NZ Politics Daily – 26 November 2021

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Today’s content

National Party
Richard Shaw (The Conversation): Judith Collins may be gone but New Zealand’s search for a credible and viable opposition is far from over
Matthew Hooton (Herald): National’s next leader? First they must slow things down (paywalled)
Brigitte Morten (RNZ): Collins and Bridges: MP disputes should allow some natural justice
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Judith Collins’ move on Simon Bridges made position as National’s leader intolerable
Stuff Editorial: Politics by the books
Tova O’Brien (Newshub): Gone by lunchtime: Judith Collins started her day defiant but within hours lost the confidence of her caucus
Thomas Manch and Bridie Witton (Herald): The 15 hours that ended Collins’ leadership: It started with an email, and ended with a drink at the pub
Jane Patterson (RNZ): How Collins crushed her own leadership
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): What got into Judith Collins? (paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Judith’s Last Stand
Herald Editorial: Judith Collins’ legacy as National Party leader is a smoking ruin (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: ‘This is not our best day’
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): End of an error
Tim Watkin (Guardian): No surprises as combustible Judith Collins crashes and burns as National leader
Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB): Few political hit jobs have been so badly executed
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Have we ever seen such an epic own goal in politics?
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Judith Collins gambled and lost, but what comes next is far from clear for National
David Farrar (Kiwiblog): A sad way to depart
Curwen Ares Rolinson (Daily Blog): On Judith Collins’ Contrapasso Cataclysm
Greg Presland (The Standard): The winners and losers from National’s leadership spill
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): Welcome to the new 1pm presser
Claire Trevett  (Herald): Judith Collins gone by lunchtime – but has she brought the whole party down with her? (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell: On the demotion of Simon Bridges
Talia Parker (Herald): ‘The National Party have deserted the field’: David Seymour on today’s political turmoil (paywalled)
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Mike Houlahan (ODT): ‘Not my intention’: Dean disappointed by Collins’ move against Bridges
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Jacqui Dean surprised allegation used to demote Simon Bridges as Judith Collins calls for ‘new broom’ to take leadership, picks contenders
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): National MP Jacqui Dean speaks on ‘inappropriate’ Simon Bridges’ remarks, following party turmoil
Herald: ‘Inappropriate, not something I wanted to hear’: Jacqui Dean on Simon Bridges’ comments
Kirsty Johnston (Stuff): The problems with the ‘blokey joke’ that National’s Simon Bridges made to Jacqui Dean
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Matthew Hooton (Patreon): New leader must demand “useful idiot” Goodfellow goes (paywalled)
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Demoting Simon Bridges without National Party board’s support could backfire on Judith Collins
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National Party board confirms it did not agree to sack Simon Bridges, as Judith Collins claimed in press release
Anna Whyte (1 News): National Party Board didn’t support Bridges demotion – president
RNZ: National Party board did not endorse Bridges’ demotion – president
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Maia Hart (Stuff): Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith takes positives out of ‘disappointing’ day for National
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): ‘I don’t enjoy them at all’: National MP Ian McKelvie frustrated at yet another National leadership contest
Logan Savory (Stuff): Invercargill MP: Country needs National Party to be at its best
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Judith Collins’ attempt to ‘rule by fear’ contributes to ousting, National ex-MP says
Newstalk ZB: Former MP says Judith Collins led by fear
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Herald: In the Loop: What happened with Judith Collins and Simon Bridges? Former staffer recaps the spill
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The five most terrible, horrible, no-good very bad days in recent National Party history
Zane Small (Newshub): A brief dive into the National Party’s recent troubled history
1 News: National’s new leader will be ‘next PM’ – Reti
RNZ: Shane Reti makes question time debut as National’s interim leader
Anna Whyte (1 News): National’s Shane Reti admits ‘this is not our best day’
Eva Corlett and Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand opposition leader Judith Collins ousted after move to demote rival backfires
Maiki Sherman (1 News): Judith Collins heads to pub after losing National leadership
1 News: Collins says being National leader took ‘stamina and resolve’
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Deposed National Party leader Judith Collins leaves Parliament in a hurry, says she’s feeling ‘very good’
Anna Whyte (1 News): Judith Collins gone as National leader, Shane Reti temporary replacement
Herald: Judith Collins’ out: Bowled after 499 days at the helm of the National Party
Dan Satherley (Newshub): National Party in chaos: Judith Collins’ story ‘doesn’t really stack up’ – political commentator Josie Pagani
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National chaos: How party MPs reacted to Simon Bridges’ shock demotion
Leah Tebbutt (RNZ): Voter reaction to leadership fiasco: ‘The National Party are a lost soul’
Matt Burrow and Tia McDougall (Newshub): How Judith Collins’ Papakura electorate reacted to National Party leadership drama
Stuff:  Jacinda Ardern tight-lipped about National leadership drama
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): ‘Crusher Collins’ tattoo superfan doesn’t regret ink art, but National may lose his vote

