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
Move to Level 2
1News: Modelling expert ‘a little bit nervous’ that unknown Covid-19 cases will spread if we burst our bubbles
Gordon Purdie, Nick Wilson, Michael Baker (Public Health Expert): What we would like to see on the Ministry of Health’s website to better inform progress on COVID-19 elimination
Jamie Morton (Herald): What exactly is elimination?
Derek Cheng (Herald): The Covid data problem hindering Jacinda Ardern’s big call on Monday (paywalled)
Douglas Fairgray (Herald): Moving to level 2 more risk than reward (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: Beating Covid 19 coronavirus requires a hand on the throttle
Trans-Tasman bubble
Gordon Campbell: On the trans-Tasman bubble, and the future of airlines
RNZ: Business-led group will investigate how to safely reopen NZ-Australian border
Jo Moir (RNZ): Tasmanian Premier, NZ deputy PM excited about idea of flights to Hobart
Richard Harman (Politik): The odd couple open up the Tasman
RNZ/Reuters: Trans-Tasman bubble: Jacinda Ardern gives details of Australian Cabinet meeting
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Winston Peters wants Australasian population to be seen ‘as one’ as trans-Tasman ‘bubble’ plans confirmed
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Quarantine scrapped? What we know about the trans-Tasman travel bubble plan
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Trans-Tasman bubble on the cards – but ‘don’t expect this to happen in a couple of weeks’ time’
Amelia Wade (Herald): What Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison discussed
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Australia and NZ commit to trans-Tasman bubble ‘as soon as it is safe’
Newstalk ZB: Australia eager for trans-Tasman bubble with New Zealand
Anna Whyte (1News): New Zealand and Australia commit to trans-Tasman bubble ‘as soon as it is safe’
Zane Small (Newshub): Australia and New Zealand agree to commence work on trans-Tasman COVID-19 ‘safe travel zone’
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): Australia and New Zealand travel bubble: coronavirus-safe plan to reopen border
Freya Higgins-Desbiolles and James Higham (The Conversation): Why a trans-Tasman travel bubble makes a lot of sense for Australia and New Zealand
Indira Stewart (RNZ): Checkpoint: NZ, Australia Covid-19 lockdowns not as different as they seem
Government, Jacinda Ardern’s leadership
Cat MacLennan (Democracy Project): Jacinda Ardern’s prime ministership is a tale of two leaders
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Lack of political transparency poses a ‘hellishly dangerous’ situation
Jack Peat (The London Economic): Jacinda Ardern’s progressive leadership has been a shining beacon of light in these uncertain times
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): NZ ranked first in world for Covid-19 response communications
Parliament
No Right Turn: Labour drags its feet on electoral finance reform
Alan Kenyon (1News): I don’t have the luxury of making a wrong move, Ardern says in face of Bridges’ repeated lockdown criticism
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern snaps back at COVID-19 criticism: Simon Bridges doesn’t ‘bear the consequences of a wrong move’
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Simon Bridges has the ‘luxury’ of not bearing possible Covid-19 consequences
Claire Trevett (Herald): Second day of zero cases leads to pressure on PM Jacinda Ardern to lift lockdown
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Party leaders should give their MPs some freedom
Anna Whyte (1News): Finance Minister questioned by National over ‘mistakenly enacted’ law
Phil Smith (RNZ): Omnibus blunderbuss: hitting 45 laws in one shot
Herald: Green Party names Hawke’s Bay general election candidates
Lack of Māori representation in Epidemic Response Committee hearings
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Simon Bridges ignored proposals for Māori at Epidemic Response Committee, MP says
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): ‘Smacks of white privilege’ – Lack of Māori voice in education Epidemic Response Committee slammed
Business, economy
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Prime Minister downplays Budget spending, says Government will still be ‘careful and balanced‘
Geof Nightingale (Herald): Will we see higher taxes in Budget 2020?
