FERRY REPLACEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Jo Moir (RNZ): Winston Peters says rail-enabled ferries are 'no-brainer' for Interislander replacements
Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk): The ferry "announcement" is embarrassing
Dom Kalasih (The Post): Rail ferry debate needs reality rather than rhetoric (paywalled)
Thomas Manch (The Post): If looks could kill, Winston Peters would be dead (paywalled)
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Own goal? Govt sets new $4b goalpost for ferries (paywalled)
Herald: Editorial – Interislander ferries update a political power play from Peters – Editorial (paywalled)
Richard Harman (Politik): The ferry saga; cracks in the coalition and closing Wellington’s container port (paywalled)
RNZ: David Seymour wrong on cost of ferry replacement project, says Winston Peters
Thomas Manch (The Post): Peters says ferry decision is back to the drawing board (paywalled)
John MacDonald (Newstalk): Hey Winston! More fairy dust, less bull dust please
Audrey Young (Herald): Coalition clash: Winston Peters, David Seymour on opposite sides of Cook Strait ferry debate (paywalled)
Ava Whitworth (Stuff): New Minister for Rail Winston Peters vows to fix ‘unholy mess’
Mountain Tui: Luxon & Willis Double Down on Ferries Debacle
Ian Allen (The Press): Ports on ‘parking’ duty for new ferries and that’s fine – CEO (paywalled)
PARLIAMENT, GOVERNMENT, THE YEAR IN POLITICS
Marc Daalder and Laura Walters (Newsroom): From elusive principles to the year’s biggest ‘loser’ – 2024 had it all
Toby Manhire (Spinoff): All those recent political polls: a quick recap
The Facts: Nats & Greens down. ACT/NZF/Other steady. Labour & Te Pāti up
Matthew Hooton (Patreon): Peters’ little war against the PM (paywalled)
Greg Dixon (Listener): Nicola Willis is no Ferry Godmother (paywalled)
Metiria Stanton-Turei (ODT): Visionary leadership difficult but it is what is needed now (paywalled)
Chelsea Daniels (Herald): Christopher Luxon, Donald Trump, Treaty tensions and a struggling NZ economy: Unpacking biggest stories of 2024
RNZ: Representation Commission to review electorate boundaries
RNZ: New legislation cracking down on beneficiaries passes first reading
Phil Smith (RNZ): Tough justice: How to drown a select committee
Isra'a Emhail (RNZ): Google's most searched terms for 2024 in New Zealand
1News: Thirteen New Zealanders we talked about in 2024
DEPUTY POLICE COMMISSIONER INVESTIGATED
Jared Savage & Anna Leask (Herald): Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming on leave amid investigation, IPCA probe
RNZ: What we know about the probe into Deputy Police Commissioner Jevon McSkimming
Blair Ensor, Imogen Wells (Stuff): Police Deputy Commissioner investigated over conduct towards young woman
FAST TRACK BILL; INFRASTRUCTURE; RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Matthew Hooton (Herald): Government gets fast-track reform right (paywalled)
Jamie Gray (Herald): Government looks to loosen Kiwisaver rules to allow investment in infrastructure
Joanne Naish (The Press): Gold mining company charged with contaminating West Coast waterway (paywalled)
Tim Hunter (NBR): Charging towards a KiwiSaver mistake (paywalled)
Hamish McNicol (NBR): ‘Unattractive market’: Govt to loosen listing, KiwiSaver rules (paywalled)
TREATY AND RACE RELATIONS
Eva Corlett (Guardian): New Zealand opposition parties back Māori plea to King Charles
Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira (RNZ): Iwi leader 'cuts out middle man' with open letter to King Charles III
David Harvey: Damn Lies
Centrist: ‘We’re not the Crown’: Auckland Councillor criticises Council involvement in Treaty Principles Bill debate
Lindsay Mitchell (Bassett, Brash & Hide): It's the Maori Party that is driving division
Michael Cugley (Te Ao Māori News): Treaty principles submissions wānanga informing whānau on the harms of David Seymour’s bill
David Hill (RNZ): ECan speaks out against Treaty Principles Bill
