Morning Report

Surfers will be hitting the water once we drop down to Alert Level 3 on Tuesday.

Jarred Hancox will be one of them, saying for him it's an addiction and the four weeks of lockdown without it have been hard.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

More water-based activities will be allowed once New Zealand moves down to Alert Level 3 on Tuesday.

The drop in alert levels will mean it's okay to fish from the shore again.

Jack Rogers is counting the days until he can get back to his favourite spot on Ninety Mile Beach.

Hunters around the country have been waiting with baited breath to find out if they will be allowed to head out into the hills under Alert Level 3.

They have now been given the go ahead, but with a long list of conditions and a delayed start to the duck hunting season, which will start under Alert Level 2.

Keen hunter Bill O'Leary is one with plans to head out into the hills as soon as he gets the chance.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

The construction industry will start again under Alert Level 3, with builders allowed back on site provided they follow strict safety guidelines.

Johnny Calley runs a house building firm in Tauranga and has about 25 builders on his staff.

They're looking forward to swinging back into motion once we hit Alert Level 3 on Tuesday.

Calley speaks to Philippa Tolley.

New Zealanders are gearing up to make the most of the move to Alert Level 3.

Restaurants will change the way they serve customers, which may lead to Kiwis able to enjoy fine dining from home.

While customers may not be allowed to dine on their premises - restaurants are figuring out ways to have food delivered or picked up in accordance with the Level 3 guidelines.

Chand Sahrawat is the co-owner of three Auckland eateries, Sidart, Cassia, and Sid at the French Cafe.

She speaks to Corin Dann.

In an unprecedented move, all Anzac Day services around the country have been cancelled as part of the restrictions in response to Covid-19.

That hasn't stopped people - young and old - from preparing to get up early to mark the day in their own unique way.

Jonathan Mitchell has been speaking to some of them.

The Chief Ombudsman has not been able to get into prisons to check on conditions during the pandemic despite grave concerns about extended lockdown hours - and the fact that he has a statutory monitoring role.

Peter Boshier says Corrections hasn't gone as far as blocking him doing his job but has certainly discouraged him.

That is about to change and next week - for the first time since the lockdown - his staff are going into prisons to check out what is going on.

He spoke to RNZ's Guyon Espiner, who began by asking him about his concerns about prison conditions during the pandemic.

Kiwibank economists are calling for a cash injection once we leave level 3 restrictions - putting money straight into New Zealanders' wallets - to help ignite economic activity.

They says it would cost $6 billion, or $2 billion if the support only went to low-income households.

Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr speaks to Corin Dann.

Across the country cafes and restaurants are busy preparing to open up under Alert Level 3 on Tuesday.

Hospitality businesses shut their doors a month ago to help contain the spread of Covid-19.

It's feared many may never reopen.

The Restaurant Association says it expects about three thousand eateries to open on Tuesday.

To stay within lockdown rules many are having to get creative.

From a safe distance Hamish Cardwell spoke to some Wellington businesses doing just that.

The Salvation Army is warning of a growing "underclass" of people out of work because of Covid-19.

In a report released this morning they catalogue how food parcel demand has gone up by 350 percent, and many people who have lost their incomes are unable to pay their rent or mortgage, and face losing their homes.

Ronji Tanielu is one of the report's authors.