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
Christopher Luxon
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Christopher Luxon’s path from national carrier to National Party won’t be simple
Peter Williams (Newshub): Is Christopher Luxon really Prime Minister material?
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Nats probable new wunderkind no sure thing – hurdles for Christopher Luxon to clear yet
1News: Christopher Luxon would be a ‘good get’ for the National Party, says 1 NEWS political editor
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Revealed: Christopher Luxon is not definitely the next National PM
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Analysis: Luxon still flying high after Air New Zealand gig
1News: ‘The natural home for talent’ – National Party would welcome Christopher Luxon
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern won’t fire Christopher Luxon as business adviser despite his National leanings
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Winston Peters expects Luxon at 2026 election, while Shane Jones asks for an apology
Jason Walls (Herald): Senior NZ First MP Shane Jones says the media owes him an apology over his Luxon call
Nona Pelletier (RNZ): Air New Zealand boss Christopher Luxon weigh options for future
1News: Outgoing Air NZ CEO says he identifies with National Party but has ‘no master plan’ to run for office
Susan Edmunds and Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Search on for Air New Zealand replacement for Luxon
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Luxon: Leaving ‘best job in New Zealand’ in good shape
Martyn Bradbury: The Luxon hope suggests how talentless National really are
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Is ex Air NZ boss Christopher Luxon a future National leader?
Gun buyback scheme
Gordon Campbell: On the likely benefits (and costs) of the gun buy-back scheme
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Does gun buyback strike the right balance?
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Gun buyback not the answer to stopping terror
Ryan Bridge (Newshub): No hard evidence gun buyback scheme will make NZ safer
Jo Moir (RNZ): Gun owners angry, disappointed over government buyback scheme
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Gun owners say buyback advice was ignored
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Leading New Zealand ammunition seller warns of ‘revolution’ over Government’s gun buyback scheme
RNZ: Competitive shooters upset about gun buyback scheme say it’s ‘killed’ their sport
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Why some gun owners feel ‘very annoyed’ by buyback plans
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ACT takes aim at Government’s gun buyback scheme
Thomas Manch and Collette Devlin (Stuff): Storage and transport unclear as banned semi-automatics head to the shredder
Liz McDonald and Jake Kenny (Stuff): Big turnout expected for first gun buyback event: ‘People just want to get the deal done’
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Government gun buyback scheme funding boosted to $208m with ACC money
Derek Cheng (Herald): Gun buyback scheme covers hundreds of firearms and parts, but excludes business losses
Anna Whyte (1News): Extra $40m injected into gun buyback scheme, as Government explains how compensation process will work
Jo Moir (RNZ): Banned weapons: Government details compensation
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Gun buyback scheme: How it will work
Operation Burnham inquiry
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Operation Burnham inquiry will bring clarity, Ardern says
Press Editorial: War inquiry remains necessary despite new information
Paul Buchanan: A fraught inquiry
Thomas Manch (Stuff): New insurgent leader claims ‘changes nothing’ for Operation Burnham, co-author Nicky Hager says
Melissa Chan-Green (Newshub): Insurgents say they were in the village targeted by controversial SAS raid
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Hit & Run author says there were errors in the book
No Right Turn: This changes nothing
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Nicky Hagar book launch frenzy
Lobbying
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Have corporate lobbyists been running this government? (paywalled)
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): PM defends handling of senior staffer’s conflicts of interest
Elections
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Ballot boxes at supermarkets among 2020 electoral changes but National says its an advantage for Government re-election
Herald: Polling booths in supermarkets, malls for 2020 general election
RNZ: Voters to be able to enrol on election day – Andrew Little
Zane Small (Newshub): 2020 election: Justice Minister proposes changes to ballot locations, enrolment
1News: Kiwis set to see voting booths in supermarkets and malls on election day
Public sector
Tony Burton (Spinoff): How bosses’ obsession with vapid slogans borked the public sector
1News: Record number of women on state sector boards
Rob Stock (Stuff): Minister for Women announces record share of leadership roles held by women
Michael Reddell: Makhlouf on public debt
ANZ, banks
Tamsyn Parker Herald): ANZ’s David Hisco expenses fiasco serves as wake-up call to employers and workers (paywalled)
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): How the major banks are responding to the David Hisco expenses fiasco (paywalled)
Michael Reddell: On the ANZ affair
Housing
Henry Cooke (Stuff): How KiwiBuild fell down, and whether anything can be saved from the wreckage