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Spray now, pay later warning worth heeding (paywalled)
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Government’s COVID-19 wage subsidies, tax cuts are ‘wasteful’ – Sir Roger Douglas
Herald: Sir Roger Douglas: Wage subsidies, tax cuts are wasteful
Michael Reddell: The Douglas-MacCulloch plan
Roger Partridge (Herald): Why the wage subsidy worked but the Business Finance Guarantee Scheme won’t (paywalled)
RNZ: Under-pressure businesses warned to avoid anti-competitive behaviour
1News: Thousands of businesses struggling to pay rent as Alert Level 3 fails to bring expected lift
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Ballooning debt will cap scale of bail-outs, Westpac warns
Tamsyn Parker Herald): Covid-19 will cause sharper down-turn than GFC, Westpac boss says (paywalled)
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Government’s post-COVID recovery should take a leaf out of Germany’s book – economist
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Rob Fyfe calls for long-term post-COVID-19 economic plan from Government
Luke Malpass (Stuff): National’s Simon Bridges hits the right note with policy plan
Audrey Young (Herald): Simon Bridges sets out National plan for economic recovery from lockdown
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): National proposes GST cash refunds to help keep businesses afloat
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Flatten the curve, not the economy, says Bridges (paywalled)
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Bridges pitches GST refunds for Covid-19 economic response
Anna Whyte (1News): National propose $100k cash refund for businesses hurting due to Covid-19 disruption
Zane Small (Newshub): Simon Bridges reveals COVID-19 tax relief plan he would use if elected Prime Minister
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Fortress Aotearoa: The Plague Ark – 5 things Government could do right now to restart economy
Ashley Church (Herald): Why choosing the wrong recovery plan could tank NZ
Wage subsidy
Isaac Davison (Herald): Private schools claim $11.7 million through Government’s wage subsidy (paywalled)
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Simon Bridges says major law firms do not need the wage subsidy
Simon Lusk (Kiwiblog): Guest Post: Meat Companies Pay Back your Wage Subsidy
Welfare
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Government preparing for 300,000 new benefit applications – leaked documents
Matt Burrows (Newshub): The Opportunities Party wants each New Zealander to get $13,000 a year after COVID-19
Nikki Preston (Herald): Government called on to fund 10,000 produce boxes for desperate communities
Migrant workers
RNZ: CTU calls for emergency benefit access for temporary workers
Jo McKenzie-McLean (Stuff): Unfair for Kiwis to turn backs on migrant workers
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Migrant workers in Queenstown describe the ‘impossible’ situation as Kiwis tell them ‘just go home’
Employment
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Fair Pay Agreements dead in the water, as Greens push for the controversial labour bill to be urgently passed
1News: Green Party proposes package to ensure essential workers are paid ‘dignified wage’
RNZ: Green Party wants law change so all essential workers are paid living wage
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Builders get the hard word on sloppy safety standards
Peter Cullen (Stuff): Coronavirus prevention is not a free pass to breach employment rights
Glen Scanlon (RNZ): Disability employer Altus considers rehires after surge in interest
Contact tracing apps
Phil Pennington (RNZ): US tech firm Palantir held talks with Privacy Commissioner
Juha Saarinen (Herald): Don’t rush contact tracing apps (paywalled)
Tim Dare (Newsroom): The ethics of contact tracing apps
Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Educators call for urgent clarity on level 2 conditions
Stuff: Lack of guidance by Ministry of Education could cause ‘irreparable’ damage to students’ education, leaders say
RNZ: Checkpoint:‘I refuse for our kids to be unemployed’ – principal decries Education Ministry lockdown planning
Zane Small (Newshub): Government urged to ‘stop playing Russian roulette with our children’ as parents fall ill with ‘flu-like symptoms’
RNZ: Epidemic Response Committee discusses education sector at meeting
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Academics call for university funding boost as job losses loom
RNZ: Cook Islands govt checks on those studying in NZ
Giles Dexter (Newshub): The education tool addressing COVID-19 student anxiety
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Hall charges under fire from Green MP
Quarantine exemptions on compassionate grounds
Robin Martin (RNZ): Denied visits for dying relatives: support for reviews of decisions
RNZ: Ashley Bloomfield defends staff after judge overturns quarantine decision
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Requests for exemption to quarantine considered on merits, Dr Ashley Bloomfield says
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern reveals she’s struggled keeping families from seeing their dying relatives during lockdown
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Wilhelmina Shrimpton (Newshub): Kiwi in quarantine pleads with Government for right to visit dying mother
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Kiwi woman desperate to see her dying mother denied isolation exemption
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Woman trapped in quarantine begs Jacinda Ardern for exemption to see terminally ill mother
Emma Russell (Herald): Grieving daughter demands better leadership from PM on support for dying Kiwis
Checkpoints
Moana Maniopoto: A shout out to the community checkpoints
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Community roadblocks turn Bay of Plenty locals away for not having ‘travel permit’ from local iwi Te Whānau-ā-Apanui
Foreign affairs, WHO
Audrey Young (Herald): Winston Peters risks wrath of China over Taiwan comments
Ben McKay, Henry Cooke (AAP/Stuff): Winston Peters ‘personally’ supports Taiwan rejoining WHO
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): World Health Organization let down by United Nations during pandemic – Helen Clark
William Hoverd (Stuff): Pandemic reshapes national security agenda
Immigration, border restrictions
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Immigration bill allowing broad visa changes: Lawyer calls for ‘proper checks’
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Airport traffic drops to record low as border restrictions continue
Tourism
Brian Fallow (Interest): What might tourism look like in a post Covid-19 world?
