Midday Edition: 08 December 2025

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 08 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 afternoon. I'm Malcolm Jordan and this is your midday
news Vex for Monday, the eighth of December. The Police
ministers standing by his response to the mcskimmings scandal and
his timeline of events. Former Police Commissioner Andrew Costa has
accepted responsibility for failures at the time and resigned his
subsequent high profile job. But this weekend he claimed Minister

(00:25):
Mark Mitchell and past Minister Chris Hipkins knew about Jevin
mcskimming's affair earlier than they let on. Both reject the claim.
Mitchell says it's nonsense. Part of my role is protecting
people against the power of the state when they put
up against it. This, to me was a clear example
of that and I pushed as far and when as
hard as I could. The Prime Minister says he has

(00:48):
faith that police will address issues with the formal warning system.
It's been revealed thousands of warnings were issued without the
correct protocol. They're used as an alternative to prosecution and
can effect prospects. A police review of four hundred and
sixty seven warnings found just thirty seven percent work compliant.
Chris Luxon says the situation is sloppy, but Commissioner Richard

(01:11):
Chambers is doing a good job addressing standards. It's good
that it's actually been talked about.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
It's good that it's out there.

Speaker 3 (01:16):
It's that they need to be processes.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
We properly followed a stern message of violence against children
will never be okay. As the Commissioner in charge announces
an urgent campaign, Children's Commissioner Claire Ahmad says child homicide
is a growing concern that can't be ignored. To be
as macintosh as that the campaign launch in Wellington.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
More than two hundred and fifty people have gathered at
Wellington's waterfront to mark the initiative and assigning up to
a lesser, saying kids have the right to feel safe.
The nationwide campaigns focused on preventing all forms of child
male treatment and address systemic issues leading to abuse.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
Health New Zealand's got its deficit down to nine hundred
and forty seven million, well below the one point one
billion it had budgeted for. He has Senior political reporter
Azaria Howse.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
Chief Executive Doctor Dale Bramley says in the agency's annual report,
financial capability has been strengthened health and Z intends to
be back living within its means around the twenty twenty
six twenty seven financial year. It's aiming to reduce the
deficit over the course of the twenty twenty five twenty
six year to two hundred million dollars.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
A push for government funding to help schools and early
childhood centers with the costs of removing asbestos contaminated sand.
Recall notices remain for the fourteen piece sand castle building
set and make your own unicorn sand ornaments, although Kmart's
canceled its recall of three colored products. The Ministry of
Education says schools and centers will need to cover clean

(02:45):
up costs. Early childhood education in Z's Nikki Parsons says
expenses will be high, with insurance unlikely to help.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Some of them have to repaint free carpets and recooner
or any kind of self finishings have to be removed,
so that can cost FLAG up to four hundred thousand dollars.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
And concerns a proposed Netflix takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery
will leave consumers worse off to sport Black Caps Pace Bowl,
as Matt Henry and Nathan Smith, along with spinner Mitchell Satna,
will miss the rest of the Test series against the
West Indies. Skier Alice Robinson's finished third at the latest
round of competition at Mont Tromblo in Canada, behind Austria's

(03:26):
Julia Shibe and Sweden's Sarah Hector, and an added time
goal has rescued Brighton a point in a one all
English Premier League draw against west Ham. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace
have scored a late winner to see off Fulham two
to one at Craven Cottage. 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.