Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – April 3 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.
Foreign affairs
Richard Harman (Politik): Ardern faces critical choice
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Jacinda Ardern’s China trip successful but over-hyped
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): China, NZ must still navigate choppy waters
Dominion Post Editorial: NZ-China: how do ‘sincere friends’ trade tough love?
Herald Editorial: PM makes a good start on the China repair
Selwyn Manning (Evening Report): Editorial: New Zealand Should Be Well Pleased with Ardern’s NZ-PRC Bilateral
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Has Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s visit to China made a difference?
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Ardern makes her China debut
Liam Dann (Herald): Reassurance in the statistics
Chris Keall (Herald): GCSB ban: Huawei NZ boss outlines two possible ways back in
Juha Saarinen (Herald): The real reason Huawei shouldn’t be in 5G networks
Bill Bennett (Herald): Many eyes on Huawei
Jane Patterson (RNZ): PM returns to NZ after ‘warm’ and ‘constructive’ China meetings
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Chinese president calls for trust in relations with NZ
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern keeps quiet on comments to Chinese Government about human rights abuses
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Seeking trade benefits in a testing time
Steven Jacobi (Herald): Another link in the belt . . .
Bill Bennett (Herald): ‘They understand our value’
1News: China is important, but there’s ‘lots of other opportunities in Asia’ – AsiaNZ
Todd McClay (Herald): Time for an upgrade on trade
Michael Barnett (Herald): The principles have changed
1News: Jacinda Ardern speaks out against new Brunei law punishing gay sex with death by stoning
1News: ‘I only see upsides’ – British official upbeat about post-Brexit relationship with NZ
Jarrod Gilbert (Herlad): The sultans of stupid poisoning Oz politics — and why I fear them
Jason Walls (Herald): Australian Senator Fraser Anning has responded to being called a ‘moron’ by Winston Peters
AAP: Watch: Winston Peters calls Fraser Anning a ‘jingoistic moron’, as Aussie senator faces censure over Christchurch attacks remarks
News.au: Winston Peters blasts Australian senator Fraser Anning as ‘four-flushing, jingoistic moron’
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): ‘Jingoistic moron’: Winston Peters slams Australian Senator Fraser Anning
AAP: Australian senator Fraser Anning told he ‘lacks basic humanity’ over Christchurch mosque shooting comments
RNZ: King of Tonga discusses upgrade of palace archives with NZ
RNZ: Variety of Pacific products on show in Auckland
Māori TV: NZR partners with Oceania Rugby to develop the Pacific game
Gun laws
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Gun owners shocked at short submission time on firearms law change
Jamie Ensor and Miriam Harris (Newshub): Most hunters back Government’s proposed gun law changes despite concerns – Fish & Game
Collette Devlin (Stuff): First new gun law since the Christchurch mosque attacks passes first reading
RNZ: MPs debate new gun laws: ‘NZers want this change’
Anna Whyte (1News); Arms Amendment Bill passes first reading in Parliament
Daniela Maoate-Cox (RNZ): The House: Pushing gun laws through Parliament
Claire Trevett (Herald): Act’s David Seymour hoist on tardy petard
Henry Cooke (Stuff): David Seymour hoists himself with his own petard, providing small moment of levity
Jason Walls and Derek Cheng (Herald): Act Leader David Seymour says his House bungle today is ‘something you’ve got to laugh off’
RNZ: David Seymour misses chance to slow gun legislation debate
Alice Webb-Liddall (Newshub): ‘Laughing fit’ in Parliament after David Seymour arrives too late to slow gun law reform
Zane Small (Newshub): ACT leader David Seymour, running late, fails to force Government into urgency
Collette Devlin (Stuff): ACT will force Government to pass new gun legislation under urgency
Jason Walls (Herald): ACT Leader David Seymour will vote against the Govt’s new gun law’s first reading
Zane Small (Newshub): ACT leader David Seymour will force Government into urgency to pass gun laws
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Barebones official analysis of gun ban bill has no detail on cost of buyback, but it will be ‘high’
Jason Walls (Herald): Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters says the gun buyback programme could cost $300m
1News: Winston Peters says gun buyback scheme could cost up to $300m – well over initial estimate
Zane Small (Newshub): Grant Robertson and Winston Peters at odds over gun buyback cost
Charles Anderson (Guardian): New Zealand firearm buyback cost could balloon to $300m
Georgia Forrester and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Winston Peters defends the pace of gun law changes
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Police warn Govt of ‘high’ gun buyback cost
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): National’s Judith Collins wants tougher action on gangs with guns
