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
Managed isolation charges, escapees, border
Audrey Young (Herald): Govt misstep on user-charges for coronavirus Covid-19 isolation (paywalled)
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Covid quarantine fees about emotion not economics
ODT Editorial: Payment regime welcomed
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Quarantine charging is nothing more than tokenism
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Govt’s puerile isolation hotel charging system
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Labour’s pandering quarantine charges
No Right Turn: Kindness wins after all
Zane Small (Newshub): Winston Peters accuses Labour, Greens of ‘naked political self-interest’ over COVID-19 quarantine charging plan
1News: Winston Peters slams ‘dreadful public policy’ that sees only some returning Kiwis paying for managed isolation
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National and NZ First promise to charge more returning Kiwis after election
RNZ: Parties divided over managed isolation fee legislation
Amelia Wade (Herald): ‘Total failure’: Government defends charging some returnees for quarantine
Newstalk ZB: Megan Woods: ‘A good balance’ in quarantine charges regime
RNZ: Explainer: Who pays, who’s exempt from managed isolation fees
1News: Will I have to pay for a stay in NZ’s managed isolation system? All you need to know
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Everything you need to know about New Zealand’s new managed isolation fees
Henry Cooke and Luke Malpass (Stuff): Quarantine fee of $3100 to hit temporary visitors or those leaving country after new rules come into effect
Michael Daly (Stuff): Who will have to pay the proposed managed isolation charges? Not many
Anna Whyte (1News): Government seeks to charge $3100 isolation fee for holidayers, temporary stayers
Zane Small (Newshub): Government to charge for COVID-19 managed isolation in some cases: Here’s what’s been proposed
Charlotte Graham-McLay (Guardian): New Zealand to start charging some travellers for coronavirus quarantine
Andre Chumko (Stuff): Kiwis abroad anxious, confused at plans to charge certain returnees
Katarina Williams (Stuff): Trans-Tasman hearts breaking in wake of border closure
RNZ: Isolation fee decision looms: Recovering Kiwi expat facing return home calls for compassion
Herald: Hamilton family accused of escaping Hamilton quarantine hotel supported by NZ Public Party co-leader
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Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Thousands, including hundreds of Kiwis, still flying out of NZ every week
RNZ: UK grants last-minute visa extension for stranded foreigners
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Judith Collins would allow Cook Islands’ travel bubble this week if Prime Minister
RNZ: Air New Zealand puts hold on bookings for Australia flights until 28 August
National Party
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Small, easy grants to help people start businesses a useful part of the Covid ‘rebuild’ plan
Jane Patterson (Herald): National’s BusinessStart policy: Critics target mixed messaging, risks
Jacob McSweeny (ODT): Risks to using KiwiSaver money: adviser
1News: Ardern says National’s proposed KiwiSaver withdrawals for business start-ups would ‘undermine retirement savings’
John Anthony and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): National forecasts funding start-ups with KiwiSaver draw-downs and tax credits would cost $97m
Audrey Young (Herald): National’s plan for Kiwis to start their own businesses
Thomas Manch (Stuff): National promises the unemployed access to KiwiSaver funds to start businesses
1News: ‘It’s your money’ – National pitches policy allowing Kiwi entrepreneurs to withdraw KiwiSaver funds
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Judith Collins reveals ‘fabulous’ business she’d create with $20,000 BusinessStart policy
Zane Small (Newshub): Lost your job, keen to start a business? National’s BusinessStart policy enables $20k KiwiSaver withdrawals
Laura Walters (Newsroom): National’s plan to foster new business post-Covid
Paul McBeth (BusinessDesk): National eyes KiwiSaver to fund new businesses (paywalled)
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Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research Poll: Kiwis want clean election campaign – but Judith Collins has officially declared it ‘dirty’
1News: Judith Collins touts strong interest in soon-to-be vacated seats amid recent controversies
Nicholas Holm (Stuff): Judith Collins’ comedic turn shows the risk of humour to politicians
Claire Trevett (Herald): The rise and fall of Judith Collins’ eyebrow (paywalled)
Newshub: Eyebrow raising: Judith Collins’ masterclass on how to use your eyebrow to show you are joking
RNZ: Judith Collins on polling criticism and prison escapees ‘joke’
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): NZ Jewish Council ‘not at all’ offended by National’s William Wood Hitler ‘impersonation’
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Labour MP Chris Hipkins emerges as William Wood’s surprise ally after Hitler photo resurfaces
1News: ‘I’ve got your back’ – National leader Judith Collins defends teen candidate over Hitler impersonation
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): National candidate subject of ‘nasty, dirty’ bullying after apparent Hitler imitation emerges – Judith Collins
