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@jonathanmilne.bsky.social

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jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 16h

Going against the tide, the final local election votes look to have broken left at the expense of conservative Northland leaders. Whangārei's Vince Cocurullo claims he's suffered a hate campaign because he opposed fluoride in the water supply. Story at @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/13/l...

Latest mayor to be ousted claims he's a victim of 'hate speech'

Going against the tide, the final local election votes have broken left at the expense of conservative Northland leaders. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 17h

Exclusive @newsroom.co.nz Local Elections Survey reveals who NZ elected, city by city, district by district – and what the 422 respondents stand for. Click on your council and councillors to find out how they'll vote on the big issues. newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/13/n...

Newsroom Local Elections Survey 2025

Exclusive survey reveals who NZ elected, who our communities elected – and what they stand for. By Jonathan Milne and Marc Daalder

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 18h

It’s one of my first questions, on visiting Goodtime Pie Co factory in Napier. How do you eat a pie on the move, and stop the gravy spilling out the sides? These guys have thought a lot about pies – so director Eric Hill's answer is rather distressing. @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/08/t...

The mystery of NZ's world-famous mince and cheese pie

Who created our quintessential cuisine? Credit for first putting cheese in a pastry-topped beef pie is hotly contested – but one thing seems certain, it was a Kiwi. Jonathan Milne investigates.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 3d

“To be completely frank, it’s been a really shitty time with rates increases and the cost pressures on local government, and I’m not surprised by some of the results.” – second-placed Hamilton mayoral candidate Sarah Thomson on NZ's swing to the right. @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/11/r...

Ratepayers rout mayors who imposed big rises

Analysis: Newsroom projects that in 66 mayoral races, at least 31 communities have elected new mayors, with two more in the balance. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 4d

"I first came to the island in 1977 and was a great place to be … I think we’ve actually been sliding down the slope since then, to be honest. I’d like to think we could trim some spending back." – Greg Horler leads Chatham Islands mayoral vote count at @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/11/r...

Ratepayers rout mayors who imposed big rises

Analysis: Newsroom projects that in 66 mayoral races, at least 31 communities have elected new mayors, with two more in the balance. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 4d

‘When you start talking to people, they’re not very knowledgeable about local affairs... Most people couldn’t care less and don’t know much about how councils operate but they grizzle like hell about having to pay high rates.’ –newly elected Act councillor John Hyndman newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/11/r...

Ratepayers rout mayors who imposed big rises

Analysis: Newsroom projects that in 66 mayoral races, at least 31 communities have elected new mayors, with two more in the balance. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 4d

At @newsroom.co.nz, I've projected that in 66 mayoral races, 31 communities have elected new mayors, with two more in the balance. Of 18 councils that imposed double-digit rates rises, 13 have elected new mayors and maybe a 14th, Whakatāne, to come. All the details... newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/11/r...

Ratepayers rout mayors who imposed big rises

Analysis: Newsroom projects that in 66 mayoral races, at least 31 communities have elected new mayors, with two more in the balance. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 6d

Happy and surprised to agree with ZB's Mike Hosking today, when he quotes from @newsroom.co.nz's "very good" critique of the Adrian Orr restraint of trade saga. "Read the whole article and make up your own mind," Hosking says. Sterling advice. So here's my article: newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/07/o...

Orr what? Ex-Reserve Bank Governor's tenuous restraint of trade payout

Update:Newsroom has been supplied Adrian Orr's exit agreement revealing he was barred from disparaging the Reserve Bank, its directors, and Nicola Willis – and the gagging order was potentially even m...

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 6d

Two words: Mātauranga Māori. I visited the Bioeconomy Science Institute on Saturday to interview minister Shane Reti and was lucky enough to meet Christelle, Richard and Isabel – scientists who've made an amazing breakthrough alongside iwi partners. @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/07/c...

Cannabinoid breakthrough recognised as science minister bankrolls Māori traditional knowledge

Shane Reti funds science institute $42m to work with iwi to commercialise NZ's 80,000 indigenous species

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 6d

In my @newsroom.co.nz Pro editorial today, I report that Minister Judith Collins has relaxed constraints on using consultants, after departments massively over-delivered on promised spending cuts… and the Govt work-rate slowed at the same time. Out from the paywall now newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/09/p...

Public spend on consultants slashed – but not to those embedded deep in govt

Comment: Minister Judith Collins has relaxed constraints on consultants spend, after the public sector massively over-delivered on promised spending cuts ... and the Govt work-rate slowed accordingly.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 12d

When he was PM, John Key famously said he wouldn’t bother finding out about his local election candidates before voting. He’s not alone. Hamilton frontrunners Sarah Thomson and Tim Macindoe say sadly, it comes down to the pic and 150-word blurb in the voting booklet. newsroom.co.nz/2025/10/01/m...

Mayoral frontrunners: ‘Local democracy hangs on a photo and 150-word blurb’

A poorly-taken picture or a grammatical error could be enough to rule someone out from the mayoralty, says Sarah Thomson, a leading contender in the Hamilton City Council election. Jonathan Milne repo...

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 12d

Wellington’s had 3 single-term mayors in a row – voters threw out Justin Lester, threw out Andy Foster, and looked set to throw out Tory Whanau before she read the writing on the wall. So I ask newbie Andrew Little, why should his term be any different? @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/30/o...

