Morning Report

More flooding, habitat loss, poorer water quality and fewer species could be on the cards for a Southland lagoon as the climate changes.

The Department of Conservation has published a report today examining the impact climate change could have on Waituna Lagoon.

The report is one of the first its kind in Aotearoa for DoC and there are hopes it could trigger more studies around the country.

Otago/Southland reporter Tess Brunton has this exclusive.

The family of an elderly woman say her rest home cut them out of a dementia assessment process, then gave them two weeks to find her a new place to live.

Isobel Grieve was a resident at Aria Bay care home in Auckland for 2.5 years.

Her son, who has power of attorney, was told his mother's condition had declined and that an assesment would need to be done in about a month.

But a few days later he received an email saying the assessment had just been done and she had two weeks to find a new home.

Emma Hatton reports.

Questions are being raised about a proposed development near Ngamotu Beach in New Plymouth and its distance from an active oil well.

The Seaport Land Company wants to transform Fonterra's former cool stores into apartments, offices, shops and restaurants - but it is only about 100 metres from the Republic New Plymouth 4 well head.

RNZ Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.

A brief update on the movements in the financial sector.

Descendants of Tūhoe prophet Rua Kēnana say the crown's pardon of their ancestor will help heal pain and tears that have remained raw over many years.

The Rua Kēnana Pardon Bill passed its second and third reading at Parliament on Wednesday, and will receive royal assent at Maungapōhatu in Te Urewera on Saturday.

Descendants say the apology will ensure their ancestor can finally be at peace, and they will be able to return home once more.

Meriana Johnsen has the story.

The woman who accused a Labour Party staff member of a serious sexual assault is reportedly standing by her version of events, despite an independent investigation finding insufficient evidence to support her complaint.

Lawyer Maria Dew QC says some allegations of overbearing and aggressive conduct by the staff member were established, though they fell short of of meeting the threshold of unlawful bullying.

But she found insufficient evidence to support allegations of a serious sexual assault and found critical elements of the complainant's story were incorrect.

Ms Dew says the complainant admitted providing misleading information to the investigation.

The woman set out her story in great detail in an article published on website The Spinoff in September.

Spinoff editor Duncan Greive says in an article published on Thursday he has spoken to the woman and she stands by what she told the website.

RNZ political editor Jane Patterson speaks to Corin Dann.

A journalist who wrote an unauthorised biography of business leader Sir Ron Brierley says she was not surprised he'd been arrested in Australia on charges of possessing child pornography.

Sir Ron, who is 82 and who lives in Sydney, was stopped at Sydney airport before he boarded a flight to Fiji.

The Sydney Morning Herald, quoting senior police sources, says 200,000 images and 512 videos of child abuse were found on his laptop and other electronic devices.

Yvonne van Dongen's book, Brierley- the Man Behind the Corporate Legend, was published in 1990.

She told reporter Matthew Theunissen Sir Ron was unfazed when she told him she planned to write about his liking of young Thai prostitutes, so yesterday's news was not a shock.

Whakatāne hospital doctors, nurses and specialists are taking stress leave after the horror of last week's deadly eruption at Whakaari/White Island.

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is now asking for help from local GPs, and staff at neighbouring DHBs.

Fourteen people remain in four hospitals around the country - 10 in a critical condition.

The Drug Foundation wants roadside drug testing to be in place before the cannabis referendum next year.

Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter says she will introduce a bill to parliament early next year giving police powers to run random roadside saliva testing.

The tests will take two to five minutes to process but can give false results, so people who test positive will be tested a second time before facing a fine and an immediate suspension from driving for a minimum of 12 hours.

The Drug Foundation's executive director is Ross Bell.

Trent Boult says to represent New Zealand in a Boxing Day cricket Test will tick off one of his long-held goals.