Morning Edition: 02 December 2025

The Morning Edition of News Fix for 02 December 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'm never ready Manu and this is your
morning newsfax for Tuesday tewod of December. In this update,
if local councils don't adhere to an incoming rates cap,
they could face government intervention. A rates cap has been
proposed at four percent a year, with any further increase
needing to be signed off. It's planned to take effect

(00:25):
from twenty twenty seven and will be fully enforced by
July twenty twenty nine following a consultation period. Local government
Minister Simon Watts hopes councils don't push rates up more
before this comes in. He says if they do that,
they would at their peril. Auckland As will face a
seven point nine percent rate rise next year to fund
operating costs for a five point five billion dollar city

(00:48):
rail link when it opens for passengers. The increase will
cover the two hundred and thirty five million dollar operating
cost of the new underground rail service and is the
largest rate rise since Auckland Council will swarmed in twenty ten.
It means annual rates with the average household will climb
from around four thousand dollars to more than four thousand

(01:08):
three hundred a weekly cost of eighty three dollars. After
next year, rates are set to rise by three point
five percent each year. The woman at the center of
the Jevin mcskimming scandal wants the government to open a
wider inquiry into police culture. An IPCA report found police
failed to act on her allegations against the then Deputy

(01:30):
Police Commissioner, instead prosecuting her for harassment. The government has
agreed to implement all IPCA recommendations, including establishing an Inspector
General of Police. The woman known as Miss Z has
told Herald reported Jared Savage in an exclusive interview that
she wants more scrutiny, including a broader, more transparent inquiry.

(01:53):
Far Ma Mack is defending a near three hundred and
fifty thousand dollar exit payment to an employee made in
the same year its former chief executive resigned. At a
Select committee yesterday, Labor Health spokesperson Eischeverril questioned why the
payout equated to eight months of the highest paid employee's salary.
Part of the cessation benefits was a redundancy payment. The

(02:15):
timing aligns with former chief executive Sarah fitz resignation in
March christ students who were provided rancid in moldy school
lunches are being worn to watch out for food poisoning.
A UTA community campus recalled all lunches yesterday after discovering
some boxes contained rancid and dead looking food. The school

(02:37):
lunch collective says it's working with the school and MPI
to understand what happened. Latest data from Credit Bureau Centrics
shows company liquidations have reached a fourteen year high, but
more Kiwis are catching up on their credit repayments. Meanwhile,
Kiwibank's later State of home Ownership report shows many homeowners
are taking advantage of lower interest rates to pay off

(03:00):
the mortgage sooner. In sport, the toll Blacks have coughed
up a ten point lead with eight minutes remaining to
lose to Australia seventy nine to seventy seven in Basketball
World Cup qualifying in Wellington. Reputable Dutch publication Dear Telegraph
reports New Zealander Liam Lawson will hold on to his
Formula one seat at Racing Balls next year. New Zealand

(03:23):
captain Tom Latham is endorsing his relatively inexperienced past bowling
attack heading into the first cricket Test against the West
Indies at Christchurch today. All black Rico your one air,
is poised to make his Leinster rugby debut in Sunday's
Champions Cup opener against Harlequins. I'm never ready, Manho, and
that your latest newsfaks. We'll be back with the next
update at midday from the news Talk zb News roupe