Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – December 17 2018
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
The Beehive and Parliament Buildings.
John Armstrong (1News): As NZ tries to lead world on climate change, Jacinda Ardern’s failure to shut down coal-generated power is an ‘absolute cop-out’
Russel Norman (Stuff): New Zealand needs a Climate Commission that can act independently from political pressures
Natalie Jones (Spinoff): NZ urged ‘high ambition’ on climate in Poland. Now let’s see that at home
Rod Oram (Newsroom): Beware the beef with smoked bacon
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): If this meaningless dribble is a ‘breakthrough’, we are doomed
Ben Strang (RNZ): Climate agreement ‘a big breakthrough’ – James Shaw
RNZ: Agreement in Poland on climate change rulebook
Jason Walls (Herald): Green Party co-leader James Shaw says new climate change rulebook is a ‘breakthrough’
Henry Cooke (Stuff):James Shaw confident ‘Paris rulebook’ can be established on climate change
Gia Garrick (RNZ): Climate talks: ‘The levels of concern are so different’ – Shaw
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Water scheme to cost ‘a bigger chunk’ than expected – David Parker
No Right Turn: ECan votes to poison people
Jennifer Eder (Stuff): Marlborough winery contaminates neighbours’ drinking water with grape waste
1News: Calls to close Auckland and BOP crayfishing areas due to collapse in numbers
Michael Neilson (Herald): Forest and Bird call for Auckland, Bay of Plenty crayfish fishing ban
RNZ: Plan to reverse kiwi decline focuses on protection
RNZ: Dozens of rowi kiwi released into the wild
Robin Martin (RNZ): Celebrity kiwi released into the wild
Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): Department of Conservation’s advice for dog owners this summer
1News: Recovery programme sees two more takahē released onto Rotoroa Island
RNZ: Wasps among predators threatening the survival of NZ bats – Forest and Bird
Hawke’s Bay horticulture human trafficking, slavery involving Samoan workers
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Suspected ‘slave’ boss arrested
Herald: Illegal workers: Man arrested for human trafficking, slavery
1News: Man charged with human trafficking and slavery involving Samoans working in Hawke’s Bay horticulture industry
Net worth stats, inequality
Max Rashbrooke (RNZ): How can NZ close the gap between rich and poor?
Stuff: Net worth of richest 20 per cent rises nearly $400,000 since 2015
Zane Small and Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Inequality: New Zealand’s rich getting richer while poor remain static
RNZ: The richest households are now worth $1.75 million – survey
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Want to get rich? Buy a house (yes, still)
Catherine Harris (Stuff): Kiwis with a net wealth of $1.5m or more: ‘They’re just ordinary people’
RNZ: Grant Robertson: Child poverty a top priority
Year in review
Audrey Young (Herald): And the Politician of the Year is…
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): After a huge year in politics, one politician stands out
Greg Bruce (Herald): Kiwi cartoonists on what mattered in 2018
Newshub: Jacinda Ardern says having Neve was highlight of her year
Richard Swainson (Waikato Times): Brains and brawn abound in Kane Williamson and Anne-Marie Brady
State surveillance
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Spy agency’s ‘intrusive requests’ of banks didn’t sufficiently recognise Bill of Rights
Derek Cheng (Herald): Spy agency’s requests to banks for information ‘very intrusive’, report says
Gia Garrick (RNZ): SIS ‘very intrusive’ in some requests for bank customer info
No Right Turn: The SIS conducted unlawful searches
No Right Turn: Little lays down the law to the GCSB
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Well, well, well – Kim Dotcom was right – here is the mass surveillance
Foreign affairs, Huawei ban
Chris Keall (Herald): Revealed: NZ, other Five Eyes partners met before Huawei arrest
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Chinese fugitive makes ‘voluntary’ return from NZ
RNZ: Chinese fugitive left New Zealand voluntarily
Reuters (Newshub): Suspected corrupt Chinese official leaves NZ
Jason Walls (Herald): Foreign Minister Winston Peters ‘unashamedly’ calling on the US to do more in the Pacific
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Trump vs China: What does it mean for NZ?
