Briefly in Aotearoa’s political economy on Tuesday, January 27:
The Lead: A study for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) published this morning has found up to 25% of electricity use at the busiest and most expensive times could be shifted to off-peak times, saving $3 billion in generation and forgone infrastructure costs. See more detail and hear more analysis in the podcast above and below the paywall fold.
The Sidebar: W hen Parliament resumes at 2pm today, PM Christopher Luxon will face Opposition questions about the Government’s use of the Climate Emergency Response Fund to fund tax cuts, rather than to respond to climate disasters such as the last week’s devastating floods.
News elsewhere: The New Zealand dollar rose to almost 60 USc overnight as investors hunted for safe haven assets out of the United States, including gold and silver, which both rose to record highs overnight1 ; Public health expert Sir Collin Tukuitonga criticized Winston Peters’ support of Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the US withdrawal from the World Health Organisation as ‘reckless and irresponsible,’2; Donald Trump suggested he might pull some ICE agents out of Minneapolis and allow Minnesota police to investigate the murders of two protestors after talking to Governor Tim Walz3.
Chart Pack of the Day: A new RNZ-Reid Research poll released this morning has found support for NZ First up to a clear third place ahead of Green. Labour rose 0.7 of a point to 35% and National fell 0.6 of a point to 31.9%, but NZ First’s rise meant an election replicating the poll would see the Governing coalition win re-election with a one-seat majority.
Scoop of the Day: Phil Pennington reported for RNZ this morning geotechnical engineers told Tauranga City Council two decades ago that buildings should not be allowed in the "runout" zones of potential landslides without retaining walls.
Today’s Deep-dive of the Day is from Gareth Hutchens for Australia’s ABC on the success of the Atlas Network in shaping public debate for 70 years.
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