NZ Politics Daily: 1 September 2021

Afghanistan
Tim Watkin (Pundit): After 20 Years In Afghanistan, ‘A Little Revenge’ Has Done Immeasurable Damage
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Military intelligence never saw total collapse coming of Afghan army, committee briefing hears
Stuff Editorial: Afghanistan – yes, we have work to do
Thomas Manch (Stuff): 375 New Zealanders, visa holders stranded as Government considers ‘second phase’ of evacuation effort
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Afghanistan evacuations: Cabinet working on ‘second phase’
Matt Burrows (Newshub): Afghanistan evacuation mission: NZ Defence Force personnel ‘tormented’ by memories of those they couldn’t save
RNZ: NZDF on Afghanistan evacuation: ‘We were assisting people … over barbed wire fences’
Emma Hatton (RNZ): ‘Give us some hope’ – former NZDF interpreter to government
Hannah Kronast (Newshub): Afghan interpreter who worked for NZ Defence Force issues desperate plea for help to Jacinda Ardern
Stuff: Plenty of waiting but not much hope for Afghan woman wanting her siblings to come to New Zealand
RNZ: High Court rejects desperate bid by Afghans trapped in Kabul
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Last-ditch legal action by Afghans trapped in Kabul thrown out by NZ judge
Vandhna Bhan and Arvind Kumar (Stuff): New Zealand Afghanis in plea for more help from government
Josie Pagani (Herald): Every kindness must be extended to Afghans (paywalled)

Parliament
Henry Cooke (Stuff): Battle of the vaccine graphs as Parliament returns without a bang
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Judith Collins fails to justify Parliament’s return in fizzer Question Time(paywalled)
Claire Trevett (Herald): National leader Judith Collins fires back at PM Jacinda Ardern over criticism for travel to Parliament
Zane Small (Newshub): Jacinda Ardern accuses Judith Collins of ‘sharing misleading information’ in COVID-19 vaccine debate
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Ministers face grilling as Parliament returns
Richard Prebble (Herald): Parliament is recalled; now use it (paywalled)
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Shrunken Parliament pops a few bubbles
Henry Cooke (Stuff): How Parliament will run while country is in lockdown
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): MPs attending Parliament in alert level 4 will have to social distance by 5 metres
RNZ: PM says MPs gathering at Parliament today is irresponsible – but Labour will be there
1 News: Parliament to sit today, against wishes of Jacinda Ardern
Newshub: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says National ‘rejected’ plans for virtual Parliament
Greg Presland (The Standard): MPs should not only follow the rules but follow them with stars
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): National unveils quiet select committee reshuffle
Emma Espiner (Spinoff): Simon Bridges is still figuring himself out – National Identity, reviewed
Tess McClure (Guardian): New Zealand minister’s TV interview interrupted by son waving phallic carrot

Government management of outbreak, expert advice, alert level changes
Alexander Gillespie (The Conversation): What are the limits of dissent as NZ locks down, vaccinates and prepares to ‘open up’?
Grant Duncan: What the world can learn from Aotearoa New Zealand
Duncan Greive (Spinoff): One virus, two countries: The challenges of dividing Aotearoa to defeat delta
Dan Satherley (Newshub): Judith Collins says ‘no point worrying’ about source of COVID-19 outbreak, Ardern should ‘deal with it’ or accept she can’t change it
Jamie Morton (Herald): Better ventilation ‘absolutely critical’ to stopping Delta
Thomas Manch (Stuff): Has Delta peaked? A 53-case day only comes with caution
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Too early to tell if drop in Delta cases will continue but officials remain optimistic 
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): What if we find Delta outside of Level 4?
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): One number to watch to tell if lockdown is working
Mike Houlahan (ODT): PM vows to reassess risk in South
Dan Lake (Newshub): Air New Zealand adds ‘several’ South Island flights as alert level lowered
Aroha Mane (Māori TV): Risky or essential? Alert Level 3 contentious in Far North
Mariné Lourens and Nadine Porter (Stuff): Hours into alert level 3, drums beating for further South Island drop
Luke Malpass (Stuff): The 1pm update review – if someone is going to tell off a rugby player, best it’s Ashley Bloomfield
Damien Venuto (Herald): The Facebook post that cost the Govt $88,000 (paywalled)
RNZ: Covid-19 lockdown day 14: How it happened
RNZ: Covid-19 lockdown day 14: How it happened
Herald:Kiwis flock to fast food outlets at dawn of alert level 3

