I find this amusing and highlights the lack of transparency and or knowledge from this travel writer.
Cheat sheet: What you need to know about Air NZ’s fare changes | Stuff
Will the fare changes affect my Airpoints and Status Points?
The number of Airpoints and Status Points you earn is affected by factors such as how much you spend on your flights and other qualifying purchases, how far in advance you book, and how you pay. In theory, the pricier domestic fares should earn you more points - however the airline hasn’t commented further on whether that will be the case.
And of course AirNZ hasn't commented as they will expose exactly what TK has unpicked above