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

Newshub-Reid Research Poll
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Judith Collins must take responsibility for National’s fall – but she’s not entirely to blame
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern still soaring as preferred Prime Minister – but Judith Collins is convinced she’ll win
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): The destruction of National under Judith Collins as party sinks to 25 percent
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Voters want minor parties in Government
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Richard Harman (Politik): National’s polling points to wrangle over list
Luke Malpass (Stuff): National’s polling chooks come home to roost
Matthew Whitehead (The Standard): Pollwatch: Reid Research poll completed 2020-07-24
David Farrar: Latest poll
Ben Thomas (Spinoff): This terrible poll for National may not be great news for anyone

Parliament, week in politics, MP pay cuts
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Have politicians finally pushed the nuclear button?
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): It’s gloves off or hands off for election run-up (paywalled)
Jason Walls and Amelia Wade (Herald): Speaker Trevor Mallard’s warning to bad MPs: Shape up or be publicly exposed
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Parliament’s Speaker Trevor Mallard to MPs: ‘Behave or I’ll out you’
Craig McCullough (RNZ): Mallard releases Code of Conduct following bad behaviour in Parliament
Anna Whyte (1News): Parties sign up to code of conduct as Speaker warns he’ll out repeat offenders
Alison Mau (Stuff): Is this the end of the bad behaviour for the ‘gods’ of parliament?
Dan Satherley (Newshub Nation): NZ election 2020: MPs insist they’re squeaky clean after week of scandals
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ‘We’re fed up as well’: Simon Bridges’ frustration with badly-behaving colleagues
Tom O’Connor (Stuff): Gossip no match for context in Parliamentary cesspool
Andrew Gunn (Stuff): NZ MPs in the confessional. Sorry is that a euphemism?
Steve Braunias (Herald): The secret diary of … Andrew, Iain and Winston (paywalled)
Peter Wilson (RNZ): Week in politics: A sense of fear in the corridors of power
Jane Clifton (BusinessDesk): Parliament meets Survivor (paywalled)
1News: Inside Parliament: Iain Lees-Galloway and Andrew Falloon leave Parliament in disgrace
Daniela Maoate-Cox (RNZ): ‘Crazy, dehumanising, frightening’ – departing MPs share their views on Parliament
Phil Smith (RNZ): Clare Curran ‘relief, exhaustion, disappointment and hope’
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Jason Walls (Herald): MPs’ pay cuts finally in effect after Jacinda Ardern promised them three months ago
RNZ: Labour MP Greg O’Connor slammed for ‘tone deaf’ post about Covid pay cut

Election
Grant Duncan (Stuff): Are we less grumpy after Covid? 
Jamie Morton (Herald): Partisan politics: Are Kiwi voters becoming more polarised?
Martin Van Beynen (Stuff): One crucial question will decide who rules us after the election
David Fisher (Herald): The Road Ahead: What matters to you?
1News: Q+A: Amid political scandals, what do voters actually care about in the election?
Newstalk ZB: Will political scandals influence voters in this year’s election?
Brent Edwards (NBR): Fact or Fiction: Will scandal or substance dominate election campaign? (paywalled)
Rod Oram (Newsroom): We are ambitious people
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Sense of disconnect from politics ‘game’
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Some Māori frustrated they can’t switch electoral rolls until 2024
Isaac Davison (Herald): Leaders Unplugged: David Seymour on going teetotal, his inspirational mother, and building a car from scratch (paywalled)
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Who’s who in Auckland’s most hotly-contested races
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Election candidates quick on the draw in fight for one the country’s most hotly-contested seats
David Beck (Herald): Election 2020 billboard vandalism: ‘We’ll put them up again and again’
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Labour MP Tāmati Coffey has election billboards vandalised, says he may be ‘target of hate campaign
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): New Conservative ad compares candidate to Mandela, Martin Luther King
David Chaston (Interest): Compare political party policy positions

Auckland Central
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Labour rules out deal with Greens in Nikki Kaye’s seat
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Chlöe Swarbrick defends herself from Labour’s Auckland Central candidate Helen White
Herald: Helen White vs Chloe Swarbrick – War of words erupts over Auckland Central seat
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): I’m not sure mocking Chlöe Swarbrick is the smartest way to win Auckland Central
Dan Satherley (Newshub): NZ election 2020: Greens ‘throwing everything’ at Auckland Central to ensure place back in Parliament

