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.
Today’s content
MICHAEL WOOD AUCKLAND AIRPORT SHARES CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Michael Wood, the shares, and the taint of incompetence
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Transport Minister Michael Wood on thin ice, but safe for now (paywalled)
Jo Moir (Newsroom): PM stung by his own team falling short
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in ‘constant state of mopping up ministerial muck-ups’
Richard Harman (Politik): Hipkins’ words come back to haunt him (paywalled)
David Farrar: Wood didn’t sell shares despite six reminders from Cabinet Office
David Farrar: Will Wood face Privileges Committee also?
No Right Turn: Another trust problem
———-
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Stood-down Transport Minister Michael Wood declined North Shore airport application, while holding Auckland Airport shares
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Michael Wood asked ‘about half a dozen times’ about his Auckland Airport shares, Hipkins says
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Michael Wood shares scandal: Minister didn’t offer to resign, says ‘hitch’ with ‘old email’ led to delay with sale
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): PM stands down Michael Wood as Transport Minister over Auckland Airport shares
RNZ: Transport Minister Michael Wood stood down after airport shares controversy
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Chris Hipkins stands Michael Wood down as Transport Minister over Auckland Airport shares fiasco
RNZ: Further conversation to be had with transport minister about airport shares, PM says
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Prime Minister Chris Hipkins doesn’t rule out sacking Michael Wood over Auckland Airport shares botch-up
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘Luxon: Hipkins ‘soft and weak’ over Wood’s shares scandal
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘Increasingly untenable’: Luxon on Wood’s airport shares ‘error’
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘An error’: Transport Minister on Auckland Airport shares blunder
Molly Swift (Newshub): ACT’s David Seymour defends Michael Wood, says shares wouldn’t have influenced his decisions
———-
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Auckland Council looking into potential conflicts of interest over airport shares
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Michael Wood’s wife Auckland councillor Julie Fairey forced to correct statement about airport shareholding
Nick Truebridge (Newshub): Auckland Councillor Julie Fairey corrects interest in Auckland Airport after husband Michael Wood’s share debacle
ELECTORAL SYSTEM REVIEW
Eric Frykberg (Interest): National & Act dismissive of proposals to reform the electoral system, Greens & TOP supportive, PM not excited
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Political parties divided over electoral review interim recommendations
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Labour leader Chris Hipkins not ruling out four-year term referendum if re-elected
Felix Desmarais (1News): PM supports lowering voting age to 16, won’t ‘pursue’ it
Amelia Wade (Newshub): The political fallout to major changes recommended for NZ’s electoral system
Newshub: Electoral system review: Ministers give views on proposals to lower voting age, four-year terms
Newshub: ACT’s David Seymour slams electoral recommendations as ‘waste of everyone’s time’
1News: Winston Peters: Recommended electoral changes ‘disastrous’
———-
John Minto (Daily Blog): A contest of ideas, not a contest of cash
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): Changes to electoral system ‘fairer’ for Māori but unlikely to garner support
RNZ: ‘No time to waste’ dropping voting age to 16 – campaigners
No Right Turn: Labour’s electoral review
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Lowering the voting age, lowering the MMP threshold and 4 year terms
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): These electoral changes will never see the light of day
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): 16-year-olds voting wouldn’t be the end of the world
ELECTION, PARLIAMENT
Tommy de Silva (Spinoff): National is shooting its Māori seat candidates in the foot
Nadine Roberts (Stuff): Freedom movement splintering amid infighting and the formation of new political party
Kris Faafoi (Stuff): The campaigning is about to get real. Here’s what to expect
Tema Hemi (Whakaata Māori): ‘Now I’ve got somebody to vote for’ – Te Au-Skipworth encouraged by reaction in general seat
Joseph Los’e (Herald): National Māori MP Tama Potaka is possibly the fittest politician in Parliament
VAPING
Erin Gourley (Post): New vaping policies not enough to stop youth falling into the trap – advocates (paywalled)
Anna Sargent (RNZ): Principals back clampdown on youth vaping, urge more help for kids to give up
Adam Pearse (Herald): Disposable vapes banned from November, new retailers can’t be within 300m of schools and marae
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Health Minister Ayesha Verrall clamps down on youth vaping
RNZ: Watch: Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, Health Minister Ayesha Verrall speak at post-Cabinet press conference
Felix Desmarais (1News): Govt to outlaw ‘enticing’ vape flavour names like cotton candy
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand to introduce new rules to crack down on youth vaping
Herald Editorial: Vapes – the panacea that became the problem (paywalled)
HEALTH
Ben Leahy (Herald): Counties Manukau Health wait times: Man loses sight in eye waiting for specialist after urgent referral
Rachel Thomas (Post): Tens of millions spent on health research for studies that never shared results (paywalled)
Charlotte Paul (Post): The National Screening Unit is world-class and save lives, so why is Te Whatu Ora planning to close it? (paywalled)
Kirstie Boland (Post): Pharmac not funding drugs for trial a ‘tragedy’, says health leader (paywalled)
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): The Covid response awards were designed to recognise service. For many, they erased it
RNZ: Covid-19 update: 12,028 new cases and 59 further deaths
Kristie Boland (Press): ‘No visible end’ in sight to Christchurch Hospital surgery woes
Fiona Ellis (ODT): Staff shortages mean more with mental health issues in prisons (paywalled)
David Burton (Post): Nurses win right to strike on health and safety grounds (paywalled)
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: How bad is the aged-care crisis in New Zealand?
