Afternoon Edition: 25 August 2025

The Afternoon Edition of News Fix for 25 August 2025, 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 (00:04):
Good afternoon. I'm Scarlett Swatanovich and this is your afternoon
newsfix from Monday, the twenty fifty of August. The Reserve banks,
following the government's wishes and looking at reducing bank capital requirements.
The Central Bank is now taking submissions on two proposals
to lower the settings. The governments concerned the current requirements
are inhibiting economic growth. Harold Wellington Business editor jenative Cherini

(00:26):
says these are just one of many factors influencing how
loans are priced. So while the proposals should make it
a bit easier, it kind of depends on the bank,
depends on the borrower. Meanwhile, the Prime Ministers clarified, while
he talks with the Reserve Bank, he doesn't tell them
what to do, including how hard ocr cut should be.
Chris Luxon told Newstalks he'd b this morning. He gives

(00:47):
his recons to the interim Reserve Bank governor before the
official cash rate is set. It prompted questions from Labour
about the independence of the Central Bank. Luxen since clarified,
I do not direct the Reserve Bank. The Reserve Bank
independence of sacrocinct A jury's reliving the moment of fatal
Wellington hostel fire began in twenty twenty three, which left

(01:08):
five people debt. The Loafers launched trial is underway with
a fifty year old man denying five charges of murder
and two of arson. Crown Prosecutor Stephanie Bishop says CCTV
shows the man setting two fires that night while eighty
four people were in sight. A jury of eight women
and four men have been hearing opening statements, including the

(01:29):
first one one one call mate. A thirty six year
old woman has been given bail without plea after the
discovery of a dead newborn baby in Auckland's Albert Park yesterday.
She appeared in Auckland District Court today charged with concealing
the dead body of a child and was asked to
surrender her passport to police. Jordan dunm has More. Auckland

(01:49):
Council says it is offering support to its park maintenance
contractor who found the baby's body around seven a m. Yesterday.
Albert Park is now open to the public after the
site was blessed this morning. A post mortem investigation is
taking place today. An attempt to extend assisted dying options
to more people is getting a new lease of life

(02:10):
at MP Todd Stephenson's relaunching his end of life Choice
Amendment Bill, incorporating all twenty five recommendations from a Ministry
of Health review. Among the changes, the bill would remove
criteria requiring a patient to have a six month prognosis.
Stephenson says current rules exclude many with terminal illnesses despite
their irreversible decline. There's a very robust regime. There's lots

(02:34):
of safeguards, but there is still a number of these
Ylanders who are missing out. We just want to give
them the opportunity to die with dignity to sport and
Sir Graham Henry hopes the All Blacks defeat to Argentina
is a blessing in disguise. The twenty eleven World Cup
winning coach believes the All Blacks will channel the result
into a positive against South Africa at Eden Park next Saturday.

(02:58):
Novak Djokovic has overcome a painful blister to safely advance
in straight sets on the opening day of tennis's US
Open in New York, and golfer Tommy Fleetwood has claimed
his first PGA Tour victory in one hundred and sixty
four attempts via a three stroke win at the season
ending Tour Championship in Atlanta. I'm Scarlet Swatanovich. That's your

(03:19):
latest news fix. We'll be back with the next update
tomorrow morning. From the news took set B Newsroom.