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

ELECTION
Adam Pearse (Herald): Hollywood director James Cameron donates to Greens as party surges ahead of Labour
Justin Wong (Stuff): National Party donation from CCP-linked newspaper publisher ‘by the book’
Andrew Geddis (BusinessDesk): Proposed electoral system changes will affect donations to political parties (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Wood’s shares, National’s chances, and the banking study
Thomas Cranmer (The Common Room): Second term government, third term problems
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Luxon’s ‘inward-looking’ remark didn’t come from nowhere
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): National optimistic and on message
Adam Pearse (Herald): PM Chris Hipkins questioned on Michael Wood, rules out snap election
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Will you get a tax cut or have to pay more? Greens release calculator for new tax policy
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Silence of the wolves from a Party constantly crying them – Simon Wilson asks why the silence over Green Tax Policy
Kelvin McDonald (Whakaata Māori): ‘Māori vote will determine the next government’ – Te Arawa Lakes Trust
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): How ACT is an existential threat to National and why Tamaki will be the proof
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): ‘It’s about who’s there for us when we step down from that ladder’ – Te Au-Skipworth

MICHAEL WOOD
ODT Editorial: She’ll be right and conflicts of interest (paywalled)
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Michael Wood didn’t recuse himself from more decisions on Auckland Airport
Graham Adams (The Platform): Hipkins’ government descends into farce
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Michael Wood still a contender for PM – next decade (paywalled)
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Michael Wood could return as minister ‘if the Labour Party’s successful at general election’ – Peter Dunne
Jack Tame (1News): Can Michael Wood make it back to Cabinet?
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): MPs agree they’ll sell off shares – if that’s the price of power
Madison Reidy (Herald): Michael Wood’s resignation: MPs, here’s the share trading rules financial firms have to follow (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Michael Wood’s reminders to divest his shares: A timeline
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Timeline: How the Michael Wood shares debacle played out
1News: Michael Wood: Labour’s ‘wheels have fallen off’ – National MP

HEALTH
Peter Davis (Stuff): Using ethnicity to decide hospital waitlists doesn’t solve the real issues
John McMillan (Stuff): Fairness and the lack of transparency about elective surgery
Sarah Robson (RNZ): The Detail: The waitlist algorithm that morphed into a political weapon
Tamara Poi-Ngawhika (BusinessDesk): Tamihere accuses healthcare system of ‘brutal, overt racism’
Ian Powell (BusinessDesk): Workplace toxicity, stress and mistakes in hospitals (paywalled)
Ian Powell: Rob Campbell on Māori Health Authority
Bill Hickman (RNZ): ‘They’re cashing in’ – Parents, principal outraged over vape shop near school
Garth Bray (1News): Govt criticised over confusing process to change vape rules
Brett Kerr-Laurie and Maddy Croad (Post): Crippled by vaping addiction: ‘I want to stop, but I can’t’ (paywalled)
Sophie Harris (Stuff): Covid-19 can activate health conditions, including Parkinson’s – researchers
Fiona Ellis (ODT): Call for better carer conditions – “modern day slavery”
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Deadly Meningococcal B back, after nearly disappearing during Covid pandemic
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Overheated servers behind IT outage at Wellington hospitals
RNZ: IT outages disrupt hospitals across Wellington region, Wairarapa
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Māori wāhine bounced five times off waiting list receives new appointment five minutes after Herald inquiry

ECONOMY, COST OF LIVING
Max Harris (Post): Centre-ground on economic policy shifting globally. What could it mean here? (paywalled)
Josie Pagani (Stuff): The economy is on a precipice and every choice available to us is hard
David Hargreaves (Interest): Paying our way: A $46 million trade surplus last month – just don’t look at the annual figure
David Hargreaves (Interest): The amount spent overseas by Kiwis on their credit cards has hit a new record high for a May month
Bonnie Robinson (Post): Excise increase: Families will be forced to choose between fuel and food (paywalled)

