Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – March 27 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.
Royal Commission, role of spy agencies
RNZ: More NZers under surveillance: Andrew Little authorises spy agencies to do more ‘intrusive’ activities
David Fisher (Herald): Speargun and mass surveillance – the confusion created by Simon Bridges and what real spies have to say
Paul Buchanan: About that silly Mr. Bridges
Stacey KIrk (Stuff): Prime Minister downplays calls for boosted spying powers in wake of Christchurch terror attacks
Gun reform, firearms
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Why has gun law reform failed until now?
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): MPs from across the political divide previously stymied gun control
Jason Walls (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern says a nationwide gun registration system ‘absolutely makes sense’
Zane Small (Newshub): Gun-related homicides: How New Zealand compares to US states
Herald: Whitcoulls pulls semi-automatic gun modifier help book from website
Government response, Ardern’s leadership
Alexander Gillespie (Stuff): Christchurch shootings: The difficult next steps
Matt Nippert (Herald): What Norway learned from terrorist attack by lone gunman
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Will Jacinda Ardern keep her ‘halo’ once domestic realities resume?
Chris Trotter: Those Who Do Not Learn The Lessons Of History …
Laura Walters (Newsroom): NZ is complacent on human rights
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Mental health inquiry response and other Government work delayed because of Christchurch mosque shootings
Audrey Young (Herald): Message to Winston Peters – Please don’t fall asleep on Friday
Jonathan Powel (Guardian): If Jacinda Ardern was in No 10, imagine how different Brexit would be
Zane Small (Newshub): Australian economist Judith Sloan rips into ‘ordinary’ Jacinda Ardern
News.au: Liberal VP told she’s ‘living in a bubble’ after saying Jacinda Ardern is copying Aussies
1News: Australian politician accuses Jacinda Ardern of ‘copying’ John Howard’s gun laws
Zane Small (Newshub): Australian politician Teena McQueen ridiculed for accusing Jacinda Ardern of ‘copying us’
Terror threat
RNZ: New Zealand prudent to stay on high alert over potential ‘retaliation, copycats’ talk – Jacinda Ardern
Henry Cooke (Stuff): New Zealand is still on high alert – this is what it means
Jason Walls (Herald): Police Commissioner Mike Bush says the terror threat level will be reassessed this week
RNZ: Armed police to remain on streets – commissioner
Social media, internet
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): ISPs keep Chch web blocks after Govt intervention
Paul Gorman (Stuff): Calls for independent regulator of social media sites in NZ
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): ‘More than protest’ needed on social media – Jacinda Ardern
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Aussies ahead of the play with hard-line social media stance
Zane Small (Newshub): Australian PM Scott Morrison proposes tough criminal laws for social media companies
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Regulate social media companies now: TV boss
Chris Keall (Herald): Study finds just 2 per cent of Kiwis trust social media sites
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Quitting Facebook the best way to protest their lack of humanity after mosque shooting
Manifesto banned
Elena McPhee (ODT): Manifesto holders could be prosecuted
Greg Presland (Standard): WTF Free Speech coalition?
