Morning Report for Wednesday 18 December 2013

12:17 PM.The quarterly current account deficit swelled to the largest in nearly five years, and dairy prices rise again. Audio

8:56 AM.The head of a Hamilton company caught in a David and Goliath battle against the technology giant Apple says his victory feels surreal. Audio

8:51 AM.The outcome of a parliamentary inquiry into Pacific languages in early childhood education is being labelled a death sentence for some languages and a blow to raising Pasifika achievement. Audio

8:46 AM.The head of Quitline is praising tobacco tax hikes and smoke-free environments for major cuts in Maori high school student smoking rates; A block of land on the Kapiti Coast has been bought by a local… Read more Audio

8:41 AM.Australia took back the Ashes at the WACA last night, but one New Zealand-born player did his bit to try to delay the home side's march to victory. Audio

8:38 AM.The Finance Minister, Bill English, says the expanding economy is bringing more jobs and higher wages, and bolstering the government's coffers to cope with future rainy days. Audio

8:36 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:28 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:25 AM.A nationwide survey shows Maori high school students have cut back on cigarettes and alcohol, despite financial stress and fewer job opportunities. Audio

8:21 AM.The Wellington City Council has voted to bring its parking services back in-house in a move that could mean parking wardens will be paid the Living Wage. Audio

8:17 AM.The judge in the Helen Milner trial is expected to sum up today at the High Court in Christchurch before the jury retires to consider its verdict. Audio

8:13 AM.Bar managers say they are expecting the very worst when the new alcohol laws for earlier trading hours come into full effect tonight. Audio

8:09 AM.The Labour spokesperson for Primary Industries is accusing Federated Farmers of hypocrisy. Audio

7:57 AM.A vote in Russian parliament tomorrow could mean the end of legal proceedings against the 28 Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists who are charged with hooliganism. Audio

7:54 AM.The Australian cricketers have reclaimed the Ashes, beating England by 150 runs in the third test at the WACA. Audio

7:50 AM.The New Zealand Herald has called for Len Brown to resign in its editorial published today on the front page of the paper. Audio

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

7:39 AM.The Government says it's on track to deliver a surplus in 2015 - and the growing economy will bring more jobs and higher wages. Audio

7:35 AM.A New Zealand computer programmer has caught North Korea trying to rewrite history. Audio

7:27 AM.The pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has announced it will stop paying doctors to promote its products. Audio

7:23 AM.Although one major power company has said it will freeze electricity prices until 2015, lobby groups say there is now an oversupply of power and all companies should drop their prices. Audio

7:19 AM.The Ministry for Primary Industries and the Taranaki Regional Council have responded to the Radio New Zealand's lead story yesterday about the controversial practice known as landfarming. Audio

7:13 AM.Listening to that was the Minister of Defence, Dr Jonathan Coleman. Audio

7:09 AM.The Labour Party's defence spokesperson, Phil Goff, says the Defence Force's elite SAS soldiers are so poorly equiped they are resorting to buying their own equipment. Audio

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

6:37 AM.The Labour Party says provisioning for Special Air Service soliders is so poor they have to buy their own equipment. Audio

6:27 AM.The head of Quitline is praising tobacco tax hikes and smoke-free environments for major cuts in Maori high school student smoking rates; A block of land on the Kapiti Coast has been bought by a local… Read more Audio

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

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

6:13 AM.The Employers and Manufacturers Association is calling for power companies to lower their prices. Audio

6:11 AM.The Associate Health Minister, Tariana Turia, has taken a dig at the Labour Party, challenging it to push on with the Government's efforts to stamp out smoking if it wins next year's election. Audio

6:00 AM.Labour says SAS soldiers are so poorly supplied some are buying their own tactical equipment online. We have the latest developments on our landfarming of mining waste story and GlaxoSmithKline to… Read more Audio