Morning Report for Friday 17 July 2015

8:55 AM.Let's have a chat to our Canberra correspondent Kerry-Anne Walsh. Audio

8:53 AM.More bad weather's expected this weekend, with snow forecast to low levels in the south and heavy rain and high winds likely in central New Zealand. Audio

8:47 AM.An American educationalist is challenging the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, to do more through the school curriculum to nurture and develop the next generation of Maori leaders; Lawyers for… Read more Audio

8:43 AM.The government's plan to spend 155-million-dollars-a-year paying some teachers and principals more to raise children's achievement is dividing the education sector. Audio

8:40 AM.Advocates for battered women say a Law Commission review into whether victims of family violence who kill their abusive partners should be able to claim self-defence is long-overdue. Audio

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

8:25 AM.Canterbury's saying goodbye to two of its rugby legends today, Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, when the All Blacks meet the Pumas in Christchurch. Audio

8:18 AM.The continuing slump in dairy prices has prompted economists to forecast that the Reserve Bank could drop the official cash rate to record lows. Audio

8:14 AM.The Federated Farmers dairy chairperson is Andrew Hoggard. Audio

8:11 AM.Many in the dairy sector are questioning whether Fonterra's losing sight of what New Zealand farmers need after it announced sweeping job cuts yesterday. Audio

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

7:55 AM.A team of international scientists say screams possess a unique acoustic property that activates the brain's fear circuitry. Audio

7:51 AM.The 2015 Apra silver scroll award finalists have been announced but the organisation is also presenting the lost award from 1981 for the 50th anniversary of the silver scroll. Read more Audio

7:48 AM.The Labour party is proposing changes to the way businesses pay provisional tax. Audio

7:43 AM.The until recently high New Zealand dollar had consumers spending more - heading overseas, and upgrading the electronics. Audio

7:39 AM.The new Greek bailout deal has been done, Greece's parliament has passed the necessary painful austerity measures, and soon the beleagured Greece could be open for business again with an infusion of… Read more Audio

7:35 AM.A sell out crowd is set to farewell Dan Carter and Richie McCaw in tonight's All Blacks test, the pair's final match in the black jersey on Christchurch soil. Audio

7:27 AM.Serco's director of operations Scott McNairn says he's asked for a thorough review, including looking at whether any prison staff were involved. Audio

7:23 AM.The Government says it might cancel its contract with the private prison operator, Serco, after footage of gang fights filmed inside Auckland's Mount Eden prison was shared on social media. Audio

7:18 AM.The Minister for Economic Development is Steven Joyce. Audio

7:14 AM.The plunge in dairy prices yesterday has caught the Government by surprise but it remains confident prices will soon rebound. Audio

7:11 AM.A Northland farming organisation says banks are quietly forcing debt-ridden dairy farmers to quit by refusing to refinance their loans Audio

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

6:58 AM.On Wall St, stocks have risen after Greek parliament's approved the third bailout programme, while investors also cheered robust corporate earnings, the US dollar also rose on expectations of higher… Read more Audio

6:56 AM.Analysts are pointing out Canterbury's rebuild has peaked is starting to lose steam - well, the latest manufacturing survey begs to differ. Audio

6:54 AM.Good news for exporters then - but consumer confidence has taken a knock. Audio

6:52 AM.Further signs of a slowing economy has brought further relief to exporters. Audio

6:51 AM.One economist says underlying demand for dairy products is still there, despite tumbling prices. Audio

6:48 AM.One economist is picking the Reserve Bank will take bold action and reduce the official cash rate to a record low of two percent by the end of the year as a result of weak inflation and the flow on… Read more Audio

6:41 AM.Christchurch's AMI Stadium will be packed tonight as Canterbury fans get what's expected to be their last chance to see two of their greatest ever players turn out in the black jersey. Audio

6:25 AM.An American educationalist is challenging the Minister of Education, Hekia Parata, to do more through the school curriculum to nurture and develop the next generation of Maori leaders; Lawyers for… Read more Audio

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

6:19 AM.The latest from the Pacific region. Audio

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

6:00 AM.Northland dairy farmers reeling from years of floods and drought are hit again as banks call in loans. The plunge in dairy prices catches the Government by surprise but it remains upbeat, the Minister… Read more Audio