Morning Report for Friday 20 June 2014

8:57 AM.This time each Friday, we bring you news from Australia. Usually we speak to Kerry Anne Walsh but she's away on holiday this week, but over here on a short break is Phil Kafcaloudes and he's popped… Read more Audio

8:54 AM.An ambitious project to get more Maori and Pacific island students into tertiary education will be officially opened today. Audio

8:52 AM.Joining us again is the former All White, Sam Malcolmson. Audio

8:50 AM.Fifty years ago tomorrow The Beatles touched down in New Zealand and Beatlemania gripped the country. Read more Audio

8:46 AM.A Tuhoe leader is praising the decision by the Crown to give two forestry blocks to the iwi as part of its Treaty of Waitangi Settlement; Ngati Whatua Orakei says information from its tribal Census… Read more Audio

8:41 AM.The Queenstown Winter Festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary, with a spectacular fireworks display planned for tonight. Audio

8:37 AM.The legacy of the act which started the First World War for New Zealand is being commemorated at the Auckland Museum. Audio

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

8:29 AM.Uruguay is currently leading England in a must-win match for both teams, in order to keep their hopes of making the second round of the football world cup firmly in their own hands. Audio

8:26 AM.The former Governor-General, Silvia Cartwright, has accepted a position on a United Nations panel that will investigate allegations of mass killings at the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009. Audio

8:22 AM.New Zealand companies are poised to make hundreds-of-millions of dollars from education software that does things like help children learn their sums. Audio

8:19 AM.A Hamilton man who is attempting to become the first person to successfully cross the Tasman in a single kayak is dangerously low on food and water. Audio

8:16 AM.Reports from Britain say the New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns won't face any match fixing charges from the England and Wales Cricket Board. Audio

8:10 AM.The Prime Minister John Key says there is more to come in the controversy over Labour's link with the businessman Donghua Liu. Audio

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

7:57 AM.And it's currently half-time in today's big game. England against Uruguay. Uruguay is up 1 nil. Joining us from the stadium in Sao Paulo is the Daily Mirror newspaper's chief football writer, Martin… Read more Audio

7:51 AM.Listening to that - the Minister of Conservation, Nick Smith. Audio

7:49 AM.The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says the Government has failed to implement her most important recommendations for mining on conservation land. Audio

7:44 AM.Prime Minister John Key has just finished a meeting with the US Secretary of State, John Kerry. Audio

7:39 AM.Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of the Beatles arrived in Wellington for their one and only tour of New Zealand. Reporter Christopher Gilbert tracks down a local family connection, John Lennon's… Read more Audio

7:35 AM.A Hamilton man attempting to become the first person to cross the Tasman in a single kayak is dangerously low on food and water. Audio

7:25 AM.American president, Barack Obama, has ruled out sending combat troops to Iraq but says he may take military action in the future. Audio

7:20 AM.Joining us is our political editor, Brent Edwards. Audio

7:16 AM.Joining us is David Cunliffe. Audio

7:10 AM.The Prime Minister John Key is denying there is a dirty tricks campaign against Labour over its link with the businessman Donghua Liu. Audio

7:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:57 AM.There's so far little reaction from Wall St to President Obama's announcement on Iraq. Audio

6:56 AM.Analysts say the value of Infratil's Australian energy arm is likely to top half a billion dollars. Audio

6:55 AM.The rural services firm, PGG Wrightson, has issued an earniings upgrade. Audio

6:54 AM.Lyttelton Port is applauding a government decision to use the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act to speed up the redevelopment of the badly damaged port. Audio

6:52 AM.Separately, the latest survey has found the strong New Zealand dollar is still the biggest challenge facing exporters, though it found exporters are looking at innovative ways to combat it. Audio

6:51 AM.The dollar has fallen overnight, but still remains above 87 US cents. Audio

6:49 AM.The pace of economic growth is likely to ease somewhat but should continue to be faster than the long-term average for the next couple of years. Audio

6:41 AM.Tomorow is the 50th anniversay of the Beatles' arrival in Wellington for their one and only tour of New Zealand. During a media conference George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon spoke to New… Read more Audio

6:38 AM.Labour Party MPs are publicly backing their leader, David Cunliffe, for now, saying he'll be the man who'll lead them into the election. Audio

6:26 AM.A Tuhoe leader is praising the decision by the Crown to give two forestry blocks to the iwi as part of its Treaty of Waitangi Settlement; Ngati Whatua Orakei says information from its tribal Census… Read more Audio

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

6:20 AM.The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says the Government has failed to implement her most important recommendations for mining on conservation land. Audio

6:17 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:13 AM.A critic of a global trade deal in services has warned that leaked details show New Zealand is in danger of giving up control of its finance industry. Audio

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

6:00 AM.John Key denies a dirty tricks campaign as he hints more revelations are coming about donations to the Labour Party. Iraq's government pleads for American military help but President Obama says no and… Read more Audio