Coronavirus: On The Addiction To Chinese Student Fees, And A Possible Future For RNZ Concert

Water Woes: Wellington Reflects National Problem

Water utilities right across the country face major challenges to upgrade and maintain their underground three waters network. Water New Zealand’s Technical Manager, Noel Roberts says Wellington’s waste water woes are not unique to the capital city. ... More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Wellington Water Infrastructure 'in Crisis', Councillor Says - Wellington Would Struggle For Enough Water To Fight Fires Post-quake
• Wellington Water - Unsustainable water use calls for warning
• Wellington Chamber Of Commerce - Core infrastructure renewal must take priority

2020 And Beyond: National’s Economic Plan

National Leader Simon Bridges has today outlined National’s economic plan heading into election 2020. “National understands the economy and how it impacts on New Zealanders day to day lives... More>>

ALSO:

• National - Speech: National’s Economic Plan For 2020
• NZ Govt - Bridges: Over-hyped And Under-delivered
• ACT - ACT’s Ideas Needed To Make National’s Vision A Reality - A Checklist For Economic Reform
• RNZ - New Political Poll Shows National Scraping Into Power And NZ First Out Of Parliament
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Bridges’s economic ambitions underwhelming

Abortion Legislation Committee: Abortion Bill Report Presented To The House

The Abortion Legislation Committee has presented its report on the Abortion Legislation Bill to the House. A copy of the report is available here. The bill seeks to have abortion services provided like other health services... More>>

ALSO:

• Act NZ - ACT Leader Welcomes Abortion Legislation Progress
• Alranz - ALRANZ Co-sponsors National Day Of Action - ALRANZ Welcomes Select Committee Report
• Gordon Campbell - Gordon Campbell on (finally) changing the abortion law

SMC Expert Reaction: Record Dry Spells And Effects On Forests

With no rain forecast before Sunday, Auckland is about to break a record for the city's longest dry spell. Niwa says Auckland is likely to hit 40 consecutive days without rain this weekend . The upper North Island is seeing severe meterological ... More>>

ALSO:

• MetService - More Rain For The South While Dry Continues In The North - Another dry week ahead, with temperatures rising
• NIWA - Auckland Set To Break Dry Spell Record
• Fire And Emergency Nz - Rolleston Fire
• RNZ - Farmers Fear New Water Rules Could Push Them Under

Reserve Bank: Official Cash Rate Remains At 1.0 Percent

The Monetary Policy Committee has decided to keep the Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 1.0 percent. Employment is at or slightly above its maximum sustainable level while consumer price inflation is close to the 2 percent mid-point of our target range. ... More>>

ALSO:

• Michael Reddell - The OCR Should Be Cut
• Reserve Bank - MPS, OCR and FSR dates for 2021
• RNZ - Reserve Bank Of New Zealand Keeps Official Cash Rate At 1 Percent
• XE Morning Update - XE Morning Update
• National - Economic Growth Slowing Under Coalition Government

Research: Climate Change Throws Tree Seeding Out Of Sync – New Study

Climate change is negatively affecting tree reproduction by throwing seed production systems out of synchronisation, according to a new international study co-authored by a University of Canterbury scientist. Many tree species worldwide produce large ... More>>

ALSO:

• Business NZ - Kiwi youth feeling the heat
• RNZ - How NZ would fare during a world catastrophe
• United Nations - Antarctic continent posts record temperature - Climate action ‘both a priority and a driver of the decade'
• Lincoln University - Public surveyed on state of the environment
• Kapiti Coast District Council - Climate change and our coast
• NZ Carbon Farming - Locally owned carbon forester pledges 20% of climate target
• UN News - 2020: the year for action, to ‘rise up’ and safeguard ocean

Gordon Campbell: On Coronavirus, And The Iowa Debacle

As Bloomberg says, the coronavirus shutdown is creating the world’s biggest work-from-home experiment. On the upside, the mortality rate with the current outbreak is lower than with SARS in 2003, but (for a number of reasons) the economic impact this time ... More>>

Gordon Campbell: On Dodging A Bullet Over The Transport Cost Over-Runs

As New Zealand gears up to begin its $6.8 billion programme of large scale roading projects all around the country, we should be aware of this morning’s sobering headlines from New South Wales, where the cost overruns on major transport projects ... More>>

Gordon Campbell:On Kobemania, Palestine And The Infrastructure Package

Quick quiz to end the week. What deserves the more attention – the death of a US basketball legend, or the end of Palestinian hopes for an independent state? Both died this week, but only one was met with almost total indifference by the global community. More>>

Gordon Campbell: On The Double Standard That’s Bound To Dominate The Election

Are National really better political managers than Labour, particularly when it comes to running the economy? For many voters – and the business community in particular - their belief in National’s inherent competence is a simple act of faith. More>>

Gordon Campbell: On The Rise Of Klobuchar And Bloomberg

Oh, the burden of being the front-runner. In 2016, when he was still the feisty underdog, Vermont senator Bernie Sanders set his campaign alight by beating Hillary Clinton in neighbouring New Hampshire by a resounding 60-39% margin. Yesterday, Sanders won again in New Hampshire. This time though only by a 1.3% margin over Pete Buttigieg, with Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar reasonably close behind in third place. More>>

ALSO:

• Caitlin Johnstone - The Belief That Everything Will Be Fine Once Trump’s Gone Is More Dangerous Than Trump - DNC Completely Loses Public Trust In Its Primary Process
• David Swanson - Why This Election Is Different
• Jon Queally - Progressives To Sanders Skeptics: This 'Big Tent' Movement Is A Winning And Practical Choice
• Jake Johnson - Sanders Condemns Trump Budget As 'Immoral Document' Designed To Hurt Families And Children
• Eoin Higgins - Sanders Leads Popular Vote, Trails Buttigieg With Delegates
• Binoy Kampmark - Muddling Democrats: Chaos in the Iowa Caucus - Hillary Clinton versus Mark Zuckerberg
• Common Dreams - Jessica Corbett - Sanders responds To Oxfam Inequality Report

Crisis and Opportunity: The ‘Deal of the Century’

After several postponements, US President, Donald Trump, has finally revealed the details of his Middle East plan, dubbed ‘Deal of the Century’, in a press conference in Washington on January 28. More>>

ALSO:

• United Nations - Resolving Israel-Palestinian conflict
• Palestine Solidarity Network - Call for NZ to reject “Deal of the Century'
• International Trade Union Confederation - Proposals on Israel/Palestine are an affront to Palestinians
• Wellington Palestine Group - The worst deal of the century?
• Euro-Med Monitor - Peace plan strips Palestinians of their rights

Howard Davis: And The Oscar Goes To … Parasite
For its deliciously dark wit and genre-bending ingenuity, Bong Joon-ho's latest movie has just won four out of a potential six Academy Awards, including Best Screenplay and Director. Only ten foreign-language films have previously been nominated for Best Picture and none have won before. More>>

Howard Davis: 1917's 1,000 Yard Stare

Sam Mendes has created a terrible and barbarous trek, one that we appreciate all the more for being catapulted right into the midst of this ear-splitting melee from the film's opening sequence. More>>

Floorball: NZ To Host World Cup Of Floorball In 2022

In a major coup for a minnow nation in the European-dominated sport of floorball, New Zealand has won the rights to host one of the sport’s marque international events. More>>