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
Border restrictions, quarantine
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): The only way to restore confidence is to order an urgent inquiry into our border failures
John Armstrong (1News): David Clark is Minister of Health in name only after calamitous Covid-19 testing bungle
Andrea Vance (Stuff): If there must be anger, direct it at those who set unrealistic expectations
Audrey Young (Herald): Deluge of debacles over Covid-19 but a swift response from Jacinda Ardern (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Labour has squandered its trump card (paywalled)
Stuff Editorial: Bloomfield can be forgiven – this time
Herald Editorial: Our coronavirus reality check is a timely wake-up call (paywalled)
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): From celebration to dismay: the week Covid-19 re-emerged in New Zealand
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): The week New Zealand’s border failed
Jane Bowron (Stuff): An ‘eviscerated’ health system leaves our morale munted
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Quit buck-passing on quarantine blunders
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Border mismanagement NZ’s ‘biggest economic threat’
Katie Kenny (Stuff): Hardest-hit businesses fear a return to higher alert levels due to Government border bungle
Damien Grant (Stuff): New Zealand will be left behind with ‘Covid-hysteria’
Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): No open borders for at least a year
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Mike Treen (Daily Blog): The bottleneck for almost everything – only 250 people a day can enter NZ
RNZ: Thousands of NZers in isolation, with hundreds more expected in coming days
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Returning Kiwis may have to wait overseas, as quarantine hotels fill up
John Weekes and Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Isolation bus journey: Man says they travelled 15 minutes before learning they were headed for Rotorua
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Travellers ‘shocked’ at last minute transfer to quarantine in Rotorua
Jason Walls (Herald): Auckland quarantine hotels full, travellers taken to Rotorua
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Kiwis have ‘nothing to fear’ from Rotorua quarantine returnees – Tāmati Coffey
Jason Walls (Herald): No vacancy: Government searches for isolation centres outside Auckland as the city hits capacity
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Special exemptions requests to enter NZ on the rise
1News: Megan Woods won’t rule out more managed isolation facilities in regions as Auckland hotels hit capacity
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Returning Kiwis may have to wait overseas, as quarantine hotels fill up
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Border restrictions eased for sportspeople, infrastructure project workers
Amelia Wade (Herald): Foreign workers on light rail, America’s Cup or Crankworx could be allowed into New Zealand
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Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): One problem with the compassionate leave ban: it’s quite possibly not legal
Simon Connell (Pundit): The Christiansen Case, Compassion And The Constitutional Role Of The Courts
Belinda Feek (Herald): Govt’s blanket ban on compassionate exemptions ‘lazy’, ‘ill-considered’
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Kristin Hall (1News): Covid-19 contact moved facilities three times without being tested
1News: Man who stayed in same hotel as two of NZ’s Covid-19 cases highlights disparities between facilities
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Isolation called a shambles after “packed” trip and delayed test
Amelia Wade and Jason Walls (Herald): Crackdown of border regime could mean $4000 fines for rule-breakers
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Govt ponders charging as border isolation costing $4k per person
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Minister promises quarantine shake-up, return of exemptions
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): A show of strength after quarantine blunder
RNZ: Housing Minister Megan Woods to oversee managed isolation and quarantine facilities
RNZ: Megan Woods on beefing up border controls: ‘We are determined to make this work’
Anna Whyte (1News): Housing Minister Megan Woods to oversee Covid-19 quarantine after bungle
RNZ: Tighter rules at Tauranga Port for foreign boat arrivals
RNZ: Auckland port keeps shore leave ban for overseas cargo ship crews
RNZ: Auckland hotel put into lockdown after report of new Covid-19 case
Dan Satherley and Lydia Lewis (Newshub): Quarantine breach a ‘wake-up call’ for complacent Kiwis – expert
Dan Satherley and Emma Stanford (Newshub): Managed isolation breaches sound worse than they are – expert
Audrey Young (Herald): Ashley Bloomfield moves to allay fears as fifth case confirmed in a week
1News: Dr Bloomfield assures managed isolation facilities keep public safe as new Covid-19 cases announced
RNZ: Hotel residents concerned over reports of quarantined travellers arriving
Belinda Feek (Herald): Mother of boys who ‘absconded’ after Mongrel Mob tangi says they weren’t given enough time
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Matt Burrows (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern, David Clark ‘weak’ in COVID-19 debacle, but Dr Bloomfield shouldn’t lose job – Todd Muller
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National MP Michael Woodhouse ‘simply rejects’ withholding information about infected women
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Willie Jackson defends ‘upset’ Jacinda Ardern as ‘let down’ Judith Collins claims ‘we’ve been lied to’
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Denise Piper (Stuff): Roadblocks and luck stopped Māori bearing the brunt of Covid-19
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Government still pursuing CovidCard
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Glitch in NZ COVID Tracer app preventing Android users from scanning QR codes being fixed by Ministry of Health
Election, cannabis referendum
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Todd Muller wants to make this election about competency. Will it work?
