Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – December 21 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.
Gordon Campbell: On why Thompson+ Clark are just the tip of the iceberg
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Working Towards The Führer
Aaron Smale (Newsroom): Hypocrisy at the highest levels
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Spy victims: Vindication for Southern Response’s ‘appalling’ actions
Dan Satherley, Newshub: ‘Spying’ isn’t what Southern Response did – Gerry Brownlee
Laurel Stowell (Whanganui Chronicle): Government department hires company to spy on Taranaki iwi
Murray Horton (Daily Blog): Thompson & Clark Just Tip Of Spyberg. Let’s Have An Inquiry Into Whole Covert World Of State Spying
Rosemary McLeod (Stuff): Spying revelations round off a year of unwelcome news
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): The 3 things National would have us believe about the State Stasi spying scandal
IPCA findings on Haumaha bullying allegations
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Haumaha to return to work ‘bewildered’ after IPCA report into his humiliation of staff
Derek Cheng (Herald): Wally Haumaha won’t resign and returns to full duties in New Year
RNZ: Checkpoint: Police Commissioner retains ‘absolute confidence’ in Wally Haumaha
Jared Savage (Herald): Wally Haumaha saga: Police accept IPCA report, Commissioner Mike Bush to deal with issues as employment matter
Jared Savage (Herald): Wally Haumaha saga: State Services Commission finds ‘poor communication’ between Justice, Corrections and Police when women raised concerns
Collette Devlin and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Police deputy commissioner Wally Haumaha to keep job, and he’s looking forward to returning
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Top cop Wally Haumaha keeps job
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Haumaha to keep his job
Talisa Kupenga (Māori TV): Haumaha to remain Deputy Police Commissioner
RNZ: PM says Wally Haumaha’s job is safe – but he’s on notice
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern getting advice after ‘damning’ Wally Haumaha report
1News: Minister of Police says Wally Haumaha’s behaviour ‘not in line with police values’ after damning IPCA report
1News: Woman who made complaint against Wally Haumaha wants accountability after report into his conduct released
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Haumaha complainants urge police to act on intimidating behaviour and ‘dirty politics’
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Wally Haumaha belittled and humiliated staff – IPCA
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Haumaha’s behaviour “inappropriate and unprofessional”
No Right Turn: Wally Haumaha should be fired
Health
Jess McAllen (RNZ): Māori NGO leaks supplementary mental health inquiry report
Belinda Feek (Herald): Family carers reach confidential settlement after 20 year pay battle
Karen Brown (RNZ): Delayed eye appointments leave thousands unsure of retaining vision
Kirsty Lawrence (Stuff): Ibrance and Kadcyla might become available, but only for a small number of women
Zane Small (Newshub): Breast cancer drug lobbyists let down by Pharmac’s response to funding
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Government confirms tobacco excise to increase in 2019
Lucy Bennett (Herald): EY report into impact of tobacco excise on smoking rates released
1News: Boss of Health Workforce New Zealand resigns amid Ministry of Health restructure
RNZ: Superbug found in two patients at Middlemore Hospital
MIke Houlahan (ODT): More people wait too long
Janine Rankin (Manawatu Standard): Pressure on hospitals to prevent harm to patients
Samantha Olley (Rotorua Daily Post): Rotorua group working to reinstate rescue helicopter as Ministry of Health defends new model
Emma Dangerfield (Stuff): Welcome result for Canterbury brickie after six-month battle with ACC
Immigration
Steve Kilgallon and Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): The Big Scam: Our immigration system is broken
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Christmas family reunion dreams crushed by Immigration NZ’s struggle to meet holiday visa demand
Foreign affairs, UN migration pact
RNZ: Australia deports Pasifika people to NZ who have never set foot here: ‘It’s wrong’
Golriz Ghahraman (Herald): NZ is in good company on UN migration pact
Herald: Former New Zealand Rugby boss David Moffett calls Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern a ‘traitor’
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): ‘This is the last straw’: Donors slam Red Cross over UN Global Migration Compact support
Point of Order: MFAT’s prestige is expected to bloom again, now the ministry has gone to Seed
Michael Reddell: The PRC, the Pacific, and New Zealand
GCSB alleges Chinese cyber theft
RNZ: Chinese hacking impacts worldwide – GCSB
Chris Keall (Herald): Chinese engaging in commercial espionage, including in NZ, GCSB boss says
RNZ: GCSB says global campaign of cyber theft linked to China’s main intelligence service MSS
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Chinese Government responsible for global cyber campaign – GCSB
Newshub: GCSB finds links between China and campaign of cyber theft
1News: GCSB says China is behind attempts to steal New Zealand business’ data
Drug laws
Chester Borrows (Whanganui Chronicle): Big money going up in smoke
Lynette Hutson (Stuff): Reforms must be positive for individuals, families and society
Don Rowe (Spinoff): It’s two years to the referendum and the weed debate is already insufferable
Justice, corrections
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Crown Law won’t appeal youth worker groomer Devonte Mulitalo’s sentence
Newshub: Rouxle Le Roux: Critics of the sentence don’t know the facts – lawyer
Anna Leask and Sam Hurley (Herald): Killer driver: Crown will not appeal home detention sentence for Rouxle Le Roux
Anna Leask and Sam Hurley (Herald): Family of teenager killed in hit-and-run thank police officer for acts of kindness
Annabella Garwood and Sophie Bateman (Newshub): ‘We won’t just give up’: Rouxle Le Roux’s victim’s mum on failed home detention appeal
Zane Small (Newshub): Rouxle Le Roux: Crown Law won’t appeal sentence
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Crown Law will not appeal hit-and-run driver Rouxle Le Roux’s home detention sentence
