Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. You can sign up to NZ Politics Daily as well as New Zealand Political Roundup columns for free here.
Today’s content
Govt Covid strategy
Tess McClure (Guardian): ‘Calculated risk’: Ardern gambles as New Zealand Covid restrictions eased
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): The Government is still trying to eliminate Covid-19, but has made the political decision to stop throwing everything at it
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Government listens to science, until it doesn’t
Siouxsie Wiles (Spinoff): Why we need to stay the course on elimination
Jamie Morton (Herald): Experts answer five questions we’re all asking (paywalled)
Newstalk ZB: Epidemiologist: New Zealand is echoing events in Melbourne and New South Wales
1 News: Collins remains critical of Govt response to Covid-19
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins says level 4 should be all but ruled out, Government lacks mandate to lock people down
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Hipkins insists zero cases goal ‘still within reach’ after Bloomfield admits NZ may never get there
Richard Harman (Politik): The big vaccination question (paywalled)
Glen McConnell (Stuff): This level 3, we face a tough question: What is the new normal?
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Level 3 – Winners & Losers
Mike Hosking (Herald): Elimination strategy was doomed from the start (paywalled)
Mare Haimona-Riki (Māori TV): South Island whānau use up $1.8m of Covid response fund in four weeks
1 News: Expert says wider mask mandates needed in NZ after seeing Covid ‘ravage’ US
Mark Longley (Newshub): Satirical show Spitting Image lampoons Ardern, New Zealand’s latest lockdown
Vaccine rollout
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Banning unvaccinated people from Parliament grounds could set precedent – expert
Benedict Collins (1 News): Plans afoot to ban unvaccinated from Parliament
Zane Small (Newshub): Speaker Trevor Mallard acknowledges ‘anxiety’ caused by comments on COVID-19 vaccination requirements at Parliament
Herald: Surprise vaccine proposal from Speaker Trevor Mallard catches MPs unawares
1 News: Calls grow for easing of lockdowns to be based on Māori vaccination rate
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Fears low vaccination uptake will increase inequities for Māori once borders open
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Rangatahi vaccine campaign to launch as Govt feels sting of low Māori vaccination rates
Cecile Meier and Nadine Porter (Stuff): What would a 90 per cent vaccination rate mean for New Zealand?
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Race on to get Auckland 90 percent vaccinated by 4 October
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): New vaccine data shows first doses have doubled in Auckland and Wellington since Delta outbreak
Henry Cooke and Kate Newton (Stuff): New Zealand’s vaccine rollout explained in 13 charts, as Government talks up 90 per cent target
Adam Pearse and Michael Neilson (Herald): Disparity in DHB staff vaccination levels revealed
Anna Whyte (1 News): Govt seeks advice on mandatory vaccination for most health workers
Ben Leahy (Herald): Push for mandatory vaccination for key health workers
RNZ: 75 percent of frontline health workers have had two Covid-19 pfizer vaccine doses
Irra Lee (RNZ): ‘Dishonest’ – Bishop, Hipkins in standoff over delayed jab rollout claims
Newstalk ZB: Chris Hipkins: Denies Pfizer doses were delayed; doesn’t believe lockdown is holding people hostage
Newstalk ZB: Chris Bishop: National’s leaked MOH document showing all Pfizer doses were due to arrive in September
1 News: Kiwi immunologist: Covid jab ‘safest vaccine I’ve ever seen’
Herald: More than half of businesses not planning to offer incentives for vaccination
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Warehouse Group to give $100 to staff who get Covid vaccine
John Anthony (Stuff): Auckland construction company not allowing unvaccinated people on site under alert levels 2 and 3
RNZ: Maritime union casts doubt on vaccination deadline
Claire Trevett (Herald): 96 per cent of border workers vaccinated, a week before deadline
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins urges employers not to reject the unvaccinated
Sarah Helm (Spinoff): We are the 10%
Herald: One Auckland councillor’s finger lickin’ idea gets the ball rolling
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): Idea for vaccinations at Auckland fast food stores catching on
Robin Martin (RNZ: Bacon buttie Covid-19 vaccination initiative hailed a success
Helen Harvey (Stuff): A jab and bacon butty to go: Free breakfast incentive sees 130 people given Covid-19 jab in two hours in Taranaki
