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
Morgan Godfery (Guardian): Christopher Luxon is out of step with most New Zealanders – can he really challenge Ardern?
Claire Trevett (Herald): The camps of National: Chris Luxon’s tightrope walk to reshuffle a fractured National caucus (paywalled)
Jess Mutch McKay (1 News): Opinion: Hits and misses of Luxon’s first week
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Christopher Luxon’s year zero sets the scene for a competitive 2022
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Expect some curveballs when Luxon selects his new team
Caitlin Ellis and Janie Ensor (Newshub): Christopher Luxon to reveal shadow Cabinet in major ‘test’ of his leadership
Stuff Editorial: Luxon has to balance politics and religion
Karl du Fresne: Competent management won’t be enough to save New Zealand
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Tough start for Chris Luxon (paywalled)
Richard Pamatatau (RNZ): Opinion: National Party needs to reflect Aotearoa
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): National’s new boss Christopher Luxon not playing around (paywalled)
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Nats leadership: Is Luxon a game changer?
Claire Trevett (Herald): How nervous should PM Jacinda Ardern be about National’s leader Chris Luxon? (paywalled)
John Roughan (Herald): Is Luxon the leader to take National back to success? (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ‘Christian dad vibe’: Politicians and experts analyse Christopher Luxon’s first week as National Party leader
Jane Patterson (RNZ): A sit-down with National leader Christopher Luxon
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Christopher Luxon’s property empire shows ‘we’ve become a very unequal society’ – Labour MP David Parker
The Country (Herald): National Party leader Christopher Luxon says he’s not going to apologise for his success
1 News: Luxon ‘big fan’ of raising minimum wage if economy growing
1 News: Luxon: Te Tiriti about partnership, not co-governance
Michael Neilson (Herald): National leader Christopher Luxon ‘big fan’ of raising minimum wage, while economy growing
Michael Neilson (Herald): National Party leader Christopher Luxon on why he stopped going to church
Bridie Witton (Stuff): National Party leader Christopher Luxon’s climate credentials
Zane Small (Newshub): National leader Christopher Luxon ‘excited, fired up’ to take on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Parliament
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Nicola Willis at home: Who is National’s new deputy leader away from the spotlight?
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Career success and ‘profound’ loss in rollercoaster week for new National deputy leader Nicola Willis
1 News: Collins absent as new National leader Luxon visits Auckland
Heta Gardiner (Māori TV): ‘Sad to see Shane demoted’ – Green Party leader stands up for National MP
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Christopher Luxon says National caucus is not ethnically diverse because of poor election result
Claire Trevett (Herald): National MP Simon Bridges on Chris Luxon, Judith Collins and finance role
Richard Harman (Politik): Bridges says Orr should go
Tracy Neal (Newsroom): Nick Smith engineering a new life
Stuff: Photo Essay: The rise and fall of Judith Collins and Christopher Luxon
Stuff: Points of Order: Christopher Luxon’s extremely short drive
Steve Braunias (Herald): The secret diary of … The Luxon Gang (paywalled)
Andrew Gunn (Stuff): ‘Smile, wave and be pretty relaxed, Luxie’
Parliament
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Roy Morgan poll November 2021
Will Trafford (Māori TV): National, Te Pāti Māori and ACT could form Government – Poll
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Shock Last Roy Morgan Poll for 2021 – Labour in danger
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Brian Easton (Pundit): Is The Māori Caucus So Dominant In Labour?
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): The Infamous Daily Blog Political Awards 2021
Paul Gorman (Listener/Herald): How transparent is this Government, really? (paywalled)
Paula Feathers (Stuff): We need a new ‘feminine’ approach to leadership
Peter Wilson (RNZ): The Week in Politics: Lighting up a new era
RNZ: Winston Peters denied leave to appeal judgment in superannuation overpayment case
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Winston Peters loses another legal battle over superannuation privacy breach
Alison Mau (Stuff): #Metoo is not what you think it is, Judith Collins
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Act leader David Seymour promises to make Crate Day a national holiday
Kevin Norquay (Stuff): Here’s a thought: if protesting doesn’t work, why not try voting?
