Christchurch Mental Health: Hospital Too 'Awful' For Reviewers To Visit

Jonathan Coleman has to stop the stalling over a new building for mental health services in Christchurch to replace the quake damaged Princess Margaret Hospital, says Labour’s Health spokesperson David Clark... More>>

ALSO:

• Out-Link - Christchurch's Princess Margaret Hospital too 'awful' for government reviewers to visit | Stuff.co.nz
• Treasury v CDHB - Canterbury GP teams stand with their hospital colleagues
• Association of Salaried Medical Specialists - Government message to DHB heads: ‘Keep quiet or else’

Greens Call For Govt Action: Children Sick Because Of NZ Housing

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians president-elect said today that children with preventable respiratory illnesses are being re-admitted to hospital because they're being sent back to cold, damp homes. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Land regulation drives Auckland house prices
• Labour - Homelessness National’s disgraceful legacy
• ACT - National slammed by its own report on housing red tape
• ActionStation - ActionStation & Renters United Launch Campaign for Renters
• Massey University - Home Affordability Declines in Most Regions

Less Tax Cut, More Spending: Labour Launches Fiscal Plan

“Labour will invest $8 billion more in health, $4 billion more in education and $5 billion more for Kiwi families through Working for Families, Best Start and the Winter Energy Payment than the Budget 2017 projections for the forecast period.” More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - Labour's alternative Budget reprioritises $17bn - Labour to Target $600M in Unpaid Taxes from Multinationals
• Labour - Labour secures the future for NZ Super - Multinationals must pay fair share of tax
• National - Labour playing catch-up on multi-national tax
• NZ First - Only One Party Can Be Trusted on NZ Super
• ACT - Labour’s fiscal plan opens door for lolly scramble
• CTU - Labour’s fiscal plan offers good alternative for workers
• NZEI - Labour's $4 billion education fix just what children need

Superu Report: Land Regulation Drives Auckland House Prices

Land use regulation is responsible for up to 56 per cent of the cost of an average house in Auckland according to a new research report quantifying the impact of land use regulations, Finance Minister Steven Joyce says. More>>

ALSO:

• ACT - National slammed by its own report on housing red tape

Fletcher Whittled: Fletcher Dumps Adamson In Face Of Dissatisfaction

Fletcher Building has taken the unusual step of dumping its chief executive, Mark Adamson, as the company slashed its full-year earnings guidance and flagged an impairment against Australian assets. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZX to investigate Fletcher Building after company dumps CEO - 14 July Former Fletcher construction boss Darlow forfeits stake

No More Dog Docking: New Animal Welfare Regulations Progressed

“These 46 regulations include stock transport, farm husbandry, companion and working animals, pigs, layer hens and the way animals are accounted for in research, testing and teaching.” More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Veterinary Association - Vet Association welcomes new animal welfare regulations - NZVA thrilled with hard-fought end to tail docking

Scoop HiveMind: Making Housing Affordable – Let’s Crack It

Welcome to our second interactive HiveMind exploration on the topic of housing affordability. This is an opportunity for you to think about and share your perspectives on this issue and what, if anything, needs to be done... More>>

ALSO:

• The Nation - Housing Panel
• Jan Rivers - Housing as a Human Rights issue
• Gordon Campbell - The lessons of the London tower block fire
• Science Media Centre - SMC ALERT: Future of Housing - Expert Q
• TVNZ - Future of Kiwi Lifestyle Discussed in ‘What Next?’
• NZ Govt - Over 1000 new transitional housing places - Three Kings housing development agreement welcomed - Nelson Housing Accord extended
• Labour - Nats’ HAM-fisted housing crisis denial - Labour will get tough on slum boarding houses - Horowhenua District Council being economic with the truth - Councils step up as Nats drop the ball on housing crisis
• ACT - Mayoral Housing Taskforce adopts three ACT policies
• Auckland Council - Taskforce Report recommends major changes to housing
• Marlborough District Council - Government purchase of motel for emergency accommodation
• Salvation Army - Winter is Coming: Salvation Army sees thousands in new need
• Child Poverty Action Group - CPAG asks, what’s changed since Park Up For Homes?
• REINZ - NZ house prices increasing, led by strong regional growth
• Trade Me Property - The brakes are being applied to the NZ property market
• Joint Church Leaders - Churches tell PM: Housing security essential for communities
• NZ Property Institute - Property Institute welcomes Mayoral Housing Report
• Greg McKeown - Three Kings Quarry: agreement between rock and hard place
• Chris Barfoot - How to Solve the Housing Crisis – A Less than Honest Process
• Bayley's Real Estate - Dual anchor tenancies provide stable platform
• Ian Shirley - National’s ‘super city’ for Auckland is not working
• Green Building Council - Green homes rise 10-fold in New Zealand since 2015

Gordon Campbell: On The EU’s Beef With Google

There’s every indication that Google would be on a losing wicket if it chooses to fight the European Union competition watchdogs, who have just levied a $3.3 billion fine on the firm – with the prospect of worse to come if Google doesn’t quickly change the anti-competitive practices at the heart of a court battle that’s been seven years in the making. More>>

ALSO:

• Binoy Kampmark - The European Commission, Google and Anti-Competition

Gordon Campbell: On The Limits Of Political Loyalty

In the wake of the Comey testimony, one of Donald Trump’s White House defenders has claimed in her boss’s defence: “The President is not a liar.” There’s a sense in which the White House is right. Trump isn’t a liar so much. He’s really a bullshitter. More>>

Victory Declared: New Stabilisation Funding From NZ As Mosul Is Retaken

New Zealand has congratulated the Iraqi government on the successful liberation of Mosul from ISIS after a long and hard-fought campaign. More>>

Gordon Campbell: On The Current US Moves Against North Korea

If Martians visited early last week, they’d probably be scratching their heads as to why North Korea was being treated as a potential trigger for global conflict... More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - North Korea missile tests unacceptable - Speech: Mitchell - Shangri-La Dialogue
• BusinessDesk - While you were sleeping: North Korea unnerves stocks
• United Nations - UN Sec-Gen on DPRK
• NZ DPRK Society - Missiles are Acceptable Everywhere – Except North Korea

Gordon Campbell: On The Lessons From Corbyn’s Campaign

Leaving partisan politics aside – and ignoring Jeremy Corbyn’s sensational election campaign for a moment – it has to be said that Britain is now really up shit creek... More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - NZD holds near 3-month high vs pound on May's minority govt
• Earlier - Gordon Campbell on the twists in the UK election
• NZ Govt - PM congratulates Theresa May
• United Future - Dunne Speaks: The Return of "Overseasia"
• The Nation - Lisa Owen interviews Ben Bland
• TVNZ - Q+A: Sir Lockwood Smith interviewed by Corin Dann
• Binoy Kampmark - Jeremy Corbyn’s Surge
• Socialist Aotearoa - Corbyn, Labour & Socialism - Where now for the left?

Howard Davis: 'Dunkirk'

The British have an extraordinary penchant for celebrating catastrophic military defeats. It is not only the Battle of Hastings, the Charge of the Light Brigade, and Gallipoli that have become immortalized in prose, poetry, and movies ...
More>>

Conservation: Gecko Stolen From DOC Visitor Centre

A long-term resident at the Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre has been stolen. The Marlborough green gecko was reported missing on 19 July. More>>

Scoop Review Of Books: Rare Ingredients

When I heard Kiazim was publishing a cookbook, I jumped at the opportunity... I was back in New Zealand, but how hard could it be to create Turkish-Cypriot cuisine on the opposite side of the world? Well, it turns out — pretty damn hard. More>>