Budget 2010 Daily News Alert - Thurs, May 27, 2010

In this edition: John Minto and Bill English opine, Tom Frewen reports from the house, Trans Tasman congratulates Key and BusinessWire covers the IMF's critique. And much much more...

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BUSINESSWIRE
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Businesswire - Drop deficits faster, IMF tells government
May 27 (BusinessWire) - New Zealand has weathered the global financial crisis well, but needs to cut government spending and projected deficits faster than currently planned to give the country an adequate cushion, given the risks that the global ...
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1005/S00835.htm

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TRANS TASMAN
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NZ Budget: Agriculture And Science Gain In Budget Focused On Tax
Agriculture Minister David Carter didn’t have much new to announce in the Budget even though his statement says primary sector investment is being prioritised. The Budget was light on explicit new initiatives. KPMG Agribusiness lead partner Ian Proudfoot says there was a lack of tangible support for irrigation other than $1.6m for Community Irrigation Fund grants. The Budget also lacks new funding for rural broadband.
http://www.nzagri-business.co.nz/home/free-articles/nz-budget-agriculture-and-science-gain-in-budget-focused-on-tax.html

Political Leadership: Key Shows The Steel In His Leadership
John Key has often baffled his opponents, and even commentators, with his style of leadership. Nothing ever seems to faze him. Critics who would like to write him off as a lightweight tried on a dismissive nickname “Smile & Wave.” But if anyone doubted there’s steel at the core, they have only to look at his decision to lower the boom on the proposed Tuhoe deal. He risked alienating not just Tuhoe, but other iwi, and the Maori Party, and may even have damaged the mana of the Crown’s own negotiators. He had to make it clear even though the Govt wants to settle Treaty grievances by 2014, it won’t be at any price. The Govt has to be careful settlements don’t become so generous they risk new demands from iwi who have already reached settlements, for top-ups.
http://transtasman.co.nz/home/free-articles/political-leadership-key-shows-the-steel-in-his-leadership.html

Economic Planning: A Skills Agenda For Prosperity
The NZ Institute’s latest recipe for boosting NZ’s economic fortunes is boosting skills. It says labour productivity - output per hour worked - is the most significant driver of a nation’s GDP per capita. NZ performs relatively poorly on measures of labour productivity, ranking 22nd of 30 OECD countries, whereas Aust ranks 13th. The NZ Institute’s work on economic opportunities has identified a range of skill development priorities to support such a high-skills strategy.
http://www.themainreport.co.nz/home/free-articles/economic-planning-a-skills-agenda-for-prosperity.html

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SCOOPS
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Tom Frewen - Tom Frewen: Today In Parliament 27.10.09
Russell Norman's Kiwibank question boomerangs back across the chamber. Nick Smith calls Pete Hodgson a "sewer rat" for implying the prime minister's blind trust conceals conflicts of interest. Senior Citizens Minister John Carter is questioned about outcomes ...
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1005/S00227.htm

John Minto - Budget pays to enrich the wealthy
Any rational discussion of the budget we might have hoped for was drowned out in a self-congratulatory chorus of government ministers and business leaders supported by largely uncritical media commentary.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1005/S00216.htm

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POLITICS
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New Zealand Government - English: Focus on Finance - Budget 2010
Last week I delivered my second Budget. Whereas the focus of Budget 2009 was dealing with the immediate effects of the global recession, Budget 2010 is about positioning New Zealand for faster, sustainable economic growth.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00475.htm

Progressive Party - Kiwibank will get downgraded if sold
Mums and Dads borrowing to buy their own home will pay more mortgage interest if the government doesn't stop talking about selling Kiwibank.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00472.htm

The Maori Party - Appropriation (2010/2011 Estimates) Bill
The Maori population is a young population, the median age barely reaching 23 years, compared to 36.4 years in the total population.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00441.htm

Office of the Clerk - Questions and Answers - 27 May 2010
Banks, Australian-owned—Dividends Sent Offshore Over Last 5 Years; Public Sector—Spending Relative to Economy; State-owned Enterprises—Future Sale; Budget 2010—Environmental Initiatives and Bluegreen Vision
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00467.htm

New Zealand Labour Party - Job Ops rule change not fair on young workers
Changes in the Budget that apply a 90-day trial period to the Government’s Job Opportunities scheme will expose out of work young people to unnecessary exploitation, Labour’s Associate spokesperson for Labour Darien Fenton says.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00466.htm

New Zealand Labour Party - Budget short-changes Pasifika students
Cuts to tertiary education funding in the 2010 Budget will hit Pasifika students harder than most other groups, says Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00456.htm

New Zealand Labour Party - Bulk funding through the back door
New Zealanders continue to reject the idea of bulk funding our schools, says Labour’s spokesperson for Education Trevor Mallard.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00455.htm

