Alex Braae 
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Climate change report says it’s now or never for action, legislation aimed at anti-competitive markets prioritised, and Chorus contractors under scrutiny. The latest report from the intergovernmental panel on climate change has been released, and it’s a brutally stark warning. Radio NZ reports that it calls for “unprecedented … Read more
To have a leadership challenge, you need a challenger. And there’s no evidence whatsoever that is happening in the National Party right now, writes editor of The Bulletin Alex Braae. It dominated political conversations last week, and has stretched into the news this morning. Is Simon Bridges losing his grip on the leadership of the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Anger rises along with petrol prices, abortion rights group claims law discriminates against women, and fury at govt’s encouragement of water bottling company. There’s a significant amount of anger out there at high petrol prices, as shown by the planned buying boycott for October 26. A facebook event around … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: River quality report paints complex picture, Greens hit out at synthetics plan, while National come to the table on child poverty. A major annual water report has come out, showing a complex picture of the state of our rivers. If you’re looking for a quick, one line … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Health minister plans crackdown on synthetic drugs, new research and development tax credits announced, and Taxpayers Union rumbled for using fake names. Health minister David Clark has announced that he will push for synthetic drugs to be reclassified as Class A, reports Newshub. That would put them on … Read more
A new radical left group has formed with the goal of making socialism a reality in New Zealand. But what would that even look like? And will they have any chance of success by rejecting parliamentary politics? You’ve probably seen them on the news. If there’s an event on that has a militant looking protest … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Queenstown airport expansion halted, secondary school teachers reject pay offer, and National MP taking a break for health reasons. An airport expansion in Queenstown has been cancelled, after strong opposition from the community. Simply put, they didn’t want the noise, and they didn’t want the numbers that … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Teachers to vote on week of rolling strikes, Customs gets power to fine people who don’t give up device passwords, and NZ values call gets bemused response. Primary teacher union members will vote on whether to go on a week of rolling strikes, reports the NZ Herald. Negotiations … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Big budget film subsidies here to stay, NZ First want pledge of allegiance for migrants, and police to investigate themselves. The government has changed its mind on halting ballooning film industry subsidies, after consultation with big budget projects and legal advice. The NZ Herald reports that minister David Parker … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Cyclone season starts early in South Pacific, more political connections for Derek Handley revealed, and major hoki fishery declared “barren wasteland.” Cyclone season has started early in the South Pacific, which could be a worrying sign for what the summer will bring. Cyclone Liua has developed from … Read more
A challenge for the Auckland mayoralty is looming next year, with John Tamihere today turning up at Auckland Council to rattle some cages. But what is he actually standing on? And will he really run? Alex Braae went along to the JT show. John Tamihere came in early, to stake out a claim on a … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Waka jumping bill could become law tonight, internal report into Meka Whaitiri’s conduct leaked, and sports doping testing system under scrutiny. The Electoral Integrity amendment bill is making its way through Parliament, and could well become law tonight. Commonly known as the waka-jumping bill, it would mean … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Cost of living rise cuts into government efforts, Greens say Labour is watering down oil exploration ban, and Environment Court gives America’s Cup green light. It’s becoming harder to make ends meet in New Zealand, despite the efforts of the government earlier this year to redistribute … Read more
Stuff-Me is dead, with the merger between media companies Stuff and NZME once again denied by the courts. A different combination now looms large as a possibility, but would it work? At a certain point, you probably have to accept that they’ll never let you be together. That’s the harsh lesson for Stuff and NZME, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Stories show complex costs of climate action, Simon Bridges attacks Housing NZ evictees, and Auckland wharfies are raising safety concerns. A range of stories have come out in the past few days and weeks that illustrate how complex the economic costs of fighting climate change … Read more
Media bias, collective guilt for Nazi atrocities and being on the wrong side of history: It was a pretty heavy Sunday night on Radio Sport. “Look, a lot of us want to say that we would’ve been definitely anti-Nazi during Nazi Germany, but statistics will tell you that 90% of us would’ve gone along with … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: PM Jacinda Ardern touches down for UN meetings, gloom falls over mining, and that idiotic strawberry needle trend has made it to New Zealand. Jacinda Ardern has arrived in the USA for her first visit as Prime Minister, and there’s no shortage of issues on the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government gets timely economic figures boost, Whaitiri’s ministerial career is over, and tax working group hedges bets on capital gains. Sometimes the news just comes at you fast, and yesterday was one of those days. For the government, some of it was the best of times, and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Banking in spotlight as Australian saga rumbles on, refugee quota rise confirmed, and more tricky questions over Thompson and Clark. Across two major issues right now, banks are under pressure to prove that they’re capable and committed to decency and ethical business practices. Part of the reason … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Stark stats show youth mental health service crisis, US China trade war could hurt NZ, and Netsafe dismisses complaint over negative media coverage. Mental health services for young people are at crisis point, as some stark new statistics show. More than a thousand people under the age of … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan extended again, homelessness census takes place, and an interesting way of measuring the building boom. New Zealand’s deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan has been extended yet again. Around 121 personnel will be deployed to Iraq, military trainers will stay in Afghanistan, and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: 12 priority points outlined by the government, new airport proposed for Central Otago, and a brilliant feature on the myth of meritocracy through education. The coalition government has moved to address a raft of negative stories about their cohesion with an event in Auckland. Leaders and MPs … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Milk and money spills at Fonterra, Coasters told they’ll have to leave after threats from rising seas, and deputy PM Peters addresses coalition rift rumours. In the end, Fonterra’s year turned out to be worse than a lot of people were predicting. The dairy cooperative has announced … Read more
It’s being called the most pure MMP government in history. Does that just mean Winston Peters’ party gets to pull swifties on Jacinda Ardern whenever they feel like it? Coalition governments, by their very nature, require compromises and negotiations. But over 2018, it has seemed like NZ First have been doing a lot more negotiation, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: 1080 activism hits Parliamentary forecourt, concerns about NZ First’s influence over the government aired, and a long day looms at Fonterra. All of a sudden, 1080 activism has become far more visible and prominent, using both legal challenges and direct action. Yesterday, protesters scattered fake pallets and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Teachers not impressed by new pay offer, attempt to use the Harmful Digital Communications Act to fight bad press, and swamp house family evicted. A new pay offer has been made to primary teachers, and will be considered by union members in an online ballot. Radio NZ reports … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Māori language week starts te reo teaching conversation, Tax Working Group looking likely to reject capital gains tax, and landlords propose alternative to rental WOFs. So what exactly is the government’s te reo Māori education policy? As Māori Language Week has got underway, that’s been a … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: PM starts new week after three on the back foot, Herald launches economic inequality series, and huge house building programme announced for Mt Roskill. The Prime Minister starts the week after a few that she’d probably rather forget. Three weeks in a row now have finished with … Read more
This weekend, at hundreds of churches around New Zealand, congregations will offer up a prayer for the media. Why? Alex Braae finds out. Back when I used to produce talkback radio, a caller who I didn’t put on the air told me she’d pray for me, then hung up. It didn’t sound like a positive … Read more