There is no doubt that the National Government deserves the pressure that is currently being applied over the shambles of the Rugby World Cup opening night. The chaos in Auckland was extraordinary, and the decision now to commandeer the city’s waterfront is equally so. With just ten weeks until election day, this all gives Labour an amazing opportunity to scrutinise the government over something that was so unnecessary. Whether or not this drama is a ‘game changer’ is still to be seen, and will depend to some extent on whether National can ensure that the rest of the RWC goes to plan. But the fiasco has certainly taken the shine off the National Government’s general appearance of competency. Murray McCully’s days as a minister suddenly seemed numbered.
Today's most appropriate headline covering the debacle is therefore the Herald’s Four years of World Cup plans unravel in four days. Also conveying the latest drama well is Fran O'Sullivan’s Seizing control of fan zone surreal. But the must-read critique of National (and Labour and the local body politicians) comes from Duncan Garner – see: McCully must share Rugby World Cup Waterfront blame. Also of importance are: Vernon Small’s Nats in hot seat over party central, John Armstrong’s Knock out - Key lands the killer punch Len Brown didn't see coming, Brian Rudman’s So what comes next, Il Duce, and Dylan Moran and Lloyd Burr’s Opposition opposed RWC legislation as it gave McCully too much power.
Finally, please note that I’m interviewing Clare Curran MP on Friday for the University of Otago Vote Chat series and I’m interested in receiving your questions for her – see: What would you like to ask Clare Curran? [Continue reading below for a full list of the highlights of NZ Politics Daily]
Below are the internet links to all the NZ politics material from the last 24 hours that are either informative, insightful, interesting or influential. This list and the links are taken from a fuller document, NZ Politics Daily, which is emailed out, Monday to Friday, to various researchers, academics, journalists, MPs and so forth. The document is purely for research purposes only, and if you would like to be on the subscription list, please email: [email protected]
RWC: Party Central organisational problems
John Armstrong (NZH): Knock out - Key lands the killer punch Len Brown didn't see coming
Vernon Small (Dom Post): Nats in hot seat over party central
Newstalk ZB and APNZ: Brown told of Govt's waterfront plan days ago – McCully
Duncan Garner (TV3): McCully must share Rugby World Cup Waterfront blame
Fran O'Sullivan (NZH): Seizing control of fan zone surreal
Bernard Orsman (NZH): Rugby World Cup party gatecrashers
Bernard Orsman (NZH): $2m price tag on getting city's World Cup trains to run properly
Dylan Moran and Lloyd Burr (TV3): Opposition opposed RWC legislation as it gave McCully too much power
Editorial (NZH): Four years of World Cup plans unravel in four days
Russell Brown (Hard News): The Minister’s Brain Has Exploded
Brian Rudman (NZH): So what comes next, Il Duce
TV3: Lucky no deaths at World Cup opening - Goff
Kim Savage, Alexia Russell, Natasha Burling and Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): No need for Govt intervention – Hulse
TV3/NZN: Waterfront takeover 'blokey politics' says deputy mayor
Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Political Report: September 14
John Hartevelt and Danya Levy (Stuff): Party Central buck stops with me: McCully
Belinda McCammon (Stuff): Waterfront takeover a 'big kick' to council
TV3: Trains not the solution for Auckland - councillor
Hayden Donnell, APNZ and NZH Staff (NZH): Waterfront move an 'overreaction'
Grant Robertson (Red Alert): ‘A side order of complete and utter shambles’
RNZ: McCully confident Auckland fan zone will cope
John Campbell (TV3): Govt blames Auckland for RWC fiasco
TV3: Goff attacks Key over RWC opening woes - Extended footage
RWC politics
Alex Fensome (Southland Times): World Cup fever drowns out politicking
RNZ: Rugby World Cup 'helping' promote Maori culture
Matt Stewart (Dom Post): 'Snub' won't keep prince from game
Nick Krause (Stuff): RWC will leave a legacy – IRB
TVNZ: RWC visitors to bring in $780m – report
Colin Wiliscroft (NBR): Rugby World Cup to be subject of government report
RWC: NZ’s Minister of Bad Manners
NZH: Minister booed, yelled, didn't swear
NZH: Riddle of the foul-mouthed minister
APNZ: Bad minister claim 'gospel, not gossip'
Tim Donoghue (Fairfax): Journalist stands by 'Minister for Bad Manners' claim
John Pagani (electionresults): Do we have our Minister of Bad Manners?
Social disparity
TV3: Housing shortage will affect children – CPAG
Editorial (Dom Post): Left further behind the real world
TV3: Chronic loneliness affecting NZ elderly
NZ military interventions
Chris Trotter (Press): Moral fables in the post 9/11 era
Hana Garrett-Walker and AP: SAS 'sort of' involved in Kabul attack
Reuters and Danya Levy (Stuff): Taleban stage co-ordinated attacks in Kabul
TVNZ: NZ troops could get more involved in Kabul
Other
Adam Bennett (NZH): Party more blue than Green - Labour
Tim Watkin (Pundit): The powerful Professor Mutu
Max Rashbrooke (NZH): Prison costs reach $21m before start
Fairfax: Bill English's brother investigated over Govt contract
Andrea Vance (Stuff): Ryall asks for confirmation of English health contract advice
Vernon Small (Stuff): Finance Minister warns of risks to NZ
Vernon Small (Stuff): Value unknown for Defence Secretary's gifts
Timaru Herald: ECan progress pleases Smith
No Right Turn: A permanent dictatorship in Canterbury?
Laird Harper (Taranaki Daily News ): Ngarewa-Packer to help shape Maori economics
Elizabeth Binning (NZH): Labour promises to drop National Standards
Bryce Edwards (liberation): What would you like to ask Clare Curran?
