Midday Report

The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against two construction companies and two directors for alleged bid rigging of publicly funded construction contracts in Auckland.

It's the country's first-ever criminal prosecution for cartel conduct and has been filed in the Auckland District Court.

The Commerce Commission's Dr John Small told Charlotte the offence carries very hefty pentalties.

The Minister of Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith says vandalism is never the right thing to do as part of protest action.

Twelve people from the group, Te Waka Hourua, were arrested at Te Papa yesterday after using spray paint and an angle grinder to damage a wooden panel displaying the English version of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Charlotte Cook spoke to the Minister for Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith.

Unions have targetted the office of the ACT Party leader David Seymour and the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke Van Velden in Auckland as they fight against government plans to repeal Fair Pay Agreements. Protestors with flags and signs rallied outside the office in Epsom. Emma Stanford has been there and spoke to Charlotte Cook.

News from the rural farming sector.

Golfer Lydia Ko has finished the year on a winning note, with victory in an invitaional mixed teams event in Florida.

Midday Business News for 11 December 2023

The number of young people who regularly vape has fallen for the second year in the row. A survey of nearly 30-thousand students by smokefree action group ASH shows the proportion of year 10 pupils vaping either daily, weekly or monthly had dropped by nearly two percent to 16.4 percent. The Chair of ASH - Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A immunisation expert is worried if the government stops funding the Covid-19 vaccine people will no longer think of it as important. The Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says it's possible some people will have to pay in the future after current Pharmac funding ends in June next year - while the Health Minister Shane Reti has said funding remains under consideration. Vaccinologist and Auckland University Associate Professor Helen Petousis-Harris told me we are still very much in the grip of the pandemic.

After almost six months away, and just in time for Christmas, two Navy ships arrived back home on Friday - as hundreds of eager whanau members waited on the docks to greet them.

Crews from both HMNZS Te Mana and Aotearoa sailed into the Devonport Naval Base about an hour ago to a ceremonial homecoming of gun salutes from ships and shore.

HMNZS Te Mana Commanding Officer J J McQueen spoke to Charlotte Cook.

After two days of deliberations a jury has found both David Hawken and Rebecca Wright-Meldrum guilty of the murder of 21-year-old Christchurch woman Angela Blackmoore in 1995.

The pair have been standing trial at the High Court in Christchurch after pleading not guilty to the killing.

A third person, Jeremy Powell, admitted the murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 10 years, in 2020.

Reporter Anna Sargent spoke to Charlotte Cook from the High Court.