First Up for Friday 24 September 2021

5:52 AM.The closing of the Trans-tasman bubble and the New Zealand lockdown has left Kiwis and Aussies stranded each side of the Tasman for weeks. With flights grounded or cancelled it's pushed some to… Read more Audio

5:45 AM.As the arts industry continues to experience crushing losses, they say they need urgent financial support from the government or there won't be an industry left. This comes after over 50 leaders in… Read more Audio

5:33 AM.A century-old rivalry will be centrefield in Townsville when the All Blacks face off against South Africa tomorrow night for their 100th encounter. For hooker Codie Taylor, winning the match will be a… Read more Audio

5:24 AM.Joining Ellie Jay for his bi-weekly dive into the best in fresh produce is our Attenborough of Apples and Minister of Fruit and Veg , Glenn Forsyth. Audio

5:17 AM.The Manawatu men's and women's rugby teams return to the field in their respective provincial competitions this weekend with a unified approach to the game. For the last couple of years Manawatu Rugby… Read more Audio

5:12 AM.A group of British cyclists have just completed an epic journey around Southern England. And while that isn't uncommon, spelling out "Refugees Welcome" on a GPS tracking app in letters the size of the… Read more Audio

5:06 AM.We begin this morning in the United States where the US Envoy to Haiti, Daniel Foote has dramatically resigned. For more on this story and the week Stateside is our US correspondent Bevan Hurley. Audio