News Briefing: 27 January 2025
GOVERNMENT
Danyl McLauchlan (Listener): Economics 101: The coalition’s wake-up call (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Economists challenge details of Luxon's new growth plan
Press Editorial (Post): Just a question of attitude (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: Going for growth (paywalled)
Luke Malpass (Post): Growth, growth, growth. Easy to say, harder to deliver (paywalled)
Claire Trevett (Herald): National’s stagnant polling puts pressure on PM Christopher Luxon to steal thunder back from David Seymour and Winston Peters (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Coalition Government gears up for busy year (paywalled)
Glenn Banks and Regina Scheyvens (The Conversation): Luxon goes all out for growth in mining and tourism - we should be careful what he wishes for
Bay of Plenty Times: Government hints at major mining announcement, defends using conservation land
Michael Daly (Stuff): Kiwis need to ‘get over ourselves’ and identify DOC land that can be used for mining, Shane Jones says
Damien Grant (Stuff): National are squandering an opportunity to reshape our faltering economy
Gareth Hughes (Spinoff): The problem with ‘going for growth’
Brian Easton (Pundit): How Important Is Regulation To Economic Performance?
Eric Crampton (Post): Growth is good: how the PM’s speech has moved the vibe (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): The PM is right, we have a ‘culture of saying no’ and we need to shake it off (paywalled)
Vernon Small (Sunday Star Times): The surplus is dead! Long live growth! (paywalled)
Bryan Bruce: Growth For What?
Duncan Garner (Listener): Dear Prime Minister, just what is the plan to stop Kiwis leaving? (paywalled)
Josie Pagani (Post): The PM wants growth but is offering more org charts (paywalled)
Max Rashbrooke (Post): Austerity kills, but it’s not the actual threat facing us (paywalled)
Dan Brunskill (Interest): The Coalition Government promises an economic growth plan within weeks, but can it deliver results?
Maria Slade (BusinessDesk): Te Awa Lakes a good fast-track candidate (paywalled)
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Invest NZ not a double-up for international infrastructure investors, ministers say (paywalled)
Anna Whyte (Post): Willis waters the seeds of growth - the day one plan (paywalled)
The Standard: New Zealand’s worst leadership speech since 2008
Andrea Vance (Post): Are we in Winston Peters’ Golden Age? (paywalled)
Alexander Lee (Post): The message Melissa Lee’s demotion sends to our ethnic communities (paywalled)
MĀORI-CROWN RELATIONS, RĀTANA, WAITANGI
Ella Stewart (RNZ): David Seymour's hapū requests he not attend Waitangi Day commemorations
Herald Editorial: Christopher Luxon’s decision not go to Waitangi may be seen as a snub to Māori and iwi leaders (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Luxon can’t keep eyes off Treaty Principles at Rātana
Adam Pearse (Herald): National and NZ First’s frustration over Treaty Principles Bill only set to grow (paywalled)
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): David Seymour’s policies follow Christopher Luxon to Rātana
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Treaty referendum ruled out under Luxon's watch
RNZ: Watch: Luxon, Peters dismiss Treaty Principles debate at Rātana
Anna Whyte (Post): Absent Seymour’s Treaty shadow follows Luxon at Rātana (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Justice Committee begins hearing submissions on Treaty Principles Bill as Parliament returns
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Treaty Principles Bill: Select committee begins hearing 80 hours of submissions
Karanama Ruru (Stuff): Heavy hitters named in first day of oral submissions on Treaty Principles Bill
Anna Whyte (Post): Political heavyweights turn up heat on Treaty submissions - here’s what they’ll say
Julia Gabel (Herald): Rātana 2025: Crown faces Māori leaders as both sides call for better collaboration
RNZ: Rātana 2025: A Photo Essay
SEYMOUR STATE OF NATION SPEECH
Pretoria Gordon (RNZ): Public Service Association calls on Luxon to rule out privatisation: 'Not the New Zealand way'
Sam Smith (Stuff): David Seymour flags asset sales in State of the Nation speech
Adam Burns (RNZ): Privatising health care would hurt those on lower incomes - Advocate
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Act’s David Seymour believes NZ at ‘tipping point’ between ‘two tribes’, raises privatisation
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Seymour: NZ is at a tipping point.
