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

National Party
Richard Harman (Politik): Safe seat, not much experience required
Audrey Young (Herald): Judith Collins makes only one mistake in the Andrew Falloon fiasco (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Judith Collins and Jacinda Ardern failed New Zealanders by acting too slowly over Andrew Falloon
ODT Editorial: No strength in secrecy
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Did Falloon play Judith or did Judith play Falloon?
Alison Mau (Stuff): National MP Andrew Falloon scandal: Let’s not forget the women affected by this
1News: National’s latest scandal ‘hugely damaging’ in election lead-up, says Jessica Mutch McKay
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Why Judith Collins waited 48 hours to push Andrew Falloon to retire
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): On Andrew Falloon, mental health, and political reporting
Newstalk ZB: Political commentator on how Collins should handle Falloon scandal
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Judith Collins claims to have received ‘tip-off’ about Labour minister, passed to Prime Minister
Zane Small (Newshub): Judith Collins confident Jacinda Ardern’s office acted appropriately with Andrew Falloon information
1News: PM says she wasn’t interested in ‘dirty politics’ after learning of Andrew Falloon scandal before National
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Andrew Falloon lewd text scandal: Four women bring allegations, former leadership was unaware
Jo Moir (RNZ): National MPs say Falloon’s behaviour not reflective of party
Herald: Sex-text scandal: Police seeking more information about Andrew Falloon
Thomas Manch and Henry Cooke (Stuff): National MP Andrew Falloon facing mounting allegations of sending explicit images to young women
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Police seek further information after new allegations against Andrew Falloon sending ‘unsolicited images’
Jason Walls and Amelia Wade (Herald): Andrew Falloon caught in an ‘enormous lie’ as police reopen case
Jo Moir (RNZ): Judith Collins believes ex-MP Andrew Falloon ‘lied’ over indecent image message
Jason Walls (Herald): Disgraced MP Andrew Falloon may have ‘lied to police’ over sex texts – Collins
1News: Andrew Falloon lied,’ Judith Collins says as more women come forward with complaints
1News: ‘Other instances’ – Judith Collins suggests the Andrew Falloon text scandal might not be over
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): NZ election 2020: Police likely to reopen Andrew Falloon investigation – Judith Collins
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Andrew Falloon using mental health during resignation ‘not acceptable’ – Mental Health Foundation
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Falloon shouldn’t hide the truth behind a wall of mental health excuses
Herald: Disgraced MP Andrew Falloon dumped by White Ribbon
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): White Ribbon charity ‘terminates’ Andrew Falloon’s ambassador role
Michael Neilson (Herald): Disgraced National MP Andrew Falloon’s resignation saves taxpayer $60,000
Dileepa Fonseka (Newroom): ‘Gaslighting’ claims prompt Falloon resignation
1News: Embattled MP Andrew Falloon resigns, effective immediately
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): NZ election 2020: Andrew Falloon to resign from Parliament immediately after pressure from Collins
RNZ: National MP Andrew Falloon quits politics amid indecent image allegations
David Farrar: Falloon gone
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The Andrew Falloon saga: how it unfolded
Mike Houlahan (ODT): National at work on search to replace southern MP

Parliament
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Men and women behaving badly: Why won’t MPs sign a code of conduct
Derek Cheng (Herald): Curse of the south? MPs from the mainland plagued by sex-text, privacy and entitlement scandals (paywalled)
Stuff Editorial: Revulsion-and-expulsion reactions won’t be enough to detoxify political life
Phil Quinn (Stuff): Where the drinks are on the House
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Winston Peters’ friends went to Antarctica on taxpayer
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Jacinda Ardern vs Judith Collins – Round 1 to the PM
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Judith Collins and Jacinda Ardern face off in first Question Time debate
Alan Kenyon (1News): Ardern takes jab at Collins over her long wait for National leadership as they square off in Parliament
Zane Small (Newshub): Parliament erupts in laughter over Jacinda Ardern’s dig at Judith Collins’ leadership ambitions
1News: Dr Bloomfield ‘privileged’ to be in pack alongside former All Blacks for Parliamentary rugby match

