Midday Report Podcast Options

12:16 PM.The new Mental Health Minister says it's about time Aotearoa had a fourth option when people call 111.

A recent ministerial briefing proposed police withdraw from some family harm and mental health… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.Moves by Parliament's Speaker to overturn a blanket ban on lobbyists having swipe card access to parliament have been labelled a significant step backwards.

Gerry Brownlee has said he didn't agree… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.A blue card is set to be trialled in football, which would see players sent to a sin-bin for 10 minutes for cynical play or dissent towards match officials.

Top tier leagues will be excluded from the… Read more Audio

12:42 PM.New Zealand's space industry has received another boost into orbit with the opening of the Tāwhaki National Aerospace Centre at Kaitorete, south of Christchurch, today.

Tāwhaki already hosts domestic… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.Alliance is busy pushing lamb, beef and venison into China - just in time for Chinese New Year celebrations, which kick off later this month. 

Monique Steele has the rural news. Read more Audio

12:28 PM.The New Zealand Breakers desperately need a win over the Illawarra Hawks tonight as the battle for NBL playoff places intensifies.

Bridget Tunnicliffe has sports. Read more Audio

12:18 PM.The pace of merger and acquisition activity may pick up this year after a larger than expected number of deals failed to make it over the finish line last year.  

Gyles Beckford has the business… Read more Audio

12:16 PM.Firefighters in Wellington may have to use sea water, and are bringing water tankers into the region as a precaution, should water shortages worsen.

Fire and Emergency is planning for the possibility… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.There's been a development in the homicide investigation into the death of an elderly Wellington woman.

A team of police has this morning been combing a landfill in Porirua, north of the city… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.Forty firefighters remain on the scene of a fire at a waste management plant.

The fire broke out on Wednesday at the Green Gorilla facility in Onehunga it is contained but is still burning.

RNZ… Read more Audio

12:43 PM.Firefighters warn it could take two to three days to contain a fire burning in a pine forest in the Tasman district.

The blaze spread quickly up the Lee Valley Wednesday afternoon and covers about… Read more Audio

12:35 PM.Despite exporting more beef and sheep-meat last year than in 2022, the value was down 11 percent to just over $10 billion.

Monique Steele has the rural news. Read more Audio

12:28 PM.Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell will miss the second test against South Africa as he continues to recover from a troublesome heel injury.

Daniel Gilhooly has sports. Read more Audio

12:20 PM.A new whistle-blower tool has been launched to help lift the lid on anti-competitive behaviour within the grocery sector. 

Gyles Beckford has the business news. Read more Audio

12:15 PM.Retailers hope a facial recognition trial being launched by Foodstuffs is a success, and can eventually be rolled out across the country.

New facial recognition software is being trialled in 25 New… Read more Audio

12:11 PM.The future of this year's ski season at Whakapapa skifield on Mt Ruapehu is more uncertain than ever with the Crown's preferred bidder for the field withdrawing from negotiations.

Whakapapa is… Read more Audio

12:54 PM.This week marks the one year anniversary of the catastrophic Turkey and Syria earthquake and aid agencies warn its impacts are being felt more than ever.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake in southeast… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.Jade, one of about 12,000 New Zealand sealions listed as nationally vulnerable, travelled 60 kilometres from the coast up the fast flowing Clutha River to give birth.

DOC rangers have been to check… Read more Audio

12:43 PM.Public Health experts are calling for a comprehensive, all-encompassing review of the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle, almost a year on from New Zealand's costliest storm on record.

The estimated cost… Read more Audio

12:38 PM.A large fire in Waipara on Tuesday got close to vineyards, but there haven't been any reports of vines being lost.

Monique Steele has the rural news. Read more Audio

12:25 PM.South Africa are struggling as they chase an imposing 529 to win the first cricket test at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.

Stephen Hewson has sports. Read more Audio

12:20 PM.Unemployment edged higher to 4 percent at the end of last year, while the surge in migration increased the size of the workforce.

Gyles Beckford has the business news. Read more Audio

12:14 PM.Iwi leader Mike Smith has won the right to sue seven big emitters for their role in causing climate change, in a Supreme Court ruling delivered Wednesday morning.

The climate activist, of Ngāpuhi and… Read more Audio

12:45 PM.New Zealand has been put on high alert for wildfire risk, with temperatures as high as 33 degrees expected this week.

Fire and Emergency says Northland, Auckland, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Canterbury… Read more Audio

12:41 PM.Māori leaders have started addressing Government representatives at Waitangi.

There has been a huge show of unity from Māori at this year's Waitangi commemorations as iwi leaders from across the… Read more Audio