Morning Report for Friday 29 May 2009

8:56 AM.Australia got over its Budget flurry a couple of weeks ago so at least there's relief from all this financial talk there. Audio

8:55 AM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

8:51 AM.The Harbour Bridge officially opened on May the 30th 1959, and at half a century old the umbilical cord of the city is still holding strong. Audio

8:47 AM.New Zealand exporters say the slowdown in economic growth in China is presenting opportunities for their businesses. Audio

8:43 AM.Well Treasurys take on this Budget was that it would be the most important Budget in the last quarter century. Audio

8:34 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:31 AM.A quick update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:26 AM.It's finals time in the Super 14 rugby competition and the Chiefs, often tagged as the contests great underachievers, go in hoping to make their own piece of history. Audio

8:22 AM.The Green Party will tomorrow choose a new female co-leader to replace Jeanette Fitzsimons, who is stepping down after 14 years. Audio

8:19 AM.The Auckland University function is hearing speakers on how the Budget will affect children and families. Audio

8:17 AM.The Prime Minister John Key has been at the annual Tamaki electorate post-Budget breakfast this morning, trying to sell the Budget to business leaders. Audio

8:14 AM.Now to education where schools have received 523 million dollars to build new schools, and fix up at existing ones. Audio

8:09 AM.Two areas that have come out with more money from Bill English's first Budget are Health and Education. Audio

7:58 AM.US President Barack Obama is due to meet with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas amidst a swirling debate on Israeli settlements. Audio

7:55 AM.A former Armed Offenders officer and politician says police should not be the ones to decide no one will face criminal charges over the killing of Halatau Naitoko. Audio

7:51 AM.Manurewa High School is taking stock following yesterday's gun drama when pupils were forced to huddle under their desks. Audio

7:48 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:43 AM.The Government is claiming a Budget victory in freeing up two billion dollars over the next four years by stringent reviews of department spending. Audio

7:36 AM.The Labour Party leader Phil Goff has called the Budget a failure. Audio

7:28 AM.Political editor Brent Edwards. Audio

7:24 AM.The Budget has failed to allay workers' and businesses' fears about unemployment with Treasury now predicting dole queues will more than double in the next two years. Audio

7:20 AM.The future of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund is now in question following Bill English suspending payments to it in his Budget. Audio

7:17 AM.Mr English's first Budget is the death knell of the tax cuts next year and in 2011. Audio

7:10 AM.Finance Minister says the government did best it could to stave off effects of a worldwide recession. Audio

6:47 AM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:38 AM.Payments to the so called Cullen Fund are being suspended until the books improve, and that's not forecast to happen until 2020. Audio

6:27 AM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

6:22 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:18 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:16 AM.One of the world's biggest oil companies, Shell is in court accused of being complicit in the executions of anti-oil activists. Audio

6:10 AM.Despite the cuts to some departments, Government spending will still increase by 3 billion dollars in the next year because of boosts for health, infrastructure, justice and schools. Audio

6:00 AM.By this afternoon the tax cuts promised for the next two years will be history. Contributions to the Superannuation Fund will be suspended for a lot longer than that, likely up to a decade or more, as… Read more Audio