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.
Foreign affairs and trade, Defence
Richard Harman (Politik): Ardern will test independent foreign policy at Bangkok summit
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Apec leaders won’t get to clink their glasses in Chile’s capital
Boris Jancic (Herald): Apec cancellation ‘couldn’t come at worse time’
Henry Cooke (Stuff): PM ‘disappointed’ with APEC cancellation
Derek Cheng (Herald): Apec 1999: International crises, new trade beginnings, some golf and a lamb (paywalled)
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): NZ set to sign long-delayed China FTA upgrade
Lewis Holden (Noted): Don’t hold your breath for an NZ-UK free trade agreement as Brexit drags on
Bruce Kohnb (Stuff): NZ walking diplomatic tightrope of trade and security interests with China
Robert Ayson: Has Defence gone off the Pacific deep end?
Dan Satherley and Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Kiwi academic Anne-Marie Brady hits back at Chinese Ambassador’s claims
RNZ: ‘Unusual’ Chinese naval training in Pacific – academic
RNZ: NZDF in Solomons to help with unexploded ‘remnants of war’
Jimmy Ellingham (Manawatū Standard): Toxic foam spending mounts while residents wait for new water supply
Transport
Pattrick Smellie (Herald): An alternative view on the crucifixion of Phil Twyford
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): What do we know about the two light rail plans, and is the Super Fund’s worth waiting for?
RNZ: Transport Agency orders probe into rail project leaks
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Julie Anne Genter’s secret letter hoo-ha
1News: Hardship fund for businesses hit by Auckland City Rail Link delays ‘a welcome step’
RNZ: Auckland business owners wait on CRL hardship compensation details
Caroline Williams and Melanie Earley (Stuff): Auckland City Rail Link: Hardship fund for disrupted businesses
1News: Hardship fund coming for Auckland businesses hit by City Rail Link construction delay
Herald: Government agrees to hardship fund for Albert St businesses
National on welfare, gangs
Gordon Campbell: On National’s Stone Age package of welfare proposals
Claire Trevett (Herald): Is Simon Bridges’ tough-talk on benefit cheats and gangs all talk? (paywalled)
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): National’s gang policy? It’s just welfare bashing
1News: National’s social investment approach punitive, not an investment, commentator says
Geoff Simmons: National’s Push-Me-Pull-You Social Policy
RNZ: Parents ‘will do the right thing’ on vaccinations – Reti
RNZ: Checkpoint: Bridges unapologetic for hardline welfare policy plan
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Benefit sanction: Māori penalised, children going hungry, advocates say
CPAG: Poverty and family welfare shouldn’t be a game of political football
David Farrar: No jab no pay?
Government
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): A Govt that keeps falling into the overselling abyss
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The Government coalition is still a pretty slick operation
Brent Edwards (NBR): Jacinda Ardern’s leadership under scrutiny (paywalled)
Political ads on social media
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Labour reject Facebook ad transparency tools until National get onboard
Jason Walls (Herald): Twitter has moved to ban all political ads on the platform – how worried should NZ politicians be?
