NZ Politics Daily: 7 April (liberation)

Politicos everywhere will be saddened by the demise of both the New Zealand Press Association and the TVNZ7 channel. Both private and public sectors seem to have problems sustaining quality media – and it appears to be a problem under both Labour and National governments. The must-read commentary on the NZPA news is by Karl du Fresne – see: A seriously retrograde step. David Farrar also pays appropriate tribute to the strengths of NZPA’s parliamentary reporting in his blog post, Fairfax kills NZPA. The Press has a good backgrounder on the problems inherent in the TVNZ digital strategy set up by the last Labour Government – see: New era in television, and Derek Cheng has some vaguely good news in his story, Radio NZ service is safe for now.

The almost multi-partisan approach to media in this country also appears to apply to company bailouts. The National Government’s rescue of AMI insurance appears at this stage to be supported across the political spectrum (perhaps with the exception of Act). As Newstalk ZB’s Felix Marwick said on Twitter, ‘We’re all socialists now’. Although Imperator Fish suggests that it’s not really socialism, but corporate welfare, and the sector is in dire need of greater regulation – see: Here Comes Another Bailout. And Quentin Findlay gives a bit of backgrounder in Kiwi state involvement in insurance, and calls for on-going nationalisation in the sector – see: Nationalisation is not a Dirty Word. The best overall coverage of the bailout is in the Stuff article (of 4 pages), Quake-hit AMI insurance bailout could cost $1 billion. And Jenni McManus provides a useful summary, A history of bailouts.

On the issue of the general economic management of the Government, John Armstrong gives National a very strong serve in Age of Austerity? We’re still spending on plastic? Brian Fallow has a must-read column, Wrong time to focus on long-term woes in which he questions the logic of National’s cost cutting during a recession. Pattrick Smellie’s Our children and accounts deserve better is also worth a read.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere, David Farrar usefully details all the Maori MPs in Parliament – now 21 out of 122 – and has some sensible ideas about the future of the Maori seats - Two more Maori MPs. Jon Johansson outlines the problems with the Supplementary Member electoral system that the opponents of MMP will push for in the upcoming referendum - Prepare for the SM onslaught, and I’ve got a short blog post entitled A return of the old left-right divide?. [Continue reading below for a full list of the highlights of NZ Politics Daily]

Below are the internet links to all the NZ politics material from the last 24 hours that are either informative, insightful, interesting or influential. This list and the links are taken from a fuller document, NZ Politics Daily, which is emailed out, Monday to Friday, to various researchers, academics, journalists, MPs and so forth. The document is purely for research purposes only, and if you would like to be on the subscription list, please email: [email protected]

Decline of media and public broadcasting

NZH: NZPA closing after 132 years

Dom Post: News agency NZPA to close

ODT: NZPA future uncertain after Fairfax withdrawal notice

Karl du Fresne: A seriously retrograde step

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Fairfax kills NZPA

Kiwipolitico: NZPA no more

The Dim Post: RIP NZPA

Derek Cheng (NZH): Axe falls on last public service channel

Tracy Watkins (Dom Post): TVNZ 7 to get the chop

NZPA: TVNZ requested further funding for closing channel

The Press: New era in television