Craig Kapitan (Herald): Woman accused of assaulting National MP Jacqui Dean in Oamaru
Sophie Cornish (Stuff): Woman charged with assault with a deadly weapon after altercation with National MP Jacqui Dean
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Southern Say: Act hopes party bus will solidify support
Mike Hosking (Newtalk ZB): Mark the Week: Christopher Luxon – ‘You’d be churlish to write him off’
Traffic light system
Zane Small (Newshub): Deputy PM Grant Robertson defends Auckland’s ‘red’ COVID-19 rules dubbed ‘harsh’ by National’s Christopher Luxon
1 News: Luxon says National doesn’t support traffic light system
Adam Pearse and Michael Neilson (Herald): National leader Christopher Luxon says Auckland should be in green setting
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): National leader Christopher Luxon: Why is Auckland in the red light system?
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Aucklanders finally free, but when will we move to orange?
1 News: Traffic light system will ‘last the distance’ – Ardern
Isaac Gunson (1 News): Rules for the Covid-19 traffic light system explained
Newshub: The Project: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern answers all your questions about the COVID-19 traffic light system
ODT Editorial: Three colours, two New Zealands
Herald Editorial: At least one long weekend of celebration and hope in Auckland (paywalled)
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Aucklanders celebrate day one of the new traffic light system; modeller calls it a “step into the unknown”
Jane Nixon (1 News): How churches can operate in the traffic light system
Ryan Boswell (1 News): Some NZ churches opting to stay online until 2022
Mildred Armah (1 News): KiwiRail cancels scenic train rides until January
Shannon Redstall (1 News): KiwiRail cancels hundreds of scenic train tickets because of traffic light system
1 News: Physios say traffic light system ‘very confusing’
Wilson Longhurst (1 News): Mayor hopeful Auckland will move to Orange before Christmas
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Wairoa finally gets a traffic light – but it’s red on the Covid-19 framework
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Lockdown might be over, but Chris Hipkins is yet to ‘spread’ his legs
RNZ: Covid-19 wrap for 3 December: Auckland lockdown ends, traffic light system comes in
Regional concern over Auckland border opening
Denise Piper (Stuff): Expect to be stopped: Hone Harawira is on a mission to protect Tai Tokerau from unvaccinated Aucklanders
1 New: Baker fears ‘tragedies’ if Covid spreads further through NZ
1 News: Aucklanders should think about summer ‘staycation’ – Hendy
Robin Martin (RNZ): Siouxsie Wiles implores Aucklanders to ‘staycation’ to avoid potential spike in infections
Morgan Godfery (Stuff): Respect? Plenty. But I fear Aucklanders travelling the country
David Fisher (Herald): How one summer hotspot feels about Auckland’s upcoming holidays (paywalled)
1 News: Q + A: Holidaymakers urged to stay away from vulnerable regions
RNZ: Summer checkpoint plan welcomed by Te Tai Tokerau iwi
1 News: Robertson confident about iwi-police Northland checkpoints
Newtalk ZB: David Seymour: New Northland iwi law is a shady part of rushed lawmaking
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Is anyone else surprised Northland iwi stopping cars is now legal?
Taroi Black (Māori TV): Checkpoints at Auckland-Northland border; run by police and Iwi
1 News: Concerns kids could be hard-hit by Covid as Auckland reopens
Govt management of Delta outbreak
Michael Baker, Nick Wilson and Amanda Kvalsvig (Newsoom): The Covid-19 endgame in NZ: Altering our pandemic destiny
Adam Pearse (Herald): How we got home isolation so wrong and how it can be fixed (paywalled)
Ian Taylor (Herald): All the tech missteps in the Government’s Covid response
Lucy Craymer (Stuff): China retains its Covid-19 elimination strategy even as the world reopens
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Rights protections ‘baked in’ to hasty Covid legislation – Attorney-General
Phil Smith (RNZ): The House: The MPs scrutinising the Covid-19 rules
Steve Maharey (Stuff): The future is here; we need to grasp it
Glenda Lewis (Stuff): Doco charts chief science adviser’s dark Covid times
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Will 2022 be the year we reconnect the ‘hermit kingdom’?
