Covid and the media
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10:42 am, August 29th, 2021 - 54 comments
Categories: chris bishop, covid-19, health, jacinda ardern, labour, making shit up, Media, national, same old national, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up -
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This week there has been some argy bargy between the Twitterati including the Waitakerati and the media on coverage of Covid in Aotearoa.
Laura Walters at Spinoff posted this rather heavy dive analysis of criticism of Covid coverage by the media.
Her introduction was fine. She said this:
We have heard a lot about the team of five million during the past 18 months. We have heard about the team’s superstars: the healthcare workers, border workers, supermarket workers, contact tracers, scientists and modelling experts. Then there is the team’s corps: those staying at home, scanning in, masking up. But there is another subset of the team whose contribution is sometimes overlooked, and other times misunderstood: those who challenge the government and its Covid-19 response.
I’m not talking about those who, like Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, think we should immediately give up on the elimination strategy and learn to live (or die) with Covid-19. I’m also not talking about those who spread misinformation, conspiracy theories, or refuse to adhere to public health measures.
I’m talking about those who constructively criticise the government’s Covid-19 response. The opposition MPs, media and experts who ask about issues with PPE supply chains; why more essential and frontline workers haven’t had their jabs (only 40% of police are fully vaccinated; we don’t know what percentage of healthcare workers are fully vaccinated); and how the government is addressing the failings of the MIQ booking system.
She also said this:
Unfortunately, many of those who do play the vital role of questioning the government’s handling of some aspects of its pandemic response are vilified.
The National party has been accused of politicising a public health emergency. And while there have been attempts at political point scoring and the spreading of inaccurate information by the opposition, on the whole, Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop has constructively questioned the government on legitimate issues. He’s asked about things like the percentage of health workers who are fully vaccinated, and vaccine supply issues.
She then mentioned Tova O’Brien and Jason Walls as being subjected to attacks. Her comments about reporters questioning the Government’s policies were appropriate but I am afraid she lost me when she defended the National Party.
Her attack against the twitterari was repeated by Andrea Vance in Stuff this morning who said this:
Government supporters aggressively insist critics should shut up and trust the experts. That anyone questioning the prevailing approach is recklessly anti-science, undermining the response or indifferent to a higher death toll.
This is too crude. It is perfectly logical to accept the need for current restrictions, while criticising the Government for how we got here and the failings that led to it, not least in the vaccination roll-out.
Both of their attacks are too crude, to use Andrea’s phrase. If someone presents a well thought through critical analysis of current policy then my impression is that the left will relish it. And there are a number of contributors whose writing is critical of current efforts and weaknesses in the system.
For instance Marc Daalder had dug deep into Government information and highlighted significant weaknesses in areas such as contact tracing. But his commentary is evidence based and nuanced which is a feature that many other writers lack.
Matt Nippert has also written some indepth analysis of Covid and its effects. His weekend description of Delta is outstanding. The article contained this passage:
New Zealand had found its first case of Delta on March 9, detected and then trapped and starved of new hosts in managed isolation and quarantine, with a passenger who had flown out of India. It would be five months before it returned here with a vengeance, but our neighbours would not be spared for long.
In April, Delta hitched a ride out of Fiji’s MIQ system and within a month was replicating itself in more than 100 new people each day. And on June 16 in Sydney, a limo driver who worked ferrying international aircrew around the city tested positive for Delta. The case only had five days between being infected and being detected and isolated, but that was enough to seed a stubborn outbreak that would later shatter both inter-state and transtasman consensus on the pandemic.
With similar economies and political systems, and an elimination strategy that had largely been in lock-step with New Zealand, the bubble between the two countries had opened just months earlier in April. Wellington was now watching developments in New South Wales very closely indeed.
On June 23, after a tourist from Sydney tested positive for Delta on his return home, the Covid response experienced what Gerrard calls a “dress rehearsal”.
If you were looking for a sign of official worry about Delta, this was it: The country’s first alert level change without confirmation of community transmission. The mushrooming list of places of interest, and frantic efforts to find and test the more than 2000 people who had also been present, showed the extent to which the response was trying to outrun an opponent that was now faster than ever.
But among the pearls there is this daily onslaught of trash analysis that is not contributing to the debate but instead is undermining it. And the quality of the commentary is so poor that you have to question its value. The commentary is full of absolute conclusions uninformed by reality like this effort from today from Heather Duplessis-Allan. Her broad conclusion was:
We thought New Zealand was exceptional. The world raved about our world-leading Covid response. But now, the world is ridiculing us at worst, shocked at best.
Reality would beg to differ.
Hers is not the only bad take. Here are a few examples collected from recent columns:
- National aligned Janet Wilson whose opinion piece is basically a collection of National Party talking points.
- Chris Bishop’s dad John Bishop who managed to combine insulting former National Party voters with a claim that the dawn raids were justified.
- Mike Hosking on any day. What I would like to know is when will he admit his errors?
- Mike Hosking’s wife. Fancy criticising Ardern for the elimination strategy that has stopped thousands of kiwis from dying. And her criticisms and insinuations about Ashley Blomfield have been that extreme that the head of the SSO Peter Hughes sought space on Newstalk’s website to say that she had gone too far.
- Anything Richard Prebble has said. Enough said.
- Anything Steven Joyce has said. Also enough said.
- Westland Mayor Bruce Smith who is sick of hearing from health experts and wants businessmen to make health decisions instead.
It seems each week there is an array of partisan critical commentary against the Government’s response to Covid. And the ease in which the criticism can change makes your head hurt. One day they are too restrictive the next day to relaxed …
Among the dross there is the occasional gem. This piece by Shane Tepou is a standout, particularly where he said:
If we did surrender to the virus, we know many, maybe most, of the people who would get seriously ill or die would be Māori and Pasifika. It would be my family. It would be our kaumātua we sacrificed if we listened to the people who say saving lives is too hard. That’s not the Māori way, it’s not the Kiwi way, and it’s a bloody good thing we didn’t listen to the naysayers.Ultimately, getting everyone vaccinated, including kids, is going to be how we break out of this pandemic. Not some arbitrary low target like Collins’ target of 70 per cent of adults. We need to get everyone vaccinated.
