Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – February 14 2019
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.
China-NZ relations
Robert Ayson (The Spinoff): New Zealand and China: time for clarity in a hall of mirrors
Barry Soper (Herald): Souring relationship with China will do no harm
Liam Dann (Herald): NZ/China relationship: ‘We have a big problem’
Jo Moir (RNZ): Winston Peters dismisses claims govt visits to China stalling
Richard Harman (Politik): Ardern takes the lead on China
Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern responds to National claims that five ministers are awaiting permission to go to China
1News: Huawei ban could see New Zealand-China relationship ‘deteriorating’ – expert
Bobby Hellard (IT Pro): Huawei tries to compare itself to the All Blacks to champion 5G tech
RNZ: Huawei ad hits back at NZ govt’s 5G decision
Jane Patterson (RNZ): In Parliament: PM defends relationship with China, admits ‘challenges’
Tess Brunton (RNZ): China-New Zealand Year of Tourism: Ministry, operators dampen politics worries
Point of Order: China and NZ foreign policy: Peters knows choices must be made
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Is the National Party’s anger over China self interested?
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Imperial nostalgia and manifest hypocrisy: New Zealand’s increasingly unlikeable “friends”
Anne-Marie Brady police investigation
Matt Nippert (Herald): Brady case: Police dead-end labelled ‘diplomatic or cowardly’
Matt Nippert (Herald): Police fail to crack case of burgled China scholar Anne-Marie Brady
Rachel Graham (RNZ): Minister says GCSB not involved in Anne-Marie Brady investigation
Stuff: Police investigation into incidents against Christchurch-based China expert stalls
RNZ: Anne-Marie Brady break-ins: Police investigation hits dead end
Education and polytechnic reform
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Bipartisanship would be valuable for Govt’s big education plans
Dominion Post: Editorial – Joining together to save polytechs
Herald: Editorial: Industries will no longer set training standards
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Sir Tim Shadbolt slams proposed polytechnic merger as devastating for Invercargill
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Industry training organisations say students will suffer under polytech merger
Simon Collins (Herald): Rescue plan for polytechnics becomes huge upheaval for apprentices and industry training too
Simon Collins (Herald): Training shakeup: How will it affect you?
Simon Collins (Herald): Polytechnic mega-merger will take over apprentices and industry trainees
John Gerritsen (RNZ): ‘NZ Institute of Skills and Technology’: 16 polytechs to merge under government proposal
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Scepticism at polytech plans
1News: All polytechnics, technology institutes to be unified, under new Government proposal
RNZ: ‘NZ Institute of Skills and Technology’: 16 polytechs to merge under government proposal
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Government proposes merging 16 polytechnics and technology institutes into single entity
Zane Small (Newshub): Government proposes merging New Zealand’s polytechnics
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Polytechnic shakeup long overdue
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): SIT critical of proposal to merge training providers
David Farrar: All polytechs to merge
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Disability support wait times rise at Ministry of Education
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Otago scarfies get an A for behaviour in annual report card
Parliament
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Trevor Mallard, Chris Hipkins clash over Government’s delayed replies
Andrew Geddis (Pundit): It is not contrary to reason to prefer the destruction of the whole world to the scratching of my finger
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern admonishes Labour MPs for being late to select committee
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Parliament’s top select committee called off because ‘disorganised’ Labour didn’t have the numbers
Derek Cheng (Herald): Parliament meeting collapses as National MPs walk out
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Finance committee gets political as Budget announcement canned
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Parliament finance committee collapses with Government unable to muster a quorum
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Labour v National: MPs in spat over missed Parliamentary meeting
Zane Small (Newshub): Frosty reactions to Winston Peters mocking Simon Bridges’ accent
Daniela Maoate-Cox and Phil Smith (RNZ): Parliament’s to do list: 13 Feb – A day of three halves
Claire Trevett (Herald): Would Judith Collins be National’s saviour or biggest mistake?