Office of the Clerk - Questions for Oral Answer - 27 May 2010
# Dr RUSSEL NORMAN to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the total amount of dividend payments sent offshore to the Australian owners of ASB, ANZ National, Westpac, and the BNZ over the last five years; if so, what is this ...
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00454.htm

Office of the Clerk - Questions and Answers - 26 May 2010
Budget 2010—Tax Changes; Kiwibank—Privatisation; Kiwibank—Privatisation; Budget 2010—Investment in Schools; Long-term Fiscal Track—Sustainability; Treaty of Waitangi Settlements—Disposal of Surplus Assets by Tertiary Institutions
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00447.htm

Progressive Party - Agriculture not mentioned says Anderton
“Have farmers finally got the message from John Key’s National government? He’s not interested in farming and can barely bring himself to pay lip service to the sector,” says Jim Anderton MP for Wigram.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00446.htm

ACT New Zealand - Why Start Only To Stop?
ACT New Zealand Climate Change Spokesman John Boscawen today welcomed the Government’s announcement that it is prepared to reverse the ETS if there is a lack of international progress on climate change measures.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00445.htm

New Zealand Government - Capital Market recommendations progressing well
Commerce Minister Simon Power today released a progress report on the Government’s response to the Capital Market Development Taskforce. Last December, the taskforce made 60 recommendations as part of a blueprint for the development of capital markets.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00433.htm

New Zealand Government - Budget good news for superannuitants
Budget 2010 is good news for those receiving New Zealand Superannuation, Minister for Senior Citizens John Carter says.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00431.htm

New Zealand Labour Party - Kiwibank CEO resignation's unanswered questions
Today’s shock resignation by Kiwibank’s outstanding chief executive Sam Knowles adds to unanswered questions following Finance Minister Bill English’s blunder last Friday about selling the bank, says Labour Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00427.htm

New Zealand Government - Green light on Primary Growth Partnership projects
Agriculture and Forestry Minister David Carter says New Zealand stands to benefit enormously from more than $45 million in government-industry partnerships announced today.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00425.htm

New Zealand Labour Party - Tobacco Tax was just another swindle
The Government has refused to boost resources for tobacco cessation and health promotion despite hitting smokers with an extra $200 million in taxes each year, Labour Associate Health spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway says.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1005/S00424.htm

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BUSINESS
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Business Council for Sustainable Development - Maori welcome tax cuts but disapprove of Budget
Maori support income tax cuts in the Budget, but disapprove of the Budget overall.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1005/S00311.htm

Workplace Savings - Budget's KiwiSaver moves welcomed
Workplace Savings NZ - the voice of workplace savings - says KiwiSavers will be relieved the tax changes approved following last week's Budget do not single out KiwiSaver for any major changes.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1005/S00857.htm

Future Forests - FFR welcomes funding for forest harvesting
The Government’s allocation of new Primary Growth Partnership funding to improve forest harvesting technology has huge potential to benefit the New Zealand economy and make logging safer for workers on the ground.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1005/S00806.htm

Rural Women New Zealand - NZ Emissions Trading Scheme
Rural Women New Zealand members have today called on the Government to delay implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1005/S00805.htm

Federated Farmers - The ETS’ cost ‘Unmerry-Go-Round’ from the PM down
Federated Farmers is challenging the Government to put up its costs on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for independent scrutiny. In the space of four days, the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Climate Change, have all advanced different ...
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1005/S00792.htm

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OTHER
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SPCA - Government Funding Will Save More Animals
The new government funding for the inspectorate of the Royal New Zealand SPCA will be put to good use preventing the suffering and saving the lives of many more animals said CEO, Robyn Kippenberger.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1005/S00312.htm

New Zealand Medical Students' Assn - Budget likely to worsen Kiwi doctor shortage
Medical students are concerned that government changes to fees will have a significant impact on New Zealand’s health workforce in years to come.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1005/S00131.htm

Association of University Staff - TEU Tertiary Update Vol 13 No 19
Court tells TOPNZ its 34 hour weeks for union members The Employment Court has found that a staff member at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand who subsequently joined the union was entitled to work 34 weekly duty hours as specified in the collective ... MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1005/S00127.htm

NZEI - Govt Should Come Clean on Real Costs of ECE Cuts
The education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa is challenging the government to come clean on what cuts to early childhood education will really mean for young children and their families.
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1005/S00119.htm

Rethinking Crime and Punishment - Time to Move on from Three Strikes
“The Three Strikes legislation is a permanent blot on our judicial landscape – but we must not get foxed into litigating it repeatedly in the media, and diverting attention from the issues that are creating crime in the community”, said Kim Workman, ...
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1005/S00292.htm

Federated Farmers - The ETS’ cost ‘Unmerry-Go-Round’ from the PM down
Federated Farmers is challenging the Government to put up its costs on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) for independent scrutiny. In the space of four days, the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Climate Change, have all advanced different ...
MORE >> http://scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1005/S00291.htm

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