Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Click here to subscribe to Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup and New Zealand Politics Daily.
Today’s content
Energy
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Power cuts: what went wrong and is it over?
Audrey Young (Herald): Close to Jacinda Ardern’s worst day this term (paywalled)
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Genesis Energy’s decisions deserve scrutiny, but power problems far from a surprise (paywalled) Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Down in the weeds of the electricity system (paywalled)
Bryan Leyland (Herald): Power outages: The perfect storm that broke the network – and what we can do to fix it (paywalled)
No Right Turn: The electricity market screws us again
Stuff Editorial: After a troubled night, a code-red dawn.
Vera Alves (Herald): Power outages: Can anyone tell us this won’t happen again? Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): From housing to electricity, we’re facing scarcity in a land of plenty
Frank Newman (Breaking Views): Power blackout – Government solution: more regulation
Guy Manthel (Stuff): Time to up home insulation to avoid more blackouts
Bryan Leyland (Herald): Power outages: The perfect storm that broke the network – and what we can do to fix it (paywalled)
Matt Blackwell and Grant Swanepoel (Stuff): How will the peak in power demand affect prices?
RNZ: Power cuts due to commercial decisions – Minister Megan Woods
1 News and RNZ: Power cuts due to commercial decisions – Megan Woods
RNZ: Genesis CEO says Energy Minister scapegoating, but Woods has questions
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Megan Woods on the warpath over electricity outages, throws power generators under the bus, but brushes off calls to resign
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Government takes aim at ‘commercial decision’ by Genesis Energy for blackout
RNZ: Power cut: Affected people have right to compensation – Consumer NZ
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Electricity Authority ‘disappointed’ after customers left without power, is reviewing the blackout event
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Power outages: Genesis is being ‘scapegoated’ by Energy Minister Megan Woods, CEO says
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Power cuts: Genesis boss says firm feels ‘victimised’ as Transpower admits error
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Genesis defends decision to keep 1 of its 3 coal-fired plants offline; Says Woods’ comments were ‘misguided’
Madison Reidy (Newshub): Genesis Energy hits back, saying Transpower’s warning came too late to fire up boiler unit
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Power cuts: Woods demands answers, Collins demands her sacking
1 News: Ardern, Collins spar over gas exploration ban after outages
Olivia Wannan (Stuff):Is the offshore oil and gas ban to blame for the rolling black-outs?
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Judith Collins calls for Megan Woods’ resignation after thousands lose power
RNZ: Power supply still tight as Transpower delivers apology, explains situation
1 News: Overnight power outages ‘not good enough’ – Ardern
Belinda Feek (Herald): Power outages: PM Jacinda Ardern says ‘not good enough that we couldn’t heat homes’
1 News: Transpower says outages to thousands were ‘certainly not good’
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Megan Woods blames ‘commercial decisions’ for power blackouts, Genesis Energy says it didn’t generate extra power
Newstalk ZB: Former Genesis Energy GM on North Island power outages
RNZ: Cold fury: North Island residents express anger after power cuts
Kirsty Lawrence and Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): WEL Networks keeps consumers in the dark as fury builds over power outages in Waikato
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today): Hawke’s Bay power outage: Why some areas had power cuts and others did not (paywalled)
Michael Daly (Stuff): The New Zealand electricity market explained
RNZ: Electricity distribution reform could increase costs for many providers
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Winners and losers in power transmission reforms (paywalled)
Newstalk ZB: Refining NZ CEO: National’s Marsden Point proposal unrealistic
Juha Saarinen (Herald): Save the environment and cut crime: drop crypto currencies (paywalled)
Environment, climate change, conservation
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern hits back after Greta Thunberg criticism of NZ’s greenhouse gas emissions
Russell Palmer (RNZ): New Zealand climate change response criticism ‘unfair’ – Ardern
Steven Cowan (Against the Current): The politicians fiddle with the policy settings while the planet burns
ODT Editorial: It’s almost too late
Mirjam Guesgen (Spinoff): There’s a glimmer of hope within the bleak climate report
