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.
Law and order, justice, prisoner voting
Bryce Edwards (Guardian): Ardern’s prisoner voting compromise exposes the cynicism of NZ politics
Peter Dunne: The shades of Hanan, McLay and Finlayson will be in despair today
Rosemary McLeod (Stuff): Lives that begin in hell: we won’t defeat gangs with state thuggery
Morgan Godfery (Guardian): I live in a gang town and Simon Bridges’ zero-tolerance approach won’t help one bit
Chris Trotter:A Bi-Partisan Commitment To X-ing “P”
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: National’s law and order populism savaged (paywalled)
Kyle MacDonald (Herald): The trouble with ‘harassing gangs out of existence’ (paywalled)
1News: ‘This is not a dog-whistle’ – National’s Mark Mitchell defends intent behind law-and-order proposals
Listener Editorial: Grace Millane: The problems underlying the victim-shaming outcry
Nick Truebridge (RNZ): South Auckland ratepayers say voices ignored in battle against ‘youth prison’ proposal
NZ First, political finance
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Document leak: Why the NZ First Foundation was set up
Gordon Campbell: On the alleged sins of New Zealand First
Brent Edwards (NBR): The hypocrisy of donations to political parties (paywalled)
Labour Party conference
Audrey Young (Herald): Labour charges for companion business conference
Brigitte Morten (Pundit): Labour Conference Delegates – Check Your Hubris At The Door
Labour Party camp
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Justice hasn’t failed anyone from Labour Party camp scandal
Heather du Plessis Allan (Newstalk ZB): Judge made right decision in Labour summer camp case
Aaron Dahmen and Sam Hurley (Herald); Labour Party camp scandal: Victim speaks out
Zane Small (Newshub):‘The justice system has failed me’: Labour camp assault victim speaks up
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Young Labour summer camp assaulter discharged without conviction
Sam Hurley (Herald): Labour Party camp scandal: No conviction for assault after sex charges dropped in plea deal
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Young Labour camp assault: Man discharged without conviction
Laura James (1News): Man discharged without conviction for Labour youth camp assaults that sparked political firestorm
Newshub: Man who assaulted teenagers at Young Labour camp discharged without conviction
Parliament, NZ politics
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Too much analysis, too much paralysis (paywalled)
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): It’s MMP – but not as we were sold it
Vernon Tava (Spinoff): Why the time is ripe for my optimistic, bright green new party
RNZ: Jacinda Ardern racks up highest bill for international travel, Shane Jones for domestic
Zane Small (Newshub): New Zealand First dwarfing Greens in executive expenses
Anna Whyte (1News): Quickfire: Agnes Loheni and Priyanca Radhakrishnan on Strike Force Raptor, vaping and mental health (video)
David Farrar: The #nzpol 100
Foreign affairs and trade
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Authoritarian Friends and Democratic Enemies
Richard Harman (Politik): Winning the trade war
Asylum
Daniel McCulloch and Matt Coughlan (Stuff): Australia could agree deal to send Nauru, Manus refugees to New Zealand
Sally Blundell (Listener): Asylum seeker Behrouz Boochani interview: ‘They cannot take the sky away’
Erebus
Michael Wright (Stuff): A sense of ‘relief’ from Erebus families after Jacinda Ardern’s heartfelt apology
Newshub: Families of Erebus victims receive an apology from the Government 40 years on
1News: Prime Minister and Air NZ apologise to families of Erebus air disaster victims, 40 years on from crash
Laine Moger and Caroline Williams (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern apologises for Air New Zealand Erebus tragedy at 40th anniversary event
Herald: Government, Air NZ apologise to family members over Erebus disaster
RNZ: Erebus 40 years on: victims’ families meet with PM Jacinda Ardern, Governor General
RNZ: Erebus disaster: PM offers apology on behalf of NZ government, Air New Zealand
Stuff:In full: Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern’s Erebus apology
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Forty years on from Erebus air disaster two youngest men involved in body recovery return to Antarctica
Breanna Barraclough (1News): Butterflies released at memorial for Air New Zealand crew who died in Erebus disaster
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Lack of Erebus memorial a stain on our past
RNZ: Checkpoint: Apology lifts a lifelong weight for Erebus victim’s daughter
Newshub: Daughter of Erebus flight engineer says apology has lifted a weight off her shoulders
James Fyfe (Newshub): Erebus losses ‘neglected’ for too long – victim’s family member
Education
RNZ: Extra teachers, IT leases, overseas trips put schools in financial trouble
John Lewis (ODT): 13 schools in serious financial difficulty: report
RNZ: Auckland schools’ higher funds creating disparity – Waikato principals
Simon Collins (Herald): Clendon Park School and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu ticked off for overseas trips
Donna-Lee Biddle (Stuff): Free lunches for low-decile school kids: What’s on the menu?