Vaccine rollout
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Dawn Chorus: Vaccine deal in the works
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Vaccine rollout reveals our Postcode Health System
Natalie Netzler (Newsroom): What we should be doing for Pasifika and Māori
George Driver (Spinoff): What is life like now for countries with the highest Covid vaccination rates?
Hannah Martin (Stuff): A quarter of eligible Kiwis now fully vaccinated, 3.4m doses given
Michael Neilson (Herald):Vaccinations open to all as Government races to secure supplies
Lucy Xia (Stuff): Vaccinations not happening in MIQ due to ‘safety and practical limitations’
Gary Hamilton-Irvine (Hawkes Bay Today): Two per cent of inmates at Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison fully vaccinated (paywalled)
Nathan Morton (Stuff): Aucklanders should be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccines, mayor Phil Goff says
Vasso Apostolopoulos and Jack Feehan (Herald): How long does immunity last after vaccination? Do we need booster shots? Two immunology experts explain
Stuff: 60 per cent of Southland and Otago residents vaccinated
Fran Priddy (Newsroom): We need a vaccine plan for under-12s
Kenan Malik (Observer): Rich countries thinking of No1

Health system
Michael Morrah (Newshub): How reassurances over health workforce readiness failed to match reality when Delta variant emerged
Rowan Quinn (RNZ): Urgent alterations as hospitals’ Covid-19 pressure rooms near capacity
Ian Powell (Second Opinion): If patient co-payments were removed from general practices
1 News: St John pleads with public to disclose Covid-19 exposure
Hannah Martin (Stuff): Nearly 100 St John paramedics isolating as patients conceal Covid-19 status
Lincoln Tan (Herald): Rise in people lying about exposure to Covid-19 putting ambulance crews at risk
RNZ: Medicinal cannabis: Approval process causing delays, says firm
Hawkes Bay Today: $2.75m Mongrel Mob meth rehab funding approved after proposal argued crime and gang suicides would drop
Lawrence Gullery (Stuff): Public backlash prompts move towards capping bottle store numbers in Waipā
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): ACC proposes to raise typical family’s levies by $200 to $300 a year

Cases, demographics, Pacific communities, Māori communities
Teuila Fuatai  (Herald): Health Ministry must acknowledge its role in Covid racism (paywalled)
Florence Kerr (Stuff): The hurt left by online racial hatred towards Pasifika people, who are already suffering
Meng Foon and Saunoamaali’i Dr Karanina Sumeo (RNZ): Where is the kindness during these uncertain times of Covid-19?
Melani Anae (Spinoff): Immunisation, immigration and the power of ‘confusion’
Rachel Thomas (Stuff): More than 1000 close contacts isolating in Wellington region
Herewini Waikato (Māori TV): Te Arawa Covid response call-centre trailblazing
Mike Mather, Aaron Leaman and Jo Lines-MacKenzie (Stuff): ‘My biggest nightmare’ says Waikato mayor after Spring Hill prison guard tests positive for coronavirus
RNZ: Prison officers can’t avoid breaking their Covid-19 work bubbles – union
Belinda Feek (Herald): Spring Hill prison guard tests positive for Covid
Herald: I got Covid at an Auckland mall. Here’s what’s happened since (paywalled)
Brooke van Velden (Herald): Covid pandemic hitting young hard – so what’s Government’s plan?

