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 response
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Auckland’s outbreak not under control after more mystery cases announced – Michael Baker
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ‘Auckland’s not getting out of level 3’ until mystery cases gone or everyone vaccinated – expert
Science  Media Centre: Spike in cases as Covid affects housing-insecure people – Expert Reaction
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Blame Games
Steven Cowan (Against the Current): Neoliberalism is spreading the virus
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s elimination strategy is dead, long live the elimination strategy (paywalled)
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): 45 cases – Covid has exposed the bleeding gums of our inequality – fighting Covid means beating poverty
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Chris Hipkins, Dr Ashley Bloomfield deny Auckland’s alert level change contributed to spike in cases
Belinda Feek (Herald):‘I would expect this number to continue,’ Professor Baker says of 45 cases
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Level 3 may not be working if case spike continues, expert says
Anna Whyte (1 News): ‘Quite a proportion’ of new cases in transitional or emergency housing
Melanie Earley and Josephine Franks (Stuff): Self-isolating ‘not possible’ in emergency or transitional housing
Herald: Gang community part of outbreak, Ministry of Health confirms
RNZ: ‘We’re still aiming to run this into the ground’ – Hipkins on today’s high case numbers
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Bloomfield: ‘Many of these cases were expected’
1 News: Covid ‘endemic in NZ’ means we’re unlikely to see zero cases – professor
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): We need local lockdowns
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Just what sort of a Covid Christmas do Kiwis want?
Jeff Tallon (Herald): What does living – vaccinated – with Covid look like? (paywalled)
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Govt’s reading the room, expect more announcements
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): New Zealand plummets down Bloomberg’s COVID-19 resilience list
Herald: New Zealand slips from 1st to 38th place in the world to live during pandemic
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): New Zealand falls 37 spots on global ranking of best places to be amid the pandemic 
Alex Kazemi (Spinoff): In the face of a pandemic, in a storm of uncertainty, we must put caution first

National’s Covid plan, John Key’s Covid plan
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins urges Govt to adopt National’s COVID plan, admits it could result in deaths
Derek Cheng (Herald): National’s reopening plan includes a massive dose of wishful thinking (paywalled)
Dan Lake (Newshub): National claims Kiwis stuck overseas could all be back by Christmas under their COVID-19 plan
RNZ: Checkpoint: Chris Bishop outlines National’s reopening plan
Zane Small (Newshub): Masks? Travel? Elimination? How opening up would look under National and ACT
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National proposes opening up travel at 85 per cent vaccinated, Labour say it would result in ‘Covid for Christmas’
1 News: ‘Opening Up’: National releases 3 pillar, 10-step Covid-19 plan
Russell Palmer (RNZ): National’s plan calls for vaccination targets to end lockdowns, open borders
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Nats up the ante on covid opening (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): National’s ‘home by Christmas’ plan a tantalising prospect for tens of thousands stranded offshore
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): National says it would use a traffic light system to reopen New Zealand once 85% of over-12s are fully vaccinated
Alice Neville (Spinoff): National’s ‘Opening Up’ plan – in a nutshell
Richard Harman (Politik): Four weeks ago Collins fired him; now he’s leading National’s big Covid response plan (paywalled)
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): National’s 10 step Covid-19 plan
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Mediawatch: Is this Judith’s weirdest interview ever & why Kiwis don’t care about MIQ
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Judith Collins’ message to former National MP Matt King after anti-vaccination Facebook post
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Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Quiz: Whose Covid plan is it anyway?
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The Covid plans are coming thick and fast
Zane Small (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern fires up at ‘rushed and risky’ COVID-19 reopening proposals by National, ACT
1 News: Ardern, Collins debate ‘a Covid-free Christmas or reopening borders early’
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1 News: ‘Stop being smug’: Economist says NZ can’t open borders too soon
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Clarke Gayford lashes back at Sir John Key for ‘name slinging’ in COVID-19 criticism of Government
1 News: Clarke Gayford accuses Sir John Key of ‘name slinging’, Covid ‘disinformation’
Herald: ‘Was there a single new idea?’: Clarke Gayford rubbishes John Key comments on the Government’s Covid-19 response

