A Chinese passenger that just arrived on the last bullet train from Wuhan to Beijing is checked for a fever by a health worker at a Beijing railway station on January 23, 2020 in Beijing (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
A Chinese passenger that just arrived on the last bullet train from Wuhan to Beijing is checked for a fever by a health worker at a Beijing railway station on January 23, 2020 in Beijing (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

The BulletinJanuary 24, 2020

The Bulletin: Response to Wuhan coronavirus ramps up

Staff Writer
A Chinese passenger that just arrived on the last bullet train from Wuhan to Beijing is checked for a fever by a health worker at a Beijing railway station on January 23, 2020 in Beijing (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
A Chinese passenger that just arrived on the last bullet train from Wuhan to Beijing is checked for a fever by a health worker at a Beijing railway station on January 23, 2020 in Beijing (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Response to coronavirus ramps up, PM and Māori leaders agree to meet, and Labour launches their political year at retreat.

A pandemic response plan has been triggered by the government around the Wuhan coronavirus. The NZ Herald reports an incident management team has been established, and information is being given to travellers at the border. Health minister David Clark says the government is “alert but not alarmed” about the virus, and the ministry has an information page on their website which assesses the risk of an outbreak in New Zealand as low. So far no cases of the deadly virus have been seen in New Zealand, though it has spread from China to neighbouring countries, and a case has been seen as far away as the USA. It has certainly escalated in the space of just a week, with 17 people now believed to have died as a result of it.

It comes after accusations from the opposition that the response so far has been slow, and that it would not be prepared if the virus were to arrive in New Zealand. National’s Michael Woodhouse says the virus should be reclassified as a notifiable disease – which would make it a requirement for health professionals to tell their local DHB’s Medical Officer of Health about if they say a case. Woodhouse also wants to see increased surveillance at international airports, and more health questions asked of people arriving in the country.

The response in China has been much more intensive and far-reaching. This CNN story from overnight has details of the partial lockdown Wuhan City has been placed in – a significant undertaking and massive effort because Wuhan has a population of around 11 million people, and is a major transportation hub for China. The shadow of SARS hangs over it all – a 2002 virus outbreak that killed many more people after the response was botched. This piece from The Verge outlines how it shows the significant advances made by China in public health since then.

There are New Zealanders currently trapped in Wuhan, and this Radio NZ story included comments from several people who now have to wait it out. International students are also likely to be affected, and the NZ Herald confirmed at least one school is expecting a pair of students from Wuhan to start later in the term, and stay at home for a week after arriving in the country.

The PM and Māori leaders concerned about Whānau Ora funding have agreed to meet to discuss the issue, reports Radio NZ. The offer came from the PM, and is in stark contrast to the response given to said Māori leaders when they sent a letter outlining concerns last year, which never received a response. However, the context has now changed, both with a claim being filed with the Waitangi Tribunal, and with two particularly important political events for the Crown-Māori relationship coming up – Rātana this weekend, and Waitangi Day at the start of February.

Labour have launched their political year with a retreat in Martinborough. The Spinoff’s Toby Manhire has analysed what the biggest items on the agenda are likely to have been, and what issues will be front and centre in election year.

One point out of it that has been reported is around transparency and honesty, with Jacinda Ardern essentially saying she wants a good clean fight. The party will join the Greens and ACT in signing up for a facebook ad transparency tool, reports Stuff’s Henry Cooke. Several other parties, including National, have not. Having said that, signing up to the tool doesn’t mean the ads have to be honest – that’s in the eye of the beholder and Facebook has no wish to be the judge – rather it means that people will be able to see who ads are being targeted to, and how much is being spent.

There’s a rather troubling set of messages in an exhibition hosted by the Chinese embassy at Te Papa. Interest’s Jenée Tibshraeny went along to the exhibition, which described the ‘great success’ of government policy in de-radicalising the population of Xinjiang – other observers have described the policies being carried out as a form of cultural genocide. In a speech at the event, ambassador Wu Xi also poured cold water on the idea of Taiwanese independence, and asserted that the ‘one country, two systems’ model has maintained stability in Hong Kong, which is certainly one perspective on the events of the past year there.

