NZ Politics Daily – 25 November 2021

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Today’s content

National Party
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Collins’ risky strike against Bridges could be her last
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Amid the Collins vs Bridges animosity, one thing is clear
Newstalk ZB: Barry Soper: ‘So feral’ – Collins’ National leadership in doubt
Richard Harman (Politik): Collins burns Bridges (paywalled)
RNZ: Simon Bridges on being demoted: ‘What we saw yesterday was truly desperate stuff from Judith Collins’
1 News: Simon Bridges says demotion ‘truly desperate stuff’ from Collins
Herald: Simon Bridges on his demotion after alleged comments to Jacqui Dean
Stuff: Simon Bridges comes out swinging after being demoted over ‘serious misconduct’ allegation
Newshub: National Party chaos: Simon Bridges’ full statement ahead of caucus meeting after shock demotion
Tova O’Brien and Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Mark Mitchell calls Judith Collins’ Simon Bridges announcement ‘deeply disrespectful’, confirms caucus meeting, won’t rule out leadership challenge
1 News: National in chaos: MP says Judith Collins must resign
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Simon Bridges demotion: National Party MPs urgently meet following Judith Collins’ bombshell announcement
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Simon Bridges ‘highly likely’ to challenge Judith Collins for National leadership – party source
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Leadership challenge to Judith Collins likely as Simon Bridges attacks her actions as ‘truly desperate’
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Simon Bridges’ supporters accuse Judith Collins of set-up, possible caucus challenge underway
RNZ: National caucus to meet after Collins shock demotion of Bridges – MP
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Collins cancels & shanks Bridges – what just happened & why?
Herald: Simon Bridges on his demotion after alleged comments to Jacqui Dean
Herald: Simon Bridges demoted by National Party leader Judith Collins following serious misconduct allegation involving historic interaction with MP Jacqui Dean
Herald: Simon Bridges Demotion: MP who laid the complaint leading to demotion is understood to be Jacqui Dean
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Simon Bridges demoted by Judith Collins over alleged historical comments to a female colleague
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Simon Bridges demoted, stripped of portfolios after allegation of ‘serious misconduct’ over comment to female colleague
1 News: Simon Bridges loses portfolios after ‘serious misconduct’ claim
RNZ: Collins demotes Simon Bridges over allegation of misconduct
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins says she wouldn’t resign even if National caucus had numbers to roll her
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Is Act’s high polling permanent? Judith Collins ponders a permanently split centre-right vote

Govt management of Delta outbreak
Bryce Edwards (Democracy Project): Today’s constitutional disgrace in Parliament
Brigitte Morten (NBR): Speeding through traffic lights dangerous in any context (paywalled)
Michael Neilson (Herald): ‘Contemptuous’ Covid Bill passes within 24 hours amid opposition
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Speaker Trevor Mallard lashes Government for urgently passing Covid-19 law
RNZ: Mandate legislation pushed through Parliament amid fierce opposition
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins slams use of urgency to pass ‘traffic light’ law, says it’s not needed due to high vaccination coverage
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Vaccine mandates are too significant to be rushed through Parliament
Steven Cowan (Against the current): The Green Party votes for a ‘constitutional disgrace’
Stuff Editorial: Govt leaning too heavily on expedience
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Ben Strang (Stuff): Government refuses to release policy advice on vaccine passes and certificates
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (1 News): Waitangi Tribunal grants inquiry into Govt’s handling of pandemic
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Waitangi Tribunal to hold special hearing into govt handling of Covid-19 for Māori
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): One hundred days of harsh lessons for Māori as calls for help go largely unanswered
Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): Missed opportunities
RNZ: Covid-19 wrap: MIQ changes and traffic light legislation
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Thousands logged as waiting for call in self-isolation a ‘recording error’ 

