NZ Politics Daily – 13 October 2021

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Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Lara Greaves, Political scientist, University of Auckland:

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Today’s content

Govt Covid strategy, expert warnings
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Government rules don’t require negative test result to cross borders
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand government’s pivot from Covid elimination ‘surprised’ top health experts
Matthew Hooton (Patreon): Labour chose Baby Boomers over Māori (paywalled)
Dan Satherley and Caitlin Ellis (Newshub): Delta’s R number close to seeing COVID outbreak ‘spiralling out of control’ – expert
Herald: Pandemic modeller warns NZ could hit ‘160 cases a day’ in coming weeks
Rawiri Taonui (Waatea News): Up to 1,500 Delta cases for Māori by November
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): Delta response “gutted” by Government backdown
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Ardern’s Covid messaging back on track
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): Some big, clear calls are urgently needed on the path out of elimination
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Dawn Chorus: The PM’s frustrating quest for optionality (paywalled)
RNZ: New Zealand able to surge Covid-19 ICU capacity by risking planned care – Health Minister
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Rising infectious cases in the community ‘a sign outbreak is worsening’
RNZ: Ashley Bloomfield on Northland travellers, mandatory vaccines and the Covid-19 strategy
Roger Partridge  (Herald): An end to New Zealand exceptionalism (paywalled)
Marie McEntee (Newsroom): Time for the control freaks to move aside
Herald: Could you do a better job as PM? Game gives Kiwis chance to lead Covid-19 response
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Politicians’ cold turkeys are coming to roost

Auckland, Auckland border
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): 1000 Covid cases a week in South Auckland if borders open – DHB
Tom McRae (Newshub): Expert warns Auckland cases could reach 160 a day if current trend continues
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Dr Ashley Bloomfield not ruling out restrictions easing in Auckland despite high case numbers
Zane Small (Newshub): Judith Collins wants advice on Auckland alert level drop released as Jacinda Ardern foreshadows ‘doubling in cases’
Greg Presland (The Standard): David Seymour is all class
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): When can Auckland schools finally reopen?
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Parents weigh health, education aspects to schools’ prolonged closure

Vaccine certificate, mandatory vaccination, incentives
Matheson Russell (The Conversation): Vaccine mandate a big stick for govt to wield
Gordon Campbell: On Covid mandates, and the Covid pill
Riley Kennedy (ODT): Legal opinion: employers can require shot
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Vaccine mandate ‘had to be done’ say Waikato health care workers 
Craig Cooper (Hawke’s Bay Today/Herald): Labour lights ‘no jab, no job’ fire and walks away (paywalled)
Dan Satherley and Caitlin Ellis (Newshub): Union warns anti-vax teachers they shouldn’t expect to keep their jobs if they’re not willing to keep students safe
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): Principals forecast teacher resignations ahead of vaccination deadline
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): How far do the vaccine mandates for education workers go?
Josephine Franks (Stuff): ‘Teachers quit’ after Covid-19 vaccine mandate as sector mulls options for unjabbed staff
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Education sector scrambling for certainty over number of teachers vaccine mandate could drive out
Cate Broughton (Stuff): School board chairman resigns abruptly after Covid vaccine made mandatory for teachers
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): Fears childcare centre could close as five oppose jab mandate
Herald Editorial: Schools and parents get certainty over vaccinations (paywalled)
1 News: Bloomfield: Mandatory Covid jabs for some ‘extraordinary’
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): ‘Careful and considerate approach’ needed as vaccine job losses loom among teachers (paywalled)
Evan Harding (Stuff): Principal: Respect teachers with genuine reasons for not wanting Covid-19 vaccine
Jane Nixon (1 News): Vaccine u-turn to allow border workers’ non-Pfizer jab recognised
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Visitors to Auckland Zoo, museums and libraries may need to be fully vaccinated
Herald: KFC giving away free food to those who get vaccinated
Vita Molyneux (Herald): Wellington hospitality operator will offer 900 staff across 35 venues cash incentives to get vaccinated
Herald: Vodafone NZ offers all staff $100 and asks them to ‘pay it forward’ to local small businesses

