORTHERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1992. NOW WHAT HAPPENED? WELL, I WAS LYING IN BED. I FELT` IT WAS VERY LIGHT IN THE FLAT; LOTS OF STREET LIGHTING. ABOUT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, I FELT A TOUCH ON MY FOREHEAD AND I OPENED MY` MY EYES COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AT ALL AND CLOSED MY EYES AGAIN, BUT WERE STILL WIDE AWAKE AND IMMEDIATELY FELT ANOTHER TOUCH ON MY FOREHEAD. OPENED MY EYES FROM THE BED TO LOOK STRAIGHT INTO THE EYES OF A BEING ABOUT A METRE HIGH, WITH SORT OF EYES RATHER SIMILAR TO OURS, BUT A FOREHEAD DISPROPORTIONATELY LARGE AND SMALLER FEATURES THAN THAT. SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE BEINGS WITH VERY LARGE BLACK EYES. OK. CAN I STOP YOU THERE FOR A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THERE? FIRST OF ALL, HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU WEREN'T DREAMING? I WAS WIDE AWAKE AND I HADN'T GONE BACK TO SLEEP. AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS BEING IN THE ROOM WASN'T SIMPLY A YOUNG INTRUDER? NO, IT WAS DEFINITELY NON-HUMAN. UM, IT FELT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. AND, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THIS HAPPENED, I... LEAPT UP OUT OF BED. IT VANISHED. I RUSHED AROUND, CHECKING ALL THE LOCKS AND PUTTING MANY MORE LIGHTS ON AND SITTING THERE THINKING, GOOD HEAVENS, WHAT ON EARTH WAS THAT? YOU'VE DONE SOME SKETCHES FOR US HERE. YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HOLD THOSE UP NOW. IS THIS THE` IS THIS YOUR... ARE THESE THE SKETCHES FROM WHAT YOU SAW IN THE NIGHT OF 1992? THIS IS` YES, THAT'S RIGHT. THIS ONE HERE WHERE I'M POINTING` SO WITH A KIND OF MUDDY COLOUR. SOMEONE ELSE HAS SAID TO ME IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN CLOTHING, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THAT. UM... WHAT'S THIS HERE? THIS IS JUST AN ENERGY FORM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU BLOW ONE OF THOSE LARGE BUBBLES, YOU KNOW, WITH LIQUID AND YOU GET THIS THING FLOATING IN THE AIR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ALSO, I HAVE SEEN AND INTERACTED WITH, ESPECIALLY AS A CHILD. I JUST CALLED THEM MY FRIENDS. DID THIS ENCOUNTER IN THE ROOM, DID YOU TRY AND SPEAK TO THE CREATURE OR TO THE LIFE FORM? NO, I WAS JUST TOO SHOCKED. OK. RIGHT, THOSE WERE DIFFERENT TIMES. I THINK IT IS TIME FOR THE NEARS. LET'S MOVE ON. BOWEL CANCER SURVIVORS SAY THE GOVERNMENT'S CURRENT PLAN TO LOWER THE SCREENING AGE FROM 60 TO 58 IS A SLAP IN THE FACE. ADVOCATES FOR THE DISEASE WILL PROTEST OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT TODAY, WITH THE GOAL OF CONVINCING THE GOVERNMENT TO LOWER THE AGE TO 45. JACKIE ROBERTSTON, WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE DISEASE WHEN SHE WAS 46, SAYS THE CHANGE WILL SAVE COUNTLESS LIVES. WE WANT TO PUT FACES TO THE STATS. