Morning Report

The government has loosened the rules around gatherings saying from midday Friday up to a hundred people will be allowed to congregate.

Many worshipers will once again be allowed to attend services at mosques, synagogues and churches.

That will be welcomed by the thousands of Muslims across New Zealand who have been celebrating Eid-Al-Fitr, under restrictions to try and limit the spread of Covid-19.

RNZ's Anan Zaki reports from Christchurch on how Muslims celebrated a Covid 19 Eid, with small gatherings of less than 10 people and via social media.

Opponents of a controversial Dome Valley Landfill proposal in Auckland are urging the council to give them another month to send in submissions.

The Auckland Council only notified a resource consent application by Chinese owned company Waste Management the day before the country moved into Alert Level 4 lockdown, and public submissions close today.

Locals and iwi say it is unreasonable for the council to expect submissions during a pandemic, and they want more time.

Te Aniwa Hurihanganui reports.

Drought-stricken farmers in Northland and north Waikato will receive a much needed funding boost to purchase feed supplies.

The Minister of Agriculture, Damien O'Connor, says half a million dollars will be given to local drought relief funds in the two regions to support farmers who are struggling to keep their stock fed.

Maja Burry reports on the effect of drought. Hauraki District mayor, Toby Adams has since said no decision has yet been made over how the money would be split between Northaland and North Waikato farmers.

ACT's David Seymour isn't expecting the new National leader to make a public declaration supporting his hold on the Epsom seat.

Over consecutive elections National's candidates have avoided actively campaigning in the central-Auckland electorate, offering tacit support to Act.

Party leader David Seymour speaks to Corin Dann.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has revised her remarks on a trans-Tasman bubble with Australia.

Yesterday she told Morning Report restrictions on movement between Australia's states would need to be removed before travel with New Zealand would resume.

But later in the day she walked those remarks back saying questions about inter-state borders were for Australia to answer. Some Australian states are keeping their borders closed, but others are open.

This could potentially mean travellers from Victoria and New South Wales will be able to visit New Zealand before they can get into Queensland.

Casey Briggs is a reporter with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

A brief update of movements in the financial sector.

Plans to resume Wellington's billion dollar highway project are being hindered by the loss of key overseas workers.

It's now been 10 weeks since Transmission Gully was put on hold - and there's still no date for work to resume.

Reporter Charlotte Cook has been following the story.

Much anticipated reforms to the Family Court are the latest casualty of Covid-19.

The government has passed legislation under urgency allowing parents to use lawyers throughout disputes involving children, restoring access to legal aid, and establishing family justice liaison officers.

Recommended improvements to help warring families settle their differences out of court were missing.

Catherine Hutton reports.

Senior National MP Amy Adams says she decided to delay her retirement from politics after she was approached by the party's new leader Todd Muller.

Last year the Selwyn MP revealed her plan to walk away from politics ahead of this year's election, saying after 12 years of being a politcian she wanted her life back.

Adams has since walked back on her plans to walk out, as she was promoted to number three on the party's list and awarded the new Covid-19 Recovery portfolio.

She speaks to Susie Ferguson.

For 12 weeks from the eighth of June, the government will pay up to $490 a week to people who lose their job due to Covid-19, and it estimates around 230,000 people could apply.

The maximum amount available to an individual on the unemployment benefit is almost half, at $250.

So has the government introduced a two-tier system that divides beneficiaries into those deserving and undeserving of assistance?

Carmel Sepuloni is the Minister of Social Development.