89 Cents An Hour: Govt Plans Fix For Minimum Wage For People With Disabilities

IHC is delighted that the Government is looking into replacing the Minimum Wage Exemption (MWE) with a wage supplement to ensure people with disabilities are paid at least the minimum wage. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Disability sector consulted on minimum wage

Te Waihanga: New Independent Commission To Tackle Infrastructure Issues

The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission – Te Waihanga – will be established as an Autonomous Crown Entity to carry out two broad functions – strategy and planning and procurement and delivery support. More>>

ALSO:

• Local Govt NZ - New infrastructure body welcomed by local government
• Infrastructure NZ - Infrastructure NZ endorses new Infrastructure Commission
• Water NZ - Commission should ensure better approach to infrastructure
• BusinessNZ - Infrastructure Commission welcomed
• EMA - Infrastructure Commission Independence Critical

Auckland Action Against Poverty: Motels Profit From Housing Crisis

A single motel which charges up to $1,500 per week per room has received over $3 million worth of Government funds to provide emergency assistance, despite never having a Code Compliance Certificate – an offence under the Building Act – and receiving a series of longstanding complaints from occupants... More>>

ALSO:

• Image Out-Link - A rat hole not worth a dollar: The Auckland motel 'profiting' off the housing crisis | Stuff.co.nz
• NZ Govt - Most new public housing places in a decade
• Greens - Waiting list for public housing emboldens social support
• Auckland Action Against Poverty - Government inaction sees social housing waiting list spiral
• The Scoop Team - PM's Post-Cab Conference 18/2/19: China Relations, DigiTax

Gordon Campbell: On The Alleged China Relations Crisis

If New Zealand’s relations with China are ‘deteriorating’ then you still need a microscope to detect the signs... More>>

ALSO:

• The Scoop Team - PM's Post-Cab Conference 18/2/19: China Relations, DigiTax
• TVNZ - Q+A: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern interviewed by Corin Dann - Economist Rodney Jones interviewed by Corin Dann

Environment: Government To End Tenure Review

“Tenure review has resulted in parcels of land being added to the conservation estate, but it has also resulted in more intensive farming and subdivision on the 353,000 ha of land which has been freeholded. This contributed to major landscape change and loss of habitat for native plants and animals,” said Eugenie Sage. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Change to how iconic high country land is managed
• National - High Country farmers face more uncertainty, costs
• Forest And Bird - Forest & Bird welcomes end to tenure review
• NZ Fish and Game Council - Fish and Game welcomes the halt to tenure reviews
• Environmental Defence Society - EDS not convinced abandoning tenure review is a good thing
• Image 2013 - Purchase of unique North Otago reserve announced

Bell Tolls: Big Changes, Grand Mergers Planned For Vocational Training

“At a time when we’re facing critical skill shortages, too many of our polytechnics and institutes of technology are going broke... More>>

ALSO:

• National - Regions will suffer under centralisation of training - SIT should not be merged
• ACT - Govt should privatise vocational education
• Business NZ - Vocational education needs to serve learners and businesses
• Industry Training Federation - Do not dismantle industry-led training and apprenticeships.
• Tertiary Education Union - Bold proposal puts people at heart of vocational education
• NZ Union of Students' Associations - Vocational Education - 'students must be the centre'
• Federated Farmers - Agriculture is up to rebuild vocational training
• Wellington Chamber Of Commerce - Wellington business welcomes vocational education revamp
• BCITO - BCITO acknowledges radical changes to Vocational Education
• Ara Institute - Statement from Chief Executive
• Canterbury Employers' Chamber Of Commerce - Business interface key to education reform

Sallies' State Of The Nation: Progress Stalled In Reducing Inequality

The report shows a lack of tangible progress in key areas including record levels of household debt and a growing gap in educational achievement between poorer and more well off communities. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Government making good progress on wellbeing
• National - Government badly lets down our most vulnerable
• Greens - Need for compassion and generosity for struggling Kiwis
• ACT - Sallies admit welfare state has failed
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Salvation Army shows why Kiwi families need tax relief
• Association of Social Workers - ANZASW response to “State of the Nation” report
• Out-Link - Are You Well? Are We Safe? | The Salvation Army

Electricity Market: Power Panel Favours Scrapping Low-Fixed Charges

An independent panel reviewing electricity prices favours scrapping the government’s low-user fixed charge regime, banning the use of prompt-payment discounts, and requiring greater disclosure of the profit split between the retail and generation arms of the major power companies. More>>

ALSO:

• Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment - Second paper for the Electricity Price Review published
• BusinessDesk - Power price spike put margin squeeze on NZ producers in Dec - Meridian posts record 1H operating earnings
• Electricity Networks Association - Response to the Electricity Price Review options paper
• ERANZ - ERANZ to work with government and industry on EPR paper
• Meridian Energy - Meridian welcomes Electricity Price Review Panels PPD stance
• FinCap - FinCap welcomes Electricity Price Review Options paper
• Statistics NZ - Electricity in the spotlight

