From The Hood: The Campaign Strategist’s Lament

"This election is a chance to really work the record of what nine years of National-led government has done to improve the country for everyone. Or will do. Another three years, maybe six. Thirty-three years, tops. You don’t want to risk that, do you? More>>

PSA Report: National Gets An ‘F’ For Health Funding

"Seeing National’s record on health collected in one place is quite sobering - it’s clear that underfunding is having dire consequences on both patients and staff, who are having to do more than ever with less," says Glenn Barclay, PSA national secretary. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - Another day – another health crisis - GP letter more evidence of failure in mental health - National’s health report card shows need for new plan - Apologise now Jonathan
• NZ Council of Trade Unions - Kiwis need a healthy health system
• E Tu - Government’s record on health funding a fail for members
• Royal Australian and NZ College of Psychiatrists - RANZCP calls for focus on mental health in NZ election
• YesWeCareNZ - Bereaved Mum gives National an F- on health
• Waikato DHB - Dave Macpherson on Baby's Death at Waikato Hospital
• ExerciseNZ - Major parties’ views on exercise and fitness
• Rural Health Alliance - No political party has answer for rural health crisis

Children With Disabilities: Education Crisis Unaddressed

In 2008 IHC lodged its complaint against the on-going failure of New Zealand Governments and the Ministry of Education to ensure that disabled children access a quality education on an equal basis to others in New Zealand schools. More>>

Fuel Leak: Refinery Prepares To Repair Damaged Pipeline

Refining NZ has confirmed that it is to start repairs on a section of its multi-product fuel pipeline which was shut down following a jet fuel leak last Thursday. More>>uption.htm">More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - Air NZ restricts ticket sales as Auck fuel shortage bite - MARKET CLOSE: NZ shares up, milk stocks Synlait, A2 gain - MBIE: Wiri terminal wouldn't have avoided pipeline woes - UPDATE: NZ Refining, Air NZ shares fall - NZ Refining says pipeline leak to hit revenue by up to $15m
• Wellington.Scoop - AirNZ cancels Wellington flights because of jet fuel shortage at Auckland Airport
• NZ Govt - Update on Marsden Point pipeline disruption - Update on Marsden Point pipeline disruption - Update on Marsden Point pipeline disruption - Update on Marsden Point pipeline disruption - Temporary disruption to Marsden Point pipeline
• Labour - Freight being shifted off planes as fuel crisis worsens - National has serious questions to answer over fuel crisis
• Greens - Fuel shortage highlights need for better public transport - Fuel Pipeline fiasco highlights problems in the sector - Fuel pipeline debacle puts environment at risk
• NZ First - Auckland Airport: is Foreign-Owned First Gas the Issue? - Cut Pipeline Proves Need for Rail Link to Marsden Point
• ACT - RMA prevented Marsden pipe upgrade
• Northland Regional Council - Pipeline rupture update #04 - Pipeline rupture update #03 - Pipeline rupture update #02 - Pipeline rupture
• Refining NZ - Pipeline repair: status update Sep 20 - Auckland Pipeline Repair: Status Update - Pipeline repair: status update - Pipeline repair: status update - Refining NZ - Pipeline repair: status update
• Airways NZ - Airways Tackles Fuel Shortage with Increased Conservation
• Z Energy - 95 octane fuel supply into Auckland
• BP NZ - All BP Fuels Available at-Pump
• BARNZ - Airlines work to mitigate impact of jet fuel shortage
• Auckland Airport - Tenporary Increase in Use of Smart Approach Flight Path - Auckland Airport responds to temporary fuel disruption
• Air NZ - Update Seven: Auckland fuel supply issue - All hands to the pump at Air New Zealand - Update 6: Auckland fuel supply issue - Update 5: Auckland fuel supply issue - Air NZ - Update 4: Auckland fuel supply issue - Update: Auckland fuel supply issue - Auckland fuel supply issue
• Mobil Oil NZ - Refinery to Auckland pipeline outage update - Refinery to Auckland pipeline outage update – Tuesday - Fuel industry managing refinery pipeline disruption
• Gull Petroleum - Gull Confirms Fuel Supplies Unaffected by Pipeline Outage
• Infrastructure NZ - New fuel pipeline unlikely to be solution
• Insurance Council - Travel insurance advisory: Jet fuel shortage
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Fuel shortage ultimately a failure to manage rapid growth
• RMTU - Poor Infrastructure Decision, National Running On Empty
• Trans Tasman - Pipelines And The Benefits Of Hindsight Vision
• E Tu - Government and Refining NZ to blame for “chaos” at airports

