Afternoon Edition: 16 July 2026

The Afternoon Edition of News Fix for 16 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 Rayleen Ramsay. This is your afternoon news
fix for Thursday, the sixteenth of July. Kiwi actor Sam
Neil's cause of death has been revealed as pneumonia. The
seventy eight year old died in a Sydney hospital on Monday,
after revealing earlier this year he was cancer free. Danica
McLean has more.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
The Guardian reports. Sam Neil's longtime representative, Philip Grens, says
after speaking with the family, he's revealing details to counter
inaccuracies and outright falsehoods. He says Neil filmed four projects
back to back in the past year, which will be
released in coming months. A private funeral will be held
at his New Zealand farm at an undetermined date.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Fiji and New Zealand have refreshed star the Dua Vata
partnership today. It's as our government ponders joining a new
Ocean of Peace Alliance Defense Pact signed by Australia in
Fiji this month. Political reporter Troy Mattitch has more.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters spoke with his vegan counterpart
in Auckland today and they signed the updated du Avata
agreement laying out priorities for the next five years. In
the meeting, the terminus has also touched on New Zealand's
interest in the Ocean of Peace Alliance.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
Assurances people shouldn't worry about food or human infection from
bird flu after confirmation it's landed in New Zealand. We
have one confirmed case of the H five N one
strain and a seabird found on Patony Beach last week.
Mainland Poultry CEO John Mackay says farms are already prepared
with strong biosecurity measures. He says their produce is safe

(01:38):
to consume and the risk to humans is low. We
have very clear PPE guidelines worked up with MPI in
the Ministry of Health to make sure that we can
keep our people safe. A beneficiary advocate says an uptick
in people drawing welfare payments doesn't paint the full picture.
MSD data shows a one point nine percent increasing year

(02:00):
of people receiving the main benefit. At the end of June,
twelve point eight percent of the working age population are
drawing the main benefit, up from twelve point six a
year ago. Advocate k Britton says she's surprised the rise
is that small. I assume the reason the rise is
that small is that there's a number of people who
are partnered and therefore don't qualify for benefit even though

(02:23):
they've lost their jobs. Labour's accusing the government of slamming
the brakes on major transport projects, spending millions worth nothing
to show for it. An answer to a written parliamentary
question shows three hundred and twenty eight million dollars had
gone into six roads of national significance at the end
of April. It's out of six hundred and seventy five

(02:44):
million approved. Transport Minister Chris Bishop replied saying NZTA's pipelines
now put four of six roads in the slow lane.
Labour Transport spokesperson Tangi Utaketi says hundreds of millions has
gone into things like paperwork.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
We know how that money has gone a waste to sport.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
All Black's coach Dave Rennie has gone for more bulk
in his team to tackle Ireland and Auckland on Saturday,
with Normal Locke to pull vi E on the blind
side and Patrick Tuypelottu starting at Locke returning first five.
Richie Muanga says he's looked at all loopholes, but except
he doesn't meet the criteria to be selected for the

(03:25):
All Blacks upcoming tour of South Africa. The Argentine Football
Association is facing a hefty fine for its players displaying
a politically motivated banner about the disputed Falkland Islands after
the World Cup semi final win over England. That is
your latest news fix. We'll be back with the next
update tomorrow morning from the news Talk said B Newsroom.