THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE IS HIKED TO 2.75% TO TAME INFLATION, BUT SOME ECONOMISTS ARE CONCERNED THE INCREASE COULD STALL ECONOMIC GROWTH. 'DEEP AND SYSTEMIC ISSUES' ` A NEW REPORT BLASTS MULITIPLE PARTIES OVER THE FAILURE OF WELLINGTON'S MOA POINT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. FRESH PREDICTIONS THE INCOMING EL NINO WEATHER PATTERN COULD PRESENT A WHOLE RAFT OF ISSUES TO NEW ZEALAND IN THE COMING MONTHS. AND THE SPRINGBOKS ROLL OUT A SCRUM COACH TO TALK ABOUT, YOU GUESSED IT ` SCRUMS ` AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND'S THIRD TEST AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS. CAPTIONS BY MAIA CARR HEKE AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2026 NAU MAI, HAERE MAI. WELCOME TO THREENEWS. THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE HAS BEEN LIFTED TO 2.75%. IT'S THE SECOND INCREASE IN A ROW THIS YEAR, WITH THE RESERVE BANK HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED TO TACKLE OIL SHOCK INFLATION. FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS DOESN'T SEEM TOO CONCERNED, SAYING THE INCREASE WAS ALREADY PRICED IN BY BANKS. BUT WITH FURTHER RATE HIKES FORESHADOWED, THERE ARE CONCERNS IT COULD DAMPEN ECONOMIC GROWTH. HERE'S POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT ZANE SMALL. ALEXA PATTERSON WITH HER MORTGAGE BROKER FROM CAPITAL ADVICE, LOOKING AT THE WELLINGTON HOME SHE PURCHASED AT THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC. PRICES WERE HIGHER AND INFLATED, BUT THERE WAS, I GUESS, ENOUGH AVAILABILITY THAT IT STILL MADE IT WORTHWHILE. SHE'S NOW SELLING THE PROPERTY TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE ONE OF THE IMPACTED PROPERTIES ON THE STATE HIGHWAY 1 IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING. BUT SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT A LACK OF OPTIONS, BECAUSE SLUGGISH HOUSE PRICE GROWTH HAS KEPT HOMEOWNERS CAUTIOUS AND LISTINGS LIMITED. THERE IS A LOT LESS CHOICE. I MEAN, SELLERS ARE A LITTLE BIT RELUCTANT TO SELL AS WELL, BECAUSE THE MARKET IS SUPRESSED. ON TOP OF THAT INTEREST RATES ARE GOING UP. I KNOW AT ONE POINT IT WAS 2-SOMETHING, AND THEN IT RAISED TO 4, AND THEN SOMETHING WITH A 6. FINANCIAL PRESSURE ON HOUSEHOLDS AT A TIME OF COST OF LIVING CONCERN. THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT CAUSED FUEL PRICES TO SURGE. AND INFLATION ROSE TO 4.1%, ABOVE THE RESERVE BANK'S TARGET RANGE OF BETWEEN 1% AND 3%. THAT HELPS TO EXPLAIN THE CENTRAL BANK'S DECISION TODAY TO LIFT THE BENCHMARK FOR INTEREST RATES TO 2.75%. THE SECOND INCREASE IN A ROW TO THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE, AND UNLIKELY TO BE THE LAST. WE DO THINK IT'S LIKELY THERE MAY BE A FUTURE OCR INCREASE, BUT THE TIMING IS HIGHLY UNCERTAIN. I THINK FURTHER INTEREST RATE INCREASES CAN HAVE FURTHER IMPACT ON THE PROPERTY MARKET. IT'S GOING TO COST MORE TO BORROW MONEY TO BUY A HOME, WHICH IS A FURTHER SQUEEZE ON PEOPLE. ARE YOU NOT CONCERNED THAT LIFTING THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE COULD DAMPEN THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY? SO, OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT WE CAN BRING INFLATION DOWN WHILE STILL SUPPORTING ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE FINANCE MINISTER SEEMINGLY UNCONCERNED ABOUT THE OCR HIKE. SINCE THIS MOVE WAS FULLY PRICED IN, THERE SHOULD BE LITTLE OR NO CHANGE TO FIXED-TERM MORTGAGE RATES. NICOLA WILLIS ATTEMPTING TO TURN ATTENTION, AGAIN, TO LABOUR'S CAPITAL GAINS TAX, ISSUING A STATEMENT TODAY TO POINT OUT THAT... LABOUR LEADER CHRIS HIPKINS AND HIS FINANCE SPOKESPERSON BARBARA EDMONDS HAVE REPEATEDLY MADE CLAIMS THAT BUSINESSES WILL BE EXEMPT FROM THEIR CAPITAL GAINS TAX. THIS IS CATEGORICALLY UNTRUE. NICOLA WILLIS IS CLEARLY VERY DESPERATE TODAY TO DISTRACT ATTENTION FROM PROBABLY INTEREST RATES GOING BACK UP TODAY. ELECTIONEERING ON FULL DISPLAY TODAY. IS IT THAT DISAPPEARING JOBS AND RISING FOOD COSTS MEAN THAT SO MANY NEW ZEALANDERS JUST CAN'T AFFORD THREE MORE YEARS OF NATIONAL? SHE'S A SUCKER FOR PUNISHMENT. I SEEK LEAVE FOR THE HONOURABLE GINNY ANDERSEN TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION IN LIGHT OF HOW WELL THIS ONE'S GOING. (LAUGHTER) HAS HE DONE ANY RECENT POLLING IN HUTT SOUTH LATELY? (LAUGHTER) PLEASE UNDERSTAND WE ARE LITERALLY` I THINK IT'S NOW ABOUT SIX DAYS AWAY FROM PARLIAMENT LIFTING FOR THE ELECTION. BUT THE CAMPAIGN HAS CLEARLY STARTED IN HERE. THAT CAMPAIGN ADDING FURTHER TO ECONOMIC ANXIETY. I GET THE SENSE THERE'S A LOT OF 'WAIT AND SEE' AT THE MOMENT. WE'VE GOT THE ELECTION LOOMING. THERE'S A LOT OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY. AN UNCERTAIN PATH FOR HOMEOWNERS TO NAVIGATE. ZANE JOINS US NOW. AND ZANE, THERE COULD BE CHANGES COMING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S MOVE-ON ORDERS. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? EMPHASIS ON COULD BE. REMEMBER, THE GOVERNMENT'S MOVE ON ORDERS WOULD GIVE POLICE THE POWER TO BAN ROUGH SLEEPERS AND BEGGARS AND PEOPLE ACTING DISRUPTIVELY FROM A CERTAIN AREA FOR UP TO 24-HOUR'S. OR ELSE FACE A FINE OF UP TO $2000 OR UP TO 3 MONTHS IN PRISON. THE GOVERNMENT'S JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT IT WOULD MAKE CERTAIN AREAS SAFER AND LESS ON TIMBER DATING FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR TOURISTS, BUT IT'S BEEN CONTROVERSIAL FROM THE OUTSET NOT LEAST OF ALL BECAUSE THE MOVE ON ORDERS WOULD APPLY TO PEOPLE AS YOUNG AS 14. THE LAW HASN'T PASSED, IT IS STILL ON THE FEEDBACK STAGE AND SELECT COMMITTEE IS SET TO REPORT TOMORROW TO UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THE AGE FROM 14 TO 18. AND IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT ACT WILL BE SUPPORTING THAT MOVE. WE ASKED THE JUSTICE MINISTER IF THE NATIONAL PARTY WOULD SUPPORT THE CHANGE BUT HE SAID HE HAD NO COMMENT. ZANE, THANK YOU. A CROWN REVIEW INTO THE FAILURE OF WELLINGTON'S MOA POINT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT HAS BLAMED IT ON LONGSTANDING WEAKNESSES RATHER THAN A SINGLE DECISION. THE PLANT FLOODED IN FEBRUARY AND HAS NOW SPEWED AROUND 14 BILLION LITRES OF RAW SEWAGE INTO THE CAPITAL'S SOUTH COAST. OWNED BY WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL, MOA POINT'S MANAGED BY WELLINGTON WATER AND OPERATED BY VEOLIA. THE REPORT SAYS COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE ORGANISATIONS WAS POOR AND CRUCIAL WARNINGS THAT IT COULD FLOOD WERE MISSED DURING CRITICAL UPGRADES. MAYOR ANDREW LITTTLE HAS APOLOGISED FOR WHAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS A 'SYSTEMIC GOVERNANCE FAILURE', SAYING WHAT HAPPENED AT MOA POINT IS UNACCEPTABLE. MOLLY SWIFT REPORTS. IT'S BEEN CALLED A CATASTROPHE. BILLIONS OF LITRES OF UNTREATED WASTEWATER SPEWING INTO WELLINGTON'S SOUTH COAST. NOW, A REVIEW'S FOUND RED FLAGS WERE IGNORED. I'M VERY SORRY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. I LOOK AT IT WITH CONSIDERABLE REGRET. IT IS OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT, HAVING BEEN TOLD WHAT THE FLAWS WERE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS OR MANY YEARS, THAT WE RESPOND EFFECTIVELY TO IT. THE REPORT NOT POINTING TO A SINGLE DECISION OR EVENT, FINDING THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY DEEP SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS. BECAUSE THINGS WEREN'T DONE WELL OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, IN THE END, ROUTINES BUILT AROUND THINGS NOT BEING DONE WELL OR NOT BEING DONE PROPERLY, PEOPLE JUST GOT USED TO IT. THEY DESCRIBED IT AS BUSINESS AS USUAL. WELL, THERE WASN'T ONE SINGLE ISSUE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNANCE OVERPINNING THE ENTITIES DID NOT AND FAILED TO DO WHAT IT NEEDED TO DO. SOME OF THESE FAILURES GO BACK 30 YEARS TO WHEN THE PLANT WAS FIRST BUILT. WE HAD A PLANT THAT WAS CONFIGURED IN A WAY TO DO A JOB THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE. A RISK ASSESSMENT CLEARLY WASN'T PROPERLY CARRIED OUT. AN EARLIER TECHNICAL REPORT FOUND HEAVY RAIN TRAPPED AIR IN THE PLANT'S SEWAGE BYPASS PIPE, CAUSING WASTEWATER TO BACK UP AND FLOODING IT. BUT THE PLANT WAS NEVER BUILT TO ITS FULL CAPACITY, WITH STAGE TWO NEVER GOING AHEAD. THE SECOND STAGE WAS MEANT TO BE COMPLETED BY 2020. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, SOMEBODY'S TO DO LIST DIDN'T TICK OFF OH, WE'VE GOT A STAGE TWO WE OUGHT TO GET DONE. IT WAS NEVER DONE. THE BLAME SHARED BY MULTIPLE PARTIES ` THE WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL, WELLINGTON WATER, NOW TIAKI WAI, AND THE PLANT'S OPERATOR, FRENCH COMPANY VEOLIA. SEVEN RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE. THIS IS A MAJOR AND SIGNIFICANT EVENT THAT HAS REALLY HURT WELLINGTON'S LOSS OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN REGARDS TO THAT, AND THAT TRUST NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE PART OF THAT JOURNEY. BOTH COUNCIL AND TIAKI WAI ACCEPTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS. VEOLIA SAYS IT'S STILL IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THEM. I SUSPECT THIS IS A LESSON FOR ALL COUNCILS AROUND NEW ZEALAND WHO ARE OWNERS OF ASSETS ` OF CRITICAL ASSETS, AND IT'S TIME FOR A BIT OF REFLECTION AROUND ARE WE GETTING ASSET MANAGEMENT RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN HERE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT THE LACK OF RESILIENCE AND REDUNDANCY IN THE PLANT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE ADDRESSING OVER THE COMING YEARS. AND WE'LL HAVE MORE TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT. TIAKI WAI SAYS IT'S ON TRACK TO DELIVER TREATED WASTEWATER BY NOVEMBER, JUST IN TIME FOR SUMMER. IT'LL MAKE IT MUCH MORE RELIABLE FOR PEOPLE TO SWIM IN, AND WE HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL GET OUT AND ENJOY THE BAY AND SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES ON THE SOUTH COAST AS WELL. SO TAKING A DIP IN THE OCEAN WON'T COME WITH ANY NASTY SURPRISES. THE WARNING IS GETTING STRONGER. EL NINO IS INTENSIFYING OVER THE PACIFIC AND COULD BECOME ONE OF THE STRONGEST ON RECORD, BRINGING A SPRING OF STRONGER WESTERLIES, BIG TEMPERATURE SWINGS AND RISKS OF WILDFIRES, DROUGHTS AND FLOODS. AND THE MESSAGE FROM FORECASTERS IS CLEAR ` PREPARE NOW. SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY HAS THE STORY. DAFFODILS AND LAMBS AS SPRING FLOURISHES IN CHRISTCHURCH. BUT THIS YEAR, THE SEASON MAY HAVE A STING IN ITS TAIL. WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING PROBABLY A BIT MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO SEEING DURING SPRING. THIS SEASON IS GOING TO FEEL DIFFERENT, PARTICULARLY THE WINDS. NORTHWEST WINDS ARE LIKELY UNDER THE CLIMATE DRIVE WE'RE GONNA SEE THIS SEASON, WHICH WILL REALLY DRIVE UP THE FIRE RISK. AND THIS ISN'T ANY OLD EL NINO. EARTH SCIENCES NEW ZEALAND SAYS IT COULD BECOME ONE OF THE STRONGEST EL NINO EVENTS IN RECENT HISTORY. THERE'S ALWAYS A DEGREE OF NERVOUSNESS AROUND THE RISK AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND, YOU KNOW, WILL THE PUBLIC REALLY LEAN INTO THIS SPACE AND DO THE THINGS WE NEED THEM TO DO TO MITIGATE THAT RISK? IT WILL LIKELY MEAN A SPRING THAT WILL BE WINDIER, MORE VOLATILE AND LESS PREDICTABLE THAN USUAL. PLACES LIKE THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND WELLINGTON, WHICH IS ALWAYS WINDY, IT SEEMS LIKE, HAWKE'S BAY AND MUCH OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, PROBABLY THE AREAS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO GET THE HIGHEST WIND OR THESE EPISODES OR PERIODS OF HIGH WINDS. FORECASTS OF A SUPER EL NINO, WHICH FOR NEW ZEALAND, BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE'RE SHOWING IT GEOGRAPHICALLY PLACED IN THE PACIFIC, GENERALLY MEANS A LOT OF RAIN AND WET WEATHER EVENTS ON THE WEST COAST, AND A VERY DRY EAST COAST. THE OCEAN HAS SHOWN ITS STRONGEST WARMING TREND ON RECORD, WHICH IS WHAT DRIVES A STRONG OR SUPER EL NINO. THE MESSAGE ACROSS THE BOARD IS SIMPLE ` START PLANNING AND PREPARING NOW. AND BEING REALLY PROACTIVE ABOUT THAT. I MEAN, WE HAVE A REALLY SIMPLE DROUGHT PLAN AT HOME. BASICALLY, IT SAYS IF IT DOESN'T RAIN BY THIS DATE, THIS CLASS OF STOCK ARE FOR SALE. WE THEN GO OUT ANOTHER TWO WEEKS. IF IT DOESN'T RAIN BY THAT DATE, THIS CLASS OF STOCK IS FOR SALE. IN NEW ZEALAND, 98% OF OUR FIRES ARE CAUSED BY PEOPLE AND PEOPLE-RELATED ACTIVITIES. SO WE CAN ACTUALLY LIVE WITH QUITE HIGH RISK WITHOUT NEEDING TO SEE WILDFIRES. BUT THAT VERY MUCH COMES DOWN TO THE PUBLIC AND WHAT THEY DO IN TERMS OF THEIR PREPARATIONS. BUT DON'T PUT THE WINTER WOOLLIES AWAY JUST YET. DESPITE A WARMER OVERALL OUTLOOK, COLD OUTBREAKS ARE STILL EXPECTED. BAA! SPRING MAY LOOK IDYLLIC NOW, BUT FORECASTERS SAY THE WEATHER COULD BECOME CONSIDERABLY LESS PICTURESQUE IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. JULIET JOINS US NOW. SO, THERE'S MORE BAD NEWS, BUT ALSO SOME GOOD NEWS FROM THIS SUPER EL NINO? AS YOU CAN SEE, SPRING HAS ARRIVED HERE IN CHRISTCHURCH. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT IF YOU HAVE HAYFEVER, ONE EXPERT SAYS THAT THESE WARM DRY WINDY CONDITIONS WILL CERTAINLY MAKE HAYFEVER WORSE. IT'S DEFINITELY WORTH STOCKING UP ON A FEW EXTRA BOXES OF TISSUES. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IF YOU ARE A SNOWBOARDER, THIS WEATHER PATTERN COULD WELL MAKE THE SKI SEASON LAST LONGER. PARTICULARLY FOR THE HIGHLY ELEVATED FIELDS. IF YOU ARE A SKIER WITH HAYFEVER, THAT WILL BE BOTH. JULIET, THANK YOU. POLICE AND NGAI TAHU SAY A THRIVING BLACK MARKET FOR GREENSTONE IS DRIVING PEOPLE TO BRAZENLY STEAL KILOGRAMS OF POUNAMU THE IWI WANT STRICTER RULES TO PROTECT POUNAMU, INCLUDING REDUCING THE AMOUNT PEOPLE CAN LEGALLY TAKE OVERSEAS. LLOYD BURR HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE STORY FOR PADDY GOWER HAS ISSUES. IN THE BEAUTIFUL, REMOTE WILDERNESS OF THE WEST COAST, POUNAMU PROTECTION OFFICER KAHURANGI IS ON THE TRAIL OF POTENTIAL THIEVES. WE'RE HAVING PEOPLE COMING UP HERE TAKING IT AND EITHER FLICKING IT OFF FOR REALLY CHEAP ON THESE LEGITIMATE SITES, OR, YEAH, TRADING IT STRAIGHT UP. DESPITE WARNINGS IT'S ILLEGAL, PEOPLE STILL COME HERE TO TAKE LARGE CHUNKS OF POUNAMU. IT'S SO PROLIFIC, KAHU'S HAD TO INSTALL SECURITY CAMERAS. OH, HERE WE GO. OH, MATE. AGAIN. HERE WE GO. OLD MATE WITH A BACKPACK. AH, SO THAT'S AN EMPTY BACKPACK GOING IN. AND THEN THAT'S IT COMING BACK, AND THAT SIDE SHOT, YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT THAT'S FULL. AS PART OF ITS TREATY SETTLEMENT IN 1997, NGAI TAHU OFFICIALLY OWNS ALL NATURAL POUNAMU ALONG THE WEST COAST, AND THEY'RE INCREASINGLY CONCERNED AT HOW MUCH IS BEING NICKED. IT'S EVEN BEING USED IN THE DRUG TRADE. A SECOND POUNAMU PROTECTION OFFICER TE AMO TRACKS THEFT ONLINE. ALL RIGHT, LLOYD. SO, TAKE ME THROUGH A DAY IN` I'LL TAKE YOU INTO MY WORLD. (LAUGHS) YEAH, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A POUNAMU HUNTER. THERE'S A LOT. THERE IS A LOT. SO THIS IS ETSY. THIS IS ETSY. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF DOUGLAS CREEK THAT GETS SOLD ON HERE AS WELL. I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THIS IS STOLEN? OH, I THINK THIS ONE'S STOLEN, YES, ABSOLUTELY. IT COULD BE ON TRADE ME, ETSY, EBAY. IT COULD BE ON AUCTION SITES. THERE'S MARKETPLACE. THERE'S FACEBOOK GROUPS THAT ARE SELLING IT. A TON OF GREENSTONE HAS ENDED UP HERE IN A POLICE STORAGE UNIT ON THE COAST. WOW. EVIDENCE BAGS. A WHOLE LOT OF THEM. KILOS AND KILOS AND KILOS. AND THIS IS ALL NICKED. ALLEGEDLY, YES. THIS IS JUST ONE CRIMINAL CASE. BUT THERE ARE MORE. AND POLICE ARE RAMPING UP THEIR CRACKDOWN. IT COULD BE GETTING SOLD, YOU KNOW, PRIVATELY IN AND THE BLACK MARKET. IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT IT'S GOING OFFSHORE, THAT IT'S TRAVELLING AROUND THE COUNTRY. BUT IF IT'S NOT YOURS, THEN WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET INVOLVED. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? IN JUNE, A CHINESE MOTHER AND SON WERE THE FIRST TO BE SENTENCED FOR ATTEMPTING TO EXPORT POUNAMU TO CHINA. THEY WERE CAUGHT WITH 18 KILOS AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT. BUT ANYONE CAN LEGALLY TAKE UP TO 5 KILOS OF RAW POUNAMU OUT OF THE COUNTRY ` A LIMIT THE IWI WOULD LIKE TO SEE REDUCED TO ZERO. NGAI TAHU HAS MET WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON THREE OCCASIONS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE EXPORT RULES. BUT AT THE THIRD HUI IN OCTOBER, THE IWI SAYS... BUT AFTER QUESTIONS FROM 'PADDY GOWER HAS ISSUES', RESOURCES MINISTER SHANE JONES PROMISED HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT. WELL, LOOK, IF MYSELF, PROVIDENTIALLY SPEAKING, HAVE A SHOT AT GOVERNING AGAIN, THAT I'D GET THE OFFICIALS TO GIVE US OPTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THIS PRECIOUS STONE IS PROTECTED. PROTECTION THAT CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH FOR THESE POUNAMU OFFICERS OUT ON THE FRONT LINE. AND