Morning Report for Thursday 24 April 2014

8:55 AM.The Royals lookalikes mobbed in Australia and Australia's big defense spend-up. Audio

8:52 AM.New Zealand's contribution to building mines in the trenches of the First World War is being brought to life in Nelson this weekend. Audio

8:50 AM.Preparations are underway at Gallipoli for the Anzac Day services to be held there. Audio

8:47 AM.Education experts from around the world are worried by New Zealand's adoption of charter schools and say the Government's relationships with teachers is stressed. Audio

8:42 AM.Some feedback on the future of Kohanga Reo being reviewed by a working party is calling for the National Trust Board to stand down; New Zealand First is refusing to name the tribes it says have been… Read more Audio

8:37 AM.An academic on social justice says it's unlikely the Government will react positively to what she describes as scathing questions being asked by the United Nations about this country's treatment of… Read more Audio

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

8:23 AM.Shane Jones' shock exit from the Labour Party has many of the party faithful worried it will have to work harder to win votes this election. Audio

8:16 AM.The New Zealand Bankers Association is defending an ANZ privacy waiver that would enable it to hand over sensitive client information to the United States. Audio

8:10 AM.To combat rising inflation pressures, the Reserve Bank governor, Graeme Wheeler, is tipped to lift the cash rate by a quarter of a percent. Audio

7:56 AM.Benji Marshall says his inability to adapt to the technicalities of rugby union is why he's giving up on the 15-man game. Audio

7:52 AM.The fallout from last year's positive drug test for Jock Paget continues, with the equestrian star formally stripped of his 2013 Burghley title. Audio

7:50 AM.A piece of metal which has washed up on Western Australia's south west coast is being examined by authorities searching for missing flight MH370. Audio

7:41 AM.The clean up in Whataroa after last week's vicious storm is in full swing but some locals are questioning why they've been left with little help to sort out the mess. Audio

7:38 AM.A man arrested over a kidnapping and assault remains on the loose, after his escape from Auckland's main police station just hours after his arrest. Audio

7:35 AM.Retailers still scratching their head about Easter trading hours are now preparing for another public holiday - Anzac day. Audio

7:28 AM.The rival Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, have announced a reconciliation deal after talks in the Gaza Strip. Audio

7:24 AM.John Tamihere responds to Shane Jones' decision to quit Parliament. Audio

7:20 AM.The shock decision of list MP Shane Jones to quit Parliament has left some Labour supporters feeling disgruntled. Audio

7:15 AM.Moves by New Zealand's biggest bank, ANZ, to allow it to hand over sensitive client information to the United States have got privacy advocates worried. Audio

7:10 AM.Households are being warned to brace for further increases in mortgage rates. Audio

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

6:39 AM.Economists are picking the official cash rate will go up today, meaning home owners will have to dig even deeper. Audio

6:27 AM.Some feedback on the future of Kohanga Reo being reviewed by a working party is calling for the National Trust Board to stand down; New Zealand First is refusing to name the tribes it says have been… Read more Audio

6:25 AM.The United States President Barack Obama has arrived in Japan at the beginning of an Asian tour in which US allies are looking for support in their territorial disputes with China. Audio

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

6:18 AM.Ukraine's government has relaunched a security operation to crack down on pro Russian armed groups. Audio

6:16 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:10 AM.Attempts by the country's banks to comply with international tax laws are raising fears about customer privacy. Audio

6:00 AM.Expected OCR rise; ANZ privacy fears; Shane Jones' Labour walkout; Fatah and Hamas reconciliation; Anzac day trading; Escaped prisoner in Auckland; Whataroa cleanup; Possible MH370 debris; Paget… Read more Audio