Afternoon Edition: 22 April 2025

The Afternoon Edition of News Fix for 22 April 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 Diana Village and this is your afternoon Newsfix.
Police are asking for critical witnesses to help them hunt
offenders from a fatal assault at an Auckland bus stop
on Saturday. A US PhD student died after suffering serious
head injuries on Meadowbanks Saint John's Road about ten pm.
Police are hunting at least two offenders and asking for

(00:26):
witnesses and dash cam footage. Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin says
they want information on a black suv in the area
about nine fifty pm. He says they especially want to
speak to people in a white Toyota ute cut off
by the suv when it did a U turn on
Saint John's Road. I'm confident those people may remember that
journey because they witnessed some pretty erratic driving and our

(00:50):
pouring of grief but also adoration for Pope Francis, the
Catholic leader, died last night, aged eighty eight, from a
stroke and heart failure. Auckland Bishop Stephen Lowe's reflected on
meeting the Pope, introducing himself as a New Zealander.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
He is all so far away and I says, ah yes,
but close to heaven, and he laughed. He roared with laughter,
he says, just like Argentina, and I think he loved
the fact that he was the first pope from the
Southern Hemisphere.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
Unionized Medical Lab staff at ow Nui and mid Lab
are walking off the job over the next three days.
It's the third consecutive month in which APEX members have
taken strike action. The unions rejected a recommendation from the
Employment Relations Authority for two three percent salary increases this
year and a five hundred dollars lump payment. APEX National

(01:40):
Secretary Debrah Pale claims the lab workers are still paid
thirty percent less than those employed by Health New.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Zealand, despite having paid millions of dollars out to their
shareholders in the last few years. Today they're sitting at
the bargaining table saying they simply can't afford to pay
the workers what they agree they should be paid.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
The Maritimes calling for more certainty around the future of
the country's tug boat service. A temporary tug's being contracted
to operate in the Cook Straight until June next year,
while the government explores a permanent solution. Transport Minister Chris
Bishop says it will cost more than expected and is
looking into a user pays model, but the Maritime Union

(02:20):
spokesperson Victor Billet told Mike Hosking it's a crucial service
that needs serious thoughts.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
We're pleased to see that, but I mean that does
need to be a long term plan and we're not
entirely sure that the user pays model is either the
right one or an easy one to enforce.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Generation Z is struggling to switch off from the constant
stream of notifications. A survey commissioned by two degrees has
found half of New Zealanders feel overwhelmed by alerts. For
Gen Z, the impact is even greater, with thirty eight
percent regularly feeling overwhelmed, panicked or anxious about the sheer
number of notifications. Digital well being expert Katherine Burkett see

(03:00):
they're the first generation online their whole life to sport
and Northern mystics. Captain MICHAELA. Socklege beats In is keeping
faith the netble New Zealand Chief Executive Jenny Wiley, despite
the unsettling lack of communication about the A and Z
premiership's future, Wiley refused to confirm all six domestic teams

(03:20):
will survive into twenty twenty six. Coach Allen Bunting believes
the mere presence of Poorsha Woodman Wickliffe will inspire the
Black Ferns to greater heights at the Rugby World Cup,
and the Detroit Pistons have squared their NBA playoff series
with the New York New York Knicks at one all
I'm Diana Vesich. That's your latest news fix. We'll be

(03:41):
back with the next update tomorrow morning. From the News
Talks ed B newsroom.