Don’t believe the rubbish about our vaccine contracts being slow or the myth based on a blog post that we could have paid more to jump the queue. We chose the gold standard vaccine, and we have been getting it as fast as Pfizer can make it. We now have enough vaccine being delivered that everyone can get their jabs. But we are not there yet, and neither are other countries that pundits would have us believe are “returning to normal”.
And this column by Jevan Casinader where he talks about the need to understand the mental strain our leadership is under is also outstanding particularly where he said:
Over the past fortnight, social media pages have been filled with gripes. Why did we lock down with only one case? Why did we even need a lockdown? Why are we still in lockdown? Why won’t they tell us how long we’ll be in lockdown?
We’re like five million children squeezed into the backseat of a station wagon, chanting: “Are we there yet?”
When this outbreak began, our narrative quickly shifted from “a world-leading response” to “a failing, poorly-led public service”.
Clearly, there have been gaps in the Government’s Covid strategy. The vaccine roll-out has been slow. The MIQ system remains inequitable. The border has been exposed on many occasions.
But too often, the criticism overlooks the fact that politicians and officials are making imperfect decisions, based on imperfect information, using limited public resources, during an unprecedented global event. There is no textbook for this stuff.
His description of Jacinda Ardern’s use of the 1 pm briefing sessions also resonated:
The prime minister has been accused of exploiting Covid to build her personal brand. I’ve read numerous posts claiming Jacinda Ardern enjoys Level 4 because she can hog the limelight and deliver Labour “sermons” from the Beehive theatrette.
This is daft – and just plain nasty. In February, Ardern said there is an “indescribable anxiety that comes with the daily grind of managing a pandemic”.
Of course the naysayers have the ability and the economic and political incentive to say whatever stupid idea comes into their head. They are at liberty to imply they understand the handling of a pandemic that has brought more advanced nations to their knees better than those who have spent a lifetime working on health issues.
But they should not complain when the Twitterati or the Waitakereati get stuck into them.
By all means let us have the debate. But bring your best game and be prepared to defend your positions, particularly the ones damaging to the response.
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The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...1 week ago
- Climate Change: National wants to cheat on Paris
In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...1 week ago
- Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’
1 week ago
- Release: Coalition cooking up costly RMA replacement
National continues to dismantle environmental protections in the interests of rushing through unsustainable development that will ultimately cost communities. ...22 hours ago - Release: National red-faced as benefit numbers skyrocket
The economy has stagnated and the National Government is having to face the consequences of its atrocious lawmaking, as beneficiary numbers skyrocket past even Treasury’s predictions. ...1 day ago
- Release: National allocating police officers not hired yet
There are 104 fewer police officers now than there were when National came into Government. ...1 day ago
- Economic decline further cause for tax transformation
Today’s GDP figures combined with the injustice of our tax system will mean more pain for our lowest-income households while those at the top remain relatively unscathed. ...2 days ago - Release: No growth under National, just cuts
The National Government’s decisions have hindered, not helped the economy. ...2 days ago
- Govt must act to avoid the worst of NIWA’s climate projections
New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed. ...3 days ago
- Release: More job losses as Government fails on manufacturing
The Government is failing the manufacturing sector with no plan for its future. ...3 days ago
- Tāmaki-Makaurau MP Urges Immediate Support for Families Impacted by Mill Closure
Te Pāti Māori Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau is urging a full wraparound of services to intervene quickly with families affected by today's announced closure of the Penrose Mill. Seventy-five people are set to lose their jobs right on the eve of Christmas. "I want to extend my thoughts ...3 days ago
- Release: Sentencing package misses the mark by a mile
Sentencing policy announced by Minister Paul Goldsmith today is anything but new, merely window dressing to make up for backwards violent crime statistics under the National Government. ...4 days ago
- Release: Seymour’s Ministry of Double Standards
David Seymour doesn’t stick to his own standards of good regulation despite having a multimillion-dollar vanity ministry set up to do so. ...4 days ago
- Release: Labour Leader to travel to UK
Labour Leader Chris Hipkins will travel to the United Kingdom this week to attend the annual UK Labour Party conference in Liverpool and meet with members of the new Labour Government. ...4 days ago
- Govt Warned – Increasing Snapper Quota Breaches Fisheries Settlement
An imminent decision to increase the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for snapper would be a direct violation of the first-ever Treaty Settlement and inevitably breach Te Tiriti o Waitangi, says Te Pāti Māori. Te Ohu Kaimoana has sought a High Court declaration to prevent the Minister of Oceans and ...5 days ago
- Govt attacks workers’ rights once again
Today’s announcement from the Minister of Workplace Relations emphasises how deep in the pocket of big business this Government really is. ...6 days ago
- Release: Māori business not a priority for this Govt
Scrapping the Progressive Procurement programme designed to support and grow Māori businesses is a missed opportunity. ...6 days ago
- Release: March 15 inquiry grants cut by Government
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has cut grants helping overseas family of victims to attend the next phase of the Coronial Inquiry into the 15 March 2019 Christchurch Masjidain Attack. ...6 days ago
- Minister of Injustice seeks to Entrench largest land confiscation in History
The Waitangi Tribunal has released an Urgent Report on the Government’s proposed amendments to the Takutai Moana Act 2011. The report calls out Paul Goldsmith’s proposal for what it is: a “gross breach of the Treaty” and an “illegitimate exercise of kāwanatanga”. The Tribunal is recommending the Crown step down ...1 week ago
- Takutai Moana changes another assault on Te Tiriti
The Government must abandon its Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act interventions after the Waitangi Tribunal found it was committing gross breaches of the Treaty. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Govt to leave Te Reo in schools alone
As Te Wiki o te Reo Māori approaches, the Government is considering deprioritising teaching Te Reo Māori in our schools. ...1 week ago
- Govt cannot ignore racism
The Government’s directive to the public service to ignore race is nothing more than a dog whistle and distraction from the structural racism we need to address. ...1 week ago
- Release: Lemauga Lydia Sosene to take medical leave
Labour’s Mangere MP Lemauga Lydia Sosene has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will shortly take medical leave. ...1 week ago
- Potential intelligence sharing with Israel must be investigated
Concerns have been raised that our spy arrangements may mean that intelligence is being shared between Aotearoa and Israel. An urgent inquiry must be launched in response to this. ...1 week ago