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Why Housing Minister Phil Twyford must go (paywalled)
Listener Editorial: KiwiBuild and the problem with overpromising and under-delivering
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Divestment possible as Tasman District Council reviews its pensioner housing
Mark Southcombe (Spinoff): When ‘co-living housing’ is just a fancy name for exploiting a crisis
Kirk Hope (Stuff): Running the ruler over housing policies
Herald: Kiwis think house prices will rise on back of CGT rejection
Extractive industries
Zane Small (Newshub): Waikato coal exploration permit for Bathurst Resources branded hypocritical
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Mining exploration access applications up as Government delays ban on new mines on conservation land
Tim Miller (ODT): Group considering crowdfunding to secure Foulden Maar
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Company behind Foulden Maar bid collapses, putting application to mine on hold
Andrew MacFarlane (1News): NZ’s offshore oil and gas operators could be slapped with big insurance rate hikes
Herald: Government floats massive oil-spill insurance increases
Environment
David Williams (Newsroom): The risks within NZ’s private water supply
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Fonterra burning coal to dry milk ‘insane’ and must stop, says British energy expert
Evan Harding (Stuff): Proposed water and land plan not enough: Ngai Tahu
Amber-Leigh Woolf and Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Wellington City Council declares climate emergency, but councillors remain divided
RNZ: Wellington declares climate emergency
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Wellington set to be a zero carbon capital by 2050
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Wellington joins the crowd
Christina Persico (Stuff): Calls for New Plymouth council to stand up on climate change
Rachael Stone (Stuff): We ignore the climate-change catastrophe at our peril
MItchell Alexander (Newshub): Government doing no work on reforming out of date law on genetic technologies
Education
Josephine Franks (Stuff): NZ’s school bullying rate the second highest in the OECD
1News: King’s College student runs for spot on Auckland Grammar School board ‘to help my brother’
Jessica Long (Stuff): High-decile schools face wellbeing issues too says principal seeking inclusion in school donations scheme
Immigration and refugees
Richard Harman (Politik): Austrian neo-Nazi groups linked to campaign here against UN compact
Anna Whyte (1News): NZ ‘lucky to have the refugee community’ – Ardern calls for shift in view of refugees
Herald: Jacinda Ardern welcomes home newest group of refugees
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Government review of family reunification for refugees to begin
RNZ: Former refugees say current policy ‘racist’, must change
1News: From asylum seeker to Fulbright scholar, young Kiwi shares success story for World Refugee Day
Katie Todd (RNZ): Flood of support for refugees arriving in Christchurch
1News: ‘Best of humanity’ brought out in wake of Christchurch terrorist attack with spike in refugee support volunteers
RNZ: Refugee family of Christchurch mosque attack victims resettle in New Zealand
Foreign affairs
Richard Harman (Politik): Peters to tell the US we want respect
RNZ: NZ foreign minister to raise West Papua issues with Indonesia
Jason Walls (Herald): Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says Boris Johnson has what the UK wants – ‘character’
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Peters backs Boris Johnson for British PM
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Immigration NZ offers Israel apology after map error
Herald: Minister apologises to Israel over dodgy map
RNZ: Immigration NZ apologises to Israel over ‘Palestine’ map error
Stephen Epstein (Newsroom): NZ must add its voice to China-Canada dispute
Local government
Todd Niall (Stuff): Is National’s survey an Auckland Council election play?
Herald: Auckland Mayor Phil Goff slams National’s Rate Your Council website
Caroline Williams and Melanie Earley (Stuff): Auckland Council’s freedom camping bylaw decision postponed by legal threat
Mandy Te: Goff: I was a freedom camper
Rachael Kelly (Southland Times): Southland disAbility Enterprises granted 12 month extension to recycling contract
Laura Smith (ODT): Southland disAbility Enterprises keeps contract short-term
Paul Gorman (Stuff): Environment Canterbury councillors uncomfortable with 10.5 per cent rates rise
Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Wellington growth plan ‘golden opportunity’ to get rid of ‘eye-wateringly ugly’ buildings
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Greens endorse two candidates for Palmerston North City Council
No Right Turn: The Ombudsman on Horowhenua District Council
RNZ: New Plymouth District Council approves Yarrow Stadium upgrade
Christchurch, Canterbury quakes
Phil Pennington (RNZ): New developments in dispute over Chch building off-limits due to quake concerns
Stuff: Disciplinary proceedings might reveal more about CTV building, court told
1News: ‘Baby Come Back’ – Christchurch sings out for Kiwis to return as economic slowdown bites
Transport
Zane Small (Newshub): MPs fired up over ‘public transport nut’ Phil Twyford
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Auckland train chaos: KiwiRail blames external contractor for network fault
Ben Leahy (Herald): Auckland rail chaos: Workman cutting power supply brought trains to a standstill
RNZ: Two reviews into signal failure that shut down Auckland trains
RNZ: KiwiRail plans to upgrade level crossing where two people died
