Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – May 10 2018 – Today’s content

Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – May 10 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). International relations and trade Pattrick Smellie (Stuff): MFAT’s challenge: How hard to ‘hug the panda’ Press Editorial: The anxiety of influence in the Pacific Laura Walters (Stuff): NZ is a long way off its international aid commitment, but is moving in the right direction 1News: Winston Peters explains $900m foreign affairs’ spend, saying New Zealand needs ‘respect, and we intend to get it back’ 1News: Winston Peters says $714 million Pacific aid boost in response to potentially ‘adverse’ new players in region Ella Prendergast (Newshub): Pacific has to ‘stand up’ for itself, tighten security – Winston Peters Claire Trevett (Herald): Sausage rolls, diplomats and Winston Peters’ warm-up as PM 1News: Watch: Ardern defends multi-million dollar Pacific aid investment after Bridges accuses her of prioritising it over slashing cost of GP visits 1News: An embassy in Sweden prioritised over cheaper GP visits? National MP calls move ‘horse-trading’ RNZ: Pacific aid boost ‘shows the lie’ in govt’s social deficit claims Craig McCulloch (RNZ): National urges govt not to forget NZ-based Pasifika Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Simon Bridges: NZ will never win in chequebook war of diplomacy Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Kiss of death – Winston Peters is betraying his voters RNZ: “Blurring” of Australian aid to Pacific raises concern Sophie Boot (BusinessDesk): Government denies political concerns behind choice not to tax Chinese steel imports 1News: Winston Peters says Trump’s decision to pull out of Iran nuclear deal ‘worrying’ Stuff: Iran deal ‘provides stability in Middle East’ – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern RNZ: Trump’s Iran threat ‘pretty concerning’ for NZ exporters Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Trade barriers our biggest risk: economist Ryan Dunlop (Herald): New Zealand and Australia will slip in power by 2030 according to Lowy Institute Asia Power Index Auckland Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Analysis: A public partnership money-go-round Hamish Fletcher (Herald): Comment: Super Fund should not be Auckland’s slush fund Henry Cooke (Stuff): Super Fund gives huge vote of confidence to light rail plan Simon Wilson (Herald): Business should be salivating over new light rail lines Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): NZ Super model for light rail just the beginning Simon Wilson (Herald):NZ Super Fund wants to own and operate two of Auckland’s light rail projects Thomas Coughlan and Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Government green-lights Auckland light rail Isaac Davison (Herlad): Auckland’s new rail lines could be ready within six years, but only if Labour is still in power Budget and tax Simon Chapple (Newsroom): Time to tackle ‘incoherent’ tax policies Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Tax Working Group papers highlight concerns over ‘inequality’ Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): More measures coming to ensure self-employed don’t dodge tax Isaac Davison (Herald):Majority of Kiwis want Govt to collect more tax No Right Turn: Kiwis want to pay more tax Jason Walls (Interest): Spoiler alert – the Finance Minister has plenty to be happy about, with a surplus almost $1 billion higher than expected Dene Mackenzie (ODT): Election spending promises may not all be realised Anne Gibson (Herald): Budget 2018: Tax expert calls for KiwiBuild details in Budget: ‘Can we afford it?’ Thompson & Clark spying  David Williams (Newsroom): Security firm probably spied: Treasury Anna Bracewell-Worall (Newshub): Revealed: The email the PM sent ordering an end to Thompson & Clark’s spying Health Phil Pennington (RNZ): Non-medical facility built at Middlemore without approval Hannah Martin (Stuff): Warning labels on alcohol could change New Zealand’s ‘ignorance’ George Block (ODT): Debate over selling single cigarettes RNZ: John Potter: ‘There are no super foods’ Jessica Long (Stuff): Attempts to oppose school booze ban a flop, says Auckland health service Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Report reveals racism and rough handling of rheumatic fever patients RNZ: Lack of Northland mental health services ‘endangering lives’ Stuff: Mental health advocates concerned over 13 Reasons Why Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Call for more resources to help Kiwi patients reach possible donors RNZ: Baby formula makers criticised for adding nutritional info to products Employment Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Time seems ripe to start lifting wages Megan Gattey (Stuff): ‘System has to change’ after migrant construction workers reportedly left in the lurch RNZ: Labour shortage prompts govt to rethink abatement rates 1News: Kiwifruit picker labour shortage sparks Government commitment to allow people to work more while receiving dole RNZ: Kiwifruit body wants more RSE workers Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): Kiwi crisis: New Zealand changes visa rules to save bumper crop of national