Vaccine rollout, anti-vaxxers
Anna Whyte (1 News): Almost 80% of Delta outbreak cases not vaccinated
Alice Wilkins (Newshub): East Coast iwi fully vaccinates more than 80 pct of locals after taking control of rollout
Matai O’Connor (RNZ): Māori-led vaccination drive reaches 80 percent of Te Whānau ā Apanui’s population
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Health leader says anti-vax church leaders harming Māori
1 News: Is your region at the top or bottom of the Covid-19 vaccination ladder?
Nadine Porter (Stuff): Rural vaccinations falling behind urban counterparts, research reveals
Sam Olley (RNZ): Patient advocate wants anti-vax DHB psychiatrist dismissed
Jody O’Callaghan (Stuff): Health leader says anti-vax church leaders harming Māori
John Lewis (ODT): Inoculation rate lagging in rural areas
Sebastien Desclee (Herald): We need to start planning beyond the narrow 90% vaccination target (paywalled)
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Māori advisers one click away for whānau with Covid-19 vaccination questions
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): More than 1700 nurses sign open letter urging people to get vaccinated
Jonathan Guildford (Stuff): Rubella’s ‘luckiest survivor’ a passionate advocate for Covid vaccinations
Deena Coster (Stuff): Impact of NZ’s Covid-19 crisis hits close to home for New Plymouth mayor
Paul Mitchell (Stuff): Call for Tararua volunteers to man phones in push to lift lagging vaccination rates

Super Saturday Vaxathon: 16 October
RNZ: Plans unveiled for ‘Super Saturday’ televised event to boost vaccination numbers
Newstalk ZB: Patrick Gower: Vaxathon will be a magical moment in New Zealand history
Alex Casey and Tara Ward (Spinoff): The Spinoff’s guide to the perfect Vaxathon live television event
1 News: Auckland’s free public transport for vaccinations made easier
Michael Neilson (Herald): John Key ‘delighted’ Government adopting telethon idea for Super Saturday to boost vaccinations

Northland, Waikato, South Island border
Nita Blake-Persen (RNZ): Fears of Delta spread in Northland after second woman positive
Karina Cooper (Northern Advocate): Northlanders could wait weeks to see alleged border breachers charged
1 News: Second woman tests positive for Covid-19 after travelling to Northland
Bernadette Basagre (Stuff): Woman who travelled to Northland with a case tests positive for virus
Denise Piper (Stuff): Second Northland case cooperating, testing still urged
Northern Advocate: Couple incredulous they haven’t been contacted over Northland case
Herald: Northland tyre company says it was visited by positive Auckland truck driver
Hannah Kronast and Perry Wilton (Newshub): Whangārei residents ‘relieved’ second traveller to Northland found by police, urge her to cooperate
Imran Ali (Herald): Auckland woman hid in car boot and travelled to Northland
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Another woman illegally crossed Auckland’s northern boundary, police say
Pat O’Dea (Daily Blog): Why is Northland not at Alert Level 4?
Laura Hooper (Stuff): Calls for South Island border increase but Southlanders unsure of success

Health
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Intensive care unit beds number 34 for a population of more than 700,000
Bridie Witton and Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Frontline hospital workers warn patients will die without boosted staff levels
Anusha Bradley (RNZ): Check which ACC staff have accessed your file, abuse survivors urged
Dougal Sutherland (Newsroom): Coping with ambiguity now Covid’s here to stay
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Student midwives are already looking at quitting, saying they should be paid for placements
Elle Sun-Min Park (Stuff): The lethal, unconscious biases in our health system
Louisa Steyl (Stuff): Southland Hospital specialist granted emergency MIQ spot after being stuck in United States caring for dying father

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Covid-19 data visualisations
RNZ: Covid-19 data visualisations: NZ in numbers
Harkanwal Singh (Spinoff): The Spinoff Covid tracker: 21 live graphs that tell the story of delta in Aotearoa

