Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
Today’s content
Parliament’s tie-wearing rules
Rawiri Waititi (Herald): It’s not about a tie – it’s about Pākehā power
Amelia Wade (Herald): Tiki vs tie: Parliament neck-tie stoush soon to be tied-up
Eleanor de Jong (The Guardian): Māori MP Rawiri Waititi ejected from New Zealand parliament in necktie row
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi kicked out of House for refusal to wear a tie
Jason Walls (Herald): Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi enters Parliament without tie, is kicked out by Mallard
Herald: Almost a tie: New Zealanders divided over MPs’ dress code
Māori TV: Taonga not allowed to replace tie – Māori Party co-leader tossed out of Parliament
Claire Trevett (Herald): Speaker’s tie showdown and Grant Robertson’s ‘bugger the forecasters’ moment (paywalled)
Cathy Odgers: We Need To Talk About Rawiri
Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): A tie! A tie! My whole cultural identity for a necktie!
Parliament
Barry Soper (Herald): Failure to hold Trevor Mallard to account shows Labour’s hypocrisy
Yvette McCullough (RNZ): National’s no confidence motion against Trevor Mallard fails
Jason Walls (Herald): Judith Collins: National plans to raise rolling no confidence motions in Speaker Mallard
Newstalk ZB: Trevor Mallard back in the spotlight over false rape claim fallout
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): New Ilam MP Sarah Pallett’s long journey to Parliament
Amelia Wade (Herald): MPs’ maiden speeches: ‘New Zealand spends too much time on sexism, racism and classism’
Karen Chhour (Newsroom): ‘I didn’t think I’d survive to the age of 10’
Matt Rilkoff (Stuff): Childhood experience figures large in New Plymouth Labour MP’s maiden speech to Parliament
Air NZ work for Saudi Arabia military
Stuff: Editorial – Scrupulous scrutiny of contracts vital
Henry Cooke and Anuja Nadkarn (Stuff): Air New Zealand cancels Saudi contract, ‘returns job incomplete
Jason Walls (Herald): How will Air New Zealand-Saudi Arabia scandal affect the company?
Eleanor de Jong (The Guardian): Ardern orders inquiry into Air New Zealand’s work for Saudi Arabia navy
Paul Buchanan: Clueless or cynical?
1News: Investigation launched into whether Air NZ’s work for Saudi military is legal
RNZ: Air New Zealand contract with Saudi military has been terminated – chief executive
Jason Walls (Herald): ‘No recollection:’ Ex-Air NZ boss turned Nat MP Chris Luxon distances himself from Saudi saga
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Former Air NZ CEO, National MP Christopher Luxon says he was unaware of Saudi navy contract
No Right Turn: Deceit or incompetence?
No Right Turn: Our national airline should not be complicit in war crimes
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern ‘very disappointed’ at Air NZ’s Saudi Navy contract handling, only found out on Monday
Herald: Air NZ CEO Greg Foran says Saudi Arabian military work was ‘poor judgement’
1News: Air NZ CEO recognises ‘poor judgement’ in helping Saudi military, but says work will continue
Housing
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Ardern’s genius won’t help her solve housing crisis
Luke Malpass, Susan Edmunds and Tina-Marie Morrison (Stuff): RMA reforms next up as Government plans crack down on housing speculators
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Housing: Grant Robertson’s housing plans ‘populist nonsense’ – commentator
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): How will Grant Robertson convince Kiwi investors not to ‘play the game’ of housing? (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): New LVR rules won’t help first-home buyers
Herald: Editorial: Treading a fine line with the housing market (paywalled)
Jenny Ruth (BusinessDesk): Red meat, housing speculators and the government (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Reserve Bank tightens rules on property investors
RNZ: Government prepares to take on housing market
RNZ: Reserve Bank to reimpose LVRs for first home buyers, property investors from 1 March
Liam Dann (Herald): House prices: Reserve Bank hits go on tough new loan-to-value ratios, warns of housing correction
Catherine Masters (One Roof): The 40% deposit rule: Will it put the brakes on rising house prices?
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Housing crisis: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wants to ’tilt the playing field’ towards first home buyers
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Housing crisis: Jacinda Ardern acknowledges ‘hurdle’ tightened loan-to-value ratios could bring for first-home buyers
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Grant Robertson promises ‘bold’ housing policy to take heat out of market
Liam Dann (Herald): House prices: Reserve Bank hits go on tough new loan-to-value ratios, warns of housing correction
David Hargreaves (Interest): Rapid rate of house construction seen as dampening rent inflation
Harry Lock (RNZ): Landlords getting rid of tenants before new rules set in, advocacy group says
Steven Walton (Stuff): Residents fed up with ‘ugly, cheap, and characterless’ homes filling Christchurch
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Tax relief off the cards for earthquake-prone apartment owners
Economy and work
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Labour’s Budget means it will borrow less than National planned at the last election
Richard Harman: Some gloss starts to come off Covid economic success story
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Robertson commits to using Budget 2021 to ‘building back better’
Jason Walls (Herald): Government’s debt level expected to be $60b lower than predicted– Grant Robertson
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Credit card spending and new applications declining across all ages (paywalled)
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): Mayors Taskforce for Jobs recovery programme puts 500 young people into work, training
Louise Gould (Hawkes Bay Today): $300 a day for fruit picking? Potential goldmine for Hawke’s Bay workers as growers up wages
ODT: Editorial – Dross protest and pragmatism
Graham Murray (Newsroom): International tax at the crossroads of a digital revolution in 2021
Covid
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Green MP Ricardo Menéndez March currently in managed isolation after visiting family in Mexico
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern and the trans-Tasman bubble trust deficit
Stuff: AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine trial results ‘not the news we were looking for’
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Coronavirus: ‘Good reason’ NZ isn’t front of the queue for vaccines – Michael Baker
Andrea Fox (Herald): Which hotels will sign up again for Covid MIQ deals – with borders closed do they have much choice? (paywalled)
Kate Gregan (RNZ): ‘No evidence’ of nurses working 24-hour shifts at MIQ facilities – Hipkins
Nadine Porter (Stuff): Health and wellbeing of ‘hero’ staff key for MIQ provider in renewing Government contract
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Yet another Government Covid programme found wanting
Nikki Preston (Herald): NZ High Commission in Australia denies Kiwi entry then throws Waitangi Day bash
Danielle Clent (Stuff): Covid-19: Study says clearer information needed from Government in event of future lockdowns
Cas Carter (Stuff): Will you get the jab when it’s here?