National Party leadership race
Claire Trevett (Herald): Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges are still the top contenders for National’s leadership. Can they cut a deal? (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): National trying to avoid leadership ballot (paywalled)
Luke Malpass and Henry Cooke (Stuff): The top contenders to replace Judith Collins
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National in turmoil as Judith Collins forced from power, Simon Bridges, Chris Luxon, Mark Mitchell, Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis eye challenge
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Luxon the likely frontrunner in Nats’ leadership race
Michael Neilson (Herald): National leadership challenge: The six contenders after Judith Collins rolled
1 News: Battle royale begins for National Party leadership
Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road): Act’s Precarious Ascendancy
Lydia Lewis and Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Judith Collins’ backing of Christopher Luxon likely has little sway after ‘appalling’ process – political commentator
Justin Giovannetti (Spinoff): Who will be the next National leader?
Lana Andelane (Newshub): Simon Bridges says he could work with Judith Collins again, praises her for helping ‘rebuild’ the National Party
RNZ: Simon Bridges won’t rule out taking another tilt at leadership
Anna Whyte (1 News): Bridges undecided on National leadership bid
Zara Smith (Newshub): Simon Bridges regrets ‘inappropriate’ remarks that upset Jacqui Dean, but will ‘consider’ run for National leadership

Govt management of Delta outbreak
Andrew Geddis (Spinoff): In rushing through the ‘traffic light’ legislation, the government has failed us
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Beating the lights? Vaccine mandate law urgency criticised but scrutiny still possible – law expert
Charlie Dreaver and Russell Palmer (Newshub): Covid-19: Antivirals may come too late for outbreak’s peak – experts
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Perilous short circuit in traffic light system
Brittney Deguara  (Stuff): Delta outbreak peak behind us for now, but traffic light system could change the maths, data modellers say
RNZ: PM Jacinda Ardern: ‘Throughout this pandemic one of the hardest things to do has been to plan’
RNZ: Government announces raft of supports in new Covid Care and Community model
Herald: Chris Hipkins offers assurances on rushed, new framework
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): Māori Council seeks to hold govt to account for Covid-19 response failures
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): South Auckland health providers briefed minister before unveiling of government’s new approach
Ben Leahy (Herald): PM Jacinda Ardern on Covid, visit to Auckland, and National Party turmoil
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): New Zealand would go back to alert level system ‘if things got really bad’ – Chris Hipkins
Denise Piper (Stuff): Holidaymakers in dark over how Auckland-Northland border will work
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): The NZ Covid opening-up calendar
Leo Molloy (Herald): Why Covid as we know it will be gone in 12 months
Sapeer Mayron (Stuff): 100 days in lockdown: Auckland up two places in longest Covid-19 lockdown list

Home Isolation, Testing
1 News: NZ not ready for home isolation, as Covid cases rise – expert
Jane Nixon (1 News): Michael Baker supports ‘measured’ rapid antigen test rollout
Brittany Keogh (Stuff): Covid-19 tests that give result in 20 mins as good as traditional lab tests, study finds
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Rapid antigen testing misses more than half of positive cases – Kiwi study
Adam Pearse (Herald): Explainer – How $1.5b will transform virus testing and home isolation
Adam Pearse (Herald): Rapid antigen tests for businesses and public, more support for patients in home isolation
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Rapid antigen tests available from pharmacies from next month
Zane Small (Newshub): DIY rapid antigen tests available at pharmacies as part of billion-dollar package to cope with COVID-19 in the community
Herald: Helpline investigation underway into home-quarantine death of West Auckland man
Siouxsie Wiles (Spinoff): How to care for yourself and others with Covid-19 at home
Charlotte Muru-Lanning (Spinoff): The life-saving device that could exacerbate the inequity of our Covid response
Lois Williams (Local Democracy Reporting): West Coast workshops prepare community for self-isolation
Laura James (1 News): Family left waiting in isolation as MOH fails to send discharge letter

NZ border changes, MIQ
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Government’s date for international student return ‘could cost billions’
Ellen O’DwyerRNZ: Government relying on ‘goodwill and honesty’ of travellers to do self-isolation
Grant Bradley (Herald): Border barrier warning: Airline activity could stay stuck in the ‘60s (paywalled)
Grant Bradley (Herald): Air New Zealand takes 17,000 international bookings in under a day (paywalled)
Sarah Pollok (Herald): Who is an eligible traveller for New Zealand’s 2022 travel opening?
Miriam Burrell (Herald): Auckland checkpoints cost police $200,000, leave staff ‘burnt out’
Philip Chandler (Mountain Scene): Chef with cancer can’t get MIQ spot
Jodi Ramsay (Stuff): Denied for MIQ while brother lies in ICU
Katie Todd (RNZ): Wellington’s Grand Mercure MIQ facility not fit for purpose – Ombudsman