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING ALONGSIDE ME, WE ARE ALL FIT, HEALTHY PEOPLE. IT'S NOT, I HATE TO SAY IT, IS NOT AN OLD MAN'S DISEASE AS IT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT IN THE PAST. BOWEL CANCER IS THE SECOND MOST COMMON CANCER IN NEW ZEALAND, KILLING MORE THAN 1200 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR. LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS SAYS THE PROPOSED 21-DAY SUSPENSION OF TE PATI MAORI'S CO-LEADERS FOR PERFORMING A HAKA IN PARLIAMENT IS FARCICAL. MPs ARE SET TO VOTE ON THE PUNISHMENT RECOMMENDED BY THE PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE THIS AFTERNOON. A SUSPENSION OF THREE WEEKS WOULD BE UNPRECEDENTED. HIPKINS SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE CONSEQUENCES, BUT HE'LL BE VOTING AGAINST A PUNISHMENT OF THAT LEVEL. WE'VE` I'VE SAID TO THE GOVERNMENT VERY CLEARLY THAT IF THEY BRING THIS BACK INTO LINE WITH A PROPORTIONATE RESPONSE THAT'S IN LINE WITH HOW OTHER MPS HAVE BEEN TREATED FOR DOING THE SAME THING, THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPHOLD THE STANDARDS OF PARLIAMENT. HE SAYS THE DEBATE IS MAKING AOTEAROA LOOK BAD INTERNATIONALLY. THERE'S BEEN NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO NEW YORK'S BROOKLYN BRIDGE, AUTHORITIES SAY, FOLLOWING A MEXICAN NAVY SHIP'S DEADLY CRASH INTO IT OVER THE WEEKEND. TWO YOUNG CADETS WERE KILLED IN THE COLLISION WHEN THE MASTS SNAPPED. 22 OTHERS WERE INJURED, THREE OF THEM CRITICALLY, WITH MANY OF THE SURVIVORS STILL ON BOARD THE SHIP. INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY, BUT U.S. TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES ARE YET TO INTERVIEW CREW MEMBERS OR GAIN ACCESS TO THE VESSEL. AUCKLAND FC ARE EMBRACING THE TARGETS ON THEIR BACK AS THEY LOOK TO LOCK IN THEIR SPOT IN THE GRAND FINAL. THE BLACK KNIGHTS HAVE A ONE-GOAL ADVANTAGE HEADING IN TO THE SECOND LEG OF THE SEMI-FINAL AGAINST MELBOURNE VICTORY. VICE CAPTAIN TOMMY SMITH SAYS BEING THE A-LEAGUE'S NEWEST TEAM HAS GIVEN THEM AN EDGE. I THINK WE HAVE HAD IT FOR` PROBABLY SINCE THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, WHERE TEAMS HAVE SOUGHT AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ARE ABOUT, THE CALDER SAYS A PRIZE PACKAGE AT THE START, AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T MANAGED TO WORK WITHOUT IT. THE MATCH GETS UNDERWAY AT 6pm AT THE BLACK KNIGHT'S FORTRESS OF MOUNT SMART. AND TAKING A LOOK AT YOUR WEATHER THIS MORNING. THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN IN NORTHLAND WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED ON THE EAST COAST. FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH ISLAND, THERE ARE CLEAR BLUE SKIES. 18 YOUR HIGH IN WHANGANUI. ROTORUA YOUR HIGH IS 14. KI TE WAIPOUANMU, TO THE SOUTH ISLAND, IT'S A NICE SUNNY DAY FOR THE UPPER REGIONS AND CANTERBURY HERE TODAY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME SHOWERS TO BE EXPECTED IN THE WEST COAST AND LOWER SOUTH ISLAND THIS MORNING. NELSON, YOUR HIGH IS 18. 13 IN QUEENSTOWN. FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, WOOD ROSE, ALSO KNOWN AS TE PUA O TE REINGA, WAS THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT IN WELLINGTON. THE ONLY PARASITIC PLANT ENDEMIC TO AOTEAROA WAS LAST DOCUMENTED TO BE GROWING IN THE CAPITAL IN 1914. BUT GREATER WELLINGTON CONTRACTORS WERE RECENTLY LEFT STUNNED AFTER ONE OF THEIR BIRD SPECIALISTS STUMBLED ACROSS SEVERAL CLUSTERS. GREATER WELLINGTON'S JACK MACE JOINS US NOW TO TELL US MORE. MORENA, JACK. WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS? THIS IS A REALLY COOL