Morning Report

The Department of Conservation is appealing for information about two red-billed gulls shot with what is believed to be crossbow.

The birds have been spotted in Kaikoura with crossbow bolts stuck in their bodies.

The red-billed gull - or tarapunga - is legally protected and considered an at-risk species.

Phil Bradfield is the South Marlborough Operations Manager at DOC.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The Agriculture Minister has made a large-scale adverse event declaration which covers the entire North Island, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands.

Damien O'Connor says this declaration unlocks up to $2 million of Government funding support for farmers and growers.

Neil Bateup, chair of the Rural Support National Council, speaks to Corin Dann.

First Home buyers, who are relying on their Kiwisaver funds to get into a home, are dreading the extent of the damage Covid-19 will have on their nest egg.

After three years in the scheme Kiwisaver funds can be withdrawn to help people buy a first home.

With sharemarkets around the world are taking a battering because of Covid-19, people are finding that boost to their deposit isn't quite as healthy as they once thought it was.

Rachel Graham has more.

Covid-19 is now a pandemic.

The World Health Organisation made the declaration just before 6-o'clock this morning, saying it's deeply concerned by the alarming levels of spread and severity - and of inaction.

New Zealand's Health Minister, David Clark, says there are still only five confirmed cases, and two probable ones here.

Public Health professor Michael Baker speaks to Corin Dann.

The Warriors coach Stephen Kearney fully supports the approach the Canterbury Bulldogs have taken to standing down 2 of their players for breaching the NRL code of conduct.

Deaf and disabled people will no longer be out of pocket for disability related costs if they decide to stand in a general election.

A member's bill which passed last night will allow candidates to access funding for note taking or transcribing, translating material into braille or a sign language interpreter.

Chloe Swarbrick took over the bill from former MP Mojo Mathers.

She speaks to Susie Ferguson.

A new study has found parents researching childhood vaccinations online are likely to encounter significant levels of misinformation.

While 20 percent of websites identified by Google searches and 25 percent of videos published on YouTube were negative about vaccines, that figure jumps to 50 percent of pages on Facebook.

The study's lead researcher is Dr Lucy Elkin from the University of Otago.

New Zealanders trapped in countries where there are Covid-19 outbreaks are avoiding public transport, rationing their face masks, and even checking online to see if they've been in contact with someone with Covid-19.

But some say they feel safer where they are, rather than risking a trip home.

RNZ reporter Chen Liu has been speaking with some of the Kiwis who are living in coronavirus hotspots.

The Muslim leader who became a symbol of the community's ability to forgive, Farid Ahmed, says he cries almost everyday over the death of his wife Husna when a gunman stormed into the Al Noor Mosque and opened fire.

He wishes he could've swapped places with his wife who died after she ran back to help her husband who uses a wheelchair.

He spoke to RNZ reporter Eleisha Foon about his life now and reflected on the lessons of the tragedy.

An electoral law expert says the mayors of Auckland and Christchurch being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office is unprecedented.

The Serious Fraud Office revealed yesterday it is now looking into donations made in relation to both Phil Goff's and Lianne Dalziel's election expenses after a referral from police.

Professor Andrew Geddis is from the University of Otago.