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
STUART NASH
Felix Desmarais (1News): Nash’s continued tenure far less tenable now
Herald: Stuart Nash resigns as Police Minister: Almost faced contempt charge in 2020 over comment about cop killer’s arrest
Felix Desmarais (1News): Revealed: Nash warned in 2020 on public comments on separate court case
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Stuart Nash back under fire: Solicitor-General considered charging minister over 2020 cop killer comments
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Crown Law considered prosecuting Stuart Nash for on-air comments about shooting of police officer
RNZ: Stuart Nash faces more calls to step down over previous case of interference
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): I don’t understand why Chris Hipkins didn’t just fire Stuart Nash
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Hipkins’ Nash decision decisive and efficient
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The background behind Stuart Nash coming on the show
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni: Stuart Nash should keep his other portfolios
Russell Palmer and Ashleigh McCaull (RNZ): Stuart Nash admits he ‘stuffed up’, wants to retain other portfolios
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘I stuffed up’: Nash on resignation as police minister
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Stuart Nash vows to keep other ministerial roles after losing police portfolio
Doug Laing (Hawke’s Bay Today): Napier electorate chairman backs MP Nash ‘100 per cent’
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: Stuart Nash demotion – did Chris Hipkins go too far or not far enough?
Graeme Edgeler (Spinoff): What Stuart Nash did wrong – and why he had to go
1News: Stuart Nash had an ‘absolute brain explosion’ – commentator
PARLIAMENT
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): National should have been well ahead of Labour by now
Matthew Hooton (Herald): The policy bonfire: Political puffery or disinformation? Chris Hipkins’ credibility dented (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Police interference, bruised relations, National’s challenge (paywalled)
Tim Hurdle (Stuff): The art and science of influencing a swing voter
Liam Hehir (The Blue Review): Let them be anathema
Herald: National MP Todd Muller won’t seek re-election
Wayne Hope (Daily Blog): Polycrisis, Polls and the Election Cycle
Lloyd Burr (Today FM): Where on earth are all the ideas?
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): Latest Polls call for a Māori Party/Green Party Election Summit
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Labour are laser-focused on keeping power. But can you trust them?
Damien Venuto (Herald): Future of MMP – is it time to drop the 5 per cent election threshold?
ECONOMY
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Shortage of labour, materials leave Chris Hipkins with hard Budget decisions
Liam Dann (Herald): Big GDP slump muddies outlook and divides economists (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: Economy has been hit with everything, everywhere, all at once (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Worse than expected GDP: Labour and National spar over figures
Herald: Finance Minister Grant Robertson fronts after GDP fell 0.6 pc in fourth quarter
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): National, ACT lay into Government over latest GDP figures, but Grant Robertson says economy ‘well positioned’
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): GDP drops 0.6%, economy on the skids
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Households feel the heat: GDP data shows how much less ‘bang’ we’re getting for our bucks
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): GDP falls 0.6% in in three months ending December, bigger contraction than expected
Dan Brunskill (Interest): New Zealand economy shrinks a more than expected 0.6% in December quarter
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Economy heads south towards recession drop zone (paywalled)
RNZ: ‘Real recession’ still to come although economy could be in one already – economist
Stuff: Signs New Zealand is in a recession
RNZ: Kiwibank predicts shallow recession this year
RNZ: New Zealand’s balance of payments deficit hits record $33.8 billion for year ended December
Michael Reddell: New Zealand’s monetary policy mess
Jonathan Mitchel (NBR): Further criticism of RBNZ’s focus and staff turnover
COST OF LIVING
Michael Neilson (Herald): Govt explores linking annual benefit increases to higher of average wage or inflation
Seni Iasona (Newshub): Auckland community group says Government’s cost of living package doesn’t ‘reach the working poor’
Newshub: Cost of living: Workers taking on extra jobs just to make ends meet a ‘sign of the times’ – expert
Angela Gattung (Stuff): We need to rethink how to reduce food waste and food insecurity in NZ
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE
Eloise Gibson and Kate Newton (Stuff): How green space shrank as cities grew
Michael Neilson (Herald): PCE warns cities will get warmer and wetter with climate change, urges housing intensification with more high rises not urban sprawl to save green spaces
Timothy Welch (the Conversation): We’re building harder, hotter cities: it’s vital we protect and grow urban green spaces – new report
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Auckland lost up to 30pc green space since 1980 – Environment Commissioner
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment sets out the case for protecting green space against the backdrop of ‘irreversible’ densification of NZ cities
Brent Edwards (NBR): Planning for green spaces should not be optional: Upton (paywalled)
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Government crashes major climate policy and creates $290 million hole
