Midday Report

The majority of automakers are undermining efforts to reduce pollution, and keep global warming under the 1.5 degrees celsius limit.

European research group, InfluenceMap, looked at a dozen car makers and found just two of them - Tesla and Mercedes Benz - are on track to build enough zero-emissions vehicles to keep emissions down.

But eight of the 12 companies are holding up progress - and the worst laggards are based in Japan.

Researcher Ben Youriev spoke to Māni Dunlop.

A mental health service says the government's pre-budget announcement doesn't go far enough to reach those who experience the worst inequality in New Zealand.

Thursday's Budget will include $100 million in new spending on specialist mental health and addiction services.

Health Minister Andrew Little says the funding means that young people will be better supported.

However, Lifewise Youth Housing's Aaron Hendry told Māni Dunlop the funding would not reach many of the rangatahi he works with.

News from the rural and farming sector.

The White Ferns and Otago wicketkeeper Katey Martin has retired after 21 years of top class cricket.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Nurses want staff wellbeing to be woven into any decision to move treatment out of Hutt Hospital's earthquake-prone block. 

The DHB has confirmed the hospital's main block falls below the new building standard, at just 15 per cent.

The building, built in the 1970s, houses 70 percent of beds at the hospital, including the maternity and children's wards.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation president Anne Daniels spoke to Māni Dunlop.

MPs have taken up the chance to scrutinise the government's Covid-19 response, including contact tracing, testing, and vaccination.

The Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins and health officials spoke to the Health Select Committee this morning.

It comes as Aotearoa creeps closer to 1000 deaths related to the virus.

RNZ's health correspondent Rowan Quinn is covering the briefing and spoke to Māni Dunlop.

MPs scrutinise the Covid-19 response as deaths creep close to 1,000, and Hutt Hospital bosses are still figuring out when to close earthquake-prone wards.

"Are we Abel to be called Aotearoa now?" 

Is the catch cry for renowned Aotearoa artist Hori's mission touring the country to confront the resistance but also promoting the country's name change from New Zealand.

The tour labelled "Horis Pledge" as a play on Hobson's Pledge - is about acknowledging the history of Aotearoa, matauranga Māori and giving people more insight into te ao Māori. 

The tour started this morning at parliament at 7am with MPs Rawiri Waititi, Peeni Henare, Chloe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson sending them off - with a karakia by Maori Party co-leader Waititi.  

Māni Dunlop spoke to Hori on his way out of Bulls about what's planned for the haerenga.

Food waste collection services could soon be coming to your neighbourhood. The government plans to roll out kerbside collection of food scraps for most urban households by 2030, as part of its Emissions Reduction Plan. Also on the table - more investment in waste infrastructure like composting, and a requirement for all municipal landfills to have gas capture systems by 2026. Dr Jeff Seadon is a senior lecturer at AUT's School of Future Environments.