Midday Report

The Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery says there is currently no additional money to announce for flood hit properties in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. Yesterday, it was announced the Government would contribute 300-thousand dollars to Mayoral Relief Funds to help communities in Hastings, Wairoa and Tairawhiti. Mark Mitchell spoke to Charlotte Cook.

On today's episode, bad weather has been battering Te Tai Rawhiti and Hawkes Bay leading to states of emergency being declared in the small community of Te Karaka near Gisborne, further south in Wairoa, and in the coastal settlement of Haumoana near Hastings. There's heartbreak in Gisborne after the bodies of three fisherman missing since Monday wash ashore at Mahia and Lauren Dickason who was found guility of murdering her three young daughters in Timaru in September 2021 is being sentenced in the High Court in Christchurch.

After a 14 year legal battle, Julian Assange is expetected to return to his homeland Australia a free man today. He's pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information, as part of a US plea bargain. His court hearing is taking place on the Northern Mariana Island of Saipan, a remote US territory. RNZ Pacific's Saipan correspondent, Mark Rabago has been following the WikiLeaks founder's movements on the Island. He spoke toWorldwatch's Charlie Dreaver while en route to the courthouse from the airport where Mr Assange landed. he said he saw only a brief glimpse of Mr Assange at the airport, who rushed past the media.

The long-awaited sentencing of convicted killer Lauren Dickason is now underway, almost a year after she was found guilty of murdering her three daughters at their Timaru home. RNZ reporter Timothy Brown has been in court, he joins us now.

There's heartbreak in the Gisborne community today after the bodies of three fishermen were found washed up at Mahia this morning. A search was launched for the men after they failed to return on Monday. Two of them were spotted alive in the water by a cargo ship yesterday but bad weather hampered rescue efforts. RNZ reporter Lauren Crimp has been at the Tatapouri Fishing Club, and speaks with Ben Strang.

News from the rural farming sector.

White Ferns captain Sophie Devine realises they need to show improvement on their tour of England.

Midday Business News for 26 June 2024

In Tairawhiti, State Highway 35 is closed again, isolating communities up the East Coast. Just to the north of Gisborne, more than 700 people were evacuated from Te Karaka overnight and a state of emergency declared as the Waipaoa River surged past danger levels. Ben Strang gets the latest from Gisborne mayor Rehette Stoltz.

In Hawke's Bay, a state of emergency remains in force in the coastal settlement of Haumoana, east of Hastings. Dozens of residents were evacuated in the early hours of the morning as heavy swells broke through sea walls, threatening homes. Hawkes Bay Civil Defence group controller Ian MacDonald speaks to Ben Strang.