Samantha Gee (RNZ): Free breakfast offer proves incentive for Nelson tradies to get Covid-19 vaccination
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Hey cuz, come on down’: Manurewa marae’s vaccination bus is already a hit
Denise Piper (Stuff): Unique vaccine plan between iwi health and Northland rugby teams
Herald: Advertising agency uses fake funeral home to push vaccination message
Emma Russell (Herald): Chronically ill patients confused by mixed messaging around vaccine
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Relief in disabled community as at-home vaccinations are rolled out
Cases, demographics
Marena Mane (Māori TV): Māori dominating the tail of the outbreak
1 News: Bloomfield says breaches ‘not confined’ to any part of society after gang cases
Herald: Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirms transmission between households
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Interaction between households led to new cases, Ashley Bloomfield says, confident most Aucklanders will follow rules
Marena Mane (Māori TV): Corrections and Police failed to do their job – National MP Simeon Brown
Alert level rules, compliance, enforcement
Grant Miller (ODT): Pupil may have made trip south for rugby
Craig Kapitan (Herald): Charges filed against Auckland couple for Wānaka holiday
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Wānaka couple William Willis, Hannah Rawnsley to face court over alleged COVID-19 breach after police investigation
Herald: New figures confirm Auckland exodus to Northland, MP says the Government should have stopped it
Denise Piper (Stuff): ‘Lucky’ Northland avoided Delta after thousands fled Auckland
Will Trafford (Māori TV): Thousands fled Auckland for Northland ahead of lockdown
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Clover Park locals concerned about lockdown breaches
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Aucklander who used forged documents to breach lockdown suffers medical event at Taranaki petrol station
Border, MIQ, immigration
Tom Hunt (Stuff): NZ diplomats join the queue for MIQ when coming home
Newstalk ZB: Wellington Mayor unsure why capital’s MIQ facilities are being halved
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Rotorua’s three MPs united in opposition against additional MIQ hotels in tourism hub
Luke Kirkness and Kelly Makiha (Rotorua Daily Post/Herald): New MIQ in Rotorua ‘unlikely’ but protest going ahead (paywalled)
Rotorua Daily Post: ‘Disastrous’: MP claims Govt planning quarantine facility for Rotorua
Jamie Tahana (RNZ): ‘We’ve drawn a line’: Rotorua rails against any extra MIQ hotels
Lincoln Tan (Herald): NZ at risk of losing skilled migrants we need post-pandemic, expert says
Steven Walton (Stuff): 450 foreign mariners to go through MIQ before joining NZ fishing boats
Testing
Christine Rovoi (RNZ): Pasifika health experts call for more testing as Auckland drops alert levels
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Clover Park residents roll up to new pop-up testing centre
Business, economy, wage subsidy
James Graham (Stuff): Wage subsidy was essential to save jobs during lockdowns
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): More than 37,000 businesses still waiting for first round of August wage subsidy payment (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): What your house has in common with a nuclear submarine (paywalled)
Sam Stubbs (Stuff): Don’t worry, an economic renaissance is likely just around the corner
Herald: Govt business adviser Rob Fyfe frustrated over lack of progress
Liam Dann (Herald): China’s Lehman Brothers moment? Not now, please (paywalled)
Michael Reddell (Croaking Cassandra): Illusions of History
1 News: Auckland’s shift to Level 3 results in 15% boost in economic activity
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Restaurants Association: 1000 businesses gone, taking 13,000 jobs
Anne Gibson (Herald): Dawn karakia marks return of City Rail Link workers (paywalled)
Amber Allott (Stuff): Several A&P shows fall victim to alert level uncertainty
David Beck (Herald): Uppercrust Bakery in Tauranga eager to reopen after Covid scare (paywalled)
1 News: Struggling South Island businesses want clarity about future Covid restrictions
Rob Stock (Stuff): Monthly mortgage lending of $8 billion drives banks’ $1.45b profit
RNZ: Bank profits fall from record highs but performance remains strong
RNZ: Economy missing out on billions due to slow shift to circular, sustainable business, report says
AUKUS, foreign affairs, trade
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): What happened to the dream of a peaceful nuclear-free Pacific?
