Midday Report

Gisborne fishers are taking extra steps to protect Rock Lobster populations in a bid to protect the future of the fishery between Mahia, north to Gisborne and the East Cape - which was left battered by Cyclone Gabrielle last year.

Monique Steele has the rural news.

The stakes are high for the Phoenix when they play defending A-League men's champions Central Coast Mariners tomorrow night.

Joe Porter has sports.

New Zealand needs to make smarter decisions about how to meet current and future infrastructure needs, according to a report from ASB Bank.

Gyles Beckford has the business news.

Opponents say the government is completely out of line with plans to force councils to hold referenda on their Māori wards.

The coalition has announced that councils which brought in Māori wards, without polling residents, will either need to hold a binding referendum or scrap the wards they've set up.

Local Government New Zealand has labelled it as complete overreach by central Government.

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown declined to come on the programme but has said that local community members deserve to have a say in their governance arrangements.

Labour's local government spokesperson Kieran McAnulty spoke to Charlotte Cook.

The future of the Ministry of Health's Suicide Prevention Office is uncertain after the Mental Health Minister admitted plans for its closure were never discussed with him.

Disestablishing the Office is part of the Ministry's overall cost cutting proposal that could also see 134 jobs go.

The Ministry has told RNZ that suicide prevention remains a priority but the unit's leadership role is already vacant and it's looking at getting rid of two positions and moving another two into a wider team.

The Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey appears to have been blindsided by the move - he's now insisting the office is not a victim of the government's cost-cutting drive and has made it clear to the Director- General of Health that he expects it to stay open.

The Greens mental health spokesperson is Chlöe Swarbrick says this is a sign of chaos within the government.

Swarbrick spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Nelson is to be the first region in the country to test out the kerbside collection of soft plastics due to a trial by the Packaging Forum.

The mayor Nick Smith says the current recycling scheme relies on people dropping their soft plastic into recycling bins at The Warehouse or Countdown - which is not very convenient.

Smith spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Mass voluntary redundancies are on the cards as the Ministry for Social Development looks to cut costs as part of the Coalition Government's drive to save money.

Meanwhile the scale of potential job cuts at the Health Ministry is becoming clearer, with an all of staff meeting there to discuss the cuts due Thursday afternoon.

Reporter Jemima Huston spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A leading sheep farming is giving up selling through wool auctions.

Monique Steele has the rural news.

The White Ferns battle to save a one day cricket series against England.

Stephen Hewson has sports.

The local life insurance market is seeing its biggest deal in years with Australian financial services firm Suncorp selling its New Zealand business Asteron to global insurance group Resolution Life.

Anan Zaki has the business news.