Morning Edition: 13 August 2026

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 13 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 ready, Manu. And this is your
morning news fix for Thursday, thirteenth of August. And this
update times ticking for National to rebuild itself as a
united front. After putting Christopher Luxeen's leadership to the test
a second time, the Prime Minister survived a confidence vote
launched by Chris Penk at yesterday's three hour caucus meeting

(00:24):
in Wellington. He's now dumped Pink from his ministerial portfolios.
The former Defense Minister, in turn, has announced he'll quit
politics in November. Political commentator Peter Dunn says this whole
fiasco will have caused voter anxiety about party focus and unity,
which needs to be smoothed over. Anyone who gets off
script or off message is a danger to the party.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
From the Prime Minister to the most junior member of
the caucus. They've got to all now sing the same song.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
A poll suggests both sides in Parliament would fall short
of forming a government if an election were held today.
The one Usvarian poll conducted up until Tuesday has Labour
leading at thirty percent, down two points, with National unchanged
at twenty nine percent. New Zealand First has sunk three
points to eight percent, while the Opportunity Party has risen

(01:13):
by the same margin, bursting through the five percent threshold
to eight percent. On these numbers, neither the Left or
Right block would have the seats to form a government,
making Opportunity the King Maker. A report from New Zealand
Security Intelligence Service warns national security challenges have intensified over
the past year. The report, released today suggests New Zealand's connections, innovations,

(01:39):
and position make it valuable to foreign powers. Jordan Dunn
has more.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
The report suggests Chinese military intelligence has been using professional
networking and job sites to target current and former government
officials holding secrets. The NZSIS says the recruitment efforts look
like standard job offers, with people posing as consultants, think
tanks or recruiters offering lucrative work.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
Wellington's new water entity, Tiaki Why, is said to be
held to stricter and tighter standards. The Combos Commission is
introducing new measures designed to improve transparency, accountability and ensure
independent scrutiny. It comes as ratepayers face an annual charge
of two thousand, three hundred and ninety dollars on average

(02:26):
climbing over a decade to more than six thousand dollars awarning.
New Zealand's flu seasons expected to hang around and it's
not too late to be vaccinated. Health New Zealand says
they expect influenza to spread well into spring, and protecting
against it now can still prevent serious illness, reduce hospitalization
and protect vulnerable farno It says the vaccine takes around

(02:49):
two weeks to build protection, but the benefits extent well
beyond the peak. In sport, NBA basketball's Los Angeles Lakers
have reportedly sold for twenty one point three billion dollars.
All Blacks prop Ethan de Groot has re signed with
New Zealand Rugby until twenty twenty nine. Open Championship golf

(03:10):
winner Ryan Fox is perfecting his walk and talk skills
back on the PGA Tour. England Test cricket captain Joe
Root has abolished the midnight curfew impost on his team,
and Leonel Messi has cast doubt on his footboarding future
after the death of his sixty eight year old father.
I'm Nevaretti Manu. That's the latest news fix. We'll be

(03:31):
back with the next update at midday from the news,
talk zb news, roop,