Midday Report Podcast Options

12:17 PM.International shipping networks already in a mess are now having to deal with a new problem. A huge container ship is wedged in the Suez Canal, blocking the waterway in both directions. The Suez, in… Read more Audio

12:13 PM.Speculation is rife around who might buy Westpac's New Zealand banking operations. Yesterday Westpac told the stock exchange it was looking at the future of its New Zealand business, including a… Read more Audio

12:10 PM.There were fiery scenes at parliament's Justice select committee this morning, where Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom public relations advisor Louise Hutchinson faced questions from opposition MPs -… Read more Audio

12:44 PM.A new delivery service will provide wine and beer directly to homes in Auckland - but the director of the group Alcohol Healthwatch says the reality is going to be a wild west with no regulation. This… Read more Audio

12:42 PM.Let's cross to Parliament now, where the security and intelligence agencies have been fronting up to a select committee. They've been explaining the changes they've made since the Christchurch mosque… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.Work on installing a new multi-million dollar butter manufacturing facility at Westland Milk is expected to start next month, with product ready to ship from October. Audio

12:28 PM.Devon Conway continues to score runs for the Black caps. He played another big part in the New Zealanders 5 wicket win over Bangladesh in the second one-dayer in Christchurch last night with the team… Read more Audio

12:20 PM.Westpac bank is in strife with the Reserve Bank .. yet again .. for not complying with liquidity rules. Audio

12:17 PM.The lawyer for one of the men on trial over the Red Fox Tavern shooting and robbery more than 30 years ago - says it's almost certain someone else committed the crime. Publican Chris Bush was gunned… Read more Audio

12:14 PM.The health system is struggling, there is institutional racism - and people are missing out on key services simply because of who they are or where they live. That isn't new, of course, but today the… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.The government is failing to control rent rises, according to some tenants' groups.

Property investors - who say they feel attacked as a result of the government's latest housing reforms - are… Read more Audio

12:46 PM.There are calls to widen an urgent overhaul and review of the women's prison system to apply to all prisons and youth justice facilities. The Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis admitted his department… Read more Audio

12:42 PM.An independent Māori Housing body says there is a need for more investment into papakainga and Māori-led housing developments. In the housing plan announced today - the only mention of Māori is that a… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.The wine harvest is in full swing around the country but yields this year are very disappointing .. In the flagship sauvignon blanc growing region of Marlborough the grape harvest is well down. Audio

12:28 PM.The vagaries of playing under lights at Christchurch's Hagley Oval are still something the Black Caps are coming to terms with says coach Gary Stead. Audio

12:20 PM.Outdoor goods company Kathmandu has lifted sales and profit as a new business underpinned sales. Audio

12:17 PM.One of the elements which the government claims will unlock more land to be built on, is a $3.8 billion fund for housing-related infrastructure. Housing Minister Megan Woods says modelling shows… Read more Audio

12:14 PM.The key question on the lips of first-home buyers will be: will house prices fall to the point of becoming affordable? Real Estate Institute figures for February show the median price was up 23… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.The Government's promising housing reforms to tip the market in favour of first-home buyers and owner occupiers. At the same time, it's hoping to make it harder for investors to make money off… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.
Queenstown skier Alice Robinson admits this has been her toughest year on the World Cup circuit and was therefore delighted to finish it on a high.

Robinson has won the final World Cup giant slalom… Read more Audio

12:42 PM.Commercial air services hanging on by their fingernails are thankful the Government will continue supporting air freight. 

The scheme, which started last May, has supported 6000 flights carrying $8… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.New figures from the Real Estate Institute show farm sales in the year to February were up 23 percent on the same period a year earlier. Audio