Morning Report for Friday 24 December 2021

8:53 AM.It's Friday so we cross the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh. Read more Audio

8:51 AM.Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa Packer want to say Meri Kirihimete and a happy New Year.  Read more Audio

8:47 AM.NASA is launching the largest and most powerful telescope ever built into space on Christmas Day NZT.

The James Webb telescope will capture the most detailed images of the cosmos we've ever seen.

… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.She's been named the world's most powerful woman many times, but after an astonishing 16 years, Angela Merkel bowed out as Germany's Chancellor.

Germany correspondent Thomas Sparrow spoke to Morning… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.For some, a solitary Christmas where you don't have to cook, do the dishes, lug the chilly bin around or do that last minute scramble at the supermarket might sound ideal.

Whether they like it or not… Read more Audio

8:30 AM.As we do every year on Morning Report, we like to pass on the seasons greetings from some of our most frequent political guests over the year.

Here's James Shaw and Marama Davidson from the Green… Read more Audio

8:24 AM.From Covid-19, to climate change, to Christmas party scandals - oh and Brexit happened somewhere in between - 2021 has been a rollercoaster year in the UK.

UK correspondent Rob Watson spoke to… Read more Audio

8:21 AM.Health providers in popular holiday spots are bracing for a surge of out-of-town patients over summer. They're asking holidaygoers to have a medical plan, and prepare for the possibility of having to… Read more Audio

8:17 AM.Health providers are racing to increase Māori vaccination rates as the holiday period begins.

They say it is critical more Māori are vaccinated to protect communities against Covid-19.

Just 78… Read more Audio

8:16 AM.Time for a Christmas wish from our political leaders.

Here's David Seymour. Read more Audio

8:12 AM.Latest data shows New Zealand is splurging on retail much more than this time last year.

Figures published by payment and transactions company Worldline, formerly Paymark, show it's not just the… Read more Audio

8:09 AM.Police have launched a homicide investigation after confirming a man was shot and killed at an address in Mt Roskill.

At around 9.30pm on Thursday, Police were notified of an incident at an address… Read more Audio

7:59 AM.Controversy is never far away even in animal stories, none more than in the Bird of the Year award competition for 2021.

That's right a bat won. Read more Audio

7:57 AM.We also had some yucky stories, probably not a great idea at breakfast time but we received more text feedback on this story that any other.

Rat-catcher and the director of Ace Pest Control in… Read more Audio

7:56 AM.We heard all about packs of wild boars wandering the streets of Barcelona.

Wild boar expert Carles Conejeroa spoke to Susie Ferguson. On top of that in September we did a story about endangered old… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.In September there was a story about toilet training young cows.

Professor Lindsay Matthews from University of Auckland shared his success with us. Read more Audio

7:54 AM.In September we came very close to fat shaming bears.

The "Fat Bear Week" tournament is held every year in Alaska and Susie Ferguson spoke to Katmai Conservancy spokesperson Sara Wolman. Read more Audio

7:53 AM.We've done lots of animal stories this year, a fair few were out there.

In July we spoke to University of Greenwich lecturer in insect behaviour Sarah Arnold about bees who like coffee. Read more Audio

7:48 AM.Barbecues, swimming, a good backyard bash, that's certainly the ideal Kirihimete in New Zealand.

But will the weather join the celebration?

NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino spoke to Susie… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.Over the past two years, we've all become armchair experts about the virus.

We know how to tell how fast it's spreading, how you get it and what you can do to protect yourself.

But it's time for… Read more Audio

7:41 AM.A Christmas tradition for Morning Report is to bring you season's greetings from some of the politicians we talk to during the year.

Here's the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. Read more Audio

7:40 AM.Continuing with well wishes from the country's political leaders, here is National's Christopher Luxon. Read more Audio

7:27 AM.2021 kicked off with a bang in the US, with Donald Trump booted out of the White House and Joe Biden sworn in as the new US president.

And he's sure got a lot of work cut out for him.

Washington… Read more Audio

7:19 AM.Worksafe says it's sticking with an 'education first' approach to businesses flouting Covid-19 rules, but won't hold back on penalties if it comes to that.

An Auckland martial arts gym, Oliver MMA… Read more Audio

7:17 AM.Retailers are a bit down that the tills have not been a-ringing as much in Auckland this Christmas, with hopes Boxing Day and January sales entice shoppers to spend up.

Despite wide reports it's been… Read more Audio

7:11 AM.A Government move to reduce the time needed before people can get their Covid-19 booster shot has sparked confusion.

The Government announced on Tuesday that the waiting period between the second and… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.There has been a serious incident in the Auckland suburb of Mount Roskill.

Reporter Katie Todd was at the scene on Glass Road. Read more Audio