National Party
Brian Easton (Pundit): Mañana Politics
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): ‘Game on’: National voters galvanised by change of leader
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Scandal, what scandal? On the campaign trail with Judith Collins
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): National lashes out at “scaremongering” Government, as ACT doubles down on cuts
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): National MP Hamish Walker granted leave from Parliament, set to pocket $60k
Amelia Wade (Herald): No show: Disgraced MP Hamish Walker won’t return to Parliament but still gets $60k
Zane Small (Newshub): National MP Hamish Walker granted leave from Parliament, set to collect $60,000
RNZ: National’s Hamish Walker won’t return to Parliament
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Sarah Dowie: Other women were my harshest critics
Mike Houlahan (ODT): More to outgoing MP’s career than scandal

Government
Audrey Young (Herald): Coalition strains deepen over Tiwai smelter tactics (paywalled)
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Winston Peters: old dog, same tricks but no bite
Jason Walls (Herald): Greens co-leader James Shaw says having NZ First in Govt again is a risk not worth taking

Greens
1News: Q+A: ‘Tax is love’ – Green Party leaders want to see taxes increased to build fairer NZ
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Greens look to fire up the base, get back to basics for streamlined 2020 campaign
Amelia Wade (Herald): Green Party outlines base of its policies if returned to government at election
Amelia Wade (Herald): Greens launch campaign, urge Kiwis to ‘think ahead, act now’
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Greens AGM: Sights set on social equality and animal welfare
1News: Greens unveil policy platform with focus on transition to green economy, tax and welfare reform
Newstalk ZB: James Shaw on the Green Party’s election launch
Newstalk ZB: Greens: ‘We made a deliberate choice to fill the policy void at this election’
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): What would happen if the Greens held a conference and no one noticed?
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Greens turn up the policy volume
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Green Party farewells MP Gareth Hughes as he heads to Quarantine Island

Iain Lees-Galloway, Palmerston North seat
Damien Grant (Stuff): Ministerial takedown offers a glimpse into a Judith Collins premiership
Alister Brown (Stuff): MP Iain Lees-Galloway’s political end harsh and hypocritical
Sandeep Singh (Herald): Lees-Galloway’s removal was long overdue
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): An immigration handbrake is released
1News: Labour announces new Palmerston North candidate to replace Iain Lees-Galloway
Jason Walls (Herald): Labour selects new Palmerston North candidate after Iain Lees-Galloway’s sacking by Ardern
RNZ: Deputy mayor runs for Labour in Palmerston North
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): ‘We think we can win’: Teen candidate William Wood firms after Iain Lees-Galloway falls

Advance NZ, Public Party merger
Jason Walls (Herald): Jami-Lee Ross’ political marriage to extremists a new attempt at political relevancy (paywalled)
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Jami-Lee Ross hitches wagon to conspiracy theorists
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Jami-Lee Ross, Billy Te Kahika and the rebel alliance of Election 2020
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): NZ Public Party leader Billy Te Kahika slams Jacinda Ardern, Dr Ashley Bloomfield in latest speech
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): New Zealand Public Party’s policies
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Jami-Lee Ross’ Advance NZ merges with social media sensation the NZ Public Party
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Jami-Lee Ross looks to Te Tai Tokerau as he plots journey back to Parliament
1News: Jami-Lee Ross’ newly formed alliance with NZ Public Party aims to repeal Govt’s Covid-19 Response Bill
Māori TV: Billy Te Kahika to stand as Te Tai Tokerau candidate
RNZ: Jami-Lee Ross launches Advance New Zealand party

The Opportunities Party
1News: Q+A: ‘We don’t have a sugar daddy anymore’ – The Opportunity Party keep focus on policy, not personality politics post-Gareth Morgan
RNZ: The Opportunities Party launches campaign promising a universal income

Euthanasia  and cannabis referendum
Isaac Davison (Herald): Euthanasia referendum: Could terminal patients really be ‘dead by the weekend’? (paywalled)
Alexa Cook (Newshub): Why the construction industry is worried weed will be legalised

