Morning Report for Thursday 22 October 2015

8:54 AM.It has been described as a disturbance in the force unlike anything Hollywood has seen in years. Audio

8:51 AM.When the New Zealand Festival gets going next year, it'll celebrate its 30th birthday with a line up it's calling a "kick up the arts!" Audio

8:48 AM.An historic bridge in the Waikato town of Cambridge has been closed while its safety is checked after it was used by a severely overweight truck Audio

8:45 AM.Māori farmers are backing an iwi-led agricultural training programme that aims to produce more Māori farming managers. Audio

8:37 AM.An international expert on police pursuits says tougher penalties may make people more not less likely to flee. Audio

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

8:28 AM.Despite a brilliant year no New Zealand rower has made the final cut in the World Rower of the Year awards. Audio

8:23 AM.A relaxation of the ban on media in the Indonesian-controlled province of West Papua has allowed Radio New Zealand International to send journalists into the region. Audio

8:19 AM.The Labour Leader, Andrew Little, is insisting Jacinda Ardern is leadership material, but he wants her to keep lifting the party's profile on Auckland. Audio

8:15 AM.Generations have waited for it, now work is ramping up on Wellington's major new road - Transmission Gully. Audio

8:10 AM.As you heard here earlier on Morning Report the Act Party leader, David Seymour, is defending the funding given to charter schools. Audio

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

7:57 AM.A quarter of the Vanuatu's MPs parliament could be in jail this afternoon. Audio

7:42 AM.And, listening to that is the Environment Minister, Nick Smith. Audio

7:39 AM.Environmental advocates say the findings of the country's first state of the environment report in eight years are shocking and a damning indictment on the Government. Audio

7:35 AM.Radical changes to the way land is made available for housing are being proposed by the Productivity Commission. Audio

7:28 AM.Dairy farmers say the mass expulsion of Filipino workers who lied on their CVs would cripple their industry. Audio

7:25 AM.Australian police have arrested the son of a New Zealand woman who has been missing for more than six years and is presumed to have been murdered. Audio

7:21 AM.Joe Biden has announced he won't be running for the American presidency. Audio

7:18 AM.Annette King is to remain deputy leader of the Labour Party after Jacinda Ardern decided not to seek the party's deputy leadership. Audio

7:13 AM.ACT's David Seymour, is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Education. He has some responsibilities for the charter schools programme - a policy intitiative that the ACT party helped… Read more Audio

7:10 AM.For the second year in a row, the government has funded charter schools for more students than they actually have. Audio

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

6:59 AM.If you're in the construction sector, you should be aware that an important piece of law -- the Construction Contracts Amendment Act -- has just been passed and comes into effect in December. Audio

6:57 AM.American stocks are flat as gains by General Motors and technology stocks have been offset by a fall in healthcare stocks. Audio

6:54 AM.A new employment website is aiming to put hospitality job seekers in the right job easily and as quickly as possible. Audio

6:53 AM.A small privately-owned, Whanganui-based boat-building business says it will rapidly expand, after being awarded a 16-million-dollar contract to build two new ferry boats for the transport company… Read more Audio

6:52 AM.Dairy giant Fonterra's has taken another ratings downgrade. Audio

6:50 AM.Shares in Sky Network Television plunged 11 percent yesterday after it warned that its full year net profit will be as much as 11 percent down on the year earlier, but it's still unsure how that will… Read more Audio

6:43 AM.A maternity lobby group is accusing midwives of being in denial over research showing there's a higher chance of a baby dying if the midwife's in her first year on the job. Audio

6:41 AM.The Auckland-based Labour MP, Jacinda Ardern, says it was her choice not to seek the party's deputy leadership. Audio

6:38 AM.Latest figures show the Government has been paying charter schools for students they don't have. Audio

6:25 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:14 AM.The Green Party says urgent action is needed to protect our rivers and native species after a major report on the environment painted a bleak picture. Audio

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

6:00 AM.Why are charter schools getting funded for more students they they actually have. Andrew Little on the deputy leadership and Joseph Biden finally makes up his mind about running for the US Presidency.