Today’s content

Govt Covid strategy, expert warnings
John Donne Potter, Graham Le Gros, Rod Jackson (The Conversation): Why we must not allow COVID to become endemic in New Zealand
Tess McClure (Guardian): Māori party warns reopening New Zealand amid Covid outbreak would be ‘modern genocide’
Marena Mane (Māori TV): Māori are left vulnerable, ‘shocking ‘outbreak statistics say
Laura Walters (Stuff): Government’s Covid-19 response is a breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori health experts say
Vandhna Bhan and Arvind Kumar (Stuff): Acceptance of Covid deaths key to living with the virus, says medical professor
Herald: NZ needs 95% vax rate before even thinking of Xmas freedom – top expert
Simon Wilson  (Herald): Angry, cocky confidence is Covid’s other infectious disease (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Interest): Delta’s week of doom
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand braces for rising Covid cases as expert warns of potential explosion
Matthew Hooton (Patreon): Plague is getting worse – bet on long level 3 in Auckland at least (paywalled)
Stuff Editorial: More vaccine mandates welcome – now what about the borders?
RNZ: Alert levels remain unchanged, NZ at one of ‘most challenging moments’ in pandemic
Graeme Edgeler (Legal Beagle): A submission on the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill (No 2)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Covid response has descended into a farce
Bill Ralston (Listener/Herald):  Government’s fight against Delta seems weak and slow (paywalled)
Curwen Ares Rolinson (Daily Blog): On Jacinda Being “Missing In Action” Apparently
Verity Johnson (Stuff): When straight talk was needed, Jacinda wasn’t there 
Leonie Hayden (Spinoff): Anti-maskers have ruined exemptions for the people who actually need them
Ellie Jay (RNZ): Game puts players in charge of Covid-19 response

Auckland, Auckland border
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Race to vaccinate before Level 3 falls apart
RNZ: Checkpoint: Level 2 Christmas possible for Auckland if vaccinations rise – top epidemiologist
Derek Cheng (Herald): Level 2 in Auckland looks increasingly distant as case numbers rise (paywalled)
Hannah Kronast and Kethaki Masilamani (Newshub): Experts call for implementation of 10 urgent measures before re-opening Auckland schools
Tamati Tinanga (Māori TV): Dr Rawiri Taonui wants Auckland ordered back to Alert level 4
1 News: Auckland schools will not reopen for Term 4 next week
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Auckland schools will not reopen next Monday
Anna Whyte (1 News): Auckland to stay at current alert level settings
Lucy Xia and Geraden Cann (Stuff): Auckland to stay at alert level 3, stage 1, for another week
Herald: Editorial: Having to wait and see how this turns out is taking a toll (paywalled)
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): The Government needs to be upfront with how long lockdown will take
Duncan Garner (NBR): Ardern sends Auckland into deep coma with no wake-up plan (paywalled)
Bridie Witton (Stuff): ACT calling for suburbs with 90 per cent vaccination rate to be let out of lockdown
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Stressed, locked down Auckland workforce ignored in Govt’s Level 3 decision
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Aucklanders are fed up and angry and rightfully so
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Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Epidemiologist Michael Baker warns Government not to loosen restrictions in Auckland
RNZ: Infection rate on the rise since move to level 3 – Covid-19 modeller
RNZ: Aucklanders call for clarity ahead of alert level decision