NZ border changes, MIQ
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Newshub-Reid Research poll: 7 in 10 believe vaccinated, COVID-negative Kiwis should be able to skip MIQ
John Weekes (Herald): Govt’s long-awaited MIQ end dates as much about ‘groaning’ admin system as health risk, says expert
Jo Moir (Newsroom): No logic in why Kiwis in Oz can’t be home for Christmas
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Why border reopening could be faster than the Government’s announced dates
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Is there no end to the absurdity of this Government?
Russell Palmer (Newshub): Opposition parties decry border reopening, trans-Tasman delays
Samantha Worthington (1 News): National, ACT compare Government to Grinch over border timeline
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Opposition slams ‘callous, heartless’ plans to drop MIQ for vaccinated Kiwis after Christmas
John Weekes (Herald): Grand reopening no Greatest Hits, more the ‘least worst’ option
Nadine Porter (Stuff): Tourism operators, expats condemn plan for seven-day isolation from next year
John Gerritsen (RNZ): International language sector says border reopening date for students too late
John Anthony, Debbie Jamieson and Joanne Naish (Stuff): New Zealand border opening: Seven-day isolation ‘excessive’, ‘nonsense’, tourism industry leaders say
Kaysha Brownlie (Newshub): Disappointment at Government’s self-isolation requirement as tourism business struggle on
Laura Hooper (Stuff): Tough summer expected for Fiordland as international border opening date set for April
David Coombes (Herald): Flight Centre chief on opening up to the world (paywalled)
Grant Bradley (Herald): RIP MIQ – travel and tourism react to border plans (paywalled)
Maryana Garcia and Carmen Hall (Bay of Plenty Times): ‘It’s an early Christmas present’ – Travel industry reacts to borders reopening (paywalled)
RNZ: Government’s border reopening plan stirs mixed emotions
Stephanie Holmes (Herald): NZ’s international borders reopening has me crying my eyes out
RNZ: Sports ponder impact of new COVID travel rules
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Grant Robertson needs to step up
John Anthony (Stuff): Air NZ cancels more flights following border opening announcement 
—————
Anna Whyte (1 News): Border shake-up: What you need to know
Dan Lake (Newshub): Everything you need to know about New Zealand’s borders reopening in 2022
Anna Whyte (1 News): No MIQ for Kiwis in Australia from Jan 17 as borders start to open
Siobhan Downes (Stuff): Fully vaccinated Kiwis can skip MIQ from February
Irra Lee (1 News): Staged re-opening of borders to overseas visitors from April
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern deems overseas arrivals ‘significant risk’ despite no trans-Tasman COVID-19 cases among vaccinated travellers since Delta
Zane Small (Newshub): Dates confirmed: COVID-19 home isolation allowed for vaccinated international arrivals into New Zealand from 2022 in stages
Corazon Miller (1 News): NZ to drop five countries from ‘very high risk’
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand to reopen borders to vaccinated visitors from new year
RNZ: Major MIQ changes from early next year

Vaccine pass
Chris Keall (Herald): The PM says the Vaccine Pass only needs to be sighted – why that’s a big problem (paywalled)
Irra Lee (1 News): Ministry of Health confirms vaccine pass verifier app not compulsory
Ben Strang (Stuff): Migrants unable to get a vaccine pass, Ministry of Health call centre overwhelmed

Mandatory vaccination, incentives
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins says payment for workers who refuse jab too much
Alexa Cook (Newshub): Hospitals carrying ‘heavy burden’ after nearly 1500 staff off the job after refusing COVID-19 vaccine
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Summer fire risk could be elevated by lower crew levels
Maja Burry (RNZ): Food exporters’ vaccine mandate put on ice
Che Baker (Stuff): Seven doctors fired by Southern DHB over vaccine mandate
Rotorua Daily Post (Herald): Rotorua’s Red Stag Timber to pay $3000 bonus to vaccinated staff (paywalled)
RNZ: Red StagTimber offers cash incentive for double vaxxed workers
Anne Gibson (Herald): No jab, no mortgage? One broker claims finance pulled over vax status (paywalled)
Bridget Tunnicliffe (RNZ): Vaccine hesitancy threatens Silver Ferns’ programme
Kirsty Wynn (Herald): Unvaccinated airport worker gets interim reinstatement after dismissal
Stuff:  Supreme Court rejects ‘exceptional’ basis for health professionals and teachers ‘no jab, no job’ appeal

Move to traffic light system
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Vulnerable communities with low vaccination rates not keen to see Aucklanders this summer
Matai O’Connor (RNZ): Lake Waikaremoana off limits as Tūhoe tries to raise vaccination rates
Sandra Conchie (Herald): Fears Bay of Plenty could be in ‘red’ until end of the year (paywalled)
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Iwi collective urges whānau to prepare to be frontline carers
Jessica Roden (1 News): South Island hospitals preparing for influx of summer Covid cases
Whatitiri Te Wake (Māori TV): Traffic lights strategy and tangihanga – how will it work?
Brittney Deguara (Stuff): How travel will work in the new traffic light system
Whanganui Chronicle: Expert Q&A on traffic light system
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): How weddings, funerals, tangi, and other gatherings will work under the traffic light system
Ben Leahy (Herald): Auckland hair salons reopen for first time in three months

