News Briefing: 4 February 2025
WAITANGI, MĀORI-CROWN RELATIONS
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Waitangi sets the scene for political fireworks, Shane Jones calls for calm
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): A stark contrast as David Seymour’s hapū welcomes National MPs
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Waitangi prepares for 50,000 visitors as Treaty politics come to the fore
Adam Pearse (Herald): Waitangi to welcome Te Pāti Māori, Māori Queen ahead of Government pōwhiri
RNZ: Politicians to face 'hot reception' at National Iwi Chairs Forum
David Seymour (Herald): Celebrating unity amid Treaty Principles Bill debate
Simon Wilson (Herald): Waitangi: Marama Davidson and Chris Hipkins in focus (paywalled)
Ripu Bhatia (Stuff): ‘One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do’: Marama Davidson returns to politics after breast cancer
RNZ: Watch: Marama Davidson speaks at Waitangi on return to politics
Simon Wilson (Herald): Waitangi week: Snapshots from the new New Zealand (paywalled)
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Waitangi Day 2025: The conversations, commemorations and celebrations taking centre stage
Joel Maxwell (Stuff): ‘Controversies, dildos and mud’: How NZers will celebrate Waitangi Day, and what it means
Mike Dinsdale (Northern Avocate): Eyes of the nation on Far North for Waitangi Day commemorations
Ella Stewart (RNZ): Waitangi Day through the lens of a Māori warden - 'I'm a part of history changing'
Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira (RNZ): Iconic Te Tii Marae wharenui reopens as phase one of restoration completed
Tumamao Harawira (Te Ao Māori News): Te Tiriti Marae reopens—Iwi to Govt: ‘Time to Return!’
Jo Moir (RNZ): Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to be hosted by Ngāi Tahu for Waitangi Day
Maxine Jacobs (Press/Post): Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will spend Waitangi Day at Akaroa (paywalled)
Natalia Albert: Waitangi Day, Te Pati Māori and Nationalism In New Zealand
K Gurunathan (Post): Despite mounting obstacles, there is no holding back the Māori renaissance (paywalled)
Liam Rātana (Spinoff): Ten things you might not know about Waitangi
Roimata Smail (Newsroom): Waitangi: history in 32 pages
Max Rashbrooke (Spinoff): My ancestor were colonisers
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE
Thomas Manch (Post): New Zealand faces major disruption as North America becomes trade warzone (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On Trump’s Tariff Wars
RNZ: US trade tariffs: Nicola Willis looks to reassure exporters
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Tariff war sparks interest rate warning from New Zealand economists
Luke Malpass (Post): The strategy and politics behind Trump’s trade war (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: Trading blows (paywalled)
RNZ: Donald Trump's tariff trade war could spell trouble for NZ, experts say
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Tariff war ‘not good’ for NZ but a lot of unknowns, economists say (paywalled)
Jamie Gray (Herald): Trump trade wars: NZ caught in downdraft as US imposes trade tariffs (paywalled)
1News: Top NZ company warns costs may rise under US tariff regime
Roeland van den Bergh (Post): Fisher & Paykel Healthcare sees long-term timeline to mitigate Trump’s tariffs (paywalled)
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): NZ flags critical goods in US-led supply chain deal
Gaurav Sharma (RNZ): Luxon vows to visit India ‘very, very shortly’
Tim Hurdle (Post): New Zealand needs a wider array of products, and markets (paywalled)
Charlotte Bellis (North & South): The Sheep of the West (preview)
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Spinoff): The ‘fake news’ article that risks harming New Zealand’s global reputation
RNZ: Kiribati: 'New Zealand government cancelled its own proposed visit'
Kurt Bayer (Herald): Kiwi pilot Phillip Mehrtens hostage drama in Papua: Inside the mission to bring him home
RNZ: NZ donates 6000 doses of Boostrix vaccine to Samoa to fight whooping cough outbreak
ECONOMY, COST OF LIVING
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Revealed: Tight Budgets force ‘reductions to public services’ - Treasury (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Why has NZ's economy been hit so hard?
