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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Kauri Dieback Closes Trails
A disease spreading amongst Kauri Trees has caused the Hillary Trail Marathon to be cancelled in the Waitakere Ranges. The disease killing Kauri is so far incurable, and scientists are researching ways to counter the problem. President of the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society, John Edgar says the contamination comes from muddy water and is being spread with foot traffic through the area: “The disease lives in muddy water and when people walk around the track they carry it from one tree to the next”. Over 20 percent of Kauri trees in the Waitakere Ranges are affected by microscopic diseases. Waitakere Ranges Protection Society maintains that saving the trees from being contaminated by the disease is a priority, and Edgar says action needs to be taken to protect future generations of Kauri. “What we need to do is a lot more research, but right now there is no cure.”Foreign Buyers Bill Passes First Reading
The government bill to prevent foreign buyers buying houses in New Zealand has passed its first reading. The bill means that overseas buyers won't be able to buy residential homes without building new houses on the land as well, under the Overseas Investment Act. Australians will be exempt from the new law and Singaporeans may be as well. The bill passed its first reading 63 votes to 57 with National and Act against it. The select committee process will be shortened because the Government wants the bill to be in place before the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement comes into effect.Ministry of Education Asks For Answers
The Ministry of Education is seeking further explanation after several schools were flagged in an audit for unusual or high spending. These spending concerns come after one school redirected money raised for an overseas relief fund to other school projects. The Ministry will be seeking explanations from schools and if misconduct is found, they will be reported to the appropriate authority.MBIE Spends Too Much on Contractors
Economic Development Minister David Parker says that he has received assurances about the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's spending habits. This is in response to figures released earlier this month which indicate the Ministry's spending on contractors has almost doubled in four years. The data shows that payments made to more than 2000 individual contractors had risen from $44 million four years ago to over $80 million in the last financial year. Parker says that he is aware that the current CEO of the Ministry is reducing the number of consultants and their resultant costs.More and More People Get Loans From Non-Bank Lenders
Seeking loans from non-bank lenders is becoming increasingly common, according to a KPMG report. The KPMG Financial Institutions Survey shows a 14 percent growth in non-bank loan businesses in the year to the end of september. This is understood to be caused by risk-averse banks turning away borrowers, and borrowers unwillingness to go through the lengthy paper-based application process. This shift has prompted Lyn McMorran, head of the Financial Services Federation, to suggest credit brokers be regulated alongside financial advisers so they have to act in customer’s best interests.Chinese Australians Worry About Backlash
New bills in Australia designed to prevent Chinese interference in government have stirred fears of backlash towards Chinese Australians. Allegations that the Chinese government has been trying to sway Australian elections has led to increased scrutiny of Chinese actions in Australia. The public backlash to Chinese influence in Australia has made a number of Chinese Australians worried, with one councillor saying he is less inclined to meet with Chinese people as a result. A version of this backlash is also occurring in New Zealand, with fears about National MP Jian Yang's ties to the Communist Party.Trump’s Judicial Nominees A Bust
United States President Donald Trump's latest judiciary nominee, Matthew Petersen withdrew himself after failing to answer basic legal questions. Petersen is the most recent of Trump's conservative judicial nominations to fail. At the hearing Petersen answered no to many questions Republican Senator John Kennedy asked about whether he had tried jury, civil, criminal or bench trials. Both Senator Kennedy and President Trump agreed that Petersen was too inexperienced for the role. Despite setbacks, Trump has filled other judicial vacancies and restored the Supreme Court's conservative majority.Saudi Arabia Intercepts Missile
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels from Yemen says it intercepted a ballistic missile near the Saudi capital. The missile was targeting a meeting of Saudi leaders at the al-Yamama palace, and was fired "in response to the heinous crimes committed by the US-Saudi aggression against the people of Yemen", according to the Houthi TV channel. A similar missile came close to hitting the airport in Riard last month. Saudi Arabia and the United States have accused Iran of arming the Houthi rebels, but Iran has denied any involvement.Vanuatu Prime Minister Survives No Confidence Vote
The prime minister of Vanuatu has defeated a parliamentary vote of no confidence against him. The opposition tabled a motion of no confidence against Charlot Salwai after discontent with a raft of government policies. Motions of no-confidence are very common in Vanuatu parliamentary politics, and Salwai is seeking to curb their use. Salwai still has a strong majority of support in parliament, and after being in power for two years is one of Vanuatu's longest serving prime ministers in recent years. The government won the vote with a two-thirds majority, which indicates Salwai will be able to continue with planned political reforms next year.Additional reporting: Reilly Hodson, Jemima Huston and Issy Walker
LOCAL NEWS
A disease spreading amongst Kauri Trees has caused the Hillary Trail Marathon to be cancelled in the Waitakere Ranges. The disease killing Kauri is so far incurable, and scientists are researching ways to counter the problem. President of the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society, John Edgar says the contamination comes from muddy water and is being spread with foot traffic through the area: “The disease lives in muddy water and when people walk around the track they carry it from one tree to the next”. Over 20 percent of Kauri trees in the Waitakere Ranges are affected by microscopic diseases. Waitakere Ranges Protection Society maintains that saving the trees from being contaminated by the disease is a priority, and Edgar says action needs to be taken to protect future generations of Kauri. “What we need to do is a lot more research, but right now there is no cure.”Foreign Buyers Bill Passes First Reading
The government bill to prevent foreign buyers buying houses in New Zealand has passed its first reading. The bill means that overseas buyers won't be able to buy residential homes without building new houses on the land as well, under the Overseas Investment Act. Australians will be exempt from the new law and Singaporeans may be as well. The bill passed its first reading 63 votes to 57 with National and Act against it. The select committee process will be shortened because the Government wants the bill to be in place before the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement comes into effect.