Economy, business, government subsidies
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Economy should bounce out of recession in 2022, but it may be a sickly recovery
Liam Dann (Herald): How to beat the Omicron dread as we wait for answers (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): New Zealand’s ‘two-tiered’ economy
Gareth Kiernan (Stuff): Post-lockdown spending surge not guaranteed
Jamie Gray (Herald): New Zealand dollar at one-year low as Omicron, US Fed weigh heavily (paywalled)
RNZ: Tourism industry ‘not flavour of the month’ with banks
John Anthony (Stuff): Tourism reset plan to prioritise value over volume could hurt exporters, experts warn
Philip Chandler (Mountain Scene): Dark times predicted for tourist towns ‘dumped’ by Government
David Long (Stuff): Staying in red could be ‘fatal’ for Western Springs Speedway fears promoter
RNZ: Skills shortages top challenge facing company bosses – survey
Rob Stock (Stuff): Gloom in hospo: ‘We’re staring down the barrel of a dead summer’
Amy Williams (RNZ): Smooth sailing, happy customers reported over first weekend of traffic light system
Simon Draper (Stuff): How the pandemic has changed shopping
Talia Parker and Megan Wilson (Bay of Plenty Times/Herald): Tauranga businesses concerned about revenue as traffic light system starts (paywalled)
Taroi Black (Māori TV): Māori-owned power retailer secures cheap rates for more whānau
Will Trafford (Māori TV): Vodafone’s Tiriti-led strategy gets Kaiwhakahaere
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): When will supply chain woes end?
Scott Yeoman (Stuff): The industry that has boomed since Covid arrived in New Zealand
Todd Niall (Stuff): Māori economy: Report seeks Govt support to boost Auckland Māori businesses
Vaccine pass
Dylan Reeve (Spinoff): Inside the emerging black market for vaccine passes
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Hospo boss sounds alarm over fake vaccine passes
William Hewett (Newshub): Bay of Plenty bar owner worried anti-vaxxers using fake vaccine passes to enter hospitality businesses
1 News: Hipkins defends vaccine pass as up to 100K left waiting
RNZ: ‘Unacceptable’ to react aggressively to vaccine pass requests – Retail NZ
Arja Hone (Stuff): Hospitality workers are being thrown to the wolves under the traffic light system
Herald: Canterbury bakery cops abuse from unvaccinated customers
1 News: Some businesses sticking to takeaways to avoid vaccine passes
Sophie Cornish (Stuff): Hospitality sector adjusting to vaccine passports as scammers try their luck
RNZ: Some Bay of Plenty businesses still serving unvaccinated people
Jennifer Eder (Stuff): Traffic wardens: There’s more than one way to check a vaccine pass
Qiuyi Tan (Herald): Kawerau mayor backs council decision not to require vaccine pass
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Upper Hutt opens council facilities to unvaxxed to ‘normalise life’
Vita Molyneux (Herald): Upper Hutt emergency meeting over vaccination pass requirement at facilities
Stuff: Council updates library guidelines, requires vaccine pass
Robin Martin (RNZ): ‘This is the new normal’: Whanganui gets used to life in red zone
Sam Olley (RNZ): Pharmacists stretched thin distributing vaccine passes
Michael Neilson (Herald): Up to 100,000 waiting on vaccine passes – Chris Hipkins
Andrew Chen (Herald): Vaccine pass verification essential to prevent fraud, virus spread
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Pregnant mum told she can’t see her private obstetrician because she is unvaccinated
Mandatory vaccination
Susan Botting (Local Democracy Reporting): Unvaccinated Northland ratepayers warned not to expect rates reduction
Grant Miller (ODT): DCC options for unvaxxed
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Some businesses look to the black market to continue trading and avoid vaccine mandate
John Anthony (Stuff): Restaurant manager says businesses having to pay unvaccinated staff four weeks’ notice is ‘disgraceful’
Robin Martin (RNZ): Vaccine pass not required at some New Plymouth council facilities
1 News: Hundreds of Northland jobs at risk due to vaccine mandate
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Some businesses look to the black market to continue trading and avoid vaccine mandate
Chris Tobin (Stuff): Fleur’s Place closes due to confusion over vaccine mandate
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Polytechnics determine vaccination requirements
Cases, demographics, testing
Dubby Henry (Herald): The growing number of schools, daycares hit by Covid cases
Hannah Martin (Stuff): How does Covid-19 affect children, and how can we keep them safe?
