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
Speaker Trevor Mallard’s rape allegations
Stuff: Editorial – Speaker faces pointy inquisition from select committee
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Former deputy speaker expected Trevor Mallard’s legal dispute to be costly when agreeing to it
Herald: ‘He made a mistake’: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern continues to back Speaker Trevor Mallard
Newstalk ZB: The victim’s life has been destroyed’ – Barry Soper on Mallard’s false rape accusation
Andrew Dickens (Newstalk ZB): Why Labour should give Trevor Mallard the boot
Kerre McIvor (Newstalk ZB): Trevor Mallard’s behaviour has been despicable
Mike Yardley (Newstalk ZB): Trevor Mallard has no choice – he must resign now
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): Trevor Mallard could be questioned over costly legal dispute on Wednesday
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern has ‘confidence’ in Speaker Trevor Mallard as National vows to probe him over taxpayer-funded legal settlement
1News: Ardern reaffirms confidence in Trevor Mallard as Speaker as he ducks $330k defamation case fee
Anna Whyte (1News): Speaker’s acknowledgement of mistake ‘serves as much’ as an apology — Jacinda Ardern
Climate change and environment
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Greta is right to call out our climate change record
Jason Walls (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responds to Greta Thunberg’s climate-change criticism
Phil Taylor (Guardian): Ardern disputes Greta Thunberg’s criticism of New Zealand climate policy
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern defends Government’s climate change response following Greta Thunberg’s criticism
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Greta Thunberg calls out New Zealand Government for ‘so-called’ climate emergency declaration
1News: Ardern responds to Greta Thunberg’s criticism over NZ’s climate change declaration
Eloise Gibson (Stuff): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern responds to Greta Thunberg’s jab at NZ’s ‘so-called’ climate emergency
Steven Cowan: Greta Thunberg: New Zealand’s ‘Climate Emergency’ Is ‘Nothing Unique’
Zane Small (Newshub): Climate Change Minister James Shaw admits New Zealand has ‘long way to go’ after Greta Thunberg criticism
Heath Moore (Herald): James Shaw responds after Greta Thunberg calls out NZ over lack of climate change action
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government only used full climate analysis process for eight Cabinet decisions this year
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): NZ spends green aid money on Asian dairy farms, not helping vulnerable Pacific
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Calling us on our bullshit
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Red Herrings ahead in the Three-Waters debate
Matthew Scott (Asia Pacific Report): Echoes of the Rainbow Warrior – have the lessons been learned?
Oranga Tamariki
Newsroom: Oranga Tamariki ‘review’ did not contact foster parents
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Newsroom battles Govt injunction over uplift video
1News: ‘Stop this rot within Oranga Tamariki’ — Māori Party demands agency’s boss step down
Whatitiri Te Wake (Māori TV): Oranga Tamariki Māori deputy chief quits
RNZ: Oranga Tamariki deputy head Hoani Lambert has resigned, chief executive confirms
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis orders immediate halt to ‘reverse uplifts’ of children in state care
Ihumātao
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern tight-lipped on Ihumātao deal as Judith Collins warns against opening ‘Pandora’s Box’
Kendall Hutt (Stuff): Ihumātao: From confiscation to present-day campaign for whenua’s return
Jason Walls (Herald): Still no Ihumātao deal announcement as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern remains tight-lipped
Business Desk: No deal today on Ihumātao (paywalled)
Kendall Hutt and Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Ihumātao: Pania Newton ‘not so confident’ as deal expected to go to Cabinet
Parliament, and review of politics in 2020
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Hayden Munro Labour’s winning campaign manager jumps ship to PR
Max Rashbrooke: (Stuff): The death of the Blue-Green voter myth
Bob Jones: A horrible Green Party little turd
Economy and work
Simon Lusk (Kiwiblog): Guest Post: A Poor Brown South Aucklander would be prosecuted
Michael Reddell: Monetary policy in 2020
1News: Worker feels ‘respected and valued’ in new venture which prioritises Māori values
Pattrick Smellie (Interest): Infratil, Aussies, and Kiwi cringing defiance
Rod Oram (Newsroom): Let’s take this opportunity to reinvent tourism
Covid and border
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government keen to get trans-Tasman travel back in time for Easter, but fish hooks remain
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Covid-19: What needs to happen before the trans-Tasman bubble can inflate?
