Alert level decision
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Big questions linger after Covid-19 alert level decision
Derek Cheng (Herald): Travel spike could thwart Government’s level 1 plans – Covid modeller
Science Media Centre: Alert Level status quo stays a little longer – Expert Reaction
Crystal Wu (Stuff): Public health, economic experts react to Government’s alert level extension
1News: Infectious person at Auckland gym shows why Covid-19 restrictions remain necessary – expert
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Politics seeps into alert level decision as Winston Peters, Judith Collins question restrictions beyond Auckland
1News: Judith Collins says alert level restrictions ‘starting to look very political’
Heather Du Plessis-Allan (Herald): The Front Bench podcast: Why is the rest of New Zealand still at level 2?
Newshub: What you need to know about New Zealand’s alert level extension
1News: Jacinda Ardern explains why those outside Auckland will remain at Alert Level 2
RNZ: Cabinet extends current Covid-19 alert levels
Anna Whyte (1News): New Zealand, other than Auckland, to move to Alert Level 1 next Monday
Rotorua Daily Post: Rotorua Marathon can’t include Aucklanders this year
—————
Anna Whyte (1News): Winston Peters says there’s ‘no need’ for rest of NZ to spend another week at Level 2, amid Auckland’s virus outbreak
1News: Winston Peters says NZ First doesn’t support Cabinet’s decision to stay at Alert Level 2
Newstalk ZB: Inconsistency could see NZ in Level 2 for Christmas – Peters
—————
Katarina Williams and Tom Hunt (Stuff): Physical distancing ditched on public transport
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Beehive’s on-the-fly virus reaction
1News: Masks to stay, but public transport and airlines can now fill seats
Emma Russell (Herald): Air NZ unveils cheap flights as physical distancing lifted for planes, public transport
1News: Air New Zealand releases 160,000 fares under $50 as physical distancing requirements eased
RNZ: Jetstar and Air New Zealand adjust after physical distancing on public transport eases
1News: Jetstar announces it will resume domestic flights this week
Grant Bradley (Herald): Air New Zealand’s Greg Foran: Rule change a boost for domestic airline landscape (paywalled)
Jamie Ensor and Miriam Harris (Newshub): Queenstown Mayor welcomes ‘sensible’ COVID-19 announcement
Quarantine management
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Concerns over Ministry of Health guidance after COVID-19-positive quarantine hotel nurse attends gym
Jamie Morton (Herald): The case to quarantine all travellers at ?hakea air base
—————
Duncan Garner (Newshub): Exclusive details on Jacinda Ardern’s phone call to Scott Morrison about Bledisloe Cup
ODT Editorial: Dropping the ball
Stuff: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shuts down talk of moving All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup tests to Australia
Stuff: Bledisloe Cup: All Blacks and election day clash not an issue says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
Sally Murphy (RNZ): Bledisloe Cup tests will go ahead – Grant Robertson
1News: National questions NZ’s ability to host major sports events after missing out on Rugby Championship
Joe Porter (RNZ): Quarantine rules set to force key All Blacks out of Rugby Championship
Anti-lockdown march, rule breaking
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Controversial Christchurch pastor questions Government’s COVID-19 response after church gloats of ‘over 100’ people at service
Newstalk ZB: Are Police tough enough on lockdown breakers?
