Morning Report

News from the business sector, including a market report.

A powerful new housing and development agency is said to be ramping up the pressure on council building consent teams.

Kainga Ora, which is the successor to Housing New Zealand and expects to get many more powers this year, is setting up its own consenting authority.

It has been offering salaries between $10,000 and $30,000 above what councils pay - though Kainga Ora says its jobs carry national responsibility.

The Wellington City Council says it has had to increase what it pays building staff, partly in response, and that will nudge consenting fees up.

The Auckland Council lost 18 staff to Kainga Ora late last year, before councils went to the agency in protest two months ago.

The president of Society of Local Government Management, Phil Wilson, says the disruptions are unwanted.

The Silver Ferns first world title in 16 years struck a chord with the judges of the 57th Halberg Awards.

The netballers are the Supreme Award winners and their coach, Dame Noeline Taurua, is coach of the year.

New Zealand's leading netballers are also team of the year.

Sports reporter Felicity Reid was at last night's awards in Auckland.

A $300 million plan to tackle homelesness is being described as a major breakthrough in the housing crisis.

The Prime Minister has unveiled the plan to create an extra 1000 nplaces to stay by the end of the year for families now living in motels.

Scott Figenshow is with Community Housing Aotearoa.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

A man is dead after a shoot out with police in Tauranga last night.

Officers tried to pull over a car as part of their investigation into the double killing in nearby Omanawa but the driver fled towards the central city, as shots were fired at the police.

The car eventually pulled over and in the following shootout the man was killed.

A large section of State Highway 2 is closed this morning with huge disruptions for Tauranga commuters.

Armed police remain on alert.

Reporter Michael Cropp has the details.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.

Some good news from the Australia bushfire crisis - all of the bushfires in New South Wales are now contained for the first time this season.

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service said it was great news after "a very traumatic, exhausting and anxious" time.

Their efforts were assisted by heavy rain, which lashed the state since last weekend and helped extinguish more than 30 fires - some of which had been burning for months.

James Morris is from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The second most powerful man in Boris Johnson's government has resigned, after he refused the prime minster's request to sack his entire team of advisors. .

The chancellor of the exchequer - or finance minister - Sajid Javid quit just four weeks before he has due to deliver his first Budget.

He has been replaced by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak - who just seven months ago was a junior housing minister.

Corin Dann speaks to London correspondent Olly Barratt.

The Silver Ferns have been the stars of the show at the annual Halberg Sports Awards.