Rnz: Nine To Noon

The government has unveiled its shake-up of planning controls, promising property owners will have more freedom to do more with their own land. 

Transpower says that allowing the major South Island hydro lakes to be drawn down further would leave the country exposed to rolling blackouts, in a worst-case scenario. 

There's been world cup draws in rugby and football, and in cricket New Zealand and England fail to deliver in their respective test matches. 

Brian Stoddart on his book Outcast: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Etienne Jean Brocher - about the 1896 double murder of an elderly shopkeeping couple in Petone.

Calida Stuart-Menteath on the prefab home builder Nook going under and continued trouble at the Financial Markets Authority - with chair Craig Stobo now being investigated.

Tess reports on Woolworths in Dunedin South pleading guilty over a rat infestation, Dunedin Council agrees to a housing outreach service and super snowmakers on the way for Coronet Peak.

Gail Pittaway reviews The Way to Spell Love by Nina Nola, published by The Cuba Press.

The Auckland Tramping Club has a new book out celebrating its centenary. It's packed with tales from the huts, trails and picnic spots discovered by the club since 1925.

President Trump is facing bipartisan outrage after video showed U.S. military "double-tap" strikes killing unarmed survivors in alleged cartel boats, raising questions about possible war crimes.

A New Zealand entrepreneur is working to tackle a major bottleneck in robotics - testing artificial intelligence in the physical world - with his software programme called Antioch that lets companies building robots test them in real world scenarios. 

A teacher of 23 years says it's unfair those who trained prior to the 2000s are now unable to reach the highest pay level unless they undergo extra training, and it's leading to those with fewer years' experience being able to earn more than their older colleagues.

A developer in Auckland is backing the Government taking control of what new housing pays for local infrastructure.  

Today, with holidays just around the corner, Kennedy does a whistlestop south-to-north tour, offering 10 of his favourite off-the-beaten-track localities.

How 20 years of development to produce Scifresh and Scilate apples, lead to the later commercialisation of Jazz and Envy apples. 

Dale, Ben and Kathryn discuss recent events in politics including the latest on expelled Te Pāti Māori MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris.

Tom talks about opponents joining forces to oppose road changes and a new planned tunnel, a new world class music festival for the capital, Wellington City Council wins more votes on the water regional services and the 8 year old lobbying the council for speed bumps.

Jane Westaway reviews How to End a Story: Collected Diaries 1978-1998 by Helen Garner.

John and Elisa Mendzela on how they uncovered evidence of abuse of students and sexual misconduct by other teachers. 

US President Donald Trump puts  pressure  Venezuela's leader, but grants a pardon to former Honduran President and the countdown is on for the football World Cup.

Former Prime Minister and constitutional law expert, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, on what he calls a quick and dirty way for the government to get its own way.