RNZ: Morning Report

Brooke van Velden discusses FENZ leadership; Resident finally back home five months after Wellington floods; NZ Doctor's Orchestra concert taking place in New Plymouth; How is supermarket competition monitored in Australia?; How Auckland's CRL has performed in its first weekBrooke van Velden discusses FENZ leadership; Resident finally back home five months after Wellington floods; NZ Doctor's Orchestra concert taking place in New Plymouth; How is supermarket competition monitored in Australia?; How Auckland's CRL has performed in its first week.

We crossed the Tasman to talk to our correspondent Richard Willingham from ABC in Victoria.

A swimming sports event on the Kapiti Coast has given a few hundred local kids the chance to flex their skills in the pool while speaking entirely in te reo. Three schools from Otaki took part in Kauroa Ahurei in Paraparaumu on Thursday, learning about water safety in a space created specifically for te reo Maori. Maori news Journalist Pokere Paewai was there.

The New Zealand Doctor's Orchestra has been around since 2012, getting together once a year to perform a concert, with ticket sales being donated to hospice. This year's concert is in New Plymouth on Sunday afternoon and we're taking a look for this week's regional spotlight. Orchestra organiser, double bass player, and geriatrician Tim Wilkinson spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The latest market updates and news from RNZ's business team.

KiwiSaver members are generally told the earlier you start, the better. National and NZ First want to get babies going from birth with kickstart payments in their accounts. But there are concerns about a forgotten cohort. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Fully-self driving cars are legal in New Zealand, so long as they're supervised by a driver, who is still responsible for ensuring they obey the rules of the road. But with the vehicles linked to multiple fatal crashes overseas, and reports here of the technology making some strange driving decisions, are we ready? Matthew Theunissen took a ride with a Tesla owner, Mike Jones, to find out what it's like.

1 News Sports Editor Abby Wilson and All Black and Manu Samoa player, Lima Sopoaga join Morning Report for this week's sports panel.

Since July, Australia's competition regulator has had the power to examine the big supermarkets' books to see how much they are paying suppliers, and what they're charging customers. From there, it can assess whether a supermarket has excessive profit margins...if so, they could face a fine of up to A$10 million dollars. To explain how it's working in Australia, and what New Zealand can learn from it, Dr Meg Elkins spoke to Guyon Espiner. She's a cultural and behavioural economist, and an associate professor at Melbourne's R.M.I.T. University.

Auckland Transport's Director of Public Transport, Richard Harrison spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss about the CRLs first week of operation.

For years, firefighters and their union have been sounding the alarm about Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Now, a select committee report backs that up, finding that FENZ leadership misled select committee and has mismanaged the purchase of new fire trucks. National MP Tim Costley, deputy chair of the Governance and Administration Committee spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Aucklanders have been celebrating the opening of the City Rail Link this week, but work on a critical part of the rail system has barely started. It will cost about $3 billion and take 30 years to make level crossings safer across West Auckland alone. Residents in one community have been pleading for changes now. Erin Johnson reports.

An early morning sports news update.

The latest market updates and news from RNZ's business team.

It's do-or-die for the Warriors when they take on the Knights on Sunday, and they'll be playing in front of their biggest home crowd ever, at a sold out Eden Park. Former Kiwi Ferns captain and Sky Sport commentator Honey Hireme-Smiler spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Zealand's gross domestic product figures released yesterday show one industry is bucking the trend. Construction was up 2.7 percent in the last quarter and is the largest contributor to the overall increase in GDP. It's also the largest increase in construction activity since the June 2023 quarter. Chief Executive of New Zealand Certified Builders Malcolm Fleming spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Fire and Emergency's leadership team has been told to meet urgently, after the Minister overseeing the organisation said yesterday she had lost confidence in its chief executive. Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

An early morning update from RNZ's business team.

