Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – March 28 2018 – 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).
Carol Hirschfeld resignation
Herald: Hirschfeld, Curran texts: Cafe meeting organised via text
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Clare Curran releases text messages with Carol Hirschfeld
Laura Walters (Stuff): Melissa Lee was given a heads up about Carol Hirschfeld’s resignation
John Drinnan (Herald): Carol Hirschfeld affair a bad look for RNZ
Tracy Watkins and Henry Cooke (Stuff): RNZ saga could hinge on Curran-Hirschfeld texts
RNZ: Curran has ‘a lot of questions to answer’ over meeting – National MP
Newshub: Carol Hirschfeld scandal could claim more scalps – commentator
Richard Harman (Politik): Minister still under a cloud
Peter Thompson (Herald): Carol Hirschfeld’s resignation may rattle plans for RNZ+
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Problems keep arriving at Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s door
Claire Trevett (Herald): Clare Curran clumsy, foolish but PM won’t sack her
Claire Trevett (Herald): Carol Hirschfeld, Clare Curran meeting more than a storm in coffee cup
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Jacinda Ardern could take leaf out of Clark playbook
Colin Peacock (RNZ): RNZ shock also rocks government
Brigitte Morten (RNZ): Minister’s media meeting mess a mire for PM
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): ‘Informal’ Hirschfeld meeting was scheduled in Minister’s diary for an hour
Laura Watlers and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Curran’s ‘informal’ meeting with Carol Hirschfeld planned for an hour
Laura Walters (Stuff): Anatomy of a resignation – how a cup of coffee led to Carol Hirschfeld’s resignation
Damien Venuto (Herald): ‘Red Radio’ conspirators now have a smoking gun
Mike Hosking: Radio New Zealand meetings scandal involves millions of our dollars
Derek Cheng (Herald): Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran’s meeting with Carol Hirschfeld in spotlight
Derek Cheng (RNZ): Radio New Zealand chairman Richard Griffin says Carol Hirschfeld stuck to meeting claim for four months
RNZ: Curran on Hirschfeld’s resignation: ‘It was not a secret meeting’
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Hirschfeld resignation: Clare Curran to stay on as Minister
1News: Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran won’t resign in wake of ‘unofficial’ meeting with RNZ manager Carol Hirschfeld
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): RNZ’s content chief resigns over meeting with broadcasting minister
Herald: Broadcaster Carol Hirschfeld to resign immediately after Curran meeting saga
Talisa Kupenga (Maori TV): RNZ’s Carol Hirschfeld resigns
Andrew Geddis (Pundit): RNZ, Hirschfeld and Curran let the clichés come out to play …
NZ and Russian diplomats
RNZ/BBC: PM’s spy comments make NZ ‘a laughing stock’
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Why it’s ridiculous to say we haven’t got any Russian spies
The Telegraph: New Zealand says it can’t find Russian spies to expel
RNZ/BBC: NZ only Five Eyes’ member not to retaliate against Russia
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Ardern: No Russian spies in NZ
Laura Walter (Stuff): SIS says no Russian spies in NZ, Govt shares international partners’ ‘serious concern’
National
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): National’s ‘Mr Fixit’ Steven Joyce says goodbye to Parliament
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Joyce bows out after 10 years at the top
Derek Cheng (Herald): Joyce wraps up Parliamentary career with laughs and tears
RNZ: Steven Joyce gives valedictory speech
Gwynn Compton (Libertas Digital): How National can win Northcote
1News: National Party calling for Northcote candidates to replace Jonathan Coleman
Newshub: National Party on hunt to fill Jonathan Coleman’s Northcote seat
Jo Moir (Stuff): Lance O’Sullivan joining the National Party not the ‘right call’ – Bridges
Jenny Marcroft bullying accusation
Derek Cheng (Herald): New Zealand First MP Jenny Marcroft accused of bullying National MP over billion-dollar fund
Stacey Kirk and Jo Moir (Stuff): Junior NZ First MP trying to use Govt fund to heavy Opposition ‘acting alone’ – PM
RNZ: NZ First MP Jenny Macroft silent over bullying accusation
Government agency spying
1News: Probe into use of private investigators to include MBIE after 1 NEWS report
Herald: State Services Commission investigation into quake damage ‘spies’ will include ministry
RNZ: SSC inquiry into spying widened to include MBIE
Health
RNZ: Hospital building issues not raised due to budget restraints
Herald: Ministry of Health charge against tobacco giant’s HEETS product dismissed by judge
Damian George (Stuff): Court dismisses charges against Philip Morris over sale of non-burning tobacco sticks
RNZ: DHBs ‘just can’t afford to pay’ amount sought by nurses
Elizabeth Alice (Spinoff): What nurses are fighting for
Wanganui Chronicle: Bulls drinking water safe despite chemicals, tests show
