Republished with Permission
Author: Bryce Edwards
DEFENCE
Anneke Smith (RNZ): New Zealand has joined the arms race - law professor
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Govt’s defence spend comes with darker edge
Sam Smith (RNZ): Government hikes defence spending amid ‘tectonic shifts’ in geopolitics
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): What the $12b defence spend buys, and what New Zealanders will pay to afford it (paywalled)
Thomas Manch (Post): ‘Hallelujah’ says Ron Mark, as Govt reveals $12 billion defence plan
Luke Malpass (Post): Defence Capability Plan a solid start - and with real money
Greg Presland (The Standard): All they are saying is give War a chance
Thomas Coughlan & Jamie Ensor (Herald): Government’s $12b defence spend: New 757s, helicopter fleet, enhanced strike capability
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Government unveils $12 billion Defence Capability Plan
Tom Day (1News): Govt announces huge boost to defence spending
Stuff: Government unveils $12 billion defence spending plan
Thomas Manch (Post): Government’s $9b Defence Capability Plan finally revealed
Dan Brunskill (Interest): Govt plans to lift defence spending to 2% of GDP over eight years
Brent Edwards (NBR): Coalition lays out big boost in defence spending (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): AG concerned at $3.2 increase in Crown’s veteran support (paywalled)
David Fisher (Herald): Call from veterans’ group: Boycott Anzac Day until politicians listen
INTEGRITY ISSUES
RNZ: 'Unchecked' industry lobbying needs regulating, say ex-politicians
Bryce Edwards (The Integrity Institute): Launching the NZ Lobbying & Influence Register
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Call for PM to step in over minister’s carbon trading conflict of interest
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Fast-track minutes good enough, chief archivist decides
PARLIAMENT, DEMOCRACY, PUBLIC SERVICE
Adam Pearse (Herald): Copyright breach claim forces change to billboards attacking Green co-leader, MP
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Billboards attacking Green MPs appear in Wellington and Auckland
Anna Whyte (Post): Sensible Sentencing attack billboards comply with electoral law
The Standard: Misleading Billboards Are a Threat to Electoral Integrity
No Right Turn: The return of dirty politics
Amanda Gillies (RNZ): The Detail: Social cohesion: 'On every dimension, NZ is falling behind’
Grant Duncan: Four-Year Term of Parliament Bill: why I oppose it
Tom Day (1News): Poll: National and NZ First up, coalition would get second term
Adam Pearse (Herald): New political poll shows coalition Government trumping Opposition amid high NZ First support
RNZ: New poll shows coalition would retain power, Hipkins closes gap on Luxon
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Poll suggests rise in support for coalition
Neil Sands (Law News): Sir Geoffrey calls for privilege overhaul amid haka row
ODT Editorial: A plea for civility (paywalled)
Richard Walkers (Waikato Times): Tama Potaka: Minister in the fast lane
Brent Edwards (NBR): Tough talk, the ferries, tariff wars, privileges and cone hotline
Herald: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says alleged attack on Shane Jones’ wife ‘not acceptable’
Anna Matheson (The Conversation): Yes, data can produce better policy – but it’s no substitute for real-world experience
Joshua Koko (E-Tangata): Fairness for whom?
1News: Oranga Tamariki CEO Chappie Te Kani steps down
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Oranga Tamariki boss Chappie Te Kani resigns
TRUMP'S TARIFFS, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ECONOMY
Rod McNaughton (The Conversation): Looking inward: Why Trump's tariffs highlight the need for NZ to build local capacity
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Explained: What happened to the NZ economy since Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs
Lloyd Burr (Stuff): Seven graphs that explain the pain of Trump’s tariffs
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Front Page: How Trump’s tariffs are affecting the global economy
RNZ: NZ shares fall sharply as US tariff chaos hits
1News: Big fall in NZ stocks after Trump's tariffs hit global markets
Graham Skellern (Herald): NZ sharemarket registers biggest fall since Covid amid US tariff impact (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Markets sink as uncertainty rules
Jamie Gray (Herald): Trump’s Liberation Day move depresses NZ wholesale interest rates, Kiwi dollar
Nicholas Pointon and Lachlan Colquhoun (NBR): Local market records largest single-day fall since March 2020 (paywalled)
Greg Smith (Post): Where to for rates after Trump’s tariff turmoil?
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): What will happen to the OCR and your mortgage tomorrow?