Brendon McMahon (Local Democracy Reporting): West Coast health pilot identifies changes needed to improve health and well-being
Jessica Roden (1News): Rebuild of Nelson’s hospital delayed by at least six months
Warren Gamble (Nelson Mail): Nelson Hospital redevelopment delays worry mayor
Teuila Fuatai (E-Tangata): Untangling implicit bias in our hospital
RNZ: Mid-life women being let down by Pharmac, say menopause experts
Lana Andelane (Newshub): New Zealanders remain ‘overwhelmingly omnivorous’ despite cost concerns, survey finds
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Auckland airport share sale: how not to win an argument (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: High-stakes airport shares vote (paywalled)
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Councillors partial to partial airport sale
Duncan Garner (NBR): Charisma bypass urgently required for ‘Mr Misery’ (paywalled)
Grant Duncan: The Wayne Brown Show
Georgina Campbell (Herald): A Capital Letter: Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau needs a win, hints one is coming (paywalled)
Nicholas Boyack (Post): Question marks remain over funding for shared Eastbourne pathway
Newshub: Cameron Bagrie calls for councils to regularly review balance sheets, says model used is ‘fundamentally broken’
David Hill (Local Democracy Reporting): Kaikōura commits to Local Government New Zealand
David Hill (Local Democracy Reporting): Kaikōura District Council keeping rates under 5 percent
RNZ: Landfill closure likely to lead to ‘great expense’ for Horowhenua – councillor
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Free bus rides a step too far for Palmerston North city councillors
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Prescription forger was Gore mayor’s former assistant
ECONOMY, FINANCE
Rob Stock (Post): Bank of New Zealand’s bumper interest haul now also revealed (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): More people expect to delay retirement as cost of living and mortgage rates bite
Brent Edwards (NBR): The Treasury’s response to calls for better financial reporting
Will Trafford (Whakaata Māori): Auditor-General scathing on accountability for government spending on Māori
Bridie Witton (Post): ‘Psychology with numbers’: The people with Grant Robertson’s ear (paywalled)
Christoph Schumacher (NBR): What does Govt being ‘more of a friend than foe’ to RBNZ mean? (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Economists: Is the Reserve Bank wrong about the OCR peak?
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): How legit are economic forecasts? (paywalled)
Brian Easton (Pundit): What Do Economists Do?
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Pandemic wealth vanishes: Will we get it back?
Brigitte Morten (NBR): Is Taxation Principles bill David Parker’s last legacy attempt… (paywalled)
Amy Hamilton Chadwick (BusinessDesk): Is this the last nail in the coffin for trusts? (payalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): IRD guidance on trust tax tweaked over concern it was promoting tax avoidance (paywalled)
Gordon Stuart (Stuff): Would any bank give this government a loan?
