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
John Armstrong (1News): True measure of NZ First’s plight glaringly obvious in Shane Jones’ racist spiel
Bryce Edwards (Herald): Political Roundup: Shane Jones’ Trumpian play for popularity (paywalled)
Newstalk ZB: Jason Walls: What Shane Jones scandal means for the election
Newstalk ZB: Matthew Hooton: Why Jacinda Ardern should sack Shane Jones
Herald: Shane Jones responds to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s comments on Indian students saga
Sandeep Singh (Indian Weekender): Not fair to punish me for the opinions of others: Jacinda Ardern talks to the Indian Weekender
Sandeep Singh (Indian Weekender): Kiwi-Indian community incensed over trivialisation of racism at country’s top political level
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government reassures Indian High Commissioner after Shane Jones’ comments cause ‘hurt’
Listener Editorial: Jacinda Ardern should demand that Shane Jones apologise
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Jacinda Ardern is right to punish NZ First
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Shane Jones legitimises the dishonest tactics of climate deniers, anti-vaxxers, and pro-lifers
Jason Walls (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urges voters to condemn Shane Jones’ comments
Josephine Varghese (Newshub): Why Shane Jones is wrong and immigrants aren’t to blame
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Shane Jones a ‘mixture of brilliance and crackpot’, comments about Indians ‘way off’
Moana Maniapoto (E-Tangata): Shane Jones: ‘I’m a bit of a stirrer’
Political donations
Matt Shand (Stuff): Fishing influence trawls deep into NZ First’s past
Matt Shand (Stuff): Peters’ former adviser slams ‘systemic course of conduct’ over donations
Michael Reddell: Jami-Lee Ross’s speech
Timothy K Kuhner (Spinoff): Reputation vs reality: how vulnerable is New Zealand to systemic corruption?
Herald Editorial: Inquiries into political donations should be welcomed (paywalled)
Dominic Harris (Press): No action by police over complaint about Christchurch mayor’s 2016 election donations
International Women’s Day
Sophie Bateman (RNZ): Feminism now ‘personal branding rather than revolutionary rhetoric’
Anna Rawhiti-Connell (RNZ): International Women’s Day ‘unmissable opportunity’ that misses every time
Liam Hehir (Pundit): Stop Trying To Diminish Jenny Shipley’s Barrier Smashing
Steven Cowan: International Women’s Day: Co-opted by capitalism
Julie-Anne Genter (Guardian): In New Zealand, we are starting to value women’s work fairly. It’s time for the world to follow
Jacinda Ardern, Mette Frederiksen and Abiy Ahmed (Stuff): On International Women’s Day help improve women’s access to equal opportunities
Annabel Cooper (Newsroom): Is NZ a good place to be a woman?
Sae Strang and Emma Stanford (Newshub): International Women’s Day marked with renewed call for period products to be free
Herald: Gender equality still ‘frustratingly slow’
Vera Alves (Herald): International Women’s Day: What women really want (and need) from the men in their lives
Stuff: Has Google included PM Jacinda Ardern and baby Neve for International Women’s Day celebration?
Noted: Give Kate A Voice
Coronavirus
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Coronavirus could make or break Jacinda Ardern’s Government
Henry Cooke (Stuff): The thinking behind the Government’s Coronavirus communications strategy
Claire Trevett (Herald): Coronavirus is Labour’s biggest election threat, at the worst time (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): How coronavirus will exacerbate the personality politics election 2020 was always going to be fought on
Martin van Beynen (Stuff): Some moral panic might be useful in stopping spread of Covid-19
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government agencies told they must be ready for staff to work from home during pandemic
Ben Leahy (Herald): Nanogirl and Prime Minister to make coronavirus explainer video
Zane Small (Newshub): Forced inspections and mandatory isolation: The Government’s flu pandemic ‘special powers
Ian Powell (Stuff): Coronavirus and flu season could be a perfect storm for under-pressure hospitals
Andre Chumko (Stuff): NZ hospitals ‘stretched to breaking point’ as dozens of staff self-isolate
Herald: Hospitals at ‘breaking point’ amid outbreak, union warns
RNZ: Retired doctors and nurses may be called on during coronavirus outbreak
Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): Hospitals are already short-staffed. Covid-19 could stretch them to the limit
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Who’ll foot the bill for GP’s protective costs a ‘secondary matter’ – Health Minister
Michael Morrah (Newshub): DHBs accused of charging doctors for personal protective gear amidst COVID-19 outbreak
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): District health boards ‘panic buying’ protective wear, supplier says
Hannah Martin (Stuff): 43 Waitematā DHB hospital staff put in isolation over probable case