Georgia Forrester and Nikki Macdonald (Stuff): Why our Covid-19 hospitalisation and death statistics aren’t clear-cut
Sue Crengle (Newsroom): Eliminating Māori inequities in Covid-19 outcomes
Māori TV: Unreliable Ministry of Health vaccination data ‘sanitises government strategies for Māori’
Craig Ashworth (RNZ): Iwi urges testing and vaccination after Covid cases in Taranaki
Samantha Gee (RNZ): Nelson outbreak sees spike in vaccinations
RNZ: Whanganui DHB confirms first case of Covid-19 in Delta outbreak
RNZ: Two new Covid-19 cases in Wairoa District
Herald: Cook Islands records weak positive Covid case in 10-year-old boy
Janine Starks (Stuff): Covid-19 rapid antigen tests need to be two things: cheap and convenient
Vanessa Phillips (Stuff): Anxiety and tension rise as Covid-19 spreads
RNZ: Gisborne mayor appeals for vigilance after positive wastewater result
Vaccine rollout
Luisa Girao (ODT): No plan to separate inmates; 65% vaxed
1 News: Kiwis united over vaccination as uptake rises – Robertson
Matt Burrows (Newshub): 90 pct of Kiwis getting first COVID-19 vaccine proves New Zealand isn’t a ‘divided nation’ – Grant Robertson
Talia Parker (Herald): Lack of trust, ‘pressure-cooker’ mandates: Why some areas are still struggling to get jabbed
RNZ: Vaccine pass complications add to inequity concerns in Wellington
Derek Cheng (Herald): Why Māori are more at risk and what the Government did about it (paywalled)
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): Campaign launched to boost vaccination rates amongst disabled Māori
Marena Mane (Māori TV): Whakarongorau – new Healthline service for Māori
1 news: Waitematā, Canterbury DHBs hit 90% vaccination milestone
Laura Walters (Stuff): Wellington’s Pacific community hits 90pc partially vaccinated
Michael Neilson (Herald): All New Zealand’s MPs are now fully vaccinated
Adam Pearse and Vera Alves (Herald): New Zealand’s ‘most isolated man’ gets vaccinated
Protests, misinformation
RNZ: ‘Shameless and very misguided’ – Newmarket protesters cost local stores
Herald: ‘Utter dickheads’: Newmarket retail boss slams anti-mandate protest
Herald: Protesters on the move towards Newmarket mall. No show from Brian Tamaki
Kurt Bayer, Devon Bolger (Herald): Hundreds gather to protest vaccine mandates, lockdowns in Christchurch
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): Vaccine mandate protesters force kids’ cricket match to be abandoned
Herald: Supporters dine outside west Auckland Lone Star restaurant
RNZ: Seeds of vaccine mistrust sown by neglect of Northland
Janet Wilson (Stuff): Rebellions of the ordinary troubled by new system’s demands
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): Misinformation a challenge in Te Tai Tokerau
Alex Spence and Julia Gabel (Herald): Anti-vaccine accounts are surging on Facebook, new analysis reveals (paywalled)
Rachel Klaver (Stuff):I once tweeted misinformation about KFC and it went viral. Here’s what I learnt from that mistake
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): School science can help combat conspiracies, educators say
Health
RNZ: ICU funding may be too much, too late – health professionals
Cate Broughton (Stuff): ICU specialists welcome additional beds but say more needed
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Covid-19: Nurses’ online ICU training varies widely between DHBs
Mike Houlahan (ODT): ICU beds going unused
RNZ: Wairarapa DHB investigating staff function payment
RNZ: Southern District Health Board aged-care facilities sometimes operated without nurses in October
Mike Houlahan (ODT): SDHB complication rise triggers review
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Report urges SDHB to hire more staff with disabilities
Jame Perry (Māori TV): Brown Buttabean Motivation gets $500k funding for health initiatives
Hannah Martin (Stuff): No evidence suicides increased during Delta lockdown, coroner says
Dubby Henry (Herald): Monster fast food combo provides an entire day’s energy, New Zealand study finds
Stuff: ‘You’re Awesome’: Words of kindness valued by hospital workers during pandemic
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): The health system’s attention deficit when it comes to ADHD
Pharmac
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Embattled Pharmac agrees to push for more openness in its secretive drug deals
Kerre McIvor: (Newstalk ZB): Pharmac playing Casper the ghost
ODT Editorial: Shining a light on Pharmac
Brent Edwards (NBR): Interim report raises concerns about how Pharmac operates (paywalled)
Housing
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Mega landlord says ‘wind change’ in market could see prices fall 20 per cent
Ben Leahy (Herald): OneRoof report: Property investors blamed for NZ’s soaring house price rises
RNZ: ‘Stratospheric’ housing market confidence unshaken by measures to cool prices – ASB
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Council plan to protect areas from Government’s new denser housing scheme
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): ‘Team Granny Flat’ versus the YIMBYs
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Scared Auckland residents beg Kāinga Ora to evict neighbour over claims of violence, drug use, theft and noisy parties
Ethan Te Ora (Stuff): Reimagining Wellington: What can we learn from Berlin’s nationalisation of housing?
