NewsRoom_Digest for 17 March 2016

NewsroomPlus.com Today’s edition of NewsRoom_Digest features 5 resourceful links of the day and the politics pulse from Thursday 17th of March. It is best viewed on a desktop screen. NEWSROOM_MONITOR Noteworthy stories in the current news cycle include: the Commerce Commission investigating revelations a major building product manufacturer has been using false certificates for the last four years; an Australian economist, George Barker saying the government has grossly overestimated the cost of extending copyright laws under the Trans-Pacific Partnership by tens of millions of dollars; and the economy continuing to grow, with stronger activity in the services sector driving a 0.9 percent rise in the gross domestic product (GDP). POLITICS PULSE Government: New Zealand economy continues to grow; McCully welcomes UAE Foreign Minister; Weak environment Bill fails parliamentary vote; Progress of Rangitāne – Manawatū Bill described as bittersweet;Two Settlement Bills – a road to healing for iwi;Government Welcomes Forest Safety Charter;Shortlist announced for transfer of social houses in Tauranga and Invercargill; New Board line-up to lead fire services sector;t: NZ concerned at Israeli land appropriations;Berhampore centre strengthens community;Minister welcomes Polyfest celebration Greens: Welcome end to harmful pollution subsidy;NZ should follow UK’s bold sugar levy move; Mojo Mathers to receive 50,000-strong petition to ban rodeo; Weak environment Bill fails parliamentary vote; Green Party Pleased Changes To Regeneration Bill Will Give More Power To Christchurch;New local government changes a blow to communities;GDP stats highlight two-speed economy;John Key knew NZ ‘jihadi brides’ claim to be false Labour: 400,000 bogged down in driver licence log jam;DOC struggling to protect our biodiversity;Govt to blame for low burglary resolution, not parents;Goodhew needs to back local forestry companies; Sell-off drives community groups into arms of bankers;Tertiary education books an indictment on Govt New Zealand First: Big Bill For Flag Change, But No One Did The Sums; Speech – Grey Power Whanganui;Govt Shows No Concern For Maori Men’s Health;Two Lane Bridges In The Dead Slow Lane;Supergold Cardholders Urged To Fight For Card’s Survival LINKS OF THE DAY ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY REPORT: Environment Canterbury released its Compliance Monitoring Annual report for the 2014-2015 year. For the compliance report, including zone reports, go tohttp://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Pages/compliance-reports.aspx FOREST INDUSTRY SAFETY COUNCIL: The Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC) Charter has been launched. The Charter publicly commits the industry to a mission of ‘Together Towards Zero’ as the driver for achieving safe outcomes for all forestry industry workers. For more information on the Charter, see http://www.fisc.org.nz. GDP INCREASE: GDP increased 0.9 percent in the December 2015 quarter, boosted by the service industries, Statistics New Zealand said today. Click here for more: http://bit.ly/22nn6zV GLOBAL WATER SHORTFALL: A 2016 research paper in the Journal Nature predicts a 40% shortfall of available water across the globe by 2030 with effects not just for drinking, food production, hygiene and public health, but also for 98% of global electric power generation. Read more:https://www.bec.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/113741/Resilience-managing-the-risks-of-the-energy-water-food-nexus.pdf YOUNG GLOBAL CITIZENS: The New Zealand Centre for Global Studies is calling for senior high school students to apply for its 2016 Global Citizenship Conference. Featuring workshops and addresses from leading academics, the conference will encourage Kiwi high school students to reframe their perceptions of global citizenship, and examine its increasing importance to them in the 21st century. Applications are open to Year 11–13 students from throughout New Zealand. Find out more and apply online by 10 April 2016 at: bit.ly/NZCGSconf. And that’s our sampling of “news you can use” for Thursday 17th March.]]>