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Coronavirus: What you need to know about New Zealand’s travel bubbles with Australia, Cook Islands
1News: Covid-19 risk to New Zealand ‘may be highest it’s ever been’ – Professor Michael Baker
Jason Walls (Herald): Transtasman bubble confirmed: Kiwis ‘desperately need a break’ – Jacinda Ardern
Phil Taylor (Guardian): Jacinda Ardern: New Zealand and Australia to launch travel bubble in early 2021
Siobhan Downes (Stuff): Travel bubble with Australia coming in early 2021, prime minister says
Matthew Mckew (ODT): Australia ‘busting’ for a transtasman travel bubble – Queenstown mayor
RNZ: Tourism industry hopeful after plans for trans-Tasman travel bubble announced
Katie Todd (RNZ): Managed isolation vouchers being hoarded by some leaving others desperate
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Lockdown lessons: What COVID-19 taught New Zealand about family, education
Jennifer Tierney (Herald): Which side of history will NZ be on? (paywalled)
Local government
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): Council venues are the water pipes of Wellington’s arts scene
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Insurance company investigating threat against Wellington councillor
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Wellington City councillor Rebecca Matthews receives online death threat
Skara Bohny (Stuff): Cost hike for sewerage operations result of years of ‘underspending’
Brian Sweeney (Stuff): Absolutely Positively Consequential
Health
James Robb: Police, professions and the Kaikohe ‘tooth fairy’ – A stark illustration of the decay of dental care
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Sir Jerry Mateparae ‘aghast’ at racism in health research
Fiona Sing and Bruce Kidd (Newsroom): Stronger rules needed for unhealthy food ads
Emma Russell (Herald): Baby dies: Govt-funded investigation finds ‘missed opportunities’ in pregnancy care
Stephen Forbes (Stuff): Diabetes drugs delay shows problem with Pharmac’s funding model, doctor claims
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Babies harmed in medical care at Capital and Coast DHB, while unexpected deaths double
Changes to blood donation rules
Luke Kirkness and Jake McKee Cagney (Herald): NZ Blood make changes to donor criteria for male to male sex, and sex workers
Ryan Boswell (1News): New rules makes it easier for sex workers and gay men to donate blood
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): New Zealand blood donations now less restrictive for men who have sex with men
Education
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Covid-19: 35.5 million hours of early childhood education lost due to virus
Josephine Franks and Kate Newton (Stuff): Thousands of students missed almost half a school term this year, new data shows
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Quarter of Auckland schools exceed capacity, Education Ministry figures show
Hamish MacLean (ODT): More University of Otago graduations abandoned over security threat
Chris Tse (The Spinoff): Rhymes of the ancient murderer: How a racist killer became a NCEA question
Housing
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): State home openings in Porirua a welcome start while hundreds remain in motels
Danielle Clent (Stuff): Avondale: The Auckland suburb dubbed ‘Third World’ starts to rebuild
Brendon Harre: New Zealand’s Rack-Rent Housing Crisis
Brendon Harre: Who are the Jedi Knights of Housing Affordability?
Martin Visser (Herald): State of housing in NZ and some solutions
Imprisonment and crime
1News: ‘Deeply concerning’ issues at Auckland prison, Chief Ombudsman says after surprise inspection
RNZ: Chief Ombudsman’s unannounced visit of Paremoremo prison reveals failures
Newshub: Chief Ombudsman’s unannounced visit of Paremoremo prison reveals failures
Jim Flynn dies
Chris Trotter (Interest): Lessons from a ‘legendary teacher’
Peter Grace (Herald): Peter Grace writes about Otago academic Jim Flynn after his death
Other
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Be Careful What You Wish For
Paul Buchanan (The Spinoff): March 15, rightwing extremism, and the systemic failures of NZ’s intelligence agencies
Vicki Anderson (Stuff): Children’s Commissioner: Child poverty progress ‘wrecked’ by Covid-19
Zane Small (Newshub): New Zealand included in list of Shanghai embassies allegedly ‘infiltrated’ by Chinese Communist Party
Anne-Marie Brady (Interest): Diversifying to protect our independence
Caroline Williams and Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Future of Auckland sports club ‘at stake’ if alcohol-free request is enforced
Bryan Gould: We trusted each other
Hamish McNicol (NBR): Law Society CEO departs after two years of ‘significant change’
