Today’s content

Foreign Affairs and Defence 
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Stormy seas ahead in Indo-Pacific – defence assessment
Lucy Craymer and Thomas Manch (Stuff): New Zealand faces ‘negative trajectory’ of security threats in Pacific
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Defence minister receiving briefings on Russian’s Ukraine aggression, Cabinet yet to discuss 
Jordan Small (Stuff): Are we prepared for the US-China tech decoupling?
Mitchell Alexander (Newshub): China’s rise in South Pacific means New Zealand faces more complex strategic environment – Ministry of Defence
John Weekes (Herald): NZ faces dangerous ‘grey zone’ of more sabotage, foreign interference, major Defence paper warns
Richard Harman (Politik): The threat is from the Pacific
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Defence assessment: Intensifying strategic competition leading to risk of conflict in Indo-Pacific
RNZ: Minister announces Defence Force ‘priorities and principles’
Benedict Collins (1 News): Pandemic has seen NZ Defence Force training suffer – chief
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Louisa Wall and Simon O’Connor call on Government to boycott games
Stuff Editorial: Bigwig boycott of Beijing Olympics more than vacuous tokenism

Govt management of Covid-19
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Economic, social and business pressure outweighed Māori health risks, Chris Hipkins admits in affidavit
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui (1 News): Māori no longer shouting Covid grievances into void
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): Crown must stop paying lip-service and sharpen its response times, Ngāti Hine leader tells Waitangi Tribunal
Michael Neilson (Herald): Health Minister Andrew Little, Dr Ashley Bloomfield grilled by MPs on health spending and Covid-19
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland hospitals in ‘deep trouble’, will struggle with a Covid-19 surge – union
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern talks up New Zealand’s ‘advantage’ as fourth wave of COVID-19 hits northern hemisphere
Arena Williams and Stuart Smith (Stuff): While Delta ravaged the rest of the world, our Government failed to plan for its arrival here – we can’t do the same with Omicron
RNZ: Covid wrap: Nats call for removal of Auckland border, DHBs set-up mini-MIQs
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): ‘We should be in orange’: Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall (paywalled)

Auckland border 
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Next few months will ‘test’ the nation, Sir Brian Roche says
1 News: Auckland’s borders going sooner than advice said – Hipkins
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Chris Hipkins rejects Government slow to open up Auckland, amid calls for border to drop
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Government rejects criticism over Auckland boundary decisions
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern hits back at Christopher Luxon over ‘her decision to ignore health advice’ on COVID-19 traffic light system
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says Government ‘is right’ to seek other advice on COVID-19 response
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern defends decision to keep Auckland border in place
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Auckland boundary two-week delay ‘not material in terms of the risk’ – Bloomfield
RNZ: Christopher Luxon: Auckland border restrictions not necessary
Luke Malpass (Stuff): No need for Auckland borders: Christopher Luxon
1 News: Luxon calls for Auckland’s borders to go now
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Auckland border revelation astounding, but not surprising
Science Media Centre: Preparing for a Covid summer – Expert Reaction
RNZ: Holiday parks need advice on how to deal with Covid-positive visitors
Craig Kapitan (Herald): Remuera surgeon accused of lockdown trip to Christchurch
RNZ: Mini-MIQ: What happens if you test positive for Covid-19 while on holiday
Katie Townshend (Stuff): Nelson Marlborough Health books motels so holidaymakers with Covid can isolate
Don Brash: Questions about roadblock safety, openness and accountability

Contact tracing
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Hipkins: Police shouldn’t have asked for Covid-19 data
Derek Cheng (Herald): Contact tracing report into Covid 19 Delta outbreak: ‘Stretched with no more than 75 cases a day’

Vaccine pass, rollout, exemptions
Patrick Gower (Newshub): Multiple investigations underway after doctor filmed issuing medical certificate exemptions to anti-vaxxers
Herald: GP caught issuing medical certificates as vaccine exemptions, health officials investigating
RNZ: Unofficial Covid-19 vaccine exemptions ‘very unethical’ – Hipkins
Derek Cheng (Herald): ‘Why would we take unnecessary risk?’ – Sir Brian Roche on vaccine passes
1 News: Abuse hurled at Auckland Subway staff ‘unacceptable’
Troels Sommerville (Stuff): Auckland Council defends decision to allow unvaccinated into campgrounds
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): ‘Unmandated agenda’ claim as council meeting vax requirement passes
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Councillor trespassed from council building over lack of Covid-19 vaccine pass
Naomii Seah (Spinoff): A brief history of vaccine passes
Daniel Dunkley (Stuff): Stronger guidance needed for businesses amid My Vaccine Pass confusion
Tamsyn Parker (Herald):  BNZ to require customers to be vaccinated for face-to-face meetings for loans, advice
Harkanwal Singh (Spinoff): The vaccination rate for every suburb in New Zealand on an interactive map