Michael Reddell: The China Council takes the stage
Nina Hall and Max Harris (Spinoff): How Jacinda Ardern can map a foreign policy for the progressive world to follow
Todd McClay (Newsroom): UN migration deal ‘unworkable global standard’
Justice, corrections
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Prisoners to take right to vote fight to United Nation
RNZ: Supreme Court finds prisoner voting ban lawfully passed
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Supreme Court says ban on prisoner voting was lawful
1News: Ban on prisoners voting is lawful, NZ highest court has ruled
Herald: Petition by mum of teen killed by hit-and-run driver nears 100,000 supporters
Charlotte Carter (Stuff): Hit and run petition nearing 100,000 signatures
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Grieving mum of killed cyclist Nathan Kraatskow calls for review of justice system
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Mother of 15yo hit-and-run victim launches petition demanding killer’s sentence be appealed
1News: Mum of teenager killed in drunken hit-and-run wants tougher penalties for his killer
Dan Satherely (Newshub): Rouxle Le Roux case: Home detention ‘a hard sentence’, top lawyer claims
Katie Fitzgerad: Rouxle Le Roux: Social media posts claim ‘privilege’ at play in sentencing
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Justice system slammed on social media after sentencing of 15yo cyclist killer
Jamie Ensor, Zane Small and Alice Wilkins (Newshub): Woman who killed boy with car joked about having to catch bus on Instagram
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): 19yo woman sentenced to home detention, community service for dangerous driving killing 15yo cyclist
Bridget Grace (Newshub): Rouxle Le Roux: National calls for tougher sentencing after hit-and-run driver gets home detention
Benn Bathagate (Stuff): Prisoners help increasing number of in-need families whose children sleep on the floor
Martin van Beynen (Stuff): NZ’s longest serving inmate will do some more time
Grace Millane, name suppression
Peter Williams (Stuff): The internet has compromised justice
RNZ: Google taking measures after Millane murder-accused named
Derek Cheng (Herald): Minister to Google:- Fair trial rights should not be left to the whims of algorithms and machines
Graeme Edgeler (Stuff): Grace Millane case: Name suppression breach won’t endanger trial of accused
ODT Editorial: Court suppressions in an online world
Eric Crampton: Suppressed
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Heart-breaking news and suppression frustration
Martin van Beynen (Stuff): Grace Millane’s murder has tapped into an underlying fury
Bill Ralston (Listener): We care for Grace Millane – we should care for the others too
Paul Little (Herald): Grace Millane case highlights a terrible double standard
Phil Taylor (Herald): Grace Millane murder: Why we care and why we need to
Alison Mau (Stuff): We’ve all had the chance to mourn Grace Millane, but the court denies this other slain woman that humanity
Herald Editorial: Grace Millane’s death can move us to act against male violence
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): MP Jan Logie responds to open letter pleading for action on violence against women
Phil Taylor and Sam Hurley (Herald): A who’s who of prominent women challenge men and the Government to act in the wake of Grace Millane’s murder
1News: Helen Clark, other high profile women demand government action to end violence against women
Newshub: Grace Millane’s death prompts calls for men and the Government to end violence against women
RNZ: High profile NZ women demand more Govt action against violence
Kirsty Wynn (Herald): Do more for women: Government responds to letter about Grace Millane
Lizzie Marvelly (Herald): Being a woman carries additional risks
Education
Peter O’Connor (Newsroom): Equity and wellbeing in Tomorrow’s Schools review
John Gerritsen (RNZ):Schools illegally refusing to enrol local children
Katarina Williams (Stuff): Education leaders concerned school heads boost student rolls to line their own pockets
John Lewis (ODT): Esol cut leaves schools in lurch
Joel Maxwell (Stuff):It’s high time we ended segregation in our school system
1News: Calls for low decile schools to stay open over summer break so kids stay fed
RNZ: NZQA investigates reports of lost online exams
Josephine Franks (Stuff): No detention, no suspensions: Welcome to the school with no rules
Census
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Election 2020 at risk of being compromised due to census delays
Jonathan Milne (Stuff): As a schoolboy, the education minister took on failing leaders; he won’t hesitate to do it again
Colin Williscroft and Jonathan Milne (Stuff): Census problems force ‘frustrated’ Minister to urgently overhaul school funding
Child abuse
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Royal Commission apologises to abuse survivors over email mix-up
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Revealed: Thousands of Kiwis try to access underage sex sites daily
Parliament
Ian Welch (Herald): Why online voting will not be getting my vote
Phil Smith (RNZ): A year of changes from the Speaker, and more to come
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Jacinda Ardern picks up the John Key playbook
Peter Wilson (RNZ): Week in politics: Apologies, relief and unanswered questions
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Brexit mess a warning to Opposition MPs – be careful what you promise
Peter McLeod (Stuff): Gordon Copeland: A life of achievement, driven by faith
Helen Harvey (Taranaki Daily News): Former MP and businessman remembered as a gentleman
Government
Chris Trotter (Interest):Jacinda Ardern: In charge, or just in front?
