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.
Labour Party sexual assault allegations
Katie Fitzgerald: Jacinda Ardern won’t say if she has confidence in Labour Party President Nigel Haworth
Andrea Vance and Alison Mau (Stuff): Labour took six months to investigate serious sexual assault complaint
Claire Trevett (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern faces tricky decisions in sexual assault allegations (paywalled)
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Cone of silence surrounds the man who was stood down from Parliament
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Labour fails to learn from its mistakes
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Complainants say accused Labour staffer has been seen at Parliament since allegations
Spinoff Editorial: Labour has failed vulnerable young members for second time. There must be consequences
Spinoff: ‘Incredibly frustrated, deeply disappointed’: Ardern speaks on Labour inquiry
Zane Small (Newshub): PM Jacinda Ardern ‘deeply disappointed’ in Labour’s handling of allegations
Anna Whyte (1News): PM ‘concerned, frustrated’ with Labour Party process after sexual assault allegation
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern frustrated and concerned about alleged assault and Labour Party process
Jo Moir (RNZ): Sexual assault allegation: Speaker says Parliament safe environment
Herald: Jacinda Ardern ‘incredibly frustrated’ with Labour’s handing of sexual assault allegation
Herald: Ardern faces questions about Labour staffer assault allegations
Herald: Calls for Labour staffer to be stood down over sexual assault allegation
Herald: Labour Party volunteer alleges sexual assault: Report
David Farrar: The clause Jacinda refuses to use
David Farrar: Labour sexual assault victim speaks up
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): The Spinoff Labour Party Sex Scandal
Cathy Odgers: Women Failing Women – What Does It Take For Ardern To Sack Someone?
Report on NZ intelligence agencies’ role in CIA torture in Afghanistan
David Fisher (Herald): The spies’ uncompromising watchdog has left – who will fill her shoes? (paywalled)
David Fisher (Herald): Three ex-spy chiefs step forward to lash the oversight report criticising their handling of CIA torture scandal
Richard Harman (Politik): Did our spies go all the way with the CIA
David Fisher (Herald): New inquiry details our spies’ role in the War on Terror – missile strikes, collateral damage and links to the CIA torture scandal
Jane Patterson (RNZ): NZ spies received intelligence from tortured detainees – watchdog
Collette Devlin (Stuff): NZ spy agencies cleared of torture with no direct involvement in Afghanistan incidents
Zane Small (Newshub): Findings released into potential GCSB and NZSIS involvement in CIA torture
1News: NZ intelligence agencies had no part in torture of detainees in Afghanistan, Inspector-General report finds
Tim Watkin (Pundit): Detainees In Afghanistan: Why Are Our Soldiers Allowed More Secrets Than Our Spies?
No Right Turn: Good little vassals
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): How come the entire Western media knew about American torture after Abu Ghraib, yet our Intelligence Agencies had no idea at all?
Housing
1News: ‘People want their politicians to be honest’ – Megan Woods defends KiwiBuild rejig
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, against Treasury’s advice, sees KiwiBuild as the ‘biggest lever’ the Government can pull to improve housing affordability
Immigration
Derek Cheng (Herald): PM and Immigration Minister pushed for tens of millions more to stop boat people
Zane Small (Newshub):Jacinda Ardern praised for encouraging extra funding to prevent boats of asylum seekers
Government
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Warning! Warning! Danger Jacinda Ardern! Danger Marama Davidson! Warning!
David Cormack: Labour’s failing where voters thought it would succeed (paywalled)
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Winston Peters continues recuperating at home three weeks after surgery
Parliament
Jessica Roden and Anna Whyte (1News): Exclusive: 1 NEWS investigation reveals how much Government is paying online influencers
Chris Trotter (Interest): A new political party? Needed – but unlikely
National Party
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Simon Bridges sings Communist Party’s praises in interview with Chinese news channel CGTN
Bryan Gould: The politics of Opposition
Daily Blog: PUB POLITICS – ‘Does National deserve to win the 2020 election’ 8pm THIS Tuesday live from Chapel Bar: Featuring National Party Finance Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith & Former Leader of Labour Party David Cunliffe
Local government
Andrew Geddis (Pundit): Should We Protect The Voters From Themselves?
