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
Foreign affairs and trade
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Beware, nice guys finish last
Audrey Young (Herald): Winston Peters’ big pitch to the United States on free trade: ‘You’re missing out!’
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Peters pushes trade, pokes China in latest US trip
Richard Harman (Politik): Hello China. How America is withdrawing from Asia.
Zane Small (Newshub): White House ‘catch-up’: Winston Peters pitches free trade deal to United States
AP: Winston Peters says lack of bilateral trade agreement ‘glaring gap’ in US relationship
Craig McCulloch (NRZ): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern heads to Australia: What to expect
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Jacinda and Scomo catch up across the ditch
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern keen to escape John Key’s shadow as she meets Australian prime minister Scott Morrison
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Why Jacinda Ardern may be flying into a storm
UN Sustainable Development Report, Pacific
Henry Cooke (Stuff): NZ turns in development report card to UN, emphasising wellbeing framework
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Pacific states are turning in their report cards to the United Nations, but each has huge data gaps hindering progress
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Transferring money to the Pacific is expensive, despite NZ efforts to cut costs
Jonathan Milne (Cook Island News): $300m share scam saw money stashed in Cook Islands bank account
Climate change
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Climate Change Minister James Shaw fine with making Greenpeace mad
Jamie Mackay (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on climate change plans for farmers (paywalled)
RNZ: Farmers propose agriculture sector-led approach to emissions plan
Brian Easton (Pundit): Muddling Over Methane
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Where to now for the climate change deal with farmers?
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Middle class climate crisis minimisation will be the new battlefront
Rodney Hide (NBR): Coalition doesn’t deliver on ‘World War II’ plan (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Historic climate change agreement but debate still rages (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR):GE review follows farm emissions inclusion (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Climate change – how can five per cent be a pass rate for farmers emissions deal?
ODT Editorial: Apromising emissions start
1News: Federated Farmers: We have not agreed to any Emissions Trading Scheme
1News: Simon Bridges says proposed Emissions Trading Scheme a ‘cheeky tax grab’, better options for farmers out there
No Right Turn: We should not subsidise fertiliser emissions
Logan Church (RNZ): Checkpoint: Exotic trees being planted instead of natives – Dame Anne Salmond
Anna Whyte (1News): Climate emergency declaration still possible for NZ Parliament, Green leaders say
Kawe Roes (Māori TV): Māori leader to sue the government over climate inaction
Conor Whitten (Newshub): Facts of climate change can’t be denied
Peter Williams (Newshub): The science is never settled on climate change
Neil Holdom (Stuff): Putting a price on carbon the way to drive change to how we use it
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland climate emergency: Council asks residents for ideas to tackle crisis
Glen McConnell (Stuff): Tell me again how the school climate strike was ‘just a day off’
Josephine Franks (Stuff): School climate strikers host party to get teens to submit on Zero Carbon Bill
Government
Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Govt wades deep in Nats territory to defend EVs policy, takes ‘explaining is losing’ to new level
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern on juggling life as a first time leader, prime minister and mum
1News: Hilary Barry visits Jacinda Ardern at her home to talk family and politics – ‘I’m not done’
1News: Watch: Jacinda Ardern reveals hilarious ‘dowry’ promised by her mother in chat with Hilary Barry
No Right Turn: Time for a people’s review of the OIA
Talisa Kupenga (Māori TV): Defence Minister records first country album
National Party
Graham Adams (Noted): Simon Bridges searches for a miracle
Claire Trevett: Simon Bridges’ plan to topple Jacinda Ardern – ScoMo (paywalled)
Youth Parliament
No Right Turn: The Youth Parliament votes for a future
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Is a Youth Parliament the “best use of half a million dollars”?
