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
Claire Trevett (Herald): Winston Peters’ donations dieback disease (paywalled)
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Three takes on how the political donation system should change
Ben Thomas (Spinoff): So many questions as Winston Peters goes live on Facebook
Jo Moir (RNZ): Winston Peters on Foundation donations: ‘I did not receive any money’
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Peters fires blanks with social media ‘artillery’
Derek Cheng (Herald): Winston Peters says donors are entitled to anonymity
Jason Walls (Herald): NZ First leader Winston Peters will answer questions about NZ First Foundation via Facebook live
Jason Walls (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says recent criticism of Winston Peters ‘is not fair’
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Winston Peters should stand down as Racing Minister
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Winston Peters could drag Jacinda Ardern out of office
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): National calls for NZ First budget decisions to be probed following donor revelation
RNZ: Simon Bridges says NZ First Foundation investigation should be SFO priority
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National leader Simon Bridges rules out Winston Peters forever as donation scandal swirls
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): National seeks audit of NZ First ministers’ PGF decisions
Parliament
Audrey Young (Herald): First debate of the year marred by Mallard’s insults to Bridges (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Neshub): Nothing sacred and no one spared in Parliament’s first day back for 2020
TVNZ: Party leaders lay down plans – and trade insults – as Parliament meets for first time this year
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Simon Bridges says NZ must ‘stop making excuses’ for Jacinda Ardern in fiery debate
Zane Small (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research: Kiwis polled on Simon Bridges and Jacinda Ardern’s performance
Press Editorial: Wait for history to judge politics
Salvation Army State of the Nation report
TVNZ: Salvation Army calls for 30 per cent increase to benefits as ‘desperate’ Kiwis struggle to feed and house themselves
Newstalk ZB: Salvation Army unimpressed by government’s ‘year of delivery’
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Salvation Army’s latest report shows Government failing New Zealand’s poorest
Martyn Bradbury: Salvation Army report on Poverty: If only we could respond with the same speed and decisiveness we can to keep Concert on FM
RNZ Concert FM cuts, iwi radio
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): A crescendo just crushed the Concert restructure. So what next for RNZ?
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): RNZ ‘shelves Concert consultations’; talks would need to start from scratch
RNZ: RNZ holds off on plans to restructure Concert
RNZ: RNZ Concert proposal ‘disastrously handled’ – Helen Clark
Mandy Te (Stuff): Petition given to Radio New Zealand following Concert stoush
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Is Concert FM really the biggest issue right now for Jacinda Ardern?
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Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Iwi radio demand greater urgency for survival after action on RNZ Concert
Alice Webb-Liddall (Spinoff): There’s a NZ radio crisis that needs fighting for. It’s called iwi radio
Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Survey paints grim picture of schooling for children with disabilities
Emma Russell (Herald): ‘Appalling’ : Almost one in three children with disabilities unlawfully denied school enrolment
Zane Small (Newshub): Teacher urges MPs to stop teaching of gender diversity in New Zealand schools
Mandy Te, Andre Chumko (Stuff): No students to teach, but staff still paid at Wairarapa’s Tuturumuri School
Susan Bates (ODT): Children need best quality care, teaching
Rodney Hide (NBR): When investment in graduates is a waste of money (paywaled)
Jonathon Harper (North&South): Why is public money going into homeopathy courses?
Coronavirus
Richard Harman (Politik): Government goes into emergency mode to deal with Coronavirus
Wu Xi (Newshub): China is winning the fight against coronavirus – NZ should lift travel ban
RNZ: Government to help forestry sector affected by delays in China
RNZ: China bound: Forestry companies restart log harvesting
John Anthony (Stuff): Travellers from China denied check in, turned away at border, Immigration New Zealand says
Simon Collins (Herald): School bars Filipino kids as coronavirus panic spreads
Herald Editorial: Coronavirus fears risk dividing society (paywalled)
RNZ: Coronavirus: Self-isolated Kiwis can’t wait for quarantine to be over
RNZ: Coronavirus update: NZers in self-isolation urged to register
RNZ: Covid-19: Healthline to contact all February China arrivals within days
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Dozens of students in self-quarantine for virus
Herald: 50 Kiwis tested for coronavirus, all come back negative
Jason Walls (Herald): Coronavirus cost to economy: New Zealand could take $250 million hit
Mike Wesley-Smith (Newshub): Queenstown tourism suffering due to coronavirus outbreak
Whānau Ora
Audrey Young (Herald): Ardern instructs minister after Whanau Ora summit at Premier House (paywalled)
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Te Puni Kōkiri: Some Whānau Ora money sits with other agencies
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Maori leaders find oranga in discussions with PM
Newstalk ZB: Whanau Ora calls for more government funding to stop children from dying
Rio Tinto
Conan Young (RNZ): Rio Tinto behaviour ‘disgraceful’, Environment Minister David Parker says
RNZ: Gore council fuming after deal to move dross turned down
Laura Smith (ODT): Ouvea removal stopped
Laura Smith (ODT): ‘Devastated’: Anger as deal to move toxic chemicals falls over
Environment
Lois Williams (RNZ): ‘A great injustice’ – no recompense for wetland owners
Mikaela Collins (Northern Advocate): Farming advocates say $80,000 support a good start
RNZ: Some weather events ‘impossible to plan for’ – Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor
Zac Fleming (Newshub): New drought map shows New Zealand’s severely dry conditions
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Drought conditions in upper North Island rival one of country’s worst droughts on record – NIWA
Susan Botting (Stuff): Whangārei water cuts likely as district looks to supply Far North and Kaipara
Local government
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Auckland Mayor Phil Goff refuses repeat requests for interview on state of ailing Manukau Harbour
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Auckland Council error delays rates bills for 14,000 customer
Herald: Aucklanders – look at your newly acquired slice of paradise
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Environment Canterbury boss Bill Bayfield to lead new drinking water regulator
Chloe Ranford (Stuff): Plans to review glyphosate use at Marlborough parks and reserves
RNZ: Plan to review glyphosate use in Marlborough parks and reserves welcomed
Damian George (Stuff): Wellingtonians urged to have their say on council’s proposed parking policy
RNZ: Council grapples with cost to replace bridge with access to urupā
ODT Editorial: Ticket to thrive?
