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
National Party
Richard Harman (Politik): Bridges shores up his position
Audrey Young (Herald): Not enough stimulation for Amy Adams in Opposition (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): National Party resignations raise questions about Simon Bridges’ leadership
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Two National MPs announced their retirements – only one matters
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Cloud over National leadership after reshuffle
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): National’s exodus shows the party lacks belief
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Will Paul Goldsmith make himself more visible?
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Exit Amy Adams – are the rats departing a sinking National ship?
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins loses portfolio in National reshuffle following Amy Adams’ departure
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Paul Goldsmith leapfrogs Judith Collins in National’s caucus reshuffle
RNZ: National Party’s Simon Bridges announces caucus reshuffle
Zane Small (Newshub): National Caucus reshuffle: Paul Goldsmith gets Finance portfolio
1News: Paul Goldsmith becomes National’s new Finance spokesperson as Amy Adams stands down
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Amy Adams is quitting. Does Bridges dare replace her with his top performer?
Derek Cheng (Herald): National’s Amy Adams retiring from politics at 2020 election
Anna Whyte (1News): National’s Amy Adams tears up as she reflects on decision to quit politics at next election
RNZ: Senior National MP Amy Adams to retire from politics
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Amy Adams retiring at the 2020 election
Zane Small (Newshub): National MP Amy Adams tears up revealing most difficult day in Parliament
Collette Devlin (Stuff): National Party’s Wairarapa MP Alastair Scott to stand down before 2020 general election
RNZ: National MP for Wairarapa, Alastair Scott, standing down at election 2020
Ben Uffindell (The Civilian): Simon Bridges only able to separate Collins from infrastructure portfolio with human sacrifice to Baal
Derek Cheng (Herald): Simon Bridges’ phone call with Air NZ boss and possible National candidate Christopher Luxon
1News: Bridges remains tight lipped on talk with Luxon as outgoing Air NZ boss considers political career
Bryan Gould: Luxon’s hubris
Maria Slade (Spinoff): The man behind the rogue National ad is fighting predatory lending controls
Herald: Steve Brooks: From 19yo millionaire to covert propaganda machine
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Judith Collins in court for settlement conference on Nelson property
Samantha Gee (Nelson Mail): National MP Judith Collins in Nelson for mediation over landslip
Banks
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Government capitalises on banking headlines for banking reform
Kate MacNamara (Stuff): ANZ’s $100,000 maintenance bill for former CEO’s luxury house
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Criminal penalties possible if ANZ directors found to have misled
Newstalk ZB: Winston Peters calls for John Key to resign from ANZ board
Clancy Yates and Josh Dye (Stuff): ANZ’s Kiwi problems on the radar for big investors
Rob Stock (Stuff): How much of scandal-rocked ANZ do you own?
Herald: What perks do the NZ bank CEOs get?
Gordon Campbell: On yesterday’s cosmetic banking reforms
David Chaston (Interest): Why deposit insurance is a bad idea
Eric Crampton: Bailout risk and deposit insurance
Michael Reddell: Not tenable in a crisis
RNZ: Maori and Pasifika need better financial services
Rob Stock (Stuff): Upset with your bank? Switching is easier now than it’s ever been
OECD’s 2019 Economic Survey of NZ, wellbeing
Richard Harman (Politik): Getting wellbeing on track
Thomas Coughlan (Newsroom): Robertson signals even more wellbeing budgeting
Jason Walls (Herald): The OECD says the Government should make significant changes to its KiwiBuild policy
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): OECD: House prices biggest risk to NZ economy
Zane Small (Newshub): OECD Economic Survey of NZ 2019: KiwiBuild, migrant visa changes recommended
RNZ: Inequality, unaffordable housing risks for NZ economy – OECD
BusinessDesk: OECD says NZ’s living standards framework is positive but has gaps
David Hargreaves (Interest): OECD report notes lack of success of KiwiBuild programme and says Govt should focus more on low-income renters
Housing
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): KiwiBuild: Yet another failure revealed
RNZ: KiwiBuild ‘reset’ details likely to be revealed in July – Twyford
Ashley Church (Herald): Why did KiwiBuild go so badly wrong?
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Greens push on long-delayed rent-to-own scheme
RNZ: Inequality, unaffordable housing risks for NZ economy – OECD
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern defends Government’s housing programme
RNZ: PM defends Housing Minister Phil Twyford over KiwiBuild ahead of reshuffle
1News: Jacinda Ardern laughs at offer from Judith Collins to help address housing crisis
1News: Māori Council moves to educate whānau on rights as tenants amid ‘heartbreaking’ stories of discrimination
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Dodgy landlords sweating to meet July 1 insulation deadline for rental properties
Government
David Cormack (Herald): Why Twyford will probably lose housing portfolio
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Cabinet reshuffle on Thursday won’t surprise – PM Jacinda Ardern
1News: ‘We’ll be up in your face in 2020’ – Winston Peters confident in balancing Government roles
Euthanasia
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Seymour confident ahead of euthanasia vote tonight, but many hurdles remain
RNZ: The Detail: What are the chances of the assisted dying bill passing?
