The main issues in NZ politics today are the Labour Party, Media and polls, the 2014 Budget, and Offshore oil and gas. [Read more below]
Today’s links
Labour Party
Claire Trevett (Herald): Cunliffe hones tactics in war room
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Labour needs sense of urgency
Herald: Angry tirade cuts Cunliffe's briefing short
Stuff: Ranting man cuts Cunliffe's press conference short
Corazon Miller (Newstalk ZB): Car revs towards Cunliffe on footpath
Alexia Russell (Newstalk ZB): Pasifika voters aren't turning blue, says Labour MP
Dan Satherley (TV3): Cunliffe promises election cliffhanger, despite polls
Fundamentally Useless: Labour and the ‘coalition of f*ckwits’
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Labour and Ilam
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Talking down NZ’s contribution
Scott Yorke (Imperator Fish): Chin up!
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Who will start NZs ‘orange’ revolution on election night? Paul Henry? Mike Hosking or Matthew Hooton?
Media and polls
Stuff: Review: The new Morning Report
Selwyn Manning (Daily Blog): TDB’s April Poll’s Been Kicked Off
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Meeting The Enemy: What’s Behind the Tabloidization of Television News?
Russell Brown (Hard News): Gower Speaks
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): What if everyone voted
Pete George (Your NZ): One of the 800,000?
Budget 2014
Tova O’Brien (TV3): Key's Budget: Modest and restrained
Audrey Young (Herald): Key: No 'election bribes' in Budget
Niko Kloeten (Stuff): John Key promises 'ongoing restraint'
Radio NZ: Govt accused of inaction as debt rises
TVNZ: Government to spend $69 million on trade
James Fyfe and Simon Wong (TV3): Govt to boost NZTE presence overseas
Corin Dann (TVNZ): John Key warns 'no lolly scramble' this Budget
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Spending on hold despite forecast big surpluses
Audrey Young (Herald): Key: No tax cuts, no big spendups
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Government wants more firms on global stage
Peter Wilson (Newswire): Key and Parker quibble over figures
Offshore oil and gas
Waikato Times: The upside of losing
James Weir (Stuff): Labour pummels oil offer
James Weir (Stuff): Government opens up oil, gas exploration blocks
Radio NZ: Iwi in favour of exploration
Brook Sabin (TV3): Oil and gas exploration area doubled
Greg Presland: Drill baby drill
National Party
Mathew Grocott (Manawatu Standard): Crime figures a boost for National
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Key Derangement Syndrome hits a new low
Danyl McLauchlan (Dim-Post): On popularity
Cameron Slater (Whaleoil): More National selection skulduggery
Lynne Snowdon
Stuff: Lynne Snowdon claim costs may top $1.5m
Hamish Fletcher (Herald): Radio NZ: Employment fight cost more than $1.5m
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Finally an end
Inequality and poverty
Tessa Johnstone (Stuff): MP fears rise in people living rough
Daily Blog: Pat O’Dea – National’s assault on State Housing
The Ruminator: Hey MSD, stopped being dicks
Dougal McNeil (ISO): Bludgers on a Binge
Hone Harawira (The Standard): No prestige in iwi leaders trying to hide poverty
Economy
Fran O'Sullivan (Herald): IMF dulls shine on China trade goal
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Reserve Bank failing to recognise the bigger picture
Pattrick Smellie (Stuff): Understanding Fonterra gets even harder
No Right Turn: Privatization is theft
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): A data centre for Whangarei?
ODT: Govt should come clean on effects of TPPA
Environment
Dominion Post: Editorial: Climate change everyone's issue
Herald: Editorial: Climate report a wake-up call for global action
Joe Bennett (Stuff): Ditch the towel rail and save the planet?
Peter Cresswell (Not PC): John Campbell versus Charles Darwin
Whaling
John Armstrong (Herald): Whale tale not all over yet
Nelson Mail: Editorial: Right decision to end Pacific whaling
Brian Rudman (Herald): Whales may be safe but let's not forget all the fish
Other
TV3: Class conflict: PPTA boycotts charter schools
David Fisher (Herald): Trust funds moved day of Tamihere house deal
Anna Leask (Herald): Helicopter trust loses court case
Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): The doctoring cartel
Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On this week’s election in Afghanistan
Andrew Geddis (Pundit): This is not a news story
The Hand Mirror: The Role of the Rule of Law and Access to Justice in Development
Newswire: Mana still wary of Dotcom's party
David Clark: About Town
