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.
Census
David Williams (Newsroom): Pulling apart the butchered census
Thomas Manch (Stuff): More than census data is compromised after resignation of chief statistician
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Stats NZ could need years to regain public trust
Press Editorial: At least census debacle has delivered valuable lessons
Boris Jancic (Herald): What went wrong with the Census?
Toby Manhire (Spinoff: Cheat sheet: Stats NZ CEO quits over census debacle
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National Party still plans to dispute electorate boundaries after census botchup
Henry Cooke (Stuff): James Shaw says resignation over bungled census is appropriate, but not forced
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Census 2018: Chief Statistician Liz MacPherson has resigned
Boris Jancic (Herald): She made the call’: James Shaw coy on Stats NZ chief’s resignation
Boris Jancic (Herald): Statistics NZ Liz MacPherson boss resigns over botched Census
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Shaw coy on whether Stats boss’s resignation was ‘entirely’ her decision
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Govt Statistician resigns over ‘less than optimal’ census
Zane Small (Newshub): Statistics Minister James Shaw admits some census data ‘likely to be compromised’
Zane Small (Newshub): Stats NZ CEO Liz MacPherson resigns, takes ‘full responsibility’ over 2018 Census botch-up
Anna Whyte (1News): Stats Minister says no one told him Census 2018 was problem-riddled when he stepped into job
Anna Whyte (1News): Government’s top statistician resigns in wake of Census 2018 debacle
RNZ: Head of Stats NZ Liz MacPherson resigns over botched census
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Stats NZ head resigns over bungled census
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): 2018 Census review looks gloomy for Māori stats
Pacific Islands Forum
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Tuvalu a test of NZ’s ‘Pacific Reset’
Kate Lyons (Guardian): Pacific Islands Forum: Tuvalu children welcome leaders with a climate plea
Yvette McCulloch (RNZ): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to tackle climate change conversation in Tuvalu
Jason Walls (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern says the return of Frank Bainimarama to Pacific leaders’ meeting is a ‘milestone’ (paywalled)
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): No progress from Government on climate refugees as Jacinda Ardern heads to Tuvalu
RNZ: NZ not expecting flak over its climate policies at Forum
Kate Lyons (Guardian): Australia coal use is ‘existential threat’ to Pacific islands, says Fiji PM
RNZ: Pacific’s smallest countries call for an end to coal
RNZ: Students seek international justice over climate crisis
RNZ: Indonesia complains to Pacific Forum over Wenda participation
Deed of Settlement between Crown and Moriori
Michael Neilson (Stuff): ‘Virtually landless’: Moriori one step closer to justice after initialling deed of settlement with Crown
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Hopes that Crown settlement will dispel Moriori myths
Leo Horgan (Māori TV): “We know that our karāpuna would be pleased” – historic day for Moriori
Prisoner voting
Edward Willis (Newsroom): Prisoner voting a ‘moment’ in NZ constitutional history
1News: Prisoners serving three years or less should be able to vote, Jacinda Ardern says
Local government
No Right Turn: We need to clean up local body politics
Herald Editorial: Late right turn would enliven mayoral race (paywalled)
RNZ: Two-horse race: Candidates Tamihere and Goff go head-to-head in debate
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland mayoral race: Heat rises after John Palino quits
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Auckland mayoral contender John Tamihere offers bounties after billboards targeted
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Auckland Council urges public to stop abusing local government officials online
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Former All Black Keven Mealamu looks to get into local body politics
1News: Former All Black Keven Mealamu running for local board in South Auckland
Catherine Hutton (RNZ): Women complained against former Kāpiti councillor David Scott for years, documents reveal
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Wellington Mayor Justin Lester publicly condemns racist email sent to him
1News: Wellington council candidate part of global movement of young women ‘standing up and stepping up’
Denise Piper (Stuff): Error may have led to low number of nominations for Far North District Council boards
Al Williams (Timaru Herald): Lack of interest poses threat to democracy, local government specialist say
Rachael Kelly (Southland Times): Gore district residents survey shows low level of confidence in elected members
Eleisha Foon (RNZ): Unhappy neighbours battle council over Christchurch mall expansion
Robin Martin (RNZ): New Plymouth council agrees to pay for maintenance of Māori urupa
Government
Mike White (North and South): Requests denied, delayed and redacted
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): James Shaw’s awkward moment on The AM Show defending relationship with Marama Davidson
Trade
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Boris Johnson tells Jacinda Ardern NZ trade deal is ‘high priority,’ pair likely to meet in September
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern, Boris Johnson chat trade agreements, climate change, online extremism
RNZ: PM’s talk with Boris Johnson focuses on free trade deal
