Today’s content

Govt Covid strategy, expert warnings
Luke Malpass (Stuff): The Government and the epidemiologists start to part ways 
Gordon Campbell: On the perils of declaring premature victory
Kristin Hall (1 News): Government pushing ahead with traffic light system despite strong opposition
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Alliance of iwi and Māori representatives rejects Govt’s proposed traffic light system
RNZ: Māori leaders opposed to rumoured Covid-19 traffic light system
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Mounting opposition to Government’s proposed new ‘traffic light’ system for Covid-19 restrictions 
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): ‘A game of two halves’: Māori vaccination rates must reach 90 per cent, experts say
Zoe Holland (Herald): Government’s alert-level decisions get mixed marks from experts
Jane Patterson (RNZ): Ministers look at ‘traffic light’ system for when vaccination rates higher
Anna Whyte (1 News): Vaccination target to be revealed for new Covid framework – Ardern
RNZ: Government to announce new Covid-19 approach on Friday
Verity Johnson (Stuff): Mourning the death of a delusion
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand Covid update: Auckland to remain in lockdown even as fully vaccinated hit 70%
Stuff Editorial: Big questions still await clear answers
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): Where Britain goes Aotearoa should not go
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): It’s time for more carrot and less stick, at least for vaccinated rule followers
Keith Woodford (Interest): The current COVID strategy needs an urgent reset. It is now evident that staying in Level 3 over coming weeks will lead to a dismal Christmas
Luke Kirkness (Herald): New Zealanders deserve to know where they’re headed with Covid-19 (paywalled)
Henry Cooke (Stuff): When decisions will be made on alert levels, vaccine targets and school reopenings
Zac de Silva (Stuff): How a successful business might have managed the Covid crisis
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Ongoing uncertainty over Covid-19 rules leads to frustration in the south

Auckland, Waikato, Northland alert level decision
1 News: Auckland will be out of Level 3 by Christmas – Ardern
1 News: Growing Covid numbers will ‘push outbreak into Christmas’, Hendy fears
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Ardern’s circuit-breaker balancing act
Mihingarangi Forbes (Newshub): Māori health providers disappointed there’s no level 4 circuit-breaker lockdown for Auckland
Adam Jacobson and Hannah Martin (Stuff): No level 4 ‘circuit breaker’ for Auckland, despite ‘desperate need’
1 News: Ardern says Level 4 Auckland circuit breaker unnecessary – if rules followed
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland needs 90-95pc double-dose rates before rules ease – experts
1 News: Level 4 ‘circuit breaker’ being ‘actively considered’ for Auckland – Bloomfield
Matthew Hooton (Patreon): PM should visit Auckland before Friday (paywalled)
1 News: Judith Collins says latest update provides ‘no hope for Aucklanders’
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Ashley Bloomfield hints Aucklanders could see more freedoms in early December
RNZ:Ashley Bloomfield on vaccination rates: ‘Auckland’s pretty much there, let’s just stay the course’
Sapeer Mayron (Stuff): Auckland set to join ranks of longest lockdowns globally
RNZ: Northland to move to level 2; Auckland to stay in level 3 step 1 for two weeks – PM
Denise Piper (Stuff): ‘Many happy people’ after decision to drop Northland to alert level 2
Mike Mather and Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Anti-Covid border between Raglan and Hamilton ‘should be investigated’ – mayor

Vaccine rollout, Super Saturday Vaxathon
RNZ: Checkpoint: Top epidemiologist concerned at ‘outbreak of the unvaccinated’
1 News: Vaccination target should be over 95 per cent – expert
Derek Cheng (Herald): Jacinda Ardern’s vaccination targets for new Covid normal will leave no group behind
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): 14 more Super Saturdays to go? Or none? (paywalled)
Jason Walls (Newstalk ZB): The vaxathon was a triumph – but it was missing one important thing
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Auckland crew fly to Wellington to film Vaxathon
Hannah Kronast and Perry Wilton (Newshub): Māori health experts praise Super Saturday but warn there’s much more to do
Māori TV: Friday court date for Tamihere
ODT Editorial: Super Saturday’s clear message
Herald Editorial: Saturday’s good vibes just the start if we want an enjoyable summer (paywalled)
Karl du Fresne: On Vaxathon, gangs and double standards
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Frustration as EDs unable to administer Covid-19 vaccine
Kim Moodie (RNZ): Call to tap into ‘trusted relationships’ to motivate unvaccinated
Te Karere: Hawke’s Bay Mongrel Mob chapter opens gang pad to vaccinate members
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Tairāwhiti community leader defends need for fundraising vaccination van
1 News: Tairāwhiti locals struggling to get vaccines raise over $117K for mobile clinic
Karen Rutherford (Newshub): More mobile vaccination vans funded by Māori for Māori hit road as Ngarewa-Packer tells Govt to ‘stop dressing this up’
Herewini Waikato (Māori TV): Murupara doesn’t want Pfizer vaccine
1 News: ACT proposes $250 tax relief for vaccinated Kiwis
Claire Trevett (Herald): Act Party leader David Seymour proposes ‘Vax Bucks’ tax credit
Zane Small (Newshub): Would ACT’s proposed $250 tax incentive for double-vaccinated worsen inflation?
Tumamao Harawira (Māori TV): BBM offering $10,000 as motivation to get vaccinated
Stuff: 68.5% in Southland and Otago fully vaccinated