Delta outbreak
RNZ: First case of Covid-19 reported in Taumarunui
RNZ: Checkpoint: Gisborne Mayor urges locals get tested after wastewater result
1 News: Auckland woman shares family’s Covid experience
Lane Nichols (Herald): Richlister Murray Bolton funds successful MIQ bid for top Kiwi stuntman to work on Mad Max film (paywalled)
Nick James (Herald): Air NZ flight delayed after pair refused to wear masks
Marty Sharpe (Stuff): Ruby Princess investigation finds no grounds to prosecute cruise company
Nikki Preston (Herald): Māori leader fears a group of young people is putting the community at risk by allegedly ignoring isolation rules

Parliament, parties
Katie Scotcher (RNZ): Te Pāti Māori won’t rule out working with National but needs move towards ‘tiriti centric Aotearoa’
Peter Dunne: Question Time is Anything But
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Why Christopher Luxon Covid-19 play could succeed where others have stumbled (paywalled)
Ben Thomas (Stuff): Luxon’s baby steps steady enough, but next milestones crucial 
Jess Berentson-Shaw (Newsroom): Leading our country is far, far bigger than leading a business
Claire Trevett (Herald): ’50 Shades of Beige’: Labour’s Grant Robertson gives National’s leader Chris Luxon his induction roasting
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Christopher Luxon expects to ‘get better’ in House after ‘stumble’ while questioning Prime Minister, won’t say who won clash
Herald: National Party leader Chris Luxon grades performance in debating chamber – ‘I’ll get better’
The Country (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Christopher Luxon and iwi checkpoints
Lloyd Burr (Magic): What is the future for Judith Collins?
Claire Trevett (Herald): Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson kicked out of Parliament for ‘right-wing fascist’ comment
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern ranked 34th in ‘most powerful women’ list, down two spots
Henry Cooke (Stuff): People ‘fixated’ on politicians often have serious and untreated ‘psychotic illness’, report says 

Economy, business, government subsidies
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Fair pay disagreement: BusinessNZ rejects its role in key Labour industrial relations law (paywalled)
Brianna MciLraith (Stuff): BusinessNZ turns down key role in Fair Pay Agreements system
Gordon Campbell: On the dubious wisdom of raising interest rates
Jamie Gray (Herald): What rising interest rates and inflation will mean for NZ business (paywalled)
1 News: Luxon won’t be drawn on whether he backs Reserve Bank boss
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Supermarket competition: Consent for Costco megastore outside Chch
Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): Stupid government tricks
James Doolan (Herald):  Lessons from hospo and tourism can help our Covid response (paywalled)
Jonathan Guildford (Stuff): KiwiRail suspends scenic trains until next year amid ‘difficult’ tourism market
Olivia Caldwell (Stuff): Opening three new multimillion-dollar hotels in Queenstown to come with ‘challenges’
RNZ: Most business cyber attack victims able to resolve issue
Anan Zaki (RNZ): FMA urges vigilance after investor loses $700,000 in overseas scam
RNZ: Golden Shears cancelled for second year due to Covid-19 uncertainty
The Country (Herald): Golden Shears cancelled for a second time
Jennifer Eder (Stuff): Marlborough Wine and Food Festival cancelled for 2022
The Country (Herald): Seven-year high for dairy prices at latest GDT auction

Inequality, welfare
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): When low debt trumps reducing child poverty (paywalled)
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Why the new poverty stats are way worse beyond the identity politics lens

Lake Alice
David Williams (Newsroom): Long read: The long, shameful history of Lake Alice investigations
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Charges against former Lake Alice staff member ‘better than nothing’ says survivor
RNZ: Lake Alice: 89-year-old charged, others medically unfit to stand trial
1 News: Ex-Lake Alice staffer charged over ill-treatment of child

Health
Newshub: More beds less important for mental health than investment in housing, welfare – Mental Health Commission chair
RNZ: More Māori need to be on gout treament to achieve equity – Pharmac report
Louisa Steyl (Stuff): DHBs snapping up aged care staff, health bosses say
Te Aorewa Rolleston (RNZ): Plunket staff to learn more Māori mātauranga under new partnership
Zoe Holland (Herald): New Zealand tops new study testing for designer drugs in wastewater
Stuff:  Southern District Health Board fails cancer care targets

