Today in the news from Aotearoa and elsewhere about our political economy around housing, climate and poverty:

* Tax Minister Simon Watts says he doesn’t have a view about the fairness of global tech giants arranging their finances so they don’t have to pay $600 million per year in taxes in New Zealand, Jenée Tibshraeny reports this morning for the front page of the Weekend NZ Herald-$ (See more below in Today’s Top Six Pick n’ Mix & in Front Pages in the Early Bird.)

* The Government’s over-arching aim to reduce state spending to below 30% of GDP is behind the lack of funding for about 80 new abuse-in-care claims coming through each year. Julia Gabel had the scoop for NZ Herald last night. (See more below in Today’s Top Six Pick n’ Mix.)

* That same sinking lid policy, which is framed as being focused on squeezing more value from the same money by reducing back office staff rather than front office staff, is responsible for Oranga Tamariki being short of 180 social workers, which in turn means they’re not turning up to crucial regular meeting with whanau, Police and others, as Phil Pennington reported last night for RNZ. (See more below in Today’s Top Six and Poverty Picks n’ Mixes.)

* Consumer confidence is closely inversely correlated with CPI inflation and petrol price inflation. Consumer confidence is also correlated with confidence in any Government, as expressed in polling on questions about whether the country is on the right track or wrong track. That polling is often a leading indicator of support for the main governing party. (See more below in Chart Pack of the Day.)

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My Picks n’ Mixes

Today’s Top Six

* Scoop by Jenée Tibshraeny for NZ Herald-$ (front page lead): ‘I don’t have a view’: Revenue minister deflects fairness query on big tech firms’ tax ‘According to a “conservative” estimate by Tax Justice Aotearoa, New Zealand missed out on more than $600 million of tax revenue from eight of the biggest tech companies over the past five years.’

* Scoop by Julia Gabel for NZ Herald: Abuse in care: Officials estimate up to 80 new claims a year under expanded redress system ‘Officials predict up to 80 additional abuse in care claims for redress could be lodged each year as the Government expands the state system to include more contemporary claims of abuse. Advice prepared for the minister in charge of the scheme, Erica Stanford, and obtained by the Herald under the Official Information Act, includes warnings from officials to ensure the right level of funding is provided for these additional claims. Stanford’s office said funding decisions were still being considered by ministers. Officials, in their advice to her, said extending the system would require reallocating existing Crown Response Funding as the Finance Minister Nicola Willis did not invite a bid for additional money in the latest Budget. The Ministry of Health and Health NZ also did not have funding available from baseline for these additional claims.’

* Reportage by Torika Tokalau for LDR/RNZ: Church’s plan for low-cost cafe to feed hundreds shunned by locals

* Deep-dive by Phil Pennington for RNZ: ‘A risk to life’: Social workers called out for no-shows on keeping kids safe ‘Oranga Tamariki’s new CEO said earlier this month it was 180 social workers short and staff shortages were hampering efforts to hit targets responding to urgent concerns over children.’

* Op-Ed by Otago Uni Associate Professor Bernardette Jones for The Waikato Times-$: The health system failed an 11-year-old child at every step, and two reports fall short of saying why ‘What neither report does is ask whether this child’s status, as Māori, as disabled, as autistic and as non-verbal, shaped what was done to her, and neither analyses the obligations owed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi or under the United Nations conventions on the rights of the child, of persons with disabilities, and of indigenous peoples. The statutory iwi Māori partnership board for the region, Te Tiratū, was not consulted in the inquiry at all.’

* Op-Ed by AUT’s Sarah Maessen, Bridget Dicker & Heather Hutchinson for The Conversation: Time is critical when someone’s heart stops – portable defibrillators could save more lives ‘More lives could be saved if community responders were equipped with portable automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to get treatment to patients sooner.’

Scoops & Breaking News this morning

* Scoop by Hanna McCallum for Newsroom Pro-$: Australian firm advises Stanford on ‘winning hearts and minds’ of NZ teachers

* RNZ: National election policy announcement expected as party gathers for AGM‘National leader Christopher Luxon is expected to announce an election policy, which RNZ understands will be in the economic space.’

* Investigation by Katie Harris for NZ Herald-$: ‘Culture of fear’: Leaders quit, probe at hockey association over alleged staff conduct

* Reuters: Lebanon ceasefire agreed after US-Iran talks in Switzerland scrapped

* Reuters: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards set up covert Iraqi cells to attack Gulf neighbors

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