News Briefing: 7 February 2025
WAITANGI, MĀORI-CROWN RELATIONS
Simon Wilson (Herald): Act’s David Seymour, NZ First’s Shane Jones and the battles of Waitangi (paywalled)
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Inside the debate and drama of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds
Brent Edwards (NBR): Honouring the Treaty would have helped avoid today’s debate (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): The quiet Waitangi that said a lot (it doepaywalled)
Greg Dixon (Listener): Was Luxon a Waitangi “drop nuts” or a drop kick? (paywalled)
John Campbell (1News): Waitangi in the age of the Treaty Principles Bill
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Waitangi political pōwhiri could return to Te Tii Marae
Laura Walters (Newsroom): Hipkins ‘ray of sunshine’ among discontent at Waitangi, says host
RNZ: Labour would not support Te Tiriti commissioner with veto right - Hipkins
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Te Pati Māori’s push for a Te Tiriti commissioner is ‘unconstitutional’
Jo Moir (RNZ): Waitangi analysis: Thousands predicted to descend on political talks never arrived
Lyric Waiwiri-Smith (Spinoff): David Seymour and the half-heard speech
Metiria Stanton Turei (ODT): Political gaslighting rejected by mums and grandmothers (paywalled)
Ella Stewart (RNZ): The quiet but powerful protest staged by the wāhine at Waitangi
Eva Corlett (Guardian): Māori protesters turn their backs on government ministers at Waitangi Day event
Tumamao Harawira (Te Ao Māori News): David Seymour challenged by Ngāpuhi during pōwhiri
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Shane Jones' threat to cut future funding for Waitangi Trust over pōwhiri disruption
Adam Pearse, Julia Gabel, David Fisher (Herald): Minister Shane Jones threatens to stop funding for Waitangi National Trust after pōwhiri ‘circus’
Liam Rātana and Lyric Waiwiri-Smith (Spinoff): Waitangi 2025: A day of kōrero, kaupapa and kotahitanga
Liam Rātana and Lyric Waiwiri-Smith (Spinoff): Gone By Lunchtime: The Waitangi special
Anna Whyte, Glenn McConnell, Jenna Lynch (Post): Protest follows politicians on Waitangi Day (paywalled)
Laine Priestley (ODT): Fun, friendship at Waitangi appreciated (paywalled)
Eva Corlett (Guardian): ‘It’s about togetherness’: Waitangi Day captures a new audience
RNZ: Waitangi Day 2025 in pictures
Liam Rātana (Spinoff): Ngāpuhi settlement stalemate: Why is the Crown funding an entity with no mandate?
Denise Piper (Northern Advocate): Toitū te Tiriti champion Eru Kapa-Kingi happy to speak up for Māori rights (paywalled)
Susana Suisuiki (RNZ): Māori academic says Te Tiriti o Waitangi relevant for Pasifika people
Jack McDonald (Post): A nationhood that we can all be proud of (paywalled)
Roger Partridge (Herald): New Zealand’s sovereign reality and our path to nationhood
Tureiti Moxon (Listener): ‘What this government has done is destroy years of hard work’ (paywalled)
Rachel Thomas (Post): ‘Stand up for te Tiriti’, mayor tells crowd at Wellington Waitangi Day event (paywalled)
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Russell Palmer (RNZ): Christopher Luxon's hope of avoiding controversy at Waitangi Day backfires
Verity Johnson (Stuff): Luxon is running away to Akaroa so he doesn’t have to go to Waitangi
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Protest meets Luxon in Akaroa, while Waitangi enjoys tranquillity
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Luxon urged to deal with division over Māori rights
Christopher Luxon (Herald): Why I’m not at Waitangi and why Seymour’s bill won’t become law
Virginia Fallon (Post): Waitangi Day: a tale of two commemorations (paywalled)
Maxine Jacobs and Mariné Lourens (Press/Post): Pro-Palestine supporters interrupt Luxon’s Waitangi Day speech (paywalled)
RNZ: Christopher Luxon honours Ngāi Tahu's resilience in Akaroa
Hanna McCallum (Post): Prime Minister delivers Waitangi Day speech at Ōnuku Marae
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Major focus on Ōnuku marae in Akaroa as PM, Governor-General arrive for Waitangi Day
ECONOMY, CORPORATE TAX CUTS, ASSET SALES
Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On The Government’s Epic Fails In Jobs And Housing
Bernard Hickey (The Kākā): Govt grasping at economic growth straws
Mike Joy (Newsroom): Leaders pushing GDP growth mantra risking charge of ‘ecocide’
Matthew Hooton (Herald: Prime Minister’s global investment summit crucial to Luxon’s year of growth (paywalled)
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Craig Renney: Don't Follow The Yellow Brick Road
Peter Dunne: Corporate tax reduction overdue
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Pros and cons of a corporate tax rate cut (paywalled)
Chelsea Daniels (Front Page): The privatisation debate: What is there left for the Government to sell?