Maxine Jacobs (The Press): Selwyn council to submit against Treaty Principles Bill after spirited debate (paywalled)
BANKS
Rob Campbell (The Post): The diversionary, don’t-rock-the-boat approach to ‘disrupting’ the banks (paywalled)
Ruth Riviere (The Post): Counterpoint: Surcharging should be focus of ComCom’s payment fees clamp-down (paywalled)
Rebecca Stevenson (BusinessDesk): Kiwibank won't bring banking competition Revolut-ion – fintechs will, banking expert says (paywalled)
RNZ: Federated Farmers takes Net Zero Banking Alliance complaint to Commerce Commission
RNZ: No new lending for petrol stations will impact rural communities the most
Ke-Xin Li (Waikato Times): Petrol station owners fear for their future as banks move to hit emission goals (paywalled)
Jenny Ruth: Scrutiny of incentives for bank lending gets sidetracked (paywalled)
HEALTH
Ruth Hill (RNZ): Where the health system has met government targets - and where it hasn't
Mariné Lourens (The Post): Govt could waste ‘once-in-a-generation’ chance with new Mental Health Bill, experts say (paywalled)
Helen Petousis-Harris (Conversation): Deliberate disinformation campaigns are a public health risk – but NZ has no effective strategy to deal with it
Shane Reti (ODT): We have increased the hospital budget, and we will find a solution
ODT: We have increased the hospital budget, and we will find a solution
Tracey McLellan (ODT): We will build what was promised
RNZ: Government refuses to give timeframe for lowering age for free bowel screening
Phil Pennington (Herald): Public sector cuts: Hundreds more jobs at Health NZ could go amid budget deficit challenges
Rachael Comer (The Press): Timaru's mayor gets behind fight for hospital services (paywalled)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Bernard Orsman (Herald): Eke Panuku to go: Auckland councillors vote to abolish urban regeneration body, downsize Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (paywalled)
Tom Hunt (The Post): Law change could allow demolition of derelict Wellington buildings (paywalled)
Tom Hunt (The Post): Wellington mayor pledges to stop 15.9% rates rise next year (paywalled)
RNZ (Herald): Wellington Council earns $10,000 on first day of new bus lane cameras
Imogen Wells (Stuff): ‘Iconic’ Wellington Rotunda to become a day spa and restaurant
Ethan Manera (Herald): Plans for Wellington’s Oriental Bay Band Rotunda to be redeveloped as spa, restaurant and bar
Moana Ellis (Herald): Central North Island iwi Ngāti Rangi names new leaders for governance board
WATER REFORM
RNZ: New Watercare charter $900m cheaper for Auckland than previous plan - Government
Jonathan Milne (Newsroom): Communities swamped by torrent of new water reforms (paywalled)
Katie Townshend (The Press): Water levy to cost Nelson more than $200k a year (paywalled)
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): Hamilton takes key step over waters hook-up with Waikato district (paywalled)
PUBLIC SECTOR
Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Nicola Willis likely to exceed target for reducing consultant spending, saving $800m; job losses well lower than reports
RNZ: Te Arawhiti confirms axing of 49 roles
Anna Whyte (The Post): Māori-Crown relations office Te Arawhiti confirms restructure (paywalled)
Cécile Meier (BusinessDesk): Women bear brunt of public sector cuts (paywalled)
Oliver Lewis (BusinessDesk): From light rail company to ‘property management’ (paywalled)
Deb Te Kawa (BusinessDesk): Red tape revolution? More scissors, less string please (paywalled)
Matthew Martin (Waikato Times): No Christmas for nurses as state radio turns up festivities (paywalled)
ACC REVIEW
RNZ: Review into ACC announced, levies to increase
1News: ACC: Independent review announced, levies increasing
Jem Traylen (BusinessDesk): ACC under review as levies rise, performance questioned (paywalled)
Jenée Tibshraeny (Herald): Hefty ACC levy hikes locked in, as Government unveils review to contain rapidly rising costs
MEDIA
AUT Research Centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy: JMAD: Aotearoa Media Ownership 2024
