Today’s content

Omicron, border
Pete McKenzie (Guardian): New Zealand not prepared for Omicron outbreak expected in ‘matter of weeks’, experts warn
Jean Bell (RNZ): Covid-19 experts fear Omicron could soon be in community as border cases increase
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Fears school year start could bring surge
Ellen O’Dwyer (Stuff): Epidemiologist calls for delay in school reopening due to Omicron, but paediatricians disagree
Emma Russell (Herald): Epidemiologist warns Government to delay school return
Dubby Henry (Herald): Chris Hipkins wants kids back in school fulltime – but expert warns Omicron could force rethink
Newshub: Siouxsie Wiles urges people to get booster jabs as Omicron puts us ‘back where we started’
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Omicron triggers new plans
ODT Editorial: Government needs to work with businesses
Bill Hickman (Stuff): Covid uncertainty grounds international musical’s New Zealand season
Greg Presland (The Standard): Human rights and MIQ

Greens
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): News From Nowhere If the Greens are to have a future they must listen to their past
Newstalk ZB: Catherine Delahunty: James Shaw is not living up to the Green vision
Herald Editorial: Green Party discontent breaks surface (paywalled)

Harete Hipango, anti-vaxxers, protests
David Farrier (Webworm): Has NZ found its Marjorie Taylor Greene?
William Hewett (Newshub): Māori Council leader Matthew Tukaki calls on National MP Harete Hipango to resign after attending anti-vaccine mandate and lockdown protest
David Fisher (Herald): National MP who took selfie with protesters claimed ‘sinister’ motive behind Government’s Covid powers (paywalled)
Maxine Jacobs (Stuff): ‘Cut it out’: Māori advocate’s blunt message to Covid-19 vaccine misinformation peddlers
Mark Quinlivan and Conor Whitten (Newshub): Canterbury doctor Jonie Girouard deregistered for giving out medical certificates as COVID-19 vaccine exemptions
Anna Leask (Herald): Fake vax exemption doctor Jonie Girouard ‘no longer able to practise in New Zealand’
RNZ: Anti-vaccination doctor Jonie Girouard can no longer practise in New Zealand
Amber Allott (Stuff): Anti-vax ex-doctor in Canterbury looks set to continue new career as chocolatier
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Kaiapoi vax exemption doctor no longer able to practise
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Brian Tamaki insists attending Christchurch ‘family funday picnic’ to share ‘public message of hope’ didn’t breach bail
Anna Leask (Herald): Brian Tamaki defends Christchurch visit, denies bail breach
1 News: Cops ‘looking into’ Brian Tamaki attending anti-mandate event
Tina Law (Stuff): Council sends $14,000 traffic management bill to anti-Government protesters

Employment, business, wage subsidy
David Williams (Newsroom): Claims of wage subsidy abuse hit hospo
Simon Mercep (1 News): Many workers struggling with pay, conditions amid pandemic
Chris Keall (Herald): Workers say pay falling behind, expert says they can vote with their feet (paywalled)
Riley Kennedy (ODT): Ignorance no excuse: Former taxi company owners may have to pay up
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Facts trump employers’ beliefs, Court of Appeal says in Southern Taxis case
Louisa Steyl (Stuff): What Murihiku learned from past transformations
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Shopper numbers drop as customers ‘reticent’ about venturing out, First Retail Group says

Covid
Caitlan Johnston (Herald): Union criticism after Auckland bus driver tests positive
James Halpin (Stuff): Ministry of Health admits misreporting ICU data
1 News: 27 new Covid-19 community cases today
RNZ: Jetboat passengers close contacts of Covid-19 case – Ministry of Health
1 News: Auckland music festival Covid-19 location of interest
Lee Kenny and Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Mayor urges people ‘not to panic’ over Queenstown’s locations of interest
Herald: Golden Lights festivalgoers urged to watch for symptoms
1 News: Wellington Covid-19 case attended Auckland block party
Alexa Cook (Newshub): Positive Hawke’s Bay case linked to cricket summer camp
Denise Piper (Stuff): Northland information wrong, but testing and vaccines still urged 