David Hargreaves (Interest): 'The best thing the RBNZ can do is keep a very steady hand on the tiller'
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): First-home buyers struggle with KiwiSaver falls
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): How buying planes from America makes all the difference on tariffs
Don McKinnon (Post): Why Phil Goff’s criticism of Trump was wrong and dangerous
Rob Campbell (Newsroom): Mega-rich have taken big hits as markets crash – but they don’t care
Hamish Price (Newsroom): The world still needs America
Chris Keall (Herald): The NZ tech stars in the gun with Trump’s tariffs – and those who could escape relatively unscathed (paywalled)
RNZ: Tokelau government official says no tariff warning from US despite weekly contact
Losirene Lacanivalu (Cook Islands News): Cook Islands fears indirect tariff impacts
Stephen Dziedzic and Johnson Raela (ABC) Cook Islands prime minister wants to rework ties to NZ to be more independent
David Farrar: Let’s do full independence!
HEALTH
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Government considers u-turn on baby formula rules after industry shift
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Colonoscopy wait times increase as Health NZ funds fewer procedures
Lucy Xia (RNZ): Hundreds more health workers being assaulted at work
RNZ: Mental Health Foundation wants police withdrawl from callouts halted
RNZ: Vaping research finds e-cigarette vapour kills lung cells
Chris Mirams (Post): The merry-go-round of funding cancer treatment still spins
Barbara Fountain (NZ Doctor): New director-general arrives on the fast track from transport (paywalled)
SUPERMARKETS, BUSINESS, TAX
Murat Ungor (ODT): Them, those guys and who else?
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Willis now needs a short-term win on supermarket prices
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Supermarket woes: fighting back — Ready to challenge duopoly (paywalled)
Gregor Thompson (BusinessDesk): Nicola Willis playing chicken with supermarkets, competition lawyer says (paywalled)
Delano Gallagher (NBR): Supermarkets dodge Government’s hospital pass (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Business owners told to use properties to find finance to pay tax debt
1News: IR uncovers half a billion in undeclared tax in compliance crackdown
JUSTICE, POLICE
Andrea Vance (Post): Solicitor-General responds to news of fracas with ‘uh-oh’ emoji
Jordan Dunn (Newstalk ZB): Almost half of court-ordered reparations going unpaid, calls for Government to step in
Valerie Morse (Feijoa Dispatch): Eroding rule of law: The ruling right and the judiciary
1News: Policing in NZ can be done 'a lot better' – Marae panel
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Police say not enough evidence to prosecute Brian Tamaki over Te Atatū Community Centre incident
AUCKLAND
Simon Wilson (Herald): Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown apologises to deputy Desley Simpson for ‘Lamborghini’ comment (paywalled)
Todd Niall (Newsroom): Auckland’s place in global cities group at risk
David Long (Stuff): 'End the gravy train': Auckland councillor says it's time to get tough on building contractors
Michael Burgess (Herald): Eden Park redevelopment poses big question for Auckland teams (paywalled)
Jonathan Killick (Sunday Star Times): Wharves over troubled water: $70m stoush brewing between Auckland Council and port
Simon Wilson (Herald): A happy outcome for Takapuna golf? (paywalled)
Lachlan Rennie (Newstalk ZB): Rubbish truck fires are costing Auckland Council hundreds of thousands of dollars
WELLINGTON
Ethan Manera (Herald): Wellington local election: Green Party endorses Tory Whanau for Mayoralty
Frances Chin (Post): Labour names final Wellington City Council ward candidates
Natalia Albert: Running for Wellington Mayor is a Hospital Pass — And That’s a Problem
Joel MacManus (Spinoff): Windbag: Could this book be the new Green manifesto for Wellington?
