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
Shane Jones on immigration
Chris Trotter: Shane Jones’s Critics Offer Grist To NZ First’s “Populist-Nationalist” Mill.
Morgan Godfery (Guardian): After the Christchurch shooting politicians promised tolerance. It didn’t last
Liam Hehir (Pundit): A Sub-Prime Minister?
Verity Johnson (Stuff): Shane Jones is more dangerous than you might think
David Farrar: The Minister for racism ignores Ardern
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Why doesn’t PM care about Shane Jones being racist?
Political donations
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Fixing the problem of money in politics (paywalled)
RNZ: Jami-Lee Ross in Parliament links National donations to Communist Party
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Jami-Lee Ross accuses National of holding donations linked to Chinese Communist Party
Coronavirus
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Health Minister David Clark defends Government’s COVID-19 response
Colin Tukuitonga (Newsroom): NZ must protect Pacific nations from COVID-19
Newshub: Kiwi coronavirus patient had ‘significant interaction’ with public, medical staff weren’t alerted by centre – employee
Michael Neilson (Herald): Auckland early childhood worker returning from northern Italy ‘surprised’ at advice not to self-isolate
Henry Cooke, Collette Devlin and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Confusion about number of Kiwi cases after person-to-person transmission confirmed
1News: Jacinda Ardern details process once cases of coronavirus are confirmed in NZ
1News: Bennett questions Govt’s handling of coronavirus after details on third confirmed case not given for hours
Zane Small (Newshub): Health Minister criticised for revealing COVID-19 case on TV with no details
RNZ: National MP criticised for encouraging panic buying
1News: Public being urged to ignore National MP who encouraged coronavirus panic buying
Jamie Morton (Herald): Coronavirus: Keep it out, stamp it out – What’s in NZ’s pandemic plan?
Laura Wiltshire (Stuff): NZ should look at loosening coronavirus testing standards, says health expert
Richard Simpson (Spinoff): Covid-19 is going nowhere. Here’s what every New Zealander can do
1News: Kiwis need to reevaluate ‘carry-on’ response to sniffles as NZ braces for coronavirus – expert
RNZ: Coronavirus: Medical centres could close if patients ignore advice
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Those with virus symptoms asked to contact Healthline first
1News: NZ doctor leading fight against coronavirus takes aim at ‘keyboard warriors’ targeting victims
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Coronavirus will be on Kiwis’ mind at election 2020
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Could the virus have big political implications?
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): The impact of coronavirus still uncertain, but time to respond is running short (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): Big Read: Supply crunch makes coronavirus slump unprecedented (paywalled)
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): Measles work has big end of town prepared for covid-19 (paywalled)
RNZ: Air New Zealand stands cabin crews down
RNZ: Hongi restriction put in place at pōhiri in Wellington
Police
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Deputy police commissioner Mike Clement investigated by IPCA
RNZ: IPCA investigated deputy police commissioner Mike Clement – minister
1News: Armed Response Teams not being used for what Police said they would, ex-cop says
Ross Meurant: Mission Creep
Laura O’Connell Rapira (Spinoff): Yes, there is racism in our police. Here’s what we can do about it
Transport and urban development
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Transport Minister Phil Twyford’s job on the line (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Cabinet to make light rail decision as secrecy surrounding bids creates speculation
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): NZ Super’s 1500-page rail bid is just the start
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Drury new town in Auckland: Phil Twyford and the $2.4 billion plan
Zac Fleming (Newshub): Traffic will get worse unless more people take public transport – Auckland Transport
RNZ: Proposed night travel only on road to Milford Sound frustrates locals
Waikato mental health unit – Ombudsman’s report
1News: ‘Untenable’ – Waikato DHB’s mental health unit given damning assessment by Chief Ombudsman
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Hamilton mental health facility criticised by Chief Ombudsman for overcrowding, using physical restraints
RNZ: Treatment of Waikato mental health patients degrading – Chief Ombudsman
Stuff: Overcrowded Waikato mental health inpatient unit ‘degrading’, Ombudsman warns
Health
Toby Morris (Spinoff): The Side Eye: Missing Teeth
1News: Thousands to benefit from new breast cancer drug as Pharmac announces funding approval
RNZ: Health Pharmac announces full funding for breast cancer drug
Louisa Steyl (Stuff): The Southern DHB has two vacancies in its embattled gastroenterolgy department
Elspeth McLean (ODT): Health funding boost to match population – SDHB
Nelson Mail Editorial: Time to deliver for midwives
1News: Report calls for Government to set aside $50 million to boost pay for NZ midwives
Foreign Affairs
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): A show of outrage then business as usual
Christine Rovoi (RNZ): Fiji Opposition talks fair elections with NZ PM
Environment
Lois Williams (RNZ): West Coast wetlands and SNAs: a battleground?
