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
2021 reviews, 2022 predictions, Parliament, parties
Spinoff: NZ politics in 2021: We pick the champs and the flops
Chris Trotter (Interest): The longest year
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Christopher Luxon’s desire to work more with the Government
1 News: Christopher Luxon: ‘We’ve let standards slip’ in education
Jamie Mackay (Herald): 2021 in review (and a couple of awards too) (paywalled)
David Farrar: 2021 Kiwiblog Awards winners
Ben Kepes (Stuff): Christopher Luxon could be the Mr Miyagi of politics
1 News: David Seymour: ACT not worried about National’s poll bump
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): The Christmas messages people in high places might have sent
Jacinda Ardern (Herald): My story as told to Elisabeth Easther (paywalled)
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Ecstasy pills featuring Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s name for sale
Govt management of Covid-19
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government to announce possible changes to booster shot rollout, border reopening
1 News: Waitangi Trbunal finds Govt Covid response actively breached Treaty
RNZ: Waitangi Tribunal rules government Covid-19 response put Māori at risk
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Government breached treaty principles in Covid-19 response, Waitangi Tribunal finds
Michael Neilson (Herald): Waitangi Tribunal says Crown ‘actively breaching’ Treaty in Covid response for Māori
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Rāhui on visitor access to Whirinaki Conservation Park to protect locals from Covid-19 was opposed by Conservation Minister Kiri Allan
Whatitiri Te Wake (Māori TV): One-size-fits-all system has failed Māori for 180 years – David Seymour
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Why New Zealand businessman Sir Ian Taylor believes politicians are holidaying at the ‘most dangerous time’ of COVID pandemic
Grant Robertson (Herald): Deputy PM Grant Robertson responds to Sir Ian Taylor (paywalled)
Omicron, NZ border, MIQ
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): How can we fend off an omicron outbreak in New Zealand?
RNZ: Expert urges preparation for vaccine boosters over Omicron concerns
Mitch McCann (Newshub): Omicron outbreak could force New Zealand out of traffic light system and into alert levels again
Herald Editorial: Is history doomed to repeat with the new coronavirus variant? (paywalled)
Herald: 69 community cases – nine new Omicron cases in MIQ
Miriam Burrell (Herald): MIQ cracks revealed as experts urge tighter control with rising numbers of new variant
1 News: MIQ lottery delayed over Omicron uncertainty
Herald: MBIE delays MIQ room release due to Omicron
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Omicron pushes Tuesday’s virtual lobby back 24 hours
Mike Yardley (Stuff): Don’t let Omicron stop us from reopening our borders
AP: WHO chief recommends cancelling Christmas events
Janine Starks (Stuff): ‘Flyer beware’ Our Government failed the omicron test with two words
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Police working to locate MIQ returnee who left Middlemore ED
RNZ: Traveller taken to hospital from MIQ leaves without discharge
Auckland border checkpoints, summer travel, Delta outbreak
Craig Kapitan (Herald): Northland checkpoint advocate Hone Harawira lashes out at NZ Police
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Tai Tokerau Border Control denies Northland COVID-19 checkpoints were obstructing travellers
RNZ: Northland police move to mobile patrols, spot checkpoints for visitors
Craig Ashworth (Local Democracy Reporting): Anxious community turns out to test as Taranaki Covid-19 outbreak grows
RNZ: Ngāi Tahu cancels Waitangi Day commemorations over Covid-19 concerns
Vaccine rollout, mandate
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Nine of NZ’s 20 DHBs have fully vaccinated 90% of eligible population
Megan Wilson (Herald): Bay of Plenty DHB Covid pamphlet: DHB staff had ‘significant reservations’ about brochure
Herald: Immunocompromised woman forced to obtain third dose by re-booking second
Herald: Vaccine Board says man’s death ‘probably due to vaccination’
RNZ: Man’s death likely from myocarditis reaction to Covid-19 vaccine – safety board
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Stuff: Te Wānanga o Aotearoa introduces Covid-19 vaccination requirement
Luisa Girao (ODT): SIT mandating vaccine passes
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Covid-19 vaccination required for ‘high-risk’ roles in Tasman libraries
Leanne Warr (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): ‘We don’t want to be the bad guy’: Vaccine pass system affecting small town business
Health
Michael Neilson (Herald): CEOs of Health NZ and Māori Health Authority announced
Bridie Witton (Stuff): New Health New Zealand and Māori Health Authority chief executives announced
RNZ: Chief executives of interim Health New Zealand and interim Māori Health Authority named
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Pharmac spent nearly $300 million on immunosuppressant drugs in past year
Emma Vitz (Spinoff): For many New Zealanders, Covid-19 will be a lifelong disease
Bernadette Basagre (Stuff): Youthline saw one of its busiest weeks in 50 years during lockdown
RNZ: Health Ministry announces $75m to plug cybersecurity gaps
RNZ: Christchurch Hospital to open new birthing unit in 2023
Ben Strang (Stuff): New Zealand donates 1.2m doses of vaccine to Pacific, Asia
Economy, business, govt subsidies
Kelly Makiha (Herald): Public backlash: Farmers comes under fire for Facebook post on ‘racial profiling’ incident (paywalled)
1 News: Davidson wants Farmers store to take ‘stronger’ stand on profiling
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Pessimism reigns as NZ ponders 2022 economy without elimination strategy
RNZ: Small business confidence shattered despite Covid-19 restrictions easing
RNZ: Consumer confidence declining due to low domestic tourism, Covid-19 variants – Westpac survey
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): New Zealanders on track for record Christmas spend
RNZ: Malls, NZ Post keeping up with busy Christmas period in Covid-19 restrictions
Esther Taunton (Stuff): NZ Post delivering nine parcels every second in final push before Christmas
Greg Smith (Stuff): Will the Covid-19 Grinch cancel a Santa rally on the stock markets?