Vaccine certificate, mandatory vaccination, incentives
RNZ: Checkpoint: Primary teachers’ union responds to mandatory vaccination
Josephine Franks, Ellen O’Dwyer and Lee Kenny (Stuff): Teachers back Covid-19 vaccine mandate: ‘It’s our role to model safe behaviour’
Tom Hunt (Stuff): To teach or not to teach: NZ educators’ vaccine balancing act
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Principals confident most staff will comply with mandatory vaccine order
Derek Cheng (Herald): Chris Hipkins reveals ‘no jab, no job’ rule for education and health workers
Dubby Henry (Herald): Teachers must get vaccinated, Auckland schools to stay closed
Science Media Centre: Covid shots mandated for health & education staff – Expert Reaction 
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Mandatory vaccination for health staff ‘will save lives’, health body says
Herald: Medical groups say ‘no jab, no job’ for healthcare workers will save lives
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Vaccine mandate could stretch already thin midwive care
John Lewis (ODT): Issues over mandatory vaccines
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Sweeping vaccine mandate for teachers and most healthcare workers
Bridie Witton and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government wields biggest stick yet with ‘no jab, no job’ policy in health and education 
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Mandatory vaccinations announced for health, education sector workers
Amelia Wade (Mewshub): COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirms vaccine mandate includes parents volunteering in schools
Anna Whyte (1 News): School and ECE staff who have contact with kids must be vaccinated by Jan 1
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Vaccination mandates for health and education (paywalled)
Herald: Aviation Security Officers lose their jobs after refusing to get a vaccine
Luke Malpass (Stuff): The world of the unvaccinated is only going to shrink from now
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Business under ‘huge pressure’, seek vaccine mandate
Zoe Holland (Herald): Employment lawyer says employers should start a conversation with vaccine-hesitant staff
Andre Chumko (Stuff): Job termination and no compensation likely for unvaccinated workers
Maja Burry (RNZ): Pāmu ponders restrictions for unvaccinated staff
Jamie Larnach (Public Address): Yes, of course festival organisers will follow the law on vaccination
White Man Behind a Desk (Stuff): Vaccines, patents & waivers

Vaccine rollout, anti-vaxxers
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Nearly all Pfizer vaccines in central storage must be used before January expiry date
Harkanwal Singh (Spinoff): Travel times to every suburb’s closest vaccination centre, on one interactive map 
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Regional NZ’s search for the unvaccinated
Anna Whyte (1 News): ‘Get vaxxed, don’t be a dickhead’ – Seymour’s blunt message to supporters
Samson Samasoni (Spinoff): The vaccine push isn’t just a health challenge, it’s a marketing one too
Asher Wilson-Goldman (Newsroom): Vaccinating the last 17 percent
Ruwani Perera (Newshub): How a past pandemic is helping East Coast locals protect its community from COVID-19
Courtney White (ODT): Whanau must be target, Maori health leaders say
RNZ: Appeal to young Māori to help protect whānau and get vaccinated
1 News: Is your region at the top or bottom of the Covid-19 vaccination ladder?
Neil Holdom (Stuff): What is the Ministry of Health doing to protect the people of Taranaki?
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Vaccine holdout Maureen Pugh has first dose
RNZ: Appeal to PHOs to share details of any anti-vax doctors
Nikki Preston (Herald): Rogue parent group behind ‘freedom of choice’ sign outside school north of Riverhead

Northland, Waikato
1 News: Northland needs more clarity over border breach – Reti
1 News: Woman who travelled to Northland with Covid case is symptomatic – Bloomfield
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Dr Ashley Bloomfield doesn’t know if Northland contact found at home, with anyone else despite having symptoms
1 News: Woman who travelled with Northland Covid case taken into custody
Jason Walls (Newstalk ZB): Northlanders deserve more information about the pair who sent their region into lockdown
Jane Patterson (RNZ): PM wants officials to consider naming contact of positive case
Peter de Graaf (Northern Advocate): Iwi border group on trail of Covid case’s mystery travel companion
Herald: Where two women – one infectious – went across Northland
RNZ: Couple incredulous they haven’t been contacted over Northland case
Denise Piper (Stuff): Lack of cooperation by case disappoints Northlanders seeking info
Zane Small (Newshub): National leader Judith Collins wants uncooperative Northland COVID-19 case’s identity made public
Herald: PM says health and police are ‘pulling out all stops’ to locate missing Northland traveller
1 News: Person who travelled with Northland Covid case ‘beyond irresponsible’ – Ardern
Newstalk ZB: ‘The system is a mess’: Winston Peters on Northland lockdown
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): ‘No evidence’ Northland case a sex worker – Jacinda Ardern
1 News: Cautious approach to Northland, Waikato alert levels
Jo Lines-MacKenzie (Stuff): Waiting game continues for Waikato in alert level lockdown 

