APPLAUSE TONIGHT ON 1 NEWS ` FIGHTING FOR PAY OR PLAYING POLITICS? FAIR PAY IS UNDER ATTACK. (CROWD CHANTS) NEARLY 10,000 PUBLIC SERVANTS STRIKE, FRUSTRATED AFTER MONTHS BARGAINING FOR BETTER PAY. WHY THE UNION IS BEING ACCUSED OF ELECTIONEERING. THE UK IS CALLING IT 'ETHNIC CLEANSING'. THE ISRAELI SETTLER VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS THAT'S SPARKED A DOZEN NATIONS TO TAKE ACTION. WHY OUR GOVERNMENT ISN'T JOINING THEM. AND A NEW LOW. WHAT'S BEHIND THE DROP IN TEEN BOYS' READING ABILITIES? CAPTIONS BY JULIE TAYLOR AND CAITLIN PENROSE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2026 TENA TATOU KATOA. GOOD EVENING. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH BREAKING NEWS ` AN EMERGENCY INCIDENT AT A TRAIN STATION THAT'S HALTED TRAIN SERVICES TO AND FROM WEST AUCKLAND. POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ARE DEALING WITH THE INCIDENT AT THE BALDWIN AVE TRAIN STATION IN THE SUBURB OF MT ALBERT, ABOUT 7km FROM THE AUCKLAND CBD. 1 NEWS REPORTER TE ANIWA HURIHANGANUI IS NEAR THE SCENE AND JOINS US NOW LIVE. THE SITUATION STILL MOVING THERE, AND NOT A LOT OF DETAILS YET, BUT WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US? IN THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS, THERE HAS BEEN A HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE , AND A NUMBER OF CONCERNED AND CONFUSED PASSENGERS HERE AT THE BALDWIN AVENUE TRAIN STATION IN MOUNT ALBERT. EMERGENCY SERVICES INCLUDING ONE AMBULANCE AND A RAPID RESPONSE UNIT WAS DEPLOYED JUST BEFORE 3:30 PM. THE STATION HAS CLOSED. IT HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF EVER SINCE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS ON THE WESTERN LINE. AUCKLAND TRANSPORT SAY INTERMITTENT TRAIN SERVICES HAVE JUST STARTED RUNNING BETWEEN WAITEMATA AND MORNINGSIDE STATIONS, BUT THEY ARE URGING PEOPLE TO CHECK THEIR JOURNEY PLANNER ONLINE OR ON THEIR MOBILE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND UPDATES AS THEY COME TO HAND. WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO PASSENGERS ALL THIS AFTERNOON, INCLUDING MANY STUDENTS WHO WERE ON BOARD. THEY DID HERE THUMP, AND THEY WERE ASKED TO STAY ON BOARD FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE THEY WERE ALLOWED TO LEAD. I SPOKE TO 1 OF THEM. THE TRAIN WENT SMOOTHLY, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT A TRAIN WENT ON. THAT WAS A DIFFERENT SOUND LIKE THE NORMAL SOUND. AND THEN I REALISED, NO, THIS IS NOT NORMAL. SOMETHING IS GOING ON. THAT TEACHER AND DOZENS OF STUDENTS HAD TO FIND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT HOME TONIGHT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LOCAL SCHOOLS IN THE AREA, ST PETER'S, MOUNT ALBERT GRAMMAR, AND A NUMBER OF STAFF REMAINED THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WAITING FOR INFORMATION. A POLICE PRESENCE REMAINS. THANKS, TE ANIWA. AND WE'LL HAVE ANY UPDATES ON OUR WEBSITE 1news.co.nz. THOUSANDS OF WORKERS FROM A RANGE OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SWAPPED THE OFFICE FOR THE PICKET LINE TODAY, JOINING PROTESTS FROM NORTHLAND TO DUNEDIN. THEY'RE CALLING FOR A PAY RISE THAT KEEPS PACE WITH THE COST OF LIVING AND CLAIM GOVERNMENT OFFERS SO FAR HAVE FALLEN SHORT. BUT THEY'RE FACING CRITICISM FROM THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, WHO SAYS TODAY'S STRIKES ARE A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED STUNT TIMED TO CAUSE DISRUPTION AHEAD OF THE ELECTION. DEMELZA LESLIE REPORTS. WALKING OFF THE JOB AND STANDING UP FOR BETTER PAY... WHAT DO WE WANT? CROWD: FAIR PAY. WHEN DO WE WANT IT? NOW. ...MARCHING THROUGH CHRISTCHURCH, PICKETING IN TAURANGA, GATHERING IN AUCKLAND AND TAKING THEIR GRIEVANCES TO THE BEEHIVE. THE OFFERS ON THE TABLE ARE NOT KEEPING PACE WITH THE COST OF LIVING FACING PUBLIC SERVANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AND THE MINISTRY FOR BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND EMPLOYMENT, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS, NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY AND MINISTRY FOR ETHNIC COMMUNITIES. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO'S STOOD UP AND WALKED OUT TODAY, AND HERE'S HOPING THAT, LIKE THE MIGHTY WAHS, IT'S OUR YEAR FOR FAIR PAY. (CHEERING) AIRING THEIR FRUSTRATIONS, CLAIMING YEARS OF PAY FREEZES, BUDGET CUTS AND REDUNDANCIES. COST OF LIVING IS KILLING US, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. MY GRANDPARENTS HAVE HEALTH ISSUES, AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO GO AND VISIT THEM AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS STAFF AT MSD HAVE GONE ON STRIKE. WE NEED TO SEE AN INCREASED OFFER. WE NEED TO SEE CHANGES TO OUR WORKLOAD. WE NEED TO SEE OUR WELL-BEING FRONT AND CENTRE. BUT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE STRIKE IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. THEY'RE GOING ON STRIKE EIGHT WEEKS BEFORE AN ELECTION, HANDING OUT FORMS SAYING 'CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT'. I THINK PEOPLE AT HOME CAN JUDGE FOR THEMSELVES. IN ALL FAIRNESS, I THINK THE PSA DOES THIS PRETTY REGULARLY. IT IS AN ELECTION SEASON, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY DO. THE TAXPAYERS UNION QUESTIONING WHERE THE MONEY FOR EXTRA WAGES WILL COME FROM. WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH MORE BORROWING, HIGHER TAXES OR CUTS ELSEWHERE. HOWEVER, STRIKING WORKERS SAY MORALE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR IS AT ROCK BOTTOM, AND THEY CAN'T KEEP GOING. ALL WE'RE ASKING IS TO BE BROUGHT BACK UP TO WHERE WE WERE PRE-COVID. WE HAVE MEMBERS WHO OPTED OUT OF THE STRIKE, NOT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN THE MISSION, BUT THEY'RE LIKE, 'I CAN'T FEED MY FAMILY IF I COME TO THIS.' OPPOSITION PARTIES JOINING THE CALL. YOU ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS ON A PIECE OF PAPER TO BE CUT AND TO BE MOVED AROUND AND TO BE CONSTANTLY RESTRUCTURED. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE THESE WORKERS OR WORKERS, INCLUDING PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS, DESERVE TO BE PAID WHAT THEY'RE WORTH. THE UNION ASKING THE GOVERNMENT TO COME BACK TO THE TABLE. THIS GOVERNMENT HAS DISMISSED THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS AND PLANS TO DISMISS THOUSANDS MORE. IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. IT NEEDS TO STOP. AND THEY'RE NOT RULING OUT MORE STRIKE ACTION IF A BETTER OFFER ISN'T PUT FORWARD. DEMELZA LESLIE, 1 NEWS. AND LABOUR'S PROMISING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WON'T REPLACE PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS WHEN IT COMES TO DECISION-MAKING THAT AFFECTS REAL PEOPLES LIVES. IF ELECTED, THE PARTY PLANS TO SET UP AN 'OFFICE OF A.I.' AND REQUIRE ANY NEW DATA CENTRE OPERATING IN NEW ZEALAND TO SHOW IT CAN BE POWERED BY ITS OWN RENEWABLE ENERGY. IT ALSO WANTS TO ESTABLISH AN ONLINE SAFETY REGULATOR, AND ENSURE THAT PUBLIC SERVICE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY A REAL PERSON. AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE LAW CHANGES TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS, WE WILL ` BECAUSE NEW ZEALANDERS SHOULDN'T HAVE DECISIONS MADE ABOUT THEIR LIVES BY AN ALGORITHM THAT THEY CANNOT UNDERSTAND, AND THAT NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'D WANT TO REGULATE IT, BUT TO BE SERIOUS ` WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT. THE MINISTRY FOR REGULATION HAS ISSUED GUIDANCE TO EVERY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT ON HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A.I. IN A SAFE WAY. DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS ACT WILL RELEASE ITS OWN A.I. POLICY SOON, BUT THE GOVERNMENT'S GUIDANCE IS THAT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY BUT SHOULD KEEP A HUMAN IN THE LOOP. THE READING SKILLS OF TEENAGE BOYS IN NEW ZEALAND ARE GETTING WORSE ` THAT'S THE FINDING OF THE LATEST TEST COMPARING 15-YEAR-OLDS FROM ACROSS OECD NATIONS. BUT THERE ARE PROMISING SIGNS IN OTHER SUBJECTS, LIKE SCIENCE AND MATHS. JAMES FLEURY REPORTS. KIWI KIDS ONCE LED THE WORLD IN READING, BUT NOW FEWER ARE TAKING THE TIME TO PICK UP A BOOK ` PARTICULARLY BOYS. TO BE HONEST, I DON'T READ AT ALL, EH. OH, I READ THE BIBLE. MAYBE IT'S COS I'M A LITTLE DISTRACTED WITH VIDEO GAMES. I TRY TO READ BOOKS, BUT I DON'T THINK I EVER FINISHED THEM. RESEARCHERS SAY IT'S A GLOBAL TREND. ENJOYMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT OF READING IS DROPPING. I THINK IN 2026, THE REASONS FOR CHILDREN NOT READING SO MUCH ARE DIGITAL DISTRACTIONS AND GAMING. NOW THE LATEST FINDINGS FROM THIS INTERNATIONAL TEST... OECD'S PISA IS GLOBALLY RENOWNED FOR MEASURING THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF 15-YEAR-OLDS. ...REVEALING NEW ZEALAND HAS REACHED A NEW LOW, CAUSED BY A DECLINE IN BOYS' READING PROFICIENCY DROPPING EIGHT POINTS. I THINK THAT COMES BACK TO POSSIBLY LACK OF MALE READING ROLE MODELS IN BOYS' LIVES, AND THIS SOMETIMES, PERHAPS, GENDERING OF READING. THE EDUCATION MINISTER SAYS THE STRUCTURED LITERACY ROLLOUT SHOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE READING RESULTS IS TO CONTINUE TO USE STRUCTURED LITERACY AND TEACHING CHILDREN TO READ USING PHONICS ` SOUNDING OUT WORDS. BUT THIS ADVOCATE SAYS WHANAU ARE READING LESS. IT'S ABOUT CHILDREN LEARNING TO LOVE READING, AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN, AND THAT'S WHERE FAMILY AND PARENTS COME IN. BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2009, OUR AVERAGE SCORE AND SCIENCE IMPROVED BY FOUR POINTS. WHILE IN MATHS, OUR RESULTS ALSO STABILISED, GOING UP BY A SINGLE POINT. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE CLOSING OF THE EQUITY GAP FOR THE FIRST TIME, SO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TOP QUARTILE AND THE BOTTOM QUARTILE HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THOSE IN THE BOTTOM DOING SO MUCH BETTER. THIS EXPERT SAYS TO TAKE THE NARROWING GAP WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I WOULD BE HESITANT ABOUT MAKING CLAIMS THAT THE EQUITY GAP'S IMPROVING, AND IT'S QUITE LIKELY THAT SOME OF THE LOWER S.E.S. SCHOOLS MIGHT HAVE NOT BEEN REPRESENTED IN THAT SAMPLE, MIGHT HAVE NOT BEEN REPRESENTED IN THAT SAMPLE CLAIMING IT TAKES YEARS BEFORE EDUCATION REFORMS ARE SEEN IN TEST RESULTS. JAMES FLEURY, 1 NEWS. THE UK HAS ACCUSED ISRAELI SETTLERS OF THE 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' OF PALESTINIANS IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK AND SAYS ISRAEL'S GOVERNMENT IS TURNING A BLIND EYE. ALONGSIDE CANADA AND FRANCE, THE UK LAUNCHING A TRADING BAN WITH THE ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS, WHICH ARE ILLEGAL UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW. IT COMES AMID RECENT REPORTS OF A RISE IN VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS THERE. THE WEST BANK IS HOME TO MORE THAN THREE MILLION PALESTINIANS, BUT MORE AND MORE ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS, FARMS AND OUTPOSTS ARE BEING BUILT. MUCH OF THE FOCUS IS ON THIS PLANNED SETTLEMENT CALLED E1. IF IT GOES AHEAD, IT WOULD CUT OFF THE WEST BANK FROM OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM, WHICH PALESTINIANS WANT TO BE THE CAPITAL OF A FUTURE STATE. THAT COULD POTENTIALLY DESTROY THE CHANCE OF A TWO-STATE SOLUTION. ISRAEL IS RESPONDING FURIOUSLY TO THE UK-LED MOVE, SHUTTING ITS CONSULATE IN EAST JERUSALEM. 11 OTHER NATIONS HAVE PLEDGED TO TAKE SIMILAR ACTION AGAINST THE SETTLEMENTS, BUT NOT NEW ZEALAND. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS REPORTS. CONTRARY TO INTERNATIONAL LAW, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THIS LAND BELONGS TO JEWISH PEOPLE. THE NUMBER OF SETTLEMENTS IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK HAS GROWN RAPIDLY RECENTLY ` SO TOO VIOLENCE BY SETTLERS AGAINST PALESTINIANS THEY WANT TO LEAVE. THE UK DECIDING IT'S TIME TO MAKE A SEISMIC SHIFT IN POLICY AGAINST ITS ONCE-STAUNCH ALLY. