Midday Edition: 17 December 2025

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 17 December 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 Malcolm Jordan and this is your midday
news facts for Wednesday, the seventeenth of December. A historic
land dispute dating back to the eighteen hundreds is finally
ending in agreement. The Government's agreed to restore more than
three thousand hectares at the top of the South Island
to descendants of its original owners, teto Ehu Maori. It

(00:24):
includes the able Tasman Track and the Kai Tell Teddy Reserve,
accompanied by a four hundred and twenty million dollar payment.
The Crown and teto Ehu Moori descendants have agreed to
maintain public access to the land. Police I have appointed

(00:50):
Mike Pannett as the new Deputy Commissioner to replace Jevn Mcskimming.
Mcskimming resigned suddenly in May after bestiality and child sexual
exploitation content was uncovered on his work devices. He since
pleaded guilty to possessing objectionable material and has being sentenced today.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell says Panets a highly experienced and

(01:12):
respected leader with more than forty years in policing. He's
held the rank of Assistant Commissioner since twenty sixteen. And
is currently in charge of the National Security Program. The
son of Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner and his
wife Michelle, has been charged with murdering his parents, found
dead in La on Sunday. Rhiner is famed for directing

(01:34):
the iconic When Harry Met Sally and a Few Good Men,
among others. Thirty two year old Nick Reiner is charged
with two counts of first degree murder with a special
circumstance of multiple murders. LA County District Attorney Nathan Hockman
says charges include using a deadly weapon a knife. These
charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without

(01:57):
the possibility. Pra Aule or the deaf worries about turnout
for a fresh election after a South Auckland local body
result has been tossed out following allegations of stolen voting
papers and voting fraud. Judge Richard mcelraith has ruled irregularities
changed the outcome of the papatoy Toy vote. For the

(02:17):
outara papatoy Toy Local Board, a new election must be
held by April nine. Local government expert Andy Asquith says
for such a small local event, many people may not
vote again. When you have wattle body elections, you have
the mail to there and that spark's interest without the
mail to engage in enteers prep I fear that turnout

(02:37):
mayor slom. A consumer confidence index rose five point six
points in the December quarter to ninety six point five,
its highest level this year. Scores below one hundred though
indicate slightly more households are pessimistic than optimistic. Meanwhile, retailers.
The reports of violent crime have dropped this year, with

(02:58):
weapon use falling twelve percent, violent events dropping six percent
and threatening events five to sport Pai San Jermain Ford,
usman dem Ballet and Barcelona midfielder Itana bon Marty have
won me FIFA Best Player Awards for twenty twenty five.
Chelsea are through to the semi finals of English Football's

(03:20):
League Cup with a three to one win at Cardiff,
and the Highlanders have signed promising south And playmaker Mika
Mullayena for the next four years. Muliaina will be on
a national development contract with the Super Rugby side next
year before beginning a full deal in twenty twenty seven.
I'm Malcolm Jordan. That's your latest news fix. We'll be

(03:40):
back with the next update at five pm from the
news Talk zb newsroom