YOU CAN SEE LLOYD'S FULL INVESTIGATION AND FIND ALL THE EPISODES OF 'PADDY GOWER HAS ISSUES' ON THREENOW. THE DEATH TOLL FROM LAST WEEK'S FLASHING FLOODING IN NEPAL HAS RISEN TO MORE THAN A THOUSAND, WITH THOUSANDS MORE STILL MISSING. IT'S BEEN NEARLY A WEEK SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF A GLACIER HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS TRIGGERED THE DISASTER NEAR THE BORDER WITH CHINA. SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS HAVE CONTINUED ALONG NEPAL'S TRISHULI RIVER, INCLUDING DESPERATE ATTEMPTS TO REACH MORE THAN 900 WORKERS BELIEVED TO BE TRAPPED UNDERGROUND IN A VAST NETWORK OF TUNNELS. ITV'S RACHEL YOUNGER REPORTS. (MEN SHOUT IN NEPALI) DEEP BENEATH THE TRISHULI RIVER, THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR ANY SIGN OF LIFE IN SOME OF THE DEADLIEST CONDITIONS IMAGINABLE. (MEN SHOUT IN NEPALI) 'IS THERE ANYONE THERE?' THEY SHOUT, BUT IF THERE IS, THEY CAN'T FIND THEM. WHERE ONCE THERE WAS A WELL-MAPPED NETWORK OF TUNNELS, NOW THERE'S JUST ROCK AND MUD SO TREACHEROUS... (MEN SHOUT IN NEPALI) ...THEY HAVE TO USE ROPES TO DRAG THEMSELVES THROUGH IT. (MEN SHOUT IN NEPALI) THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A GAP BIG ENOUGH TO FLY A DRONE THROUGH. SO THEY TRY APPROACH AFTER APPROACH AND EVENTUALLY FIND A WAY IN. (MEN SHOUT IN NEPALI) 'WE CAN DO IT', THEY SAY. BUT THE DRONE'S SILENT JOURNEY FINDS NO SURVIVORS, JUST TUNNELS FLOODED ALMOST UP TO THE BRIM. AND WHEN THEY TRY AGAIN, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. TOO MANY OBSTACLES. WORSE STILL ARE THE REGULAR BURSTS OF RUSHING WATER. TERRIFYING REMINDERS AFTER WEDNESDAY'S FLASH FLOODING THAT THIS RESCUE OPERATION IS RISKING THE LIVES OF THE RESCUERS TOO. EXPERTS IN HYDROMETEOROLOGY WARNING TIME IS RUNNING OUT. WE KNOW THAT AFTER 72 HOURS, THE CHANCES OF FINDING PEOPLE ALIVE ARE DROPPED DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE THERE IS NO ACCESS TO DRINKABLE WATER. AND THERE IS THE AMOUNT OF BREATHABLE AIR REDUCES DRAMATICALLY. IT'S WHY TEAMS FROM THE NEPALESE MILITARY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET INTO THE TUNNELS BY ANY WAY THEY CAN, BUT IT IS DESPERATE WORK ABOVE GROUND AND BELOW IT. TODAY THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO WITHDRAW, MAKING THEIR WAY BACK TO THE LIGHT AS HOPES FADE FOR ANYONE STILL TRAPPED IN THE DARKNESS. IMO'S GOT TODAY'S WEATHER HIGHS AND LOWS, AND IT WAS BACK TO THE WARMER STUFF. YUP, SAM, BACK INTO SOME NICE 20-DEGREE HIGHS. TODAY, IT'S TIMARU IN THE HOT SEAT, GETTING OUR WARMEST TEMPERATURE OF 21. 2 DEGREES OUR LOWEST RECORDED AT DUNEDIN AIRPORT. REMEMBER, YESTERDAY'S LOW WAS MINUS-6 IN TEKAPO. WAIHI, OUR VERY WINDIEST, AND ALSO, OUR QUITE WETTEST. TOMORROW, IT'S SET TO GET EVEN HOTTER. I'LL TELL YOU MORE LATER ON. STILL TO COME ON THREENEWS ` AFTER MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST GAS USER, METHANEX, ANNOUNCES IT WILL CLOSE ITS TARANAKI PLANT AMID DWINDLING SUPPLIES. PET REFUGE SAYS IT'S BURSTING AT THE SEAMS, WITH MORE DOGS WAITING FOR A SPACE. AND TENSIONS RISE AS GERMANY BLAMES RUSSIA FOR A DRONE ATTACK ON LEIPZIG AIRPORT LAST MONTH. FOR A PERSON TRYING TO ESCAPE FAMILY VIOLENCE, LEAVING CAN BE TERRIFYING. BUT FOR SOME, THERE'S THE ADDED COMPLICATION OF WHAT TO DO WITH A BELOVED PET. PET REFUGE IS THERE TO HELP. BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE MORE DOGS NEEDING A HOME THAN THEY HAVE ROOM FOR. AVA WHITWORTH REPORTS. 17 DOGS HAVE ARRIVED AT PET REFUGE IN JUST TWO WEEKS, AND AT LEAST SIX MORE DOGS ARE NOW WAITING FOR A SPACE. IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY SURGE FOR US. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CAPACITY AT OUR PURPOSE-BUILT SHELTER FOR 17 DOGS, AND WE WERE ALREADY PRETTY MUCH AT CAPACITY AT THAT STAGE. SO PET REFUGE HAS HAD TO LOOK BEYOND ITS OWN WALLS, TURNING TO OFFSITE BOARDING PARTNERS TO FIND SOMEWHERE SAFE FOR THE DOGS. BUT FOUNDER DAME JULIE CHAPMAN SAYS THIS ISN'T SIMPLY A MATTER OF FINDING AN EMPTY KENNEL. WE CAN'T, UNFORTUNATELY, TAKE OFFERS OF FOSTERING, BECAUSE THE PETS THAT COME TO US, ESPECIALLY DOGS, ARE SO TRAUMATISED, OFTEN HAVE INJURIES THAT NEED VET TREATMENT AND THEN THE CARE THAT GOES WITH THAT AFTERWARDS. NEW ZEALAND HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF FAMILY AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE IN THE OECD. IN 2025, POLICE RECORDED JUST OVER 170,000 FAMILY HARM INCIDENTS. IN THAT SAME YEAR, 14% OF ALL THE CHARGES FINALISED IN COURT WERE FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE OFFENCES. ON THE FRONTLINE OF SEXUAL AND FAMILY VIOLENCE SUPPORT, AGENCIES SAY DEMAND HAS BEEN BUILDING TOO. FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEIR PET IS THEIR SAFE SPACE. SO, FOR INSTANCE, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE WHO HAVE CHOSEN` WHO'VE LEFT A VIOLENT SITUATION, HAVE CHOSEN TO LIVE IN THEIR CAR SO THEY CAN KEEP THEIR PET WITH THEM. THE ISSUE OF PITS BEING USED TO CONTROL VICTIMS HAS SPARKED A POLITICAL CONVERSATION. BACK IN JULY, ACT ANNOUNCED PLANS TO AMEND THE CRIMES ACT, MAKING IT AN OFFENCE TO USE AN ANIMAL TO COERCE OR CONTROL SOMEONE IN A FAMILY VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIP. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY WHY COERCION BY ANIMAL ABUSE SHOULD BE ON THE STATUTE BOOKS. IT IS WHY THE POLICE SHOULD BE RECORDING THESE INCIDENTS. IT'S BEEN BIGGER THAN MOST PEOPLE REALISE. WHEN I RELEASED THIS POLICY, PEOPLE SAID, 'WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT? THIS IS A CRAZY ACT THING.' IT'S NOT, SADLY. IT IS A BRUTAL REALITY. FOR PET REFUGE, THE POLICY DEBATE IS ONLY PART OF THE PICTURE. WE WANT TO GET TO THE POSITION WHERE WE CAN ALWAYS SAY YES, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T RECEIVE GOVERNMENT FUNDING. