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 by Dr Bryce Edwards.
Prisoner voting ban
Jo Moir (RNZ): NZ First tightlipped on prisoners’ voting rights
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern against blanket right to vote for all prisoners
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Restoring prisoners’ right to vote still not a priority – Andrew Little
1News: Human rights lawyer, ex-inmate urge Government to give prisoners back the right to vote
Gordon Campbell: On NZF’s ability to maintain the ban on prisoner voting
Southland Times Editorial: Prisoner voting: the legal case advances; public sentiment not so much
1News: ‘It’s basic and right’ that NZ prisoners shouldn’t be allowed to vote, say Simon Bridges
Collette Devlin (Stuff): National Leader Simon Bridges pledges to oppose any changes on prisoner voting ban
Derek Cheng (Herald): National won’t support granting prisoners voting rights
David Farrar: Labour wants prisoners voting
No Right Turn: National’s prisoner voting ban breaches the Treaty
Health
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): New Zealand ranks last in OECD for medicine access
Hannah Martin (Stuff): New Zealand’s access to funded medicines ‘well behind the rest of the world’ – report
Marty Sharpe, Ruby Macandrew and Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Major report into reducing alcohol harm ignored for almost a decade
RNZ: Sick to Death: Why the New Zealand health system is failing Māori
Jess McAllen (Newsroom): Labour’s wellbeing problem
Dubby Henry (Herald): Nursing ‘crisis’: 208 nurses needed at Counties Manukau DHB (paywalled)
RNZ: Junior doctors settle long employment row with district health boards
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Junior doctors resolve employment conflict with district health boards
Damian Rowe (Stuff): Allied Health and nursing staff in rural Southland seeking pay equity
1News: Waikato Hospital ‘almost gridlocked’, patients turned away
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): New boss says Waikato DHB should be a ‘civic leader’
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Cull up for ‘daunting’ SDHB challenge
Labour Party
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): ‘Process underway’ a convenient shield for Labour Party to hide behind
Jamie Ensor and Heather McCarron (Newshub): Appeal process for alleged Labour Party staffer victims may be too little, too late – victims’ advocate
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Labour Party members allowed right to appeal investigation
Derek Cheng (Herald): Complainants into Labour Party bullying and intimidation granted appeal
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Labour to establish independent appeal process for alleged victims of senior staffer
1News: Labour to establish independent appeal process for complainants
Liam Hehir (Stuff): Caution warranted in dealing with misconduct claims
Child welfare
Jehan Casinader (1News): ‘I’ve seen the dark sides of this country’ – Oranga Tamariki social workers describe working on the frontline
Andrew Dickens (Newstalk ZB): Finally we are seeing the full story around Oranga Tamariki uplifts
Genetic engineering
Richard Harman (Politik): Time for the Jean Genies
Jamie Morton (Herald): Strongest call yet for overhaul of ‘outdated’ genetic engineering laws (paywalled)
Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): New Zealand needs to consider allowing gene editing technology to eradicate pests, scientists say
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Our GE legislation due for an overhaul
1News: New Zealand’s gene editing laws need an overhaul, expert panel says
Environment
Chris Trotter (Interest): A Brutal, But Inescapable, Truth
Lauren Paddy (Newshub): Government’s waterways plan misses the mark – Mike Joy
RNZ: Kaipara Harbour cleanup fund a start, but it’s a big job
Skara Bohny (Stuff): World on the ‘cusp’ but action still possible, climate scientist
Stuff: Hamilton City councillors’ climate views ‘complete rubbish’ says scientist
1News: ‘The new normal’: DOC official says climate change makes repeat of Fox River event likely
Mia Sutherland (Stuff): We will be striking again for climate change
Steve Urlich (Stuff): New biodiversity strategy throws up conundrums for protecting nature
Primary industries
Stuff:Jacinda Ardern: New Zealand has ‘potential’ to be 100 per cent clean and green
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): ‘Metropolitan-based power culture’ targeting fishing industry – Jones
