Midday Report

The West Coast Te Wai Poutini is in a state of emergency and a red rain warning is still in place.

Residents and contractors are hustling to protect their properties as rivers keep rising.

RNZ reporter Niva Chittock spoke to Māni Dunlop from Westport

Creeks and rivers are at risk of bursting their banks in Golden Bay as heavy rain continues to fall.

Paddocks are underwater, and some roads are closed.

Severe weather warnings are still in place.

Roads are affected throughout Marlborough, Nelson, Tasman and the West Coast.

The Nelson-Tasman civil defence emergency management group controller Alec Louverdi spoke to Māni Dunlop.

Midday News for 17 August 2022

The prime minister of Vanuatu Bob Loughman has seemingly held off a challenge to his leadership today.

A group of 27 MPs led by Opposition leader Ralph Regenvanu had signed a motion of no confidence in Mr Loughman.

He believed more supported his boycott of the Loughman government.

But after MPs met this morning - the two-thirds of parliament needed to oust Mr Loughman didn't materialise.

 RNZ Pacific's Koroi Hawkins joined Worldwatch's Max Towle in the studio to break down what's happening in the Pacific nation.

A Maori Boarding School is grateful for an extra investment of almost 3 million dollars but says it is long overdue. The Minister for Maori Development announced the final allocation of the 20 million dollar investment into the schools from last year's Budget. That is compared to 855 million dollars of capital expenditure for schools in this years budget. St Joseph's Maori Girls College, Hato Paora, Te Aute College and Hukarere Girls College will use the money to fix critical infrastructure issues Mani Dunlop to Dr Nathan Matthews, Tumuaki or Principal of Hato Paora, about where the money will go.

A new National Māori Sport Authority has been created with Sport NZ committing more than one million dollars to the new entity.

Sport NZ and Te Huinga Tākaro Aotearoa formalised their partnership this morning the first of its kind.

Te Huinga Tākaro brings together Māori National Sport Organisations to increase their capacity and capability to advance Māori wellbeing through sport.

Māni Dunlop asked Sport NZ chief executive Raelene Castle about the new body and why it had taken so long to form a genuine partnership with Māori.

News from the rural farming sector: The Ministry for Primary Industries has quashed reports China is set to ban imports of New Zealand meat. The golden glow is falling off kiwifruit returns this year. Fruit is being thrown out in export markets because the quality is too poor. With calving underway, dairy farmers are being urged to plan ahead to combat feed shortages.

Midday sports News for 16 August 2022 New Zealand may not get to play in the under-17 women's football World Cup later this year after FIFA suspended hosts India. Black Caps batter Glenn Phillips says the different conditions and experiences they've had on their tour of Europe and the Caribbean is only going to help them at the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year. A tennis fan with a Ukraine flag draped around her shoulders was asked to leave the Cincinnati Open - but organisers say the size of the flag was the reason they asked for it to be removed.

News from the business sector The electricity company Mercury Energy has posted a bumper profit boosted by a $367 million net gain on the sale of Tilt Renewables, as well as investment in new wind generation. Rural services company PGG Wrightson has an upbeat view of its business and the broad farming sector after it posted an improved full year profit. The Reserve Bank may have to get into a fight with financial markets as it tries to bring inflation back within its target range.

The Human Rights Commission wants an immediate freeze on rent increases, as more people have to choose between adequate food and a decent home.

The Commission launched a housing inquiry last year finding rents are rising faster than income and inflation; and about half of tenants spend 30 percent or more of their take-home income on housing.

The Commission's housing inquiry manager Vee Blackwood spoke to Māni Dunlop.