Midday Report

New Zealand and Japan are boosting their security ties, with the two countries set to share more classified information.

The prime minister met with her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida in Tokyo overnight.

It's not yet clear what exactly might be exchanged as part of this new arrangement, but a spokesperson for Jacinda Ardern said it won't be intelligence.

What it will do, according the PM, is promote peace and security in the region.

Max Towle spoke to the director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at Victoria University, David Capie.

A firearms lawyer is not convinced there was an active threat when police shot dead Kaoss Price.

After five days of silence, police have confirmed the 22-year-old was not armed when he was shot Saturday night on State Highway Three on the outskirts of New Plymouth.

Police said he was trying to hijack vehicles from members of the public, after ramming a police car.

Specialist firearms lawyer Nicholas Taylor spoke to Max Towle.

Growing anger over the fatal police shooting of an unarmed man, and New Zealand and Japan boost security ties.

Some residents across the Queenstown region have only just regained power after a violent thunderstorm early this morning.

More than 12,000 customers in Queenstown, Frankton and Arrowtown woke up to darkness after lightning struck an Aurora Energy grid exit point.

Queenstown's Lakes District Hospital was forced to use a backup generator, and the road to Glenorchy was closed for the day after the storm ripped through, covering it in debris from a slip.

MetService said there were 286 lightning strikes over the South Island in a three hour period.

One resident who was particularly rattled by the storm was Saxon the dog, who ran off.

Max Towle spoke to his owner Athena Turner about how it unfolded.

The war in Ukraine could see us planting more sunflowers.

All the latest rural news with Susan Murray.

There's about to be an update on the Black Ferns' coaching structure.

All the latest sports news with Barry Guy

The cost of living has soared again, with inflation at its highest level since the mid-1990s.

The government has revealed more details on its major shake up of health services.

Minister Andrew Little has announced plans to create up to 80 local offices - the first nine in Otara, Hauraki, Taupo, Wairoa, Whanganui, Porirua, the West Coast, eastern Bay of Plenty and Horowhenua - that will be the new regional bases for organising health services.

These networks will give advice to the new Health New Zealand and Maori Health Authority.

The Health Minister Andrew Little spoke to Max Towle.

Annual Inflation has hit a 30 year high.

Consumer prices increased by 1.8 percent for the three months ended March, pushing the annual rate to 6.9 percent.

That figure is the highest it's been in three decades, and reflects the rising cost of basic goods like food and fuel, and of building and rents.

RNZ's Business Editor Gyles Beckford spoke to Max Towle.

The soaring cost of living, and a storm leaves thousands without power.