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AGREES THAT THERE IS ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINIANS IN AREAS OF THE WEST BANK PERPETRATED BY SETTLER TERRORISTS. AND ALL TOO OFTEN, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAS TURNED A BLIND EYE TO THIS, AND WORSE, MEMBERS OF IT HAVE MADE STATEMENTS AND TAKEN ACTIONS TO SUPPORT THE FORCED DISPLACEMENT OF PALESTINIANS. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, A BRITISH JEW, BEGGING WORDS WITH ACTION, IMPOSING AN IMPORT BAN ON GOODS FROM ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE BRITISH PEOPLE WANT US SUPPORTING THE OCCUPATION BY ACCEPTING PRODUCTS FROM SETTLEMENTS IN OUR SHOPS AND SUPERMARKETS. UNDER FAR RIGHT PRESSURE, AS AN ELECTION LOOMS, ISRAEL'S GOVERNMENT IS FURIOUS. THE ACCUSATIONS MADE TODAY BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT WERE OUTRAGEOUS LIES. THE WEST BANK LAND, KNOWN AS E1, IS WHERE THE UK IS DRAWING A RED LINE ON SETTLEMENT EXPANSION. ISRAEL'S FAR RIGHT FINANCE MINISTER HIMSELF HAS SAID IT WOULD BURY THE IDEA OF A PALESTINIAN STATE. WEST BANK PALESTINIANS WELCOMING THE UK'S MOVE. TRANSLATOR: ANY SPECK OF HOPE MAKES US HAPPY. IN RETROSPECT, WE MIGHT THINK OF IT AS THE FIRST STEP THAT CREATED THE DOMINO EFFECT, THE POLITICAL DOMINO EFFECT. 11 OTHER NATIONS ARE MAKING SIMILAR MOVES TO THE UK, BUT NOT NEW ZEALAND. CLEARLY, OUR GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT CLEARLY, OUR GOVERNMENT IS CONCERNED ABOUT SETTLEMENTS THAT BREACH INTERNATIONAL LAW. HOWEVER, NEW ZEALAND IS A TRADING NATION. WE DON'T GENERALLY USE TRADE BANS TO MAKE POLITICAL POINTS. THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON ISRAEL IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE COUNTRY. WE SHOULD BE SANCTIONING ISRAEL, ALONG WITH LIKE-MINDED COUNTRIES LIKE THE UK, CANADA AND FRANCE. THE GREENS ALSO OBJECTING. ABSOLUTELY GUTLESS, SHAMEFUL AND EMBARRASSING, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR FROM THE START ` WE NEED TO CALL OUT ISRAEL FOR THE GENOCIDE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ONGOING ETHNIC CLEANSING HAPPENING IN ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK. AND OUR GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS SANCTIONED INDIVIDUAL SETTLERS BEFORE, SAYING WE'RE JUST TOO CLOSE TO OUR ELECTION TO DO THE POLICY WORK REQUIRED TO EVEN CONSIDER A TRADE BAN. BENEDICT COLLINS, 1 NEWS. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS IS LIVE IN LONDON. KATE, PUT THE SCALE OF THIS UK SHIFT INTO CONTEXT. THIS IS THE U.K.'S STARKEST CONDEMNATION OF ISRAEL SINCE IT WAS FOUNDED. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND PARLIAMENT USE REALLY STRONG LANGUAGE, CALLING THE SAME MORAL EMERGENCY. HE ALSO DISCUSSED GAZA AND EVIDENCE OF WAR CRIMES IN HIS VIEW, AND HE USED THE FRAMES SETTLER TERRORISM. ALSO SIGNIFICANT IS THAT THE UK IS NOW VIEWING THIS OCCUPATION AS A LEGAL, NOT JUST THE SETTLEMENTS. THERE IS A CHANGE IN POSITION THERE. AND THEY ARE CALLING FOR THIS OCCUPATION TO END AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE KEY WORD USED THROUGHOUT HIS SPEECH WAS FOR ACTION, AND THAT IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE FOR YEARS, SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND, HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THE NEED FOR A TWO STATE SOLUTION. SO AS THE SITUATION IS ESCALATING IN THE WEST BANK, WHAT THE UK IS TRYING TO DO IS ADD SOME PUNCH TO THE POLITICS. IT IS ALSO HOPING THAT THE WORLD AND FOLLOW SUIT. TIT-FOR-TAT RETALIATORY STRIKES BETWEEN IRAN AND THE U.S. HAVE RAMPED UP, SENDING THE BRENT CRUDE OIL PRICE SURGING CLOSE TO THE $100 USD MARK. TEHRAN HAS FIRED AT A U.S. BASE IN JORDAN. LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAY AIR DEFENCES INTERCEPTED 18 OF THE 20 MISSILES LAUNCHED, WITH THE REMAINING TWO FALLING INTO OPEN AREAS. THE ATTACK COMING AFTER THE U.S. DESTROYED FIVE IRANIAN TANKERS. THE PENTAGON SAYS THOSE STRIKES WERE IN RESPONSE TO TEHRAN TARGETING AN AMERICAN WARSHIP. GORE IS NOW HOME TO THE SOUTH ISLAND'S BIGGEST WIND FARM ` WITH MERCURY OPENING A $486 MILLION EXTENSION TO THE KAIWERA DOWNS TURBINES TODAY. BUT AS SAM OLLEY REPORTS, THE SITE WILL SOON BE TRUMPED BY EVEN BIGGER WIND FARMS IN THE LOWER SOUTH, WHICH ARE BEING FAST-TRACKED. THE TURBINES MAY BE QUIET, BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE ENTHUSIASM. (CHEERING) MAKING THE MOST OF THE SOUTHERLY WINDS, AN EXTRA 36 TURBINES HAVE BEEN ADDED HERE TO THE 10 FIRST INSTALLED, NOW GENERATING ENOUGH TO POWER THE CLOSEST TOWNS AND CITIES. SO, IT'S THE HOMES EQUIVALENT TO ALL OF INVERCARGILL, ALL OF GORE AND ALL OF DUNEDIN. BUT MERCURY'S ALSO SIGNED AGREEMENTS WITH OUR BIGGEST POWER USER, THE TIWAI POINT SMELTER, AND WITH DATA GRIDS HYPERSCALE DATA CENTRE NEAR INVERCARGILL. THE POWER GOES INTO THE GRID OF NEW ZEALAND, WHICH, ULTIMATELY, IS THERE FOR ALL CONSUMERS, WHETHER THEY'RE HOMES OR INDUSTRIAL CONSUMERS. THERE ARE OTHER WIND FARMS UNDER CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY IN NORTHLAND, TARANAKI AND CANTERBURY, BUT THEY WILL SOON BE JOINED BY NINE OTHER SITES WITH CONSENTS FOR NEW TURBINES ON LAND AROUND AOTEAROA, INCLUDING TWO WITH FAST-TRACK APPROVALS ` MERCURY'S MAHINERANGI PHASE TWO IN OTAGO AND CONTACT'S SOUTHLAND WIND FARM AT WYNDHAM. CONTACT SAYS THE SOUTHLAND PROJECT ALONE WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH POWER FOR UP TO 150,000 HOUSEHOLDS ` NEW ZEALAND'S BIGGEST WIND FARM TO DATE. SOME ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS HAVE OPPOSED NEW TURBINES, SAYING THEY'RE VISUALLY INTRUSIVE AND CONSTRUCTION CAN DISRUPT NATIVE SPECIES, BUT THEY'RE HELPING OFFSET THE FALL IN DOMESTIC GAS PRODUCTION WITH CLEANER ENERGY. WE HAVE RUN OUT OF GAS