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

David Clark resigns as Health Minister
Audrey Young (Herald): Ex-Health minister David Clark became a distraction to Govt focus on re-election (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): David Clark, the minister who took on an impossible portfolio and lost
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Resigned: David Clark bows to inevitability
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): David Clark takes one for the Labour team
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): David Clark’s resignation ‘inevitable’ as Ardern seeks to restore trust
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Labour cauterises health from David Clark, but why now?
ODT Editorial: A ride too far, a promise unfulfilled
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): David Clark is an election distraction for Labour
Jo Moir (RNZ): David Clark pushed into the dark as Labour readies for election
Justin Giovannetti. (Spinoff): The health minister just quit amid a huge health crisis and no one is freaking out
Stuff Editorial: Bad looks led to Heath Minister’s downfall
David Farrar: Clark resigns
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): David Clark Resigns: Winners & Losers
Derek Cheng (Herald): Cabinet colleague on Health Minister’s demise: David Clark knew he was hurting Labour
Anna Whyte (1News): Ardern open to David Clark picking up Ministerial roles post-election
RNZ: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on David Clark’s resignation as Health Minister: ‘It is one I agree with’
Zane Small (Newshub):Jacinda Ardern ‘agrees’ David Clark became a distraction as Health Minister from COVID-19 response
Amelia Wade (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Health Minister David’s Clark’s resignation
1News: ‘Thank you Ashley’ – David Clark pays tribute to Dr Bloomfield as he resigns as Health Minister
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Dr David Clark addresses relationship with Dr Ashley Bloomfield as he leaves Health Minister role
1News: The fall of David Clark: A timeline of what led to the Health Minister’s resignation
Herald: David Clark’s series of blunders: What led to Health Minister’s resignation
RNZ: David Clark resigns as Health Minister: ‘It’s best for me to step aside
Anna Whyte (1News): Beleaguered David Clark resigns as Minister of Health, says he was a ‘distraction’
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): David Clark resigns as Health Minister, will contest general election
Māori TV: David Clark quits as health minister
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand health minister David Clark quits over handling of Covid-19 outbreak
1News: Full video: Jacinda Ardern speaks after David Clark quits as Health Minister
1News: Full video: David Clark announces his resignation as Health Minister
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Clark still committed to electorate
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Hodgson ‘hoping’ for cabinet return for Clark
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): ‘He wasn’t up to the job’: How MPs reacted to David Clark’s resignation as Health Minister
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): David Clark’s resignation ‘too little, too late’ – Todd Muller
Lana Andelane (Newshub): David Seymour, Simeon Brown lay into former Health Minister on social media
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RNZ: Checkpoint: Chris Hipkins’ new role – career boost or complete nightmare?
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Education Minister Chris Hipkins shunted into health job as David Clark resigns
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Why Jacinda Ardern chose Chris Hipkins as temporary Health Minister

National Party reshuffle
Rosemary McLeod (Stuff): Snappy Paula Bennett made Nats look fun – now they’re back to dull
RNZ: Checkpoint: Muller on rebuilding Bridges: ‘We’ve a professional relationship’
Derek Cheng (Herald): National’s Todd Muller’s first reshuffle – winners and losers revealed
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National reshuffle: Simon Bridges gets foreign affairs role, but not a high ranking
Anna Whyte (1News): Simon Bridges to be National’s foreign affairs spokesperson as Todd Muller adjusts shadow Cabinet
Zane Small (Newshub): National Party reshuffle: Māori MP Shane Reti promoted, Simon Bridges gets foreign affairs portfolio
RNZ: National reshuffle: Simon Bridges given foreign affairs role, Dr Shane Reti to replace Paula Bennett
Julie Iles (NBR): Bridges back into the fold after shadow Cabinet reshuffle (paywalled)
1News: Full video: Todd Muller announces changes to National’s shadow Cabinet
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Judith Collins reveals why she doesn’t like the nickname ‘Crusher’

America’s Cup
Herald: Team NZ probe: Govt halts funding for America’s Cup – Herald, ZB gagged by court order
RNZ: Govt suspends America’s Cup funding after claims of financial mismanagement
Damien Venuto (Herald): ‘Too hot to handle?’ The question facing Team NZ sponsors amid scandal
RNZ: Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says America’s Cup will go ahead, but pleased investigation is underway
RNZ: Team NZ forced to navigate through tricky headwinds
Isaac Davison (Herald): Auckland Council briefed on Team NZ investigation, says none of its funding affected

Quarantine, compassionate leave
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): National MP Hamish Walker defends remarks dubbed ‘racist’ by Labour
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): National MP’s comments ‘disgraceful, racist’ – Megan Woods
Amelia Wade (Herald): National MP slammed for ‘racist’ statement on returning Kiwis from Asia
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Walker’s quarantine comments ‘racist’
ODT: Otago quarantines: National blasts ‘disgraceful’ lack of consultation
LIz McDonald (Stuff): Unease at expanded Covid-19 isolation plans for South Island
Derek Cheng (Herald): Hamilton the next quarantine spot; Queenstown and Dunedin being looked at
Derek Cheng (Herald): Early leave from isolation on compassionate grounds could return next week
Matt Burrows (Neshub): Coronavirus: Compassionate leave to be reinstated, quarantine facilities in other cities being considered – Megan Woods
RNZ: Govt to look at reinstating compassionate leave for those in Covid-19 isolation
Herald: The origin of the New Zealand ‘bubble’ concept revealed

Border protection measures, exemptions
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Revealed: The six productions joining Avatar in getting border exemptions 
Richard Harman (Politik): Don’t let Covid turn NZ into a fortress

