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
Modelling dispute, Govt Covid strategy
RNZ: Modeller stands by government’s Covid-19 data release amid criticism
Science Media Centre: ‘Very high’ vaccination rate needed to end lockdowns – Expert Reaction
Newstalk ZB: Shaun Hendy defends Covid modelling, but Rodney Jones says it’s overcooked
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Rodney Jones says Shaun Hendy’s 7000-death vaccine model doesn’t pass plausibility test
Herald: Expert calls new Covid-19 modelling ‘overcooked’ and ‘rushed’
Richard Harman (Politik): The PM picks a political number (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Simon Bridges calls out ‘scare tactics’ to get people vaccinated, says ‘truth is, some won’t’
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Shaun Hendy’s model is not plausible
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Doubt over doom claims
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Modelling suggests 7000 deaths in a year even with 75 per cent of country jabbed
Jamie Morton (Herald): 90% vaccination uptake is possible, but alternative is bleak
Anna Whyte (1 News): Lockdowns could be avoided with very high vaccination rates – new modelling
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Modelling: Thousands of deaths without high vaccination rates
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Modelling showing thousands dead if COVID-19 vaccination rates stagnate spooks experts
RNZ: Covid-19 modelling: 90 percent vaccination needed to avoid lockdowns
Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): The importance of 90%+ vaccination rates
Zane Small (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveils ‘what the future could look like with a vaccinated population’
Keith Lynch (Stuff): Ireland and Covid-19: More than 1000 cases every day but normality looms
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Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Government is always about politics
Jim Metson (Herald): Shaping a post-Covid New Zealand (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road): Is This What We Want?
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Is there some hope in our Covid response?
Rawiri Taonui (Waatea News): The Delta tail and lessons from last year’s First Wave
Glen Johnson (Evening Report): In spite of relentless media negativity, NZ’s covid story is largely successful
Vaccine rollout, testing
Jamie Tahana (RNZ): Government denies it has failed Māori on Covid
1 News: Henare supports providers but stands by hardline stance on Māori vaccine rates
Herald: Govt concedes ‘big mountain to climb’ to lift vaccination rate
1 News: 90% vaccination rate means less risk for Māori — researcher
Herald: Call for mass school vaccinations to counter ‘doom and gloom’ modelling
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): How Maori vaccine hesitancy will allow the AntiVaxxers to avoid their moment of Darwinism and hand ACT more momentum
Barbara Dreaver (1 News): Pasifika being targeted by anti-vax messaging horrifies community
Vaimoana Tapaleao (Herald): Dedicated vaccination drives being set up to get more Pacific people vaccinated
Mariner Fagaiava-Muller (RNZ): The race to meet vaccination rates for Pasifika
1 News: Government looks to rethink Covid rollout for hesitant youth
Stuff Editorial: Vaccine push means considering a host of motivational measures
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Dawn Chorus: Where are he vaccine mandates? (paywalled)
Anne Gibson (Herald): Concrete supplier refused Auckland building site delivery, no safety measures: construction chief (paywalled)
RNZ: Tradie vaccination a process of consulting with staff, clients – construction boss
Greg Presland (The Standard) The more difficult end to the vaccination programme
Adam Jacobsen (Stuff): Vaccine passports needed to curb future Delta outbreaks, expert says
RNZ: Corporates add financial incentives for employees to get vaccinated
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Covid-19 vaccination programme moving away from ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern issues thinly veiled warning to anti-vaxxers as efforts continue to ramp up in Auckland
Herald: 10 of the biggest vaccine myths debunked
Damien Venuto (Herald): How to convince a hesitant family member to get the vaccine
Phil Goff (Herald): Why Aucklanders should get vaccinated today
Eva Corlett (Guardian): ‘Would you like Pfizer with that?’ New Zealanders could get Covid jab with fast-food fix
Tessa Parker (1 News): Covid-19 jabs for those waiting in fast food queues being weighed up
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Health authorities looking at COVID-19 vaccines for under 5s, Dr Bloomfield reveals
1 News: NZ to donate surplus Covid jabs to help Pacific neighbours vaccinate teens
Stuff: New Zealand donating more Covid-19 vaccines to Pacific, Indonesia
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): NZ gives vaccine to islands – but needs help reaching its own Pacific peoples
Mirjam Guesgen (Spinoff): What is rapid testing and when is it coming to New Zealand?
