New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project.

Today’s content

BUDGET
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research poll: Kiwis support the Government introducing wealth tax
Gerard Hehir (Stuff): Budget 2023: Workers need more than stop-gap measures
Simon Wilson (Herald): Hey Grant Robertson, here’s some rabbits to pull from your Budget 2023 hat (paywalled)
Luke Malpass (Post): Grant Robertson readies to hand down an election-year Budget (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): Today’s Budget is only Part One (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): What’s in the Budget – my picks
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Budget hopes to ease Kiwis’ cost of living fears
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Analysis: Newshub’s picks for who could be the winner in Budget 2023
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): I think there’s a surprise in the Budget tomorrow
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): This Budget won’t save the Government
Dan Brunskill (Interest): Labour’s election year budget is expected to be tight but could contain a few surprises
Brent Edwards (NBR): Grant Robertson hopes tomorrow’s Budget won’t be his last (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Budget 2023: The three things to watch (paywalled)
Kris Faafoi (Stuff): Budget week inside the Beehive
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Budget 2023: Chis Hipkins’ make or break, bread and butter Budget
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Budget 2023: Grant Robertson’s high-wire act to ease cost of living pressures
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Budget 2023: Hopes families ‘struggling to keep up’ with cost of living will get more support
Morgan Godfery (Stuff): Iron law won’t save us from more rusting infrastructure
1News: ‘No frills’ NZ Budget to suit tough economic times
1News: Grant Robertson shows off 2023 Budget
Adam Pearse (Herald): Budget 2023: What’s already been announced and where is the money going?
RNZ: Budget 2023: What you need to know before the big day
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Budget 2023: Iwi call for tax-free fruit and veges after cyclone, cost of living crises
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Budget 2023: Fingers crossed for boost for health sector but scepticism remains
Rayssa Almeida (RNZ): Budget 2023: Youth advocates want more help for struggling rangatahi
William Hewett (Newshub): Budget 2023: Youth support leader says NZ isn’t investing enough into our ‘greatest asset’, calls for more money in education, mental health
Kate MacNamara (Herald): Budget 2023: Scrapped car scheme skids out of favour, costs Kiwis $46m (paywalled)
Torika Tokalau (Post): Budget 2023: What do Pacific leaders want to see in the Budget? (paywalled)
Dita De Boni (NBR): SMEs in the regions anticipate neglect in Budget 2023 (paywalled)
No Right Turn: We need change

LOAFERS LODGE FIRE TRAGEDY
Bernard Hickey: The fire fueled by our housing and poverty crises
Max Rashbrooke (Guardian): Why does it take a deadly fire for New Zealand to pay attention to how its most vulnerable live?
Tess McClure (Guadian): ‘Manifestation of a crisis’: Wellington hostel fire puts spotlight on dire state of New Zealand housing
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington Loafers Lodge fire: We shouldn’t wait for tragedy to address known risks (paywalled)
Eye of the Fish: Loafers Lodge fire
Glenn McConnell (Post): Loafers Lodge fire an indictment and tragedy, MPs say, as focus turns to cause (paywalled)
Conor Knell (Post): Fatal fire could be a turning point for safety standards, says engineer (paywalled)
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Councils falling short in three areas over issuing building WOFs, MBIE report shows
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Newtown hostel fire: Firefighters ‘pretty cut up’ they couldn’t rescue more people as second ladder truck unavailable
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Firefighters keep diary to record Newtown 225’s mechanical woes
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: Wellington tragedy – other buildings across NZ could also pose fire risks
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Building safety is not a ‘war on landlords’ – Greens
Leighton Heikell (Newshub): Calls for review into New Zealand’s building inspection process following Loafers Lodge fire
RNZ: Government to review building regulations for high density accommodation
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Spotlight on building rules, fire crew resourcing following Wellington fatal fire
RNZ: National Party leader says he would support strengthening fire protection regulations
Miriam Bell (Stuff): What safety regulations were at play for the Loafers Lodge hostel?
Erin Courley (Stuff): Former Loafers Lodge tenants remember frequent false alarms, limited access to stairs
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Loafers Lodge director says building had monthly service checks, including by fire technicians
Justin Wong (Post): Loafers Lodge director ‘cannot comment’ on building’s fire safety issues (paywalled)
John Weekes (Herald): Loafers Lodge fire: Wellington tragedy shows value of catastrophe-planning, CCTV back-ups (paywalled)
Frances Chin (Stuff): Police confirm arson investigation as teams move into Loafers Lodge
Sam Sherwood (Herald): Loafers Lodge fire: Major homicide inquiry, as police work through list of suspects
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): Deadly Wellington hostel fire being treated as arson, police say
Blair Ensor, Frances Chin and Nadine Roberts (Post): Brother of BBC presenter among Loafers Lodge fire missing (paywalled)
Herald: Wellington hostel fire: Liam Hockings one of those still missing after blaze

NATIONAL PARTY
Stuff: Nicola Willis denies talking to Auckland business leaders about rolling Christoper Luxon
Claudette Hauiti (Herald): The National Party needs to support wāhine Māori who will fight for their frontline
RNZ: Luxon wants latest economic figures before releasing National’s tax and fiscal plan details

PARLIAMENT, ELECTION
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Property-owning MPs ‘will be feeling mortgage pain too’
Matt Nippert (Herald): Waipareira Trust to try to claw back $385,000 in loans to John Tamihere campaigns (paywalled)
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Whaitiri’s family to be moved aside by Labour Party
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘Coalition of colonisers’: Te Pāti Māori on National, ACT policies
Henry Cooke (Guardian): Neither Chris galvanises support as New Zealand voters shun major parties
Tom Hunt (Post): Public Service Watch: The OIA’s journey is a long and winding road (paywalled)
Luke Kirkness (Rotorua Daily Post): Tom Rutherford named National Party candidate for Bay of Plenty