PRETTY MUCH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT NEED TO GET OFF GAS AND HAVE ELECTRIC ALTERNATIVES. GRID SCALE SOLAR AND WIND PROJECTS, ONSHORE WIND, ARE THE CHEAPEST FORMS OF ENERGY AVAILABLE. BUT DON'T EXPECT YOUR POWER BILLS TO REDUCE OVERNIGHT. EVEN THOUGH ENERGY PRICES ARE FALLING, NETWORK COSTS ARE GOING UP, AND THAT'S MEANING BILLS WON'T FALL AS QUICKLY. WIND FARMS LIKE KAIWERA DOWNS NEED TO BE CLOSE TO THOSE HIGH-VOLTAGE LINES. TO GET TO THE NETWORK, GENERATORS AT THE TURBINES ARE CONNECTED BY 90km OF CABLES LINKED TO A SUBSTATION, THEN ON TO THE NATIONAL GRID. AND WE ARE SEEING FORWARD PRICES OF ELECTRICITY FALLING BACK TOWARDS THE COST OF BUILDING NEW GENERATION, WHICH IS WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. WITH MORE WIND FARMS ON THE HORIZON. SAM OLLEY, 1 NEWS. KMART IS OPENING ITS LARGEST NEW ZEALAND STORE IN WEST AUCKLAND TOMORROW. IT'S THE RETAILER'S THIRD 24-HOUR STORE IN THE COUNTRY, AND COMES AS OTHER MAJOR GLOBAL PLAYERS LIKE COSTCO AND IKEA HAVE MADE MOVES INTO NEW ZEALAND. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT JASON WALLS TAKES A LOOK AT HOW IT'S IMPACTING SMALLER, LOCAL RETAILERS. JAKE HAD ONE BIG PROBLEM WHEN HE STARTED HIS HOMEWARE RETAIL BUSINESS THREE YEARS AGO. UM, I COULDN'T FIND A NAME. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE SOLUTION WAS STARING HIM RIGHT IN THE FACE EVERY MORNING. SO I NAMED IT AFTER MY TWO DOGS, AND HERE WE ARE TODAY. LEWIS AND MAX, ONE OF THOUSANDS OF SMALLER RETAIL SHOPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FINDING A FOOTHOLD IN THE MARKET. IT'S DEFINITELY HAD ITS CHALLENGES, AND I'VE HAD THOSE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, MUCH LIKE ANY SMALL, INDEPENDENT RETAILER, I GUESS. THOSE CHALLENGES SHARPLY IN FOCUS, AS KMART PREPARES TO OPEN ITS BIGGEST KIWI STORE, OPEN 24/7. OUR STORE MANAGER HERE HAS EMPLOYED OVER 200 PEOPLE ` THAT'S 200 NEW JOBS FOR THE WESTGATE COMMUNITY. IT'S BEEN ALMOST 40 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST KMART OPENED IN NEW ZEALAND, AND SINCE THEN, THEY'VE EXPANDED TO 28 STORES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY MAJOR PLAYERS EXPANDING INTO NEW ZEALAND ` COSTCO OPENED ITS FIRST STORE IN AUCKLAND'S WESTGATE IN 2022, A STONE'S THROW FROM THE NEW KMART LOCATION, AND HAS CONFIRMED IT WILL, AT SOME STAGE, OPEN A SECOND LOCATION IN DRURY. IKEA OPENED ITS FIRST STORE TO MUCH FANFARE IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR, AND THERE'S NOW TALK OF UNIQLO SETTING UP IN NEW ZEALAND AS WELL. IT'S GREAT TO SEE INTERNATIONAL BRANDS WANTING TO OPEN BIG NEW STORES WITH LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY. BUT CONCERNS REMAIN FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES FORCED TO COMPETE WITH THE BIGGER PLAYERS. IT DEFINITELY DOES, UM, MAKE ME SORT OF THINK ABOUT WHAT MY STRATEGY IS. A LOT OF THE SMALLER STORES, THEY REALLY FOCUS ON THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE, THAT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WON'T GET INTO A BIGGER STORE. I THINK BOTH SMALL AND LARGE HAVE A PLACE, AND THEY CAN LIVE HARMONIOUSLY NEXT TO EACH OTHER. JAKE AGREES. I AM A SMALL BUSINESS. I'VE KIND OF GOT MY MINDSET OF I CAN CONTROL WHAT I CAN CONTROL, AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING OUT OF MY CONTROL, LIKE A BIG NEW STORE OPENING, I JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M OFFERING SOMETHING TO MY CUSTOMERS THAT IS WORTH COMING IN THE DOOR FOR. ROOM FOR BOTH IN THE MARKET, AS THE MEGASTORE OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC TOMORROW. JASON WALLS, 1 NEWS. E WHAI AKE NEI ` COMING UP ` ANOTHER BRAZEN ART HEIST IN FRANCE. TWO RENOIR PAINTINGS WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SWIPED FROM THIS MUSEUM ` HOW QUICKLY THE THIEVES WERE IN AND OUT BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. AND I'M AT HEATHROW AIRPORT, WHERE SOME PASSENGERS FACED SIX-HOUR WAITS ON THE TARMAC IN THE UK ` THE TRAVEL DISRUPTION STILL CONTINUING. THEN, ON SEVEN SHARP, I SIT DOWN WITH LEGEND OF STAGE AND SCREEN SIR IAN MUNE ` WHY HE'S NERVOUS ABOUT HIS LATEST PROJECT. PLUS, THE 11-YEAR-OLD SPENDING HIS NIGHTS HUNTING FOR BLOOD-SUCKING MONSTERS. PLUS, MODERN-DAY AVIATION SECURITY ` IS THE HASSLE MAKING US SAFER? JOIN US TONIGHT AT 7. Morning team. Morning boss. Sunrise any moment. Morning Steve. Morning. 3, 2, 1. New boots? Yeah! # Is easy 'cause of you. # La la la la la... Table three, ready for mains. Wait! Clara doesn't like basil. # La la la la la... # POLICE INVESTIGATING A TRIPLE HOMICIDE IN ROTORUA HAVE REVEALED THE AGES OF THE DECEASED YOUNG CHILDREN ` AN 11-MONTH-OLD BABY AND A 3-YEAR-OLD. THE OTHER VICTIM WAS A WOMAN. POLICE REMAIN AT THE SCENE, WITH A FORENSIC EXAMINATION CONTINUING. A MAN IS ASSISTING POLICE WITH THEIR INQUIRIES, A NORTHLAND DOG OWNER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER FOLLOWING AN INVESTIGATION INTO A FATAL ATTACK EARLIER THIS YEAR. MIHIATA TE RORE (62) WAS VISITING SOMEONE SHE KNEW AT A RURAL KAIHU PROPERTY IN FEBRUARY WHEN SHE WAS MAULED TO DEATH BY THREE DOGS. POLICE SAY A MAN (43) HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. AROUND 1300 FLIGHTS TO AND FROM THE UK HAVE BEEN CANCELLED, WITH TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS SET TO CONTINUE AFTER AN AIR-TRAFFIC SYSTEM FAILURE. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, WITH SOME WAITING ON BOARD PLANES ON THE TARMAC FOR HOURS. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS HAS MORE. ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST AIRPORTS THE CENTRE OF A TRAVEL NIGHTMARE ` HEATHROW, JUST ONE OF THE UK AIRPORTS WHERE FLIGHTS WERE GROUNDED BECAUSE OF A TECHNICAL FAILURE WITH THE FLIGHT PROCESSING SYSTEM. GOT TO THE GATE ` ALL FINE. GOT ON THE PLANE, AND... THEN WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS GONNA BE A DELAY. WE STAYED AT THAT GATE FOR 6.5 HOURS. YEAH, WE GOT FOOD, YEAH. BUT THEY WOULDN'T GIVE US A DRINK TO GO WITH IT IN CASE THEY GOT A SLOT IN A HURRY AND... AND WE WERE ALLOWED TO GO. THEY JUST NEED TO IMPROVE IT, DON'T THEY? THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY GOT THE MONEY, AND THEY MUST HAVE WORKERS OR ANYTHING. THEY'VE GOT ENOUGH MONEY FROM ALL OF US, FROM ALL THE TAX WE PAY AND ALL THAT. AMONG THE CROWDS WAITING TO HEAR IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO FLY ` 1 NEWS REPORTER CORAZON MILLER, WHO'S MAKING HER WAY BACK TO NEW ZEALAND. SEEMED A LITTLE BIT CHAOTIC, AND I COULD SEE THAT PEOPLE KEPT GOING UP TO THE STAFF TO ASK THEM IF I HAD ANY INFORMATION. THE STAFF WERE ALL REALLY LOVELY, BUT THEY SORT OF WERE LIKE, 'WELL, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW. WE MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE 'IN AN HOUR, MAYBE ANOTHER HOUR FROM NOW.' A FIX WAS PUT IN PLACE AFTER AROUND SIX HOURS, BUT AS FLIGHTS WEREN'T ABLE TO LEAVE HEATHROW FOR SO LONG, A BACKLOG BUILT UP, LEAVING PASSENGERS HEADING TO THE UK STUCK AT AIRPORTS AROUND EUROPE. THIS IS THE THIRD TECHNICAL FAILURE CAUSED BY THE UK'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PROVIDER, NATS, IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. ONE AIRLINE SAYING IT'S 'EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED' AND URGENT REFORM IS NEEDED. ENOUGH'S ENOUGH. IT'S TIME FOR THE UK GOVERNMENT TO INTERVENE SO WE CAN FINALLY GET NATS UP AND RUNNING AND FIX THE CHRONIC ATC ISSUES THAT WE'VE HAD. THE ORGANISATION APOLOGISING BUT DEFENDING ITS SYSTEMS AS FIT FOR PURPOSE. SO, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WORKING PERFECTLY BEFORE WE START TO BRING UP THOSE VOLUMES AGAIN. SO LONGER THAN WE WOULD HAVE LIKED, FOR WHICH I APOLOGISE, BUT EVERYTHING IS NOW UP AND RUNNING. WHILE SOME ARE NOW ON THEIR WAY... WE'VE MANAGED TO CHECK OUR BAGS IN NOW. AT LEAST I'VE GOT A FLIGHT TOMORROW. I'M ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. ...OTHERS ARE STILL WAITING, WITH DISRUPTION EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL DAYS. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS, 1 NEWS, LONDON. ALMOST A YEAR AFTER THE LOUVRE HEIST, THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER BRAZEN ARTWORK THEFT IN FRANCE. RENOIR PAINTINGS WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM THE ARTIST'S OLD FRENCH RIVIERA HOUSE, WHICH IS NOW A MUSEUM DEDICATED TO HIS WORKS. THE BBC'S JAMES WATERHOUSE REPORTS. HIS IMPRESSIONIST PAINTINGS ATTRACT ART LOVERS, TOURISTS, AND IN THE CASE OF THE EARLY MORNING ` TWO SUSPECTED THIEVES. IT'S CLAIMED THEY GRABBED ALMOST HALF OF THE COLLECTION, THESE FOUR PIECES, BUT LEFT WITH ONLY TWO AFTER THE ALARM SOUNDED. THEY APPARENTLY CUT THROUGH THIS WIRE FENCE, BROKE INTO THE GALLERY, THEN ESCAPED THROUGH THE GARDEN. WE'RE SEEING THE RISE OF THE THREE TO FOUR MINUTE HEIST, UH, BREAKING IN AND GETTING AWAY WITH CULTURAL HERITAGE BEFORE THE POLICE CAN ARRIVE. THE POLICE ARRIVED HERE IN FIVE MINUTES, WHICH IS NOT BAD FOR A SMALLER MUSEUM IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. CAGNES-SUR-MER'S LOCAL MAYOR HAS CALLED FOR MORE STATE MONEY TO PROTECT WHAT HE CALLED FRENCH HERITAGE... (SPEAKS FRENCH) ...BECAUSE IN TERMS OF ART HEISTS, IT'S BEEN A BAD YEAR FOR THE COUNTRY. JUST 11 MONTHS AGO, NEARLY �80 MILLION WORTH OF JEWELLERY WAS STOLEN FROM THE LOUVRE IN PARIS, WHEN THIEVES BROKE INTO A FIRST FLOOR GALLERY WITH A MECHANICAL LIFT. THE FOUR SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED, BUT THE JEWELS WERE NEVER RECOVERED, AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM FOR THE AUTHORITIES ` ARTWORKS ARE RARELY FOUND, DESPITE IT BEING DIFFICULT FOR CRIMINALS TO SELL THEM ON THE BLACK MARKET. THIS CASE ALSO POSES THE QUESTION OF HOW ABLE MUSEUMS ARE TO PROTECT HISTORICAL ARTEFACTS. AND IT'S NOT JUST FRANCE ` IN MARCH, THREE PAINTINGS WORTH ALMOST �8 MILLION, INCLUDING A RENOIR, WAS STOLEN FROM A MUSEUM NEAR THE ITALIAN TOWN OF PARMA, BUT WERE LATER RECOVERED. FOUR WORKS OF WHAT'S DESCRIBED AS EXTRAORDINARY VALUE BY RENAISSANCE ARTIST ANTONELLO DA MESSINA WERE TAKEN IN AUGUST FROM A MUSEUM IN SICILY. AND THE SAME MONTH, IT TOOK THIEVES JUST FOUR MINUTES TO SWEEP UP DOZENS OF ITEMS FROM ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PREHISTORIC GOLD COLLECTIONS IN THE SPANISH PROVINCE OF ALICANTE. THEY ARE CRIMES OF GREED, WHICH DENY OTHERS THE CHANCE TO WITNESS PARTS OF HISTORY. JUST AHEAD ` PERMISSION FOR A FLYBY. (FIGHTER JETS WHOOSH) WHY TWO AUSTRALIAN FIGHTER JETS HAVE TOUCHED DOWN ON THIS SIDE OF THE TASMAN. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` WRITER, DIRECTOR AND ARTIST SIR IAN MUNE, ON WHY PAINTING BECAME SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF HIS LIFE. BECAUSE ACTORS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THROUGH PERIODS WHERE THE PHONE DON'T RING. AND SUDDENLY YOU FIND... YOU'RE NOBODY. PLUS ` WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR AVIATION SECURITY 25 YEARS AFTER 9/11. THAT'S COMING UP AT 7. Insurance is sorted! VOICEOVER: Switching to Tower is easy. Get 2 months on us when you buy new Comprehensive car insurance online. Excludes GST and levies. Plus, get covered in minutes! Ts&Cs apply. Switch to Kiwi. Switch to Tower. