Monthly Archives: August 2022

Just hours after electing Jacinda Ardern leader in 2017, an extremely bruised Labour caucus stood onstage trying to assure media the party was united enough to govern.

The party had cycled through four leaders since Helen Clark had last led them to government in 2008. It was riven with factionalism, leaks, and the detritus of huge egos stabbing each other in the back. It had now elected a fifth opposition leader, just six weeks out from the election.

Senior Labour MP Stuart Nash had said the day before that changing leaders at this point would be a disaster that would see Labour implode. (Well never really know if this was just an innocent mistake or a calculated shot at the forces who were that day working to install Ardern.)

On that stage, Nash was asked whether he stood by the view but before he could speak, Ardern stepped in to answer for him, saying he had already acknowledged to me that he was wrong.

This was our first glimpse of Arderns new Labour party, one where any suggestion of disunity could be immediately batted away by a one-liner delivered through a smile. In the years that followed, Labour enjoyed an incredible streak of unity, with anything that Ardern said publicly treated as gospel by her MPs, even when she was making huge policy climbdowns or refusing to use her power to further progressive causes.

Political journalists, myself included, had to make do on scraps such as a radio comment from a new MP that slightly differed from the party line, or tiny leaks from the Mori caucus that revealed little.

This year that strong facade of unity is cracking. Now there is a feast.

First out of the gates was Louisa Wall, a veteran MP who had been frozen out by Ardern and deselected from a safe seat in the 2020 election in a deft bit of political manoeuvring that never really made headlines. Wall had been on the opposite side of Ardern in factional disputes during the bad years, but by most insider accounts her greater sin was just not being much of a team player.

Wall let rip in her valedictory speech and a series of long interviews on her way out, accusing the party of acting in a corrupt and reprehensible way.

But these fireworks would pale in comparison to the saga that has unfolded in the last week at the hands of backbench MP Gaurav Sharma.

Sharma, elected in the huge red tide of 2020, was not a recognisable name before this episode. The whole thing reportedly started when Sharma was told he would not be allowed to hire any new staff, thanks to complaints from the staff that he had. Sharma wrote a vague column in the NZ Herald accusing the party of rampant bullying and soon went to Facebook to make a more concrete list of allegations, including one about misuse of taxpayer funds that was swiftly batted away as incorrect by Parliamentary Service.

Labour moved swiftly to suspend Sharma from its caucus, but in doing so gave him more ammunition. On Friday he completed an extraordinary media round of interviews accusing Ardern of lying over the nature of his exit, talking up a secret 55-minute tape of a conversation he had with a senior Labour MP about the terms of his exit, and saying there was far more discontent in the party but that a culture of fear would stop others from speaking out. Hes not so much airing Labours dirty laundry as plastering it to a plane and flying it around the country.

Sharma himself is not an existential threat to Arderns hegemony over Labour. Any allies he had in caucus would have shrunk away the moment they realised he might secretly tape their conversation, or release screenshots in which they said they didnt feel like going to work. His disagreement with the party is not ideological but personal, and his wider list of allegations of wrongdoing largely includes normal political processes, such as media training that instructs new MPs to keep their mouths shut and internal party business out of the public domain. Some news stories are already referring to Sharma as an embattled MP never a good sign for career longevity.

Yet Sharma and Wall before him will not be the only Labour MPs disgruntled with Arderns absolute rule over the party. Labour won so big in 2020 that even if it retains government at the 2023 election it will be losing at least a dozen MPs (including Sharma). Those MPs facing political oblivion will be looking for ways to make their mark and maybe secure a higher list placing, or at least a media gig after politics. Some of them might have actual ideological differences with Ardern and the ability to articulate them well. Others probably should have never been elected MPs at all, and wouldnt have been had the party not wildly outperformed its expectations.

Now, New Zealand politics could use a little more ill-discipline. In many countries a backbench MP criticising his or her own party happens regularly and is a sign of normal democracy. New Zealands parties expect far more rigorous discipline, with every MP expected to support their party on every single vote in parliament, save for the most contentious social issues.

