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

Education
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): Couple who called COVID-19 ‘manufactured natural disaster’ held ‘DNA activation’ event at Green School
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): James Shaw looking for solution in Green School controversy
Deena Coster (Stuff): Marfell School community tells minister ‘we’re shovel ready’ as Green School funding row continues
Amanda Clinton-Gohdes (Taranaki Daily News): Green school decision is a symptom of a wider issue
David Farrar: The $12 million school hosted a DNA activation event!
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Henry Cooke (Stuff): National gets out the cash hose for school infrastructure, a very popular way to spend money
Simon Collins (Herald): National promises $4.8b extra for school buildings and looser approach to school zoning
RNZ: National’s election promise: $5bn education spend over three decades
Deena Coster (Stuff): National unveils $4.8 billion repair fund for nation’s schools
Zane Small (Newshub): National’s multibillion-dollar plan to fast-track school upgrades in private sector ‘alliance’
Brent Edwards (NBR): National promises more certainty over school building projects (paywalled)
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Lee Kenny (Stuff): Qualified early childhood teachers could earn more working in a supermarket, says centre boss
Jackson Thomas (Stuff): Bible studies case dropped, as ‘opt-in clause’ added to law
Andre Chumko (Stuff): Why Pride is needed in every New Zealand school in 2020
Laura Wiltshire (Stuff): Victoria University scraps ‘power-grab’ restructure after staff and student backlash
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Otago uni refuses to release document on med school quotas
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Māori and Pacific medical education pathways vital to creating equity – University lecturer

Incorrect testing message
Audrey Young (Herald): How did the message get so twisted? (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): What Just Didn’t Happen?
Jason Walls (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says trust only ministers with ‘significant’ Covid updates
Jason Walls (Herald): Incorrect testing info pushed out by Govt four days before PM Jacinda Ardern’s correction
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Incorrect Auckland testing information kept online due to issues ‘lost in translation’ – Chris Hipkins
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Ministry of Health conducting review into testing communication blunder
RNZ: Review ordered into testing order blunder
Dan Satherley (Newshub): We will always fix it’: Jacinda Ardern’s promise to NZ over COVID-19 mistakes
Dan Satherley and Miriam Harris (Newshub): How a COVID-19 comms screw-up caused chaos in south Auckland
Teuila Fuatai (Herald): Auckland’s last level 3 Sunday (paywalled)

NZ’s coronavirus response
Kate MacNamara (Herald): Covid pivot point – Government may be starting to feel lockdowns get balance wrong (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): It’s going to be a long seven weeks (paywalled)
Katarina Williams (Stuff): Alert level system revamp not necessary, academics say
1News: NZ should opt for Covid-19 containment strategy rather than elimination – John Tamihere
Emma Russell (Herald): Should more New Zealanders be working from home?
RNZ: Siouxsie Wiles, Michael Baker urge mask wearing to control Covid-19 outbreak
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Ministry ramps up training, data systems ahead of Covid-19 vaccine
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Covid-19 vaccine a ‘fantasy’ – controversial epidemiologist Simon Thornley
1News: Covid-19 vaccine for New Zealanders needs to be the ‘right’ one, expert warns
Stuff Editorial: Even at Level 2, a virus can go viral
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Hollywood stars try to dodge isolation rules on entering New Zealand
Jamie Ensor and Delphine Herbert (Newshub): Kiwis urged to remember frontline border staff working under ‘stressful’ conditions as restrictions ease
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Kiwis should be kind to border workers who are putting their lives at risk – union
Matt Burrows and Michael Morrah (Newshub): Aucklanders sent texts with total strangers’ COVID-19 test results

