The Bulletin: Intrigue and brinksmanship in Infratil takeover bid

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Infratil fends off first takeover bid but another run likely, Otago graduation ceremonies cancelled after threat, and port processing backlogs strain supply chains For today’s main story, there’s a really interesting bit of high stakes business brinkmanship going on at the moment that’s worth unpacking. Massive … Read more

The Bulletin: Idiots abroad infuriated by NZ’s Covid response

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Assessing some of the bizarre recent international interventions on NZ’s Covid policy, documents reveal what ministers knew about border staff testing, and Gerry Brownlee under pressure for deputy spot. Apologies in advance, because I don’t normally make a habit of using the Bulletin to magnify … Read more

The Bulletin: Auckland drought leads to fears of severe water restrictions

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Auckland drought leads to fears of severe water restrictions, exclusive new poll results on government’s Covid-19 response, and is a resolution coming at Ihumātao? The Auckland water crisis isn’t getting any better, and the city’s leaders are getting extremely nervous about the coming months. That is … Read more

The Bulletin: A new direction for justice

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Andrew Little indicates justice system changes after reports, Auckland buses back on the road, and National release health proposals.  Two significant reports for the justice sector were released yesterday. The first was Turuki! Turuki! Transforming our Criminal Justice System from the Chester Borrows-led Safe and Effective Justice Advisory Group. … Read more

The Bulletin: Horror toll from Whakaari/White Island eruption

A view of the Whakaari eruption from a boat just off the island

Welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Death toll from Whakaari eruption likely to rise, cabinet agrees Auckland port must move, and expensive Christchurch stadium details released. UPDATE – 7.07am: More information on the number of people on the island at the time of the eruption has been released. 47 people were there at the … Read more

The Bulletin: Time right to borrow and spend, says Robertson

Grant Robertson at the Labour Party annual conference in Whanganui

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Robertson signals big borrowing to boost infrastructure, discarded e-scooters spark concern, and a big week coming for Auckland’s port.  The screams of joy from Keynesians echoed out across the land, after a government announcement that the purse strings would be loosened to fund infrastructure. The NZ Herald reports … Read more

The Bulletin: Crackdown on winter grazing cows sinking into mud

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Minister wants winter grazing cleaned up before next season, elite figures wade into port debate, and golfers win Chamberlain Park fight. Environmental and animal welfare concerns have been at the forefront of a hard hitting report on winter grazing. It came from a taskforce convened by agriculture … Read more

The Bulletin: Doubts emerge about Auckland port move

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Doubts emerge about Auckland port move, NZDF leaves death-causing material behind in Afghanistan, and laws around renting to be shaken up. Over the last week, the ramifications of moving most of the operations of Auckland’s port north to Whangarei have been rumbling around. At the start … Read more

The Auckland port is our country’s front door. And it’s a car park

Rather than get distracted by the stadium debate, we need to urgently acknowledge that unlocking this land now for future integration into the CBD is critical for Auckland’s future, argues Paul Winstanley. Don’t be fooled. This is not just another story about the waterfront stadium. Well, not really. Like the mayor has said, there are … Read more

The Bulletin: Armed police arrest raises alarm

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Armed police arrest raises alarm, report makes strong call for Auckland port to go north, and a battle is going on among Fonterra shareholders. Serious concerns have been raised about the trial of armed police officers, after a team arrested an alleged non-violent offender over … Read more

The Bulletin: Port study comes back, but will it move?

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Port study comes back saying Auckland operations should go north, EV sales finally ticking up, and NZ First loses party president for “moral reasons.” A study into the structure of the upper North Island port system has come back recommending many aspects of Auckland’s port … Read more

‘What are you doing to stop further deaths?’ Auckland wharfies plead for action on safety

Following the death of a young wharfie there are claims Ports of Auckland is encouraging unsafe practices by paying bonuses for moving cargo faster, reports Maria Slade. Last month 23-year-old wharfie and father Laboom Dyer suffered fatal injuries when the straddle carrier he was driving tipped over at the Ports of Auckland. The tragedy has … Read more

A base for the America’s Cup: where are the good options?

Hosting the America’s Cup should be the perfect event for a sailing city like Auckland, shouldn’t it? So why, asks Simon Wilson, is there a risk it’s going to wreck the surrounding area? Something has gone seriously wrong with waterfront planning in Auckland and the America’s Cup is threatening to make a bad situation even … Read more

A green park on top of a carpark (!) and other remarkable plans for the Auckland port

Ports of Auckland has released its brand new long-term plans. Simon Wilson is impressed, but also not impressed. The cars are moving off the finger wharves. Hallelujah. And instead of spreading over every inch of available wharf space, most of them will be contained in a remarkable, brand-new carpark building. With a green park on … Read more

Auckland votes – finally – to look hard at moving its port

Winston Peters has ideas about what should happen to the Auckland port, but this week the Auckland Council took matters into its own hands. Simon Wilson was there and reports on the latest round in the battle of the Auckland port. Fifteen months ago the council received a report from a Consensus Working Group that … Read more

Winston Peters might be right: is the future of the Auckland port up north?

Are Winston Peters and the big party negotiators going to do a smart deal on the future of the Auckland port, or will they succumb to reckless nonsense? Simon Wilson explains the biggest issue for Auckland in the talks to form a government. When a ship leaves the harbour, port is left (geddit). Except if … Read more