Jamie Gray (Herald): Billion trees backlash – Shane Jones on the defensive (paywalled)
Rachael Kelly and Damian Rowe (Stuff): Environment Southland’s Phillips won’t resign over Southland winter grazing
Maja Burry (RNZ): Climate policy impact biggest concern – Federated Farmers survey
Hawkes Bay Today: Hawke’s Bay apple industry building 1500 new beds for RSE workers
Fonterra
Jason Walls (Herald): NZ First’s Shane Jones takes yet another swing at dairy giant Fonterra (paywalled)
Duncan Bridgeman (Herald): Fonterra must axe absurd incentives as Spierings payout looms (paywalled)
Maria Slade (Spinoff): Cheat Sheet: Why Fonterra has taken a massive financial hit
Gerard Hutching (Stuff): Fonterra’s ‘skeletons uncovered’ as it predicts loss of $590-675m for year
AAP: ‘Farmers and unit holders will be rightly frustrated’ – Fonterra signals massive loss
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Fonterra forecasts up to $675m loss for year
David Hargreaves (Interest): Fonterra to make huge loss – no dividend
Brent Melville (ODT): Adjustments spur $675m Fonterra loss
Andrew McRae (RNZ): Fonterra needs to be asked the hard questions – farmer
Huawei
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Minister cautions Huawei against ‘heavying’ NZ government
Newstalk ZB: Huawei tells Government they may leave NZ if they can’t provide 5G
Chris Keall (Herald): Leaked letter reveals Huawei threat to pull out of NZ
RNZ: Huawei warns govt it may pull out of New Zealand
Economy
Richard Harman (Politik): Did the PM say too much
Zane Small (Newshub): PM Jacinda Ardern insists economy is in ‘good shape’ despite skill-shortage woes
Brent Edwards (NBR): Economist urges government infrastructure spending (paywalled)
1News: Reserve Bank Governor warns against putting money into high-risk ‘duds’ as bank deposit rates low
David Hargreaves (Interest): New RBNZ figures show high debt-to-income levels – but falling
John Highton (ODT): Failing system becoming more bizzare
Transport
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Taxpayers hit from govt partnership with US videogame maker Machine Zone
1News: Privacy Commissioner would be ‘very worried’ if Auckland Transport introduces facial recognition technology in cameras
RNZ: Privacy Commissioner in dark over advanced CCTV plan for Auckland
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Auckland Transport’s new CCTV system could give city thousands more cameras
Damian George (Stuff): Tranzurban cuts 25 bus services to take Wellington’s planned daily cancellations to 46
David Farrar: Why the claims Genter just used the wrong letterhead are pitiful
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Call for WOF checks to be every six months
1News: Mechanic wants older cars inspected more often, says WOF system is dangerous
RNZ: KiwiRail launches ‘memorials’ for near misses
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): KiwiRail releases footage of horrifying near-misses with trains as Rail Safety Week commences
1News: Shocking video shows Kiwis nearly being hit by trains as authorities urge people to pay attention at crossings
1News: ‘How lucky they were’ – mum joins calls for rail crossing safety after son nearly killed
1News: Auckland train lines to get 15 additional safety gates in bid to ‘save lives’
Michael Cropp (RNZ): Civil Aviation Authority misled public on inspector numbers – report
RNZ: Dunedin adds security body scanners for domestic flights
1News: Shane Jones ‘almost got run off the road’ to Tauranga to make funding announcement
International relations, Pacific Islands Forum, trade
Jamie Tahana (RNZ): Frank talk and the two C’s: What to watch for at this week’s Pacific Forum
RNZ: Fiji challenges Australia on climate change and coal
RNZ: Australia to fund big Pacific renewable energy, climate change package
RNZ: The Detail: The Pacific’s plastic catastrophe
Maire Leadbeater (Herald): West Papua must be on the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum (paywalled)
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David Williams (Newsroom): Why NZ needs a re-think on Antarctica
1News: Free trade agreement, climate change discussed as Ardern congratulates Johnson
Peter Ellis appeal
Martin van Beynen (Stuff): Possibility Peter Ellis’ appeal could go ahead even if he dies
Herald; Peter Ellis hopes to clear his name, and live to see the results
Local government
Peter McKenzie (Newsroom): Time to rein in the cash in local politics?
