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
NZ First donations scandal
Guyon Espiner and Kate Newton (RNZ): NZ First Foundation trustee was lobbying for donor
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Are Labour and Greens behaving unethically over donations scandal? (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Interest): The problems and options the Labour Party and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have with the SFO probing the NZ First Foundation
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Time for some Prime Ministerial authority (paywalled)
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Jacinda Ardern can’t forever remain blind to what’s going on around her
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Jacinda Ardern’s reaction to Winston Peters is spineless
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Damage control: Jacinda Ardern faces torrent of Winston-related questions
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern washes hands of NZ First Foundation photos saga
TVNZ: ‘Nope’ – Ardern denies she’s going easy on controversy-hit NZ First with election just months away
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern says NZ First scandal not a priority, but squeezes in a meeting with Elton John
Jason Walls (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern again fails to pull Winston Peters into line over controversial photos
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern supporting Winston Peters’ ‘unethical behaviour’ – Paula Bennett
1News: Paula Bennett calls for Winston Peters to be stood down as deputy PM, claims Ardern is ‘running scared’
Jason Walls (Herald): National says Jacinda Ardern is adopting a ‘see no evil, hear no evil’ approach to Winston Peters
RNZ: National says Peters not fit to be deputy prime minister if involved in covert photos
National Party donations scandal
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Not one, but two $100k donations to National in court
David Farrar: Two donations involved in donation case
National’s economic policy, tax
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): 6 Things worth knowing from Bridges’ big speech
Liam Dann (Herald): National’s economic plan: Simon Bridges’ sets sights on ‘your back pocket’ (paywalled)
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Good news for Simon Bridges: his big tax idea is already happening
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Bridges hammers trust, competence in economic pitch
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Finance Minister questions National’s tax policy
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Is that it?’ Grant Robertson blasts Simon Bridges’ ‘vague and empty’ economic plan
Zane Small (Newshub): Tax cuts under National? Simon Bridges admits ‘playing cat and mouse games’ keeps public interested
John Anthony (Stuff): Tax breaks top of the agenda for National Party, leader Simon Bridges says
RNZ: National’s economic stance: Simon Bridges targets tax cuts ahead of 2020 election
Brent Edwards (NBR): NZ a land of lost opportunity, says Simon Bridges
David Cormack (Herald): The truth about tax cuts is they only benefit the rich (paywalled)
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): Top tax rate threshold should be raised – economist
Coronavirus
TVNZ: ‘Complacent’ New Zealand needs to ramp up coronavirus response amid global pandemic fears
TVNZ: Majority of Kiwis think Government has responded appropriately to coronavirus, poll finds
RNZ: Regional tourism bodies welcome government tourism package in response to coronavirus
Anna Whyte (TVNZ): Prime Minister announces $11m for tourism sector impacted by coronavirus disruption
Derek Cheng (Herald): Government invests $11m into tourism after coronavirus fears
TVNZ: Jacinda Ardern warns NZ’s economy will take a hit from covid-19 outbreak
RNZ: Covid-19 to have a negative impact on NZ’s GDP – Ardern
Julie Iles (NBR): Govt lowers GDP growth estimates, announces $11m tourism package (paywalled)
Newstalk ZB: Universities seek coronavirus travel ban exemption for student
TVNZ: Remaining Kiwis stranded on Diamond Princess cruise to be evacuated on Wednesday
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Covid-19: New Zealanders on cruise ship face more quarantine on return home
Breanna Barraclough and Andrew Macfarlane (TVNZ): Kiwi quarantined on coronavirus cruise ship frustrated at Government evacuation proposal
James Fyfe (Newshub): Australia-New Zealand mission to evacuate citizens from Diamond Princess possible – Ardern
TVNZ: Australia offers to bring Kiwis home who’re stuck on cruise ship in Japan amid coronavirus outbreak
Liu Chen (RNZ): People struggle to find places to self-quarantine amid coronavirus outbreak
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Planning ‘well underway’ to reintegrate New Zealanders after quarantine in Whangaparaoa
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): Coronavirus disrupts NZ’s tourism systems
Environment and conservation
Russel Norman (Spinoff): One simple trick to make your emissions record look less abysmal
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Oversubsidising polluters
David Williams (Newsroom): Water consent granted after DoC no-show
Emma Perry (ODT): Reserve network could cost fishing $3m
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Native trees at risk of developer chainsaws
Sue Strang (Newshub): DoC lays charges against dog owner after canines kill kiwi
TVNZ: Coromandel dog owner facing court over deaths of two kiwi
Rio Tinto
ODT Editorial: Where’s the fairness for Mataura?
