NewsRoom Digest: Top NZ News Items for October 21, 2015

This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 14 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Wednesday 21st October. NEWSROOM_MONITOR Top stories in the current news cycle includes the release of three significant reports: a national environment report titled Environment Aotearoa 2015 that the identifies the country’s worst environmental problems; the Productivity Commission’s final report on the complex issue of land and housing; and a follow-up report by the Office of the Auditor-General showing strong biosecurity progress made by the Ministry for Primary Industries. 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: Groser to visit to Indonesia, Hong Kong and Europe; Finance Minister to meet with Australian Treasurer; Bill to streamline coronial processes passes second reading; Speech – The road ahead for transport fuels and fleets; Businesses say paying tax is getting easier; Speech- Opportunities to cut NZ’s road transport emissions; Further contractors sought for Metro Sports Facility; Clinicians Challenge highlights IT innovation; New online tool demystifies cost of EVs; Environment Aotearoa 2015 report welcomed; Arrest in Filipino dairy workers case welcomed; Customs to welcome yachties for summer; ACC partners with Safekids Aotearoa to reduce driveway injuries;Innovation encouraged through tax bill; Speech – ACC’s Injury Prevention Partners’ Conference; Southern Corridor Improvements project gets underway; More women in management and science; Government Welcomes Latest Productivity Commission Report; Consultation on Contract and Commercial Law Bill begins; Follow-up OAG report shows strong biosecurity progress; Citizen Science backed with environment grant; Report reinforces importance of biodiversity; Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive urban cycleway begins Greens: Report highlights Government’s failure to protect rivers and native species; Govt can create housing options that are good for people and the environment; Detainee rights not raised by Key; Green Co-leader calls for cross-party action on climate change Labour:Resignation another blow to public trust in EQC; Labour Will Expose Injustice On Christmas Island Visit; Report an indictment of Government’s environmental record; Māori TV decision a victory for common-sense; Per person New Zealand is getting poorer; Govt broadband scheme slammed by regions New Zealand First: Internet Speed At A Crawl Gets Zero Attention From Government; Northland Rail In Precarious Position; Tolley Continues To Ignore Serious Concerns At Youth Facility 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 TO BIOSECURITY INCURSIONS: The Auditor-General’s report on the Ministry for Primary Industries: Preparing for and responding to biosecurity incursions – follow-up audit has been presented to the House of Representatives. Click here for more: http://oag.govt.nz/2015/biosecurity?utm_source=subs&utm_medium=subs&utm_campaign=biosec ECONOMIC ACTIVITY REPORT: The Regional Economic Activity Report presents economic data on New Zealand’s 16 regions, highlighting the strengths and challenges each region faces. Go here for more:http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/regional-economic-activity-report ELECTRIC VEHICLE COSTS: An online tool aimed at demystifying the cost of running an electric vehicle (EV) has been officially launched. The tool can be accessed here: https://www.eecabusiness.govt.nz/tools/vehicle-total-cost-of-ownership-tool ENVIRONMENT FUND: The Government is providing a grant of $130,000 from the Community Environment Fund to support an initiative by the New Zealand Landcare Trust to support citizen participation in scientific research on environment monitoring and restoration. Further information on the Fund is available at:http://www.mfe.govt.nz/more/funding/community-environment-fund ENVIRONMENT REPORT: Statistics New Zealand and the Ministry for the Environment today released a landmark national environmental report – Environment Aotearoa 2015 – showing the overall state of the environment. The report is available at : http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/environmental-reporting/environment-aotearoa-2015 FISHING RULES: The Ministry for Primary Industries is reminding recreational fishers on the Kaikoura coast of the local rules developed by the community to protect fish stocks in this iconic area. For more information visit:http://mpigovtnz.cwp.govt.nz/travel-and-recreation/fishing/fishing-rules/kaikoura-area-fishing-rules/ JOB RISK: Half of all jobs in New Zealand are at risk of being automated over the next two decades, with rural New Zealand being hit the hardest according to a paper produced by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research. The paper ‘Disruptive Technologies – Risks, opportunities – Can New Zealand make them most of them?’ is available at:http://www.charteredaccountants.com.au/futureinc/Publications LABOUR COSTS RISE: According to Statistics New Zealand, from the June 2014 quarter to the June 2015 quarter labour costs increased 1.5 percent. More information available at:http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/economic_indicators/prices_indexes/LabourCostIndexAllLabourCosts_HOTPJun15qtr.aspx LAW CONSULTATION: The Government is seeking submissions on an exposure draft of the Contract and Commercial Law Bill.Submissions close on 7 December 2015.The exposure draft of the Bill and information about how to make a submission are available at: http://www.pco.parliament.govt.nz/consultation-cclb. MIDWIFERY EXPERIENCE: University of Otago researchers have found strong evidence that levels of midwifery experience in New Zealand are associated with baby mortality. The study has been published today in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Read more: http://www.ijgo.org/article/S0020-7292(15)00585-8/fulltext OVERSEAS TRIPS: New Zealand residents took 235,600 overseas trips in September 2015, up 7 percent from September 2014, according to Statistics New Zealand. Read more:http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/Migration/IntTravelAndMigration_HOTPSep15/Commentary.aspx PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION REPORT: The Productivity Commission’s Using Land for Housing final report which sets out a number of recommendations for improving planning and development systems was released today. The report can be downloaded at: http://www.productivity.govt.nz/inquiry-content/2060?stage=4 SCIENCETELLER FESTIVAL: The third instalment of ScienceTeller, the popular biennial festival celebrating science communication and storytelling, kicks off on Friday 30 October in Dunedin,hosted by the Centre for Science Communication at the University of Otago. For more information visit: http://www.scienceteller.com TREASURY’S ANNUAL REPORT: The Treasury’s Annual Report for the fiscal year that ended on 30 June 2015 has been tabled in Parliament and published on its website. Read more: http://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/media-speeches/media/21oct15 And that’s our sampling of “news you can use” for Wednesday 21st October. Brought to EveningReport by Newsroom Digest. –]]>