Morning Report

With record-breaking demand on Hato Hone St John earlier this month, Wellington Free Ambulance is responding to a high number of mental health callouts alongside seasonal illness requests. Eric Tibbot, Wellington Free Ambulance's general manager of operations, spoke to John Campbell about the pressures on the service.

120 nurses have written to Health NZ chief executive Dale Bramley to draw attention to poor conditions at North Shore Hospital. Rowan Quinn reports.

An early morning sports news update.

The latest market updates and news from RNZ's business team.

2026 is again proving to be a tough year for Wellington retailers, but some owners remain optimistic. Rachel Helyer-Donaldson spoke to new Business Central and Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive Hayley Horan to find out more.

Mat Woods, Chief Executive of Destination Queenstown, spoke to John Campbell about National's decision to rule out an accommodation levy, and the pressures on infrastructure in the region.

National has emerged from weeks of political in-fighting with very little impact on its party polling. While it remains stuck under 30 percent in the latest RNZ Reid Research poll, it went up ever so slightly, while Labour dropped two points. But the combined National-Labour party vote has dropped even lower since July - it's just 61 percent of the total now. Political editor Jo Moir spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

An early morning update from RNZ's business team.

The All Blacks have drawn first blood in four-test series against South Africa with yesterday morning's 33-16 win in Johannesburg. While thrilled with the win at Ellis Park coach Dave Rennie is bracing for a backlash from the Springboks in the second test in Cape Town next weekend. Rugby reporter Joe Porter reports from Johannesburg.

US president Donald Trump is holding firm after plunging the United States and Canada into a trade war. Negotiations between the two countries collapsed late last week, with the US imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Canada. Canada's prime minister Mark Carney has vowed to match them dollar for dollar. Steven Chase who is a Senior Parliamentary Reporter, based in Ottawa for The Globe and Mail, spoke with Ingrid Hipkiss.