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
Election
Tracy Watkins (Stuff): Even the politicians look tired as the campaign kicks off – again
Audrey Young (Herald): How parties are relighting the campaign spark (paywalled)
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Taxing decisions on debt for the big parties
NZIER: Why are Labour and National policies basically the same?
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Political scientist thinks coronavirus could cause lowest-ever voter turnout
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Prime Minister predicts ‘unique’ election due to Covid-19
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern responds to fears politicians could become COVID-19 ‘super-spreaders’ during campaign
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern heads to hometown of Morrinsville on first stop of campaign 2.0
1News: Party leaders out and about during first weekend of campaigning
Samesh Mohanlall (Timaru Herald): Winston Peters skips South Canterbury but party promises to return
Newstalk ZB: How are the coalition partners faring as the election campaign begins?
Isaac Davison (Herald): Five Auckland electorates worth watching (paywalled)
Kathy Errington (Stuff): A Facebook election fought on feelings, not facts
Alison Mau (Stuff): Twitter toxicity and the 2020 election
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): 40 Days until the NZ Election – where are we and what happens next?
1News: How the role of a politician’s spouse has morphed to become an integral part of a campaign
Tom O’Connor (Waikato Times): Families best left at the political door
Anna Whyte (1News): MMP explained: How your vote actually counts
Geoff Simmons (BusinessDesk): Five things missing from the major parties this election (paywalled)
Labour Party
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Electoral Commission looks into MP Ginny Andersen’s office subletting deal
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern defends rent deal which sees Labour pocket thousands of taxpayer dollars a year
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): What does NZ look like in five years? An interview with Jacinda Ardern
Sommer Kapitan (The Conversation): The Facebook prime minister: how Jacinda Ardern became New Zealand’s most successful political influencer
Zane Small (Newshub): State Services Commissioner on how Ashley Bloomfield’s Labour cameo ‘could create confusion’
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Peeni Henare wants to be the next Minister of Health – here’s what he’d do
Dale Husband (E-Tangata): Arena Williams: Making changes from the inside
Steve Braunias (Herald): Ping-pong politics – Kia kaha cousin Kelvin
Greens
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Political Roundup – Has James Shaw sunk the Greens?
Claire Robinson (Guardian): James Shaw’s mea culpa on Green School funding exposed his lack of political nous
Robin Martin (RNZ): Green School’s planned ‘eco-village’ development news to James Shaw
Jane Matthews (Stuff): The tale of the Taranaki deputy principal who invoiced the Govt $26.9m for her students’ fair treatment
Deena Coster (Taranaki Daily News): From congratulations to ridicule – Green School picking up the pieces after 10 days as a political football
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Greens ‘need to come up with something positive’ after Green School debacle – former MP
1News: Q+A: ‘A project design issue, not a James Shaw issue’ – political commentator weighs in on Green School saga
Jim Tucker (Taranaki Daily News): Taranaki Green School row reveals the shoddy state of New Zealand’s ‘richest’ region
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Green Party picks up the pieces after a damaging week sparked by the Green School ‘mess’
Richard Pamatatau (E-Tangata): Teanau Tuiono: I knew I had to do more
National Party
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Shane Reti, the man who wants to be health minister
Dale Husband (E-Tangata): Shane Reti: National’s rising star
Shelley Pilkington (Spinoff): Last on the list: My grandad told me National was home, and he was right
Euthanasia and cannabis referendums
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Kiwis of faith split on End of Life Choice Act
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Euthanasia referendum: 124 Australians access assisted dying in first year
Frans Dellebeke (Nelson Mail): Why hospice objects to proposed end of life law
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Let’s get facts straight on the cannabis referendum
Live exports, missing ship
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Live export of animals should end says former ship veterinarian
Riley Kennedy (RNZ): Political parties weigh in on live exports after Gulf Livestock 1 tragedy
Tim Dower (Newstalk ZB): We’ve put the issue of live exports on hold for too long
1News: Timing of ill-fated live export voyage questioned by Seafarer’s Union, Veterinary Association
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): Missing cattle export ship a sitting duck in typhoon after engine failed, Maritime Union national secretary says
Deena Coster (Taranaki Daily News): Port Taranaki tight-lipped over temporary live export suspension
Dita De Boni (NBR): Banning live exports a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction, says Manawatu farmer (paywalled)
RNZ: Gulf Livestock 1: Mother of man missing after cattle ship capsized wants answers from government
UNICEF on wellbeing of NZ children
Florence Kerr (Stuff): Unicef report is accurate and rigorously checked, co-author says
Newstalk ZB: Children’s Commissioner not surprised by damning child wellbeing report
Jehan Casinader (BusinessDesk): Why are Kiwi kids still getting a raw deal? (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Calls for tougher regulation to fight obesity
NZ’s Covid-19 response
1News: Winston Peters defends not airing public criticism of Govt’s Covid-19 response earlier in fiery Q+A exchange
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Winston Peters missed his chance to be more than a handbrake (paywalled)
Newstalk ZB: ‘Five months too late’: Winston Peters criticises Govt’s Covid response
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Jamie Morton (Herald): Coronavirus Covid-19: The five burning questions facing NZ (paywalled)
Andrew MacFarlane (1News): Vote Compass: Who would do the best job at managing the Covid-19 pandemic?
