Today’s content

ELECTION
Audrey Young (Herald): What would Cabinet look like in a Labour-Greens-Māori Party government (paywalled)
Tova O’Brien (Stuff): Christopher Luxon’s deficient personal brand distanced from the campaign
Newshub: New poll shows ‘huge vote of no confidence’ in Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luxon, political scientist Bryce Edwards says
Peter Dunne: The Election Countdown is On
Morgan Godfery (Post): Replaying the race card as the polls tighten (paywalled)
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): Chris Hipkins talks poetry, grind and the campaign ahead
Graham Adams (The Common Room): Hipkins’ government enters election season in disarray
Shane Te Pou (Herald): National’s magic money tree gets a pruning (paywalled)
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): Chris Hipkins can’t rule out wealth tax, ‘that’s up to the voters’ – Marama Davidson
Deborah LaHatte (Whakaata Māori): Tamihere not talking on charity watchdog’s third investigation involving Te Pāti Māori
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Win some, lose some in Epsom
Victoria Young (BusinessDesk): The ad agencies behind the politicians this election
Derek Cheng (Herald): What you need to know – how to enrol, the party and electorate votes explained, what happens on polling day

ENERGY, CLIMATE CHANGE
Gordon Campbell: On the BlackRock deal and banning cellphones
Brent Edwards (NBR): Hurdling the ideological obstacle of private investment (paywalled)
Newshub: BlackRock’s deal with Government a money-making venture, leading academic says
RNZ: Climate policy expert ‘cautiously optimistic’ over BlackRock deal
Will Trafford (Whakaata Māori): Greenpeace cautious over government’s renewable energy plan with US banking powerhouse
Herald Editorial: BlackRock deal – milestone or millstone? (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): ‘Use it or lose it’ consents proposed for offshore wind farms (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government narrows down alternatives to $28b Lake Onslow power scheme
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Govt energy policy papers point to difficult issues and possible energy shortfalls (paywalled)
Eric Frykberg (Interest): Gas still needed for electricity – Govt
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Transpower ‘closely monitoring’ risk of electricity shortfalls in September (paywalled)
Whakaata Māori: Māori economic lobby pleased Nats committed to ETS without major changes
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Fixed

TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): National’s road costings don’t include inflation
Kirsty Wild (Newsroom): Another election sweetener’s bitter aftertaste
Tommy de Silva (Spinoff): I can’t believe Labour has made me side with Wayne Brown
Anne Gibson (Herald): How will NZ get $210 billion of crucial new infrastructure funded, built? (paywalled)
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Highways, potholes, and perfecting transport funding (paywalled)
William Hewett and James Fleury (Newshub): Interislander passengers spend night on board after Cook Strait ferry develops ‘issues with steering’
Vita Molyneux (Herald): Passengers spend the night on Interislander ferry after steering issue
Amy Williams (RNZ): Now not the time to lodge land designation for Auckland light rail, board decides
Liz Wylie (Whanganui Chronicle): Rail lobby: Whanganui and Horizons councillors call for government focus on regional rail
Jonathan Leask (RNZ): 30kph speed zones rolled out in Mid Canterbury

CONSERVATION
Isobel Ewing (Newshub): Government announces plan to reverse Hauraki Gulf decline, but here’s why ocean advocates are in disbelief
Finn Blackwell (RNZ): Environmentalist groups disappointed by lack of Hauraki Gulf trawling ban
Erin Johnson (Stuff): Hauraki Gulf marine protection area expands, but bottom trawling stays
Felix Desmarais (1News): Govt to almost triple Hauraki Gulf marine protection areas
RNZ: Labour announces Hauraki protection plan covering 18 percent of Gulf
Susan Botting (Local Democracy Reporting): Mature mangrove forest cut down for new $20 million Okara marina

EDUCATION
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Chris Hipkins says schools don’t need ‘Christopher Luxon’s permission’ to ban mobile phones
RNZ: Principals say National’s plan to ban phones in school is unworkable
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Principal tears up saying politicians’ focus should be on vapes, not mobile phones
Tatiana Gibbs (Post): There are bigger issues in schools than cellphones, principals say
Cecilia Robinson (Herald): Smartphone use in schools: Our unseen health crisis (paywalled)
William Hewett (Newshub): Principal says National’s cell phone ban policy a waste of money, calls for investment in teachers, literacy, vaping
RNZ: School cellphone bans: Unworkable or no big deal?
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): Banning mobile phones at school – don’t make me laugh
Mark Quinlivan (Newshub): National wouldn’t ban cell phones in debating chamber to set example to schools – Christopher Luxon
Gabrielle McCulloch (Stuff): Secondary teachers accept pay agreement, union ‘delighted’
1News: Secondary teachers accept pay agreement with Govt
RNZ: Secondary teachers ratify new collective agreement
Mark John (ODT): Teachers keen for continuing talks with government
Alecia Rousseau (Manawatū Standard): Massey University’s proposal to slash jobs will leave lecturers ‘overworked’ and students with ‘less options’

