Dawn chorus: A big week for our climate and Covid plans

TLDR & TLDL: Maranga Mai! I’ll be focused this week on the IPCC’s big new report due at 8pm tonight NZT that is expected to show our climate is warming faster than expected, which will ramp up the pressure on countries such as New Zealand to increase climate emissions reductions ahead of the Glasgow climate conference in November.

Our Government is in the final stages of setting our emissions plan and effectively responding to the Climate Commission’s challenge in its May 31 advice on how to get to carbon zero. The political pressure is intense, as evidenced by the blowback to the idea of a second harbour crossing for cyclists and the campaign against the ‘ute tax’ in the just-launched feebate scheme.

I’ll also be focused this week on Thursday morning’s public release of the Sir David Skegg panel report on the pathway(s) to open up the borders as the vaccination programme progresses. Key issues to watch will be the various vaccination thresholds required to open up, whether and how MIQ might be expanded or times reduced, when children might be vaccinated and what future lockdowns might look like.

Elsewhere in the news: Look out below too for the latest on National’s conference on the weekend. President Peter Goodfellow was re-elected, but board member David Carter resigned in protest and said he had no confidence in Goodfellow. Also, there was a new poll showing almost half of National voters want Judith Collins to go and Chris Bishop acknowledged he hadn’t wanted to vote against Labour’s conversion therapy bill.

Judith Collins now says she now wants National to focus on the big issues such as housing, after months of talking mostly about He Puapua. Photo: The Kaka

In the global political economy, US jobs growth was in line with expectations on Friday night, but there are renewed concerns the delta outbreaks will slow global economic growth this year. Australian economists are now seeing a chance of a double-dip recession across the Tasman.

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Signs o’ the times news

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

Out of National Party voters, 47.9 percent say yes, Collins should be replaced and just 35.6 percent say no.

newshub.co.nzNewshub-Reid Research Poll shows nearly half of National voters think Judith Collins should be replaced as leaderFormer PM Sir John Key isn’t convinced she’ll hold onto the job for the next election.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

Carter doesn't believe National can "revive its chances" while Goodfellow remains at the helm.

rnz.co.nzDavid Carter resigns from National Party board with ‘zero confidence’ in GoodfellowFormer Speaker and Cabinet minister David Carter says he has “zero confidence” in re-elected National Party President, Peter Goodfellow, after abruptly resigning from the board.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

And now the pivot. ‘Collins made only fleeting mention of the He Puapua report. She instead said National would continue the "demand the debate" campaign with a focus on lifting incomes, growing technology and building houses.’

rnz.co.nzCollins signals focus shift to ‘big issues’ in conference speechNational leader Judith Collins has used a speech to party members to signal a shift in focus away from race matters and on to seven “big issues” facing New Zealanders.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

In which Cabinet sided with Treasury’s concerns $50 was too expensive… $50/week boost in benefits was rejected for Budget

rnz.co.nz$50/week boost in benefits was rejected for BudgetCabinet ministers considered giving beneficiaries a full $50 a week boost in this year’s Budget, just-released documents reveal.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

A plea for leafy suburb & “some trees” to be exempt from new housing density rules. “It’s the site of the earliest European settlement in Christchurch. The area is a treasure. Imagine multi-storey buildings overlooking these landmarks.”

stuff.co.nzPlea for leafy suburb to be exempt from new housing density rulesNeighbourhoods will be destroyed if new government rules to increase housing density are widely implemented, concerned residents say.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

The rule changes meant companies such as Waitomo would find it easier to shop around for fuel and that had already led to some approaches from alternative suppliers

stuff.co.nzPetrol market about to become more competitive, Waitomo and NPD predictKey rule changes flowing from ComCom’s market study into the fuel market will kick in from Thursday.

Bernard Hickey @bernardchickey

Larry Page has a net worth of NZ$169b and bought residency in Aotearoa for NZ$10m. The same as someone with a net worth of NZ$169,000 spending $10 to become a resident. Fair?

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Useful longer reads and listens

Bernard Hickey @bernardchickey

Here's a piece I did on Saturday on ABC's @RadioNational with @GeraldineDoogue and @SaulEslake focused on the @NZHumanRights' inquiry into breaches of NZ's human rights commitments. Are skyrocketing house prices a wellness issue?

abc.net.auAre skyrocketing house prices a wellness issue?With house prices skyrocketing in Australia and New Zealand, the Human Rights Commission in NZ has called an inquiry into the impacts. So, do aspirations around home ownership need change, or does government need to pull more levers to re-align pricing with wages?

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

This IPCC report out tonight is expected to include a chapter on methane

bbc.co.ukClimate change: New report will highlight ‘stark reality’ of warmingThe IPCC’s short scientific summary due out on Monday will be strongest statement yet on climate change.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

We’re not the only ones with a visa programme for ‘special’ ones. ‘Rizvi warned the global talent visa undermines every other skill stream visa as it is more flexible, while the “lack of legal criteria leaves it much more exposed to the risk of cronyism”

smh.com.auSkilled workers locked out of Australia as ‘global talent’ visas surgeThe federal government has issued more than 12,000 of its controversial new “global talent” visas during the pandemic, while nearly 19,000 existing holders of previously issued skilled visas have remained stuck offshore.

bernardchickeysubscribers @bernardchickey2

Sadly, unintended consequences of a well-meaning policy choice.

reut.rsSpecial Report: How a little-known G7 task force unwittingly helps governments target criticsIn late 2020, when Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni faced a fresh challenge to his 35-year rule, a new tool helped to silence his critics: anti-money laundering legislation promoted by the G7.

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Some fun and heartwarming things

Buitengebieden @buitengebieden_

Twitter needs this..

Raphael Rashid @koryodynasty

"Jang Yeong-jin's remarkable story as North Korea's only openly gay defector was covered by the international media after he published his autobiography. Now [...] he tells the BBC that he plans to marry his American boyfriend."

bbc.comNorth Korea’s ‘only openly gay defector’ finds loveJang Yeong-jin fled North Korea to escape a loveless marriage. Now he is engaged to his boyfriend.

Ka kite anō

Bernard