The country’s newest mayors have now had enough time to get their feet under the desks, so how are they going? Radio NZ decided to ask five of them about the job so far. One interesting nugget out of it – new Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell suggested there had been something of a “reset” in relations between central government and the fast-growing city. Powell reckons the city’s infrastructure is “about 15 years behind” where it needs to be, and it will be interesting to see how the government goes about helping them catch up.

Running a bricks and mortar business is hard enough, but it seems particularly challenging in the Auckland suburb of Newmarket right now. That comes out of this report from Newshub’s Zac Fleming, who noted the many empty stores up and down Nuffield St. Those that remain say they’re being squeezed by their landlord Westfield, who recently opened a brand new mall in the suburb. In turn, Westfield have defended themselves, saying they’re supporting businesses on the street and will continue to do so.

Just briefly, a message from Leonie Hayden, Ātea editor at The Spinoff:

In my work for The Spinoff I routinely ask myself two questions: who does this give power to, and who does this take power from? I’m incredibly proud to work somewhere that asks those questions of itself as a matter of course, ensuring we’re not adding to the harm that negative stereotypes can cause to entire communities, and that we’re regularly giving a voice to powerful, smart, kickass people that have been denied a platform for ages. We don’t always get it right, but we are absolutely dedicated to trying to be the best Treaty partner we can be. If that’s important to you, please support our members fund so we can continue to uphold this kaupapa and the mana of people everywhere.

Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Drop us a line at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz

Tasanee Suchatawat (Pim) at her Thai E-Sarn stall at Food Alley (Photo: Jihee Junn)

Right now on The Spinoff: Alice Neville meets the operators and punters at Food Alley, a beloved Auckland spot that will be closing down later this year. Madeleine Chapman writes about a warning on detox teas, a scammy product that has the wrong kind of explosive results. Renu Sikka writes about Makar Sankranti, an Indian festival of giving thanks. I speak to percussionist Myele Manzanza about RNZ Concert, and the difficulty of making a living as an experimental musician. And Tara Ward has an official ruling on a thorny social etiquette question – when is it too late to say Happy New Year to someone?

For a feature today, a continuation of the discussion around migration. This is a really insightful feature from The Correspondent, about the image that African would-be migrants have of Europe, and how that image is formed. It also delves into the propaganda being created by European government to try and dissuade them from travelling, and why it has next to no impact (apart from perhaps shoring up domestic xenophobia.) Here’s an excerpt:

The Italian government put €1.5m into one 2016 project  that shared videos of migrants’ testimonies – which were often horrifying – on social media.

The Australians are the leaders in aggressive anti-migration campaigns. In 2014, they launched the NO WAY campaign  (tagline: “You will not make Australia home”). The video shows an angry-looking soldier in camouflage fatigues looking straight into the camera: “If you travel to Australia illegally by boat, there is no way you will ever make Australia home.”

However, no European country would be caught stating explicitly that they are running a campaign against migration. Europe’s goal is “safe and informed migration”.  According to the EU,  the information in the campaigns is “factual ” and the aim is “neither [to] deter migrants from setting out for Europe nor create pull factors for them to do so”. The idea is to provide “a realistic picture” that migrants can use to make choices.

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Honestly, it’s like 2018 never happened at all. The Silver Ferns are surging, with two wins from two at the Nations Cup, and a spot in the final secured. The NZ Herald’s Liam Napier was there in Birmingham to see the latest result – a crushing win over Jamaica, who in recent years have had the measure of New Zealand. But even without their veteran core, this Silver Ferns team is playing exceptional netball, running up a whopping 71 points in the 26-point win.

