Morning Report for Thursday 22 June 2023

8:55 AM.Dip down into a valley south of Hamilton and you arrive at one of New Zealand's most unique environments - Waitomo.

Covid lockdowns gave scientists an unexpected opportunity to learn more about the… Read more Audio

8:53 AM.In the rural Hawkes Bay community of Puketapu, locals say the loss of a bridge ripped away by floodwaters during Cyclone Gabrielle has torn the community apart.

They say it's not only causing… Read more Audio

8:45 AM.There's bad blood brewing between Taylor Swift and her New Zealand fanbase.

The mega-star announced the next leg of her world tour yesterday, and despite five shows set for Australia, she's left… Read more Audio

8:42 AM.The race is on to save ski operations at Ruapehu, after the company running the Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields was liquidated earlier this week.

Whakapapa Holdings is the group bidding to run the… Read more Audio

8:35 AM.A former employee at a controversial chemical plant in New Plymouth has described working inside a reactor wearing little more than overalls and rubber gloves for protection.

Dow, an American… Read more Audio

8:28 AM.The Gore mayor and councillors have apologised to chief executive Stephen Parry.

It follows months of turmoil after the relationship between Mr Parry and Mayor Ben Bell broke down.

The council says… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.A report by the Education Review Office says students are now up to a year behind where they should be, as a result of the lasting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Achievement rates have fallen… Read more Audio

8:22 AM.A union leader says that planned staff layoffs at Victoria University of Wellington are causing shock, disbelief and upset on campus.

The Tertiary Education Union says Victoria, which has a 33… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.The Prime Minister, Chris Hipkins, says Michael Wood's shareholding in Chorus, Spark, and the National Australia Bank, does raises questions about conflict of interest.

Mr Wood was involved in… Read more Audio

7:55 AM.Two staff have been stood down over allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour toward young people at Oranga Tamariki facilities.

The police and government child protection agency have launched… Read more Audio

7:49 AM.Critical telecommunications equipment was unloaded off aircraft and replaced with other gear, on flights into regions cut off by Cyclone Gabrielle.

A new report into the emergency response says… Read more Audio

7:44 AM.Property sales appear to have turned a corner and may be increasing at last.

But what is happening in Auckland?

The managing director of Barfoot and Thompson in Auckland, Peter Thompson spoke to… Read more Audio

7:40 AM.Property sales appear to have turned a corner and may be increasing at last.

But does this ring true in the Capital?

Sales director at Tommy's Real Estate in Wellington, Tim Clark spoke to Ingrid… Read more Audio

7:35 AM.The property market may have turned a corner, with the first increase in the number of property sales in two years.

Figures released by property data firm CoreLogic today reveal a 7-point-5 percent… Read more Audio

7:23 AM.Secondary schools go back to normal scheduling today as their industrial dispute moves into a new phase.

Teachers had been taking rolling action by refusing to teach particular year groups on… Read more Audio

7:14 AM.A youth advocacy group says allegations of sexual misconduct in government care reinforce the need for a complete redesign of the system.

Two staff at separate Oranga Tamariki have been stood down… Read more Audio

7:10 AM.The Government is in damage control as it heads into an election with another Minister forced to quit Cabinet and National on the attack.

Yesterday it was revealed Michael Wood failed to declare… Read more Audio

6:48 AM.Tai Rāwhiti has had another battering of rain overnight, just four days on from the last storm.

Metservice is forecasting up to 140 millimetres of rain to fall in the region by six o'clock tonight… Read more Audio

6:47 AM.MPs have spoken of their fury and despair after revelations of yet another investigation into Oranga Tamariki - this time triggered by allegations of staff sexual misconduct involving five young… Read more Audio

6:43 AM.Mindboggling .. Disappointing and confusing ... are just some of the reactions from politicians to the resignation of Michael Wood from all his remaining cabinet portfolios.

Michael Wood had already… Read more Audio

6:14 AM.High schools will be returning to their regular schedules from today with the teachers' union calling off industrial action.

The PPTA agreed yesterday on the arbitration process for its pay dispute… Read more Audio

6:10 AM.There is now just under 20 hours of oxygen left in the missing Titan submersible.

Sonar technology has since yesterday detected knocking sounds every half hour in the search area near the wreckage of… Read more Audio