Morning Report Podcast Options

7:33 AM.Investigations into toxic firefighting foam contamination have spread to the Hobsonville Point development in northwest Auckland, and to Devonport and Whenuapai. The state-owned company building 1600… Read more Audio

7:26 AM.In Christchurch the flood-prone Heathcote river had been expected to burst its banks around high tide on Tuesday night and residents were warned to be ready to evacuate. But less rain fell than… Read more Audio

7:23 AM.RNZ reporter Charlie Dreaver is in Westport, one of the areas hit hard by ex-cyclone Gita. The sun is shining there now but more wild weather is expected, she says. Looking at the debris washed up on… Read more Audio

7:20 AM.The Nelson-Tasman region has been amongst the worst-hit areas of New Zealand as ex-cyclone Gita swept over the country. The state of emergency remains in place on Wednesday morning. RNZ reporter Tracy… Read more Audio

7:17 AM.Thousands have been left without power and states of emergency remain in place after former tropical cyclone Gita whipped through New Zealand. Christchurch City, Taranaki, Nelson Tasman, Westland… Read more Audio

7:12 AM.Thousands of people are without power and Kaikoura and Collingwood are cut off after the tail of Cyclone Gita lashed the South Island and Taranaki last night. Winds gusting up to 140km/h brought down… Read more Audio

7:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:48 AM.It was a busy night at the Whataroa pub with dozens of tourists heading there to shelter during the storm. Two tour buses, with about 45 tourists on board, were forced off the road by strong winds and… Read more Audio

6:45 AM.Cyclone Gita has brought heavy rain and wind, downing trees and causing slips on roads around the South Island. Also SH1 on the Kapiti Coast is closed after a high tide washed water over the road… Read more Audio

6:41 AM.The remnants of tropical cyclone Gita lashed the upper South Island and Taranaki overnight. The wild weather is expected to ease on Wednesday morning but many roads remain closed, including SH1 on the… Read more Audio

6:18 AM.Paul Sangster is a Takaka dairy farmer and district councillor. He was out and about last night checking on the river levels as ex-cyclone Gita brought heavy rain.

He tells Susie Ferguson he was… Read more Audio

6:09 AM.First up the weather, the remnant of Cyclone Gita lashed the upper South Island and Taranaki overnight. It has now moving offshore to the south-east, allowing wind and rain to ease in many areas. In… Read more Audio

6:06 AM.A update from the team at RNZ sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Roads are closed, power's cut and people are out of their homes after last night's big storm, it's been revealed hundreds of drivers have been caught out bribing testing officers to get a licence, and… Read more Audio

8:56 AM.Plastic experts visiting from the US are warning New Zealand's beaches are covered in far more plastic-waste than we realise. Staff from the Five Gyres Institute - an international organisation… Read more Audio

8:52 AM.Taranaki farmers face hefty bills as the regional council toughens enforcement of its riparian planting programme to clean up waterways. Audio

8:47 AM.The unexpected boom of Auckland's biggest housing development at Hobsonville Point has left residents worried their commuter ferry may soon not have room for them.

The development was created by the… Read more Audio

8:23 AM.The union representing the Lyttelton Port workers is planning to strike after a breakdown in talks about hours and pay. The Lyttelton Port wants to change people's hours of work so the port can… Read more Audio