Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – November 29 2018
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
Huawei 5G ban, foreign affairs and trade
Paul Buchanan (RNZ): Huawei vs Five Eyes: NZ diplomatic ties at centre of dilemma
Richard Harman (Politik): How the Huawei decision saw the old friends prevail
Liam Dann (Herald): Huawei decision will damage China relationship
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Huawei a ‘trojan horse’ aimed at an achilles heel
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): NZ could see major fallout from Huawei 5G decision – expert
Rebecca Stevenson (Stuff): Huawei for dummies: China’s tech company and why it’s been banned by our spies
Chris Keall (Herald): Not a ban – Little offers hope for Huawei, but Spark dubious
RNZ: Minister: GCSB decision about risk assessment, not China
1News: Government confident ‘strong relationship’ with China won’t be affected over Huawei decision
Chris Keall and Jason Walls (Herald): Spies say no deal to Spark
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): GCSB decision isn’t the end of the road for Huawei
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Huawei’s 5G ban ‘disappointment for competition’ – 2degrees
Tom Pullar-Strecker, Henry Cooke and Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Ministers briefed on GCSB’s Huawei 5G ban
Jason Walls (Herald): Concerns over ‘intervention in an unauthorised way’ cited as reason for Huawei ban by Minister
RNZ: Reasons to block Spark’s 5G rollout ‘classified’
No Right Turn: Show us the backdoor
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): GCSB no to Huawei is the first shot in NZ vs China confrontation
(Point of Order): ‘Significant security risk’ stymies Spark’s Huawei 5G proposal
1News: GCSB shuts down Spark’s proposed 5G partnership with Huawei over ‘significant network security risk’
RNZ: GCSB blocks Spark from using Chinese tech in 5G rollout
Herald: GCSB bans Spark from using Huawei gear for its 5G mobile upgrade
Edward O’Driscoll, Sophie Bateman and Mitch McCann (Newshub): Spy agency GCSB raises security concerns over Spark’s Huawei 5G plan
AP: New Zealand halts Huawei from 5G upgrade over security fears
Adele Redmond (Stuff): Academics call for academic freedom, police protection for burgled colleague Anne-Marie Brady
Peter Dunne (Interest): New Zealand has become very reluctant to say a word out of place on China, presumably for fear of the economic consequences
Nicholas Ross Smith (Herald): We need to learn the art of effective hedging
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Why I’m a China bull — John Key
Michael Reddell: Known by the company they keep
Karel Sroubek residency decision
Jason Walls (Herald): Immigration Minister says the potential death of Karel Sroubek weighed on his deportation decision
RNZ: Immigration Minister says he could’ve handled Sroubek case better
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Why Iain Lees-Galloway should resign (and why he shouldn’t)
1News: Should he resign? Immigration Minister and his predecessor butt heads over Czech convict firestorm
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Iain Lees-Galloway has promised to do better in the future
Derek Cheng (Herald) New Sroubek decision doesn’t repair Immigration Minister’s credibility
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Karel Sroubek case not over yet
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Iain Lees-Galloway makes New Zealand look like ‘banana republic’ – lawyer
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Checkpoint: Immigration Minister knew of Sroubek’s crimes in Czech Republic
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway already had Interpol information
Derek Cheng (Herald): ‘New’ info to deport Karel Sroubek was in original file delivered weeks ago
Anna Whyte (1News): Immigration Minister’s ‘got to go’ because of Czech drug smuggler case, says Simon Bridges
Derek Cheng (Herald): Czech drug dealer Karel Sroubek liable for deportation after residency review
RNZ: Sroubek liable for deportation – Immigration Minister
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Czech drug smuggler Karel Sroubek liable to be deported – Iain Lees Galloway
Anna Whyte (1News): Czech drug smuggler Karel Sroubek now liable for deportation, says Immigration Minister
Stuff: Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway revokes Karel Sroubek’s residency
Suffrage
Toby Manhire (Stuff): Green Party calls on government to urgently repeal prisoner voting ban
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Green Party makes call for law change to allow prisoners the right to vote
Megan Sutherland (Newshub): Green Party urges Justice Minister Andrew Little to give prisoners right to vote
1News: Golriz Ghahraman urges Government to prioritise prisoner voting ban change
Pete George: Right To Vote For All petition
No Right Turn: Still not their priority
Tania Sawicki Mead and Ashelsha Sawant (Spinoff): To call ourselves a truly representative democracy, this voting law must change
Spinoff: Don’t: the NZ women still not voting, 125 years after suffrage
Azaria Howell (Spinoff): Make it 16: a teenager on why we should lower the voting age
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Parliament marks 125 years since women vote in general election
Natalia Sutherland (1News): Kiwi women voted for the first time 125 years ago today
Health and disability
RNZ: ‘Anxious’ parents paying for MenW vaccine – Northland doctor
Cliff Taylor (Stuff): GPs under pressure as Northlanders demand protection against meningococcal
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Grieving grandmother of meningococcal victim says the disease struck in hours
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Cut DHBs from 20 to two – Lance O’Sullivan
Teuila Fuatai (Newsroom): Health strategy misses 80 percent of people
Spinoff: ‘You gotta push this through, bruv’: Watch Jamie Oliver’s sugar tax message to NZ
