Newstalk ZB - Headlines 9am
Brain Drain - Proof this morning that our brain drain is as bad as the anecdotal evidence suggests. A Swiss based
surveyor has ranked countries by the number of well educated people who leave. New Zealand is near the bottom of the
list with five out of ten which suggests half our educated population is quitting the country. This ranking compares us
to Venezuela and China.
Energy Bill - Energy Minister Max Bradford is hinting there is little room for compromise on the Bill aimed at
controlling electricity line company prices. Labour will discuss the Bill at this morning’s caucus whether to support
the legislation. ACT is against the Bill. But Mr Bradford has knocked back the proposal by a select committee to
strengthen the existing Electricity Act to control charges by line and retail companies over things such as meter and
connection fees.
Mana No Excuse - Another verbal shot from the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Tuariki Delamere, this time at the
judiciary. Mr Delamere has already stirred up controversy over his call for quotas for Maori and Pacific Island people
in the workforce. Now he’s raised the issue of Judge Thomas Everit, who cited mana as a reason for discharging a man
charged with domestic assault. Mr Delamere says that is patronising and unacceptable.