Midday Report

News from the business sector

The Defence Minister says the rate of attrition raised alarm bells with him when he took over the portfolio. The three services have lost nearly 30 percent of trained personnel, leaving several ships and aircraft unusable. The Defence Force is now having to fork out more than 60-million dollars to try and stop the exodus of people leaving the military for higher paying jobs with better working conditions.

Cancer support groups say people are losing precious time, while they wait for treatment they can no longer have at Dunedin Hospital because of crippling oncology shortages. Dunedin Hospital has in recent weeks had to stop key services for patients with brain tumours, because it doesn't have the doctors required to do the specialised work. The Brain Tumour Support Trust spokesperson Chris Tse spoke to Charlotte Cook on Midday Report.

After 12 years it is Māni Dunlop's last day with RNZ.

From her start as a newsroom intern in 2011, she went on to specialise in housing and social issues, with stints as a music reporter.

She later moved into the Maori news unit, which she became director of in 2019, before becoming the presenter for Midday Report in 2020.

Whatever the round - whatever the task - Mani has delivered with intelligence, energy, compassion and of course, THAT wonderful laugh. 

Her passion for te reo and generosity in sharing her knowledge has been invaluable here, and we are truly sad to say goodbye.

For the occassion we've dug up some of her best moments - including her first-ever report.

Activist Shaneel Lal took out the Young New Zealander of the Year award last night - the first time in its history to have a trans recipient. 

Lal, 22, was instrumental figure in the fight to have conversion therapy banned in Aotearoa and recently was a leading voice in the counter protests against a UK terf, transphobic actvist who recently came to try and speak at events in New Zealand.

Māori Astronomer and scholar Ahorangi Rangiānehu Mātāmua is this year's New Zealander of the Year. 

Professor Mātāmua has dedicated much of his life to the revitalisation and resurgence of Matariki. 

He wouldn't describe himself as a tohunga - but he is. A pioneering one at that. 

He has generously and relentlessly pushed matauranga Māori, korero tuku iho to the forefront of the minds of Aotearoa and as part of that mahi was the key driver behind our country's first indigenous public holiday.

News from the rural farming sector

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach is labelling criticism by some governments over the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes to international sport is "deplorable".

News from the business sector

A key route between Northland and Auckland is now open both ways, for the first time since Cyclone Gabrielle hit. 

Three Olympic swimming pools' worth of rubble has been cleared to make this happen on State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills.

But the repair job is far from over, with the road closing after the Easter break for another two weeks on April the 17th.

The Mayor of Whangārei, Vince Cocurullo spoke to Māni Dunlop.