Brigette Morten (RNZ): Twyford’s efforts overshadowed by messy situation
Point of Order: Ministerial appointments monitor – jobs for the boys (and jobs for the girls, too)
Drug laws
Fiona Hutton (Newsroom): Drug reform more than political point scoring
Rob Mitchell (Stuff): Sharp suits v gang patches: The battle for NZ’s legal cannabis market
1News: Greens’ new synthetic rules ‘a backdown’ and ‘confusing’ – 1 NEWS political team
David Farrar: Its up to Parliament not Police to decide drug law
John Roughan (Herald): Labour violins play but ovation must wait
Damien Venuto (Herald): Kiwi startup Helius therapeutics launches nationwide cannabis advertising campaign
Catherine Harris (Stuff): New Zealand gets first cannabis advertising campaign
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Cannabis is medicine’: Helius Theraputics launches rebranding campaign
Economy, budget
1News: Finance Minister on loneliness, fuel taxes and Budget priorities
Liam Dann (Herald): Markets in zombie mode as world staggers into 2019
Liam Dann (Herald): Economy Hub: Can the Government afford to spend more?
Herald: GDP growth tipped to have slowed
Liam Dann (Herald): AI computer to deliver real time GDP data
Jan Antolik/Karel Sroubek residency case
Derek Cheng (Herald): Precedent for releasing PM’s private text messages, law professor says
Newshub: ‘Probably time’ to change my phone number – Jacinda Ardern
David Fisher (Herald): Karel Sroubek says wife’s claim he is a threat just a nasty marital dispute over property
Pete Burdon: Government does a ‘Tiger Woods’ with Sroubek
Health
RNZ: Māori still more likely to die of cardiac arrest – report
Mere McLean (Māori TV): Māori hold highest rates for cardiac arrests
Brad Flahive (Stuff): The $8m doctor: ACC pays for ‘wholly speculative diagnosis that does not accord with the clinical facts’, judge says
RNZ: DHB not filling 58 vacancies to save money
Emma Russell (Herald): Hundreds of New Zealanders opt for an online doctor
Matt Rilkoff (Stuff): Realiability of sunscreen a public health issue
RNZ: Vaping firm defends ads after complaints arise
E-Tangata: The shameful treatment of gout in New Zealand
John-Michael Swannix (Newshub): Govt’s must plan for the increasing burden of brain diseases – Prof Theo Vos
John-Michael Swannix (Newshub): ‘NZ needs 88 neurologists, it has just 36’ – AUT brain expert Valery Feigin calls for doubling of resources
RNZ: MenW case confirmed in Manawatu
Mike Houlahan (ODT): 16 more nurses employed to manage safety
Hinemoa Elder (Stuff): Young Kiwis in poverty are deliberately harming themselves – and it’s not just a cry for help
Stuart Smith and Priyanca Radhakrishnan (Stuff): Virtue signalling or concrete action on mental health crisis?
Alex Ashton (RNZ): Pharmacy wins battle with govt for right to sell kombucha
Euthanasia
Ruby Macandrew and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Significant changes to End of Life Choice Bill proposed by David Seymour
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Act leader David Seymour recommends changes to End of Life Choice Bill
Zane Small (Newshub): Euthanasia: Lobbyists say David Seymour’s backing down, but is he?
