Summer Report for Thursday 4 January 2018

8:55 AM.DOC technical advisor Keith Briden warns of the major environmental dangers if Christmas trees are ditched in the wrong place. Audio

8:44 AM.The man who built the controversial track says it's possible to remove it but it won't be easy. Meanwhile Erik Frykberg reports competing petitions for and against saving the perpetuate talks about… Read more Audio

8:39 AM.A former Australian deputy prime minister says the USA is perpetuating a diplomatic insult to his country by failing to appoint an ambassador to Canberra. Audio

8:34 AM.The timing couldn't be worse for the tennis organisers with rain already disrupting this year's women's tournament with more wet weather expected later in the week, reports Matt Chatterton. Audio

8:30 AM.Helicopters have resumed bombarding a large grass fire on Mt Roy, on the outskirts of Wanaka this morning. RNZ reporter Logan Church discusses fire conditions in the South Island. Audio

8:24 AM.Farmers struggling with drought in the lower North Island are hoping rain forecast for the coming days will go some way in mitigating the tough dry conditions they're dealing with, as the Taranaki… Read more Audio

8:20 AM.Hundreds of people continue to walk the tracks in the Waitakere Ranges and as Nita Black-Persen reports, not everyone knows about the rahui or the spread of kauri dieback disease. Audio

8:15 AM.The US president Donald Trump has distanced himself from former aid Steve Bannon after Mr Bannon was quoted in a new book describing a meeting between Mr Trump's son and a group of Russians as… Read more Audio

8:09 AM.Auckland housing market better for buyers than sellers for the first time in seven years. Audio