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The Ministry of Education is seeking further explanation after several schools were flagged in an audit for unusual or high spending. These spending concerns come after one school redirected money raised for an overseas relief fund to other school projects. The Ministry will be seeking explanations from schools and if misconduct is found, they will be reported to the appropriate authority.MBIE Spends Too Much on Contractors
Economic Development Minister David Parker says that he has received assurances about the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's spending habits. This is in response to figures released earlier this month which indicate the Ministry's spending on contractors has almost doubled in four years. The data shows that payments made to more than 2000 individual contractors had risen from $44 million four years ago to over $80 million in the last financial year. Parker says that he is aware that the current CEO of the Ministry is reducing the number of consultants and their resultant costs.More and More People Get Loans From Non-Bank Lenders
Seeking loans from non-bank lenders is becoming increasingly common, according to a KPMG report. The KPMG Financial Institutions Survey shows a 14 percent growth in non-bank loan businesses in the year to the end of september. This is understood to be caused by risk-averse banks turning away borrowers, and borrowers unwillingness to go through the lengthy paper-based application process. This shift has prompted Lyn McMorran, head of the Financial Services Federation, to suggest credit brokers be regulated alongside financial advisers so they have to act in customer’s best interests.
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INTERNATIONAL
New bills in Australia designed to prevent Chinese interference in government have stirred fears of backlash towards Chinese Australians. Allegations that the Chinese government has been trying to sway Australian elections has led to increased scrutiny of Chinese actions in Australia. The public backlash to Chinese influence in Australia has made a number of Chinese Australians worried, with one councillor saying he is less inclined to meet with Chinese people as a result. A version of this backlash is also occurring in New Zealand, with fears about National MP Jian Yang's ties to the Communist Party.Trump’s Judicial Nominees A Bust
United States President Donald Trump's latest judiciary nominee, Matthew Petersen withdrew himself after failing to answer basic legal questions. Petersen is the most recent of Trump's conservative judicial nominations to fail. At the hearing Petersen answered no to many questions Republican Senator John Kennedy asked about whether he had tried jury, civil, criminal or bench trials. Both Senator Kennedy and President Trump agreed that Petersen was too inexperienced for the role. Despite setbacks, Trump has filled other judicial vacancies and restored the Supreme Court's conservative majority.Saudi Arabia Intercepts Missile
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels from Yemen says it intercepted a ballistic missile near the Saudi capital. The missile was targeting a meeting of Saudi leaders at the al-Yamama palace, and was fired "in response to the heinous crimes committed by the US-Saudi aggression against the people of Yemen", according to the Houthi TV channel. A similar missile came close to hitting the airport in Riard last month. Saudi Arabia and the United States have accused Iran of arming the Houthi rebels, but Iran has denied any involvement.Vanuatu Prime Minister Survives No Confidence Vote
The prime minister of Vanuatu has defeated a parliamentary vote of no confidence against him. The opposition tabled a motion of no confidence against Charlot Salwai after discontent with a raft of government policies. Motions of no-confidence are very common in Vanuatu parliamentary politics, and Salwai is seeking to curb their use. Salwai still has a strong majority of support in parliament, and after being in power for two years is one of Vanuatu's longest serving prime ministers in recent years. The government won the vote with a two-thirds majority, which indicates Salwai will be able to continue with planned political reforms next year.Additional reporting: Reilly Hodson, Jemima Huston and Issy Walker