Herald: Maggie Barry wants to see the end of the End of Life Choice Bill – tonight
Herald: I want people to make their own choice: Ardern on backing euthanasia bill
Parliament
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Report on New Zealand parliamentary scrutiny suggests more politicians, longer terms
Suzanne McFadden (Newsroom): Cricketing MP Kiri Allan one of a kind at World Cup
Migrant exploitation
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Migrant exploitation is like groundhog day – it keeps happening
Bonnie Flaws and Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Profits from exploiting migrant workers outweigh the cost of fines, says union
Employment
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Stopping the race to the bottom on wages may see us all win
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Finance Minister Grant Robertson rejects OECD warning against fair pay agreements
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Cleaners, security, and supermarkets priority for unions for sector-wide Fair Pay Agreements
Derek Cheng (Herald): Cleaner makes a tearful plea for higher wages and industry-wide standards
1News: ‘We’ve just been left behind’ – Union argues need for fair pay agreements in NZ
Jennifer Mahony (Stuff): How every organisation in NZ can tackle workplace bullying
Duncan Garner (Newshub):: Creative thinking needed to plan for the future of work
Clare de Lore (Listener): Robots & us: Harvard graduate Kinley Salmon on NZ’s future
Treasury
Jason Walls (Herald): New Treasury boss: Caralee McLiesh to replace Gabriel Makhlouf
RNZ: Dr Caralee McLiesh appointed new head of Treasury
1News: New South Wales economist to take over as NZ’s next Secretary to the Treasury
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Caralee McLiesh appointed as new Treasury secretary
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Caralee McLiesh appointed as new Treasury secretary
Michael Reddell: Some material on Makhlouf’s performance
Education
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Neglect, abuse, smoking, poor hygiene identified at child daycare centres
Scott Palmer (Newshub): ‘Significant jump’ in early childhood education complaints in 2018
Herald: Complaints against early childcare providers jump by a third
RNZ: Jump in complaints about early childhood education services last year
John Lewis (ODT): Complaints up due to ‘shift in awareness’
1News: Teachers expected to announce decision today on Government’s latest pay offer
Te Karere: Ōtara kindy helps keep families warm, fed with shed full of food and clothing
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Red zone could be home to Christchurch’s first bush kindy if Parliament backs petition
1News: Nearly 6000 signature strong petition urging Government to allow outdoor ‘bush kindies’ presented to Parliament
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Hutt Valley man challenges big donations requested by high-decile integrated schools
Simon Collins (Herald): School bars students from ball unless they pay subject fees
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Christchurch’s Haeata school student not given promised credits for staff mechanical work
Elena McPhee (ODT): Proposal would close Otago’s Auckland campus: Ker
State care of children
Katie Scotcher (RNZ):Abuse in state care royal commission begins public hearings
India Leishman (1News): Calls for royal commission into abuse in state care chair to stand down, days after Mongrel Mob member stood down as director
Phil Pennington (RNZ): State abuse inquiry: Woman says experience of giving testimony a ‘farce’
John Weekes (Stuff): Royal Commission into historical abuse to shine a light on NZ’s ‘dark’ shared history, chairman promises
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): State care abuse survivors could be exposed by Royal Commission of Inquiry – lawyer
Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): Preliminary hearing for Royal Commission of Inquiry into historical state abuse
Civil Defence
Paul Gorman (Stuff): Changes to Civil Defence after minister declares ‘room for improvement’
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): New emergency agency coming this year
Foreign affairs, trade
Patrick Köllner (GIGA): Walking a Tightrope: New Zealand Revises Its China Policy
David Mahon (Herald): Why NZ can’t take sides in escalating US-China trade war (paywalled)
1News: ‘Allegations are one thing’ – Winston Peters urges caution over blame for oil tanker attacks
Liu Chen and Jeremy Rees (RNZ): New Zealand ‘ticks all boxes’ for Pacific trade and travel hub
Stephen Forbes (Interest): Parker says benefits of NZ China Council’s Southern Link clear and mutual
Sam Hurley (Herald): NZ’s former top military attache to the US Alfred Keating sentenced over hidden toilet camera in DC embassy
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Top military attache Alfred Keating sentenced to home detention over hidden camera in embassy
Paul Hobbs (1News): High-ranking NZDF official sentenced to home detention after embassy bathroom recordings
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Senior naval officer Fred Keating sentenced for planting hidden toilet camera in New Zealand embassy
Health
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Government’s smoking in cars with kids ban an utter disappointment (paywalled)
RNZ: Bill banning smoking in cars with children passes first reading
Newshub: Petition for national cancer agency gathers steam
Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Study backs benefits of sugary drinks tax
1News: Sugary drink tax cuts down purchase, consumption by 10 per cent, NZ researcher find