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Black Power member backs gun crackdown, says gangs not the problem
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Gangs wary of government guns crackdown
Derek Cheng (Herald): Police bring arsenal to Parliament to show current gun law flaws
Collette Devlin (Stuff): High-level briefing on weapons considered in gun law reform at select committee
RNZ: NZ gun lobby says law will make criminals of all firearm owners
No Right Turn: Doing what they promised
1News: Man who called Ardern ‘dumb-as-a-plank’ over gun control measures warns ‘prohibition’ will lead to homemade firearmst
Christchurch mosque shootings
Gordon Campbell: On the legal crackdown on hate crimes
Paul Buchanan: First a massacre, then the push back.
Saziah Bashir (RNZ): Words matter: It’s time to rethink hate speech laws
Stuart Pedersen (Herald): The danger of groupism
Karl du Fresne (Stuff): The ability, or not, to exercise free speech in a civilised and respectful way
David Williams (Newsroom): Listen to us, Muslim group urges
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Terror accused will appear for court hearing via audio-visual link
Kim Baker Wilson (1News): No cameras in court for Christchurch terrorist attack accused’s second appearance
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Terror attack: Son will attend accused’s first High Court hearing
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Post-terror tourism promotion – what it means for brand NZ
RNZ: Fall in tourist visas since terror attacks
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Armageddon bans military-style clothing, guns from convention
Adam Hollingworth (Newshub): ‘Māori’ hacker booby-traps Christchurch shooter’s banned manifesto with virus
Herald: Iranian women’s rights activist says NZ hijab display after Christchurch shooting is ‘heartbreaking’
Child poverty
Derek Cheng (Herald): Number of children living in poor households jumps in 2018 year, latest figures show
Charlotte Cook and Catherine Hutton (RNZ): More than 250,000 New Zealand children living in poverty, new figures show
Anna Whyte (1News): Stats NZ reveals the nation’s official rate of child poverty
Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Hundreds of thousands of Kiwi children living below the poverty line
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): 254,000 Kiwi kids living in poverty after bills are paid – statistics
Elena McPhee (ODT): Deprivation in Otago highlighted by index
Tax
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Tax Working Group chair’s pay topped $84,000 before extension was revealed
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Tax Working Group: Sir Michael Cullen paid $84,000 for part-time role
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): 84,000 questions for Sir Michael Cullen and capital gain tax plan
RNZ: Checkpoint: Watch: Sir John Key opposes capital gains tax in wide ranging discussion
Government spending
1News: Thousands of incorrect Winter Energy payments totalling $3.4 million a ‘small error’ – Finance Minister
Jason Walls (Herald): Ministry of Social Development accidentally gives the Winter Energy Payment to 25,000 people
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Ministry of Social Development spent $3.4 million of unauthorised Winter Energy Payment funds
Health and disability
NIcholas Jones (Herald): Getting cataract surgery depends on postcode: ‘it’s scary and worrying’
RNZ: Academic optimistic research will prompt changes in NZ health system
Rob Stock (Stuff): Ambulance wage dispute raises question of nationalisation
1News: ‘Enough is enough’ – St John demanding Government funds vital ambulance service to keep it running
Emma Russell (Herald): Deputy Labour leader Kelvin Davis offers support to Ruby Hill after being left to ‘starve to death’ without palliative care
Michael Neilson (Herald): ‘They thought I was a junkie shopping for drugs’: Tattooed Wairoa man whose kidney died says he was denied pain relief for hours
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Middlemore Hospital was warned patients at ‘extreme’ risk from fire, documents show
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Counties Manukau DHB warned patients were at ‘extreme risk’ of fire but repairs took three years
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Women’s Health Collective soldiers on despite district health board funding cut
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Canterbury measles outbreak: confirmed cases rise to 39
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Liability for Christchurch Hospital outpatients building flood yet to be determined
RNZ: Thousands of medical appointments delayed after floods
Jamie Morton (Herald): Q&A: ‘Medical manslaughter’ a growing worry
Dionne Christian (Herald): The art of making us a healthier and happier nation
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Parenting a non-verbal autistic child is challenging, but life-enriching, for former MP Steven Joyce
1News: Steven Joyce opens up about life with autistic son – ‘It’s a wonderful, life-enriching sort of experience’
Māori TV: Get ya gumboots on, Kiwis!
