Midday Report

On today's episode kids from six months to the age of five will get free flu vaccines from today. David Seymouir responds to pharmacs decision to roll out the policy a year early. Can a new elite domestic netball competition, backed by richlister power couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams stem the exodus of top players overseas? National and Labour have put fuel tax rises on ice: but at what cost? We look at the implications with Infrastructure boss Nick Leggatt.

Welcome to Midday Report essentials with Guyon Espiner. 18 and 19-year-olds whose parents earn more $67,000 lose access to the dole under a new law change. A top economist - Shamubeel Eaquab, says the costs outweigh the benefits and any savings will be a transfer from the poor to the crown.Later in the hour: we quizz Labour on its new promise to ensure seniors leaving retirement homes get their money back within three months

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

The Labour party says it will introduce legislation which will force retirement villages to payout to seniors vacating their dwellings within three months. Guyon Espiner talks with Labour's seniors spokesperson Ingrid Leary.

Latest on Wattle Downs suspected double homicide: A man is in police custody after a man and woman were killed in the South Auckland suburb of Wattle Downs yesterday. RNZ National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood has the latest details. Desperate race to find survivors in Northern Nepal continues: Rescuers are racing to find survivors in the flash-flood devastated areas of Northern Nepal as Save the Children delivers emergency aid to families. Many places are still only accessible by helicopter. Former Save the Children country director of Nepal Heather Campbell spoke to Guyon Espiner. Trump renames Lake Ontario amid trade tensions with Canada: As the trade war between the United States and Canada heats up, the US president has set his sights on one of North America's Great Lakes. Donald Trump signed an executive order today changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America". David Moscrop is a Canadian writer who's penning a book about Canadian nationalism in the time of Trump. He spoke to Guyon Espiner.

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

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

Dr Tom Robinson is with the school of earth and environment at the University of Canterbury. He studies and models landslides and his work takes him to the Himalaya and Nepal. Dr Tom Robinson talks to Guyon Espiner.

At least 160 are confirmed dead in a landslide caused a flood through a valley between Tibet and Nepal.

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

Tributes flow for Dolly Parton who died today at the age of 80. She was a huge influence on artists both internationally and from Aotearoa, Guyon Espiner talks with local country star Suzanne Prentice.

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

Welcome to Midday Report essentials with Guyon Espiner. Today, we heard from our reporter Luxy Xia who was in court this morning as the leader of a fringe religious group was sentenced to more than 10 years for the manslaughter and kidnapping of his 70-year-old follower: found wrapped in black rubbish bags in Auckland's Gulf Harbour in 2024. We looked at the 3 options for time-of-use charging for Auckland motorists that are under consideration, with councillor Shane Henderson. Finally, we spoke to a legal expert who studies online abuse, as National's proposes a social media ban for under-16s.

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

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

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

The National Party is to run on a platform of No New Taxes - ruling out a plan for a bed tax articulated only weeks ago. Guyon spoke with Auckland Councillor Richard Hills.

The latest news from the United States with Nine News reporter Lauren Tomasi in Washington DC.

Winston Peters says his own government's wasting money on another study into a second Auckland Harbour crossing. We got the Prime Minister's reaction during the caucus run. Following the collapse of the ceasefire in the US-Iran war ... and Trumps threat to bomb the Oman ... we spoke to a former US official who was an Iran expert on America's National Security Council And with the US caught in a Middle East quagmire, where does that leave China and North Korea's ambitions in the Asia Pacific: we speak to Asia expert Charlotte Glennie about this and her new book Every Second Counts Tune in wherever you get your podcasts - or live at Midday, every weekday on RNZ National.

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

With America caught in a Middle East quagmire yet again - what are the implications for the ambitions of China and North Korea in the Asia Pacific? Guyon Espiner speaks with Charlotte Glennie - one of only a handful of New Zealand journalists ever to report from inside North Korea. They also discuss her new book Every Second Counts which covers her two decades covering Asia as a foreign correspondent.

The latest news from the United States with Nine News reporter Lauren Tomasi in Washington DC.

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

The money-man behind Opportunity knows the party's policies will cost him. "I would be paying more tax", Alan Wilderland says. RNZ In Depth reporter Farah Hancock joins Guyon Espiner with the details.

Nate Swanson, a former Director for Iran on America's National Security Council gives his take on Trump's threat to bomb Oman, and the US's options for resolving the conflict with Iran

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has responded to Winston Peters' criticism of a Cabinet decision over a second harbour crossing in Auckland.

Chloe Swarnrick on the Green Party's plan to stop supermarket price gouging. Te Pati Maori co leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer on their pitch for the candidate vote than party votes. Fashion Week starts today we look at challenges and the innovations in the industry in New Zealand, with Fashion Week creative director Dan Ahwa.

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

Creative director Dan Ahwa on the challenges and innovations within the industry as the 25th NZ Fashion week arrives

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

Midday rural news for 17 August 2026.

Midday business news for 17 August 2026.

Te Pati Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer talks to Guyon Espiner about the party's election campaign.

Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick on supermarkets policy.

On today's episode Police Minister Mark Mitchell joined me with his reaction to the fatal police shooting at Auckland's Sylvia Park shopping mall. Can Prime Minister Chris Luxon turn the page after surviving another challenge to his leadership? I heard from RNZ's political reporter Giles Dexter. And we speak to former Labour Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan about her struggles with balancing personal issues and the political spotlight.

Midday Sports News for 14 August 2026.

In Kiri Allan's new book, the former Labour Cabinet Minister talks about the public service being bloated, slow and overpaid. She talks to Guyon Espiner.

Paddy Gower wraps the week in politics, following the failed coup attempt in the National caucus.

News from the rural farming sector.

News from the business sector.

RNZ Political Reporter Giles Dexter.

Former Labour government minister Kiri Allan talks to Guyon Espiner about her book ‘Go Hard or Go Home’.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell talks to Guyon Espiner about the Sylvia Park shooting, and his reaction to the police apology to Labour Candidate Rakesh Naidoo.

Kia ora koutou katoa, welcome to Midday Report essentials with Guyon Espiner. Today - National mops up the mess from yesterday's aborted leadership coup. It comes as a new poll shows National and Labour both stuck around 30 percent support but the Opportunity party bolting up to eight percent. We talk to leader Qiulae Wong's reading on the turbulent political environment. Later, a new SIS report says foreign interference is targeting New Zealand political figures. Professor Al Gillespie breaks it down for us. Thanks for listening to today's episode, tune in wherever you get your podcasts - or live at Midday, every weekday on RNZ National.

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

The SIS is warning that geopolitical upheaval has intensified threats to New Zealand's safety and security. Waikato University's Professor Al Gillespie says the report contains a unique warning for our politicians in the run-up to the election.

The latest news from the United States with Nine News reporter Lauren Tomasi in Washington DC

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

The latest news from RNZ's business team.

Out of more than 500 ads National has run on Facebook and Instagram this year, 92 were seen exclusively by men and only one solely by women. RNZ In Depth reporter Farah Hancock joins Guyon Espiner with the details.