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE RELYING ON BUSINESSES, INDIVIDUALS, TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS TO GET IN BEHIND OUR WORK. BECAUSE A SAFE SPACE FOR THEIR PET COULD FINALLY MEAN A SAFE PLACE OF THEIR OWN. 24 HOURS AFTER INSISTING THERE'S NO RETURN TO NORMALITY WITH RUSSIA, GERMANY'S ACCUSED IT OF ATTACKING LEIPZIG AIRPORT, A MAJOR HUB FOR SHIPMENTS TO UKRAINE. GERMANY'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HIS COUNTRY ISN'T AT WAR, BUT IS A DAILY TARGET, SO TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION BY CLOSING RUSSIA'S CONSULATE AND A CULTURAL CENTRE. ITV'S EMMA MURPHY REPORTS. RUSSIA'S WAR ON UKRAINE IS INCREASINGLY SEEPING ACROSS EUROPE'S BORDERS. TODAY, GERMANY FORMALLY BLAMED AN ATTACK IN AUGUST AT LEIPZIG AIRPORT ON THE KREMLIN. THEN, AN EXPLOSIVE-LADEN DRONE STRUCK A UKRAINIAN CARGO PLANE ON THE TARMAC, BUT FAILED TO DETONATE. A FEW HOURS LATER, ANOTHER CARGO PLANE ARRIVING FROM FRANCE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER DRONE A FEW HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES, BOTH WERE THE WORK OF A RUSSIAN OPERATIVE ON GERMAN SOIL. (SPEAKS GERMAN) THE GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE THE ATTACK USED DRONE EXPLOSIVE AND DETONATION TECHNIQUES USED BY RUSSIA IN UKRAINE. AS A RESULT, RUSSIAN GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IN GERMANY WOULD BE CLOSED ALONG WITH OTHER INTELLIGENCE-BASED SANCTIONS. THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MULTIPLE ATTACKS IN EUROPE, SOME BUT NOT ALL CYBER RELATED, THOUGHT TO BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RUSSIA. IN JULY, POLISH PRIME MINISTER DONALD TUSK POINTED THE FINGER OF BLAME AT THE KREMLIN WHEN A MISSILE HIT POLISH TERRITORY 57 MILES FROM THE UKRAINIAN BORDER. LAST YEAR, SWEDEN SAID A GROUP WITH LINKS TO RUSSIA'S SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE SERVICES WAS BEHIND A CYBER ATTACK ON A HEATING PLANT. INVESTIGATORS ALSO CONCLUDED THAT RUSSIA WAS BEHIND SEVERAL PARCELS DETONATING IN GERMANY, POLAND AND AT A DHL DEPOT IN THE UK IN 2024. RUSSIA WAS FURTHER LINKED TO A SERIES OF ARSON ATTACKS TARGETING THEN-PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER'S HOME, FOR WHICH TWO MEN HAVE BEEN JAILED, AND LATE LAST YEAR, THEN DEFENCE SECRETARY JOHN HEALEY REVEALED THAT THE RUSSIAN SPY SHIP YANTAR WAS OPERATING ON THE EDGE OF UK WATERS. THE INCREASE IN HYBRID ATTACKS ACROSS EUROPE IS CAUSING CONCERN THAT NATIONS, INCLUDING THE UK, ARE NOT PROPERLY FACING OR PROTECTING AGAINST THEM. WE HAVE TO BEAR IN MIND WHAT HAPPENS ON THE CONTINENT IS GOING TO HAPPEN HERE AND WE'RE NOT IMMUNE. PEOPLE FEEL THE WATERS SEPARATE US AND MAKE US SAFE. THEY DON'T. AND MY CONCERN IS THERE ARE TOO MANY EXAMPLES OF HYBRID ATTACKS ON OUR COUNTRY, AND WE'RE NOT SAFE. WE'RE NOT BEING PROTECTED. AND THE GOVERNMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE NOT PUTTING THEIR BACK INTO IT BY RAISING DEFENCE SPENDING. I THINK THIS IS A MASSIVE WEAKNESS ON OUR PART. THE ATTACK IN LEIPZIG FAILED TO DO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, BUT IT STANDS AS A WARNING AS TO THE VULNERABILITIES OF NATIONS FAR FROM UKRAINE'S FRONTLINE. STILL TO COME ON THREENEWS ` STUFF'S TECH CORRESPONDENT FINN HOGAN IS ALONG TO TALK ABOUT HUMAN BRAINS POWERING COMPUTERS. BRUNO MARS CONFIRMS HE'LL GO BACK-TO-BACK AT EDEN PARK, WITH A SECOND CONCERT ADDED TO HIS NEW ZEALAND VISIT NEXT YEAR. AND THE BLACK FERNS LOSE A KEY PLAYER FOR THEIR HISTORIC TEST AGAINST THE SPRINGBOK WOMEN IN JOHANNESBURG THIS WEEKEND. THIS IS THREENEWS. IF YOU'VE JUST JOINED US, HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES SO FAR TONIGHT. THE OFFICIAL CASH RATE'S BEEN LIFTED 25 BASIS POINTS TO 2.75%. THE RESERVE BANK SAYS INFLATION CONTROL IS BEHIND THE RISE, BUT EXPERTS BELIEVE IT COULD STALL ECONOMIC GROWTH. AND FORECASTERS ARE WARNING NEW ZEALANDERS TO PREPARE NOW FOR EL NINO, WHICH COULD BRING A SPRING OF STRONGER WESTERLIES, BIG TEMPERATURE SWINGS AND RISKS OF WILDFIRES, DROUGHTS AND FLOODS. HUMAN BRAINS POWERING OUR COMPUTERS. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF THE MATRIX, BUT THE FIRST BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTRES RUNNING ON REAL HUMAN BRAIN TISSUE ARE ALREADY ONLINE. HERE TO TELL US MORE IS STUFF TECH CORRESPONDENT FINN HOGAN. KIA ORA, FINN, WELCOME. SO, WETWARE ` IT EVEN SOUNDS HORRIFYING ` WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? YEAH. ONE OF THESE DAYS I'LL COME ON HERE AND NOT TALK ABOUT SOMETHING POTENTIALLY TERRIFYING, BUT CLEARLY NOT TODAY. WETWARE IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BIOLOGICAL COMPUTING, AND IT SOUNDS SCARY, BUT IF WE TAKE A STEP BACK, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS FRIGHTENING THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. A LAB CALLED CORTICOL IN AUSTRALIA HAS PAIRED WITH A SINGAPORE-BASED COMPANY, AND THEY'VE SPUN UP THE FIRST BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTRES, WHICH JUST MEANS INSTEAD OF USING SILICON CHIPS TO RUN COMPUTERS, THEY USE A VERY, VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAIN TISSUE WHICH WASN'T HARVESTED FROM A PERSON, IT'S GROWN IN A PETRI DISH USING DONATED STEM CELLS, BUT THAT TINY LITTLE BIT OF BRAIN TISSUE A 10TH THE SIZE THE BRAIN OF A COCKROACH, CAN DO SOME PRETTY INCREDIBLE THINGS A LOT MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN THE COMPUTERS WE'RE CURRENTLY BUILDING, AND THERE'S A LOT OF COOL APPLICATIONS