State sector
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): State sector governance under the spotlight
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Public sector bosses’ pay raises slowing: State Services Commissioner
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Public sector chief exective pay slows its growth, but many making more than $700,000
Transport, roading, road toll
Marty Sharpe and Damian George (Stuff): Vision Zero: Towards a revolutionary approach to lowering the terrible toll on our roads
Marty Sharp (Stuff): Vision Zero: Life-saving median barriers coming to a road near you
RNZ: Road toll: ‘We have the tools available to reduce it’
John Anthony (Stuff): Cheaper NZ fuel prices results in higher road toll, Australian researchers find
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): High fuel prices lower the road toll – study
1News: Road Safety expert says more needs to be spent on educating drivers, as Government plows $1.4 billion into road safety
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Government spending $1.4 billion over three years to save lives on roads
Jessica Long and Damian George (Stuff): $1.4 billion safety upgrades for roads in ‘desperate need’ of repair
RNZ: $1.4b for safety upgrades of most dangerous highways
1News: Government announces $1.4b plan to improve road safety
Laura Tupou (Newshub): Government announces $1.4 billion investment in road safety
1News: ‘The least any govt should be doing’ – Simon Bridges hits out at $1.4b road safety announcement
RNZ: SH1 realignment in Southland on track for 2020 opening
Dennis Maga (Stuff): Unions can say ‘we told you so’ on NZTA
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Why I hate cycleways
Bernard Hickey (RNZ): Wheels in motion for ride sharing revolution
Alice Peacock (Herald): Staff from Auckland company Beca told to carry out ‘risk assessment’ before using Lime scooters
Andrew McRae (RNZ): Mayor says rail service needs to happen and will build up passengers
RNZ: Uber to close Christchurch hub which aids drivers
Stuff: New Zealand’s first fully-electric ferry
Alex Baird (Newshub): Wellington to get first electric ferry in Southern Hemisphere
RNZ: Air NZ to trial direct flights between Invercargill and Auckland
Media
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): The best people in the wrong jobs
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): NZME: the media giant still at war after all these years
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): RNZ in 2018: will well-meaning government interference end its dream run?
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): The media in 2018: Spark and the risks and rewards of entering the rights race
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: Tough times for training journalists (audio)
TVNZ: Watch: Legendary broadcaster Peter Williams signs off after nearly 40 years on Kiwi screens
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): ‘Everything must finish’: Peter Williams’ emotional goodbye, guard of honour at TVNZ before move to Magic Talk
Herald: Newsreader Peter Williams signs off after 40 years with TVNZ
Charlotte Carter (Stuff): Veteran broadcaster Peter Williams signs off from TVNZ
Duncan Garner (RNZ): Thanks to RadioLIVE and its listeners for all the madness
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): ‘Everything descended into chaos’: Lizzie Marvelly, Sean Plunket, Richie Hardcore in Hamilton media club incident
Michael Daly (Stuff): Sean Plunket, Lizzie Marvelly let loose on social media after rising tension at Hamilton event
Local government
Todd Niall (Stuff): Investigation into Auckland Council’s openness ‘looking in the wrong place’
RNZ: Auckland CBD to trial pedestrian-only street next week
Newshub: Cars to make way for Christmas partiers on Auckland’s High St
Eva Corlett (RNZ): Court quashes rich-lister’s bid to build heli-pad near public beach
RNZ: Piha flood victims still waiting for decision on water-damaged homes
RNZ: Timaru ratepayers want to keep Alpine Energy stake
RNZ: Council spends $230k in bid to prevent potential gang headquarters
James Dann (Spinoff): Does Lianne Dalziel deserve a third term as Christchurch mayor?