This is a factor of very small parties and a proportional electoral system. If you are elected not in a geographic constituency but from a party list, as 40% of our current MPs are, then it becomes harder to argue that you dont owe that party your discipline. Proportional representation has also led to MPs who are sick of their own parties just resigning to start their own, instead of sticking around to sow discord from within.

But this kind of wholesale change to our political culture will not happen overnight, and it will hopefully come from MPs with vision, rather than axes to grind. For now, Ardern faces a crisis that shows no sign of going away soon.

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Jacinda Arderns iron grip on New Zealands Labour party is slipping and that means trouble - The Guardian

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was given a tour of New Zealand's first Costco today as the members-only megastore prepares to announce an opening date. Video / Carson Bluck

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was given a tour of New Zealand's first Costco today as the members-only megastore prepares to announce an opening date.

The world's second-largest retailer after Walmart has set up shop at the Westgate shopping centre but has been offering petrol to its members at a site next door since April.

Ardern was flanked by Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs David Clark for the tour where she met with Costco vendors and employees.

Exactly when the megastore will open to the public remains unknown - however Costco managing director for Australia and New Zealand Patrick Noone said an announcement of the opening date was expected in the next couple of weeks.

"We're still working through our building approvals and completion of the construction.

"We should have our approvals by the third week of September so we will see what happens after that."

Customers must buy a $60 membership card to shop at the store.

Previously, the Herald reported that the retailer was slated to open on August 27 but the labour crisis and ongoing construction delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic stymied the plan.

Noone told RNZ last week Costco had faced "numerous delays", including due to wet weather, Covid and materials coming in late offshore.

Costco's imminent opening follows a report by the Commerce Commission on supermarkets in April that concluded competition was not "working well" in the $22 billion sector.

Clark referenced the report while speaking briefly to reporters at the entrance of Costco today.

"Here we have a company that is really interested in coming in and providing some competition in the market."

Yesterday, Clark announced "an unprecedented shake-up" of the sector including requiring supermarket companies, like Foodstuffs and Woolworths, to provide wholesale goods to competitors at a fair price.

The idea is to give smaller retailers and new market entrants a leg up by helping them source and sell a wider range of groceries at better prices.

During the tour, Ardern was offered a spread of muffins, lolly cake and blueberries as she met with the vendors at the Kirkland Bakery within the store. Before she left, Ardern took a group photo with the store employees and wished them "good luck" before leaving.

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Costco: Prime Minister tours West Auckland megastore, opening date to be announced in coming weeks - New Zealand Herald

The Kngitanga koroneihana ceremony is the movement's biggest event of the year, and celebrates the organisation's head.

Addressing the koroneihana ceremony for Kngi Theitia, Ardern said the government was doing what it could to uphold commitments.

Using a bridge as an analogy for partnership, Ardern said it was up to political leaders to take people along.

"It is key that as leaders we demonstrate what it is to finally - as Mori have always done - cross over the bridge too.

"That means that we need to stop telling people that the bridge is on fire, crossing that bridge is not something to fear, it is something to embrace. But for that, there is work to do."

Ardern said she was most proud of introducing the compulsory teaching of New Zealand history in schools and the new Matariki public holiday.

Meanwhile, the National Party leader said he wanted to work closely with iwi and that involved some devolution.

Christopher Luxon was also in Ngruawhia this morning, and he was challenged on the atea by some Mori leaders over the National Party's opposition to co-governance arrangements.

But Luxon said National had worked well with Mori in the past and he was keen to talk.

RNZ

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Jacinda Ardern says co-governance is key to upholding Treaty of Waitangi obligations - Newshub

People are less likely to wear masks. Photo / Michael Craig

New Zealanders are complying less with Covid-19 rules as people's attention shifts to issues like the cost of living, according to research from the Government's own Covid survey.

The survey shows a significant drop off in the willingness of people to trust the Prime Minister as the main source of truth about the pandemic.

People remain confident in their ability to identify misinformation, and twice as many people use mainstream media for Covid information as use social media.

At least every eight weeks, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet receives a survey of how New Zealanders feel about Covid-19. It looks at how much people are willing to comply with health rules and whether they trust health messaging on the virus, along with broader health messaging.