Boris Jancic (Herald): ‘Humiliated’: Youth MP Lily Dorrance left in tears by National MP and Deputy Speaker Anne Tolley
Transport and road safety
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Road to Zero road safety plan needs strong government investment to work – AA
Derek Cheng (Herald): Government Road to Zero safety plan ‘comprehensive and ambitious’
Dominion Post Editorial; Govt leaves highway in bid to improve road safety
Zane Small (Newshub): Road to Zero: Enhanced drug testing, licence review part of plan to end road deaths
Scott Palmer (Newshub): NZTA’s proposal to slash Northland speed limits slammed
Denise Piper (Stuff) Notorious Northland blackspot at Oakleigh left off speed reduction proposals
Deena Coster (Stuff): Cultural impacts emerging as most contentious aspect of Mt Messenger road appeal
Drones
Zane Small (Newshub): Drones: The billion-dollar transport industry tipped for Government regulation
1News: Government releases vision for integrating drones into everyday Kiwi life
John Anthony (Stuff): Drone taxis in your city: How NZ could be world leader in multi-billion dollar industry
RNZ: Government looks at powers to seize illegally operated drones
Herald: Government releases plan to manage 77,000 drones in New Zealand
Education
Jessica Long (Stuff): Secondary teaching targeted in Government’s bid to boost numbers
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Teachers call for NZ to adopt gender-neutral school uniforms
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Teachers’ unions to take legal action against Novopay over delay to pay increases
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Teachers unions to take legal action against Novopay
Zane Small (Newshub): Education Minister Chris Hipkins apologises as NZEI, PPTA take legal action against Novopay
1News: Teacher unions announce legal action over back-pay delay
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Birth date can influence long-term academic results, study finds
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): School bus rule from 1904 needs an overhaul, Waikato leaders say
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Tertiary Education Union: Wintec staff feel unappreciated during ‘difficult’ period
Wellington
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Sir Peter Jackson among key critics shut out of a say at Shelly Bay
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Calls for more transparency over Let’s Get Wellington Moving decision
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington City councillor David Lee who missed out on selection to a ‘greener person’ says Green Party ‘shafted’ him
Damian George and Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Wellington’s city and regional councils to face select committee over bus fiasco
Katarina Williams and Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Wellington City Council hits delete on popular Phone2Park parking payment app
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Time to grow up Wellington? Could building six-storey apartments in suburbs bring down prices?
Local government
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Incoming Christchurch City council chief executive’s salary divides councillors
Christine Fletcher (Herald): ‘I don’t always agree with John Tamihere but Phil Goff has failed’ (paywalled)
Ellen O’Dwyer (Waikato Times): Waikato District Council gives ‘in principal’ support for Māngai Māori representation
Stuff: Plans for waste-to-energy plant withdrawn from Westport now mooted for Hokitika
Chris Marshall (Stuff): Second wastewater spill into Lake Taupō smaller, says council
Firearms
RNZ: Gun buyback: Good turnout for small town south of Whangārei – inspector
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland gun owners happy after first rural Government gun buy-back event
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Christchurch Gun City store’s location a mental health risk – board member
Heather McCarron (Newshub): Gun City owner defends opening new store in Christchurch, just months after New Zealand’s worst gun massacre
Katie Todd (RNZ): New Gun City store in Christchurch angers residents: ‘They should have at least informed us’
1News: Gun City owner says ‘firearms and Muslims not the issue’ as new Christchurch store meets criticism
Stuff: No powers to prevent Gun City opening new mega store in Christchurch
Newshub: Residents divided as new Gun City mega store to open in Christchurch
Matatā
1News: Potential Matatā court case may let other coastal communities at risk of flooding force councils to buy them out – expert
Katee Shanks (Rotorua Daily Post): Awatarariki fan head property owners in Matatā yet to decide whether to take multimillion-dollar buyout offer
RNZ: Matatā residents push back on council’s ‘managed retreat’ plan
Emma Cropper (Newshub): ‘It’s so wrong’: Matatā residents ‘unconvinced’ it’s not safe to stay
1News: ‘People need to heal’ – Matatā residents unhappy with proposal to move them on, 14 years after devastating floods
Environment and conservation
1News: Greenpeace calls on Government to ban all non-essential single-use plastics
Guy Williams (ODT):Consent application response
RNZ: Oil recycling scheme renewed for another seven years
Alice Angeloni (Stuff): South Island recreational fishers form group to push for rights
RNZ: Big boost to tiny kākāriki karaka as 150 chicks hatch this season
Paul Gorman (Stuff): Best breeding season for decades almost doubles rare orange-fronted parakeet numbers
Damian Rowe (Stuff): First successful artificial insemination of kākāpō in a decade
Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): Penguin nests around Auckland and Wellington are full of our plastic waste
RNZ: Little blue penguins move on from sushi shop
Christchurch mosque shootings
Lisette Reymer (Newshub): Government reconsiders compensation for terror-affected Christchurch businesses
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): No consideration given to businesses near Linwood Mosque – owners
Thomas Mead (1News): ‘We feel your pain’ – Jewish delegation visits Christchurch mosques, marking $1.1m donation for terrorist victims
RNZ: Jewish leaders donate $1m to mosque victims
Waimea Dam
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Soil turned on controversial Waimea Dam
Cherie Sivignon (Nelson Mail): Excavation work poised to start for Waimea dam project
Banking industry
David Hargreaves (Interest): Have the big banks pushed their luck?