Border, MIQ, immigration
1 News: Govt smooths residency pathway for most work visa holders, amid backlog
RNZ: Govt offers one-off visa to fast-track skilled migrant residency
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Nearly 165,000 migrants eligible for fast-tracked residency
Michael Neilson (Herald):Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi announces residence pathway for 165,000 migrant workers
Katie Scotcher and Russell Palmer (RNZ): Immigration Minister set to expedite residence visa applications
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): National declares win after ‘trigger-happy’ Immigration NZ leaks policy details 
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom): Fast track to residence for 165,000
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): New ‘once off ‘ resident visa offers hope to migrants (paywalled)
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1 News: 40% of Kiwis unhappy with Govt’s management of MIQ, poll shows
RNZ: MIQ should include priority system – law expert
Katie Todd (RNZ): Government unable to reveal cost of MIQ subsidies for sports teams
Lauren Hendricksen (Newshub): Woman desperate to say ‘final goodbye’ to mum in UK left heartbroken after missing out on MIQ spot
Iain Macleod (Stuff): The heartbreaking consequences of immigration red tape, delays
Claire Trevett (Herald): Kiwi family in Australia gets MIQ spot but can’t get flights to match it
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Kiwis rushing home for Christmas or just far fewer December rooms available?
Claire Trevett (Herald): Prime Minister, MIQ is now a debacle that has made mincemeat of the promise Kiwis could always come home (paywalled)
Phil O’Reilly (Herald): Three things to get right as we open our borders (paywalled)
RNZ: Charter plane companies seeing demand rise as airlines drop flights
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Retirement commissioner comes out to bat for Kiwis in pension crisis after getting stuck in Australia
Herald: Retirees stuck in Australia fear being stripped of pensions
Jamie Searle (Stuff): Overseas shearers needed for busy season ahead
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Jacinda Ardern contends high-profile MMA athletes treated fairly
Hamish Bidwell (RNZ): MMA fighters Adesanya, Hooker ‘too big for little old New Zealand’
Matt Brown (Herald): Kiwi Olympic bronze medallist Michael Venus considering legal action against Government over MIQ system (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Expiring driver’s licences another problem for Kiwis stranded overseas
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): Skipper plans to collect stranded Kiwis to sail from Sydney to NZ, avoiding MIQ 
BusinessDesk: Timing is poor for increased border levies – Tourism Aotearoa (paywalled)

Self-isolation trial
RNZ: Checkpoint: Home isolation expansion by Christmas not ruled out – Hipkins
1 News: Self-isolation trial to happen in Auckland, Christchurch
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): $1000 cost for self isolation pilot (paywalled)
Siobhan Downes (Stuff): Self-isolation trial will cost participants $1000
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Desperate businesses keen for home-isolation pilot, but urge MIQ solution
Sophie Trigger (Herald): Wellington businesses miss out on home-isolation trial later this year

Vaccine
Ben Strang (RNZ): Proposed vaccine passport significantly flawed – ministry insider
Ben Strang (RNZ): Overseas vaccinations proving an issue for Ministry of Health
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins comfortable with supermarkets and airlines barring unvaccinated people
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): ‘No vaccine, no flying’: Airline passengers should be vaccinated, experts say
Herald Editorial: Mandatory vaccination is not the New Zealand way
1 News: Over 98% of border workers have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine – Hipkins
RNZ: Port workers’ 95% vaccination rate attributed to tackling misinformation
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Just 3880 first doses given in Auckland on Monday
Henry Cooke and Kate Newton (Stuff): New Zealand’s vaccine rollout explained in 13 charts, as demand starts to drop
Adam Pearse (Herald): The 90% project – How close is your age group to 90%?
Christine Rovoi (RNZ): New data shows Pacific leading NZ youth in vaccination rollout
Corazon Miller (1 News): Growing push to get 90% of Aucklanders jabbed for Covid at least once
Rebecca Wadey (Ensemble): Why are so many ‘beautiful people’ anti-vax?
Shane Te Pou  (Herald): Is it time for incentives for the vaccine-shy? (paywalled)

