This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 17 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Thursday 15th October.
NEWSROOM_MONITOR
Top stories in the current news cycle include more than one million people taking part in the the Shakeout earthquake drill this morning, the Chinese-owned company Shanghai Pengxin taking legal action against the Government’s refusal to let it buy Lochinver Station and the Green Party promising at least half MPs the party has in Cabinet if it was to be part of a new Government will be women.
Note: As well as providing a precis of leading broadcast bulletins each day, our NewsRoom_Monitor service does a daily paper round with succinct ‘news picks’ from the main metropolitan papers emailed by 9am each morning. If you’re interested in a free trial please email monitor@newsroom.co.nz
POLITICS PULSE
Media releases issued from Parliament by political parties today included:
Government: Celebrating 25 years of Ngā Whenua Rāhui; Benefit figures continue downward trend; Wellington ICT Graduate School provider announced; MPs highlight melanoma by getting skin checks; Milestone adds to changing face of red zone; New funding balance for PGP programmes; Regional Economic Activity Report lays out growth opportunities for regions; Christchurch housing response changes gear; English commits to ongoing fiscal restraint; New Zealand earthquake drill leads world again; Speech – New Zealand Economic and Fiscal Outlook; National Health Emergency Plan updated; Largest ever kiwi return to Okarito; NZ invests in expansion of Niue’s Matavai Resort; 10 year passports available in time for Christmas holidays
ACT Party: Surplus shows no excuse for stealth tax hikes
Greens: Greens Will Ensure Gender Balance In Cabinet; Govt plans to melt Antarctica!; Two dollar tax bribe at what cost?; Waikato Regional Council is sitting on its hands while the river continues to be polluted
Labour: Nats sacrifice Kiwis’ health and education for surplus; Kindy teacher lay off after Govt funding cuts; Labour Bill To Stop Stealth Cuts To Radio NZ; Lochinver appeal shows OIO reform needed; Auckland houses skyrocket $300k in 5 years; Warm, dry healthy rental homes a step closer; Government response to families’ pleas arrogant and unreasonable
Māori Party: Time for Māori voters to come back home
New Zealand First: Attempt to bring openness to treaty negotiations shot down; “On/Off surplus” more like a flickering light; Waiting For TPPA Details, But Who Is Writing The Text?; Not Too Late To Put Openness Into TPPA
NZ National Party: New graduate school to boost Hutt ICT sector
United Future Party: Dunne Speaks – Taking Emotion out of the Medicinal Cannabis Debate
LINKS OF THE DAY
Links of the day have been a feature of NewsRoom_Digest since we first started production in August 2014 at newsroom-nz.tumblr.com. We are currently building an archive of these at:http://newsroomplus.com/resources/resourceful-links/
AG’S REPORT ON AMETI: The Auditor-General’s report Reviewing aspects of the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI) has been presented to the House of Representatives. Go here for the report:http://www.oag.govt.nz/2015/ameti?utm_source=ameti-subs&utm_medium=ameti-subs&utm_campaign=ameti
AUCKLAND PRICES RISE: The average asking price for Auckland properties has risen $300,000 over the past five years according to the latest Trade Me Property Price Index. Read more: http://www.trademe.co.nz/property/price-index/for-sale/
BENEFIT FIGURES DOWN: Latest benefit numbers across all main benefit groups are down on the same period last year and are the lowest September quarter since 2008. The latest benefit data is available athttp://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/benefit/index.html.
DHB PROFILES: Twenty reports which provide snapshots of Māori health in District Health Board regions all around New Zealand have been released today. The reports are available at:http://www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/departments/publichealth/research/erupomare/research/otago147631.html
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY REPORT: The 2015 Regional Economic Activity Report which highlights economic opportunities for regions across New Zealand was released today. The report and interactive website are available here: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/business/business-growth-agenda/regions
FIBRE AT LIGHT SPEED: New Zealand has over 100,000 fibre-optic broadband connections,this is more than double the number of fibre connections in 2014, according to Statistics New Zealand. Go here for more:http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/information_technology_and_communications/InternetServiceProviderSurvey_MR2015.aspx
FONTERRA’S 2015/16 MILK PRICE MANUAL: The Commerce Commission released its draft report on its statutory review of Fonterra’s Milk Price Manual for the 2015/16 dairy season. The draft report and related information can be found here: http://www.comcom.govt.nz/regulated-industries/dairy-industry/review-of-fonterra-s-farm-gate-milk-price-and-manual/statutory-review-of-milk-price-manual/201516-season/
HEALTH EMERGENCY PLAN: The new National Health Emergency Plan will ensure New Zealand is well prepared to respond to future events. The Plan can be found on the Ministry of Health’s website: http://www.health.govt.nz
ICT GRADUATE SCHOOL: Three Wellington tertiary education providers will jointly host the region’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Graduate School. More information about the ICT graduate schools can be found here: http://www.tec.govt.nz/Funding/Fund-finder/ICT-Graduate-School-programme/
LOW BLOOD SUGAR: A new study by the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland shows stabilising blood sugar levels in newborns with hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, appears to prevent brain damage. The research paper can be viewed at: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1504909
MORE ACCIDENTS FOR MEN: According to Statistics New Zealand, men were more prone than women to workplace accidents in 2014, generating 71 percent of all injury claims and 96 percent of fatal injury claims. Read more:http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/health/injuries/InjuryStatistics_HOTP14.aspx
PGP PROGRAMMES FUNDING: The Crown’s investment share in new Primary Growth Partnership programmes will shift from 50 percent to 40 percent from 1 December, with overall annual funding remaining the same. More information is available at: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/funding-and-programmes/primary-growth-partnership/
RARE ROWI KIWI: The rare rowi kiwi is reclaiming more valuable territory in Ōkārito forest with the return of 50 young birds by the Department of Conservation and Kiwis for kiwi. The year-old chicks were returned to the forest today, bringing the population to between 400 and 500 rowi. To donate or find out more visithttp://www.kiwisforkiwi.org.nz
RENTING HOUSING PROBLEMS: Renters were almost twice as likely to report a damp house problem as homeowners in 2014, according to data released by Statistics New Zealand. More data available at:http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/people_and_communities/housing/perceptions-housing-quality-2014-15.aspx
TRADE & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: As countries become increasingly dependent on world trade, with 40 per cent of resources extracted and used worldwide linked directly or indirectly to trade, new policies are needed to address adverse environmental impacts, according to a new report – International Trade in Resources: A biophysical assessment – produced by the United Nations Environment Programme-hosted International Resource Panel (IRP). To download a summary of the report go to: http://www.unep.org/resourcepanel/.
VACANCIES RISE: The number of job vacancies advertised online rose by 0.5 per cent in September, while there was a 1.9 per cent rise across the year, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) latest Jobs Online report. Go here for the report: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/employment-skills/labour-market-reports/jobs-online
WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN: The White Ribbon Auckland Central organising committee is calling out Aucklanders, especially Central Auckland businesses, organisations, residents, workers and visitors to join the White Ribbon Day March on 25th November 2015 in the heart of the city. For more information and to sign up go to:http://peace.net.nz/content/white-ribbon-auckland-central-sign-page
And that’s our sampling of “news you can use” for Thursday 15th October.
Brought to EveningReport by Newsroom Digest. –]]>