PLANT, PROBABLY THE COOLEST. IT HAS NO ABILITY TO PHOTOSYNTHESISE, AND IS TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON ITS HOST. CAN YOU GIVE US A BIT WATERY TELL ABOUT HOW BIG IT IS AND HOW YOU ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT AND STUMBLED ACROSS IT? IT IS THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL. WHAT MAKES IT VERY COOL IS THE FLOWER SHOOTS OUT OF THE GROUND, WHERE ITS NAME COMES FROM. IT'S REALLY HARD TO FIND, I HAVE SPENT MONTHS OF MY LIFE OUT IN THE BUSH, AND SO FOR OUR CONTRACTOR TO FIND IT IS PRETTY AMAZING. EXERCISEABLE OF IT GETS TO THE SIZE OF A BASKETBALL, SO WHY HAS IT BEEN SO HARD TO FIND? THEY LOOK LIKE CLUSTERS OF ROOTS, REALLY, IT'S HARD TO FIND IF YOU'RE EVEN KEYED IN. THE FLOWERS PRODUCE A LOT OF NECTAR, SO UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS LIKE I SCREAM FOR POSSUMS, WHO COME FROM MILES AND MILES AWAY. WHAT IS THE NEXT COURSE OF ACTION? (CHUCKLES) WE WILL LEAVE THE WEATHER, IT IS IMPORTANT THEY STAY IN THE BUSH. WE HAVE LUCKY HERE THAT WE HAVE GREAT SUPPORT LAB ARE LOOKING TO TRANSPORT SEATS DOWN TO WELLINGTON FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. BEING ABLE TO DRAW ON THAT MATAURANGA IS OUR NEXT STEPS. THE TREES THEY'RE ON eALSO AT THE END OF THEIR LIVES SO WE ARE LOOKING WHAT IS AMENABLE POTENTIALLY WILDLIFE AND BIRDLIFE FOR THIS TO EXIST AGAIN? A MONITORING LAST YEAR TURNED UP A POPULATION OF SHORT TAILED BAT IN THE RANGES AS WELL WHICH HADN'T BEEN SEEN FOR DECADES EITHER, SO WHAT REMAINED AS A GOOD FOOD SOURCE FOR THEM, ONE THING HELPS ANOTHER AND THE WHOLE PLACE WILL GET HEALTHIER AND HEALTHIER. THE ONE THAT YOU FOUND, QUITE HEALTHY? IT'S HARD TO SAY, THEY LOOK LIKE MOSSY FRUIT. WHILE WE WORK TO PROTECT THESE, WE REALLY WANT TO FIND SOME MORE, THEY DO HAVE OLD FLOWERS ON THEM, SO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO REPRODUCE WHICH IS A HOPEFUL SIGN AS WELL. IN TERMS OF ITS SIGNIFICANCE, HOW BIG IS IT TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY STILL OUT THERE? MEGA. THAT TERRIBLY RARE, REALLY HARD TO FIND AND SCARCE IN NATURE, AND BECAUSE OF POSSUMS AND PIGS, THEY ARE NOT DOING VERY WELL. WE HAVE REALLY GOOD PEST CONTROL SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD SIGN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. KIA ORA. E WHAI AKE NEI ` AOTEAROA LONGEST-RUNNING OPEN CALL REGIONAL ART COMPETITION IS BACK AT ITS ORIGINAL SITE. WE'LL HEAD TO WHANGANUI AFTER THE BREAK. (PUORO KI TE REO MAORI) 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. MORENA, TAMAKI MAKAURAU! LOOKING GOOD. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OUR MOOD BOARD. CERTAINLY TACKY. I'M GOING TO GO INTO USE THE COLOUR PRINTER AND A SECOND SOON. HAMILTON, FINE WITH MORNING FROST. THE THING ABOUT THE MOOD BOARD THAT I DON'T BELIEVE IN IS SHALLOW DO ONE FOR MY TEAM, TOTTENHAM> NO. I NEED TO ACTUALLY FULLY BELIEVE. THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T BELONG THE BOARD, YOU DON'T ACTUALLY BELIEVE. WELLINGTON, 15, FINE. A BIT OF WIND THERE BUT THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL, AS IT? CHRISTCHURCH, FINE, MORNING FROST. THERE'S THE STADIUM! IS TAKING SHAPE, ISN'T IT, IT'S GOING TO BE GLORIOUS WHEN IT IS FINALLY FINISHED. WE MIGHT EVEN SEE SOME PEOPLE