Alexa Cook (Newshub): James Shaw backs Greta Thunberg over comments targeting New Zealand’s rising emissions
Michael Grose, Malte Meinshausen, Pep Canadell and Zebedee Nicholls (Stuff):IPCC report shows that limiting global warming is what matters most
Eva Corlett (Guardian): A land divided by climate extremes: what the IPCC report says about New Zealand
RNZ: IPCC report: What it means for New Zealand’s climate response
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Climate change: What the new IPCC report says is in store for New Zealand
James Renwick (The Conversation): The global water cycle has become more intense, and that makes New Zealand’s wet regions wetter, and dry ones drier
Pep Canadell, Joelle Gergis, Malte Meinshausen, Mark Hemer, Michael Grose (The Conversation): This is the most sobering report card yet on climate change and Earth’s future. Here’s what you need to know
Dominic Godfrey (RNZ): There’s no time left for empty promises says Pacific climate activist
Kate Lyons (Guardian): IPCC report shows ‘possible loss of entire countries within the century’
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Time for government to take climate change seriously – Wellington City councillor Tamatha Paul
RNZ: Indigenous knowledge key to addressing climate change – rangatahi activist
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): No quick fix for Waikato River as second report card shows ‘deteriorating’ trend
Covid-19 – Border restrictions, Public Health Advisory Group Report
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Elimination possible after borders open, Govt told
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Why border re-opening in 2022 even now looks like a stretch
Luke Malpass and Henry Cook (Stuff): Government advisory group says borders can open in 2022 without forgoing elimination strategy
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Covid-19: Elimination strategy still key as hospitals could be overwhelmed once border opens
Derek Cheng (Herald): Fully vaccinated Kiwis coming home first cab off the rank for shorter MIQ stays
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Sir David Skegg report recommends ‘phased reopening’, says Govt shouldn’t loosen border restrictions until 2022
Nick Perry (Herald): Experts say New Zealand should keep virus elimination plan
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Rapid Covid-19 tests, vaccine passports, mobile phone tracking: How a post-vaccine border might work
1 News: Reopening of NZ borders depends on vaccine rollout
Brook Sabin (Stuff): Here are the first Kiwis who could travel overseas in 2022
Eva Corlett (Guardian): New Zealand should take phased approach to border reopening, experts advise
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Vaccine rollout key to reducing MIQ for New Zealanders – expert group
Richard Harman (Politik): How to open the borders (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Vaccination programme needs to be fully rolled out before borders can be slowly re-opened, health experts advise Government
Pattrick Smellie (Spinoff): The Pandora’s box challenge of reopening New Zealand to the world
Covid-19 – Vaccination rollout, Port of Tauranga scare
Liu Chen (RNZ): Health Minister calls for ‘clear picture’ on what went wrong at Port of Tauranga
1 News: Union: Tauranga Port staff ‘frustrated’ over Covid contact
RNZ: Three new cases in managed isolation, risk to Tauranga community remains low – Ministry
Michael Daly and Scott Yeoman (Stuff): Nearly all Tauranga port workers test negative, wastewater testing under way, ‘victim blaming and abuse not helpful’
Andrea Fox (Herald): Port of Tauranga questions Covid ship risk assessment quality (paywalled)
Derek Cheng (Herald): Tauranga ship pilot’s infection linked to Queensland taxi driver
RNZ: Napier Port blocks Rio de la Plata entry until Covid-19 results all negative
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Alice Angeloni (RNZ): Large majority of Gisborne private-sector port workers unvaccinated
Samantha Gee (RNZ): No mass Covid-19 vaccination events planned for South Island, Ministry of Health says
Tumamao Harawira (Māori TV): Push to improve Covid-19 vax rates for Māori
Leah Tebbutt (Herald): Port vaccination levels a ‘real weakness’ for expert Michael Baker (paywalled)
Covid-19 – MIQ
Chris Keall (Herald): $1000 down the drain? Crackdown catches 119 MIQ booking rule-breakers (paywalled)
Karen Rutherford (Newshub): Chief Ombudsman to investigate MIQ booking system after complaints from stranded Kiwis who can’t get home
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): NZ to allow 30 stranded Aussies through MIQ a month
Covid-19
1 News: Eradicating Covid-19 globally is ‘feasible’, NZ analysis says
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Does Judith Collins have a point about Ashley Bloomfield?