RNZ: Two-horse race: Candidates Tamihere and Goff go head-to-head in debate
Todd Niall (Stuff): John Palino withdraws from Auckland mayoral race
Herald: John Palino exits Auckland mayoral race, backs John Tamihere
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Councillor Diane Calvert announces Wellington mayoral bid
Patrick Barrett (Stuff): Council polling day in cross hairs for young Hamilton voters
Virginia Fallon (Stuff): Kāpiti councillor fired for indecent assault in June, standing again in October elections
Justice
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Why a pastor who abused children served half as much prison time as a low-level cannabis dealer
Edward Gay (Stuff): Teenage sportsman spared jail after admitting sex attacks on two girls
Ihumātao
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Ihumātao protest: Solution not as straightforward as Simon Bridges thinks – Jacinda Ardern
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): As Government panics about Ihumātao, Simon Bridges starts to look prime ministerial
Michael Neilson (Herald): ‘We are already home’: Ihumātao group responds to Simon Bridges’ comments
Zane Small (Newshub):If Simon Bridges was Prime Minister: ‘I would do three things’ to fix Ihumātao standoff
Derek Cheng (Herald): Simon Bridges says some Ihumātao protesters have ‘nothing better to do’
1News: Ihumātao protest leader Pania Newton courted by several political parties
Prue Kapua (Herald): Who is to blame for Ihumātao (paywalled)
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘I’m not racist’: Hone Harawira defends comments on police at Ihumātao as Simon Bridges labels them ‘disgusting’
RNZ: Occupiers at Ihumātao remain strong in mud, rain and wind
TVNZ: Marae: ‘Being here makes me feel more Māori’ – the night shift at Ihumātao
NBR Rich LIst
NBR: NBR Rich List breaks through $10 billion (paywalled)
Owen Poland (NBR): NBR Rich List 2019: Why property is still king (paywalled)
Fiona Rotherham (NBR): NBR Rich List 2019: Why so few women? (paywalled)
NBR: NBR Rich List 2019: How New Zealand benefits (paywalled)
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Ten takeaways from the NBR Rich List for 2019
Herald: Who’s NZ’s newest billionaire? 2019 NBR Rich List out today: Newcomers, whose fortunes are up and down
1News: NBR Rich List sees toy tycoons hit spot number five, grow wealth by $2 billion
Housing
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff):Housing New Zealand is finally building on vacant land in Lower Hutt
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Nearly half of Auckland first-home buyers have debts that make RBNZ sit up
Ashley Church (Herald): Do urban growth boundaries hold up land prices?
Herald: Manurewa homeless: MP urges businesses to work with social services
Employment, training
Herald: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveils new employment plan
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): National attacks ‘all talk and no action’ education plan
Education
Liam Sloan (Stuff): New direction for training aligns well with NMIT’s industry and sector connections, CEO says
ODT: Polytechnic boss to see out changes
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Exclusive top Māori language academy comes to an end
Other
Audrey Young (Herald): Does Jacinda Ardern take more overseas trips than other Prime Ministers? (paywalled)
Grant Christie (Newsroom): University of Auckland: Cannabis legalisation … OK idea, bad timing
Logan Church (RNZ): Checkpoint: Controversial state owned insurer Southern Response to be wound up by end of year
1News: Chloride in drinking water ‘certainly not the answer in Christchurch’ – mayor
David Cormack (Herald): Abortion reform and a failure of leadership (paywalled)
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Plans for Te Papa branch in South Auckland canned
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand gun buyback: 10,000 firearms returned after Christchurch attack
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Royal Commission funds Islamic Women’s Council’s legal representation
RNZ: Families settle with Ministry over disabled care pay
Herald Editorial: Child arrests an absurd blight on our society (paywalled)
1News: ‘Support Women’s Sport Basin Reserve’ campaign lacks support as deadline looms
Kathy Errington (Spinoff): I used to believe internet freedom was all. Christchurch and El Paso changed that
Dave Armstrong (Dominion Post): Ripped-off hospitality workers need to get more militant
Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Police officer failed to contact Interpol when allowing mother to abduct child
