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
Democracy, lockdown legality
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Government abusing lockdown powers (paywalled)
Chris Trotter: The Safety Of The People Shall Be The Highest Law
Peter Dunne: Cracks in the machinery of democracy
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Leaked Crown Law advice shows alert level 4 rules had no legal force
Cameron Slater: Leaked: Crown Law Advice to police
Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): Yes, the courts should scrutinise the lockdown. But Bridges’ committee should back off
Stuff Editorial: Question of lockdown law not just academic
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Lockdown only lawful if health risks justified – Government lawyer
RNZ: New law on way to enforce rules for level 2
Newstalk ZB: Did the Government act unlawfully by locking NZ down?
1News: The legality of New Zealand’s Level 4 lockdown under scrutiny by expert
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government denies unlawful enforcement of lockdown
David Farrar: A formidable legal challenge
Tom Peters (World Socialists): New Zealand government exploits pandemic to boost police and military powers
Budget, Economy
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Grant Robertson mulls redesigning the house, in the middle of a storm (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Budget 2020: Chance to ‘build back better’ as virus ‘resets the clock’
Brent Edwards (NBR): Covid-19 response focus of next week’s Budget (paywalled)
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Salvation Army pleads with Government to put Budget money aside in five key areas
Herald: Kiwi families feeling Covid-19 crunch – Salvation Army report
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Budget: strengthening public sector, increasingly targeted support for households and businesses and a new-look New Zealand
Anna Whyte (1News): Budget 2020: Deficits expected ‘for an extended period’, debts to go ‘well beyond’ targets
RNZ: Grant Robertson: Budget 2020 will be ‘far from business as usual’
Zane Small (Newshub): Government’s original priorities ‘put on ice’ to prioritise ‘1-in-100 year shock’
Bob Jones: Now is the winter of our discontent
Michael Reddell: Reserve Bank on the economic impact
Anna Whyte 1News): PM scolds Simon Bridges for ‘bizarre’ questions about tax increases over Covid-19 response
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern avoids ruling out tax increases to fund COVID-19 debt in question time clash with Simon Bridges
Keith Woodford (Interest): North-East Asian markets as China alternatives
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Imports slump in final week of level 4 lockdown
1News: A look at the NZ export industries hit hardest, and some that are flourishing
Rebuilding NZ
Liam Hehir (Democracy Project): Three reasons neoliberalism isn’t going anywhere in NZ
New Zealand Alternative authors (Spinoff): NZ is winning global kudos for our Covid-19 response. How do we use it?
Takashi Shogimen (Newsroom): Arise from your slumber: coronavirus and the modern State
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): School strikers demand climate action in wake of pandemic
Level 2
Audrey Young (Herald): Good and bad in Jacinda Ardern’s pivotal decision (paywalled)
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Ardern’s Level 2: A life more, but not quite, normal
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Level 2 shows Covid-19 alert system’s weakness
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Alert level 2 could be phased in, Prime Minister says
Claire Trevett (Herald): PM warns level 2 freedom might not all come at once
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Could we be told to wear face masks in New Zealand?
