Midday Report

The Local Government Minister is pushing to find common ground with new Auckland mayor Wayne Brown over the controversial three waters policy.

Nanaia Mahuta has been at the Water NZ Conference in Otautahi this this morning.

New Auckland Mayor, Wayne Brown has asked the city's water management company and council boss to stop work on the controversial reform proposals.

News from the rural farming sector

News from the business sector

Midday sports News for 18 October 2022

A public health expert says the damning report into Middlemore Hospital's Emergency department is a failure of primary care in South Auckland.

The independent review of Middlemore was carried out after the death of a woman who left the hospital's overcrowded emergency department without being seen and later died of a brain haemorrage.

The department has been described as "dysfunctional, overcrowded and unsafe".

Sir Collin Tukuitonga said it was surprising there had not been more deaths, but credits the staff who have worked under immense pressure.

He spoke with Māni Dunlop

In what is being described as a big surprise, the annual inflation rate has barely changed from a 32 year high.

Consumer prices rose 2.2 percent in the three months ended September, driven by higher food and housing costs, taking annual inflation to 7.2 percent. I

t was widely speculated the number would drop below 7 percent, but instead, the figure moved down by just 0.1 percent.

Stats NZ says that despite a fall in global fuel prices, rises in the price of housing construction, airfares and veggies had largely offset the relief.

It's Senior Manager for Pricing, Accommodation and Construction, Nicola Growden spoke with Māni Dunlop

Midday news for 18 October 2022

Illegal tree planting has caused permanent damage to a sacred historic pa settlement on Ōwairaka Mount Albert in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Auckland Council's Tupuna Maunga Authority says 27 trees have been planted in the settlement without authorisation.

The maunga is of huge significance to Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau - and has been a source of some controversy, with protesters against the felling of non-native trees starting in 2020.

The argument later ended up in the Court of Appeal.

Kaiwhakahaere, Nicholas Turoa spoke to Māni Dunlop.

The rape trial of a 25-year-old man in Wellington has entered its second week. The man, who has name suppression, is charged with several sexual offences against six women.

China's continuing zero-Covid policy is still tough for New Zealand exporters.

Sally Murphy has the rural news.