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
CLIMATE CHANGE
Felix Desmarais (1News): Exclusive poll: After cyclone, do voters want urgency on climate change?
Henry Cooke (Guardian): Ruthless Chris Hipkins backpedals on climate action as New Zealand elections near
Bernard HIckey: This is the rainy day we’ve been saving for
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Labour shafts the Greens, the Greens get mad, and both win. Simple. Right?
Dita De Boni (NBR): Chippie’s bread and butter diet missing greens (paywalled)
Michael Neilson (Herald): Māori Party calls on Greens co-leader to resign after climate policy cull as both parties call out Labour over environmental issues
Anna Whyte (Stuff): James Shaw failed dismally over policy purge and ‘should stand down’, say Te Pāti Māori
Russell Palmer and Anneke Smith (RNZ): Climate policy purge leads to clashes between Greens, Te Pāti Māori
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Red-Green friction heats up as James Shaw says Chris Hipkins ‘prepared to do just about whatever’ to win
Steven Cowan: A weak Green Party is ‘rewarded’ for its loyalty to Labour
RNZ: Scrapped climate policies would make ‘very small’ contribution to reducing emissions – Hipkins
Thomas Coughlan (Guardian): Government insists it’s still committed to climate goals, pointing out axed policies weren’t that great to begin with
Teall Crossen (Stuff): Our climate laws are toothless
Jacqueline Rowarth (Herald): Climate change – the problem with mitigation and adaptation
Jame Renwick (The Conversation): Floods, cyclones, thunderstorms: is climate change to blame for New Zealand’s summer of extreme weather?
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): ‘Rapid reaction force’ of gobal scientists reveal findings on climate change role in Cyclone Gabrielle
Greg Hurrell (BusinessDesk): Climate change prime suspect for Cyclone Gabrielle’s force, say scientists (paywalled)
OPINION POLLS, PARLIAMENT
Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): PollTracker: Labour hit the lead (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Chris Luxon should use his time in isolation to think about lifting National’s game
Rachel Smalley (Today FM): Is Luxon’s beige persona enough to win the election against Hipkins?
Herald Editorial: Hipkins’ bonfire of the priorities gives Labour a boost in the polls (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Is Labour’s cash bonanza economically smart? No. Is it politically? Maybe
Kris Faafoi (Stuff): Election will be a political drag race to the centre
Russell Palmer (RNZ): National MPs defend Luxon over falling popularity: ‘I see the man that you don’t see’
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Political scientist surprised Labour wasn’t up by more in new poll
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand’s Labour coalition sees best poll result in a year after ‘policy bonfire’
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Te Pāti Māori not looking too far ahead – but having a preferred PM in the team of two is worth a shout out
RNZ: Make It 16 campaigners ‘frustrated’ by voting age bill shelving
Caeden Tipler (Re:News): Lowering NZ’s voting age: Why this shouldn’t go to a referendum
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Spinoff): What jobs did our MPs do before they were in parliament?
Phil Smith (RNZ): Parliament may fast-track cyclone law without urgency
Moana Maniapoto (Whakaata Māori): ‘Brave, fabulous and a trailblazer’ Politicians and close friends remember Georgina Beyer
WELFARE INCREASES
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Labour corrects its indexation mistake
Tema Hemi (Whakaata Māori): Davidson disappointed by government welfare policy
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Benefit increases will help those struggling with cost of living, Māori advocates say
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Benefit increase will mean more money for emergencies, student says
Herald: NZ superannuation rates 2023 – how much more will you get?
BANKS
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Minister stalls on bank profit study after voting down Parliamentary inquiry
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Nicola Willis calls comment from minister Dr Duncan Webb about National’s loyalties ‘reprehensible’
Rob Stock (Stuff): National’s Nicola Willis says Govt has signalled banking ‘market study’ will be called
Richard Prebble (Herald): There are things much worse than profitable banks (paywalled)
MEDIA
Katie Harris (Herald): RNZ exec knew merger was up in the air weeks before spending thousands on staffer’s US trip (paywalled)
Herald: NZME managing editor Shayne Currie moves into new role
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Voters want councils to have a share of GST, poll shows
Todd Niall (Stuff): Alternative to Auckland Council’s grim budget doesn’t ‘gut’ services
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): Dear Auckland, thanks for funding our $2.9bn hobby. Regards, golfers
Todd Niall (Stuff): Key Auckland mayoral advisor Matthew Hooton moves on
Herald: Auckland Council splashes out on 45 MG electric cars for head office
Felix Walton (RNZ): Aucklanders say water price hike badly timed, but needed
Catrin Owen (Stuff): Men ordered to pay Auckland Council $10k after fight over cancelled far-right speakers
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): Free speech union slams council submissions policy as censorship
Brendon McMahon (Local Democracy Reporting): West Coast Regional Council chairman Allan Birchfield to be removed
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Philip Carter rails against Christchurch council (paywalled)
RNZ: Lower Hutt residents told council months ago leaky pipe could cause a landslip
Georgina Campbell (Herald): A Capital Letter: I’m sick of people saying Wellington is dying
HEALTH
Brigitte Morten (NBR): Has Andrew Little left Ayesha Verrall a lemon? (paywalled)
Public Health Communication Centre: When the first barrier fails: Strengthening protection for drinking water sources
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Middlemore Hospital: 36% of ED patients waited more than six hours, latest figures show
Cécile Meier (BusinessDesk): Patients before profits: Māori NGO buys GP clinic
Grady Connell (Today FM): Alcohol harm reform bill shelved despite community requests
Kristie Boland (Stuff): Christchurch Hospital slashes surgeries as anaesthetic technicians quit ‘bullying, toxic’ department in droves
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Parent’s dilemma amid GP crisis: Call an ambulance or wait a week for a doctor?
