Midday Report

In the final day of the coroner's hearing into the disappearance of John Beckenridge and his 11-year-old step son Mike, a friend of Mr Beckenridge has given evidence about a disturbing letter he received . Wayne Dawson, who lives in Australia, says the letter from Mr Beckenridge shortly before he disappeared suggested he was going to do something drastic. Charlotte Cook hears more from RNZ reporter Anna Sargent, who has been in court this morning.

News from the rural farming sector Beef and Lamb New Zealand estimates the damage from Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle and the Auckland Anniversary floods, will cost between 367 and 422 million dollars. a Hawkes Bay hill country farmer says Cyclone Gabrielle has made him rethink how he views and operates his farm. A share market analyst says farmers shouldn't be too concerned over Synlait's move to sell Dairyworks and Talbot Forest Cheese.

Midday sports News for 2 June 2023 Mystics captain Sulu Fitzpatrick has one last game of netball before she hangs up her bib and signs off on a professional career that began as a school girl.

News from the business sector The dairy company Synlait wants to sell-off its household dairy brands Dairyworks and Talbot Forest Cheese, as it looks to pay down its debt. The Swedish flatpack furniture giant Ikea is finally beginning construction on its first New Zealand store. Consumer NZ wants the Commerce Commission to crackdown on false and misleading environmental claims made by businesses.

Uncertainty still remains for many Wairoa residents after yesterday's announcement about flood damaged properties. No homes in Wairoa have been placed in category three those areas deemed "high-risk" and unsafe to rebuild in at all. But 684 homes are in category two where flood management work will need to be done before residents can return home. Craig Little is the mayor of Wairoa.

The small northland community of Kaikohe is in shock after a woman was killed overnight after struggling with an intruder in her home. The person was found inside a Taraire Street property in Kaikohe at about 11:30pm last night. A struggle ensued, leaving one of the occupants seriously injured - she died later at the scene. RNZ reporter Emma Stanford joins us from Kaikohe.

The St John ambulance service has just unveiled a new ambulance accessible to patients who are overweight or those with complex health needs The ambulance is designed to comfortably transport patients weighing upwards of 200 kilograms . This is the second bariatric ambulance for Auckland, and the sixth in New Zealand. I spoke with Debra Larsen, general manager of ambulance operations and health services at Hato Hone St John about the new ambulances

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown blocked various media outlets from attending this morning's budget annoucement where he critiscised some of his councilliors, calling them "not financially literate". In the meeting Mr Brown reiterated his intention to sell all of the council's shares in Auckland Airport, currently valued at 2.3 billion dollars in a bid to tackle the 375 million dollar deficit. But the already contentious topic certainly got spicier after some major media outlets who were banned got let in half way through his speech. Simon Wilson is a senior writer at the New Zealand Herald.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 1 June 2023