HEALTH
Adam Pearse (Herald): Labour’s Dr Ayesha Verrall and National’s Dr Shane Reti lock horns in robust health debate as election looms
Alexa Cook (Newshub): Some GP practices enrolling lots of low-need patients to get more funding
ODT Editorial: Tired tactics from Big Tobacco (paywalled)
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Te Whatu Ora receives hospital pass on building infrastructure
Will Trafford (Whakaata Māori): Reti slams government over delayed health waitlist data
Mare Haimona-Riki (Whakaata Māori): Te Aka Whai Ora review dismissed as ‘political fodder’
Don Brash: You have every right to be upset about this
Rituraj Sapkota (Whakaata Māori): Cervical cancer screening to be fully funded for wāhine Māori
Ten Hemi (Whakaata Māori): Māori providers get a hand to brush up tooth care under Greens’ free dental care election policy
Judith Lacy (Whanganui Chronicle): Manawatū GPs express their frustration about the health system

CRIME, JUSTICE
Thomas Manch (Post): Tougher sentences, packed prisons an effective guarantee under National-ACT (paywalled)
Felix Desmarais (1News): ACT pledges to abolish ‘cultural background’ principle in sentencing
Adam Pearce and Derek Cheng (Herald): Act pledges to reform Sentencing Act to focus on victims and reduce scope for home detention
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): ACT wants greater focus on public safety when sentencing criminals
RNZ: ACT justice policy targets judges’ sentencing principles
Katie Ham (Stuff): Pt England homicide victim named, probe into how man on electronic bail was at scene

PUBLIC SERVICE
Anna Whyte (Post): Opposition mounts pressure on public service spend in light of $40k farewell (paywalled)
Derek Cheng (Herald): Lavish farewell: Ministry for Pacific Peoples spent $40,000 to farewell boss – falls foul of public service rules
RNZ: Ministry’s $40k farewell for departing chief executive earns rebuke from Commissioner
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): Ministry of Pacific Peoples blasted for $40,000 farewell by public service watchdog
1News: Ministry blasted for spending $40k on chief executive’s farewell
Lloyd Burr (Newshub): David Seymour savages Ministry for Pacific Peoples after $40k farewell revealed

ECONOMY, EMPLOYMENT, COST OF LIVING
Susan St John (Daily Blog): What are we to make of welfare and Working For Families reform now?
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Holidays Act overhaul delayed until after the election
David Hargreaves (Interest): Influential RBNZ survey shows a slight rise in the expected level of inflation in two years time
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): Two-year inflation expectations tick up in RBNZ survey (paywalled)

BANKS, CONSUMER FINANCE
Rob Stock (Post): Buy now, pay later firms celebrate Govt loan reforms financial mentors dub a ‘cop out’ (paywalled)
Rebecca Stevenson (Interest): Commerce Minister Duncan Webb says CCCFA review will investigate who needs to be protected by credit lending rules
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): ASB June-year profit reaches $1.559 billion as net interest margin rises
RNZ: ASB Bank posts record $1.56 billion full-year net profit
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Interest rates: ASB’s profit rises, but CEO warns pain will emerge over time (paywalled)
Tina Morrison (Post): Increasing number of customers having ‘difficulty’ with higher mortgage payments, ASB says (paywalled)

HOUSING
Hanna McCallum (Post): Council housing rent hike drives tenant into homelessness (paywalled)
RNZ: Landlords benefiting from lack of housing supply – Renters United
Brent Melville (BusinessDesk): Govt study finds rent inflation ‘directly linked’ to wages (paywalled)
Rob Stock (Post): Owners of risky homes face higher insurance premiums (paywalled)
Justin Wong (Post): Councillors to vote on Kāpiti intensification rules

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Auckland Council cut spending on stormwater repairs and maintenance before January’s catastrophic floods (paywalled)
Brendon McMahon (Local Democracy Reporting): West Coast regional councillor Allan Birchfield unrepentant after code of conduct breaches
Roger Hawkins (Herald): Rates bills are becoming an existential crisis for elderly (paywalled)
RNZ: Gisborne council sees 40 percent increase in abuse against staff
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Who let the dogs in? Workplaces embrace canine colleagues after Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau’s pooch evicted

CHILD WELFARE
Delphine Herbert (RNZ): Improvements urged for tamariki returning to parents while in state care – report
Hanna McCallum (Post): Children living at home under state care at higher risk of harm, report finds (paywalled)
Tommy de Silva (Spinoff): The torture at Whakapakari
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog: Kia Ora – Meet your new faceless bureaucracy to protect the interests of the State dressed up as accountability

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, NATIONAL SECURITY
Tim Hurdle (Post): Time to be stirred and shaken on the national security front (paywalled)
RNZ: NZ PM urges release of Papua hostage six months after kidnapping

MEDIA
Eda Tang (Stuff): Community leaders challenge news bosses to do better
Peter Wiliams: Is it Stuffed?
David Robie (RNZ): Moce Sri Krishnamurthi . . . sports journalist, democracy activist, storyteller and advocate

OTHER
Dan Brunskill (Interest): Motu Economic and Public Policy Research says $18.8 billion wage subsidy was value for money
RNZ: How NZ’s paid parental leave stacks up
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Cash-strapped councils and schools worried at massive Audit NZ fee hike
Holly Bennett (NBR): Ordinary Māori – just as tone deaf as Māori elite (paywalled)