Political Roundup: 17 March 2023

Items of interest and importance today

STUART NASH
Felix Desmarais (1News): Nash’s continued tenure far less tenable now
Herald: Stuart Nash resigns as Police Minister: Almost faced contempt charge in 2020 over comment about cop killer’s arrest
Felix Desmarais (1News): Revealed: Nash warned in 2020 on public comments on separate court case
Amelia Wade (Newshub): Stuart Nash back under fire: Solicitor-General considered charging minister over 2020 cop killer comments
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Crown Law considered prosecuting Stuart Nash for on-air comments about shooting of police officer
RNZ: Stuart Nash faces more calls to step down over previous case of interference
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): I don’t understand why Chris Hipkins didn’t just fire Stuart Nash
Jessica Mutch McKay (1News): Hipkins’ Nash decision decisive and efficient
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The background behind Stuart Nash coming on the show
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni: Stuart Nash should keep his other portfolios
Russell Palmer and Ashleigh McCaull (RNZ): Stuart Nash admits he ‘stuffed up’, wants to retain other portfolios
Felix Desmarais (1News): ‘I stuffed up’: Nash on resignation as police minister
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Stuart Nash vows to keep other ministerial roles after losing police portfolio
Doug Laing (Hawke’s Bay Today): Napier electorate chairman backs MP Nash ‘100 per cent’
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Front Page: Stuart Nash demotion – did Chris Hipkins go too far or not far enough?
Graeme Edgeler (Spinoff): What Stuart Nash did wrong – and why he had to go
1News: Stuart Nash had an ‘absolute brain explosion’ – commentator

PARLIAMENT
Peter Dunne (Newsroom): National should have been well ahead of Labour by now
Matthew Hooton (Herald): The policy bonfire: Political puffery or disinformation? Chris Hipkins’ credibility dented (paywalled)
Brent Edwards (NBR): Police interference, bruised relations, National’s challenge (paywalled)
Tim Hurdle (Stuff): The art and science of influencing a swing voter
Liam Hehir (The Blue Review): Let them be anathema
Herald: National MP Todd Muller won’t seek re-election
Wayne Hope (Daily Blog): Polycrisis, Polls and the Election Cycle
Lloyd Burr (Today FM): Where on earth are all the ideas?
Martyn Bradbury (Waatea News): Latest Polls call for a Māori Party/Green Party Election Summit
Kate Hawkesby (Newstalk ZB): Labour are laser-focused on keeping power. But can you trust them?
Damien Venuto (Herald): Future of MMP – is it time to drop the 5 per cent election threshold?

ECONOMY
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Shortage of labour, materials leave Chris Hipkins with hard Budget decisions
Liam Dann (Herald): Big GDP slump muddies outlook and divides economists (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: Economy has been hit with everything, everywhere, all at once (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Worse than expected GDP: Labour and National spar over figures
Herald: Finance Minister Grant Robertson fronts after GDP fell 0.6 pc in fourth quarter
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): National, ACT lay into Government over latest GDP figures, but Grant Robertson says economy ‘well positioned’
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): GDP drops 0.6%, economy on the skids
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): Households feel the heat: GDP data shows how much less ‘bang’ we’re getting for our bucks
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): GDP falls 0.6% in in three months ending December, bigger contraction than expected
Dan Brunskill (Interest): New Zealand economy shrinks a more than expected 0.6% in December quarter
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Economy heads south towards recession drop zone (paywalled)
RNZ: ‘Real recession’ still to come although economy could be in one already – economist
Stuff: Signs New Zealand is in a recession
RNZ: Kiwibank predicts shallow recession this year
RNZ: New Zealand’s balance of payments deficit hits record $33.8 billion for year ended December
Michael Reddell: New Zealand’s monetary policy mess
Jonathan Mitchel (NBR): Further criticism of RBNZ’s focus and staff turnover

COST OF LIVING
Michael Neilson (Herald): Govt explores linking annual benefit increases to higher of average wage or inflation
Seni Iasona (Newshub): Auckland community group says Government’s cost of living package doesn’t ‘reach the working poor’
Newshub: Cost of living: Workers taking on extra jobs just to make ends meet a ‘sign of the times’ – expert
Angela Gattung (Stuff): We need to rethink how to reduce food waste and food insecurity in NZ

ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE
Eloise Gibson and Kate Newton (Stuff): How green space shrank as cities grew
Michael Neilson (Herald): PCE warns cities will get warmer and wetter with climate change, urges housing intensification with more high rises not urban sprawl to save green spaces
Timothy Welch (the Conversation): We’re building harder, hotter cities: it’s vital we protect and grow urban green spaces – new report
Hamish Cardwell (RNZ): Auckland lost up to 30pc green space since 1980 – Environment Commissioner
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment sets out the case for protecting green space against the backdrop of ‘irreversible’ densification of NZ cities
Brent Edwards (NBR): Planning for green spaces should not be optional: Upton (paywalled)
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Government crashes major climate policy and creates $290 million hole
Bernard Hickey: Labour’s climate policy bonfire just blew up the ETS
Dan Brunskill (Interest): PM Hipkins’ policy bonfire gives off few emissions, but the failed carbon auction reveals bigger problem
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Govt’s policy bonfire burns carbon auction (paywalled)
No Right Turn: Climate Change: Another ETS crisis
Chlöe Swarbrick (Herald): We need a rulebook that supports both people and planet
Brent Edwards (NBR): ‘Urgent need’ to consent climate-friendly infrastructure projects (paywalled)

EDUCATION
Anna Whyte (Stuff): Teacher strike: Education Minister told to ‘walk the talk’ by booing protesters
Gabrielle McCulloch (Stuff): Teachers could strike again as negotiations continue
Jemima Huston (RNZ): Teacher unions optimistic govt willing to negotiate deal after strike action
No Right Turn: Labour’s austerity victimises teachers
Stuff: Teachers across the country hold ‘historic joint strike action’
Gianina Schwanecke (Stuff): End to bonus credit scheme for students affected by Covid-19 disruption
Kelvin McDonald (Whakaata Māori): ‘It’s a Treaty issue’: Thousands of Māori with dyslexia are not being diagnosed – Expert
Sarah Alexander (Stuff): When did childcare service quality become service survivability?
Robert MacCulloch: The CEO of our Tech Institutes, appointed under PM Hipkins, wants academics out of public debate
Michael Fallow (Stuff): Simmonds mocks ‘painfully woke’ Te Pūkenga style guide in Parliament
Sinead Gill (Stuff): Taiwanese flag swapped for Chinese flag at Canterbury university ‘not politically motivated’
Tony Ballantyne & Edward Ellison (Herald): The reasons behind the historic changes to Otago University – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka
James Kierstead (Plain Sight): Why we can’t do away with ‘Western Science’ completely

LAKE ONSLOW
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Minister says $15b Lake Onslow investment decision should be above politics
Susan Edmunds and Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Government to take Lake Onslow power project forward despite $16b price tag
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Govt pushes on with pumped hydro investigation; expected cost rises above $15b
RNZ: Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme cost estimate rises almost 300 percent to $15.7b
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Lake Onslow scheme to cost $15.7 billion
Gareth Vaughan (Interest): Government puts massive price tag on potential Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme to tackle dry year problem & wean NZ electricity off fossil fuels

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty to meet with mayors opposing Three Waters reform
RNZ: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown warns of council job cuts, details cutting services, covering CRL blowout
Erin Gourley (Stuff): Wellington land-bankers could pay more as council begins major rating overhaul
Tina Law (Press): Household in Christchurch faces $1600 bill for using too much water
Janine Rankin (Manawatū Standard): Palmerston North residents asked for views on a 6.4% rates rise
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): Time for higher dividends from Hamilton’s airport operator – councillor
Benn Bathgate (Stuff): Lawyer who caused $85K bank loss is under interim suspension, resigns from council

TRANSPORT
Lucy Xia (RNZ): Flipino tradies who worked on Auckland’s City Rail Link owed thousands, union says
Herald: Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown labels light rail a ‘dead duck’ after City Rail Link $1b cost blowout
Sophie Harris (Stuff): Auckland mayor breaks silence on City Rail Link cost blowout
Matthew Scott (Newsroom): Auckland’s light rail stage fright
Herald: Interislander’s Kaitaki ferry cancellations extended, passengers told no standbys available
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Work begins on ‘revolutionary’ harbourside pathway that will link Wellington and Petone

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Nicholas Khoo (The Conversation): As Australia signs up for nuclear subs, NZ faces hard decisions over the AUKUS alliance
Robert Ayson (Incline): New Zealand’s Biggest Policy Headache with the AUKUS Submarines Plan
Jamie Ensor (Newshub): China wants to help New Zealand recover from Cyclone Gabrielle, including financing, constructing key infrastructure