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Political Roundup – Why Australia’s nuclear-sub defence plans are unpopular in NZ
RNZ: The Detail: Why it’s not awkward to be left out of AUKUS
Gordon Campbell (Werewolf): On Canada’s election, and the AUKUS defence pact
Thomas Manch (Stuff): No ‘extra heat’: Defence Minister Peeni Henare stays the course on defence spending after Aukus announcement
World Socialists: New Zealand PM “pleased to see” AUKUS military pact
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): AUKUS deal threatens to crimp our quantum ambitions (paywalled)
Afghanistan
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Government fails to front for Afghan interpreters who made trip to Parliament
Zakaria Hazaranejad (Herald): A plea for humanity from a humble Tampa refugee (paywalled)
1 News: Cantabrian group rally behind Afghan refugees
National Party
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Some National MPs incredulous over leadership’s ‘war with the media’
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Judith Collins defends decision to cancel radio interview
Newstalk ZB: Judith Collins: National leader on vaccination incentives and the party leadership
Herald: National Party leadership: Judith Collins shrugs off questions about coup rumours
ODT Editorial: Collins missing the mark
Housing
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff): Buying a first home about to go from hard to near-impossible
Rosie Collins (Spinoff): The costs of nimbyism
Catherine Smith (OneRoof): Buyers may get upper hand as tidal wave of Auckland houses set to hit the market
RNZ: Calls for council to vote against Nelson housing project
Ethan Te Ora (Stuff): Life in a ‘vertical neighbourhood’ — the housing young buyers covet
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): New homes for all budgets planned in Palmerston North
Tayi Tibble (Renews): Māori and the City: finding a flat in Wellington is the second-worst trauma after colonisation
Counter-terrorism bill, NewLynn mall attack
Eva Corlett (Guardian): New Zealand: rushing anti-terror law could lead to surveillance overreach, minor parties say
Tumamao Harawira (Māori TV): Government in undue rush to change terrorism laws
Marc Daalder (Newshub): Govt won’t review derailed efforts to rehabilitate terrorist
Justice
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): No performance reviews and 20% pay hikes for some judges
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Complaining about a Family Court judge isn’t safe – advocate
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Judges, bullying and a ‘broken’ complaints system
Police
Liu Chen (RNZ): Opinions divided on new funding for police tactical teams, training and staff
John Weekes (Herald): Police armed training move a clear break with past, repudiation of Armed Response Team style
Māori TV: Simeon Brown backs tactical response teams to keep police safe
Amelia Wade (Newshub):Police Commissioner Andrew Coster’s promise as firearms units and training ramps up in response to gun crime
Sophie Cornish and Sam Sherwood (Stuff): No return of controversial armed teams as part of police shakeup
RNZ: Officers ‘will not be routinely armed’ under new tactical model – police
RNZ: Watch: Police tactical teams, extra staff and training announced in $45m safety package
Anna Whyte (1 News): Police safety gets $45m for two-person dog teams, frontline response
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Police commissioner says death of Auckland officer behind new frontline safety training
Katie Doyle (RNZ): Spit hoods used on 117 children, young people by police
Climate change, conservation, environment
1 News: Allegation Climate Commission ignored own advice on cutting synthetic nitrogen
Peter Dunne: Don’t get too excited by the “ute” tax delay
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): James Shaw on the road to Glasgow
Rob Stock (Stuff): Turning our roofs into a weapon to fight climate change
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Life in the ‘burbs without a car — or why Aucklanders drive so much
Stuff: Government announces $35,000 worth of funding for Fiordland landfill remediation
Charlotte Cook (RNZ): DOC’s Orca care excedes budget by $17k
Kim Moodie (RNZ): DOC was advised to euthanise orca calf Toa, documents reveal
Vita Molyneux (Herald): Toa the orca kept alive by DoC despite some experts repeatedly calling for euthanasia
Kate Green and Matthew Tso (Stuff):Chances of survival for baby orca Toa were low, euthanasia the ‘ethical’ choice
1 News: DOC were advised to euthanise stranded orca Toa, stop human contact with him
Susan Botting (Local Democracy Reporting): Department of Conservation appealing controversial Far North water consents
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): Iwi withdraws opposition to proposed West Coast mine
Robin Martin (RNZ): Waka Kotahi using builder’s foam to block off potential bat roosts at Mt Messenger bypass site
RNZ: $2m boost for Predator Free apprenticeship programme
Education
Jimmy Ellingham (Stuff): Taihape Area School doesn’t accept apology over land fiasco
Logan Church (1 News): Auckland students need more help if schools can’t resume by Term 4, principals say
RNZ: Labour MPs reject Paul Goldsmith’s request for briefing on Covid-19 impact by education officials
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Extra credits for Auckland NCEA students due to time in lockdown
1 News: Auckland students get NCEA credit top-up to recognise lockdown
Edward O’Driscoll (Newshub): Auckland high school students relieved they’ll get extra NCEA credits
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Auckland students need more help for NCEA – principal
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Children need to be taught how to deal with bullies, says principal ahead of major project
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Sex abuse panel proposed
Health
Bridie Witton (Stuff): New Health New Zealand and Maori Health Authority board members announced
RNZ: Mental health 10-year plan to guide government decisions – Minister Little
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Mental health: Government creates new 10-year plan and monitoring body
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Long-term plan for cross-Government action on mental health announced
1 News: Govt introduces 10-year plan to target mental distress
Stuff: Waikato DHB winds back its restrictions after numerous tests come back negative
Sapeer Mayron (Stuff): Counties Manukau DHB restarts elective surgeries after five-week pause
Annemarie Jutel (Newsroom): Covid, by any other name
Local government
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Water reforms: Beleaguered Govt offers olive branch to mayors
Brent Edwards (NBR): Three waters reform queried by Treasury as govt ponders next steps (paywalled)
Tina Law (Stuff): Government’s water reforms ‘not right for Christchurch’, mayor says
Evan Harding (Stuff): Southern councils may work together in bid to retain ownership of water assets: Councillor
Alan Sutherland (Stuff): We’re 10,000 miles apart, but on water we’re closer than we think!
