Morning Report for Wednesday 19 February 2020

6:00 AM.Wuhan evacuees to be freed from quarantine today, Director General of Health on Covid-19, Winston Peters ducks media amid SFO investigation, Winston Peters dodges questions on SFO, Simon Bridges on… Read more Audio

6:06 AM.The Hurricanes will lose try-scoring winger Ben Lam at the end of the Super Rugby season. Read more Audio

6:09 AM.Far North locals have criticised the council for being underprepared for the drought the region has been experiencing since November.

The government is contributing $2 million from the provincial… Read more Audio

6:13 AM.Two young Navy sailors have escaped prison time for dealing in drugs.

The men pleaded guilty before a Court Martial to obtaining and supplying the class-B drug MDMA, which is better known as ecstasy.

6:20 AM.A brief update from the business sector. Read more Audio

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

6:37 AM.The government is stumping up $2 million from the Provincial Growth Fund to set up temporary water supplies to Kaikohe and Kaitaia.

Northland has been experiencing drought since November, leading to… Read more Audio

6:53 AM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Read more Audio

7:06 AM.It's been a frustrating couple of months for Black Caps pace bowler Trent Boult having been forced to sit out a test match, and T20 and one day series but he's able to look back on the Boxing Day test… Read more Audio

7:12 AM.More than 150 people will walk out of an Auckland navy base in few hours time after two weeks in quarantine to ensure they are not infected with Covid-19.

They were evacuated out of the disease… Read more Audio

7:17 AM.The head of a leading hospital in Wuhan the epicentre of the Covid-19 virus, has died of the disease, according to Chinese state television.

He's the second prominent Chinese doctor to have succumbed… Read more Audio

7:21 AM.More than 150 Wuhan evacuees will walk out of an Auckland navy base in few hours time after two weeks in quarantine to ensure they are not infected with Covid-19.

But their rooms will soon be taken… Read more Audio

7:23 AM.Winston Peters has a track record of using music as a diversion.

Yesterday as he ducked and dived media questions over a Serious Fraud Office investigation, he once again resorted to a musical… Read more Audio

7:28 AM.Winston Peters is dodging questions about a Serious Fraud Office investigation into his party.

On Tuesday he played reporters a snippet of Queen's 'Radio Ga Ga' rather than answer questions.

RNZ… Read more Audio

7:29 AM.The Serious Fraud Office has laid charges relating to two donations made to the National Party - one in 2017 and one in 2018 - both of $100,000.

Corin Dann speaks to National Party leader Simon… Read more Audio

7:38 AM.The uncles of a young boy with severe head injuries in Starship Hospital says his father has gone into hiding after being threatened.

Police say if the boy survives he'll be severely disabled and… Read more Audio

7:43 AM.Fire tests of cladding on multistorey buildings are being run in New Zealand for the first time in response to the Grenfell Tower disaster in London three years ago.

A purpose-built rig near Porirua… Read more Audio

7:47 AM.The Qualifications Authority has stopped enrolments in a Manukau Institute of Techology course after discovering tutors may have been passing students they should have failed.

The institute is… Read more Audio

7:48 AM.As stories about tourists being caught up in Covid-19 quarantines make global news, travellers are having to think carefully about their plans.

So for New Zealanders planning to go overseas this… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.A new study has found patients seeking IVF treatment are being given false hope.

That's because the success rates advertised by clinics are calculated in widely varying ways, and some choose to… Read more Audio

8:06 AM.The Silver Ferns' greatest rivals, the Australian Diamonds, are seeking a new coach and New Zealand's Dame Noeline Taurua is taking an interest in the process. Read more Audio

8:13 AM.Far North locals say the council was woefully under prepared for the drought and slow to respond as things got worse.

The Mayor John Carter says mistakes were made - but he says the council have been… Read more Audio

8:15 AM.Wellington's water authorities will hold an emergency meeting today to try to find a solution to the onslaught of pollution affecting the city's rivers and beaches.

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster and… Read more Audio

8:21 AM.Twelve jurors in New York have begun deliberating the fate of former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, who is on trial for rape and predatory sexual assault.

Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.It's been described as Tinder for tourism - and already "Go with Tourism" is reporting hundreds of successful matches less than a year since its launch.

Now the online platform that connects… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.Teacher involvement in school sports has fallen to its lowest rate in 20 years.

A survey by School Sport New Zealand shows 29 percent of teachers were involved in secondary school sports last year… Read more Audio

8:30 AM.A brief update on the movements in the financial sector. Read more Audio

8:35 AM.Those trying to make a living from selling wild rabbits to restaurants and for pet food say they are being driven out of business by high compliance costs.

Shooters and processors spoken to by RNZ… Read more Audio

8:38 AM.The Motor Industry Association's chief executive believes Holden won't be leaving any customers high and dry.

General Motors says it will "retire" the Holden brand from sales, design and engineering… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.An analysis of the $50 million repair and upgrade of the earthquake-prone Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth reveals it has a high degree of risk.

A Risk Register discussed behind closed doors by… Read more Audio

8:48 AM.The Motor Industry Association's chief executive believes Holden won't be leaving any customers high and dry.

General Motors says it will "retire" the Holden brand from sales, design and engineering… Read more Audio

8:55 AM.Democrats have not yet had a chance to cast a vote for the former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg to run against Donald Trump in November's presidential election.

He won't appear on a state primary… Read more Audio