Morning Report for Tuesday 22 March 2011

8:56 AM.Fans of William McGonagall, the Scotsman widely described as the worst poet in history, have been given new reasons to clench their teeth and sigh. Audio

8:52 AM.A Cabinet committee is expected to consider a proposal which could scrap funding for some violence prevention initiatives in order to fund the Maori Party's Whanau Ora scheme. Audio

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

8:45 AM.The World Health Organisation has described the discovery of radiation in food in Japan, as a more serious problem than it had first expected. Tests done 46 kilometres away from the Fukushima Nuclear… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.With three days of air strikes completed, it appears the international coalition in Libya is achieving only limited success, with loyalist troops killing at least 9 more civilians overnight Audio

8:39 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:32 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:22 AM.The Opposition is accusing the Government of a slash-and-burn approach to spending, in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake. Prime Minister John Key says he wants no new spending in this year's… Read more Audio

8:16 AM.The EQC undertook a rapid assessment of houses over a week ago and say they are confident they will get round all the residences in the Christchurch area within its eight week timeframe. Some… Read more Audio

8:12 AM.In Tripoli very few people are venturing out due to the military action. Audio

7:57 AM.The group campaigning to have a cycleway and footpath built under the Auckland harbour bridge is angry about an engineers report rejecting the proposal. Audio

7:51 AM.The children's commissioner says the government should cut childcare subsidies and pay parents to stay at home with their babies instead. Audio

7:47 AM.The families of the miners killed in the Pike River tragedy say 15 weeks is not long enough to carry out a comprehensive Royal Commission. Audio

7:44 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:36 AM.Smoke has been seen coming from the earthquake damaged nuclear power plant in Japan prompting another evacuation of the workers trying to cool the reactors and spent rods. Audio

7:26 AM.The Prime Minister has signalled an election year austerity budget in May because of the Canterbury earthquakes. John Key says the Government needs to cut spending because of quake-related costs and a… Read more Audio

7:19 AM.Christchurch business people who are frustrated by the lack of access to their central city buildings will take to the streetsagain. More than one-hundred protesters gathered at the Civil Defence… Read more Audio

7:16 AM.The United Nations Security Council is about to start behind-closed-doors talks about the situation in Libya. Audio

7:10 AM.After a second night bombarding Libya, American and European forces have denied they targeted Muammar Qadaffi in a missile attack. The coalition force has been quick to reject the suggestions despite… Read more Audio

6:48 AM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:41 AM.The Civil Defence Minister, John Carter, says protestors who breached the cordon around the Christchurch city centre were foolish. Audio

6:38 AM.The International Committee of the Red Cross fears many civilian lives will be lost as international forces continue to bombard Libya. There's been a second night of targetted air strikes on what the… Read more 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.If you live in the deep south and you're one of those hot blooded enough to take a dip in Foveaux Straits for the moment it's best to stay out of the water. Scientists are purposely attracting great… Read more Audio

6:00 AM.Bombarding of Libya continues, UN Security Council hold talks on Libya, Quake-hit business owners angry about lack of communication, Government accused of slash and burn approach. Audio