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
Afghanistan
Tim Watkin (Pundit): After 20 Years In Afghanistan, ‘A Little Revenge’ Has Done Immeasurable Damage
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Military intelligence never saw total collapse coming of Afghan army, committee briefing hears
Stuff Editorial: Afghanistan – yes, we have work to do
Thomas Manch (Stuff): 375 New Zealanders, visa holders stranded as Government considers ‘second phase’ of evacuation effort
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Afghanistan evacuations: Cabinet working on ‘second phase’
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Afghanistan evacuation mission: NZ Defence Force personnel ‘tormented’ by memories of those they couldn’t save
RNZ: NZDF on Afghanistan evacuation: ‘We were assisting people … over barbed wire fences’
Emma Hatton (RNZ): ‘Give us some hope’ – former NZDF interpreter to government
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Afghan interpreter who worked for NZ Defence Force issues desperate plea for help to Jacinda Ardern
Stuff: Plenty of waiting but not much hope for Afghan woman wanting her siblings to come to New Zealand
RNZ: High Court rejects desperate bid by Afghans trapped in Kabul
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Last-ditch legal action by Afghans trapped in Kabul thrown out by NZ judge
Vandhna Bhan and Arvind Kumar (Stuff): New Zealand Afghanis in plea for more help from government
Josie Pagani (Herald): Every kindness must be extended to Afghans (paywalled)
Parliament
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Battle of the vaccine graphs as Parliament returns without a bang
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Judith Collins fails to justify Parliament’s return in fizzer Question Time (paywalled)
Claire Trevett (Herald): National leader Judith Collins fires back at PM Jacinda Ardern over criticism for travel to Parliament
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern accuses Judith Collins of ‘sharing misleading information’ in COVID-19 vaccine debate
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Ministers face grilling as Parliament returns
Richard Prebble (Herald): Parliament is recalled; now use it (paywalled)
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Shrunken Parliament pops a few bubbles
Henry Cooke (Stuff): How Parliament will run while country is in lockdown
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): MPs attending Parliament in alert level 4 will have to social distance by 5 metres
RNZ: PM says MPs gathering at Parliament today is irresponsible – but Labour will be there
1 News: Parliament to sit today, against wishes of Jacinda Ardern
Newshub: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says National ‘rejected’ plans for virtual Parliament
Greg Presland (The Standard): MPs should not only follow the rules but follow them with stars
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National unveils quiet select committee reshuffle
Emma Espiner (Spinoff): Simon Bridges is still figuring himself out – National Identity, reviewed
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand minister’s TV interview interrupted by son waving phallic carrot
Government management of outbreak, expert advice, alert level changes
Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): What are the limits of dissent as NZ locks down, vaccinates and prepares to ‘open up’?
Grant Duncan: What the world can learn from Aotearoa New Zealand
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): One virus, two countries: The challenges of dividing Aotearoa to defeat delta
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins says ‘no point worrying’ about source of COVID-19 outbreak, Ardern should ‘deal with it’ or accept she can’t change it
Jamie Morton (Herald): Better ventilation ‘absolutely critical’ to stopping Delta
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Has Delta peaked? A 53-case day only comes with caution
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Too early to tell if drop in Delta cases will continue but officials remain optimistic
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): What if we find Delta outside of Level 4?
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): One number to watch to tell if lockdown is working
Mike Houlahan (ODT): PM vows to reassess risk in South
Dan Lake (Newshub): Air New Zealand adds ‘several’ South Island flights as alert level lowered
Aroha Mane (Māori TV): Risky or essential? Alert Level 3 contentious in Far North
Mariné Lourens and Nadine Porter (Stuff): Hours into alert level 3, drums beating for further South Island drop
Luke Malpass (Stuff): The 1pm update review – if someone is going to tell off a rugby player, best it’s Ashley Bloomfield
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Facebook post that cost the Govt $88,000 (paywalled)
RNZ: Covid-19 lockdown day 14: How it happened
RNZ: Covid-19 lockdown day 14: How it happened
Herald:Kiwis flock to fast food outlets at dawn of alert level 3
Vaccine rollout
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Dawn Chorus: Vaccine deal in the works
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Vaccine rollout reveals our Postcode Health System
Natalie Netzler (Newsroom): What we should be doing for Pasifika and Māori
George Driver (Spinoff): What is life like now for countries with the highest Covid vaccination rates?
