New Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project.
Items of interest and importance today
1NEWS KANTAR POLL, PARLIAMENT
1News: Poll: National and ACT strengthen, Luxon closes gap on Ardern
1News: Poll: Economic pessimism soars to 10-year high
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): This new poll delivers one clear message – and a clutch of other clues
Claire Trevett (Herald): The trifecta of troubles buffeting Labour in the polls – and here comes Winston (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Staggering to Christmas: Labour’s ragged home stretch (paywalled)
Richard Harman: National’s winning streak (paywalled)
Matthew Hooton (Patreon): Poll not too bad for Labour, all things considered (paywalled)
Liam Hehir (Blue Review): The decline and (probable) fall of the Labour government (paywalled)
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): TVNZ poll: Hard Right National/ACT Government soar – Winners, Losers and Predictions
Anna Whyte (Stuff): New poll shows National and ACT in comfortable position to form government, economic confidence drops
RNZ: Latest political poll has Labour, National locked in head-to-head battle
Eva Corlett (Guardian): Support for Jacinda Ardern and NZ Labour sinks to lowest since 2017, poll shows
Herald: Latest political poll: National and Act have clear majority
Jonah Franke-Bowell (Stuff): National holds double-digit edge over Labour in Hamilton West by-election poll
Adam Pearse (Herald): Poll: National’s Tama Potaka leads Hamilton West byelection race
Newshub: Senior Green Party MP Jan Logie announces she won’t stand in 2023 election
Herald: Popular Green MP announces she won’t run in next year’s election
RNZ: Green MP Jan Logie will not stand for re-election in 2023
ROYAL COMMISSION INTO GOVT’S COVID-19 RESPONSE
Luke Malpass (Stuff): The real people will remain invisible in this royal commission
Adam Pearse (Herald): Covid response Royal Commission of Inquiry hailed amid claims parameters fall short
Oscar Jackson (Today FM): Professor chairing COVID inquiry helped shape New Zealand & Victoria response
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Greens, National say Royal Commission into Covid response ‘too narrow’
RNZ: Jacinda Ardern, Ayesha Verrall announce Royal Commission into Covid-19 response
1News: Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid response announced
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Royal Commission on Covid-19 response: Political parties ponder purpose
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand’s COVID-19 response announced
RNZ: Royal Commission of Inquiry into Covid-19 pandemic response: What you need to know
Eva Corlett (Guardian): New Zealand announces inquiry into Covid-19 response
THREE WATERS
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk): If Labour was smart, they would ditch the TVNZ-RNZ merger
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Three waters: Jacinda Ardern sticks by Nanaia Mahuta – for now
Damien Venuto (Herald): How did the Government make such a mess of Three Waters reform?
Mike Hosking (Newstalk): PM’s trust and integrity in question over Three Waters
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Q&A: Who should pay for desperately needed Three Waters work?
RNZ: Ardern on government’s U-turn on Three Waters entrenchment: ‘We are taking this as a team’
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Ardern admits Labour made a ‘mistake’ with Three Waters constitutional clause
RNZ: Ardern on government’s U-turn on Three Waters entrenchment: ‘We are taking this as a team’
Duncan Garner (NBR): Entrenched but asleep – who is running the show? (paywalled)
Tim Dower (Newstalk ZB): Don’t be fooled by government’s Three Waters backdown
Dave Kennedy: Is 3 Waters entrenchment really a stupid idea?
Zarina Hewlett (Today FM): Two Sides: Green MP defends Three Waters entrenchment, Chris Bishop slams as ‘outrageous’
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT
RNZ: Chief Ombudsman details investigation into OIA processes
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Watchdog announces major investigation amid public concern Government agencies using OIA to ‘stifle flow of information’
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Ombudsman to investigate government departments’ OIA delays
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Opposition accuses Government of political interference over ‘outrageous’ official information delay
Rachel Maher (Herald): History books rather than the headlines: Ombudsman launches investigation into OIA delays
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): Ombudsman launches new investigation into OIA delays (paywalled)
No Right Turn: Yet another OIA inquiry
MEDIA
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Can the minister please explain?
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Spare Willie Jackson a thought – the new public media plan is barely defensible
Daniel Dunkley (BusinessDesk): ANZPM: what happens next? (paywalled)
1News: Ardern has ‘spoken to’ Jackson over Q+A interview
1News: Seymour says Helen Clark would have sacked Jackson over interview
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): PM steps in after concerns raised from Willie Jackson’s RNZ-TVNZ merger interview
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Mediawatch: Melissa Lee + Thomas Coughlan + Glenn McConnell attacking Willie Jackson’s ‘Trainwreck’ Interview
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): New Zealand just signed up to a global staredown with Meta and Google
Jonathan Ayling (The Platform): Worlds of Journalism Study shows concerning trend, but without free speech there is no free press
ECONOMY, BUSINESS, EMPLOYMENT, COST OF LIVING
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Reserve Bank officially stops money printing (paywalled)
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): How much cheap public money have individual banks borrowed via the RBNZ’s Funding for Lending Programme?
