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Environmental impacts of farming need fresh thinking

Geoff SimmonsOctober 20, 2016Environment

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s latest report is as enlightening and robust as ever, as we discussed yesterday. However, in some respects the report is a missed opportunity, mainly because of the Commissioner’s approach of producing stand-alone reports on … Read More

8 things you need to know about the PCE’s new report on agricultural greenhouse gases

Paul YoungOctober 19, 2016Environment

Today Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright launched her latest report, Climate change and agriculture: Understanding the biological greenhouse gases. The report aims to provide a fresh starting point for this important debate, which has up until now either … Read More

Supermarkets Sign Voluntary Healthy Eating Accord

Geoff SimmonsOctober 18, 2016Food, Health

Yesterday New Zealand’s top supermarket brands (including New World, Pak n Save, Four Square and Countdown) agreed to a voluntary accord to encourage healthy eating. This is a positive first step, and welcome recognition from these large companies that the … Read More

Fact Check: Have home insulation grants helped the poor?

Geoff SimmonsOctober 17, 2016Tax and Welfare

On today’s Morning Report the Prime Minister John Key put the home insulation grants in the top three things his Government is doing for the poor, alongside benefit increases and free doctor’s visits up to the age of 13. But … Read More

Will Farm Prices Fall? – Whiteboard Friday

Gareth MorganOctober 14, 2016Environment

This week we saw discussion around a report from Ag First economist Phil Journeaux which estimated that land values could fall by $40b across the country as environmental limits (such as limits on water use, nutrient leaching or greenhouse gases) … Read More

Judith Collins: Not Crushing the PC Brigade. Just (Mainly) Wrong

Jess Berentson-ShawOctober 13, 2016Tax and Welfare

Judith Collins happily chucked her “Non-PC” views into the supercharged arena that is the current debate on low-income low opportunity families in New Zealand. What she had to say contained elements of truth. And because the story that is often … Read More

Cheats Never Prosper

Geoff SimmonsOctober 12, 2016Environment

In a speech to the Environmental Defence Society Climate Change and Business Conference, the Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett said the Government is looking at measures to encourage more forests to be planted. This is tantamount to an admission of … Read More

What happens if interest rates go to zero? – Face to Face with Bernard Hickey

Gareth MorganOctober 11, 2016Economics

Finance Minister Bill English attended meetings at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank next week, and returned reaffirming the Government’s commitment to reducing public debt under 20% of GDP. He thinks that is the most prudent strategy in … Read More

Queenstown House Prices – Face to Face with Dave Armstrong

Gareth MorganOctober 10, 2016Uncategorized

Queenstown has the fastest rising house prices in the country. How do we ensure ordinary folk can afford to live there while protecting the views? We talk to playwright Dave Armstrong about his new play which explores these crunchy issues … Read More

How many homeless people are there in Aotearoa New Zealand?

Gareth MorganOctober 7, 2016Tax and Welfare

Every time homelessness hits the headlines, the statistics get challenged. The often quoted number is that there are 41,000 homeless people in Aotearoa New Zealand, which is a staggering 1 in every 100 people. Some claim this number is inflated … Read More