Election
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): What’s Judith Collins’ pitch to the electorate?
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): NZ First perilously ahead of its time
Jo Moir (RNZ): ‘Gloves are off’ for NZ First and Greens leaders in unofficial election campaign
Jason Walls (Herald): NZ First leader Winston Peters says a Labour-Greens Govt would be a ‘nightmare’ for NZ
Anna Whyte (1News): Winston Peters turns attack on ‘plain inexperience’ of Labour-Greens
Julie Iles (NBR): Peters tells business leaders to ‘take out some darn insurance’ this election (paywalled)
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shoots down NZ First immigration ‘bottom line’
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern on Winston Peters’ immigration portfolio coalition requirement
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern not worried about ‘woke pixie dust’ attack from Winston Peters
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Winston Peters labels David Seymour ‘political cuckold’ as electioneering gets ugly
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Winston Peters lambasts National Party ‘circus’ in ‘chaos’
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Distractions and fear of freaking people out has led to a dearth of policy being put on the table two months out from the election
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): How much does it cost every time National has to change its billboards?
Matthew Tso (Stuff): ‘Let’s not jump the gun’: Voters mistake information packs for referendum ballot papers
Elle Hunt (Guardian): I want to vote in the New Zealand election – but cost and Covid-19 make it harder for expats

Raymond Huo to retire
Jason Walls (Herald): Outgoing Labour MP Raymond Huo takes a swipe at senior National MP Nick Smith
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Labour MP Raymond Huo retiring from politics at election
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Labour MP Raymond Huo announces retirement
RNZ: Labour list MP Raymond Huo to retire from politics at election
1News: Labour’s Raymond Huo to leave Parliament at election
Brent Edwards (NBR): Another MP quits politics, this time from Labour (paywalled)

Covid-19
Ben Strang (RNZ): Contractors paid millions to help with government’s Covid-19 response
Lance Wiggs (NBR): $16.3m spend on Covid-19 contractors was money well-spent, fund manager says (paywalled)
David Hargreaves (Stuff): Why keeping the Covid fund for Covid is a good idea
Brent Edwards (NBR): Government signals end to Covid-19 spending for the time being (paywalled)
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Auckland’s Covid contact tracing capacity only half what it should be
Eva Corlett (RNZ): GPs want clear messaging from government
1News: NZ airports were a ‘breeding ground for Covid’ and most travellers still not wearing masks, flight attendant says
Rob Stock (Stuff): Air New Zealand pilots and cabin crews hit with Covid-19 backlash
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Defence lawyers call for urgent review of Covid-19 prosecutions
Arvind Kumar (Stuff): Increase in racism against Asians since Covid-19 leads to ‘Racism Is No Joke’ campaign
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Private jet lands at Christchurch Airport for mystery pickup
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): What a regional lockdown would look like
Ian Powell (Democracy Project): Cuba’s fight against Covid-19 is impressive, even compared to NZ’s

Charging for quarantine
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Government wanted to get border management right before considering charging returning New Zealanders – Jacinda Ardern
Katarina Williams (Stuff): Human Rights Commission seeks clarification, expats fire up legal challenge over plan to charge returning Kiwis
Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): There is no legal right to free quarantine — but there is a fair way to set the price
Ella Tait (Stuff): Charging returning Kiwis for quarantine only adds fuel to the fire
Victoria Brownlee (Stuff): NZ needs to accept quarantine costs are the price of its coronavirus success

Health
RNZ: Pharmac, Covid-19 health response get slice of $302m fund
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Government announces $302 million boost to medical funding for COVID-19 response
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Health services nurse Covid hangover as lockdown leaves sickly legacy
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Hawke’s Bay DHB ignored staff before wrongly cancelling home help, review finds
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Nurses oppose bed cuts for older mental health patients
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): Health bosses continue to neglect medical specialist shortages in New Zealand
Kate Nicol-Williams (1News): Anti-smoking campaigners calling on Government to stop plans to ban oral nicotine products
Jo McKenzie-McLean (Stuff): Four locations pitched for Central Otago primary birthing facility
Kerrie Waterworth (ODT): Maternity unit’s end looks nigh
Kate Green (Stuff): Wellington Children’s Hospital mid-construction, set to be ‘perfect’ space for kids, carers, and staff

Foreign affairs, trade
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern’s calling out of China over Uighur Muslims shows New Zealand ‘won’t engage in master-servant relationship’ – international relations expert
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Can we still rely on China when everyone else is shunning them?
John Battersby (Stuff): Covid-19 should not make us oblivious to other security threats
RNZ: The Detail: The tightrope of trade with China
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Slow progress on EU trade talks

Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): ‘Difficult situation’ – Foreign students may have to stay over summer holidays
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Tertiary sector to feel effects of Covid for years to come
Simon Collins (Herald): A third of primary school kids learn te reo Māori (paywalled)

Transport
Joel MacManus (Stuff): $100 million rescue package for public transport
RNZ: Almost 40,000 Air New Zealand customers use online tool, $1.4 million in credit redeemed

Local government
Rob Mitchell (Dominion Post): Let’s get Wellington moving? Let’s start by getting its council talking
Mandy Te (Stuff): Wellington City Council officially approves 5.1 per cent rates increase
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington city councillors rule out privatising central library
Damian George (Stuff): Legal advice backs councillors expressing opinions about plans for quake-prone central library
Harry Lock (RNZ): Future of Wellington library up for debate
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Councillor blasts Wellington City Council over library legal wrangle
Christina Persico (Stuff): New Plymouth councillors vote to establish Māori ward
Robin Martin (RNZ): Survey shows majority want New Plymouth Raceway lease terminated

Employment, migrant workers
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): ‘We are black … we are human beings
Susan Hornsby-Geluk (Stuff): Employers who ordered Covid-19 pay cuts ‘have reason to be concerned’
Lisa Meto Fox (E-Tangata): Turning workers on and off like a tap
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): Industry asks Govt: We’ve got the workers, where’s the work?

Tiwai Point
Logan Savory (Southland Times): Winston Peters to hold ‘Save Tiwai’ public meeting in Invercargill 
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): ‘Vision’ can save smelter, refinery, steel mill – Peters (paywalled)
Michael Cullen (Herald): No crocodile tears for Tiwai Point aluminium smelter (paywalled)

Justice
Bridgette Toy-Cronin (Newsroom): I fought the law and the lawyers won
Zane Small (Newshub): The reason New Zealand First pulled handbrake on sexual violence legislation
Collette Devlin (Stuff): NZ First stalls sexual violence legislation before election
Stuff: Severe, unjust sentence for ill man expected to go to highest court

Primary industries
Sean Hogan (1News): ‘It’s pretty tough’ – Tolaga Bay locals frustrated as more timber debris washes up
RNZ: Forest owners to fund clean-up of debris, logs at Tolaga Bay
1News: Mycoplasma bovis almost eradicated in New Zealand, three years on from initial discovery
Sam Hurley (Herald): Revealed: West Auckland farmer’s three million free-range egg fraud ends with home detention
RNZ: New Zealand exports in strong demand during pandemic – report
RNZ: Agritech support plan to establish horticultural robotics academy
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): Taskforce to speed up agritech (paywalled)

Housing
Eva Corlett (RNZ): Queenstown Lakes District Council tells homeless man he’s breaking ‘freedom camping’ rules
1News: Is it still the case that house prices will double every 10 years?
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): Banks more positive, but house prices could still fall 10%

Media
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Less than half of first round of media assistance paid out to companies
Glen McConnell (Stuff): Cutting Wendy Petrie is a sad example of TVNZ’s fall and its diversity issues
Siobhan Downes (Stuff): Award-winning RNZ investigative show Insight set to be scrapped
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Three gets Discovered

Environment
Jean Bell (RNZ): Green Party candidate Steve Abel arrested during tree felling protest in Avondale
1News: Police scramble to escape falling tree after Greens candidate climbs Auckland native in protest
Jared Morgan (ODT): Manuherikia catchment condition ‘sobering’
John McKenzie (1News): Plummeting yellow-eyed penguin numbers spark call for Otago beach closures

Matariki
1News: Green Party joins calls for Matariki to be made a public holiday
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Green Party calls for Matariki to become public holiday

Other
Oliver Hartwich (Herald): A return to normal? Forget about it (paywalled)
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Some charities may not survive Covid-19 as their finances take a hit
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Principles in RMA must remain to avoid land disputes like Ihumātao – Marama Davidson
RNZ: Northland roading and flooding protection projects get funding boost
RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan: Expect more large destructive weather patterns
RNZ: Checkpoint: Life at Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre during Covid-19
Andrew MacFarlane (1News): Second researcher gains access to thousands of Kiwis’ data following property management site privacy breach
Collette Devlin (Stuff): NZ First will support National Party Bill to take guns off gangs
Siena Yates (Herald): Should you turn on to Tom Sainsbury’s political comedy Sextortion? (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Travel agent forced to remortgage house to keep doors open, help clients