Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – February 28 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.
Tax
Danyl Mclauchlan (Spinoff): CGT hissing proves how entrenched our unfair tax system is
Pattrick Smellie (Stuff): Landlords’ self-serving rhetoric making the case for capital gains tax
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Politics punches holes in the tax net
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Defeat looms for the Government on the CGT
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): A tough tax balancing act ahead
1News: Exemption for proposed capital gains tax could be on the cards for iwi
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Warnings over proposed tax changes to KiwiSaver
Interest: Low-income KiwiSaver members to benefit under Tax Working Group recommendations, according to KiwiSaver provider Simplicity
Herald Editorial: Capital gains tax is not a contest of self-interest
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Capital Gains Tax a train wreck driven by a naive Government
Martin Devlin (Stuff): Why small businesses have good reason to fear a capital gains tax
Muriel Newman: Jacinda’s Vindictive Capital Gains Tax
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Government elected to consider Capital Gains Tax, fix tax system – Greens co-leader James Shaw
Jason Walls and Lucy Bennett (Herald): Jewellery and art investment would be exempt from a CGT but a leading auctioneer warns against hasty investment
Shane Austin (Stuff): Capital gains tax: If it’s fair, why aren’t we taxing art investors?
Zane Small (Newshub): Sir Roger Douglas rubbishes capital gains tax, labels New Zealand’s finances ‘a joke’
Angie Skerrett (Newshub): Water user group hits out at proposed tax
Mainzeal
Press Editorial: Shipley’s shiny post-politics career tarnished
1News: ‘What are you journalists doing about it?’ – Winston Peters fires back over Dame Jenny Shipley staying on boards
Herald: Winston Peters renews criticism of Jenny Shipley following Mainzeal court ruling
Chris Hutching (Stuff): Directors still in creditors’ sights as lawyers ponder court appeals over Mainzeal
Bryan Bruce (Daily Blog): Former PM ordered to pay creditors $6 million
Herald: Judgment may pit Mainzeal directors against each other
Eva Corlett (RNZ): Mainzeal contractors fear millions owed may never be repaid
Catherine Harris (Stuff): Mainzeal sub-contractors say protections still weak
Catherine Harris (Stuff): Mainzeal directors not banned but a ‘reminder’ of the risks directors face
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Who are Mainzeal’s other directors?
Housing
Alex Ashton (RNZ): KiwiBuild contracts just 10 percent of government’s 100,000 target
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Revealed: How Housing Minister Phil Twyford’s KiwiBuild targets unravelled
Newshub: Solving New Zealand’s housing crisis
RNZ: Queenstown trust ready to hand over first affordable home
Bryan Gould: What price warm and dry homes?
RNZ: Petition asks for law change to protect rest home residents’ rights
Provincial Growth Fund
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Provincial Growth Fund about getting ‘good PR’ – economist
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Provincial Growth Fund goes where banks fear to tread
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Act leader David Seymour raises questions over Provincial Growth Fund money for Fomana Capital
Northern Advocate: Another $8.2m from Provincial Growth Fund for Northland projects in Kaitaia
Lois Williams (RNZ): $4.6m grant to make Sir Hek’s wāka dream a reality
Point of Order: The Trough Monitor: speech-muzzling Massey will benefit from the latest serving of PGF money
Foreign affairs and trade
Chris Trotter: Where Britain Goes With Huawei, We Can Go Too.
Angie Skerrett (Newshub): China-NZ relations: Should farmers be worried?