Joanna Davis (Stuff): Kiwi homes are shrinking year-on-year: Why?
Miriam Bell (Stuff): ‘Nothing has shaken the public’s confidence that house prices are going to keep rising’
Ben Leahy (Herald): Waiheke homes make six times more money in one year than typical household
Devon Bolger (Herald): Canterbury New Zealand’s hottest housing market, up 32.7%
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Southern migration – cheaper housing is helping Christchurch snap up some of the 13,500 people who quit Auckland in the past year
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Crown weighs up offers for central Christchurch housing sites
John Bolton (Stuff): Government takes to responsible lending laws with sledgehammer
Local government, Three Waters
Adam Jacobson and Todd Niall (Stuff): Councillor Efeso Collins puts name forward in Auckland’s mayoral race
Damien Grant (Stuff): Auckland needs a new mayor – and you may know just the person
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland Council Budget: Airport shares sale considered alongside spending cuts
Herald Editorial: Helicopter pads should be limited in built-up areas (paywalled)
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Beach land grab: The unintended consequences of sand
Janine Rankin and Sinead Gill (Stuff): Concern rule change will restrict voice of elected officials
Kate Green (Stuff): Tensions abate at Wellington’s Shelly Bay, occupation group in talks with council
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Wellington pays out more than $3.6m for canned World of WearableArt event
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Christchurch covered stadium: New design plans released
Tim Newman (Stuff): City for all ages strategy gets green light for council approval
Environment, conservation, Climate Change
Phil Pennington (RNZ): ‘Good prospect’ Tiwai smelter will delay closure if aluminium prices stay high – govt officials
Simon Wilson (Herald): Ground control to Uncle Bob: What to say to climate ‘do-nothingism’ (paywalled)
Julia Czerwonatis (Northern Advocate): When convenience kills the planet – uncomfortable conversations about climate change (paywalled)
Bevan Graham (Herald): To help save the climate, use private capital and carbon prices (paywalled)
RNZ: Extinction Rebellion protesters arrested at coal protest in Dunedin
Charlie Gates (Stuff): Climate protesters stop coal train in Dunedin and cause railway disruption
Wyatt Ryder (ODT): Passengers caught up in protest
Herald Editorial: Auckland Council’s climate action levy a new direction (paywalled)
Phil Goff (Herald): We can’t afford to short-change our kids and grandkids on climate change (paywalled)
RNZ: Warning after potentially toxic algae found at Wainono Lagoon
Luke Blincoe (Stuff): Project Onslow is the key to unlocking our renewable future
Primary and extractive industries, Groundswell Protests
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): Decision by Christmas on ilmenite mine
Maja Burry (RNZ): Commercial beekeeper numbers drop amid low prices
Rod Oram (Newsroom): Fonterra’s complacent back-patting post-COP26
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Fonterra lifts payout forecast to record high
Esther Taunton (Stuff): ‘Cow census’ shows farmers getting more milk from fewer cows
Malcolm Ellis (Stuff): Boosting the quality of our dairy herd is vital for sector’s future
RNZ: Wool price making a comeback as overseas demand for products rises
Tina Morrison (Stuff): NZ agriculture is starting to see value in celebrating its provenance
Employment
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Labour MP Camilla Belich says ending pay secrecy would empower employees
Huw Morgan (Spinoff): The women who occupied a Levin factory for 96 days
Chris Tobin (Stuff): Possible strike at Timaru’s port now out to six days
Police, crime, Justice
Deena Coster (Stuff): Assistant Children’s Commissioner opposes move to place teens in adult prisons
Liu Che (RNZ): Hillsborough businesses wait nearly an hour for police after call for help
Sam Sherwood (Stuff): Crimes going uninvestigated as police staff MIQ and Auckland border
Sam Hurley (Herald): NZ’s first dedicated pro bono law firm partner and our broken legal aid system (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Stuff): Govt intelligence identified specific terror attacks planned against Black Caps
Timothy F Welch (Newsroom): Auckland’s crime spree may just be a moral panic
Education
Kate Nicol-Williams (1 News): Ventilation in schools being investigated as Covid spreads
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Thousands of students skip NCEA exams after months of lockdown
RNZ: Auckland school rolls drop for first time in 25 years
John Lewis (ODT): Anti-animal experiment campaign
Ashley Macmillan and Jessica Calverley (ODT): PhD stipend must keep up with living costs
John Lewis (ODT): ‘A strong role model’: Pitama new dean of Chch med school
RNZ: University of Otago appoints first wahine Māori as medical school Dean
Hanna McCallum (Stuff): Schools warned as ‘gender critical’ group seeks information on trans students
Spy agencies
Bruce Munro (ODT): Spying on whom?
