Midday Edition: 15 July 2026

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 15 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 Malcolm Jordan and this is your midday
NEWSFACS for Wednesday, the fifteenth of July. Police are reviewing
their adult sexual assault and child protection systems after concerns
about a senior officer's case handling. More than fifty cases
are now being reviewed, including ones relating to sexual offending
against children. Loughlan Rennie has more.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
The reinvestigations were prompted by concerns over the handling of
one file overseen by a senior police officer. Assistant Commissioner
District Support Tasha Penice's police have established an external advisory
group to provide oversight for reviews under way. She says
they've also established a panel alongside Olanga Tamadiki to investigate
how such cases are being managed.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
The Public Service Association says an independent inquiry into care
at Dunedin's Wakari Hospital is too narrow and launched without
staff consultation. A twelve bed ward holding adults with intellectual
disabilities and and the justice system is closing after onboardsman
inspectors reported evidence of punitive and coercive treatment. Rosie Leishman reports.

Speaker 3 (01:08):
The Ministry of Health will look into the ward's running
in the past two years. The ODT reports. The PSA
representing staff says it's dismayed because there hasn't been any
engagement with patients in staff. They say the inquiry should
also focus on whether the facility was appropriate.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
A blow to the Kaitaya community as Dukean confirms its
Northland mill will close. The Japanese companies announced its Veneer
operations will gradually slow before stopping on August twenty one.
It says a buyer hadn't come forward and it wasn't
financially viable to continue. Workers' First union organizer Marcus Coverdale

(01:46):
says about sixty jobs will go in an area with
already high unemployment. Efforts to sell Dukein's Triboard operations continue
another month of housing market stability. The Real Estate Institute
House price index has fallen zero point eight percent in
the past year and dropped two point four in the
past three months alone. Wellington and Auckland have fallen significantly,

(02:11):
but Southland, Otago and Canterbury are still on the rise.
Institute Chief executive Lizzie Riley says a cautious, steady market
isn't a bad thing. There's a lot of levers intentionally
pulled to stabilize the market, which is good for.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Buyers and sellers. They can make the decision as in
when they need to for their life.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
The fight against a proposed Central Otago gold mine is
gaining pace after the death of fervent opponent qui actor
Sir Sam Neil. Australian mining company Santana Minerals wants to
open the Bendigo o Far gold project near Cromwell. Neil
was one of the most prominent protesters, slamming their development.
His final Instagram post taking a stand against it. My

(02:55):
family have been here for over one hundred and fifty years.
I'm connected to this land else on Earth, and I'm
in love with this place. The donations to the Give
a Little page to help the fight have surpassed fifty
four thousand dollars, with donors dedicating contributions to Sam Nil's memory.
To Sport, Spain have our Class France two nil and

(03:16):
the Football World Cup semifinals to advance to a first
decider since their twenty ten triumph. Pol volter Eliza McCartney
has placed second at a gold tier Continental Athletics meet
in Budapest, pipped on a countback and world golf number
one Scotty Scheffler is satisfied that he's shaken off his
latest run in with burnout approaching his Open Championship title defense.

(03:41):
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.