With everything in politics moving so fast these days, it can be hard to remember characters from earlier seasons who get brought back for yet another run. So with John Banks considering another Auckland mayoralty run, what are some things you might have forgotten? Once upon a time, he was utterly ubiquitous. John Banks was … Read more
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: 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: Auckland Council the latest to declare a climate emergency, money runs out on Fox River cleanup, and taking of children into state care in focus. If you live in Auckland, you now live in a city where a ‘climate emergency’ has been declared. The motion was passed … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: National calls for housing minister to be sacked, iwi vows no more children will be taken by Oranga Tamariki, and Christchurch businesses fear hard winter. Housing minister Phil Twyford hasn’t been the happiest camper during this term of government. He came into office with vast, visionary plans … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Negative reaction to government’s welfare report response, deep concern for Victim Support-held money, and a closer look at Panuku and Auckland CCOs. There’s significant disquiet over the small scale of the government’s response to the Welfare working group’s report. When the Welfare Expert Advisory Group report was … Read more
The Auckland mayoral campaign features more candidates than just Phil Goff and John Tamihere. Alex Braae sat down with repeat candidate John Palino, who is having another crack at the top job. John Palino is doing it tough right now. He’s facing an extremely strong field in the Auckland mayoral elections. He’s struggling to get … Read more
John Tamihere has launched his first policy slate ahead of the Auckland mayoralty election, making a pitch for the conservative vote. Alex Braae was at Chamberlain Park golf course for the launch. John Tamihere has picked a side on some of Auckland’s most contentious issues around parks and facilities. Depending on your point of view, … Read more
Thousands across the country have been gathering this weekend for the victims and families of the Christchurch terror attacks. At Auckland’s Aotea Square vigil on Saturday, words of love and triumph were preached, as were reminders of New Zealand’s xenophobic past. “Look at this place, it’s completely empty,” my taxi driver remarks as we drive … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Phil Goff confirms he’ll run for another term as Auckland mayor, Greens unveil members bill with sweeping electoral changes, and real estate agents are giving up. Auckland mayor Phil Goff has finally confirmed he’ll be seeking another term, and hasn’t shied away from the challenges Auckland … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: High court rules on sorry saga of construction company Mainzeal, John Tamihere rejected by Labour, and Dunedin losing historic Presbyterian churches. When construction giant Mainzeal went bust, it left a massive trail of debt in its wake. The company, which at the time was the third largest … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Real contest looms for Auckland mayoralty, meeting between Sir Peter Jackson and PM Ardern revealed, and NZ First holding up climate change bill. A new contender has entered the arena for the mayoralty of Auckland, in the form of John Tamihere. The former Labour MP, talkback host, and … Read more
A proposed 10km/h speed limit on footpaths won’t just be slowing e-scooters down, writes Madeleine Chapman. Sometimes we idiots need to be saved from ourselves. We get given a nice thing and we ruin it. The nice thing (not even that nice, if I’m honest) was Lime scooters. The ruining was everyone crashing them immediately. … Read more
It may lack the sex appeal of a brand new city-centre build, but Mt Smart is Auckland’s rock star venue in waiting, writes Mark Thomas. An “orphan” is how the office of the auditor general described Auckland’s Mt Smart stadium in its critical review of a failed David Beckham-starred event in late 2008. A decade … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Labour revels in rare display of party unity at annual conference, we’re buying massive numbers of the wrong cars, and Phil Goff’s mayoralty in focus. For nine of the last ten years, the Labour Party conference has been notorious for factional fights and a general sense of gloom. This year, … Read more
People are freaking out about the potential hazards of Lime e-scooters. Hayden Donnell asks whether we could apply these same standards to another type of vehicle causing even more harm. At first the reaction to the introduction of Lime e-scooters was positive. There were explainers. Stories about how far people had travelled in a single … Read more
Yet another waterfront stadium plan is being put forward for Auckland. Modern-day stadium naysayer Hayden Donnell summons his stadium-supporting past self to debate the merits. I used to support a waterfront stadium. It was 2006. Trevor Mallard was the minister of sport and he was offering Auckland $700 million to build a 50,000-seat facility across … Read more
Preliminary calculations based on the tally conducted last month point to about 800 people living without shelter in NZ’s biggest city. Initial results from Ira Mata, Ira Tangata: Auckland’s Homeless Count have this afternoon been published. The first region-wide “point in time” survey estimated that 800 people are living without shelter – a figure extrapolated … 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
Late on Monday night saw an unprecedented, large-scale ‘point in time’ census of Auckland’s homeless population, ‘Ira Mata, Ira Tangata’. Toby Manhire went out counting, together with about 700 others. Think about it like this, said Wilf Holt: “You’re going to be visiting people in their bedrooms.” He said: “If tomorrow night someone flashes a torch … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: CRL gets bigger before being built, Greens reluctantly tuck into a big dead rat, and police change goat-tasering policies. The government has signed off on plans to build Auckland’s City Rail Link even bigger, before it opens up. The NZ Herald outlines the changes – basically they involve … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Budget Responsibility Rules get another nudge, Auckland politicos eye up 2019, and The Warehouse cuts more than 100 jobs. Here’s a turn up for the books – now two government support party leaders have indicated that the so-called budget responsibility rules could be loosened before the … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Court action over Southern-Molyneux speech proceeds, courier work conditions exposed, and Northland activists target P-pipe stores. Legal action against Phil Goff and Auckland Council has gone ahead over the Southern-Molyneux venue banning, reports the NZ Herald. The Free Speech Coalition have filed papers to force Auckland Council … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Defence Force outlines what they say are complex and emerging threats, cochlear implant funding effectively cut, and there’s a public service strike today. The Defence Force is warning about increasingly complex threats, including from Russia and China, in their strategic policy statement released on Friday. Newshub reports that both those … Read more
Cheat sheet: According to numerous reports, close to half of the Auckland Council have signed a letter expressing ‘no confidence’ in Phil Goff. But have they really? So nine councillors have signed a letter expressing ‘no confidence’ in Phil Goff? No they haven’t. Less than nine? No. Nine signed the letter. And wasn’t that a … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ on the news of the moment. Today, Auckland Council wants you to help buy trains. What’s the deal, and can they be trusted with your money? What’s all this then? Auckland Council has announced they will be making an offer of five year ‘green bonds’ … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government will unveil plans for Waikeria Prison, Nicky Hager vindicated after unlawful police raid, and Auckland councillors getting restless about Goff. The government’s new plans for Waikeria Prison are set to finally be revealed today,reports Radio NZ. There has been endless back and forth on this since … Read more
