Afternoon Edition: 28 April 2025

The Afternoon Edition of News Fix for 28 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 railing Ramsay. This is your afternoon news
fix for Monday, the twenty eighth of April. Hope new
building inspection targets will bring better technological efficiency. The government
will soon let approved builders, plumbers and drain layers sign
off their own work For simple residential dwellings. Eighty percent

(00:24):
of inspections will need to be completed within three working days.
Master Builders head An Kitshama says inspection changes will drive
productivity as businesses find ways to meet the target.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
For smaller businesses, it's an opportunity to adopt technologies like
artisan to remote inspection, start taking photographs so to start
preparing businesses for this new way.

Speaker 1 (00:46):
Health New Zealand says it's urgently seeking facilitation to resolve
a pay issue with senior doctors who plan to strike
on Thursday. It says it's deeply disappointed the Association of
Salary to Medical Specialists hasn't agree to take its offer
to members after mediation. Denika MacLean has more.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
The strike will mean about four thousand, three hundred planned
procedures will be postponed, but the union says the same
amount are lost every week because of staff shortages. Deputy
Chief Executive Cath Cronin says they value their doctors, but
Health New Zealand has limited budget for salary settlements. Facilitation
would see an independent party make a recommendation after hearing

(01:26):
from both sides.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
A fresh push to ban import, supply and use of
engineered stone the versatile products used for benches and tabletops,
but is very dangerous to workers' health. The Council of
Trade Unions has launched a petition asking New Zealand's Workplace
Relations and Safety Minister to follow Australia in implementing a
total ban. President Richard Wagstaff says they first raise concerns

(01:51):
with the government in twenty twenty three about the risk
of the product. When it's cuts or polished or drilled,
it creates very very fine particles which are eight or
ingested at course. Della Coosas claims teaching methods have improved
under government education mandates. Is of February, all schools must
now teach one hour reading, writing and maths each day

(02:13):
for years zero to eight. Years three to ten must
twice a year complete two progress tests for the subjects.
Senior fellow at business think tank The New Zealand Initiative.
Michael Johnston says it's not all about the time spent learning,
but also teachers getting through to students. It's a good move.
New Zealand has been behind the eight ball with literacy

(02:34):
and numeracy for quite a long time. More weather watchers
have been issued across the country. Met Service meteorologist Don
Barry says heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in Northland tomorrow,
triggering warnings to the region. Has this low pressure, think
southwest will start to find that some of that rainfall
feeding in towards places like Canterbury. N z TA has

(02:56):
uncovered a piece of World War II history. Teams work
on State Highway three and Tartanaqui from Waketa to Bell
Block have found two shallow rifle pit trenches for soldiers.
It's thought they were built in nineteen forty one or
forty two as a defensive position to protect the aerodrome
from potential Japanese invasion. To sport and Auckland FC may

(03:20):
have a Premier's plate in Football Men's a League. Bard
coach Steve Corriker feels that's simply proof they can achieve
their ultimate goal. The Black Knights have sealed top spot
in their inaugural season. The spraying is back in the
step for All Blacks play maker Bowden Barrett as the
struggling Blues look to keep their stushering title defense alive

(03:40):
in Super Rugby and former Kiwi's coach Frank Endercott is
ruling out joining forces with the other christ Church bids
and the hopes of bringing a second NRL team to
New Zealand. That is your latest news fix. We'll be
back with the next up date tomorrow morning from the
News Talk sed B news Room.