Todd Niall (Stuff): Going the full spin cycle with Team Tamihere
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Auckland mayoral election: Incumbent Phil Goff denies claim he misled over fuel tax
Mike Lee (Daily Blog): Auckland’s local Body elections: “Whose city is it anyway”? and the groundswell for Tamihere
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Phil Goff takes time out of mayoral race for a family illness
Stephen Forbes (Interest): Public feedback sought on Auckland Council’s City Centre Masterplan
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Gisborne mayoral race: Who are the candidates?
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Large turnout tipped for Hamilton mayoral debate at Claudelands
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Republic resident drops pig hunt committee in bid for Taranaki council seat
Jono Galuszka (Manawatū Standard): Horizons council candidates hot on climate; say we must act now
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Countdown orders election signs off its fence
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard):Councillors decide arts facilities should keep their trusts
Laura Dooney (RNZ): Weta Digital asked staff to support mayoral candidate Andy Foster
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Hutt City Council candidate’s hoardings vandalised with swastikas and hate messages
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Lower Hutt council candidate Shazly Rasheed opens up about ‘racist’ billboard vandalism
RNZ: Hutt City council candidate’s billboards scrawled with racist slogans
Damian George (Stuff): Nobel Peace Prize winner Thomas Nash wants a seat on Greater Wellington Regional Council
John Minto (Daily Blog): Council’s callous indifference to East Christchurch
Tim Miller (ODT): Dunedin mayoral candidates called on to walk the talk
Suicide, mental health
1News: ‘Let’s get in behind this’ – Mike King backs Government’s suicide prevention plan
Jamie Ensor and Lauren Paddy (Newshub): Families asked to share suicide victims’ letters with researchers to assist study
1News: Māori-led suicide prevention programme for men launched today to tackle ‘Government inaction’
RNZ: Staffing a challenge in meeting mental health demands – doctor
1News: Mental health funding good, but advocate calls for more to tackle the issue
Stuff: Out of my mind: True stories about mental health, told by the people who’ve been there (podcast)
Synthetic drugs
Anna Leask (Herald): Synthetic drugs: Death toll rises to 75 as toxic epidemic rages on
Vicki Anderson (Stuff): Synthetic drugs killing NZ’s ‘deprived and vulnerable’
John Weeks (Stuff): The synthetic cannabis and ‘zombie drug’ killing more and more Kiwis
Scott Palmer (Newshub): More than 70 deaths blamed on synthetic cannabis in two years
Katie Doyle (RNZ): Synthetic cannabis: More than 70 deaths in two years blamed on the drug
1News: More than 24 people dead from synthetic cannabis use in two years – Chief Coroner
Health
Peter McKenzie (Newsroom): Big tobacco’s stake in the NZ dating scene
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): Nigel Murray tried to hide report into his spending plus his attempts to suppress it (paywalled)
Ruby Macandrew and Tom Hunt (Stuff): Hutt Valley maternity service in dire state with ‘significant’ lack of staff and multiple patient complaints
Karoline Tuckey (RNZ): Private stem cell clinics branded ‘questionable’ amid calls for licensing
Sarah Gerritsen and Michele Eickstaedt (Newsroom): Calls to regulate fast food in ‘Heart Attack Alley’
Measles
Karen Brown (RNZ): Measles: Two different vaccine brands causing issues for GPs
RNZ: Employment lawyer says asking for vaccination history when recruiting is reasonable
Herald: Measles outbreak: Housing conditions a factor in South Auckland spike
RNZ: Housing conditions a factor in Auckland measles outbreak: Medical officer
Jenny Meyer (RNZ): Viral measles outbreak in Auckland has Pacific nations on alert
RNZ: Measles cases likely to peak within fortnight, ministry says
James Fyfe (Newshub): ‘We’re on the cusp of getting another measles outbreak’: Whangarei MP Shane Reti
Foreign affairs and trade
Chris Trotter: Who Shall We Turn To When God, And Uncle Sam, Cease To Defend New Zealand?