Alert level rules, compliance, enforcement
Danielle Clent (Stuff): More Aucklanders caught breaking rules in latest lockdown
Herald: ‘Significantly higher volume’ at checkpoints in Auckland’s first day in level 3
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): Police turn back five times more Aucklanders on first day of alert level 3
1 News: Middlemore staff isolating after close contact of Covid case visits patient
Sharnae Hope (Stuff): Waikato man charged over fake positive coronavirus test result
Herald: Cambridge man arrested after editing text to say he tested positive
1 News: Aucklanders face homelessness by moving rules at Level 3
Daniel Rutledge (Newshub): Stephen Colbert pokes fun at ‘Kentucky Fried Bandits’ caught by NZ Police during Auckland’s COVID-19 lockdown
Border, MIQ, immigration
Katie Todd (RNZ): Government agreed to subsidise MIQ costs for international sports stars
Katie Todd (RNZ): Government ministers wanted bespoke MIQ for athletes but were warned of public backlash
RNZ: UFC star Israel Adesanya done with dreams of NZ return
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Dozens of MIQ shortcomings found, secrecy surrounds which hotels aren’t making the grade
Māori TV: No more new managed isolation hotels in Rotorua – Chris Hipkins
1 News: Another Christchurch hotel converted into MIQ facility
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): New MIQ in Christchurch after Rotorua says no
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Rotorua’s politicians welcome news tourism hub won’t host a fourth MIQ facility
RNZ: Business pushing for self-managed isolation for overseas work travel
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom):Immigration froze residency applications processing in Auckland’s lockdown
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Migrant can’t start new job or provide for family after Immigration NZ delays
Employment
Kim Moodie (RNZ): ‘Some customers are losing it’ – Stress for eateries in Level 3
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Workers left fearing for future and struggling to pay rent after closure of liquor stores
RNZ: Sanford fined $500K over employee’s death, CEO apologises
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Bread maker George Weston Foods trades blows with First Union, saying strike threatens supply (paywalled)
Max Rashbrooke (Stuff): How social insurance could provide a safety net for NZ’s most vulnerable workers
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Farmers tells HQ workers ‘return to the office or get just 80% of pay’
Grant Miller (ODT): Delay of promised pay ‘cruel’ — union
Business, economy, wage subsidy
Guy Williams (ODT): Skyline vote on repaying wage subsidy
James Graham (Stuff): Wage subsidy was essential to save jobs during lockdowns
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Restaurants call for more financial support, subsidised fine dining and a GST-free feed
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Restaurant Association unveils roadmap as industry loses 13,000 jobs
RNZ: ‘Such a rip off’: Booker beware as travellers stung by Covid-19 cancellation fees
RNZ: Latest lockdown crippled business, dairy owner claims
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Cruise ship industry sends warning over border uncertainty
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Staying at Level 2 having ‘deep, irrevocable impact’
Grant Bradley (Herald): SkyBus ends Auckland Airport-city service
Herald: Over 80% increase on roads in Auckland’s first day in level 3
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Brian Fallow (Herald): Law tweak to Commerce Act to make sure giants play fair (paywalled)
Dita De Boni (NBR): Suppliers ask MPs to support mandated code of conduct for supermarkets (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): Phew! Market meltdown averted – for now (paywalled)
AUKUS, foreign affairs, trade
Matthew Hooton (Herald): NZ’s anti-nuclear law threatens our security and prosperity (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): New Zealand’s AUKUS moment might turn out to have benefits (paywalled)
Murat Ungor (ODT): Pact’s bearings for research worth considering
Ford Hart (Stuff): Aukus shows US is committed to the Indo-Pacific
Manqing Cheng (Newsroom): China’s difficult bid to join the Pacific trade deal
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): NZ exports to China hit new record amidst diversification talk
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): A second death for autonomous sanctions – but hints of another life
Parliament, political parties
Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): This overseas voting rule is arbitrary and stupid. It’s time to scrap it entirely
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Labour moves to restore leadership election powers to caucus at conference
John Bishop (Stuff): While the right revives, National seems focused on internal warfare
Herald: Judith Collins on cancelled interviews and that 35 per cent remark
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Gangs, plain language and journalists’ sources: Seven new members’ bills drawn out of Parliament’s biscuit tin
RNZ: Parliament to consider ban on public funds to gangs
Anna Whyte (1 News): Proposal to improve surrogacy laws among seven pulled from ballot
Housing
Anne Gibson (Herald):Housing Minister: Policy advice sought on build to rent sector (paywalled)
Jade Kake (Stuff): How do we slow the property market?
Brent Edwards (NBR): Treasury warns govt over weak guidance to housing agency (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Reserve Bank to tighten loan-to-value restrictions, admits that makes it harder for first-home buyers to get on the ladder
RNZ: Reserve Bank takes action over ‘unsustainable’ house prices
Tracy Neal (Newsroom): Social housing stigma unnerves upmarket hotel developers
Matiu Hamuera (Renews): Homelessness is not just living on the streets: 5 housing workers explain why
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Government expected to reveal details of interest deductibility rule change for property investors early next week, only days ahead of the implementation date
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Landlord ordered to pay compensation after son used chainsaw and floodlight to ‘intimidate’ tenant
Health
Matai O’Connor (RNZ): MHA members welcome chance to drive reforms in Māori health
RNZ: Government announces team leading new Health NZ and Māori Health Authority
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Health New Zealand and Māori Health Authority board members announced
Mare Haimona-Riki (Māori TV): Groundbreaking Māori Health Authority board named
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Henry Cooke (Stuff): Auditor-general to investigate whether DHBs are appropriately using ‘ring-fenced’ funding on mental health services
Kaaren Mathias (Spinoff): The beacons and black holes of NZ’s big new mental health plan
Will Trafford (Māori TV): Critics slam government’s new mental health strategy
Katie Harris (Herald): Calls and texts to mental health line almost double since 2019
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Ian Powell (Democracy Project): Reputations in tatters
Nicholas Jones (Herald): ICU nurses are in demand globally. They can’t get into New Zealand to take up job offers (paywalled)
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Patient safety endangered at Hawke’s Bay Hospital – union
RNZ: Young Pasifika male nurse recognised in 2021 honours
Vita Molyneux (Herald): Families ‘heartbroken’ by birthing facility closure, director says Government ‘failed’ them
Sapeer Mayron (Stuff): All Auckland elective surgeries back on, patients being contacted
Water reforms
Jean Bell (RNZ): Auckland Mayor Phil Goff opposes Three Waters proposal, calls for accountability
Todd Niall (Stuff): Three Waters: Auckland mayor hints at Government re-think on water shake-up
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta responds to Rangitīkei mayor’s Three Waters concerns (paywalled) Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Too big a decision’ – Councillor calls for Auckland input on water reforms
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Mahuta digs in on three waters reforms (paywalled)
Steven Walton (Press): Water reform will save Christchurch residents money – but not as much as first thought
Alan Sutherland (Stuff): We’re 10,000 miles apart, but on water we’re closer than we think!
