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
National Party
Richard Shaw (The Conversation): Judith Collins may be gone but New Zealand’s search for a credible and viable opposition is far from over
Matthew Hooton (Herald): National’s next leader? First they must slow things down (paywalled)
Brigitte Morten (RNZ): Collins and Bridges: MP disputes should allow some natural justice
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Judith Collins’ move on Simon Bridges made position as National’s leader intolerable
Stuff Editorial: Politics by the books
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Gone by lunchtime: Judith Collins started her day defiant but within hours lost the confidence of her caucus
Thomas Manch and Bridie Witton (Herald): The 15 hours that ended Collins’ leadership: It started with an email, and ended with a drink at the pub
Jane Patterson (RNZ): How Collins crushed her own leadership
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): What got into Judith Collins? (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Judith’s Last Stand
Herald Editorial: Judith Collins’ legacy as National Party leader is a smoking ruin (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: ‘This is not our best day’
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): End of an error
Tim Watkin (Guardian): No surprises as combustible Judith Collins crashes and burns as National leader
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Few political hit jobs have been so badly executed
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Have we ever seen such an epic own goal in politics?
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Judith Collins gambled and lost, but what comes next is far from clear for National
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): A sad way to depart
Curwen Ares Rolinson (Daily Blog): On Judith Collins’ Contrapasso Cataclysm
Greg Presland (The Standard): The winners and losers from National’s leadership spill
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): Welcome to the new 1pm presser
Claire Trevett (Herald): Judith Collins gone by lunchtime – but has she brought the whole party down with her? (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell: On the demotion of Simon Bridges
Talia Parker (Herald): ‘The National Party have deserted the field’: David Seymour on today’s political turmoil (paywalled)
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Mike Houlahan (ODT): ‘Not my intention’: Dean disappointed by Collins’ move against Bridges
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Jacqui Dean surprised allegation used to demote Simon Bridges as Judith Collins calls for ‘new broom’ to take leadership, picks contenders
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): National MP Jacqui Dean speaks on ‘inappropriate’ Simon Bridges’ remarks, following party turmoil
Herald: ‘Inappropriate, not something I wanted to hear’: Jacqui Dean on Simon Bridges’ comments
Kirsty Johnston (Stuff): The problems with the ‘blokey joke’ that National’s Simon Bridges made to Jacqui Dean
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Matthew Hooton (Patreon): New leader must demand “useful idiot” Goodfellow goes (paywalled)
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Demoting Simon Bridges without National Party board’s support could backfire on Judith Collins
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National Party board confirms it did not agree to sack Simon Bridges, as Judith Collins claimed in press release
Anna Whyte (1 News): National Party Board didn’t support Bridges demotion – president
RNZ: National Party board did not endorse Bridges’ demotion – president
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Maia Hart (Stuff): Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith takes positives out of ‘disappointing’ day for National
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): ‘I don’t enjoy them at all’: National MP Ian McKelvie frustrated at yet another National leadership contest
Logan Savory (Stuff): Invercargill MP: Country needs National Party to be at its best
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins’ attempt to ‘rule by fear’ contributes to ousting, National ex-MP says
Newstalk ZB: Former MP says Judith Collins led by fear
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Herald: In the Loop: What happened with Judith Collins and Simon Bridges? Former staffer recaps the spill
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The five most terrible, horrible, no-good very bad days in recent National Party history
Zane Small (Newshub): A brief dive into the National Party’s recent troubled history
1 News: National’s new leader will be ‘next PM’ – Reti
RNZ: Shane Reti makes question time debut as National’s interim leader
Anna Whyte (1 News): National’s Shane Reti admits ‘this is not our best day’
Eva Corlett and Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand opposition leader Judith Collins ousted after move to demote rival backfires
Maiki Sherman (1 News): Judith Collins heads to pub after losing National leadership
1 News: Collins says being National leader took ‘stamina and resolve’
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Deposed National Party leader Judith Collins leaves Parliament in a hurry, says she’s feeling ‘very good’
Anna Whyte (1 News): Judith Collins gone as National leader, Shane Reti temporary replacement
Herald: Judith Collins’ out: Bowled after 499 days at the helm of the National Party
Dan Satherley (Newshub): National Party in chaos: Judith Collins’ story ‘doesn’t really stack up’ – political commentator Josie Pagani
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National chaos: How party MPs reacted to Simon Bridges’ shock demotion
Leah Tebbutt (RNZ): Voter reaction to leadership fiasco: ‘The National Party are a lost soul’
Matt Burrow and Tia McDougall (Newshub): How Judith Collins’ Papakura electorate reacted to National Party leadership drama
Stuff: Jacinda Ardern tight-lipped about National leadership drama
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): ‘Crusher Collins’ tattoo superfan doesn’t regret ink art, but National may lose his vote
National Party leadership race
Claire Trevett (Herald): Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges are still the top contenders for National’s leadership. Can they cut a deal? (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): National trying to avoid leadership ballot (paywalled)
Luke Malpass and Henry Cooke (Stuff): The top contenders to replace Judith Collins
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National in turmoil as Judith Collins forced from power, Simon Bridges, Chris Luxon, Mark Mitchell, Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis eye challenge
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Luxon the likely frontrunner in Nats’ leadership race
Michael Neilson (Herald): National leadership challenge: The six contenders after Judith Collins rolled
1 News: Battle royale begins for National Party leadership
Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road): Act’s Precarious Ascendancy
Lydia Lewis and Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Judith Collins’ backing of Christopher Luxon likely has little sway after ‘appalling’ process – political commentator
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Who will be the next National leader?
