Midday Edition: 15 February 2026

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 15 February 2026, straight from the Newstalk ZB newsroom - bringing you everything you need to know in news, politics, business, entertainment and sport.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
From the News Talk Sabby newsroom. This is NEWSFACS. In
this update, ACT Leader David Seymour seeking to gut the
public service as he cranks his election campaign into gear.
Seymour's praised his caucus and taking a crack at his
political opponents at the party's State at the Nation's Speech
in christ Church. He says acts promising a smaller, more

(00:23):
efficient government with no more than twenty ministers and thirty departments.
Seymour says reducing the number of ministers will save money
and remove any costly vanity portfolios. Just one minister, one department,
one set of results, one objective to get value for
money for the tax file. More bad weather in the
forecast for the already soaked east coast of the North

(00:46):
Island Met Service has issued orange heavy rain warnings for
Gisbon Tide Arfti south of Poverty Bay, as well as
the Hawks Bay in Landhanganui, manaw two north of Martin
and also tie Happy two. Regions Otaarahanga and Dwaipa and
the Waikato District are also under a state of emergency
following flooding. A man died in otar A Hunger after

(01:07):
his car became submerged in floodwaters on State Highway thirty nine,
while the water supply in Poronga in Wypa is expected
to be effected due to significant damage to water infrastructure.
Emergency Management Minister Mark Mitchell has been visiting affected areas
and speaking with local leaders about what can be done
financially and get a feel what additional needs central government

(01:30):
needs to be looking at to support them. A person
has died and three people have been hospitalized after a
single vehicle crash and fungadaser or a tungue at a
West Emergency services were called to Night Road just before
eleven last night. The chair of Wellington Water is leaving
his post after a failure at the more Point treatment
plant caused raw sewage to spill out into the ocean.

(01:53):
Nick Leggett says the crisis is deeply serious, with environmental,
public health and community impacts that none of us should lightly.
Leggott says events like these undermine public trust and institution,
so it's appropriate he steps aside and allows the focus
to remain squarely on remediation, transparency and learning. That's news.

(02:15):
In sports, the black Caps are looking for power play
improvements at Crickets t twenty World Cup after a seven
wicket loss to South Africa, Daryl Mitchell says they need
to bat freely up top and take more early wickets
when bowling boys will keep trying different plans to different
batters and be really clear on how they want to operate.
Hopefully we'll take a few wickets key we go for

(02:36):
Ryan Fox is lurking behind the front runners after three
rounds of the People Beach Pro Am in California. Fox
has shot a three under pass sixty nine to be
eleven under for the tournament. Currently in a tie for
twenty third, just three shots off third, but are whopping
nine shots off the lead. Premier League flag bearers Manchester City, Liverpool,

(02:56):
Newcastle and West Ham are through to the fifth round
of football's FAI Cup. Bart Burnley has suffered a shock
loss to third tier club Mansfield Town. That's Sports. I'm
Sandy Hodge. For more news, listen to news talks at
b on the free iheartapp.