Morning Report

Cybersecurity expert on ZenTech data breach; Can you tell where your bacon or ham actually comes from?; Businesses gear up for opening of City Rail Link; Kiwi journalist who spent 9/11 inside police cordon; Helen Clark discusses being PM during 9/11 attacks

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

For 86 years, the RSA has been sending Christmas parcels to New Zealanders in the Defence Force serving away from home. This week, about 175 parcels are being packed at Trentham Military Camp to be sent to places like South Korea, South Sudan, Egypt, the Middle East - and even Antarctica. Anya Fielding reports.

Dozens of teams made up of hundreds of young women rugby players are in Taupo this weekend for the Global Games NZ Junior Girls Rugby Festival. It's this week's regional spotlight, event founder Tyrone Campbell spoke to John Campbell.

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

Record numbers of people are withdrawing money from KiwiSaver to buy a first home, but the bank of Mum and Dad is still helping. Mortgage advisers say that the way they are doing it is different than in the past. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to John Campbell.

Families across New Zealand are eager to adopt greyhounds after racing was made illegal last month. Agencies say the demand for adoptions is overwhelming, but they're desperate for foster homes to get the dogs used to life as a pet. Felix Walton reports.

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

This weekend marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. At the time, then-Prime Minister Helen Clark was on her way to Europe via Hong Kong. Her European trip was quickly cancelled and she returned to New Zealand. Clark spoke to John Campbell.

Auckland businesses are gearing up to reap the benefits of Auckland City Rail Link, which officially opens on Sunday. The $5.5 billion project has taken 10 years to build, and caused significant disruption for businesses along the route. Northern Line Bar and Social, on the corner of Beresford Square and Pitt St, has seen the lows and is now hoping to see the highs. Owner Craig Wright spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

An Edwardian mansion could be on its way to demolition in Christchurch, unless someone is willing to take it off a local developer's hands. The sweetener? You can have the house for free. The catch? You have to be able to move the four-bedroom, 320 metre-square structure. M Group Properties director of operations, Sean McCrory spoke to John Campbell.

An early morning sports news update.

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

Tomorrow marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks on the United States. New Zealand journalist Lauren Quaintance was reporting from within the police cordon that day. Lauren spoke to John Campbell.

A pensioner whose welfare payments were wrongly suspended says he has no confidence it won't happen again. The social development ministry has admitted it got it wrong after a review found more than 30,000 payments were incorrectly stopped. Political reporter Lauren Crimp reports.

The New Zealand pork industry says current labelling frequently makes imported pork look like a local product, with extremely small labelling hidden on the back. Harris Farms is among a small handful of New Zealand brands that only sells bacon and ham made from free-farmed, locally-grown pigs. Its sales and marketing manager Leon Powell spoke to John Campbell.

Police are continuing to investigate the suspected theft of digital files from a company running clinical trials. Hackers reportedly stole the data from Dunedin-based ZenTech and published some of the files online. The private company works with Health NZ, but the government agency says its systems are unaffected. ZenTech says it has brought in experts to assess the nature and scope of the attack. The company declined a request for an interview. Associate professor Ian Welch heads up Victoria University's cybersecurity programme and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

At least 20,000 tamariki have a parent in prison. According to Treasury analysis of Stats New Zealand data, without the right support, they're 10 times more likely to end up in the justice system themselves. In a New Zealand first, charity Pillars Ka Pou Whakahou will be piloting a new support role with three whanau navigators at the Manukau District Court. The five-year pilot will see these navigators work alongside families and children following the sentencing of a parent, with the hope that more roles like these will be rolled out across Aotearoa. The programme development, youth and research lead Corrina Thompson spoke to John Campbell.

The first-ever midterm Republican convention is continuing in Texas, with Vice President JD Vance expected to make a keynote speech today. It follows an extraordinary promise from US President Donald Trump yesterday - he has vowed to pay every American adult $5,000 if his party wins the November elections. Correspondent Jagruti Dave spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss from Washington.

A slink skin factory in Southland is causing a stink with the community meanwhile a conservation project is turning marginal farmland or difficult-to-farm areas into a game hunting paradise. Rural News on Morning Report with Gianina Schwanecke.

An early morning sports news update.

The City Rail Link is set to finally open this weekend, hailed as a game changer for transport in the city, and eagerly anticipated by local businesses who've faced a decade of disruption. But the story of the CRL goes back not just a decade, but over a century. Matthew Theunissen reports.

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

Self-driving taxis have hit the streets of London, and a New Zealander has made it happen. Alex Kendall co-founded Wayve in 2017 and as of last week 15 of its autonomous vehicles have been available to book on Uber in London. Kendall spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Everyone's got something at home that needs repairs, a shirt with a button loose, maybe a bike tyre that's blown. From now until September 27, Repair Festival Aotearoa is hosting more than 50 repair events and workshops across the motu. These are run by local volunteer fixers, craftspeople, and trade experts - and people can come on in and drop off their items that need a bit of mending. Repair Network Aotearoa founder and festival organiser Brigitte Sistig spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Preparations are underway at Wellington's TSB Arena for the capital's annual World of Wearable Art show. More than a hundred costumes will compete on the seventeenth of September amid live music and dance performances. Anya Fielding reports from backstage.

