Morning Report

A dire shortage of family doctors in Northland mean locals are flooding into Whangarei Hospital's emergency department which can't cope either.

It's having to hand out vouchers for casual visits to the city's private emergency clinic to plug the gaps.

Health authorities are now desperate to attract more GPs to the region.

Amy Williams filed this report

A large blaze at a car wreckers sent black smoke churning into the air above Ngongotaha near Rotorua last night.

It's now under control, but at its peak stretched 100 by 60 metres, taking more than 20 crews to douse the flames.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) says three crews have been at the site overnight, and more will arrive this morning with fire investigators.

FENZ assistant area manager Hamish Smith speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The Advertising Standards Authority has declined an appeal from the National Party over a Facebook ad on the government's feebate policy.

National Party leader Simon Bridges told Morning Report he respects the decision that has been made.

He would not however commit to signing up to Facebook's Ad Library.

There are now 1850 New Zealanders in self-imposed isolation after arriving back from China where the Coronavirus outbreak began.

Yesterday the Minister of Health announced customs and public health officials can now share information to keep tabs on any New Zealanders who have returned from China.

The Director of General Health Ashley Bloomfield speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Two weeks after a child suffered horrific injuries at his home in Flaxmere the police still don't know who attacked him.

The four-year-old is in a serious condition in Starship Hospital and is likely to be severely disabled if he survives. Roger Nelson lives in Ramsey Crescent.

He has seen the family around but has never spoken to them.

Another neighbour Dean Strickland says he's not heard of anyone having problems with the family.

He says it's a quiet but friendly street and he's shocked by the beating.

It's one of the most appalling cases of child abuse Detective Inspector Mike Foster has seen in his three decades on the force.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

The New Zealand First Foundation has received tens of thousands of dollars from donors in the horse racing industry in payments which fall just below the $15,000 threshold over which party donations are made public.

In one case $45,000 was donated by the Lindsay family, including Brendan Lindsay, owner of Cambridge Stud and one of New Zealand's richest men.

The payments from the Lindsay family went into the New Zealand First Foundation bank account on the same day in three lots of $15,000 - just one cent below the threshold for public disclosure.

The Electoral Commission said this week it believed money given to the Foundation should have been treated as party donations and police have now called in the Serious Fraud Office.

In Depth reporters Guyon Espiner and Kate Newton have been investigating and Guyon Espiner filed this report.

Overnight Winston Peters has posted on Facebook: "within the next 48 hours I will be letting you know the truth about the NZF Foundation. Answering questions live on Facebook. I will tell you what the latest hysterics are all about. Get your questions in now".

The Black Caps captain Kane Williamson is praising his bowlers after New Zealand wrapped up their one-day series against India.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

A dire shortage of GPs in Northland means some patients turning up at Whangarei Hospital's emergency department are sent away with a voucher for the city's private emergency clinic.

Whangarei teacher Miriam Burgess-Payne said she is concerned and frustrated that people have to go to the emergency department for same-day medical care.

She speaks to Corin Dann.

Two weeks after a child suffered horrific injuries at his home in Flaxmere on 29 January the police still don't know who beat him.

The boy is in a serious condition in Starship Hospital and is likely to be severely disabled - if he survives at all.

Hamish Cardwell has more.