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
Iain Lees-Galloway sacking
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Firing someone for having an affair is pretty low
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Tit for tat – nasty election campaign looms
RNZ: Checkpoint: Deceit, integrity problem at core of MPs’ affairs – Chester Borrows
Bob Jones: Sexual shenanigans
Duncan Garner (Newstalk ZB):Jacinda Ardern made ethical judgement on Iain Lees-Galloway, but dangerous place to go
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Jacinda makes political sacrifice on the altar of puritan Intersectionality to ward off Judith’s Dirty Politics
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Judith Collins denies playing politics over Iain Lees-Galloway affair revelation
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): ‘Foolish’ for Jacinda Ardern to think she handled information better – Judith Collins
Anna Whyte (1News): ‘Clear differences’ in leaders’ handling of allegations against MPs, Ardern says of Collins
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern points to ‘clear differences’ with Judith Collins and her handling of information
Newshub: Politicians ‘get drunk’ on power, have relationships with staff – Ali Mau
Newstalk ZB: Is having an affair a sackable offence? HR expert weighs in
Stuff Editorial: It’s the end of the affair for Iain Lees-Galloway
ODT Editorial: Another one down
Herald Editorial: Dangerous liaisons in a precarious time (paywalled)
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Parliamentary relationships often ‘rumours’, don’t all need reporting to Jacinda Ardern – Chris Hipkins
RNZ: Lees-Galloway sacking: Ardern says relationship showed ‘lack of judgement’
Collette Devlin (Stuff); Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway dismissed following relationship with staffer
Anna Whyte (1News): PM dismisses Iain Lees-Galloway as minister after ‘inappropriate relationship’
Zane Small (Newshub): The reason Jacinda Ardern felt it was necessary to sack Iain Lees-Galloway over a relationship
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guadian): Jacinda Ardern sacks immigration minister over year-long affair with staff member
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Iain Lees-Galloway sacked; fund use to be checked
Janine Rankin and George Heagney (Stuff): Palmerston North stunned by MP Iain Lees-Galloway’s sudden exit
Michael Neilson (Herald): Iain Lees-Galloway sacked: Ministerial downfall comes with a big pay cut
RNZ: Iain Lees-Galloway: a quick look at his background
RNZ: Judith Collins reports ‘allegation’ against Labour MP
Election, parliament
Claire Trevett (Herald): Where will the political sackings and scandals end? (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Can this election season get any more gob-smacking? (paywalled)
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Iain Lees-Galloway: Another MP gone, bring on the election
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Politics is worth saving. Is Parliament?
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): Two sex scandals in one week: New Zealand faces reckoning over MPs’ behaviour
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): People deserve better from their Parliament
Derek Cheng and Jason Walls (Herald): 58 days from election – political casualties pile up after Iain Lees-Galloway scandal
Toby Manhire: Breaking: there is one new case of a disgraced politician in New Zealand
Newstalk ZB: Peter Dunne: ‘Social media exacerbating political scandals’
Matthew Brockett (Bloomberg): New Zealand Politics Take Tawdry Turn Before September Election
1News: After weeks of ‘shambles’ in politics, commentators hope for focus to shift to ideas, policies
Phil Taylor (Newsroom): Resign Jami-Lee, just go and get help
Herald: Trevor Mallard loses bid to name the person in his defamation case
Stuff: Speaker Trevor Mallard loses suppression argument in defamation claim
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Young Act sexual abuse allegations
Anna Rawhiti-Connell (Newsroom): Are men OK?
Newstalk ZB: NZ First v Greens; Shaw says Peters an ‘agent of chaos’
Herald: NZ First v Greens – James Shaw fires back at Winston Peters’ attacks
Richard Prebble (NBR): Now we have an election contest (paywalled)
—————
John Weekes (Stuff): Who will National choose in Auckland Central after Nikki Kaye?