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Act would 'support selling' Crown stake in Christchurch Airport (paywalled)
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): You won't believe it - the union is right
Paddy Gower (Stuff): Randy Reddig, the Silicon Valley mogul who wants to be a Kiwi, and the tax stopping others from doing the same
RNZ: Most households expect a financially tough 2025 - survey
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Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Unemployment reaches four year high, but is the worst yet to come?
Dan Brunskill (Interest): New Zealand's unemployment rate rises to 5.1% as 32,000 workers drop out of the labour force
RNZ: Unemployment rises to 5.1 percent, highest level since 2020
Zane Small (Stuff): Unemployment rises to 5.1%
Liam Dann (Herald): Young people bear the brunt – youth unemployment hits 23%
Herald Editorial: Government needs to ensure young people don’t fall through cracks (paywalled)
Jonathan Mitchell (NBR): Economy in deep funk with no plan for employment growth: CTU (paywalled)
Louise Ternouth (RNZ): Woman says she's applied for 400 jobs as unemployment reaches 4-year high
Mike Jones (Newsroom): The economy in 10 pics
Tom Pullar-Strecker (BuinessDesk): Expectations for big rate cut firm after unemployment rises to 5.1% (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (BuinessDesk): Unemployment hits 5.1%, with largest drop in employment since GFC
Rebecca Howard (BusinessDesk): Jobs data keep RBNZ on track to cut by 50bps in Feb (paywalled)
GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE
Bill Rosenberg (Herald): Regulatory Standards Bill is extreme and unjustified (paywalled)
Rob Campbell (Post): The Regulatory Standards Bill we really need (paywalled)
Andrew Gunn: New Ferries To Have Bunk-Beds So Kāinga Ora Can Use Them At Night (paywalled)
Martin Van Beynen (Post): Trump's playbook serves as a primer for Luxon (paywalled)
Ian Powell: More UK lessons for Labour Party in New Zealand
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): This Parliament is the naughtiest in recent history – what’s to blame?
Tom Peters (World socialist website): New Zealand ACT Party leader calls for privatisations, rails against Marxism
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Crash between police and Christopher Luxon's Crown car 'a genuine mistake’
Ethan Manera (Herald): Driver ‘misjudgment’ to blame after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s limo ‘rammed’ by police car
Caron Copek (Stuff): David Seymour and Alexandra Vincent Martelli engaged
Katie Todd (RNZ): New Zealand public services reveal details about their AI use
FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TRADE, DEFENCE
Phil Pennington (RNZ): Is it 'time-up' for world's most powerful spying group under Trump?