Stephen Forbes (NZ Doctor): ACT proposes $6000 incentive to all Kiwis to quit public health system (paywalled)
Bryan Bruce: Seymour’s dire speech (Or what the ****?)
LABOUR
Kelly Dennett (Post): Could Chris Hipkins pull a Holyoake, and come back as PM? (paywalled)
Shane Te Pou (Herald): Ailing health system offers Labour best attack option on coalition Government (paywalled)
Emma Clifton (Woman’s Weekly): Labour leader Chris Hipkins on new partner Toni, politics and co-parenting (paywalled)
The Standard: If that’s Luxon’s Plan, What About Labour?
PARLIAMENT
Brent Edwards (NBR): Ministerial reshuffle, going for growth the Trump factor
Mike Houlahan (ODT): The first step of a long and arduous journey (paywalled)
Steve Braunias (Newsroom): The Secret Diary of .. Summer
Liam Dann (Herald): Money Talks: Sir Bill English on the 2017 election and how a National-led Covid response might have looked
PUBLIC SECTOR
Andrea Vance (Post): Public servants sent on $100K ‘courage building’ courses (paywalled)
Anna Whyte (Post): Captain’s call: what the new Public Service Commissioner told public service bosses (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Unfinished business – Roger Douglas unhappy with criticism from Brian Roche (paywalled)
HOUSING
Brittany Keogh (Post): Just one housing project approved for Government underwriting so far (paywalled)
Ke-Xin Li (Waikato Times): Hamilton motelier who collected $26.4m in govt cash faces liquidations (paywalled)
Liam Rātana (Spinoff): Emergency housing motels are coming to an end in Rotorua
RNZ: Government says it's hit emergency housing target 5 years early
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Auckland apartment development popped up ‘like Lego’, then stalled. What happened?
Mirjam Schindler and Rita Dionisio (Newsroom): Rethinking urban liveability: a path forward for our cities
Sarosh Mulla (Newsroom): Civic architecture: the joy great design can bring
Greg Ninness (Interest): Rents looking softer in most main centres, Trade Me Property says
Ruby Shaw (ODT): Rising rents ‘endlessly stressful’ (paywalled)
Tony Alexander (One Roof): Why 2025 is shaping up to be a year of disappointment
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Interest rates are dropping, but will we get a mortgage war?
ECONOMY
Rachel Helyer Donaldson (RNZ): Economy fell far after flying high after pandemic stimulus - economist
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): NZ's economy took 'developed world's biggest hit'
Christoph Schumacher (NBR): OCR predictions: why and how? (paywalled)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Simon Wilson (Herald): Wayne again: The 2025 mayoral election campaign has begun (paywalled)
Anna Rawhiti-Connell (Spinoff): Browny’s pool was a gamble and it’s paid off
James Ball (1News): Auckland's bed night visitor levy proposal goes to consultation
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Passion and excitement, or vitriol and division? What politicians expect from Māori ward polls
Craig Asworth (Local Democracy Reporting): Shared iwi-council advisors possible for South Taranaki tribes
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Former Wellington Mayor Justin Lester causes a stir ahead of local body elections (paywalled)
1News: Wellington hits major milestone with water pipe problem
Rachel Helyer Donaldson (RNZ): Khandallah Summer Pool celebrates 100 years - but will it last?
