Morning Report

News that Mercury Capital is buying Bauer's Australian business has revived hopes for the survival of some of New Zealand's most popular magazines.

Bauer's business includes New Zealand magazines such as the Woman's Weekly, Woman's Day, The Listener and North and South.

The magazines have not been published since the beginning of lockdown.

Duncan Greive is a media commentator and the managing editor of The Spinoff.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The critical communication system used by police, fire and ambulance when they out on a job is expected to fail by 2023.

A report to the Police Minister says the radio network is so old that in two year's time it will be impossible to get replacement parts.

The government is now dedicating about $50 million dollars to building a new system.

Ben Strang has more.

The British High Commissioner says a free trade agreement with New Zealand will set the tone for the United Kingdom's post-Brexit trade policy.

Negotiations were formally launched yesterday, putting New Zealand among the first countries to begin negotiations on a trade agreement with the UK post-Brexit.

Britain is New Zealand's sixth largest trading partner, with two-way trade totaling nearly six billion dollars last year.

British High Commissioner Laura Clarke speaks to Corin Dann.

The Trade Minister says New Zealand is pleased to be among the first countries to begin negotiations on a trade agreement with the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

New Zealand and the UK formally launched negotiations yesterday.

The UK is New Zealand's sixth largest trading partner, with two-way trade totalling nearly $6 billion last year.

Minister for Trade David Parker speaks to Corin Dann.

The Trade Minister says New Zealand is pleased to be among the first countries to begin negotiations on a trade agreement with the United Kingdom post-Brexit.

New Zealand and the UK formally launched negotiations yesterday.

The UK is New Zealand's sixth largest trading partner, with two-way trade totalling nearly $6 billion last year.

Minister for Trade David Parker speaks to Corin Dann.

Health authorities are scrambling to identify people deemed to be close contacts with two confirmed Covid-19 cases.

Two sisters travelling from Britain were allowed to drive from Auckland to Wellington after 6 days in managed isolation, without being tested.

They have now tested positive.

Answers are being sought on how many of the almost two hundred people also released early from isolation on compassionate grounds were tested for the disease before they left.

National Party health spokesperson Michael Woodhouse speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Parts of Beijing are back in lockdown, schools have closed and travel is being restricted after a new outbreak of the coronavirus was discovered.

Just over 130 infections of Covid-19 have been recorded in the capital in the past six days.

The second wave of cases is causing alarm in China with authorities calling the risk "extremely severe".

Beijing correspondent Patrick Fok speaks to Corin Dann.

One of the 320 people caught up in the Covid-19 blunder over border controls says he's gobsmacked at the mistake.

Officials are now tracing hundreds of close contacts of two women infected with the disease who were allowed to leave isolation early without being tested.

A man, who RNZ agreed not to name, was also at the Ellerslie Novotel and finished his 14 day stretch on Saturday - the same day the women left.

He's been told to get tested, has put himself back into isolation and he's not happy.

The Ministry of Health has had to backtrack on its assurances the two sisters who have Covid-19 didn't have any contact with anyone on their trip from Auckland to Wellington.

It's now emerged the two women did, as National MP Michael Woodhouse said, have contact with two friends as they were leaving Auckland. The Ministry of Health admitted last night the two women called the friends who had lent them a car after they got lost on the Auckland motorway system.

The friends came and guided them to the right motorway, and were in physical contact for about five minutes.

Adding to that contact an Auckland gym has revealed one of the friends who lent the car had a one on one training session before taking part in a group classes yesterday.

The Facebook post from the owner of "Lioness Gym" said the gym still has two-metre distancing marks in its studio, but the owner says her sessions were "hands on".

The Ministry of Health is now tracing 320 close contacts of the two women.

Dr Ashley Bloomfield is Director-General of Health.

News from the business sector, including a market report.