Today’s content

1News Kantar Public Poll
1 News: Poll: National rises, Ardern’s preferred PM result drops
1 News: Poll: Centre-right voters realign with new-look National Party
Maiki Sherman (1 News): Poll: ACT forced to step back as National voters head home
1 News: Full results: 1News Kantar Public Poll January 22-26, 2022
Henry Cooke (Stuff): New poll: National take support from ACT, Labour still ahead
RNZ: Jacinda Ardern’s numbers slump, Christopher Luxon up 13 points
Herald: Labour v National – Jacinda Ardern’s popularity slips as Chris Luxon gains ground
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): New TVNZ poll – Winners & Losers

National Party
Jo Moir (Newsroom): Luxon’s got issues – poll not one of them
RNZ: National MP Harete Hipango ‘regrets’ Wikipedia edit
Zane Small (Newshub): National leader Christopher Luxon publicly reprimands MP Harete Hipango over ‘silly and unwise actions’
Bridie Witton (Stuff): National MP Harete Hipango spoken to about ‘silly and unwise’ Wikipedia edits
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National MP Harete Hipango regrets ‘unwise’ decision to edit Wikipedia page
1 News: ‘Silly and unwise’ – Luxon addresses Hipango Wikipedia saga

The Opportunities Party
Alex Braae (1 News): Former Christchurch City councillor Raf Manji new TOP leader
Luke Malpass (Stuff): Raf Manji, former Christchurch city councillor named as TOP’s new leader
RNZ: Former Christchurch councillor Raf Manji to lead TOP party
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Raf Manji takes over The Opportunities Party

Govt Omicron strategy, Covid 
Matthew Hooton (Herald):  Wheels come off Govt’s spin machine (paywalled)
Peter Dunne: Changing the process of government by stealth
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): Trashing New Zealand’s pandemic response
Nick Mowbray (Herald):  NZ deserves better than this Govt’s mediocrity (paywalled)
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): What can New Zealand learn from Queensland’s omicron surge?
Herald: New Zealand has become a ‘hermit kingdom’, David Seymour writes in Daily Mail column
Tess McClure (Guardian): The new normal: New Zealand braces for shift from Covid zero to Covid acceptance
Rukuwai Tipene-Allen (Māori TV): Māori left in the dark on Omicron strategy
Felix Desmarais (Local Democracy Reporting): Rotorua community ‘scratching heads’ over three-phase approach
John Bishop (Stuff): How to keep calm and carry on in a red traffic light setting 

Testing, Contact Tracing
Jenna Lynch (Newshub): Government planned to have COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for sale weeks ago
RNZ: Rapid antigen tests: Business ‘has part to play’
Maja Burry (RNZ): Horticulture, meat processors push for private RAT orders to protect supply chains
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Tracking Delta cases could become a ‘needle in a haystack’

Masks
Herald: Education officials warn mask exemptions being ‘abused’ by parents
RNZ: Covid-19 face masks: What you need to know
ODT Editorial: The great New Zealand cover-up

Health system braces
RNZ: Health Minister confident country prepared for Omicron while National ridicules ICU capacity claims
Nathan Morton (Stuff): Independent ambulance providers tell St John ‘use us’ to aid staff shortages
Sahiban Hyde (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Hawke’s Bay DHB welcomes 40 graduate nurses, but is it enough to cope in a Covid outbreak? (paywalled)

Modelling, cases, locations of interest
Thomas Lumley (StatsChat): How many omicrons?
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): Modelling shows 65,000 Omicron cases could hit Wellington over 3 months
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Te Aorewa Rolleston (Stuff): Superspreader or multi? What to expect from the Soundsplash Covid-19 cases
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Fears SoundSplash festival could be ‘big superspreader event’
Nikki Preston (Herald): Waikato music festival Soundsplash could be a ‘very big super-spreader event’, number of attendees test positive
John Weekes (Herald): New strain surpasses Delta in daily cases; Auckland Grammar acts over Soundsplash cases, contacts
RNZ: Thousands of music fans put on alert after Omicron confirmed in Soundsplash festival attendee
Herald: Soundsplash festival in Waikato likely a ‘superspreader’ event
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Five Covid-19 cases went to Soundsplash festival, one has Omicron variant
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RNZ: Nelson-Tasman Omicron outbreak spread across three households
1 News: Tauranga KFC linked to probable Omicron case
SunLive (Stuff): Seventy-four close contacts from Tauranga childcare centre, safety ‘paramount’, centre says
Jonathan Guildford, Steven Walton and Amber Allott (Stuff): Christchurch community Covid-19 cases arrived from Auckland and Wellington, airport confirms
Amber Allott, Steven Walton and Wei Shao (Stuff): Christchurch braced for arrival of Omicron amid fresh Covid-19 cases
1 News: Queenstown airport, hotel linked to suspected Omicron case
Mike Houlahan, Guy Williams and Cass Marrett (ODT): Locations of interest in resort
RNZ: Covid-19 update: 45 new community cases, 34 Omicron cases added to total