Contact tracing, testing
John Anthony (Stuff): Sistema waited a week to tell staff a colleague tested positive for Covid-19
Jamie Morton (Herald): What genomes reveal about this outbreak
Kate Newton (Stuff): Low Covid-19 testing rates risk future community outbreaks
Antony Sguazzin (Stuff): New variant that may have ‘increased transmissibility’ was detected in New Zealand
RNZ: South Africa detects new coronavirus variant, one case reportedly seen in NZ
news.com.au : New variant – ‘worse than Delta – was detected at New Zealand border
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): Ministry of Health ‘now confident’ saliva testing could identify cases early
RNZ: All Blacks following protocols after spending time at location of interest

MIQ, border, immigration
Ben Strang (RNZ): Concerns as Covid-19 cases exercising in Grand Mercure Wellington’s underground car park
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Redesign of MIQ transfer system mooted
1 News: Govt agency employs students to secure MIQ spots for staff
1 News: Bottled water given to families in Auckland MIQ facility after concerns raised
Andrew MacFarlane (1 News): Kiwi stranded in Australia fears worst after MBIE cancels red-zone flights
Whatitiri Te Wake (Māori TV): Stranded in Australia and running out of medication, Kiwi losing hope

Lockdown compliance, enforcement, checkpoints
Alice Angeloni (Local Democracy Reporting): Illegal hapū-led checkpoint shut down, police establish static checkpoints
Peter de Graaf (Herald): Iwi border control group re-assessing plans (paywalled)
Herald: Wellington health board launches investigation after nurse attends gathering with sports stars during level 4
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): ‘Divorced from science’: Plan B criticised for conspiracy links
Sophie Cornish (Stuff): Police arrest 19 people at 11 small lockdown protests across the country
1 News: Arrests made over anti-lockdown protests around NZ
Scott Palmer (Newshub): Conspiracy theorist Karen Brewer among 19 arrested in failed bid to overthrow Government
Ethan Griffiths (Herald): Two arrested at anti-lockdown protest in Whanganui
Samantha Gee (RNZ): Fines issued after ‘upsetting’ anti-vaccination letters delivered to medical practices
Frances Chin (Stuff): ‘Distressing’ letters delivered to Nelson doctors during lockdown
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Lockdown breach: Otago Uni student isolating after Auckland flight
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Student breached lockdown rules by flying across the country without exemption
Jake Kenny (Stuff): Barista ‘confused’ as police send him home against government advice
RNZ: Whale watching and finding ‘better quality meats’ no excuse for travel – police
Nikki Preston (Herald): Auckland boundary cuts through one Waikato road causing headaches for residents
Aaron Leaman (Stuff): Auckland-Waikato divide necessary for neighbours’ economic good health
1 News: Police announce checkpoint locations ahead of alert level change
Herald: Police map out checkpoints ahead of move to alert level 3
Simon Shepherd (Newshub): Truckies hoping Auckland police checkpoints aren’t as chaotic as earlier this year