Vaccine rollout
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): More than 75,000 people are overdue for their second vaccination
Kate Newton (Stuff): The latest data highlights persistent gaps in the vaccine rollout
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): Māori health leaders criticise govt data hesitancy after vaccination info released
1 News: Bureaucrats ‘consistently blocking’ Māori vaccine efforts – Tamihere
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Pacific communities reach 90 percent first dose vaccination rate
Jogai Bhatt (RNZ): Indian New Zealanders amongst the most highly-vaccinated in the country
Scott Palmer (Newshub): COVID-19 vaccine map: Major jump in areas to reach 90 pct target
Adam Pearse (Herald): Book My Vaccine to make comeback in booster campaign
RNZ: Another strong community turn-out for Porirua vaccination event

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Cases, demographics, Delta spreads
Herald: New Zealand closing in on 5000 cases, 20 per cent in kids under 9
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Ten out of 15 people who have died were unvaccinated
1 News: Only 20% of Delta outbreak Covid deaths fully vaccinated
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Vaccination status of deaths during Delta outbreak revealed
RNZ: 15 people have died in current Delta outbreak, Ministry of Health confirms
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Concern in Napier over movements of Covid-19 case who arrived from Auckland
Taroi Black (Māori TV): First confirmed case in Tuhoe nation
1 News: Eastern Bay of Plenty community asked to isolate after positive Covid case
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Bay of Plenty’s Te Waimana community to self isolate, get tested after confirmed case of Covid-19
Leanne Warr (Hawkes Bay Today): Ongoing positive wastewater results a strong indication of Pahiatua cases
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Iwi collective urges whānau to prepare to be first-line carers
Marena Mane (Māori TV): Dr Lily Fraser talks about catching Covid-19

Vaccine misinformation, protests, rule breaches
Katie Harris (Herald): Doctor who posted controversial Covid videos loses fight to stop Medical Council investigation
Anna Leask (Herald): Former cop says two month investigation into high ranking officer’s alleged border breach is ‘bullsh*t’
Chris Parsons (Stuff): Vaccine resistance is not new 
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Faith versus science: Inside the mind of a Covid-19 anti-vaxxer 
Mike Mather (Stuff): ‘Freedoms’ motorcade protesters appear in court on Covid breach, driving charges
Belinda Feek (Herald): Hamilton kindy owner charged after letting woman ride on her car during ‘Great Gridlock’
Herald: Kiwi woman tries to stop anti-mandate, lockdown protest with kung-fu moves

Testing
Jason Walls (Herald): 10k rapid antigen Covid tests ‘gathering dust’ after the Government withholds its approval
Nita Blake-Persen (RNZ): Rapid Covid-19 tests could be widely used over summer holidays
Ian Taylor (Herald): The biggest, and potentially most dangerous, shortcoming in our Covid response (paywalled)
Sinead Gill (Stuff): $250 fee for health clinic Covid test left me shook

Kāinga Ora, housing
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Labour’s Eyes Wide Shut To “Unruly Tenants”
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Kāinga Ora: State housing not a ‘right’, even if unruly tenants have children – lawyer
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Why won’t the govt act over social housing?
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): The intensifying debate over housing reform
Brent Edwards (NBR): Bipartisan Housing Supply Bill faces mounting criticism
Josephine Franks (Stuff): 100 days locked down in emergency housing

Three Waters, local government
Nikitin Sallee (BusinessDesk): Three Waters ad campaign was based on secret report
Nikitin Sallee (BusinessDesk): Three Waters’ TV ad evaporates after commission warning
Susan Botting (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Trust your councillors’ says Whangārei District councillor ahead of Oruku Landing decision

Parliament, parties
Thomas Coughlan (Herald):  The case for Labour (paywalled)
Benedict Collins (1 News): Winston Peters looks to take legal fight to Supreme Court
The Country (Herald): Jacinda Ardern on Groundswell, Barry Soper and press conference issues

Environment, climate change, conservation
Matt Burgess (Herald): First tell us how your Climate plan works, Minister James Shaw (paywalled)
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Farm emissions pricing plan won’t cut emissions
The Standard: He Waka Eke Noa?
Tina Law (Stuff): Government plans to address climate change not ambitious enough, city leaders say