Herald: National candidate’s ‘Hitler’ photo – Judith Collins blasts bullies
Zane Small (Newshub): Judith Collins defends National MP Hamish Walker, candidate William Wood from ‘bullying’
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Claire Trevett (Herald): National MP Todd Muller ‘slowly rebuilding’ and ‘humbled’ by support
Stuff: Former National Party leader Todd Muller’s health improving, says Judith Collins
Zane Small (Newshub): Judith Collins gives update on Todd Muller’s condition after dramatic exit as National leader
Waka jumping law,
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Dead rat spit back up: Green Party vote to repeal waka jumping law with National, infuriating Winston Peters
Jo Moir (RNZ): James Shaw and Winston Peters go head to head over waka-jumping
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Winston Peters attacks ‘unstable, untrustworthy’ Greens for supporting waka-jumping repeal
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Greens roar and sink NZ First Waka jumping
Parliament, Paula Bennett & Sarah Dowie valedictories
RNZ: MPs absent from Parliament still receiving pay
Breanna Barraclough (1News): Love hearts and frowny faces: Stats reveal how New Zealand’s politicians are faring on Facebook
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Paula Bennett bows out of Parliament ‘half the size but twice the woman’
1News: Watch: Paula Bennett signs off from Parliament with heartfelt and humorous speech
Herald: Paula Bennett’s parliamentary farewell: ‘I went hard and full on’
Newstalk ZB: National MP Paula Bennett bids farewell to Parliament after 15 years
Blair Jackson (Stuff): Invercargill MP Sarah Dowie would ‘walk across hot coals’ to get out of politics
Anna Whyte (1News): Sarah Dowie comes out swinging in valedictory speech, calls for better treatment of women in NZ
Election, polls
Claire Trevett (Herald): Leaders Unplugged – High tea with National Party leader Judith Collins (paywalled)
Simon Wilson (Herald): Auckland election diary: Chloe Swarbrick’s bid for Auckland Central (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Newshub refutes claim highlighted by Judith Collins about ‘push polling’
RNZ: The Detail: Polls, rogue polls and statistics
Deena Coster (Stuff): National MP not relying on past popularity to win
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Minor parties facing oblivion at election
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Election 2020: When is it and what are you voting for?
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Euthanasia referendum: How assisted dying laws work around the world
Richard Prebble (NBR): Weed, death, and referendums
Resource Management Act
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Biggest RMA shake-up in a generation: how Labour’s planning laws will work
Stuff Editorial: The end of the Resource Management Act is nigh
Amelia Wade (Herald): ‘Stand up for real things like a real Māori’: Winston Peters takes aim at RMA reform
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): Resource Management Act review urges more power for iwi
Caroline Miller (Stuff): RMA reform addresses environmental needs of our urbanised society
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): RMA Reform Proposals: What You Need to Know
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Rip up the RMA and start again, says major working group review
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Panel suggests RMA be scrapped and replaced by two new pieces of legislation, which both address planning and environmental issues
1News: Panel suggests repeal and replace of Resource Management Act
Richard Harman (Politik): The new RMA: fewer plans and consents, more Government direction and Maori involvement
Brent Edwards (NBR): Major parties promise timely RMA change (paywalled)
No Right Turn: A once-in-a-generation change
Lockdown legality case, NZ’s Covid response
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Lockdown legality case: Decision reserved on final day
Stuff: Risk of unintended consequences if lockdown ruled unlawful, court told
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Argument against Bloomfield’s decision not ‘sensible’ or ‘logical’, court hears
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Bridie Witton (Stuff): DHBs don’t know if staff moonlighting in managed isolation and returning to hospital wards
Ian Powell (Second Opinion)l: The political marginalisation of Ashley Bloomfield
Ben Strang (RNZ): Government may provide indemnity to NZ supplier of Covid-19 vaccine
George Heagney (Manawatū Standard): Lessons learnt from past pandemics can apply to Covid-19
RNZ: Mass masking ‘key’ to planning for new Covid-19 outbreak
Foreign affairs
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Arguing About China
Paul Clark (Herald): Time for a reality check on Chinese interference (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Chinese state media labels New Zealand as ‘chess piece’ playing ‘little trick’ with extradition treaty move
1News: NZ won’t be intimidated by China’s ‘megaphone diplomacy’ over Hong Kong – Winston Peters
RNZ: Winston Peters says New Zealand has ‘limited steps’ it can take against Hong Kong security law
Newstalk ZB: New Zealand ‘will not compromise’ on suspending extradition treaty with Hong Kong unless new security law revoked, says Winston Peters
