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
Immigration
Michael Neilson (Herald): Immigration move to fast-track migrant residency ‘most significant in decades’
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Kris Faafoi’s immigration fix too late for some skilled migrants feeling forced to leave
Mike Treen (Daily Blog): Pathways to residency a victory for all working people
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): Can Immigration NZ deliver on govt’s promise? (paywalled)
Stuff Editorial: Residence pathway a boon for stressed south
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): 2021 Resident Visa, you know it’s a good call if no one is criticising it
1 News: Migrants ‘over the moon’ about new one-off pathway to NZ residency
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): ‘It tears the family apart’: Cautious optimism over fast-track visa option for 165,000 migrants
RNZ: Government offers one-off visa to fast-track skilled migrant residency
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Businesses welcome ‘biggest immigration change in decades’
Guy Williams (ODT): One-off migrant visa decision welcomed by leaders
ODT: Residency pathway welcomed but more help wanted
Sophie Trigger (Herald): Residency pathway ‘welcome’ for nursing workforce, but more Kiwi talent needed
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Petition started to broaden eligibility for fast-tracked 2021 resident visa
Maja Burry’This will (RNZ): ‘This will really help a lot of our migrants’ – Farmers cheer visa plan
Dita De Boni (NBR): ‘Big smiles in cowsheds across the country’ as govt eases visa rules (paywalled)
Vaccine
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Extraordinary Lengths: Social Solidarity versus Death-Cult Capitalism
Richard Harman (Politik): The tough questions are starting (paywalled)
Bernard Hickey (Spinoff): The coming legal showdown on mandatory vaccines
1 News: Not enough vaccinated to tolerate widespread outbreak – Ardern
RNZ: Covid-19 vaccination incentives tried as numbers for first dose drop
Kethaki Masilamani (Newshub): Auckland Councillor calls for COVID-19 vaccine incentives to reach targets amid slump
Michael Reddell (Croaking Cassandra): Vaccinations by age
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Experts say only ‘a tiny group’ shouldn’t get vaccinated against COVID-19 – so who are they?
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Who are the anti-vaxxers?
Jess Berentson Shaw (Newsroom): On ‘incentives’ and the vaccine-hesitant
Daniel Rutledge (Newshub): National MP Chris Bishop apologises to NZ drum and bass community over COVID-19 vaccination joke
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Cold calls part of drive to get 90 per cent vaccinated with first dose
Aimee Milne (Stuff): When freedom of speech and public health collide over the Covid-19 vaccine
ODT Editorial: Vaccination passports needed
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Vaccine passports ‘effective’ for fans at events but gyms worried over staff abuse
Anna Rawhiti-Connell (The Spinoff): Sorry Sir John, but we’re going to need more than vaccine vouchers
RNZ: Medsafe believes Pfizer vaccine not factor in death of teen
Elizabeth Binning (Herald): Death of teen after vaccination could be linked to other medication
Kim Moodie (RNZ): Many disabled people being failed by vaccine rollout, supporters say
Riley Kennedy (ODT): All wharf workers in South jabbed
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): Vaccinations – Concerns rural Rangitīkei being left behind
Govt Covid response
Matthew Hooton (Herald): National and Act give Jacinda Ardern a shot of urgency (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Auckland move back to level 4 ‘very unlikely’ despite warning of ‘hospitalisations and deaths around Christmas’
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Bloomfield: Level 1 freedoms a thing of the past
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Why the Government isn’t willing to let Aucklanders leave city even at COVID-19 alert level 2
Nicholas Jones (Herald): ‘Red alert’ hospital plans for uncontrolled Covid-19 revealed (paywalled)
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Auckland Hospital rapidly preparing for border reopening
1 News: ‘Extremely risky’ to move Auckland to Level 2 – Covid modeller
Michael Neilson (Herald): Vaccination, testing call as ‘risky’ Auckland alert-level decision nears
1 News: Auckland shouldn’t be hasty moving to Level 2, Covid modeller says
Herald: On the Tiles: Epidemiologist Michael Baker on the Government’s plan to reopen borders
Rawiri Taonui (Waatea): Māori pay hefty price as Government loses control of Delta OutBreak
RNZ: Govt still has ‘broad control’ of Auckland outbreak – PM Jacinda Ardern
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland boundary will remain even if move to level 2 goes ahead
RNZ: Auckland boundary likely to remain even if alert level drops
Ben Leahy (Herald): Auckland boundary to remain in place next week
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government proposes new Covid-19 powers in preparation for future pandemic restrictions
Keith Rankin (Evening Report): Covid Immunity Calculus
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): Covid’s risky business (paywalled)
Herald: Chris Hipkins, Mike Hosking clash over NZ’s return to zero cases
Brent Edwards (NBR): Honest debate needed on trade-offs for relaxing Covid-19 restrictions (paywalled)
