News Briefing: 13 March 2025
INFRASTRUCTURE SUMMIT, FOREIGN INVESTMENT, WEALTH VISA
Alice Peacock (Newsroom): Guardrails needed to protect NZ from foreign investors – ex-SolarZero employee
Giles Dexter (RNZ): What's on the table at the government's infrastructure summit
Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): Government sets out its wares for global infrastructure investors
Luke Malpass (Post): Court wildlife ruling hangs over PM’s investment summit (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): New Zealand investors flock to Auckland for infrastructure summit
Liam Rātana (Spinoff): Iwi investors enter infrastructure summit with ‘eyes wide open’
Edward Miller: What should NZers know about Brookfield?
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Plenary commits to NZ PPP infrastructure bids, Northland Expressway (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Government proposes tweaks to the Foreign Investments Funds tax regime to keep wealthy migrants in New Zealand
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Possible tax break for migrants as government considers foreign investment fund rules
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Government to tweak foreign tax regime to attract investors to NZ
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Govt proposes changes to Foreign Investment Fund tax rules (paywalled)
BusinessDesk: Govt to drop FIF tax burden on returning Kiwis, new migrants
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Americans lead surge in wealthy foreigners wanting new visa
GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT
Janet Wilson (Post): Some advice for the PM: tell it straight and show some depth (paywalled)
Jo Moir (RNZ): Christopher Luxon struggles as cost-of-living gloom lingers
Brent Edwards (NBR): Christopher Luxon’s turbulent time as prime minister (paywalled)
Phil Smith (RNZ): The House: Fictional fiscal cliffs - misinterpreting budgets for political gain
RNZ: Nicola Willis plans to scrap sweep of procurement rules
Brent Edwards (NBR): New rules proposed for government contracts (paywalled)
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): Government contract changes make sense to me
Lyric Waiwiri-Smith (Spinoff): Echo Chamber: Christopher Luxon and the merry gang of frickin’ lame-os
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): MPs call out Minister for South Island over inaction (paywalled)
Asia Pacific Report: How New Zealand is venturing down the road of political upheaval
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Labour MP Peeni Henare stands by haka in Parliament - but makes one apology
1News: Peeni Henare apologises for breaking House rules, stands by haka
Julia Gabel (Herald): Labour MP Peeni Henare apologises, stands by haka over Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Labour's Peeni Henare apologetic but stands by haka during Treaty Principles Bill's debate
Fox Meyer (Newsroom): Henare on Parliament haka: ‘I stand by my actions’
Anna Whyte (Post): Labour’s Peeni Henare apologises but stands by the Treaty haka (paywalled)
SCHOOL LUNCHES
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Poll result: Voters have lost faith in new, cheaper, school lunches
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Front Page: School lunch issues put pressure on coalition Government
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): No guarantee troubled school lunches scheme will last the year
John Gerritsen (RNZ): School lunch provider turns to Australia for help
Ella Scott-Fleming (ODT): Principal slams use of Aussie school lunches
RNZ: Government knew for 'weeks' school lunch provider was in financial strife
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Erica Stanford and David Seymour meet over free school lunches programme fiasco
No Right Turn: Fixing school lunches
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Dannevirke High School cooking up its own, tasty school lunches
PUBLIC SECTOR WOKENESS
Jamie Ensor (Herald): NZ First’s constitution includes considering different genders, ethnic groups when ranking candidates
RNZ: Peters denies NZ First's constitution has same diversity requirements as public service
RNZ: 'Nonsense': Hipkins and Peters clash over 'wokeness' in public sector
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Winston Peters says Ministry of Foreign Affairs won’t appoint ‘tikanga lead’, hours after job advertised
RNZ: Winston Peters to 'fix' MFAT job listing for tikanga lead
Mildred Armah (Stuff): Tikanga Māori explained: What is it?
MEDIA
Nicholas Pointon (NBR): Osmium Partners’ history holds possible clues to NZME’s future (paywalled)
Rebecca Stevenson (BusinessDesk): NZME hopefuls: the private equity players, legal eagle and retail guru vying to join the board (paywalled)
Shayne Currie (Herald): Media Insider: NZME board nominations – the six names vying to become directors of NZ Herald and Newstalk ZB owner (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Billionaire aiming for NZME's board rejects journalists' concerns
Rebecca Stevenson (BusinessDesk): Jim Grenon puts himself up for NZME's board as five other directors revealed (paywalled)
Rebecca Stevenson (BusinessDesk): NZSA waves red flags about Canadian billionaire's bid to 'transfer control' of NZME board (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Billionaire wants NZME to appeal to ‘wider political spectrum’ (paywalled)
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Former Warehouse exec and NZ On Air board member nominated for NZME board
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): A creator-led answer to the mediapocalypse (paywalled)
Lianne Dalziel (Newsroom): We need the craft of journalism now more than ever
HEALTH
Paula Penfold (Stuff): 'Complete rubbish’: Health NZ called out over $2m unadvertised contract
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): ‘Bullets coming’: Health NZ staff lay grievances against Levy’s razor gang
ODT Editorial: Bowel screening fizzer (paywalled)
RNZ: Health NZ's proposed digital cuts: 'We are seeing the cracks widen'
RNZ: Hospices running short of money as demand grows
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, DEFENCE
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Who is Marco Rubio and what can Winston Peters expect from their DC meeting?
