GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): National decline in 2024
Dave Armstrong (Post): What’s on the box: just more of the usual madness (paywalled)
Heather Roy (Post): The year of the dignity recession (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Minimum wage increase less than MBIE recommended - again
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): On the Money: The ComCom grinch, forecasting fumbles, the downward trajectory of just about everything (paywalled)
Tom Raynel (Herald): Legislation, losers and lessons: Andrew Bayly’s 2024 (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: What should PM Christopher Luxon be asking Santa for Xmas? (paywalled)
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Getting together to address the great offshore wind gap (paywalled)
David Farrar: Scoring my 2024 predictions
Anna Whyte (Post): Summer off politics: Rachel Brooking (paywalled)
HOUSING
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Govt walks away from infrastructure alliance
Marty Sharp (Stuff): Huge increase in evictions of disruptive Kāinga Ora tenants due to new approach
Lillian Hanly (RNZ): Grave fears over fate of young people left homeless this festive season
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Research shows how investors affect house prices in Auckland
RNZ: Whangārei hapū wins appeal against subdivision
Zita Campbell (Herald): Gisborne council explores medium-density housing to address crisis
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Minister says more support needed for smaller rest-homes
Carol Shepherd (Post): Retirement village reforms need speeding up, not holding back (paywalled)
ECONOMY, COST OF LIVING
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): The austerity Government that isn’t and the recession that wasn’t (paywalled)
Cameron Bagrie (BusinessDesk): Outlook 2025: NZ’s credit ratings may come under pressure (paywalled)
David Farrar: A terrible decision by Treasury
David Farrar: Why is NZ in recession?
Herald Editorial: Reflecting on privilege and unity this Christmas 2024 (paywalled)
HEALTH
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Wait for Dunedin Hospital decision continues as costs mount
Bridie Witton (Stuff): No full-time smokefree officers across eastern North Island
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Incidence of burnout in South GPs ‘alarming’
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WATER
Lucy Xia (RNZ): How to pay $1.2m for a Christmas tree
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Tourism heavy hitters told Auckland Mayor Wayne his CCO reforms stood to lose $2m for mayor events (paywalled)
Reynold Macpherson (Herald): Local Government Act reforms needed for transparency and accountability (paywalled)
Susan Botting (Local Democracy Reporting): High Court challenge over Kaipara District Council Māori ward abolition fails
Nick James (RNZ): Wellington Water's changes to limit water wastage this summer
David Farrar: Woke nonsense from WCC
Peter de Graaf (RNZ): Water restrictions leave Dargaville residents frustrated
Richard Davison (ODT): Clutha District councillor quits, reason disputed (paywalled)
Mahe Drysdale (Newsroom): Hopes for 2025: To revitalise Tauranga
INFRASTRUCTURE, FAST-TRACK
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Crafting a menu of infrastructure priority projects and problems (paywalled)
Basset Brash and Hide: Maori Party threats
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE
Sam Smith (Stuff): Government against Cook Islands proposal for own passport
Caleb Fotheringham (RNZ): Cook Islands passport would require giving up NZ citizenship - spokesperson
David Fisher (Herald): NZSAS soldier’s compo taxed higher because he was hurt offshore (paywalled)
Deborah Hart (Newsroom): The Jewish community in NZ needs protecting from antisemitism
TRANSPORT
RNZ: Interislander ferry Kaiārahi resumes sailing after fault fixed
Justin Wong, Kevin Norquay and André Chumko (Post): Ferry fleet under the pump — again (paywalled)
RNZ: What are some of New Zealand's most dangerous stretches of road?
RNZ: Air NZ flight turns back due to mechanical fault
Crux: Are Queenstown's visiting private jets safe? (paywalled)
Paul Gorman (Listener): Can the tech revolution make future air travel sustainable & safer for Kiwis? (Paywalled)
BusinessDesk: NZTA appoints Brett Gliddon as new CEO
MEDIA, COMMS
Paul Deegan (ODT): Lessons from Canadian cousins
Emma Andrews (RNZ): Moana Maniapoto on the sound of the 80s to world-class journalism
Peter Newport (Crux): Our local communications and PR people - compared to the rest of the world (paywalled)
Herald: Media Council upholds inaccuracy complaint against column about Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau
Spinoff: NZ Media Council upholds complaint against The Spinoff article on Palestine exhibition
WESTPAC
RNZ: Westpac Bank admits overcharging nearly 25,000 customers more than $6.3 million
Jamie Gray (Herald): Westpac NZ admits overcharging customers $6.35m
1News: Westpac NZ admits to overcharging customers by $6.35m
SPORT
Dana Johannsen (RNZ): Sport Integrity Commission launch investigation into Yachting NZ following raft of conduct complaints
Alice Soper (Herald): There should be little surprise at sportspeople speaking out on Māori issues (paywalled)
ENVIRONMENT, DOC
Nikki Macdonald (Sunday Star Times): How did the Department of Conservation become the department of defunct buildings? (paywalled)
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): NZ Post earns its climate credentials despite ditching carbon neutral goal (paywalled)
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Research set to resume at Foulden Maar (paywalled)
OTHER
ODT Editorial: Corrections v the Ombudsman (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: Undoing what has been done (paywalled)
Greg Hurrell (BusinessDesk): Power to the people? Social Investment Agency goes live (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Competition package may be tougher pill for ACT than Labour to swallow (paywalled)
Layla Bailey-McDowell (RNZ): Signs of the hīkoi: More than just 'words on cardboard'
Craig Ashworth (RNZ): Treaty law submission help honed for future Bills
George Block (Herald): Gang patch ban: Who are the Damned Pirates, Fitus and H-Town 07, subject to the new law? (paywalled)
RNZ: Polyfest scales back: 'They're seeing it as a cost, rather than an investment'
Jamie Morton (Herald): Why do Kiwis fall down the rabbit hole? The surprising things researchers just learned
Catherine Hubbard (Stuff): SovCits with firearms licences ‘concerning’
Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): All I want for Christmas is modern day slavery legislation
David Farrar: Stats NZ needs to be more accurate
Ross Stit (Interest): Superannuation – what might have been for NZ
Press/Post: Engineer requests judicial review of decision to uphold CTV building complaint (paywalled)
RNZ: Former Labour MP, North Shore mayor Ann Hartley dies
Cartoons
A shame you don't include Danyl McLauchlan of the Listener. He is truly 'without fear or favour.' Quite remarkable in an avowed left of centre weekly..
Merry Christmas and thanks for all the wrap-ups throughout the year.