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
Redundancy scheme
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Opinion: Unemployment payment scheme shows Govt knows benefits insufficient
Rachel Sadler (Newshu): Auckland Action Against Poverty says Government’s Income Relief Payments create ‘two tiers of unemployed’ people
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): New benefit leaves out migrants, existing beneficiaries
Mike Treen (Daily Blog): A welcome welfare package but the same is needed for existing beneficaries and migrants
Max Rashbrooke (Spinoff): Bigger payouts for Covid beneficiaries could end up benefitting everyone
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Labour bypass WINZ for newly unemployed to create 2 tier beneficiaries
No Right turn: Labour doesn’t care about the already poor
Steven Cowan: Two-tier welfare
The Standard: Two Tier. Bull. Shit.
David Farrar: Two tiers of unemployment benefit
Craig McCullough (RNZ): Green Party ‘won’t give up’ pushing for benefits increase
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Labour Party voters want Government to support beneficiaries more – Newshub-Reid Research poll
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): How much more you’ll earn on Income Relief Payments compared with the Jobseeker benefit
1News: Are you entitled to a weekly $490 payment if you lose your job due to the pandemic?
Simon Collins (Herald): Who gains and who misses out on new $490 a week income subsidy
Brent Edwards (NBR): Government considers social insurance, provides more worker support (paywalled)
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Weekly $490 payments for unemployed workers in $1.2b Government relief scheme
Amelia Wade (Herald): Kiwis who lost jobs in pandemic crisis to get $490 a week income relief payment
Zane Small (Newshub):Income Relief Payment: Tax-free weekly payments of almost $500 announced for workers laid off due to COVID-19
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Todd Muller slams Government’s Income Relief Payments as ‘ill-defined and ill-directed’
National Party
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Todd Muller’s cautious reshuffle reveals deep tensions within National Party
Tova O’Brien Newshub): Todd Muller’s National reshuffle reeks of strategy
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Muller plays it safe with National reshuffle
Richard Harman (Politik): Shaking up the Nats (and their policies)
Claire Trevett (Herald): Will Todd Muller’s unity reshuffle do the trick? (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell: On not buying what Todd Muller is selling
Chris Trotter (Interest): Todd Muller’s election represents the triumph of moderate conservatism – for now
Graham Adams (Democracy Project): ‘Boring’ Todd Muller sets a trap with a hat
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Don’t read too much into Todd Muller’s ‘MAGA’ hat – Nikki Kaye
Jennifer Lees-Marshment (Newsroom): National doesn’t need a John Key 2.0
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): National’s Army Is On The Move
ODT Editorial: Purpose in positive politics
Alex Braae (Spinoff): How Muller-mentum could change the political landscape
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): The two graphs that spell doom for Muller & National
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Time for Todd Muller and National to get to work
Claire Trevett (Herald): Todd Muller: The Covid-19 crisis and the road ahead under him and the type of leader he will be (paywalled)
Newshub: Todd Muller says ‘context’ will bring swing voters back to The National Party
Quentin Finlay: National’s New Clothes
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1News: Todd Muller commits to National’s pledge to raise superannuation age, bring back oil and gas exploration
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Todd Muller’s car crash of an interview on Q+A
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Jamie Ensor (Newshub) :Surprises in National reshuffle, questions if Bridges is an Abbott or English – political commentator
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Defiant Simon Bridges smacks down Todd Muller’s assertion he’s ‘considering his future’, plans to stay on
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Simon Bridges to stay on in National, says he is ‘not considering future’
1News: Simon Bridges misses out on portfolio he wanted in Todd Muller’s National Party reshuffle
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Todd Muller rebuffs Simon Bridges’ request for foreign affairs portfolio
1News: Nikki Kaye confirms National reshuffle, stays mum on future of Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett
Zane Small (Newshub): National’s Shadow Cabinet: Paula Bennett pushed down ranks, no sign of Simon Bridges
Jo Moir (RNZ): National leader Todd Muller reshuffles caucus: Adams rises, Tolley falls in new lineup
1News: ‘It is brutal’ – Jacinda Ardern wishes Simon Bridges well after being rolled as National leader
Jason Wallls (Herald): National leader Todd Muller’s new caucus: Amy Adams returns, Simon Bridges staying on
RNZ Checkpoint: Amy Adams on new role in National rankings under Muller
Anna Whyte (1News): National’s Amy Adams reverses decision to leave Parliament