- Release: Charter schools undermine our education system
The Government is taking a wrecking ball to our public education system by reinstating charter schools. ...1 week ago
- Youngest MP to travel to Canada to accept Politician of the Year Award
Aotearoa’s Youngest Member of Parliament, and Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, will travel to Montreal to accept the One Young World Politician of the Year Award next week. The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between ...1 week ago
- Greens celebrate huge step forward for ADHD community
The Greens welcome today’s long-coming announcement by Pharmac of consultation to remove the special authority renewal criteria for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil and to fund lisdexamfetamine. ...1 week ago
- Release: Millions to be spent dividing NZ for no reason
The National Party is wasting millions of dollars allowing David Seymour’s Treaty Principals Bill to be drafted and go to Select Committee. ...1 week ago
- Release: New Zealanders departing our shores at a record rate
The Migration figures released by Stats NZ today show National is continuing to drive Kiwis away from New Zealand in record numbers. ...1 week ago
- Te Tai Tokerau MP Slams Govt Overreach in Scrapping Māori Wards
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the government’s push to remove Māori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. “Actions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove Māori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...1 week ago
- Govt already seeking advice on Treaty referendum
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...1 week ago
- Release: Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt fails hundreds of workers as mills close
Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills. ...1 week ago
- Job losses from mill closures consequence of Govt inaction
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...2 weeks ago
- Ngarewa-Packer devastated for Ruapehu following WPI closure
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Cabinet should stop the Treaty Principles Bill
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Staff gagged to keep fast track list secret
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens call on Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned after letter from Christian leaders
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...2 weeks ago
- Sign the petition: Keep military-style firearms off our streets
Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...2 weeks ago
- Vast majority of councils support Māori wards
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...2 weeks ago
- Tourism on the table for Pacific Ministers’ meet-up
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey will meet with Trade and Tourism Minister of Australia Don Farrell and Fiji Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica in Rotorua this weekend for a trilateral tourism discussion. “Like in New Zealand, tourism plays a significant role in Australia and Fiji’s economy, contributing massively to ...21 hours ago - Young people report on family and sexual violence
The Te Puna Aonui Expert Advisory Group for Children and Young People has presented its report today on improving family and sexual violence outcomes for young people, to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour. The presentation at the Auckland event was an opportunity for ...21 hours ago
- $18 million being invested in the victims of crime
The Government is putting more than $18 million towards improving the experience of the criminal justice system for victims, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Minister for Children Karen Chhour say. “No one should experience crime, but for those who through no fault of their own become victims, they need to ...21 hours ago
- Landmark phonics check in te reo Māori
For the first time, schools can use a purpose-built tool to check how a child is progressing in reading through te reo Māori. “Around 45 schools are trialling a New Zealand first te reo Māori phonics check, known as Hihira Weteoro. It will help kaiako (teachers) focus on what ākonga ...23 hours ago
- New sea walls safeguard Ōpōtiki’s transformation
Two new breakwater walls at Pākihikura (Ōpōtiki) Harbour will provide boats with safe harbour access to support the continued growth of aquaculture in Bay of Plenty, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. The Ministers and leaders from Tē Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea and other ...1 day ago
- Kitmap to improve access to science infrastructure
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced an online platform to optimise the use of New Zealand’s science and technology research infrastructure and to link the public and private sector. “This country is home to world-class science, technology, and engineering expertise. Kitmap is set to empower Kiwi innovators, ...1 day ago
- Driving the uptake of low emission heavy vehicles
The Government has launched the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (LEHVF) to promote innovation and offset the cost of hundreds of heavy vehicles powered by clean technologies, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts say. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan ...1 day ago
- Speech on replacing the Resource Management Act
Replacing the RMA Hon Chris Bishop: Good morning, it is great to be with you. Can I first acknowledge the Resource Management Law Association for hosting us here today. Can I also acknowledge my Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Simon Court, who is on stage with me. He has assisted me in establishing the ...1 day ago
- Replacement for the Resource Management Act takes shape
Two new laws will be developed to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA), with the enjoyment of property rights as their guiding principle, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say. “The RMA was passed with good intentions in 1991 but has proved a failure in practice. ...1 day ago
- Tough laws pass to make gang life uncomfortable
Legislation passed through Parliament today will provide police and the courts with additional tools to crack down on gangs that peddle misery and intimidation throughout New Zealand, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “From November 21, gang insignia will be banned in all public places, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and ...2 days ago
- New levy rates set to ensure continued funding of FENZ
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the rates for the redesigned levy that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) from July 2026. “Earlier this year FENZ consulted publicly on a 5.2 percent increase to the levy. I was not convinced that ...2 days ago
- Police allocate Officers to Beat and Gang Units
The Coalition Government welcomes Police’s announcement today to deploy more police on the beat and staff to Gang Disruption Units. An additional 70 officers will be allocated to Community Beat Teams across towns and regional centres. This builds on the deployment of beat officers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch CBDs ...2 days ago
- Consultation begins on significant updates to the biosecurity system
Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility around importing requirements, and fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses have been released today for public consultation. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says “The future is about resilience and the 30-year-old ...2 days ago
- Wānaka community to benefit from new overnight health service
