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.
NZ Politics Daily: 4 September 2023
LABOUR CAMPAIGN LAUNCH, FEE DENTAL CARE FOR UNDER 30s
Andrea Vance (Post): Comebacks, throwbacks and all-out attacks: This is Labour’s election fightback (paywalled)
Jo Moir (Newsroom): A big dental promise kick-starts Hipkins’ fightback
Tova O’Brien (Stuff): Whizz bang but National’s campaign launch more fizzle than pop
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Brian Tamaki and Nats’ tax cuts light a fire in Labour
Luke Malpass (Post): Chris Hipkins the scrapper lays down gauntlet to Christopher Luxon (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Stuff): Chris Hipkins plays tooth fairy and snarling attack dog in one
1News: Q+A: Chris Hipkins defends dental policy’s pace, eligibility
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Labour’s big dental pledge: On the cusp of the cusp of something special
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Analysis: Is free dental for under-30s Labour’s saving grace policy?
Felix Desmarais (1News): Labour’s dental policy lacks bite
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Labour bares teeth with new dental policy as Helen Clark, Chris Hipkins face hecklers in audience
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Labour promises free dental care for under 30
Claire Trevett Herald): Labour leader Chris Hipkins announces free dental care for under-30s to launch election campaign
Jamie Ensor (Newshub):Labour promises free dental care to all Kiwis aged under 30
RNZ: Labour kicks off campaign with free dental promise
Dan Brunskill (Interest): Labour launches campaign with promise of free dental care
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub Nation): Incumbent Prime Minister Chris Hipkins’ plea to voters as he prepares for battle of political life
Newshub Nation: Chris Hipkins says he has ‘no plan B’ if Labour loses
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘Desperation’: ACT slams Labour’s ‘fantasy’ free dental policy
Liam Hehir (The Blue Review): Hail Mary, with toothpaste
NATIONAL PARTY TAX POLICY, CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
Audrey Young (Herald): Dispute widens over legitimacy of National’s foreign buyer tax (paywalled)
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Analysis: National got tax treaties advice two days after announcing foreign buyer tax policy
Craig Elliffe (1News): Analysis: Why National’s foreign buyers tax has international law risks
Vernon Small (Post): Has anyone asked the foreign buyers if they want to fund a tax break? (paywalled)
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Concerns National’s foreign buyer tax idea could breach international treaties
Rebecca Wright and Molly Swift (Newshub Nation): Top economist Shamubeel Eaqub slams National’s foreign buyers’ tax projections
1News: Willis confident foreign buyers tax won’t breach treaty obligations
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National confident its plan for foreign buyers tax doesn’t break international law
Ged Cann (Post): Three largest property data firms doubt National’s foreign buyers tax projections (paywalled)
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Labour says National’s foreign buyers tax faces legal snags
Travis Mitchell (Newshub): Billionaire interest in NZ property spikes after National releases proposal to relax foreign buyer rules
Victor Billot (Newsroom): An Ode for .. Nicola Willis
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Tim Murphy (Newsroom): A postcard from Christopher
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): National kicks off election campaign with no new policy, but eight pledges
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): A launch, a listicle and Luxon’s plea
Claire Trevett (Herald): Christopher Luxon’s mission – to look like a Prime Minister-in-waiting (paywalled)
Felix Desmarais (1News): US hype politics at National’s campaign launch
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): A close analysis of Sam Uffindell in the National Party campaign video
Claire Trevett (Herald): Christopher Luxon unveils ‘pledge card’ promises to voters
Jamie Ensor (Newshub: Christopher Luxon makes eight-point ‘personal pledge’ to New Zealanders at National campaign launch
Newshub: National leader Christopher Luxon’s children William and Olivia speak at campaign launch
CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES
Andrea Vance (Post): Two days, two campaign openings – and two very different styles (paywalled)
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): The Labour and National Party campaign launches, reviewed
Luke Malpass (Post): National has Labour in a corner, but Hipkins has nothing to lose (paywalled)
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): National and Labour launch their campaign (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): National’s tangled up tax (paywalled)
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Campaigns kick off as policies aimed at cost of living scrutinised
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Analysis: National’s campaign launch misstep and what Chris Hipkins needs to sharpen up on
Herald Editorial: Labour bites back with new voter bait as parties prepare for final weeks (paywalled)
ELECTION, WEEK IN POLITICS
Chris Trotter (Interest): What sort of election is this?