White nationalism
Thomas Manch (Stuff): White nationalists ‘will re-emerge’ after falling silent over Christchurch mosque shootings
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Far right groups dispersing after mosque attacks – ex-leader Kyle Chapman
Frank Jordans (AP): Austrian activist’s home searched over ‘ties’ to Christchurch mosque shooting suspect
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Christchurch terror attack: Austrian far-right activist Martin Sellner’s home raided over possible ties to alleged gunman
RNZ: Austrian far-right activist probed over ties to accused mosque shooter
William Ray (RNZ): Black Sheep Podcast: The story of White Supremacy
Christchurch mosque shootings
David Seymour (Magic Talk): Imagining NZ without identity politics
Liam Hehir (Stuff): Blame game has no place when ‘no greater love’ on display
Mohamad Abdalla (The Conversation): Grace, dignity shining from Christchurch mosque attack survivors
Martin van Beynen (Stuff): Christchurch shootings prompt surge of interest in moving to New Zealand
Cecile Meier (Stuff): National Party gives platform to ‘Islamophobic’ misinformation via Facebook page in name of free speech
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Government missing chance for joint action on extremism – Muslim leader
RNZ: ACC scheme doesn’t cover mosque-attack mental injury claims
1News: ACC receives 94 injury claims from Christchurch mosques terrorist attack, 23 for mental injury
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Muslim network says $2m donation for Christchurch victims should go to persecuted Uighur people instead
Kim Nutbrown (Stuff): Authorities urge people to report, delete and seek help if they saw Christchurch mosque shooting footage
Chris Reed (Herald): Licensing Trust member Paul Davie bullish over social media posts critical of Muslims
Foreign Affairs
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Ardern’s swift trip to China marks a new political reality in New Zealand
Waatea News: Chris Trotter: Peters praised for calm response
Jason Walls (Herald): Winston Peters achieved the main goal of his visit to Turkey last week – PM Jacinda Ardern
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern staunchly defends Winston Peters’ Turkey trip
Climate change
Richard Harman (Politik): Challenging the orthodoxy
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Minister rejects Parliamentary Commissioner’s suggestion to redesign ETS away from reliance on forestry
Gerard Hutching (Stuff):PCE climate change report: all you need to know
Gerard Hutching (Stuff): NZ greenhouse gas emitters need to get to zero, except for farming, PCE recommends
Jamie Morton (Herald): Environment watchdog’s bold idea to combat climate change
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Forest CO2 absorption strategy ‘carries significant risks’ – report
Anna Whyte (1News): New Zealand’s climate change policy too reliant on tree planting – report
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Commissioner calls for tougher treatment of fossil fuel burners than farmers
Eloise Gibson (Newsroom): End forest tradeoffs for CO2: PCE climate report
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): We know climate change is a problem, so now what?
Health
Warwick Brunton (ODT): Time to re-examine Ministry of Health’s function
1News: Cancer Society critical of Pharmac saying they ‘lack accountability, lack transparency, are slow’
1News: Palmerston North mother fighting time and Government for breast cancer drug
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland DHB outsourcing radiation therapy as demand spikes
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Study finds Māori consultation on liquor licensing inadequate
Māori TV: Alcohol consultation “failing Māori communities”
John Gibb (ODT): Maori often left out of liquor licensing consultation
Dean Brown (Stuff): We are angry about the state of our ambulance services, but we can fix it
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): St John pulls fundraising appeal after anger from paramedics
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Measles: Number of confirmed cases in Auckland jumps to nine
Fiona Connor (Newshub): ‘People die rather than ask for help’ – suicide survivor
Justice, corrections
John Weekes (Stuff): Women’s prison scandal: how ‘abhorrent’ searches came to light
John Weekes (Stuff): Women prisoners get apology and $375k payout for intrusive searches
David Fisher (Herald): Up to 34 female inmates undergo improper internal examinations by doctors in prison
Edward Gay (Stuff): Susan Burdett murder: Five trials over 27 years – the long road to justice for her family
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Corrections’ inappropriate searches of prisoners ‘akin to assault’ – lawyer
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Corrections apologises to 15 women given improper internal searches in prison
RNZ:Searches of women prisoners ‘intrusive and potentially traumatising’
Education, polytech and industry training reform
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Tomorrow when the war began