Richard Prebble (Herald): Chris Hipkins is failing in both his portfolios (paywalled)
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): Hard data showing crime link to Covid-19 needed before CCTV network can be upgraded
Herald: Dangerous TikTok NZ lockdown prediction falls short
National Party
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Political Roundup – Divisions threaten to sink National
1 News: Judith Collins defends AGM speech in fiery exchange with John Campbell
Stuff: Judith Collins on opening borders, electricity woes and the National Party conference
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Collins tests the faith of National’s broad church
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Judith Collins ‘disappointed’ in Sir David Carter’s comments after National presidency contest
Wendy Geus (BFD): Carter, Key and Bishop Show They Are Not ‘All in’ with National
Conversion therapy
1 News: National attempting to cover up caucus division over conversion therapy
Derek Cheng (Herald):‘I will not support parents being criminalised for being parents’ – Judith Collins on conversion therapy bill
Derek Cheng (Herald): Any merit to National’s concerns, or are they scare-mongering? (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Big Gay Out organisers consider disinviting Judith Collins and National MPs after conversion therapy vote
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Judith Collins hits back at Big Gay Out organisers after revelations National might be disinvited due to conversion therapy vote
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Groan – Jacinda admits parents will be prosecuted in another Gay Conversion fiasco
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Labour’s Attorney-General safety lock on Gay Conversions isn’t very safe
Housing
Stuff: Salvation Army report reveals housing crisis impacts on small town New Zealand
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Investors blamed for worsening housing affordability in small-town NZ
Jenée Tibshraeny (QV): ANZ economists estimate it would take 37 years and low house price growth for the house price to income multiple to return to 2019 levels
Jade Kake (Stuff): Is the housing crisis a human rights issue?
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Here’s evidence the housing market is slowing
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Price growth slows for third month, but new QV figures reveal massive annual jumps
RNZ: House price growth eases across all major regions
Greg Ninness (Interest): Quotable Value says housing market likely to cool further as higher interest rates kick in
Anne Gibson (Herald): House value growth slows 2.3%, market ‘clearly cooling’: new QV House Price Index
Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): One in three houses now sell for $1m or more
Matt Burgess (Herald): RMA reform – let’s not forget what the real issue is (paywalled)
Tom Hunt (Stuff): A dearth of dwangs: Four-by-twos run dry, cost of building supplies soar
Media
Gavin Ellis (Knightly Views): MediaWorks review a wakeup call for whole industry
Fiona Hurd and Suzette Dyer (The Conversation): MediaWorks and NZ’s problem with toxic work cultures – why HR can’t fix everything
Newshub: Undercover Critic Te Arohi journalist gives insight into how they joined neo-Nazi group Action Zealandia
Transport
Todd Niall (Stuff): The rail plan Auckland Transport spent two years trying to keep secret
Vaughan Gunson (Herald): Labour Government’s infrastructure focus could be misdirected
1 News: Lower petrol prices could be on the way with new rules
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Free Christchurch bus fares examined in new review (paywalled)
Kaitlin Ruddock (1 News): Woman shocked at higher car insurance premium when husband removed from policy
Georgina Campbell (Herald): KiwiRail backs down in stoush over quake status of Wellington train station
Primary industries
RNZ: Southland farmer raises concerns about Australia luring immigrant workers across Tasman
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): How food prices affect what, and how much, farmers produce
Bonnie Flaw (Stuff): Confidence in the market holds but trust in Government low, farmers say
Herald: Federated Farmers slams unofficial online ‘storm chasers’ hyping up weather (paywalled)
Labour market, industrial relations, migrant workers
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): How to fix NZ’s skilled worker problem (paywalled)
Christine Rovoi (RNZ): New RSE season will be tough amid pandemic – researcher