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, TWO F-35 STEALTH FIGHTER JETS FROM AUSTRALIA ARE HERE FOR TRAINING EXERCISES WITH OUR DEFENCE FORCE. IT'S PART OF A WIDER PROGRAMME OF CO-OPERATION, DESIGNED TO GET OUR MILITARIES READY TO RESPOND TOGETHER. CHARLIE DREAVER'S BEEN AT OHAKEA AIRBASE AND FILED THIS REPORT. (FIGHTER JETS WHOOSH) A FLYING VISIT FROM AUSTRALIA ` THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED AND LETHAL FIGHTER JET MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT, HERE FOR JOINT TRAINING EXERCISES WITH OUR AIR FORCE AND ARMY. IT'S ABOUT BRINGING THE TWO NATIONS TOGETHER, WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE IN THESE TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS. THE TRIP PART OF A WIDER PLAN BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND HAVE A JOINT TARGET OF OPERATING SEAMLESSLY BY 2035. AND WE SEE THEM A LOT MORE FOCUSSED ON THE, UM, THE HARD EDGE OF POLITICS IN THE PACIFIC. PEOPLE TRAVELLING FROM AROUND THE MOTU TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF TODAY'S FLYOVER AT OHAKEA AIR BASE. I MADE A SORT OF LAST MINUTE DECISION TO COME UP FROM NELSON LAST NIGHT. I COULDN'T RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO SEE THESE TWO INCREDIBLE JETS COMING IN. THIS ENTHUSIAST WATCHING FROM HIS BACKYARD ` MOVING TO THIS AREA ESPECIALLY FOR PLANE SPOTTING I JUMPED ONTO SOCIAL MEDIA, WHICH WE NEVER HAD IN THE OLD DAYS, AND SORT OF LET PEOPLE KNOW ` BEING A LOCAL, YOU KNOW ` WHERE THE BEST PLACES ARE, AND GOT QUITE A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THAT ACTUALLY, WHICH IS QUITE GOOD. THESE F-35S BEHIND ME LEFT A BASE NORTH OF SYDNEY YESTERDAY. THEY THEN FLEW TO WAIOURU, WHERE THEY DROPPED A �500 HIGHLY-EXPLOSIVE BOMB. THEY THEN REFUELLED HERE AT OHAKEA, BEFORE RETURNING BACK TO WAIOURU. (BOOM!) WE GENERALLY DO THAT OFFSHORE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A H.E. BOMB IN NEW ZEALAND IN MY CAREER. THESE TRAINING EXERCISES ` PREPARING FOR REAL LIFE SITUATIONS. IT COULD BE SUPPORTING CLIMATE-AFFECTED REGIONS. IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS. IT COULD BE ENFORCING SECURITY MEASURES THAT WE'RE DIRECTED TO DO. MILITARIES ARE HERE TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, AND WE'RE HERE TO BE READY. FOR NOW, GIVING A THRILL TO PLANE SPOTTERS, BEFORE HEADING BACK ACROSS THE TASMAN TOMORROW. CHARLIE DREAVER, 1 NEWS. NOW TO A STORY ABOUT LONDON'S FAMOUS RED BUSSES AND THE KIWI DRIVER WHO'S GETTING PASSENGERS FROM 'A' TO 'B'. AFTER STRUGGLING TO FIND A JOB, SIMON MCCARTHNY JOINED THE NETWORK. HE NOW DRIVES PAST ICONIC LANDMARKS IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST CITIES. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS WENT FOR A RIDE. (HORN TOOTS) (ALARMS BLARE) THIS IS THE CACOPHANY THAT GREETS SIMON McCARTHNY AS HE CHECKS OVER HIS LONDON DOUBLE-DECKER BUS. (BELL DINGS) THIS HAS BEEN... PRETTY MUCH AN EYE-OPENER FOR ME TO A LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY. THEN IT'S TIME TO HIT THE ROAD ON THE STREATHAM 133 ROUTE. THE 65-YEAR-OLD MOVED HERE TWO YEARS AGO TO BE CLOSER TO HIS GRANDKIDS BUT COULDN'T FIND A JOB IN HIS FIELD OF SERVICE DELIVERY. I WAS LOOKING FOR THE JOB THAT I WANTED... WAY TOO LONG ` 12 MONTHS NOT WORKING, IT'S NOT GOOD. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, FINANCIAL HEALTH. SO HE DECIDED TO GIVE BUS DRIVING A GO. WE THINK SIMON IS PERHAPS, UM, THE ONLY KIWI, UH, THAT WE'VE GOT IN BATTERSEA, CERTAINLY. THE FAMOUS LANDMARKS HE PASSES ` HIS HIGHLIGHT. CHECK OUT THIS VIEW, KATE. WOW. WHAT A VIEW. I KNOW. AND WAIT UNTIL YOU GET AROUND FURTHER, AND THEN YOU'RE LOOKING RIGHT AT THE STEPS OF IT. IT'S AMAZING. ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL. YEP. YOU GOT PRETTY LUCKY WITH YOUR BUS ROUTE. I RECKON I DID. BUT LIKE ANY JOB, IT COMES WITH ITS CHALLENGES. PET HATES ` PEOPLE WHO JUST WALK ON THE BUS; THEY DON'T PAY OR WHATEVER. AND THEY DON'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU. IT'S LIKE IT IS A RIGHT. THEN THERE'S THE INFAMOUS LONDON TRAFFIC. YOU ARE OVER 11 TON. CHUCK ANOTHER 90-ODD PEOPLE IN THERE. THAT IS ANOTHER 6 TON. IT IS A LOT OF METAL AND BODIES TO STOP, AND YOU CAN'T DO IT AS QUICK AS A CAR. BUT PASSENGERS ARE ALSO A SOURCE OF FULFILMENT. HE TRIES TO LOOK EVERYONE IN THE EYES AND SAYS, 'HI, GIDDAY OR KIA ORA.' I LOOK AT YOU, AND THEY WILL LOOK UP AND GIVE YOU A SMILE. THEY MAY NOT HAVE HAD A SMILE ON THEIR FACE, AND THEN THEY DO. AND I LIKE TO THINK THEY WILL REMEMBER THAT INTERACTION. FIVE MONTHS IN, HE HAS A NEWFOUND RESPECT FOR HOW CHALLENGING BUS DRIVING IS. HIS GRANDDAUGHTER IS HIS BIGGEST FAN. SHE THINK IT'S AMAZING. HER POPPY IS A BUS DRIVER. WE DO DO WHEELS ON THE BUS. THAT IS COOL. YEAH. (LAUGHS) KEEPING THIS BUSY CITY MOVING NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED. KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS, 1 NEWS, LONDON. ZION'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND THE WARRIORS PICKING UP SOME NEW FANS ACROSS THE DITCH. YES, QUITE LITERALLY. WE SPEAK WITH A PAIR OF FORMER PLAYERS HITTING THE SYDNEY STREETS TO FILL THIS BANDWAGON. SO WHAT DOES WILLIE MASON MAKE OF THE WARRIORS FINALS CHANCES? PLUS, WE GET TO THE BUSINESS END OF THE U.S. OPEN, AND WE MEET THE PHOENIX COACH'S RIGHT-HAND WOMAN. AND IN WEATHER, WE HEAD INTO THURSDAY. WE'VE GOT SOME CHANGES COMING. WE'VE GOT A FRONT TRACKING ITS WAY NORTH UP THE COUNTRY, SO WITH THAT, IT'S A BAND OF RAIN OR SHOWERS. NOT RAINING ALL THE TIME, THOUGH. FOR QUITE A FEW OF US, IT'S SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS THROUGH A LOT OF THE DAY. BEHIND THAT FRONT, IT'S GONNA BE BREEZY AND COOLER. HOW IT'S SHAPING UP AT YOUR PLACE AFTER SPORT. VOICEOVER: Every day Spark stops millions of online threats from reaching their customers. Click my link. Click my link. (WOLF HOWLING) Click my link. Click my link. (SCREAMS) Join the network working hard to keep you safe. KIA ORA, WELCOME TO SPORT. THE WARRIORS MOVEMENT IS GAINING EVEN MORE TRACTION ACROSS THE DITCH THANKS TO SOME FORMER NRL PLAYERS. FIVE SYDNEY SIDES AREN'T IN THE TOP EIGHT. NO FEAR ` THE WARRIORS BANDWAGON IS LITERALLY AROUND THE CORNER. ALL ABOARD THE WARRIORS BANDWAGON. RENAMED THE BAND-WAH-GON, IT'S BEEN CRUISING AROUND THE STREETS OF SYDNEY. WE'LL STOP AT BELMORE LATER ON. WE'LL GO TO THE NORTHERN BEACHES. GRAB GUS. GUS IS ON THE BANDWAGON. BEHIND THE RECRUITMENT DRIVE, FORMER NRL PLAYERS JUSTIN HORO AND WILLIE MASON. ARE YOU FIRMLY ON THE BANDWAGON? FIRMLY. FIRMLY. YEAH, WE'RE ALL IN. WE DON'T` WE'RE NOT JUST WEARING THESE JERSEYS WILLY-NILLY. EVEN