Morning Report for Thursday 8 May 2014

8:56 AM.Cricket Wellington is hoping to develop a Maori squad that will play at curtain raiser events before international tests. Audio

8:53 AM.Thailand's Constitutional Court has ordered the caretaker Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, to step down after finding her guilty of abuse of power. Audio

8:51 AM.Proposals for marine reserves in the Bay of Islands are attracting stiff opposition from local Maori; The Maori broadcasting funding agency has been challenged over why it continues to pay commercial… Read more Audio

8:47 AM.Hawke's Bay reporter Peter Fowler, spoke to one user who was already turning to the black market or other drugs to get a kick. Audio

8:44 AM.With synthetic highs off the shelves concern is growing users may turn to the black market or make their own. Audio

8:42 AM.Just over forty thousand people are being charged eight percent interest on their outstanding legal aid debt. Audio

8:37 AM.New Zealand's top spy won't say whether details of New Zealand's spying activities could be leaked before the election. Audio

8:31 AM.A brief update of movements in the financial sector. Audio

8:25 AM.Selling assets is the most probable option for the Christchurch City Council as they try to meet a half-billion-dollar shortfall in the money needed for the city's rebuild. Audio

8:19 AM.The offer comes at the same time as the release of a new report which says Auckland must improve its transport infrastructure and sprawl further into the suburbs in order to reduce house prices. Audio

8:15 AM.A business group of wealthy individuals is seeking permission to commercialise Auckland's Queen's Wharf in return for upgrading the downtown ferry terminal. Audio

8:10 AM.The Immigration Minister has defended himself against opposition accusations that wealthy National Party donors have preferential access and influence with government ministers. Audio

8:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

7:56 AM.Teachers are threatening a revolt over plans to stop them electing any of the members of the body that registers and disciplines them. Audio

7:52 AM.The chairperson of Christchurch City Council's finance committee, Raf Manji says they Council are exploring a number of options. Audio

7:49 AM.Christchurch City Council might have sell a stake in the airport and other assets in order to meet a half-billion-dollar shortfall in funding for the city rebuild. Audio

7:42 AM.A Northcote local body politician says fast-tracking more Auckland suburbs for housing development makes a farce of democracy. Audio

7:40 AM.A Government-funded report says Auckland needs to spread more, and build more transport infrastructure if it is to lower the cost of housing. Audio

7:36 AM.The head of the Government's external spy agency, the GCSB, is refusing to discuss information about New Zealand's spying activities which could be leaked by American whistleblower, Edward Snowden. Audio

7:28 AM.In what is seen as a u-turn by Russia the Kremlin has called back its troops from Ukraine's border and asked pro-Russian seperatists to postpone this weekend's vote on secession. Audio

7:20 AM.Joining us is the New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters. Audio

7:17 AM.New Zealand First has made significant changes to its constitution to stop its MPs from staying on in Parliament if they resign from the party or are expelled from caucus. Audio

7:10 AM.The Immigration Minister is defending himself against opposition accusations thta wealthy National Party donors have preferential access and influence with government ministers. Audio

7:07 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:58 AM.The chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, says the US economy still needs plenty of support. Audio

6:56 AM.Dairy prices look set to be stabilising which could mean a reduced payout for dairy farmers. Audio

6:54 AM.The jobs figures released yesterday offer yet more confirmation the economy is growing at a spanking pace. Audio

6:51 AM.An economist says he expects any intervention in the currency by the Reserve Bank will be relatively muted. Audio

6:47 AM.The online giant, Alibaba Group, says New Zealand businesses could have access to 100 million Chinese shoppers on a daily basis, who, unlike Western consumers, aren't committed to specific brands yet.

6:37 AM.The fur is flying between the various political parties, as they all try to take the moral high ground over trusts, fundraising and party donations. Audio

6:25 AM.The Maori broadcasting funding agency has been challenged over why it continues to pay commercial television channels to make Maori programmes which are kept out of prime-time schedules; Hapu in the… Read more Audio

6:21 AM.News from the rural and farming sector. Audio

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

6:09 AM.New Zealand First has made dramatic changes to its constitutition to stop its MPs from staying on in Parliament if they resign or are expelled from caucus. Audio

6:06 AM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:00 AM.Immigration Minister defends accusations of preferential access, New Zealand First makes heavy handed changes to its constitution, NZ First leader on changes to it's constitution, Putin asks for delay… Read more Audio