Politics Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – 06 December 2017 – Today’s content

Politics Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – 06 December 2017 – Today’s content Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. [caption id="attachment_297" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] The Beehive and Parliament Buildings.[/caption] Below are the links to the items online. The full text of these items are contained in the PDF file (click to download). Education Adele Redmond and Jo Moir (Stuff): International report shows children’s literacy suffered under National Standards Simon Collins (Herald): Kiwi kids’ reading levels slide to record low Adele Redmond (Stuff): NZQA to discuss math exam that left students in tears after teachers’ open letter John Gerritsen (RNZ): School leavers back fee-free tertiary policy Simon Collins (Herald): About 80,000 expected to get fees-free study in 2018 Jane Patterson (RNZ): Govt reveals who will benefit from new ‘fees-free’ policy Shane Cowlishaw (Newsroom): No age limit on first-year-free policy Max Towle (Wireless): Free fees for first-time students, but who exactly is eligible? Laura Walters and Jo Moir (Stuff): Government confirms details of its flagship education policy, and 80,000 will benefit in 2018 Anna Bracewell-Worrall and Lloyd Burr (Newshub): People on work visas entitled to fees-free apprenticeships and industry training Florence Kerr (Stuff): Education minister asks for briefing on Wintec Florence Kerr (Stuff): Wintec spent over $4 million in financial settlements with staff Health Dominion Post Editorial: Chai Chuah had no choice but to resign Stacey Kirk (Stuff): ‘It was Chai Chuah’s choice’: Director-General of Health not pushed, minister says Eileen Goodwin (ODT): South Islanders, nurses missing from Clark’s health advisory group Herald: National leader Bill English: ‘unreasonable expectations’ await next health boss Natalie Akoorie (Herald): Nigel Murray got green light for high salary Emma Hatton (RNZ): Acupuncturists reject study on misleading claims Jessica Long (Stuff): Health of deaf Kiwis hindered by lack of interpreters, study finds Employment and work for the dole Gordon Campbell (Werewolf): On saying ‘work for the dole,’ nicely Chris Bramwell (RNZ): PM rejects claim of ‘divisive issue’ over jobs scheme 1News: Shane Jones channels Romeo and Juliet while defending work-for-the-dole proposal – ‘A rose by any other name is just as sweet’ Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Australia’s work for the dole scheme’s 2 percent success rate Government Herald Editorial: Public’s right to know is core tenet Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Calls to combat foreign political influence Newshub: PM Jacinda Ardern expects to meet Ombudsman over document Economy Richard Harman (Politik): An end to inflation? Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): RBNZ considers tweaking monetary policy as low inflation persists Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Crown accounts in deficit, but debt tracking below expectations Peter Lyons (Herald): The cult of growth and manic materialism Environment Ged Cann (Stuff): Kiwis want a ban on the bag, and legislation is looking increasingly likely No Right Turn: Stopping the beast Jessie Chiang (RNZ): Kauri dieback: Council could hold second vote Helen King (Stuff): Auckland Council votes against full closure of Wāitakere Ranges RNZ: Kauri dieback: council votes against Waitakere closure Herald: Auckland Council backs kauri dieback exclusion zone in Waitakere Ranges Simon Wilson (Spinoff): The battle to save the Waitakere Kauri Robin Martin (RNZ): Anti-1080 letter claims sika release Herald: Department of Conservation calls in police over anti-1080 group’s threats Emma Jolliff (Newshub): 1080 protesters threaten to ‘bring down’ DoC helicopters PM’s Al Gore interview Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Climate change Claire Trevett (Herald): New Zealand ready to stand up on climate change Jacinda Ardern says Isobel Ewing (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern: Climate change goes beyond politics Claire Trevett (Herald): Al Gore to Jacinda Ardern: ‘Everybody in the world is pulling for you.’ Laura Walters (Stuff): Al Gore lauds Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on climate change action Chris Bramwell (RNZ): Gore to PM: ‘You’re a breath of fresh air’ 1News: Watch: ‘I don’t want to gush here’ – Al Gore can’t stop heaping praise on Jacinda Ardern during climate change interview 1News: Watch: ‘I got to know the culture’ – Al Gore tells Jacinda Ardern how he served alongside Maori during Vietnam War Housing Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): National spent $50m putting homeless in hotels 1News: Housing Minister labels previous government’s emergency housing policy a ‘ticking time bomb’ RNZ: Twyford slams National’s emergency housing blowout Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Auckland Council may get more powers to force people to sell their houses Newshub: Landlords to score tenants with rating system Australia Katarina Williams (Stuff): Only those with genuine NZ links should be deported from Australia, PM says Herald: PM Jacinda Ardern: Australia deportees must have roots in New Zealand Herald: PM Jacinda Ardern denies Labour is a soft touch for people smugglers RNZ: ‘Kwaussie’ named Australia’s 2017 word of the year China Henry Cooke (Stuff): Winston Peters says western world is too hard on China over freedom issues Audrey Young (Herald): Remember Janis Joplin before judging China too harshly says Winston Peters Newshub: ‘In some ways the Chinese have a lot to teach us’ – Winston Peters Talisa Kupenga (Māori TV): Māori business interest at NZ-China mayoral talks Justice RNZ: Prison violence ‘unacceptable in a civilised country’ Kirsty Johnston (Herald): Violence at New Zealand prisons highlighted in Ombudsman’s latest torture reports Oliver Lewis and Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Ombudsman report lays out ‘unacceptable’ conditions at Christchurch Men’s Prison Jonathan Underhill (Herald): Prison company locks up $8.2m annual profit Media Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Why media diversity matters David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Peters vs the media John Drinnan (ZagZigger): Minister And RNZ News Boss Breakfast At The Astoria David Farrar (Kiwiblog): The growing threat to free speech RNZ: ‘The conversation still goes on’ Ian Grant (Dominion Post): Cartoonists living dangerously as insecure regimes equate satire with sedition Primary industries Jonathan Underhill (Herald): Farmer confidence drops 41 per cent RNZ: Farming confidence plummets – survey Brad Markham (Stuff): It’s time to protect our supply of horticultural produce Transport Laura Walters and Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Minister joins AA call for petrol price cut Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): AA calls for petrol price cut, claims margins are well above average Tess Nichol (Herald: AA calls on fuel companies to cut petrol prices – saying Govt needs to step in if they won’t Gender Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Policy aims to propel more women lawyers to top roles Emile Donovan (RNZ): Lawyers set ‘achievable’ gender balance target Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): More women managers, more money – report Chloe Winter and Laura Walters (Stuff): More women in top jobs would give an $881 million boost to NZ: report Salvation Army report Kate Pereyra-Garcia (RNZ): Smaller communities feel ‘forgotten’ – report Newshub: Low-income communities ‘forgotten’ – study Newshub: We need good parents, not more benefits – Duncan Garner Other Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Volunteer push likely after Civil Defence review Laura Walters (Stuff): Pike River Recovery Agency allows for maximum accountability – Labour Mike Hosking (Herald): Is the Commerce Commission out of touch? Hamish Fletcher (Herald): Retirees rely on state pension as savings run out Herald: America’s Cup: Team NZ accused of ‘corporate blackmail’ by former director Tom Pullar Strecker (Stuff): Government may protect workers who dob in bad behaviour to the media No Right Turn: Time to strengthen whistleblower protections Shannon Haunui-Thompson (RNZ): Iwi to take Crown to Supreme Court Zac Fleming (RNZ): Where refugees go when they arrive in New Zealand Stephen Day (Spinoff): Does the Property (Relationships) Act work for modern families? Geoff Vause (Marlborough Express): Building owners confused by quake risk process Jo Moir (Stuff): British High Commissioner Jonathan Sinclair off to work for Boris Johnson Joanna Norris (Press): Government support essential to complete Christchurch’s rebuild at pace]]>