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
Labour Party
Thomas Manch (Stuff): It might be ‘team’ Labour, but there’s little doubt about who’s the skipper, and ‘saviour’
Audrey Young (Herald): No ordinary Labour speech by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (paywalled)
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Ardern asks NZ to move her towards a second term
Richard Harman (Politik): Labour’s red glow
Justin Giovannatti (Spinoff): Ardern rouses faithful with a speech high on optimism but thin on new policy
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Labour starts election season with unity, purpose and a crushing lead
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Labour Party supporters confident Jacinda Ardern can win after party’s conference
1News: Some Labour members take shots at coalition partner NZ First
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern sets scene for 2020 election campaign, announcing ‘jobs for nature’ and business loan scheme extension
Anna Whyte (1News): Jacinda Ardern outlines Labour’s economic plan at party congress
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Waterways clean-up projects announced
Derek Cheng (Herald): Labour Congress: Jacinda Ardern outlines $162m plan for cleaner waterways, 2000 more jobs
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern’s full speech to Labour congress
1News: Labour’s economic plan announced today is ‘just more KiwiBuild’ – National leader Todd Muller
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern’s COVID-19 recovery plan lashed as undeliverable, visionless
1News: Jacinda Ardern wants to take charge of rebuild after managing health crisis as Labour launches election pitch
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern says COVID-19 lockdown ‘made all the difference’ at saving NZ’s economy
RNZ: Covid focus for Labour’s mostly online Congress
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Steve Braunias (Herald): Secret Diary of the new Labour election campaign slogan (paywalled)
1News: Labour Party unveils new 2020 campaign slogan ahead of general election
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Labour’s new campaign slogan revealed: ‘Let’s keep moving’
Newstalk ZB: ‘Let’s keep moving’: Labour launches new campaign ‘rallying call’
Benedict Pringle: Labour NZ launch 2020 general election slogan
AAP: ‘Let’s keep moving’: Ardern launches New Zealand Labour’s election slogan
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Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Labour’s rank amateur cancel culture red flag for Gerry’s Intelligence Unit
Amelia Wade (Herald): Labour sacks candidate Kurt Taogaga for old tweets supporting racist ‘Wogistan’ column
Dan Satherley and Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Labour sacks candidate who praised racist ‘Wogistan’ column
RNZ: Labour sacks candidate for old anti-Islamic tweets
Election, referenda, polling
Chris Trotter: There’s Never A Right Time For Left-Wing Policies
Dan Satherley (Newshub): No electorate deals to help Greens or NZ First get back into Parliament – Ardern
Irra Lee (1News): ‘Wasted vote syndrome’ and human behaviour – Polling phenomena to look out for as election nears
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): 2 things in favour for a Labour majority – Kiwi herdism & the new enrolment rules
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1News: Public support legalising euthanasia, latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll shows
Libby Smales and Jack Havill (Stuff): Where assisted dying is legal, palliative care standards ‘have improved’
Serena Jones (Newsroom): Living with end-of-life possibilities
Russell Brown: Paula Bennett and the Scientology leaflets
Chris Fowlie (Daily Blog): Cannabis Referendum’s Volatile Polls Show Every Vote Will Count
Clare Curran
Donna Chisholm (Spinoff): ‘I physically felt like I was going to die’: Clare Curran opens up on politics, toxicity and trauma
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): ‘We wanted to break her’ – Jami-Lee Ross weighs in on Clare Curran story
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Ex-National MP apologises for ‘savage’ attacks on outgoing Labour MP Clare Curran
Herald: Labour MP Clare Curran reveals ‘traumatised’ impact of ‘dirty politics’ campaign
Pete George: Clare Curran and the brutality of politics
