Politics Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – 11 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.
Below are the links to the items online. The full text of these items are contained in the PDF file (click to download).
Opinion Poll
Colin James (RNZ): Poll: Voters broadly say yes to new government
Corin Dann (1News): New post-election poll shows Labour has missed out on traditional support bounce
1News: Colmar Brunton methodology shifts to reflect young voters without landlines
Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern not worried by lack of traditional post-election bounce
Audrey Young (Herald): First poll since the election gives Ardern a leadership bounce
Henry Cooke (Stuff): No post-election bounce for Labour in first major poll, but PM’s popularity soars
Herald: Results of the first political poll since before the election released
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): No real bounce for Labour in first Colmar Brunton poll
David Farrar (KIwlblog): Preferred PM ratings of new PMs
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): What does the final Q+A Poll mean and why it should freak out Labour
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The first big poll for ages is due. What would be a good result for Labour?
Government
John Armstrong (1News): Opinion: Labour is showing NZ First that it calls the shots
Dominion Post Editorial: Winston Peters is a lion in opposition, but a pussycat in office
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): How minor parties like NZ First can have fun being in Parliament
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Going, going, gone? National and its legacy
Mei Heron (RNZ): Greens letter reveals ‘damage to staff morale’
Herald: Letter to their MPs: Greens staff suffering ‘uncertainty, paralysis, and low morale’
David Farrar (KIwiblog): Green staff unhappy
Public Service
Chris Eichbaum and Richard Shaw (Newsroom): ‘Not as frank and free as we thought’
Barry Soper (Herald): Public sector is a formidable workforce
Jacinda Ardern
Herald: Jacinda Ardern says more women ‘must be at the decision-making table’
Herald Editorial: PM’s fashion pages promote us well
Colleen Hawkes (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to star in March issue of US Vogue magazine
Claire Trevett (Herald): Strike a pose: PM Jacinda Ardern to feature in Vogue
NZ-AUS relations
Harrison Christian (Stuff): ‘Jacindamania’ spreads across the Tasman, according to Australian opposition leader
RNZ: Jacinda-mania reached Australia, says Labor counterpart
Herald: Bill Shorten’s daughters get surprise video call from Jacinda Ardern
Herald: PM Jacinda Ardern meets with Australian Labor leader Bill Shorten
Christopher Knaus (Herald): Jacinda Ardern: Australia education policy penalising New Zealanders will backfire
Stuff: Kiwi detainees in Australia offered cash incentives to return to NZ
No Right Turn: Truth overboard again
NZ-China relations
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Does China hold sway over media here?
Fran Sullivan (Herald): Winston Peters works to keep China sweet
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): How to deal with China’s rise
RNZ: PM says NZ a different case to Aus on Chinese influence
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): What the censored GCSB report said and why they tried to hide it
Parliament
Brent Edwards (RNZ): Insight: MMP – Democracy or Power?
Audrey Young (Herald): National regards Speaker Mallard with the warmth of Wayne Barnes
RNZ: Govt considers making cross-party work easier
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Below the beltway: Who starred and who stumbled in politics this week
National
Richard Harman (Politik): Life without NZ First
Audrey Malone (Stuff): Tears, hugs and kicking the photocopier: An insider’s view of National’s election loss
Brent Edwards (RNZ): National shrugs off warnings about next election
Water
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): A national strategy for water is needed, scientist says
ODT: New approach to water allocation needed: briefing
John Roughan (Herald): We don’t need a national water police
RNZ: Residents could sue over foam leeching – lawyer
RNZ: Auckland Airport using toxic firefighting foam
1News: Concern brewing as Chinese-owned water bottling plant sets up shop in Christchurch
Environment
Kerrie Waterworth (ODT): Dairy intensification effects questioned
Chris Bramwell (RNZ): Minister warned of critical pressure on natural resources
Brad Flahive (Stuff): Oil revenue could jump 900 per cent if we mined our seabed, Maritime NZ says
Liam Dann (Herald): Golden weather puts heat on the economy
Liam Hehir (Medium): Liam Hehir DESTROYS a neoliberal farmer [updated]
Education
Shamubeel Eaqub (Stuff): The nature of work is changing, and it starts with school
Filip Vachuda (Herald): Some school subjects are worth more than others
Kerre McIvor (Herald): Kiwi education – we must do better
Ros Lugg (Stuff): New Zealand’s falling literacy rates are due to poor teacher training
Simon Collins (Herald): PPTA voices concern after teacher censured for stopping boys banging heads into desks
Patrick O’Sullivan (Herald): Local Focus: The school with no students
Guardian: In a class of its own: New Zealand school with no students vows to stay open
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Massive upsurge in white New Zealand wanting to learn te reo
Employment and work for the dole