Election
RNZ: Election fake news weekly report to monitor New Zealand campaigning
Nikki Preston (Herald): Strong similarities between National and Labour’s short ads
Stephen Judd (Stuff): Online voting isn’t the be-all and end-all
Andrew MacFarlane (1News): Vote Compass: New Zealanders want water bottling companies to pay up
Jacob McSweeny (ODT): Employers reveal their priorities
David Farrar: Herald supports a voting age of 16
Advance NZ
Nick Krause (Times Online): Jami-Lee Ross not contesting Botany seat
1News: Controversial former National MP Jami-Lee Ross won’t contest Botany electorate this year
Luke Kirkness (Herald): Advance NZ’s Jami-Lee Ross abandons attempt to retain Botany seat
David Farrar: Ross pulls out of Botany
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): The Outliers: Fears about Te Kahika’s controversial Covid-19 views
Shane Te Pou (Herald): Why TVNZ should withdraw its debate invitation to the Advance Party (paywalled)
Labour Party
Max Rashbrooke (Stuff): Labour’s middle-class inequality problem
Sarah Robson (RNZ): Reinstating training incentive allowance ‘not going to cut it’ – beneficiary advocate
Hamish McNicol (NBR): Why Labour’s ‘symbolic’ top tax policy won’t work (paywalled)
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Labour dedicated to Hillside — Ardern
Molly Houseman (ODT): Net effect of prayers — meeting the PM
National Party
RNZ: National’s education policy: Charter schools, colonial approach to Maori disappoint
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National promises to boost funding for students with extra needs, teacher aides, and charter schools
RNZ: National promises $1.9bn for education in learning support, teacher aides, character schools
Anna Whyte (1News): National pledge investment in school learning support, more teacher aides
Zane Small (Newshub): National commits $1.9 billion to learning support, plans to scrap Government’s school zoning powers
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): National unveils $140 million transport plan for lower South Island
Daisy Hudson and Mike Houlahan (ODT): National promises $140m for transport
RNZ: National South Island transport plan focuses on safety, cycling, rail and bridges
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): National leader says Bezzant issue ‘dealt with’ (paywalled)
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National sticking by Upper Harbour candidate Jake Bezzant following ‘thorough’ investigation of allegation about his business record
Jamie Ensor and Melissa Tapper (Newshub): First-term MPs: Simeon Brown on his youth, synthetic drug law, and door-knocking
ACT
Thomas Manch (Stuff): ACT wants to unwind the Government’s climate and energy efforts
Zane Small (Newshub): ACT supports mining on low-value conservation land to fund ‘real conservation where it counts’
Te wiki o te reo Maori, election policies
1News: Jacinda Ardern says changing NZ’s name to Aotearoa not on her agenda, but wants people to use it
Anna Bracewell-Worrall (Newshub): National and Labour won’t commit to compulsory te reo Maori lessons
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Winston Peters on Maori Party policy to rename New Zealand Aotearoa: ‘Headline hunting’
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Maori Party wants New Zealand to be officially renamed Aotearoa within six years
RNZ: Maori Party pledges to change New Zealand’s name to Aotearoa, Greens, Labour spell out te reo Maori policy
1News: Maori Party reveals policy to change NZ’s name to Aotearoa, make Maori history core part of school curriculum
Vita Molyneux (Newshub): Maori Party promises to rename New Zealand to Aotearoa if elected
Newstalk ZB: Dame Tariana Turia: Original Maori ingoa to replace P?keh? names
Bridie Witton, Matthew Tso and Mandy Te (Stuff): Support for Wellington to be called Te Whanganui-a-Tara following Maori Party’s language policy announcement
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Greens focus on free te reo Maori education to help fill void in classrooms
RNZ: Greens warned fertiliser tax ‘will create pressure on farmers’
—————
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): Don’t just change your email sign-off: Embracing te ao Maori more than one week a year
Joel Maxwell (Stuff): Opinion: This week has lasted centuries – a link to our past and our future
Meriana Johnsen (RNZ): One million New Zealanders celebrate te reo Maori at the same time
Susan Botting (RNZ): Far North councillor to speak only te reo Maori during meetings for Maori language month
1News: Watch: Aotearoa’s first Maori Supreme Court Justice leads waiata practice as week celebrating te reo kicks off
Stuff Editorial: Te reo Maori needs its advocates. But so does satire
Greens
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Tick. Tick podcast: No time for anger as Marama Davidson accepted James Shaw’s apology immediately
Anna Whyte (1News): Greens promise to push for ‘fair, decent pay’ across retail, cleaning, security if in Govt
Economy, rebuild
Newstalk ZB: Grant Robertson: ‘This will be the worst quarter NZ has seen”
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Here comes New Zealand’s biggest quarterly GDP drop ever
Brent Edwards (NBR): No let-up in government borrowing over next couple of years (paywalled)
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Awful economic numbers already ‘ancient history’
Liam Dann (Herald): ASB Regional Scorecard: Which provinces are coping best with Covid economy?
