NZ-China-Australia relations
Luke Malpass (Stuff): New Zealand isn’t ‘sucking up’ to China by learning from countries’ mistakes
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Outrage over Nanaia Mahuta’s speech is really about Jacinda Ardern
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Where’s the real criticism of NZ and Five Eyes coming from? (paywalled)
Thomas Manch (Stuff): The Five Eyes bluster will blow over, but beneath it lies a greater struggle for New Zealand
Audrey Young (Herald): Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta made just one mistake on Five Eyes (paywalled)
Damien Grant (Stuff): Entangled in Five Eyes: Guarded in stealth, an alliance it is not
Gehan Gunasekara (Herald): Five Eyes has no place in human rights alliance (paywalled)
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): New Zealand’s tricky Five Eyes balancing act (paywalled)
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): The Five Eyes and the Mahuta Doctrine (paywalled)
1News: ‘I said exactly what I meant’ – Foreign Minister defends contentious China comments
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): New Zealand must be ‘respectful’ of China, even if there are disagreements – Nanaia Mahuta
Herald: Nigel Farage on Five Eyes: New Zealand has ‘sold its soul’ to China
Crystal Wu (Newshub): Australia should ‘urgently reset’ relationship with New Zealand to ease China’s leverage – Aussie academic
Jason Walls (Herald): Transtasman foreign affairs ministers face Five Eyes questions
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta ‘open to getting advice’ about labelling China’s treatment of Uighurs a genocide
Dan Satherley (Newshub): ‘We can’t just turn a blind eye to this genocide’: Kiwi Uighur says Government is ‘letting it happen’
Latika Bourke (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern savaged as British Parliament declares treatment of Uyghurs ‘genocide’
Tony Wright (Newshub): It’s time for Jacinda Ardern’s Government to stop denying genocide
Tom O’Connor (Stuff): Is the Anzac bond just a nostalgic dream?
Zane Small (Newshub): Australia takes New Zealand’s concerns ‘very seriously’, recognises ‘complexities’ in accused terrorist’s citizenship
Anzac Day
Chris Trotter (Interest): Anzac Day 2021: Myths under pressure
Rowan Light (Stuff): Solidarity and difference — how Anzac Day reflects an ever-changing New Zealand
RNZ: More New Zealanders commemorating Anzac Day – NZDF chief
Health reforms
Keith Lynch (Stuff): The plan to get rid of district health boards and centralise healthcare explained
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Health board fees of $5.5m up for grabs but new national system likely to cost more
Tim Tenbensel (The Conversation): No one is mourning the end of district health boards, but rebuilding trust in the system won’t be easy
Michael Bassett: Little’s health reforms
Mike Yardley (Stuff): It’s time to end our bureaucratic obsession
1News: Health advocates cautiously optimistic over Government’s plan to scrap DHBs
Stuff: Points of Order: A total wipe out of DHBs, and Nanaia Mahuta sets a cat among the pigeons
Chris Marshall (Stuff): Guarded hope that health reforms can deliver to this small town in rural New Zealand
Peter Wilson (RNZ): The Week in Politics: High stakes in the health shakeup
Verna Smith (The Conversation): With closer ties to GPs, NZ’s new central health agency could revolutionise treatment of major diseases
Department of Public Health, University of Otago (Stuff): ‘Feathers will need to be ruffled’: Otago Uni academics call for strong action in health reforms
Catherine Groenestein (Stuff): Reti critical of Government’s health reform plan
Francesca Rudkin (Newstalk ZB): Health system reform a radical and necessary move
Eleisha Foon (RNZ): Health system reforms: Residents in remote areas expect timely service
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Rural health needs resources, plan: union
Health reforms: Maori Health
Joel Maxwell (Stuff): Why will a new Maori Health Authority work, when mainstream systems don’t?
