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

ECONOMY, BUDGET, TAX
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Welcome to the age of the Bleurghget (paywalled)
Luke Malpass (Post0: Adrian Orr and his committee give Grant Robertson’s Budget a pass mark (paywalled)
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): Hipkins crowds Luxon’s post-budget space (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): Orr v Willis; a credibility battle (paywalled)
Mark Quinlivan and Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Christopher Luxon responds as Council of Trade Unions says National’s tax plan has blown out by $1.5 billion
Ged Cann (Post): National outlines cuts it will make to fill $1.5 billion policy hole (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): National to release its fiscal plan earlier (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Labour challenges National over its tax policy (paywalled)
Bernard Hickey: Why Budget 2023 is more austere than it appears
Brent Edwards (NBR): Focus needs to be on effectiveness of all Budget spending
The Facts: Government debt has more than doubled in 4 years
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Overseas image of our PM has gone from sought after to sausage rolls
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): Right call to subsidise video games industry (paywalled)
Sam Brooks (Spinoff): An investment in Te Matatini and the gaming sector is an investment in arts and culture
Clint Smith (Spinoff): Reinstating prescription fees, but with some people exempt, would be a mess

OCR HIKE, RESERVE BANK
Liam Dann (Herald): Is the age of low-interest rates over? Don’t bet on it (paywalled)
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): ‘A sigh of relief’ and ‘a kick in the guts’: What next for the OCR?
Liam Dann (Herald): Is that it? Reserve Bank says OCR has peaked – what does that mean for mortgage rates? (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Reserve Bank thinks it has done enough and rate rises are over (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Reserve Bank’s Adrian Orr: Govt ‘more of a friend than foe’ (paywalled)
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): Is the Reserve Bank’s hiking cycle over? (paywalled)
NBR: RBNZ, Treasury forecasts ‘overly optimistic’, economist says
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Why Reserve Bank decision was good news for borrowers
Raphael Franks and Paridhi Bakshi (Herald): Peak OCR pain: Auckland couple working four jobs to pay mortgage
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Christopher Luxon slams Government for OCR rise, stands by tax cut promise
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Official cash rate: National calls hike ‘kick in the guts’, Greens call for wealth tax instead of more Reserve Bank action
Felix Desmarais (1News): Homeowners feeling pain as OCR cranks up – National
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Reserve Bank raises official cash rate by 0.25%, leaves forecast largely unchanged
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Reserve Bank finally says it did ‘not pay ransom’

GOVT’S POWER SAVING TIPS, COST OF LIVING
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Anti-poverty campaigners say new power saving initiative ‘profoundly immoral’
1News: People need to be using more power, not less – expert
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Government’s campaign suggesting Kiwis could shorten showers, limit heating to save money criticised
Liam Hehir (Blue Review): Feeling the pinch under Robbonomics? Some simple ways to save money 
Herald: National pours cold water on Government campaign telling people to take short showers to save on power bills in cost-of-living crisis
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘Arrogant and pathetic’: Nats on Labour’s ‘energy saving tips’
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Government launches campaign to help Kiwis save money on power bills
Amy Wiliams (RNZ): ‘Perfect storm’ has struggling Kiwis desperate for financial help
Aimee Shaw (Stuff): Retail activity falls for second quarter in a row
Hillmarè Schulze (NBR): Sure-fire way to increase our tax base (paywalled)

NATIONAL’s AI ATTACK ADS, SOCIAL MEDIA, ELECTION
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Deepfakes, shit-floods and the NZ election
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand’s National party admits using AI-generated people in attack ads
1New: National’s AI-made ads are no big deal – Luxon
Newshub: AM host Laura Tupou criticises National for creating fake Māori, Pasifika people with artificial intelligence for attack ads
Janet Wilson (Common Room): Politicians and the dark art of misinformation
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Election phoney war ends now
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Hipkins digs deep to show his softer side on Sunday
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Spinoff): Luxon’s not a ‘career politician’, but he’s starting to sound more like one
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Crime top of mind for Luxon crowd
Kelvin McDonald (Whakaata Māori): ‘What do we do about that radical organisation, the Waitangi Tribunal?’: Luxon responds to Māori-related questions at public meeting

LOAFERS LODGE FIRE TRAGEDY, FIRE SAFETY MEASURES
Phil Pennington (RNZ): With MBIE’s help, school wins battle to not put sprinklers in dorm
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Playing catch-up in the face of fire
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Loafers Lodge fire: Developer says building regulations are tough enough
RNZ: FENZ wants watertight contract before ordering new fire trucks
William Hewett (Newshub): Loafers Lodge blaze: Human Rights Commission slams Government, says tenants denied human rights by housing crisis
Jemima Huston (RNZ): Family extend invitation to public to farewell Loafers Lodge fire victim ‘Mike the Juggler’

HOUSING
Simon Wilson (Herald): Housing density: National Party leader Christopher Luxon will change rules, greenfields development favoured
RNZ: National signals backdown on bipartisan housing policy
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Loafers Lodge and the lessons for higher density housing
Carmen Hall (Herald): Rental crisis is a nationwide disgrace