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Water rights: Māori Council seeks precedent-setting court judgment
Cat MacLennan (Stuff): Bottled water has reached its tipping point. The time for a moratorium is now
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Climate policy favours bans over plans
Julie Iles (NBR): Proposed divestment bill would increase NZ’s carbon footprint, NZOG says
Victoria Unviersity of Wellington: A formula for compensating climate change victims
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Greenpeace activists cover fertiliser company in slime
Mike Watson (Stuff): Oil exploration protest heralded a success by rig climbers despite being cut short
Laura Smith (ODT): Whitebaiting response asked for
Skara Bohny (Nelson Mail): Logging the ‘number one concern’ of river health advocates
1News: Thieves steal water from fire hydrants amid drought conditions in Dannevirke
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Water thieves use tanker trucks to tap into hydrants in drought-stricken Tararua district
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland drought: Water savings ensures Kaikohe’s taps continue to flow
Wellington
Georgia Campbell (Herald): ‘Unacceptable’ – Wellington Water struggling just to fix leaks
RNZ: Wellington water too slow to fix residents’ problems – council
Rachel Thomas (RNZ): Wellington City Council approves idea of Pacific Fale near Parliament
RNZ: Wellington’s ‘Waripori’ Street corrected to honour chief Te Wharepōuri
Damian George (Stuff): Volunteer group says it would take 170 years to clean service graves if it followed city council regulations
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): ‘The best thing about Wellington’: Mittens the cat has paws all over New Zealand capital
Local government
Simon Wilson (Herald): Ugly death for Auckland Council design office (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Council should not be forcing funky designs on people
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland hoteliers take Mayor Phil Goff’s ‘bed tax’ to Court of Appeal
Tina Law (Press): Increase for CCHL board members a ‘slap in the face’
Andrew McRae (RNZ): Tauranga mayor says city’s crises and challenges behind push for rates rise
Charlotte Jones (RNZ): ‘We have no agency, no comeback, no mana’ – distressed residents
Lois Williams (RNZ): Breakaway Kaikōura ratepayers urge council to ‘get real’
Tiwai Point
Tim Brown (RNZ): Toxic waste debacle causing headaches in Mataura
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): How an obscure regulation could save Tiwai Point
Housing
RNZ: Rent cuts planned for tenants in capital’s social housing
RNZ: Tiny houses protest reaches Parliament
Hugh Collins (ODT): State-funded house need rising steadily
Education
Damian Rowe (Stuff): School lunch scheme piloted in regions where child poverty is low
1News: Scrapping Latin in schools a mistake, says Auckland students and teacher
Christchurch mosque attacks, Al Noor mosque threat
David Williams (Newsroom): Facebook still doesn’t get it, Muslim leader says
RNZ: Christchurch mosque attacks: Tournament to pay tribute to victims
Sam Sherwood and Thomas Manch (Press): Father of teen arrested in raid after Al Noor mosque threat ‘extremely disappointed’
Primary industries
RNZ: Western Sahara independence movement takes NZ Super Fund to court
Denise Piper (Stuff): No compensation for Northland farmers struggling financially due to drought
RNZ: ‘Timing is right’: Fonterra chairperson John Monaghan stepping down
Maya Burry (RNZ): M bovis research to look at milk yield impact
Marty Verry (Stuff): Four policies could have saved 750 forestry jobs and it’s not too late
Media
Damien Venuto: Radio NZ-TVNZ merger plan – will it go the same way as capital gains tax? (paywalled)
Anna Rawhiti-Connell (Newsroom): No one cares about media self-righteousness
Sport
Richard Harman (Politik): Peters’ racing gamble (paywalled)
Felicity Reid (RNZ): Sports system failing top women coaches
Hamish Bidwell (RNZ): Why is no one criticising the White Ferns?
Immigration
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Immigration health rules hit new parents: ‘Not having any whānau here broke us’
Yagmur Hounsome (Stuff): Migration to Australia now half its peak
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Number of Kiwis leaving for Australia halves in eight years
Viagogo
RNZ: Viagogo makes last-minute legal retreat against Commerce Commission
1News: Ticket seller Viagogo says it will submit to New Zealand law ahead of Commerce Commission proceedings
Other
Jo Moir (RNZ): Government split over second phase of legislation
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Medicinal cannabis hui: Māori seeking licences criticise high fees
Zane Small (Newshub): Non-ministerial Green MPs’ average flight-spending trumps other backbenchers
Renee Manella (Newsroom): The flip side of privilege
Jacob McSweeny (ODT): Budget adviser: loan company in city may be linked to investigation
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Controversial New Zealand gin drops name after cultural appropriation backlash
ODT Editorial: KiwiSaver changes make sense
ODT Editorial: Going postal over undelivered mail
David Fisher (Herald): Andrew Little says judges need to ‘blow the whistle’ on divorce property cases (paywalled)
Katie Harris (Newstalk ZB): Banks pull out of Wellington International Pride Parade following controversy
Isaac Davison (Herald): Your kids and social media: Stalking, secret accounts – and stress
Zane Small (Newshub): Paula Bennett takes crack at America for lack of female leadership in new Women’s Weekly spread
