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
Donations scandals
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Who are the people at the centre of the SFO political donation row?
Collette Devlin (Stuff): The Serious Fraud Office takes months on big political decisions. Here’s why.
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: National’s embarrassing donation scandal (paywalled)
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern says Labour is checking its donations records in wake of SFO case
David Farrar: No doubt NZ First hides donors
RNZ: National Party donations case: ‘I am now being painted as the scapegoat’ – Jami-Lee Ross
TVNZ: Goldsmith reiterates SFO charges over donations to National don’t relate ‘directly to us’, during John Campbell interview
Julie Iles (NBR): Why corporate political donations are fading away (paywalled)
Cat MacLennan (RNZ): Time for state-funded political parties to replace donations
No Right Turn: Time for public funding of our political parties
Election
Simon Connell (Pundit): “Seriously But Not Literally” Kiwi Edition; Or, The Dark Art Of The Double Secret Dog Whistle
Brent Edwards (NBR): Bridges attempts ‘Everyman’ appeal (paywalled)
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Simon Bridges confident National can breach Labour’s southern stronghold
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Resignations, allegations swirl within Sustainable NZ
Jessica Mutch, Benedict Collins and Maiki Sherman (1News): Inside Parliament: Sunshine, idiot and the nail in the coffin (video)
Molly Houseman (ODT): Politicians keen to mix and mingle
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Why Labour need Efeso Collins running in the new electorate of Flat Bush and why Luke Wijohn & Steve Able’s candidacy is another win for the Greens
Education
1News: Revealed: Ministry of Education proposes ditching 16 subjects for NCEA Level 1
RNZ: Education Ministry announces changes to NCEA
Jason Walls (Herald): The Ministry of Education is proposing some significant changes to NCEA level one
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Schools resist enrolling children with bad behaviour as principals say they face a ‘growing sea of violence’
Perry Rush (Herald): Our children are being failed by a clunky bureaucracy (paywalled)
John Lewis (ODT): More physical and verbal violence by southern pupils
Karen Pasco (ODT): Mayor upset SIT assets lost to city in merger
Imran Ali (Northern Advocate): NorthTec tutors reject pay offer, take industrial action
Taroi Black (Māori TV): Kura teachers’ tsunami plan: “Sit on rooftops and wait”
School lunch scheme
Georgia May Gilbertson (Stuff): Flaxmere kids beam at sight of Prime Minister who announces free lunches for NZ Schools
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern serves up first of many free school lunches in Hawke’s Bay
Hawkes Bay Today: How to get a free school lunch: PM serves up food for Flaxmere kids as part of new scheme
1News: Jacinda Ardern visits Hastings school as free lunch trial rolls out
John Lewis (ODT): Southern schools ready to join free lunch programme
Dan Satherley (Newshub): What kids are getting to eat for free at school
Kim Moodie (Herald): Free school lunches: MasterChef NZ judge Simon Gault’s verdict on the food
Coronavirus
Gordon Campbell On our unreal optimism about the economic impact of coronavirus
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s urgent mission to avoid domestic recession (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): More coronavirus support not far away, Finance Minister Grant Robertson signals
Jason Walls (Herald): KiwiRail may ask the Government for help in covering the costs caused by Coronavirus
Jamie Morton (Herald): Coronavirus will arrive in New Zealand, say medical experts
1News: Infectious disease expert says NZ should be preparing for a coronavirus pandemic
RNZ: Doctors fear coronavirus will hit NZ at same time as winter flu season
Dan Satherley (Newshub):COVID-19: ‘High chance’ coronavirus will arrive in New Zealand – expert
RNZ: Flight carrying Diamond Princess passengers lands in NZ
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Around 3600 people in New Zealand complete their self-isolation period
Wellington water
Damian George (Stuff): Wellington Water set to face inquiry after meeting with city council
Rachel Thomas and Harry Lock (RNZ): New taskforce to look at Wellington water issues
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Mayoral taskforce launched over Wellington’s water woes
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Porirua City Council faces billion-dollar water spend
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): Wellington’s water crisis deepens as pollution, leaks and flooding take toll
Health
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Women with delayed cancer diagnoses victims of ‘postcode lottery’ – Cancer Society
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Ending ‘postcode’ eye care in Auckland: Regional ophthalmology service on the way (paywalled)
Thomas Mead (1News): Christchurch mum fighting to save daughter from suicide makes desperate plea for help – ‘I’ve exhausted every avenue’
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): In an Australasian first, Autism NZ opens support centre in Wellington
Elizabeth White (Newshub): Wellington opens Australasia’s first specialised autism resource centre
Mike Houlahan (ODT): ‘Unsustainable’ burden on Dunedin midwives
John Gibb (ODT): Support for men to ‘open up
Mahina Hurkmans (Māori TV): Plunket acknowledges Māori midwife founders
Amanda Landers (Newsroom): Drop the stigma about the end of life
Cannabis
Derek Cheng (Herald): Legalising cannabis: Supporters, opponents take swipes at each other as polls show ‘yes’ vote falling
1News: Teen cannabis use is declining, adults increasing in New Zealand – study
RNZ: Number of teens trying cannabis drops, new figures show
Aroha Mane (Māori TV): Government help Māori enter Medicinal Cannabis industry
Child welfare
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today): ‘Damned if they do and damned if they don’t’: MP hits out at criticism of Oranga Tamariki’s decision to return boy
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Oranga Tamariki ‘satisfied there were sufficient supports’ before returning Flaxmere boy to immediately family
Giles Dexter (Newshub): ‘Shattering’: Grandfather of severely injured Flaxmere boy criticises Oranga Tamariki