National Party
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Why Nats’ economic ‘brand’ won’t be enough
Scott Palmer (Newshub): National’s lack of Māori on front bench ‘good enough’ – Dr Shane Reti
1News: Todd Muller quizzed on his faith, contraception and his most embarrassing gaffe
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): National leader Todd Muller attacks Government’s record but avoids naming PM
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Judith Collins’ memoir shows two faces (paywalled)
Steve Braunias (Herald): The secret memoir of Judith Collins (paywalled)
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Judith Collins on her chances of being leader of the National Party
Newstalk ZB: Judith Collins on her autobiography and growing up with Labour-voting parents
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Actually, I think my timing might be perfect: Paula Bennett talks politics, and what comes next
Greens
Damien George (Stuff): Sage and Swarbrick illustrate why the Greens are in trouble
Eloise Gibson (Stuff): Green MP Gareth Hughes bows out with a live science show
NZ First
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Sharp thinker Tracey Martin boosts NZ First’s success (paywalled)
Gaurav Sharma (Spinoff): NZ First’s Mahesh Bindra on his party’s attacks on Indian-New Zealanders
David Clark resignation, health portfolio
Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern plagued with fresh problems in health (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell: On the Clark exit, convention centres, and the killing of Hachalu Hundessa
Mike Houlahan ODT): Dignified conclusion to fall from grace
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ‘Stop putting the knife in’: Willie Jackson defends ‘good man’ David Clark
Deane Galbraith and Ben Schonthal (Newsroom): The demonisation of David Clark
Dan Satherley and Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern credits David Clark with helping rid New Zealand of COVID-19
1News: Newly appointed Health Minister says juggling two big portfolios will ‘require careful time management’
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): World reacts: Dr David Clark’s resignation makes global headlines
Herald: ‘You’re saying he’s available?’- some people in the US desperate to hire David Clark
Parliament
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Misbehaving MPs on notice as new employment law comes into force
Peter Wilson (RNZ): The Week in Politics: A wild ride with problems for both the main parties
1News: Inside Parliament: ‘Distraction’ David Clark finally quits as Health Minister, Paula Bennett to depart politics
Joshua Ferrer (Spinoff): Consensus-based NZ electoral reform is a lovely idea. And it’s mostly a myth
Daniela Maoate-Cox (RNZ): Parliament corrects prisoner voting law
Phil Smith (RNZ): Members’ bills: Defying sad odds
Border debate
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Breaking for the borders
Siouxsie Wiles (Stuff): NZ should take it slow and steady before reopening borders
RNZ: Govt will be cautious over border to avoid further Covid-19 outbreaks – Hipkins
RNZ: New Zealand considers quarantine exemptions for Cook Islands
1News: ‘Right now is not the right time’ – PM responds to further calls for NZ’s borders to reopen
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern outlines what will ‘change the future scenario of our borders’
Andrew Gunn (Stuff): Todd Muller Asks Questions Down Through The Ages
David Farrar: Even Helen Clark says Government needs a reopening plan
1News:Public discussion needed on how to safely reopen NZ’s borders – Sir Peter Gluckman
Travel bubbles
1News: Victoria’s Covid-19 spread holding up trans-Tasman bubble, PM confirms
Zane Small (Newshub): What’s taking so long? Jacinda Ardern explains trans-Tasman travel bubble hurdles
Patrick Hatch (Sydney Morning Herald): Trans-Tasman bubble could take flight by September, Australian Tourism Minister says
Mānia Clarke-Mamanu (Māori TV): Auckland-Rarotonga travel bubble only weeks away
Covid-19 privacy breach
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Inquiry launched to find who leaked Covid-19 case data
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Criminal charges possible if leak source identified in Covid-19 privacy breach investigation
Amelia Wade (Herald): Criminal charges ‘on the table’ if malicious motive behind leak of personal details
