This edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 16 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Thursday 5th November.
NEWSROOM_MONITOR
Top stories in the current news cycle include the Green Party announcing it wants to give tax breaks to businesses buying electric cars for staff, Cabinet confirming new rules discouraging people from turning down state houses and Immigration New Zealand saying the country could take up to 1500 refugees if there was more funding from the government for community services.
POLITICS PULSE
Media releases issued from Parliament by political parties today included:
Government: Qingdao to Showcase Māori Seafood Companies; New Haywards Interchange a milestone for Wellington; Social housing changes to house people sooner; Forestry joins GIA biosecurity agreement;Conservation innovation award for wasp bait; Minister wishes students the best for exams;$26m redevelopment for Takapuna Grammar School, Auckland; New initiatives improve cancer services; Extra targeted support into employment; $53.5m in Marsden funding for NZ researchers
Greens: Maiden Speech by MP Marama Davidson; Green Party Proposes Business Tax Breaks For Clean Transport Options; Green Party Supports Fair Pay And Conditions For MBIE Staff; Northland’s disappearing forests will spread;Minister in the dark for months about SIS breaking the law
Labour: Maori Party not at the table; Overwhelming opposition to locking-in zero hour contracts
New Zealand First: Maori Party Silent On Māori Broadcasting Issues; Northland’s Youth MP Announced
NZ National Party: Bishop welcomes Hutt Valley transport milestone
United Future Party: Dunne Speaks – Toys out of the cot on the RMA?
LINKS OF THE DAY
Links of the day have been a feature of NewsRoom_Digest since we first started production in August 2014.
ASTHMA STRATEGY: The Asthma Foundation has launched the first ever national respiratory health strategy, Te Hā Ora. Read more on the strategy at: http://www.tearahaora.co.nz/files/strat-plan.pdf
CAR OF THE YEAR: Voting is now open for the 2015 New Zealand Car of the Year People’s Choice award. Full link for People’s Choice voting:
CLEAN TRANSPORT OPTIONS: The Green Party has today launched a suite of new policies that will dramatically increase the number of electric vehicles on New Zealand roads, save Kiwis money, and cut pollution. More information can be found at https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/smarter-economy/business-tax-breaks-clean-transport-options
DELOITTE FAST 50 INDEX: The annual Deloitte Fast 50 index, announced at the Deloitte Festival of Fast Growth, ranks businesses experiencing rapid revenue growth over three years across a range of sectors, including manufacturer, technology, services, retail and consumer products, exporters and mature business. For the full Deloitte Fast 50 index, go to http://www.fast50.co.nz and also http://newsroomplus.com/2015/11/05/fast-50/
EXAM TIMETABLE: About 145,000 students will participate in this year’s NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship examinations which begin tomorrow with Scholarship Drama and continue until December 4. The full exam timetable is available here: http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/ncea-exams-and-portfolios/external/national-secondary-examinations-timetable/
FUTURE TSUNAMI THREATS: A report by Brendan Morris and Jose Borrero for Waikato Regional Council on the effects of the 1960 Chilean tsunami on Whitianga provides a good indication of where Whitianga town would likely be inundated if it were to experience a similar distant tsunami today. To read the full report click on the following link:
http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/PageFiles/36082/TR201465.pdf
IDEAS FOR NATURE: The Conservation Innovation Awards are a WWF initiative which seek to unearth new ideas to boost conservation action in New Zealand. All entries to the 2015 Conservation Innovation Awards can be viewed at:
https://wwf-nz.crowdicity.com/ PLUS also featured at http://newsroomplus.com/2015/11/05/wwf-1/
INVEST IN TRAINING: Directors’ skills matter to the staff they lead, which makes ongoing learning and development at the top just as important as it is for the remainder of a workforce, says recruiting experts Hays. This issue is explored further in the latest Hays Journal: http://www.hays-journal.com/issue10/1
NZDF ENGAGEMENT SURVEY: The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) today released results from its first ever annual engagement survey, which shows it’s on a par with other uniformed government organisations. The summary of the survey can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/1Q69llp
NZDF GETS GOOD MARKS: In an index released yesterday at the ASEAN Defence Minister’s conference in Malaysia, The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is ranked the most transparent and least corrupt in the region. Read more:http://government.defenceindex.org/downloads/docs/GI-Asia-Pacific-Regional-Results-web.pdf?utm_source=MR+-+Defence+Index&utm_campaign=Defence-Index&utm_medium=email
NZ RESEARCH FUNDING: The Government has awarded New Zealand researchers $53.5 million in new Marsden Fund grants. For more information: http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2015/11/05/set-for-success-researchers-receive-54-million-from-marsden-fund/
SMART NUTRITION LABELLING: A five-week study on nutrition labelling using smartphones is underway at the National Institute for Health Innovation at the University of Auckland. Anyone interested in taking part in the study should visit the study website for more information: http://diet.nihi.auckland.ac.nz/content/starlight
SOCIAL SERVICES: Evidence on the effectiveness of integrated social services for vulnerable people is mixed and continues to emerge, states a publication released today ‘What Works: Integrated social services for vulnerable people’. For the full report go to:
http://www.superu.govt.nz/publication/what-works-integrated-social-services-vulnerable-people
WHITE RIBBON INVITES: 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:
https://www.facebook.com/events/995019840542550/
WOMEN OF INFLUENCE AWARDS: The Women of Influence Awards celebrate the remarkable, leading women shaping the future of New Zealand and recognise the impact they are making in their home country and overseas. The list of receipents can be found at: http://www.westpac.co.nz/who-we-are/sustainability-and-community/contributing-to-our-communities/inspiring-leadership/women-of-influence/winners/
WORKPLACE DIVERSITY: Research by human resources and recruitment company Randstad shows 78 percent of New Zealand workers believed their company had an open and inclusive culture and 88 per cent valued diversity in the workplace. Read more: http://www.randstad.com/press/research-reports/
And that’s our sampling of “news you can use” for Thursday 5th November.
Brought to EveningReport by Newsroom Digest. –]]>