The May survey has just been released and shows significant declines in a willingness to comply with Covid rules, although compliance levels were quite high to begin with. Between March and May of this year, the number of people willing to use a face mask when required dropped to 67 per cent, down 11 points.

The number of people willing to isolate if feeling sick or unwell fell 12 points to 47 per cent. The number of people who would get a rapid antigen test (RAT) if required fell to 44 per cent, down three points.

Only 35 per cent of people want to wash their hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, down six points, and only 36 per cent of people cough or sneeze into their elbows.

Just 27 per cent of people will officially record the result of a Covid-19 RAT, including if they get a negative result.

The biggest worry for New Zealanders is no longer Covid-19, but the cost of living, which 77 per cent of respondents said was one of their biggest concerns - Covid came second with 44 per cent.

The story of New Zealanders' Covid compliance is not one of a straight drop-off as they got used to living with the virus. Compliance tends to wax and wane with various waves of the pandemic.

In September 2021, when New Zealand was in lockdown, willingness to use facemasks soared 31 points to 78 per cent. Willingness to get a Covid-19 test rose to 48 per cent, up 17 points. Before that, willingness to use facemasks was lower than it is now - partly explained by the different rules at the time.

Covid-19 Response Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said public health messaging, which this research was designed to inform, had "helped stop the spread of the virus during the initial outbreak, and slowed the spread of Delta, when it arrived, enabling New Zealand to be one of the few countries that had a highly vaccinated population before Delta was widespread in the community".

She said the Covid response was informed by expert advice, "including research into public sentiment".

"Social licence is one of the factors we consider when deciding on Covid-19 Protection Framework settings.

"This research is also used to identify gaps in the provision of public information around Covid-19 and ensure those gaps are addressed," she said.

The survey also asked whose opinion people sought out and listened to on Covid-19.

It found 42 per cent of people sought out then-director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield, down 6 points from March. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern polled just 33 per cent, down 7 points since March and well down on her score from January, when she polled 48 per cent.

Commentators like Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Dr Michael Baker scored 18 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.

Overall, New Zealanders' feelings about the pandemic have settled. In November, nearly 35 per cent felt sad and just under 25 per cent felt angry about the pandemic.

Now, just 15 per cent feel sad, and 10 per cent feel angry. They're outnumbered by 17 per cent who feel joyful.

Far more Kiwis - 45 per cent - feel "neutral" about the pandemic. The number who feel "neutral" has fluctuated between 40 and 45 per cent since May last year.

One area that's had a significant reset in sentiment is people's feelings about whether the country is going in the right or wrong direction with its management of the pandemic.

In September 2021, 70 per cent of people felt New Zealand was on the right track. This plunged to 41 per cent in November before rising to 53 per cent in December.

The May survey had "right direction" at 47 per cent, up three points on March.

Twenty-six per cent of people think the country is heading in the wrong direction, down 30 per cent from March, but up from the low of 15 per cent registered in July last year.

An overwhelming majority of New Zealanders, 78 per cent, said they felt they could identify Covid-19 misinformation.

Exactly half of New Zealanders got their Covid information from the mainstream media.

Just 23 per cent used social media and 20 per cent searched for Covid information on the internet.

The Ministry of Health and Covid-19 websites were sources of information for 35 and 34 per cent of people respectively.

When asked what their main barrier to isolating was, 61 per cent of people said they could not take time off work - this was unchanged from March.

Exactly half of those surveyed said they could not "be bothered", up 2 points.

One significant change was the number of people who could no longer understand why they needed to isolate. This increased 13 points to 35 per cent.

The survey ran from May 16 to 26 and interviewed a representative sample of 818 New Zealanders. It has a margin of error of 3.4 per cent.

