The Bulletin: Tauranga council drama comes to a head

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Mahuta signals intent to replace Tauranga council with commissioner, Super Fund keen on local infrastructure, and Safety Warehouse panned for idiotic cash drop stunt. Local government minister Nanaia Mahuta has started the term with a big call. After months of dysfunction and infighting around the Tauranga … Read more

Australia’s inquiry into its special forces shows up NZ’s pathetic efforts

The current inquiry into allegations of Australian Special Air Service war crimes in Afghanistan highlights the far from admirable culture in our own defence force, writes Nicky Hager. The reports have gradually been coming out for years: repeated killing of civilians and mistreatment of captives by Australian SAS troops, people who believed they were above … Read more

We shouldn’t have to work this hard to get transparency from our government

The Operation Burnham inquiry found serious failings in how the defence force operated, but none of this ‘transparency’ would have come to light if it hadn’t been for two journalists fighting tooth and nail to hold those in power to account, writes Amnesty International’s Meg de Ronde. When attorney-general David Parker stood up yesterday morning … Read more

The Bulletin: Bittersweet stimulus for spending advocates

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Capacity constraints loom large in spending stimulus, pilot speaks out about slow Whakaari recovery efforts, and carbon monoxide levels are high. The fundamentally conservative approach of finance minister Grant Robertson has continued, even as he has moved to loosen the purse strings. The top lines of … Read more

For too long, NZ has looked the other way as civilians die in our wars

Some simple could bring radical impacts, write Peter McKenzie and Thomas Gregory authors of a new paper on civilian casualties in overseas conflict for the New Zealand Alternative On 30 May 2006, Nabiha Jassim was shot and killed as her brother drove her through the streets of the Iraqi city of Samarra. Nabiha had gone … Read more

The Bulletin: Pride Board narrowly survives no-confidence vote

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Auckland Pride board survives no confidence vote, Defence Force puts climate change in its sights, and two former parliament speakers weigh in on bias claims against Trevor Mallard. The Auckland Pride Board have survived a vote of no confidence brought by disgruntled members over the uniformed … Read more

NZ has signalled a new, tougher stance on China. How will Beijing respond?

Ron Mark on Friday revealed the most important foreign policy statement we have seen yet from the new government, including an unmistakable shift in NZ’s position on China, writes David Capie The government’s Strategic Defence Policy Statement, launched on Friday by defence minister Ron Mark, signals a new view of New Zealand’s security challenges. It … Read more

The Bulletin: U-turn for government’s transport strategy

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Huge changes in transport strategy announced by the government, the Defence Force boss is stepping down, and the Royal Commission into state care abuse is open for submissions. The government is proposing an increased fuel tax, and money is being moved out of state highways, in … Read more