Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – May 10 2019
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
Today’s content
Government
Gordon Campbell: On yesterday’s token moves on climate change and interest rates
Matthew Hooton (Herald): What’s not to like about the Ardern regime (paywalled)
Simon Wilson (Herald): High stakes and the Greens’ game (paywalled)
Stephen Forbes (Interest) A look at what the Government has achieved and where it’s heading after 18 months in office
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): If this is the year of delivery, do Labour, NZ First & the Greens understand the word delivery?
No Right Turn: “The most transparent government ever”
No Right Turn: No MMP referendum
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern voted Australia’s most trusted politician
Cannabis referendum, drug policy, methamphetamine
John Armstrong (1News): There’s got to be a better way of revamping archaic drug laws than a cannabis referendum
Listener Editorial: Cannabis liberalisation is coming, but are we ready for it?
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Why the cannabis referendum is a real problem (paywalled)
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Sophistry and bollocks on the referendum
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Government wants to reduce cannabis market through legalisation, not grow it
Jessica Mutch McKay and Maiki Sherman (1News): Inside Parliament: Reefer Madness
1News, Sky: Inside Parliament flashback: Nandor Tanczos calls for cannabis decriminalisation in 2000
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Support for legal cannabis slips in new poll
Stuff: Government’s cannabis referendum on the right track to pass, survey finds
No Right Turn: The fix
Karoline Tuckey (RNZ): Synthetic cannabinoid alert system to be in place by end of year
Asher Emanuel (Spinoff): Soon we’ll know if the tide really is turning on drug punishments
Jared Savage (Herald): Fighting the Demon: Inside the criminal evolution of methamphetamine in NZ
Herald: Fighting the Demon: Police project Te Ara Oranga helps meth addicts see the light
Climate change, environment
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Highest methane cut targets may not eventuate – minister
Anna Bracewell-Worrall and Angie Skerrett (Newshub): Winston Peters hits back at farmers after carbon bill backlash
1News: Climate change amendment bill ‘unenforceable, problematic’ – says Greenpeace New Zealand leader
Robert McLachlan (The Conversation): NZ introduces groundbreaking zero carbon bill, including targets for agricultural methane
BusinessDesk: ‘Toothless’ or ‘alarming’ – reaction to the Zero Carbon Bill
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog):If we wish to combat climate change, we must defeat neoliberal capitalism: Trade Crucifixions, Dairy as a sunset industry & Fortress Aotearoa
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Why being Carbon Neutral by 2050 is meaningless
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom):Davos down under: Taranaki searches for answers
Robin Martin (RNZ): ‘Just Transition’ clean energy event wins mixed reaction in Taranaki
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): Govt opens low-carbon summit with $47M commitment to new energy research
Christina Persico (Stuff): Government to build $27m clean energy centre in Taranaki, $20m research fund
Zane Small (Newshub): Where the Government will launch its new ‘clean energy centre’
Jason Walls (Herald): The Government is spending $27m on a clean energy centre in Taranaki
Talisa Kupenga (Māori TV): Taranaki iwi welcome $27mil energy centre announcement
RNZ: Samoa Deputy PM talks Pacific climate action in NZ
Christina Persico (Stuff): James and Suzy Cameron call for more more plants and less dairy
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Hollywood director James Cameron’s grim warning for New Zealand
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): James Cameron calls on New Zealand to ditch meat and dairy
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): James Shaw won’t say when electric vehicle incentives will come
1News: James Cameron adds star power as PM announces $50 million to develop clean energy in Taranaki
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Subsidies for electric cars should come under Zero Carbon Bill
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Missing the obvious
Rebecca Hayter (North & South): A new era: The electric car charges ahead in New Zealand
Richard Harman (Politik): Decision by Green Minister will cost 350 jobs
Point of Order: A Green minister finds favour with farming – in this case, to torpedo gold mining plans
William Rolleston (Stuff): Changing GM policy will be good for the environment and Carbon Zero
Todd Niall (Stuff): Plans for more onshore waste recycling to be revealed by Government
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): Myrtle rust discovered on West Coast pōhutukawa for the first time
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): Myrtle rust discovered in region for first time
Leith Huffadine (RNZ): Price hike for Great Walks: More money, fewer tourists
Disability
Logan Savory and Evan Harding (Southland Times): Families of Southland disAbility Enterprises workers plead for support
Logan Savory and Evan Harding (Southland Times): ‘Broken hearts’ at Southland disAbility Enterprises
Laura Smith (ODT): SDE staff ‘broken’ and ‘shattered’ after WasteNet decision
Laura Smith (ODT): SdE informs staff contract probably lost
Isaac Davison (Herald): Radical, promising, and totally unaffordable: Government’s $24m disability experiment (paywalled)
ODT: Abuse rife at mental health facility
NIcholas Jones (Herald): 12 beds and 500 assaults a year: the hospital ward caring for the intellectually disabled (paywalled)