And the White Ferns get a big series underway today, a five match series against South Africa. Today’s game and another on Sunday will be at Eden Park, and I’m kicking myself for being out of town. Subsequent games will progressively move south down the country. The series matters a lot both as a warm-up for the World Cup in February, and an early test for Sophie Devine’s newly inaugurated captaincy. Meanwhile, the venues for the 2021 ODI World Cup have been announced, with Hagley Park in Canterbury being awarded the grand final.

That’s it for The Bulletin. If you want to support the work we do at The Spinoff, please check out our membership programme.

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Swastikas painted on the fence outside the Wellington Jewish Progressive Congregation. (Photo / Supplied.)
Swastikas painted on the fence outside the Wellington Jewish Progressive Congregation. (Photo / Supplied.)

The BulletinJanuary 23, 2020

The Bulletin: Disturbing stories raise neo-Nazi extremism fears

Staff Writer
Swastikas painted on the fence outside the Wellington Jewish Progressive Congregation. (Photo / Supplied.)
Swastikas painted on the fence outside the Wellington Jewish Progressive Congregation. (Photo / Supplied.)

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Two disturbing stories around extremism, a significant milestone reached at Ihumātao, and gang tensions flare in the Hawke’s Bay.

In the space of a day, two disturbing stories emerged about the presence of extremists within the community. The first was around charges against a soldier who holds extreme far-right political beliefs. Newsroom’s Marc Daalder reports he has been charged with “unauthorised disclosure of information” and “accessing a computer system for a dishonest purpose”. He remains under NZDF supervision. The Foundation Against Islamophobia and Racism has expressed a concern that someone with such views was in the military with ready access to guns, and speculated on whether others within the military held similar views.

Further information on the soldier’s political activities can be found in this report from Stuff. He was a self-described co-founder of the white nationalist group the ‘Dominion Movement’, which appears to have morphed into a new group called ‘Action Zealandia’. The latter was recently implicated in a vandalism attack on the National Party office used by MP Jian Yang.

The second disturbing story from yesterday is about anti-semitic grafitti being sprayed on the wall of a Jewish centre in Wellington, reported on by the NZ Herald. The vandalism has been widely condemned, and the local Jewish community is now on guard against further attacks. Temple Sinai chair Matthew Smith says community members have been targeted in the past by various groups, in particular by neo-Nazis and white supremacists.

A note of caution here – it’s definitely worth stressing that active white supremacism isn’t really the same thing as the more passive, ambient culture of white supremacism that forms an undercurrent of New Zealand society. The numbers of those who are active in these organisations are likely still small, and the groups are likely to remain highly marginal. But there’s still every reason to be aware of it, and vigilant against it. After all, even individual people with extreme and bigoted beliefs can be very dangerous.

A significant symbolic moment at Ihumātao, which indicates a resolution to the dispute is close. The Spinoff’s Leonie Hayden was there to witness the Kiingitanga flag be lowered, after being raised last year to mark the involvement of Kiingi Tuheitia in facilitating and mediating a resolution. The occupation has lasted more than three years, and SOUL say they’re relieved that a positive outcome might be achieved. An announcement on the resolution is expected to take place before Waitangi Day.

Gang tensions have flared in the Hawke’s Bay, and the police say handling them is beyond their capabilities alone, reports Stuff. The area has seen a large increase in gang numbers in the past several years, and there have been fights in recent days with shots fired. The particular piece I’ve linked to here is from local bureau chief Marty Sharpe, who has picked up the nuances of the situation being described by police – in particular the need for a connected approach involving families and social agencies.

Two stories on regional transport development to share: Newsroom’s Dileepa Fonseka reports on plans in the works to bring commuter rail to Hamilton and Tauranga, two fast-growing cities that are inevitably going to need better public transport options now and into the future. It would cost a lot, but would potentially unlock the wider Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions to boot. And the Nelson Weekly reports a decision could be made this year on whether to move State Highway 6 off the waterfront, which is a huge constraint on the wider transport network.

