Midday Report Essentials for Thursday 3 October 2024

In today's episode, Dunedin's Civil Defence bunker is being activated as the region prepares for very heavy rain, the latest census data shows one in 20 New Zealanders identifies as part of the rainbow community, the Christchurch City Business Association is pushing back on a proposal to get more food trucks set up at the Art Centre, and Whangarei is expecting a boom in the number of cruise ships that visit the city each year.