Morning Report

Kaikohe is the so-called 'Meth Capital of New Zealand' - but a rehabilitation program run on a shoestring budget is changing lives. In the third instalment of RNZ's Meth Toll series, Serena Solomon and Jessica Hopkins followed a registered nurse who works seven days a week, helping hundreds fight meth addiction. Jessica Hopkins filed this report.

Tauranga City Council's chief executive Marty Grenfell has stepped down six weeks after a damning review found January's deadly landslide was preventable. In the report, retired High Court judge Paul Davison outlined a systemic failure where responsibility for the risk fell between different parts of the council and no one was ultimately managing it. But no one person was ever held responsible. Safety and employment lawyer Hazel Armstrong has sat on a number of boards, including the Ports of Auckland when they had to deal with workplace deaths. Armstrong spoke to John Campbell.

Higher tax revenues are helping the Government's books, with the Treasury yesterday unveiling rosier than expected forecasts. The Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update is picking a return to surplus in the 2028/29 financial year, with deficit predictions also lower in the years leading up to it. Treasury says uncertainties remain, particularly from the risk of further oil shocks from the Middle East conflict. And longer term Treasury Secretary Iain Rennie said the country's financial position is "unsustainable" because of the aging population. Finance Minister Nicola Willis spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

An early morning update from RNZ's business team.

From tomorrow, Auckland Transport as it currently is will cease to exist, with many of its non-public transport functions moving under the control of the city's councillors and local board members. The changes will give local boards some new powers to make decisions on local roads including setting speed limits, closing roads for events, managing parking and creating cycleways. East Auckland-based Howick Local Board member Damian Light spoke to John Campbell.

Russia has continued to ramp up its attacks on Ukraine, including in the capital Kyiv. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says multiple regions have come under attack this week. BBC Diplomatic Correspondent Paul Adams, who is in Ukraine spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

New Zealand's farming industry representatives are set to present their case to the US over its investigation into lamb exports, meanwhile America is still likely a year away from herd rebuilding it's beef herd. Rural News on Morning Report with Gianina Schwanecke.

An early morning sports news update.

Now that Labour's got its hands on the government's books, the pressure's piling on for them to explain how it'll pay for its promises, particularly pay equity. But it's not the only political party on notice. National will need to explain where it plans to cut costs if it wants to make the rosy projections a reality, and while Nicola Willis has raised the possibility of tax cuts, economists are saying: not yet. Political reporter Russell Palmer has the story.

Catch up with the latest headlines from around the world with RNZ's Alice Wilkins.