Andrew MacFarlane (1News): Vote Compass: Exclusive numbers reveal strong support for level extension
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Emma Cropper (Newshub): Concerns new border testing exemptions leave holes in system
Herald: Border workers to be tested regularly or face $1000 fine
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government orders regular Covid-19 tests for border workers, with fines for refusal
RNZ: Tougher rules for testing of border workers on the way
1News: Govt updates Covid-19 border testing rules, infringement fees for those who breach them
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Scott Palmer (Newshub): Dr Shane Reti’s five steps to protect New Zealand from COVID-19
RNZ: National calls for compulsory tests on day three of managed isolation
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RNZ: Alert levels need to reflect emerging science – public health expert Nick Wilson
1News: ‘Runs of zero new cases’ needed before Auckland moves out of Level 2.5 – health expert
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): 12 more days of COVID-19 restrictions but expert wants alert level 2 stretched further
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): South Island level 1 bubble deemed too risky due to island-hopping Aucklanders
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Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Herd immunity approach would lead to ‘thousands of avoidable deaths’
Melissa Chan-Green (Newshub): Māori 50 percent more likely to die from COVID-19 than non-Māori – study
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Melina Etches (Cook Islands News): Dr Joseph Williams – a man of mana and humility
Collin Tukuitonga (Spinoff): Farewell, Papa Joe – beacon of calm and wise leadership
Caitlin Ellis (Newshub): Tributes flow for former Cook Islands PM Dr Joe Williams, killed by COVID-19
Caroline Williams Kendall Hutt and Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Covid claims life of former Cook Islands PM Joe Williams, hours after death of his brother
RNZ: Williams’ death stark reminder to vulnerable communities – GP
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Americold worker and father Alan Te Hiko passes away after battle with COVID-19
Herald: Friends pay tribute to Americold worker Alan Te Hiko
Jamie Morton and Chris Knox (Herald): Māori, Pasifika inequities ‘major’ factor in Auckland cluster’s doubled hospital rates
Newshub: Expert urges Kiwis to follow rules to avoid more COVID-19 deaths
Jackson Thomas (Stuff): Calls for more community testing fall on deaf ears following two Covid-19 deaths
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1News: Q+A: ‘Not lockdowns’ – Controversial epidemiologist calls for end to ‘irrational’ Covid-19 elimination strategy
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Scientist hits back after being quoted ‘out of context’ by anti-lockdown group
Ananish Chaudhuri (Herald): Govt pivoting away from Covid 19 coronavirus elimination a good thing (paywalled)
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Hundreds turn out for anti-lockdown protests
Caitlin Ellis (Newshub): Anti-lockdown protestors take to Aotea Square again
Crystal Wu (Newshub): Jami-Lee Ross lashes out at the Government for locking down the country
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RNZ: New Zealand ranked second safest Covid-19 country by Forbes
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): New Zealand ranked second-safest country in world for COVID-19 – report
Herald: New Zealand ranked second-safest country, after Germany
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Jagadish Thaker (The Conversation): Survey shows one in four New Zealanders remain hesitant about a coronavirus vaccine
Matt Burrows (Newshub): NZ Government won’t make COVID-19 vaccine mandatory, but may ‘exclude’ Kiwis who don’t get jab – expert
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RNZ: Australia PM Scott Morrison hints at Tasman travel bubble measures
Stuff: Australian PM open to New Zealanders visiting parts of Australia
Parliament, week in politics
Andrea Vance (Stuff): She’s not a doll, so don’t call the prime minister Cindy
Tim Watkin (RNZ): Caucus: The Naughty Prefect & The ‘Single Source Of Truth’
Peter Wilson (RNZ): Week in Politics: Shaw still feeling heat as funding issue bubbles on
Brent Edwards (NBR): Fact or Fiction: Green controversy, National’s fiscal policy and politics as usual (paywalled)
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Parliament dissolves, setting stage for election campaign
RNZ: Weather disrupts final act at Parliament
Phil Smith (RNZ): The Ultimate General: Parliament’s last debate
Steve Braunias (Herald): The secret diary of … apologies (paywalled)