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Jo Miller, the council chief executive who’s making waves in Lower Hutt
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Ruapehu council holds workshop to help decide on karakia at meetings
Tracey Roxburgh (ODT): Trees to be felled despite mounting opposition
Transport
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Aucklanders ‘still in the dark’ about key light rail details, AA says
Driven: New Zealand’s Clean Car ‘feebate’ Scheme delayed until April 2022
Geraden Cann (Stuff): ‘Ute tax’ delayed until April as a result of Delta outbreak
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Analysis: The radical change to increase length of Wellington’s cycleways from 23km to 147km
1 News: Petrol prices not up due to Covid-19, expert says
Primary industries
Adam Burns (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Poor migrant treatment’ adds labour woe in Mid Canterbury
Keith Woodford (Interest): The Government never foresaw the land-use forces they were unleashing with the ETS
Andrea Fox (Herald): Fonterra’s big Thursday unveiling: Just how much about its plans will the dairy heavyweight reveal? (paywalled)
Media
Kirsty Lawrence and Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Amanda Gillies and Mark Richardson forced out as part of AM Show makeover
Newshub: Amanda Gillies, Mark Richardson leaving The AM Show at end of 2021
Herald: ‘Beating Breakfast’: AM Show claims ratings victory – so why are all the hosts leaving?
Sport
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Former Team NZ director questions Grant Dalton’s role of CEO, acting chairman and trustee (paywalled)
Herald: Grant Dalton opens up on ‘devious plans’ as Team New Zealand ‘cease all correspondence’ with Mark Dunphy
Todd Niall (Stuff): America’s Cup: Team NZ closes door on Mark Dunphy plan and releases email
1 News: Final shot at hosting America’s Cup in Auckland appears over
Reuters (Newshub): Details of threat leading to aborted Blackcaps tour revealed
Herald: Pakistan government claim email from India led to Black Caps tour cancellation
Other
Alexa Cook (Newshub): NZ’s digital divide: Elderly, poor families, rural Kiwis, farmers still missing out on internet
Virginia Fallon (Stuff): The Aotearoa debate: It’s time for a name change
Jo Cribb (Newsroom): Much at stake for women workers
Vanya Bailey (Stuff): Ongoing work by women’s organisations part of equality solution
Bev Chesney (Stuff): Empowering women is a step towards nondiscrimination
Margaret Cook (Stuff): Are we there yet? The road to women’s rights is long but we will get there
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): Māori Party rebuilding politics with digital Marae
Tina Law (Stuff): Community board says no to greyhound racing at Christchurch’s QEII Park
Arena Williams and Stuart Smith (Stuff): Be it Māori or English, it is a love of the spoken word I want for all New Zealanders
Herald: Public have their say on law change to make it easier to change sex on birth certificates
Sandra Conchie (Herald): Tauranga man admits inciting racial hostility towards Māori in online video (paywalled)
Andre Chumko (Stuff): ‘We could do better’: Symphony Orchestra on diversity, access, engagement
Alice Angeloni (Local Democracy Reporting): Te Araroa community call for end to barge plan as new designs released
Rob MacCulloch (NBR): How to swing Kiwis right: A cunning plan
RNZ: Abuse in Care royal commission: Helen Potiki appointed executive director
Dylan Reeve (Spinoff): Overdue to be ‘pwned’? Here’s how to keep hackers out of your online accounts
