News Briefing: 15 August 2025

FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Only one option on recognising Palestinian state (paywalled)
Audrey Young (Herald): Palestine debate brings out the best in Christopher Luxon, the worst in Chlöe Swarbrick (paywalled)
Gordon Campbell: On The Lack Of Spine In New Zealand’s Foreign Policy On Gaza
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Christopher Luxon responds after broadside from Israeli minister over ‘lost the plot’ Benjamin Netanyahu comment
1News: Luxon stands by Netanyahu comments as Israeli minister hits out
Giles Dexter (RNZ): War in Gaza: Israeli minister rejects Luxon's 'lost the plot' claim
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): ‘Your deadliest enemy is a possum’: NZ has no idea, Israeli minister says after Luxon’s ‘lost the plot’ line
Guardian: New Zealand PM says Netanyahu has ‘lost the plot’ after Palestine recognition debate sees MP ejected
Joel MacManus (Spinoff): Echo Chamber: Spineless, unacceptable, deeply offensive… C U next Tuesday?
Chris Trotter (ODT): Whether to recognise a grey waste of dust and rubble (paywalled)
Lydia Lewis, Caleb Fotheringham, Teuila Fuatai (RNZ): Manele wins: Door shut on Pacific Islands Forum partners in Honiara
Teuila Fuatai (RNZ): Winston Peters hints at Solomon Islands' unilateral decision to block PIF donor partners
Teuila Fuatai (RNZ): Winston Peters blames 'outsiders' for Pacific Islands Forum tensions
Neil Reid (Herald): Enemy of the state: Former senior government minister targeted by Russian ‘patriots’ over Ukraine war stance
Jimmy Ellingham (RNZ): Espionage trial of New Zealand soldier shrouded in secrecy

COVID
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Jacinda Ardern right not to front Covid-19 inquiry (paywalled)
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): Document reveals minister’s early tensions with Covid Commission chair
Lloyd Burr (Stuff): Luxon claims Ardern was ‘summonsed’ to Covid Inquiry. She wasn’t
Catherine McGregor (Spinoff): Covid-19 inquiry row reignites political battle over pandemic legacy
Tom Rose (Herald): Chris Hipkins defends decision to skip Covid-19 Royal Commission inquiry public hearings
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Seymour called them ‘lockdown overlords’. Here’s their response to claims they won't front up to the Covid inquiry
Liam Hehir (The Blue Review): Not angry, just a bit disappointed
David Farrar: The Covid cowards
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Jacinda, Grant, Chippy and Ayesha can't prevent accountability
Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): Ardern, Hipkins, Robertson - They should be ashamed of themselves
Ryan Bridge (Newstalk ZB): What has Chris Hipkins got to hide over Covid?
Kerre Woodham (Newstalk ZB): Fronting publicly is the least Ardern, Hipkins, and Robertson could do
John MacDonald (Newstalk ZB): Boris fronted-up to a Covid Inquiry - why aren't our lot?
Grant Duncan: Debt and Regret: the Covid-19 hangover lingers on

RMA, ENVIRONMENT
Glenn McConnell (Stuff): Greens call last-minute law change a ‘pass to pollute’, National says it’s ‘environmental pragmatism’
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Another Resource Management Act change passes in Parliament
Marc Daalder (Newsroom): We strangled our rivers; now they’re fighting back
Matthew Martin (Waikato Times/Post): Unpaid bills could lay waste to incinerator plans (paywalled)
Eric Frykberg (Interest): Select committee report divides farmers and forest owners
Matthew Rosenberg (RNZ): Wilding pine problem at ‘tipping point’ in Southland

