Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Click here to subscribe to Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup and New Zealand Politics Daily.
Today’s content
Immigration reset
Tess McClure (The Guardian): New Zealand to cut ‘low-skill’ immigration and refocus on wealthy
Charlie Dreaver (RNZ): ‘Scene setting’ immigration speech labelled confusing by critics
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Immigration reset light on details, but direction of travel is clear
Richard Harman: Major immigration speech falls flat (paywalled)
Michael Neilson (Herald): Government targets rich investors as part of its ‘reset’ of immigration settings
Bernard Hickey: Govt to leave migration tap turned off when the borders reopen
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government wants to turn down tap on temporary and skilled migrant workers
RNZ: Government announces ‘reset’ of immigration system
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Govt immigration reset ditches low skilled migrants
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): BusinessNZ disappointed over Government stance on migrant labour
Bernard Hickey: How populous should NZ be?
Siobhan Wilson (1News): Immigration restrictions to remain as Government confirms its ‘reset’
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom): Border exemptions for at least 200 ‘high-value’ investors
Liam Dann (Herald): Immigration: Record plunge on full year of border closure
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Migration dries up: Record drop in numbers moving to NZ
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Illegal, part one: How the Covid lockdown revived the role of a ‘Tongan Robin Hood’ last at work for overstayers in the 1980s
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Illegal, part two: Keeping a family together
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Illegal part three: Is it time for another overstayer amnesty?
Budget 2021
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Health sector needs nearly $22.2 billion just to ‘stand still’
ODT: Editorial – Seeking ‘balance’ in the budget
Cameron Bagrie (BusinessDesk): Five things to keep an eye on in Budget 2021 (paywalled)
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Te Puea Marae whānau push for benefits boost in Budget 2021
Alex Braae (Spinoff): From austerity to zero carbon: An alphabetical guide to the budget
Esther Ashby-Coventry (Stuff): Budget 2021: More money needed across all aspects of education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Budget 2021: More funding for special needs kids on principals’ wishlist
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Budget 2021: Solo mothers on the benefit say they need more help
1News: Budget 2021: ANZ’s chief economist says Govt has ‘options’ with spending
Brent Edwards (NBR): Will budget balance spending needs with fiscal restraint? (paywalled)
Andrew Dickens (Newstalk ZB): National is absent ahead of 2021 Budget
Brooke Fiafia (Spinoff): We teach kids to share – why is it so hard for adults?
National Party, leadership, and the Newshub poll
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): The TV3 poll: Journalism or propaganda?
Claire Trevett (Herald): Poll was verdict on Judith Collins’ longevity rather than race (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research poll shows who National voters want to take over from Judith Collins
Alex Braae (Spinoff): Power ranking Judith Collins’ potential replacements as National leader
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Collins has lost too much credibility to lead National
Kerre McIvor (Newstalk ZB): Judith Collins is gone – once National can find an alternative
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research poll: Jacinda Ardern confident poll reflects Govt’s Covid-19 success – but tight-lipped on who could be Judith Collins’ replacement
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Judith Collins dismisses fall in preferred prime minister rating
Newstalk ZB: Judith Collins assures ‘she’s safe’ as National leader
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Mark Richardson ‘disappointed’ in National, but won’t let his support waver
Newshub: Judith Collins’ recent supposed race-baiting ‘is racist’, should be called out – political commentator
Media
Chris Trotter: Radio waves
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): Māori girl in the gallery: How our parliamentary reporter copes with daily racism in the Beehive
Stephen Parker (Newsroom): RNZ won’t be swallowed in state media shake-up
Daniel Dunkley (BusinessDesk): Fears RNZ-TVNZ merger could hit student radio (paywalled)
Gavin Ellis: The man who kicked the hornet’s nest
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): A blockbuster media deal could tie Three up with CNN and HBO
Racism, He Puapua, and Māori self-determination
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Race row delivering more than just bad polls
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Brave, cynical or racist: bruising Treaty politics (paywalled)
Ben Leonard (Newsroom): ‘Judgment for the decade’ in landmark foreshore and seabed case
Peter O’Connor (Newsroom): Pākehā must take the lead against racism
Kadambari Raghukumar (RNZ): We see a process of decolonisation in New Zealand – Behrouz Boochani
Zane Small (Newshub): National leader Judith Collins vows to keep probing Labour’s Māori ‘co-governance’ plans
Public sector pay freeze
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Blow for nurses as Jacinda Ardern says she ‘can’t reward everyone’ who worked hard during Covid-19
Democracy Project: Union worker: Pay freeze was an attempt at intimidation by a government scared of strikes
Jehan Casinader (BusinessDesk): The public sector must tell its own story (paywalled)
Stuart Smith; Arena Williams (Stuff): Repaying public servants on the Covid front line by freezing their wages is simply unfair
Economy and work
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Explainer: What is a Universal Basic Income, and could it work?
