New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.
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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

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

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