Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, September 30:
Over 35,000 people marched in Dunedin on Saturday to protest against the Government’s plans to downgrade the new hospital being built there.
In the scoop of the day, Labour’s internal polling shows the left bloc just two percentage points behind the Government, Chris Hipkins told Henry Cooke in The Post-$$$.
In the deep-dive of the day, Ganesh Nana explains to Jack Tame on Q+A why Government debt is much less worrying than private debt.
In solutions news, Chris Penk has announced building consent authority reforms and plans to shift final liability for building defects away from councils.
In quote of the day, one of the 35,000 marchers in Dunedin explains their opposition to the Government.
In chart of the day, the UK closes down its last coal-fired power plant, while New Zealand is still burning over a million tonnes a year to generate electricity.
(There is more detail, analysis and links to documents below the paywall fold and in the podcast above for paying subscribers. If we get over 100 likes we’ll open it up for public reading, listening and sharing.)
1. The Government just alienated the South Island
More than one in four people from Dunedin marched on Saturday to protest against the Government’s breaking of its promise to build full-sized new hospital that could cope with future growth.
Dunedin may be a Labour stronghold, but it is surrounded by National electorates and the protest was arranged and promoted by Dunedin’s conservative mayor and the conservative ODT.
2. Scoop of the day: ‘Just two points behind’
Labour leader Chris Hipkins told Henry Cooke via The Post-$$$ that polling done for the party by Talbot Mills showed the left bloc of Labour-Green-Te Pāti Maori was just two percentage points behind National-ACT-NZ First in its latest polls.
That is much closer than the gap indicated in other recent polls - which range from 12.7 percentage points in the Taxpayers’ Union/Curia poll to 5.2 percentage points in the Talbot Mills corporate poll. (Talbot Mills is Labour’s pollster, but the poll leaked earlier this month was for its corporate clients - not the party.)
“They have the gap between the centre-right and the centre-left at about 2% right. Which means that it’s very close,” Hipkins said.
The Sunday Star-Times verified that his description of the polling was accurate. Henry Cooke via The Post-$$$
3. Deep Dive of the day: ‘Public debt is not the problem’
4. Solutions news: Removing council liability
Building Minister Chris Penk announced proposals over the weekend for reform of the Building Consent Authority system to consolidate dozens of council-run authorities into one-stop-shops able to consent homes from larger-scale national builders. He also announced the Government would look to remove or shift final liability for defects away from councils.
As part of this work the Government will be looking at liability settings across the whole building system.
“Under the current settings, councils and their ratepayers are liable for defective work. Joint and several liability means councils can be ‘the last person standing’ available to foot the bill when things go wrong. This creates a highly conservative and risk averse approach, which contributes cost and draws out deadlines.” Chris Penk announcement.
5. Quote of the day: A city speaks
"I had a dad who waited in agony for knee surgery for five years, so to hear they are going to downsize (the hospital) is absolutely appalling."Joanna Inch, Fairfield via ODT
6. Chart of the day: UK stops burning coal
Meanwhile, NZ burned 1.6 million tonnes of coal in the year to June 30
The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, September 30
Health: Minister of Health Shane Reti announced the Government would begin a business case for establishing a third medical school at the University of Waikato, following its "encouraging" initial cost-benefit analysis of the proposal. Reti said the medical school would focus on primary care.
Transport: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the Government will reverse Labour's speed limit reductions on local streets, arterial roads, and increase speed limits on new expressways to 120km/h. Brown said the concurrent increase in alcohol breath testing wOULD preserve road safety; the Green Party said lower speeds were shown in Auckland to reduce deaths and increase trip times by roughly 20 seconds on an average 20 minute journey. RNZ
Housing: Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk announced proposals to reduce the number of Building Consent Authorities, allowing councils to "group together to deliver building control functions.” The Government could also change liability settings, which currently mean that councils are liable for defective work. RNZ
Fishing: Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced the Government will change the catch limits on a number of fisheries, including pāua, snapper, and orange roughy. The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition said the catch limits on orange roughy aren't enough to allow their population to recover to within the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation's target levels.
Transport: Transport Minister Simeon Brown said geotechnical drilling, mapping, and surveying is now underway for the Warkworth to Te Hana phase of the Northland Expressway. The work is due to finish in January 2025.
Poverty: Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People commissioned an independent investigation into the deaths of four people in disability support care. Although Whaikaha gave no comment on the reason for the investigation, an Official Information Act request by RNZ found one support provider reported 32 deaths this year. Jane Carrigan said the investigation may be into this provider.
Cartoon of the day
Timeline cleansing nature pic of the day
Braided streams
Ka kite ano
Bernard
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