NZ’s coronavirus response, lockdown
Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): Today the legality of the lockdown will be sternly challenged. And so it should be
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): High Court case begins to determine whether level 4 lockdown was lawful
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Judicial review into whether lockdown was legal begins today
Eleanor Ainge Roy (Guardian): New Zealand beat Covid-19 by trusting leaders and following advice – study
RNZ: Mediawatch: Big bill for Covid communications (audio)
Ben Leahy (Stuff): Half of all Kiwis depressed during lockdown, while one in three hit financially
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Third of disabled or LGBT youth felt ‘unsafe in their bubbles’
1News: Inside the epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in Christchurch (video)
Justin Giovannet (Spinoff): Bloomfield of dreams: watching Saint Ashley on the rugby field
Elizabeth White (Newshub): Hundreds turn out for Dr Ashley Bloomfield’s rugby match
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Watch: Dr Ashley Bloomfield takes field in Parliamentary rugby match

Managed isolation, returning NZers, tracing
Simon Connell (Pundit): To Charge Or Not To Charge, That Is The Question
Shaun Bamber (RNZ): Opinion: Plenty to chew on when mulling costs of managed isolation
Lamia Imam (RNZ): Tax dollars for quarantine help New Zealanders stay Covid-free
Lydia Surplis (Overland): The inequity of quarantine fees
1News: Kiwi ex-pat in London says quarantine fees for returnees would be unfair
Molly Codyre (Herald): Charging for quarantine will hurt the most vulnerable (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): National wants the ‘Hamilton 5’ to pay the costs of their own capture
1News: Managed isolation shake-up, voucher system proposed to ease burden of Covid-19 quarantine
Newstalk ZB: NZ Initiative calls for changes to managed isolation systems
Herald Editorial: Is the deterrence for Covid quarantine rule-breakers enough? (paywalled)
Mark Longley (Newshub): We should be welcoming Kiwis returning due to COVID-19, not abusing them
Aaron Leaman and Mike Mather (Stuff): Hamilton mayor doesn’t want any more isolation hotels
Chris Keall (Herald): Inside Story: Sam Morgan’s Covid Card, blow-by-blow (paywalled)
Chris Keall (Herald): Sam Morgan slaps ministry over Covid Card, ministry responds (paywalled)
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Ministry of Health clamps down as nurses flit between managed isolation facilities, hospital wards
Robin Martin (RNZ): Dedicated nurses for managed isolation ‘ideal’ – infection control expert
RNZ: NZ tempts Covid-19 fate by not introducing masks – researchers

Housing
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Number joining NZ’s public housing waitlist triples in a month
Crystal Wu (Newshub Nation): ‘Took a strip out of my hide’: Phil Twyford admits KiwiBuild ‘failed to get traction’
Jason Walls (Herald): The year-old Progressive Home Ownership scheme makes first funding announcement
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): First phase of $400m housing fund announced
1News: New scheme aims to help New Zealanders who are struggling to save house deposit
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Govt fulfills promise to boost progressive home ownership – only just
Alex Braae (Spinoff): What you need to know about the new progressive home ownership scheme
Stuff Editorial: Making New Zealand cities go up and out
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): Hooray: New Zealand’s worst planning regulations just got eliminated
Tim Hunter (NBR): How to please a banker (paywalled)
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Landlords denying Māori rental properties: ‘There’s a lot of discrimination’

Tiwai Point
Brian Fallow (Interest): A cruel and cynical a piece of electioneering
Jason Walls (Herald): NZ First leader Winston Peters quotes Hitler, takes swipe at Ardern in Tiwai speech
Logan Savory and Louisa-Jane Steyl (Stuff): Winston Peters says Tiwai’s closure will impact on New Zealand as well as Southland
Logan Savory (Stuff): Winston Peters calls out coalition partner’s Tiwai smelter ‘lies’
RNZ: Winston Peters’ Tiwai Point plan: ‘We’re going to take things back to the beginning’
Newstalk ZB: Winston Peters vows to save Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter
RNZ: Tiwai Point: Southland mayor keen to hear Winston Peters’ solution

Energy
Jasmin Bull and Elizabeth White (Newshub): Govt investigates ‘game-changing’ renewable energy solution
1News: Govt looks to boost clean energy supply, commissions $30m investigation
RNZ: Pumped hydro may result in ‘biggest infrastructure project since the 1980s’
Herald: Govt proposes central Otago energy scheme
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Govt eyes new $4b hydro-power project (paywalled)
Keith Turner (BusinessDesk): Time for new nation-building hydro project

