New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.
Recommended Sponsor Painted-Moon.com - Buy Original Artwork Directly from the Artist

Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.

New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.

Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.

NZ First
Matt Shand (Stuff): What NZ First slush fund was spent on: Campaign HQ, staff overtime, and a shredder
Danyl Mclauchlan (Spinoff): The NZ First donations scandal is very serious, and won’t let Jacinda Ardern hide
Matthew Hooton (Herald): The case for a snap election (paywalled)
Max Rashbrooke (Guardian): A weeping sore – Jacinda Ardern must clean up New Zealand’s political donations mess
Andrew Geddis (Pundit): The NZ First Foundation: A Story With No Happy Ending
Liam Hehir (Pundit): Jacinda Ardern’s Crisitunity
Jane Patterson (RNZ): NZ First’s political donations: A creeping feeling of deja vu
Claire Trevett (Herald): Does NZ First’s mystery foundation meet PM Jacinda Ardern’s ‘spirit of the law’ test? (paywalled)
Derek Cheng (Herald): NZ First donations and the danger of history repeating
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Peters allegations another political toothache for PM
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): NZ First and the real problem with political donations (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): PM must take a stand against NZ First
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): We’re right to question Winston Peters
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern needs to step up and take control of her Government
Jason Walls (Herald): NZ First donation saga: Jacinda Ardern under pressure to order investigation
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Winston Peters says his party has always obeyed electoral law after new revelations about foundation
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Winston Peters rejects accusations over NZ First Foundation
Zane Small (Newshub): Winston Peters blasts ‘filthy allegations’ about New Zealand First hiding donations
Jason Walls (Herald): NZ First Leader Winston Peters insists party in the clear over electoral donation claims
Jenée Tibshraeny ((Interest): NZ First Leader Winston Peters distances himself from the foundation allegedly used to funnel donations to his party
Jason Walls (Herald): Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters promises to ‘set the record straight’ over electoral donations claims
Newstalk ZB: Former NZ First treasurer says he questioned party’s financial records
Dubby Henry (Herald): NZ First Foundation: Party officials, MPs kept in the dark about funds
Zane Small (Newshub): Winston Peters ‘not sorry at all’ for labelling journalist ‘psycho’
1News: Electoral Commission receives complaint over NZ First Foundation
Newstalk ZB: The Huddle: Should Jacinda Ardern call a snap election?
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Simon Bridges says he would welcome a snap election
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): National’s chances of working with NZ First weakened by donation allegations – Simon Bridges
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern must act over New Zealand First hidden donation allegations – Simon Bridges
1News: ‘I’m not the chief censor’ – Jacinda Ardern distances herself from latest Shane Jones controversy
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she won’t censor New Zealand First ministers’ language
No Right Turn: A corrupt practice
David Farrar: Oops he did it again
Martyn Bradbury: On NZ First’s current funding ‘scandal
Greg Presland (Standard): Not a good look

Overseas investment rules
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Sales of airports, lines companies could be blocked under new ‘national interest test’
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Spy agencies sought govt’s foreign new investment ‘call-in’ powers
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Government announces reform of overseas investment rules to protect ‘national interests’
Collette Devlin (Stuff): National interest test added to overseas investment rules
Brent Edwards (NBR): Tough new overseas investment rules protect national interest (paywalled)
RNZ: Government toughens OIO rules with ‘national interest’ test
Reuters: New Zealand to widen powers to block foreign investment on security grounds
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): National interest test added to overseas investment rules
Richard Harman (Politik): Parker’s big rewrite of the overseas investment rules
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Overseas investors face new tests for water bottling, infrastructure investment
Anna Whyte (1News): Overseas investment shake-up sees extra step for water bottling consents
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Government tinkers with overseas investment rules for water bottling
Mia Chung (University of Auckland): Is New Zealand giving away control over its water?