Emily Van Velthooven (1News): Art or political propaganda? Electoral Commission investigating artists’ Jacinda Ardern appreciation poster
Alex Braae (Spinoff): In it to win it: Chlöe Swarbrick’s run for Auckland Central
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Chlöe Swarbrick aims to topple Nikki Kaye in Auckland Central
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick launches bid for Auckland central seat against National deputy Nikki Kaye
Felix Desmarais (RNZ): Five confirmed to challenge National’s Todd McClay for Rotorua seat
Rahul Bhattarai (Stuff): Incumbent Stuart Smith slams Govt ‘throwing money around like confetti’ as campaign ramps up
Felix Desmarais (Stuff): Destiny Church’s Hannah Tamaki on her bid for Waiariki
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Tim McKinnel (E-Tangata): Cannabis and Race
Māori Party launch election campaign
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Rivalry over: Mana Movement throws its full support behind Māori Party for 2020
Michael Neilson (Herald): Māori Party launch election campaign targeting ‘racism and inequity’
Michael Neilson (Herald): Māori Party launch Whānau First policy, say Covid 19 highlighted ‘major racism and inequity’
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Māori Party wants 25% of government contracts to be led by Māori
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Māori Party wants quarter of all recovery and housing spending on Māori
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Māori Party co-leader John Tamihere calls Pākehā ‘asymptomatic racists’
Dan Satherley (Newshub): John Tamihere ‘knows exactly how to behave’, his Māori Party co-leader insists
Government’s management of coronavirus
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Kiwis feeling Jacindamania in new poll, while National faces “Muller-meh-tum”
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Voters think Jacinda Ardern better than Todd Muller to manage both pandemic response and economic recovery – poll
Liam Dann (Herald): The big investment question testing our Covid response (paywalled)
National Party
Lana Andelane, The Hui (Newshub): Todd Muller faces pointed questions over lack of engagement with Māori media in first month as Opposition leader
Lana Andelane, The Hui (Newshub): Todd Muller defends Dr Shane Reti’s ranking, role as National’s lack of Māori representation faces more scrutiny
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Todd Muller comes in from cold after his messy debut (paywalled)
Parliament, week in politics
Peter Wilson (RNZ): Week in Politics: The border bubble bursts
Brent Edwards and Grant Walker (NBR): Fact or fiction: when does the PM lose confidence in her ministers? (paywalled)
1News: Inside Parliament: Finger-pointing over quarantine lapses (video)
Phil Smith (RNZ): Parliament returns to normal service
Health
Bridie Witton (Stuff): What does $9.5m health review mean for patients? Not a lot, say critics
Ian Powell (Stuff): Proposed DHB reforms may waste a once in a generation chance to improve health system
Peter Dunne: The merry-go-round of health sector reorganisation has been cranked into life again
ODT Editorial: Review deserves considered response
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): Health reform: Axe the fax then get serious about data (paywalled)
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Review didn’t reflect daily realities for disabled NZers – advocacy group
Gabrielle Baker (Spinoff): Does the health and disability system review deliver for Māori?