Alert level rules, compliance, enforcement
RNZ: Police inspector, navy sailor investigated for crossing Auckland boundary without exemption
Anna Leask (Herald): Auckland police inspector at centre of alleged border ‘favour’ breach is top iwi liaison officer
1 News: Investigation underway as Navy sailor breaches Auckland border
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Navy sailor allegedly breached lockdown by travelling to Hawke’s Bay for funeral
Herald:Royal New Zealand Navy investigating sailor’s alleged border breach
Kerre McIvor (Newstalk ZB): Good people don’t break rules, but they do have a breaking point
Shannon Redstall (Newshub): Kiwi kids with shared custody, house movers leave Auckland under new border rules
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Rotorua dad forced to choose work over birth of triplets after Auckland COVID-19 border exemption rejected

Cases, demographics, testing
Stuff: Further Tauranga and Mount Maunganui wastewater tests are negative
RNZ: Possibility of Covid-19 in Tauranga so people with symptoms should get tested – Verrall
Scott Yeoman (Stuff): Dr Ashley Bloomfield urges more Tauranga testing for Covid-19 after positive wastewater result
RNZ: Only one fully vaccinated person hospitalised, 90 unvaccinated
1 News: Asymptomatic testing part of Delta ‘endgame’ – Verrall
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Covid-19 team helps Auckland families frightened of being tested
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Chris Hipkins responds after vaccination volunteer becomes infected with COVID-19
Herald: Scare at police station – 13 officers awaiting final test results
Grant Miller (ODT): Law firm to review Auckland pupil’s actions in Dunedin

1 News Colmar Brunton poll, Parliament
Gordon Campbell: On living in Seymour World
Stuff Editorial: Opposition: where the like-minded butt heads
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): Is a rising ACT a threat to Māori?
Brigitte Morten (NBR): Brand Collins is damaging brand National (paywalled)
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Parliament goes into urgency over Covid-19 response bill
Whatitiri Te Wake (Stuff): Wāhine Māori MPs reveal the impact of their jobs on their mental wellbeing
Herald:A grumpy Parliament urgently passes legislation through first reading
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Why we should be concerned that public service neutrality is eroding

Business, economy, employment, wage subsidy
Nita Blake-Persen (RNZ): Wage subsidies: Real estate agents claim more than $1m during lockdown
Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): Wage subsidy 2021: Aussie retail giant cashes in (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Robertson confirms fourth wage subsidy round, hints at more help for hospitality
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): Dissatisfaction with Labour Government mounting among small businesses – survey
Marta Steeman (Stuff): Small and medium businesses’ dissatisfaction with Government support is increasing a new poll says 
RNZ: The Warehouse bounces back with strong lift in sales
Nadine Porter, Debbie Jamieson, Lee Kenny and Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Leaders fear death knell for businesses as dozens of new Covid-19 cases dash hopes of level change
Fiona Connor (Newshub): The bleak reality for hospitality industry without wage subsidy through level 2
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Property groups say they have given $320m in rent relief amid plea for lease law tweak
Marta Steeman (Stuff): Hospitality sector wants more from Government than rent relief through property law changes 
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): ‘A couple of holdouts’ does not justify Government by fiat (paywalled)
David Chaplin (BusinessDesk): Values and value for money
Bruce Jarvis (Stuff): Amazon investment: New Zealand has 10 years to supercharge our SaaS sector
Tina Morrison (Stuff): S&P says NZ one of the better performing Asia-Pacific economies
Liam Dann (Herald): The October curse – what’s spooking investors this year (paywalled)
RNZ: The Detail: What we don’t know about Amazon’s NZ plans
Jane Phare (Herald): Angry shoppers take out frustrations on staff (paywalled)
Melanie Carrol (Stuff): Vehicle shortage pushes price of used cars higher on Trade Me