Laura Wiltshire and Caitlin Bishop (Hawkes Bay Today): ‘Heartbreaking’: Hawke’s Bay dentist forced to ban fizzy drink to stop kids drinking it in waiting room (paywalled)
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland rheumatic fever rise: Doctors ‘not doing the job properly’, Lance O’Sullivan says
Nikki Preston (Herald): New Zealand lacking best treatment options for blood cancer patients, warns Myeloma NZ
Nikki Preston (Herald): Patient planning to remortgage house to fund costly cancer drug strikes ‘miracle’ scheme (paywalled)
Hannah Martin (Stuff): National measles cases now total 221 after south Auckland cases climb
1News: Southland mother who gave birth in car en route to hospital calls for better maternity services in the region
Cindy Farquhar (Spinoff): On infertility, we’re drowning in research. Time to decide what matters most
RNZ: New rescue helicopter in Te Anau ends night vision dearth
Firearms buyback scheme
Stuff: Nearly 200 gun buyback events announced
1News: Police announce 192 events for firearms buyback scheme
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Gun buyback scheme: Firearms collection events announced by police
Herald: Police urge people to hand in guns at announced collection events
E-scooters
Brittney Deguara (Stuff):E-scooters are dominating our cities, but are they safe?
Emma Russell (Herald): E-scooter terror: Concussions, dental work, dislocations and more
Jason Walls (Herald): The Transport Minister says it’s too soon to say if fatal Lime crash will prompt tougher safety rules
RNZ: Checkpoint: Councillor calls for e-scooter ban following rider’s death
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Lime scooter death: Auckland councillor Christine Fletcher lashes out, calls for scooter removal
Mandy Te (Stuff): Lime e-scooter death: Auckland councillor calls for them to be removed from streets
Mark Quinlivan and Mel Logan (Newshub): Auckland Council staff member injured after being hit by electric scooter, second Lime scooter incident in less than 12 hours
Mandy Te and Kendall Hutt (Stuff): Lime e-scooter hits woman on Auckland’s Fanshawe St where man died
Emma Russell (Herald): Woman knocked out by Lime scooter, left bleeding under bus
Nicole Lawton (Stuff): Lime e-scooter death: Auckland crash victim says ‘it was only a matter of time’
Climate change
Steve Urlich (Stuff): The climate emergency is closely tied to the habitat emergency
Dominion Post Editorial: Getting our hands dirty in pursuit of clean energy
Dave Armstrong (Dominion Post): How serious is Wellington about its ‘climate change emergency’?
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Opinions divided as Dunedin council makes a stand on climate change
Chris Morris (ODT): Council ready for action as climate emergency declared
RNZ: Dunedin city council declares climate emergency
Skara Bohny (Nelson Mail): Accusations of ‘corruption’ over council’s climate emergency process
Cherie Sivignon (Nelson Mail): Tasman won’t declare climate emergency because it’s ‘focused’ on action
Foulden Maar, Plaman Resources
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): No mention of fossils in OIO application
Chris Morris (ODT): Support for maar protection
Simon Hartley (ODT): Further bad news for for troubled Plaman
Chris Hutching (Stuff): OIO says collapsed diatomite miner’s benefits to NZ ‘doubtful’
Primary industries
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): Westland Milk sale process `seriously flawed’
Maja Burry (RNZ): Westland Milk Products sale process seriously flawed – minister
Keith Woodford (Interest): Yili’s bid for Westland Milk can look different to farmers with livelihoods at stake than it does to outsiders
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Dairy tech firm ordered to pay $825k over price fixing case
1News: Stamps on eggs set to make it easier for Kiwis to identify caged from free range
Local government
Dileepa Fonseka (Dominion Post): Trackless tram ‘junket’ to China for Wellington Mayor Justin Lester rejected by regional councillors
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff):Let’s Get Wellington Moving labelled ‘mirage’ but voted through by Greater Wellington Regional Council
Todd Niall (Stuff): National Party stalwart Bill Cashmore criticises the party’s Auckland Council ‘survey’
Tina Law (Press): Regenerate Christchurch money redirected to other projects
Michael Hayward (Press): Christchurch’s global settlement to be released publicly in July, council decision in early August
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff):New Wanaka hotel gets consent despite being opposed by 142 submitters
RNZ: Controversial Wanaka hotel plan approved by Lakes council
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Palmerston North’s first female Māori councillor is remembered
Jono Edwards (ODT): ORC chairman says 11.5% pay increase getting `out of kilter’
Rail
Māori TV: “Rail is back on track” – The governments vision to revitalise KiwiRail
Zane Small (Newshub): KiwiRail ‘back on track’: How $1 billion boost will be spent
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Hope of work for Hillside in rail plan
Maria Folau, Israel Folau
Rachel Stewart (Herald): Everyone has a right to tell their truth – and that means Folau too (paywalled)
RNZ: Netball NZ backing star shooter
Andrew Voerman (Stuff): Netball New Zealand stands by Maria Folau as major sponsor ANZ raises concerns
1News: ANZ distance themselves from Maria Folau’s support for husband Israel
Herald: Netball New Zealand stands by Maria Folau, sponsor raises concerns
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): The AM Show hosts back Maria Folau’s support for husband Israel amid GoFundMe controversy
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Israel Folau saga – why all the anger towards Maria Folau?