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Health Minister defends health officials’ Tool moshpit claims
George Block (Stuff): Survival food rations sell out, chemical suits sought
RNZ: Community transmission of Covid-19 ‘inevitable’, professor says
Dan Satherley and Lydia Lewis (Newshub): Doctor urges drive-thru coronavirus testing hubs
Siouxsie Wiles (Spinoff): The three phases of Covid-19 – and how we can make it manageable
Dan Satherley and Emma Stanford (Newshub): Doctor warns against panic-buying paracetamol
1News: Pharmac placing limits on prescription paracetamol due to coronavirus global supply issue
RNZ: Govt to announce more economic help for businesses and workers
Derek Cheng (Herald): Government to announce more economic help due to Covid-19 outbreak
Richard Harman (Politik): An economic shock like no other
Liam Dann (Herald): Why coronavirus panic buyers reach for the toilet paper
TVNZ: Q+A: Quick thinking needed as coronavirus keeps spreading around the world, ANZ chief economist warns
Julie Iles (NBR): Covid-19: Finance Minister rules out universal income stimulus, for now (paywalled)
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Fears Covid-19 could cost Māori economy $500 million
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Delays to construction projects feared
Cameron Bagrie (Stuff): We can’t wait – we need a coronavirus budget now
George Heagney (Stuff): Tough times in Tairāwhiti as coronavirus causes forestry backlog
Steve Braunias (Herald): The secret diary of Covid-19 (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins explains why you don’t need to panic-buy toilet paper
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Hundreds prevented from entering New Zealand since travel restrictions introduced
1News: PM not ruling out further travel restrictions for South Korea, northern Italy
1News: Coronavirus information at NZ airports ‘generic and six years old’, National MP says
Washington Post: Climate change: Coronavirus could halt the world’s emissions growth
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Waiheke Island boltholes: Luxury holiday homes sought after by coronavirus escapees
Jeanette Fitzsimons
Keith Locke: Remembering Jeanette Fitzsimons, a great Green
Sue Bradford (Spinoff): ‘An iron commitment to fighting her corner’: Remembering Jeanette Fitzsimons
Pat Baskett (Newsroom): ‘You do it because you can’t live any other way’
Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): Can you be a change agent in parliament?
Dan Satherley (Newshub: Jeanette Fitzsimons’ death: Current Green Party co-leaders pay tribute
RNZ: Former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons has died
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Jeanette Fitzsimons remembered for her dedication to the environment
Stuff: A look back at former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons’ political legacy
Damian Rowe (Stuff): Green co-leader says Fitzsimons was a person he personally looked up to
1News: ‘The tears are falling’ – Former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons dies
Newstalk ZB: Jeanette Fitzsimons’ husband: ‘Her death was totally out of the blue’
Greens
Thomas Manch (Stuff): A poverty agitator, a climate negotiator, and a psychotherapist take on doomed mission for the Greens
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newshub): Jet-setting Greens’ credibility is up in the air
Karyn Henger (Stuff): Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter says adjusting to motherhood has been a roller coaster
John Tamihere to stand for Māori Party in Tāmaki Makaurau
TVNZ: Q+A: Māori Party won’t endorse Labour or National in potential coalition government, John Tamihere says
Henry Cooke (Stuff): New candidate John Tamihere suggests Māori Party could go with Labour or National
Neil Reid (Herald): John Tamihere confirms Parliament bid, hits out at ‘clueless, motley crew’ Government
Newstalk ZB: John Tamihere confirms Parliament bid, hits out at ‘clueless’ Government
Stephen Forbes (Stuff): John Tamihere says Labour ‘inaction’ is why he’s standing for Māori Party at election
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Labour attacks John Tamihere’s tilt at Parliament as ‘act of desperation’
Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): John Tamihere to take on Peeni Henare in Tāmaki Makaurau
Jo Moir (RNZ): John Tamihere to run for Māori Party in Tāmaki Makaurau
Newstalk ZB: Dame Tariana Turia: Why Māori Party is backing John Tamihere
NZ First
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Winston Peters’ speech to the regions on immigration, Rogernomics, and Russia
Jo Moir (RNZ): NZ First election policy: Winston Peters highlights immigration, provincial growth fund, tax
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Another $3b for the Provincial Growth Fund a bottom line for Peters post-election
Election
Liam Hehir (Pundit): The Nats Shouldn’t Be In With A Shot. They Are. Here Are 5 Reasons Why.