Vaccine rollout, mandate, testing
Cate Broughton (Stuff): Ministry of Health tight-lipped on rapid antigen test strategy
Sophie Cornish (Stuff): ‘Bumpy start’: NZ vaccine booster roll-out meets issues with online bookings, long queues, distribution
Georgia Forrester (Stuff): Getting your booster this summer? Here’s what you need to know about booking it
Sophie Trigger (Herald): Third of eligible Wellingtonians boosted as third case confirmed on Monday
Hannah Martin (Stuff): More than half a million boosters given across NZ
ODT: Vaccine mandate implemented at university
Karen Coltman (Stuff): Foodstuffs recommends its supermarket owners require vaccination of staff

Housing
Maire Leadbeater (Herald): Why it’s getting harder to ignore the war next door (paywalled)
1 News: National average property asking price hits 14-year high
Jade Kake (Stuff): Could ‘build-to-rent’ be our solution to housing affordability?
Anne Gibson (Herald): ‘Don’t underestimate impact of higher interest rates’: expert on housing market changes (paywalled)
Anne Gibson (Herald): Police called after property manager failed to pass on $52,000 rent: guilty of misconduct (paywalled)

Environment, conservation
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): It’s time to curb adverts for new petrol cars
No Right Turn: Climate Change: A decision with no integrity
Anna Radford (Newsroom): The politically-loaded issue of saving Auckland’s trees
Ben Kepes (Stuff): Fast fashion sucks for the environment, and certification isn’t the answer
RNZ: Aucklanders urged to reduce water consumption despite sufficient supply
Leah Tebutt (RNZ): Tauranga water supply hits record low, hose ban possible
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Petition launched to see seabed mining banned in Aotearoa
Catherine Groenestein (Stuff): Fears Taranaki pāua beds are ‘being stripped bare’ by summer visitors
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): Fault at Pukete wastewater plant, swimming ‘not recommended’
Rachael Kelly (Stuff): RealNZ heading for a zero-carbon future as it appoints a conservation officer

Health
Andrew Marshall (ODT): Children’s counselling service ChatBus forced to close
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Staffing issues led to temporary maternity change at Dunedin Hospital
Holly Henry (Newshub): Dunedin’s Queen Mary Maternity Centre forced to close on weekend as burnout causes staffing shortage
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Non-alcoholic beer ‘flying out the door’ as sales of low-alcohol beer up 1116 percent

Local government
Todd Niall (Stuff): Omicron aside, Auckland has some big decisions ahead
Todd Niall (Stuff): Auckland ferry services cancelled until March as staff shortages hit commutes
Called Callahan (Newshub): Proposed landfill near Dunedin Airport could be dumped because of serious risk of bird strike to passenger jets
Guy Williams (ODT): Freedom camping reduced
Kiri Gillespie (Herald): Tauranga council staff targeted as assaults, abuse soar amid Covid ‘stress’ (paywalled)

Other
Philip McKibbin (The Guardian): In today’s New Zealand, it’s not about being just Māori or Pākehā – everyone must belong
Soumya Bhamidipati (RNZ): Location and GPS equipment determining whether offenders go to prison
Damien Grant (Stuff): The life and crimes of Arthur Taylor are as complicated as the man himself
Miriam Burrell (Herald): ‘No man’s land’: Judicial workforce, victims cry out for post-Delta fix to crippling court backlog (paywalled)
Luke Kirkness (Herald): How often defence force staff tested positive for illegal drugs (paywalled)
RNZ: New Chinese ambassador Wang Xiaolong arrives in New Zealand
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): New Chinese ambassador arrives in Wellington
Chloe Blommerde (Stuff): Probe on Waikato school prompted by staff complaints of bullying, safety fears, ‘feeling spied on’
Mike Yardley (Stuff): Safety upgrades must happen urgently to improve car safety for all
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Bunnings customers among victims of FlexBooker data breach
Claire Trevett (Herald): Politicians’ gardens: Christopher Luxon, Trevor Mallard, Steven Joyce and Nicole McKee (paywalled)