Morning Report

Clive James, the Australian writer and broadcaster known around the world for his dry wit, has died at the age of 80.

The author and critic rose to prominence delivering his wry commentary in such shows as Clive James on Television.

He was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2010.

In 2015 he spoke to Kim Hill about his latest collection of poetry, Sentenced to Life.

He told Kim he had found his ambition to write at university.

As well as his broadcasting roles James was a prolific author writing columns, multitudes of books and poems.

Here are some of his famous quotes: "Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing." and "Fiction is life with the dull bits left out".

Principals say high-decile Auckland schools can afford more opportunities for their students than schools in the rest of the country.

Annual report figures show the city's decile eight, nine and ten state schools are making as much as 40 percent more per student from non-government sources than similar schools elsewhere.

The primary schools last year received an average of $946 per pupil, including $166 from foreign students and $276 in donations.

Waikato is just a little further south, but the president of its Primary Principals Association, Hamish Fenemor, told RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen, many of the region's high-decile schools can only dream of getting so much money from donations.

The ninety-year-old Levin woman attacked in her home last month has died in hospital.

Grace Isobel Virtue was assaulted in her Levin home on Bath Street in early November.

The woman's death means the investigation has now become a homicide inquiry.

Three teenage girls were arrested soon after the attack and have been on bail after a court appearance at the time.

Age Concern's Levin spokesperson Dan Geraghty told our reporter Charlotte Cook the woman's death is tragic.

News from the rural and farming sector.

A brief update from the business sector.

The UK's main parties are gearing up for a general election on 12 December.

These national votes to choose a government to run the country are supposed to be held every five years.

But this would be the third since 2015 for the UK.

RNZ's correspondent in London is James Rothwell from the Telegraph.

A Maori activist is vowing to keep the public gates into Lake Horowhenua locked until the Government listens to him.

Phil Taueki, who has been been occupying land beside the lake for 15 years, has had a long-running dispute with Horowhenua District Council about cleaning up the lake.

It's owned by Manawatu iwi Muaūpoko, but after a parliamentary act in 1905, its administration and management became the responsibility of a government-appointed board.

It's still managed by the board and the Department of Conservation.

Yesterday Mr Taueki locked the gate and put up signs saying the lake is closed - although he has given keys to the local Sea Cadets and a dog club.

The Waitangi Tribunal has found there were significant treaty breaches in the way the lake has been controlled and administered.

Mr Taueki told RNZ reporter Hamish Cardwell he wants the Crown to follow the Tribunal's recommendations to dissolve the board and set up a new governance body.

RNZ has approached the Department of Conservation for comment.

The police say they are aware of a protestor having locked the gate but they are not involved at this point.

The National Party's proposal to set up a police unit that would have the sole purpose of targeting and harassing gangs has been ridiculed by a former Australian detective.

The Opposition is pitching a police unit simliar to New South Wales' Strike Force Raptor team.

Mike Kennedy, who is now an academic, told RNZ deputy political editor Craig McCulloch the strike force has has actually driven the gangs underground.

The Black Caps are hopeful that the injured pair of pace bowler Trent Boult and allrounder Colin de Grandhomme will be fit to play the first cricket test against Australia in Perth next month.

Dunedin doctor Venod Skantha faces a life sentence for murdering 16-year-old Amber Rush, 40 years on we look back at the Mount Erebus disaster that claimed 257 lives,  Australian writer and broadcaster Clive James has died.