Media
Chris Trotter (Interest): New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation Redux – a threat to democracy? 
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Media merger phoenix has another crack at rising
Luke Malpass and Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Kiwishare model mooted to protect journalism in new NZME-Stuff takeover bid
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): StuffMe is back, but will the Commerce Commission play ball?
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): Beehive lobbied for revised StuffME deal (paywalled)
RNZ: NZME confirms it is in discussions to buy Stuff
Herald: NZ Herald owner NZME confirms interest in buying Stuff
Amanda Meade (Guardian): Merger between New Zealand Herald and Stuff owners back on the table

Ihumātao
Jo Moir (RNZ): Ihumātao: Govt told not to ‘alienate mana whenua’ from talks
Māori TV: Kiingitanga surprised over unconfirmed Ihumātao rumours
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Labour Māori caucus anxious for Ihumātao solution
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government won’t confirm or deny loan for Ihumātao
Derek Cheng (Herald): National urges Govt on Ihumātao: No taxpayer or ratepayer bailout
Emma Cropper (Newshub): Government warned against using taxpayer money to resolve Ihumātao
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Government should forget about Ihumātao
Josh O’Sullivan and Lozza Kiff (International Socialists): Ihumātao: a Struggle for Justice

Child poverty
1News: Government’s $5.5b Families Package on track to lift 74,000 children out of poverty – report
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): Government quotes welfare stats after child poverty inaction accusations
Ben Strang (RNZ): Child poverty, welfare: government inaction frustrates advocacy groups

NZ in Afghanistan
RNZ: NZDF agrees deal to have private firm clear deadly Afghan firing ranges
No Right Turn: Still denying responsibility

Electoral changes
Mitchell Alexander (Newshub): Flat Bush expected to be proposed new North Island electorate
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Boundary changes likely for the South

Parliament
RNZ: MPs scrap ban on use of Parliament TV footage
Phil Smith (RNZ): In Parliament this week

Firearms
Ben Strang (RNZ): Banned firearms: ‘There’s effectively a permanent amnesty’
Eric Crampton: Police and guns

Housing
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Don’t pity landlords over rental changes, just make sure the Government builds houses
Andrew Bevin (NBR): Auditor-General finds no meat in Collins’ KiwiBuild concerns (paywalled)
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Kris Faafoi’s rental law changes won’t make life easier for anyone in property market
Eric Crampton (Newsroom): The misery of a stifled housing market
Eric Crampton: Really protecting tenants
David Hargreaves (Interest): Why the new tenancy rules will drive more into state housing

Environment and conservation
Harry Lock (RNZ): Seabird conservation plan not tough enough, says advocates
Amber-Leigh Woolf (Stuff): Fishing vessels ‘bulldozing’ oceans, destroying 3000 tonnes of coral in one year
Russel Norman: Bruce Jesson Memorial Lecture: What institutional reform befits the era of the long climate crisis?
James Renwick (Stuff): Climate explained: Why coastal floods are becoming more frequent as seas rise
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Climate-friendly power schemes hindered by government policy – industry
David Clarkson (Stuff): First Extinction Rebellion protester to be arrested in NZ heading to trial
Robin Martin (RNZ): Port Taranaki flunks environmental report card
D’Angelo Martin (Māori TV): Hapū concerned about water levels at Poroti
Gerrard Eckhoff (ODT): Rural water use – beyond irrigation

Primary industries
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Should we really feel sorry for dairy farmers
Rachael Kelly (Southland Times): MP goes head-to-head with Fish and Game boss over bird poo

Local government
Kiri Gillespie (Herald): Tauranga City Council’s controversial begging and rough sleeping ban u-turn divides (paywalled)
Sam Kelway (TVNZ): Tauranga’s controversial begging bylaw may be thrown out, despite claims it’s ‘working well’
Nikki Preston (Herald): Overnight retreats, hot springs and bus trips: How Waikato’s elected members got inducted
Tommy Livingston (Stuff): First things first: Wellington City Councillors vote on giving themselves a pay rise
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Complaints kept secret in Wellington councillor code of conduct investigation
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington council massage room relocated after outrage
Damian George (Stuff): No immediate plans to fix Wellington’s ‘poorly functioning’ Civic Square
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Aurora work: power bills up $500
ODT: Boult takes aim at DCC over proposed power price hike
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Huge power price hikes on cards for Otago households

Education
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Auckland medical students to face scrutiny after Otago students faked placements
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Medical student overseas placement holiday rort ‘widespread’ – GP
RNZ: Guidance and rules for medical students ‘are loose’ – resident doctor’s association
ODT Editorial: Placement rort undermines integrity
Steve Stannard (Stuff): University gender breakdown gives food for thought