Auckland moves to Level 2.5, Level 3
Amelia Wade (Herald): Exclusive poll shows Aucklanders divided over lockdown extension (paywalled)
1News: ‘More risk’ in Auckland’s move to Level 2 this time round – Covid-19 modeller
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern says cases can be managed at alert level 2
Zane Small (Newshub): ‘Not at all’ a political decision: Jacinda Ardern explains Auckland’s move to level 2.5 despite new COVID-19 cases
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Expect more notice next time Auckland has to lock down – Jacinda Ardern
1News: Lockdown’s been ‘really, really tough’ PM acknowledges, as Auckland moves down alert level
Brittany Keogh, Josephine Franks and Kendall Hutt (Stuff): PM, Auckland mayor talk city’s recovery at alert ‘level 2.5’
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): To the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, thank you!
Rachel Sadler and Zac Fleming (Newshub): Children asked to return to school post-lockdown because their ‘futures depend on this’ – Chris Hipkins
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Anxiety high as students return to Auckland schools at level 2
Miriam Harris and Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Auckland schools expecting low roll call amid ‘alert level 2.5’
Crystal Wu (Newshub): Kiwis urging Aucklanders to ‘stay in Auckland’ after flocking the domestic terminals
Vaughan Elder and Hugh Collins (ODT): Aucklanders coming to Queenstown conference
Emma Russell (Herald): Aucklanders flock to airport for first chance to travel, Rotorua mayor welcomes tourists back
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern wants Aucklanders treated with ‘thanks and care they deserve’ as city enters COVID-19 ‘level 2.5’
Debbie Jamieson and Steven Walton (Stuff): Auckland visitors welcomed back to Queenstown and Christchurch
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1News: Mt Roskill church leader denies allegation of prayer meetings during lockdown
Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Church investigated over allegation meetings were held in lockdown

EQC 
RNZ: Checkpoint: ‘Needle not moving’ as botched EQC re-repairs still coming in – Megan Woods
Tina Law (Press): Government to change EQC laws to prevent communities suffering ‘years of trauma
Kaysha Brownlie (Newshub): Government plans to overhaul Earthquake Commission due to its mishandling of the Canterbury earthquakes
Sam Hurley (Herald): Government commits to all EQC inquiry recommendations, legislation will change
RNZ: Government plans to transform Earthquake Commission in wake of inquiry
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Govt to consider further socialising disaster insurance by lifting the EQC cap

Cannabis and euthanasia referenda
Crystal Wu (Newshub): Social media users respond to ‘harsh’ cannabis legalisation campaign post
Grant Illingworth (Stuff): Euthanasia referendum: ‘The proposed law isn’t watertight’
Geraden Cann (NBR): Pandemic no time for referendums, Rocket Lab founder says (paywalled)

Judith Collins’ husband shares anti-Ardern Facebook posts
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Judith Collins says she can’t control husband after series of anti-Jacinda Ardern Facebook posts
1News: Judith Collins says husband isn’t sexist after anti-Ardern memes lead to him being racially abused
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Judith Collins’ husband David Wong-Tung subject of racist comments after sharing anti-Jacinda Ardern social media posts
Zane Small (Newshub): Judith Collins responds to criticism of husband David Wong-Tung’s anti-Jacinda Ardern social media posts
Herald: Judith Collins’ husband David Wong-Tung criticised for sharing anti-Jacinda Ardern memes
RNZ: Judith Collins’ husband shares anti-Ardern Facebook posts

Cyber attacks
RNZ: Checkpoint: NZX, organisations warned ahead of cyber attacks, GCSB minister says
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): GCSB Minister Andrew Little says it has no clues on source of DDOS attack
Chris Keall (Herald): GCSB warns cyber-attacks could get worse, issues advisory to all NZ businesses
Sam Stubbs (Stuff): NZX may only have itself to blame for cyberattacks
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): How did the NZX find itself here? (paywalled)
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Why news websites survived the cyber attacks that took down the NZ stock exchange
1News: New Zealand businesses urged to take data security seriously following NZX cyber attack
RNZ: Stuff, RNZ say they were the target of a failed cyberattack
RNZ: NZX interrupted but trading continues after last week’s cyber attacks

Business
Dan Satherley and Miriam Harris (Newshub): Businesses around the country glad to see Aucklanders back
RNZ: Business confidence drops in August
RNZ: Survey shows small businesses better prepared for alert level changes
Jane Phare (Herald): Business Hub: Rob Fyfe on Covid-19, advising the PM and why he likes tackling a crisis (paywalled)