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Oranga Tamariki had ‘prime role’ in events leading to Flaxmere beating – Kaumātua
Mandy Te (Stuff): Police working ‘really well’ with family of critically injured Flaxmere boy
Housing
TVNZ: Housing crisis ‘a violation of the promises’ by successive governments – Human Rights Commissioner
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Auckland Council tells govt it is ‘strongly opposed’ to its planned model for the housing crisis
Newstalk ZB: Housing Minister responds to Kiwibuild criticism (audio)
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Government warned rental reforms could risk rent increases, lead to more homelessness
RNZ: Misinformation blamed over Stoneham Park housing objections
Emma Dangerfield (Stuff): Movable vehicle is not a building: Victory for tiny homes in landmark case
Martin Matthews Auditor-General dismissal case
Richard Harman (Politik): Life destroyed by “constitutional disgrace” (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Auditor-General dismissal appealed, with Speaker Trevor Mallard releasing legal advice
Peter Singer
Press Editorial: The slippery slope of ‘cancel culture’
Eric Crampton: Giving SkyCity the convention centre was a very big mistake – Peter Singer edition
Environment
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): Confused? Why not understanding the Emissions Trading Scheme is the point
RNZ: Southland cleanup highlights climate change threat – Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage
RNZ: Gore District Council counting cost of Southland floods
Jenny Ling (Northern Advocate): $2m for water solutions in Far North as Shane Jones says water crisis ‘unacceptable’
Michael Neilson (Herald): ‘Get a bigger tank’: Auckland’s ‘unprecedented’ dry run to be more likely with climate change
Luke Appleby (1News): Flight-shaming: Where does your ‘carbon offset’ fee actually go?
Kendall Hutt (Stuff): More mass mussel deaths due to ‘heat stress’ possible with climate change – expert
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): The property stoked with 1 million litres of toxic chemicals
Emma Dangerfield and Jake Kenny (Stuff): Protesters ready for court action over proposed toxic waste plant
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Emma Perry (ODT): OMV comes out of Great South Basin empty-handed
RNZ: OMV comes up dry in Great South Basin
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): No oil or gas discovery for OMV’s first well in Great South Basin
Firearms
Derek Cheng (Herald): Fierce lobbying expected as gun law changes hinge on NZ First
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Further changes to firearms bill likely before becoming law
Police
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Police kick to teen’s head excessive, IPCA say. Police claim just part of restraint
RNZ: Police used excessive force kicking boy, 13, in head – IPCA
Christian Fuller (Hawkes Bay Today): IPCA found excessive force used after 13-year-old boy kicked to head during Napier arrest
TVNZ: Cops’ use of force on boy, 13, who chased officer with hammer unjustified, IPCA finds
No Right Turn: The blue wall of silence
Gangs
Zane Small (Newshub): Mongrel Mob hits back at Shane Jones’ call to strip gang member rights
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui,(RNZ): As leaders plan to meet about gang problems, iwi say they’re crucial to reducing violence
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell believes gang, meth problems aren’t Tauranga-specific
Finance regulation
Rob Stock (Stuff): Allan Hawkins’ loan companies continued for years despite not paying fines, reparations
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): ComCom seeks submissions on ‘fit and proper’ lenders (paywalled)
Andrew Bevin (NBR): ComCom setting ‘fit and proper’ rules for lenders (paywalled)
Reserve Bank
Julie Iles (NBR): Reserve Bank’s audit of failed IT project showed due diligence missing (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr ‘begs’ for more resources
Social Investment Agency becomes Social Wellbeing Agency
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Review: Social Wellbeing Agency to replace social investment approach
Newstalk ZB: Government renames Social Investment Agency
Other
Simon Wilson (Herald): Auckland light rail and the New Zealand Super Fund’s PPP (paywalled)
Brian Fallow (Herald): Numbers show Government hasn’t moved the dial on income inequality at all (paywalled)
Johnny Blade (RZ): PNG PM makes rare visit to NZ to ‘elevate’ friendship
Zane Small (Newshub): APEC 2021: Privacy Commissioner warns MPs foreign powers could ‘intercept communications’
Jamie Morton (Herald): MetService, Niwa, grilled over forecaster ‘double-up’
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Ombudsman lays out five things that NZ banks are doing wrong
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): National’s minimum wage tip to erupt election battlefield
Damien Venuto (Herald): Revealed: The most dangerous words in your employment contract (paywalled)
Samantha Mythen (Stuff): Long battle over demolished building site earmarked for Christchurch stadium
Joel MacManus (Dominion Post): Wellington Mayor admits he doesn’t have the votes for free Sunday parking
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Time to means-test superannuation like other forms of welfare – economist Shamubeel Eaqub
Susan Edmunds (Newsroom): Pension: We’re giving too much to people who don’t need it, one economist says
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon says majority of New Zealanders not racist
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Study investigating whether earthquake trauma causes brain changes
Robin Martin (RNZ): Confusing handling of a chemical spill led to ‘rising hysteria’
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Most power firms to pass on network reductions (paywalled)
TVNZ: Actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand named New Zealander of the Year
Grant Bradley (Herald): Auckland Airport runway had many ‘quick stick repairs to prevent deterioration’ (paywalled)
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Worried residents clamour to have a say on Palmerston North rail centre
Jake McKee (Newstalk ZB): Advocates call for more female-specific sex offender rehabilitation
Laurel Stowell (Whanganui Chronicle): Whanganui Regional Museum asks Whanganui District Council for more funding (paywalled)
RNZ Lately: The Dunedin Study: Antisocial behaviour and the brain