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Woodhouse ‘delighted’ to keep health portfolio
RNZ: New National Party leaders seized their ‘moment in history’ – Kaye
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Nikki Kaye takes aim at Jacinda Ardern’s ‘Achilles’ heel’
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Ardern hits back at Muller’s claims of Government incompetence, defends Clark, Twyford
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Todd Muller says ‘context’ will bring swing voters back to The National Party
National – NZ First relationship, election
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): Winston, it’s Todd here. We should talk
Jo Moir (RNZ): New leader eases tensions between National and NZ First
Jason Walls (Herald0: NZ First minister Shane Jones says he’s getting ‘good vibrations’ from the new National leader Todd Muller
Cas Carter (Stuff): It’s a brave new world when politicians compete to be the nicest and kindest
Oliva Caldwell (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s ‘near-perfect’ brand: Personality politics and how marketing can shape elections (paywalled)
Marilyn Waring (Herald): Why Labour’s Louisa Wall is the best candidate for Manurewa (paywalled)
Jo Moir (RNZ): Former PPTA president Angela Roberts to run for Labour
No Right Turn: The Green list
Jason Walls (Herald): Act specifically singles out licensed firearm owners in its new pool of candidates
Media
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Stuff bought by its CEO, MediaWorks announces mass layoffs in historic day for NZ media
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): The sale of Stuff sets the stage for a new independent media in New Zealand
Gavin Ellis: Finally, some good media news
Damien Venuto (Herald): Stuff bought for $1 – why the media firm now faces its biggest challenge
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Behold, Saint Sinead of Stuff
RNZ: Checkpoint: Stuff’s new owner: ‘I can’t say that we will have all of our newspaper titles’
1News: Stuff explores staff-support model after CEO buys company, returning it to NZ ownership
Tim Hunter (NBR): Heads must roll at NZME (paywalled)
Melanie Carroll and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Stuff boss: ‘I asked myself what I wanted for the business’
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Stuff CEO Sinead Boucher buys the company, announces ‘great new era’
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Stuff ownership to return to NZ after management buy-out
Stuff Editorial: Taking the brave leap to local ownership of Stuff
Lawrence Gullery and Ellen O’Dwyer-Cunliffe (Waikato Times): Buy-out enables New Zealanders to take ownership of Waikato Times
Dita De Boni (NBR): Crack reporter supports colleagues owning Stuff
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Stuff CEO Sinead Boucher buys the company for $1
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Stuff stays independent and local in management buyout (paywalled)
RNZ: Stuff chief executive Sinead Boucher buys company for $1
1News: News outlet Stuff returns to NZ ownership as CEO buys it from Australia’s Nine for $1
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Mark Jennings (Newsroom): MediaWorks takes razor to radio
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): ‘Worst case scenario’ as MediaWorks proposes 130 redundancies, pay cuts extended to September
RNZ: MediaWorks announces 130 job losses
Susan Edmunds and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): MediaWorks planning to cut 130 roles in restructure
Dita De Boni (NBR): MediaWorks still hopeful of TV sale after slashing jobs (paywalled)
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Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Stuff bought by its CEO, MediaWorks announces mass layoffs in historic day for NZ media
Herald: Huge media shake-up: TV3 owner cuts 130 jobs, Stuff sold to CEO Sinead Boucher for $1
Coronavirus, public health strategy
Michael Hayward (Stuff): Double standard claim on physical distrancing at schools
Lana Andelane (Newshub): New Zealand needs more time before moving to alert level 1 – Michael Baker
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Experts concerned about New Zealand’s new alert level rules
Gary Payinda (Herald): The battle is far from over in our world awash with pandemic
Anna Whyte (1News): Gathering limit extended to 100 from noon on Friday, Jacinda Ardern announces
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern reveals move to gatherings of 100 under alert level 2
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says gathering limits to increase to 100
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Weddings, funerals, church and sport to return
RNZ: Bars a concern when deciding on relaxing restrictions – Siouxsie Wiles
Alan Kenyon (1News): Jacinda Ardern announces timeline for Alert Level 1 decision
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): David Seymour believes Government ‘undermining’ election by keeping country at alert level 2 ‘for another month’
RNZ: Trans-Tasman bubble: Onus on Australia to sort internal travel first – PM
AAP Jacinda Ardern expects Australian state borders to re-open before trans-Tasman bubble
Stuff: Trans-Tasman bubble: NZ could open to New South Wales and Victoria first