Hannah Martin (Stuff): A quarter of eligible Kiwis now fully vaccinated, 3.4m doses given
Michael Neilson (Herald):Vaccinations open to all as Government races to secure supplies
Lucy Xia (Stuff): Vaccinations not happening in MIQ due to ‘safety and practical limitations’
Gary Hamilton-Irvine (Hawkes Bay Today): Two per cent of inmates at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison fully vaccinated (paywalled)
Nathan Morton (Stuff): Aucklanders should be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccines, mayor Phil Goff says
Vasso Apostolopoulos and Jack Feehan (Herald): How long does immunity last after vaccination? Do we need booster shots? Two immunology experts explain
Stuff: 60 per cent of Southland and Otago residents vaccinated
Fran Priddy (Newsroom): We need a vaccine plan for under-12s
Kenan Malik (Observer): Rich countries thinking of No1
Health system
Michael Morrah (Newshub): How reassurances over health workforce readiness failed to match reality when Delta variant emerged
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Urgent alterations as hospitals’ Covid-19 pressure rooms near capacity
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): If patient co-payments were removed from general practices
1 News: St John pleads with public to disclose Covid-19 exposure
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Nearly 100 St John paramedics isolating as patients conceal Covid-19 status
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Rise in people lying about exposure to Covid-19 putting ambulance crews at risk
RNZ: Medicinal cannabis: Approval process causing delays, says firm
Hawkes Bay Today: $2.75m Mongrel Mob meth rehab funding approved after proposal argued crime and gang suicides would drop
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): Public backlash prompts move towards capping bottle store numbers in Waipā
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): ACC proposes to raise typical family’s levies by $200 to $300 a year
Cases, demographics, Pacific communities, Māori communities
Teuila Fuatai (Herald): Health Ministry must acknowledge its role in Covid racism (paywalled)
Florence Kerr (Stuff): The hurt left by online racial hatred towards Pasifika people, who are already suffering
Meng Foon and Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo (RNZ): Where is the kindness during these uncertain times of Covid-19?
Melani Anae (Spinoff): Immunisation, immigration and the power of ‘confusion’
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): More than 1000 close contacts isolating in Wellington region
Herewini Waikato (Māori TV): Te Arawa Covid response call-centre trailblazing
Mike Mather, Aaron Leaman and Jo Lines-MacKenzie (Stuff): ‘My biggest nightmare’ says Waikato mayor after Spring Hill prison guard tests positive for coronavirus
RNZ: Prison officers can’t avoid breaking their Covid-19 work bubbles – union
Belinda Feek (Herald): Spring Hill prison guard tests positive for Covid
Herald: I got Covid at an Auckland mall. Here’s what’s happened since (paywalled)
Brooke van Velden (Herald): Covid pandemic hitting young hard – so what’s Government’s plan?
Contact tracing, testing
John Anthony (Stuff): Sistema waited a week to tell staff a colleague tested positive for Covid-19
Jamie Morton (Herald): What genomes reveal about this outbreak
Kate Newton (Stuff): Low Covid-19 testing rates risk future community outbreaks
Antony Sguazzin (Stuff): New variant that may have ‘increased transmissibility’ was detected in New Zealand
RNZ: South Africa detects new coronavirus variant, one case reportedly seen in NZ
news.com.au : New variant – ‘worse than Delta – was detected at New Zealand border
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Ministry of Health ‘now confident’ saliva testing could identify cases early
RNZ: All Blacks following protocols after spending time at location of interest
MIQ, border, immigration
Ben Strang (RNZ): Concerns as Covid-19 cases exercising in Grand Mercure Wellington’s underground car park
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Redesign of MIQ transfer system mooted
1 News: Govt agency employs students to secure MIQ spots for staff
1 News: Bottled water given to families in Auckland MIQ facility after concerns raised
Andrew MacFarlane (1 News): Kiwi stranded in Australia fears worst after MBIE cancels red-zone flights
Whatitiri Te Wake (Māori TV): Stranded in Australia and running out of medication, Kiwi losing hope
Lockdown compliance, enforcement, checkpoints
Alice Angeloni (Local Democracy Reporting): Illegal hapū-led checkpoint shut down, police establish static checkpoints
Peter de Graaf (Herald): Iwi border control group re-assessing plans (paywalled)
Herald: Wellington health board launches investigation after nurse attends gathering with sports stars during level 4
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): ‘Divorced from science’: Plan B criticised for conspiracy links
Sophie Cornish (Stuff): Police arrest 19 people at 11 small lockdown protests across the country
1 News: Arrests made over anti-lockdown protests around NZ
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer among 19 arrested in failed bid to overthrow Government
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): Two arrested at anti-lockdown protest in Whanganui
Samantha Gee (RNZ): Fines issued after ‘upsetting’ anti-vaccination letters delivered to medical practices
Frances Chin (Stuff): ‘Distressing’ letters delivered to Nelson doctors during lockdown
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Lockdown breach: Otago Uni student isolating after Auckland flight
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Student breached lockdown rules by flying across the country without exemption
