NZ POLITICS DAILY: March 13th 2014

The main issues in NZ politics today are Judith Collins, Amy Adams, Labour-Greens relations, and the flag change debate.  

Today’s links

Judith Collins

Duncan Garner (RadioLive): Judith Collins must resign

Tracy Watkins and Vernon Small (Stuff): Judith Collins comes clean about dinner  

Claire Trevett and Adam Bennett (Herald): Mea gulpa: Collins details dinner with milk company boss

TVNZ: Judith Collins admits to dinner date with milk bosses

Laura McQuillan (Newstalk ZB): Judith Collins offers limited apology

TV3: Collins admits dinner with Oravida boss

Radio NZ: Collins was unwise, says Key

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Collins apologises

Danyl Mclauchlan (Dim-Post): Got murk?

Campbell Live (TV3): Judith Collins fronts about Oravida visit

NBR Staff (NBR): Bridges edges Collins as favourite to replace Key

Radio NZ: Collins says controversy a wake-up call

Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Government all but accused of corruption

Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): The Soap Box: Creamy Collins drops a clanger

Vernon Small (Stuff): Minister caught with milk on her face

Pete George (Your NZ): The importance of transparency

John Minto (Daily Blog): A typical low-rent conservative

Alan Papprill (The Irascible Curmudgeon): The Key scandals begin to roost

Tim Watkin (Pundit): Collins & Cunliffe – how to win friends & influence people

Tracy Watkins (Stuff): No more embarrassments, vows Collins

Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Sorry is the hardest word

Vernon Small (Stuff):One more strike for Collins

Adam Bennett (Herald): Oravida founder a 'proud' Kiwi

Adam Bennett (Herald): Two strikes and Collins will be out

TV3: Judith Collins on Oravida and cutting ribbons

The Standard: Elitist Fools

Dan Satherley (TV3): Sack Collins over Oravida, Cunliffe tells Key

No Right Turn: Proving my point

David Kennedy (Local Bodies): Collins, Conflict of Interest and Trust

Labour and the Greens

Brook Sabin (TV3): Russel Norman target of Shane Jones' anti-Aussie rant

Newswire: Jones: Green's complaint 'a bit rich'

Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Shane Jones asked to be nicer to the Greens

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): It’s like a teen drama!

Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Five Easy Pieces: How the Greens can stop Labour playing silly-buggers.

Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On Shane Jones reverting to type, and a reply to Richard Prebble

Amy Adams

Newswire: Adams took no part in irrigation decisions

Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Adams calls conflict of interest claims a smear campaign

James Dann (Rebuilding Christchurch): Special Investigation: Adams Family Values

Rob Salmond (Polity): Amy Adams in very serious conflict of interest

No Right Turn: Amy Adams owes us some answers

Greg Presland (The Standard): Amy Adams has some explaining to do

No Right Turn: Some answers from Amy Adams

Rob Salmond (Polity): More on Amy Adams

Flag

ODT: Flagging a major distraction

Herald: Editorial: PM's flag path gives time for thorough input from all

John Armstrong (Herald): Key's politics hoisted on high in timing of vote

Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Mike's Editorial: What we do says more about us than a flag

Radio NZ: Hungry kids can't eat a flag, says Harawira

Morgan Godfery (Guardian): New Zealand’s flag represents a country that no longer exists

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Key on flag

Tim Selwyn (Tumeke): False flag debate

Pete George (Your NZ): Flag, pavlova and racehorses

Election Day and the Election

Radio NZ: Cross-benches fine if necessary – Peters

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Gaps between election day announcements and elections

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Trotter calls it early

Ele Ludemann (Homepaddock): Not all over yet

Money, business, and politics

Brian Rudman (Herald): Cash needed to grease wheels of democracy

Rob Salmond (Polity): New experiment on money and politics

Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): This isn’t Tricky – it’s Corrupt

John Banks

Stuff: John Banks to seek dismissal of charge

Jimmy Ellingham (Herald): John Banks to apply for charges to be thrown out

Newswire: Banks wants case dismissed

Radio NZ: Banks applies for charge dismissal

Economy

James Weir (Stuff): Speedy economic growth predicted

Michael Foreman (Stuff): Strong rise in job ads

Fran O'Sullivan (Herald): China currency deal on the cards

No Right Turn: National's gamble fails again

Ele Ludemann (Homepaddock): Labour’s wrong again

Chris Baker (Stuff): Plea for reasoned mining debate

Electricity

Radio NZ: Disconnection warning to companies

Adam Bennett (Herald): 2.4% rise in power price disputed

Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Genesis defends pre-pay premium

Education

Jo Moir (Stuff): Playcentres 'teach parents, not just kids'

Caleb Harris (Stuff): New safety rules hit school funds

Nicholas Jones (Stuff): Bad teachers in education law's sights

Isaac Davison (Herald): Greens tell kids to cycle to school

Newswire: Greens promise $200m for kids' bike safety

State sector neutrality

Richard Wagstaff (Herald): Public servants entitled to have political rights

Ben Heather (Stuff): 'Political' state servant under fire

Stuff: Families Commission questioned over political links

Labour Party

Deborah Russell: Aiming for a fairer society – profile of me in the Manawatu Standard

Steven Cowan (Against the Current): Stitch Up?

Other

Stuff: Today in politics: Thursday, March 13

Martin van Beynen (Stuff): EQC flagged prominent claimants as 'sensitive'

Newswire: Croatian PM to touch down in NZ

Radio NZ: Complaints to health watchdog on rise

Radio NZ: New Zealand names new envoy to Vanuatu

Matthew Beveridge: People to follow on Twitter: Laura McQuillan

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): IT project failure

Matthew Beveridge: MPs on Twitter: Mojo Mathers

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Terrorism less likely

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Some tweaking for Chorus

TVNZ: Students line-up for beer for rats campaign

Jared Savage (Herald): Citizenship, then $22k for Nats

Frank Macskasy (Daily Blog): A Query to the Taxpayers Union

Matthew Beveridge: Labour and info graphics