David Harvey: Instant Gratification: Reflections after watching Q+A
Bethany Rolston (Spinoff): A love letter to community newspapers
Shayne Currie (Herald): Media Insider: Sponsor’s off-colour Liam Payne joke at NZ Youth Film Festival; Auckland Transport outdoor advertising fallout; UK firm plans documentary on missing Marokopa kids (paywalled)
GOVT ALLOWS CANDACE OWENS IN
David Williams (Herald): Candace Owens: Chris Penk reverses Immigration NZ’s visa denial for controversial US commentator
Madeleine Chapman (Spinoff): What we should have done with Candace Owens is nothing
RNZ: Conservative US commentator Candace Owens will 'stoke more hatred' on NZ visit - Holocaust Centre
Martyn Bradbury: Penk saves the day on Free Speech by allowing Hate Grifter Candace Owen in
ENVIRONMENT
Susan Edmunds (RNZ): NZ Green Investment Finance chairperson resigns amid SolarZero collapse
Jenna Lynch (Stuff): Chair of Government’s green investment fund resigns in wake of SolarZero collapse
Ian Llewellyn (BusinessDesk): NZGIF chair resigns as ministers look for change (paywalled)
ECONOMY, BUSINESS AND WORK
Gyles Beckford (RNZ): Commerce minister proposes capital market shake-up
Brian Easton (Pundit): Foreshadowing HYEFU 2024
RNZ: Food and fibre exports set to top $57bn
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Tom Peters (WSWS): New Zealand and Australia to build integrated military force against China
Simon O’Connor: A confusing picture
Kate Green (RNZ): Police unable to lay indecency charges despite 'deep concern' over Vietnamese officials' behaviour
Olivia Wannan (Stuff): Commissioner: Police will pursue Vietnamese officials who indecently assaulted young women
LAW AND ORDER
Giles Dexter (RNZ): Solicitor-General reissues prosecution guidelines after backlash
Bridie Witton (Stuff): Solicitor General removes ‘think carefully’ guideline around prosecuting Māori
Karen Chhour (Herald): Boot Camps: Our tamariki deserve aroha and not be used as a political football
Jamie Ensor (Herald): Third bootcamp participant facing charges, Oranga Tamariki clamping down on updates amid ‘public scrutiny’ on offenders
HOUSING
RNZ: Pet bonds, no-cause evictions legislation passes
Miriam Bell (The Post): Building cost increases drop to lowest level on record (paywalled)
Esther Taunton (Stuff): Property prices rise for third straight month
Melissa Nightingale (Herald): Wellington property valuations ‘out of whack’, real estate agent says
Stephen Ward (Waikato Times): Hamilton puts ‘three by three’ housing to bed, limiting high density to certain areas (paywalled)
Sinead Gill (The Press): Housing provider’s expansion ‘not a gift’ for other councils (paywalled)
OTHER
Marcelo Rodriguez Ferrere (Newsroom): The way NZ treats animals is a race to the bottom
RNZ: Specialists draft anti-slavery bill which they hope MPs will support
Sam Sachdeva (Newsroom): Hopes for grand coalition on modern slavery law
Andrew Anthony (Listener): Go forth and multiple? Why pro-natalists are pushing for us to have more children (paywalled)
RNZ: Concerns over Auckland Airport disruptions going into holiday period
Grant Bradley (Herald): Auckland control tower blind spots: Airport and airlines trade blows over who’s to blame (paywalled)
John Weekes (Herald): Port of Auckland, Tony Gibson guilty finding could mean school boards, other groups face more ‘exposure’ to lawsuits (paywalled)
Anna Whyte and Harriette Boucher (The Post): Government puts stake in ground over working from home rules (paywalled)
Mariné Lourens (The Post): ‘Alarming’ spike in methamphetamine use, along with cocaine and MDMA (paywalled)
Mitchell Hageman (Herald): New Jacinda Ardern documentary ‘Prime Minister’ to premiere at Sundance Film Festival in 2025
Sam Smith (Stuff): Film about Jacinda Ardern set for 2025 premiere at prestigious festival
Anne Salmond (Newsroom): Research cuts an own goal
Cartoons
Arent we lucky to have so many nautical experts on hand. Why dont we just have a referendum to decide what interisland ferries to get.