Alert level compliance, rules
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Brian Tamaki says he will ‘picnic with family’ at same location, day as second anti-lockdown protest
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Brian Tamaki pleads not guilty to breaching COVID rules in first court appearance
Herald: Destiny pastor Brian Tamaki defiant ahead of court appearance
Jordyn Rudd (1 News): Brian Tamaki pleads not guilty over anti-lockdown protest
Jean Bell (RNZ): Destiny Church’s Brian Tamaki pleads not guilty over anti-lockdown protest
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Police arrest two people, impound four cars following large Porirua tangi
1 News: Two arrested, vehicles seized after large Porirua tangi
Herald: Multiple cars impounded and arrests made following Porirua tangi
Courtney White (ODT): Man tests negative after Northand to Otago trip
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Public tip-off identified man who flew from Whangārei to Queenstown without exemption
RNZ: Man breached lockdown travelling from Whangārei to Queenstown via Wellington
Courtney White (ODT): Police inquiring into man’s travel from Whangarei
Guy Williams (ODT): Queenstown developer denies lockdown breach
Brooke van Velden (Herald): Actual therapy or retail therapy?
Damien Venuto (Herald): Retirement boss calls on Govt to allow aged care residents to see families (paywalled)
Herald: Christmas in the Park cancelled in Auckland, proceeding in Christchurch
James Halpin (Stuff): Boutique festival The Longline Classic cancelled due to restrictions

Disability and Covid
1 News: Woman suffering chronic illness forced to choose between treatment or vaccine
Holly Henry (Newshub): Disability community outraged after autistic man denied entry to store for not wearing mask despite exemption

Testing, contact tracing
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Leaked study shows Ministry of Health struggling with saliva testing as it seeks legal power to take over Covid-19 testing
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Health ministry keeps covid test advisers secret (paywalled)
Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): Further, on taking tests
Herald: Government’s ‘blunt legislative instrument’ over Covid testing wrong, says think tank
Jacob Johnson (1 News): Tap-and-go trial for Covid Tracer app

Border, MIQ, immigration
Katie Todd (RNZ): MIQ hotels record 117 boundary breaches or attempts in 10 months
Mrid Narayan (Stuff): MIQ system is unfair and unkind to Kiwis stuck overseas
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Virtual lobby: broke Kiwi on expired Thai visa, ‘on a lifeboat, waving my hands’
Katie Todd (RNZ): Women face giving birth without their partners present due to MIQ bottleneck
Ellie Jay (RNZ): Father of prem baby applies for emergency MiQ
RNZ: Air Tahiti Nui offers one-off passenger flight out of Auckland

Government books
Zane Small (Newshub): Government books: Tax intake billions more than in 2020, cost of MIQ and vaccines revealed
Luke Malpass and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government accounts show the sunlight before the Delta storm
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Surplus inches closer as Government books billions of dollars on rising property values
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): The biggest winner of the booming housing market has been the Government (paywalled)
Anna Whyte (1 News): Govt’s books in better shape than forecast before Delta
RNZ: Govt books: 2020 / 2021 financial statements show deficit of $4.6 billion
RNZ: Govt books: Small Auckland businesses not so optimistic

Business, economy, wage subsidy
Liam Dann (Herald): New data suggests post-lockdown rebound weaker than last year (paywalled)
Karen Coltman (Stuff): Auckland’s job market in Covid slump but rest of country lifts
Andrew Bayly (Herald): Business promised a roadmap but given a maze (paywalled)
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Air NZ receives additional $170 million in subsidies as Government continue to support cargo flights
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom): Covid-19 infected workers could sue bosses over poor health and safety
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Amazon and Film Commission planning Lord of the Rings release until days before pin pulled on NZ production (paywalled)
RNZ: The Detail: The older entrepreneur – making life better
Emma Houpt (Herald): Bay of Plenty job listings up 43%: Tauranga businesses battle to attract – and keep – top workers (paywalled)

Welfare, inequality
Sarah Robson (RNZ): 8500 more beneficiaries since start of Delta outbreak, figures show
Rachel Sadler (Newshub): Child Poverty Action Group calls for more financial support to help struggling families during ongoing COVID restrictions