Bottomless Oil And Zero Climate Cost: Greenpeace Not Big On PEPANZ Gas Ban Report

The NZIER report commissioned by oil industry body, PEPANZ, claims the oil and gas ban issued by the Government last April could cost the the New Zealand economy $28 billion by 2050... But Greenpeace says the figures in the report are based on false assumptions and alternative facts. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - Exploration ban may cut GDP by $38 billion - NZIER
• PEPANZ - NZIER report shows $28b blow to economy from oil and gas ban
• National - Assessment of ban - we’ll be poorer not cleaner
• ACT - Oil and gas ban needs ‘recalibration’
• @economissive on Twitter - "Another dodgy economic study of the oil and gas ban?: ...

Two Queensland Fruit Flies And A Different One In Otara: Devonport Fruit And Veg Lockdown

Work continues at pace on the biosecurity response following the discovery last week of one male Queensland fruit fly in a surveillance trap in the Auckland suburb of Devonport. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZ dollar falls after second fruit fly discovered
• NZ Govt - Fruit fly trap checks stepped up - Minister to visit fruit fly operation
• Ministry For Primary Industries - Queensland fruit fly detected in new area - New species of fruit fly found in Auckland - Monday 18/2: Biosecurity New Zealand – Situation Update 3 - Devonport Queensland Fruit Fly Situation Update 1 - Auckland – controls on produce movement in place
• Science Media Centre - Fruit fly detections in Auckland - Expert Q

Digital Services Tax: Government To Plan Tax On Web Operator Income

New Zealand is to consult on the design of changes to tax rules which currently allow multinational companies in the digital services field to do business here without paying income tax. More>>

ALSO:

• The Scoop Team - PM's Post-Cab Conference 18/2/19: China Relations, DigiTax
• Greens - It’s time for Google and Facebook to pitch in like the rest
• NZ Taxpayers' Union - Tax on internet giants must be revenue neutral
• BusinessDesk - Tax Working Group's capital gains proposal keenly awaited

Gordon Campbell: On The Anti-Corbyn Split In British Labour

The resignation of seven UK Labour MPs in protest against the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn is another example of the centre-left’s readiness to sabotage its own cause... More>>

Scoop 3.0 Update & Membership Sale: The End Of ‘Objectivity’ In Journalism

2019 looks like it might well be another really bad, terrible, not so good year for the traditional journalism model globally... on the positive side, smaller independent players with innovative digital models and a more open approach like our ScoopPro service look likely to be more relevant than ever. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZME targets positive earnings from paywall in 2 years

Gordon Campbell: On America’s ‘Green New Deal’

‘Socialism’ is more of a political scare word than an objective condition. Even in the US, as Nate Silver’s 538 website pointed out this week there is polling evidence that modern Americans are inclined to treat socialism as meaning ‘equality’ rather than the ‘government ownership or control’ that Americans understood the term to mean back in the 1940s... More>>

Gordon Campbell: On Listening To Ocasio-Cortez About Tax

In its attitudes to tax, New Zealand has been the last colonial outpost of Thatcherism. Change, however, may be in the air. More>>

ALSO:

• Gordon Campbell - Gordon Campbell on National’s tax handouts
• BusinessDesk - Social spending and productivity may be related

Gordon Campbell: On The Nelson Fire And Climate Change

The Nelson fire has been a useful warning of things to come, given how climate change will (a) increase the likelihood of reduced rainfall and drought-like conditions in many parts of New Zealand, which – obviously – will raise (b) the fire danger and (c) the cost of providing the communities at risk with the enhanced firefighting capabilities that they’re going to need. More>>

ALSO:

• RNZ - Tasman fire: Last remaining fire evacuees on the way home - State of emergency in the Tasman region extended - Winds sink Tasman residents' hopes of returning home
• NZ Police - UPDATE: Nelson fires investigation - Nelson fires: Police appeal for man to come forward - UPDATE 16/2/19: Nelson fires - Nelson fires update – conditional re-entry for Golden Hills - UPDATE: Nelson fires – Conditional re-entry for Residents - Tasman fires - two believed deliberately lit - Friday morning update from Police - Nelson fires - Pigeon Valley residents asked to leave their homes
• Wellington.Scoop - Wakefield residents go home, but 25 fire crews keep working all night
• The Scoop Team - PM's Post-Cabinet Press Conference 11/2/19: Fires Response
• NZ Govt - Enhanced Taskforce Green for Nelson Tasman District - MSD support for those affected by Nelson Tasman fires
• National - Refund RUC charges on Nelson Fires Hay Convoy - Business support fund sought for the Nelson fires
• MSD - Gov Helpline for people affected by Nelson/Tasman fires
• NZ Police - Visits to Wakefield residents - Decision to extend state of emergency - Evacuated Wakefield residents able to return home
• Ministry For Primary Industries - Tasman Fires Animal Welfare Update - Animals start to return home - Tasman fires: MPI and SPCA animal welfare update
• MetService - The hot, dry weather continues
• Greenpeace NZ - Nelson fires "tip of the ice sheet"
• Department of Conservation - Fire risk being closely monitored in the South Island
• Fire and Emergency NZ - Fire and Emergency asks for vigilance due to fire risk
• Image Sentinel 3 satellite on Feb 7, via - @CopernicusEU on Twitter