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Time to get your gumboots on
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Wero for all university students to ‘gumboot up’
Environment
Rachel Stewart (Herald): The outlook is grim, despite temptation to deny warnings
Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): Wellington’s new ‘recyclable’ recycling bags will be shipped to Malaysia
1News: Bay of Plenty community resorts to crowdfunding as court battle with water bottling company looms
Jamie Morton (Herald): Top thinker: Why NZ’s economy has to go ‘circular’
Local government
Todd Niall (Herald): Auckland mayor’s salary to increase to nearly $300K as politicians see big pay rises
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Auckland Skypath may be delayed until 2022, likely sinking America’s Cup hopes
Gerald Piddock (Stuff): Thames-Coromandel District Council vote against climate change declaration
RNZ: Council resists pleas to sign climate change declaration
Bridget Grace (Newshub): Protesters ‘shattered’ as Coromandel votes against climate change declaration
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): ‘We won’t back down’: In an ageing community, the young fight climate complacency
Libby Wilson and Elton Rikihana Smallman (Stuff): Hamilton City Councillor James Casson complains about colleague’s criticism
Laura James (1News): Hamilton councillor slammed for his ‘apology’ over Christchurch terrorist attack comments
Elton Rikihana Smallman (Stuff): Hamilton councillor James Casson says he’s not racist
Angela Cuming (Spinoff): After James Casson, it must be asked: Are Hamilton’s Councillors all a bunch of clowns?
Damian George (Stuff): Wellington city ratepayers facing 8.9 per cent regional rates hike
Virginia Fallon (Dominion Post): Wellington boom ban: region’s councils to consult on backyard fireworks
Danica MacLean (Northern Advocate): Whangārei district councillor Stuart Bell resigns four months before election
1News: ‘It’s where our food is swimming’ – Auckland tribal leader labels scattering ashes in waterways ‘disgusting’
Nik Kiddle (ODT): Bed tax not seen as best or fairest method
Police
Patrick Gower (Newshub): Questions over police response to Christchurch man who died after raid, stand-off
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Russian man who died after police standoff in Christchurch was no terror threat, says father
Katie Doyle (RNZ): Police consider trialling no-pursuit policy for young drivers
1News: Winston Peters backs proposal for more police helicopters to make chases safer
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Police Commissioner issues stark warning to New Zealand drivers after nine deaths in one day
Bryan Bruce (Daily Blog):Good Cop. Bad Cop
Housing
1News: Government ‘temporarily’ buys five Wanaka KiwiBuild homes after they fail to sell
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): ‘It’s a fail’: Government forced to buy KiwiBuild houses that weren’t selling
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Spotlight on 5000 ‘character’ homes as Wellington City Council tries to accommodate 80,000 people
David Hargreaves (Interest): Are falling interest rates a trap or an opportunity for first home buyers?
