Midday Report

To the U-S, where Fox News will pay $NZ1.2 billion to avert a high-profile trial where its primetime hosts would have been asked about the network's coverage of false vote-rigging claims in the 2020 Presidential election.

Earlier court filings showed Fox Corp chair, Rupert Murdoch, and primetime hosts such as Sean Hannity had privately acknowledged that the vote-rigging claims made about Dominion on-air were false.

The defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems was due to open today but settled at the last minute.

University of Auckland political scientist Maria Armoudian spoke to Katie Scotcher.

The National Party is promising to restart live cattle exports and double the recognised seasonal employer worker cap if elected in October.

The party's leader Christopher Luxon unveiled their plan for the farming sector this morning.

It includes proposals to slash red tape and review all regulations affecting farmers. 

National's agriculture spokesperson Todd McLay spoke to Katie Scotcher from Northland.

Metservice has issued multiple heavy rain warnings for today and tomorrow.

Starting with orange warnings for the South Island's West Coast today, before soaking the Tasman and Marlborough regions from this evening and then hitting the lower North Island early tomorrow.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane spoke to Katie Scotcher about the grim forecast.

Councillors are lifting the shroud from previously confidential proposals to mend the frayed relationship between the mayor and chief executive.

It follows numerous leaks from publicly excluded meetings, and the resignation of a long-standing councillor which has triggered a by-election.

Katie Scotcher got the lowdown from Otago/Southland reporter Tess Brunton.

News from the rural farming sector

Midday sports News for 18 April 2023 Black Caps allrounder Jimmy Neesham says he was ready to bowl the last over as the tourists grabbed a dramatic four run win over Pakistan in the third T20 international in Lahore.

News from the business sector

The public service association is calling Auckland Transport's plan to cut 150 jobs "deplorable" and is asking the organisation to give staff more time to respond to the plan.

Auckland Transport last night announced the jobs are at risk and changes would be made by the start of July.

It follows Auckland Council's Letter of Expectation to the organisation, which made clear it should plan to receive less funding.

The Public Service Association's assistant secretary Bronwynn Maxwell spoke to Katie Scotcher.

Worry is mounting the economy's heading for a harsh landing.

Last year, amid stubbornly rising inflation the Reserve Bank told us it was engineering a minor recession through swift official cash rate rises.

It said too many people were employed and predicted the economy would shrink by 1 percent this year, before returning to growth by the end of 2024.

But ASB's economists believe it'll be worse and expect the economy to contract by 2 percent by early next year, while rising living costs will add another $150/ week to household bills.

Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen spoke to Katie Scotcher/

To the Solomons, the first stop on New Zealand's Pacific mission led by the deputy prime minister Carmel Sepuloni.

The tour comes amid increasing militarisation and geopolitical posturing in the Pacific, with the US anxious to maintain Western dominance over China.

But the biggest security concern in the Pacific is climate change. RNZ Pacific reporter Susana Suisuiki spoke to Katie Scotcher from Honiara.