Midday Edition: 22 August 2025

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 22 August 2025, straight from the Newstalk ZB newsroom - bringing you everything you need to know in news, politics, business, entertainment and sport.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good afternoon. I'm Susie Nordquist and this is your midday
news fix for Friday, the twenty second of August. Sky
has struck a deal to keep broadcasting Rugby. On the
same day it's announced a sharp drop in profit. It
struck a five year deal with New Zealand Rugby starting
in January. The deal comes as Sky reports a fifty
eight percent drop and profit of a two point one

(00:26):
percent drop in revenue. It will allow TVNZ to air
some domestic games and won't include some extra All Blacks
and Black Ferns matches outside of scheduled competitions. Meanwhile, well
known New Zealand dairy brands like Anchor and Mainland could
soon be in foreign ownership. Fonterra has agreed to sell
its consumer and associated businesses to French dairy giant Lactalis

(00:50):
for three point eight four five billion dollars. The deal
still needs the approval of farmer shareholders and regulatory approval.
The uncertainty isn't over for dairy farmers. Fonterra is now
forecasting a final payout for last season of ten dollars
fifteen but while it's narrowed its forecast range, it's still
forecasting a payout of ten dollars for the current season

(01:13):
due to the ongoing risk of volatility. Managing Director for
Cooperative Affairs, Matt Boulgers says, we still haven't seen the
full impact of Donald Trump's tariff regime.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
Not a disaster, but it's not great, particularly when we're
looking at other countries.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
In Canada, which is good as zero sent tariff and
its protein exports are effectively subsidized. Winston Peters has talked
about global conflicts with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Political reporter Ethan Griffiths has more.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
The Foreign Minister says the pair had a phone call
discussing bilateral relations on defense, trade and development. He says
they also spoke about the conflict in Gaza and international
efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine. It comes as
Trade Minister Todd mcclay's in the US making the case
for potential tariff reductions.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Parliament's wide reaching The Banking Inquiry has come to an
end with recommendations to strengthen competition. The Finance and Expenditure
Committee is recommending the country open the door to more
overseas banks and FinTechs as well as to strengthen ki
We Bank. It's also calling for a further look at
their reserve bank settings and making climate lending rules clearer

(02:20):
and consistent, as current rules are seen as barriers preventing competition.
There are nineteen recommendations, fourteen of which have cross party support.
The government now has sixty days to respond to those recommendations.
The Housing Minister is praising potential new density rules for Auckland.
The Council has sent them out for consultation, with a

(02:42):
final decision next month. They would see ten to fifteen
story apartments allowed their transport routes and town centers, but
a reduction in zoning for natural hazard areas. Chris Bishop
told RNZ that building their train stations isn't unique to Auckland.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's what every other international city does now. I was
going to do the same. So it's a good step.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Forward to sport now and Simon Parker will become All
Black number one thousand, two hundred and thirty when he
runs out for a test day BU on Sunday morning
against Argentina. The Northland and chiefs loose Ford will start
at number eight in boners Ares. The football ferns of
locked in a glamour fixedture. In October, New Zealand will

(03:22):
meet world number two and current Olympic champions the US
in Kansas City. American golfer Russell Henley leads the PGA
to season finale after the opening round at the East
Lake Club in Atlanta. I'm Susie Nordquist and that is
your latest news fix. We'll be back with the next
update at five pm from the news Talk seir B newsroom.