Morning Report

The Motor Trade Association obtained data that shows the percentage of fatal crashes involving some sort of vehicle factor - often bad tyres or lights - has tripled to 15 percent since 2013.

This is at the same time as Warrant of Fitness fail rates are climbing.

The MTA represents thousands of garages - its spokesperson Greig Epps is worried the Government's new Road to Zero plan won't tackle this.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

A trucking company that falsified logbooks and repeatedly failed roadside inspections has escaped any penalty.

Pacific Haulage Limited operates trucks out of Gisborne and was audited after concerns were raised by the Police's Commercial Vehicle Safety Team.

The Transport Agency had threatened to revoke the company's operating licence.

RNZ reporter Emma Hatton speaks to Corin Dann about the incident.

Samoa was warned as early as March to immunise its population against measles.

That notice came more than six months before a deadly epidemic killed 77 people as of Thursday 19 Dececember.

RNZ has found several warnings in the lead up to a crisis exacerbated by low vaccination rates. .

Mackenzie Smith reports.

At least 12 homes have been destroyed as out-of-control fires rage across New South Wales.

Firefighters have been seriously injured and smoke haze across the Sydney basin has been at hazardous levels.

Scott Levi is an ABC reporter.

An Auckland criminal barrister says historical sexual offending charges are notoriously difficult to both prosecute and defend.

Arthur Allan Thomas - who was pardoned after twice being convicted of the 1970 murders of Harvey and Jeanette Crewe - is now facing historical rape and indecent assault charges.

Mr Thomas, who is 81, has pleaded not guilty in the Manukau District Court.

Corin Dann speaks to barrister John Munro.

The Justice Ministry has finally made its court cells safer for suicidal detainees, four years after a man killed himself in one.

The work caps off delays that have frustrated detention watchdogs, over substandard cells throughout the country that posed a significant risk to prisoner safety.

Phil Pennington reports.

Those for and against a ban on some firearms are uniting in calling for an extension to the gun buy-back.

The buy-back on semi-automatic rifles and shotguns ends at midnight on Friday.

But uncertainty surrounds just how successful it has been, due to there being no record of how many of the guns have been brought in to the country in the first place.

Conan Young reports.

Donald Trump has officially been impeached by the House of Representatives.

Mr Trump faced two charges - abusing his power and obstructing Congress.

Nearly all Democrats voted for the charges and every Republican voted against them.

Mr Trump response has been defiant, wholly blaming democrats at a rally yesterday.

RNZ's correspondent in Washington is Simon Marks.

Holiday makers face long delays and massive queues starting from today with the annual Christmas exodus from the major centres beginning earlier than usual.

Hundreds of thousands of cars are expected to hit the road as people decide not to wait till Christmas Eve to get their summer break under way.

The delays and congestion could continue all summer throughout much of the country, with a huge amount of road-works planned.

Hamish Cardwell reports.

The former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford says the Black Caps selectors haven't helped themselves when it comes to the situation with struggling opening batsman Jeet Raval.