And two interesting stories on vaping: Newstalk ZB’s Aaron Dahmen reports advice was given by the Ministry of Health months ago to speed up the progression of vaping laws through parliament. That legislation is absolutely nowhere to be seen, with several indicated deadlines now missed. Meanwhile the NZ Herald’s Emma Russell reports on research that shows a quarter of teenagers who have tried vaping have never tried tobacco at all. That doesn’t disprove the idea that vaping can be a mechanism for people to quit more harmful tobacco smoking, but it is certainly in the interests of vaping companies to get young people hooked on their addictive product.

There are conflict of interest questions around a former Beehive staffer, reports Stuff. Barry Ebert, who spent two years as the senior ministerial advisor to Phil Twyford, remained the sole director and shareholder of a lobbying firm throughout that time. Over that time, Ebert was employed by both Ministerial Services and Parliamentary Services, and says “no government relations work was undertaken for anyone during the whole period.” He added that he would have informed both employers of conflicts of interest had they arisen. However, it’s troubling because of the history of this government having lobbyist GJ Thompson working as a temporary chief of staff for the PM, which involved Thompson having significant power over appointments and access to information.

This is a fascinating story about rural interests coming into direct competition with each other, from Radio NZ’s Tracy Neal. A dairy farmer in Marlborough is concerned that a logging operation will effectively destroy her business, through the use of a ‘paper road’ that runs through the farm. The logging company says they’re willing to spend money on dust suppression and impact mitigation, but in any case, getting trucks laden with wood in and out of difficult areas always has an impact.

Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Drop us a line at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz

Simon Bridges has a big decision to make (Image: Getty Images, edited by Tina Tiller)

Right now on The Spinoff: Kate Schuetze of Amnesty International elaborates on the Ioane Teitiota ruling could mean in the future. Will Steffen of the Australian National University calls on his country’s leaders to finally heed the science on climate change. Petra Molloy explains why she, a Palagi, chose to write a book mostly in the voice of a Samoan character. I write about the various considerations for Simon Bridges in deciding whether or not to rule out working with Winston Peters and NZ First. And David Brain writes about Davos, outlining the case for the meeting that everyone loves to hate, by someone who used to go.

For a feature today, a discussion of climate refugees and the Australian fires. Newstalk ZB host Andrew Dickens has been thinking about the topic after talking to an Australian based friend, who has an asthmathic son and so is bringing the family over from Sydney. To my mind, the piece nudges towards a disturbing idea about the concept of climate refugees that I hadn’t considered – those with means will be fine, but without the means to move could end up absolutely stranded. Here’s an excerpt:

In this week’s Listener the ANZ economist Sharon Zollner has been interviewed. She’s been thinking about how the fires will affect trade and migration between New Zealand and Australia over time. She believes the fires are good for our trade as the Australians will have to import more food as the droughts and fires continue.

As to migration, she points out the number of New Zealand passport holders in Australia is huge and under CER Australians have the right to move here.

We’re used to flow of New Zealanders westward to the former lucky country, but if it reverses then the impact on us will be huge. Good and bad. We’ll take their teachers and doctors gladly, we’ll take the growth that migration provides but in return we’ll have infrastructure and housing chaos. If Sydney and Melbourne stay smoky for the rest of the year then there could be a flood of migration.

The bloody rugby season is not all that far away from starting now. Yes, it’s January, but it’s the national game, so Super Rugby fixtures will have to be rolled out to almost entirely empty stadiums for several months. Even so, here’s an interesting comment on the upcoming season (and seasons ahead) from the NZ Herald’s (paywalled) Gregor Paul, who notes that pessimism around the future of the game over the past decade has pretty much always proven to be unfounded. “2020 is a year of hope and possibility”, he concludes. And I agree – I for one hope there’s a possibility of other sports really breaking through this year.

That’s it for The Bulletin. If you want to support the work we do at The Spinoff, please check out our membership programme.