Derek Cheng (Herald): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson super keen for FTA deal: Ardern
Alcohol
Ruby Macandrew (Stuff): Sir Geoffrey Palmer urges rethink on alcohol regulation with focus on public engagement
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Disappointed that police and DHB did not object to liquor licence, councillor takes fight to the High Court
Julie Iles (Dominion Post): Khandallah Bottle-O proposal faces largest groundswell of objectors the capital has ever seen
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Liquor store ‘not keeping with the village’, say opponents
Chris Reed (Herald): Future of West Auckland Licensing Trusts set to become local election issue
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland breastfed baby death highlights dangers of alcohol, need for regulation
Jody O’Callaghan and Michelle Duff (Stuff): No drinking warning ‘inflames and misleads’ breastfeeding mums
Huawei
James Fyfe (Newshub): New Zealand Government ministers visiting China lobbied on behalf of Huawei – Andrew Little
Anuja Nadkarni and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Huawei sends mixed messages over quitting NZ as its smartphone sales tank in Europe
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Andrew Little warns Huawei not to threaten the New Zealand Government
Employment and training
1News: Training scheme Mana in Mahi gets $49.9 million boost
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Clearly not delivering’: Government’s youth job scheme Mana in Mahi expanded despite drop-outs
Rotorua Daily Post: Mana in Mahi to help 2000 young New Zealanders into work and training
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): Govt too blase about AI threat, visiting professor warns
Samesh Mohanlall (Timaru Herald): Sanford denies Timaru move is to escape paying living wage
Fonterra
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): The day the Fonterra dream finally died
John Anthony (Stuff) Fonterra’s financial turmoil: A history of costly mistakes comes back to haunt dairy giant
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Shane Jones’ harsh words for Fonterra seem justified
John Anthony (Stuff): Fonterra’s ‘enlarged corporate egos’ to blame for dairy giant’s downfall, Shane Jones says
RNZ: Government will not step in for Fonterra farmers – PM
Keith Woodford (Interest): Fonterra’s capital shortage has now got a great deal worse, with no easy answers
Gerard Hutching (Stuff): Fonterra’s ex-boss Spierings to be paid out this year
Gerard Hutching (Stuff): Fonterra farmer dismayed by news of no dividend
Point of Order: PM states the obvious about flagging Fonterra but RNZ fails to press her on the “what if” matter of a foreign takeover
Point of Order: Farmers are getting more milk from each cow – they deserve a much better performance from Fonterra
Porirua
Iulia Leilua (Māori TV): Porirua – Ambitious project but some locals still worry
Māori TV: Te Ao with Moana: Porirua project like ‘déjà vu’ for community rep
Māori TV: Te Ao with Moana: ‘Critical’ Porirua locals get promise they won’t be moved out
Economy, monetary policy
Richard Harman (Politik): Why the PM was right and why Treasury has been wrong
Jason Walls (Herald): RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr is watching the Govt closely to make sure its spending what it promised
Tess Nichol and Pattrick Smellie (Metro): What does the Reserve Bank’s Official Cash Rate cut actually mean?
RNZ: The Detail: The ABCs of the OCR
1News: Talk of negative interest rates a ‘slap in the face for savers, for retirees’ – Simon Bridges
Priscilla DIckinson (Newshub): What would happen if interest rates fell to zero or negative?
Michael Reddell: A good time to invest?
Climate change
Richard Harman (Politik): Shaw says officials gave him bad advice on climate change targets
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): We Have A Problem
Jono Edwards (ODT): Climate emergency on agenda
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): ‘Very real risk’ NZ Steel could be forced to pull out of Auckland
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Say no to carbon cheats
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Flood-anxious Dunedin residents meet with experts over threats
Environment and conservation
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): West Coast whitebaiters can’t keep ‘head in the sand’ but fishing won’t be banned – MP
Māori TV: Concerned local films ‘shocking’ commercial activity on 90 mile beach
Mike Watson (Stuff): Regional council backs funding partnership with central government for flood protection
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Council’s wastewater plan opposed by 190 submissions
RNZ: Near-extinct tree returned to iwi after battle for survival
Paul Gorman (Stuff): Christchurch Airport debates crackdown on plastic water bottles
Brad Flahive (Stuff): Anti-1080 protest trial: Emile Leaf has police assault charge thrown out of court
Health
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Call to speed up access
Elspeth McLean (ODT): First, the fighting must stop: SDHB colorectal cancer management
Elspeth McLean (ODT): Gastroenterology Society offers help with colonoscopy demand
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Significant shortage: Mental health nurses hard to find in Canterbury
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Measles outbreak: Twenty-seven new cases in Auckland in one day, national number surpasses 500
Maria Slade (Spinoff): The tobacco industry’s secret plan to rejoin NZ Fashion Week
Happiness and a good life