John Fiso (Stuff): Simpson health review must change the course for Pasifika
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): West Coasters divided as axe looms over DHBs
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Andre Chumko (Stuff): Calls to review Pharmac model after more drug shortages
Florence Kerr (Stuff): Ministry’s handling of cancer diagnosis during lockdown a ‘disgrace’, top oncologist says
RNZ: Sunday Morning: Pandemic highlights ‘urgent need’ for national health agency in NZ
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Two-building hospital despite pressure
1News: Elective surgery backlog made worse by lockdown has Kiwis waiting in pain, doctors say
Libby Wilson (Stuff): Covid-19 prompts six months of surgery catch-up at Waikato DHB
RNZ: Saturday Morning: Lotta Dann: how the alcohol industry targets women
Karl du Fresne: Lotta Dann and the liquor debate
Aaron van Delden (RNZ): Students forge ahead with campaign to bring back school doctors
Statues, place names
Simon Wilson (Herald): Why stop at Hamilton? 10 more names and statues we could change (paywalled)
Tom O’Connor (Stuff): Felling statues only more myth-making
Tony Ballantyne (ODT): Reactions to statues help reframe national history
Steve Elers (Stuff): We are not accountable for historic injustices
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy on historical monuments: ‘We cannot wipe away our colonial past’
Lana Hart (Stuff): History is messier than we think
Mike Mather (Stuff): ‘Stat you? Lots of love for Hamilton’s remaining statues
Catrin Owen and Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Police investigating as Auckland’s Sir George Grey statue loses thumb and nose
Damian Rowe (Stuff): Auckland man starts campaign to change Foveaux Strait name
Wage subsidy, business
Esther Taunton (Stuff): 73 businesses fail after claiming wage subsidy
Sasha Borissenko (Herald): Which mid-tier law firms took Covid-19 coronavirus wage subsidy and how they’re coping (paywalled)
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Picking winners? Govt has to decide which tourism operators ‘important’
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Diabolical: Business owners describe govt-backed loan scheme application process (paywalled)
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): ‘Cut the brown box-ticking out’: Why so few Māori and Pasifika are at the board table
Unemployment
Robin Martin (RNZ): Covid-19 job losses hit Māori and young hardest in Taranaki
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Unemployment rises in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne with uncertainty ahead
RNZ: H&J Smith’s Dunedin store closures to cut 85 jobs
Stranded foreigners, migrant workers
Stephanie Ockhuysen (Stuff): Can’t afford to stay here, can’t afford to go home – the struggles migrants are facing due to Covid-19
Jo Moir (RNZ): Government gives $67 million to help stranded foreigners
ODT: Social services say demand overwhelming
Jehan Casinader (BusinessDesk): Why are our key sectors struggling to attract talent? (paywalled)
Economy
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Has the Social Credit Party ‘won’ its argument after all this time?
John Tookey and Tony Lanigan (Stuff): Government’s stimulus investment has to be job-focused
RNZ: The Detail: Using infrastructure to boost the economy
1News: GDP figures out yesterday ‘just a prelude’, with worst yet to come – expert
Brian Gaynor (BusinessDesk): NZ GDP – Smashing all previous records (paywalled)
Police
Jack Tame (Herald): Arming our police is a legitimate question that deserves careful, informed consideration
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Police union boss: It’s ‘more dangerous’ for officers but time needed to consider arming police
1News: Police Association President tells Seven Sharp ‘far too many guns are in criminals’ hands’ following death of Auckland officer
Emma Stanford and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Former cop says fatal shooting highlights need for ‘ready access’ to guns
Herald: In the line of duty: The NZ police officers killed on the front line
Firearms
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Police bosses accused of neglecting firearms control for years, as Government plans new arms authority
RNZ: New gun laws a win for campaigners, despite years to wait
Housing
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Thumbs up for proposed state housing development
RNZ: Damp Christchurch social housing complex finally gets ventilation
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Maitai River advocates ‘taken by surprise’ over housing development plan
Tony Alexander (Stuff): It’s FOMO, but not as you know it
Environment and conservation
Simon Collins (Herald): Mayor Phil Goff seeks fast track to use Waikato River amid Auckland drought fears
Rod Oram (Newsroom): Politicians still leaving it to us on climate
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Government may review farm to forestry conversions if they reach 40,000 hectares a year
Lois Williams (RNZ): Gold miner hopeful mining will be allowed on conservation land
RNZ: World Albatross Day: How NZ became the world’s albatross capital
RNZ: Mystery behind Christchurch’s poor air quality
Education
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): Study finds three-quarters of senior high schoolers struggled with workload during lockdown
Ellen Sinclair (Spinoff): University students struggled with more than just study over lockdown
Chris Marriner (Herald): Lynfield College to censor n-word after classroom confrontation
RNZ: Schools want to revitalise te reo Māori through education – report
Michael Neilson (Herald): School brawls: Social media, gang culture and Covid 19
Prism report
RNZ: Rainbow communities human rights report targets six failures in New Zealand
Imogen Wells (1News): LGBT+ commmunity continues to suffer from discrimination – Human Rights Commission
Andre Chumko (Stuff): Widespread discrimination of rainbow community in New Zealand – report
Primary industries
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Kiwifruit spray under regulatory spotlight
Georgia Weaver (Stuff): Can the farming sector absorb Covid-19 job losses?