Guy Fiti Sinclair (Newsroom): NZ should help stop Pacific countries becoming political footballs
Barbara Dreaver (1News): Protest rising over Cook Islands push for passport, pact with China
Barbara Dreaver (1News): Cook Islands' deal with China takes NZ Government by surprise
Caleb Fotheringham (RNZ): 'Do not see eye to eye': NZ and Cook Islands at odds over diplomatic issues
Grace Tinetali-Fiavaai (RNZ): Samoa communities affected by Manawanui sinking seek support from China
Giff Johnson (RNZ): Trump deportations roil Pacific waters
Mick Hall: Palestine activists standing by IDF hotline as New Zealand faces Israel visa scrutiny
Paula Penfold (Stuff): What CCTV footage of assault by Vietnamese officials shows
RNZ: Senior Indian diplomat wants Auckland consulate to be fully functional by May
Dileepa Fonseka (BusinessDesk): NZ Defence Force artillery stocks were allegedly run down to 50 rounds of ammo (paywalled)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Flood-threatened ratepayers pay insurance triple-whammy
Rachel Thomas (Post): Wellingtonians deserve a say over waterfront fencing: Councillor (paywalled)
RNZ: Wellington convention centre, Tākina, runner-up in World Architects Building of the Year
Post: Tākina recognised in international architecture awards (paywalled)
Joseph Los’e (Herald): Auckland councillor Kerrin Leoni wants to be the first Māori mayor of Auckland (paywalled)
Mary Afemata (Local Democracy Reporting): Aucklanders rate quality of life high, but down on previous years
Craig Ashworth (Local Democracy Reporting): Taranaki councillors receive stinging response after they shut-down Treaty debate
Alisha Evans (Local Democracy Reporting): Tauranga’s Māori Ward byelection: Who’s running?
Lois Williams (RNZ): Coast council defends growth in staff numbers in heated meeting
RNZ: Dunedin's cheeky marketing campaign takes aim at big cities
TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE
Shanti Mathias (Spinoff): Are public transport fare increases in Auckland the start of a nationwide trend?
Emily Ireland (Local Democracy Reporting): Wairarapa mayors set sights on 'stupid' roading decisions
RNZ: Christchurch's Brougham Street announced as 'Road of Regional Significance'
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Christchurch’s SH76 Brougham St to become Road of Regional Significance, Chris Bishop announces
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): Government funds Brougham St upgrade after saying no new Crown funds (paywalled)
Hillary Calvert (ODT): An eye on a dollar, an eye on the road (paywalled)
Malcolm McCracken: Maximising the value from our investment in the City Rail link
HOUSING
ODT Editorial: A home of one’s own (paywalled)
Herald Editorial: Kāinga Ora shake-up winds clock back to 1905 and NZ’s state housing revolution (paywalled)
Alexis Harris (Post): Treating public housing as an investment, not a cost (paywalled)
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): Why we should be nervous about state housing changes
Caroline Williams (Stuff): Derelict Kāinga Ora property known as ‘local health hazard’ finally being demolished
David Hargreaves (Interest): The Great Reset: Over $200b of mortgages up for refixing in first half of 2025
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Should first-home buyers rush to get in the market?
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Front Page: House values, rents to drop: Could 2025 be the year to buy?
Miriam Bell (Post): First home buyers at record high: will it last? (paywalled)
RNZ: Wellington property values probably even lower now than what QV says
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Westpac cuts home loan rates below 5%
Brianna McIlraith (Stuff): Wesptac lowers three-year home loan term below 5%
Felix Walton (RNZ): Waiheke housing: New rules for digital nomads could push us out - residents
Olivia Judd (ODT): Resort’s housing needs acknowledged
RNZ: Consents granted for 264 homes in rent-to-own project in Morningside
EDUCATION
RNZ: State schools applying to become charter schools
RNZ: Should schools have the day after Waitangi Day off?
Rachel Moore (Stuff): Why are some schools having teacher only days on Friday?
