Morning Report for Tuesday 15 August 2023

8:52 AM.Scientists are warning the increasing number of bushfires around the world could make climate change worse and fire-management techniques need a 'rethink'.

New research from the University of New… Read more Audio

8:46 AM.A leading economist says a drop in future building consents could disrupt the country's economic momentum.

A new quarterly economic report from Infometrics shows increased economic activity, and a… Read more Audio

8:43 AM.The jury in the murder trial of Lauren Dickason are considering their verdict on Tuesday, having been told not to let emotions cloud their decision.

For four weeks, Dickason has been on trial in the… Read more Audio

8:39 AM.Police have temporarily paused the search for missing Christchurch real estate agent Yanfei Bao.

It has been almost a month since the 44-year-old vanished from the suburb of Hornby on July the 19th.

8:28 AM.Plumbers have been working through the night at Western Springs College in Auckland to figure out what's caused a major sewage leak.

The high school sent its students home yesterday, after sewage… Read more Audio

8:21 AM.A damning report on health services that Te Whatu Ora kept hidden for months by using whistleblowing laws, has finally been released to RNZ.

The whistle-blower, a senior doctor, says he told the… Read more Audio

8:11 AM.The FIFA Women's World Cup will have its first finalist Tuesday night, when Spain take on Sweden at Eden Park.

The winner progresses to Sunday's final in Sydney eyeing their first World Cup triumph -… Read more Audio

7:56 AM.The last FIFA World Cup game to be played in New Zealand kicks off Tuesday night.

This is Spain's first time breaking through to the semi-finals, but they are favourites to win.

Swedish journalist… Read more Audio

7:52 AM.The death toll from the Maui wildfires stood at 96 on Monday, the worst recorded in the US in more than 100 years.

Officials said the number of dead could grow and hundreds remained missing.

The… Read more Audio

7:46 AM.Academy Award-winning actress Natalie Portman and former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern are using their star power to champion women's sport.

They joined Black Fern Ruby Tui and FIFA… Read more Audio

7:39 AM.The Chair of General Practice, Dr Bryan Betty, who was part of the Covid-19 Technical Advisory Group says it's time to move on, as the rest of the world has already done.

But he says no mandates… Read more Audio

7:37 AM.A covid expert is warning the country may be more vulnerable to new strains and surges of the virus now there is no more mandatory isolation.

Unions worry the end of the seven day stay-at-home rule… Read more Audio

7:35 AM.Almost a hundred people gathered in Auckland Central on Monday night for the National Party's first Law and Order meeting of the election campaign.

Residents and store owners shared stories about… Read more Audio

7:26 AM.A Jehovah's Witness elder claims he was told to destroy confidential church documents, including those relating to child sexual abuse cases.

It's a criminal offence to destroy potentially relevant… Read more Audio

7:18 AM.Parents will be allowed to take leave at the same time as their baby's primary carer under a proposal by the Labour Party.

Partners will also get two weeks' paid parental leave from next year, if… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.It's been a big start to the week for Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins.

New Zealand's Covid restrictions era has formally ended, with the lifting of mandates for the seven-day isolation period as well… Read more Audio

6:50 AM.The group behind a potential $5 billion offshore wind farm in the South Taranaki Bight has opened an information office in Hāwera to help convince locals of the project's value.

Taranaki Offshore… Read more Audio

6:46 AM.Otago University epidemiologist, Professor Michael Baker, accepts it's time to lift the last of the Covid mandates.

But he says there needs to be more information for people on how to keep themselves… Read more Audio

6:14 AM.Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens, which provides services to many Pacific families, is backing the removal of GST on fruits and vegetables.

The Finance Minister Grant Robertson says Labour's election… Read more Audio

6:10 AM.A sign of desperation; stupid populism; a depressingly bad idea.

Ask nearly any tax expert - and it's likely that's how they'll describe Labour's new GST-free fruit and vegetables policy.

RNZ has… Read more Audio