Morning Edition: 26 March 2025

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 26 March 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 morning, I'm never ready, Manu and this is your
morning news fixed for Wednesday, twenty sixth of March. In
this update, freebies given to Auckland councilors by eden Park
are being questioned ahead of a vote on the future
of stadiums in the city. Councilors will decide tomorrow whether
an upgrade at eden Park or a new side at
Key Park will be the city's national stadium. During the

(00:27):
last term, fifteen councilors have accepted free tickets from eden Park.
Auckland Ratepayers Aligned spokesperson Sam Warren says counselors have two
options if they want to avoid the appearance of bias, so.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Do they be fund the value of the packets or
they refuse themselves. Because the perception of impartiality is so
important to Auckland.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
There is and no really think they expect more. A
blow for Kiwi business confidence, which has slumped to its
lowest level since the post twenty twenty COVID lockdown, lows
the Westpac McDermott Miller Index shows despite the weaker overall result,
confidence has only fallen in four of eleven regions that
includes the biggest job market Auckland. Which dominated the national

(01:07):
average CV dot CO dot NZ managing director Tom O'Neill
told Andrew Dickins he reckons it's partially due to looming
American tariffs and I just.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Think it's massively bird hangover of just all the facts
that have.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Been sort of conspiring.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Deads moved over the last for the three for five years.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
The MP of an electorate said to be abolished and
proposed changes, says it's disappointing but won't stop him from
running again. Or Hardio's getting the chop and the Representation
Commissions proposed changes along with Manna and Utuki to create
Kennepudu and Kapati. Labour's Greg O'Connor, who holds or Hardio,
says the electorate has an important history and it's disappointing,

(01:49):
but he'll still fight to represent the area. Incremental moves
have been made towards a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The White House has confirmed both countries have agreed to
stop military strikes in the Blank Sea and develop measures
to implement a ban on energy facility strikes. The US
will also help restore Russia's access to exporting agricultural and

(02:11):
fertilizer products and enhance access to ports. Sky US correspondent
James Matthew says its progress of sorts, although it still
falls short of a full peace deal.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Russia will certainly be robbing its hands up the agreement
they're we're looking at today. This black sea access is
critically important to Russia.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
Meanwhile, the Kremlin says the agreement will only come into
force after sanctions are lifted from Russian banks involved in
international food and fertilizer trade and they're fully reconnected to
financial messaging network SWIFT. But Ukrainian President Voladi Mezzelenski understands
the deal is effective immediately and he will ask Donald
Trump for more sanctions if Russia breaks it. The charter

(02:55):
school agencies received almost sixty expressions of interest in the
second round of application. Applications closed on Monday after opening
at the end of last month. In Sport, former FIFA
Football president Set Blatter and new Waifer boss Michel Platini
have been cleared of corruption charges by a Swiss court
after they were first acquitted of the offenses in twenty

(03:16):
twenty two. Mixed news for the Warriors in NRL League.
Roger Toivaso Schek will be sidelined from up to eight
weeks after suffering a hamstring tear, but Rock o'berry will
return on Sunday for the first times and suffering a
shoulder injury last June. World Athletics has approved the introduction
of check swabbing to determine if an athlete is biologically female.

(03:37):
I'm never ready, Manu in that your latest news faks.
We'll be back with the next update at midday from
the news doorg zb newsroom.