Mandatory vaccination, anti-vaxxers
RNZ: Everyday activities won’t be available to the unvaccinated – Jacinda Ardern
Richard Harman (Politik): Vaccine mandates by another name (paywalled)
Henry Burrell (BusinessDesk): Ministry of Health: two vaccine certificates for data reasons (paywalled)
RNZ: Checkpoint: Builders call for mandatory vaccination in construction sector
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Make it mandatory for builders to be vaccinated: Master Builders
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Construction sector calls to be included in Government vaccine mandate
Chris Keall (Herald): NZ tech firm says ‘no jab, no meeting’, introduces $1200 vaxx incentive for customers
Mike Yardley (Stuff): It’s time to wield the vaccine pass stick
Virginia Fallon and Kelly Dennett (Stuff): Understanding the unvaccinated: Why are around 800,000 eligible Kiwis reluctant to get jabbed?
Helen Harvey (Stuff): Ten Taranaki midwives are faced with losing their jobs after they refuse to get vaccinated
Dubby Henry (Herald): Home-based educators protest against vaccine mandate rules
Luke Kirkeby (Stuff): Rhythm and Vines co-founder in two minds about ‘discriminatory’ Covid-19 vaccine passports
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Mandatory vaccination for all Auckland Pride events
Brannavan Gnanalingam (Stuff):  It’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do to stop the pandemic
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Rodeo says cowboys must have Covid-19 vaccinations to ride
Kate Hesson (ODT): Handling vexing vax discussions

Auckland party, anti-lockdown protest, alert level compliance, rules
Herald: North Shore influencer party a portrait of privilege in times of pandemic
Herald: North Shore partygoers attended central city rooftop gathering before party
Elizabeth Binning (Herald): North Shore partygoer admits actions were ‘selfish’ so he’s dobbed himself in to police
Zoe Holland (Herald): Police arrest man over North Shore influencer party
Nathan Morton (Stuff): Police arrest man over party on Auckland’s North Shore
Katie Doyle (RNZ): Long hangover looms for North Shore party attendees
Herald: Woman who attended illegal North Shore lockdown party hits out at haters, defends actions
Belinda Feek (Herald): North Shore party – second model dumped by agency
Herald: ‘The public shaming isn’t on’; neighbours of North Shore party speak out
1 News: Ardern reminds Aucklanders to stick to gathering rules after North Shore party
1 News: Bloomfield says Auckland house party in lockdown ‘disappointing’
Herald: Prime Minister calls North Shore party a ‘ blatant breach of the rules’
1 News: Police investigating Auckland lockdown house party
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Police launch investigation after lockdown-breaching North Shore party

NZ border, MIQ, immigration
Liu Chen (RNZ): PhD students excluded from ‘unfair and short-sighted’ residence visa policy
Mike Houlahan and Hamish MacLean (ODT): Travel to Australia reopens in Alert Level 2

Environment, climate change, conservation
Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road): Too Much Say, Not Enough Do
Henry Cooke (Stuff): $1.3b aid commitment slammed by National, lauded by Oxfam
Johnny Blades (RNZ): Pacific Forum welcomes NZ climate aid boost, urges collective action
No Right Turn: Climate Change: A good move, but not enough
Simon Wilson (Herald): Climate change conference 2021- It’s a bad time but it’s the only time we have (paywalled)
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Climate Change Minister James Shaw announces major cash injection ahead of COP26, revealed he never asked to attend virtually
1 News: NZ commits $1.3 billion to combating climate change
Debbie Jamieson (Stuff): Billionaire Peter Thiel’s Wānaka luxury lodge proposal ‘inappropriate’ in natural landscape
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Fuel efficiency of NZ imported cars jumps 15 per cent
Andrea Vance (Stuff): This Is How It Ends: As old as the Southern Alps, kea are on the edge of extinction
Livia Esterhazy (Stuff): This Is How It Ends: When you are a part of something, you care for it
Wyatt Ryder (ODT): Bird of Year candidates revealed
Snita Ahir-Knight (Stuff): Parents are not failing their children by bringing them into the world

Primary industries, migrant workers
RNZ: SAFE calls on government to ban colony farming
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): ‘Heated’ meeting held over Mataura River water over-allocation
Bonnie Flaws (Stuff): Urgent action needed to limit the spread of carbon forestry and save sheep and beef land, farmers say
ODT: Effluent discharge penalty part cancelled