RNZ: Crown Law won’t appeal Rouxle Le Roux sentence
Sam Hurley (Herald): New collective deal reached for Ministry of Justice staff after lengthy dispute and strikes
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Opinion: The time the Sensible Sentencing Trust called me a rapist
Katie Doyle (RNZ): Prisoners spruce up bikes to spread Christmas cheer
Year in review
1News: From Jami-Lee Ross to baby Neve – 1 NEWS political editor takes a look back at 2018
Shane Te Pou (Newsroom): Marking the politicians of 2018
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Here’s the 2018 Politician of the Year
Spinoff: 2018 in politics: The year in a sentence
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): TDB Political & Media Awards 2018 Part 2
Kirk Hope (Stuff): A year of uncertainty and soothed fears for business
Christmas
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Loan sharks targeting vulnerable borrowers this Christmas season
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Checkpoint: Huge demand for Christmas food parcels across NZ
Mark Quinlivan (Herald): Pleasant Point set to celebrate Christmas as politically incorrect parade returns
Katie Todd (RNZ): NZers turn to plant power to fill the Christmas table
Tim Cooper (ODT): Society has lost sight of reason for the season
Minimum wage, employment
ODT Editorial: Caution on minimum wage
Herald: Employment Court rules that ‘donning & doffing’ in meat works is paid work
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Fight over bag of chips firing may not be over
Steven Walton (Spinoff): ‘Time’s up for shitty bosses’: one woman’s fight for exploited hospo workers
Environment and conservation
Joel Ineson (Stuff): Five arrested after protesters turn off water to Canterbury’s regional council HQ
Dan Dalgety (RNZ): Five arrests at water protest
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Federated Farmers disputes E Coli claims
Grant Atkins (Newshub): Opinion: Education and reason should be foremost in 1080 debate
RNZ: More kiwi chicks dead at Hawke’s Bay sanctuary
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): DoC’s ‘Poo in a Loo’ campaign ridiculed online
Matt Brown (Stuff): Billions more trees needed for NZ to be carbon neutral
Auckland University: How will climate change impact Aotearoa? (panel discussion)
Defence Force
Tim Gunn (Stuff): Defence Force’s ‘shambolic’ approach to Ōhakea contamination tests not good enough
Singapore F-15 base scrapped for Ohakea
Kim Dotcom extradition case
Newshub: Kim Dotcom’s wife joins his legal team for Supreme Court extradition appeal
Tommy Livingston (Stuff): Supreme Court rules Kim Dotcom appeal can be heard
Alice Webb-Liddall (Newshub): Supreme Court to hear Dotcom’s case against extradition
Herald: Kim Dotcom’s extradition case going to the Supreme Court
Jan Antolik/Karel Sroubek residency case
RNZ: Sroubek: ‘Our marriage break up has become a political football’
Herald: Karel Sroubek says people sent to see his ex-partner were not thugs, but friends
Derek Cheng (RNZ): Privileges complaint against Winston Peters dismissed
Transport
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Vision Zero: Government considers calls from councils to operate their own speed cameras
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Martin Jenkins to provide “external support” in NZTA inquiry
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Troubled NZTA names interim chief executive
Herald:NZTA issues safety alert on heavy vehicle towing connections after ‘sub-standard’ certifications
RNZ: Hamilton WOF vehicle inspector suspended
Simon Wilson (Herald): Forwards and backwards with Auckland Transport
Local government
Todd Niall (Stuff): Labour endorses Phil Goff for 2019 Auckland mayoralty
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Kangaroo court claim as Hutt mayor moves to demote critic in private
Jono Edwards (ODT): ORC departures spur ‘major concerns’
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): ‘No crisis’ at Otago Regional Council, despite resignations, chairman says
Evan Harding (Southland Times): Recycling company ‘on track’ to turn deficit into surplus
Education
Herald: Farm education provider Taratahi placed in liquidation
Chris Morris (ODT): Telford future in doubt following liquidation
George Heagney (Stuff): Review clears Massey University vice-chancellor Jan Thomas over Don Brash ban
Christine Rovoi (RNZ): Empowered Pacific students form one voice
Domestic violence
Alex Loo (Stuff): Women staying in emergency housing for Christmas
Michelle Duff (Stuff): When did we become so conditioned to violence against women?
Economy
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): NZ economy slows, dragged down by construction and manufacturing
Liam Dann (Herald): NZ economy grew at slowest pace in five years
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Quarterly economic growth the weakest in 5 years
RNZ: NZ GDP slows dramatically in latest quarter
Angie Skerrett (Newshub): Strong rural sector boosting regional economies, says ASB report
Gender, sex, identity
Claire Trevett (Herald): Big Read: A matter of identity
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Cis, trans, nonbinary: A guide to gender terminology
Media
Stuff: Media Council finds ‘no grounds to proceed’ for climate change complaint
Newsroom: Newsroom’s major stories of 2018 – and the fallout
Other
Edward O’Driscoll (Newshub): ‘I was getting mentally unwell’: Oranga Tamariki staff resign over ‘toxic’, ‘abusive’ work environment
1News: Auckland woman dying of cancer who was forced out of state house due to mould gets new home in time for Christmas
Tina Ngata (Spinoff): Once were gardeners, lovers, poets… and warriors
RNZ: Westland’s water infrastructure struggles to cope with tourists
Jason Walls (Herald): Deputy PM Winston Peters suggests it’s because of him IKEA is setting up in NZ
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): New Zealand’s largest bank predicts Reserve Bank will slash interest rates
1News: Kiwi health supplement company GO Healthy charged over ‘misleading New Zealand made’ claims
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): All but four KiwiSaver growth funds lost money in past six months
RNZ:Jacques Landry named interim CEO of Cycling NZ
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern admits she hasn’t watched season two of Fish of the Da