Gordon Campbell: On The Anti-Corbyn Split In British Labour

The resignation of seven UK Labour MPs in protest against the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn is another example of the centre-left’s readiness to sabotage its own cause ... More>>

Gordon Campbell: On Why We Shouldn’t Support The US-Led Coup In Venezuela

There’s a decidedly retro feel to the US-engineered coup now unfolding in Venezuela, which looks like a throwback to the 1950s, back when the US could overthrow any country (Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954) that posed a problem (or presented an opportunity) for US corporate interests. More>>

ALSO:

• The Scoop Team - PM's Post-Cabinet Press Conference 29/1/19: Low Finance
• RNZ - Australia supports Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido (and NZ stays out of it) - What you need to know about the latest crisis in Venezuela
• National - New Zealand must support democracy in Venezuela
• ACT - Ardern’s silence on Venezuela telling
• Maria Ayala - Open Letter to Rt. Hon. Winston Peters
• United Nations - UN calls for dialogue to ease tensions in Venezuela - Solidarity Needed to Overcome Attacks on Venezuela Refugees - Venezuela: At least 20 dead, situation could rapidly spiral
• Binoy Kampmark - Everybody Else’s Business: Coup Fever in Venezuela
• Jim Miles - Canada and Huawei; Canada and Venezuela
• Access Now - Social media shutdown in Venezuela a warning
• Paul Martin - Venezuelan Madness

The Gili Islands: A Community Earthquake Recovery Effort

Joseph Cederwall travelled to the Gili Islands in October 2018 to talk to locals about their experiences of the event and witness the impact and the rebuild efforts on this unique ecotourism destination. More>>

Gordon Campbell: On The Ongoing Carnage In Gaza

The past month has devoted a lot of space to the best music and films of 2018, and far less to the past year’s human rights violations. The under-reporting on the ongoing carnage in Gaza has been a case in point. More>>

ALSO:

• Ramzy Baroud - When Bolsonaro and Netanyahu Are ‘Brothers’

New Report: Refugees In PNG Being Pushed To The Brink

Refugee Council of Australia and Amnesty International paint a stark picture of a traumatised refugee population hit hard by Australia's recent healthcare and counselling service cuts, as well as continued threats to their safety. More>>

ALSO:

• Amnesty International - Australian and PNG leaders must act urgently to save lives

Howard Davis: The Helicopter View From Space Yoga Studio

Written in Sanskrit at some point between the second century BCE and the fourth century CE, Patanjali's classic definition of the purpose of yoga has been translated in a number of different ways, but they all boil down to essentially the same message - the calming or quieting of “mental fluctuations.” More>>

Joseph Cederwall Review: NZSO Plays Bach And Ellington

The NZSO’s Shed Series returned for 2019 with the aptly titled REBIRTH at Shed 6. This theme dealt with the way in which music constantly evolves and changes, with styles and musical periods reborn in completely new and different ways. More>>

Howard Davis Review: Voulez-Vous Couchez Avec Moi? - C'est Chic, Ça Colette!

Starring the ravishingly vibrant Keira Knightley in the title role, Colette is a fairly pedestrian paint-by numbers biopic - which is a little disappointing, given that its cross-dressing and pansexual protagonist lead anything but a dull life. More>>

Wellington Repertory Theatre: New Season Includes Royal Hunt of The Sun

“The objective behind our ambitious 2019 season is to expand our offering to a broader range of Wellingtonians. It’s the first time in over a decade that we’ve produced four shows, and the first time we will be performing at the Hannah Payhouse,” says Oliver Mander, WRT’s President. More>>

Howard Davis Review: The Revenants - They Shall Not Grow Old

Jackson has toiled laboriously in the trenches of the digital revolution for decades, with his two turgid Tolkien trilogies constantly pushing the envelope in terms of computer-generated entertainment and providing his latest project with sufficient combat experience to warrant serious Oscar consideration for its remarkable technical achievements. More>>

Unseen Let It Be Footage: Peter Jackson Making "The Ultimate Beatles Film"

Jackson's new film will be compiled from fifty-five hours of never-released studio footage of The Beatles recording their final album Let It Be in January 1969. More>>