fruit 1News: Willie Jackson questioned by Paula Bennett over whether the unemployed should pick fruit in testy exchange in Parliament Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): BusinessNZ says labour law changes will mean unions control conditions of entire workforce Ella Prendergast (Newshub): Kiwis should have major concerns over Employment Bill – Business NZ Donal Curtin (Economics NZ): Mind the gap Poverty, inequality and welfare Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Child poverty: Commissioner says politicians can undo 30 years of damage Lucy Bennett (Herald): Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft challenges parties to work together to reduce child poverty RNZ: ‘Gutting’ decision as at-risk kids’ service denied funding Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): Fixing Work and Income Isaac Davison (Herald): Family violence services to get $76 million cash injection from Govt Newshub: Govt announces family violence services funding boost Education Herald: Peters’ Te Reo comments a ‘decent exchange’: Ardern Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Ministers rebuked over te reo Māori stance Newshub: Nanaia Mahuta won’t back down over te reo Māori in schools 1News: ‘Move away from the word, compulsory’ – Maori Language Commission want discussion over Te Reo in schools to focus on revitalisation Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Politicians have no right to decide what gets taught in schools RNZ: Novopay must ‘be replaced or rewritten’ by 2020 – report Simon Collins (Herald): Daycare tragedy report: ‘They did wonder if he had fallen’ Paul Mitchell (Stuff): Little Monkeys owner and Lorenzo’s parents harassed and abused as second incident uncovered Lucy Bennett (Herald): Charter schools applying to be state schools, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Battle lines remain as charter schools go Melinda Webber (Newsroom): Māori identity matters for student success Torika Tokalau (Western Leader): More than 300 students disciplined for taking a weapon to school Shane Cowlishaw (Newsroom): Can polytechs be saved? RNZ: Massey Albany overtakes Palmerston North campus World Made in NZ controversy Courtney Sanders (Spinoff): Why we need to look beyond the ‘Made In…’ label Emma Gleason (RNZ): Fighting fast fashion: The struggle to be Made in NZ Aimee Shaw (Herald): Zambesi latest brand caught up in ‘NZ made’ saga Environment Gerard Hutching (Stuff): Greenpeace wants to stop Mackenzie dairy development in its tracks Andre Chumko (Stufff): Ngāti Kahungunu in disbelief over report outlining options for Te Mata Peak track Brian Easton (Pundit): Scoring Carbon Emissions Stephen Tindall (Herald): NZ primed to lead charge into clean-energy future RNZ: Bill McKibben: ‘We’re still near the beginning in climate change’ Laurel Stowell (Wanganui Chronicle): Ōhakea group trusts government process on contaminated water, says chairman Will Harvie (Stuff): Kiwis fear cancer after working near leaky US nuclear reactor in Antarctica Primary industries Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Fonterra milk buying guarantee may be relaxed Gerald Piddock (Stuff): Tremendous opportunity for New Zealand farmers to be world leaders Maja Burry (RNZ): First case of cattle disease in North Canterbury found Hannah Bartlett (Nelson Mail): Nelson farmer in court after calves found dead, rotting and dying National David Fisher (Herald): National leader Simon Bridges accidentally ‘liked’ social media post mocking Clarke Gayford Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Bridges’ mea culpa for Twitter faux pas Emma Hurley (Newshub): National leader Simon Bridges admits liking a tweet mocking Clarke Gayford Newshub: Paul Goldsmith deflects claims of Epsom coup Local government RNZ: Law change to put alcohol restrictions in local govt hands Eva Corlett (RNZ): Bella Vista homeowners: ‘We deserve answers’ Liam Hehir (Pundit): Where it is not necessary to change… take a seat Andre Chumko (Stuff): Art expert says Havelock North sculpture ‘a political Molotov cocktail’ Defence Colin Robinson (Herald): Time to reconsider NZDF’s Iraq deployment? RNZ: Spike in number of bomb squad call-outs Other Catherine Hutton (RNZ): Govt’s electric train promise now off the rails – union John Campbell (RNZ): ‘We thought we were buying our future’ John Tamihere (Herald): I’ve had enough of faceless well-paid bureaucrats Claire Trevett (Herald): Landmark Ngāti Porou foreshore settlement makes it to Parliament after a decade Ged Cann (Stuff): Privacy Commissioner launches certification for sites designed with privacy in mind Tom Hunt (Stuff): Call for senior male law firm partners to sign #metoo pledge BusinessDesk: ComCom warns power companies to keep it competitive Jane Clifton (Listener): New Zealand will become a republic – but there’s no hurry Bill Manhire (Herald): A grown-up society needs arts and sports equally Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub):‘My Little Pony is racist’ – Why did the PM’s office send this email? Stuff: TVNZ political journalist Katie Bradford’s horrific experience of cyber-bullying Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Youth gangs bragging about violent crimes ‘an absolute tragedy’ – top cop]]>