Wage subsidy, business, economy
Emma Hatton (RNZ): Figures show smaller firms make up majority of $876m wage subsidy payout so far
Richard Harman (Politik): Cracking down on the wage subsidy (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Interest): Government payments to businesses total $1.26 billion since the start of this lockdown, as the Wage Subsidy supports 28% of those in paid work
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Lower fear of unemployment could limit impact of lockdown this time around
Liam Dann (Herald): Inflation, supply constraints could be worse post-lockdown – NZIER (paywalled)
Priscilla Dickinson (Newshub): Economist weighs in on cost of lockdown as the country prepares to split into two alert levels
Liam Dann (Herald): Business confidence ‘encouragingly robust’ despite lockdown
Jean Bell (RNZ):Auckland businesses want more government financial support due to extended lockdown
Garth Bray (1 News): Be kind? Hotels, motels and Airbnb cutting guests little slack
Fiona Connor (Newshub): Auckland women ‘ripped off’ by Bookabach host’s refusal to refund, reschedule trip during lockdown
Newshub: Business community calls for weekly subsidy for employers, just like employees
Newstalk ZB: Simon Gault: ‘Resurgence package doesn’t even come close to covering 50% of cost’
Liz McDonald (Stuff): Businesses haemorrhage cash as lockdown costs mount
Rob Stock (Stuff): Life on the edge: Auckland restaurateurs open up about lockdown
Maryana Garcia (Herald): Builders are back in action under level 3 (paywalled)
Helen Harvey (Stuff): Concerns Auckland’s level 4 split from rest of country will make building supplies issues worse
RNZ: Cash for West Coast businesses to help out during alert level 3
Anne Gibson (Herald): Freight costs up almost 100% in last 6 months, new Eboss construction survey reveals (paywalled)
Laurel Stowell (Herald): Lockdown crushes best weeks of Ruapehu ski season (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Stuff): Rocket Lab needs to wait for Auckland to drop to ‘level 3’ to resume launches
Brianna Mcilraith (Stuff): Hundreds of food delivery drivers hired in lead up to alert level 3 move
Blair Jackson (Stuff): Money for Southland tourism businesses a ‘God-send’
Stuff: Air New Zealand releases domestic schedule under new alert levels
Sophie Trigger (Herald): Aucklanders able to shop at level 3 from businesses south of the city
Cass Marrett (ODT): More support for resort firms urged
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): DWC asked for funding help
RNZ: The Detail: When there’s a glitch in the supply chain
Anna Campbell (ODT): Examine the whole supply chain
Newsroom: Employers can’t recycle Level 4 responses
Juliet Speedy (Newshub): Businesses foresee supply issues, income drops as most of New Zealand prepares for alert level 3
Sam Hurley (Herald): Experts talk new insolvency regime and if a surge in liquidations follows wake of Delta lockdown (paywalled)

Lockdown inequality, charities
Josephine Franks (Stuff): Migrants left to ‘rely on free food’ as emergency benefit comes to an end
1 News: Foodbank stripped bare in lockdown issues plea for help
RNZ: ‘Uncertain times’ lead to kai network in Auckland
Adam Jacobson (Stuff): Māori food network established to help struggling whānau in lockdown 
Alex Robertson (Herald): Food parcels and vaccines to cope with Covid-19
Newshub: Māori organisations calling on Ministry of Social Development to give them resources
Andrew Marshall (ODT): Shopping assistance available for lockdown
Tony Wall (Stuff): Man has spent Covid pandemic living in a cave, surrounded by multimillion-dollar homes

Migrant workers
Gill Bonnett (RNZ): Deleted Immigration NZ website post appears to be copy of new policy – adviser
Andrew Bevin (NBR): Forestry contractors claim they’ve been ‘screwed’ by Immigration NZ (paywalled)

Education
Katy Jones (Stuff): ‘Very few’ students back at most schools in alert level 3
Kate Nicol-Williams (1 News): Most schools expect less than 10 students back at Alert Level 3
John Gerritsen (RNZ): Students fear NCEA exam impact after lockdown extended in Auckland
Alwyn Poole (RNZ): Labour and the Education Ministry’s ongoing failure of the poor

Housing
Steven Walton (Stuff): $6m scheme to help families buy home has zero success after two years
David Hargreaves (Interest): The level 4 lockdown last year was followed by a 30% rocketing of house prices. This year’s won’t be
RNZ: Lockdown could lead to another spike in house prices – CoreLogic
Owen Vaughan (OneRoof): NZ’s average property value is fast approaching $1m
Dan Sathelrey (Newshub): Is the housing market about to turn? Price growth slows over August in most regions
Melanie Carroll (Stuff): Auckland’s new homes consented up 29%, Wellington’s up 4% in a year: Stats NZ
Anne Gibson (Herald): All-time record set for NZ house building consents
Chloe Ranford (Local Democracy Reporting): Could abandoned boats be the next big thing in the tiny house game?
Anne Gibson (Herald): Real estate agent activity dropped 52% after alert level 4 lockdown
Miriam Bell (Stuff): Number of houses for sale falls to 14-year low 
Miriam Bell (Stuff): House prices fall in regions but lockdown could grant reprieve