Newstalk ZB: Winston Peters on potential retaliation from China after NZ suspends extradition treaty
Newstalk ZB: What NZ Govt’s delayed Hong Kong move means
Bronson Perich (Māori TV): Jami-Lee Ross wants to end the Chinafication of politics
Health
Oliver Lewis (Press): Health Minister announces when New Zealand’s ‘largest hospital building’ will open to patients
RNZ: How Auckland Hospital’s $262m infrastructure upgrade will be spent
Aaron van Delden (RNZ): DHB stands by decision to axe school doctors
Breanna Barraclough (1News): All medicines containing codeine to be prescription-only from November 5
Isobel Prasad (Te Karere): New framework to address inequity for Māori in hospice care
Stephanie Ockhuysen (Stuff): Nurse gets struck off for racist comments in first hearing of its kind – then walks out during karakia
Hugh Collins and Tracey Roxburgh (ODT): Mental health capacity concern for Queenstown mayor
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): New Grey Hospital opens doors to public
Shane Te Pou (Newsroom): A pragmatic approach to nicotine addiction
Welfare
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Government promises to end ‘subsequent child policy’ for mothers on the benefit
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Government to remove subsequent child policy from New Zealand legislation
Education
Damian George and Mandy Te (Stuff): Heritage debate ensues over Victoria University’s plan to demolish Gordon Wilson Flats
Torika Tokalau (Stuff): Hundreds more families homeschooling after lockdown
RNZ: As Māori students faced education inequality during lockdown, iwi stepped up – report
Emma Perry (ODT): Student death: call for change
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Parents of student killed at Dunedin party speak about their push for change
Housing
David Hargreaves (Interest): The first home buyer ‘surge’ may just be a natural rebalancing of normal demand
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Homeowners still seeking mortgage holidays, Reserve Bank data shows
1News: Couple fears derailment of home ownership dream amid Covid-19 pandemic
Mark Southcombe (Newsroom): Could co-op housing solve our housing crisis?
Local government
ODT: Tim Shadbolt – ‘Fighting fit’ despite ‘obscure’ council report
Southland Times Editorial: What happens in vagueness stays in vagueness?
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Hawke’s Bay to float setting up a climate mitigation unit
Katie Todd (RNZ): Auckland Transport Devonport road: Surprise as community board rejects plan
Employment
Ian Powell (Democracy Project): Film industry bosses get their way with reformed “Hobbit Law”
Kristin Hall (1News): Rights of film workers in New Zealand could change under new bill
RNZ: Employers want Holidays Act reform – survey
Harry Lock (RNZ): Lockdown created ‘perfect storm’ for ERA backlog
Environment
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Climate Change Commissioner Rod Carr on the need for a national energy plan, what to do with Tiwai Point’s electricity, decarbonising transport and more
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Environment Court accused of multiple errors in Awaiti water take case
1News: Activists celebrate after WorkSafe halts tree-felling at contentious Auckland site
Business
Debrin Foxcroft (Stuff): More than 70 big retail closures in 2020, and warning more to come
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): Kiwi small businesses recovering faster from Covid-19 than those in Australia and UK
1News: Report suggests NZ small business revenue has rebounded well post-lockdown
1News: Flight Centre NZ to make around 230 staff redundant
Primary industries
Keith Woodford (Interest): Regenerative agriculture is in vogue as a concept but what does it really mean?
Guy Trafford (Interest): Very mixed employment signals
Transport
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Regional NZ has good questions as to why KiwiRail forgot them in Covid recovery
Joel Maxwell (Dominion Post): Another link in $2 billion asphalt chain north of Wellington facing delays
Other
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Iwi group accepts $300k from Minister after agreeing to hold election, then renege
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Agencies promise to be clear about algorithm use
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Solving the critical flaw in our power grid
Joel Maxwell (Stuff): New funding to help vulnerable, indebted announced by Government
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Clock ticking on Wellington water supply: ‘We don’t want to be Auckland’
RNZ: Court dismisses Phillip Smith suit against Corrections over rehabilitation
RNZ: Thousands of Kiwibank customers caught up in privacy breach
1News: Kiwibank sends wrong bank statements to thousands of customers in privacy breach
1News: ‘Huge step forward’ – hapu welcome proposal to return Matakana Island land taken by Crown
Newshub: What the Misery Index means for the Government
Melanie Reid and Bonnie Sumner (Newsroom): Oranga Tamariki braces for more bad news
Lynley Ward and Kim Moodie (Herald): Americans visit Immigration NZ website every 30 seconds, tens of thousands consider shift to virus-free NZ
Andrea Vance (Stuff): MPs reach across the House to ban female genital mutilation
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Confederate flag replacement ditches Stars and Bars for Māori culture