Economy, business
Liam Dann (Herald): Where’s the economic recovery plan? Wait, sorry, I think it’s in my inbox (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): How to protect and revive the post-Covid economy (paywalled)
Keith Woodford (Interest): Can low interest rates really stimulate the economy?
Sarah Robson (RNZ): More than $13 billion paid out under government’s wage subsidy scheme
Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): Unemployment numbers show signs of slowing
Herald: Economist picks W-shaped recovery for Australia and NZ (paywalled)

Employment
Debrin Foxcroft (Stuff): Act paves way for entire industries to get a pay rise
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Pay equity law passes with full support of Parliament after last-second rewrite
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Politicians, businesses back equal pay law change
Josie Adams (Spinoff): What the Equal Pay Amendment Bill means for women
1News: Thousands return home, but are there enough jobs to go around?

Primary industries
Farah Hancock (Newsroom): NZ Government joins US lawsuit on seafood ban
Thomas Mead (1News): Weed-killer glyphosate found in New Zealand’s mānuka honey
Tim Newman (Stuff): Sealord fined $24,000 and ordered to forfeit vessel for trawling in protected zone
1News: Sealord ordered to forfeit $24 million vessel for bottom trawling in protected area
RNZ: Sealord forfeits $16m vessel over Chatham Rise bottom trawling
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Fonterra granted right to refuse new suppliers
Maja Burry (RNZ): Fonterra no longer required to accept milk from all dairy farmers
RNZ: Forestry reform bill passed by Parliament
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Fewer farmers than expected apply for drought funds
RNZ: Kiwifruit growers allowed to lodge PSA appeal with Court of Appeal

Environment and conservation
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): NZ emissions to rise through 2025
Lois Williams (RNZ): The case for coal in a cold climate – Reefton digs in
Skara Bohny (Nelson Mail): Ministry ‘hasn’t done their homework’ on proposed air quality standards
1News: Hunting groups condemn threats of violence to those carrying out DOC’s tahr cull
Laura James (1News): Resurgence in use of single use plastic post Covid-19
Anna Whyte (1News): Activist urges increase in public fountains to cut down on plastic bottles
RNZ: Students call for climate action restart after Covid-19

Kiwibank climate stance
RNZ: James Shaw says Kiwibank, not ministers should decide on investors
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): NZ First: from ‘greenest party’ to bashing Kiwibank’s climate stance

Wellington
Rob Michell (Stuff): Golden opportunity or fool’s gold – the campaign to kick the car out of inner-city Wellington
Mandy Te (Stuff): Plan to squeeze 80,000 people in Wellington expected to focus on inner-city, sparking heritage fears

Behrouz Boochani granted refugee status
Heather Du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Why has Behrouz Boochani been granted refugee status?
Donna Miles-Mojab (Guardian): My brilliant friend Behrouz Boochani finally has a permanent home in a country he has come to love
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): New Zealand hails Behrouz Boochani visa as a victory for ‘fairness and compassion’
RNZ: Checkpoint: National Party ‘hate speech’ a problem – Behrouz Boochani
1News: ‘I am happy’ – Behrouz Boochani plans life in New Zealand, eyes permanent visa
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Behrouz Boochani hits out at Australia’s ‘mistreatment of refugees
Cate Broughton and Lee Kenny (Stuff): Iranian writer Behrouz Boochani granted refugee status in NZ
Ben Doherty (Guardian): Behrouz Boochani granted refugee status in New Zealand
RNZ: Kurdish-Iranian author Behrouz Boochani given refugee status in New Zealand
Newstalk ZB: Golriz Gharaman overjoyed as Behrouz Boochani granted refugee status in NZ
Newstalk ZB: National unconvinced Behrouz Boochani should qualify as a refugee

Health
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): Smoke and mirrors in Budget for public health system?
Libby Wilson (Stuff): Build it like the DHB – from $7m to $16m and two years late
Dale Husband (E-Tangata): Collin Tukuitonga: Looking after our people
Emma Espiner (Stuff): The myth of Māori exceptionalism
Oliver Lewis (Stuff): Hip and knee surgery harder to get on the West Coast as contract to extra surgeries ends
Susan Strongman (RNZ): Alternative cancer ‘treatments’ can increase risk – oncologist
Rewa Harriman (Newshub): The Hui: Mother of teen with cystic fibrosis pleads for Pharmac to fund new medication