Neville Peat (ODT): Bold actions needed on longer-term issues
Inequality
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Solo parents face NZ’s biggest financial struggle, data shows
Ian Hyslop: Tough Times
Cannabis and euthanasia referendums
1News: Explained: The Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill referendum
Kadambari Raghukumar (RNZ): Making a choice – a New Zealand resident’s journey with euthanasia in the Netherlands
Media
Liam Hehir (Democracy Project): What the voting age debate tells us about our disconnected political media
RNZ: The Detail: The goodies and baddies of the 1pm covid presser
Gavin Ellis: We could all do with a laugh
Environment
John McCrone (Stuff): Why they want to bin the Resource Management Act and how that is a big deal
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Environment Minister: ‘We thought it was right at the time’
Lois Williams (RNZ): Planners seek help with protecting West Coast’s notable trees
Erin Gourley (Critic): Student Group Forces Ravensdown to Care About the Environment
Health
Mike Beard (Press): What should be done about the CDHB crisis?
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Doctors still keen to have voices heard
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): National accuses Government of failing to deliver on Dunedin Hospital as candidates battle to win safe red seat
Stuff: New $1.4 billion Dunedin Hospital to feature two main buildings
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Suicidal teen put on a six-week waiting list, as mental health services overwhelmed
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): New suicide prevention research aims to help Kiwis understand why people take their own lives
Housing
Eva Corlett (RNZ): Landlords expected to act quickly after rent freeze ends
David Farrar: Homelessness four times as great as in 2017
Gulf Livestock 1, Live exports
1News: Family of Kiwi missing after livestock ship sinking engages experts to create map of where crew could be
Dilworth School
Melanie Earley and George Block (Stuff): Dilworth School: What we know about the school at the centre of sex offending claims
Melanie Earley and George Block (Stuff): Alleged historical sex offending casts ‘dark shadow’ over Auckland’s Dilworth School
Giles Dexter (Newshub): Dilworth headmaster speaks out after alleged sexual abuse of 17 boys casts ‘dark shadow’ over school
Chelsea Boyle (Herald): Dilworth School investigation: Headmaster appalled following six arrests for historical sexual offending
1News: Six men arrested after police investigation into historic abuse at Auckland school for boys
RNZ: Six men arrested and charged in relation to historical offences
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Six men in 60s, 70s arrested over alleged indecent assaults at Auckland’s Dilworth School
Local government
Dominic Harris (Press): Polls up and running for Christchurch local elections – which are 753 days away
Justice, corrections
Sophie Cornish and Blair Ensor (Stuff): Rimutaka Prison: Drugs, tobacco and cellphones found in packages attached to delivery truck
Elizabeth Stanley (Spinoff): Why a radical approach is needed to fix our broken justice system
Employment
RNZ: Health and safety measures at Auckland port under review
Other
Amanda Cropp (Stuff): Helping 6100 foreigners stranded in NZ has cost $7 million in 10 weeks
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Overseas immigration employees on full pay, New Zealand staff struggle with tech
Grant Bradley (Herald): What’s eating Waihi? Battle lines drawn in the dig for more gold (paywalled)
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (RNZ): Otago University staffer claims senior leadership tried to push medical admissions caps
Anuja Nadkarni (Stuff): Covid-19 bringing New Zealanders home, Stats NZ data show
Mike Yardley (Press): Fair-handed accommodation regulation a complex matter
Lawrence Gully (Stuff): Proposal for $1b Sleepyhead development under the microscope of independent commissioners
Danielle Clent (Stuff): Northland flooding: $37m worth of damage to homes, land and vehicles
RNZ: Censor praises Netflix for response to use of mosque attack footage
Breanna Barraclough (1News): Chief Censor lobbies for warning after Christchurch terrorist attack video used in Netflix movie
Chris Trotter (Interest): Most New Zealand politicians would rather appease a minority than unleash the majority
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Pumice layer delaying $140m highway was known about before work started
RNZ: 500 survivors speak with Royal Commission for Inquiry into Abuse in Care
Damian George (Stuff): ‘You look better in the paper than you do in real life’ — concerns raised over transport boss’ ‘sexist’ comment
Jordyn Rudd (1News): Social media influencers must now say whether their post’s an ad or not
Latest
It’s Still the Economy, Stupid
Governments and media lie, but voters’ bank accounts don’t.
Goodbye and Good Riddance
We are getting rid of people who I can’t help but think want people to be miserable to push their climate narrative.
Headlines From the US and Australia
Transgenders, deportations, DOGE, the US justice dept and misinformation.