MYSELF, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT BATTLES WITH NEW ZEALAND, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I LOVE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. I LOVE THE BRAND OF FOOTBALL THEY'RE PLAYING, WHAT THEY'VE BUILT OVER THERE. UP THE WAHS ` EVERYTHING. I THOUGHT THAT WAS NEVER GONNA TAKE OFF THREE YEARS AGO, I WAS ALWAYS CALLING THEM WARRIORS. NOW I CAN'T HELP BUT CALL THEM WAHS. WILLIE MASON KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN A PREMIERSHIP ` MAN OF THE MATCH IN THE 2004 GRAND FINAL. LIKE, THEY'RE SO WELL BALANCED, BUT THEY PLAY` THEY PLAY FOOTBALL, RIGHT? THE STRUCTURED FOOTBALL IS OUT, RIGHT? EVERY PLAY IS A PLAY. AND THE WAY THAT WEBBY'S GOT 'EM GOING, IT'S JUST GREAT FOOTBALL TO WATCH. SETTING THAT TONE, NONE OTHER THAN CO-CAPTAINS JAMES FISHER-HARRIS AND MITCH BARNETT. I THINK WE'VE BEEN HANGING OUT TO BE TESTED AGAIN. AND, UM, SOUNDS A BIT SILLY, LIKE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO STAY IN IT WEEK TO WEEK, BUT, UM, THIS IS THE NEXT STAGE FOR US. BARNETT'S WEEKS ARE NUMBERED. OVER 60 GAMES FOR THE WARRIORS; HE LEAVES AT SEASON'S END TO JOIN THE BRONCOS. DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH YOU'VE DONE FOR A LOT OF FANS HERE? UM, PROBABLY NOT ENTIRELY. YEAH. I SEE A LOT MORE ABOUT LEKA. (LAUGHS) BUT, YEAH, NAH, MAN. I'M, UM` BUT HOW PROUD PEOPLE ARE THAT YOU ARE THE LEADER OF THIS CLUB? YEAH, I'M VERY GRATEFUL. I'VE HAD A LOT OF, UM, REALLY COOL INTERACTIONS WITH FANS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. STILL GUARANTEED AT LEAST TWO MORE WEEKS IN WARRIORS COLOURS. HOW MUCH WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE HERE AS A PREMIERSHIP WINNER? THAT'S THE GOAL. THEY'RE NOT A HATEABLE TEAM. THEY'RE A VERY LOVABLE TEAM. THE WAY THEY PLAY ` THEY PLAY THE GAME FAIR AND HARD, AND IT'D BE JUST SO GREAT FOR THE GAME IF THE WAHS GET UP. NOT JUST FOR THE FANS HERE, BUT FOR THE NEW ONES IN AUSTRALIA TOO. THEIR OPPONENTS, THE DOLPHINS, HAVE NEVER PLAYED FINALS FOOTY BEFORE ` THE EXPANSION SIDE JOINING THE LEAGUE IN 2023 ` A SEASON BEST THIRD-PLACED FINISH THIS YEAR. THEY'RE UN-PHASED BY HAVING TO MAKE THE TRIP TO AUCKLAND, ALTHOUGH FULLY AWARE OF WHAT AWAITS THEM. IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A HOSTILE CROWD OUT THERE, AND ONE THING IS, LIKE, IT'S A CREDIT TO, I GUESS, THE WARRIORS AND THEIR FAN BASE, IN TERMS OF HOW THEY GET BEHIND THEIR BOYS, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S AN AWESOME CHALLENGE FOR US AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. ISAIYA KATOA IS THE YOUNGEST CAPTAIN OF THE FINALS BOUND SIDES, AT JUST 22 YEARS OLD. HE'S HAD A BIG LEAD IN ` BECOMING A DAD JUST OVER A WEEK AGO. AS THE FIRST WEEK OF FINALS BUILDS, RESEARCH INTO THE DEGENERATIVE BRAIN CONDITION C.T.E. IN LEAGUE PLAYERS HAS BEEN RELEASED ACROSS THE DITCH. THE AUSTRALIAN BRAIN BANK TESTING 51 RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS' BRAINS, AND FINDING 31 HAD C.T.E. ` INCLUDING THOSE OF THE LATE PLAYER AND COACH PAUL GREEN, AND MANLY FORWARD KEITH TITMUSS. THOSE WHO'VE LOST LOVED ONES PUSHING FOR CHANGES IN THE CONTACT SPORT. I FEEL A MASSIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG ATHLETES, TO HELP PROTECT THEIR BRAIN HEALTH. THE REPORT FOLLOWS A SIMILAR ONE INTO AUSSIE RULES PLAYERS RELEASED IN JUNE, WITH HIGH LEVELS OF C.T.E. CARLOS ALCARAZ'S SINGLES COMEBACK AT THE U.S. OPEN IS LOOKING UNDER THREAT WITH HIS QUARTER FINAL AGAINST BEN SHELTON STRETCHING INTO THE WEE HOURS IN NEW YORK. THE AMERICAN EIGHTH SEED LOST THE FIRST SET BEFORE THRILLING HIS HOME CROWD, FIGHTING BACK TO CLAIM THE NEXT TWO. ALCARAZ IS MAKING HIS RETURN FROM A WRIST INJURY THAT SIDELINED HIM FOR FOUR MONTHS AND FACING HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR IN NEW YORK. THE SECOND SEED, THOUGH, REFUSING TO ROLL OVER, FIGHTING BACK EARLY IN THE FOURTH SET AND CLOSING IT OUT, LEVELLING THE SCORES AT TWO SETS A PIECE, WITH THE CLOCK INCHING CLOSER TO 3am ON THE GROUND. AN AMERICAN PAIRING ALSO RUINING KIWI ERIN ROUTLIFFE'S RUN ` BEATEN IN HER DOUBLES QUARTER FINAL BY THE UNSEEDED DUO IN STRAIGHT SETS. MEANWHILE, ARYNA SABALENKA'S BID FOR A U.S. OPEN THREE-PEAT IS STILL IN TACT, ALTHOUGH IT ALMOST FELL APART IN HER QUARTER-FINAL. THE TOP SEED DOWN BUT NOT OUT AGAINST SIXTH SEED LINDA NOSKOVA. BRODYN KNUCKEY HAS THE ACTION. ARYNA SABALENKA KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT WINNING AT FLUSHING MEADOWS. STRIKING THE BALL VERY CLEANLY. 17 STRAIGHT WINS IN NEW YORK HEADING INTO TODAY'S U.S. OPEN QUARTER-FINAL AGAINST THIS YEAR'S WIMBLEDON CHAMPION, LINDA NOSKOVA, AND WASTING NO TIME CHASING NUMBER 18. THE TWO-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION IMPOSING HER GAME. UP FOUR GAMES TO ONE EARLY IN THE FIRST SET, NOSKOVA USING EVERY INCH OF THE COURT TO CLAW HER WAY BACK. RIGHT ON THE LINE. THE OPENING SETS INTO A TIE BREAK ` COULD THE SIXTH SEED COMPLETE THE COMEBACK? NOT GONNA HAPPEN HERE. SHE WOULD, HOWEVER, TAKE CONTROL IN THE SECOND SET, MATCHING SABALENKA'S POWER WITH HER OWN. NOSKOVA'S GOTTEN SO COMFORTABLE, AND SHE'S DICTATING POINTS MORE THAN SABALENKA. SHE'S ONE OF THE BEST SERVERS IN THE WORLD. SHE WOULDN'T BE NUMBER ONE IF SHE WOULDN'T HAVE SUCH WEAPON. SO IT WAS NOT EASY TO RETURN IT. BUT THE CZECH PLAYER FORCING A DECIDER AND HEADING FOR AN UPSET. UP 4-2 AFTER AN EARLY BREAK AND EVEN THE CHAMP WAS DOUBTING HER CHANCES. I HONESTLY THOUGHT THAT THAT'S IT; THE MATCH IS OVER, AND PROBABLY THAT'S WHAT HELPED ME TO KIND OF, LIKE, FEEL LOOSE AND JUST GO FOR MY SHOTS. IT WORKED. THE MORE RELAXED SABALENKA WINNING THE NEXT THREE GAMES, RESULTING IN ANOTHER TIEBREAK, ULTIMATELY SEALING THE MATCH IN STYLE. SOMEHOW I MADE THAT ACE. IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT, AND IT JUST SHOWS THAT I'M READY TO FIGHT. PROOF THAT IF YOU SWING AT THE CHAMP, YOU BETTER NOT MISS. BRODYN KNUCKEY, 1 NEWS. THE BLACK FERNS HAVE