South Island border
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Experts call for hard internal border to protect rest of NZ
Nadine Porter (Stuff): South Island fortress ‘not possible’ and escaping Covid-19 inconceivable, experts say
Conan Young (RNZ): South Islanders’ frustrations growing as it remains Covid-free
Conan Young (RNZ): South Islanders consider Covid risk as virus spreads beyond Auckland
Nadine Porter (Stuff): South Island fortress ‘not possible’ and escaping Covid-19 inconceivable, experts say
ODT Editorial: Shutting off the South
Grant Miller (ODT): Some southern support for stronger border
Mike Yardley (Stuff): A protective blanket for the South Island wouldn’t go amiss

Outbreaks in gangs
1 News: Gang leader getting Covid jab a ‘massive’ deal
Tumamao Harawira (Māori TV): Don Brash – Covid is the enemy, not gangs

Alert level compliance
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Sex workers should claim wage subsidy, not cross Covid-19 borders – Lisa Lewis
Herald: Police monitor large Porirua tangi for 18-year-old killed in motorcycle crash
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Man with autism who took off mask ordered to leave shop despite having exemption
Newshub: Police making enquiries after dangerous driving at Porirua gang tangi

Border, MIQ, immigration
Matthew Scott (Newshub): Where the growing crowd of community cases will isolate
David Hargreaves (Interest): ‘Increasing pressure’ on Govt to open borders earlier than it plans
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Government extends working holiday and seasonal employment visas for another six months
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): Working holiday and seasonal work visas extended for another six months
1 News: Working holiday, seasonal work visas to be extended
Paul Spoonley (Spinoff): What Covid-19 has revealed about the New Zealand diaspora
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Insurance won’t cover travellers who fall foul of vaccine mandates
Stuff Editorial: Give us back our expert
Jane Phare (Herald): Ian Taylor wins approval for business travel trial using private MIQ
Todd Niall (Stuff): The man, the mission, and what to do about MIQ

Cases, demographics
1 News: Three Mt Eden prison inmates test positive for Covid-19
Brittney Deguara and Geraden Cann (Stuff): Exposure event at Middlemore Hospital after patient tests positive, 74 contacts identified
Qiuyi Tan (Herald): New exposure event at Middlemore Hospital after patient tests positive
Stuff: Katikati traveller, family, test negative in second round of Covid-19 testing

Business, economy, wage subsidy
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Govt will have to let businesses fail without elimination, economist says
Liam Dann (Herald): Auckland business abandoned and ignored (paywalled)
David Williams (Newsroom): First charges laid over wage subsidy
Richard Harman (Politik): Business getting frustrated (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Timing of Delta outbreak couldn’t be worse for the economy – Cameron Bagrie
Greg Smith (Stuff): Uncertainty around timing of Government’s reopening plans leaves stock market’s patience waning 
Tim McCready (Herald): Mood of the Boardroom: How effective is the Covid-19 Recovery Fund? (paywalled)
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Inflation – Rising prices for petrol, clothing, housing will dent Kiwis’ wallets
Amber Liberte (Stuff): Creative NZ isn’t supporting independent artists during Covid
Nathan Morton (Stuff): Hairdressers today, gone tomorrow … salon mass closures expected in Auckland
Shourabh Vittalmurthy, Esther Ashby-Coventry & Chris Tobin (Stuff): South Canterbury business leaders gobsmacked South Island ignored
Uma Ahmed (Stuff): Southland events fund exhausted, but more for Fiordland available
Chris Marshall (Stuff): State cash continues to prop up tourism businesses

25 years since NZ’s first MMP election, Electoral law review
RNZ: The Detail: 25 years of MMP – is it working?
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Former MPs recall the introduction of MMP in New Zealand
Henry Cooke (Stuff): MMP at 25: How an academic dream from West Germany changed New Zealand forever 
Waatea News: Māori Party keen on electoral reform
Simon Keller (Newsroom): Let the children vote
Jack Macpherson and Will Irvine (Stuff): Why lowering the voting age must be top of electoral reform

Prime Minister’ summer wedding
Monika Barton (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern still planning wedding this summer as NZ’s COVID-19 cases rise
Herald: Jacinda Ardern reveals how lockdown has affected her wedding plans