Esther Ashby-Coventry (Stuff): New Maori Health Authority ‘got to be positive’
Moana Ellis (Herald): What health changes mean for Whanganui region Maori
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Don Brash ‘strongly opposed’ to ‘disaster’ Maori Health Authority
Health: General
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Wait list for colonoscopies more than doubles since bowel screening starts
Louise Ternouth (RNZ): Antidepressants at all-time high: Maori, Pasifika, Asians left behind
Maori TV: Maori prescribed anti-depressants 34 times less than other ethnicities
Michelle Duff (Stuff): For an increasing number of women, the first line of defence against cervical cancer doesn’t work
Economy and work
Derek Cheng (Herald): Finance Minister Grant Robertson on why he needs more powers to restrict bank lending
Joel MacManus (Stuff): NZ Bus hires PR firm led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s former chief as contract dispute drags on
Steve Kilgallon (Stuff): The body meant to resolve employer-employee disputes has huge backlog of cases with long delays common
Barrie Saunders: A fairer tax system
Ananish Chaudhuri (Herald): Small wage increases not behind inflation (paywalled)
Liam Dann (Herald): The next massive economic experiment – opening our borders (paywalled)
Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Caralee McLiesh, the Treasury Secretary who comes prepared
Kirsty Wynn (Herald): Rise of the tradies: Record numbers sign up as apprentices (paywalled)
RNZ: Wellington NZ Bus lockout: Employment Court rules in favour of drivers
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Treasury claims Rio Tinto faces ‘investor backlash’ amid frustration over Tiwai Point negotiations (paywalled)
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Parker on Rio Tinto environmental reports: ‘It’s a start’
Miriam Bell (Stuff): The end of record low interest rates is near
Andrew Bayly (Stuff): Kiwis face rapid cost increases thanks to recent government decisions
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Government could give Finance Minister new powers over banks
Carmen Hall (Herald): The $17.5 billion industry that’s hungry for funding (paywalled)
Housing crisis
Jane Patterson (RNZ): ‘Inhumane conditions’: Green Party minister condemns some emergency housing
Christian Fuller (RNZ): ‘Motel generation’: Nearly 4000 kids are living in NZ motels
Ethan Te Ora (Stuff): After almost 20 years fighting homelessness, Stephanie McIntyre focuses on family and home
Crystal Wu (Newsroom): Auckland house fire blamed on frustration over skyrocketing rents
Hannah Kronast, Emma Stanford, Heather McCarron (Newshub): Govt accused of running get-rich-quick scheme after National reveals motels being paid millions for emergency accommodation
Catherine Masters (Stuff): ‘There are so many buyers it’s just getting ridiculous’
Ethan Te Ora (Stuff): ‘It’s hard to breathe’: Dampness, mould return to Wellington flats as cold weather arrives
Diana Clement (Interest): Collateral damage from Government’s new housing rules
Local government
Thomas Coughlan and Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Funding on the table in biggest local government shake-up in 30 years
Bernard Hickey: A review of how to pay
RNZ: Local government review to focus on evolution over next 30 years
Susan Botting (RNZ): Northland leaders: Review must keep the ‘local’ in local government
Mike Mather (Stuff): Southgate ‘keeping an open mind’ on local government reform
Janine Rankin (Stuff): Mayors open to review of the future of local government
Logan Savory (Stuff): Working group yet to revisit Invercargill City Council media protocol
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland Council will cut far fewer staff than expected after upturn
Joel MacManus (Stuff): City at a standstill: Transport problems keeping Wellington from moving
Mike Yardley (Stuff): We are being swamped in local government bureaucracy
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Auckland Council manager accused of bullying gets appointed to a new council-paid job
Covid: Vaccinations programme and border
Derek Cheng (Herald): How Government opened transtasman bubble without raising risk at border (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Labour MP David Parker still thinks border system ‘damn-near perfect’ despite worker going 6 months without test
Dan Satherley and Emma Stanford (Newshub): Simon Bridges predicts India ban will stay due to ‘incompetently run’ borders
Herald: Editorial: Nerves over stuttering start to travel bubble (paywalled)
Herald: Editorial: Our stepping stones towards long-haul flights (paywalled)
John Anthony (Stuff): Officials urge returnees to cancel MIQ ‘ghost bookings’ so others can come home
Anna Whyte (1News): Government announces MIQ shake up to separate returnees
Sapna Samant and Mohan Dutta (E-Tagata): Shut the border, open the dialogue
Media
Audrey Young (Herald): Lifting the lid on how the parliamentary Press Gallery works (paywalled)
Brian Easton (Pundit): Destroying public service broadcasting
David Farrar: Dom Post readership plummeting
Gavin Ellis: I hate racism…and chopped liver
E-Tangata: Reforming Maori media
Climate change and environment
Amber Allott (Stuff): ‘Rubbish at recycling’ – New Zealand ranks second last in international trial
RNZ: Poor score for New Zealand’s recycling systems – Consumer NZ
Sophie Handford (Spinoff): ‘Take it up a step’: Helen Clark talks climate change action with Sophie Handford
RNZ: Global climate summit: Jacinda Ardern urges nations to follow New Zealand’s lead on financial action
Steven Cowan: There is no market solution to climate change
National Party
Steve Braunias (Herald): The secret diary of the Luxon Gang (paywalled)
Bob Jones: The National Party’s dilemma
Chris Tobin (Stuff): Christopher Luxon discounts party leadership ambitions during Timaru visit
Parliament
Dale Husband (E-Tagata): Che Wilson: Not your conventional party president
Phil Smith (RNZ): Dear Parliament, Try again, Sincerely, the Courts
Government
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Centralisation is fine, but Govt doesn’t always get it right
Andrew Gunn (Stuff): Government for the people on two fronts
Other
ODT: Editorial – Spotlight on animal welfare
Willie Jackson (Herald): Why institutional racism against Maori exists in NZ (paywalled)
Jacqueline Rowarth (Stuff): Want the truth? Trust the experts
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Immigration New Zealand apologises and refunds over covert residence policy
Please share this article so that others can discover The BFD