HOUSING
Max Frethey (Local Democracy Reporting): $9 million made available for community housing
Diane Brand and Minh Nguyen (Newsroom): Smartly designed prefab housing a sensible solution to an urgent problem
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): Flooding fears: Residents concerned about Rotorua housing plans
Greg Ninness (Interest): Median house prices in Central Auckland down almost $400,000 over the last 15 months

FORESTRY SLASH
Cushla Norman (1News): Kiwis believe forestry should pay for slash damage – poll
Rebecca Macfie (Listener/Herald): Forestry waste inquiry: Workers fearful of fallout over cyclone slash probe

CYCLONE GABRIELLE
RNZ: Government spends $2.75m to set up Hawke’s Bay, Tai Rāwhiti coastal shipping route
Waatea News: Māori Party cyclone putea “madness” says Jackson
Brent Edwards (NBR): Act leader warns of inflationary pressures of cyclone recovery (paywalled)
Ashleigh McCaull (RNZ): Wairoa residents take chance to appeal to PM for urgency on cyclone aid
Niva Chittock (RNZ): Hawke’s Bay emergency hubs empty out as many flood-hit residents go home
Niva Chittock (RNZ): Awatoto residents want better communication from council about contamination risk

BANKS
David Chaston (Interest): Are our main banks low-balling savers?
Arena Williams and Stuart Smith (Stuff): Would you support a review of banks? An MP from each side of the House gives their views
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): What might impact of international banking woes be on NZ?

BUSINESS, EMPLOYMENT
André Chumko (Stuff): High-profile stoush between small business network and funder sparks Auditor-General inquiry
Anne Gibson (Herald): Power List: Top NZ retirement village owner-operators, bosses listed (paywalled)
Sally Murphy (RNZ): NZ fishing companies employing Russian crews despite sanctions
Andrew Bevin (Newsroom): Inconsistencies costing lives in port businesses
Dita De Boni (NBR): DLA Piper’s Carl Blake: Oz employees get legal green light to blab about pay rates and the same enabling of pay transparency will eventually make it to New Zealand (paywalled)
Nicholas Pointon (NBR): Sam Stubbs takes aim at excessive profits‘ in KiwiSaver industry (paywalled)
Stuff: Southland Business Chamber, Great South support smelter staying open
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): Fonterra emissions plans may worry farmers (paywalled)
Tina Morrison (Stuff): Fonterra plans to return $800m to shareholders after asset sale
Sam McIvor (Stuff): Farmers are under pressure and all New Zealanders should be concerned

GENDER, CULTURE WARS
Thomas Cranmer (The Common Room): Challenging Progressivism in New Zealand’s Culture Wars
Steven Cowan: Gender Politics: Today FM shuts down two of its presenters
Melanie Earley (Stuff): Radio hosts apologise for ‘toxic’ on-air rant about pronouns, inclusive language
Ani O’Brien (Plain Sight): Time for NZ Twitter to grow a spine and stand up to the bullies

CRIME
Adam Pearse (Herald): Youths committing crime because they’re ‘frightened of going home’, want to be sent to secure care
Jonah Franke-Bowell (Stuff): The dairy doing things differently: No cigarettes, no vapes – no ramraids
Rachel Moore and Jo Lines-MacKenzie (Stuff): What is the solution to increasingly violent retail crime, aggravated robberies and ram-raids?

HEALTH
Kristie Boland (Stuff): Leading surgeon calls on prime minister to intervene over Christchurch surgery crisis
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): Healthcare students don’t reflect Aotearoa’s diverse society, research shows
Melissa Nightingale and Azaria Howell (Herald): New Greytown medical centre can’t find doctor to run it
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Another court case unravelling the Government’s Covid decisions
Rachael McLean (Newsroom): Kiwi diet not worth its salt
Stuff: ACC appeals against cover for young woman with spina bifida

OTHER
Roger Partridge (Herald): Time for a public sector reset (paywalled)
Oliver Hartwich (The Australian): No, Minister: NZ’s powerful bureaucracy threatens reform(paywalled)
Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): Checking The Left: The Dreadful Logic Of Fascism.
David Fisher (Herald): March 15 attack dominates violent extremist online content
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Wait, WHAT? The Government not ruling out merging the Eye of Mordor with the Spylords?
Tukoroirangi Morgan (Herald): Kiingitanga Tainui challenge to Ngāti Whātua at Te Matatini pōwhiri was about mana – not motuhake
Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Auckland District Law Society criticizes Justice Minister for Book Launch
Greg Ninness (Interest): Almost 18,000 foreign workers and 14,000 overseas students arrived in New Zealand last month