Jamie Morton (Herald): Leaders Unplugged – Taking a spin with the Māori Party’s Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (paywalled)
Deena Coster (Stuff): Candidate’s bid to break National’s stranglehold in Taranaki-King Country
National Party
Cat MacLennan (RNZ): Lack of diversity perpetuating entitlement in National
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Collins on back foot over Falloon furore
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Judith Collins rubbishes claim Andrew Falloon didn’t send images
Newstalk ZB: Political commentator: National not choosing MPs with enough life experience
Taimi Allan (RNZ): Andrew Falloon may be in distress, but that’s no excuse for bad behaviour
RNZ: National’s mental health claims around Andrew Falloon a ‘buzzword to deflect’
Anne Russell (Overland): Andrew Falloon, Judith Collins and the cynical manipulation of mental health
Matthew Littlewood and Sam Sherwood (Stuff): National Party start hunt for Andrew Falloon replacement in Rangitata
Hamish McNeilly and Johanna McKenzie-Mclean (Stuff): Where in the world is MP Hamish Walker?
Philip Chandler (Mountain Scene): ‘We don’t need someone that has to learn on the job
Jamie Ensor and Miriam Harris (Newshub): Don Brash praises National’s ‘strong team’, ‘experienced’ Judith Collins despite the turmoil
NZ First
Amelia Wade , Derek Cheng and Jason Walls (Herald): Winston Peters reveals who he thinks is source of superannuation details leak; David Seymour asked to leave House
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): ACT’s David Seymour accuses Winston Peters of disgraceful use of Parliament
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Just another quiet day at New Zealand’s parliament
Newstalk ZB: Seymour denies involvement in superannuation leak; labels Peters ‘desperate’
Derek Cheng (Herald): Winston Peters hits National and Act with ‘dirty politics’ claims – but only under protected privilege
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Peters makes superannuation leak allegations in Parliament
Anna Whyte (1News): Winston Peters claims superannuation leak was an ‘ACT-inspired hit job’, Seymour says that’s ‘categorically untrue’
Anna Bracewell-Worrall and Zane Small (Newshub): Winston Peters uses parliamentary privilege to accuse former National Party staffer of superannuation leak
—————
RNZ: Winston Peters says taxpayer funded Antarctica trip for friends aimed to raise funds
Luke Malpass and Thomas Manch (Stuff): Winston Peters: I was trying to ‘shake Antarctica NZ from its torpor’
Amelia Wade (Herald): ‘Racist attack on innocent people’: Winston Peters defends sending friends on taxpayer-funded Antarctica trip
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Winston Peters slams questions about sending friends to Antarctica as ‘racist attack’
—————
Lloyd Burr (Newshub): Exclusive interview with Bad Boys of Brexit working with Winston Peters
Wage subsidy, welfare, business
Luke Appleby (1News): List: The 20 Kiwi companies that have claimed the most in Covid-19 wage subsidies
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Tens of thousands of people missing out on Covid-19 Income Relief Payment
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): $17m invested in teaching tourism how to attract Kiwis
1News: New Zealand’s fashion industry screaming out for skilled workers
Economy
Gordon Campbell: On why high taxes and austerity shouldn’t ruin the Covid recovery
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff) Face it, we’re going to have to pay more tax
Cannabis and euthanasia referenda
1News: Drug expert concerned about potency, cost of cannabis if legalisation bill passes
Sinéad Donnelly (Newsroom): Underfunding no argument for assisted dying
Isolation facilities, border restrictions
RNZ Isolation facilities: ‘We are now close to exhausting our nationwide capacity’ – Megan Woods
Michael Daly and Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Covid-19 managed isolation capacity close to exhaustion
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Dunedin rejected as Covid quarantine centre over ‘safety and logistical’ challenges’
Grant Miller and Hamish MacLean (ODT): Dunedin hotels not suitable for managed isolation, Govt says
Lloyd Burr (Newshub): Kiwi expats fear ‘backlash’ for returning home over high quarantine costs
1News: Seven people granted compassionate exemptions from managed isolation in past week under ‘strict new’ guidelines
Derek Cheng (Herald): Govt lifts suspension on early leave for Kiwis in managed isolation
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Covid-19 border restrictions leave Korean boy stranded in NZ and unable to go to school
Testing
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Health Minister Chris Hipkins tells the Ministry of Health to ‘work faster’ as community coronavirus tests drop
RNZ: National raises informed consent concerns over Covid testing
