Midday Report

A recent shooting in Gisborne that injured three people - including a 12 year old - has shaken the community.

Community leader Tuta Ngarimu is rallying for people to come together in a Hui and find solutions to the escalating crime.

Māni Dunlop spoke to him about the rally.

The US President Joe Biden has initiated a dramatic change to his country's policy on marijuana, pardoning all federal offences for possession.

He said no-one should be in jail solely due to the possession of marijuana.

It has reignited the debate here back home - in Aotearoa figures continue to fall for cannabis related offences - more than halving since 2010.

Green Party spokesperon for drug law reform is Chloe Swarbrick spoke to Māni Dunlop.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 7 October 2022

News from the business sector

Despite a threat of potential power outages, the national grid operator says the power system worked as expected, but analysts argue the whole market is not fit for purpose.

A fault with equipment on the cable system that takes power from the South to North Island lead to an emergency situation where Transpower was forced to ask consumers to reduce power use amid increased pressure from cold weather.

Power systems consultant Bryan Leyland owns a small hydro power station - and he said the current system works in an ideal world but it was not that simple.

He spoke to Māni Dunlop.

The government says child poverty is declining in spite of Covid - but kids in single parent households are still struggling.

The annual Child Poverty Report shows hardship rates are declining and credits the success to rising employment and wages, and increases to income support for families.

The government acknowledges there's still more to do with one in ten children aged 17 and under are growing up in material hardship.

In single-parent households, it's nearly one in three.

Crucially the report doesn't include the ongoing impacts of Covid, and the cost of living crisis.

Professor Mike O'Brien from Child Poverty Action Group spoke to Māni Dunlop.

To local government elections, and you've got until Saturday to pop your vote in one of the many ballot boxes which can be found at some supermarkets, libraries, and council buildings.

You can still enrol until midnight tomorrow.

Midday Report, te pūrongo o te Poutūtanga, has been touching base with several regions across the motu this week, and today we're heading to Manawatu.

RNZ Manawatu reporter Jimmy Ellingham spoke to Māni Dunlop.

India's Foreign Minister, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has been welcomed to New Zealand with a powhiri in Auckland this morning, and is meeting with his counterpart, Nanaia Mahuta.

It is the first time in 20 years that a Foreign Minister of India has visited Aotearoa, and comes as the countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations.

Māni Dunlop spoke with Sandeep Singh, senior journalist for the Indian Weekender.

Many farmers have escaped the worst of the snow.

Rurals reporter Kim Moodie has te pūrongo taiwhenua.