Morning Report for Monday 12 February 2024

8:52 AM.It's been called the world's worst marine pest, and now it's here, spreading across the sea floor at Aotea Great Barrier, Waiheke, and the Bay of Islands.

Eradication may already be impossible but a… Read more Audio

8:48 AM.Taylormania has hit the southern hemisphere. The Swifties are out in the thousands.

The megastar's first show across the Tasman will be on Friday in Melbourne. But the fanfare is already here and… Read more Audio

8:40 AM.The new Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch is expected to bring $50 million per year to the Canterbury region.

Construction of the $683 million complex is full steam ahead after years of planning… Read more Audio

8:25 AM.This year's Kathmandu Coast to Coast multisport race has seen two Wānaka locals claim the championship title.

The gruelling event sees competitors traverse from one side of the South Island… Read more Audio

8:21 AM.The Labour Party is describing the AUKUS defence partnership as a China containment strategy, which could further militarise the Asia-Pacific.

New Zealand is considering joining pillar two of the… Read more Audio

8:17 AM.Three million dollars of the $63 million going to Cyclone Gabrielle recovery efforts have been ring-fenced to remove woody debris in Wairoa.

Mayor Craig Little welcomed the announcement but cautioned… Read more Audio

8:10 AM.An academic says a voluntary code of conduct for lobbyists might not achieve anything as it would have no consequences for breaches.

RNZ has obtained a Ministry of Justice document outlining a new… Read more Audio

7:48 AM.A three-metre cavity under Tauranga's State Highway 29A is causing major disruption for commuters on Monday morning.

Emergency repair works are underway between Barkes Corner and the Oropi Road… Read more Audio

7:44 AM.Dunedin swimmer Erika Fairweather has won her first ever World Championships gold medal.

The 20-year-old won the 400-metre freestyle final in Doha, finishing in just under four minutes.

Fairweather… Read more Audio

7:40 AM.Keeping the Pacific nuclear-free, in line with the Rarotonga treaty, was a recurring theme from the leaders of Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa to New Zealand's Pacific Mission.

Foreign Affairs Minister… Read more Audio

7:36 AM.New Zealand pole vaulter Eliza McCartney has flung herself to victory at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meet in Liévin, France.

The 27-year-old Rio Olympic bronze medallist cleared a… Read more Audio

7:33 AM.Universities are watching enrolments closely as the sector tries to recover from its worst year on record.

The sector last year made its first collective financial loss after a drop in domestic… Read more Audio

7:26 AM.Football fans and Taylor Swift fanatics alike will be glued to their TVs on Monday.

The Super Bowl is set to kick off in Las Vegas. The San Francisco 49ers will take on reigning champions the Kansas… Read more Audio

7:23 AM.New Zealand has joined a chorus of countries criticising a planned Israeli ground offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

The city is shelter to more than half of the Gazan population, after… Read more Audio

7:15 AM.Victim advocates say family violence could increase or go unreported if the police go ahead with plans to pull back from family harm callouts. In a briefing to incoming Police Minister, Mark Mitchell… Read more Audio

7:09 AM.Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee is overturning the blanket ban on lobbyists having swipe card access to Parliament.

Swipe card access to Parliament for lobbyists was removed by the previous… Read more Audio

6:45 AM.The government is dedicating $63 million to removing silt and debris from Cyclone Gabrielle-affected regions.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell made the… Read more Audio

6:18 AM.Forest and Bird is urging the Government to take the lead on protecting communities from future flooding.

More than 1400 new housing consents have been granted on Auckland's flood plains since the… Read more Audio

6:12 AM.Netsafe has launched a new tool-kit to help elderly New Zealanders stay safe on the web.

The Get Set Up for Safety programme is a joint project with Chorus providing free guides, videos, and… Read more Audio