Morning Briefing Dec 8: Govt readies for 'tough' report into terror attacks

On March 15, 2019, a gunman shot and killed 51 people praying at the Al Noor (pictured) and Linwood mosques.

The much-anticipated Royal Commission report into the Christchurch terror attacks is due for public release at 2pm today – although not everything from the 800-page report will be made available.

Evidence and submissions by current and former ministers have been suppressed for 30 years

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she found reading the report tough .

"If I found it tough, I can only imagine how distressing [the Muslim community] will find it," she says. 

Ardern says the Government will release its initial responses to the report today and will also reveal the new “co-ordinating minister” who’s been appointed to implement the report’s recommendations. 

Sign up to get the Morning Briefing delivered direct to your inbox – here.

Household incomes still down

A third of New Zealand’s households still haven’t recovered their income to the level it was before the country’s Level 4 lockdown.

The new Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC) survey also found just over one in 10 households are on severely reduced income.

Those who work in industries such as retail, food, accommodation services and construction have been worst affected, with Māori and Pacific households more likely to still have reduced incomes. 

Collins' support nosedives

The first 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll of the new parliamentary term shows things are still far from rosy for National and its leader Judith Collins.

While party support is roughly the same as it was on election day (Labour is on 53 per cent compared to National’s 25 per cent), Collins’ preferred Prime Minister rating has plummeted to 12 per cent. 

Meanwhile, Ardern’s rating has risen to 58 per cent – and a few other faces have crept on to the list.

ACT’s David Seymour received his highest preferred PM rating of four per cent, while new National MP Christopher Luxon registered at two per cent. Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta also pulled in 0.8 per cent of the poll. 

Collins says she’s not worried about her polling results at this early stage of the term. 

“Leaders of the Opposition always have quite a difficult time,” she says. “My big focus is that it's not about me, it's about the team working well."

Concerns over 'money grab' notes

There are concerns fake notes from a company’s controversial money drop promotion are now in circulation after being used to pay for drinks at a Hamilton bar .

The Safety Warehouse’s promotional stunt at Aotea Square ended in violence on Saturday when the company dropped fake notes during an event that advertised $100,000 in real cash being dropped from the sky.

Those fake notes have now turned up at Hamilton’s Outback Inn and there’s now concern the fake $5 notes could be in use elsewhere. 

Jacinda Ardern also weighed into the growing controversy around the event yesterday, saying The Safety Warehouse “should apologise” for the stunt .

“I’ve seen some of the reporting around this and how it impacted people. I cannot fathom how anyone would think it was a good idea," she says.

The Safety Warehouse says it stands by its marketing and the vouchers issued during the event. 

Meanwhile, Ardern also found herself at the centre of a new Facebook scam that’s attempting to swindle Kiwis out of cash.

Criminals have been re-using celebrities’ livestreamed videos – including Ardern’s – to ask people to donate to Covid-19 charities. Perpetrators then ask for bank details, take people’s money and disappear.

Ardern says such cyber criminals are “rotten to the core”. Her office has asked Facebook to take immediate action over the scam.

Te Reo Māori in the classroom

The Government has this morning announced a nationwide expansion of its Te Ahu o te Reo Māori programme, with the goal of normalising te reo in the classroom.

The initiative will now be available to up to 10,000 teachers, leaders and support staff who wish to strengthen their use of the language.

Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis says the Government plans to keep improving the programme so around 40,000 people can learn over the next four years.

Other news of note this morning:

- The Ministry of Health says it will no longer announce Covid-19 case numbers on a daily basis. 

- As a legal bid to throw out the results of the cannabis referendum gets underway, Otago University law professor Andrew Geddis explains why he believes it won’t be successful

- Donald Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani is in hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus.

- Two Indigenous sporting stars have come out against the Wallabies’ historic rendition of Advance Australia Fair on Saturday night, saying the gesture means nothing because of what they were singing .

- Consumer NZ is warning “sneaky” retailers signing people onto mailing lists without permission .

- New Zealand's Great Walks are busier than ever this summer despite the country’s closed borders.

- And Bob Dylan’s entire catalogue of songs has been sold for an undisclosed sum.

And finally...

Sunscreen being applied

The heat has gone on several sunscreen brands after half of those tested by Consumer NZ this year failed to meet their SPF claims.

There’s currently no requirement for sunscreen manufacturers to regularly test their products, something Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy says needs to change.

The Ministry of Health says it’s working on a bill to ensure standards are met – but until then, you might want to check if your sunscreen made this list of products to be wary of .

SHARE ME

More Stories