Afternoon Edition: 12 March 2025

The Afternoon Edition of News Fix for 12 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 afternoon, I'm railing Ramsey. This is your afternoon news
fix for Wednesday, the twelfth of March. Police have arrested
four people related to protests the Auckland Pride Festival with
links to Destiny Church. Demonstrators last month block the parade
in Auckland Or with a hacker, and people stormed a
drag reading for children at a public library. Jordan Dunn

(00:28):
has more.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Three women aged nineteen, twenty eight and fifty and a
sixty seven year old man collectively face eight charges under
the Summary Offenses Act and Crimes Act. They're all due
to appear in white Tuckety District Court next Tuesday. Police
say further charges are being filed over alleged actions against
five more victims.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Unions and businesses are divided as the government ditches its
living wage contract requirements. The Finance Minister is scrapping twenty
four requirements in the Government Procurement rule Book. Our three
biggest unions say it removes an important protection for workers
during a cost of living crisis. Business and Z director
of advocacy Catherine Baird says these changes give local businesses

(01:14):
more of a chance.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
I couldn't tell you how many explorers I've spoken to
that I have success internationally in selling their goods or services,
but they can't actually sell here to our government.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Education Minister Ericus Stanford has finally sat down with associate
David Seymour over the beleaged school lunch program. The pair
hadn't found a time since canceling talks last week since
a child got second degree burns from an overheated lunch
and a provider went into liquidation. Stanford confirms that they've
had a productive meeting this morning.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
Offered David my full support.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
Anything he needed from my office, we would be providing it.
Seymour describes it as a fantastic meeting.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
We discussed a whole range of issues around the school
lunch program and how it's getting better and what our
plan to do that is.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
An intersection in Wykato's Muttamutter is blocked between College and
Firth Streets after a train hit a pedestrian about three
point fifteen this afternoon. The person is in a critical condition.
The New Zealand Shareholders Associations raising red flags about a
Canadian billionaire's bid to control publisher n zedme's board. New

(02:23):
major shareholder Jim Grennan is nominating himself and three others,
retaining one original member, Lochelan.

Speaker 4 (02:30):
Rennie has more business desk reports. Shareholder Association Managing Director
Oliver Amanda says minority holders could be forgiven for feeling
it's a takeover by stealth. He says Grennan's personal views
are overtaking their long term interest in This proposition is
not compelling for individual small shareholders.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Ensigny shareholders can vote late April. A union warns Walworth's
major restructure proposals may not be as good as the
company claims it. Spokes person says it plans to rework
its operating model, letting employees work in all store departments.
They say it's trying to focus more on customers without
reducing staff, but First Union Retail Secretary rud Hughes worries

(03:15):
this is a way for Warworths to pay people less
for the same job.

Speaker 4 (03:18):
The companies made the claim that it's going to make
them more streamline, more customer friendly, but they have not
had a particularly strong last couple of years. They'll be
looking our ways of saving money, and this is a
way for them to save money.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
To sport all Black prop Parsilio Tossi's being dropped from
the Hurricanes twenty three for Friday Super Rugby match against
the Highlanders. Twenty year old zav to Ali debuts it's
second five for the Blues against the Chiefs, who have
Damien mackenzie and Luke Jacobson back. Black Cabs white ball
captain Mitchell Satner's admits the question around the future of

(03:53):
ODI cricket is one worth asking. New Zealand racehorse I
wish i Win has been retired after a career that
earned twelve point eight million dollars in steaks. I'm Raylen
Ramsay and that is your latest news fix. We'll be
back with the next update tomorrow morning from the News
Talk ZEDB newsroom.