BUSINESS
Rob Stock (Post): Employers holding on to $1 billion of worker money (paywalled)
Tim Hunter (NBR): Wrapped in an anti-competitive comfort blanket (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Fonterra seeks mega-power deal to cut fossil fuel use (paywalled)
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: Greedflation – why are some brands hiking prices faster than others?
Eric Frykberg (Interest): Lobby group Business NZ issues election wish list
RNZ: NZ not-for-profit 4 Day Week Global named among Time’s most influential companies

EMPLOYMENT
Rob Stock (Stuff): ACT’s contractor plan finds favour with BusinessNZ, but unions say it will worsen inequality
Russell Palmer and Giles Dexter (RNZ): Employment lawyer decries ACT policy on contractors
William Hewett (Newshub): ACT unveils contract worker policy, proposes amending law so ‘gig economy’ staff can’t challenge employment status
RNZ: ACT proposes rules blocking contractors from claiming employee rights
Brent Edwards (NBR): Contractors, not employees: Act’s Uber employment policy (paywalled)
Dita De Boni (NBR): Parties play politics with employment law as election nears (paywalled)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Isaac Davison (Herald): Councillor Julie Fairey not required to disclose newly-revealed shareholdings after Michael Wood resignation – council
Karanama Ruru (Stuff): Auckland Council approves consultation documents for Māori seats following lengthy debate
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Auckland Council to have acting CEO from July
Mike Tweed (Whanganui Chronicle): Mayors in South Taranaki and Ruapehu not interested in joining regional models
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Opinion: Wellington City Council data breach third misstep in as many months (paywalled)
Chris Knox and Georgina Campbell (Herald): Council data breach included details of crash that killed Porirua teen
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Shelly Bay Rd closed, development on ice, after Shelly Bay fire in Wellington
Grant Miller (ODT): Documents show fraying relationship between Gore Mayor Ben Bell and Gore District Council chief executive Stephen Parry (paywalled)
Rachael Kelly (Southland Times): Are Gore District Council’s woes on the mend?
Brooke Black (Timaru Herald): Timaru councillor questions why meeting on consultant spend has not happened
Laura Smith (RNZ): ‘Getting pestered’: Rotorua’s council looking into potential begging ban

THREE WATERS
Michael Neilson (Herald): Three waters reforms: Auckland, Northland first to form new water service entities in July 2024
Thomas Cranmer: Three Waters Amendment Bill before Parliament

ORANGA TAMARIKI
Maiki Sherman (1News): Exclusive: More allegations of inappropriate conduct by Oranga Tamariki staff
Michael Neilson (Herald): Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis says Oranga Tamariki care and protection residences are on way out
Ruth Hill (RNZ): New monitor promises to be vigilant over Oranga Tamarikoi
Glenn McConnell (Post): Epuni survivor not surprised about new concerns at Oranga Tamariki facility (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Kelvin Davis admits comments during Oranga Tamariki debate didn’t reflect seriousness, Chris Hipkins says he got tone wrong
1News: ‘Huge systemic issues’ at Oranga Tamariki – Children’s Commissioner
James Perry (Whakaata Māori): Children’s Commissioner repeats call for ‘prison-like’ centre closures

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Diplomatic Daydreams and Imperial Nightmares
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand PM disagrees with Joe Biden over Xi Jinping ‘dictator’ remark
Liu Chen (RNZ): Interest in Asia needs to be backed up with study of languages, culture, experts say
Eugene Bingham (Stuff): The day ‘guardian angels’ came to the rescue of New Zealand soldiers (paywalled)

EDUCATION
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): Education Minister quizzed about sector ‘challenges’ during Select Committee appearance
John Langley (Herald): Breaking the bruising cycle of disputes over teachers’ pay
Will Trafford (Whakaata Māori): Labour failing Māori students – Potaka
Denise Piper (Stuff): Abbey Caves death: Whangārei school gets WorkSafe extension, rāhui extended
Te Karere: Ōpōtiki College relocates to marae due to black mould exposure
Jamie Morton (Herald): Fears Victoria University restructure may spell loss of ‘world-leading’ geoscience expertise
John Gerritsen and Soumya Bhamidipati (RNZ): Teacher shortage in capital will take another hit if university axes training course, principal warns
Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): All the university courses on the chopping block
Mary Williams (ODT): ‘Closed doors’ a concern in uni structure review
Fiona Ellis (ODT): Donors abandon Otago University (paywalled)