The Spinoff: The 10 hottest takes from the Gone By Lunchtime Covid plan
National, Act, John Key’s Covid plans
Gordon Campbell: National’s Covid re-opening plan
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Key a one-man Opposition on Covid
Mike Hosking (NewstalkZB): There’s plenty of Covid policy out there
1 News: ACT, National say elimination has to go for borders to reopen
RNZ: ‘We cannot continue locking New Zealand up’ – Collins on National’s Covid-19 strategy
Spinoff: The 10 hottest takes from the Gone By Lunchtime Covid plan
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): With new virus plans, National and ACT diverge on strategy
Border, MIQ
Katie Todd (RNZ): MIQ taking toll on returnees’ mental health – psychologists
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Pressure on Govt to guarantee pensioners stranded in Australia don’t lose income
James Nokise (Stuff): For those of us overseas, MIQ stands for Mentally Infuriating Queueing
Self-isolation trial
Kristin Hall (1 News): Businesses vying to take part in self-isolation pilot hoping it’ll become new normal
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): MBIE yet to finalise how to check on compliance
Inequality
Marama Davidson (Stuff): Covid-19 in Aotearoa has been a tale of the haves and have-nots
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Lessons to be learnt from Covid-19 hitting Auckland’s most vulnerable – experts
Alert level rules, compliance, enforcement
Sam Hurley (Herald): Business leader calls for ‘expanded criteria’ to Auckland’s Covid-19 borders (paywalled)
Magic Talk: Chris Hipkins: “Undoubtedly” Rulebreakers among those in yesterdays 45 community cases
RNZ: Man who fled Covid-19 border stopped by road spikes 50km away
Anna Leask (Herald): Man charged after fleeing police at Auckland’s southern border to attend ‘gang funeral’ in Thames
RNZ: Wellington NPC captain apologises for “dumb” lockdown breach
Rosemary McLeod (Stuff): Beware false prophets peddling Covid nonsense
Cases, demographics, testing
Amy Wiggins (Herald): Positive cases and hospitalisations largely unvaccinated, Ministry of Health data shows
1 News: Spike in Covid cases puts pressure on South Auckland health providers
Eleisha Foon (RNZ): Pasifika youth wellbeing affected by lockdown
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Only 7% getting tested in Auckland’s suburbs of interest
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Covid-19 team helps Auckland families frightened of being tested
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Two new exposures at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital, 66 patients close contacts
Stuff: Patients the most at risk in Middlemore Hospital Covid scare, chief says
RNZ: Covid-19 exposure risk at Middlemore Hospital after two patients test positive
1 News: Middlemore classify 66 patients as close contacts of two visiting Covid cases
1 News: Third student in upper Hauraki’s Mangatangi School tests Covid-positive
Polls, Parliament
Peter Dunne: The days of the Covid19 political dividend are over
Michael Bassett: Sliding in the Polls
Thomas Manch (Stuff): ‘Gimme more’: ACT Party leader David Seymour celebrates Britney Spears freedom from father’s grasp
Zane Small (Newshub): David Seymour decries Labour MP Deborah Russell’s ‘disgraceful’ tweet voicing frustration after sex self-ID submission
Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Former MP turned chauffeur Denis O’Rourke charged over fatal wedding day crash
Business, economy, employment, wage subsidy
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Bad publicity enough to keep some companies away from wage subsidy
Morgane Solignac (Stuff): Accommodation providers hanging on by a wing and a prayer
RNZ: Business confidence improves despite extended Covid restrictions
Herald: Small business growing dissatisfied with Government – MYOB poll
RNZ: No holiday visitors for Auckland leaves struggling businesses disappointed
Herald: Three days before commercial rent relief shock, Retail NZ believed its concerns had been ‘dismissed’ (paywalled)
Zane Small (Newshub): Rent relief pressure builds on Finance Minister Grant Robertson
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Tenants ‘often better off than landlords’, Property Council says
1 News: Govt’s commercial rent relief proposals criticised by tenants, landlords
Andrea Fox (Herald): Dire straits: Lockdowns, shipping woes forcing NZ manufacturers to look offshore (paywalled)
Chris Marshall (Stuff): ‘Bring back the backpackers’ screams the hospitality sector looking for staff
Emily Brookes (Stuff):‘I have zero people’: Napier restaurant forced to close for two weeks over staff shortages
Tess Brunton, (RNZ): South Island tourism operators relying on Auckland bookings await level update
Mark Knoff-Thomas (Herald): Small business ‘being squeezed like a stress ball’ (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Business closure rates ‘were already increasing before lockdown’
Chris Tobin (Stuff): Call for South Island bubble as South Canterbury hospitality operators fight to survive
RNZ: No holiday visitors for Auckland leaves struggling businesses disappointed
Herald: $3.1 million payout after lawmaker error sees March lockdown
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Claim Aussie vehicle parts giant Bapcor is underpaying NZ staff under Covid
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Rob Stock (Stuff): Should banks be forced by law to supply cash to customers?
