Advertising.Scoop: Dreaming Of A World Of Perfect Brands.
I wonder if brand people want or have been told to only to see the positive – the superlative – in their brand and are deeply scared of anything even fractionally disparaging or negative, of which I mean, reality. More>>

Broadband: Rural Telecommunications Plans Finalised
The government has finalised its plans for rural telecommunications with Cabinet yesterday signing off on proposals for the roll out of high speed broadband in rural areas and the reform of the Telecommunications Service Obligations (TSO). More>>

ALSO:

• Scoop Business - NZ Cabinet approves $300M rural broadband plan
• Scoop Business - Telecom says rural broadband plan will cut profit
• NZ Regional Fibre Group - Rural strategy has support of NZRFG
• Federated Farmers - Rural broadband plan good step but needs more
• Rural Women NZ - Rural Women’s voice heard in broadband plans

USAFTA? Eight-Nation Free Trade Negotiations Begin
Trade Minister Tim Groser today welcomed the start of negotiations towards an eight-nation free trade deal which includes the United States, taking place in Melbourne, Australia this week. More>>

ALSO:

• CAFCA - Trans-Pacific Partnership: Jumping on Sinking Ship
• Federated Farmers - American dairy farmer fears unfounded

Cuts At AgResearch: Science Layoffs "At Odds With Government’s Vision"
The PSA agrees with the prime minister that public science should be a priority for the government, regarded not as a cost but as an investment for our country’s future growth and development. But that was last month... More>>

ALSO:

• Progressive Party - Anti-science government axes jobs
• Federated Farmers - Don’t blame farmers for AgResearch cuts

Smellie Sniffs The Breeze: Season Of Disclosure
Business journalists in New Zealand just came through an unusually busy half-year reporting season, partly because there are few of us left and also because the state-owned enterprises reported at about the same time. More>>

Vector Fibre Debate: Vector CEO Simon Mackenzie
With ultra-fast fibre broadband high on New Zealand’s infrastructural agenda, Vector Chief Executive Simon Mackenzie last week spoke at the NZ-Australia Investment Forum: Open for Business. More >>

MORE:

• Kiwis Have Their Say On Ultra Fast Broadband (Part 1)
• Op-Ed - Why A Regional Approach To Fibre Is Right
• Out-Link: http://www.fibretothedoor.co.nz/
• The Vector Fibre Debate - Vector: Leading ICT business solution launched
• Northpower - Fibre expansion gathering speed

Infrastructure Ventures: Celebrities Seek Cable
Pacific Fibre, an early stage international fibre venture founded by a group including New Zealand businessmen Stephen Tindall, Sam Morgan and Rod Drury, announced its plans today, aiming to break the digital divide between New Zealand, Australia and the rest of the world. More>>

ALSO:

• Scoop Business - A-listers test waters for super-fast Pacific cable
• Science Media Centre - Experts on plans for Pacific Fibre undersea cable
• Kordia - Kordia welcomes Pacific Fibre initiative
• Natcom - NATCOM welcomes Pacific Fibre announcement
• Federated Farmers - Federated Farmers welcomes cable proposal

Day Against Cyber-Censorship 12/03: Govt Internet Filter Went Live, Nobody Told
The DIA has admitted that the internet filter is now operational and is already being used by ISPs Maxnet and Watchdog. It appears that Maxnet have not told their customers that they are diverting some of their internet traffic to the government system to be filtered. More>>

Earlier:

• Internet NZ - InternetNZ rejects centrally operated filtering

Working On Eggshells: Scientists Find Moa DNA Than Expected
In a world first, an international team of researchers, which includes University of Otago archaeologists Chris Jacomb and Richard Walter, has successfully isolated ancient DNA from eggshells of extinct birds. More>>

Electricity: Smart Meters To Be A Bit Regulated
Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee has agreed to the recommendations set out in the Electricity Commission’s report on the roll-out and requirements for smart meters in New Zealand. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - Brownlee not smart on smart meters

