Morning Report

There's no sign of rain for Northland which has been on the brink of drought for weeks - and it's got the agriculture minister worried.

Damien O'Connor said yesterday he was keeping a close eye on the situation and if it got worse then the government might have to step in with financial aid for farmers.

Northland federated farmers president John Blackwell speaks to Corin Dann.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.

A team of New Zealand Salvation Army members have been helping in a New South Wales community devastated by the fires, where they've been caught up in the thick of it.

Wellingtonian Gerry Walker is one of a team of eight from the Salvation Army who have recently returned from working at an evacuation centre in Naroomba, south of Sydney.

The team helped feed families, who sometimes arrived with only the shirts on their backs, after losing their houses and farms. Mr Walker, told RNZ reporter Karoline Tuckey the scale of the devastation is beyond belief.

The National Party suspects dirty politics are at play after three laptops were stolen from its Auckland headquarters, but a business next door was victim to the same crime a couple of months ago.

Brunton New Zealand - an accounting software company - had its laptops stolen when a window was jemmied open late last year.

National's deputy leader Paula Bennett told RNZ reporter Sarah Robson the burglary was sinister and suspicious and it's not a good start to an election year.

Roger Federer showed no sign of rust despite a lack of match practice ahead of the Australian Tennis Open as he launched his bid for a record-extending 21st Grand Slam title with a straight sets win over Steve Johnson.

drought looms in Northland and other areas are drying out fast, New Zealand firefighters returning from Australia's bush fires say there are lessons to be learned back home, gang violence in Taradale puts residents on edge.

The Australian Open hits off in Melbourne today with some of the biggest names in tennis playing in the opening day of the tournament.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic both have matches on the opening day, as do Serena Williams and defending women's champion Naomi Osaka.

RNZ correspondent Dave Worsley is heading to the Grand Slam and speaks to Corin Dann.

It has been 100-days since mayors in cities and districts around the country took up the mayoral chains.

Some were elected promising to make big changes and to get things done.

RNZ's Andrew McRae looks at how some of the newbies are coping in their new roles.

Another group of New Zealand firefighters from around the country are heading to Australia to fight its forest fires.

They left Auckland airport on Sunday afternoon for New South Wales where some fires have eased but others continue to rage.

Mackenzie Smith reports.