Midday Edition: 20 December 2024

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 20 December 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 Friday, the twentieth of December. The Finance
Minister believes New Zealand is through the worst of it
in terms of economic pain. Figures from Statistics New Zealand
show GDP's fallen one percent in the three months to September,
a larger fall than predicted by some economists. It makes

(00:25):
it the weakest six months for the economy since nineteen
ninety one. We're not considering the COVID years, Finance Minister
Nikola Willis told Nick Mills on Wellington Mornings. Business owners
are tough and resilient. We have some really good times
ahead of us. We know that with lower interest rates,
families will have more money to spend. It'll be easier

(00:45):
to borrow for the next project because it will be cheaper.
A proposed law change on academic freedom at New Zealand
universities is being welcomed. When introduced in March, it will
amend the Education and Training Act and require university to
adopt a freedom of speech statement. They'll also have to
report on their commitment yearly. Free Speech Union chief executive

(01:08):
Jonathan Aaling says academic freedom has been in consistent decline.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
These changes threatened to stop that decline in a way.
It's not a silver bullet. More needs to be done
to ensure that free speech is preserved in our chestory education.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Festive criticism from Wellington Central's MP dished out to the
Housing Minister. Local MP Tamotha Paul has put up a
protest banner on the Arlington housing development in Mount Cook
put on whole by cayang Or order. It says this
was meant to be three hundred and fifty public houses.
We chrisue A Mary Bishmiss, referencing Housing Minister Chris Bishop.

(01:48):
Tamotha Paul has posted a video on social media saying
the sites sat empty for years.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's been two governments in the time that this is empty,
a labor government and a national government, and it's still
empty as we head into Christmas.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
Liquidators have paid out more than four hundred million dollars
to around ten thousand Cryptopia users over the past two days.
The christ Church based to cryptocurrency Exchange entered liquidation in
twenty nineteen after losing around ten percent of its assets
from a theft affecting around nine hundred and sixty thousand users.

(02:25):
Local Government New Zealand says the law is preventing community
services cards from identifying those needing discounted council services. Current
regulations limit who can use it as a form of identification.
Those needing discounted council services need to go through a
second identification process and unnecessary hurdle. A reminder to stay

(02:48):
cautious behind the wheel after the deaths of four people
in three South Island car accidents. One person died and
four were seriously injured in an Otago crash between two
cars and a bus yesterday, A pair were killed in
Canterbury's Greta Valley last night in a two vehicle accident,
and one person has died in a single vehicle crash

(03:08):
in the Mackenzie District's Albery To Sport. Liam Lawson is
willing to be the team player that Red Bull needs
ahead of his first full season in Formula One, the
Kiwi's being confirmed as red Bull's second driver for twenty
twenty five, partnering Max Verstappen. Tottenham have edged Manchester United

(03:29):
four to three to join Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle in
the semi finals of English football's League Cup and a
Dear Santa from Rob Penny to World Rugby's governing body.
The Crusaders coach has called on the game's Powerbrocus to
tidy up its laws around the breakdown and scrum to
improve the viewing spectacle. I'm Malcolm Jordan. That's your latest

(03:50):
news fix. We'll be back with the next update at
five pm from the newstalk zb newsroom.