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Simon Bridges says he could work with Judith Collins again, praises her for helping ‘rebuild’ the National Party
RNZ: Simon Bridges won’t rule out taking another tilt at leadership
Anna Whyte (1 News): Bridges undecided on National leadership bid
Zara Smith (Newshub): Simon Bridges regrets ‘inappropriate’ remarks that upset Jacqui Dean, but will ‘consider’ run for National leadership
Govt management of Delta outbreak
Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): In rushing through the ‘traffic light’ legislation, the government has failed us
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Beating the lights? Vaccine mandate law urgency criticised but scrutiny still possible – law expert
Charlie Dreaver and Russell Palmer (Newshub): Covid-19: Antivirals may come too late for outbreak’s peak – experts
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Perilous short circuit in traffic light system
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Delta outbreak peak behind us for now, but traffic light system could change the maths, data modellers say
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern: ‘Throughout this pandemic one of the hardest things to do has been to plan’
RNZ: Government announces raft of supports in new Covid Care and Community model
Herald: Chris Hipkins offers assurances on rushed, new framework
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): Māori Council seeks to hold govt to account for Covid-19 response failures
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): South Auckland health providers briefed minister before unveiling of government’s new approach
Ben Leahy (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern on Covid, visit to Auckland, and National Party turmoil
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): New Zealand would go back to alert level system ‘if things got really bad’ – Chris Hipkins
Denise Piper (Stuff): Holidaymakers in dark over how Auckland-Northland border will work
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The NZ Covid opening-up calendar
Leo Molloy (Herald): Why Covid as we know it will be gone in 12 months
Sapeer Mayron (Stuff): 100 days in lockdown: Auckland up two places in longest Covid-19 lockdown list
Home Isolation, Testing
1 News: NZ not ready for home isolation, as Covid cases rise – expert
Jane Nixon (1 News): Michael Baker supports ‘measured’ rapid antigen test rollout
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Covid-19 tests that give result in 20 mins as good as traditional lab tests, study finds
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Rapid antigen testing misses more than half of positive cases – Kiwi study
Adam Pearse (Herald): Explainer – How $1.5b will transform virus testing and home isolation
Adam Pearse (Herald): Rapid antigen tests for businesses and public, more support for patients in home isolation
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Rapid antigen tests available from pharmacies from next month
Zane Small (Newshub): DIY rapid antigen tests available at pharmacies as part of billion-dollar package to cope with COVID-19 in the community
Herald: Helpline investigation underway into home-quarantine death of West Auckland man
Siouxsie Wiles (Spinoff): How to care for yourself and others with Covid-19 at home
Charlotte Muru-Lanning (Spinoff): The life-saving device that could exacerbate the inequity of our Covid response
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): West Coast workshops prepare community for self-isolation
Laura James (1 News): Family left waiting in isolation as MOH fails to send discharge letter
NZ border changes, MIQ
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Government’s date for international student return ‘could cost billions’
Ellen O’DwyerRNZ: Government relying on ‘goodwill and honesty’ of travellers to do self-isolation
Grant Bradley (Herald): Border barrier warning: Airline activity could stay stuck in the ’60s (paywalled)
Grant Bradley (Herald): Air New Zealand takes 17,000 international bookings in under a day (paywalled)
Sarah Pollok (Herald): Who is an eligible traveller for New Zealand’s 2022 travel opening?