Mike Hosking (Herald): Seize the day Simon, get rid of your enemies
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): ‘All sizzle, no sausage’: National roasted for ‘sexist’ BBQ attack ad on Labour
1News: Another day, another round of barbs between Winston Peters and Simon Bridges in Parliament
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Greens to review self-set debt rules before 2020 election
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Green Party starts review of budget rules
Peter Dunne: The Greens position on a capital gains tax
Health
Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Pharmac to review its practices following criticism of breast cancer drug funding
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Counties Manukau DHB reveals projected deficit of $53.5 million
Katie Todd (RNZ): Town’s ban on smoking and vaping on public property is a New Zealand first
Catherine Hutton (RNZ): Govt to push for children to walk, scoot and bike to school
Megan Sutherland (Newshub): Hanmer Springs first New Zealand town to become smoke and vapefree
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Health Minister David Clark comments on Hawke’s Bay Hospital sterilisation issue
Hawkes Bay Today: Hawke’s Bay Hospital ‘used inadequately sterilised surgical equipment’ on patients
RNZ: 55 Hawke’s Bay patients at risk of infection
1News: Up to 55 people may have been exposed to unsterilised surgical equipment in Hawke’s Bay
Alice Webb-Liddall (Newshub): Inadequately sterilised surgical tools used at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, admits DHB
Janine Rankin (Stuff): Community support swells for trusted women’s health centre
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Hospital midwives call for better pay and conditions, prepare to march on Parliament
1News: Around 50 midwives march through Christchurch streets as rolling strikes continue
Sandra Conchie (Bay of Plenty Times): Midwives picketed outside Tauranga Hospital, junior doctors walked off the job for third time
World socialist website: New Zealand doctors, midwives strike
Salvation Army State of Nation Report; Welfare reform
John Boynton (RNZ): Suburb residents divided over social improvements under Labour
Eleanor Rarity (Stuff): Meth and housing key issues for South Canterbury, Salvation Army says
Stephen Forbes (Interest): Salvation Army notes growth of fringe and non-bank lending
Bob Edlin: The Treaty and partnership are invoked as TPK goes out to promote Māori wellbeing
Megan Thomas (Stuff): Welfare overhaul must put kids before adults
Government
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Year of delivery begins in defensive crouch
Kate Hawkesby (Herald): When does this Government stop talking and start doing?
Jason Walls (Herald): Finance Minister Grant Robertson says the budget will be delivered on May 30 this year
Transport
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): WOFs may cost more and be harder to get following a Transport Agency shake-up
Elton Rikihana Smallman (Stuff): Fear can’t slow e-scooter transport era in Hamilton, mayor says
Tina Law (Stuff): Lime pushes for exclusive e-scooter rights on Christchurch streets
Todd Niall (Stuff): More exemptions from Auckland regional fuel tax
Stuff: Five best uses of the Government’s EV Contestable fund
Commercial fisheries
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Fishing company pulls boat after four endangered sea lion deaths
RNZ: More endangered animals killed in commercial fishing nets
RNZ: Five sea lions killed by squid fishery off NZ in a week
Environment, conservation
Mike Joy (Newsroom): Spinning into a freshwater grave
David Williams (Newsroom): Tenure review to be scrapped
Scott Palmer (Newshub): ‘Significant proportion’ of New Zealanders under threat of sea level rise
Katie Fitzgerald and Kethaki Masilamani (Newshub): New Zealand’s response to climate change disasters needs a rethink – expert
Todd Niall (Stuff): Long-term thinking needed on climate change – report
Aine Kelly-Costello (Newshub): From humble beginnings to a key Government pledge: The journey of the Zero Carbon Act
1News: New Zealand’s seagull population under threat with ‘unbelievable declines’
Jo McKenzie-McLean (Stuff): Coastal erosion causes old landfill sites to spill waste onto South Island beach
Animal welfare
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): Animal rights activists SAFE file proceedings against Government over “cruel” farrowing crates
1News: Animal lobby groups say Government not doing enough for pig welfare in NZ
Five or more dogs may have died on Cook Strait ferry say Amber-Leigh Woolf and Matthew Tso (Stuff): passengers
Mike King – New Zealander of the year
NZ Herald: New Conservative holds public meeting about the Botany electorate of Jami-Lee Ross
1News: Mike King wins the 2019 New Zealander of the Year Award
1News: New Zealander of the Year Mike King implores Kiwis to be proactive around mental health – ‘What can I do to help?’
