28 Feb 2017

Top Stories for Tuesday 28 February 2017

From Morning Report, 6:00 am on 28 February 2017

It's not meant to happen but it did. The wrong film was awarded the Oscar's biggest prize for Best Picture - but the award didn't belong to La La Land but to Moonlight. Variety's Tim Gray watched the Academy Awards car crash unfold. Two New Zealanders win Oscars at this year's Academy Awards. Film critic Dan Slevin says their wins are "the Lord of the Rings dividend paying back to New Zealand." A report out this morning predicts a bleak future for most of the country's regions with populations predicted to either drop or stagnate within three decades. Lionel Patea has pleaded guilty to the murder of Tara Brown on the first day of his trial at the Brisbane Supreme Court. He has been sentenced to life in prison. Melinda Howells from the ABC in Brisbane was in court. A leading business group is backing the Prime Minister's suggestion New Zealand needs more immigrants because too many locals rule themselves out of jobs by taking drugs. "What I hear from employers is that they want to employ younger New Zealanders, any New Zealanders." The Labour Leader Andrew Little says employers want WINZ to work with the unemployed to get them work ready. Could attack-style advertising from individuals and private organisations become a feature of this year's election? Politicians certainly hope not, but at least one adman reckons we should be able to take the mickey out of politicians.