Morning Report Podcast Options

8:37 AM.A long international search for a new head of the Health Ministry is to be further delayed, until after the election. The State Services Commission began advertising for a new Director-General of… Read more Audio

8:30 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:26 AM.Official documents leaked to Radio New Zealand News show the cost of one of the Health Ministry's programmes under its flagship cost-cutting initiative, Health Benefits Limited, has ballooned from $89… Read more Audio

8:18 AM.Business leaders have set out their wish list for the elections, saying policies that boost competitiveness are what they most want to see. They also want to see better performance from the education… Read more Audio

8:11 AM.The Prime Minister John Key has rubbished a Green Party promise of a Green Card that will give free public transport to every tertiary students. Students at university, polytechnics, and private… Read more Audio

8:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:56 AM.The longest litigation case in New Zealand's history was settled when Whanganui River Iwi signed a Treaty Settlement with the Crown. Audio

7:53 AM.A farmer who falsely labelled his eggs as free-range has been sentenced to 12 months home detention. John Garnett, of Forest Hill Farm in Northland, pleaded guilty to selling cage eggs as free range… Read more Audio

7:45 AM.An American major-general has been shot dead by an Afghan soldier at a military facility near Kabul. Using a machine gun in the attack, the soldier also wounded a British and a German General, and… Read more Audio

7:41 AM.Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza have been returning home from UN shelters on the first day of a 72-hour ceasefire agreed by Israel and Palestinian militant groups. Audio

7:36 AM.The small community of Hawera is still reeling from the death of local woman Christine Fairweather. The 57-year-old grandmother was hit by a car after stopping late on Saturday night to remove metal… Read more Audio

7:26 AM.Foreign Minister, Murray McCully comments on Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama's electioneering trip to New Zealand. Audio

7:24 AM.Fiji's prime minister Frank Bainimarama is making an electioneering trip to New Zealand, his first visit since his military coup in 2006. Audio

7:22 AM.The High Court in Timaru has been told three former South Canterbury Finance directors facilitated the improper way the company was being run by its chairman, the late Allan Hubbard. Audio

7:19 AM.The Mana Party leader, Hone Harawira, says Labour will have no choice but to talk to them after the election if the Internet-Mana Alliance gets more than 5% of the vote. Audio

7:11 AM.Global dairy prices dropped significantly again overnight, falling 8.5% in the Global Dairy Trade auction. Audio

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

6:58 AM.A rundown of the markets. Audio

6:56 AM.Although sales of houses by Auckland's largest real estate agent fell in July, sales of houses for less than $500-thousand were still strong. Audio

6:54 AM.New Zealand's largest property trust is going to sell-off about $100-million a year in assets so it can reinvest in new, and ongoing, property developments. Audio

6:52 AM.MediaWorks new chief executive is clearly being charged with restoring the company's profitability sufficiently so that its banker owners can sell and get their money back. Audio

6:50 AM.Briscoe Group's online sales are now greater than through its largest bricks-and-mortar store and they're growing at a rate well into double digits. Audio

6:49 AM.Dairy prices have plunged 8.4% in the international auction, and that means prices have dropped 41% in the Global Dairy Price index since February. Audio

6:44 AM.Builders in Christchurch say the sooner the city council can issue building consents the better. The Building and Construction Minister, Nick Smith, says he expects that will happen by Christmas. Audio

6:41 AM.British Airways has suspended flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone because of the Ebola outbreak. The carrier operates a direct flight four times a week from London to Sierra Leone and onto Liberia. Audio