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Barista ‘confused’ as police send him home against government advice
RNZ: Whale watching and finding ‘better quality meats’ no excuse for travel – police
Nikki Preston (Herald): Auckland boundary cuts through one Waikato road causing headaches for residents
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Auckland-Waikato divide necessary for neighbours’ economic good health
1 News: Police announce checkpoint locations ahead of alert level change
Herald: Police map out checkpoints ahead of move to alert level 3
Simon Shepherd (Newshub): Truckies hoping Auckland police checkpoints aren’t as chaotic as earlier this year
Wage subsidy, business, economy
Emma Hatton (RNZ): Figures show smaller firms make up majority of $876m wage subsidy payout so far
Richard Harman (Politik): Cracking down on the wage subsidy (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Government payments to businesses total $1.26 billion since the start of this lockdown, as the Wage Subsidy supports 28% of those in paid work
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Lower fear of unemployment could limit impact of lockdown this time around
Liam Dann (Herald): Inflation, supply constraints could be worse post-lockdown – NZIER (paywalled)
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): Economist weighs in on cost of lockdown as the country prepares to split into two alert levels
Liam Dann (Herald): Business confidence ‘encouragingly robust’ despite lockdown
Jean Bell (RNZ):Auckland businesses want more government financial support due to extended lockdown
Garth Bray (1 News): Be kind? Hotels, motels and Airbnb cutting guests little slack
Fiona Connor (Newshub): Auckland women ‘ripped off’ by Bookabach host’s refusal to refund, reschedule trip during lockdown
Newshub: Business community calls for weekly subsidy for employers, just like employees
Newstalk ZB: Simon Gault: ‘Resurgence package doesn’t even come close to covering 50% of cost’
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Businesses haemorrhage cash as lockdown costs mount
Rob Stock (Stuff): Life on the edge: Auckland restaurateurs open up about lockdown
Maryana Garcia (Herald): Builders are back in action under level 3 (paywalled)
Helen Harvey (Stuff): Concerns Auckland’s level 4 split from rest of country will make building supplies issues worse
RNZ: Cash for West Coast businesses to help out during alert level 3
Anne Gibson (Herald): Freight costs up almost 100% in last 6 months, new Eboss construction survey reveals (paywalled)
Laurel Stowell (Herald): Lockdown crushes best weeks of Ruapehu ski season (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Rocket Lab needs to wait for Auckland to drop to ‘level 3’ to resume launches
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Hundreds of food delivery drivers hired in lead up to alert level 3 move
Blair Jackson (Stuff): Money for Southland tourism businesses a ‘God-send’
Stuff: Air New Zealand releases domestic schedule under new alert levels
Sophie Trigger (Herald): Aucklanders able to shop at level 3 from businesses south of the city
Cass Marrett (ODT): More support for resort firms urged
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): DWC asked for funding help
RNZ: The Detail: When there’s a glitch in the supply chain
Anna Campbell (ODT): Examine the whole supply chain
Newsroom: Employers can’t recycle Level 4 responses
Juliet Speedy (Newshub): Businesses foresee supply issues, income drops as most of New Zealand prepares for alert level 3
Sam Hurley (Herald): Experts talk new insolvency regime and if a surge in liquidations follows wake of Delta lockdown (paywalled)
Lockdown inequality, charities
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Migrants left to ‘rely on free food’ as emergency benefit comes to an end
1 News: Foodbank stripped bare in lockdown issues plea for help
RNZ: ‘Uncertain times’ lead to kai network in Auckland
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Māori food network established to help struggling whānau in lockdown
Alex Robertson (Herald): Food parcels and vaccines to cope with Covid-19
Newshub: Māori organisations calling on Ministry of Social Development to give them resources
Andrew Marshall (ODT): Shopping assistance available for lockdown
Tony Wall (Stuff): Man has spent Covid pandemic living in a cave, surrounded by multimillion-dollar homes
Migrant workers
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Deleted Immigration NZ website post appears to be copy of new policy – adviser
Andrew Bevin (NBR): Forestry contractors claim they’ve been ‘screwed’ by Immigration NZ (paywalled)
Education
Katy Jones (Stuff): ‘Very few’ students back at most schools in alert level 3
Kate Nicol-Williams (1 News): Most schools expect less than 10 students back at Alert Level 3
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Students fear NCEA exam impact after lockdown extended in Auckland
Alwyn Poole (RNZ): Labour and the Education Ministry’s ongoing failure of the poor
Housing
Steven Walton (Stuff): $6m scheme to help families buy home has zero success after two years
David Hargreaves (Interest): The level 4 lockdown last year was followed by a 30% rocketing of house prices. This year’s won’t be
RNZ: Lockdown could lead to another spike in house prices – CoreLogic
Owen Vaughan (OneRoof): NZ’s average property value is fast approaching $1m
Dan Sathelrey (Newshub): Is the housing market about to turn? Price growth slows over August in most regions
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Auckland’s new homes consented up 29%, Wellington’s up 4% in a year: Stats NZ
Anne Gibson (Herald): All-time record set for NZ house building consents
Chloe Ranford (Local Democracy Reporting): Could abandoned boats be the next big thing in the tiny house game?