CLIMATE CHANGE, EXTREME WEATHER
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Major risks to NZ’s climate plan
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Eyes off the ball
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Telecommunications not treated as major priority during Cyclone Gabrielle – new report
Rob Stock (Stuff): Insurers pay out just over $1 billion for Cyclone Gabrielle and Auckland Anniversary storm
David Hargreaves (Interest): Insurance Council says a little over a third of claims have so far been paid out for the twin weather events early this year; warns some claims could take over a year to settle
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Homeowners ‘in limbo’ with storm buyout scheme – councillor

ENVIRONMENT
Richard Harman: Huge reform effort could be in vain (paywalled)
Yashas Srinivasa (Timaru Herald): ECan joins Waimate Council in requesting Government to take over waste-to-energy plant proposal
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Land clearance probe rolls on
Mārena Mane (Whakaata Māori): Whareroa Marae keeps fighting to have clean air to breathe
Logan Church (1News): Dozens of native trees ‘cut and dumped’ near Tongariro

TRANSPORT, ROADING
Newstalk ZB: Public Transport Users Association: Wood’s Light Rail project is incredibly dead
Conor Knell (Stuff): Half price fares extended for Wellington public transport
RNZ: Extra month of cheap fares in capital will allow technology catch-up
Roeland van den Bergh (Post): Motorists could pay at the pump if an emergency fuel supply law is passed (paywalled)
RNZ: The early arguments for restoring – or not – Marlborough Sounds roads
Tom Hunt (Post): Teen, standing beside driver, told to hold on as bus hits 90kph on motorway (paywalled)

HOUSING
Liz McDonald (Post): Tenants striking out as rental shortage worsens (paywalled)
Colleen Hawkes (Stuff): Kāinga Ora’s new social housing is so good tenants can expect to pay nothing for heating

OTHER
Arthur Grimes (The Conversation): Who benefits most from the protection of free speech – the haves or the have-nots?
Derek Cheng (Herald): Auditor-General’s Office says no visibility on whether $640m in PGF funds is value for money
Finlay Dunseath (Stuff): New Zealand failing in all quality of life human rights
Robin Martin (RNZ): Ex-employee, chemical plant neighbour unimpressed by Dow survey
David Williams (Newsroom): Lake Alice: Court’s stay of charges ends quest for criminal justice
Mana Wikaire-Lewis (Whakaata Māori): Kerekere says takatāpui able to change registered sex a ‘milestone’ but still not enough
Kelvin McDonald (Whakaata Māori): Crown signs over quarter share of 5G spectrum to Māori
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Here’s what it takes to get a $50k job helping to set interest rates
Michael Reddell: Mendacity
Rob Stock (Stuff): Banks ‘first cab off the rank’ in Govt’s consumer data right plan
Poppy Clark (Stuff): Patrick Gower guest-hosting controversial feral cat killing hunt
Cheree Kinnear (Herald): Have police fudged the numbers? Unpicking the Government’s 1800 ‘new cops’ milestone
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Immigration Minister Andrew Little marks World Refugee Day less than 24 hours in the role
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): Māori refused entry to Stop Co-Governance meeting
Don Brash: I’ve cancelled my sub to the NBR
Marc Daadler (Newsroom): Offshore wind developer to seek consent in Taranaki
Rachael Kelly (Southland Times): The Ministry of Justice is spending $850,000 upgrading the court building in Gore
Gianina Schwanecke and Erin Gourley (Post): Distressed Loafers Lodge residents unable to get to their undamaged belongings (paywalled)
Alan Granville (Stuff): Auckland, Wellington make the biggest jumps up ‘most liveable city’ rankings
1News: Govt says it won’t pay for Taylor Swift to tour New Zealand