Morning Report

An Auckland man who had a seizure and blacked out while driving through the Waterview Tunnel is warning of the dangers of driving while switching brands of epilepsy medicine.

Paul Thompson narrowly avoided a serious accident and is now urging people with epilepsy to take the Transport Agency's advice of a voluntary two month driving stand down if they're caught up in the Pharmac brand switch.

But official documents show Pharmac and the Transport Agency were in a stand-off about whether the brand switch posed a danger to drivers - and it got so tense the agency refused to meet with the national drug buyer.

The government has admitted there are questions about the enforcement of adventure tourism safety rules in the wake of the White Island/Whakaari eruption.

Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway conceded yesterday that adventure activities regulations might not be fit for purpose.

Sixteen people have been confirmed dead as a result of the eruption, while 26 remain in hospitals in New Zealand and Australia, 10 in a critical condition.

Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges has said he hopes tourism to Whakaari/White Island will be allowed to resume in time.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The police admit they may never find the two bodies missing after the eruption on Whakaari/White Island.

Tour guide Hayden Marshall Inman and 17-year-old Australian tourist Winona Langford are thought to be in the sea after being washed off the crater.

While the police continue to search in the area where one body was last seen in the water they are also modelling where they could have drifted.

But Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Clement told RNZ reporter Sarah Robson there are no guarantees the bodies will be found.

A man has been shot after an incident at Flaxmere Primary School.

A crowd of anxious parents waited at a cordon during the police operation.

Hastings district councillor Henare O'Keefe's two grandsons were inside, and he was among the parents waiting.

He speaks to Susie Ferguson.

Police say a man shot at Flaxmere Primary School was only metres away from children when he was shot.

They say the man, who is in a serious but stable condition in hospital on Wednesday morning, was not threatening staff or children when he was shot.

And they're unable to confirm he was in fact armed. But Eastern District Commander Superintendent Tania Kura says when officers respond to reports of armed offenders at a school they need to make split second decisions to keep children safe.

Corin Dann speaks to Ms Kura.

The Silver Ferns coach Noeline Taurua is leaning towards staying in the job when he contract ends in January.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Questions are being asked whether rules covering adventure tourism are fit for purpose in the wake of the deaths and injuries in the White Island/Whakaari eruption.

The regulations require commercial operators who provide adventure activities to pass safety audits and be registered by WorkSafe.

But if the system of protecting workers and tourists was working properly, why were so many killed and injured on a commercial visit to the island?

Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway, speaks to Susie Ferguson.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.