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.
Local government
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Who’s to blame for the crisis of declining local voter turnout? (paywalled)
Newshub: No point in online voting if all the candidates are ‘muppets’ – expert
1News: Move to online voting won’t ‘really address the problems of our non-voters’, expert say
Stephen Franks: Lost voters, lost good candidates for democratic leadership
Wyatt Creech (Pundit): Fixing The Local Government Snooze-Fest
Dominion Post: It’s your voice: notable names on why it’s important to get to the ballot box
Frances Cook (Herald): The Front Page podcast: Why online voting is coming for local elections, ready or not (paywalled)
RNZ: Mayoral candidates worried about voter engagement
Mare Haimona-Riki (Māori TV): Former mayor speaks on low election turnout
1News: New Plymouth’s $30k youth voter turnout campaign employing turd emoji causes stink
Waikato Times: Matamata-Piako District’s voting U-turn: highest turnout for Waikato
Robyn Bristow (Star News): Voters tardy in having their say
Matthew Littlewood and Alice Geary (Timaru Herald): Timaru District sitting third highest in the country for voter turnout
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Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Licensing trusts still hold great power but who is holding them accountable?
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): All the interesting, funny, weird, and bad things we didn’t cover these local elections
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David Fisher (Herald): Big Read: Fear and loathing on the campaign trail – the misery-making C-bomb and the race for mayor which followed (paywalled)
Newshub: John Tamihere doubles down on controversial comments, calls Goff ‘little Hitler’
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Beyond John Hong’s political debut
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Hamilton mayoral hopeful Lisa Lewis calls for candidates’ TradeMe feedback to be made public
Robin Martin (RNZ): New Plymouth council under fire for handling of water compaints
Robin Martin (RNZ): New Plymouth councillor remembered as having a ‘commitment to caring for people’
Georgie Ormond (Herald): Local Focus: Palmerston North mayoral candidate Teanau Tuiono ups the ante on climate crisis
Virginia Fallon and Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Auditor’s report on Porirua mayor’s spending withheld by mayor and council
Katy Jones (Stuff): Nelson names ‘champion’ to get council up to speed on climate action
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Christchurch City councillor Deon Swiggs’ emotional plea for people to vote for him
Paul Taylor (ODT): Boult says complaints political
Paul Taylor (ODT): Complaint against Boult not upheld
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult cleared of conflict of interest, but complainant to press on
Christopher Luxon looks to stand in Botany
Richard Harman (Politik): Luxon takes off and the National caucus wonders what is next
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Christopher Luxon entering politics an open challenge to Simon Bridges
Newshub:‘No doubt’ former Air NZ boss Christopher Luxon will beat Jami-Lee Ross in Botany – Matthew Hooton
Boris Jancic (Herald): John Key backs Christopher Luxon as National Botany candidate, Jami-Lee Ross issues challenge
Henry Cooke (Stuff): John Key endorses Christopher Luxon as “world class” National candidate
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Ex-Air NZ boss Christopher Luxon confirms desire to run for Parliament with National
James Fyfe (Newshub): Former Air NZ chief executive Christopher Luxon to contest Botany candidacy
RNZ: Former Air NZ boss Christopher Luxon to throw hat in ring to stand in Botany electorate
SIS unlawfully spied on Nicky Hager
RNZ: SIS told to apologise to Nicky Hager
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Spies unlawfully tried to uncover journalist Nicky Hager’s sources
Boris Jancic (Herald): SIS apologises to Hager over unlawful spying
Zane Small (Newshub): NZSIS ‘unlawfully’ helped Defence Force target journalist Nicky Hager’s source
Anna Whyte (1News): Spy agency unlawfully provided investigative assistance over Nicky Hagar book – report
No Right Turn: The SIS unlawfully spied on Nicky Hager
Primary industries
Guyon Espiner and Kate Newton (RNZ): Foreign forestry companies could face ‘oil and gas’ style ban
Matthew Hooton (Herald): The rural revolt that could determine the next Government (paywalled)
John Gibb (ODT): Phosphate importers called out
Jono Edwards (ODT): Environment Court has backed Lindis River farmers and water users
Gerard Hutching (Stuff): Australia to make quad bike roll bars compulsory, will NZ follow?
Andrea Fox (Herald): Fonterra pays $4m for 4ha to gazump housing developer in north Hamilton (paywalled)
Govt surplus
Brian Fallow (Herald): Grant Robertson clinging to his precious surplus (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Will spending the surplus really boost the economy?
