Morning Report for Thursday 21 June 2018

6:00 AM.Prime Minister to give birth: Ardern arrives at hospital, Ardern takes leave to give birth: What happens at the Beehive?, Trump backs down on migrant children separations, Forestry debris: Frustrated… Read more Audio

6:06 AM.The All Blacks have named four debutants for this weekend's third and final test against France in Dunedin. Centre Jack Goodhue and flanker Shannon Frizell will start while five-eighth Richie Mo'unga… Read more Audio

6:15 AM.More than 450 patients died at a British hospital between 1989 and 2000 after being given powerful painkillers without medical justification. An independent panel said, taking into account missing… Read more Audio

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

6:22 AM.The number of farm sales has been falling.  

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6:35 AM.Jacinda Ardern has arrived at Auckland Hospital to give birth to her first child. Her office confirmed the news about half and hour ago. Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is now Acting Prime… Read more Audio

6:40 AM.Canada has become the second country after Uruguay to legalise cannabis nationwide. Yesterday the Senate passed a "historic" bill by a margin of 52-29. Officials say cannabis will be strictly… Read more Audio

6:49 AM.Fletcher Building to map out its future. No prospect of rating upgrade despite good numbers. Comvita buys Uruguayan concern. And coverage of overnight global financial market moves. Audio

7:06 AM.Damian McKenzie has beaten out Richie Mo'unga to start at first-five for the All Blacks in this weekend's series finale against France in Dunedin, with four players in line for their test debuts. Audio

7:10 AM.Jacinda Ardern arrived at Auckland Hospital about an hour ago to give birth. She's there with her partner, Clarke Gayford. RNZ reporter Jessie Chiang is at Auckland Hospital and joins us with the… Read more Audio

7:13 AM.New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has arrived at Auckland City Hospital to give birth to her baby. Her arrival at hospital means Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is now Acting Prime… Read more Audio

7:20 AM.Widespread condemnation has led Donald Trump to back down on his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the southern border. After initially claiming he needed the Democrats to… Read more Audio

7:28 AM.Frustrated Tolaga Bay locals dealing with massive storm damage are demanding the Government step in after they failed to get any answers last night from forestry owners and the council. More than 100… Read more Audio

7:33 AM.An attempt to provide care for a child by advertising on TradeMe has backfired for Oranga Tamariki. The child welfare agency advertised for a caregiver on the site and provided some of the child's… Read more Audio

7:37 AM.The Nurses Unions says the only thing that will stop a planned strike is more money. The union has notified DHBs they intend to walk off the job on July 5 if mediation this week doesn't bring an… Read more Audio

7:47 AM.Oranga Tamariki has been forced to say sorry for what the opposition is calling the crass use of TradeMe to find foster parents for children. One ad on the website describes a young Whanganui… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.The government is being accused of an "extraordinary and unprecedented abuse of power". The opposition is up in arms after Chris Hipkins yesterday moved a motion to push the Land Transport Regional… Read more Audio

8:06 AM.From Tonga to Tasman to the Highlanders to the All Blacks, the rise of flanker Shannon Frizell will be complete this weekend when he makes his debut alongside three other uncapped players in the third… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.Jacinda Ardern has arrived at Auckland City Hospital to give birth to her first child. She arrived at the hospital at 5:50am on Thursday. We cross to RNZ reporter Jessie Chiang. Audio

8:12 AM.Oranga Tamariki has apologised for using Trade Me in a bid to find foster parents. The child welfare agency advertised for a caregiver on the site and provided some of the child's personal information… Read more Audio

8:19 AM.Some Tolaga Bay residents are calling for Government intervention after a meeting last night left many feeling frustrated. More than a hundred people gathered to discuss recent flooding and the damage… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.Undemocratic, arrogant and an abuse of power. Just of few of the adjectives National is using to describe the government's move to push its Land Transport Regional Fuel Tax Amendment Bill through the… Read more Audio

8:28 AM.A significant trade deal with the European Union - that's been years in the making - will be formally launched today. The European Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom is in the capital to meet with senior… Read more Audio

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

8:40 AM.Final results from the Northcote by-election are in and one clear voting trend has emerged. More and more people are voting early. More than half did this time - the highest percentage ever - and it… Read more Audio

8:44 AM.Portugal's golden boy Christiano Ronaldo has scored his fourth goal of the Fifa World Cup in Portugal's 1-0 victory over Morrocco. Ronaldo is the tournament top scorer. Our correspondent in Russia is… Read more Audio

8:48 AM.The All Black selectors have put their faith in youth for this weekend's series finale against France, naming four debutants for the test in Dunedin. The new faces are among six changes announced by… Read more Audio

8:50 AM.Auckland cyclists are slamming Auckland Transport's multi-billion dollar transport plan as a missed opportunity that leaves the city stuck in the past. The Regional Land Transport Plan details how 16… Read more Audio

8:56 AM.Should New Zealand do away with public holidays and just let New Zealanders decide when to have a break? That's what the ACT leader David Seymour is pitching, saying the government shouldn't be… Read more Audio

8:57 AM.New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has gone to Auckland City Hospital at about 5:50am on Thursday to give birth. RNZ reporter Jessie Chiang is outside the hospital with the latest details. Audio