The Detail (RNZ): What we don’t know about Amazon’s NZ plans
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Who will pay the price for the $54 billion spent on quantitative easing?
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Dawn Chorus: Stagflation fear growing (paywalled)
Rob Stock (Stuff): Reserve Bank digital dollars could help defend New Zealand dollar
RNZ: Taxi company fined $150,000 for price fixing
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Ride-share customers feeling ripped off by surprise surcharges
Sam Hurley (Herald): Markets watchdog FMA has ‘less tolerance’ for anti-money laundering breaches as it ramps up enforcement
RNZ: FMA taking harder line on anti-money laundering rule breaches
Zoe George (Stuff): Sports ‘need to do better’ as research shows gender and ethnic pay gaps
Uma Ahmed (Stuff): Great South’s space operations business becomes a subsidiary
Anne Gibson (Herald): Surprise move: Billionaire Graeme Hart buying up big properties in South Auckland (paywalled)
Housing, property investment, tenancy rules
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Dawn Chorus: A moment of housing truth (paywalled)
Brian Fallow (Herald): Nightmarish times for first-home dream (paywalled)
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Housing market momentum continues to wane
Carmen Hall (Herald): Bay of Plenty landlords selling up as tax rules bite: ‘Fewer good reasons to be a landlord’ (paywalled)
Tess McClure and Cody Ellingham (Guardian): ‘Haves and have-nots’: how the housing crisis is creating two New Zealands – a photo essay
Greg Ninness (Interest): Average residential property values up more than $13,000 in September
Greg Ninness (Interest): New dwelling consents surge in August, particularly in Auckland and Canterbury
Timothy Welch (The Conversation): Using valuable inner-city land for car parking? In a housing crisis, that just doesn’t add up
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Consents for houses hit record high
RNZ: House price growth slows for fifth consecutive month – CoreLogic
Welfare reform, Oranga Tamariki
Stuff Editorial: Can a ‘rotten system’ be repaired?
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Govt progress on welfare overhaul frustratingly slow – advocates
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Advocates welcome ‘less intrusive’ approach from MSD but say more needs to be done
Aaron Smale (Guardian): In its latest cut-and-paste child welfare report, New Zealand fails Māori again
Child Poverty Action Group: CPAG commends removal of the Subsequent Child Policy, says it’s the right thing for our kids
Michael Neilson (Herald): Fiery debate as Parliament passes bill repealing National’s subsequent child policy legislation
RNZ: Law reversing subsequent child policy passes third reading
Water reforms
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Water reforms part of ‘dramatic shift’ to centralised decision-making
Steven Walton (Stuff): Explainer: The spat between councils and Government over the future of water
Brent Edwards (NBR): National frets over ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to water infrastructure (paywalled)
RNZ: Wellington councillors discuss alternative to Three Waters reform
Diane McCarthy (Local Democracy Reporting): More time, consultation needed for Three Waters reform – Whakatāne District Council
Local Democracy Reporting: Three Waters: Independent analysis raises concerns on proposed reforms
Adam Blackwell (Stuff): Horowhenua council concerned with lack of clarity in Three Waters reforms
Chris Marshall (Stuff): Taupō joins growing chorus criticising three waters
Matthew Rosenberg (Stuff): ‘It’s just a bloody nuisance’: Southland Mayor on Three Waters email bombardment
Leanne Warr (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Dannevirke identity: Three Waters figures verging on ‘scaremongering’ (paywalled)
Local government
Logan Savory (Stuff): Tim Shadbolt’s request for information rejected by his own council
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Govt sneaking law change through to allow it to delay local body elections
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland Transport withheld the wrong information for 16 months
Piers Fuller (Stuff): Building small roundabout has cost twice as much as an average house
Steven Walton (Stuff): ‘Very positive’: $93 million profit for companies owned by Christchurch ratepayers
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Land at Kuriwao maybe sold
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Rates error to be squared up next year
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Councillors want collaboration clarified
Andrew Marshall (ODT): ‘Win-win’ the goal for George St
Rebecca Ryan (ODT): Satisfaction with council declines
Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): Six months after eviction day, one man remains in Matatā’s red zone
Foreign affairs, trade
Geoffrey Miller (Democracy Project): Expo 2020 Dubai – will New Zealand’s investment pay off?
