Midday Report

News from the business sector The economy grew faster than expected coming out of winter, driven by demand for travel and construction. The US Federal delivered the expected interest rate rise up 50 basis points to 4.5 percent and signalled at least 75 basis points more with the US economy near stalling and unemployment.

To Fiji, where votes are being counted in the country's four-yearly elections.

A glitch in the Elections' Office app meant provisional results were temporarily taken down last night, and when the app was back up and running - the count was markedly different.

There are about 90 international observers in Fiji who were at 2500 polling booths yesterday, and in counting rooms today.

New Zealand has sent about 10 delegates, including the National Party MP Todd McClay who spoke with Māni Dunlop about what the observers were seeing.

The economy is growing more quickly than expected, with the latest gross domestic product figures from Stats NZ showing a two percent increase in the September quarter.

The annual growth rate is 6.4 percent.

The Finance Minister Grant Robertson says the economy is nearly 7.9 percent bigger than before the start of the pandemic, ahead of Australia, the US, Canada, Euro area, Japan and the UK.

ASB says it's a "stupendously strong" result.

Otago University economist Dr Murat Ungor spoke with Māni Dunlop.

Iwi leaders in Kaipara have confronted the mayor in a heated hui, accusing him of racism.

About 400 people gathered in Dargaville to protest against the Kaipara mayor this morning - followed by a meeting.

It comes two weeks after Craig Jepson repeatedly interrupted councillor Pera Paniora when she tried to open a hui with karakia.

He has since permitted karakia on a rotating basis just before meetings but not in them.

Ngāti Wai iwi chair Aperahama Edwards spoke to Māni Dunlop.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made a plea to Aotearoa to keep supporting his country, which was invaded by Russia nearly 10 months ago. 

This morning, President Zelensky became the second foreign leader to address the New Zealand parliament - after the then Australian prime minister Julia Gillard in 2011.

Māni Dunlop reports.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 14 December 2022. A dazzling performance from Lionel Messi led Argentina to their sixth Football World Cup final with a 3-nil victory over Croatia in Qatar.

News from the business sector

The first miscarriage of justice referral from the Criminal Cases Review Commission has been filed in the High Court - after a 15-year-old boy was wrongly sent to an adult prison. 

Only those aged 16-or-over could be imprisoned.

The former Somali refugee, who could not read or write in English, was sent to prison in 2001 for 11 months for offences including male assaults female, driving with excess breath alcohol, and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle.

The man who is now in his 30s is the first miscarriage of justice to have his case referred to the Court by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The Chief Commissioner Colin Carruthers KC spoke to Māni Dunlop on Midday Report.

Police, prisons and spy agencies missed chances to direct the LynnMall terror attacker away from violent extremism.

That is among the 'significant deficiencies' found in a weighty review out today into the handling of Ahamed Samsudeen, a refugee who was locked up awaiting trial for about four years before injuring eight people in a stabbing frenzy in a supermarket in September last year shortly after his release from prison.

He was then shot dead by the nearby surveillance team which followed him 24/7. 

RNZ reporter Phil Pennington spoke to Māni Dunlop.