Bridget Grace (Newshub): Council investigating pōhutukawa tree poisoning in Opito Bay
Housing
Anne Gibson (Herald): We audit KiwiBuild: Hammering out the wins and losses after 6 months on the job
Ben Leahy (Stuff): More than 40 needy Kiwi families have moved into new homes in time for Christmas
Alice Webb-Liddall (Newshub): Time running out for landlords to insulate rental properties
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): Homelessness on the rise in Lower Hutt attributed to lack of affordable housing
RNZ: Council backs contentious housing development near Wanaka
National Party
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Bridges: ‘It’s that overall sense of team that carries us through’
Damien Grant: Simon Bridges may be needed when the economic wheels fall off
Claire Trevett (Herald): National MP Chris Finlayson’s farewell tour
1News: Simon Bridges reveals his worst moment of 2018, which he won’t say by name
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ‘Blood and guts and sex, that’s the way to go’ – Simon Bridges
Treaty settlements, Waitangi Tribunal
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Government accused of ignoring Waitangi Tribunal reports
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Iwi not to blame for Ngāpuhi settlement delay – Treaty expert
RNZ: Waikato iwi and Crown sign deed of settlement
Regan Paranihi (Māori TV): Ngāti Tūwharetoa Claims Settlement Bill passes third reading
Hiwi Tauroa
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): He maimai aroha: Te Rangihiwinui Tauroa
Herald: Funeral underway for former Race Relations Commissioner Hiwi Tauroa
Financial sector
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): NZ’s least trusted financial services sector
Rob Stock (Stuff): New Zealanders feel treated with ‘respect’ by our financial service providers
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Credit card providers should ‘charge fees that are fair and reasonable’
Rob Stock (Stuff): Banks asked to take on bigger share of market risk
Liam Dann (Herald): Borrowing costs set to rise as banks face tougher rules if Reserve Bank proposal becomes reality
RNZ: Banks should hold onto profits to back loans – Reserve Bank
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Reserve Bank’s $20 billion insurance policy
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Faafoi: If tech companies take from banks, they need to give too
MSD
Sarah Robson (RNZ): First refitted Work and Income office opens in Ōtara
Heta Gardiner (Maori TV): MSD takes preventative approach to staff safety
Employment
Andrea Fox (Herald): Holidays Act nightmare: 34,000 workers paid out $18.9m so far
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Company was within its rights to fire worker with epilepsy, says Employment Court
Bruce Cotterill (Stuff): The year bullying was called out
Super, retirement
Rob Stock (Stuff): Data gap in debate over linking NZ Super age to ‘health expectancy’
Sarah Catherall (Listener): A retiree explains why you can’t generalise about the retirement age
Sarah Catherall (Listener): Do we need to raise the retirement age to cope with the demographic storm?
Bomb threat emails
Chris Keall (Newshub): Take bomb-threat emails seriously, govt cyber agency says
RNZ: Bomb threat email recipients urged to contact police
Alice Webb-Liddall (Newshub): Bomb threat emails being sent to New Zealanders at work
Herald: Bomb threat email to Kiwi work places under investigation
Tourism
1News: Visit the Kiwi way, slogan for new DOC campaign aimed at educating tourists
RNZ: Freedom camping banned at Punakaiki
ODT: Brochure backed despite concerns
Water safety
John Anthony (Stuff):Deadly waters: New Zealand’s drowning problem more than a disturbing statistic
Jessica Long (Stuff): New Zealanders’ ‘she’ll be ‘right’ attitude failing people on our waters
Christmas
Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): Making life a little better
Steve Braunias (Herald): Secret diary of Xmas
Nicole Lawton (Stuff): Children expecting Santa letters get indecipherable code instead
Leah Te Whata (Māori TV): Reo-speaking Santa hears children’s Xmas wishes
Newshub: Waiheke Island Christmas Parade goes carbon neutral
Rocket Lab
1News: We have lift off! Rocket Lab launch first mission for NASA
Herald: Rocket Lab launches second commercial payload from Mahia today
RNZ: Lift off for second Rocket Lab commercial rocket
R Kelly tour
Herald: R. Kelly says Australian and NZ tour is ‘fake’
Stuff: R Kelly claims advertised tour to Australia and New Zealand was faked
Herald: R. Kelly’s New Zealand show ‘disgraceful,’ says victim advocate
Herald: Tour promoter defends R. Kelly concert
Other
Dominion Post Editorial: All for one – the one per cent?
Richard Harman (Politik): Do you know who he was
RNZ: Rising number of dairy polluters worries council
Damian George (Stuff): Saving Wellington: Civil Defence lays out plan to get capital back on its feet after major earthquake
RNZ: Christchurch district plan change will make some rebuilds easier
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Fundraising on a faultline: earthquake-hit communities call on NZ’s spare change
RNZ: Environment Canterbury workers to strike Monday
John-Michael Swannix (Newshub): ‘I want every cat to be safe’ – The Opportunities Party’s new leader Geoff Simmons
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald) Act now to save the seeds of NZ’s future
Grant Shimmin (Stuff): The week in good news
Guyon Espiner (E-Tangata): No shortcuts to the reo
Māmari Stephens (E-Tangata): The Empathy Gap and Me
Jason Walls (Herald): Survey of top energy executives shows NZ has become a lot less attractive for investors
Sam Hurley (Herald): Noel Leeming fined $200k for misleading consumers over faulty goods rights
RNZ: Noel Leeming fined $200,000 for misleading customers
RNZ: Women fighting back against ‘tough guy’ rulers – Amnesty International
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Businessman gets immigration adviser licence back after fraud concerns