Miriam Burrell (Herald): Auckland checkpoints cost police $200,000, leave staff ‘burnt out’
Philip Chandler (Mountain Scene): Chef with cancer can’t get MIQ spot
Jodi Ramsay (Stuff): Denied for MIQ while brother lies in ICU
Katie Todd (RNZ): Wellington’s Grand Mercure MIQ facility not fit for purpose – Ombudsman
Mandatory vaccination, vaccine pass, incentives
Elizabeth Fenton (Newsroom): Why vaccine mandates are ethical
Nick James (Herald): Wellington schools shun council facilities due to uncertainty over staff vaccination status
Nikki Preston (Herald): Private hospitals start closing their doors on unvaccinated patients and visitors, lawyer warns they may not have a choice (paywalled)
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Hamilton City council considering compulsory vaccination for staff
Sam Olley (RNZ): Vaccine pass helpline swamped by calls as thousands eye traffic-light travel
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Haircuts are back in Auckland, but only if you have a vaccine pass
Vaccine rollout
1 News: Māori Covid vax rates reach 80 per cent first dose
RNZ: ‘The gap remains’: Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency back in High Court
Stuff: Urgent need for Māori vaccination data as Auckland opening looms, judge told
Hannah Martin (Stuff): What we know about the AstraZeneca vaccine
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Unclear whether Medsafe to analyse paediatric vaccine data over Christmas break
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Government launches text service to help Deaf people get vaccinated
Robin Martin (RNZ): Māori vaccination effort goes door-to-door in Taranaki
RNZ: South Canterbury latest DHB to reach 90pc first doses
Michael Hall (RNZ): Expert says chronic fatigue sufferers should be exempt from Covid-19 vaccination
Elizabeth Binning (Herald): Pfizer vaccine not causing greater risk of miscarriage – latest Medsafe report
RNZ: Covid-19 vaccine reduces stroke risk – Stroke Foundation
Kate Green (Stuff): Booster shots are available – who can get them, and how do you book?
Cases, demographics, Delta spreads
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Auckland rugby league referee and ‘real character’ dies from Covid-19
RNZ: Hawke’s Bay case has little effect on region’s testing numbers
Vaccine misinformation, protests, rule breaches
James Fleury and Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Northland District Health Board Nick Chamberlain boss caught up in nasty rumour spread by antivaxxers
1 News: Northland DHB CEO shuts down ‘nasty rumour’ of his own death
RNZ: ‘Don’t rely on social media’ – Northland DHB debunks anti-vax illness rumours
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland DHB boss quashes ‘nasty rumour spread by anti-vaxxers’
Cira Olivier (Herald): Murupara Medical Centre slammed over social media post (paywalled)
Piers Fuller (Stuff): Covid-19 signs on cafes welcoming ‘vaxed and unvaxed’ may look official but they’re not
Belinda Feek (Herald): ‘Relentless lockdowns’ putting pressure on families, domestic violence – Brian Tamaki
Dylan Reeve (Spinoff): How Telegram became the extremists’ platform of choice
Housing
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Reserve Bank boss Adrian Orr warns first-home buyers mortgage rate shocks are ‘part of the real world’
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Proposal for up to 670 ‘urgently needed’ homes near Napier gets referred for fast-track process
Diane McCarthy (Stuff): End could be in sight for derelict landbanked houses
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Proposed RMA change sees online bidding on houses drive prices further – auctioneer
Three Waters, local government
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Jump in staff turnover at Wellington Water due to uncertainty over three waters reform
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): To build, or not to build? That is the $44m question for Tasman District Council
Tim Newman (Stuff): Nelson council scrambling to make sense of traffic light rules
Maia Hart (Stuff): Council stumps up for freedom camping ranger after Government pulls funding
Logan Savory (Stuff): Deputy Mayor: Time Invercargill City Council stumped up to sort ‘horrible’ inner-city facades
Hamish MacLean (ODT): ORC councillors vote against replacing Hobbs
RNZ: Building consent demands cause delays in Dunedin
Grant Miller (ODT): Mayor keen on some free bus fares
RNZ: Fears Porirua parking meters will drive people out of the city centre
RNZ: Wellington’s Evans Bay Parade to be revamped
Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Charter schools use govt funding to pay $450k to owners before joining state school system
Herald: Auckland school management board slammed by Auditor-General after paying $450k of public money to themselves
RNZ: At-risk students taken in by Te Kura should be better supported by local schools and services- ERO
Mildred Armah (1 News): Better career advice needed for teenagers – former student
Environment, Primary industries, Groundswell protests
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): ‘Corporate welfare’: Push back over proposals that would reduce emissions by 1pc
Guy Trafford (Interest): The the recent rural protests have been quite misplaced – the climate issue is just not going away