1News: Mike King no longer ‘the bridesmaid’, he says after being crowned New Zealander of the Year
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): New Zealander of the Year Mike King blasts ‘sinking ship’ mental health system
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Mike’s turn to be king
RNZ: Mental health advocate Mike King wins New Zealander of the Year
Jordan Peterson
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Listen: Sean Plunket rips apart stunned Auckland Peace Action activist over Jordan Peterson opposition
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): What the Auckland Peace Action train wreck on Magic Talk says about the Woke Left
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Will Auckland Peace Action turn anti-free speech crusade against Jordan Peterson into the success People Against Prisons Aotearoa turned the Pride Parade?
Local government
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern breaks the first promise she made as Labour leader
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Councillor says some te reo street names ‘mean absolutely nothing’ to Wellington
Robin Martin (RNZ): Taranaki councillor Murray Chong unrepentant over no-show for te reo apology
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Dog that allegedly attacked 95yo Northland man impounded
Housing
RNZ Nine to Noon: How to prepare Auckland for 2 million people
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Landlords forced to pay up over missing smoke alarms
1News: As decision on capital gains tax looms, property investors getting ‘nervous’ – expert
David Haxton (Kapiti News): Kāpiti mayor shocked at empty Housing New Zealand home
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Whanganui’s rising rents: ‘It’s diabolical’
Newshub-Reid Research poll
1News: Shane Jones and Paula Bennett philosophical about NZ First and National’s poor opinion poll results
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): National and Simon Bridges don’t need to panic about one rogue poll
Census
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Statistics New Zealand confident census data will be ready for 2020 election boundaries
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National have ‘no confidence’ in 2020 election data, call for new census
David Farrar: National calls for existing boundaries to remain for next year’s election
Justice, corrections
Rob Kidd (ODT): Arthur Taylor touches down in Dunedin
Stuff: How sport in prison could help stop reoffending
SkyCity and Grenfell-style panels
RNZ: SkyCity convention centre delay to remove aluminium panels
Anne Gibson (Herald): SkyCity convention centre had Grenfell Tower-like cladding: $25m to remove
Phil Pennington (RNZ): SkyCity replacing Grenfell-style cladding panels: ‘We just need to get on top of this’ – National
Brooke Jenner and Amy Williams (RNZ): Auckland business owners disappointed by convention centre delay
Anne Gibson (Herald): Thousands of delegates hit by SkyCity’s convention centre delays
International relations
Jo Moir (RNZ): Cancelled Saudi Arabia sheep deal no threat to government relations – Winston Peters
1News/APP: Andrew Little calls Australia’s decision to re-open Christmas Island detention centre ‘disappointing’
Other
Jo Moir (RNZ): Cancelled Saudi Arabia sheep deal no threat to government relations – Winston Peters
Bob Edlin: The plug is pulled on Saudi sheep scheme – so what is Murray McCully up to nowadays?
Merepeka Ruakawa-Tait (Rotorua Daily Post): The racists I look out for are the covert ones
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Reserve Bank says bank profits may be out of proportion to risks they face
Duncan Garner (Newshub): The referendum on cannabis worries me
Cannabis makes young people depressed, but Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): law should still change – expert
ODT – Editorial: Stop killing our children
RNZ: World renowned experts set to be made redundant by Te Papa, insider says
David Fisher (Herald): Immigration NZ attempts to deport man with valid visa
Gia Garrick (RNZ): Former RNZ chairman won’t be prosecuted over voicemail
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): ‘Absolutely crazy’ for Oranga Tamariki to oppose Bill making KiwiSaver for foster children easier – provider
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Australian feminist Clementine Ford slams Otago Daily Times for ‘sympathetic’ rapist article
Cecile Meier (Stuff): Accountancy firm removes ‘sexist’, ‘appalling’ newsletter after complaints
Megan Sutherland (Newshub): Christchurch accountancy firm blasted for ‘offensive’, ‘sexist’ newsletter
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): New Zealand is not safe, not when people are attacked for who they are
Alice Webb-Liddall (Newshub): Duncan Garner calls out Herald for description of Aziz Al-Sa’afin after ‘gay-bashing’ attack
Sam Brooks (The Spinoff): No country for queer men: Where is all the great New Zealand LGBTQI+ theatre?
Jo Cribb (Stuff): How bosses can help ease the summer holiday burden
Stuff: Your chance to be a British High Commissioner for one day only
Caroline Botting (Stuff): Inside Maggie Barry’s sea front home
John Moore (liberation): Ardern statement; China-NZ blowback; Iran revolution anniversary