RNZ: Handshake deal to clean up dross after Mataura floods goes sour
Child welfare
James Fyfe and Ella Prendergast (Newshub): Justice Minister Andrew Little rules out revoking right to silence, lawyer concerned change could lead to wrongful convictions
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Time for the right to silence to be abolished, says Children’s Commissioner
George Block (Stuff): Uncles claim Flaxmere boy’s earlier injuries caused from falling off a bouncy castle
Georgia May Gilbertson (Stuff): Four-year-old boy remains in hospital, no arrests made
Ministry of Justice Report on family violence
Bess Manson (Stuff): ‘79,000 victims, 79,000 too many’ says Justice Minister
Luke Appleby (TVNZ): New domestic violence stats show psychological abuse as common as physical
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Shocking figures reveal 80,000 Kiwi adults offended against by family members
Health
Carmen Parahi (Stuff): Minister says no to Māori health authority for now
Nick Truebridge (Stuff): Middlemore doctor slams Government over obesity ‘inaction’
Louisa Steyl (Stuff): Health care workers in Gore to protest Healthcare NZ plans
Catherine Groenestein (Stuff): Taranaki Healthcare NZ workers protest restructuring proposals
Te Karere: Two Māori midwives who helped create Plunket recognised as organisation changes name
RNZ: Plunket logo acknowledges founding Māori midwives
TVNZ: Elderly dementia patients ‘suffered unnecessary and avoidable pain, distress’ at rest homes, watchdog says
Housing
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Kāinga Ora rejects council criticism
Harry Locke (RNZ): ‘Beyond the pale’: Councils respond to Kāinga Ora powers
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Here’s how the Government could force you to sell your house for state housing
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Quake-strengthening opens door to debt ‘nightmare’
Matt Tso (Stuff): Kāinga Ora reassessing development after pressure from Lower Hutt residents
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Rental reforms: Landlords slam end to 90-day ‘no cause’ eviction notices
Andrew King (Herald): Make home insulation and heating tax deductible (paywalled)
Immigration
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Our cruel yeah-nah migration ‘policy’
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Immigration deadlock: ‘Endless waiting has destroyed all my dreams’
RNZ: The Detail: Kiwi immigrants on picking up their culture, generations on
Energy
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Energy minister seeks intervention power if gas runs short (paywalled)
TVNZ: Consumers fear proposed new electricity market could drive up cost of power bills
Employment
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Workplace deaths: WorkSafe making amends for ‘low quality data’
Blair Ensor (Stuff): Super Liquor franchisee Nekita Enterprises ‘exploited staff’
Education
James Fyfe (Newshub): University of Auckland student launches legal action over enrolment termination after suicide attempt
Hinemoa Elder (Spinoff): The world is splitting open. We are telling the truth about our lives – and taking our place in science
Local government
Katie Todd (RNZ): Councils in tsunami firing line not doing enough – research
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Dunedin council ‘fleeced’ Central Otago and Queenstown with $117m Aurora dividends
Robin Martin (RNZ): Yarrow Stadium upgrade funding application request galls sport groups
Cannabis referendum
TVNZ: Family First brings US author to NZ to talk about dangers of cannabis ahead of legalisation referendum
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Cannabis referendum: Anti-marijuana book author’s warning to New Zealand
Corrections
RNZ: Corrections admits it failed to provide adequate medical care for prisoner
TVNZ: Corrections told to apologise to prisoner who didn’t receive pain medication for conditions
PM meets Elton John
TVNZ: PM reveals meeting with Sir Elton John before concert last night – ‘We didn’t duet’
Jason Walls (Herald):Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met Sir Elton John before his Auckland show last night
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern meets Sir Elton John: PM reflects on ‘incredible’ and ‘generous’ performance
Stuff: Jacinda Ardern caught up with ‘incredibly unwell’ Elton John in Auckland
Other
Chris Trotter: Burning Down The House: Will The Greens Be The Death Of The Left?
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Ousted Auditor-General Martin Matthews heads back to Parliament
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): What Treasury said about bank capital & deposit protection to make the RBNZ flip out
Evan Harding (Southland Times): ‘We all do things we are not proud of’ says outgoing Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): With NZ First sliding into political irrelevance, can the Maori Party save Jacinda?
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Newsroom should be embarrassed by their ACT Party smear
Sue Bradford (Pundit): Donations & Loss Of Property Rights Means Racing Bill Should Be Withdrawn Immediately
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): BNZ warns combination of drought and coronavirus create ‘plausible’ risk of recession (paywalled)
David Hargreaves (Interest): BNZ economists say a recession is a ‘very real risk’
TVNZ: Gang-affiliated Australian deportees contributing to spike in illegal drug importations – Customs Minister
Laine Moger (Stuff): Auckland’s big dry: Claim city had 40 days without rain was not correct for all
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Police justify actions of officer spotted with gun picking up takeaways
1News: Auckland art installation highlights ‘shocking’ number of Kiwi babies born into poverty
Stuff: Airbnb wants national rules for short term rental accommodation
RNZ: Airbnb seeks to work with councils on regulatory issues
Sela Jane Hopgood (RNZ): Call for more Māori and Pasifika in NZ’s tech sector
Debrin Foxcroft (Stuff): US billionaire Julian Robertson applies to open a luxury lodge on Waiheke Island
Conor Whitten (Newshub): Shane Martin deported from Australia again after trying to claim asylum
Kereama Wright (Māori TV): Ngāti Awa welcomes its fourth judge
