Morning Report for Thursday 22 May 2014

8:57 AM.Rock legends Led Zeppelin are being being accused of ripping off the introduction to their most famous song, Stairway To Heaven. Audio

8:54 AM.Dunedin's premier cricket ground, the University Oval, is set to add lights and new grass banks under pressure from the sport's officials and television broadcasters. Audio

8:50 AM.Some lofty tourism goals have been floated over the past couple of days as more than a thousand tourist operators attended the "TRENZ" conference in Auckland. Audio

8:48 AM.The Independent Maori Statutory Board's slamming the Auckland Council for spending only a fraction of the money it's set aside for Maori initiatives; A Whangarei hapu, Patuharakeke, is seeking an… Read more Audio

8:43 AM.Nelson MP Nick Smith, is calling for an age restriction on tattoos after he received a complaint from the parent of a sixteen year old girl who had her hands permanently inked. Audio

8:40 AM.An Auckland pensioner says she was left homeless and at the mercy of friends' hospitality because she couldn't find affordable housing on the North Shore. Audio

8:37 AM.At the first of the Christchurch City Council's community meetings to look at flooding issues, residents on the Banks Peninsula have been told it is up to them to solve their own problems. Audio

8:30 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:27 AM.The Labour MP, Shane Jones, has signed off from Parliament in typical fashion with an irreverent speech poking fun at himself and his colleagues. Audio

8:23 AM.The west Auckland community of Ranui is in shock this morning after the violent deaths of three people in two separate incidents in the suburb this week. The Manager of Waves Trust, which offers… Read more Audio

8:15 AM.In his media conference it's expected Brendon McCullum will comment on the leaking of his testimony but is unlikely to give details about all he has told the ICC. Audio

8:10 AM.In a few hours time the New Zealand cricket captain, Brendon McCullum will front up to the media following the leak of his testimony to the International Cricket Council's Anti Corruption Unit. Audio

8:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:56 AM.Another meeting to conclude a Pacific-wide free trade region has ended without agreement. Audio

7:53 AM.The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has signed a multi-billion dollar gas deal with China. Audio

7:51 AM.The death toll in Nigeria continues to rise after yesterday's bomb attacks in the city of Jos. Audio

7:47 AM.The High Court has overturned a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority to allow new genetic modification methods. Audio

7:40 AM.The Auckland Council's commitment to Maori is being challenged after a new report has found it has spent only a fraction of the money budgeted for Māori. Audio

7:37 AM.The New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters says the party won't open up its books from its taxpayer funded Leader's Budget, in response to allegations made in Parliament by his former MP, Brendan… Read more Audio

7:26 AM.The head of the elite Crisis Response Unit that the New Zealand SAS helped train in Kabul, has been arrested after being accused of mistreating prisoners and working against the interests of… Read more Audio

7:23 AM.Residents are reeling after a fatal shooting in a West Auckland street yesterday that left a 23-year-old man dead and another fighting for his life. Audio

7:20 AM.Lawyers for John Banks have again tried to discredit witnesses giving evidence against the Epsom MP in his High Court trial. Audio

7:14 AM.Joining us is Garth Gallaway, the lawyer for the Black Caps captain, Brendon McCullum. Audio

7:10 AM.Daryl Tuffey has broken his silence over allegations of match-fixing, promising to take whatever legal steps are necessary to protect his reputation. Audio

7:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:58 AM.All the major indices are up. Audio

6:57 AM.A Tourism New Zealand executive says for the first time in a decade, the average spend per holiday visitor to the country is increasing. Audio

6:54 AM.UDC Finance says it has experienced strong growth across the core sectors it lends to. Audio

6:52 AM.Abano Healthcare says its former director and disaffected shareholder, Peter Hutson, and another shareholder, James Reeves, are conducting a misleading communications campaign. Audio

6:50 AM.Argosy Property is forecasting another strong year after reporting a more than doubling in annual net profit. Audio

6:47 AM.Annual net migration looks set to peak above 40-thousand, mainly due to more people choosing to stay in New Zealand and more people arriving. Audio

6:45 AM.China and Russia have signed a multi-billion dollar gas deal, which has been a decade in the making. Audio

6:39 AM.The Black Caps captain, Brendon McCullum, will hold a media conference this morning following the leak of his testimony to the ICC's Anti Corruption Unit. Audio

6:27 AM.A Whangarei hapu, Patuharakeke, is seeking an urgent hearing in the Waitangi Tribunal to stop the sale of ancestral lands owned by Mighty River Power. The Independent Maori Statutory Board is slamming… Read more Audio

6:25 AM.Another meeting to conclude a Pacific-wide free trade region has ended without agreement. Audio

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

6:19 AM.It's day two of martial law in Thailand, and talks between the army and key players in the political crisis appear to have broken up without conclusion. Audio

6:15 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:10 AM.The head of the New Zealand Cricket players association says he's been fielding calls from players concerned their testimonies to the ICC's anti-corruption unit could be the next to be made public. Audio

6:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Daryl Tuffey breaks silence over match-fixing, Black Caps press conference to be held in Chch this morning, Crown nearing end of its case in Banks trial, Residents in shock after fatal shooting, The… Read more Audio