Midday Report

The final preparations are taking place for the 150th birthday of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana which is marked on Wednesday.

Morehu, or followers of the faith, are already arriving and politicians have also been invited back.

It's the first time they've all been able to gather since 2020 - before the Covid-19 pandemic.

RNZ Māori news director Jamie Tahana spoke to Charlotte Cook.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 23 January 2023 Coach Dame Noeline Taurua says a couple of individual performances were a highlight of this morning's narrow defeat to the Diamonds in Cape Town.

News from the business sector

Labour's leader Chris Hipkins is yet to be sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Aotearoa New Zealand but he's already completed his first round of media duties.

He is no stranger to intense scrutiny after his almost daily news conferences as the Covid-19 response minister - but this was his first time speaking to mainstream broadcasters about his plans for the party.

Massey University's professor of politics Richard Shaw has been following the coverage and spoke to Charlotte Cook.

It's been a horrific weekend on the water - six people drowned.

Surf Lifesavers had to rescue more than 50 people from the water in the Northern Region - including 16 people at the same time in Raglan.

Two separate accidents also involved spinal injuries after swimmers were dumped into the sand by large waves.

Surf Life Saving Northern Region chief executive Matt Williams told Charlotte Cook six drownings in 48 hours was six too many.

The top stories and other headlines at midday.

Since 2020 Labour has slumped in the polls. Pollster Stephen Mills joins us now to discuss how a leadership change could affect voters' thinking.

Stephen works for Talbot Mills Research, which polls for the Labour Party.

He spoke to Charlotte Cook.

The former chair of the Waikato Farmers Trust Lloyd Downing says Jacinda Ardern's resignation is good news for his farm in Morrinsville, Ms Ardern's hometown - but his criticism's not personal.

He spoke to Charlotte Cook

From Jacinda -mania to Vaxinda - Jacinda Ardern has been no stranger to online attention during her term.

Over the past 5 years she's gone from being an international icon of kindness and leadership - to someone targeted by social media abuse.

And it just keeps intensifying - signs saying "Ding dong the witch is gone" were erected within hours of her resignation - a cause for celebration for some.

Another politician who knows just how hard those words can hit is former Green Party MP Sue Bradford.

She spoke to Charlotte Cook