Midday Edition: 22 August 2024

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 22 August 2024, 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 fix for Thursday, the twenty second of August. The
Government's unveiled a guide for a partnership between central and
local government. Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has addressed council
leaders at their annual conference in Wellington today. He says
cabinets agreed on a framework for work on issues like

(00:24):
infrastructure and housing, allowing fast tracking and cutting red tape.
Brown says it will align local priorities with national objectives.
In the past, central and local governments have often moved
like ships passing in the night. Regional deals mark a
historic shift. For the first time, we will be coming
together to establish a clear plan and the necessary infrastructure.
Right from the start, power generators have been given the

(00:47):
ability to tap into emergency hydro lake reserves when needed.
Transpils made a regulatory change to give them sooner access
to contingent supplies to reduce risks to electricity supply operations.
Executive General Manager Chantel Bramley says lake levels are at
near ninety year lows for this time of year. She

(01:08):
says this will kick in if power scarcity triggers a
security of supply alert status. Bramley says we aren't forecast
to reach that emergency level in the next few months,
even if no rainfalls to refill lakes. Meanwhile, the Associate
Energy Minister has worn the Electricity Authority will end up

(01:28):
as roadkill if it doesn't take action on electricity prices.
The regulator has released a new dashboard of weekly data
on energy margins dating from July. It shows New Zealand's
big six energy companies made more than seventy million dollars
in margins across those weeks. Shane Jones says he's told
the authority it needs to stop the generators making such

(01:51):
big profits and act straight away. At a time when
New Zealanders and regional New Zealand's have being seen to
the scrap heet, we've got these corporate grandeesreating dividends in
the parlor in posting how rich they are. The Police
Commissioners remaining confident in his staff. A three year long
report reveals ongoing inequities in treatment by police based on race, sexuality,

(02:13):
gender and mental health. It recommends they urgently analyze their
interactions with diverse communities. Andrew Costa says many of those
equality gaps are explained by things like addiction, which changes
the way they treat people. I have a huge mat
of confidence in how people. We're dealing with very difficult
situations every day, but it is a great police service.

(02:37):
Several flights are being disrupted amidst ongoing volcanic eruption at Fakari,
White Island. A number of flights at Todonga and Rotorua
airports are canceled or delayed. Several Pride flags have been
stolen in Queenstown. Police are investigating after receiving a report
of flags being removed from their polls around Queenstown Bay

(02:58):
and Village green yest The The thefts believed to have
occurred in the last week. Winter Pride kicks off today
to Sport. Wimbledon quarter finalist Lulu Sung will play under
the New Zealand flag at the ASB Classic for the
first time this summer. The twenty twenty four netball season
continues to exceed expectations for Martina Salmon. The twenty year

(03:20):
old shooter has gone from replacement player at the Pulse
in the A and Z Premiership to a Silver Ferns
trialist and injured Blues duo Patrick Tupolotu and Stephen Perafetta
will stay behind for the All Blacks Rugby Championship trip
to South Africa. Locke, Josh Lord and utility back Harry
Plummer will remain with the squad. Hi'm Malcolm Jordan. That's

(03:42):
your latest news fix. We'll be back with the next
update at five pm from the news Talk zb newsroom.