Stuff: State Services Commission investigating privacy breach of quarantined Covid-19 patients
Madison Reidy (Newshub): Health Minister Chris Hipkins issues threat after COVID-19 patients’ details leaked
1News: Government ‘unreservedly’ apologises for privacy breach involving Covid-19 cases
1News: Breach of personal details of Covid-19 patients ‘a shambles’ – National
Amelia Wade (Herald): Covid 19 coronavirus patients’ details leaked: Investigation launched as agencies scramble
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Details of active Covid-19 cases leaked in privacy breach
Managed isolation and quarantine facilities, testing
Stuff Editorial: Coronavirus: there’s no place for racism in the Covid-19 response
ODT: No place for nimbyism in Covid fight
Collette Devlin (Stuff): National leader Todd Muller reprimands Hamish Walker over ‘racist’ press statement
Herald: National leader Todd Muller disappointed in Hamish Walker’s ‘racist’ statement
Zane Small (Newshub): National MP Hamish Walker’s ‘racist’ remarks earn rebukes from Todd Muller and Jacinda Ardern
RNZ: Dunedin mayor calls National MP’s comments on returning NZers a ‘dog whistle’
1News: ‘It was inappropriate’ – Ardern responds to National MP Hamish Walker’s isolation facility comments
Māori TV: Former Race Relations Commissioner calls out MP for ‘racism’
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1News: Police charge woman who allegedly absconded from Auckland managed isolation facility
1News: Minister Woods says managed isolation facilities are robust after woman escapes from Auckland hotel
Derek Cheng (Herald): Woman scaled two fences to escape managed isolation; Govt says no failure of process
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Managed isolation escapee scaled two fences during her breakout in central Auckland
Martin van Beynen (Stuff: Returnees and why we feel resentful
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Queenstown mayor cautious about isolation site proposal
1News: Returning Kiwi garners PM’s attention for viral posts praising quarantine process
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Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Questions over Covid-19 testing criteria
Housing
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Push for drier, warmer homes – ‘shock’ at state of NZ housing
Steven Walton (Stuff): Christchurch RSA spent only a third of social housing quake payout fixing units
Colleen Hawkes (Stuff): What’s a new social housing unit really like in 2020?
Bernard Orsman (Herald): A flood of Kiwis returning home to escape Covid will help the Auckland housing market, says economist (paywalled)
RNZ: Auckland Council looks to delay house capital valuation process until 2021
Ben Leahy (Herald): Auckland Council seeks permission to delay CV revaluation for year
Harriet Robinson (RNZ): Night shelter closes doors after half a century of service
RNZ: International interest in moving to NZ sparks demand for real estate
America’s Cup
Todd Niall (Stuff): America’s Cup allegations: High Court to consider release of sensitive report
Todd Niall (Stuff): America’s Cup allegations: Next steps in the financial management dispute
Herald: ‘Deliberate, sinister’ attack on Team New Zealand – Grant Dalton
RNZ: A ‘deliberate, sinister, and highly orchestrated attack’ on Team NZ – Dalton
RNZ: Warning to RNZ over America’s Cup injunction
Pattrick Smellie (Business Desk): ACE/Team NZ allegations: America’s Cup key managers turn whistleblowers
Michael Neilson (Herald): Checks and balances’ – PM grilled on America’s Cup probe
Tom McRae (Newshub): America’s Cup 2020: Top event managers Tom Mayo, Grant Calder named Team NZ ‘whistleblowers’
Todd Niall (Stuff): NZ’s past hosting success should not be forgotten amid latest inquiry
Fishing industry
Andrea Vance (Stuff): The Greens bear responsibility for capitulation to NZ First and Big Fish
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Secret recording captures Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash’s strategy to remove cost of cameras on boats
Conan Young (RNZ): Fishing companies offer conditional support for cameras on boats
Environment and conservation
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): New Zealand could meet its zero carbon target at virtually no economic cost. But is the social cost too high?