Ben Uffindell (The Civilian): Government in contentious discussions about whether to put surplus on red or black
Canterbury University
Herald: Student Mason Pendrous lay dead for weeks: Hostel head speaks out
Mark Quinlivan and Emily O’Connell (Newshub): Canterbury University hall where student was found dead won’t be used for first years in 2020
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand hall of residence ‘pursued family for cash’ as student lay dead for weeks
Max Towle (RNZ): I disappeared from Sonoda and nobody noticed
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Independence possible for Canterbury student magazine
Abuse in state and church care
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Survivors frustrated by commission’s ‘cone of silence
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Man fights to hold Catholic Church accountable for abuse
Treasury data blunder
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Treasury apologise to minister over second data blunder
Boris Jancic (Herald): Another blunder: Treasury admits to second data gaffe
Zane Small (Newshub): Treasury admits to accidentally publishing more confidential information
RNZ: Treasury admits second confidential information blunder
Julie Iles (NBR): The aftermath of a data breach is the most important, Privacy Commission says
Immigration
Jo Moir (RNZ): NZ First pushed for tightening of parental visa scheme
Stuff Editorial: The risks of ministerial oversight
RNZ:Immigration minister Iain Lees-Galloway agrees with ‘last resort’ report
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Ministry head won’t say if Iain Lees-Galloway’s Karel Sroubek decision was correct
German terror attack, Christchurch call
Katie Kenny and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Antisemitic, copycat shooter in Germany the first test for Christchurch Call
Derek Cheng (Herald): Germany shooting livestream viewed 2200 times on Twitch but already widely shared
Derek Cheng (Herald): Christchurch Call counters copycat shooting in Germany – PM
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern highlights Christchurch Call’s importance in wake of livestreamed German shooting
1News: Jacinda Ardern not surprised that Germany synagogue attack was streamed online
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Chief Censor bans livestream of antisemitic shooting in Halle, Germany
Jason Walls (Herald): The Government has made it illegal to share or download the video of the German terror attack
RNZ: Censor classifies German shooting footage as objectionable
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): German attack raises questions about 3D printed guns
Herald: Christchurch mosque shooting: Accused on ‘extreme minimal eating regime’ in jail
KiwiSaver
BusinessDesk: FMA cage-rattling sees Westpac pledge to cut KiwiSaver fees
Rob Stock (Stuff): Everyone should listen to the KiwiSaver haters
Health
Emma Espiner (Newsroom): The real kaupapa Māori
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): Palmerston North Hospital nurses burnt out and end up quitting, union says
RNZ: New private hospital will benefit everyone – DHB boss
Dubby Henry (Herald): Auckland measles outbreak has peaked, cases now declining
Jenny Meyer (RNZ): Measles watch: Samoa health officials await test results
Mark Elwood (Newsroom): Who should we trust about 5G?
1News: ‘I’m not ready to bring her back’ – NZ not safe for three-year-old with motor neuron disease, mum says
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Waitematā DHB sent private mental health notes to wrong patient, inquiry launched
Stuff: Medical lab workers strike for better pay offer
Mike Houlahan (ODT): New community maternity service to fill gap
1News: Aotearoa’s mental health services ‘not set up’ to help Asian people, expert says
Sam Kilmister (Manawatū Standard): Manawatū coroner Carla na Nagara to lead Suicide Prevention Office
Housing
Zane Small and Alice Wilkins (Newshub): ‘It is complex’: Jacinda Ardern admits homelessness cannot be solved in two years
Katie Doyle (RNZ): Māngere emergency housing development provides hope for families
Donna-Lee Biddle (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opens facility to house homeless in Māngere, Auckland
Michael Reddell: Rents should have been falling
Welfare
Benedict Collins (1News): Controversial food experiment on poor abandoned after 1 NEWS investigation
Jamie Ensor and Miriam Harris (Newshub): Simon Bridges blasts Carmel Sepuloni over $1 billion overpayments to beneficiaries