Gill Bonnett and Phil Pennington (RNZ): Special treatment considered for Kiwis in Australian immigration appeals
RNZ: NZ Govt tells Fiji it is “here for real”
RNZ: NZ touches base with Fiji Govt
1News: Fijian jobs at risk after Fulton Hogan loses major roading tender to Chinese outfit
Jordan King (Spinoff): Indonesia is the future. We’ve got to start paying attention
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): NZ trade deficit for January hits record $791m – more than double expected
Health
Karen Brown (RNZ): Junior doctors to return to work after 48-hour strike
Health: Inside the life of a junior doctor
Peter McKenzie (Newsroom): History of a gnawing Kiwi crisis
Darroch Ball (Stuff): ‘Wellbeing Budget’ must end to St John money woes
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): Family of Nicky Stevens pleads for funding to represent their son at a second coroner’s inquest
Libby Wilson (Stuff): Parents ask Waikato DHB to pay legal fees for challenge to son’s suicide inquest
RNZ: Nicky Stevens’ family want DHB to cover costs of legal fees
Newshub: Family of Nicky Stevens to confront DHB at public meeting
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland DHB facing a $10 million unplanned deficit this year
Karen Brown (RNZ): Auckland DHB faces more than $10 million unplanned deficit
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): Concern ‘significant’ as files containing hundreds of health board patient names are lost
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): Kiwi women fighting for early ovarian cancer diagnosis and access to drugs
Whanganui Chronicle: Maori health organisation hits back at criticism of vaping
Leith Huffadine (RNZ): Festival care: Who’s looking after you
1News: One-month rationing of Levlen ED contraceptive to end on Friday
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): ‘Depriving sick babies of right to life’ – NZORD boss blasts Pharmac decision to defer Spinraza
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): A glimpse into the lives of Kiwis living with a rare condition on Rare Disease Day
Education and training
David Fisher (Herald): Big Read: One night with the man who could change all your children’s futures
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Principals seek ministry guidance as students prepare for climate change strike action
Joel Hernandez (Stuff): Deciles a blunt instrument for school choice
John Lewis (ODT): Parties should work on education together: Kaye
Jessica Long (Stuff): Government steps in to bail out colleges crippled by debt
Al Williams (Timaru Herald): Leaky roofs to be repaired and replaced at two Timaru educational facilities
Regan Paranihi (Māori TV): Māori boarding schools “still relevant” – Hato Paora principal
Herald: New funding for gifted children announced by Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin
John Lewis (ODT): Esol funding for refugees now a ‘slush fund’-MP
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Schools principals need to get a life and stop bullying kids for their looks
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): 30,000 sign petition to stop New Zealand schools teaching ‘gender diversity’
Newshub: Police studies added to Tarawera High School curriculum
Simon Collins (Herald): Omihi School principal in Canterbury banned from teaching after theft of school funds
Simon Collins (Herald): Mt Richmond Special school teacher deregistered after hitting boy with Down Syndrome
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Auckland teacher hit boy with Down Syndrome and pulled children’s hair
Karl Goddard (Stuff): Are teachers’ pay demands actually unrealistic?
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Engineering sector in need of diversity among students
Southland Times Editorial: Polytech reforms need critical analysis, not instinctive reaction
John McKenzie (1News): ‘Leave us alone’ says Invercargill’s SIT in face of polytechnic merger proposal
Mark Patterson (Southland Times): Stand back and take a deep breath as we consider polytech reform
Media
Liam Hehir (Spinoff):Does Cameron Slater’s departure from Whale Oil signal the end of an era?
RNZ: Corin Dann to co-present RNZ’s Morning Report
Stuff: Corin Dann named as Guyon Espiner’s replacement on RNZ’s Morning Report
Herald: TVNZ’s Corin Dann ‘thrilled’ about new role at Radio NZ
Airfares
Claire Trevett (Herald): Air NZ cheap flights will not shut Shane Jones up
1News: As Air NZ drops domestic fare prices, Mark Mitchell says Shane Jones shouldn’t be ‘interfering’ in airline’s business operations
Brook Sabin (Stuff): Five regions Air New Zealand should revive
Lime scooters
RNZ Checkpoint: Injured Lime riders lament company’s slow response
RNZ: Decision looms on return of Lime e-scooters to Dunedin streets
Nicole Lawton (Stuff): Lime e-scooter suspension: Juicers losing income as Auckland ban continues
Transport
Gerald Piddock (Waikato Times): Funding shortfall threatens Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service
1News: Auckland Transport seeks feedback on plan to lower speed limits on many roads, including CBD
Jessie Chiang (RNZ): Auckland CBD’s 30km/h speed limit up for public debate
Herald: Aucklanders to have their say on speed limit changes
Damien O’Carroll (Stuff): AA says 30km/h speed limit ‘doesn’t pass the credibility test’
Newshub: Revealed: The Auckland roads set to get lower speed limits
Jono Galuszka (Manawatū Standard): Transport officials confirm no dedicated cycleway for Manawatū Gorge replacement road
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Huge Warrant of Fitness repair bill discrepancy prompts warning to use reputable outlets