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says an Overnight Acute Care Service opening in October will provide people in Wānaka and the surrounding area with the assurance of quality overnight care closer to home. “When I was in Wānaka earlier this year, I announced funding for an overnight health service – ...2 days ago
- Preventing potholes with data-driven technology
The Government is rolling out data collection vans across the country to better understand the condition of our road network to prevent potholes from forming in the first place, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for the Government and increasing ...2 days ago
- GDP data shows effect of high interest rates
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the quarter to June 2024 reinforces how an extended period of high interest rates has meant tough times for families, businesses, and communities, but recent indications show the economy is starting to bounce back, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ data released today ...2 days ago
- NZ to host first Fiji, Australia trilateral trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua
Trade Minister Todd McClay will host Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica and Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for trilateral trade talks in Rotorua this weekend. “Fiji is one of the largest economies in the Pacific and is a respected partner for Australia and New Zealand,” Mr McClay says. Australia and New Zealand ...2 days ago
- NZ hosts Annual CER Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua
Trade Minister Todd McClay will meet with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua this weekend. “CER is our most comprehensive agreement covering trade, labour mobility, harmonisation of standards and political cooperation. It underpins an important trading relationship worth $32 ...2 days ago
- Government proposing changes to jury trials
The Government is seeking the public’s feedback on two major changes to jury trials in order to improve court timeliness, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “The first proposal would increase the offence threshold at which a defendant can decide to have their case heard by a jury. “The second is ...2 days ago
- Business key to regional economic dialogue
Local businesses and industries need to be front and centre in conversations about how regions plan to grow their economies, Regional Development Shane Jones says. The nationwide series of summits aims to facilitate conversations about regional economic growth and opportunities to drive productivity, prosperity and resilience through the Coalition Government’s Regional ...2 days ago
- More funding for Growing Up in New Zealand study
The Government is investing $16.8 million over the next four years to extend the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) Longitudinal Study. GUiNZ is New Zealand’s largest longitudinal study of child health and wellbeing and has followed the lives of more than 6000 children born in 2009 and 2010, and ...2 days ago
- Tough targets for charter schools will raise achievement
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that Charter Schools will face a combination of minimum performance thresholds and stretch targets for achievement, attendance and financial sustainability. “Charter schools will be given greater freedom to respond to diverse student needs in innovative ways, but they will be held to a much ...2 days ago
- NZ votes for Middle East resolution at UN
New Zealand has voted for a United Nations resolution on Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian Territory with some caveats, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand’s yes vote is fundamentally a signal of our strong support for international law and the need for a two-state solution,” Mr Peters says. “The Israel-Palestine ...2 days ago
- Honouring the legacy of New Zealand’s suffragists
Suffrage Day is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to ensuring we continue to be a world leader in gender equality, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. “On 19 September, 131 years ago, New Zealand became the first nation in the world where women gained the right to vote. ...2 days ago
- Foreign Minister to travel to New York, French Polynesia
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is travelling to New York next week to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, followed by a visit to French Polynesia. “In the context of the myriad regional and global crises, our engagements in New York will demonstrate New Zealand’s strong support for ...3 days ago
- Thanking social workers on their national day
“Today, on Aotearoa New Zealand Social Workers’ Day, I would like to recognise the tremendous effort social workers make not just today, but every day,” Children’s Minister and Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says. “I thank all those working on the front line for ...3 days ago
- Minister of State for Trade heads to Laos for ASEAN meetings
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg will travel to Laos this week to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers’ Meetings in Vientiane. “The Government is committed to strengthening our relationship with ASEAN,” Ms Grigg says. “With next year marking 50 years since New Zealand became ...3 days ago
- Members appointed to retail crime MAG
The Government has appointed four members to the Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “I am delighted to appoint Michael Hill’s national retail manager Michael Bell to the group, as well as Waikato community advocate and business ...3 days ago
- Speech to the New Zealand Nurses Organisation AGM and Conference 2024
It’s my pleasure to be here to join the opening of the NZNO AGM and Conference for 2024. First, I’d like to thank NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku, NZNO President, Anne Daniels, and Chief Execuitve Paul Gaulter for inviting me to speak today. Thank you also to all the NZNO members ...3 days ago
- Improvements for New Zealand authors
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says changes to the Public Lending Right [PLR] scheme will help benefit both the National Library and authors who have books available in New Zealand libraries. “I am amending the regulations so that eligible authors will no longer have to reapply every year ...4 days ago
- Minister commends Police for gang operation
Police Minister Mark Mitchell congratulates Police for the outstanding result of their most recent operation, targeting the Comancheros. “That Police have been able to round up the majority of the Comancheros leadership, and many of their patched members and prospects, shows not only the capability of Police, but also shows ...4 days ago
- New appointments to the EPA board
Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has announced a major refresh of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board with four new appointments and one reappointment. The new board members are Barry O’Neil, Jennifer Scoular, Alison Stewart and Nancy Tuaine, who have been appointed for a three-year term ending in August 2027. “I would ...4 days ago
- Enabling rural recovery works in Hawke’s Bay
Cabinet has approved an Order in Council to enable severe weather recovery works to continue in the Hawke’s Bay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “Cyclone Gabrielle and the other severe weather events in early 2023 caused significant loss and damage to ...4 days ago
- FamilyBoost childcare payment registrations open
From today, low-to-middle-income families with young children can register for the new FamilyBoost payment, to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. The scheme was introduced as part of the Government’s tax relief plan to help Kiwis who are doing it tough. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we ...4 days ago
