Republished with Permission

Author: Bryce Edwards

GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SECTOR
Richard Harman (Herald): Budget battle looms as reality hits Coalition Government (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government floats new deficit measure, Labour says it is ‘shifting the goalposts’
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Government deficit moves further off track (paywalled)
Michael Reddell: The PM and economic performance
Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On How Slavishly This Government Is Serving Its Corporate Donors
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): PM Luxon on bootcamps and guns, and what we now know about how the Treaty Principles Bill came to be
Laura Walters (Newsroom): PM on the most ‘emotionally challenging’ part of his year
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Argentina shows bold reform can deliver immediate gains (paywalled)
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Meet James Meager, the man left holding the treaty principles bill
Eva Corlett (Guardian): ‘We’re not going away’: the man who led NZ’s biggest Māori rights march vows to fight on
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Labour’s tax time-warp is naive and fanciful
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): BoJo’s taxing visit is a warning against committing capital offence
Chris Trotter (ODT): Presents for everyone, up to and including Chris Hipkins (paywalled)
Byron Clark: How NZ First became the party of the conspiracist "freedom movement"
Rob Stock (Post): Funding cuts so deep at Environment Ministry, it may struggle to enact RMA reforms
Anna Whyte (Post): Thousands at mega ministry vote to plan industrial action (paywalled)
Karyn Scherer (NBR): Retirement Commission warns it may have to downsize (paywalled)
Mike McRoberts (NBR): The wero for Māori economic growth (paywalled)
Annika Naschitzki: “Everyone I talked to was very confused” – Post-restructure assessments
Fiona Rotherham (NBR): Exits allowed NZGCP to start actively investing again (paywalled)
Newsroom: Raw Politics Podcast: Throwing in the towel on climate and the foreshore
David Farrar: The largest transfer of power back to the legislature in recent times
Joel MacManus (Spinoff): A ball-by-ball analysis of backyard cricket at the prime minister’s house
Mitchell Hageman (Herald): NZ PM Christopher Luxon and Australian PM Anthony Albanese reveal their Spotify Wrapped amid online backlash

HEALTH, DISABILITY
Ruth Hill (RNZ): 'No apology' from Ayesha Verrall after clash with Health Commissioner Lester Levy
Ian Powell (Scoop): Public Hospital Specialists Increase: Delusional Spit In The Ocean With Sinister Undertone
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Health NZ commissioner loses $130m battle with Auditor-General
Pete Hodgson (Herald): Dunedin Hospital project: The anatomy of a debacle and the warning signs for other regions (paywalled)
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Govt’s medical school stance ‘double standard’
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Ministry of Disabled People fronts to MPs about funding challenges
Robin Martin (RNZ): Farmers payout for 2,4,5-T herbicide exposure tip of the iceberg - lawyer says
Jessica Roden (1News): Legal options to be sought if councils refuse fluoride directive
Alan Perrott (NZ Doctor): Big issues, few solutions, but primary care key to prenatal and menopausal care – Costello (paywalled)
Lee Scanlon (Westport News): Health staff not to blame for death, review finds
RNZ: Māori, rural children at greater risk of severe paediatric appendicitis
Anna DeMello (The Conversation): ‘It’s the worst feeling’ – young New Zealanders regret their vaping addictions but feel unsupported to quit
Rob Stock (Post): Should ACC cover workplace 'burnout’? (paywalled)
David Farrar: The surge in doctors leaving
Rona Carroll (The Conversation): NZ is consulting the public on regulations for puberty blockers – this should be a medical decision not a political one

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Gwynn Compton (Local Aotearoa): Vision for Wellington – disorganised, disingenuous, discredited, and a dead duck
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Wellington could also lose the Michael Fowler Centre, demolition option put to the public
Tom Hunt (Post): Goodbye City to Sea bridge, hello lawyers (paywalled)
Julie Jacobson and Harriet Laughton (Post): ‘Chains rattling’: Bridge battlers not giving up (paywalled)
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Wellington’s City to Sea Bridge will be demolished after bid to save it fails
Lauren Crimp (RNZ): Wellington's City to Sea bridge to be demolished after council vote
Harriet Laughton (Post): Bye bye bridge: Wellington City to Sea bridge demolition confirmed (paywalled)
Andrea Vance (Post): Wellington City Council hires Englishman for top job (paywalled)
RNZ: Wellington Water aiming to install 135,000 meters within next six years
Herald Editorial: Painfully slow sell-down of airport stake has cost Auckland Council millions (paywalled)
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Queenstown Lakes council to pay court costs over billionaire Peter Thiel case
Guy Williams (ODT): Thiel’s lodge will cost ratepayers
Andrew Ashton (Crux): QLDC ordered to pay hefty court costs in relation to Damper Bay lodge legal stoush
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): Queenstown Council on the hook for billionaire’s legal costs (paywalled)
Grant Miller (ODT): Local govt expert: council must step up (paywalled)
Katie Townsend (Stuff): Nelson council votes to issue Israeli sanction
Tipene O’Brien (Local Democracy Reporting): Mayor blocks Parihaka Gaza call
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Whanganui Council wants public's view on landmark iwi partnership
Steve Hepburn (ODT): Clutha District Council to down-size by third
Layla Bailey-McDowell (RNZ): 'Racism will not ruin our signs': Tasman District Council condemns ongoing vandalism
Emily Ireland (Local Democracy Reporting): Masterton council’s new look
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): City’s cash windfall could help in rubbish fight (paywalled)
Alisha Evans (Local Democracy Reporting): Claims of ageism as community board chair steps down

TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi says new revenue needed, is discussing structure of transport infrastructure debts
Richard Harman (Politik): Paying for National’s roads (paywalled)
RNZ: Transport Agency to seek first partner for Northland Expressway in the New Year
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Tolls, tolls, bloody tolls (paywalled)
Robin Martin (RNZ): Taranaki farmers ordered to pay court costs of $180k over roading buyout
Connor Sharp (Post): Risk of central overriding local govt heightened by changes to Auckland Transport (paywalled)
RNZ: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown doubles down on gaining control of transport planning decisions
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Auckland transport power changes will be ‘postcode lottery’
Gwynn Compton (Local Aotearoa): Wayne Brown wins big on Auckland Transport reform
David Long (Stuff): Auckland Council urged to not forget low-paid workers in congestion charge plans
Peter de Graaf (RNZ): Improving notorious Warkworth intersection shelved - again
Thomas Manch (Post): Government considers turning Interislander into partially-owned company (paywalled)
Sharon Brettkelly (RNZ): The Detail: The risk of missing the boat on a good deal for the Cook Strait ferries
Justin Wong (Post): The electricity substations that power Wellington’s rail network get $137 million boost (paywalled)

EDUCATION, MARSDEN FUND CUTS
Grant Duncan: Universities: how much faith do people have in them now?
Pretoria Gordon and Mary Argue (RNZ): Universities criticise Marsden Fund cuts, business group backs the move
Tom Baker (Newsroom): Marsden Fund cuts a win for ‘convenient’ evidence
Juliet Gerrard (Spinoff): Funding the whole pie
Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): The changes to research funding in Aotearoa, explained
Miranda Johnson (Post): Devastating cuts to the research which holds society together (paywalled)
David Farrar: TEU thinks competition is the biggest threat to academic freedom
Jerry Coyne: The ideologically captured scientists of New Zealand
John Gerritsen (RNZ): 45 percent of NCEA students fail this year's online literacy, numeracy tests
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Spinoff): The imminent return of charter schools
John Gerritsen (RNZ): French school among five new charter schools on way for 2025
Stuff: Five new charter schools announced for 2025
Sophie Lapsley (Press/Post): Second charter school for Christchurch: North College (paywalled)
Hanna McCallum (Post): MOE message to teachers on new curriculum: ‘Make a start, it’s all we’re asking’ (paywalled)
Matthew Martin (Waikato Times/Post): WorkSafe lays charges after school’s ‘life-threatening’ river float (paywalled)

SOLAR ZERO, GREEN INVESTMENT FUND
1News: Green Investment Fund questioned over SolarZero collapse
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Minister ups heat on fund after briefing on SolarZero loans (paywalled)
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Secret process to liquidate SolarZero began with exit of CEO – sources
Chris Keall (Herald): SolarZero collapse: Willis demands more answers from NZGIF, Crown agency says BlackRock caught it on the hop (paywalled)
Tim Hunter (NBR): SolarZero: unclean energy (paywalled)
NBR: Finance Minister ordres NZGIF to front up on SolarZero (paywalled)
RNZ: 'All of a sudden you have to tell them it's all over' - SolarZero collapse shocks installers
RNZ: Survey suggests businesses more optimistic about economy
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Greenwashing becoming riskier for Kiwi businesses

COMMERCE COMMISSION, COMMERCE ACT, BUSINESS
Krystal Gibbens (RNZ): Government reviewing Commerce Act and Commerce Commission to combat monopolies
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Government prepares to tighten competition rules, overhaul ComCom (paywalled)
Ella Somers (Interest): Government reviews aiming to boost competition, improve productivity
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Higher bar for merger approvals in competition law shake-up (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Creeping aquisitions to be targeted by Commerce Act Review (paywalled)
Troy Pilkington, Bradley Aburn, Petra Carey (Russell McVeigh): Major review of New Zealand's competition law regime announced
Juha Saarinen (Interest): Better cooperation between industry and government proposed by Commerce Minister to reduce growing online scamming menace, but no new funding made available
Gregor Thompson (BusinessDesk): 'Material uncertainty': EMA chief says ‘technicality’ behind auditor’s going concern opinion (paywalled)