1News: Auckland solo mum paying back $23 a week after Work and Income gave her $8k she wasn’t entitled to
Ngāpuhi leader Sonny Tau has resigned
Māni Dunlop and Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Ngāpuhi leader Sonny Tau resigns
Māori TV: Unconfirmed “allegations” prompt resignation of Ngāpuhi Rūnanga Chair
1News: Sonny Tau resigns as Ngāpuhi chairman
Police
RNZ: Checkpoint: Police training college fitness test ditched
Anna Leask (Herald): Excessive force: Police censured for tasering boy, 15, after tractor chase
Denis Piper (Stuff): Taser use on Northland tractor joyrider ‘unreasonable and excessive’, IPCA rules
RNZ: Police wrong to taser drunk teen driving stolen tractor, IPCA finds
1News: Cop’s Tasering of drunk teenager on stolen tractor was excessive, police watchdog finds
Transport
Jason Walls (Herald): Delayed City Rail Link taking enormous toll on businesses impacted by its construction
1News: Mark Mitchell urges Govt to ‘restart’ Warkworth to Wellsford highway, to make ‘real difference’ for Northlanders
Dileepa Fonseka (Dominion Post): Activists, candidates. aviation experts question long-delayed Wellington Airport runway extension
Grant Bradley (Herald): How Kiwi travellers are ‘flying blind’ and can lose when airlines team up (paywalled)
Education
Luisa Girao (ODT): Minister: jobs at SIT cannot currently be guaranteed
Logan Savory (Southland Times): Education officials to meet with SIT management to discuss reform
Laura Wiltshire (Hawke’s Bay Today): Rural Hawke’s Bay settlement Elsthorpe fights for its school bus
RNZ: Parents in Hawke’s Bay battle to retain school bus route
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): Gotta save Lorde’: fans start mock campaign to break singer out of jail
Elena McPhee (ODT): Proposed Department of Marine Science staff cuts criticised
Family violence, Shine
Karen Rutherford (Newshub): ‘Practice what they preach’: Domestic violence charity Shine facing bullying, racism and fat-shaming claims from staff
Derek Cheng (Herald): Collaborative family violence programme making people feel safer
RNZ: Family violence project centering whānau delivers positive results
Sports broadcasting
Damien Venuto (Herald): The streaming mess: Why six subscriptions could become a norm (paywalled)
Jessie Chiang (RNZ): Unhappy Spark Sport customers horrified it now has cricket rights
Kevin Norquay (Stuff): Spark Sport wins New Zealand Cricket broadcasting rights for six years
Madison Reidy (RNZ): Spark Sport wins broadcast rights to NZ Cricket fixtures
Environment and conservation
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): The billionaire’s weed problem
David Williams (Newsroom): Healthy trees felled in national park
1News: Despite kiwi crisis, national bird’s breeding season off to flying start
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland kiwi dying at ‘appalling rate’ on roads
Prince Charles to visit NZ
Harrison Christian (Stuff): Royal visit: Prince Charles and Camilla to visit Waitangi, Christchurch next month
Boris Jancic (Herald): Prince Charles and Camilla to visit Waitangi, Christchurch, Kaikōura
1News: Prince Charles and Camilla release details of next month’s New Zealand tour
Other
Simon Wilson (Herald): Is the Tuia 250 commemoration really a new beginning? (paywalled)
Jason Walls (Herald): Shane Jones’ Provincial Growth Fund has earmarked $50m for 114 feasibility studies (paywalled)
Bruce Munro (ODT): Global Insight: Govt handling of NZ jihadist ‘irresponsible’
Jennifer Eder (Stuff): Stats NZ apologises for botched Census results on dwellings in Marlborough
1News: Inside Parliament: More money, more problems for Govt with $7.5 billion surplus (video)
Gordon Campbell: On betraying the Kurds, and the criticism of Adrian Orr
Katee Shanks (Rotorua Daily Post): Why Bay of Plenty gang numbers have risen 30 per cent (paywalled)
Kyle MacDonald (Herald): The real problem with illicit drug use (paywalled)
Nathan Smith (NBR): OECD sheds light, but not clarity, on digital services tax (paywalled)
Asa Andersen (NBR): Insurance taskforce calls for EQC cap to be raised (paywalled)
RNZ: The Detail: Is it time for New Zealand to push through anti-slavery laws?
Skara Bohny (Stuff): Niwa ordered to pay $20k to cook for unjustified dismissal
Debrin Foxcroft (Stuff): Ezibuy’s weekly sales raises questions over what a sale really means
Verity Johnson (Stuff): Please don’t tell young people to calm down about eco-anxiety
Gus Patterson (ODT): Meth ‘everywhere’ as arrests rise and police try to reduce demand