StatsNZ: Economy Grows 0.8% In June Quarter

“Strong export and domestic demand underpinned growth this quarter,” national accounts senior manager Gary Dunnet said. “Demand for exports has resulted in strong production growth in manufacturing and service industries.” More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - UPDATE: Economists unimpressed as GDP growth comes in - NZ's economy expands 0.8% in 2Q on export, domestic demand
• NZ Govt - Exports Underpin Strong Economic Growth
• Labour - Sluggish growth reflects nine years of drift from National
• NZ Council of Trade Unions - GDP figures not good enough

Stats NZ: Annual Net Migration Remains High

Annual net migration was 72,100 in the August 2017 year... Migrant arrivals reached 132,200, a new annual record, and migrant departures were 60,100 in the year ended August 2017. More>>

ALSO:

• BusinessDesk - Immigration outpaces New Zealanders leaving
• NZ First - Migrant Flood Continues Even Though Country Can’t Cope
• EMA - Addressing skills shortage vital

HiveMind Report: A Universal Basic Income For Aotearoa NZ

Results from this HiveMind suggests that an overwhelming majority of Kiwis believe that due to changing circumstances and inefficiencies in the current system, we need a better system to take care of welfare of struggling members in our society. More>>

ALSO:

• Out-Link - Eric Crampton on 95bFM about a universal basic income | The New Zealand Initiative

Scoop Hivemind: Medical Cannabis - Co-Creating A Policy For Aotearoa

Welcome to the fourth and final HiveMind for Scoop’s Opening the Election campaign for 2017. This HiveMind explores the question: what would a fair, humane and safe Medical Cannabis policy look like for Aotearoa, NZ in 2018? More>>

ALSO:

• Julie Anne Genter - Access to Safe, Affordable and Legal Medicinal Cannabis
• Shane Le Brun - Do We Really Need “Pharma Grade” Medical Cannabis?

Lyndon Hood: Notes On National’s Election Campaign, In Poem Form

Nationyl’s bitumen-ing / As they du du / Seed groweth / River floweth / Then ‘dozer drives thru / Highway ensu. More>>

Rohingya Muslims Massacred: Restrictions On Aid Put 1000s At Risk

Amnesty: The Myanmar authorities’ restrictions on international aid in Rakhine state is putting tens of thousands of lives at risk in a region where mainly Rohingya people are already suffering horrific abuses from a disproportionate military campaign. More>>

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - NZ assistance for Myanmar humanitarian crisis
• Amnesty International - Myanmar: Official response to Rakhine crisis unconscionable - Myanmar Ethnic Minorities Face Range of Violations
• International Muslim Association of NZ - Injustices on Minority Muslims in Myanmar
• Syed Atiq ul Hassan - Full blown ethnic cleansing wiping out Muslim Rohingyas
• Fortify Rights - Myanmar: End Attacks in Rakhine State, Protect Civilians - Fortify Rights on violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State - Thailand: Provide Legal Status, Protections for Refugees
• Joint Press Release - Effort needed to stop ethnic cleansing of Rohingya people
• Burma Taskforce - Burma Task Force Deplores Burmese Military Bombing

Werewolf: Gordon Campbell On North Korea, Neo-Nazism, And Milo

With a bit of luck the planet won’t be devastated by nuclear war in the next few days. US President Donald Trump will have begun to fixate on some other way to gratify his self-esteem – maybe by invading Venezuela or starting a war with Iran. More>>

ALSO:

• Binoy Kampmark - Unnerving the Donald: North Korea’s Sixth Nuclear Test
• NZ Govt - North Korea nuclear test utterly deplorable
• United Nations - UN Secretary-General on North Korea's Latest Nuclear Test
• CTBTO Preparatory Commission - CTBTO on the unusual seismic event detected in DRPK

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>>

Howard Davis Review: Mixed & Very Messy Metaphors - Darren Aronofsky's mother!

Paramount probably suspected mother! would provoke a strong response, but the studio surely never imagined this elevated psychological horror-thriller would receive an F CinemaScore from US moviegoers. More>>

Scoop Review Of Books: Trying To Disconnect

Solitude: In pursuit of a singular life in a crowded world. In one of the most revealing studies of the last decade, a team of University of Virginia psychologists set out to see how good undergraduates were at entertaining themselves... More>>

Rachel Pommeyrol Review: Anahera - Social Criticism, Through The Family Frame

The tragic event which seems to be central to the play is actually a pretext for its writer Emma Kinane to deal with a lot of complex social issues. Katie Wolfe, the director, manages to give life to these complex and contemporary stakes, while keeping a certain distance. More>>