John Campbell (1News): Chris v Chris – making things better, but who for?
Janet Wilson (Post): ‘Gloves off’ campaign style can pay dividends, or backfire (paywalled)
Tracy Watkins (Post): Everyday life, versus life on the campaign trail (paywalled)
Thomas Manch (Post): MPs out on the trail to get votes – and avoid pratfalls (paywalled)
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Political parties talk strategy as campaigning begins in earnest
K Gurunathan (Post): Bipartisanship at risk in quagmire of divisive politics (paywalled)
Mike Munro (Herald): Election 2023 – This campaign already seems endless (paywalled)
Luke Malpass (Post): And they’re off! Let the campaigns begin (paywalled)
Claire Trevett (Herald): Labour’s Chris Hipkins is going negative on National’s Chris Luxon, Act and NZ First – will it pay off? (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): Labour and National are both wrong on tax (paywalled)
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Disinformation-accused Labour says Instagram post about National and ACT reintroducing student loan interest was ‘mistake’
Peter Wilson (RNZ): Week in Politics: National aims for maximum voter impact
Audrey Young (Herald): Best and worst of the week in politics – National goes big with tax plan … and creative costings (paywalled)
Michael Neilson (Herald): Chris Hipkins, Christopher Luxon make ‘Up the Wahs’ commitment; Ginny Andersen’s secret package revealed (paywalled)
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington Central – Grant Robertson’s exit leaves a race of rookies
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Aro valley debate rinses out water pistols tradition, brings in sole super-soaker
Charlotte Muru-Lanning (Spinoff): On the (picket) fence
Eleisha Moon and Lydia Lewis (RNZ): How NZ’s political parties aim to woo Pacific voters in election
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Our MMP voting system explained
Seni Iasona (Newshub): How to go on unpublished roll before voting
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Furious man in Donald Trump T-shirt shouts at Chris Hipkins during Auckland walkabout
NATIONAL’S WELFARE POLICY
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Labour lambasts National’s benefits policy as ‘condemning children to poverty’
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): National’s welfare policy will make life harder for disabled people, advocates say
NZ FIRST
Andrea Vance (Post): Voices for Freedom, the pro-whaling lobbyist and the links to NZ First (paywalled)
Steve Braunias (Herald): The Secret Diary of … the Abominable Peters (paywalled)
Adam Pearse (Herald): Winston Peters promises millions in compensation to vax-injured and people mandated out of work
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Brian Tamaki takes dig at ‘career politician’ Winston Peters
PROTESTS
Jo Moir (Newsroom): ‘It’s democracy in action’ – Hipkins not put off
Adam Pearse (Herald): More disruptions as Labour’s Chris Hipkins meets voters at Auckland’s Avondale markets
Adam Pearse (Herald): Labour and National unleashed as campaign kickoff marred by protests
Trent Doyle (Newshub): Freedoms NZ protesters driven out of Labour’s campaign launch after disrupting speeches
Herald: Labour Party campaign launch hijacked by Freedoms NZ supporters
1News: Freedoms NZ protesters block entrance to Labour campaign launch
PARLIAMENT
Grant Duncan: Did the 53rd parliament reach a new low?
Anna Whyte (Post): The memorable moments of New Zealand’s 53rd Parliament (paywalled)
Phil Smith (RNZ): The House: New Parliament, new rules
Phil Smith (RNZ): The rule untravelled: changes MPs wanted but didn’t get
Gaurav Sharma (RNZ): A primer on Asian representation in New Zealand’s Parliament
MEDIA
Daniel Dunkley (BusinessDesk): TVNZ under fire over government-sponsored content
Hayden Donnell (RNZ):
Horse race journalism as National takes aim at squeezed middle
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Scrutiny of candidates prompts pushback and claims of ‘agendas’
Chris Lynch: STUFF reporter accuses documentary of disinformation without seeing it
Martin Bradbury (Daily Blog): Mediawatch: RNZ went woke then went broke
Stuff: Tova O’Brien’s new Stuff political podcast will be fearless and frank
IMMIGRATION, MIGRANT WORKERS
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Community leaders meet Immigration Minister as 188 accredited employers investigated for exploitation and visa breaches
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Shambles of our visa regime: Immigration staff reveal their truth
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Migrant exploitation probe: Immigration New Zealand reveals hundreds of investigations into employer visa breaches
FOOD PRICES, SUPERMARKETS, COST OF LIVING
Bryan Bruce (Herald): Why does food cost so much in a land of plenty?