RNZ: Centrix report shows 470,000 borrowers in arrears
David Hargreaves (Interest): Cost of living rises 3% for average Kiwi households
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): How much the cost of living has increased for Kiwis
Herald: 470,000 Kiwis behind on repayments as festive season spending pushes more into debt
Rob Stock (Post): Home loan pain; Auckland worst despite Wellington public sector cuts (paywalled)
John Weeks (Herald): Inflation: Average household costs up 3% across the year. Who was hit hardest? (paywalled)
NBR: Mortgage stress drives 19% spike in financial hardship (paywalled)
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Front Page: Why economic growth is now the Government’s focus and is it the right policy
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): Risk is a four-letter word in NZ: New Zealand Inc's fear of failure (paywalled)
Barrie Saunders: The growth puzzle – its cultural
Stewart Forsyth (Newsroom): How to help NZ’s productivity problem
Sinead Gill (Press): We can't afford tourists': Government’s ‘grow agenda’ could hurt ratepayers (paywalled)
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Survive through ’25: Business wants action on economic growth (paywalled)
Simon Shepherd (NBR): Podcast: How to attract wealth migrant investors (paywalled)
Andrew Dickens (Newstalk ZB) New Zealand is desperate for growth
PARLIAMENT
Anna Whyte (Post): Another poll puts Labour support ahead of National (paywalled)
Hayden Donnell (Spinoff): Chris Luxon is right about our culture of no
RNZ: 'It doesn't prevent politicians from making laws': David Seymour on Regulatory Standards Bill
Neil Sands (Law News): Māori lobby group seeks review of yet-to-be-written red tape bill
Ian Taylor (Stuff): David Seymour, you are my Person of the Year for 2024
Grant Duncan: Leading through polycrisis: can the centre hold?
Chris Trotter (Interest): Balancing act
ACT, TIM JAGO CONVICTION
Anneke Smith (RNZ): ACT standing by referring abuse survivor to lawyer, not police
Thomas Manch (Post): ACT leader David Seymour denies wrongdoing over Tim Jago allegations (paywalled)
Anneke Smith (RNZ): Suvivor's relief as ACT Party president Tim Jago named as sexual abuser
Mountain Tui: Tim Jago is part of a bigger ACT Party issue
HEALTH
Denise Piper (Northern Advocate): Region tops cancer rates in New Zealand, sparking fight against inequities
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): HNZ not releasing new bed details
Mike Houlahan (ODT): 'We listened'
ODT Editorial: Hospital decision worth celebrating (paywalled)
RNZ: Taxpayer foots the bill as Hutt Valley birthing centre vacant for years - Labour MP
Herald Editorial: Ousted minister Shane Reti’s dignified exit from the difficult health portfolio (paywalled)
Helen Petousis-Harris (Newsroom): Welcome to the dark ages, where the stakes have never been higher
Matthew Littlewood (ODT): Southern pathologists to strike
Rachel Helyer Donaldson (RNZ): New funding to drive 'fair' nationwide rollout of diabetes tech
Northern Advocate: Hundreds of Far North tamariki get vital dental care from new programme
Mariné Lourens (Press/Post): ‘Outdated’ regulations prevent Kiwis from getting health benefits of micronutrients (paywalled)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown quashes reports he expects Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson to step down
Poppy Clark (Stuff): 'Beyond bizarre': Desley Simpson responds to report Wayne Brown would ask her to step down as his deputy
David Long (Stuff): Public submissions resoundingly against Ali Williams, Anna Mowbray’s Auckland helipad
David Long (Stuff): Unloved Auckland suburb to get some much-needed TLC
Nick James (RNZ): Are Wellington's council leaders running for the top jobs again this year?