Harriet Laughton (Post): Khandallah Pool future uncertain as it celebrates 100th birthday (paywalled)
Julie Jacobson (Post): NZ’s most expensive single (road)cone? (paywalled)
Peter McKinlay (LinkedIn): Time for Elected Members to step up
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): Rotorua Lakes Council creates Te Arawa 2050 Vision Committee
Linda Hall (Local Democracy Reporting): Dog attack victim's mother fights for changes to council actions
Nic Duff (ODT): Mayor defends cost of New Year’s party
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Fee might reduce museum visitors: DCC (paywalled)
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): Hamilton’s proposed ‘fairer’ alcohol licensing fees under fire (paywalled)
SCIENCE
Mary Argue (RNZ): Pivotal role of Chief Science Advisor to be filled 'shortly' - Reti
ODT Editorial: Show us the money for Kiwi science (paywalled)
Steven Joyce (Herald): Government’s science plan is like rearranging the deckchairs (paywalled)
Rod McNaught (NBR): Will New Zealand’s promised IP reform deliver? (paywalled)
Fiona Rotherham (NBR): Callaghan Innovation’s 355 staff face uncertain future (paywalled)
EDUCATION
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Charter schools swamped with applications ahead of opening
Jamie Morton (Herald): NZ’s starving students: Hungry kids trailing peers by up to four years in maths, science (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Erica Stanford’s double u-turn on initial teacher education
Hanna McCallum (Sunday Star Times): ‘Significant’ uptake in Cambridge International over NCEA in 2024 (paywalled)
Colleen Brown (Listener): No free lunch: The unpalatable politics of the school lunch programme (paywalled)
Kaitlyn Morrell (Bay of Plenty Times): Back to school: The soaring costs of starting high school and how families can prepare (paywalled)
Julie Cullen and Samantha Marsh (Herald): Kiwi kids’ screen use: Is it time to reconsider device use in schools?
Coco Lance (RNZ): Create pathways supporting academic and cultural success of Pasifika - project
Rod McNaughton (Newsroom): NZ universities need to up their game on teaching entrepreneurship
EMPLOYMENT
Gregor Thompson (BusinessDesk): Employer associations eager to see pro-rata sick leave (paywalled)
Michael Andrew (Law News): Bosses and workers at risk from proposed mental health guidelines, experts say
Amanda Giles (RNZ): The Detail: In 2025, rising unemployment and a brain drain
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Who got the biggest (and smallest) pay rises in 2024?
Lindsay Mitchell: Absolute number on benefits at all-time high
BUSINESS
Paula Penfold (Stuff): Beloved company in forced labour controversy
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Govt to crack down on retail monopolies
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): On the Money: Equiticorp, Luxon's mornings, EMA computer troubles and more (paywalled)
Jessica Hopkins (RNZ): Stalled skyscraper developer wanted no media at Auckland Council update meeting
Anne Gibson (Herald): Property Insider: 6 of the biggest themes likely to dominate 2025 (paywalled)
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Water bottling company in liquidation owing creditors $2.6 million
ENVIRONMENT, RMA, NATURAL HAZARDS
Kate Newton (RNZ): Hundreds of new builds in Auckland flood zones as councils wait on planning reform
Peter de Graaf (RNZ): Fast-track legislation stirs up opponents of Northland sand mining plan
Jonathan Killick (Sunday Star Times): ‘We’ve got everything to lose’: Locals defend their beach from mining (paywalled)
Nick Rogers (Post): Bracing for the next time the rainfall records are broken
Greg Hurrell (BusinessDesk): Insurers and councils welcome new improved climate data (paywalled)
Grant Miller (ODT): Flood-risk options to go to DCC (paywalled)
Grant Miller (ODT): Stormwater catchment may be split
HEALTH
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Can New Zealand’s fifth health minister in as many years make the system better?
Martin Johnston (NZ Doctor): Primary care on first round of visits for new minister (paywalled)
Patrice Dougan (NZ Doctor): National telehealth contract up for grabs in $100 million bid (paywalled)
Jo Millar (ODT): Health and education are vital and the hospital delivers on both
Sasha Borissenko (Herald): How ACC remains a bright spot in a turbulent world (paywalled)
RNZ: Three-hour IT outage as software glitch impacts Auckland hospitals
Brendon McMahon (ODT): Fluoridation not a choice, mayor says (paywalled)
Brendon McMahon (ODT): Fluoride back in Oamaru’s water
Benn Bathgate (Waikato Times): It can be critical’ - Doc’s concern over King Country ambulance move (paywalled)
Tom Peters (World Socialists): New Zealand government installs new far-right health minister
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE
Geoffrey Palmer (Newsroom): Democracy falls out of favour
RNZ: Winston Peters speaks with new US Secretary of State
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): Donald Trump announces next US ambassador to New Zealand
Thomas Manch (Post): Trump names next US ambassador to NZ (paywalled)
Caleb Fotheringham (RNZ): Samoa and NZ discuss compensation over Manawanui sinking
RNZ: NZ foreign affairs secretary to discuss proposed Cook Islands passport in Rarotonga
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Why China is so important to NZ businesses
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