- Prioritising victims with tougher sentences
The Government has today agreed to introduce sentencing reforms to Parliament this week that will ensure criminals face real consequences for crime and victims are prioritised, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. "In recent years, there has been a concerning trend where the courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences ...5 days ago
- Targets data confirms rise in violent crime
The first quarterly report on progress against the nine public service targets show promising results in some areas and the scale of the challenge in others, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government reinstated targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, ...5 days ago
- Asia Foundation Board appointments announced
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointments of Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell to the Board of the Asia New Zealand Foundation. Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has also been appointed as an ex-officio member. The new trustees join Dame Fran Wilde (Chair), ...5 days ago
- Endeavour Fund projects for economic growth
New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. “This Endeavour Fund round being funded is focused on economic growth and commercial outputs,” Ms Collins says. “It involves funding of more ...5 days ago
- Social Services Providers Whakamanawa National Conference 16 September 2024
Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today. I am honoured to be here in my capacity as Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, and Minister for Children. Thank you for creating a space where we can all listen and learn, ...5 days ago
- Parihaka infrastructure upgrades funded
The Government will provide a $5.8 million grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “This grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will have a multitude of benefits for this hugely significant cultural site, including keeping local ...5 days ago
- ACC trial of artificial intelligence sees boost in quality, speed of work
ACC is first out of the blocks, and the work is "of great interest across the other government departments". ...4 hours ago - High Court judgment clears path for Greens to waka jump Darleen Tana – expert
It is unlikely Tana will be able to seek another order to stop the Greens holding a meeting to vote on her fate, Professor Andrew Geddis says. ...5 hours ago
- SovCits used fake ID to access Parliament, Government House, police say
Members of a group believe they are exempt from NZ law used fake ID to reach the PMs floor, according to a police presentation. ...7 hours ago
- Short story: Abicene, by Michael Hodder
When Brian alerted Andy that an owl was caught in the netting, he had been puzzled, wondering how such a large bird could have got inside. Its talons had got caught on the outside. Andy guessed it was the morepork which he had heard most nights over the past year – ...7 hours ago - The Secret Diary of .. The Comancheros
MONDAYMemo to all staff: Hope you all had wonderful weekends! Please send your encrypted messages with a detailed list of what you’re working on today and I’ll see you on an all-hands Zoom call at 0930.And just a reminder to please file your cash earnings in microwave ovens. There are ...7 hours ago
- A new exhibition breathes life into Te Reo Māori documents
The first official copy books in te reo Māori; a map of Aotearoa labelled ‘New Munster’ and ‘New Ulster’; the original manuscripts capturing karakia and waiata for the first time; and a copy of The Cat in the Hat in te reo.All taonga that are part of a new exhibition, ...7 hours ago
- Unbought gems: Who will buy New Zealand’s largest gemstone collection?
Alex Casey visits the largest gemstone collection in the country, and meets the 85-year-old owner trying to Marie Kondo the lot. Despite its charming name, someone once warned me that Birdlings Flat was like a place from the Twilight Zone. Hang a right off the winding roads to Akaroa and ...8 hours ago - Beware the online menus with AI food photos
Local eateries using AI images may be at risk of duping their customers, but a lack of legislation means they’re not breaking the law. You notice something’s a bit off straight away. The macaroni looks too smooth, the miscellaneous herb is too miscellaneous and the sauce kinda looks like it’s ...8 hours ago
- The Weekend: Big frick energy
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. There’s something very funny about the word frick. Perhaps it’s the Christian undertones, popularised by kids who were too god-fearing to say the bad f-word (but probably just god-fearing enough to say the other bad f-word). It might sound like a milder version ...8 hours ago
- ‘A crisis situation’: Guy Montgomery’s live TV toilet nightmare
Comedian Guy Montgomery takes us through his life in television, including a What Now nightmare and the comedic genius of Goldstein from the ASB ads. To the untrained eye, Guy Montgomery appears to be one of the busiest people in comedy right now. With both the local and Australian versions ...8 hours ago
- ‘Perfect on a dusty Sunday’: Mohi and Chase Woods’ perfect weekend playlist
Waiata Anthems singers Mohi and Chase Woods share their perfect weekend playlist. Mohi (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa) and Chase Woods (Waikato) are both friends and collaborators. Having previously teamed up on Mohi’s single ‘Hoki Mai Rā’ in July, the two will now ...8 hours ago
- Podcast: Will Kiwibank step into the ring with the big four?
In a candid chat on When the Facts Change, Kiwibank chief executive Steve Jurkovich lays out his vision for the bank’s future – one where it can step up and truly challenge the big four Aussie-owned banks. But while he has high hopes, Jurkovich is quick to warn it won’t ...8 hours ago
- Almost all of the Hobbits in the Tolkienverse, ranked from worst to best
To celebrate International Hobbit Day on September 22 (Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ birthdays), we’ve decided who of all the furry-footed creatures is best. Concerning Hobbits and Spinoff rankings, it really feels like there is not a lot left to be said or ranked. Well, on International Hobbit Day, boy do ...8 hours ago
- The first Wellingtonian
Hundreds of years ago, a man named Tara founded the first permanent human settlement in Wellington. The city still bears his name: Te Whanganui a Tara. But what do we actually know about him? If you look out at the right angle from Ray Ahipene-Mercer’s house in Breaker Bay, you ...8 hours ago
- Gentrification isn’t inevitable − it can hinge on how residents view their neighborhood
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Korver-Glenn, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Families on bikes at a July Fourth parade in Houston’s Northside neighborhood. Jimmy Castillo, CC BY-ND Gentrification has become a familiar story in cities across the United States. The ...12 hours ago - Discrimination faced by indigenous Papuans ‘isn’t something new’, says disturbing new rights r...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Racism, torture and arbitrary arrests are some examples of discrimination indigenous Papuans have dealt with over the last 60 years from Indonesia, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch. The report, If It’s Not Racism, What Is It? Discrimination and other abuses ...15 hours ago
- Wā Pātai: Māori language week at Parliament
The House - Parliament was buzzing with te reo this week - but how common is this, really? ...15 hours ago
- Otago land and water plan to continue, despite government’s ‘strong preference’ it...
