Alex Braae 
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: MFAT advice to NZers overseas changes, parliamentary scrutiny to continue amid adjournment, and an essential piece to read on the shutdown rules. As of yesterday, the message to New Zealanders overseas has changed. Last week, foreign minister Winston Peters warned those who wanted to return that … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: We’re going to level four by Wednesday night, Robertson massively expands economic package, and political parties put country above politics. As you might be able to imagine, there’s a bit of news to get through this morning. The effective shutdown of the country (which for clarity, … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: How the new alert system will work, dozens of new cases announced over weekend, and a great idea from several Wellington hotels. How will day to day life change with the new alert system aimed at combating Covid-19? To put it bluntly, it will have to … Read more
For beneficiaries and thousands of soon-to-be unemployed, some tough situations are looming in trying to navigate Work and Income’s bureaucracy. Alex Braae reports. With three kids at home showing symptoms of illness, and having recently been in contact with someone from overseas, Jane* knew staying home was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, she also … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Border closed to all non-NZers with limited exceptions, facing the economic implications of that decision, and new rules on gatherings released. As of midnight last night, the border of New Zealand is closed to those who aren’t permanent residents or citizens, with very limited exceptions. In … Read more
We’re likely to see a big decrease in the amount of waste produced in New Zealand in the coming months, but the industry is facing a complex situation in responding to Covid-19. Alex Braae reports. While rubbish might not occupy the thoughts of many during a pandemic, plans are currently being made to keep the … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Suspected case of Covid-19 in Samoa, MFAT urges NZers overseas to come home, and aviation support package to be announced today. A suspected case of Covid-19 is currently being tested in Samoa, bringing to light concerns that the coronavirus could be devastating in the Pacific. Stuff reports … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Dunedin school to close and clean after positive Covid-19 test, massive economic rescue package announced, and tourists who didn’t self-isolate facing deportation. There are now 12 confirmed Covid-19 patients in New Zealand. The latest confirmed case is a student at Logan Park High School in Dunedin, … Read more
The government is spending $12.1 billion to counter the Covid-19 crisis. Where is the money being targeted? Here are the essentials. What’s all this then? With recession bearing down on the country, and a large numbers of jobs at risk of being lost, the government has ploughed billions of dollars into the economy. The main … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New guidelines on gatherings and social distancing announced, OCR slashed ahead of fiscal stimulus, and Air NZ facing crushing losses. Gatherings of 500 or more people have been banned in the latest round of measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19. It has meant the … Read more
In a surprise move this morning, the Reserve Bank has slashed the Official Cash Rate to just 0.25%, down from 1%. So what does that mean for you, and why has it happened now? Just quickly – what is the official cash rate? The OCR is the interest rate at which the Reserve Bank lends … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: New travel restrictions make Covid-19 recession all but certain, further cases of the virus confirmed, and March 15 commemoration called off. Major new travel restrictions were announced over the weekend, making a recession this year all but certain to happen. Toby Manhire has put together the essential … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: March 15 memorial service to go ahead, more travel restrictions likely to be announced, and moves against migrant exploitation in spotlight. Unless there is a last minute cancellation, commemorations of the March 15 mosque attacks will be going ahead this weekend. Stuff reports that because of a … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Covid-19 officially declared to be a pandemic, abortion clinic Safe Zones stripped from legislation, and Hauraki Gulf under extreme biodiversity pressure. Overnight, the World Health Organisation officially declared that the Covid-19 outbreak has become a pandemic, reports AP News. That’s a term defined as a disease spreading … Read more
The debate about methane emissions from farming is both ongoing and polarising, and many are pinning their hopes on scientific advances to avoid both de-stocking and climate breakdown. But how effective can these measures actually be? Alex Braae visited a research lab on the front lines of this fight. At a sprawling campus on the … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Lab test worker strike criticised and defended, business confidence slumps, and Porirua emergency housing motel proves controversial. There has been controversy over a strike by laboratory workers this Friday, amid the wider Covid-19 outbreak. Newshub reports that the strike has been planned long in advance – since … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Robertson announces shape of Covid-19 economic response, National grabs matches for regulations bonfire, and land use change laid bare. Cabinet has approved a package of measures designed to take some of the economic pain out of the global Covid-19 outbreak. Around the world right now, markets are … Read more
We’ve just had a taste of how the election campaign is going to go this year, with a raw and rowdy debate at the University of Auckland. Alex Braae recaps it. Unfortunately for voters, one of the most exciting versions of these big, multi-party free for alls has now already been and gone. Every year, … Read more
The price of crude oil is absolutely tanking right now, because supply is being ramped up at a time when demand is unusually low. What’s going on? Here’s a cheat sheet explaining all. What’s all this then? Russia and Saudi Arabia, two incredibly large producers of oil, have basically declared economic war on the rest … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Predator Free 2050 strategy launched, govt to roll out economic response to Covid-19, and Armed Response Teams in the spotlight. The strategy outlining how New Zealand will become predator-free by 2050 is being launched today. The idea, a vision of the late Sir Paul Callaghan and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tauranga passes draft budget featuring massive rates rise, JLR makes further donation allegations, and more Covid-19 cases confirmed. We’ll start with a regional story today, because this is one that has implications for plenty of other places. Local body politics in Tauranga is getting absolutely steamed … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Top cop candidate reportedly under investigation, second person confirmed to have Covid-19, and a critical and corroded Wellington pipe in the spotlight. The IPCA is currently investigating one of the frontrunners for the top policing job in the country, reports Newshub’s Tova O’Brien. They’re looking into an allegation, … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Warnings about waterways in mass eel deaths, government funding approved for Christchurch stadium, and two Covid-19 tests come back negative. Frankly, this is one of the most visually horrifying environmental stories I’ve ever seen. Farah Hancock at Newsroom has looked at the extreme pressure being put on waterways … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Threats made against Al-Noor mosque worshippers, two more being checked for possible coronavirus, and PM criticises but doesn’t sanction Shane Jones. Almost a year after the disgusting terror attack of March 15, a new threat has been made against worshippers at the Al-Noor mosque in … Read more
One of test cricket’s great partnerships has been brought to an end. Alex Braae listens to the last call of Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney on Radio Sport. Watching Test cricket sometimes feels like sitting on the side of a pond on a summer day. Each ball is a pebble thrown into the surface, and … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: The latest on the coronavirus in NZ, political donations in the spotlight, and overhaul of fossil fuel investment in default Kiwisaver funds. To start today, an update to the story that has dominated conversations all weekend. At the time of writing, one person has been confirmed … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Ardern gets diplomatic, fuel market legislation released, and police pinged over employment records breach. There hasn’t really been much coverage of it in The Bulletin, but it’s worth looking back at quite an important diplomatic week for the PM. She has been in Fiji for several … Read more
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Saving water becomes crucial amid drought, means testing Super back in the news, and a hard look at a Special Purpose Vehicle. Aucklanders need to get serious about saving water or restrictions will come in. Newshub reports that’s the message from Watercare, who say that it’s not … Read more
Welcome to the Bulletin World Weekly, an email exclusively for The Spinoff Members. As a one-off, we’ve put today’s edition up for everyone to read. If you want to get this every week, sign up to The Spinoff Members here. In the last week, outbreaks of the Covid-19 coronavirus have shaken countries well beyond the … Read more