Lane Nichols (Herald): Banking Ombudsman begins probe into Westpac case after pensioner has funds siphoned by thieves (paywalled)
Rob Stock (Stuff): They were middle class, now they are lining up for food parcels for the ‘new poor’
Sela Jane Hopgood (Spinoff): The cost of living crisis is hitting Pasifika parents the hardest
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Commerce Commission to release market study into building materials
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Under-fire small business network We Are Indigo to head new $5.45 million Creative NZ funding body
Maria Slade (NBR): We Are Indigo gets $5.3m government digital arts contract (paywalled)
Sam Brooks (Spinoff): CNZ just picked embattled agency We Are Indigo for a $5m+ digital arts platform
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): Auditing the auditors – the cost of ‘other’ fees (paywalled)
Roger J Kerr (Interest): How New Zealand will get its economic mojo back
Mike Yardley (Stuff): Ministry of Justice should strike a swift settlement to end crippling strike action
Rob Stock (Stuff): How much money do we need to be happy? The science is out
Herald: ‘Concerning’ gap between big bosses, other staff in the major workplace happiness study
Maria Slade (NBR): Demand for personal loans up despite CCCFA rules (paywalled)
Will Mace (NBR): Rocket Lab establishes US ‘national security’ subsidiary (paywalled)
PHARMAC “GAG ORDER” ON TODAY FM
Rachel Smalley (Today FM): Pharmac issues media ban on Today FM and across entire Mediaworks network
Lloyd Burr (Today FM): ‘You’re about to break hearts’ Pharmac lied about funding Trikafta to retain PR push
Emily Writes (Spinoff): Pharmac and the curious case of media management
Oscar Jackson (Today FM): Health Minister Andrew Little says he will look into Pharmac’s Today FM gag order
HEALTH
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Number of nights funded for people to stay in mental health, addiction beds dropping
Emma Hatton (Newsroom): ‘Beyond crisis’: A Wellington woman’s harrowing ED ordeal
Ian Powell (BusinessDesk): General practice is on the brink (paywalled)
Adam Burns (RNZ): Man who spent $330,000 a year self-funding cystic fibrosis drug Trikafta welcomes Pharmac funding
Donna Chisholm (BusinessDesk): Pharmacy profits: competition is a bitter pill to swallow
Lucy Xia (RNZ): Call for Asian views to be canvassed for healthcare planning
COVID-19
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Cases expected to peak in week of Christmas, as numbers climb
RNZ: Covid-19 update: 34,528 new cases, 418 hospitalised over past week
Sinead Gill (Stuff): Five-star coffee one day, behind bars the next: Why’s this cafe owner in jail?
1News: GP who spammed 600 patients with anti-vaccine views slammed
Herald: Editorial: Another Covid-19 wave is an unwelcome Christmas and holiday guest (paywalled)
DISABILITY
Andrew McRae (RNZ): ‘Repeated and catastrophic failure’, Abuse in Care commissioner says as study published
RNZ: Allegations of neglect in home for disabled sparks urgent call for answers by ministry
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Simon Wilson (Herald): Why doesn’t the mayor love the new transport funding programme? (paywalled)
Todd Niall (Stuff): Fare rise double whammy could hit Auckland public transport users
Bernard Hickey: Wayne Brown should sell the golf courses instead
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Wayne Brown’s budget proposals get mixed response from Auckland councillors
RNZ: Auckland mayor Wayne Brown proposes below-inflation rates rise
Tina Law (Press): New report encourages Christchurch City Council to partially sell its assets
NBR: ChCh council advised to consider asset sales (paywalled)
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Māori leadership wants a hui with Kaipara mayor over karakia calamity
Diane McCarthy (Local Democracy Reporting): Debate over adding ‘library’ to label Ōpōtiki book repository, Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi
HOUSING
Jonathan Killick (Stuff): One-third of Kiwi renters living with gross mould in their home
Krystal Gibbens (RNZ): Kāinga Ora tenants in Wellington to be moved from ‘no longer fit-for-purpose’ flats
CRIME, CORRECTIONS, JUSTICE
James Halpin (Stuff): What the youth crime statistics actually say
John Campbell (1News): Interview with locked up teen ram-raiders
Stuff: Ex-prisoner Arthur Taylor wins $18k damages – out of $1.45m claimed
Jono Galuszka (Stuff): Industrial action at Ministry of Justice putting the brakes on justice
IMMIGRATION, MIGRANT WORKERS
Jehan Casinader (Stuff): Are migrants really welcome in New Zealand?
