Morning Report

National's agriculture spokesperson Todd Muller wants more balance in how the country's education system portrays farmers.

His comments come in response to a question in a Level 3 English paper that asked students to "discuss the way the writer explores ongoing change" in a New Zealand Geographic article.

The text quoted a survey showing two-thirds of respondents blamed farmers for deteriorating water quality.

Todd Muller says the piece painted a one-sided picture of New Zealand's farmers.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

In the wake of the Grace Millane trial there are calls to broaden a bill before Parliament to ensure a dead victim's sexual history isn't also dragged through the courts.

The legislation, aimed at making it easier for sexual violence victims to testify in court, has passed its first reading. It proposes that unless a Judge gives permission, a witness cannot be asked about their sexual history with the defendant, nor could they be asked about their sexual preferences.

Justice Minister Andrew Little also told Morning Report an international agreement on how to handle supression orders in the internet age may be at least two years away.

Wellington Women Lawyers' Association's Steph Dyhrberg and Criminal Bar Association president, Len Andersen speak to Susie Ferguson.

Back to our story on a campaign to move Auckland's port to Whangarei:

A spokesperson for the Waterfront 2029 campaign, Michael Goldwater, said Auckland had a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unlock the values of its waterfront for its people and ratepayers.

And now two former Prime Ministers - Helen Clark and Sir John Key - have backed the plan.

Sir John spoke to Morning Report about the campaign.

A man who spent more than 16 years in a US Prison for his part in murdering tourists at a gorilla watching saunctuary, has been deported to Australia.

Francois Karake, 55, was released from an immigration detention center in Miami last Tuesday and arrived in Australia on Thursday.

Mr Karake along with two others was swapped to Australia, in return for imprisoned refugees, in a deal struck between President Barack Obama and then-Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Politico reporter Josh Gerstein has been following this story.

Police officers who shot a man holding two children hostage are being stood down for 10 days.

It followed a lengthy standoff after a man in Tauranga threatened his partner with a knife, before barricading himself and two children in a house.

Police say they had exhausted attempts to resolve the situation peacefully, when officers re-entered the house, the man held a knife to one of the children, and the police shot him dead.

Police Association president Chris Cahill speaks to Corin Dann.

New Zealand's dominant batting display in the first cricket Test has shown the tourists just what it takes to make big scores, says England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

Black Caps all-rounder Mitchell Santner starred with bat and ball on day four of the first test against England, to give New Zealand a shot at victory today in Mt Maunganui.

In reply to England's 353, New Zealand declared their first innings at 615 for 9, thanks to B J Watling's first double century and Santner's maiden test century.

The pair's partnership of 261 was a seventh-wicket record.

Santner then grabbed three wickets for six runs, leaving England struggling at 55 for three - trailing the Black Caps by 207 with a day to go.

RNZ sports correspondent Hamish Bidwell speaks to Corin Dann.

Senior doctors are warning our public hospitals are in crisis - without enough staff to provide good, safe and reliable healthcare to New Zealanders.

Medical specialists are reporting crying on the way to work, due to their workload, rapid growth in patient numbers, and not enough staff to go around.

The president of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Murray Barclay, speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The government has rejected a UN request it increase the number of African and Middle East refugees it takes in.

It was asked to increase the number of Middle Eastern refugees taken to 35 percent, and African refugees to 25 percent. Instead it increased proportions to 15 percent each.

Guled Mire came to New Zealand from Somalia over 20 years ago.

He's a community advocate who successfully campaigned for the government to change a discriminatory 'family link' rule which barred African and Middle Eastern refugees from settling in New Zealand unless they already had family here.

The government's rejected a UN request to increase the number of African and Middle Eastern refugees.

New Zealand is due to accept 1500 refugees next year, about half of them from Asia-Pacific.

The government announced it was dropping a requirement for African and Middle Eastern refugees to have a family link to New Zealand, which was welcomed as the overturning of a racist policy in October.

However, cabinet papers show UN and government officials urged the government to increase the number of African refugees to a quarter, and those from the Middle East, to 35 percent, as that's where the greatest need is.

Instead, the Government chose to increase their proportions to 15 percent each.

Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway speaks to Corin Dann.