Morning Report for Wednesday 18 May 2016

8:46 AM.The grass roots organisations that sprang up after the 2011 Canterbury earthquake are showing little sign of fading away. Audio

8:43 AM.Descendants of some of the hundreds of Maori exiled with the prophet Te Kooti to the Chathams 150 years ago will visit the islands for the first time today. Audio

8:34 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:30 AM.The government announced yesterday it will boost health research funding by 97 million dollars over the next four years. Audio

8:26 AM.Opposition politicians says foreigners should not be able to buy up sensitive land in exchange for a donation to a school or university. Audio

8:22 AM.A Christian leader in Samoa has called for practice of Islam to be banned in the country. Audio

8:10 AM.Advocates for the homeless say without adequate data on the number of homeless people in New Zealand, support services will continue to struggle without guidance from the government. Audio

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

7:56 AM.Rotorua's NBA star Steven Adams played a key role in the Oklahoma City Thunder's come-from-behind victory against the defending NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors. Audio

7:50 AM.There are hopes a 97 million dollar funding boost announced yesterday will encourage New Zealand medical researchers forced overseas to return home. Audio

7:46 AM.More measles outbreaks are likely unless a group of undervaccinated teens and young adults become immunised. Audio

7:42 AM.The independent panel drafting the plan shaping Auckland's future housing says it won't be swayed by political comments. Audio

7:38 AM.A woman whose body was found by the Rakaia River in Canterbury on Sunday had extensive burns to her body. Audio

7:28 AM.A navy commander found guilty of indecently assaulting a female junior officer will be sentenced this morning at a Court Martial in Auckland. Audio

7:25 AM.Prisons will look at targeting high-risk violent criminals who deny their crime in the wake of the Tony Robertson rape-murder inquiry. Audio

7:18 AM.Guyon Espiner talks to Max Rashbrooke, who researches and writes on inequality and the founder of the Gimme Shelter campaign, James Crow. Audio

7:11 AM.Advocates for the homeless say the country has to get a grip on the true number of homeless if struggling support services are going to have a hope of helping them. Audio

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

6:58 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

6:57 AM.Two of country's biggest lenders are putting the nation on amber alert, warning households are taking on too much debt. Audio

6:55 AM.Inflation expectations for the next two years have risen off record lows, but only just. Audio

6:53 AM.Potential changes to the way power users pay for the national grid are still leaving the future of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter hanging in the balance. Audio

6:51 AM.Global dairy prices have risen today -- but the focus is on where Fonterra sets its new season forecast. Audio

6:46 AM.Wildfires that have been burning for weeks in the Canadian state of Alberta have flared dangerously back to life. Audio

6:42 AM.The chair of an independent panel drafting Auckland's development blueprint says it won't be influenced by government comments on the need to create more housing land. Audio

6:39 AM.An advocate for the homeless says the problem of homelessness is not just a big city problem but is spreading to the regions. Audio

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

6:23 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

6:16 AM.Prisons are looking to target high-risk violent offenders who deny their crime and resist rehabilitation, in one of several responses to the Tony Robertson rape-murder inquiry. Audio

6:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Homeless and hoping no one comes into the car. Better homeless data needed to drive better public policy decisions. Prisons look at 'deniers' programmes after Blessie Gotingco murder. Navy commander… Read more Audio