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Trans-Tasman bubble: Australia may open up to New Zealand state by state after Queensland refusal
Herald: Australian Tourism Minister wants transtasman bubble with certain states
Amelia Wade (Herald): New Zealand joins ‘early movers initiative’ to discuss Covid-19 response with other successful countries
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Covid-19 tracing app ‘unusable’ for blind and those with low vision
Bronson Perich (Māori TV): Govt tracing app data could be accessed by USA/AUS – Karaitiana Taiuru
Ryan Boswell (1News): ‘I’m not surprised that some people have tried to escape’ – 1 NEWS reporter on the realities of managed isolation in Auckland hotel
Dave Goosselink (Newshub): The New Zealand-developed coronavirus test that’s 100 times cheaper than others
Economy
1News: Kiwis now trust Labour more than National to repair the economy, poll suggests
Ipsos NZ: Economy and unemployment sky-rocket as top two issues
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Treasury unemployment forecast unrealistically rosy, economists say
Miriam Berger (Stuff): The world looks to New Zealand for the prospect of a four-day week
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): BNZ: Australia will bounce back from Covid-19 faster than NZ will
Employment, redundancies
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Redundancies pitting workers against each other
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Union calls for Air NZ to allow workers better influence over company’s direction
RNZ: TAB cuts jobs after plans to axe 30 percent of its workforce
Blair Jackson (Stuff): Invercargill Licensing Trust make 87 staff redundant
Laura Smith (ODT): Licensing trust sheds workers
Grant Miller (ODT): H&J Smith looking to close stores
Education
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): Students’ wellbeing should be schools’ top focus after lockdown upheaval – education professor
Shannon Johnstone (Hawkes Bay Today) :Covid-19 sign that could lower winter attendance at Hawke’s Bay schools (paywalled)
Richard Davison (ODT): Dozens of playcentres in South on chopping block
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Secondary school international students stuck in New Zealand
Laura Wiltshire (Stuff): Teaching Council fees increase will cause ECE teachers quit, says Early Childhood Council
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): 30,000 sign petition over Teachers Council fee hike
Building consents
Catherine Harris (Stuff): Portable cabins might benefit from consent exemptions
Jessica tyson (Māori TV): Whānau building homes could save money following new consent changes
Mark Quinlivan and Lydia Lewis (Newshub): Scrapping consents for low-risk projects doesn’t mean DIY free-for-all – builder
Local government
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Wellington marae had decades of alarm bells before near-fatal fire
Damian George (Stuff): Wellington Mayor Andy Foster dismisses suggestion of a new region wide council in wake of coronavirus
Stephen Forbes: Major Auckland developments to be reviewed
Logan Savory (Southland Times): Invercargill councillors ditch consultation, push for museum progress
Primary and extractive industries
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Public knowledge of NZ history more important than a public holiday – Kaawhia Te Muraahi
Andrew Bevin (NBR): Federated Farmers weighs in on new forestry regulations (paywalled)
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): ‘Obscene’ urgency on forestry bill will cost jobs, MPs told
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Potato industry calls for limits on frozen chip import
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Mining sector resurgence could mean jobs for Covid-19 hit West Coast
Other
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Reports of child abuse dropped during Covid-19 lockdown
Eleisha Foon (RNZ): Substance abuse, gambling spiked over lockdown
RNZ: Half of New Zealanders worried about finances – survey
Alice Angeloni (Stuff): Mobil Oil ask for five year extension on move to cleaner shipping fuel
Marae: Miss Rotorua highlights the growing number of Māori women in prison
Kelly Makiha (Herald): No time for ‘indigenous handbrake’ on Rotorua Airport development – Shane Jones (paywalled)
Tom Hunt (Dominion Post): Wellington iwi head quits, blames toxic culture
Peter Dale (RNZ): Counting the Covid cost for Community Sport
RNZ: EQC level 2 rules causing more delays, stress – Christchurch couple
RNZ: Westhaven to Albany cycling and walking path plan: NZTA seeks feedback
Guardian: ‘We’re having a bit of an earthquake – we’re fine.’ Is Jacinda Ardern unshakeable?
AAP (Guardian): New Zealand earthquake: PM Jacinda Ardern live on TV in Wellington as North Island hit
RNZ: Relief in capital as sewage pipe repairs curtail need for ‘turd taxis’
RNZ: Heavy rain forecast won’t break droughts – Niwa
Dean Nathan (Māori TV): Ngāti Kuri to maintain closure of SH1 to Cape Reinga
Marae: Ponsonby’s Aunty Rose humbled by support after neighbour sends her racist letter
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): New Zealand politicians unite in criticism of China’s Hong Kong clampdown
1News: Christchurch Santa Parade cancelled for the first time in its 73-year history
