TONIGHT ON 1 NEWS ` A KIWI KILLED IN UKRAINE. SHAN-LE KEARNS WAS AT THE CONFLICT TO HELP INJURED ON THE BATTLEFIELD. WE SPEAK WITH HIS MOTHER. ARE BANKS BEING LET OFF THE HOOK? ACCUSATIONS A NEW LAW IS LETTING ANZ AND ASB OUT OF POTENTIALLY REFUNDING THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND ` LIVING LIKE A LORDE. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) FROM A POP-UP PERFORMANCE TO THE MUSIC AWARDS, THE KIWI SINGER JOINS IN CELEBRATIONS OF 60 YEARS OF KIWI MUSICAL EXCELLENCE. CAPTIONS BY LELE SIMEON, SAM BAKER AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 'HE WAS SAVING LIVES AND GOING BACK TO SAVE MORE.' THAT'S WHAT SHAN-LE KEARNS MOTHER SAYS SHE'S BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE DEATH OF HER SON IN UKRAINE. THE 24-YEAR-OLD IS THE FOURTH NEW ZEALANDER TO DIE IN THE CONFLICT. A SHORT TIME AGO LISA DAVIES SPOKE WITH HIS FAMILY. I'VE DECIDED THAT I'M GOING TO STAY TO FINISH MY THREE-YEAR CONTRACT. THIS IS THE LAST VIDEO MESSAGE ELIS KEARNS GOT FROM HER SON, SHAN-LE. ALTHOUGH, I'VE NOTICED THAT MOST VETERANS TEND TO BECOME VERY UNLUCKY AFTER TWO YEARS. DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME, JUST LIVE YOUR LIFE, ENJOY YOUR TIME. I'LL PROBABLY BE BACK EVENTUALLY. BUT THE SAD REALITY IS... HE'S IN BITS AND PIECES IN ENEMY TERRITORY. THEY'VE TRIED... TO RETRIEVE BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, SO THEY'VE SAID AT THE EARLIEST IT'LL BE SIX MONTHS. SHE'S PROUD OF THE WORK HE WAS DOING IN UKRAINE. HE DIED DOING WHAT HE WANTED TO DO, AND HE DID A LOT OF GOOD OVER THERE, SO.. I HAVE TO KEEP TELLING MYSELF THAT. PINNED ON HER WALLS ALONGSIDE PHOTOS OF SHAN-LE ` THE EMAIL THAT CONFIRMED THE WORST. READS: 'I WON'T BE SKATING AROUND IT ` SHAN-LE DIED ON A MISSION 'HELPING THE WOUNDED FRIENDLIES SAVING FIVE PEOPLE.' HE WAS SAVING LIVES, AND THEN HE WAS GOING BACK TO SAVE MORE WHEN A DRONE DROPPED A GRENADE ON HIM. IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A MONTH NOW SINCE SHE WAS TOLD... I... LIGHT CANDLES IN MY BEDROOM EVERY NIGHT WHILE I CRY MY HEART OUT, BUT, WELL, THAT JUST HAS TO BE DONE, I SUPPOSE. IT'S JUST A PROCESS I HAVE TO GO THROUGH. ...TAKING TIME TO REFLECT ON THE MAN HE WAS. HE WAS SO HELPFUL SO CARING... ESPECIALLY FOR THE UNDERDOGS, YOU KNOW. HE WOULD FIGHT FOR THEM. UM, HE'S... PRETTY OPEN-MINIDED, AND HE'S WISE FOR HIS AGE. READS: 'I LOVED YOUR SON A LOT, AND I MISS HIM. 'HE WAS MY LAST RAY OF HAPPINESS IN THIS UNIT, 'NOT ONLY AS A SOLDIER BUT ALSO AS A PERSON.' FOR NOW HOLDING ON TO THESE FINAL WORDS. ENJOY YOUR TIME. I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I'M LOOKING AT YOU. WHAT IS IT LIKE WATCHING THAT VIDEO OF HIM NOW? OH, I JUST KEEP THINKING, 'MY BABY BOY. 'MY WONDERFUL BABY BOY.' UM... WELL, I'M JUST GLAD HE WAS HAPPY. LISA JOINS ME FROM THE CHRISTCHURCH NEWSROOM. WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US? SIMON, SHAN-LI RANG HIS MOTHER ELIS ONCE A MONTH WITHOUT FAIL SHE TRIES TO FIND A WAY TO BRING HOME. SHE HAS PROVIDED DNA, DESCRIBED AS TATTERED IS TO HELP WITH HIS IDENTIFICATION AS HE LIES IN ENEMY TERRITORY. IT IS BELIEVED HE IS STILL LIES THERE. THANKS, LISA. AND LATER IN THE BULLETIN, WE'LL HAVE THE LATEST ON THE FIGHTING IN UKRAINE AND DETAILS OF A NEW WEAPON THAT IS BEING DEPLOYED IN THE DONETSK REGION. THE NATIONAL PARTY'S BEING ACCUSED OF PUTTING THE NEEDS OF BANKS BEFORE EVERYDAY KIWIS. INTRODUCING LEGISLATION THAT COULD SEE TWO BIG AUSTRALIAN-OWNED LENDERS AVOID PAYING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN REFUNDS. ONE CUSTOMER SAYS IT COULD MEAN THE BANKS GET OFF 'SCOT FREE'. BUT THE MINISTER IN CHARGE SAYS IT SIMPLY GIVES THE COURTS MORE DISCRETION IN SETTLING DISPUTES. POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN HAS MORE. ANTHONY SIMONS IS A SMALL-BUSINESS OWNER, A FAMILY MAN, AND AMONG THE 170,000 CUSTOMERS WHO'VE TAKEN LEGAL ACTION AGAINST ANZ AND ASB BANKS. WE'RE JUST A HARD-WORKING KIWI FAMILY TRYING TO PAY OFF OUR MORTGAGE ` STRUGGLING SOMETIMES ` AND WE SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO TRUST OUR BANK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN DISCLOSING THE RIGHT INFORMATION. AN INVESTIGATION BY THE COMMERCE COMMISSION FOUND THE TWO BANKS DID NOT DISCLOSE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION REGARDING CUSTOMER LOANS, MEANING THE BANKS ARE POTENTIALLY LIABLE TO REFUND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEES AND INTEREST. THIS IS CORE BUSINESS FROM THE BANKS. IT'S SIMPLE STUFF. BUT AFTER FOUR YEARS BATTLING THROUGH THE COURTS, THE GOVERNMENT LAST WEEK PASSED THE FIRST READING OF LEGISLATION, WHICH, RETROSPECTIVELY, CHANGES THE RULES. BANKS, NO MATTER WHAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT THINK OF THEM, ARE SURELY ENTITLED TO THE SAME JUDICIAL FAIRNESS AS ANY OTHER ENTITY OR PERSON. WE'VE TAKEN IT RIGHT THROUGH TO THE SUPREME COURT. AND RIGHT WHERE WE'RE GETTING TO CRUNCH TIME, THE BANKS HAVE CONTACTED THEIR MATES IN THE NATIONAL PARTY WHO HAVE AGREED TO POTENTIALLY WIPE THESE REFUNDS. A CABINET PAPER BY THE MINISTER RELEASED LAST MONTH HIGHLIGHTS THE CLASS ACTION AGAINST THE BANKS, AND THAT ADDRESSING THESE CONCERNS THROUGH RETROSPECTIVE LEGISLATION IS LIKELY TO ATTRACT CRITICISM. WELL, THERE WILL BE CRITICISM BECAUSE IT IS RETROSPECTIVE, AND RETROSPECTIVE LEGISLATION IS UNUSUAL BUT NOT COMPLETELY UNKNOWN. IF THE GOVERNMENT'S PREPARED TO DO STUFF LIKE THIS TO HELP BANKS, IT JUST MAKES MY MIND BLOW. (CHUCKLES) STATEMENTS PROVIDED BY ANZ AND ASB SAY THE... ADDING IT SIMPLY... FOR CASES THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN 2015 AND 2019, THE COURTS CAN ONLY IMPOSE ONE PENALTY, AND THAT IS A FULL REFUND OF ALL INTEREST AND ALL FEES, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR MINOR THE ERROR OR OMISSION WAS. THE PENALTIES ARE CLEAR UNDER THE LEGISLATION. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THOSE PENALTIES ARE BEING WIPED OUT AND REPLACED WITH SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CLEAR, WHICH IS WHAT IS A REASONABLE PENALTY. WHILE ALL THREE COALITION PARTIES BACKED THE BILL AT FIRST READING, NZ FIRST HAS CONCERNS OVER THE RETROSPECTIVE ASPECT AND WANTS TO HEAR MORE OFFICIAL ADVICE AND PUBLIC FEEDBACK BEFORE DECIDING IF IT'LL BACK THE BILL ALL THE WAY. A DEBATE THAT'LL NOW PLAY OUT AT SELECT COMMITTEE. MAIKI SHERMAN, 1 NEWS. PLANS TO OVERHAUL THE WAY FRESHWATER, INFRASTRUCTURE AND FARMING ARE GOVERNED TOOK A BIG STEP FORWARD TODAY. AS PART OF THE CHANGES TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT. THE MINISTER IN CHARGE CHRIS BISHOP ANNOUNCED PUBLIC CONSULATIONS ON CHANGES TO THE NATIONAL DIRECTION. THATS THE RULES AND POLICIES OF THE RMA THAT INFORM HOW COUNCIL IMPLEMENT LOCAL PLANS. THE MINISTER SAYS THE PROPOSALS AIM TO STREAMLINE REGULATION. OUR PLANNING SYSTEM IS BROKEN. IT'S A HANDBRAKE ON THE ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT WE NEED, AND THE CAUSE OF MANY OF OUR CHALLENGES ACROSS THE ECONOMY. THE REALITY IS, THE RMA EMBEDS A CULTURE OF NO; AND AS A COUNTRY, WE HAVE TO START SAYING YES A LOT MORE. PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS OPEN UNTIL THE END OF JULY. THERE'VE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY SCENES AT THE UNITED NATIONS WITH THE PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR BREAKING DOWN AS HE DESCRIBED THE SUFFERING IN OCCUPIED GAZA. SPEAKING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL, RIYAD MANSOUR SAID TO SEE THE SITUATION 'WITHOUT US HAVING HEARTS TO DO SOMETHING 'IS BEYOND THE ABILITY OF ANY NORMAL HUMAN BEING TO TOLERATE'. IT COMES AMID GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE DELIVERY OF AID. PEOPLE DIED AS THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS STORMED A WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME WAREHOUSE IN A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT ` THE UN ORGANISATION SAYING, 'HUMANITARIAN NEEDS HAVE SPIRALLED OUT OF CONTROL'. IT FOLLOWS THE OVERRUNNING OF A FOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTRE YESTERDAY. ISRAEL'S GOVERNMENT IS VOWING TO NOT HALT MILITARY ACTION, BLAMING HAMAS FOR THE SITUATION. THIS AS A RALLY IN TEL AVIV MARKING 600 DAYS SINCE THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACK CALLS FOR AN END TO THE CONFLICT. WITH THE LATEST, HERE'S U.S. CORRESPONDENT LOGAN CHURCH. THE GAZA STARVING STORM A UNITED NATIONS FOOD WAREHOUSE. SACKS OF FLOUR ARE HURRIED AWAY, SOME THROUGH HOLES RIPPED IN THE CORRUGATED IRON WALLS. OFFICIALS AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL SAY TWO PEOPLE WERE CRUSHED TO DEATH AND TWO FATALLY SHOT. IT'S UNCLEAR BY WHOM. THE RED CROSS SAYS IT'S TREATING OTHERS, INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS. IT CAME A DAY AFTER DESPERATE CROWDS OVERRAN A NEW AID DISTRIBUTION SITE RUN BY A GROUP BACKED BY ISRAEL AND THE U.S., AN ATTEMPT TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD AFTER ISRAEL'S 11-WEEK TOTAL AID BLOCKADE. GAZA'S HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS SHOTS FIRED HERE KILLED ONE PALESTINIAN AND WOUNDED 48 OTHERS. FRANKLY, THESE VIDEO` THESE IMAGES ARE HEARTBREAKING, TO SAY THE LEAST. THE GROUP SAYS IT'S HANDED OUT NEARLY HALF A MILLION MEALS, BUT THE UN IS REFUSING TO COOPERATE, SAYING FOOD IS BEING USED AS A WEAPON TO CONTROL THE POPULATION. TRANSLATOR: WE DON'T WANT THEM TO DISTRIBUTE AID TO US. WE WANT THE UN TO FEED US. THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR US. AT A UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING IN NEW YORK TODAY, THE PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR SAID MORE THAN 1300 CHILDREN HAD BEEN KILLED SINCE A CEASEFIRE ENDED IN MARCH. AND STILL A WAR AGAINST BARBARISM ` CHILDREN! THEN BREAKING DOWN AS ISRAEL'S AMBASSADOR WATCHED HIM, CLAIMING THOUSANDS MORE CHILDREN ARE DYING OF STARVATION. THE IMAGES OF MOTHERS EMBRACING THEIR... MOTIONLESS BODIES, CARESSING THEIR HAIR, TALKING TO THEM, APOLOGISING TO THEM. (INHALES SHAKILY) IT'S UNBEARABLE! HOW COULD ANYONE...? (SOBS) ISRAEL HAS DEFENDED ITS AID BLOCKADE BY CLAIMING HAMAS STEALS SUPPLIES. IT ALSO SAYS HAMAS MILITANTS ARE HIDING IN CIVILIAN SITES THAT IT BOMBS. I AGREE WITH YOU. THERE IS SUFFERING IN GAZA. BUT THE BLAME IS ON THE SHOULDERS OF HAMAS. I DID NOT SEE OR TREAT A SINGLE COMBATANT DURING MY FIVE WEEKS IN GAZA. MY PATIENTS WERE 6-YEAR-OLDS WITH SHRAPNELS IN THEIR HEART AND BULLETS IN THEIR BRAINS. OPPOSITION WITHIN ISRAEL IS GROWING TOO ` THIS FORMER PRIME MINISTER TELLING CNN WHY HE CAN NO LONGER DEFEND ISRAEL AGAINST ACCUSATIONS OF WAR CRIMES. THE STATEMENTS MADE BY ISRAELI CABINET MINISTERS, THE LEADING CABINET MINISTERS, THAT SAY WE SHOULD STARVE GAZA ` WHAT IS IT IF NOT A WAR CRIME? WE WILL NOT FINISH THE WAR LEAVING BEHIND 58 PEOPLE. THERE ARE FAMILIES WAITING FOR THEM. BUT FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES HOLDING A RALLY 600 DAYS AFTER THEY WERE ABDUCTED BY HAMAS SAY BY CONTINUING THE WAR, ISRAEL IS SENTENCING THEM TO DEATH. