Midday Edition: 13 May 2025

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 13 May 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 Malcolm Jordan and this is your midday
news fix for Tuesday, the thirteenth of May. More details
around the government's aim to boost investment. In a pre
budget speech, it's committing an extra one hundred million dollars
to the Elevate Venture Capital Fund to increase startup funding.
Superannuation costs will be partially offset. The Finance Ministers confirmed

(00:27):
Superfund withdrawals will start with thirty two million dollars in
twenty twenty eight, expected to be every year from twenty
thirty one. Nikola Willis says there's been little to no
growth in recent times.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
The government has been running big deficits and accumulating debt
just as our economic recovery has gotten underway. Global events
have conspired to make things harder.

Speaker 1 (00:50):
Meanwhile, Labour's once again eyeing up major changes to New
Zealand's tax system. Leader Chris Hopkins addressed a business audience
in Wellington this morning, also ahead of next week's budget.
He's making the case for more government spending on key
public services, taking on more debt to pay for it,
and taxes.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
We're looking at how you make sure that people who
are earning significant amounts of money outside of the pay
system are paying their fesher attacks.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Hipkins says Labour's tax plan will be revealed later this year.
Reprieve for parents struggling to strike a balance on their kids' phone.
US Spark is rolling out the first New Zealand plan,
giving children enough data for low demand services like bus apps,
but not offering enough for social media use. It's based

(01:38):
on research from more than five hundred parents concerned about
online safety. Corporate Relations and Sustainability director Leela Ashford says
it's to avoid enabling kids to do mindless scrolling. It
comes with a gigabyte loaded, but then the parent decides
when the child gets the next gigabyte. Meridian Energy is
paying seventy million dollars to buy z Energy's electricity retail business,

(02:03):
Flick Electric. Under the agreement, the power gent tailor will
take Flex forty one thousand electricity customers and the brand.
Lachlan Rennie has more.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
The acquisition will increase Meridian's market share to eighteen percent.
That keeps the company in its position as our fourth
largest electricity retailer, and a statement to the in Zdix
Meridian says the divestment by Zed's Australian parent company, Ampoll
is a good fit as it evolves its strategy to
focus on ev charging.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
More people could be set to fly Jet Star due
to ongoing angst around aviation prices. This comes following a
Commerce Commission complaint from a man who was stunned by
the cost of an Air New Zealand direct flight to Wellington.
The airline defended its prices, saying their fares reflected the
true cost of flying. Jetstar CEO Stephanie Tully Todd Mike

(02:55):
costing travel remains important to people and they play an
important role. I think what is the cost of living
pressure that everyone's feeling both in Australia and New Zealand,
and I guess that's where Jet Star becomes a great
choice to sport Sheffield United are the first team through
to the match, dubbed the richest game in football, the
Championship decider to work out who gets the last Premier

(03:17):
League spot, estimated at a value of three hundred and
eighty million dollars. A blow for the Irish rugby side.
Captain Kaylin Doris has been ruled out for up to
six months with the shoulder injury that he suffered a
week and a half ago and escalating twenty thirty two
Brisbane Olympic transport infrastructure costs are expected to prompt a

(03:38):
Queensland government request for more federal funding. I'm Malcolm Jordan.
That's your latest news fix. We'll be back with the
next update at five pm from the news Talk zb newsroom.