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): Whanganui’s retail spending jumps while hospitality businesses struggle, new figures show (paywalled)
Miriam Bell (Stuff): NZ does not build infrastructure as efficiently as it could
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Allegations of price fixing and cartel behaviour against major freight forwarders Mondiale and Oceanbridge
RNZ: Commerce Commission files court proceedings against freight companies accused of acting as a cartel
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Short-term lender Moola pinged over ‘cartel conduct’ with online ads
RNZ: Commerce Commission seeks more than $1m in refunds for Orcon and Slingshot customers
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): Peanut farming could bring jobs and money to Northland as trial gets under way
André Chumko (Stuff): Arts sector grows in 2020, despite Covid-19 restrictions
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Shop nice: Retail workers bear the brunt of end of year stress
Police, Justice, corrections
James Halpin (Stuff): Inspector-General makes recommendations for SIS around serious crime information collected
RNZ: Review into SIS finds information sharing with police not a clear-cut issue
Phil Pennington (RNZ): How two families battled with police over crash that killed loved ones
Janet Wilson (Listener/Herald): Armed police: Is it time to get tough? (paywalled)
Mike Mather (Stuff): Bribery charges for Corrections staffer accused of smuggling drugs into Spring Hill Prison
Belinda Feek (Herald): Corrections officer facing three further corruption charges over alleged bribes
Environment, conservation, climate change
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Climate Commission investigating subsidies for farmers
RNZ: Waikato farmers told to check effluent management systems or face prosecution
Amber Allott (Stuff): Native bird numbers soaring but climate change a looming threat
RNZ: Demand for organic fertilisers rising
Maddy Lloyd (1 News): Trapping work in Fiordland National Park begins to pay off
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Catchment restoration work to receive $4m
Sinead Gill (Stuff): Manawatū residents want company to front science behind pyrolysis plant
Local government
ODT Editorial: Troubled Three Waters
Chris Tobin (Stuff): Yellow water prompts council to bring in water tankers for residents
RNZ: Boil drinking water notice in place until early 2022 for some Canterbury households
ODT: Gore District Council’s CEO rejects criticism of new subdivision
Andrew Marshall (ODT): Crying foul over stink coming from landfill
Imran Ali (Herald): Parents of Best Start pre-schoolers in Whangārei angry at proposed Super Liquor shop next door (paywalled)
Housing
Logan Church (1 News): ‘Racist’ real estate ad pulled following 1News investigation
Herald: Property developer apologises for ‘racist’ brochure about Takapuna build
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Warning for renters: Prices likely to set new records in 2022
Sneha Gray (Herald): A place to call my own – creating spaces and places with dignity (paywalled)
Avneesh Vincent (Gisborne Herald): ‘We were terrified’: Homeless family of seven ‘squat’ in empty Gisborne house
Ethan Te Ora (Stuff): Rainbow communities at ‘higher risk of homelessness’, says new research
Samatha Gee (RNZ): Nelson homeless shelter to close after 35 years
Sharnae Hope (Stuff): Woman in emergency housing kicked out of motel just before Christmas
Transport
Matthew Littlewood (Stuff): MyWay trial’s 13 per cent farebox recovery rate needs to improve
Simon Wilson (Herald): All I want for Christmas is … the Swiss solution (paywalled)
Adam Burns (Local Democracy Reporting): Ashburton deputy mayor appeals for Ōpuke speed reduction
Todd Niall (Stuff): Aucklanders had a ‘can do’ attitude in 2021, why didn’t their leaders?
John Anthony (Stuff): Air NZ could take delivery of its first zero emissions aircraft as early as 2023
Grant Bradley (Herald): Air New Zealand challenges plane makers to come up with alternative fuel planes (paywalled)
Imran Ali (Herald): Reserve fuel stock at Marsden Pt could cost up to $13m a year (paywalled)
Education
Graham Adams (Point of Order): Dawn Freshwater kicks for touch on mātauranga Māori
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Fears many tertiary institutions face third year without new international students
Stuff Editorial: Teachers need more than our recognition; they need support
Jerry Coyne (Why evolution is true): What are Maori “ways of knowing”, and should they be taught in science class as coequal to modern science?
Other
Stuff Editorial: What would it take to make food banks redundant?
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): How the public sector has changed since 2017
1 News: Lawyers call for more transparency on overstayers’ visas
1 News: NZ, Five Eyes have ‘grave concern’ over Hong Kong elections
John Braddock (WSWS): New Zealand Defence Assessment calls for more aggressive anti-China stance
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Hawke’s Bay Lake Alice survivor says ‘lock up, throw away key’ for Selwyn Leeks (paywalled)
RNZ: Gold kiwifruit account for nearly half the country’s fruit export dollars this year
Herald: NZME gets green light to buy specialist business website BusinessDesk