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Contamination in Bulls proves mysterious
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Coroners required to consider cultural values under new bill
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Grieving wife denied chance to wipe dead husband’s face clean
Fiona Thomas (NZ Doctor): Transgender health pathways but no reassignment surgery for NZ
RNZ: Peter FitzSimons calls on rugby players to donate their brains
Newshub: Bay of Plenty community pleads for drug rehab services
Housing
Thomas Coughlan (RNZ): Renters shouldn’t take the vote for granted
Andrew Dikeson (Herald): Comment: Bright line test a capital gains tax by stealth
Newshub: Public housing for Asian seniors opens in Auckland suburb Panmure
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government will support insurer-opposed change to renters liability for careless damage
Chris Harrowell (Auckland Now): Group builds house on vacant council land in Auckland to protest homelessness
Reserve Bank
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Horse whisperers hard at work
Keith Rankin (Daily Blog): The Government’s new ‘Employment’ Contract Existential Crisis
Michael Reddell (Croaking Cassandra): Revisiting 1996
Poverty and inequality
Claire Trevett (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern sets ‘ambitious’ short-term child poverty goals
1News: PM sets new 3-year targets to reduce child poverty: ‘our children deserve nothing less’
Transport and road safety
Simon Maude and Megan Gattey (Stuff): ‘Reckless behaviour’ causes half of fatal and serious road crashes, AA report finds
Newshub: Unintentional errors killing New Zealand motorists
Matt Stewart (Stuff): Passengers shocked to find Wellington bus security cameras aren’t switched on
America’s Cup and Auckland
Brian Rudman (Herald): At last, a Govt that treats Auckland as part of New Zealand
NZ Herald editorial: Costly America’s Cup decision looks like the right one
Eric Crampton (Spinoff): Give us our red socks, and $212m public money, for the 2021 Economist’s Cup
RNZ: Benefits already visible from America’s Cup deal – industry
RNZ: Can Auckland’s infrastructure ever catch up?
Alice Peacock (Herald): New survey results show majority of Aucklanders not sold on regional fuel tax
Stuff: One step closer to Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, as Bill gets first Parliament reading
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Pay now – or watch the decline of Auckland’s green backyard
Drones
Meghan Lawrence (Herald): Civil Aviation Authority statistics show small percentage of drone complaints result in disciplinary measures
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Air NZ calls for tougher drone restrictions after near-miss with plane
Tom Furley (RNZ): Drone near miss: ‘Height of stupidity’
Primary industries
RNZ: Farmer fears delays over M Bovis compensation
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Cuts to crayfish catch expected to have serious industry consequences
Environment
Shane Cowlishaw (Newsroom): The end is nigh for oil exploration
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Oil and gas exploration body yet to be consulted on block offers
RNZ: Fears for Wellington sanctuary after myrtle rust found nearby
Leith Huffadine (Stuff): Takeaway coffee cup solutions: Fixing the problem
Employment
Joe Bennett (Dominion Post): I could have saved Fonterra half a billion dollars
Rob Stock (Stuff): Sky City pledges to pay workers at least $20 an hour by 2020
RNZ: SkyCity commits to $20 an hour wage ahead of schedule
Stuff: Men earn at least $3000 more than women every quarter
Justice
Michael Bott (Stuff): We need to protect the presumption of innocence, says top barrister
Nicola Russell (Newshub): Widespread harassment being ‘swept under the carpet’ – former lawyer Olivia Wensley
Education
1News: Exclusive: Charges laid against Auckland international education provider for passing students who deserved to fail
Marie Russell (Herald): When should New Zealand schools have guns?
Simon Collins (Herald): Evolve Education childcare chain launches cut-out guns for kids
Jimmy Ellingham (Stuff): Schools need to be accountable to the taxpayer
Local government
RNZ: Changes must be made to the way Māori wards are decided on, Local Government New Zealand says
Herald: Audit NZ confirms it will review ‘unusual’ process taken by Hamilton City Council over new urban park
Collette Devlin (Stuff): How much to cross the road? Wellington plans $40,000 pedestrian crossing
Bob Jones petition
Derek Cheng (Herald): 68,000-strong petition to end Sir Bob Jones’ knighthood
RNZ: Over 65,000 sign petition to strip Sir Bob Jones of knighthood
Other
Aaron Smale (Spinoff): New Zealand’s problem with Māori boys
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Building pressure is on – are corners being cut?
Margrett Vissers (Stiuff): In defence of science and our Treaty: a reply to Bob Brockie
Rose Davis (Waiheke Marketplace): Racism complaints surface on Waiheke Island
