Morning Report

A brief update of movements in the financial sector.

A spokesperson for Al Noor Mosque says the mosque shooters guilty plea was out of the blue and overwhelming.

Yesterday Brenton Tarrant pleaded guilty to killing 51 people at two Christchurch mosques last year in March.

Tarrant's shock admission prompted a collective sigh of relief from many in the Muslim community.

Tony Green is the spokesperson from the Al Noor mosque.

Hundreds of childcare centres will be paid tens of millions of dollars for loss of income during the Covid-19 crisis thanks to a special insurance deal that excludes almost all other businesses.

The unusual arrangement with their insurance broker means individual childcare operators will get a payout of up to $62,500 dollars each.

But it won't last.

Sharon Brettkelly reports.

As the Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said earlier, medical supplies company Amtech will be chartering a plane to fly essential personal protective equipment to New Zealand.

Jeremy Anderson is Director of Amtech Medical.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Suppliers of protective equipment and the essential workers using them on the frontline say there's a looming shortage of masks and gowns.

The government has put together a team of people hoping to find local manufacturers to make that equipment rather than wait for it to be shipped internationally.

Former Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe has been put in charge of that team.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

Today is the final day that New Zealanders can fly or catch ferries home for the lockdown.

The government extended the deadline for domestic travel to midnight tonight after thousands of people found themslves unable to travel between the North and South island before the lockdown started at midnight on Wednesday.

RNZ reporter John Gerritsen speaks to Corin Dann from Wellington Airport.

Most Pacific island countries have now completely sealed themselves off from the outside world in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

.Their leaders admit they would struggle to cope if an outbreak occurs in their populations.

So far five Pacific countries or territories have confirmed cases of Covid-19.

RNZ Pacific's Jamie Tahana speaks to Corin Dann.

Fourteen dementia residents in isolation in a Napier rest home will learn today if they have Covid-19.The residents and some staff were tested after being linked to a visiting cruise ship with 133 confirmed Covid-19 cases. That was after a person in Hawke's Bay who has tested positive for the coronavirus visited the rest home after going on board the Ruby Princess when it docked in Napier on 15 March. RNZ Hawke's Bay reporter Anusha Bradley has been looking into the story.

The man who tried to apprehend the Christchurch mosque shooter says he wanted to see the trial go ahead.

Brenton Tarrant pleaded guilty to killing 51 people at two mosques on March 15 last year.

Abdul Aziz intervened when he saw the shooter by throwing an eftpos machine at him.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Legal experts say the man who murdered 51 people in the attack on Christchurch mosques last year could spend the rest of his life in prison.

The man accused of the terrorist attack changed his plea and admitted his guilt in the High Court in Christchurch yesterday.

Katie Todd filed this report.