Morning Edition: 18 July 2024

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 18 July 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 morning, I'm never ready, Manu, and this is your
morning news fix for Thursday, eighteenth of July. In this update,
every council in the country is raising its rates faster
than inflation, with some raising their rates five times faster.
Gore District is facing the steepest rates rise in the country,
with local rates up twenty one point four percent and

(00:25):
regional rates up thirteen point sixty six percent. Mayor Ben
Bell blames it on rising costs in broken funding and
finance models used dog zb's Michael Circle till Ryan Bridge.
Cyclone effected Hawks Bay, the Westland District, Central Otago, Port
Dua and Dunedin are also facing high rates rises.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Council's telling us the costs of basics like insurance, interest, water, infrastructure,
rubbish collections and roading all going up much faster than
the CPI inflation.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Meanwhile, a number of local councils is teamed up to
express concern about the government's water reforms. The current proposed
bill gives councils a year to develop and a doctor
water services delivery plan until mid twenty twenty eight to
develop a financial sustainability plan. Asaria Hall reports.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Lower North Island councils want the time frame expanded, suggesting
it's better to do this right than do it quickly.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown will consider recommendations from Select Committee.
He says the government's water plan will enable councils to
determine what works best for them.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
The government is placing its bets on Crown Research to
help it reach climate goals. The new emissions Reduction Plan
will no longer reach its third emissions target, despite being
on track under the policies of the last government. The
plan relies heavily on research and development still underway. Doctor
Exelheiser at Egg Research sees some animal breeding methods and

(01:47):
feed as some areas they're focusing on. There's word leading
work on a vaccine that would kill their bacteria or
inhibit the bacteria that make these greenhouse cases. The lowest
inflation in grease in three years could bring with it
a rate cut. Stats ENZ data shows the consumer price
index rows three point three percent in the year to June,

(02:09):
down from four percent in the year to March. Asb
Senior economist Mark Smith says if inflation continues to fall
and unemployment increases, there's likely to be a rate cut
before November. Large traditional weddings are potentially becoming a thing
of the past as more couples opt to keep their
nuptials between themselves. The popularity of elopement packages is rising

(02:32):
as more opt to get hitched either alone or with
few guests, using our biggest tourist hotspots as their backdrop.
Independent marriage celebrant Darcy Price has places like Bali and
Thailand have long offered these packages and believes New Zealand
entrepreneurs have started capitalizing on the market.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
And have found that they can create a business out
of catering to the ease and simplicity that an elopement
package offers and their idyllic and stunning location in Sport.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
New South Wales have claim their first State of Origin
League series in three years, beating Queensland fourteen to four
in Brisbane. New researchers found rugby players who have suffered
concussions have higher levels of certain proteins that can lead
to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and motor neuron disease.

(03:20):
Reshard Carapas has one stage seventeen on cyclings Tour de
France and Paris Mayor Arnie Dalgo has taken us dip
in the Seine River to show the polluted waterway is
clean enough to host Olympic events. I'm never ready, Manu,
and that your latest newsweeks. We'll be back with the
next update at midday from the news Dog ZB newsroom.