Alex Braae 
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: John Banks looking at another mayoral run, warnings from economists of the housing bubble bursting, and Indonesia responds to West Papua protests. Could John Banks be about to get back in the ring and race for the Auckland mayoralty? This report from Stuff’s Bevan Hurley certainly indicates he’s weighing … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Deep wounds shown by Captain Cook vandalism, expert fact checks claims around electric cars, and police deployed to fight non-existent crime wave. A Gisborne Captain Cook statue has been vandalised, and the message painted on it shows the depth of tensions that will surround the 250th … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government releases proposals around medicinal cannabis, oxycontin takes hold in NZ despite US epidemic, and vaping pushed at Māori women. Just quickly, apologies if today’s Bulletin has a few errors, I haven’t slept because of the cricket. The Black Caps are heading to the World Cup … Read more
Incredibly, the Black Caps have made the Cricket World Cup final. In a sleep-deprived daze, Alex Braae reflects on the mountain of pain that went into seeing them get there. We don’t watch cricket because we want to. We watch it because we must. Cricket is a sport with pain built into it. Not the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: More revealed about aftermath of Hit and Run raid, police delete social posts glorifying tactics to catch kids, and regional airports may be bailed out. Politicians were shown edited footage of the Hit and Run raid which throws into question the NZDF version of events, reports … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Pressure on government over poverty, major concerns for forestry at both ends of growing cycle, and feebate scheme for car emissions finally unveiled. The government is under immense pressure over their efforts against entrenched poverty, and the system that manages it. It’s not just the services … Read more
Many moons ago, when the Cricket World Cup was just about to start, one of our resident cricket fanatics made a series of predictions. Have any of them come to pass? It took five weeks, more than 40 completed matches, and what seems like a thousand takes about who should open the batting for the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Record number of remits debated at LGNZ conference, details announced on how school property boost to be spent, and historic Tasman dumps at risk. A range of remits passed at the Local Government NZ annual conference could see significant pushes for new law changes. The conference … Read more
Standing in front of a wall of wine bottles trying to find something that you’ll like can feel futile. One online wine retailer is using artificial intelligence to help find what you’re looking for. It can take a lifetime to truly become an expert on wine. There are subtleties and hints in each bottle that … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Controversial West Coast dairy co-op sale goes through, time running out for sealing Tūhoe road, and tensions rising around AAAP action days. Yesterday was a hugely significant day for New Zealand’s dairy industry, partly for what happened, and partly for what it could signify about … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Complicated picture from economic confidence surveys, justice minister hammers Google over name suppression, and drinking water falling below standards. Business confidence, which has been low throughout this government’s term, has plunged to fresh depths. In fact, as Stuff reports, the headline figure is the lowest it has been … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tamihere makes a splash with Watercare policy announcement, wind power set to boom, and breakthrough in efforts to reduce cow methane. With the election only a few months away now, it’s a good time to check back in with the state of the Auckland mayoralty … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Wounds caused by UN Migration Pact drama still fester, Middlemore sources concerned deadly flu cases contracted in hospital, and rat populations ballooning. It started off as little more than an obscure, non-binding agreement for the United Nations to mull over. It became a rallying call for … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Raft of new laws taking effect today, a messy story of inner city homelessness unfolds in Auckland, and secondary school teachers accept offer. Some news you can use today: we’re going to start with a roundup of some of the bigger July 1 law changes. It’s … Read more
Welcome to the Bulletin World Weekly. Normally, this will be an email exclusively for and supported by Spinoff Members, but just this once it’ll be free for all. If you want to sign up for membership, all the details are here. One of the most fascinating things about weather reports is the use of context. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Makhlouf departs with questions hanging in the air, emissions still not moving the right way, and ministerial roles in housing reshuffled. A few months ago, you’d probably be forgiven for not knowing the name Gabriel Makhlouf. Until yesterday, he was the secretary of Treasury – an … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Challenges ahead for End of Life Choice bill, councillors question if Invercargill mayor is still up to it, and principals vow to fight on. The End of Life Choice bill has passed a second reading, meaning a limited form of euthanasia is now closer to … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Some win, some lose from National reshuffle, End of Life choice bill facing crucial vote tonight, and Luxon-ad supporter lobbies against predatory lending controls. In any reshuffle, for someone to move up, someone else has got to go down. So it has been with the National … Read more
In a surprise announcement, the shadow finance minister Amy Adams will leave parliament in 2020, and has stepped down from her frontbench roles with immediate effect. Alex Braae asks what happens now It could have all been so different for Amy Adams. True story: one of my first assignments at The Spinoff in 2018 was … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Report questions government’s plans for renewable energy, reshuffle confirmed by PM for later this week, and two powerful pieces about giving birth. The government’s priorities for lowering carbon emissions are in question, in a report produced about electricity generation. Basically, the current goal is to get … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Avalanche of new migrant worker exploitation stories, National disavows bizarre Luxon-advocating ad, and Afterpay throws tantrum over possible regulation. In the space of this year alone, a staggering number of cases of migrant worker exploitation have been exposed or prosecuted. There are unifying themes to them … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Changes proposed for the process of voting in 2020, govt approves coal exploration despite climate change rhetoric, and Hager responds to new Hit and Run news. The way people vote in 2020 could be very different to previous elections, after the proposals of a range … Read more
The CEO of Air New Zealand Christopher Luxon has resigned, leading to feverish speculation that not only will he get into politics, but that he’ll be the next National PM. Why? Watching the takes unfold around the apparently imminent and glorious political career of Christopher Luxon, it’s hard not to feel a little powerless about … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Third Oranga Tamariki inquiry announced, Herald highlights iniquities in health sector, and significant new claims around Operation Burnham. A third inquiry into Oranga Tamariki has been announced, and this one looks like being the most significant. It is being launched by chief ombudsman Peter Boshier, and Radio NZ reports … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Race to be Britain’s next PM takes shape, OIA release raises further GJ Thompson questions, and ministers respond to farming world concerns about trees. We’ll go international this morning, for an update on the race to be Britain’s next PM. As one of the leading countries in … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, ACT has launched a podcast called Politics in Full Sentences as part of their party-wide rebrand. Media and politics nerd Alex Braae watched the first episode on Youtube. There’s always a question creators of new media products or content … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Sir John Key fronts up over bank boss departure, social workers defend Oranga Tamariki actions, and major proposed Wellington festival falls over. Anyone who watched politics over the last decade will have got used to press conferences fronted by Sir John Key. The blithe reassurances, repeated use … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: ACT looks to the past with new policies, unions recommend new pay offer to teachers, and spies keeping oversight watchdog out in the cold. It was probably fitting Richard Prebble was there for the relaunch of the ACT Party over the weekend. After all, much of what … Read more
The government’s environmental policy is creating major tensions in farming communities. Alex Braae went to a meeting in Taumarunui to see it play out. “We’ve got to get the government’s attention somehow. Okay, we’re not all going to jump on our tractors and drive to Wellington. But we could jump on our tractors and block … Read more