Bruce Munro (ODT): Nukes, spies and a loan
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): What the GCSB are really saying
Foreign Affairs
Tom McRae (Newshub): Former NZDF interpreter warns Afghan nationals granted New Zealand visas currently unable to leave ‘will be killed’ if found while hiding from Taliban
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Beijing ‘worried’ that New Zealand is increasingly speaking out on South China Sea, Chinese diplomat says
Zane Small (Newshub): America has ‘candid conversations’ with New Zealand about foreign policy, China – new US Ambassador Tom Udall
Simon Ewing-Jarvie (Unlcas): Duty Call or Booty Call?
RNZ: Eleven NZ police bound for tense Solomons capital
RNZ: Honiara unrest: NZ police and army group departs to aid in peace efforts
1 News: Photos: NZDF, police depart for Solomon Islands
John Minto (Daily Blog): A deep and satisfying love affair
RNZ: Checkpoint: Saga behind decision to fly Covid-positive WHO worker to NZ revealed
RNZ: Former Niue leader medevaced to NZ says Dr Tukuitonga
Transport
Thomas Mead (1 News): Exclusive: Waka Kotahi kept chemical ‘overuse’ quiet
Steven Walton (Stuff): Councillors want Govt cash to speed up $108m upgrade to Christchurch bus network
Andrea Fox (Herald): NZ freight forwarders dismayed by new Maersk shipping restriction (paywalled)
Emma Hatton (RNZ): NZ shipping faces uneven playing field in NZ waters -report
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): When will supply chain woes end?
RNZ: Record new vehicle sales for November, with ute and SUV demand strong
Brent Edwards (NBR): Can new chair get KiwiRail back on track? (paywalled)
RNZ: David McLean appointed as KiwiRail chair
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Former Westpac NZ chief appointed KiwiRail board chairman
Media
Hayden Donnell (RNZ): An anti-intensification housing media blitz
Barrie Saunders: Luxon and the media
Newshub: Tova O’Brien’s greatest hits, farewelled as Newshub Nation co-host
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: RNZ’s Tahi -‘the one’ for rangatahi?
Other
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Yes, minister: Eugenie Sage on getting things done
David Fisher (Herald): Fastest land occupation in New Zealand – after five weeks, the Crown buys privately-owned waterfront property claimed by Northland iwi
Vicki Anderson (Stuff): Long wait times ‘stressful’ for those needing urgent Work and Income support
Kevin Norquay (Stuff): Delta smashes the already struggling, pushing charities to the limits
1 News: Māori, Pasifika child poverty rates higher than Pākehā
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): IR switches off old tax system, as verdict given on $1.5 billion overhaul
Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): Barbados has ditched the queen for… Rihanna. Who would NZ choose?
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (1 News): Educators say publishers’ books anti-Māori, hateful and untrue
Arama Rata (E-Tangata): Rangatiratanga and immigration
Chris Schulz (Spinoff): Dunedin doctor catches Covid on camera (not like that)
Frankie Bennett (Spinoff): Now assisted dying is legal, hospices must not block access
Mandy Henk (Newsroom): Libraries on the line
RNZ: ‘Full steam ahead’ for Cook Islands- NZ bubble reopening
Corazon Miller (1 News): Family’s heartbreak after NZ Omicron border restrictions
Riley Kennedy (ODT): Second transtasman charter flight offered
Josie McNaught (Herald): Artists deserve to be part of the art boom too (paywalled)