GETTING TO WORK ON THAT. HANG ON, WAIT FOR IT. COME ON SISTER, BRING IT HOME/ OTEPOTI DUNEDIN, MIGHT HAVE A FEW MORNING SHOWERS. I WILL WAIT. BRING IT HOME, GIRL! HOPEFULLY OUR GOOD FRIEND IS WATCHING THIS. MORENA! PROBABLY EASING INTO THE DAY NOW. GORGEOUS. WHAT A GLORIOUS SPOT OF THE COUNTRY THAT IS. # FOR TODAY, I REMEMBER YOUR SMILE. NO, NO, NO, WAIT. HAPPY? HERE'S WHAT'S MAKING NEWS THIS MORNING ` BOWEL CANCER SURVIVORS SAY THE GOVERNMENT'S CURRENT PLAN TO LOWER THE BOWEL SCREENING AGE FROM 60 TO 58 IS A SLAP IN THE FACE. THEY WANT IT TO BE DROPPED TO 45. OVERSEAS, THERE'S BEEN NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO NEW YORK'S BROOKLYN BRIDGE, AUTHORITIES SAY, AFTER A MEXICAN NAVY SHIP CRASHED INTO IT OVER THE WEEKEND, KILLING TWO CADETS. AND IN SPORT, AUCKLAND FC ARE EMBRACING THE TARGETS ON THEIR BACK AS THEY LOOK TO LOCK IN THEIR SPOT IN THE GRAND FINAL. 8:45. ONE OF AOTEAROA'S LONGEST-RUNNING REGIONAL ART COMPETITIONS IS BACK AT ITS ORIGINAL SITE ` TE WHARE O REHUA SARJEANT GALLERY IN WHANGANUI. ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE REGION ARE POURING THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE REDEVELOPED GALLERY THIS WEEK, BRINGING IN ART OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. TODAY, THE JUDGING BEGINS TO PICK A WINNER. TE WHARE O REHUA SARJEANT GALLERY DIRECTOR ANDREW CLIFFORD AND ARTIST KATIE BROWN JOIN US NOW. MORENA KI A KORUA. ANDREW, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE YESTERDAY WHEN HE SAW THE LAST TESTS COMING IN WITH THEIR WORK? ATA MARIE, GOOD MORNING. IT WAS SUCH A BUZZ! WITH ONLY BEEN OPEN FOR SIX MONTHS AND WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 74,000 PEOPLE THROUGH THE GALLERY ALREADY, AND YESTERDAY, WE HAD ABOUT 500. ALL ARTISTS CARRYING THEIR WORKS UNDER THEIR ARMS. ALL CAN HAVE THEIR WORK DISPLAYED. IT WAS FULLY NICE, REALLY BUSY. NO DOUBT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN. IN TERMS OF THE ART REVUE, TELL US ABOUT WHAT IT IS. IT IS A STAPLE OF THE LOCAL SCENE, RUNNING FOR ABOUT 30 TO 35 YEARS. WITH BEEN ON HIATUS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WHILE WE FIXED THE NEW WING, NAMED AFTER OUR KAUMATUA. IT IS OUR FIRST TIME HOSTING IN THIS AMAZING PLACE. EVERYONE IS JUST EXCITED TO SEE IN THIS BUILDING AND SHOW THEIR OWN WORK. KATIE, AS ONE OF THE ARTISTS, WHAT WAS WHAT YESTERDAY LIKE FOR YOU, WILL BE PART OF THE BUZZ IN THE ORIGINAL PLACE? I SAW A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WHILE, SO IT IS A COMMUNITY COMING BACK, AND I KNOW I WAS VERY EXCITED AND CAUGHT UP WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, SO THERE WAS A REAL BUZZ. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE REVUE IS BACK IN THIS GALLERY. I DEFINITELY AM VERY EXCITED. WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU, BEING AN ARTIST AND BEEN INVOLVED IN IT? I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 30 YEARS AS AN ARTIST IN WHANGANUI, SO I HAVE WATCHED IT GROW, AND I AM PART OF THIS COMMITTEE WHAT I AM VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT. I PUT A PIECE AND FOR THE REVUE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? YES, ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU! I AM ACTUALLY AT THE ARTS CENTRE,