Morning Report

During the country's first weekend at Alert Level 3 police received almost 700 reports of parties being held and took action against 112 people.

Police are warning that this behaviour could "waste the sacrifices" made over the last five weeks.

Cabinet is meeting next Monday to assess whether the country is ready to move to Alert Level 2.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to Kim Hill.

Nearly two weeks after the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history, assault-style firearms, like the AR-15, are to be banned.

The Canadian government has drawn up a list of about 1500 models that will be covered by the ban, and it estimates that about 100,000 such rifles are legally owned by Canadians at the moment.

Toronto correspondent Laura McQuillan speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Wellington's billion dollar Transmission Gully highway is facing new delays as work on the four lane highway is drastically curtailed.

Many of the roading sub-contractors are no longer employed and the opening is being extended into 2021.

The Transport Agency has confirmed it's negotiating a new completion date with the builders.

Charlotte Cook reports.

Cabinet has agreed to put a rocket under the resource consent process to fast-track building projects, but not all three governing parties are on board.

The Green Party is only supporting the changes at the first reading, and will wait to hear public submissions during the select committee process before committing any further.

The bulk of Parliament agrees the Resource Management Act isn't fit for purpose, but in an effort to balance the public's right to have a say with the urgency around creating jobs Environment Minister David Parker has put a two year sunset clause on the consent changes.

Political reporter Jo Moir has the story.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

A gang leader suggests some of the recent lockdown breaches by gang members could have been prevented.

It comes as the police released a statement warning they would not "tolerate gang breaches" after a series of incidents linked to Mongrel Mob members in Waikato over the weekend.

The president of the Waikato Mongrel Mob Kingdom Chapter says his team has been supporting the community by delivering essentials to people in need.

Sonny Fatupaito told RNZ reporter Harriet Robinson that they have faced problems with authorities.

A woman was contacted by the Ministry of Health's tracing team four and a half weeks after she came into contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case. 

She took a regional flight on 17 March and ten days later developed symptoms of the respiratory virus. 

The woman was denied testing, until she could prove contact with a confirmed case, or had heard from the contact tracing team. 

Instead a week later she found a media report naming the regional flight she had taken as one with a Covid-19 case - only then was she able to be tested.

The woman, who RNZ has agreed not to name, spoke to reporter Charlotte Cook.

The government plans to fast-track consents for 'shovel ready', large scale building projects, sidestepping mechanisms for the community to have a stay.

The legislation, to be introduced to parliament next month, would remove the ability of the public and councils to have input, and hand this power to a small panels of experts - but only for two years.

Forest and Bird keep a close eye on decisions that affect the environment.

Jen Miller is their conservation advocacy manager.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.