The Bulletin: Focus on the farming plans

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Focus on the various farming plans put out this week, concerns raised about contacts of new positive Covid cases, and huge bill coming for Wellington region water. For a lead story today, a look at the various farming policies that will be taken into the … Read more

Not-so-modest proposals for Tiwai

A truly ambitious solution would keep jobs in Southland, delivering on the promise of the Zero Carbon Act to make NZ all but carbon neutral by 2050, writes Nicola Gaston in a post co-authored with Sally Brooker, Justin Hodgkiss and David Williams of The MacDiarmid Institute. Tiwai Point is in the news, again. Jeanette Fitzsimons, … Read more

A modest proposal for the future of the smelter at Tiwai Point

Closing it down entirely isn’t the answer, but neither is letting it run as before. Jeanette Fitzsimons has a compromise plan. An asset or a liability? Actually, Tiwai is both, but the liability could be turned into an asset with some creative thinking. A structural change in New Zealand’s relationship with the aluminium industry could … Read more

The Bulletin: Zero Carbon bill passes, with so far still to go

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government passes flagship climate change legislation, former minister Anne Tolley admits Peters disclosure, and changes coming at Oranga Tamariki. The Zero Carbon bill, one of the most difficult pieces of legislation of this government’s term, has finally passed a third reading. It came in more than … Read more

The Bulletin: Will the euthanasia referendum win?

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Euthanasia bill set to go to a referendum, police whistleblower says he was threatened with legal action, and the finer details of Zero Carbon report. The country is likely to see another referendum next year, on the question of whether the End of Life Choice … Read more

The Bulletin: Foster faces fights with new Wellington council

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Wellington’s new mayor faces difficult three years, Zero Carbon bill select committee report comes back, and extremist preacher barred from NZ Partly because it was a widely unexpected result, the opening days of Wellington mayor Andy Foster’s tenure have been gripping. He has inherited a Council … Read more

The Bulletin: Is anyone happy with Zero Carbon bill?

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Zero carbon bill finally unveiled to mixed response, OCR cut to record lows, and Auckland councillor alleges poorer suburbs are subsidising wealthier areas.  Last year, climate change minister James Shaw told Newshub Nation that he’d be happy if everyone else was “equally unhappy” with the final shape of the … Read more

The Bulletin: Waikato DHB sacked wholesale, commissioner appointed

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Health minister cleans out underperforming DHB, major Zero Carbon announcement coming today, and scope of cannabis referendum revealed. The entire Waikato District Health Board has been shown the door, with health minister David Clark putting a commissioner in their place. It follows a long run of administrative … Read more

The Bulletin: Why Southern Lakes airports matter for the whole country

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Focus put on airports around Southern Lakes, deal appears to have been reached on climate change law, and leadership crisis in National appears to have abated. The Southern Lakes area, including the tourist drawcards of Queenstown and Wanaka, face some huge decisions over airport infrastructure. It’s a … Read more

The Bulletin: Tamihere looms as serious challenge for Goff

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

The tax grab trap: Why politicians need to tell us where carbon revenue will go

The ongoing ‘Gilets Jaunes’ protests in France should serve as a warning to NZ politicians, writes Jeanette Fitzsimons: fail to explain the benefit of carbon pricing (and where the money is going) and you’ll reap the consequences. A price on carbon has been a key demand of serious climate action for three decades now, but … Read more

The Bulletin: Environmentalists win first major Zero Carbon battle

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Environmentalists stack submissions up on Zero Carbon bill, courier driver conditions laid bare, and refugee quota increase on hold. Here’s an important update on the Zero Carbon bill – methane is almost certain to be included, reports the NBR. Climate change minister James Shaw says that’s the clear … Read more