25 years since NZ’s first MMP election, Electoral law review
Henry Cooke (Stuff): How politicians let voters destroy their way of life in three short years
Spinoff: As MMP turns 25, here are the ads with the original orange guy: Wal from Footrot Flats
Richard Prebble (Herald): Why a four-year parliamentary term would be a bad move (paywalled)
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): An electoral review

Justice
Farah Hancock (RNZ): Legal aid system ‘broken and may collapse’ – Chief Justice
Steve Braunias (Herald):  Cabals, Satanic symbols and the awful, enduring case of Peter Ellis (paywalled)
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Why Oranga Tamariki must destroy Family Court Judge Peter Callinicos
Sam Sherwood and Sophie Cornish (Stuff): Less than a quarter of fleeing drivers pursued this year after policy change

Euthanasia
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Assisted dying: Doctors to be paid $1087 to perform procedure, starting next month
RNZ: Experts appointed to monitor assisted dying
Esther Ashby-Coventry (Stuff): South Canterbury health and rest home providers plan for implementation of End of Life Act

Water reforms, Local government
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Mahuta rules out nationwide NZTA-style funding for 3 Waters upgrades
Steven Walton (Stuff): Christchurch City Council steps towards leaving Local Government New Zealand
Steven Walton (Stuff): City council staffer given $140,000 severance payment
Adam Burns (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Cultural competency gaps’: Minister responds to councillor’s iwi co-governance concerns
Craig Ashworth (Local Democracy Reporting): Two Māori wards confirmed and named for South Taranaki
Logan Savory (Stuff): Sir Tim Shadbolt conference snub ‘fails to respect democracy’
Luisa Girao (ODT): Meeting votes for status quo
Grant Miller (ODT): Councillors not convinced by arguments to change representation
Hamish MacLean (ODT): New ORC policy on concerns

Housing
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Government making ‘serious bank’ out of housing market – economist
RNZ: NZ’s major cities moderately vulnerable to property downturn – study
Tony Alexander (OneRoof): FOMO factor hits 79% in Auckland
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): Auckland, Queenstown housing ‘most vulnerable’ (paywalled)
Ben Leahy (Herald): CoreLogic analysis: Auckland the big city most vulnerable to a fall in house prices
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Here are the regions most at risk of a housing downturn 
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): ‘I’d be happy to live in the van forever’: 21-year-old priced out of Waikato market uses house deposit to travel New Zealand
Anne Gibson (Herald): Timing of $300m Bayswater project notification raises ire during alert level 3 (paywalled)

Environment, climate change, conservation
Pat Baskett (Newsroom): Climate change’s biggest myth
Bronson Eruera Perich (Te Karere): Plans to expand Tirohia landfill dumped by councils
Chloe Ranford (Stuff): Inter-island ferries ‘most likely’ cause of harmful gas emissions, new study finds

Education
Stuff Editorial: Schools still left with so many questions
John McDermott (NBR): Human capital: The effect of education on the economy (paywalled)
Wyatt Ryder (ODT): Appeal for discussion on school building

Transport
Grady Connell (Newshub): KiwiRail buys 57 new mainline locomotives for South Island
John Lewis (ODT): Petrol prices worsen financial struggles
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Airport no longer the jewel in Wellington transport plan’s crown (paywalled)

Other
Jo Moir (Newsroom): MPs living in Level 3 keep distance from Parliament
George Heagney (Stuff): ‘Only fragments’ of land remain in Māori hands today
André Chumko (Stuff): Slow progress on media accessibility legislation in Aotearoa
Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): Taiwan is becoming a flashpoint for China and the West – how does New Zealand respond?
No Right Turn: The Data and Statistics Bill and the OIA
RNZ: Transpower apologises over August blackouts
George Driver (Spinoff): Why the new global tax rate is a big deal – and what it means for tech giants in NZ
Joe Bennett (Stuff): Hope and journalism 
Peter Hamilton (Herald): Welcome to the Republic of New Zealand (paywalled)
Maja Burry (RNZ): Efforts ramp up to attract workers to vineyards

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