1News: Tourism head forecasts grim 3-5 years for industry, calls for clarity on flights and wage support
RNZ: Tourism Industry Aotearoa calls for special intervention for the sector
1News: Nelson’s mayor pleads for inter-regional air travel under Level 2 as tourism industry suffers
1News: Covid-19 will be worse for Kaikōura’s tourism industry than the 2016 earthquake, operator says
1News: Kiwis urged to visit Rotorua’s attractions to help tourism industry survive impact of pandemic
1News: Major tourism operator Skyline Enterprises to slash half its workforce
Tracey Roxburgh (ODT): Skyline cutting staff by half
Matthew Mckew (ODT): Millbrook, Nomad announce lay-offs
Local government
Damian George (Stuff): Wellington Mayor Andy Foster denies media access to previously public city council workshop
Charlotte Cook: Mayors with long wishlists chase ‘shovel-ready’ project funding
Laura Smith (ODT): Progress on council staff pay reductions
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Chamber calls for 0% rates rise
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Watch: Pants down? The bare truth about Dunedin councillor’s Zoom illusion
1News: ‘Caught with your pants down’ – Dunedin councillor snapped without trousers during online meeting
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Dunedin City councillor caught with pants down during Zoom meeting
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand councillor caught without trousers during Zoom meeting
Chloe Ranford (RNZ): Soil beneath library and art gallery project a ‘potential risk’
Primary and extractive industries
Lois Williams: Shane Jones promises NZ First support for ‘extractive’ industries
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): ‘Mother nature has got it in for us’: Hawke’s Bay farmers desperate in drought
1News: Canterbury A&P Show cancelled for first time since World War II
Tracy Neal (RNZ): New Zealand Agricultural Show cancelled
Health system
Vaughan Elder (ODT): Response compromised by public health erosion
Josephine Varghese (Democracy Project): The Coronavirus Pandemic Exposes the Inefficiency of Capitalism
Nicholas Jones (Herald): ‘No distancing’ at Waitakere Hospital where nurses infected says visitor
RNZ: Waitematā DHB creates work ‘bubbles’ to curb spread of Covid-19
Melanie Reid (Newsroom): Waitakere: Nurses now in Covid-19 bubble
Lois Williams (RNZ): DHB on the hunt for covert Covid-19 on West Coast
Aaron van Delden (RNZ): Gisborne hospital patients now allowed ‘bubble’ visitor a day
Katie Todd (RNZ): Criticism of deferred non-urgent surgery, but support for holding off continues
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Year at least to clear surgery backlog
Felix Desmarais: Anaesthetic machine ‘innovation’ doubles Lakes DHB ventilators
Lisette Reymer (Newshub): Patients slam COVID-19 hospital restrictions after being forced to attend ‘terrifying’ appointments alone
RMA
RNZ: RMA: ‘We would love to see this fast-track become the new-normal’
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Environmentalists cautiously optimistic on RMA change
1News: Māori agency concerned Govt’s plan to fast-track projects could put Treaty obligations on backburner
Environment
Lou Sanson (Stuff): Covid-19’s wake-up call: put nature at heart of recovery
Lois Williams: DOC admits it got it wrong on Truman Track blasting
David Williams (Newsroom): Blasting report sends conservation ripples
Alexandra Macmillan and Jono Drew (Stuff): How the climate impact of beef compares with plant-based alternatives
RNZ: Pest detection cameras catch lockdown breaches in Hauraki Gulf
1News: Surveillance cams catch people using pest-free Auckland sanctuary as private island in lockdown
Transport, roading
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Civil Aviation Authority director’s resignation ‘long overdue’ – staff
RNZ: Civil Aviation Authority chief executive Graeme Harris retires
Kate Newston (RNZ): Car use jumps in first week of alert level 3
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): PPP may dump stricken project back on Govt
RNZ: Seven-month delay to Christchurch Southern Motorway
Firearms
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Government didn’t need to compensate over gun reform, lawyer says
RNZ: Decision reserved in gun ammunition compensation fight
Cannabis
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): Legalising cannabis: what will New Zealanders be asked to vote on in September?
Eric Crampton: Almost anything beats prohibition, including the draft cannabis legislation
Marriage
1News: Fewer people tying the knot as marriages drop to lowest level since 1960
Herald: New Zealand marriage rates lowest since 1960s, new data reveals
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Marriage rates are the lowest since the 1960s, new data reveals
Other
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): A timeline of the Covid-19 pandemic in New Zealand and globally
Rawri Taonui (Waatea News): Surge leaving regions behind – Time to random test Māori
Jessica Tyson, Tapatahi (Māori TV): Policies made by the Govt to support Māori need to be implemented better says national Māori pandemic group
David Cohen (RNZ): Carpe Diem for families with special needs children during lockdown
Sarah Robson (RNZ): What it’s like inside managed isolation
Stuff: Defence Force signs up company to clear firing ranges in Afghanistan
Virginia Fallon (Stuff): Oranga Tamariki keeping eyes on kids during the Covid-19 lockdown
Piers Fuller (Stuff): Travelling hours to checkout property ‘illogical’
RNZ: James Hardie plans to close Penrose manufacturing plant
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): James Hardie to shut NZ manufacturing; 120 jobs at risk (paywalled)
Liu Chen (RNZ): The Kiwis who’ve spent 100 days in lockdown
