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
Political donations
Guyon Espiner and Kate Newton (RNZ): NZ First Foundation received tens of thousands of dollars from donors in horse racing industry
Audrey Young (Herald): Why Winston Peters won’t be standing aside during the SFO investigation (paywalled)
Jane Patterson (RNZ): The risks over political donations abound
Herald Editorial: Clouds over political donations need dispersal (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): NZ First donation scandal kicks off wild election year
Mark Quinlivan and Ella Prendergast (Newshub: Election 2020: Donation allegations likely to sink New Zealand First – political scientist
Duncan Garner (Stuff): NZ First donation debacle threatens to derail Winston Peters in an election year
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s change of tack on trusting Winston Peters
Zane Small (Newshub): Winston Peters defends Jacinda Ardern amid questions over her trust in him
Richard Harman: At Winston Peters’ request … (paywalled)
Jason Walls (Herald): ‘I was not involved in any way’ – Winston Peters distances himself from possible SFO probe
Jo Moir (RNZ): Peters returns to Parliament as foundation faces investigation
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): NZ First saga: Simon Bridges leaves door open for future cooperation with Winston Peters
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Winston Peters distances himself from the NZ First Foundation; Simon Bridges doesn’t rule out working with NZ First beyond this election
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Winston Peters stands by party in face of Serious Fraud Office referral
Jason Walls (Herald): Winston Peters lies low and New Zealand First MPs close ranks before caucus meeting this morning
Derek Cheng (Herald): Q&A – All you need to know about the New Zealand First Foundation and electoral laws (paywalled)
Newstalk ZB: Questions remain over donations made to NZ First Foundation
RNZ: The Detail: A rapid escalation – NZ First’s donations issue
Ben Thomas (Metro): 2008 all over again? The problems for Winston Peters and NZ First keep mounting
RNZ
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Concert FM’s lesson in realpolitik
Hayden Donnell and Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: FM x 3- but not for the price of 2
Brian Rudman (Herald): Government needs to tune in to Concert radio complaints (paywalled)
Brian Easton (Pundit): Muddled Thinking About RNZ
David Cohen (BusinessDesk): Muddled orchestration in RNZ’s Concert Radio pitch (paywalled)
Joe Bennett (Stuff): Dear RNZ bosses, young people aren’t an homogeneous herd
Laurence Kubiak (Stuff): Destroying RNZ Concert would simply create a new imbalance
Vicki Anderson (Stuff): Wave your Brahms in the air: why people care about Concert FM
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): ‘Democratise classical music’: Conductor calls for RNZ to engage youth with classical music
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): RNZ chairman welcomes chance to keep Concert on FM, but no final word on jobs
Herald: RNZ board backs down, Concert to stay on FM
RNZ: ‘Miscommunication over one key point’ in Concert plans – RNZ head
Salvation Army State of the Nation report
Danielle Clent (Stuff): Youth suicide, struggling families highlighted in Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report
James Fyfe (Newshub): Salvation Army report highlights ‘stubborn’ poverty, ‘sharp increase’ in teen suicide rate
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Salvation Army says government hasn’t done enough for impoverished families
Amelia Wade (Herald): Auckland housing surplus revealed in Salvation Army report
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Sallies: Upping supply not the silver bullet to solving NZ’s housing woes
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): The wins and losses in the new Sallies’ State of the Nation report
Political advertising
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Bridges says National won’t tone down ads after ASA ruling
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National loses appeal over Facebook ad ruled ‘misleading’
Herald: National’s car tax ad misleading: Advertising Standards Authority Appeal Board
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Advertising Standards Authority rejects National’s appeal over misleading ‘car tax’ advert
Anna Whyte (TVNZ): National appeal dismissed by ASA over ‘misleading’ Facebook ad
Election
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Ruling out Peters doesn’t change the electorate as much as you think
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Some electorates not possible — commission
National Party
Anna Whyte (TVNZ): National’s pre-election clear-out continues as Sarah Dowie, David Carter and Nicky Wagner say they won’t stand
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie unexpectedly retires from Parliament
ODT: Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie to quit Parliament after scandal-plagued term
Michael Hayward (Stuff): National MPs Nicky Wagner and David Carter to retire at election
Jason Walls (Herald): Sarah Dowie, David Carter, Nicky Wagner – National MPs not contesting 2020 election
Zane Small (Newshub): National MPs Nicky Wagner and David Carter retiring after election, Sarah Dowie will not contest Invercargill
Brent Edwards (NBR): National’s reshuffle as three MPs depart politics (paywalled)
RNZ: National Party to lose three more MPs before elections
Newstalk ZB: MP Nicky Wagner moving on from politics
Environment, conservation
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Coalition split on mining ban (paywalled)
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Upton lights fire under ministers over flawed water quality tool
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Calling bullshit on free allocation
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Not leading
Angus Robson (Stuff): So PM, where’s the action on clean water?