Daniel Brunskill (BusinessDesk): What it will take for Green Party support for RMA reform
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Conservation charities sound the alarm on funding crisis
Vita Molynexu (Newshub): Court proceedings begin over ownership of potentially hazardous material stored on banks of Mataura River
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Fishing restrictions to protect endangered dolphins could leave Māori out of jobs
1News: Record temperatures are ‘clear evidence of New Zealand’s warming climate’ – meteorologist
RNZ: Petition to stop DOC culling tahr gains 40,000 signatures
Primary industries
Piers Fuller (Stuff): Labour’s forestry policy ‘a step in the right direction’, farmers say
Christian Fuller (Hawkes Bay Today): Election promise: Labour MPs vow to protect farms from forestry with resource consent
Jane Clifton (BusinessDesk): Jonesy’s political log-jam (paywalled)
RNZ: Two-thirds of farmers selling raw milk ignore scheme to regulate sales
Maja Burry (RNZ): Chicken virus in NZ blocking exports to Australia until 2021
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): The perils of growing food in the era of Covid-19
Sally Rae (ODT): Irrigation’s potential for benefit chain highlighted
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Headaches for wine industry’s 2021 harvest as Covid-19 keeps skilled foreign workforce out
Health
Brian Easton (Pundit): Centralising Health Care
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): 23 children and teens a day hospitalised for dental care, as water fluoridation bill flounders
David Galler (Spinoff): As a doctor, I know better than most that climate change is a healthcare issue
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Whakaari/White Island: Volcano eruption’s multi-million dollar strain on hospitals
Grant Miller (ODT): Double up on hospital logo with Sexwise
Stephen Forbes (RNZ): Psychotic patient involved in stabbing transferred from emergency department
Nicole Bremner (1News): Covid-19 study calling on people who may have been in contact with a coronavirus case
Business, wage subsidy
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): 40% of bars, cafes could close due to skills shortage — expert
Nita Blake-Persen (RNZ): Wilson Parking receives more than $1m in wage subsidy
RNZ: Labour will extend loan scheme ‘lifeline’ for small business – PM
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Govt extends COVID-19 business loan scheme
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern extends $5.2b small business loans scheme to the end of the year
Barbara Dreaver (1News): Exporters furious at Air NZ’s treatment of the Pacific
Welfare, unemployment
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): More than 200,000 New Zealanders now on unemployment benefits
Dan Satherley (Newshub Nation): Work and Income defends against claims of discrimination against women and Māori
Tax
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Tax is back: How do you fix a $49 billion hole?
Pattrick Smellie (Herald): Green Party’s plan to tax wealth – why is it so difficult? (paywalled)
Education
RNZ: Truancy frustration ‘reaching a crescendo’ – principals
Herald: Covid 19 coronavirus: Schools to get a $50 million dollar boost to help with student attendance
RNZ: Govt ramps up effort to tackle post-lockdown truancy rate
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Teachers want action as student assault rates on staff escalate
1News: Four schools getting major upgrades, costing $126 million
Emily Writes (Spinoff): Movement against bible study in schools ramps up with court action and petition
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): Uni enrolments spiral down as international students numbers plummet
ODT: Most of student hardship fund yet to be distributed
Imogen Wells (1News): Union says loophole means some early childhood teachers won’t get pay rise
Child welfare
John Darroch (Newsroom): Child protection’s culture of silence
Mihingarangi Forbes (The Hui): Māori Party wants to scrap Oranga Tamariki, calls for CEO and Minister to go
RNZ: Dame Naida Glavish urges Oranga Tamariki boss Grainne Moss’ removal
RNZ: Gloriavale leavers hope new investigation leads to change
Local government
Martin Taylor (ODT): Campaign to roll Hobbs betrays obligations to water quality
Grant Miller (ODT): Conflict of interest claim a fantasy: Laws
Joel MacManus (Dominion Post): $12 billion isn’t nearly enough: The scale of Wellington’s infrastructure deficit
1News: Half of the almost $300 million collected from Auckland’s Regional Fuel Tax waiting to be spent
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Vandervis hits back at claims
RNZ: Carterton District Council staff take pay rise freeze
Lois Williams (RNZ): Hopes high for West Coast flood protection funding
Marcus Anselm (RNZ): Council considers eco reef to act as coastal defence
Aaron van Delden (RNZ): Beachfront residents left in the dark over erosion plan
RNZ: NZ’s longest serving council boss retires after 30 years
Auckland water shortage, water management
Tom O’Connor (Stuff): Auckland wants water but has the city just got too big?