Greens Party’s Poverty Action Plan
Simon Wilson (Herald): The Green Party’s Poverty Action Plan (paywalled)
Brian Fallow (Herald): Green Party wealth tax – wrong answer to a real problem (paywalled)

Housing
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Māori children will end up in hospital due to cold, mouldy homes – advocates
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Fears of KiwiBuild fail behind $21m tax payer promise for developer

Cannabis
RNZ: ‘Say Nope to Dope’ campaign denies powerful US group is interfering
Mike Hosking (Herald): Cannabis debate blows Government credibility sky high
Newshub: A deep dive into NZ’s relationship with cannabis

Election
NBR: Minor parties will likely decide make-up of next government (paywalled)
RNZ: Electoral Commission destroys $1m worth of brochures after printing error
1News: $1m botch up: Millions of enrolment packs, referendum brochures destroyed after errant bold font
Dan Satherley and Delphine Herbert (Newshub): Million-dollar blunder sees referendum brochures destroyed

Parliament
Zane Small (Newshub): National Party ‘prepared to work with the Greens’ to repeal ‘waka-jumping’ legislation
Herald: Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard wants man suing him for defamation to be named
Stuff: Trevor Mallard says plaintiff in defamation claim should be named

Environment
Joanne Carroll (Stuff): Conservation Minister advised to give up some mining decisions to avoid conflict calls
Eloise Gibson (Stuff): Climate lens to apply to more Government decisions – but not the $2.6b
Māori TV: Waitangi Tribunal report released on Te Takutai Moana Act
1News: Foxton River Loop, one of NZ’s long-forgotten environmental disasters, gets cash boost
1News: Dome Valley landfill will ‘destroy the Kaipara Harbour’, mana whenua says as protest looms

Education
Matt Burrows (Newshub): International students ‘much more likely’ to return to New Zealand in 2021 than this year – Grant Robertson
Hayley Jacobsen and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Free school lunch programme rolls out in Otago and Southland
Re: Endless stories of racism in NZ schools

Auckland water shortage
1News: Auckland likely to treat wastewater for use in homes to deal with water shortage
Liu Chen (RNZ): Trust fund to ensure health of Waikato River as Auckland readies to take water
RNZ: Aucklanders may still have to conserve water despite interim agreement

Employment
1News: Glaring pay discrimination issues revealed by Human Rights Commission research
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Revealing pay rates will help close NZ’s pay gap, says commissioner
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Family says no justice for WorkSafe investigated workplace deaths

Foreign affairs
Amelia Wade (Herald): ‘Stop interfering in our affairs’: China’s warning to New Zealand after Winston Peters criticises security law
Thomas Manch (Stuff): China urges New Zealand to ‘stop interfering’ in Hong Kong affairs, after citicism over security law
1News: Winston Peters defends Kiwis’ right to protest for Hong Kong independence
RNZ: Winston Peters critical of China’s new security law for Hong Kong
Mackenzie Smith (RNZ): Hong Kong protesters in New Zealand worried about new national security law

Provincial Growth Fund
Robin Martin (RNZ): Hundreds of jobs promised from $27m spend-up at Whanganui port
Robin Martin (RNZ):Government doubles investment in Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment

Moa bones
Jonathan Mitchell (RNZ): Trade in moa bones would be banned under proposed new rules
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand unveils plans to tackle trade in bones of extinct moa bones
Caley Callahan (Newshub): Conservationists hope proposed rules will stop sale of extinct species’ bones

Superannuation
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Parliament supports first reading of bill to raise raise minimum residency for superannuation from 10 to 20 years
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Immigrants in New Zealand should not be entitled to full pension at 65 after just 10 years

Child welfare
Juliet Speedy (Newshub): Police onsite at Gloriavale amid fresh allegations of sexual offences
Taroi Black (Māori TV): Māori leaders demand dismissals – ‘this is the last straw’
Emily Brookes (Stuff): Broadcasting Standards Authority: 9 out of 10 New Zealand children viewed ‘upsetting’ content in past year
Ben Leahy (Stuff): Broadcasting Standards Association says nearly 90 per cent of teens have recently watched harmful content: study

Health
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): DHB overspends now a ‘feature of the system’ – auditor-general
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): $1.6m fund aimed at medley of Māori suicide prevention initiatives

Other
RNZ: Checkpoint: Thousands received wage subsidy payouts from multiple employers
Chris Keall (Herald): New Privacy Act: Commissioner John Edwards alerts business to new offences, fines (paywalled)
Herald: Revealed: The report withheld despite officials telling their Minister it should be public (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Poor Kiwi kids would be better off in Australia – report
RNZ: Greens’ Shaw shrugs off Peters’ light rail ‘tantrum’
Newshub: Scrutinising our fisheries quota, regulatory system
Victoria University of Wellington: The parenting myth revealed by lockdown
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Stranded Pacific workers ‘losing hope’ of going home
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Huge backlog in visa processing an expensive nightmare, says applicant
RNZ: Gap between haves and have-nots widening in NZ – survey
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Rich people feel less wealthy, but they won’t be hit hardest by a recession
George Block (Stuff): Call to reject US payback request for NZ military meals in Afghanistan
RNZ: Dunedin council appoints acting chief executive
1News: National MP challenges Shane Jones on if Government can deliver on $3 billion infrastructure package
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Bill creating minimum prison sentence for assaulting first responders passes second reading
Phil Pennington (RNZ): New report confirms memorial’s bells pose ‘significant risk’ in earthquake
RNZ: Robots from Pike River access tunnel handed to police
Laura Wiltshire (Stuff): New Zealand book hit by Chinese censors, forced to change printer