Andrea Fox (Herald): Fonterra shareholders harshly mark performance of their watchdog council (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Primary sector exports tipped to grow by $1.7b despite pandemic
Lisette Reymer (Newshub): Carbon farming ‘a waste of land’, driving rural residents away – farmers
James Fyfe (Newshub): ‘Not all communities’ will have food security in future as COVID-19 crisis highlights supply and poverty struggles
Local government
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Waikato council wants options to vote remotely post Covid-19
Christine Rose (Daily Blog): Auckland Council Austerity Budget Part of the Problem not the Solution
Christina Persico (Stuff): Taranaki mayors’ pay donations given to charity
Foreign affairs and trade
Jo Moir (RNZ): 65 MFAT staff returned to NZ during Covid crisis
Wu Xi (Politik): Chinese Ambassador calls for NZ and China to work together on Covid-19
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Asia important to New Zealand’s recovery, survey finds
RNZ: Kiwis keen to strengthen ties with Asia in wake of Covid-19 – survey
Simon Draper (Stuff): Increased understanding of Asia a silver lining of pandemic
Liz Truss (Herald): Britain opens free trade negotiations with New Zealand (paywalled)
Media
Colin Peacock and Hayden Donnell (RNZ): Mediawatch: Māori media rejig creates confusion, meets resistance
Hayden Donnell (RNZ): Mediawatch: The journalists who helped save New Zealand’s health response
Tom Dillane and Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Wendy Petrie and Simon Dallow’s future in doubt as TVNZ job cuts hit newsroom
Rob Stock (Stuff): Barbara Chapman to chair board of media giant NZME
Herald: NZME appoints Barbara Chapman as new chair after Peter Cullinane resignation
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): How a Kiwi media company became the World Health Organisation’s latest Covid-19 weapon
Transport
John Anthony (Stuff): Air New Zealand closes parliament base ‘effective immediately’
Alice Angeloni (Stuff): Sounds Air to receive Government funding to keep flying
Joel Maxwell (Dominion Post): Living in ground zero for traffic: ‘We just want to walk across our road’
Emma Dangerfield (Stuff): NZTA backtracks on winter road policy after public backlash
Other
Cat MacLennan (Democracy Project): Ten dead giveaways that Labour in 2020 will never be transformational
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): After three years, ousted Auditor-General case back before Parliament
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Woman should have been allowed visits during lockdown – Ombudsman
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): New Zealand’s average power bill at lowest level in 11 years
Julia Shallcrass (Herald): Parental leave boost for new parents from next month
Herald: Happy 2nd birthday Neve! Mum Jacinda Ardern shares ‘imperfect’ piano cake
1News: Racecourses getting almost $400,000 of Government funding for public safety, animal welfare
1News: Manukau food bank struggling to help everyone in need amid pandemic
D’Angelo Martin ()Māori TV): Petition trying to save ancient Ngāruawāhia gardens goes to govt today
Brian Easton (Pundit): Do We Really Know Our History?
Tina Law (Press): Arts Centre under threat of closure without public funding
Aimee Shaw (Herald): What happened to the thousands of staff supermarkets hired during lockdown? (paywalled)
Valerie Morse (Herald): Time to pull the plug on RIMPAC (paywalled)
Paul Matthews (Herald): Future of work – the robots are coming for our jobs, and we’re not ready (paywalled)
Taffy Muyambo and Maimai Mvundura (Herald): Skin Deep
Chris Keall (Herald): Little responds as Aussie suffers massive cyberattack
Emma Hatton (RNZ): Creditors seek to have liquidator removed over prison contract stoush