James Croot (Stuff) The Food Crisis: The urgent, timely documentary every Kiwi voter should watch
RNZ: Explainer: Grocery code of conduct for supermarkets and suppliers
1News: Govt launches ‘Grocery Code of Conduct’ for supermarkets
Rebecca Stevenson (Interest): Duncan Webb says Foodstuffs and Woolworths ‘have been taking advantage’
ODT Editorial: Waiting for change at the checkout (paywalled)
Alice Wilkins (Newshub): Cost of living: Number of New Zealanders falling behind on credit card payments grows
RNZ: Credit arrears and business liquidations increase towards pre-pandemic levels – Centrix
RNZ: Consumer confidence remains deeply pessimistic
Liam Dann (Herald): Consumer confidence lifts (just) amid hopes for better times next year (paywalled)
BUSINESS
Tina Morrison (Stuff): The next year will be ‘tough’ for farmers, but the future is terrific, MPI boss says
Rebecca Stevenson (Interest): Can KiwiSaver investments influence how companies behave? Two fund managers say they can
RNZ: Commerce Commission inquiry into bank profits unlikely to change much – global ratings agency
Janine Starks (Stuff): A plea to our banks to step up security
Sasha Borissenko (Herald): Mainzeal case serves as warning for other directors (paywalled)
Conor Knell (Post): Government’s message to video game industry – don’t go to Australia (paywalled)
Andrew Bevin (Newsroom): Auto-approving building materials depends on a cashed-up industry
Herald: National releases building policy, promises to make construction materials cheaper
Sally Murphy (RNZ): One application accepted so far under new OIO farm-to-forest conversion rules
Monique Steele (RNZ): Pāmu makes $9m loss for year ended June due to high commodities, cyclone damage
SHELLY BAY
Georgina Campbell (Herald): How Sir Peter Jackson got his way with Wellington’s Shelly Bay (paywalled)
Tom Hunt (Post): What killed the Shelly Bay project? (paywalled)
RNZ: Shelly Bay: Wellingtonians ‘largely pleased’ by scrapping of development
Frances Chin and Mildred Armah (Stuff): Shelly Bay sale to Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh bittersweet for mayor Tory Whanau
Andrea Vance (Post): Lord of the bay: Sir Peter Jackson’s Hollywood ending for acrimonious land battle (paywalled)
Vita Molyneux and Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington’s Shelly Bay development scrapped, land sold to Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh
RNZ: Controversial $500m Shelly Bay development cancelled
Leighton Heikell (Newshub): Shelly Bay development cancelled after years of protest as Sir Peter Jackson buys land
Joel MacManus (Spinoff): ‘I’m tired of Shelly Bay’: Ian Cassels says goodbye to Wellington’s most controversial project
HOUSING
Bridie Witton (Stuff): National’s Chris Bishop promises change around Kāinga Ora
Eric Frykberg (Interest): Auditor General says the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development needs to do better even though some positive things have been achieved
Deena Coster (Taranaki Daily News): Housing: Nurturing the ownership dream in times of crisis
Mary Williams (ODT): Boarding houses to be probed
Amy Ridout (Stuff): Lack of emergency housing pushed family to brink of homelessness
Eric Crampton (Post): Cities must be allowed to expand to reduce housing costs (paywalled)
Ethan Te Ora and Shannon Redstall (Post): The electorates where renters hold the voting power (paywalled)
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE
William Hewett (Newshub): ACT vows to reverse ban on oil and gas exploration, make offshore wind easier to permit
Eric Frykberg (Interest): End to offshore energy ban and storing CO2 underground among energy policies proposed by ACT
RNZ: ACT launches energy proposal, plans to remove Te Mana o te Wai
Andrea Vance (Post): Axe to pine programme is ‘heartbreaking’ says iconic landscape painter (paywalled)
Noah Buckley (Newsroom): Clear the smog and make clean, green image a reality
Matthew Hampson (Marlborough Express): Company admits damaging ‘nationally significant’ archaeological site
EDUCATION
