Morning Report

A brief update from the business sector.

A Māori woman who has survived abuse and rape at the hands of her ex-partners says putting the blame on women for not leaving violent relationships is unhelpful. 

Research shows up to eighty percent of Māori women will experience family violence in their lifetime. 

In the past month, two high profile cases of intimate partner death have made headlines in New Zealand - driving some to criticise women for staying in bad relationships. 

Advocate against family harm Patricia Walsh spent decades in violent relationships - she spoke to RNZ Māori news correspondent Leigh-Marama McLachlan about how hard it is to leave.

Schools are exmploying thousands more teachers over retirement age and hundreds who are 75 or over.

Education Ministry figures show there were 7000 such teachers in 2018, double the number a decade earlier.

Richard Dykes from the Auckland Secondary Principals Association told RNZ education correspondent John Gerritsen most schools are employing older teachers.

Auckland University says the government's decision to rule out a travel exemption for international students is "tremendously disappointing".

Vice Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon says there are about 12,000 new and returning students stuck in China, unable to start their semester.

He says provisions are being made for correspondence learning, but that won't help for practical coursework like labs and field trips.

Professor McCutcheon told RNZ reporter Sarah Robson there is now a real risk that students stuck in China will simply choose to go elsewhere.

The New Zealand duo of Aaron Gate and Campbell Stewart have won silver in the men's madison on the final day of racing at the Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin.

New Zealand's readiness for more cases of coronavirus will dominate Cabinet today. New research shows Maori women are far more likely to be beaten and killed by their partners than other New Zealanders. The number of teachers working past 65 more than doubles as teacher shortage bites.

Sky Snakes are coming to New Plymouth.

No, it's not a bad omen - it's a new Len Lye sculpture that will make its world premiere at celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery tomorrow.

The seven swirling Sky Snakes hang from the ceiling and spin to create dancing patterns of light and movement.

The Gallery's co-director Aileen Burns speaks to Corin Dann.

Families and advocates of children with dyslexia say the Government's long-awaited kit of classroom resources falls far short of what's needed.

They want a complete overhaul of teacher training - which they claim won't just benefit children with learning disabilities, but all students.

Ruth Hill reports.

A steam locomotive from 1885 has been pulled out of the Oreti River in Southland, 93 years after it was dumped there.

New Zealand Railways tipped two locomotives into the River in 1927, and the first of the locomotives was retrieved a month ago. The second one was hauled out last night by The Lumsden Heritage Trust.

John Titter is the chair of the trust.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

A Canterbury man wants councils to take heed after he proved in court his tiny house is a vehicle - not a building, like MBIE said it was.

That means Alan Dall can live in his tiny house without having to spend thousands of dollars fixing it to the ground and making it building code compliant.

Where that ruling leaves hundreds of other tiny house owners in similar structures isn't yet clear.

Katie Todd reports.