Media
Mark Jennings (Newsroom): TVNZ plays a blinder and sets its own goals
RNZ: TVNZ to resume paying dividend to government after returning profit
1 News: TVNZ records near $60m net profit on back of high audiences, online growth
Damien Venuto (Herald): TVNZ staff to get $2000 bonus for contribution to $59m profit
RNZ: NZ Paralympic boss unhappy with Tokyo Games broadcast

On Hate documentary
Patrick Gower (Newshub): On Hate: Far-right expert warns another NZ terror attack is coming
Patrick Gower (Newshub): On Hate: Jacinda Ardern reveals she saw livestream of Christchurch terror attack
Patrick Gower (Newshub): On Hate: Admission after rewatching Stefan Molyneux, Lauren Southern interview
Lydia Burgham (Herald): On Hate review – a powerful watch that puts the Muslim community at the centre
Anjum Rahman (Spinoff): Review: Patrick Gower: On Hate puts the focus where it should be – on the victims

Primary industries
Byron Clark (Newsroom): The radical right in gumboots
Sally Murphy (RNZ): Farmers and growers prepare for Auckland alert level border
Stuff: ‘Human error’ incorrectly detected oyster parasite Bonamia ostreae in Foveaux Strait

West Auckland flooding
Herald: Niwa blames ‘low level jet’ for deluge
Louise Ternouth (RNZ): Weather: Floods force west Aucklanders from homes
1 News: Heavy rain causes extensive flooding in parts of Auckland
Edward O’Driscoll (Newshub): Auckland businesses struggling under lockdown dealt second blow with flooding

Local government
Matthew Rosenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt reviews television documentary about his life
ODT Editorial: From a trickle to a torrent
Nicholas Boyack (Stuff): Call for police investigation into fake Lower Hutt council emails
Molly Houseman (ODT): Hobbs out of ORC either way
Garry Law (Stuff):Three Waters reforms ill-matched to local government
Georgina Campbell (Herald): Councils dither over Three Waters infrastructure reforms (paywalled)
Joanne Naish (Stuff): Twenty years ago, West Coasters were given $92m – it’s now worth $146m
Tom Kitchin (RNZ): Napier floods review: New builds should be elevated and city needs Civil Defence staff

Other
Dileepa Fonseka (Stuff): The future of a small country in a deglobalised world
Don Rowe (Guardian): Unstoppable movement: how New Zealand’s Māori are reclaiming land with occupations
Rob Stock (Stuff): Reserve Bank proposal to protect insurance policyholders could add 1% to 2% to premiums
RNZ: Reserve Bank eyes protection for insurance policy holders
Esther Taunton (Stuff):Majority of New Zealanders paying ‘lazy tax’
RNZ: TSB Bank penalised for breaching anti-money laundering rules
Laura Mills (Greymouth Star): Research into West Coast whitebaiting
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): NZ closes in on FTA with the UK (paywalled)
Vince Hawksworth (Herald): Transition to renewable needs careful management (paywalled)
Mike Mather (Stuff): ‘Don’t call us elderly’ dame tells politicians discussing plan for older people
Peter Cullen (Stuff): Pay gaps and pay equity: What an inquiry into needs to consider
Paul Lewis (Herald): Team NZ preparing for legal challenge over offshore America’s Cup defence(paywalled)
Carolyne Meng-Yee (Herald): America’s Cup could stay – if Dalton leaves Team NZ, claims rich-lister; TNZ questions intentions