Tom Hunt (Post): Wellington Water to ask for more money, sooner than expected (paywalled)
Julie Jacobson (Post): Wellington council reveals who sparked bus stop change (paywalled)
Gwynn Compton: Wellington City Council's Mātai Manapori - TrackDem now has vote tracking
Frances Chin (Post): Begonia House sit-in attracts ‘fantastic’ turnout (paywalled)
Grant Miller (ODT): $2m extra tagged for stadium company (paywalled)
ODT Editorial: Paying for Sunday parking (paywalled)
Mike Yardley (Press): Christchurch convention centre Te Pae a 'new fiscal risk', may end up in council’s lap (paywalled)
Tina Law (Press): Council silent over $5.5m increase to cost of Court Theatre (paywalled)
Emily Ireland (Local Democracy Reporting): Hearings continue for Wairarapa’s growth blueprint
Emily Ireland (Local Democracy Reporting): Wairarapa water facing time crunch
Emily Ireland (Local Democracy Reporting): Residents decry rates rises as ‘wealth tax’
Gwynn Compton: Council CE caught out in awkward hot mic moment
Justin Wong (Post): Kāpiti council boss’ hot mic comment on ratepayer group chair (paywalled)
Justin Wong (Post): Controversial Ōtaki development vote fails again (paywalled)
Jonathan Leask (Local Democracy Reporting): Council pays influencers to boost tourism in Mid Canterbury (paywalled)
EDUCATION
Imogen Wells (Stuff): What are the seven new charter schools opening this week and what are they offering?
Dave Armstrong (Post): Seymour’s snacks and other (in)edibles (paywalled)
Liam Hehir (Blue Review): There is such thing as a free lunch
Bella Craig (RNZ): Demand 'higher than ever' for donated school stationery, community group says
Kerre Woodham (Newstalk ZB): Why aren't all schools back yet?
RNZ: Central Wellington polytech campus Te Kāhui Auaha may close
Hanna McCallum (Post): Whitireia and WelTec’s creative campus faces potential closure (paywalled)
Ashleigh McCaull (RNZ): Dame Iritana Te Rangi Tāwhiwhirangi remembered for reviving te reo: 'We exist because of what she's done'
EMPLOYMENT, BENEFIT SANCTIONS
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Critics slam 'punitive' new benefit sanctions
1News: More non-financial sanctions added to benefit traffic light system
RNZ: More sanctions for those on benefits announced by government
Cameron Smith (Herald): Job market jitters: What’s in store for 2025 (paywalled)
HOUSING
Hamish McNeilly (Stuff): Almost five years after purchase, Kāinga Ora offers vacant holiday park for sale
Robin Martin (RNZ): Growing tension between New Plymouth mayor and MSD boss over rough sleepers revealed
Doug Laing (Hawkes Bay Today): Hunt on for a 3-4 bedroom home to use as shelter for the Napier homeless
Greg Ninness (Interest): The mother of all buyer's markets looks increasingly likely as stock levels surge
Herald: Why Māori have low home ownership rates in New Zealand - and how that can change
Joel MacManus (Spinoff): Windbag: Wellington’s new housing boom
Linda Hall (Local Democracy Reporting): Hastings Golf Club plans 'lifestyle community' with 170 homes
1News: Major bank lowers some mortgage and term deposit rates
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): ASB cuts home loan rates
David Chaston (Interest): ASB shifts home loan rates lower
RETIREMENT
Aaron Gilbert (The Conversation): KiwiSaver shakeup: private asset investment has risks that could outweigh the rewards
Susan Edmunds (Stuff): How much do you really need to save each week to have a comfortable retirement?
MEDIA
Gabin Ellis: Brace yourself: This could be crunch year for NZ news media
David Harvey: Audience Resonation
Karl du Fresne: Marching blindly into the post-journalism era
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: Things in the media get serious after silly season
Virginia Fallon (Sunday Star Times): The bad news? News is just bad (paywalled)
Steven Price: Is the BSA rejecting too many complaints?