Newshub:Free public transport in Auckland could be worth considering – expert
Simon Wilson (Herald): Plans to make St Heliers even nicer scrapped (paywalled)
Rebecca Moore (1News): Visually impaired Kiwis concerned about increasing e-scooter trend, fear for safety
Emma Hatton (RNZ): Hutt council jumps on NZTA’s delayed Melling interchange project
Damian George (Stuff): Cancellations on Johnsonville rail line increasing due to driver shortages and maintenance problems
Joanne Harrison
Tom Hunt and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Joanne Harrison: She swindled us but our suppression laws won’t be changed
Tom Hunt and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Deputy PM and Simon Bridges hit out at judge’s decision after fraudster suppression
Sam Hurley (Herald): Lid lifted on Ministry of Transport fraudster Joanne Harrison’s earlier crimes under alias
Justice, corrections
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Government quietly scraps Meth Action Action Plan 2020
Alan Kenyon (1News): Winston Peters calls Paula Bennett’s claim previous government halved adult meth use ‘world’s best kept secret’
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Anti-violence campaigner David White lashes out at MPs over response to his letters
RNZ: More options needed for offenders with mental health issues – lawyer
Cancer care
Laura Smith (ODT): PM yet to reply to letter asking for cancer care action
Boris Jancic (Herald): Cancer survivor MPs clash over patients’ stories in Parliament
Mike Houlahan (ODT): MP used case in ‘grubby political manner’
Herald: Patients at ‘unnecessary risk of death’ from bowel cancer test process
Martin Johnston (Herald): Tasman region GP clinic apologises to pensioner with terminal bowel cancer after not doing tests (paywalled)
Herald: Northland study finds more than a quarter of bowel cancer surgery patients suffered a complication
Health
1News: Youth advocate calls for action as Canterbury sees 59 per cent spike in attempted suicides
RNZ: Thousands of meningococcal vaccine doses wasted
Kendall Hunt (Stuff): Northland man left with brain damage after suspected morphine overdose in Auckland hospital
Libby Wilson (Stuff): Complexity was a drawcard for new Waikato DHB boss
Stuff: Another security guard assaulted by patient at Waikato Hospital
RNZ: Security guard punched in nose at Waikato Hospital
State care of children
Michael Hall (RNZ): Gang member’s role in state abuse commission ‘untenable’ for survivors – campaigner
Stuff: Oranga Tamariki isn’t to blame for child uplifts, we are
Herald Editorial: Oranga Tamariki – damned if it acts, damned if it doesn’t, reviews damned necessary (paywalled)
1News: If Oranga Tamariki needs ‘systemic change, we’ll recommend that’, ombudsman says
James Robb: Child welfare in the age of capitalist decay
Police
George Heagney (Stuff): Police station firearm security audit almost done after embarrassing theft
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Northland police officers who shot at suspects should not have been carrying pistols
1News: Northland officers were justified in firing shot during car chase, watchdog finds
Stats NZ
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Mobile phone companies and Stats NZ to track people to measure population density
No Right Turn: StatsNZ to not engage in mass-surveillance
Abortion
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Legalised abortion generally supported by New Zealanders – Auckland University survey
Miriam Harris and Dan Satherley INeMost Kiwis back abortion legalisation, especially if woman’s life is in danger – study
Rugby
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Briar Hales will play for First XV after team agrees to forfeit any points it gets for wins
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today): ‘Points don’t matter to them’: Briar Hales’ rugby team decides to play on, with her in it
RNZ: Girl allowed to play for 1st XV in school rugby tournament
Chris Morris (ODT): Rugby club looking into legal options
NZ Flag
Ben Leahy (Herald): National flag: Former PM John Key would now bypass referendum and just choose new ensign
Kate Fitzgerald (Newshub): Sir John Key says he should have changed the flag without a referendum
Media
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): MediaRoom: the first Herald paywall audience numbers
Herald: New Zealand Herald readership continues ‘phenomenal growth’ streak
Emma Page (Stuff): RNZ First Up’s Indira Stewart: From reality TV contestant to public broadcaster
Other
Samantha Gee (Nelson Mail): National’s Judith Collins sues Nelson council, residents over 2011 slip
Brian Fallow (Herald): Kiwis up to nostrils in debt (paywalled)
Brian Easton (Pundit): How to Reduce Accountability: Downgrade the Chief Archivist!
Rob Stock (Stuff): Liberty-loving majority speak up to save cash
Eric Crampton: Do flat taxes make sense? Depends on your goal
Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): The lonely right wing
Justine Sachs (Metro): Why won’t Labour spend the Government’s $5 billion surplus?
Brad Flahive (stuff): Euthanasia: End of life choice expert Dr Stephanie Green answers your questions about assisted dying
Herald: New Zealand ranked the second most peaceful country in the world
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): New Zealand second most peaceful country despite Christchurch attacks
Sally Rae (ODT): Drop in egg production expected to continue
Simon Henderson (ODT): Happy Hills project website hidden at FMA’s behest
Kyle MacDonald (Herald): Hosking, Swarbrick and a fear of change (paywalled)
Kerry Harvey (Stuff): Hilary Barry hopes Cold Case will solve 1984 Wellington bomb mystery