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Infometrics reveals which regions got through summer in best shape
Victoria Harris (Stuff): Bridging the gender investment gap could bring billions into the economy
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Gaming billionaire and John Key outline very different post-pandemic futures
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Infrastructure for a better future
Transport
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland’s Port Future: New port location to be decided by 2023, minister says
Anne Gibson (Herald): $10b+ to move Ports of Auckland better spent elsewhere: Phil Goff (paywalled)
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): ‘Lining up to kill someone’: Truckies say they have no choice but to lie about work hours
Covid
Mike Yardley (Stuff): Coronavirus: Bureaucrats’ clumsy messaging does not help achieve public buy-in
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): Kiwis get behind lockdowns: Research gives insight into Covid-19 attitudes and behaviours
Justin Latif (Spinoff): Shaky vaccine rollout putting community at risk, say South Auckland GPs
Kirsty Lawrence (Stuff): Police too far down the queue for Covid-19 jabs, police association says
1News: Govt to clamp down on MIQ billing, use debt collectors, after figures show almost $7m overdue
Climate change
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Budget’s carbon savings equal about five days coal use at Huntly
Stuff: Editorial – Transformers? Climate action will be the biggest test
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Govt cautiously floats transformative transport plans
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): New fuel taxes, higher charges for parking suggested (paywalled)
Local government
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): There’s still hope for Wellington’s dysfunctional city council
Anna Loren (Stuff): Auckland Council staff face bullying from politicians, aggression from public – review
Marcus Anselm (Stuff): Pay and voting rights for marae reps’ on Carterton District Council committees
Moana Ellis (Herald): Māori support strong for Horizons Māori wards
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Wellington councillor Simon Woolf opens up on getting counselling and need for a council psychologist
Logan Savory (Stuff): Invercargill City Council plans to increase remuneration budget by $600k
Mike Mather (Stuff): A monumental decision: New panel to help decide fate of controversial Captain Hamilton statue
International relations
Geoffrey Miller (Democracy Project): NZ could play mediating role in Gaza conflict – but does it want to?
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern says approval of export of gun suppressors to Israel won’t lead to commercial arrangement
Benedict Collins (1News): PM seeks assurance that military tech from NZ is not being used by Israel against Palestinians
1News: NZ ‘absolutely urgently required’ to speak up about finding Gaza solution – expert
Mark Tanner (Stuff): Chinese food and beverage brands could soon muscle in on NZ’s premium exports
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Snow season thaw for Aussie-Kiwi PM relations? (paywalled)
Asylum seekers detained
Amelia Wade (Newshub): 118 asylum seekers have been locked up in New Zealand prisons with criminals
Miriam Burrell (Herald): Allegations of rape, assault of asylum seekers in prison, new report reveals
Anna Whyte (1News): ‘Immediate and urgent reform’ needed after 86 asylum seekers detained in prison — Amnesty International
Justice
RNZ: Corrections to stop restraining inmates during labour
Mandy Te (Stuff): Chief Ombudsman to investigate Department of Corrections’ response to calls for reforms that could improve conditions for prisoners
Other
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Water reforms hit an expensive snag, as cost estimate rises to $185b
Audrey Young (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s knee-jerk reaction to SFO charges (paywalled)
Verity Johnson (Stuff): David Gaughan represents a sobering tale about cancel culture
Miriam Bell (Stuff): First home buyer fatigue: their share of purchases drop to lowest since 2018
Russell Brown (Public Address): The Drugs Meetup
Ian Powell: Improving income support critical for improving health system
John Carnegie (Herald): Act now to avoid the next energy crisis (paywalled)
Tom Peters (World socialist website): New Zealand and France host “Christchurch Call” summit to expand internet censorship
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Ombudsman investigates University of Canterbury over Anne-Marie Brady review