Anne Gibson (Herald): Real estate agent activity dropped 52% after alert level 4 lockdown
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Number of houses for sale falls to 14-year low
Miriam Bell (Stuff): House prices fall in regions but lockdown could grant reprieve
Media
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): TVNZ plays a blinder and sets its own goals
RNZ: TVNZ to resume paying dividend to government after returning profit
1 News: TVNZ records near $60m net profit on back of high audiences, online growth
Damien Venuto (Herald): TVNZ staff to get $2000 bonus for contribution to $59m profit
RNZ: NZ Paralympic boss unhappy with Tokyo Games broadcast
On Hate documentary
Patrick Gower (Newshub): On Hate: Far-right expert warns another NZ terror attack is coming
Patrick Gower (Newshub): On Hate: Jacinda Ardern reveals she saw livestream of Christchurch terror attack
Patrick Gower (Newshub): On Hate: Admission after rewatching Stefan Molyneux, Lauren Southern interview
Lydia Burgham (Herald): On Hate review – a powerful watch that puts the Muslim community at the centre
Anjum Rahman (Spinoff): Review: Patrick Gower: On Hate puts the focus where it should be – on the victims
Primary industries
Byron Clark (Newsroom): The radical right in gumboots
Sally Murphy (RNZ): Farmers and growers prepare for Auckland alert level border
Stuff: ‘Human error’ incorrectly detected oyster parasite Bonamia ostreae in Foveaux Strait
West Auckland flooding
Herald: Niwa blames ‘low level jet’ for deluge
Louise Ternouth (RNZ): Weather: Floods force west Aucklanders from homes
1 News: Heavy rain causes extensive flooding in parts of Auckland
Edward O’Driscoll (Newshub): Auckland businesses struggling under lockdown dealt second blow with flooding
Local government
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt reviews television documentary about his life
ODT Editorial: From a trickle to a torrent
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Call for police investigation into fake Lower Hutt council emails
Molly Houseman (ODT): Hobbs out of ORC either way
Garry Law (Stuff):Three Waters reforms ill-matched to local government
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Councils dither over Three Waters infrastructure reforms (paywalled)
Joanne Naish (Stuff): Twenty years ago, West Coasters were given $92m – it’s now worth $146m
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Napier floods review: New builds should be elevated and city needs Civil Defence staff
Other
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): The future of a small country in a deglobalised world
Don Rowe (Guardian): Unstoppable movement: how New Zealand’s Māori are reclaiming land with occupations
Rob Stock (Stuff): Reserve Bank proposal to protect insurance policyholders could add 1% to 2% to premiums
RNZ: Reserve Bank eyes protection for insurance policy holders
Esther Taunton (Stuff):Majority of New Zealanders paying ‘lazy tax’
RNZ: TSB Bank penalised for breaching anti-money laundering rules
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): Research into West Coast whitebaiting
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): NZ closes in on FTA with the UK (paywalled)
Vince Hawksworth (Herald): Transition to renewable needs careful management (paywalled)
Mike Mather (Stuff): ‘Don’t call us elderly’ dame tells politicians discussing plan for older people
Peter Cullen (Stuff): Pay gaps and pay equity: What an inquiry into needs to consider
Paul Lewis (Herald): Team NZ preparing for legal challenge over offshore America’s Cup defence (paywalled)
Carolyne Meng-Yee (Herald): America’s Cup could stay – if Dalton leaves Team NZ, claims rich-lister; TNZ questions intentions
