Morning Report

New Zealand's first-ever "Cetacean Census" saw volunteers heading to beaches and headlands around the country to count dolphins and whales.

The event's organizers hope that the results of the survey can be used to measure the health of whale and dolphin populations.

Christine Rose from Cetacean New Zealand speaks to Philippa Tolley.

New Zealand is the only professional netball competition in the world back up and running.

Its a condensed competition - a new 10-week draw, with up to five games a week, shorter matches and the first six weeks all played at one venue, with a maximum crowd of 500.

RNZ Sport's Bridget Tunnicliffe has been keeping an eye on all the action.

There are renewed calls for the government to lower it's fresh water nitrogen limit after new tests show high amounts of pollution in Canterbury water.

Forest and Bird obtained test results through the Official Information Act - which show concerning readings in Selwyn, Ashburton, Timaru, and Waitakiri.

The group says enough is not being done and locals are sick of the state of the water.

Sally Murphy filed this report.

The number of complaints about the bad smell coming from a Christchurch composting plant and dump, are continuing to increase.

In May a study identified the Living Earth and EcoDrop sites in Bromley as being the source of the smell. The Christchurch City Council has now come up with solutions including changing the sort of waste it accepts and increasing the amount of water it sprays on the compost.

As ward councillor, Yani Johanson, tells Conan Young, the smell is only getting worse.

He says the number of written warnings has doubled from three in May, to six so far this month.

In meteorological terms, the drought in Hawke's Bay is over, after a solid amount of much-needed rain over the past week.

Farmers in the region are still in a perilous position, with many desperately short of feed.

Jim Galloway is the Hawke's Bay president of Federated Farmers.

Wellington city's lunchtime spots are still seriously down on sales - with some saying their takings are only at 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has led calls for public workers to get back into town and open their wallets but, so far, the message seems to be falling flat.

Wellington reporter Harry Lock has this report.

A brief update of movements in the financial sector.

Three works by elusive and controversial guerilla artist Banksy are set to go up for auction in Auckland next week.

Pieces by the anonymous artist are more usually sold in London or New York, so how did they end up here?

Richard Thomson is the director of Auckland's International Art Centre.

Tourism operators are calling for a nationwide overhaul of how businesses can operate in national parks.

Each park is governed by a different set of rules - or management plans - and the majority of them were written more than a decade ago.

Operators also claim that the concessions granted by DoC, which allow a business access to a national park, are taking far too long to be approved.

Tess Brunton reports.

Police say the freezing of $140 million proves that NZ is not a safe haven for international crime. It's the largest restraint of funds in New Zealand police history.

The money was under the control of Canton Business Corporation and its owner Alexandra Vinnik, who previously ran a cryptocurrency exchange.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says the funds likely reflect the profit gained from the victimisation of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people globally as a result of cyber-crime and organised crime.

Computer security consultant Adam Boileau speaks to Philippa Tolley.