Terry McFadgen (NBR): New Zealand policy a boiling frog (paywalled)
EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESS
Richard Prebble (Herald): Who’ll do all the work if the jobseekers won’t? (paywalled)
RNZ: Most people return to the workplace at least 3 days a week
David Jefferson (The Conversation): How NZ’s own law helped Australia win the Manuka Honey trademark war
HOUSING
Tom Hunt (Post): Nearly all Wellington City Council flats lack lifesaving sprinklers (paywalled)
Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): Housing and heritage aren’t mutually exclusive – a few basic rules can help get the balance right
Carles Martinez-Almoyna Gual (Newsroom): Why we’re getting urban densification so wrong
Anne Gibson (Herald): Developers oppose anti-greenfields Auckland housing plans, council defends (paywalled)
RNZ: Greens urge tenants to share stories to bolster tenancy reform
Nathan Morton (Herald): Family looking for rental turned down 50 times
Jonathan Killick (Stuff): Affordable housing on sale in this gated community, but only if you’re over 45
EDUCATION
RNZ: Primary teachers reach deal with government over pay, conditions
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): Under a third of 82 new attendance officer roles have been filled
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Government action plan failing to deliver for neurodiverse students, support groups say
Lee Kenny (Stuff): Mega polytech’s operating model could be a decade away
David Skegg (ODT): A bright future tipped for the university
Rachel Moore (Stuff): University of Waikato proposing staff cuts to IT, maths departments
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): ‘Concerning and noteworthy issue’ causes delay in large Otago university project
Duncan Connors (ODT): Bring back the student pub
CRIME AND SAFETY
Max Harris (Herald): Crime and safety in NZ: This debate is going round and round in circles (paywalled)
Julia Gabel (Herald): New poll on crime and safety shows New Zealanders feel less safe today than five years ago
Seni Iasona (Newshub): Foodstuffs statistics show North Island retail crime against its stores has hit record highs
William Hewett (Newshub): ACT’s David Seymour blames spike in supermarket crime on Government’s plan to reduce prison population
CLIMATE CHANGE, EXTREME WEATHER
James Renwick (Stuff): We need an economy that doesn’t choke the Earth
Jamie Morton (Herald): Climate crisis: James Renwick ‘optimistic and pessimistic’ about future (paywalled)
RNZ: Climate scientist says New Zealand insulated from worst, but warns climate chaos here already
Michael Neilson (Herald): National says He Waka Eke Noa climate change farming emissions group is ‘dead’
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National pulls support for He Waka Eke Noa
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Labour’s $327 million climate policy that will save little carbon
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Govt’s refusal to rule out fertiliser tax met with criticism
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Rumours grow after farming Minister tackles fertiliser tax
Perry Wilton (Newshub): Lakes rise, homes washed out, Bay of Plenty climate change victims warn worst is yet to come
Alexa Cook (Newshub): Climate-related damage to people’s homes can have significant effects on their health, well-being – study
RNZ: Wairoa mayor says town will struggle to pay for flood protection
Jonathan Leask (Local Democracy Reporting): Lack of Govt money for flood protection disappointing – councillor
RNZ: ‘It’s just part of us’ – Māori fear for whenua future with cyclone recovery plans
ENVIRONMENT, CONSERVATION
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Tramper plunged 16m into river from unsafe bridge – report
Eugene Bingham (Stuff): Government agencies in stand-off over controversial pest poison 1080
Mike White (Stuff): A Northland shipwreck has been labelled an environmental time bomb – so why is the Government refusing to act?
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ODT Editorial: Closer defence co-operation with Japan (paywalled)
RNZ: West Papuan leader reiterates calls for release of NZ hostage
Julie Jacobson (Post): Diplomatic community: it’s not all cocktails and chit-chat in the capital (paywalled)
PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
Andrew Bevin (Newsroom): Fishing industry plan slammed as nothing but a subsidy
BusinessDesk: Hipkins still pushing for agri emissions industry accord (paywalled)
Liz McDonald (Press): Canterbury farm drops bid for feedlots for 2200 cattle (paywalled)
Riley Kennedy (BusinessDesk): Controversial plans for Canterbury feedlot scrapped -‘for the interim’, owner says (paywalled)
OTHER
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Government ministry blocks AI technology from staff use
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Internal Affairs checking whether Entain email broke NZ law (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Interest): Corrupted generations
Gordon Campbell. On red tape and Nicky Hager’s regal reward
Tim Williams (Post): What Aotearoa can learn from the UK about water reform (paywalled)
Eric Frykberg (Interest): Superannuation: the real costs and the real issues
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer (Herald): Ending poverty requires serious Govt approach
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): The Detail: The places where bilingual is the norm
Damien Grant (Stuff): Our problem with Crown Law
Michelle Duff (Post): Instead of bravery, it’s time we talked about responsibility (paywalled)
Carrie Leonetti (Herald): Children must be at the heart of all Family Court decisions
Annemarie Quill (Stuff): Kiwi victim of drug scam starving to death in Bali jail
RNZ: Jehovah’s Witness church seeks exemption from royal commission abuse in care inquiry
1News: New law to see extra $20 a week in sole parents’ pockets
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): The places where NZ Post no longer lets you send mail
Olivia Caldwell (Stuff): Aussie ‘brain drain’ a reflection of post-Covid life, Chris Hipkins says