Ashleigh Stewart (Stuff): NZ unveils pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai: ‘If we weren’t here, we would miss out’
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Soldier charged with espionage also accused of being member of far-right groups
Environment, climate change, conservation
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Big fuel shake up has some call for more green ambition, and others urge Government to drop
Bruce Munro (ODT): Global Insight: NZ well positioned to respond to help halt climate change
David Williams (Newsroom): ACC lends $90m to huge irrigation scheme
Herald: Air New Zealand sets ambitious green fuel goals, now time for some Government action (paywalled)
Seabed mining
Laurel Stowell (Herald): Supreme Court rules against Trans-Tasman Resources seabed mining plan
Alexa Cook (Newshub): Conservationists, iwi applaud Supreme Court decision stopping Taranaki seabed mining consents
Tara Shaskey (Stuff): Both sides claim victory in Supreme Court ruling quashing South Taranaki seabed mining consents
1 News: Plan to mine iron sand from Taranaki coast quashed by Supreme Court
Robin Martin and Craig Ashworth (RNZ): Taranaki ironsands mining appeal fails at Supreme Court
Health
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Sick baby denied surgery as more than 81,000 people face delayed healthcare
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): ACC admits backlog is delaying tens of thousands of client cases
Kyle MacDonald (Herald): The pandemic and our collective grief
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Meth users add pressure to busy emergency departments during lockdown
Bryan Betty (Herald): We’d all live longer with more general practitioners (paywalled)
Karl du Fresne: Mental health gets the standard Labour treatment
Sela Jane Hopgood (RNZ): New multimedia segment for Pasifika on mental health
Will Trafford (Māori TV): DHBs demand booze law changes
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Extent of aged care nurse shortage revealed
Karen Pasco (ODT): Shared vision’ for health
RNZ: Rua Bioscience gets green light to produce medicinal cannabis products
Disability
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Calls for ‘transformative’ disability law change to make Aotearoa accessible
Paula Tesoriero (Stuff): The unnoticed epidemic of violence and abuse against disabled people
Henrietta Bollinger (Spinoff): Lena Zhang Harrap, bone-deep grief, and disabled lives
Counter-Terrorism Legislation Bill
Anna Whyte (1 News): MP speaks of own house raid during counter terrorism law change
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Parliament passes counter-terrorism laws, criminalising terror planning and expanding warrantless search powers
RNZ: Counter-terrorism bill passes third reading
Audrey Young (Herald): Parliament passes bill to disrupt planning and preparation by terrorists
Justice
Naomi Arnold (RNZ): Media frustrated with ‘impossible’ court document hold-ups
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): A terrible decision by the Judicial Conduct Commissioner
Kirsty Johnston (Stuff): ‘Bullying, excessive, partisan and demeaning’: Supreme Court justice slams judge’s treatment of abuse victim
Transport
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Wellington City Council will borrow more for walking and cycling projects after transport agency funding falls short
Amber Allott (Stuff):Bids for free buses for Christchurch, cheaper fares for students both shot down
Education
RNZ: Educators ‘not surprised’ by drop in NCEA pass marks
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Auckland secondary school principals worried by teacher shortage
Primary and extractive industries
Catherine Harris (Stuff): The future of farming: What will NZ’s agri sector look like in 20 years?
Gareth Kiernan (Stuff): Don’t be complacent about agriculture’s ability to rescue us
RNZ: ‘End of an era’: Ohai locals recall life, friendships in a once bustling mining town
Other
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Secretive facial recognition trial at Wellington Airport went against Privacy Commissioner’s advice
Peter McKenzie (Listener/Herald): The day Gaddafi’s son came to party in Queenstown (paywalled)
Kate Green (Stuff): Matariki Public Holiday Bill has first reading in Parliament
RNZ: New Matariki holiday bill passes first Parliament test
Liz McDonald (Stuff): EQC settlement cap and levies to rise next year
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): EQC to provide homeowners with twice as much insurance cover than at present, as Govt lifts cap to $300k
ODT: Son of Saudi billionaire makes good on donation promise
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Graham Bell stands by Police Ten 7, new research say show isn’t representative
David Hargreaves (Interest): Reserve Bank says an NZ Central Bank Digital Currency would be a ‘useful development’
David Hargreaves (Interest): RBNZ sees both opportunities and threats emerging in the monetary system
