Morning Report for Monday 21 December 2009

8:57 AM.Phil joins us from across the Tasman for the last time this year, his 20th pre-Xmas chat. Audio

8:54 AM.As a country founded by convicts, the lucky country's certainly had its fair share of sinners, now it's about to get its first saint. Audio

8:51 AM.The first falcon bred in captivity in the South Island was released this morning. Audio

8:48 AM.News from the Tangata Whenua presented by the Waatea team. Audio

8:42 AM.A date of October 2018 has been set for chequebooks to become obsolete - on the condition that adequate alternatives have been found by then. Audio

8:38 AM.Tensions are high in the Iranian city of Qom where followers of a leading opposition figure and senior cleric are gathering for his funeral later today. Audio

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

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

8:21 AM.With the recession still biting, Christchurch's City Mission is appealling for contributions to its Christmas lunch. Audio

8:18 AM.The Government wants frontline community organisations to take a greater role in delivering welfare services to struggling families. Audio

8:15 AM.Correspondents join the show with reaction from both the US and the UK. Audio

8:09 AM.After two weeks of climate change talks in Copenhagen countries have emerged without a binding treaty. Audio

7:56 AM.More than 20 examples of an uncommon variety of native mistletoe have been discovered in the South Island. Audio

7:52 AM.America's eastern seaboard is experiencing the worst snow storms in six years with power cuts to hundreds of thousands of homes and a state of emergency declared in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia… Read more Audio

7:45 AM.The Wellington Coroner says better care for the elderly is needed to ensure that rest home residents with dementia can be safe from bullying by more aggressive residents. Audio

7:42 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:39 AM.Whanganui Iwi have won the battle for the correct spelling of the city's name, now a further one ensues for its pronunciation. Audio

7:37 AM.The two final pieces of economic data for the year are expected to show the recovery picking up speed. Audio

7:27 AM.Kate Wilkinson joins the programme. Audio

7:21 AM.Unions say planned changes to the Holidays Act are blatantly skewed in favour of employers. Audio

7:09 AM.After two weeks of climate change talks in Copenhagen countries have emerged without a binding treaty, in fact no deal has been adopted at all. Audio

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

6:37 AM.The Finance Minister has signalled a substantial revamp of welfare spending next year targeting at-risk families. Audio

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

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

6:18 AM.The latest news and current affairs from the Pacific region. Audio

6:18 AM.Bill English is considering a fundamental revamp of how welfare is delivered to at risk families. Audio

6:12 AM.New Zealand journalist, Marie McNicholas joins us from Copenhagen Audio

6:10 AM.Unions are critical of the government's planned changes to the Holidays Act which they say favour employers. Audio

6:00 AM.Disillusion after Copenhagen; proposed Holidays Act changes - Unions and Minister; positive economic data for year's end and; Whanganui it finally is, but how is it pronounced? Audio