RNZ: More Auckland Council staff to keep up record home consents
Education
Simon Collins (Herald): NZQA abandons bid to put NCEA for non-literary subjects online by 2020
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Tomorrow’s Schools: Beware equity over excellence
Simon Smelt (Stuff): Terrifying words for schools: The ministry’s here to help
Simon Collins (Herald): Indian students wait for refunds after NZQA closes NZ Institute of Technical Training (NITT)
Richard Mitchell (ODT): From factory to future
Anna Campbell (ODT): Centralisation means putting us on the fast track to mediocrity
Nicola Willis (Spinoff): Let Vic be Vic: Why it’s time to end the Victoria University name change farce
Parliament
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): How New Zealand Government is preparing for state-sponsored cyber attacks
Spinoff: Winston Peters’ media rounds this morning were an absolute tour de force
Daniela Maoate-Cox (RNZ): Parliament’s to do list: Tuesday 2 April 2019
Alan Kenyon (1News): Watch: Peters and Bridges trade jokes over Foreign Minister’s ‘deep contemplation’ claim while on Turkey trip
Zane Small (Newshub): Watch: Simon Bridges ridicules Deputy PM Winston Peters for ‘sleeping on the job’
Immigration and refugees
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Unlocking ‘a wall of wood’
RNZ: Winston Peters won’t apologise for Muslim comments
Michael Reddell: Immigration is inherently a political issue
Arthur Grimes (Newsroom): Grimes on wellbeing: Migrants and happiness
Grant Bayldon (Spinoff): Life grinds on for the Syrian refugees effectively barred from NZ
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Offers from community after damp home complaints from refugees
Economy, business confidence
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Beyond weak business confidence, there are concerning signs in the economy
RNZ: Quarter of NZ businesses concerned about the economy
Justice, corrections
Dominion Post: Corrections’ illegal searches of female inmates: Incompetence or callousness
Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): Māori home owner claims intimidation by home detention neighbour
Mike Wesley-Smith (Newshub): Grove Road: New diagnosis causes fresh doubt in old case
Transport
Anne Gibson (Herald): Shane Jones wades in against NZTA over legal case against log trucker
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Checkpoint: 1000 bus runs a day at risk due to meal breaks – bus operators
RNZ: More than 11,000 submissions on proposal to lower Akl speed limits
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Man taken to hospital after Lime scooter snaps in two
Primary industries
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): In the national interest
Andrea Fox (Herald): Major shareholder backs sale of Westland Milk to China’s Yili
Maja Burry (RNZ): Beekeepers see increase in hive deaths
Emma Dangerfield (Stuff): North Canterbury teen raises money to help to save bobby calves from slaughter
Online scams
1News: Kiwis reported $33m in losses to online scams last year, triple 2017 total – Netsafe
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Kiwis lost $33 million to scams in 2018
Meghan Lawrence (Herald): Kiwis lost $33 million to online scams and fraud last year
RNZ: Kiwis lose $33 million as online scam successes increase
West Coast
Janna Sherman (Hokitika Guardian): $25m-plus option for Franz Josef issues
Kate Gudsell (RNZ): Stoush brewing on West Coast about Waiho River options
Other
1News: ‘Your Bill seeks to kill people’ – Maggie Barry slams David Seymour’s euthanasia proposal during debate
Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): Another 20 international fish experts sign petition against Te Papa restructure
Emma Espiner (Newsroom): Who speaks for us
Tom McRae (Newshub): America’s Cup 2019: Disaster as three challengers set to withdraw
Regan Paranihi (Māori TV): The role of social media in debate
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Diversity celebrations to go ahead: ‘This is who we are, a nation that embraces different cultures’
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Buyer made $700k overnight, vendors say real estate agent helped house flip
ODT Editorial: Can New Zealand’s gangs reform?
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Conservative and risk averse: NZ CEOs revealed
Jessica Tyson (RNZ): More homes needed to adopt wild Kaimanawa horses