Waatea News: Maori critical for Covid vaccine roll out
Anna Whyte (1News): ‘Things have changed’ in timing of trans-Tasman bubble, says Ardern
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Coronavirus: Jacinda Ardern wants trans-Tasman ‘protocols’ in place before a two-way bubble opens
Newstalk ZB: ‘You cannot unscramble the egg’: PM ‘cautious’ on trans-Tasman bubble
Local government
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Poisoning review at rapid rate
Steven Walton (Stuff): Health Ministry conducting urgent review into Otago water crisis
Newshub: Ashley Bloomfield to lead rapid review into Otago water lead contamination response
Rob Mitchell: (Stuff): If we’re talking about a CBD, we’re stuffed’ – Wellington’s big challenge
Catherine Masters (Listener): Auckland 2.0: Where to now for New Zealand’s biggest city? (paywalled)
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington’s Airport Flyer bus off the road until mid-2022
Stuff: Regional council puts airport bus service back on the agenda, but travellers may have to wait
Damian George (Stuff): Mau Whenua requests investigation into Shelly Bay land sale vote
Amber Allott (Stuff): Canterbury mayors disappointed major transport projects not in 10-year-plan
Herald: Dunedin Railways shutdown partly to blame for council deficit
Herald: Napier council’s first female CEO in its 147-year history hits the ground running
Māori wards in local government
RNZ: Bridges leads National’s angry response to Māori wards legislation
RNZ: New bill rids Māori ward veto
No Right Turn: Fixing Māori wards
NZ cuts ties with Myanmar
Audrey Young (Herald): Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta speaks at Myanmar democracy rally
RNZ: New Zealand suspends military, political contact with Myanmar after military coup – Ardern
Thomas Manch (Stuff): New Zealand suspends political, military contact with Myanmar after coup
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Military coup forces NZ to cut ties with Myanmar
Anna Whyte (1News): New Zealand makes ‘fundamental changes’ to Myanmar relationship amid military coup
Waitangi Day and perspectives on the Treaty and race relations
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Ardern leaves Waitangi having set a new course
Waatea News: Door opens for women speakers on Waitangi marae
Gordon Campbell: On why Matariki will be a valuable cultural counterpart to Waitangi Day
Waatea News: Fluid tikanga will allow women’s voices at Waitangi
Media and debate
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Sean Plunket off-air after reports he was asked to leave the station
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Ali Mau on #MeTooNZ, talkback radio and pay equity
Juana Atkins (The BFD): The good news about cancel culture in NZ
Climate change
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland Council must up climate change game or leave global group of leaders
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Renewable, but not exactly clean: Climate report hints at debate over NZ’s newest power plant (paywalled)
Richard Prebble (Herald): Central planning will not get New Zealand to zero emissions (paywalled)
Education
Gaven Martin and Jodie Hunter (The Spinoff): We should all be worried about New Zealand’s woeful performance in maths
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Domestic enrolments at some polytechnics are soaring as academic year begins
Health
Ian Powell (Democracy Project): When business consultants are commissioned for hatchet jobs in health
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Wellington’s new medicinal cannabis clinic gives alternative to black market — Drug Foundation
Banning Conversion Therapy
Breanna Barraclough (1News): National commits to banning conversion therapy after Collins googles it
Shaneel Lal (Spinoff): While the ban on conversion therapy is delayed, queer people are being tortured
Other
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Light rail agency must have ‘right tools’ to oversee project – transport minister
Pete McKenzie (Newsroom): A change of tack in Peters’ wake
RNZ: The yacht race where millions of dollars sink
Joanna Wane (Herald): Cultural appropriation: What it means and why it matters (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Spinoff): British kids are being taught some very dodgy things about Aotearoa
Te Rina Triponel (Herald): Auckland iwi head to High Court over Crown approach to land ownership rights
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei iwi march against overlapping claims
D’Angelo Martin (Māori TV): Not one more hectare says Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei – but Marutūāhu bites back
Neryda McNabb (Herald): ‘The Govt must address water rights’: Iwi appeals against Otakiri Springs bottling plant decision
RNZ: New $5.7 million fund to help Māori protect taonga on marae
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Reserve Bank says it had ‘no warning’ to avoid a hacking attack
Anna Harcourt (RE News): Talking to Guled Mire about his award winning mental health series
Maia Hart (Stuff): Calls to remove ‘intimidating, racist’ sign on rural Marlborough street
