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
NZ First, fishing industry, light rail
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Talleys hosted fundraiser dinners for NZ First, but denies that’s behind delay in fishing boat cameras
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Stuart Nash apologises to Winston Peters and Shane Jones over fisheries comments
Conan Young (RNZ): Fishing industry unimpressed by Stuart Nash’s comments
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Shane Jones slams Greenpeace – ‘I am an apostle of industry’
Derek Cheng (Herald): NZ First MP Shane Jones hits back at any suggestion he stopped mandatory cameras on boats
Newstalk ZB: Winston Peters denies NZ First delayed roll out of cameras on fishing boats
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Danyl Mclauchlan (Spinoff): The Winston Peters paradox
Winston Peters (Herald): Facts matter when taxpayer money is on the line (paywalled)
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): A blame guide for the Auckland light rail cluster-shemozzle uber-bungle
Phil McDermott (Herald): End of the line for light rail in Auckland, at last (paywalled)
National Party
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Why Todd Muller – and National – Are Toast
Claire Trevett (Herald): Todd Muller and the distractions of Judith Collins and Paula Bennett (paywalled)
Mike Hosking: What Todd Muller can learn from Judith Collins and John Key
Dita De Boni (NBR): Is National down and out enough to consider a woman leader? (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Todd Muller hints at ‘couple of changes’ in upcoming caucus reshuffle as questions swirl on Māori representation
Te Rina Triponel (Māori TV): Ex National MP says Bennett will be remembered as the ‘minister of punitive measures
America’s Cup
Herald: The America’s Cup controversy explained: What we know and why we should care (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Public money for America’s Cup must be on hold until investigation is over
Herald: America’s Cup: Hacker posed as European TV contractor then scammed Team NZ
RNZ: Checkpiont: Dalton: Team NZ’s behaviour is above board but ‘money is gone’
Derek Cheng (Herald): No freeze on public money to Team NZ or America’s Cup despite claims of improper spending
1News: Team NZ’s use of public money being investigated, but Grant Dalton says they fell victim to hackers
RNZ: Email scam: Team NZ confirms it sent funds to foreign bank account
Herald: America’s Cup: Team NZ hits back at claims of financial mismanagement
Herald: America’s Cup: Police investigating Team NZ scam, working with Hungarian authorities
Todd Niall (Stuff): America’s Cup fraud allegations: NZ, Hungarian police investigating alleged scam
Herald: America’s Cup: Govt concern at Team NZ financial management, threat to withhold funding
Derek Cheng (Herald): America’s Cup ‘circus’: Act leader David Seymour slams latest fraud claims
Greens wealth tax policy, tax
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Political Roundup: The Greens’ Zeitgeist poverty and tax action plan
Kate Macnamara (Stuff): Here’s why wealth taxes often don’t work
Geoff Simmons (Interest): The Greens’ wealth tax policy would be disastrous for New Zealand
Mathew Pottinger (Herald): Green’s new GMI policy will perpetuate the welfare trap (paywalled)
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Finance Minister Grant Robertson says current tax system ‘fair and balanced’ as Greens call for high-income earners to pay more
Alan Kenyon (1News): Ardern accuses Muller of spreading ‘blatant misinformation’ during spirited tax debate
1News: New petrol tax will be ‘really tough on those people at the bottom’ – economist
Borders, quarantine
1News: John Campbell challenges Todd Muller on how National would open New Zealand’s borders
Anna Whyte (1News): Grant Robertson accuses Todd Muller of having ‘consistency of a bored cat’
Stuff Editorial: Coronavirus: bursting the trans-Tasman bubble
RNZ: Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield reacts to second Victoria Covid-19 lockdown
1News: ‘Cautious’ approach needed on reopening borders amid Covid-19 case surges overseas – Dr Bloomfield
Newstalk ZB: PM: NZ is a safe haven in a dangerous world
1News: Ardern warns Victoria is an example of how Covid-19 virus could re-emerge here
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern says Victoria, Australia’s COVID-19 spike a reminder New Zealand ‘not immune’ to second wave of coronavirus
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern says NZ’s freedoms rely on ongoing vigilance
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): Lessons from Victoria: Don’t lose elimination status
1News: Air NZ scraps Auckland-Melbourne flights for two weeks due to Covid-19 spike
RNZ: NZ won’t have to open up to EU travellers – EU representative\
1News: Some Air NZ crew ‘facing hostility’ when returning home because of Covid-19 stigma
Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield put hard word on testing hold-outs
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern’s stern message to more than 300 who left managed isolation and won’t return calls
Herald:Dr Ashley Bloomfield taking holiday after ‘relentless’ six months
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Ashley Bloomfield thanks Kiwis for buying him flowers, sending cupcakes after viral David Clark video
Meridian water spilling rort
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Opinion: Flaw in the electricity market laid bare by preliminary ruling against Meridian
Gerard Hehir (Democracy Project): With great power comes no responsibility
1News: Investigation into big electricity company highlights ‘bigger problem in the market’, Flick Electric CEO says
Newstalk ZB: Meridian Energy found in wrong in market abuse investigation
NZ spy agencies
Tim Watkin (RNZ): Spy raids on foreign embassies raise timely questions
Gordon Campbell: On why attack isn’t our best means of cyber-defence
No Right Turn: Who’s the security threat again?
