Morning Report

The lockdown decision will be taken by Cabinet ministers in an online meeting.

It will start at the earlier time of ten thirty to give them plenty of time before they make such an important decision.

The government initially set the lockdown for four weeks - which ends just before midnight Wednesday.

RNZ political editor Jane Patterson speaks to Corin Dann.

Business owners preparing for life under Alert Level 3 have been frantically renovating store fronts, building online stores and creating new ways to interact with customers.

Cabinet ministers will decide today if the country should stay in level four lockdown for longer or can move to level three.

When the lower level comes into play, some businesses will be able to reopen but they must follow strict health and safety and social distancing rules, so it will be far from business as usual.

Katie Scotcher reports.

The Teaching Council says it should be up to principals to decide how many students can go back to school once the country moves to Alert Level 3.

It says each school is different and will need to carefully consider how many students it can safely teach on site.

The government wants parents who return to work during Level 3 to be able to send their children to early childhood centres and schools. They cannot legally allow those under the age of 14 to stay home alone.

The Teaching Council chief executive is Lesley Hoskin.

She speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The government's decision to keep the oldest secondary students home from school when Alert Level 3 begins has some secondary principals worrying about their most vulnerable students.

They warn that teens enrolled in practical subjects and those who don't have internet access are most at risk.

They are already considering weekend catch-up classes and one principal says some Year 13 students will have to return next year to complete their studies.

Here's RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen.

The Green Party wants the government to commit to a ten-year plan to make high-speed intercity train travel a reality.

It's envisaging new electric passenger and freight services that ultimately could get from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch to regional destinations at speeds of up to 160 kilometres an hour.

The Greens estimate the project would cost $9 billion over ten years and is exactly the sort of climate-friendly, job-creating project that will be needed post Covid-19.

Julie Anne Genter is the Green Party transport spokesperson.

She speaks to Corin Dann.

The investment network supporting New Zealand start-up and growth companies is pulling together to help fledging companies survive the Covid-19 crisis.

Investors looking to back the next big thing in New Zealand's tech industry have plenty to choose from, but they are being much more cautious in their selection.

Nona Pelletier has this report.

An estimated 30,000 people have had their surgery delayed or deferred because of the Covid-19 lockdown.

While many of those are classed as elective, the conditions can still be very serious, with people waiting in pain or going downhill.

Already stretched hospitals have their work cut out for them to clear the backlog.

Health correspondent Rowan Quinn reports.

Demonstrations have continued in several US states as protesters demand an early end to the coronavirus lockdown.

President Donald Trump said some businesses would reopen in Texas and Vermont today.

He accused some Democrat state governors of getting "carried away" with Covid-19 restrictions.

Washington correspondent Simon Marks speaks to Susie Ferguson.

As New Zealand prepares for a potential drop in lockdown to Level 3 this week, some people think it is too soon to be relaxing the standard.

Almost a month has passed since the country hunkered down in isolation, adjusting to a new reality.

Eleisha Foon spoke to people across the country about their views on the matter.

Modelling on the way coronavirus spreads and how different actions could change that is one the key pieces of information Cabinet will consider when deciding whether to drop the country to Alert Level 3.

Some of that data from an Auckland University team headed by Professor Shaun Hendy.

He speaks to Corin Dann.