INSURANCE, NATURAL HAZARDS, CIVIL DEFENCE
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Homeowners face $200-plus hike in Natural Hazards Commission levy
Sam Sacdeva (Newsroom): Stick but no carrot for councils in emergency system reforms
RNZ: Councils warn civil defence plan upgrades will lead to higher rates
Eloise Gibson (RNZ): Three of New Zealand's biggest emitters no longer have to reveal their climate impact
Samantha Gee (RNZ): Golden Bay residents call for investment to future-proof emergency phone line
RNZ: IAG's insurance profit rises as claims costs fall
Rob Stock (Post): Higher premiums, lower payouts boosts IAG’s insurance profit (paywalled)
Mandy Te (Interest): IAG NZ's annual insurance profit climbs above A$600 million as insurance margin rises
Rob Stock (Post): Low house insurance premium rises this year - but not for all, says IAG (paywalled)
Rob Stock (Post): Vero and AA Insurance owner Suncorp posts profit bump in NZ (paywalled)

PARLIAMENT, PUBLIC SERVICE
Peter Dunne: It is in National’s and Labour’s interests for New Zealand First’s support to be brought to ground
Oliver Hartwich: ‘Drowning electorally’: Luxon’s premiership under pressure
Craig McCulloch (RNZ): Why was the Beehive kept in dark about press secretary filming allegations?
Roger Partridge (Herald): Public sector expertise eroded by the rise of the generic official (paywalled)
Ben Kepes (Press/Post): Standing against the snark in support of directors’ fee increase (paywalled)
Virginia Fallon (Post): ‘I’m going on a train ride’: Winston v the vest (paywalled)
1News: Who can take you to court? The 40+ agencies with legal powers in NZ
David Farrar: A pointless petition

HEALTH
RNZ: Christchurch Hospital's specialist trauma service made no difference in first year - report
Mariné Lourens (Press): Vital trauma service at Christchurch Hospital failing due to lack of funds and staff (paywalled)
Anna Whyte (Post): Health NZ chair’s next 12 months: ‘Culture change will underpin all else’ (paywalled)
Russell Palmer (RNZ): Health Minister Simeon Brown slams striking health workers for 'playing politics'
RNZ: Five times more Māori nurses needed to meet population and health needs - report
David Williams (Herald): Health New Zealand criticises Nurses Organisation over abrupt strike notice withdrawal
RNZ: Christchurch Hospital staff poised to strike for two hours Friday afternoon
John Lewis (ODT): Rethink of quit smoking approach
Janet Hoek and Lani Teddy (Public Health Communication Centre): Balancing fear with hope: A more effective way of promoting smoking cessation?
Maddy Croad (Press/Post): Loss of twin brother spurs calls for action on men’s health (paywalled)
Anna Whyte (Post): Hold the marshmallows: New food rules for hospital cafés (paywalled)
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Post): Wellington’s new endoscopy facility means ‘better and faster’ access to care (paywalled)

AUCKLAND
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): ‘Insulted’ Wayne Brown and council tell Govt to stick its local government reform
Simon Wilson (Herald): Auckland Council attendance records revealed for entire term (paywalled)
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Auckland Council candidate Glenn Archibald faces backlash over tax evasion conviction
Justin Hu (1News): Auckland mayoral candidate Kerrin Leoni unveils rates pledge
Jessica Hopkins (RNZ): Kerrin Leoni calls out Wayne Brown over cherrypicking candidate events
Jessica Hopkins (RNZ): Mayoral hopeful Kerrin Leoni attacks Wayne Brown's financial record
Victor Waters (RNZ): Mahurangi oyster saga: Watercare reveals vandalised pipe
Lucy Xia (RNZ): 'Historic day': Auckland Council vote to pass Waitākere Ranges deed
Tim Murphy (Newsroom): Crown and council to take voting edge over Māori on Waitakeres body

LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Benn Bathgate (Waikato Times): ‘That’s his first mistake’: David Seymour hits back at Max Baxter’s criticism of ACT Local (paywalled)
Peter Newport (Crux): Government seeks QLDC assurances on Lakeview - calls for increased transparency
Ellen O’Dwyer (RNZ): Wellington councillors want review of Moa Point sludge project after cost blowout
Krystal Gibbens (RNZ): Wellington Council's sludge plant could blow out to $500m
Ethan Manera (Herald): $83m budget blowout for Wellington City Council’s sludge minimisation plant
RNZ: Signing date announced for final design contract for Wellington's Golden Mile
Emma Ricketts (Stuff): Could this be the end of the Golden Mile for Wellington?
Harriet Laughton (Post): Golden Mile contract to be signed after new council voted in (paywalled)
Justin Wong (Post): Kāpiti council foots $43k bill for chief executive’s Harvard course (paywalled)
Cécile Meier (BusinessDesk): Kāpiti council spends $43k on CEO Harvard course amid rates pressure (paywalled)
Craig Ashworth (Local Democracy Reporting): Councillor kicked out of meeting after labelling policy 'racist'
RNZ: Council plans to block road access to Cape Palliser due to vandlism
Lucy Cooper (Stuff): ‘It’s got to stop’: Iwi leader stands by need for Cape Palliser bylaw

ECONOMY, COST OF LIVING, EMPLOYMENT
Neil Sands (Law News): Employment Relations Minister denies she ‘works for Uber’ at select committee hearing
Tim Hazledine (Post): The choices we could make for cheaper butter and power (paywalled)
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): Households 'under siege', BNZ economist says

ENERGY
RNZ: Electricity Authority launches probe of energy pricing
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Regulator opens investigation into power and gas prices after complaint from businesses (paywalled)
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): Electricity Authority to investigate complaints about gas and electricity contracting (paywalled)
Tom Pullar-Strecker (Post): Power firms tipped to pay a record $1.4 billion to shareholders (paywalled)
RNZ: Government subsidies to replace gas heaters with heat pumps could save $1.5b, NZGBC says

BANKS
Rob Stock (Post): Case shows banks may need controversial law change for more recent lending errors
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): How switching banks could come at a cost
Rob Stock (Post): ASB reports flat $1.45b profit as home loan margins rise (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): ASB profit dips as it grows its workforce by 13% and puts $33m aside for customer compensation (paywalled)

EDUCATION, TRAINING
Layla Bailey-McDowell (RNZ): Removing te reo Māori from children's books 'damaging step backwards' - academic
RNZ: Principal slams Stanford's scrapping of Māori words in readers
1News: Cutting kupu Māori in books does more harm than good – academic
Tansy Oliver (Spinoff): Pulling a learn-to-read book with six kupu Māori is another educational assault
Liz Gordon (Press/Post): Time for the state to take over Gloriavale’s school (paywalled)
Lauren Crimp (RNZ): Secondary teachers won't cancel strikes until government improves offer
Megan Wilson (Rotorua Daily Post): David Seymour speaks about changing sector regulations at Early Childhood Council conference
James Bentley (Herald): NCEA overhaul falls short (paywalled)
Danielle Zollickhofer (Waikato Herald): Toi-Ohomai South Waikato closure: Taskforce to explore education solutions
Brett Murray (Post): Don’t discard what’s working in construction pre-qualifications (paywalled)

MEDIA
Shayne Currie (Herald): Heat on RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson and board after scathing review – who can they lure?; Stuff journalists eye strike action (paywalled)
Colin Peacock (RNZ): Mediawatch: RNZ rejigging radio to arrest audience decline
Shayne Currie (Herald): Scathing RNZ National radio review highlights cultural issues, recommends hiring presenters and on-air voices aligned to audience (paywalled)
Stewart Sowman-Lund (Post): Report into RNZ audience drop-off highlights culture issues, makes ‘blunt’ calls (paywalled)
Pokere Paewai (RNZ): Funding agency Te Māngai Pāho considering creating 'national hub' for Māori news
Lloyd Burr (Stuff): Everyday, NZers are targeted by scams on Facebook. We tried to track down who’s responsible (and what they’re doing)

BUSINESS
Pattrick Smellie (BusinessDesk): Safe harbour ahead for 'beneficial collaboration' between competitors (paywalled)
Amanda Gillies (RNZ): The Detail: A boom in businesses going bust
Tim Scott (ODT): Surcharge ban could raise prices: owner (paywalled)
Alisha Evans (Local Democracy Reporting): Protesters oppose plan for Te Puna industrial park on sacred wetland