Midday Edition: 16 July 2026

The Midday 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 Malcolm Jordan and this is your midday
NEWSFACS for Thursday, the sixteenth of July. A plea to
report signs of bird flu following a positive test of
a sub Antarctic sea bird found on Willington's per Towny Beach.
OFFICIILL say there's no evidence of widespread transmission of the
H five N one strain nor any risk to humans.

(00:23):
They ask anyone seeing three or more sick or dead
birds wild in a group to report it immediately to
the Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline found on mpi's website.
Ministry for Primary Industries Chief Veterinary Officer Mary Van Andel
says there are some key symptoms to look out for
in birds, nervous signs, so things like being paralyzed, being shaky,

(00:45):
or a taxic In poultry, sometimes people see respiratory signs diarrhea.
Donald Trump says Iran better behave, as he threatens you'll
start targeting civilian infrastructure next week if Tehran doesn't return
to the negotiating table. The US military is launching new
strikes in the region while also enforcing its naval blockade

(01:07):
of ships going to and from Iranian ports. Iran says
it has no plans to negotiate. The US President says
Iran is not happy right now. They want to settle
so badly. They don't like what we're doing, and they
do want to settle. We'll find out whether or not
we settle with them or we just finish it off.
The downfall of Kaitaia's Northland Mill is being put down

(01:27):
to the cost of power. Japanese owner Dukins closing the
Veneer factory next month after failing to secure a buyer.
It's Kaitia Triboard Mill will continue, but it's up for sale.
Workers First Unions Marcus Coverdale says the government should have
given Northland Mill a lifeline, but regional councilor Joe kar

(01:48):
says the issues bigger than politicians the electricity vising and
the problems dential structure of the electricity supply and ownership
generation marketing. It's not worth for our industries. Families are
being stung by high rents and low wages. Child Poverty
Action Group research shows only twelve percent of beneficiaries who

(02:09):
rent privately have enough to cover rent and other expenses.
Seventy thousand households in private rentals earn less than the
full time minimum wage per adult because they're underemployed. Housing
researcher Greg Waite says there's been a fifteen percent fall
in affordable housing nationally between twenty fifteen and twenty twenty four.

(02:29):
If you look at the regions, some of the regions
were showing thirty to forty percent clients in the share
of the rental properties out there that were affordable. In
New Zealand wants to number among the world's top five
networks for reliability. It says eighty six percent of flights
arrived within fifteen minutes of schedule last month, up from

(02:50):
just over seventy eight percent a year ago. Chief Operations
Officer Kate Boyer says they've changed schedules, policies and workplace culture.
She says this is part of its post COVID comeback
to sport. Defending champions Argentina have pulled off a remarkable
semi final comeback to beat England two to one and
book a spot in Monday's World Cup Football Final. Island

(03:14):
coach Andy Farrell has restored his front liners to the
starting side for Saturday's Nations Championship Test against the All
Blacks at Eden Park, and Ryan Fox is buoyed by
the upgraded Royal Birkdale course ahead of the one hundred
and fifty fourth Open Championship golf major starting tonight. I'm
Malcolm Jordan. That's your latest news fix. We'll be back

(03:36):
with the next update at five pm from the news
Talk zb newsroom.