Health
Dominic O’Sullivan (Stuff): Two inquiries find unfair treatment and healthcare for Māori: This is how we fix it
ODT Editorial: DHB woes highlight system issues
1News: Rheumatic fever robs career of promising young rugby player as NZ battles to rid the preventable disease
Janine Rankin (Stuff): Palmerston North still waiting for mental health ward

Local government
Damian George (Stuff): Councillor publicly apologises after turning his back on a waiata
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington councillor publicly apologises for turning his back on waiata
Lois Williams (RNZ): ‘No ecologists on my land’ – West Coast Regional council chair
Chloe Ranford (RNZ): Port Marlborough ‘disappointed’ after lack of consultation on freedom campsite
Matthew Mckew (ODT): ‘I felt like we were holding on to a lie’
Molly Houseman (ODT): ORC to try to buy time for policy

Housing
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): What my Labour mates won’t admit about the Wellington housing market
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Slim pickings for New Zealand house buyers as available properties dry up
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Record-low housing stock, sky-high asking prices as COVID-19 pandemic impacts market
RNZ: House prices holding up during Covid-19 pandemic

Police
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Police setting up $9m facial recognition system which can identify people from CCTV feed
No Right Turn: If police think this is lawful and ethical, why did they try to hide it?

Migrant labour, employment
Steve Kilgalllon (Stuff): No work, no pay: Sitaram Mukkumala’s unhappy New Zealand story
RNZ: Union calls for end to 12 hour port worker shifts after death
George Block (Stuff): Auckland wharfies make claims of lax safety, near-miss before man was crushed
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Nats would keep minimum wage exemption
Laura Walters (Newsroom): ‘I’ve got nothing left to lose but my voice’

Mataura paper mill fire
Conan Young (RNZ): ‘We shouldn’t have to live like this’: Mataura resident on third toxic waste scare
RNZ: Fire at disused Mataura paper mill storing potentially toxic waste extinguished
Luisa Girao (ODT): \No risk to toxic waste, but fire sparks fear among Mataura residents
Stuff: Fire bosses say no risk of fire getting to hazardous substance at old mill

Environment
Gen Toop (Spinoff): This ‘green’ government has utterly failed to rein in our biggest climate polluter
Tim O’Connell and Cherie Sivignon (Nelson Mail): Extinction Rebellion protestors chain themselves to fertiliser depot’s gate

Tiwai Point
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): What Rio Tinto could get for a delayed exit
Evan Harding (Southland Times): Tiwai aluminium smelter proves to be a political hot potato

Foreign affairs
Sarah Bradley (1News): Noumea-based NZ consul Bruce Shepherd dies, aged 55
Dominic Harris (Stuff): Māori and Pasifika voices to be front and centre in international climate change talks

Other
Max Rashbrooke (Guardian): New Zealand’s astounding wealth gap challenges our ‘fair go’ identity
Gavin Ellis: Where has all the policy gone?
Philip McKibbin (Herald): Voting with all our hearts can make a difference (paywalled)
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Charter flight to NZ for 30 Kiwi criminals, including a paedophile, kicked out of Australia
James Massola (Stuff): Australia-New Zealand travel plan still bubbling away
Freeman Apou (Stuff): The dangerous Covid-19 infodemic and why no-one is immune
RNZ: Public asked for thoughts on green building practices
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): Red meat sector issues pointers for politicians
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): The week in memes: where have you been all this time, Dr Shane Reti?
Jane Calderwood Norton and Jordan Grimme (Spinoff): The charity conundrum: should Family First get the same status as Greenpeace?
Philip Matthews (Press): Munted: Christchurch’s Wizard says post-quake CBD is avoided by locals
Zoe George (Stuff): Kiwi canoeing great Ian Ferguson felt unable to help put-upon paddlers
Mike Fox (Stuff): What do the new building consent exemptions really mean for builders and DIYers?
Gavin Evans (BusinessDesk): Greymouth over-reaching with permit claim – Crown