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
Herald Editorial: Commission response to shortfall in building supplies was inadequate (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): MBIE to monitor building supply prices – Ministers
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Goverment announces plans to improve building supplies competition
Dan Brunskill (Interest): Ministers announce land covenants review, prefab building targets for govt agencies, and price monitoring of construction products
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Govt orders action on Building Code protectionism (paywalled)
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): ‘This has to change’: Govt wants competitive building supplies

ECONOMY, BUSINESS
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): ANZ says higher official cash rate peak might be needed
David Hargreaves (Interest): ‘The decision making process for the Reserve Bank is not getting any easier’
Hamish Pepper (NBR): Is inflation sticky? (paywalled)
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): Capitalise Kiwibank to compete with the Aussies (paywalled)
Deborah Hart (Herald): Time for all electricity retailers to do the right thing (paywalled)
Holly Bennett (NBR): Service providers masquerading as pakihi (paywalled)
Tim Hunter (NBR): Dismay at ‘unfair’ Ruapehu process (paywalled)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Councillors consider ‘completely bonkers’ pay rise for CCO directors
RNZ: Auckland Council starts prepping sale of airport shares – report
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Auckland Council appoints adviser on airport share sale (paywalled)
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Auckland mayor Wayne Brown signals ‘softening’ of budget cuts to ‘highly valued’ services
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Wayne Brown softens on social service cuts
1News: Wayne Brown ‘softens’ social spending cuts as part of council budget
Mildred Armah (RNZ): Climate leaders become beneficiaries as budget cuts axe community funding
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): ‘We need to make space for water’ – Wayne Brown proposes flood management plan
Rachael Kelly (Post): What now for Gore and mayor Ben Bell? (paywalled)
Herald: On the Tiles – Local Edition: What happens next in Gore District Council – Ben Bell drama?
Rachael Comer (Stuff): Not welcome here: Former Timaru mayor speaks out about standing up to gangs
Libby Kirkby-McLeod (RNZ): South Waikato District Council mayor defends one of the country’s biggest rates rises

COVID MEMES, RULE BREACHES
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): The $500k contract for Covid-19 memes that was approved by then-Police Commissioner Mike Bush
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): These aren’t shitty memes, they’re just shitty work
Caroline Wiliams (Stuff): Man accused of escaping MIQ to buy toothpaste has charges dismissed

HEALTH
RNZ: A quarter of young people admitted for inpatient mental health care sent to adult services
Whakaata Māori: ‘This needs to stop’: One-quarter of young people with acute mental distress admitted to adult services in past year – Report
Muriwai Hei (Whakaata Māori): ‘If we deal with it now, it will stop’
Alex Penk: Social media and poor mental health
Lisa Te Morenga (Herald): Health Coalition Aotearoa defends free school lunches programme (paywalled)
Richard Edwards, Janet Hoek, Andrew Waa, Jude Ball (Public Health Communications Centre): What is happening with vaping among adolescents and young adults in Aotearoa?
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk): I fear the vaping epidemic horse has bolted
Frances Chin (Post): Young mum tries to fundraise for $4k dental treatment

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE, TRADE
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta reacts to reports of potential United States, Papua New Guinea security agreement
RNZ: Hipkins awaiting update on Biden replacement for PNG trip
Reuben Steff (Stuff): Diplomacy isn’t enough – we need deterrence and defence
Simon Ewing-Jarvie: Voters – Beware the Defence 2%-ers
RNZ: Junior Defence Force women still face inappropriate sexual behaviour: report
Brent Edwards (NBR): The Government’s successful trade agenda (paywalled)
Spinoff: PM must explain ‘brain drain’ ads targeted in Australia, says National

CLIMATE CHANGE, CONSERVATION
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Fisheries observers miss one in four planned sailings
David Williams (Newsroom): SailGP ignored order to halt Lyttelton race
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Public sector emissions fall due to less air travel
Sinead Gill (Post): Christchurch City Council backs School Strike 4 Climate demand for ebike subsidy (paywalled)
Brendon McMahon (Local Democracy Reporting): Board meeting at Pike mine called off but visit to go ahead
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): Dug up whale jawbones should never have been released to iwi, High Court rules

HOUSING
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Hutt motels soak up millions in emergency payments
Trent Doyle (Newshub): Trade Me data shows rent continues to add to cost of living woes, most affordable region revealed
Greg Ninness (Interest): First home buyers benefit from rising incomes in a stalled property market – but only slightly
Rob Stock (Stuff): Insurance price rises reflected in Kiwibank home loan marketing offer

TRANSPORT
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Clean car changes create ‘fairer’ playing field: industry (paywalled)
Timothy Welch (Newsroom): Enough with the decision paralysis, Auckland Transport
Finn Williams (Whanganui Chronicle): Interest in return of passenger rail services to Whanganui increases
Matt Rilkoff (Post): Second person boards a domestic flight under someone else’s name (paywalled)

MEDIA
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Willie Jackson is not finished with TVNZ
Liam Hehir (The Blue Review): Why people hate the media
RNZ: RNZ announces presenters for Midday Report and Pacific Waves

OTHER
Pokere Paewai (RNZ): Iwi call on government to commit to forestry report recommendations
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): Agencies showing interest in Whānau Ora models but more needs to be done for change
Sharon Brettkelly (RNZ): The Detail: The stand-off between a philanthropist and Victoria University
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): NZ investor events court wealthy doomsday preppers (paywalled)
Lianne Dalziel (Newsroom): Swear allegiance to NZ and our shared values – not to the King
Monique Steele (RNZ): Five farm deaths in first 3 months of the year