Bernard Hickey: Labour’s climate policy bonfire just blew up the ETS
Dan Brunskill (Interest): PM Hipkins’ policy bonfire gives off few emissions, but the failed carbon auction reveals bigger problem
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Govt’s policy bonfire burns carbon auction (paywalled)
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Another ETS crisis
Chlöe Swarbrick (Herald): We need a rulebook that supports both people and planet
Brent Edwards (NBR): ‘Urgent need’ to consent climate-friendly infrastructure projects (paywalled)
EDUCATION
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Teacher strike: Education Minister told to ‘walk the talk’ by booing protesters
Gabrielle McCulloch (Stuff): Teachers could strike again as negotiations continue
Jemima Huston (RNZ): Teacher unions optimistic govt willing to negotiate deal after strike action
No Right Turn: Labour’s austerity victimises teachers
Stuff: Teachers across the country hold ‘historic joint strike action’
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): End to bonus credit scheme for students affected by Covid-19 disruption
Kelvin McDonald (Whakaata Māori): ‘It’s a Treaty issue’: Thousands of Māori with dyslexia are not being diagnosed – Expert
Sarah Alexander (Stuff): When did childcare service quality become service survivability?
Robert MacCulloch: The CEO of our Tech Institutes, appointed under PM Hipkins, wants academics out of public debate
Michael Fallow (Stuff): Simmonds mocks ‘painfully woke’ Te Pūkenga style guide in Parliament
Sinead Gill (Stuff): Taiwanese flag swapped for Chinese flag at Canterbury university ‘not politically motivated’
Tony Ballantyne & Edward Ellison (Herald): The reasons behind the historic changes to Otago University – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
James Kierstead (Plain Sight): Why we can’t do away with ‘Western Science’ completely
LAKE ONSLOW
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Minister says $15b Lake Onslow investment decision should be above politics
Susan Edmunds and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government to take Lake Onslow power project forward despite $16b price tag
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Govt pushes on with pumped hydro investigation; expected cost rises above $15b
RNZ: Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme cost estimate rises almost 300 percent to $15.7b
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Lake Onslow scheme to cost $15.7 billion
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Government puts massive price tag on potential Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme to tackle dry year problem & wean NZ electricity off fossil fuels
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty to meet with mayors opposing Three Waters reform
RNZ: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown warns of council job cuts, details cutting services, covering CRL blowout
Erin Gourley (Stuff): Wellington land-bankers could pay more as council begins major rating overhaul
Tina Law (Press): Household in Christchurch faces $1600 bill for using too much water
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Palmerston North residents asked for views on a 6.4% rates rise
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): Time for higher dividends from Hamilton’s airport operator – councillor
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Lawyer who caused $85K bank loss is under interim suspension, resigns from council
TRANSPORT
Lucy Xia (RNZ): Flipino tradies who worked on Auckland’s City Rail Link owed thousands, union says
Herald: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown labels light rail a ‘dead duck’ after City Rail Link $1b cost blowout
Sophie Harris (Stuff): Auckland mayor breaks silence on City Rail Link cost blowout
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Auckland’s light rail stage fright
Herald: Interislander’s Kaitaki ferry cancellations extended, passengers told no standbys available
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Work begins on ‘revolutionary’ harbourside pathway that will link Wellington and Petone
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Nicholas Khoo (The Conversation): As Australia signs up for nuclear subs, NZ faces hard decisions over the AUKUS alliance
Robert Ayson (Incline): New Zealand’s Biggest Policy Headache with the AUKUS Submarines Plan
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): China wants to help New Zealand recover from Cyclone Gabrielle, including financing, constructing key infrastructure
HOUSING
Max Frethey (Local Democracy Reporting): $9 million made available for community housing
Diane Brand and Minh Nguyen (Newsroom): Smartly designed prefab housing a sensible solution to an urgent problem
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): Flooding fears: Residents concerned about Rotorua housing plans
Greg Ninness (Interest): Median house prices in Central Auckland down almost $400,000 over the last 15 months
FORESTRY SLASH
Cushla Norman (1News): Kiwis believe forestry should pay for slash damage – poll
Rebecca Macfie (Listener/Herald): Forestry waste inquiry: Workers fearful of fallout over cyclone slash probe
CYCLONE GABRIELLE
RNZ: Government spends $2.75m to set up Hawke’s Bay, Tai Rāwhiti coastal shipping route
Waatea News: Māori Party cyclone putea “madness” says Jackson
Brent Edwards (NBR): Act leader warns of inflationary pressures of cyclone recovery (paywalled)
Ashleigh McCaull (RNZ): Wairoa residents take chance to appeal to PM for urgency on cyclone aid
Niva Chittock (RNZ): Hawke’s Bay emergency hubs empty out as many flood-hit residents go home
Niva Chittock (RNZ): Awatoto residents want better communication from council about contamination risk
BANKS
David Chaston (Interest): Are our main banks low-balling savers?
