Morning Report

The consumer watchdog has taken its fight for Air New Zealand to refund flights cancelled during the pandemic to the Consumer Affairs Minister.

Yesterday Air New Zealand apologised to customers who have been unable to use their airfare credits, but said it can't afford to offer refunds to everyone who has had flights cancelled.

Its chief financial officer Cam Wallace told RNZ to refund everyone, the airline would have to dip into its $900 million government loan.

Consumer New Zealand chief executive Jon Duffy speaks to Kim Hill.

Effective contact tracing is critical to keep on top of Covid-19, but it appears New Zealand has a two-tier system.

Two of country's biggest public health units are refusing to use the government's national programme, saying their own software is better.

Corin Dann speaks to Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.

Two of the country's biggest public health units are refusing to use the government's national contact tracing system and experts are warning this makes it harder to control a future outbreak of Covid-19.

Auckland and Wellington say their own software is better.

Effective contract tracing is critical to keep on top of the disease as the country moves rapidly towards Alert Level 1 controls.

Anusha Bradley has been looking into this.

Small businesses unable to pay rent on commercial leases have just been given a lifeline.

From today, commercial tenants and their landlords who cannot reach agreement on how much rent to pay will go to compulsory arbitration.

The breakthrough comes after almost two months of negotiations between Labour and New Zealand First.

The Justice Minister Andrew Little regrets it's taken so long.

He spoke to RNZ political reporter Jo Moir last night ahead of the announcement later today.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

America's Cup teams could be next off the block in visa exemptions being rolled out by the government.

Although the borders remain largely closed, Immigration New Zealand is fielding thousands of requests for special exemption access.

One of them is the UK's America's Cup team, which is due to start preliminary races in Auckland in December.

The team's skipper, Sir Ben Ainslie, told our reporter Mackenzie Smith how the team is holding up.

The Auckland mayor Phil Goff says he can't rule out the closure of public facilities as the city grapples with its Emergency Budget.

Swinging cuts are on the cards for Council, which is faced with trying to find half a billion dollars to make up for the Covid-19 budget blow.

Dividends from shares in assets like Auckland Airport have been slashed, as has revenue from facilities like pools and the zoo, public transport and parking fees.

Goff spoke to RNZ reporter Matthew Theunissen, who started by asking how many council employees will lose their jobs.

Aucklanders have until 19 July to have their say on the proposed Emergency Budget and give their feedback on either a 2.5 or a 3.5 percent rates increase in the next year.

Teenagers are delighted the government has eased NCEA and University Entrance requirements this year.

Teachers can now grant up to eight or ten credits to recognise learning students have completed that has not been formally assessed.

The number of credits required for merit and excellence endorsements has been dropped by a couple of credits.

So has the number of credits required in each of three approved subjects for University Entrance.

A brief update from the business sector.

Protests in solidarity with those taking place in the US have sprung up around the world.

Demonstrations here have been complicated by rules around mass gatherings. Today thousands gathered in London's Victoria Park.

London correspondent Vincent McAviney speaks to Corin Dann.