Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 12 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).
Environment
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk):‘Trillions of cubic metres’ of undiscovered offshore gas still available under existing permits
Herald: Environment groups hail Ardern’s big oil and gas call
RNZ: Oil, gas exploration move a ‘kick in the guts’ for Taranaki – mayor
Mike Watson (Taranaki Daily News): Government’s oil and gas exploration halt was a ‘kick in guts for Taranaki’: Mayor
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Talk to us, oil and gas industry tells Government
Herald: Oil and gas industry head: ‘This will hurt mums and dads’ at the fuel pump
No Right Turn: Climate change: Decarbonising New Zealand
Damien Venuto (Herald): National MP: Govt is killing the golden goose
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Ardern strikes drilling compromise
Isaac Davison (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern bans oil exploration
Audrey Young (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expected to ban new offshore oil and gas exploration in New Zealand
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Ardern to end to offshore oil exploration, with short reprieve for Taranaki
RNZ: Govt shuts down offshore oil exploration permits
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Ardern makes big call on offshore oil. Is this her nuclear free moment?
Jamie Morton (Herald): Q&A: Why EDS wants an inquiry into fisheries management
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Toxic foam: Council questions type of testing
Nita Blake-Persen (RNZ): Number of sewage overflows increases by 379 percent – report
Afghanistan raid inquiry
Gordon Campbell (Werewolf): On the Hit&Run inquiry
Isaac Davidson, Lucy Bennett, Claire Trevett and David Fisher (Herald): Inquiry already prejudiced, say Hit & Run authors
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Jon Stephenson: Parker’s comments are completely ill-advised
Jo Moir and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Author Jon Stephenson pleased with inquiry, but queries Govt ‘muddying waters’
Benedict Collins (RNZ): Nicky Hager ‘over the moon’ about govt inquiry into SAS
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Little doubt in what SAS inquiry will come up with
Newstalk ZB: National: No need for Hit and Run inquiry
Eugene Bingham and Paula Penfold (Stuff): Missing the target: The Government inquiry into Afghanistan raid
Tim Dower (Herald): When it comes to military operations, I’m taking the word of our guys
Isaac Davison (Herald): Hit & Run: Govt launches inquiry, but notes video footage conflicts with book’s account
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Hit and Run: Government launches inquiry into alleged Afghan civilian deaths
RNZ: Govt to hold inquiry into Hit & Run claims
Newswire:Inquiry launched into Hit and Run allegations
Budget, economy and tax
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Labour’s fiscal promises are looking unlikely, so perhaps it should drop them
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Why this isn’t a ‘transformational government’
Claire Trevett (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern should not waste sunshine, lollipops and rainbows era
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Fact check: Business confidence surveys have little to do with actual economy
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): PM says any tax working group proposals could be ‘fiscally neutral’
Stuff: Over $3 billion in overdue tax debt in New Zealand
Health
Graham Adams (Noted): No regrets for National over Middlemore Hospital horror story
RNZ: Health Minister ‘disappointed ‘with Middlemore bosses
Karen Brown and Phil Pennington (RNZ): Former, current Ministers had general warnings about Middlemore
Tommy Livingstone and Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Minister of Health confirms he has written to DHB chair about top job
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Health Minister considers future of DHB chair
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Toxic mould: Health Minister David Clark writes to Counties Manukau DHB chair about his job
Herald: Middlemore problems outlined in documents, former DHB chair Lee Mathias says
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Rest home access depends on postcode: report
1News: ‘We’ve got to do better than that in New Zealand’ – Vulnerable elderly wait up to ten months for residential care
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Lonely New Zealand: A third of elderly spend their days alone
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Exclusive: Rest home death ‘can’t be in vain’ – family call for changes
Karen Brown (RNZ): Apology comes years after resthome resident assaulted
Marama Muru-Lanning and Mere Kepa (Newsroom): Adding life to years in the North
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): Waikato Hospital ED mental health presentations up by almost 400 per cent
Mike Treen: Open letter to new Government: How to find $36 billion for health spending and lower ACC levies at the same time
Megan Gattey (Stuff): Pressure on midwifery to be addressed in Govt’s new ‘sustainable midwifery model’
Catherine Hutton (RNZ): Junior midwives tackling high risk cases: study
Hamish Walker (Southland Times): The fight against cut and downgraded services continues
Isaac Davison (Herald): Denying elderly stroke patients medical cannabis a form of elder abuse, Grey Power branch says
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): What medicinal cannabis campaigners want from the Government
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Rejig of rescue helicopter bases ‘could cost lives’
Employment
Pattrick Smellie (Stuff): See-sawing labour market policy tilts back towards the have-nots
Shane Cowlishaw (Newsroom): Employment law battle reaches Parliament
Interest: Hospitality NZ is telling MPs legislation affecting the 90-day trial period will have a ‘significant’ impact on the tourism sector
