Mr Goldsmith goes to Geneva

The justice minister will be grilled on NZ's human rights record at the UN later today.

Mōrena, and welcome to The Bulletin for Monday, April 29.

In today’s edition: Phone use in schools banned from today; Wynyard Quarter operators say broken bridge is kiling their businesses; Paula Bennett appointed as Pharmac chair. But first, it’s time for New Zealand’s five-yearly human rights review at the UN in Geneva. What are the issues minister Paul Goldsmith can expect to be asked about?

Justice minister Paul Goldsmith, photographed in 2019 (Photo: Getty Images)

NZ’s turn in front of the class

At 7pm tonight, justice minister Paul Goldsmith will take his seat inside the Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Along with secretary for justice Andrew Kibblewhite, Goldsmith is fronting up for New Zealand’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a peer review of our human rights record that takes place approximately every 4-5 years. New Zealand’s last UPR was in 2019. Every UN member state undergoes the same process, which involves the state representative highlighting recent human rights developments in their country and discussing if and how they’ve implemented recommendations posed during their previous reviews. NZ can choose to accept or reject any recommendation made during the UPR; none of the recommendations are binding. Goldsmith will face questions from the 47-member Human Rights Council during the session, which is facilitated by representatives from Argentina, Bangladesh, and Morocco, the nations chosen at random as NZ’s rapporteurs for the review. A webcast of the session will be streamed here.

Human Rights Commission report highlights concerns

Among the documents serving as the basis for the review is a government-submitted report summarising the current state of human rights in New Zealand. It’s something of a 30,000-foot view of the situation, by necessity, and government actions are presented in a favourable light. For example, the highly contentious disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority is “an important part of achieving better health outcomes for all New Zealanders, including Māori”. The alternative view was provided in a series of pre-session submissions from local human rights experts and groups, including the NZ Human Rights Commission. The commission’s report to the UN highlighted its “concern that the new Government has agreed to remove, review or repeal numerous policies and laws that provide for Māori” and that recent law changes (such as the repeal of fair pay legislation) “undermine workers’ rights and their dignity, without adequate consultation”. Goldsmith can expect plenty of questions on both topics at tonight’s review. 

The Human Rights and Alliance of Civilizations Room, where the Universal Periodic Reviews are held. For more on the unusual ceiling painting, see here. (Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

The fall and rise of Paul Goldsmith, esq

Today’s UN appearance caps off a fairly memorable week for Goldsmith. On Wednesday, while he was in London, he was named as Melissa Lee’s replacement as minister for media and communications, adding to his already substantial workload as minister for justice, state-owned enterprises, Waitangi Tribunal claims, and arts, culture and heritage. Goldsmith has gone from a ministerial outsider to one of Christopher Luxon’s most dependable lieutenants – a remarkable comeback, says the Herald’s Audrey Young (paywalled), “Three years ago, he was in the political doldrums. Following the blunders and drubbing at the 2020 election, National leader Judith Collins had just demoted him from his No 3 ranking earned under Simon Bridges to No 12 and taken finance from him. Today he is on the front bench at No 7.”

Goldsmith makes his first comments about new media role

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Goldsmith was keen to communicate a sense of urgency about the issues facing the media. He told the Herald’s “media insider” Shayne Currie (paywalled) that one of his key challenges was “how do we continue to have a strong and economically sustainable local media for the obvious reasons – it’s so fundamental to our democratic makeup” in light of the decline in advertising revenue. While current affairs shows like the soon-to-close Sunday are an endangered species here, they’re going strong in Australia. This week’s Mediawatch on RNZ looked at why, and found it came down to the Australian channels’ more tabloid, risky, and scoop-focused approach. “Morally, they go beyond the pale a lot of times,” says Mumbrella’s Nathan Jolly. “They'll pay money, you know, as we've seen with Bruce Lehrmann. But ethically, they fall short at times and the networks get sued,"

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Phone use in schools banned from today

It’s the first day of a new school term, and kids returning to the classroom this morning will find a big change: today is also day one of the nationwide cellphone ban, under which students at state schools are required to put their phones away all day, including during breaks. Private schools can decide for themselves if they follow the regulations. Many schools have already adopted the rules from the beginning of term one, but those starting today will need to grapple with challenges including the fact that other internet-enabled devices such as smartwatches are still allowed, reports the NZ Herald’s Natasha Gordon. At Huntly College, the ban will also mean teachers can’t use their phones during break times, Gordon reports, under the principle that “a rule for one is a rule for all”. Meanwhile Stuff reports that the government plans to use the introduction of the ban, and the start of term two, as an opportunity to spend this week in Parliament talking about education policy.

Related: I’m a high school student. Here’s why National’s phone ban is a bad idea.

Wynyard operators say broken bridge is killing their businesses

Business owners in the Auckland hospo precinct North Wharf tell the Herald’s editor-at-large Shayne Currie that the closure of a pedestrian bridge has decimated their livelihoods. Mechanical issues mean the Wynyard Crossing Bridge has remained in the upright position since March, and Currie’s sources say it’s unlikely to reopen before December. One operator says his revenue is down at least 50%, and on some days by as much as 80%. Another says last Sunday “was the worst day since the level 2 and 3 Covid restrictions”. All are cutting costs, and some are starting to lay off workers. They’re frustrated and angry that the repair job is taking so long. But Eke Panuku, the Auckland Council controlled-organisation that looks after Wynyard Quarter, says it’s a more complex task than most people appreciate, requiring custom-made parts airfreighted in from Italy.

Click and Collect

• National minister turned TV presenter Paula Bennett has been appointed as the chair of Pharmac.

• Labour market data out on Wednesday is set to show that unemployment has risen – but only by a few fractions of a percentage point (paywalled).

• Independent reviewers have suggested pushing out the next census to 2030 or 2031, as Stats NZ considers a new approach to data-gathering (paywalled).

• Ōwhiro Bay has Wellington’s worst bus service, according to a report.

• The best jokes from this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

  Feeling clever? Click here to play 1Q, Aotearoa’s newest, shortest daily quiz.

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