Housing
Jordan Bond (RNZ): House value growth during three months adds $113k to Auckland prices
Talia Parker (Herald): Act Leader David Seymour slams Government over $70m Ferncliffe Farm deal (paywalled)
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Housing crisis: Too many rules could lead to badly-designed housing – expert
Rob Stock (Stuff): New lending laws a ‘nightmare’ for people seeking home loans 
Gary Hamilton-Irvine (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Hastings Golf Club reveals plans for large housing project and course upgrade at Bridge Pā (paywalled)

Local government, Three Waters
Logan Savory (Stuff): Mana whenua rep: 3 Waters reform debate divisive and harmful
Zane Small (Newshub): Advertising Standards Authority rules in favour of Government’s Three Waters ad despite seven complaints
Jon Lamonte (Herald): Delta no showstopper for Watercare services (paywalled)
Jono Galuszka (Stuff): Three Waters and rising interest rates create potential financial headache for Tararau District Council
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): How South Auckland’s reputation for tagging was turned around
RNZ: Christchurch City Council raises community hall hire fees
Shane Te Pou (Herald): Apathy towards local elections needs reversing (paywalled)
Will Harvie (Stuff): Calling it rain water – not stormwater – would see it treated as a taonga, say environmentalists
Herald:Trespassed Dunedin councillor Lee Vandervis quoting ‘misrepresented’ advice on vaccine
Craig Ashworth (Local Democracy Reporting): Council praised for hapū partnership in New Plymouth city plan

Environment, conservation, Climate Change
Geraden Cann (Stuff): Environmental group asks court to overturn NZTA’s $24 billion transport plan
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Sitting Next To Cousin Simon
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Napier’s 23 poor air quality readings since beginning of November just a load of hot air (paywalled)
Mark Thomas (Newsroom): We won’t get a ‘freedom day’ from climate crisis without technology
James Pocock (Herald): One farm, one year, 934 feral deer: Hawke’s Bay’s ‘staggering’ pest problem (paywalled)
Tina Law (Stuff): Bad smells from Christchurch’s fire-ravaged wastewater plant to continue for years
Cherie Sivignon (Stuff): Covert cameras capture illegal dumpers, most not ‘financially challenged’
Tim Newman (Stuff): Thirty-year vision for Nelson’s CBD approved by council

Education
Jane Nixon (1 News): Government won’t mandate Covid vaccines for school students
Bronson Perich (Te Karere): Victoria Uni allocates $45m to build carbon gobbling marae

Family and sexual violence strategy
Louise Ternouth (RNZ): ACC therapists told to watch for sexual assault survivors exaggerating symptoms
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Sexual violence support organisation says funding to work with children limited
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National leader Chris Luxon backs violence prevention strategy, net migration 50K

Immigration, NZ border
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Kris Faafoi cancelled all visitor visas for administrative convenience, lawyer argues
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Government taken to court over cancelled visa applications
Corazon Miller (1 News): Migrants kept apart from family hope for new border rules
Reweti Kohere (Spinoff): Want a flight from Australia when the border reopens? You’re probably too late
1 News: Cook Islands PM confident border reopening will be safe

Police, Justice
Zane Small (Newshub): National MP Mark Mitchell fires up at Police Commissioner Andrew Coster’s revelation 90 pct of charged meth dealers aren’t gang members
Stuff: Judge challenges power of panel to inquire into alleged conduct
Sophie Cornish (Stuff): Trust and confidence in police being damaged by response to hate crime, report says
Stuff: More than $130,000 costs awarded to mother of police shooting victim Steven Wallace

Transport
RNZ: The Detail: Global restraints force another look at coastal shipping
RNZ: Roger Gray appointed new Ports of Auckland head
Adam Burns (Local Democracy Reporting): ‘Urgent’ need for second Ashburton bridge – Civil Defence
Adam Burns (Stuff): Replacing Ashburton River bridge or building new one ‘critical’ to dealing with extreme weather
John Anthony (Stuff): Air New Zealand boss says carbon offsets ‘don’t excite’ him. He has eyes on a bigger prize

Other
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): Most govt depts spending more on consultants
Sam Olley (RNZ): Whakaari / White Island: Finger pointed back at WorkSafe
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): The true cost of Lord of the Rings: $1 billion and counting
Karl du Fresne: What this photo tells us about the state of political journalism
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Insurer refunds funeral cover premiums that cost more than policy would pay
RNZ: Animal welfare group refuses to hand dogs back to breeder
Abbey Wakefield (1 News): Free Xmas toy store opens for Wellington parents in need
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Ihumātao housing waiting on Kīngitanga appointments
Peter Griffin (BusinessDesk): Departing privacy watchdog has unfinished business with the tech giants (paywalled)
John Boynton (Newshub): Māori activist Chris Huriwai takes on New Zealand’s dairy industry in new documentary ‘Milked’