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Lots of coughs and colds, but demand for Covid testing down in Canterbury
Local government
Damian George (Stuff): Wellington Mayor Andy Foster backs down on moves to stop councillors commenting on library plans
Phil Goff (Herald): Auckland City Council must be leaner and do more with less (paywalled)
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland has a Climate Action Plan, now it desperately needs action
Stephen Forbes (RNZ): Panuku’s South Auckland plans remain under wraps
Charlotte Jones (RNZ): Kawerau council builds retirement village
Robin Martin (RNZ): New Plymouth councillor prepared to fight against Māori ward proposal
Christina Persico (Taranaki Daily News): New Plymouth mayor defends abstaining on Māori ward vote
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): Politicians praise New Plymouth council for Maori ward – but it may not go ahead
Dinnie Moeahu (Taranaki Daily News): Councillor urges community to ‘choose aroha over hate’ in relation to Māori ward
RNZ: Most want Napier City Council to use savings to plug $6m hole instead of rates hike
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Musical chairs at DCC
Foreign affairs and trade
Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): The dangerous new cold war brewing with China will test New Zealand even more than the old one
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): China ready to push ahead on Pacific trade (paywalled)
Health
1News: Nurses to walk off the job today after contract negotiations break down
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Epilepsy drug linked to deaths not same as previous funded drug — advocacy group
Cushla Norman (1News) Calls for Pharmac to take epilepsy patients off drug Logem following deaths
Aaron Leaman (Waikato Times): Waikato’s med school hopes hang on election
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Neurosurgeon hopes languish with delays
Ihumātao
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Ihumātao: One year on from eviction notices which sparked massive protests
Newshub: Karakia to mark first anniversary of Ihumātao eviction notice
Justin Latif (Spinoff): One year to the day since the Ihumātao eviction, here’s how things stand
Environment and conservation
Hamish MacLean (ODT): DCC working with receivers, not commenting on Foulden Maar
ODT: West Coast farmer appointed to conservation board
Molly Houseman (ODT): ORC may offload dam consents
David Williams (Newsroom): Smelter waste talks sour – again
Lydia Wevers and Maria Barg (Newsroom): Where water and culture collide
RNZ: South Auckland losing its trees while northern suburbs get more
Other
Jo Moir (RNZ): PM’s $100m Southland recovery package scuppered by NZ First
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Stats NZ advised risk 2023 census option would produce ‘very poor quality data’
Jon Stephenson (Stuff): Taliban leader’s beating, torture claims contradict Defence Force’s assurances about NZ’s actions in Afghanistan
Rob Stock (Stuff): GNS banned scientists from going near vents a week before Whakaari eruption claimed 21 lives
Leigh-Marama McLachlan (RNZ): Government considers Māori tender rights in $42b contracting spend
Alan Kenyon (1News): Ardern and Collins go head-to-head on infrastructure during question time
Eva Corlett (RNZ): Consumer NZ slams funeral insurance firms over prices
Georgina Campbell (Herald): NZTA doubles spend to prop up public transport
Herald: Wellington is now officially called Wellington
Collette Devlin (Stuff): Parliament defers adding prison time for assaults on first responders
Lois Williams (RNZ): Government funding secures reprieve for Franz Josef
RNZ: Civil Defence makes ‘good progress’ on visiting cut-off Northland residents
Kaitlin Ruddock (1News) Nelson parents demanding all students be given right to attend mixed gender schools
RNZ: Land secured for new Central Otago airport
Kerrie Waterworth (ODT): Airport rumours flying around for 10 days
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Corrections praised for handling of prisoner revolt after staff member assaulted, attempted arson
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Kiwibank error sees customers threatened with account closure
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Mittens the cat, Dr Ashley Bloomfield recognised at Te Papa for helping through COVID-19 lockdown
Jared Morgan (ODT): Issue not for Electricity Authority: minister
Joanne Carroll (Newshub): Pike River dads want electrical evidence in mine retrieved by specialists
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Migrants fear being split from families over visa extension issues
RNZ: M bovis active infections limited to four farms after three years
Derek Cheng (Herald): Rape trial overhaul now on ice without NZ First support before election
Herald: Two companies stung a total of $7.5m for breaching anti-money laundering law