Primary industries, Groundswell protests
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Will Nash meet with Groundswell NZ leaders?
Herald Editorial: Groundswell needs to weed the barmy from it’s farmy army (paywalled)

Economy, business, wage subsidy
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): 100 days in lockdown: How hard was the economy hit?
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): An Auckland business thrives, while another keeps doors closed in a ‘dire’ 100 days of lockdown
James Halpin (Stuff): Auckland restaurants prepared for hectic reopening, but worried about summer slump
David Long (Stuff): Tennis New Zealand cancels all national championships over Covid-19 uncertainties
Liam Dann (Herald):  ‘Time of cheap money is over’ – brace for seven more rate hikes (paywalled)
RNZ: Official cash rate hike ‘just another blow’ for first-time home buyers
Katie Bradford (1 News): Reserve Bank lifts official cash rate
Liam Dann (Herald): OCR: Reserve Bank hikes rate by 25bp, more rises likely
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Reserve Bank raises the official cash rate to 0.75 percent
RNZ: Methven’s Ōpuke Pools opened with aim to make the high country a year-round destination
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Judith Collins courts tech sector with offer of ‘big fix’ policy and summit
Chris Keall (Herald): Judith Collins kicks off technology policy process with Peter Beck and others (paywalled)

Health, ACC
Herald: New rules ban smoking in cars with kids from Sunday
John Weekes (Herald): Up to 2000 victims skipped: Survivor with PTSD exposes scale of compensation loophole
RNZ: Drug checking to be permanent after law passes third reading
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Largest ever cohort of Māori health professionals to graduate from Otago University

Employment, Immigration, migrant workers
Ian Powell (Democracy Project): Unionism and nursing in New Zealand
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government finalises massive expansion of social safety net, funded by 1-2 per cent tax hike (paywalled)
RNZ: Countdown distribution workers strike over pay
RNZ: Tonga unable to repatriate stranded RSE workers till 2022
Tamsyn Parker (Herald): NZX-listed companies gifting shares as employee incentives (paywalled)

Justice, corrections
RNZ: Scrutiny of use of segregation and force in New Zealand prisons underway as review kicks off
Katie Harris (Herald): ‘Retraumatised’: Calls for prison double bunking to be axed as new data shows level of sex assault
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Modern Family Court will look like a ‘different world’ to current system, says top judge
Nicole McKee (Magic): Opinion: A lot of law, but where’s the order?
Anna Leask (Herald): Man seeking $25K in damages from NZDF after court agrees he felt ‘detained’ by military police
Tara Shaskey (Stuff): Appeal against post-sentence detention upheld in human rights test case

Transport
1 News: KiwiRail boss Greg Miller quits amid culture complaints
RNZ: KiwiRail group chief executive Greg Miller quits
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Relief and recriminations: KiwiRail’s Miller departs
Andrea Fox (Herald): KiwiRail strikes still set but union hopes CEO departure may bring new approach to wage talks (paywalled)
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Regional council ‘won’t tolerate’ being blamed over delayed Transmission Gully opening
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Lack of financial transparency around Te Huia frustrates Hamilton politicians

Education
RNZ: Police investigating allegations of historical abuse at St Peter’s School
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Mana College ditches gendered prefect titles, experts say more NZ schools doing the same

Other
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government finalises massive expansion of social safety net, funded by 1-2 per cent tax hike (paywalled)
Integrity Talking Points: New Zealand still the most free country according to the Human Freedom Index
RNZ: Treaty of Waitangi settlement for Moriori completed as bill passes final reading
Karl du Fresne: Don’t mention the war
Will Trafford (Māori TV): ‘I give nothing to racism’ – Mahuta hits back over Tatua director’s social posts
Shane Te Pou (Herald): Four things I want from broadcasting reforms (paywalled)
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff): Peng Shuai: When sport, business and politics collide
Dr Elizabeth Kerekere (Stuff): Trans Awareness Week a chance to reflect on journey so far, but still a long way to go
Qiuyi Tan (Herald): Auckland cafe fires manager over anti-Muslim messages
Henry Burrell (BusinessDesk): Nats go into bat for tech sector (paywalled)
Redline: The bizarre case of the Royal Society investigating academics defending science
Mike White (Stuff): British government still lying about disastrous flight into war zone, New Zealanders say
David Williams (Newsroom): Lake Ōhau fire narrative goes up in smoke
Nikki Mandow (Newsroom): Mt Ruapehu skiers on carve-up: ‘We don’t want another Waiwera hot pools’

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