Morning Report for Wednesday 12 October 2016

8:54 AM.Phil Goff brings the curtain down on a parliamentary career that has spanned 35 years. He officially resigns as an MP today to take up his new role as Mayor of Auckland. Audio

8:49 AM."Mars geek' Barack Obama has outlined his goal of seeing people sent to Mars by the 2030s. Audio

8:44 AM.European leaders are taking their distaste of Russia's role in Syria to new levels.Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has risked a diplomatic row as he said saying he would "like to see" demonstrations… Read more Audio

8:40 AM.Samsung permanently discontinues production of its Galaxy Note7 phones because the phone and its replacements are prone to bursting into flames. Tech commentater Paul Brislen says this is now an… Read more Audio

8:36 AM.Queenstown's been a tad chilly this morning so much so that snow have fallen in the Wakatipu overnight. Audio

8:29 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:25 AM.A Sinologist says China has definitely rebuked New Zealand's Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee over his comments about the South China sea. Audio

8:19 AM.A judge says an inquest should investigate whether cameras should be installed on truck and trailer units to eliminate blind spots. Cycling advocate Patrick Morgan agrees. Audio

8:16 AM.Unite Union is taking Burger King and McDonald's to court, arguing they're cheating their staff of their rights to guaranteed hours and shifts. Audio

8:11 AM.An immigration consultant, David Cooper of Malcolm Pacific Immigration, says it is having to 'drop a bomb' to dozens of clients who have been told they have no hope of gaining residency - despite… Read more Audio

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

7:51 AM.The Finance Minister Bill English gives more details of its plans for Auckland property market. Audio

7:38 AM.Winston Peters says the Government has been panicked into changes to immigration policy. Audio

7:29 AM.China has told New Zealand to butt out of the South China sea dispute following comments by the Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee at a Beijing security conference but Mr Brownlee disputes that this… Read more Audio

7:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

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

6:56 AM.The Australian car parts company, Bapcor, says it won't settle for a minority stake in local investment company Hellaby Holdings. Audio

6:55 AM.Consumers are being credited with showing some caution in their spending despite numbers showing a solid rebound in retail sales last month. Audio

6:53 AM.The Reserve Bank has reinfored expectations it will cut interest rates next month. Audio

6:52 AM.Meat exporters are unphased by a campaign to shift the world away from meat to plant protein. Audio

6:49 AM.New Zealanders' appetite for property is forcing banks to change where they get their funding. Audio

6:40 AM.The Immigration Minister has temporarily closed the Parent Category to new applicants saying he's concerned too many migrants are not honouring their sponsorship commitments. Audio

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

6:21 AM.Retailers are being accused of not letting staff work all the hours that are available. But Greg Harford of Retail NZ says most employers give existing staff extra hours if they can, because it's more… Read more Audio

6:20 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

6:18 AM.35 apartment projects in Auckland have reportedly been axed in the past year alone, and the finger of blame is being levelled at cautious banks. Audio

6:11 AM.American political analyst, Jerry Shuster, says the rhetoric of the US presidential campaign has reached a new low. Audio

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

6:00 AM.Corrections defends its prison performance measures, Government tightens residency rules for migrants, Mis-handling of Galaxy fault is causing Samsung problems, China tells NZ to butt out of South… Read more Audio