Midday Report

As many as 10 people are dead after a fire broke out overnight at the Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington. Emergency services were alerted to the fire at the 92 bed-hostel in Newtown just after midnight. Wellington mayor Tory Whanau was at the scene early this morning.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday Sports News for 16 May 2023. Blues captain Dalton Papali'i will miss the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific regular season after being suspended for three weeks for a dangerous tackle.

News from the business sector

Max Towle speaks with Brendan Nally, deputy national commander at Fire and Emergency.

The death toll of a major fire in a Wellington hostel is still uncertain, as Police wait to access the building. Police say up to 10 people have died in the blaze that broke out at Loafers Lodge in Newtown just after midnight. More than 50 people were rescued, including at least five taken off the roof by ladder. Midday Report hears from residents of the hostel.

A report has found young people are facing increasing levels of distress, and declining mental health and wellbeing. Rangatahi told the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission they're worried about an uncertain future, whether financial, social or environmental. Climate change and the internet pose particularly unique challenges for this generation. Max Towle speaks with Karen Orsborn, the chief executive of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission / Te Hiringa Mahara.

People who panicked and switched their Kiwisaver accounts during the pandemic faced significant losses when the market rebounded. That's in a new report that found $1.2 billion was moved into conservative funds, but only $121 million was moved back into higher growth funds, meaning about a billion dollars missed out on the rebounding market. The Kiwisaver Value for Money Report also found New Zealanders are not contributing enough to their Kiwisaver accounts to prepare for retirement. Max Towle speaks with Sam Stubbs, the chief executive of Simplicity, a not-for-profit Kiwisaver plan and investment fund.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 15 May 2023 Canoe Sport New Zealand acknowledge they'll have to make some tough decisions ahead of next year's Olympics.