Afternoon Edition: 09 July 2026

The Afternoon Edition of News Fix for 09 July 2026, straight from the Newstalk ZB newsroom - bringing you everything you need to know in news, politics, business, entertainment and sport.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Good afternoon. I'm Scarlet Swatanovich and this is your afternoon
news fix for Thursday, July the ninth. Our government wants
to join Australia and Fiji's new Defense Pact, which seemingly
sparked a fierce reaction from China. This week, Prime Minister
Chris Luxen's confirmed works under way to discuss joining the alliance,
which guarantees mutual support in the event of an attack.

(00:25):
Hours after the deal was inked on Monday, China tested
a nuclear capable missile in the Pacific, drawing strong condemnation
from Australia and New Zealand. Luxon says the pacifics already
working on creating a safer region and joining the deal
is logical. He says, there's a wee way to go
on the decision, but the government's very supportive at the stage.

(00:46):
We think it's actually good for regional security across the Pacific.
The Transport Minister says it's hard to know what a
road will cost until construction begins. Chris Bishop has released
a new phased timeline for the seventeen transport produt jacks
on the government's to do list, putting five on the
back Burner National campaigned in opposition in twenty twenty three

(01:07):
to complete thirteen of those roads, estimating the cost at
seventeen billion dollars. The whole seventeen roads are expected to
come in at roughly fifty six billion. Bishop says precise
costings heart out of government. We went through a pretty
thorough exercise and opposition of using the best publicly available
information and we publish that in good faith. A police

(01:28):
officer charged with possessing objectionable material as keeping his name, age, ethnicity, duties,
rank and family information secret for now after appearing in
Wellington District Court. A patient's death in Waikato Hospital's emergency
department has been deemed an acute unexpected incident. The man
was found unresponsive in the bathroom last week after reportedly

(01:51):
waiting hours. Health New Zealand Clinical Executive National Director doctor
Richard Sullivan says a rapid reviews concluded no extra monitory
would have saved him. Emily ancel reports.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Sullivan says weights have been affected by winter rises in
patient numbers and two wards closing to new admissions because
of bugs and staff sickness. He says a more in
depth review will wrap in August and more edy guidelines
are being developed.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Repairs to State Highway One south of Klakoda will take
a couple of days as images reveal the scale of
the damage from the week's severe weather. New Zealand Firsts
recruited another former MP, huret the hepung Or Bramley. She
held the Honganui seat for National between twenty seventeen and
twenty twenty. As an MP, she faced controversies, including allegation

(02:40):
she used her parliamentary allowance to buy home furniture. She'll
run in Wanganui. Figures in the new Taxpayer's Union Courier
poll would let the Coalition narrowly return to government, but
Labour would be the largest party to Sport and All
Blacks coach Dave Renies made five changes to his run
on site for Saturday's Nation Championship test against Italy and Wellington,

(03:03):
with Anton Segna and Josh Morby set for debuts off
the bench. Silver Fern's vice captain Kate Heffanan believes her
season playing for the champion Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia has
taken her game to another level. Mitch Barnett and Kurt
Cape will have been omitted from the Warriors match Day
twenty one to tackle the Wests Tigers in Sydney tomorrow

(03:23):
night rested following the grueling Origin decider won by the Blues.
I'm Scarlet Sultanovich. That's your latest news fix. We'll be
back with the next update tomorrow morning. From the news
took set B Newsroom.