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): greenwashing cycle lanes doesn’t make them any busier
Child abuse in catholic church
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Calls for Vatican to protect NZ children from sexual abuse
Chris Morris (ODT): Vatican’s response to abuse labelled failure
Te Papa
Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): Te Papa slammed by 30 international experts over restructure making scientists redundant
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Scientists have growing concern for Te Papa’s natural history collection
Nic Rawlence and Trevor Worthy (Spinoff): Myopic management decisions at Te Papa are bad news for New Zealand science
Primary industries
Jono Edwards (ODT): Proposed fishing regulations outlined
Eloise Gibson (Newsroom): Fonterra dips hoof in alternative animal products
Gerald Hutching (Stuff): Fonterra invests in United States bio-engineering food company
Gerald Piddock (Stuff): ‘Grave concerns’ for Waikato’s healthy rivers plan change hearings
Environment
Jono Galuszka (Stuff): One Plan tweaks changed after meeting with Minister for the Environment
David Farrar: Water meters are pro-environment
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): 1080 drop in Hunua Ranges leads to record low predator population
RNZ: Cape Kidnappers reaction a ‘health and safety overload’ – Hastings councillor
Allan Rodrigues (Stuff): Young climate change activists have a big fight ahead of them
Police, crime
Herald: Police Association says ‘serious crack down’ on firearms needed following shootings
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Timothy Morrison seeks urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing
Imogen Neale (Stuff): Arrest in Auckland assault case that led to alleged victim’s naked protest
Anna Leask (Herald): Hands off: police making five strangulation arrests a day, victim relives ‘terrifying’ ordeal
Tara Shaskey (Stuff): Ex-Taranaki police sergeant admits sexual assaults on three women
Justice, corrections
Anna Loren (Stuff): Arthur Taylor fails in bid for court costs after Supreme Court ruling on prisoner voting rights
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): Corrections NZ – from White Supremacist Uprisings to Māori Nationalists – who is the actual threat?
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Freed child sex offender deemed ‘ongoing risk’ to be monitored by GPS
Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Bill deferred
Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Transgender advocates shocked at delay on gender self-identification on birth certificates
Point of Order: Chorus of transgender protest greets decision to follow democratic process – but how big is the choir?
Labour refuse to renew Tamihere’s party membership
John Gerritsen (RNZ): John Tamihere: ‘Bring the guy in so he can spell it out’
RNZ: Labour Party refuses John Tamihere’s membership renewal
Local government
David Williams (Newsroom): Councils plan a huge hike in spending, debt
Todd Niall (Stuff): Eden Park row: Could concerts save the home of the All Blacks?
Evan Harding (Southland Times): 190 tonnes of recyclable plastics sold in tough market
Emma Jolliff (Newshub): Wellington Mayor rejects ‘facadism’ as council votes to spend $112m on Town Hall upgrade
Felix Desmarais (Stuff): City council votes to allocate $112.4m to Wellington Town Hall project
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Unanimous backing for $100m spend on Wellington Town Hall
Laura Wiltshire (Hawkes Bay Today): A new dam dawns: Hawke’s Bay council eyes proposal for river after Ruataniwha dam quashed
Piers Fuller (Stuff): Carterton councillor resigns in frustration over ‘closed books‘
Chris Morris (ODT): Glowing report card on DCC performance
RNZ: Queenstown council buys prominent multi-million dollar property
ODT: Council may buy up more top property
Other
Richard Harman (Politik): Government rejects proposal to open up Budget funding to NGOs
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Diane Maxwell bullying investigation delayed
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Supposed conflicts of interest in the limelight
1News: Government’s plan to curb deadly synthetic cannabis crisis seriously flawed, officials warned
Audrey Young (Herald): Look who’s giving advice after NZ’s appearance at UN Human Rights Council
Sam Kilmister (Stuff): ‘Wage theft’ in shearing sheds leads to first collective agreement in 24 years
John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis – Vatican crisis, former NZ PM guilty, sunglasses name ban
John Anthony (Stuff): National Party pulls Gerry Brownlee Facebook ad following Advertising Standards Authority complaint
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): S&P calculates Australian fallout of RBNZ changes
Michael Reddell: Safer banks = poorer society?
Northern Advocate: Whangārei teacher gets apology and husband with MS now allowed into NZ
Ryan Anderson (Stuff): Drug testing on animals: scientist calls for law reform
Mitchell Alexander (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern instructed Government ministers to be empathetic during Jami-Lee Ross saga
No Right Turn: Less than open III
Michael Hayward (Press): Spat between the East Lake Trust and Regenerate Christchurch continues
Charlie Gates (Stuff): New Christchurch art museum under way with bigger budget
Scott Palmer (Newshub): ‘It’d be devastating’: What happens if ‘zombie’ deer disease reaches New Zealand
Marlborough Express: Iwi lock in land deal at Marlborough Airport
Herald: Leighton Smith Podcast: Talking capital gains tax and Isis brides
Graeme Tuckett (Stuff): Celia: A timely, clear-eyed and necessary Kiwi documentary