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Having rules is a good thing’: Jacinda Ardern backs Twitter’s political advertising ban
Vaughn Davis (Stuff): National and Labour fill their billboards with attack advertising, but the trash talk may backfire
Tiwai Point
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Let’s say no to Rio Tinto’s tantrum (paywalled)
RNZ: The Detail: The Tiwai Point aluminium smelter bluff
Evan Harding (Stuff): Campaign being launched to save Tiwai aluminium smelter
Environment
Mike Joy (Noted): What’s missing in the government’s approach to farming emissions
Kate Newton (RNZ): Forestry conversions rules ‘totally out of control’
Brian Fallow (Herald): Trees, yes — but not too many (paywalled)
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): Teen tells government conference: ‘You’ve failed to protect me’
Sally Rae (ODT): Studies: water reforms could have $6b impact
RNZ: Climate change a financial and investment risk – report
RNZ: Extinction Rebellion activists protest at gas industry forum
Jamie Morton (Herald): NZ’s glaciers shrinking as ‘geotourist’ numbers swell
Education
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): New Zealand school data collected and on-sold to Google, Microsoft
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Schools hiring ‘teachers of last resort’ to avoid staff shortages
John Lewis (ODT): Principals push back on scheme
Elena McPhee (ODT): Uni knew of possible med student scam months before inquiry
Chris Morris (ODT):‘Insane’ to cut marine science at this point
Frances Cook (Herald): The Front Page podcast: Why student loans are keeping NZers in exile (paywalled)
RNZ: NZ’s University of Auckland strengthens Pacific presence
Police
Jason Walls (Herald): Greens co-leader Marama Davidson speaks out against plans to further arm police
Logan Church (RNZ): Petition urges police to scrap armed response units
Health
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Tears and frustration over health equity gap
ODT Editorial: Urology crisis not an isolated case
RNZ: Samoa measles epidemic: Govt considers school closures
Ryan Bridge (Newshub): Health Minister David Clark owes New Zealand an explanation over measles epidemic
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Measles weakens immune system for years, leaving people vulnerable to other infections – study
Katarina Williams (Stuff): Mike King’s Gumboot Fund counselling scheme ‘not sustainable’, counsellors say
Katie Todd (RNZ): Mother’s call for government to support Mike King’s Gumboot Fund
RNZ: Checkpoint: Psychiatrist acknowledges risk in suicide letters research
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Why Pasifika aren’t getting much-needed bariatric surgery
Zane Small (Newshub): Trans woman awaiting surgery appeals for cash boost to ease ‘backlog’ of almost 200
RNZ: Research aims at improving Māori recruitment and retention in nursing
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): ‘Losing precious time’: Parents watch children struggle as they wait for autism assessments
RNZ: Autistic children waiting too long for support
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Mother ‘broken’ as she watches son deteriorate further while waiting on Pharmac drug decision
Primary industries
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Cut farmers extra slack in Farm Debt Mediation law, says select committee
Jo Moir (RNZ): ‘Ringing up in tears’: Canterbury farmers doing it tough
Julie Iles (NBR): Mycoplasma bovis remains ‘a nightmare’ for farmers, minister says (paywalled)
Laura James (1News): Increase in biosecurity threats to New Zealand sees call to action from 50 businesses
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Yoghurt company lucky listeria didn’t get into its products
No Right Turn: MPI fails again
Wellington
Tom Hunt (Dominion Post): Wellington’s council quagmire as Shelly Bay approved
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington’s Shelly Bay resource consent granted
RNZ: Wellington’s Shelly Bay development granted resource consent
Tom Hunt (Dominion Post): Doubts as oil industry insider-turned Wellington City councillor changes climate tune
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): From the new mayor to the old: ‘Losing your dreams and ambitions is tough’
RNZ: Wellington recognised as City of Film
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Wellington named official UNESCO City of Film
Local government
Simon Wilson (Herald): A new solution for the Chamberlain Park golf course (paywalled)
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): E-scooters to remain on Auckland footpaths, but with stricter safety rules
1News: Auckland Council renews e-scooter licences with added conditions
RNZ: Auckland e-scooter operators to gain license on six-month basis
James Fyfe (Newshub): Auckland Council gives green light for e-scooters to stay, but introduces new conditions
Rotorua Daily Post: Vote recount kicks Hinerangi Goodman off her Whakatāne District Council seat
Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): The recount results are in
