Midday Report

An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team.

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

As music festivals continue to be cancelled, GDP figures show a $9 million contraction on arts spending in the three months to March. Erin Harrington, arts and culture critic and trustee of the Christchurch WORD Festival spoke to Guyon Espiner.

The family of an 11-year-old autistic girl who was mistaken for an adult, restrained and injected with drugs at a Waikato Hospital says it's had a lasting and traumatic impact on her. Reports into by the Health Ministry and the Health and Disability Commissioner say the actions of the police had been a significant contributing factor in misidentifying the child. Waikato District Commander Superint...

Shane Jones defends spending nearly $65k - double the budgeted cost - on travelling to a mining convention in Canada - including having a limo on call and upgrading to business class flights. GDP numbers are out and show good growth before the Iran war broke out, where does it leave us now that it's over ANZ chief economist Sharon Zolner answered that one. The text of the peace deal between Americ...

Midday Sports News for 18 June 2026.

The text of the US-Iran peace memorandum of understanding has been released setting out how the sides deal with economic sanctions against Iran and any ambitions the country has at becoming a nuclear power. International relations expert at the University of Otago Robert Patman spoke to Guyon Espiner.

The latest news from Australia with correspondent Amanda Copp in Canberra.

News from the rural farming sector.

News from the business sector.

New Zealand GDP rose 0.8 percent in the three months to March, according to figures released by Stats NZ. Chief economist of ANZ Sharon Zollner spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Shane Jones is defending spending of $63,000 on a mining conference in Canada. Political reporter Lilian Hanly spoke to Guyon Espiner.

Welcome to Midday Report essentials with Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira, in for Guyon Espiner. In this episode: Labour's education spokesperson is rejecting reports Labour would scrap a twice-yearly test for primary school students if it got into government. We spoke to Ginny Andersen. A fresh report out of ACC shows injuries cost the country around $8.7 billion dollars a year, and we spoke to the chief e...

An update on the latest news and results from RNZ's sports team.

According to the latest report from the ACC, injuries in 2025 cost our economy $8.7 billion. ACC Chief Executive Megan Main spoke to Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira.

Australian journalist Peter Greste says media freedom is facing increasing pressure around the world. He warns that attacks on independent journalism threaten both democratic accountability and the public's access to reliable information. Greste spoke to Guyon Espiner.

The latest news from the United States with correspondent Aaron Pellish in Washington DC.

An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team.

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

Labour is rejecting claims that if the party got into government it would scrap a new assessment tool for primary school students. Labour's Education spokesperson Ginny Andersen spoke to Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira.

Erica Stanford issues scathing takedown of ministry; Kelly Eckhold discusses what US/Iran deal means for NZ economy; Ayesha Verrall discusses Labour's new maternity scan policy.

An update on the latest news and results from RNZ's sports team.

The latest news from the United States with correspondent Mitch McCann.

Women will get free maternity scans under a new policy announced by the Labour Party. Labour's health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall.

An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team.