Morning Report for Wednesday 16 March 2022

8:48 AM.Beneficiaries calling Work and Income for help say they are enduring long waits - often of more than an hour - to talk to someone.

Work and Income comes under the Ministry of Social Development -… Read more Audio

8:43 AM.Hunters are being asked to monitor their state of mind, as well as their equipment, before they start heading to the hills in numbers from this week.

The Firearm Safety Council is anticipating that… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.Financial uncertainty hasn't stopped some West Coasters who have taken the plunge and set up shop in the midst of the pandemic.

There was nearly a 70 per cent drop in spending by visitors to Franz… Read more Audio

8:35 AM.Daily reported Covid-19 cases are on the rise again, after a week-long dip in numbers. Counties Manukau DHB has the highest number of active cases in Auckland.

Meanwhile, only 67 per cent of the… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.The highly-contagious Covid-19 Omicron subvariant BA.2 has taken charge as the dominant strain in Aotearoa.

Director general health Ashley Bloomfield says BA.2 comprises nearly 80 percent of recent… Read more Audio

8:19 AM.In the capital of Kyiv, a 35-hour curfew has been announced by the Kyiv's mayor, who's warned "today is a difficult and dangerous moment".

It comes after Russian air strikes hit residential buildings… Read more Audio

8:16 AM.Simon Bridges says he's been seriously thinking of leaving politics since last summer.

The frontbench National MP and former party leader surprised many yesterday by announcing his retirement after… Read more Audio

8:12 AM.Corporate Tauranga is ruing the departure of Simon Bridges from the political scene.

The local MP has been seen as a dependable ally of the local businesses. At a national level, Bridges was seen by… Read more Audio

8:11 AM.As we have been reporting this morning, The Prime Minister is expected to today announce when many Covid-19 restrictions will ease or stop altogether once we're past the peak of Omicron.

That would… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.A ceremony has officially reopened the grounds of Parliament two weeks after the violent scenes that ended the occupation by protestors.

Political editor Jane Patterson was there. Read more Audio

7:46 AM.National Party leader Christopher Luxon says losing MP Simon Bridges will be a big loss for the party.

The frontbench MP and former leader announced his retirement yesterday, triggering a by-election… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.Auckland remains the epicentre of the Omicron outbreak and schools dealing with a peak in cases are rostering off year groups or shutting their doors to wait it out.

Figures from the Ministry of… Read more Audio

7:41 AM.Nearly 30 million people are under lockdown across China as surging Covid-19 cases spark restrictions not seen since the start of the pandemic.

China reported more than 5000 new cases in its latest… Read more Audio

7:35 AM.A disinformation and conspiracy researcher says it would have been hard for anyone to predict the Parliamentary protests turning violent. 

New documents show New Zealand's intelligence agencies… Read more Audio

7:28 AM.In just a matter of weeks, New Zealand may no longer have gatherings limits, vaccine passes or most mandates.

The Prime Minister has said these restrictions will ease or stop altogether once we're… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.A news editor has been arrested for protesting Russian propoganda on her own show has appeared in Court.

She walked in to the live show- a state-controlled prime time news programme - holding a sign… Read more Audio

7:15 AM.Four people died in overnight air strike in Kyiv on the 20th day of the Russian invasion.

Five locations were targetted, including two large residential buildings, and a metro station.

A 35-hour… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.The National Party now faces a by-election after the shock resignation of finance spokesperson and former leader Simon Bridges.

His departure is a blow to a party finally overtaking Labour in the… Read more Audio

6:51 AM.The US has warned China will face consequences if it helps Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

China correspondent Patrick Fok says Beijing was in no doubt that it would face sanctions from the West… Read more Audio

6:40 AM.If a week's a long time in politics, then fourteen years can feel a lot longer still.

Simon Bridges, National's MP for Tauranga, finance spokesperson and of course onetime leader, has called it a day… Read more Audio

6:16 AM.Wednesday marks two weeks since the protest at Parliament came to a violent end after 23 days.

Standing among the ruined grounds is Parliament's $500,000 playground - a slide that was damaged in a… Read more Audio

6:12 AM.He stared down numerous contenders and saw off many an adversary - now Simon Bridges is saying goodbye.

In a shock move, the former National leader has announced he is retiring from politics to… Read more Audio