Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 4 2018 – Today’s content

Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 4 2018 – Today’s content Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. [caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The Beehive and Parliament Buildings.[/caption] Below are the links to the items online. The full text of these items are contained in the PDF file (click to download). Transport and road safety Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): A rail Government vs a motorway Opposition Michael Daly (Stuff): No Government suggestion to ‘universally’ reduce speed limit to 70kmh Herald: Higher petrol tax ‘not a new tax’ – PM Gordon Campbell (Werewolf): On making our roads safer, less congested Claire Trevett (Herald):Jacinda Ardern sets out Government’s transport plan, including nationwide fuel tax Claire Trevett (Herald): Motorways are out, safety and public transport in – but drivers will be hit in the pocket Rob Maetzig (Stuff): The tragedy of the Safe System – it’s not working on our roads Simon Wilson (Herald): A big shift in Government’s transport priorities Michael Daly (Stuff): What are the chances of a 70kmh open road speed limit? Jo Moir (Stuff): Government to invest in road safety and rapid rail at expense of state highway upgrades Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Fuel tax hikes to pay for rail lines Jane Patterson (RNZ): Govt review of speed limits, petrol tax could be on cards RNZ: Should the speed limit be 70km/h on rural roads? Sally Murphy (RNZ): Akl drivers facing potential 25 cent fuel tax Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Road crashes aren’t speed-related or tourist-related. It’s idiot-related Martin Johnston (Herald): Road toll bad this Easter – but it was three times worse in early 1970s Matt Stewart (Stuff): MP Chris Bishop fears Lower Hutt road plans will suffer from Labour’s land transport policy RNZ: Ritchies defends looking overseas for drivers John Anthony (Stuff): Government should decline Ritchies’ request to hire 110 migrant bus drivers, union says No Right Turn: Another company after cheap migrant labour Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): Sixty-eight per cent of cyclists say drivers are not prepared to ‘share the road’ Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Air NZ pulls out, up, and away from Kāpiti Herald: Drone imperilled plane, but nobody called police Health Gordon Campbell (Werewolf): On Middlemore Hospital as a symptom of neglect Tom Furley (RNZ): Middlemore Hospital: Three more buildings of ‘high concern’ Lucy Bennett (Herald): Health Minister receives advice on Middlemore Hospital issues as blame game continues Phil Pennington (RNZ): Circuit breakers contribute to Middlemore’s power problems RNZ: Listen: Counties Manukau DHB ex-manager on maintenance problems Emily Ford (Stuff): Health system underfunding worse than PM expected, as more problems uncovered at Middlemore Hospital Lucy Bennett (Herald): Don’t blame us for Middlemore problems, Ardern says 1News: ‘We have rot, we have mould, we have sewage’ – Health Minister asks Middlemore Hospital for explanation over faulty buildings Aaron Leaman (Stuff):Bob Simcock says Nigel Murray spending debacle won’t force his retirement Michelle Nicholls (The Wireless): Opinion: ‘We are a workforce who are being exploited’ Tony Blakely, Nick Wilson, Anja Mizdrak and Cristina Cleghorn (Public Health Expert): And now the Brits are doing it: A sugary drink tax levy on the industry Simon Day (Spinoff): Power to the people: finding a cure for healthcare inequity Sarah Harris (Herald): Kiwis encouraged to note death wishes in an Advanced Care Plan for family and medical staff Media Richard Harman (Politik): RNZ lawyers up ready for Select Committee showdown Watch: PM stands by minister – ‘People will make mistakes’ Lucy Bennett (Herald): Ardern says someone other than Curran could have called Griffin Lucy Bennett (Herald): Curran denies telling Griffin not to show for select committee Stuff: PM, minister deny instructions to RNZ chair to stay away Chris Bramwell (RNZ): Curran says RNZ board should correct record asap Herald: Radio NZ chairman Richard Griffin encouraged against select committee appearance Nicky Hager (Public Address): The crisis is all around us, and so are the solutions Alex Braae (Spinoff): Why small town papers are worth saving Catherine Delahunty (Spinoff): “Doesn’t It Just Make You Want to Vomit?”: Breakfast TV, the C word and the stolen Alpaca Government Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Jacinda Ardern finally in the driver’s seat Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Labour’s new strategy – bury bad news in more bad news Muriel Newman (NZCPR): Labour’s Leadership Vacuum Guardian: Jacinda Ardern answers questions from Guardian readers – video Henry Cooke (Stuff): Green members threatening to quit if Julie Anne Genter wins co-leadership Justice and police Herald: We’re sorry: Parliament passes law to allow wiping of convictions for gay men RNZ: MPs vote for historical homosexual convictions to be wiped NZ Herald editorial: Finlayson bill protects judges too much Brian Rudman (Herald): Time for Jacinda Ardern to call in a favour Mānia Clarke (Māori TV): Opposition mounting against $bil Waikato mega-prison Anna Leask (Herald): Fatal shooting: Police explain why SH1 was closed for 12 hours Nicki Harper (Hawke’s Bay Today): Sensible Sentencing Trust’s Garth McVicar stands by comments Superannuation overpayments Anusha Bradley (RNZ): MSD overpayments reveal ‘double standard’ advocate says Herald: Thousands of pensioners have $3.8m debt wiped Energy Geoff Bertram (Stuff): Way to be cleared for big electricity players to prey on low-income households Shane Cowlishaw (Newsroom): Kids, Māori miss out on winter payment Defence Stuff: Tim Keating to stand down as head of the New Zealand Defence Force Lucy Bennett (Herald): Tim Keating to step down as NZDF chief, says departure not linked to Operation Burnham Environment Benedict Collins (RNZ): Experts warned govt not to touch waste-to-energy scheme Alexander Gillespie (Stuff): PM’s oil and gas decisions will test her ‘nuclear moment’ claim for climate change Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): Early action on climate change would save New Zealand $30b, report finds Damien Venuto (Herald): To act now or later: the $30 billion climate change question 1News: Early action on climate change will save billions, report finds Rob Fenwick (Herald): Reducing city’s waste mountain? It’s not rocket science Primary industries Herald: Financial pressure builds on cattle disease farmers waiting for compo Evan Harding (Southland Times): ‘Higher bar’ set for dairy farming in Southland State care of children RNZ: How broad should government abuse inquiry go? 1News: The number of Kiwi kids in state care hits an all-time high at over 6,000 Other Phil Pennington (RNZ): Leaked report urges suspension of aluminium panels on high-rises Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Immigration agents caught out over illegal rubber-stamping Brian Easton (Pundit): Responsibility and Policy John Gerritsen (RNZ): Pasifika ECE services struggle to find fluent teachers Jessie Chiang (RNZ): Tower Insurance hikes premiums in quake-prone areas Jenny McArthur (The Conversation): The urban agenda: what will New Zealand’s new government bring for towns and cities? Michael Reddell (Croaking Cassandra): A “very, very healthy economy”?]]>