Gianina Schwanecke (Post): Mega polytech spent $22.3m on contractors and consultants in 2022 (paywalled)
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): Government increases pay parity rates, announces review of ECE funding model
HEALTH
Michael Wright (Post): Why is our health system so f&$@*! part II (paywalled)
Alex Spence (Herald): ‘We don’t need this bull***t’: Shake-up of mental health service prompts backlash from exhausted staff
Louisa Steel (Stuff): Health staff facing ‘whack-a-mole of roadblocks’: senior doctor
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Distressed woman waited an hour for Government-funded helpline to say it was too busy
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Overseas-trained doctors working for call centres, Uber due to NZ registration difficulties
William Hewett (Newshub): Wairarapa Hospital ED doctor calls for action from Te Whatu Ora, says NZ in healthcare ‘catastrophe’
Julian Vyas (Post): I’m a paediatric doctor, and I fear for the long-term future of our health system
Rachel Thomas (Post): Senior doctors reveal what pushed them to the point of strike for the first time ever (paywalled)
Emma Hatton (Newsroom): Disability providers decry ‘miserly’ funding lift
Damien Grant (Stuff): Smokers don’t need central government to assume the role of parent
Andrew Dickson (Spinoff): Why doesn’t ACC cover all babies injured at birth?
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Big jump in birthing injuries being covered by ACC
Adam Burns (RNZ): Health campaigner calls for liquor licensing overhaul after Mama Hooch sexual assault case
CRIME, POLICE
Danyl McLauchlan (Listener): Home detention failures and violent crime: Where are the real solutions? (paywalled)
Jarrod Gilbert (Herald): Why is NZ feeling increasingly divided? What history can tell us about protests and the rise in crime (paywalled)
Eugene Bingham (Post): Forget Spy versus Spy as agencies enter new era of collaboration
Derek Cheng (Herald): Revealed: Police discretion, drug use prosecutions, and which way the punitive pendulum is swinging (paywalled)
Aimee Shaw (Post): Retail crime is snowballing: Where to from here – and can it get any worse? (paywalled)
INFRASTRUCTURE
David Williams (Newsroom): Orion maintenance cuts alarm whistleblower
RNZ: Public feedback sought on Chorus revenue limits and quality standards
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Tim Cadogan (Southland Times): The local government system is buggered, let’s fix it
RNZ: Auckland Council partial sale of Auckland Airport shares brings in $833m
TRANSPORT
RNZ: KiwiRail review: Public transport group hopes next government will properly fund rail
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Motor Trade Association labels ‘ute tax’ a success after emissions on imported cars plummet 19% (paywalled)
1News: Waka Kotahi fee changes confirmed: What does it mean for you?
RNZ: Wellington train disruptions: Review flags need for more funding
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE
Thomas Manch (Post): India relationship inches forward, trade talks with UAE under way
Kirk Hope (Stuff): Investing in NZ’s trade ties with India crucial for exporters
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): The Chinese market is too valuable for Fonterra to write off (paywalled)
RNZ: Japan fisheries minister apologises for ‘contaminated’ water gaffe
OTHER
Graham Adams (The Platform): Government quietly changes advice on Three Waters
Newshub: Department of Internal Affairs applies to temporarily suspend SkyCity’s gambling license
Stacey Morrison (E-Tangata): Our reo still needs all hands on deck
RNZ: Taranaki iwi sign settlement: maunga, and park to be recognised as a person
Deena Coster (Stuff): History-making moment sees Taranaki Maunga claim finally settled
RNZ: Māori Land Court Chief Judge Caren Fox to chair Waitangi Tribunal
Nicholas Boyack (Post): Obituary: Dun Mihaka mooned royalty and gave Māori a voice (paywalled)
David Fisher (Herald): Kiwi soldiers using military’s longest-range rifle told to limit firing after brain injury fears (paywalled)