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS, NEW YORK. THOUSANDS OF LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE FINANCIALLY WORSE OFF NEXT YEAR AS THE GOVERNMENT MOVES TO CHANGE THE DECADES-OLD RULES REGARDING BOARDERS. THE MINISTER IN CHARGE LOUISE UPSTON SAYS SHE'S JUST FIXING AN ANOMALY. BUT THE GREENS SAY HER HEART IS ROTTEN TO THE CORE. HERE'S SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS. IN THE 1990s, STATE HOUSE TENANTS GOT A TINY PERK. THEY COULD TAKE IN ONE OR TWO BOARDERS TO HELP OUT WITH COSTS AND ENSURE EMPTY ROOMS WERE UTILISED, AND AUTHORITIES WOULDN'T FACTOR IN THE INCOME. FAST FOWARD TO TODAY AND THE GOVERNMENT'S SAYING NO MORE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE WELFARE SYSTEM IS FAIRER AND CONSISTENT. SOON ALL BOARDERS' INCOME WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE HOUSING ALLOWANCES ARE CALCULATED. MAKING IT FAIRER SO THAT ALL INCOME IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE. IT SAVES THE GOVERNMENT $150m OVER FOUR YEARS. BUT OFFICIALS WARNED IT WILL LEAVE ABOUT 7000 HOUSEHOLDS WHO HAVE A BOARDER AND RECEIVE THE ACCOMODATION SUPPLEMENT ` $100 A WEEK WORSE OFF ON AVERAGE. AND MORE THAN 6000 IN PUBLIC HOUSING WILL PAY AN EXTRA $132 A WEEK. THAT ANALYSIS SPARKING THIS ONSLAUGHT. THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO EXPLAIN THIS BILL, AND THIS IS BECAUSE MINISTER LOUISE UPSTON'S HEART IS ROTTEN TO THE CORE. AND HE'S NOT BACKING DOWN. HOW ELSE CAN YOU EXPLAIN TAKING AWAY $100 A WEEK ON AVERAGE EACH WEEK. THERE'S NO JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS. I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO DEBATE THE POLICY, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO STOOP TO LEVELS OF PERSONAL ATTACK. THE GREENS SAY IT'S THE POOR BEING ATTACKED. $100 MAY NOT MEAN MUCH FOR A WEALTHY MINISTER, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY A LIFELINE FOR SOME OF OUR POOREST. THIS YOUTH ADVOCATE HAS GRAVE CONCERNS. IF YOU ARE RECEIVING ACCOMMODATION SUPPLEMENT, IT MEANS YOU ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO PAY RENT. IT MEANS, FINANCIALLY, YOU ARE ALREADY IN A REALLY DIFFICULT POSITION. THERE ARE FEARS THIS CHANGE COULD REDUCE THE INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE IN-BOARDERS. ONE OF THE CORE PLACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE FIND SHELTER AT THE MOMENT IS THROUGH BOARDING ARRANGEMENTS, SO THIS WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THEM. WORRIED THE REMOVAL OF THE BOARDER PERK COULD FUEL FURTHER HOMELESSNESS WHEN IT COMES INTO EFFECT NEXT YEAR. BENEDICT COLLINS, 1 NEWS. DAIRY FARMERS CONTINUE A DREAM RUN AS FONTERRA ANNOUNCING A SECOND SEASON OF BUMPER MILK PRICES AND A STRONG BUSINESS PROFIT. ITS THIRD-QUARTER UPDATE HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED. FONTERRA SAYS FOR THE CURRENT SEASON, THE MILK PRICE OF $10 PER KILOGRAM OF MILK SOLIDS EQUATES TO AROUND $15 BILLION INTO THE ECONOMY. THAT'S FORECAST TO CONTINUE NEXT YEAR, DRIVEN BY STRONG MARKET DEMAND. FONTERRA'S Q3 OPERATING PROFIT SAT AT $1.7b, UP $267m ON LAST YEAR. THE POLICE DETECTIVE WHO LED THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE MUSHROOM POISON DEATHS IN AUSTRALIA HAS TOLD THE COURT NEW DETAILS OF THE ACCUSED'S PHONE USE. ERIN PATTERSON IS ON TRIAL FOR KILLING THREE FORMER IN-LAWS WITH A LUNCH LACED WITH DEATH CAP MUSHROOMS. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT AZIZ AL-SA'AFIN REPORTS. A FALSE CANCER CLAIM ` ERIN PATTERSON'S PREMISE TO HOST HER FATAL LUNCH. THIS WEEK, DETECTIVE SENIOR CONSTABLE STEPHEN EPPINGSTALL SHONE NEW LIGHT ON THE MAJOR TALKING POINT. THE JURY WAS SHOWN A SERIES OF TEXTS SHE SENT TO ONE OF THE VICTIMS, GAIL PATTERSON, WHO ASKED HOW ERIN GOT ON AT AN APPOINTMENT SHE CLAIMED TO HAVE. ERIN REPLIED... BUT DETECTIVE EPPINGSTALL SAID THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT EVER HAPPENED. WHILE THE DEFENCE ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS NO CANCER DIAGNOSIS, IT ARGUED PATTERSON LONG HELD FEARS ABOUT HER HEALTH. EPPINGSTALL ALSO SAID PATTERSON HAD MULTIPLE MOBILES AND ALLEGEDLY SWAPPED SIM CARDS BETWEEN THEM WHEN POLICE RAIDED HER HOME. ONE OF THOSE PHONES, HE SAID, HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. THE COURT WAS SHOWN A MESSAGE EXCHANGE OF ERIN TELLING HER FRIENDS SHE'D PURCHASED A NEW PHONE WHEN HERS WAS BROKEN AND LEARNT ABOUT DOING A 'HARD REBOOT'. THE DETECTIVE SAID HISTORY ON A COMPUTER SEIZED FROM HER HOME INCLUDED A SEARCH FOR DEATH CAP MUSHROOMS ON THE 'iNATURALIST' WEBSITE. JURORS PREVIOUSLY HEARD TWO MUSHROOM EXPERTS USED THAT WEBSITE TO LOG TOXIC FUNGI SIGHTINGS. THE DEFENCE ARGUES THE DATA DOESN'T SHOW WHO SEARCHED ON THAT COMPUTER. EARLIER THIS WEEK, JURORS HEARD FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S SALLY ANN ATKINSON, WHO WAS TASKED WITH INVESTIGATING WHERE THE MUSHROOMS CAME FROM AFTER THE LUNCH. SHE TOLD THE COURT THAT ERIN WAS REALLY HARD TO GET A HOLD OF, AND WHEN SHE DID FINALLY GET IN TOUCH, HER STORY CHANGED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEFENCE ARGUES ERIN PATTERSON WAS UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE AT THE TIME. THE TRIAL IS ABOUT TO ENTER ITS FINAL PHASE ` CLOSING ARGUMENTS, FOLLOWED BY JURY DELIBERATIONS. PATTERSON MAINTAINS HER INNOCENCE AND HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES. AZIZ AL-SA'AFIN, 1 NEWS, SYDNEY. E WHAI AKE NEI, JUST AHEAD ` AS GERMANY OFFERS KYIV LONG-TERM SUPPORT AND HELP PRODUCING LONG RANGE MISSILES. COMING UP A WARNING TO MOSCOW FROM THE NEW CHANCELLOR AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RUSSIAN TROOPS GATHER ALONG UKRAINE'S BORDER. AND ELON MUSK ANNOUNCES HIS TIME AS DONALD TRUMP'S COST-CUTTING CZAR IS COMING TO AN END. WHY SOME ARE 'RAISING EYEBROWS' ABOUT THE TIMING? THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` IT'S BRIGHT AND EARLY. THE PERFECT TIME FOR CONTEMPLATION WITH A DAME. THE THING ABOUT DUCK SHOOTING IS YOU LEARN PATIENCE. I CALL IT THE 4H CLUB FOR ME. IT'S HEALTH, HOPES, HUNTING, AND HAPPINESS. (LAUGHS) AND THE SHOW TURNING LIFE TIPS INTO LAUGHTER. JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7. THERE ARE FEARS MORE NEW ZEALANDERS WILL SUFFER AS MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN AND ATTRACT STAFF. A NEW REPORT FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING COMMISSION SHOWS THAT EVEN THOUGH DRUG USE IS ON THE RISE, THERE'S BEEN A MORE THAN 10% DROP IN PEOPLE ACCESSING TREATMENT AND SUPPORT OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. JAMES FLEURY REPORTS. FOR THE LAST DECADE, HOPE HOUSE HAS BEEN SUPPORTING NORTHLANDERS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION. IT WAS JUST A DREAM TO HELP PEOPLE. SO WE JUST STARTED PUTTING CABINS ON THE PROPERTY AND DOING WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT WITH THE LITTLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAD. LOCATED AROUND AN HOUR NORTH OF KAITAIA IN A REGION WITH THE COUNTRY'S HIGHEST METHAMPHETAMINE USE. I THINK IT'S ABOUT 70% OF RESIDENTS THAT COME INTO OUR FACILITY ` THEIR ADDICTION IS METHAMPHETAMINE. BUT DESPITE CONSUMPTION OF THE DRUG SURGING IN THE LAST YEAR, A NEW MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING REPORT HAS REVEALED THERE'S BEEN A MORE THAN 10% DROP IN PEOPLE ACCESSING TREATMENT AND SUPPORT FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION NATIONWIDE. OUR LATEST MONITORING DATA SHOWS 5000 LESS PEOPLE ACCESSED SPECIALIST ADDICTION SERVICES THAN FIVE YEARS AGO. THE REDUCTION IS MATCHED BY A JUMP IN REFERRALS BEING DECLINED, NOT BECAUSE DEMAND HAS GONE DOWN; INSTEAD, THE COMMISSION SAYS SERVICE PROVIDERS DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF. WE ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO RETRAIN PEOPLE WHEN WE'RE SEEING TRAINING PROGRAMMES ON YEAR-BY-YEAR CONTRACTS AND THAT THEY HAVE REDUCED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AS WELL. THERE HAS BEEN HIRING FREEZES WITHIN TE WHATU ORA SO WE HAVE SEEN VACANCIES WITHIN THOSE ROLES. THE MINISTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH SEES IT DIFFERENTLY. WHETHER IT BE THE FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE MARGIE APA OR THE CURRENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE, DALE BRAMLEY, THEY HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION ROLES ARE TO BE PROTECTED, AND ANY VACANT ROLES ARE TO BE RECRUITED TO. BUT HE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THERE'S PROGRESS TO BE MADE, PARTICULARLY AROUND METH USE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SERVICES TO RESPOND TO HELP PEOPLE MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR LIFE AND GET HELP. SERVICES LIKE HOPE HOUSE IN NORTHLAND WOULD LIKE TO DO MORE. WE'VE HAD ABOUT 14 RESIDENTS ON SITE, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT, AND OUR FACILITY DOES TEND TO STRUGGLE WITH THOSE LARGER NUMBERS, BUT, AGAIN, THE NEED IS THERE. NOW HOPEFUL THAT RECOGNITION OF THE PROBLEM IN HIS COMMUNITY LEADS TO MORE FUNDING. JAMES FLEURY, 1 NEWS. AS PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY WARNS RUSSIA IS AMASSING 50,000 TROOPS ON ITS BORDER, UKRAINE HAS REACHED A LONG-RANGE WEAPONS DEAL WITH GERMANY. NEW CHANCELLOR FRIEDRICH MERZ PROMISING ZELENSKYY DURING HIS VISIT TO BERLIN KYIV WILL GET HELP TO PRODUCE THE MISSILES. MOSCOW HAS CONTINUALLY WARNED ANY DECISION TO END RANGE RESTRICTIONS ON MISSILES WOULD BE A DANGEROUS CHANGE IN POLICY. BUT MERZ SAYS UKRAINE WILL GET GERMANY'S CONTINUED SUPPORT, AND IF RUSSIA REFUSES TO TAKE PART IN FURTHER PEACE TALKS, THERE'LL BE 'REAL CONSEQUENCES'. MEANWHILE ON THE FRONTLINES, RUSSIA'S FORCES HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, ESPECIALLY AROUND DONETSK. AND NOW THE PUSH IS BEING RAMPED UP IN WHAT'S BEING SEEN AS THE START OF A SUMMER OFFENSIVE. THE BBC'S YOGITA LIMAYE REPORTS. THE AFTERMATH OF RUSSIA'S VICIOUS ONSLAUGHT OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS IS VISIBLE ACROSS UKRAINE. JUST IN THE PAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS, THINGS HAVE CHANGED ON THIS FRONT. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE THAT RUSSIA HAS POSSIBLY MADE SINCE THE START OF JANUARY. MANY BELIEVE THIS IS THE START OF THE SUMMER OFFENSIVE TO TAKE` (BANG!) WE'VE JUST RUN TO SAFETY INSIDE... A HOUSE HERE IN RODYNS'KE. WE ACTUALLY SAW A DRONE THAT WAS MOVING AT A REALLY HIGH SPEED, AND WE CAN STILL HEAR GUNSHOT SOUNDS, POTENTIALLY, UH, DRONES BEING SHOT DOWN. ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATER, WHEN IT'S SAFE TO LEAVE, WE SPEED OUT. BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ` WHAT IS LIKELY A DOWNED DRONE. THE DIPLOMATIC MOMENTUM TO GET THE WAR TO STOP SEEMS TO HAVE HIT A DEAD END, AND UKRAINE IS WORKING TO RAMP UP ITS ARSENAL BIG AND SMALL. A SOLDIER WITH THE CALLSIGN 'MODERATOR' IS BUILDING THE LATEST WEAPON TO HIT THIS WARZONE ` A FIBRE OPTIC DRONE. A SPOOL WITH TENS OF KILOMETRES OF CABLE IS FITTED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE DRONE. FINE AND STURDY, THE FIBRE OPTIC CORD IS THEN PHYSICALLY ATTACHED TO THE CONTROLLER THAT'S HELD BY THE PILOT. TRANSLATOR: IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ON OUR FRONTLINE, THE ENEMY HAS A LOT OF ELECTRONIC INTERCEPTORS WHICH JAM ALL THE FREQUENCIES SO WE CAN'T FLY OUR USUAL DRONES. UKRAINE IS PLAYING A GAME OF CATCH-UP DEPLOYING FIBRE OPTIC DEVICES. RUSSIA STARTED USING THEM MONTHS BEFORE UKRAINE, THE SOLDIERS TELL US. THE CHILLING IMPACT OF RAPIDLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY CAN BE SEEN IN THIS RECENT VIDEO FROM THE EASTERN FRONT. A RUSSIAN DRONE CHASES AN ARMOURED VEHICLE CARRYING UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS. THE JAMMERS ON THE TOP COULD HAVE NEUTRALISED NORMAL DRONES, BUT NOT A FIBRE OPTIC ONE. IT FLIES STRAIGHT THROUGH THE BACK DOOR AND EXPLODES. TRANSPORTING SOLDIERS TO AND FROM THE FRONT IS OFTEN DEADLIER THAN THE BATTLEFIELD. AT A SAFE HOUSE, JUST OUT OF REACH OF DRONES, WE MEET SERHII, WHO WORKS IN A MORTAR UNIT. TRANSLATOR: THE TERRAIN IS FLAT, SO THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE. AND RIGHT NOW YOU CAN FEEL THE INTENSITY OF RUSSIA'S ASSAULT GROWING STRONGER. MAKSYM WORKED IN A DRINKS COMPANY. NOW HE'S AT THE VERY FRONT OF UKRAINE'S DEFENCE. I ASK HOW HIS FAMILY COPES WITH HIS JOB. IT'S VERY` IT'S VERY HARD. A SOLDIER FIGHTING FOR HIS COUNTRY, BUT ALSO JUST A FATHER MISSING HIS BOY (2). WHILE UKRAINE IS PUSHING BACK, SOLDIERS ARE SHORT OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION, MAKING IT HARDER TO SLOW RUSSIA'S ADVANCE. TECH BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK HAS ANNOUNCED HE'S LEAVING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. THE WORLD'S RICHEST PERSON TOOK ON A ROLE IN THE WHITE HOUSE TO CUT COSTS, SETTING UP DOGE, THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, LAYING OFF THOUSANDS OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. ON X, THE SOCIAL MEDIA HE OWNS, HE SAID HIS TIME IN THE ROLE HAD COME TO AN END. HIS DEPARTURE COMES JUST A DAY AFTER HE EXPRESSED HIS DISAPPOINTMENT IN ONE OF TRUMP'S SIGNATURE POLICIES THAT THE PRESIDENT DUBBED HIS 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL'. PROSECUTORS IN THE U.K HAVE CONFIRMED FOR THE FIRST TIME. CHARGES AGAINST BROTHERS TRISTAN AND ANDREW TATE. THERE ARE 21 IN ALL INCLUDING INCLUDE RAPE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. BUT FIRST, THE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS WHO'RE DUAL BRITISH AND U.S. CITIZENS FACE CHARGES WHERE THEY'VE ALSO BEEN LIVING IN ROMANIA. BOTH BROTHERS DENY ANY WRONGDOING. A MURI AKE NEI, COMING UP ` FEARS FOR A RESIDENT OF AN ALPINE VILLAGE IN SWITZERLAND, DESPITE WARNINGS TO EVACUATE ` WHAT TRIGGERED THIS HUGE MUDSLIDE AND WHY IT'S FEARED THERE WILL BE MORE. WE SPEAK WITH LORD AT THE MUSIC AWARDS AS THE EVENT CELEBRATE 60 YEARS THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` THE GERMAN RITUAL YOU NEED TO TRY THIS WINTER TO PREVENT DAMPNESS. FIND OUT HOW A BLAST OF COLD AIR CAN MAKE YOUR HOME HEALTHIER. PLUS, SOME SPECIAL COMEDY FOR THOSE ON THE VERGE OF TURNING 30. (RAY COLUMBUS' 'TILL WE KISSED') # TILL WE KISSED. # I NEVER KNEW THE YEARS THAT I HAD WASTED... # THAT'S HIT SONG 'TILL WE KISSED' BY RAY COLUMBUS AND THE INVADERS, THE WINNERS IN 1965 OF THE VERY FIRST LOXENE GOLDEN DISC AWARD. THE SHOW TONIGHT IS CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF GREAT KIWI MUSIC, AND AMONG THOSE ATTENDING, LORDE. FIRST, HIS REPORT ON THE FINALISTS. ONE LAST SOUND CHECK... AS SOME OF THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS PREPARE TO PLAY AT THE BIGGEST NIGHT FOR THE KIWI MUSIC INDUSTRY. I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT THE BEST ARTISTS IN THE WORLD. UM, AND I'M NOT EVEN BEING BIASED. I TRULY FEEL LIKE, MAN, WE'VE GOT... WE'VE GOT THE GOOD STUFFS HERE. I THINK THAT'S THE THING I'M MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS GETTING TO PLAY A SONG WITH MY BAND. (SINGS IN TE REO MAORI) SINGER-SONGWRITER ANNA CODDINGTON AMONG THE FINALISTS ` UP FOR SEVERAL AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST ALBUM AND BEST MAORI ARTIST. THE LAST FIVE OR 10 YEARS HAS SEEN A REAL SURGE OF MAORI MUSIC AND MAORI ARTISTS, AND SO IT'S JUST KIND OF NATURALLY BECOME PART OF THE FABRIC. STAN WALKER AGREES. HE'S BEEN A MAINSTAY AT THE AWARDS SINCE WINNING AUSTRALIAN IDOL, LEADING THIS YEAR'S NOMINATIONS ALONGSIDE KIWI-PERSIAN RAPPER CHAII... # WHY YOU GOTTA CHEW IT LIKE THAT, # FEEL LIKE A PEBBLE IN MY SHOE LIKE THAT? # ...WITH FIVE NODS EACH. SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN SOME CHANGES. I'VE HOSTED, I'VE PERFORMED, I'VE BEEN NOMINATED, I'VE WON AWARDS, I'VE ATTENDED. SO TO BE HERE, YOU KNOW, 60 YEARS, UM... AND FOR ME, 15 YEARS HAS BEEN` IT'S BEEN AWESOME. ARCHIVE: I'M STANDING BENEATH A SYMBOL OF THE GOLDEN DISC AWARD THE FIRST ITERATION OF THE AOTEAROA MUSIC AWARDS CAME ABOUT THANKS TO A BRITISH SHAMPOO COMPANY, FOUNDING THE LOXENE GOLDEN DISC AWARD, NAMED AFTER ONE OF ITS PRODUCTS, ALONGSIDE THE NEW ZEALAND BROADCASTING CORPORATION. IT WAS AWARDED TO JUST ONE SONG ` THE FIRST WINNER RAY COLUMBUS AND THE INVADERS FOR THEIR 1965 HIT 'TILL WE KISSED'. # TILL WE KISSED. # I NEVER KNEW THE YEARS THAT I HAD WASTED. # IT'S COME A LONG WAY SINCE THEN, TRANSITIONING FROM A RADIO-ONLY BROADCAST TO TV AND SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH SEVERAL NAME CHANGES ALONG THE WAY. THIS IS THE PEPSI NEW ZEALAND MUSIC AWARDS AND, MAN, WHAT A YEAR IT HAS BEEN. THE NUMBER OF CATEGORIES HAS ALSO GROWN TO ALMOST 30. IT'S CERTAINLY A REFLECTION OF A DIVERSITY OF STYLES AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF CONSUMING. SO I THINK IT'S ALSO THAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE A PLATFORM FOR OUR WHOLE MUSIC COMMUNITY. TONIGHT, ALL ABOUT CELEBRATING THE BEST OF KIWI MUSIC AND MARKING HOW FAR IT'S COME IN 60 YEARS. JACOB, YOU'VE CAUGHT UP WITH LORDE, WHO'S ALSO A FINALIST TONIGHT. WHICH AWARD IS SHE UP FOR? LORDE IS A FINALIST FOR SINGLE OF THE YEAR FOR HER SONG GIRL, SO CONFUSING, A COLLABORATION OF CHARLI XCX. LORDE WAS THE LAST GUEST TO ARRIVE ON THE RED CARPET AND THEN SHE CAME AND HAD A CHAT WITH ME. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY. WHAT IS IT LIKE? IT IS SO NICE. I HAVE HAD THE NICEST SWIMS. THE VIBES ARE GOOD. SURPRISE SHOW IN AUCKLAND LAST NIGHT AND YMCA TOILET. WHY? NEVER ASKED WHY. I CAN'T TELL YOU. THAT'S JUST THE VIBE. YOU WERE NOMINATED FOR SINGLE OF THE YEAR. HOW DOES THAT FEEL? HONESTLY, AMAZING. I GOT NOMINATED. NEW ZEALAND DOESN'T ON THE LIST FOR THE UPCOMING TOUR. WHEN CAN KIWIS SEE YOU? I WOULD GO OFF THE FACT THAT I HAVE NEVER MISSED NEW ZEALAND ON A TOUR. AND IT'S 60 YEARS OF THE AMAs. ARE THERE PLANS TO MARK IT? A FEW FIRSTS TONIGHT. THEY ARE PRESENTING AN ICON AWARD THAT IS GOING TO SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD A HUGE REGION AND COMMERCIAL AND IMPACT ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. THEY ARE DOING A LARGE FINALE MEDLEY CELEBRATING THE LAST 60 YEARS. DON MCGLASHAN AND OTHERS PERFORMING. ONE PERSON IS MISSING AFTER A GLACIER IN SWITZERLAND COLLAPSED, BURYING A VILLAGE BELOW IN MUD. THIS IS THE MOMENT ICE AND ROCK CAME TUMBLING DOWN, CREATING A HUGE MUD SLIDE. RESIDENTS IN BLATTEN WERE TOLD TO EVACUATE A FEW DAYS AGO, WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THE BIRCH GLACIER WAS DISINTEGRATING. GLACIOLOGISTS SAY OTHER ALPINE VILLAGES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE AS GLACIERS MELT. SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, SWISS GLACIERS HAVE LOST ALMOST 40% OF THEIR VOLUME. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT. AND ETHAN DE GROOT OPENS UP. ALL BLACKS PROP ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE END OF YEAR TOUR. HE ALSO HAS SOME NEWS FOR US REGARDING HIS FUTURE AS DE GROOT HUNTS DOWN THAT ALL BLACKS STARTING JERSEY AGAIN ` WONKY DIGITS AND ALL. FURTHER NORTH, THE BLUES GET A RARK-UP AS THEY HANG ON TO PLAYOFF HOPES BEHIND A SURPRISING STAT. PLUS ` A CAREER-DEFINING FEW DAYS AHEAD FOR OUR GOLFING DAME AND THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLERS ON TARGET TO TAKE ON THE WORLD. AND IN WEATHER, WE GET TO THE END OF THE WEEK. YOU THINK THINGS ARE GOING TO QUIETEN DOWN. WE GET RID OF ONE CLUSTER OF STORMS, WE BRING ANOTHER SURGE OF SOME COLDER AIR. BUT THROUGH MOST OF THE DAY, IT'S SOME SUN, SOME CLOUD, JUST ONE OR TWO SHOWERS TO SOME WESTERN COASTS. BUT IT'S DOWN SOUTH, THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO WATCH FOR SOME BLUSTERY SHOWERS CRANKING UP THE WIND AND THE LOWERING SNOW LEVEL BY NIGHT. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, AFTER SPORT. NAU MAI KI NGA KORERO HAKINAKINA O TE WA. WELCOME TO SPORT. AND TONIGHT, FROM A VERY PUBLIC ALL BLACKS AXING TO RE-SIGNING WITH NEW ZEALAND RUGBY, HIGHLANDERS PROP ETHAN DE GROOT HAS CONFIRMED HE'LL PLAY HERE UNTIL THE END OF 2027. TODAY OPENING UP TO REPORTER MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED ON THE NORTHERN TOUR LATE LAST YEAR. THIS FINGER IS STILL DISLOCATED. IS IT? BENT, BRUISED, AND BATTERED, BUT ETHAN DE GROOT LIVES BY THE MANTRA ` THROW THE KITCHEN SINK AT IT. AND I'VE GOT THIS ONE AS WELL. (GASPS) YEAH, THE PINKY'S NOT IN A GOOD SHAPE AS WELL. AND THAT'S ONLY HALF OF IT. THE HIGHLANDERS PROP HAS ALSO PLAYED THROUGH A TORN HAMSTRING THIS SEASON. I WAS PRETTY 50/50 WHETHER I WAS GOING TO PLAY OR NOT. I MADE IT THROUGH THE WARM-UP AND SORT OF HOBBLED AROUND FOR 40 TO 50 MINUTES. THERE'S BEEN AN ANKLE INJURY, A BULGING DISC IN HIS NECK ` A LIST OF ISSUES THAT WOULD SIDELINE MOST PLAYERS. AH, THE WAY I SEE IT IS THIS IS OUR LAST GAME. WE'VE GOT NO MONDAY NEXT WEEK, SO THE BODY CAN BE SORE. TOMORROW NIGHT'S HIS LAST CHANCE TO IMPRESS ALL BLACKS SELECTORS. I THINK MY FORM TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON HAS GONE A BIT BETTER. I FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING THROUGH A HEAP OF WORK IN TERMS OF MAKING A HEAP OF TACKLES. I'VE HAD A LOT OF BALL CARRIES AND PLAYING BIG MINUTES AS WELL. MINUTES HE DIDN'T GET FOR THE ALL BLACKS LATE LAST YEAR ` PUBLICLY DROPPED FROM THE TEST TEAM DURING THE NORTHERN TOUR, DE GROOT EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS PROBABLY THE TOUGHEST TIMES I'VE HAD BEING ON TOUR ` HAD MY STUFF UP IN JAPAN. YEAH, PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON MYSELF, MY FAMILY, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. I BROKE CURFEW, AND THAT WAS A MISTAKE FROM ME. I THINK MOVING FORWARD, IT'S TAKEN A WHILE TO GET OVER THAT. I PROBABLY STARTED THE START OF THE SEASON A BIT ANGRY ` AND STILL A WEE BIT... YOU KNOW, THAT WASN'T FAIR OR WHATEVER, BUT I THINK, FOR ME, IT'S JUST MOVING ON AND GETTING ON WITH IT. THAT'S MEANT HELPING LEAD A YOUNG HIGHLANDERS SIDE ` ONE DE GROOT IS COMMITTED TO, EXTENDING HIS CONTRACT THROUGH TO 2027. PRETTY EASY DECISION. EXTEND FOR THAT ONE MORE YEAR TO GO BACK OUT AND TRY AND BE PART OF THE WORLD CUP AGAIN. I LOVE BEING AN ALL BLACK, AND I LOVE BEING A HIGHLANDER, SO DREAM JOB. UNDER THE ROOF, ETHAN DE GROOT CHASING PRIDE, PAYBACK, AND A PLACE BACK IN BLACK. MICHELLE