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People less willing to comply with Covid-19 rules, or listen to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern according to Government survey - New Zealand Herald

What a thoughtful, enlightened piece by Jacinda Ardern (The world stands on a nuclear precipice we must avoid catastrophe, 25 August), in such contrast to the words of our wannabe prime minister Liz Truss, who said this week that she would be ready to use nuclear weapons even though it would mean global annihilation (cue applause from Tory party members).Michael Clayton Emneth, Norfolk

Squeezing tax from the poorest citizens by means of a bicycle licence is an old colonial idea (Grant Shapps bike licence plates proposal a strange and pointless idea, 17 August). When I went to Zambia shortly after independence, I found a little copper bicycle number plate among some roadside rubbish.John BoucherWestwood, Nottinghamshire

The Welsh governments Seren Network is a worthy initiative, but it should not be diverting the most academically able students away from Welsh universities (A-level joy for sixth formers in Wales after difficult few years, 18 August).Rev Judith Phillips (MA Swansea)Rev Dr Peter Phillips (PhD Cardiff)Swansea

The water companies tell us that they are working hard to reduce the release of raw sewage into our seas, but in reality we know that they are just going through the motions (Roll up, roll up and meet the watery overlords pumping sewage on to Britains shores this summer, 23 August).Rob NuttingLondon

Giving the plot away for Marriage (Letters, 24 August)? Personally, I struggled to discern a plot in it.Tony Rimmer Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

Have an opinion on anything youve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.

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Three Tory cheers for the apocalypse after Liz Trusss nuclear pledge - The Guardian

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Countdown owner says year just closed was undoubtedly one of the most challenging for its business in recent memory.

Countdown owner Woolworth NZ says its operating profit has fallen 12.5% to $316 million, but the company and Consumer NZ are drawing different conclusions about what that says about competition.

The operating profit drop is despite the Governments concerns about the profitability of the supermarket sector and consumer concerns over rising food prices.

Woolworths NZ said its sales in the year to June 26 rose by 5.8% to $7.6b, but its earnings before interest charges and tax (Ebit) were down by $45m, from $361m the previous year.

Its net profit after tax amounted to 1.8% of each dollar spent in its stores, it said.

READ MORE:* Take five: Will the price of food fall if supermarkets have to sell to rivals?* Ardern says supermarket move will 'unlock stockroom doors' for rivals* Countdown prices increase by 3.6% on a year ago * Ten things we're told are wrong with New Zealand supermarkets

Figures supplied by Woolworths NZ suggest its net profit fell from about $205m last year to about $137m this year, but it said it could not confirm this years exact figure yet.

Managing director Spencer Sonn said price competition across the retail food sector was robust and it remained committed to delivering the best value possible.

But Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said it did not believe robust competition was behind the drop in the supermarket groups operating profit.

Instead, he believed it was an early effect of moves to tighten the regulation of the industry.

The Commerce Commission had found that competition in the sector is lack lustre and not working well for consumers, Duffy said.

We think the increased focus supermarket profitability has been under following the Commerce Commissions report and moves from the Government to regulate the sector to protect consumers is more likely behind the decline.

Suppliers may be feeling more able to pass through cost increases than previously, when, as we have heard, the duopoly could force them to absorb those, Duffy said.

The increased focus on consumer prices at the tills was also likely to have tempered the duopolys willingness to be seen to be passing significant price increases on to consumers, he said.

Evidence of this can be seen in the price rollbacks and prices freezes the supermarket giants have rolled out since May.

STUFF / Connor Scott

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Commerce Minister David Clark discuss supermarket reforms.

Sonn denied such considerations were behind its profit drop, saying that was certainly not the case.

It is a function of competition, he said.

The Commerce Commission used different metrics to assess the profitability of the supermarket industry earlier this year.

It concluded that Woolworths NZ and Foodstuffs were between them making excess returns over their cost of capital of about $430m a year and that their prices appeared relatively high by international standards.

But Sonn said the financial year just closed was undoubtedly one of the most challenging for its business in recent memory.

The company is ultimately owned by Woolworths in Australia.

Rises in the prices it paid suppliers for dairy products and key imported food lines were a common theme across the year, Woolworths NZ said in a statement.

The price the supermarket firm paid for butter and margarine rose 11%, cheese was up 15% and frozen fruit up 30%, it said.

The cost of sourcing toilet rolls and tissues rose 24% and price at which it could buy pet food was up 9% and flour costs up 19%, it said.

When we look ahead to the next financial year, the outlook is still very challenging, Sonn said.