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Immigration Minister questioned over knowledge of Cobwebs use
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Last-minute change of heart sees immigration minister delay major partner visa policy
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Wood postpones partner work visa changes until Easter
Brent Edwards (NBR): Horticulture supports tough penalties for migrant worker breaches (paywalled)
Michael Daly (Stuff): Efforts under way to give stabbed dairy worker’s parents ‘peace of mind’ on their visa status, Ardern says
Greg Ninness (Interest): ACT’s immigration policy would likely see a flood of migrant workers and more parents of existing migrants coming into NZ
Bess Manson (Stuff): Hungarian family’s business at risk as they await residency fate
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): India is the elephant of the global economy, but is New Zealand investing enough in the relationship?
1News: PM Marin: How NZ can catch up with Finland’s economy
Greg Bruce (Herald): Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Jacinda Ardern appear in a familiar story
Alison Mau (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern, Sanna Marin and the misogyny that’s baked into us all
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): No policy to diversify trade away from China, up to exporters to weigh up risk
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Exorbitant tariffs, import barriers and protectionism: what’s holding back our trade in Asia
Simon Draper (Stuff): NZ needs to ‘up its game’ in toughening trading environment
RNZ: ‘Double whammy’ sees main commodities at lowest level in nearly two years
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Govt investigating China peach dumping claims
Lucy Xia (RNZ): New Zealand Chinese community protests China lockdowns and ‘dictatorship’
ENVIRONMENT, PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): Agriculture minister says communication with farmers needs to improve (paywalled)
Rod Oram (Newsroom): NZ’s farmers’ global customers demand more rigorous climate response
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): National plays the field at Fieldays
RNZ: Ngāti Awa’s bid to stop company from bottling water at Ōtākiri aquifer dismissed
Angus Kebbell (Interest): Gaming the market, a Gresham’s Law for the environment
Nicol Horrell (Stuff): Amid swirling reforms, carbon trading demands scrutiny
Andrew Bevin (Newsroom): Climate change threatens kiwifruit chemical ban
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): NZ King Salmon faces a setback to its first open ocean farm (paywalled)
Lois Williams (Newsroom): ‘It’s raining every day but we’re running out of water’
RNZ: ‘As good as it gets’: Call for caution despite water storage closing on 100%
RNZ: Fifty-year plan for Te Mata Peak’s future unveiled
EDUCATION
John Gerritsen (RNZ): One in five schools needs intensive help, Education Review Office warns
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Te Pūkenga won’t explain why three deputy CEOs had their contracts cut by 9 months
Gabrielle McCulloch (Stuff): ‘It’s a broken system’: More than a third of disabled children funding applications denied
Gabrielle McCulloch (Stuff): ‘Tapestry of culture’: The future of religious education in schools
Evan Harding (Stuff): School rejects criticism after deciding to axe whānau class
1News: Outsourcing Chinese language teaching ‘inexcusable’ – academics
Ngāti Maniapoto describes apology by the Crown as a fresh start for relations
NGĀTI MANIAPOTO APOLOGY, TREATY
Jamie Tahana (RNZ): Ngāti Maniapoto describes apology by the Crown as a fresh start for relations
RNZ: Jacinda Ardern offers Crown apology for pain suffered by Ngāti Maniapoto
Jamie Tahana (RNZ): Whakatōhea votes to accept $100m Treaty settlement
Waatea News: Knives out as Ngai Tahu challenges fisheries carve up rule
OTHER
Gordon Campbell: On why the SIS need operational ground rules
Nikitin Sallee, Pattrick Smellie & Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): One in five public servants say they’ve been bullied
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Will you be in the 44% to automatically get paper Census forms?
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): Wasted: One kilo used to be a big drug bust – now it’s 613kg
Graeme Tuckett (Stuff): Gower v Espiner: Two of NZ’s top journos release drug docos within the same week
Michael Neilson (Herald): Police investigating after reports more Te Urewera huts destroyed
RNZ: Police investigating report of further Te Urewera hut burnings
Rayssa Almeida (RNZ): Rhythm & Vines face backlash over decision to keep convicted rapper Dizzee Rascal in line-up
Herald: Women’s Refuge calls for Rhythm and Vines to drop rapper Dizzee Rascal
