Jonathan Milne

Auckland

Editor, Newsroom Pro at Newsroom New Zealand

Managing editor of Newsroom Pro. I investigate what happens when government, business and the community sector collide - and how it impacts on us all.

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Articles

Councils caught between the water and a hard place

3 days ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

Twenty-five councils are set to go it alone in the provision of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services – despite ministers' repeated attempts to persuade them to work together. Local Government Minister Simon Watts now finds himself in much the same situation as his Labour predecessor Nanaia Mahuta: forced to wield a big stick. Already have an account?
Crackdown on $15b supermarket giants' opaque pricing 'doesn't go far enough'

3 days ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

Analysis: A Government attempt to break open supermarkets' chokehold on grocery wholesale "hasn't worked as intended", the Commerce Commission admits. That may be an understatement. According to the general manager of the family-owned Night 'n Day grocery chain, it's failed dismally. Foodstuffs and Woolworths sold only $7 million of groceries to smaller retailers through the regulated "fair price" wholesale scheme last year, Matthew Lane says. Already have an account?
Port of Tauranga joins Auckland in doubling critical fees

5 days ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

Blaming increased compliance costs and a pressing need to upgrade aged infrastructure, the country's two biggest ports are both now hiking prices significantly. Last week, Port of Auckland announced big fee hikes for trucks and trains, saying it has to ramp up rail charges and time-of-use pricing for trucks, and deliver a $100 million net profit to its owner, Auckland Council. Already have an account?
AI Adoption is More Than Just Tech, It’s A Mindset Shift for Marketing Teams

1 week ago | salesandmarketing.com | Jonathan Milne

Adopting artificial intelligence (AI) is not about picking the right tools and technologies, it actually requires a shift in thinking. The people who will succeed in AI are not just technologists; they have a particular set of traits. They are curious, use systems-thinking and understand the importance of starting with “why” instead of “what” or “how.” And, yes, they commonly have a growth mindset, as they are always curious to learn new things.
Environmental activists apologise for using fake identities to organise protests

1 week ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

An internationally-backed climate activism group is revealed to have posed at different times as a university tramping club with one organiser also claiming to be a journalist. The group has used fake identities to win the trust of Westport locals and gain access to their community facilities, and to seek information on the movements of a Cabinet minister, Shane Jones. Already have an account?
Government ‘stonewalling’ and agency no-shows denounced at urgent hearing

1 week ago | nzdoctor.co.nz | Alan Perrott |Gabrielle Baker |Jonathan Milne

+News Government ‘stonewalling’ and agency no-shows denounced at urgent hearing Claimants claim the Government is ‘stonewalling’ the Waitangi Tribunal by withdrawing key Māori health evidence and restricting officials from commenting [Image: iStock] Essentials The Government is being accused of bad faith for withdrawing key evidence and restricting Crown officials from discussing its Māo, READ MORE Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa Not a subscriber? Unlock this article...
The 82yo Dunedin doctor who did something unexpected

1 week ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

When genetics specialists Dr Mac Gardner and wife Kelley moved back home to Dunedin, where they'd worked much of their careers, it was to retire and spend more time with their children and grandchildren. So Dr Gardner's children were as surprised as anyone when, in frustration at the delays and downsizing to the construction of the new Dunedin Hospital, he decided to run for Parliament in 2023. Already have an account?
Ministers don't know the scale of the tax break they've signed up to

2 weeks ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

Analysis: It’s audacious. It’s astounding. We’re doing the time warp again. Even ministers struggled to comprehend the scale of the tax incentive scheme they’d signed off in the Budget. Shane Jones left his own noisy beer-and-crayfish Budget night party, upstairs in Parliament Buildings, to return to the House to check with other ministers whether there really was no cap on the size of an asset that could receive the 20 percent tax deduction. Already have an account?
Govt's 'Think Big' Investment Boost: There. Is. No. Limit.

2 weeks ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

Go now, says Nicola Willis. “It starts today.” The economic growth minister has waved the start flag on a race to the stars for commercial building developers, oil and gas exploration firms, dam builders and right down to the smallest sole traders. Ahead of the Budget, Newsroom had reported the Government would support business cashflow and productivity growth with some form of accelerated depreciation; accountancy firms like BDO and Xero had backed such a policy. But nobody anticipated this scale.
Govt halves contribution to workers’ retirement savings; employers get tax cuts

2 weeks ago | newsroom.co.nz | Jonathan Milne

Analysis: Workers will have to pick up the tab for a bigger share of their own KiwiSaver, with the Government cutting most of its contributions, as well as opening the door for employers to negotiate a lower share. Over the next four years, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has cut a handy $2.5 billion ($620 million a year) in spending by halving the Government contribution to 0.25 percent, and stopping any contribution to high income earners.