Morning Edition: 07 August 2026

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 07 August 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 (00:03):
Good morning, I'm never readimanu and this is your morning
news fix for Friday, seventh of August. In this update,
never mind a referendum, one political expert believes there are
better things to think about when it comes to MMP.
Our mixed member proportional system, which allows for a party
and an electorate vote, was introduced in nineteen ninety six

(00:23):
and reaffirmed in a twenty eleven referendum. Prime Minister Christopher
Luxen told news dog ZB yesterday he's open to another
vote on MMP if re elected, but Victoria University's Lara
gres says system tweaks such as lowering the party vote
threshold might be more appropriate.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Removing things like the Coke tailing mechanism where winning one
electorate seat brings in more MPs. So there are a
few kind of other changes that would give minor parties
left power.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Retail in Z's lampooning the government's new citizens arrest legalization,
saying this sector never asked for it. It's part of
a number of Crimes Act amendments which pass through Parliament
last night, including tougher responses for assaults on first responders
and coward punchers. Retail In's achieve Executive Carolyn Young says
citizens arrests won't solve retail crime. She says it's a

(01:15):
dangerous for a person to think that they can have
the skills to carry out an arrest. Electric alternatives to
gas could save households thousands of dollars over time. The
Green Building Council's new report finds economic stack up on
electric appliances as natural gas supply remains under pressure. It
reveals over fifteen years, a household could save more than

(01:37):
seventeen thousand dollars using a heat pump and almost sixteen
thousand using hot water heating. Autism diagnosis rates in New
Zealand have tripled over the past fifteen years. A first
of its kind Otaga University study found nearly thirty one
thousand people were diagnosed with autism over the study period,

(01:58):
with rates increasing across all age groups, genders, and ethnicities.
Associate Professor Ben Beagelholt says the increase is unlikely down
to genetics alone, with societal and environmental factors also contributing.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Possibilities might be people are being over diagnosed. People's distress
is being explained by an automate spectrum disorder, whereas previously
other explanations would have been used.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
The hospitality sector is welcoming a new school subject aimed
at giving students a better understanding of the industry. Hospitality,
Food and Beverage is one of nine new subjects the
government's announced as being introduced for years twelve and thirteen
from twenty twenty nine. Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive Christy
Phillips says that the new courses will allow students to

(02:44):
develop relevant skills but also understand what opportunities are out there.
Queenstown is exploring everything from cable cars to fairies and
a bid to tackle its worsening congestion crisis. As international
and domestic visitor numbers saw as the permanent pop population
rises rapidly, Queenstown Laks District Council is proposing a new

(03:04):
Congestion Task Force to tackle the infrastructure issues. In sport,
the All Blacks have been forced into a change for
tomorrow South African Tour match against the Stormers, while a
setti has fallen ill meaning Anton's SegNet comes into the
loose forwards. The Cowboys have responded to the eighty two
twelve trouncing by the Roosters last week to beat the

(03:26):
Titans thirty eight an NRL League. European football teams could
still boycott competitions if Gianni Inventino remains president of governing
body FIFA after his plan to sell off World Cup
commercial rights to private investors was aborted. I'm never ready,
MANI where act your latest news fix. We'll be back
with the next update at midday from the newstalk ZB newsroom.