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Auckland’s leaky pipes lose more water than the city saves
RNZ: Leaky pipes especially serious in rural areas – Water NZ
RNZ: Auckland waste water plan may breach tikanga – expert
Media
Hayden Donnell (RNZ): Mediawatch: Forcing the issue of race at the Herald
Joel MacManus (Stuff): The sweary, rude and opinionated world of student journalism in New Zealand
Black Lives Matter
Moana Maniapoto (E-Tangata): ‘Only a global movement can eradicate racism’
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): United States Ambassador to New Zealand Scott Brown on his support for Black Lives Matter, criticism of pulling down statues
Harriet Robinson (RNZ): Protesters march in solidarity with black, trans lives in Wellington
Andre Chumko (Stuff): Hundreds gather in Wellington for Black Trans Lives Matter march
Justice
George Block (Stuff): ‘Participants’ – Justice Ministry deploys new term for those in court system
RNZ: Andrew Little committed to Family Court improvement
Māori TV: Safeguards for children in secure detention centres extended
Dale Husband (E-Tangata): Khylee Quince: Seeing beyond Pākehā law
Christchurch mosque shootings
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Raf Manji: From money man to voluntary ‘fullback’ for March 15 victims
Lana Hart (Press): Commission should prepare two reports on mosque attacks
Rachel Graham (RNZ): Niece hopes to travel from UK for gunman’s sentencing
Transport
Paul Callister, Robert McLachlan, and Heidi O’Callahan (Stuff): Why are long-distance trains sitting idle?
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): InterCity gets government funding to rebuild services
RNZ: National pledges to revive Waikato Expressway extension
1News: National commits to extending Waikato Expressway after ‘three years of no progress’ under Labour
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): National pledges $570m extension to Waikato Expressway
Defence
Alison Mau (Stuff): Court martial of NZDF Commanding Officer was a whitewash, troops claim
George Block (Stuff): Defence Minister Ron Mark says huge Aussie military build-up will benefit NZ
Jane Bowron (Stuff): New defence recruits may be buy into a sea of trouble
Other
Nicky Hager (Newsroom): The long, sorry saga of Shelly Bay
Liam Dann (Herald): Covid 19 coronavirus border debate masks bigger economic challenge
Steve Elers (Stuff): The bewildering politics of gender pronouns
Khylee Quince (E-Tangata): In defence of call-out culture
RNZ: Loot boxes: Call to regulate online ‘gambling
1News: Waikato Tainui meet with Winston Peters hoping to get Ihumātao resolved before election
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): David Bennett, Chlöe Swarbrick clash over Government’s infrastructure fund
Patrick Gower (Newshub): The sad reality of how meth is tearing New Zealand families apart
ODT Editorial: Progress puts baby to bed
Irra Lee (1News): ‘It doesn’t sound like home anymore’ – International student in NZ speaks of heartbreak for Hong Kong
RNZ: Travellers from New Zealand to be exempt from Covid-19 quarantine in England
RNZ: Protest marks Moruroa anniversary
RNZ: Kiribati, UNICEF and NZ join forces for child health
RNZ: Constable Matthew Hunt’s funeral to be held next week for loved ones
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News): Wellington’s world-famous feline Mittens takes over museum with purr-fect exhibition
1News: Lizzie Marvelly announced as Rotorua Museum’s new director
Rotorua Daily Post: Lizzie Marvelly appointed new director of Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa
RNZ: Bank profits fall 20 percent on previous quarter, new report shows
Andrea Chumko (Stuff): Rainbow community sees red over lack of progress on ‘dehumanising’ birth certificate law
Cira Olivier (Bay of Plenty Times): Protection orders on the rise shows brutal picture of the family violence (paywalled)
Katie Pickles (The Conversation): Did a tragic family secret influence Kate Sheppard’s mission to give New Zealand women the vote?