Mandatory vaccination, vaccine pass, incentives
Elizabeth Fenton (Newsroom): Why vaccine mandates are ethical
Nick James (Herald): Wellington schools shun council facilities due to uncertainty over staff vaccination status
Nikki Preston (Herald): Private hospitals start closing their doors on unvaccinated patients and visitors, lawyer warns they may not have a choice (paywalled)
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Hamilton City council considering compulsory vaccination for staff
Sam Olley (RNZ): Vaccine pass helpline swamped by calls as thousands eye traffic-light travel
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Haircuts are back in Auckland, but only if you have a vaccine pass

Vaccine rollout
1 News: Māori Covid vax rates reach 80 per cent first dose
RNZ: ‘The gap remains’: Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency back in High Court
Stuff: Urgent need for Māori vaccination data as Auckland opening looms, judge told
Hannah Martin (Stuff): What we know about the AstraZeneca vaccine
Jordan Bond (RNZ): Unclear whether Medsafe to analyse paediatric vaccine data over Christmas break
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Government launches text service to help Deaf people get vaccinated 
Robin Martin (RNZ): Māori vaccination effort goes door-to-door in Taranaki
RNZ: South Canterbury latest DHB to reach 90pc first doses
Michael Hall (RNZ): Expert says chronic fatigue sufferers should be exempt from Covid-19 vaccination
Elizabeth Binning (Herald): Pfizer vaccine not causing greater risk of miscarriage – latest Medsafe report
RNZ: Covid-19 vaccine reduces stroke risk – Stroke Foundation
Kate Green (Stuff): Booster shots are available – who can get them, and how do you book?

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Cases, demographics, Delta spreads
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Auckland rugby league referee and ‘real character’ dies from Covid-19
RNZ: Hawke’s Bay case has little effect on region’s testing numbers

Vaccine misinformation, protests, rule breaches
James Fleury and Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Northland District Health Board Nick Chamberlain boss caught up in nasty rumour spread by antivaxxers
1 News: Northland DHB CEO shuts down ‘nasty rumour’ of his own death
RNZ: ‘Don’t rely on social media’ – Northland DHB debunks anti-vax illness rumours
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland DHB boss quashes ‘nasty rumour spread by anti-vaxxers’
Cira Olivier (Herald): Murupara Medical Centre slammed over social media post (paywalled)
Piers Fuller (Stuff): Covid-19 signs on cafes welcoming ‘vaxed and unvaxed’ may look official but they’re not
Belinda Feek (Herald): ‘Relentless lockdowns’ putting pressure on families, domestic violence – Brian Tamaki
Dylan Reeve (Spinoff): How Telegram became the extremists’ platform of choice

Housing
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Reserve Bank boss Adrian Orr warns first-home buyers mortgage rate shocks are ‘part of the real world’
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Proposal for up to 670 ‘urgently needed’ homes near Napier gets referred for fast-track process
Diane McCarthy (Stuff): End could be in sight for derelict landbanked houses
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Proposed RMA change sees online bidding on houses drive prices further – auctioneer

Three Waters, local government
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Jump in staff turnover at Wellington Water due to uncertainty over three waters reform
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): To build, or not to build? That is the $44m question for Tasman District Council
Tim Newman (Stuff): Nelson council scrambling to make sense of traffic light rules
Maia Hart (Stuff): Council stumps up for freedom camping ranger after Government pulls funding
Logan Savory (Stuff): Deputy Mayor: Time Invercargill City Council stumped up to sort ‘horrible’ inner-city facades
Hamish MacLean (ODT): ORC councillors vote against replacing Hobbs
RNZ: Building consent demands cause delays in Dunedin
Grant Miller (ODT): Mayor keen on some free bus fares
RNZ: Fears Porirua parking meters will drive people out of the city centre
RNZ: Wellington’s Evans Bay Parade to be revamped

Education
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Charter schools use govt funding to pay $450k to owners before joining state school system
Herald: Auckland school management board slammed by Auditor-General after paying $450k of public money to themselves
RNZ: At-risk students taken in by Te Kura should be better supported by local schools and services- ERO
Mildred Armah (1 News): Better career advice needed for teenagers – former student

Environment, Primary industries, Groundswell protests
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): ‘Corporate welfare’: Push back over proposals that would reduce emissions by 1pc
Guy Trafford (Interest): The the recent rural protests have been quite misplaced – the climate issue is just not going away
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): Groundswell NZ deliver 8000 letters to Parliament by tractor