LANDED IN LYON, PREPARING TO FACE WORLD NUMBER FOUR FRANCE ON SATURDAY. THE NEW ZEALAND SIDE WELCOMING A RETURN TO NORMAL ALTITUDE, AFTER A WEEK IN JOHANNESBURG. HIGH ON THE AGENDA AT TRAINING ` ADDRESSING THEIR DISCIPLINE, AFTER CONCEDING 17 PENALTIES AND FOUR YELLOW CARDS AGAINST THE SPRINGBOKS. WE STILL NEED TO PLAY OUR GAME. WE NEED TO PLAY OUR RUGBY IDENTITY, BUT ALSO PUSH THE LIMITS WHERE WE CAN. SOMETIMES WHEN WE GO UNDER THAT LINE WE'RE GETTING THOSE YELLOW CARDS, SO IT'S JUST A REAL GOOD CHAT AROUND PLAYING HARD, BUT JUST STAYING ON THAT LINE. SUNDAY MORNING'S MATCH WILL BE A GOOD GAUGE OF WHERE BOTH TEAMS ARE AT, BEFORE PLAYING A THREE MATCH SERIES IN NEW ZEALAND NEXT MONTH. THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX WOMEN ARE WELL INTO PRE-SEASON, WITH PLENTY OF EXPECTATION FOLLOWING THEIR GRAND FINAL APPEARANCE LAST YEAR. COACH BEV PRIESTMAN'S ARRIVAL ` A HUGE PART OF THAT. BUT IT'S HER RIGHT HAND WOMAN AMY SHEPHERD WHO DESERVES PLENTY OF CREDIT, TOO. HERE'S LUKE ROBINSON. AMY SHEPARD'S A NAME YOU MIGHT NOT RECOGNISE, BUT SHE'S BEEN A HUGE PART OF THE PHOENIX RISE OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS. DEFENDERS, 30 SECONDS! IF I'D HAVE LOST AMY THIS SEASON, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE LOSS. INITIALLY BROUGHT TO WELLINGTON BY FORMER COACH PAUL TEMPLE TWO YEARS AGO, SHE WAS RETAINED WHEN BEV PRIESTMAN CAME IN LAST YEAR. WE GOT ON REALLY WELL. WE JUST CHATTED FOOTBALL FOR AGES, OBVIOUSLY ENGLISH CONNECTION TOO. SO, YEAH, SHE JUST MADE IT SUPER EASY TO JUST FEEL RELAXED AND YEAH, STRAIGHT AWAY I KNEW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIP. SOMETHING SEEN IN THE RESULTS, AS THE PHOENIX ENJOYED THEIR BEST SEASON EVER. THEY ADVANCE TO AN A-LEAGUE GRAND FINAL FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. VERY EXPERIENCED, SO WE SPLIT THE TACTICAL MEETINGS. WE SPLIT THE SESSIONS. YOU KNOW, SHE'S ON THE GRASS A LOT. IF MY STAFF CAN'T DELIVER THE SAME MESSAGE AS ME, THEN IT'S MY PROBLEM, IT'S NOT THEIRS. SHE DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF COMPLIMENTING ME. BECAUSE THEY'RE SELF-DESCRIBED POLAR OPPOSITES. SHE HAD A REALLY GOOD SELF-REFLECTION MOMENT AT THE BACK END OF PRE-SEASON LAST YEAR. I THINK WE WERE MAYBE ABOUT SIX WEEKS IN, AND WE WERE ON THE AEROPLANE ON THE WAY BACK AND SHE SAID, 'AMY, IF WE CARRY ON LIKE THIS, 'WE'RE ALL GONNA BE DEAD BY CHRISTMAS.' I WAS LIKE, OH, THANK GOD. SHE'S RECOGNISED THAT. SHE'S SORT OF, LIKE, CAN GET HIGH AND LOW, AND I JUST KIND OF COME IN, AND JUST TRY AND STABILISE IT. YOU KNOW, WE LAUGH ABOUT IT, BUT AMY BRINGS, LIKE, SHE'S JUST VERY CALM. AND I THINK THAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR ME, BECAUSE I THINK IF I HAVE ME AND ANOTHER LUNATIC NEXT TO ME, THEN I THINK THE LEVEL-THINKING ISN'T REALLY THERE. YIN AND YANG. YEAH, YIN ANG YANG. 100%. TWO DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES ` ONE COMMON GOAL OF WINNING THIS SEASON. LUKE ROBINSON, 1 NEWS. PLENTY AT STAKE FOR KIWI SUPERCARS DRIVER RYAN WOOD, AS THE SERIES TURNS TO ENDURANCE RACING NEAR ADELAIDE THIS WEEKEND. CURRENTLY JUST INSIDE THE TOP 10, THE 22-YEAR-OLD NEEDS SOLID RESULTS OVER THE NEXT TWO ROUNDS AT THE BEND AND BATHURST IF HE'S TO STAY IN THE FINALS SERIES HUNT. YEAH, IT'S GETTING CLOSE AT THE MOMENT, SO, UM, NO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACE THESE NEXT TWO RACES AND TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF US ` BUT IT'S ALL LEARNING, AND TRYING TO BE BETTER EACH TIME WE ROLL OUT. FELLOW KIWI ANDRE HEIMGARTNER NEEDING A MIRACLE IF HE'S TO MAKE IT THROUGH, SITTING 13TH IN THE STANDINGS. MEANWHILE, MATT PAYNE'S ALREADY QUALIFIED ` HE'S SECOND OVERALL. THAT'S IT FROM ME. DAN HAS YOUR WEATHER NEXT. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` WE SIT DOWN WITH LIVING LEGEND OF STAGE AND SCREEN, SIR IAN MUNE. SO I WAS GONNA READ A LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU'VE MADE, BUT THEN WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THOSE THINGS. (LAUGHS) PLUS ` HAS TOUGHER AVIATION SECURITY MADE TRAVEL SAFER? WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY AT SEVEN. (JAUNTY MUSIC) Perfect Italiano is perfect for that. And Perfect Italiano is perfect for that. Um...not so good for that. (SNAP!) But for mouthwatering pizza every time, Perfect Italiano is perfect for that. Whoop... Might need a new phone. Yep... and Phone Dollars... are for phones. Obviously. CHANGE OF GEARS FOR THE WEATHER TOMORROW. BIG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE. PUTTING THE SQUEEZE ON THE AREA OF COLD AIR. GUSTY SOU'WESTER GOING INTO THE WEEKEND, BE PREPARED. DROPPING SNOW LEVEL SO WILL FEEL COOLER IN THE SOUTH. AUCKLAND TOP TEMPERATURE FOR THE COUNTRY. WINDY CLOUDS CONVERGING IN THE FAR NORTH. STRONGER STRAIGHTLINE WINDS COMING TO LIFE. MOST SPOTS INTO THE UPPER TEENS WITH TEMPERATURES. AFTER THE FRONT KICKS THROUGH TOMORROW ` BARELY DOUBLE FIGURES. THIS TIME TOMORROW THE FRONT WILL BE UP TO AUCKLAND. IN THE EARLY HOURS IT'S A BAND OF RAIN TRACKING NORTH, BY LUNCHTIME UP TO WELLINGTON. THE COLD AREA WILL SHRINK AWAY, IT'S IN IT'S OUT. COULD BE LOOKING AT UPPER TEENS AGAIN BY THE END OF THE WEEK. GUSTY WEST AND SOU'WEST WINDS. LATE DAY RAIN IN THE MIX. EARLY PART OF THE DAY IS FINE. BAND OF RAIN FOR MUCH OF THE BAY OF PLENTY. WORKS IN THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, LATE DAY RAIN HERE AND THERE. LATE DAY SHOWERS HERE. STRONG GUSTY WINDS, WET WEATHER IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP. SPELL OF RAIN IN WELLINGTON. WET WEATHER IN THE MORNING TE WAIPOUNAMU. MORNING RAIN IN CHRISTCHURCH, BRIGHTER AND COOLER IN THE AFTERNOON. SIMILAR THING TRACKING SOUTH. CHILLY IN TWIZEL WITH A GOOD FROST. ROAD SNOWS IN QUEENSTOWN FOR MANY SPOTS TONIGHT. WATCH FOR THE GUSTY SOU'WEST WINDS. DRYING OUT THROUGH THE DAY. FRIDAY NEW TROUGH OF WIND COMING IN. AFTER THE LAST TROUGH WE GET THE HIGH PRESSURE COMING IN.