BioScience News and Advocate Daily Highlights 12/2

Sky City : Auckland Convention Centre Cost Jumps By A Fifth

SkyCity Entertainment Group, the casino and hotel operator, is in talks with the government on how to fund the increased cost of as much as $130 million to build an international convention centre in downtown Auckland, with further gambling concessions ruled out. The Auckland-based company has increased its estimate to build the centre to between $470 million and $530 million as the construction boom across the country drives up building costs and design changes add to the bill.
More>>

ALSO:

• SKYCITY - SKYCITY provides progress update on NZICC project - Image Spectacular flythrough reveals first glimpses inside NZICC
• NZ Govt - Convention Centre resource consent application to be lodged
• Greens - Government must rule out paying more for SkyCity Centre
• Tourism NZ - Tourism NZ endorses NZ International Convention Centre

RMTU: Mediation Between Lyttelton Port And Union Fails

The Rail and Maritime Union (RMTU) has opted to continue its overtime ban indefinitely after mediation with the Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) failed to progress collective bargaining. More>>

Earlier:

• Rail And Maritime Transport Union - Lyttelton Port workers begin overtime ban
• Lyttelton Port of Christchurch - LPC operations will continue as usual during overtime ban
• Environment Canterbury - Next phase of Lyttelton Port recovery underway

Science Policy: Callaghan, NSC Funding Knocked In Submissions

Callaghan Innovation, which was last year allocated a budget of $566 million over four years to dish out research and development grants, and the National Science Challenges attracted criticism in submissions on the government’s draft national statement of science investment, with science funding largely seen as too fragmented. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Submissions on future of science system
• Science Media Centre - Year in Review: the big science stories of 2014

Scoop Business: Spark, Voda And Telstra To Lay New Trans-Tasman Cable

Spark New Zealand and Vodafone, New Zealand’s two dominant telecommunications providers, in partnership with Australian provider Telstra, will spend US$70 million building a trans-Tasman submarine cable to bolster broadband traffic between the neighbouring countries and the rest of the world. More>>

ALSO:

• Spark NZ - New trans-Tasman telecommunications cable plan confirmed
• InternetNZ - New cable a positive sign for the future

More:

• Scoop Business - ComCom pushes out final decision on Chorus copper pricing
• Commerce Commission - Backdating prices for Chorus’ copper lines and broadband
• TUANZ - TUANZ welcomes further clarification by Commerce Commission
• Spark NZ - Spark New Zealand Moving Ahead in 4g Network Build