Abby Nunn (Stuff): Alarm at cuts in support services for Nelson deaf community
Huawei, China-NZ relations
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Don’t squander this chance to improve democracy
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Role of companies such as Huawei in NZ politics questioned
1News: New Zealand told to follow UK example over handling of Huawei 5G network
1News: Labour MPs receive gifts from Huawei which wants to roll out 5G in NZ
Collette Devlin (Stuff): MPs gifted All Blacks tickets by Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei
RNZ: Government ministers got rugby tickets from Huawei
Claire Trevett (Herald): Government Ministers, corporate boxes and how to bite the hand that feeds (paywalled)
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Anne-Marie Brady submits strategy for New Zealand to stand up to Chinese government
RNZ: China expert Anne-Marie Brady says she’s still being harassed
Herald: Anne-Marie Brady says she continues to be harassed following criticism of China
Register of Pecuniary Interests
Don Rowe (Spinoff): Our MPs’ pecuniary interests in 10 numbers
Zane Small (Newshub): The number of properties owned by MPs revealed
Jason Walls (Herald): Westpac, Air NZ and SkyCity are the companies who bought the most gifts for MPs last year
Jason Walls (Herald): The gifts Jacinda Ardern received last year
1News: What New Zealand politicians have been gifted on the job revealed
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Jami-Lee Ross accuses Simon Bridges of failing to declare gifts from donor
Employment
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Unite union doubles down on claim Vodafone ‘forcing’ staff onto inferior contracts without redundancy
Sam Kilmister (Stuff): Donning and doffing protective gear part of work
Southern Response and Thompson & Clark
Stuff: Firm that spied on quake insurance complainants ‘did not break law’
Herald: Police find no evidence of wrongdoing in recording of Southern Response meetings
RNZ: Thompson & Clark cleared over Southern Response surveillance – police
Housing
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Housing Minister Phil Twyford refuses calls for resignation over KiwiBuild
1News: Winston Peters says target of 100,000 KiwiBuild homes over 10 years is ‘easily achievable’
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): KiwiBuild: Winston Peters says Govt will build ‘a lot more’ than 100,000 homes
Jason Walls (Herald): National’s Judith Collins calling for Housing Minister Phil Twyford to resign
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Judith Collins demands Phil Twyford resign over KiwiBuild
RNZ: KiwiBuild ‘a broken promise’ – Bridges
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): KiwiBuild collapse confirms this is a Government run by amateurs
1News: Dream of young renters owning their own home ‘receding further and further away into the future’ – business expert
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Housing in NZ: what’s legal and what’s not? the basic standards every home must meet
Ruby Nyika (Stuff): Cooking, electronics and arson: Scorched state houses cost millions
James Baker (Stuff): Pensioners forbidden to fix units stung with the maintenance rent hike
Georgina Campbell (Herald): New home consents in Wellington are up but housing deficit remains
Education
Josephine Franks (Stuff0: School starting age pushed back to 5 as Education Amendment Bill passes Parliament
John Gerritsen (RNZ):Auckland principal backs higher pay, smaller workload for teachers
John Lewis (ODT): Principals call for change to restraint rules
Rotorua Daily Post: Renowned dyslexia expert Neil MacKay to speak in Rotorua at open event
Kirk Hope (Stuff): Businesses are the classrooms of tomorrow and proposed education reforms must reflect that
Josephine Franks (Stuff): White supremacy at Auckland University: More than ‘zero tolerance’ needed
Health
Herald: Cancer patients slipping through the cracks: Experts call for change (paywalled)
Emma Russell (Herald): Cancer costing lives: What needs to change (paywalled)
Laine Moger (Stuff): Measles: Northland schools say ‘no’ to DHB chief’s plea to exclude unvaccinated pupils
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland measles outbreak: No decision on offering additional vaccinations, as cases hit 45
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Coca-Cola can ‘prevent publication’ of some anti-sugar research – study
RNZ: Urgent talks between junior doctors and DHBs begin today
Te Karere: Major iwi celebrates first year of pioneering free healthcare programme
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Community pharmacists improving lives and cutting drug bills
MIchael Hayward (Stuff):Hospital security beefed up after alleged imposter doctor accessed Christchurch terror attack victims
Child welfare
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Oranga Tamariki accused of bullying, racism over removal of baby
Michelle Duff (Stuff): A litany of errors led to a toddler’s death. Why are his family still waiting for justice?
Melanie Reid (Newsroom): ‘Our problem, our solution, our way’
Melanie Reid (Newsroom): Emotional hui protects mother and baby
Herald: Iwi’s message to Govt over taken baby: ‘Not one more child will be uplifted. We will intervene at all costs’
OCR cut
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): How close is the RBNZ to flogging a dead horse?
Brian Fallow (Herald): Reserve Bank got OCR drop wrong (paywalled)
RNZ: Reserve Bank uncertain if further rate cuts needed
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Don Brash concerned for the economy after official cash rate cut
Susan Edmunds I(Stuff): Interest rates: Won’t someone think of the savers?