The Standard: Looking the wrong way? The SIS in New Zealand
Election
Richard Prebble (NBR): The ups and downs, ins and outs of political polls (paywalled)
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Election 2020 Government Tetris: Best & Worst case scenarios for Progressive voters
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Auckland The Opportunities Party candidate resigns in scathing online post
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Explosive start for Opportunities Party campaign as candidate takes dispute public
Cannabis referendum
Newstalk ZB: Justice Minister doesn’t want foreign groups weighing in on cannabis referendum
1News: Drug Foundation told to make change to advert backing yes vote in cannabis referendum
RNZ: Drug Foundation complaints rejected by Advertising Standards Authority
David Farrar: Three different polls on the cannabis referendum
Scott Palmer (Newshub): New survey shows nearly three-quarters of Māori support legalising cannabis
Herald: Snoop Dogg’s message to New Zealand over cannabis referendum
Auckland water shortage
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Agreement to take more water from Waikato River reached
Herald: Agreement reached: Tāmaki Makaurau to take more water from the Waikato River
Bronson Perich (Māori TV): Goff scoffs at paying for Waikato water
RNZ: Auckland water situation a matter of ‘national significance’
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Hamilton City Council agrees to allot 25 million litres of water from its annual allocation to help Auckland
Economy
Shamubeel Eaqub (Newsroom):Book of the Week: Brian Easton will now harrumph
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): New Zealand heading towards recession – bank survey
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Adrian Orr puts everything on the table to shore up battered economy
Liam Dann (Herald): Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr – Banks getting the message on lower rates (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr – Do low interest rates create social inequality? (paywalled)
Infrastructure
Newshub: $3 billion sprinkled across 14 regions: Government’s infrastructure spending plan revealed
1News: Government reveals where massive $3 billion Covid-19 infrastructure fund will be spent
RNZ: Government reveals how $3b infrastructure fund will be spent
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Govt names first $240m spend from $3b infrastructure programme (paywalled)
Mike Houlahan (ODT): $260m for projects in region
RNZ: Roading upgrade to benefit iwi housing plan
Education
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Minister’s stern warning to early learning centres
Isaac Davison (Herald): Choosing childcare: Is early childhood education actually good for kids? (paywalled)
Laura Wiltshire (Stuff): Classrooms empty out as kids stay at home amid Covid-19 fears
Belinda Feek (Herald): Hundreds of Auckland pupils missing school each day due to sickness
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Principals want foreign teachers exempted from border restrictions
John Lewis (ODT): Schools go better with free lunches
1News: Canterbury University AI helps identify students at risk of dropping out
Stuff: National will undo Government’s tertiary reforms if elected
Luisa Girao (ODT): MP points out polytech plans
Employment
Kirsty Johnston (Herald): Pay transparency: Employee study fuels fresh calls for pay data to be made public
Joe Gallagher (Stuff): Fletcher workers got 95% pay rise, board members 200%… is that fair?