Vaccination, Vaccine Pass
Michael Morrah (Newshub): Internal investigation launched at Auckland’s Manurewa Marae over allegations of ‘false vaccinations’
Amelia Wade (Newshub): The arguments for reducing the COVID-19 booster shot down to three months
Moana Ellis (Local Democracy Reporting): Health analyst pleads for cut in Covid-19 booster waiting time to protect Māori
Adam Pearse (Herald): Whānau Ora considering court or Waitangi Tribunal action over child vaccination data
Mildred Armah (Stuff): Vax rates for mental health, addiction service users lagging behind
RNZ: Consequences hit nurse who threatened medical professionals over vaccine
Belinda Feek (Herald): Unvaxxed CAA staff fail in appeal to get jobs back
RNZ: West Coast’s first vaccine clinic for tamariki Māori sees over 50 get first dose
Kate Nicol-Williams (1 News): NZ takes on mRNA market with arrival of million dollar machine
Esther Ashby-Coventry (Stuff): New Zealand one step closer to producing own mRNA vaccine
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Auckland resident receives multiple vaccine boosters in one day
Māori TV: Parents opposing vaccine rollout for tamariki claim it will lead to ‘bullying, exclusion’
Stuff: Court asked to consider effect on unvaxxed children, like bullying and exclusion
Hazel Osborne (Herald): Parents opposing vaccine rollout for kids claim it’ll lead to ‘bullying, exclusion’
Jane Matthews (Stuff): Massive five-day vaccination clinic coming to Taranaki district with no dedicated jab hub 
Karla Karaitiana (Stuff): Te reo vaccine clinic promotes access for tamariki and whānau
Karina Cooper (Herald): ‘Small number’ of unvaccinated Northland police stood down (paywalled)
Herald: Health officials ‘aware’ of person getting multiple booster shots

Economy, Business, Employment
Richard Harman (Politik): Inflation rate could deflate the government (paywalled)
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Will Reserve Bank raise interest rates even if house prices are falling? (paywalled)
1 News: Pressure on Govt to ease the pain of rising inflation
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Labour to come under pressure as prices rise
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Rising cost of living leaves lower paid workers on shaky ground
Hamish Rutherford (Herald): Inflation hits 30-year high of 5.9 per cent
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Inflation shoots up to 5.9%
Brian Fallow (Herald): Inflation’s 5.9% rise — ugly however you do the numbers (paywalled)
1 News: Inflation hits 5.9%, biggest movement since 1990
Henry Cooke (Stuff): National blames ‘dumb’ Government spending for rising prices, Government blames globe
Zane Small (Newshub): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ‘absolutely refutes’ that high spending led to record inflation
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): ‘Diabolical’ prices, inflation leaves working professionals out of pocket
Heather du Plessis-Allen (Newstalk ZB): We haven’t seen inflation numbers this big since Geoffrey Palmer
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Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Waste Management told isolated Omicron contact to return to work
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): No ‘bumper summer’ for thousands of devastated workers after Covid trashes events
Liu Chen (RNZ): Travel and accommodation cancellations trickle in after move to red traffic light setting
Lorna Thornber (Stuff): Air New Zealand’s new credit rules trip up flyers set to attend cancelled events
RNZ: Karen Silk appointed as Reserve Bank assistant governor
Herald Editorial: Record dairy payout a welcome relief amid Covid’s trying times
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Will Trafford (Māori TV): ‘Disgusting!’ Government leaked info of businesses opposing supermarket duopoly
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Foodstuffs rejects claims it dropped supplier over Commerce Commission submission

Border, MIQ
Josh Martin (Stuff): Can New Zealand learn anything from the UK’s reopening of travel?
Sophie Trigger (Herald): No early MIQ release for family who have stayed 22 days, returned seven negative tests
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Active cases at border hit record highs of more than 700
Hanna McCallum (Stuff): Man arrested moments after release from managed isolation facility in Christchurch

Protests, Rule breaches
Jessica Roden (1 News): Over $150K in fines dished out to businesses breaking Covid rules
Daniel Smith (Stuff): Six businesses fined $164,000 by Worksafe for breaking Covid-19 rules
Ireland Hendry-Tennent (Newshub): Lone Star New Lynn owners say they’re being shut down after refusing to follow Government COVID-19 rules
Stuff:  New Plymouth MMA Studio warned by WorkSafe for operating without vaccine pass
Adam Burns (Local Democracy Reporting): Mayor ‘disappointed, frustrated’ at second fake vaccine incident in district

Cancellations, restrictions
RNZ: Whaka 100: Disappointment for riders as Covid-19 fears derail event
Northern Advocate: Virtual Waitangi Day to air on TV3, iwi radio as live commemorations cancelled
Bill Hickman and Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Loss of international cricket matches a ‘double blow’ for Wellington
Sophie Trigger (Herald): Wellington’s Round the Bays cancelled for the first time in 22 years

