Morning Report for Tuesday 1 September 2015

8:56 AM.The Cabinet has signed off the final four New Zealand flag designs, which will be made public in just over an hour. Audio

8:53 AM.A new scientific paper published today says plastic pollution is a growing threat to seabirds, from tiny storm petrels right up to the mighty albatrosses. Audio

8:51 AM.The US Open is underway, and all eyes are on the defending champion Serena Williams as aims to be the first player since Steffi Graf to claim the coveted 'Grand Slam'. Audio

8:47 AM.Ngati Paoa is threatening court action following the Maori King's announcement that Tainui Waikato has business in Auckland; Dover Samuels is giving evidence about being whipped for speaking Maori at… Read more Audio

8:41 AM.Farmers in the Lake Rotorua catchment fear their businesses may become unprofitable when rules to help clean-up the lake are brought in. Audio

8:37 AM.Northland's veteran of Maori politics, Dover Samuels is giving evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal today about a subject he's never spoken of before in public - the brutal punishment of young Maori… Read more Audio

8:31 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:26 AM.A million dollar study into the genetic reasons behind New Zealand's obesity epidemic has been announced today. Audio

8:25 AM.Otago University says no one was available for an interview this morning, but they did send Morning Report a statement. Audio

8:20 AM.Jetstar's chosen its four new regional routes. The budget arm of Qantas is launching flights from Auckland to Nelson, Napier, New Plymouth and Palmerston North; while Wellington to Nelson will also be… Read more Audio

8:17 AM.New Zealand hasn't increased its refugee quota since it was first set at 800 almost thirty years ago, in 1987. Audio

8:11 AM.The migrant crisis is beginning to divide Europe, as hundreds of thousands of refugees flee Arab and North African countries. Audio

8:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:55 AM.A Northland iwi is looking at a proposal for a new extraction industry for former wetlands in the Far North - mining peat. Audio

7:52 AM.A union representing hundreds of female teacher aides is the latest to announce legal action over pay discrimination. Audio

7:46 AM.Business confidence, a good indicator of where the economy is headed, has hit a six year low according to ANZ data yesterday. Audio

7:40 AM.Provincial mayors in areas about to get Jetstar flights are adamant the airline is in it for the long haul. Audio

7:36 AM.A woman who took Otago University to court over slipping on wet tiles has won 60-thousand dollars. Audio

7:29 AM.Today marks the first day of Spring, but forecasters are predicting windier and stormier weather than normal before Christmas. Audio

7:23 AM.The Labour leader has whipped two rebel MPs into line after they appeared to contradict Labour's policy opposing charter schools. Audio

7:19 AM.An ambitious attempt to find out why New Zealanders are some of the fattest people in the world has been launched in Queenstown today. Audio

7:15 AM.In July alone, the number of migrants that reached the EU's borders topped 100,000 for the first time Audio

7:11 AM.The European Union is to hold emergency talks about the migrant and refugee crisis. Audio

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

6:59 AM.On Wall Street, stocks have fallen after weekend comments from Federal Reserve vice chairman Stanley Fischer appeared to keep the door open for a rate hike in September. Audio

6:58 AM.Foley Family Wines has reported a sharp drop in profit, falling 71 percent to 1 point 2 million dollars in the year to June compared with the previous year, due to valuation changes. Audio

6:56 AM.A business lobby groups says Jetstar's stronger regional presense may encourage more firms to base themselves outside the main urban centres. Audio

6:53 AM.A lobby group demanding tax relief for earthquake strengthening work on buildings says it's being ignored by the Government. Audio

6:52 AM.Economists are not getting carried away despite a surge in consents for new houses and apartments, led by Auckland. Audio

6:51 AM.The Treasury says economic growth may slow to 2 percent this year due to cooling domestic demand. Audio

6:49 AM.Business confidence has continued to tumble, hitting fresh six year lows Audio

6:46 AM.Trouble is brewing in the Labour Party caucus over its policy on charter schools. Audio

6:42 AM.New Zealand scientists are planning the biggest study ever into the genetic reasons behind New Zealand's obesity epidemic. Audio

6:26 AM.Ngati Paoa is threatening court action following the Maori King's announcement that Tainui Waikato has business in Auckland; Dover Samuels is giving evidence about being whipped for speaking Maori at… Read more Audio

6:22 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:18 AM.News from the rural and farming sectors. Audio

6:08 AM.Provincial mayors in areas where Jetstar will now fly into are certain the airline is in it for the long haul, yet they refuse to reveal how long the contract is actually for. Audio

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

6:00 AM.John Key says he won't allow more refugees into the country without the support they need to resettle. Why are New Zealanders among the fattest in the world? Researchers hope to find out in a study… Read more Audio