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): David Seymour floats pulling out of Paris Agreement after 2026 election
Joanne Naish (Press/Post): The provocative words left out of a plan to save Westport (paywalled)
Elizabeth Brown (RNZ): Climate change likely to threaten taonga species on subantarctic Campbell Island - DOC
Hamish MacLean (ODT): Ministerial no-show draws mixed response (paywalled)
RNZ: Wetlands fire not as damaging as it could have been - DOC
MINING, ENERGY
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): 'Real risk of double-digit increases' in power prices
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Critical minerals list supports coal, not batteries and solar panels
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Front Page: Government’s mining strategy criticised for including coal, gold
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Coal and gas: light at end of the tunnel or oncoming train (paywalled)
JR Rowland (Newsroom): Dig beneath the rhetoric and you’ll find a sensible mining plan
Roman Travers (Newstalk ZB): Is mining the best way to boost New Zealand's economy?
Mike Fuge (Herald): New Zealand energy transition needs more urgency (paywalled)
Libby Kirkby-McLeod (RNZ): NZ's biggest solar farm to be built in Waikato
Greg Hurrell (BusinessDesk): Why Dick Smith is fighting for nuclear power (paywalled)
CRIME, JUSTICE
Pretoria Gordon (RNZ): 'Boot the Bill': Plea for government to put a stop to military-style camps
Sharon Brettkelly (RNZ): A retail crime-fighting app helping police track repeat offenders
Herald: Gang insignia ban proposed for Gisborne cemeteries headstones
DEFENCE FORCE
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Residents ‘kept in dark’ over Defence water supply contamination
Mike Dinsdale (Northern Advocate): Air Force Hercules do final Northland fly over before retirement
Post: Final flypast today as Hercules workhorses bow out (paywalled)
TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE
Penny Miles (RNZ): 'Huge relief' as logging trucks taken off remote highway to Napier
Matthew Martin (Waikato Times/Post): Napier-Taupō speed limit: Truckies say ‘idiot drivers’ the problem
Gary Hamilton-Irvine (Hawkes Bay Today/Herald): Bee cards to be phased out for bus goers nationwide; more than 280,000 in use (paywalled)
Jazlyn Whales (RNZ): Main roads into Wellington to close for maintenance
Katie Todd (RNZ): EVs pose 'very real safety risk' to blind and low vision community
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): Time to end the e-scooter free ride
BANKS
Rob Stock (Post): Shane Jones’ bank plan could help brothels and casinos (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): The banks aren't reading the mood
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): Banks vs Fossil Fuels - a cultural battleground
Kerre Woodham (Newstalk ZB): Banks need to stick to their knitting
Janine Starks (Post): No shortage of fools to be played in banking as scams continue (paywalled)
Lane Nichols (Herald): ANZ staff helped scam victim send $250k to known ‘money mule’ - calls for bank to pay compensation
GAMBLING
Gregor Thompson (BusinessDesk): ‘Sharp bettors’ rebuke plans to monopolise the TAB (paywalled)
RNZ: SkyCity casino wants to build larger deck so more people can smoke while playing pokies
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
RNZ: New guidelines released for public agencies on how to use AI safely
Dulani Jayasuriya (Post): The place for NZ as the race for AI supremacy heats up (paywalled)
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): NZ's tax rules keep It out of AI's inner circle: ex-PrimerAI CEO Sean Gourley
HAKA PARTY INCIDENT
RNZ: New documentary explores Haka Party incident
Amanda Gillies (RNZ): The Detail: New Zealand's last war
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): The Haka Party Incident and how we remember
OTHER
Aaron Smale (Listener): Is it okay for the crown to cover up its own crimes? (paywalled)
Matt Nippert (Herald): New Zealand leaves door open to enabling foreign bribery, OECD warns (paywalled)
Michael Morrah (Herald): Fisheries crackdown: 4000 fishing offences in past year revealed (paywalled)
Mountain Tui: What happened to the Curia Market Research suspension?
Thomas Manch (Post): NZ cybersecurity firm issues DeepSeek warning (paywalled)
Maia Hart (Local Democracy Reporting): Proposed Blenheim street names divide councillors again
Peter de Graaf (RNZ): Remarkable that Mangawhai tornado didn't claim any lives - minister
Matthew Ronsenberg (Local Democracy Reporting): Tough review for southern emergency management
Lucy Xia (RNZ): The best and worst insurance companies, as ranked by customers
RNZ: $1b in payments being processed each weekend after move to seven-day settlement
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