EDUCATION
Mary Williams (ODT): Otago University withheld extent of financial straits from staff
Vita Molyneux (Herald): Hundreds of jobs facing the chop at Victoria University due to multi-million dollar loss
Gianina Schwanecke (Post): ‘Catastrophic mismanagement’: Major Victoria Uni job cuts proposal lambasted
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): Up to 260 jobs may go at Victoria University to address massive deficit
Adam Pearse (Herald): 20 hours-free childcare expansion could compromise standards, force closures – sector leaders
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Early childhood sector says Budget plan to extend subsidy is unworkable
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): Early childhood sector says big Budget wins may make things ‘worse’
Sue Cherrington (Newsroom): Extra cash fails to fix funding issues in early education
Hikawai Te Nahu (Re:News): The Ministry of Education has failed Kura Kaupapa Māori
Patrick Gower (Newshub): Paddy Gower Has Issues: New Zealand schools falling behind international literacy rates
Darren Bevan (Newshub): Patrick Gower hits out at New Zealand literacy rates, says Kiwis ‘suck at reading’
Alwyn Poole: (Herald) The future of education and why NZ needs to be there first (paywalled)

WHANGĀREI BOYS INQUIRY
Denise Piper (Stuff): Abbey Caves school admits it’s not sure what a high risk activity is after death of a student
Denise Piper (Stuff): Abbey Caves school finds fault with every pane of glass at new $50m campus, principal insists school is safe
Niva Chittock (RNZ): Abbey Caves death: Review of Whangārei BHS outdoor education programme begins

GAMBLING, GREYHOUND RACING
Peter Dunne: TAB another potential conflict of interest
RNZ: Details of TAB-Entain deal still unclear with concern gambling harm may rise – Problem Gambling Foundation
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Kieran McAnulty requests options on shutting down greyhound racing industry

HEALTH
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Patients waiting for surgery to be asked if they still need operations
Herald Editorial: Covid-19 still has capacity to challenge us (paywalled)
RNZ: Gisborne nurses offer assurance on patient care as they walk off the job
RNZ: Māori students get hands-on advice from Māori health professionals at hui

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
RNZ: Auckland will lose some ‘nice-to-have’ services with 500 job cuts – deputy mayor
Karl du Fresne: Just another day at Wellington City Council ….
Nicola Young (Kiwiblog: WCC fiddling while Wellington burns
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporter): Rotorua councillors debate whether to consult on undoing prior council decision

CLIMATE CHANGE, EXTREME WEATHER
Gary Hamilton-Irvine (Herald): Cyclone poll: Just 7% don’t want local or central government to give managed retreat compensation
Kate Green (RNZ): Owners nervous over accommodation aid as fate of weather-hit homes remains uncertain
RNZ: Fonterra says $100m in carbon credit costs could help pay for clean energy
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: Could the Niwa-MetService weather war endanger the Kiwi public?

IMMIGRATION
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Concern despite New Zealand move to resettle refugees who have been living in Australia
Lucy Xia (RNZ): Chinese overstayer says his wrist was broken during a dawn raid arrest
Lincoln Tan (Herald): ‘Never seen anything like this’: INZ asks applicant for ‘mandatory’ information of extended family members for third-party agencies

CRIME
Simon Bridges (NBR): Crime: Top business issue requires zero tolerance policing (paywalled)
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Prime Minister Chris Hipkins admits ongoing retail crime ‘totally unacceptable’, says more ‘rehabilitation’ needed for prisoner
Mike Hosking (Herald): The police minister is a disgrace to the office (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Finally an admittance from the Government on crime

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE
Mark Quinlivan (Ndwshub): New Zealand won’t give up its nuclear-free stance, says Prime Minister Chris Hipkins
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): How China’s growth story is changing (paywalled)
Ananish Chaudhuri (Stuff): The area NZ should be targeting to boost its trade with India
Lydia Lewis and Scott Waide (RNZ: ): Pacific health, IT and water to benefit from Indian commitment
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Ukraine War: Russian Embassy shares propaganda video targeting New Zealand Defence Force

OTHER
John Campbell (1News): Police continued to send recruits to doctor, despite sex assault claims
RNZ: Doctor kept working for police despite multiple sexual assault complaints – watchdog
Roeland van den Bergh (Stuff): NZ workers are more likely to suffer burnout than in any other country – report finds
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Māori media won’t be measured by audience share because it’s a Treaty obligation – Willie Jackson
Shayne Currie (Herald): Review: Paddy Gower Has Issues – Media Insider with Shayne Currie
RNZ: Tiwai Point smelter saga continues: Community demands clarity
Michael Fallow (Stuff): Tiwai part of a green, sustainable future – NZAS
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): We allowed the slide to third world electricity supply to happen
Ian Powell: The bullying of Marama Davidson
Ian Taylor (Herald): Slash and learn – the huge forestry opportunity for NZ (Paywalled)
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): Havelock estuary, one of the ‘muddiest’ in the country, in ‘crisis’
RNZ: Emergency Mobile Alert to be tested this Sunday
1News: Hipkins weighs in on Zoo Miami kiwi controversy