RNZ: Hauraki elects first ever Māori councillor
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): No prosecutions over eel deaths that followed work by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
Pam Graham (RNZ): Farm and green lobbies face off at Masterton meeting
Chloe Ranford (Stuff): ‘Outpost’ ratepayers campaign to jump sinking Kaikōura council ship
Cherie Sivignon (Nelson Mail): New Tasman mayor rejigs council committee structure to ‘break down silos’
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Body cameras for council’s higher-risk staff given trial
Daisy Hudson (ODT): DCC wants funding assurance on water
Chris Morris (ODT): DCC will get ‘cracking’
Guy Williams (ODT):Friendly hug as coin toss breaks voting tie
1News: Watch: Coin flip decides Queenstown Lakes District Council seat after tied vote
Terrorist publication and Christchurch shooting video game banned
Katie Kenny Stuff): Terrorist publication and Christchurch shooting video game banned
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Censor’s office bans two publications which ‘promote killing and terrorism’
RNZ: Game ‘designed to spread hate and encourage killing’ banned by chief censor
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Chief Censor bans Christchurch mosque shooting video game and synagogue gunman’s manifesto
1News: Chief Censor bans two terrorist publications, including video game based on Christchurch terrorist attack
Business confidence
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): ‘Positive signs’ in latest survey of business confidence, says ANZ
Liam Dann (Herald): ‘It’s a start’ – business confidence starting to stabilise (paywalled)
RNZ: Businesses less pessimistic about the future
David Hargreaves (Interest): ‘A positive sign’ for business confidence
Immigration
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): Immigration policy changes may mean a fall out between Labour and Indian community
Greg Ninness (Interest): Number of residence visas approved at 10 year low – work visas at 10 year high
Banks
RNZ: ANZ profit falls as regulators squeeze and controversy hurts
RNZ: Cash could become commercially unviable – Assistant Reserve Bank Governor
Media
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): The Guardian launches New Zealand expansion
Anna Murray (Stuff): 50 year anniversary of the first TV news bulletin has reminded me how much I miss the nightly news
Food rescue programme funding
Kristin Edge (Northern Advocate): Food rescue programme expanding thanks to $350,700 boost
Northern Advocate: $350,700 Govt boost for Northland food rescue programme
1News: Programme that diverts food from being binned to those in need gets $300k injection
Denis Piper (Stuff): Food Rescue Northland saves avocados and citrus from bins with mid-north expansion
Māori Parenting programme
Mare Haimona-Riki (Māori TV): Māori Parenting programme yields groundbreaking results
Giles Dexter (Newshub): The tikanga Māori parenting programme changing lives across generations
Other
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Abuse in Care inquiry: ‘Terrible’ treatment of children in 1970s, advocate says
Peter Dunne (Interest): National’s tried and true formula on show again
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Peters’ day job on hold as he sues the Crown
Anna Whyte (1News): Quickfire: Andrew Little and Chris Bishop on counter-terrorism law, farming emissions, and the World Cup final
Zane Small (Newshub): Heated debate over using ‘pregnant woman’ or ‘pregnant person’ in abortion law
Alec Waugh (Stuff): Executive pay is out of control – here are six steps to fix it
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): 150 overseas internet sites fall into line over December’s ‘Amazon Tax’
Newshub: Prison inmates paid less than $1 an hour to build state houses
RNZ: Police warn time running out to hand over banned guns
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Financial firms and major listed companies to be made to disclose their climate-related financial risks
RNZ: Waikato to get new $74m theatre after 3 years without performing arts venue
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Building products certifier CertMark allowed to carry on despite failing reviews
Chris Keall (Herald): Tech sector will be bigger than dairy in three to five years: TIN boss
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Angry Spark staff say Kiwi jobs being replaced by outsourcing
Stuff: Nominees vie for Labour’s Port Hills candidacy
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Govt shows temporary budget deficit
RNZ: Ngāpuhi mandate Tūhoronuku chair Hone Sadler resigns
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): ‘He was not an imperialist’: Peter FitzSimons defends Captain Cook
Blair Voorend (Hawkes Bay Today): Overseas investment slows in Hawke’s Bay’s residential market
Herald: Bellbird first ever NZ film to offer Te Reo Māori subtitles to cinemas
Rosemary McLeod (Stuff): I relate more to the haka than any ritual inherited from the English
Zoё George (Newsroom): Women’s funding is not reverse discrimination