Banks
Rob Stock (Stuff): ANZ and ASB face multimillion-dollar class action lawsuit over lending failures
Katie Bradford (1 News): Multimillion-dollar claim launched against banks ASB and ANZ
Ben Butler (Guardian): New Zealand loan holders launch legal action to force Australian-owned banks to refund fees
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): ANZ Bank to defend class action suit (paywalled)
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): ANZ, ASB sued in multimillion dollar class action (paywalled)
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Class action targets ANZ and ASB seeking interest & fee refunds for customers
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Kiwibank: ‘Ongoing problems could damage reputation’

Housing, property investment, tenancy rules
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): A housing travel plan without a destination or a vehicle
Marena Mane (Māori TV): Is Labour’s housing plan a ‘Bob the Build Up’ plan for Māori?
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Property expert slams Govt’s ‘madcap theory’ tax changes will help first-home buyers
Mikaela Wilkes (Stuff): No home but free – millennial chooses van over Wellington ‘rat race’
Jane Holland and Justin Maloney (Newsroom): Proposed Government lease amendment takes market by surprise
Anne Gibson (Herald): Residential landlords keener to sell, more reluctant to buy: new Crockers/Tony Alexander survey (paywalled)
Juliet Speedy (Newshub): Month-long delays to building consents frustrating builders, homeowners in Christchurch

Aotearoa or New Zealand?
Karl du Fresne: The media’s calculated insult to public opinion
1 News: Any NZ name change should be up to the public – Collins
Will Trafford (Māori TV): 60,000 sign petition for Aotearoa rename

AUKUS, foreign affairs, trade
Bryce Edwards (Guardian): Jacinda Ardern needs to speak out on Aukus – her tacit approval allows a dangerous military buildup
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): O’Connor goes offshore again as Europe trade questions grow
Guy Trafford (Interest): Ardern’s views on trade inclusiveness principles may inflame China
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): When the chips are down, NZ needs mates (paywalled)
Anna Campbell (ODT): Leadership is needed as sheep and beef farming face fight

Environment, climate change, conservation
Richard Harman (Politik): Shaw and the fragile international politics of climate change (paywalled)
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Greta is right to mock NZ on climate change
RNZ: The Detail: The climate summit that could save our future
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Treasury’s climate change model finds economy ‘resilient to natural disasters’
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Nelson and Wellington tie for the lowest carbon footprint
Amber Allott and Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Not too shabby, Canterbury: farming and transport emissions fell in 2019
Michael Jack (Newsroom): Cutting peak winter power use by 75 percent
ODT Editorial: A flight of fancy?
Samantha Gee (RNZ): Mission to make Farewell Spit predator free
Catherine Iorns and Allan Brent (Stuff): Race to the bottom in RMA reform 
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): ‘Emergency’ fast track consent law to get longer life (paywalled)

Health
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Auckland Hospital mother, baby deaths: Review reveals ‘toxic’ culture claims, staff struggling with workload
Māori TV: 100 years for Māori life expectancy to reach pākehā – report
Simon Connell (Pundit): ACC And Birth Injuries – A Change All To The Good?
Chris Keall (Herald): Worker anxiety, depression rising during pandemic and lockdowns: AUT survey. How to beat it (paywalled)
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Unprecedented demand from sex abuse victims for ACC support: ‘It makes you want to cry’
Alice Wilkins (Newshub): Proposed ACC changes could have major impact for birth injuries, occupational illnesses
Michael Reddell (Croaking Cassandra): Health spending
Logan Hagoort (Stuff): ‘When will we allow people to have the care they need in all areas of their lives’
ODT Editorial: Too much mental health korero
Virginia Fallon (Stuff): This is no ordinary blue: Trying to hold on through a mental health crisis
Barbara Smith (Newsroom): Kia Kaha Kia Manawanui: You’re going to need it
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): $4m for heart disease research ‘game changer for kaumātua’
Kate Nicol-Williams (1 News): ‘Shameful on us’ – Calls for greater support for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
1 News: Rights breached for thousands with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome – Commissioners
Jamie Morton (Herald): NZ is still flu-free – here’s the problem with that