Regional councillors have voted to continue work on the plan, despite ministers suggesting they hold off until the government confirms its policy direction. ...16 hours ago
- Many people in the Pacific lack access to adequate toilets – and climate change makes things worse
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benny Zuse Rousso, Research Fellow, International Water Centre, Griffith University Pvince73/Shutterstock The Pacific Islands may evoke images of sprawling coastlines and picturesque scenery. But while this part of the world might look like paradise, many local residents are grappling with a ...18 hours ago
- New Law To Ban Gang Patches A Dangerous Move For New Zealand
Censorship can be a natural impulse to things we don’t like, but it’s better to know when hateful or offensive ideas exist. Otherwise, they’re buried underground to fester and can crop up unexpectedly. We see this legislation no differently. ...18 hours ago - Government urged to intervene in Cook Strait ferry woes
There are fears lives could be lost if the government doesn't step in to bring the country's ailing Cook Strait ferry services up to scratch. ...18 hours ago
- Is life getting better for China’s tech billionaires?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wenting He, PhD candidate of International Relations, Australian National University The skyline in Shenzhen, the city that is home to many of China’s largest tech companies. asharkyu/Shutterstock According to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Pony Ma, co-founder of Tencent Holdings, is once ...19 hours ago
- Fiji 2000 coup leader George Speight granted presidential pardon
RNZ Pacific The man behind the 2000 coup in Fiji, George Speight, and the head of the mutineers, former soldier Shane Stevens, have been granted presidential pardons. In a statement yesterday, the Fiji Correction Service said the pair were among seven prisoners who has been granted pardons by the President, ...20 hours ago
- Supreme Court orders government to pay in advance for Māori coastline appeal
In a rare decision, the country's top court has told the Crown it must give advance financial support to a group of hapū challenging it. ...20 hours ago
- Darleen Tana fails High Court bid against Green Party investigation
Green co-leader Chloe Swarbrick says the party welcomes the ruling and will now consider its next steps. ...20 hours ago
- Resource Management Act to be replaced by two new laws
They'll ditch rules that "invite every Tom, Dick, and Harry to vexatiously object to peaceful use and development", the government says. ...20 hours ago
- Are sports stars who are caught using illegal drugs unfairly vilified?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Wilson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney JFontan/Shutterstock With the Paris Olympics and Paralympics wrapped up, and leading Australian sports codes coming to an end of their 2024 ...21 hours ago
- Flood gates could reopen for Māori claimants after landmark ruling
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Yes, seems to me some of the "commentators" are getting a bit sensitive about the pushback. And it's huge. We are all tired, worried, exhausted with dealing with the realities of what this means for real people, including workers in essential services, Such shallow journalism, but might be living in the Beehive bubble where once a day they get to have a moment if fame. Meantime, criticisms of Ashley, Chris, Jacinda et al disregard the fact they are humans, they have kids and whanau they are separated from. Not a gig many of us would sign up for.
Of course we should not restrict free speech. Unless it is a question of slander or inciting rebellion or hatred, people should say what they like. However the media have a responsibility to put things into perspective.
Testing takes some time to get up to speed. We don't have a people (like firefighters) sitting around polishing swabs waiting for an outbreak. Vaccination was a considered choice between rushing, or waiting and building up slowly – while managing supply of the best available vaccine.
The people complaining about not being able to trade at level 3/4 should be asked to explain how they can trade in an environment where covid is rampant. They should be asked to explain the figures for the good weeks (most of the year) where they have done well because of our virus free status.
The people complaining about MIQ, testing, vaccination rates etc, should have to say why we think they could do better. MIQ is a problem, but mainly it is a problem because people are choosing to travel. Last February/March the NZ government told NZers abroad to come home while they still could. Yes it might have been inconvenient, but now people are complaining about the inconvenience of the consequences of their choice. MIQ exists to help them.
So yes, we should have constructive criticism. The government needs to explain its decisions. There are plenty of good ideas, and we have a right to hear them. Nobody should be threatened for contributing to the discussion. However, I do get tired of hearing the same hacks thinking they know better and ignoring all the good work that is happening.
Good response Barry.
Well said Barry and Micky. I back the actions of the Government unless someone produces a better achievable plan.
Well said, Micky.
Covid and it's variants are perhaps the greatest genuine challenge the today world is faced with. Each country has to deal with this under the current government they have, each have the support of experts in the field, both internationally and at home.
There must be a level of trust we give to the government and the experts that advise it. So there are indeed certain aspects to it that are questioned and criticized, but it has to be understood that this is a giant learning curve and only learning from errors can only come from hindsight.
Constructive criticism is of course acceptable, but point scouring and cheap shot journalism is never helpful. On the whole, for my point of view. We can be thankful for our choice of government is competent to guide us through this terrible time.
The examples you have cited Micky are further evidence (as if we needed it) of the venom from the entitled political right when things are not going according to their expectations. The fundamental cause of their fury is the remarkable success thus far of the Covid strategies adopted by the govt. [and the medical scientists who advise them] which have garnered admiration from around the world.
They are hell bent in responding to it by creating an alternative narrative which bears no relation to reality and which is designed over time to create confusion among the populace for political gain. That is why they are projecting their own cynical and self serving approach on to the shoulders of Jacinda Ardern by alleging:
she's exploiting Covid to build her personal brand and claiming she enjoys Level 4 because she can hog the limelight and deliver Labour “sermons” from the Beehive theatrette.
What a load of jealous piffle!
I too find those points from people railing against the 1pm briefings to be particularly telling. As if the critics would indeed behave in such a self agrandizing way if they were in that position themselves, and can't conceive of any reason to front up to the public except to decieve them.
I like the way Mediawatch on RNZ gives attention to some aspects of our media that usually don't get focussed scrutiny.
This morning they introduced Nick Mills, of ZB Wellington to show Wellington shares other viruses with Auckland.
What was instructive was hearing another NZME employee questioning the relentless negativity of their breakfast host.
The old saying came to mind about when your feet hit the floor. When you get out of bed you choose your attitude for the day, positive or negative.