John Fenaughty (Newsroom): Some advice for schools on LGBT bullying
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Med student scammers can enter medical profession after ‘remedial’ work
Elena McPhee (ODT): Med-student misconduct: 50 to complete remedial work
Health
RNZ: Doctors warn if working conditions unchanged ‘suffering of New Zealanders will worsen’
1News: Most New Zealand websites selling vaping products don’t ask for proof of age, research finds
Dan Satherley and Emily O’Connell (Newshub): Most New Zealand online vaping stores don’t check buyers’ ages – study
Jo Moir (RNZ): National MP gives weight to call for Hepatitis Foundation’s board chair to resign
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Concerns over conflicts with Pasifika health funding
Doug Laing (Hawkes Bay Today): The DHB chair mystery: Health minister could cause massive Hawke’s Bay political shake-up (paywalled)
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Patients deserve to know about waiting times – DHB boss
Mike Houlahan (ODT): SDHB waiting lists for radiation oncology treatment are growing again
RNZ: Medical Council investigating convicted murderer Venod Skantha
Fiona Connor (Newshub): Expectant mother says decision to shut Opotiki birthing clinic put women ‘at risk’
RNZ: Samoa measles epidemic: Death toll reaches 39
Housing
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Ngāti Toa become major housing provider for Porirua
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Porirua iwi becomes landlord of 900 state homes
James Caldwell and Mare Haimona-Riki (Māori TV): Northland communities tackling housing crisis
Frances Cook (Herald): Front Page podcast: How new rental laws aim to change the way we live (paywalled)
Jacob McSweeny (ODT): Landlords air property investigation concerns
Todd Niall (Stuff): How Auckland homes became more ‘affordable’ in 2019
Lane Nicholas (Herald): ‘Dramatic reversal’: Auckland housing affordability improves 26% but first home buyers still shut out
David Norman (Herald): Auckland housing affordability improving but more solutions needed (paywalled)
1News: Auckland houses now more affordable compared to four years ago, report says
Ihumātao
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern accused of ‘tokenism’ amid revelation she ignored advice to visit Ihumātao
1News: Fletcher Building bosses front up to shareholders amid Ihumātao negotiations
RNZ: Fletcher chair makes first substantive comments on Ihumātao
Maria Slade (Spinoff): Fletcher Building fields questions on Ihumātao at AGM
Newstalk ZB: Fletcher indicates Ihumātao decision coming before end of year
Transport
Newstalk ZB: Julie Anne-Genter: Rapid transit, public transport still best for Wellington
Giles Dexter (Newshub): Government to put warning signs before all speed cameras
Amy Williams (RNZ): Auckland school welcomes lower speed limits: ‘Slower cars means safer kids’
Kendall Hutt (Herald): Government to lower speed limits around schools
Herald: Government to bring in speed limit cuts around every school in NZ
RNZ: Driving speeds around schools to be reduced – government
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Our streets aren’t safe enough’: Reduced speed limits around schools to be made mandatory
1News: Government to reduce speed limits around schools
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Nationwide transport ticketing project behind schedule by two years
Simon Wilson (Herald): Fast, frequent, driverless and elevated – the super light rail plan for Auckland (paywalled)
Joel Maxwell (Stuff): Transmission Gully motorway construction ‘considerably behind’ schedule
Ōwairaka/Mt Albert
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Ōwairaka restoration: Rift grows between protesters and tangata whenua
Harrison Christian (Stuff): Mt Albert tree removal: Protesters labelled ‘woke, entitled Pākehā’ at hui
Michael Neilson (Herald): Ōwairaka/Mt Albert tree protesters slammed as ‘woke, entitled Pākehā’ at maunga hui
Yvonne Tahana (1News): Hui fails to resolve dispute over planned felling of exotic trees on Auckland’s Mt Albert
Landfill levy
Dan Satherley and Mel Logan (Newshub): Phil Goff hits out at landlords living in ‘yesterday’s world’
Taroi Black (Māori TV): Para Kore kaupapa welcomes increased landfill levy to save Papatūānuku
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Why not appoint Shane Jones as Minister of Waste to tackle landfills?
Gender pay gap
1News: Gap in gender pay closes but Pacific women are being left behind, figures show
Vita Molyneux and Lydia Lewis (Newshub): Kiwi female doctors earn 12 percent less than male doctors
Belinda Feek (Herald): Research uncovers stark gender pay gap among NZ medical specialists
Business confidence
Liam Dann (Herald): Business confidence rebounds – ‘the vibe is changing’
RNZ: Business confidence lifts to highest level in a year
David Hargreaves (Interest): ANZ survey shows jump in business confidence
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): Businesses start to crawl out of their despondency (paywalled)
Environment and conservation
Max Towle (RNZ): What would Jesus do … about climate change?