PRENDIVILLE, 1 NEWS. MEANWHILE, A POOR SEASON FOR THE DEFENDING CHAMPION BLUES COULD ALL BE TURNED AROUND IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THEIR ENTRY TO THE PLAYOFFS IS SIMPLE ` BEAT NEW SOUTH WALES ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT EDEN PARK AND THEY'VE DONE ALL THEY CAN TO MAKE THE TOP SIX, THE REST RELYING ON OTHER RESULTS. A DETERMINED TEAM HAS BEEN LIFTED TODAY BY SOME GOOD NEWS. YOU COULD CERTAINLY SENSE AT BLUES TRAINING TODAY KNOCKOUT FOOTBALL HAS COME A WEEK EARLY. HOW DIFFERENTLY DO YOU APPROACH THIS GAME, THEN? YEAH, THERE'S AN EDGE. THERE'S AN ENTHUSIASM. THERE'S AN EXCITEMENT AROUND THE GAME, AND THAT'S WHAT THE BOYS ARE IN THIS COMPETITION FOR, IS KNOCKOUT GAMES AND, YOU KNOW, PUTTING HANDS ON TROPHIES. ONE MAN WHO'S KEY TO ANY POSSIBLE PLAYOFF RUN IS CENTRE RICO IOANE. ONE MAN WHO'S KEY TO ANY POSSIBLE PLAYOFF RUN IS CENTRE RIEKO IOANE. HE'S PLAYED NEARLY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY GAME. ONLY ONE OTHER NEW ZEALAND PLAYER GETS CLOSE, ALSO APPEARING IN ALL 13 MATCHES SO FAR. THE HIGHLANDERS BUNDLE-OF-BALL-FETCHING TIMOCI TAVATAVANAWAI. IOANE HAS ONLY BEEN OFF THE FIELD FOR 15 MINUTES IN TOTAL ALL CAMPAIGN. SO HOW MUCH THOUGHT WAS GIVEN TO RESTING RIEKO DURING THE SEASON? OH NO, HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER LOOKED LIKE HE NEEDED IT. HE'S A` PFFT, HE'S YOUR ULTIMATE PRO ` A WARRIOR, TURNS UP EVERY DAY. EVERY WEEK. IF HE'S SORE, DOESN'T MATTER. HE PLAYS. JUST LIKE ANOTHER BLUES WORKHORSE WHO RESIGNED TODAY CORRECTION: JUST LIKE ANOTHER BLUES WORKHORSE WHO RE-SIGNED TODAY FOR THREE MORE YEARS, WITH NEW ZEALAND RUGBY AND HIS HOME TEAM, FENDING OFF SOME ENTICING OFFERS FROM JAPAN. HOW EASY WAS THE DECISION TO STAY PUT? UH. NOT EASY. (LAUGHS) IT'S QUITE, UH, COMPLEX. GOT A LITTLE ONE STARTING SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, AND I DIDN'T WANNA BE AWAY FOR THAT, AND, UH, I THINK RESULTS AROUND THE BLUES THIS YEAR, UH, CEMENTED A FEW THOUGHTS IN MY HEAD. JAMES? JAMES, MATE, HOW ARE YOU GOING? HARRY. IF THE BLUES NEEDED A LESSON IN RESILIENCE, A SPECIAL REMINDER TODAY FROM HEART PATIENTS AT STARSHIP HOSPITAL. JUST THINK, YOU WIN AND YOU GET TO SEE US AGAIN NEXT WEEK, VERN. I HOPE YOU'RE HERE. (LAUGHTER) STERN VERN WAS LESS JOVIAL WITH HIS PLAYERS TODAY ` THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS BEING REMINDED THEY MIGHT HAVE PLAYOFF FOOTBALL LEFT IN THEM AGAIN AFTER ALL. ERIN ROUTLIFFE AND HER LAST-MINUTE DOUBLES PARTNER, VICTORIA AZARENKA, HAVE BEEN KNOCKED OUT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE FRENCH OPEN. ROUTLIFFE NABBING THE TWO-TIME GRAND SLAM SINGLES CHAMPION AFTER HER REGULAR TEAM-MATE, GABY DABROWSKI, WITHDREW WITH INJURY. THE PAIR, WHO'D NEVER PLAYED TOGETHER, FACED A TOUGH CHALLENGE AGAINST ITALIAN SECOND SEEDS SARA ERRANI AND JASMINE PAOLINI. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) MEANWHILE, WORLD NUMBER ONE ARYNA SABALENKA BREEZED PAST SWISS JIL TEICHMANN IN STRAIGHT SETS. DEFENDING MEN'S CHAMPION CARLOS ALCARAZ ALSO THROUGH TO THE THIRD ROUND DESPITE DROPPING A SET TO HUNGARIAN FABIAN MAROZSAN. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARE THROUGH TO THE NBA FINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2012, THRASHING THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES 124-94 TO WIN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SERIES 4-1. OKC UP BY 33 POINTS AT HALF TIME, THE LARGEST MIDWAY LEAD IN FRANCHISE PLAYOFF HISTORY. SEASON MVP SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER CONTINUING HIS FORM WITH A GAME HIGH 34 POINTS. PASS DEFLECTED AND STOLEN. SGA DOWN THE LANE, THROWS IT DOWN. MORE DEFENCE TO OFFENCE. THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO, AND WE KNOW THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) SO LET'S BUCKLE UP AND GET READY. THEIR FINALS OPPONENT LIKELY TO BE THE INDIANA PACERS, WHO ARE UP 3-1 AGAINST THE NEW YORK KNICKS IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS. DAME LYDIA KO BEGINS HER QUEST FOR HER FIRST U.S. OPEN TITLE JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, LOOKING TO COMPLETE THE CAREER GRAND SLAM AND LEAP TO THE TOP OF THE ALL-TIME MONEY-WINNERS LIST. BUT HER BUILD-UP TO THE SECOND MAJOR OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY UNUSUAL. LUKE ROBINSON EXPLAINS. 99% OF THE TIME, THE THINGS DAME LYDIA KO DOES ARE UNRELATABLE... IT'S A CAREER FOR THE AGES NOW. ...BUT THEN THERE'S THIS. IN ALL HONESTY, I WATCHED SOME YOUTUBE GOLF BEFORE COMING HERE AND SEEING HOW THEY PLAYED AND JUST KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE GOLF COURSE IS LIKE. WATCHING OTHERS PLAY THE ERIN HILLS COURSE IS UNIQUE PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW'S U.S. OPEN, BUT A VIRTUAL WAY FOR HER TO SEE WHAT SHE'S IN FOR. I GOT INTO YOUTUBE GOLF BECAUSE OF MY HUSBAND, AND I WON'T BE SHY TO SAY I WATCH IT ON MY OWN NOW. UM, AND IT'S` IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE PREPARATION THAT MANY OF THE OTHER PLAYERS DID. BUT THAT'S WHERE THE SIMILARITIES WITH THE COMMON GOLFER END. THE WORLD NUMBER THREE WOULD COMPLETE A CAREER GRAND SLAM WITH A FOURTH MAJOR TITLE. I THINK THIS, LIKE, WOULD BE THE ONE THAT I'D SAY, 'OH, I WISH I WAS A U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPION.' I WOULD OBVIOUSLY LOVE TO BE PART OF THAT, UH, U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN CHAMPION CLUB. KO ENJOYED A FRUITFUL 2024 ` OLYMPIC GLORY, A MAIDEN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP... LYDIA