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Legal workers’ union slams job advert requiring 98 per cent work attendance
Migrant workers
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Shalini Ltd loses fight against $100k migrant exploitation penalties
1News: Auckland liquor stores ordered to pay $100k fine for migrant exploitation
RNZ: Bottle shop labour exploitation appeal dismissed by court
RNZ: Dairy farming business fined after worker crushed by trailer
Welfare
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Average debt to MSD doubles in five years
Leonie Morris (Stuff): Why we need to break up with unfair welfare relationship rules
Personal finance
Rob Stock (Stuff): Third of adults would fail school money course for teenagers
Susan St John and Claire Dale (Daily Blog): Let’s please save KiwiSaver from the axe
Tim Hazledine (BusinessDesk): Scraping Paint and the Meaning of Life (paywalled)
Health and disability
Dave Goosselink (Newshub): Southland DHB told man to wait 10 months for cancer test after he collapsed bleeding
Ian Powell (Democracy Project): Continuing Scandal over Tunnel Vision Public Hospital Rebuilding
Catherine Hutton (RNZ): Future of respite care uncertain for severely disabled woman
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today): David Clark approves $10m Hawke’s Bay radiology department upgrade after MP’s queries (paywalled)
Aaron van Delden (RNZ): DHB grilled over decision to take away school GPs
Transport, road safety
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Transport Minister Phil Twyford finally visits Wellington’s troubled Transmission Gully
Joel MacManus (Stuff): More delays for troubled national public transport card
Fergus Tate (Stuff): Lives saved with lower CBD speed limits
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Fullers ‘disappointed’ by manager’s scathing 3am message
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Almost one-third of Kiwis admit to texting and driving, study finds
NBR: $85m payout for lockdown delay (paywalled)
Environment
Reweti Kohere (NBR): High Court rules minister not biased over Buller mining decision (paywalled)
1News: ‘Extraordinary’ effort from Kiwis sees plastic bags cut by a billion, one year on from ban – Ministry for the Environment
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Small dams floated after scrapped Ruataniwha project
ODT Editorial: Resolution needed for cull plan
Local government
Damian George (Stuff): Wellington economic agency faces many challenges, one being its leadership
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Vogel House owners ask for rates remission to afford renovations
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): New Zealand Local Government Funding Agency raises council debt caps to 3x revenue
Mahina Hurkmans (Māori TV): Taupo councillor investigated over ‘extremely inappropriate racial tones’ in district council meeting
Abbey Palmer (ODT): Council, SdE agree to new recycling contract
Lois Williams (RNZ): Kaikōura residents say freedom camping problems outweigh benefits – survey
Paid parental leave
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): New Zealand’s paid parental leave increase, and how it compares to other countries
RNZ: Paid parental leave extension a ‘no brainer’ for PM
1News: Jacinda Ardern celebrates with cuddles and cake as parental leave extended
1News: Parents of newborns get four more weeks of paid parental leave in NZ, starting today
Justice
Phillipa Yalden (Stuff): New body to hear miscarriages of justice now open for business
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Family Court changes to come into force today
Child welfare
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): ‘Tokenistic inclusion of Māori’ despite fall in state care numbers
Bonnie Sumner and Melanie Reid (Newsroom): Māori leaders repeat call for OT resignations
Tourism
Te Rina Triponel (Māori TV): Māori tourism critical to country’s economic rebuild
RNZ: Māori tourism in Hawke’s Bay excluded from financial decisions – businesses
Jo McKenzie-McLean (Stuff): Ngāi Tahu Tourism pulls plug on Queenstown hot pool plans
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): ‘I’d love to support New Zealand tourism, but it’s too expensive,’ Kiwi travellers say
ASB
Rob Stock (Stuff): ASB to close nine branches and move 25 others onto three-day weeks
1News: ASB shutting nine branches for good, further 25 to operate with reduced hours
RNZ: Nine ASB branches to close, 25 others to have opening hours slashed
Film industry
Collette Devlin (Stuff): $230m boost for screen industry amid demand to film in NZ ‘safe haven’
RNZ: Government announces film and TV sector recovery package
Foreign affairs
Thomas Manch (Stuff): New Zealand accused of failing to stand up to bully China, as Beijing passes Hong Kong security law
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern, Winston Peters speak out against China’s new Hong Kong security law
Primary industries
Maja Burry (RNZ): ‘Strong response’ helps reduce Covid-19 impact on farming – Rabobank
Sally Rae (ODT): Petition calls on Govt to use more wool
Other
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Urgent: A guide to all the laws being pushed through Parliament
Anna Whyte (1News): New law aimed at bringing down petrol prices passes first hurdle in Parliament
George Block (Stuff): US military may seek repayment from NZ for years of free meals in Afghanistan
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Holding APEC online – does it matter? (paywalled)
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Warm, dry homes and buildings are the ultimate job-creators – report
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Government’s big day: Jacinda Ardern celebrates extended parental leave, $3bn in shovel-ready projects
John Mitchell (Spiked): New Zealand’s other pandemic – political correctness
Alister Browne (Manawatū Standard): Statue of limitations: Time to unshackle from our colonial past
Jean Balchin (ODT): Cannot leave statues as they stand
Herald: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shows off ‘unusual’ household item in live Facebook video
Scott Palmer (Newshub): New Zealand activist receives death threats after protest against Western Sahara phosphate import
Jonathan Mitchell (RNZ): Woman sexually harassed in the Air Force starts new claim for compensation
RNZ: Stricter NZ superannuation requirements bill passes first reading
RNZ: Māori astronomer Professor Rangi Matamua wins top science award
Imogen Wells (1News): South Auckland initiative reduces rate of family violence reoffending by almost 60%
1News: Auckland Airport expected to lose up to $90m, more job losses expected
Kevin Harris (Stuff): Stuff to translate stories into te reo Māori
Nick Teulon (Newsroom): An oft-forgotten ticking time bomb