Arena Williams and Stuart Smith (Stuff): Would you support a review of banks? An MP from each side of the House gives their views
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): What might impact of international banking woes be on NZ?
BUSINESS, EMPLOYMENT
André Chumko (Stuff): High-profile stoush between small business network and funder sparks Auditor-General inquiry
Anne Gibson (Herald): Power List: Top NZ retirement village owner-operators, bosses listed (paywalled)
Sally Murphy (RNZ): NZ fishing companies employing Russian crews despite sanctions
Andrew Bevin (Newsroom): Inconsistencies costing lives in port businesses
Dita De Boni (NBR): DLA Piper’s Carl Blake: Oz employees get legal green light to blab about pay rates and the same enabling of pay transparency will eventually make it to New Zealand (paywalled)
Nicholas Pointon (NBR): Sam Stubbs takes aim at excessive profits’ in KiwiSaver industry (paywalled)
Stuff: Southland Business Chamber, Great South support smelter staying open
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): Fonterra emissions plans may worry farmers (paywalled)
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Fonterra plans to return $800m to shareholders after asset sale
Sam McIvor (Stuff): Farmers are under pressure and all New Zealanders should be concerned
GENDER, CULTURE WARS
Thomas Cranmer (The Common Room): Challenging Progressivism in New Zealand’s Culture Wars
Steven Cowan: Gender Politics: Today FM shuts down two of its presenters
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Radio hosts apologise for ‘toxic’ on-air rant about pronouns, inclusive language
Ani O’Brien (Plain Sight): Time for NZ Twitter to grow a spine and stand up to the bullies
CRIME
Adam Pearse (Herald): Youths committing crime because they’re ‘frightened of going home’, want to be sent to secure care
Jonah Franke-Bowell (Stuff): The dairy doing things differently: No cigarettes, no vapes – no ramraids
Rachel Moore and Jo Lines-MacKenzie (Stuff): What is the solution to increasingly violent retail crime, aggravated robberies and ram-raids?
HEALTH
Kristie Boland (Stuff): Leading surgeon calls on prime minister to intervene over Christchurch surgery crisis
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Healthcare students don’t reflect Aotearoa’s diverse society, research shows
Melissa Nightingale and Azaria Howell (Herald): New Greytown medical centre can’t find doctor to run it
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Another court case unravelling the Government’s Covid decisions
Rachael McLean (Newsroom): Kiwi diet not worth its salt
Stuff: ACC appeals against cover for young woman with spina bifida
OTHER
Roger Partridge (Herald): Time for a public sector reset (paywalled)
Oliver Hartwich (The Australian): No, Minister: NZ’s powerful bureaucracy threatens reform (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Checking The Left: The Dreadful Logic Of Fascism.
David Fisher (Herald): March 15 attack dominates violent extremist online content
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Wait, WHAT? The Government not ruling out merging the Eye of Mordor with the Spylords?
Tukoroirangi Morgan (Herald): Kiingitanga Tainui challenge to Ngāti Whātua at Te Matatini pōwhiri was about mana – not motuhake
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Auckland District Law Society criticizes Justice Minister for Book Launch
Greg Ninness (Interest): Almost 18,000 foreign workers and 14,000 overseas students arrived in New Zealand last month
