The main issues in NZ politics today are Cunliffe's 'state of the nation speech' and 'baby bonus', education policy, and the Greens. [Read more below]
Today’s links
Cunliffe’s ‘State of the Nation’ speech
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Political Report: Lordey, what was Cunliffe thinking?
Dominion Post: Editorial: Bids open for election votes
Stacey Krik and Vernon Small (Stuff): Labour coy over tax hikes
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Political pay-back promises piling up
Dave Burgess, Cecile Meier, and Marta Steeman (Stuff): 'Middle-class welfare' cops flak
Peter Wilson and Dan Satherley (Newswire/TV3): Best Start policy will save money - Ardern
Will Matthews (Left Estate): Getting It Right
Claire Trevett (Herald): Baby bonus aims to cut child poverty
Radio NZ: Govt accuses Labour of starting election lolly scramble
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Target the needy for help, says mum
Laura McQuillan and Sophia Duckor-Jones (Newstalk ZB): Labour leader defends "baby bonus"
Stuff: Fears beneficiaries will miss baby boost
Radio NZ: Baby policy to pay off in adulthood - Labour
John Armstrong (Herald): Labour package could be victim of its own generosity
Patrick Gower (TV3): Parents welcome Labour's baby bonus
3 News Online Staff (TV3): Labour hasn't learned from the past - Joyce
Newswire: Greens 'fully behind' Labour's Best Start policy
Claire Trevett and Adam Bennett (Herald): Labour targets new parents with 'best start' package
Pattrick Smellie (NBR): Cunliffe announces half-billion dollar baby bonus; keeps a billion up his sleeve
Simon Wong and Dan Satherley (TV3): Cunliffe unveils Labour's baby bonus
No Right Turn: A good start
Rob Salmond (Polity): Best Start lives up to its name
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Labour announces welfare for almost everyone!
Pete George (Your NZ): State of the political journalist nation
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Mankiw on income inequality and parental resources
Rob Salmond (Polity): David Cunliffe's challenge today
Cameron Slater (Whaleoil): Best start? Not really, breeder’s bribe falls flat
Cameron Slater (Whaleoil): Is Labour’s “breeders bonus” doomed to failure?
Bryce Edwards (Liberation): Top tweets about David Cunliffe’s state of the nation speech
Pete George (Your NZ):Cunliffe package good, bad and questionable
Gintearsandcremebrulee: 2014 – Election Year
Scott Yorke (Imperator Fish): The State of the Nation: an interview with David Cunliffe
National education policy
Newswire: Election year education policies
Nelson Mail: Well-timed effort to revitalise education
Andrew Dickens (Newstalk ZB): National's education policy genius, Greens underwhelming
Greens education policy
Newswire: Principals behind Greens' school hub policy
Newswire: Green Party education policies already exist - Key
Stacey Kirk and Michael Fox (Stuff): Greens' school plan 'nothing new'
Dan Satherley (TV3): PM wrong on Greens' education policy - Turei
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): The stupidity of free school lunches in every decile 1 to 4 school
Cameron Slater (Whaleoil): Greens are going to spend $100 million on feeding fat kids
The Standard: ‘Reclaiming Our Children’s Birthright’- Metiria’s speech
Cannabis decriminalisation
Tova O’Brien (TV3): Labour, Greens crack over cannabis views
Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Turei says decriminalising cannabis won't be major priority
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Greens will push for cannabis decriminalization
Adam Bennett (Herald): Labour has no intention of backing Greens' cannabis policy
ACT
Andrea Young (Herald): Maverick gesture takes Act leadership contest away from board
Brook Sabin (TV3): ACT leadership hopeful Boscawen targets Asian voters
Pete George (Your NZ): Public meeting for Act leadership contenders
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Epsom and the ACT Leadership
Labour Party
Dene Mackenzie (ODT): Labour risks split on drilling
Matt Robson (Daily Blog): Why Labour and the Greens Should Say Good Riddance to Peters
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): A problem for Cunliffe
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Soper gets shafted
Cameron Slater (Whaleoil): Cunliffe already prepard to flip flop on super age
Paul Buchanan (Kiwipolitico): Why Does Class Matter? Contemplating Left praxis in a po-mo age.
National Party
Rodney Hide (Herald): Key is a serious contender
Colin James (ODT): Year six: time for Key to define Key the PM
2014 election (general)
Tim Hunter (Stuff): Forecasters cashing in on predictions
Stephen Franks: Electricity nationalisation as an election issue
The Citizen Blog: The New Zealand Election Series
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Political Report
Lorde
Newswire: NZ's leaders lap up Lorde's success
Keir Leslie (Progress Report): The Policy Implications of Lorde’s Grammy Wins
Education
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Kids need to be kids at school
TVNZ: State school's Christian studies 'indoctrination'
Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): Free-range experiments
Maori politics
Radio NZ:Te Reo contribution to be measured
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Dom Post on Ratana
Len Brown
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Brown pressed to reveal payment
Paul Easton (Herald): A thorn in the side of the political elite
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Brown payment must be made public
Economy
Audrey Young (Herald): English buoyed by Forum atmosphere
Ganesh Nana (Pundit): The dark side of the rock star economy
Matthew Theunissen (Herald): Govt spends $600m on road property
Health
Helen Harvey (Stuff): 170,000 on 'de facto list' for operations
Belinda Feek (Stuff): 'Obscene amount' spent on healthcare
Christchurch rebuild
Glenn Conway (Stuff): Govt cool on new stadium deal
Charles Anderson (Guardian): Christchurch: after the earthquake, a city rebuilt in whose image?
Inequality and poverty
Herald: Editorial: Figures on benefits don't actually tell whole story
Pete George (Your NZ): Failing the Waldegrave necessities of life
Other
Rebecca Wright (TV3): Jacinda Ardern plays DJ set at Laneway
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Evidence shines new light on Rebstock ruling
Stuff: Today in politics: Tuesday, January 28
Andrea Vance (Stuff): MPs' attendance records revealed
Sarah Stuart (Herald): Twelve Questions: Mike Hosking
Scott Hamilton (Reading the Maps): From Hoxha to Bainimarama
Tristram Clayton (TV3): Cash-for-residency scam uncovered
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): New Parliamentary Service head named
TVNZ: Key doubts Australia will grant Kiwis more rights
Colin Espiner (Stuff): Hamilton needs Dr Google out of fluoride debate
Muriel Newman (NZCPR): Bigger for better or worse
