Scott Morrison defends NZ's stance on China, Canterbury remains on high alert as it enters flood clean-up mode, and veteran MP Nick Smith quits politics amid an inquiry into a “verbal altercation”.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison have agreed to disagree on some issues following their bilateral talks in Queenstown yesterday, but both leaders have reiterated the close relationship between the two countries.
The duo spoke about several issues during their meeting, including climate change and reconnecting with the world post-Covid, with the controversial topic of deportations also brought up .
There won’t be any change to Australia’s so-called ‘501’ deportees policy, while Ardern says the Australian-born Christchurch terrorist will also likely stay in New Zealand prison.
But Morrison did defend New Zealand’s stance on China , saying it’s not harming the Five Eyes relationship.
His comments follow a 60 Minutes segment in Australia which alleges New Zealand is selling its sovereignty to maintain trade dealings with China.
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Canterbury in clean-up mode
Meanwhile, Ardern’s attention today will turn to the wild weather down south as she visits flood-affected areas in Canterbury.
Civil Defence says the region can move into clean-up mode with a red alert weather warning lifting last night.
However, a state of emergency remains in place for the region. As rivers threaten more flooding and with floodwaters not expected to recede for several days, residents are being warned to stay on high alert. Major road closures are also still in place across Canterbury.
It’s been a frantic 48 hours for locals as they dealt with the deluge of rain.
Aerial photos have revealed the destruction of roads in Rakaia Gorge, while this video of a raging Orari River shows the sheer volume of water flowing through the region.
Some areas have seen floodwaters contaminated with sewage and farmers that had previously been battling with drought are now wading through flooded paddocks.
An Ashburton farmer 1 NEWS spoke to yesterday says more than 20 years of work on his farm has been “washed away overnight" .
But as Canterbury deals with its flooding fallout, a lack of rain in other areas is causing concern.
The water level in the country's biggest lake — Lake Taupō — is dangerously low for this time of the year.
The lake serves as an important source for drinking water in the Waikato and Auckland and is more than 30 per cent lower than what it should be.
Smith calls time on politics
Veteran National MP Nick Smith has announced he’s leaving Parliament amid an inquiry into what he calls a “verbal altercation” with a staff member last year.
Smith’s decision has caught several National MPs by surprise , with his 30 years in politics coming to an end next week.
Harete Hipango is next on National's list and is poised to come back to Parliament. As Stuff reports , she will single-handedly increase her party’s Māori representation by 50 per cent.
Victoria 'neck and neck' with Covid
Authorities in Victoria fear their latest Covid-19 outbreak will get worse and that the current lockdown will have to be extended beyond Friday.
The state is now dealing with what’s believed to be two separate clusters, as new cases emerge in two rest homes with staff working between facilities.
Acting Premier James Merlino says the situation is “incredibly serious” and that authorities are running "neck and neck" with the virus.
The Age reports Australia’s aged care staff may now be forced to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to continue working in the sector.
Meanwhile, Qantas has revealed details about its incentives for vaccinated passengers.
CEO Alan Joyce says those who have had a Covid vaccine will be eligible for a discount with the airline and an opportunity to win one of “10 mega prizes” of unlimited travel for a year.
Air New Zealand says it has no plans to follow Qantas in offering incentives for vaccinated passengers.
Allegations of bias at protest
The cycle lane protest that shut part of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge on Sunday has got some asking questions about the lack of police intervention.
Hundreds of cyclists forced their way through a police cordon to ride over the bridge and with just one arrest, some south Auckland leaders allege the group was shown leniency not extended to others .
Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins says “poorer people out south” are treated one way by the police, while “people who are wealthy and in lycra” get a completely different approach.
1 NEWS asked police about the allegations of bias. They didn’t address the issue but say they’re continuing inquiries into Sunday’s cycle protest.
Powershift problem probed
Fair Go has put car manufacturer Ford back under the spotlight for transmission problems with its powershift clutch system.
After helping a couple get a refund over their Mondeo’s transmission replacement back in March, the show received dozens more similar complaints .
It's not the first time Ford has had to deal with powershift clutch complaints, with the company paying millions of dollars in compensation to customers in the US and an ongoing lawsuit in Australia.
Fair Go reports there may soon be a class action against Ford in New Zealand, with a law firm in talks with a litigation funder.
Other news of note this morning:
- China has announced it will allow couples to have up to three children after census data showed a steep decline in birth rates.
- Vietnam is hoping to curb a new Covid outbreak by testing the entire population of Ho Chi Minh City .
- The OECD’s latest Economic Outlook is picking New Zealand to be one of the stronger performers – but says the country needs to speed up Covid vaccinations and reopen borders next year.
- A former James Hardie manager has testified in the class action against the international building giant, saying he wouldn’t have bought a house with the cladding his company sold.
- A second lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.
- Tennis star Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open after controversially refusing to speak to media during the tournament.
- Stewart Mitchell has been appointed as the new chair of NZ Rugby , while former Black Ferns captain Farah Palmer has been named as his deputy.
- And a study has found the world's only mountain parrot – the kea – adapted over time so that it could steer clear of people . Who could blame them, eh?
And finally...
Men’s Health Week is just around the corner and with it comes the Men’s Muster, a three-day event in Te Anau that’s designed to build better blokes.
Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry is attached to the adventure getaway with blokey health benefits and he’s so passionate about the idea, he even agreed to go on a date with Seven Sharp’s Jeremy Wells to promote it.
You can check out their day of pampering – and reminiscing about World Cup finals – here .
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