Hanna McCallum (Post): Another school left with no lunch under new Government programme (paywalled)
RNZ: The school where students still love their free lunches
Tom Peters (World Socialists): New Zealand school lunches compared to “dog food” after government cutbacks
RNZ: Government's tertiary education shake-up greeted with scepticism
Pokere Paewai (RNZ): Kōhanga Reo look to build on the platform left by the late Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi
Mike Houlahan (ODT): Obituary: a classical scholar of politics (paywalled)
BUSINESS, WORKPLACE RELATIONS
Alice Peacock (Newsroom): Van Velden turns down union meetings in ‘unprecedented’ lack of engagement
Matthew Martin (Waikato Times): Unions pitch plans to save Kinleith Mill (paywalled)
Nicholas Pointon (NBR: Bayly on crypto: ‘We should embrace it’ (paywalled)
BANKS
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Major NZ banks cut $133m in fossil fuel lending amid climate push (paywalled)
RNZ: Expert rejects Shane Jones' criticism of banks 'woke' attitude to mining
ENERGY
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Commerce Commission cold on billion-dollar electricity merger
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): ComCom cold on Contact's takeover of Manawa (paywalled)
Hamish McNicol (NBR): ComCom raises issues with Contact-Manawa deal (paywalled)
Dita De Boni (Post): ComCom says ‘hold up’ on Contact bid to acquire Manawa Energy (paywalled)
Gary Holden (BusinesDesk): 2025: The big turning point for our electricity market (paywalled)
David Hill (Local Democracy Reporting): Canterbury residents oppose solar farm near homes
HEALTH
Rachel Thomas (Post): Be bold and keep yourself honest - a hype dispatch for Health NZ’s next chief executive (paywalled)
Nick Agar (Waikato Times/Post): Create a third medical school for the sake of Aotearoa’s future (paywalled)
Felix Walton (RNZ): More Māori nurses urgently needed - NSO kaiwhakahaere
Mary Williams (ODT): Hospital work to start by mid-year, Minister says
Oscar Bartle (International Socialists):
The Privatisation Agenda Behind the Dunedin Hospital Betrayal
Inside Government: Auditor-General to examine ‘planned care’ equity
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): Fluoride in Rotorua water: Councillor seeks ministerial intervention and inquiry into mandate
Kelly Garton (Newsroom): Dear local councils, please ditch the junk food ads on public transport
Laura Smith (Local Democracy Reporting): 'Rich Māori culture': Rotorua to host major indigenous health conference
RNZ: Warning issued: Professional body for eye specialists attempts to stop surgical procedures by optometrists
Natalie Akoorie (RNZ): Surgery delays as lab workers strike for pay parity
Jo Lines-MacKenzie (Waikato Times/Post): Pathlab worker strike highlights public-private pay gap (paywalled)
LAW SOCIETY, JUSTICE
Will Mace (NBR): Getting Slapp-happy: how defamation actions can stifle debate (paywalled)
Michael Andrews (Law News): How pro bono work is improving access to justice
RNZ: NZ Law Society president Frazer Barton back after abuse record destruction investigation
Law Fuel: NZ Law – Frazer Barton Returns to Lead NZ Law Society
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Global heating targets challenged by increased methane, wetlands responsible - study
Richard Walker (Waikato Times/Post): QEII covenants set to dry up without funding boost (paywalled)
IMMIGRATION
Mildred Armah (Stuff): Families of New Zealand refugees in limbo as system ‘stalls’ - report
Eda Tang (Spinoff): What would migration look like if te Tiriti o Waitangi was honoured?
Francisco Hernandez (ODT): We have the power to demand better
RETIREMENT, KIWISAVER
Matt Macpherson (Post): Most Kiwis happy to forgo some pay for a better retirement: Survey (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Biggest KiwiSaver provider ANZ among the worst performing
RUGBY AND POLITICS
Gregor Paul (Herald): TJ Perenara’s haka statement highlights All Blacks’ need for clear policies (paywalled)
Phil Gifford (Herald): The All Black who opposed apartheid: Ken Gray’s enduring impact
OTHER
Shayne Currie (Herald): Media Insider: David Seymour and Guy Williams clash at press conference; Bank execs at Shane Jones’ private party; Shortland St revival - is the screen production rebate also safe? (paywalled)
Ryan Ward: NZ Initiative represents at least $12.7 trillion in business interests
Allan Brent: A belated happy new year
Emma Ricketts (Stuff): The Dickson case does not mean the High Court agreed real estate agents should be required to take a Māori course: here’s why
Virginia Fallon (Post): Rotorua police are off their trolleys
Willie Jackson (Herald): Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi: Celebrating a Māori leader’s legacy
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): Meet NZ’s top ‘fish cop’ Steve Ham (paywalled)
Gerald Piddock (Farmers Weekly): GE Bill needs a farmer’s voice: DairyNZ
Ruairi O'Shea (NZ Consumer): New Zealand’s scam crisis: Are we falling behind?
Jerry Coyne: New Zealand volcano deemed to have the status of personhood
Luis Prada (Vice): New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki Is Now Legally a Person
Jerry Coyne: Trying to reconcile indigenous ways of knowing with “white” ways of being in New Zealand
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