Midday Edition: 05 March 2026

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 05 March 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 Malcolm Jordan and this is your midday
news fix for Thursday, the fifth of March. The Foreign
Minister is telling kiwe stuck in the Middle East, to
hold on with help on its way. Two Defense Force
planes are being sent to pick up New Zealanders to
ferry them to a safer country to catch commercial flights home.
About three thousand New Zealanders are registered in the region.

(00:23):
Whinston Peter says we may also assist citizens of the
Pacific Islands for US. You can expect them to ask
us as they did during the New Caledonian crisis. Meanwhile,
a vote in the US Senate to limit President Trump's
ability to wage war on Iran without congressional approval has
failed forty seven votes to fifty two. Almost to every
Republican voted against it and a single Democrat. The Senate

(00:46):
could rerun the vote if the war continues. Police are
investigating an overnight fire in Auckland's or Tahohoo, which has
left one person dead. Emergency services were called to Tommicky
Avenue about nine pm, where a sleep pout was in flames.
Fire and Emergency Assistant Commander Chris Delfoss says teams extinguishing
the blaze in the four x two meter building founder body. Meanwhile,

(01:10):
Fire and emergency have been responding to a house fire
in Auckland's Ponsonby, with smoke seen wafting over the suburb.
Teams were called just after ten am. They found a
single story house well alight. A specialist truck and support
vehicles were helping five teams extinguish the blaze. Concern cyber
criminals are ramping up targets after two notable health hacks.

(01:34):
Medication Portal medi map was breached last week and manage
my Health hacked last year. Government intelligence agencies have addressed
the hacks before a parliament select committee. GCSB Director General
Andrew Clark says cybersecurity should be top of mind.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
It is known weaknesses and unpatched vulnerabilities in organizations networks
that continue to provide thread actors with easy access in
many cases.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Police have arrested a second man in relation to the
drive by shooting of a fifty nine year old Auckland
man in Puckeling. A Heights career driver to aploto V
died after being gunned down on Marvin Down's av in
August twenty twenty four, Police have now charged a thirty
five year old way Uku man with murder. Fino Aura's

(02:23):
chair believes focus has been on removing children from families
rather than their long term safety. A critical report from
the Independent Children's Monitor argues little progress has been made
to meet national care standards introduced six years ago. The
percentage of young people suffering abuse or neglect and care
annually to July rose from eight percent to ten. Chair

(02:46):
Mary Pekka Rokhawa Tate says once children are in care,
minimum standards aren't adhered to.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Rather than kicking the tan down the road, I think
it's kicking the child down the road and things are
just not changing.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
To Sport, New Zealand Rugby board chair David Kirk claims
Dave Rennie sold his All Blacks vision in a stronger
way than Jamie Joseph for the vacant coaching role due
to wider international experience. The black Caps have reached four
white ball finals and secured one Test Championship since twenty fifteen.
After making the decider at the latest T twenty World

(03:21):
Cup to Premier League Football Leader's Arsenal beat Brighton one
nill but second place to Man City dropped two further
points via a two wall drawer with Nottingham Forest. I'm
Malcolm Jordan. That's your latest news fix. We'll be back
with the next update at five pm from the news
Talk zb newsroom.