Morning Edition: 19 February 2025

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 19 February 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 fix for Wednesday, nineteenth of February. In this update,
Russia and the US have taken a first step in
a difficult journey to end the war in Ukraine. Both
countries have agreed to reinstate ambassadors, start the process on
Ukrainian settlement and create conditions for restarting full and expanded cooperation.

(00:27):
Ukraine and Europe have not been involved in the talks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's former chief of staff
Matt Tyrell told Andrew Dickins, actions speak louder than words.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Right now, it comes down to a hoby discussion on
theodic occurred here over the past few hours. Is just
the first stat but you don't get to finalization negotiations,
and that's starting negotiations.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Economists are very confident in a fifty point cut to
the official cash rate. Today, the Reserve Bank is expected
to drop the OCR from its current four point twenty
five percent to three point seventy five percent at two PM.
That would follow a fifty basis point cut at the
bank's last meeting in November. There's potential for a string
of public service data issues to erode public trust. The

(01:09):
Public Service Commissions revealed multiple safeguarding failures in an inquiry
into stance en Z, Health ENDZ and the Ministry of Health.
It follows claims at Surface last June about Munlde woman
I misusing Census and COVID nineteen vaccine data. Auckland University
commercial law expert Gehan Ganaseikara says census data is particularly

(01:29):
sensitive with many people reluctant to provide it to.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Just proove that conspiracy strain because it just means that
people now can say, see, look what happened. You know,
they took my census data and they used it for
these other purposes.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
A coalition of energy leaders is trying to address deep
seated structural problems in the sector. Organizations including the Port
of Auckland and Kibirail have created a ten step energy
action plan that will be put to decision makers. Measures
include creating a single regulator for the sector and securing
cross parties bought for an energy program. The Tertiary Education

(02:03):
Union says any cuts to university funding will be a disaster.
Staffs reporting leaked information shows the government is planning to
end a sixty four million dollar lifeline funding plan announced
in twenty twenty three. However, it's yet to formally announce
the decision. Union Secretary Sandra Gray says it would force
institutions to cut staff and courses to make savings.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Wernat Heimer highly was a change and instability and job
lost in the whole community. We need strong university, so
we think the government needs absolutely rethink support.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
University's Minister Shane Retti says he's unaware of any plans
to cut university funding. Confusion and anger over a new
shooting related video game character being given the birth date
of the christ Church terror attack, an update to the
game Rainbow six Siege was unveiled on Monday. It includes
a new Mardy female character row Order. Reaction on Reddit

(02:56):
was initially excitement at the idea of a Mardy gaming character,
but soon turned to the character's biography. It lists her
as being from christ Church and her birthday is March fifteen.
In sport, Dame Lydia Coe has been named New Zealand's
top sportsperson, winning the Supreme Halberg Award at a function
in Auckland, the Golf for one Olympic Gold and triumphed
at the British Open fast bowler Lockey Ferguson has been

(03:19):
ruled out of Cricket's Champions Trophy with the right foot injury.
Kyle Jamison will return from a backstress fracture to take
his place. The All Black Send of Year Tour will
open against Ireland in Chicago on November two, their first
Grand Slam campaign since twenty ten. I'm never ready, Mano,
and that your latest news fix will be back with
the next update of midday from the news doorg zbe Newsroom.