Morning Edition: 27 June 2025

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 27 June 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 never ready Manu, and this is your
morning news fix for Friday, twenty seventh of June. In
this update, a global security analyst says it's essential we
fill the thousands of roles sitting empty in our defense force.
Latest data shows more than three thousand regular force positions
and about seven hundred and thirty civilian roles were vacant

(00:26):
at the end of March. Official figures show as of February,
about a third of regular force roles were unfilled. Waikato
University senior lecturer Reubensteff says geopolitical tensions arising in the
South Pacific, so we need a modern military. Imperial Japan
got all the way down to the South PacifiCan World
War to Australia and in New Zealand. In that war
were basically on the chopping block. There's almost no modern

(00:48):
memory of this. Emergency services are on high alert in
the Upper South Island. A local state of emergencies in
effect for parts of Marlborough, with Spring Creek residents being
worn to leave their home homes. Fire crews have also
been called to flooding in and around homes. Richmond and
Moteweka met services the top of the South is bearing
the brunt of heavy rain. A severe thunderstorm watch is

(01:11):
in effect for Auckland and Northland, and other parts of
the country can also expect rain. Auckland City rail Link
is set to open with nineteen thousand peak passengers, much
lower than earlier forecasts. In twenty twenty two, it was
reported twenty seven thousand passengers an hour would be using
Auckland City rail Link at peak times when it opens

(01:31):
next year. Auckland Transport Rail Services Group Manager Mark Lambert
says they must operate the network in a financially responsible way,
providing the right frequency and capacity of trains to meet demand,
and he says they're increasing the train fleet by about
thirty percent to make a peak of nineteen thousand passengers possible.
Local politicians will be given and allowance to buy security

(01:54):
systems at their homes. The four and a half thousand
dollars matches what MPs currently yet and will come into
effect after this year's local elections. The money will be
distributed by councils. Central Otago mayor Tama Alli says people
need to be able to feel comfortable doing their jobs.
She says members are also worried about their families. The

(02:16):
injectable weight loss drug we gov will be available by
Tuesday in New Zealand. The prescription drug has proved popular overseas,
with many celebrities using it. Weight loss physician doctor Lara
Courtenay says that the drug currently isn't funded by Farmak,
so people will have to pay jeezeys. It would be
great if it was funded one day, but there are

(02:36):
lots of drugs which need money. The death of Tepati
Maldi MP Takuta tash Kemp will prompt a by election
in her Tamaki Makodo electorate. Kemp, who had kidney disease,
has died at the age of fifty. The first term
MP entered Parliament in twenty twenty three after narrowly defeating
Labour's Penny Henarre, who had previously held the seat since

(02:58):
twenty fourteen. The leader of Labour's Malti Carkus, Willie Jackson,
says the focus right now is on morning, not campaigning.
In sport, Penrith's NRL League season revival is on after
securing an eight six win over Canterbury in a last
place thriller, with the competition leaders on the cusp of
a try. Golfer Kazuma Kobori's in a share of fourth,

(03:20):
two strokes off the lead after carding a four hunder
past sixty six in the opening round of the Italian Open.
Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Lockie Ferguson are missing from
coach Rob Walters maid in black Caps squad for next
month's T twenty tri series with South Africa and host Zimbabwe.
Bevan Jacobs is in line for a debut I'm never ready, Manu.

(03:42):
And that's your latest Newsweaks. We'll be back with the
next update at midday from the newstalk ZB news room