Midday Report

Firefighters warn it could take two to three days to contain a fire burning in a pine forest in the Tasman district.

The blaze spread quickly up the Lee Valley Wednesday afternoon and covers about five hectares.

RNZ reporter Samantha Gee spoke to Ben Strang.

Despite exporting more beef and sheep-meat last year than in 2022, the value was down 11 percent to just over $10 billion.

Monique Steele has the rural news.

Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell will miss the second test against South Africa as he continues to recover from a troublesome heel injury.

Daniel Gilhooly has sports.

A new whistle-blower tool has been launched to help lift the lid on anti-competitive behaviour within the grocery sector. 

Gyles Beckford has the business news.

Retailers hope a facial recognition trial being launched by Foodstuffs is a success, and can eventually be rolled out across the country.

New facial recognition software is being trialled in 25 New World and PAK'nSAVE supermarkets across the North Island from Thursday in a bid to fight rising levels of retail crime.

Retail NZ Chief Executive Carolyn Young says it can improve the safety and wellbeing of staff and customers alike.

Young spoke to Ben Strang.

The future of this year's ski season at Whakapapa skifield on Mt Ruapehu is more uncertain than ever with the Crown's preferred bidder for the field withdrawing from negotiations.

Whakapapa is operated by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts which is in receivership.

Tom Elworthy from the private equity group bidding for the field's assets has confirmed that, due to a number of factors, a commercial business case is not possible.

That now puts an even bigger question mark over whether Whakapapa will open this winter.

Ruapehu District mayor Wes Kirton spoke to Ben Strang.

This week marks the one year anniversary of the catastrophic Turkey and Syria earthquake and aid agencies warn its impacts are being felt more than ever.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake in southeast Turkey near the Syrian border and the thousands of aftershocks afterwards killed more than 50,000 people.

Programs Director of World Vision Syria Response, Clynton Beukes spoke to Worldwatch about the deteriorating conditions in the country 12 months on.

Jade, one of about 12,000 New Zealand sealions listed as nationally vulnerable, travelled 60 kilometres from the coast up the fast flowing Clutha River to give birth.

DOC rangers have been to check on Jade and her pup after her incredible journey.

Coastal Otago biodiversity ranger Jim Fyfe spoke to Ben Strang.

Public Health experts are calling for a comprehensive, all-encompassing review of the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle, almost a year on from New Zealand's costliest storm on record.

The estimated cost was $14.5 billion, with 11 people dying, more than 10,000 displaced, and causing a range of acute and long-term health effects.

Professor Nick Wilson from Otago University says New Zealand lacks resilient infrastructure, including for health critical water supplies and sewage systems.

Wilson spoke to Ben Strang.

A large fire in Waipara on Tuesday got close to vineyards, but there haven't been any reports of vines being lost.

Monique Steele has the rural news.