Morning Report for Friday 24 January 2020

8:55 AM.What's thought to be one of the biggest murals in the country has transformed a large grey concrete wall in Hamilton.

The wall - 248 metres long and 11 metres tall at its highest point - was… Read more Audio

8:53 AM.Wellington's embattled bus network is getting another refresh.

But don't worry just yet - the Regional Council say they're just tweaking - not overhauling - the system to fix many of the problems… Read more Audio

8:49 AM.Schools start to reopen from Monday next week and many are bracing themselves for roll growth and last-minute enrolments that will put pressure on staffing and classroom space.

Principals in… Read more Audio

8:47 AM.For the first time in months, Samoa's hospitals are empty of measles patients.

While authorities say it doesn't yet mark the end of an epidemic that infected more than 5,000 people and killed 83, the… Read more Audio

8:44 AM.The Social Development Minister won't promise to increase benefits, in the face of growing demand for hardship grants.

Almost 200,000 more hardship grants were made in the three months to December… Read more Audio

8:39 AM.The skyrocketing demand for hardship grants means Work and Income case managers haven't been able to spend as much time getting people into jobs.

The admission has come from the Ministry of Social… Read more Audio

8:30 AM.A brief update on the movements in the financial sector. Read more Audio

8:27 AM.Picton's port and ferry terminals have been evacuated this morning, after a highly flammable LPG leak was found in the railyards this morning.

Fire and Emergency has confirmed the leak, and crews are… Read more Audio

8:24 AM.New Zealand is back on top again - one of the least corrupt countries in the world.

We're ranked first equal, alongside Denmark, out of 180 countries on perceived levels of corruption in the latest… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.A child safety campaigner is calling for speed restrictions outside schools to be fast-tracked.

The government has committed to doing this over the next decade but with children set to return to… Read more Audio

8:15 AM.A Whangarei sawmill is facing closure which could mean the loss of more than a hundred jobs.

Carter Holt Harvey notified its 111 full time staff yesterday about the potential closure of the site, due… Read more Audio

8:15 AM.One person is dead following a police chase in Rotokawa, near Taupo, in the early hours of the morning.

Police say the incident took place after a vehicle was spotted driving dangerously near a fatal… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.The World Health Organisation has announced the coronavirus outbreak does not yet merit an international public health emergency.

Five cities in China have been put in lockdown in a bid to control… Read more Audio

8:06 AM.The Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli is backing New Zealand counterpart Kane Williamson to bounce back and says he's one of the best leaders and batsmen in world cricket. Audio

7:48 AM.On the eve of the tour by India, the New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson made the extraordinary offer of stepping aside from the leadership role.

This weekend marks a busy start to the new… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.New Zealand is set to swelter this weekend with parts of the country forecast temperatures in the mid 30s.

Canterbury and Southland are due to for the best of it on Friday and Saturday as well as the… Read more Audio

7:40 AM.Three American firefighters have been killed in a water tanker plane crash while battling wildfires in Australia.

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules went down while fighting a bushfire in the Snowy Monaro… Read more Audio

7:36 AM.Politicians will arrive at Ratana Pā near Whanganui tomorrow to celebrate the birthday of T W Ratana, the faith leader and prophet.

The annual pilgrimage signals the start of the political year, one… Read more Audio

7:36 AM.Royalty, politicans, business leaders, thinkers and celebrities have gathered in Davos in the Swiss mountains for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Prince Charles, who has long… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.The number of work-related deaths reported has shot up.

Figures combined for the first time show that many more people are being killed than the public previously thought.

They also reveal the most… Read more Audio

7:20 AM.Aucklanders still don't know what caused yesterday's intermittent power cuts that has left businesses in the CBD out of pocket.

Lines company Vector is investigating the lunchtime blackout which… Read more Audio

7:19 AM.East Coast police say they're concerned at the number of weapons they're finding while investigating gang-related shootings in Ruatoria and Taradale last weekend.

Several people have been arrested… Read more Audio

7:16 AM.Government agencies are meeting today to discuss how to ramp up New Zealand's response if the coronavirus crisis continues to worsen.

The Government has triggered its official pandemic plan and set… Read more Audio

7:07 AM.The Chinese authorities have cancelled all large scale Lunar New Year celebrations in the capital, Beijing, in an effort to control the spread of a new respiratory virus.

Temple fairs are banned and… Read more Audio

7:06 AM.Despite another minor meltdown and a brush with controversy, Nick Kyrgios remains a firm favourite for the local fans as he moved into the third round of the Australian Tennis Open. Read more Audio

6:49 AM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Read more Audio

6:47 AM.National leader Simon Bridges has defended his meetings with controversial conservative figures during his trip to the Philippines.

The Opposition leader and three of his MPs have recently returned… Read more Audio

6:44 AM.A dry spell is on the way which is expected to see much of the East Coast of both islands swelter in 30C plus heat.

Officials are warning of extreme fire danger for parts of the country and… Read more Audio

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

6:20 AM.A brief update from the business sector. Read more Audio

6:16 AM.A child safety campaigner is calling for speed restrictions outside schools to be fast-tracked.

The government has committed to doing this over the next decade, with speed limits as low as 30km/h… Read more Audio

6:09 AM.National says the government is doing a "lousy" job with its much vaunted reforms of the welfare system.

Figures released yesterday show the number of people on the benefit is increasing - up five… Read more Audio

6:06 AM.The Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios courted some controversy again as he moved into the third round of the Australian Open with a four set victory over Frenchman Gilles Simon. Read more Audio