Morning Report for Monday 24 August 2009

8:55 AM.Australia loses at sport, oil leak at sea and lawyers with guns. Audio

8:51 AM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

8:50 AM.Otago is hosting more than 800 snow sports athletes as the inaugural New Zealand Winter Games begin. Audio

8:43 AM.The underdog in Afghanistan's presidential election race is alleging widespread fraud and voter intimidation in last week's poll. Audio

8:38 AM.The release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi by the Scottish government is continuing to be criticised. Audio

8:35 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:29 AM.A quick update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:27 AM.The executive director of Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens is proposing the introduction of a new season called"sprinter"in between winter and spring. Audio

8:21 AM.Grain growers are backing a call by green groups to stop palm kernel feed being imported for dairy cows. Audio

8:16 AM.Secondary schools which find it difficult to retain staff are welcoming a proposal that would offer new teachers cash as an incentive to stay in the community longer. Audio

8:07 AM.The prime minister will today present cabinet with a list of changes to the way smacking complaints are handled by the police and social workers. Audio

7:57 AM.There's jubilation today for English cricket fans after their two matches to one victory over Australia, only the second time England has won the Ashes since the late 1980s. Audio

7:52 AM.A wine industry leader says thousands of hectares of grape vines should be pulled out in Marlborough to protect the region's reputation for quality sauvignon blanc. Audio

7:50 AM.Just three weeks have been set aside for designers to come up with the new look for the Rugby World Cup's 'party central'. Audio

7:47 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:42 AM.Thousands of residents of the Greek capital, Athens have been forced to flee their homes as a wildfires rip through their neighbourhoods. Audio

7:36 AM.After two successive losses, the All Blacks have redeemed themselves with a Bledisloe Cup winning performance in Sydney. Audio

7:29 AM.There is speculation the Cabinet will move later today to reject having reserved Maori seats on the Auckland Supercity council. Audio

7:23 AM.A man caught driving drunk twice in one hour at the same checkpoint was among more than 200 motorists caught out during a weekend blitz in South Auckland. Audio

7:19 AM.It's likely to be early in the New Year before frontline health and other workers are offered a vaccination against swine flu. Audio

7:15 AM.In a further sign New Zealand and Australia are coming even closer together, both governments have ordered their trade promotion agencies to set up joint offices overseas. Audio

7:10 AM.The police and social workers look set to get new guidelines for handling smacking complaints, in the wake of Friday's overwhelming referendum result. Audio

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

6:41 AM.Up to 1000 telecommunications workers will strike around the country today. Audio

6:37 AM.National Party MPs are being told they need to push John Key into a child discipline law change. Audio

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

6:18 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

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

6:08 AM.The Prime Minister will later today bring some options to Cabinet that may result in police making changes to the way they deal with child discipline cases. Audio

6:00 AM.Police likely to get new guidelines for smacking complaints, Australia and NZ collaborate on trade promotion, Four months till swine flu jabs to be offered in New Zealand, More than 200 drunk drivers… Read more Audio