Watch: Dental waitlist, stormy weather and KKK quiz night costumes

Don’t have time to read the headlines? Watch the Focus Morning Bulletin presented by Chereè Kinnear above.

DENTAL WAITLIST

Lack of prevention efforts, workforce shortages and access to care challenges are driving a dental surgery waitlist for young people that can’t be budged.

Te Whatu Ora data shows that referrals on the waiting list for children 14 and under sat around 4000 between April last year and the end of March this year.

Dental Association chief executive Mo Amso says our national strategic vision for oral health is almost 20 years old and must be reviewed in order to turn this around.

A dentist's assistant has been awarded compensation for being dismissed 91 days after she was employed by the Ashburton clinic. Photo / 123RF

BENBOW RETRIAL

The retrial starts today in a high-profile Christchurch murder case.

Michael McGrath was last seen at his Halswell home in 2017 ... but a body or weapon have never been found.

Former friend David Benbow was charged with murder two years later.

The previous trial earlier this year resulted in a hung jury after four days of deliberations.

Benbow will be back in court today, where the jury is expected to be impanelled and will hear opening statements from both the Crown and the defence.

STORMY START

The country is in for a windy, wet start to the week.

There’ll be strong winds and heavy showers and even hail across the north.

People in the South Island should keep an eye out for the cold - as a number of State Highways have road snowfall warnings, which could affect conditions.

However, the good news is that forecasters note this weather won’t hang around for long.

KKK COSTUMES

Onlookers expressed disgust when people showed up at a Bay of Plenty fundraiser dressed as the Ku Klux Klan as part of a costume competition.

An attendee says she felt sick when the group walked in to the quiz night at the Kaimai School hall on Saturday night.

Hosts, the Kaimai Settlers Committee, says they would have acted if anyone raised concern - and have urged the group to apologise.

Quiz contestants at the Kaimai School Kaimai Settlers committee fundraiser dressed as Ku Klux Klan, complete with petrol can.