RNZ: ‘Mass masking’ should be part of level 2, epidemiologist says
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Dr Ashley Bloomfield reveals decisions on face masks, vaccines and changes to travel and gatherings for Level 2
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand ‘halfway down Everest’ as Ardern plans big easing of Covid lockdown
Glen Scanlon (RNZ): Covid-19 alert level 2 details: What you need to know
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern unveils level 2, a safer version of normal
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Level 2 announcement is more spin from the Government
Public health strategy, health system
Ian Powell (Democracy Project): Let’s not over glorify the Government’s performance fighting Covid-19
Herald: NZ and China’s response praised as Western governments rank poorly
Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumner (Newsroom): Hospital sent nurses all over after Covid work
Mariné Lourens (Stuff): Planning underway for healthcare services under level 2
Kaysha Brownlie (Newshub): The five factors which will influence how Kiwis can see their loved ones in rest homes
RNZ: Vaccine and ventilator projects receive government funding
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): St John accelerates plea for new ambulance fleet amid shortage
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Fears of measles resurgence as vaccinations drop away in lockdown
1News:‘Break the chain’ – NZ AIDS Foundation launches campaign to end HIV through Covid-19 crisis
Stephen Forbes (Stuff): Counties Manukau DHB seeks $11.2m from ACC for Whakaari/White Island treatment
PPE
Michael Morrah (Newshub): North Shore Hospital nurses allegedly told to ‘remove masks’ by management so patients aren’t scared
Derek Cheng (Herald): PPE teething issues now resolved, says Health Minister David Clark
Thomas Manch (Stuff): ‘Teething issues’ hampered distribution of protective gear
RNZ: PPE distribution to community support workers ‘appropriate’
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): PPE processes solid after early ‘teething’ issues
Julie Iles (NBR): Audit of DHB mask distribution finds ‘teething’ issues (paywalled)
Foreign affairs
Richard Harman (Politik): Peters risks China’s ire with pro-US, pro-Taiwan policy
Jason Wallls (Herald): Foreign Minister Winston Peters tells China’s NZ Ambassador to ‘listen to your master’ after criticism
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Winston Peters tells China’s ambassador to ‘listen to her master’
Ben McKay (Stuff): In aftermath of Covid-19 outbreak, New Zealand jumps on board Taiwan WHO push
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): NZ formally backs WHO role for Taiwan
Wage subsidy
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Why names of some wage subsidy recipients could be kept secret (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The wage subsidy has worked
Unemployment:
Brian Fallow (Herald): Unemployment to rise as virus kills jobs (paywalled)
Infometrics: Upending the labour market
Waatea News: Maori jobless numbers set to spike
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Redundant hotel worker: ‘We’ve never felt so helpless’
Employment, industrial relations
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Employment Court rules contract courier driver was an employee
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Cotton On employees claim management isn’t prepared for reopening under alert level 2
Stephanie Rangi (Stuff): Three S’s could slow down fast food under Covid-19 alert level 2
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): Labour kick Unions – what would Helen Kelly do?
RNZ: Survey finds most people enjoy working from home
Migrant workers, migrants stuck in NZ
Liu Chen (RNZ): Unemployed migrant workers struggle amid Covid-19 crisis
Jackson Thomas (Stuff): More than 170 Russian citizens ‘abandoned’ in New Zealand
Education
Derek Cheng (Herald): Govt considers reopening country for $5b international student industry
Jane Patterson (RNZ):International students may be allowed into NZ before border opens
Simon Collins (Herald): Schools may get lifeline to keep foreign students
Simon Collins (Herald): Most universities won’t reopen until July
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Universities to reopen under level 2 but most lectures will remain online
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Simon Collins (Herald): Principals welcome schools reopening at level 2
Anna Whyte (1News): Early learning, schools and tertiary to reopen under Covid-19 Level 2
Mandy Te (Stuff): Educators welcome reopening of schools and ECE centres
Mandy Te (Stuff): Schools and early learning centres allowed to open at level 2
Housing
Infometrics: Supporting construction while rectifying state housing
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Time to channel Great Depression, get building state houses: Infometrics
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Welfare advisory group calls for post-war style house building programme
Katie Todd (RNZ): Rental shortage in Westport despite vacant properties, locals say
Māori reponse to Covid-19, Māori update
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Planned Great Barrier Island checkpoint already causing contention
Tema Hemi (Māori TV): Māori have proved their ability in COVID-19 crisis – Dame Tariana
Aroha Harris (Spinoff): Māori mobilisation in a crisis: A proud history
Kereama Wright (Māori TV): Murupara Mongrel Mob member responds to Hobsons Pledge petition
Rawiri Taonu (Waatea): Covid -19 Māori Update 7 May 2020 | Is moving to Level 2 too risky?
Rawiri Taonu (Waatea): Continuing gaps in latest testing data and risk of anti-Asian racism 06 May 2020
Tracing app
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): What’s so bad about Palantir? (paywalled)
Bronson Perich (Māori TV): Can the government be trusted with our data?