We know that our customers are facing higher cost-of-living pressures from all parts of the economy, not just groceries, and likewise New Zealand suppliers, and growers and farmers in particular, are feeling the impact of unpredictable weather, higher input costs and labour shortages, he said.

Were deeply committed to all our communities across New Zealand ... and we also want to do the right thing for our team in terms of increased wages, he said.

The companys trading statement which flowed from the annual results reported by its parent in Australia comes a day after the Government ratcheted up pressure on Countdown and Woolworths to deliver better value by announcing it would press ahead with a wholesale backstop.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that would ensure their stockroom doors were opened up to rival retailers.

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Countdown profit falls, but company and Consumer NZ at odds over 'why' - Stuff

ROOM CHECKSara Bunny stays at Samoa's Taumeasina Island Resort

Location: Apia, Samoa. The hotel is a short drive from the capital city, and about 45 minutes' drive from Faleolo International Airport.

Style: Corporate and expansive, with the feel of a high-end international hotel chain. As the hotel NZ PM Jacinda Ardern stays at during official visits to the island, you know it has all the mod cons.

Price: From $760 Western Samoan Tala (about $450 NZD) per night.

First impressions: Beyond the slightly officious barrier arm at the top of the hotel drive, the lush gardens with established palms and hibiscus plants help to bring the tropical resort vibes. The front entrance is bright and spacious, with the broad turning circle out front always bustling with comings and goings. We were treated to a welcome song and fruit drink, check-in was seamless, and staff happily walked our luggage to our rooms.

Rooms: I was in a ground-floor Oceanview Hotel Room. With the bed and the bathroom the main features, it was one of the more compact options at the hotel, but was big enough for easy manoeuvrability. A bench space behind the bed included cupboards and a small fridge, and the fruit in a woven basket with a handwritten welcome note was a lovely touch.

There was a small television set mounted on the wall should you need TV with your ocean views. Beyond the sliding doors at the foot of the bed, the outdoor patio in front served as the lounge space, and the sea vistas and garden greenery either side made it an inviting spot to sit with a drink.

Other room options at the sprawling complex include Deluxe Double Oceanview rooms and two to three-bedroom Waterfront Villas.

Bathroom: The pale tiles, glass divider between toilet and shower and chic black vanity splashback gave the bathroom a modern, wet room feel. The spacious shower had both rain head and standard attachments and great water pressure.

Hotel branded toiletries included individual bottles of bath gel, shampoo and body lotion.

Food and drink: Three restaurants and two bars are spread out around the large communal area in the main building. Menus cover off everything from pizza and pasta to hearty salads, with local favourite oka (raw fresh fish cured in lime juice and coconut milk) a popular choice too. Don't miss barbecue night on Thursdays, where staff fire up the hot plates and deliver generous serves of your choice of meats and seafood, with a range of salads.

The buffet breakfast has a range of cooked options including scrambled eggs and sausages, as well as fresh fruit, deli meats and cereals.

Entertainment is all part of the experience, with guitar players gently strumming at breakfast and a lively bar area in the late evenings. If your room is near the main building, be aware that you may hear noise from the bar until around 11pm. If the excellent "Cindy of Samoa and her Boys" are performing the after-dinner show, you know you're in for a hilarious night.

Facilities: The hotel has a small gym and spa, tennis court, extensive green space and a kids playground for littlies to run around in. There are two large pool areas with plentiful deck chairs for lounging, and a sandy, manmade beach area with kayaks for hire. There is also a ballroom and conference spaces. The free wi-fi was hit- and-miss in my room but better in the lobby, although other guests seemed to have no problem.

In the neighbourhood: The artificial "island" is connected by a causeway to the mainland, and is only five minutes' drive from central Apia. There is a sign on the reception desk with a timetable for regular shuttle rides into town.

Family friendly:There are regular kids' programmes on offer, including basket-weaving and siva (dance) workshops, children's movie nights, and nannying services available.

Accessibility: There are two mobility-friendly suites available, with accessible bathrooms and features.

Contact: taumeasinaislandresortsamoa.com

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Samoa travel: Why Taumeasina Island Resort is a relaxed haven in the island's capital - New Zealand Herald