Morning Report for Friday 11 December 2015

8:57 AM.The Hollywood awards season kicked off this morning with nominations unveiled for this year's Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Audio

8:51 AM.Health authorities in the Pacific are encouraged by news of the world's first vaccine against dengue fever being approved for use in Mexico. Audio

8:47 AM.A trades course created in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes is being hailed as a model for motivating and training young Maori and Pasifika students in Christchurch. Audio

8:41 AM.The Government is being accused of being beholden to the junk food industry and the opposition says the country's poorest children are paying the cost. Audio

8:38 AM.The Porirua City Council is demanding the Housing Minister take immediate action on substandard state and private rental houses in its district. Audio

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

8:28 AM.The Salvation Army is on the hunt again for Christmas toy donations - but this time brand new will do thanks very much. Audio

8:25 AM.The rock bottom official cash rate may be helping pay off the mortgage, but savers are suffering and the market remains skittish. Audio

8:20 AM.Donald Trump's call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States takes American politics into a realm unseen for many years. Audio

8:16 AM.Six weeks after a Forest and Bird video revealed Northland native forests are dying, the Department of Conservation has admitted it has no funding to save them . Audio

8:10 AM.A new central agency to combat cyber crime is being described as a huge change in the way this country deals with online threats. Audio

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

7:56 AM.The death of Nicole Leman, and the rescue last night of an injured Israeli tourist who was climbing in Arthur's Pass is prompting search and rescue teams to remind climbers of the need to be prepared.

7:53 AM.A former Alaskan governor is dealing with a heartbreaking family tragedy after learning his daughter died climbing in the South Island this week. Audio

7:48 AM.The country's choice of alternative flag should be known tonight after voting closes in the flag referendum. Audio

7:42 AM.Big business in Auckland could be faced with tens of thousands of dollars in transport levies Audio

7:38 AM.Yesterday's cut to the OCR comes amid signs Auckland's rampant property market has plateaued and investors are looking elsewhere. Audio

7:35 AM.The elderly and those nearing retirement are alarmed at the latest drop in the Official Cash Rate, which they say could put the squeeze on their savings. Audio

7:27 AM.The Climate Change Minister, Tim Groser, says the talks in Paris have reached a stage of organised chaos. Audio

7:25 AM.There's been a big jump in the number of tertiary institutions the Government regards as high risk. Audio

7:21 AM.Listening to that report is the Communications Minister Amy Adams. Audio

7:18 AM.A new government agency to combat cyber crime is being described as a huge change in the way this country deals with online threats. Audio

7:15 AM.Fire fighters have been working through the night to check for hot spots after a large fire badly damaged a corner of a multi-storey office building on Auckland's North Shore. Audio

7:10 AM.Some residents in Marlborough's Wairau Valley have abandoned their homes as firefighters from across the top of the south battle an out of control blaze. Audio

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

6:58 AM.Wall Street is higher after a series of losses due to low oil prices. Investors are awaiting that Federal Reserve meeting next week. Audio

6:55 AM.Global energy giant Shell has signalled it may be readying to cut its business interests in New Zealand, or even possibly quitting. Audio

6:53 AM.Lending banks were quick to pass on the RBNZ's rate cut to borrowers, with floating rates being reduced by the full amount and 12 month fixed rates by a smaller margin. Audio

6:52 AM.So the next central bank cab off the rank will be the United States Federal Reserve which has a two day policy meeting next week. Audio

6:51 AM.But not everyone's convinced the Reserve Bank can put its feet up. Audio

6:49 AM.Economists have been quick to call time on the Reserve Bank's easing cycle, and with a couple of exceptions, see the bank on the sidelines for the forseeable future. Audio

6:39 AM.A new central agency to combat cyber crime is being described as a huge change in the way this country deals with online threats. Audio

6:26 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:21 AM.Our business reporter, Jonathan Mitchell, is in and as expected the Reserve Bank delivered its rate cut. Audio

6:17 AM.The Government says five tertiary institutions are high financial risks. That's up from just one institution five years ago. Audio

6:14 AM.Swiss authorities have raised the security threat level in and around the city of Geneva. Audio

6:12 AM.The Reserve Bank governor says the Government could loosen its purse strings and help generate a bit more much needed inflation. Audio

6:10 AM.As we've been reporting on the news, a large fire is burning out of control in Marlborough. Audio

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

6:00 AM.Another huge forest fire rages out of control south of Blenheim, fire fighters plan to water bomb it from the air. Further north, a fire destroys part of a Takapuna office building and another… Read more Audio