A Christmas cracker of end-of-year announcements

No day of rest yesterday with entrenchment on Three Waters gone, and announcements on legislation for big tech, transport funding, and signals on any future cost of living payments

Mōrena and welcome to The Bulletin for Monday, December 5, by Anna Rawhiti-Connell. Presented in partnership with Z Energy.

In today’s edition: cystic fibrosis drug approved; China backs down on zero-Covid policy; change coming to religious education in schools; but first, two big announcements from the government and a reversal on Three Waters

Broadcasting minister Willie Jackson (Image: RNZ/Angus Dreaver)

Government will force digital giants to pay media 

Sometimes Mondays in December can start getting a bit light for news but this year, we’re pushing through and working right up to Christmas. There’s a new 1News Kantar poll out tonight and yesterday, a flurry of announcements came through from the government. If you were out enjoying the long-awaited fine weather, let’s start with the morning announcement that the government will create backstop legislation to force online platforms to pay media in New Zealand for the news content they surface. Toby Manhire has analysis on The Spinoff this morning, looking at how the legislation would work, how similar moves are going in Australia and Canada and Meta’s reaction.

Willie Jackson suggests Jack Tame could end up as front man for “Treasure Island” without TVNZ/RNZ merger

It was announced on TVNZ’s Q&A during an interview between Jack Tame and minister for broadcasting, Willie Jackson that might lightly be described as “verbal sparring”. Tame and Jackson also discussed the TVNZ/RNZ merger. Jackson cited declining revenue and audiences, suggesting that without the merger, shows like Q&A could be threatened and Tame could end up being the front man for Treasure Island. “Dreams are free,” said Tame. The Herald’s Thomas Coughlan writes (paywalled) that Jackson’s comments about the independence of a merged TVNZ/RNZ raised eyebrows in the industry. Stuff’s Glenn McConnell has details of a Taxpayers’ Union and Curia poll this morning, showing only 22% of people support the merger and 24% were unsure about it. Support was higher in the 18 to 39-year-old age bracket. 

Announcement on fuel excise tax discount extension coming before Christmas

Finance minister Grant Robertson was also on Q&A and confirmed that an announcement was coming before Christmas on whether the fuel excise tax discount will be extended. The government extended the discount until the end of January 2023 in July. Robertson was also asked about cost of living payments but confirmed that they're not on the agenda right now, saying the government was focusing on relief that "doesn't exacerbate inflation", like increases to the family tax credit and childcare subsidies. Transport minister Michael Woods also announced yesterday that $350m will be spent across the country on "small, simple improvements" to public transport, cycling and road safety infrastructure.

Entrenchment provision on Three Waters gone

Just 10 days after its introduction, leader of the house Chris Hipkins announced yesterday that the clause in the Water Services Entities bill that entrenched public ownership of the new water entities, requiring 60% of MPs for its repeal, will be scrapped. Grant Robertson rejected the suggestion on Q&A that the mistake was a result of pursuing legislation under urgency. National’s shadow leader of the house Chris Bishop said “It’s good to see Labour have listened to us and backed down, but the prime minister still has questions to answer around how this happened. This is about trust.” Prime minister Jaicnda Ardern said last week she wasn’t familiar with the provision, introduced by the Green’s Eugenie Sage, as she wasn’t in the House when it was voted on. Local government minister Nanaia Mahuta confirmed to Stuff that this was discussed in a caucus meeting which Ardern attended.

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Cystic fibrosis drug approved

In August 2022, Pharmac acknowledged that Trikafta, a treatment for cystic fibrosis (CF), could give people with CF benefits equivalent to 27 more years at full health when compared to current available treatments. Pharmac and medicine supplier, Vertex, have reached a provisional agreement to fund Trikafta for people with cystic fibrosis aged six years and over who are eligible. The cost of the drug is listed at $324k per person per year, but Pharmac has negotiated a discount. In 2020, Bella Powell began taking a three-month supply of the drug describing it as “more than a miracle”. Powell now lives in Sydney, as Australia already subsidises Trikafta. Last night on Newshub, Bella told her sister it meant she’d be able to come home.

Fears of deadly surge in infections as China walks away from zero-Covid policy

Sun Chunlan, vice-premier and China’s Covid chief, announced last week that the country’s health system had “withstood the test” of Covid and China was in a “new situation”. Reporting for The Observer, Emma Graham-Harrison writes that the removal of a portable PCR testing booth in Beijing, “winched away by a crane in the middle of the night” is “the perfect symbol of the bewilderingly rapid end of a draconian era.” Epidemiologists are warning that the country is ill-prepared for a wave of deadly Covid infections that it may soon face.

Change coming to religious education in schools 

I was talking to a colleague about the pitfalls and value of my Catholic schooling on Friday night so this story from Stuff’s Gabrielle McCulloch caught my eye. Change is coming to religious education in New Zealand. From 2023 the school curriculum will include a focus on diverse religious studies in primary and intermediate schools. The 2018 Census results showed almost half the population (48.2%) had no religion, reversing the results of the 2013 Census which had Christianity as the dominant belief system. McCulloch spoke to those involved in shaping the new curriculum including Professor Paul Morris, who wrote the report the government’s decisions are based on​. Morris recommended a shift away from privileging Christianity above other belief systems.

Click and collect

• Crown delivers historic apology to Ngāti Maniapoto for treaty breaches

• Contractors “pretending to work full time for more than one government agency”

• The campaign to save our wool industry

• One in five schools needs intensive help and only 15% have effective teaching firmly established, according to the Education Review Office

• Hospitality revenues bounce back to pre-Covid levels

Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz.

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