Economy, business, Wage subsidy
Riley Kennedy (ODT): $26m for South in wage subsidy
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Lockdown ‘heartbreaking’: ‘Some retailers won’t make it’
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Hospitality and retail businesses plead Government to set a reopening date
Keith McLaughlin (Stuff): Will we see a repeat of the economic rebound as the economy slowly begins to reopen?
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Auckland businesses on the brink need help now, industry groups say (paywalled)
Rob Stock (Stuff): Some borrowers did not realise the true cost of a Covid-19 loan repayment ‘holiday’
Brent Edwards (NBR): Economic recovery, a climate plan, an excited Act (paywalled)
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): Labour and materials shortages will see Kiwi businesses ‘lost to Australia’, economist says
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Making the case for compulsory supermarket divestments (paywalled)
Omid Aliasghar and Urs Daellenbach (NBR): Our economy is not promoting innovation (paywalled)

Inflation
Greg Smith (Stuff): Turning the inflationary tide: What gives and could the tide turn around?
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Many workers effectively earning less as inflation outstrips wage increases
Liam Dann (Herald): Covid inflation shock hits hard – but will it last (paywalled)
Luke Malpass and Henry Cooke (Stuff): Government faces cost-of-living crunch as Auckland stuck in lockdown
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Heat on Reserve Bank to defend inflation target as living costs jump almost 5%
Liam Dann (Herald): Cost of living soars – new inflation data shows huge leap in prices
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Half a million Kiwis living pay day to pay day
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): Household living costs surge 4.9 percent

MMP at 25
Dave Armstrong (Stuff): We face problems but the electoral system isn’t one of them 
Philip Temple (Scoop): Hang On A Minute, Mate

Parliament, parties, polling
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Moving To The Right
Gwynn Compton (Patreon): National needs a clean slate (paywalled)
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Most partially vaccinated MPs staying home as Parliament resumes
Luisa Girao (ODT): Bike ride to Bluff brings its reward
Deena Coster (Stuff): Taranaki MPs reflect on 12 months in the job 

Health system
Nicholas Jones (Herald): Long Covid clinics desperately needed in New Zealand, experts say
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Lack of action on Māori health underfunding as health gaps grow 
Nicki Jackson (Newsroom): Liquor advertising a blight on society
Emma Russell (Herald): 1000 surgeries cancelled every week
ODT: Southland health workers updated on sector reforms
Anna Loren (Stuff): Spina bifida patient wins ACC compo after mother missed opportunity to abort
RNZ: Patients ‘in limbo’ after surgeries cancelled due to Covid-19

Local government, Three Waters
David Bublitz (Stuff): Perplexed by the Three Waters Reform? You’re not alone 
Tom Hunt (Stuff): Shelly Bay occupiers about to mark first anniversary surprised by claims of resolution 
Matthew Tso (Stuff): Pokie machine ‘sinking lid’ on the table as Lower Hutt reviews gambling 
Grant Miler (ODT): ‘Party line’ sniping by councillors
Todd Niall (Stuff): Can Auckland’s Covid-19-hit election overcome low-turnout past
Desley Simpson (Herald):  Auckland Council balancing books in an unpredictable pandemic (paywalled)
Bernard Orsman (Herald): uckland lawyer plans to build a boatshed on Herne Bay beach, saying the land belongs to him
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Wellington City Council’s tricky call on whether to replace a colleague

Housing, building industry
Ethan Te Ora (Stuff): Labour MP says council housing tenants should be able to access rental subsidy
Catherine Masters (OneRoof): New homes: Can NZ build its way out of a housing crisis?
Jade Kake (Stuff): Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga: Government programme to help iwi build new homes
Devon Bolger (Herald): Christchurch house prices continue to rise as most others slow
Logan Savory (Stuff): Invercargill councillor calls for housing flexibility to avoid city sprawl
Andrew Marshall (ODT): Housing developments may be required to plant trees
Ashley Church (OneRoof): Will China’s ‘Lehman moment’ bring down NZ’s housing market?

Education
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Lockdown double-edged sword for students heading into exam season
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Te Pūkenga says close ties with Māori priority for new operating model
John Lewis (ODT): Te Pukenga model pleases Otago Polytech

Other
Katie Harris (Herald): More than two thirds of the children who died in state care since 2017 were Māori
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Abuse in care: Chair claims church lawyers pushed back on inquiry scope
Pete McKenzie (Guardian): ‘Explosion of ideas’: how Māori concepts are being incorporated into New Zealand law
Anuhsa Bradley (RNZ): Judges being surveyed to boost understanding of ‘life and work experience’
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Bushmere Arms owner not worried about negative reviews after wedding catering stoush with Jacinda Ardern and Clarke Gayford
Ben Leonard (Newsroom): Tauranga iwi’s big foreshore and seabed win
Gavin Ellis (Knightly Views): Stop the rot in media workplace culture
Steve Braunias (Newsroom): Book industry ‘shocked’ by $500,000 grant
Andrew Szusterman (Spinoff): If streaming services won’t make NZ TV on their own, NZ should force them to
Tara Shaskey (Stuff): Opponents of a $280m roading project file police complaint against Waka Kotahi, claiming perjury
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): Law change needed to stop criminals laundering money through KiwiSaver (paywalled)
Brianna MciLraith (Stuff): Joyya tops the list but Farmers gets an F in ethical fashion report