Housing
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Housing inequality is going to get a lot worse and the Government doesn’t want to talk about why
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): A very different housing crisis
Blair Ensor and Tony Wall (Stuff): ‘Ghost village’: Government-funded community housing project in limbo as money dispute rage
Max Rashbrooke (Guardian): Want to build high-rise homes for 74,000 more people in Wellington? Build consensus first
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Battle brewing over Wellington’s ‘heritage hellholes’
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington City Council considers selling 20 social housing properties
Jack Tame (Newstalk ZB): Choosing people over heritage
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Residents, developers and city leaders grappling with high density housing in Hamilton, one of NZ’s least affordable cities
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): NZ’s massive leaky building scandal isn’t going anywhere, so here’s how to solve it
Penny Molnar (Nelson Mail): Radical shift in housing market needed towards environmentally friendly homes that build communities
Skara Bohny (Nelson Mail): Close to Home: SHA system no ‘silver bullet’ for housing market
Amy Ridout (Stuff): How older people are finding new ways to carve out communities
Ben Leahy (Herald): Landlords ‘should wait on election result’ before installing heating: lobby
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Tenants brace for economic pain as ban on rent hikes comes to an end
Eric Crampton (Stuff): Here’s what would really control New Zealand rents
Katy Jones (Stuff): Slim pickings for homes under $500k spark calls for hike in First Home Grant caps
Jennifer Eder (Stuff): Good credit, good references and still one of 200 waiting for social housing
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff): ‘Bow wave’ of mortgage pain ahead, credit agency says
Economy
Damien Grant (Stuff): The money-printing programme helping the rich get richer
Bernard Hickey (Newsroom): Printed money being parked, not invested or spent
Adrian Orr (Stuff): Banks must be ‘courageous’ and continue lending to customers in the tough times
1New: Government rejected pandemic insurance plan in favour of wage subsidy
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Govt money is being too freely thrown around (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): Nation of Debt – When borrowing less is the biggest debt worry (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): Economy still outperforming expectations – ASB
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Both major parties make pitches as responsible economic managers
Education
Virginia Fallon (Stuff): ‘Would the PM send Neve here?’:The sodden horror of a decile 1 school
Hannah Kronast and Emma Stanford (Newshub): Early Childhood Council calls on Government for more support as attendance dwindles
RNZ: National would go ahead with new school in Richmond
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern and Ashley Bloomfield back Otago University’s scheme for Māori medics
Anna Whyte (1News): Latest Covid-19 outbreak reinforces importance of Māori, Pacific health professionals – Bloomfield
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Otago Medical School admission cap debate: ‘It has come a bit out of the blue’
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Independent review to investigate claims of racism at University of Waikato
Sharnae Hope (Stuff): Waikato University conducts independent review after racism allegations
E-Tangata: Putting the brakes on equity
Jamie Morton (Herald: Massey scientists ‘shocked and upset’ over new PR policies
Canterbury DHB
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): Has the Health Ministry changed its leadership culture stripes?
RNZ: Consultant says pressure from Ministry of Health behind Canterbuy DHB’s woes
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Sir Mark Solomon says he was told to ‘get rid of David Meates’
Conan Young (RNZ): Tā Mark Solomon accuses ministry of bias against Canterbury District Health Board
Press Editorial: A healthy relationship that turned toxic
Health
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Bowel cancer screening age won’t be dropped for Māori and Pacific NZers, despite expert advice
RNZ: Māori cancer survival disparity remains unchanged – research
Māori TV: Research shows a quarter of all Māori deaths are due to cancer
Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo and Meng Foon (RNZ): What Pacific health equity must look like
Grant Brookes (Daily Blog): What’s behind the turmoil in the Nurses Organisation?