Eight months after the deadly landslide at Mount Maunganui it's still unclear when the mountain will re-open to the public. Mauao has been off limits since a deadly landslide claimed nine lives in January this year. Mayor Mahe Drysdale spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

King Charles has added his voice to a wave of warnings about AI, saying there are "existential dangers" with the technology. He made the comment while speaking at an AI summit in Scotland, where leaders from OpenAI, Anthropic, and chip-making company Nvidia were gathered. Correspondent John Bevir spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Competition is intensifying in the global beef market, meanwhile it's a busy and expensive time out on farm with spring finally here. Rural News on Morning Report with Gianina Schwanecke.

An early morning sports news update.

In order to double crowd capacity, the Warriors semi final match against the Knights has been moved from the Warriors spiritual home at Mount Smart, to the country's largest stadium, Eden Park. Jonty Dine reports.

Catch up with the latest headlines from around the world with RNZ's Alice Wilkins.

Five months on from floods that swept through Wellington, there are still residents who haven't been able to get back into their homes. Jennifer Andrewes had about 200 millimetres of water through her Island Bay home, but will finally be moving back in tomorrow. She spoke to Guyon Espiner.

On today's episode Labour's Ayesha Verrall on state of health system; Pak'nSave Tauranga owner responds to National's new policy; Fiji govt declares national HIV emergency; Treaty law changes put government agenda under pressure; Electric Avenue line up announced.

The festival sold out this year, with the 90,000 attendees spending almost $14 million, according to an economic impact report released in May. Electric Avenue's managing director, Callam Mitchell spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

For some, loud noises and bright lights can turn a shopping trip into a saga. But a recent win for a Dunedin autistic advocate means his local Kmart now has low sensory shopping hours every Wednesday. Instead of speeches and fanfare, yesterday's first quiet hours were marked with dimmer lights and reduced noise. Tess Brunton reports.

An online charter school that started the year with 200 students is on track to become one of the country's biggest schools next year. Education correspondent John Gerritsen spoke to Guyon Espiner.

An update on what's happening in the sports world with Nathan Rarere.

Business update for 17 September 2026.

People who have borrowed money have the right to request certain forms of help if they hit unexpected hardship. But money correspondent Susan Edmunds has been speaking to one woman who says it didn't work out as she expected - and there might be lessons for other borrowers in her experience.

Maori News Journalist Layla Bailey-McDowell looks into how the way te reo Maori is being taught and learnt has changed over the decades.

A convenience store trying to position itself as a competitor to New Zealand's two big supermarket groups is questioning the impact of political parties' pledges to take on the supermarket duopoly. Matthew Lane, general manager of Night 'n Day Foodstores spoke to Guyon Espiner.

One of New Zealand's largest healthcare software companies wants all political parties to prioritise investment in technology, saying it will ease pressures in the health system. Orion Health CEO Brad Porter spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

A bill to repeal references to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in laws has been introduced to Parliament this week. The clock is ticking as the house prepares to rise for the election campaign, putting pressure on the government to get its remaining legislative agenda across the line. Treaty law expert and professor at Te Wananga o Raukawa, Carwyn Jones spoke to Guyon Espiner.

National's proposed supermarket shake-up has blown open a fresh fight at Parliament, with its coalition partners pulling in opposite directions. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

An update on what's happening in the sports world with Nathan Rarere.

Business update for 17 September 2026.

Google Maps is sending travellers on an unnecessary nine-hour detour from Franz Josef to Wanaka, and it's causing pain for South Westland tourism operators. Franz Josef Wilderness Tours owner Dale Burrows spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

National's deputy leader Nicola Willis has promised more than 2000 new nurses will be on the job by the end of the year. Labour has been critical of the government's record on hiring nurses. Labour's health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

National wants to pursue the structural separation of Foodstuffs, which would see New World and Four Square as one nationwide chain, and PAK'nSAVE as another. Dean Waddell, owner of Pak'nSave Tauranga, and chairperson of Foodstuffs North Island spoke to Guyon Espiner.