Morning Report for Wednesday 16 October 2013

8:57 AM.This year's winner of the Booker Prize will be announced in the next hour. Audio

8:53 AM.Revolutionary new pest control traps are being touted as a possible saviour of the kiwi. Audio

8:49 AM.The Ministry of Education is to lead an urgent audit of Te Kohanga Reo National Trust Board - the body that oversees publicly-funded Maori pre-schools; The Maori Council does not believe the Goverment… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.Searchers say they might have a new lead in the disappearance of the yacht Nina. Audio

8:40 AM.The Government is being told it needs a hero to rescue its national standards policy from doubting teachers and parents. Audio

8:35 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

8:29 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:26 AM.A property expert says a dramatic shift in the population north and west of Christchurch after the earthquakes has serious implications for council's rate take. Audio

8:23 AM.Our reporter Juliet Larkin has just been at an offcial briefing. Audio

8:19 AM.The untold stories of European settlement in Whangarei - and their impact on Maori - are unfolding this week in the Waitangi Tribunal. Audio

8:16 AM.A lawyer for a member of the Red Devils motorcycle gang says a ruling yesterday by the Court of Appeal effectively sanctions serious misconduct by the police. Audio

8:11 AM.The Auckland mayoral candidate John Minto says Len Brown should stand down in light of his recent sex scandal. Audio

8:09 AM.The Whanganui River remains at severe risk of a major flood, with downtown areas already feeling the effects of near record river levels. Audio

7:55 AM.The teenage singer Lorde has taken the top prize at this year's Silver Scroll awards, which celebrates the nation's best songwriting. Audio

7:52 AM.Questions are being raised about why Air New Zealand is looking overseas for workers, when local jobs are being axed. Audio

7:47 AM.The Labour Party says the Government jumped the gun when it announced a deal with the major banks which hold most of Solid Energy's debt. Audio

7:44 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:38 AM.The Insurance Council is warning that New Zealand needs to improve its resilience to extreme weather and puts the cost of insured damage so far this year at 100 million dollars or more. Audio

7:35 AM.Water has begun flooding through downtown Whanganui. Audio

7:27 AM.The partial government shutdown continues in the United States - with just two days left before the nation risks defaulting on its debt. Audio

7:22 AM.Equestrian Sports New Zealand says it's dumbfounded by the suspension of the champion rider, Jock Paget after a positive drug test for his horse, Clifton Promise. Audio

7:18 AM.An urgent audit of the public funding received by the Kohanga Reo National Trust Board has been ordered by government ministers, after a late night meeting at the Beehive. Audio

7:12 AM.Auckland Mayor Len Brown says his focus is on his family - and on his job - after admitting yesterday to a two-year extramarital affair. Audio

7:08 AM.Downtown Whanganui remains at extreme risk of flooding, as the Whanganui river reaches near record levels. Audio

6:47 AM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:43 AM.The Government is to commission an independent audit of the Kohanga Reo National Trust Board, in response to allegations of mis-spent taxpayer funds. Audio

6:41 AM.Auckland's mayor Len Brown has a political challenge ahead, setting up his second term in office after a shock admission of an extra-marital affair. Audio

6:38 AM.As you've heard in the news, the Whanganui River has burst its banks overnight, flooding parts of Whanganui and closing some roads. Audio

6:27 AM.The Government's announced an urgent audit of Te Kohanga Reo National Trust Board - the body that oversees publicly-funded Maori pre-schools; The Maori Council does not believe the Goverment has… Read more Audio

6:22 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

6:17 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

6:15 AM.The prominent Ngapuhi kuia and life-long Maori activist, Titewhai Harawira, has told the Waitangi Tribunal she's been a rebel since childhood - for good reason. Audio

6:00 AM.Whanganui emergency continues as river bursts its banks; Len Brown asks Aucklanders to stand by him; Govt orders urgent review of Kohanga National Trust; NZ Equestrian suspended after positive drug… Read more Audio