David Long (Stuff): Netball New Zealand is failing to deal with the Maria Folau issue
Brad Lewis (Newshub): Maria Folau’s support of husband Israel understandable – Peter Fitzsimons
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Israel Folau would have case for unlawful contract termination under New Zealand law – Stephen Franks
New Zealand place names
Joel MacManus (Stuff): New Zealand’s longest place name officially changed to add macrons
1News: Over 800 Māori place names made official
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): More than 800 Māori place names made official
Police
RNZ: Police officer told man to ‘f*** off back to whatever island you came from’
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Police officer told man to go back ‘to whatever island you came from’ – IPCA
Kristin Edge (Northern Advocate): Northland police pay out $11,000 after private information accidentally released
Imogen Neale (Stuff): Auckland police officer who dishonestly accessed intelligence database keeps name suppression for now
Colin Craig
Jared Savage (Newshub): Judge’s sailing trip: Supreme Court refuses to recall Colin Craig, Jordan Williams judgment
Wendy Murdoch (Stuff): No recall of Colin Craig’s appeal win after judge and lawyer go sailing
Don Rowe (Spinoff): 1000 words: David White and *those* Colin Craig photos
Justice, corrections
Vanita Prasad (Newsroom): Penal reform: for Māori to rise, others must shrink
Newshub: How to escape from prison with Dr Paul Wood
Patrick Gower (Newshub): Nicole Tuxford and Kimberly Schroder’s mothers blast justice system’s handling of Paul Russell Wilson
Pike River
Mark Quinlivan and Mel Logan (Newshub): Pike River recovery teams encouraged despite nothing of interest found
1News: Pike River mine tunnel search so far reveals nothing for police probe
RNZ: Forensic search of Pike River mine drift completed
Christchurch mosque shootings
RNZ: Checkpoint: Mosque attack widow fears family will be forced to leave NZ
Aman Zaki (RNZ): Proposals to build mosque attack victims’ memorial in Christchurch
Charlie Gates (Stuff): Ambitious memorial proposed for Christchurch mosque attack response
Other
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Human trafficking in NZ: Government accused of having ‘its head in the sand’
Virginia Fallon (Stuff): Porirua children face grim statistics but there’s still plenty of hope, report finds
Paul Moon (Herald): Free speech is pointless for its own sake (paywalled)
Michael Morrah (Newshub:‘Unrelenting pursuit’: Student pilot sexually harassed by instructor mid-air, Civil Aviation Authority decided against prosecution
Spinoff: The uncomfortable history of religion in New Zealand cartooning
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Confronting Racism In 1981 – And 2019
Stuff: Is it worth it? Travel insurance claim ends in $33 payout
RNZ: Service for choosing respite care shelved after ministry wouldn’t stump up $10m
Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Watchdog says it has received ‘unprecedented’ complaints about Viagogo
Cate Broughton (Stuff): ACC has no plans to divest $1 billion investment in fossil fuels
Jason Walls (Herald): The Government plans to pump money into developing coastal shipping facilities
1News: US abortion debate has impact on New Zealand as law change mulled
Greg Neill (Hawkes Bay Today): Opinion: Intriguing tax battle set to continue
Susan Hornsby-Geluk (Stuff): #Metoo and the need for a lawyers’ union
Ben Strang (RNZ): Vision Zero plan ‘bamboozling the public with garbage’ – Greg Murphy
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): ‘Are you a boy or a girl?’: Aucklander opens up about life beyond the gender binary
Duncan Greive: Announcing The Spinoff Members