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Groundswell NZ deliver 8000 letters to Parliament by tractor
Employment, Immigration, migrant workers
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government finalises massive expansion of social safety net, funded by 1-2 per cent tax hike (paywalled)
Brian Fallow (Herald): Keeping a watching eye on pay rates (paywalled)
Stuff: Security Intelligence Service admits ‘significant failings’ in Immigration advice
RNZ: NZSIS’ advisory role on immigration security risks to be clarified
RNZ: ‘Tomorrow’s too late’ – Borders open not fast enough for labour shortage
RNZ: From the Cook Islands to Southland, in search of jobs
Mike Treen (Daily Blog): Letter from Hon Kris Faafoi
Economy, business, wage subsidy
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Reserve Bank forecasts point to ‘near recession’ from second half of next year
Liam Dann (Herald): Lockdown rebound slower this time as inflation bites – ASB (paywalled)
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Kiwi small business sector bounces back but hospitality continues to bear the brunt of lockdowns – Xero survey
RNZ: Youth Hostel Association to close its hostels after 89 years
Laura Hooper Uma Ahmed (Stuff): Southland businesses: ‘We have no clue what’s going to happen’
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): ‘Mass-consumerism makes an unfair world’ says Trade Aid
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom): Retailer hopeful Black Friday push-back grows
RNZ: Consumers urged to not get carried away with Black Friday hype
Energy
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Review finds August power cuts ‘need not have happened’, blaming the EA and Transpower (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government investigation finds August power cuts were unnecessary
RNZ: Power blackout probe puts onus on Electricity Authority, Transpower to do better
Health, ACC
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Kiwis needing healthcare during lockdown afraid to leave the house, thought doctors were too busy to bother with them – study
Michelle Duff (Stuff): ‘More women will get cancer’: Covid cuts cervical screening rates in half
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Health workers anxious over missed cancer diagnoses as patients stay away during pandemic
Denise Piper (Stuff): Falling MMR vaccination rates and border opening raises fear of measles epidemic
Jodi Bryant (Northern Advocate/Herald): Northland DHB preparing for return of influenza as borders reopen (paywalled)
Amber Allott (Stuff): Lower-income Christchurch residents facing half-hour bus rides to nearest doctor, study finds
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Hospital services for Māori ‘hostile and racist’, review finds
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Spotlight criticised for ‘ignorant and disrespectful’ OCD Christmas items
RNZ: More psychiatrists considering leaving New Zealand due to working conditions – survey
Cecile Meier (Stuff): Almost half of psychiatrists would quit their job if they could, survey shows
Media
Bill Ralston (Stuff): Why Magic Talk failed and the challenge facing the new station, Today FM
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Today FM hopes Tova and raw talent win the day
Hayden Donnell (RNZ): MediaWorks reveals plan to ditch Magic Talk, launch new talk brand
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): No more Magic Talk: MediaWorks unveils plans for new talk station Today FM
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Spinoff): Meet the man who thinks he can fix Magic Talk
Dita De Boni (NBR): MediaWorks aims squarely for the centre in new talk offering (paywalled)
Daniel Dunkley (BusinessDesk): Magic Talk rebrands to Today FM in ratings war
Duncan Greive (Herald): Why the New Zealand media is seeking a deal with tech giants Google and Facebook
Herald: NZ media seek Commerce Commission approval to negotiate payment from Facebook and Google
Transport
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Wellington to trial free public transport on weekends
RNZ: Transport Accident Commission recommends additional safety compliance for roadworks
Gary Holmes (Herald): Dominion Rd is bending under the wait for a transport solution (paywalled)
Other
Peter Dunne: The Greens try to manoeuvre themselves into the box coalition seat ahead of the next election
Phil Pennington (RNZ): South Auckland warehouse blaze saw asbestos travel 1km away – review
Daniel Riordan (NBR): MP queries Reserve Bank senior staff turnover (paywalled)
Michelle Duff and Kirsty Johnston (Spinoff): Despite it all, it’s a great time to be a feminist in Aotearoa
Keiller MacDuff (Stuff): South Canterbury mum feels legal aid justice squeeze
RNZ: Family violence in NZ a ‘hidden pandemic’ – agencies
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Revealed: Hawke’s Bay inmates assault prison staffer every month (paywalled)
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Govt repeals Oranga Tamarki’s ‘Subsequent Child’ provision
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Govt finally moves to repeal ‘subsequent child’ uplifts
RNZ: EQC grants $1m in funding for research into natural hazard resilience
Bronson Perich (Te Karere): NZ Army experiencing ‘spike in attrition’ as soldiers leave