What is it that happens to Mike Hosking before he gets out of bed that has him the negative arrogant soul he is when his feet first hit the floor?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018810142/mediawatch-for-29-august-2021
(Auckland 24:00 on)
Thank you Micky for your post, and to all those who have commented. A real tonic.
Unite against COVID-19
https://covid19.govt.nz/
Unite also against wealth inequality, alcohol and drug abuse, industrial farming, non-local food production. Unite for life respecting and preserving communities and the care and safety of children.
Stop trying to make fetch happen. 🙂
Haha there are two members that I know of so far …
The NZ Herald to day syndicates a Listener story from Victoria University's Professor Grimes, attacking the government. of course
'Opinion: Government has caused housing crisis to become a catastrophe'
Simply put he blames the changes in The Reserve Bank Act in 2018 which added employment sustainibility which have caused the explosion in House prices. This just aligns us with UK, USA and Australia which include employment in the central bank policy targets
House prices had been rising in previous decades, including before 2018
Professor Grimes was Chairman of the Reserve Bank from 2014-2108..a period of rapid house price rise
The hypocrisy is stunning
Ghostwhowalksnz, "the hypocricy is stunning" Sadly also expected.
https://thestandard.org.nz/reporters/
,”Once upon a time, in a world far away” we had these people called “reporters”.
An honourable profession, who considered it their job to keep the public accurately and completely informed”.
The 1 pm conferences have made the ignorance, partisanship and the propensity to "make things up and give their own uneducated opinion, indulged in by so called "journalists" glaringly obvious to the public.
And from the kickback from media hacks. They hate having their incompetent and ignorant spin, that they pass off as ,"news" exposed.
Spot on KJT.
For "reporters", we now have "commentators" or in the case of Hawkesby and Hoskin, B-grade celebrities with lesser intellect and knowledge of the real world than the Kardashians.
The modern news media are so far removed from being journalist their programs should be moved from News to the Entertainment Tonight channel.
A rare NZ journo who has got Covid twice and lived through the UK’s endless lockdown says we need to stick this out. https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/300391716/covid19-you-dont-know-how-lucky-you-are-new-zealand
Thanks Sacha for that link (only ~650 words) – a must read, imho.
The “endless” lockdown that achieved nothing? Like Victoria’s endless lockdown but cases still keep rising there too.
Maybe it’s better to accept some COVID risk in the community if the evidence is starting to Mount that lockdowns aren’t the best solution
And the mounting evidence that lockdowns aren’t the best solution is…?
some vox-pops near Tauranga
Tauranga? Isn’t that where they have no internet?
They have Bridges
.
I reckon Hosk and co opining from the cheap seats, ACT etcs social media spend and vox-pops near Tauranga are driving polls.
In a sense, Peter Doocy’s arrival in the White House press briefing room has been to his employer’s detriment. It used to be that Fox News could spend days condemning Democratic presidents for not responding to whatever controversy its hosts had been tumbling around in their rhetorical rock polishers. Now, though, there’s Doocy, who is regularly selected by White House press secretary Jen Psaki to ask questions probably in part so that the familiar process can be beheaded early.
[…]
Doocy and his network often don’t provide or consider the context that would subject their theories to heat from the outset. As New York magazine’s Jonathan Chait pointed out Thursday, Fox viewers often aren’t really tuning in to the network’s offerings for a considered debate on the news of the day. What keeps them engaged and watching is the diaspora of voices and range of volumes fuming at the day’s outrage.
https://archive.li/YZanK (wapo)
The evidence is that the lockdown as we know and implement it is working.
Read the information and the data, rather than simply repeating the criticism of those with an interest and purpose in attacking the govt.
The thing is Duke that even in Victoria where they have had far more practice at "lockdown" than us still can't get the method right. So they have tried to "ring fence" the out-break, but this virus is far too tricky for that to work, and it continually sneaks past the barrier, infecting others not protected in the process. They have only recently woken up to the fact that they needed to place the whole state in lockdown, not just just a few shires.
Our lockdowns have been proper ones and hence have worked. Why would we give that up now because of a small number of whingers and especially overseas ones?
Lockdowns are pretty ineffective, on their own. Only a simpleton would think that it is all-or-nothing with any measure, be it lockdown, vaccination, or mask-wearing, for example.
In any case, if lockdowns are not “the best solution”, what is, and what would it achieve and how?
Taiwan seems to have suppressed their recent outbreak in May while having a very low vaccination rate at the start of the outbreak. I used Our World in Data "covid vaccination" for the vaccination data.
I was curious as to how this was achieved as during the early days Taiwan did not lockdown as such and found this article which lists several approaches including masking, social distancing, improved quarantine and how media and local government behaved.
There is no article link in your comment!?
Taiwan is one of the few countries following an elimination strategy, and a successful one, may I add.
It depends what you mean by “lockdown”, but it seems Taiwan most definitely did lock down, as such, to beat the latest outbreak but not earlier on.
https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/the-changing-covid-19-situation-in-taiwan-what-can-nz-learn-from-taiwans-latest-outbreak/
Have you looked at the Stringency Index at Our World in Data?
Oops. In The Diplomat. “Why Taiwan is beating covid 19 again.”
And thanks for that Stringency Index.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/why-taiwan-is-beating-covid-19-again/
And yes I wasn't very clear – I was referring to the earliest outbreak of Covid 19 as having no lockdown.
Thanks also for the Public Health Expert link. I had a brief look at it but will have to have a proper read after an appointment. My take (so far) is that multiple approaches work best.
"Maybe it’s better to accept some COVID risk in the community if the evidence is starting to Mount that lockdowns aren’t the best solution"
Accepting covid in the community means accepting people filling our hospitals; our ICU wards; Long Covid affecting survivors; and hundreds dead.
Which then begs the question "better to accept some COVID" – for who? Undertakers?
Never mind the bog paper. Stock up on body bags.
