Morning Report

Christopher Luxon discusses Opportunity Party, voter enrolment; ACT pledges extra $100m a year for GPs; Calls for stricter gambling ad rules as online casinos loom; Electoral Commission boss responds to enrolment concerns; Russell pub patrons treated to surprise Justin Bieber gig

We crossed the Tasman to speak to our Australia correspondent, Emma Cropper.

Jobseekers are having to find creative ways of standing out from the crowd as unemployment reaches a decade-high. One Wellingtonian took to walking the streets with a sign to attract employers' attention. Anya Fielding reports

A few lucky patrons at a Far North pub have been treated to an impromptu piano performance by one of the world's biggest pop stars. Justin Bieber was at the The Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell last week when he decided to slide in behind a piano and play a few songs. He played for close to an hour but many of the patrons didn't clock the superstar. Bridgit Haagh is one of the hotel's owners a...

Student-led protests turned into riots in France over the weekend, in demonstrations that saw half a million people hit the streets. Correspondent Ross Cullen spoke to John Campbell from Paris.

An early morning sports news update.

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

Health insurance has been in the news since celebrity chef Simon Gault complained about being turned down for a procedure by Southern Cross.

As the election campaign switches into high gear, RNZ has hit the road talking to voters in the South Island. Today is the start of a six-part series called "Backroads to the Beehive" visiting provincial towns to talk about the issues that matter most to their residents. South Island correspondent Tim Brown was behind the wheel for "Backroads to the Beehive" and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Labour and the Greens are expressing concern about enrolment numbers - as the deadline draws near. Unlike previous elections, eligible voters can no longer enrol and vote on the same day. Anyone who is not enrolled before 25 October will risk missing out on having their vote counted. Electoral Commission Chief Executive Karl Le Quesne spoke to John Campbell.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon spoke to Morning Report.

Talk of establishing intercity commuter trains on the South Island is increasing with two parties floating policy to make it happen. Both the Greens and New Zealand First have proposed reviving passenger rail services between Christchurch and Dunedin. Public transport advocacy group Save Our Trains Southern spokesman Dave Macpherson spoke to John Campbell.

An early morning sports news update.

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

Official documents show police investigators misused AI translation tools numerous times in seriously risky ways. One investigator used Google Translate to decipher 350,000 words of intercepted Chinese language audio. RNZ reporter Phil Pennington spoke to John Campbell.

Labour and the Greens are crying foul over government moves they say will cause voter suppression this election. Yesterday RNZ revealed the Prime Minister picked a "challenging" election date, despite the Electoral Commission favouring other options. Political parties were out and about again this weekend pitching their ideas to voters, as the enrolment deadline draws near. Political reporter Lill...

The problem gambling foundation is calling for stricter restrictions on gambling advertisements for the TAB, with New Zealand poised to move to licenced online casinos. Problem Gambling Foundation advocacy director Andree Froude spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The ACT Party wants to increase funding for GPs by an additional $100 million a year for the next four years, on top of planned increases, if it makes it back into Government. The party also wants to let pharmacies treat more everyday infections - something it says could take pressure off GPs. ACT's Tamaki candidate James Christmas spoke to John Campbell.

An early morning update from RNZ's business team.

Despite rule changes allowing GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD, some parts of the country remain short of affordable options. Health correspondent Kate Green reports.

It was a bumper weekend for entertainment in Auckland, but not without hiccups. A revamped Western Springs hosted 40,000 Olivia Dean fans, but the crowd endured a 40-minute interruption because of a faulty sound system, with the show running past its 11pm curfew. Some concert-goers also had trouble when it came to leaving, and finding public transport services. Macy Gray played at the Civic, while...

Student-led protests turned into riots in France over the weekend, in demonstrations that saw half a million people hit the streets. Correspondent Ross Cullen spoke to John Campbell from Paris.

The latest rural news with Gianina Schwanecke.

An early morning sports news update.

With less than a week until enrolment closes, youth advocates are ramping up efforts to get more young people on the electoral roll. A youth-led campaign called On a Roll is trying to change that. Maori News Journalist Layla Bailey-McDowell was at their mobilisation day in South Auckland.