Morning Report for Thursday 23 September 2021

8:53 AM.A leading Australian geologist says the earthquake there yesterday was a big one and it was fortunate it did not occur under a major city.

Several buildings were damaged in Melbourne after a strong… Read more Audio

8:49 AM.An apprenticeship programme aimed at ridding Aotearoa of its worst pests has received a $2 million funding boost.

The two-year programme kicked off last year and is aimed at increasing the numbers of… Read more Audio

8:44 AM.When new Silver Fern, Grace Nweke, had her test debut last night, as Goal Shoot against the England Roses, someone special was watching closely.

England beat the Silver Ferns 55 to 45 in the second… Read more Audio

8:39 AM.Orca expert Dr Ingrid Visser is defending the work done in an ultimately futile attempt to save Toa the baby orca.

It has been revealed the Conservation Department was worried about the public… Read more Audio

8:28 AM.An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 and depth of 10 kilometers rattled the city of Melbourne yesterday and has raised questions of whether Australia's infrastructure lacks earthquake protections.

… Read more Audio

8:23 AM.Some teachers in Auckland ventured back into classrooms this week for limited in-person teaching in level 3, but for most students in Tāmaki Makaurau it's teaching by Zoom for a while yet.

Educators… Read more Audio

8:14 AM.The drive to boost the country's Covid-19 vaccination rate has led some companies to offer incentives to their staff to get the shot.

Among them, fully vaccinated employees of Vodafone, Vodafone… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.Documents sourced by RNZ show that government ministers pressed for a dedicated MIQ facility to accommodate international sports teams.

Officials were told by Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins… Read more Audio

7:57 AM.Getting your fast food fix at Auckland's drive-thrus is no easy feat, but one website's trying to ease the frustration of waiting hours in line for a good fry-up.

Time in the Line is a crowdsourced… Read more Audio

7:50 AM.Thousands of tradies in Auckland are busy getting back on the tools, albeit in a restricted capacity.

In Melbourne, the forced close-down of the construction industry due to an explosion of Covid-19… Read more Audio

7:39 AM.Fifty percent of the Māori population have had their first dose of vaccinations - this is far behind other ethnicities - compared with 75 percent of the general population. 

The inequity has been… Read more Audio

7:34 AM.Taita College's principal says the students aren't going to be put off by protestors trying to encourage them not to get vaccinated.

The school is on guard for more disruption on Thursday, after… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.The pay of some judges has risen 19.2 percent in just five years, even though they are never given performance reviews. 

There are calls for more scrutiny of judicial performance, especially given… Read more Audio

7:16 AM.As vaccination rates tick up, employers are weighing up the question of vaccine mandates or incentives for staff.

Many businesses are looking to the government for a decisive word on Covid-19 'no jab… Read more Audio

7:14 AM.An employment law expert believes if Parliament's Speaker does ban unvaccinated people from the precinct, it could set a precedent for other workplaces.

The strict rules are being considered by… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.The race is on to get 90 percent of eligible Aucklanders vaccinated in less than two weeks.

The government has set the target for a first dose, saying it will be a key part of its decision on whether… Read more Audio

6:49 AM.The Ministry of Health is refusing to allow Auckland children across the alert level 3 boundary to attend boarding schools in other areas.

The situation is frustrating Pukekohe woman Jane Migounoff… Read more Audio

6:43 AM.Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says a new tactical response model from the police is not a move towards general arming.

Police have announced tactical response model on Wednesday. It will see 200… Read more Audio

6:40 AM.A new plan to train more police officers for higher-risk situations is being described as a worrying step towards a fully armed force.

The Government is investing $45 million to fund police tactical… Read more Audio

6:20 AM.An Auckland dairy owner says his business is within an inch of its life after the latest lockdown.

Suresh Jeram, who runs D Jairam and Sons dairy on Ponsonby Road said he's struggling to pay back… Read more Audio

6:18 AM.The Sheffield Hotel is on fire in Canterbury.

Emergency services were called to the 1800s-era building just after 1am on Thursday and more trucks are on the way.

Reporter Emma Hatton has been in… Read more Audio

6:14 AM.A group of Marlborough Sounds residents are hugely frustrated that after nine weeks, the only road out is still blocked by slips.

The area has been in its own kind of lockdown since the rain storm of… Read more Audio

6:08 AM.The Nurses Organisation says making Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for health workers is not straight forward.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins asked health officials to consider the idea on… Read more Audio