On Wednesday we heard from Tourism minister Stuart Nash, who said the New Zealand government would actively pursue high-value tourists while at the same time dissuading freedom campers and backpackers from visiting.

Many of our listeners took umbrage with that -- pointing out that backpackers often form long-lasting relationships with New Zealand and that in many cases so-called "low value" travellers often end up living and working here.

Anthony Gardiner works in tourism marketing and has recently completed a research project on New Zealand Tourism and Covid-19 at the University of Otago.

RNZ's text line lit up yesterday after new Tourism Minister Stuart Nash told Morning Report that he wanted to ban tourists hiring vans without toilets.

The minister also wants greater focus placed on attracting rich holidaymakers when the borders open up, and would be quite happy to see fewer cash-strapped backpackers.

That split opinion among listeners - Reporter Jordan Bond got in touch with a few of them.

New Zealand's regional economies have bounced back from Covid-19 better than expected Figures to September produced by Infometrics show an economic activity bounce in regions such as Tasman and Northland, which were both up at least three percent on the same quarter last year.

However, metro areas continued to struggle, along with regions which are heavily reliant on international tourism.

Infometrics economist Gareth Kiernan speaks to Susie Ferguson.

The government has ratcheted up its Covid-19 defences another notch, announcing a range of new testing measures for border workers.

The rules - which apply at all international airports and ports - will test some workers not previously covered and increase the frequency of testing for high risk workers.

Most notably, those who carry out work on international aircraft and ships will be tested weekly, rather than fortnightly.

Covid-19 Response minister Chris Hipkins told Corin Dann the incident in October of a shipping contractor testing positive was influential in the formation of the new measures.

The Education Ministry is advising schools not to practise violent offender drills with their students because they might cause fear and anxiety.

It also told them that teachers cannot stop parents taking their children from classrooms during emergency lockdowns, and they can take children to the toilet.

The ministry has published guidance and legal information that it has been developing since the Christchurch mosque murders in 2019 prompted a lockdown of the city's schools and early childhood centres.

Here's RNZ education correspondent, John Gerritsen.

Thursday marks ten years since a massive explosion ripped through the Pike River mine. 29 men from the West Coast and around the world remain entombed there.

A Royal Commission identified a total disregard by management for their welfare and led to sweeping changes of workplace safety rules.

But still none of those in charge have been held accountable.

Now a team is slowly making its way down the two-point-three-kilometre entry tunnel in the search for evidence that might lead to a prosecution, and, although the chances are slim, the bodies of the men inside.

Conan Young reports.

Aucklanders are waking up to new Covid-19 restrictions this morning, with mask wearing now mandatory on all public transport. 

So how compliant are the passengers of Tāmaki Makaurau this morning?

Reporter Matthew Theunissen is out on the streets.

New Zealand has a new agreement to purchase a vaccine for Covid-19, provided it works.

The government has signed up to buy enough doses of a Janssen Pharmaceuticals vaccine for the entire population. The vaccine has not yet finished clinical trials.

Corin Dann speaks to Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield.

The government has reached an in-principle agreement to purchase doses of a Covid-19 vaccine for the entire population.

If all goes to plan, the first doses - up to 2 million - would be delivered in the second half of 2021.

The government would then have the option to purchase up to 3 million additional doses, which would be delivered throughout 2022.

Developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, the shot uses a harmless cold virus to prompt an immune response - which researchers hope will innoculate recipients against Covid-19.

That's a different strategy to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which have also announced promising results.

Megan Woods is the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation.

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Pharmaceutical company Pfizer has announced its Covid-19 vaccine is 95 percent effective in preventing the coronavirus, with no safety concerns.

Last week, Pfizer's preliminary data showed the vaccine offered 90 percent protection against Covid-19.

Pfizer says it will seek US Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization "within days".

News from the business sector, including a market report.