Housing
Jenny McArthur and Jacqueline Paul (Newsroom): Housing policy as if young people mattered – and voted
Rob Stock (Stuff): NZ’s new home sizes are shrinking, but mega-homes continue to be built
Simon Shepherd (Newshub): Wellington mum shares ‘scary’ struggle to find affordable housing
Monetary policy
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Adrian Orr welcomes Government stimulus package, but concerned it might crowd out private investment
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Reserve Bank holds interest rate and assumes coronavirus impact will die down before July
Liam Dann (Herald): Reserve Bank keeps calm and carries on (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): RBNZ has luxury to take a half glass full approach
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Reserve Bank plays down coronavirus, predicting ‘wealth effect’ will boost economy (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Coronavirus hangs over interest rate decision (paywalled)
TVNZ: Reserve Bank expects economic impact of coronavirus to be of ‘short duration’ in NZ as it leaves OCR unchanged
RNZ: Reserve Bank of New Zealand keeps Official Cash Rate at 1 percent
David Hargreaves (Interest): RBNZ leaves OCR at 1%; assumes coronavirus impact will be short
Budget
Herald: Budget day: Finance Minister Grant Robertson reveals May 14 date
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Grant Robertson announces Budget 2020 will be delivered on May 14
Bob Jones-Renae Maihi defamation case, hate speech
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Defining Issues
Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): Sir Bob Jones “Assuredly not racist” says Winston Peters chief of staff
Stuff: Sir Robert Jones says he’s the last person in the world you could call racist
Cushla Norman (TVNZ): Debate about what constitutes racism as Sir Bob Jones defamation case continues
Health
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Board denies hospital business case rejected
Shannon Redstall (Newshub): Northlanders fed up with waiting ‘weeks’ to see a doctor
Intelligence agencies
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Spies hedge on Huawei, highlight rise in racism reports
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Spy chiefs reveal Kiwis inspired by March 15 terror attack among those monitored
Derek Cheng (Herald): ‘Significant’ rise in tip-offs about racists and white supremacists since March 15, SIS says
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): More tip-offs on extremist views after mosque attacks – SIS boss
TVNZ: New Zealand terror alert level still raised almost a year on from Christchurch attacks
Gangs
Anna Whyte (TVNZ): Cops ‘in control’ in Bay of Plenty after shooting leaves two dead – Police Minister
Kim Moodie (Herald): Tauranga shootings: Armed police sent in to battle increasing violence in the city
TVNZ: Tauranga’s mayor calls for more police amid ‘extraordinary rise of violence’ in Bay of Plenty
Newshub: Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell ‘appalled’ at escalating gang violence
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Waikato Mongrel Mob clash with National over proposed gang crackdown
TVNZ: Extra police deployed in Manawatu after string of gang-related shootings
RNZ: Member’s bill drawn aims to target gang members over firearms
Other
Kate MacNamara (Stuff): Critics of the Official Information Act have long described it as broken; here’s what that looks like
Newstalk ZB: Simon Bridges dismisses concerns over National MPs departure
Todd Niall (Stuff): Put regions in the economic development driving seat – report
Derek Cheng (Herald): Changes to proposed gun law reform described as a ‘cop-out’
Susan St John (Daily Blog): Petty, intrusive, destructive and just plain wrong
Derek Cheng (Herald): Pike River recovery: 238m in, 2km to go, more money needed
TVNZ: Racist ad spreads through community Facebook groups by ‘bogus’ real estate page
Scott Palmer (Newshub): South Auckland real estate agent’s Facebook page ‘hacked’ to post racist ad
Zane Small (Newshub): Labour list candidate Sam McDonald accused of ‘online harassment’ by National’s youth wing
BusinessDesk: Govt focus shifts from financial regulation to literacy: Faafoi
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern praised for ‘legendary’ Instagram response
RNZ: KiwiSaver provider reveals hackers have stolen customers’ data
RNZ: Amokura Kawharu appointed first Māori president of Law Commission
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Meet Ella: New Zealand Police unveil first artificial intelligence officer