ODT Editorial: Putting a lid on vaping
1News: Almost half of Kiwi parents don’t like the idea of their kids playing with others who have HIV
Mānia Clarke (Māori TV): New survey shows stigma still surrounds HIV
Lucy Warhurst (Newshub): HIV still holds negative stigma among New Zealanders – survey
Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Researchers identify strain of antibiotic-resistant ‘super bugs’ found in Hutt Valley
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Patient complaints to Commission up 13 per cent
Hannah Martin (Stuff): ‘One step behind’ – women doctors speak out about sexism, work-life balance
Stuff: Waikato midwives protest for better pay
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Christchurch outpatients building finished for $7.8m less than budgeted
Newshub: Mental health inquiry panel waiting for Government response to report
Jess McAllen (RNZ): Mental health working group ‘dominated by DHBs’ – advocates
Katy Jones (Stuff): Petition to improve victims’ rights exceeds target within days
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Ex-colleague speaks out over previous bogus psychiatrist Linda Astor
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Doctors should understand patients’ spiritual needs too
Newshub: New Zealand blind community advocate wins Attitude ACC Supreme Award
Laura Twyman (1News): Woman who served blind community for over two decades honoured at Attitude Awards
NZ Post, Kiwibank
Catherine Harris and Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Communities fight to keep Post Shops as closure looms
Catherine Harris and Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Communities search for alternatives to Post Shop closures
Rachel Graham (RNZ): Christchurch post office saved from closure by volunteers
Thomas Mead (Newshub): Christchurch post shop on Stanmore Rd could soon be New Zealand’s last
Workplace Relations Amendment Bill, employment
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Winston Keeps His Pledge To The Small Businesses Of Small-Town New Zealand
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Changes to workplace relations bill a win for farm security and safety, Feds say
RNZ: Age the most common reason for discrimination – survey
Herald: Are Kiwi workers earning what they’re worth?
Paul Judge (Herald): No one to turn to when bullied in the workplace
MMP reform referendum
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Proposed MMP changes – will 4% make a difference?
No Right Turn: For a lower MMP threshold
Parliament
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Former National MP Jami-Lee Ross won’t return to Parliament this year
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Simon Bridges spends $72k on travel – a lot less than the previous period
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): ‘He was a bully’: Christine Rankin accuses ‘crude’ Trevor Mallard of bullying
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Is Parliament a safe place to work? MPs and Speaker disagree
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Some at Parliament ‘very’ frightened of others – Speaker Trevor Mallard
Newshub: Politics wrap: What will come of the review into bullying and harassment at Parliament?
1News: Winston Peters kicked out of House after calling Deputy Speaker Anne Tolley’s running of debate ‘a darn disgrace’
Jason Walls (Herald): Winston Peters kicked out of the House after testy exchange with Deputy Speaker
Newstalk ZB: Winston Peters kicked out of house during Sroubek debate
Talisa Kupenga (Māori TV): Game on – politicians debate male, mixed netball teams
Environment and conservation
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Climate change 101: The most important things to understand about this urgent problem
Lauren McLean (Stuff): We need to act on climate change for the sake of our children
Chris Mooney (Washington Post): World is well off course on goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions
Rob Stock (Stuff): New Zealanders have a ‘thin fear’ of climate change
Rob Stock (Stuff): Climate change costs are hitting households through insurance premiums
Rob Stock (Stuff): Reserve Bank voices fears climate change will render homes uninsurable
Duncan Bridgeman (Herald): Insuring for climate change just got harder
Zane Small (Newshub): Rising sea levels will swallow Wellington suburb, research shows
No Right Turn: Climate Change: We don’t need a “magic bullet”
Paul Duignan and Kena Duignan (Stuff): Forget the climate doom and gloom – it’s time to be positive
Graham Skellern (Herald): Carbon zero target ‘no pipedream’
Graham Skellern (Herald): Every little action helps in cutting the carbon
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Cold storage firm admits poisoning Christchurch stream where 2000 eels found dead
RNZ: Company admits to poisoning fish and eels with ammonia
Mel Logan and Megan Sutherland (Newshub): Company admits stream contamination that killed 2000 eels
1News: Company faces $600k fine after dumping contaminants that killed hundreds of native eels in Christchurch creek
Michael Neilson (Stuff): Crown has ‘failed’ to protect fresh water, independent body needed – NZ Māori Council
John Boynton (RNZ): Northland iwi influential in whale strandings
RNZ: One pygmy whale remains alive after others beach again
Shabnam Dastgheib (Stuff): Five pygmy whales euthanised after restranding on Northland beach
Scott Palmer and Lauren Paddy (Newshub): Doomed Northland pygmy killer whales down to one survivor
1News: A sad ending: Five of six remaining pygmy whales euthanised in Far North
Piers Fuller (Stuff): World first study shows native mussels have personalities
Catherine Harris (Stuff): The other plastics: Retailers and manufacturers pick up the plastic bag baton
8 Rivers hydrogren project
Pattrick Smellie (Stuff): Is the 8 Rivers’ Taranaki zero-emissions hydrogen project another ostrich idea?