Rob Stock (Stuff): Seek for purpose, not happiness, if you want a Good Life
Rob Stock (Stuff): The World Happiness Report and the science of personal happiness
Peter Lyons (ODT): No mortal wound but one to raise matter of mortality
Justice, corrections
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Borrows’ sense of justice guides sector reform
RNZ: Rough Justice: Māori and the criminal justice system
Jessie Chiang (RNZ): Career expo givers prisoners options for life on the outside
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): ‘I want to change and better myself’ – Employers urged to give former offenders a second chance
Pete George (Your NZ): Bad journalism, bad blogging, bad case in Youth Court
Casey Lucas (Spinoff): The ‘promising young athlete’ cliche risks erasing the victim’s reality
Christchurch mosque shootings
1News: Royal Commission members travel to UK, Norway to learn from terrorist attacks there
RNZ: UK and Norway experts consulted in Royal Commission
RNZ: Accused shooter’s manifesto ‘crosses the line’ – chief censor
Belinda Feek (Herald):Teen, 17, admits possession of Christchurch mosque attack video
Stuff: Christchurch Art Gallery to display mosque shootings tributes
Primary industries
RNZ: Winter grazing: ‘We’ve had farmers intimidate us’ – activists
Rachael Kelly (Southland Times): Farmer who confronted environmentalists about winter grazing speaks out
Peter Clark (Herald): Smart farmers and landowners welcome trees (paywalled)
Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Poor results for Māori, Pasifika lead to funding cuts for education providers
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): $16m expansion at Rototuna High Schools not enough, principals say
Stuff: $42m spend on more classrooms across Waikato and Hawke’s Bay
Jean Bell (Bay of Plenty Times): Te Puke High School facial hair policy change welcomed (paywalled)
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Education minister turns down Lincoln and Canterbury universities partnership
Katy Jones (Stuff): National denies ‘scaremongering’ with campaign against polytech merger
David Bennett (Stuff): Wintec at risk in polytechnic mega merger
1News: Waikato University hands out country’s first e-sports scholarship
Transport
Brian Rudman (Herald): Why no debate over Big Brother network? (paywalled)
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern says Green MP’s secret letter is nothing explosive
1News: NZ’s highest-earning red light camera rakes in nearly $650,000 in fines in first year
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): Another 25 Wellington bus services cancelled
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Re-elected National government likely to drive Southern Link, says Simon Bridges
Sustainable New Zealand party
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Simon Bridges says most Kiwis believe system ‘gamed’ at last election
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Vernon Tava ready to launch Sustainable New Zealand political party by end of August
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Vernon Tava’s Sustainable New Zealand close to being official political party
Sport
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Crowdfunding bid to rename Basin Reserve fails
Suzanne McFadden (Newsroom): ‘Support Women’s Sport Basin Reserve’ bid stumbles
Stephen Foote (Newshub): Cricket: New Zealand women cricketers set for financial windfall under new landmark deal
RNZ: New deal means White Ferns can earn up to $80,000
Pigeon Valley fire
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Pigeon Valley fire probe: Perfect storm led to NZ’s biggest wildfire in 72 years
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Fire chiefs working to stop another ‘accidental’ Pigeon Valley fire
RNZ: Pigeon Valley fire deemed accidental
Other
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Next election will be Simon Bridges v Julie Anne Genter v Jacinda Ardern
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff): Media needs to walk the talk on environment
Harrison Christian and John Anthony (Stuff): Ihumātao protest: Former landowner the Wallace family speaks out against stand-off
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Tax system means, for some, it’s not worth going out to work
Ben Leahy (Herald): Half of all Auckland first-home buyers burdened with huge debts (paywalled)
Simon Draper (Stuff): China interference in Hong Kong protest in New Zealand unhelpful
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Are we starstruck by international CEOs? (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Three reasons why legalising cannabis is a dopey idea
Anna Leask (Herald): Gangbusters: patches on the rise as NZ gang scene ‘revitalised’ (paywalled)
D’Angelo Martin (Māori TV): Govt urged to consider Whakamana Tāngata solutions for welfare system
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): ANZ NZ acknowledges ‘transfer of wealth out of NZ from borrowers to foreign shareholders’
RNZ: Illegal firearms collection events: Police urge gun owners to make complaints
Guy Williams (ODT): Seminar on retirement villages
Katie Fitzgerald (Newshub): Ten people added to New Zealander of the Year nomination list
James Fyfe (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern takes tongue-in-cheek jab at AM Show’s Mark Richardson
Stuart Smith and Priyanca Radhakrishnan (Stuff): Is a referendum democracy at work or abdication of political will?
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): PM offers Rotorua Museum revamp a $20m boost
1News: RNZAF gets sneak peek at US Poseidon aircraft ahead of receiving its own $2.3 billion fleet