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 14d

This month, NZ could elect two Mayor Karen Morgans – one in Mackenzie, one in Hutt City. These aren’t the pejorative stereotype ‘Karens’; rather than complaining about the problems in their communities, they’re stepping up to make a change. My story at @newsroom.co.nz. newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/30/o...

Open mayoral races create uncertain 'power vacuums'

With 16 mayors handing back their chains, local government insiders warn council elections could be a lottery of unknown and inexperienced wannabes – but also strong new voices and fresh ideas. Jonath...

Reposted

Newsroom NZ @newsroom.co.nz · 15d

Energy Minister Simon Watts' reforms could open the door to diluted Crown shares in Meridian, Mercury and Genesis. Jonathan Milne reports.

Govt could allow capital raises by gentailers to build new power plants

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 28d

In the latest from the @newsroom.co.nz Survey of Local Candidates, I report fears for the remote Chatham Islands council’s continued financial viability. It's trying to extend its $500k overdraft to stay afloat. The Auditor-General has tabled a warning to Parliament. newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/17/s...

'Significant doubt' Chathams council can continue as a going concern – auditor

Unable to afford to provide even basic services, there are fears for the remote island community's continued financial viability. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · 28d

The Auditor-General urges caution as local authority borrowings double to $40b next year. S&P says NZ council debt is globally high, but Govt wants councils to borrow more. At @newsroom.co.nz, I discover the first council to breach its debt cap – and there's an irony. newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/17/n...

Newsroom candidates survey: Alarm as councils breach debt ceilings

Update: The Auditor-General is urging caution as local authority borrowings double to $40 billion next year – but the Government wants councils to borrow more. Jonathan Milne investigates.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Sep 13

Who first sold the authentic Kiwi mince and cheese pie? And yes, we know Georgie Pie popularised it ... but they don't seem to have added it to their menu until 1983 or 1984 or later? So which bakery first sold mince and cheese pies, and when? How can we be sure? Asking the important questions ...

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Sep 4

Growing up under the shadow of the Chaîne des Puys, 10yo Isabelle Chambefort wanted to study volcanoes. Now, she's working to drill one of the world's deepest geothermal wells behind Taupō. "It’s like the first person that went to Antarctica, going into the unknown.” newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/04/1...

Dr Isabelle Chambefort

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Sep 3

To geologists, supercritical geothermal energy is the new Everest – instead of leading the way to the top of the world, NZ would plumb its searing depths for a new source of renewable electricity. To critics, the environmental impacts remain unknown. @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/04/1...

$10m to drill into science of one of world's hottest, deepest geothermal power wells

Minister meets Taupō iwi to discuss concerns about boring an exploratory well up to 6km into the supercritical zone beneath the Earth's crust. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Sep 1

This morning, supported by the PM, Amazon Web Services NZ boss Manuel Bohnet made one of the clumsiest and most embarrassing attempts in a long time to spin good news from a fiasco. At @newsroom.co.nz, I report the reality behind the '$7.5b cloud infrastructure spend'. newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/02/a...

Amazon gives up building its own Auckland data centre, as power prices soar

Opinion: Amazon's NZ boss makes one of the clumsiest and most embarrassing attempts in a long time to spin good news out of a fiasco, writes Jonathan Milne.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Aug 31

Soaring air fares, cancelled routes: Out from the @newsroom.co.nz paywall, minister James Meager tells me the Govt is to intervene to improve aviation competition in the regions. I visited Napier Airport where CEO Nick Flack tells me which airports struggle to survive. newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/29/f...

Fears for the future of regional air routes

Govt reveals it's looking to intervene to improve aviation sector competition, as Air NZ fares soar and smaller regional airlines cancel routes. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Aug 29

On June 15, I posted this photo of Reserve Bank chair Prof Neil Quigley alongside the time-honoured lettuce, to accompany my article, 'Don’t you know who Neil Quigley is?'
Quigley finally resigned today. He outlasted the lettuce – but not by much. @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/06/13/d...

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Aug 19

Climate exposure: 30 Kiwi households are about to discover they’re the thin end of what will become a large wedge: those whose insurance firm will no longer cover their homes. Another 2000 homeowners face big premium hikes from Tower. My report's at @newsroom.co.nz Pro newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/20/n...

NZ-listed insurer prices in risk of sea surges and landslides, in world-first

Most of Tower's 150,000 home insurance customers will pay less, but nearly 15,000 face higher premiums – and more than 2000 will get the call they dread in coming days. Jonathan Milne reports.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Aug 13

Asked about stimulus for struggling urban economies, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon offers some visionary leadership. Be open to stuff. Discuss stuff. Then do the same stuff as always.

jonathanmilne.bsky.social @jonathanmilne.bsky.social · Aug 5

Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says the changes are the biggest in 40 years, ending ‘reckless’ legal attacks that demonise fishers. He admits environmental groups will be dismayed, but is focused on jobs. My article at @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/06/f...

Fishing industry nets changes to cameras, discards and quota restrictions

Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says the changes are the biggest in 40 years, and will put an end to 'reckless' legal attacks that demonise fishers. Jonathan Milne reports.