Sally Kidson and Skara Bohny (Stuff): Council locks doors on anti Three Water protesters
Matt Burrows sand Seni Iasona (Newshub): Demonstrators storm Nelson City Council building in protest at proposed Three Waters reforms
Chloe Ranford (Local Democracy Reporting): Life in a super entity: Three Waters webinar outlines the reality for Marlborough
Felix Desmarais (Local Democracy Reporting): Three Waters Reform: Rotorua raises concerns and pleads for more detail
Taroi Black (RNZ): Councillor fumes over ‘redneck’ Napier water policy
Local government
David Clarkson (Stuff): Roading engineer used false invoicing scheme to scam council of $178,000
Laura Hooper (Stuff): Invercargill City Council mana whenua representatives announced
ODT: Mana whenua representatives appointed to ICC roles
Climate change, conservation, environment
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): James Shaw’s mission improbable to Glasgow (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: COP26 in Glasgow needs to deliver real action (paywalled)
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Why are we ignoring nitrogen fertiliser?
Jamie Gray (Herald): Millions at stake: What does the future hold for carbon? (paywalled)
Katy Jones (Stuff): Proposed library and homes at risk from insurance retreat, expert says
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Horowhenua Council and iwi agree to temporarily close controversial dump
RNZ: Severe summer water restrictions for Auckland unlikely as reservoirs hit 82% capacity
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): New documentary highlights ‘environmental catastrophe’ in Taranaki
RNZ: Multiple protections at planned East Cape development
Alice Angeloni (Local Democracy Reporting): Wipeout on wet wipes in Gisborne mooted as fatberg solution
Education
RNZ: Students without devices missing out on crucial learning: ‘It’s just a worrying situation’
Dubby Henry (Herald): Waikato Dio student denied Auckland border exemption despite weeks in isolation, negative test
Linda Burgess (Spinoff): Walk shorts and dreams: Oh, to be a teacher in the 90s
Emma Houpt (Herald): More than 1700 Bay of Plenty teachers and principals quit over five years (paywalled)
Ellen O’Dwye (Stuff): Victoria University on financial rebound after tough 2020: vice-chancellor
Amazon data centres
Ben Kepes: Why Amazon’s data centres are such a big deal for NZ (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Infrastructure and ‘talent’ why Amazon selected Auckland for $7.5b investment
Nicholas Pointon (RNZ): Amazon Web Services to spend $7.5 billion on giant data centres in Auckland
1 News: Amazon to spend $7.5 billion on Auckland cloud data centres
Transport
1 News: Union asks for more support after attack on bus driver
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Auckland man arrested after bus driver beaten within an inch of his life in ‘unprovoked attack’
1 News: Auckland bus driver left seriously injured after alleged attack by passenger
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Wellington City Council approves 147km citywide cycling network
Primary industries
ODT: Shearer shortage looms as borders remain closed
ODT: Fonterra profit drops by $60 million, sets 20c dividend
Keith Woodford: Fonterra moves on strategy and structure
Taito Phillip Field has died
Audrey Young (Herald): Former Labour MP Phillip Field dies – a career of promise, pride and shame
Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Pacific leaders remember former Labour Party minister Taito Phillip Field
RNZ: Former Minister Taito Phillip Field has died aged 68
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Former Labour Party minister Taito Phillip Field has died
Herald: Taito Phillip Field, former Labour minister, dies
Māori TV: Taito Phillip Field dies
Other
Graham Adams (Democracy Project): Going where the media won’t
Max Harris (Guardian): New Zealand is no ‘off-grid’ safe haven from the apocalypse
1 News: Coster: New tactical response model keeps police safe
RNZ: ‘Little value’ in credit card repayment insurance – review
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Grant Dalton admits on-demand loans from Team New Zealand principal are a ‘wild card’ (paywalled)
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Highlanders allowed to keep beer logo