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): ANZ and Westpac credit ratings outlook downgraded to ‘negative’: Fitch
Manufacturing
Laine Moger (Stuff): Is your couch ‘expanding petrol’? Why you need flame-retardant furniture
Aimee Shaw (Herald): Government announces voluntary standard to make furniture safer, reduce fire-hazard risks
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Manufacturers must find ways to make foam-filled furniture safer due to fire risk – Government
1News: ‘These are highly flammable’ – Government look to combat foam-filled furniture
RNZ: Government puts onus on industry to improve furniture fire safety
Sport
RNZ: Transwomen have physiological advantage – University of Otago research
Olivia Caldwell (Stuff): Researchers claim testosterone cap won’t fix trans athletes’ ‘unfair advantage’
Herald: Otago University researchers call for radical change in sport saying gender binary has had its day
Tom Hunt and Matthew Tso (Stuff): New name for Basin Reserve suggested: Support Women’s Sport Basin Reserve
Zoë George (RNZ):‘Support Women’s Sport Basin Reserve’: ‘Bold’ name for ground proposed
Katie Fitzgerald and Heather McCarron (Newshub): Push to rename Basin Reserve ‘Support Women’s Sport Basin Reserve‘
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Crowdfunding campaign to rename Wellington’s Basin Reserve
Ryan Bridge (Newshub): The real solution to sexism in sport
Health
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Medicinal cannabis expert answers your questions about the drug ahead of NZ law change
Luke Oldfield (Stuff): It’s time to stop kicking the fluoride question down the road
Dan Satherley and Heather McCarron (Newshub): The benefits of walking and cycling quantified
RNZ: Switching short car trips for walking and cycling could lead to long life
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): Netflix removes suicide scene from ’13 Reasons Why’: ‘A lot of damage will have been done over that time’
Immigration
RNZ: Latest survey: Most NZ employers delighted with RSE
Robin Martin (RNZ): Immigration NZ’s electronic visa system laughable, says permanent resident
Te Papa
Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): Te Papa puts Auckland offshoot on ice, again
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Plans for Te Papa Manukau put back on hold
Whaleoil
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Lawyer: Let me off Whaleoil case
Herald: Bankrupt Cameron Slater told to turn up and testify at defamation hearing or prove he is too sick to do so
Other
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Our armour-plated housing bubble
David Williams (Newsroom): Inside Stats NZ’s gaping money hole
RNZ: Trades Hall bombing case re-opened, evidence released
Darius Shahtahmasebi (Spinoff): The trouble with NZ’s role at the biggest US bombing base in the Middle East
Marta Steeman (Stuff): Should insurance cover for building a new house or a big renovation be compulsory?
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Northland iwi devastated after sacred pou vandalised
Chloe Ranford (Stuff): Endeavour captain visits Marlborough ahead of Tuia 250 commemorations
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Employees’ rights: Limited liability if someone steals from boss
RNZ: Three telcos accused of overcharging customers
RNZ: Visa delays causing heartbreak for foreign couples
Virginia Fallon (Dominion Post): Macrons painted out of Kāpiti’s welcome signs for the fourth time in a year
Matt Shand (Stuff): Tauranga Multicultural Society apologises to LGBT community over committee comments
Martin Buck (Stuff): People don’t understand how low benefits are, until they’re forced to apply for one
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): RBNZ a ‘poor communicator’ – CBL’s Peter Harris
Mitchell Alexander (Newshub): MP wants schools notified if sex offenders are released into the community
1News: Members Bill requiring schools to be notified of sex offenders placed in Parliament ballot
