Don’t have time to read the headlines? Watch the Focus Morning Bulletin presented by Cheree Kinnear above.
FAMILY BREAKS SILENCE
Family of the Auckland CBD shooter say they’re sorry for the harm Matu Reid caused, when he opened fire at a construction site.
The 24-year-old gunman killed two people and injured 10 others on July 20, before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Reid’s sister says the family is extending its deepest condolences, love and prayers to the families of those who were lost.
She says they’re shocked by Reid’s actions, and are waiting for the investigation to be completed to find out why.
WILD WEATHER
Speed restrictions have been placed on Auckland’s Harbour Bridge this morning as winds of up to 100km/h are expected in the city.
Thunderstorms and hail are also on the cards, while snow storms continue at the other end of the country.
Snow is expected to impair all main highways in the South Island.
The Crown Range Rd, which connects Queenstown and Wānaka, was blocked due to snow around 12.30pm yesterday.
Forecasters predicted up to 10cm of snow could fall on the road above 700m.
AUSSIE CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE
An Australian former childcare worker has been charged with abusing 91 children over 15 years in what police are describing as one of the country’s “most horrific” child sex abuse cases.
Federal police say the offences happened at 10 different childcare centres between 2007 and 2022.
The man has been charged with 1623 separate crimes, including 136 counts of rape and 110 counts of sexual intercourse with a child younger than 10.
SEARCH FOR YANFEI BAO
It’s now two weeks since the 44-year-old was last seen.
High water levels have set back search efforts since the weekend.
Police believe Bao is dead, after disappearing 13 days ago.
UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES
And unemployment figures for the last quarter are due out today.
It was running at 3.4 per cent in the March 2023 quarter - near its historic lows.
Stats NZ will reveal the labour market data for the June quarter this morning.
NZ Herald Business editor at large, Liam Dann, isn’t expecting the figure to have moved much.
He says most economists are picking a subtle rise of around 0.1 per cent, for an annual rate of 3.5 per cent.