Christina Persico (Stuff): Taranaki hydrogen power project could cost $4b
Primary and extractive industries
RNZ: Farm consents or more water ‘not done deal’
RNZ: NZ’s dairy cow population on the rise
Dave Nicoll (Stuff): Southland company applies for resource consent to expand coal mine
Mike Chapman (Newshub): What’s the future for rural New Zealand?
Robin Martin (RNZ): Taranaki farmers concerned over safety exclusion zones
National Party
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Nats need more than a “no new taxes” message
1News: National MP Chris Finlayson announces departure from Parliament
Herald: National MP Chris Finlayson to leave Parliament in new year
RNZ: Chris Finlayson to leave Parliament early next year
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Nelson mayor’s picture on MP’s newsletter ‘a National Party message’
Herald: Young Nat at centre of post-party allegations banned from party events
MSD and child welfare
Blair Ensor and Tony Wall (Stuff): MSD placed families at motels it knew housed child sex offenders
CPAG: New report from MSD shows urgent need for Government action on poverty
Housing
Anne Gibson (Herald): Sir Stephen Tindall on KiwiBuild: ‘You can construct houses for almost half the price that they cost here’
Stuff: PM and opposition leader clash over New Plymouth KiwiBuild costs
Vaughan Gunson (Northern Advocate): Urban Development Authority set to shake up local body politics
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Rent crunch hits, and there’s worse to come
Alan Kenyon (1News): Watch: Winston Peters admits abolition of letting fees may lead to ‘temporary rent rises’
Sarah Dowie (Southland Times): You can’t pay the rent with ‘hope’
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Plan to build 950 homes in small Central Otago town closer to reality
Rachel Kelly (Southland Times): Southland needs 2800 houses in 2019 to fill current need
Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): Model for Wellington CBD affordable and pet-friendly apartments showed off
Reserve Bank to ease loan restrictions
BusinessDesk: RBNZ expects house prices to rise
Jason Walls (Herald): Easing of home lending restrictions good news for first-home buyers, Govt says
Ben Leahy (Herald): Auckland first-home buyers and investors welcome easing of lending restrictions
Jason Walls (Herald): Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says loan-to-value lending limits will be in place ‘now and forever’
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Mortgage changes ‘not guaranteed’ to make a difference, analyst warns
Kelvin Davidson (Herald): Why the Reserve had to relax home loan restrictions
Justice
Anna Leask (Herald): Exclusive: Crown considers appealing home detention sentence for child sex abuse youth worker Devonte Mulitalo
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Family’s anguish as sexual predator celebrates his home detention
Sam Hurley (Herald): Prominent defence lawyer, ex-SFO prosecutor among new Queen’s Counsel appointments
Stuff: Sex offender says he’s being denied rehab, delaying his parole
Country of origin food labeling bill
1News: New Bill will allow Kiwi consumers to know exactly where their food came from
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Country of Origin Bill to make it easier to find out where food comes from
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Country of origin food labeling bill passes third reading
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Consumers to know country of origin of some foods
Pride, sex, gender
David Farrar: The great TERF war of November 2018
Mike Treen: My position on Trans Rights
Felix Desmarai (Stuff): Wellington rainbow community divided over uniformed police in parade
Karl du Fresne (Stuff): Do we even need pride parades any more?
