Morning Report

Sports News for 9 September 2026.

A building company is raffling off a designer dog house only built after a joke ad was met with some genuine interest. The house boasts a double-glazed window, carpet and long-run metal roofing and will be sold to raise money for the SPCA. Landmark Central Auckland owner Warwick Aldridge helped build the house and spoke to John Campbell.

Buyers of fast-track approved developments in Auckland could face a future with no council-run services. During Tuesday's Policy, Planning and Development Committee meeting, councillors were told Auckland's facing a potential bill of up to five billion dollars from the approval of 50 to 60-thousand "unanticipated" new houses. In response, councillors unanimously voted to investigate legal options for withholding services such as buses, animal management or illegal dumping clean up. The planning committee's chair councillor Richard Hills spoke to Ingrid Hipiss.

A homeless Auckland man who had a severe stroke while living under a bridge this winter was later discharged from Auckland City Hospital in just a gown, and taken to a nearby charity that provides support for people in hardship. The stroke left him with slow speech and movement, needing a walker to get around. Lifewise found housing for him, but is concerned someone with major ongoing health needs was brought to them at short notice, when they are not funded to provide wrap-around care. Amy Williams has the story.

Business update for 9 September 2026.

An update on what's happening in the sports world with Melissa Chan-Green.

Results are out for the biggest school exam in the world - the OECD's PISA tests of 15-year-olds in reading, maths and science. How did we do? Education correspondent, John Gerritsen spoke to John Campbell.

While hospitals and GP clinics struggle under the tide of people coming through their doors with winter illnesses, only about a quarter of the population got the flu vaccination this year. And the percentage of those over 65 getting the flu shot has steadily decreased since 2022. Rachel Graham reports.

The operator of a large hotel chain in New Zealand says diverting a portion of International Visitor Levy funds to councils is a good first step. If re-elected, the National Party is pledging to allocate $385 million over four years to councils, the portion each council gets will depend on the number of international visitors they host. Councils would have to use the money for things like events, tourism promotion, and visitor infrastructure. The announcement was made at Auckland's Sudima Hotel yesterday, after criticism from mayors over National's u-turn on investigating an accommodation levy in 2027. The hotel's New Zealand operating officer Les Morgan was at that announcement, and spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

If you or someone you love calls a mental health hotline, Lifeline, Youthline or 1737, will you always get through to one of the really good people on the other end of the line? And what happens if your need is acute, and you call back, or you call one of the other services, do they know who you are and what you're up against... or do you start from scratch every time? The issues and solutions are contained in an independent report into mental health and addiction telehealth services, as demand for the services climb. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey spoke to John Campbell.