Herald:On the Map podcast: Episode 2 – ‘She’s a hard road finding the perfect trade deal’
Education
RNZ: Lack of support in NZ risks international students’ lives – health services
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern hints teaching New Zealand’s Land Wars could be compulsory
1NEws: Watch: Northland’s Paparoa Possum Purge sees school kids pitch in on pest cull
Te Reo Māori
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): One million Kiwis to speak te reo: The plan behind revitalising the Māori language
Peter J Keegan (Newsroom): A reflection for Te Wiki o te reo Māori
Rawinia Higgins (Stuff): Remembering the battle to get recognition for te reo Māori
Derek Cheng (Herald): Māori language a part of ‘who we are’: Jacinda Ardern
Stephanie Arthur-Worsop (Rotorua Daily Post): Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori: Revitalising the language in Rotorua every generation’s responsibility
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Parade spreads te reo Māori message through capital
1News: Photos: Scores of people turn out for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori parade
Internet blocking, Ardern meets with Twitter CEO
Katie Kenny (Stuff): Blocking bad websites is ineffective and potentially harmful, report says
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): A beginner’s guide to blocking the internet
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern praises Twitter’s efforts to stop online terrorism
Derek Cheng (Herald): Twitter boss Jack Dorsey meets Jacinda Ardern at the Beehive
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Twitter boss Jack Dorsey meets Jacinda Ardern over extremist content
1News: Jacinda Ardern discusses her worries about 8Chan-style platforms with Twitter boss
RNZ: Prime Minister meets Twitter boss Jack Dorsey to discuss the Christchurch Call
Environment
1News: ‘Large amounts’ of farming will have to go under Government’s waterways plan – Federated Farmers
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Man-made lake poses ‘potential risk’ to aquifers
RNZ: The Detail: Eco-flying is far, far away
Brent Melville (ODT): Big processors pursuing staged transition
Catherine Beard (Stuff): Emissions landscape not as clear-cut as tech firms good, farmers bad
Transport
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Data breach after lax NZTA security
Lindy Laird (Northern Advocate): Northland MP: Rail plan ”a white elephant”, PGF funding a waste of money
Troy Bowker (Herald): The dirty secrets about electric vehicles (paywalled)
Economy
Brent Edwards (NBR): Finance Minister still confident but watching global economy (paywalled)
Nona Pelletier (RNZ): Review of financial markets makes raft of recommendations for change
Te Papa CEO quits
Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): Controversial Te Papa boss Geraint Martin stepping down
Herald: Te Papa chief executive Geraint Martin quits after controversial restructure
RNZ: Te Papa’s controversial CEO quits role
1News: Te Papa chief behind controversial restructure resigns
Other
Ben Strang (RNZ): Ex-officer says bullying in police impacting on public too
Peter Hughes (Stuff): Leadership depth’s been lacking but we’re working on it
RNZ: Calls for more leadership accountability when companies fail
Stuff Editorial: Youth activism: the kids have more than idealism to offer
Lance Beath (Incline): Focus on the Future; Don’t Fixate on Frigates
Kate MacNamara (Stuff): Cosy relationships rife with potential conflicts for big auditing firms
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): The fight to develop Māori land despite strong opposition
Sophie Bateman (Newshub): Woman misses flight, Jacinda Ardern takes her seat
Danielle Clent (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Neve make video for flight seatmate’s daughter
James Fyfe and Hayley Jacobsen (Newshub): Controversial SkyWay Invest Group’s scheme ‘disgusting’: Councillor Alf Filipaina
AAP, Dan Satherley (Newshub): Shipwreck found in US likely to be Captain Cook’s Endeavour
Tom Kitchin (Stuff): Man charged for dogs found dead on Cook Strait ferry
Max Abbott (The Conversation): New law gives NZ police discretion not to prosecute drug users, but to offer addiction support instead
RNZ: Media Council rules letter published by the Gisborne Herald was gratuitously racist
Karl du Fresne: Okay, now let’s hear the other side of the Pregnancy Counselling Services story
RNZ: MPI reports small spike in M bovis detections
