Midday Edition: 18 December 2025

The Midday Edition of News Fix for 18 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 Fix. Four Thursday, the eighteenth of December. New Zealand's
economy is officially in rebound. Stats n Z has confirmed
GDP grew one point one percent in the three months
to September, with more business reporter Michael sergle.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
The Reserve Bank had been forecasting a growth rate of
about zero point four percent. Economists had been expecting it
to sit around zero point nine. Many households still did.
It's tough through the quarter, though, with unemployment reaching five
point three percent and inflation hitting three percent.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Jenny Wiley's time as chief executive at Netball New Zealand
is over. Clay Wilson reports.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
The national body has confirmed Wiley's resignation with immediate effect,
which was communicated to staff this morning. Chief Commercial Officer
David Cooper takes over his acting CEO, with the board
to begin recruiting for a permanent replacement in the new year.
Wiley's resignation comes after a twombulent period for Nepal New Zealand,
underlined by the standing down and subsequent reinstatement of Silver

(01:06):
Firn's coach, Dame NOLE in Totoo. The national body have
been widely criticized for their handling of the saga.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
And Wiley was appoint a chief executive in twenty sixteen,
having been at the organization for seven years, including as
head of Finance and Services. Suspects are still on the
run after shootings in Gore last night injured two people,
one seriously. People were called after reports of firearm had
been discharged on Upparima Street about eight pm. Two people

(01:34):
were hospitalized and police are appealing for anyone with information
to contact them. Area school Principles have accepted a new
collective agreement that lifts salaries by four point seven percent
over the next year. More than one hundred and forty
principles will benefit from the deal, which introduces a new
six thousand dollars NCEEA Change Implementation Allowance and five thousand

(01:57):
dollars for mentors education when Erica Stanford says this settlement
reinforces professional learning and development and supports higher student achievement.
It comes a day after the Nzei Primary teachers rejected
a payoffer. A report into six Northland youth who committed
suicide shows or walked a very similar difficult path. A

(02:20):
coronial in quest was held in November last year, looking
into the deaths after a suicide cluster was identified in
twenty eighteen and twenty twenty. Coroner Tanya Teti. Tahar's report
shows all six were self harming and known to many agencies,
with one youth interacting with up to seventeen. Open Justice
reporter Shannon Pittman says the report recommends a single care

(02:43):
pathway to filter information from agencies and to work with
youth INFARNO.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
A lot of disengagement occurred because Pano of being contacted
by so many agencies, having to relay the same story
over and over again.

Speaker 1 (02:57):
Experts are warning of dangers from the missis story of
Health canceling its flu tracking program in a cost cutting measure,
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation is asking the government to
reinstate it before next winter. To Sport, Newcastle United and
Manchester City have locked away semi final spots in English
Football's League Cup. City got past Brentford to nil with

(03:20):
a goal in each half, while Newcastle scored in added
time to beat Fulham two one. Paraskier Corey Peters has
claimed victory in the second round of the double header
of racing at the FIS World Cup event in Italy,
and Raymond van Barneveld has crashed out in the first
round of his thirty third appearance at the World Darts

(03:41):
Champs in London. 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.