Parliament and Parties
Luke Malpass (Stuff): ACT Party turns 25 as David Seymour emphasises focus on ‘core business’
Justine Tucker (RNZ): My view as a fly on Parliament’s wall

Health
Ben Kepes (Stuff): The role of a public health system in treating causes, not symptoms
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Man horrified 92 ACC staff accessed his sensitive claim file
Cira Olivier (Herald): More deaths than meth: Urgent calls to change alcohol laws (paywalled)
Hawkes Bay Today: Hawke’s Bay’s free bowel screening test kits detect 73 cancers in three years
Russell Brown (Public Address): More tales from the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme
Cecilia Robinson (Herald): Reflections from a maternity ward on fixing our healthcare service (paywalled)
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Disabled Taranaki elderly depending on carers who sometimes do not show

Water reforms, Local government
ODT: Review of local government finds many problems requiring overhaul
Logan Savory (Stuff): Invercargill representation review recommends status quo for next election
Gianina Schwanecke (Herald): Māori wards: More than half of Napier submissions not in favour, council to vote next week (paywalled)
Catherine Groenestein (Stuff): South Taranaki District Council decides on 13 councillors
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Waste-to-energy plant among options for Wellington landfill replacement
Grant Miller (ODT): Radich launches Team Dunedin local body election bid
Hawkes Bay Today (Herald): Programme to help Tararua’s job seekers is an ‘outstanding success’ (paywalled)

Housing
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Would it be possible and/or desirable to engineer a housing market correction? (podcast)
Greg Ninness (Interest): The average value of NZ homes is up by more than $25,000 during lockdown
Kaysha Brownlie (Newshub): Christchurch losing reputation as affordable housing city as prices soar
Anne Gibson (Herald): $300m Bayswater Marina scheme out for public notification – documents on council site (paywalled)

Environment, climate change, conservation
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Not doing our bit
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Real action requires government
Brent Edwards (NBR): Farmers should have options by Xmas on measuring and pricing emissions (paywalled)
Eloise Gibson (Stuff): Carbon farming land will be ‘losing money in 100 years’ — East Coast report 
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Rio Tinto commits to removing toxic substance being stored at Tiwai Point
Tess McClure (Guardian): Consternation in New Zealand as native bat included in bird of the year poll
RNZ: Bird of the Year: Bats join the competition
Anna Yeoman (ODT): A land of lizards

Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Tertiary institutions given 10 years to end minority pass rate disparity
Alwyn Poole (Kiwiblog): Please can this be Peak Failure and Stupidity in Education?
Edwina Pio (Stuff): Universities must be proactive in tackling radicalisation
Katie Harris (Herald): Victoria University staff accused of sexual assault or harassment by students 10 times in five years

Transport
Chloe Ranford (Local Democracy Reporting): Inter-island ferries ‘most likely’ cause of harmful gas emissions, new study finds
Fran O’Sullivan (Herald): Second harbour crossing in Auckland takes priority, say CEOs (paywalled)
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Motorhomes and horse trucks with modified cabs given reprieve
Todd Niall (Stuff): Anxiety and driver shortage to hit Auckland public transport services

Other
George Heagney (Stuff): Historic land loss leads to social and economic distress for Māori
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Progress for Maori
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Meetings between Family Court judge and Oranga Tamariki raise questions
Lana Andelane (Newshub): ‘Humanitarian crisis’ developing in Afghanistan as Afghan nationals who assisted New Zealand ‘left in harm’s way’ – experts
Jamie Wall (Spinoff): ‘Honestly bro, it was hard’: SBW on the whiteness of the NZ rugby establishment
Reweti Kohere (Spinoff): We’ve fallen in love with work from home – and some of us would rather quit than lose it
Rachel Purcell and Ben Te Aika (Newsroom): Genetic discrimination in NZ insurance undermining research
Mirjam Guesgen (Spinoff): The unsteady, underpaid reality of life as a New Zealand scientist
Ralph Sims (The Big Q): How can New Zealand reach 100% renewable energy?
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Gas sector’s $5 billion warning to govt (paywalled)