National Party Annual Conference: Key Speech - Expanded Kiwisaver Access For Home Buyers

"Under our plan, we have protected the most vulnerable New Zealanders through difficult times, set a path back to surplus, and built a solid platform for growth." More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Key: Speech to National Party Annual Conference Nelson - Package to aid first home buyers announced - Nick Smith: Creating Healthier and More Affordable Homes for Kiwis - Package to better support first home buyers
• TVNZ - Q+A John Key Interview
• Labour - National needs to deal with the real barriers to home owners
• Greens - National’s housing policy just poly filler
• United Future - Kiwisaver Not the Way to Go For Home Ownership
• Harcourts - Support package welcome, but low supply remains
• ASB Bank - House price expectations remain high
• TV3 Video - Housing policy won't halt bubble - experts - National Party ministers line up for John Key's position - PM talks flag change at Nats conference - National MPs reject party's snapper policy
• Business.Scoop - House prices up in July as buyers race possible restrictions
• REINZ - Sales Lift and Prices Ease In July Real Estate Market

National Party Conference: Major Changes To RMA 'Undermine Environmental Safeguards'

Forest & Bird is describing the proposed changes to the core of the Resource Management Act as confirmation that the government's strategy is to create short term economic growth at the expense of the environment... More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Major reform of resource management system - Adams: Resource Management Act Reform - Speech
• Labour - Key stacks deck, plays cute with RMA
• Greens - RMA changes risk further damage to NZ’s reputation
• Maori Party - RMA Framework needs close scrutiny - Māori Party
• Environmental Defence Society - Government’s announcement on RMA reforms are troubling
• Business NZ - Better approach to decision making under RMA
• Port CEO Group - Resource Management Act changes welcomed
• Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ - Removal of Environmental Protections will Inflame Damage
• GE Free NZ - Gaping Hole Created by Change to RMA

Gordon Campbell: On The Smelter Deal, Fonterra And Iran

Well, it does seem that about $30 million is the kind of pocket money that the government has readily at hand to throw at foreign corporates – at Warners over The Hobbit, and now at Rio Tinto over the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter. One would love to know how the size of these handouts – yes, this is corporate welfarism – are calculated. More>>

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• 2011 image by Tim Denee Gordon Campbell - On John Key’s Assault On The Welfare System