Danielle Clent (Stuff): Family of autistic girl denied visa facing ‘dehumanising’ experience – Green MP
Matt Burrows (Guardian): ‘Brain drain’ reversing for first time in 20 years, but NZ needs to do more to entice Kiwis back from overseas – report
Brooke van Velden (Herald): NZ businesses struggle as Government leaves migrant workers in limbo
Health
David Lawrence (Stuff): Government blind to importance of nurses
James McGoram (Herald): Please stop calling medicine funding a Trolley Problem (paywalled)
RNZ: New rules aimed at stopping youth from vaping come into effect
Janet Hoek, Nick Wilson, Richard Edwards, Andrew Waa (Public Health Expert): New e-liquid flavour restrictions: Potential impacts on young people and people who smoke
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Five Defence bases fail safe water standards
Local government
RNZ: Council rejects iwi call for Māori-only say on wards
Jane Matthew (Stuff): Stratford councillors vote to keep seats status quo, with additional Māori ward
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): West Coast farmers say plans to sacrifice their land bad idea
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Maintenance firm Citycare has effort to drop charges over water contamination rejected
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporter): Invercargill Mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt claims to be target of ‘vote of no confidence’
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporter): Invercargill City Council confirm ‘hoarder’ Sir Tim Shadbolt uses its buildings for personal storage
Herald: Increased seating at planned Canterbury Multi-Use Arena will cost $50 million, report says
Charlie Gates (Stuff): New $3m Christchurch footbridge already rusty – before it has even opened
Tim Newman (Stuff): New ward voting system proposed for Nelson
Stephen Forbes (Stuff): Businesses struggle with South Auckland’s homeless
Grant Miller (ODT): Council representation supported as is
Business, Economy, immigration
Karen Coltman (Stuff): Benefit rise may be behind spending boost, economists say
1 News: Kiwis spend big on food and clothes in July
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Helped by strong housing lending, New Zealand’s banks appear set to top $6 billion in annual profit this year for the first time
David Chaston (Interest): A grim outlook for savers
Education and training, Mātauranga Māori science curriculum debate
Dr Liz Gordon (Daily Blog): On science
Dawn Freshwater (Herald): My response to the mātauranga Māori and science debate (paywalled)
Alyssa Johnstone (Stuff): Decolonising education while remaining colonisers
1 News: Sky-high enrolments hoped to end teacher shortage
RNZ: North Waikato school changes name to better represent area’s history
Dubby Henry (Herald): Macleans College expulsion: School says it’s had strong support from public after being ordered to apologise to expelled student
Justice, corrections, crime
Teuila Fuatai (Herald): Debate over arming police misses the problem (paywalled)
Tamati Tiananga (Māori TV): Dr Rawiri Waretini-Karena gets off ‘pipeline to prisons’
Daisy Hudson (ODT): Big drop in teens held in cells
Māori TV: Gangs offering prospects up to $20,000 to join
Other
Katharine Cresswell Riol (Newsroom): Why our bill of rights is due for a change
RNZ: The Detail: Arming the police – is it a step NZ wants to take?
Matt Burrows (Newshub): IPCA condemns Auckland police officers who dragged youth out of car through smashed window
Ryan Boswell (1 News): Gloriavale Christian School the focus of new police inquiry
Ryan Boswell (1 News): Claims Gloriavale members forced to sign documents waiving legal advice
1 News: Kids asked about changing country’s name to Aotearoa
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Government advisers go from ‘pain to true partnership’ in helping NZ become more inclusive
Patrick Gower (Newshub): Why I made a documentary on hate and March 15
RNZ: New Zealand needs to be more welcoming of returning citizens – researcher
1 News: More work needed to keep returning Kiwis home post-Covid
Mike Mather (Stuff): Waikato tourism sector rebounds — but Waitomo still a financial black hole
1 News: Hurricanes co-owner stands by saying Sir Ian Taylor sucks up to ‘left Māori-loving agenda’
Louisa Cleave and Paula Penfold (Stuff): Kiwi tech firm exits problematic China partnership
Joe Bennett (Stuff): Don’t pander to those who put themselves in prison
Phil Smith (RNZ): The House: All the debates: The week in Parliament
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Judith Collins tears up during Parliamentary speech on ‘cruel’, ‘vile’ Dawn Raids