Covid isn't like water. You can't take a bucket to a tap, fill it with an "acceptable" amount, then turn the tap off.
One or two drips of covidwater get in the bucket, the bucket keeps filling like a cornucopia until it overflows with corpses. The only way to avoid that is to take drastic action to dry the bucket as soon as you find a drop of water.
Indeed, McFlock, indeed.
We've seen it all overseas. Not something I want to see here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
But the evidence isn't starting to mount.
Thank you for posting that Sacha. I hope the poor lady, Helena Power can get back soon. LLoyd Burr …I well remember him outside the pub at Russell? being challenged by Winston Peters in 2017… a lifetime ago.
Excellent blogpost, Micky. Salient points and well researched.
Have noticed pretty much the same thing, and methinks Ms Vance doth protest too much. The msm is not above scrutiny by the public, just as politicians aren't above scrutiny by the media.
If, as she suggests the media demands "we gave up on freedom of expression" – the same applies to us, scrutinising and freedom of expression to voice our concerns when we think they (the media) are doing us a dis-service.
And it's not media scrutiny of the government that is exasperating. I've written several blogposts voicing my own criticisms of MIQ policies. (My latest on media dumping on us here: https://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2021/08/29/life-in-lockdown-round-two-day-10-contd-11/ )
No, its the platforming of so-called "experts", commentators, business whingers (hullo Michael Barnett!) and some "useful idiots" (hullo Bruce Smith!) that does our heads in.
Enough. If the MSM can dish it out, they damn well should be able to take it.
Thanks, Patricia.
Truth to tell, though I'm still on duty (essential worker in the Health sector), my roster has been amended so having extra time. Plus my partner and I are in separate bubbles so time spent together is now spent on our own… No grizzling, we all do our little bit.
Hope you and your family is well!
Thank you Frank, we have two grand nieces with covid in Sydney. (Delta,) they are sick at home presently. These 18 year old twins had their vaccinations as part of a family bubble. Hopefully they will recover. We need to get on top of it here. Listening to family in Scotland and London, they are tired and very anxious.
Thank you both for what you do. We are fortunate, retired and in reasonable health, but realise we may not get to visit or be visited by our son in Queensland as we are now near 80, and he has medical problems. We all need each other to be strong and clear headed in these times, and follow the science.
As your writing is lucid and clear we appreciate your items, which as you say you produce in your down time. Keep well.
One thing that puzzles me is, have people who life in Aotearoa turned into a bunch of whiny whimps. God help them if they lived in England, America, Australia. Anywhere that’s been in and out of lockdown for months on end.
A couple of weeks and they’ve got cabin fever already. Spare me!
!
Yeah, yeah, yeah overseas cabin fever is old news. In NZ we are still here because we’ve had a horrendous vaccine stroll out. Worst in the OECD. There is no escaping that unless you are an absolute Jacindafobe.
[Banned for a month for ignoring Moderation request to; you’ve had two full days to comply. You blew any credit you’d left with your trolling, so it was an easy decision this time – Incognito]
DNFTT
I think the incompetent twit meant to type 'Jacindaphile'. But instead typed "Jacindaphobe'; (well, actually with an ‘f’ instead of ‘ph’..) probably not sure about meaning any more than spelling..
See my Moderation note @ 6:45 pm.
Commentators and Journalists are two different things.
The national party is a shambles , Bishop has this year had a couple good hits at the govt over vaccinations that were fair enough despite however him never getting the appropriate reprimanding for sitting on the covid Karen's who traveled the country after testing negative simply cos he wanted to use it to hit the govt that was shameful.
Ive gotta say though I found the spin off take absolutely decent but I found Andrea Vance's take as some kind of justification for allowing politicians to travel up and down the country to mingle with each other in a physical parliament absolutely unacceptable. Parliament should be meeting via zoom end of to hell with physical parliament in a pandemic.
I have real concerns though about the way in which genuine, constructive criticism and debate is shut down by masses of people who tell people to harden up, or that they are letting the team down
The govt has extraordinary powers and impugning on civil liberties with good reason but in extraordinary ways and it's important media are able to criticize, cut through the spin and at times go for the jugular because the opposition is too busy mutilating itself to hold the govt to account.
There are times when labour / Jacinda supporters attack people with questions like rabid Trump supporters. Some of us forgot the be kind part.
There are many genuine criticisms and failures that govt officals and govt departments have allowed the ball to be dropped over the last 18 months and while overall they've done a great job a lot of that is because of the pressure they've been under from journalists cos there's no opposition.
And again journalists themselves are absolutely up for criticism but alot of the criticism they get is ugly
There are genuinely those who attack journalists for doing their job because they are aligned with a political party or ideology and the journalist made their side look bad and they are acting in bad faith, if my side has dropped the ball I wanna know how/why not go nuts that the journo made my side look bad…
I trust the media more than I trust unelected govt department bosses who routinely drop the ball and make govt look bad.
Wait 1000 cases a day NSW and 100 deaths a day UK? Farage and chums…anybody ask them why all these life boaters are so desperate to be here?
the liars and bullshit are beginning to get a toehold.
They’re a little bit better than the last lot, a few days of positive, more use of proxies for the negatives and have got NSW and ScoMo too.
New Zealand is in the top few places to be in the world. And likely to be there after lockdown.
I mean really the people who have been posting the NSW 5 person picnic thing as a libertarian triumph. FML.
different place in the electoral cycle and a different, more difficult challenge.
And currently a thousand Covid deaths a day in the USA.
Hawkesby's so one-eyed she'll only need one needle.
Thanks for that Pukahu Road.
And when you've been on the receiving end of one or two of the 1 in 100 sociopaths, you know how dangerous they can be. Many of them get away with conduct which would see the rest of us publicly admonished at best, prosecuted by the police at worst. But for some reason they are allowed to cover their tracks with impunity.
Pukahu Road seems to have deleted his comment which was about the level of sociopathy present in society especially in relation to media personnel. (My paraphrase).