David Williams (Newsroom): National park to be fenced to block cattle
RNZ: Govt’s approach to amending RMA breaches Treaty – Ngāi Tahu
Transport, roading
Damian George (Stuff): National wants to outspend Labour on transport but can’t say how it will do it
Joel MacManus (Stuff): National promises ‘revamped’ Let’s Get Wellington Moving package
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Major road projects could be resurrected in Wellington under National
Harry Lock (RNZ): National promises Let’s Get Wellington Moving transport ‘rework’
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): National will outspend Labour on transport, with a big commitment to roads
Georgina Campbell (Herald): National commits to reworking Let’s Get Wellington Moving
TVNZ: Four out of 10 vehicles on NZ roads have failed a WOF inspection, association warns
Coronavirus
Risa Utama (Newshub): Scientists call for ‘urgent review’ of how NZ is protecting itself from coronavirus
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Coronavirus outbreak hitting forestry industry, Māori families hard
Lee Kenny (Press): Coronavirus travel restrictions block 500 University of Canterbury students
TVNZ: Chinese students in NZ facing racism, discrimination over coronavirus
Anna Whyte (TVNZ): ‘Breaking people out of quarantine’ on coronavirus-stricken cruise ship off the table – Ardern
Breanna Barraclough and Andrew Macfarlane (TVNZ): ‘Save us!’ – Kiwis trapped on board coronavirus-quarantined ship’s desperate appeal to the Government
Liu Chen (RNZ): Coronavirus: New Zealand’s evacuees settle in to life in quarantine
Jamie Gray (Herald): NZ-China export meat prices halved as coronavirus bites (paywalled)
Peter Cullen (Stuff): Can Coronavirus keep New Zealand workers from work?
Colmar Brunton poll on youth concerns
TVNZ: New Zealand youths’ top concern revealed in Colmar Brunton poll
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): ‘Willful negligence’ not to act on climate change, say teens
Dita De Boni (NBR): Half of Kiwis are changing their ways over climate change: survey (paywalled)
Local government
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Napier City Council CEO Wayne Jack understood to be negotiating exit package worth close to $1m
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Two potential candidates raise hands for Motueka by-election, cost may top $50,000
Dominic Harris and Tina Law (Press): Parking fees hike for central Christchurch branded ‘nonsensical’
Mike Moore
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Mike Moore, one of a kind, think about it
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Politicians pay tribute to Mike Moore on first sitting day
Economy
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Spend up by wily smokers (and tobacco sellers) helps keep Government’s books in surplus (paywalled)
TVNZ: Government says finances in ‘strong position’ to withstand coronavirus impact
Housing
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Whanganui woman claims Kāinga Ora violated her privacy with postcard detailing rent
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Housing major concern in Dunedin
Emma Dangerfield (Stuff): Tiny homes manufacturer rallying the troops for a hikoi to the steps of Parliament
Tiwai Point
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Path cleared for aluminium smelter to get discount on $64m annual Transpower bill
Vaughan Elder (ODT): Change could cut smelter power bill
Health
Janet Peters & David Codyre (Herald): Effective responses needed for mental health crises (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Mike King to join 2000km tractor trek ahead of Gumboot Friday
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Sick Canterbury patient was forced from the hospital wearing pyjamas, died two days later – Health and Disability Commissioner
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Dead man’s mother on critical health report: People ‘deserve to die with dignity’
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Government’s belated measles response another failure in year of delivery
Ben Heather (Dominion Post): Asbestos contamination fears delay Wellington children’s hospital build
Taika Waititi Oscar win
Zane Small (Newshub): Labour MP Tāmati Coffey hits out at NZ media for calling Taika Waititi a ‘Kiwi’ filmmaker
RNZ: Taika Waititi’s Oscar win positive but more indigenous storytellers needed – Māori director
Bob Jones – Renae Maihi defamation trial
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Sir Bob Jones didn’t read petition he claims defamed him
Stuff: Author of Jones knighthood-stripping petition was ‘attention seeking’, court told
Other
Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern hosts private Whānau Ora summit at Premier House (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Revealed: Who Kiwis think should be NZ First leader if Winston Peters stands down
Michael Hayward (Stuff): Review recommends Christchurch earthquake recovery laws scrapped
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Minister pledges support to drought-stricken Northland farmers
Warwick Elley (Listener): Must do better: Why Kiwi teens are sliding on international tests
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Oranga Tamariki faces more backlash as south Auckland ‘youth prison’ bid gathers steam
Dita De Boni (NBR): Booting youth off the couch and into employment (paywalled)
Dean Hall (Spinoff): While Weta gets $41m a year, the game industry gets nothing but empty words
TVNZ: ‘A different pathway’ – top cop calls for community backing to tackle Hawke’s Bay gang crime
Max Towle (RNZ): Wellington would struggle for enough water to fight fires post-quake
RNZ Checkpoint: Taskforce Ruru: The fight against child exploitation
Sam Hurley (Herald): Supreme Court says no to Kiwi Party’s ‘leapfrog’ appeal over legality of Government’s firearms ban
Juha Saarinen (Herald): Why an internet filter will falter (paywalled)
Dominion Post Editorial: The struggle to define and defeat racism in New Zealand
Peter Cresswell: The package deal of ‘hate speech’
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): Conduct review triggers RBNZ whistleblower service (paywalled)
RNZ: Westpac to pay $3.7m to customers over credit cards