David Chaston (Interest): Banks are trimming interest rates for savings accounts and term deposits
Auckland
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Phil Goff vs John Tamihere: Clashing visions for the future of Auckland
Kendall Hutt (Stuff): Mayoral candidate John Tamihere announces sacking Auckland Transport board a priority if elected
RNZ: Auckland mayoralty: John Tamihere says if elected he will sack AT board
MIchael Neilson (Herald): John Tamihere slams Auckland Transport’s ‘anti-car’ policy; says if elected mayor he will sack AT board
RNZ: Auckland Transport lauds its AT Local rideshare scheme, local board members critical
Herald Editorial: The time to review our CCOs is yesterday – the time to act is today (paywalled)
Local government
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): ‘What did I just vote on?’: Wellington City Council debates buses, rents, greenhouse gasses and other things out of its control
Matthew Tso (Stuff): Hutt City Council preparing to underwrite $700k loss on events centre
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Tasman District Council to appoint fulltime kaihautū
Transport, road safety
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Truckies with repeated serious safety breaches face decade long bans
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Auditors probe NZTA’s hi-tech Connected Journeys unit
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Government agencies accused of witch hunt against Northland transport company
Tim Newman (Stuff): Suspended Nick Smith says Drug Driving Bill an urgent priority
Katie Fitzgerald and Edward O’Driscoll (Newshub): Government receives roadside drug-testing petition
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff):Lime eyes a new territory – a semi-rural district with plenty of open road
SAS soldier Nicholas Kahotea killed during training exercise
Herald: Army training accident: SAS soldier died after jumping from helicopter and falling several storeys – source
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Army exercise suspended after SAS trooper dies after training incident
Nicole Lawton (Stuff): SAS trooper death: inside the $46m Army training facility in Auckland
John Weekes (Stuff): Intense training, secret missions behind enemy lines: What is the SAS?
David Fisher (Herald): Inside the NZSAS: Creating the elite soldier
Animal abuse
John Anthony (Stuff): Chilean prosecutor seeks to extradite New Zealand farmer Zach Ward for allegedly killing more than 1500 calves
Herald: New Zealand farmer could face extradition to Chile to face animal-abuse charges
Evan Harding (Southland Times): Southland man’s 88000 signature petition aims to deter animal abuse
Abortion
Terry Bellamak (Herald): Self-selection is entirely different to purposive sampling
Chris Marriner (Herald): Kaitaia church apologises for ‘offensive’ abortion billboard after sparking outrage
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): ‘Extremely disgusting’: Church’s anti-abortion billboard appalls Kaitaia locals
Tourism
1News: Infrastructure in some regions fails to meet the need of the visitors and local community – tourism industry says
Grant Bradley (Herald): More New Zealanders fret about the number of tourists says survey
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Industry survey finds people mostly positive about international tourism
Katie Fitzgerald and Emily O’Connell (Newshub): Kiwis no longer worried by freedom campers – survey
Brother of Kiri Allan charged with murder
Jane Patterson and Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Whanganui man accused of murdering partner named as MP Kiri Allan’s brother
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Labour MP Kiritapu Allan’s ‘devastating’ family link to Whanganui murder-accused
Kirsty Lawrence and Collette Devlin (Stuff): Labour MP Kiri Allan’s brother charged with murder over Whanganui death
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Labour MP Kiri Allan’s half-brother Eric Mete charged with murder
Other
Nikki Mandow (BusinessDesk): Govt delays upgrade of weak and unclear whistleblower law
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Rural support workers quit over MPI’s inaction on farmers’ mental health after M bovis
RNZ: Mental health help ‘there if you ask’ – farmer who faced Mycoplasma bovis cull for months
G L Smith (Herald): A way forward on the Ihumātao dispute (paywalled)
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): $20m Captain Cook commemoration ignores Māori pain – critics
Liam Dann (Herald): Immigration: The number that proves Winston’s not in control
Kathy Errington (Herald): Social media regulation is needed to confront hate head-on (paywalled)
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): MediaRoom: Hey big spender
Lucy Bennett (Herald): Nick Smith attends justice select committee as a private citizen
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Provincial Growth Fund rejects Franz Josef township move
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Wairoa takes its business case to government
Doug Laing (Hawke’s Bay Today): The Te Mata Peak takeover: ‘It is Rongokako, our ancestor,’ Mongrel Mob says
Charlie Gates (Stuff): Victim Support to announce plans for remaining $7m for Christchurch terror victims
Stuff: New Māori name created for submerged continent Zealandia
Mark Rouse (Stuff): Government letting down the aged care residential sector
Michael Neilson (Heald): Ngāti Porou: A loyal iwi seeking to transform its community (paywalled)
Madison Reidy (RNZ): Government planning $6.1bn worth of construction projects
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): James Shaw ‘healing well’ after assault on walk to Parliament