Tom Hunt (Post): Wellington City Council sells community hall for $900k under RV
Dave Armstrong (Post): Karori Event Centre dilemma continues community’s tough run
Harriet Laughton (Post): Botanic Garden cycleway data questioned by Wellington City councillors
Harriet Laughton (Post): Abandoned building rates crackdown leaves out famous few
Pokere Paewai (RNZ): Wellington Library trials new shelving system based on Māori deities
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WATER
Stuart Crosby (Sunday Star Times): Councils must unite as local democracy attacked by political ideology
Pokere Paewai (RNZ): Māori ward councillors prepare for election and referendum
Susan Botting (RNZ): Local elections: Two Northland mayors face in-house challenges
Guy Williams (ODT): Letter arrived after decision made
Tina Law (Press): Last orders: Christchurch pushes ahead with plans to limit alcohol sales
SunLive: Tauranga City Council borrowing cap raised to support growth
Mike Yardley (Press): Time to crack down on freedom camping free-for-all
Wei Shan (Press): Calls for tree canopy plan as nearly century old oaks felled on Christchurch street
Doug Sail (Timaru Herald): Ratepayer criticises council restructure as ‘lazy’ and ‘weak’
RNZ: Public to get first glimpse of revamped Stadium Taranaki
Max Frethey (Local Democracy Reporting): Cash shortfall threatens Nelson's 125-year-old Suter art gallery
David Hill (Local Democracy Reporting): Former Environment Canterbury chairperson blasts councillors for ‘acting like emus’
Grant Miller (ODT): Graham to stay for another year as DCC chief executive (paywalled)
ODT: Consultation rejected for Southland District Council annual plan (paywalled)
ODT: Feedback opens on SDC water delivery plan
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Dozens of staff affected by Southland council shakeup
Steve Hepburn (ODT): Clutha ends nuclear-free weapons policy, but ICBMs still unwelcome
ODT: Waitaki: Preferred water services option agreed on
Ruby Shaw (ODT): AI-generated ad monstered by critics (paywalled)
EDUCATION, TRAINING
Cécile Meier (BusinessDesk): School lunch provider Compass' multimillion-dollar Government contracts explained (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Complaint over teaching tikanga Māori in law schools rejected
Gary Judd: Regulation Review Committee's tikanga decision
Mary Afemata (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Clearly anti-Māori’: Local leaders slam member’s bill on race-based services
Mariné Lourens (Press): University of Otago's $270m new Christchurch building on track for 2026 completion
RNZ: Pupil off to the dentist after biting into hard plastic in school lunch
ODT Editorial: The morale of the story (paywalled)
Nick Agar (Post): New Zealand will innovate again when education doesn’t begin with a No (paywalled)
Tania Roxborogh (E-Tangata): What gets excluded when we centre Shakespeare?
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Renovation budget blows out by $100m (paywalled)
Tim Scott (ODT): ‘Really pleased’ with behaviour, management (paywalled)
ENVIRONMENT, PRIMARY INDUSTRIES, RMA
Brent Edwards (NBR): The rush to get RMA legislation introduced this year (paywalled)
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Europe heading towards emissions tax on dairy imports, expert says
Jesse Kearse (The Conversation): New satellite data shows NZ's major cities are sinking - meaning rising seas will affect them sooner
Herald Editorial: NZ’s lack of e-waste policy needs urgent attention (paywalled)
GAMBLING
Gregor Thompson (BusinessDesk): Entain allowed a New Zealander to deposit and withdraw almost $10m without proper checks, watchdog alleges (paywalled)
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Government orders four influencers to stop promoting online gambling - or face $10k fine
Rachel Helyer Donaldson (RNZ): 'Gambling by stealth' - Iwi leaders call for halt on gambling law reform
HOUSING, PROPERTY MARKET
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): 59-lot subdivision approved inside tsunami risk zone, but no cats allowed
Anne Gibson (Herald): Fletcher’s $15m ‘mistake’, debate on granny flat change, coloured glass galore, ex-Beca HQ for sale, fifth Auckland Woolworths being sold
Greg Ninness (Interest): QV says housing values are at a virtual standstill (paywalled)
RNZ: Home buyers playing it safe in ongoing soft market
Cameron Smith (RNZ): House prices flat to start 2025 – which regions fared better than others?
Miriam Bell (Post): House prices flatline as sellers flood the market
Brent Melville (NBR): The ‘extreme challenges’ of building in the Auckland CBD (paywalled)
IMMIGRATION, MIGRANT EXPLOITATION
Michael Morrah (Herald): Six-year-old with Down syndrome faces deportation - parents claim discrimination
RNZ: 'Callous exploitation': Person jailed after luring workers from Samoa illegally
Herald: Corruption sentencing: Business owner bribed INZ staff in Samoa, exploited workers in Auckland
TRANSPORT
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Medicinal cannabis users worried about new drug-driving rules
Emma Ricketts (Stuff): Ōwhiro Bay residents fight for better buses
Will Mace (NBR): Navigating the domestic air travel doldrums (paywalled)
Mike Tweed (Whanganui Chronicle): On The Up: Air Chathams survived Covid and a recession - now it’s planning its future in the regions
MEDIA
Gavin Ellis: Time to treat social media like a cancer-causing industrial chemical
Shayne Currie (Herald): MediaWorks’ majority shareholder QMS acquires Oaktree Capital’s 45% stake – what it means for the radio and outdoor advertising media industry (paywalled)
RNZ: QMS takes full ownership of MediaWorks
Lachlan Colquhoun (NBR): MediaWorks now 100% Aussie owned as Oaktree sells out (paywalled)