Press: Army officer and midwifery lecturer to contest two Canterbury seats for Labour
RNZ: Former Army officer to stand for Labour in Waimakariri
Week in politics
Claire Trevett (Herald): Beehive Diaries: Air NZ eschews bubbly, PM applauds Peters’ fashion (paywalled)
Peter Wilson (RNZ): The Week in Politics: Ardern shows she can dish it out
1 NEWS’ Inside Parliament: Preparing for coronavirus and graphic anti-abortion protest hits Parliament
Environment and conservation
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): Our changing landscape: Growing cities, expanding mines, and dwindling native habitat
Jamie Morton (Herald): Going, going, gone: Satellite images reveal NZ’s vanishing nature
Jamie Morton (Herald): NZ’s great pest-free quest: can we get there?
1News: Strategy to achieve predator free New Zealand by 2050 announced by Government
David Williams (Newsroom): Predator-free goal needs bolder message
Michael Neilson (Herald): State of the Hauraki Gulf: Lack of action slammed, call for 30 per cent protected by 2030
Lois Williams: Conservation minister considers relief options for West Coast wetland owners
Matthew Littlewood (Stuff): Calls for DOC to protect habitat of whitebait
Mia Sutherland and Adam Currie (Spinoff): Why leading youth climate groups aren’t making 2020 political endorsements
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Fonterra, Genesis Energy and Z will go to trial for ‘failing’ to protect against effects of climate change
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): Landmark hearing ahead on corporate climate change responsibility
Pat Baskett (Newsroom): Sad summer began optimistically
Katy Jones (Stuff): Signing up for climate action – new forum meets again
TVNZ: Extreme drought forcing some kiwi to abandon eggs in order to find food and water
Tamatha Paul (Spinoff): Our native species are under threat, and we can help them
Laura Smith (ODT): Cost for biodiversity
Māori TV: Native tree planting boost for Northland hāpu and iwi
Laura Smith (ODT): Save Manapouri marks 50 years
Tim O’Connell (Nelson Mail): New lobby group for South Island recreational fishers ‘Fish Mainland’ launches
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Far North drought: Water to be pumped from Lake Ōmāpere into Kaikohe
KiwiSaver
Richard Meadow (Stuff): KiwiSaver just got stupider
Barry Coates (Interest): Why fossil fuel divestment is a good idea
Tim Hunter (NBR): Political cunning in KiwiSaver fossil fuel policy (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): ‘Public misled’ in KiwiSaver advertising promoting green credentials
Christchurch mosque shootings
Kurt Bayer (Herald): The Ripple Effect: How the Christchurch mosque shootings shattered a nation’s heart
Kelly Dennett (Stuff): NZ’s way forward, a year on from the Christchurch mosque attacks
Derek Cheng (Herald): ‘We saw things we never want to see again’ – Police Commissioner reflects on NZ’s darkest day
RNZ: Christchurch terror attack: Muslim leader calls for proper compensation of victims
Press Editorial: Online hate causes real world pain
Gun laws
Brian Easton (Pundit): Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow.
John Roughan (Herald): Gun owners out of line as Christchurch mosque massacre anniversary approaches (paywalled)
Animal welfare
Rob Mitchell (Stuff): Death by committee: NZ’s ‘secretive’ animal testing regime
Deena Coster (Stuff): Animal advocate says Port Taranaki’s reputation at risk over involvement in live cattle exports
Emma Dangerfield (Stuff): Appeal launched to save rescued cows from the slaughter for a second time
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Steer not injured, no offence committed in Taranaki rodeo code of welfare breach
Health
Elana Curtis (E-Tangata): I love my culture, but it’s not the answer to Māori health inequities
Māori TV: Jackson calls ACC Māori hui to improve outcomes
Karoline Tuckey (RNZ): Pharmac epilepsy drug change: harm reports increase 30-fold
Phil Pennington (RNZ): PFAS contamination: Ministry stands by advice despite new report in Australia
Matthew Tso (Stuff): Report into assaults on nurses at Hutt Hospital reveals multiple DHB failings
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Surge seen in meth referrals
Dougal Sutherland (Newsroom): A disorder falling through the cracks
Evan Harding (Southland Times): Allan Stark to finally get hip operation after excruciating wait
Kirsty Johnston (Herald): MP Carmel Sepuloni’s health scare warning to women
Primary and extractive industries, land disputes
RNZ: Amaltal denies fishing in Hikurangi Marine Reserve
Deena Coster (Stuff): Iwi upset at possible seabed dumping of failed oil and gas company’s equipment
Māori TV: Taranaki iwi upset mining equipment could be discarded on seafloor
Angie Skerrett (Newshub): Agricultural Minister extends drought classifications to more regions
RNZ: Drought conditions in several North Island regions amount to ‘medium-scale adverse event’
Rahul Bhattarai (Stuff): Call for Marlborough iwi to ‘step up’ and help protect sacred land at Wairau Bar
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Grapegrowers in Marlborough accused of disturbing ancient Māori land
Transport
RNZ: NZTA says it needs $130m to stop failure of ageing technology system
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): Fonterra under fire over pro-rail submission
RNZ: Auckland bus drivers and NZ Bus pay dispute still not settled
National Party on workplace safety
Derek Cheng (Herald): Simon Bridges wants a ‘common sense’ test applied to all red tape
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National to promise ‘common-sense’ legal test for workplace safety rules
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): National wants ‘common-sense test’ on health and safety regulations
Canterbury earthquakes
1News: Christchurch earthquake insurance resolutions hit 1000 since service launch
RNZ: Canterbury earthquakes: Agency marks settling of 1000 outstanding claims
Steven Walton (Stuff): Prime minister checks in with Christchurch school’s wellbeing programme
Local government
Todd Niall (Stuff): Who will create an Auckland for pedestrians and cyclists if design office is scrapped?
