Morning Report for Friday 19 December 2025

9:45 AM.Before they head off for summer, the Morning Report team asked the leaders of each of the political parties what their message to New Zealanders was this Christmas. Audio

9:45 AM.Finance minister Nicola Willis has ended the year on a high with a surprise 1.1% increase in GDP for the most recent quarter; Gloriavale's leaders have announced they'll challenge the forced closure… Read more Audio

8:52 AM.We crossed the ditch to Canberra to talk to our correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh. Audio

8:48 AM.Country Life producer Gianina Schwanecke tagged along with a rural postie making the rounds ahead of Christmas. Audio

8:42 AM.Auckland Council is securing more burial and cremation spaces as the city's cemeteries begin to run out of capacity. Auckland Council's Park & Community Facilities General Manager Taryn Crewe spoke to… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.The Government is providing financial support for schools facing large bills for replacing carpet, curtains and other items because they've had contaminated asbestos sand on site. Lynda Stuart… Read more Audio

8:35 AM.The latest market updates and news from RNZ's business team. Audio

8:26 AM.We hear from Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, along with ACT Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour. Audio

8:26 AM.Savings account rates generally aren't offering enough interest to keep up with inflation. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Corin Dann. Audio

8:13 AM.One News Sports Editor Abby Wilson and former All Black captain Taine Randell discuss this weekend's sport action. Audio

8:09 AM.The airports are preparing to welcome travellers from near and far with today set to be Christchurch Airport's busiest day yet. Auckland is also gearing up for a busy day - it expects about 29,000… Read more Audio

7:57 AM.Time for some more Christmas messages from political party leaders. We hear from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters and Te Pati Maori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Audio

7:53 AM.The Government is shutting down its road cone hotline early, saying it's done what it needed to do. Dave Tilton, chief executive of traffic management firm Parallax spoke to Corin Dann. Audio

7:49 AM.Some principals say the Education Review Office isn't giving schools in poor communities enough credit for the challenges they face. Jason Miles, Vice President of the New Zealand Principals'… Read more Audio

7:39 AM.An update on what's happening in the sports world with Nathan Rarere. Audio

7:34 AM.The latest market updates and news from RNZ's business team. Audio

7:25 AM.Morning Report producer Georgie Hanafin asked Christmas grocery shoppers in Christchurch about some of their non-negotiables for Christmas dinners. RNZ Cookbook, Kathy Paterson spoke to Corin Dann. Audio

7:20 AM.Gloriavale's leaders have announced they'll challenge the forced closure of its school. Liz Gregory from the Gloriavale Leavers Supporter Trust spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss. Audio

7:14 AM.The parents of a 13-year-old who died by suspected suicide after contacting multiple helplines are pleading for better information sharing by crisis services. Ruth Hill reports. Audio

7:09 AM.Finance minister Nicola Willis has ended the year on a high with a surprise 1.1% increase in GDP for the most recent quarter. Port of Auckland chief executive Roger Gray spoke to Corin Dann. Audio

6:53 AM.We've got some Christmas messages from the political leaders at Parliament to bring you throughout the programme. First up we have the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Labour leader, Chris… Read more Audio

6:53 AM.An early morning update from RNZ's business team. Audio

6:49 AM.Sixteen people remain in hospital across Sydney following the Bondi Beach attack. RNZ's Charlotte Cook reports from Sydney. Audio

6:45 AM.Community volunteers and emergency services are bracing for a surge of young partygoers as New Year hotspots fill up across the country. Harm-reduction group Red Frogs' National Media Liaison, Shannon… Read more Audio

6:38 AM.European Union leaders are meeting to discuss using frozen Russian assets to fund a loan to help Ukraine's war effort. Correspondent William Denselow spoke to Corin Dann from Brussels. Audio

6:33 AM.News from the rural farming sector. Audio

6:27 AM.An early morning sports news update with Nathan Rarere. Audio

6:23 AM.The retail, construction and manufacturing sectors are cautiously optimistic about recent growth in the country's economy. Delphine Herbert reports. Audio

6:17 AM.Catch up with the latest headlines from around the world with RNZ's Alice Wilkins. Audio

6:11 AM.It's been a busy week in economic and business news, with fresh GDP figures showing the economy grew in the September Quarter, and the new Reserve Bank Governor releasing her first major monetary… Read more Audio