1News: Flu hospitalisation numbers drop dramatically in line with lockdown measures this year
Cameras on commercial fishing boats
Eric Frykberg (RNZ): New Zealand First cautious about plan to install hundreds more cameras on fishing boats
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Govt will put forward $60m for cameras on commercial fishing boats
1News: Government to pay up to $60 million to install cameras on commercial fishing boats
RNZ: Plan to install hundreds more cameras on fishing boats welcomed
No Right Turn: More bullshit half-measures
Local government
Rob Mitchell (Stuff): The battle for a slice of Hutt paradise
Rob Mitchell (Stuff): Controversy over politician’s house purchase
David Farrar: The Mayor’s house purchase
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Councils push central government for four-year terms
ODT Editorial: Four-year term worth debating
Tess Brunton (RNZ): Invercargill city councillors spend day in crisis talks after Department of Internal Affairs’ concerns raised
Logan Savory (Southland Times): Potential Invercargill City Councillor-chief executive conflict raised
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Cost of huge CCTV combined network sees Auckland Council pull out
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Christchurch CBD quake-prone office block: No action in nine months
RNZ: Last day for submissions on Wellington library
Anne Goulding (Stuff): Library needs to foster connection and collaboration
Environment
Charlie Mitchell (Stuff): Only eight of 46 central Government agencies have complete, up-to-date data on their carbon emissions
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): From recycling to ditching the car: what will really save the planet
Eloise Gibson (Stuff): ‘Making homes affordable is taking climate action’ — Greens co-leader Marama Davidson
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): How to cut your carbon, according to some of the country’s ‘biggest losers’
RNZ: Almost 12,000 hectares of land in Mackenzie Basin given special protection
Unemployment
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): 1700 more apply for benefits: ‘Rising number of households are doing it tough
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Covid has put the equivalent of New Plymouth’s population onto a benefit
Andy Fyers (BusinessDesk): Demand for unemployment support rising again (paywalled)
Media
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: Cracks in the team of 5 million?
Robyn Paterson (Newsroom): The watchdog role of our journalists
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: Unproven Covid ‘cure’ gets big dose of coverage
Justice, corrections
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Pepper spray use rises in prisons around the country, Corrections figures show
RNZ: Pepper spray used against inmates nearly 900 times last year
Edward Gay (Stuff): More powers for Law Society to probe potential miscarriages of justice ruled out
Guyon Espiner (RNZ): ‘Punitive culture’ at New Zealand’s largest women’s prison, internal Corrections review says
Graeme Edgeler: Compensation for pre-acquittal remand; or, The Blog Post Ten Years in the Making
Alison Mau (Stuff): Final act of Labour youth camp case could be a gamechanger
Employment, migrant workers
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Minister orders WorkSafe to seek prosecution advice in future death, injury cases
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): Ravi Arora presses on with bottle store plan, despite exploitation complaints and local objection
Jasmin Bull (Newshub): Social media users outraged at Domino’s for ‘bringing tipping culture’ to New Zealand
Polly Gillespie (Stuff): Is joblessness becoming the new normal?
Immigration
Andrew Macfarlane (1News): Vote Compass: Majority of Kiwis don’t want to let international students return
Dileepa Fonseka (Newsroom): The Immigration breakthrough that wasn’t
Jo Moir (RNZ): Covid-19 visa extensions allow visitors, migrants more time
RNZ: Horticultural industry pushes for extended visas for workers
1News: Farmers call for exemption for foreign workers ahead of peak shearing season
Transport
Amelia Wade (Herald): Air NZ hike fares over lockdown: Kiwis complain of price gouging
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Jetstar extends suspension of New Zealand services
Todd Niall (Stuff): Who exactly will be calling the shots on Auckland’s light rail system?
Foreign affairs
Richard Harman (Politik): Simon Bridges: diplomat
Lincoln Tan (Herald): South Korean diplomat asked to compensate alleged NZ victim: report
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): The International Issues that won’t get debated in election 2020
Other
ODT Editorial: Police secrecy questioned
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Ouvea premix mediation to begin in Environment Court
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Christchurch mosque attacks: NZ spy chiefs called in for high-level meeting days after shootings
Henry Oliver (Spinoff): The memeing of life: An interview with digital campaign whizzes Sean Topham and Ben Guerin
RNZ: Hundreds of yachties seek refuge from cyclones in NZ
Mark Quinlivan and Perry Wilton (Newshub): Urgent plea for New Zealand to shelter yachties trapped in Pacific as cyclone season looms
Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo (RNZ): What we can do to end sexual violence
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): Five ways tourism in New Zealand could become more sustainable
Khylee Quince (Stuff): Māori are invited to the dance – but told to leave their culture at the door
George Block (Stuff): Effort to give relatives of Māori Battalion vets the medals they never received
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Māori Battalion war medals to be claimed after 75 years
Baz Macdonald: A visual history of Wellington’s anarchist house
Dana Johannsen (Stuff): HPSNZ facing revolt within its ranks with claims senior leadership ignored athlete welfare concern
Tracy Neal (RNZ): Golden Bay’s Port Tarakohe granted $20m for aquaculture hub re-development
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Experts confident DDoS attacks will ‘fizzle out’ and attackers will be left out-of-pocket
Laura O’Connell Rapira (Spinoff): Five ways the next government can be an honourable Treaty partner
Peter Griffin (Stuff): Pandemic recovery means big money for shovel-ready projects, but what about science?