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): Urgent changes needed to future-proof diverse Aotearoa health workforce
EDUCATION
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Former Te Pūkenga CEO who took ‘special leave’ gets new job leading recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Te Pūkenga tells academics not to say words like ‘staff’, ‘students’ or ‘Treaty of Waitangi’
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Schools told to ramp up efforts to stop racist bullying
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): One in five ethnic learners face racist bullying at school, research finds
Maryana Garcia (Herald): What pay demands and supports striking teachers are seeking from the Government
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Ministry of Education requests last ditch talks to avert primary teachers’ strike
Herald: Teacher strike confirmed for Thursday after Ministry of Education stalemate
William Hewett (Newshub): ACT leader David Seymour criticises Government’s pay negotiation strategy as 50,000 teachers prepare to strike
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Jayden Holmes (Today FM): Geopolitical Analyst warns Australian nuclear power deal ‘terrible’ for New Zealand
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): The AUKUS submarine deal
Lloyd Burr (Today FM): What does Australia’s investment in nuclear technology mean for everyone else?
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government analyst Yuan Jason Zhao denies spying for China, wants apology for ‘mistake’
ENVIRONMENT
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Labour puts old-school refund scheme for bottles, cans and containers on ice
RNZ: Water pressure for council and iwi over environment reforms
CYCLONE GABRIELLE, INFRASTRUCTURE
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Cylcone recovery bill to cut ‘red tape’ introduced by Government
Grant Duncan: Infrastructure
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Herald): Cyclone Gabrielle caught central and local government unprepared
Amy Williams (RNZ): Cyclone-hit homeowners unlikely to get payouts that fully cover rebuild cost, insurance lawyer warns
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Gisborne council not testing for contaminants in industrial areas following cyclone
RNZ: Iwi makes securing housing a major post-cyclone goal
Jemima Huston (RNZ): Soldiers say they disobeyed orders and saved lives in Esk Valley
PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Paul Hunt (Stuff): Slash is a human rights issue. Forestry companies and the govt must recognise that
RNZ: Plans underway for more live cattle shipments to China before ban takes effect
Andrew Hoggard (Herald): Kiwis are open to GMOs but is the Govt? (paywalled)
ECONOMY, BUSINESS, EMPLOYMENT
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): ‘Minimum wage too close for comfort’: 35% of New Zealanders haven’t had a pay rise
Rebecca Macfie (Newsroom): Govt purge: Contractor law reform dumped
RNZ: Economists say economy already shrinking, but OCR still likely to rise
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Renters more concerned about paying for food than rent, Consumer NZ finds
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Here’s why you won’t really pay ‘extra’ tax on your second job
1News: Supermarket supply costs 10.4% higher compared to a year ago
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): IAG bolsters balance sheet in Gabrielle’s shadow (paywalled)
HOUSING
Jonathan Killick (Stuff): The Auckland suburbs where overseas investors are scooping up land
Miriam Bell (Stuff): By the numbers: Here’s the low-down on the post-cyclone housing market
BusinessDesk: National house prices now down 16.2% from Nov 2021 peak (paywalled)
Greg Ninness ((interest): Housing sales down, prices down, listings down, stock levels up as properties sit on the market unsold
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Rental purchase may not make sense even after $165k discount, investor says
Olivia Shivas (Stuff): Kāinga Ora admits accessibility policy is ‘confusing’
TRANSPORT
William Hewett (Newshu): Chris Hipkins argues Kiwis need a ‘cultural change’ in how they drive after scrapping speed limit policy
Newshub: Julie Anne Genter claims proposed fringe benefit tax changes to exempt bicycles, e-bikes as ‘a huge Green win’
Nile Bijoux (Stuff): The Clean Car Discount has saved two million tonnes of emissions
Raphael Franks (Herald): Auckland Transport rolls out screen dividers for bus drivers after stabbings
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Taxicab regulators ‘asleep at the wheel’ over rogue cabbies
HATE SPEECH, CHRISTCHURCH CALL
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Does Jacinda Ardern’s ‘Christchurch Call’ online hate project have a future now she’s leaving politics?
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Hate speech gone to ‘never-never land’ among concerns held by Muslim umbrella organisation
OTHER
Sharon Brettkelly (RNZ): The Detail: The questions over government contractors and consultants
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government not ruling out merging spy agencies in national security overhaul
Adam Pearse (Herald): Ram raid offences nearly double due to police data collection complications
Waatea News: No need for co-governance says Nats deputy
Sam Olley (RNZ): Whakaari / White Island eruption: ID Tours fails to get health and safety charge dismissed