FOR THAT. SO THERE ARE ACTUALLY SOME POSITIVE ARGUMENTS FOR USING HUMAN BRAIN TISSUE IN DATA CENTRES. YES, 100%, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE. WE'RE CURRENTLY SPENDING TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD OUT DATA CENTRES ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THEY'RE USING AN ASTONISHING AMOUNT OF POWER. AND THE ARGUMENT FROM PEOPLE LIKE CORTICOL IS, WELL, WHY ARE WE TRYING TO REPLICATE THE WAY THE HUMAN BRAIN WORKS AT GREAT FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COST WHEN WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT THE WORLD'S MOST EFFICIENT COMPUTER IN OUR HEADS ALREADY, IT RUNS ON ABOUT 20W OF POWER. THAT'S THE SAME AS LIKE A DIM LIGHT BULB. WHEREAS IF WE'RE TRYING TO REPLICATE THE HUMAN BRAIN, A SINGLE HUMAN BRAIN WOULD TAKE A GIANT POWER PLANT THAT COULD RUN A CITY. SO FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, IT'S WHY DON'T WE JUST CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN, USE THE KIND OF HARDWARE THAT WE'VE GOT IN OUR BRAINS THAT EVOLUTION CRACKED 250 MILLION YEARS AGO. OK, BUT SURELY WE ARE DRIFTING ON INTO SOME PRETTY DANGEROUS TERRITORY HERE. IS THE REGULATION ALREADY OR IS IT COMING? NO. I MEAN, WE'RE VERY EARLY DAYS WITH BIOLOGICAL COMPUTING COMPARED TO SOMETHING LIKE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND THERE'S NOT EVEN A LOT OF REGULATION FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. SO EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS SAY, YES, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO LOOK AT REGULATION, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, NO ONE IS CLAIMING THAT THERE'S ANYTHING CONSCIOUS-LIKE IN THESE VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF BRAIN TISSUE, BUT THERE IS OBVIOUS INCENTIVE TO SCALE THIS KIND OF STUFF UP. AND IF THEY WERE TO GROW, SAY, A VERTICAL SLICE OF A BRAIN OR AN ENTIRE REGION OF A BRAIN TO DO MUCH MORE COMPLICATED COMPUTING, WE COULD GET INTO SOME EXTREMELY FRAUGHT TERRITORY EXTREMELY QUICKLY. SO WE REALLY NEED TO START PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SPACE NOW BEFORE THAT HAPPENS. JUST QUICKLY, IT DOES ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE FED, DOESN'T IT? THE BRAIN TISSUE? IT EXCRETES WASTE? IT IS A DATA CENTRE THAT ACTUALLY EATS AND EXCRETES WASTE. AND, YES, THAT IS POSSIBLY THE MOST ICKY DETAIL I'VE EVER WRITTEN INTO A STORY. I THINK SO. OK, FINN HOGAN, OUR STUFF TECH CORRESPONDENT. THANK YOU. ALWAYS A PLEASURE. NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST GAS USER, METHANEX, IS WINDING DOWN ITS NEW ZEALAND PRODUCTION. IT'S SELLING UP ITS CONTRACTS FROM JANUARY NEXT YEAR, RULING ITS OPERATIONS ARE NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE WITH DECLINING NATURAL GAS SUPPLIES. THE DECISION HAS SPARKED A POLITICAL DEBATE, WITH THE GREENS ARGUING IT MAKES THE GOVERNMENT'S LNG IMPORT FACILITY POINTLESS, BECAUSE THE CLOSURE WILL FREE UP GAS. WHAT THAT CLOSURE NOW MEANS IS THAT WE NOW HAVE A TON MORE GAS THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE MARKET, WHICH ACTUALLY FUNDAMENTALLY DISRUPTS ANY ARGUMENT THAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE FOR MOVING AHEAD WITH THE INPUT FACILITY. BUT FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS CLAIMS THE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY FACTORED IN THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE OF METHANEX WHEN ASSESSING THE LNG FACILITY. THE GOVERNMENT IS PROMISING TO MAKE CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING FREE FOR WOMEN AGED BETWEEN 25 AND 69 FROM MARCH NEXT YEAR. CURRENTLY, JUST OVER HALF OF WOMEN WHO ARE ELIGIBLE HAVE TO PAY, WHICH CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM $35 TO MORE THAN $100. CERVICAL CANCER IS ONE OF THE MOST PREVENTABLE CANCERS, WITH A 91% SURVIVAL RATE IN WOMEN, IF DETECTED EARLY. OLLIE'S IN WITH SPORT. AND THE SCRUM CHAT IN SOUTH AFRICA ISN'T GOING AWAY. IT IS WEDNESDAY. WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE SCRUM. IT TURNS OUT IF YOU ACCUSE THE SPRINGBOKS OF DOING SOMETHING AGAINST THE LAW, THEY DO NOT TAKE TOO KINDLY TO IT. FIRST IT WAS THAT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE F BOMB HITTING BACK AT DAVE RENNIE. ANOTHER HAVE ROLLED UP THE SCRUM COACH TO SLAM WHY THEY ARE DOING IT LEGALLY. WE'LL HAVE MORE OUT OF SOUTH AFRICA IN THE BUILD UP TO THE THIRD TEST NEXT. PLUS, THE WARRIORS SET THEIR SETS HIGH AS THEY CLOSE IN ON TOP SPOT HEADING INTO THE NRL PLAYOFFS. AND CAN TOP SEED ALEXANDER ZVEREV SURVIVE A FIVE-SET THRILLER (DYNAMIC MUSIC) SAVOUR EVERY MOMENT WITH SUZUKI S-CROSS HYBRID AND THREENEWS SPORT. THE ALL BLACKS ARE HOPING TO LEAN INTO THEIR SURROUNDINGS WHEN THEY HEAD BACK TO THE HIGHVELD. WITH THIS WEEKEND'S TEST TAKING PLACE BACK IN JOHANNESBURG, DAVE RENNIE'S MEN ARE LOOKING TO USE THE ALTITUDE TO THEIR ADVANTAGE. THE ALL BLACKS HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO SHARE THAT THEY THINK THEY'RE FITTER THAN THE SPRINGBOKS ` SOMETHING THEY'RE LOOKING TO EXPOSE IN THE THIRD TEST. MITCH REDMAN REPORTS FROM CAPE TOWN. APPROACHING STOP NUMBER SEVEN ON THE TOUR, THE ALL BLACKS HAVE A RIGHT TO FEEL FATIGUED. BUT IN TAMATI ELLISON'S EYES, THERE'S STILL SOME GAS LEFT IN THE TANK. FIRST WEEK IN A WHILE WE HAVEN'T HAD A MIDWEEK GAME, SO THERE WAS PLENTY OF ENERGY AT TRAINING. WITH THE SERIES LOGGED AT ONE APIECE, IT'S SAID TO BE A SPECIAL OCCASION IN SOWETO; THE ALL BLACKS ARE TRYING TO KEEP THEIR EMOTIONS IN CHECK. WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO RUN OUR RACE EARLY. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT ON SATURDAY, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY, WE'RE AT 100%. OUTSIDE OF THE TEAM'S BUBBLE, IT'S ANYONE'S GUESS AS TO WHO DAVE RENNIE WILL SELECT FOR THIS WEEK'S SIDE. THE POTENTIAL RETURN OF JOSH LORD AND ETHAN DE GROOT COULD SPARK SOME CHANGES TO THE TIGHT FIVE. THEY'VE BOTH TRAINED WELL TODAY, SO, UM... IT'S GOOD TO HAVE MORE AND MORE BODIES ON BOARD VERSUS SENDING THEM HOME. AFTER TWO TOUGH TESTS, FRESH LEGS ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEK. FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, THE HIGHVELD HAS BEEN A HAPPY HUNTING GROUND FOR THE ALL BLACKS. THEY'VE WON EIGHT OF THEIR LAST 10 TESTS AT ALTITUDE, AND THEY'LL BE HOPING TO CATCH THE 'BOKS OUT OF BREATH AGAIN THIS WEEK. WE KNOW WHAT IT BRINGS. AND, IN A WAY, WE THINK IT'S AN ADVANTAGE TO US. WE TRY TO PLAY AT TEMPO IN A FAST GAME, SO WE'RE AN INCREDIBLY FIT TEAM, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK OUT THERE. ANTON LIENERT-BROWN CONFIDENT THE TEAM CAN BOUNCE BACK FROM LAST WEEK'S LOSS. I GUESS THE FOCUS IS ON US, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE PUTTING OUR INTENSITY IS ON THE IMPROVEMENT WE NEED. THEY'RE NOT BIG THINGS, BUT THEY'RE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FIXED. THE ALL BLACKS WILL SPEND THE DAY OFF TRAVELLING BACK TO JOHANNESBURG, LEAVING BEHIND A LOSS AND SOME OF THEIR MOST ADORING FANS... ALL CHANT: ALL BLACKS! ALL BLACKS! ...IN CAPE TOWN. MEANTIME, IF YOU THOUGHT THE SPRINGBOKS HAD MOVED ON FROM ACCUSATIONS THEY'RE INFRINGING AT SCRUM TIME, THINK AGAIN. DAVE RENNIE ASKED WORLD RUGBY OFFICIALS TO WATCH WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE THE SPRINGBOKS 'WALKING AROUND' AT SCRUM TIME. AFTER A POST-MATCH RANT ON THE ISSUE FROM HIS OPPOSITE, RASSIE ERASMUS, THE SPRINGBOKS TODAY ROLLED OUT SCRUM COACH DAAN HUMAN TO DENY THE CLAIMS AGAIN. I DID NOT WANT TO SAY THEY CHEAT OR WALK AROUND. WE NEVER LIKE THAT, AND I NEVER WILL BE. I NEVER COACH LIKE THAT. BUT I ASSURE YOU ONE THING WE WILL WORK ON, WE WILL WORK EVEN HARDER. THE ALL BLACKS NEVER SUGGESTED IT WAS BEING DONE INTENTIONALLY OR THAT THE SPRINGBOKS WERE BEING INSTRUCTED TO DO IT, ONLY THAT THEY'D NOTICED IT HAPPEN ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS. AND THE BLACK FERNS HAVE BEEN DEALT AN INJURY BLOW AHEAD OF THEIR HISTORIC TEST IN SOWETO, WITH NUMBER 8 KAIPO OLSEN-BAKER RULED OUT OF THE CLASH WITH THE SPRINGBOKS WOMEN WITH A SHOULDER INJURY. THE 24-YEAR-OLD SUFFERED THE INJURY LATE IN LAST MONTH'S WIN OVER AUSTRALIA. COACH WHITNEY HANSEN CONFIRMING SHE'LL BE OUT OF ACTION FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS. THE BLACK FERNS, MEANWHILE, HAVE BEEN SETTLING INTO JOHANNESBURG THIS WEEK, WELL AWARE OF THE HISTORY THEY'LL CREATE WHEN THEY FACE THE SPRINGBOKS WOMEN FOR THE FIRST TIME ON SOUTH AFRICAN SOIL. COMING ACROSS TO SOUTH AFRICA IS PRETTY INSANE TO BE PART OF THIS HISTORIC TEST. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED JUST TO GO OUT THERE AND HAVE SOME FUN AND GO AGAINST THE SPRINGBOKS WOMEN'S TEAM. IT'LL BE JUST THE THIRD MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS. THE LAST TIME WAS THE 2025 WORLD CUP QUARTER FINAL, WITH THE BLACK FERNS WINNING 46-17. ANY HOPES OF A SECOND MINOR PREMIERSHIP FOR THE WARRIORS COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE CLUB'S THOUGHTS AS THEY BRACE FOR THEIR FINAL REGULAR SEASON GAME ON SATURDAY. THE CLUB HAS FAR LOFTIER AMBITIONS AS IT CONTINUES TO WORK TOWARD JUST A THIRD GRAND FINAL APPEARANCE AND FIRST SINCE 2011, WITH A MAIDEN NRL PREMIERSHIP FIRMLY FRONT OF MIND. WITH JUST ONE REGULAR SEASON GAME LEFT, THE WARRIORS ARE ALREADY GUARANTEED A TOP TWO FINISH. SECURING TOP SPOT WOULD BE A 'NICE TO HAVE', NOT A 'MUST HAVE'. HONESTLY, THERE WOULD BE NO ONE PROUDER IF WE HAPPEN TO BE MINOR PREMIERS. WHETHER THAT HAPPENS OR NOT ISN'T EXACTLY CONSUMING MUCH OF THE WARRIORS' THINKING RIGHT NOW. LOOK, WE GET A HOME SEMI REGARDLESS, AND WHOEVER WE PLAY, WE PLAY. SO, UM, YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE A... WE DON'T CARE WHICH ONE IT IS. THEIR CURRENT FORM AND THE FACT THEY'VE SECURED HOME PLAYOFFS UP TO THE GRAND FINAL MAKES THE WARRIORS A DAUNTING PROSPECT COME KNOCK OUT TIME. CENTRAL TO THEIR RISE THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ERIN CLARK. THERE FOR CLARK, WHO TURNS AT THE TACKLE, BUMPS OFF A DEFENDER AND PUTS IT DOWN! THE 28-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN A REVELATION THIS SEASON, AND HE CREDITS THE WARRIORS WITH MAKING HUGE CHANGES IN HIS LIFE. THEY'VE SHOWN BELIEF, FAITH, GIVEN ME CONFIDENCE AND MY OWN ABILITY, WHICH I PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE COMING HERE. AND, UM... IT JUST... YEAH, TURNED ME INTO A BETTER FATHER, HUSBAND, TEAMMATE. BUT DESPITE A CAREER BEST SEASON SO FAR, CLARK IS FAR FROM DONE. IF YOU PUT FAITH IN ME, I'LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING, AND, UM... YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. WITH ONE BIG GOAL STILL TO TICK OFF. TRYING TO WIN THE GF, BRO. MAIN GOAL IS TO MAKE IT` GET THAT PREMIERSHIP AND BRING IT HOME. WE HAVEN'T ACHIEVED WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE YET, SO, UM, CERTAINLY HAVEN'T HIT WHAT WE NEED TO DO. IF THE WARRIORS KEEP THEIR CURRENT FORM GOING INTO THE POST-SEASON, A MAIDEN NRL PREMIERSHIP MAY ONLY BE A MATTER OF WEEKS AWAY. MEN'S TOP SEED ALEXANDER ZVEREV HAS AVOIDED A MASSIVE BOIL OVER IN HIS FIRST ROUND CLASH AT THE U.S. TENNIS OPEN THIS AFTERNOON. TAKING ON UNSEEDED ITALIAN LORENZO SONEGO, ZVEREV WON THE OPENING SET 6-4. BUT THE ITALIAN STRUCK BACK, WINNING THE NEXT TWO, BEFORE ZVEREV HELD HIS NERVE TO WIN THE FOURTH 7-5 TO TAKE THE MATCH THE DISTANCE; THE FRENCH OPEN CHAMPION WRAPPING IT UP IN FIVE HOURS JUST BEFORE 2am NEW YORK TIME. ALEXANDER ZVEREV COMES BACK FROM TWO POINTS AWAY FROM BEING OUT HAS A TOP SEED. AND HE IS THROUGH. ZVEREV THROUGH TO THE SECOND ROUND. THE LAST MEN'S TOP SEED TO LOSE IN THE FIRST ROUND OF A MAJOR WAS LLEYTON HEWITT AT WIMBLEDON IN 2003. IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG TOURNAMENT FOR HIM, I SUSPECT. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT. OVERWHELMING DEMAND HAS SEEN POP SENSATION BRUNO MARS ADD A SECOND SHOW TO HIS NEW ZEALAND VISIT NEXT YEAR. THE 16-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTIST WILL NOW PERFORM AT AUCKLAND'S EDEN PARK ON SATURDAY MARCH 13th AND SUNDAY MARCH 14th. IT'S PART OF HIS ROMANTIC TOUR SCHEDULE AND HAS GOVERNMENT BACKING VIA THE ONE-OFF EVENTS ATTRACTION PACKAGE. BRUNO MARS LAST TOURED NEW ZEALAND IN 2018, PLAYING FOUR SHOWS AT SPARK ARENA AND BREAKING ATTENDANCE RECORDS AT THE TIME. PRE-SALE TICKETS WENT ON SALE THIS MORNING, WITH GENERAL SALE ON FRIDAY. IMO'S BACK NOW, AND WE'RE IN FOR WARMER WEATHER. WE ARE, SAM, BUT WE'RE ALSO IN FOR WETTER WEATHER. WE'VE GOT A SECOND FRONT HITTING THE SOUTH ISLAND FROM TOMORROW, AND THAT THING HAS ONE GOAL IN MIND, AND THAT IS TO GET RAIN OR SHOWERS TO AS MANY OF US AS POSSIBLE AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE WEEKEND. I'LL HAVE MORE ON THAT. PLUS, A LOOK AT SUNDAY, FATHER'S DAY NEXT. HRV VENTILATION HELPS REDUCE ASTHMA TRIGGERS AT HOME. HRV, BRINGING YOU THREENEWS WEATHER. KIA ORA E TE IWI. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. SOME OF US ARE IN FOR A WARM, WARM THURSDAY, THANKS TO AUSSIE SHARING ITS NORWESTERLY WINDS BUT IT'S NOT ALL SUNSHINE, OF COURSE ` TOMORROW, THIS FRONT WILL START MAKING ITS WAY OFF THE COUNTRY, BUT HOT ON ITS HEELS IS ANOTHER ONE. STILL WET TONIGHT IN THE WEST, WHICH'LL LINGER INTO TOMORROW. STILL LOOKING FINE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SOUTH ISLAND APART FROM SOME HIGH CLOUD, THEN LATE IN THE DAY IS WHEN THAT SECOND FRONT MAKES ITS MOVE. MAINLY FINE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW ACROSS THE NORTH ISLAND ` BUT THOSE BLUE SHOWERY BLOBS WILL CREEP ONTO WESTERN AREAS, PUSHING MORE CENTRAL AS THE DAY TRUCKS ALONG. UP TOP AND TOMORROW'S MAIN CHARACTERS WILL BE CLOUD AND THE ODD PRE-LUNCH SHOWER. COULD RAMP UP AGAIN IN THE EVENING FOR HAMILTON, AND SOME VERY HIGH TEEN HIGHS. CLOUDY WITH THE ODD SHOWER INLAND THIS WAY, WHICH WILL ALSO PICK UP IN THE EVENING, TURNING TO RAIN IN TOKOROA. SHOULD BE FINE AND WARM AT THE BEACH, THOUGH. SHOULDN'T BE A DROP THIS WAY, THOUGH. GET A LOAD OF THIS ` A BINGO SUNNY THURSDAY, WITH TEMPERATURES TO BOOT. COULD SEE SOME SHOWERS TIP INTO MASTERTON, OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY. NOT BAD AT ALL TO START FOR THESE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, BUT WE WILL START TO SEE SHOWERS SPRING UP NORTH OF WELLINGTON AS THE DAY TRUCKS ALONG, TURNING TO RAIN IN THE EVENING. ANOTHER WET DAY HERE, WITH THE SHOWERS PICKING UP AFTER LUNCH ` POSSIBLY ALSO CROPPING UP IN NELSON IN THE AFTERNOON AS WELL. NORWESTERS WILL BE GUSTY IN THE EVENING. ON THE OTHER SIDE, HOWEVER, IT IS ALL SUN, ALL DAY, AND ALL 20 PLUS DEGREES. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? WEST AND NORWESTERS ABOUT, AND SOME HIGH CLOUD TOWARDS EVENING. PRETTY NICE AND WARM ROUND HERE AS WELL, BUT THERE WILL BE RAIN OR SHOWERS FOR QUEENSTOWN AND INVERCARGILL, AND A LOT OF CLOUD ON THE MENU AS WELL. DUNEDIN, YOU ARE IN FOR A CRACKER THURSDAY ` SUNSHINE, LIGHT WINDS, AND A HIGH OF 18 DEGREES. 22 FOR YOU, CHRISTCHURCH. ENJOY THE SUNSHINE. NORWESTERS TURN NOREASTER LATE, WHICH IS WHEN HIGH CLOUD ROLLS IN AS WELL, WELLINGTON, NOT AS GLAMOUROUS ` YOU'RE IN FOR LOTS OF CLOUD AND SOME STRONG NORTHERLIES, WITH SHOWERS NORTH OF THE CITY. BACK TO THE GOOD STUFF HERE ` HAWKE'S BAY ` YOU'LL HAVE A LOVELY SUNNY WARM THURSDAY WITH SOME OF THAT EVENING HIGH CLOUD. TAURANGA, BIT OF A CLOUDY MORNING TO START, BUT THE AFTERNOON'S LOOKING BETTER AND MORE DESERVING OF THAT 19 DEGREE HIGH. AN OVERCAST DAY FOR YOU, HAMILTON, WITH ON AND OFF SHOWERS THAT'LL THEN GET STUCK IN FROM LATE IN THE EVENING. AUCKLAND ` CLOUD WITH THE ODD MORNING SHOWER THEN SOME FINER SPELLS IN THE AFTERNOON, GETTING UP TO 18 DEGREES. THAT'S A DECENT AMOUNT OF 30 DEGREE PLUS TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE DITCH TOMORROW, WITH FAR DIFFERENT, SHOWERY, WINDY STORY FOR SOUTHERN PARTS OF AUSTRALIA. AND SEEING A LOT MORE OF THE SHOWERY STUFF ACROSS THE PACIFIC TOMORROW AS WELL. TURNING TO THE END OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND BACK HOME, AND FRIDAY IS LOOKING PRETTY BUSY WEATHER-WISE. THERE WILL BE RAIN FOR A GOOD BIG CHUNK OF THE NORTH ISLAND, AND THERE'LL BE SOME STRONG WINDS IN THE MIX AS WELL. SATURDAY'S LOOKING FINE FOR SOME, BUT THEN IT'S A RETURN TO THE WET STUFF ON SUNDAY, I'M AFRAID, FOR FATHER'S DAY. AS FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND, FRIDAY WILL BE RAINY HERE AS WELL, POTENTIALLY SPILLING INTO EASTERN PARTS. SATURDAY, MORE RAIN OR SHOWERS FOR THE WEST AND THE SOUTH, AND THEN SUNDAY, MORE RAIN OR SHOWERS FOR THE WEST AND THE SOUTH. BUSY FEW WEATHER DAYS AHEAD ` LOVELY AND SPRINGY TODAY WITH THESE DAFFODILS IN ELLESMERE, JUST OUTSIDE OF CHRISTCHURCH. THANKS FOR SHARING, ROD! THAT IS THREENEWS FOR TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND INFORMATION ON stuff.co.nz. I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. PO MARIE. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY MAIA CARR HEKE AND JULIE TAYLOR. 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