Education
Steven Joyce (Herald): Show an open door to international students (paywalled)
Francesca Rudkin (Newstalk ZB): Universities are crucial to revive the economy
RNZ: Otago Polytechnic gets government grant for $31.7m trades training centre
Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): Rethinking education

Transport
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland public transport fare rises an early test of climate change commitment
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Riding on the footpath: NZTA delays decision until after election
Giles Dexter (Newshub): South Auckland homeowners plan to take on NZTA over property damage from Southern Motorway construction
1News: ‘Pleasantly surprised’ Air NZ boosts domestic schedule to 70% of pre-pandemic capacity
RNZ: Auckland ferry passengers in line for cheaper trips

Tarras airport proposal
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Proposed Tarras airport likely to bring soaring emissions
John Anthony (Stuff): Air New Zealand keen on Tarras airport proposal as Queenstown infrastructure ‘insufficient’

Drugs
RNZ: Funding boost of $20 million to help tackle meth addiction in the regions
1News: Government announces $20 million to fight meth harm in regions

Media, social media
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: Bauer finds buyers for return of the mags
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: Ad industry confronts diversity deficit
Kate Newton (RNZ): Bad vibes: Rating political scandals by Twitter toxicity

Leslie Gelberger
Melissa Chan-Green (Newshub): Leslie Gelberger death: Ports of Auckland sentenced after collision with ocean swimmer
1News: Ports of Auckland fined over $400k following death of ocean swimmer
Matthew Theunissen (RNZ): Ports of Auckland fined more than $420k after boat hit swimmer

Ihumātao
Dan Satherley and Zane Small (Newshub): Ihumātao deal would ‘send a chill down the spine of taxpayers and property owners’ – Judith Collins
Newstalk ZB: Judith Collins on Ihumātao dispute: ‘Kiwis are sick of this nonsense’
Māori TV: Ihumātao: National wants Coalition to disclose if deal is on table

Justice
Māmari Stephens (E-Tangata): Rāhui, mana, and Peter Ellis
Jake Metzger (Newsroom): Mental health and our three strikes law
David Farrar: Despite best effort of Judges, three strikes is working
Belinda Feek (Herald): Children’s care or protection: Calls for radical changes to made to Family Court
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Whānau Māori ‘torn apart’ by Family Court, report says 

Jacinda Ardern turns 40
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Labour Party MPs wish Jacinda Ardern a happy birthday
Herald: Clarke Gayford’s wish for his ‘favourite achiever’ partner Jacinda Ardern on her 40th birthday
1News: Labour MPs wish Jacinda Ardern well on her 40th birthday
Herald: Jacinda Ardern turns 40: Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s happy birthday post

Other
Peter McKenzie (Newsroom): NZ’s perverse ethnic wealth gap
Blair Ensor and Collette Devlin (Stuff): Police predict the emergence of a new group of criminals post Covid-19
Mandy Te (Stuff): The new, convenient symbol of racism against Asians in New Zealand is Covid-19
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Can we trust paid-for endorsements like the Consumer NZ tick and Canstar star?
Stephen Hewson (Newsroom): Should trans-athletes play women’s rugby?
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Census 2023: Iwi leaders want government to give Māori much more say
Deena Coster (Stuff): PM Jacinda Ardern reflects on Taranaki and its global potential
RNZ: Mass poisoning led to law for new safe water national body
Jack Tame (Newstalk ZB): Who should get the Covid-19 vaccine first?
Rob Stock (Stuff): Sam Robertson battled Westpac Life for a year to honour its insurance policy
RNZ: Survey finds support for individuals receiving benefit despite relationship status
Wilhelmina Shrimpton (Newshub): New Zealand’s problem with ‘image-based sexual abuse’ worse than ever
RNZ: Government to give $32m towards new aquatic centre in Hawke’s Bay
Jonathan Mitchell (RNZ): Influx of army recruits amid Covid-19 pandemic
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern a favourite among bookies for 2020 Nobel Peace Prize
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Chinese dissident community mourns deaths