Tom Hunt (Dominion Post): Wellington Water hires global crisis management team as water woes drag on
RNZ: Wellington sewage spill smell hitting regularly, residents say
New South Auckland town
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): New Zealand gets its first new town at Drury (paywalled)
Nona Pelletier (RNZ): Government investing in Kiwi Property’s Drury development
Dan Satherley and Miriam Harris (Newshub): New south Auckland town could be a ‘utopia’ – Infrastructure NZ
Housing
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland state housing tenant faces eviction for not using all the bedrooms
Deena Coster (Stuff): Kāinga Ora takes troublesome tenants to tribunal
Brooke van Velden (Stuff): I lost my first home thanks to a sunset clause, but that’s not the scandal here
Mandy Te (Stuff): Thousands of tenants living in Wellington social housing could pay less rent
Education
Ben Leahy (Herald): Kiwi researchers claim fairer way to measure high schools’ performances
Bruce Munro (ODT): A culture of control
Jamie Morton (Herald): Massey scientists fear jobs will be scrapped before ‘innovation complex’ opens
Peter Griffin (Stuff): Foolish for Massey to cut science from Auckland campus
Emma Stanford and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Massey University staff to hold stop-work meeting over proposed changes
Meriana Johnsen (Stuff): Students to explore history of colonisation through Māori digital atlas
Wellington Pride
Matthew Tso, Andre Chumko (Stuff): Wellington International Pride Parade kicks off despite banks, rainbow groups abstaining
Caley Callahan (Newshub): Wellington International Pride Parade goes ahead despite banking pull-out
Harry Locke (RNZ): Six major banks boycotting Pride Parade
Nikki Preston (Herald): Pride celebrations: Wellington couple claim police refused to escort them home after homophobic attack
Other
The Hui: Māori back End of Life Choice Bill – poll
Jared Savage (Herald): Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement ‘interfered’ when plum job given to senior officer censured over crude sexual jokes
Steve Elers (Stuff): Māori more likely to go to court? No kidding
1News: Humans Rights Commissioner concerned as Australia looks to expand New Zealand deportation policy even further
Daniela Maoate-Cox (RNZ): The House: ‘Ignoring democracy’ – how much do MPs listen to the public?
John Weekes (Stuff): Email abuse: Reserve Bank governor accused of having ADD
1News: Winston Peters facing battle in his Northland community with racing community over shutdown of small tracks
TVNZ: Q+A: Sir Bob Jones says he didn’t want to drop Renae Maihi defamation case
Bruce Munro (ODT): Cannabis: Should it be legal?
RNZ: Sir Michael Cullen may only have months to live after cancer diagnosis
Stuff: Sir Michael Cullen announces lung cancer diagnosis
Bess Manson (Stuff): National Portrait: Maui Solomon – the negotiator
Vivian Hutchinson (E-Tangata): The Anniversaries of our Amnesia
Wayne Brown (Stuff): When it comes to infrastructure suited Treasury folk should give way to experts
Aaron van Delden (RNZ): ‘Abhorrent’ Gisborne mortuary waste discharge to end
Kevin Kenrick (Herald): Balancing protection of privacy with the public interest (paywalled)
RNZ: Corrections spends $4m less than forecast to pay back staff and fix payroll system
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Four banks now forecasting NZ economy will go into reverse
Susan Strongman (RNZ): No public submissions on Erebus memorial consent
Moana Jackson: Where to next? Decolonisation and the stories in the land
Damien Grant (Stuff): SkyCity preaching diversity and inclusivity? I’ll need more than free fireworks to believe that
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Pushback against earlier warning over risk in concreting jobs
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Woman who would die if deported to Tonga allowed to stay in NZ
Stuff: Clarke Gayford says he and Jacinda too busy to set a wedding date
Herald: ‘First bloke’ Clarke Gayford appears with Celeste Barber in audiobook advert