ECONOMY
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Christopher Luxon on how to deal with NZ’s ‘productivity disease’ (paywalled)
Oliver Hartwich (NZ Initiative): Rate cuts mask New Zealand’s productivity crisis
Jenny Ruth: Did RBNZ governor Adrian Orr mislead parliament again? (paywalled)
Michael Reddell: More outright dishonesty from Orr
Garth Bray (BusinessDesk): Survive 2025: Tony Alexander counsels caution (paywalled)

CORRECTIONS
Pretorial Gordon (RNZ): Corrections failing to prevent young prisoners joining gangs - report
Adam Pearse (Herald): Bootcamp participant dies after Waikato road accident as police search for another after absconding
Glenn McConnell, Jenna Lynch and Sam Smith (Stuff): One teen dead, another on the run from Oranga Tamariki bootcamp
RNZ: Bootcamp participant dies while another on the run
1News: Participant in Govt youth boot camp pilot dies in reported crash
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Prison bed capacity across the country to run out by June in worst-case scenario

POLICE
Anneke Smith (RNZ): New Police Commissioner Richard Chambers tight-lipped on frontline risk of firearms reform
Craig McCulloch and Anneke Smith (RNZ): 'Challenging' to meet officer target by November 2025 - police
Adam Pearse (Herald): Government’s target to train 500 new police officers could miss deadline – police
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Police reveal they are not on track to reach Government deadline for 500 extra officers
1News: Govt's 500 extra cops deadline 'very challenging', police tell MPs
Harriette Boucher (Post): Police may not be able to meet Govt’s promise of 500 new cops
Ryan Bridge (Newstalk ZB): We need 500 excellent cops, not average ones

ENVIRONMENT
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Rod Carr accuses fossil-fuel promoters of ‘crime against humanity’ (paywalled)
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Call for NZ to step up to bold climate goal of 'net negative'
No Right Turn: Climate Change: More unwelcome advice
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Government weighs up next climate target under the Paris Agreement
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Government won't buy overseas carbon credits to meet targets, Todd McClay says
Greg Hurrell (BusinessDesk): Rod Carr marks final days at Climate Change Commission
RNZ: Government moves to restrict foresty on farmland will hamper climate efforts - Foresty Owners say
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Methane debate still rages after government-initiated review
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Our farming land is our calling card
Kerre Woodham (Newstalk ZB): What will the new farm-to-forest changes mean for farmers?
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): Farmers hopeful for cattle river grazing renewals

EMPLOYMENT
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): The minister who (might) save Christmas (parades)
ODT Editorial: Can’t they look after themselves?
Rachael Judge (BusinessDesk): New high-income threshold good news for employers; teething issues likely (paywalled)
Nona Pelletier (RNZ): Labour market under further pressure as NZers head overseas

JUSTICE
Max Harris (Post): Supreme Court ruling puts the lie to ‘judicial over-reach’ claims (paywalled)
Roger Partridge (Law News): Supreme Court matters: charities law and judicial social engineering
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Time for action on the Seriously Flawed Office
Sam Smith (Stuff): $11m Papakura RSA site to be developed after sitting empty for nearly two years
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Government invests $100m in new courthouse
LawFuel: LawFuel Power List 2024 – Nos. 31 – 50

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, DEFENCE
Louis Collins (RNZ): The House: Defence minister defends defence force: 'Out there with our tails up'
Adel Fruean and Nick Sas (RNZ): Sinking of New Zealand Navy ship Manawanui continues to impact Samoan villages, as community threatens legal action
RNZ: Amnesty International calls Gaza attacks 'genocide,' urges NZ to do more
Phil Pennington (RNZ): NZ's cyber watchdog sounds warning over mass hacking operation
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Winston Peters: ‘You never give up in this business’ (paywalled)
Jo Moir (RNZ): Trade Minister Todd McClay to shoulder blame if no India free trade agreement by end of term
Thomas Manch (Post): New Zealand losing out to Australia on India trade (paywalled)
Todd McClay (Herald): Dynamic Business: A big year for New Zealand Trade (paywalled)

