Morning Report

Rowland Smith continues to reign supreme at the Golden Shears taking the sheep-shearing title for a seventh year.

The 60th anniversary of the event was held in Masterton over the weekend.

Smith speaks to Susie Ferguson.

A brief update on the movements in the financial sector.

A brief update on the movements in the financial sector.

The former Labour minister and Auckland mayoral candidate, John Tamihere, will go head to head with the Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare this election in the Tamaki Makarau seat.

Tamihere confirmed his candidacy at the Mataatua Marae in Māngere on Saturday, in front of Māori Party founders Dame Tariana Turia and Sir Pita Sharples.

The 61-year-old has held Tāmaki Makaurau before as a Labour MP, but lost it in 2005 to the Māori Party.

The Green Party co-leader, Marama Davidson, is also standing in the seat.

Tamihere speaks to Corin Dann.

Canterbury's top cop would like to see the police eagle helicopter become a permanent feature in the skies above Christchurch despite complaints from some residents about the noise.

Conan Young takes a look at an issue that pits safety against peoples' desire for a good nights sleep.

Health officials are looking at options to bolster the workforce in the face of Covid-19, including bringing in recently retired doctors and nurses.

The Nursing Council supports the idea, but the Residents Doctors' Association says there are risks with re-hiring retirees.

Dr Bryan Betty is medical director of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The New Zealand men's sevens team will take on South Africa in the semi-finals the Canada leg of the World Series just before midday following a win over Fiji in this morning's quarter-finals.

The Auckland Arts Festival opens this week.

RNZ reviewer Justin Gregory won't be elsewhere, he'll definitely be there.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree early Sunday that will put millions of people across northern Italy under lockdown due to the novel coronavirus.

The sweeping move puts the entire Lombardy region, as well as 14 other provinces, under travel restrictions, and is one of the toughest responses implemented outside of mainland China to get the Covid-19 epidemic under control.

The announcement came after Italy saw a dramatic spike of 1,247 confirmed cases of the coronavirus on Saturday, the Civil Protection Department said in a statement.

Rome correspondent Jospehine McKenna speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The Court of Appeal is considering what would be a major change to the way cases of international child abduction are dealt with.

The Hague Convention for international child abduction is used when a parent takes a child to another country, without the permission of the other parent.

New Zealand mothers who flee domestic violence are often ordered to take their children back with the country they fled.

Now the Appeals Court in a test case is deciding whether those cases should be dealt with differently.

Ben Strang reports.