Morning Report

A leading Covid-19 scientist says travellers arriving in New Zealand once the lockdown ends might need to be forced to wear electronic bracelets to monitor their movements.

It is likely new arrivals will have to be quarantined after level four is over to keep Covid-19 cases from ballooning.

Public health professor Nick Wilson says New Zealanders have made huge sacrifices to fight the disease and it's only fair that travellers do their bit.

He told RNZ health correspondent, Rowan Quinn, that using tracking technology - whatever it is - will give authorities a huge advantage.

Health minister David Clark has offered to resign after admitting to more more breaches of the Level 4 lockdown.

He has admitted that in addition to driving to a mountain bike track on the first weekend of the Alert Level 4 lockdown, he also drove his family approximately 20 kilometres from his house in Dunedin to Doctor's Point Beach for a walk.

Dr Clark says in a statement released this morning that he has provided the Prime Minister with a complete picture of my activity outside my home during Alert Level 4.

Included In his statement David Clark admitted the trip was a clear breach of the lockdown principles that require New Zealanders to stay local.

"As the Health Minister it's my responsibly to not only follow the rules but set an example to other New Zealanders," he said.

"At a time when we are asking New Zealanders to make historic sacrifices I've let the team down. I've been an idiot, and I understand why people will be angry with me."

He has also admitted he drove his family to a walking track approximately two kilometres from their house for a walk. Prime Minister released her own statement in response.

"Under normal conditions I would sack the Minister of Health. What he did was wrong, and there are no excuses," she said.

"But right now, my priority is our collective fight against Covid-19.

"We cannot afford massive disruption in the health sector or to our response.  For that reason, and that reason alone, Dr Clark will maintain his role.

"But he does need to pay a price. He broke the rules.

"While he maintains his Health portfolio, I am stripping him of his role as Associate Finance Minister and demoting him to the bottom of our Cabinet rankings.

"I expect better, and so does New Zealand."

News from the rural and farming sectors.

A brief update of movements in the financial sector.

Coronavirus: Health Minister admits second lockdown breach; Cyclone Harold makes landfall in Vanuatu; Coronavirus: NZ races to produce chemicals for Covid-19 testing; Coronavirus: Could testing sewage be key to eradication?.

The Government has made it clear that water is out of bounds for anyone wanting some lockdown exercise. Swimming, surfing and boating - and even fishing - are no longer permitted.

Barbara Kendall is an Olympic champion boardsailor who's been having to find other things to do on dry land.

A huge cyclone is heading straight for Vanuatu and is due to make landfall this morning.

Cyclone Harold could be one of the most serious cyclones of the season as other major storms have been mostly at sea.

Cyclone forecaster Raveen Das speaks to Corin Dann.

Mothers who flee domestic violence in other countries, bringing their children with them, are set to have greater rights in international child abduction cases.

That's after the Court of Appeal ruled in a mother's favour on Friday, saying she doesn't have to send her child back to Australia and the man she says caused her serious harm.

While the reasons for the decision haven't been given yet, it will mark a significant change to how the Hague Convention for child abduction is ruled on in New Zealand.

RNZ reporter Ben Strang has been reporting on this particular case for the past 18 months, and speaks to Susie Ferguson..

Whanau who live by the sea and rely on it to put food on the table are urging the government for some leniency on fishing bans during the lockdown.

Isolated communities on Aotea Great Barrier Island are among those backing that call, saying getting food and supplies flown in can take up to a week.

Te Aniwa Hurihanganui reports.

Sole parents with small children are being turned away from supermarkets in some towns, and suffering abuse on the street and online from people accusing them of "breaking the rules" during lockdown.

Some are struggling with financial stress, as well as the relentless pressure of parenting 24/7 with no help.

Ruth Hill reports.