Oranga Tamariki 
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Whānau Ora’s Merepeka Raukawa-Tait wants uplifting of Māori children ‘stopped altogether’
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Government releases Oranga Tamariki advisory board findings: ‘You will see change’
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Oranga Tamariki to ‘end uplifts as we have known them’ in massive overhaul
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government again directs overhaul after report criticises ‘weak, disconnected and unfit’ agency
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Māori Party says ‘rotten to the core’ Oranga Tamariki should have been disbanded
Anna Whyte (1 News): Oranga Tamariki to see power shift to communities, with uplifts a last resort
Michael Neilson (Herald):‘Change must come’: Mixed views on Oranga Tamariki shake-up
Sam Sachdeva, Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumner (Newsroom): Hope mixed with cynicism in response to Oranga Tamariki ‘generational change’
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): ‘Self-centred’ Oranga Tamariki must devolve resources to community – report
Nicola Atwool (Newsroom): The road is long for Oranga Tamariki
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): Government to ‘transform’ Oranga Tamariki, uplifts to be last resort

Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill
Audrey Young: (Herald):  When terrorism goes from the hypothetical to the real thing (paywalled)
No Right Turn: Building themselves a petard?

Water reforms
Patrick Gower (Newshub): What is the Government’s Three Waters plan and why is it making mayors so upset?
Selva Selvaraja (ODT): Many flaws in water reform process
Felix Desmarais (Local Democracy Reporter): ‘Gross interference’: Rotorua Lakes Council redirects emails from public to councillors on Three Waters reform
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Three waters reform process ‘not the New Zealand way’
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Timaru secedes from NZ councils in Three Waters fight against Government
Stuff: Southern councils express three waters concerns to minister
Laura Mills (Local Democracy Reporting): Reform would bring sustainability of Kaikōura council into question
Laurilee McMichael (Herald): Taupō District Council votes no to Three Waters reform (paywalled)

Local government
Luisa Girao (ODT): Mayor to seek advice over email
Luisa Girao (ODT): Interception of Sir Tim email was appropriate – councillors
Editorial (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Refreshing ‘what the?’ comment from young Hawke’s Bay politician (paywalled)
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Laws on Hobbs: apologise or resign
Keiller MacDuff (Stuff): Mackenzie one of only two councils yet to adopt Long Term Plan
Andrew Marshall (ODT): Words ‘very little’ help: sports hall
Riley Kennedy and Grant Miller (ODT): ‘Slap in the face’ for George St retailers
Gianina Schwanecke (Herald): Beach vehicle ban? Waimārama’s issues set to spark conversation across Hawke’s Bay (paywalled)

Transport
Stuff: Booking Air New Zealand domestic flights will look a bit different
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Transmission Gully project builder seeks $75 million from engineer in court
RNZ: Dangerous bridge near Ohakune gets replacement funding

Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Auckland secondary school principals worried by teacher shortage
Amy Williams (RNZ): Auckland parents prepare for school holidays in lockdown
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Redundancy appeal unplanned: union
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Otago University calls for voluntary redundancies

Police Ten 7
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): How one tweet changed the future of Police Ten 7
RNZ: Police Ten 7 racism review advises bias training
Herald: ‘Feeds on racial stereotypes’: Review slams Police Ten 7

Other
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff):The biggest-spending pokie place in the country 
Hugh Campbell (Newsroom): Divided they fall: NZ’s complex farming future
John Weekes (Herald): Last wine at nine? Supermarkets shot down in latest twist over Auckland alcohol sales
Diana Amundsen (Stuff): We should be treating ageing as an opportunity for people to thrive 
Don Douglas (Stuff): Is Aldi the fix for NZ’s supermarket pricing issues?
No Right Turn: Gagging the public for ministerial convenience
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): 1981 Springbok Tour: ‘Brutal’ violence of Auckland riots caught on camera
RNZ: Further $600k funding for rainbow youth in NZ
Apisalome Movono and Regina Scheyvens (Spinoff): For tourism-starved Pacific Islands, when and how to reopen is a vexed question
Matthew Littlewood (Stuff): Author and historian says book about mosque shooting was needed
Arena Williams and Stuart Smith (Stuff): A child should never be punished for speaking the language of their people