Morning Report

Queen's Birthday will also see a number of people look to get out of town as they make the most of the long weekend.

Matakana Village Farmers Market has always been a popular spot for Aucklanders, and they are expecting a big showing this weekend.

Fiona McGeough is the manager of the market.

Creative New Zealand is among the largest recipients of government funding to support the creative industry.

The national arts development agency received $25 million from the government to support artists in all forms. T

hose who work in the sector have been among the hardest hit economically by the coronavirus, as their income streams dried up when the country went into lockdown.

Michael Moynahan is the Chair of Creative New Zealand.

Gisborne district councillors have voted in favour of permanently installing two new replicas of Captain Cook's ship the Endeavour without consulting iwi or the wider public.

It follows the controversial 250 year commemoration of Cook's landing last year, which drew widespread protest and outrage from many local Māori.

The community must still come up with the money to install the replicas.

Te Aniwa Hurihanganui has the story.

New rules around freshwater are being labelled a missed opportunity by the iwi chairs forum.

The government has imposed tough new rules to improve freshwater quality.

There'll be new limits on high-risk farm practices and interim limits on agricultural intensification.

Higher health standards will also be required for popular swimming spots, and urban waterways will have to be cleaned up. The government says it will be guided by matauranga Māori in its implementation.

But Chair of the Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group, Rukumoana Schaafhausen, told Mani Dunlop that the rules don't go far enough.

A former UN chief is warning the world has no more than 18 months to address climate change in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The United Nation's lead negotiator for the Paris Agreement, Christiana Figueres, has told RNZ, before the pandemic, the world had up to a decade to deal with climate change.

Now she says the trillions being spent on the global economy's recovery represent a last chance to turn away from economic models with dangerously high emission levels.

She made the comments in a new RNZ podcast called After the Virus.

RNZ's Guyon Espiner is hosting the series and filed this report.

The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases across New Zealand could rise - thanks to a new blood test.

Scientists expect the test to reveal some cases of Covid-19 that were missed because of initial rules around swab testing.

The study will target healthcare workers or close contacts of confirmed cases found in hotspots in the southern region

Charlotte Cook reports.

At least one person has died after Minneapolis was rocked by a second night of demonstrations and violence after the death of African American man George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.

City officials have called on the National Guard to maintain order after buildings were set ablaze and shops in the city were looted.

The four officers involved with Mr. Floyd's death have been fired and an independent investigation has been promised promised, but family members are now calling for the officers to face murder charges.

Brandt Williams, a Minneapolis-based reporter for Minnesota Public Radio, spoke to Corin Dann.

Police say an 18-year-old man who made an overnight trip across Cook Strait in a tiny motorised dinghy initially claimed to have left from Porirua Harbour.

The teenager had in fact started out from the South Island's Kenepuru Sound late on Wednesday night before heading out into the Cook Strait.

On Thursday morning, police were finally able to geo-locate the man to a spot off the Mana coast using his mobile phone signal.

Senior Sergeant Dave Houston of Wellington Maritime police told reporter Charlotte Cook that the man had decided to visit a relative.

From midday today, gatherings of up to 100 people will be allowed as Covid-19 rules are relaxed a little further.

It comes just in time for Muslims who will be able to come together for Friday prayers for the first time in two months.

Conan Young visited the Linwood mosque in Christchurch as they prepared to welcome people back.

Bungy jumping, hot pools, jet-boat riding, mud baths or a quiet walk around a lake.

Top tourist towns Queenstown and Rotorua are expecting an influx of home-grown visitors this weekend, all looking for some well-earned RnR.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick and Queenstown mayor Jim Boult speak to Susie Ferguson.