Kelly Dennett (Post): Winston Peters mum on ‘seriously important’ Marco Rubio meet (paywalled)
Anne-Marie Brady (Post): New Zealand’s stark choice: navigating uncharted waters (paywalled)
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): NZ govt’s silence at key stages of Gaza conflict ‘deafening’
Thomas Manch (Post): Speeding diplomatic cars rack up more than 200 offences in two years (paywalled)
RNZ: Indian community awaits major announcements during Luxon’s India trip
Zane Small (Stuff): Trump’s tariff chaos could be a win for New Zealand — here’s how
Oliver Hartwich (Herlad): Acute threat to New Zealand as Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten globalisation (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Explained: Five ways Trump’s tariffs could affect you
David Fisher (Herald): Veteran suicide: Three in three weeks but no database to track deaths and no idea how bad it is
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): Body of NZ soldier Dominic Abelen killed in Ukraine finally returns home
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WATER
Thomas Manch (Post): Councils urge switch from postal voting to ballot box for local elections (paywalled)
Emily Ireland (RNZ): Overcharged: Deputy mayor wants more detail from Wellington Water
Harriet Laughton (Post): Delay in Wellington alcohol rule changes a relief to bar owners (paywalled)
Libby Kirkby-McLeod (RNZ)): Marine precinct users in Tauranga feel lied to by mayor
Alisha Evans (Local Democracy Reporting): Tauranga councillor seeks inquiry into commission’s decisions
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘More to do’: Marlborough mayor to seek another term
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Council bins food scrap service amid community backlash
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): Council’s risk from major financial shock ‘high’ (paywalled)
Ruby Shaw (ODT): 'Anything good in this?': City's economic report ‘depressing’ (paywalled)
Hilary Calvert (ODT): Time that we took a look at spending (paywalled)
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): ‘Socialist agenda’: US family selling NZ farm after losing dispute with council
ENVIRONMENT, DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Greenpeace accuses government climate panel of only listening to 'vested interests'
Kayla Kingdon-Bebb (Newsroom): Nature is our greatest asset, not ‘green tape’
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Father, son and company fined $272,000 for deliberate offending
Steve Hepburn (ODT): Campaign against Fish & Game called bullying (paywalled)
Deborah Morris (Post): More homeowners act to prevent damage from disasters (paywalled)
JUSTICE
Herald: Victim veto on name suppression undermines criminal justice system
Amy Williams (RNZ): Ministry of Justice accused of burying report saying children at risk in judicial system
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Police warn outdated fingerprinting system could compromise public safety
RNZ: Public trust in police rises slightly - survey
David Harvey: Too Much Protest, methinks (Part 1)
Mary Afemata (Local Democracy Reporting): Councillor opens up about cyberstalking experience, calls for stronger laws
ECONOMY
Cameron Bagire (BusinessDesk): 'Boom, bap, boom boom': The drums are beating for a credit rating downgrade (paywalled)
Gill South (Stuff): Kiwis tightened their belts in late 2024 but still spent up online
Alka Prasad (Post): Spending ticks up slowly but still behind last year (paywalled)
Tom Raynel (Herald): Briscoe’s Rod Duke calls for Government to ‘get their a** into gear’ to boost economy (paywalled)
EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESS, CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Russell Palmer (RNZ): 'Theft is theft' - Bill making employers theft of workers' wages a crime passes
Dita De Boni (Post): NZ labour market will hit rock bottom soon: Seek economist (paywalled)
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Is this the end for online subscription services?
Amanda Gillies (RNZ): The Detail: Master Electricians' warning on the Right to Repair Bill
RESERVE BANK, BANKS
Simon Louisson (Just the Business): We should be thanking Orr rather than trashing him
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald: IMF cautions Government against pushing back too hard against the Reserve Bank on regulation
David Hargreaves (Interest): IMF sees Official Cash Rate in NZ of 3.25% this year as 'appropriate'
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Tax reforms needed to bolster economic growth - IMF report
Richard Harman (Politik): It’s the Reserve Bank’s fault (paywalled)
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Bank profits soar to record $7.2b amid litany of concerns
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Kiwi farmers get sour deal with big banks, Fed Farmers says (paywalled)
TRANSPORT
Eric Crampton (Newsroom): A pragmatic step toward congestion charging
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): Hundreds sign petition to keep busy stretch of Rotorua highway 80km/h
David Hill (Local Democracy Reporting): No plans for SH1 safety improvements in Kaikōura, despite concerns
Jennifer Eder (Local Democracy Reporting): Proposal to increase Marlborough bus fares by 20 percent
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Shop owner says idea to remove parking on busy Auckland street ‘like a nightmare’
Tim Scott (ODT): New rules hit airport hard, DCC hears (paywalled)
EDUCATION
Benn Bathgate and Libby Wilson (Waikato Times): Special allowance payments to lure teachers to hard-to-staff schools top $35m
Laine Priestley (ODT): Robertson praises the ‘soft skills’ of the arts (paywalled)
ENERGY
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): New gas well raises the spirit of Shane Jones (paywalled)
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Watts warned about deindustralisation due to gas supply dwindling (paywalled)
OTHER
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Casino advertising approval prompts problem gambling fears
AJ Hendry: Government's decision's increase homelessness
Mary Argue (RNZ): Last-minute reprieve for parts of Callaghan Innovation
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): What we've learnt from the Treaty Bill submissions
'Alakihihifo Vailala (PMN): New era for Whānau Ora: Cause Collective takes the helm in supporting Pasifika
Verity Johnson (Stuff): Yes, Gandalf the Green Fairy may have broken the law - but what we did to him is worse
RNZ: The cost of cyber crime: 91 percent increase in 12 months
Juha Saarinen (Interest): Record number of quarterly cybercrime losses exceeding $100k
RNZ: Four arrested over Auckland Pride Festival protest