The shortlist for the country's most prestigious songwriting award, the APRA Silver Scroll, was revealed this morning. One of the nominees, Deva Mahal spoke to John Campbell.

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

Business update for 10 September 2026.

Interest rates are rising again. But if you're a borrower looking to take out a new loan or refix an existing one, how can you know what the right term is to choose? Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to John Campbell.

A new $600 million wind farm that can generate enough to power close to 100,000 homes has officially opened. The Kaiwera Downs Wind Farm near Gore was completed over two stages, bringing the total number of wind turbines to 46. Tess Brunton has more.

Auckland University researchers have found AI generated citations in academic papers are slipping through the cracks. A new study looked at more than 3000 peer reviewed recently published papers and found 69 had fake references hallucinated by AI. Auckland University senior computer science lecturer and one of the paper's authors Ulrich Speidel spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Fisher & Paykel Appliances is deploying more artificial intelligence to help speed up its software, and give customers other ways to ask for help - instead of just ringing tech support. But that change came at the cost of 44 job cuts back in June. Its CEO says the company remains committed to New Zealand, but moves like it are required if it is to remain competitive in a changing world. Daniel Witten-Hannah spoke to John Campbell for Morning Report's weekly chief executive slot.

Sports News for 10 September 2026.

Auckland leaders are calling for a national solution to fix what they say is systemic and significant underfunding of tourism infrastructure. Mayor Wayne Brown says more than 50 representatives from the tourism sector have signed a charter, a set of design principles for one of two funding mechanisms that will, according to the mayor, deliver about $220 million a year. Wayne Brown spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

More than four years after Rachel Molloy was found dying at the bottom of stairs in central Auckland, her mother Mandy has received a personal apology from Auckland police. Rachel's death was initially treated as an accident, despite her being a key witness in an upcoming sexual assault trial and a previous home invasion, prompting her mother to seek answers. Mandy Molloy spoke to John Campbell.

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

Business update for 10 September 2026.

The New Zealand pork industry is calling for clearer branding on products so shoppers know if they're buying bacon or ham from overseas. NZ Pork says some supermarkets' pork products have extremely small labelling hidden on the back saying where the pig was bred overseas, but it's marketed as being local. NZ Pork Chief Executive Brent Kleiss spoke to John Campbell.

A student has died after being hit by a train at a level crossing in Auckland. Police were called to Baldwin Ave station in Mount Albert about 3.30pm yesterday. Reporter Erin Johnson spoke to John Campbell.

Work is underway to act on recommendations made in an independent review into mental health and addiction telehealth services. The review commissioned by Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey found too many people are waiting too long or not getting through. Lifeline general manager of Social Services Grenville Hendricks spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Auckland Council is considering all legal avenues available to challenge fast-track consents for housing outside planned areas, and whether to reduce or withhold services from unanticipated developments. Richard Hills says the council could face a potential $5 billion bill from 50,000 to 60,000 new houses, while several councils are calling for a pause on fast-track residential consents. Chris Bishop spoke to John Campbell.

Sports News for 10 September 2026.

Doctors say a field test of an AI health coach is showing signs of higher engagement with high-need patients. A single AI assisted outreach by Tamaki Health saw about seven times as many people enrol in a programme for people living with diabetes, compared to the clinics' previous efforts. Tamaki Health's Wellness Support Team clinical director Dr David Codyre spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Workplaces are increasingly providing practical safety nets for women experiencing intimate partner violence. New research by Women's Refuge shows more women are disclosing that they are victims of family violence at work and receiving their employee entitlements. But it also shows there's more work to be done, with most people unaware of their workplace family violence policies. Amy Williams reports.

Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been affected by flight cancellations and delays in the UK. A technical problem at air traffic control yesterday caused the disruption at multiple airports. Operations are now stable, but airlines are still grappling with knock-on impacts that could last for days. correspondent John Bevir spoke to John Campbell from near Bristol Airport.

News from the rural farming sector.

Sports News for 10 September 2026.

Weekly Political Panel: Nicola Willis and Vanushi Walters; Fast-track housing could leave buyers without council services; Matt Doocey responds to report into mental health services; Hotel operator responds to visitor levy funding announcement; Keala Settle on bringing Sunset Boulevard to Wellington

Tony nominated Maori actress and singer Keala Settle is set to return to the stage, taking on the lead role of Norma Desmond in musical Sunset Boulevard as part of Te Whare Whakarauika Wellington Town Hall's reopening programme. It'll be the first professional performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit show in New Zealand - in recent years a West End revival that transferred to Broadway was the hottest ticket in town in both cities. Keala, who was born in the USA and is of Ngati Rangitane, Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Kahungunu heritage spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss from the UK where she's based.