Media
Māori TV: Māori Television pays tribute to outgoing chief executive
RNZ: Māori TV top boss Keith Ikin resigns
Stuff: Māori Television CEO Keith Ikin resigns, to step down at end of year
Herald: Māori TV CEO Keith Ikin resigns
Transport
1News: Orchestrated push for change needed if NZ is to embrace electric vehicles – advocate
1News: Auckland to Hamilton passenger rail service wins Waikato council backing
Kirsty Lawrence (Stuff): Mayor calls roads ‘a systemic killing field scenario’ after two fatal crashes in one day
Amy Williams (RNZ): Notorious intersection fixes not enough for residents
Jo Lines-Mackenzie (Stuff): SH1 to likely to get more safety improvements before extension
Shane Jones on Air NZ’s safety video
John Anthony (Stuff): $2.5 million cost put on Air NZ’s ‘mini blockbuster’ safety video
Moana Makapelu Lee (Māori TV): No one is safe – Jones calls out Air NZ over ‘safety-rap’ video
Philip Matthews (Press): Editorial: Coffee, tea or criticism? Shane Jones vs Air New Zealand
James Nokise (RNZ): Air NZ safety video: Shane Jones just ain’t street
1News: ‘This is just embarrassing’ – Breakfast’s Hayley Holt agrees with Shane Jones’ scathing criticism of new Air NZ safety video
Provincial Growth Fund
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): PGF pay-outs no hidden subsidy – Shane Jones
Gordon Campbell: On Emmanuel Macron’s no good, very bad year and Shane Jones
Fiscal policy
1News: Capital gains tax backed by ‘clear majority’ of Tax Working Group members
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): ‘Complex and complicated’ issues in focus as final TWG report nears
Stuart Smith (Stuff): Far from fair ‘bach tax’ pushing ordinary Kiwis into a corner – MP
Bryan Gould: Fads and fashions in economic policy
Neil Plimmer (Stuff): Don’t forget the value of the arts if we’re going to measure wellbeing
Education
Jessica Long and Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Schools needing playground upgrades resort to crowd-funding and corporate sponsorship
RNZ: Teaching unions: Bill undermines body’s independence
Megan Harvey (Herald): Watch: Waimate Head girl’s speech shares what it was like coming out of closet
Lauren Simpson (Stuff): Students missing class because petrol is too expensive to get them to university
Auckland
Matthew Theunissen (RNZ): Auckland’s Northcote Point part of scheme allowing vehicle sleepovers
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): An ungodly law: New Zealand’s rich churches should pay rates
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Destiny Church, Church of Scientology get rates benefits under current rules
Herald Editorial: Queen St overdue for car-free trial
Todd Niall (Stuff): Wayne Brown rejects Phil Goff’s fears on moving Auckland’s port
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Clear bias’: Government accused of ignoring Auckland Council over port move
Martin Johnston (Herald): Te reo Māori names to be considered for hundreds of Auckland parks
Herald: David Seymour to host community carols at Eden Park this Sunday
Local government
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Crunch time for Waimea dam project: TDC to vote go or no-go on dam plan
Thomas Manch and Glen McConnell (Stuff): Questions surrounding Wellington’s proposed indoor arena leave some decision makers uneasy
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Potential new 12,000 seat arena in Wellington has its location narrowed down
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Loss of free weekend parking hasn’t hurt Wellington’s CBD retailers, council says
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): West Coast council denies discharging human waste into river
Police
1News: Police bullet struck man in back during fatal Darfield incident where man hit cop with vehicle
RNZ: Darfield shooting: Bullet fragment struck man in back
Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Man dead after armed callout was shot by police
Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Police office sanctioned after slapping colleague on back of head
Customs
1News: Tobacco smuggling ‘rivals what we’re seeing for drugs’, Customs official says
Michael Morrah (Newshub): New Zealand’s expensive cigarettes are making us the target of international smugglers
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Customs seize 1.8 million cigarettes in major fraud case
1News: Around 1.8m cigarettes destined for NZ’s Chinese community, $2m cash seized by Customs as part of six-month investigation
Corporate boxing
Adele Redmond and Tom Kitchin (Stuff): No changes to corporate boxing rules as new charity event launches
Peter Lampp (Manawatū Standard): Corporates have no safe business practices mixing it with boxing
Other
LIz McDonald (Stuff): Disquiet at voices excluded from earthquake symposium
Bob McCoskrie (Herald): I’ve Visited Colorado to See dope legalisation. Don’t go there
Chris Hutching (Stuff): Tower retreats from quake-risk areas, but hit by random weather bombs
John Boynton (RNZ): Moves underway to set up Māori-owned bank
Leon Wijohn (Herald): Māori entities continue to grow their putea
RNZ: PM meets with families of Erebus victims
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Shakti Wellington Refuge has been denied allocated contracted funding again
Nikki Mandow (BusinessDesk): ‘Keep the buggers honest’ lawyer joins Auckland law society battle
RNZ: Māori karakia features in Korean pop song
David Farrar: RIP Gordon Copeland
Herald: Advertising Standards Authority overturns call on West Auckland licensing trusts’ crashes claim
