Morning Report for Friday 23 April 2010

8:55 AM.Kerry-Anne Walsh's take on past events in Australia. Audio

8:52 AM.The first giant gecko found on the New Zealand mainland in almost a hundred years has come to an untimely end - killed in a mouse trap. Audio

8:49 AM.Parents will receive information about their children's performance against national standards in reading, writing and maths this year. Audio

8:48 AM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

8:41 AM.Auckland's Watercare Services is being asked to explain why the region is being told to be careful with water after spending nearly 160 million dollars to ensure there was no repeat of the 1994… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.Social workers doubt the government will have its twenty new Whanau Ora agencies up and running by July. 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

8:26 AM.New Zealand has performed the worst out of all OECD countries when it comes to numbers dying from heart attacks. Audio

8:23 AM.The US President Barack Obama has challenged America's top bankers to get behind his push for financial regulatory reform. Audio

8:19 AM.The Commission panel that will take over the running of the Canterbury Regional Council has been named and includes a former Labour Party Cabinet Minister, three academics, a former deputy head of… Read more Audio

8:13 AM.Australian rugby league fans are reeling after news the NRL defending champions, the Melbourne Storm have been stripped of both their premiership titles and all their points for this year, for… Read more Audio

8:09 AM.The Council of Trade Unions says a likely opening up of the Accident Compensation Corporation to private insurers would be no less than a government 'set up'. Audio

7:55 AM.Despite fears the Iceland volcano may prevent many of its international stars coming to New Zealand, its full steam ahead for the International Comedy Festival. Audio

7:49 AM.Emergency services say a city-wide blackout that caught Wellington unawares should be a wake up call for residents, many of whom were ill-prepared to cope. Audio

7:45 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:42 AM.The first Air New Zealand flight from London has touched down after the week long disruption to international travel by the ash cloud across northern Europe. Audio

7:40 AM.Australian rugby league fans are reeling after news the NRL defending champions, the Melbourne Storm have been stripped of both their premiership titles and all their points for this year, for… Read more Audio

7:27 AM.The seven commissioners appointed by the government to take over the running of the Canterbury Regional Council will have powers enabling them to by-pass the Environment Court. Audio

7:23 AM.Labour's Finance spokesman, David Cunliffe. Audio

7:18 AM.In what was touted as his biggest pre-budget speech, the Minister of Finance, Bill English, has announced another one point eight billion dollars will be cut from the public sector including health… Read more Audio

7:13 AM.The Hospitality Association is dismissing a possible fifty percent increase in alcohol tax as nanny-state gone wrong. Audio

7:09 AM.The Government's plan to allow private insurers to compete with the Accident Compensation Corporation now looks virtually certain to proceed. Audio

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

6:40 AM.The Auckland Chamber of Commerce is encouraging businesses to take their protests against the emissions trading scheme to the Prime Minister himself. Audio

6:38 AM.The Finance Minister says there'll be cuts in parts of health and education as he decides how to shave 1.8 billion dollars off Government spending in the next four years. 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

6:14 AM.Islamists have warned the creators of television show South Park that they risk retribution after they depicted the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bear suit. Audio

6:11 AM.The number of people being declared bankrupt is on the rise. Audio

6:00 AM.ACC looks set to get competition from private insurers, Alcohol tax could increase by 50 per cent, Another $1.8 billion to be cut from public sector, Labour on Government's planned spending cuts, Ecan… Read more Audio