Morning Report

Four people have already been killed on the roads before the official Christmas holiday road toll period even begins this afternoon at 4pm.

One person died near Levin on Sunday and three people were killed yesterday in two separate collisions in Thames and Rangitaiki on the Napier-Taupo Road.

The police are warning drivers the summer holidays are the deadliest time of year on the roads.

December and January have the highest number of fatal crashes with 33 percent more deaths than the rest of year on average.

Mark Owen from the Transport Agency speaks to Susie Ferguson about Christmas and New Year traffic.

The Black Caps best bowler says he's ticked all the boxes ahead of his return to the side for the must win Boxing Day cricket test against Australia.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

A Christmas tradition for Morning Report is to bring you season's greetings from some of the politicians we talk to during the year.

Here's leader of the Act Party, David Seymour.

The kaitiaki of a sacred Rotorua lake say it's being desecrated by a mountain bike trail they had no say in approving.

Lake Rotokakahi is part of a network of lakes in the area - and the public aren't allowed to swim in it.

However, the bike trail is increasing traffic around the lake - and some people are not respecting the rules.

The Lake is run by the Rotokakahi Board of Control - which has been in charge of the lake since the government allowed iwi to privatise it in 1949.

Board chair Walton Hohepa Lee told RNZ reporter John Boynton there are only pockets of land left.

In a statement the Rotorua Lakes Council says it's been working with the Rotokakahi Board of Control to establish a relationship enabling Council to support them with their aspirations for their whenua and lake.

The council will continue to work with them to alleviate issues where possible.

The Conservation Department won't reopen its part of the track to Cape Kidnappers after two tourists were seriously injured in a rockslide while walking underneath the cliffs in January.

The Hastings District Council has opened a large portion of the beach but the colony of gannets - popular with tourists - will be off-limits.

The owner of a tour company that has thrived on visiting the colony isn't happy.

Gannet Beach Adventures' owner Colin Lindsay speaks to Corin Dann.

More detail has been released about the government's $5 million business support package for Whakatāne and Westland.

The package is aimed at helping businesses affected by the Whakaari/White Island eruption and the recent flooding in Westland.

Applications are now open, but the panel which will allocate the money isn't expected to meet for a few weeks.

Whakatāne fishing and dive tour operator Phil Van Dusschoten speaks to Corin Dann.

After the mosque attacks in Christchurch this year, many were asking which agencies should have been keeping New Zealanders safe from extremism.

Were there plans and strategies in place to identify risk and keep danger out?

In an Insight programme earlier in 2019, in the aftermath of the terror attack, Phil Pennington tried to get answers to these questions.

On Monday you heard Phil report on how muslims in this country feel watched.

Here is his the second part of his documentary which first played earlier this year.

In it Phil looks further into how New Zealanders are being watched and what is given to and what is shared by government agencies.

The Black Caps have received a boost ahead of the Boxing Day cricket test against Australia with strike bowler Trent Boult back to full fitness.

It's barbecue season and the question is to add beetroot or not?

Earlier this year Whanganui man Geoff Horne was offered a beet-free burger at not one but four different takeaway joints in a row.

But he really wanted a slice of the purple pickle in his burger.

He took to social media to get help and pretty soon he was chowing down on a slop and drip burger - complete with beetroot.