KO IT IS WITH A MAJOR EUROPEAN SUMMER. ...AND THE YOUNGEST INDUCTEE INTO THE SPORTS HALL OF FAME. I THINK THERE WAS LIKE AN INTERNAL HANDCUFF THAT I HAD KIND OF PUT ON MYSELF, WHETHER IT WAS PRESSURE OR EXPECTATIONS. AND I THINK WITH THAT ALL KIND OF BEING DONE, I THINK I WAS JUST ABLE TO PLAY WITH A LOT MORE FREEDOM. AND SHE'S LOOKING TO TURN THAT FREEDOM INTO MORE SUCCESS. THE WINNER'S CHEQUE WOULD BE ENOUGH TO SEE HER TOP THE LPGA ALL-TIME CAREER EARNINGS LIST ` MORE THAN $37 MILLION. A LOT ON THE LINE, BUT KO IS TYPICALLY PRAGMATIC. EVEN IF I NEVER WIN A U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN, I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WAKE UP FROM MY SLEEP AND GO, 'I NEVER WON,' YOU KNOW. A WIN WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE FOR SOME SWEET DREAMS, THOUGH. LUKE ROBINSON, 1 NEWS. NEW SOUTH WALES HAVE DOMINATED QUEENSLAND ON THEIR OWN TURF IN THE STATE OF ORIGIN OPENER, WINNING 18-6. MORE THAN 52,000 FANS FILLING SUNCORP STADIUM TREATED TO SOME GOOD OLD ORIGIN BIFF JUST TWO MINUTES INTO THE MATCH. THE HOME SIDE COULDN'T COMPETE WITH THE BLUES WHO RAN IN FOUR TRIES TO ONE. I THOUGHT OUR FIRST HALF WAS EXCEPTIONAL. SO WITH THE SECOND HALF STILL PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT TO WORK ON, PROBABLY TOOK US A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG TO CORRECT OURSELVES IN CERTAIN AREAS, UM, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN ORIGIN FOOTBALL ` THE SWINGS, THE MOMENTUM AND, YOU KNOW, SOME REALLY BIG PLAYS HAD SOME BIG MOMENTS, AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY GET CONFIDENCE OUT OF THAT AS WELL. GAME TWO WILL BE PLAYED IN PERTH IN THREE WEEKS. NEW SOUTH WALES EYEING BACK TO BACK TITLES. AUCKLAND UNITED'S PREMIER WOMEN'S TEAM IS A STEP CLOSER TO COMPETING IN FIFA'S FIRST-EVER WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS CUP. THEY'RE HOME FROM TAHITI AFTER SECURING BACK-TO-BACK TITLES AT THE OCEANIA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, CLAIMING A 1-0 VICTORY IN THEIR FINAL AGAINST A SIDE FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA. THE AUCKLAND TEAM NOW PREPARING FOR TOURNAMENTS IN ASIA AND AFRICA. WINS THERE WOULD MAKE THEM THE ONLY NON-PROFESSIONAL SIDE IN FIFA'S FIRST WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS CUP NEXT YEAR. IT'S KIND OF CRAZY TO THINK THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WORKING 9 TO 5, AND THEN THERE'S OTHER TEAMS OVER THERE WHO ARE FULL-TIME, PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS WHO CAN JUST FOCUS ON FOOTBALL. SO IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL. AND SUCH A COOL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CLUB AND FOR NEW ZEALAND AS A WHOLE THE SIDE IS ALSO WELL PLACED TO REPRESENT OCEANIA AT THE VERY FIRST FIFA WOMEN'S CLUB WORLD CUP IN 2028. BIG TIMES AHEAD. THANKS, SPORT. STAY WITH US. DAN SAYS MORE BLUSTERY SHOWERS ARE ON THE WAY, AND THERE COULD EVEN BE SOME SNOW IN THE MIX TOO ` DETAILS NEXT. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` THE DAME, THE MAIMAI, AND THE NOVICE, AND WHY WE'RE PROBABLY GOING HUNGRY FOR DINNER. (BLOWS DRAKE WHISTLE) (BLOWS DRAKE WHISTLE) (BOTH LAUGH) THE NEW PATRON FOR FISH AND GAME SHARES AN IMPORTANT CONSERVATION MESSAGE. PLUS, THE BENEFITS OF LETTING THE COLD AIR IN. WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY AT 7. Ahhh... (TREE BRANCH SNAPS) (UPBEAT MUSIC) Ahhh! (UPBEAT MUSIC) Ahhh... HELLO. WITH THE LONG WEEKEND INSIDE, YOU ARE PROBABLY WONDERING, IS IT RAINCOAT THE WHOLE TIME? YOU WILL BE SWAPPING IT FOR THE MERINO. THE BLUSTERY SHOWERS AND FUNDER CLEARS AWAY. CORRECTION: THUNDER. NICE FOR SOME DOWN SOUTH. A REAL CONTRAST OF COURSE FURTHER SOUTH. 8 HIGH FOR ALEXANDRA. THAT WAS SETTING OFF SOME GOOD SHOWERS AND STORMS. THAT LITTLE RED BLOB MOVING TOWARDS HAMILTON SEEING HAIL. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS NORTH OF AUCKLAND. MOVING INTO THE GULF, HEADING TOWARDS GREAT BARRIER. THERE ARE HEAVY DOWNFALLS IN THE PEACE OF UPPER ENERGY CLEARS AWAY OVERNIGHT. THUNDER WILL STILL BE THE CASE. AS THAT GOES AWAY, STRONG WINDS PARTS OF HAWKE'S BAY. ROAD SNOWS CROWN, LINDIS AND MILFORD. WE KEEP A LOT OF ARROWS IN THE MIX. ROAD SNOWS AS THE COLD OUTCOMES THROUGH. THE YELLOW IS 500 M TO 600 M. MUCH OF THE SOUTH STRONG TO SEVERE GALES PROBABLY THROUGH THE AFTERNOON TO THE EARLY HOURS OF SATURDAY. THINGS ARE IMPROVING. ONE OR TWO SHOWERS TOMORROW BUT NOT AS MEAN AND NASTY OTHER PARTS OF NORTHLAND IN AUCKLAND. MOST OF THEM FADING AWAY FOR AUCKLAND. A COUPLE WITH A GUSTY SOUWEST WIND QUIETENED DOWN. MUCH OF THE BAY OF PLENTY TO THE CENTRAL PLATEAU ` IT ISNT A BAD LOOKING DAY. WATCH OUT FOR HEAVY SHOWERS IN TAURANGA. OTHERWISE DRY. WHEN SET UP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THOSE ARE YOUR WIND WATCHES. FURTHER WEST, YOU HAVE SHOWERS IN THE NEXT. THEY FADE AWAY IN THE MORNING. THE GUSTY WIND WILL BE WITH YOU. THAT IS GOING TO SHIFT BACK AROUND THE NORTHERLY. OTHERWISE DRY. WEST COAST SEES SOME WET WEATHER. BLENHEIM AND KAIKOURA OK. FROSTY START FOR CHRISTCHURCH. A COUPLE OF SHOWERS MAY BE IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE DAYL MORE LIKELY A GOOD DOSE OF RAIN, YOU SEE SOME OF THE HAZE OF WHITE ` SNOW. MUCH OF THE DEEP SOUTH. BLUSTERY MAY BE THUNDERY SHOWERS. GUSTY WINDS. THAT WILL CLEAR THROUGH. WATCH OUT FOR A STRONG, GUSTY WIND. THAT WILL PUSH AWAY. IT IS A BLUSTERY START FOR SUNDAY. HOW ABOUT SOME QUIET WEATHER? WE ARE WAITING. FINALLY. FROSTY MORNINGS. WE WILL GET THERE.