HOUSING, PROPERTY INDUSTRY
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Increase in those living severely housing deprived
Gill Higgins (1News): No address since 2019: Cheyenne is one of 50,000 homeless women in NZ
Mildred Armah (Stuff): Homeless women ‘avoid the streets’ by couch-surfing and trading sex for shelter, report finds
Hanna McCallum (Post): ‘Unhoused, unsafe’: Shining a light on NZ’s 57,000 homeless women (paywalled)
Jo Cribb (Newsroom): Housing regime makes homeless women invisible
Michael Reddell: Where were the central agencies?
Anne Gibson (Herald): Home buyers who paid $2.03m deposits for never-built Massey houses express distress (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Boring housing data good news for first-home buyers
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Property values continue to drop as sales expected to rise next year
Anne Gibson (Herald): Retirement village residents charged $9900 for failed complaint, racial prejudice allegations (paywalled)
Sinead Gill (Press): Luxury retirement village expected to get taller (paywalled)

MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA
Daniel Perese (Te Ao Māori News): Pōmārie: Daily TV news to end on Whakaata Māori after 20 years
Shayne Currie (Herald): Media Insider: Trouble at Whakaata Māori – 27 roles confirmed gone in restructuring at TV network; HR boss quits (paywalled)
Shayne Currie (Herald): Media Insider: RNZ salary costs jump $5m in 12 months; Exclusive: Anna Burns-Francis on her TVNZ exit; Editors eye options to save newspapers (paywalled)
Rachel Moore (Stuff): NZME confirms closure of 14 community newspapers before Christmas
Shayne Currie (Herald): Media Insider: NZME to close 14 community newspapers - private buyers may be keen on some titles (paywalled)
Michael Cugley (Te Ao Māori News): Newly revived Wairoa Star supporting other newspaper outlets facing closure
Henry Oliver (Metro): Jack Tame
David Harvey: Age-Restricted Social Media Use

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Action taken against forestry company responsible for bridge damage
Riley Kennedy (BusinessDesk): Wool minister looking for a way to ‘reverse engineer’ Kāinga Ora’s carpet decision (paywalled)
Emily Ireland (Local Democracy Reporting): Extra staffer suggested for water race redress
Jacqueline Rowarth (Herald): Farming, science, the Government and collaboration

HERALD-DELOITTE 200 AWARDS
Tim McCready (Herald): Fonterra, Zuru Group's Mowbrays triumph at the Deloitte Top 200 Awards
Andrea Fox (Herald): Company of the Year: Fonterra wins Deloitte Top 200 award (paywalled)
Herald: Editorial: Deloitte Top 200 Awards a good time to celebrate business success (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Deloitte Top 200: How CFOs are planning for the unexpected (paywalled)
Graham Skellern (Herald): Zuru Group's Mowbrays named visionary leaders of the year at Deloitte Top 200 Awards (paywalled)
Graham Skellern (Herald): Deloitte Top 200 Judges’ recognition award: Dr Oliver Hartwich (paywalled)
Graham Skellern (Herald): Infratil wins Best Growth Strategy at Deloitte Top 200 Awards (paywalled)
Herald: Deloitte Top 200: Māori make moves into the weightless economy - Anthony Ruakere (paywalled)
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): CFO of the Year: Meridian Energy’s Mike Roan wins Deloitte Top 200 award (paywalled)
Herald: Deloitte Top 200 Index 2024: Mixed results for New Zealand's largest firms (paywalled)
Tim McCready (Herald): Spark NZ wins Deloitte Top 200 Sustainability Leadership Award (paywalled)

BIRD FLU
Karanama Ruru (Stuff): No sign of high pathogen bird flu on other chicken farms operated by Mainland Poultry
Delphine Herbert (RNZ): Bird flu: MPI confident it has resources if outbreak becomes more widespread

ENERGY
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): NZ's electricity market a problem for productivity - OECD
John Anthony (BusinessDesk): Frank Energy switching off gas from March (paywalled)

OTHER
RNZ: Facial recognition technology reduces serious harm in supermarkets by 16% - study
Alexa Cook (RNZ): New technology could keep communications going during disasters
Stuff: High-resolution map details all active faults in New Zealand
1News: Tā Pita Sharples named among most significant living artists
1News: Eight arrested in Thailand by officials investigating NZ visa scam
RNZ: Immigration NZ helps bring down visa fraud operation in Thailand
Stuff: Immigration New Zealand uncovers visa fraud scheme in Thailand
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Fintech Revolut seeks NZ banking registration
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Revolut applies for NZ banking licence as it seeks to challenge banks’ savings and lending products (paywalled)
Rob Stock (Post): Fintech Revolut applies for banking licence in New Zealand (paywalled)
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Revolution applies to be a bank in NZ (paywalled)
Alan Granville (Stuff): Auckland in final three to host the Gay Games 2030, the world's biggest LGBTQI+ sports and culture event

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