Morning Report for Monday 25 May 2020

8:55 AM.Some of the country's major summer music festivals are nearly sold out, despite organisers being unable to lock in their lineups while the borders remain shut.

They're exploring homegrown and… Read more Audio

8:52 AM.Schools are caring for thousands of foreign teenagers who came to New Zealand to study and now cannot leave.

Principals say some international students want to go home, but could not get seats on… Read more Audio

8:49 AM.RNZ employee Chris Reid was at Waikanae station when the quake struck.

But now all the trains have been stopped.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson. Read more Audio

8:45 AM.Horowhenua District Council's mayor Bernie Wanden says the region received a really good shake this morning.

The 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck just before 8am centred 30 kilometres northwest of… Read more Audio

8:35 AM.There are calls for the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to sack his top advisor, Dominic Cummings, for travelling cross-country while sick with the coronavirus.

It follows accusations, which he denies… Read more Audio

8:34 AM.A magnitude 5.8 earthquake was felt across the lower North Island on Monday morning.

Davey Hughes from Swazi Clothing in Levin told our reporter Katie Doyle it's been the biggest quake he's ever felt… Read more Audio

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

8:28 AM.First-term MP Chlöe Swarbrick has been propelled up the Green Party's list to sit just behind the two co-leaders and ahead of the ministers.

The party's candidate ranking - published this morning -… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.With only two new cases of Covid-19 over the past seven days is it time to lighten Alert Level 2 restrictions?

Today Cabinet is expected to consider increasing the size of gatherings from the current… Read more Audio

8:21 AM.A large magnitude 5.8 earthquake rattled the lower North Island just before 8am on Monday.

While it was widely felt, it is too small to cause a Tsnami risk.

GNS duty seismologist, John Ristau speaks… Read more Audio

8:13 AM.The New National Party leader Todd Muller is wasting no time putting his stamp on the party's front bench with a caucus reshuffle that would be revealed as early as today. Muller took over the… Read more Audio

8:09 AM.A significant earthquake has been felt across the lower North Island on Monday morning.

The magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit just before 8am and was centred 25km north of Levin at a depth of 46km.

RNZ… Read more Audio

7:59 AM.From August, anyone will be able to build a shed, carport or sleep-out without forking out for or waiting on resource consent. The work must still be up to code.

The government says the move will… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.Hawkes Bay has only had a quarter of its expected rain fell in the region over the past six months.

Jim Galloway is Hawkes Bay Provincial President of Fed Farmers Read more Audio

7:51 AM.There has been heavy or steady rain in many parts of the country, ending months of drought.

That includes Northland, that was the first of the drought sufferers, Waikato and above all in dehydrated… Read more Audio

7:45 AM.Just a single case of Covid-19 was confirmed in the past week, and 97 percent of all those infected have now recovered. Cabinet is meeting today, and will discuss whether the rules around gatherings… Read more Audio

7:37 AM.The government is attempting to jump-start economic activity in the regions by bringing forward more than $600 million in spending from its Provincial Growth Fund.

Millions have been promised for… Read more Audio

7:29 AM.Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong have been met with tear gas and water cannons by police, as a new wave of protests has erupted in the semi-autonomous territory.

The protesters took to the… Read more Audio

7:22 AM.Cabinet will meet today to decide whether a further loosening of restrictions is in order, following a week that saw a single new case of the virus confirmed.

So should we expect a change to the 10… Read more Audio

7:16 AM.There's been a dramatic spike in the number of Wellington children in hospital with the dangerous disease rheumatic fever.

A public health alert has been issued, with Covid-19 testing centres ordered… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.New National Party leader Todd Muller is wasting no time putting his stamp on the party's front bench with a caucus reshuffle expected to be unveiled today.

It's understood Muller spent last night… Read more Audio

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

6:46 AM.It's celebration time for Muslims around the country, as people observe Eid-Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. The Covid-19 restrictions meant yesterday's celebrations had to… Read more Audio

6:40 AM.Tensions are building among workers as businesses decide which staff to lay off - New Zealanders or immigrants.

Unions say overseas workers are easier to make redundant - but one large hotel is… Read more Audio

6:37 AM.There's been a big increase in the number of Wellington children in hospital with acute rheumatic fever.

The region's public health service has issued an alert, telling doctors, emergency department… Read more Audio

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

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

6:16 AM.The Minister of Justice says returning lawyers to the early stages of family disputes should help parents settle differences out of court.

The government has passed legislation under urgency allowing… Read more Audio

6:14 AM.There's been a spike in calls to the National Poisons Centre about small children and hand sanitiser.

It says the calls don't mean any children came to harm, and over the past three years it has only… Read more Audio