Copyright: Michael Geist To Keynote PublicACTA
InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) is excited to announce that renowned Canadian law professor Michael Geist, a world authority on technology law issues, will be the keynote speaker at the PublicACTA event, being held in Wellington on 10 April 2010. More>>

Finance: Work Fast-Tracked To Tighten Up KiwiSaver
Minister of Commerce Simon Power has asked officials to fast-track work to ensure the integrity of KiwiSaver is maintained for the 1.3 million people and $4.88 billion of their money invested in the scheme. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - Labour backs tightening of KiwiSaver regulation
• Gareth Morgan Investments - Kiwisaver Regulation Good, But Take Brash To Task

Totally Cool And Never Been Done Before: Airport Plans 'Wellywood' Sign
Wellington International Airport has announced plans to erect a Hollywood-style sign on the Miramar peninsula celebrating the location of the heart of New Zealand’s burgeoning film industry, "Wellywood". More>>

ALSO:

• Wellington.Scoop - Wellywood: good idea, dreadful idea
• Wellington.Scoop - Facebook opposition to Wellywood sign
• Out-Link - WellyWood sign generator

Commerce Commissioners: Curtin’s Role Restricted After Writ
Donal Curtin’s role at the Commerce Commission has been restricted, to prevent any conflict of interest after further private party court proceedings were filed against him. More>>

ALSO:

• Commerce Commission - Proceedings against Commissioner Donal Curtin
• EUFA - EUFA welcome legal proceedings

Here Come The Scientists: PM's Science Prize Winners Announced
Some of New Zealand’s most brilliant minds have been honoured in the first annual Prime Minister’s Science Prizes, the country’s most prestigious and valuable science awards. More>>

ALSO:

• Industrial Research - IRL scientists scoop PM’s Science Prize
• Industrial Research - IRL Chair congratulates winning pair
• High Temperature Superconductor Industry Assoc. - Prime Minister’s Science Prize welcomed
• Science NZ - Science New Zealand congratulates prizewinners
• TV3 Video - PM's science prizes for high-performers split

Keith Rankin: Taxes And Benefits For Individuals: Current State and Reform Options
What are tax credits, and are they benefits? I argue that all tax concessions are tax credits, and that tax credits are benefits. It makes a huge difference to how we conceive and formulate tax and welfare policies. More>>

Construction: Residential Building Trends Up
The volume of residential building activity has increased 7.4 percent in the December 2009 quarter, after removing seasonal effects, Statistics New Zealand said today. In contrast, the volume of nonresidential building activity fell 6.1 percent, the third consecutive quarterly fall. More>>

ALSO:

• Scoop Business - NZ manufacturing, construction show pick-up
• Scoop Business - NZ property values grow at a slower pace: QV
• Scoop Business - MPS Preview: RBNZ unlikely to rush rate increases
• Scoop Business - NZ dollar holds gains as risk appetite grows

Scoop Business: Deficit Lower Than Expected
New Zealand’s government accounts were boosted by the windfall from the major trading banks’ settlement of their case with Inland Revenue over structured finance transactions and Finance Minister Bill English warned there’s little new spending due in this year’s budget. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Treasury - Govt Financial Statements for June-January 09-10
• Labour - Don’t talk down the recovery Mr English
• CTU - Government Needs to Rethink Fiscal Message

Citizen Seismology: Public Sought To Help With Tsunami Research
GNS Science is asking people who experienced last weekend's tsunami send in their videos and fill out an on-line survey outlining their observations. More>>

ALSO:

• NIWA - Chile Tsunami Like waves in a bathtub

Science: CRI Report Calls For Change
The taskforce set up by the Government to determine how New Zealand can get the greatest benefit from its Crown Research Institutes has presented its report to shareholding Ministers. More>>

ALSO:

• Scoop Business - CRIs need shelter from bureaucrats: taskforce
• Crown Research Institute Taskforce - Taskforce Report Charts Path Forward for CRIs
• Labour - National must take real action on innovation
• Scion research - Scion welcomes Taskforce findings
• Science NZ - Taskforce report sound and constructive
• The Royal Society of NZ - CRI taskforce report "right on the button"
• Business NZ - CRI task force report spot on
• Trans Tasman Political Letter - Taskforce Calls For “Radical Revamp” Of Research
• Public Service Association - PSA supports taskforce call for secure funding
• Industrial Research - IRL Board Chair praises CRI Taskforce findings
• AgResearch - AgResearch welcomes CRI Taskforce recommendations
• NZ Association of Scientists - Scientists Support CRI Taskforce Findings
• SciBlogs Out-Link - CRI Taskforce: Time for “big picture” thinking in science

Aspirations: Australia Won’t ‘Slow Down’ To Allow NZ Catch Up
BT Financial Group chief economist Chris Caton, who’s touring New Zealand in a roadshow hosted by Westpac Banking Corp., told investors at a meeting in Wellington it’s “very very difficult” for New Zealand to grow at a faster pace than Australia, especially when starting from “20% behind.” More>>

Infrastructure: Group Wants Open Fibre To The Door
The group’s 19 members have increasingly advocated open access networks and regional fibre to the door connections as the way forward for New Zealand, a concept brought to life this week by NZRFG founding member Vector in its just-launched ‘fibre to the door’ public awareness campaign. More>>

Rugby World Cup Deal Announced: Free-To-Air Games On One Million Channels
Rugby World Cup Limited today announced the New Zealand free-to-air television broadcast rights had been awarded to a consortium formed between Maori TV, TVNZ and TV3. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - One-handed clap for Government over RWC deal
• Maori Television Service - RWC 2011 Free-to-Air Broadcast Deal Confirmed
• Public Address Out-Link - Hard News: Dropping the Ball

Science: NZ Greenhouse Gas Research Centre Opened
Increasing agriculture’s ability to create wealth for New Zealand in a carbon constrained world is the mission of the Government’s New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre opened today by the Prime Minister John Key in Palmerston North at AgResearch’s Grasslands campus. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - PM opens agricult'l greenhouse gas research centre
• NZ Govt - Agricultural GHG Research Centre open for business
• Federated Farmers - Federated Farmers backs greenhouse gas centre

Also Loves Diggers: Govt Announces Infrastructure Plan
The National Infrastructure Plan, issued today, shows the large scale of the Government's infrastructure programme and highlights some future issues that may require action, Infrastructure Minister Bill English says. More>>

ALSO:

• Wellington Chamber Of Commerce - Infrastructure must not neglect Wellington
• Business NZ - Infrastructure plan good but needs work
• NZ Council for Infrastructure Development - Plan shows opportunities to plan assets, investing
• EMA - Borrowing to invest in infrastructure sound
• Roading NZ - National Infrastructure Plan: A Good First Step
• ANZAC Centenary Bridge Group - Group Welcomes Harbour Crossing
• Image from: - Arts Festival Images: Transports Exceptionels

Employment Grievances: Government Releases Discussion Document
The public is being asked to submit their views on the personal grievance system operating under the Employment Relations Act 2000. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - Evidence not anecdotes needed in dismissal review
• Greens - National going way beyond election promises
• Employers and Manufacturers Association Northern - Grievance free work trial terms working well
• No Right Turn Out-Link - Extending unfairness

Tourism: New Zealanders Lead The Way To Space
This week Virgin Galactic announced that seven New Zealanders have paid a deposit for a Virgin Galactic sub-orbital spaceflight making New Zealand Virgin’s most significant space tourism market in terms of population size. More>>

Pay Plans: Trans-Tasman Income Gap Set To Widen
Labour Leader Phil Goff says National’s “do-nothing” approach is to blame for the wage gap with Australia widening... a recent survey showed that 78 per cent of Australian companies are planning to lift salary levels this year compared to New Zealand companies where just 55 per cent are planning to do the same. More>>