Chloe Winter (Stuff): First Union launches ‘Worth It’ campaign to combat ‘pay crisis’ in retail sector
Lisa Meto Fox (E-Tangata): Turning workers on and off like a tap
RNZ: Service station ordered to pay $250k for mistreating workers
Alex Braae (Spinoff): ‘Ethical’ supermarket workers are going on strike
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): L’Oreal to pay living wage in Mangere distribution centre
Katie Ellis (Spinoff): Mojo Coffee: Why we increased our prices
1News: Blue collar workers on cocaine a worrying trend found by workplace drug testing agency
Media
David Fisher (Herald): Journalists exposed by Privacy Act gap but the law can now be changed
Lucy Bennett (Herald): RNZ matter at an end, says PM Jacinda Ardern: Little to be gained in forcing voicemail handover
Henry Cooke (Stuff): RNZ boss formally declines to release ‘inappropriate’ Clare Curran voicemail
Jane Patterson (RNZ): RNZ chairman refuses to release voicemail message
Jessica Mutch (1News):RNZ chair refuses to release ‘inappropriate’ voicemail left by Broadcasting Minister as meeting saga continues
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Clare Curran’s call ‘inappropriate’, RNZ chairman Richard Griffin says
No Right Turn: Not acceptable
Mike Hosking (Herald): Fun and games – forget the critics, TV is alive and kicking
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): No free lunch when it comes to TV sport
International relations and trade
Benedict Collins (RNZ): What next?: Saudi sheep abattoir construction complete
Egemen Bezci and Nicholas Borroz (Noted): The challenge Jacinda Ardern faces in dealing with a post-Brexit Britain
RNZ: Pacific Islands Forum head says China base OK if no risk posed
Dan McGarry (Guardian):Baseless rumours: why talk of a Chinese military installation in Vanuatu misses the point
Laura Walters (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern and Justin Trudeau in London town hall event
Child welfare
Jeni Cartwright (CPAG): Human rights, housing and child poverty – where do we stand?
Newshub: Children’s Commissioner calls for more youth-focused policy
Northcote by-election and Jonathan Coleman valedictory
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Northcote by-election: The shortlist takes shape
Laine Moger (Stuff): National and Labour announce candidates for Auckland’s Northcote by-election
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Coleman gives valedictory speech amid govt attacks
Herald: Former cabinet minister Jonathan Coleman delivers valedictory speech
Gia Garrick (Newstalk ZB): Jonathan Coleman delivers valedictory speech
Transport and road safety
Herald: Local government on board with zero road death policy: Genter
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): A target of zero is a meaningless target
Phil Twyford (Spinoff): Memo to Wayne Mapp: New Zealanders want more rapid transit, fewer new roads
Richard Harman (Politik): Full steam ahead to Whangarei port
Paul Mitchell (Stuff): Government cops flak for expressway uncertainty
Ross Boswell (Herald): Auckland has a better option for Airport rapid transit
Justice and police
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand’s human rights tribunal ‘breaching human rights’ due to delays
Jill Nicholas (Rotorua Daily Post): Prison sentences too high, says Rotorua High Court judge
Scott Yeoman (Bay of Plenty Times): Justice Minister: Leaky Tauranga courthouse needs replacing
Matt Stewart (Stuff):Is a softer approach to recruit training creating a generation of scared cops?
CTV building collapse
Conan Young (RNZ): New info could cast doubt over lack of CTV prosecution
Michael Wright (Stuff): CTV families claim prosecution decision based on incomplete information, urge Govt to reconsider
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Families of CTV building victims call decision not to prosecute ‘offensive’
RNZ: CTV families asking govt to reconsider legal action
Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): NCEA pass rate improvements may be over
Simon Collins (Herald): Pacific students almost catch up with Europeans in NCEA
Simon Collins (Herald): Teacher unions claim ‘public mandate to take action’ over big pay claims
RNZ: Strong backing for teacher pay rise, union says
Annette Lambly (Stuff): Puna kāinga established to assist transition to school
Eva Corlett (RNZ): Library closures prompt fears University of Auckland will burn books
Local government
Talisa Kupenga (Māori TV): Māori wards top priority for Green Party
Tina Law (Press): Christchurch residents still facing problems with prostitutes working in suburbia
Heath Moore (Herald): Council defends muzzling of menacing dogs inside own homes
Other
Carwyn Jones (Spinoff): Why the UN wants New Zealand to strengthen Māori rights
Dominion Post Editorial: Racism: Truth on both sides
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Hurricanes apologise for ‘racist’ poster
RNZ: Building Minister questioned in Parl over panel cladding
Herald Editorial: Sudden storm finds Auckland’s power exposed
Graham Adams (Noted): Under pressure: Kiwi elites feel the heat
Chelsea Boyle (Herald): Firm facing $2.6m fine under money laundering, terrorism financing laws
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Jericho Station sale outcome anticipated, says Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage
Guy Trafford (Interest): Opinion: Positive reaction to Jericho Station sale collapse reflects New Zealanders preoccupation with land ownership
Geoffrey Palmer (Politik): Western democracy seems to have lost its mojo and is on the retreat
Hone Harawira (Daily Blog): My tribute to Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
Kyle MacDonald (Herald): Why Israel Folau’s gay comment is hate speech
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): MBIE launches steel anti-dumping probes
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Learn from Facebook -or risk tougher regulation, MA warns
Ben Goodale (Herald): Govt needs to protect Kiwis from Facebook’s power