Simon Gerritsen (RNZ): Teachers call off strike after Christchurch terror attacks
Mike Watson (Stuff): National Party education spokeswoman Nikki Kaye urges cross-party agreement on education reform
Mike Hosking (Newstalk): Tomorrow’s Schools – learning the hard way about messing around with education
Stephen Foote (Newshub): Player poaching banned under new schoolboy rugby rules
Brooke Jenner (RNZ): Auckland rugby schools meet ‘amicably’ to restrict player poaching
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The whole point of sport is to win
Grant Davidson (Herald): Industry training plan ultimatum not consultation
Tim Miller (ODT): Council votes unanimously to support submission
Luisa Girae (ODT): Council approves submission on polytech
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Victoria University’s name change lands on Wellington City Council’s table
Tax
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Insurance fears show why we need to broaden tax base
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Capital Gains Tax: What it means for KiwiSaver and direct share investment
Media
Māori TV: Māori Media Shift – The future of Māori news
Pattrick Crewdson (Stuff): Do read the comments: Announcing a new approach to Stuff’s comment moderation
Tommy Livingston (Stuff): Whale Oil company previously owned by Cameron Slater goes into liquidation
Local government
RNZ: Bella Vista: critical report ‘doesn’t offer … much for other families’
RNZ: Tauranga City Council failed its consent processes in the Bella Vista development
Bay of Plenty Times: Tauranga City Council hits back at public accusations about Bella Vista demolitions
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Wellington Council creates legal graffiti zones for people to support Muslim community
Dleepa Fonseka (Stuff): Multi-million cost blowout for major Wellington infrastructure project blamed on inaccurate ‘guesstimate’
Matthew Tso (Stuff): Draconian’ brothel bylaw could be putting Upper Hutt sex workers at risk
Transport
Benedict Collins (1News): Exclusive: Roadside breath tests drop by 350,000 in 2018, AA ‘very concerned’
Gerald Piddock (Stuff): NZTA confirms maximum funding rate for Hamilton-Auckland passenger rail service
RNZ: Dunedin councillors vote to charge Lime to operate in the city
Tim Miller (ODT): DCC votes for more control of e-scooters
Chloe Ranford (Stuff): E-scooters mooted as energy-conscious council looks to get greener
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland’s ‘unbelievable’ public transport goal doable
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Auckland Transport drives CBD parking prices up
Jono Galuszka (Manawatū Standard): Iwi urges co-operation to avoid Manawatū Gorge replacement road mistakes
Employment
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Minimum wage to rise to $17.70 – what will it mean for you?
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): Exploitative farmer has four weeks to settle $120,000 debt, or face prison
Herald: Tradie’s Muslim comments get him axed from new job
Primary industries
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): MPI looking into alleged mistreatment of cattle transported across Cook Strait
Sally Rae (ODT): MPI begins meetings on ‘M bovis’ progress
Mainzeal
Anne Gibson (Herald): Mainzeal liquidators: Appeals will delay settlement for creditors
Rob Stock (Stuff): Former PM Jenny Shipley alleges no ‘natural justice’ in Mainzeal judgment
Chris Hutching (Stuff): Shipley to appeal Mainzeal ruling and $36m penalty
RNZ: Mainzeal director Richard Yan appeals $36 million High Court decision
Other
Tim O’Connell (Nelson Mail): Sealord deepwater fishing deal with 37 iwi lauded as ‘watershed’ moment
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Māori claimants still seek rights to marine and coastal areas
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Six months overdue: Mining on conservation land discussion document still not released
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Government poised to make a call on moving Ports of Auckland to Northland
Julienne Molineaux (Briefing Papers): Online voting FAQ
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Te Papa museum lists ad for new curator after expert made redundant
Brian Rudman (Herald): Too much at stake – Time to quit chases
Herald: Auckland police officer charged with accessing computer system for ‘dishonest purposes’
Māori TV: $1.2mil for Raupunga papakāinga development
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): KiwiRail hunts for skilled staff after influx of work
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Simon Bridges’ deputy chief of staff Belinda Milnes charged with technical assault
RNZ: National leader’s deputy chief of staff charged with assault
RNZ: West Coast weather: What you need to know
1News: State of Emergency in place for West Coast as region hit with heavy rain, road closures
RNZ: RNZAF choppers do their bit for Solomons’ poll
Raniera Harrison (Māori TV): Mourners farewell the last surviving A Company soldier of the 28th Māori Battalion