Mike Watson (Taranaki Daily News): Greenpeace protestors head to Taranaki for further disruption of oil field support ship
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Climate posturing wins over genuine action
Lois Williams (RNZ): Ngāti Waewae warns Forest and Bird to back off over Waitaha
Skara Bohny (Nelson Mail):Iwi want vehicle access to sacred Nelson estuary blocked, fishers want permanent access
Regan Paranihi (Māori TV): More tracks to reopen in Waitākere Ranges
Katrina Megget (Listener): Can Te Araroa Trail survive the influx of hikers?
Chloe Ranford (Stuff): Council moves to protect fossil-covered beaches from quad-biking fishermen
Gun law changes
Andrew McRae (RNZ): New gun laws should not be linked to Christchurch Mosque attacks – Muslims
Ruby Nyika (Stuff): Gangs, gun owners, Islamic group submit on gun law changes
Andrew McRae (RNZ): Mongrel Mob on ‘racist’ legislation: ‘Guns don’t kill, people kill people’
Local government
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Admins of community Facebook group threatened with lawsuit over post criticising Far North District Council
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Patangata Bridge a step closer to repair
Barry Clarke (Star News): Opinion: Tell us how the $30k was spent
Ports of Auckland move
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom):Auckland port debate building to a crescendo
Michael Barnett (Herald): Port move requires a business case – not a cot case (paywalled)
Primary industries
RNZ: Farmers feeling financial pressures – Federated Farmers banking survey
Brent Edwards (NBR): Farmers feeling more pressure from their banks (paywalled)
Chris Morris (ODT): ‘Invermay is here to stay’
Jono Edwards (ODT): Paua ban for coast north of city
Provincial Growth Fund
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Firms gain $513,000 of PGF funding
Luisa Girao (ODT): Engineering injection game-changer for Southland
Luisa Girao (ODT): Extra funding will help youth find their best career paths
Georgie Ormond (Herald): Local Focus: More PGF putea for the provinces including value-added forestry in Marton
Tiwai Point
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Government seeking advice on smelter’s request for transmission relief (paywalled)
Jeanette Fitzsimons (Spinoff): A modest proposal for the future of the smelter at Tiwai Point
Reserve Bank
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Reserve Bank: Banks could loosen test on borrowers
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): The RBNZ’s Financial Stability Report highlights an increasingly proactive regulator
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Reserve Bank eyes insurer solvency impacted by low interest rates
David Hargreaves (Interest): ASB economists change their call and now don’t expect an OCR cut in February
Northland power outage
RNZ: Bird deterrant spikes to be installed on pylons to prevent outages
David Fisher (Herald): Official: Experts name bird poo as the most likely reason for the Northland power cut
RNZ: Bird poo likely cause of Northland power outage
Cook Islands same-sex relations ban
RNZ: Most Cook Islanders support same-sex relations ban – committee
RNZ: Criminalisation of homosexuality in Cooks a colonial inheritance – NZ MP
Animal welfare
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland rodeo cancels 2020 event due to animal cruelty protesters
Matthew Theunissen (RNZ): Vegan and meat-eater activists take their beef to the streets
Other
Press Editorial: Youthquake is putting more teenagers into power
RNZ: Police were justified shooting at man 12 times – IPCA
Karl du Fresne:We need to talk about Islam
David Williams (Newsroom): Islamic women’s group threatened
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Christchurch attack: White supremacist Philip Arps’ second jail sentence appeal dismissed
Gia Garrick (1News): Overseas companies to start collecting GST on low cost products sold to Kiwis
1News: Cotton On workers across New Zealand set to strike on Black Friday
Katie Todd (RNZ): Aerospace industry targets Christchurch for space hub
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Hydrogen push NZ’s chance to take the wheel (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Canada’s example shows the dangers of legalising cannabis
Nathan Smith (NBR): NZ health stats limit prosperity, UK think tank says (paywalled)
Anne Gibson (Herald): Convention centre fire: what’s the future for SkyCity’s $703m building? (paywalled)
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Bad things happen: Giving our money to the banks for nix
Greg Treadwell and Tara Ros (Newsroom): Stonewalled by the Powerball: Open your books, Lotto
RNZ: The Detail: A Coroner’s life of death
Herald Editorial: NZ named ‘Best place on Earth’, but do we deserve the crown? (paywalled)
RNZ: NZ lamb industry unfazed as British supermarket Waitrose ends imports