Skycity gambling
Taroi Black (Māori TV): Skycity gambling hidden agendas claims Māori health provider
Gerald Piddock (Stuff): SkyCity argues plans for 399 pokie machines a ‘modest’ increase for Hamilton casino
Andrew McRae (RNZ): SkyCity wants more pokies in exchange for fewer blackjack tables

Police
Harrison Christian (Stuff): Northland Police defend ‘brutal’ arrest after video shared on social media
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Police praise dog handler’s ‘brave actions’ after controversial arrest in Whangārei
1News: Police defend actions in Whangārei arrest, after footage emerged online of police dog biting alleged offender

Health
RNZ: Checkpoint: Unaffordable dental care: ‘I can’t do anything about it’
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Mental health patients stuck in ‘unkempt’, ‘outdated’ quake-prone building
Stephanie Ockhuysen (Taranaki Daily News): Lack of psychologists leads to 12-month waiting list for Taranaki children to be assessed
David Farrar: NZ smoking rates
Emma Perry (ODT): Hodgson describes vision of new Dunedin Hospital

Samoa measles outbreak
RNZ: Samoan family loses third child to measles epidemic
Jamie Ensor and Perry Wilton (Newshub): Counties Manukau nurses heading to Samoa as measles crisis worsens

Foreign affairs
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Universities hit out at planned export crackdown
Mackenzie Smith (RNZ): NZ administrator to Tokelau ‘encouraged’ suspensions – High Court
Maire Leadbeater (Herald): Deafening silence as West Papua crisis deepens (paywalled)

Immigration
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Philippines Government opens labour office to stop migrant exploitation
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): New visa conditions to join partner in New Zealand
Greg Ninness (Interest): More New Zealanders are leaving the country and more non-NZ citizens are arriving 
​Stuart Smith and Deborah Russell (Stuff): Is New Zealand exploiting migrants or giving them a chance?

Banks
1News: Reserve Bank increases supervision of BNZ after identifying ‘a number of errors’
RNZ: BNZ forced to increase its capital to $600m
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): RBNZ imposes $250 mln regulatory capital increase on BNZ
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): RBNZ steps up BNZ supervision after capital calculation breaches (paywalled)

Royal tour
Brian Rudman (Herald): Let’s not wait any longer – draw up the succession plan (paywalled)
RNZ: Royal tour: Prince Charles and Camilla’s official welcome
Zoe Hunter (Herald): How sweet! What Simon Bridges gifted to Prince Charles

Stephen Colbert
Anna Murray (Herald): The verdict on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert: The Newest Zealander
1News: Watch: Stephen Colbert enjoys traditional Kiwi BBQ with Jacinda Ardern, Clarke Gayford and Lorde
1News: Watch: Jacinda Ardern and Stephen Colbert sing Bohemian Rhapsody together after PM picks him up from airport
Stuff: The Late Show host Stephen Colbert wants to officiate at Jacinda Ardern’s wedding
Siobhan Downes (Stuff): Stephen Colbert reveals why he chose to focus on New Zealand for a whole week
Herald: Lorde, PM Jacinda Ardern pranked by Stephen Colbert on The Late Show

Other
Simon Chapple (Newsroom): A largely unnoticed power grab by government ministers
Tim Maurice (Spinoff): Behrouz Boochani should think twice before claiming asylum in New Zealand
Ian Hyslop (Newsroom): We must let go of illusions to address child abuse
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Is there tikanga around euthanasia?
Peter Lyons (ODT): Money and the stories we tell ourselves
Liam Dann (Herald): Westpac: The worst is over, economy headed for rebound
RNZ: The Detail: The battle over Ōwairaka is about more than trees
David Farrar: The race to be Labour’s President
David Farrar: Gareth Hughes retires
RNZ: Women dehydrating themselves due to no toilets at work, union says
Māori TV: Wāhine dehydrating themselves to avoid toilets – RMTU
Jessie Chiang (RNZ): Scams targeting Pasifika people on the rise – community leaders
Marc Daalder (Newshub): The ISP scramble to block the Christchurch video
David Farrar: Govt and Oppn polling comparison
Zizi Sparks (Rotorua Daily Post): Kaumātua gather in Rotorua to discuss issues affecting them (paywalled)

NO COMMENTS