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Contact tracing app may discriminate against Māori
Immigration, tourism and the trans-Tasman bubble
Gordon Campbell: On the hype around the transTasman bubble, and Microsoft
Brent Edwards (NBR): A trans-Tasman bubble alone is not enough to save the tourism industry (paywalled)
Simon Wilson (Herald): Which tourists and migrants do we need now? (paywalled)
RNZ: Epidemic Response Committee discusses immigration
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Travel allowed under alert level 2 will save thousands of jobs
Grant Bradley (Herald): What new level 2 rules mean for crippled tourism industry (paywalled)
Gun buyback scheme
Collette Devlin (Stuff): How effective was the $120m firearms buyback scheme? We don’t yet know
Annabelle Tukia (Newshub): Two questions remain unanswered following gun buyback scheme – report
Anna Whyte (1News): Gun buyback report finds effective managing by police, but cost blowout for admin work
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Auditor-General’s gun buyback report: Compensation forecast at $120 million
Transport
RNZ: 300 Air New Zealand pilots lose their jobs
1News: Around 300 pilots made redundant, 900 others taking big pay cuts at Air NZ
Lorna Thornber (Herald): Air NZ passengers left ‘upset and scared’ after physical distancing rules not followed on flight
Grant Bradley (Herald): Airfare warning over physical distancing on planes (paywalled)
RNZ: ‘It’s fantastic’: MP thrilled flights to Queenstown resuming
RNZ: Employees may need convincing to use public transport – Business NZ
Brent Edwards (NBR): KiwiRail rejects re-opening Wairoa to Gisborne rail line (paywalled)
Auckland Council imposes mandatory water restrictions
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Auckland water restrictions: City braces for another dry spell
Michael Neilson (Herald): Auckland water shortage: Council approves mandatory restrictions, outdoor use banned and fines up to $20,000
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Hoses, water blasters to be banned in Auckland as council votes to restrict water usage
1News: Auckland Council unanimously votes for mandatory water restrictions amid historic drought
Ashley Bloomfield
Pearl Little (Newshub): Explained: How Ashley Bloomfield became the face of the COVID-19 response
Herald: A rare peek inside Dr Ashley Bloomfield’s work and family bubble
ACT
Laura Wiltshire (Stuff): Young ACT members booted out, vice-president resigns over sexual harassment claims
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Young ACT to investigate sexual harassment of vice president
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Young Act vice-president resigns, claiming sexual harassment
Anna Whyte (1News): ACT considers investigation into sexual harassment allegation in youth wing
Zane Small (Newshub): Young ACT vice-president Ali Gammeter steps down claiming sexual harassment, ‘slut-shaming’
Justice and corrections
George Block (Stuff): Prison ‘timebomb’ fears as frustration and boredom build
Stuff: Solutions needed to address jury trial backlog caused by Covid-19
Pacific, NZ Pacific communities
Barbara Dreaver (1News): Auckland kava parties, some with church officials, continue to flout Covid-19 lockdown rules
Jamie Tahana (RNZ): A surge in poverty as tourism jobs in Samoa disappear
RNZ: Samoa AG office lawyers warns not appear in law society protest submission
RNZ: French military repatriates Tahiti residents from Auckland
Sport
1News: Contact sports and social distancing: Both are possible under Alert Level 2, Govt says
Stuff: Return to community sport welcomed under Covid-19 Level 2
RNZ: Professional sport allowed under Alert Level Two
RNZ: Bosses lay out inequalities in women’s sports at Epidemic Response Committee
Liam Napier (Herald): Leaders outline grave fears for women’s sport (paywalled)
Other
Phil Pennington (RNZ): MBIE branch turnover high, but industry happy with performance
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Bypassing RMA could result in protest, years of court action
No Right Turn: Why we need more transparency over party donations
Katerina Ang (Nikkei Asian Review): New Zealand’s winning virus tactics spell election risks for Ardern
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Government considering change to benefit access rules
1News: Paula Bennett, Shane Jones debate an early move to Level 2, National’s tax relief policy and the lockdown’s legality
Fiona Hutton (Newsroom): We can’t ignore cannabis referendum
Karl du Fresne: Memo to Tova O’Brien: spare us the moralising
Andre Chumko (Stuff): What will Alert Level 2 look like for Wellington?
ODT: DCC adopting a ‘buy local’ policy
Amelia Wade (Herald): How the Prime Minister wrongly announced 18 exemptions granted in lockdown