ALSO:

• Moyle Consulting - Pay stays ahead of inflation
• Federated Farmers - Yes we can catch Australia
• Scoop Business - NZ annual migration climbs, boosts housing demand
• Statistics NZ - International visitors hit a January high

Copynotquiteright: Reports Of “Internet Blackout” Today Greatly Exaggerated
We have no involvement in any blackout protest on Monday... A cheeky person might question whether NZ Herald simply got 2009 and 2010 confused. More>>

Smellie Sniffs The Breeze: Intimate Disclosures
Basically, I have a confusing wallet. I’m not a details person. I’ve got really no idea which credit card I use most of the time. All too believable. That’s what it looked like, not that I know Phil Heatley. What about listed companies? More>>

Scoop Business: Smallest Balance Of Trade Gap Since 2002
New Zealand recorded its smallest annual trade deficit since July 2002 in January, reflecting weaker-than-expected imports outpacing a decline in exports. More>>

ALSO:

• Statistics NZ - January trade surplus
• JP Morgan - NZ trade surplus widened off weaker imports

Housing: Small Rise In Consents For New Homes
The number of new housing units authorised (excluding apartments) rose 0.7 percent in January 2010 when adjusted for seasonal effects, Statistics New Zealand said today. This small rise follows a 3.9 percent decrease in December 2009. When the volatile apartment category is included, the number of new housing units authorised fell by 2.8 percent. More>>

Animal Welfare: Pork Industry Will Reap What They Sow Crate
The pig-headed Pork Industry Board continue to damage their own brand with the revelation they are fighting to keep pigs in sow crates, Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today. More>>

ALSO:

• SAFE - Leaked Pig Code Spells End Of Sow Crates
• Image - Martin Doyle Cartoon: Another bloody pig

Mineral Gold? Widespread Wins Chatham Rise Permit
Widespread Energy and its associate Widespread Portfolios have been granted a prospecting permit on the Chatham Rise, allowing them to test whether the area contains an estimated 100 million tonnes of rock phosphate, which could be worth $28 billion. More>>

Full Of Stars: The Park In The Sky Concept – From The Beginning
Prime minister John Key this week gave his backing to NZ’s world starlight reserve project. The feature below is a backgrounder to how the proposal came about... More>>

ALSO:

• Word of Mouth Media - PM gets behind the world heritage site project

That Was In Tents!
The Mt Smart Supertop Sells For $10
In what must be the bargain of the century, New Zealand’s iconic music venue, the Mt Smart Supertop, has sold today for just $10. The tent went under the hammer at ‘no reserve’ and sold in less than 10 minutes to the Auckland buyer Mike Ransfield. More>>

Scoop Business: TVNZ Interim Profits Take 51% Hit
TVNZ, New Zealand’s state owned television and digital media company, announced a 51% drop in after tax profit compared to the previous year when it released its interim half-year results for the period to December 31. More>>

ALSO:

• TVNZ - TVNZ Half Year Result

High Water: Tsunami Risk Management Programme Updated
New Zealand’s tsunami risk management programme has taken another step forward with the announcement today of a revised national Tsunami Advisory and Warning Plan. More>>

Telecom: Resignation After XT Disasters
Telecom has today announced that Frank Mount, its CTO, has resigned. The resignation was accepted by Paul Reynolds this morning and is effective immediately. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Minister says 111 calls must get through
• Labour - Joyce not fighting for XT customers
• Scoop Business - Telecom network executive resigns amid XT outages
• Labour - Time for Minister to get on the blower
• TV3 Video - John Key on GST, police and the XT faults - Latest XT outage sparks call for Govt intervention - Telecom: No XT upgrade until mid-March - Telecom CEO on XT: Enough is enough - Telecom fights to restore customer faith in XT - XT customers unhappy, but can't break contracts
• Scoop Business - 22 Feb: XT network out again
• Scoop Business - SMELLIE SNIFFS THE BREEZE: Call Centre Rage