Local government
Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road): Efeso? Yeah, Yeah!
Justin Latif (Local Democracy Reporting): Who wants to be Auckland’s mayor?
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Auckland Council staff could get $57m pay rise, taking wage bill to a whopping $1 billion
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Watchdog would constrain water infrastructure, Government warned
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): ‘Unfortunate situation’: $3 million revenue shortfall after Wellington water meter users undercharged
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): Picton’s water supply runs short
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): No vaccine mandate for Marlborough District Council staff as Omicron threat looms
RNZ: Key services priority as council warns of some closures
Fiona Ellis (Star News): 0/23 briefings attended: Councillor cops more criticism for no-show approach
Steven Walton (Stuff): Out with the ‘tongue twister’? Christchurch’s $533m stadium to get new name
Tina Law (Stuff): Christchurch’s new $533m stadium design ‘lacks green credentials’
Grant Miller (ODT): 6.5% rates rise put into draft budgets
Matthew Ronsenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Gisborne District Council’s commercial arm sells vehicle testing investment

Housing
Jake McKee (RNZ): Aspiring homeowners consider cutting essential costs to secure lending for mortgage
Katie Townshend (Stuff): Nelson land values jump 73 per cent in new rating valuations
Miriam Bell (Stuff): $1 million plus house sales surge up 70 per cent
Geraden Cann (Herald): Buyers complain to Commerce Commission after losing first homes to sunset clause
Ashley Church (OneRoof):  Have CCCFA home loan rules killed first home buyer hopes?
Te Aorewa Rolleston (Stuff): Omicron adds to woes of those helping the homeless

Education
Jane Nixon (1 News): PM emphatic kids should return to school for overall ‘wellbeing’
Katy Jones (Stuff): Schools plan for mass absences under Omicron
RNZ: Otago University back to planning Covid-19 response after Omicron outbreak
Kirsty Wynn (Herald): Ministry of Education working to update toolkits for principals
Marine Lourens (Stuff): Pricey and impractical: Girls on the losing end of school uniform equation
Wyatt Ryder (ODT): Call to rethink school uniform design

Transport
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): NZTA pressing ahead with SH5 speed limit change despite local opposition
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Government to announce its Auckland Light Rail decision at 9am on Friday
Bernard Orsman (Herald): National’s new transport spokesman Simeon Brown on scrapping Auckland light rail and building two new city highways (paywalled)
Joel MacManus (Stuff): E-bike sales up sharply over five years, and so are the injuries

Environment
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Officials to consider closure of seamounts as part of bottom trawling review
Robin Martin (RNZ): Expert calls for ‘targeted risk assessment’ of New Plymouth agri-chemicals plant
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): The taonga on fire: 40 days at Kaimaumau
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Māori win coastal title, but a river runs through it
Matthew Martin (Stuff): Wallaby sighting cause for concern

Health
Sophie Harris (Stuff): Dementia care beds already at capacity as patient numbers due to double by 2050
Emma Russell (Herald): Healthcare failures: Mum going blind delays getting help due to lack of petrol money, car and childcare
Michael Neilson (Herald): Māori Health Authority would fix inequity of Covid response, submitters say
Stephen Forbes (Local Democracy Reporting): Counties Manukau DHB seeks to boost cancer screening after Covid-19 causes drop-off
Sunny Kausha (Herald):  What’s going on behind the bike sheds – vaping or smoking? (paywalled)

Foreign affairs
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): Turning a blind eye to the greatest threats to global
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Russia may invade Ukraine. What’s at stake for New Zealand? 
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Russian Ambassador denies Ukraine invasion is planned, blames tensions on US-NATO ‘threats’
Nicholas Khoo (Stuff): European powers are back in NZ’s strategic calculations 

Immigration
Greg Ninness (Interest): Up to 165,000 migrant workers could be granted NZ residency under a scheme set up by the Government in September last year
RNZ: Australian vessel with Covid-19 cases arrives in Tonga waters

Other
David Williams (Newsroom): Stats NZ braces for $250m census
Max Rashbrooke (Stuff): I want Māori to enjoy what I have, life in a society that makes sense to them
Chris Trotter (Bowalley Road): Something In The Water
Ben Strang (Stuff): Police, NZTA are failing to deliver on ‘Road to Zero’ – review
Will Trafford (Māori tV): Police won’t release unlawful photographing of rangatahi report, yet
Katie Harris (Herald): Young lawyers and students ‘disappointed’ and ‘ashamed’ of penalty in Russell McVeagh case
Russell Brown (Public Address): New Drug Harm Index, new problems
Te Kuru o te Marama Dewes (Spinoff): The enduring legacy of the tino rangatiratanga flag
Jessica Tyson (Māori TV): ‘Dawn raids were racist’ – Sir Kim Workman quit senior police role to protest
Anna Murray (Stuff): AM v Breakfast: The war of early morning TV is heating up
Natalie Akoorie (Herald): Kyle Harris takes fight to correct baby Paige’s birth certificate to Parliament
Don Brash (Bassett, Brash and Hide): Why is the Māori Language being thrust down the throats of people with no interest in learning it?
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): ‘By Māori, for Māori’ child protection model needed to improve outcomes, says expert