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Official briefings paint bleak picture of NZ’s working poor
1News: Inside Parliament: 1 NEWS’ political team questions the sincerity of Shane Jones’ work-for-the-dole scheme
Andrew Gunn (Stuff): Working for your country – brought to you by Shane Jones – ambitious for your future
NZ Herald editorial: New minister on spot over Hobbit Law
Rachel Clayton (Stuff): NZ firms aren’t equipped to deal with one of the oldest workforces in the OECD
Poverty and inequality
Dan Satherley and Lucy Warhurst (Newshub): Why child poverty seems to be on the decline, according to the Children’s Commissioner
Herald: Children’s Commissioner says Government needs to walk the talk on child poverty
RNZ: Children’s Commissioner wants indexing of some benefits
Herald: PM seeks cross-party support for child poverty targets
Duncan Garner (Stuff): Mind the gap – Jacinda Ardern and the politics of rich and poor
Housing
Henry Cooke (Stuff): New Government told KiwiBuild will be risky but transformational
RNZ: Better drug and alcohol treatment key to new HNZ policy
Russell Brown (Public Address): This is your government on drugs
Nicole Skews-Poole (Spinoff): A tenant’s best friend: Why dogs deserve a place in state housing
Herald: Wham . . . it’s about housing affordability in Wellington, not a throwback to 80s music
Ella Arbury (Herald): Auckland housing’s 100-year-old problems
Health
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Health is the hardest and least forgiving job in Government
ODT Editorial: Labour’s hospital rebuild challenges
RNZ: Dunedin rebuild head’s contract terminated
Eileen Goodwin (ODT): Appointment a ‘serious error’
Mike Houlahan (ODT):Big push for ACC cover of disability
Cate Broughton (Stuff): ACC discriminates against people with disabilities and should be replaced, says barrister
Belinda Feek (Herald): Dunedin lawyer aims for ACC shake-up in fellowship study
Emma Hatton (RNZ): Family struck by botulism ineligible for ACC
Rachel Smalley (Herald): The ACC law is an ass over not paying bills of family poisoned after eating wild boar
Cecile Meier (Stuff): Patients’ 12-year wait for discharge from secure mental health unit could be ‘unlawful detention’
David Fisher (Herald): Waitangi Tribunal to hear claim Maori suicide linked to ongoing effects of colonization
Deborah Hill Cone (Herald): Blocks that stop us accepting truth
Russell Brown (Herald): Medicinal cannabis: For the love of her son
Media
Ian Shirley (Pundit): Opinion in killing journalism
John Drinnan (ZagZigger): Turning Checkpoint into Campbell Live: Two Years On
Mike Hosking (Herald): Winston Peters has a point, but doesn’t deserve money
Brad Flahive (Stuff): Winston Peters urged to drop lawsuit against journalists by media advocate group
Justice
Craig Hoyle (Stuff): Complaints about victim advocate Louise Nicholas’ role in sex abuse investigations
Alison Mau (Stuff): Louise’s bravery is amazing, but there are more stories to tell
Jack Tame (Herald): Simply building more prisons will not fix crime
Ric Stevens (Press): Editorial: Are we ready for a virtual production line of justice?
Mei Heron (RNZ): Lack of funding hampering cell checks – IPCA
Laura Walters (Stuff): Police Minister urged to update gun laws amid fears criminals exploiting loops
1News: NZ Police out to fix gender imbalance in its workforce
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): NZ Police: No money for pay rises
Laura Walters (Stuff): Current response to hate crimes ‘insufficient’ – Human Rights Commission
CTV building collapse
RNZ: ‘Someone should be held accountable’ say CTV protesters
Cecile Meier (Press): Emotional protest over CTV decision in Christchurch
Herald: Protest over decision not to prosecute CTV building collapse
Defence
Robert Ayson (Incline): Tightening Purse Strings for New Zealand’s defence force?
David Fisher (Herald): Ron Mark’s rack of medals breached protocol
Refugees
Rob Mitchell (Stuff): Asylum seekers and New Zealand: Where does the truth lie?
Ann Beaglehole (Stuff): Record shows NZ tough on refugees, says historian
America’s Cup
Chris Rattue (Herald): Team NZ is a big business and not necessarily a good business
Herald: America’s Cup: Team New Zealand fire back over event fee
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Deadline for America’s Cup base decision in Auckland touch and go
Population
Brad Flahive (Stuff): Empty nesters a growing part of the flock
Herald: Statistics NZ reveal data on changing families and household projections
Other
Terry Baucher (Interest): A parable about tax involving Metiria, Bill and Winston. Tax evasion, tax avoidance or just a simple mistake?
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Complete treaty settlements by 2020, officials urge
Ben Bathgate (Stuff): PM promises Māori relations re-set
Dave Armstrong (Dominion Post): Who needs embarrassing questions when a Very Famous Director’s on board?
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): EQC cupboard is bare, government told
RNZ: Electricity companies pushing up prices, govt told
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Agency criticised for favouring business over science
Steve Braunias (Herald): The Secret diary of… Secret Santa
Finlay Macdonald (Paperboy): Why writer Damon Salesa says Auckland’s future is Pacific
Aimee Shaw (Herald): New Zealand must act on gender equality in business, says Dame Jenny Shipley
Anna Connell (Newsroom): Weinstein problem in NZ? Who’s to know
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Dear Action Station – why banning pokies is counter productive