Employment, Immigration, migrant workers
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Government finalises massive expansion of social safety net, funded by 1-2 per cent tax hike (paywalled)
Brian Fallow (Herald): Keeping a watching eye on pay rates (paywalled)
Stuff: Security Intelligence Service admits ‘significant failings’ in Immigration advice
RNZ: NZSIS’ advisory role on immigration security risks to be clarified
RNZ: ‘Tomorrow’s too late’ – Borders open not fast enough for labour shortage
RNZ: From the Cook Islands to Southland, in search of jobs
Mike Treen (Daily Blog): Letter from Hon Kris Faafoi

Economy, business, wage subsidy
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Reserve Bank forecasts point to ‘near recession’ from second half of next year
Liam Dann (Herald): Lockdown rebound slower this time as inflation bites – ASB (paywalled)
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): Kiwi small business sector bounces back but hospitality continues to bear the brunt of lockdowns – Xero survey
RNZ: Youth Hostel Association to close its hostels after 89 years
Laura Hooper Uma Ahmed (Stuff): Southland businesses: ‘We have no clue what’s going to happen’
Rahul Bhattarai (Herald): ‘Mass-consumerism makes an unfair world’ says Trade Aid
Anuja Nadkarni (Newsroom): Retailer hopeful Black Friday push-back grows
RNZ: Consumers urged to not get carried away with Black Friday hype

Energy
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Review finds August power cuts ‘need not have happened’, blaming the EA and Transpower (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government investigation finds August power cuts were unnecessary
RNZ: Power blackout probe puts onus on Electricity Authority, Transpower to do better

Health, ACC
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Kiwis needing healthcare during lockdown afraid to leave the house, thought doctors were too busy to bother with them – study
Michelle Duff (Stuff): ‘More women will get cancer’: Covid cuts cervical screening rates in half
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Health workers anxious over missed cancer diagnoses as patients stay away during pandemic
Denise Piper (Stuff): Falling MMR vaccination rates and border opening raises fear of measles epidemic
Jodi Bryant (Northern Advocate/Herald): Northland DHB preparing for return of influenza as borders reopen (paywalled)
Amber Allott (Stuff): Lower-income Christchurch residents facing half-hour bus rides to nearest doctor, study finds
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Hospital services for Māori ‘hostile and racist’, review finds
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Spotlight criticised for ‘ignorant and disrespectful’ OCD Christmas items
RNZ: More psychiatrists considering leaving New Zealand due to working conditions – survey
Cecile Meier (Stuff): Almost half of psychiatrists would quit their job if they could, survey shows

Media
Bill Ralston (Stuff): Why Magic Talk failed and the challenge facing the new station, Today FM
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): Today FM hopes Tova and raw talent win the day
Hayden Donnell (RNZ): MediaWorks reveals plan to ditch Magic Talk, launch new talk brand
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): No more Magic Talk: MediaWorks unveils plans for new talk station Today FM
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Spinoff): Meet the man who thinks he can fix Magic Talk
Dita De Boni (NBR): MediaWorks aims squarely for the centre in new talk offering (paywalled)
Daniel Dunkley (BusinessDesk): Magic Talk rebrands to Today FM in ratings war
Duncan Greive (Herald): Why the New Zealand media is seeking a deal with tech giants Google and Facebook
Herald: NZ media seek Commerce Commission approval to negotiate payment from Facebook and Google

Transport
Joel MacManus (Stuff): Wellington to trial free public transport on weekends
RNZ: Transport Accident Commission recommends additional safety compliance for roadworks
Gary Holmes (Herald):  Dominion Rd is bending under the wait for a transport solution (paywalled)

Other
Peter Dunne: The Greens try to manoeuvre themselves into the box coalition seat ahead of the next election
Phil Pennington (RNZ): South Auckland warehouse blaze saw asbestos travel 1km away – review
Daniel Riordan (NBR): MP queries Reserve Bank senior staff turnover (paywalled)
Michelle Duff and Kirsty Johnston (Spinoff): Despite it all, it’s a great time to be a feminist in Aotearoa
Keiller MacDuff (Stuff): South Canterbury mum feels legal aid justice squeeze
RNZ: Family violence in NZ a ‘hidden pandemic’ – agencies
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Revealed: Hawke’s Bay inmates assault prison staffer every month (paywalled)
Māni Dunlop (RNZ): Govt repeals Oranga Tamarki’s ‘Subsequent Child’ provision
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Govt finally moves to repeal ‘subsequent child’ uplifts
RNZ: EQC grants $1m in funding for research into natural hazard resilience
Bronson Perich (Te Karere): NZ Army experiencing ‘spike in attrition’ as soldiers leave

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