The Government orders a rapid review into Otago's water woes while concerns are also raised over water further north, and World Health Organization experts shoot down a Covid origin theory.
The handling of water issues in Otago is set to be further scrutinised with Dr Ashley Bloomfield heading up a Government-ordered rapid review into the health response.
Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall says it’s "unacceptable" residents of Waikouaiti and Karitane have been drinking water contaminated with lead for months.
Mass voluntary blood testing is underway in the area to determine if residents have been chronically affected by the exposure. Those combined test results will be shared in the next few weeks, while findings from the independent review are due back next month.
Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised over water further north, with RNZ reporting Fonterra has been discharging nitrate-heavy water onto “ghost farms” i.e. land that has been cleared of cows and used to dispose of factory wastewater.
There are fears the water could be leaching pollutants into private water bores and impacting the surrounding environment.
The issue has also raised concerns about the maximum allowable level of nitrate in New Zealand’s drinking water, which one public health specialist says should be lowered .
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Did Air NZ break the law?
An investigation is underway into whether Air New Zealand was unlawfully helping Saudi Arabia’s military.
Airline CEO Greg Foran was apologising yesterday after 1 NEWS revealed the company’s Gas Turbines business had been carrying out work for the Saudi Navy.
Air New Zealand has since terminated that contract , but officials are now looking at whether the airline breached export control rules .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also says the work, which “doesn’t pass New Zealand’s sniff test” , has put the country’s international reputation at risk.
Foran says the contract with Saudi Arabia’s military was agreed before his time at the company and that he put a stop to it as soon as he learned of it.
Former CEO and current National MP Christopher Luxon says he has “no recollection” of the $3 million contract. Air New Zealand is now reviewing the process that led to it being signed.
Lab theory largely dismissed
An international team investigating the origins of Covid-19 have all but dismissed a theory that the virus came from a Wuhan laboratory.
World Health Organization expert Peter Ben Embarek says more work is needed to identify the source of the virus but that it’s more likely to have jumped to humans from an animal .
Meanwhile, new research suggests having Covid-19 may not protect against getting infected again with some of its new variants. Scientists still think reinfections are rare, but recent global developments have raised concerns .
And those concerns come as New Zealand’s response to the pandemic again goes under the microscope.
MIQ nurses are speaking out over staffing numbers with some claiming to have worked 24-hour shifts . They say unsustainable working hours could lead to another community outbreak.
However, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says there’s “no evidence” of such claims and that extended shifts would be on an on-call basis only.
Jacinda Ardern says she wants to “look into” staffing concerns and ensure MIQ nurses have a safe working environment.
Changes to bubble timeline?
The Prime Minister says “things have changed” with regards to the Government’s target of a trans-Tasman travel bubble within the first quarter.
Jacinda Ardern says recent incidents, including a Sydney outbreak and Australia’s response to New Zealand’s border-related cases, have changed the bubble landscape.
She says the Government needs to ensure “some predictability” around protocols as “once we enter into that [travel bubble] arrangement, it will be very hard to undo it”.
Those questions about the travel bubble come as Victoria embarks on a testing blitz of Melbourne’s northwest after a second hotel quarantine worker contracted Covid-19 in less than a week.
A precautionary health alert has also been issued for a Sydney café and venues in the Wollongong area after a returnee tested positive for the virus following their 14-day quarantine period .
Property investors targeted
It's about to get harder for investors to jump into the booming property market with the Reserve Bank confirming it's bringing back restrictions on high risk lending.
From March, most owner-occupiers will need at least a 20 per cent deposit, while investors will need a 30 per cent deposit. Those restrictions will get even tougher from May .
Finance Minister Grant Robertson also addressed the housing issue in yesterday’s Budget Policy Statement (BPS).
He says the Government will begin cracking down on property speculators and tackle the demand for housing.
He says he wants to incentivise investment in new builds and “tilt the balance more towards first home buyers”. You can read his full BPS speech here .
Meanwhile, a tenants' advocacy group says renters are increasingly having their tenancies prematurely ended, as landlords make moves before new rules set in this Thursday .
Those new rules include bringing an end to 90-day tenancy terminations without justification and allowing tenants to make minor changes to properties, such as replacing curtains or hanging up pictures.
Stoush over Parliament's dress code
"It’s not about ties, it’s about cultural identity."
So said Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi yesterday as he was kicked out of Parliament for refusing to wear a tie .
Waititi, who has previously referred to ties as a “colonial noose”, told Speaker Trevor Mallard he was wearing “Māori business attire and a Māori tie” in the form of his hei-tiki.
The NZ Herald reports Mallard has offered the Māori Party an olive branch following the incident. The party will now make a submission to the Standing Orders Committee, asking for hei-tiki be permitted in place of a tie.
Other news of note this morning:
- Donald Trump's second impeachment trial is about to begin in the US Senate.
- The Government has announced tough new measures condemning the military coup in Myanmar, with restrictions on travel and aid .
- The Pacific Islands Forum is facing its biggest crisis after five small island nations quit the collective .
- National has decided to support Labour’s efforts to protect LGBT+ Kiwis from conversion therapy after leader Judith Collins googled what it was .
- Some passengers entering the country will now be fined if they don't provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test.
- Netsafe data shows scamming activity cost New Zealanders about $19 million last year.
- Officials say the move to off the water umpiring at the America’s Cup is a direct response to the sheer speed of the boats.
- Princess Eugenie has given birth to her first baby .
- And curiosity didn’t quite kill the koala – but it did cause a five-car pile-up in Adelaide .
And finally...
Look. Listen. I wouldn’t dream of objectifying All Blacks.
But Seven Sharp’s Hilary Barry and Laura Daniel have no such qualms, which is why they decided to go behind the scenes of the team’s latest Jockey underwear campaign.
They sat down for a chat with three of the players getting their kit off for the cameras for the first time – and their hard-hitting investigation can be found right here .
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